Guyana Times Daily

Japan to assist city with drainage problems P17

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 2734

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

PRICE

Family breaks silence on botched SOCU operation

WHAT'S INSIDE:

PPP/C sounds warning on emerging P12 “police state”

– says GDF Sergeant was on vacation when summoned Page 16

4 more persons attempt suicide in Essequibo

Page 3

$80 vat included

Sub-machine gun unearthed at mining camp Page 2

Sexual activity high among P13 teenagers in Guyana – GRPA

Pensioners’ hardships continue P13 – 76 year-old gets $16,000 water bill

Haags Bosch Landfill fire

City Hall, Councillors face off over meeting with Govt P7

President, P11 Nandlall clash over executive interference in GDF, GPF investigations

Australian High Commissioner lauds investment potential in Guyana Page 13 President David Granger greets Australian High Commissioner to Guyana and Caricom, resident in Trinidad and Tobago, Ross Tysoe, AO, at the Ministry of the Presidency

British teen murder

Police secure order to further Page detain 11 suspects

Internet upgrade False payment needed ahead of vouchers township status unearthed – Barticians Fraud at RDC 10

Page 10

Page 9

– employees, contract workers on station bail

Canada P2 donates investigative equipment to GPF

2

news

tuesday, january 12, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Sub-machine gun unearthed Canada donates investigative equipment to GPF at mining camp

T

O

ne man is now in Police custody and is expected to be charged after he was found with an unlicensed firearm at a mining camp in the Mazaruni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

According to information received, about 10:00h on Monday, Police ranks in F Division conducted a search on a mining camp at Arangoy, Mazaruni River during which the 9mm submachine gun was found.

The man was questioned and it was realised that he did not have the necessary documents to be in possession of a firearm.

The man is now assisting with the investigation.

The sub-machine gun that was found

he investigative capacity of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) was boosted with a donation of equipment valued $3.043 million from the Canadian Government on Monday.

The equipment, which includes crime scene kits, six Canon cameras and Ocean System hardware and software, was handed over by Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Pierre Giroux to Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan at the Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, Police Spokesman Ivelaw Whittaker said in a statement.

Whittaker said that the donation was part of Canada’s two-year “Strengthening the Guyanese Criminal Justice System” project being implemented by Canadian Non-

Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Justice Education Society (JES).

The JES project aims to increase evidence-led investigations with a view to decreasing impunity rates.

The JES is currently conducting its second set of training activities with the GPF on Major Case Management, Forensic Video Analysis and Crime Scene Management.

High Commissioner Giroux emphasised the importance of having the necessary tools to implement the knowledge gained through training, and highlighted the particular usefulness of the forensic video analysis equipment which will capitalise on the numerous Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras around Georgetown.

“The equipment will enable officers in the newlyestablished Forensic Video Analysis Unit to extract the relevant video footage and enhance images. High Commissioner Giroux also

commended the admirable work of JES, citing personal experience of successful work with JES in El Salvador,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, Minister Ramjattan reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to strengthening security in Guyana, and thanked the Canadian Government and the JES for their timely support in strengthening the criminal justice system here.

The Government of Canada, through its AntiCrime Capacity Building Programme (ACCBP), is providing $106 million to JES to implement this project over two years.

The project is being implemented in collaboration with the Public Security and Legal Affairs Ministries, as well as the Office of the Chancellor of the Judiciary, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Police Force.

Fisherman slapped with 40-year sentence

A

fisherman was last Friday jailed for 40 years by Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on two carnal knowledge charges at the High Court, almost two years after the offences.

Murphy Noorhan, 27, was found guilty on December 11, 2015 on two counts for having sexual activity with a young family member. It was alleged that he had carnal knowledge of the child on January 4 and 5, 2013. At the time of the incidents, the girl was only 10 years old.

According to testimony presented in the High Court, on January 4, 2013, Noorhan inserted his fingers into the child repeatedly and on January 5, 2013, he asked the victim whether or not his member could fit into her genitalia. The victim allegedly responded in the negative and as such, Noorhan forced her to engage in oral sex with him.

After deliberating for about three hours, the jury found Noorhan guilty of both counts of sexual activity with a child family mem-

ber.

The prosecution team of Attorneys Stacy Goodings and Siand Dhurjon had asked that a probation report be prepared before sentencing. Among many other things, the report considered that Noorhan worked all kinds of odd jobs to provide for his family and he was in a strong position of trust with the child.

Defence Counsel James Bond in a plea of mitigation requested that the court reduce the severity of the sentence. Bond maintained that his client was innocent and could not be rehabilitated in jail, coming out a worse man.

He noted that his client had an alibi and although the prosecution’s case was that the accused had penetrated the victim twice, the medical certificate did not reflect any vaginal bruising.

After considering the seriousness of the offence, its prevalence, the defendant’s position of trust and all the other relevant factors, Justice Sewnarine-Beharry sentenced Noorhan to 20 years on each charge.

news

3

tuesday, january 12, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, January 12 – 05:00h-06:30h and Wednesday, January 13 – 05:00h-06:30h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, January 12 – 05:45h-07:15h and Wednesday, January 13 – 06:25h-07:55h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Weather: Light to heavy showers with some thunder can be expected throughout most of the day, with sunny weather prevailing in the late afternoon. Clear to cloudy skies can be expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-easterly between 2.68 metres and 4.02 metres per second.

High Tide: 06:03h and 18:19h reaching maximum heights of 2.69 metres and 2.80 metres.

Low Tide: 11:52h reaching a minimum height of 0.53 metre.

Saturday, January 9, 2016

LOTTERY NUMBERS D 01 11 25 20 17 28 03 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

Monday, January 12, 2016

Daily Millions

07 13 16 17 21 LUCKY 3

1 9 8 Draw De Line

01 02 03 07 10

15 21

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

4 more persons attempt suicide in Essequibo

S

ending shockwaves rattling throughout Essequibo Coast, another four attempted to end their lives within a mere 24 hours.

Four persons are presently hospitalised at the Suddie Public Hospital, Region 2 (Pemeroon-Supenaam) after consuming poisonous substances.

The patients are Nelina Ramesh, 22, of La Belle Alliance; Yosoda Munniram, 24, of Fairfield; Sushelia Khemraj, 28, of San Souci, Wakenaam and Savita Sursattie, 20, of Golden Fleece Estate.

The individuals told Guyana Times they were completed frustrated with life, confused, and felt like their world was falling apart.

They were all going through a rough patch in their romantic relationships and they each felt that ending their lives was the only way to escape the overwhelming sadness that had consumed them.

Ramesh was rushed to hospital Sunday morning by her parents after she ingested a quantity of tablets.

Family told this newspaper that the woman attempted to end her life after her brother asked her to stop texting and assist with the household chores. Her medical indicates that she will survive.

Munniram, mother of two, said she became discouraged following a heated argument with her husband on Sunday.

Consequently, she consumed a quantity of gramoxone. She is receiving saline.

Khemraj, another mother of two, was also rushed to hospital late Sunday night after she too consumed a quantity of toxin. She told this publication she was weighed down, confused and simply

gave up on life.

And Sursattie also ingested gramoxone Sunday night.

She said she recently got married however, the marriage ended shortly thereafter.

Only two days ago, two persons ended their lives after consuming poisonous substances: Akel Shurland, 23, of Adventure Village and Kaimwattie Persaud, 27, of Anna Regina.

And eight days ago, a 12-year-old also attempted suicide in the same manner.

She too is in hospital.

Additionally, a 21-year

many are contending.

Coupled with the recent tragic suicide in Berbice where a 14-year old female and 20-year old male paramours hung themselves, calls are intensifying for action on a national level to comprehensively and holistically address the scourge.

Following the unexplained scrapping of the infamous Gatekeepers Programme, many calls are sounding for the resuscitation of the initiative because of its effectiveness.

Recently, nongovernmental organisation The

signs and put in train a process to help those in need.

The Gatekeepers Programme broadened the suicide prevention approach beyond the counselling centres which presumed the potential victim would reach out and seek help.

On Thursday last, President David Granger convened an emergency meeting with the aim of charting a course to address the prevailing suicide epidemic and to develop an action plan to get all stakeholders involved in a centralised approach to suicide prevention.

old of Windsor Castle and a 42-year old of Golden Fleece hung themselves. The former hung himself Christmas morning, while the latter hung himself Old Year’s Night.

Caribbean Voice (TCV) renewed its calls for government to bring back the Gatekeepers Programme and use it as a mechanism to train first responders in every community. These are the persons who can be the eyes and ears of the community to proactively identify

It is the hope of TCV and other stakeholders that government revives the Gatekeepers Programme.

Contacted for a comment, Public Health Minister Dr George Norton said he would provide an update on the Gatekeepers Programme at a future forum.

Suicide skyrocketing

This sudden upsurge in suicide on the Essequibo Coast within the past 30 days is cause for much concern,

4

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, january 12, 2016

Views Making homework a priority!

General Editor: Michael Younge Switchboard:223-7230,223-7231,231-0544 Newsroom: 231-8063 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

Stop handwringing on suicide

O

nce again, as another wave of suicides sweep the land, the authorities are engaged in the maudlin handwringing that now characterises their response for years. Even though Guyana has historically always had a high suicide rate, it was not until the start of this millennium that it began to be given direct attention by the authorities.

But during the last PPP administration, the attention faltered and has not been reversed by the new coalition government.

Suicide is closely linked with depression and in fact can be considered the extreme consequences of that mental health problem. After private groups highlighted the scourge, a National Suicide Prevention Strategy was drafted in 2001.

Studies at that time showed that with great consistency, approximately 200 persons were taking their own lives annually. A preponderant number of those persons were males from the rural, Indo-Guyanese community. This statistic had shown up early on in the importation of this ethnic group as indentured labourers from the villages of India.

Emile Durkheim, the founder of the discipline of sociology, had conducted the first study on the phenomenon in 1897, when he observed that the rates of suicide in the Protestant and Catholic communities were significantly different. While the decision to commit suicide was obviously an individual one (the Jim Jones tragedy being a notable exception) the statistical consistency implied structural group processes at work.

Durkheim proposed his famous theory off "anomie", which suggested that suicide could result when the societal bonds tying an individual to a close-knit community are sundered and the individual struggles unsuccessfully to live according to values that the new circumstances do not facilitate.

All subsequent studies of the phenomenon have shown that while individual psychological/organic problems might also play a role in precipitating suicidal behaviour, they have supported Durkheim's theory that specific cultural responses to societal challenges are predominant. This finding suggests that success in preventing suicide will have to be, in the main, community specific. What has also been found is that "suicide attempts" are different from actual suicides not only in the fact of differential mortality but also in the motivation of the individuals that attempt the acts. Suicide attempts are considered to be more of a cry for help.

In 2007, the National Committee for Suicide Prevention was formed and two years later, the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) hosted a two-day workshop on the Prevention and Control of Suicide Behaviour in Georgetown. It included individuals from Trinidad, Guyana and Suriname that were working on the problem in their countries, which had similar demographics. For the first time, a programme that involved the community - the "Gatekeepers Programme" - was launched.

This programme was intended to educate members of target communities to be aware of tell- tale signs exhibited by individuals contemplating suicide. Interventionary measures were taught, one being to suggest to the individual on the need to seek help from mental health workers who would be trained to make more directed interventions - including medication for depression. However after the training of a few hundred "gatekeepers" in Regions 6 and 3, the programme lapsed.

Of recent, one of the most consistent and comprehensive response to the suicide epidemic that has catapulted Guyana as # 1 in the world, has come from the CaribVoice and they have consistently called for the Gatekeepers Programme to be resuscitated.

When in Opposition, the now governing parties had proposed that Suicide Prevention should be higher on the agenda of health priorities in Guyana.

On the heels of the President calling for action, we suggest that the bi-partisan Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Social Services convene an urgent meeting to craft proposals on how to fund and extend the Gatekeepers Programme.

Suicide is the major cause of death in our 15-24 age cohort: to not stamp it out, is to blight the future of our country.

The handwringing must stop and action taken.

It is important to make homework a priority for these young children, as they embark on getting it done by any means necessary before getting home (Marceano Narine Photo)

Uttar Pradesh honours Guyanese and other Diasporans Dear Editor, The Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, the largest in India and from where most Indo-Guyanese trace their roots, honoured some 16 overseas-based Indians (Diasporans) including one Guyanese. The selectees were honoured for contributions to the development of the state and/or because they have distinguished themselves for extraordinary achievements abroad.

Among those honoured were former Trinidad Prime Minister Basdeo Panday, Berbician Ashok Ramsaran, House of Lord member Khalid Hamid, American entrepreneur-cum-philanthropist Frank Islam and singer Alka Bhatnagar. The award came with shawl, citation certificate and memento. Among those present to witness the ceremony were film makers Sanjay Khan and Muzaffar Ali, and ghazal singer Anup Jalota, all of whom are from UP. The ceremony took place on the evening of January 4 at Sheraton Center, Agra, where the

state’s Chief Minister Akilesh Yadav inaugurated the maiden ‘UP Pravasi Diwas’ (gathering of the Diaspora who trace their roots to UP). It is likely to be an annual gathering to recognise the work of UP Diasporans. The Diaspora gathering is an effort to attract Indians who trace roots to the state by showcasing the state’s initiatives and business potential for them. It is done to woo industrialists and investors to help with development; UP is among the least developed states in India and the government is seeking to fast-track development to tackle issues of underdevelopment and high unemployment.

At the gathering, the Chief Minister lauded the hard work and achievements of UP Diasporans in their home countries. Akhilesh told them he wants UP to connect and collaborate with the Indian Diaspora after their ancestors have left their matri bhoomi some 177 years ago. He said he is seeking to promote UP as the “land of unlimit-

ed opportunities” urging overseas Indians to come and invest. He said the state has established a facility to help them trace their roots.

The Chief Minister announced the state signed 13 MoUs in various sectors, including trade, investment, finance, education and technology, with major networks, including the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin whose President is Guyanese-born Ashok Ramsaran. The investments are worth billions of dollars.

The Chief Minister announced that the first Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) has been established in Lucknow, the capital. It is the nodal agency for the UP overseas Indians department.

Akilesh said he wants to turn Uttar Pradesh into a preferred destination for Bollywood by opening a film institute.

Singer Anoop Jalota, who toured Guyana several times and performed for the Guaynese Diaspora in Queens, will establish a

music academy; and film producer Rahul Mitra, also known among Guyanese, will offer guidance on film and music studies.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Kapil Sharma, who is the director of Indira Gandhi Centre for Freedom Struggle Studies, suggested introducing a chapter on “Girmitiyas” in the study state and nation’s books to spread awareness of Indian communities abroad.

Girmityas are people who left the state as indentured labourers beginning some 175 years ago.

The delegates applauded the effort of the Chief Minister and the government to bring together representatives of the UP Diaspora to aid with development and job creation in the state. The new initiatives announced by the state will help with tracing roots that can bring enormous tourism revenues to the state.

Yours faithfully, Vishnu Bisram in India

GRA should answer taxpayers’ questions

Dear Editor, I read a statement attributed to the new Chairman of the GRA Board Rawle Lucas contained in Stabroek News.

The chairman is quoted as saying that the governing board is seeking to turn around the negative image

of the GRA. Can the Chairman confirm that several employees involved in the Fidelity scam that saw the Revenue Authority being defrauded hundreds of millions of dollars, have been rehired by the GRA? Can the chairman

indicate to us taxpayers whether this is part of his effort to turn around the negative image of the GRA? Can the chairman advise us taxpayers how many more corrupt or dismissed employees will be rehired in this effort to turn around the image of

the GRA? We the taxpayers would appreciate an answer to these queries. A press conference to address these questions would be acceptable.

Colin Thomas

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, january 12, 2016

Guyana does not have the capacity to deal with marijuana legalisation Dear Editor, Those pushing for the legalisation of marijuana should take note of the growing murders and slaughtering of Guyana’s innocent citizens and now a young, promising non-resident. All these murders-forhire, all these premeditated killings, all the savage robbery-murders are being perpetrated by a set of young drug addicts, whose minds are being altered by the imbibing of the abundance of narcotic substances available here in Guyana.

And I would guarantee you that a great percentage of the loot carried away by these savage minded brutes is ploughed right back into the drug trade. It is a known fact that alcohol, ganja and cocaine are the drugs of choice that inoculate the consciences of

these youths before and after their heinous crimes.

And just imagine, marijuana is not legal yet. Just think for a moment what Guyana would be like when every youth could access “weed” with impunity.

Those calling for the legalising of marijuana and citing other countries need to understand that Guyana does not have the capacity to deal with the onslaught of societal ills that will be unleashed on our communities if “pot” is legalised.

Ganja makes you hungry; it also makes you emotionally numb. It is a mindaltering stimulus, hence the need to keep using it. It is also very addictive. And it is also not cheap.

It is the need to fill those derived cravings that drives the addict to commit crimes. The need for the

drug, accompanied by the need to fill one’s stomach, plus the need for the necessary finances drive the user into a freefall of desperation, where anything goes.

Many of the killings that are taking place would not happen if the killers were not high on something. I know that Guyana is short on psychologists and psychiatrists; however, I would guarantee you that a precursory series of interviews with these drug-maddened youths will give the authorities cause for pause as they contemplate slackening the drug laws in this country.

Nigel Hughes and Bro Freddie Kissoon are understandably agitating for the rethinking of the sentencing policies for marijuana. There has been some pushback from Vice President and Public

Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan. The nation is watching the play and counterplay between the civic, legal and administrative minds as it pertains to the marijuana issue. There has to be some balance struck.

Let’s look at the pros and cons, for we should be careful to not throw out the baby with the bath water.

It’s a fact that too many youths are being disproportionately incarcerated and having their future permanently scarred for ganja-related charges. It is also a fact that too many youths are getting high and killing innocent people.

