Guyana Times Daily - December 19, 2015

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Issue No. 2712

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Private Sector cannot match $50K bonus for workers

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

URP drops out of LGE

P2

Page 11

As out-of-control crime spirals….

Armed bandits rob Region Market vendor shot 6 Chairman’s business in failed robbery Page 9

Page 17

Health Ministry spreads Christmas cheer to the elderly

…says Elections will not be fair

3 vehicle smash-up snarls DHB rush hour traffic P10 Communities need to fight domestic violence P2

Page 16

…Minister Lawrence insists

Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton on Friday joined other Health Ministry staffers in spreading Christmas Cheer to residents of the Uncle Eddies Home as part of Government’s aim to lift the spirits of the country’s seniors

Manslaughter charge Govt keeps supersized for Cops in Mahaica pay hikes – Jagdeo whips APNU/AFC man’s shooting over insensitivity

Page 7

Page 17

Govt to track traffic offenders with specialised licence plates Page 9

– receives proposal from German company

Guyanese share mixed views about spending power, P16 holidays Govt ‘mum’ on Berbice Bridge toll reduction P3

– Third deadline fizzles

2 news

saturday, december 19, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

URP drops out of LGE – says Elections will not be fair

T

he United Republican Party (URP) has taken a decision not to participate in the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE), since it said nothing has changed since the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) refused to honour its requests in the May 11 General Elections, raising its fears that the process would not be fair.

The lightweight political party had recently accused the Commission of cheating the electoral process in May, stating that there were fake Statements of Polls and the stuffing of ballot boxes. The group noted also that several voters had sworn they had voted for URP, yet results showed that the group received none of the votes.

“Last May, prior to the General Elections, we made a list of requests to GECOM that promised to honour them. But the election body broke its commitment, failing to deliver on most of the

URP President Vishnu Bandhu

simple requests, including to grant accreditation to our polling agents to be present at the polling stations to guarantee a free and fair election. What followed was a very controversial election that cannot be deemed to be free and fair and/or accurate representation of the will of the people,” URP stated in a recent release.

Following the Elections, the Party had requested to

view the SoPs, but was denied.

URP President Vishnu Bandhu on Friday alleged that his Party was asked to bear witness to the opening of ballot boxes at a particular time in Vreed-en-Hoop, West Bank Demerara, a few days after the Elections, but when his agents showed up at the GECOM sub-station where ballot boxes were stored, they were informed that the boxes had already been opened, so they left. Incredulously, the URP President noted that a day later, a statement (on GECOM’s letterhead) was presented to his party agents to sign that they witnessed the opening of the ballot boxes.

“We refused to sign! That is evidence of something amiss about the conduct of the election and no investigation till this date was undertaken,” he stated.

Bandhu further stated that URP did not wish to be party to fraud, noting that

if the Elections Commission could not honour its simple requests in the General Elections, “what confidence is there that this local election will be free and fair?

Nothing has changed since May to bolster confidence in GECOM presiding over a clean election. Thus, URP will not contest the election as a party.”

However, the Party encouraged independent candidates and community groups to contest the elections, adding that it would support candidates who it believed genuinely had at heart the interests of their communities.

The Party also called on the three parties represented in Parliament to pass legislation to empower the local communities to control their own destinies – running their own local affairs including the power to tax, legislate, establish policing units, schooling, and develop their neighbourhoods.

Communities need to fight domestic violence …Minister Lawrence insists

Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence

By Akeem Greene

T

he prevalence of domestic violence and other closely related social ills have been the cause for public outcry and Minister of Social Protection Volda Lawrence has underscored the importance of having a community-oriented effort in tackling domestic violence.

Minister Lawrence recently speaking to Guyana Times admitted her ministry “cannot do it alone”.

The reports emanating from domestic violence suggests victims are afraid to come forward, and in this regard the minister said, “We will be seeking help from Churches, non-governmental organisations and groups of similar nature that are community based”.

When quizzed about the role the ministry would play, if these organisations were to be more actively involved in the fight against the heinous violence, the minister explained: “It’s a collaborative effort, and these groups will liaison with the ministry officials who will work together in dealing with the problems.”

The Social Protection Minister is also exploring the idea of placing doctors in communities to aid in dealing with these issues: “We are

considering placing doctors in communities to deal with not domestic violence victims only but other prevalent social issues; even if we have to pay them on (a) monthly basis, is being considered.”

Domestic violence affects both men and women but based on the public’s outcry, women are the most unfortunate victims. In addressing the core causes, the minister said: “We are setting up a gender unit and seeking to engage men more in conversations concerning the issue.”

Only recently Red Thread (women’s group) voiced concerns over the manner in which domestic violence is being handled especially by the police force. The group stated the only way violence will be eliminated is if Guyanese are able to cultivate a culture of zero tolerance for violence of every kind. The group had noted that after years of intervention by various groups, violence, especially domestic violence, is still very rampant across the country.

Charity office

Counsellor and social worker Beatrice Mittelholzer has called for the establishment of a social security office at Charity, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), stating that social ills such as teenage pregnancy, school dropouts, domestic violence, and suicide are on the rise.

When Guyana Times spoke to a senior official at the Social Protection Ministry, they explained: “Many times these issues are not wholly the responsibility of the social protection ministry, many times these matters would primarily concern other ministries but what is needed is a fusion of resources to combat the problems”.

Turn to page 13

3 Govt ‘mum’ on Berbice Bridge toll reduction news

saturday, december 19, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, December 19 – 11:30h-13:00h and Sunday, December 20 – 12:30h-14:00h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, December 19 – 10:25h-11:55h and Sunday, December 20 – 11:40h-13:10h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Weather: Thundery to heavy rain showers can be expected in the morning, while light rain showers with sunny intervals can be expected in the afternoon. Thundery showers are expected to return in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly between 3.57 metres and 5.36 metres per second.

High Tide: 10:56h and 23:30h reaching maximum heights of 2.39 metres and 2.35 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 04:20h and 16:58h reaching minimum heights of 0.83 metre and 0.85 metre respectively.

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

– third deadline fizzles

BY KRISTEN MACKLINGAM

A

s the end of 2015 draws near, Government remains mum on its promise of ensuring that the Berbice River Bridge toll reductions are implemented, which would alleviate the burden of many commuters.

Although the Administration had promised that December 1 would have been the deadline for the reduction of tolls, this did not materialise.

The most recent update that this publication had received was that the Berbice Bridge Company Inc (BBCI) and the Government were to meet on Monday last where the agreement(s) between the two parties would have been finalised.

However, to date, the Administration has failed to divulge any information about this recent meeting and whether or not the bridge tolls will be reduced.

The Government has also failed to say whether the key shareholders and stakeholders have agreed to lower the interest on their returns and reach an agreement on a lower payback period on their investments.

Guyana Times contacted Junior Public Infrastructure Minister Annette Ferguson on Friday evening who stated that she was unable to provide any information about the meeting because she was

not in attendance.

Minister Ferguson explained that while she did not have the details of what transpired or what decisions were made at the last meeting on Monday, she would willingly share with this publication whatever information she was given.

This newspaper was able to confirm that another meeting with the board of Trustees is scheduled to take place today where an agreement on the way forward could be reached.

It must be reminded that prior to the scheduled meeting on Monday last, the BBCI had agreed to accept Government’s proposed $40 million subsidy.

However, Cabinet still needed to decide on additional terms which the Bridge Company needed to be addressed.

This publication was

earlier told that while the BBCI has already accepted Government’s $40 million subvention towards the reduction of the toll, the Cabinet was considering some additional considerations submitted by the Company.

Additionally, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government is still to address the issue of the $500 million bond principal that has to be paid to financiers at the end of 2015.

Back in August, the BBCI had rejected Government’s offer of financial subsidies to cover the loss of tolls that would result from the APNU/ AFC’s election promise being fulfilled, on the grounds that its shareholders were not consulted on the matter.

During its first Budget presentation, the APNU/AFC coalition had announced that effective September 1, it was

reducing the bridge toll from $2200 to $1900 for passenger cars and minibuses, along with a 10 per cent reduction for other classes of vehicles.

It was explained that the Bridge Company would not lose, as the losses created by the reduction would be borne

by Government.

However, the BBCI insisted its current financial position was impeding the implementation of the reduction.

The Company had said it continuously pointed out to the Administration that the subsidy being offered to facilitate the reduction was insufficient to offset its debt.

Consequently, it requested that Government extend the concession period from 21 to 50 years or increase the bridge tolls by 55 per cent before it implemented the new fare structure. But Government refused.

Turn to page 10

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saturday, december 19, 2015

Views World Air Games Editor(ag): Michael Younge Tel: 225-8697, 225-6695, 225-5634, 225-8696, 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

Mexican rice market D

espite of the government securing a deal with Mexico to have the Spanish-speaking nation purchase rice from Guyana, this will not dent the burden that rice farmers are facing after losing out on the lucrative PetroCaribe deal between Venezuela and Guyana.

Regardless of the touts by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo that Mexico may indeed be purchasing more rice from Guyana than what Venezuela did in the past, the fact is that the price would not be the same or even similar to what Venezuela paid. As a matter of fact, following the loss of Guyana’s most lucrative rice market, Guyana has agreed to sell its white rice for US$335 to US$400 per tonne, having previously been receiving US$780 from Venezuela.

The price previously offered by Venezuela is almost double that of the world market price, which averages at US$390 per tonne. Prime Minister Nagamootoo early in December had explained that Mexico could as soon as next month, begin securing rice from Guyana. He said that despite the embargo placed by Venezuela on Guyana’s rice, at present Guyana is selling rice to 38 countries.

However, it must be reminded that while Mexico may be a new market, it will not be an ideal market for the Mexicans unless Guyana accepts extremely low prices for its rice shipments.

Under the North American Free Trade (NAFT) agreement the primary rough rice shipment market for the United States of America is Mexico.

Presently the First World country exports a large bulk of its rice to Mexico annually and has been doing so for many years.

Recently one of the top packers in Mexico began shifting purchases back to US rice from Uruguay and other origins due to better prices, logistics and quality.

The US already enjoys a significant quality, logistic and name recognition advantage in Mexico, especially against Asia.

Mexican imports of rice are still dominated by paddy rice, but a shift has been taking place. Paddy used to be 95 per cent of imports but has been reduced to almost 75 per cent with milled rice constituting the remaining 25 per cent.

If Guyana inks a deal with Mexico for the exportation of Guyana’s rice into that country then it would end up costing more to have it shipped from Guyana to Mexico in comparison to what the US would pay when shipping their rice to Mexico.

In fact, the US sells its rice cheaper than that of Guyana and even if a smaller country like Guyana were to compete with rice prices against the US, it would mean that rice farmers would have to sell their rice to millers at a very low cost.

Should this happen in the case with Mexico and Guyana this would mean that not only has the government caused the PetroCaribe deal with Venezuela to come to an abrupt end, but the administration would have failed to replace this lucrative market.

Currently the rice industry in Guyana continues to crumble and rice farmers are frustrated and aggravated with the losses they are suffering.

The price for an average bag of paddy is less than what it costs to produce.

Now that the new Opposition Coalition, which currently has majority, in the Spanish-speaking country’s National Assembly, plans to review its PetroCaribe deal oil alliance of many Caribbean states, Guyana should jump at the opportunity to renegotiate this deal with that country.

Admittedly it was a secured and highly favoured deal that benefitted our rice farmers tremendously. It is time we are mature as a nation, to place vanity aside and flex our diplomacy skills and seek to persistently renegotiate with the Venezuelans.

Our rice industry serves as a livelihood to thousands of Guyanese and contributes significantly to our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for it to fail. We need to go back to that place where rice is once again among the illumination of our economic accomplishment.

The World Air Games in Dubai sees more than 850 competitors from 55 countries compete in 23 different disciplines, from model aircraft racing to speed skydiving. In this photo, the United Arab Emirates national aerobatic display team, Al Fursan, perform a double helix with smoke (BBC News)

Activists must speak out against firing of workers Dear Editor, The recent removal of Khurshid Sattaur and others sends a message that no one is safe at a public service position unless one is a known supporter of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) regime.

The removal (termination, firing) of thousands of Government employees from their jobs on account of political affiliation and ethnicity will affect productivity in so many Government offices. Many of these employees were dismissed instantly following the takeover of the APNU/AFC regime. It come with significant loss to the treasury as replacing workers (or sending them on leave – euphemism for termination) cost taxpayers a lot of money.

The population should begin to query the eventual cost to the taxpayer of continued questionable actions of high State officials.

People are being fired with a stroke of a pen under various guises of auditing or streamlining offices, etc. And it has been happening with regular

frequency at the whim and fancy of the regime. Such forced removals of workers reinforce a dreaded fear that people will be fired on account of race and political retribution, should the Government change. The worst fear has been confirmed.

The APNU/AFC regime has put too many people on the breadline. As a reminder, during the campaign, APNU/AFC said there would be no ethnic victimisation or political retribution. But that is exactly what has been happening.

The regime has been giving marching orders to those hired by the preceding Administration; it is an ominous sign of worse to come.

It is similar to what the People’s National Congress (PNC) regime did to workers on account of their race and party affiliation after the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) was removed from office in December 1964. Political history is repeating itself. The new regime has been replacing people perceived to be PPP sympathisers with APNU/

AFC supporters.

Nothing has really changed since the new political dispensation took over in May. Labour unions have not been speaking out against the firing of workers, probably also because of their own political and racial affiliation with the Government. Political and racial patronage has returned with a vengeance.

People are being hired who were/are political activists.

It is expected that a party’s activists would get preference for non-professional type assignments (not as CEO, Auditors, etc).

Removing people to make way for one’s own favoured supporters is not the way to go. So far, those who were terminated are far more qualified than the new hires who replaced them. APNU/AFC is sending a wrong signal. It is disappointing that activists David Hinds, Tacuma Ogunseye, Eusi Kwayana, Abu Bakr, etcetera are not speaking out on the termination of people on account of political and racial affiliation. Is it a case that members of their own race are

not affected that they are silent? Or is it a case of members of their own parties are the beneficiaries and as such, they will not criticize the regime?

