People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) General Secretary Clement Rohee presents a gift of appreciation to St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves following a lecture on the late President, Dr Cheddi Jagan on Monday
wednesday, april 15, 2015 |
BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Wednesday, April 15, 2015 – 14:00h-15:30h
Thursday, April 16, 2015 – 14:30h-16:00h
The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Wednesday, April 15, 2015 – 13:50h-15:20h
Thursday, April 16, 2015 – 14:40h-16:10h
FERRY SCHEDULE
Ferries will be departing the Parika and Supenaam stellings on:
Wednesday, April 15– 05:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h
Thursday, April 16 – 05:00h, 12:00h and 16:00h
WEATHER TODAY
Winds: East North-easterly between 4.02 metres per second and 5.36 metres per second.
High Tide: 14:06h reaching a maximum height of 2.54 metres.
Low Tide: 07:38h and 20:04h reaching minimum heights of 0.74 metre and 0.62 metre respectively.
PPP/C Essequibo campaign...
Compare PPP/C's accomplishments in health, sports
...versus Opposition's empty promises, power quest
By IndrawattIe natram
The ruling People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) went on the offensive when it heightened its elections campaigning in Essequibo, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) over the weekend telling residents there that they must look past the lofty promises made by the Opposition coalition group and examine what that group has done over the past three years to forward Guyana’s development.
The team, which was led by PPP/C Executive and Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, included PPP/C parliamentarian Dr Vindhya Persaud and new PPP/C Candidate Africo Selman.
As the Party continues mobilisation for its mega-rally on Saturday at the Anna Regina Car Park, the team held meetings in the villages of Pomona, Dry Shore, Charity, and Affiance.
Addressing scores of residents gathered for one of the meetings, Dr Anthony emphasised that Guyanese must not allow themselves to be fooled again by the "old wine in new bottles". He urged them to examine the track record of the three core parties which form part of the coalition – the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)-led A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) and to compare their record as far as development was concerned with the ruling PPP/C’s which according to him has delivered “change” and “progress’ to Guyana after the return of democracy in 1992.
Anthony maintained that Guyanese have benefited from significant achievements under the present
Administration. He said during the PPP/C’s tenure as far as his portfolio of sports was concerned, many projects were commissioned such as the Guyana National Stadium and the Aquatic Centre which not only provide an avenue for talents to be harnessed but also created job opportunities for hundreds of young people. He mentioned that through his Ministry alone over 600 community grounds were developed which fostered togetherness within the communities.
Forgetfulness
The PPP/C Executive said that Guyanese could not afford to become forgetful at this stage in the country’s development as he argued that the past was important in order to understand and appreciate the progress that has been made. He said that the Opposition was afraid to speak about its past, because it was ashamed of its record.
The Minister told residents that the 2015 elections were important and it was time persons come out and vote for a stronger, secure and stable environment.
According to Dr Anthony, it is clear from all that has been
said on the campaign trail so far that the Opposition has no plans for development and is again attempting to fool the population. He said that the PPP/C has always held consultative engagement with the people making sure that they were involved in decision making.
Minister Anthony pledged his party’s continued support in addressing the problems of citizens, including rice farmers, in a comprehensive manner.
Youth vote
Dr Vindhya Persaud, a qualified medical doctor, chose to focus her remarks on the importance of youth and the youth vote within the decision making structure of Guyanese society and the impact it has on continuing progress under the PPP/C. She wasted no time in urging youths throughout Region Two to vote for a party that will secure Guyana.
Dr Persaud said that young people needed to realise that the PPP/C has created many job opportunities through many developmental projects. She said the health sector has made tremendous strides under the PPP/C Government, as many hos-
pitals in the interior have been rehabilitated and general infrastructure for the sector improved. Dr Persaud argued that the Government not only rehabilitated hospitals but investments were made for young people qualifying them in various fields. "A number of persons were trained to be doctors to work at the hospitals; today we don't have to bring in persons to do surgery; we have our own surgeons. In the past, everyone used to be from overseas; today, this has changed," Dr Vindhya. She noted that the life expectancy of citizens has improved and persons are living longer as compared to the past when Opposition was in power. The PPP/C MP said the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation too has greatly improved, pointing to its capacity now to conduct "open heart surgery, dialysis, ultrasounds" among other procedures.
In love with power
Former APNU parliamentarian Africo Selman admitted that she had come to realise that the PPP/C was the best Government to take Guyana forward.
PPP/C MP Dr Vindhya Persaud and Culture and Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony meeting with residents in Region Two
Heavy rain showers are expected to prevail throughout the day, with thundery showers in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius.
Editor: Nigel Williams
Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134
There are worrying developments taking place in this country which suggest that the newly formed Opposition coalition group will not willingly accept and abide by the results if they are not in its favour.
The PNCR-led APNU+AFC coalition has over the past few weeks been sending strong messages to its supporters that they have already secured an elections victory, as it continues to campaign. At the same time, that party, surprisingly, and at this late hour, is now raising questions about the accuracy and credibility of the 2015 Voters List.
It has also begun questioning some of the procedures to be employed by GECOM during, on, and after May 11 which could impact the declaration of results by the Voters List.
Its 2015 Presidential Candidate Brigadier (retd) David Granger described the Voters List as being “dirty” while meeting with Guyanese in the Diaspora back in February.
That aside, Granger continues to spearhead a process which has seen the heavy militarization of the Opposition coalition group as several high-level former Police and Army officials are now functioning in strange capacities within his party, and are giving advice on tactical and strategic moves that should be taken in the lead up to, on, and after elections day.
He has worked clandestinely to secure the support of the retired veterans of Guyana by making lofty promises while undermining all that the current Government has done to improve their living conditions and entitlements.
Granger has used the rank and file in the Police to spread propaganda about the life these security officials could enjoy under his administration promising hefty salary increases and other perks for their loyality and support at the polls.
This is despite the fact that he has used every single misstep made by this organization to “cuss them out”, undermine their professionalism and gain cheap political points.
Therefore it is not surprising that his coalition has also not protested a decision by GECOM to allow the names of the disciplined services ranks to remain on the Official List of Electors even though they would have voted separately one week in advance of that date.
GECOM, in responding to the PPP/C’s obvious concern about double voting has demonstrated disinterest in addressing the fears of thousands. Perhaps the most worrying of all of the developments, is Dr Rupert Roopnaraine’s statement that May 11 will be revolution day in this country.
His explanation that his party would not enter into an election and not accept the results is not enough and simply demonstrates the hypocritical nature of its leadership when one examines the history of this country and the causes of the post-electoral violence.
Even more worrying is the fact that the Opposition coalition has not responded to or demonstrated a willingness to sign the peace pact put forward by the IRO which could dispel fears of any post-electoral disturbance.
Guyanese should also take note of the posture of the Opposition and the issues which they are mobilizing their support base even as the death Courtney Crum-Ewing is being used to campaign and lay blame at the feet of the PPP/C Government.
The thuggery and acts of aggression are shown by supporters of the APNU/AFC coalition when they tear down posters and billboards of the ruling party.
The fact that a senior and leading member of the coalition, Vanessa Kissoon, who was left off its 2015 list of candidates, has been charged for disrupting political meetings of the ruling party and breaching the peace is instructive that the level of desperation is growing.
But Guyanese know they suffer the most whenever there is any post elections violence and therefore they must press their leaders to state expressly that they will accept the results whatever they may be after May 11.
The registered voters who want change or continuity must force their leaders to sign a multi-dimensional post elections peace pact. The Police and observer groups must remain mobilized, ready to respond to any disturbances.
The PNC neglected, abandoned Amerindians
Dear Editor,
I read a letter on April 11 under the headline, “The PPP/C is using scarce tactics on its campaign trail”, written by one Corey Roberts which seems to be a bogus name. Never mind I am responding to the letter since my name was mentioned.
Corey Roberts has a problem with my estimation of the crowd of ten persons that were listening to washed-out speakers at a PNC/APNU+AFC coalition election campaign meeting held at the Kumaka Market Square in the Santa Rosa Amerindian village, Moruca, in Region One (BarimaWaini).
But in the letter, why didn’t Roberts give her estimation of the listening crowd if my estimation was wrong? It therefore means that my estimation was correct which was supported by Santa Rosa village residents.
The Presidential
Candidate of the PNC/ APNU+AFC coalition David Granger very recently turned up for a political rally at the Kumaka Play Ground in Santa Rosa village on April 10 where the crowd was estimated to be around 30 persons. Can Roberts correct me if I am wrong?
Roberts said in the letter that social media is buzzing with comments against the ruling party and salutation for the coalition.
Those who post these comments of blatant ignorance are just a circle of PNC lackeys who have lost their Amerindian identity and are miserably ignorant of the hardships and misery their parents and grandparents passed through under the illegal and dictatorial PNC regime prior to 1992.
Roberts may be one of these PNC lackeys who should consult with her parents or grandparents on what life was like under the barbaric PNC regime which
never won a free and fair election.
As a result, the PNC keeps changing its name at every general election. For the May 2015 elections it is now the APNU+AFC coalition. Roberts should post these comments on social media.
It was the PNC regime prior to 1992 that neglected and abandoned the Amerindian people of Guyana. And it is the democratically elected PPP/C Government that took the Amerindian communities out of neglect and abandonment and placed them firmly on the road to self-determination and economic empowerment.
This maybe the reason why the majority of the over 180 Amerindian communities in Guyana are not allowing the PNC/APNU+AFC elections campaign teams entry into their communities.
But this is simply a de-
cision by the village councils alone with reference to Section 5 (1) of the Amerindian Act 2006. Roberts should therefore be familiar with the Amerindian Act 2006, if she is claiming to be an Amerindian.
The Amerindian communities of Guyana are now socially and economically safe and secure under the PPP/C Government, hence their support for the PPP/C party at the upcoming elections for the continued development of their communities.
But you know what Corely Roberts? You have allowed yourself to be misguided by worn-out PNC and AFC cronies and lackeys. Never mind, the PPP/C shall score a landslide victory at the upcoming May 11 general and regional elections.
Peter Persaud
Why artists should pay attention to public speaking
Dear Editor,
It is critical that we understand the influence that is attached to popularity, but the context and question of popularity should not be the only basis on which we perceive influence exists.
As a writer and producer, I’ve always sought to produce everything at a professional level, in doing so I try only to criticize objectively. I believe it is necessary that we assess the need for slangs, and terminologies in the best way they can be applied, and that may have been the
reason for my stance on being “professional”, throughout my professional life.
In my years I’ve had many sessions where even when I’m the artist the language needed to be revised. Sometimes it is not the words but the application and furthermore the effect of the words that mostly matter.
I recently heard an interview with an artist, and this was the premise on which I boldly decided to write this letter although these issues have been long on my mind.
I feel obligated to share
it with you my colleagues because it is pivotal for musicians especially artists to understand the importance of speaking properly and more importantly speaking in a way for people to understand.
As it reiterates the quote I used in the beginning. It is critical that we understand the influence that is attached to popularity, but the context and question of popularity should not be the only basis on which we perceive influence exists.
Artists must take this up personally, every artist, every producer, ever
manager must know and promote the importance of speaking properly especially in the public domain. But we must also know of the influence we can have over the audience, our very listeners, though they may be unseen at times I assure you their responses at any time of any kind will be heard and could affect us and what we do.
Therefore I urge you my colleagues to be steadfast in developing yourself and join the run of operating on ‘’one’’ professional level.
A combination of pictures shows the Boeoegg, a snowman made of wadding and filled with firecrackers, burning atop a bonfire in the
Sechselaeuten square in Zurich, April 13. The faster the head of the “Boeoegg”, the symbol of winter, catches fire and explodes, the warmer and more beautiful the summer will be, locals believe (Reuters/Arnd Wiegmann)
Rice development fund, call centre for Reg 2
… Jagdeo tells business community PPP/C has clear vision for Guyana
By IndrawattIe natram
Former President Bharrat Jagdeo on Tuesday told the business community and young professionals in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has a clear vision for Guyana, promising them the setting up of a development fund for rice and also the building of a world class call centre in the region.
During his address to entrepreneurs at the Regional State House at Anna Regina, Jagdeo said a Development Fund and Rice Support Fund, call centre and improved Information Communication Technology (ICT) within the Region were top priorities for Government. He said that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)
Administration remains committed to businesses,
economy. According to him the Donald Ramotar
craft a manifesto that would ensure a safer environment
recognising the importance of the sector to Guyana’s
Administration and officials were working together to
for businesses to operate and to create jobs.
Why artists should pay...
I in no way see myself above or greater than anyone but share a concept of sustained professionalism which can only co-exist healthily in an environment where there are like-minded individuals especially when on the thought of professionalism.
It is also a matter of importance that we realize how easily this can be achieved. With the help of the members of a network we can share knowledge and indulge in practices that can aid our development. While I believe it should be an individual discipline to develop one’s self I am well aware of policies and customs of record labels and
management companies.
We must make the extra steps to get to the next level we so brag about in those interviews, but this is not and can never be achieved without a team’s effort. Although I have listed what is the aim of this letter I in no way can outline any steps or measures to better this developing issue. But I believe that we should take a more national approach towards this.
In some weeks from the original release of this letter myself, fellow colleagues and enthusiasts will be developing messages and tips in the forms of PDFs and podcasts
so as to assist and better our overall approach to this issue.
One may argue that it should be dealt with on a more individual level and I couldn’t agree more. However we of the Guyana music network believe that we must work together to build the industry we so desire.
With that being said I am engaging the involvement of the network to assist with this mandate of development, which I know for a fact, is a fundamental interest of the network.
Simeon Browne
With the implementation of the Development Fund, he said, farmers from the Pomeroon would benefit by diversifying in their crops. Making reference to Government’s investment in ICT, Jagdeo further explained that businesses have to take full advantage of the benefits that accrue from the use of cutting edge technology in order to overcome many of the challenges.
He said the Government of Guyana during both the Dr Cheddi and Janet Jagan’s administration had drafted many strategies, including the National Development Strategy that outlined the development of Guyana. “We can compete about the clarity about our vision; we don’t make wild promises, we are practical,” Jagdeo said.
The former President warned the business com-
munity about the opposition’s plans to create an unstable environment, adding that the PPP/C has examined the economic philosophy of Guyana hence creating a manifesto that is attractive to the business sector.
Jagdeo said that the PPP/C Administration has recognised that Guyana was rapidly changing and as such, growth poles have been identified, particularly in the rice, sugar and bauxite industry. He added that focus will be on those industries, which have the potential to create national wealth for the country. “These industries are our backbone… with those industries up and sustainable – then wealth can be created; hence, opportunities for young people,” Jagdeo noted.
Statistics indicate a decrease in accidents overall
Dear Editor,
As the Guyana Police Force continues with its traffic enforcement, unto April 13, there has been a total of 30 road fatalities, compared to 31 for the corresponding period last year.
While the statistics indicate a decrease in accidents overall, during the past two weeks, the Police Force is encouraging motorists to be extra vigilant on the roadways in the
light of schools being reopened and to adhere to the five Cs - Care, Caution, Common Sense, Courtesy and Consideration.
During the period April 5 to 11, a number of cases has been made against motorists for breaching the traffic laws.
These include speeding (706), driving under the influence (50), breach of condition of Road Service Licence (29), careless driving (nine), dangerous driv-
ing (18), failure to wear safety helmet (five), failure to wear seat belt (31), prohibition of the use of hand held mobile phone (16), and failure to adhere to siren (31).
Nine persons were charged for the soliciting of passengers (touting).
Ivelaw Whittaker Police Public Relations and Press Officer
A section of the business communiity in Region Two who attended the forum
US Congress Rep gets married in traditional Hindu wedding
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), a HinduAmerican who is well known in the GuyaneseAmerican communities in America, married Abraham Gaurachandra Williams, a Hawaii-based cinematographer, on April 9 in a traditional Hindu Vedic wedding ceremony.
The ceremony was conducted by Los Angeles, California-based pandit Vinod Dave.
The ceremony took place at the historic Kahalu'u Fishpond on Kāneohe Bay in windward Oahu.
The ceremony concluded with a traditional “yoga kirtan” with friends and family celebrating the newly married couple with song and dance.
