Guyana Times Daily

President Donald Ramotar congratulates one of the allottees in the presence of Housing Minister Irfaan

thursday, february 5, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

PPP/C majority crucial to move

Guyana forward – Dr Ramsammy

Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy said that a majority win for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) at the May 11 polls is the solution to move this country forward and end the political stalemate.

The PPP/C after the 2011 election lost its majority in Parliament for the first time since coming into office in 1992. Since then, there has been gridlock, which forced President Donald Ramotar to prorogue Parliament and later announced early elections. The President is also expected to formally dissolve Parliament next week.

“This election provides two real possibilities only.

The PPP/C wins a majority or the PPP/C wins the largest bloc of votes and contin-

ues the 2011-2015 formula,” the former Health Minister stated. He is confident that Guyanese will give the party a majority win since citi-

zens “want to see further economic, social and cultural growth of our country and they know the PPP/C has had a track record of success in these areas.”

Dr Ramsammy also outlined many features to support his position that Guyana has in fact become a “strong democracy”. These include the holding of regular, free and fair elections, an independent Elections Commission, a Parliament that practices shared governance and regular consultations with a wide crosssection of civil society.

“One shortcoming however, is the need to develop

regular Local Government Elections [LGE] under constitutional timelines.”

He said as it relates to LGE, Guyana’s history postindependence to 1992 and from 1992 to now is one that we should not be proud of.

“Post-independence to 1992, a period of about 28 years, we had LGE once in 1974. Since 1992, we had elections only once in 1994,” Dr Ramsammy informed.

However, he believes that there have been unfair criticisms leveled against the Government by nongovernmental organisations (NGOS) and several foreign missions in Guyana. “We believe that the blame game is being played unfairly. There has been a collective failure on all of our parts. The truth is that the PPP/C’s position was the most feasible and viable option – hold the election with the old system until

you can have a new system in place. This was a position that the same NGOs and the same ambassadors did not endorse,” he outlined. Due in 1998, LGE were postponed to facilitate a compromise with the Opposition as part of the Herdmanston Accord for a new local government system. This process took years before it could be completed, which was further complicated by disagreements in the 10th Parliament and President Donald Ramotar’s non-assent to one of the suit of Local Government reform Bills.

“The Civic’s position is that LGE is a legitimate part of a strong democracy and that until Guyana holds regular LGE our democracy will retain critical deficits. This is a position that the PPP/C shares as well,” Dr Ramsammy declared.

Republic Bank records increase in profits for last quarter

Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited has recorded an after tax profit of $673 million for quarter ended December 31, 2014. According to Chairman of the Board Nigel Baptiste, this represents an increase when compared to the same period in 2013.

In the unaudited first quarter financial statements, it was noted that total assets decreased by 1.4 per cent or $1.8 billion, while total deposits decreased by

2.6 per cent or $3.1 billion. Baptiste stated that the bank will continue to explore the various opportunities that present themselves in the remaining quarters of fiscal 2015 and will remain optimistic that their objectives for the year will be achieved.

Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited registered a profit of $2.3 billion for the year ended September 30, 2013 compared to $2 billion for the same period the previous year.

Rupununi woman killed by speeding motorcycle

An elderly woman was in the wee hours of Wednesday pronounced dead at the Annai Health Centre after she was struck by a speeding motorcycle on her way home.

The dead woman has been identified as Georgiana Smith, 59, of Rupeti Village, North Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

The Guyana Times understands that the motorcycle rider might have been partying at a shop in the area and was also heading home when he hit the woman. It is unclear where Smith was returning from when she was struck down.

The Police are continuing their investigations.

According to information received, the now dead woman was walking along the roadway when she was struck by the motorcycle driven by an alleged drunk driver. Smith lay on the roadway for sometime before she was rescued and died on her way to the Annai Health Centre. The driver reportedly fled the scene leaving his mangled motorcycle behind. The vehicle has been impounded at the Police outpost at Annai. Based on information received, the Police went to the home of the owner of the motorcycle but he was not seen.

Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

between 4.91 metres and 5.81 metres per second.

High Tide: 05:20h and 17:34h reaching maximum heights of 2.59 metres and 2.68 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 11:09h and 23:29h reaching minimum heights of 0.60 metre and 0.56 metre respectively.

APNU/AFC "secret" coalition talks stall

can’t get past name, symbol

The Alliance For Change (AFC) and A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) have fundamental issues with establishing an alliance to contest the upcoming elections, with the larger party refusing to change its name and give way to the AFC’s proposed Pro Democracy Alliance (PDA), well placed sources in the negotiating team has said.

The parties are also divided on the symbol for any coalition and a proposal for them to enter the elections on a compromise as APNU/ AFC is being extensively discussed. After more than a month of talks the parties have only agreed on a few policy positions and the need

for a Government of national unity.

However they are skirting around the elephant in the room: the issue of leadership, which AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan has declared must go to his party's nominee, Moses Nagamootoo. They are also yet to tackle the other problematic issue of governance, the highly-placed source disclosed.

Speaking to Guyana Times on Wednesday the source disclosed that at the onset of the discussion between the two parties APNU has refused to concede to changing its name to PDA, insisting that it has worked extensively to sell the idea of APNU and was not willing to give it up.

Secondly, the source told this newspaper that APNU has also refused to accept the structure of a ProDemocracy Alliance (PDA) as proposed by the AFC. Guyana Times was told that the parties have committed to meeting everyday to negotiate, insisting that they will do so until an agreement is reached.

However, both the APNU and the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) are hedging their options and

have already been preparing to launch their campaign. They have already selected a Presidential Candidate in the person of David Granger and also identified Dr Rupert Roopnaraine as the Prime Ministerial candidate. APNU’s has planned to launch its campaign on February 20 – the birth anniversary of Former President, Forbes Burnham.

Noting that the way talks are going, there is a likelihood that the coalition would not come off the source said that APNU has been readying itself to contest the elections alone. “We have been planning and our candidates have already been identified,” the source who asked not be named said.

Delays

Supporters of both parties have been anxious about the outcome of the talks, which should have wrapped up at the end of January.

AFC’s General Secretary David Patterson had initially declared that his party was sticking to the deadline it had set to secure a workable arrangement with the APNU on the way forward.

“We have already given ourselves till the end of this month (January)”, he had told a news conference.

His opposite number in APNU, General Secretary Joseph Harmon would only confirm that the two sides are still meeting and that “progress” was taking place. Harmon had on Saturday that while he understood the anxiety building up in the minds of Guyanese, the

talks were “complex” and the two sides had to be extremely careful about the messages that they are transmitting

to the public until they are ready to make an official announcement about the way forward. “These are complex talks and we have be very careful about every step we take,” he reiterated. The General Secretary said that

a lot is as stake while again admitting that the negotiators were conscious of the expectations of the public and their own supporters.

Asked to explain whether the AFC had discussed the deadline it had said for the completion of talks with the

APNU with his party’s leadership, Harmon responded in the positive but pointed out that the APNU understood that deadline to be related to them sealing the deal on the non-disclosure MOU and the basic thrust of the talks.

Questioned further as to when the talks would wrapup and an announcement made on the successes or lack thereof, Harmon said that this could take place by the end of February.

Observers have maintained that the hardest part of the coalition discussions is deciding who will lead the alliance and the role that key political figures on both sides would play if it is successful given their own ambitions and party policies.

APNU Leader David Granger

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan

APNU General Secretary Joseph Harmon

AFC General Secretary David Patterson

Editor: Nigel Williams

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

Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown

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

Editorial

Provocation and battered women

The gloomy statistics confirm that every year more women are being battered and murdered by their husbands or intimate partners. Or maybe the phenomenon is finally getting traction in the media and we are becoming more aware of what has always been going on. One of the almost constant factor in many of these “domestic” murders is that the men believe they are being cuckolded, fly into a fit of rage and violently “do away” with the wife.

While there has been quite a bit of ink spilled in examining the phenomena from social, psychological and humanistic standpoints, there has been a numbing silence from the legal fraternity. Murder, after all, is the ultimate crime, and criminal law is premised on not just providing retribution – and that is in disfavour of recent – but also deterrence.

If the “legal” has to do with “law and order” we are not looking at the “order” and its enforcers, the Police Force right now. They have been under the microscope in recent years and are even being trained to become in touch with their “service” mandate to look differently at “domestic violence” and its paradigmatic denouement – “wife murder”.

In other jurisdictions, notably in England, from whence we received our “law” – criminal and otherwise – the legal fraternity, including its representatives in the Government, have been engaged quite extensively at relooking at the problematic of murder in general and that of “wife murder” in particular. And they have come up with a slew of initiatives that we in their former colonies should at least examine as we grapple with the same challenge.

Murdering one’s wife or mistress if they “strayed” and then getting away with it has a hoary history in medieval England. It was a matter of saving one’s honour: a man could not see his property “violated”. And women were considered property. In the centuries since and into the twentieth century, not much changed as the case and statutory law merely codified the premises of men protecting their honour as “provocation”. Upon successful pleading of this “partial defence” the murder would be justified as “voluntary manslaughter”, with its lesser social stigma and lesser severe sentence.

One rather influential formulation of the doctrine right after WWII stated it succinctly: “Provocation is some act, or series of acts done (or words spoken)... which would cause in any reasonable person and actually causes in the accused, a sudden and temporary loss of self-control, rendering the accused so subject to passion as to make him or her for the moment not master of his or her mind.” This was codified by Parliament not much later and was the received law at our independence.

The problem was the “reasonable person” as interpreted by the courts via various tests promulgated was the “reasonable medieval man” with his honour code intact. While catching one’s wife in flagrante delicto might have been struck of the books, the “sudden loss of control” when “provoked” was more typically a male than female response, which was more of a “slow burn”. As a result women who had suffered abuse for years, but was in fear of overwhelming retaliation and so bided their time to murder their husband when opportunity presented itself, did not have the justification or excuse of “provocation”.

By the 1990’s in England, a series of cases saw the courts becoming willing to expand the law to suggest that the “reasonable person” was not just a “reasonable man” but could also have characteristics of “a reasonable woman” in the circumstances of the case. During the first decade of this millennium, the English legislature reconsidered the partial defence of provocation in domestic murders involving both men and women.

In fact the law of provocation was revoked in England, in an effort to make the law less gendered. Is it not time that we in Guyana at least look at this mechanism?

The Guyana Prize for Literature seems to be shifting standards downwards

Dear Editor, In his reply to my letter, Ruel Johnson says there are no publishers in Guyana. This is untrue. Publishing, like so many other businesses and services, is no longer confined to any fixed location. Because of the internet, there are publishers everywhere.

Ten years ago, I Googled literary agents in London, picked a bunch and sent them the typescript of my second novel.

I got one positive response and that’s all it takes. After some rewriting and editing, my work was submitted to publishers. It took years to find a publisher, but my agent persevered because she believed in the merit of my work.

All this cost me nothing beyond the cost of my computer and internet connection which I already had. I

believe most writers have access to both, so there is no excuse for not finding a publisher. There are publishers who will work with un-agented writers.

The work is demanding. The minimum length for a novel is 80,000 words and it can take up to four years for a work to be completed and ready for publication.

If there are writers here with talent and the will to work there is no reason why they cannot get published. For the record, I have never attended a writer’s workshop. Writers learn their craft by reading. The lessons are all there because so much good writing has already been done.

By reading you learn how plots, characters and themes are developed. Every writer does it in their own way and it is up to each writer to find their voice, style and their point

of view. These cannot be taught.

I work with my agent, publishers and their respective editors from my home right here via email and skype. I am the only non-European writer for both my agent and publishers and they signed me up based solely on the merit of my work.

This is most refreshing since here in Guyana the prevailing pettiness means that you are ignored unless you belong to a certain clique and are prepared to kiss the nether end of certain people.

My first two novels are being used in Caribbean Literature programmes at universities abroad –again, they are not part of the local pettiness – and I am hoping that my most recently published third novel will be added to their curriculum.

My books have been

reviewed by Bernadette Persaud, Pat Dial, Prof Frank Birbalsingh, Prof Mariam Pirbhai and by a number of UK bloggers.

On the Guyana Prize, I find it wanting in so many ways. Slim volumes of work win and it makes you wonder what number of words is considered a full length book. The last judges’ report stated that most, if not all, the works submitted needed editing to make them publishable. Yet they awarded prizes.

The Guyana Prize seems to be shifting standards downwards to accommodate the pervasive mediocrity that is Guyana. Who wants to win such a prize?

I see the Guyana Prize as part of the rot and corruption that Johnson likes to talk about. I support the call to scrap the prize.

Ryhaan Shah

NIS has increased pension each time Govt increased wages

Dear Editor,

Please allow me space in your newspaper to respond to comments which appeared in the Guyana Times article dated January 7, under the headline, “NIS achieved major success in 2014.”

Paragraph two stated that “Dianne Backster Lewis noted that NIS has been making a profit, hence, the decision tak-

en to increase the Old Age Pension in 2015, a move that the Scheme has not made in quite some time”.