The firing of workers on account of race and party affiliation is wrong and must be condemned. The unions need to take action to prevent further firings and restore those who lost their jobs; they have families to feed. Political activists who were vocal in their attack on the PPP for perceived illgovernance should not be silent now. They need be reminded that people were silent when the PNC fired or replaced workers based on party and racial affiliation, eventually leading to the rise of the dictatorship.

The country may very well be heading in that direction unless activists and labour leaders speak out now.

Activists and human rights campaigners should never trust politicians; they must stand up now so as not repeat the mistakes of the past.

Dear Editor, Monday, December 21, is Gita Jayanti, the day commemorating the dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna found in the Vedic text ‘Bhagavad-gita’.

Bhagavad-gita is the ancient philosophical classic that offers insights about life and love, yoga and spiri-

tuality, soul and mind, God and eternity, hope and happiness. It has been read and respected by many of the greatest thinkers of the world, both Eastern and Western.

Gita offers transformational wisdom that can help us tap our hidden spiritual nature and

bring out the divine spark within us, for our ultimate good. It was spoken at least 120,400,000 years ago to the Sun God and re-spoken

by Lord Krishna to Arjuna 5000 years ago on the onset of the Mahabharat war at Kuruksetra, 80 miles from Delhi. T he timelessness teach-

ings of Gita has been part of humanity’s literary culture for thousands of years and those who regularly study Gita’s wisdom recognise its application to life even today, and its universal relevance to all people.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

Monday is an important day Regards, Paramatma das

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, december 19, 2015

Cuba is ready to do business Dear Editor, I recently returned from a weeklong visit to Cuba during which I held discussions with a number of Government agencies, the Chamber of Commerce and the United States Embassy there. Arising out of my visit is the clear indication that Cuba is serious about its new development agenda, based largely on the easing of some restrictions occasioned by the normalisation of its relations with America and the anticipated lifting of the embargo, hopefully in the not too distant future.

This new business environment in Cuba offers, in my view, tremendous opportunities for business enterprises in Caribbean Community (Caricom) member states. These opportunities will come with some challenges which are not without solutions. The Cubans are most appreciative of the role played

by Caricom in helping to pave the way for normalisation and more so, that landmark decision 43 years ago by Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados to establish diplomatic relations when other nations were fearful of so doing.

The Cubans made it clear that while trade with, and investment in their country is based on a level playing field of polices and regulations, special consideration would be given to the Caricom Private Sector interested in doing business there. exporTT, Trinidad and Tobago’s export agency already has a trade facilitation office in Havana. I was informed that efforts are currently underway to source large supplies of urea from the twin-island republic and that a St Lucia based food company has begun exports to Cuba.

One of the constraints with supplying Cuba is that the country is looking for credit or payment arrangements that would not require upfront payments in full. In the case of Guyana, perhaps arrangements could be looked into to facilitate short-term credit for the supply of products and services. Cuba is a huge market and getting a foothold early could bring

tremendous long-term success to some Guyanese enterprises. The Private Sector Commission, the Ministries of Business and Foreign Affairs and the local banking community may want to explore an arrangement in this connection.

Among the areas open for trade and investment include agriculture, logistics, transportation, renewable energy, construction, electronic assembly, bio technology, mining and tourism.

The Cuban Chamber of Commerce has portfolios of 326 projects ready for investment.

Undoubtedly Cuba is a country in transition.

Cognizant of the need to be fully integrated into the global financial system and to attract massive inflows of capital through investment, the Government of Cuba and the Communist Party have agreed on a series of adjustments or “reforms” to provide for private local and foreign participation in the economy.

This, coupled with the enlightened Obama policy of normalising relations and movement toward the eventual lifting of the more than 50 year embargo, has sparked a new enthusiasm among Cubans, especially its youth. According to US embassy officials, some 27 per cent of the labor force of Cuba is now employed in the Private Sector

while a significant percentage are employed in joint venture associations between the State and private entrepreneurs.

The Mariel Special Development Zone offers a range of incentives as well as clear guidelines for operating in the zone.

I was very impressed with the presentation given to me by the zone’s Director Carlos Mateu Pereira and his team which included a clear explanation of the steps in the process from application to approval of a project which is guaranteed to be approved in no more than 65 days. I was also very impressed with the efficiency and professionalism of Cuban officials especially Jesus Gonzalez, Director at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment and Miss Niurka Marsan Morfa at the Chamber of Commerce.

The eventual lifting of the US embargo on Cuba will have an impact on Caricom economies. That impact for most countries can be positive if they begin to work now on the opportunities that are available. The challenges should not be daunting.

A market of more than 11 million people should not be taken lightly.

For Guyana, doing business with Cuba should be one of the priorities of our Private Sector.

Sincerely, Wesley Kirton

5

Quest for "whiteness" widespread Dear Editor, Freddie Kissoon forages the media (including the internet) day after day to see how he could bash Hindus (make that ‘Indians’) in Guyana.

God knows his motive but one senses the incentive to beckon his fans during and at the end of the day with a rewarding backslap, “you gee dem good again, Freddie – heh, heh, heh”. His 13 December column, “Coca-Cola withdraws advertisement that Guyanese would find acceptable”, is a case in point.

Kissoon has brought up the question of Hindu casteism and the Bollywood skin-whitening phenomenon ad nauseum to castigate Indians on the dark side. The columnist has written at numerous times on the topic to which I have replied; (see my last letter on the discussion, “People in many parts of the world like to look lighter” (KN, 15-102013).

It is true that Bollywood has a preference for light-skinned actors. (I have seen actors (in action while being filmed) whose faces were caked with the whitening stuff). Nevertheless, a seasoned journalist like Kissoon committed a gross faux pas by not mentioning the same syndrome being present in the African film industry - Nollywood (in Nigeria), for example.

Darker actors have a torrid time finding a lead role in that country. That is because more Nigerians gravitate towards the white skin more than any

other nationality in the world; (more than 77 per cent of Nigerian women use skin whitener; many men also get into the act!).

Most of the beauty queens chosen in the African countries all over the continent have a lighter skin.

Indeed, Africa is a continent where black is not regarded as being beautiful; skin bleaching in that continent is much greater than that of Asia.

The malaise also strikes blacks right here in the Caribbean. Jamaicans are known for their preference for the ‘lighter’ skin. Vybz Kartel (now in jail) used a whitener that dramatically lightened parts of his body, for example. His ‘Look Pon Me’ contains the lines: “Di girl dem love off mi brown cute face, di girl dem love off mi bleach-out face”.

On 13-01-13 Stabroek News carried an article, “Fly Jamaica inaugural flight delayed”, and showed a photo of the attendant crew. There were eight women shown in the photo; except for one, all of

them were light skinned, most with dyed hair! The bottom line is people in many parts of the world like to look lighter, and advertisers hone in on that axiom.

The question then begs: why does Kissoon not highlight such social problems in the black community? The answer is plain and simple – he is afraid; he does not have the guts to do so. And he does not want to risk losing his fan base.

I don’t blame the poor commentator; his fingers were smacked by a Guyanese black rights advocate about a decade ago who declared to Kissoon that only blacks should comment on the behaviour and goings-on of blacks.

The columnist then curled his tail between his hind legs and kept quiet in this social domain; he has buckled under pressure.

Pity Devanand Bhagwan

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Foundation

Keeping children and young people Makingmeaningful safe during the Christmas season Christmasmemories Basic steps to safety

Christmas is a time for children and young people to have fun, but there are particular safety concerns at this time of year. Parents, family and people that work with children should be wary of these dangers.

The Christmas holiday season is a time when many new hazards to arise for children. These could be around the home, online or when you’re out and about or visiting your local community/activity group.

The festive period is a special occasion. Your home or club will be a hub of all activity and it is in this franticness and excitement that accidents can happen.

However the higher adult to child ratio supervision which may become possible at this time of year, may enable many dangers to be avoided.

We have provided simple safety tips to help keep your festivities as safe as possible: Remind children and young people to: * Be extra careful not to give out personal information to people they don’t know or to enter their bank details, full name, address, email, telephone number and any key password information on un-trusted websites. * Take care when meeting someone they have only been in touch with online is can be extremely dangerous.

Make sure their parents/ caregivers are fully aware of what is happening. If they do decide to meet, they

should never go alone. If you feel the online contact is inappropriate, report it to the Child Care and Protection Agency. * Try and be more vigi-

many Christmas wish lists.

Consider the following before letting children play online at home or at your group premises: * Do some homework

lant when accepting emails, opening files or using untrusted web pages, which contain the following: viruses, spam, scams and inappropriate messages. * Be wary about trusting someone online. They can be lying about who they are, what they have or what they can give. Information online/internet is not always reliable. * Make sure they make someone aware if they have witnessed inappropriate content or someone has made them feel uncomfortable. Children and young people should inform their parents, caregivers or group leader. If you feel more serious action is needed, contact the Police.

about the games. Check what age group they are suitable for and whether the game has sex, violence, explicit language and anti-social behaviour within it. * Help ensure privacy by advising your children never to give out any personal information whilst playing online. * Be aware of cyber bullies. * Make sure you child uses a suitable screen or character name (gamertag).

Make sure it doesn’t reveal any personal information. * Set a time limit for playing the game. * Check that children and young people are aware of how to report offenders, block and mute messages.

Online gaming

Christmas lights and decorations

This year, computer games which can be played on line, will be at the top of

* Check your Christmas lights for frayed wires,

faulty sockets and loose connections. If you have excess cable/wire, make sure that it is fastened with tape. * Turn all your Christmas lights off when you go to bed, leave your club or go out for long periods, as leaving the lights can cause a fire. * Avoid glass baubles as they break easily. * Avoid having small decorations where young children can reach them, as they can be a choking hazard. * If your are having candles lit at home or at your community group, make sure they are out of children’s reach, and in nonflammable containers and that in won’t fall over. Keep your candles away from your Christmas tree and decorations and always remember to blow them out once you are finished with them. * Don’t hang decorations from lights, heaters or to close to open fires as they can catch fire easily.

BY LYNNE THOMPSON

R

Christmas is magical

still celebrate today.

So this Christmas, as you reveal the greatest love story ever told, try these fun-filled age-appropriate activities that will direct children, and adults, back to the true meaning of the holiday, when we celebrate Emmanuel, God who is with us.

egardless of age, it transports us back to our childhood: tinsel on the tree, stockings hung, colourful packages needing to be shaken, and traditional celebrations with faithful friends and relatives. For our children, this holiday is still being written upon their future memories. This is why we as parents need to make sure that what they remember is packaged in precious truths about how God’s love reached out

In order to avoid making Christmas a “don’t touch holiday” for little ones, give them fun things they can touch. Move glass ornaments and lights up

to a dying world, one silent night in a town called Bethlehem.

How shepherds watching their flocks received a surprise visit from heavenly creatures, showing that God is for everyone, regardless of their social stature. How angels announced peace for mankind, on whom God’s favour rests, proving that our Intelligent Designer isn’t the kind to create things and then walk away. How good news about our saviour spread throughout the world, explaining why we

to higher branches on the Christmas tree, and help your child make fun decorations for the bottom.

String pieces of coloured tissue paper cut into squares onto shoestrings to hang as garland. Get out the glitter and make paper ornaments.

Mould a nativity scene from clay dough and display in a prominent place.

Tell the story of Christmas while you do this.

Decorate cookies and build gingerbread houses together as a family.

Ages: birth to three

Toy safety at Christmas

Try and buy toys from a recognised retail outlet, in person or online.

Make sure the toy you have purchased is suitable for the age of the child receiving. Be extra careful with toys for children under the age of three.

Check the toys for loose, small, sharp and jagged parts that may harm a child.

Make sure you follow instructions for building toys and check the box or instructions for warnings that identify any hazards. (www.safenetwork. org.uk)

Ages: four to seven

Help your little ones focus on others this season by making use of those Christmas cards received in the mail. Place the cards in a basket on the dinner table; taking turns each night drawing one out. Then pray together for that person or family.

Also, start a family tradition by picking out a new holiday picture book to read each Christmas Eve. Some of my favourites are: * 10 Minutes to Showtime, by Tricia Goyer * The Crippled Lamb, by Max Lucado * The Stable Where Jesus was Born, by Rhonda Gowler Greene * The Christmas Rose, by William H Hooks

Ages: eight - 12

Ring in an international Christmas by assigning a country to each child. Besides reporting about how that country celebrates the holiday, he or she can prepare a seasonal dish to share, or demonstrate a song or folkdance.

Then pray for the people of that culture so that they too might understand the meaning of God’s love. (www.fo-

cusonthefamily.com)

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saturday, december 19, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Govt keeps supersized pay hikes – Jagdeo whips APNU/AFC over insensitivity

BY AKEEM GREENE

G

overnment, with a majority in the National Assembly, voted down an Opposition motion to reverse the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) approved salary increase and save Guyana’s treasury millions of dollars in revenue, that will now stay in the pockets of a small group of elites, even as the poor continue to fight for cents and dollars to make a livelihood.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo said he detested the act of the current Administration, stating their increases are “shameful”.

“To say that a Minister earning $579,000 per month… and benefits would accumulate to more $800,000, and that was not a livable wage and they would have to get a huge increase to make it a livable wage, it is shameful”.

The salary increases have been greeted with outrage by members of the Opposition and the public.

Former President and Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo

Government was greedy, insensitive and wicked when it placed its needs above those of the ordinary citizenry.

Jagdeo, a former President, bemoaned the lack of consultation done with regards to the increases.

He argued that in the past, there was a joint committee which sought consultations, along with the staff of the Parliament to seek wages of Members of Parliament, which showed a joint process was initiated, despite it being possibly

“Public servants are told that Ministers have to earn a livable wage of a $1 million while many of them work for below $50,000…

It’s shameful,” says Jagdeo The initial contention vented was that the increase came too soon.

Jagdeo, however, contented that “all we have are people who have not done a single thing; all they produce is talks and gaffe at press conferences and trips abroad… but they got a 50 per cent increase”.

He maintained that the

abandoned.

