Guyana Times Daily - January 28, 2015

2 NEWS

wednesday, JanUaRy 28, 2015 | gUyanatimesgy.com

More tributes pour in for Dr Faith Harding

More tributes continue to pour in for former People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) member, the late Dr Faith Harding who passed away last Friday at a city hospital.

Her party described her as a passionate activist who held strong views on matters facing the nation. She was a former Minister of Government in the Desmond Hoyte Administration and also a one-time contender for the Presidential Candidate slot of the PNCR.

In a statement, the PNCR said Dr Harding was a long-serving member of the PNCR and served in its highest councils. “Dr Harding’s unwavering passion and commitment to national issues saw her working tirelessly towards addressing youth and women-related issues.”

Harding was born on October 5, 1947 to proud parents Egbert and Beryl Blackmore. She was the sixth child of a very closeknit family and had three brothers and the same number of sisters.

From a very tender age, Harding displayed a love of academics and it was no surprise that she excelled academically. She attended St Ambrose and St Stephen’s Primary Schools and British Guiana Education Trust High School and was an enthusiastic learner who enjoyed English Language,

English Literature, Religious Knowledge, History and reading Nancy Drew books.

Fascinated with the power of words and their meanings, at nine years old, she emphatically encouraged her friends to increase their vocabulary on a daily basis. Further intrigued by one of her aunts who wrote poems, she gained a deep love and appreciation of poetry and even participated on a radio programme, “Ovaltine and the Teenagers Choice”.

That love of reading would greatly influence the rest of her life, Dr Harding’s personal motto was “readers are leaders’, the PNCR said.

Dr Harding’s introduction to politics also came at an early age through a close bond with her uncle, the late Andrew Jackson, who was the President of the Post Office Telecommunication Workers Union. Her uncle played a very pivotal role in her life after her father died when she was only nine years old. His influence made her recognise from a tender age that she needed to ensure that she paid attention to the way she lived and behaved if she was going to make something good of herself.

On her return to Guyana after studying overseas she joined the People’s National Congress (PNC) and quickly rose through the ranks during the Hoyte era. Appointed as Minister of Public Service from 1989 to 1992, Faith

led the restructuring of the Guyana Public Service and achieved significant success in decreasing inefficiencies, lowering the incidence of redundancies, and elevating overall effectiveness of all Government programmes.

She implemented standard policies for a wide variety of matters relating to public service salaries, rules and regulations, Ministry management, Government scholarships and student loans. In this multifaceted role, she worked very closely with President Desmond Hoyte and headed the negotiations with the international financial and bilateral institutions to ensure adequate financing for major public service projects including the Public Service Reform, Human Resource Development, and Scholarship Grant Aid.

Parliament

Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman also expressed condolences on the passing of Dr Harding. “As Speaker of the National Assembly, and on behalf of the entire membership of the National Assembly, and Parliament Office staff, I express heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of former Member of Parliament and Minister of Government, the illustrious Dr Faith Azalea Harding.”

Trotman said Harding joined the National

Ganja found in car at No 9 Village

Police seized a quantity of ganja during a search of a car on the West Coast of Berbice Monday night.

In a statement, Police said that at approximately 19:25h on Monday, ranks of a mobile Police patrol con-

ducted a search of a motor car at Number Nine Village, West Coast Berbice, in which 41.945 kilograms of cannabis sativa (marijuana) were found. The driver was arrested and his vehicle seized by the Police. Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of another man and a woman and a seizure of a further 255 grams of marijuana. The two men and the woman remain in custody assisting with the investigations.

Assembly in 1985 firstly as a non-elected technocrat member following on her appointment as a Minister of State within the Ministry of Planning and Development.

Thereafter, she continued as an elected member in 1986 up until 2001, save and except for a short hiatus during the period July 1994May 1996.

During her time in Government service, Dr Harding held several other ministerial portfolios, including Minister in the Office of the President. At one important period in time, from June 1987 to December 1988, Dr Harding served as Deputy Prime Minister in the Ministry of Planning and Development.

Trotman said Dr Harding was a stalwart whose contribution to Guyana’s development was beyond question.

During her years of service, she established a sterling reputation for hard work, insight-

ful thinking, and decisive decision-making, and in so doing, earned the admiration and respect of her colleagues and all Guyana. Dr Harding not only showed what women were capable of achieving in a maledominated political sphere, she also managed to do so with a charm and grace that made her earn the title of being an outstanding Guyanese woman.

“She was well-known for her exquisite appreciation for fine things, keen sense of fashion; insistence on high standards of excellence, and an amiable personality that made the difficult things seem simple and enjoyable. She will be truly and forever missed, and may her soul rest in eternal peace and bliss.”

Suspected child molester nabbed by Police

Aresident of Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara (ECD) is in police custody awaiting his court day after being accused of molesting a two-year-old girl.

The man was arrested on Saturday shortly after a report was filed at the Cove and John Police Station. He is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.

The toddler’s father told Guyana Times that his daughter was molested while in the care of her mother who shares a house in Nabaclis with her relatives including the suspect, who happens to be her sister’s reputed husband.

The man said he got the devastating news on Saturday. In delivering the disturbing news, the mother explained that she realised something was wrong after noticing that her daughter was bleeding. When questioned, the child reportedly

told her mother that her uncle had been touching her inappropriately.

The child was immediately taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) where an examination was conducted and treatment administered.

It was after the child was taken to the hospital that a report was lodged at the police station. The reputed wife of the accused will also appear in court this week on a disorderly charge.

According to reports, the woman after learning of the allegation became very annoyed, saying that her spouse would “never” commit such an act. According to the child’s father, it was after the woman “created a scene” that the police took her into custody.

Meanwhile, the toddler remains a patient in GPHC’s Paediatric Ward. Doctors at the health care facility have

reportedly confirmed that the child was indeed molested.

“This lil girl can’t even sleep on she back properly,” the child’s father said as tears rolled down his face. He disclosed too that one of the teachers at the day care centre reported last week that his daughter had been crying repeatedly and had also refused to eat.

According to him, it was never his intention to have his daughter live apart from him but explained that her mother was determined to move in with her relatives.

Residents of the Nabaclis have been expressing their anger and shock over the incident. One villager told this publication that the suspected child molester is antisocial and spent most of his time inside of the house, noting too that he has been without a job for some months now.

Dr Faith Harding

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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Parika and Supenaam departure times – 06:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h daily.

Thundery showers can be expected in the morning with heavy rain showers dominating throughout the afternoon. Thundery showers will return in the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 23 degrees and 38 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly between 4.47 metres and 5.36 metres per second.

High Tide: 10:55h and 23:38h reaching maximum heights of 2.29 metres and 2.17 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 04:22h and 17:04h reaching minimum heights of 0.98 metre and 0.95 metre respectively.

“We’re ready!”

President Ramotar after signing elections proclamation

President Donald Ramotar has signed the formal proclamation declaring May 11, 2015 the date for General and Regional Elections in Guyana. The proclamation will be soon be gazetted as stipulated by the Constitution.

In an invited comment, the Head of State told the Government Information Agency that the date was chosen, based on the available dates that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) provided, on which it would be ready to conduct the polls, “and all the dates that they gave me fell within the exams period, so I chose one … unavoidably we have this (brouhaha over the date)”.

Continuing his reference to the comments about the polling date clashing with CSEC and CAPE examinations, President Ramotar said he was pleased with the preparations and alternative arrangements put in place by the Education Ministry. The Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) scheduled for May 11 and 16, 2015 have been shifted to June 15 and 16 respectively. The new dates were set after consultations with the Caribbean Examinations Council

(CXC) and other stakeholders about what might be best for candidates.

“The main thing is that it will not put our students at a disadvantage, and in fact, I think it will give them some more time to study,” President Ramotar stated. Meanwhile, the President emphasised that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), will base its campaign, on its track record of development, “even though the last three years were very constrictive because of the fact that the joint Opposition got a one-seat majority in Parliament, I’m still very proud of what we were able to achieve in the circumstances”.

He added that he was also proud of the PPP/C’s record in office, particularly since the Party has transformed the coun-

try, “So I think I’m running on solid ground”. With regard to the political Opposition, President Ramotar said he was not certain about what they wanted, “because sometimes they want elections, then when you call elections, they don’t want elections, but they have to face the music anyhow. We all have to face it”. The President will be leading his party’s campaign as it seeks another term in office in an effort to continue Guyana’s developmental progress. Ramotar was on Monday confirmed as the Presidential Candidate for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) for

the May 11 polls. This was disclosed by General Secretary of PPP/C Clement Rohee at the party’s weekly press conference held at Freedom House, Robb Street, Georgetown. According to Rohee, Ramotar was selected and decided upon at a meeting which was convened last week. He noted that Ramotar was the only Presidential Candidate and there no other competitors in the race for the position. “The only thing that has been decided upon is the fact President Ramotar is the Presidential Candidate. There was no other Presidential candidate,” he said. He noted too that this is not likely to change anytime before the polls. After serving as PPP/ C’s General Secretary for 14 years, Ramotar was selected as the 2011 Presidential Candidate in April that year, ahead of the November 28 elections. Subsequent to his decision to prorogue Parliament on November 10, 2014, President Ramotar told reporters that he was “confident” that he will be the next PPP/C Presidential Candidate.

jaNUaRY 27, 2015

President Donald Ramotar

Editor: Nigel Williams

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Editorial

Smuggling and businesses

For years now some of the major manufacturing companies here have complained about the threats posed to their businesses by smuggling. Gone are the days when smugglers concentrated on trading in food items, which flourished during the 1980s, when the Forbes Burnham Administration had banned commodities such as flour and oil.

Since that time to now despite relentless efforts by the present administration smugglers instead of scaling back their operations have expanded. Today a range of items are being smuggled through the various porous illegal entry ports in this country.

This multi-billion dollar underground trade has caused many legitimate businesses on the Corentyne to close their doors and while there might be many who have enriched themselves through this type of activities, the overwhelming majority would welcome any measure to tighten the noose on smugglers.

It is against this background that Government’s planned effort to introduce an excise stamp on tobacco and alcoholic beverages must be hailed as a positive move. Already the Guyana Revenue Authority acknowledged that although the cost of implement the stamp is exorbitant, it is worth the while, given the heavy taxation on alcohol and tobacco and also the scale of smuggling in those two products.

In addition to the millions in taxes being lost through smuggling, legitimate businesses are also being squeezed out of operations as a result of a trade that breathes corruption. The Upper Corentyne region is one of the hotbeds for this illegal trade. Only recently an official of the Corentyne Chamber detailed how devastating backtracking, smuggling, and piracy have been on businesses in that region.

“The word backtrack has become a household term for residents of Corentyne and Nickerie, Suriname, and has become a culture for the people. It is neither a nice word nor a healthy culture and needs to change.”

As it relates to smuggling, the chamber official said tax evasion was not something that Governments could pretend did not exist especially in today’s global communities. “That being said, I hope that smuggling could be replaced with free trade,” the Chamber official stated.

If that were not enough Chairman of Banks DIH, Clifford Reis at a shareholders forum on Essequibo on Tuesday emphasised that smuggling of alcoholic beverages has drastically cut sales for the company. He said while Government was making move to introduce the excise stamp his business was suffering tremendously.

Implicit in Reis’ complaints is the fact that whilst this country has experienced five consecutive years of economic growth, the activities smuggling is a major threat to business interests and can cause significant damage to the financial system through its subversion, exploitation, and distortion of legitimate markets and economic activity.

A United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) last year heard that illicit financial flows are worth €800 billion each year, compared to €80 billion of official development assistance, while UNCTAD's 2014 Trade and Development Report shows that approximately 8-15 per cent of the net financial wealth of households is held in tax havens, mostly unrecorded. The resulting loss of public revenue amounts to US$190-$290 billion per year, of which US$66-$84 billion is lost from developing countries.

From these reports there could be denying that the issue of tax evasion resulting from smuggling must be more aggressively tackled, by the cutting off of ports of entries that facilitate this type of trade and also a more rigid enforcement by the GRA.

This should involve the deployment of maritime crafts to patrol borders and also frequent raids on suspected businesses that deal in smuggling.

The revenue body must also be concerned that its major revenue earners are at the mercy of smugglers- a situation which it can ill afford at a time when more and more businesses are refusing to remit VAT and the fallout from the global recession continues to bite.

The Holocaust has become a symbol of grief and pain

Dear Editor, 70 years ago, Soviet troops liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp where the Nazis slaughtered millions of people.

By the decision of the United Nations Organisation this day, January 27, was declared International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The Holocaust – one of the deadliest crimes against humanity – has become a symbol of grief and pain, of unbridled cruelty and neglect for human life.

It is hard to imagine that real death factories, mass shootings and deportations were a reality of the 20thcentury, that they were organised in cold blood in what then seemed to be a civilised Europe.

Yes, they were planned, organised in cold blood. We have now seen the exhibition that you have seen as well –this was a planned, deliberate operation to destroy people. Incredibly simple.

However, as history has shown wherever ideas of ethnic or racial supremacy are put into people’s heads and the seeds of inter-ethnic hatred are sown, wherever traditional human values are destroyed and trampled upon, civilisation is quickly and inevitably replaced with barbarity, while peace is replaced with cruel conflicts, war and aggression.

The Nazis threatened to enslave the peoples of our multiethnic state. They were to be either assimilated by force and turned into slaves or destroyed to create so-called living space for some ’higher race’.

According to the materials of the Nuremburg trials, six million Jews were killed in Europe during the Holocaust. These numbers are unfathomable. They did not die in battle, but were simply destroyed – burnt in furnaces or shot. Among those millions are hundreds of thousands of our compatriots.

Such crimes do not and

should not have a term of limitation. They can be neither forgiven nor forgotten. Any attempts to hush up these events up, distort, ‘rewrite’ history are unacceptable and immoral.

Frequently such attempts cover up the desire to conceal one’s shameful behaviour –cowardice, hypocrisy and treason, and to justify one’s direct or indirect, silent collusion with the Nazis in implementing their criminal policy.

However, historical facts are irrefutable. Thus, they show that Banderites and other collaborationists and Hitler’s henchmen were themselves involved in the destruction of the Jewish people, in the destruction of Jews in Lvov, Odessa, Kiev and other Ukrainian towns and cities, while the Nazis in the Baltic states conducted ethnic cleansing in Vilnius and Riga, in Kaunas and Tallinn.

On this tragic day we honour the memory of all those who were tortured by the Nazis and their henchmen in concentration camps and ghettoes. We grieve for the millions who died in the flames of the bloodiest of wars in the history of humankind.

I would like to note that on the initiative of public and religious organisations, and not only Jewish organisations, Russia is conducting a search for and tending to mass burial grounds of Holocaust victims and we are recovering the names of those victims. This effort deserves special support and will definitely be continued. We pay tribute to the courage of those who survived the horrors of occupation, violence and humiliating forced labour, those who survived these inhuman trials and remained unbroken.

In this connection, I cannot help recalling another date –the anniversary of the liberation of Leningrad from the Nazi blockade. This was yet another example of the crimi-

nal massacre organised by the Nazis, who were destroying in cold blood the civilian population of Leningrad by bombing raids and direct artillery attacks.

We bow to the heroic feat of the Red Army officers and men who defeated Nazism and stopped the terrible annihilation machine. It was not only their Motherland that they protected from the aggressors. Their great liberation mission became a deed of honour for our entire people.

In this connection, I would like to say that as we have just recalled, Russians bore the brunt of the battle against Nazism. Seventy percent of all the Red Army officers and men were Russians, and the Russian people made the largest sacrifice in the name of victory.

Jewish citizens of the Soviet Union made an enormous contribution to the victory over our enemy. More than half a million Jews fought in the Red Army, over 40 thousand were members of partisan units. Almost a third of them (27 percent) were volunteers. Almost 200 thousand were killed in battles for their Fatherland.

The heroism of representatives of all ethnic groups, their selfless love for their homeland, their readiness for selfsacrifice will always remain in our memory, in the thankful memory of the peoples of Russia.

As we celebrate this year the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory we will again and again address words of our warmest gratitude to our dear veterans, including those present here, those who gave themselves for the freedom and independence of their Motherland.

Friends, as we pay tribute, we should look ahead into the future. Crimes similar to the Holocaust should not be repeated. This is our common duty and without exaggeration

the most important and pressing task for the entire world community.

True, there has been significant change on the world arena in the past decades. However, we see that antihuman ideas are still alive. We continue coming across attempts at dividing humankind on ethnic, racial or religious grounds and demonstrations of anti-Semitism, Russophobia and aggressive intolerance of other ethnic groups, cultures and traditions.

Nazis made use of these primitive instincts back in their times, while now they are used by neonationalists, extremists and terrorists in a number of countries and regions.

We have to counter these threats together, to protect the peace and freedom of the people together, defend the right of states and peoples to choose their own development path. History has shown what terrible abyss claims at world supremacy could lead humanity to; what tragedy may result from attempts at putting pressure on sovereign states or failure to respect their rights.

