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The Race to LGE 2016

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 2784

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

PRICE

Rodney CoI

WHAT'S INSIDE:

PNC mum on Report's findings

Agricola man slapped with causing death P2 charge

Page 9

Policeman stabbed to 2 arrested death by suspected following 5.6kg drug bust rapist – two others injured Page 9

$80 vat included

Guyana observes P2 Islam Awareness Week

Page 7

Govt has further burdened Guyanese – Opposition Leader ...LGE meeting held at Enmore

Cabinet still to approve repurchase of Skeldon P3 Co-Generation Plant

Page 10

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo meeting with residents of Enmore, East Coast Demerara on Tuesday during an outreach to the community

LGE 2016

Ballot papers arrive for March 18 polls Page 9

22 companies bid for ‘Green Bartica Plan’ Page 12

GTU calls for adjustment of student to teacher P13 ratios Parents decry P2 Charity Secondary dormitory's condition

2 news

wednesday, march 2, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Parents decry Charity Secondary dormitory’s condition

Concerned parents attended the PTA meeting to raise their concerns about the condition of the school’s dormitory

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arents of students who occupy the dormitory at the Charity Secondary School are calling on the Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) administration as well as the Department of Education within the region to inspect the present condition of the building. According to parents, they will be forced to stop their children from attending the school since the environment is not conducive to learning.

At the recent Parent Teacher’s Association (PTA)

meeting held over the weekend, parents raised several concerns to PTA Chairman Dalip Singh.

According to the upset parents, the washroom is out of order and there is no drinking water available for the students. Parents also alleged that there are major electrical problems at the institution, as the building is in dire need of maintenance and repairs.

The parents further claimed that the building is in a deplorable state, stressing that nothing has

being done, although several complaints were lodged with the Department of Education.

The PTA also requested that fogging commence around the school and fencing. According to some of the parents, students from the Pomeroon River are left behind by the school boat, the David-G – one of the boats donated under President Granger’s ‘Three Bs’ initiative – due to inadequate seating capacity.

Region Two Chairman Devanand Ramdatt also

confirmed that the dormitory is in a deplorable state.

He requested that the engineers and staff from the region’s building department visit the school in an effort to address these issues urgently.

Ramdatt said that concerns raised by the parents were forwarded to the Regional Executive Officer Rupert Hopkinson. It is expected that works will commence at the school and the dormitory during the week.

Agricola man slapped with causing death charge

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n Agricola, Greater Georgetown, resident was granted $250,000 bail when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan slapped with a causing death by dangerous driving charge.

John Zephyr pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on February 13, 2016 at Brutus Street, Agricola, he drove motor car HC 4627 in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of Rudival

Azore.

Additionally, the 60-yearold man was charged for failing to report the accident.

That charge alleged that on the same day while being the driver of the said motor vehicle, after being involved in the accident, he failed to report the said accident to the nearest Police Station or to a Police Constable within 24 hours of its occurrence.

Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones unsuccessfully objected to bail, citing the gravity of the offence. The case will continue on March 21, 2016.

Guyana observes Islam Awareness Week

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Visiting scholars, Dr Shabeel Ahmed and Sheik Mohammed Awal

he Guyana Islamic Trust has commenced its observance of Islam Awareness Week, with the hope of providing the public with knowledge about the faith and clearing misconceptions and stereotypes. The week of activities was launched on Friday and will run until March 6.

In an interview with Guyana Times on Tuesday, Dr Shabeel Ahmed and Sheik Mohammed Awal, who are both visiting scholars, said several meetings will be held across the country to make citizens aware of the teachings of Islam.

Shabeel said the faith is one of equality, noting that people should not judge Islam by the “actions of a few misguided Muslims.”

“The main important message that we would like to convey is: Islam is peace; by working together, it wants to establish peace, by working together it wants to establish justice for all, equality for all,” Shabeel pointed out.

Shabeel also stated that despite what many may believe, Islam came to “demolish” terrorism as opposed to fostering its promotion.

He further clarified that his faith uplifts women and is not against anyone freely practicing their faith, as the Koran states that “there is no compulsion in faith.”

He further explained that his holy book also teaches humans to,“get to know each other, work with each other, not to despise each oth-

er and that the best amongst mankind are those who have the best manners.”

He also opined that categories such and race, skin colour and gender and all other labels are “superficial.”

“All of these labels are superficial… at the end of the day, the label that God gave to the followers of Islam is the label of Muslim, not Sunni, Shia, Wahabi… we want to ensure that it’s not just Muslims who better the society… humanity unites under the worship of one God,” opined Shabeel.

Sheik Awal stated that Muslims should be the ones to represent their causes and further reject the negative portrayals of their faith in the media.

“It’s about time that we bring Islam... it should come from the Muslims themselves, not on CNN, not on ABC, so we are here to present to the Guyanese public and foster living harmoniously and to show that Islam is not whatever is being portrayed on television or social media,” Awal posited.

The scholar praised the diversity and acceptance among different religious groups in Guyana, which he said would be highlighted in their meetings.

“This is so special because you have the Muslim, Christian and Hindus together side by side – it’s so beautiful. We’re trying to harness and foster that cohesion and explain what Islam is all about and what it is not,” Awal emphasised.

Islam Awareness Week is an annual international observance. An estimated 7.2 per cent of Guyana’s population identify as Muslim.

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wednesday, march 2, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, March 2 – 11:00h-12:30h and Thursday, March 3, 2016 – 12:30h-14:00h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, March 2 – 10:05h-11:35h and Thursday, March 3, 2016 – 11:35h-13:05h.

Cabinet still to approve repurchase of Skeldon Co-Generation Plant

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Weather: Cloudy skies with sunny intervals can be expected in the morning, sunny weather in the afternoon. Light cloud cover can be expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly between 4.47 metres and 4.91 metres per second.

High Tide: 10:09h and 22:57h reaching maximum heights of 2.21 metres and 2.12 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 03:38h and 16:20h reaching minimum heights of 1.06 metres and 1.01 metres respectively.

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

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An aerial view of the Skeldon sugar factory in Berbice

abinet is yet to approve the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) repurchasing its co-generation plant from the Guyana Power and Light’s Skeldon Energy Inc (SEI).

GuySuCo Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Paul Bhim told Guyana Times on Tuesday that no move has yet been made in this direction, since Government was still to make a decision.

Government had moved late last year to buy back the assets valued at some US$30 million, which were sold to the newly-formed SEI under the previous People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government.

The SEI, said to be owned by GPL and the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) and managed by Finnish Corporation Wärtsilä, was said to be created specifically for the transaction.

The then PPP/C Cabinet had approved the sale as well as the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) between GPL and GuySuCo. The sale was said to be an attempt to bail out the cashstrapped and struggling corporation at the time.

Following the A Partnership for National

Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) ascension to office and with the launch of the Commission of Inquiry into the Sugar Corporation late last year, GuySuCo decided that it needed to take back its PPA and assets.

The power generating assets consist of three Wärtsilä power plants with an installed capacity of 10 megawatts (MW) and a co-generation bagasse plant with an installed capacity of 30MW. Under the PPA, which would have seen GPL purchasing most of the power from the SEI, Wärtsilä was to provide financing for the rehabilitation of the 10MW plant.

The SEI Wärtsilä plant is expected to inherit the many benefits of the more than 20-year relationship Wärtsilä has enjoyed with GPL, such as discounts on spare parts, and proven advice as the company currently operates several bagasse and steam generating facilities internationally. “In consideration of the transfer of assets, GuySuCo will be paid a total of US$30 million.

Additionally, SEI will supply power to GuySuCo at the same prices that GPL currently pays GuySuCo today,” it was stated.

GPL has been supply-

ing power to Berbice since 2014 to the tune of 12MW; former head of NICIL Winston Brassington had said the newly-commissioned transmission system allowed one interconnected grid between Demerara and Berbice.

He had explained that the new arrangement would have reduced the need and risk in power transmission from Georgetown, and may over time allow this trend to be reversed.

The projected generation of the combined plants of 40MW by 2016 would have been over 20 per cent of the generating capacity of the entire Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS). The SEI was funded with equity financing of US$5 million from NICIL and US$4 million from GPL, along with debt financing of US$21 million from GPL (in the form of a loan), and several local and international financial institutions. The financing would have been repaid via the sale of power under the two PPAs to GPL and GuySuCo. GPL’s financing for the project was as a result of cash flows derived from savings accrued following the drop in international fuel prices.

It is hoped that the power generation of that plant

should be increased by 50 per cent by the end of this year, and almost 100 per cent by 2019.

The expected benefits of the restructuring of the Skeldon energy assets included the enhancement of the generating capacity of the Skeldon Wärtsilä and bagasse co-generation power plants; providing GPL and GuySuCo with a stable and reliable source of power generation; relieving GuySuCo of the responsibility to manage the power generation; providing some US$30 million of capital resources to GuySuCo; and securing, stabilising and expanding the power generating capacity.

In order to harness the full capacity of the plant, Government needed to make some investments to increase the transformer capacity so that more power could be distributed.

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wednesday, march 2, 2016

Views Hiyaaa!!!!!!!!!: Karate squirrels

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Editorial

Generations of ignorance I

f there is one thing we can learn from the Rodney Commission of Inquiry that is certain, it is that many Guyanese know little of their post-independence history. It is a tragedy of national proportions because it sets up our society for a relapse to a time those who do know was, as eloquently defined by Guyana’s late poet Martin Carter, “a dark time” for Guyanese.

This lack of awareness has developed with the full knowledge of the Government of the day because it suited a political agenda. Keeping the populace in ignorance makes them easier to lead. It creates a group in society that supports in blind faith, concerned only with the present and with no desire to understand the past.

The fact that some persons can suggest the CoI is of little consequence today or that it is a meaningless, timeand money-wasting exercise demonstrates a dangerous illiteracy that needs immediate correction. For anyone to suggest it was not worth investigating demonstrates a dangerous political scheme.

Every society needs to come to terms with its past.

There are examples worldwide: the most well-known is that of Germany’s role in the World Wars of the 20th Century. Every German schoolchild learns of Hitler and their country’s atrocious acts of the time. They have never been hidden, glossed over, or a subject of political bias and controversy, or denied; they have not made up excuses either.

This is perhaps why many Guyanese know little of the independence fight of the post-World War era, and more significantly, the 70s and 80s under the PNC-Burnham regime.

On the former, there is little awareness of those who led the fight for independence, while some seek to rewrite and dilute the story for political gain. On the latter, there has been a deliberate decision to rewrite as well as deny our history so as to avoid publicly acknowledging roles played in the degradation and destabilisation of Guyana that remain a plague upon Guyanese in the 21st Century.

Embroiled in political interference and deception, a true history of several decades of Guyana’s past may never be satisfactorily written, and future generations would continue to grow up with a lack of understanding, awareness and knowledge of what is in fact a very important part of our history that has directly led us to the kind of society we live in today.

It is a history that led many on a mass exodus for a better life abroad and, for those who remained, a history that left a society bitterly divided along racial and party lines.

The Rodney CoI reveals a part of a history that needs to be known by all Guyanese. The CoI needs to be released to the public and it needs to be accurately explained to those who have no knowledge of its context in relation to their history. This means people need to understand an unbiased history that has led to the necessity of convening the CoI. We are a nation ignorant of the very events that may help unite us: by understanding the role the then PNC played in that volatile era, we may be more aware of its political history. Instead, by denying and disregarding the CoI, those events will today end up being more tools used to divide.

With the public already establishing uninformed and opposing opinions on the validity of the CoI whose report they haven’t even read, the division has already begun.

A pair of squirrels jump and tussle in the air as they fight over a pine cone in a forest near Voronezh, Russia (Telegraph)

We will not turn a blind eye to unconstitutionality Dear Editor, I refer to a letter written

by Raphael G C Trotman, MP, Minister of National Resources, and published on March 1, 2016, in another section of the media.

In that letter, Mr Trotman seeks to defend his Government who passed a Bill in the National Assembly on February 27, 2016, with only 32 of its 33 members being present and voting. For the avoidance of doubt, the Opposition did not support the Bill. This was made axiomatic long before the voting took place. Two members of the Opposition, Irfaan Alli and I spoke in the debates on the Bill and sig-

nalled the unequivocal nonsupport of the Opposition thereof.

Concomitantly, amendments to the said Bill were tabled by yours truly and seconded by Clement J Rohee. Therefore, when the proceedings reached the voting stage, the Opposition’s non-support ought to have been unequivocal and unambiguous to any rational mind. Moreover, immediately after the vote was taken and the Speaker ruled, the Opposition’s Chief Whip and the Opposition Leader, from the floor, informed the Speaker that the Opposition did not support the Bill and only 32 members of the Government voted for the

Bill and that, therefore, the Bill did not pass. The outcome is now common knowledge.

Learned Counsel, in support of his propositions, strangely sought refuge in “a well-established Commonwealth parliamentary practice” rather than resort to our supreme law, the Constitution which speaks directly to the issue.