The congresswoman told reporters she will retain her name.
"Both Abraham and I are generally kind of private people. He has noth-
ing to do with politics. He's a humble, great guy who doesn't want to be in the limelight, so this is something new to the both of us".
In February, Williams proposed to Gabbard with a 1.17-carat round, brilliant-cut champagne diamond engagement ring in 18-karat rose gold designed when the congresswoman was visiting Hawaii during Thanksgiving.
"Will you marry me?" he
asked. She said her answer was a resounding yes. Gabbard had met with the Indian American community in New Jersey, New York and Washington. Earlier this year,
Gabbard was in India for several weeks meeting top Indian leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She had met Modi last year in New York.
Day-to-day tips to help you manage your intense child
By April FreemAn
Healthy diet
I wish I had known when my daughter was small how great a difference a diet of quality food makes in how she feels. Some children are very sensitive to sugars, artificial flavourings and artificial colours. I stopped buying Pop-Tarts and sugary cereals for breakfast. I would allow her to eat them later in the day as a dessert or special treat, but starting the day off with a burst of sugar and fake flavourings contributed to more frequent meltdowns. While diet wasn’t everything when it came to helping my daughter cope with life, it did add a missing piece of the puzzle.
Physical activity
My daughter has always been busy. However, as she grew older and schoolwork became more intensive and time consuming, time for physical activity was diminished. The lack of movement made her lethargic, irritable, and tired. I had to be intentional in making her stay physically active. The exercise helped with her mood regulation, and I noted that she was much less combative when I required it. Additionally, I found that time spent playing actively outdoors helped her manage even better. Perhaps the combination of sunlight, fresh air, and physical activity were just what her body and mind needed to help her focus and cooperate with me and others.
Nurturing her personality type
My daughter is extremely extroverted, craving interactions with others. In the early years, I hoped that, as many homeschooling families claim, the interactions with siblings would be enough. However, in our family, it just wasn’t. My daughter needed regular interactions with others outside of the home. As a homeschooler, it wasn’t easy to make these connections, at least at first. I had to initiate contact with other moms. I had to be willing to pick up and drop off friends. I had to be willing to host other children running wild through my house and yard. However difficult it was at times, these interactions fed my daughter’s soul. As an introverted mom of four kids, I often fell short of her ideal. But I did the best that I could, and more importantly, I tried to communicate to my daughter that seeing her friends was important to me because it was important to her. (Excerpt from empoweringparents.com)
The newly married couple
Rep Tulsi Gabbard and Abraham Gaurachandra Williams during their wedding ceremony, conducted by Los Angeles-based Indian American priest Vinod Dave (left) in Oahu, Hawaii
Jagan was an anti-racist to the core
...says St Vincent PM Gonsalves
By Alexis Rodney
Former President and founding leader of the People's Progressive Party (PPP), the late Dr Cheddi Berret Jagan was remembered in a fond and yet analytical manner Monday evening when his Party hosted the 15th annual lecture series in his honour, on the lawns of Red House.
Under the theme “Cheddi Jagan, his Nationalism, his Regionalism and his Internationalism”, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves delivered an articulate presentation, chronicling the life of a man considered the "father of the nation”.
According to Gonsalves, Jagan, who had embraced Marxism, had dedicated his life to the total development of Guyana. He had also used that philosophy to formulate ideologies, combined with an acceptance of real life principles to make judgments in the real world. Dr Gonsalves said he came to this knowledge because he had rubbed shoulders with the former political leader,
sharing many stages with him at countless events in Guyana. “Cheddi Jagan was a leader of extraordinary quality. His intellect, his honesty, his decency, his humility and calm, his personal charisma, his commitment to the poor and working people, his promotion of national independence and socialist democracy and his quintessential humanity constituted the brightness which sparkled and illuminated,” Gonsalves told a crowd of diplomats, ,PPP/ Civic supporters and special invitees.
Compare PPP/C’s...
She told Essequibians that the Opposition coalition was not concerned about Guyana's development but rather interested in position and was drunk in love with power. Addressing scores of residents at Charity, Affiance and Anna Regina, Selman said that the Opposition comprises many disguised hypocrites, as she pleaded with residents not to allow persons who are power-drunk and disrespectful to take over Guyana.
“I call upon you, stand up, stamp out anti-democracy, anti-development, anti-wom-
According to him, Dr Jagan made an immense contribution to the development of Guyana and the Caribbean. But what was most impactful was Gonsalves' recollection of Jagan’s approach to racism, and his tireless effort to smother its growing tendencies from among the people he held dear to his heart. “Cheddi Jagan was a finished civilised personality, absolutely devoid of race or colour or prejudice.
“Indeed he was anti-racist to the core and called for national unity. “
Quoting the leader’s book, the “West on Trial”, Gonsalves related that while Jagan never denied the existence of race issues in Guyana, he grounded it in an economical analysis, tracing its economical origins. “This early division of labour occupationally and geographically according to race, intended to prevent integration and aroused racial hostility,” Gonsalves read from Jagan’s book. Continuing from the book, Gonsalves relayed the former leader’s idea that in the early days of Guyana’s civilisation, there
from page 3
en and anti-youth behaviour, these leaders know nothing about economics, they are purely militarised persons, be careful," Selman warned.
During her address she took the opportunity to educate the youths about the PNC and what they did when they were in power telling them that " they are all about rigging, ... they rig their own Congress elections just to be in power that's how desperate for power they are for," she confessed.
She told residents only the Donald Ramotar Administration can move
Guyana forward and called on persons to put their "X" next to the cup and ensure continuity of progress.
“You just can't afford to support a group of people who are all in quest for power; they call themselves a coalition but APNU/AFC is made up of a group of old retired military men headed by David Granger, Joseph Harmon, Fitzroy Cornette and Winston Felix who are all tired, retired old men who want to control the democracy of Guyana and make a mockery of the system." Selman said.
was never conflict between African and Indians as, up to the mid 1920s , both races had one common enemy; the White planters.
“At that stage, the Indian sugar workers accepted the African militant trade union leader Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow as their 'Black Crosby'. The class struggle then tended to take on a racial appearance of black versus white and African and Indian against European. It was only when the Indians began climbing out of the logee environment and to compete on the middle-class level of jobs and position of prestige, that conflict began, clearly indicating the economic basis of racism,” Gonsalves read.
Early life
Cheddi Jagan was born on March 22, 1918 in Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice. He was the eldest of 11 children born to parents who came from India to British Guiana as indentured labourers. His mother Bachaoni, and his father Jagan, along with two grandmothers and an uncle, were brought from Uttar Pradesh, India, in 1901.
His family grew up in rural poverty and worked in the cane fields to support themselves. By the age of 15, Jagan's father wanted to make sure his son attended school and sent him to Queen's College in the capital city of Georgetown, about 100 miles away, for the next three years. In Georgetown Jagan saw life differently, coming as he did from a poor background. After he graduated from high school, finding a job was almost impossible. Finally his father decided to send him to the United States to study dentistry. Jagan left for the United States in September 1936 with two friends and did not return to British Guiana until October 1943. He lived in Washington DC
for two years and attended Howard University, taking a pre-dental course, worked two summers in New York, and spent the last five years in Chicago at Northwestern University. At school, he was a dedicated student, and his hard work earned him a free tuition scholarship for his second year at Howard and in 1938, entry into Northwestern for a fouryear dental programme.
He was elected to the colonial legislative body, the Legislative Council, in November 1947, after he returned home, as an independent candidate from Central Demerara constituency. On January 1,1950, the PPP was founded, with Jagan as its Leader, Forbes Burnham as its Chairman and Jagan's wife, Janet ,as Secretary. Later breaking off links with Burnham, Jagan was active in the Government as a labour activist and Leader of the Opposition. After 28 years in opposition, the PPP won the October 5,1992 election with about 54 per cent of the vote, and Jagan became President. By this time, he had long since abandoned Marxism-Leninism and recast himself as a democratic socialist.
Jagan suffered a heart attack on February 15, 1997 and was taken to
Georgetown Hospital before being flown by US military aircraft to Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, DC, later that day. He underwent heart surgery there and died in Washington on March 6, 1997. Prime Minister Samuel Hinds succeeded him as President and declared six days of mourning, describing Jagan as the "greatest son and patriot that has ever walked this land".
Gonsalves said Jagan’s life’s experiences undoubtedly fashioned his vision, philosophy and socio-cultural outlook and political programmes. In the Caribbean, he was a witness to and a participant in the fight against colonialism, and for independence, political democracy and socialism. He said the controversies and debates surrounding the federal experiments and regional integration and the building of a political force in Guyana among the working people, small farmers and the progressive elements of the national bourgeoisies.
“In the process of his political practice in Guyana, Cheddi Jagan spearheaded the establishment of the People’s Progressive Party in 1950, led the PPP in a historic, nationalist triumph in 1953 and then again in 1957 and1961, and much later in 1992”.
Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines Dr Ralph Gonsalves delivering a lecture on the life and work of Dr Cheddi Jagan Monday Evening
Former President and founding leader of the PPP Dr Cheddi Jagan
Woman killed in hit-and-run accident
A30-year-old mother of one is now dead following an accident at Stewartville, West Coast Demerara on Tuesday evening.
Dead is Vanessa Forde, of 31 Stewartville
Housing Scheme, who was struck down by a motor car as she was walking on the Stewartville Public Road.
According to information received, the woman was walking along
the roadway in the vicinity of a car wash with her five-year-old son around 19:00h Tuesday evening, when she was struck down by the car.
She was picked up and rushed to the Leonora
Cottage Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
The driver has been arrested and is in Police custody assisting with investigations.
Bus driver accused of causing 4-yearold's death by dangerous driving
Aminibus driver, who has been accused of killing a four-year-old boy during a vehicular accident, was remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Monday.
Paul John, 34, a route
45 minibus driver, of Lot 971 North Sophia, was not required to plea to the indictable charge of causing death by dangerous driving. According to Police Prosecutor Bharat Mangru, on April 5, John was driving minibus PGG 1972 while proceeding north along Water Street,
Georgetown when he hit and ran over Jayden Charles at around 13:35h.
At the time, Charles was reportedly attempting to cross the road, east of Giftland OfficeMax.
The man attempted to flee the scene but was stopped by the passengers of the bus who demanded
Rice development fund...
In terms of the ICT growth pole, Jagdeo said greater bandwidth will foster business development, boosting the agricultural sector and thousands of jobs can be created ranging from “$60,000 to $200,000” with the call centre, the economist by profession explained. He noted that the Administration has also realised that E-Governance was important. He said incentives like tax holidays would make the sector more attractive.
Business opportunities
With other spin-off business opportunities, Jagdeo said that the Government was focusing on connecting Brazil with a deepwater port, opening up markets. “A deepwater port on Guyana’s coast can provide South America’s largest economy with an Atlantic outlet for trade from the northern states. The former President said that development would foster trade financing and trucking ser-
vices. With exploration activities for oil and gas and other mineral resources ongoing, other opportunities will be created for eco- tourism.
Stable fiscal management Jagdeo said that under the present Administration over the years, fiscal management has remained relatively stable. He explained that once the fiscal deficit was down and the inflation rate was low, the economy can remain stable. “ Presently, Guyana has US$800 million in the Central Bank, the Opposition is proposing plans that will cause Guyana to be unstable, [and] hence eat up every cent from the reserve,” Jagdeo said.
Turning his attention to the development of Guyana’s human resources, the former President said Government was pushing to enable Essequibians to read for their degrees from the University of Guyana right
in the county via distant education programmes. He told residents that Guyana was one step closer to achieving many things and their support at the upcoming elections was vital.
Loans and grants Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali, who also addressed the audience, said that under the Small Business Development Fund, loans will be given to over 300 persons in the rural areas to boost business activities. He said the loans would empower the people as well as create a more entrepreneurial environment and development.
Ali said the process has commenced and prospective beneficiaries (young people and single parents) who applied through the public mechanism have been trained.
He further explained that the programme would aid in the creation of wealth as well as the expansion of businesses. Part of the out-
that he take the child to the hospital. The Queen Street lad succumbed to his injuries while receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital shortly after being admitted.
John is scheduled to reappear in court on April 27.
from page 5
look, he mentioned, was to provide employment opportunities and invest in infrastructure that would expand the Region Two economy. He testified that one such initiative was the rice cereal crisp factory.
“Once PPP Government is allowed to go in power with majority, there will be a continuation and expansion of ICT creating more bandwidth, creating export possibilities; hence, ensuring investments in call centres, similar to those under construction in Enmore and Tushen that would have the capacity of creating 1000 jobs,” Ali added.
At the end of the forum, the team consisting of Labour Minister Nanda Gopaul, Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali and Suresh Narine interacted, with audience. Residents revealed that some of the issues them was the system at Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and poor Internet services.
Eyew tness
Let the good times roll...
...with Marriott
After 45 years Guyana's finally getting a "brand name" hotel – an internationally recognised brand – the Marriott. The Pegasus, after all, opened just a few months before we became a Republic. And unfortunately suffered from all the vicissitudes that were inflicted on the rest of the country in those years.
It had been part of an international chain - owned by British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) when the Brits were still flying in here.
But as the economy went into its death dive, so did the hotel and its standards, as it switched owners and names like a hot potato. Now some are saying that there are lots of hotels and hotel rooms in Guyana...so what's the fuss? Well as Prezzie's been saying until he's now probably blue in the face - international visitors look forward to international standards.
And ever since Conrad Hilton launched his American hotel chain overseas on the premise that business and the discerning traveller would buy quality standards...that's been the golden rule in the hotel business.
As Prezzie and every exec who's tried to lure wellheeled folks down here, their first question is, "Where will I stay?" They have this image of the third world being full of sleazy, fleabag hotels - and the only thing that'll disabuse them of that notion is to give them a brand they know and can relate to positively. And that's the Marriott!!
Three years ago when Pressie justified the need for the Marriott by pointing to the oilmen that would be flocking to our shores, folks like Glenn Lall of the Muckraker scoffed.
But now that ExxonMobil - the largest oil company in the entire planet says that the black gold's about to flow, what say they now?? And where's all those oil tycoons and their ancillary manpower gonna sleep? Well now we know - the Marriott!!
But it's not just the businessmen and the tourists, is it?? There's the children of the overseas Guyanese who want to come "home", but aren't looking forward to sleeping on their grandmother's couch. They also want standards...which all hotels in Guyana should deliver.
This Eyewitness isn't even going to talk about jobs and all the other direct benefits the Marriott will bring. But he knows that just the fact that Guyanese can now tell their relatives from New York and Toronto that they can now stay at the Marriott is enough.
And think about it: we too can visit and have dinner or lounge at the poolside whenever we feel like it!!
...on salaries
The Opposition sure as heck kicked up a storm for the last three years about the Presidential salary and pensions and benefits and such like. Granger and Greenidge and Nagamootoo (don't worry about Ramjattan - he doesn't count any more) obviously believe to the depth of their being that pocketing these monies is evil and beyond the pale.
Seems to this Eyewitness that now that Granger and his helpmate Mr 11 per cent Nagamootoo are convinced that they will soon win the elections and capture the Presidency...they should make a public announcement (proclamation?) that they will reject those salaries!!
Stand to reason, doesn't it?? These two men of God (David and Moses) surely wouldn't want to sully their lillywhite reputations by collecting this inflated salary, would they?? Naaaaah!! So we expect them to renounce the "super salary" and that to this effect they'll pass a law that within one day of assuming office they'll chop their salaries like they did the PPP/C budgets!!
What was that about the three VPs’ salaries??
...on being Guyanese
Dennis Wiggins gave Nagamootoo the benefit of the doubt that maybe the fella from Whim was being whimsical when he said he wasn't an Indian - but "Guyanese". Wiggins also gave a lecture on multiple identities that Nagamootoo would do well to read and absorb.
Joint Services trained in debris clearing during protests
The BK Group of Companies facilitated a training session for ranks of the Joint Services during which they acquired skills on operating heavy-duty machinery, which will be useful in dealing with confrontational situations where debris is placed on the roads.