Sincerely, Pastor Wendell P Jeffrey Practical Christianity

Nagamootoo’s calls for unity talks

Dear Editor, You may be too young to remember the days of the PPP in the ’60s or 70s when all this talk of unity was mooted by Burnham after the 1964 elections.

Nagamootoo was perhaps just a teenager at the time and maybe his memory does not serve him well so I will accept if he forgot that Burnham in his desperation to retain his dominance of Guyana attempted on several occasions to cajole the PPP into joining his government to form in effect

a one-party state. This amorous seduction of the PPP by Burnham failed and instead Burnham and his PNC set about enticing individual members of the PPP to cross the floor and join him. One recalls the names of Vincent Teekah, Ranji Chandisingh, Edgar Ambrose who all fell for Burnham’s offer of positions in the PNC. Of course those men later found out the folly of their ways.

It is exactly what Granger has done to Nagamootoo and Ramjattan. We see how easy it was for the PNC to seduce

those two by just simply providing material comforts they seemed to be lacking.

Nagamootoo blames the PPP for not offering to make him the Presidential candidate so he left the PPP. He is now the Prime Minister with hardly a job description that befits the title. He is now using the abundance of time on his hands to look for something to talk about.

Nagamootoo needs to be reminded that allegiance to the PPP means that its members will not tolerate any unity discussion with

Dear Editor, I speak for most Guyanese when I appeal for unity in our beloved country. But if most of us want unity, why is the line on unity not yet mended?

At least we need a starting point and I would like to suggest we start from the promises made by APNU/ AFC and PPP/C during the last elections. On the campaign trail the current government promised a new start, to turn a new page and move forward. A very progressive and promising message that implied one important and game changing act; and that is for this government to leave the past behind and bury the hatchet.

Not in words but in action and as the captain of the ship, they are also responsible for making the first move towards unity.

The PPP/C campaigned on their successes and accomplishments that came to Guyana under their rule and felt that they were the best

choice to take Guyana forward. However, they failed to see and acknowledge the resentment being built up against the party because of the behaviour of a few over the many. Now the PPP/C is the opposition and they too have to find a way to mend that line for unity.

The Government is faced with the challenge to prove their leadership prowess and ability to balance the past with the future and make the right decisions for us. If PM Nagamootoo is representing the government on unity talks, he must understand that unity very rarely comes through just talks, but it requires a genuine and persuasive approach that ironically, have very little to do with politics.

As an example, I am constantly attacked for being an activist in politics; however I do get mostly positive support for my views and fresh perspectives. But to those who sling their abuse at me, I am not angry or hate them

for it, because they are my brothers and sisters too and it is important for me to embrace the hate as much as I embrace the love. This is the role of leaders; our job is to find balance and achieve successes from conflict or peace.

My suggestion to both leaders of government and opposition is that they first work on reducing the level of hatred and contempt in their own camps first.

You cannot get unity if you are feeding off of the hate of your followers.

Secondly the PM has to ensure his government no longer justifies their bad decisions and practices by claiming the PPP/C “was worse”.

This is the opposite of unity and it is a non-starter.

I would be the first willing to support any genuine initiative that is truly aimed towards unity and progress for Guyana, such as LGE.

Who is going to bury the “hatchet” first?

Sincerely, Malcolm Watkins

him and his new-found concubine. I will also suggest that his PNC colleagues will not give him the time of day if he were to approach them with this fairy tale of national unity.

So move on with your life, Nagamootoo.

Regards, Faoud Khan

5

A blogger praised Broomes for her “refreshing honesty”!

Dear Editor, A recent blog post trending on social media made me hurl with laughter. The article titled “The Best Minister in the Coalition Government” refers to Simona Broomes, and is written by a young woman who signs “without wax”.

While we are all fully entitled to express our opinions freely within the confines of mutual respect, describing Broomes as being honest has to come from someone who is ill-informed, who has a sinister plot to mislead readers or who whether voluntarily or in exchange for payment is promoting PR. The article states, “It is because of her no-nonsense attitude and honesty that people are fast becoming supporters of Broomes.” The writer goes on to say “I only hope that Broomes’ image and refreshing honesty remain untouched by the more sinister characters around her.”

I wouldn’t comment on the attitude of Broomes, for she must have portrayed to the author some level of dignity, self-respect and humility to be worthy of such a description in the article. What the public gathers from her behaviour will speak for itself.

However, in terms of honesty, Broomes is the Minister (Junior) of the coalition who blatantly lied to the Guyanese people in July, and who was forced to shed light on her lies when she was shifted to the newly-renamed Natural Resources Ministry.

The world would remember that in July when a media house published an ar-

ticle informing the public that Broomes was among those miners possessing at least three mining blocks in Tasserene, a proposed Amerindian title land, the Minister viciously attacked the said news source and threatened to file a lawsuit. The statements which Broomes described as being “scandalous” and libellous were not retracted and the lawsuit was launched.

Now, the Junior Minister has had to force the truth out of her mouth when she declared last week that she does possess three blocks at Issano, which is in Tasserene, but that she sees no conflict of interest in this. I will abstain from commenting on the violation of Amerindian rights as the renamed Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry will have to take responsibility for its own complacency in this matter. I will also abstain from commenting on the conflict of interest as the Transparency Institute of Guyana Incorporated has already taken to the forefront on this matter.

However, to say that Broomes is exemplary is to be ill-informed at best and myopic at worst. To say that she is blessed with “refreshing honesty” is to take Guyanese people for fools, and condone the lies of this boisterous and vociferous Minister who cannot tell the difference between prostitution and Trafficking in Persons.

Sincerely, Anna Correia

6

tuesday, january 12, 2016

Page

guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation

By Debbie Pincus, MS LMHC

– tools to help children worry less can be a big relief for parents

By Jeffrey Berstein, PhD

T

he worst part of anxiety is having anxiety about the anxiety, itself. The metaphor of a snowball being rolled down a hill of sow is one I use to illustrate how unchecked anxiety rapidly grows.

Children can learn to cope with anxiety by learning two crucial skills: calming down and solving problems. As I wrote in my book, 10 Days to a Less Defiant Child, escalating anxiety in children can be expressed as defiant behaviour. Knowing how to help your child manage his or her anxiety can go a long way in helping them behave better. Below are five of the techniques that I use in my practice with children and their parents to help children manage anxiety: Breathing with them.

One way to help your child control anxiety is to encourage slow, deep breathing. You can help your child practise this by getting her to imagine the air going in through her nose, down the windpipe, and into the belly.

There are wonderful apps and YouTube videos that you can search for that show how to do this diaphragmatic breathing (I present it as

“belly breathing” for children). I also show children a picture of a sabre-tooth tiger and explain how our fight or flight mechanism in current day works the same as if we were seeing a sabre-

t o o t h a long time ago.

Another way to relax is to alternately tense and relax muscles.

Helping children get rid of ANTS (Automatic Negative Thoughts). I have children draw ants (the insect version) to make this exercise fun. Then I help them talk about, write, or draw ants with negative thoughts next to them.

Typical ANTS may be: “Nothing ever goes my way,”

“I’m a loser because everyone else thinks I am,” or “I’m a failure.” By changing the unhelpful thoughts to more

helpful and positive thoughts, for example, saying or thinking, “If I keep practising, I’ll get better,” or “Even if I make a mistake, I can learn and do better the next time,” the child’s anxiety levels will be reduced.

Using exposure strategies. In my practice, I use a strategy called Introspective Exposure. For example, for a child who reports shortness of breath due to anxiety, I may have the child sit with his parent and hold his breath. The goal is for the child to learn that the phys-

ical symptoms can be experienced without the anxiety and panic. Following that the spirit of exposure is far better for helping anxiety than avoidance, it is imperative that parents stay loving and firm in encouraging their children to confront and work through their fears.

Guiding the child with calming visualisations. Help your child to imagine a relaxing place and to notice the calm feelings in his body. Or, have him imagine a container (such as a big box or a safe) to put his worries in so they are not running wild in his mind and bothering him when he needs or wants to be doing other things.

Encouraging the child to make a “things that went right today” list at the end of the school day. This helps children prone to anxiety to develop an optimistic cognitive style. This can be made into a Success Journal.

For more involved, persistent anxiety related concerns, please consult a qualified mental health professional. (psychologytoday.com)

Here are some things I’ve found to be helpful for parents when I work with them.

Make the commitment not to lose it. Remind yourself that you’re going to try to stay in control from now on.

Notice what sets you off – is it your child ignoring you? Or does backtalk drive you up the wall? It’s not always easy, and I think it’s hard for anyone to control their temper 100 per cent of the time, but still, making that first promise to yourself is the beginning of calm – for your whole family.

Expect that your child is going to push your buttons. Usually we get upset when our children are not doing what we want them to do. They’re not listening or they’re not complying. In our heads, we start worrying that we’re not doing a good job as parents. We worry that we don’t know what to do to get them under our control.

Sometimes, we fast forward to the future and wonder if this is how they’re going to be the rest of their lives. In short, we go through all sorts of faulty thinking. And in doing that, our anxiety goes way up. I think the best solution is to prepare for your child to push your buttons and not take it personally.

Realise what you aren’t responsible for. There’s confusion for many parents as to what we’re really responsible for and what we’re not responsible for. And so if you feel responsible for things that really don’t belong in your “box” – things like him getting up on time or hav-

Continued from Monday

ing his homework completed – it will result in frustration.

They don’t belong in your box –they belong in your child’s box. So you can say, “I’m responsible for helping you figure out how to solve the problem. But I’m not responsible for solving the problem for you.”.

Prepare ahead of time.

Notice when the anxiety is high and try to prepare for it.

You might observe that every day at five o’clock, your family’s nerves are on edge.

Everyone is home from work or school, they’re hungry, and they’re decompressing. For many families, it’s just a terrible time of day; everybody’s anxiety is up and patience is at low ebb. Let yourself be guided by the way you want to see yourself as a parent versus your feeling of the moment.

Ask yourself “What’s helped me in the past?”

Start thinking about what’s helped you to manage your anxiety in the past. What’s helped to soothe you through something that makes you uncomfortable? Usually the first thing is to just commit yourself to not saying anything when that feeling comes up inside of you.

In your head, you can say something like, “I’m not saying anything; I’m going to step back; I’m going to take a deep breath.” Give yourself that moment to be able to do whatever it is you need to do to get calmer.

Take a breath. Take a deep breath when you feel yourself escalating – and take a moment to think things through. There is a big difference between responding and reacting. When you respond, you’re actually taking some time to think about what you want to say. When you react, you’re just on autopilot. As much as possible, you want to respond thoughtfully to what your child is saying or doing.

Keep some slogans in your head. Say something to yourself every time you feel your emotions rising. It can be anything from “Stop” or “Breathe” or “Slow down” to “Does it really matter?” or “Is this that important?”

Whatever words will help you, take that moment.

Think about what you want your relationship to look like. How do you want your relationship with your child to be some day? If the way things are now is not how you want your relationship to look in 25 years, start thinking about what you do want.

Ask yourself, “Is how I’m responding to my child now going to help? Is that going to help me reach my goal?”

This doesn’t mean that you should do what your child wants all the time – far from it. Standing by the rules of the house and giving consequences when your child acts out is all part of being an effective, loving parent. What it does mean is that you try to treat your child with respect – the way you want him to treat you. (Excerpt from Empoweringparents)

news

7

tuesday, january 12, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

PPP concerned about Cabinet reshuffle

− supports Scott’s move, criticises Broomes’

P

eople’s Progressive Party General Secretary Clement Rohee expressed concerns over the recent cabinet reshuffle of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) government.

Recently, the government shuffled Simona Broomes from Social Protection Ministry to Junior Natural Resources Minister.

The administration was heavily criticised by several bodies due to the fact that the shuffle hasresulted in a conflict of interest whereby Broomes is in charge of a sector she has personal interestsin.

During the party’s weekly media conference, Rohee stated that the move can be characterised as “putting a cat to watch milk”.

Rohee stated that her move from the Social Protection Ministry was expected since Broomes would have often gone “on frolics of her own without informing or consulting the subject Minister”. Rohee said these actions seemed to have upset many of the APNU/AFC financiers in the mining and forestry sectors who are “conducting their legitimate ventures only to be either threatened or bullied

by Broomes to correct activities with which they had no knowledge.”

Rohee insisted that because of this, Broomes became very unpopular with-

Junior Natural Resources Minister Simona Broomes

in the Private Sector and this caused government to move her.

However, Rohee pointed out that this move can be even more disastrous.

Broomes recently admitted that she is the holder of mining lands and this has caused much concern about the possibility of a conflict of interest arising.

“How can Broomes effectively exercise oversight of Troy Resources, or a company owned by Troy when she is involved in a joint venture partnership with the said company or a company owned by Troy? If there are breaches in the Occupational Safety and Health Protection of workers’ rights in the forestry and mining sectors and noncompliance with the various laws, will Broomes act or will she turn a blind eye?” Rohee questioned.

Social Protection Minister Keith Scott

He noted too that the platitudes offered by subject Minister Raphael Trotman that he will “intervene should a conflict of interest situation arise” will not suffice.

Meanwhile, government also transferred Junior Community Minister Keith Scott to fill Broomes’ previous post.

Rohee expressed support of this decision, noting that Scott has proven to be an “abysmal failure as a once dynamic and progressive Ministry.”

“He has virtually killed that Ministry and has returned the housing sector to what it was during the Burnham era. The sector is now on its death bed,” Rohee said.

Replacing Scott’s previous portfolio is APNU member Valerie AdamsPatterson.

Rohee said he is looking

forward to seeing whether or not she is capable of reviving the housing sector.

Meanwhile in a media statement on Monday afternoon, the Natural Resources Ministry reiterated that it has “abundant confidence” in the capacity and integrity of Minister Broomes and that it stands firmly behind her in the course of her execution of responsibilities that fall under her new portfolio.

According to the Ministry, the assertions put forward by Rohee which allude to ‘conflict of interest’ is no more than a ‘red herring’ designed apparently to cause the nation to forget the former government’s “mountain of reprehensible transgressions.”

“Unfortunately for Mr Rohee the people of this country have longer memories than he gives them credit for.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Natural Resources wishes to state categorically that the shenanigans of the PPP will do nothing to diminish its confidence, and for that matter, the confidence of the Government of Guyana in the Honourable Minister,” the statement said.

With regards to the ‘conflict of interest’ issue the Natural resources Ministry posited that it has solicited a legal opinion and will pronounce with greater specificity on this matter very shortly.

Haags Bosch Landfill fire

City Hall, Councillors face off over meeting with Govt

S

parks flew across the room Monday when councillors at City Hall faced-off in a sizzling debate as to why Public Health Officers had not been included in a meeting with Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan about conditions of the Haags Bosch Landfill at Eccles, East Bank Demerara.

For weeks authorities at the garbage site have been battling to put out a fire although the Guyana Fire Service has managed to extinguish between 70 to 75 per cent of the blaze thus far.

The ongoing inferno had raised alarm in Eccles as residents had been badly affected from the thick smoke for many days.

Meanwhile, during the first statutory meeting of City Hall on Monday, when Town Clerk Royston King began his report on the meeting with Minister Bulkan, one councillor interrupted his speech.

Councillor Ian Andrews raised the question of whether any public health officers of the council had been included in that very important discussion.

King responded negatively, explaining that while a team from the Public Health Ministry had been present for that meeting, the council’s public health officers had not been there.

This answer infuriated Councillor Devi Ross who stood up to express her dissatisfaction that Council’s public health officers were not invited to the meeting.

She loudly and boldly stated that the public health department was being ‘isolated’.

According to Ross, this represents the “number one department” of the council, hence it is a priority, especially in light of the numerous health issues affecting the public.

In response to the outcry

by Councillor Ross, Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green stated that she was confused as to why there was an issue about the matter.

She reminded councillors who were questioning the issue that they were the ones who in the beginning said there was no need for a large delegation to be present at the meeting.

Chase-Green in her argument posited that over the years the council has worked diligently and constantly with the aim of preventing any form of outbreak(s) even when the municipality had been suffering from low funds or lack of monies to do so.

In continuing his report, King informed that one major challenge encountered was that of the litter-pickers who have been blocking the road daily.

This in turn has been preventing garbage disposal trucks from accessing the Haags Bosch Landfill and ranks of the Guyana Police Force had been notified to deal with the matter.

At present it is under control to some extent, he said. (kristenm@guyanatimesgy.com)

8 news

tuesday, january 12, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Eyew tness “Grey Boy” jailed Power to…

T

he primary suspect in the murder of Courtney CrumEwing was on Monday jailed for three years by Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on a charge of escaping lawful custody. He was however found not guilty on a charge of unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition.

Regan Rodrigues, 37, of Riverview Squatting Area, East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, received the ruling of the two charges which were that on July 12, 2015 at Riverview, East Ruimveldt, he was found in possession of a Taurus Pistol and 14 live rounds of matching ammunition while he was not the holder of a firearm licence. The second charge stated that pending investigations of unlawful possession of the firearm charges against him, he escaped lawful custody.

Regan Rodrigues, aka “Grey Boy”

The gun and ammunition were allegedly unearthed by police when they conducted a search of Rodrigues’ home.

The defendant allegedly fled during the search, but subsequently turned himself in to the police a day later.

According to reports, the pis-

tol was tested and has tested a positive match to the one used in Crum-Ewing’s killing.

Attorney Adrian Thompson, who represented the defendant, argued that the prosecution had failed to prove its case against

Rodrigues beyond a reasonable doubt. Thompson alleged that the prosecution had failed to prove that the defendant was present at the premises when the police had allegedly searched his house and found the firearm and ammunition.

Rodrigues, in his initial statement to the Court stated that officers were trying to set him up as they are always trying to pin a charge on him. He said he is rarely in Guyana and only comes to check on his primary schoolage younger brother, whom he takes care of.

His attorney also argued that his client was not present at the time of the search, and that the house had multiple occupants.