Article 165 (1) of the Constitution provides: “Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the National Assembly may regulate its own procedure and may make rules for that purpose.” It is clear, therefore, that while the National

Assembly has a jurisdictional freedom to regulate its own procedure, it can only do so and the rules which it makes for that purpose can only be intra vires the Constitution and not in violation thereof. Accordingly, Standing Orders must bend and bow at all times to the Constitution and not viceversa.

Article 168 (1) provides: “Save as otherwise provided by this Constitution, all questions proposed for decision in the National Assembly shall be determined by a majority of the votes of the members present and voting. continues on page 5

Burnham Foundation will soon pronounce on Rodney CoI Dear Editor, Another section of the media on February 29, 2016 carried an Oscar Ramjeet letter captioned “That document should not have been leaked”. In that letter, Mr Ramjeet contended “so far no Government official or anyone from the PPP or WPA has questioned who leaked the CoI Report on the death of Walter Rodney”.

While he might be right about the named entities not posing the question, let it be known that

as early as February 20, 2016, the Forbes Burnham Foundation raised the question at its annual conference and also did so at a subsequent public forum, which was covered by the media, and as recent as February 28, 2016 on its monthly programme: State of the Nation, raised the matter.

The Foundation sees it as very conspiratorial that the Report was leaked, and published on February 20, the birth anniversary of the man who the Report demo-

nises and that but a day after, the former President, Mr Ramotar, made one of his infrequent forays into the press in an extensive article claiming that he had been vindicated, as if to suggest that he had established the Commission to verify his stance, on the matter, rather than to determine the truth.

He was so triumphant, he could not allow the Report to speak for itself.

The Burnham Foundation, which had expressed reservations about

the composition and manner of establishment of the Commission in June 2014, before it began its work, was inclined to await the Report’s official release before commenting, but in the light of others commenting, the Foundation will make its studied position public , shortly.

Yours sincerely, Vincent Alexander Chairman, Forbes Burnham Foundation

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesday, march 2, 2016

Rehabilitation works on target Dear Editor, Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), the nation’s supplier of water and sanitation services, has received positive results from the rehabilitation of the Diamond Well Station, East Coast Demerara.

According to Water Resources Manager, GWI, Orin Browne, “we have seen substantial progress through several stages of the rehabilitation of the well. We have successfully located the area in which the well casing was ruptured; we were also successful at isolating that area and sealing it to prevent any more foreign particles from entering the well”.

The Water Resources Manager also stated that after successfully sealing the ruptured area on the

well casing, the company commenced removing foreign particles from the well, including clay and sand.

“We have already seen substantial progress in restoring production from the well,” stated Browne, “We have observed that the flow of clear water has improved after commencing the process of removing the sand and clay from the well. The observation of clear water is a positive indication that the well is capable of being restored to normal production levels.”

The Water Resources Manager emphasised that the priority at this stage of rehabilitation is to remove all foreign particles in order to improve the flow of clear water. “At this stage, our aim is to remove all the clay and sand from the well. We

have observed that the ‘well screens’ are allowing clean water to enter and this is a positive indication that the well can be restored to normal operation.”

Following the process of removing all foreign particles, GWI will perform a test to establish the production capacity of the well.

This will be followed by the disinfection of the well to restore water quality. “We have seen significantly positive results at this stage,” stated Browne, “because of this progress, we are on target for completion within the estimated time of three weeks. We will commence the testing of the well by Thursday, March 3, 2016.”

The rehabilitation of the Diamond Well Station is being supervised by the GWI and executed by contractor

Nabi Construction Inc at a cost in excess of $12 million.

As the rehabilitation of the well station continues, the GWI is currently delivering water via tankers with the assistance of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) in Diamond and Kaneville. A full schedule for water delivery is available at the company’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/everydropcountsgy.

The company is also facilitating customers who wish to fill their storage containers at the Grove and Covent Garden water treatment facilities.

Best regards, Timothy Austin Public Relations Officer Public Relations Department

We will not turn...

(2) Except as provided by the next following paragraph, the Speaker or other member presiding in the Assembly shall not vote unless on any question the votes are equally divided, in which case he or she shall have and exercise a casting vote.

(3) A Speaker elected from among persons who are not members of the Assembly shall have neither an original nor a casting vote and if, upon any question before the Assembly when such a Speaker is presiding the votes of the members are equally divided, the motion shall be lost”.

These constitutional provisions apply to the passing of Bills mutatis mutandis.

Applying the above constitutional provisions to the matter under review, the following is clear: that whether Dr Roopnaraine was in

Clinton and Trump likely to win presidential nomination Dear Editor, Guyanese and other Caribbean people in America have been showing a keen interest in the primary election contests to choose a presidential nominee for each of the two major parties (Republican and Democrat).

Some have volunteered to work on the campaigns. They are heard having heated discussions on the contests whenever they get together at various events or on the subways, on buses, in the streets, etc. Most Guyanese and Caribbean nationals support the Democratic Party and are registered as members; most are cheering for Hillary Clinton who has been in a tight battle for the Democratic nomination with Senator Bernie Sanders, a socialist, from Vermont. Some support Donald Trump, a New Yorker, although they are not registered Republicans; they plan to vote for him if he emerges as the nominee over two Cuban Americans, a African American, and one other candidate who is Governor of Ohio. Only party members can vote in these primary contests; some par-

ties have open primaries allowing non-members to vote or to register as a member and vote the same day.

Tuesday, March 1 is known as Super Tuesday (voting in primary elections in several states) in the presidential contests to select a nominee for each of the two major parties. Party members vote to award delegates (apportioned according to percentage of votes garnered) to candidates seeking the nomination; the delegates will get together in July (Republican) and August (Democrat) to choose a nominee. A majority of delegates (about 1237 out of almost 2500 in the Republican convention and 2450 of almost 4900 in the Democratic Convention) is required to win the nomination. The delegates pledge to support the candidate who helped to get them chosen for the convention although in theory they are not bound to a candidate. They hardly ever defect from their candidate.

Based on opinion polls up to Monday evening, Hillary Clinton was expected to win all the states and as such, garner a huge collection of

delegates making it virtually impossible for Sanders to catch up with her. Trump is leading in polls in all of the states except for Texas, where Senator Ted Cruz holds a lead over him in his home state. When the Super Tuesday contests are over, Trump will have a huge lead in the delegates count and wrap up the nomination by April – contests are held almost every Tuesday from now. So far, delegates are apportioned based on percentage of votes won; Trump has not won a majority of votes in any state while Clinton has won a majority in almost all of the contests. After March 15, the contests in the Republican field will switch to a winner-takes-all system.

Democrats use Proportional Representation (PR) in all contests. Trump is likely to win all of the other contests and as such, secure the nomination. Clinton is also likely to secure the nomination

by April. Most Guyanese and Caribbean nationals I spoke with feel she will be the Democratic nominee and Trump will be the Republican nominee. They also feel

Hillary will prevail in the November General Election over Trump although Trump claims two polls show him

beating Clinton.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

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from page 4

the Members’ Lounge or at Timbuktu, he was not “present and voting” as Article 168 (1) requires: 32 votes cannot be a majority in a 65seat National Assembly; the current Speaker has neither an original vote nor a casting vote; when the votes are equal, the Bill will fail; even if the Opposition had abstained on the vote, the Bill would have failed for want of a majority.

In the face of express constitutional provisions, pontifications about the decibels of the “yea” or “nay” should never emanate from a trained legal mind. Admittedly, the matter could have been rectified if the vote was re-taken with Dr Roopnaraine being present. But incompetence and arrogance prevailed.

From Mr Trotman’s letter, it is obvious that the same continue.

Needless to say if the Bill is assented to by the President, it will be challenged. We will not turn a blind eye to a manifest unconstitutionality.

Yours faithfully, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, MP Attorney-at-Law

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wednesday, march 2, 2016

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guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation

Tips for working parents – how to put your career skills to work at home

By Sara Villanueva, PhD

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s a working parent, knowing how to manage your time and being an expert juggler of multiple tasks is not only helpful for your professional success, but also critical to your survival at home.

The general rule of thumb I would suggest for parents is: Use tools that work for you, both at work and at home. Whether you use an online calendar with your smartphone dutifully beeping with reminders for yet another meeting, or a good old-fashioned paper calendar with sticky note reminders galore, we all have our own way of responsibly meeting deadlines and managing tasks. By putting those same organisational skills to work at home, working parents can meet the constant demands that come in the form of science projects, PTA meetings, basketball practice, dance recitals, and doctor’s appointments, all while enjoying the chaotic bliss that we call parenthood. Here are a few tips on how to use the skills that you utilise at work to make you a better parent at home.

Communication, negotiation

Good communication in the workplace is vital to meeting goals and objectives. Whether making contributions (ie, offering thoughts, ideas, or opinions), requests, or demands,

being able to clearly state your message to others not only benefits the entire organisation, but also helps to build rapport, collegiality, and trust with individuals. The same is true at home. As parents, it is especially important to clearly communicate our thoughts, opinions, feelings, and expectations to our children, particularly as they get old-

er. Clear, consistent, and age-appropriate communication with our children encourages similar behaviours from them and benefits the individual, the parent-child relationship, and the family as a whole.

What’s more, teaching your children how to communicate early and often sets the stage for healthy future relationships, and who wouldn’t want that?

When colleagues cannot find common ground, negotiation and compromise are also imperative for reaching goals and objectives.

Similarly, parents and chil-

dren can reach a middle ground by both engaging in some give-and-take. Given the fast-paced, technologydriven, idealistic and immediately gratifying society in which our children are growing up, learning how to negotiate is a valuable lesson for our children today.

It is our job, as parents, to teach them the truth, and the truth is this: In the real

world (as opposed to, oh…I don’t know…online social networking sites, perhaps) you may not always get exactly what you want; and you may not get it exactly when you want it. Along with communication skills, teaching our children the art of negotiation can not only help the family, but the person that we are creating in the future.

Collaboration

Working together as a TEAM; sharing common goals and helping one another to reach them; building an environment of support

and encouragement – these are all behaviours that are continually reinforced in the workplace. As working parents, sharing these same concepts at home with our children can be of great benefit. When we approach our children with a “we are all in this together” kind of attitude, whether the objective is spring-cleaning or learning to ski, it empowers them to know that they are not alone. Rather, it signifies that, IF we all work together, and pull our own weight for the sake of the greater good, we will ALL reach the common goals in a much more reasonable and efficient way. This also teaches them about responsibility and consideration. There is something, after all, to the old saying “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

Leadership and management skills

Building excellent leadership skills and providing quality mentorship at your workplace not only sets future careers on a trajectory for success, it sets a positive tone, and models good, professional behaviours for others to follow. Being a good role model for your children at home has essentially the same effect. Whether we are aware or not, from the time they are infants, our children look to us for guidance – guidance on how to react emotionally to certain occurrences, how to behave

in specific circumstances, etc. We are their first reference point…the person who models the behaviours that they will utilise with others in the future. Knowing this, it behoves both the family unit, and the individuals within the family to put the skills that we’ve learnt at work to good use at home.

Work-life balance

Regardless of whether we are at work or at home, working parents are stressed. It’s ok; you can admit it…we’re all in the same cortisol filled boat. Working parents have TWO full-time jobs, after all: managing their career, and managing their families/children. So, it befits us all to find a nice balance between work responsibilities and home demands. Some would argue that there is no such thing as balance, but I would say that, by necessity, all working parents (successfully or not) find ways to manage the seemingly overwhelming responsibility of living this dual life. The specific methods vary (massages, down time, wine, time with friends, more wine...) but parents who can find ways to make work and home demands manageable, are less stressed than those who cannot. And, less stress means better parenting behaviours and interactions with children. And better family interactions… well, you get the picture! (psychologytoday.com)

Parenting

How can I avoid struggles with my child about going to school?

My seven-year-old son started second grade this year. Every morning he declares that he hates school, and he’s not going to go. It’s a struggle for us to get out the door.

What can we do? – Dave Children have many reasons for not wanting to go to school – separation from home and parents, bullies, assignments and grades, or a teacher.

Talk with your child – and then perhaps with his teacher – to find out more about what’s causing his anxiety and about his behaviour at school. A school counsellor or psychologist also might be able to help.

Parental support plays a crucial role in helping children succeed in school.

If your child has special learning or behavioural needs, meetings can be scheduled with teachers and other school staff to consider setting up or revising an education plan. You can also help boost your child’s attention span, concentration, and memory by providing breakfast foods that are rich in whole grains, fibre, and protein, as well as low in added sugar.

Children also need the right amount of sleep to be alert and ready to learn all day. Most schoolage children need 10 to 12 hours of sleep a night.

Bedtime difficulties can arise at this age for a variety of reasons. Homework, sports, after-school activities, TVs, computers, and video games, as well as hectic family schedules, can contribute to children not getting enough sleep.

Keep in mind that parents or guardians can request meetings with teachers, principals, school counsellors, or other school staff any time during the school year.

