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thursday, may 7, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com
thursday, may 7, 2015
BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic from Thursday, May 7 – 05:00h-06:30h and Friday, May 8 – 05:00h-06:30h
The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Thursday, May 7 – 06:05h-07:35h and Friday, May 8 – 06:40h-08:10h
FERRY SCHEDULE
Ferries will be departing the Parika and Supenaam stellings on:
Thursday, May 7 - 05:00h and 16:00h Friday, May 8 – 05:00h and 16:00h
WEATHER TODAY
Thundery to heavy rain showers can be expected in the morning, with light rain showers interrupted by sunny intervals expected in the afternoon. Partly cloudy conditions can be expected in the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius.
Winds: East North-easterly between 5.36 metres and 7.15 metres per second.
High Tide: 06:17h and 18:48h reaching maximum heights of 2.72 metres and 2.57 metres respectively.
Low Tide: 12:20h reaching a minimum height of 0.49 metre.
Nadira joins Clive in supporting PPP/C
– Janet warned: Beware of my son Joey
BY MICHAEL YOUNGE
The daughter of former Presidents Janet and Cheddi Jagan has expressed full support for the re-election of the Donald Ramotar Administration to office ahead of the 2015 General and Regional Elections which are billed for May 11.
Nadira Jagan-Brancier on Wednesday urged all Guyanese to go and vote for the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) party on Monday as she strongly refuted rumours that she was supporting the People’s National Congress (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition.
“It seems that there have been rumours that the children of Cheddi and Janet Jagan are supporting the APNU+AFC coalition. I do not!” she remarked in a letter to the local media here.
It is now clear that whatever concerns the daughter of Cheddi and Janet Jagan had, it was assuaged and
that those carrying the banner of the party her father and mother founded had her firm support.
The Opposition has also been telling PPP/C supporters that all of the children and family members of the two former Presidents are fully supportive of Moses Nagamootoo’s alliance for the PNC’s David Granger. But Nadira Jagan said “I am writing to let it be known that I support the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic in the upcoming election on May 11, 2015 and urge everyone to go out and vote early on that day for the Cup”.
Nadira has been the driving force in the preservation of her parent’s legacy and played a key role in the archives of her father being stored at Red House. Since her parents death, she spends a considerable amount of time every year in Guyana, working on that project and others.
Nadira Jagan-Brancier’s declaration of support for the PPP/C at the May 11 General and Regional Election comes close on
the heels of Joey Jagan, her older brother, throwing his hat into the ring for the Opposition PNC-led APNU+AFC coalition and is seen by most observers as clarifying that she was not associated with his move.
A letter from their mother, just before she passed away was also released which indicated that the matriarch of the family was very suspicious of her son’s political actions. She was very scathing of his reference to Forbes Burnham as his “Godfather”.
When he declared his support for the PNC-led APNU+AFC coalition, he once more alluded to this relationship which his mother denied. When Burnham ran for office, his sister Jessie issued a pamphlet, “Beware My Brother Forbes!”. The letter from Janet Jagan suggests that she had just as much an intimate knowledge of her son to write to the PPP: Beware my son Joey.
Her cousin, Dr Clive Jagan and a majority of his siblings have also endorsed the PPP/C and the re-election of the Donald Ramotar
Administration. Joey was also known for his ill-fated and short lived Unity Party. Dr Clive Jagan, nephew of former President Dr Cheddi Jagan who was named on the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) List of Candidates, said the PPP/C has remained true to the philosophies of his late un-
cle in upholding his legacy and it is for this reason he has thrown his support behind the party.
In addition to applauding the party for upholding the principles of the late President, he said the PPP/C is the only party that can move the country forward. However, when questioned on whether he believes that the party may have strayed from Jagan’s core values, he responded strongly in the negative.
He explained that the PPP/C continues to uphold the fundamental pillars such as democracy, freedom of press and progress for the people.
Former President Janet Jagan
Dr Joey Jagan
Nadira Jagan-Brancier
Former President Dr Cheddi Jagan
Editor: Nigel Williams
Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134
The idea of a coalition governing Guyana, raised by Dr Cheddi Jagan at several historical conjunctures, has been raised by his son as the main reason for joining the PNC-led APNU/AFC "coalition". But this latter artifice is redolent of the PNC/UF "coalition of convenience" that was arranged by the US/CIA machinations to oust the PPP and Dr Jagan from office. The players might have changed but not the plot.
Moses Nagamootoo stormed out of the PPP/C when he was rejected as the party's Presidential Candidate but has now accepted to play second fiddle to David Granger, leader of the PNC, in their announced coalition.
Where would he be if he had been the PPP/C's choice? Wearing red and "remembering" the PNC's sordid history. His leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, had flip-flopped about being "dead meat" if the AFC joined the PNC. He then swore to Berbician supporters he would only do so if the AFC got the Presidential Candidacy.
Nagamootoo and Ramjattan pledged their 11 per cent Indian-Guyanese support but only got the largely ceremonial role of the Prime Ministership. Ramjattan once again flipflopped to accept because he was to be made a Vice President like Ranji Chandinsingh to Burnham when he joined the PNC.
Nagamootoo is fond of quoting Dr Cheddi Jagan on any number of subjects and, not surprisingly, like Joey Jagan, has done so approvingly on the coalition. But he would do well to remember that Dr Jagan was never interested in "positions" per se, but only in relation to executing programmes that formed the basis of all his negotiations with other parties.
It was Burnham who was consumed with "position, pelf and power" rather that the greater good and the two should rather have quoted this disciple of Machiavelli than Dr Jagan.
It is rather poignant that Dr Jagan was the one who asked his colleague from the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) Ashton Chase to step aside for Burnham who was returning to Guyana as a newly minted lawyer, to be Chairman of the about-to-be-formed PPP.
Burnham spent the next five years plotting and manoeuvring to oust Jagan as leader. Granger could not have possibly overcome his distaste and suspicions of Nagamootoo's crass ambitiousness and pursuit of power. Granger has studied Burnham, his hero, well.
It is therefore extremely unlikely that he would delegate the promised powers to Nagamootoo knowing that they would only be used to wrest power from him. Granger, of course, has the ready-made excuse that he would be violating the Constitution to delegate any powers to an underling.
But we do not have to revisit Dr Jagan’s proposed "National Front Government" as a coalition for Guyana. In that phase, the ideological climate made the left-dominated basis for negotiations a moot point.
In the lead up to the 1992 election, the Opposition parties including the PPP/C and WPA had joined with three other parties to form the Patriotic Coalition for Democracy (PCD) to agitate for "free and fair elections". When they sought to form an electoral coalition, in view of the disparate array of ideological orientations of the parties, the threshold issue was to hammering out a common programme.
Only then did they discuss who would be the leader.
Moses Nagamootoo and Khemraj Ramjattan, on the other hand, insisted that the question of leadership was paramount on their agenda. They followed the path of Burnham rather than the path of Jagan. The second crucial difference in the coalition vision of Dr Jagan was that while he saw race as important, he never made it "fundamental", as Nagamootoo and Ramjattan have done.
Jagan knew that ultimately, we have to form a united Guyanese nation and that the racial bogeyman must be rejected. The AFC/PNC coalition was born on the cancer of race and will die because of it.
APNU-AFC will destroy rice again
Dear Editor, APNU-AFC has presented a plan for rice. It is another recipe for disaster. Unlike sugar where it presents no plan in its manifesto, it has actually presented some specific proposals for rice. But these proposals present a recipe that will paralyze the rice industry once again, just like they did in the 1970s and 1980s.
The APNU+AFC manifesto proposes to farm out rice research to CARDI. It completely ignores the Rice Research Center at Burma. The Rice Research Center at Burma has evolved under the PPP/C as an international standard rice research center, led by Guyanese scientists. Among the work that has gained traction at the Center are the following: Development of new varieties of paddy: Since 1995, the Rice Research Center has developed 14 new varieties. This means that the Center has produced a new variety every 18 months.
This is a record that is unmatched in most countries of the world. Prior to 1995, the Rice Research
Center produced a new variety every 10 years. The continuous introduction of new variety of seed paddy is a necessity for increasing yield and preventing pests and diseases and also for responding to climate change.
One major reason for introducing new varieties is increasing yields. Guyana has moved from a yield of about two tons of paddy per ha to almost six tons of paddy per ha. The GRDB 13 is the first aromatic variety of rice produced in the Caribbean. The new GRDB 14 is already showing promise of increasing yield to over seven tons per ha.
In spite of this success story, APNU-AFC has proposed farming out development of new variety to CARDI which has not produced a single new variety of seed paddy in the last twenty years.
This threatens the development of new varieties of seed paddy for Guyana. Guyana’s rice industry cannot afford such a visionless and irresponsible move by any government. We reject the effort to stop the
successful work of the Rice Research Center at Burma and replace it with CARDI which has no history of success in rice research.
The PPP/C Government on the other hand has committed to increasing investment in the Rice Research Center at Burma and to continue to build the research capacity of the Burma Rice Research Center.
We have and will continue to collaborate with the FLAR and IRRI in the development of new and better varieties of rice paddy.
Fighting paddy bugs: One of the pests that have traditionally affected the rice industry in Guyana and around the world is paddy bug. Paddy bug could cost major losses for rice farmers. While we have generally restricted major losses due to paddy bugs, we estimate that most farms lose between 2 to 4 bags per acre.
The Rice Research Center has been pursuing the use of various pesticides that could be safely used to manage paddy bugs. Scientists at the Center are also studying natural pred-
ators of paddy bugs as another means of controlling the population of the bugs. They are also studying various environmental management practices in the control of the paddy bug population. This is not the time for reduced investment in research. Should any government reduce investment in the research center, farmers will be severely affected. This is exactly what APNU-AFC will cause by not recognizing the worth of the Burma Rice Research Center.
The PPP/C will continue to invest in the Burma Research Center in order to ensure paddy bug does not cause major losses to farmers. Use of bio-fertilizer: The Rice Research Center has been studying the use of biofertilizers. In this regards, it works closely with researchers from GuySuCo. It is also working with CARDI in the use of deep-insertion of nitrogen fertilizers which will reduce the amount of fertilizers used and be more effective.
I hope and wish for a peaceful election
Dear Editor, Paul Simpson, a British business journalist, writing in a recent publication of the professional Human Resource Management institution, the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) asks this question of the British public whose General Elections this week virtually coincides with ours here in Guyana.
I believe it is not only a good question for us Guyanese to ask but for us to also ponder, as Simpson advises, a slight re-working of JFK’s famous phrase: “Ask not what the parties can do for our country, but what kind of country do we
want”.
General elections result in many faces changing but often with little substantive change; old, long-standing issues remain unresolved leading to increasing cynicism among the electorate about election promises which proliferate with each passing election. But it appears that election promises are a sine qua non.
Professor of political thought at Cambridge University, David Runciman, put it this way: “You cannot get elected without promising you will do something”.
Getting the something done requires leadership,
the kind of leadership which Timothy Bale, professor of politics at my alma mater, Queen Mary University, London says requires “tempering zeal with pragmatism, and vice versa”.
Professor Bale adds that some leaders have more of one than the other! There can be no doubt that a good dose of personal conviction together with political will are also necessary ingredients, but as Paul Simpson adds: “We seem to have regressed from an age of conviction politicians to one where politicians are convicted”.
As a committed Human Resource Management dis-
ciple, one promise I would have liked to see underscored is the need for improved productivity in Guyana in order to enable the natural expectations for improved compensation and related benefits; but I suppose that is the kind of medicine from which most politicians selfishly shy away. I take this opportunity to express my hope and wish for a peaceful election process and may the deserving party win; obviously only one party can win but that party can resolve to work with others to deliver on promises made.