The Magistrate in her ruling stated that the house is a case of multiple occupancy, and the fact that the weapons were found hidden under a chair and not in the defendant’s bedroom.

Labourer jailed for armed robbery A labourer was on Monday jailed for one year by Magistrate Annet Singh after he was found guilty of a robbery under arms charge.

Kennard Persaud, 27, of Lot 12 Guyhoc Park, Georgetown, was first arraigned before the then

Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on February 5, 2015, but the case was tried by Magistrate Singh.

The defendant had initially denied the charge, which stated that on September 10, 2014 while being armed with a gun he

robbed Stacy Mansfield, the virtual complainant, of a gold chain valued $215,000. The trial commenced on April 27, 2015 and evidence was given by three witnesses, inclusive of the VC. According to Mansfield, on the day in question he

was at a shop at Layne Avenue, Georgetown, talking to the shop owner when he observed the defendant walking into the premises. He told the court that at the time, he had on the gold chain and it did not occur to him that he was in any immediate danger. He further related that some time later, the defendant approached him and held a gun to his head and pointed at the chain. Persaud then reportedly snatched the chain and escaped.

The VC made a report to the Police and an investigation was launched.

On February 3, 2015, Mansfield spotted Persaud in the Ruimveldt area and quickly contacted a nearby Police Officer, which led to the defendant’s arrest.

During the trial, the court also heard the testimonies of two Police officers, including the investigating rank, and on Monday the prosecution led

by Prosecutor Innis closed its case.

The defendant was called to lead his defence but chose to remain silent as he did not have an attorney representing him.

The Magistrate found the defendant guilty, telling him that the prosecution had produced sufficient evidence for his conviction and had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.

She sentenced him to one year, however the five months he spent in prison on remand is to be deducted from his sentenced.

T

…the PM? Hardly!

here was evidently a last-minute change of heart by the President in the reallocation of duties in his Cabinet, announced in the New Year. We’d heard “I is” Broomes was being shifted from Labour and Working Girls (call it what you may) to Natural Resources, while her spot in Labour was taken by Keith Scott. Seems like Working Girls are on their own…which mightn’t be such a bad thing.

Cathy Hughes’ Tourism portfolio was augmented with “Telecommunications”. But in the Gazetted report, obviously not seeing it as important …she also got the GPOC and its snail mail. But lo and behold, almost as dramatic as a booming voice from a burning bush was the news that Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo had gotten the “governance” portfolio he’d been promised in the Cummingsburg Accord.

Wasn’t this important enough for the President to mention it when he announced his “not a reshuffle”?

Here it was Nagamootoo’d claimed to have catapulted the coalition into office with his 11% from Berbice…and he was stuffed with just the Information Portfolio. Heck Jagan had given him that back in 1992, for carrying around Janet’s purse for decades over at the Mirror!

But, jeez, Nagamootoo had then gone and finished law school along with his daughter. Wasn’t that worth an upward bump? But while Nagamootoo’s probably running around giving high fives to all and sundry (from his $100M SUV), he should take a deep breath and think why his “elevation” was an afterthought. Or better yet, he should ask precisely what’ll he be doing under “governance”.

Will Bulkan and his “Local Government” remit come under “governance”? (And having to deal with $82M deposits?!) Or will he be looking at the “big picture”, but with no real power? Your Eyewitness believes the latter is more likely – since it fits in with the “olive branch” of “shared governance” he’s asked to hold out to the PPP on behalf of the Government.

Nagamootoo should realise once again he’s been given “Larwah”. He can wait until hell freezes over and we all know, ain’t no way the PPP’s going to have Moses Nagamootoo define even the terms of reference for “coalition talks”, much less consummating a coalition with them. He could even lower his pants in Stabroek Market Square and it won’t change matters.

So where does that leave Nagamootoo – the man who would be President? Just where he started – as window dressing to allow Prezzie to claim, as he just did, he’s achieved “ethnic unity” in Guyana.

…to those in power

There’s a Joker in one of the Cabinet cards just shuffled.

Last year, while wearing her Social Protection hat, “I is” Broomes took objection to this newspaper reporting that she owned mining interests in the interior and that these interests were in conflict with Amerindian interests since they were fighting to prevent such mining.

The goodly Minister took the newspaper to the courts.

But they say, “time longer than twine”, no? The same Minister –now transferred to “Natural Resources” – has accepted ownership of the selfsame mining interests. She also admitted leasing the land to an operator – but still sees no “conflict of interest”.

If and when her lessee mines the land, she says she can then “get her percentage of profits or the company can buy her out”. But this is not a “conflict of interest”??!!!

And her Senior Minister, Trotman, probably in shock after having “governance” taken away, agreed! What power can do to some!

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck – and water rolls off its back , this Eyewitness says, it’s a goddamn duck!

…youths?

So the Government missed the boat to appoint youths – on whose backs they rode to power – to govt office. (You really thought AFC did anything?)

Are they going to make up in LGE? Don’t hold your breaths.

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

news

9

tuesday, january 12, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Internet upgrade needed PPP warns about ahead of township status fraudsters buying – Barticians By: Devina Samaroo

B

articians are less than impressed with the below-standard internet services offered within the mining community, especially now, when it is on the verge of becoming a town.

Tacky internet service, the unavailability of a local office and poor customer relations with the internet service provider are what residents endure as Bartica approaches its long-awaited milestone of township status.

“Here in Bartica, if you want a telephone line or the DSL Internet Service, you must pay $12,000 - $15,000 to travel to Georgetown to apply,” Elizabeth Moonsammy said as she lamented the stark fact that

Gordon Bradford

to wait until technicians arrive from Georgetown on a monthly basis to address the situation.

Sanjay Rampersaud, another resident, was most annoyed. He related that residents pay as high as $7000

Residents demand better internet service

there is no local office in Bartica despite the majority of residents are utilising the services.

“GTT does not have a local office to service the residents of this community. In this age, especially when we are about to gain township status,” she vented.

Moonsammy also related that when the service goes down, residents have

monthly for internet services while in other parts of the country, the fees are not that exorbitant.

“I don’t understand why this is the case. Some people pay $3000 but the internet is beyond slow with that plan. With the $7000, that’s the fastest but in other parts of Guyana people do not pay that much. We pay the highest for internet services in the country. With the $7000,

we get about 128 kilobyte per second whereas people elsewhere can pay $7000 and get some megabytes per second,” he vented.

“So you have to be without internet for weeks, sometimes until they come here. I don’t understand why they don’t have a local office because almost everywhere using the internet.

It’s not like they won’t get customers or they will run bankrupt. They have the demand for the services here,” he posited.

Another resident said it is a very stressful situation, especially when it comes to doing her schoolwork.

“The speed gets me upset and sometimes you feel like giving up and not doing your homework.

Sometimes when there is a problem and you call the office in Georgetown for help, they would have you waiting for hours and sometimes when they finally get on to you, they cannot detect the problem and so there is nothing you can do until a technician comes up,” she explained.

A visitor also expressed shock over the pace of the internet offered in the community.

“I was surprised. I know generally, the internet service provided in Guyana is not on par with the rest of the Caribbean, but, I would go crazy if I have to use such slow internet service. I do not know how they manage with that. Something needs to be done. I find it unacceptable,” she stated.

Meanwhile, Regional Chairman Gordon Bradford attested to the concerns of the citizens and made similar calls for better service to be provided.

“As Regional Chairman we do crave in Bartica for the upping of standard by

Hog Island teenager hospitalised after snake bite

A

Hog Island, Region 3 (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), resident who was bitten by a snake has been hospitalized at the Suddie Public Hospital.

Shereza Mohamed, 14, of Western Hog Island related that she was walking home Sunday afternoon when she was bitten on her right foot.

The teenager related that she was very scared and so screamed for help.

She said persons managed to kill the reptile and rushed her to the Suddie Hospital.

Speaking with Guyana Times from her hospital bed, the teen said she is in immense pain but is trusting God for her survival.

Shereza Mohamed

all service providers. As we transition from village to township we definitely need upgrades,” Bradford said when contacted on the matter.

“As it comes to the internet, indeed it is very slow and difficult at times.

Sometimes you try to send an email and it’s so difficult because you have to wait 10-15 minutes before a simple email can go through,” he explained.

“I do think that offices should be here where business transactions could be made easier speedily by customers and queries can be addressed. It is indeed a fact when you have queries and complaints to GTT sometimes you have to wait weeks, perhaps months, for those problems to be addressed. So definitely an office here would be something good,” Bradford stated.

Several residents assured they were speaking for all and called for the development of the community to be taken seriously by both the private sector and government; if not, then Bartica should not be deemed a town .

Bartica will officially secure its township status on April 23, 2016.

signatures for LGE

PPP/C Executive Member Zulfikar Mustapha

P

eople’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Executive Member Zulfikar Mustapha disclosed that persons are visiting communities under various pretexts and in some cases offering residents money to acquire their signatures as evidence of support for the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE).

This announcement was made during the Party’s weekly media conference at Freedom House Monday.

Mustapha explained that when one applies to be a candidate for the elections, a certain amount of supporting signatories is required in order for that person to qualify to contest.

“There are groups going around advising people that works need to be done in the communities and that they have to sign forms and then these forms turn out to be forms to back particular candidates. They are fooling the people,” Mustapha declared.

On that note, Mustapha cautioned the general public of these occurrences and urged them to not carelessly sign any documents without having full knowledge of its contents.

He disclosed that complaints are coming particularly from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), however there are reported cases in other districts across the country.

Meanwhile, LGE will be held on March 18.

10

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, january 12, 2016

News Fraud at RDC 10

False payment vouchers unearthed – employees, contract workers on station bail

BY UTAMU BELLE

A

s investigations continue into alleged fraudulent activities at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice), charges are expected to be laid against a number of employees, including some external contract workers.

Regional Executive Officer (REO) Gavin Clarke made the revelation of several discrepancies involving council money at last Thursday’s statutory meeting of the RDC. Auditors were summoned to investigate the offences which were also brought to the attention of the police.

Regional Chairman Renis Morian said the investigations are “premature” at the moment, while stating that a number of individuals have been questioned in relation to the issue.

Morian confirmed to this newspaper Monday that officers of the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU), State Audit Department as well as the Office of the President (OP) were present at the council and conduct-

Region 10 REO Gavin Clark

ing investigations which commenced last Friday.

The chairman said the team continued investigations well into Monday which involved interviewing a number of RDC staff.

“The investigation is ongoing... the normal procedure, once an investigation is ongoing, at some point the administration will send them on leave so that they can properly investigate. I think that’s the direction it might go but I can’t be certain. We have investigated, we have spoken to more than three persons so far. All of them aren’t staff here (at the

RDC), some are external,” he stated.

Meanwhile, E Division (Linden-Kwakwani) Commander Calvin Brutus confirmed a visit to his office by an investigative team, which he noted comprised a State auditor, a Sergeant from Police Headquarters and SARU. He said the investigation is being conducted through Police Headquarters, Georgetown.

“They identified some areas where monies were missing and some impropriety in terms of records and so on, where some false vouchers were prepared and monies paid. Monies were about to be paid as well. So we assisted with statements and putting persons on bail,” the Commander told Guyana Times.

Speaking to councillors last Thursday, Clarke declared emotionally that he will not lose his integrity over the discrepancies which he had unearthed. He also spoke of a recent experience where he was forced to investigate an alleged fraud.

“I want to do an honest job... I have no need to collude... What happened is that I received a particu-

lar document, stating, for the provision of transportation, and I know that no trip was taken during that period, so I questioned it. I was told it was so, but in my spirit I knew something was still wrong... I called the guy whose name was on the contract and said, ‘have you taken x officers (on a trip)?’ He ain’t even know about the place, he ain’t know about the trip, nothing...

I said, ‘I’m going to put you on to an officer who is going to tell you about the seriousness of these things. This is fraud and you can get jailed for this...’ I ain’t in fraud and I ain’t encouraging fraud. If you get caught with your pants down, you’re going to be beaten right there... I am afraid that the next person who is going to be an REO at this Region... if it’s not an honest person... millions of dollars can disappear from out of this place without a trace...”, the REO related.

Councillor Franklin Carew also indicated that after conducting numerous visits with the REO, based on discrepancies he’s witnessed, there are things refuses to sign.

Toothbrush thief jailed

A

homeless labourer was on Monday jailed for one month

by Magistrate Annet Singh after he pleaded guilty to a simple larceny charge, which said he used trickery to steal items.

Roy Singh accepted the charge which stated that on January 2 at America and London Streets, he stole a pack of soap powder, two hair cutting machines and 24 tooth brushes valued at $7500 from the stall belonging to Christine Dookie.

According to Police Prosecutor Adduni Innis, on the day in question the defendant approached the Virtual Complainant telling her that he was sent to collect bags from her. The woman then left her stall to go enquire from her husband whether he had sent the man for the items.

During her absence, the defendant made off with the items.

A report was made and when the Police arrested the defendant, he initially denied the allegation, telling Police that he empties garbage for a living.

Nevertheless, he was sentenced to serve one month in prison.

Is Guyana Georgetowncentric?

M

y first major e n c o u n t e r with the city of Georgetown occurred soon after I finished high school in the late 1970s. I was moving from the Upper Corentyne region to Georgetown not for voyeuristic reasons but to find a job and some new friends.

I eventually found a job with a security service named Property Protection. For over Dr Lomarsh Roopnarine six months, I was a security guard at night guarding private properties in virtually all sections of Georgetown with my bare hands.

Of all the places I guarded, I still remember a private house located a few yards from the former Jim Jones headquarters just beyond Sheriff Street. The house was abandoned but a mentally ill man was living there. The house had an eerie look.

Now and again in the silence of the night, the mentally ill man would make bloodcurdling noises similar to those in haunted houses.

My second encounter with Georgetown occurred in direct contrast to the first one. Instead of moving to Georgetown, the ambience of Georgetown was coming to me in Berbice.

There were those who had left Berbice for Georgetown for business and educational reasons and were returning bringing with them some social dynamics of Georgetown. The students, in particular, believed that after God was the University of Guyana and were not shy about expressing their feelings.

Their exposure to the Georgetown environs instilled in them an inferior perception of Berbice. Their arrogant and snobbish behaviour, especially towards those who had not done well at the GCE exams, was hard to dismiss. Only after attending universities in the United States did I realise how fudged, fictitious and flapdoodle that elitist behaviour was. It was simply a learned behaviour born out of desperation to meet fanatical and fantasied expectations.

What I have learned from these experiences is that almost everything in Guyana revolves around Georgetown. If you want to pick up a visa or a basic form, attend the best high schools and university, argue a high level court case, be a politician, sell practically anything, watch any national sports, and even leave Guyana, you will have to go to Georgetown.

Of course, we live in an urbanized world and most things of importance are generally located in capital cities. Nevertheless, things in Guyana are too centralised in Georgetown even in the age of globalisation. Ironically, this column will be printed in a newspaper located in Georgetown, underlying the Georgetown-centric trends in Guyana. Isn’t it about time that things diffuse from Georgetown to other regions? Arguably, all of Guyana is quintessentially Guyanese not only Georgetown.

What the Georgetown-centric trends have caused is a sort of internal colonialism, a division in ethnicity, in class, in gender, in politics between urban and rural areas. The average urban man or woman believes he or she is better than country people. The current core and peripheral focus on Georgetown and the rest of country, respectively, in preparation for the 50 years independence celebration can only suggest that the pattern of internal colonialism and the marginal treatment of places outside of Georgetown will continue unabated. One example will suffice.

Last year I booked a flight in the US to arrive in Guyana during business hours to pick up a tourist visa in Georgetown to travel to Suriname as required if you have a US passport. The airline staff, however, had other ideas and changed the flight. I arrived in Guyana around midnight and eventually proceeded to my Berbice destination. What is so unsettling about this experience is that I was residing at a home not more than 20 minutes from the Moleson Creek Port crossing from Guyana to Suriname but I had to travel about six hours in the opposite direction to Georgetown to pick up a tourist card from the Suriname Embassy.

Tell me, does this make sense? This might be a Suriname issue but the situation is in Guyana. It would seem logical to give tourist visas to those who want to travel via the Moleson route in Corriverton since it is on the way. Finally, I am about to leave Guyana, and guess what, I have to travel through Georgetown.

When would Berbice have an international airport? To remind our policy makers, more than 50 per cent of Berbicians live abroad. (lomarsh.roopnarine@jsums.edu)

tuesday, january 12, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

11

News

President, Nandlall clash over executive interference in GDF, GPF investigations need for drastic measures to be taken to launch a “full probe” into the accident, as the routine Police investigations would be sufficient.

“I don’t think it requires a full probe, because Sergeant Pyle was on an official mission at the time, and it was quite an unfortunate accident in which three persons died, so we certainly regret the loss of life, but I don’t see there is need for a probe at the present time,” the President stat-

President David Granger

P

resident David Granger and former Attorney General Anil Nandlall have found themselves locked in a battle, with both sides expressing completely different views over executive interference with investigations conducted by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

The Ministry of the Presidency issued a statement on Monday condemning comments attributed to the former Attorney General, who, in several media reports, insinuated that the President was interfering in GPF and GDF matters, particularly as it related to the recent bungled operation into the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).

Amid growing concerns and mounting controversy over the incident, the President was asked by media operatives to express the State’s concern on the matter.

In response, the President had said that there was no

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

ed.

Nandlall then accused the Head of State of being unlawful by interfering in Police matters.

Specifically, he said in a statement, “No member of the Executive, including the President, has the authority to determine in what instances the Police Force should or should not investigate.”

But, the Ministry of the Presidency (MOTP) has wholly rejected the politician’s statements as a deliberate

attempt to misconstrue the President’s pronouncement on the matter.