Please note that this statement is inaccurate as reported since the Scheme has over the years awarded increases on the minimum pension each time the Government increased Public Servants’ minimum wage, despite the marginal financial position of NIS

over the last few year.

Please note also that the total percentage payable is 14 per cent of insurable earnings for employees earning more than $50,000 and 13 percent of insurance earnings for employees earning $50,000 and less per month.

The current insurable earnings ceiling is $170,812 per month

$39,418 per week with ef-

fect from January 1. Please be further advised that self-employed persons pay on a rate of 12.5 per cent of their declared Income but are subject to the same insurable earnings ceiling as the employed person.

Publicity and Public Relations Dept

National Insurance Scheme

The Georgetown leg of the Children’s Mashramani Competition continues Wednesday with more schools showcasing their dance moves (Carl Croker photo)

GGMC’s loans were intended to better the lives of all Guyanese

Dear Editor,

The recent ongoing brouhaha about the loaning of monies from a semi-autonomous agency, namely the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) and other government Ministries and agencies is a non-issue.

From an accounting perspective, I don’t see any misdemeanor since the funds will have to be accounted for like any other Government funds. The funds will not only help ordinary citizens who will ultimately benefit from the work of the CH&PA, but will also benefit the GGMC.

This transaction was approved by Cabinet and it’s a

loan to the CH&PA with an interest of five per cent per annum and will increase to seven per cent if the CH&PA fails to repay by the end of 2015.

This is what responsible governance is all about –utilizing the resources that you have to benefit the people of the country, rather than kicking up a storm that there are no funds due to the situation in Parliament and put on hold all new housing and water projects.

With this said, it’s not surprising that the Opposition parties, APNU and AFC are attempting to bash the Government for making preparations to counter the combined Opposition actions in the recent Parliament.

Further, the recent information shared by the GGMC provided an insight into existing loan agreements with the Ministry of Public Works, the Office of the Prime Minister and the Environmental Protection Agency, just to name a few, all of which were geared towards improving the lives of ordinary citizens.

I would therefore urge the Opposition political parties and political commentators to be objective in their comments rather than continuously make silly statements in the media to sensationalise issues to gain attention and political mileage.

Samuel Singh

Red Thread must not be selective in their supposed quest for human rights

Dear Editor, Red Thread wrote an letter in another section of the media titled, “Mothers with such young children should not receive such heavy sentences for minor drug offenses.”

The organization through that letter highlighted the fact that sentencing in our courts for young mothers for minor offenses leaves much to be desired. The heavy sentences are too harsh and is tearing - most instancessingle parent mothers from their children.

With no one to guide them, the children are led astray and untold ills befall them. As a result, sentencing of that nature only punishes the hapless children; they are the true vic-

The right of employers to offer competitive packages to prospective employees

Dear Editor

I refer to Emile Mervin’s recent letter in another section of the media headlined, “Government sapping the spirit of entrepreneurship by ‘headhunting’ private employees”, which was in connection with mine of on “Poaching versus Competitive Recruiting”.

Mr Mervin’s long letter focused on Government, under both the present and previous Administrations, reportedly creating unfair playing fields by using taxpayers’ money to favour some investors, be they private or private-public entities.

Mr Mervin might be pleased to know that I can also relate to these concerns and did in fact mention them in my aforementioned letter. However, I did refer to them as “another can of worms” that was not the prime focus of my submission.

I respectfully ask Mr Mervin and your readers to re-read my letter.

The focus of my humble letter was on the inalienable right of any employer to offer competitive compensation packages to prospective employees, providing such offers are not inconsistent with the laws of the land and are mindful of undue distortions or disregard of internal compensation relativities which can create morale issues and costly staff turnover among existing good and wanted employees for any

such short-sighted employer.

It is also wise to look at these issues from the employees’ perspective; they are the ones to decide if the offers being made via Headhunting are sustainable over the long run and if the proverbial ‘bird in the hand’ is worth gambling with for the unknown, untested new employer.

This is where the competence, smarts and proactivity of the Human Resource professionals in the existing firms being poached must step in with appropriate counseling initiatives.

Headhunting is only one of many allowable recruitment practices. Admittedly, it is relatively new; but it is being widely practiced by employers throughout the free democratic world, often at great cost, especially with the advent of the concept of knowledge workers who are more interested in career progression than the erstwhile loyalty to the current employer.

Also, headhunting firms since globalization facilitated extensive movement of skilled people across local and overseas firms.

Mr Mervin wondered about my “area of professional expertise”. At the risk of appearing boastful but in defense of my wellhoned qualifications and competence on the matters on which I have been writing in the local media, I am pleased to underscore my

Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management and Employee Relations from London University plus the Fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development of the UK (FCIPD).

My professional work experience in human resource management, industrial relations and organization development extend over 40 progressively responsible years in the private, public and international arenas in Guyana, Canada and United Nations in numerous countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and USA from Professional Officer, to Director and Consultant levels.

Nowrang Persaud

tims of a lopsided court’s ruling.

I wholeheartedly support Red Thread on this one. However, I chide them on being too selective in their choice of individuals.

For example where was Red Thread when Johnny Welshman made his harrowing alleged experiences public? The answer is they were noticeably silent on that case. And one of the reasons being young Welshman was accusing Raphael Trotman who is “one of their own” and they were determined to defend him.

That young man has been traumatized and mentally drained by those incidents and instead of giving support to the youngster they silently ignored him. This writer is not asking for them to convict their “Comrade”, but to offer some form of support to the youngster –the same support they are asking for those women they’ve mentioned in their letter.

And speaking of issuing support for women, where is Red Thread’s support when women, mothers and children (Agricola standoff) are raped and molested? Where is the condemnation?

I have witnessed women being gang raped at election time and nothing by way of a strong rebuke or any such thing came from Red Thread. These women are targets for the marauding hordes yet Red Thread stays silent. What kind of an organization is this that conveniently chooses when and to whom they give support? I’d rather say they bear the outlook of a political bunch more than a nongovernment or non political entity.

Red Thread cannot be so selective in their dealings with the Guyanese community. It only exposes them as a wily bunch of hypocrites and nothing else.

Neil Adams

Natural resources not on “fire sale”

Minister Persaud …

Natural Resources and Environment

Minister Robert Persaud on Wednesday told stakeholders of the sector that Guyana was not having a “fire sale “of its resources.

He said that there was nothing to be given away in the sector, not-

media, stating that Guyana was selling off its resources and that the Ministry lacked accountability and transparency.

He, however, stated that the Ministry has always been transparent in all of its activities and accountability was very much active at the organisation,

it relates to the six agencies under the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment.

These are the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC); the Guyana Gold Board(GGB);, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA);, the Protected Areas

says transparency, accountability in place

each year and would usually undergo internal audits by both local and international bodies. Additionally, Persaud said that the Ministry could never be accused of not having lucid measures and systems in place since all of the Acts governing each of the agencies were built on the foun-

ing that every process at the Ministry was transparent and accounted for. Speaking at the Ministry’s year-in-review media encounter on Wednesday at the Herdmanston Lodge, Persaud noted that there have been constant reports from some sections of the

alluding to the year-in-review as proof of that.

The year-in-review was organised to give the employees, stakeholders and members of the general public an overview of challenges, successes, utilisation of resources indices and other matters as

Commission (PAC); the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission(GGMC); and the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC).

The Minister stated that the Ministry produced activity reports and financial statements at the end of

dation of transparency and were always fully enforced.

“All of the Acts of the various agencies has transparency built in. We have not merely left it at what we are required to do, but we sought to enhance our accountability and transparency.... We have put

multiple layers of transparency and accountability. We were the first to put the Scale Monitoring, Reporting and Verification in place. We have international bodies utilising five metres technology. Looking at what is taking place, all of our systems, every activity has to be documented and accounted for and they themselves come in and do the full audit and then that audit is re-audited by another entity out of the UK and they do a verification and then there is a re-verification and that is only an example which we have voluntarily done. We want to develop a robust and transparent sector,” he told the gathering which included foreign investors.

Meanwhile, the former

Minister of Agriculture also related that there have been many questions in recent times as it relates to the Ministry’s policies on allowing foreign investors, particularly Chinese and Indian investors, free reign in the country, without them following the proper procedures, or most times, without the population’s knowledge.

To this end, he said, while the country has an open door policy as it relates to investments, it has never, it does not and it will never see nationality or race as a factor in granting approval to the investments.

He noted too that despite the open door policy and having foreign investors in the country, Guyanese investors are afforded far more privileges.

“One of the questions that have always been asked was whether we give preference to the foreign investors, especially the Chinese and Indians as compared to other countries. As a country, there is an open door policy and we welcome foreign investors and the larger mining companies predate this Government. Our national plan encourages foreign investors, but if you look at our forestry and mining resources, access to those resources are, in fact, slanted in favour of Guyanese nationals. There are certain properties which can only be held by Guyanese and no one else. There are certain things that no foreign national can access, only Guyanese,” he intoned.

He told the sizable gathering that the year 2014 has shown the Ministry the areas in which it needs to improve on and come this year, things will be brighter and better for the sector since he intends to ensure that the challenges are overcome.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud

A section of the gathering at the Ministry’s year-in-review media encounter

Govt reiterates:

Jagdeo not interested in third term

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo has no interest in a third term in office, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon said, in a direct response to the motion filed in the High Court challenging the constitutionality of the two-term limit imposed on Presidents in Guyana.

As he addressed reporters at the Office of the President on Wednesday, Dr Luncheon said Jagdeo remained committed to his statement of principles, explaining that the former President would not be pursuing any further appointment to be elected to a constitutional office or post in Guyana. Jagdeo has repeatedly declared this position since demitting office after the 2011 General Elections, the Head of the Presidential Secretariat stated.

According to Dr Luncheon, the statement is in part a response to the apparently deliberate attempt to create uncertainty at a time when Guyana is heading towards General and Regional Elections.

He made it clear that the former President would not be bothered by such a move.

“Former President Jagdeo who is named in that motion by the applicant has disclosed his disinterest in the matter, his firm res-

olution not to entertain constitutional post holding,” he added.

On Monday, the motion was filed by Cedric Richardson, a West Ruimveldt, Georgetown resident who is being represented by Attorneys Shawn Allicock, Oneidge Walrond-Allicock, Emily Dodson and Coleen Sparman.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall and Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman have been named as respondents

Writ

In his writ, Richardson claims that Act No 17 of 2001 passed by a two-thirds majority of members of the National Assembly that purportedly altered Article 90 of the Constitution “curtails and restricts the sovereign and democratic rights and freedom as a qualified elector to elect the person of former President Jagdeo as the Executive President of Guyana”.

He argues that Act No 17 of 2001 has the consequence (ad-

vertent or inadvertent) of restricting and curtailing the democratic rights and freedom of the electorate by purporting to eliminate from the executive presidential candidacy a person who has been

re-elected as Executive President; for rxample former President Jagdeo.

Richardson again contended that Act No 17 of 2001 has the effect of restricting or curtailing the democratic rights and freedom of the electorate providing for the non-eligibility of a person who has been re-elected as Executive President for presidential elections, and diminishes and reduces the level of democracy enjoyed by the electorate prior to the purported alteration and, therefore, required the holding of a referendum for such alteration.

Guyana’s Constitution states that a person elected as President after the year 2000 is eligible for re-election only once.

The Constitution further states that a person who acceded to the Presidency after 2000 and served therein for a single occasion for not less than such a period as may be determined by the National Assembly is eligible for election as President only once.

Private search for missing ASL aircraft launched

After one month of searching for the missing Air Services Aircraft with no success, relatives of the two men who are still missing have not given up, thus they launched a private search mission on Wednesday in an effort to find the wreckage.

The search is organised by Frank Singh, Managing Director of Rainforest Tours and is expected to last one month with an estimated budget of just over $6 million and a 20-man search team. The party of men is due to arrive in Mahdia, Potaro-Siparuni on Friday after which a detailed outline of the search mission will be discussed.

The initiative is being supported by local businesses, family members of the two men and several prominent pilots including, Captain Gerry Gouveia.

Speaking at the launch at the Rainforest Tours Headquarters, Avenue of the Republic, Frank Singh explained that they have plotted a grid using the informa-

tion received from Captain Gouveia and will tackle the dense jungle head on.

As indicated, using a map, the search will commence at Toffee, Region Eight. The chosen area is suspected to be the location where the aircraft was head-

the control tower at Timehri, the possibility exists that the aircraft was on its way to Karisparu and was greeted with bad weather, forcing the pilot to find the closest landing spot which he said was Toffee.

Nevertheless, the search

ing after it encountered bad weather.

Singh explained that based on the last tracker signal that was obtained from

party will commence search there and if they came up empty handed, they will then move towards the Fort Fork area. He added too, that the

area where the Geology and Mines Commission and the Guyana Defence Force special force searched will be revisited if necessary. The team, he explained will be guided by GPS devices.

“For the first search in the Toffee area, 10 men will be used to comb a four mile stretch… they will be placed 100 metres apart, in that case, they cannot miss anything… as we move towards the more mountainous areas, we will increase the search by an addition ten men,” Singh stated.

He went on to say that aerial footage of the area collected showed that some trees were disturbed in the Toffee mountain area hence the commencement of the search there.