Nowrang Persaud
A six-year-old acrobat performs on the opening of a tourist festival in Bozhou, Anhui province, China (REUTERS/China Daily)
The Opposition has lots of things to hide
Dear Editor,
The APNU-AFC coalition is peddling the idea that the PPP/C needs to be removed from office because of its corrupt practices. Seeing all of the programmes are of a developmental nature and beneficial to the nation as a whole, I sincerely ask the question where is the corruption?
All of the PPP/C Parliamentarians have declared their accounts and financial transactions to the Integrity Commission. I ask if any of the Opposition members have declared theirs and the answer is not one of them.
So, how could you cry corruption when you haven’t declared your assets, at least for the people of this country to see and judge for themselves? It tells me that the Opposition has lots of things to hide and they are the corrupt elements.
As I write I am looking at an ad with Dwayne Bravo, a Trinidadian, on Windsor Estates encouraging foreigners to purchase houses in this upscale community. If a Trinidadian of such great immensity could invest in Guyana and is calling on others to do the same then it tells me that foreigners have confidence in the PPP/C administration.
Most of the persons in some of these upscale communities are re-migrants they too are expressing con-
fidence in the investment climate. So this nonsensical talk of corruption is asking someone with a “basket to fetch water.”
Chief among the accusers is Carl Greenidge former Finance Minister under the PNC Administration. He claims that Government is corrupt.
What they need to tell the people is that they are the ones who are corrupt, because Greenidge and his cohorts jealously eye a Treasury with foreign reserves. They are the ones who want to get their hands on the treasury.
Further to our discussion is the fact that the Finance Ministry now boasts of foreign reserves for many months. This is an unheard of story when the PNC was in office, Greenidge and his Government was bankrupt.
So, what corruption brought us to the place where we now have foreign reserves? The answer is no corruption at all but the educated and skillful management by the PPP/C Government.
Let us turn our attention to the airport expansion and modernization scheme. This is a project meant to enhance the airport and bring it into respectable 20th century rating. The airport has to be lengthened as well as its facilities brought to international standards. This is capital investment where
a lot of finance has to be expended.
So, my question is why can’t our airport get into the modern era? Why must our airport remain a hovel? The answer again is these guys want us to remain in the present backwardness then, turn again and blame the Government of corruption.
Our airport needs a complete overhaul and this has been negotiated and is about to be executed by the Chinese who, by the way are earmarked to do it at a reduced cost. But the corruption word is a shameless excuse for them.
There are many more examples of this trash talk of corruption I could expose such as the Amaila Falls hydro power project and the Opposition who benefited from it and who now turn again and cry foul, but will stop here to make way for other letter writers who are eager to nail another lie promulgated by the Opposition.
My advice to the APNUAFC coalition is don›t try to fool the people with this corruption nonsense it simply wouldn›t work. Because when the people look at what you are saying and what you have done they will see who really are the corrupt individuals.
As glass they would see straight through your schemes.
Neil Adams
Will GECOM get it right this time?
Dear Editor, The Guyanese people would like to have an election that is free and fair, and free from fear. We would like to return to our normal lives on May 12.
In order to achieve this, all of these must be prevented: the rigging of elections electronically or otherwise by GECOM; the disenfranchisement of voters either by omitting their names from the voters list or incor-
rectly changing their change their place of voting; having unprofessional staff at the polling places; providing electors with spoilt ballot papers to vote on or not stamping same; and as happened in 2011 elections, some presiding officers not submitting their SOPs. Therefore, I call on every Guyanese and every observer to ensure the elections are observed in a transparent manner and in accordance with
APNU-AFC will...
These and other research studies at the Burma Rice Research Center demonstrate the positive impact that investment in the Burma Center has had. The PPP/C will continue our strong investment in the Burma Center.
APNU-AFC has no genuine plan for the rice industry. Their idea of developing research by farming it away to CARDI is a recipe for total collapse of the rice industry. In addition, they have tried to propose an alternative to the PPP/C’s program of value-added products.
Whereas, the PPP/C’s
the rules and regulations which govern the national elections of our country.
Dr Surujbally is responsible and the buck stops with him. There is no room for mistakes or recounting. Incidentally, the Voters List as at May 4 has not yet been inserted at my polling station. This does not augur well for GECOM.
David Araham Success, ECD
from page 4
program include the use of rice husk for the production of safe, clean energy and for the production of value-added products such as rice cereal, APNU-AFC has proposed the development of a variety of rice for animal feed. This will mean spending enormous amounts of money to develop a low-price rice variety. This is another recipe for disaster. Their claim that they will develop new markets must be considered within a periscope of the PPP/C’s marketing plan that has resulted in new markets and Guyana now exporting to 33 coun-
APNU-AFC lies again and again
Dear Editor,
The PPP/C Government has given no licence to any Chinese investor or any other foreign investor to fish in Guyanese waters. Yet APNU-AFC has again lied that Chinese investors will take over the fishing industry. Why would they tell people this when they know very well this is a lie?
But they lie all the time to the Guyanese people. While they lie to fishermen, they did not tell fishermen that they totally ignored them in their manifesto. There is not a single word in their manifesto on fishing.
No Chinese has any license to fish in Guyana waters. APNU-AFC has lied again. The PPP/C Government has promoted sustainable fishing to en-
sure that this resource will be around for future generations.
- Trawling fleet has been capped, no new license given for seabob and prawns;
- A stock assessment shows the seabob resource is not overfished;
- Each vessel allowed to fish no more than 225 days per year with the Harvest Control Rule;
- Trawlers are allowed to trawl only in designated zones;
- Trawlers are monitored 24 hrs per day by a Vessel Monitoring System;
- Trawlers use the Turtle Excluder Device to avoid catching turtles;
- Trawlers use By-Catch Reduction devices to reduce catch of non-target species;
- Trap fishing in being
phased out to reduce the incidence of “Ghost Fishing”;
- The PPP/C encourages “Deep Sea Fishing” for local fishing enterprises;
- By the end of next year ALL Artisanal vessels will be licensed;
- It is expected that by the end of 2017, all artisanal fishing vessels will be equipped with a monitoring device.
The PPP/C Manifesto caters for sustainable fishing. APNU-AFC does not think fishing deserves their attention. Not a single word on fishing in their manifesto. But they lie big time to fishermen. They can lie but you don’t have to believe them.
PPP/C Freedom House
Freddie should take a popularity check of himself
Dear Editor, I refer to Freddie Kissoon’s letter published on May 4, wherein he objects to Swami Aksharananda writing a second letter endorsing the PPP/ Civic for the upcoming General Elections.
I and many other Indo Guyanese are very much perturbed with Freddie’s continuous attacks on writers of Indian origin who write in support of the PPP/C. Guyana has always been a country where voting takes place by and large on the basis of ethnicity. The APNU/AFC coalition in no shape or form identifies with the Indian ethos and values.
As a matter of fact, Moses was more vocal to pronounce he is not Indian, so why is Freddie worried and upset about Swami’s endorsement of PPP/C, when according to him the Swami has no credentials and he holds no respect for him? Both Freddie and Ramjattan realize the impact the Swami’s endorsement has because it merited their response.
tries. During the 1970s and 1980s, Guyana exported rice to only about five countries.
The manifesto of APNUAFC is a reminder that the PNC, the parent party of APNU-AFC, destroyed and crippled the rice industry during the 1980s. Guyana cannot afford to allow another crippling of the rice industry.
The PPP/C is the only party with a genuine plan to sustain and expand the development of the rice industry in Guyana.
Dr Leslie Ramsammy Agriculture Minister
We the Indians are asked by the likes of Ramjattan and Freddie to forgive the PNC for its wrongdoings and look ahead for a better Guyana. It is absurd, disrespectful and opportunistic from any right thinking individual.
The PNC never apologized to the Indians of this country. I wonder if in their estimation they were ever criminal to us at all.
In his column of May 4 Kissoon wrote, “If the PPP/C wins the elections, can non-Indians actually accept the Government of the PPP/C after these de-
monic tales of racist demagoguery that Guyanese are seeing from Jagdeo?”
One wonders if Freddie is privy to inside information about non-Indians’ non-acceptance of a possibly duly elected PPP/C Government and the aftermath of such non-acceptance. History has taught us the results of such nonacceptance, which usually takes the form of the violent protests leading to massacre of Indians on the streets of Georgetown.
How ironic is APNU/ AFC’s repeated appeals to Indian voters? Or is Kissoon really sending out a stern warning to the Indians to beware of the consequences of not voting for the APNU/AFC combined?
The same APNU/AFC that Kissoon endorses, its Prime Ministerial Candidate Moses Nagamootoo, urged all the supporters to remain calm and respectful. Why should there be a request of such nature in the first place?
The APNU/AFC published their list of 20 women candidates in all the national newspapers, who will be contesting elections for the collation. Can Freddie or any of his APNU/AFC cohorts justify these names as representing the demography of this country?
I wish to advise Freddie to take a popularity check of himself with the Indian Guyanese population in Guyana before condemning the most scholarly, revered, respected and loved men of our society.
What stature does he enjoy with the grass roots for him to send out advisory to us not to vote for the PPP/C? These leaders work every breath with the masses. Come May 11 we all have decided where our votes will go. Freddie, our reply to you and others will be with the ballots.
Was there ever any such similar request from the PPP/Civic to its supporters? One wonders towards which group this not so calm and disrespect would be directed towards if perhaps the request was not made? Or it is not pointing once again to the PNC that unleashed violence on the Indians of this country?
Pt Vikash
PPP/C writes GECOM about slips during Joint Services vote Accused in Shewraney Doobay murder for retrial
The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has written to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) calling for the body to address several key matters of concern the party observed on Saturday last, the day the Disciplined Services voted.
Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday afternoon at the party’s headquarters, General Secretary of the party Clement Rohee said that the party was disappointed in the manner some processes were conducted on that day.
He noted that the PPP/C was extremely concerned that issues from 2011 surfaced once again with much more frequency even as he outlined those.
According to the General Secretary, the party received reports from its agents that in excess of nine per cent of the polling stations were late in opening while the pencils used to mark the ballots were of poor quality.
He noted that many had
to resort to using pens to ensure that their ballots were marked and casted.
He said this process was by far the most important and as such, GECOM must ensure that the quality of pencils used is of high standard. Rohee went on to further disclose that more than 25 per cent of the party’s polling agents were not provided with an account of the balloting paper which was used on the day.
Meanwhile, the PPP/C General Secretary expressed that questions must be asked by the Guyanese on why the PPP/C’s polling agents were not allowed to enter the GECOM’s vehicle which was transporting ballot boxes, while the APNU/AFC’s agents were allowed.
Rohee said that while the PPP/C’s agents followed closely behind in vehicles provided by that party, it did not in any way guarantee, that the ballot boxes were not compromised. Continuing, he further said that a one polling station, there was even a
Policeman who was performing the duties of a polling agent, a job description, he was not mandated with. Rohee told the media operatives that these issues were predominant despite the fact that in 2011, these were documented and discussed with the elections body and were given assurances that these would have not re occurred.
He noted that the PPP/C is now becoming a victim of GECOM’s inability to uphold and enforce electoral laws. As such, he expressed that the party has dispatched a letter to the body and is awaiting a response.
However, GECOM’s Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Vishnu Persaud speaking to Guyana Times on Wednesday evening related that he was not aware of the issues which were raised by PPP/C and as such could not immediately comment on them.
He has however promised to comment, once the issues or report would have reached to the Commission and he was in receipt of that.
After deliberating for more than four hours on Wednesday, the mixed jury panel could not decide whether Shakir Mohamed was guilty or not guilty of the murder charge levied against him.
At the commencement of the trial in April, Mohamed pleaded not guilty to the murder of Shewraney Doobay, called “Monica”, which he allegedly committed in the course of a robbery on May 24, 2011.
Mohamed was represented by Attorneys Jainarine Singh and Moti Singh, while the case against the accused was presented by State Counsels Mercedes Thompson and Orinthia Schmidt. During the trial, the State called 11 witnesses to testify against Mohamed before closing their case.