(Excerpt from kidshealth)

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WEDNESday, march 2, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Sugar workers down tools again …“1700 workers did not turn up for duty” – GuySuCo Finance Director

S

ome 1700 sugar workers did not turn up for duty on Monday as employees across the sugar belt continue to protest the action by the Government to close the Wales Sugar Factory and the continued delay in negotiations over the Annual Production Incentive (API).

In a telephone interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Finance Director Paul Bhim stated that the impact of the strike would be known today.

However, Guyana Agricultural and General

Workers Union (GAWU) President Komal Chand, in an interview with this publication on Tuesday evening, stated that the strike action was “partially supported”.

He, however, emphasised that the majority of the cane cutters supported the move by not turning up for duties.

This “partial” support of the planned strike came in light of recent threats

by GuySuCo, which said it would halt the entire crop if GAWU continued with industrial action. GuySuCo, in a statement released in February, had stated that the strike actions “would leave the Corporation with

no alternative but to put a halt to the current crop”.

The Corporation had also accused the Union of threatening workers to make them strike. GuySuCo claimed that a Field Officer and representatives of GAWU threatened workers who were “reluctant” to join the industrial action. “…workers were told if they don’t support the strike, they would not be afforded representation by the Union in the future.”

GAWU later defended its decision to continue with the planned once-a-week strike and claimed that GuySuCo’s statements were aimed at

GuySuCo Finance Director Paul Bhim

showing the Union “in a bad light”.

The Union had also said GuySuCo’s claims that the

Union representative was acting improperly when he encouraged workers to take industrial action was an attempt to “roll back a zealously guarded practice of trade unionism”.

The Union reminded that the one-day-per-week strike action was a decision that was taken by its General Council team on January 30, 2016 over GuySuCo’s refusal to engage the Union in collective bargaining by imposing an “unjust” 2.72 days API on workers for 2015 and the closure of the Wales Estate. GuySuCo and GAWU have been at loggerheads since November last

year over the API for sugar workers for 2015. Recently, Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle declared a deadlock after negotiations over the 2015 API ended in a stalemate.

The most recent industrial action by workers was taken on Republic Day, February 23.

Government and GuySuCo confirmed the closure of the Estate in January after Guyana Times revealed that a decision was made to close the entity. The rationale behind the closure was that this year would see Wales accounting for $1.6 billiion-1.9 billion in losses.

World Glaucoma Week 2016

GPHC to offer free glaucoma testing patients in observance of the 2015 World Glaucoma week.

Laser treatment for glauco-

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation

T

he Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) will be offering free glaucoma testing in observance of World Glaucoma Week.

The free screening sessions dubbed “Check your eyes for Glaucoma” will commence on Monday, March 7 at 12:00h up to 15:00h daily until Friday, March 11.

However, the ophthalmologists will only be seeing 50 patients per day.

Persons eligible for screening include all those who are 40 years or older.

According to the Government Information Agency, the service will be offered to individuals below 40 years who are eligible only if they are among the ‘at risk’ population, such as persons with relatives diagnosed with the disease, persons of African descent or if they are suspected to have the illness. Individuals who have already been diagnosed with glaucoma are not eligible for screening.

Appointments can be made at the Eye Clinic’s clerical desk at the GPHC. This undertaking is through a partnership with the Public Health Ministry and ANSA McAL group of companies. In Guyanese patients, open angle glaucoma is the most common form of the disease. Patients of AfroGuyanese origin are more prone to develop open angle glaucoma and are more likely to have family members who suffer from it. It has also been found that glaucoma in AfroGuyanese patients is usually very severe and more difficult to treat.

There are many ways to treat open angle glaucoma but the GPHC offers two common treatment methods; provision of eye-drops and glaucoma surgery, which includes Laser Trabeculoplasty (open angle) and Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (closed angle).

In 2015, the facility launched its first laser treatment for glaucoma and screened approximately 350

2 arrested following 5.6kg drug bust

R

anks of the Police Narcotics Branch have arrested a male and female following the discovery of a quantity of marijuana.

The bust was made around 12:30h on Tuesday at a house on Princes Street, Georgetown.

According to Police’s Public Relations Officer, Ivelaw Whittaker, ranks

from the Narcotics Branch went to the house, where they conducted a search.

During the exercise, they unearthed 5.6 kilograms of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be marijuana.

Consequently, the two persons, who were in the house at the time, were taken into Police custody. They are currently assisting with the investigations.

ma is not recommended for all patients.

The theme for this year’s

observation is ‘B-I-G – Beat Invisible Glaucoma’. This campaign was chosen be-

cause of the fact that many people who suffer with glaucoma are usually unaware.

8 news

WEDNESday, march 2, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Wismar woman fined $90,000 for traffic violations

A

woman, from 74 Half Mile, Wismar, Linden, was fined a total of $90,000 for a number of traffic violations when she appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Linden Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

The defendant, 28-yearold Tiffany James, was charged with being an un-

licensed driver, breach of insurance, failure to wear a seat belt and driving under the influence of alcohol.

The Court heard that on February 28, the defendant drove motor car PLL 8380 along Burnham Drive, Wismar, while she was not the holder of a valid driver’s licence. For this offence, she was fined

$25,000, with an alternative sentence of four weeks’ imprisonment. She was further fined $50,000, or six weeks in prison for driving the said car while a policy of insurance was not in force at the time. The offence of failure to wear a seat belt resulted in a fine of $7500 for the defendant, with a default sentence of

one week’s imprisonment.

The Court also heard that James drove the motor vehicle while her alcohol level exceeded the prescribed limit, since it was 38 micrograms at the time.

This resulted in a $7500 fine for the defendant; if in default she will be required to spend one week behind bars.

Lindener remanded on disorderly behaviour, larceny charges

P

aul Marciano, the prisoner who forced the Linden Magistrate’s Court into recess last month owing to his disorderly behaviour, was on Tuesday remanded to prison by Magistrate Clive Nurse, after being charged for the offence.

Magistrate Nurse was prompted to call a short court recess on Tuesday, February 16 after Marciano, a break and enter and larceny accused began to verbally abuse prison ranks in the prisoners’

holding in the courtroom.

“Is vex y’all want see I get vex in here or what, bai?!” Marciano had shouted several times, disrupting the court’s proceedings.

After several minutes of the disruption, Magistrate Nurse had ordered that he be removed and taken to the Wismar Police Station where a charge for disrupting the court was then instituted.

While being escorted out of the courtroom, Marciano had also dared

prison ranks to remove his handcuffs and hurled obscenities against them. He shouted that he was being wrongfully charged and remanded to prison, since “nobody ain’t coming to court”.

Marciano, 40, a labourer of 12 Water Lily Road, Wismar, Linden, has been on remand since last December on a break and enter and larceny charge which read that between December 23 and December 25, 2015, he broke and entered the

home of Devon Peters at Third Alley, Wismar and stole a 32-inch television set valued $100,000 and two Samsung Galaxy cellular phones valued $100,000. Both items were the said property of Peters.

The Court heard that Marciano is a repeat offender.

Since bail was denied by the prosecution for the disorderly behaviour charge against Marciano, he was further remanded to prison. The matter was adjourned for March 22.

Duo remanded on ‘break and enter and larceny’ charge

T

wo persons who appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse on Tuesday were further remanded to prison for the offence of break and enter and larceny. Lennox Estwick, also called “Sniper”, and Leroy Nedd, also called Burnham, made an appearance at the Linden Magistrate’s Court.

It is alleged that between January 29 and January 30, 2015, they broke and entered the home of Nakesha Fiedtkou and stole an Avanti refrigerator valued $45,000, an HP laptop valued $200,000, two Lasko fans valued $16,000, a DVD player valued $8000, a hair cutting machine valued $10,000 and a quantity of toys valued $50,000.

The items, which were worth a total of $329,000, were the said property of Fiedtkou. The duo will make their next court appearance on April 6.

Eyew tness

Money...

W

...and principles

hen the Government awarded its highest members (and that’ll be Presidents, Vice Presidents and Ministers – senior and junior) a 50% increase on their salaries – which ranged from $2 million to $573,000/month – they were forced to offer some explanations. Especially when the salaries were just the TIP of a very large iceberg – duty-free SUVs; travel allowance (first class – including spouses); housing, entertainment, phone, electricity and every other allowance you can conceive.

There were several reasons proffered. One was these folks had to leave “lucrative” jobs and so had to be appropriately compensated. Another was the workload was so onerous. But the most intriguing one came from Minister of State in the Ministry of the Presidency (MSMP), Lt Col Joseph Harmon. He allowed that the Executive had to be protected from temptation to stray from the straight and narrow.

Unlike many others, your Eyewitness was actually pleased with Mr Harmon’s candour. Your Eyewitness, humble as he is, never really bought into Dr Jagan’s proposition that experts should volunteer their services to Government at $1/year. While man may not live by bread alone – the bread (as in money) – does go a long way to alleviate the tribulations of the human condition.

Man ought to be spared from temptation: why else the plea would be inserted into the Lord’s Prayer? (“Lead us not into temptation”, for you heathens reading this!)

So your Eyewitness was especially intrigued by the Top Cop exhorting the 295 newest Police recruits to “live within their salary” and their parents should help them not stray from the path of rectitude. Now the Top Cop wasn’t just making a theoretically grounded plea to the young men and women arrayed in front of him.

He was reacting to the widespread CONVICTION in most citizens that MOST cops are corrupt.

In fact, even as he spoke, the TOP COP had just brushed off accusations from a confessed drug trafficker that he dealt with crooked cops every day in his business. So your Eyewitness wondered if Ministers had to be saved from temptation at their minimum $573,000/month salary...of what mettle was these new Police recruits made of that they didn’t need to be topped up to save them from temptation with salaries of $61,000/month??

And what made the situation for Policemen worse is in the Manifesto of those now in government, they’d promised Policemen 20% increases...but then begged off because “there isn’t money in the till”. This excuse is wearing a bit thin, isn’t it?

If $300 million is being spent on Jubilee, why can’t something be found for our guardians against anarchy?

...and power compensation

One of the corrupt practices poorly paid persons in positions of power or authority revert to is to not necessarily just shaking down citizens “for a fried rice” or worse...but to literally shake them down, physically. So at one end of the spectrum, you have the aforementioned Police bark at, rather than talk to, you if your taillight’s on the fritz. Or even if it’s not on the fritz.

And at the other end, we get what just happened at two interior communities, Lethem and Hosororo. There, GDF soldiers – also poorly paid – get off by throwing their weight around on the poor “natives”. And let’s face it – that’s how they’ve seen the Amerindian villagers ever since 1969 when a rebellion in the Rupununi was violently put down. Followed by years of “reprisals”.

In both instances, inebriated soldiers molested – and are accused of even raping – villagers after breaking down their doors. This will not do.

Whatever may be the reality of low wages, citizens of this country cannot be seen as compensatory loot.

...and and its source

Of the 350,000 jobs in Guyana – almost half are employed – directly and indirectly – by the State. So with the economy going belly up, who’s going to pay who?

Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com Call 223-7230-1 ext 35

news

9

WEDNESday, MARCH 2, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Rodney CoI

PNC mum on Report’s findings T

he People’s National Congress (PNC) has chosen to remain tight-lipped on the details of the findings of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI), which probed the circumstances that led to the death of Working People’s Alliance (WPA) co-founder, Dr Walter Rodney.

The party, which held the reins of power during the period Dr Rodney met his demise, has been accused of causing his death, a move it was hoped would silence his mounting criticisms of the dictatorial leadership of the day.

PNC General Secretary Oscar Clarke, when contacted on Tuesday, refused to comment on the findings of the probe.

“I don’t make comments on newspaper reports, when the General Secretary of the People’s National Congress gets a copy of the Report, I will make a comment,” he said before ending the call.

Clarke’s refusal to comment has come although the party’s leader, President David Granger has already pronounced on the findings of the

PNC General Secretary Oscar Clarke

Report. The President, however, did not speak on behalf of the party, but the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government. Critics say that the comments by the Head of State could not represent Government, since it was not the APNU/ AFC coalition that was accused of Rodney’s death, but the PNC. Almost a week following the leaked circulation of the 25-page document, President Granger, when questioned by Guyana

Times on the findings, expressed disappointment with the Report, saying that it was highly flawed.

He said the three-member panel, headed by Barbados Queen’s Counsel Sir Richard Cheltenham, had relied too much on hearsay evidence, particularly from a convict, and had failed to garner the relevant evidence from persons who were really there at the time of the incident. He said Government was going to challenge the findings of the investigation. the Throughout 17-month long CoI, which was also heard by Jamaican Queen’s Counsel Jacqueline SamuelsBrown and Trinidad-based Guyanese Senior Counsel Seenath Jairam, the PNC had been pointed at as the major player behind Rodney’s death.