We all know how dangerous and destructive double standards and indifference to others may be. Take, for instance, the current tragedy in the southeast of Ukraine, where the peaceful population of Donetsk, Lugansk and other towns and cities have been shot for months in cold blood.

I would like to repeat that today, in the 21st century it is important to enhance the efficiency of the collective security system and to promote the values of humanism and cooperation and to always bear in mind the lessons we learn from history.

Remarks by Vladimir Putin Russian President on Int’l Holocaust Remembrance Day

Bora’s birthday. Bora is in season and one shopper capitalised on the abundance at a city corner (Carl Croker photo)

Grand Indian Republic Day celebrations with the Obamas

Dear Editor, India held massive Republic Day celebrations on Monday in New Delhi with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle as Chief Guests. They witnessed a magnificent display of Indian military hardware, marching bands, and elaborately dressed camels.

The celebration included a demonstration of performances of India’s cultural diversity among the military arsenal that included the nuclear-capable Agni missiles that were domestically developed. Republic Day marks the anniversary of India’s democratic Constitution taking force in 1950. India became independence on August 15, 1947.

Obama is the first American President to attend the celebration that so far has attracted leaders of all major industrial nations including the Japanese Prime Minister last year.

Obama visited India early in his tenure and spoke about India and the US developing “a defining partnership for the 21st century”, but there was no follow up, with little to show for it.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, elected to office last May, has been determined to change that stance, encouraged by Indian-Americans, thousands of whom flew to

India to volunteer for Modi’s election. Modi made a political pitch to strengthen relations with Washington.

He received wide approval from Indian Americans when he visited America in September. The three million strong IndianAmerican community has significant political clout in Washington with their huge donations to politicians giving Obama tens of millions of dollars for his elections. And they would be important for funds for the 2016 American election.

Modi tendered an invitation to Obama who accepted it as a gesture to strengthen a relationship between the world’s largest democracies that was strained. The US wanted to improve relationship with India as a counter balance to China.

American officials have welcomed Modi’s efforts to forge deeper ties with Washington. Obama has used the visit to turn his personal friendship with Modi into policy breakthroughs and the two have arrived at a number of economic, diplomatic and defense deals.

The rainy cold day did not dampen spirits and tens of thousands lined the parade route as well as to welcome the American President. The parade was carried live on TV broadcast

by dozens of stations.

When Obama and Michelle emerged from their vehicle (The Beast, flown in from Washington) at the viewing stand for the military and cultural display, there were wild cheers.

Several Russian, Indian and Western made equipment rolled past the viewing stand and several aircraft flew above in formation.

The focus this year was on culture and the parade included ornate floats highlighting India’s cultural diversity. Several of India’s 29 states displayed impressive tableaux depicting their culture with colorful performances.

The President and his wife cheered the cultural shows put up by school children and women contingents of the three Indian services. He was most impressed with the daredevils motorcycle team from the Border Security Force.

Defying Secret Service concerns, the President two hours outside on the viewing platform, perhaps the longest time he spent outdoors.

Following the parade, the Obamas attended a grand reception with dignitaries at Rashtrapati Bhawan, the sprawling presidential palace. On Sunday evening, the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee hosted a state dinner for the President.

Prime Minister Modi hosted Obama for lunch.

Obama had planned to give a speech to students in Delhi on Tuesday after meeting with Indian and American business leaders and then fly to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal, India’s famed white marble monument of love.

But he cancelled the speech with students and also scrapped that stop to instead travel to Saudi Arabia to pay respects to the royal family following King Abdullah’s death.

Vishnu Bisram

I learn from the Narine Sookram columns

Dear Editor, I don’t have much to say, except how much I am learning from the articles

in the newspaper’s Narine Sookram’s columns.

I feel the need to thank you because they are guid-

ing me in my life and I hope you will continue with these.

Andrea Bisram

16 persons were charged for touting

Dear Editors, The Guyana Police Force is continuing with its traffic enforcement efforts, along with focus on traffic education, as it seeks to maintain safety on our roadways.

In addition, 16 persons were charged for the soliciting of passengers (touting).

The Police Force is once again calling on all categories of road users to use the roads responsibly, cogni-

sant of the five Cs- Caution, Courtesy, Consideration, Common Sense and Care.

Unto January 26, there have been five roads fatalities, compared to ten for the corresponding period last year.

During the period January 18 to 24, a number of cases have been made against motorists for breaching of the traffic laws.

These include speeding

With no party as the official Opposition, will Parliament be necessary?

Dear Editor,

What has changed to make a difference so far in Guyana’s politics? The PPP/C Government is most adamant that the rules allowed them to form the Government after the 2011 elections.

Not combined, by pre-election coalition, the Opposition nevertheless insists their Parliamentary strength by a one-seat majority effectively overruled the country’s Constitution; in effect, they felt they were also entitled to political governance.

Additionally, they demanded it must be within the Cabinet. But there is no such rule for its compliance except by breaking the law. Why the tail must be empowered to wag the dog needs clarification.

In fact, the PNC Government (1964-1992) has by its 1980 Constitution, specifically forbidden national unity consensus after elections. The PNC is well known to follow its own mission since its creation as the last three years have demonstrated.

What explains their usual resort to violence? Does the rules allow the President the final say? Should the hooded Opposition have been included within the Cabinet after 2011, they would have remained the majority both within the Cabinet and also in control of Parliament.

In effect, they would be the de facto Government. But in any all inclusive post election unity Government, no party can become the official Opposition. Parliament would have been rendered irrelevant, most unnecessary, and without paramountcy of Constitutional

democracy.

The hollowness which now insists there cannot be democracy without any Parliament cannot be indifferent about the requirements for the presence of an official Opposition in Parliament in the first place.

As things are, the Opposition was hampering Guyana’s economic development. Considering the PPP/C Government has done a magnificent job in avoiding the worldwide economic recession, should this be jettisoned?

What does the Commonwealth Charter (CC), a creature of its creators, with overnight pilgrims seeking Mecca’s redemption, have to say? By any inclusion of the Opposition in the Cabinet, has the CC any prescription for governance, not by elections but with the President acting as a mohel to make his Government political eunuchs?

So far, how objectionable has President Donald Ramotar and the PPP/C Government actually become, by their noncompliance with the country’s Constitution? The Opposition’s demand for a coalition Government after elections is illegal.

The deliberate violation of the country’s Constitution, as advocated by the Opposition coalition, just as their contempt of court by illegally slashing the budget cannot become legal by violating the country’s highest laws.

How much more valid is breaking the law by substituting race as the overriding criteria?

Acknowledging race as the supreme and only the arbiter of Guyana’s destiny concedes

all has been decided in advance with no need for elections anymore, the human factor, values and utter contempt without any need for other Rodneys. Suspension of British Guiana’s Constitution in 1953, changing the electoral system from First Past the Post to Proportional Representation (PR), gerrymandering electoral districts, rioting, raping, arson, ethnic rape, assassination and organized brutality, rigging of elections, racial discrimination, paramountcy of the PNC, changing the rules in the middle of the game, starvation and crime to scare away Indians to change Guyana’s demographics are all Opposition tactics. But they may be eclipsed by a re calibrated demand being hatched Eusi Kwayana and company are laying the groundwork to resuscitate their dusty earlier demand for a constitutionally fixed date for elections like in the US. Quite unlike the Commonwealth tradition, by which the Prime Minister (in Guyana’s hybrid case, the President) is politically empowered to call elections by a fixed term of five years, the Opposition is predictably seeking to again change the rules. Shouldn’t any Guyanese be eligible to become President regardless of whatever? Yes, we can. By federalism, and within the same united Guyana, the four states with their respective ethnic majorities would have the right to do so. What explains the silence of our race bashing advocates to embrace federalism is a big mystery. What happened to “yes we can”?

Sultan Mohamed

Ramjattan is even afraid of visiting the Hinterland regions

Dear Editor, I read an article in the in another section of the media under the caption, “PPP/C defaulters will be jailed under the AFC-led Government –Ramjattan”.

The people of Guyana know fully well that the KN is merely a propaganda sheet for the PNC/APNU and AFC.

And as the general and regional elections will be held on May 11, the KN is busily engaged, wasting no time in seeking the views of David Granger, Khemraj Ramjattan and Moses Nagamootoo with the aim of fooling its readership about their “victory” at the upcoming polls and what they will do when they get into “Government”.

(388); driving under the influence (34); breach of condition of Road Service Licence (56); careless driving (11); dangerous driving (six); failure to wear safety helmet (three); failure to wear seat belt (24); and prohibition of the use of hand held mobile phone (eight).

Ivelaw Whittaker Police Public Relations and Press Officer

What Government may I ask? This is simply a sham or “bare talks” by Ramjattan who doesn’t even know his party’s strength in the ten regions of Guyana.

I am therefore appealing to the people to be careful not to be fooled by the KN and SN because both of these rags are supporting the political Opposition campaign for the upcoming elections.

Ramjattan said that an “AFC- led Government” will deal with key officials and Ministers by sending them to jail in its cleaning process. Ramjattan is in the Opposition

and being in the political Opposition he can simply spew sewage which qualifies himself to be cleansed. This goes for the PNC/APNU leader David Granger as well.

But these two Oopposition leaders in dreamland are already claiming “victory” at the polls. Can Granger let the people know what theturnout was like in each community of the Rupununi he recently visited?

And I am aware that Ramjattan is even afraid of visiting the Hinterland regions because his reception will definitely be poorer than Granger.

Futher, while Ramjattan boasts about some “victory”, his Berbice supporters are leaving the AFC because the AFC is currently in secret talks with the PNC to form a coalition. Not only that the AFC wanted to join with PNC/ APNU to close down the sugar industry last year 2014.

But Ramjattan and Granger know fully well that their parties/coalition will be defeated by the PPP/C by an overwhelming majority, hence their boastings which have no merit in the KN and SN about “victory”.

This is simply to trick the people. But the people of Guyana will not be fooled since it is better for them to be safe than sorry.

The PNC when it was il-

legally in government prior to 1992 destroyed Guyana. Basic food commodities were banned. The long food lines including lines for fuel and kerosene oil were known as guy lines and cassava bread was known guy bread.

The PNC therefore cannot manage the affairs of Guyana. So my fellow Guyanese it is very important that we must not forget the past or else we will be condemned to repeat it.

It is important for the Guyanese people to note therefore that David Granger, Khemraj Ramjattan and Moses Nagamootoo in recognition of their defeat at the upcoming elections are now bluffing their way through about their “victory” using their propaganda sheets the KN and SN to carry their “‘Nancy stories. But their eyes are really on our national Treasury since they just want to empty it and leave it dry like what the PNC did prior to 1992 causing Guyana to be a bankrupt state.

Let us therefore reject the PNC/APNU and AFC at the upcoming elections and vote for the continued development of our country. Let us put Guyana first by rallying around the PPP/C. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Peter Persaud

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Obama watch India's Republic Day parade (Reuters)

Page Foundation

FGeneral safety

or young children, the kitchen is a compelling place: Parents are bustling around, pulling colourful items from refrigerators and cupboards. Things are going on out of a toddler’s sight on counters and stoves, and he yearns to see and participate.

The combination of all this activity, your child’s innate curiosity, and your sometimes divided attention means that it’s especially important to childproof the kitchen. Here’s where the hazards can occur and how to minimise the risks:

• Check for sharp edges and corners where children could bang heads or injure their eyes. Install protective guards or cushioning.

• Secure all knobs and handles.

• Seal off all electrical outlets with safety plugs.

• Keep floor skid-proof. Use non-skid rugs. Wipe up spills immediately.

• Install safety latches on all cabinets and cupboards with contents that could pose risks to children.

• Keep spices out of children’s reach. Many are toxic.

• Use a child-resistant gar-

bage can or keep your trash behind closed doors in a locked cabinet.

• Dispose of plastic bags safely by tying each in a knot before throwing it in the trash.

• Keep aluminium foil, waxed paper, and plastic wrap dispensers away from children. The serrated edges on the boxes can cut little fingers.

• All alcohol should be securely stored out of a child’s sight and reach. After a party, make sure to empty all glasses.

Appliances

Here’s how to childproof your appliances.

Stove

• Make sure stoves, ovens, and burners are in good working order. If fuelled by gas, regularly check that there are no leaks and that the pilot lights function properly.

• Use back burners whenever possible. Some of the most common accidents occur when a child reaches up and grabs a pot or pan, spilling the hot contents over himself. When it’s necessary to use the front burners, turn all pot handles toward the back so they are not as easy to reach.

• Keep flammable objects such as curtains, towels, oven mitts and debris away from the stove.

• Make sure handles on pots and pans are secure, not loose.

Tighten them if they are wobbly, or if they can’t be fixed, throw the pots and pans out.

• Place childproof covers on stove and oven knobs or remove knobs entirely from the stove so that burners and oven cannot be turned on easily by a child. Knobs can be stored conveniently in a drawer on a shelf, out of your child’s reach.

• For extra safety, use a stove guard that helps prevent little hands from touching hot surfaces.

• Check for hot surfaces. Some units are poorly insulated and the outside may get hot enough to cause burns. Check the outside of your oven when it’s at roasting temperature to make sure it’s only warm, not hot, to the touch. If it does become too hot, install a safety gate at the kitchen during cooking times.

• Always turn the oven off when not in use, and never use it to heat a room.

• Be careful of opening the door of a hot oven when a child is standing by. He may try to touch the inside of the door, or may get a face full of very hot air.

• Bolt the stove to the wall if you have a low oven or broiler door so that the stove will not tip over should a child open the door and stand on it. (Parents. com)

TO BE CONTINUED

Who will be in charge?

It is not fair to expect an older child to take on the full responsibility required to care for younger children. Their lack of experience may make it difficult for them to find ways of trying to control others. They may be harsh and might use very different methods from what you use and situations can get out of hand.

Any child left in charge

• Where I will be going and when I’ll be back.

• How to get in contact with me.

• How to use the telephone.

• Where the emergency numbers are listed. Put them next to the phone.

• How to contact the doctor, hospital, police or fire brigade in an emergency.

• His own telephone number and home address. Police or Fire will need to

must be capable and responsible and the other children must feel safe in their care.

The child in charge should be able to handle any disagreements or fights and know what to do if the other children ‘play up’, disobey the ground rules, or are ill.

The oldest child is not necessarily the most capable to care for other children. A child with a disability requires additional care which may be too much for another child to handle.

Am I sure that my child knows?

(CONTINUED frOm TUEsDay) (parentlink.act.gov.au)

know where to go.

• The telephone numbers of trusted friends, neighbours or relatives.

• Where to find the first aid kit and how to use it.

• How to use keys in deadlocks and how to unbolt them.

• What to do in case of fire. Do you have smoke alarms installed, a fire extinguisher and a fire blanket?

• What to do if someone knocks on the door. Are they allowed to go to the door in your absence, if so, what can they say.

• Whether or not he should answer the phone if it rings.

• How to judge if another child is unwell and help is needed.

• What children are allowed/not allowed to do (family rules in a parent’s absence).

• If friends are allowed over.

• If he can play outside.

• If he can use the swimming pool.

• If he can go to the shop or visit a neighbour.

• The rules about the family pets.

• If we have a family password that can be said if I phone and he needs help, or a code to use if I phone to check on him and when one of the rules is not to answer the phone. (For example, so he know it’s you calling, make three rings, hang up and ring again, before he picks up the phone.)

When you think about all the things a child left home needs to know and be able to do, the responsibility is enormous. Think carefully about expecting your child to be able to handle these situations – is it reasonable?

Elections intrigue Granger, Solomon secretly mend strained ties

...aggrieved Lindeners left out in the cold

As was predicted by some observers and reported in this newspaper, Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), David Granger ducked any confrontation with Lindeners. Instead he hosted a meeting at his office with disgruntled head of the Linden faction, Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon to patch up strained ties caused by the latter’s accusations of rigged elections at the party ‘s last Congress and the imposition of a new coordinator in the Region.

Away from the glare and scrutiny of media op-

eratives in a studious move to avoid any confrontation

with Lindeners, Granger opted to meet with Solomon in Georgetown. He had initially promised to meet with the disgruntled Linden supporters in the mining town to iron out their problems.

Contacted for an update on the meeting, Region 10 Party Coordinator Sandra Adams would only confirm that the meeting took place in Georgetown. She said Solomon would be the best person to contact for further details. Calls to Solomon’s cellphone went unanswered.

The Guyana Times had reported earlier this month that Granger would have

likely opted to meet with around 15 disgruntled party members at his office rather than risk a showdown with Lindeners.

“I don’t think the masses want to discuss what Solomon is proposing. Yes, people want to meet the leader for various things, but it’s just around 15 people really creating the troubles here,” a top aide of Granger had said. Granger was quoted in another section of the media acknowledging that he had received an invitation from Solomon to meet and saying that he would respond.

Smuggled beers hurting Banks DIH Essequibo operations

By IndrawattIe natram

The rampant smuggling of Polar Beer and other beverages continues to hurt the operations of Banks DIH in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), both the Chairman and Essequibo Branch Manager of the company told shareholders at its 59th Annual General Meeting (AGM).

