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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 2900

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

PRICE

Farmer loses over 800 chickens in Berbice

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Gold price increase can benefit Guyana P9

Page 11

… mysterious illness suspected, Agri Minister unaware of situation

Armed bandits beat, rob Corentyne businesswoman

Man nabbed in local bank after demanding $10M …claims he was Page 7 carrying bomb

Page 14

Carifesta Avenue P9 closed for 3 days

– 2 in custody

Perseverance P14 couple remanded for cocaine in pot

Rohee says consultation on city parking "a P14 must" Two participants in the Self Reliance and Success in Business Workshop in Mahdia give First Lady Sandra Granger a closer look at their hand-embroidered tea towels

Region 5 flooding

Mahaicony areas still under water …increased reports of sick children recorded

Page 13

PPP accuses Govt of frustrating work of NDCs Page 7

P12 Lethem Council wants Industrial Site reserved for auto assembly plant

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, June 29 – 12:30h-14:00h and Thursday, June 30 – 14:00h-15:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, June 29 – 11:50h-13:20h and Thursday, June 30 – 13:00h-14:30h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery showers with intervals of sunny weather can be expected throughout the better part of the day, while heavy rainfall is expected in the late afternoon. Partly cloudy skies with the chances of thunder showers can be expected in the evening.

Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East-North-easterly between 2.68 metres and 5.36 metres.

High Tide: 11:58h reaching a maximum height of 2.38 metres.

Low Tide: 05:27h and 17:55h reaching minimum heights of 0.79 metre and 0.81 metre respectively.

SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016

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Performance-based salary should apply to Ministers – Gaskin …dubs differentiated approach to wages proposal “inconsistent”

P

olitical commentator and economist Ramon Gaskin said Government’s proposal to the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) that it accepted a new performancebased salary hike, instead of the usual across-theboard increase was very much “inconsistent”, considering the salary hike given to Ministers last year.

The GPSU was yet to respond to Government on the proposal made during the first round of talks between the two entities late last week.

In an invited comment Tuesday, Gaskin said it was contradictory that Government was demanding that public servants be paid based on how well they carried out their responsibilities when it did not demand the same for Ministers when their salaries were raised a few weeks after taking office.

The meeting between the two entities, which lasted some five hours, culminated with the Union agreeing to look at the State’s proposal to replace the across-the-board increase with the differentiated approach.

Patrick Yarde

The parties also agreed that the negotiations were conducted in the spirit and obligations of the Memorandum of Agreement between the GPSU and the Public Service Ministry, now department, for the avoidance and settlement of disputes.

The bargaining unit is to consist of persons employed under the Department of the Public Service (DPS) and Public Service Commission (PSC), including those on contract, a joint statement detailed. An agreement also was made for a committee to be initiated to make recommendations to the negotiating team on allowances

for public servants as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Gaskin, speaking on the very issue, told Guyana Times that while Government’s proposal might be a good thing, it could be a very difficult thing to do.

“Where performancebased salary increases is concerned … with over 10,000 members [of the Public Service], it will be quite difficult to do.

Because you have public servants who will have to evaluate public servants and union members evaluating their union members, because everybody is in the union,” he posited.

According to him, one of the problems in the Public Service was efficiency and productivity. He said in order to improve performance in the Public Service, there needed to be better training, more technology and management of the human resources.

“In that way, you will get better performance,” he said.

Another problem was that Government has been placing everyone together, paying them all in the same category. He sin-

Ramon Gaskin

gled out those in the medical field, particularly nurses, who were not properly paid, since, while it takes a lot to train then, the country is also losing them at the same pace. He spoke too of the Police and Army Officers, whose salaries were usually determined by the general Public Service pay.

“The Public Service pay sets the stage for Police and Army pay, and we should stop that. Army and Police should have their own rates of pay separate from the rest of the Public Service, because of the type of work they do and the risk they run in the execution of their duties.”

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016

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

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

Editorial

A case for integration

M

uch has already been articulated on Britain’s Exit (Brexit) of the European Union (EU), but the economic reverberations and possible outlining dynamic of such an eye-opening move are still being felt globally and will either reach their lowest point or exacerbate further depending on the outcome of the two years’ negotiations between the United Kingdom (UK) and the EU on the former’s exit. This leaves much room for speculation as to how the economic ramifications will unfold globally, and hence it warrants, at least, a cursory examination.

Already, the pound has plunged against the Asian dollar by over 10 per cent and is faring far worse against the yen.

In fact, the value of the pound is currently at US$1.32, the lowest it has been in 30 years. This has left the global market from an investment perspective, highly volatile and uncertain – two conditions that discourage investors from wanting to spend. Economists have argued, however, that this will not impact the global economy as much as it would Britain.

Their contention is premised on the fact that Britain accounts for just 3.9 per cent of the world’s output; it is, therefore, not big enough to make an impacting dent, much like the way America or China can. Britain, on the other hand, is expected to slow in growth and might possibly face a recession as the country has been benefiting tremendously from the EU, with approximately 48 per cent of all its exports going to Europe, with lower tariffs and advantageous market access.

Clearly, Britain’s decision to exit the EU was not done from a rationally thinking perspective.

Looking at the economic ramifications from the perspective of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), things will get worse before they get better.

According to Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Sir Hilary Beckles “from trade relations to immigration, tourism to financial relations, and cultural engagements to foreign policy, there will be a significant redefinition and reshaping of Caricom-United Kingdom engagements”.

He also said: “It’s a moment for Caricom to come closer together rather than drift apart. The Region should not be seen as mirroring this mentality of cultural and political insularity, but should reaffirm the importance of regionalism within the global context for the future.”

Indeed, this is the direction that Caricom should take.

However, with Jamaica already calling for a referendum to determine if they should leave Caricom, things are not looking too progressive on the regionalism front.

There is also the newness factor that has not yet been accounted for. Brexit has set a precedent, in that this phenomenon has never occurred before and consequently, there is no reference point as to how the situation will unfold and the impact that such a move would entail, beyond theoretical speculations. This in itself should be a deterrent or, at the very least, serve as an observational timeframe from which countries can gauge the historical implications.

Aside from that, the Caribbean Community has more pressing concerns to deal with as it pertains to the Brexit.

Fundamentally, what is the status of the trade agreements that Caribbean countries have with the EU via Britain? Once Britain leaves at the end of the scheduled two years of negotiations, these countries will have no trade agreements with the EU or Britain, since, according to political scholars, Britain divested all of its trade “authority” to the EU. The breakup will invariably mean that agreements will have to start anew.

It is, therefore, imperative that Caribbean countries continue to push for regional integration, since we are still yet to define ourselves as global players on the world stage.

The only way that this could be achieved is if the concerns of the Caribbean countries are articulated as a single bloc.

Reverting back to “isolated” individual states will diminish the Caribbean’s bargaining prowess, leaving the fragmented economies vulnerable. Imaging having to enter into trade agreements as small states with nothing collective to offer, all in a competitively globalised neo-liberalist construct that favours the larger developed countries.

The Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft capsule carrying International Space Station (ISS) crew members, Timothy Peake of Britain, Yuri Malenchenko of Russia and Timothy Kopra of the US, descends beneath a parachute near the town of Dzhezkazgan (Zhezkazgan), Kazakhstan, June 18, 2016 (Reuters/Shamil Zhumatov)

Jagan did make ministerial offer to Clive Thomas (Pt 1)

Dear Editor, Tacuma Ogunseye claims he does not engage in public polemics in a recent letter to the media. But that was exactly what he did although he may not have been conscious of it – shocking as I always had the greatest respect for Tacuma as a meticulous Afro-nationalist who Indo-nationalists can work with.

Tacuma finds himself defending a regime that employs him while I was never employed by Government.

Martin Carter did say the mouth is muzzled by the hand that feeds it. I note that Tacuma wrote he could not bring himself to tell all he knew (the whole truth of PNC’s violent atrocities against political opponents) during the Rodney CoI, because “it would benefit the PPP”. Since he had a record of condemning violence against Indians, it was surprising to read he compromised his integrity for political expediency.

Tacuma claimed that I have been an “unapologetic defender of the PPP/C regime during its 23 years in office”. He erred. To the best of my recollection, and

I wrote thousands of articles since 1977, I never defended the PPP except for its right to govern (not its policies and programmes) after winning free and fair elections.

And I did so because individuals like Tacuma threatened and or actually used violence against the PPP Government and its supporters. I do recollect reading in the papers Tacuma threatening violence against PPP supporters during the election campaign in 2011 if the PPP were not defeated. Contrary to Tacuma’s “polemical attack” on my character, countless articles of mine critiqued the PPP Administration so much so that I was not welcome at Freedom House. It is not an exaggeration to say I critiqued the PPP much more than Tacuma or others ever did. I could not bring myself to defend the PPP regime because of numerous blunders made by its (postJagan) leadership and the neglect and abuse of its supporters. I always critiqued the PPP for its unwillingness to share powers with the true (elected) representatives of the varied ethnic groups.

I was never viewed as a defender of the PPP. On the contrary, I was viewed (post-Jagan in particular) as a critic and hater of the PPP. Some even went so far to say I was WPA because of my sympathy for and financial donation to it.

I do recall (in 1997) a former PPPite (a lawyer), now a Minister with the AFC, at a Georgetown nightclub rebuking me for “criticising the PPP”, adding I was not liked at Freedom House.

The late Lionel Peters, who was present during that conversation, praised my objective and balanced commentaries. I also remember walking on Main Street one mid-day (2001) when I bounced up with another former PPPite, now politically unaligned and perhaps the most respected political figure in the country, who lectured me about my critiques of the PPP, saying “You want the PPP to lose the elections with your criticisms”. I should also note that friends who sat on the Central Committee and Ex Co of the PPP informed me that I was a frequent target of cuss-downs by the PPP leadership. It is also a fact

that some ACG chaps in NY maligned my name as an AFCite, a Nagamootoo-ite, and a Ramkarran-ite for my objective commentaries and reluctance to support discredited elements in PPP and its policies. Has Tacuma missed the several pieces from Clement Rohee over the years rebuking my criticisms of the PPP? Instead of engaging in polemics and unsubstantiated attacks, Tacuma should re-read my analyses on PPP’s governance or the period of time it was in Opposition.

Tacuma is misleading in his claims about Dr Jagan’s offer of a Ministry to Professor Clive Thomas.

Tacuma claims he saw a report in which the ministerial position was withdrawn.

The PPP individuals I spoke with said that report does not exist. It would help to clear up matters if Tacuma can present a copy of the report (memo). Since it was given to the WPA committee that met with Dr Luncheon, then the WPA file would have it.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

Why the scrapping of the fuel export licence Dear Editor, A government can end a licence for good cause and according to set procedures which seek to assure fair play.

In this regard, the Government needs to state its position on the article in another section of the media on Monday, June 27, entitled “Govt Scraps oil exporta-

tion licence Sam Hinds gave Chinese”.

The headline is obviously intended to startle, grab attention and borders on being xenophobic. One expects in the article a clear statement of good grounds for scrapping the licence after the usual requirement for reasonable opportunity for the licensee to be heard. No such is present-

ed.

The scrapping must demonstrably not be an irrational, capricious act of whimsy or spite, or great harm would be done in scaring investors, both foreign and local, existing and prospective.

Unfortunately, the article gives no good reason for scrapping the licence: indeed it mixes up a number of dif-

ferent aspects.

It does repeat the PPP/C Government’s position on granting the licence: “to facilitate a proposal by China Zhonghao Inc to establish refuelling and other bunker services in port or at sea, to Chinese or other fishing vessels and other vessels traversing the Caribbean Sea”.

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wednesDAY, june 29, 2016

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

Be transparent, New oil find good for Guyana’s economy Mr President Dear Editor, The United Republican Party (URP) would like to ask the Granger Administration if they can tell the Guyanese people what is the contracted percentage that Guyana will derive from the oil proceeds and also from the Guyana Goldfields Inc (GGI) project. This is a most pertinent question.

The Guyanese citizens are wary of losing the wealth of our resources to a few greedy politicians, their friends, and their family.

We heard also that the Guyana Goldfields will increase production in the coming years and that the price of gold is going up and is set to climb. The URP, on behalf of the Guyanese public, would, therefore, like to get a working understanding of what is in the deal for them. The GGF is projecting their returns in the short to midterm. Can the Guyana Government also project for us how much Guyana is estimated to make over the

same period?

We were also told that ExxonMobil is drilling other wells based on the significant find of oil off Guyana’s shores. It is obvious that this company's operation is governed by some kind of a contractual agreement. Is it possible, then, that the Guyanese populace can get some working understanding of how much the country is likely to benefit from this deal? If the investors are able to project a return on their investments, then the Government must be able to share with the Guyanese people some kind of an estimated cost and benefit for the sale of our minerals.

Editor, the URP, as a patriotic Guyanese party, wishes to alleviate the embarrassment of the Granger Administration that seems to have to be consistently reminded, by the international community, about their need to practice transparency. The APNU/AFC coalition promised that they would do

Why the scrapping ... from page 4 The article does present the PPP/C’s argument that there are already incidental exports of fuel in the sales to international ships and planes at ports in Guyana; however, admittedly, a company dedicated to providing such services would be new to Guyana.

The article states that the Minister of (Public) Infrastructure, David Patterson said “in the first place that the company did not have an oil exploration licence”. There was/is no need for an oil exploration licence: no connection to a discovery and/or processing of petroleum in Guyana was

required. Fuel would be purchased and stored for refuelling the vessels of clients.

Secondly, Minister Patterson is claimed to have said that “since the PPP/C never granted the fishing licence, we wrote seeking justification since fishing was their basis first-time around”.

No fishing licence was applied for or required: China Zhonghao Inc was not, nor needed to be fishing, itself.

A third reason attributed to the present Government

things differently. Yet, so far it is the same old.

It is disingenuous for the Granger Administration to follow in the exact path of those they once vehemently condemned, for the same practices. We are, therefore, asking that this Administration release immediately the percentages of the proceeds from these multimillion-dollar ventures.