Jagdeo vociferously declared “we did not ask for the increase so to say how that they gave a salary increase to all Members of Parliament and to use the justification that we all benefited from it is to pull wool over the eyes of the people of this country to make it look like all of us are in this

thing together, and to make it seem that we were involved in the salary increases and we were not”.

Responding to a statement from the Government that it made “a courageous decision”, Jagdeo said the new Administration appeared to be living in a bubble.

“They should have the same courage to give the public servants an increase… to give back $1.7 billion they took away from the school grant,” Jagdeo said.

The argument is being postulated in Parliament that these Ministers were earning large amount of monies in the Private Sector before they came into the Public Sector, and could be disadvantaged by coming into Government.

The Opposition Leader is challenging that argument, asking that the document be made public, stating “we have another motion in Parliament which will see the tax records of all these Ministers made public so we can judge if they deserved the increase, I hope they would support the motion” Jagdeo is also contending that there is a motive behind the early announcement and implementation of the increase of salary and believes there is a strong and special reason behind it, as there are many people who are insecure of their tenure.

“If a member earns $1.7 million per month, his pensions will be 7/8 of that, I can assure you Speaker,

Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman

my pension will be far less than that although I spent 12 years as President of Guyana”, the Opposition Leader revealed.

Supporting his statements, former Finance Minister, Bishop Juan

Edghill reminded the Government of its promise while on the campaign trail to increase public servants salaries to improve their livelihood.

“But they have instead perpetrated a reckless and unethical act on the people of Guyana”. The former Minister explained that “in the term of Office, the APNU/AFC salaries would amount to $1 billion… not including other benefits”.

However, Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman rejected the claim, stating that $1 billion will not be paid in salary increases before the end of term for the collation Government.

“What we have before us is much ado about nothing… Government is not an easy thing”, he remarked.

Trotman further stated that

Former Minister Juan Edghill

the Government will answer to the electorate if it fails to work hard and deliver.

The Governance Minister contended that salary increases are unpopular but necessary for good governance.

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saturday, december 19, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Miner remanded on firearm charge A resident of Baramita, North West District (NWD), Region One (Barima-Waini) was on Friday remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after he appeared before her in Court One of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts following a threatening language and firearm charge.

Ruben Calves, a 24-yearold miner, pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that on Monday, December 14 at Central Baramita, NWD, he made use threatening language against the Virtual Complainant (VC), Andre Couchman.

He was also slapped with a charge which stated that on the same occasion, he

had in his possession one single-barrel shotgun, when he was not a holder of a firearm licence.

Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones related that on the day in question, the accused and the VC had a heated argument over a solar battery.

The accused reportedly threatened the VC to shoot him and left, subsequent-

ly returning with the shotgun.

A report was made and the Police gave chase, and subsequently apprehended the accused with the firearm still in his possession. Bail was refused and the matter was transferred to the Matthews Ridge Magistrate’s Court for February 1, 2016.

Subryanville man charged for fraudulent conversion

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man was on Friday released on $50,000 bail following a charge of fraudulent conversion, when he apeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown

Magistrates’ Courts.

Reaz Bacchus, 40, of Lot 87 Fourth Street, Subryanville, Georgetown, denied the allegation which read that between May 5 and May 8, 2014, at Kitty,

Georgetown, with the intent to defraud, he unlawfully obtained a sum of $650,000 from Gavin Williams under the pretence that he was in a position to obtain a house lot for him, knowing same to be false. It is also alleged that the defendant convert-

ed the money to his own use and benefit. The particulars of the matter were not revealed in court and bail was not objected to.

Bacchus was released on bail and the matter was adjourned until January 18, 2016.

3-year sentence for serial robber

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wenty-two-year-old Devon Wilson was on Friday sentenced to three years in prison after he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan charged with five counts of robbery.

Wilson, of Blueberry Hill, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) was charged for five robberies committed in Queenstown, between December 10 and December 17. He accepted the allegation and was handed down the three-year sentence.

Wilson was apprehended following an attempted robbery on Thursday morning. An unnamed woman had just left a city business

when she was confronted by the defendant who was armed with a knife. During the confrontation, the defendant demanded that the woman hand over her bag, but she reportedly put up a fight, so he whipped out a knife and chopped the woman.

As he grabbed the bag, security guards in the area realised what was happening and discharged several rounds in his direction. The bandit was apprehended and handed over to the Police, who launched an investigation, hence the charges.

It has been reported that he had previously robbed four persons in the same area.

Eyew tness Quaking…

“T

…NAGAMOOTOO

he evil that men do, lives after them,” said the Bard…And knowing the truth of that pithy statement, Nagamootoo SHOOK like a leaf in Parliament as he led the APNU/AFC’s latest and most potent assault on democracy. Some folks thought he was ‘fraid of Gail, whose last tongue lashing about “neemakharams” caused his rival in the PPP’s Ex-Co to quit there and then.

But the source of Nagamootoo’s quaking - like all quakes - came from tectonic plates moving and grinding against each other much deeper – from his tortured soul.

Across the aisle, his nemesis Jagdeo had to ask him why his hands were shaking so uncontrollably - like a man with ague. Nagamootoo thought he could brush off what his subconscious was forcing his body to do with a quip: “My hands are shaking but they are clean.” But like the old people say, “All skin teeth na laugh.” Nagamootoo’s words were very revealing – he was connecting his shaking to morality – as well he might.

There is no field of endeavour that Nagamootoo could enter with”clean hands”. His profession, journalism? For decades he laboured under Janet Jagan, acting as her hatchet man on people’s reputations. Now that he has crossed the floor and is casting all sort of aspersions on his erstwhile comrades, what say he now about all the vile and nasty things he said about Chandisingh, Teeka, HaleemMajeed et al when they also crossed over back in the day?

His profession as a lawyer? Now that his coalition has launched a witch hunt against NICIL WHAT DOES HE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE $7 MILLION HE POCKETED FOR FILLING OUT SOME FORMS FOR THE PERSONS DISLOCATED BY THE BERBICE BRIDGE APPROACH? And on his other forays in the law?…This Eyewitness will only say that Nagamootoo seems to take the legal term of art, “pleadings” rather literally. “Ow sah, help me na?”

But Nagamootoo’s tectonic upheavals really has to do with his knowledge that every day he’s realising the consequences of the Faustian bargain he made. What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? So he’s Prime Minister in name…he has his SUV… he has his palatial home…he jets off every week. But he quakes because he knows that one day he will be judged.

And that judgement will not be kind. Someone once begged, “Forgive them father, for they know not what they did.” But Nagamootoo knows fully well what will happen to the ordinary people of this country as the dictatorship he’s helping to create, takes root.

And he knows to that the Fella doing the judging declared he’s “vengeful”!

…at Labour’s power

For the umpteenth time since they snucked into office (partially with the strategic and vital help of labour officials like Lincoln Lewis) the APNU/AFC government has chosen to “diss” labour. And “diss” in all its manifestations – disrespect, disregard, disdain, disrepute,etc etc.

So here it was…before and during the elections, the APNU/AFC’d castigated the former administration for “ignoring” workers’ representatives when it came for their salary review.

They swore up and down – and sideways – they’d respect the unions if they got in. So said; so done – when it came to getting the coalition into office, that is. It was another story when it came to negotiating with Lewis and others. The promised “significant” salary increase to public servants within the first 100 days? The unions learnt about the measly 5% in the press - like everyone else.

Weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth by unions followed; govt said “sorryyyyy won’t happen again”. Well it just happened again. The government up and announced a $50,000 bonus – and guess how the unions found out?

Yes…that’s right – the press.

…at being neutered?

But Lincoln’s wise to Trotman’s move – to keep him out of the loop in representing workers. The question is: will he and the other unions dubbed “friendly” allow themselves to be neutered?

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

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saturday, december 19, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Govt to track traffic offenders Armed bandits rob Region 6 with specialised licence plates Chairman’s business – receives proposal from German company

Traffic Chief Dion Moore

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German company has proposed to the Government of Guyana, special licence plates for vehicles that will assist in tracking traffic offenders as well as vehicles used for criminal activities.

The proposal was made to Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan in partnership with the Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC). The proposal is being reviewed by government.

According to Chairman of the GNRSC, Dennis Pompey, the German company conducted a demonstration exercise last month, showing how the features on the plate can be used to track vehicles.

Following the exercise, the proposal was sent to government.

Pompey explained the proposed plates cannot be tampered with, be removed or duplicated. He noted that plates will have the vehicles’ registration number but will contain special features and a device that will allow the vehicle to be tracked.

“The (registration) numbers will remain but the plates would have additional features, so for Guyana you might see the country’s flag, you might see some water colours and so on… it will depend on what specific features govern-

ment would want… but there are some features that if persons try to duplicate or make counterfeit plates, they cannot get those features, so persons who might want to duplicate number plates would find it difficult,” he stated.

According to the chairman, because of the advancement with the proposed plates, persons may be required to pay additional costs for them since they will most likely cost more.

However, Pompey pointed out that these plates will work holistically, in that they will not only be used for tracking vehicles involved in traffic offences such hit and run accidents, but also tracing those vehicles and drivers involved in criminal activities.

This, he noted, will help crime fighting in a big way by making it difficult for persons to commit crime since the number plates cannot be tampered with or changed.

With this in mind, Head of the Police Traffic Department Dion Moore opined that this will be a useful tool for law enforcers since it will not only assist in reducing traffic offences but criminal activities as well: “Our current system is an open system that is uncontrolled and with the new proposal, we will see a more improved system where there are more security features on those identification marks and can be traced easily from varied areas. As soon as a vehicle pass an area, certain signals will be given and the respective devices will send out an alarm.”

He pointed out that with such a system, law enforcement officers will be able to track tax evaders, persons with vehicular fines, and even those who are wanted since the vehicles are registered to a particular person.

Moreover, the traffic chief stated that if approved by government, the new plates would see several persons on the road corners that make

P Armogan Lumber Yard which was robbed

GNRSC Chairman Dennis Pompey

registration plates out of business.

Moore noted that the new plates would be issued from centralised locations in all regions: “Once government buys into it, that street-corner arrangement would not be there anymore.”

T

wo men, one armed and one masked have robbed a sand and lumber yard owned

by Region Six Chairman David Armogan.

The incident took place on Wednesday at Number 2 Village, Canje, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne).

Reports are that about 12:30h, two men entered the lumber yard and went directly to the office. At the

time, the cashier, 58-yearold Boarof was the only person in the office. As the robbers entered the building, two shots were discharged from the hand gun one of them was carrying.

Boarof was ordered to hand over all of the money from the cash draw. After a little hesitation which was followed by threats to his life, the cashier complied and gave the men the day’s

sales which amounted to $152,000.

The men quickly left on foot and disappeared into the nearby community.

The Police were summoned and took evidence from the scene which might lead to the capture of the perpetrators. However, up to press time, no arrests have been made.

Investigations continue.

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guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, december 19, 2015

News

3 vehicle smash-up snarls DHB rush hour traffic

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three vehicle collision on the Demerara Harbour Bridge on Friday resulted in a major traffic congestion, thus affecting thousands along the East Bank of Demerara; more particularly commuters of Region Three (Essequibo IslandWest Demerara.

According to information received, a motor lorry encountered mechanical problems and became inoperable while crossing the Bridge. However, as the traffic moved at a snail’s pace, a car reportedly crashed into another vehicle, thus resulting in it slamming into the parked vehicle.

It is reported that bridge officials and the Police took a long time to remove the vehicles involved in the accident. One commuter told Guyana Times that

he was in the traffic for more than an hour, as he was travelling from Region Three to Four (Demerara-Mahaica). He claimed that the Police on the scene were

more or less lurking around instead of making attempts to move the vehicles. Eventually, the vehicles were towed off the bridge and the flow of traffic returned to normalcy.

He feels that the administration of the Demerara Harbour Bridge should be more efficient in dealing with such issues as they occur. However, when contacted, a senior staff of the Demerara Harbour Bridge told Guyana Times that the accident was minor and there were no casualties.

He added that due to the traffic on the Bridge at the time of the accident, it took officials a while to get to the point where

the accident occurred. Upon receiving the report of the accident, the Bridge staff was mobilised and immediately sent into action. He further explained that the Police had to conduct their investigations which required marking the spot and taking measurements.

Meanwhile, the incident saw a back-up in traffic as far as Providence on the East Bank of Demerara and as far as Good Fortuin on the West Coast of Demerara. Commuters were forced to use the ferry service from Vreed-en-Hoop to Georgetown in order to get to work.

Driver shot in back still in critical condition Govt ‘mum’ on...

J

ermaine Barose, 38, of Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara, who was shot in his back by a passenger attempting to board his bus on Tuesday last along the Railway Embankment at Liliendaal,

Greater Georgetown, is still in a critical condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Reports reaching this newspaper state that after Barose had surgery to remove the bullet from his back, he has been in the

Intensive Care Unit on life support, battling for his life.

Speaking with Guyana Times the sister of Barose voiced how worried and concerned she is about his welfare, adding that in her time of grief, she along with family will comment after Barose hopefully gets better.

Guyana Times was also told the perpetrators in this incident has not yet been identified nor arrested.

Jermaine Barose was shot when his minibus was hailed by the perpetrator and his accomplice.

After Barose stopped, one of the men whipped out a firearm and approached

Barose while the other went around to the driver’s side.

Upon seeing this and figuring out what was taking place, Barose accelerated in an attempt to drive away but the gunman discharged a round which hit him in his back.

After he was shot, the bewildered Barose continued to drive until he came to a halt some distance away.

At the time of the incident several passengers were in the minibus.

Barose was taken to the hospital by public spirited individuals.

Investigations are ongoing.

In an attempt to gain majority control of the Bridge Company in order to fulfil the promise of implementing toll reductions, Prime Minister and First Vice President Moses Nagamootoo had announced that Cabinet had instructed Finance Minister Winston Jordan to buy out the shares Demerara Distillers Limited has in the Bridge Company. DDL currently holds some 10 per cent of the shares.