At the gathering in the company’s Essequibo Branch Office in Airy Hall on Tuesday, Banks DIH Group Chairman Clifford Reis called on the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to clamp down on smuggling through the various ports of entry in the country.

Reis emphasised that smuggling of alcoholic beverages has drastically cut sales for the company. He said talks were in the pipeline to have special labelling on taxable goods so that consumers can differentiate between smuggled and legal goods.

The Chairman, referencing his annual report, said smuggled beers were impacting the company’s financial returns and the GRA needed to intervene. He added that Banks DIH will in the future hold several anti-smuggling campaigns.

Sales plummet

Essequibo Branch Manager Munniram Singh said the company’s sales were particularly affected in the month of December by use of Polar Beer, which was smuggled via the Pomeroon. Singh said it was a big issue and the company was facing loss of profit due to smuggling. In his speech to the audience, Singh declared that the branch’s sales for financial year ending September 2014 amounted to 804,000 physical cases or $1.73 billion ($1,173,000,000).

Reis, during his annual report, commended the Essequibo Branch Manager and staff for their sterling ef-

sponsibility to its suppliers, employees, customers, as well as Government bodies, trade unions and shareholders. At the AGM, the company presented two schools with monetary donations –Marias Pleasure Primary from Wakenaam and Flora Nursery on the Essequibo Coast.

The local conglomerate has, over the years, helped to create positive growth in Guyana’s economy and has prospered despite the many challenges faced both globally and nationally.

This newspaper was also told that an initial meeting with Granger and Solomon was planned, but the Region 10 Chairman did not show up. Lindeners, according to reports, had been gearing up for what was billed as “a major showdown” with Granger. High on their agenda were: the suspension of Member of Parliament Vanessa Kissoon; the alleged rigging of last year’s Congress, which returned Granger as leader of the party; and a range of other issues, including the imposition of Adams as the party’s Region 10 Coordinator and the sidelining of key figures such as Aubrey Norton, Solomon and Kissoon, all of whom helped the party sweep the two seats in the region at the 2011 elections.

The imposition of Adams has been a burning issue, since her appointment early last year was greeted with strenuous objection.

Having served as the last Chairperson of the PNCR Linden arm in 2003, Adams was appointed by the Central Executive Committee (CEC) as the Regional Coordinator.

Trade Unionist Leslie Gonsalves had called Adams an opportunist “who will lead the regional arm of the party downhill. No one is prepared to work with her because of her arrogance… she is bullish, always giving instructions and want to talk up to people. We will not allow that,” he said during a recent interview with this newspaper.

Gonsalves pointed out that the PNCR, which was the major partner in A Partnership for national Unity (APNU) won the region in the 2011 Elections in her absence. “Nothing she could say would make a difference. She returned after seven years and wants to rule people, let her return to the US. She cannot command a place in Linden, because nobody is in support of her,” he emphasised.

Recently, ranks of the Mackenzie Police Station were called in after Adams alleged that sections of the PNCR Linden Office were vandalised. It is alleged that Gonsalves and other disgruntled members broke into the office after removing a padlock from the door. But this allegation was shot down by Gonsalves who said Adams was attempting to create further strife in the region.

forts to boost sales. He announced that the Essequibo Branch sold $1.2 billion in items and made a profit of $13 million.

He also noted that whenever the rice sector in the region was adversely affected, Bank DIH also felt the squeeze, as less money would be in circulation for purchases. “Essequibo is an agricultural region: when farmers’ paddy don’t sell, our products don’t sell too. Although we increase physical sales, there are still issues, we have to pray God for thing to turn around so we can have positive impact,” Reis added.

The Chairman noted that increasing security at the Branch was of paramount importance, pointing out that the Branch suffered an attempted robbery in 2014. He said additional cameras and lights would be installed.

In highlighting the achievements of Citizen Bank, another company within the Banks Group which established a branch at Charity almost two years ago, Reis said it earned $8.6 million and to date it has loaned $250 million to customers. He was hoping that the 2015-2017 period would see more transactions and deposits made.

Reis also noted that the

company would continue to persevere in 2015 to boost its performances while staying apace in the competitive markets.

Progress, profit

As the company reflected on the successes and challenges, Reis said there were still more to be done. He cited the modernisation of the beer bottling plant, installation of a new oven for baking of cookies and biscuits, refurbishing of the bottled water operation, relocation of the vehicle workshop along with the refurbishing of Demico food house.

In informing Essequibo stakeholders about the overall performances of the company, Reis said it recorded a $270 million decrease in profits for 2014. He continued that the profit before tax was $3.473 billion and after profit tax was $2.265 billion when compared to $2.538 billion recorded in 2013 after taxation. The company recorded an operational profit before tax of $4.971 billion while the profit after tax paid to shareholders was $2.660 billion.

Reis said the company would continue its efforts to strengthen community partnerships by upholding its corporate re-

PNCR Leader David Granger

Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon

A section of the gathering at Banks DIH’s 59th shareholders meeting at its Airy Hall Branch, Essequibo

Bermudian cocaine mule gets 4 years,

$1.4M fine

for trafficking in narcotics

Twenty-three-year-old Njere Febler of Lot 64 Robert Avenue, HM 15, Bermuda was sentenced to four years imprisonment along with a fine of $1,480,700 after she accepted to a trafficking in narcotic charge.

The woman appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Ann McLennan on Tuesday morning.

It was alleged that on January 24, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, East Bank Demerara, she had in her possession 551 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

Njere Febler

The woman who is an electrician by profession pleaded guilty without hesitation to the charge. It was heard that

Febler was an outgoing passenger of a Caribbean Airline flight BW524 destined for the JFK International Airport. As she was passing through the check point, a rank from the Narcotic branch found a pellet in her purse. When it was examined, it contained a whitish substance which was suspected to be cocaine.

The defendant was questioned by the said rank when she admitted swallowing some pellets which contained the substance. Febler was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she was given a laxative to pass the pellets she had swallowed.

The court heard that she

passed 67 pellets which contained the drug. After sometime, she was taken to the Narcotics branch headquarters where the drug was examined and weighed in her presence, and which amounted to 551 grams.

Further investigations were carried out by the ranks which lead to the defendant’s subsequent arrest.

The Magistrate then asked Febler whether she would like to say anything in relation to the facts that were read against her, to which she replied in the negative. However, she said that she is willing to help with the investigation and find “the men that had given her the drug”.

Man remanded for robbery under arms, disorderly behaviour

Terry Cromwell, age 22, was remanded to prison after being arraigned on a robbery under arms charge and a disorderly behaviour charge. The man appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Ann McLennan on Tuesday afternoon. It was alleged that on January 20, at a public place, he behaved disorderly. The defendant denied the charge. His second allegation read that on November 16, 2012 at East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, being armed with a gun, he robbed Dylan Fraser of a gold

chain worth $100,000 and a gold band worth $60,000; a total value of $160,000. Cromwell pleaded not guilty to this charge. Cromwell also denied his last charge which read that on December 19, 2014 at Albouystown, he discharged a loaded firearm with the intention of maiming, disfiguring, disabling or to cause grievous bodily harm to the Virtual Complainant (VC) Shawn Harvy. However, the last charge that was laid against him was dismissed since Harvey wished not to offer evidence.

Police Prosecutor Denero Jones objected to bail citing the nature, gravity and prevalence of the offence. The Magistrate then remanded Cromwell for the other two offences. The matter stands adjourned until February 4 where he will make his next court appearance before Magistrate Judy Latchman.

Man accused of stealing money from bank accounts on $50,000 bail

Forty-year-old Kirk Adrian Clarke was placed on $50,000 bail after being arraigned on two counts of simple larceny.

The self employed defendant who resides at Lot 187 2nd Street, Alberttown, Georgetown appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday morning.

His first charge alleged that between March 22, and July 22, 2012 at Georgetown, he stole from Gregory Fraser’s Republic Bank account a sum of $83,800 to which he denied.

Clarke also denied the allegation which read that between January 14 and January 25, 2013 at Georgetown, he stole from Shawn Ramsay Fraser account a sum of $83,960.

The defendant who was represented by Attorney Adrian Thompson told the court that the matter stemmed from an agreement that his client had with the parties. According to Attorney Thompson, it is a matter of an import and sales of Harris International and that the Police had sent the matter to Director of Public Prosecutions for advice.

He noted that his client is not a flight risk and has attended court on his own. The defence council further mentioned that his client was placed on $20,000 station bail.

There were no objections to bail. The Magistrate then placed him on $25,000 bail for each offence.

The matter will be called again on February 4.

Eyew tness Ending...

...for Trotman

Afew days ago the Stabber carried an interview with a rather wistful Raphael Trotman. Seems he still hasn’t realised he’s been manoeuvred by Ramjattan out of whatever position he ever held in the AFC. He’s yesterday’s news. Like Tom Wolf said so long ago...you can’t ever go back home. Home has changed... and so have you.

Ramjattan always resented Trotman’s air of superciliousness and “holier than thou” attitudeespecially when Trotman made it clear in 2011 that he wouldn’t play second fiddle to Ramjattan.

Their Convention that year had to be extended a whole day to sort out the contretemps between the two “mancrabs” vying to occupy the same hole. His resignation after he declared he was a “better candidate” than Ramjattan still rankles with that wanker.

Trotman eventually and unconvincingly said it was a still undisclosed “mysterious illness” that caused him to first leave the party. He had to be inveigled back on the withdrawal of Sheila Holder from the Prime Ministerial candidacy - but didn’t campaign much.

In the Stabber’s interview, he disconsolately admitted he doesn’t know whether he’ll he asked to be a candidate for the AFC in the upcoming elections. Quite a comedown for a fella who was the co-founder leader of the party!! This Eyewitness would like to assure him that he won’t be asked back. For the simple reason that Ramjattan likes it “too bad” that he can pull rank on every other leader in the present AFC.

Oh, how low has the mighty fallen! But Trotman showed a spark of spunk when he openly opposed his old co-leader Ramjattan’s declared vendetta against his former comrades in the PPP/C, were they were to be ousted.

In this stance, Trotman follows his hero Forbes Burnham’s policy not to tip his hand before he actually has power. It’s not that Trotman won’t go after those who stood in his way if he could, it’s just that he’ll bide his time. Ramjattan, on the other hand, is driven by blind passionespecially hate - and he doesn’t care if he’s telegraphing his hand.

Trotman’s true nature peeked out, however, when he maudlinly whined that he was a “victim” of some (unnamed persons) who wanted to “destroy” him. Disclaiming that he wouldn’t “pick a gun and actively go to destroy them,” he unwittingly revealed he’d at least thought about doing that murderous act. There’s a lot of rage in that statement.

In the meantime, some would say he’s done a lot to destroy the young man who claimed Trotman sexually molested him when he was a child.

It would appear that with Trotman’s court order, the boy was gagged twice!

...and beginning for Ramotar

Well, the other foot’s finally dropped and the PPP/C confirmed what everybody knew all along: President Donald Ramotar’s gonna be their’s party’s standard bearer at the May 11 general elections.

So why’d the governing party take so long with the announcement?? Well, you don’t want Pressie to “get stale”, do you?? But seriously, in a world where everything’s ad hoc and “seat-of-the-pants”, the PPP/C believes in following the rules of their game.

But what else do you expect from a party that’s 65 years old, this month?? The PPP/C survived so longincluding 28 years in the wilderness facing persecution by the Burnhamite dictatorship - because they were a disciplined party that had institutionalised its operations.

President Ramotar will end one term of office on February 11 (when he dissolves Parliament) and begin his second, on May 12, when the results are declared!

...of Obama’s bad habit

The foreign press, especially its prim and proper British section, were scandalised when Barack Obama was caught on camera chewing gum during his official visit to India. He’d done the same in China and France. Hey, give the guy a break!! He’s trying to quit smoking. It’s nicotine gum!!

Terry Cromwell

MOE cannot intervene in UG’s dilemma –Manickchand

The series of industrial actions planned by the University of Guyana’s Senior Staff Association (UGSSA) and UG’s Workers Union (UGWU) will, without a doubt, negatively impact students. But, despite this realisation, the Education Minister Priya Manickchand said the Education Ministry cannot intervene in the ongoing dispute.

She explained that the University is governed by a council with its own laws, and it is not within the Ministry’s jurisdiction to get involved.

“There is a law in the University of Guyana’s act that says how the council must be made up and it specifically says that the council is the governing body…and they would have to work out the issues there.”

Nevertheless, Minister Manickchand stated that the Ministry will not turn a blind eye to the situation, stating that adviso-

ry services will be made available to the council. She also made it clear that the Education Ministry is in support of the return to normalcy at the tertiary institution.

The unions are currently protesting for a 60 per cent salary increase. Today, a sit-in exercise is expected to conclude but the unions warned that if their demands are not met before the end of February, strike action will take full effect.

In addition to the increase, staff members have been clamouring for a 200 per cent increase in their travelling allowance, a better medical scheme, increases in allowances for books and other materials, duty-free concessions and yearly research grants.

UGSSA and UGWU have met the University’s Vice Chancellor, Dr Jacob Opadeyi and his Administration; however, the parties were unable to reach an agreement.

4 in custody after Chinese restaurant robbery

Four persons are now in custody including a convicted prisoner as Police in Berbice recovered a quantity of stolen items.

Quick response by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) led to the arrest of the four after villagers of Edinburg, East Bank Berbice, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) reported seeing a yellow Toyota 212 motorcar in the village shortly before midday on Tuesday. They had claimed that the vehicle’s number plate had been changed from HC 214 to HC 1288 but it was the same car five men used as their getaway car after robbing a Chinese national on Sunday night. The main identifying mark on the car was the Cyril’s taxi logo on both front doors.

Police responded quickly, intercepting the car and arresting the four occupants. In the trunk of the car, the Police found one 32-inch Apex flat screen television, two laptop computers, a skate board, a video adapter, a portable camera, a water pump and a Rolex wrist watch.

The four suspects are all from various parts of the country, with non domicile in Berbice. They are now assisting with the investigations.

Meanwhile, on Sunday night, five armed men attacked and robbed the Four Sea Chinese Restaurant at Edinburgh Village, carting off hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, cellphone cards and other items.

Reports are that as a group of customers exited the restaurant, the bandits walked in and carried out the act which including injuring Tai Hong Fen and his 14-year-old daughter. According to 49-yearold Tai, shortly after 22:00h on Sunday night, he told his customers that he was about to close. He said a man came into the restaurant with a $1000 bill to purchase $100 worth of cigarettes and he did not sell him. That man, he noted, went out of the building and stood along the road shoulder on the other side of the road.

Tai said the few customers were drinking beer at the time and as they finished he moved to the door with them and waited to see them out of the gate.

“When they going out the gate, dem man start come in,” Tai said, adding that all five men were unmasked.

According to him as the men came in from the gate, two of them took out cutlasses. “When I see that, I run inside because I know is rob they want rob me,” the man related.

The Chinese national who has been operating a restaurant for the past year at that location said three of the men went after him and prevented him from closing the kitchen door.

The men demanded money and he told them where it was.

Tai said while two of

the men remained outside keeping watch, three used a hammer to break open the money drawer. After taking $56,000 worth in phone cards along with the cash, Tai said he heard his daughter screaming.

According to him, at the time the men entered the building, his daughter was asleep in the upper flat.

“They go upstairs and beat she up and tumble up the place looking fo money.”

The injured man further related that the men also forced open a second drawer and removed the

where he was treated and sent away.

It was noted that after the last set of customers realised that the restaurant which they had just exited was being robbed, they fled the scene and returned with others after the bandits left.

In July 2002, Tai was also the subject of a robbery when he operated a similar business at Rose Hall Town of the Corentyne.

On that occasion, the town was under siege for about 30 minutes as a group of gunmen pounced

money within, demanding more money and beating him with their fists. Most of the blows he received in his face.

The ordeal lasted about 30 minutes and the bandits carted off with $56,000 worth in cellphone cards, along with $365,000 in cash. Tai was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital

during the People’s Progressive Party’s 27th Congress which was being held in neighbouring Port Mourant. Tai was taken from his restaurant and locked in the Police outpost lockups along with another Police officer.

Shortly after that Tai moved his business to New Amsterdam.

An empty classroom on the University of Guyana’s Turkeyen Campus on Monday

The car in which the men and the articles were found

The injured restaurant owner Tai Hong Fen

Rodney CoI:

Robert Gates’ testimony comes under scrutiny …after disclosing “new” evidence of PNC surveillance

The testimony of former Police Constable Allan Robert Gates came under intense scrutiny on Tuesday as Commissioners and Attorneys representing various interests at the Dr Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry sought to ascertain the truth.

Gates, whose birth name is Clive DeNobrega Gibbs and who is currently serving time in the Camp Street Prison for alleged embezzlement of funds, made a return trip to the stand of the investigation, which sought to ascertain who was responsible for the death of Dr Walter Rodney. Gates had told the Commission on

Monday that he had returned, because there was pertinent information he had forgotten to pass on during his testimo-

ny in June last year.