“At no point has the Head of State interfered in either the conduct of the operation, which was led by Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), nor the investigations following the regretful loss of three lives. President Granger, in response to questions from reporters, who were at MOTP for the swearing-in of Minister Valerie Adams-Patterson, indicated that while he is aware that there is an internal probe that will be conducted by the GDF, because of the death of Sergeant Robert Pyle, a determination for the need for a wider investigation would be advised on by the Chief-ofStaff of the GDF,” the statement explained.

Meanwhile, in a snap response to the statement issued from the President’s Office, the former Attorney General unyieldingly defended his claims and maintained that the President acted in violation of the law.

Nandlall posited that “the Guyana Police Force, under the Police Act, Chapter 16:01, has the exclusive responsibility to investigate any matter to determine whether a criminal offence is committed or not” and “the statements attributed to the President, Excellency, has violated this very prohibition.”

Nandlall pointed out that regardless of the course of action decided upon by the Chief-of-Staff Brigadier Mark Phillips, the Police have a duty to carry out their mandatory obligations under the Police Act to launch an inves-

British teen murder

Police secure order to further detain suspects

A

s investigations continue into the murder of British teenager Dominic Bernard, the Police have successfully applied to the High Court for an extension to detain the two main suspects, his godbrother Aaron Hing and Staymon George.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum, when contacted, told Guyana Times that investigators saw the need to apply for an additional 72-hour detention period since they were in possession of incriminating evidence against the two men.

It is Guyanese law that the Police can only detain suspects for 72 hours, if additional time is needed, the Force will have to make an application for an extension. In this case, it was granted.

Blanhum noted that investigators were in the process of compiling all the facts and the file will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) shortly. The Police are also in the process of instituting murder charges against Hing and George.

However, the latest development in the case is the discovery of the teen’s camera

Aaron Hing and its components. These were dug up after a third suspect, Jameel Sinclair, took law enforcement to an area behind Nurney Village.

Sinclair admitted that he was promised payment to hide the teen’s belongings on the night he was fatally beaten. Later on Sunday evening, the said suspect led ranks to another area where the laptop belonging to the teenager was reportedly hidden.

Blanhum, when questioned about further developments, stated “we have all the development we needed”.

The teenager reportedly arrived in Guyana on the evening of October 14 and was not seen since. His father,

Staymon George during his visit to Guyana for news on his sons, met with Blanhum, who promised that the Police would do everything in their power to solve the mystery.

The teen’s godbrother became a person of interest after he disappeared when Police attempted to contact him. As law enforcement continued to dig for information, Hing was added to the list of suspects.

Police later captured them both: Hing at a city hotel and George at a house in Tucville, Georgetown.

They have since confessed to beating and burying the teenager, but not before robbing him of his money and other valuables.

tigation.

The incident being referred to is the tragic death

of the GDF Sergeant, his wife Stacy, and another civilian, Linden Eastman who were

killed in a two-vehicle collision on Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown.

12 news

tuesday, january 12, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

PPP/C sounds warning on emerging “police state” I

n light of the recent re-establishments of several military and paramilitary organisations, People’s Progressive Party General Secretary Clement Rohee has sounded an alarm bell of the possible return of a “police controlled state” like what existed during the Burnham era.

Rohee during the party’s weekly media conference Monday, declared that with the reintroduction of the Guyana National Service and the People’s Militia, it is clear Guyana is going back to the past.

“You have to have experience and live through those days to be able to speak with authority on what is perceived to be emerging now… the use of the coercive apparatus of the state to monitor, carry out rickety exercises to do reconnaissance or persons who are suspected to be political opponents whether individually or within an organisation,” he stated.

Rohee reminded that the military institutions had played a paramount

role in keeping the People’s National Congress (PNC) dictatorship alive and that it appears to be the same approach being taken by the new government.

On that note, he indicated that all should be concerned.

Rohee also made reference to the recent botched operation which resulted in the death of three people as evidence of this preconception that a military controlled state is returning.

“The recent operation with the usage of the Guyana Defence Force instead of the Guyana Police Force to carry out surveillance and high-speed chase… in my view this is unprecedented!,” he stated, noting that the only excepting is perhaps in the case of Dr Walter Rodney who was allegedly killed by the then PNC government with the involvement of GDF rank Gregory Smith.

“It shows a completely different approach about what is happening now,” Rohee pointed out.

PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee

The PPP GS reminded that in the past, the People’s Militia was used as an initiative for government supporters to undergo military training and to be armed to parade the streets and instil fear within others. He expressed concerns that this appears to be repeating.

Rohee also contended that the return of these

programmes would only add unnecessary burden to the treasury.

It was pointed out however that President David

Granger explained that the major expense of the initiative would be the small stipends offered to the persons in the militia but Rohee contended that Guyanese should not be fooled.

He explained that in order for these programmes to be smoothly executed, lots of monies will have to be expended.

Meanwhile, President Granger recently assured that the return of the militia is not an attempt by government to militarise society.

He added that once the programme gets going, Guyanese will begin to understand the great potential of the programme towards development of the country.

Back in 1976, the GPM was launched amid fear

the country was under threat by forces opposed to its socialist thrust.

The latter would have included continued relations with Cuba and nationalisation of the bauxite and sugar industries as well as all banking institutions.

After initially offering support in a show of “anti-imperialist” unity, the People’s Progressive Party and its ally in the sugar industry, GAWU, soon condemned the GPM as another “PNC front”, especially when GPM’s members acted as “scabs” in GAWU’s 135-day strike for recognition.

In view of experiences with the GPM, such concerns and fearfulness have lived on in the memories of many who are now opposed to the resuscitation GPM.

Linden call centre controversy

63 workers paid severance packages

By Kizzy Coleman

O

f the 82 workers who were dismissed without prior notification from Toucan Connections Incorporated (Linden call centre) when the company closed its doors abruptly, 63 have been paid their severance packages.

This is according to Public Relations Officer of the Labour Ministry Terrence Esseboom, who explained that the ministry contacted 67 workers in total but only 63 had received their severance pay.

Further, Esseboom explained that 15 other employees are yet to be contacted, but this will be done shortly.

A total of $3,513,916 was paid to the 63 workers.

Esseboom explained to this newspaper that the Labour Ministry is still investigating the matter, but

Terrence Esseboom

that this is proving difficult since Toucan Connections Inc officials are not in Guyana.

He explained that the Social Protection Ministry will be exploring the diplomatic route to determine whether the Foreign Affairs Ministry can intervene to re-

solve the issue.

In August last year the St Kitts-based company, which opened in Guyana in 2007, closed its doors abruptly, leaving 82 employees, mostly women, unemployed.

The company also left without any severance and other benefits being given to the workers.

Following the closure and nonpayment of severance, former Labour Minister Simona Broomes intervened, stating that it is the responsibility of the company to ensure employees are given their severance package and respective benefits.

The minister also underscored the injustice of the company denying employees their right to receive their benefits.

The ministry has announced it will be taking strict action against the company.

Repairs to Linden-Kwakwani road 65% complete

R

ehabilitation works to a section of the Linden-Kwakwani access road are said to be 65 per cent complete.

Repairs to the section of the access road commenced a few months ago, after reports surfaced about its deplorable state during the prolonged dry season.

Prior to rehabilitation,

it would take approximately three hours to travel from Linden to Kwakwani by bus; however, the repairs are expected to cut the travel time in half.

Regional officials had stated that while rehabilitation of the access road is commendable, another section which leads from Ituni to Kwakwani is presently in need of repair.

The condition of that stretch of road has been cause for concern by regular travellers.

Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Vice Chairman Alroy Adolph had indicated that more extensive works were expected to be carried out on the Linden to Kwakwani access road during this year.

Miner intercepted with 2.7kg of ganja

A

miner was arrested on Monday at the Itaballi Checkpoint, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) after he was found with over 2.7 kilograms of marijuana in his possession.

Based on reports received, police ranks conducted a search on the miner and the illegal substance was unearthed in the bag he was carrying.

He is expected to be charged shortly.

news

13

tuesday, january 12, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Sexual activity high among Pensioners’ hardships continue teenagers in Guyana − GRPA – 76-year-old gets $16,000 water bill

A

recent survey conducted by the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA), to determine sexual trends of adolescent and youths in Guyana has revealed that over 50 per cent of these young individuals become sexually active before the age of consent, 16 years.

Those interviewed are within an age range of 14 to 25 years.

According to the survey 392 persons hailing from 8 of the 10 administrative re-

agers, we talk about teenagers only as persons with high risky sexual behaviour and in a negative prospective; and we make all kinds of assumptions and we also tend to stereotype teenagers.

We do think it is time that we embark on a study that highlights the sexual trends and behaviour of adolescents so that it would not be trivialised any longer.”

She said the purpose of including the component of a survey into the ‘Choices’ project is to help better develop

About one fifth of the youths who are sexually active reported that they were coerced into their first sexual encounter. Those doing the coercing were reported to be over the age of 18.

Over a quarter of the teenagers surveyed engaged in their first sexual activity at the age of 12.

Addressing this issue, Public Health Minister Dr George Norton stated that for too long the area of teenage healthcare has been neglected as he commended GPRA

From left: Renuka Anandjit, GRPA Programme Director; Rev Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth, GRPA Executive Director; Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton and Research Consultant Sherlina Nageer

gions, 42 per cent of youths were sexually active.

The GRPA on Monday presented these findings at the Cara Lodge Hotel and stated that this was a part of a larger project titled ‘Choices’ aimed at increasing and enhancing sexual and reproductive health and rights for adolescents and youth in Guyana.

According to GRPA, this activity was conducted to present a valuable insight into Guyana’s youth population and give a baseline for a more comprehensive study to address sexual trends of adolescents; to enable them to live a healthy lifestyle as teenage years are a time for intellectual and emotional growth and a time of dreaming and pursuing one’s future.

Executive Director of GRPA, Patricia SheerattanBisnauth explained that teenagers in today’s society are viewed as persons with “high risky sexual behaviour” and also in a negative light but posited that GRPA is striving to change this perception.

“When we talk about teen-

the programme of intervention.

Sheerattan-Bisnauth explained that the “reality” in Guyana is quite critical when it comes to adolescents and youth as the country is faced with high rates of teenage pregnancy, high rates of risky behaviour in relation to sexual violence, abuse in and out of school activities.

“This survey will help us better understand the realities of the situation and we hope that this will help bring some sort of insight into the sexual trends and the need for guidance which will be important in informing our interventions,” she stated.

The preliminary findings presented by Sherlina Nageer, Research Consultant shows that there is a high level of sexual activity among teenagers in Guyana.

The survey showed that more teen males are indulging in sexual activities than females.

It was also disclosed that youths in the hinterland, those not in school, are showing a higher rate of sexual activity.

for the work it is doing and continues to do.

“Many a times, persons tend to think that the Ministry of Health is the solution or can find the solution.

That is why I think that it is more appropriate that the ministry was relabelled the Ministry of Public Health because not only does it involve medication and the treatment of illness but it also intermingles intimately with other ministries,” he explained.

Dr Norton stated that sexual and reproductive health plays an important part in society and it an issue that cannot be ignored.

“For this reason the survey of sexual trends and behaviour among adolescents in Guyana is extremely important and I cannot complement more this survey that was carried out, it was long overdue. I am anxious to not only read it but to analyse its content so that what is practicable can be applied to society to help this situation that we have endured over the years and it is time we put an end to it.”

Australian High Commissioner lauds investment potential in Guyana

A

ustralian High Commissioner to Guyana and Caricom, Ross Tysoe, paid a courtesy call on President David Granger on Monday where discussions centred on potential areas of investment and both countries’ consensus on the need to lessen the adverse effects of climate change.

In an invited comment, the diplomat said this is his first meeting with President Granger and Australia believes Guyana has great investment potential and a

shared interest in minimising the effects of climate change.

“Australia has been experiencing very devastating bush fires in levels that have never been experienced before and so we discussed areas of collaboration and the building of institutionto-institution links on climate change, among other issues,” High Commissioner Tysoe is quoted as saying by the Government Information Agency (GINA).

He also noted that with the election of Baroness

Patricia Scotland, who has Caribbean roots, as the new Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations, it is expected that bilateral relations between Guyana and his country will be improved in the coming days.

“In terms of investment, we believe that there are good opportunities in Guyana for Australian investors, particularly in minerals and [possibly] in agriculture, in years to come. So we will keep the relationship bubbling along,” he said.

T

he $17,000 which the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Administration has awarded to pensioners on a monthly basis can neither cater for their needs nor ensure the survival of these aged individuals.

Coupled with the nixing of Government subsidies to the electricity, water and telephone utilities for pensioners, the elderly who live alone and depend on their pension payments to provide for their basic needs are faced with even more hardships.

This is the case for 76-year-old Ramrattie, a pensioner living in De Kinderen, West Coast Demerara (WCD), who had the shock of her life when she was recently slapped with a staggering $16,000 water bill.

The elderly woman, who lives by herself, could not afford to make the payment in time and as such, the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) cut off the water supply to her house.

Ramrattie told Guyana Times that she was forced to pay a $6000 reconnection fee in addition to signing a contract with the water company. This contract, she said, is to ensure that

all outstanding payments to the water company are paid.

She lamented that the current Old Age Pension was not sufficient to meet her needs. “If at this age me only depend pun pension and if me got to pay water company, me an know how me gan make out…the pension can’t pay de money,” the 76-year-old stressed.

Several attempts were made to contact the Social Protection Ministry for a

comment on the situation as well as the plight which other pensioners were facing.

A man who identified himself as “Mr Banwarie” in the office of the Director of Social Services finally took the call, but declined to offer any comment when probing questions were asked.

Back in October of 2015, this newspaper reported on the dire state in which some pensioners had found

themselves after the removal of the much-needed subsidies. At that time, a 70-year-old pensioner, Tessa McKenzie had expressed a myriad of frustrations over the eliminations.

“I never had to worry about the light bills and the water bills. When the month come, it was just a $2000 for the light bill and like a $4000 for the water bill. Cause it’s me alone and how much one old lady gonna use up? So the pension I used to get was good ‘cause at least I had leftover to buy my lil’ groceries. Now, it’s like all my pension going behind the bills,” stated McKenzie in October of last year.

In the 2015 Budget, the Old Age Pension was increased to $17,000 per month. However, the subsidies to utilities were eliminated. While some would have welcomed the increase, many others complained of not being able to pay bills which can make basic survival difficult.

The Social Protection Ministry had trumpeted that the Old Age Pension would be a monthly payment which is available to Guyanese aged 65 or older; however, before anyone can receive this benefit, he/she must meet the eligibility requirements.

14

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, January 12, 2016

Regional

“El Chapo” Guzman: Extradition Barbados reports suspected cases of Zika and H1N1 viruses to US could take “at least year”

T

H

ealth authorities in Barbados have reported eight suspected cases of the H1N1 and Zika Viruses.

Health Minister John Boyce said samples have been sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency for confirmatory testing.

And he has cautioned the population not to panic.

The Minister said that although he was aware that members of the public would be concerned whenever a new disease emerged, Barbadians should use simple measures to prevent mosquito breeding around their homes, business places and communities.

“The fact that the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits the Zika Virus, is the same mosquito that spreads Dengue Fever and Chikungunya, we are all very familiar with the prevention and control measures which we need to undertake…Inspect your

he process to extradite captured Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman to the US could take at least a year, officials in Mexico say.

Jose Manuel Merino, of the Attorney General’s Office, said that, under Mexican law, Guzman had the right to appeal against his extradition.

The process was formally launched on Sunday, two days after Guzman had been recaptured.

He had been on the run for six months since a daring

Barbadian Health Minister John Boyce

surroundings to search out and remove mosquito breeding places on your properties. The Ministry of Health recommends that this should be done once per week,” Boyce said.

The Zika Virus was reported in the Caribbean Region for the first time in June 2015. It is a mild febrile viral illness that is transmitted by the bite of

an Aedes aegypti mosquito.

Illness resulting from infection is usually mild, and it is not considered to be as severe as Dengue Fever or Chikungunya.

The H1N1 Virus, commonly referred to as the swine flu virus, is transmitted easily from person to person via droplets and small particles of bodily fluids. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Former Bahamas PM to lead Commonwealth observer group for Vanuatu Election

A

former Bahamas Prime Minister, Hubert Ingraham, will lead a Commonwealth Observer Group to Vanuatu for its General Election on January 22.

The snap election is being held nine months ahead of schedule, following a period of political instability in which 14 Members of Parliament were convicted of bribery. The convictions led to a political deadlock between the Government and the Opposition which prompted President Baldwin Lonsdale to dissolve Parliament.

The Commonwealth’s Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma, mobilised the Observer Group at the invitation of the Vanuatu Government. He said its work would complement the Commonwealth’s ongoing effort to support democracy in the country.

“The Commonwealth has a long history of as-

Former Bahamas Prime Minister, Hubert Ingraham

sistance to Vanuatu. We have been working with the Government and with all political leaders to strengthen democratic processes and institutions in the country,” he stated. Last year, the Commonwealth facilitated a dialogue among political

leaders that could lead to a roadmap for reform.

The Observer Group will contribute to this process by offering practical recommendations to strengthen Vanuatu’s electoral process based on their observations.

The five-member team will examine pre-election preparations, voting and counting procedures and the announcement of results.

They will assess any factor affecting the credibility of the elections and determine whether they were conducted according to international standards and the laws of Vanuatu.

The Observer Group will submit its report to the Commonwealth Secretary General, who will in turn send it to the Government of Vanuatu, the Electoral Commission and the principal political parties. It will subsequently be released online. (Excerpt from Bahamasweekly)

T&T: Policemen charged with extortion

F

our Police Officers have been arrested for attempting to bribe a Chinese businessman.

According to reports, the Officers, all Police Constables assigned to the North Eastern Division, were arrested at their homes across north Trinidad on Saturday morning by their colleagues from the Professional Standards Bureau.