The Report, which became public some three weeks ago after being leaked, stated that given all the relevant facts, events and circumstances set out, Commissioners could do nothing else but establish that William

Gregory Smith was not acting alone but had the active and full support, participation and encouragement of, and/ or was aided and abetted by the Guyana Police Force (GPF); the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) – both agencies of the State – and the political directorate, including Prime Minister Forbes Burnham, in the killing of Dr Rodney.

Rodney, a globally-respected political and social activist, died on June 13, 1980, after a walkie-talkie he was examining exploded in his lap.

It was the theory of those close to the founding WPA leader that the man he had somewhat come to trust, Smith, a then GDF Sergeant and communication expert, had planted an explosive into the device Rodney was expected to test.

It was claimed too that the Government of the day, the PNC and its leader, Burnham, had used Smith to carry out the attack.

President Granger is yet to make an official declaration of the findings.

Policeman stabbed to death by suspected rapist

– 2 others injured

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Policeman was stabbed to death to while two others were injured during an attempt to arrest a rape suspect at Matthews Ridge, Region One (Barima-Waini).

Dead is Sergeant Linden La Rose. Reports reaching Guyana Times indicate that La Rose was stabbed to his neck at about 17:30h on Tuesday. The two other injured ranks were stabbed to their chest and hands as they attempted to arrest the suspect. This newspaper was told that the ranks went to arrest the suspect after a juvenile reported that he had raped her.

Police in a statement on Tuesday stated that ranks stationed at Matthews

Ridge, NWD, went to arrest Dennis Marks who was wanted pending investigations into a report of alleged rape.

“During efforts to arrest him Dennis Marks attacked the ranks with a knife, stabbing Sergeant 16934 Linden La Rose to his neck and two

other ranks to their chest and right hand, respectively. He was subsequently shot by a rank to his right foot.”

Sergeant La Rose was pronounced DOA at the Matthews Ridge Hospital, the police statement said, noting that Marks was also

treated and sent away and is in police custody.

Meanwhile, Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley on his Facebook page has expressed condolences to the family and friends of the late La Rose.

“I had the honour of working with him and would have found him to be a wellmannered and disciplined individual who had a passion for community development. At this time let our prayers be with his family and the two other ranks and their families who was also injured,” Ashley said in his post. (More details of this story will be published in tomorrow’s edition of Guyana Times)

LGE 2016

Ballot papers arrive for March 18 polls

T

he Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has confirmed the arrival of all the ballot papers for Local Government Elections (LGE), which is scheduled to be held in two weeks time.

GECOM’s Public Relation Officer (PRO) Tamara Rodney confirmed to Guyana Times that the sensitive material arrived in Guyana on Monday evening. Over 16 pallets of material were nestled in GECOM’s compound.

At its last meeting with the press in early February, GECOM had indicated that it had been making rigid efforts to get all of Guyana streamlined for the upcoming LGE. The preparation includes the training of staff to work on elections day across the 71 Local Authority Areas, and the continued efforts to expand the voter’s education programme.

Local Government Elections has not been conducted in almost 22 years – the last being held in 1994.

The GECOM team said it has been working tirelessly to see a smooth and transparent exercise come March 18.

GECOM’s Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally said above all the points relative to the voters’ education programme, the electorate must be cognisant of one fact. “You are voting for a person whom you feel will best represent your interest. That has to be the objective more than anything else. Once you stick with that, everything else is

adjunctive are peripheral to that main point”.

Meanwhile, GECOM’s CEO Keith Lowenfield said the Commission has so far been able to satisfy all the requirements set out by law for the holding of LGE. “We began and concluded our exercise of ensuring our register of voters was prepared and certified.

According to Lowenfield, GECOM has in its possession, a total of 523,831 electors on its certified electors list. However, even with this number, all of Guyana will not be involved in the Local Authority Election process.

These are called the “no contest” areas. In four Local Authority Areas across Guyana, there is no contest, meaning only one particular political party or group has indicated its interest in participating in the LGE. These include the Crabwood Creek (CWC), Black Bush Polder (BBP), Kentyre Borlam and the Mocha Arcadia Neighbourhood Democratic Council.

Added to the Local Authorities Areas, out of the 508 Constituencies, 149 have been declared no contest areas. However, while persons will be voting in the Proportional Representation (PR), they will not be participating in the First-Pastthe-Post system. Lowenfield said the Commission has addressed the issue, since it has implications for the production of the ballot papers in those areas.

10 news

WEDNESday, march 2, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Govt has further burdened Guyanese – Opposition Leader – LGE meeting held at Enmore

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ith Local G o v e r n m e n t Elections (LGE) two weeks away, Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo met with residents of Hope West, Enmore, East Coast Demerara.

The meeting was held on Monday evening and saw approximately 400 residents in attendance. During his presentation, Jagdeo spoke about the recently passed $230 billion Budget, the ailing sugar industry and the upcoming LGE, among other issues.

He told those in attendance that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had fought for the rights of Guyanese during the two-week long budget proceedings in the National Assembly – the first week of debates and the following week considering the estimates.

However, he noted that the efforts of the Opposition parliamentarians were in vain as the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Administration used its par-

A section of the gathering at Enmore, East Coast Demerara

liamentary one-seat majority to go ahead with its plans, despite objections and concerns raised.

One such objection, he posited, is the implementation of a series of tax increases, and in some cases, the introduction of new taxes. He pointed out to the gathering that instead of lessening the burden of citizens, Government sought to ‘further burden’ Guyanese.

Additionally, Jagdeo

spoke about the crisis in the sugar industry and the fact that the coalition Government is not doing enough to support the industry and the workers. He elaborated on the Administration’s plans of shutting down the Wales Factory, putting workers on the breadline.

Moreover, the Opposition Leader also used the platform to talk about the upcoming Local Government polls, urging those gathered to go out

and vote on March 18, so that they can have a say in who will look after the affairs of their community.

He also highlighted the importance of youths being involved in community-based activities and encouraged them to be active in activities that are aimed at developing the Hope West, Enmore, area.

On the other hand, those gathered at the public meeting heard from two PPP/C’s candidates contesting in the upcoming polls. Ramnarine Roopnarine and Mahadeo Panday both spoke about what they have in store for their respective constituencies if they are voted for.

The contestant outlined plans for prompt and reliable garbage collection, cleaning exercises and proper drainage facilities, among other things.

During the meeting, one resident raised concerns about the mining industry, particularly the gold sector.

Jagdeo in his response assured that the Opposition is willing to offer any assistance, if requested by Government, on reviving the industry.

Shot Sophia bandit

Victim acted in self-defence, charges unlikely – Crime Chief …post-mortem set for today

Dead bandit: Isaiah Lennox Marques

A

post-mortem examination is scheduled to be conducted today on the body of a 21-yearold who was shot dead in the wee hours of Monday while attempting to rob two persons in Campbellville, Georgetown.

Continues on page 11

Colour discrimination

S

atiricus was happy yesterday was "Antidiscrimination" Day. As a fella who was discriminated against ever since he was a youngster – just because he wasn't the brightest bulb even in the nursery class – Satiricus was sensitive to discrimination. Then there was his speech. How was young Satiricus to know other people didn't pronounce "he" as he did: "ee". Or "im" for "him". That was how his parents spoke and that's how he spoke. Why would the teacher never allow him to recite "Here is my Beehive"?

That was a discriminatory 'urt that still stung Satiricus.

As Satiricus became older, he suffered discrimination on the basis of race. Satiricus was the slowest kid in the village...and no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't even keep up with his friend "Hop and Drop", who had one foot shorter than the other in races. So whenever he and his friends would sneak out to steal mangoes or guavas or whatever fruit was in season, they never allowed him into the yards.

They complained he always got caught and he always finked on everybody else. So he was the lookout guy all his childhood – and had to take whatever fruits the other fellas chose to give him after their successful escapades. Invariably the "touched" ones.

But now he was an adult, Satiricus felt discrimination on the basis of colour was the worst of all. Satiricus was a patriot. Why he could recite "My Guyana Eldorado" from his head – and he frequently did so in company – to the chagrin of his kids. He could also sing a mean Sitira Gal – with all the appropriate movements. Such was his patriotism, he literally draped himself in the colours of the flag of Guyana.

And that's why he was taken aback when the Talker of the House suddenly declared the colours of the Guyana flag were "green and yellow"!!

Why! This was nothing but discrimination against the colours red, black and white. And not only that, the Talker was committing that cardinal sin of societies where discrimination on the basis of colour was practiced: passing. In America, lots of Blacks used to pass as whites.

Here the Talker was passing yellow as gold.

This was just too much for Satiricus to bear. He would start a petition to the UN against the Talker discriminating on the basis of colour.

Wednesday, march 2, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

11

News

Further investigations into Crum-Ewing's death continuing – Crime Chief

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anks of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) are continuing with further investigations into the death of activist Courtney Crum-Ewing, as requested by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Chambers, in relation to instituting charges against four new suspects.

Two weeks ago, CID ranks arrested People’s Progressive Party (PPP) employee Jason Abdulla, PPP Executive Member and former Press Officer Kwame McKoy, Okene Fraser and self-confessed death squad member Sean Hinds; all of whom the Police believe had a role in the activist’s death, which occurred on March 10, 2015.

Head of the CID Wendell Blanhum, told Guyana Times on Tuesday that these ‘further’ investigations are still ongoing. “We are still conducting further investigations,” he said while opting not to divulge further details.

On Thursday last, the Crime Chief disclosed that the file was sent to the DPP’s Chambers for advice on whether charges should be instituted against the four suspects; however, the file was returned with instructions to conduct further investigations.

“The file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions and having perused those statements in that file, they would have advised that we conduct some further investigations,” he told reporters.

Nevertheless, the Crime Chief indicated that the Police are hoping to conclude

on their own recognisance and have been reporting to the Police to assist with the investigations.

Crum-Ewing, a 40-yearold ex-soldier, was gunned down execution-style on March 10, 2015, while urging residents of the Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara to go out and cast their ballots during the May 11 General and Regional Elections.

An autopsy revealed that Crum-Ewing was shot five Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum

the additional investigation as early as possible, in order to have the files returned to the DPP for advice.

The four suspects were subsequently recalled at the CID Headquarters and further questioned on Wednesday last.

According to Blanhum, these four suspects were arrested in light of new information that surfaced in relation to Crum-Ewing’s murder. However, he explained that investigators were unable to complete the probe.

“The investigation would have been triggered due to some new developments where we would have received further information, and as a result of that, they had arrested those guys. We had them in custody but because of the complex nature of that investigation, time did not permit us to complete that investigation,” he stated.

Following their arrests, the four suspects were released from Police custody

Victim acted...

from page 10

Isaiah Lennox Marques, of Lot 346 Painlane, ‘B’ Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, sustained a single gunshot wound to his abdomen and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital. The post-mortem examination will be conducted at the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary.

According to reports, around 02:00h, Carl Haynes and his sister, Rayon, were walking along Second Street, Campbellville when they were held at gunpoint by the now dead man.

During the confrontation, Haynes and his sister put up a fight and in retaliation, the perpetrator pulled the trigger of the firearm he was carrying, but it snapped.

At this point, Haynes pulled out his service revolver and discharged a round at the armed bandit.

An unlicensed .32 revolver was recovered on the perpetrator by the Police. Crime Chief Wendell

Blanhum told Guyana Times that investigations were ongoing into the matter. However, he explained that charges were unlikely to be instituted against Haynes, a security guard, since he was defending himself against the perpetrator during an attempted robbery.

Meanwhile, this newspaper was reliably informed that Marques was a known character to the Police and had been charged with similar offences in the past. On February 25, 2013, he was charged with robbery under arms and on February 13, 2014, he was slapped with another four charges of robbery under arms.

He was also charged for break and enter and larceny in February 2014 and in August 2015, he was charged for possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

The young man was released on bail on January 29, 2016.

Dead: Courtney Crum-Ewing

times – three bullets to the head, one to the back of the neck while the fifth entered under one of his arms. All the bullets were fired from behind and at close range except the one that hit under his arm and exited his shoulder.

It was also reported that the bullet wound to the back of the man’s neck was at point-blank range and gunpowder residue was found on the back of the collar of the shirt he was wearing.

Two .38 warheads were removed from the dead man’s head, reports revealed.

Following the death of the man who rose to popularity after picketing former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall’s office, Reagan Rodrigues, also called “Grey Boy”, was arrested and charged for his murder. Nandlall’s former bodyguard, Rajput Narine, was also arrested as investigations were ongoing.

12 news

wednesday, march 2, 2016| guyanatimesGY.com

22 companies bid for “Green Bartica Plan” A

s Government forges ahead with plans to make Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), a model green town, more than 20 companies – local, regional and international – have bid for the project via a public tendering process.

The “Green Bartica Plan”, which was introduced for the new town in December 2015, is said to be a holistic approach to Government’s sustainable economic growth.