But on day two of the seventh round of the Inquiry, Gates added that he had also omitted some details of his testimony because of security reasons. He noted too that he was sure he would return to the Commission. He said upon his return to prison, he had become comfortable enough to send another witness statement to the Commission’s Secretariat. Part of that omission included his implication of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of National Development, Emerson Simon, who he claimed might have also been seconded to that position, while serving

as a member of the Guyana Police Force.

Gates told the Commission on Monday that Simon would usually meet with then Prime Minister Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham and other officials. It was Simon, he noted, who had related to him that the Prime Minister was “pleased” with his performance as an “undercover” agent in the Working People’s Alliance (WPA).

Fierce challenge

The fierce challenge of his testimony came from Attorneys representing the WPA, Christopher Ram, and the People’s National Congress (PNC), Basil Williams.

Ram had challenged Gates’ testimony that the WPA was involved in trafficking in weapons, information he reiterated at Monday’s sitting. He, however, said he could not say if Dr Roopnaraine was ever caught with any arms and ammunition. Gates, who said he had “capitalist ideologies”, related that he was also a qualified private investigator, having obtained several certificates from institutions in North America. His “investigative skill” revealed to him that the WPA did not possess the military capacity to “achieve the presidency”, which he had earlier claimed was being sought by the hierarchy of the party. He noted that while the WPA might have infiltrated the Guyana Defence Force, it lacked the military intelligence to carry out logistics. He said too that the party could not achieve the presidency “by way of ballot” as elections then were not fair and free.

Williams, the current Chairman of the PNCR, dubbed Gates’ testimony to be “total fabrication”, pointing out that he had returned to implicate the Prime Minister. Williams sought to establish that Gates, who had never before met the Head of State, was using information, which he had the opportunity to share before, to destroy the Prime Minister. Evidence that the PM had also met with officers of the Disciplined Forces some three days before the death of Rodney was also challenged by the party’s lawyer.

Commissioners, during their questioning, were more interested in Gates’ credibility, particularly with a conviction hanging over his head. The former Police officer turned investigator was charged with fraudulent conversion of funds, an allegation he has denied. He said while he was currently on bail, he was unable to afford the exorbitant bail money. The Commissioners sought to draw from the witness the real issues behind his conviction which he sought to explain. He said he was cheated by a supplier in North

One for the road

Satricus was down in the dumps. He was no Wall Street "Master of the Universe"... But he'd gone and invested in some stocks of his favourite Beer Company - Bunks! Satiricus hadn't done any deep analysis or anything. He didn't have to.

Satiricus figured if he and his buddies' weekly consumption of Bunks major product at the back street bar were any guide, it was one company that wasn't gonna suffer no downturn!.

But more than that, in dear old Mudland, everything was political - including the beer you drank. And since Bunks had been founded by one of the die-hard leaders of the Opposition, Satiricus knew it was the patriotic duty of half of the folks in the country to keep guzzling the stuff.

So Satiricus was completely floored when he showed up at Bunks big shareholder's meeting and realised that things were "brown" for the company.

Satiricus didn't have to wait for Chairman Cliffie to complain that sales were down when he made his big speech. The moment Satiricus was given a lousy umbrella and three bottles of soft drink as his "complimentary shareholder gift" he knew that "thing na regulah".

Every year, Satiricus would don his Sunday best, jump in the bus and head out to "the Home of Bunks". It was not just his one shot at hobnobbing with the "big ones" like Cliffie. He was assured of bringing home some nice gift that he could give the missus for the house.

And more to the point, he'd get a nice bottle of that aged Premium Rum that he and the boys would knock down over a big plate of cutters. What the hell was he going to do with a lousy umbrella anyway??

And to add insult to injury, it was "Made in China"!! And then Chairman Cliffie confirmed the gloomy news: sales had plunged by hundreds of millions! But being the business tycoon he was Cliffie cut to the quick and explained the reason for the plummeting sales: "political uncertainty"!!!

And at that point Satiricus knew this thing went deeper that he'd figured. "Political uncertainty"... that was a thinly veiled reference to the trouble the Opposition had stirred up with their marching up and down the City.

Rather than marching, the Opposition supporters coulda been doing their patriotic duty and downing Bunks by the bucketload like Satiricus and his pals.

As Satiricus returned home morosely in his bus, he realised that the coming election had just been decided. No Bunks profits meant no campaign contribution from the biggest Opposition funder.

It was now all left to the Mook's FUCOP now...and Satiricus knew that was gonna be a real FUCOP for the Peean-See!!

America with whom he usually conducted transactions for his business here. His business involved serving local customers in Guyana. However, when the incident occurred a few years ago and was reported to the Police, he said he was told that his case was more of a civil one between himself and his supplier. However, his failure to deliver to his customers here was deemed a criminal act.

Gates was also probed on a letter he had written to the Guyana Chronicle News paper in 2013, where he recorded that “even though some key players have died, there are still others who are holding constitutional positions and are sitting in front row benches in Parliament”.

Gate had reportedly written the letter soon after President Donald Ramotar had announced that he was setting up the Commission. Pressed on who exactly he was referring to, Gates told Commissioners that he would not say publicly, but would prefer to relay that information “in camera”.

Meanwhile, in a shocking twist of events on Tuesday, Gates told Commissioners that he suspected WPA sympathizer and businesswoman Jocelyn Dow might have been feeding information from the WPA to then GDF head, Major General Norman Mc Lean and other members of the Disciplined Forces. He said that while Dow, who had also given evidence during the fifth round of the inquiry, appeared to be a sympathiser of the party, she had a very close relationship with Mc Lean and other top ranks within the GDF.

Gates had also revealed, much to the amusement of the Commission that WPA CoLeader Rupert Roopnaraine was the “godson” of Prime Minister Burnham whom he referred to as “Odo”. Asked how he came about this knowledge, Gates said “he told me so”.

Gates, who claimed he was Roopnaraine’s bodyguard, also told the Commission that he was sorry he did not kill the WPA Co-leader when he had the opportunity.

Robert Gates

Surinamese psychologist hosts mental health workshop

ASuriname-based psychologist/psychoanalyst, Professor Tobi Graafsma, hosted a one- day mental health workshop, on suicide prevention on Monday, to educate officials from various Ministries and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) on the issue.

Addressing participants at the National Library, Professor Graafsma said that suicide was a threat to persons, who feel oppressed and with a desire to change an unbearable situation, as a result of risk factors, which may include mental disorder, personality disorder, alcohol dependence, and some illnesses, including neurological disorders, cancer, and HIV infection.

He noted that such persons would attempt suicide not specifically because they wanted to die, but they felt that it was a means to end a (mental) crisis. “In my 13 years of experience in Suriname, I have seen many persons who have attempted suicide, and when we questioned them, they

do not want to die, but to end their situation,” he said

There were almost one million deaths worldwide each year, owing to suicide. In Suriname, since the year 2000, 1400 individuals have lost their lives through suicide, and almost 12,000 people attempted suicide. In addition, Professor Graafsma said that the majority of the persons who unsuccessfully attempted suicide, when questioned, said that they had attempted it before.

He reiterated that measures should be put in place to maintain contact with suicide survivors and further educate the populace on suicide threats. There is psychological treatment for survivors, including counselling; also there are many kinds of medications that are effective.

There should also be public health programmes directed at educating persons on access to health care, as well as screening of depression in schools and the giving of primary

health care, which is also a major factor in helping to prevent suicide.

He said there should also be school programmes, directed at discussions on suicide and how to deal with its effects.

In 2014, several such workshops were held with the aim of reducing the suicide rates in the country. The Health Ministry has also developed a National Mental Health Action Plan to deal with the numerous aspects of mental health.

The plan focuses on the integration of mental health into the primary health care services, and would include training for family doctors, nurses and medex in mental health management along with improving psychiatric services at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

It also touches on dealing with other aspects that include the development of a National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS); a Homeless Action Plan (HAP); and a Drug Rehabilitation Programme (DRP).

Woman jumps off Harbour Bridge …search on for body

Up to press time, a search was still on to locate the body of a woman who jumped off the Demerara Harbour Bridge on Tuesday afternoon.

The incident which follows a similar one less than a month ago raises serious questions about security at the bridge, and citizens have recommended that the authorities place restrictions on the use of the infrastructure by pedestrians.

According to Demerara Harbour Bridge General Manager Rawlston Adams, staff received a call around 15:20h indicating that a woman had climbed onto a section of the bridge, referred to as ‘Retractor 11’ and from all indications, was preparing to jump.

He noted that upon receiving the call, a female security guard that was on duty at the time immediately made her way to that section. However, upon seeing the security guard approaching, the woman jumped overboard and was not seen again.

The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) was immediately contacted and efforts were being made to have the

body retrieved. Adams confirmed to the Guyana Times that the Bridge’s management reviewed the footage and was attempting to discern the woman’s identity. This publication was told that the woman was of African descent and appeared to be in her mid thirties.

On December 23, another woman, who was said to be mentally unstable, took her own life by jumping into the river.

Back in August last year, the Harbour Bridge, in collaboration with the Guyana Police Force’s A Division (Georgetown) commissioned a surveillance system valued over $3.1 million at the Police Operations room at the Brickdam Police

Station. The system allows Police officers to remotely monitor traffic across the Bridge and activities within its environs. The cameras span a portion of East Bank Carriageway and West Bank Demerara Public Road off the Bridge. At the launch, Adams had explained that the system would be monitored in a proactive manner and if there was an incident, the Police would take the necessary actions.

Out of the 26 cameras at the Harbour Bridge, the Police have access to 18. Footage is recorded on a 24-hour basis and is of a quality that can yield the description of Bridge users with a playback period of over three months.

Participants at the mental health workshop

The section (right) of the Demerara Harbour Bridge where the woman jumped off

wednesday, JanUaRy 28, 2015 | gUyanatimesgy.com

Banks DIH calls for VAT to be removed

By: AnAstAciA clementson

Banks DIH Managing Director Clifford Reis is calling for the complete removal of the Value Added Tax (VAT) system which was implemented in 2007.

Addressing Banks DIH Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Thirst Park, Reis said the imposition of VAT by the Government of Guyana has created an unlevelled playing field within the Food Industry, contending that registered food

businesses are at a disadvantage when compared to those that are unregistered.

He explained that registered fast food outlets such as Quik Serv cannot compete with the extremely low prices offered by those unregistered businesses that have no obligation to remit taxes to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). According to Reis, the entire VAT system should be removed to guarantee fair competition among food service provid-

ers in Guyana.

The beverage giant has recorded a $270 million decrease in profits for 2014. It posted a profit before tax of $3.473 billion and profit after tax of $2.265 billion when compared to the $2.538 billion recorded in 2013 after taxation.

This short fall in revenue was not only linked to the unfair competition in the Food Industry but it was also linked to crime and the series of flash floods that hit Georgetown and other flood prone-communities across the country in 2014.

Just recently, small businesses operating in Georgetown complained bitterly about the drop in sales experienced over the just concluded Christmas season. They had attributed that decline to the high presence of Chinese businesses and their low price tags because of exemption from charging VAT.

National Hardware Branch Manager Ganesh Niranjam had told Guyana Times that Christmas shopping at the Water Street location had seen a massive downfall when compared to previous years.

He said Guyanese seem to be rushing to find more affordable items from the Chinese-owned stores which are at an advantage because goods are being sold with the exemption of VAT.

Other local businesses such as Ashmin’s Trading had echoed similar sen-

timents, contending that the increasing number of Chinese stores in the City is creating “unfair competition.”

Currently GRA is in consultation with the Chinese Association here in Guyana with the hope of devising a system that would allow for unregistered businesses to remit VAT.

In a recent interview with this newspaper, GRA Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur explained that the non-remittance of tax was among the major concerns highlighted when VAT was being promoted. The underlying issue is that if a business is not registered then it cannot include VAT in its selling price.

Sattaur explained too that many businesses even escape scot-free after filing “fictitious” claims for refund. He said while some businesses are registered to charge VAT, in most cases their accounting systems are corrupted, thereby cheating the state of millions of dollars.

The Commissioner General reiterated that the VAT system, which exists in more than 150 countries around the world, was designed for societies that have highly credible businesses.

He could not say the same for Guyana, since many businesses are cheating the system. The revenue body repays in excess of $4 billion annually to business-

es, he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Trade and Investment Sub-Committee of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) Ramesh Dookhoo pointed out that GRA has a voluntary registration system that is open to all businesses. According to him, a business is only mandated to become registered if it generates more than $10 million a year.

The 16 per cent VAT system, which was introduced in Guyana in January 2007, is part of Government’s plan to modernise and streamline the taxation system. It was introduced on several local consumption items together with an Excise Tax (ET) on motor vehicles, petroleum, tobacco products and alcohol.

SBB to award successful small businesses

The Tourism Ministry’s Small Business Bureau (SBB) will be hosting an award ceremony for successful small businesses registered under its programme.

According to the Tourism Ministry, the event will be the hallmark in the bureau’s endeavour to increase the capacity of the Small Business Sector while building, improving and sustaining the livelihood of its clients throughout Guyana.

Additionally, the event marks a significant milestone in the Government’s contribution to the Small Business Sector. The sum of US$10 million has been made available for the purpose of funding and comprehensive training of small business entrepreneurs, the Ministry said.

Additionally, the money, which will be utilised over a period of four years, was made available through the Low Carbon Development Strategy/Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (LCDS/ GRIF).

A mutual guarantee fund and training component are disbursed through the Partner Financial Institutions and Partner Training Institutions, respectively.

The growth and sustainability of small businesses have always been the Government’s priority, the Tourism Ministry said.

“This aspiration fuelled the fruition of the Small Business Act which was assented by the President in 2004,” the Tourism Ministry said.

This Act caters for the establishment of the Small Business Council (SBC), and the SBB which was formed in 2008. The SBB functions as the executing agency of the Act and secretariat of the SBC. The SBB has also been training clients and marketing their goods and services since its formation.

The Micro and Small Enterprise (MSE) Development and the Building Alternative Livelihoods for Vulnerable Groups Project (launched in 2013) have been given the responsibility to ensure the best utilisation of the funds. It was also pointed out that the project is administered by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), monitored by the Finance Ministry with oversight by the Office of the President. The project is also being executed by the SBB that directly administers a grant scheme to deserving recipients.

4 more charged for drunk driving

As the Guyana Police Force’s Traffic Department continues its “name and shame” campaign against drunk drivers, four more persons have been charged for driving under the influence of alcohol.

The Police have issued an arrest warrant for Omadatt Chickery, of Lot

27 Hill Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, after he failed to appear at the Albion Magistrate’s Court on December 23, 2014, to answer to the charge. On December 21, he was driving minibus BSS 2635 on the Courtland Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice when he was stopped by Police and given a breathalyser test, which showed that he was above the legal limit in terms of alcohol consumption. He was charged and instructed to attend court, but never showed up.

Then motorcyclist Sybert

Park was stopped and tested with a breathalyser on December 30, while driving motorcycle CF 7250 along the Fort Canje Public Road, Berbice. Park, of Liverpool Village, Corentyne, was

found to be above the legal limit in terms of alcohol consumption. He appeared at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court on January 6, where he pleaded guilty and was fined $7500. Another man was also fined $7500 when

he appeared at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court on December 7 facing a DUI charge. Tirendra Totaram, of Lot 61 Grant 1803, Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, was driving motor car PNN 7746 when he was stopped and subjected to a breathalyser test, which revealed that he was above the legal limit in terms of alcohol consumption.

Finally, Nartram Motee, of Lot 307 Canefield, East Canje, Berbice, was driving motor car PJJ 3428 on January 1, 2015, when he was stopped by the Police and underwent a breathalyser test. He was found to be above the legal limit in terms of consumption of alcohol; as such, he was charged and subsequently made a court appearance on January 13, at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court. Motee pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to pay a fine of $7500.

Omadatt Chickery

Nartram Motee

Sybert Park

Tirendra Totaram

GRA Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur

Banks DIH Managing Director Clifford Reis

Colonel Lee leads GDF promotions

...Accountant General, Magistrate also elevated

Guyana Defence Force Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Mark Phillips has announced that Commander-in-Chief Donald Ramotar has approved the promotions of 83 officers and 436 ranks effective from January 1, 2015.

the senior officers’ bracket.

Lieutenant Colonels Jawahar Persaud, Cargill Kyte, Patrick West, Nazrul Hussain, Ann McLennan and Lieutenant Colonel Paul Arthur were promoted to the rank of Acting Colonel. Commander Gary Beaton, who

Colonel.

Ten Majors have been confirmed in their rank, while Substantive Captains Tyrone Smith, Marvin Chichester, Lancelot Lynch, Christine Bradford-Porter, Lloyd Glen, Clifton Sam and Nigel Langhorne have been pro-

The Force has made history this year with the largest recorded number of officers being promoted to the rank of Colonel at the same time. Leading that list is Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Lee, Base Commander of Base Camp Stephenson, who was promoted to the rank of Substantive Colonel. It is also the first time in the Force’s history that four female officers were promoted collectively in

heads the Force’s Coast Guard, will now be Acting Captain Coast Guard, the equivalent of an Acting Colonel.