Singh further went on to say that on the day the aircraft disappeared, it was seen flying at low altitude by miners which means that the possibility exists that the men are still alive.

“If the aircraft was seen, it meant it was flying low and if it crashed, the impact will not be that serious… some minor injuring might be incurred by if it was flying high then the possibility is that they have not survived.”

Although it has been a month after the suspected crash, he noted that under the pilot’s seat there is a kit that has several pieces of life saving apparatus including first aid, sparks and food items that can last up to a certain time.

Assistance needed

However, Cecil Persaud, father of the missing pilot told media operative that he is hopeful that his son and the cargo loader are alive. He said that his son is a fighter and knows that he will try his best to fight all

odds to stay alive.

He thanked his family, friends and businesses that have indicated their interest to assist in the search and is optimistic that they will find the two men alive. He also thanked his church members who have been offering prayers to the families in time of distress.

Meanwhile, the organisers of the search mission are calling on the public for assistance in any form whether monetary or food items. Those who wish to donate monetarily are urged to do so via Scotia Bank account number 114594.

The name of the account is ‘Searching for missing aircraft Pilot, Captain Nicky Persaud and Cargo

loader, David Bisnauth’. Contact can also be made with Stephanie on 6248257; Frank on 624-3298 or Rainforest Tours on telephone number 231-5661.

The Britten Norman Islander bearing registration number 8R-GHE was heading to Karisparu after taking off from Mahdia Airstrip on December 28, 2014. One board was Captain Nicky Persaud, 25; and David Bisnauth, 53. Immediately after the spot tracker went dead, a search and rescue mission was established but after one month without success, both the Government of Guyana and Air Services Limited called it off.

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon

Three members of the search team. From right, Frank Singh, Tony Melville and Cecil Persaud

One of the bill boards that were erected pleading to public’s assistance in finding the two men

The probable areas of interest highlighted on the map

Man wanted in CJIA cocaine bust surrenders

Hours after the Police issued a wanted bulletin for a former personal assistant to a Minister of Government for questioning in connection with a recent cocaine bust, he presented himself to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Wednesday in the presence of his lawyer.

Twenty-nine-year-old Kenroy Anthony Augustus Joseph allegedly presented a forged document from the Foreign Affairs Ministry to the Airport Duty Office at the Cheddi Jagan International

Kenroy Joseph

Mason granted bail on robbery charge

Osafo Bob

Amason was granted $100,000 bail by Magistrate Annette Singh on Wednesday when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to face a robbery charge.

Osafo Bob, age 20, and a father of two, pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that on December 27, 2014, he robbed the Virtual Complainant (VC) Timeka

Eastman of her handbag, a BlackBerry Z10 cellphone and two sliver chains.

Prosecutor Adonni Innis said that on the day in question at around 23:45h, Eastman was in the vicinity of Congress Place, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, when Bob walked up to her and grabbed her handbag. The prosecution added that the defendant also made use of violence in the commissioning of the crime by hitting the VC in her face with a bottle, before relieving her of the articles and making good his escape.

The matter was reported to the Police and the defendant was arrested. He was later picked out during an identification parade (ID), hence charges were laid.

Bob was represented by Attorney Adrian Thompson who in his bail application said that his client is not a flight risk and had no previous convictions. Bail was granted and the defendant is set to return to court on February 24.

Airport (CJIA), Timehri purporting that he was carrying out protocol duties for a couple who claimed to be relatives of a Government official. The document showed that permission was granted for the couple to use the VIP Lounge of the CJIA until their flight to Toronto, Canada was ready to take off.

The couple, Mahendra Ramsuchit and Guyanaborn Canadian citizen Robhina Basdeoram, were subsequently busted with over 20 kilograms of cocaine in their hand luggage as

they were clearing a security checkpoint. It was at this point in time that the authorities realised that the document presented to them by Joseph was forged. Joseph subsequently disappeared.

Ramsuchit and the pregnant Basdeoram made their first court appearance before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and were remanded to prison until February 13. Joseph is expected to make his court appearance before the end of the week.

Sophia resident granted bail for larceny

Rajesh Madray, age 22, of B Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, appeared before Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond at the Georgetown Magistrates’

Courts accused of stealing one flat-screen television valued $150,000, a drill set valued $70,000 and a camera set worth $160,000; at a total value of $380,000.

The young man pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on January 17, at Lamaha Gardens, Greater Georgetown, he broke and entered the residence of Vishnu Budham and stolen the aforementioned articles.

Prosecutor Renetta Bentham had no objections to bail since the family of the defendant has agreed to compensate Budham for the stolen articles.

He was released on $50,000 bail and is expected to return to court on February 13.

Man of unsound mind dies after shot resisting arrest

Police on the Essequibo Coast arrested a Danielstown man, allegedly of unsound mind, who was wanted for a number of crimes on Wednesday.

Leon Alphonso, aka Bholo, who is said to usually roam the streets in his boxers, was arrested by Police in the Hampton Court area after a manhunt that lasted more than two days.

As Police closed in on Alphonso, he reportedly tried to harm them with a crowbar and ranks opened fire in self-defence, and the rounds hit him. He was then arrested and taken to the Suddie Public Hospital, where he was admitted under Police guard.

According to a Police release, Alphonso was subsequently pronounced dead on arrival at Leonora Cottage Hospital , from where he was scheduled to be taken

to the Georgetown Public Hospital for surgery.

Alphonso was wanted by Police after he smashed a fellow Danielstown resident’s car windscreen with a piece of wood and knocked a pregnant woman down. This was not his first brush with the law. He was previously charged for threatening two businessmen in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam). At one point, he had attempted to jump through the courtroom window when he appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce.

Scarce had ordered that Alphonso be psychiatrically evaluated to determine his fitness to plead; however, doctors were unable to do so because of his aggressive behaviour. Residents in the area had said Alphonso was a serious threat and he should be locked away.

Eyew tness Double standards...

...on US deportees

The Statue of Liberty is inscribed with a promise that Americans make to the world: “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

But it’s clear that once the first waves of huddled masses had built up America to the colossus it soon became through their blood, sweat and tears, their modern day counterparts weren’t gonna be so welcome. Especially if they didn’t follow the straight and narrow.

The “wretched” could work to feed the maws of the factories and farms - but they’d better live a life of saints if they didn’t want to be shipped back from whence they came!! As we say in Guyana, if “they slip, they slide!”

And this week, we had 26 of those who’d “slipped” being shipped right back to Guyana. When folks migrate to the US, they don’t read the fine print...they can be deported back to their “teeming shores” for any number of reasons. But the ones they take the time and expense to ship back are the hardcore criminal types.

Because most of them would’ve served serious time in the American prison system - when they hit Guyana, it’s like you’re getting fellas (and it’s always fellas) who have graduate degrees in criminal doings.

Now you’d think that with half a million Guyanese living in the States - working their butts off so that the rest of the country can live “the American dream” - the Americans would take care of the few that fell through the cracks, no?

What’s 400 criminals to the more than two millions prisoners incarcerated at any one time in the US...the highest in the world?? They have a parole system, rehab system, etc that deals with an additional five million graduates of their jails, for Chrissake!!

But no...they ship back nearly 400 hardened criminals annually to us - with a total population of not even one million!! You don’t need a degree in sociology to appreciate what kind of impact that’s having on crime in this country.

These fellas are behind most of the hard core crimes in one way or another. Some of them have become “consultants” for local criminals! Can you imagine what kind of strain they’re putting on our security system??

We can’t even have a “parole” system to track these deportees - since they didn’t commit any crime here. But we’re getting advice on democracy from the Americans. Isn’t that what matters??

...on the Opposition

The Americans also have double standards when it comes to dealing with the Government and the Opposition. We know that with them supporting the PNC for more than two decades (even providing funds to organise the party itself), they just have so much in common.

But hey!! Shouldn’t they at least issue a pro forma squeak of protest when the Opposition acts against their interests?. Which for the Americans means BUSINESS interests.

Just look at Amaila Falls, which this Eyewitness examined yesterday. Apart from every thing else, Sithe’s an American company!! How can the Opposition be allowed to cuss down the Sithe-managed and IDB-funded project for “corruption” a when they know that Sithe is subject to the strictest US laws dealing with corrupt practices abroad??

If tiny Norway could defend their interests, why’s the US so diffident?? Is it because the PNC has once again sold out our national patrimony for the Yankee Dollar Bill??

...on Sharma

Sharma (the young one) and his JFAP are back in the APNU fold. He’d quit in disgust when they didn’t stand up for his Dad against Manickchand’s picong in Parliament.

So why does he think they’ll stand up for him now?? Look how they treated Aubrey Norton....and he’s “born and bred PNC”!!

Rajesh Madray

Brassington debunks claim Marriott poaching on other hotel staff

Chairman of Atlantic Hotel Inc, owner of the Marriott Hotel here, Winston Brassington says that criticisms publicly directed at the recruitment of staff for the hotel have “no basis in fact and are absolutely without merit.”

Brassington noted that according to a statement made, of the total number of 239 staff engaged to operate the hotel chosen from just under 3500 applications received, 228 are Guyanese. He said 90 of these staff are in training and 60 more will start next week to be followed by the remainder.

Brassington pointed out

that less than five per cent of the total staff engaged are from overseas countries.

The AHI Chairman said according to the statement, of a total complement of 29 management staff engaged from 922 applications, 20 are Guyanese, five of whom were recruited from overseas and have returned home.

He said that of the nine non-Guyanese management staff engaged from overseas, four are food and beverage specialists not available in Guyana.

Brassington added that 691 applications were received for supervisory staff. He said 30 of the applicants

have been engaged, all of whom are Guyanese and only five of whom previously worked at another hotel in Guyana.

Brassington disclosed that 1862 applications were received for non-management positions and of the 180 staff engaged, 23 were from other hotels in Guyana.

He said that with its recruitment programme all but complete, from a total of 3475 applications received, a total of 223 positions are recruited from Guyana, of whom, 30 have worked with other hotels in the country.

Brassington said that the salary scales offered for staff

GPL still to determine rate of tariff reduction – PM Hinds

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds has disclosed that the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) is trying to determine the most feasible way to reflect the drop in fuel prices in electricity costs to consumers.

Hinds explained during a telephone interview with Guyana Times on Wednesday that the power company is fearful of negatively impacting its sustainability because of the unpredictability of oil prices on the international market.

“As far as I understand, GPL on the call of the President is looking to pass on as much of the drop in fuel prices as they can to consumers without impacting it programme for sustainability or development,” he said.

The Minister in charge of energy explained that since fuel consumes 70 per cent of power company’s generation cost, it is necessary that the company scrutinises every aspect of its decision taken to reduce electricity rates as it strives to fulfil the requests of President Donald Ramotar.

“From the inception there has always been a calculation of rebate or surcharge as the price

of oil fluctuates,” the Prime Minister explained while adding that this stipulation is only applicable if the change in oil prices is 10 per cent or greater.

He added that this rule also applies to the annual projections of fuel prices made by the power company. However, he said the current state of fuel prices has not been seen since 2009.

“Since 2009 prices have been somewhat constant so there has not been a significant need for changes in electricity. Further, the Government has been sub-

sidising about 20 per cent of the cost to produce electricity,” the Prime Minister pointed out.

In addition, he said the cost consumers pay for a unit of power at present is about 25 per cent below the allowed full cost to provide power. “So you see consumers have been enjoying a significant subsidy all along,” Hinds said.

After being sold on the international market for approximately US$100 per barrel, fuel prices began to drop last June. About two weeks ago, fuel prices dropped to approximately US$45 per barrel.

Reduction in fares

When this happened, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh declared a 30 per cent reduction in fuel prices at Guyoil gas stations. Since this declaration, private gas stations have since followed suit, placing pressure on public transportation holders to drop their fares.

Individuals of the public transportation sector are to meet shortly to discuss a reduction in fares.

However, President Ramotar had told this newspaper that he had tabled a proposed reflection of the low gas

recruited from Guyana are comparable with those generally paid in the hospitality sector here for similarly qualified and experienced staff.

According to the statement he reminded that in setting salary levels for recruitment, the Marriottt management has a contracted obligation to the principal owners of the hotel to deliver a profitable hotel.

Brassington observed that the hotel was already deliv ring on its promise to create new employment in Guyana and it is patently ridiculous for anyone to claim otherwise.

The hotel will open with 239 new employees. This number will be approximately doubled when the casino and restaurant entertainment complex comes on stream.

Man remanded on drug trafficking charge

Dprices in electricity rates to GPL even before the Finance Minister made his announcement.

It was later disclosed by Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr roger Luncheon that GPL has agreed to lower its rates but efforts to speak with GPL officials were unsuccessful.

There are also concerns of how a fall in electricity rates will impact GPL’s loss reduction strategy since it has complained of significant technical and nontechnical losses over the years.

aro Peter was on Wednesday remanded to prison by Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on drug trafficking charges. The 41-year-old pleaded not guilty to the offence.