The officers remained detained separately at police stations in Port-ofSpain, up to late Sunday, where they were being interrogated in relation to the incident which allegedly occurred last Tuesday afternoon. The businessman and his wife reportedly contacted Police after the Officers visited his home in Kelly Village, St Helena and demanded a TT$53,000 bribe.

The Officers allegedly

relieved the businessman of a quantity of jewellery, but left without any cash. It’s not yet known what information the Officers threatened the businessman with when they demanded the bribe.

The Officers are expected to be charged with misbehaviour in public office later this week when detectives complete their investigation and will remain in custody until then. (Trinidad

Guardian)

jailbreak in July.

The United States has filed a request for Guzman to be extradited to face charges of smuggling vast amounts of drugs into the country.

Guzman, who was named Public Enemy Number One by the Chicago Crime Commission in 2013, has been indicted by at least seven US federal district courts. But Merino said that Guzman could not be extradited to the US straight away.

Speaking on Mexican

radio, he explained that Interpol officers went to Altiplano jail on Sunday and served Guzman with two arrest warrants for his extradition.

He said that Guzman’s lawyer could lodge appeals against the order and that the process could be delayed considerably depending on how vehemently they fought his extradition.

Juan Pablo Badillo, one of Guzman’s lawyers, said he would take his appeal all the way to Mexico’s highest court. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Genocide trial for Guatemalan ex-dictator suspended

Former Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt attends a hearing at the Supreme Court of Justice in Guatemala City, November 19, 2013

A

retrial of former Guatemalan Dictator Efrain Rios Montt on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity was suspended again for the court to resolve outstanding legal petitions, a judge said on Monday.

Rios Montt’s opponents accuse him of a scorched earth policy in the bloodiest phase of the Central American country’s 36-yearlong civil war that ended in 1996.

A hearing on Monday was held behind closed doors and

Rios Montt did not attend because of “mental incapacity,” according to the court.

A trial one year ago was also suspended when the defence sought the removal of one of the Judges on the case.

Also on trial is Jose Rodriguez, the former Military Intelligence Director, who is accused, along with Rios Montt, of overseeing the slaughter of 1771 members of the Maya Ixil population in the Quiche region of Guatemala in 1982 and 1983.

Rios Montt was found guilty for his role in the killings in May 2013.

His 80-year jail sentence was thrown out less than two weeks later, however, by Guatemala’s Constitutional Court on a lega l technicality after persistent efforts by Rios Montt’s defence team to derail the trial with complex appeals. (Reuters)

Jamaica: Car cloning on the rise

C

ar stealing in Jamaica has expanded beyond scrapping for parts to a multimillion-dollar carcloning operation that involves Government workers and auto parts dealers, the Jamaica Observer has been informed.

And, according to a wellplaced Police source, there has been a surge in the racket over the past year, with an increasing number of cars being found to share the same chassis number, licence plate, title, registration number, fitness and licence disc numbers.

“People who have an old vehicle, or an old vehicle giving problem, steal a new vehicle and convert it to their old vehicle via the chassis number and engine number,” the source told the Observer.

“At times they purchase a crashed vehicle that has been written off by an insurance company, then steal a

According to a well-placed Police source, there has been a surge in the racket over the past year

new vehicle and convert it to the vehicle that is crashed to legitimise the vehicle.”

He further explained: “There are times when vehicles are stolen and that vehicle that is stolen takes on the exact appearance, colour, chassis number, engine number, and same registration plate number of a vehicle that is up and running in another parish.

These vehicles are normally used as taxis.”

Another Police source

added that the practice has become more frequent in St Catherine, Mandeville, St Ann, and St James.

The source alleged that tax office workers, auto parts dealers, licence plate makers, and mechanics are among those facilitating the practice.

“There is a person selling auto parts now who has never had a shipment come through the wharf,” the source said. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

tuesday, January 12, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the world

Aid convoys enter Music legend David Bowie besieged Syrian towns dies of cancer aged 69

Convoys heading for besieged Syrian towns hope to stave off starvation [Syrian Arab Red Crescent]

A

id convoys arranged by local and international organisations have reached three besieged towns in Syria, where thousands are trapped and some have died of starvation.

The convoys are part of a deal between the Government and rebels to let supplies into besieged areas.

Pawel Krzysiek, the spokesperson for the Red Cross in Syria, told Al Jazeera

on Monday afternoon that the convoys started to enter the rebel-held town of Madaya, located west of Damascus and near the Lebanese border.

Aid convoys have also arrived in Foua and Kefraya, two towns besieged by rebels in Idlib Province.

Abou Ammar, a media activist in Madaya, said local aid organisations had been waiting since early morning for aid to arrive.

Western sanctions “severely” harming Russia – Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow is now “gradually stabilising our economy” (AFP photo)

P

resident Vladimir Putin acknowledged Monday in an interview with German daily Bild that Western economic sanctions over the Ukraine crisis were affecting Russia.

“Concerning our possibilities on the international financial markets, the sanctions are severely harming Russia,” he said in a long interview, calling the European Union sanctions “a theatre of the absurd”.

Moscow has been hit by US and European sanctions over the conflict between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces which has claimed more than 9000 lives since April 2014.

In late December, the EU extended its sanctions by six months, arguing that the Minsk peace agreement signed by Moscow has not been fully implemented.

While Russia has since September 30 launched airstrikes in Syria, Putin called on Western countries to collaborate more closely with Moscow in the fight against the Islamic State group.

According to Moscow, the Russian strikes target only jihadist groups, including IS, while the West has accused Russia of also hitting other rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

(Excerpt from MSN)

Spain’s Princess Cristina tried for fraud

S

pain’s Princess Cristina has become the first member of the country’s royal family to be put on trial.

She is charged with being an accomplice in an alleged embezzlement scam involving her husband and 16 other defendants, who all deny the charges.

Princess Cristina, 50, faces eight years in jail if found guilty by a three-member panel of judges.

The trial in Palma, Majorca, is seen as an embarrassment for the royal family.

Princess Cristina arrived

at the court in Palma on Monday with her husband, Inaki Urdangarin, who is accused of embezzlement and money laundering.

They made no statement to reporters. A small group of anti-monarchists protested outside.

As the Judges read out the charges, the Princess sat at the back of a makeshift courtroom at the public administration school in Palma. Her husband sat in the same row, but court rules prevented them from sitting together. (Excerpt from

BBC News)

“We have all been eagerly waiting since 5 am. The situation here is getting worse and it is about time this operation goes through,” he told Al Jazeera over the phone.

One person died as a result of starvation hours before the convoys arrived, he said.

In a press release, the head of the Red Cross delegation in Syria, Marianne Gasser said: “The operation has started. It is likely to last a few days. This is a very positive development. But it must not be just a one-off distribution. To relieve the suffering of these tens of thousands of people, there has to be regular access to these areas”.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have said that at least 28 people, including six babies under one year of age, have died from hunger-related causes in Madaya. (Excerpt

from Al Jazeera)

S

inger David Bowie, one of the most influential musicians of his era, has died of cancer at the age of 69.

A statement was issued on his social media accounts, saying he “died peacefully, surrounded by his family” after an “18-month battle with cancer”.

Tributes have been paid from around the world to the “extraordinary artist” whose last album was released days ago.

Sir Paul McCartney described him as a “great star” who “played a very strong part in British musical history”.

Bowie’s son Duncan Jones, who is a Baftawinning film director, wrote on Twitter: “Very sorry and sad to say it’s true. I’ll be offline for a while. Love to all.”

The artist’s hits include “Let’s Dance”, “Changes”,

Singer David Bowie

“Space Oddity”, “Starman”, “Modern Love”, “Heroes”, “Under Pressure”, “Rebel Rebel” and “Life on Mars”.

He was also well known for creating his flamboyant alter ego Ziggy Stardust.

The singer, who had been living in New York in recent years, only released his latest album “Blackstar” last Friday, his birthday.

The album has been well

received by critics and was intended as a “parting gift” to the world, according to long-time friend and producer Tony Visconti.

Visconti wrote on Facebook: “His death was no different from his life – a work of art.”

He added: He was an extraordinary man, full of love and life. He will always be with us.” (Excerpt from BBC News)

Chinese investors buy German firm for US$1B

A

group of Chinese investors have bought one of Germany’s largest machinery suppliers, KraussMaffei, for €925 million (US$1 billion).

The investors include State-owned firm China National Chemical Corp (ChemChina) and investment firms AGIC Capital and Guoxin International.

KraussMaffei, which makes machinery for processing plastic and rubber, was owned by Canadian firm Onex Group.

The deal is the biggest acquisition by Chinese investors in a German company.

Chinese investors have recently been buying European firms, along with

their technology and distribution networks.

Last year, ChemChina bought Italian tyre maker Pirelli in a deal valued at €7.1billion.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of ChemChina, Jianxin Ren said the takeover of the 178-year-old firm would help the Chinese giant become a pioneer in

achieving the “made in China” initiative.

“We are investing in the company’s strong management team and its technological expertise, which we believe will benefit our Chinese subsidiaries,” he said.

The deal is expected to be finalised in the first half of this year. (Excerpt from BBC News)

India court questions women entry ban

I

ndia’s Supreme Court has said that a prominent Hindu temple in the southern state of Kerala has no “constitutional basis” to ban the entry of women.

The Sabarimala temple bars all women in the age group of 10 to 50 from entering the shrine.

Hinduism regards menstruating women as unclean and many temples impose restrictions on women’s entry.

In November, a group of women students started a campaign to protest against the practice.

On Monday, the court asked the State Government and Sabarimala temple officials to respond to its notices about the ban.

In November, the Sabarimala temple chief

The Sabarimala temple bars all women in the reproductive age from entering the temple

told reporters that he would allow women to enter the shrine only after a machine was invented to detect if they were “pure” – meaning that they weren’t menstruating.

Temple chief Gopalakrishnan’s comments outraged women who launched a #HappyToBleed campaign on Facebook to protest against the “sexist statement”.

Nikita Azad, who started the campaign, told the BBC there was no “right time” to go into a temple and women should have the right to go “wherever they want to and whenever they want to”.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Kenya’s Garissa University restarts teaching after attack

T

eaching has resumed at the Kenyan University where 148 students died in a gun attack last April, but only a few students have turned up for its reopening.

Security has been tightened at Garissa University College nine months after the attack by militant

Islamist group al-Shabab.

Staff reported to work last week to get the campus in north-east Kenya ready.

Last year’s attack was the deadliest so far by the Somali-based group in Kenya.

The campus has been closed since the attack and at the time some 650 stu-

dents were offered places at a sister campus in Eldoret, western Kenya, to continue their studies.

They were not expected to return to Garissa, but the authorities are hoping to attract a new cohort of students by the start of the academic year in September.

Only about a dozen stu-

dents arrived and attended a business management class, including Shamsi Abdi Barre.

She told the BBC that although she was happy the University had reopened, she had “a lot of memories of lost friends [and] the environment gives me a lot of flashbacks”. (Excerpt from BBC News)

16 news

tuesday, january 12, 2016| guyanatimesGY.com

Family breaks silence on botched SOCU operation – says GDF Sergeant was on vacation when summoned

G

uyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant Robert Pyle was actually on vacation when he was called out to duty to participate in the special covert operation that went totally wrong and ended with him and his wife dying tragically in an accident that should have never occurred.

The GDF Sergeant was approximately five days into his two-week holiday break when he was unexpectedly called out by his superiors.

During an interview with Guyana Times, Pyle’s brother, Roger, expressed that it was extremely unfortunate how the happily married couple and the civilian Canter truck driver lost their lives.

On December 30, Roger said his brother was at home enjoying some quality time with his family when he received a call telling him to report to base. Roger said when his brother was about halfway to his destination, he received another call informing him that the operation had been cancelled.

Roger is uncertain of what transpired next.

“To be honest, we don’t know exactly what transpired at the time of the accident…to my knowledge, apparently when they cancel the operation, he went to pick up his wife and so what happened is when he coming up back, they buzzed him and say the operation was back on and so he turned around,” Roger said, noting that he was sure his brother would have objected to his wife being in the car with

Robert Pyle

Stacy Pyle

him if he was aware of the dangers of the operation.

Roger said family members were still confused about what exactly happened on the night in question; however, the relevant authorities were not forthcoming with any information surrounding the incident.

“They need to come forward,” Roger stated.

Asked whether the family wanted a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to be launched into the circumstances surrounding the failed operation, Roger was uncertain of the family’s desires.

“At this point in time, I don’t know. Probably after his funeral (Wednesday), we’ll think about it,” he stated, noting that at present the family was just focusing on trying to “keep it together”.

Guyana Times understands that Sergeant Pyle was assisting the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) on a surveillance operation on National

Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) Head Winston Brassington, who is on leave.

Reports indicate that directives were given for the GDF Sergeant to keep watch on Brassington’s teenage children and at no point was an order given to get involved in a high-speed chase.

On the night in question, the special team reportedly staked out and eventually hunted down the wife and brother-in-law of People’s Progressive Party/Civic parliamentarian Attorney Charles Ramson Jr. Reports suggest that the special team thought the pair to be Brassington’s children.

In a case of mistaken identity, the special team approached the pair, but failed to properly identify themselves in the process.

Their approach triggered fear within the two civilians who attempted to flee the scene. This led to a high-speed chase which took a turn for the worse

on Carifesta Avenue, resulting in the death of GDF Sergeant Pyle; his wife, Stacy and a Canter driver, Linden Eastman who unfortunately was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Sergeant Pyle and his wife were parents to two young children, one of whom recently celebrated his sixth birthday.

His mother-in-law is completely devastated and still cannot come to grips with the stark reality that her only daughter is gone.

Meanwhile, the two traumatised civilians, who were being wrongfully chased, also broke their silence on the situation and related the horrifying experience they endured.

Alana Seebarran explained that she and her brother were beyond fearful for their lives. She related that the men were suspiciously lingering outside her home and when they approached her and her brother, the siblings became apprehensive. Seebarran said that the men did not show proof of identification nor were they in uniform, which was cause for concern. When her brother made attempts to drive off, the men repeatedly blocked their path. The siblings then became fearful for their lives and eventually managed to escape with the intention of going to the Kitty Police Station to make a report as was suggested by their father. The men followed in a high-speed chase which took a turn onto Carifesta Avenue when the accident occurred.

UAE State Minister cites renewable energy sector opportunities in Guyana

M

inister of State of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Reem Al Hashimy on Monday paid a courtesy call on President David Granger at the Ministry of the Presidency, where dis-

Al Hashimy described the meeting as “exceptional”, saying that though it was the first meeting between the two countries, her country was looking forward to forging a strong relationship with Guyana.

President David Granger in discussions with Minister of State of the UAE, Reem Al Hashimy, during a courtesy call on Monday

cussions ensued on the vast opportunities within the renewable energy sector and strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries.

Al Hashimy was accompanied by a delegation from the UAE. In an invited comment,

“We discussed elements of how we can strengthen our bilateral relationship between the United Arab Emirates and Guyana.

There are some opportunities that exist that we could work together on.

This is our first visit here

and … we are very excited to be able to work together. I think it can be incredibly positive and we are both new to each other. We are now getting to know the opportunities that exist,” Minister Al Hashimy is quoted by the Government Information Agency (GINA) as saying.

Of particular note, the Minister said, was the discussion on renewable energies development has highlighted its potential to become a key area of collaboration between the two countries.

“There are several opportunities that exist primarily in the renewable energy sector which we found very interesting, development in general but also on economic and trade fronts.

I think your people are incredibly friendly, very warm and very welcoming. We have been well received, everybody has been very hospitable to us and we are very thankful and

we look forward to working together,” she said.

Kitty Market vendors call on M&CC for security

V

endors of the Kitty Market on Monday pleaded for the Mayor and City Council to provide security, as there have been numerous break-ins at their stalls.

These occurrences have been happening since December 2015 – for three weeks in a row – and all were reported to Police, but nothing has changed.

A tearful vendor told Guyana Times that her stall was broken in to for a third

“We need a security guard here, because we can’t be paying rent and don’t have a guard here; it is not easy for us to lose in here. It is really hard and I would like City Council to look into this, also when the rain fall, we can’t even sell,” the woman who has been selling at the Market for over 15 years added.

Another frustrated vendor, who has been there for seven years, shared his concerns also.

“This whole series of

The burglarised stall at Kitty Market

time and it was now overbearing for her to handle the losses she has suffered.

She related that she has had to endure many losses and still pay a monthly rent to the Mayor and City Council without it providing security at the Market. According to the vendor, her losses were over $400,000 in the most recent break-in.

She told this newspaper that she arrived at the Market about 07:30h on Monday to a broken stall with goods scattered everywhere. She said she immediately called the Kitty Police Station to report the incident, and was told not to touch anything and wait for the Police to arrive. At 13:35h when Guyana Times visited the Market, the vendor was still awaiting the Police.

“The first time my stall [was] broke [in to], two Police came and took my statement; the second time nobody showed up and now I came and reached my stall broken.

This isn’t easy,” she related.

events that is taking place is lack of security around the Kitty Market and I think recommendation should be made by those in charge to have security placed here, so we, the stallholders, could feel a bit more secure here, because most our monies are invested here. Another part of the inconvenience is when the rain falls, we are actually soaked in here, goods are soaked and yet nothing has been done and I think the moment has come now to take some action; all the other persons here that suffered the same fate are with us.”

However, when asked if any security requests have been made, they said the City Council has always promised that it would be redoing the Market and providing better systems, but nothing has changed.

A number of other vendors also expressed disgust over the lack of security at the Market.

More focus on youths in housing sector – Sharpe-Patterson

Y

oung people will be better positioned to plan their lives as the new Minister with responsibility for housing, Valerie SharpePatterson has announced a change in criteria for homeownership.

The new measure will ensure young people have a better opportunity to own a home.

Under the previous system, as part of dealing with the national housing backlog, preference was on delivering houses, lots and titles to married couples or single parents.