After all, the minerals that are being extracted from Guyana cannot be replaced; they are not renewable. It is unfair and indeed criminal for a select few from the coalition to continue to benefit from the resources that belong to all of us. Mr Granger, follow the advice from the international community and tell the Guyanese citizens what the investors already know. Tell us how much you are selling our natural resource for. It is only fair.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bandhu URP Leader

for scrapping the licence is that ‘they reportedly built a larger than authorised wharf’. This is a matter for MARAD to handle and could hardly be a basis for scrapping a fuel import/ export licence.

The Government would be doing itself ill if it were to stay silent on this article. It would give strength to the impression in the first paragraph of the article that the Government is acting out of spite, giving all who worked with the PPP/C

Dear Editor, It is reported that ExxonMobil has found large deposits of oil and gas in a recently drilled appraisal well offshore Guyana.

It is reported also, that the company intended to drill another well in upcoming months. The oil giant previously drilled another well last year that they believe could contain at least seven hundred million barrels of oil. Wow! The drill site we learnt is located some 150 miles offshore from Guyana's east coast.

For over 20 years now, two giant oil drilling companies British Petroleum and Repsol of Spain have been exploring the area without much success.

The Liza 1 well, we understand, holds probably the equivalent of more than seven hundred million barrels of oil.

On speculation, our land of many waters and six people may begin producing

Administration a hard time: that “Entrepreneurs who were said to be on safe grounds during the previous administration are now feeling the squeeze”.

The Government needs to say this isn’t so, that the writers of the article were mistaken; if not, the Government’s claim to good governance would be hollow.

Yours truly, Samuel AA Hinds Former President, Former Prime Minister

crude by the end of the decade, as anticipated by our national Government. The prospect would be worth about forty billion dollars at today’s international crude price.

Guyana gained attention in the world in May 2015 when ExxonMobil announced the discovery of more than 90 metres of highquality, oil-bearing sandstone reservoirs about 120 miles off its coastline. That discovery could be significant for our country, which currently doesn’t produce any oil and could use the economic boost. The oil and gas exploration activity by Guyana has been a source of tension with neighbouring Venezuela. The announcement of the discovery set off a round of recriminations between us and Venezuela, our socialist western neighbour which has long made a claim on our Essequibo region.

Venezuela has claimed that the concession is locat-

ed in disputed waters which they claimed are theirs. It is claimed allegedly that this massive offshore column may hold over ten million barrels or more. For Guyana, a country of less than a million people, the find changes everything. Within a decade, Guyana could be completely transformed by the find going from unpaved roads and sporadic power to being a noticeably developed nation.

If this find is true, Guyana is expected to be an economic giant in South America, provided its national administrators act uncorruptedly and they expend the financial rewards on the Guyanese people’s education and social services plus rebuilding and building the necessary national and social infrastructure its citizens deserve, and also stop the outward flow of its citizens from its shores.

Yours faithfully, Rooplall Dudhnath

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guyana-times.com

Foundation Youngest, only children and daughters

at risk for OBESITY?

– birth order and weight linked in new studies

By Susan Newman, PhD

A

s if the list of only-child stereotypes wasn’t long enough, a new one has been brewing: Children without siblings are at a higher risk for being overweight and obese, as are daughters and youngest children. Can family makeup tell you which of your children will be overweight?

The latest findings, published in Pediatrics, titled “Effect of Sibling Birth on BMI Trajectory in the First 6 Years of Life” found a suggested link between the Body Mass Index (BMI) of a first-born child and its sibling status. The study looked at the prevalence of obesity for those who had siblings by the time they were age six and those who remained only children.

Researchers sampled 697 families using data from the National Institute of Child Health and the Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. They concluded that singletons in the first grade had the “highest prevalence of obesity”. On the other hand, first-borns who welcomed a new sibling earlier in life had a healthier BMI trajectory.

“Children who did not experience the birth of a sibling by the time they were in first grade had the highest prevalence of obesity at 12.8 per cent. Children who experienced the birth of a sibling when they were 36 to 54 months old had the lowest

prevalence at 4.8 per cent,” the study states.

This is not the first study in recent years to assert a possible link between family size, birth order and childhood obesity. Several studies on the topic are “fat” with flaws, yet news coverage has hyped many findings that still need a closer look.

For instance, in 2010, Disease Prevention covered a British study from the Institute of Education at the University of London. The headline: Being an OnlyChild Increases Chances of Being Overweight by 25 Percent. Looking at weight over the first seven years of a child’s life, this investigation “showed a direct link between parental behaviour and children’s weight,” specifically highlighting girls and only children as more prone to being overw e i g h t when they are b e tween t h e a g e s of five

and seven.

One theory was that not having siblings results in a less-active lifestyle. Another was that onlies may be “overfed by indulgent parents.” The analysis of the study concluded: “This paper is among the

first to show that singleton status is a risk factor for childhood overweight; stressing the importance of family structure and related lifestyle behaviours.”

However, the authors added, “Fewer only children had two-parent households; they had less play time outdoors; a higher propensity to consume sugar; and were more likely to have parents supportive of food as a reward and television in the bedroom.”

T w o years later, the risk of o n l y chil-

dren being overweight jumped to 50 per cent, according to researchers at the University of Gothenburg.

That study, of children ages 2 to 9, looked at data of 12,720 children from

eight European countries.

A headline covering the story also seemed to broadcast that singletons were locked into a particular state of health simply because they lacked siblings: “Study Finds Only Children are 50% More Likely to Be Overweight.” The investigators specified that “among the six- to nine-year-olds, the likelihood climbed to 70 per cent.” Medical News Today, Science Daily, and the Huffington Post all also weighed in with similar headlines, respectively: “Only Children Have a Higher Risk of Obesity,” “Only children are significantly more likely to be overweight,” and “Children Without Siblings May Have Higher Risk of Overweight and Obesity,” respectively.

Another study, “Number of siblings, birth order, and childhood overweight: a population-based cross-sectional study in Japan,” examined weight problems in

elementary school age children. Looking at weight and birth order of 4026 children ages nine and ten, the findings were similar: The odds that an only child would be overweight were higher when measured against middle children. The summation of the findings was: “Being an only or youngest child was associated with childhood overweight.”

In 2015, a study from the University of Michigan and reported in Appetite Journal, found, “Higher weight status of only and last born children,” joined in to add a new label to only children. The small sample size (300) and its makeup are noteworthy: low-income 4- to 8-year-olds and their mothers recruited through Head Start programmes. After all the finger pointing, the authors wrote, “…while our study only included maternal feeding behaviour, the behaviour of other family members (eg fathers) might contribute to underlying pathways…our findings may not be generalisable to families without these characteristics (low income).”

The bottom line in all the investigations is that if parents don’t want overweight children they need to give their firstborn brothers and/ or sisters – but not too many.

As family size increases, the overweight problem doesn’t hold up.

Findings “fat” with flaws These studies taken as a group are misleading, and make it impossible to conclude that only children –daughters or youngest children –are at risk for obesity and overweight. The researchers themselves call for more closely sampled and monitored investigation. Among the problems with buying into the idea that siblings keep a child thin is inconsistency. It’s important to remember that results change between and within studies. For instance: Number of siblings in the family altered outcomes.

Age difference between siblings made a difference.

Mothers’ weight during pregnancy might have influenced a child’s weight.

Parents’ disciplinary approaches with onlies, firstborns and later born children affect findings.

Whether or not food is used as a reward can be an influencer.

Some studies looked at low-income families whose nutrition knowledge and access to healthy foods might be limited.

Self-administered questionnaires to parents are not always reliable. (Excerpt from psychol-

ogytoday.com)

To be continued

P A R E N T S

Are adult diets OK for kids, too?

I’ve had a lot of success losing weight with a low-carb diet. My daughter is really struggling with her own weight issues.

Is it OK to put her on the diet that I’m on? – Tara

I

t’s great that you’ve made a commitment to lose weight – and had success with a plan that works for you. But it’s not a good idea to put kids on diets that are designed for adults.

Kids have different nutritional needs and they should eat a variety of healthy foods. A well-balanced diet that includes different food groups will help your daughter get all the nutrients she needs.

If you’re concerned about your daughter’s weight, talk with your doctor, who can determine if she has a weight problem and tailor a plan to meet her specific needs.

And try to make a healthy lifestyle a family affair. Eat family meals together and find activities that all of you can enjoy, from bike rides, to hikes, to pre-meal games of capture the flag. Making good nutrition and regular exercise the norm in your household will help your kids adopt those healthy habits for life.

It’s not surprising that waistlines of kids and adults have been expanding over the last few decades. Part of the problem is undoubtedly what families eat – too much saturated fat, too much sugar, and not enough nutrients.

But another part has as much to do with quantity as quality. Are our plates simply piled too high?

One reason that kids and adults eat too much at meals is that they tend to eat what’s on their plate. Thus, as portions have gone up, so have the calories consumed. So it’s helpful to understand the difference between serving sizes and recommended amounts of different foods.

Kids and adults who consistently overeat are at risk for developing weight problems and the medical problems associated with being overweight, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, bone and joint problems, breathing and sleeping problems, and even depression. Later in life they are at greater risk for heart disease, heart failure, and stroke. (kidshealth)

news

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wednesday, june 29, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Man nabbed in local bank PPP accuses Govt of frustrating work of NDCs after demanding $10M

G

eneral Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Clement Rohee has lambasted the David Granger led-Administration and it’s Communities Ministry for financially stifling Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) across the country.

At the Party’s weekly press briefing on Tuesday, Rohee accused Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan of withholding his approval for the release of budgeted monies to NDCs controlled by the PPP/C. “The withholding of ministerial approval for budgets submitted by the NDCs is a blatant manifestation of the arrogant and spiteful behaviour of the Minister to punish the people in those NDCs controlled by the PPP/C. The NDCs are being financially stifled by APNU/ AFC [A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change] coalition Administration, thus preventing them from executing their functions in the interest of the people, who elected the Council members to administer the affairs of their respected local authority areas,” he remarked.

According to the PPP General Secretary, this new “studied policy” of the Administration has resulted in residents being affected by non-functioning NDCs. He added that cleaning of trenches and canals, works to be done on internal roads, environmental sanitation, maintenance issues and other civil works are badly needed in these communities.

Rohee argued too that these residents would have voted for their elected representatives to improve their environmental and infrastructural surroundings, as promised in the campaign trails leading up to the Local Government Elections, which was held in March.

He pointed out that some three months after those elections, the political rhetoric emanated from the coalition about the importance of democratic governance,

PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee

seems to have turned out to be meaningless and self-fulfilling prophecies.

“It has now become obvious to all that the GrangerAdministration has now embarked on a studied policy of frustrating the activities of the PPP/C controlled NDCs and the APNU socalled democratic renewal of the lives of the newly elected Councils, have been made a mockery by withholding ministerial approval for spending monies already in possession of the NDCs,” he remarked.

Rohee went on to say that the NDCs will never be able to “work for the good of their communities,” words spouted by the APNU/AFC, which continues to pursue policies to the contrary, effectively blocking the development of these communities.

All the 48 PPP/Ccontrolled NDCs across the country are yet to receive their budgeted subventions,

Rohee said, while warning that with the money being held up, the works to be done are becoming greater and so by the end of it, when the funds are finally release to the NDCs, then it would be inadequate because they allowed the works to mount.

Asked whether NDCs would have to submit audited statements for past years, the General Secretary said he was unaware of such a requirement, noting that there needs to be clear instructions from the subject Minister.

“I need to see these things in writing from the Minister… I don’t recall any of our newly elected or reelected Councillors having any documents asking for such reports to be submitted. It is legally wrong for you to be holding up monies that are already in the hands of these NDCs for works to be done in these NDCs on the spurious claim that they need to submit (such documents),” he stated.

Moreover, the PPP General Secretary was asked whether this situation was isolated to only PPP/C controlled NDCs or all. However, Rohee could not say. He explained the Councillors in the NDCs controlled by his party would have complained about the situation and have not had any such reports from the others.

“We have been paying attention to NDCs where PPP Councillors are in majority… we have a vested interest in ensuring that what was promised to those people are given and therefore we are giving the necessary backing to our NDC Councillors to press for this,” he remarked.

… claims he was carrying bomb

P

olice have nabbed a man who walked into a city bank demanding $10 million in the name of ISIS on Tuesday.

Guyana Times understands that after demanding the cash, the man claimed that he had a bomb and would detonate it if his demands were not met.

Reports are that the

man who appeared to be in his late 30’s walked into the bank just after 09:00h and went to the ATM card center demanding the money.

One worker related that the man seems to be suffering from mental illness.

This publication was told that the guards stationed at the bank con-

fronted the man and he shouted “we will all die if I don’t get the money”.

The Police were called in but before they arrived, the bank’s security managed to intercept the man and a knife was found in the bag he was carrying.

He was later handed over to Police. An investigation has been launched.

Duo charged for robbing La Grange gas station

P

olice in D Division (West Bank Demerara-East Bank Essequibo) have arrested and charged two persons in connection with a robbery committed on D L Gas Station, located in La Grange, West Bank Demerara, on Saturday.

According to Divisional Commander, Senior Police Superintendent Stephen

Mansell, the men were charged on Tuesday and are expected to make a court appearance on Friday.

Around 20:00h on Saturday, three men; one of whom was armed with a hand gun, approached the pump attendants at the gas station and demanded cash.

The men managed to take some $200,000 cash

from the day’s sales before escaping.

Further reports revealed that D L Gas Station was also hit again by bandits on Sunday just before midnight, when armed bandits took off with another set of money from the pump attendants.

No one has been arrested for Sunday’s robbery.

8 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

IN THE COURTS

Eyew tness Signed confession statement admitted as evidence Accountant’s murder

A

s the Preliminary Inquiry into the murder of Rubis Gas Station Accountant Jason Cort continues, Magistrate Judy Latchman on Tuesday accepted statements given by one of the accused, as evidence provided by the Prosecution.