Following this, the accused was called upon to lead his defence and elected to do so by giving a sworn statement from the witness box. The man detailed that after he was taken into custody, he was beaten, threatened and even tortured by the Police to sign docu-
ments which he was not allowed to see. He stated that the Police told him that he would be freed and used as a witness after signing the documents. Mohamed said he finally gave in and signed the papers after Police ranks placed a black bag over his head preventing him from breathing.
Closing arguments were presented by the prosecution and defence on Monday. Following this, on Tuesday, presiding judge Justice Brassington Reynolds summed up all the evidence to the panel, after which they retired to the jury room to deliberate on a verdict.
Deadlocked
Some three hours later, they returned seeking further direction. The jurors then went back to deliberate, but came out almost an hour later informing the judge that they were unable to arrive at a verdict. Justice Reynolds asked the foreman if there was any specific area where he could assist the panel in making their decision.
After consulting with the
other members of the panel, the foreman requested another 10 minutes to deliberate. However, before sending the panel back, the trial judge informed the jurors that they have to present a unanimous verdict of guilty or not guilty, otherwise there will be no verdict.
About 15 minutes later, the panel returned and the foreman related that they were unable to arrive at a unanimous verdict. Justice Reynolds informed the panel that this happens quite often, noting that the accused will have to undergo another trial.
He then turned to Mohamed and said, “Unfortunately or fortunately, the jury is unable to arrive at a verdict so I’m forced to remand you to prison pending the hearing of your case at the next (Assizes) sitting.”
Shewraney Doobay, the 58-year-old wife of prominent physician Dr Ramsundar Doobay, was found dead in her Echilibar Villas, Campbellville, Georgetown home almost four years ago. The woman’s bludgeoned body was discovered in a pool of blood in the kitchen. It was reported that her death was linked to a family dispute over a piece of land. Her nephew, Mark Singh of Prince William Street, Plaisance, Greater Georgetown, was arrested and charged for her murder along with Mohamed, 32, of Lot 127 Latchmi Street, Better Hope, East Coast Demerara.
Singh died in January 2014 at the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was taken after suffering an acute asthma attack while in prison.
Murder accused, Shakir Mohamed, to undergo a retrial
US warns citizens about possible breakout of violence
The United States Embassy in Georgetown has alerted all US citizens travelling and residing in Guyana of the increased threat of violence and civil disorder corresponding with National and Regional Elections on May 11. In the advisory, the embassy said Guyana has experienced post-election violence in the past, and US citizens are reminded that even political rallies intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. Additionally, US citizens should be aware that the increased risk of violence and civil disorder extends past the elections, through the official announcement of results, and for some undefined period after.
“We advise all US citizens to maintain a low profile and a heightened sense of awareness, and to avoid all public political gatherings and demonstrations. US citizens should follow us on Twitter and Facebook in order to receive time-sensitive security notices,” the embassy said.
It added: “We strongly recommend that US citizens travelling to or residing in Guyana enrol in
the Department of State’s Smart Traveller Enrolment Programme (STEP).” The STEP enrolment, the embassy said gives citizens the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the nearest US embassy or consulate to contact you in an emergency.
If you don’t have Internet access, you may enrol directly at the Embassy in Georgetown from Monday to Thursday between the hours of 11:00h-12:00h, no appointment is necessary.
Reluctance to accept
Meanwhile, David Carroll, Director of the Carter Centre’s Democracy Programme is quoted in a story on the Centre’s website as saying: “This election is likely to be very competitive. Depending on the quality of the electoral process, there might be reluctance to accept the results. It will be an important test for Guyana and its people.”
The Carter Centre has been invited to observe the May 11 elections – which both the ruling party and the Opposition coalition believe they will win – because of its long history in the country. “There’s a strong sense that this could be a closely contested election,” said Carroll.
“The Carter Centre knows Guyana quite well, and the Guyanese are very familiar with the Centre’s work. We have observed three different elections in Guyana – in 1992, 2001, and 2006 – and we have a deep familiarity with the country’s politics and challenges.”
The Centre deployed six medium-term observers in mid-April to assess the political climate and electoral preparations.
In the week before the election, they will be joined
Nadira joins Clive...
“In terms of moving away from his principles, I really don’t agree with that because I’ve seen development, I’ve seen that presumptions are made that they are moving away but there has been no valid proof that can make the Opposition or anyone come out and say that the PPP has moved away. They still stand for the same policies, they still stand for progress, they still stand for democracy, for freedom of the press, everything is still going on…,” he said.
In responding to questions regarding the difference in the lifestyles of Government’s officials, party leaders and supporters from Jagan’s era to now, the relative said that while his uncle was a simple man, the two periods cannot be compared since things have changed drastically over the years. “He was a very simple man; I can tell you that, he was very simple. He had sheep in his yard to mow the lawns… but time has changed from then to now. People have
changed, they have achieved more,” the nephew pointed out. The only member of the closely-knit – and sometimes very reserved and private Jagan family – who has thrown support behind the Opposition coalition, is Joey Jagan who is considered relatively unstable and opportunistic.
Letter surfaced
The letter which surfaced in the local media on Wednesday, written by the late former President Janet Jagan also warned leaders within the PPP/C about her son and his ambitions, as well as disrespectful behaviour towards his immediate family members.
In the letter, the former President detailed some of her other concerns about him, explaining that he lies and has been abusive as well as disrespectful to her and her husband while they were alive.
But Joey Jagan stubbornly claims that he is following his
by about 40 short-term observers who will deploy across the nation.
On Tuesday, the Centre in a statement said it is “deeply concerned about the provocative rhetoric in the campaign,” even as it condemned attempts “to sow fear and distrust among Guyana’s ethnic groups.”
The Centre also warned against attempts to undermine confidence in the country’s electoral process and institutions. The PPP has made several complaints of APNU/ AFC provocative acts including incidents of bottle pelting and in one particular incendiary incident an APNU supporter, allegedly the daughter of an APNU MP, urinating on a PPP Flag, waving it aloft and leading youths in a chant of “We gon bun dem out!!”
According to the Centre, “it is imperative that political parties remain conscious of their obligations under the Political Party Code of Conduct for these elections and urge their supporters to behave accordingly.”
As Election Day approaches, the Carter Centre is encouraging all Guyanese to make their strongest efforts to promote a peaceful and transparent electoral process. “These elections are an important opportunity for Guyanese to strengthen their commitment to one another and further consolidate their democracy.”
Nevertheless, based on assessments conducted thus far, the Centre said Guyana’s electoral preparations appear to be on track.
“In most parts of the country, electoral preparations appear to be on course, and in some areas, preparations are ahead of schedule. In some more remote areas, there are concerns about the status of logistical preparations.”
From page 3
father’s legacy; a legacy that believed in coalition politics as he endorsed the PNC-led coalition. He did not accept that when his father spoke of “coalition” politics, he did so on principles, not on expediency to secure governmental positions as the Cummingsburg Accord between the APNU and the AFC does.
Previous to this, he had been seen in the company of David Granger and Moses Nagamootoo when the latter two were on a fundraising mission.
It was during that trip that Nagamootoo made his infamous, “I am not an Indian” declaration. Three years ago, he had joined the PPP on the day following Nagamootoo linking up with his friend Khemraj Ramjattan in the AFC. At that time, Joey Jagan had fiercely denounced Nagamootoo for claiming that he was continuing the “legacy” of his father Dr Cheddi Jagan.
GECOM assures: The disabled can vote
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has assured that systems are in place to facilitate the voting process for everyone, including the disabled.
During a telephone interview with the Guyana Times, GECOM’s Public Relations Officer, Richard Francois, related that the Commission and the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC) have worked together throughout the months leading up to Elections Day to ensure systems are in place for that section of society to vote.
For the visually impaired, there will be a specially structured template that will be placed over the ballot paper to assist them in marking the ballot of their choice.
The others can, if they so desire, get the assistance of the presiding officer who is tasked with the responsibility of assisting the visual-
ly impaired in marking the ballot.
Those with physical disabilities can also rest assured that they will be able to cast their vote.
All new GECOM buildings are equipped with ramps for persons with such disabilities, for example those who are in a wheelchair.
Additionally, all voters who are differently-abled will be given priority treat-
ment at the various polling stations across the country.
Meanwhile, Francois alluded to the fact that GECOM intensified its voter education campaign to ensure that the message reach those in outlying areas and those who are disabled.
For individuals with hearing disabilities, GECOM has ensured that they will be provided with a deaf translator in the advertisements so that everyone will get access to the information being broadcast.
Francois stated that GECOM was confident that it has employed an effective voter education system that utilised all mediums to disseminate information about the procedures for voting.
On May 11, Guyanese will be heading to the polls to elect a new Government. This year’s election has been dubbed the most significant election since the one held in 1992.
Woman, niece accused of ganja trafficking remanded
Awoman and her niece accused of trafficking marijuana were refused bail on Monday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts by Magistrate Annette Singh.
The defendants, Susie Ann Rhobe and Andrea Cupidore, made their first appearance in Court 11 on Monday afternoon.
They are charged with being in possession of 33 grams of the illicit substance on May 1 for the purpose of trafficking. They were allegedly found with the sub-
stance at their home at 69 Parker Street, Providence, East Bank Demerara.
Police Prosecutor Bharat Mangru told the court that Police Officers attached to the Brickdam Police Station were conducting an exercise at Providence when the search of the defendant’s home was done. Mangru stated that the search was done in the presence of the women and Police Constable Thomas found the drug on a wardrobe in a bedroom in the middle of the house.
He continued that the
Police Officers informed the women of the related offence and cautioned them. Upon being read her rights, Rhobe told the officers that the marijuana was hers, Prosecutor Mangru said. Both women were then arrested and charged.
The defendants were not represented by legal counsel. However, they confirmed their address with the Magistrate.
The matter will be heard again at the Providence Magistrate’s Court.
US Chargé d' Affaires to Guyana, Bryan Hunt
GECOM Public Relations Officer, Richard Francois
Police charge 2 for abduction of Bhena’s Footwear sales clerk
Aman and a woman are expected to make their first court appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts today after they were charged by the Police for the abduction of Bhena’s Footwear sales clerk Waaldijk Xanier.
The couple, Viola Morrison of Grove, East Bank Demerara and Dexter John of Onderneeming, West Bank Demerara, admitted to the abduction claiming that it stemmed from an alleged theft committed by the man.
Guyana Times understands that Morrison took care of Xanier from a tender age, while John, who was driving the car at the time of the abduction, is known to both Morrison and Xanier. The two other men involved are still on the run and are being hunted.
A Police source told the Guyana Times that Xanier reportedly stole a quantity of gold from the woman last November and was not seen since. Morrison, who oper -
ates a mining camp, reportedly told investigators that after the young man stole the gold, he moved out of the house and rented an apartment in the Grove Area.
After some time elapsed and he did not return the gold, she planned his abduction thus contracting two armed men and the taxi driver, all of whom are known to each other. The woman stated that the abductors stuck to the plan since they were only supposed to scare the young man and not harm him.
After several hours in an unknown place, the men freed Xanier who then turned up at the Brickdam Police Station.
There, he informed the Police of his suspicions and Morrison was taken into custody, where she was grilled and revealed the details of the kidnapping. The young man, however, did not confess to the theft, claiming that the story was made up by the woman who took is -
sue with him when he told her that he was moving out of the house.
After investigations, the Police decided to institute charges against the couple.
On Monday last, the sales clerk and a colleague were standing in front of the store on Regent Street when a Bronze coloured motorcar bearing registration number PLL 8911 drove up next
to Xanier. Two men subsequently exited the vehicle; they were reportedly armed with handguns.
The men confronted the young man and enquired if his name was “Xanier”. After he responded in the affirmative, they reportedly told him that someone in the car wanted to see him. As he walked towards the car, the men forced him into the vehicle which quickly fled the scene.