The charge stated that on February 2 in Georgetown Magisterial District, he had in his possession two grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking

Police Inspector Shellon Daniels did not reveal the prosecution’s facts but opposed bail on the grounds that no special reasons were given to the court for such to be granted.

Bail was refused and the matter stands adjourned till February 12.

Daro Peter

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds

Chairman of Atlantic Hotel Inc, Winston Brassington

Guyana agrees to raise the age of criminal responsibility – Foreign Affairs Minister

…accepts more than 70 other recommendations at UN-UPR

Guyana has received some 143 recommendations during its presentation to the Working Group at the recently concluded United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR), in Switzerland.

Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett on Wednesday told local media operatives at a press conference that Guyana has accepted more than half of these recommendations which were made by other countries. “Guyana had the option of responding to the recommendations there or responded to some or all, or we had the option of not responding to any and provide a report at a later date,” she stated.

Minister RodriguesBirkett disclosed that Guyana has accepted 75 of the recommendations and committed to consider another 64 recommendations

before the Human Rights Council meet in June. No recommendation was rejected by this country, while it accepted another four that were already being implemented. Those accepted were in the areas of women strengthening, the Sexual Offences Act, discrimination against LGBT (lesbians, guys, bi-sexual and transgender) persons, Child Protection, Human Rights, Trafficking in Persons, poverty reduction and rights of Indigenous people.

Additionally, the Minister said she agreed to raise the age of criminal responsibility in Guyana, which is currently set at 10-years-old. She added that there were also recommendations on make national regulations in accordance with international laws as it relates to decriminalising defamation and developing self regulatory mechanisms for the media.

Rodrigues-Birkett outlined that many of the recommendations require national consultations before they are implemented. “Many of the recommendations have deep cultural and societal considerations and will require widespread consultations before reaching a conclusion that will find favour with the majority of persons in society and indeed the majority of Parliamentarians because ultimately that’s where the laws will have to be amended,” she explained.

The Minister further mentioned that financial considerations will also have to be taken into account for some of the recommendations. “While we have been increasing the Budgetary allocations to the social sectors, we found it necessary to indicate to the UPR Working Group and the Member States present, that we believe the means

of implementation for the sustainable development goals, which are being finalised right now, must be very clear to assist small states like Guyana,” she noted.

Rodrigues-Birkett explained that since Guyana has moved up to a middleincome country from a poor country, it no longer qualifies for concessionary financing. On the other hand, Government’s Presidential Advisor Gail Teixeira, stressed that compiling the report to present to the Work Group was a tedious task. She noted that there are two stages to the UPR process and the first had to do with presenting the report to the Work Group, which the Minister had already done on January 30. The final review will occur when each country appears before the UN Human Rights Council, which will determine whether the report will be accepted.

“In they adopt it, and they do normally adopt country’s reports because what comes to them is what has emerged from the UPR Working Group… Once it is adopted in June then it goes into the records and the obligations of the countries begin,” she explained.

Multiplication by Rum Jhaat

It gotta man in de good book who was a great man. Even up to this day, people does worship this man. This man was good at keepin good people good and turnin bad people good. This man had wanna mek de whole word good.

But de man was also good at multiplication. And imagine it had no calculator in dem days. This man multiply five hot dog bread and two kakabelly, and feed thousands of people. Plus it had left overs when every body done eat. And yuh know how good fry fish and bread does eat, especially when yuh ain’t had to buy it.

If people in Guyana follow this man heart and live like he, it ain’t gon got no more cuss down behaviour in Parliament, or quarrel in Cabinet. Neither any strike at U-Gee, nor fight to be Prezzi between Rum Jhaat and de Nagga Man.

Plus dem Shadow Ministers gon stop playin real Ministers, and Guyana and Waste Indies cricket gon finally have people who there not just fuh de money. And friends gon stop cuttin dem own friends throat like a reporter to do a Minister de other day.

Well, Rum Jhaat wasn’t around when this man used to multiply. But he decide he gon learn from dis man and follow he ways. That is why Rum Jhaat does multiply dem large on Station Street. Don’t even talk bout when he deh in Berbice.

If Rum Jhaat tek on a case, de fees does somehow get multiply by de number of large whah deh in he car. And de KFC donation money does multiply in Rum Jhaat account. Word was out a long time how he account used to multiply real good when de Feathers people been here.

De other day Rum Jhaat appeal a case and every ting get multiply by three. But he had to divide de fees when de FUCOP boss man multiply de ‘F’ and ‘S’.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! But wait till de See-See-J show Rum Jhaat how to really multiply!

ECD rape allegations:

Accused charged, placed on $400,000 bail

The son of the General Manager of the Guyana Rice Development Board was on Wednesday charged with allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl when he appeared before Magistrate Zamella AllySeepaul at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.

He was granted $400,000 bail. His bail was set behind closed doors. The 23-yearold Vishnu Singh was not required to plead to the charge which said that on January 27 at Agriculture Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD), he engaged in sexual penetration with a child under the age of 16.

The details of the charge were attested to by Police Corporal Shanella Stewart and the matter was filed on February 2 following the alleged offence. Prosecutor John Singh alleged that the man, of Lot 8 Back Street, Better Hope, ECD, forced the teen into his mother’s car which he was driving at the time and proceeded to have sexual intercourse with

the Virtual Complainant against her will.

The Prosecutor explained that at the time of the illegal act, the teen was dressed in her school uniform.

However, he said Singh and the teen had been communicating via phone and social media prior to the alleged act. The Prosecutor also stated that Singh is a first-time offender and had

voluntarily turned himself over to the Police.

The Prosecutor did not object to bail, but requested that if bail was granted, it should be of significant value. While no one represented the defendant, the defendant’s father who was present during the court hearing paid his bail and he left the court compound.

Bail was granted under the condition that Singh reports to the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court every Friday at 10:00h and he was also required to lodge his passport with the clerk of court. He is also forbidden to have any contact with the teen.

Ever since the matter appeared in the public domain, it had caused widespread speculation and Singh was charged following instructions given by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DDP). This step was taken after a Police Officer was accused of attempting to receive funds to aid in dispelling the matter.

Vishnu Singh

Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Presidential Advisor Gail Teixeira at the press conference on Wednesday

Unlicensed teen driver killed in Corentyne smash-up

A15-year-old unlicensed driver was killed on Wednesday morning after the 4-Runner he was driving slammed into a parked vehicle along the Crabwood Creek, Corentyne main access road, and then turned turtle, critically injuring his 16-year-old friend.

Dead is Akash Mohan of Number 72 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne). Reports are that Mohan took the vehicle without the permission of its owner. Eyewitnesses say the accident accrued at about 03:30h.

It is believed that the young driver lost control of the vehicle when he hit a

heap of small stones in an attempt to evade what was believed to be a Police vehicle.

A 30-yard skid mark left on the road indicates that after going over the stone, the driver applied the brake but skidded across the road where he slammed into the parked Ford pick-up. The pickup was pushed about 15-feet as the 4-runner continued on its trail with the driver and loan passenger. It hit a bridge about 30feet away and the front tire was ripped from the vehicle, leaving a piece of the rim on the bridge. The 4-runner then flew over a trench and cleared a sign pole before crashing through a utility pole, shattering it into pieces. The vehicle then hit the side of a dam and turned turtle as the occupants were thrown from the vehicle. It finally came to a halt when it hit a concrete fence.

Both Mohan and his friend Andrew Sooknandan, 16, of Kingston, Corriverton, who was also in the vehicle, received injuries and were picked up in an unconscious state and taken to the Skeldon Hospital where Mohan was pronounced dead on arrival. Sooknandan was later transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital

suffering from a fractured arm and head injuries. Up to press time he was said to be in a stable condition.

Owner of the Ford pickup, Ricky Singh said sometime after 03:00h, he was awaked by a loud sound and rushed to his verandah, only to see his vehicle was hit. “I look up the road and I ent see nothing, so I come downstairs and go outside… nothing”. He said moments later he saw a Berbice Anti Smuggling Squad (BASS) vehicle approaching. “They told me that it has to be a gold vehicle that passed them about four times. Then a man run out from the dam and said that the vehicle by

the church fence. When we go we see two boys lying on the dam.” Singh said both of them were breathing at the time.

Meanwhile reports are that Mohan had been staying with some friends at Baichan Sawmill at Crabwood Creek since last November. The teen moved from his Number 71 Village home after his father died and his mother moved out to live with a male friend in the same village. He was left to live with brother who villagers describe as “useless”. When this publication visited the home, both his mother and brother were there but offered no information.

Jushua Imammo who also lives at Baichan Sawmill said that a group of friends were with them chatting and then everybody went to bed on Tuesday night. He said they were not

drunk but arrangements were in place to have Mohan commence working officially the following day.

He said no one knew

when Mohan picked up the vehicle and went to Kingston, Corriverton to collect his friend. “It is the doctor at the hospital call us

so we know that something happen.” He said that was sometime after 04:00h.

Efforts to contact the Sooknandan family were fu-

tile. However Guyana Times understands that they were unaware that their son had gone out onto the road in the wee hours of the morning.

The 4-Runner left lying on the fence after the accident (left) and the parked vehicle it crashed into

Dead: Akash Mohan

Injured: Andrew Sooknandan

thursday, february 5, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

More house lots in Region 3

– Govt allocates almost 300 in Zeeburg, De Willem

The Ministry of Housing, through its One Stop Shop initiative, on Wednesday distributed 264 house lots in the communities of Zeeburg and De Willem in Region Three (Essequibo Islands- West Demerara).

Some $213 million was invested into this project, making the average development cost for each lot more than $1.3 million.

Housing Minister Irfaan Ali explained that the Government’s average subsidy for a single house lot is $591,000, as some properties will be sold at $1.2 million and others at $700,000.

He noted the Government’s commitment to ensuring income redistribution to all Guyanese.

Ali also disclosed that the water network facilities were already completed and electricity works would commence before the end of the year.

“The difficult task is implementing what is done. I am very proud of the team and the Ministry of Housing and the Central Housing and Planning Authority who worked consistently hard to deliver these benefits to all Guyanese.”

The Minister reiterated the Government’s plan to improve the living conditions for all Guyanese by creating greater opportunities for all through housing and other social facilities.

Since the year 2000, more than $17 billion has been invested in the housing sector in Region Three, creating 25,000 new house lots which benefited approximately 102,000 persons.

The Minister also highlighted the mortgage relief policy for first-time homeowners as part of Government’s plan to create affordable and accessible housing for all. On that note, he said the foundation of homeownership is in realising and obtaining more disposable income.

“If you’re paying $40,000 rent, and you own your own house lot and your own home, and you’re able to use that as equity to get a loan and you’re paying back the $30,000 per month, it means you’ll have a saving of $10,000 from your rental

Trotman paedophile allegations Trotman escapes prosecution

Tvalue…in addition, there is the net value of the home.”

He further explained that the value for the land in the Tuschen Housing Scheme has significantly escalated.

“Some of those lots sold for $92,000 to $100,000. The value of those lots now is $1.5 to $2 million.”

The Minister acknowledged that more can be done to ensure the housing need of every citizen in Guyana is met. “We have already planned an aggressive programme moving forward because we will not rest until the housing need of every single citizen is realised.”

Ali explained that the $3 billion loan from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) was acquired for that purpose and he cannot comprehend the blather from “political commentators”.

“That new loan would enable us to get the requisite land that is necessary to provide these house lots. We can’t provide the house lots in the sky; we have to get the land to develop and that is why we took a strategic decision to have a loan contracted… Yet we see political commentators making all sorts of remarks and propaganda surrounding this investment,” he noted.

President Donald Ramotar, in his address, disclosed that the Ministry was in the process of acquiring another loan to satisfy the housing needs of the people of Guyana.

Moreover, it was highlighted that the demand for housing in Region Three has decreased since 2009.

“The demand for housing was 6000, including new applications that keep coming in; the demand has been reduced resulting in an average demand of 2000 … a strategy is being created to address this remaining 2000,” Minister Ali revealed. President Ramotar assured that his Government will continue to develop the housing sector.

“One of the most important things a human being needs in order to improve their life and add to their quality of life is the security of homeownership,” he said.

he Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed that no charges should be instituted against Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman with regard to the sexual abuse allegations which were brought against him by Johnny Welshman.

A well-placed source close to the DPP Chambers said that the DPP returned the file to the Police on Wednesday and directed that there were no grounds

for charges to be laid against Trotman. It was also noted that no further investigations should be carried out, since the matter was considered to be concluded and closed. Efforts made to contact Trotman proved futile.

When the file was sent to the DPP on January 26, a source had related to this publication that the file was incomplete as it was missing a medical, but this was impossible to obtain in this case, because a number of years had already elapsed and nothing could be proven by a medical at this point in time.

In September last year, the 22-year-old Welshman accused the Speaker, who he fondly called “Uncle Raphael”, of sodomising him when he was a 12-year-old boy. Since the allegations were made by the young man, Trotman has moved to the courts to obtain a gag order and filed a $50 million lawsuit against his accuser.

As per the gag order, Welshman was ordered to remove all malicious content

from his Facebook Page.