Acting Lieutenant Colonels Dwain Jervis, Trevor Bowman and Kenlloyd Roberts were confirmed in their rank while Majors Collin Henry, Mark Thomas, Courtney Byrne, Natasha Stanford and Lorraine Foster have been promoted to the rank of Acting Lieutenant

moted to Acting Major. Nine Acting Captains, including one female, are now confirmed in their rank, while 14 Substantive Lieutenants have been promoted to the rank of Acting Captain with effect from January 1, 2015.

Eight Acting Lieutenants have been promoted to Substantive Lieutenants, while six Second Lieutenants have been promoted to Acting

Lieutenants. In the Coast Guard, Acting Commander (CG) Orin Porter, Acting Lieutenant Commander (CG) Roger Nurse, as well as Acting Lieutenant Paul Castello, have been confirmed in their rank while Substantive Sub Lieutenants Shennel Europe, Raul Williams, Quincy Agard and Andre Kwang have been promoted to Acting Lieutenants (CG).

Five Acting Sub Lieutenants have been confirmed in their rank and Midshipman Eweart Andrews is now an Acting Sub Lieutenant.

436 ranks promoted Meanwhile, 436 other ranks have been promoted. Of this number, 96 have been confirmed in their rank while 272 have been elevated in rank. Heading this group are Warrant Officers Class Two Marlon Daniels and Raul Rodney who have been promoted to Acting Warrant Officers Class One.

Warrant Officers Class Two Marvin Pilgrim, Sekou Mitchell, Christopher Harmon, Bryan Ferdinand, Ray Herman, Andre Worrell, Wilfred Semple, and Selwyn Douglas were confirmed in their appointment. The remaining 253 ranks were promoted through ranks ranging from Acting Warrant

Officer Class Two to Acting Lance Corporal. Other promotions in the Coast Guard saw Acting Senior Petty Officer Wayne Nurse being elevated to Substantive Senior Petty Officer. Three Acting Petty Officers were confirmed in their rank while seven Substantive Leading Ratings are now Acting Petty Officers. Four Acting Leading Ratings are now confirmed in their rank. Additionally, six Substantive Able Ratings have been promoted to Acting Leading Ratings while 11 Acting Able Ratings have been confirmed in their rank. Ordinary Ratings Vinton Blair, Denwin Adams and Quincy Burton have been promoted to Substantive Able Ratings and 10 other Ordinary Ratings have been elevated to the rank of Acting Able Rating.

At a simple Badging Ceremony held Tuesday afternoon, the newly-promoted senior officers were decorated with their new badges of rank by the Chief-of-Staff, who was assisted by Colonel Administration and Quartering, Captain Coast Guard John Flores. The officers were congratulated by the other senior officers present and the recently-promoted Majors were welcomed to the corps of senior officers.

In brief remarks, Brigadier Phillips pointed out that pro-

motion recognises all officers and other ranks for their performance, professionalism and service within and outside of the GDF. To this end, he referred to Colonels Jawahar Persaud and Ann McLennan who hold other positions outside of the GDF, but continue in service to the country. Persaud is the current Accountant General while McLennan is a sitting Magistrate. He alluded to the efforts being made by the officers towards the development of the Force and called for continued professional service to the country.

The Commander-in-Chief and Chief-of-Staff extended congratulations to all the newly-promoted officers and other ranks.

5 road fatalities recorded for the year so far

- speeding cases for last week surpassed 300

Just over three weeks into the new year, there have been five fatal accidents recorded on the country’s roadways.

According to a release from the Police, from January 1 to 26, 2015, there have been a total of five road fatalities, when compared to 10 fatalities during the same period last year.

In light of the increased recklessness on

the roadways, the Traffic Department of the Guyana Police Force is continuing its stringent traffic control measures with emphasis being placed on education, as it seeks to maintain safety on the roadways.

The Police revealed that from January 18 to 24, a number of cases were made against motorists for breaching the traffic laws, and speeding cases alone

LIAT appoints Chad Hyson as Internal Auditor

Regional airline LIAT has appointed a new head of the Internal Audit Department. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) David Evans Tuesday announced the appointment of Chad Hyson as Internal Auditor. Internal Audit is an interactive process that involves reviews and discussions with persons at various levels of the organisation, including those involved with day-to-day operations.

CEO Evans said: “Mr Hyson is responsible for evaluating LIAT’s current processes and providing recommendations based on best

practices. His primary goal is to help improve the effectiveness and efficiency of our overall operations, accuracy of financial reporting, and compliance with various regulatory requirements.

“Mr Hyson joined the company on December 1, 2014 and comes to us with more than 13 years of Internal Audit experience across a number of different industries throughout the US and the Caribbean.”

As the company Head of Internal Audit, Hyson reports directly to the CEO and to the Audit Committee, a sub-committee of the Board of Directors.

amounted to 388. There were 34 cases for driving under the influence, 56 for breach of conditions of road service licence, 11 for careless driving, and

six for dangerous driving. Additionally, three cases were recorded for failure to wear safety helmets and 24 for failure to wear seatbelts. Eight cases for use of hand-

held mobile phones were filed. The Police also arrested and charged 16 persons for the soliciting of passengers (touting). Nevertheless, the Police

Force is calling on all road users to use the roads responsibly and practise the five Cs – Caution, Courtesy, Consideration, Common sense and Care.

COS Brigadier Mark Phillips decorates newly promoted Colonel Wilbert Lee with his new badge of rank

COS Brigadier Mark Phillips with the newly promoted Acting Colonels from left: Paul Arthur, Nazrul Hussain, Cargill Kyte, Jawahar Persaud, Patrick West, Ann McLennan, Gary Beaton and Wilbert Lee

Rodney CoI: Rohee, Donald Rodney to take stand this week

Donald Rodney, the lone known witness to the June 13, 1980 bomb blast which claimed the life of his older brother , Working People’s Alliance Co-Founder Dr Walter Rodney, is expected to take the stand for the first time since the investigation got underway close to a year ago.

Assistant lead counsel for the Commission of Inquiry, Latchmi Rahamat related on Tuesday that systems have already been put in place for Rodney to appear with his evidence in chief.

Donald was in the driver’s seat of his car when the bomb, said to have been planted in a walkietalkie, exploded on the lap of his brother.

Home Affairs Minister PPP/C

General Secretary, Clement Rohee

The younger Rodney’s testimony on Friday will mirror the written statements he presented on various occasions, which state that former Army Sergeant and electronics expert, the now dead William Gregory

Smith, had handed him the device to give to his brother on that fateful night. Donald will also be able to provide evidence that will clear him from claims that he had a hand in his brother’s death.

Meanwhile, General Secretary of the ruling People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), Clement Rohee, has also been listed as a witness for Thursday. The General Secretary had told this publication that the party has a lot of information to divulge about what it believed may have led to the assassination of Dr Rodney.

Although tight-lipped on the details of his testimony to the Commission, Rohee had said that it would be a “travesty” for

the Party to not give any information. “There is not a single political development, even outside of the Rodney period that could be discussed without taking into account the position that the PPP adopted during that period of time,” Rohee said when asked by the Guyana Times about his participation. Rohee had pointed out that so far, no one from the Party has spoken officially about its role and place during the period he labelled the “heavy days”.

He said the Party did not want anyone to second-guess the PPP and its role during that period. “I think a lot of people will find it very unusual if this Inquiry is completed and the People’s Progressive

GAWU secures injunction to stay Skeldon worker’s dismissal

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) has secured an injunction from acting Chief Justice Ian Chang to stay the summary dismissal of Skeldon Estate field worker Daniel Stephen.

On January 15, GAWU filed an Ex-Parte Application by way of Affidavit for an Interim Injunction to stop the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) from dismissing Stephen as was determined following arbitration by Mohamed Akeel. Both GuySuCo and Akeel were named as plaintiffs in the court document.

The arbitration was held to probe an incident in September where Stephen had an altercation with a senior manager at the Skeldon Estate, Berbice, resulting in his dismissal. The dock miller operator was dismissed the following day when he turned up

to work. This resulted in five days of strike action by the estate workers and those from other estates along the Corentyne.

Stephen’s dismissal was reduced to suspension without pay after a sixitem Terms of Resumption (ToRs) was agreed upon by the Union and the Sugar Corporation to end the protest. The ToRs outlined that conciliatory discussions be held between the parties and if no agreement was made, then the matter should go to arbitration.

The conciliatory discussions were held under the chairmanship of Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle, on behalf of the Ministry of Labour. Ogle had recommended that Stephen be reinstated, but GuySuCo had rejected this recommendation; hence a deadlock had been declared on the issue and it went to arbitration. But on December 29, Akeel ruled

Skeldon Estate field worker

Daniel Stephen

that the worker would remain dismissed.

GAWU filed the legal action on behalf of Stephen. There were two court documents, one in the name of the Union’s General Secretary, Seepaul Narine, and the

other in Stephen’s name. The interim injunction granted by Justice Chang prohibits “the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc, the first -named defendant, their directors, officers, employees, assigns, servants and /or agents or whomsoever from treating the plaintiffs as summarily dismissed rather than as an employee suspended without pay until the hearing and determination of a summons in this cause”.

The court order was issued on January 22, when the matter was first heard by the acting Chief Justice in Chambers. The court document further stated that if the two defendants fail to obey the Order, then they will be liable to process of execution for the purpose of compelling them to obey the same Order. The matter will be called again on January 29.

Eight in custody for LBI burglary

Several persons have been taken into Police custody to assist with investigations into a break and enter and larceny committed on a house at Earl’s Court, La Bonne Intention (LBI), East Coast Demerara. According to information reaching the Guyana Times, no one lives in the two-storey house; however, the owner would go and check on the place from time to time. A close associate of the owner told this newspaper that they last visited the house about five days ago and when they returned on Monday night, they saw two persons running from the house.

He related that they pursued the men who hid in some bushes and found one of them. That burglar then informed them that his accomplice was also hiding in the bushes. He further revealed additional information to his capturers. The other perpetrator then emerged from hiding, brandishing a cutlass. He was shot in the right leg by a licensed firearm holder who had come to lend assistance. The injured man has been identified as 28-year-old Vijay Ragnauth of Success, East Coast Demerara. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was admitted a pa-

tient under guard.

A release issued by the Police stated: “Investigations have led to the recovery of a number of stolen household articles, including electrical appliances, and the arrest of six men and two women who are suspected of receiving some of the stolen property.”

The Guyana Times was further told that it appeared that the house has been constantly burglarised by the group of persons during the four days that no one was there. It was also disclosed that the items that were stolen amounted to approximately $18 million including $1.5 million in cash and a quantity of jewellery.

According to the associate, the house was fully furnished and the perpetrators carried away most of the items; however, they manage to retrieve 40 per cent of the items after making enquiries and following bits of information gained from those in custody.

“No one around here noticed anything. Big, big water tank missing and nobody ain’t see what happen … they gate break down … they had to break in through the window and pull out the mill bone to get out the fridge ‘cause it big and the door lock, the only way to open it is with the keys,” the man pointed out.

Party, a major stakeholder in the political fortunes in this country, did not appear before that Commission to present whatever details it felt was necessary to be exposed and represented from the PPP’s point of view.”

The Party’s General Secretary said that every Guyanese who lived through that period would know that the PPP was

Father of 4

very prominent in the politics that prevailed in the country at that time. “It is only natural that the PPP/C should step forward to say what it felt may have led to the assassination of Dr Walter Rodney”. The Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry was set up on February 25 last to probe the circumstances which led to the death of Dr Rodney.

remanded for damage of property offences

Sixty-year-old Walter Campbell of Lot 18 Water Street, Georgetown, was remanded to prison after being charged for two offences – intent to commit a felony and damage of property.

The father of four appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on Tuesday.

His first charge read that on January 27, at Church and Carmichael Streets, Georgetown, with the intent to commit a felony, he broke the right side three quarter inch glass of motor car PLL 1864 which belonged to Roy Secirro.

The other charge alleged that on the same day and location, he damaged one three quarter inch glass of motor car PLL 1864 which valued $35,000.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to both of the offences through his Attorney George Thomas. In his bail application, Attorney Thomas stated that his client is a labourer, who has four children and no previous matters with any court. He added that Campbell is not a flight risk since he is

willing to clear his name.

The facts read that on the day in question at around 11:00h, Secirro had parked his car at the said location and went to conduct business in the city. A passerby observed the defendant as he broke the window of the motor car and entered the vehicle. The passerby then alerted other persons, including Secirro. The Police came and the defendant was arrested. As it related to the facts of the case, the defence lawyer said that there has to be a misunderstanding since his client was not in the car. He noted the condition of his client, stating that he was beaten and his clothing torn by the people who surrounded him during the incident.

Police Prosecutor Michael Grant objected to bail stating that the defendant has other matters to be filed against him and that he has had previous matters with the court before. Grant also objected to bail being granted, citing the nature, gravity and prevalence of the offence.

Bail was refused for Campbell until his next court appearance on February 6.

Vegetable vendor who abused probation officer gets bail

Apopular New Amsterdam vegetable vendor, Ishmael King, was on Monday placed on $10,000 bail when he appeared in a New Amsterdam court for verbally assaulting a Probation and Social Welfare Officer.

King, age 34, of Lot 158 Smythfield, New Amsterdam, is accused of hurling abusive language to Probation and Social Welfare Officer Maisie Sheppard on January 24, at Strand Road, New Amsterdam.

Police Prosecutor,

Sergeant Phillip Sherriff told the court that King made use of abusive language where by a breach of the peace was occasioned. Magistrate Carolyn Artiga asked the defendant whether he had any other matters pending before the court and was told by Sheppard that he would usually use abusive language towards her whenever she passes by on the street. He pleaded not guilty to the charge. The trial is set for March 20.

Several in running for PPP/C’s PM candidacy

....Sam Hinds still a strong contender

One day after announcing that President Donald Ramotar will lead the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) at the May 11 polls, Party General Secretary Clement Rohee said they were still discussing who would fill the Prime Ministerial Candidate slot, while acknowledging a number of persons were lining up.

Rohee, himself a one-time Presidential Candidate contender, said the Party’s Executive Committee was still meeting to settle on the issue.

“Those issues are being discussed at the leadership level. Nothing is decided until everything is decided upon,” Rohee said.

Asked about the procedure used to select the Prime Ministerial Candidate, Rohee maintained that the Central and Executive Committees have always been involved in that process and that the

tradition of the prime ministerial post being filled by a member of the Civic was likely to be maintained.

“We believe in a PPP-Civic alliance. If the PPP/C has the Presidential Candidate, traditionally the Civic com-

ponent has had the Prime Ministerial Candidate and I don’t believe that would change,” he said. Meanwhile, questioned on whether Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett has been floated as a possible running mate for Ramotar, Rohee disclosed that as far as he was aware, this was not so, noting that there were several strong contenders for the position. “I do not know that that name is associated with that position. I know that it is a matter which is still being discussed. There are a lot of people who are working behind the scenes, they are working for the position,” the General Secretary added. He was questioned too

on whether he was a potential candidate for the position to which he replied, “Everything is possible.”

There is a possibility of Rodrigues-Birkett, who is of Amerindian heritage being the Prime Ministerial Candidate. The Guyana Times understands that Junior Finance Minister Bishop Juan Edghill could also be in contention.

While this newspaper was unable to contact Edghill, Rodrigues-Birkett had earlier denied having

any knowledge of herself being a Prime Ministerial Candidate contender. “I don’t know …. We haven’t gotten to that level, things happen on a daily basis, those kinds of decisions are not the ones you make by yourself, you have to think about a lot of things … right now I am having a good time running the Foreign Ministry and I must say I have a team of very good people working here, and it is a real pleasure representing this country called Guyana,” RodriguesBirkett had said. She continued: “I have never

sought anything else in all of my various portfolios.”

Prime Minister Hinds, who has held the position since the PPP/C came to power in 1992, is thought have “called it a day” as Prime Minister ,but there are strong sentiments that he should make one last run. He is widely respected as a very decent, credible and incorruptible individual. He is still the strongest candidate and since it is widely expected that the PPP/C is facing a very strong challenge in the upcoming elections, it has been suggested that

he be the candidate. He has been the longest serving Prime Minister within the Caribbean. It has been surmised that the PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate could come possibly from a wider crosssection of the Guyanese public, the Guyana Times understands, since the Civic is representative of any like-minded individual wanting to form an alliance with the PPP/C.

Bandit escapes from Police custody

Nicholas James, the bandit who was shot Sunday night by a plainclothes Police rank when he and three of his accomplices tried to rob the Popeyes Fast Food Restaurant on Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, on Tuesday evening escaped from the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was being kept under Police guard.

A Police source at the hospital confirmed that the incident occurred around 19:00h, just hours after he had undergone surgery to remove a bullet from his body.

The source said Policemen combed the Georgetown Public Hospital compound and interior since the security guard who was on duty at the time indicated that no one fitting the prisoner’s description had passed the gates.

Many at the hospital described the incident as ‘suspicious’ since they noted that none of the patients nor staff on duty noticed when

James, who was handcuffed and under Police watch, slipped out of the ward.