The visibly shaken colleague told media operatives that after she realised what was happening, she raised an alarm which saw several workers running to the young man’s rescue. However, the car was already a short distance away.
They reportedly gave a chase, but the men whipped out handguns and pointed at them; hence, they retreated. He was subsequently released by his abductors a few hours later.
Eyew tness
Bobbing and weaving...
...on provocation
The Carter Centre cautioned the parties in this last leg to the elections not to engage in “provocative behaviour”. But if they’re to be credible, theyand other Observer Teams - will have dump this “false equivalence” position on the parties’ rhetoric. And cite specific examples of what they see as “provocative” behaviour.
Is mentioning that the military-dominated top ranks of APNU present a clear and present danger to the future of democracy in Guyana, provocative?
We don’t think so. As this newspaper has editorialised, when you combine military leadership - not in the bureaucracy answering to a civilian Government, but as Executive policy makers - with the populist policies of APNU/AFC, then the totalitarian danger becomes clear.
And one doesn’t even have to mention the elephant in the room - the incessant invocations of PNC leaders about their “kith and kin” in the Disciplined Forces. APNU claims that such observations are “provocative”...but what say the Observer Teams?
Is pointing out that the daughter of an APNU MP - who just happens to be a Ministry of Education Child Welfare Officer - pissing on a PPP/C flag, provocative?? Glenn Lall, publisher of the MuckrakerKN thinks so.
We know that many of these Observers might come from cultures different from Guyana’s - and even we have our multiplicity. But this Eyewitness is pretty sure that pissing on anyone’s flag is pretty provocative - no matter which culture you come from.
En passant, Glenn Lall’s reaction might have to more with having no culture than anything else. A flag is your symbol of who you are...folks “rally around and under” their flags - and by pissing on it you are pissing on those people whose flag it is. Observer Teams’ reaction?
Then there’s Granger’s now standard instruction at his meetings for the young supporters not only to send pics of the Statement of Polls from all the Polling Stations to him... but also for them to “protect their ballots”. And not leave the polling stations.
Now while this might seem to be an echo of Jagan’s 1973 call that resulted in two persons being shot and killed by soldiers and for Granger to call them “hooligans”, Granger has a different a different aim with his exhortation
He intends his youth core to stand there at the Polling Stations after voting to intimidate the persons who’re traditional PPP/C supporters. Many of these latter folks are going to be very wary of running a gauntlet on elections day.
Especially when they fear that, because of the PNC elements dominating GECOM, those youths literally “got their number”.
...on debates
After elections were scheduled, Granger had agreed to debate President Ramotar in what was explicitly called “Presidential Debates” organised by the Private Sector Commission (PSC). Now he must’ve been warned by his sponsor Corbin that from his years observing Ramotar in Parliament, Prezzie’s a formidable debater - quick with a witty repartee. So what’d he do?
Demand that unless his sidekick Mr 11 per cent Nagamootoo (who he’d dismissed not so long ago wasn’t even fit to be Speaker) debate the PPP/C’s Prime Ministerial candidate before he would face Prezzie!! He can run but he’ll never be able to hide from the shame of ducking Pressie.
But what he HAS done is agree to debate the TIP, NIP and BLIP micro-parties at UG....packed with his screaming partisans that made the last “debate” sound like the crowd at Daniel’s encounter with the lions.
But time longer than twine. On May 11, Granger will not be able to run from the people of Guyana.
...on duty free cars
Can you believe the gall of Glenn Lall? We don’t know about this DAX fella ...but imagine Lall being indignant that DAX might be getting duty free allowances on two SUVs as an incentive to fix the damaged fibre optic cable.
When Lall got the same for just committing a brazen FRAUD!!
Waaldijk Xanier
Father of 3 gunned down at Warlock
Less than three weeks after being released from prison on an attempted murder charge, a father of three was on Wednesday morning gunned down in Warlock, Georgetown.
Sherwin Barrow, 24, of Lot 1 East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, Georgetown, was shot at least seven times by a man with whom he had an argument in front of the Ras Eye Rastafarian Snackette.
According to information received, the young man was in the company of a group of men when two men pulled up on a CG motorcycle and advanced towards him claiming that he wanted to make peace. It was during this, one of the men whipped out a handgun and pumped several bullets into Barrow’s body.
Barrow fell to the ground while the others scampered to safety. No one else was in-
jured during the shooting incident. Barrow’s motionless body was picked up and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
When Guyana Times visited the village moments after the shooting, several persons were gathered in the vicinity where the incident took place. Most of them
were tight-lipped about the shooting while some were vocal on the issue.
One man related that he was close by and suddenly heard gunshots and as he looked around, he saw one man running from the scene while Barrow was lying on the ground in a pool of blood. He noted that from all indications, the young man died instantly.
Stunned
The dead man’s girlfriend, Ashomia Rogers, who was still in a state of shock, explained that Barrow was released from prison about three weeks ago after the case against him was dismissed. He was charged for the attempted murder of Kellon Hinds. It was also alleged that Barrow pulled a gun on Hinds and robbed him of a gold chain valued at $2.4 million, and a gold band valued at $1.2 million. It was during the robbery,
Hinds was shot. Rogers told Guyana Times that prior to the shooting Barrow asked her to accompany him to the Police Station to visit his
was shot and did not make it.
At that point in time, she did not believe he was shot and was shocked to have received the call. After a few minutes, her mobile phone started to ring off constantly with messages that her reputed husband was gunned down.
brother who was arrested for robbery. “I tell he that I had to drop meh daughter to school and let he wait until I return so that we can go together,” she added. She left him sitting in front of the snackette with his friend and told him she would be back in a jiffy. However, after dropping her daughter at the South Road Nursery School, she received a phone call informing her that the young man
Persons who were around, she noted, put her to sit on a bench in the school’s compound until she “catch herself” after which she made her way to the hospital where she saw his family and friend. Upon enquiring, she was taken to a room where she saw his motionless body with at least seven gunshot wounds. The distraught woman recalled Barrow having issues with the man whom he was accused of shooting during a robbery. The case, she added, was dismissed after the Police failed to provide evidence in court.
Barrow leaves to mourn his three children, three siblings and reputed wife. Both of his parents had died leaving the young man to fend for himself and siblings.
The Police have launched an investigation into the shooting incident.
Driver charged with causing death of “Six Heads” granted bail
Manx Powers was charged for causing the death of Andrew “Six Heads” Lewis
The driver of the motor car bearing licence plate PMM 596, which caused the accident which led to the death of boxing champion, Andrew “Six Heads” Lewis was released on bail on Wednesday after he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The accused, 32-yearold Manx Powers, who resides at Campbellville Housing Scheme, Georgetown, appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on Wednesday morning to answer to the charge laid against him.
The charges stated that Powers caused the death of Lewis on Monday while driving along the New
Hope Public Road, on the East Bank of Demerara. He is said to have been driving in a reckless manner.
However, the defendant’s Attorney Peter Huge told the court that the incident was one of grave misfortune where anyone could have been at fault. He told the court that his client was proceeding South along the East Bank Road when the deceased, who was also going in the same direction, cut across him unexpectedly thus causing the accident that took his life.
Attorney Hugh asked the court to grant his client bail, stating that Powers is not a flight risk, has four children and a fixed place of abode at Campbellville. Attorney Hugh also divulged that the defendant has a steady job as a Miner in the interior.
Chief Magistrate Sewnarine-Beharry granted Powers $250,000 bail on the condition that he reports to the Station Officer at the Grove Police Station, specifying the traffic department. He is to do so every fortnight on Friday, beginning May 22. Powers’ passport is also to be lodged at the police station to ensure he is unable to flee. His case will be called again on June 8.
Sherwin Barrow
The area where the father of three was shot and killed
Private security firms get training to quell election disturbances
Ranks of several private security firms have undergone specialised training to quell potential election-related disturbances, a release from the Guyana Association of Private Security Organisations (GAPSO) has said.
In a statement, GAPSO stated that a series of specialised security training for private security officers was conducted in three batches of 40 officers between February 17 and March 24, 2015.
GAPSO said private security officers play a critical role in protecting public safety, critical infrastructure, and property all across Guyana. In addition, private security is responsible for thousands of lives and billions of dollars in assets. This training was designed to augment security officers’ skills with specialty training in effective election security issues.
According to GAPSO, the instruction provides basic knowledge, skills, and
conceptual understanding of how to effectively and efficiently make the right decisions and act decisively in executing their duties during this period. Using classroom lectures, discussions, and practical exercises, the course covered the Public Order Act, orders for opening fire, potential electionrelated disturbances, and the role of the private security during the electoral period.
Participants represented Banks DIH, Security Alliance, Federal Management Systems, MMC, Bank of Guyana, Kalibur, Sentinel Security, and Integrated Security Services. The course instructors included Lieutenant Colonel Randy Storm, Whittington Braithwaite, David Moore, Carlos Beaton, and Stanley Leitch. In completing the course, it is expected that the graduates will, in turn, train more than 5000 training officers in their respective organisation.
Guyanese-born NY Police Officer killed in motorcycle accident
AGuyanese-born New York City Police Officer was on Monday last killed after he slammed into the passenger side front door of a vehicle making a U-turn while riding his motorbike along Rockaway Parkway in Flatlands.
According to reports, Royston Ferguson, age 35, formerly of Plaisance, on the East Coast Demerara, was off-duty when the accident occurred.
Two minors who were in the vehicle at the time of the accident escaped unhurt while the driver, an off-duty 28-year-old school safety agent, was taken to Kings County Hospital where she was treated for neck and back pain. She was not immediately charged.
At the time of the fatal accident, Ferguson was riding the motorbike when he slammed into the vehicle, causing him to fall. The
impact knocked his helmet off and he was rushed to the Brookdale University Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. According to the report, Ferguson would have marked 10 years on the force in July. He worked out of the Patrol Borough Brooklyn North command. He loved riding and “he was an amazing officer,” his colleague, Tabatha Foster said.
3 arrested for Linden businesswoman’s murder
More than one month after popular businesswoman, Shevon Gordon of Block 22, Wismar, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice) was shot and killed during an armed robbery; three men have been arrested and are assisting with investigations.
The woman was killed on April 4 in front of her
residence while her son Devon Gordon was shot to his left thigh.
It was reported that the now dead woman and her husband Elon Gordon, 48, were confronted by two men, one of whom was armed with a handgun. At the time of the incident, the couple had just returned home and was entering their yard. Mr Gordon was driving in with his vehicle
while his wife, Shevon was in the yard.
In launching their attack, the men demanded that Shevon hand over the bag of cash which she had in her possession but she resisted. It was then that the bandits shot her. The men then took the bag away and fled the scene on foot.
According to reports, the businessman and his son gave chase and it was
Devon who managed to catch up with the perpetrators but a scuffle ensued resulting in him being shot to his left thigh. The men then escaped with the bag of money.
Shevon and Devon were both rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex but the businesswoman was pronounced dead on arrival. Police are continuing their investigations.
Royston Ferguson
thursday, may 7, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com
PNC-led APNU/AFC urges supporters to "guard" ballot boxes
General Secretary of the majority arm of the People’s National Congress (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition
Joseph Harmon admitted that the party is persistently urging supporters to keep an eye on the ballot boxes even as concerns grow over the usage of tone and language by party officials on the campaign trail.
Eyewitnesses say the coalition members are setting up supporters to not accept the election results if the party looses by their continuous tone and language at the various rallies and public meetings.
Others argue that the language being used is in tantamount to organised intimidation as they pointed to the acts of aggression against sections of Guyanese by coalition’s supporters.
Harmon told Guyana
Times that the APNU+AFC coalition will continue to encourage supporters to remain focus, vigilant and ensure everything that happens on Election Day is within the confines of the law.
He described May 11 as a very “defining moment” in Guyana’s history and the events of the day should not be taken lightly.