During the two weeks, 19 ranks, 10 from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and nine from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) were engaged in training activities to develop their skills in operating heavy-duty machinery such as bulldozers, draglines and excavators. They were also trained on how to drill and conduct heavy-duty hammering.
The course commenced on March 30 and was held at the BK Quarries, Teperu, Essequibo River. Speaking at a simple graduating ceremony on Tuesday at the company’s headquarters located on Water Street, Kingston, Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud stated that acquiring such skills would be beneficial to the ranks not only
within the Forces but also beyond.
Persaud pointed out that with the upcoming elections, there may be need for such skills in maintaining peace and order in the country. “In addressing our security arrangements for the upcoming elections, training has been a major part of our preparations,” he stated. The Commissioner explained that previously there were situations where the public had blocked the roadways and it was difficult to find heavyduty equipment to clear the roads. He added that even when they found the equipment, there was no one to operate it since persons were afraid to be victimised by the public.
Human resources
In brief remarks, BK’s Public Relations Officer, Alex Graham pointed out that the Group of Companies was committed to partnering with stakeholders in developing the country’s work force and in this case, the persons who serve and protect the coun-
try. “We are giving back, not by charity which is the
selves, communities and societies,” he pointed out.
Graham explained that
Group has also partnered with other Government agencies and private compa-
easy way, but the hard way which is to work to provide skills, training and development so that people who pass through our facilities, pass through our apprenticeship programmes, go back with significantly beneficial skills that they can develop them-
Guyana/Venezuela border controversy
after acquiring the quarry, the company realised the potential the site has including for eco-tourism purposes as well as a training site for heavy-duty operations. Furthermore, he outlined that in addition to this training programme, the BK
nies to develop the skills of Guyanese.
One such collaboration is the United States fundedSKYE programme, for which they provided a six- month training course at the quarry. Graham further stated that the company was also in
talks with the Guyana Prison Service to host apprenticeship schemes for inmates at the Mazaruni Prison. Through this engagement, the prisoners will be given the opportunity to earn small amounts so that when they finish serving their sentence, they can have money along with skills to make valuable contributions to society.
Detailing activities of the two-week course, Sergeant Trotman of the GDF called for the training to become an annual feature. He noted that along with the participants, the trainers should also be recognised for their contributions so that they can be motivated to continue. Additionally, he stated that the ranks should be allowed to practise the newly acquired training.
Meanwhile, Board of Industrial Training (BIT) Chairman Clinton Williams committed to ensuring that the programme was continued. He too highlighted that the ranks were equipped with skills that will benefit them outside of the Forces.
Gonsalves sees outside forces stirring up conflict
By Alexis Rodney
St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves has warned that both Guyana and Venezuela need to become vigilant of forces outside the respective countries that are working to ratchet up a controversy between them.
Guyana and Venezuela are currently locked in a territorial controversy, where the Bolivarian Republic, disregarding an 1899 United Nations ruling, is still laying claims to sections of Guyana’s territory. According to the Vincentian Prime Minster, this issue is being fuelled by persons who are against unity of the two countries. “Since the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela was established, there has been an easing of tension. I know that recently there has been some fuelling by some forces outside of the political directorate in Venezuela because [President Hugo] Chávez and now [Nicolas] Maduro have really been working together with the Guyanese authorities on the matter,” Gonsalves told the Guyana Times
He said historically, there have always been many forces outside and within Guyana that have been trying in many ways to stir up trouble. What is very promising about the
situation, he said, however, is that the political directorate in Guyana and Venezuela have committed that the border controversy would not be activated as an issue that will affect a positive relationship between the two countries. According to him, “that’s a good sign”. He said too that both countries have to be on guard against elements which would want to ratchet up controversy. “You always have to be on guard on that. And we at Caricom continue to keep it
under review at every Caricom Summit.”
It’s better to talk
Asked his thoughts on Guyana’s stated intentions of abandoning the United Nations Good Offices Process and going the route of judicial settlement, Gonsalves said, while he is unaware of the details of the framework Guyana is seeking to use, it is better, in such circumstances to have meaningful conversations on the matter. “When you have an international dispute, it is better to talk than not to talk. I don’t know all the details as to what is the framework they are seeking, but it is better to talk than to shout and curse and to have any controversy leading to the outbreak of the [border controversy],” Gonsalves said. Government last month indicated that it was mulling the termination of the Good Offices Process, which it had been uti-
lising to resolve the issue with its Spanish-speaking neighbour. However, since the death of the Peace Officer, Professor Norman Girvan last year, that system had been put on hold.
Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon had told the Guyana Times that Government was seeking to use the judicial line of settlement, since there has been little or no success of the Good Offices Process.
Commenting on the issue also, former Foreign Affairs Minister Rudy Insanally said while opting out of the Process was commendable, Guyana still needed to strategically frame out its next move to have the unsettled issues with Venezuela resolved.
A new method of settlement must be carefully perused to have the age-old issue addressed. Caricom had backed Guyana’s rebuke of Venezuela’s aggression with the issuance of a firm statement expressing support for Georgetown and its position
on the claim made by the Bolivarian Republic to part of its territory.
Insanally said Guyana and Venezuela must work out an alternative with the UN Secretary General to secure a new mode of settle-
ment. He said, nonetheless, it would be a good thing if the countries could head to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), since Venezuela “needs to prove” by all means possible the nullity of the 1899 ruling.
Caricom reiterated the Community’s “firm, longstanding and continued support for the maintenance of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana and for the unhindered economic and social development of all of
Guyana”. It reasoned that in this regard, the Community once again hoped for an early resolution of the controversy which had arisen as a result of Venezuela’s contention that the Arbitral Award of 1899, which definitively settled the boundary between the two countries, was null and void.
It stated too that Caricom had also taken note that Guyana has commenced a review of the options available under Article 33 of the
United Nations Charter, as provided by the 1966 Geneva Agreement, including the judicial option, that could serve to bring an end to the controversy and ensure stability in the relations between the two countries, relations that in recent years have seen positive progress through highlevel political consultations and mutually beneficial programmes of functional cooperation.
Labour Ministry Permanent Secretary Patrick Findlay, Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud, BK
Group Chairman Brian Tiwarie, BIT Chairman Clinton Williams and PRO Alex Graham along with the Joint Services ranks who participated in the training
St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves
Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro
President Donald Ramotar
CJIA squatters will be arrested, charged – Minister Benn
Public Works Minister Robeson Benn said he was extremely disturbed and disappointed by the barefaced actions of squatters who continued to clear lands vested to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
In a statement, Benn said despite repeated warnings by the Police, squatters persist in clearing and burning sections of lands to erect structures and farm. He stated that on Thursday, April 9, CJIA staff and Police stumbled upon this renewed activity in Timehri North, in the vicinity of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Ammo Dump and the Non-Directional Beacon (NDB). The squatters were cautioned to discontinue their actions.
“The Ministry cannot condone squatting on lands allocated for the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) – the country’s main port of entry for international travellers,” Benn stated. According to him, ‘cease and desist’ signs will be erected in the area shortly. Also he threatened that law enforcement officers will arrest and charge anyone who breached the order. “The Ministry and the Airport
Squatters have erected this structure
Authority, since 2008, have held meetings and engaged in one-on-one conversations with squatters on relocation options, the airport expansion and health and safety risks of living in close proximity to the Airport.”
The Minister said efforts have been made to encourage squatters to apply to the Lands and Surveys Commission for suitable alternative lands; however, many still refuse to take up the offer.
The airport expansion is
crucial to Guyana’s development, and the Ministry and CJIA remain committed to the project. The Public Works Ministry “wonders what has stimulated the resumption of squatting on airport and public lands earmarked for a critical national development project. At the same time, helping squatters relocate to suitable areas to ensure their source of income/livelihood is sustained is also top on the Ministry’s list of priorities.”
The wedding at Whim
Guyanese back from US int’l leadership programme
Local US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Bryan Hunt met with Miriam Jainarine upon her return from the United States after participating in an Embassy-sponsored International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP) exchange.
In a release, the Embassy said Jainarine, the Project Coordinator of Mibicuri Community Developers –Black Bush Polder, participated in an IVLP exchange on “Capacity Building to Empower Girls”, from March 2-20, 2015. She shared her IVLP experience with the Chargé d’Affaires and other US Embassy representatives.
One of the main objectives of the programme was emphasising the importance of girls’ and women’s leadership, civic participation and volunteerism as components of civic life in the US and around the world. During the programme, Jainarine and her counterparts from 12 countries visited several cities, including Washington, DC; Seattle, Washington; Denver, Colorado; and New York, New York.
These visits provided varied insights and understanding of cultivating leadership in young women and encouraging them to take action to improve communities.
Through in-depth discussions, meetings, and site visits, the IVLP participants had an opportunity to explore creative partnerships between Non-Governmental Organisations, community groups, public and private schools, and Government
agencies that address issues of concern to girls and women.
The empowerment of women and girls is not only important for an equitable society, it is essential to building stronger economies, achieving internationally recognised development goals, and improving the quality of life of women, men, families, and communities.
Advancing the full participation of women and girls in the political, economic, and social realms of their countries remains a key goal of US foreign policy.
Hunt reaffirmed the US Government’s commitment to working with and strengthening the role of civil society organisations which support the development of women and girls. He encouraged Jainarine to
build on the many professional linkages made with US institutions and other IVLP participants from countries across the globe to strengthen her work and that of her organisation for the benefit of the Guyanese people.
Hunt commended Mibicuri Community Developers for their contribution to enabling women to empower themselves through access to social and economic resources.
The IVLP is the Department of State’s premier professional exchange programme. The programme brings together emerging leaders in their respective professions to learn how US experts in their professions operate, and to share best practices with the other programme fellows who hail from across the globe.
Chargé d’Affaires Bryan Hunt and Miriam Jainarine of Mibicuri Community Developers
Granger objects to same-sex couples in GDF
…SASOD expresses disagreement
By Devina Samaroo
Leader of the PNCled A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) coalition, retired Brigadier General David Granger said he did not support same-sex relationships within the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), although he said he did not have an issue with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) in the Force.
Granger was at the time responding to a question posed by Joel Simpson, Managing Director of the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) concerning the discrimination against gays and lesbians in the work-
place, particularly in the Army. Granger explained that, because of the nature of the GDF, he believed it
was highly inadvisable and imprudent to have persons at remote locations or in certain situations at operational sites engaged in same-sex relationships. “I have seen numerous instances where it can lead to a complete breakdown in discipline,” he maintained.
Though he specifically emphasised that he was not discriminating against homosexuals, the Opposition Leader said it was better to have that separation in the Army in order to reduce possible problems.
“Their focus should be on operational readiness, but because of being in samesex relationships, people set aside operational objectives and pursue social objectives,” Granger justified.
APNU/AFC promises special units for domestic violence victims
The People’s National Congress (PNC)-led
A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition has promised to bolster the fight against domestic violence if elected on May 11 with the establishment of a Special Victims Unit (SVU) in Guyana.
Across the world, SVUs are established within specialised divisions in some Police departments. The detectives in this division typically investigate crimes involving sexual assault or related matters, such as domestic violence.
AFC Executive Cathy Hughes, who has always been vocal about women issues, said it was time for a massive transformation of the current system that deals with domestic violence cases in Guyana. “We want to make sure that when a woman goes to report an incident of domestic violence and also when she has been raped or any kind of situation of violence, there is a special unit funded with the requisite social workers, psychologists that can deal with the situation and provide some solutions,” she stated.
Hughes regrettably highlighted that many persons in authority were incompetent to deal with a domestic violence case, noting that this needed to change. She added that the entire population needed to be educated on how to deal with these situations. “What we have found and I have noticed it in the newspaper articles every time a woman, unfortunately, is killed, most of the newspapers reports make mention of the fact that even the neighbour
or some family member had a sense that this might have happened… the intervention is not being done at the first signs of abuse that are being displayed,” Hughes lamented.
Shortage of social workers
In addition, she said all schools needed to have at least one counsellor who students can feel free to confide in about domestic problems they may be enduring or are aware of.
However, Guyana has a knack for deterring individuals from entering into the field of social work; resulting in a shortage of social workers to fill the positions required to implement these initiatives.
Nonetheless, Hughes said, the coalition’s plan to address this issue is to make the field of social work more attractive by investing heavily in this area and ensuring social workers are rewarded with an equally attractive salary. “It is imperative to have a qualified trained individual that can act on the first indication and to do that we have to put the requisite funding into our national budget; it has to be
Therefore, Granger urged those who are promoting same-sex orientation to understand the nature of the GDF and desist from advocating for such rights to be extended to the Army.
“I’m not saying they should be sent out of the Force… there are certain situations where people ought not to be serving together, it’s just like having a husband and wife at a border location…,” Granger asserted.
Today, the military in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States of America allow the LGBT community to serve in the military. In the USA, President Barack Obama had signed a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010” where gays, lesbians, and bisexuals are allowed to serve openly in the United States Armed Forces.
Meanwhile, SASOD believes that a “modern, civilised, 21st century Guyana Defence Force” should have no discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. “Guyana can take example from the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States of America – countries which support us in the areas of security and defence –where there are clear policies against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and LGBT soldiers are afforded equal benefits for their partners and families as their heterosexual counterparts,” Simpson stated.
Legitimate basis Simpson also expressed his disbelief about Granger’s position on the matter.
AFC coalition is genuinely opposed to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
In other constituencies across the world, the policy regarding sexual orientation and the military forces is more modern. Of course, the movement from being socially repressive to socially accepted for LGBT persons to serve in the military was not an easy journey.
something that we make a priority and we fund it as it needs to be funded,” she said, noting that they needed to attract qualified and competent individuals.
On that note, Hughes asserted that the training of personnel at the Police stations was not “up to scratch” and this must be addressed with priority. Meanwhile, the idea of establishing a special unit to deal with these cases was first announced by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Member and Education Minister Priya Manickchand.
She had explained that victims of abuse currently have to visit more than one establishment to relate their concerns, which, in most cases, discourage them from making a report in the first place.
“If you have one centre, and it has a social worker, a nurse, the Police, everything in one place, the victim will only have to relate his/her traumatising experience once, instead of visiting these different places and saying the same thing over and over again,” she explained.
According to Simpson, there is no legitimate basis for having any exceptional policy which applies to only same-sex couples. “If the GDF should have a policy about persons involved in intimate relationships serving together, it should apply to both same-sex and differentsex couples alike, regardless if they are legally married or not,” he asserted.
As such, he noted that SASOD welcomed further dialogue between political stakeholders and the GDF on the issue. But as it stands, SASOD is pleased to say that it believes the APNU/
Only recently, SASOD had charged that research shows that LGBT youths in Guyana face severe discrimination which often goes unreported. According to the organisation, LGBT people have no legal protection on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity in the workplace. “The State has failed to address this problem due to a lack of political will and leadership and resource constraints… LGBT youths in Guyana face higher levels of unemployment, underemployment, and if employed, are paid lower wages.”
In the long run, it negatively impacts their ability to access housing, which then affects other key aspects of their lives, SASOD said. It was highlighted that access to housing, especially for LGBT youths, cannot be overshadowed, particularly as it relates to building resilience against HIV.
However, the Guyana Government had debunked the claims saying that it was unaware of discrimination claims made by the organisation. “The Government wishes to reiterate that the State does not discriminate against persons based on their sexual orientation, and that every Guyanese is entitled to their right to freedom of expression, employment, housing, medical care, as provided in the Constitution, laws and policies of Guyana,” Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett had told a United Nations forum. According to RodriguesBirkett, the Government is also unaware of complaints that it discriminates in employment with regard to the LGBT community in Guyana. “Regrettably, these complaints have not been brought to the attention of the Chief Labour Officer, the Public Service Commission or the court’s attention,” the Foreign Affairs Minister told the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group.
She emphasised that aggrieved persons in Guyana are free to approach the courts with constitutional motions on their human rights. “To date, there has been one such case in February 2010, seeking constitutional relief” in relations to four men found cross-dressing
“LGBT youths are ostracised by their families and communities… Without a safe place to stay when faced with homelessness, these youths are likely to drop out of school, become involved in sex work, and use dangerous drugs. These social factors are significant drivers of HIV and cause LGBT youths to come into conflict with the law.”