Welshman, in return, had also moved to the High Court, seeking to have the injunction discharged. On November 11, acting Chief Justice Ian Chang had ruled to uphold an injunction filed by Trotman that prevented Welshman from repeating his allegations of sexual abuse until the conclusion of the matter, much to the anger of the alleged victim.

The young man had previously told the Guyana

Times that he was frustrated by the slothfulness of Police in probing the matter. On Wednesday, November 12, he attempted to take his own life.

Welshman was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital after reportedly consuming a large amount of chlorine-based liquid. He was treated and sent home. “I can’t take it anymore: I wanted justice and I am the one that is constantly harassed on the road. Well, live with yourself at my death… I know I will be in hell ‘cause I committed suicide, but I rather die than to continue living in pain… Uncle Raphael, my father and Colin, I will never forgive you’,” Welshman posted on his Facebook page the day of his suicide attempt. The young man, who had indicated that he was no longer being represented by Attorney Peter Hugh, had said he was awaiting the arrival of another Attorney from Trinidad and Tobago before he proceeded in a legal direction.

UG lecturers under pressure for poor workload

… but claim go beyond the call

By AnAstAciA clementson

In the face of criticism of their poor workload, lecturers at the cashstrapped University of Guyana are claiming that they go above and beyond the call of duty in their services to the students of the institution.

UG Vice Chancellor (VC), Professor Jacob Opadeyi on Tuesday stated at a meeting with the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO) that lecturers’ workloads were very poor. The VC had further stated that such low performances by the lecturers have prevented him from giving a good argument for salary increases, particularly to the heights of the 60 per cent increase being demanded.

However, Head of the Chemistry Department in the Health Sciences Faculty, Professor Patrick Ketwaru told this publication that although the University has been in a continuous deficit for a number of years it has still produced “good product’ – the students. He said owing to the hard work of lecturers students have been able to leave the University and take up executive positions in all parts of the Caribbean and Guyana.

The Chemistry Professor said that the VC’s statements were quite disingenuous and showed his lack of knowledge of the lecturers’ sessions with students, as lecturers would go beyond the call of duty in assisting the students in their departments. He explained that lecturers should be work-

of duty

ing 360 hours per year and 12 hours per week; however, this did not take into consideration marking of papers, one-on-one sessions with students who required extra assistance and the host of other obligations of an academic staff.

Developmental

In addition, he said academic staff were given US$300 allowance per semester to see to small things for their classes such as dry erasers, printing, etc. However, he said these did not last and in most cases lecturers would dip into their own budgets for these items.

However, Professor Ketwaru admitted that there were probably some lecturers that did fit the VC’s statements of having a poor workload and if this was the case then the VC should act in his capacity to ensure that those who fit in that category were properly disciplined and avoid making “blanket statements”. For speaking for himself,

Professor Ketwaru said: “I do a lot of work and not only developmental either.”

A lecturer of the Communications Department, who wanted to remain anonymous, stated that lecturers have official sessions of about 12 hours per week which are gained in three four-credit courses that entail lecturers instructing students for three hours with an hour for students to apply or discuss their studies with the lecturers. She added that there was also a standard two hours of office hours where students can visit the lecturers when they may require additional help.

However, the Communications Lecturer was quick to note that this did not prevent students from coming during nonoffice hours. “What can we do in such cases, turn them back?” she asked. The lecturer reiterated that lecturers put in their full hours of work with students and more, as most cared that their students did well as they would make the lecturers look good too.

However, the lecturer stated that she understood the VC’s statements regarding the lack of funds for increases in salaries, but indicated that the lecturers’ workload should not be given as an excuse for him to not try to accumulate the needed funds.

She shared that the Communications Department is almost selfsustaining as it has sought to mobilise funds to enable the many tools communica-

tion students need to continue their work. She indicated that the same can be done for other departments if the right initiative and diligence were harnessed. Another lecturer of the Communications Department reiterated that it was a norm for lecturers to work with students at all hours of the day and even late nights. She reminded that a student evaluation system was established some years ago and the students have a say in the quality and time they believe lecturers may be giving to them.

She said this system should probably be looked at by Professor Opadeyi to give his statements some qualification. Nevertheless, she also stated that if the VC did have proof of lecturers not doing their duty by students. then “they should have the opportunity to justify their performances”.

Professor Bruce Haynes, of the UGWU, had given his opinion that the VC may be simply trying to drive a wedge between students and lecturers by his statements of lecturers’ poor workload. He said that there was a lot of information that the University’s administration was withholding from the staff like the financial reports, which the Unions were unable to report on to gauge the financial state of the university. However, he posited that lecturers sacrifice a lot for students and also do so “under some tremendous constraints”.

UG VC, Professor Jacob Opadeyi

Housing Minister Irfaan Ali

Raphael Trotman

Johnny Welshman

Presidential term limit motion: More than 30 behind court action, says lawyer …threatens more challenges to Constitution

Lead counsel representing the interests of 50-year-old Cedric Richardson who has filed a High Court motion to challenge the Presidential term limits, Shaun Allicock, says that there are at least thirty other persons behind the motion and it was not solely filed by Richardson.

Speaking to the Guyana Times at his office on Thomas Street in the presence of Emily Dodson and Oneidge WalrondAllicock, the other lawyers involved in the matter, Allicock related that Richardson was not particularly inclined to the speak to the media on the matter.

Allicock on the other hand said that the issue was raised by at least thirty other persons over a period of time. He said that the law chamber was approached to see what could have been done to address it.

The thirty persons included Mr. Cedric Richardson, who also happens to be Allicock’s personal driver. Allicock however, told this publication that while it was raised by other persons, Richardson was the most recent and also the most convenient person since he is based in Georgetown while the others live out of town. As such, Richardson signed to the document and it was subsequently filed in his name.

The lawyer related that despite reports emanating from several of the media outlets, it was not a move which was politically-affiliated, contending that the change of the constitution was illegal and should have been done through the proper channel, which is by way of referendum. “In Guyana, anything happens, it is linked to having a political affiliation”, the legal counsel said.

According to the Attorney, he is simply doing his job for a client as an attorney and it

is not from any political slant or opinion. He noted that for such a major constitutional reform to be undertaken without any consultation or input from the Guyanese population is wrong and the writ had been filed to deem it illegal. There were countrywide consultations on the reform of the constitution. Allicock attributed that the reform which was simply inserted into the constitution, took the rights of the electorate away by purporting to eliminate from the executive presidential candidate, a person who has been elected twice as Executive President, for example, President Jagdeo.

No largesse

He warned that contrary to was being peddled by some political figures and sections the society, he was not being paid any large sum of money or working for political figure and if persons do not stop peddling these lies, he will take action. He noted that the writ is of merit and value and if political figures feel that it is unlawful and does not merit a hearing or is in some way lacking importance; then they too are free to file their motions in the court.

Asked why writ was filed so close to the elections date, Allicock related that the two are not related and it was simply a matter of when the matter was brought before him. Meanwhile, the attorney also disclosed to this publication that there are several other matters which have been brought to the law chambers by several others seeking to challenge the constitution and these too will be soon filed in the High Court. He declined to say what the matters were in relation to.

The Speaker of the National Assembly and the Attorney General who are

listed as the defendants have eight days to file a response to the motion while the matter is being given the attention of the Chief Justice, Ian Chang, who will, upon perusal of the document, set a date for hearing of the matter.

On Monday, Richardson of Lot 4 West Ruimveldt filed a motion in the High Court challenging the constitutionality of the limit which was imposed on Guyanese Presidents since 2001. In his writ, Richardson claims that act No 17 of 2001 passed by two thirds majority of members of the National assembly that purportedly altered Article 90 of the Constitution “curtails and restricts the sovereign and democratic rights and freedom as a qualified elector to elect the person of former President Jagdeo as the Executive President of Guyana”.

Richardson again contended that the Act 17 of 2001 has the effect of restricting or curtailing the democratic rights and freedom of the electorate providing for the non eligibility of a person who has been re elected as Executive President for presidential elections candidate, required for its legal validity the holding of a referendum of the people diminishes and reduces the level of democracy enjoyed by the electorate prior to the purported alternation and therefore required the holding of a referendum for such alteration.

Guyana’s constitution states that a person elected as President after the year 2000 is eligible for re election only once. The constitution further states that a person who acceded to the presidency after 2000 and served therein for a single occasion for not less than such a period as may be determined by the National Assembly is eligible for election as President only once.

GECOM, Canada to ink pact for elections management today

The Canadian High Commission in Guyana is partnering with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to ensure effective elections management. This will be manifested through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two parties later today, at GECOM’s High Street Office.

Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr Nicole Giles told the Guyana Times on Wednesday that this support was intended to strengthen the Commission’s ability to deliver credible elections. “The Government of Canada has a very high level of confidence in GECOM’s ability to deliver credible, free and fair elections in Guyana, but we want to do everything we can to provide even more credible elections,” she justified.

This MoU falls under the wider Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), which provides support in capacity

building for key priority areas. “We believe that free, fair and peaceful elections are the cornerstone of any democracy and we know that elections in Guyana, certainly for 2006 and 2011, were able

to deliver that,” Dr Giles noted, while stating that the High Commission has also been meeting with other key stakeholders such as the political parties and the Private Sector.

The focus of the CFLI will include the promotion of human rights, good governance and democracy, sustainable economic development and building security capacity. On Monday, Dr Giles signed on her Government’s behalf an MoU under the security cooperation aspect of bilateral relations for the purchase of video cameras and radios for the Police Force and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), to complement training sponsored by Canada last year.

Similarly, another agreement is due to be signed with the Guyana Women Miners Organisation for the furnishing of a safe house for victims of human trafficking and another with Help and Shelter for the prevention of sexual violence.

thursday, february 5, 2015 |

Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr Nicole Giles

thursday, february 5, 2015| guyanatimesgy.com

Continued on page 15

thursday, february 5, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

Accessibility in remote communities greatly improved

– President promises more improvement as economy advances

In an effort to increase accessibility in hinterland communities, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government,

over the years, has been expending large sums of money on road networks.

President Donald Ramotar recently told the

Government Information Agency (GINA) that in ensuring equality, the Administration has been placing a lot of emphasis on

bridging hinterland communities.

The Head of State noted that despite some challenges, including budget cuts

over the past three years, as it related to the much-needed infrastructural works in the hinterland regions, many strides have been made.

“We still have more work to do as far as some of the infrastructure is concerned in the villages themselves, but that will also come as our whole economy improves and we start to generate more wealth within the society.”

In 2014, $48 million was spent on improving roads in central Lethem, while in South Central Rupununi, roads were done at Potarinau at a cost of $3.4 million, and between Katoonarib and Sawariwau, $3.5 million was spent. In the Deep South Rupununi, between Aishalton and Awarewaunau, a total of $3.6 million was spent and between Awarewaunau and Maruranau, $3.57 million was spent. Further, $5.9 million was spent under current works for the region on central Lethem, with $11.3 million expended on roads in Rupunau, and Shulinab, both areas in South Central.

St Ignatius and Tiger Pond also benefited from road works valued close to $10

million. Several other road networks have been improved over the years cutting travelling time to communities in the Rupununi by almost half.

These interventions now make accessibility easier thus allowing for more services to reach residents in these once remote communities.

“Very soon we will be bridging Sand Creek … and we are going to work towards bridging the Rupununi River in the future so that we can have much more efficient and effective communication even in the rainy weather so that no sections would be cut off,” the President stated. Further, $185 million was spent in 2014 to improve hinterland airstrips all aimed at improving accessibility to hinterland communities. These airstrips are in Region One (Pomeroon-Supenaam): Matthews Ridge ($74 million) and Port Kaituma ($50 million), and in Region Seven (Potaro-Siparunui), at Kamarang ($35 million) and Imbaimadai ($26 million).

Banks DIH Limited ISO Certified

Banks DIH Limited is now International Organisation of Standardisation (ISO) certified in Environmental and Safety Management System.

The Certification, issued by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance Limited (LRQA), was approved on December 16, 2014 and will expire on December 15, 2017.

The ISO 14001:2004 Occupational Health and Safety Standard (OHSAS) 18001:2007 Quality Management System is applicable to the manufacturing of carbonated soft drinks in NR-PET bottles, Postmix and Premix in cylinders, and the wastewater treatment plant.

The ISO 14001:2004 represents compliance in Environmental Management while the OHSAS represents Health and Safety Standards which are critical components of the company’s programme.

Banks DIH Limited Environment and Safety Executive Nandkumar Persaud said the company was committed to the con-

tinual improvement of its ISO Certification programme which is measured and evaluated for effectiveness by using health, safety and environmental best practices.

“These standards ensure that a safe and healthy environment is established and maintained for employees and other key stakeholders including visitors, contractors and surrounding communities by managing all aspects of health and safety hazards,” Persaud noted. In addition, he pointed out that the company’s novelty/dairy and soft drink production plants are both ISO certified.

ISO DIS 14001 2015 is an environmental management standard. It defines a set of environmental management requirements.

OHSAS 18001 is an internationally applied British Standard for occupational health and safety management systems. It exists to help all kinds of organisations put in place demonstrably sound occupational health and safety performance.