Guyana Times understands that there was no need for the Government to go down this route since the two Directors of Queens Atlantic Investment Inc (QAII) and NEW GPC INC

From page 3

had resigned, giving the Government and the institutions it controlled, such as the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), a majority vote on the Board of Directors. It could have then voted as the Government saw fit.

Also, in the year before the last General and Regional Election, the AFC purporting to speak for commuters specifically from Regions Five and Six had bemoaned what in their view was an exorbitant fees structure. They introduced a motion in 2014 to slash the tolls in the National Assembly which the Opposition then controlled. (kristenm@guyanatimesgy.com)

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saturday, december 19, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Private Sector cannot match $50K bonus for workers

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any Private Sector employees will be disheartened to learn that they will definitely not benefit from a bonus this year equivalent to what public servants have been awarded by the Government, given the state of the economy.

This is according to Berbice Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) President Rajnauth Ramroop who told Guyana Times on Friday that 2015 has been a “very bad year for business.”

He emphasised that while

it is a good move that public servants will receive $50,000 this month, a number of Private Sector employees in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) will not be enjoying such from their employers.

Due to the fact that 2015 did not see the business sector in his region yielding large profits, and in some cases none at all, to give an employee $50,000 as a Christmas bonus this year would pose great difficulty.

“A lot of businesses actu-

Rodney CoI report to be submitted in January

Dr Walter Rodney

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he submission of the final report of the investigation into the death of Dr Walter Rodney has been given another few weeks.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon speaking to reporters recently, said the final report would most likely be submitted by January next year.

Minister of Governance and Patrimony Raphael Trotman when questioned by Guyana Times about the report on Thursday last, said it was not yet submitted, but noted that government was hoping to receive it at the earliest possible date.

After being denied an extension to continue hearings until February 2016, the Commission, headed by Barbadian Queen’s Counsel

Richard Cheltenham was expected to submit its findings on December 15. However, this was not done.

Trotman said what was relayed to him was that the commissioners were experiencing some logistical issues and were finding it difficult at coming together since they all live in different Caribbean Islands. He said while Government would like to receive the report early, it still cannot compel the commissioners to do so.

The Commission, including its Chairman Barbadian Attorney, Queen’s Counsel, Sir Richard Cheltenham; Jamaican Queen’s Counsel Jacqueline Samuels-Brown and Trinidad-based Guyanese Senior Counsel Seenath Jairam, was set up to investigate who or what was responsible for the deadly bomb blast that caused the instant death of the WPA Co-founder on the evening of 13 June 1980.

Former President Donald Ramotar had said the establishment of the Inquiry was owing to the persistent request made by Rodney’s widow, Patricia, and their three children.

However, the People’s National Congress (PNC), the major partner in the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) coalition, had maintained that the move was a political stunt taken to tarnish its reputation.

BCIC President Rajnauth Ramroop

ally were just breaking even or some were suffering losses so to match the $50,000 bonus that the Government gave, that would be something hard for them to do personally to every worker. I want to feel that if they are giving bonuses, workers may be graded, in some cases depending on the positions that they hold, may be getting or could be getting maybe $50,000. But the small workers cannot get $50,000,”

Ramroop explained.

According to the BCIC President, the economy in Region Six depends heavily on the agriculture sector and this too has been facing tumultuous times throughout this year.

He further explained that the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) was unable to pay sugar workers increases in their salaries and even the Annual Production Incentives (API) for 2015, therefore cutting the spending power of many in Berbice.

“Businesses are still not seeing the returns that they would have expected and we totally depended on the sugar industry and also the rice sector. Due to the fall in prices for rice, that would reflect on business. GuySuCo did not pay out any money, sugar workers did not get anything extra to spend, so for our region here, I see it very difficult for the Private Sector to match the $50,000 that the Government has extended,” he said.

Ramroop further stated that when one takes into

consideration the $50,000 bonus that the Government has awarded to workers earning less than $500,000 on a monthly basis, it is evident that many persons qualify for their bonus.

“I know a lot of people have qualified for the Government’s $50,000 bonus but it is going to pose a problem for the Private Sector to pay such an amount, given the current and past situation in the economy for this year. This is so especially in our region because we solely depend on the agriculture sector and that has been a problem…” he added.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Retired Major General Norman McLean told this publication on Friday evening that he was unaware that public servants would get a bonus at the end of a year.

“I didn’t know public servants used to get a bonus at the end of the year. I never heard that. I know the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) used to get a one-month salary at one time but I don’t know

that public servants get a bonus. They get the increase of five per cent or whatever but I don’t think there is any correlation between the public service and the Private Sector because the Private Sector normally earns a bonus based on performance…” he stated.

With regards to the Private Sector awarding its employees throughout the country with a bonus that matches what the Government has given to its workers for 2015, the PSC Chairman stated that there are terms under which a bonus is given.

“The Private Sector is a different kettle of fish, always targeted based on performance, based on a merit system. So if you met your target then you can expect that there would be a bonus. I heard from Gafoors, the Chairman of Gafoors SattaurGafoor reported at his Christmas dinner that people were being given their bonuses for the year… we are very pleased to hear that too,” McLean added. (kristenm@ guyanatimesgyu.com)

12 news

saturday, december 19, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Art Williams Aeronautical School graduation

42 new Engineers urged to do Guyana proud

Best Graduating Student Lennox Canterbury delivering his address to the gathering

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ourty-two young men and women graduated from the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School (AWHWAES) at Ogle International Airport on Thursday, as the school hosted its annual Graduation & Prize Giving Ceremony.

In his address to the graduating class, Captain Linden Hillman, a pilot for Southwest Airlines, told the group that graduation was only the beginning and advised that they should never stop learning.

He reflected on his time in

aviation school, noting that it was not an easy task because it required hard work and dedication.

Captain Hillman explained that in the aviation sector, integrity mattered as he urged grandaunts to be thorough and truthful in the presentation of their work.

“There’s no room for error in this business and I hope you all take this job seriously,” he stated.

The Captain also added that they should have fun as much as they work hard.

At the event, Lennox

Canterbury emerged as the Best Graduating Student for his three-year engineering course.

In the vote of thanks, the young man told his fellow graduates that the past three years in the institution had been unforgettable, but added that all good things must come to an end. Canterbury also urged his fellow classmates to never give up on their dreams, to keep striving for excellence in all aspects of life.

It must be noted that 10 other students received special awards for medically assisting a person that was having a seizure in the Giftland Mall.

AWHWAES, under its Chief Executive Officer, Captain Malcolm Chan-ASue, AA, MS, has graduated 293 students under the Ab-Initio and Modular Programmes which commenced in 1993.

A section of the graduating class on Thursday afternoon

These Engineers are working across the Caribbean and internationally for a number of major airlines as well as in Guyana.

The School‘s student enrolment for the first Ab-Initio Programme in 1997 was seven persons. The enrolment in the year 2015 stood at 128.

The School is operated by the Aircraft Owners’

Association of Guyana Inc. It is accredited and certified by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, the Caribbean Aviation Safety and Security Oversight System of Caricom, Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority, Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Suriname. The

School is approved under the Rules and Regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Document 7192, Part D1.

The United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority audited the School in February 2008 and found the School acceptable for certification within the British Overseas Territories in the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean, inclusive of Bermuda and the Falkland Islands.

The School was certified on July 24, 2006 by the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards. It is now certified to ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Systems Standards. This School is the first tertiary educational institution in Caricom with an ISO 9001 Certified Quality Management System and has maintained this approval to date.

KNDC denies being involved in illegal activities

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hairman of the Kwakwani Neighbourhood Democratic Council (KNDC) Sachie Parvaton has refuted claims made by some residents of Kwakwani that the council is involved in illegal operations.

During an interview with Guyana Times on Friday, Parvaton referred to the accusations as “wicked and mischievous”, while stating that KNDC has not been involved in the collection of any funds from residents for burial or

otherwise. She said the collection of market and other fees is usually the responsibility of an overseer and since one has not been appointed by government the council is not tasked with such responsibility.

“I can say that it is not true. I have not been doing that, neither is anyone else at the KNDC. Market fees, burial fees have not been collected since the IMC (Interim Management Committee) was installed... the former overseer has resigned and there is no one else since the overseer is

paid from the revenues collected. The KNDC is just here. We are not doing anything. Until Local Government Elections, we will be here”, she noted.

Some residents of Kwakwani recently accused the KNDC of illegality, stating that it continued to collect rates and taxes, burial and market fees, in addition to charging for loads of sand delivered by a community tractor. They also alleged that the monies obtained are not being used to carry out development activities within the community.

Additionally, residents alleged that equipment, including computers and other equipment are being housed at former KNDC members.

In light of the allegations, several residents have called for the authorities to look into the operations of the former KNDC to obtain financial statements of such actions. This newspaper was further told the 2015 subvention of $3 million has not publicly yet been spent.

Parvaton however refuted the allegations on behalf of council.

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saturday, december 19, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Guyoil launches “Bling My Ride” Christmas Promotion eight car makeovers, one of eight flat-screen televisions, one of eight tablets or one of 80 consolation prizes of beach umbrellas.

At the event’s launch on Thursday, Guyoil Retail Sales Manager Jacqueline James explained that the promotion, which ends on February 26, 2016, would see up to eight drawings at different service stations in the regions to give customers nationwide a chance to win.

Drawings for the promotion will take place at Palmyra Service Station on February 2, 2016, Victoria

Models who were assisting with the distribution of fliers for the promotion on Thursday strike a pose

T

he Guyana Oil Company (Guyoil) on Thursday morning officially launched its Christmas promotion called “Bling My Ride” at its Regent Street Service Station.

This promotion is said to

be available at all 42 Guyoil service stations across Guyana. Persons purchasing $5000 and over at any of the stations are eligible to be part of the promotion for a chance to win several prizes.

Persons can win one of

Communities need to...

From page 2

When the this newspaper buttonholed the minister about the issue during a parliamentary break Thursday, Minister Lawrence expressed similar sentiments as the official, positing that not every social ill falls under the prevue of the Social Protection Ministry but there is a need for government agencies to tackle these problems collectively.

The Counsellor had alleged that the one social and welfare office located at Anna Regina is decidedly not sufficient for the entire Region.

Mittelholzer is of the opinion that in an effort to tackle the social ills of society, there should be an office at Charity that would provide welfare services and counselling for

victims living in surrounding communities.

The senior ministry official explained: “There are about three probation officers and one child protection officer in that office”. The official is adamant that there is a need for more trained persons to be in these areas to aid in addressing the issues.

Furthermore, the ministry official highlighted that an advocacy centre had been opened recently in the region which has services of forensic interviews, crisis intervention, counselling, trauma focused therapy, parenting sessions, child and family advocacy, referrals (medical examination), social services, case review, tracking, and education and prevention.

Service Station on February 5, 2016; Kitty Service Station on February 9, 2016; Sheriff Street Service Station on February 12, 2016; Providence Service Station on February 16, 2016; Diamond Service Station on February 18, 2016; AM Khan Service Station at Anna Regina, Essequibo on February 20, 2016 and at Regent Street Service Station on February 26, 2016.

James also told this newspaper that this promotion was geared at giving back to customers for the holiday season.

Kaneville man remanded on robbery, firearm charges

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resident of Kaneville, East Bank Demerara (EBD) was on Friday remanded to prison when he appeared before Magistrate Alex Moore at the Providence Magistrate’s Court to answer to a number of charges.

Deon Marks, 21, of 156 Kaneville was not required to plea to the indictable charge which read that between 3 and 13 December in the vicinity of Grove, EBD, he committed five robberies. He was also slapped with the indictable charge which read that on 13 December, he discharged a loaded firearm at three Police officers with the intent to maim, disfigure, disable, or to cause them grievous bodi-

ly harm.

He also denied the allegation which read that on 13 December, he was found to be in possession of a .32 pistol and ten live matching rounds without being the holder of a firearm licence.

Police Prosecutor Michael Grant objected to bail based on the seriousness and nature of the offences, adding the fact that a gun was used in the offence. The Prosecutor added that the gun was sent for ballistic tests as the accused is under investigation and more charges are likely to be laid.

Marks was remanded to prison and is expected to return to Court on January 25 for report.

14

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, december 19, 2015

News

New recruits to boost capacity Local Government Elections of Operation Dragnet Bill passed – as 52 new ranks added to Police Force

T

he Guyana Police Force has welcomed 52 new officers in the system following intense training for six months and according to Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud, these new recruits will boost the capacity of Operation Dragnet.

The new officers graduated from two batches of recruit courses on Friday at Eve Leary, Kingston, Georgetown.

The recruits had to undergo intense training exercises, with the first being basic training in the areas of physical training, Police procedure and practices, self-help application, procedures to follow when responding to domestic violence reports, respect for human rights, and the use of minimum force.

They then moved onto probationary training where they were assessed on how they applied the principles taught to them.

After completing this stage, the recruits underwent advanced training exercises.

These exercises are the foundation for young Policemen and women to build upon as they head into the world of policing.

Graduating at the top of his class was Constable 22904 Osbert Cain, 18, of Number 32 Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB).

Cain told reporters that he followed his mother’s footstep to join the Force because he wanted to help make a difference in Guyana. The well spoken young officer said he wants to be a mentor to other Guyanese, especially youths so that they can do better with their lives as he

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud addressing the gathering at the passing out ceremony on Friday

is doing with his. He added too that prosecuting offenders is also top of his list.

Meanwhile, speaking at the passing out ceremony, Police Commissioner Persaud underscored the importance of building a strong and trustworthy relationship in society. The Commissioner spoke of the many initiatives undertaken by the Police Force to strengthen its relationship with members of the community, especially under the Social Crime Prevention Programme.

He detailed that among the projects initiated by the Police is a Workforce Development Programme aimed at assisting persons who cannot secure jobs and those who are school dropouts.

“We enquire from them what they want to become and we shepherded them into vocational skills training and then into jobs. So these are things that provides for a new aspect of policing,” Persaud stated.

According to the Top Cop, Police Officers must be reminded that members

of the public are humans as well and need to be treated that way, while at the same time, recognising that they are the ones that often need policing.