Stancey Rodney, 27, a mason, of Lot 24 Guyhoc Park; Linton Eastman, 30, a miner; and Clifton Gibson, 30, of Perry Street, Tucville, Georgetown, are all charged with the murder of Jason Cort.

The defence team argued that the statements given by Gibson should not be accepted as it was signed by the accused forcefully.

However, Latchman in making her decision stated that the statements were given freely and voluntarily. The charge al-

Two of the accused who appeared in court on Tuesday

leged that on June 17, 2015, at Meadowbrook Garden, Georgetown, they murdered Cort during the course of a

robbery.

On the day in question at around 22:30h, Cort was shot to the chest when gun-

men invaded his home and shot him before making off with his licensed firearm, mobile phone and Nintendo game.

He had just returned home from an outing with his girlfriend. She was also at home at the time of the incident but was unhurt.

One person from the community had indicated that after hearing the loud explosion and looking outside, they observed persons scaling the fence of Cort’s home and making good their escape up the road.

Cort was rushed to the Dr Balwant Singh Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Following the shooting, the three men were arrested and charged with the offence. The Preliminary Inquiry is schedule to continue on July 11.

Facing conundrums...

E

...in crime and punishment

ver since man crept out of the caves and tried to stop bopping people over the head with clubs to get them to do things he wanted them to do, he did so by imposing rules. He tried to convince the "others" that the rules "were for their own good". But a whole lotta folks just didn't go along with the rules – some because they seemed to be just born with a contrary streak. Others because circumstances were just messed up.

And even though we're ten thousand years away from that time, man still has to have clubs to bop people over the head when they break the rules. One clever fella said we all have a tinge of that contrary streak – and said if we were angels, we wouldn't even need the rules much less clubs.

In fact, the body into which all the rules about how we should carry on – at the highest level – are condensed into something called "the state" which insists that only IT can do the bopping. Over the half millennium or so that the state has been in existence, it has invented all kinds of new "clubs" – whips, chains, guillotine, hangman's noose, jails.

Right now the most sophisticated clubs are called "electric chairs", but the United Nations is insisting that even this has to go.

It's evidently not saying that ALL punishment must go – just the one that snuffs out the life of the transgressor. So, at least, they aren't claiming man has evolved into angels! But this has raised a question that we in Guyana must answer – since we're being pressured no end not only by the UN but some of the supposedly "evolved" states. These states can carpet bomb countries from five miles up in the sky and kill hundreds of thousands of lives or use drones directed from 12,000 miles away and kill folks selected in their beds – that's OK. But they insist our state is UNCIVILISED for killing a few convicted bad eggs who've taken the lives of someone else.

The argument they use is killing killers doesn't DETER more killings. But deterrence isn't the only value undergirding our rule for living together, is it? If the whole point of creating states is to stop this private bopping of guys who get on your wrong side, isn't there some JUST EQUIVALENCE in taking the transgressors' lives?

Thing is, those who want to do away with states killing people who break the law should also take a stand against states killing folks en mass– in other states.

They actually probably never broke any rules, did they?

...in representation

Prezzie addressed the City Council. Though not sanctioned by statute or the Constitution, he was still received in style by the entire panoply of power of the Municipality. Never happened to any PPP President during the past 23 years! But what the heck? Comity between the two layers of government gotta be good.

Prezzie emphasised that Councillors were each elected by 2800 good burghers of our fair city – and they, the Councillors, are answerable to them. Not to the party that they represented at the elections! To wit –-APNU! Well, there were a couple of AFC'ers but as we know they're neither here nor there. But this is an interesting point Prezzie has raised – about who the Councillors answer to.

Head of the Finance Committee and former General Secretary of the PNC, Oscar Clarke recently asserted he doesn't have to apologise to anyone for "doing his own thing" on the parking meter abomination.

Not even to his 2800 constituents?

...at Reg 5 RDC

Since Prezzie diplomatically spoke to City Hall about their Parking Meter overreaching, could he have a word with his Councillors on the Reg 5 RDC? They've prevented meetings of the Council for months in supposed defence of Prezzie's honour. Does Prezzie think he was dishonoured?

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

NEWS

9

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Local Government Commission…

Carifesta Ave, Railway Embankment closed for 3 days

Nominees under consideration –Teixeira T

he Public Infrastructure Ministry has announced that Carifesta Avenue and the Railway Embankment, from Turkeyen to Ogle, East Coast Demerara, will be closed to vehicular traffic for three days.

According to an advisory from the Ministry, the closure is effective from today.

Cariesta Avenue is being closed to facilitate asphalt work along the roadway,

BY SHEMUEL FANFAIR

A

s the delay in the establishment of the Local Government Commission (LGC) continues, the nominees from both Government and the Opposition are yet to be announced. In an interview with Guyana Times on Tuesday, People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament (MP) Gail Teixeira stated that the Opposition’s nominees are still being considered.

“We haven’t concluded our names as yet, we are finalising [them],” she noted.

The PPP/C Chief Whip expressed that in a “relatively short while” the names will be confirmed and submitted to the Commission.

When asked about the justifications for the delay, the MP reiterated that her Party could not trace the letter which would have informed Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on the submission of PPP/C’s nominees.

“The letter which was said to have been sent, we could not trace it, we had to ask back the Minister for it and we got it last week, so we are working on it,” Teixeira expressed.

Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan concurred being aware of the Opposition’s complaints that the “original correspondence” had been misplaced and noted that he is still waiting on the Opposition to submit their names for the LGC. When asked about the names of Government’s

PPP Chief Whip Gail Teixeira

selected nominees for the Commission, the Communities Minister posited that one collective announcement will be made as soon as the Opposition Leader submits his names for the Commission.

Government had promised that the Commission would be functioning from early 2016, but after months of delays and reiterated calls for the body’s establishment, Bulkan stated this month that the LGC will be operationalised by early July.

Among its objectives, the Commission will be tasked with monitoring and assessing the performance of the local government organs, administering disciplinary action, and implementing policies such as tax collection. Minister Bulkan will no longer issue directives on local government matters, such as employment but rather, this will fall under the preview of the Local Government Commission.

Bulkan had told Guyana Times that nominees for Government’s side would have been known by last week Wednesday but he pointed out that he had

T

Minister Raphael Trotman

“I don’t want to reveal what is our target internally but we’re working on a target that goes past 550,000 ounces. So I would say that we’re doing relatively well in the circumstances,” Trotman noted. He added that he would like to see production declaration surpass 600,000.

Additionally, Trotman told GINA that as a “citizen of the world,” the situation in Europe concerns us all.

“Stability is what the world wants so anything that disrupts the national or glob-

also facilitate face lift works along the road which the regional heads will be using upon their arrival in Guyana.

The Public Infrastructure Ministry is urging road users to use alternative bypasses for this period. Persons are also asked to pay close attention to all caution and directional signs in the area.

The 37th Regular Meeting of the Conference will be held from July 4-6, under the Chairmanship

Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan

not heard word from the Opposition on their nominees for LGC posts.

“We have not received a response from him (the Opposition Leader) as yet,” Bulkan told this publication last week.

In response, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo told this newspaper that he suspected that the PPP/C nominees would have been chosen

by Friday last. Chief Whip Gail Teixeira had earlier this month contended that although Minister Bulkan was “constantly reminded”, the Opposition Leader had not received a formal letter.

“The Minister of Communities has to trigger the action to write the Leader of the Opposition to say according to section so and so of the Act… I’ve raised this matter over and over again,” Teixeira had explained in Party press conference.

At that time, she noted that three sittings had passed but there were no moves on the matter.

Guyana’s Local Government Elections were held in March.

Gold price increase can benefit Guyana

he increase in gold prices on the international market could help Guyana surpass its targeted production. The increase follows the United Kingdom’s (UK’s) vote to leave the European Union (EU) last Friday.

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman told the Government Information Agency (GINA) in an invited comment that “We’re happy that our (gold) prices have increased.”

However, Trotman added “We’re not happy that our increases comes really on the back of a broken system elsewhere.” Gold is now trading at just over US$1300 per ounce on the international market.

This increase on the international market is likely to help Guyana surpass its targeted production and declaration in gold locally.

Guyana’s budgeted target for gold production this year is 550,000 ounces.

southern and northern carriageway.

These works are among major plans put in place to welcome regional leaders for the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Heads of Government Summit, which Guyana is co-hosting next week.

One such plan is the renaming of Carifesta Avenue, which runs from the head of Vlissengen Road at the Kitty Pump Station all the way to Camp Street. According

al order is something that we should all be concerned about,” Trotman said.

“In as much as we’re happy for the increase in gold prices, very happy, we also would like to see stability and normalcy in all parts of the world including Europe,” the Natural Resources Minister added.

Over the past year, the price of gold has declined significantly.

In 2015, gold prices steadily tumbled, with a drastic drop. Experts had predicted that gold prices would have continue to slump, hitting a more than a five-year low, with a high possibility that the precious metal could plunge to a detrimental US$1000 per ounce.

Compounding the situation was the fact that, the cost of production, particularly for the small and medium-scale miners of gold and diamond, had remained largely unchanged.

Ongoing works on Cariesta Avenue

which has been undergoing facelift works for the past few weeks. The works are being done under the ‘Urban renewal on Carifesta Avenue: Avenue of the Caribbean’ project and is divided into two parts. One aspect of the project will tackle lighting while the second will deal with civil works.

The $138 million project will see the road widening to the north and the creation of sidewalks along the road. In addition, there will be a median installed in the middle of the road to separate the

to sources from the Public Infrastructure Ministry, the new name of the road will be ‘Avenue of the Caribbean’.

Moreover, Guyana Times was told that to commemorate the upcoming Caricom summit, plans are afoot to install flags of all the Caricom Member States on the median that will be placed along the road.

On the other hand, as it relates to the closure of the Railway Embankment, between the Eugene F Correia Airport Access Road and UG Access Road, this is to

of the Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and will be co-hosted by the Caricom Secretariat and the Government of Guyana.

Guyana agreed to co-host the meeting after Dominica pulled out. The Caribbean island suffered significant damage after Tropical Storm Erika battered it for five hours in August 2015.

According to the Rotation Schedule for the Chairmanship of the Conference, Guyana will assume Chairmanship from January 1 to June 30, 2017.

10

guyana-times.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016

News

Burning Haags Bosch Landfill

Smoke, fumes continue to plague residents British example R (Brexam) esidents of communities in close proximity to the Haags Bosch, Eccles, East Bank Demerara dumpsite, continue their cry of being subjected to health hazards caused by the smoke and fumes emanating from the landfill site in the area.

According to residents of those areas on Tuesday, their complaints have “fallen onto deaf ears” and “no one seems to be concerned” about their wellbeing.

“That girl have a baby over there and she can’t even open the door. Pon a morning, this whole place does get white, white and the smell, like it want suffocate you here,” said one peeved woman.

Numerous persons living

S

The Haags Bosch Landfill site

in the area expressed concern for the children, highlighting that many have succumbed to asthma attacks due to the thick cloud of smoke that would cloak the area on a regular basis.

A woman who identified herself as “Singh” told

Guyana Times “you cater the amount of people wa ga lil children in this area, them children wa going to school.”

On Friday last, residents complained to this publication of many other complications they experience due to the smoke, highlighting that

between the hours of 19:00h and 05:00h, the smoke is at its worst and does not clear up until 06:30h, adding that during the rainy weather the smoke would dissipate faster as compared to drier weather.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the Communities Ministry in a statement by Government Information Agency, said ‘spontaneously combusting’ fires continue to cause problems for residents of Eccles and nearby communities.

Project Director of the Georgetown Solid Waste Management Programme, Gordon Gilkes, said they implemented a temporary operator at the landfill to monitor the smoke and fumes.

Contrary to the belief that the smoke is as a result of wood being continuously burnt at that location, Gilkes said it is as a result of fire to a section of the building that used to store the wood.

He explained that the fire which occurred earlier in the month at the landfill was controlled, except for instances when it rains, resulting in smoke and fumes.

During the late period of last year, this issue had been raised by residents and even though complaints had been made to the Communities Ministry and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on numerous occasions, in each instance, they were told that the respective authorities were “looking into the matter.”

atiricus was confused. Not an unusual situation, he thought. Satiricus accepted he wasn't exactly the brightest bulb in the room.

Any room.

"But what the heck's going on over in the Mother Country?" he asked his friend Cappo plaintively.

"Mudda who??" replied Cappo, who was busy waving his hands in the air vainly trying to get the attention of the bar girl at the Back Street Bar. "Mother COUNTRY, Cappo!" said Satiricus with some degree of exasperation. "Didn't you read that Britain just voted to leave the EU?" "Yuh mean "Brexit"? Cappo asked with a raised eyebrow. He had just given his order for two beers.

"Yes. 'Britain Exit'. Have you forgotten Britain was our Mother Country?" snapped Satiricus.

"But na fifty year abee get independence fram dem?" asked Cappo. "Abee na just celebrate Jubilee? How laang dem guh be abee Mumma?"

"Look, Cappo. Everything we learn...we learnt from the British. So they'll always be our Mother Country."

"Suh wha wraang wid Brexit?"Cappo asked with feigned innocence. He was just starting on his second beer. Satiricus was still buying.

"EVERYTHING's wrong with Brexit, Cappo," moaned Satiricus. "Europe was good for Britain economically. But the majority of poor people listen to the politicians blaming Europe for crime and stuff."

"Like in de las' election in Guyana w'en KFC blame PPCEE fuh everyt'ing"?" Cappo asked slyly.

"Wha' else happen?"

"Well, the newspapers all started blaming Polish immigrants for taking away people’s jobs, when in fact they were doing low-paying jobs no one else wanted," said Satiricus indignantly.

"Like how de Muckraker bin blame de Chinee people wha come in Guyana fuh sell cheap goods?" smiled Cappo, nodding his head.

"What you trying to say, Cappo?"

"Budday! 'e look like abee prappa larn plenty tings fram abee Mudda Country!"

Satiricus looked closer at Cappo to see if he was mocking him. He decided Cappo wasn't. But then, even Satiricus had concluded he was a dim bulb.