AFC Executive Cathy Hughes
Opposition Leader, retired Brigadier David Granger
SASOD Managing Director Joel Simpson
wednesday, april 15, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com
DEMTOCO profits plummet
...ultra low-priced competitors cited
By Vahnu Manikchand
Economic challenges compounded by stiff competition in 2014 have resulted in the Demerara Tobacco Company (DEMTOCO) Limited recording a 12 per cent decrease in its profits before tax, that is, $400 million less than the $3.2 billion in the previous year.
According to Chairman Amanda Cavill de Zavaley, in the Company’s financial report, DEMTOCO had faced significant challenges during 2014 as result of the impact of declining economic conditions on the disposable income of consumers and increased competition from ultra inexpensive competitors. This, she stated, resulted in the Company’s sales decreasing by $660 million or nine per cent. Consequently, earnings per share were reduced by 12.2 per cent or $9.66.
The Chairman noted that the Board of Directors already approved four interim dividends totalling $61.34 which, together with the proposed final dividend of $10.95 per share, brought the total dividend to $72.29 per ordinary share.
“The Guyana economy was mixed in 2014 with some growth in the first half of the year, driven by some favourable commodity prices, and contraction in the gold and bauxite production due to fluctuating international prices. This decline in the mining sector signif-
icantly contributed to the drop in Dunhill and Bristol performance. Furthermore, increased incidence of crime had a direct impact on the business hours of many retail outlets, and required greater vigilance in distribution of products by our distributor,” Cavill de Zavaley remarked.
Unfair competition
She further pointed out that the Company continued to experience challenges of fair and unfair competition, with the latter taking revenues from the Government.
The Chairman explained that DEMTOCO would continue to engage openly on regulatory issues and support evidence-based regulation, marketing its products responsibly, fighting tobacco trafficking and reducing our environmental impact. These issues, Cavill de Zavaley noted, helps the Company to be a successful global business while also raising standards across the industry to benefit Government and consumers.
“As a responsible organisation, we want to work with the authorities with regard to the regulation of the industry as we continue to seek balanced regulation. As a legal industry, controversial as we may seem, regulation adapted to the current market reality is essential in order to be able to communicate and market our products responsibly. We believe that as marketers
of cigarettes, we are knowledgeable about our product’s design, manufacture, distribution and sale. We are willing to work with regulators to provide measures which are in the best interest of all stakeholders,” she highlighted.
Economic environment
Furthermore, Cavill de Zavaley remarked that as a responsible Company, DEMTOCO sought to contribute through information, ideas and practical steps to helping regulators address the key issues surrounding its products and the industry as a whole. She underscored that the Company supported the need for effective and balanced regulation of the tobacco industry, pointing out that the absence of this leads to illicit trade.
She continued that DEMTOCO would further work on maintaining its commitment to Guyana through corporate social responsible activities. These include: supporting the Nazareth Home for senior citizens, rehabilitation work for the Guyana Relief Council (GRC) and works with the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS).
Managing Director Maurlain Kirton highlighted that the Company’s strength lies in its brand portfolio of being a member of a global industry coupled with a dedicated team. She noted that last year, DEMTOCO fully experienced the impact of a
DEMTOCO Chairman
Cavill de Zavaley challenging economic environment.
“The spin-off effect of contractions in disposable income led by reduced revenue from the economic drivers affected the purchasing level of our consumers. Resilient as we are, aggressive promotions and trade investment helped to mitigate further impact on our performance. The continuous availability of ultra-low priced and illicitly traded brands coupled with
increased crime levels were the other main contributing factors,” she remarked.
Kirton outlined that the performance was a result of prudent business decisions, which included cost-saving initiatives and robust financial controls. Additionally, the Company also focused on productivity improvements, managing cost-base through system standardisation and processes.
The Managing Director further revealed that in 2014, both the local and international brands were challenged in terms of volume performance. Pall Mall grew by 17 per cent, continuing to build on its equity and consumer attractiveness; Bristol’s performance was affected by consumer affordability while its availability was universal, while Dunhill sales reduced by 34 per cent last year impacted also by consumer disposable income.
In addition, 2014 saw total taxes paid to the Government amounting to 46 per cent or just over $3.4 billion of the Company’s Gross Income compared to
$3.9 billion in the previous year. Operating costs inclusive of Marketing and Overheads accounted for 11.96 per cent of Gross Income.
DEMTOCO’s total overhead costs included contributions made to charitable and other organisations as part of its commitment to invest in local communities. Return to investors amounted to $1.63 billion or 21.51 per cent compared to previous year of $1.78 billion or 21 per cent.
“We continue to foster efforts aimed at ensuring high standards within our supply chain, responsible marketing of our products, and strive to reduce the impact of tobacco use on public health. To grow our business, our Company must operate sustainably, creating value for our shareholders and society in a challenging and changing environment,” she stated.
Kirton added too that efforts in these areas have received positive recognition in the past and further promised to continue making even greater strides in the future.
Speeding, drunk driving continue to climb – Police
As the Guyana Police Force continues with its traffic enforcement activities, it has been highlighted that speeding and drunk driving are still major concerns, as the number of cases continue to climb.
In a release, the Police Force stated that as of April 13, there have been a total of 30 road fatalities compared to 31 recorded in the corresponding period last year.
However, despite this recorded decrease in accidents over the past two weeks, the Police are still calling on motorists to be extra vigilant on the roadways, especially given the reopening of school and the presence of students on the roadways again. Furthermore, law enforcers urged drivers to adhere to the five Cs – Care,
Caution, Common Sense, Courtesy and Consideration.
Meanwhile, during the period April 5 to 11, a number of cases were made out against errant motorists for breaching the various traffic laws.
These include a staggering 706 cases for speeding; 50 for driving under the influence (DUI); nine cases for careless driving; and 18 for dangerous driving. Additionally, some 29 cases were filed against drivers who were in breach of condition of their Road Service Licence.
There were also 31 cases of failure to wear a seat belt, five of failure to wear a safety helmet and another 31 cases for failure to adhere to a siren, along with 16 cases of using hand-held mobile phones while driving.
Also, nine persons were
charged for soliciting of passengers (touting) during this one-week period. The Police had disclosed that there have been 28 road fatalities from 19 accidents at the end of March 2015 when compared to 28 fatalities from 26 accidents for the same period in the previous year. It was pointed out that there have been decreases in all other categories of road accidents – serious, minor and damage. Passengers in motor vehicles have been the main category of road users affected so far. Speeding has been the major contributory factor to fatal accidents, having been the cause of nine of the 19 fatal accidents unto March 2015, while drunk driving accounted five of the accidents and the other was as a result of inattentiveness.
Police highlighted that speeding and drunk driving are still major concerns, as the number of cases continues to climb
Amanda
GT&T says PUC decision will further delay liberalisation
The Public Utilities Commission’s (PUC) decision to dismiss the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) Company’s application to increase rates for several services will further delay the liberalisation process.
This is according to GT&T Chief Executive Officer RK Sharma, who told Guyana Times that it is a lost opportunity that would have removed a roadblock in the path of liberalisation.
Sharma said the PUC’s decision clearly reflects the fact that Guyana has a less than clear vision for its future of telecommunication sector. Unless changes are made, he predicts that the country will continue to lag behind.
“We are disappointed by the PUC’s rejection of our effort to modify rates to reflect changes in the market since the last comprehensive rate review was done over a decade ago. It is an unfortunate outcome for consumers, who would have received enhanced services and seen their long distance rates cut,” Sharma explained.
He said anyone who reads the PUC order will see that it is really just a “laundry list of grievances” that are without merit in a modern telecommunication sector, noting that it is not based on a logical adherence to the law, a reasonable consideration of the voluminous record, or consistent with past PUC decisions and rulings.
“As an example, it wrongly assesses our long history of investments. The truth is, we have fulfilled all of our obligations and invested US$250 million since our last rate change and more than US$391 million since our contract began,” the CEO pointed out.
Sharma stated that the order also arrived at strange conclusions, such
as using the very frequent rate increases for the power and water utilities as a justification for denying the company’s first request in 15 years for a rate adjustment.
More so, he noted that, it is clear that the PUC did not consider the practical effects of its decision, which will force consumers to pay higher long distance rates.
“We have already filed an appeal, and we believe it is essential to keep pushing – after all, Guyana is one of very few countries such as Cuba in the western hemisphere that does not have 3G wireless service. This is nothing short of baffling.”
The PUC order, he further stated, is emblematic of the frustrating distance between the Government’s words and actions when it comes to modernising the telecom sector.
“But let me be clear – even with this setback, we stand ready to work with the Government to finally develop a clear and consistent plan based
on proven industry practice, fairness to all regardless of connection or influence, and the rule of law for moving our country forward on telecoms.”
However, the PUC is contending that GT&T only made the application because it wanted to give effect to a minimum of 15 per cent return on capital dedicated to public use. The 15 per cent return is provided for under the terms of the license which entitles the telephone giant to receive a minimum rate of return of 15 per cent on capital dedicated to public use.
“GT&T has been in operation, by way of monopoly, for the past 24 years and yet cannot fulfill that obligation which they undertook when the agreement was signed. There was no condition for the provision of spectrum –and being a monopoly for the land line service they choose to ignore the requests of potential consumers, blaming it on “spectrum,” the commission said.
On this note, Sharma disclosed that GT&T has repeatedly requested the spectrum necessary to provide 3G and believes its competitor has done the same. He added that the Government could facilitate the deployment of 3G at any time by releasing spectrum to the legally licensed carriers.
“The spectrum concern may appear to be separate from the rate case, liberalisation and legislation, but it is not –it underscores a much broader concern that the Government has been unable or unwilling to advance the telecom sector and allow the introduction of new services,” he further explained.
Despite the prevailing challenges, Sharma said GT&T will continue to partner with the Government to develop a plan for advancing the telecommunication sector.
Walk hosted against domestic violence
Traits Model Management in collaboration with renowned Guyanese designer, Roger Gary hosted a fashion walk against domestic violence last Sunday.
The walk which was executed along the walkway of the Demerara Harbour Bridge was done in keeping with the theme “Domestic Violence needs to be lessened in Guyana.”
During the exercise, Miss Guyana Universe Nikita Barker said Domestic Violence is a worldwide issue which continues to plague Guyana. She said ever so often women, children and even men are abused by their loved ones. Barker stressed that more needs to be done to address the issue of Domestic Violence.
Meanwhile, former Miss Jamzone Alicia Bess applauded the model agency for the step taken to generate greater awareness on the burning issue.
Shawn Arjune, another model attached to the agency, noted that he loved the energy and spirit in knowing that the walk forms part of a nationwide effort to bring an end to domestic violence in Guyana.
He shared the same sentiments as Barker, in that domestic violence is one in which women and children are violated, noting too that more can be done to curb the issue.
Studies in both developing and developed coun-
tries indicate that between 20 and 67 per cent of women globally experience violence in relationships. Domestic Violence, particularly abuse of women by their male partners is among the most common and dangerous gender based violence. Domestic violence is also inflicted upon children. There are also cases of domestic violence being perpetrated against men however, women are overwhelmingly the victims. The prevalence of domestic violence suggests that it is neither random nor isolated nor can it be explained by abnormal characteristics of the abuser or the victim. Rather, domestic violence has been described as “systemic and structural,” a mechanism of patriarchal of women that is built on male superiority and female inferiority, sex stereotyped roles and expectations, and economic, social and political predominance of men, and dependency of women.
Chief Executive Officer, RK Sharma
Miss Guyana Universe Nikita Barker
Presidential debate in limbo
The highly anticipated presidential debate is now in limbo as the Private Sector Commission (PSC) awaits a response from the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) on its participation in the proposed prime ministerial debate.
The PSC, which is play-
GuySuCo
ing an integral role in organising the national debate between the Presidential Candidates of the two major political groupings in Guyana – the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) coalition and the PPP/C, is
currently awaiting an official response from the latter
party.
The proposal for a prime ministerial debate was put forth by the Opposition alliance, which is now threatening to boycott the presidential debate if there is no prime ministerial debate.
PSC Chairman Ramesh Persaud said if the PPP/C does not issue a response by today, he will be forced to announce the cancellation of these highly anticipated debates.
Speaking with the Guyana Times on Tuesday, PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate Elisabeth Harper said she is fully aware that the hosting of the presidential debate depends on her party’s decision.
In a previous interview, when asked if she was willing to debate the APNU/AFC Prime Ministerial Candidate Moses Nagamootoo, Harper simply said that Guyana will just have to “wait and see.”“We’ll have to see how
official arrested in US for cocaine trafficking – 70 year-old also nabbed
Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Communications Officer Thenga Adams, who also serves as the Vice President of the Plaisance Basketball Club, has been arrested in the United States of America for allegedly trying to smuggle some three and a half pounds of cocaine into the country.
According to reports received by the Guyana Times, the 29-year-old Adams on his trip to the US on April 7, arrived at the John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport with the illicit drug packed in his two suitcases, which he confessed to Customs Officers that he had packed himself.
Upon further inspection of his luggage, the Customs Officers reportedly found two pairs of athletic sneakers in each suitcase, that appeared unused. This prompted the Officers to dig deeper. It was then that the heel areas of the sneakers were cut open and the cocaine was discovered. The man had confessed, according to information received, that he was indeed aware that the illegal substance was hidden in the sneakers. Adams has since been charged and has been remanded to prison pending his hearing.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, a 70-year-old Guyanese woman identified as Olive Fowler has been placed under detention at the Brooklyn Metro Detention Centre
after she was busted at John F Kennedy (JFK) Airport with almost four pounds of cocaine on Saturday last stashed in the layers of underwear she was wearing at the time.
Information receiving this publication indicates that during a ‘pat down’ by Police officers at the Airport the substance was discovered after they had realised that the underwear felt ‘too heavy’.
She too has been remanded to prison.
that matter unfolds…let’s wait and see what happens.”
President Donald Ramotar is quoted in other sections of the media as saying that his party’s Prime Ministerial Candidate is more than competent and
equipped for any debate. With less than one month before one of the most impor-
tant General and Regional Elections in Guyana, the possibility of having one of the most important debates is dependent upon the PPP/ C’s decision.
It was during a recent meeting with the PSC that the APNU/AFC coalition said that it is only fitting that a prime ministerial debate be organised as well.
In that meeting, the coalition made it clear that it
would not participate in any debate unless the PSC organises both debates.
But some sections of society believe that the Opposition’s sudden threat to boycott the anticipated presidential debate is an indication of its fear of debating its policies against those of the PPP/C.
Earlier this month, the Opposition had pulled out from a series of debates organised by the National Communications Network Inc (NCN), arguably, another indication of fear.
In fact, NCN was never given the courtesy of an answer. During the elections period, typically in the United States, it has become customary for the main candidates to engage in debates. The topics discussed in the debates are often the most controversial of the time, and arguably elections have been nearly decided by these debates.
5 homeless after Guyhoc Gardens’ fire
Afamily of five is now homeless after a midmorning fire destroyed their two storey house at Lot 75 Guyhoc Gardens, Georgetown on Tuesday.
The building, which was being rented, was occupied by two sisters: Denise Tobin and Simone Tobin, her two children and their grandmother.
At the time of the fire, which occurred at around 11:45hr, only the grandmother and her two-year old great-grandson were home.
When Guyana Times visited the scene of the fire, the family was already gone.
However, neighbours reported that when they noticed the blaze, they immediately contacted the fire service, which they applauded for its prompt response.
According to one neighbour, Tiffany Gordon, although the fire service arrived in a timely manner, the firefighters had a difficult time acquiring water to put out the flames.
“I’m surprise they reach so fast, that’s good, that’s a first, but still they didn’t had water so they took a while to get that…but they still out it in time before it spread to the other houses,” Gordon stated.
While some neighbours claimed that the fire was electrical in nature, others blamed the two-year old child for the incident.
“I don’t know how it happen, we have to wait on the investigations to see because some say its electrical and some say the child was playing with matches and that’s how the fire start,” another neighbour related.
Labourer jailed after being found with gun, ammo
A23-year-old labourer was sentenced to two years imprisonment by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday after being found guilty of unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition.