As such, the Public Infrastructure Ministry has solicited proposals from independent power producers to design and develop a generation system utilising an appropriate renewable energy technology or combination of technologies, under a Build Own Operate and Transfer structure, to supply 1.5 megawatts (MW) of power to the GPL Bartica grid under a negotiated and agreed Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

On Monday, the “Request for Proposal” for submissions based on solar technology closed with a total of 22 bids. Among the local companies vying for the project are Scheherazade Isoof Khan Business Development, GMS

Representatives of some of the bidding companies at the opening of tenders for the “Green Bartica Plan” on Monday at GEA

Solar, Pinnacle Construction and Engineering Guyana, Our Sun Guyana Inc and K&P Project Management Company.

Meanwhile, bidders from the Region include the Jamaica Energy Partners, Trinidad and Tobago Power Ventures Ltd, Innogen Technologies Inc from Barbados and Curaçao’s DYNAF Caribbean.

A total of 12 companies from North America and one from Germany have submitted proposals. UDECM Inc, Green Hearth Tree Energy, Sun Moon Energy and Deltro

Group from Canada, along with US companies Solar City, Future First Energy Experts and Suntuity, Roraima Consulting Inc, Blue Tech Financing Solutions, Associated Energy Developers, Solus Energy, AGRLNDMAR Global and Peka Solar & Renewable Energy Inc. The German company is SMA Sunbelt Energy.

The opening of the tenders was facilitated by the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), during which representatives from 10 of the bidding companies attended. The pro-

cess was observed by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GEA, Dr Mahender Sharma, and CEO of the Hinterland Electrification Company Inc, Horace Williams.

In brief closing remarks, Dr Sharma expressed appreciation to the bidders for their participation in the tender and support of Guyana’s vision for energy security following a sustainable path.

The proposals will be evaluated on criteria such as: how well the proposed project is defined and the likelihood of it reaching the minimum energy output target; the energy price compared to other proposals and GPL’s avoided cost for its Bartica operations; how quickly the project can supply electricity to the Bartica Grid; the guaranteed firm capacity and availability of the system, and the proposer’s experience in power generation using the proposed renewable energy technology or technologies.

Following the evaluation process, a shortlist of qualified firms will be formally engaged by the Public Infrastructure Ministry and invited to submit full comprehensive proposals.

Bartica labourer on $100,000 bail on B&E charges

A

labourer was on Tuesday granted bail when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts slapped with two charges of larceny.

Michael Jackson, of

Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) pleaded not guilty to the charges which read that on February 27, 2016 at Third Avenue, Bartica, he entered the dwelling of Narconi DeJesus Somza DaSilva and stole $700,000,

property of Gilbert Romel Colmenarez. The second charge read that on the same day, he entered the dwelling house of Narconi DeJesus Somza DaSilva and stole $200,000.

Attorney Peter Hugh, who is representing the de-

Michael Jackson

fendant, in a bail application told the court that the defendant was working for the Virtual Complainant (VC) as a handyman and was staying in a room at the said property.

He added that two rooms were broken into and items were taken. Hugh stated that at the time of the incident, the defendant was asleep and as such, could not have committed the crime. The lawyer further stated that while his client was sleeping in the said dwelling place, Police Officers knocked on his door and then arrested him after accusing him of stealing the items.

Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones asked for substantial bail as the money has not been recovered.

Magistrate McLennan placed the defendant on $100,000 bail. The case will continue at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court on March 16.

Ramsammy’s Ruminations The Speaker is trampling on our freedom and dimming the light of democracy

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adly, I have had to often write about the vulgar disregard that the Speaker of the National Assembly of Guyana has for Guyana's democracy.

He continuously tramples on the freedom and democratic rights of the people's representatives, conducting the affairs of Parliament as an unabashed partisan and full member of APNU/AFC. The Speaker shamelessly manages parliamentary business as if he is the chief cook and bottle washer of APNU/AFC, making a total Dr Leslie Ramsammy mockery of our democracy, dimming its light and sabotaging our freedom.

Consider the travesty last week during the consideration of a bill when voting resulted in a 32-32 tie between APNU/AFC and the PPP/C. Our Parliament, under its Standing Orders, and the Constitution, has clear rules declaring that a tie means the motion is defeated. There is no room for interpretation. Just in case, I re-checked the Standing Orders, even though I know the Standing Orders by memory because I chaired two Special Select Committee reviewing these Standing Orders and made several amendments.

This is what Standing Order 48 states: (1) Save as otherwise provided in the Constitution or in these Standing Orders all questions proposed for decision in the Assembly or in Committee shall be determined by a majority of the votes of the elected Members thereof present and voting. (2) The Speaker or any other Member presiding shall not vote unless on any Question the votes are equally divided, in which case, except as otherwise provided in the next paragraph, he or she shall have and exercise a casting vote. (3) A Speaker elected from among persons who are not Members of the Assembly shall have neither an original nor a casting vote and if, upon any question before the Assembly when such a Speaker is presiding, the votes of the Members are equally divided, the motion shall be declared lost.

The Standing Orders could not be clearer – in the absence of a majority, the motion is lost. Speaker Scotland cannot use his authority to break the tie since he is not a voting Member of Parliament. It is illegal, a disgrace and an utter disregard for the Standing Orders for the Speaker to declare that the motion was passed. It is a vicious assault on democratic norms and rules and inflicts a serious wound on our democracy. Dr Scotland, by this action and by the way he has conducted the affairs of Guyana's Parliament, has sunk to a shameless partisan depth and has taken our Parliament to a brazen and vulgar place equal to the most depraved management in the annals of Parliament anywhere anytime.

What made the action of Scotland most disgraceful is that the immediate former Speaker and Deputy Speaker were part of the collusion to seize the authority of the House. Mr Trotman, one of APNU/AFC's 32 votes last week, was the Speaker before Dr Scotland, during the 10th Parliament. As Speaker, Trotman rightly declared motions defeated several times when the vote was tied, in accordance with the Standing Orders. He was absolutely right then, just as Scotland is absolutely wrong now.

Sabotaging Parliament is always a prime focus for dictators. APNU/AFC is intent on trampling the freedom and the authority of the Parliament as it reinforces authoritarian rule in the land. As we observe the 50th anniversary of our independence, the Speaker is doing all he can to remind us of the punishing period after independence that our people endured under a PNC dictatorship. Taking away the freedom of the Parliament after a rigged election represents a total abrogation of the democracy we fought for and won in 1992, and is a stark reminder of the post-independence period until 1992 when Cheddi Jagan and the PPP were muzzled in Parliament.

The problem is that by the time democracy was restored in 1992, Guyana was one of the most indebted countries in the world, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with a poverty rate above 66 per cent, a GDP less than US$300 per capita, the worst infrastructure of any Caricom country, a collapsed economy and social indicators in education, health, housing, sanitation and nutrition that were last in Caricom and a life expectancy threatening to fall below 60. We are back on this familiar path as APNU/AFC tightens the noose and take total control of the Parliament, the Police, the Army, the public service. The coalition rules, not by the people's mandate, but through a suffocating authoritarian rule, using the services of willing bottle washers. (Send comments to doc_ram@ hotmail.com)

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The Race to LGE 2016

BIGA to revamp and improve Bartica

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he Bartica Independent Green Alliance (BIGA) “is here to stay.” This is according to Chairman of the Group Holbert Knight.

BIGA has been registered with the Guyana Elections Commission to contest all nine constituencies within the municipality of Bartica, in both the First-Past-thePost and Proportional Representation (PR) aspects of the elections. Speaking with Guyana Times, Knight explained that the group is not affiliated with any of the major political parties. “In actuality, ours is not a party in the traditional meaning of ‘party’ in Guyana... meaning we do not intend to graduate to Regional and National Elections status. But in fact, we are a Local Government Elections group, comprised of residents from a wide cross-section of Bartica and completely independent from affiliation to any political party,” the Chairman explained.

It was disclosed that the group has formulated a strategy dubbed “the People’s Plan” which has been compiled to effectively

inaugurate development of the municipality. “Naturally, our first concern would be getting elected into office where we can be effective in executing the people’s plan for development. We call it the “People’s Plan” because our manifesto was compiled with input from President Granger’s Green Initiative for Bartica, along with the group’s vision and also ideas from residents which were gathered through wide public consultations. We are confident in the Government to honour its promises and obligations to the community if we are elected. Once that happens, our concerns will be minimal,” the BIGA members related to this publication.

Knight explained that currently, the Alliance’s main focus is to create a partnership with central government and the residents of Bartica to implement the President’s Green Plan for the town. The Chairman further related that they are also examining the areas of human services, social development, education and culture and sport so as improve these

sectors.

“The needs of this town, which has been in dire neglect for a long time, are many and varied. In order to truly function as a municipality should, we would require staunch improvements in infrastructure; also improved public offices, public utilities especially electricity, water and Internet bandwidth; and sport and recreational facilities,” Knight posited.

He further promised that if BIGA is elected, every administrative constituency within the jurisdiction of the town of Bartica will be represented by a qualified and capable resident who knows, by association, the concerns of their area.

“Because we are a part of them, our people will be a part of our administration.

We will implement the purest form of local democratic government in our town to bring about the changes and development that we rightly deserve and have waited so long for,” the group Chairman stated.

He related that response from the public has been very encouraging since December 2015 when the Alliance began its outreach.

“We started our outreach activities in December of last y e a r , and the responses from our voters and all other residents have been overwhelming, to say the least. The people of Bartica are intrigued at the idea of a group that is independent from party politics and inclined unto the people. And that is why persons are still coming forward and asking how they can be part of what is unfolding on the ground here. We are quite sure that between now and election day, many more will join our ranks,” the Chairman declared.

He urged residents of those constituencies in Bartica to vote for the Alliance, adding that BIGA presents itself to the people of Bartica as a truly independent LGE group. “Though we are intent of working with the Government’s programme for Bartica, our first and strongest allegiance is to the people... and not to any political party.

We are all of Bartica, for Bartica. We are confident in the vote of the people of Bartica, because the people are recognising that, finally, their representatives will be their neighbours, family and friends,” he affirmed.

GTU calls for adjustment of student to teacher ratios

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s part of its Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed with the Education Ministry, the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) is calling for the review of the ratio of students to teachers.

The Union has made this proposal on the grounds of bargaining for better terms and conditions of employment for teachers/teacher educators within the public education sector.

Based on assessments that have been made by the Union in regards to the effects of a large ratio of students to one teacher, there are evidently a number of shortcomings that are resulted.

Speaking with Guyana Times, General Secretary of the GTU Coretta McDonald, she explained that the Union has recognised that classroom teaching will be more effective if there were smaller class sizes, which would benefit both teachers and students.

As such, the Union had much reason for making the proposal with the interest of

General Secretary of GTU Coretta McDonald

the general education sector at heart.

McDonald reported that in the Education Act, it was passed that there be a reduction of students that are in one class, but they are calling for these figures to be further broken down to effectuate advanced teaching techniques.

Explaining why the proposal was made, she informed that as it is known, when students enter a class, there is a combination of different personalities, various

levels of learning capabilities, ranging from ‘highflyers’ to ‘weak’ and a number of necessities that each posses.

The task of meeting these requirements to ensure that each student is equally and adequately catered for is thus left for the teachers to manage which in most instances poses a challenge and results inefficient teaching mechanisms.

In addition, McDonald informed that there have been situations where parents have complained about their children not receiving ample attention from their teachers since their books were not being ‘marked’ frequently and they were lagging behind.

Given that the MoA is approved, this conflict will no longer exist as teachers can have efficient time for one-on-one interactions with students which will see the improvement of the class’s academic performance, and further the school’s; thus leading up to the general advancement of the public education sector.

Basing on the physical aspect, she made note that most of the schools in Guyana are not very large, so the class sizes are significantly small and with a large amount of students, there is overcrowding, which further diminishes the deliverance of education, since teachers cannot freely move around to have productive interactions.

These proposals, however, will seek to ensure that these specific conditions are addressed so that teachers will be more comfortable, students will be able to gain more and parents will be satisfies, which would then transform the education sector and rebuild Guyana’s capacity of delivering education at a paramount level.

The ratio of students to teachers has been agreed and listed in the MoA as 15 students to one teacher for nursery schools; 20 to one for Grades One and Two; 25 to one for Grades Three throughout Six; 25 to one for secondary schools and 15 to one for practical instructional centres.

Largest batch of new recruits joins GPF

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ome 295 new ranks have joined the staff of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) following six months of training. It is said to be the largest batch ever to graduate at any one time.

The new Constables were selected from nine courses.

At a ceremony to mark the achievement, Assistant Police Commissioner David Ramnarine encouraged the new peace officers to embrace the “very noble and glorious profession”, advising them against listening to the condemnation of naysayers. “Don’t let anyone tell you anything different unless you conduct yourself in such a matter that causes him or her to tell you so.”

He reminded them that they were servants of the public, since they took the oath to serve. “The public is your master and no servant in any part of this world can be greater than the master,” he cautioned.

According to the Assistant Commissioner, “All of us together in uniform, we are in a unique position as we often times are called upon to regulate, control and mediate the action of our master, and you must do this with fairness and a transparent manner.”