“I would like to see some of our young people owning their own home. We have a lot of young working people, who can afford to own their own homes, and they are told all kinds of things: you have to be married, you have to have children. Why would I say to a

young woman ‘before you own a home, you must have two children’, what am I encouraging?

That is nonsense and I would like to see that removed,” Minister Sharpe-Patterson said in a recent interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA.) The new Minister is also keen on having the input of housing developers and banks, as part of this focus of providing affordable housing to young people.

“We have a lot of home developers across the country, and I would like to see in every region (where it is possible) for us to have that kind of facilities, where these developers can make the homes available to young people at an affordable price. We have the banks and building societies coming on board and offering [mort-

gages]. These banks are very liquid; they have monies available and (are) offering to our young people affordable mortgages, within their reach, that they can own their own home,” she explained.

The Minister added that it would be a big plus for youths if at the end of this year, in every region, there were a number young people who could turn their keys in their own doors.

Youths in the national development process are critical to a country’s long-term survival. Cognisant of this, the coalition Government has been looking for avenues to assist their growth. To this end, it has reviewed its various development programmes with a view of enhancing and promoting new initiatives for youths’ social and economic advancement.

17

news

tuesday, january 12, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

GAWU slams Guyana Chronicle Rice fields in Region 3 threatened by dry season for ‘misleading’ article

By Kristen Macklingam

T

he Guyana Chronicle has come under fire from the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) for publishing an article captioned “GAWU pocketing millions to train sugar workers” in its January 6, 2016 edition.

According to the union the article is ‘misleading’ and attempts to hoodwink and misguide its readership as well as the general public.

GAWU contends that the assertion that it had received some $18 million from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) for training of sugar workers at the Union’s Labour College between 2011 and August, 2015 is “completely and utterly fallacious.”

“The sum referred to, if correct; represent wages paid to employees who were granted paid-release to attend union-sponsored courses. This practice has been in existence for many decades and is enshrined in the Collective Labour Agreement between the union and the Corporation.

The article also asserts that the College’s curriculum has no bearing on the sugar industry,” GAWU posited.

In the short duration of a standard course, the union in support of the sugar industry, has allotted GuySuCo six sessions during each course in which the Corporation’s personnel have the opportunity to interface with participants to discuss the challenges and problems which face and confront the sugar industry.

GAWU went on to say that the paid-release of workers to attend the courses, or other courses, is not peculiar to the sugar industry but indeed an activity embraced by “all trade unions and entities” whether publicly or privately owned.

Thus far it has been an invaluable practice that sustains healthy industrial relations in society, it said.

“The Chronicle story is not only a clear distortion of what is conveyed in the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) Report but represents the latest attack on the right of sugar workers to benefit from trade union education and training. The story cannot be delinked from the other misinformation and other assaults which have been perpetuated in recent times against the workers and their primary organisations. Of course, the CoI’s recommendation to discontinue payment for employ-

ees’ participation in courses run by the GAWU Labour College is not only difficult to fathom but provides a glimpse of what might be further assaults on workers’ gains and benefits,” GAWU posited.

In a media release Monday, the union lamented that the main value on the working-class by the owners of the means of production is for them to work and to produce profits for those owners.

As such, it is in this context that trade unions have a role to play in easing the burden of their exploitation, the release said.

“We also contend that trade unions generally and especially those with a strong progressive orientation have a duty to lift the class consciousness and class awareness of their membership. This we believe can only help in their being a more disciplined and responsible workforce, but also, importantly, will help them to recognise that their sustained well-being will come about in conditions of industrial democracy, economic justice, and social progress; in conditions where emphases are placed on people not profits,” it added. (kristenm@guyanatimesgy.com)

URP’s leader receives honorary doctorate

− fields catching fire, water inaccessible

W

ith the unavailability of water for their rice fields and the current ‘dry season’ in full swing, rice farmers in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) are frustrated as they continue to face major challenges in sustaining their livelihoods.

Guyana Times understands that a number of rice farmers are struggling to save their crops since harsh weather conditions have resulted in fires in their fields.

Unfortunately, there is not enough water in those fields to help their crops survive, and coupled with the intense heat and occasional fires they see their hard work “go down the drain.”

On Monday, dozens of rice farmers visited the Regional Democratic Council office to plead with those in authority to assist them in accessing water for their lands and crops.

Vice chairman of RDC, Sheik Ayube, during a telephone interview with Guyana Times Monday afternoon, stated that at present rice crops in West Demerara have become ‘endangered’ as there is no ‘adequate’ supply of water.

As a result of this, both rice and paddy have begun to “burn in the fields” which have multiplied the plights rice farmers have to face.

Ayube explained that farmers are requesting government’s intervention in this situation and are asking that Agriculture Minister Noel Holder assist them in saving as much of their crops as possible.

“You have to pump water from a place called Two Mouth. That is when you are going up to Bonasika Creek into the Boerasirie. So when you do that the water level will raise and then the farmers will be able to have ac-

cess to water,” he said.

According to the vice chairman, if rice farmers in Region Three lose their crop, it will impact heavily in a negative way on the prices for rice on the local market.

“If they lose their crop it will result in rice prices rising on the local market. The rice farmers are asking the agriculture minister to address this issue urgently so that we can save this crop.

By doing this farmers will not incur losses and at the same time the price of rice in Guyana would also be stabilised,” Ayube stated.

“The entire West Demerara needs water right now. In places like in Ruby Backdam the people are clamouring for water, they really need this water urgently… they need to pump water to raise the level of water,” Ayube added. (kristenm@guyanatimesgy. com)

RUSAL employees continue calls for union

A

s affected workers of Aroaima-based bauxite company Russian Aluminium (RUSAL) continue to press for a workers’ union, presently, there appears to be no way forward on the issue.

Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Vice Chairman Alroy Adolph, speaking on behalf of employees who have voiced their concerns, said that the workers were still awaiting intervention by the relevant authorities on the issue.

“The workers are still calling for the union. In speaking with the workers, to my knowledge, it (the issue) hasn’t gotten anywhere,” he recently told this newspaper.

Last October, the Regional Vice Chairman had expressed great dissatisfaction with the situation, indicating that Government’s

intervention was necessary.

Adolph, who had met with the employees, said they were afraid to speak out for fear of being victimised.

“How could a big company like RUSAL with over 300 employees not have a worker’s union? It is wrong and it’s a shame,” Adolph had indicated.

The Vice Chairman has reiterated that it was constitutionally wrong for employees to go unrepresented,

emphasising that they have been plagued with such issues for a number of years.

Desperate for representation, some employees had even opted to circulate petitions in support of having a union that would champion their cause, the Vice Chairman said. He added that it was his hope that the rights of the workers and the issues they faced would have been one of the first on the agenda to be addressed.

Japan to assist city with drainage problems URP President Vishnu Bandhu (middle) with colleagues at the ceremony

T

he Yoga University in India on Saturday bestowed an honorary doctorate on United Republican Party leader Vishnu Bandhu, who was credited for the significant contribution he has made towards human welfare and philanthropic activities.

The presentation was made during a ceremony at the auditorium of the DAV Centenary College in Faridabad, India, which was attended by Professors

of the university, distinguished guests and India’s media.

Bandhu was lauded by the Vice Chancellor of Yoga University, who acknowledged his assiduous work in promoting yoga among his followers and exceptional services toward spiritual growth.

Bandhu was appreciative of the honour he was given and expressed his gratitude towards the University. He accepted the honorary doc-

torate on behalf of the people whom he had served over his 35 years of service to the public.

The doctorate recognised Bandhu’s generous and humanitarian services which have influenced changes in society towards the better.

Bandhu is known for establishing the URP in March 1985. He has been the presidential candidate for the Party over the years of its existence.

I

mproved relations between Guyana and Japan will see added resources being made available to improve the drainage of the capital city, Georgetown.

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, in a recent interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), indicated that the aid from Japan would contribute to the reduction of flooding in Georgetown.

“It now brings in additional resources and skills from Japan…as part of that mechanism we will put together the existing pro-

grammes to which other bilaterals may have been contributing,” Minister Greenidge explained.

The execution of this project will see the Agriculture Ministry, its National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the Municipality and Central Georgetown being brought together within a singular framework in order to have a coherent plan to treat the problem of the city’s constant flooding.

“The physical work is perhaps the last stage because they now have to devise this plan, draw up plans, then integrate them …before con-

struction commences…that dimension is already on the way…in the case of the next 18 months or so, the results of a number of these can be seen,” Greenidge said.

Throughout the years, Japan has made consistent contributions that assisted with Guyana’s development. These include, but are not limited to US$9.5 million for the establishment of a new water treatment plant at Queenstown, Corriverton, Berbice in 2009; and a US$2.9 million grant aid project, which was utilised to import civil engineering equipment and electric power machinery in 2014.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, January 12, 2016

ARCHIE

A change to your appearance or an update to your (March 21- skills or education will pay April 19) off. Romance is on the rise and a day trip will bring good results.

ARIES

Express your plans and TAURUS check out your options.

(April 20- Interviews and meetings with May 20) experts will help you make a decision that will promote gain.

Refuse to give in to guilt tactics and emotional manipulation.

dilbert

Speak up about your feelGEMINI (May 21- ings. It’s not OK to let someJune 20) one take advantage of you or railroad you into doing things you don’t want to do.

CANCER

Peanuts

(June 21July 22)

Let your imagination take charge, especially when making changes at home or in the workplace. A property investment looks promising.

Make a point to wheel and LEO deal until you get what you (July 23want. If you desire a change, Aug. 22) do whatever it takes to make it happen. Romance is highlighted.

Take down your barriers VIRGO and have fun. If you let your (Aug. 23friends and colleagues disSept. 22) cover your sense of humour, it will be much easier to close deals and ask for favours.

Calvin and Hobbes

Approach certain conLIBRA (Sept. 23- cerns carefully. An opponent Oct. 23) will be harsh if you want to alter the way you do things.

Reverse psychology will help you achieve your goal.

SUDOKU

A mental, physical or emoSCORPIO (Oct. 24- tional challenge will motivate Nov. 22) you to do something constructive. A new project that allows you to use your creative skills will lead to something good.

You may feel adventurous, SAGITTARIUS but you must be cautious if (Nov. 23- you don’t want to face injury Dec. 21) or interference from someone in charge. Follow the rules to avoid being reprimanded.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Put in extra hours if it CAPRICORN will help you complete some(Dec. 22- thing that could make a difJan. 19) ference to you professionally or financially. An unexpected change in a relationship will be beneficial.

Focus your attention on AQUARIUS (Jan. 20- dealing with a concern you Feb. 19) have or making a needed change to an important relationship. Once you’ve put your worries to rest, you can celebrate.

Don’t share personal inPISCES (Feb. 20- formation with anyone. An March 20) innovative investment will be offered and should be considered. Someone you have worked with in the past will have something for you.

tuesday, january 12, 2016

Messi wins Ballon d’Or for fifth time

L

Lionel Messi wins his fifth FIFA Ballon d’Or award

ionel Messi reclaimed the FIFA Ballon d’Or award for the world player of the year on Monday, after watching his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo walk off with the prize for the previous two years.

The Barcelona and Argentina forward finished ahead of Ronaldo and Brazil forward Neymar as he scooped the award for the fifth time overall, having previously won it four years in a row from 2009 to 2012.

Messi helped Barcelona win a Spanish league, cup and Champions League treble plus the Club World Cup and also led Argentina to the Copa America final, where they lost to Chile.

“It’s a very special moment to be back here, winning another Ballon d’Or,” said Messi as he received the award.

“It’s incredible to win a fifth... more than anything I ever dreamed of as a kid.

“I want to thank my team mates, without them none of this would have been possible.”

Barcelona’s Luis Enrique was voted coach of the year.

United States World Cup winner Carli Lloyd, who scored a hat-trick in the final againstJapan, was named women’s player of the year.

Ronaldo ended last season trophyless with Real Madrid although he helped Portugalqualify for Euro 2016.

Neymar won a treble alongside Messi at Barcelona but had less happy time with Brazil, receiving a four-match international ban after he was sent off during the Copa America.

The ceremony, at the Zurich Kongresshaus theatre, was held against the backdrop of FIFA going through the worst corruption crisis since it was founded in 1904.

The sport is facing criminal investigations in both Switzerland and the United States, where some leading FIFA officials are among 41 individuals and sports entities who have been indicted on corruption charges.

Outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter, normally a central figure at the ceremony, was not involved after being banned for eight years by the Ethics Committee in December.

There was no President’s Award, traditionally awarded for outstanding services to the game.

Blatter was replaced by acting president Issa Hayatou who played a lowkey role, reading a brief speech before the start of the ceremony and appeared on the stage when the awards for best player and women’s player were presented. (Reuters

Sport)

Barca, Espanyol seek to calm waters before Cup clash

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (L) eludes Espanyol’s Antonio Raillo

B

arcelona and Espanyol have fought out a couple of brutal derbies in recent weeks and the bitter city rivals are seeking to calm the waters ahead of Wednesday’s King’s Cup last-16 second leg.

Espanyol held visiting Barca to a 0-0 draw in La Liga on Jan. 2 before the Cup holders thumped them

Bravo’s all-round brilliance guides Renegades to victory

D

wayne Bravo starred with bat and ball as the Melbourne Renegades beat the Sydney Thunder to stay alive in the Big Bash League.

A brilliant all-round performance from Dwayne Bravo kept the Melbourne Renegades’ hopes of reaching the Big Bash League semifinals alive with a five-wicket win over the Sydney Thunder at Spotless Stadium.

Bravo took 2-26 from his four allotted overs as the Thunder made 173-5 with Usman Khawaja and Shane Watson (both 62) the standout performers on Monday.

The West Indies all-rounder then smashed 47 off 24 balls in a 91-run partnership with captain Cameron White (61) to guide the Renegades to a victory achieved with four balls to spare.

The home side came into the contest on the back of three straight defeats and requiring a shot in the arm to get their faltering campaign back on track.

They were given that by Khawaja and Watson. The duo made their runs

Dwayne Bravo

off 42 and 43 balls respectively and added much-needed impetus following the early dismissal of Jacques Kallis for 13.

Watson almost saw out the rest of the innings only for Bravo to remove both him and Mike Hussey with the final two balls.

Chris Gayle (28) and Tom Cooper

gave the Renegades a solid start in their reply but neither man advanced past 20.

Big-hitting Gayle pulled a short ball from Clint McKay straight to Fawad Ahmed while Cooper was bowled by Ahmed for 25.

They did, however, leave a platform on which Bravo and White were able to build.

Medium-pacer Gurinder Sandhu (0-38 off three overs) came in for some particularly rough treatment as the pair struck six fours and seven sixes between them to put their side in position to win.

By the time Andre Russell claimed the wickets of both men in the 18th over, the Victorians required just 10 off the final two overs.

And although Tom Beaton was run out for six, Peter Nevill and Ben McDermott saw them home with ease.

The Renegades and the Thunder are now level on six points in fifth and sixth place respectively. They will need to win their final matches and hope other results go their way to progress to the semi-finals. (Digicel

Sportsmax)

19

4-1 in last week’s first leg at the Nou Camp.

Both games were littered with fouls and yellow cards, Espanyol had two players sent off in the Cup clash, with Barca forward Luis Suarez banned for two matches following a fracas in the tunnel after the final whistle.

The rivalry between the clubs has sharpened over Catalonia’s continuing campaign for independence from Spain, with Barca seen as a symbol of the region’s separatist ambitions and Espanyol fiercely loyal to the central government in Madrid.

The Catalan parliament swore in a new separatist leader on Sunday, putting the pro-independence movement’s commitment to break with Spain over the next 18 months back on track.

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique and counterpart Constantin Galca of Espanyol will meet and hold a photo session on Tuesday in an attempt to ease tensions.

“I want football to be the only protagonist as that is what the spectator deserves,” Luis Enrique told a news conference after Saturday’s 4-0 La Liga win at home to Granada.

“I am open to speaking to Galca to try to lighten the mood if necessary,” added the former Barca and Spain midfielder.

Espanyol president Joan Collet urged fans not to get carried away, warning them that the club faced sanctions if insults were heard during the game.

“We are clear in our minds that the tie is very tough for us but we have to ease the tension,” Collet said.

The last 16 of this year’s competition features two other derbies.

Atletico Madrid and Rayo Vallecano are level at 1-1 after last week’s first leg, with the return at the Calderon in the Spanish capital on Thursday.

Sevilla have a 2-0 lead from the first leg at Real Betis, who sacked their coach Pepe Mel on Sunday, before they meet at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium on Wednesday.

Villarreal need to overturn a 3-2 deficit when they host Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, while Gary Neville’s Valencia lead Granada 4-0 before Thursday’s return in Andalusia.

Two non-La Liga sides have survived, with second-division Mirandes and Deportivo La Coruna tied at 1-1.

Third-tier Cadiz, who went through after Real Madrid were expelled for fielding an ineligible player, look certain to be eliminated after losing 3-0 at home to Celta Vigo. (Reuters Sport)

20

guyanatimesGY.com

tuesday, january 12, 2016

Sarwan officially opens Yaw off to 2-year scholarship Fitness 53 at Providence ...“Change your fitness, Change S

By Treiston Joseph

your life” – Sarwan’s theme

G

Sarwan giving Minister Henry a tour of the facility

uyana’s most modern fitness facility was officially opened on Monday by proprietor of the establishment Ramnaresh Sarwan along with Minister within the Ministry of Education, Nicolette Henry, Director of Sport Christopher Jones along with members of the business community.

Speaking at the simple ceremony, Minister Henry applauded Sarwan for this

venture and highlighted that it showed his commitment to Guyana.

The former West Indies Captain gave a brief detail of the hard work and sleepless night that went into to making this dream become a reality. He stated that much sacrifices went into the project; which saw him giving up cricket for some time.