"Well, Cappo, there is one thing we didn't learn from the British," he confessed.

"Wha' da?" inquired Cappo.

"Their Prime Minister resigned when it was clear he made a mistake. That would NEVER happen here."

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016

guyana-times.com

11

News Farmer loses over 800 chickens in Berbice … mysterious illness suspected, Agri Minister unaware of situation

The dead birds being burnt

By Andrew Carmichael

T

here could be a possible poultry outbreak in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), as some 800 birds have reportedly died at a poultry farm in the ancient county.

The deaths of the birds have prompted Regional Chairman David Armogan to call on the Agriculture Ministry to investigate the

more than 200 had passed overnight and a similar amount seemed to be affected.

The Ministry was contacted and extension officers visited the farm and took samples from some of the dead birds. They also took away birds which seemed to also be affected and others that appeared to be healthy.

“Sunday morning when I get in there, one of the guys

He said he took samples of water from the pen to get them tested at a private laboratory.

“The lab mentioned that they are not doing water sampling so he took it to UG [University of Guyana] and at UG they say that they are not doing test. So then we went to the forensic lab and they say that they are only doing tissue tests. So I told my brother to go to the Ministry of Agriculture in Georgetown and meet the

1. Farmer took samples to UG [University of Guyana] and at UG was told that they are not doing test there 2. Went to the forensic lab and was told that they are only doing tissue tests 3. Went to the Ministry of Agriculture in Georgetown to meet the Minister 4. Minister of Agriculture was unavailable 5. Took samples to PS [Permanent Secretary] 6. PS said that they don’t have the equipment to do testing 7. Offered to leave samples at the Agriculture Ministry so that it can be taken overseas for testing 8. Permanent Secretary says if it is left there, it will be discarded 9. Returned to Berbice fustrated mysterious disease, which has so far claimed the lives of hundreds of chickens at a farm on the East Bank of Berbice.

More than 800 birds died over the past week at the chicken farm, and to date, the Agriculture Ministry is slow to respond to the situation. This falls on the heels of a similar incident where a farmer at Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) reported that 300 birds also died from a mysterious disease at the Linden farm.

Dead bird in Berbice

The farmer stated that this could be an outbreak which could cripple the countries poultry industry.

According to farmer, the birds started dying on June 19 when he discovered that

mentioned that these birds looking as if they sleepy. I picked about 30 birds dead.

So we say we would look at the pen on Monday and when I go back about 100 birds were dead. So I called a vet and two of them came and they took nine birds; two that seemed healthy to them, a few that seemed sick and some that were dead,” the farmer said.

According him, the group of birds was examined and samples were taken by the officers. He said he was advised to burn the dead birds as opposed to burying them.

As the week went on, more birds died and the farmer waited on a response from the extension workers who are attached to the Agriculture Ministry.

On Monday, he said the death toll had passed 800.

Minister. When he go there, the Minister of Agriculture is in a meeting so he take it to the PS [Permanent Secretary]. The PS told him that they don’t have the equipment to do testing. He offer to leave it there so that they can take it wherever they have to take it even if it is out of the country to get tested but the Permanent Secretary say that if it is left there, it will be discarded because no one will pick it up to ensure that it gets tested,” the frustrated farmer explained, while noting that the samples had to be returned to Berbice on Monday afternoon.

On Monday, the matter was brought to the attention of Regional Chairman David Armogan who said the Agriculture Ministry needs to act before the en-

Some of the dead birds in the pen

tire region is affected.

“I think this matter should be investigated promptly knowing that it could be the outbreak of a disease and it needs to be contained if it is.”

However, the farmer said he had already lost millions of dollars and has been refusing to sell live birds to customers over the past week.

He is calling on the Head of State to ensure that the issue is addressed.

“The President is saying that every village should be-

come a hub. It means that we should invest the little money we have. Now we invest a few million dollars into chickens… We do everything on our farm, we even have foot wash basins before you go into the pen; you step into disinfectant water and then you can go into the pen.

I don’t know if the weather has brought on a strain of bacteria that we don’t know of,” he said.

Armogan is blaming the agriculture extension workers, who he said, are not very prompt to act whenever

farmers experience difficulty and need their help.

“Even in the Black Bush Polder area where farmers have been having problems with their animals and they have not been attending to these things in a prompt way.”

Meanwhile, when contacted on Tuesday, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder, who had just left a Cabinet meeting, told Guyana Times that he was unaware of any such report.

12 news

wednesDay, june 29, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Lethem Council wants Industrial Site reserved for auto assembly plant

I

n keeping with its developmental agenda, Mayor of the recently minted town of Lethem in Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo), has expressed optimism for the completion of an industrial site with special lands set aside for agro-processing and an auto assembly plant.

Mayor Carlton Beckles, in an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), said agro-processing is among the main priorities that the Council wants to have accomplished before it demits office.

“We want an industrial area that you will have utilising things that are readily available inside here in Lethem,” the Mayor recently told GINA. It was noted that the Council wants to produce products such as cashew nuts, and mangoes which are abundant in the region. This will be processed at the proposed industrial site, the Mayor posited.

“We do not want to have

persons coming into the industrial area to establish businesses that are already established there. For example, the persons who are making the blocks with their hands, we would not want to see somebody coming here in the industrial area, with a block making machine, to put that person out of business. We would like to see that person go into the industrial area to get all the necessary support [so] that they can acquire the different machinery that they can produce these blocks,” he explained.

According to Beckles, the Council also envisions a specific area within the industrial site that would be reserved for an auto assembly plant: “It might sound far-fetched but definitely, why we cannot through Central Government, lobby one of those automakers that they can set up an assembly plant here in Guyana with an aim of exporting to Brazil and to [the] Caribbean,” the Mayor questioned.

Lethem’s Mayor also explained that under the educa-

tion programme, their vision is a technical institute and a university in the town, rather than just secondary education.

The establishment of a library equipped with Wi-Fi Internet is another one of the Council’s visions to benefit residents, particularly teachers and students, to access the Internet to do research, at a small cost. He noted that the Council has also committed to making available, on an annual basis, monetary contributions to the top three National Assessment Grade Six (NGSA) students of the town.

Beckles further observed that the Deputy Fire Chief has met with the Council and a section of land has been identified for the construction of the region’s first Fire Station. It was pointed out that the municipality is also rehabilitating the Lethem Market as well as upgrading several sporting facilities. Beckles advised that the sport grounds in Culvert City and Tabtinga, Lethem, are being enclosed and sanitary facilities will be installed.

The Mayor cautioned that

the municipality is suffering constraints due to challenges such as staffing. “We do not have the required amount of staff and it is understandably so because we are a new municipality, where we have to get our Town Clerk, Town Treasurer, Superintendent of Works, Public Health Officer…,” he explained.

“So you have a challenge ahead to convince the residents, where they have to change now to regulated development, and this entails interacting with them and sensitising them on the way forward, not to go and undo what was done already, but to educate them on the challenges going forward,” the Mayor added.

Beckles observed that once the Council overcomes the prevailing challenges, progress can be made on their developmental agenda. “We can get things in place. We can be able to make progress… and once we can develop the municipality, by extension the region will develop,” the Mayor expressed.

Keeping it real The problem with social cohesion

I

n a recent conversation I had with a Guyanese I met at a medical office (we were both there because the doctor himself was Guyanese), I was told that Guyana has seen a lot of developments since May 2015. I further asked my newfound fellow citizen, eager to talk about Guyana, as to what exactly he meant by “developments”.

I was curious as to the Dr Baytoram Ramharack response for two reasons.

One, my friend was African Guyanese. I was wondering if his perspective of development was influenced by the fact that an Africandominated Government was in power, or whether his concept of “development” was derived from an objective assessment of the structural and systemic changes that took place and whether these changes impacted the quality of life of Guyanese. Two, most Indians I spoke to were sceptical about any positive developments since May 2015, but, to be fair, their reactions were heavily influenced by the fact that the balance of power was in the hands of Africans, and some Indians were uncomfortable with this reality. It is no secret that racial perspectives were at play.

Let’s go back to my friend in the medical office. His response to what was considered development was relegated to “a clean Georgetown”, “less corruption” and “a visible sign of happiness”. Except for a visible clean city, the other assessments could very well be considered as subjective. I should mention that when our discussion turned to national unity and social cohesion, my friend displayed a visible level of annoyance and uncomfortableness. It was as if he wanted to say to me “Indians had their chance, Granger deserves a chance now”.

This perspective represents the tragedy of what is Guyana today. After 50 years, the country remains divided and racial perspectives deeply impact our nationality. It is not that Indians or Africans or their leaders are solely to be blamed, but sociologists and political scientists can point to a multitude of factors that explain our predicament.

The coalition Government (if we can still call it a coalition) came to power by gaining a substantial number of votes from Indians who traditionally supported the PPP. Presumably, it was this newfound transitional vote that gave the coalition the assumption that it represented a government of national unity and it would proceed from this base to cultivate greater national unity by promoting social cohesion. A ministry with this name was created and headed by a PNC loyalist. One would think that Amna Ally would have possess the necessary intellectual credentials and worthwhile experience to be able to take on this task and show some level of success. So far, we have not seen much gain or actions that would lead us to believe that ageold racial attitudes held by Guyanese about each other are disappearing. Perhaps, it is too soon for this to happen. One can point to the jubilee celebrations inside and outside of Guyana and the flag-raising ceremony to remind ourselves about the racial chasm that exists and the lack of social cohesion. The outgoing US Chargé d'Affaires reminded us about our racial dilemma.

It is ironic to note that prior to the elections, power sharing (executive and legislative) has been the clarion call by many who felt excluded from political power. The tables have turned and power-sharing seems to have disappeared. The reality is that Indians and Amerindians are still excluded from holding meaningful political power.

The majority Indians and Amerindians remain poor, and the Disciplined Forces and the Civil Service do not reflect the population of the country.

Repeating the mantra that the Government supports social cohesion will not get us there. Guyanese have to be more honest and open in their discussions about national unity. In the past, we have called for an ethnic impact statement which can serve as an evaluative tool to ensure that all Guyanese benefit equally from public policy and Government actions. Sherwood Lowe, to his credit, has proposed a similar approach as a substantial action towards measuring how various groups benefit from the largess of the state and Government actions. This would be a small but important step in transforming our racial perspective, and hopefully move us closer towards a more cohesive society.

Send comments to BRamharack60@gmail.com

news

13

wednesday, june 29, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Region 5 flooding

Mahaicony areas still under water …increased reports of sick children recorded

T

The Hospital at Mahaicony

he economic sustenance of many farmers and residents in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) remains threatened, as communities in the Mahaicony area are still under water. Guyana Times was told that initial flooding in the area began in early April. Residents of Mora Point and Gordon’s Table on Tuesday expressed frustration that their cows, chickens and other livestock remain at the mercy of the slowly receding floodwaters, coupled with fields of rice and cash crops which were destroyed.

This publication was

told that the most worrying for residents is the fact that there has been an increase in reports of children becoming sick in Mora Point and Gordon’s Table on the Mahaicony River.

According to residents, a number of children are down with influenza. Also, residents noted that there is an influx of mosquitoes, which has reportedly increased due to the weeks of stagnated water.

Guyana Times understands that there has been a shortage of medication at the Mora Point Health Centre. According to information received, the Medex who visits the centre regu-

larly would often operate without the requisite medication needed to treat associated ailments. Speaking with this publication via telephone, a resident explained that this shortage is mostly affecting the children who are ill and seek relief from their symptoms.

One resident of Gordon’s Table alleged that there is also a drug shortage at the Mahaicony Hospital, located some miles away.

“We suffering bad,” the resident posited.

Region Five Chairman Vickchand Ramphal said on Monday that flood waters in the area have receded by “a few inches” over the last few days.

A woman from Mora Point expressed annoyance that her community has not been benefiting from flood relief as those from Moraikobai, also on the Mahaicony River. The farmers in Mahaicony are calling for Government’s assistance for seed paddy and fertiliser to help them continue rice cultivation to

Men charged for stealing engine

T

wo men who were slapped with a larceny charge appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday.

Both men pleaded not guilty to the charge when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Keon Paul Simpson, 25, of McKenzie, Linden; and Alpho Orlando Felix, 27, of Number 22 Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB), are accused of stealing a 13208 Engine value $3.1 million.

The Prosecution is contending that on June 23, at Roraima, Berbice River, the duo stole the engine, the property of the Bauxite Company of Guyana.

Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones had no objections to bail being granted to the duo since the stolen item was recovered.

Keon Paul Simpson (purple shirt) and Alpho Orlando Felix

Jones told the court that the defendants admitted to the offence and led Police to where it was hidden.

Both defendants were

granted bail in the sum of $50,000 each and they will return to the Kwakwani Magistrate’s Court on July 15.

Region Five residents blocked the road to protest the flood situation

maintain their livelihood.

The Regional Chairman had earlier noted that many of the affected communities are in need of urgent flood relief.

“Residents across the region in those areas that are affected should receive some form of relief so that they can get back on their feet,” the Chairman stated on Monday. Ramphal had also highlighted that

flood waters in the villages of Trafalgar, Union and Bush Lot had receded but stressed that communities in the Mahaicony area were inundated. It was only last week that over 200 angry residents blocked the Number 30 Village main access road causing a 45-minute traffic delay.

After this protest action, operatives of both

Government and the Opposition have been meeting with residents to address their concerns. Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on Wednesday visited the flood-affected communities and distributed food items and bottled water. Previously, the Civil Defence Commission donated food supplies to residents in Moraikobai.

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016

News

GRA sacks 3rd officer Armed bandits beat, rob as reshuffling continues Corentyne businesswoman

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s the Guyana Revenue Authority continues its major shakeup within the organisation, another officer has reportedly been sacked.

Guyana Times understands that Navin Sankar, a senior officer attached to the organisation, was relieved of his duties, bringing the total number of persons so far fired to three.

Chairman of the governing Board, Rawle Lucas told journalists on Monday said the organisation had made some significant changes in what it said were some critical areas of operation, with the firing of the Heads of

Navin Sankar

the Human Resources and Customs departments. Head of the Human Resources Management Division

Archana Joshi and Head of Customs, Jameel Baksh have been relieved of their duties.