“They may have gone wrong somewhere along the line and may not have had the same opportunities as you. At the same time, you need to know that humans commit great atrocities as well and you need to protect yourself in order for you to protect other members of society,” the Commissioner advised.

Persaud went on to say that these two courses are the final ones passing out this year. He disclosed that during 2015, a total of 21 graduations with 745 recruits passing out were held.

On this note, Commissioner Persaud lauded the efforts of the Force’s training officer along with the three commandants of the three colleges and their staff. He donated a total of $150,000 to them to show his appreciation of their work.

T

wo months shy of the long overdue Local Government Elections (LGE), the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) coalition passed the Municipal and District Councils and Local Authorities (Amendment) Bill in the National Assembly on Thursday.

The passage was a smooth one for the Government side, since it won the Opposition 33/27 when the vote was taken. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) did not support the passage of the Bill and made their position much firmer when they filed out Parliament Chambers as Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan rose to make the presentation for the first time.

The Municipal and Local District Councils and Local Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Bill seeks to amend the Municipal and District Council Act, Chapter 28:01, making clear the approach to the local government system.

Minister Bulkan maintained that there was nothing new about the Bill since all it is doing is providing clarity, bringing into conformity what are contradictory provisions in the two pieces of legislation.

The contention over the Bill is that it will now affect the participation of small parties in the election. But Bulkan said this is not the case, adding that the Bill was amended and signed into law by the previous Administration.

“What this Bill does is investing in local

democracy which is unheard of from those members on the other side of the House,” Minister Bulkhan said.

He said it ensures the right to local democracy and is geared at handing power to the people. According to Bulkan, the Bill seeks to ensure too that there is a clear distinction between the Proportional Representation (PR) segment of the elections and the constituency elements of the elections in terms of the number of signatories of registered voters that are needed to constitute a valid list of candidates.

Clause Two of the amendment relates to Georgetown, Clause Three to New Amsterdam, Clause Four to other towns, Clause Five to other districts and Clause Six refers only to municipalities.

In Clauses Two, Three, and Four, it is stated that “for the Proportional Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan

Representation component” is inserted in the relevant sections of the Act and Bulkan explained that as a result of local government reform legislation, a new system was introduced that caused a mixture Proportional Representation and constituency elements of local government. He noted too that prior, the entire system was PR and with the 50/50 system, only the PR segment will be affected.

Kenyan Police rescue hundreds of girls due to undergo FGM

P

olice in Kenya have rescued hundreds of girls from female genital mutilation before ceremonies often seen as a rite of passage to adulthood begin this weekend.

An increase in tip-offs from community activists and officers on the ground in remote regions, where FGM is most commonly practised, is already paying dividends, according to politicians and police chiefs.

School teachers in the West Pokot region are playing their part in the growing resistance to the

practice by sheltering girls who go on the run after refusing FGM, known locally as “the cut”.

“In the past three weeks we have made eight arrests.

We only made one arrest for the whole of last year,” said Alasow Hussein, deputy county commissioner for Marakwet, one of the areas where FGM is most widely practised.

“We have also physically rescued many, many girls. We have rescued hundreds over weeks,” he add-

ed. “The threat is not over because we have long holidays ahead.”

Traditionally FGM ceremonies, during which part or all of a girl’s genitalia is removed using a razor blade and without anaesthetic, take place around the third week of December. This is in the middle of the long school holidays that stretch into the new year, leaving time for the girls’ wounds to heal. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

Jamaica passes latest IMF test, but growth still weak

T

he International Monetary Fund (IMF) says Jamaican has passed its 10th review under its programme, but says economic growth is still weak and unemployment remains high.

Jamaica is benefiting from the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and completing the latest review gives it access to US$39.3 billion.

IMF Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair of the Executive Board, Min Zhu, said the authorities in Jamaica continue to have an impressive track record of strong programme implementation under the EFF and have made important achievements under the economic programme.

He pointed to inflation and the current account deficit falling significantly, supported by low oil prices; busi-

ness confidence being strong; private credit growth showing signs of recovery; and public debt falling.

“Nevertheless,” the IMF official added, “overall growth remains weak and unemployment, though declining, remains high. Continued structural reforms should help boost investment and growth by sustainably reducing energy costs, improving financial access, and upgrading public infrastructure.”

Min added that fiscal sustainability requires continued reduction in the Government wage bill and safeguarding revenues. “In this regard, concrete efforts are needed to modernise the Public Sector and improve the efficiency of public services. It is also essential to strengthen fiscal revenues by improving customs and tax administration and broadening the tax base,” he said.

(Excerpt from Caribbean360)

saturday, december 19, 2015

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the world

Mother Teresa World powers meet in New York for Syria talks of Calcutta to be made a saint F

oreign Ministers from around the Middle East and Europe are meeting in New York City for talks to bring the Syrian Government and armed Opposition to the negotiating table.

Friday’s meeting comes amid strong disagreement between supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and backers of the Opposition on which groups should be included in any talks.

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s Foreign Minister, ruled out on Thursday any talks that included Ahrar alSham, a large rebel faction, which he grouped together with al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group.

A meeting of Foreign Ministers about the situation in Syria is pictured at the Palace Hotel in the Manhattan borough of New York, December 18

“There has been no agreement on two important aspects; one is the Opposition groups and the composition of the Opposition groups,

and second is the list of terrorist organisations,” Zarif told Al Jazeera’s Diplomatic Editor James Bays in New York.

Our correspondent, quoting Arab diplomatic sources, said that there had been no progress in definitively deciding which Opposition groups should take part.

The rebels themselves have demands that many of the participants in Friday’s talks are willing to enforce. Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama reaffirmed his insistence that Assad step down, warning there can be no peace there without a legitimate Government.

Opposition groups met in Saudi Arabia earlier this month, ruling out any continuation of Assad’s rule, but John Kerry, US secretary of state, has said his removal is not a precondition for talks. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

UN: Gender imbalances at work slowing down progress in Caribbean

T

he rapid transformation of the new world of work is presenting opportunities for some but profound challenges for others. In Latin America and the Caribbean, a stronger focus on work – leveraging the talents of women and men alike – is needed to contain widening inequalities, according to the United Nations’ 2015 Human Development Report, released earlier this week.

The report, ‘Work for Human Development’, promotes sustainability and eq-

uitable and decent work for all, through encouraging governments to consider the many kinds of work —such as unpaid care, voluntary or creative work – that are important to human development. The report stresses that only by taking a broader stance on the concept of work can its benefits be truly harnessed for human development.

Through this lens, gender inequalities are starker. According to estimates of the share of all work, not just paid, women per-

form three out of every four hours of unpaid work worldwide. In Latin America and the Caribbean, since women shoulder the burden of care, the disparities in unpaid work could increase further as the population ages, compounded in the region by gaps in pension coverage.

“The report confirms that women in Latin America and the Caribbean face the triple challenge of working outside the home, caring for their own children and increasingly for the older generation, further in-

China smog: Beijing issues second ever pollution red alert

Beijing authorities have advised residents to avoid outdoor activity and for schools to stop classes

B

eijing has issued a second pollution red alert, little more than a week after the first ever such warning. The Chinese capital will see hazardous smog from Saturday until Tuesday, the official meteorological service said.

Nationwide, a vast area

from Xian in central China to Harbin in the north-east would also be badly hit, the National Meteorological Centre said.

Beijing authorities have advised residents to avoid outdoor activity and for schools to stop classes.

The red alert – the high-

est of a four-level alert system instituted two years years ago – also triggers restrictions on vehicle use, factories and construction work. The Government has promised to take action to address often dangerous levels of pollution.

Long-term exposure to high levels of PM2.5 – the dangerous particulate matter in smog – has been linked to lung damage and respiratory illnesses.

The World Health Organisation considers PM2.5 readings of 25 micrograms per cubic metre as the maximum safe level.

The smog which hit Beijing on December 8 peaked just below 300.

Residents are encouraged to stay indoors if levels exceed that level. Meteorological authorities have said this time the smog is expected to exceed 500 micrograms per cubic metre. (Excerpt from BBC News)

creasing unpaid work,” said Jessica Faieta, Assistant Administrator Director of UNDP’s Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean.

“In order to meet the new Sustainable Development Goals, the region needs to address the care burden, an important step to leave noone behind.” (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Mother Teresa was born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu of Albanian parents in Macedonia in 1910 in what was then part of the Ottoman Empire

M

other Teresa of Calcutta, the Nobel peace laureate who dedicated her life to helping the poorest, is to be made a saint of the Roman Catholic Church, the Vatican said on Friday.

Pope Francis has cleared the way for sainthood by approving a decree recognising a second miracle attributed to her intercession with God, a requirement of sainthood.

The nun, who died in 1997 at the age of 87, became an international icon but has also been criticised for trying to convert people

to Christianity.

The late Pope John Paul II bent Vatican rules to allow the procedure to establish her case for sainthood to be launched two years after her death instead of the usual five. She was beatified in 2003, a mere six years after her death.

Beatification requires one miracle and is the last step before sainthood, which requires a second.

The church defines saints as those believed to have been holy enough during their lives to now be in Heaven with God. Francis, who has made concern for the poor a major plank of his papacy, was keen to make Mother Teresa a saint during the church’s current Holy Year.

Church officials say Mother Teresa’s second miracle involved the healing of a Brazilian man suffering from a viral brain infection that resulted in multiple abscesses with hydrocephalus.

Relatives prayed to Mother Teresa and he recovered, leaving his doctors mystified, they said. A Vatican medical commission deemed the sudden recovery “inexplicable in the light of present-day medical knowledge,” according to Father Brian Kolodiejchuk, the chief promoter of the sainthood cause. (Excerpt from Reuters)

16 news

saturday, december 19, 2015| guyanatimesGY.com

Guyanese share mixed views about spending power, holidays

Alicia Primo

BY: Kristen Macklingam

T

his year the festive season of Christmas appears to be dampened as many persons throughout the country appear not to be in the ‘Christmas Spirit’ since they are unable to shop for gifts, decorations and even household items, as would have been expected.

While there are a number of reasons preventing families from celebrating the upcoming Holidays as they would have done in previous years, most of them sim-

ply do not have the spending power as before.

However, when Guyana Times took to the streets in the Capital City on Friday afternoon, a number of stores and shopping outlets were filled with people doing comparative shopping, browsing for cheap items, or deals on gifts, and windowshopping.

One vendor, Alicia Primo, told this publication she operates a stall on Regent Street and while ‘business is slow’ even though Christmas is six days away, she is hoping sales ‘pick up’.

“Right now the road is a little slow, right, but it going to pick up by next week time. The place is still busy though with people coming and some buying… I sell curtain roads, socks, vests and a whole lot of things and a little of everything is selling,” she said.

Meanwhile, a high school student, Xavier Fraser, whose Christmas this year is unlike that of earlier years, thought of buying himself a toy car with hopes of reminding himself of what joy this season used to bring in his younger days: “Christmas shopping

my son for his presents, so everything is on track,” she assured.

As for her son, the young lad was very enthusiastic about what the upcoming holidays had in store for him.

While he could not explain exactly what this season meant for him he was overjoyed to have already received a roller skate, remote controlled car and othShoppers on Regent Street

is like a natural thing in Guyana because everybody wants their house to look nice and want nice things.

Everybody want look good for Christmas, painting, decorating, fairy lights and everything. Christmas is very nice for me, and to bring back my childhood memories I bought myself a toy car… Tomorrow I have a party to attend, too.”

According to Gwyneth Certimor, the holiday season thus far is enjoyable for her and her loved ones, yet many are lacking that ‘Christmas Spirit’ which they should usually have: “You just have to sit

down and pray and ask God that the sales pick up... and then everything will be okay. You can’t just take on anything and you just got to wait on the Lord.”

A mother, who had just come out of a store with her son, told this newspaper she commenced her “Christmas shopping” on Friday, ensuring that her little boy received his gift first from her: “For me Christmas is fun, it is a lot of work but at the same time I am enjoying it. All is good for me, I have my family and they are well so I’m good. I started shopping very early, actually, and today (Friday) I brought

Gwyneth Certimor

Xavier Fraser

er toys from his mother who sought to ensure her son enjoyed this special holiday.

Other persons traversing the streets of Georgetown

had mixed comments about this year’s Christmas celebrations. Some were excited about the events that would usher in the holidays and especially the New Near but others lamented the fact they could not afford to celebrate in style as they are accustomed to doing each year.

Guyana Times was also told by shoppers that although they have been making purchases to “keep up tradition” they still do not have the spending power as they would have liked. (kristenm@guyanatimesgy.com)

Health Ministry Top performing ranks in ‘A’ Division awarded spreads Christmas cheer to the elderly

Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton along with a dentist examining the dentures of one of the residents of the Uncle Eddie’s Home

R

esidents of Uncle Eddie’s Home yesterday benefited from the implantation of dentures, as the Ministry of Public Health and the Cheddi Jagan Dental Centre took their Christmas cheer to the institution.

Speaking to the media Health Minister Dr George Norton pointed out: “Oral health is important regardless of age. It is a human right and is essential to the general health of persons and their wellbeing.”

He added that it is with the recognition of this fact that the government allocated over $83.5 million in the 2015 Budget for dental health services.

There are 58 public dental health centres across the country and approximately 90 per cent of the population has access to dental health services.

However, the remaining 10 per cent are mainly in hinterland areas which are difficult to access but are still on the agenda, and they benefit from dental outreaches whenever possible.

Minister Norton also highlighted: “Excluding the 2015 batch of dental graduates from the University of Guyana, there are 69 registered dentists in the country, 39 of whom are in the public healthcare system and 30 in private practice. In addition to these individuals, there are also 52 dental nurses, 32 dental assistants and 25 community dental therapists.”

The ministry has pledged its continued commitment to work towards increasing access to dental health services and expanding medical outreach programmes, which will allow more visits to such homes.

The minister also thanked Dr Shameer Ali, from the dental school, for his continued dedication to his profession and the country’s people.

Meanwhile Lloyd De Freitas, an elderly resident of the home thanked the government for this undertaking. He noted he has been a resident of the home for 10 years and has never witnessed any such initiative.