A section of the rehabilitated Shulinab road

Children’s Mashramani Competition heating up

Children from various schools in Georgetown have taken to the National Cultural Centre stage, showcasing their talents in hopes of securing a place in the finals of the National Mashramani Children’s Competition, February 12-13.

The dance segment of the Georgetown Regional Children’s Mashramani Competition, which is currently on show, has seen secondary, primary, nursery students performing their pieces.

On Tuesday, South Road Nursery was adjudged the first place winner with the entry “Celebration of Praise”,

while Gaystock Nursery was awarded second place with the entry of “Cultural Girls in Celebration”. Bel Air Nursery with “Lights for Guyana” received third place.

After lively performances in the age group of five to seven years, St Pius Primary was awarded first position with “Together we will meet at God’s feet”. “A Ring Ding Celebration” from St Gabriel’s Primary, paved the way for it to cop second, while Mae’s Schools Annex was allocated third position with the entry “Fun In The Sun”.

In the eight to ten years

age group, in the segment of dance, St Pius Primary was awarded first position with “Joyful Celebration” while St Margaret’s Primary copped second with “Praises”, and St Agnes Primary received third position with the entry “We Mashing as One”.

Being the only school which performed a masquerade, North Georgetown Primary, with the entry of “City Flouncers”, was automatically declared the winner in that segment of the competition.

Mashramani 2015 is being celebrated under the theme “One People, One Culture, One Celebration.”

President formally extends life of Rodney CoI

The life of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the death of Political Activist and Historian, Dr Walter Rodney has been extended to March 31. The CoI was slated to end on January 31. Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon made this disclosure on Wednesday while at the Office of the President. He assured that Government would facilitate the financing of such an extension.

“I want to assure you that funding for the Commission is not an issue and it has never been an issue … Whatever is needed to continue the Commission in its work up to 31st March, 2015, which is the date to which its life has been extended, I can assure you that those funds are secured for that purpose,” he told reporters.

This is the third time the Government has taken a decision to extend the life of the Walter Rodney CoI. In September 2014, President Donald Ramotar extended the life of the Commission. Although, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) had threatened that the Opposition would have withheld its sup-

Dr Walter Rodney

port for additional funding, the President had indicated that should the need arise, his Administration would pump more money into the exercise.

APNU Attorney-atLaw and Member of Parliament, Basil Williams had explained that the Commission would expend up to US$1 million, pointing out that the life of the CoI should have ended four months after it commenced in February 2014. In 2014, some $112 million was passed by the National Assembly to fund the work of the Commission, which is aimed at determining the circumstances under which Dr Rodney died. Since the death of the Working Peoples’ Alliance

Man fatally stabbed in fracas at Timehri

(WPA) Co-founder and political stalwart on June 13, 1980, fingers have been pointed in the direction of the People’s National Congress (PNC). It has been alleged that under the watch of the then President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, electronics expert and Army Sergeant, William Gregory Smith was hired to plant a bomb in a walkie-talkie; a device that was reportedly of interest to the historian. The device exploded in Dr Rodney’s lap, shortly after he received it. At the time of the tragic incident, the Political Activist was in the company of his brother, Donald Rodney.

Donald Rodney testified on January 30 when this round of the CoI came to a closure. He had laid the blame at the feet of Smith, explaining that his older brother, Rodney, had approached the home of Smith on the night of the explosion.

Although his testimony was suspended due to defects of the Internet Service Provider, which caused continuous breaks in transmission of the live stream, Donald Rodney was able to give a detailed account of the occurrences which led to the death of his older sibling.

ARoute 42 Georgetown to Timehri minibus driver was fatally stabbed on Wednesday morning, in the vicinity of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD), during an argument with another man over money.

The dead man has been identified as Yamsham Ram, 43, a US deportee of Friendship, EBD. The murder suspect whose name has been given as Bacchus of Caledonia, EBD has since gone into hiding.

Information reaching Guyana Times revealed that the now dead man was employed by Bacchus as a bus driver. Ram worked with the suspect for sometime but failed to submit the stipulated amount of money which caused some rumbling be-

tween them.

However, Ram had promised to pull his act together but the issue got worse following damages incurred to the vehicle’s computer box.

The deportee is known as a “wild” driver and might have been responsible for the damage and promised to repair the bus.

After some time elapsed, this newspaper understands that Bacchus repaired the bus and fired the man. He however, instructed Ram to repay him but it went on deaf ears.

Hours before the stabbing incident the two men reportedly had a heated argument on the Timehri bus park but colleagues intervened and managed to calm them down. Ram reportedly left the park and drove to Timehri and it was when

he arrived at the airport at about 01:30h, he was confronted by Bacchus and another argument developed. Both men were reportedly “high” and the argument prolonged. It was at this time Bacchus went to his vehicle, pulled out a chopper and dealt Ram at least 12 stabs to his body. An injured Ram was picked up and rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre but due to his condition, he was referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) where he later succumbed to his injuries. The dead man leaves to mourn his two children, mother and siblings, all who live overseas. His body is at the GPHC mortuary awaiting a post mortem on Friday. The police have launched a man hunt for the suspect.

President not responsible for appointing ERC Chairman

President Donald Ramotar has clarified that he was not authorised to appoint the Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC).

Contrary to what was previously reported, the President explained that Parliament was responsible for appointing the members of the ERC who subsequently would elect from among

themselves the person they deemed fit for the position. He further stated that his responsibility only includes swearing in that person as the Chairman of the Commission.

Schoolchildren from across Georgetown swarm the National Cultural Centre for the Children’s Mashramani Competition

Two of the entertaining performances at the dance competition on Wednesday

thursDAY, februArY 5, 2015 | guYAnAtimesgY.com

UG Unions reject 25% offer

…another round of discussions slated for Friday

By AnAstAciA clementson

The University of Guyana (UG) labour unions on Wednesday rejected a salary hike offer of 25 per cent over three years by the negotiating team.

The University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA) and the University of Guyana’s Workers’ Union (UGWU) and the negotiation team met at 10:00h on Wednesday as per the instructions of the Council. The Unions may be making a counter offer.

These sentiments were expressed by a number of members from the labour Unions during a post- negotiation meeting at the George Walcott Lecture Theatre (GWLT) at the Turkeyen Campus, Greater Georgetown. The Unions had indicated in their meeting that classes may resume on Monday if the meeting on Friday with the negotiating team proved favourable.

University of Guyana Student Society (UGSS) President Joshua Griffith has encouraged both the Unions and the negotiating team “to be reasonable in their demands and expectations and to work towards the earliest resumption of classes”.

The President reminded that the development of the University and the student’s

development should be first priority.

Meanwhile, Government Spokesman, Dr Roger Luncheon informed the media on Wednesday that Cabinet at its recent meeting discussed the possible escalation of the current situation.

According to him, the “sad reality is what the industrial unrest has and is preventing the necessary focus and commitment of all the stakeholders to address the very necessary challenges that all and sundry are aware of”. “It is the Cabinet’s belief that the actions which Dr Luncheon la-

belled “unsupportable” are evidence of “vested interests at work” who “obviously feel threatened by what is being done and perhaps by the implications of the successes that can be garnered by these interventions.”

“They want to thwart the Vice Chancellor and the Council to prevent the inevitable, but Cabinet hopes that saner heads will prevail and hopefully within a very short period of time that those steps being taken will be recognised...”

The Unions have been having sit-ins since January 22 to force the UG Administration to embrace

their demands for better working conditions and salary increases. They have been supported enormously by the UGSS who initiated a total shutdown of the Turkeyen Campus on Tuesday.

Only on Tuesday, Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Jacob Opadeyi maintained that he was unwilling to jeopardise the massive reforms, upgrades and other initiatives planned for the tertiary institution in order to meet the demands being made by the two workers’ Unions for a steep salary increase.

His comments came dur-

ing a meeting with members of the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO) led by their recently-installed Chairman, Irfaan Ali.

Across-the-board increase

The Unions have been clamouring for a 60 per cent across-the-board increase for their members. Opadeyi told the PYO that the students are being misled and the public was also falling prey to misinformation from the Unions.

He said many of the concerns raised by the UGSS and the Unions were being actively addressed, but he needed the cooperation of all parties to embark on a programme of incremental reforms and changes.

Opadeyi said he was unwilling to heed the calls for a salary increase and jeopardise the improving financial situation at the University at this point in time. He explained that much of the financial resources of the University is being spent on planned projects and ventures aimed at physical and academic upliftment.

“Over my two years at the University, I have reduced the deficit from $800 million to now $48 million. What this means is that over $700 million that was using for the deficit is now being used to upgrade the University and to pay debts

that occurred long before I came here,” he said.

Dr Opadeyi reasoned that 76 per cent of UG’s income was used to pay salaries and of the remaining 24 per cent, payment for security and electricity was made. “You barely have monies to pay for paper or to buy ink,” he noted.

Professor Opadeyi admitted to the PYO that, “The salary of our lecturers is very low and very poor, but so also is their workload and I cannot go and fight for an increase in their salaries with the current workload … It’s like throwing water on the back of a duck, you won’t see anything out of it.” He maintained his position that if he could get lecturers to spend nine hours per week engaged in actual teaching that the University’s expenses could be reduced by $100 million a year.

“If we put that $100 million a year back into the salaries of the workers as an increase, we will not have to borrow money from anybody to run the University,” he explained.

“So when you see this demand for salary increase, it’s to me an attempt for us to go back into the days of deficit where we have no money and I am going to resist any attempt to go back to that state.”

Parliamentary Committee divided on decriminalising same sex relations

The Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC), that was established to hold consultations on the recommendations to decriminalise adult same sex relations along with the abolishment of corporal punishment and the death penalty, is divided over the issues.

This is according to Foreign Affairs Minister, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, who noted that the recommendations came from Guyana’s first United Nations (UN) Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in 2010.

At a press conference hosted on Wednesday to brief the media on her presentation at the recently concluded UPR, Minister Rodrigues-Birkett said that Guyana was unable to implement the recommendations since the PSSC was unable to wrap up its consultations.

“We reported to the Working Group that the Parliamentary Special Select Committee was established to address those issues but at the time of our reporting, that committee had not yet concluded its work. We informed the States too that it is our intention to take back these matters to the Parliament fol-

lowing General Elections,” she said.

Additionally, she mentioned that while the death penalty was retained, provisions have been made, such as certain sentences being reduced from death penalty to life imprisonment and in some cases with the opportunity of parole.

During the Minister’s presentation, she recalled that Guyana had voluntarily committed to consult on 28 of the 55 recommendations tabled, of which 14 were based on the death penalty.

“Although the Parliamentary Special Select Committee did not

complete its mandate with regard to the recommendation on the abolition of the death penalty, I wish to report that the Criminal Law Offences Amendment Act of 2010 removed the mandatory death penalty for persons of convicted of murders,” the Foreign Affairs Minister told the UN Human Rights Council’s UPR Working Group.

Ireland and Italy were among the fifty-four countries that advocated for Guyana to establishment a legislative framework that would see the complete abolishment of the death penalty.

Ireland Representative Breda Lee recalled that Guyana had committed to the holding of public consultations on the death penalty, noting that the country should make good on its promise. “We urge Guyana to commence this process and to introduce a moratorium on the death penalty with a view to abolish it.”

There were 143 recommendations made to Guyana, and Government has committed to consider 64 of them. Of this, 14 were based on discrimination of persons based on their sexual orientation or gender identity; another seven recommendations were based

on abolishing the death penalty while there were five recommendations on repealing corporal punishment.

The Foreign Affairs Minister informed the UPR Working Group that Guyana was unable to implement the recommendations from the periodic review to abolish corporal punishment, death penalty and decriminalisation of consensual sexual intercourse between males.

Minister RodriguesBirkett stressed that during the debate in the National Assembly on these recommendations, there were divisions among the members and as such, Government

had moved a motion for the matter to be discussed in a PSSC. “We suggested that it goes to a select committee so that there could be widespread consultations with various groups of society,” he added.

She continued that the Committee had started with the one they thought would have attracted the least controversies, that is, corporal punishment but it ended up being a lengthy process. “It was a very divided decision,” she noted.

Presidential Adviser on Governance Gail Teixeira explained that with the dissolution of the 10th Parliament, the work of the Special Select Committee has “lapsed” but Government has pledged to continue the process on the resumption of the 11th Parliament.

Meanwhile, one of the recommendations the Minister said that Guyana is considering is torture, as such she was asked whether Government is worried about the increasing number of torture cases specifically by Police Officers and promotion of those officers. Rodrigues-Birkett explained that the matter did not come up during the UPR but noted that Government does not promote Police Officers.

Teixeira went onto explain that Government does not have responsibility over Police promotions but this lies within the ambit of the Police Service Commission (PSC) and Government cannot interfere with the work of the Commission.

She added that the UPR report contains statistics on the number of torture cases and the convictions for those cases. Questioned about Government’s game plan in dealing with the increasing number of police torture, Minister Rodrigues-Birkett said that Government will be working along with the Guyana Police Force to ensure that officers refrain from using excessive forces.