Lucas told media operatives the GRA was dissatisfied with the extent to which revenues were being collected with respect to the Customs operation and felt that it was in the best interest of the organisation to make some changes.

These changes, according to the Chairman, are being done as the organisation seeks to realise its objective of improving its relationship with Guyanese taxpayers, and increasing the collection of revenues.

Perseverance couple remanded for cocaine in pot

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ordon Williams, also known as “Monkey Harry”, 53, and his 49-year-old wife, Lorna Scott, of Lot 2 Perseverance, on the Essequibo Coast, were on Tuesday remanded to prison for the possession of narcotics.

The couple made their court appearance before Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Anna Regina Magistrate's Court where they faced a joint charge for the possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

The prosecution’s facts stated that during a Police raid on June 27, 2016, de-

Accused Gordon Williams aka Monkey Harry

tectives attached to the major crime and narcotics unit

unearthed 535 grams of cocaine in a pot in the couple's kitchen.

The two suspects, who are the owners of the premises, were told of the offence to which they both denied.

They were remanded to prison until July 21, for the commencement of trial.

The couple along with three others are presently before the court for narcotic charges. In 2015, they were busted during a raid conducted by ranks from Georgetown.

They also served jail time after they were found guilty of narcotic charges in the past.

Rohee says consultation on city parking "a must"

I

n light of the ongoing controversy surrounding the Parking Meters Project initiated by City Hall in Georgetown, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is calling for widespread public consultations on how the city addresses its parking woes.

This call was made by General Secretary of the PPP Clement Rohee at the Party’s weekly press briefing on Tuesday.

Rohee was asked whether the Party would support parking lots in the city as opposed to parking meters, to which he responded saying that no support will be given to any initiative undertaken without public consultation.

“We don’t support any of the two so long as there are no consultations with the people,” he said affirmatively.

The General Secretary noted that the question of resolving the parking situation in the city requires wide consultations with all stakeholders so that whatever decision is taken is done in the interest of the people who will be affected.

“There must be broad and wide consultations with the citizens of Georgetown and the consultations must be

public-like town hall meetings. Then they must publish what came out of the consultations so that others who didn’t go should hear,” he remarked Moreover, the PPP General Secretary outlined that another important factor that needs to be taken into consideration is the collection of revenues from either parking meters or parking lots.

“Anything that has to do with the payment of monies… we have know how that is going to be in place also because if a person is going to walk around with a receipt book, we all know what could happen,” he stated.

However, Rohee opted not to pronounce on whether his party will support either initiative, noting that he cannot preempt the outcome of the consultations, which he maintained is crucial.

Only Monday, during an address to Councillors of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC), President David Granger suggested that the Council consider introducing parking lots in the city to address the congestion.

The Head of State did not make any mention during

his address to the ongoing controversy surrounding the Parking Meters Project. Over the past weeks, City Hall came has come under fire for signing the contract with National Parking Systems/ Smart City Solutions Inc. Many persons, including Councillors, have raised concerns about the lack of transparency in the deal, which they claim appears to be a shady one aimed at exploiting the local populace.

In fact, Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan had stated that he could not find proper information about the company or any records of it providing parking meter services in any other country.

However, President Granger told the City Councillors on Monday that his Administration will continue to support the Council in their drive to push the urban development agenda, however it will have to be transparent and accountable in its operations.

In light of the parking meter controversy, Cabinet has ordered that the Legal Affairs Ministry and the Attorney General’s Chamber review the contract between City Hall and the Guyaneseowned companies.

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wo armed bandits on Monday evening beat and robbed a Corentyne businesswoman, taking hundreds of thousands in cash and valuables.

The incident occurred about 18:35h.

Reports are that two masked men – one armed with a cutlass and the other with a gun –pounced on businesswoman Savitry Jagnandand, 44, at Number 72 Village, Corentyne, and demanded cash. This publication was told that at the time of the incident, Jagnandand was in a hammock with her son.

The men, after entering the yard, immediately started demanding valuables. The intruders beat and bound the woman’s son, before lock-

ing him in a storeroom in the lower flat of the two-storey house. Guyana Times was told that the men then took the businesswoman into the upper flat where they further demanded cash and jewellery.

This publication was told that she handed over an undisclosed quantity of jewellery along with $775,000 in cash and an electronic tablet. The bandits also took a Samsung Galaxy cellular phone and a quantity of phone cards before escaping.

Up to press time, no arrest was made; however, B Division Commander, Assistant Commissioner Ian Amsterdam said that Police were looking for two men who previously committed robberies on the Number 63

Beach in April. According to him, since then Police have stepped up their surveillance and conducted several searches in the area.

“They went quiet for a while, but we are suspecting that they would have committed these two robberies, but we are not getting a description as to how they look,” he told this publication.

In April, a vehicle operator was robbed of valuables which included cellular phones, cash, and jewellery while driving along a lonely spot on the Number 63 Beach. During that same period, a couple relaxing on the beach also suffered a similar fate. On both occasions, the perpetrators were a man carrying a shotgun and another one carrying a cutlass.

17 travellers turned back or quarantined in Jamaica over yellow fever worry

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ine passengers who flew into Jamaica on Monday were refused entry, while another eight were quarantined because of yellow fever concerns.

The 17 were among travellers who flew into the island from Trinidad and Tobago and Panama and were unable to produce evidence that they were vaccinated against the virus, according to the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper.

It quoted Health Minister, Dr Christopher Tufton as confirming that five of the passengers arrived on Caribbean Airlines from the twin-island republic and they were all sent

back home, while the other 12 came in from Panama. Of those 12, four were refused entry and the other eight quarantined.

Tufton said Jamaica has to take the threat of yellow fever seriously. Yellow fever is an acute viral disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. Symptoms include fever, headache, jaundice, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and fatigue, and according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a small proportion of patients who contract the virus develop severe symptoms and approximately half of those die within seven to 10 days.

Earlier this month, the Jamaica Government issued a statement indicating that all travellers over the age of one year who arrive in Jamaica from countries where there is risk of yellow fever transmission – including those passengers transiting those countries [among them Guyana] – would be required to produce a valid certificate to show they have been vaccinated.

It said it was taking the step to prevent the importation of the virus into Jamaica where the disease does not occur but where the mosquito vector and human hosts are present. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

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Around the World

Brexit vote: Bitter exchanges Suicide bombers kill 31, wound close to 150 in EU Parliament debate T at Istanbul Airport he European Parliament's first debate on the United Kingdom's vote to leave has been marked by bitter exchanges.

A central figure in the Leave campaign, UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage, was booed, called a liar and accused of using "Nazi propaganda".

Farage shot back that the EU itself was "in denial".

UK Prime Minister David Cameron is meeting leaders of the other 27 EU states for the first time since Thursday's referendum.

"I'll be explaining that

Britain will be leaving the European Union, but I want that process to be as constructive as possible," he told reporters before the summit's working dinner in Brussels.

An EU official close to the talks told BBC News the mood was "very, very serious" and a question mark hung over the UK's next presidency of the EU, due to begin in the second half of next year.

"The leaders are very interested in hearing the UK's timeline, but everyone knows Cameron won't trigger Article 50 [the first formal step in the withdrawal

procedure]," the source added.

The announcement of Cameron's replacement as leader of the Conservative Party, and thus Prime Minister, is not due now until September 9, with 12:00 BST Thursday as the deadline for nominations.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned against delay in starting the exit process: "I don't think we should see any shadow-boxing or any cat-and-mouse games. It is clear what the British people want and we should act accordingly." (Excerpt

from BBC News)

New helium find a "game-changer" A Turkish official said the vast majority of those killed were Turkish nationals, but foreigners were also among the dead

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hree suicide bombers opened fire before blowing themselves up in the main international airport in Istanbul on Tuesday, killing 31 people and wounding close to 150, officials said.

Police fired shots to try to stop two of the attackers just before they reached a security checkpoint at the arrivals hall at Ataturk Airport, Europe’s thirdbusiest, but they detonated their explosives, one of the officials said.

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said 31 people were killed and 147 wounded, according to Turkish broadcasters. Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin said authorities believed there were three suicide bombers, an account corroborated by witnesses.

A Turkish official said the vast majority of those

killed were Turkish nationals, but foreigners were also among the dead.

“There was a huge explosion, extremely loud. The roof came down. Inside the airport it is terrible, you can’t recognise it, the damage is big,” said Ali Tekin, who was at the arrivals hall waiting for a guest when the attack took place.

A woman named Duygu, who was at passport control having just arrived from Germany, said she threw herself onto the floor with the sound of the explosion. Several witnesses also reported hearing gunfire shortly before the attacks.

“Everyone started running away. Everywhere was covered with blood and body parts. I saw bullet holes on the doors,” she said outside the airport.

There was no immedi-

ate claim of responsibility for the latest in a string of suicide bombings in Turkey this year, but the Dogan news agency said initial indications suggested Islamic State may have been responsible, citing Police sources.

A Turkish official said it was too soon to assign blame.

The attack bore some similarities to a suicide bombing by Islamic State militants at Brussels airport in March which killed 16 people. A coordinated attack also targeted a rushhour metro train, killing a further 16 people in the Belgian capital.

President Tayyip Erdogan said the attack should serve as a turning point in the global fight against militant groups.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

France charges Rifaat al-Assad with corruption

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yrian President Bashar al-Assad's uncle, suspected of using ill-gotten gains to build a property empire in France, has been charged with corruption, French officials say.

Rifaat al-Assad, 78, who commanded Syria's internal security forces in the 1970s and early 1980s, was charged on June 9 with receiving embezzled funds and tax fraud, a spokesman for the financial prosecutor's office said on Tuesday.

A French Judge ordered Rifaat al-Assad prohibited from leaving France, with an exception for receiving medical care in the UK, according to one of the two Non-Governmental Organisations, Sherpa, which filed complaints in 2013 and 2014 that led to the investigation.

Sherpa claims Rifaat's fortune was stolen during his time at the heart of the

Rifaat al-Assad was forced into exile in 1984 [File: Michel Euler/AP]

Syrian regime.

In the probe, headed by Renaud van Ruymbeke, investigators estimated that Rifaat and his family amassed about US$100 million worth of property in France, mainly through companies registered in Luxembourg, between 1984 and 1988.

The Assad family claims

the fortune was the result of gifts from wealthy Saudi supporters, including former King Abdullah, with whom he shared a love of horse-racing.

Van Ruymbeke has said that Rifaat has provided proof only of a US$10 million gift from Abdullah in 1984, the source told AFP. The properties include a chateau and stud farm north of Paris, two mansions, two apartment blocks and a plot of land in the French capital, as well as offices in southern Lyon.

Rifaat, who has four wives, told investigators that he "had nothing" when he left Syria, having always given his wages away to the poor, according to a source close to the investigation.

He was forced into exile in 1984 for trying to overthrow his older brother, the late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Helium is used in satellites, microscopes, MRIs, bar code scanners, etc

S

cientists have discovered a large helium gas field in Tanzania.

With world supplies running out, the find is a "gamechanger", say geologists at Durham and Oxford universities.

Helium is used in hospitals in MRI scanners as well as in spacecraft, telescopes and radiation monitors.

Until now, the precious gas has been discovered only

in small quantities during oil and gas drilling.

Using a new exploration approach, researchers found large quantities of helium within the Tanzanian East African Rift Valley.

They say resources in just one part of the Rift Valley are enough to fill more than a million medical MRI scanners.

Helium is formed by the slow and steady radioactive

decay of terrestrial rock.

However, global supplies are running low, with warnings that supplies cannot be guaranteed in the long term.

Professor Jon Gluyas, of the Department of Earth Sciences at Durham University, who collaborated on the project, said the price of helium had gone up 500 per cent in the last 15 years.

"Helium is the second most abundant element in the Universe, but it's exceedingly rare on Earth," Prof Gluyas told BBC News.

"Moreover, any helium that you do find if you're not careful, will escape, just like a party balloon it rises and rises in the atmosphere and eventually escapes the Earth's gravity altogether.

"It's used in a whole array of key instrumentation, particularly medical MRI scanning and so on, and so we have to keep finding more." (Excerpt from BBC News)

Sweden, Kazakhstan, Ethiopia, Bolivia elected to UN Security Council for 2017-18

A general view shows a meeting of the United Nations Security Council at the UN headquarters in New York, April 16, 2010

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weden, Kazakhstan, Ethiopia and Bolivia were elected to the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday for 2017-18, but further voting was due to take place to decide the final seat with Italy and the Netherlands almost locked in a tie.

After three rounds of voting by the 193-member UN General Assembly, The Netherlands had 96

votes, while Italy had 94.

Countries need more than two-thirds of the vote to win a seat.

The General Assembly elected Sweden with 134 votes in favour, Ethiopia with 185 and Bolivia with 183 in the first round of voting. Kazakhstan beat Thailand with 138 votes in favour in the second round of voting.

The new members will

replace Angola, Malaysia, New Zealand, Spain and Venezuela on the council from January 1, 2017.

The Council is made up of 10 elected members –five voted on each year – and five permanent veto-powers who are the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia. The council is the only UN body that can make legally binding decisions.

(Reuters)

16 news

wednesday, june 29, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Energy-efficient lights to save Govt $2.8M annually

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he Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) has estimated that the State will be able to rake in $2.8 million in savings per year, following the installation of 65 energy efficient streetlights.

The GEA recently replaced 65 High Pressure Sodium Vapor (HPSV) street lamps with 65 energy efficient Light Emitting Diodes (LED) lamps as part of its ongoing energy effi-

ciency programme.

The HPSV lamps were rated at 250 watts each while the new LED lamps are rated at 100 watts each.

The switch is expected to lead to significantly lower energy consumption rates.

Fifty-eight of the lamps were installed at Timehri, while four and three were installed at the Umana Yana and Camp and Lamaha Streets, respectively.

The Government pres-

Ramsammy’s Ruminations

Clumsy, confused?