Therefore, he said supporters should ensure they act accordingly, within the confines of the law, ensure they vote properly and ensure the presiding officers and everyone else acts lawfully.
However, he expressed that the party will not encourage supporters to linger around polling stations but added that those who live nearby can play an integral role by keeping an extra eye on the series of events when the ballot boxes are underway to be transported.
Opposition Leader David
Granger, on the other hand, is known to be charging his supporters to do more than just vote on Election Day.
At the recent rally in Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara, Granger urged the crowd of supporters to be “watchdogs” for their de-
mocracy.
“This time my brothers and sisters, we all have to be vigilant, everyone of you has to be a watchdog for your democracy,” he challenged.
He went on, adding “keep your eyes on the statements of poll. I don’t want anybody to leave early because they ‘tek-in’ or they get bad feelings, they must stay. They must stay until the statements of poll are signed.”
Granger then appeared to challenge the supporters to go beyond their means by telling them “to scrutinise the list to make sure no bogus people vote… look at the identification cards and make sure only bona fide people vote.”
He also called on them to snap photos with their cellphones of every single aspect of the process and of every single person to have “evidence” in place for when needed.
Miner remanded on narcotics charge
A40-year-old miner from Mahdia was remanded on Wednesday by Magistrate Ann McLennan after he answered to the charge of marijuana possession for purpose of trafficking levied against him, declaring his innocence.
Dillon Burrowes, of South Ruimveldt Squatting Area, Georgetown, was brought to Court Two of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts Wednesday afternoon after allegedly being caught with the marijuana.
He was charged by the Police with being in possession of 1079 grams of cannabis sativa on May 4 while at the Kamaru Junction in the Essequibo District.
Owing to the amount of the illicit drug that he was allegedly found with, Burrowes was charged with possession for purpose of trafficking. Burrowes was not represented in court by legal counsel. He is expected at the Mahdia Magistrate’s Court on July 13.
Mother of 6 granted bail for ammo possession
A39-year-old mother of six was granted $75,000 bail by Magistrate Ann McLennan on Wednesday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts after being charged for unlicensed ammunition possession.
The defendant, AnnMaria Bowen was in a state of distress in the courtroom as she was read the charge levied against her. However, she was supported by her sisters and other family members who thanked the Magistrate, as well as God, profusely and loudly, once she was granted bail.
The charge against her states that she had four live rounds of .38 ammunition in her possession without being the holder of a firearm licence while at Pomeroon in the Essequibo Magisterial District last Monday.
Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones objected to bail, stating that the charge against the defendant was quite grave and the ammunition was found in her hands. However, her Attorney,
Glen Hanoman, told the court that the prosecution’s information was debatable. He stated that his client had been instructed by Police Officers conducting a search to unload her bag. It was then that she removed several articles, including the ammunition.
Hanoman told the court that the matter involving Bowen was an “unusual” one, but emphasised that it merited bail. The lawyer stated that although the court would consider the prevalence of firearm offences, he urged it to also consider the facts of the case and the fact that his client was charged with possessing ammunition and not an actual gun.
More so, he told the court that the father of his client’s children was suspected by the Police to be the actual owner of the unlicensed firearm. However, he stated that the allegation was denied by him and the Police “in their wisdom” chose not to go down that route.
He told the court that his client has no reason to flee from justice, and was unable to do so in any case as she has her six children to consider.
Hanoman continued that his client has a permanent place of abode at 111 Miles Potaro in Essequibo, and also operates a restaurant and bar called ‘Blue Pepper’. He again asked the court to consider bail. The defendant was granted bail on the condition that she report to the nearest Police Station every Friday. The matter was transferred to the Mahdia Magistrate’s Court for July 13.
APNU General Secretary Joseph Harmon
Dillon Burrowes
Ann-Maria Bowen
Commonwealth observers hold talks with local stakeholders
With the General and Regional Elections in Guyana less than a week away, the Commonwealth Observer Mission has arrived in Guyana and is already meeting with local stakeholders ahead of Monday’s Polling Day.
Following a request from the Guyanese Government, Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma constituted an Observer Group for the elections. The international Observer Group will be led by former New Zealand Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister, Kate Wilkinson.
Other members of the Observer Mission include Nana Asantewa Afadzinu, the Executive Director of the West African Civil Society Institute, Ghana; Dr Noor Mohammad, former Deputy Elections Commissioner, India; and Dr Hume Johnson, Professor of Public Relations and Media Studies, Jamaica.
Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission in Kenya, Ahmed Issack Hassan, along with Rajwantee Bullock, Local Government Councillor in Trinidad and Tobago, and Raymond Whitaker, a writer and editor in the United Kingdom, also comprise the team.
Guyana Times was reliably informed that the seven-member team arrived on Tuesday and is expected to stay in the country until May 19. On Wednesday, the Mission met with a wide range of stakeholders such as the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). It is further understood that the Observer Mission will also be meeting to finalise arrangements on how it will be covering the upcoming elections, that is, which of the 10 Administrative Regions it will be observing.
Key areas
The Observer Group will also be looking at the pre-election environment and preparations. Some of the key areas that the members will be observing come Monday, May 11 are the voting process, counting and tabulation procedures, and the announcement of results.
Furthermore, the Group will assess all factors affecting the credibility of the electoral process as a whole. It will determine whether the elections have been conducted according to the standards for a democratic election, to which Guyana has committed itself, with reference to its own election-related legislation as well as
relevant regional, international and Commonwealth commitments.
The Commonwealth Observer Group will act impartially and make an independent assessment of the electoral process. It will conduct itself according to the standards expressed in the International Declaration of Principles for Election Observation, to which the Commonwealth is a signatory.
Upon completion of its assignment, the Group will submit its report to the Commonwealth Secretary General, who will in turn send it to the Government of Guyana; the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM); and the principal political parties, before making it available to all Commonwealth Governments. It will then be made public.
In a release, Sharma said the Commonwealth was committed to preserving its long tradition of supporting elections in Guyana. He noted that the organisation has been observing national polls in the country since 1992 and was pleased to be given the opportunity to once again ensure the consolidation of its democracy.
“These elections are crucially important for the people of Guyana as they choose their representatives. It is, therefore, imperative that the electoral process is transparent, fair, credible, and free of violence,” the Secretary General of Commonwealth expressed.
In addition to the team of observers, the Commonwealth Secretariat has also deployed a four-member staff team to provide technical support to the international observers. The team is being led by Albert Mariner, Head of the Caribbean/Pacific Section – Political Division.
Commonwealth Observer Group head, New Zealand Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister, Kate Wilkinson
thursday, may 7, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com
IAC Albion Mela:
Berbicians urged to guard freedom zealously
By Nafeeza yahya
Former President Bharrat Jagdeo called on Guyanese, in particular Berbicians, to follow
At the time, Jagdeo was speaking at the Albion Sports Complex Ground where thousands of Guyanese from all walks of life had gathered to participate in the Indian
Arrival Day on Tuesday. Jagdeo told the massive crowd that despite the struggles they endured, their ancestors persevered to the end. “Because of their industrious
in the footsteps of their ancestors by safeguarding their freedom zealously.
Arrival Committee (IAC) Hamara Guyana Concert held in observance of Indian
and entrepreneurship and their perseverance, they survived and kept their culture
alive, and they participated in a very important struggle led particularly by an IndoGuyanese, Cheddi Jagan. He led the fight against colonial authorities to bring freedom and dignity to this land to enfranchise us, to try to change our circumstances.”
The former President
said although freedom prevailed, it was subsequently snatched away by the oppressors.
“Many of you know as soon as we got freedom, it was snatched again from us by a group who perpetuated themselves to power by rigging elections, and took our freedom away from us. Many of our people shed their blood like the two martyrs who died here in Berbice...many were jailed and some prosecuted, and in that era, what you ate made you a criminal…but the struggle did not end in 1992 when we regain our freedom and dignity, the struggle continues today,” he said.
Jagdeo said if Guyanese fail to guard their freedom zealously, it can be snatched away once again. He made it clear that no country can realise their dreams unless its people live in freedom.
“So do not take this freedom that we enjoy today lightly. We are proud of who we are. People of every race made an enormous contribution to this country but Indians have done so too in a major way,” he added.
The former Head of State urged those present to understand that as citizens they have equal rights and should not be afraid or intimidated by anyone.
“When one person says that he is not Indian but he is going to deliver 11 per cent of our votes to the Opposition to trade it for a Prime Minister position, we say to him No because if you can’t even believe in who you are, you have to prove to someone else your worth by denying your own ancestors, then you are not worthy of our trust,” he added.
Meanwhile, President Donald Ramotar, in his address, urged that the sacrifices made by the ancestors be celebrated, and the freedom gained be protected. “Arrival day applies to almost all Guyanese because most of us our fore parents came from different lands, and we struggle to build this country, we had to fight against slavery, we had to overcome indentureship and we had to fight for independence against colonialism.”
In alluding to Jagan, Ramotar said his vision and
courage led the fight for independence.
“It was his vision and courage, and his tremendous intellectual capacity that most of us had the desire of freedom, and he led that fight and then we got independence. But then again, we had to fight against a dictatorship in our country, and freedom only came in 1992 when the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) won the first free and fair elections to boast of an independent Guyana, and since then we have been able to live in freedom, we have been able to transform our country.”
He said Guyana was once described as a heavily indebted country but is now described as a middle income developing country due to the progress made.
Ramotar, however, opined that greater progress could have been made but this he said was stymied by the Opposition. As a result, he said on May 11, Guyanese must decide whether they will endorse progress or stagnation.
“The very people who instituted dictatorship in Guyana...they tried their best to hold back the development of our country, and despite that we still grew each year by four and a half per cent to five per cent. It was indeed a tremendous achievement, because we were fighting an unstable economic international situation, and fighting against an opposition that is bent on holding your country back and yet we grew. We can grow much faster and that is why on May 11 you the people have it in your power to decide how fast we can grow, we cannot hold to standstill. Our vision lies in building a strong, stable and modern economy.”
Meanwhile, the Hamara Guyana Concert was deemed a huge success given the massive turnout of patrons. The concert featured performances by international singers, Terry Gajraj, Marissa Deodat and renowned Trinidadian artiste, Neval Chatelal. Patrons were also treated to an array of Indian cultural items, including free Mehendi painting and a variety of Indian food.
President Donald Ramotar interacting with patrons at the IAC "Hamara Guyana Concert" held at the Albion Community Centre Ground
President Donald Ramotar addressing the large gathering at the Indian Arrival Committee’s "Hamara Guyana Concert" which was held at the Albion Community Centre Ground
Sugar industry being snubbed by APNU/AFC – Ramsammy
Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy has accused the People’s National Congress (PNC) led A Partnership For National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) coalition of failing to include the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) in its 2015 Manifesto, dubbing the move an “insult” to sugar workers across the country.
The APNU/AFC coalition presented its 46 page manifesto last Thursday at the Stabroek Market Square, Georgetown, but according to Dr Ramsammy, it presented a proposal in which sugar has been “relegated to no significance.”
“When the story of the 2015 General Elections is written in less than one week from now the most intriguing and disgraceful occurrence will be the stupidity of APNU/AFC in insulting the sugar workers. It is appalling that APNU/AFC has no plans for GuySuCo, and as Minister of Agriculture,
I continue to be concerned about the intentions of APNU/AFC relating to the sugar workers and the sugar industry,” Dr Ramsammy ranted in a release to the press on Tuesday.
The coalition has already been accused of being unsure of its intention for the sugar industry with several key organisations calling on it to clearly state its position.
Just last week the Agriculture Minister had issued a stern warning to the Opposition, urging it to become “proactive,” since one set of members are committed to its development while others have shrugged at the idea.
In his release on Tuesday, Dr Ramsammy said the coalition’s manifesto has excluded the sugar industry and by extension the thousands of sugar workers.