On the other hand, Teixeira outlined that Guyana has not been accused of State-sponsored torture activities. “Government prohibits torture, the Constitution prohibits torture and the Government has on each occasion publicly one, condemned it and two, called for inquires and investigations,” she noted.

The Presidential Advisor further mentioned that direct question of Police torture and promotion of culprit ranks, should be directed to the PSC.

The Unions have indicated that classes may resume on Monday if the meeting on Friday with the negotiating team proved favourable

Foreign Affairs Minister, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett

Presidential Adviser on Governance Gail Teixeira

GSSF submits documents to MCY&S

– first body to do so in 2015

Board members of the Guyana Sport Shooting Federation (GSSF) paid a courtesy call on the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCY&S) and presented documents which were adopted at its 2015 Annual General Meeting on January 29.

The Federation was lauded by Permanent Secretary Alfred King as the first body to do so for 2015, in keeping with the requirements set out by the MCY&S and the National Sports Commission (NSC) for all sport organisations in Guyana. These documents included copies of the Federation’s Report for 2014 together with externally audited Financial Statements, and a copy of its updated Constitution.

During the visit, the Board members discussed

with the Ministry their plans for the future and gave an update as to the accomplishments in 2014.

They also previewed the happenings of the recent AGM where GSSF President Vidushi Persaud categorically stated that the success has been due to all of the members who unhesitatingly came on board to promote sport shooting in Guyana in a safe and well regulated manner.

She paid tribute to the work of the Directors of the founding Board who have all given so freely of their time and energies to make 2014 the success it has been.

At the AGM, GSSF Secretary Steve Ninvalle delivered a comprehensive report to the membership, covering the period from establishment of the body

in August 2014 to the end of the reporting period of December 31, 2014.

He indicated that though a young entity, the Federation has successfully hosted two Steel Challenge competitions and a Practical Shooting Match and saw members participating in two international matches, earning for Guyana prizes for Practical Shooting.

It also conducted three Range Discipline and Firearms Safety Courses, utilising the Government’s National Sports Resource Centre.

Affiliation

The Secretary further reported on affiliations, stating that the GSSF is affiliated to two international bodies – the Steel Challenge Shooting Association and

the Amateur Trapshooting Association.

Affiliation was also sought to the United States Practical Shooting Association and all duly completed and required documents were forwarded to the Regional Director of Guyana representing the International Practical

cal shooters of the GNRA in its Practical Pistol Matches through match invitations.

Through partnerships with the MCY&S and the NSC, the GSSF has secured permissions to utilise an indoor facility in the National Gymnasium and an outdoor facility (Ministry of Sport –GNS Ground) and will be pi-

Persaud; King’s Jewellery World; Ryan McKinnon; Neutrino In; Julius Simon; Ken’s Mufflers; the media, and the founding board and members of the GSSF. The report of the audi-

Shooting Confederation for signature, which is still pending.

In relation to local affiliations, the GSSF is sanctioned by the NSC and sought affiliation to the Guyana National Rifle Association (GNRA) in keeping with GNRA’s Constitution.

Such an affiliation would allow for open and equal participation for all registered local sport shooters, both locally and internationally. Though not yet affiliated, the GSSF will continue to welcome the participation of established practi-

oneering the sport of archery in the very near future.

Sincere gratitude was expressed to the following person and entities that assisted in one way or the other for 2014: The Honourable Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr Frank Anthony; Director of Sport, Neil Kumar, the NSC; Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Mark Phillips, the Guyana Defence Force; Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud, the Guyana Police Force; the Guyana Revenue Authority; Dennis Dias; DD Signs; Dr Pravesh

tors was presented to the membership along with the Financial Statement of the GSSF. This was duly conducted and issued by Auditor Harryram Parmesar, from the Parmesar Audit Firm. PS King congratulated the GSSF on its achievements to date and being able to achieve clear success in a short period of time. He lauded the Board on being able to produce audited financial statements by an external auditor and expressed the hope that other sporting organisations would follow suit.

Williams happy with return of Roach, Bravo for World Cup

West Indies coach Stuart Williams has welcomed the return of pacer

Kemar Roach and middle order batsman Darren Bravo to the regional side preparing for the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand starting later this month.

Roach was forced to withdraw from the West Indies side during the series in South Africa due to an ankle injury while Bravo opted out of the tour for personal reasons.

The two players are now in Sydney with the rest of the team which suffered tests and One Day International series defeat against South Africa but prevailed in the T20 series.

“Kemar Roach had left the series in South Africa with an ankle

injury and he looked refresh and rearing to go, Darren bravo came out of the NAGICO series and he has some cricket under his belt,” said Williams.

“So these couple of games, these warm-up games against England and Scotland is very important especially to a guy like Kemar Roach…to see what he has in his tank”.

West Indies play warm-up matches against England on Monday and Scotland next week Thursday at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

The former champions will start their World Cup campaign with a game against Ireland on the 5th of March.

“Looking from the South African series, these two guys I

hope they bring a different field to the whole team, maybe the spark that we needed in the world cup,” said Williams.

“The guys are looking upbeat and I saw some passion in the past couple of days so they are rearing to go”.

West Indies have been focusing on specific areas during their training such as power play overs, middle overs, batting and bowling.

“Basically we have a couple of days to deal with specifics,” said Williams.

“Obviously we have our general batting and bowling meetings and on the ground we are going to deal with specifics. Power play overs, middle overs, batting and bowling”. (Windies Cricket)

Harry; Doc.com Pharmacy; Harish Lakhanpal; Capital Recycling Inc; Trophy Stall; Rohandev and Harrinand

From left: Dr Bhiro Harry, Ryan McKinnon, Vidushi Persaud, MCY&S Permanent Secretary Alfred King and Roul Bhudu at the courtesy call

From left: Ryan McKinnon, Vidushi Persaud, Steve Ninvalle and Michael Blake at the AGM

Kemar Roach (right) and Darren Bravo back in West Indian colours

CGI awards 12 tier 4 Academy contracts

C12 Academy contracts effective from February 1 to July 31.

Rugby could become

Guyana’s

first team sport at 2016 Olympics

By TreisTon Joseph

The national men’s sevens rugby squad have positioned themselves to create history.

Boasting incomparable speed and a unique strength and style that has haunted their opponents in the Caribbean as well as Central America, the men’s rugby side by winning both the NACRA 15’s and seven’s championship in the same year have already completed a historical feat.

However, the magnitude of what they have done is incomparable to what they could possibly do when they line up against powerhouse teams in June for the Olympic qualifiers.

If they do top the qualifiers and make it to the Olympics or face off in the one-off tournament to qual-

ify and play their way to the Olympics, the national squad will become the first local team to ever qualify for the Summer Olympic Games.

Whether they perform on the grandest stage of them all, just getting to the Olympics is a success story in itself for a squad plagued by financial constraints.

There is no doubt that the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) will need all the financial aid they can get and to be blunt it is a shame that all stakeholders have not fully recognised the magnitude of the situation.

The Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) and the Government of Guyana should be commended for their financial aid to assist the team in getting to Mexico, but obviously more needs to be done.

Preparing for the Olympic qualifiers much less the Olympics will require much more than what both the GOA and the Government have done and this is where the Private Sector needs to step up and really show how supportive it is of the development of sport. Waiting for the team to qualify for the Olympics before jumping onboard will just show a capitalist nature.

The ability of the team to perform should never be questioned since they were down by 17 points in the final of the NACRA’s seven’s only to come back and beat a powerhouse team like Mexico.

The men’s seven’s team are tried and tested and they deserve the best possible chance of making Guyana proud, more so they deserve to create history.

ers.

The 12 contracted players are: Shimron Hetmyer, Gudakesh Motie, Kandasammy Surujnarine, Jason Sinclair, Raun Johnson, Ricardo Adams, Raj Nannan, Kemol Savory, Steven Sankar, Kemo Paul Robin Bacchus and Kevon Boodie.

The 12 players will now earn $50,000 a month under this new contractual agreement. However, CGI Executive Raj Singh along with a few other Guyana

Cricket Board (GCB) members, who officially presented the players with their six-month contract pointed out that the players might also see an increase of $25,000 but the increase will based on their overall approach.

They are to train regularly on a regular basis and stay fit, during sessions conducted under experienced coaches Clive Grimmond and Michael Hyles, commencing February 9.

The increase in the professional player pool by CGI now forces the more senior Tier 3 players to keep fit and at the same time ensure that their game is up to standard.

The simple signing ceremony was done at the GCB head office, Regent Street.

The contracted players were present with the exception of Shimron Hetmyer, who is with the Guyana Jaguars senior team in Jamaica.

Guinness Greatest of the Streets futsal tournament... West Ballers, Pouderoyen Showstoppers through to final of West Side edition

Pouderoyen

Showstoppers pounded Patentia Street Ballers 3-0 in their semifinal to reach the final of the Guinness Greatest of the Streets West Side edition on Tuesday at the Pouderoyen tarmac.

Patentia never had a chance as they conceded a goal four minutes into the encounter as Dexroy

Adams rattled the goal with a hard kick.

Adams then added to the score line in the 13th minute after dribbling the final defender to easily score, ending the first half of action. Nathan Allicock sealed the finals berth for Pouderoyen in the 18th minute with a hard flat strike.

Meanwhile, in the ear -

lier semifinal, West Side Ballers topped Raiders 2-1 on penalty kicks after a 1-1 regulation time draw.

Morgan Denny scored in the 20th minute for West Side Ballers while Dexter Marshall equalised just before the final whistle in the 34th minute. The final will be played on Saturday evening at the Pouderoyen tarmac

ricket Guyana Inc (CGI) on Wednesday became the first regional territory to award

Players ink contracts in the presence of GCB officials

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NBA roundup… Hapless Nuggets can’t fend off 76ers

Hollis Thompson scored a career-high 23 points to lead the 76ers to a 105-98 victory over the slumping Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night in Philadelphia.

Michael Carter-Williams had 15 points, 12 assists, and 8 rebounds and Robert Covington added 17 points for the improving 76ers.

Hollis Thompson scored a career-high 23 points to lead the 76ers to a 105-98 victory over the slumping Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night in Philadelphia.

Michael Carter-Williams had 15 points, 12 assists, and 8 rebounds and Robert Covington added 17 points for the improving 76ers.

Danilo Gallinari scored 22 points to pace the Nuggets, who dropped their 10th in 11 games. Denver has lost its last three games by an average of 21.7 points. Philadelphia has won three of five, with the two losses in competitive games on the road against Eastern Conference contenders Atlanta and Cleveland.

Pistons 108, Heat 91 — DJ Augustin had 25 points and 13 assists and host Detroit closed the first quarter on a 25-1 run, going on to beat Miami.

Chris Bosh scored 34 points, including 21 in the third quarter, but nobody else provided much help offensively for Miami, which

was still without injured star Dwyane Wade.

Andre Drummond had 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Pistons, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 18.

Warriors 121, Kings 96 — Stephen Curry had 23 points and nine assists, and Golden State rode a 23-0 spurt in the first half to beat host Sacramento.

The Warriors shut down Sacramento for more than seven minutes at the end of the first quarter and start of the second quarter to take an 18-point lead. They went ahead by 20 at the half and 25 in the third quarter before holding off a brief Kings comeback.

Andre Iguodala added 17 points, and Marreese Speights finished with 17 points and eight rebounds for the Warriors.

DeMarcus Cousins had 26 points and 11 rebounds, and Rudy Gay scored 20 for the Kings.

Trail Blazers 103, Jazz 102 — Damian Lillard scored 25 points and Portland held off visiting Utah.

LaMarcus Aldridge added 22 points and 11 rebounds as the Trail Blazers snapped a three-game losing streak.

Gordon Hayward finished with 27 points for the Jazz. (Boston Globe)

Kevin Pietersen joins BBC’s TMS for Cricket World Cup

Former England cap-

tain Kevin Pietersen has joined the BBC Test Match Special commentary team for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

The four-time Ashes winner will be on air for the quarter-finals onwards.

“I really enjoyed having a go at some commentary during the Big Bash,” said Pietersen. “It will be good to return to Australia for the climax of what should be an exciting tournament.”

TMS will commentate on

all games via Radio 5 live and 5 live sports extra.

The BBC’s head of radio sport Richard Burgess added: “This is an ambitious year for cricket on BBC radio – with 5 live leading the way with its biggest ever offer.

“I’d also like to welcome Kevin Pietersen to the fold for the Cricket World Cup and look forward to hearing him on TMS.”

Pietersen’s fellow pundits will include Geoffrey Boycott, Michael Vaughan, Graeme Swann, Vic Marks

and England Women’s World Cup winner Ebony Rainford-Brent.

They will be alongside Jonathan Agnew, Alison Mitchell, Simon Mann, Charles Dagnall and Kevin Howells, along with international legends of the game in Kapil Dev, Allan Border, Jeremy Coney and Sunil Gavaskar.

Listeners will be able to access live commentary via the BBC Sport website as well as text updates, scorecards, the best of social media and analysis from the TMS Team.

There will be reports from every game plus reaction from the key clashes.

The BBC Sport app will have live alerts - new for the World Cup - where users can sign up to receive information on every team and be notified of every wicket as they happen, straight to a mobile phone.