Joel Johnson pleaded guilty to the charges which read that on April 12, 2015 he had in his possession an
undisclosed quantity of live rounds of 7.380 ammunition without being a licensed firearm holder.
The defendant was also charged with being in possession of a .38 pistol on the day in question.
According to Police Prosecutor Steven Gonsalves, the young man is employed as a labourer at a shop at Omai, Aranka, North West District.
He said that on the day in question, the defendant had an argument with one of his female friends, during which, he threatened to shoot her while brandishing the aforementioned firearm.
The matter was reported to the Police station and a search was conducted at the shop where the defendant was employed at the time. During the search, the firearm and ammunition were
found, resulting in his arrest.
In his defense, Johnson told the Court that the firearm and its components do not belong to him but were given to him by his employer Rhonda Samuels for his protection.
The man claimed that on the day of the incident, he had shown the female friend the firearm and round of ammunition, adding that he
had even given her a round to keep as a memento.
The defendant alleged that the arresting officers physically assaulted him during the search in their quest to allocate the gun.
Fearful for his life, Johnson said he took the officers to the spot where he hid the gun and ammunition.
After listening to all of the facts presented and
the statements given, the Magistrate fined the man $100,000 on the charge of the unlawful possession of ammunition and sentenced him to two years in prison for the charge of being in possession of a firearm without being a licensed firearm holder. An investigation was also ordered into the defendant’s allegations of assault by the Police.
PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate Elisabeth Harper
APNU/AFC Presidential Candidate David Granger
APNU/AFC Prime Ministerial Candidate Moses Nagamootoo
PPP/C Presidential Candidate Donald Ramotar
Thenga Adams
The fire destroying the house in Guyhoc Gardens
Cuba to be taken off US terror list
S President Barack
UObama will remove Cuba from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, the White House says.
The move comes amid a normalisation of relations between the US and Cuba.
The Caribbean country’s presence on the list alongside Syria, Iran and Sudan was a sticking point for Cuba during talks to reopen embassies.
Obama announced the historic US thaw with Cuba in December, but the US trade embargo against the country remains, and may only be ended by Congress.
In a message to Congress, Obama said the Government of Cuba “has not provided any support for international terrorism” over the last six months and had “provided assurances that it will not support acts of international terrorism in the future”.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the US still had differences with Cuba.
“Our concerns over a wide range of Cuba’s policies and actions fall outside the criteria that is relevant to whether to rescind Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism,” said Earnest.
Caribbean Airlines updates baggage policy
With effect from today, passengers utilising the services of Caribbean Airlines will be entitled to one free carry-on and one free piece of checked luggage, with the option to pay for up to three additional checked pieces. However, each checked bag must not exceed 50lbs.
In a statement on Tuesday, Caribbean Airlines explained that the new baggage policy applies immediately to all passengers who would have purchased their tickets on or after February 1, 2015.
“All baggage fees, dimensions and weight restrictions based on passenger destination, along with other optional services can be viewed via our website at: http://caribbean-airlines.com/index.php/ optional-fees,” the airline explained.
Business class passengers, customers enrolled in its Caribbean Miles and Seven, passengers purchasing flexible economy fares and customers who purchased their tickets before February 1, 2015 will be exempted from the baggage fee for their 2nd checked bag.
Additionally, members of the Heaven Rewards Loyalty programmes who have earned silver, gold or executive gold status will be ex-
empted, in addition to passengers travelling to and from London. “Business class passengers on international services now have an increased baggage allowance of three complimentary checked pieces with a weight limit of 50 lbs per bag.”
It also pointed out that passengers, who choose to travel with carry-on baggage, will be entitled to one piece of carry-on not exceeding 22 lbs and one personal item which could be in the form of a laptop, briefcase or small bag.
“Customers will enjoy the convenience of paying for their extra bags ahead of their travel date via our Ticket Offices and Reservations Call Centres, or at their departure airport where our agents are equipped with Smart Hand Held Computers to ensure a quick seamless experience,” the airline said.
Caribbean Airlines first announced its intention to revise its baggage policy in December 2014. The roll out of the new baggage policy began on December 18, 2014 on flights to and from Toronto. “The new checked baggage policy, whereby Caribbean Airlines passengers now have the option to pay for additional checked baggage, is in alignment with prevailing industry trends,” the airline added.
The US blockade against Cuba remains Iran, Sudan and Syria remain on the list.
Cuba was first placed on the State Department list in 1982, for what the US called efforts “to promote armed revolution by organisations that used terrorism”.
The US believes Cuba
had long provided a safe haven for members of the Basque separatist group ETA and Colombia’s FARC guerrilla group, according to its 2013 Report on Terrorism.
But the Caribbean nation has frequently rejected its presence on the list, describing it as unfounded.
Soul singer Percy Sledge dies aged 74
US soul singer Percy Sledge, famed for his song “When a Man Loves a Woman”, has died aged 74.
Steve Green from talent agency Artists International Management Inc confirmed to the BBC that he died at his home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Tuesday.
“He was one of my first acts, he was a terrific person and you don’t find that in this business very often,” said Green. “He was truly a standout.”
Sledge had surgery for liver cancer in January 2014 but soon resumed touring.
Sledge’s debut single “When a Man Loves a Woman” reached the top 10 twice in the UK and topped the US Billboard chart for two weeks in 1966, when it also got to number four in
the UK chart.
During an interview for the 2013 documentary Muscle Shoals, he recalled his first recording of it.
“When I came into the studio, I was shaking like a leaf. I was scared,” he said, adding that it was the “same melody that I sang when I was out in the fields. I just wailed out in the woods and let the echo come back to me”.
He told BBC Radio 6 Music’s Craig Charles in a 2011 interview that he came up with the melody for “When A Man Loves A Woman”.
Musician Bootsy Collins paid tribute on his Facebook page with the words: “Just lost another legend funkateers, Mr Percy Sledge.” (Excerpt from BBC News)
Guyanese man who swallowed 72 bags of cocaine sent to
Adrug smuggler who risked his life by swallowing more than 70 bags of cocaine before boarding a flight to Manchester has been jailed.
An X-ray revealed dozens of bags, each the size of a ‘large gherkin’, in Wade Williams – the drugs were later found to be worth £200,000 (US$213,000)
Wade Williams, 53, was stopped by Border Force officers on Valentine’s Day after his flight from Barbados landed at Manchester Airport.
The incident adds to another high-profile case, with another smuggler caught at Manchester Airport last month.
It is understood Williams, of Georgetown, Guyana, began to ‘produce’ the packages after high-tech border
checks and during questioning and he was promptly taken for an X-ray.
The scan confirmed he had swallowed 1.5 kilos of high-purity cocaine in 72 small packages – each the size of a ‘large gherkin’.
The drugs’ likely street value once cut would have been £200,000. The bags were so potent that had just one of them split, it could have been fatal.
The case was handed over to the National Crime Agency’s policing team at the airport.
Williams was questioned and charged with importing Class A drugs.
He appeared before Recorder Robert Crawford at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court and was jailed for five years after pleading guilty to the charge.
Wade Williams
There was also an order for his deportation and the destruction of the drugs.
Rob Miles, head of the National Crime Agency’s Manchester border investigation team, said: “This demonstrates the desperation shown by smugglers to get illegal drugs into the UK. His actions were foolish to say the least – had just one of the 72 packages swal-
jail
lowed by Williams broken or split, it is likely the consequences would have been fatal.
“It also shows that it doesn’t matter how well traffickers hide the drugs, we can still find them and stop them.”
Border staff use search techniques including sniffer dogs, carbon dioxide detectors, heartbeat monitors and scanners to find stowaways, illegal drugs, firearms and tobacco.
Criminal investigations launched as a result of Border Force seizures are undertaken by officers from the National Crime Agency’s Border Policing Command. Anyone with information about activity which may be linked to smuggling should call 0800 59 5000. (Excerpt from Manchester Evening News)
MMC employee gets 21-day sentence – guilty of assaulting wife
An employee of MMC Security Services was sentenced to 21 days in prison by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on Monday after being found guilty of two charges –damage to property and unlawful assault causing actual bodily harm.
John George, 49, of Lot 338 East Ruimveldt, Georgetown pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that on April 11, 2015 at the aforementioned address, he damaged one cell
phone valued at $30,000, property of the Virtual Complainant (VC) Michelle George. The charge also read that on the same day he also unlawfully assaulted the VC causing her actual bodily harm.
According to Police Prosecutor Bharat Mangru, the two individuals are married and have four minor children. He said that on the day in question, the VC told the defendant that she needed $16,000 to purchase some items for the house.
It was further explained that the man became annoyed and began choking the VC during which he grabbed her cell phone and damaged it.
In addressing the Court, the defendant expressed his remorse and apologised to his wife.
He further told the Court that he was still recovering from a night of alcohol when the incident occurred. Nevertheless, he promised that it would never happen again.
The defendant’s representative, Attorney-at-law Paul Fung-A-Fat, requested bail on the grounds that the man has shown remorse and has no previous trouble with the law. He added that the VC did not wish to give evidence against the defendant.
The Magistrate fined the man $30,000 and sentenced him to 21 days in prison. She also informed him that he will have to compensate the VC for the phone by bearing the cost of the repairs.
Cuban President Raul Castro and US President Barack Obama met during the Summit of the Americas last week
wednesday, april 15, 2015| guyanatimesgy.com
Gonsalves concerned about slow pace of CSME implementation
Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves said that while countries across the region have been successful at the Caricom Single Market (CSM), they are yet to reach the “economy” aspect of that accord.
Gonsalves, in an invited comment on Monday evening, told Guyana Times more still needs to be done by regional countries in terms of their tenacity and speed to see the full realisation of the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME). Guyanese over the years have been humiliated by immigration officials in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago. Similar treatment has been meted out to citizens of Jamaica and some of the smaller Caribbean islands.
Gonsalves, while acknowledging this, said Guyana remains a pillar in the community of the CSME, noting that “the issue is that everybody has benefited from the Caribbean Single Market but has not reached the economy as yet.”
According to him, many of the issues are in order, including trade, and
ed development strategy envisioned at the 10th Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community which took place in July, 1989 in Grand Anse, Grenada.
February 4, 2002 under a Protocol on the Provisional Application of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.
the free movement of people and capital. However, he noted that progress for many of these countries “is not moving as fast as we would want it to be but we accept the independent community of states and we have to persuade those who are a little slower to catch up with all the institutional arrangement in place.”
Gonsalves said “I am not a pessimist, I see a number of things coming out of CSME, sometimes I myself am a little disappointed at the slow pace, but I don’t allow it to frustrate me.”
CSME is an integrat-
The Grand Anse Declaration has three key features including the deepening of economic integration by advancing beyond a common market towards a single market and economy, the widening of the membership and expansion of the economic mass of the Caribbean Community and the progressive insertion of the region into the global trading and economic system by strengthening trading links with non-traditional partners.
The CSME was implemented through a number of phases, first being the Caricom Single Market (CSM). CSM was initially implemented on January 1, 2006 with the signing of the document for its implementation by six original member states. However, the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas establishing the CSME had been provisionally applied by twelve member states of Caricom
Nine protocols had been drafted to amend the original Treaty of Chaguaramas and had been consolidated into the revised treaty signed at Nassau in 2001, with a number of the protocols having been applied in part or in full from their creation in 1997 and 1998, including the provision on the Free Movement of Skilled Nationals.
As of July 3, 2006, the CSME had 12 members. Although the CSME has been established, in 2006 it was expected to be fully implemented in 2008.
Later in 2007, a new deadline for the coming into effect of the single economy was set for 2015; however, following the global 200708 financial crisis and the resulting Great Recession, in 2011, Caricom Heads of Government declared that progress towards the single economy had been put on pause.
The completion of the CSME with the single economy will be achieved with the harmonisation of economic policies, and possibly a single currency.
Linden Town Week pageant delegates sashed –
winner to receive motorcar
The stakes are higher in this year’s competition as nine delegates vie for the crown of
The PPP/C formula for victory: Getting their messages to stick (Part two)
by MK Singh
Strategically the PPP/C must continue to point out that the forthcoming elections represent a fight between the two major political parties of Guyana; the PPP/C and the PNC/R. The AFC is now now just a part of the PNC.
All members of the PNC, including AFC members, will have to embrace common goals, policies and programs. There will not be an AFC position anymore. What comes to mind is the “coalition” between PNC/R and the United Force (TUF) in the 1960s. That didn’t last long, and the TUF was quickly marginalized in the political process.
Having Professor Harold Lutchman as the APNU referee will not necessarily guarantee the honoring of pre-election promises, some of which seems unrealistic. Giving the AFC segment 12 seats in Parliament is more than generous.
“By granting the AFC an additional 5 Parliamentary seats over what they secured in 2011, the PNC/R segment was willing to make that offer in return for the Presidency which they badly want.”
At a more practical level and after some time, how will the leaders differentiate (who is PNC, who is AFC, and who is ‘Other?’) among members?
What now will differentiate them from one another? How many seats will go to ‘Other’ parties in the APNU coalition? At this rate, the PNC might end up as the minority in the coalition. Serious policy conflicts are bound to emerge, many of which will play out in Parliament. .
Can Moses become the savior of the Guyanese people? Can he deliver them out of the social bondage that he and others had created? Think hard! He is by no means a charismatic leader: all talk and no action.
ism…,” he noted. Competitors in this year’s pageant include Manouska Vyhuis (del -
Miss Linden Town Week 2015. The winner is expected to walk away with a grand prize of a motor car, compliments of Trans Pacific Motors Spares and Auto Sales.
This was revealed at the sashing ceremony for delegates held on Thursday evening at the Watooka Guest House, Mackenzie, Linden. The pageant, slated for April 25, will set the stage for the official opening of Linden Town
Week 2015 on April 26. Vybz Entertainment, the official franchise holder of this year’s activities, has also secured the franchise for the event. Vybz Chairman Devin Sears said the pageant has, over the years, attracted a calibre of women who are not only beautiful but also intelligent.
“This year, we are going to be focusing on empowering women and we have attracted quite a few educated women who are university graduates, sports personalities, persons who are into journal -
egate number one), Miss Nottinghamshire; Keisha Lewis (delegate number two) – Miss Sivertown; Lurlee Stephens (delegate number three) – Miss Aroaima; Irie Cadogan (delegate number four) –Miss Central Mackenzie; Keisha Fraser (delegate number five) – Miss Victory Valley; Carletta Johnson (delegate number six) – Miss Retrieve; Shenell Browne (delegate number seven) – Miss
Christianburg; Sellon Massiah (delegate number eight) – Miss Amelia’s Ward; and Nickita McFarlane (delegate number nine) – Miss Watooka.
Other prizes up for grabs include: a trip for two to Jamaica, along with other prizes for the second runner-up), the first runner-up will receive a full university scholarship. Best Smile, Miss Congeniality and Best Gown prizes will also be awarded.
Sears said the winner will automatically become a Vybz Entertainment Ambassador, tasked with travelling and inspiring positive change. “What we intend to do over the years is raise the standard of pageantry in Linden.
We are hoping that it will grow and take on a whole new perspective. What we are trying to do is let whoever win automatically go on to enter into Miss Guyana World; however, that might not be possible this year because of the time frame… but next year…
In order to reach that stage we have to raise the level of standards in pageantry here,” he said. Sears added that emphasis will also be placed on having the Miss Linden Town Week queen become more involved in developmental activities in the town.
Moses Nagamotoo and his PNC colleagues want to close down the sugar industry but offer no viable alternative. They continually attack the subsidies given to the sugar industry by the PPP/C government.
When the bauxite industry was bleeding to death and the PPP/C government rescued it from total collapse, Nagamotoo and others turned the other side. Well, if Region 10 (Linden) with the bauxite industry is the PNC strong hold, then the PPP/C has a similar claim to the sugar industry.
This ambivalence on Moses’ part clearly shows how his approach to national policy is contradictory. Do Moses and his PNC colleagues care about how 10,000+ sugar workers’ families would live and survive if they were to close down the sugar industry?
Over the years, Nagamotoo was forceful in his condemnation of successive rigged elections by PNC and now he has forgotten that.