This publication was made to understand that the Police guard has been taken into custody to assist with investigations.

Police in a release said that investigations so far have revealed that an armed man entered Popeyes Restaurant at Vlissengen Road, and ordered customers to lie on the ground, adding that they also attacked and robbed Darryl Seruggs, a customer, of his cell phone.

The Policeman was purchasing food when James reportedly stormed into the fast food outlet. The bandit then went to the cashier and demanded money. Gunshots were subsequently exchanged between the two and James was injured.

It is alleged that James’s accomplices, who were waiting for him outside the restaurant, escaped when they saw that he was wounded. Investigations into both matters are ongoing.

Bandits cart off $1M from Victoria man

Armed bandits on motorcycle on Tuesday made off with $1 million in cash after they held up a Victoria, East Coast Demerara man at a stop light.

According to the Police, the incident occurred around 12:45h. Robert Charles, 48, of Middle Walk, Victoria, was driving Canter truck GSS 1177 and had stopped at the traffic light at Sheriff and Rupert Craig Highway, when he was attacked.

Reports revealed that two men on a motorcycle rode up alongside Charles’s Canter and the pillion rider, who was armed with a handgun, discharged a round, which shattered the windscreen of the Canter. The bandit then grabbed a haversack containing the money that was lying on the passenger side of Canter. The men then made good their escape. The Police have since launched an investigation into the matter.

Commissioners advised against sitting during election period

The three-member Commission probing the death of Dr Walter Rodney has been advised against holding any sessions of the Inquiry during the period of Guyana’s General and Regional Elections, its Chairman, Barbadian Queen’s Counsel, Sir Richard Cheltenham has said.

Speaking to the Guyana Times on Tuesday, Cheltenham, who serves alongside Jamaican Queen’s Counsel Jacqueline Samuels-Brown and Trinidad-based Guyanese Senior Counsel Seenath Jairam, said his team would be heeding the advice of security personnel.

At the end of the sixth session, late last year, Cheltenham had indicated that the Commission had some reservations about operating during that period.

“The Commission itself may very well become a subject of comment on the platform,” Cheltenham said Tuesday, speaking about the political campaigns, which were already underway.

The main Opposition party, the People’s National Congress (PNC), has been making full legal representation at the Inquiry, which commenced April last year, seeking to clear its name of accusations that it was responsible for the death of Dr Rodney. Commentators are of the opinion that the Inquiry being conducted during the campaigns may be disadvantageous for the political party.

The party, through its lawyer and Chairman, Basil Williams, had already expressed disappointment that the Commission would be resuming during a period when political parties would be involved in their

election campaigns.

Williams had told the Guyana Times that the PNC had expressed concern when it received a notice that the CoI would be commencing on January 26.

“Why would you want a Commission during this time?” he had questioned, noting that the three-member Commission had already expressed reservations about proceeding during the “political atmosphere “that will prevail”.

The Working People’s Alliance (WPA), which had also been pressing for the inquiry, is also part of the coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), along with the PNC.

President Donald Ramotar, who had announced May 11 this year as the date for General and Regional Elections, when asked about the concerns raised on the issue, had said “things don’t work like

that”.

“We cannot stop things because of things like that,” Ramotar told the Guyana Times , continuing that the Commission was set up long before any major political issues had arisen.

Meanwhile, Cheltenham told the publication that he

will soon “determine precisely when we will have our final sitting before the elections”.

The Commission after its one-week run on January 30 will take a break before resuming on February 10. The Guyana Times was informed that

the Commission will take another break before recommencing in March for another two weeks before going on break. That break will last until the June later this year, when the Commission is expected to finally come to an end.

President Donald Ramotar and the Commissioners, Senior Counsel Seenath Jairam (left); Queen’s Counsel, Sir Richard Cheltenham and Queen’s Counsel Jacqueline Samuels-Brown

Junior Finance Minister Bishop Juan Edghill

Home Affairs Minister and PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee

Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds

wednesday, january 28, 2015| guyanatimesgy.com

VOX POPULI PUBLIC OPINION I SAY...

What is the reason for the high suicide rate in Guyana?

Benedict Octopio

“There are many problems, problems with different things. I don’t know why they decide to end their lives instead of working out the problems. Maybe the parties lack understanding, they don’t know of any other option, or maybe they don’t want to tell anyone about their problems, so they choose that way to end their life. They need help, but they just don’t trust anyone.”

Tomicia Garraway

“I think mainly because of pressure from parents and peers, because maybe they don’t have what their friends have and so they feel like they have to end their life. Basically, I think, for the young people, they just need somebody to talk to, to advise them. But most people, they don’t go look for help, they wait to see if they are worth anything and if people will recognise and reach out to them.”

Clive Lloyd

“Stress and family problems. I would say, people think they cannot get far in life because they are not getting the things they need; some people cannot get the freedom, all kinds of things. I would say it’s according to the environment they grow up in. According to how things going, I don’t know how we can address this issue. People say that we can talk to each other and try to encourage them and let them understand everything about life, but even sometimes, they know all of this but still do it.”

Repairs to the Parika Stelling almost completed

About 70 per cent of the repairs at the Parika Stelling, Essequibo River have been completed.

The Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) said in a release that the Government of Guyana has expended $36 million on this project, which commenced in November 2014, as part of its allocation to the Department. According to T&HD General Manager Marclene Merchant, cluster piles and fenders were installed at the waterside front to prevent ships from making contact with the Stelling.

Additionally, maintenance works were conducted on the main carriageway at the entrance, including painting the surface and replacing beams and deck planks. Throughout the duration of this project, passengers, and vehicles, particularly speedboats along with the Department’s ferry vessels, have had access to the Stelling. This was very challenging to accomplish. The Department is pleased that the works have been progressing at a fast pace and they are expected to be completed in another two weeks’ time.

Shavannie Persaud

“People might have problems in their homes; there are many things you have to look at. I guess some of them feel fed up and they can’t turn any other way because they don’t have the right information. So, some of them need to look at themselves and think before they do things.”

Damien Weithers

“It is stress and depression. They might feel that suicide is the only way out the problem. It’s just that the situation and problems they are going through cloud their judgment. As a solution, I think the media can contribute a lot by highlighting these issues and contributing positive messages.”

Kishnandan Baicham

“Why they do it? Because they don’t have anything better to do. You can’t really stop that from happening, it’s all about your mindset. For me, all who committed suicide ain’t got anything better to do. People say they don’t got option but don’t tell me that because if some of we going through this life; this life has ups and downs and it’s not how hard you fall, it’s how quick you can get up and how fast you can run.”

Joel Allen “I really don’t know. The amount of suicide in Guyana is bad. I guess they do it because they don’t get people to talk to them and advise them on what to do. So I guess people just need to be there for people when they feel down, instead of behaving harsh towards them, they should just offer good advice.”

Amya Manu

“Some people commit suicide because, to be honest, they say it ends their pain, and some people just can’t take the stress anymore. Probably, it’s the only method they see fit. I know that people who commit suicide know the information, that they should not commit suicide but they still think that it is the best option for them and it’s time to go.”

Dewayne LaRose

“Really, they are just stupid. You can’t stop it. You can’t change their mentality, you can’t change the way people think. You can reduce it slightly, basically by support. But that’s basically it.”

Deputy Mayor says ‘no way’ to would-be squatters in New Amsterdam

Would be squatters on New Amsterdam Municipality’s land will have to vacate that land. So says Deputy Mayor Harold Dabydeen. His comments came at a press conference on Tuesday following a site visit to Savannah Park, New Amsterdam, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) where scores of citizens have began chopping bushes and clearing land they had marked off over the past few days.

Residents seem to have taken a hint from Prime Minister Samuel Hinds’ statements while in the area last Thursday, while meeting with disgruntled residents of Mount Sinai which is commonly referred to as Angoy’s Avenue. Prime Minister Hinds told those gathered that there is much land in Guyana. He said that there was land next to the old bicycle factory.

On Friday last, residents began visiting the area in the vicinity of the old bicycle factory at Savannah Park. The area was initially identified by the New Amsterdam Municipality for an industrial site. On Sunday, residents

of the town and surrounding communities stormed the area and marked off sections of land which they identified and were staking claim to. Several persons who had placed demarcations around sections of land on Saturday, had to go in search of other areas, after being bullied. There were several fights and most of those involved used their cutlasses, axes and chain saws at weapons. Police were called in to restore order.

Following a municipal statutory meeting on Monday, Deputy Mayor Dabydeen, Town Clerk Sharron Alexander and other officials from the Town Council including Councillors visited the area. After that site visit a press conference was called. Dabydeen noted that numerous persons had invaded the council’s land. He said that the municipality has not abandoned its land. “What we are seeing is indeed ridiculous... pure lawlessness. At Monday’s statutory meeting we took a decision to publicise notices in all the dailies and also to erect a signboard to prevent trespassers from occupying. I hope good sense will prevail and all individ-

uals will peacefully remove their obstacles from the land.”

Dabydeen said the municipality cannot sell any of Savannah Park land to persons until it is surveyed and the council gets permission from the Housing Ministry to distribute it. He added that if those persons need land from the council, they must come with clean hands. “By clean hands I mean that what is going on there is dirty work; trespassing. In law we use the term ‘come with clean hands’.”

Residents have been critical of the municipality which had promised over a decade ago to have the industrial site developed and a portion of the area developed into a housing area. Scores of persons had applied for land back then. According to the Deputy Mayor, the Council is in possession of a “thick pile of application for land.”

According the Dabydeen, the municipality has not done anything to the land because of a conflict between the council and Government over the industrial site. “We wanted that the industrial site go on and we collect the rates but Government had a different decision and so there was a di-

vision and because of this division the land remained as it is.”

Meanwhile Town Clerk Sharron Alexander said persons desirous of purchasing land form the Town Council must first make an application to the municipality. If land becomes available for sale, they will be contacted. She noted that the Chief Valuation Officer will first have to value the land before the council decided on the price that they will sell a plot for if, permission is given to sell the land for the purpose of house lots. While noting that the municipality will not bulldoze persons from the land, Dabydeen said that if the council has to go to the courts to get any illegal squatter off, they are willing to go that route.

When the municipal officials visited the Savannah Park site on Tuesday they were greeted by scores of hostile persons who when left off their land clearing activities to express their disappointment over the fact that the council officials had nothing to say to them about access and usage of the land they were seeking to own.

Works ongoing at the Parika Stelling

Republic Bank plugs $2.8M into Mash steel pan contest

Over the years, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, in partnership with Republic Bank, has been working on the resuscitation of steel pan in Guyana. Efforts in this regard have not gone by the wayside as 2015 marks the seventh year of the annual Republic Bank/MCYS Mashramani Panorama Steel Band competition.

On Monday, officials from Republic Bank visited the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr Frank Anthony and the Water Street Branch Manager, Celine Davis, presented the sponsorship cheque valued $2.8 million. Also present were the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Alfred King; Coordinator of the National School of Music, Andrew Tyndall; and Republic Bank’s Public Relations Officer, Jonelle Dummett.

After officially receiving the cheque, Minister Anthony expressed gratitude to the Bank for once again giving support to this competition. He added that over the years, Republic Bank’s support has greatly aided the resuscitation of steel pan in

Guyana. These efforts saw the production of a manual and a CD on steel pan music and the introduction of the Pan Minors Camp, which attracts hundreds of children. The manual and CD help to push the art form in the Regions where in some cases there are no music teachers.

The proceeds from the steel pan competition are put towards the purchasing of steel pans for schools that lack the instruments. Thus far, 11 schools have benefited.

While applauding Republic Bank, the Minister called for other corporate entities to undertake similar efforts.

Dr Anthony explained that the Ministry’s partnership with Republic Bank has resulted in growth in the number of school bands. This year will see two days of competition. On the first day, February 5, the Pan Jazz, Duet and Solo categories will be contested at the Theatre Guild, while the school and large band categories will be contested on February 8 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

This year’s competition will see 15 bands compet-

ing in two band categories (five large bands and 10 school bands); six pan jazz ensembles; six pan duets; five senior soloists; and six junior soloists. The school band category is being divided into two sub-categories. The first – the Small Developmental Band category will see five small school bands established over the last three years via the Ministry’s School Steel Band Development Programme competing against each other. The school bands in this category are the St Rose’s High, and Lodge, Dolphin, Wismar Christianburg and West Demerara Secondary Schools. Each band is required to have 12 players.

Meanwhile, the second category – the Large School Bands – will see well established school bands competing. The participating schools include Queen’s College, the Bishops’ High, Buxton Pride, PanWave Steel Pan Academy and North Ruimveldt Secondary. Each band is required to have a minimum of 15 players. Each of the bands will receive a grant of $50,000 from the Ministry to offset their preparation cost.

Crackdown on litterbugs continues

In continuing a crackdown on litterbugs, wardens from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Litter Enforcement Unit served notices to Anil Das, Chairman of the Mon Repos Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), and Eddie Seon, a resident of the same village.

During a stakeout conducted by the Unit on January 13, numerous heaps of domestic waste

were discovered on the roadside at School Street, De Andre Street, Richards Ville, and Martyrs Ville, the EPA said. To this end, Das, in his capacity as NDC Chairman, was issued a Clean-up Order, which gave him two weeks to ensure that all waste was removed from these areas.

Under the Litter Regulations, local authorities are legally obligated to ensure that public spaces under their management

NIS to honour payments to sugar workers

... after hammering out payment schedule with GuySuCo

The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) said that the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) will be honouring all outstanding claims made by sugar workers despite the company has not paid over millions in workers contributions to the staterun social security agency.

This announcement comes on the heels of an article published in another section of the media, stating that sugar workers’ benefits could be “endangered” because of the “non-remittance of NIS payments”.

According to a release from the Corporation, on Monday NIS “instructed all its local offices to honour all legitimate claims for benefits submitted by sugar workers”. GuySuCo stated that its officials met with the Deputy General Manager –Operations of NIS on Friday during which a payment schedule for all outstanding contributions was submitted. It added that as a result of the commitment to honour the schedule for outstanding payments and remittance, the Insurance Scheme made the decision to honour all workers claims.

The Sugar Corporation

pointed out that that it is not only the largest contributor to NIS but over the years, it has sustained a close working relationship with the Scheme. GuySuCo further stated that “at no time has any employee’s legitimate claim for benefits endangered or jeopardized as a result of any late remittance of either employee or employer’s contribution”.

The article had said that it has confirmed that GuySuCo has been deducting monies from workers but now accumulatively owes over $1.5B to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS)”. The article also reported that the matter has been engaging the attention of the Corporation and the NIS for several months following a decision taken by Government that time would be given to pay the money owed.

NIS has been facing the heat over the years for the non-payment of the benefit to contributions. One of the main issues the Insurance Scheme continues to be plagued with is missing contributions of persons. Guyanese have been complaining about years on contributions being missing

from their records and the hassle they have to undergo to retrieve them. In most of the cases, it was shown that companies have been making the payments but somehow the accumulated contributions are less than what was made.

Earlier this month NIS announced that all pensions that were payable as at December 31, 2014 would be increased by five per cent from January 1, 2015, after the Scheme achieved major success during last year. The minimum rate for Old Age and Invalidity Pensions will be increased from $19,770 to $21,532 per month. The insurable earnings which are the upper limit on earnings that attract NIS contributions will be increased from $158,159 to $170,812 per month or from $36,498 to $39,418 per week. The minimum insurable ceiling for self employed persons contributing to the Scheme will be increased from $49,384 to $53,334 per month. In addition, the NIS will be extending Social Insurance Coverage on a compulsory basis, to all persons between the ages of 16 years and 60 years who are engaged in insurable employment.

Corentyne Chamber calls for reduction in taxi, bus fares

The Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce (CCCC) is calling for a reduction in minibus and hire car fares following the announcement by Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh that gasoline prices at Guyoil pump stations has been reduced by 30 per cent.

According to the Chamber, while Government seeks to improve the quality of life of citizens by reducing the price for gasoline, the impact will negligible for most Guyanese if minibus and hire car fares are not reduced.

are kept free of litter, and that receptacles for waste deposit are provided and emptied in a timely manner. This notice is the second to a local authority, with the Town Clerk and the City Engineer of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council being served Prohibition Notices in December of 2014 regarding the state of the city’s canals on North Road and Church Street.

On the back of record lows in global fuel prices, last Monday, Minister Singh announced that gasoline and diesel prices would be reduced by 30 per cent and kerosene by 42 per cent. In a release, the CCCC said this action taken by the ruling Administration should be welcome news to the Guyanese public, as it comes in the wake of a significant drop in the price for crude oil on the world market.

However, only a small number of Guyanese own motor vehicles, and as such, the CCCC believes that Government must intervene to have fares reduced for commuters.

“With the cut in fuel prices, a reduction in passenger fares for commuters would result in a win-win situation for all,” the release added. Reduced passenger fares, the Chamber said, would ease the cost of living, which is already a burden on thousands of commuters across the country. “Reduced cost of living translates into greater disposable income and increased spending power. There is greater circulation of money and the country’s economy thereby receives a shot in the arm.”