Ramnarine said while the salary might be small, there was joy in serving and serving well.

“If you serve well, then that is bigger than the small salary that you will receive because that is invaluable because you will be serving humanity, which is the highest calling in this world.”

Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner Paul Williams said the recruits

were able to engage the Force and be successful at the training.

“To be a policeman or

woman is a special call by the creator. These 295 recruits, upon their journey of seeking employment, had

the courage to engage us and to overcome the rigorous training and strict discipline,” Williams said.

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Restructured WoW programme gets $40M

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he Social Protection Ministry announced that the restructured Women of Worth (WoW) microcredit programme will receive a $40 million allocation. According to a statement from the Ministry, this allocation would allow sin-

gle parent women to access loans for start-up businesses.

The release further stated that at the 2016 National Budget Estimates, Minister Volda Lawrence observed that a number of single mothers have been engaging

the Ministry with their projects.

It was noted that the Ministry is currently seeking funding to rollout a new credit line, the People Of Worth Entrepreneurial Resources (POWER) project. It was opined that this

scheme will allow for both males and females to access loans.

The Government also promised that mechanisms will be put in place through additional staff and there will be an ongoing monitor-

PPP MP, Dr Vindhya Persaud

Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence

ing and evaluation system to ensure that these projects are properly managed and the loans are serviced.

Criticisms of Government’s handling of the WOW programme were mounted by Opposition Member of Parliament, Dr

Vindhya Persaud in the Budget debates. It was noted that it was under the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic Administration that the WoW programme became a reality which saw hundreds of Guyanese women benefiting.

Russian Ambassador meets Ramjattan on security issues

Russian Ambassador Nikolay Smirnov, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and retired Major General Michael Atherly following the meeting on Monday

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ith a view to strengthening the relationship between the law enforcement agencies of Guyana and the Russian Federation, Russian Ambassador to Guyana Nikolay Smirnov met with Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan.

The meeting was held on Monday at the Public Security Ministry on Brickdam, Georgetown.

Coordinator of the Task Force on Narcotic Drugs and Illicit Weapons, Major General (Retired) Michael Atherly was also present at the meeting.

During the meeting, Ramjattan and Smirnov discussed matters of mutual interest. Among the issues discussed was the signing of an agreement on “Cooperation between the Ministry of the Interior of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Public Security of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana”. This agreement will strengthen the bilateral legal framework for interaction between law enforcement agencies of the two countries.

An earlier agreement on cooperation between the Federal Service of the Russian Federation for Narcotics Traffic Control and the Ministry signed in Havana in February 2012

was also considered to establish progress made in this regard.

The Russian side has expressed its willingness to continue providing courses for Guyanese Police during the present year, 2016. One Police Sergeant has recently been admitted to the “Incident Site Inspection Finger-Printing Identification Programme” to be held at Moscow University of the Ministry of Interior of Russia from March 28 to April 26, 2016.

It was further pointed out during the interaction that the recent abolishment of the visa requirement between the two countries now facilitates easy travel of Guyanese Policemen to Russia.

The Russian Government has been facilitating training for Guyanese Policemen for several years and intends to extend such training to programmes being done at the Regional Counter Drug Law-Enforcement Training Centre in Managua and the Russian-Cuban Fire and Rescue Training Centre in Havana.

The aim of this training is to strengthen the capacity of participants to fight illicit drug trafficking and prevent, cope with and recover from natural disasters, fires and other emergencies.

NEWS

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Moot Court competitions

Anti-domestic violence message should be fused in school’s curriculum – Bishops’ student

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oot Court Guyana has partnered with the Social Protection Ministry to bring greater awareness particularly to youths about sexual offences and domestic violence which have plagued society.

The Moot Court, which was formed by law students of the University of Guyana about three years ago, sought to host mock trials on various topics aimed at improving its members’ advocacy skills.

It is the first time the group is partnering with the Ministry to address a social issue. Moot Court Guyana and the Government teamed up for the competition to debate on the paper committal process for rape cases under the Sexual Offences Act (2010) as well as an impromptu competition for secondary students.

In the impromptu competition, Edon Corbin, a sixth former at The Bishops’ High School, emerged as the winner and used the platform to urge the policymakers to pay greater attention to domestic violence against men and the facilities and processes available to report such.

He urged that the issue of domestic violence be incorporated into the school curriculum to educate students on the issue. Corbin also asked that support cen-

Sara Bovell and the other members of the defence team receive the winning prize

tres for victims be established with particular emphasis on areas where the scourge is predominant Meanwhile in the debate, the defence team won the finals held at the National Library in the capital.

The winning team of Sara Bovell (leader); Ulanda Williams and Lancelot Daniels argued that the paper committal process was both unconstitutional and a violation of the human rights of the accused. They claimed that the paper committal process reduces the effectiveness of the filtering process that offered fairness to the accused.

During the mock trial, the prosecution team, of Veena Ramdatt (leader); Nicklin Belgrave and Ayana Fable, argued the

merits of the paper committal process, which replaced a Preliminary Inquiry in rape cases under the 2010 Act. The paper committal process is one which seeks to have the parties make submissions in writing and the Magistrate decides whether there is adequate evidence to go to trial. This protects the alleged victim from having to testify during the Preliminary Inquiry and at the trial.

The statistics for rape trials in Guyana have been dismal over the years with reports of trials taking so long that victims raped as children lose interest in pursuing the legal battle, as adults.

The prosecution claims that the paper committal process aids speedy trials

by eliminating the lengthy Preliminary Inquiries. It posited that the process was fair and just, as it not only protected the alleged victim but gave the accused 45 days to tender any evidence to support his or her case.

The teams were adjudged

by Attorneys-at-Law Wanda Fortune and Theophilus Ferguson based on several criteria, including content, relevance of legal text used, strategy, ability to summarise cases and law, presentation, team work, skills, style, proper use of court etiquette and the ability to respond to questions.

In the end, the defence team was declared the winner, with its Senior Counsel, Sara Bovell, capturing the prize for Best Advocate.

Starkey Hearing Foundation to set up in Guyana – persons suffering from hearing defects will soon receive better care

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irst Lady Sandra Granger has joined hands with the Starkey Hearing Foundation and the Guyana Foundation to bring hearing to Guyana’s hearing impaired.

Starkey Hearing Foundation is a leading global hearing healthcare organisation that uses hearing as a vehicle to reflect caring and change lives around the world, while the Guyana Foundation partners with like-minded groups to carry out small and large-scale projects countrywide to enhance lives and contribute meaningfully to their building of Guyana.

On Monday, the Foundation arrived in Guyana to meet with several Ministries including the Public Health, Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and Education, to set up strategic partnerships, which will provide support during the execution of the programme.

The First Lady met with a team from Starkey Hearing Foundation and representatives of the Guyana Foundation and the Public Health Ministry to discuss strategies for the implementation of Starkey Hearing Foundation’s communitybased hearing healthcare

Starkey Hearing Foundation’s Manager, Dr Luqman Lawal; Starkey Hearing Foundation’s International Mission Liaison, Derek T Johnson; First Lady Sandra Granger, Head of Audiology, Ministry of Public Health, Dr Ruth Quaicoe; Guyana Foundation Managing Director Anthony Autar and Starkey Hearing Foundation’s International Mission Liaison Contractor, Julia Lis at the Office of the First Lady

programme in Guyana for hearing-impaired patients in need.

First Lady Granger said her sharing in the programme was connected to her being a supporter of the Guyana Foundation, and she was “very happy to work with bonafide organisations that are going to help the people of Guyana”.

“Starkey Foundation’s programme provides hearing health and they are working with the Ministry of Health and other organisations to provide the gift of hearing to persons with hearing impairment particularly our children and senior citizens,” Mrs

Granger said.

Dr Luqman Lawal, Starkey Hearing Foundation’s Manager, during the meeting, said that the Foundation came to Guyana to create local partnerships for a community-based hearing healthcare programme enabling the Foundation to create a local presence.

“We want to be able to work with local partners so that after identifying the patients, we’re able to give them the gift of hearing and the local partners are able to follow up on these patients and fix any problems they might have with the device. [They will also] be able to follow-

up on their progress as regards education, employment and the improvement in their quality of life,” Dr Lawal said In addition, Dr Ruth Quaicoe, Head of Audiology in Guyana, said the Georgetown Public Hospital and the Public Health Ministry have already identified a number of persons who are expected to be among the first beneficiaries.

The recipients will be drawn from those registered at the Ministry’s clinics across the country. There are clinics in all Regions but Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), but plans are in train to soon remedy this, she said.

Keeping it real The Rodney CoI made important recommendations for change

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he Walter Anthony Rodney Commission of Inquiry (CoI) has made a sweeping conclusion: Forbes Burnham and the PNC played a defining role in the assassination of the Guyanese scholar. The CoI was very clear in its wording: “Prime Minister Burnham knew of the plan and was part of the conspiracy to assassinate Dr Rodney”. One can only Dr Baytoram Ramharack extrapolate that Burnham (the “Kabaka”) had knowledge of the plot, but the conclusion of most Guyanese is that Burnham must have ordered the assassination, or turned a blind eye and allowed the plan to become a reality.

It was widely believed that Rodney’s influence penetrated deeply within the officer corps and sympathisers within the ranks posed a severe threat to the survival of the illegal regime. Burnham carried through with his threat and his ominous warnings to the WPA leadership that his “steel” was much sharper and members of the WPA should write their wills. Rodney exposed the lunacy of the “paramountcy” of the PNC over State institutions. Rodney had to go.

There are those who continue to argue, now that the CoI has been “leaked”, that millions of dollars were wasted to tell us what we already knew and the intellectual authors of this plan have passed on, and this Commission was a concoction of the PPP designed to score political points. Others, like Kean Gibson who dismissed the killing as “politics”, queried why “it would have been alright for Rodney to have eliminated Burnham but not the reverse”. Rodney may have become a romantic revolutionary when he espoused the popular chant that the Burnham regime must go “by any means necessary” without fully understanding the implications of his political pronouncement. However, Rodney was engaged in building a mass movement to replace a government that abused its powers. Those who condemn Rodney’s actions today are not only ignoring the authoritarian conditions under which Guyanese lived, but, indirectly, they condemn the thousands of Guyanese who were engaged in a movement to return democracy to Guyana.

The three-member Commission led by Chairman, Sir Richard Cheltenham understood fully the conditions that have led to political assassinations. They considered the nature of Guyanese society and the political conditions that existed under the Burnham regime. It was only fitting that they made recommendations as to how to prevent the conditions that contributed to the abuse of State power.

Their recommendations require repeating since some of these recommendations are not alien to Guyanese politics.

They were the subject of other Commissions.

Recommendation (9.2). “Every effort should be made to have a well-trained and highly professional Police Force with a thorough appreciation of its duty to serve impartially regardless of ethnicity or party affiliation….” The CoI has recognised that the breakdown of law and order in our society today stems from an unprofessional Police Force that is as corruptible as any other State agencies, perhaps more.

That the Police Force does not reflect the population makeup is problematic.

Recommendation (9.4). “The Army, too, must be professional.” The CoI provided the rationale for this by explaining that “nothing is worse than an army in a country striving to be an ideal functional democracy being partial to any political party whether in government or otherwise. An army, by definition, has a near monopoly of the legitimate instruments of violence and must be trained to act responsibly at all times.” Since the Burnham era, the Army has remained predominantly African, despite the fact that the Commonwealth Commission of Inquiry of 1962 made recommendations for a balanced disciplined force.

Recommendation (9.10). “No party in Government shall be permitted to tamper easily or at all with the electoral system such as to secure an unfair advantage. The electoral system shall be entrenched in the Constitution and should only be amendable by a 2/3 majority.” This recommendation will go a long way considering the controversy surrounding GECOM during the recent, as well as previous, elections.

Recommendation (9.12). “….Every Government has a continuing responsibility to work in close consultation with national associations and diverse interest groups to design and implement a programme intended to strengthen ethnic harmony and a sense of national unity,” The ethnic divide in Guyana has been a longstanding one and it raises its ugly head more so during elections time.

As we approach our 50th anniversary, there is much work that has to be done to foster a cohesive and united polity in Guyana. (Send comments to BRamharack60@gmail.com)

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Kohli, bowlers put India in final B

Russia’s athletes keep sights on Rio despite doping ban

Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina steadied India’s chase after an early wobble (Associated Press photo)

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irat Kohli stroked his third fifty in as many T20s against Sri Lanka to send his team cruising to the Asia Cup final, after a tight bowling performance had restrained the opposition to 138 for 9. Kohli arrived with India wobbling at 16 for 2 in the fourth over, but soon enlisted Suresh Raina, then Yuvraj Singh, for support, in what was eventually a comfortable chase. The winning runs were hit with four balls and five wickets to spare.

Kohli’s share was a 47-ball 56 not out.