A Division Best Cop, Detective Corporal Derwin Eastman receiving his prizes from a representative of Roraima Airways

A

fter experiencing a year filled with challenges and successes, top Police Officials in A Division (Georgetown-East Band Demerara) continued a decade long tradition by treating junior ranks and rewarding top performing ranks within the Division.

The Division hosted a grant luncheon on Friday in the compound of the Brickdam Police Station, in Georgetown. During the event, several ranks were awarded for their dedication and hard work.

Delivering brief remarks, Commander of A Division Clifton Hicken said that he hopes the treat and awards would serve as motivation for the ranks to work harder in carrying out their duties.

“Ranks awarded today (Friday), they would have performed exemplary but that does not necessarily mean that the other ranks did not perform. We will give recognisation to a lot of you and this will serve as a

motivator for you to keep on working hard and for those who will not be rewarded, this will also serve as a motivator for you to step up,” Hicken stated.

The Commander underscored the importance of community-Police relations.

He noted that based on feedbacks gathered, his Division has been building capacity and intelligence with members of the public over the past year.

“We have collapsed the barrier that was conflicting members of the public and the Police Force,” Hicken added. He went on to say that his Division is looking forward to further strengthening its relations with communities during the coming year as they seek to expand the highly successful Social Crime Prevention Programe.

On the other hand, Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud recognised that A Division is one of the most tasked policing divisions; hence he lauded the ranks

for their hard work. He disclosed that this Division accounts for some 55 per cent of the serious crimes occurring in the country, which has been a trend over the past decade.

Persaud pointed out that because the A Division is more populated, it faces more demands from all sectors of society. “There will be calls from the Police Headquarters, from Government and from the people that the services we deliver be of a higher quality and that we be more accountable for the resources we have,” he remarked.

Furthermore, the Top

Force. Following the meal, those outstanding ranks were recognised with trophies and gifts from various businesses in Georgetown.

Detective Corporal Derwin Eastman, who was named the Force’s runnerup Best Cop and Best Cop for A Division at the recently held Annual Police Awards, was again recognised for his dedication.

Along with a trophy, he was given a round trip to Aruba/Curacao, a trip for two to Arrowpoint Nature Resort and a dinner for two at Duke Lodge, compliments of Roraima Airways and Insel Air. Additionally,

Commander of A Division Clifton Hicken serving ranks from his Division at the Luncheon and Award ceremony on Friday

Cop awarded the Division an incentive of $400,000.

Both Commissioner Persaud and Commander Hicken extended their appreciation to the business community, which had made several donations to distribute to the deserving officers who were awarded.

The ranks were served scrumptious lunches by senior officials of A Division as well of the Guyana Police

he was given prizes from Cellpoint and Gizmos and Gadgets.

Meanwhile, the runnerUp Best Cop for the Division was Constable George, a traffic rank. He received a Smart TV from Courts, a trip to Kaieteur Falls from Wilderness Explorers and dinner for two at Cara Lodge, along with other prizes from businesses.

17

news

saturday, december 19, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Manslaughter charge for Cops in Mahaica man’s shooting BY: Kristen Macklingam

T

wo police ranks who allegedly shot a man to death at Mahaica in July last, narrowly escaped spending Christmas in the lockups after they were each released on $150,000 bail.

This was confirmed by C Division Commander Marlon Chapman who stated that on Wednesday the duo was not required to plead to the joint charge of manslaughter which was read to them by Magistrate Suanna Lovell at the Mahaicony Magistrate’s Court.

Constables Marlon Cruickshank and Elvis Jones attached to the Cane Grove Police Station, East Coast Demerara, made their court appearance two weeks after the Director of Public Prosecutions recommended the charge.

Guyana Times understands that to date it is unclear what caused the delay and the two officers are expected to make their next court appearance on 15 January.

In a media release, the police had stated that around 15:00 hours on 4 July, ranks of the Cane Grove Station responded to reports that Gulliver, who was reported to be mentally unstable, had been threatening a woman with a cut-

lass at Strathavon Village, ECD. It was said that while investigating the police were attacked by Gulliver, armed with the cutlass, causing them to resort to the use of force.

He was shot to his body and pronounced dead on arrival at the Mahaicony Hospital, the release said.

Reports at the time were that the windscreen and other parts of the vehicle used by the ranks were damaged by Gulliver.

Subsequently, the police’s Office of Professional Responsibility launched an investigation into the matter.

There were varying accounts of how the shooting occurred.

According to Gulliver’s relatives, he was unarmed when he was shot to his back.

Guyana Times also understands that the dead man’s brother Kerry Emanuel has disputed the police’s claim that Gulliver was mentally ill, saying he, Gulliver, was a farmer.

Meanwhile, the Public Service Ministry continues to be under the spotlight, with reports of a malicious software attack from its computer incident response team.

According to a media release from the ministry, the

Market vendor shot in failed robbery

P

olice in Berbice are looking for two men who may be able to provide assistance with investigations into the shooting of a New Amsterdam market vendor who was injured on Wednesday night when two men tried to enter his premises.

Injured is Ramesh Parsram, 46, of Palmyra Village, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). Reports are that Parsram was with his wife Sabrina, 40, and other relatives having a family drink under their house when two men were seen lurking outside of the fence. Parsram reportedly left the group and went to investigate, taking with him a plastic chair as he approached the gate.

Loud explosions were heard and Parsram was seen falling to the ground.

When relatives rushed to his aid, he was bleeding profusely and appeared to have two gunshot wounds; one to the left side of his chest and the other to the abdomen.

He was rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital where he was admitted and

placed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Medical sources have confirmed that Parsram was shot twice; to the chest and abdomen. On Friday afternoon, he was transferred from the ICU to a ward at the medical facility after his condition is said to have improved. However, doctors have not been able to remove any of the bullets lodged in his body.

Police are continuing their investigation but according to the Commander of B Division (Berbice), Assistant Commissioner Christopher Griffith, the incident is being treated as an attempted robbery.

The incident took place next door to where a businesswoman was shot to her head on July 6, after five heavily-armed men – four carrying firearms and one with a cutlass – entered her Palmyra grocery store. The men allegedly took away two gold finger rings valued $50,000, $400,000 and US$100 in cash. One man is currently before the court for that robbery.

One of the two officers arraigned for allegedly shooting Gulliver to death

Guyana National Computer Incident Response Team (GNCIRT) wishes to alert the general public of the sudden surge in ransomware attacks being experi-

enced globally.

“Security researchers are reporting that ransomware attacks have increased ninefold in a two-week period.

Regionally, Paraguay has recently experienced a ransomware campaign against its citizens.

GNCIRT has had one recent report of ‘ransomware’ that infected several computers at a prominent government agency and “caused irreparable damage to important data files and inconvenience to users,” it said.

As such, given the global trend, GNCIRT stated it has reason to believe Guyanese users, especially organisations and businesses processing financial transactions via email, are at ‘high risk.’

The release went on to say ‘ransomware’ is a type of malicious software that encrypts your data files and demands payment in return for

the key to decrypt your files.

“A successful ransomware attack will encrypt your data files and make them unavailable to you.

When an individual or member of staff tries to access the data files, they are pointed to a ransom note with directions on how to

make a payment in order to regain access to the data files. GNCIRT advises that a payment should never be made as there is no guarantee that the attackers will provide the decryption key,” the release added. (kristenm@guyanatimesgy. com)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, DECember 19, 2015

ARCHIE

Take a trip or reunite with people you haven’t seen for a (March 21- while. If you share your adApril 19) ventures, someone will make a valid suggestion that will help you jump-start a new project or professional cycle.

ARIES

Discuss personal money TAURUS matters with the people in (April 20- your life who influence your May 20) financial position. Creative accounting will help you provide for the future and improve your mental health.

dilbert

Listen, think and analyze GEMINI (May 21- before you venture to make a June 20) comment. Assumptions will be your downfall. Concentrate on personal improvements, not trying to persuade others to change.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Peanuts

There will be too many unknowns for you to make a certain decision. Check out every situation before you decide to take a risk. Stick close to home and avoid travel dilemmas.

Not everyone will agree LEO with what you do, but as long (July 23as you are happy, keep movAug. 22) ing forward. Challenge, adventure and personal change will do you good.

Calvin and Hobbes

Check out an offer, but VIRGO don’t be too quick to sign (Aug. 23up.

Listen carefully to what Sept. 22) partners say. Something will stand out that will help you decipher what’s true and what isn’t.

Your high energy level is LIBRA (Sept. 23- best used properly. Don’t let Oct. 23) idle time lead to a disgruntled argument. Getting rid of or donating unused or unwanted items will make you feel good.

SUDOKU

Your creative imagination SCORPIO will help you turn a random (Oct. 24idea into something substanNov. 22) tial. If you delve into a project that excites you, the results will be satisfying. Romance is highlighted.

Good fortune will be SAGITTARIUS yours if you honor your prom(Nov. 23ises and help others. Remain Dec. 21) balanced and fair in all your dealings. Spend less and take it easy in order to reduce stress.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Plan your actions straCAPRICORN tegically. Impulse will lead (Dec. 22- to unpredictable situations.

Jan. 19) Consider how you feel about the people in your life and make adjustments to your manner of living.

AQUARIUS You are in a good posi(Jan. 20- tion to bring about change, so Feb. 19) stop thinking about what you want to do, and make it happen. Don’t let a personal relationship hold you back.

An unexpected opportuniPISCES (Feb. 20- ty will leave you with a diffiMarch 20) cult choice. Look at the longterm effects in order to make your decision easier. It’s time to put your desires first.

saturday, december 19, 2015

Banks Beer Knockout Football Cup…

Cougars FC, NA United confident ahead of tonight’s matches

By Treiston Joseph

A

ction will kick into high gear this evening when the second set of matches in the Banks Beer Knockout Football Cup is hosted at the Number 5 ground, Berbice.

Blackwater FC will face New Amsterdam United in the night’s first game from 18:30h, while Rosignol FC and Cougars FC will do battle in the night’s second game.

Speaking with Coach of the Cougar FC squad Phillip Carrington, he noted that it was great to be playing football. “Preparation was

Phillip Carrington

very short for us, football has been inactive here so

we just have to try our best with what we have, other teams have been more active than us but we just are thankful to be playing some football here,” Carrington highlighted.

In addition, Carrington noted that while his team’s biggest weakness will be the lack of fitness, his squad will be no push over, as the football club aims for a more developmental approach to the tournament.

“I think fitness will be our biggest weakness because of the lack of match practice but we will not be no pushover, it’s who comes out and play the better football and whenever we have

played Rosignol we have beaten them.

But this is more development for us, it’s about getting the team in order and seeing how the experience mixes with the youths that we have,” Carrington noted.

Meanwhile, in the night’s other fixture, New Amsterdam’s Coach Lennox Adams stressed the importance of taking each game seriously.

“Preparation has been good for us, we just are wrapping up things on the technical and tactical side… we are taking it one game at a time and we are confident in the squad,” Adams stated.

CGI Local Franchise League 50-over cricket...

Day/night final set for Albion today

H

istory will be created today when the first ever champion of the Cricket Guyana Inc Local Franchise League 50over competition is crowned at the famous Albion Community Centre ground, Berbice.

Following the completion of the League phase and lone playoff of the inaugural tourney, the championship game is an all-Berbice final, with Upper Corentyne down to face Lower Corentyne/ New Amsterdam/Canje.

Action will bowl off at 14:00h and conclude under floodlights, and admission to the venue is free.

Fans in Berbice and those travelling to the Ancient County are in for a treat, as some of the country’s best cricketers are set

Jonathon Foo

Assad Fudadin

Royston Crandon

to be on show.

Lower Corentyne/New Amsterdam/Canje, who topped the league phase with 46 points from six wins in seven games and earned automatic entry into the final, will depend on the likes of Royston Crandon,

Gajanand Singh and Raun Johnson, who have been at the forefront of the team’s success.

Upper Corentyne, who finished second in the league and subsequently defeated Georgetown in the playoff on Thursday, will look to the

in-form Jonathon Foo, Assad Fudadin and Rajiv Ivan to lead the charge for victory.

The Local Franchise League 50-over competition has replaced the Intercounty tournament, and featured eight teams in the first edition.

Van Gaal fears same fate as Mourinho if United keep losing

Under-pressure Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal knows losing too many more matches “could be the end of the world” but said he still has the full backing of the club’s board.

Jose Mourinho’s sacking by Chelsea took the spotlight off Dutchman Van Gaal on Friday but the vultures are circling after his side were knocked out

Louis van Gaal

of the Champions League after defeat by Wolfsburg and lost to modest Bournemouth last week.

He said his side, labouring in fourth in the Premier League, have to beat Norwich City on Saturday.

“The only answer is to win this game. It’s still difficult because we are playing in the Premier League, but at home you have to

19

WICB wants best players for Regional competition

W

est Indies Cricket Board (WICB) is calling on the region’s top players to be available for the regional tournaments to ensure that they remain eligible for selection for international competition.

With the WICB Professional Cricket League

compete against each other.”

Additionally, the CEO pointed out that “in the upcoming year, there are a number of tours in and out of the region and with that amount of cricket added, along with the phased roll out of the high performance program, the players will have a chance at better pre-

Tournaments we can confirm so far are: · NAGICO Super50 · Second round of the PCL · World T20 · International Home Series · CPL (Year 4) (PCL) now on a break and with the 3rd NAGICO Super50, schedule to bowl off on Thursday, January 7, “there is an opportunity to have the best players compete for regional supremacy in the upcoming events,” noted Chief Executive Officer, Michael Muirhead.

The CEO emphasised that “the Board has looked at its tournament schedule and has placed each tournament at a time that allows our international players to participate in other competitions overseas. We however value our competitions and we think the fans would want to see our best players

win, and that’s for sure,” Van Gaal, under fire for his tactics all season with fans blaming him for a lack of flair, told a news conference.

“I have the full confidence of my board and my players, that is what I feel.