However, while the call is

being made to Government, the CCCC notes that the ball is now in the court of the providers of transportation services, such as owners of minibuses, hire cars, water taxis, and trucking services. “It is hoped and, perhaps, expected that the thousands of commuters across Guyana who use the services of these transportation providers would also benefit from the cut in fuel prices through the lowering of passenger fares. After all, providers of transportation services will now be enjoying substantial savings on fuel costs,” the CCCC noted.

Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony receiving the cheque from Republic Bank Water Street Branch Manager Celine Davis in the presence of Permanent Secretary Alfred King, National School of Music Coordinator Andrew Tyndall; and Republic Bank Public Relations Officer Jonelle Dummett

A passenger getting into a Tapir along the Corentyne Highway

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER

Love can be hot, as long as you avoid getting trapped in a one-sided relationship. You will be lazy and will lack discipline when it comes to your fitness program. Push yourself a little harder if you don’t want to gain back those extra pounds.

Concentrate on your domestic chores before your family complains about your lack of helpfulness. You may feel a little under the weather. An early evening should help rejuvenate you.

You can meet people with influence if you attend intellectual events. Don’t exaggerate your talents. You may find yourself embarrassed.

Erratic behavior by you or your partner will lead to sudden changes in your living arrangements. Consider going for professional help if you want to improve the union.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Opportunities for financial gains are prominent. Lady Luck is with you, and your insight into making the right choices will be advantageous.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

CAPRICORN (June 21July 22)

AQUARIUS

(Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

PISCES

(Feb. 20March 20)

A romantic encounter will be stressful. Mixing business with pleasure could be fun, but highly dangerous as well. You must make some serious choices before you ruin your reputation.

Your hard work will pay off. You should feel satisfied and confident about your professional direction. Don’t let the negativity of friends or relatives cause you to question yourself or your goals.

Start those hobbies you’ve been thinking about. One of them may turn into a lucrative pastime. You can make personal changes that will enhance your appearance.

Deception is apparent when dealing with family or children. You may want to put some energy into beautifying your living quarters. Make everyone pitch in.

Travel and romance will go hand-in-hand. Your warm heart will attract many new acquaintances. Get involved in competitive sports. You need a challenge.

Don’t take chances while operating machinery or equipment. You will be misunderstood if you aren’t precise in your explanations to others. Don’t put off a doctor’s appointment just because you are feeling a little better. Stress is probably at the root of your problem. Rest will be necessary.

PeanuTs

Calvin and Hobbes

dilberT

arCHie

Flores returned unopposed as GVF boss

Captain John Flores has been returned unopposed as President of the Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF) following the federation’s Annual General Meeting last Sunday at the Guyana Olympic Association headquarters.

Flores who replaced Lennie Shuffler at the last elections, has been voted in for a second term, while

Levi Nedd was elected unopposed as Vice-president.

Nicholas Fraser was reelected unopposed as Secretary, while Shontel Maloney was elected unopposed for the position of Assistant Secretary.

Leota Langford, Raymond Archer and Mark Bradford were all elected by majority vote for the positions of Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer and Marketing

Officer respectively.

According to a release from the GVF, the Executive Committee will have its first meeting on February 7, at which time it will select a Public Relations Officer.

In addition to the federation’s calendar of activities of local and international competitions, the new Executive Committee is tasked with supporting the newly resuscitat-

ed Essequibo Volleyball Association and increasing the number of facilities, schools and clubs actively involved in the sport.

The GVF would like to thank the Guyana Olympic Association and Dr Karen Pilgrim for their inputs in the successful hosting of the AGM. Dr Pilgrim, who is the Vice-president of the GOA, took on the role of Returning Officer.

Hercules identifies structure as critical to basketball development

New President of the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) Andrew Hercules made clear his immediate goal to help develop basketball in Georgetown.

In a telephone interview with Guyana Times Sport, Hercules pointed out that a firm structure for the sport will need to be established to further develop the sport.

“My immediate goal would be to add some amount of respect to the clubs and players, to the image of the sport which has to do with structure and player

conduct.

“There is a disconnect between the administrators and the players where there is the belief by the players that the administrators are solely responsible to full the stands just to name an example,” Hercules pointed out.

In addition, Hercules identified player stats and profiles are also another are he wants to tackle which falls under structure yet again.

“There is no database, you can’t get the stats of players or their profiles

and this would connect to structure and would also help with sponsorship but I would really like to bridge the gap between players and administrators,” Hercules noted.

Hercules also mentioned that the GABA will be aiming to raise the standard of play by having specialized training from physical trainers.

However, the new President stressed that he hope the players “buy into” his system and the mechanisms he will try to put in place. (Treiston Joseph)

RHTY&SC launches

GT&T Inter-Primary Schools softball cricket tournament

The Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) on Friday last launched a softball cricket tournament for four Primary Schools on the Lower Corentyne Coast as part of its Silver Jubilee celebration.

The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) and RHTY&SC Silver Jubilee Tournament is billed for February 12, and is one of 200 programmes/activities planned by the Club for 2015 to celebrate the historic anniversary.

Club Secretary/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Hilbert Foster stated that the tournament will be contested by the Belvedere, Rose Hall, Port Mourant and Tain Primary Schools.

The one-day tournament will be played at the Area H Ground and will be 10 overs per side.

Belvedere Primary will play Rose Hall Primary in the opening match, while

Port Mourant Primary will oppose Tain Primary in the other game.

The two winning teams will battle in the final, while the two losing teams will contest the third-place playoff.

Foster revealed that the RHTY&SC would use the tournament to identify promising players for its junior development programmes.

The Club will also promote the “Say Yes to Education and Say No to Drugs and Suicide” message to the players. Foster expressed gratitude to the management of the telephone company for its support.

GT&T Public Relations Officer Allison Parker stated that the company was pleased to support the Club, which has continuously demonstrated a high level of commitment towards the development of youths and sports in Guyana.

GT&T Senior Marketing Officer Anji Hackett hands over the sponsorship cheque to RHTY&SC Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster

The new GVF Executive Committee. Standing (from left): Leota Langford-Clark, Nicholas Fraser and Raymond Archer. Sitting (from left): Shontel Malony, Levi Nedd, John Flores and Mark Bradford

Andrew Hercules

Windies legends relive glory days

There were hugs – lots of them. Countless handshakes, too. Not to mention loud outbursts of laughter while reminiscing about the glory days.

West Indies Cricket Legends Weekend, which took place over three days at three venues in Broward County this past weekend, was part reunion, part tribute – and by all accounts, a total success.

Brian Lara was in town, looking fit and scoring 108 runs to help the Legends team easily defeat a U.S.based Cavaliers XI squad in front of about 3,000 spectators at Central Broward Regional Park. Looking on from the “legends booth” at the stadium were cricket icons such as Sir Garfield Sobers, Lance Gibbs, Sir Andy Roberts and Sir Wes Hall.

Twenty-five West Indies cricket legends converged on South Florida to attend the event that was organized by the Lawrence Rowe Foundation and Class-A Events. Rowe, a native of Jamaica and former West Indies cricket star, has been a South Florida resident for more than 30 years.

Proceeds from the event will benefit Rowe’s Foundation, which helps mentor and tutor at-risk children ages 7 to 14.

“It was a very good weekend,” Rowe said. “We had a few glitches and I was a little disappointed by the crowd [at Sunday’s match], but the overwhelming reaction from the legends was positive.”

The event began Friday night with a “meet-and-

greet” at the Sheraton Suites Hotel in Plantation. On Saturday night there was a banquet at the South Florida Conference Center in Margate, followed by Sunday’s exhibition match featuring Legends vs. Cavaliers XI.

Sobers, widely considered the greatest cricket player ever, was a fan favorite during the weekend, posing for hundreds of photos and signing bats and other memorabilia.

“This weekend has been wonderful,” said Sobers, 78, who lives in his native Barbados. “It’s one of the best I’ve been to in a long time. Lawrence worked hard to put it on.”

Former West Indies wicket keeper Deryck Murray concurred.

“It’s a tremendous op-

portunity for us as individuals to interact,” he said. “It’s an important occasion for the people of Florida. Hopefully it will inspire others to do the same.”

Erstwhile fast bowler Hall, a virtual renaissance man who has been a cricketer, politician, businessman, West Indies Cricket Board president, and now an ordained minister, said what he liked best about the event was Rowe’s effort to give back to the community.

“I’m seeing great evidence of him helping the youth,” Hall said. “You can give back not only to the place you come from, but also give back to your adopted country. It’s a tremendous privilege to be with the guys again. This is what we as older West Indies play-

ers should do – support ventures like these.”

Rowe said the event was so well-received that one group is already trying to organize a Cricket Legends weekend in North Carolina later this year.

“We’re also getting calls from New York,” Rowe said. “We hopes to make it an annual event [in South Florida]. Next time we may even have a different format, like three teams.”

Rowe said he hopes to bring even more West Indies legends for the next South Florida event, such as Viv Richards, Clive Lloyd and Courtney Walsh – who were unable to attend this past weekend because of scheduling conflicts.

“We’re really garnering a lot of support,” he said.

(Windies Cricket)

St Kitts and Nevis awarded CPL Franchise

The 2014 semi-finals and final were held at Warner Park in St Kitts and the new team has been awarded as a result of strong support from government and local business.

St Kitts and Nevis' Minister of Sports, the Honourable Glenn Phillip, said: "Last year the government of St Kitts and Nevis was delighted to support the CPL by hosting the semi-finals and final as well as a series of neutral games. That partnership reaped great rewards as St Kitts and Nevis enjoyed a significant return on investment. Overall the economy benefited to the tune of $26m, which comfortably exceeded our expectations.

"Hosting the games highlighted that St Kitts and Nevis is home to some of the most passionate cricket fans in the region and having our own franchise team here will

be a source of great pride for the people of St Kitts and Nevis, whilst also benefiting local businesses, as fans from around the region and overseas make the journey to watch the games at the Warner Park Stadium. CPL is watched by millions of fans worldwide."

Pete Russell, Chief Executive Officer of CPL, said it was a great opportunity for local players and added: "We have had a wonderful relationship with the government since we first started planning for CPL games in 2014 and we are now able to bring a team to St Kitts and Nevis.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for the country as fans get the opportunity to support their own team - we all look forward to the unrivalled passion that will again be evident at the Warner Park Stadium." (CPLt20.com)

Davis leads Pelicans to easy win

Anthony Davis had 32 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots as the New Orleans Pelicans stretched their season-long winning streak to four games with a 99-74 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.

Ryan Anderson scored 19 points and Eric Gordon added 13 for New Orleans, while Tyreke Evans tied a season high — set one night earlier — with 12 assists.

K.J. McDaniels scored 16 points for the 76ers, who lost their sixth straight.

Henry Sims and Luc Mbah a Moute had 14 points. Philadelphia played without Michael CarterWilliams, who was sidelined by an upper respiratory infection.

Davis was 12-of-19 shooting, including five layups and five crowd-pleasing dunks, and made all eight of his free throws as New Orleans (24-21) went three games above .500 for

the first time since coach Monty Williams’ first season in 2010-11.

Thunder 92, Timberwolves 84

Russell Westbrook scored 18 points as Oklahoma City got the win while playing without the injured Kevin Durant.

Durant sat out after spraining the big toe on his left foot Sunday against Cleveland. Westbrook shot just 7 for 22 from the field, but was 4 for 6 and scored 11 points in the fourth quarter to help the Thunder remain in control. Serge Ibaka added 13 points and a seasonhigh 19 rebounds.

Andrew Wiggins scored 23 points, Thaddeus Young had 22 and Gorgui Dieng had a season-high 18 rebounds for the league-worst Timberwolves, who shot a season-low 34.1 percent from the field.

Anthony Morrow and Reggie Jackson each had 14 points to help Oklahoma City’s reserves outscore

Minnesota’s 45-21. Clippers 102, Nuggets

98 Jamal Crawford scored 19 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter as the Los

Angeles Clippers held off the Denver Nuggets for their fifth straight victory. Crawford scored their final five points and had a key save that led to a bas-

ket in the closing seconds, when the Clippers completed their biggest comeback of the season after being down by 16 earlier in the game.

Matt Barnes added 18 points for Los Angeles, and Blake Griffin had 14 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists. Chris Paul scored 15 points.

Ty Lawson led the Nuggets with 19 points and 11 assists.

Grizzlies 103, Magic 94

Zach Randolph had 24 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in Memphis’ third straight win, and Marc Gasol added 16 points and 10 boards.

Beno Udrih added 15 points and Jeff Green finished with 12 for the Grizzlies.

Orlando, which dropped its sixth in a row, got 18 points and 12 rebounds from Nikola Vucevic. Victor Oladipo also had 18 points and Elfrid Payton had 12 points and six assists, but

shot 5 of 14 from the field. Dewayne Dedmon had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Memphis led by as many as 20 and held a double-digit advantage through much of the game.

Celtics 99, Jazz 90 Tayshaun Prince scored 19 points as Boston held on for the road win.

Tyler Zeller had 14 points and seven rebounds for the Celtics, who grabbed control with a big second quarter. Jared Sullinger had 12 points and nine rebounds, and Avery Bradley also scored 12.

Prince, who was acquired from Memphis in a three-team trade on Jan. 12, was 7 for 10 from the field and 3 for 4 at the freethrow line.

Gordon Hayward had 26 points for Utah, and Enes Kanter finished with 20. Boston outscored Utah 38-14 in the second quarter, shooting 60 percent from the field in the period.

(Sports Hub)

Some of the legends during the final night of the event

NBA roundup…

Anthony Davis

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Murray battles to semifinal of Australian Open

Britain’s Andy Murray ended the run of home favourite Nick Kyrgios with a brilliant display to reach the Australian Open semi-finals.

Murray, 27, outsmarted the 19-year-old to win 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 and set up a clash with Tomas Berdych on Thursday.

Kyrgios threatened a comeback in the second set tie-break but two superb lobs helped the Scot to a crucial lead.

The sixth seed is through to his fifth Australian Open and 15th Grand Slam semifinal.

In the last four he will take on seventh seed Berdych, now working with Murray’s former coach Dani Vallverdu who left the Briton’s team in November.

While Berdych enjoyed a landmark win over Rafael Nadal in his quarter-final, Murray overcame the great new hope of Australian tennis - and a packed and expectant crowd on Rod Laver Arena.

“I didn’t go into it obviously thinking like that,” said Murray about facing the home favourite.

“I was just trying to win against Nick, which was tough because he has an exceptional serve and makes it very difficult for you when he’s serving.

“And it was very tricky conditions as well, so I was quite happy with the way I handled everything tonight.”

The dominant force from the outset, particularly on serve, Murray used a variety

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of spins and angles to keep Kyrgios off balance.

When Kyrgios did suggest a fightback, the Briton was able to find a big serve or a winner to halt the momentum.

Two terrific lunging returns set up a break point in game six and a sliced backhand drew the error when Kyrgios went for too much.

On a cold and breezy evening, the home crowd needed their man to bring a bit of heat to the contest and, after saving an early break point in the second, he worked his way into the match.

A tie-break was required and Kyrgios looked likely to take it when he turned around a 2-0 deficit to lead 4-3 with a break, but Murray played a magical forehand lob to wrestle back the initiative.

The Australian had a halfchance facing a second serve at 5-5 but could not make the return, and Murray produced another winning lob off the backhand to clinch the set.

A furious Kyrgios risked

a point penalty when he smashed his racquet, having earlier been warned for an audible obscenity, but at least escaped that punishment as he faced the prospect of recovering from two sets down for the second time in three days. Murray further tightened his grip when he made it a hat-trick of unplayable lobs on the way to breaking for 4-2 in the third, only to slip up with the finish line in sight.

It took nearly two hours for Kyrgios to earn a break point but he converted his second when a distracted Murray netted a backhand, and the crowd came to life.

Murray needed to snuff out the danger quickly and he did just that, thanks in part to a poor line call at 30-0 down which he capitalised on with two thumping cross-court forehand winners. It left the British number one serving for the match, and there were no alarms this time as he sealed it with a smooth forehand winner down the line. (BBC Sport)

Nadal ousted from Australian Open

Tomas Berdych ended a 17-match losing streak against Rafael Nadal as he outplayed the Spaniard to reach the Australian Open semi-finals.

The Czech, seeded seventh, won 6-2 6-0 7-6 (7-5) and will face Andy Murray or Nick Kyrgios in the last four.

Berdych, 29, began working with Murray’s former coach Dani Vallverdu at the end of 2014.

An 18th successive defeat by third seed Nadal would have set a new record for men’s tennis.

“It feels great,” said Berdych. “The really good thing is the plan that we put together was the right one.

“Everything was working. I was able to execute it really well. But still, until the last point you can’t think about anything else.

“When it’s done, it’s done. It’s great. I might be think about it and enjoy the time until tomorrow morning. When I wake up, I need to get myself ready for another one. There is a still long way to go in this tournament and I need to be ready for it.”