“For APNU/AFC to have nothing in their manifesto about the sugar industry and for them to actually tell the nation that they have no idea what is the way forward for GuySuCo, they disqualify themselves for consideration to form the next Government in Guyana. No political party can seriously talk about governing Guyana without
firm ideas on how to sustain and further develop sugar in Guyana”, Dr Ramsammy said.
He reiterated that GuySuCo accounts for a significant part of Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and as such should not be ignored.
“Indeed, it is unconscionable and unforgiveable for any political party to so visibly ignore sugar. We cannot talk about development in Guyana and good governance while ignoring an industry that employs almost 20,000 sugar workers and that contributes significantly to drainage and irrigation network which supports the rice industry, livestock and cash crops. More than 120,000 Guyanese are directly dependent on the sugar industry. GuySuCo also plays a role in supporting both the health sector and youth and sports in our country,” he explained.
He said it is “absolutely incredulous” that the coalition is “so irresponsible” to ignore this important subsector in the country’s economic and social development.
He noted that while the party does not consider sugar workers “as their concern,” the incumbent has always stood with the sugar industry.
“The People’s Progressive Party/Civic's (PPP/C’s) history is intertwined with sugar. In colonial days, post independence until 1992 and since 1992, the PPP/C has always stood firmly besides sugar workers. Whatever the challenges, we will remain resolutely dedicated to the welfare and betterment of sugar workers. This is manifested in the fact that we have always ensured that sugar workers get increases in their wages and salaries every year we have been in government, no matter how well or poorly GuySuCo performed.”
The Agriculture Minister recalled the recent call by APNU/AFC member Stanley Ming for the closure of the industry, replacing it with quinoa. He said he has consistently asked APNU/ AFC to either own up to this decision or dissociate itself from it but yet he has been ignored.
He said added to its total disregard for the industry, the coalition, while proposing a 10 per cent increase in salaries and wages for public servants, has made no provisions for any increases for wages and salaries for sugar workers.
Dr Ramsammy said APNU/AFC not only exposes its disdain for the sugar industry but displays “unpardonable ingratitude” to an industry that kept Guyana alive for many years during the PNC rule.
“The sugar levy was the main source of revenue for the PNC Government.
The sugar industry subsidised the bauxite industry and provided an important source of revenue for the PNC Government to meet its payment to public servants. Now, when the indus-
try is facing serious challenges like a low sugar price and climate change, APNU/ AFC, the surrogate for the PNC, wants to bury sugar.
The PPP/C stands firmly in its unequivocal rejection of
APNU/AFC’s ingratitude.”
He noted that there is no doubt that sugar defines in “stark details” the differences between the PPP/C and APNU/AFC, and between Donald Ramotar and David
Granger. “The PPP/C and Donald Ramotar stand for a strong sugar industry and we are willing to invest in the industry and in sugar workers. APNU/AFC speaks in riddles, but clearly intends to close the sugar industry.”
Dr Ramsammy noted that in recent weeks sugar workers have been making their position clear. According to him, they reject APNU/AFC.
“They feel betrayed and no longer trust anyone in APNU/AFC. It is now too late for APNU/AFC to try to fool sugar workers, it will simply not work. We had given them a chance to say honestly and simply whether they would close the sugar industry. We wanted no ifs or buts. They refused to give a simple answer. Moses Nagamootoo’s 11 per cent has now evaporated,” Dr Ramsammy declared.
Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy
PPP/C pledges continuous support to Guyana’s sugar industry
thursday, may 7, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com
Pushpanjali 2015 a resounding success
– Guyanese urged to unite ahead of elections
The Indian Commemoration Trust hosted Pushpanjali 2015 at the Monument Gardens, Church and Camp Streets, Georgetown on Tuesday in celebration of the 177th anniversary of Indian arrival in Guyana.
US Chargé d’Affaires, Bryan Hunt; Leader of the Alliance for Change, Khemraj Ramjattan; and Dr Yesu Persaud were among officials present.
Pushpanjali 2015 was a combination of cultural displays as the melodious
sounds of Hindi music echoed through the air, and the sacred display of traditional dances swayed on stage.
In addressing the gathering, the various religious leaders urged those present to stand in unity in light of the upcoming General and Region Elections. In his address, Dr Persaud said “these are difficult times, because of ignorance, we have division…I’d like to see in my time that we achieve togetherness.”
Meanwhile, in delivering the feature address, President of the Global
Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) Ashook Ramsaran applauded the Indian Commemoration Trust for the successful staging of the event.
“It is truly a historic milestone in cultural preservation,” Ramsaran said as he paid tribute to the East Indian ancestors who paved the way for their descendants today.
He urged Guyanese to unite for the development of the country as their ancestors did in their fight for the betterment of their people.
“While looking at the past we must triumph by (making) bold leaps with much hope and determination,” Ramsaran said. “That difficult history fostered togetherness and kindred… we’re all products of this land, so embrace the kinship among us and we must be unified in our quest for prosperity.”
On display at the event were many historical artifacts such as silver Rupees of the year 1835, “chillums” or Indian pipes, “Jatas” which are stone grinders used to crush peas, rice and spices,
Sagicor Visionaries Challenge: Guyana lags in People’s
Gthe international competition which seeks to engage and encourage secondary school stu-
“sills” which are stones used in cooking and brass water jars. A number of Indian food and sweet meats were also on sale.
“It’s a lovely experience”, a group of tourists from the USA exclaimed, noting that “the food, the culture…it’s all an enticing as well as educational experience for us.”
Pushpanjali 2015 is the 20th of its kind, and was aimed at celebrating the arrival of East Indians in Guyana. East Indians arrived in Guyana, then British Guiana on May 5, 1838 as indentured labour-
ers in two ships, Whitby and Hesperus. At the time, 438 workers left Calcutta, however, 18 died during the journey due to a cholera outbreak on the ships and their bodies were thrown overboard.
When they arrived in Guyana, the immigrants worked on the sugar estates from day two. When the East Indians’ contract with their British employers came to an end, many of them chose to stay in the country and started their lives as farmers and tradesmen.
Choice Award
dents to develop effective, innovative and sustainable solutions with the use of science and technology to overcome the challenges that exist in their countries.
Other participating countries are Belize leading with some 9600 votes, Trinidad and Tobago with some 8900 votes, Antigua and Barbuda with some 8000 votes, St Lucia with 305 votes, Barbados with 97 votes, Dominica with 89 votes, and
School of Belize submitted a “Chaya-Mayan Power for Modern Times” project which sets out to create a model programme to allow the country to optimise on the benefits of a super micronutrient provider plant known as “Chaya.”
Trinidad and Tobago through the Five Rivers Secondary School submitted a “Cardboard Box Pellet” project which will reuse and cycle cardboard into a pel-
the United States of America with some 25 votes.
The People’s Choice Awards segment does not determine the winner of the competition but it allows for supporters to put their school or country on the Sagicor map.
Guyana’s submitted project is the “Paddy Husk Particle Board” which can be used to address the issue of air pollution from the burning of paddy husk in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).
In their submission to Sagicor, the school explained that as a result of rice farming in the region, there is an annual average production of 30,000 tonnes of paddy husk and approximately 80 per cent of this husk is burnt as a method of disposal which releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming and pollution.
Incidentally, the other problem at hand is the high cost for wood which can also be addressed by implementing this project which will use the paddy husk to manufacture wood.
The Bishop Martin High
letised bio-fuel form that can be used for cooking, as a soil conditioner and potting mixture for other agricultural purposes.
Representing Antigua
odegradable plastics.
Barbados, represented by Queen’s College, submitted “The Green Way to get Styrofoam Way” project that will see the establishment of a Styrofoam waste collection system where the waste collected will be reduced using limonene extracted from citrus fruits to form a glue-like substance.
Dominica, represented by St Martin Secondary, submitted a project titled “School-Techno Gardener” which will transform a not too fertile land into one that is.
And lastly, the United States of America, represented by Walker Middle School, submitted a project named “Higher or Lower, Which Angle is the Best”. This project sets out to make the wind turbine more efficient at producing energy which will help reduce the use of non-renewable energy.
Persons are encouraged to go online at sagicorvisionaries.com/peoples-choiceaward to view the full project summary of contesting countries and vote for the best project. The deadline for voting is May 17.
and Barbuda is the Christ the King High School that submitted the “Nevo Oven” project which sets out to solve the problem of unavailable furnaces dry crystals in their school’s laboratory.
St Lucia, through the St Mary’s College, submitted a project called “AmyloPlastikos” that will make bi-
Meanwhile, the final leg of the Sagicor Visionaries Competition will take place in July in Tampa, Florida where a panel of select judges will determine the winner of the competition. The winners of the People’s Choice Awards will also be recognised during the awards in Florida.
uyana appears to be lagging behind in the People’s Choice Awards segment of the Sagicor Visionaries
Challenge with only 90 votes while some of its contesting counterparts are earning close to 10,000 votes. The Abrams Zuil
Secondary School is representing Guyana in
Abrams Zuil Secondary School with their “Paddy Husk Particle Board” project
Christ the King High School of Antigua and Barbuda with their Nevo Oven project
Bishop Martin High School of Belize with their “Chaya- Mayan Power for Modern Times” project
YELLOW PAGES
thursday, May 7, 2015
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Thousands attend Dharmic Sabha’s countrywide Indian Arrival events
Thousands of persons across the country celebrated 177 years of Indian Arrival with the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha. Supportive and vibrant audiences cheered for talented performers at the Sabha’s events held at Anna Regina, Essequibo; Bath Community Centre Ground, West Coast Berbice; Bal Nivas, Ankerville, Corentyne and Oceanview Mandir Compound, West Coast Demerara.
The grand cultural programmes featured outstanding Guyanese singers Vishalie Sukhram, winner of the Emerging Voices Competition and finalists Aamir Khan and Artie Sookhai, as well as Mona Gowkaran, Sookrane Boodhoo, Bunty Singh and many others from the Sabha’s Praants.
Aamir Khan had the audience cheering and waving their hands in the air after each energetic performance of his, while Sukhram teamed up with the Burning Flames Tassa
group for an appealing and rocking performance of popular songs.
Dharmic Nritya Sangh, the Sabha’s dance troupe, under the direction of Dr Vindhya Persaud, gave enthralling performances and captured the hearts and admiration of all who attended these concerts with their vibrant and on point dancing.
The concerts also featured talented dance groups from around the country including Kenrick Cheeks’ Dancing Delights, CV Nunes’ Dance Group, Saregamapa Group of
Digicel launches Top Up App
Digicel has announced the official launch of its convenient Top Up App which delivers a fast, reliable and convenient way for customers from abroad to send minutes to their family and friends living in the Caribbean anytime. The new Top Up App also allows customers in the Caribbean to top up their own phones really easily too. The company made the announcement on Friday.
Digicel customers abroad have been calling for the launch of an easy, convenient way to top up family and friends at home, and Digicel has delivered on that call, providing a convenient, fast and reliable way to stay connected. What’s more, there are no
transaction fees when sending minutes via the Digicel Top Up App.
“The response from our customers has been overwhelming,” said Digicel Diaspora Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Declan Cassidy. “Since our initial soft launch in November last year, we have over 200,000 downloads and our customers continue to tell us how the app fits their lifestyle – topping up themselves or sending top up to family in the Caribbean on-the-go no matter where they are, or what time it is.”
The Digicel Top Up App is a free mobile application and is available for download in iTunes and Google Play.
D’Edward, Valerie’s Group of Shieldstown and the Kanhaiya Dance group.
Skits highlighting current topical issues like suicide and domestic violence were staged by the youths of the Sabha’s Praants and the strong message of “loving and appreciating life” was transmitted through these creative dramatic pieces.
Respect culture
Dr Persaud, the Sabha’s President, made the feature address at all the events and encouraged continued development in the area of
culture and the sustenance of traditions and art forms in all the regions.
She pledged the Sabha’s commitment to continuing work in training in diverse art forms, Hindi and Sanskrit languages, yoga, training of pandits, and cookery across the country.