“But we have to get results, we have to win. We know that, the players know that, I know that and the members of staff know that. There is no doubt that we have to win because when you lose too much then even for me it is the end of the world.”

Van Gaal spoke of the “crazy” world of football when discussing Mourinho’s sacking.

“It was a big surprise for me I didn’t expect that, a fantastic manager with a record that nobody has in his football world,” Van Gaal said of title-winner Mourinho’s exit.

“But I said last week is that the main thing is results and the second thing

January 7 – 24 February 11 – March 18 March – April (India) June - August July – August

paring themselves for producing at the highest level.”

The CEO also noted that the Board will confirm any additional international tours for the 2016 period but pointed out that in rebuilding our program “we are keen on offering enough playing opportunities at home and abroad.”

Guyana Jaguars lead the first round of the PCL and are the defending champions; Trinidad and Tobago are the defending champions of the NAGICO Super50 and the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel are the defending CPL T20 Champions. (WICB

Release)

is the chemistry between the players and the manager and his staff.

“I cannot judge what was happening there but was very surprised.

“It’s like that, managers know in advance, it’s this world. My players are fine (with me). I’ve read more than one article that doesn’t look like that, but that’s this crazy world.”

Van Gaal said three or four players who have been out injured could be set for a return and he is hopeful striker Wayne Rooney will be fit after a full week’s training.

Rooney has missed three matches with an ankle injury.

Defender Chris Smalling and midfielder Ander Herrera are also in contention for recalls.

“Rooney has been out for more or less two weeks so it is possible that he will play but we have to wait and see,” Van Gaal said.

(Reuters Sport)

20

guyanatimesGY.com

saturday, december 19, 2015

Late wickets puncture SL’s aggression “T

his is as green as it gets,” said former New Zealand batsman Craig Cumming of the Seddon Park pitch.

The seam and swing on offer was far from unplayable, though, and through a combination of enterprising batting, impatient bowling and some luck, Sri Lanka made 264 in the day at a run rate of just under four an over before rain ended play at 4.30 pm.

Sri Lanka combated the conditions with aggression. They had been submissive on an easier surface

SCOREBOARD Sri Lanka 1st innings FDM Karunaratne c †Watling b Southee 12 BKG Mendis c †Watling b Southee 31 MDUS Jayasundera run out 26 (Santner/†Watling) LD Chandimal† c †Watling b Bracewell 47 AD Mathews* not out 63 TAM Siriwardana c Taylor b Boult 62 KDK Vithanage c McCullum b Boult 0 HMRKB Herath run out (Williamson) 4 0 PVD Chameera not out Extras: (lb 7, w 12) 19 Total: (7 wickets; 67 overs) 264 To bat: RAS Lakmal, N Pradeep Fall of wickets: 1-39, 2-44, 3-115, 4-121, 5-259, 6-259, 7-264 Bowling: TA Boult 17-2-432, TG Southee 16-5-51-2, DAJ Bracewell 19-2-79-1, N Wagner 7-0-49-0, MJ Santner 7-0-340, KS Williamson 1-0-1-0.

New Zealand team: MJ Guptill, TWM Latham, KS Williamson, LRPL Taylor, BB McCullum*, MJ Santner, BJ Watling†, DAJ Bracewell, N Wagner, TG Southee, TA Boult

Angelo Mathews was unbeaten on 63 when rain ended play (Getty Images)

in Dunedin but today they stood up to New Zealand, lashing the swinging ball through the off side and pulling short deliveries instead of weaving and ducking.

Kusal Mendis set the pace, Dinesh Chandimal accelerated, and when the innings was in danger of unravelling because of that aggression, Angelo Mathews tempered it to suitable levels.

Once Mathews and Milinda Siriwardana had settled, however, they produced the strongest partnership of the innings, adding 138 runs at 4.60 an over.

Until three quick wickets in the final session gave New Zealand acceptable returns, the day had defied popular perceptions after Brendon McCullum began his 99th successive Test - a new record for consecutive matches from debut - by giving his attack first use of the grassy surface in Hamilton.

Trent Boult, in particular, and Tim Southee tried too hard - looking to swing the new ball prodigiously when a McGrathlike line would have sufficed - and were not on a good length around off stump often enough. Ross

Taylor dropped a catch at slip; McCullum failed to nail two run-out chances; Doug Bracewell hit the stumps but the bails didn’t fall. Mendis was the beneficiary each time. Several other edges did not go to hand, and New Zealand also exhausted their reviews on lbw appeals - against Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal - inside the first 16 overs.

Southee got it right either side of the first drinks break, his outswingers drawing the inside edge from Dimuth Karunaratne and the outside edge from Mendis. The wicketkeeper BJ Watling caught both, adding to his nine dismissals in the first Test.

Sri Lanka were 44 for 2 when Chandimal edged his first delivery through the cordon for four. He then launched his counterattack.

An over from Bracewell featured smooth drives down the ground and through cover, and a fierce cut over point. It read: 2,2,4,4, dot, 4. Chandimal laid into Neil Wagner too, lofting over mid-off, driving through and carving over cover.

Udara Jayasundera,

playing only his second Test, was also aggressive. He flicked and pulled the left-armers Boult and Wagner, and his aggression against the short ball was a sea change from how he had struggled against it Dunedin.

Sri Lanka’s advantageous position of 108 for 2 eroded quickly after lunch, though. Jayasundera was run out attempting a second that Chandimal did not want, and Chandimal added only six runs to his lunch score of 41 before being caught behind playing the cover drive against Bracewell. They had added 71 at 4.43 an over.

Having taken two wickets for 13 runs, McCullum tried to subdue Sri Lanka once again. Wagner began his short-ball attack with a leg gully, backward short leg and a long leg. Mathews and Siriwardana pulled when they could, middling some balls, top-edging others over the keeper for six.

They were watchful too, mindful of the long tail after them, but refused to be beaten into stagnation.

Having scored 90 runs in the second session, Sri Lanka turned it on after tea.

Siriwardene and Mathews charged the left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, who had bowled so economically in Dunedin, and hit him repeatedly over the long-on boundary.

One of those sixes brought up the 100 stand in 22.4 overs and Mathews’ fifty off 87 balls. They went after Bracewell too, not allowing him to perform his controlling role.

Siriwardene pulled for a flat six, and then caressed the ball through the covers to bring up his fifty. (Cricinfo)

Mourinho sacked as Chelsea manager

J

Jose Mourinho

ose Mourinho was sacked as manager of Premier League champions Chelsea on Thursday after a calamitous run of results left the London club one point above the relegation zone.

“Chelsea Football Club and Jose Mourinho have today parted company by mutual consent,” the club said on their official Twitter account.

The 52-year-old Portuguese returned to Stamford Bridge for a second stint in charge in 2013 and last season led them to the title and a League Cup triumph.

Chelsea were beaten 2-1 by surprise leaders Leicester City on Monday, their ninth defeat in 16 league matches.

Ahead of this weekend’s home game with Sunderland, they have managed only 15 points during their worst start to a season since being relegated in 1978-79.

Media speculation had been mounting about Mourinho’s position and it reached a crescendo after

Monday’s defeat when he accused some of the players of “betraying his work”.

Mourinho won back-toback titles for Chelsea during his first spell in charge from 2004-07 before falling out of favour with the club’s Russian owner Roman Abramovich.

He was welcomed back as a returning hero in 2013 after spells at Inter Milan and Real Madrid and soon delivered a third league title.

However, this season they have already lost the same amount of league matches as they did in the last two campaigns combined, and their hopes of a top-four finish look bleak.

Few could have envisaged their spectacular slump and although the fans have remained loyal to him, the defeat at Leicester proved to be his final match in charge.

The season has followed a similar pattern to Mourinho’s previous dismissal eight years ago, although he was given a little longer to reverse their fortunes this time. (Reuters Sport)

Murray: Olympics the biggest event Switzerland freezes millions of

W

orld number two Andy Murray will be aiming for another gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics in what he considers the biggest event in sport.

Andy Murray is looking forward to representing Great Britain at the 2016 Olympic Games, describing it as sport’s biggest event.

The 28-year-old won gold in the men’s singles at London 2012, defeating Roger Federer in the final at Wimbledon, and will be hoping to do replicate that feat in Rio de Janeiro next year.

The world number two – who also took silver alongside Laura Robson in the mixed doubles three years ago – admitted the Olympics comes at a difficult time in the tennis calendar, but it is an event he hopes to arrive to at the peak of his powers “[I am] really looking forward to it, I would imagine it will be great fun over there, probably hot, tough conditions, but the Olympics is the biggest sporting event in my opinion by far,” Murray told Omnisport.

“Nothing comes close to it, some people say football World Cup, but at the Olympics you have all of the best athletes in the world across all of the sports competing for their countries, and it comes round once every four years so there is a lot of pressure on everyone to perform.

Swiss francs related to FIFA

T

Andy Murray

“I’m really looking forward to it; it should be a great event. In the tennis calendar it comes at a tough time because we have Wimbledon, the following week is the Davis Cup, then the Olympics a couple of weeks after that.

“So it is a very busy time of year, but we’ll adjust my schedule so I can hopefully peak and play my best tennis at the Olympics.”

Murray played a starring role in Britain’s Davis Cup triumph this year, winning all 11 of his rubbers to help end the nation’s 79-year wait to reclaim the crown.

(Digicel Sportsmax)

he Swiss Justice Ministry has frozen millions of Swiss francs related to world football body FIFA, a spokesman said on Thursday, confirming a media report.

World football’s governing body is suffering the worst corruption scandal in its more than 100-year history, with 41 entities and people including football bosses from throughout the Americas charged by U.S. prosecutors and FIFA President Sepp Blatter suspended from his post pending a full investigation.

“U.S. authorities asked for documents related to 50 accounts at different banks, through which corruption money is supposed to have transited,” Swiss Justice Ministry spokesman Folco Galli said, confirming a report by Swiss newspaper TagesAnzeiger.

In a statement, Galli said a “high double-digit million amount” had been frozen following the U.S. request to authorities in Switzerland, where FIFA is based.

Blatter and European (UEFA) football chief Michel Platini have both been provisionally suspended for 90 days over a suspicious payment made to Platini, pending a thorough investigation. Both men have pro-

A FIFA sign is seen outside the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland

claimed their innocence.

Thursday’s announcement came a day after officials said German prosecutors had asked Switzerland to help look into a suspicious payment linked to Germany’s hosting of the 2006 World Cup, including by sifting through bank data.

“The justice ministry has recently passed on the request for administrative assistance from the prosecutor in Frankfurt to the Swiss attorney general’s office so it can deal with it,” Galli said. “The ... ministry has not received any other requests for administrative assistance related to FIFA.”

(Reuters Sport)

sports

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21

Suspended Blatter appears before FIFA ethics board S

uspended FIFA President Sepp Blatter appeared before the ethics committee of world football’s governing body on Thursday in a case that could end with him banned from the sport for years.

FIFA is reeling from the worst corruption scandal in its more than 100-year history, with 41 people including national football bosses as well as entities charged

by U.S. prosecutors and Blatter under criminal investigation in Switzerland.

Blatter, who is due to leave the post on Feb. 26 when his successor will be elected, arrived at FIFA headquarters in Zurich in a chauffeur-driven vehicle with one of his lawyers.

Blatter was suspended on Oct. 8 from all soc-

Sepp Blatter

cer-related activity for 90 days alongside European (UEFA) football chief Michel Platini pending a full investigation into their conduct.

The FIFA ethics inquiry began in the wake of the

Swiss attorney general office’s decision to open criminal proceedings against Blatter over a $2 million payment to Platini in 2011.

Blatter and Platini have both denied wrongdoing.

Platini, who had intend-

ed to run for the FIFA presidency, was due to be heard by the committee on Friday but has refused to attend, saying the process against him is purely political.

Earlier this week, Blatter wrote to FIFA’s 209 member state associations, on his own stationary, proclaiming his innocence.

He reiterated that the payment made when Blatter was running for reelection of UEFA, was legitimate and resulted from a verbal contract for work Platini had done for FIFA years before.

Separately, a spokesman for the Swiss Justice Ministry said on Thursday it had frozen millions of Swiss francs related to FIFA in response to a request from U.S. investigators. (Reuters Sport)

Putin says Russia will cooperate to eradicate doping

P

resident Vladimir Putin on Thursday pledged that Russia would cooperate with international officials to eradicate the “poison” of doping, but said it was wrong to suspend athletes who have not been accused of cheating.

Putin suggested the International Association of Athletics Federations’ blanket suspension of Russia’s entire track and field team was unfair because it penalized athletes for the cheating of others.

Russia’s track and field federation was suspended by the IAAF after a World Anti-Doping Agency panel accused the country of operating a widespread, state-sponsored doping program and covering up positive tests. The penalty could keep Russia’s track and field athletes out of next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

“If someone is doping,

President Vladimir Putin

they should definitely be punished in the proper way because it destroys the idea of fair competition,” Putin said in his annual news conference. “Those who are guilty -- the coach, the organizer, the athlete -- they should be held responsible.

Those who have nothing to

do with it should not answer for those who are violating something. It’s not fair and it’s not right.”

Putin promised to make sure that Russian officials work with international bodies to fight doping, which he described as a “poison for people.”

“Russia must and will be open for a joint fight on doping,” he said in televised remarks. “I will order officials on all levels to cooperate openly with international bodies, not cover up anything. It’s in our interests.”

Putin also reacted to the corruption scandals at FIFA that are overshadowing Russia’s preparations to host the World Cup in 2018.

Asked to comment on the ongoing investigation, he said that Russia has done nothing wrong and had won the right to host the soccer tournament in an “honest competition.”

The Russian president also praised FIFA’s suspended president, Sepp Blatter, for his contribution to world soccer, and Putin reiterated his belief -- first expressed in July -- that Blatter deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. (ESPN)

BCCI likely to reveal IPL player salaries

T

he BCCI’s decision to make the ‘actual’ salaries of retained players in the IPL public - ostensibly as a part of its recent attempts to ensure transparency - has evoked mixed responses from franchises. After the IPL draft held on Tuesday, IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla had said that details of payments made to the players retained will be put up on the BCCI’s website. It is learnt that such information is likely to be available at the end of the first trading window on December 31.