APNU/AFC clueless in governance

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Officials from the GEA installing the energy efficient streetlights

Public Infrastructure Ministry donates 30 units of blood to NBTS

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he Public Infrastructure Ministry recently held a blood drive and mini health fair, which saw the donation of approximately 30 units of blood.

This exercise was a collaborative effort with the Public Health Ministry’s National Blood Transfusion Services (NTBS).

At this time of the year, the Blood Bank is short of all blood types, particularly O-Negative and O-Positive, and with this in mind the Public Infrastructure Ministry thought it fit to play its part by encouraging staff members to donate blood.

The health fair also saw services, such as glucose, eye, blood pressure, and HIV testing, as well as, mental health and dental screenings being offered.

Minister within the

Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry Annette Ferguson interacts with a member of staff during the recent blood drive

Public Infrastructure Ministry, Annette Ferguson, was present during the activity and stressed the importance of maintaining one’s health and its link to

productivity. She further urged those in attendance to conduct more regular health check-ups and emphasised that “prevention is always better than cure”.

ently operates about 6000 HPSV street lamps, rated at 250 watt and 5000 lamps within the different municipalities rated at 175 watts, which accrue a yearly operational cost of approximately $653.7 million per year while consuming 10.4 million kWh of energy.

However, through the use of 100W LED lamps, it is possible to significantly reduce the cost that the current street lighting systems incur. It is estimated that the 65 LED lamps that were installed will reduce the annual energy consumption by 42,705 kWh, saving G$2,800,166.85 per year.

The simple payback period for these lamps is 1.07 years and the lamps have an estimated lifespan of 11 years.

In order to determine which lamp was best suited for use in the pilot project, studies were carried out

by GEA’s engineers. The engineers, led by Energy Engineer Leon DeSouza, were assisted by a team of Engineers from the Public Infrastructure Ministry’s Street Light Division.

“We were able to determine which lamps presented the best wattage and design to meet the necessary requirements,” explained DeSouza.

He continued, “The energy efficient lamps compared were 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 Watt LED lamps and the 80, 100 and 120 Watt induction lamps. It was concluded that the 100 Watt LED lamps could be used for commercial roadways and 40 Watt LED lamps could be used for minor roads.”

In keeping with its mandate to develop and encourage the development and utilisation of sources of energy other than sources presently in use and to carry out research into all sources of energy (including those sources presently used in Guyana), the GEA will continue to explore, install, and monitor energy efficient streetlight technologies with the aim of gaining knowledge and thereby make recommendations that will guide decisions with regards to street lighting.

The GEA is calling on all municipalities, Neighbourhood Democratic Councils, and civic groups to take advantage of the benefits of energy efficiency by installing only energy efficient street lights.

s the parking meter corruption within the Georgetown City Council stinks to heaven, President David Granger found no reason to address this matter when he visited the City Council this week.

APNU/AFC in the meantime will now review the parking meter contract, not caring that it is interfering with the business of the Council and Dr Leslie Ramsammy not caring that it has set the example for the City Council by its own sole sourcing.

If there is one thing that we cannot debate, it is that APNU/AFC has been clueless since assuming the mantle of Government over a year ago. It has been consistently clumsy, almost invariably confused and reckless far too often. There has not been a day where one or more of these things apply.

This past week the Prime Minister showed up in New York City to attend a conference hosted by the Global People of Indian Origin. Moses Nagamootoo, just over a year ago, not far from the venue of this conference had disavowed his Indianess, but had the temerity to attend the conference because it was another free trip to boast his ego.

The next couple of days in New York, he was on a drinking holiday. All throughout the trip he had a convoy of Secret Service escorting him, at the expense of the Guyanese people.

All of this at a time when APNU/AFC has totally ignored the plight of thousands of people in Region Five who have endured almost three months of flooding. Nagamootoo found it more pressing to be in New York to have a jolly good time. This smacks of clumsiness, confusion and recklessness, but equally uncaring behaviour.

Meanwhile, President Granger last week vehemently objected to the death penalty, insisting that no one will be executed on judicial order under his watch. Then why do we have laws that permit judges to sentence people with the death penalty? I commend Granger for his courage in articulating a position that is consistent with the views of an increasing number of countries around the world and for taking a position that is progressive.

But Granger is President of Guyana and head of the APNU/ AFC coalition in Government. The same Government and the same APNU/AFC included 14 offences that are punishable by the death penalty in their amended Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism legislation earlier in the year. His Attorney General when informed in the Parliament that the death penalty for the given offences would mean that Guyana was deliberately choosing to disavow our commitments to the United Nations Human Rights Commission and we were heightening our non-compliance with our international obligations, insisted that the death sentences in the law were requirements under the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). It was obvious then and it has become clear since that he was not telling the truth.

But the clumsiness and confusion have been further exemplified by the President’s position. The President proclaims that he was not supportive of the death penalty, a sentence that he would have to sign off on before anyone can be executed.

Executing a prisoner sentenced to death is not possible without the signature of the President. This demonstrates confusion and recklessness in conducting the affairs of our country. With all the lawyers in the Cabinet and all the people who seem to have answers for everything, did no one tell the Attorney General and the President that FATF did not require the death penalty? Did no one reminded the President and the Cabinet that Guyana is under Procedural Review by the United Nations Human Rights Committee and that among our commitments is the abolishment of the death penalty?

The President cannot extricate himself from responsibility by claiming that it was not him that introduced a law requiring Judges to sentence people to death because the legislation taken by his Attorney General to the Parliament requires Cabinet approval and he is the Chair of the Cabinet. In addition, the legislation became law because the President assented to it. He not only approved it as Chairman of the Cabinet, but subsequently when there were public revelations that the Attorney General misled the nation pertaining to the reasons for the death penalty for the 14 offences, President Granger still assented to the law. This is clumsy; it is clearly confusion, but it is reckless in pushing Guyana into a rogue nation status.

Every day, examples of clumsiness, confusion and recklessness are evident. Milk not recommended for children is allowed on the shelves even though the Government AnalystFood and Drug Department ordered it be taken down from the shelves and destroyed. The order is not a voluntary one and the Ministry of Health is supposed to remove the product. But the distributor is a supporter of APNU/AFC. Rewarding him is more important than the health of the people. This is the kind of confusion and recklessness that prevail today in Guyana.

Send comments to doc_ram@hotmail.com

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NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

LM&TC Environmental, Works Committees working with limited resources

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ouncillors within the cash-strapped Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC) have their work cut out for them, and have been managing with limited resources in an effort to execute some major functions. During a recent press briefing, Chairman of the Environmental Committee, Wainwright Bethune and Works Committee Chairman, Leroy James, outlined several projects presently being executed in the community, while emphasising the fact that there are limited resources available.

Bethune established that the Council just recently obtained a Bobcat and a mini-excavator, loaned by the Communities Ministry and work is set to commence along Sir David Rose Avenue, Mackenzie, in the vicinity of the Kara Kara

bridge. As a result of the recent inclement weather, certain areas are water logged which he considers dangerous for commuters.

The excavator is presently de-silting drains in the Constabulary Compound area at Mackenzie. Bethune said the current focus is only on the main thoroughfares at Central Mackenzie; Burnham Drive; and the Winifred Gaskin Highway, Wismar; and since the equipment was loaned, it would be time consuming to visit minor areas.

Solid waste management

Bethune alluded that garbage collection is a serious issue and there is no specialised equipment to carry out the task; however, he said recently, the Council acquired a new tractor to assist with picking up waste in and around the community.

Councillors Leroy James (left) and Wainwright Bethune

“The other tractor that we have, you will probably see the presence of it more in the community… one of the things that I wanted was to have the Environmental Department more involved in the whole garbage collection and waste management, so we can get a proper

structure and schedule going so that residents, at least once or twice a month, given the equipment that we have, can have their garbage collected,” the Environmental Committee Chairman said.

Additionally, he noted that there are some serious issues with the Dakoura

dumpsite and works are ongoing. “We’re working to de-commission that site to promote more dumping in the Kara Kara area, which would maybe be a medium or a long-term dumpsite.

We’re still working on the timing of that… the problem with the Kara Kara dumpsite is every time there is the inclement weather the road becomes impassable, so we’re trying to put more of a permanent access there”.

Bethune added that coming out of a recent visit by officials from the Communities Ministry, a survey to determine measurements to the road was done, and as such, tenders are expected to be out within a few weeks for the construction of a road leading into the dumpsite.

Following that, Bethune said the dumpsite would be further developed.

Meanwhile, Leroy

James, Head of the Works Committee, said minor patch- works are ongoing on access roads in areas which are adversely affected. For now, he said work is ongoing and the municipality is set to soon receive its 2016 subvention.

“It is no secret that the Council is cash-strapped so we are trying the best we could with the resources available… to bring relief to the areas more critical… in prioritising areas we look for those where people are more affected,” he said.

The Councillor encouraged residents to be patient since he noted that the aim is to reach every area in all constituencies. He said impassable roads at Central Mackenzie and Amelia’s Ward are set to benefit and welcomes any input from the community.

Electrician slapped with fraud charges Alleged robbery spree lands man in jail

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n electrician was on Tuesday slapped with multiple counts of fraud when he appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Neil Benjamin, 51, is facing charges which allege that between December 30, 2012 and January 30, 2016, at Kaneville Avenue, Georgetown, he obtained $1.5 million from Erick Jones by falsely pretending that he had a contract with the Guyana Power and Light

Inc (GPL), property of Menza Samuels.

Additionally, it is alleged that between January 2013 and June 2013, he unlawfully obtained $1.4M from Henry Jones by falsely pretending to have a contract with Gafoors, property of Menza Samuels.

Another charge alleged that between August 30, 2013 and November 25, 2013, at Lot 293 Kaneville Avenue, Georgetown, he unlawfully obtained $1.3 million from Erick Jones by falsely pre-

tending to have a contract with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), property of Menza Samuels.

The final charge against Benjamin alleged that between November 28, 2014 and March 20, 2014, he obtained $550,000 from Erick Jones by falsely pretending to have a contract with HBTV (Channel 9), property of Menza Samuels.

The defendant was remanded to prison and the case will continue on July 27.

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ollowing a robbery spree carried out in South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, an Albouystown man was slapped with multiple charges as he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday.

Adrian Daily, 37, of Lot 30 King Edward Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

It is alleged that on June 24, at Aubrey Barker Road, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, while being armed with a gun, he robbed Elizabeth Barclay of $600,000; Tiffany Blanhum of one cellphone valued $36,000; Temika Wells of one Samsung Galaxy cellphone valued $50,000 and one gold chain valued $15,000; and Shem Kai Rum of 30 GTT and 30 Digicel phone cards. On the same day,

he is accused of robbing Lui Hui Jum and Iana Daniels; however, what was taken from them was not stated in court.

The Prosecutor objected to bail due to the gravity of the offence and the penalty attached. The Prosecutor also informed the court that additional charges are to be laid against the defendant. He was remanded to prison and will return to court on July 18.

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guyana-times.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016

ARCHIE

Keep the momentum going in order to find a way to (March 21- use your intelligence, knowlApril 19) edge and experience to get ahead. Don’t let insecurities surface due to someone’s unwarranted bragging.

ARIES

You’ve got a handle on TAURUS what you want to see happen, (April 20- so hop to it and do your bit to May 20) turn your dream into a reality. Make special plans with a loved one.

DILBERT

Be careful whom you asGEMINI sociate with. It’s important to (May 21June 20) stick to your plan and finish what you start, lest someone harbouring ulterior motives take advantage of you.

Take a little time for yourCANCER self today. Make changes to (June 21- your lifestyle that will help July 22) lower your overhead. You’ll experience personal growth due to an unusual situation.

PEANUTS

Refuse to let your emotions LEO get in the way of your work.

(July 23Don’t share personal informaAug. 22) tion if you want to avoid being the subject of gossip. If you dig in and do your share, you will win favours and support.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

Forget about what others VIRGO do.

Stick to your own game (Aug. 23plan or you will end up beSept. 22) ing blamed for interference.

Engage in opportunities to learn something that will add to your happiness.

Opt to do something that LIBRA (Sept. 23- requires detail and precision.

Oct. 23) Don’t waste time trying to please people who are never satisfied with anything. Make changes that will eliminate negative people from your life.

WORD GAME TODAY’S WORD – ANTARCTIC

SUDOKU

Adventure will beckon SAGITTARIUS you. Before you jump in and (Nov. 23- take a risk, consider the conDec. 21) sequences. You may desire change, but the best choice will involve personal growth and development.

(ANTARCTIC: ant-ARK-tik: Relating to the South Pole or the region near it.)

Average mark 20 words Time limit 40 minutes Can you find 34 or more words in ANTARCTIC? The list will be published tomorrow.

YESTERDAY’S WORD – PYRAMID

paid pair pram pray prim yard raid ramp rapid rimy airy amid

amir arid army mail miry myriad dairy damp diary dram dray drip

RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” is not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed. To contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe, write to Word Game, Kathleen Saxe, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

You’ll be given an opportuSCORPIO (Oct. 24- nity to do something quite difNov. 22) ferent from your normal, everyday routine. If you do your best, it will lead to greater freedom, as well as advancement.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

Make a move, spruce up CAPRICORN your living quarters or check (Dec. 22- out an unusual interest that Jan. 19) has the potential to be profitable. Romance, celebration and long-term plans are favoured.

Stick to what you know AQUARIUS and do best. Avoid disputes (Jan. 20or anyone trying to bully or Feb. 19) put pressure on you. Personal change will bring the most satisfaction.

Participate in causes you PISCES (Feb. 20- believe in. A social or romanMarch 20) tic evening will ease your stress. Don’t let someone use an emotionally fraught situation to manipulate you.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016

19

Hero Caribbean Premier League 2016...

Smith optimistic of tournament being a success in Florida

By Akeem Greene

M

any pundits of the sport consider it a momentous move to have Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) matches played in Florida, since it could possibly open the floodgates for more professional cricket to be played in the United States and Guyana Amazon Warriors all-rounder Dwayne Smith is firmly in agreement.