As if that was not enough, he also wanted to deny history. He was one of the first journalists to arrive at Rodney's execution scene and yet he refused to testify. Is this the type of leadership Guyanese want? Unable to face difficult situations, how can one then lead at a higher level?
Nagamotoo seems to be uncomfortable in his new role into which he has cast himself. He recently said in New York that he is "not an Indian". To deny one’s race or ethnic identity points to a condition of low self-esteem. Is he undergoing an identity crisis because he is with the PNC?.
But wait, if he is not Indian, how could he promise Granger to deliver 11% of Indian votes? Would he tell the Indians that they, too, are not Indians? If Nagamotoo does not deliver the 11% Indian vote, would Granger still deliver the 12 seats to Nagamotoo? .
The PPP just have to contrast the PNC/R performance with that of the PPP. The PNC/R regime was characterized by mismanagement, bankruptcy and a lack of freedom. The PPP has 8 years of consecutive growth to its credit, even outperforming many Caribbean economies.
Their plan for youth development, including the drastic reduction of the youth unemployment level, should be well articulated. Closely related to this is the concept of neighborhood revitalization and the creation of economic zones that target distressed areas for development.
The PPP/C should point out how they respond more effectively to crime, drugs and corruption. They must devise appropriate messages to address these issues. And messages that stick with voters. This should become a top campaign issue.
St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves
The delegates after being sashed
Cassava crop burns as dry weather takes toll
...Govt says millions needed for full response
By Vahnu Manikchand
Huge acres of cassava – a major food staple in the hinterland –are under serious threat in Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo) as the drought-like conditions in that community continue to take a toll on residents and their farms.
Access to water has become a major constraint especially for irrigation purposes and farmers in the Region are mostly affected.
Regional Chairman Wilson Lorentino told the Guyana Times that while the drought situation was affecting everyone, it was the farmers who were suffering the most. He explained that most of the shallow wells and creeks are drying, while others have already dried up.
However, he noted that in some villages, the schools and hospitals are still getting water and that was where residents sourced their supply. In other communities, particularly those with the small-scale farmers, they personally transport water from still flowing sources in tanks and barrels using tractors.
are at a disadvantage with the shortage of water and grasses as well.
In an interview with the Guyana Times recently, Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy was hopeful that the cassava crop could be saved. “We are aware that the cassava crop will need water and we are working with the [Civil Defence Commission] CDC and Guyana Water Inc [GWI] to ensure we do not lose the cassava crop,” the Minister said.
Meanwhile, as the severe dry weather continues in Region Nine, the Agriculture Ministry has mobilised a
two additional veterinarians working in the Region to make sure that if there are emerging problems, they will alert us. We also have sent in vaccines and medications along with vitamins and molasses block as supplementary feeding,” he disclosed.
Recovery processes
Dr Ramsammy noted that these efforts began sometime ago when the situation was not yet a drought but a dry season and will now have to be further intensified.
The Agriculture Minister further mentioned that his Ministry was also preparing recovery processes by providing seeds and cassava sticks for replanting once the weather improved.
Dr Ramsammy further declared his Ministry’s preparedness with a full-blown drought response as it relates to the agriculture sector during the bad weather conditions anticipated over the next few months.
However, he explained that such a response will costs millions. Dr Ramsammy revealed that over the past few months, his Ministry has been using
“If this (dry weather) continues, then it will be terrible for us; we need the rain. There was some shower last night (Sunday), but it wasn’t enough. All the communities are feeling the effect and suffering, but is the farmers getting hit harder,” he lamented.
According to Lorentino, the most important concern for the farmers is saving the current cassava crop. He noted that with the extreme dry weather, only some of the cassava sticks were ready, but they were getting dry.
The Regional Chairman is worried that if there is not adequate rainfall within the next month or so, the cassava crop will be lost. The cassava crop usually takes three, six or 12 months from planting to harvesting, depending on the species.
Furthermore, Lorentino pointed out that even the farmers rearing livestock
team to the Region to help sustain the crops and livestock.
“Our extension workers are out monitoring the situation, but we have provided two mist blowers to apply pesticide to the crops also distributed several 1000 packs of acoushi-ants bait. Last week, the Ministry donated eight more mist blowers to Amerindian Affairs Ministry and they are coordinating with the most affected communities for them to have access to these machines,” he noted.
On the other hand, Dr Ramsammy outlined that in addition to agriculture, Region Nine has become a major livestock industry over the years. He noted that the worsened weather is also affecting livestock rearing activities.
“Livestock feeding has been one largely based on grass feeding and what we have done so far is, we have
Aerial monitoring of fires in Kanuku Mountains being conducted
With reports of forest fires in the foothills of the Kanuku Mountains in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry recently facilitated an aerial assessment of the area.
Working with its Region Nine partners, including affected communities and Conservation International, the Ministry has begun monitoring the size, location, direction of movement and speed of the fires.
The first helicopter overflight was conducted on April 9, 2015 and surveyed the forests, savannahs and
mountains around Lethem, Moco Moco, St Ignatius, Shulinab and Sand Creek villages. Slow moving fires were observed in a number of areas surveyed, with the vast majority of the fires moving away from settlements and up the sides of the mountains.
Much of these fires appeared to be burning leaf litter and dry vegetation, and produced significant amounts of smoke that are affecting some areas. However, the fires have not yet been observed consuming mature trees or destroying large tracts of forest.
As these fires are known to be unpredictable, and
with their proliferation being compounded by the extended dry conditions in Region Nine, the Ministry will continue to monitor their movement.
The data collected, including any relevant satellite imagery, will be used to strengthen the assessments and mitigation efforts currently being undertaken in the area by the Government.
The Ministry calls on all stakeholders to use caution during this period, particularly as communities begin clearing farmlands, and to work together to address the challenges being faced by these affected Regions.
EU launches traineeship programme for young professionals
Tits budget to fund preparatory works such as extra pumping of irrigation water across the country, but a full drought situation response will require expenditure way beyond what the budget can support.
“Indeed, for the last month we have had to source extra funding from different programmes within the Ministry to support the Region Nine response and without a 2015 budget, we now depend on the releases of one 12th of the regular budget so we will require an extra budgetary support,” he declared.
According to the Minister, a full-blown drought response for the agriculture sector in Region Nine for next two month would exceed some $50 million. This amount does not include the trucking in of water to affected communities, which the CDC has been tasked with spearheading.
he Delegation of the European Union to Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and the Dutch Overseas Countries and Territories is pleased to announce the launch of its non-remunerated Traineeship Programme, aimed at giving young professionals and students from the Region an opportunity to garner skills as trainees at the Delegation.
In a release, the EU Delegation here said the trainee positions are being offered to young university graduates with no, or only limited (one year maximum) relevant professional experience, as well as to students in the final year of university where the traineeship is a complement to their academic training.
The preferred traineeship period is five months, full-time, with the starting date at the end of June. Successful applicants will be based at the EU Delegation in Georgetown, Guyana.
The traineeships are being offered in the Bilateral, Trade, Political, Press and Information, as well as in Finance, Contracts and Audits Sections. Head of the Delegation of the EU
to Guyana, Ambassador Robert Kopecký, in brief remarks highlighted that it was an exciting venture that the Delegation has embarked on and he hopes that there will be a multitude of applicants, not only from Guyana but hopefully from the other territories where the Delegation is accredited. He further said that it was an opportunity for the successful applicants to get an early insight into the functioning of a large international organisation, that is the European Union.
Interested applicants can find the terms of reference detailing requirements on the Delegation’s website
at www.delguy.ec.europa. eu; on Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/ Delegationof-the-European-Unionin-Guyana; and on Twitter www.twitter.com/ DELGUYGEO To be considered for the programme, applicants should primarily be nationals from where the Delegation is accredited (Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and the Dutch OCTs) as well as EUmember states. However, on a case-by-case basis, applicants of other nationalities will also be considered. The deadline for submitting applications for the internship programme is April 30, 2015.
Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy
Access to water has become a major constraint especially for irrigation purposes and farmers
An aerial view of the forest fires
Head of the Delegation of the EU to Guyana, Ambassador Robert Kopecký
SUDOKU
ARIES (March 21April 19)
TAURUS (April 20May 20)
GEMINI (May 21June 20)
CANCER
An unexpected slowdown will turn in your favour. Financial changes are headed your way. Set aside some time to spend with an elderly relative. Learn from a past mistake.
Business meetings and socialYour willingness to help others will come into play and raise your profile. Someone close to you needs your empathy and assistance. Love and romance are highlighted.
Be a leader and share the ideas you have to improve the workplace. A jealous colleague will try to stymie your plans, but you will win in the end if you are persistent.
LEO (July 23Aug. 22)
VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)
Don’t let minor annoyances sour your day. Control what you can and go with the flow otherwise. The changes that concern you will end up working in your favour.
Ask yourself if your current partnerships will help you get where you want to go. If you feel it is time to move on, make personal alterations and focus on fulfilling your dreams.
Unleash your creativity and do something unusual to invigorate your senses. Younger relatives will play a prominent role in your plans and give you insight to make improvements.
LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)
If your career is boring you, a change is in order. Daily routines will lead to dissatisfaction. Check your options, but don’t quit one job without having a replacement lined up.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)
You will be inspired and excited. Share your ideas and take time for fun and entertainment. Forget about your current trials and tribulations and go for the gusto.
CAPRICORN (June 21July 22)
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)
There will be turmoil on the home front. Tact and diplomacy will be needed when dealing with the people you live with, so don’t try to push your opinions on anyone.
(Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19)
Accept social or group invitations. A chance meeting will lead to an important connection. Your style and flair will result in greater popularity and new friendships.
AQUARIUS
PISCES
(Feb. 20March 20)
Uncertainty at work will confuse you. Have faith in your abilities. If you feel your talents are being wasted, consider ways to branch out, follow your dreams and utilise your skills effectively.
You will have an emotionally challenging day. Don’t get upset if someone offers you friendly advice. Consider what’s said and use the information offered to you productively.
PeanutS
Calvin and HobbeS
dilbert
arCHie
Djokovic safely through in Monte Carlo
As he bids to regain the Monte Carlo Masters title he won in 2013, Novak Djokovic started with a comfortable win over Albert Ramos.
Novak Djokovic sailed into the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters with a 6-1 6-4 victory over qualifier Albert Ramos on Tuesday.
The Serbian top seed is gunning for his fourth Masters title in a row in Monaco, which would see him become the first man to win the first three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events of the season.
Djokovic, who last won
this event in 2013 to break eight years of Rafael Nadal dominance, outnumbered his opponent by three breaks to one as he dominated the opening set, while a single broken serve was enough to earn him the second - serving to love to put the match to bed.
The world number one will now meet the winner of the match between Bernard Tomic and Andreas HaiderMaurer in the next round.
Indeed, Djokovic was the first player to book his place in the last 16, with much of Tuesday’s action taking place in the first round.
Gilles Simon safely negotiated his meeting with sole Monaco representative Benjamin Balleret, winning 6-4 6-2 against the wildcard, while fellow Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was a 6-4 6-4 winner over JanLennard Struff.
There was further French success as Gael Monfils and Jeremy Chardy defeated Andrey Kuznetsov (4-6 6-3 6-4) and Diego Schwartzman (7-5 6-2) respectively, while Lucas Pouille pulled off an early upset.
The 108th-ranked player triumphed 6-4 6-4 over Austria’s Dominic Thiem to set up a second-round clash with third seed Nadal.
Chardy’s reward for his win is a meeting with Roger Federer.
Spanish duo Tommy Robredo and Marcel Granollers also came through their first-round clashes with Andreas Seppi (6-3 1-6 6-4) and Adrian Mannarino (6-3 6-0) and will meet each other in the next stage.
Elsewhere, Juan Monaco will face defending champion Stanislas Wawrinka following a 6-4 6-2 win over Jiri Vesely. (Digicel SportsMAx)
Allan Donald steps down as South Africa’s bowling coach
Allan Donald has stepped down as South Africa bowling coach after four successful years in the role.
The South African, a formidable fast bowler in his playing days, took over in June 2011 and helped the team become the top-ranked Test nation in 2012.
“I was blessed to have worked with the best bowling attack in the world over a four-year period and leave with fond memories and experiences,” said Donald.
He took 330 wickets in 72 Tests at an average of 22.25.
“It’s never easy to lose a legend from your ranks but we respect Allan’s decision in the knowledge that we will seek his involvement in our cricket programmes in the future,” said Cricket South Africa (CSA) Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat.
South Africa’s Dale Steyn is currently the world’s top-
ranked Test bowler, with Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel at seven and 11 respectively. Steyn, Morkel and spinner Imran Tahir are all in the one-day international top 10.
South Africa reached the semi-finals of the Cricket World Cup in March.
“I have had some time to reflect after the World Cup and have come to the conclusion that the time is
right to move on,” added Donald.
“The last four years have been the best of my life and being involved with the Proteas in the 2015 Cricket World Cup was a goal I had set my sights on.”
Cricket South Africa said it would appoint a replacement in due course, with a Test and limitedovers tour of Bangladesh scheduled in July. (BBC Sport)
Liverpool back in Champions League hunt with Newcastle win
Liverpool kept alive their hopes of Champions League football next season with a comfortable 2-0 Premier League victory on Monday against a Newcastle United side who finished with 10 men.
A goal in each half from Raheem Sterling and Joe Allen respectively secured victory and closed the gap on fourth-placed Manchester City to four points with six games remaining.
When Liverpool and Newcastle meet goals are normally the order of the day with 130 scored in their previous 41 league meetings without a single goalless draw in that time.
Sterling ensured that run continued when he netted after nine minutes to give Liverpool the perfect start following backto-back league defeats by Manchester United and Arsenal.
Allen doubled Liverpool’s lead in the 70th as Newcastle, who had Moussa Sissoko sent off for a second booking late on, were condemned to a fifth straight league defeat.
Fifth-placed Liverpool now have 57 points from 32 games, one point ahead of Southampton in sixth, and are closing in on ailing City who lost 4-2 at local rivals Manchester United on Sunday, while struggling Newcastle remain 13th with 35 points.
“Manchester City have
maybe opened up the door a wee bit and if we keep winning our games we will see what will happen but I am sure that there will be plenty of twists and turns to come still,” said Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers.
RENEWED HOPE
Liverpool, who play Aston Villa in an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Sunday, arrived at Anfield in desperate need of a win to close the gap on Manchester City and give themselves renewed hope of qualifying for the Champions League.
Sterling, making his first Anfield appearance since a BBC interview about his decision to wait on signing a new contract, gave the hosts the perfect start when he weaved his way into the box and curled an exquisite shot past goalkeeper Tim Krul.
Newcastle spent most of the first period on the back foot but they finished it strongly and felt they should have won a penalty when Ayoze Perez was wiped out in the box after a wild swing of the boot from defender Dejan Lovren.
Sterling missed a glorious chance to double his tally at the start of the second half when he scuffed Henderson’s cross wide from pointblank range but Allen made amends for the England forward’s miss when he lashed the ball home from close range. Newcastle were then reduced to 10 men when midfielder Sissoko received a second yellow card for a mistimed tackle on Lucas as John Carver’s side fell to yet another defeat leaving them in danger of being dragged into a relegation battle. (Reuters)
Phelps entered in 5 events after return from suspension
Michael Phelps is entered in five events in his first meet since returning from a six-month suspension.
The 18-time Olympic champion will compete in the Arena Pro Swim Series meet in Mesa, Arizona, that begins Wednesday.
Phelps is entered in the 100-meter butterfly on Thursday, 100 backstroke and 400 freestyle on Friday, and 200 individual medley and 100 free on Saturday. Also entered in those same five events is his longtime rival Ryan Lochte.
The Mesa meet was the first one Phelps swam in after coming out of a 20-month retirement last year.
Phelps’ suspension,
handed down by USA Swimming in the wake of his second drunken driving arrest, ended April 6.
He entered a six-week inpatient rehabilitation program a day after the suspension was announced in October. He has since gotten engaged.
Phelps’ last competi -
tion was the Pan Pacific Championships in August. He was arrested on DUI charges in his hometown of Baltimore in September. The 29-year-old swimmer also was banned from participating in this summer’s world championships in Russia, although USA Swimming has had informal discussions about Phelps possibly competing. Phelps qualified for the world meet in the 100-meter butterfly, 100 free and 200 individual medley before being suspended.