Dr Persaud also emphasised the need to honour one’s culture and ancestors and to recognise their significant contributions to and accomplishments in all sectors in Guyana.
She expressed the wish that positive contributions continue to be made in the years ahead by all and that unity, respect and understanding must be nurtured among all people of Guyana.
She thanked the large crowds at all the events for their continued support of the Sabha and extended Arrival Day greetings on behalf of the Sabha.
President Donald Ramotar attended the Sabha’s West Coast Demerara Praant’s event.
United Kingdom votes in most unpredictable election in decades
British voters get to decide today who they want to rule the world’s fifth-largest economy in a tight election that could yield weak government, propel the United Kingdom towards a vote on EU membership and stoke Scottish desire for secession.
Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservatives and Ed Miliband’s opposition Labour Party have been neck and neck in opinion polls for months, indicating neither will win enough seats for an outright majority in the 650-seat Parliament.
“This race is going to be the closest we have ever seen,” Miliband told sup-
porters in Pendle, in northern England, on the eve of the vote. “It is going to go down to the wire.”
Cameron said only his Conservatives could deliver strong, stable government: “All other options will end in chaos.”
If neither wins an overall majority, talks will begin on Friday with smaller parties in a race to strike deals. That could lead to a formal coalition, like the one Cameron has led for the past five years with the centrist Liberal Democrats. Or it could produce a fragile minority government making trade-offs to guarantee support on key votes. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Bollywood star Salman Khan gets 5 years for hit-and-run
An Indian court sentenced Bollywood film star Salman Khan on Wednesday to five years in prison for killing a man in a hit-and-run accident, the latest twist in the tumultuous career of one of the country’s biggest box-office draws.
The district criminal court’s order drove down shares of firms connected to the actor and, if upheld, will derail major projects in the pipeline of what is the world’s most prolific movie industry.
Khan later secured two days of interim bail from Mumbai’s high court and will return to court on Friday for a hearing on having the bail extended. The criminal court convicted Khan, 49, of culpable homi-
cide on charges that he lost control of his white Toyota Landcruiser when driving under the influence of alcohol in 2002, and rammed into a group of people sleeping on a pavement.
Khan, instantly recognisable by his muscular build, denied being behind the wheel, contradicting the testimony of several witnesses.
In March, the actor’s driver said he had driven, while Khan rode in the passenger seat. In his verdict, Judge DW Deshpande said Khan had in fact been driving the car.
“Finally, justice has been done,” said senior lawyer Abha Singh, a petitioner in the case. “The law has been upheld.” The decision dispelled the idea that India is a country where people with
money and power can commit murder and get away with it, Singh added. No emotion was evident on the face of Khan, one of Bollywood’s most bankable stars in a country where
movie and cricket stars are hero-worshipped, when the verdict was directed.
The news of his conviction led to a fall of six per cent in shares of movie production and distribution firm Eros International, and a drop of three per cent in shares of textile company Mandhana Industries.
Eros had acquired global distribution rights for two of Khan’s upcoming movies, while Mandhana worked with his foundation to design and distribute the “Being Human” clothing range.
The conviction is not Khan’s first brush with the law. In 2007, he was jailed for nearly a week for shooting an endangered gazelle on a hunting trip in the desert state of Rajasthan. (Reuters)
CAR RenTAlS
Salman Khan
Nritya Sangh on stage at West Coast Demerara
Calvin Roberts laid to rest
Calvin Theophilus Fitzpatrick Roberts, a former senior Sport Journalist of the Guyana Chronicle, was laid to rest on Wednesday at Le Repentir Cemetery in Georgetown.
After a one hour public viewing at the Merriman’s Funeral Home, the remains of the father of two were transported to the GNIC ground on Woolford Avenue where colleagues, friends, fans and family members paid their last respect by way of tributes.
his exploits on the cricket field, having played for Ace Warriors and Malteenoes, and most recently, becoming captain the Guyana Media XI.
Among those delivering remarks at the function were Roberts’ boyhood friend and renowned cricket journalist, Sean Devers, fellow journalists Avenash Ramzan, Clifton Ross and Michelle Outridge, and Digicel’s Event Manager, Gavin Hope.
The sermon was delivered by Pastor Kemuel Rock, who revealed that Roberts had lived in the path of the almighty and always embraced his religion
Lens Craft Optical/EBFA U-13 league… Excitement
Excitement in the inaugural Lens Craft Optical/East Bank Football Association (EBFA) Under-13 League is heating up as day five of the tournament approaches on Saturday at the Grove Playfield.
Grove Hi Tech, after losing to Herstelling 1-0 on day one, have rebounded well to notch up three wins on the trot and are in pole position ahead of Herstelling Raiders on goal difference, both clubs recording a similar amount of wins along with one loss apiece.
The boys from Agricola Red Triangle (six points) have the best goal difference so far and have shown that they are a lethal unit blasting in a total of 13 goals in three matches, conceding just two. They have in their line up the leading goal scorer so far in Leon Moore, who has netted two hat-tricks accounting for his six goals.
Wee Under-11 League, has one less than Moore. James also netted a hat-trick. Akeem Williams of Grove has three goals.
Roberts, who succumbed on April 28 after being diagnosed with renal failure in January this year, was remembered by all as a man who was very candid in his views and would go at length to defend his stance on an issue.
in spite of what life threw at him.
Herstelling Raiders’ Shoran James, who was the leading goal scorer in the MCY&S sponsored Pee
The lads from Diamond United are also on six points, but from four games, one more than Agricola, while Mocha (three games) have four points, Kuru Kururu Warriors (three games) one point and Craig, yet to come off the mark in the three matches. Two matches will be contested at Grove Playfield this weekend.
It was the general consensus by all the speakers that Roberts was committed to his job and was always willing to go the extra mile in pursuit of excellence. He was also remembered for
After the formal proceedings at GNIC, Roberts was given a guard of honour by members of the Guyana Media XI as his body left the venue for the final rites at Le Repentir.
‘multi’ chasing another
title in
‘screw’ Richmond football -
defending champs to clash with Wisburg in today’s final
Christianburg Wismar Secondary School (CWSS), more popularly known as ‘Multi’, will face Wisburg Secondary today in the final of the seventh Edward ‘Screw’ Richmond Memorial
Football tournament.
Chasing their third successive title, ‘Multi’ will have to get past the side that is also hunting their second claim of the title in a highly anticipated final at the Mackenzie Sports Club
Ground from 16:00h.
The two sides booked their place in the final after securing convincing wins in Monday’s semi-finals.
Front-runner for the most goals awards, CWSS’ Shane Luckie, blasted home a double (41st and 47th) in his side’s 4-0 demolition of Mackenzie High School. Duquan Hercules (10th) and Tarique Williams’ own goal in the 23rd minute added to defending Champions goal tally in the lopsided affair.
Wisburg Secondary defeated Linden Foundation Secondary 1-0 when Compton Caesar connected in the 24th minute.
President of the Edward ‘Screw’ Richmond Foundation, Ernest Joseph, was on hand at the semi-finals and made a donation of first aid supplies to longstanding physiotherapist of the tournament, Michelle Jackman, who thanked the organisation for the kind and timely input to her craft.
Khan open to Mayweather fight...
Bolton-born Khan, who takes on former light-welterweight world champion Algieri in New York, says he has also been invited to fight Pacquiao, 36.
But Khan insisted his focus is purely on Algieri, who was knocked down six times by Pacquiao during a massive
points defeat in November.
He said: “I really can’t take this Algieri fight lightly - lose and it would ruin my dreams to fight the biggest names in boxing.
“I’m not going to be fighting Mayweather until I win this fight. I’m not looking past Chris because I’ve made that mistake in the past. There are bigger fights out there for me, but this is my focus.”
During Ramadan practising Muslims fast during daylight hours to learn self-discipline, while also reminding them of those less fortunate than themselves.
Pastor Kemuel Rock leads the procession out of the GNIC ground, as members of the Guyana Media XI form a guard of honour
A section of the gathering listens as a cousin of Calvin Roberts offers remarks at the funeral
The competition has brought out some new talents on the East Bank corridor
Shane Luckie (left) and Duquan Hercules
An
icon has fallen…
NSC mourns death of boxing champion
The National Sports Commission (NSC) has expressed sadness at the passing of Guyana’s first world boxing champion, Andrew “Six Heads” Lewis. In a detailed statement issued this week, the NSC reflected on the life of the Guyanese pugilist. Below is the full text of the statement.
“Just days after the cricket and media fraternities were deprived of the services of one of their very own Calvin Roberts, the boxing community has suffered a similar blow.
Andrew “Six Heads” Lewis is dead via a motorcar/special cycle accident on Monday May 04, 2015. Our roads have claimed yet another life.
This loss is indeed unbearable and has sent shockwaves across Guyana, the Caribbean and the world at large.
“Six Heads”, who incidentally go the alias after knocking out an opponent, who on revival saw six heads instead of one, was born and raised in Georgetown. He had a considerable amateur career, including representing Guyana at various competitions.
In 1993, this athlete switched to professional boxing with tremendous success, knocking out eight of his first nine opponents.
After dominating at home, Andrew realised that for him to make it at the big times, he must move beyond the boundaries of his home land.
Himself and two other boxers were encouraged, wished well and seen off by Mr Neil Kumar- Director of Sport at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport when they were travelling to the USA.
As a consequence, Andrew “Six Heads” Lewis left Guyana and took up residence in the United States of America. There he contin-
ued from where he left off at home by knocking out eleven of his first twelve opposers.
Like most Guyanese, regardless of his/her potential, skill and ability, Andrew was not given the kind of representation necessary for a fighter of his class.
As a true Guyanese warrior, he did not give up. Instead, he persuaded and finally got the opportunity to prove to the world that he did not go to the USA on a joyride or holiday.
In 2001, “Six Heads” stepped into the ring at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and punched and destroyed the known tremendous power puncher, James Page, for the vacant WBA Welterweight title, by way of a TKO in the seventh round.
Guyanese present at the fight, those watching on television in the USA and in other parts of the world and of course, those at home who were glued to their television sets at home, clubs, shops, restaurants and where ever it was possible were not disappointed at the sensational victory for a son of the soil.
On February 17, 2001, Andrew “Six Heads” Lewis won Guyana its first ever boxing world title. America and the rest of the world got to know who and what he was and were very impressed. So impressive was
Andrew, that after unanimously defeating Larry Marks, the powerhouse, “Sugar” Shane Mosley, the then WBC Champion backed out of a talked about welterweight unification against the Guyanese.
Andrew Lewis’s victory inspired other Guyanese boxers who went on and emulated their countryman and idol and recorded their names as world champions, including our female boxers, in various categories.
Unfortunately, Lewis’ reign as world champion ended when through improper management and preparation and incorrect fighting technique, he was stopped by the slugger, Nacaraugan’s Richardo Mayorga.
He attempted a comeback in 2003, but was again defeated, this time by WBO Welterweight champion, Antonio Margarito in two rounds. On his return to Guyana and after a few showings, he called it an end to his pride career.
However, it was difficult for him to stay out of the ring and answered a call from Jamaican Sakima Mullings. Because of illness, he was unable to keep that ring date. His professional stands at 23-4-3 with 20 knockouts.
It was sad that such a boxer with world class potential was unable to be counted
among the all-time greats. In his honour, the government constructed a boxing gym in the name of ‘Six Heads Lewis Gym.’
It is with a feeling of sorrow that the NSC expresses heartfelt condolences to yet another outstanding Guyanese professional and wishes him the best on his journey and stay with his Almighty Father. To his immediate family and friends and the boxing and sport fraternities, we extend our sincere condolences. May his soul rest in peace.”
Khan open to Mayweather fight in September
Britain’s Amir Khan says he could fight Floyd Mayweather in September despite previously stating Ramadan might disrupt his training.