It had been Ashish Nehra and Jasprit Bumrah who earned India the initial impetus, however, taking out a batsman apiece during their miserly new-ball spells. Sri Lanka coughed and spluttered right through their innings, losing wickets just as a significant partnership seemed to be forming. Chamara Kapugedera top-scored with 30 from 32, before late blows from Thisara Perera and Nuwan Kulasekara propelled the team to what was a halfdecent score, given the conditions. Dew would make defending it substantially harder, however.

Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and R Ashwin all took two wickets apiece for India, and Nehra made a customary early breakthrough. Ashwin was typically crafty, but the seamers’ scalps were largely the result of good discipline, as Sri Lanka batsmen attempted to manufacture big strokes following long, quiet spells.

Kohli was in good touch from early in his innings, smoking Angelo Mathews through midwicket fifth ball, before pumping Nuwan Kulasekara through point before the end of the Powerplay.

He’d hit one more sublime cover-drive off Dushmantha Chameera, in the first half of the innings, but largely laid low after that, mining singles and twos from the outfield instead. He ticked along, and Raina followed suit - the pair putting on 54 together for the third wicket.

When Raina departed in the 12th over, India were

marginally shy of the required rate, but Kohli’s assured presence warded off panic. He let Yuvraj play himself into some kind of form, and kept India striding confidently toward the total. Memorably bludgeoning huge, consecutive sixes off Herath, Yuvraj also produced his most substantial innings since early 2014 - an 18-ball 35.

Pandya didn’t last long against Herath, but MS Dhoni was on hand to assist Kohli with the finish. Kohli crossed fifty in the penultimate over, then lifted Herath over cow corner to reap the winning runs.

Earlier, Dinesh Chandimal creamed a four second ball, then failed to score off the next eight deliveries, before sending an inside edge to the keeper off Nehra.

Tillakaratne Dilshan’s modest form persisted at the other end, though he pilfered a few runs behind the wicket, before hooking Pandya to fine leg, to end on 18. With Shehan Jayasuriya also having been dismissed cheaply Sri Lanka had slipped to 31 for 3 at the beginning of the seventh over. India’s seamers

had made good use of the juice in the pitch - Bumrah threatening batsmen’s edges, in particular.

Mathews and Kapugedera attempted to set down a platform for Sri Lanka’s hitters, but their going was slow.

Halfway through the innings, Sri Lanka had mustered only 47. Just when Mathews finally began to find the boundary, hitting three fours from five balls, he got himself out to an innocuous ball. Attempting to run a single to third man, Mathews played Pandya back onto his stumps, to finish with 18 from 19 balls.

There were flashes of aggression from Kapugedera and Milinda Siriwardana, who put on 43 runs off the 31 balls they had together.

Siriwardana even launched Ravindra Jadeja into the sightscreen, then nurdled him to the third man fence, in successive deliveries. But, as has often been the case in recent India v Sri Lanka matches, Ashwin dealt a decisive blow, removing Siriwardana in the 17th over, before Dasun Shanaka ran himself out off a free hit, a few balls later.

(Cricinfo)

As things stand, Russian athletes will be barred from competing, the first time Russia has missed the Olympics since the Soviet Union boycotted the Los Angeles Games in 1984.

“POINT OF NO RETURN”

Officials recognise there is little substitute for highlevel competition in the approach to the Olympics and some are worried Russian athletes will lose out in Rio after spending months sequestered away from their their international rivals.

“Of course there is a limitation (on training),” said Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF) General Secretary Mikhail Butov. “It would be better to compete together with all strong athletes worldwide.”

But Russia has repeatedly said it will prove itself compliant with the IAAF requirements in time for the Games.

At stake is its reputation as a dominant force in world athletics and President Vladimir Putin’s image of Russia as a global power, at a time when the Kremlin is locked in geopolitical tussles with the West over Ukraine and Syria.

Already this year, the disgraced ARAF has elected a new president to oversee sweeping reforms and the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) has resumed some of its responsibilities after top managers stepped down last year.

Some U.S. and European

officials, however, have said Russia has too many problems to overcome before the Games begin on Aug. 5.

“They must have a cultural change,” said European Athletics chief Svein Arne Hansen in December. “I cannot really see them competing in Rio.” New ARAF head Dmitry Shlyakhtin said June would be the “point of no return” for Russians looking to Brazil.

“HOPING FOR THE BEST”

In Moscow last week, 26-year-old Nina Morozova won the women’s 60-metre hurdles in 8.09 seconds, a time which made her the Russian national champion and one she hopes will be good enough to claim a podium position in Rio. “We are only hoping for the best, otherwise there is no point in training,” she told Reuters after the race.

“These troubles will more than likely be a good thing.

We are gearing up for revenge against all those who smeared us.”

Russia has a proud history at the Olympics and hosted the Winter Games in Sochi in 2014, an event portrayed as a symbol of the country’s resurgent global standing. A sporting powerhouse, it has produced some of the world’s best athletes.

Pole-vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva is the world record holder as well as a double Olympic gold medallist and triple world champion.

(Reuters Sport)

RA Jadeja 2-0-19-0, R Ashwin 4-0-26-2, SK Raina 1-0-9-0

Male boxers to abandon headgear at Rio Games after 32 years

India innings S Dhawan c †Chandimal b Kulasekara 1 RG Sharma c Kapugedera b Kulasekara 15 V Kohli not out 56 SK Raina c Kulasekara 25 b Shanaka Yuvraj Singh c Kulasekara b Perera 35 2 HH Pandya b Herath MS Dhoni*† not out 7 Extras (w 1) 1 Total (5 wickets; 19.2 overs; 95 mins) 142 Did not bat: RA Jadeja, R Ashwin, JJ Bumrah, A Nehra Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-16, 3-70, 4-121, 5-125 Bowling: AD Mathews 3-016-0, KMDN Kulasekara 3-0-21-2, NLTC Perera 4-032-1, PVD Chameera 4-027-0, HMRKB Herath 3.2-026-1, MD Shanaka 1-0-7-1, TAM Siriwardana 1-0-13-0.

or the first time in 32 years male boxers will be able trade punches without any headgear at this year’s Rio Games after the International Olympic Committee sanctioned a change introduced by world boxing federation AIBA. AIBA adopted the change for amateur fighters some three years ago but needed to bring it to the IOC Executive Board, which noted it without objection on Tuesday, essentially rubberstamping the decision and clearing the way for Rio. The IOC said AIBA had presented medical research that showed concussions were less likely to occur without headgear than with.

“AIBA provided medi-

SCOREBOARD Sri Lanka innings LD Chandimal† c †Dhoni b Nehra 4 TM Dilshan c Ashwin b Pandya 18 DSNFG Jayasuriya c †Dhoni b Bumrah 3 CK Kapugedera c Pandya b Bumrah 30 AD Mathews* b Pandya 18 TAM Siriwardana c Raina b Ashwin 22 MD Shanaka run out (Sharma/Ashwin) 1 NLTC Perera st †Dhoni b Ashwin 17 KMDN Kulasekara run out (Kohli/†Dhoni) 13 PVD Chameera not out 2 Extras (lb 5, w 4, nb 1) 10 Total (9 wickets; 20 overs; 92 mins) 138 Did not bat: HMRKB Herath Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-15, 3-31, 4-57, 5-100, 6-104, 7-105, 8-125, 9-138 Bowling: A Nehra 4-0-23-1, JJ Bumrah 4-0-27-2, HH Pandya 4-0-26-2, Yuvraj Singh 1-0-3-0,

arred from international competition, Russia is training its athletes at a series of special domestic tournaments and banking on hopes a doping ban will be lifted in time for this year’s Rio Olympics.

While rivals will pit their strength at the world indoor games in the United States in March, Russian athletes have had to make do with a winter season supplemented with five additional Grand Prix events across a country where sporting success is seen as integral to national pride.

Some athletes are employing an approach favoured by sports psychologists of compartmentalised thinking: focusing on their training and performance, while leaving outside issues such as the uncertainty about their place at the Olympics, to others.

“I didn’t participate in these scandals and don’t even understand it,” hurdler Konstantin Shabanov told Reuters at the Russian Athletics Championship in Moscow.

“In the first case, our athletics federation should be thinking about this ban .., not sportsmen. I have to think about running, training and results.”

Russia, second behind the United States in the track and field medal table at the London 2012 Olympics, was suspended from world athletics last year after a doping investigation exposed widespread cheating and corruption. The World AntiDoping Agency report cited graft among international officials and suggested the scandal could widen.

Now Russia faces a race against time to meet anti-doping standards dictated by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) before the Rio Games in August, an ambition some say is unrealistic.

F

cal and technical data that showed the number of concussions is lower without headgear,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams said. “They have done a lot of research in the last three years. The rule will go ahead for Rio.” Boxers have been wear-

ing headguards since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

The last Games without them were in Moscow 1980.

Women boxers, who first competed at the 2012 Olympics, will continue wearing their protective gear. (Reuters Sports)

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WADA President Dick Pound

ready been banned with the country struggling to become compliant in time for the Games.

“We understand funding is now available and they need to pass legislation, we know the type of legislation they are talking about which is acceptable,” Reedie told reporters during an International Olympic

Committee (IOC) meeting in Switzerland.

“They (Kenya) are very well aware of what they need to do. They need to reply to us by April 5.

“They simply need to do it. If they don’t do it my compliance review committee will take the matter further and is likely to include, if nothing happens, a set period during which they must comply otherwise there will be a declaration of non-compliance.”

Reedie said he was “hopeful” but added that it was up to the Kenyan government to deliver.

A top Kenyan athletics official said last month the world athletics federation IAAF, itself under pressure to get tougher on doping, was planning to ban Kenya from the Rio Games so “the world will understand how serious they are”. (Reuters

Sport)

Rio 2016 will have pro boxers, says AIBA boss

P

rofessional fighters will feature at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics as long as a constitutional change goes through in June, the president of the international boxing federation AIBA said on Tuesday.

Last month’s decision by AIBA to begin procedures to open the door for pro boxers to compete alongside amateurs at the Games means the sport could get increased exposure with potentially big-name fighters taking part.

The move, though, has also earned a lot of criticism as many argue it would be unfair to the thousands of amateurs who have trained for the Games for years and now have to possibly make way for the pros.

“Professional boxers will be at Rio. I don’t know how many but they will be,” AIBA boss Ching-Kuo Wu told Reuters. “But they will have

to go through the same procedures as everyone else.

“What we have to do is just amend the constitution of AIBA and we will do that at an extraordinary congress in June. The constitution is the only thing blocking this at the moment.”

Boxers qualify for the Games in a series of regional events, many starting later this month.

Wu said after the constitutional amendment goes through, professionals could book their tickets for Rio at the final world Olympic qualifying tournament in Azerbaijan in mid-June.

There are doubts, however, over whether professional world champions would want to jeopardise their careers by taking part in three-round contests that bear little resemblance to paid bouts.

“Everyone will need to qualify, they will need to be picked by their own federa-

tions so there are things that need to happen first. They don’t get in just like that,” Wu said.

“What AIBA wants to do is open the door for professionals. Boxing is probably the only sport in the Olympics not represented by pros.”

Under Wu’s leadership, AIBA set up the semi-professional World Series Boxing in 2011 in which fighters earned money competing for city-based teams.

He also helped introduce women’s boxing to the Olympics in London four years ago.

Amateur boxing has had its share of Olympic champions who have gone on to become top professionals, among them Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Vladimir Klitschko.

The Rio Games will be held in August. (Reuters Sport)

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enya has found funding for an anti-doping structure and has prepared necessary legislation but the African country still needs to deliver by April 5 or risk being non-compliant, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) chief Craig Reedie said on Tuesday.

Kenya, a leading nation in long-distance running, missed a WADA deadline in February to implement new regulations in a country where about 40 athletes have been banned for doping in the last three years.

It needs to set up and fund a national anti-doping agency, among other things, which will be approved by WADA. If Kenya is declared noncompliant its track and field athletes could miss out on the Rio de Janeiro Olympics starting in August.

Russian athletes have al-

Atletico win 3-0 to close gap to Barcelona

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tletico Madrid cruised to a 3-0 home win over Real Sociedad on Tuesday to close the gap behind La Liga leaders Barcelona to five points.

Barca, who can restore their eight-point advantage with a victory at Rayo Vallecano on Thursday, have 66 points from 26 games, while Atletico have played a game more.

Third-place Real Madrid, who play at Levante on Wednesday, have 54 points, while Sociedad are ninth with 34.

Atletico took the lead after eight minutes when Sociedad midfielder Diego Reyes scored an own goal trying to cut out a cross from Keko.

Diego Simeone’s side went further in front a minute into the second half when striker Luciano Vietto latched onto a poor clearance and pulled the ball back for Saul Niguez to shoot past Geronimo Rulli.

Atletico completed their biggest home win in the league this season when Antoine Griezmann converted a 61st-minute penalty against his former club, after the Frenchman had been brought down by Alberto de la Bella.

The visitors came closest to pulling one back when Jonathas headed against the

Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez celebrates his goal during the match (Reuters photo)

post two minutes later after being set up by Ruben Pardo.