“I think it is a very good idea. I would hope they can get into Canada as well; there are a lot of Caribbean people in America and I’m sure they will come out to see their favourite players, their team... I think it’s a good idea to get them into the cricket. America is here now, but if you can get Canada into it as well, I’m sure it will be good,” Smith said in an exclusive interview with Guyana Times Sport.

The Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill, Florida will be hosting some if not all of the six Florida matches.

The Amazon Warriors will be a part of the first match against Barbados Tridents on July 28 from 19:00h, then on July 29,

the action continues at the same time when St Kitts and Nevis Patriots play Trinbago Knight Riders.

July 30 will begin the weekend of two double headers, as Jamaica Tallawahs face St Lucia Zouks from 12 noon; then from 16:00h, the Amazon Warriors battle the Tridents once more. The next day, the Knight Riders face the Patriots followed by Tallawahs versus Zouks.

The CPL matches will be the first revenue-generating cricket matches at the facility since West Indies played two Twenty20 internationals against New Zealand in June 2012.

The “Biggest Party in Sport” has its own unique attributes which set it apart from other T20 leagues around the world, as it stands out with its festive atmosphere, which, according to the West Indies T20 opening batsman, is making outsiders intrigued by the tournament.

“It’s very good. I think everyone is excited about CPL right now, you can see the Indian owners are coming and buying into teams and hopefully we can get it where the other overseas players can play, like the Indians, but it’s a good tour-

The aggressive batsman sees a future where the “Biggest Party in Sport” flourishes in North America

nament and I hope it can continue to grow, making it bigger,” Smith said.

The 33-year-old, who has played with the Barbados Tridents for the past three editions, has produced some stellar performances during

the tournament. The pugnacious right-hand batsman has scored two centuries in the CPL, one of which came against the Warriors in 2014.

The Amazon Warriors new recruit aims to contin-

ue his rich form to help his team in their title bid.

“It’s always good to play with a new team; have been with the Tridents for three years, having said that, I have been selected for the Amazon Warriors, so it is all about the Warriors,” Smith said.

He added, “I’m upbeat for it, looking to get some good performances, and hope it gives us a chance to get some wins.”

In speaking of his new team’s chances, the Barbadian, who was part of the winning West Indies World T20 Squad in 2012 and has a vast knowledge of T20 cricket, having played 255 matches to date, believes the Warriors are very much capable of doing well in the six-team competition.

He explained, “Our chances, I think we have a very good team, good mixture of experience and youngsters and I would hope that it would help us throughout the tournament and I think we have a really good chance to win the competition.

Smith, who tasted CPL championship glory in 2014 with the Tridents, is of the firm belief that not having some of the more famous

players will in no way hamper the Warriors’ chances.

“It’s all about the experience and who knows how to play in the Caribbean; a lot of people are big names but they still don’t make runs in the Caribbean; they still don’t perform that well with the ball in the Caribbean, so I think we have the ability to go far here and I’m sure we will be competitive in this competition,” the player said.

He further stated, “I don’t look at other teams. I look at my team and I will focus on my team and to get my team better is for me getting performances and being consistent with it.”

The batsman will have the first opportunity to thrill fans with his powerful stroke-play when the Warriors take on the Patriots at Warner Park on Thursday after which they head to the twin-island Republic to play defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders on July 2.

The Martin Guptill-led side will then return home for the first of four home matches beginning on July 7 against the Tallawahs. (akeemg@guyanatimesgy. com)

Digicel Schools Football Championship...

Chase inflict 10-1 hammering on Trust College C

hase Academic Foundation got their campaign off to a rollicking start in the sixth annual Digicel Schools Football Championship, with a comprehensive thrashing of Guyana Education Trust College on Tuesday at the Ministry of Education Ground, Carifesta.

Doubles by Jobe Caesar and Timothy Alberts and single goals by Daniel Floy, Jeremy Garnett, Shomol Smith, Joshua Williams, Nicolas McArthur and Ryan Hackett created the 10-1 rout, with Andrew Bennett scoring the lone goal for Trust College.

The goal rush began when Hackett made a dash down the left wing, made a pass to Floyd, who moved past the defenders to score in the 9th minute.

It was then over to Raushan Ritch, as he made a few dribbles on the right

side of the box which allowed him to make a straight pass to Garnett who finished with a simple tap-in in the 28th minute.

It went from bad to worse for the Trust College unit as confusion occurred on the edge of the box, where Smith capitalised on the opportunity with a simple dab in the 32nd minute.

Two minutes later, McArthur squared the ball and Williams extended the lead, bringing an end to a dominant first half by last year's runners-up.

The second half began with the same lacklustre approach by Trust College, but they slowly showed signs of a fightback, as forward Telbert Baptiste made

From left: Timothy Alberts, Joshua Williams, Jobe Caesar, Ryan Hackett, Nicolas McArthur, Daniel Floy, Shomol Smith and Jeremy Garnett scored in the 10-1 rout

Ryan Hackett (white and green) in action during Chase Academic Foundation’s crushing victory

some attempts on goal but lacked the necessary support.

Just as it seemed there was a calmness to the proceedings, McArthur found the back of the net in the 53rd. However, Trust College eventually capitalised on a chance to score when Bennett sealed a penalty in the 64th.

The focus quickly returned to the Chase unit,

when Hackett drilled his first goal in the 69th which was followed by a successful shot from 10 yards by Caesar.

Alberts joined the party with two goals (76th and 78th) in the space of two minutes, one of which was a skilful header into the top left.

The final nail in the coffin was inflicted by Caesar when he broke away from

the pack and dinked the keeper in the 79th minute.

Over at Leonora, Vergenoegen Secondary defeated Leonora Technical Institute 3-1 on the back of Chris Macey’s double.

Macey notched goals in the 66th and 77th minute while Jamain Cumerbatch was the other scorer. Jamal Grant scored the lone goal for Leonora in the 6th minute .

20

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016

Guyanese cricketers Republic Bank is the Former on show at Guyana Softball official bank of CPL Independence Cup in Canada

T

he Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL T20) is delighted to announce Republic Bank as its official banking partner for the 2016 campaign.

Nigel Baptiste, President of Republic Financial Holdings Limited and Managing Director of Republic Bank Limited, said: “Republic Bank is honoured, as the Caribbean’s largest indigenous banking Group, to partner with the Caribbean Premier League in bringing the Region’s largest sport entertainment event to cricket fans everywhere. This partnership has given us the opportunity to not only augment our focus on building successful societies, both locally and regionally, but to also help provide the economic and environmental benefits of tourism – a sector that is critical to the development of many of our Caribbean countries.

“Our hope is that, through this League, there will be deeper integration and collaboration between the leading minds and organisations across the Region, resulting in both the tangible and intangible benefits that can come from being parts of a larger whole. What better way to start that unification, than through the time-honoured and globally treasured sport of cricket,” he added.

Damien O’Donohoe, Chief Executive Officer of the CPL, added: “It is my absolute pleasure to welcome Republic Bank as official bank of the Hero CPL for 2016. We deeply appreciate their heartfelt words re-

By Ravi Madholall in Toronto

F

CPL CEO Damien O’Donohoe and Republic Financial Holdings Limited President Nigel Baptiste at the historic Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad and Tobago for the official signing of the contract

garding CPL’s significance and role in the Region, and it is great to see another ‘home-grown’ powerhouse as part of the CPL family.

“The message of CPL being a unifying force and, in many ways, an expression of the Caricom ideal is one that we also feel deeply about and we look forward to working with the Bank to bring an even more enjoyable sporting and cultural experience to the people of the Englishspeaking Caribbean, and to showing the rest of the world what this beautiful Region has to offer.”

Republic Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL) is the registered owner of all of the Banks in the Republic Bank Group – Republic Bank Limited; Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited; Republic Bank (Barbados) Limited; Republic Bank (Grenada) Limited; Republic Bank (Suriname) Limited; and HFC Bank (Ghana), as well as Republic Securities

Limited and other subsidiaries. In keeping with international best practice, this holding company was formed with the aim of offering increased operational efficiencies and optimum management of the Group; ultimately leading to greater value for shareholders and clients while enabling greater strategic focus and diversification.

Today, the Republic Group has a staff complement across the Caribbean Region of 4098 people. As at September 30, 2015, the consolidated assets of Republic Financial Holdings Limited (then Republic Bank Limited) stood at US$10.5 billion, with equity at US$1.5 billion and profits attributable to shareholders for the year ended September 30, 2015, of US$194.4 million.

Republic Financial Holdings Limited is listed on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange. (CPLT20)

our teams are set to compete at the annual Guyana Independence Softball Cup on Saturday at St Bedes in Canada.

The 20-over action will commence at 09:30h, and some exciting cricket is predicted given the fact that a large number of top-quality softball players will be exhibiting their talents.

Several former Guyanese players will be representing various teams at the event.

The Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) in collaboration with the Guyana Consulate in Toronto will run off the day’s event, which runs parallel to celebrate Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary.

Apart from the OSCL side, a team each from the Canadian Softball Cricket Association, the Ontario Round-arm Softball Cricket Association and the Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs will be participating.

According to the coordinator of the softball extravaganza, Albert Ramcharran,

Sunil Dhaniram

all systems are in place and no doubt the day’s proceedings should be exhilarating as well.

“I [am] very confident we will have a wonderful day of softball matches from these four teams,” he related via email.

Ramcharran, who is also current President of the OSCL, further revealed that the League’s team have already been selected and was optimistic they could make an impression.

He stated that Honorary Acting Consul General for the Guyana Consulate in Toronto, Mishelle NH Butters is expected to grace the occasion, along with staff from her office.

Clyde Gulliver, an Assistant Consular Officer of the Consulate, informed this publication that the High Commissioner for Guyana in Canada was invited to attend the event, but would not make it owing to other commitments.

However, representatives from the main sponsors: Fly Jamaica, Western Union and Caribbean Airlines among others are set to be in attendance. The day’s event will conclude with a presentation of prizes and trophies.

Some of the ex-Guyanese players are: Sunil Dhaniram, Zaheer Haniff, Dillon Heyliger, Rovendra Mandolall, Andy Chinsammy, Azib Alli Hanif, Hemnarine and Harrienarine Chattergoon, Shiv Seeram, Devon Ramnauth, and Riaz Kadir.

NSC organises cycle racing workshop for Bartica

Ramdhani/ Mangra are GOA Open badminton doubles champs

A

n exhilarating finish to the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) Open Badminton Tournament saw Sunburst-sponsored Narayan Ramdhani and Jonathan Mangra defeat Gokarn Ramdhani and Nicholas Ali to win the men’s doubles final on Monday at the National Gymnasium.

It was deemed the match of the day, with the younger pair winning 21-14, 2117.

Here are the other results for the entire day (Day Three): In the mixed doubles semi-finals, Jonathan Mangra and Ambika Ramraj defeated Ceceil Abrams and Kara Abrams 2110, 21-13.

In the mixed doubles finals, Narayan Ramdhani and Priyanna Ramdhani defeated Jonathan Mangra and Ambika Ramraj 21-8, 21-15.

The Guyana Badminton Association (GBA) will be holding the official presentation on Saturday at the Olympic House on High Street, Kingston at 13:30h when the winners, runners up and semi-finalists will receive their prizes.

Olympic Day worldwide is observed each year on June 23, and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) celebrate the occasion

Hassan Mohamed (immediate right) talks to cyclists at an event in the National Park

T

Narayan Ramdhani

on the Sunday closest to that day. Olympic Day is the only annual worldwide event of the Olympic Movement. The majority of the NOCs on the five continents take advantage of this occasion to share the Olympic spirit with people of all ages and from all walks of life.

he National Sports Commission (NSC) has organised a threeday cycle racing workshop for teachers and interested persons in Bartica, Region Seven and the wider region.

The activity, which will be conducted by national cycling coach Hassan Mohamed, was scheduled to commence on Tuesday, June 28 at 13:00h at the Bartica Community Centre and will run until Thursday, June 30.

According to Mohamed, the rules of competitive cycling and organising cycle races will be the primary focus of the workshop.

Mohamed, the senior coach at the NSC, said it was the intention of the Education Ministry to go to all 10 regions of Guyana and conduct outreach programmes.

Just last week, the Ministry’s Department of Sport, in collaboration with the NSC, held a simi-

lar workshop that benefited teachers from 15 primary and secondary schools in Region Seven.

The three-day workshop was conducted by cricket coaches Latchman Radram and Daniel Richmond.

At the end of the cycling workshop, the teachers and others who benefited from it will be charged with the responsibility of passing on their knowledge to students and other interested persons in the Region.

21

SPORTS

YELLOW PAGES

RHTY&SC continues to make a positive difference

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016 | WWW.GUYANA-TIMES.COM

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he eight cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth and sports Club, M.S on Friday last continued to make a positive impact on communities drawn across the ancient county. The teams – Farfan and Mendes Under 15, Bakewell Under 17 and Second Division, Pepsi Under 19 and Intermediate, Metro Females and Gizmos & Gadgets Under 21 and First Division handed over donations to the Itaca, Blairmont and Genderland Community and Social Development Group of Region 5, the Port Mourant Primary School, Tain Primary School and the Kendall Union Sports Club

RHTY&SC Executive Mark Papannah hands over the donation to executives of the Itaca, Blairmont and Genderland Development Group

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Mark Papannah and Simon Naidu hand over trophies to Albert Budhoo of the Kendall’s Union Sports Club

of No.19 Village, Corentyne.

The Itaca, Blairmont and Genderland Group received financial donations along with a supply of first aid kits, Cricket coaching kits, trophies, educational promotion aids, footballs and cases of drinks for a father ceremony.

The Port Mourant and Tain Primary Schools received trophies for their upcoming graduation ceremonies while the Kendall Union Sports Club received trophies, exercise books and Medals to honour five outstanding students in the No.19 Area. The Club also received 12 personal first aid kits from the RHTYSC,

M.S. Secretary/CEO of the RHTY&SC, M.S and Executive Member Mark Papannah met the executive members of the Itaca, Blairmont and Genderland Group and shared advice with the recently formed group. Foster pledged that the RHTYSC would assist the group to fulfil its mandate and urged the executives to develop a culture of honesty, hard work and dedication to assisting those less fortunate than themselves.