Khan, 28, is a Muslim and is set to fast during the holy month, which lasts from mid-June to mid-July this year.
Ahead of his bout with Chris Algieri on May 29, Khan said: “Mayweather normally fights mid-September and Ramadan is a little bit earlier this year.
“It gives me enough time to get the training done, so it can happen.”
Khan said on Sunday that Mayweather’s manager was keen to “get a fight on” after the undisputed welterweight champion beat Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas.
Mayweather, 38, took his unbeaten record to 48 fights with a one-sided points victory over Pacquiao and is expected to make his next fight his last.
tons subdue depleted Bangladesh
An invigorated Younis Khan and a determined Azhar Ali took command of the second Test, putting on 250 for the third wicket, as Pakistan loped to 323-3 at stumps. Azhar and Younis defused the early menace when they came together at 58-2, began to counterpunch in the second session and were bludgeoning Bangladesh around the Shere Bangla when Younis was dismissed for 148 off 195, with only five full overs to play in the day. Azhar stayed not out on 127, having ridden early luck.
Seduced by an unusually dense covering of grass on the Mirpur surface, Mushfiqur Rahim was dealt a poor hand. He had already gambled by bowling first with only two seam-
ers in the attack. Two balls into the match Shahadat Hossain - who had come into the side for the injured Rubel Hossain - hobbled off the field after taking a tumble during his delivery stride. Mushfiqur was forced to rely on part-time seamer Soumya Sarkar and a phalanx of spinners, who were defanged by a first-day pitch that offered only modest turn. That both centurions should have been out earlier if bowlers had not delivered no balls, added to Mushfiqur’s considerable stress.
The seam movement Mushfiqur had anticipated played a role in Mohammad Hafeez’ dismissal, when Shahid set him up with lifter that jagged back in, then drew the edge with a straighter delivery. That dis-
missal had Pakistan at 9 for 1, but the injury to Shahadat prevented Bangladesh from pushing as hard as they could have in the first hour. With lunch in sight, they took their second wicket, when Sami Aslam ran at Taijul, and put him in the hands of deep midwicket.
There was tug-andpull in the first overs of the Azhar-Younis association, as Azhar overcame a series of close calls. Earlier in the morning, he was walking back to the dressing room after edging Mohammad Shahid to third slip, when replays showed the bowler had not landed his heel behind the popping crease. Reprieved on 18, Azhar gave further chances off spin at 34 and 35 to Mominul Haque at silly point and short leg. Both times the ball whizzed quickly between the fielder’s legs before he could get low enough.
Younis deadbatted his way to 1 off 15 before lunch, but opened his shoulders in the second session, clearing his front leg to send the spinners over mid-on - once for six - before masterfully employing the sweep to raise the tempo further. By the fourth hour of the day, a pattern to his progress emerged. Every now and then, he’d interrupt the steady thrum of singles he and Azhar had worked
up, to shuffle forward into a sweep. He’d watch for the overcorrection next ball then play off the back foot, often finding runs square on the off side. He reached 50 off 72 balls and by late-afternoon, his strike rate hovered around 75.
Azhar meanwhile, sunk time into re-establishing himself at the crease after his early scares, and was only punishing bad balls for most of the day. Shakib Al Hasan and Taijul Islam attempted a variety of plans, tempting Azhar outside off in the second session to lure another mistake. But Azhar gritted through this, while Younis gave the innings impetus at the other end.
Younis was the first to his hundred after tea, but not before he too was called back to the crease, after presenting a catch to short cover. Soumya had overstepped to reprieve him on 78, and then Younis breezed through to the second new ball, reaching his 29th Test ton with a two to deep cover to end a period of relative calm, before attacking again. A slog-swept six over deep midwicket off Shakib heralded the charge, which Azhar soon joined. His made his eighth trip to triple-figures by launching Taijul down the ground for four. With neither spinners nor seamers able to glean
much from the old ball, Mushfiqur threw his parttimers at Pakistan, who were only too glad to face them. By the 80th over, Pakistan’s run rate had ticked above 3.5.
Richardson leads sparta Boss...
Shahid broke the stand with the second new ball, when he had Younis slicing to backward point, two runs short of his 150. Misbah-ulHaq announced himself at the crease with a six over long-on off the second ball he faced, but otherwise he and Azhar were content to hunker down till stumps. (Cricinfo) from back page
SCOREBOARD
Pakistan 1st innings
Mohammad Hafeez c †Mushfiqur Rahim b Mohammad Shahid 8 Sami Aslam c Shahadat Hossain b Taijul Islam 19 Azhar Ali not out 127 Younis Khan c Shuvagata Hom b Mohammad Shahid 148 Misbah-ul-Haq* not out 9 Extras (lb-6, w-1, nb-5) 12 Total (3 wickets; 90 overs) 323 Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Mohammad Hafeez, 3.3 ov), 2-58 (Sami Aslam, 22.5 ov), 3-308 (Younis Khan, 84.5 ov) Bowling: Shahadat Hossain 0.20-4-0, Soumya Sarkar 11.4-132-0 (2-nb), Mohammad Shahid 21-6-43-2 (3-nb, 1-w), Taijul Islam 30-2-102-1, Shuvagata Hom 8-0-47-0, Shakib Al Hasan 14-0-68-0, Mominul Haque 2-0-8-0, Mahmudullah 2-012-0, Imrul Kayes 1-0-1-0
West Front Road was also named the most disciplined team of the tournament and received a cheque worth $25,000 for their good behavior, while Dwayne Lowe was awarded a gold chain from Junior’s Jewelry for being the highest goal scorer with nine goals.
Meanwhile, Queen StreetTiger Bay won the third place game against Kitty Weavers 3-2. Darren Harris scored all three goals for Queen Street in the sixth, 20th and 31st minutes to ensure the win. Nigel Denny in the 12th and Sherwin Vincent in the 26th were the goal scorers for Kitty Weavers in the close encounter. Director of the Petra Organisation, Troy Mendonca, was pleased with the tournament and noted that both teams deserved to be in the final.
Managing Director of the Guyana Beverage Inc., Robert Selman, was overjoyed with the tournament’s success in its inaugural year and praised Mendonca and his team of organisers for their work.
Selman pointed out that he hopes to spread the tournament to Linden and other areas in Guyana while expressing his desire to limit the amount of national players in one team. However, Selman committed to investing more into the tournament come 2016.
Andrew “Six Heads” Lewis
Amir Khan is open to fighting Floyd Mayweather in September turn to page 22
An invigorated Younis Khan and a determined Azhar Ali added
for the third wicket
Busta Soft Shoe tournament...
Richardson leads Sparta Boss to inaugural title
Sparta Boss made sure that West Front Road remained the underdogs they were ahead of the Busta Soft Shoe Tournament, with a 4-2 win to claim the inaugural title of the tournament on Tuesday evening at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground, Bourda.
Shepherd being sent out for three minutes after receiving a yellow card.
The final started in the most dramatic fashion with eventual Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament Sheldon
Despite the four-onthree disadvantage, Devon Millington released a shot that rocked the left hand side of the net in the sixth minute to give Sparta
Boss the early lead, while Shepherd was allowed back on the field after the goal.
Millington would go on the attack again, this time finding a wide open Gregory “Jackie Chan” Richardson, who tucked the ball into the lower right side of the net to put Sparta Boss in a commanding 2-0 position in the 11th minute.
On resumption, West
Front Road quickly cut into Sparta Boss’ lead with a goal from Colin Nelson in the 22nd minute. West Front Road then missed a chance to equalise three minutes later after a missed diving effort in front of Sparta Boss’ goal.
While West Front had a few other opportunities to score, strikes by Richardson in the 26th and 35th minutes for a hat-trick, snuffed the life
out of West Front Road. They did score a consolation goal in the final minute of the game, coming off the boot of Michael Pedro. The win for Sparta Boss has guaranteed them top prize of $600,000, as well as a trophy, while Shepherd received a cheque worth $50,000 from 2J’s General Store for his MVP performance.
Gayle ton leads RCB to their biggest win
Cinside 14 overs. Save for a belated cameo from Axar Patel, there was flimsy resistance from the visitors as they folded up 138 runs short. The defeat all but
SCOREBOARD
Extras (lb-3, w-7, nb-1) 11
Total (3 wickets; 20 overs) 226 Fall of wickets: 1-119 (Kohli, 11.2 ov), 2-190 (Gayle, 16.6 ov), 3-199 (Karthik, 17.4 ov) Bowling: Sandeep Sharma
Kings XI Punjab innings (target: 227 runs from 20 overs) M Vijay b Patel 2 M Vohra c Wiese b Starc 2 WP Saha† c Kohli b Aravind 13 GJ Maxwell b Aravind 1 DA Miller b Aravind 7 GJ Bailey* b Aravind 2 AR Patel not out 40
MG Johnson b Starc 1 Anureet Singh b Starc 0 Karanveer Singh b Starc 4 Sandeep Sharma c & b Chahal Extras (lb-5, w-4) 9 Total (all out; 13.4 overs) 88 Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Vohra, 0.4 ov), 2-19 (Vijay, 2.2 ov), 3-20 (Maxwell, 3.1 ov), 4-33 (Saha, 5.4 ov), 5-34 (Miller, 5.6 ov), 6-39 (Bailey, 7.1 ov), 7-49 (Johnson, 8.2 ov), 8-49 (Anureet Singh, 8.4 ov), 9-65 (Karanveer Singh, 10.4 ov), 10-88 (Sandeep Sharma, 13.4 ov) Bowling: MA Starc 4-0-15-4 (2-w), S Aravind 4-0-27-4, HV Patel 2-0-13-1, YS Chahal 2.40-24-1, D Wiese 1-0-4-0
ended Kings XI’s chances of making the playoffs.
Kings XI sleepwalked through the chase, losing half their side inside the Powerplay, the second-most in any IPL season. Manan Vohra was removed after David Wiese dived full stretch at cover to get his fingers under the ball. Thereafter, Kings XI’s batsmen came unstuck, with seven of them bowled.
Aravind, playing his first IPL game in three years, and Starc moved the ball both ways, and exploited the batsmen’s lack of feet movement to pick up four wickets each. Kings XI appeared to reel from the after-shocks of Gayle’s assault, and they looked in no shape to chase down the target right from the outset.
George Bailey had joked after inserting Royal Challengers that he didn’t want to be chasing 250. But Gayle’s icy authority, aided
by Kings XI’s shabby fielding, meant they weren’t going to be chasing a lot fewer anyway.
The first over of the match provided little clue of what was to come.
Sandeep Sharma went past Gayle’s bat thrice and gave away only a run. But Gayle was to make up for it in the remain ing 16 overs he would spend at the crease.
Mitchell Johnson was driven and clipped for 20 runs - his most expensive over in T20 crick et. Gayle was minimal ist with his footwork, smacking anything in his hit ting range down the ground.
Among the 12 sixes and seven fours though, the standout was the one that was the least brutish: a
Thereafter it was a case of cruising from one milestone to another.
Gayle became the first overseas player to score 3000 runs in the IPL, half of which have come at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. By bringing up his 14th centurythe most in T20 cricket - in 46 balls, he also completed the fastest hundred of IPL 2015.
Royal Challengers, who came the first team to score 100 inside ten overs twice this season, more than doubled their tally in the second half. Even as Gayle was dismissed, AB de Villiers brought out his own variety of audacious swipes and reverse ramps to ensure the attack was relentless.
By the time they were done, Kings XI were left with scarring memories of everything that had gone wrong for them this season. And the night would only
(Cricinfo)
hris Gayle’s 57ball 117 propelled Royal Challengers to 226 before S Aravind and Mitchell Starc snuffed out Kings XI Punjab’s pursuit
Managing Director of the Guyana Beverage Inc, Robert Selman, presents the championship trophy to members of the Sparta Boss team. Sharing the moment is director of the Petra Organisation, Troy Mendonca (extreme left)