Joining Phelps and Lochte in the field at Mesa are fellow Olympic gold medalists Katie Ledecky, Tyler Clary, Natalie Coughlin, Matt Grevers and Allison Schmitt. (ESPN)
Novak Djokovic
Allan Donald
Liverpool happy with huge win
Michael Phelps
Memorex Enterprise sponsors New Amsterdam/Canje team
The Combined New Amsterdam/Canje Team was the first team to receive full sponsorship for the May Day Cup one-day event, billed for May 2 at the historic Albion Sports Complex.
Managing Director Anthony Ameerally of Memorex Enterprise of Strand, New Amsterdam, Berbice readily provided sponsorship for the team after being approached by the event’s organising committee.
The team will now be named Memorex NA/Canje, and the sponsor is responsible for preparation of the team in the build-up to the tournament, providing 15 coloured uniforms and covering all refreshments and meals on the day of the event.
At a simple ceremony held recently, Ameerally presented the sponsorship cheque to Adrian Anamayah in the presence of Roy Jaffarally and Vijai Ramdhan, other members of the organising committee.
Ameerally in brief re-
marks said that he was pleased with the idea and even more pleased to be part of this historic event.
He added that as a business entity, Memorex would always support the work of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to whom the May Day Cup proceeds would be going. He added that the PPP/C has the best team to lead this country forward and encouraged all Guyanese to support the party in the upcoming elections.
Anamayah thanked the sponsor for coming on board and called on other businesses and private individuals to support the mega event which is expected to be an annual affair.
Proceeds from this event will be donated to the PPP/C to carry out its work in preparation for the 2015 elections and beyond.
Archrivals Berbice and Demerara clash in the feature T20 game. Several top national and international players will be on show in the T20, according to the organisers.
The winning team will collect $200,000, while the losing team will get half that amount. The Man of the Match will receive $20,000.
Further, the event will see four exciting zone teams from the county of Berbice – West Berbice, New Amsterdam/Canje, Lower Corentyne and Upper Corentyne/Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) clash. Matches will be 15 overs-a-side with two semi-finals and the grand final.
The winners will take home a trophy and $100,000, the runner-up $50,000, and the two losing semi-finalists $25,000 each. The Man of the Match will also receive a trophy and $10,000.
Following the cricket, Shakti Strings Orchestra, accompanied by the popular Crown Vibes International, will entertain the crowd during the big after-party lime.
The day’s activity bowls off from 10:00h. Tickets cost $1000, with children under 12 admitted free.
Serene Smith guides Royals to third straight win
Aperfectly paced unbeaten 79 from Steven Smith anchored a chase of 165 and steered Rajasthan Royals to a seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians. It was Royals’ third win in three games and Mumbai’s third loss in three. Once again, Mumbai’s top order failed, and even though Corey Anderson and Kieron Pollard gave their innings an explosive finish, their sluggish start proved the difference between the two sides.
Royals kept wickets in hand through their chase, and built momentum steadily, with a 64-run second-wicket stand between Ajinkya Rahane and Smith laying the foundation for the final charge. When Rahane was dismissed, Royals needed 73 from 41 balls, with eight wickets in hand.
Deepak Hooda, promoted to number four, provided some of the impetus, lofting Shreyas Gopal for two massive sixes in one over, before Lasith Malinga took out his leg stump after spotting him walking too far across his stumps. This left 52 to get from 31.
At the fall of Hooda’s wicket, Smith was on 35 off 31, and had struck two fours and no sixes. The change of gears was swift, and it happened in the 17th over. Malinga speared his first two balls into the blockhole. The first one was straight and Smith walked across to clip him over midwicket. The next one was a bit wider to compensate. Smith opened his bat face and steered him past backward point. Fifteen came off that over and Royals were left needing 24 from 18 balls; they got home with five balls remaining.
Having chosen to bat, Mumbai were going well enough - 24 for 0 in the middle of the fourth overwhen Aaron Finch, stretching for the final stride of a quick single, pulled up with what looked like a hamstring strain. That stalled the momentum the openers had gathered; only four runs came off that over, and Parthiv Patel, coming back on strike after Unmukt Chand managed only one run off the first three balls of the next over, miscued a Dhawal Kulkarni slower ball straight to mid-off. When Rohit Sharma nicked a Stuart Binny outswinger
to slip in the seventh over, Mumbai were 31 for 2 - effectively 31 for 3 - and their run-rate had dipped below six an over.
By the 10-over mark they had lost Chand and were 45 for 3. Only one run came off the 11th over, bowled by Chris Morris, who kept cramping the left-handed Anderson for room, jagging the ball into him off the pitch and extracting awkward bounce on a couple of occasions to rap him on the handle and the gloves. With some balls skidding through and others stopping on the batsmen, runs were looking extremely hard to get. But Anderson and Pollard stayed alert for the slower balls, ensured they maintained stable bases, and began finding the big hits. Both picked up sixes off James Faulkner in the
14th over, and the run-rate climbed back above five an over.
The recovery seemed to have ended when Anderson mishit another Kulkarni slower ball straight to longoff in the 15th over, but replays showed the bowler had overstepped, just about. It was just the sort of luck Mumbai needed after injury to Finch, and they made full use of it. They were 83 for 3 after 15 overs; over the next five overs they came within two runs of doubling their score.
Tim Southee, bowling primarily length or just short of it, took the bulk of the punishment - his last two overs went for 36, with Pollard and Anderson hitting him for four fours and three sixesbut no one went unscathed. James Faulkner went for 17 in the 17th over, and Chris Morris, till then the pick of Royals’ seamers, went for 15 in the final over.
Anderson kept his plans simple - clear his front leg and swing freely to hit down the ground and over the leg side. Pollard dealt in his trademark one-handed clubs and flat-bat swats down the ground, but also pulled off a couple of stunning flicked sixes. Given the fact that the bowlers were generally looking to go full, and given both batsmen’s power in the V, it was a little strange to see mid-off in the circle and fine leg back on the rope on a couple of occasions. By the end, though, Smith’s batting would ensure his tactics became a distant memory. (Cricinfo)
SCOREBOARD
Mumbai Indians innings (20 overs maximum)
Patel† c Morris b Kulkarni 16
Chand b Tambe 12
Sharma* c Smith b Binny 0
Anderson b Morris 50
Pollard c Nair b Southee 70
J Suchith not out 0
S Gopal not out 1
Extras (b 2, lb 2, nb 1) 5
Total (5 wickets; 20 overs) 164
Did not bat: SL Malinga, R Vinay Kumar, P Suyal
Fall of wickets 0-24*, 1-27, 2-31, 3-45, 4-149, 5-161 Rajasthan Royals Bowling: TG Southee 4-0-46-1, CH Morris 4-0-34-1, S Kulkarni 3-0-15-1, STR Binny 2-0-8-1, DJ Hooda 1-0-3-0, JP Faulkner 3-1-290, PV Tambe 3-0-25-1.
Rajasthan Royals innings (target: 165 runs from 20 overs)
AM Rahane c Anderson b Gopal 46
SV Samson† c Sharma b Vinay Kumar 17
SPD Smith* not out 79
DJ Hooda b Malinga 13
JP Faulkner not out 6
Extras (w 1, nb 3) 4
Total (3 wickets; 19.1 overs) 165
Did not bat: KK Nair, STR Binny, CH Morris, TG Southee, DS Kulkarni, PV Tambe Fall of wickets 1-28, 2-92, 3-113. Mumbai Indians Bowling: R Vinay Kumar 3-0-13-1, P Suyal 4-0-45-0, SL Malinga 4-0-41-1, J Suchith 4-0-31-0, CJ Anderson 2-0-12-0, S Gopal 2.1-0-23-1.
Kipsang and Kenya athletics at odds
Reigning London marathon champion Wilson Kipsang has hit out at the sports authorities in Kenya for suspending his foreign agent without informing him.
He told the BBC that Athletics Kenya (AK) was “fighting with fire”.
Two leading sports agencies have been suspended for six months by AK as the organisation investigates Kenya’s recent doping trou-
bles. AK said it would ensure that athletes do not miss international competitions.
Kenya’s ruling athletics body has not made specific accusations against the two companies: Rosa & Associati, run by Gabriele and Federico Rosa, and Volare Sports, run by Dutchman Gerard van de Veen.
One of Mr Rosa’s recent clients was the Boston marathon winner Rita Jeptoo, who was banned for two years
from athletics after failing a doping test. Neither agency has commented yet as they say they have not received official notification of the suspensions.
‘Confidential matters’
Mr Kipsang, who is represented by Volare Sports, is also the president of Professional Athletes Association of Kenya.
He told the BBC that AK did not have the knowledge and experience to represent
athletes.
“We have confidential matters between an athlete and a manager which we can’t discuss with Athletics Kenya,” the former world record marathon runner said.
AK President Isaiah Kiplagat said it would liaise with the international athletics body, the IAAF, and would meet promoters of the Diamond League to ensure that athletes do not miss competitions.
But the BBC’s John Nene in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, says many athletes are very bitter about the decision.
They do not trust Kenya’s athletics body with financial matters, he says.
The suspensions are also a blow for the agents, who represent some of the best athletes on the circuit.
Rosa & Associati handle 1,500m world champion Asbel Kiprop and Volare Sports count Dennis Kimetto, the
world record marathon holder, among its clients. There is no suggestion that either of these athletes are involved in any wrongdoing and both are completely untainted by the ongoing investigation.
Last year, Mr Kipsang was furious after AK revealed that he had missed a doping test. He said that he was representing Kenyan athletics at a conference in South Africa at the time. (BBC Sport)
Steven Smith’s unbeaten fifty took his team home
Anthony Ameerally of Memorex Enterprise hands over the sponsorship cheque to Adrian Anamayah in the presence of other committee members
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Raffik and Sons Construction Services T20 tournament
Win for Fyrish, Jai hind, courtland
All
Stars and Fyrish road
The 2015 Raffik and Sons Construction Services SecondDivision 20-Over Cricket Competition for teams in Central/Lower Corentyne continued recently with four matches at various grounds across Berbice.
Summarised scores from the matches played are as follow:
At Kilcoy Long Dam, Fyrish beat Fyrish Strikers by six runs. Fyrish 184-7 in 20 overs, with Yuvendra Chinapen making 91
and Javed Mohamed, 41. Yadram Barran took 3-19 and Devendra Persaud 2-22. Fyrish Strikers in reply reached 178-8 in 20 overs, with Ravindra Persaud scoring 61 and Joseph Kamaludin, 43. Munilall Shivdyal took 3-21.
At Kilcoy Multipurpose Centre, Jai Hind beat Cheskoy Riders by 36 runs. Jai Hind 193-7 in 20 overs, with Vicky Veerasammy accumulating 59, Aakash Singh, 37 and Andy Naidu, 22. Suraj Dookna 3-23
and Kelly Persaud 2-43. Cheskoy Riders in reply made 157-9 in 20 overs, with Nazrudeen Bux finishing with 57 and Imran Hussain, 25. Veerapen Moonsammy took 4-18.
Courtland All Stars beat Letter Kenny Young Stars by 38 runs. Courtland All Stars 82 all out in 17.4 overs, with Keon Sinclair scoring 23. Perry Kanhai claimed 3-3, Parasram Tilkuram 3-10 and Vinode Samaroo 2-25. Letter Kenny Young Stars in reply were
bowled out for 44 all out in 15.2 overs. Eon Gibson took 4-6 and Michael Cummings 3-4. At Belvedere, Fyrish Road beat Belvedere United by four runs. Fyrish Road reached 116-9 in 20 overs, with Saif Latchana making 23. Bias Samad took 3-20 and Ramnarine Permaul, 2-20. Belvedere United in reply made 1128 in 20 overs, with Kevin Veerapatren stroking 31. Hassan Hussein took 3-12 and William Dass, 2-26.
American sprinter Tyson Gay has been added to the line-up for the Jamaica International Invitational, replacing compatriot Justin Gatlin, who was forced to withdraw due to other commitments. Gatlin, was earlier announced to compete in the 100m at the May 9th meet set for the National Stadium.
However, the organisers of the event were informed that the 9.77 seconds man will no longer be available, since he will be fo-
cusing on the April 23-25 Penn Relays and the May 2-3 IAAF World Relays in The Bahamas instead.
Gay’s last appearance at the Jamaica International Invitational was in 2013 when he won the 100m in 9.86 seconds.
He is expected to face the likes of Americans Ryan Bailey and Walter Dix, with Jamaicans Nesta Carter and Nickel Ashmeade also confirmed for the meet. (CMC) Tyson Gay
West Indies fight but...
Jordan, without quite the same consistency of line or length in his first spell, provided the second breakthrough when Darren Bravo was late trying to withdraw his bat.
Brathwaite impressed in South Africa with his steel and determination, traits that were again on show as he withstood the early forays. Marlon Samuels, meanwhile, was more aggressive from the outset and was aided by four overthrows when he took a quick single to the off side and Anderson’s throw - a justifiable one as Samuels would have been short - was just wide of the stumps.
edged a ball on the back foot, but it was the grab at slip by Jordan, low to his right, which was the show-stopping moment.
Blackwood responded by putting his second ball, from Tredwell, over long-off and was a curious combination of defence and the occasional moment of outright aggression. Chanderpaul did what he has done forever and a day. However, although West Indies resisted well during the closing stages of the day - with a little help from Stokes’ errant front foot - the signs are that batting last will not be an easy task on this surface so
Gay replaces Gatlin for Jamaica Invitational SCOREBOARD
However, Samuels was removed by a smart piece of bowling by Broad shortly after tea when he rolled his fingers across the ball and found the outside edge. In finest Hannibal style, a plan had clearly come together, given the applause from the bowling coach Ottis Gibson on the balcony and Broad himself.
During this period, Tredwell was wheeling away through what would become a 12-over spell. His selection is viewed more as an indictment of English spin resources than recognition for Tredwell - and there is an element of truth to that argument - but he performed his role admirably, using his experience with subtle changes of pace. His reward was to remove the nuggety Brathwaite, who
wickets; 66 overs) 155
To bat: D Ramdin*†, JO Holder, JE Taylor, KAJ Roach, SJ Benn Fall of wickets 1-19 (Smith), 2-42 (Bravo), 3-89 (Samuels), 4-99 (Brathwaite)
Bowling: Anderson 13-8-241, Broad 15-1-46-1, Jordan 13-4-29-1, Stokes 10-2-320, Tredwell 15-7-22-1.
ENGLAND 1st Innings
(341-5 overnight) *A Cook b Roach 11
much work remains to narrow the deficit. To start with they will need a good morning session on the third day, and for that at least the omens are promising given the way the match has gone so far. Whatever Curtly Ambrose said during a passionate team talk shortly before play clearly had the desired effect on West Indies’ bowlers. Kemar Roach and Jerome Taylor soon settled into their work before Jason Holder followed them with an exacting spell of 7-4-14-1.
The frustration will be that the disciplines of line and length deserted them for
two sessions on Monday. Stokes angled one boundary down to third man before succumbing attempting a repeat which landed in the lap of a fine gully. The shot was neither one thing nor the other, which was a contrast to the conviction Stokes had shown for much of his innings. Tredwell’s stint as nightwatchman ended with a flat-footed drive that gave Bravo his third catch of the innings. Buttler was given nothing to free his arms against before he could resist no longer and edged a very full delivery.
Broad has spoken very honestly about the problems he has faced with the bat since returning to the side after knee surgery, a delayed reaction to the blow from Varun Aaron at Old Trafford which broke his nose. On this occasion it took Roach just three deliveries to entice him into driving a soft catch to point.
The most fluent batting of the morning came from the last-wicket pair as Jordan and Anderson managed to put bat to ball with decent impact. Jordan provided a reminder of his very solid technique while Anderson unfurled a couple of boundaries that revived the “Burnley Lara” tag. His fun came to end when he popped a catch to cover against Samuels and attention turned to his attempts to pass Botham’s England wicket-taking record. (Cricinfo) from back page
CFU Club Championships on today
All the logistics are in place for the hosting of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Championships, starting today at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Suriname and Trinidad have arrived to play against Alpha United, with the Surinamese going against Alpha today.