The RHTY&SC, the long standing Secretary/CEO is the only youth and sports organisation in Guyana that works beyond the call of

duty to assist other organisations to fulfil their mandate. Stating that the Club would continue to assist others in the future, he urged other established NGO’s to follow in its footsteps in an effort to get youths involved in sports and promoting the importance of education.

Treasurer of the Itaca, Blairmont and Genderland Social and Community Group, Gillian Enniss expressed gratitude to the cricket teams and the RHTYSC for supporting the newly established group which is seeking to make a difference in the rural communities where there are a lot of social ills affecting youths.

The RHTYSC, she stated is a role model and dynamic organisation which her group is hoping to emulate in the future. President of the Kendall Union Sports Club Albert Budhoo congratulated the RHTYSC and its cricket teams on the outstanding work they are doing across the ancient county.

The No.19 Village based cricket Club, Budhoo stated is seeking to assist youths, the elderly and less fortunate in that area and was delighted that the RHTYSC, M.S was joining hands with them to honour their students.

Guyanese helps Canadian cricket club snap losing streak

P

rofessional cricketer Elton Baker, who is currently in Canada representing Civics Sports Club, was outstanding with bat and ball in his team’s recent victory over Sheridan Sports Club.

Playing at King City Ground on Sunday, the talented right-handed batsman secured the win with an unbeaten 84 after leading the bowling attack with figures of 3-40 from nine overs of medium fast bowling.

Opting to take first strike, Sheridan were restricted to 182 in 50 overs,

Elton Baker

with Araf Haza (42) being the leading scorer.

In reply, Civics comfortably reached 184-3 in 40 overs to achieve a comprehensive victory. Baker and Krishna Deosarran (52) added 73 runs in the deciding partnership.

The fifty was Baker’s second in as many matches, after making 54 in his first game of the season.

The win snapped the Civics’ four-game losing streak. The season is young and with 11 more games to go in the preliminaries, Civics can still make it to the playoffs.

22

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016

Hero Caribbean Premier League 2016…

Knight Riders, Zouks looking to start well in opener

By John Ramsingh in Port of Spain

T

he long-awaited Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) opens tonight in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, with the first of 34 exciting matches.

Defending champions and pre-tournament favourites, the Trinbago Knight Riders begin their title defence in ideal conditions – playing at home and against a team that has only beaten them once in three years.

The St Lucia Zouks got the better of Trinbago Knight Riders last year in a match reduced to 9 overs aside to taste victory for the first time in three years, but it was not enough to prevent the Dwayne Bravo-led side from lifting the championship.

At a press conference on the eve of tonight’s opening battle, the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) skipper, who is well aware of his team’s stats and history, said they were very focused on the task at hand.

“We are the defending champions yes, but that’s a year ago, we got to forget about that… it’s very important to start well in these tournaments.” The world rated all-rounder went on: “All the teams are aware of our records in Trinidad (and

From left: Trinbago Knight Riders skipper Dwayne Bravo and St Lucia Zouks skipper Darren Sammy at a press conference ahead of CPL 2016's curtain-raiser

Tobago), but those things don’t matter, what matters is us as a group getting together and trying to click as early as possible.”

Both sides feature fresh faces and the opening game promises to be electric to set the tone for the remainder of the matches. Also present at the press conference were Trinbago Knight Riders Coach Simon Helmot, St Lucia Zouks Captain Darren Sammy and their coach, Stuart Williams, who all

told the media they intended to play the game in the middle and not on paper.

Sammy said it was important for the Zouks to start well and he would be looking to put the new guys under pressure.

When asked how his team will deal with the ‘Narine factor’, the two- time World T20 winning Captain said: “[Sunil] Narine is number one in the world and has done well wherever he plays and we will treat him with

that respect, but ,at the end of the day, it’s a contest between bat and ball… When they come at us, we just have to absorb (the pressure) and when the momentum is with us, we will take it to them.”

Sammy acknowledged that with the players from the West Indies World T20 winning team being joined by the international picks, this year’s CPL is certainly the biggest yet. The St Lucian said that the CPL’s atmosphere, especially in Trinidad, was one you won’t find anywhere else.

Trinbago Knight Riders Coach Helmot noted that the consistency of the skipper worked well for the team and he was excited about the competition and the prospects of what was about to start. He mentioned that the talent in both teams and

across the tournament was exciting, including the likes of Sammy, Bravo, Shane Watson, Mike Hussey, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Brendon Mc Cullum, Umar Akmal, Hashim Amla and Narine back at home.

Helmot charged fans to come out and support their teams.

Zouks Head Coach Williams, a former West Indies opener, in offering his overview of his team this year, said the overseas talent was evenly distributed throughout all the teams in CPL, but the Zouks had home-grown superstars as well. “While the Zouks have done a great job in recruiting quality overseas players, we have our local stars who just won a championship in the two-time championship captain Darren Sammy, Andre Fletcher and Johnson Charles. And even though we have the overseas players and we are looking forward for them to set the example and lead from in front, we are still looking for our home-grown talent to excel and develop as well throughout the tournament.

The first ball at the historic Queen’s Park Oval is at 21:00h, and the home team will be looking to pick up where they left off last year when they defeated the Barbados Tridents in the final at the same venue. More so with the inclusion of Mc Cullum, Amla, Akmal, Ramnaresh Sarwan, and Colin Munro to go with Dwayne and Darren Bravo, the batting looks well set; with Narine, Kevon Cooper, Sulieman Benn, Ronsford Beaton and Nikita Miller, the bowling department seems like it will take care

of itself as well.

The Zouks also had a good outing last year at the Queen’s Park Oval, where they recorded their only victory in CPL over the home team. They will be hoping for a full game this time and will be looking for some outstanding performances from Miller, Hussey, Charles, Fletcher, Grant Elliott and Denesh Ramdin with the bat; Sammy, Watson, Morkel and Kyle Mayers with bat and ball; and Delorn Johnson, Shane Shilingford and Derone Davis with the ball.

It was raining for the better part of yesterday; however, the forecast for today looks much better and a full game is expected tonight.

Teams:

TRINBAGO KNIGHT RIDERS: Dwayne Bravo (Captain); Brendon McCullum; Darren Bravo; Sunil Narine; Hashim Amla; Umar Akmal; Kevon Cooper; Sulieman Benn; Colin Munro; Anton Devcich; Ronsford Beaton; Nikita Miller; Javon Searles; William Perkins; Yannick Cariah; Ramnaresh Sarwan; Hamza Tariq; Anderson Phillip ST LUCIA ZOUKS: Darren Sammy (Captain); David Miller; Shane Watson; Michael Hussey; Johnson Charles; Andre Fletcher; Morne Morkel; Denesh Ramdin; Miguel Cummins; Derone Davis; Grant Elliott; Kristopher Ramsaran; Shane Shillingford; Delorn Johnson; Kyle Mayers; Keddy Lesporis; Nitish Kumar; Gidron Pope

Lack of Guyana games on India's West Indies tour

GCB opted for “high-value” ODIs over Tests – Sanasie

I

n the wake of Guyanese cricket fans lamenting the failure of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) to secure local games during India’s seven-week tour of the Caribbean scheduled to start July 6, Board Secretary Anand Sanasie has disclosed that “high-value” One Day Internationals (ODIs) had been chosen over the Tests.

The tour will start with a two-day practice match from July 9 in St Kitts followed by a three-day warm-up match from July 14 at the same venue. The first Test will begin on July 21 at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua; the second on July 30, at Sabina Park, Jamaica; the third on August 9, at Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, St Lucia and the last one on August 18, at Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad.

Local cricket lovers decried the lengthy absence of Test cricket from these

GCB Secretary Anand Sanasie

shores and not being able to see the likes of current India stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli live.

In explaining why Guyana would not host a match in the West IndiesIndia series, Sanasie told this publication there were 10 international cricket venues in the Region and matches had to be shared among these venues.

“However, since Guyana won bids to host three matches in the Ballr Cup Tri-Nation Series which featured world champions Australia, South Africa and hosts West Indies, we could not get another match,” Sanasie informed.

In addition, he detailed why the GCB had chosen to host the ODIs over a Test match. “We (GCB) had a choice between the ODIs or a Test match. We opted for the limited overs against the Test match, because they are high value (more beneficial, generates more income) over a Test match,” Sanasie stated.

The last time India toured the West Indies was in June 2011 for a threeTest series, which India won 1-0. The Indian team is expected to depart shortly for the Caribbean with a new coaching staff headed

by Anil Kumble. (Delvon McEwan)

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016

23

Courts brings value to annual Dress up and win “Hero Caricom 10K Road Race Fan of the Match”

By Rene Stoby

I

n keeping with its commitment to the continuous promotion of healthy lifestyles, furniture giant Courts Guyana made a contribution of $500,000 to the Caricom Secretariat for the 12th annual Caricom 10K Road Race.

The race is being held during this time to coincide with the sitting of the Caricom Heads of Government Meeting, which will be held in Guyana July 4-6, 2016.

The simple presentation was done today in the presence of the media at the company’s flagship store on Main Street. Courts Public Relations & Marketing Officer Roberta Ferguson, while addressing the media, said, “We are very happy to make this contribution to the Caricom Secretariat as Courts is no stranger towards 10K events in Guyana.”

Caricom Programme Manager for Crime and

Security Sherwin ToyneStephenson, who is the Race Coordinator, was on hand to receive the cheque. He said: “The race itself began in 2005 as a commemorative event for the International Year of Sports and Physical Activity…the race seeks to bring together both professional and amateur athletes in an environment of cooperation and sharing to promote the good value of wellness as it promotes a peaceful and healthy society.”

Courts Managing Director Clyde De Hass said that the company was proud to support this initiative as it fit in its programme to promote and develop sports in Guyana.

“In light of Courts being a regional organisation, it is only fitting to be partnering with Caricom to promote the sport.”

The race will begin at the Caricom Secretariat, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown and head

east along the Railway Embankment Road, then left along the Ogle Road. The race will then head west along the Rupert Craig Highway, left into JB Singh Road and right into Thomas Lands to finish in the National Park. There will also be a 5k race targeting mainly secondary school children and a 1500m race for primary students. Cash and prizes will be distributed after the event.

Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque and Caricom Chairman, Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow are expected to be present at the event.

Cleveland Forde and Trinidadian Tonya Nero are both two-time defending champions for their respective category.

The race is scheduled to start at 06:00h on Sunday, July 3 under the theme “Promoting Peaceful and Healthy Societies”.

Slingerz are the Champion of Champions

G

uyana Football Federation (GFF) inaugural Stag Elite League concluded on Sunday with Slingerz ending as overall champions.

Slingerz defeated Alpha United 1-0 in a battle dubbed Champion of Champions at the Leonora Stadium to conclude all action in the League.

A 73rd minute Devon Millington goal was the decider for the match which ended in favour of the west side unit.

The game was use to

Devon Millington

adjudge an overall winner

of the League, since there were different winners in the Genesis and Finale segments. With Slingerz winning the initial part, the Genesis and just over a week ago Alpha won the Finale on penalty kicks after 0-0 draw in regular and overtime.

Prior to the Champion of Champions match, Den Amstel and Western Tiger played to a 1-1 draw.

Kevaughn Ward opened Den Amstel’s account in the 55 th minute while Jamal Haynes replied in the 73rd minute for Western Tigers.

H

ero Caribbean Premier League (CPL), in association with tournament title sponsor Hero MotoCorp Ltd (HMCL), the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, has launched an exciting initiative at this year’s CPL whereby fans who make the most imaginative effort to dress up to bring to life the “Biggest Party in Sport” can win a cash prize of US$500 at every match.

The most colourful winner will be selected by the CPL commentary team at each game and the competition is open to fans of all ages.

CPL Commercial Director Jamie Stewart said: “We always celebrate the Man of the Match, but the “Hero Fan of the Match” competition brings back the focus to our fans which is ultimately what the CPL is all about. Have fun, dress up, make some noise and you could walk away with US$500 in cash, courtesy of Hero MotoCorp, the motorcycle leader.”

The Hero CPL 2016 will be played between June 29 and August 7 at venues across seven territories – Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, and Lauderhill, Florida in the USA. Last year’s tournament attracted a global audience in excess of 90 million and

Guyana Amazon Warriors’ patriotic fan

this year it is set to be even bigger as fans across the world continue to be drawn to the high-quality action on the pitch and the unique party atmosphere off it.

For the past 15 consecutive years, Hero MotoCorp has remained the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer in terms of unit volume sold by a single company in a calendar year. The company achieved a significant milestone recently with the inauguration of its world-class Hero Centre of Innovation and Technology (CIT) in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan.

In financial year 2015-16, Hero sold over 6.63 million two-wheelers. The company currently sells its products in 30 countries across the world.

Hero MotoCorp has been associated with vari-

ous disciplines of sports, including cricket, golf, field hockey and soccer for over two decades now. Hero MotoCorp has also had a long association with cricket in various capacities.

The company was earlier one of the global partners of the International Cricket Council (ICC). The company was also the team sponsor of the Delhi Daredevils and later of the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Fourteen-time major winner Tiger Woods is Hero’s Global Corporate Partner. Hero is also a partner of the Tiger Woods Foundation and hosts the marquee Hero World Challenge golf tournament at Albany in The Bahamas, with participation from 18 top golfers in the world.

(CPLT20)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016

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

Knight Riders, Zouks looking to start well in opener

Pg 22

Courts brings value to annual Caricom 10K Road Race Pg 23

Dress up and win “Hero Fan of the Match” The “Hero Fan of the Match” will pocket US$500 at every match in this year’s CPL

Pg 23

Courts Managing Director Clyde De Hass (right) hands over the sponsorship cheque to Race Coordinator, Caricom Programme Manager for Crime and Security Sherwin Stephenson

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