A general tour was given of the facility, which can

hoist up to 150 person exercising at the same time; the facility also host a sauna as well as an aerobics center.

The vision behind the establishment is to give athletes a more advanced facility to exercise but most importantly promoting a health conscious society.

The facility is nestled between Ramada Princess Hotel and the National Stadium on the East Bank Demerara.

Benjamin Bakery 40-mile cycle race…

Crawford the ‘man to beat’ with 2nd win of 2016

R

omello Crawford made it two wins in two weeks when he won the Benjamin Bakery 40-miler in Berbice on Sunday and has now established himself as the ‘man to beat’.

In a time of 1h 32m 47.47s (1:32:47:47), the Trojan Cycle Club rider completed the distance well ahead of his competition.

The race pedaled off from outside of Benjamin Bakery at Chesney Village, Corentyne and proceeded to Number Forty-three Village before returning to the point of origin.

With all eyes on Crawford following his win last week, another Berbician; Andrew Hicks, took the initiative and went out in an early, followed closely by the ever improving Dueaj Guabarran who was in his fourth race.

The two led the peloton about three quarters of a mile, with Crawford and Alonzo Ambrose finding themselves between the two groups.

The later pair was able to catch the leaders at the 18mile mark and together the quartet rode at a slow pace allowing Paul DeNoberga, Christopher Griffith, Dwayne DeAbru, Junior Niles and Jebon Crawford to pedal their way back into contention with ten mines

outh American Youth gold medalist and record holder, Jason Yaw flew out on Sunday morning for a two-year scholarship at Western Texas College, USA. Yaw received the scholarship for his athletic prowess as well as the natural potential that many believes him to have.

The National Schools record holder will also have to manage an information technology course while playing his athletic trade at the college.

Speaking with one of his Coaches Sham Johnny, indicated that they expect the 6’3” quarter-miler to perform well as he matures as an athlete.

“First of all we just hope that the environment allows him to mature as an athlete because he still has some kid

Jason yaw

in him but we expect him to perform well because we all know the potential he has,” Johnny noted.

In addition, President of the Athletics Association of Guyana, Aubrey Hutson highlighted that the scholarship is a fully sponsored pro-

gramme for the 18-year old.

“Well we got through with it with help from or USA correspondent and really had a talk with him to ensure that he knows he must remain focus and put his best foot forward in hope of paving a way for his self and his country,” Hutson noted.

Yaw, a product of the Running Brave Athletics Club under the tutelage of both Johnny and Julian Edmonds made his biggest impact on the world of athletics when he smashed the South American Youth 400 metres record with a time of 46.79s in November of 2014 to win a gold medal at the championships.

The run was so historic that it made Yaw the only youth athlete in South American history to dip under the 47s barrier in the 400 metres.

Pistorius seeks to appeal against murder conviction

T

he South African athlete Oscar Pistorius is to seek an appeal against his conviction for murdering his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

Pistorius killed Ms Steenkamp in February 2013 after firing four times through a locked toilet door.

A manslaughter verdict was overturned last month and a murder verdict introduced in its place.

The athlete’s defence has lodged papers at the Constitutional Court, urging a review of his murder conviction.

He is currently under house arrest after spending one year of his original fiveyear sentence in jail.

South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal ruled in December that the lower court had not applied correctly the rule of dolus eventualis - whether Pistorius knew that a death would be a likely result of his actions.

Last month, Justice Eric Leach said that having

Oscar Pistorius

armed himself with a highcalibre weapon, Pistorius must have foreseen that whoever was behind the door might die, especially given his firearms training.

Pistorius has always maintained he believed he was shooting at an intruder.

His lawyers say the appeals court made fundamental errors, claiming in appeal papers that the court “acted unlawfully and un-

constitutionally when it rejected the factual finding of the Trial Court and replaced it with a contrary factual finding of its own”.

Pistorius’s lawyer, Andrew Fawcett, says the appeal is now in the hands of the director of public prosecutions, who must decide whether there are grounds for appeal. If so, the case will go before the Constitutional Court. (BBC Sport)

UK body calls for new clean era for tarnished sport Romello Crawford receiving his first place prize from a member of the Benjamin’s family

stills left in the race.

In the end Crawford proved that he was the better man with a final sprint that forced his competition to concede well before the finish line.

DeNoberga, Niles, Jebon Crawford and Hicks finished five minutes later in that order to round out the top six finishers.

In the junior category, Romello Crawford was the winner with the second place going to Hicks and third to

Guabarran.

The event was organised by Coach of the Flying Ace Cycle Club (FACC), Randolph Roberts.

The first FACC rider to cross the finish line was Wilber Benjamin followed by his brother, Gary and Curtis Dey in the third position.

In the under-16 category, the top three finishers were Zamal Khan, Kerri Collins and Chamsehwar Ghanie in that order. (Andrew Carmichael)

U

K Athletics (UKA) has called for world records to be wiped clean and drug cheats to be banned for at least eight years in radical proposals aimed at heralding a new unblemished era for the sport.

UKA’s document “A Manifesto for Clean Athletics” was published on Monday, three days before the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is due to reveal the second half of its independent report into widespread doping in the sport.

UKA, the ruling body of British athletics, made nine key recommendations, in-

cluding resetting the record books and banning drug cheats for two Olympic cycles.

It also proposed publishing a public global register of drug tests, the criminalisation of the supply or procurement of performanceenhancing drugs and calling for WADA to keep a register of all missed tests.

Athletics, the showpiece sport of the Olympic Games, experienced a traumatic year in 2015 with life bans for officials following allegations of doping, cover-ups, bribery and corruption.

Russia was suspended from international compe-

tition for what WADA described as “state-sponsored doping”.

UKA chairman Ed Warner said it was time for “radical reform”, adding “the integrity of athletics was challenged as never before in 2015.

“Trust in the sport is at its lowest point for decades, and clean athletes have been let down.

“Greater transparency tougher sanctions longer bans -- and even resetting the clock on world records for a new era -- we should be open to do whatever it takes to restore credibility in the sport,” he said. (Reuters Sport)

sports

YELLOW PAGES tuesday, january 12, 2016

CAR RENTALS Need a car to rent? Then call 611-1018 for the best cars at great prices.

Progressive Auto Rental: Cars from $4000 and up. Tel: 219-3900, 643-5122

health Healthworld Clinic – Providing professional psychological therapy for all mental and behavioral health problems. Call (592)-690-1824 Mondays-Saturdays 9am-3pm.

Email; healthworldhc@gmail.com

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

Tel: 225-5034

Driving School SHALOM ENTERPRISE 2 CROAL STREET, STABROEK. INQUIRE ABOUT OUR DISCOUNTED DRIVING PACKAGE & INTERNATIONAL DRIVER’S PERMIT (JOIN US ON FACEBOOK. 2273869/622-8162/644-7052

EDUCATION PRIVATE CUSTOMS BROKERAGE CERTIFICATE TRAINING COURSE FROM 2ND FEBRUARY 2016. CALL 694-8322 OR223-1506. REGISTER NOW AND SAVE Private Custom’s brokers certificate training course. All importer/exporters and others who trade is on the increase globally and locally. Learn how to prepare custom documents. Date :4th August 2015 (for three weeks). Classes from 2:00-4:00 pm and 5:00-7:00 pm (optional). For more information call:694-8322 or 223-1506. Register early and save$$$

FOR SALE Hutson Ville EBD- Bungalow in excellent condition. 3 Bedroom (1 self contained), A/C, hot and cold water, secured. 16M Negotiable. Phone 6223736, 697-4131 Clean Garden earth. Also excavating, grading and leveling done. Call 6279977 Road to Belwasa and A Dip at the Sangam, Indenture ship Novels at Austin’s Book Store and at Lachmansingh Drug Store. Tel # 2265053.

For sale by lot: Lot (1): 2 bath tubs, bathroom fittings and fixtures & toilet set; shower fittings - $150,000 and Lot (2): 1 Dell desktop computer & HP scanner - $25,000. Call 225-2676 or 601-5285.

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

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

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

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

KEY CUTTing Professional Key Shop, 125 Carmichael Street, Georgetown. Phone: 225-3923, mobile: 621-3249. We cut any type of key, service and repair all types of locks. Get your extra key today.

lAND FOR SALE PARFAITE HARMONIE (80FT X 45FT) $1M. EAST COAST (LOWLANDS) $1.8M. PARFAITE HARMONIE (100FT X 50FT FENCED) $3.2M. 6117223, 604-2207 Formerly Globe Cinema, Corner lot, Church and Waterloo Street Size 125 ft x 133 ft Tel # 610-2234

services House plans & estimates, weeding of grass and spraying done within 48hrs. Call: 216-0671; 622-0267; 692-8464

spirituality Surinamese spiritualist. Resolving all problems. Money, love, blockage etc.

Call 223-6834/600-7719.

Suriname’s Astrology, Palmist and Hindustani Spiritual Healer, solve all purpose problems, 100% confidential guaranteed. Phone: 602-8997 HEPHZIBAH MINISTRIES 24 hrs Prayer Line 322-5081,337-4510,337-4259,3374583,337-3070,337-5103. For healing, deliverance, financial difficulties, marriage issues call now. Jesus Cares.

Ifa Temple – Are you having serious problems and urgently need spiritual help? Call 621-0552 now. Email: anewlife@live.com

services Repairs and Spares, Air Conditioning Car/ AC, Washers , Stoves. Call: Nick, 683-1312, 627-3206

taxi services GR Taxi, 24 hours. Phone: 225-7878, 219-5000 or 227-2100

VEHICLES FOR SALE 1 TOYOTA IPSUM (7 SEATER) IN EXCELLENT WORKING CONDITION WITH MUSIC (5800 W): CONTACT 6531003 JUST ARRIVED: TOP QUALITY RECONDITIONED VEHICLES; TOYOTA NOAH; TOYOTA VOXY; TOYOTA IST (NEW SHAPE); SUZUKI SWIFT; DAIHATSU MOVE (660CC); MERCEDES BENZ C200 KOMPRESSOR; COROLLA AE100 WAGON; TOYOTA HIACE MINIBUS RZ; PITBULL-STYLE FREEZER VAN; LAND CRUISER (FULLY LOADED); MAZDA PROCEED 4WD EXTRA-CAB PICK-UP; TOYOTA HILUX 4WD EXTRA CAB PICKUPS - 3RZ, 5L, 3L SOLID DEFFERNTIAL; MITSUBISHI CANTER TRUCKS 4 TONS FREEZER; 3 TONS OPEN TRAY; 2 TONS 4WD; NISSAN ATLAS 2 TONS OPEN TRAY TRUCK. PRE-ORDER YOUR UNITS EARLY AND GET THE BEST PRICES. FULL AFTER SALES SERVICES AND FINANCING AVAILABLE. DEO MARAJ AUTO SALES, 2 CHIMNEY ROAD, CHATEAU MARGOT, ECD. 624-0762, 220-5177. A NAME AND SERVICE YOU CAN TRUST

WANTED SALESGIRLS WITH EXPERIENCE PLEASE BRING WRITTEN APPLICATION AND CV TO TRISTAR ELECTRICAL BRASSONIC Bldg.

(MAIN ENTRANCE 42 WATER st. G/ Town. 231-7101

optician

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

TO let

ARACARI RESORT: FOR RENT – POOLSIDE only: INCLUDES BAR, RESTAURANT, POOL, GYM, STAGE AND AUDITORIUM, OPEN FIELD Phone: 264-2948/692-0867 Shanta Email: sase_shewnarain@hotmail. com

21

Footballer Bunbury returns to his homeland – academy to be launched, clinics to be held

H

e left these shores at the tender age of nine, and 40 years later professional footballer Alex Bunbury has returned to Guyana to give back to his homeland.

The Plaisance-born Bunbury, the youngest of 13 siblings, touched down in Guyana on Monday, and immediately disclosed his plans, launching the Alex Bunbury Sports and Academics Academy.

The Academy, according to the Canadian football icon, will be established to help athletes in a cross section of disciplines, which he hopes would instill in them the same values that helped him to become one of best players to ever don the colours of the ‘The Canucks.’

“When I left Guyana at age nine, I knew nothing about playing football.

I actually started playing at 12-yearsold and I was taught that the game is 95 percent heart and brains and the other five percent is your God-given talent. Sadly, our athletes in Guyana; some of the most naturally talented in the world, lack that mental ability to make it to the next level and it is Alex Bunbury poses for a photo after my hope that this academy could help Monday’s press briefing them,” Bunbury said.

While here on his two-week vis- officials/bodies that Bunbury plans it, Bunbury will hold discussions will to meet with is the government of stakeholders to arrive at a possible Guyana.

The Academy apart, football location for the Academy. Among the

clinics will be conducted in Berbice, Linden, Lethem and Georgetown, with the assistance of Guyana Football Coaches Association. Bunbury was accepted into the Canadian Soccer Hall Of Fame in 2006, following his illustrious career.

In total, he represented Canada in 21 youth internationals, including the FIFA World Youth Championship in the Soviet Union in 1985- the same year he kick-started his professional soccer career as a striker with the Hamilton Steelers.

Over the next four seasons, he scored 28 goals in 76 games before moving on the Toronto Blizzard, Montreal Spura, West Ham United and Maritimo in Portugal, where he remains the club’s all-time leading scorer.

He returned to North America in 1999 and retired after two seasons and an MLS championship with the Kansas City Wizards.

Bunbury made his debut with Canada’s senior team while still a Steeler in 1986. In the 11 years that followed, he earned 65 caps and 16 goals- including a record 11 in World Cup qualifiers.

He was twice named the country’s player of the year and in 2012 was named to the all-time men’s team as part of the Canadian Soccer Association’s centennial celebrations.

Roy Fredericks Memorial Cup…

Adams leads GCC to victory over Blairmont

By Avenash R amzan

A

nthony Adams turned in a brilliant all-round performance to lead Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) to a commanding 89-run victory over host Blairmont Cricket Club in the firstever Roy Fredericks Memorial Cup on Sunday.

After the unveiling of a huge sign bearing the photo and name of Fredericks, the late great Guyana and West Indies opening batsman, Blairmont won the toss and invited GCC to take first strike in the 40over game.

Adams struck an unbeaten half-century to lead the city side to 1779 when the overs finished.

The Essequibian scored 55, inclusive of three sixes and a four. Winston Forrester chipped in with 36 (5x4s), while Raj Nanan and Steffon Wilson made 16 and 15 respectively.

Bowling for Blairmont, Waqar Hassan claimed 3-41 and Derrick Cadagon 2-28, while there was one each for Kevin Jawahir, Shabeer Baksh and Javed Karim.

Blairmont, batting one short due to an injury to one of the players, mustered 88-9 in 23.1 overs.

Adams returned with the ball to claim 2-28, while Raj Nanan (3-10) and

The sign that is now permanently placed on the pavilion at Blairmont

Anthony Adams collects his Man-of-the-Match trophy

Devon Lord (2-10) were also among the wickets.

Karim top scored with 25 (5x4s), while Jawahir (22), Ritesh Brijlall (11) and Cadogan (10) were the other batsmen into double figures. Adams was named Man-of-theMatch for his all-round effort, while GCC collected a trophy for the victory.

Earlier, the brief function to unveil the Roy Fredericks sign on the pavillion was attended by former Personnel Director of GuySuCo Nourang Persaud, cousin of Fredericks Frank Dow, Personnel Manager of Blairmont Estate Lalta Persaud and Blairmont Cricket Club president Shabeer Baksh.

Trophies for the game were provided by Berbice Bridge Company Inc., Baksh Travel Service, Big B Restaurant and Greens Massive. (aramzan@ guyanatimesgy.com)

22 Yadram elected Bess begins comeback EBSC President after three-year hiatus guyanatimesGY.com

tuesday, january 12, 2016

– improving discipline and cricket performance high on agenda

By Avenash Ramzan

B

ringing a wealth of experience gained from playing the game for several decades, Seemangal Yadram was earlier this month elected president of the Enterprise Busta Sports Club (EBSC) for a one-year term.

Yadram, the father of national players Kamesh Yadram, Bhaskar Yadram and Kavita Yadram, will have NK Omar as his deputy, while Kavita Yadram will serve as Secretary.

Jitlall Jowahirlall was voted in as Treasurer, while Shailendra Mabahir will function as Assistant Secretary/Treasurer.

The Committee Members are J. Singh, C. Singh and P. Ramrattan.

Captains of the various teams were also appointed for the year, with Kamesh Yadram leading the A team, Mankat Balkissoon the B team, and Bhaskar Yadram the Under-19 team. The vicecaptains are Vivian Albert (A team) and Shailendra Mahabir (B team).

The current executives are taking over from a Steering Committee that was put in place last year to

Seemangal Yadram

run the affairs of the club.

The Steering Committee came about after the date for the elections had passed, and the then executives had opted to step down. Persons to serve on the Steering Committee were then elected by members of the EBSC. In an exclusive interview with this publication on Monday, president Yadram first of all extended sympathies to Test cricketer Rajendra Chandrika on the passing of his father last week. Chandrika, who played for the West Indies in

the recently concluded Test series against Australia, is a product of the EBSC. Looking ahead to his tenure at the helm, Yadram pointed out that improving the discipline of club members and the club’s on-field performance are among his priorities.

He also called for more cricket competitions along the East Coast of Demerara to ensure players are given the opportunity to grow and move to the next level. Yadram added that his aim is to have more national players coming out of the club.

While the EBSC is expected to host several overseas teams in 2016, the club’s senior team is also expected to make a trip to Trinidad and Tobago to engage GEML Cosmos as part of an exchange arrangement. GEML Cosmos was hosted by the EBSC last year.