Nine years after his last victory against the 14-time Grand Slam champion, Berdych took full advantage of an opponent struggling desperately to find his game.

Nadal, 28, was playing only his 12th match since Wimbledon last sum-

mer, and his first against a top-10 opponent since he beat Novak Djokovic in the French Open final in June.

He insisted there had been no physical issues, saying it was “just not my day”, but added: “You cannot expect to win matches in quarter-finals of a Grand Slam helping the opponent to play well.

“That’s what I did the first two sets. From the beginning of the third, I played with more character.

“More the way that I have to play to be where I want to be, where I have been for the last lot of years.”

A wrist injury and appendicitis decimated the second half of 2014 for the Spaniard and the lack of big matches told in dramatic style on Tuesday.

He won just two games in the first hour of play, failing to register a single point behind his second serve and

underpowered on his usually fearsome forehand.

Berdych was attacking Nadal’s serve at will and dominant on his own, apparently cruising to victory, but there was a spark of life from the 2009 champion.

Finally fired up, Nadal found some big serves to fend off three breaks points and then two match points in the third set as Berdych moved to within touching distance of a landmark win.

The Czech appeared certain to reach his second successive Melbourne semi-final when he raced 5-1 clear in the tie-break, but back came Nadal once again to heap on the pressure at 5-4 and 6-5.

Faced with a fourth match point on his own serve, Berdych faltered with his first attempt only to fire down his biggest second serve of the tournament, leaving Nadal helpless. (BBC Sport)

Andy Murray

Tomas Berdych’s pumps his fist as his last victory over Rafael Nadal came in 2006 at the ATP Masters Series in Madrid

Golden Jaguars to trim squad on Thursday

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

With the friend-

ly clash with Barbados now just a matter of days away, the Golden Jaguars are winding down preparations for the highly anticipated game at the Barbados National Stadium on Sunday, start-

ing at 19:00h.

The preliminary squad of players went through their paces on Tuesday morning at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ground, Camp Ayanganna, Georgetown with the hope of impressing the Technical Team and making the final 18-man squad to travel to the Land of the Flying Fish. The final squad will be announced on Thursday afternoon.

The players, three of whom are overseas-based, were under the watchful eyes of Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz, with support from Assistant Coach Wayne “Wiggy” Dover.

When this publication arrived at the venue, Shabazz was busy leading the players through a simulation exercise, geared at evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the squad in a game situation. Again, the issue of fitness was foremost in the mind of Shabazz.

“I think the guys came in very unfit. We’ve been able to push them a little, but of course you can’t get fit in six days. So we have to watch the rest and recovery, but all in all, I’m satisfied with the enthusiasm and the effort; it’s been really good,” Shabazz divulged.

Shabazz, who is on his third stint with the Golden

Jaguars, also expressed his elation with the attitude of the players, noting that their work ethics has been admirable.

“We’ve not had one single disciplinary problem with any of the guys. We’ve had guys pushing each other for a spot and it augers well for us in the future,” the former Technical Director pointed out.

Shabazz also underscored the role of the foreign players during the camp, which started on Thursday last. According to him, the overseas players came with match time in their legs, which is a plus for any side.

One such player is Emery Welshman, the Canadabased Forward of Guyanese parentage. Welshman, who played for MLS side, Toronto FC, said he was delighted to link up with the Golden Jaguars unit for the

first time.

“It’s been a good experience. It feels good to come back to the home country of my parents. The players are good; beautiful weather, good food, good experience so far,” Welshman said.

Welshman, who currently plays for Sigma FC, said the lack of opportunities in Canada would have inspired him to try out for the Golden Jaguars, noting that he intends to have a long and distinguished career playing under the colours of the Golden Arrowhead.

“That’s the plan. Hopefully, I could go down as one of the top players in Guyana’s history. I’m only 23 now, so in another 10 years I can keep playing,” Welshman envisaged.

The Golden Jaguars are slated to depart Guyana on Friday afternoon onboard a LIAT flight from the

RHTY&SC receives assistance from three businesses

The Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) Silver Jubilee anniversary celebration continues to attract support from corporate Guyana with three major business entities making contributions to the club.

The donations are a major boost to the RHTY&SC, which aims to complete a record breaking 200 programmes/activities in 2015.

Club Secretary/Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Hilbert Foster stated that the club’s cricket development programme received a timely donation of two dozens of cricket balls from Mings Products Service of Urguhart Street, Georgetown, while P&P Insurance Brokers and John Fernandes Limited, both made substantial financial contributions.

According to Foster the financial contributions will be used towards the club’s “Say Yes to Sports” Project, which

Ogle International Airport at 14:50h, and Welshman would no doubt be harbouring thoughts of being among the 18 to make that trip.

The game is the Golden Jaguars’ first on a path to upward mobility on the FIFA rankings after they would have dropped from an all-time high of 86 in November 2010 to a current position of 167.

Solomon, Sheldon Holder, Clive Nobrega, Colin Nelson, Dwight Peters, Tishard Joseph, Dwayne Lawrence, Domini Garnett, Travis Hillman, Rawle Gittins, Denver Dennis, Calvin Sheppard, Joshua Brown, Eusi Phillips and Vurlon Mills.

A representative from P&P Insurance Brokers hands over cheque to Mark Papannah of the RHTY&SC

seeks to promote sports as a safe alternative for youths.

Foster expressed gratitude to three business entities for their donations and reassured the donors that the RHTY&SC will use it for the intended purpose.

Representatives of the three companies extended congratulations to the RHTYSC on its Silver Jubilee anniversary and wished the club more success in the future.

The preliminary squad reads: Christopher Nurse, Jamaal Smith, Emery Welshman, Brydon Caeser, O'Neil Carter, Oswald Cornett, Omallo Williams, Travis Henry, Solomon Austin, Kris Camacho, Quincy Madramootoo, Trevon Lithcott, Dwain Jacobs, Amos Ramsey, Daniel Wilson, Keron

The Technical Team comprises Jamaal Shabazz (Head Coach), Wayne Dover (Assistant Coach), Claude Bolton (Technical Director), Trevor Burnett (Manager - Equipment), Faizal Khan (Manager - Commercial and Administrative), Mark Xavier (Manager - Operations), Anson Ambrose (Trainer), Andrew Hazel (Goalkeeping Coach) and Debita Harriprashad (Physiotherapist).

WICB announces Yepme as World Cup sponsors

The West Indies Cricket Board today announced that Yepme will be the West Indies team sponsor for the Cricket World Cup 2015 in Australia and New Zealand.

“We welcome Yepme to the West Indies cricket family of sponsors and partners for the world’s premier cricket event – the ICC Cricket World Cup,” WICB Commercial Manager Nelecia Yeates said.

“We look forward to a mutually beneficial association as the West Indies team remains one of the most attractive cricket teams in the world and will be one of the favourite teams in the World Cup,” Yeates added.

“We are glad to bring together two great teams, Yepme and the West Indies cricket team. The ICC World Cup 2015 is going to be one of the biggest sports events this year. West Indies, as always will be a strong contender for the World Cup and the event gives Yepme a global platform to showcase their brand,” said Vishal Jaison, co-founder and director of Baseline Ventures

Pte Ltd, which represents Yepme.

“We are very excited about this sponsorship with West Indies team in the ICC World Cup. Being the third largest sports tournament in the world which will be seen in more than 182 countries, it’s a huge opportunity for Yepme to strengthen its vision as a global brand,” said Mr. Sandeep Sharma, founder and Chief Operations Officer of Yepme.

“We are definitely looking at this association as a good platform to gain popularity and increase awareness. With a viewership of over one billion in the last tournament, we are expected to get guaranteed exposure making it a very profitable investment,” Mr. Sharma added.

Yepme is a Gurgaon, Haryana headquartered online shopping company which specializes in online retailing of men and women’s garments and accessories.

The Cricket World Cup commences on February 14th with West Indies playing their opening match on February 16th against Ireland. (Windies Cricket)

The goalkeeper is beaten during a game simulation exercise on Tuesday at the GDF ground

(Photo: Avenash Ramzan)

Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz and Christopher Nurse observe the players in action

Emery Welshman

Administrative Assistant of Mings Lanshell Downes presents some of the balls to RHTY&SC Mark Papannah in the presence of Joy Ann Lewis

“Big

blow”; “right move”; “can’t blame him”

− reactions to Sunil Narine’s withdrawal from World Cup

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

Sunil Narine’s abrupt withdrawal from the Cricket World Cup has left the Caribbean and the wider in a state of shock, as one of the game’s most recognisable figures will no longer be part of cricket’s mega event in Australia and New Zealand next month.

Only Sunday last, the mystery spinner was wielding his magic at the Queen’s Park Oval, snaring 6-9 from eight overs to hand Trinidad

and Tobago Red Force a commanding 135-run victory over Guyana Jaguars in the final of the NAGICO Super50 tournament.

Despite that successful comeback, after being on the sidelines for three months, Narine admitted that he was not completely confident about returning to international cricket. He made the disclosure via a West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) release on Tuesday.

for both West Indies’ and my sake we have decided to delay my return to international cricket until I am 100 per cent confident in all that I do,” Narine said.

The Trinidadian offspinner has decided to give himself more time to work on his bowling action, which was reported as suspect in successive matches during last year’s Champions League T20 where he represented Indian Premier League (IPL) side, Kolkata Knight Riders.

Reactions

The move by Narine was met with mixed reactions on Tuesday when this publication sought a few invited comments.

“Playing for [T&T] Red Force and winning the NAGICO Super50 has been a big boost, but going in to the World Cup is a little too much too soon and, after consulting the WICB,

“That’s a big surprise, especially with the form he displayed in the game against Guyana,” Dowlin commented. “In the 50-over game you want an attacking option and that’s exactly what the West Indies need heading into a World Cup; Sunil would have provided that. “So it’s a big blow because Sunil would not have only restricted the batsmen, but he would have picked up

wickets and created pressure. Also with the rules now he would have been an integral part of the Powerplay bowling options available to the captain.”

Former West Indies fast bowler Reon King said he supports the move by Narine, noting that as a player one has to be honest with one’s self.

“He has to be honest with himself, and he’s done just that,” King remarked.

Former West Indies and Guyana batsman Travis Dowlin said the move came as a “big surprise” and is a “big blow” for West Indies with the World Cup just a matter of weeks away.

Holder: Victory shows Windies can stack up

Captain Jason Holder believes West Indies’ triumph in Sunday’s fourth One-Day International against South Africa, was a reminder the Caribbean side can compete strongly with top sides in the world.

Trailing 3-0 in the series, West Indies bounced back to beat the Proteas by one wicket at St George’s Park, after chasing down 263 with nine balls to spare.

“We have known it from the start, that we have the ability to win cricket games. It’s just one or two mistakes that have cost us games –losing wickets in clusters, a dropped chance or even one or two big overs when we bowled,” said Holder.

“It’s all about putting together the complete game. Fortunately … we were able to get over the line even though I don’t think we played the complete the game in that we let it get down to number 11.

“Having said that, it’s just good to get across the line, it does a lot for our mo-

rale.”

Holder was the best bowler with four for 53 as West Indies strung together a disciplined performance to limit the Proteas to 262 for eight, despite David Miller’s splendid unbeaten 130.

West Indies then fought their way out of trouble thanks to half-centuries from Andre Russell (64 not out), Marlon Samuels (68) and Darren Sammy (51).

“I’m obviously very

“You don’t want to go to a World Cup feeling your way. You have to hit the ground running so on that grounds I support his move to withdraw. Coming back with a bang last weekend would have given him confidence, but as player he has to be honest to himself in such a situation.”

King’s former new ball partner at the First-Class level for Guyana, Colin Stuart, said the future growth of the player in question may be more important than risking him in a World Cup for immediate gains.

“He’s definitely one of the better players in world cricket at the moment, simply because batsmen have not been able to pick him. He still mesmerises and is appropriately called the mystery spinner,” Stuart said.

“Obviously, he would have had his own reasons for pulling out, but as I see it, future growth may be more important than the immediate need, which is the World Cup.

Nevertheless, he would be a great loss, because in the 50-over game you need bowlers who can keep the economy rate down and take wickets, and he’s capable of doing both.”

Cricinfo columnist Colin Benjamin also shared his thoughts on Narine missing out on what would have been his first 50-over World Cup.

“From a global perspective it is good that the ICC is cracking down on illegal action/mystery spinners. The sport has had many ‘chuckers’ taking wickets for too long.

“However, I remain puzzled why Narine was ever called since I’ve never noticed any chucking faults in him. His action to me is just as normal as other regular international off-spinners such as Ravi Ashwin, Nathan Lyon and Mark Craig,” Benjamin said.

“However, if Narine doesn’t feel comfortable with the new action, you can’t blame him for pulling out of World Cup. Given how questionable WICB has been treating its major players over the years, it makes no sense for Narine to risk being called on WICB duty.”

Narine’s decision comes less than a week after the ICC revealed that it will fast-track the testing process during the World Cup and submit a report within a week of the bowler’s action being reported.

The faster evaluation is part of ICC’s effort to eradicate suspect bowling actions and is bound to defeat any strategy of teams saving bowlers with suspect actions for the latter stages of the World Cup; that would have worked under the standard regulations applicable to non-ICC Events where the bowler can continue to bowl in international cricket as long as he is tested within three weeks of being reported.

pleased. It’s been a tough tour so far and we’ve already lost the series but as I said before, it’s just about salvaging some pride and I was just very pleased to see how the guys came out and won this game …,” Holder pointed out.

“Being three-nil down is not a good note but it was very fitting how the guys came out to this game and performed. They were always up for it, the attitude was very good.

“We just had a little blemishes in the field here and there but apart from that, I thought we played a really good game of cricket.”

Holder, revelling in his first win since taking over as captain at the start of the series, admitted there was some doubt about the result with the last pair at the wicket.

“I was worried when it was down to the last pair obviously but knowing the expertise of my finisher Russell, I still had that hope and obviously Russell pulled it off for us.” (Windies Cricket)

Sunil Narine is one of the most marketable players in world cricket

Reon King

Colin Stuart

Travis Dowlin

Jason Holder

Golden Jaguars to trim squad on Thursday

St Kitts to host 10 games in CPL this year

St Kitts and Nevis will host 10 matches in the third edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) which is due to begin in June, the country’s sports Minister Glenn Phillip announced on Sunday.

Addressing a rally in central Basseterre, Phillip told the crowd that an agreement to this effect has already been finalized with the CPL.

Warner Park hosted nine games in the second edition of the CPL last year.

“CPL will be here once again. We will be having 10 games! Today, we finalised all of the paperwork. CPL will be here this year again; 10 games, one more game than we had last year,” declared Phillip as election campaigning builds ahead of a general election.

“This is a hard work-

Narine withdraws from World Cup

If the dropping of Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard followed by the one-sided ODI series defeat in South Africa were not enough, West Indies’ worries ahead of World Cup 2015 have intensified with their premier spinner Sunil Narine deciding to pull out of the squad. Mystery spinner Narine decided to give himself more time to work on his bowling action, which was reported as suspect in successive matches during last year’s Champions League T20 where Narine represented Kolkata Knight Riders.

Following that, Narine had told the WICB that he would take care of his rehabilitation on his own. It is understood that Knight Riders were heavily involved in helping Narine during the time.

After more than three months away from competitive cricket, Narine was instrumental in Trinidad & Tobago winning the domestic one-day competition on Sunday. He delivered an unbroken eight-over spell in which he cut through Guyana with his variations on his way to a six-for that included the wicket of the vastly-experienced Shivnarine Chanderpual, who was lbw to a classic offbreak.

Despite that successful comeback, Narine admitted that he was not completely confident about returning to international cricket. “Playing for [T&T] Red Force and winning the NAGICO Super50 has been a big boost, but going in to the World Cup is a little too much too soon and, after consulting the WICB, for both West Indies’ and my sake we have decided to delay my return to international

cricket until I am 100% confident in all that I do,” Narine said in a WICB media release. “Whilst I am very happy with the progress made to date with my action, and I express my thanks to the coaches working with me in Trinidad and Dr Daryl Foster in Perth, Australia, I am withdrawing from the World Cup.”

Incidentally Narine’s decision comes less than a week after the ICC revealed that it will fast-track the testing process during the World Cup and submit a report within a week of the bowler’s action being reported. The faster evaluation is part of ICC’s effort to eradicate suspect bowling actions and is bound to defeat any strategy of teams saving bowlers with suspect actions for the latter stages of the World Cup; that would have worked under the Standard Regulations applicable to nonICC Events where the bowler can continue to bowl in international cricket as long as he is tested within three weeks of being reported.

Despite not playing any international cricket after the Champions League, Narine was included in the World Cup squad by the Clive Lloyd-lead selection panel. In the Champions League, umpires initially reported three deliveries from Narine - all quick balls - in a group match against Dolphins. Knight Riders took a gamble by playing him in the semi-finals against Hobart Hurricanes. Narine, who managed to finish as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker, was banned from bowling in the final after all four semi-final overs were deemed suspect. (Cricinfo)

Sunil Narine

Players battle for possession at the morning session on Tuesday

Warner Park