If the rule comes into effect, the franchises may have to disclose the actual remuneration paid to the players retained for the first time since the introduction of the retention system in 2010,

IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla

which allowed teams to sign a certain number of players from their squad ahead of the auction. The earnings of the players on the retention list are not necessarily the same as the fixed price bands they are slotted in. For example, if

Royal Challengers Bangalore retain Virat Kohli as their first player, a deduction of Rs 12.5 crore (US$1.881 million) from their auction purse will be made, but they may pay Kohli either the same amount or more or less.

The BCCI, by virtue of being a party in this tripartite agreement, is privy to the payment made, but such numbers are not easily available in the public realm, as opposed to the non-negotiable hammer-price for which a player is picked up in the auctions.

Kasi Viswanathan, one of the directors of Chennai Super Kings Cricket Ltd, the company that owns the suspended franchise, Chennai Super Kings, felt franchises were loath to disclose the actual payments

because of the fear of leaking business strategy. “This is a business proposition,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “Why would they want to let out trade secrets?”

Viswanathan, however, said the players retained

by Super Kings in 2014 MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo - were compensated in accordance with the prescribed money brackets. Dhoni was paid Rs 12.5 crore, Raina 9.5 crore (US$1.429 million), Ashwin 7.5 crore (US$1.128 million), Jadeja 5.5 crore (US$0.827 million) and Bravo Rs 4 crore (US$0.0602 million).

Viswanathan also said the subject of revealing such payments had never come for discussion in the past.

(Cricinfo)

22

guyanatimesGY.com

saturday, december 19, 2015

Trophy Stall onboard with Guyana’s 1st Goal Project...

Laying of artificial UDFA/GT Beer tourney turf will take 5 months – Forde

– Linden, Rupununi to receive future goal projects

UDFA President Sharma Solomon receives the first place trophy from Ramesh Sunich of Trophy Stall, while Jeoff Clement, GT Beer Brand manager, looks on

P

roprietor of Trophy Stall Ramesh Sunich on Friday presented the top place trophies to President of Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) Sharma Solomon during a simple ceremony at Trophy Staff’s main office at Bourda Market, Georgetown. Also present was Jeoff Clement, GT Beer’s Brand Manager.

Trophy Stall of Bourda Market has signed on as a sponsor for the third annual UDFA/GT Beer Knockout

Football Cup being played at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground in Linden.

Solomon expressed gratitude to Sunich for sponsoring the trophies for the 14team tournament, organised by the UDFA with the main sponsor being Banks DIH Limited through its GT Beer brand.

The winning team will receive $800,000 and the GT Beer Trophy with the runner-up taking home $500,000 and a trophy.

Third place will secure

$300,000 and a trophy, while the fourth place finisher will capture $200,000.

There will also be prizes for the Most Valuable Player (MVP), Highest Goal Scorer, Best Goalkeeper, Most Disciplined Team, Best Defender and Best Coach.

Meanwhile, a doubleheader card is slated for Sunday with Hi-Stars coming up against Netrockers in the first match at 18:30h.

The feature game will bring together Amelia’s Ward and Botofago at 20:30h.

The conceptual design for Guyana's first Goal Project was revealed this week

By Avenash Ramzan

T

he laying of the artificial turf of the Goal Project, and not the completion of the entire facility, will take five months.

This was clarified by President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Wayne Forde, who hosted the first of his monthly press conferences on Friday afternoon.

A release from the Federation had inadvertently stated that the project would take five months from start to finish, but Forde pointed out that the first stage would last that time.

The facility, the first Goal Project to be constructed in Guyana, will be built on the Providence Community Centre ground, Providence, East Bank Demerara.

That plot of land – 8.5 acres in size – was acquired by the Federation on a 30year lease. The first Goal Project is expected to be totally completed in four years, Forde indicated. He also revealed that the second Goal Project will be in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) and the third in the Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper TakatuUpper Essequibo).

Forde said as soon as the first Goal Project becomes a reality, the GFF will put in an application for a second.

First Vice President, Brigadier Bruce Lovell said while Guyana is yet to have a Goal Project, the ultimate aim is to have one in the jurisdiction of every Member Association.

Conceptual design approve following an unan-

imous decision taken by the Forde-led Executive Committee to endorse the project, FIFA will now send out an International Tender for contractors for the installation of the artificial turf.

Members of the Executive Committee recently met with Marcel Gaskin, Architect of the Conceptual Design for the facility, where it was pointed out the project will be completed in two phases, with the first being the installation of the artificial turf.

The second phase will see infrastructure such as stands, lights, beach and futsal training pitches, mini pitches and an administrative centre for the Headquarters of the Federation being establish.

FIFA contracted Inspector, Dr Stephen Baker visited Guyana on August 25, and conducted soil testing, where the Englishman looked at the sub-base and at the entire topography and reported back to FIFA on what was needed in order to have the turf installed.

On December 5, Howard McIntosh, FIFA’s Development Officer also met with members of the GFF’s Executive Committee on his visit and conveyed FIFA’s satisfaction (with the conceptual design) and readiness to move forward with the Goal Project.

Guyana was actually earmarked by FIFA to pioneer its ‘Goal Project’ with then FIFA President Sepp Blatter making his maiden voyage in 1999 for the turning of the sod at the University of Guyana, but plans fell through after ne-

gotiations went sour with the Guyana Government.

In 2007, under former President Colin Klass, the GFF began work at Orangestein, on the East Bank of Essequibo, for what was supposed to be the location for Guyana’s first Goal Project.

Following Klass’ exit, Franklin Wilson, his Vice President at the time (2013), assumed the post of President (ag) and travelled to Zurich where negotiations with FIFA’s Development Committee brokered US$500,000 to be allocated to Guyana to help get the ‘Goal Project’ off the ground.

Wilson’s effort also failed to see the project start, and then President Christopher Matthias upon taking office, abandoned the plot of land, already owned by the GFF at Orangestein, stating that the site was too remote and sought further negotiations with the Ministry of Sport for land behind the National Track and Field Centre at Leonora.

Things again didn’t materialise, since the then Government had offered only a little over three acres of land which FIFA said was inadequate for the Project to materialise.

The new Executive Committee of the GFF however believes that this project represents a tangible demonstration of a new era of football in Guyana and the change in governance structure to provide material evidence of development commitments by FIFA and the Executive Committee.

guyanatimesGY.com

saturday, december 19, 2015

23

RHTY&SC Christmas Islam Brothers impressive Village opens on Sunday on opening night Farfan and Mendes Junior Squash tournament...

T

he Farfan and Mendes Junior Christmas team tournament served off on Thursday evening with some intense action at the Georgetown Club.

In perhaps the best game of the night, Daniel Islam (Team Minions) defeated Alex Cheeks (Team Tornados) for the first time in his career by a 3-2 margin in a hard fought game.

Cheeks quickly found himself behind the eight ball as Islam stole the early momentum in the match, taking a 2-0 lead, before the former won the third game 9/11, and held on for the fourth to force a fifth game.

Islam regained his early composure and completed the win 11/7.

Anthony Islam (Team Rising Stars) also held on for an intense victory to cap off a good night for the twins. He defeated Matthew Phang (Team Bungatuffies) in another intense five game match, which ended when he clinched the final game 11/9. Anthony was off to a brisk start, winning the first game 11/7, before fall-

Daniel Islam

ing behind 2-1, as Phang won the following games by 15/13, 11/9 margins. Islam however returned to win straight games to seal an impressive victory.

For team Bungatuffies, James Mekdeci topped Mohryan Baksh 3-2 (11/9, 11/8, 3/11, 9/11, 11/4) in another game which went down to the wire, while Christiana Fernandes won the lone game for team Tornadoes when she beat Noah Rahaman 3-0 (6/11, 11/7, 11/8).

Overall, there were sev-

en wins for team Minions, five for team Rising Stars, four for team Bungatuffies and one for team Tornadoes.

The tournament is expected to conclude on Sunday.

Complete Day One results: Daniel Islam beat Alex Cheeks 3-2, Aliyah Persaud beat Jason Gomes 3-2, Mikhail Persaud beat Chad DeAbreu 3-0, Christiana Fernandes beat Noah Rahaman 3-0, Haley Carpenter defeated Liam Carpenter 3-2, Demetrius DeAbreu defeated Abosaide Cadogan 3-0, Ben Mekdeci beat Taylor Fernandes 3-0, Makeda Harding beat Michael Ramroop 3-0, Anthony Islam beat Matthew Phang 3-2, Shiloh Asregado beat Louis DaSilva 2-0, Mashal Allicock beat Beau Fernandes 2-0, Georgina Fernandes beat Nathan Rahaman 3-2, James Mekdeci beat Mohryan Baksh 3-2, Kirsten Gomes beat Michael Alphonso 3-2, Dominic Collins beat Ethan Jonas 3-1, Rebecca Low beat Maya Collins 3-0, Nyron Joseph beat Alec Melville 3-0.

T

he township of Rose Hall would come alive on Sunday when the cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) create history in the ancient county by hosting the county’s first ever Christmas Village from December 20 to Christmas Eve night.

The Village would be held in the compound of the Rose Hall Town Primary School and would be organised by the Rose Hall Town Farfan and Mendes Under-15, Rose Hall Town Pepsi Under-19 and Intermediate, Bakewell Under-17 and Second Division, Metro Females and Gizmos and Gadgets First Division and Under-21 cricket teams.

Long-serving Secretary/ CEO Hilbert Foster hailed the hosting of the upcoming Christmas Village as one of the greatest off the cricket field achievements of the RHTY&SC. He expressed confidence that the Christmas Village would grow into a huge success that would attract hundreds of visitors every year and transform the way youths and their families celebrate Christmas every

First Lady Sandra Granger

year. The main objectives of the Village are to promote the traditional values of Christmas, to promote social cohesion among residents, to attract tourists to Rose Hall Town and to provide clean entertainment for families. The cricket teams would also use the opportunity to promote its ‘Say No to Drugs, Suicide and Crime and Yes to Education and Sports’ message.

First Lady Sandra Granger would be the feature guest at the launching and would later on turn on the lights to the massive locally-made Christmas tree to officially declare the vil-

lage open. Among the other main attractions would be a large nativity scene, Santa and his sleigh, games, a fun park, photo studio, Christmas characters, a Horror House, and a youth friendly corner, among others. Numerous booths would be sale with Christmas related gifts, snacks and drinks etc.

The entire compound of the school would be transformed into a dreamland of lights, decorations and large plastic Christmas characters. The RHTY&SC would like to express gratitude to the following sponsors for making the event a success – the Ministries of Tourism, Culture and Education; Bank of Nova Scotia; Bakewell; Impression Printing; Crown Vibes; GuySuCo Training Centre; Beharry’s Co Ltd; Corentyne Comprehensive Secondary School; Pastor Alvin Alladine; Burrowes School of Art; Nand Persaud Co Ltd; Gizmos and Gadgets; Guyana Beverage Company; ANSA McAL Trading; Sunil Madramootoo; RDC, Region Six; the Guyana Police Force and the Rose Hall Town Council.

Hiddink in talks Jets crush Flames, Raiders remain undefeated with Chelsea T D LABA Malta Supreme Christmas basketball championships…

he Retrieve Raiders topped the Victory Valley Royals 49-46 on Thursday evening to remain unbeaten, when action in the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA)/Malta Supreme Christmas tournament continued at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court, in Linden.

Amelia’s Ward Jets were also in the winner’s row with a 60-28 win against Block 22 Flames to remain on course for a final four position in this sixteam competition.

The Raiders held their nerves in the final moment of the game against a determined Royals side that

Orin Rose

tied the score at 45, before the Raiders went on a 4-1 run to pull out the tough win.

Derwin Robertson was the high point man with 25 points while others contributing to that victory were national guard Keon Cameron with 14 points and Deul Garner getting 10 points.

Alwyn Rodney had a great night for the Royals and for the second straight game top scored with 15 points ahead of the inform Harold Adams who netted 13 points and Nevin Glenn 12 points.

In the other game, the Jets crushed the Flames as Akani Wilson and Joel Webster each netted 11 points and national player Orin Rose eight, while Rawle Williams top scored

for the Flames with eight points.

Meanwhile, the Raiders will go for another win tonight in their penultimate game against the Jets at 21:00h, while the Half Mile Bulls who have won their four matches so far and are favoured to hand the Falcons who could face their fifth loss at 19:00h.

With no real hopes of reaching the last four, the Falcons may think of upsetting the Bulls but are the rank underdogs in this game.

Tonight’s encounters will determine the four teams advancing to semifinals, slated for December 23.

utchman Guus Hiddink has confirmed he has held talks with Chelsea about becoming the Premier League club's interim manager but has not made up his mind about accepting the role.

Hiddink, who performed a similar role in 2009 at the west London club, is favourite to replace Jose Mourinho who was sacked by the English champions on Thursday after Chelsea's dismal start to the season.

"I want to gather as much information as possible. Chelsea indeed has a lousy performance and there are reasons for it," the

69-year-old was quoted as saying by Dutch paper De Telegraaf on Friday.

"First, I want to get a good understanding of this, before I make my decision."

On whether he would be at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea's game against Norwich City on Saturday, Hiddink said: "That (attending the game) is something the coaches do.

"Whether I go to see the match depends on my first conversation. Depending on the outcome, I will determine whether I remain longer in London to discuss the matter further." (Reuters Sport)

saturday, december 19, 2015

Sports is no longer our game, it’s our business

Guyana's 1st Goal Project...

Laying of artificial turf will take 5 months – Forde Pg 22

– Linden, Rupununi to receive future goal projects GFF President Wayne Forde is flanked by Vice Presidents Bruce Lovell (left) and Rawlston Adams at Friday’s briefing

WICB wants Cougars FC, NA United confident best players for Regional ahead of tonight’s matches competition Banks Beer Knockout Football Cup…

Pg 19

Pg 19

Some of the action on the opening night of the tournament

Chief Executive Officer, Michael Muirhead

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