Yadram also revealed that the executives will work extensively to showcase the work of the club during 2016 and beyond, as well promote its sponsors and partners countrywide. (aramzan@ guyanatimesgy.com)

NBS Second Division 40-over cricket…

Corriverton, Courtland All Star advance to playoff

C

orriverton Cricket Club defeated Crabwood Creek Young Royals in their final Zone N preliminary match of the 2015 New Building Society (NBS) Second Division 40-over cricket competition in Berbice to end up unbeaten in that zone, thereby advancing to the last 16 playoff of the competition.

In the match, off-spinner Eric Phillips took 5-26 from seven overs to bowl out the Royals for just 89 in 24.5 overs.

Opening batsman Jeremy Moore then slammed 58 not out (2x4s, 6x6s) to guide them to 92-2 in just 9.4 overs.

Also advancing was Courtland All Star, who defeated Fyrish to end tied with the same team at the top of Zone H, but having the better run rate of the two teams, they were given the nod.

In that match, the Fyrish players were restricted to 141 in 36 overs after which former Berbice cricketer Eon Gibson, opening the batting, hit 65 (9x4s, 3x6s), which was largely responsible for them going on to win by six wickets.

Fiaz Narinedat slammed 79 (7x4s, 6x6s) and Niazi Khan 62 (4x4s, 6x6s) to steer Number 70 M.Y.O to 300 in 34.3 overs, and victory by

Eon Gibson

161 runs. Also scoring a halfcentury was Kwesi Mickle of West Canje, while Ryan Victor of West Canje was the other bowler with a fivewicket haul.

Below are the summarised scores from the games played.

At Crabwood Creek: Corriverton beat Crabwood Creek Young Royals by eight wickets. Crabwood Creek Young Royals 89 in 24.5 overs (Eric Phillips 5-26, Jermain Reid 2-24) Corriverton Cricket Club 92-2 in 9.4 overs (Jeremy Moore 58*).

At Fyrish: Courtland All Stars beat Fyrish by six wickets. Fyrish 141 in 36 overs (Keon Sinclair 3-18,

Troy Mathieson 3-19, John Percival 2-7, Leroy Bristol 2-25) Courtland All Stars 143-4 in 18.4 overs (Eon Gibson 65, Jamal Cort 26*).

At Number 70: Number 70 M.Y.O beat Number 72 Cut and Load by 161 runs.

Number 70 M.Y.O 300 in 34.3 overs (Fiaz Narinedat 79, Niazi Khan 62, Jameel Assad 42, Abbas Hussain 26) Number 72 Cut and Load 139 in 28.2 overs (Michael Singh 28, Rakesh Deonarine 2-14, Niazi Khan 2-20, Jameel Assad 2-25, Mohamed Azzarudeen 2-27).

At Lochaber: West Canje beat Police by 43 runs. West Canje 216-5 in 35 overs (Kwesi Mickle 58, Wahab Edoo 42, Ryan Mohamed 34, Tyrell Peters 2-24) Police 173 in 23.2 overs (Ramesh Seunarine 42, Wayne Richards 28, Ryan Victor 5-49, Kwesi Mickle 3-27).

At Cumberland: Fort Canje Warriors beat Angoy’s Avenue Achievers by 77 runs.

Fort Canje Warriors 182-8 in 34 overs (Alex Algoo 30, Balram Samaroo 26, Chris Sulker 3-27, Garfield Mc Kenzie 2-27, Mark Barker 2-37) Angoy’s Avenue Achievers 105 in 24.3 overs (Glendon DeCunha 31, Linden Austin 3-18, Royden Phil 3-22).

Is this for real? Brandon Bess proudly displays his Test cap

By Avenash Ramzan

T

he first-ever Roy Fredericks Memorial Cup took place in the Ancient County of Berbice on Sunday, with host club Blairmont playing Georgetown Cricket Club in a 50-over match, but more significantly, a pavillion at the West Berbice ground was named after the great Guyana and West Indies opener.

While the impressive commissioning ceremony and cricket match attracted all the attention, the return to competitive cricket by former West Indies fast bowler, Brandon Jeremy Bess, went almost unnoticed, though members of the Blairmont Cricket Club were fully aware of what was transpiring.

It was some of those same members who had convinced the lanky speedster to take a second dip in cricket, after he had walked away from the game, citing a lack of confidence.

President of the Blairmont Cricket Club, Shabeer Baksh, was one of the persons who encouraged the 28-year-old cricketer, who has played a solitary Test against South Africa in Barbados in 2010, to consider a return to game after a three-year hiatus.

“I still feel, and the members feel so as well, that he has something more to offer to the game, because he is still young. He can still contribute to Berbice, Guyana and even West Indies cricket,” Baksh related.

It was against this backdrop that Baksh and the members felt a sense of pride and elation when Bess decided to suit up for Blairmont in last Sunday’s game. Though he bowled only two overs, and he was not as fast as five years ago, Bess enjoyed the moment in the field.

“It certainly felt good to be back playing cricket, and I hope this is the beginning of great things to come,”

Bess said during an exclusive interview on Monday.

With 32 First-Class matches, the last of which was against host Jamaica in 2012, under his belt, Bess took a self-imposed exile from the game, claiming that he lacked confidence and was encountering trouble with his bowling rhythm.

He pointed out that the coaches he had depended on to help him along did not provide that guidance, hence he became discouraged. “Because I couldn’t do everything on own, I needed the help, but I was not getting it. I tried a few things on my own, but it didn’t go the way I planned,” Bess explained.

It seemed hard to believe that a mere two years earlier Bess was on the cusp of a long career in the game after he was selected to attend the West Indies Cricket Board’s Sagicor High Performance Centre in Barbados.

It was during this stint that fortune struck and Bess was drafted into the West Indies team against the touring South Africans.

A neck injury sustained by fast bowler Nelon Pascal during a warm-up session prior to the game necessitated an additional fast bowler in the squad, and the West Indies management opted for the Berbician.

With little time to soak in the moment, Bess was handed his maroon cap and was soon sharing the new ball with Kemar Roach. It was not the most impressive of debuts, as he went for 65 runs off nine overs in the first innings and 27 off four in the second.

He did manage to pick up a wicket though, that of nightwatchman Paul Harris in the first innings.

It remains Bess’ lone Test match to date.

Following the completion of his stint at the Sagicor High Performance Centre, Bess returned to the First-Class arena and

played one more season for Guyana before proceeding on a break from the game.

Watching on from the sidelines, Bess, who has picked up 56 wickets from 32 First-Class games at an average of 40.33, realised that many of his batch mates from the Sagicor High Performance Centre were now getting the help they needed, and some have even enjoyed prolonged careers at the international level.

He is now hoping that he would benefit from that same level of support, as he seeks to work his way back into the Berbice, Guyana and even West Indies teams.

However, with Guyana’s bowling attack being predominantly spinbased, there are limited chances for the faster men.

With the likes of Ronsford Beaton, Paul Wintz, Keon Joseph, Raun Johnson and Romario Shepherd vying for those spots, Bess now has his work cut out, as he tries to break into that group.

Meanwhile, Baksh said Bess would be back in training with the Blairmont team from this week, and he is looking forward to the fast bowler to share his knowledge with the youngsters, as well as inspire them to set lofty goals for themselves.

Baksh, who described Bess as “a very good athlete” and one who could also offer some runs in the lower-order, is confident the cricketer would have matured during those years away from the game, and would use his expertise to skillfully work his way back to the top.

Bess and Fredericks are the only two players from Blairmont to have played international cricket. With Bess now making a conscious effort to make a comeback, and Fredericks’ name and photo permanently placed on the main pavillion of the club, the youths of Blairmont are in no way short on inspiration.

guyanatimesGY.com

tuesday, january 12, 2016

23

Carlos Brathwaite breathes new Permaul, Fudadin lead Jaguars to 6-wicket win over Marooners life into West Indies in Australia L

Carlos Brathwaite’s flair with the bat was a pleasing sight

By Akeem Greene

A

t the age of 27, allrounder Carlos Brathwaite stood tall and represented the Region proudly in a Test series which was plagued by a lack of commitment by most players.

Brathwaite, who made his debut during the Boxing Day Test match at Melbourne because of an injury to fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, was the definite spark the regional side needed.

What stood out most was the player’s self-belief and aggression which certainly helped him to be embraced by the Australian media and be seen as a positive for the West Indies on a dreadful tour.

Australia retained the Frank Worrell Trophy by virtue of their 2-0 series victory, but many will remember the flamboyance with which Brathwaite batted and even fielded. His first Test wicket was that of opener David Warner and Brathwaite sped off into the field with jubilation.

His first innings in that Test match was much more of a sedate nature as he made 59 from 126 balls and helped the team move from a position of 83 for 6 to 271 all out. His heroics were not limited to that Test only as in the dead rubber Test match in Sydney, he made 69 which helped the West Indies to post their first score of over 300 after being in a bit of bother at 159-6.

Batting at number eight, when Captain Jason Holder won the toss and elected to bat first, his 69 was decorated with seven fours and four sixes which came off just 71 deliveries. The Barbadian, who also bowls medium pace, was the regional side’s third best batsman on tour, scoring 130 runs at an average of 43.33.

His enthusiasm sent a chain reaction through a team that visibly lacked confidence in the field.

His countryman and Vice Captain of the team, Kraigg Braithwaite played an uncharacteristic game on tour as he went after the Australian bowlers, especially off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

The right-hand opener,

usually known for his gritty batting style and ability to spend long hours at the crease in a ultra-defensive mood, should be proud of his achievements as he ended the tour with an average of 45.80, with a high score of 94.

Another player who looked no way short of confidence was Darren Bravo, who was the standout West Indian player on tour. With the likes of the dependable Shivnarine Chanderpaul no more in the team, Bravo played brilliantly. His 108 in the first Test at Hobart was nearly half the team total of 223. His overall series stats showed he made 247 runs at an average of 49.40.

The mystery with this undoubtedly talented left-

the number of runs he made, but the fact he spent nearly three hours at the crease and faced 130 deliveries that was noteworthy.

Failures

The oldest player in the team, Marlon Samuels performed woefully on the tour; in his three games, Samuels made 34 runs at an average of 7.00. His highest score was 19. Fast bowler Kemar Roach (16.40) averaged more than Samuels.

What added most to his disappointing series was on field he looked a man who did not want to be there.

After the series, there was talk circulating in the press about whether the batsman had a future in the team.

Any doubts will certainly be

ed by a flashy 71 by opener Assad Fudadin and a mesmerising spell of spin bowling by man of the match Veersammy Permaul, Jaguars romped to their second victory of the WICB/NAGICO Super 50 tournament by defeating Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners by six wickets at the St Paul’s Sports Complex, St Kitts on Monday.

Guyana, chasing 150 for victory from 50 overs, opted to open with Fudadin and wicket keeper Anthony Bramble as man of the match in the previous game Shivnarine Chanderpaul was left out for unknown reasons.

The Jaguars who got off to a slow start were 12 without loss in the fifth over but as the left-handed Fudadin began to open his shoulders, the team brought up the 50 run partnership in the 10th over with the score on 52-0.

Fudadin who dominated the partnership was on 40 while Bramble was on 11.

Fudadin brought up his half-century off 63 balls with five fours and two sixes.

During his innings the left-hander who made a 44 not out in the first game against Windward Volcanoes, was brutal on seamer Rovman Powell hitting him for three successive boundaries in one over.

The first was a pull through square leg, standing on one leg; then a cut through backward point before a sweetly timed cover drive ended the flurry.

The fast bowler then dug one short which hit the

Assad Fudadin

West Indies Test player on his shoulder to end an eventful over.

Bramble was the first to go in the 17th over when he was caught by Ryan Hinds off the bowling of Christopher Powell with 76 on the board.

The incoming Vishaul Singh and Fudadin took the score to 109-1 before the Jaguars’ top scorer was caught by Akeem Dewar off the bowling of Vikash Mohan in the 27th over. His enterprising knock came off 96 balls and featured six fours and three sixes.

The showers came with Jaguars on 131-4 from 35.2 with Singh on 23, and Raymon Reifer on tow, with 19 more runs for victory. Soon after the resumption of play, Singh hit Mohan down the ground for six to emphatically give Guyana the win. They ended on 153-4 with Singh on 36 not out and Reifer on 10.

Mohan 2-25, led the bowling for the Marooners and received support from C. Powell 1-34 and R. Powell 1-23.

Earlier Jaguars won the toss and elected to field first which proved to be the best decision as the Marooners were bowled out for 149. The Jaguars were led by West Indies left-arm spinner, Permaul with figures of 4-22 from ten overs and medium pacer Paul Wintz 3-21.

New ball pair of Paul Wintz and Steven Jacobs immediately made inroads into the Marooner’s top order. At the end of 10 overs, Marooners were 31-2. It soon became 48-3 (15.2 overs) when Captain Chadwick Walton (15) left alone an arm-ball from Permaul which crashed into his off stump.

From 48-3 in the 16th over they slumped to 91-7 in the 32nd over before being bowled out for 149 in 48.3 overs as veteran Ryan Hinds top scored with 47 and the next best scorer was Aaron Jones with 17.

Raymon Reifer 1-18, Jacobs 1-37 and Royston Crandon were also among the wickets.

Guyana Jaguars will play their next game on Wednesday against Windward Volcanoes in a day/night match at Warner Park, St Kitts.

In the other day game between Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and ICC Americas at Shaw Park, Tobago, played was called off due to unfit conditions to play.

Up to press time the two other day/night games between Leeward Hurricanes and Windward Volcanoes and also Jamaica Scorpions and Barbados Pride were still ongoing.

BCB/NSC/BRCA Second Division Cricket…

All-round effort guides Friendship Cavaliers to final Darren Bravo ended the series with an average of 49.40

hander, whose batting style many believe mirrors that of legend Brian Lara is that he averages 51.18 in 22 overseas Tests – in fact, better than Lara’s 47.50 in his 66 overseas Tests.

Before this series, many were questioning whether the player could finally play in the manner befitting his talent and be the batting star the team desperately needed – he certainly answered some of those questions.

Guyanese Rajendra Chandrika was another player whose performance was most commendable. Given that he has played most of his cricket on flat pitches in Guyana and around the Region, the worry was if he could handle the pace arsenal the Aussies have at their disposal.

The right-hander certainly stood up to the test; in the second Test, Chandrika made his highest Test score of 37 in a valiant attempt to salvage a draw. It was not

quelled now, since he has been retained as one of the West Indies contracted players for 2016.

The fast bowling duo of Jerome Taylor and Kemar Roach did not perform to expectations in conditions which were helpful for fast bowling. Taylor, who played all three matches, bowled 46 overs of which only two were maidens in addition to his only two wickets. It meant he averaged 128.50 with the ball with a high economy rate of 5.80.

Roach’s figures were worse off since his 41 overs were wicket less and he went at 6.02 runs per over. Before the tour, there was much talk about him being the same menace he was in 2009 when he picked up seven wickets and bowled with serious pace and aggression. The injuries he has sustained over time seem to have taken much out of the tank of the fast bowler. (akeemg@guyanatimesgy. com)

T

Daniel Leacock

he three-team Berbice River Cricket Association (BRCA) Second Division 40-over cricket competition got cracking recently with Friendship Cavaliers making light work for both Ebini Ranch Raiders and Kimbia in their preliminary matches to end on top.

With the win, they have earned a place in the final of the competition, which is being held in collaboration with the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) and the National Sports Commission (NSC).

In the rain-affected match against Kimbia, Friendship rattled up 300-

6 their 35 overs with Daniel Leacock left not out on 97 not out, which included four fours and 10 sixes.

Supporting him were Jason Denhart with 51 (3x4s, 4x6s), Michael Caple 43, Brian King 35 not out and Joshua Leacock 31.

When Kimbia replied, off-spinner Brian King took 4-5 from four overs to help bowl them out for just 90, giving his team a whopping 210-run victory.

In the other match against Ranch Raiders, Ryan De Nobrega made a crucial 56 (6x4s) to help them to a modest 126 in 29.2 overs. However, it turned out to be more than enough for the boys from Ebini as they were bowled out for just 73 in 21.2 overs with Joshua Leacock and John Mc Kenzie picking up three wickets each.

Below are the summarised scores from the matches played.

At Friendship: Friendship Cavaliers beat Kimbia by 210 runs.

Friendship Cavaliers 300-6 in 35 overs (Daniel Leacock

Ryan DeNobrega

97*, Jason Denhart 51, Michael Caple 43, Brian King 35*, Joshua Leacock 31, Byron Lindee 4-50) Kimbia 90 in 20.5 overs (Lloyd Gilliard 33, Brian King 4-5, Daniel Leacock 2-9).

At Ebini: Friendship Cavaliers beat Ebini Ranch Raiders by 53 runs.

Friendship Cavaliers 126 in 29.2 overs (Ryan DeNobrega 56, Alvin Hareman 4-22, Ian Lyte 2-22, Martin Leacock 2-30) Ebini Ranch Raiders 73 in 21.1 overs (John McKenzie 3-10, Joshua Leacock 3-12, Daniel Leacock 2-3).

tuesday, January 12, 2016

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

Permaul, Fudadin lead Jaguars Bess begins to 6-wicket win over Marooners comeback after Pg 23

three-year hiatus Pg 22

Veerasammy Permaul celebrates wicket with teammates

Brandon Bess gets words of advice from skipper Chris Gayle during his lone Test match, back in 2010

Sarwan officially opens Yaw off to 2-year scholarship Fitness 53 at Providence Pg 20

...“Change your fitness, Change your life” – Sarwan’s theme

Pg 20 Ramnaresh Sarwan along with Minister Nicolette Henry and Director of Sport Christopher Jones cutting the ceremonial ribbon (Marceano Narine photos)

Jason Yaw

GUYANA TIMES - www.guyanatimesgy.com, email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, Tel: 231-8064, 231-0544, 225-8697, 225-6695, 225-5634, 225-8696, 225-6707 - SALES AND MARKETING - sales@guyanatimesgy.com PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INC.