And ‘The Analyst’, former cricketer Simon Hughes, joins the BBC Sport online team for the World Cup. Simon will cast his expert eye over the biggest issues of the tournament via regular video blogs. (BBC Sport)

wAnTed

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Michael Carter-Williams

Kevin Pietersen

Road to Mecca set tentatively for February 15 start

The Road to Mecca National Club Basketball Championships has been set tentatively for a February 15 start at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).

President of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Association (GABF), Nigel Hinds highlighted that after the meeting with the National Sports Commission (NSC) on Wednesday that

both parties had somewhat agreed to the dates.

Hinds noted that while both sides agreed on the dates verbally, it is possible that the dates can change.

The other dates for the tournament are February 18, 22, 25 and 28.

The Dynas Ravens Basketball Club are the defending champions of the tournament which was a success in 2014.

global stars for...

A minimum of four of the players drafted must be registered to the local cricket board for the home territory or country of the Franchise, and be nationals of that country.

• Franchises may acquire up to a maximum of four international players as part of their squad, but do not have to.

Player retention from 2014 season Franchises may retain up to four players from their existing squad (retained players), subject to player and franchise agreeing terms and the

Draft process

• The Draft shall be conducted over 15 rounds. Each Franchise shall have a maximum cap of US$600,000 for the Draft (less the total value of the salaries of any players retained by the Franchise ahead of the draft.)

• Each round will correspond to a Salary Slab. Teams that have retained players at a particular Salary Slab will forgo their pick for that Draft round.

• Franchises must pick a player in each round for which they are eligible

• Franchises will have

rules governing international players (no more than four per team) being adhered to.

• The salaries agreed with the retained players shall be deducted from the Franchise’s total Salary Cap and the Franchise shall lose the right to pick another player at that Salary Slab (or Draft Round) during the Draft.

• For example, if a Franchise has retained a player with a salary of US$50,000, it will not be able to take part in Draft Round 5, and US$50,000 will be deducted from its Salary Cap prior to the Draft commencing (along with the salaries for any other duly retained player)

• No more than one international player can be retained by a Franchise.

selection committees will have a maximum of 24 hours to discuss internally and with other selection committees whether they want to exchange players.

• Player exchange rules:

• Only one exchange per franchise;

• After the 24-hour period following the Draft – no further player exchanges may be carried between the Franchises.

The Draft can be followed on CPL website, as well as on Twitter @CPL, on Instagram and on CPL Facebook page.

three minutes to make each pick

Starting order for team selections

For the 2015 season, each Franchise will be allocated a pick number in each round by CPL, linked to their final league position and performance in the 2014 Caribbean Premier League.

Each selection committee must make their selection within a specified time period (three minutes) or risk missing their designated selection and having to wait until all the other Franchises have made their selection in that round.

Post draft player exchange Immediately following the Draft, the Franchise

NSC, R&R International races on this weekend

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

The 2015 cycling season will heat up this weekend with two events organised by na-

tional cycling coach Hassan Mohamed. The races will push the number of events organised by Mohamed for the year to four.

On Saturday, local cyclists will converge on the inner circuit of the National Park for the staging of the annual National Sports Commission (NSC) 11-race programme, set to start at 09:00h.

The experienced Junior Niles of Team Coco’s is the defending champion of the feature race, having won last year’s 35-lap School Boys and Invitational event in a time of one hour, 17 minutes, 36.45 seconds (01h: 17m: 36.45s).

Niles had also won the Veteran Under-50 five-lap event in a time of 12 minutes, 31 seconds, while Michael Anthony and Clyde Jacobs were the winners of the Juveniles 10-lap and the Mountain Bike categories

respectively.

Romello Crawford had won the 12-14 Boys and Girls event.

On Sunday, the riders will switch focus and tactics as they hit the West Demerara roadways for the 24th annual 40-miler sponsored by R&R International Limited.

Anthony, who was riding for Team Coco’s last year, is now plying his trade with the country’s newest club, Team Evolution, and he is set to defend the title he won in the Open category in 2014.

The talented Lindener was the first to complete the course from the Demerara Harbour Bridge to Bushy Park, Parika, before returning to the point of origin for the finish, in a time of one hour, 41 minutes (01h: 41m).

By virtue of crossing the finish line first, Anthony had also copped the Junior title, while the evergreen Robin Persaud won the Veterans race; Ozia McAually, the Mountain Bikes and Toshawnna Doris, the female category.

Mohamed said he was

anticipating a competitive weekend of riding, as the season got into full swing.

“We can expect some very close races in the Park and a very competitive road race on Sunday, because I know the riders have been training very hard over the past few weeks,” Mohamed said. Representatives of the

NSC and R&R International are slated to witness the races and assist in the presentation of prizes at the conclusion.

Serena Williams ends 14year Indian Wells boycott

Serena Williams has ended her boycott of Indian Wells, 14 years after suffering racist abuse at the tournament.

The American will contest the BNP Paribas Open at the Californian resort.

“It’s been difficult to forget spending hours crying in the Indian Wells locker room,” the world number one, 33, said.

Williams beat Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open final last month to earn her 19th Grand Slam title.

She won her second Indian Wells title as a teenager in 2001.

The American beat Belgian Kim Clijsters in a final marred by the behaviour of some fans who heckled her and her family, apparently in response to sister Venus withdrawing injured from their semi-final.

In an interview with Time magazine, Williams confirmed her entry in next month’s tournament.

“I’m fortunate to be at a point in my career where I have nothing to prove. I’m still as driven as ever, but

I play for the love of the game,” she said.

“It is with that love in mind, and a new understanding of the true meaning of forgiveness, that I will proudly return to Indian Wells in 2015.”

Sport)

Junior Niles

Michael Anthony

Robin Persaud

Hassan Mohamed

Nigel Hinds

Jacques Kallis

Mahela Jayawardene

Tilakaratne Dilshan

Serena Williams

GTA President underscores importance of clubs

The Trophy Stall Doubles tournament, which attracted 34 doubles teams, finally came to a close on Sunday afternoon at the National Racquet Centre, Woolford Avenue, Georgetown.

Speaking during the closing ceremony, Guyana Tennis Association (GTA) President Grace McCalman praised the players for their commitment and patience to properly conclude the tournament since it was suspended in December on account of bad weather.

She reminded the players that doubles play forms the basis for club membership, growth and excitement.

“Also, without tennis clubs, the GTA will have no purpose, so I hope that partners can establish permanence in their relationships which will help the sport to grow,” she said.

McCalman added, “Tournaments such as the Trophy Stall Doubles go a long way in creating inter-

est at the club level and we must thank Trophy Stall for its fifth consecutive year of sponsorship.”

She congratulated the winners and reported that the first event for 2015 is the long awaited Inter-club Tournament, which is scheduled to start in February.

Representative of Trophy Stall, Alexis Barrington, thanked the GTA for supporting the business for many years and related her

appreciation for the way the sport is being administered. She also said she was looking forward to Trophy Stall Doubles in 2015.

The closing ceremony was attended by US Diplomat Albert Razick, who participated in the tournament along with his son, Daniel Razick.

The final results read: Men’s Open Doubles –(Winner: Leyland Leacock/ Nicholas Fenty; Runnerup: Khalif Gobin/William Spangler); Ladies Open Doubles –(Winner: Shelly Daly-Ramdyhan/Nicola Ramdyhan; Runner-up: Denise Barrington/Kizzy Richmond); Mixed Open Doubles – (Winner: Leyland Leacock/Afruica Gentle; Runner-up: Orande Dainty/ Aretta Dey); Men’s Over-35 Doubles – (Winner: Godfrey Lowden/Omar Persaud; Runner-up: Albert Razick/ Bo Arbogast) and Novice Medley Doubles – (Winner: Sachin Puri/Daniel Razick; Runner-up: Philbert Clarke/ Diana Bharat).

Jeffrey gunning for major races this year

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

Determined not to settle for less, Team Coco’s local signing Raynauth Jeffrey is gunning to win all the major cycling events in 2015, despite making a late start to the season.

The 20-year-old East Coast Demerara speedster is currently on vacation in New York City, and though his training has been limited owing to the current severe winter storms battering the USA, he is confident about stamping his authority this year.

With outdoor training in New York severely hampered by tonnes of snow piled up on streets and parks, Jeffrey has been using the time to do some valuable gym work, with the aim of keeping his body in condition for the cycling season back home.

Firmly placed on Jeffrey’s radar at the moment are the Independence Three-Stage, the Ride for Life Five-Stage and the Guyana Cycling Federation’s national championships, all of which he is aiming to win.

“Yes, definitely I’m aiming to win the big races this year, because I’m coming back strong as ever. I will be riding bike like I mean it this year; no playing around,” Jeffrey, whose last competitive race in Guyana was in November 2014, boasted.

He added, “Right now. I’m doing some gym training and I’m feeling very good at the moment. So I’m ready for the competition back home and I’m definite-

ly hunting those major races this year.”

Jeffrey, who won the Five-Stage in 2013, is looking to reclaim that title, as well as add the Three-Stage and national championships to his collection. It is quite an ambitious task, one which the rider is not prepared to back down from.

“I’m prepared, I’m ready. This is my year and I will be going all out to prove that I’m the best around. All the big races I’m out to win this year,” Jeffrey said. He is also looking to cop the top podium spot at the Caribbean Championships, as well as the Tobago Classic. “The aim is to be among those persons that will head to the Olympics in Brazil next year and the only way to do that is to put in the performance, which I’m confident about doing.”

When he returns from New York, Jeffrey will compete in the Cheddi Jagan Memorial road races on March 1 in West Demerara, March 8 in Berbice and March 22 in Essequibo in order to build momentum ahead of the major events he highlighted.

Raynauth Jeffrey

The leading players pose with their winnings at the National Racquet Centre

Grace McCalman

Global stars for today’s CPL Draft

The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has confirmed a stellar lineup of cricketers for today’s Draft, which takes place today in Kingston, Jamaica.

Some of the world’s most exciting players, including Pakistani legend Shahid Afridi and South African great Jacques Kallis, will be available to the six CPL franchise teams, with each competing for the best players over the course of three hours as they take it in turns to add to their squad.

According to the CPL website, Sri Lanka stars Mahela Jayawardene, Tilakaratne Dilshan and Lasith Malinga are also among the players for the Draft.

In all, more than 220 cricketers from the West Indies and around the world will be available for selection for the “Biggest Party In Sport”.

Already each of the six franchises participating in this year’s tournament has retained the maximum number of four players from

the 2014 squads.

Of the 24 retained players, 22 come from the Caribbean. The two retained international players are England’s Kevin Pietersen and Pakistan’s Shoaib Malik.

The newly-formed St Kitts and Nevis franchise will be taking over the players from the Antigua Hawksbills franchise.

The St Kitts and Nevis team will take over responsibility for the players from the Leeward Islands and has been permitted to retain any player who played for the Antigua Hawksbills during the 2014 season.

Draft details: Team Structure

• Each Franchise team will have a final playing squad of 16 players. Players who have been duly registered ahead of the deadline will be entered into the Draft and will be selected based on the salaries shown below, during the individual Draft rounds. turn to page 22

Young Chanderpaul not worried about Jaguars omission

– Seeram says youngster deserves greater break

By Rajiv Bisnauth

Opening batsman Tagnarine

Chanderpaul said he was not frustrated by his continued omission from the Guyana Jaguars squad for the West Indies Cricket Board’s Professional Cricket League Regional Four-Day Competition, which is set to resume on Friday.

The 18-year-old had not played any part during the first phase of the tournament last year, and was again left out from a 13-man squad for Guyana’s next three games in Jamaica, St Kitts and Barbados.

The Jaguars will play the Jamaica franchise from February 6, before taking on the Leeward Islands Hurricanes and Barbados Pride.

“Yes, as a cricketer you want to play as much cricket for your county, but I guess it’s up to the selectors, so I

Rabindranauth Seeram

don’t see any reason for me to try too hard and get frustrated if I don’t get picked,” said Chanderpaul in an interview with Guyana Times Sport

“I wasn’t surprised, because I know I am short of runs of recent, but I continue to train hard and hopefully when the opportunity comes around I can make

full use of it.”

The young Chanderpaul, described as being difficult to dislodge and capable of spending a lot of time at the wicket, has nine Firstclass matches to his credit since making his debut as a 16-year-old against the Leeward Islands two years ago at the Antigua Recreation Ground.

He has gathered 371 runs at an average of 20.61, with a high score of 43.

Greater break

Meanwhile, former Guyana middle-order batsman Rabindranauth Seeram believes that the West Indies Under-19 batsman should be “an automatic selection in any contemporary Guyana First-Class squad taking into consideration the current crop of openers at our disposal.”

“Definitely, if you want to build Guyana’s cricket,

Tagnarine should be opening the batting, especially in the longer format of the game.

“He is by far the most compact opener when you look at the others. He has shown the potential to build an innings, and based on that he should be given a longer break,” Seeram concluded.

Tagnarine Chanderpaul

Shahid Afridi

Lasith Malinga