Atletico defender Diego Godin, Griezmann and Vietto all missed other chances in a one-sided first half. (Reuters Sport)

18

guyanatimesGY.com

wednesday, march 2, 2016

Fernandes drops one Fixtures released for Round of 16 spot in world ranking Milo U-20 School Football…

I

t’s now down to the business end of the Milo Under-20 Schools football competition, as the knockout round is set to commence this weekend at the Ministry of Education ground on Carifesta Avenue.

The Round of 16 fixtures have been set and it is win or go home time in the tournament.

On March fifth, Second year Champs Lodge Secondary will have to find their form against North

Nicolette Fernandes

N

icolette Fernandes has made a slight drop in the world ranking of the Women’s International Squash Players Association (WISPA), following the release of the March rankings.

The England-based Guyanese is now rated at number 25, a drop of one spot on her February ranking.

Fernandes’ first round exit in the ongoing Windy City Open in Chicago, United States of America, may been the factor responsible for her minor slip in the latest WISPA release.

Just a few days ago, Fernandes lost in straights to England’s Jenny Duncalf in the opening round of the competition. Duncalf won 1210, 11-7, 11-5. Duncalf was

seeded 13th in the competition, while Fernandes was unseeded.

Prior to the defeat, Fernandes had finished runner-up in both the Granite Open and the Winnipeg Winter Club Open on the PSA Tour in January.

Fernandes’ career-best world ranking is 19, first achieved in October 2013.

Wintz looking for more opportunities in CPL 4

By Avenash Ramzan

H

e’s not express pace, but he makes up for that with a nagging line and length and the ability to be very deceptive.

He’s also no slouch with the bat, and a safe pair of hands makes him an asset in the field.

In a nutshell, Paul Gordon Wintz has all the attributes of a T20 player, as he can give his team solid overs up front and at the ‘death’, chip in with vital lower-order runs and save critical runs in the field.

The Berbician, who now plies his trade for city side Demerara Cricket Club, is preparing for his second stint in the Hero Caribbean Premier League (Hero CPL), set for June 29 to August 7.

Wintz, who turns 30 on March 7, made his maiden appearance in the ‘Biggest Party in Sport, suiting up for the Guyana Amazon Warriors in 2015.

Opportunities were limited, as he played just one game, claiming 0-17 from three overs against St Lucia Zouks at Gros Islet.

At the Player Draft in February, Wintz was again snapped up by his home franchise, Guyana Amazon Warriors, and the all-rounder is looking forward to more on-field action in CPL 4, with the aim of helping the team to lift its maiden title.

“I’m looking forward to playing more game actually, and we’ve done fairly well over the last years, going to

Paul Wintz

the finals and semi-finals, so hopefully we can go all the way this time and win it,” Wintz told this publication on Tuesday.

Despite just a solitary appearance in 2015, Wintz was confident of being picked up at the Player Draft in Barbados. “I was good in the practice games and I think I bowled well in the one match I played [in CPL 2015], so I was looking forward to getting select again this year.”

He added, “There will be about 10 preliminary games [this year], I’m looking to play at least seven and get wickets up front and come back and get wickets in the death overs.”

Commenting on the composition of the Guyana

Amazon Warriors squad and the franchise’s chance of coming out on top, Wintz said, “Well you have to be optimistic, you can’t count yourself out, but rather take one game at a time… and by the halfway stage you should know where you stand in the competition.”

With the likes of international superstars AB deVilliers of South Africa, Shane Watson of Australia and Brendon McCullum of New Zealand set to debut at CPL 4, Wintz is excited to rub shoulders with the foreign players and gain from their experiences.

“Most obviously with players of that calibre it would be nice to rub shoulders with them and play amongst them,” Wintz related.

In the space of six years, Wintz has played just three regional T20 matches, the first of which was in 2010 against Mumbai Indians when Guyana played in the Champions League in South Africa. He has picked up two wickets; both of which came against South Australia in the Champions League.

He has an impressive List A career, capturing 32 wickets from 19 games at average of 19, and an economy rate of 4.62. Wintz also has a highest score of 38 not out and an average of 16.

With the large pool of international players not familiar with Wintz’s style, the all-rounder could be the go-to man for the Guyana Amazon Warriors at CPL 4. (aramzan@guyanatimesgy.com)

Ruimveldt Secondary in order to advance.

Nevertheless, three top fixtures are scheduled for the same day with Dolphin Secondary taking on Richard Ishmael, Bishop’s High against St Roses and Queen’s College against Tucville Secondary.

Meanwhile on March sixth, defending champs Chase Academy will be in action against Kingston while an in-form Mae’s Secondary will do battle with South

Ruimveldt.

Christ Church will also take the field on Sunday against Queenstown while St John’s College will play North Georgetown.

At the end of the Round of 16 56 matches will be completed thus far in the tournament as teams set their sights on the coveted title for Georgetown schools.

The final of the tournament is set for March 20th at the Ministry of Education ground.

AAG selects Morgan leads Lusignan SC Carifta to another win team

T

he Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) after its two Smalta national Youth and Junior Championship this past weekend at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora have selected an 18-man squad for this year’s Carifta Games in Grenada.

The squad will comprise of 15 athletes and three officials with Robert Chisolm being named Head Coach, Rawle Griffith Assistant Coach and Sheryl Hermonstine as Manager.

The athletes will be headlined by Linden’s Winston Caesar and Daniel Williams along Running Brave’s Avon Samuels, GDF’s Kenisha Phillips and Carifta bronze medalist Andrea Foster.

The full list is as follows: Running Brave Athletic Club: Avon Samuels (200m and 400m Girls U18), Claudrice McKoy (1500m and 3000m Girls U18), Samuel Lynch (400m and 800m Boys U 18), Natricia Hooper (Triple Jump and 400m Girls U 20), Jeremy Garette (800m and 1500m Boys U 18) and Mathew McKenzie (1500m and 5000m Boys U 20).

Guyana Defense Force: Kenisha Phillips (100m and 200m Girls U18), Andrea Foster (800m and 1500m Girls U 20) and Odwin Tudor (5000m Boys U 20) Upper Demerara Schools: Chantoba Bright (Triple and Long Jump Girls U 18) andDaniel Williams (High Jump, 200m and 400m Boys U18).

Christianburg Wismar Secondary School: Compton Ceasar (100m and 200m Boys U 20) Super Up-coming Runners: Tyrell Peters (100m and 200m Boys U 18) Mercury Fast Laners: Joshua Jones (Shot Put and Discus Boys U 18) United States of America: Alyssa Sandy (100m and 400m Hurdles Girls U 20) The team will have their first encampment on March fifth in preparation for the Regional games which takes place from March 26-28.

T

he in-form Leon Morgan was again the standout player for Lusignan Sports Club last weekend, as the club comfortably defeated Golden Achievers by six wickets in the East Coast Cricket Committee’s 40-over cricket competition.

Morgan stroked 47 not out as Lusignan coasted to victory at 116-4 off 16.4 overs. W. London took 2-21 for Golden Achievers, who mustered 110 all out in overs batting first.

Rajendra Naikbarran was the top bowler with 3-10, while fellow spinner Emran Khan claimed 2-30.

T. Gardner with 28 was the leading scorer for Golden Achievers.

Leon Morgan

Topp XX extend lead in UDFA 1st Division Championship

L

eaders Topp XX extended their lead to four points as they scored a 1-0 win over previously unbeaten Silver Shattas when the Upper Demerara Football Association’s (UDFA) First Division championship continued Friday night at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground.

The leaders are on 16 points from that win which came with a single strike from Tyric McAllister in the 35th minute of the game and the Shattas now remain on 12 points to be in second position.

In the other game Amelia’s Ward Panthers were able to rebound from an early goal which came from Hi Stars’ Jermain McBean in the fourth minute. They were able to level the scores when Ray Bobbsemple netted in the 42nd minute and then took the lead in the 46th minute of the match.

Hi Stars equalised when Marley Major found the back of the net in the 57th minute and knotted the scores 2-2 but Andel Norville was able to give his side the crucial winning goal when he netted in the 87th minute.

19 BCB congratulates national Easter swim camp starts March 21 awardee RHTY&SC I O guyanatimesGY.com

wednesday, march 2, 2016

ne of the top cricket clubs affiliated to the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC), was the recipient of the prestigious national award, Medal of Service.

The BCB, through a press release, has taken the opportunity to congratulate the club and also say thanks for its contribution to Berbice, Guyana and West Indies cricket.

The release continued by saying that the club’s current president Keith Foster is the immediate past president of the board and he served with distinction.

The secretary Hilbert Foster was the head of the Special Events Committee and was the major player in transforming the board into an active NGO.

Hilbert Foster

“Under his watch, many organisations, churches, cricket clubs and individuals benefitted through his influence and soliciting of sponsorship.

LABA/104.3 Power FM basketball…

Roberts leads Raiders to inaugural title

D

Dwayne Roberts

wayne Roberts’ dominance in the post helped the Retrieve Raiders to a thrilling 8078 victory over the Half Mile Bulls to bring the curtains down on the inaugural Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA)/ 104.3 Power FM Mashramani Open basketball championship on Saturday night at the Mackenzie Sports club hard court.

Roberts stamped his signature on this final as he played like a beast in the post.

Stacked up against this new breed of transition players who have shown an ability to run opponents out of their game plan, Roberts’ dominance in the middle was too much to handle.

The back and forth game was kept for the majority of the time in the half court as the Raiders were able to slow the pace of the game for periods at a time which allowed Roberts to operate down low.

Roberts walked away with the Most Valuable Player award for his 24 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks despite a tournament high 41 points from Bulls’ guard Terron Welch

who was on fire from the field.

Keon Cameron netted 16 points, six steals and four assists while Abdulla Hamid 16 points and five rebounds and Marvin Hartman 10 points and four rebounds in the win for the Raiders.

Meanwhile the third place playoff game was won

by Victory Valley Royals who defeated Amelia’s Ward Jets 62-53 after they had a 12-19, first quarter lead.

The Jets took control at the end of the second quarter 27-22 and was ahead when the third quarter ended 4035 but could not hold on to eventually lose the game.

For the Royals, Trevor Profitt had 17 points and Alwyn Rodney 11 while Harold Adams was held to seven points.

For the Jets, Vibert Benjamin led with 14 points and Joel Webster added nine points.

Among the many sponsors along with the 104.3 Power FM radio were BOSAI Minerals group Guyana Inc, Power Lines Auto Spares, Trophy Stall, Babalooo’s Car Rental, Tony Whyte, Ansa McAl Trading through its Mackeson Brand, and Cloyde Brush.

Even on the field of cricket, all levels of cricket were played in Berbice except for three-day, which was in the pipeline when he resigned to spend more time with his club,” the BCB said.

The RHTY&SC produced several outstanding cricketers, some of whom have gone on to wear West Indian colours, among them Assad Fudadin, Royston Crandon, Erva Giddings and Shemaine Campbelle.

The BCB in closing pleaded to other cricket clubs and organisations to widen their role in society and help the less fortunate and at the same time provide hope for the hopeless, something that the RHTY&SC has been doing for many years.

“Congrats again to Hilbert Foster and his hard working team,” the release concluded.

t’s that time of the year again when young aspiring swimmers have a chance to learn and develop the intricacies of the sport, with the National Sports Commission set to unveil the annual Easter swim camp.

Held in partnership with the Ministry of Education’s Department of Culture, Youth and Sport, the twoweek event will commence on March 21 and conclude on April 1.

During the 2015 programme, the camp attracted 50 boys and girls from Georgetown and neighbouring areas, and catered for youths who had no prior experience in a swimming pool.

Youths between the ages of six and 11 attended the two-week course, which was conducted by Cuban coach Isabel Maria Cousa Fals and three local instructors.

The youngsters were divided into two groups, which were further subdivided into smaller groups to facil-

itate quality supervision. Sessions were conducted in the mornings from 09:30h to 11:30h, with the two groups allotted one hour each.

Upon completion of the programme, the participants were presented with certificates, and those who impressed the coaches were recommended to join the six-week camp in August at the same venue.

Persons interested in signing up for this year’s camp are advised to make contact with Desiree Cummings at the Colgrain Swimming Pool on Camp Street on telephone number 226-0387 or Onieka Johnson at the National Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal on telephone number 2221306 for the necessary information, between 08:30h to 16:00h on weekdays.

Of point to note, children will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis, and it is important for parents to walk with the registrants’ birth certificate.

wednesday, march 2, 2016

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

Wintz looking Easter swim camp starts March 21 for more opportunities in CPL 4 Pg 23

Flashback! Participants of the 2015 programme in a jubilant mood following the conclusion of the Easter swim camp (Avenash Ramzan file photo)

AAG selects Carifta team Pg 22

Pg 22

Paul Wintz has been impressive for Guyana in List A cricket over the last five years

Andrea Foster

Compton Caesar

Kenisha Phillips

Milo U-20 School Football…

Fixtures released for Round of 16 Pg 22

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