Communication Manager of the Suriname club, Humphrey Dundas was pleased to be in Guyana for the games and expressed optimism in finishing on top of the group.
“Our preparation was very good, so we are prepared, we know Alpha is a good team and we know it’s going to be a good match… our aim is to come out on top; we came here to get the
win,” Dundas stated.
Alpha United Coach Wayne Dover was in good spirits heading into the game against both Suriname and Trinidad.
“We are in the final stage of fine-tuning our tactics to get positive results, this is a new era and I think we have what it takes in terms of firepower to win…this is an important game to set the tone for us,” Dover noted.
While both teams revealed that there was limited scouting done on each other, both agreed that the game will be a feeling out process.
However, both teams are looking for maximum points in the group. Guyana will face the Suriname side from 16:00h today.
Port mourant Jaguars lift BVa B Division title
Port Mourant Jaguars played unbeaten on Sunday last to win the B Division competition organised by the Berbice Volleyball Association (BVA) at the recently commissioned all-weather volleyball court at the Port Mourant Community Centre.
The competition attracted seven teams and was played in very windy conditions with several stoppages due to heavy rainfall. However, the players gave of their best on the quick drying modular tile surface.
Port Mourant Jaguars, captained by Buddy Motiepersaud, and with good performances from Afraz Hussain, Javed Motiepersaud and Adityanand Singh defeated Rollers of New Amsterdam in the first semi-final 30-24 to advance to the final.
Favourites Port Mourant Training Centre 2 (PMTC 2) defeated newcomers Tain Volleyball Club 30-16 in the other semi-final.
In the final, Port Mourant Jaguars defeated PMTC 2 by a five-point margin, 30-25, to win a trophy donated by the National Sports Commission, as well
as a Mikasa MVA 330 volleyball.
Before the start of the day’s activities, prayers were said by players representing the three main religions in Guyana, since it
of D’Edward 30-28; Port Mourant Jaguars defeated Three-Door Strikers 30-20; Port Mourant Jaguars defeated Tain 20-8, while in Group B, PMTC 2 defeated PMTC 3 30-15; Rollers de-
ing out in their numbers.
He congratulated the winners and all who received incentives for their outstanding individual performances. The BVA head also complimented the referees and line judges for the good work done to ensure the successful completion of the competition despite the many stoppages.
Special thanks were also extended to Errol Chase, Rashaad Razack, Jason Seelochan, Afraz Hussain, Rolywn Heywood, Godwyn Allicock, Levi Nedd and Trevlon McRae.
Competition Coordinator Godwyn Allicock also thanked the management of GuySuCo’s Albion Estate and the Port Mourant Community Centre.
Special prizes were pre-
was the first time the court was being officially used by the BVA for a competition.
In the preliminary round-robin matches played in two groups, there were several exciting games.
In Group A, Port Mourant Jaguars defeated PMTC 4 30-15; Tain defeated Three-Door Strikers
feated PMTC 3 30-16 and PMTC 2 defeated Rollers 31-29.
At the presentation ceremony held immediately after the conclusion of the competition, BVA President Gregory Rambarran said that volleyball was the winner at the end of the day and thanked the teams for turn-
sented to Adityanand Singh, a former national Under-19 player in the 1990s, for being adjudged the Most Valuable Player; Afraz Hussain of Port Mourant Jaguars for being the best setter, and current national Under-19 player Joshua Jagmohan for being the most promising player.
GCB U-19 Inter-County 3-Day tournament...
Demerara suffer humiliating defeat at the hands of Berbice
– Essequibo register huge victory over National U-17
Demerara suffered a humiliating defeat after going down by 216 runs to Berbice, 12 minutes into the final day’s play in the second round of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Under-19 Inter-County Three-Day Tournament on Tuesday at the Georgetown Cricket Club Ground.
Resuming on 71-8, chasing a winning target of 298, Demerara were bowled out for 81 in 27.3 overs.
Fast bowler Grisean Grant and off-spinner Balchand Baldeo after sharing five of the eight wickets to fall during the final hour on the penultimate day, returned to bag the final two wickets.
Needing to get 227 runs with two wickets at their disposal, overnight batsmen Sherfane
Rutherford and Daniel Basdeo could not resist the pressure and fell in quick succession.
Baldeo, who finished with figures of 3-20, managed to sneak a delivery through the gates of Rutherford, while Grant (433) removed Basdeo, who
was caught by Daniel Lewis in the slip cordon.
Shemron Hetymer was adjudged Man of the Match after his 124-ball 114 in Berbice’s second innings. Meanwhile, in the other second-round game at the Demerara Cricket Club Ground, Essequibo demolished the National Under-17 team by 109 runs.
Scores in the match: Essequibo 262 & 140, National U-17s 147 & 147.
Resuming at 7-2, the Under-17s were bowled out just after the lunch interval. Ronaldo Ali Mohamed topscored with 43, while Timothy McAlmont and Bhaskar Yadram supported with 33 and 25 respectively. Looknauth Khinkoo (3-42); Keanu Harry (322); Kemo Paul (2-18); and Neiland Cadogan (1-20) were the successful bowlers for Essequibo. Paul was named Man of the Match. Round three is from April 16 to 18, with the National Under-17s taking on Demerara at the Everest Cricket Club Ground, and Essequibo taking on Berbice at the Enmore Community Centre Ground.
From left: Members of the head table including Alpha United the President Odinga Lumumba (third from left); Suriname
Communication Manager Humphrey Dundas (second left) and Alpha United Coach Wayne Dover (second from right)
MVP Adityanand Singh (right) uses the block set up by Levi Nedd and Klondyke Rodney in the final match
Players and officials say prayers before the start of competition on the newly laid all-weather volleyball court
Keanu Harry Kemo Paul
RHT Bakewell A , B teams register easy victory
The Rose Hall Town Bakewell (RHT Bakewell) A and B teams recorded easy victories as the fourth round of the Berbice Cricket Board’s New Building Society (NBS) 2015 tournament was played on Sunday last.
The A team, led by brilliant performances from former Berbice Under-19 player Vidal Crandon and off-spinner Mark Fernandes, destroyed Letter Kenny by nine wickets at the Whim Community Centre, while the B team got past Belvedere by 30 runs at the Area H Ground after a brilliant innings of 60 by Berbice Under-15 player
Junior Williams.
The A team bowled out Letter Kenny for 89 in 24.2 overs, as only Vishal Samaroo with 35 (5x4s) offered any resistance to the RHT Bakewell A bowlers.
Off-spinner Mark Fernandes claimed 5-22 from seven impressive overs, while leftarm pacer Rondel Lewis and West Indies left-arm female pacer Erva Giddings took 2-13 and 2-14 respectively.
In response, RHT Bakewell A raced to 92-1 off 12 overs, as Crandon blasted five massive sixes and three boundaries in an unbeaten 61 and Mark Papannah made 20 not out. The inform Khemraj Mahadeo was the only batsman to be dismissed for eight.
At the Area H Ground, the B team, which consists of mostly Under-15 players, scored 208-7 off their allotted 35 overs as Jason Sinclair batted well to score 60 with four boundaries.
He received support from Ryan Tillack (26); Keith Joseph (28); Joshua Gobin (20) and skipper Simon Lawson (21). Bowling for Belvedere, F Mohamed claimed 2-45 from seven overs.
In response, Belvedere reached 178-9 off 39 overs with Dean Jones topscoring with a brutal 71 off 40 balls with eight boundaries and two sixes, while M Sububar supported with 21.
Bowling for RHT Bakewell B, Simon Lawson took 2-14 from six overs, Joseph claimed 2-28, while 13-year-old Samuel Lewis, in his first senior cricket match, bowled well to claim 2-20 from six overs.
Both teams will continue their participation in the tournament on Sunday with the A team playing Whim at Whim and the B team playing Tamarind Root at the Area H Ground.
GTA thanks Assuria for annual support
Guyana Tennis Association (GTA)
President Grace McCalman has showered praises on the Assuria Insurance Company for once again standing by the association in the promotion of tennis in Guyana.
The Assuria Classic Open Singles served off with six matches at the National Racquet Centre last Saturday with the country’s leading players in contention for the top prize in the various categories.
At the simple opening ceremony last weekend, McCalman apologised for Assuria management’s unavoidable absence, but expressed her appreciation for the company’s third consecutive year of sponsorship and its vision for the growth
of the tournament into one of international standard in the near future.
McCalman also reflected on the efforts of the GTA to re-establish regular competitions among the Guianas, which are more feasible alternatives for Guyanese players to have overseas exposure.
Acting Tournament Coordinator William Spangler reported that the tournament has attracted over 50 entrants and that all matches, except those of the Men’s Over-35 and Men’s Over-45 categories would be played at the National Racquet Centre.
Other matches would be played at night at the Le Ressouvenir Tennis Club in the evenings. He charged the players to play respect-
Briggs rediscovers his roots...
“But as time passed I thought: ‘Why not play for Guyana?’ It would mean senior international football and a chance to represent the country my family is from, and I knew how proud my grandma, Daphne, would be. I was close to her, but lost her quite a while ago. It wasn’t a hard decision to make.”
So Briggs accepted the offer of a getting-to-know-you trip for the Grenada game, tweeting “This is for you nan” as he departed. He was joined by a familiar face. Neil Danns has been a competent operator in the Football League – primarily in the Championship for clubs such as Crystal Palace, Leicester and Blackburn – for a decade and at 32 received a first callup of his own. The two had been team-mates before, their loan spells at Bristol City coinciding in 2012-13.
They were far from the first recognisable names to have been enlisted by the Golden Jaguars. The Cort brothers, Leon and Carl, won six caps apiece this decade and Ricky Shakes, formerly of Swindon and Brentford, has been a regular too. The three contributed to a minor sensation in those CONCACAF qualifiers for the last World Cup when Shakes and Leon Cort scored to help them beat Trinidad and Tobago and reach the Region’s second group stage.
Things have veered off course since: the local Football Federation President, Christopher Mathias, contro-
versially decided to ban overseas-based players in what was offered as a cost-cutting measure, and with infighting dragging the sport into chaos, a FIFA Normalisation Committee was appointed to run football in Guyana when Mathias was removed last October.
Proud to serve
With that episode having drawn to a close, the squad that set up camp in March appears to have been a happy one. “You wonder what the players will be like, whether the local guys will be a bit envious of you or think: ‘Who’s this guy coming from England?’” says Briggs.
“Dannsy and I are humble guys, though, and it wasn’t like that. I don’t think they expected us to be as we were.
Chris Nurse, the captain, told me this is the best Guyana squad he’s been involved with – the best squad harmony. He said that in the past players had come over from different countries, but the local players hadn’t really taken to them and there was some segregation in the group. This time everyone really stuck together and the atmosphere around the dressing room was brilliant.”
The buzz peaked when Briggs walked out at Providence Stadium, which was built for the 2007 Cricket World Cup, for the first time. “It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced in my life,” he says. “Just amazing. I like Caribbean music myself, but
to be running out of the tunnel and they’re blazing the tunes out … it was so enjoyable. The game itself went well for me. I spent most of my time in the attacking third and we won 2-0, although it should have been at least six. In the end, we just saw it out, but Dannsy and I both put in solid performances.”
Briggs’ commitment would be rubber-stamped if he appeared competitively against St Vincent and the Grenadines in a World Cup qualifying tie this June and he is keen to emphasise this will not be an ephemeral relationship. “I used this friendly to experience it for myself, but I enjoyed it so much that I can definitely say I’ll be going back,” he says. “It was an honour and such a great feeling to hear people on the street saying ‘thank you for coming to represent us’ and ‘welcome home’.
“I think we can put together a decent enough team to challenge for a World Cup place. Ryan Fredericks [of Tottenham] can play and he’s thinking about it, Callum Harriott [the Charlton winger] too. If we can get guys like this in and get football back up and running as it should be in Guyana, with the right training facilities, I don’t see why we can’t be successful.” It would be a different kind of success from that which Briggs envisaged eight years ago but one whose nourishing qualities might extend far beyond adornments to a football career.
fully with pride and their best effort to win. The largest category is the Men’s Open with 28 entrants.
Veteran player Rudy Grant, who is participating in the tournament, offered his appreciation for a tournament of this calibre and stressed the importance of international investment in local tennis to help raise the profile of the sport.
But he appealed to the authorities to provide facilities of a high standard for sustainability of such a venture and to support the tourism industry.
The Assuria Classic Open Singles is one of the major events on the GTA calendar of activities, attracting a large turnout of players since its inception in 2013.
Vidal Crandon
Mark Fernandes
GTA President Grace McCalman (second left), with participants of the Assuria Classic Open Singles during the opening ceremony last weekend
West Indies fight but England in control
The second day of the series involved a similar scenario to the first, with West Indies dominating the opening session but England ending with the advantage. The home side’s quicks had another excellent morning to restrict England to 399 but their reply was a stuttering affair as they stumbled to 155 for 4.
There was good bowling on display throughout the day, firstly by West Indies’ pace trio and then the collective five-man England unit led by James Anderson, who moved one wicket closer to breaking Ian Botham’s Test record. Successes were hard-earned, as they should be, and Chris Jordan’s brilliant low catch at slip brought Kraigg Brathwaite’s scalp to leave West Indies tottering on 99 for 4. Shivnarine Chanderpaul, in a familiar role, and Jermaine Blackwood, who was given a life on 21 when Ben Stokes overstepped having taken the edge, battled to the close with West Indies still 244 be-
hind.
England began the day with eyes on a total around 500 but instead ended up just short of 400. In all, going back to Ian Bell’s dismissal late on the first evening, England’s last six wickets fell for 58 and that included a stand of 38 by the final pair of Jordan and Anderson.
There was a period of five consecutive maidens, which highlighted West Indies’ early grip on proceedings. That stranglehold included the removal of both overnight batsmen, Stokes and James Tredwell, then Jos Buttler struggled through a 22-ball duck and Stuart Broad’s batting woes continued. The combination of Bell, Stokes and Joe Root contributed 305 of England’s runs; the rest 70.
Anderson, who had flayed 20 via five boundaries in his 100th Test, responded with an outstanding opening spell which included the scalp of Devon Smith, who was worked over before edging to Buttler.
Briggs rediscovers his roots with Guyana success
It did not take long after arriving in Georgetown, the capital of Guyana, for Matthew Briggs to understand the confluence of heart and head that had decided his future in international football had also given rise to something more powerful.
“My mum’s brother, my uncle – I’d never met him before,” says the Millwall full-back who is on loan at Colchester United. “He’d never been able to come over to England. But now he saw me for the first time and it was very emotional, he just grabbed me and held me for five minutes. I was in tears there.”
Briggs had not visited Guyana before being selected for the squad to face Grenada in March, but it already felt close enough to home. “I grew up with my mum and my grandma, who was born there,” the 24-year-old says. “So it was a very Guyanese household – the food we’d eat, the culture, even down to the accents. It was just what I was used to.”
This was in south London and Briggs would not object if anybody pointed out Guyana were not originally in his thoughts as a football option. On May 13, 2007, he became the youngest player to appear in the Premier League, coming on as a sub-
stitute for Fulham against Middlesbrough at the age of 16 years and 68 days.
It is a record that still stands and while young players are sometimes blooded in order for a manager to make a point or curry favour, Lawrie Sanchez had seen in him what England Under-16 coaches had already spotted, and what every age group beneath the senior set-up would take a first-hand look at in the next four years.
Not everything has worked out since and via several loan spells and an injury that laid him low for the whole of last season, Briggs left Fulham for the Den in the summer having played for them on only 28 further occasions. With his two Under21 caps in 2011 a fading memory, it was time for something different.
“Guyana asked me to take part in the World Cup qualifiers a couple of years ago, but I was around the England setup then and at that age I was thinking I wanted to push on and play for them,” he says.
Chris Jordan went low to his right at slip to take a fantastic catch of the edge of Kraigg Brathwaite
Matthew Briggs donned a Golden Jaguars jersey for the first time last month
Shemron Hetymer collects his Man-of-the-Match trophy from match referee Reon King
