Guyana Times Daily - March 23, 2015

monday, march 23, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

Norton hits APNU-AFC campaign trail in Sophia

...now says that Granger is “decent and honest”

By Vahnu Manikchand

APartnership National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition continued their community campaign meetings Saturday, this time targeting the residents of Sophia, Georgetown. They were promised a reformed education system with heavy focus on youth development.

Held at ‘C’ Field Sophia, residents were told of the plans of the coalition to develop the country’s education system along with youth and women empowerment. The main speaker, former People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Executive, Aubrey Norton, claimed that the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) Government has a false concept of what is an ideal education system.

He noted that should the APNU+AFC Coalition win the May 11 General and Regional Elections, then they would focus on developing early education in order to give students the “proper foundation” needed to ensure that all Guyanese children are embedded with the core skills of reading, counting and writing.

He went onto emphasise the importance of education and having an educated population. “If we can’t produce a nation of educated people then we are on the course of destruction,” he told the several dozens of people who turned up at the meeting. Norton charged that an army of youths have been left neglected “especially in

He stated that apart from the lack of job opportunities for young people, there are other fundamental necessities which are escaping the reach of youths who cannot afford basic things like a house lot because of the high costs attached. According to the former PNCR executive, under

an APNU+AFC Coalition, Guyana’s youths can expect not only the creation of jobs but job that will pay reasonably well so that the country’s future generation can live comfortable lives. “Young people need to vote for a Government that will provide jobs…so come May 11, come out and vote for more jobs and better pay,” he urged.

Further, Norton pointed out that Guyana needs leaders who are decent, honest, have integrity and they can find these qualities in David Granger and Moses Nagamootoo, the Presidential Candidate and Vice President of the Coalition. “We intend to follow the way of progress and if Guyana is to grow then the PPP must go because they don’t think about the people’s interest. So on Elections Day you will be voting to return decency, respect and return law to Guyana,” he noted. Norton had accused David Granger at the last PNC congress of rigging the elections for “leader”. He and the delegation from Linden had as a consequence walked out from the Congress.

Importance of education

Contrary to Norton’s view the PP/C has always emphasised education as a key in the development of this country. Only recently President Donald Ramotar reiterated this saying that it goes directly to the PPP/ C’s philosophy, which is that education is the most important factor for development. In reinforcing his point, the President made reference to countries which have booming economies, but have little or no natural resources, and cited Japan as an excellent example where that country has little natural resources but is the third largest economy in the world because “it has a highly educated work force that attracts investment and people who are innovative enough spend time to create their own investment, and therefore investing in education is very important for the whole economic and social development of our society.”

He added that it is for this reason the current administration has been focusing heavily on the social sector, more importantly the education sector that has benefited from numerous interventions. Already he noted that these interventions are bearing fruit as a recent study by the InterAmerican Development Bank ‘At Risk Youth – An urgent Challenge for the Caribbean’, has indicated that Guyana’s dropout rates have been pleasing and on the decline.

The report also shows that in the last 20 years, Guyana has reduced the proportion of children dropping out at the general secondary level by more than 75%.

“It’s the combination of all the measures we have been using that has allowed us to be the top country in South America and the Caribbean to keep our children in school,” the President stated. He noted that another very positive development that augurs well for the future is “we are the top country in the whole region in enrolment in nursery education, and that I expect will give our children an advantage as they go forward and into their own educational life and career paths.”

The Head of State further congratulated the Education Ministry’s officials for the excellent work they have been doing in the sector and encouraged them to continue in their efforts.

The Ministry of Education had also reduced the entry age into the Nursery Division, enhancing the possibilities of an early start.

Youth development

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Guyana Youth and Student Movement (GYSM) the youth arm of the PNCR, Ryan Belgrave, echoed similar sentiments to the Sophia residents. He noted that the coalition of the APNU and AFC represent national unity and the time for change. “It is time for changing Sophia and changing Guyana,” he stated.

According to Belgrave, the youths are the ones suffering most in the country. He noted that in Sophia, there is no playfield or recreational facility despite requests to have one “but yet the police go and pick up the youths liming on the corner.

“What are they supposed to do, they don’t have anything to do,” he pointed out. The GYSM Chairman also spoke about the areas in the education system that an APNU+AFC Government will improve to enable a better learning environment for children.

The other speakers at the meeting included residents of Sophia and other youth representatives from the AFC. They called on residents of Sophia to go out and vote, echoing the Coali tion’s theme “It Is Time”. One young woman charged the youths to be the change they want to see, warning that if they do not vote then they cannot complain about anything. She added that an APNU+AFC Government will develop the sports system for youths, provide scholarships and focus on women empowerment by strengthening the Domestic Violence laws.

Aubrey Norton addressing the gathering at the APNU+AFC meeting in ‘C’ Field Sophia on Saturday night

Sohpia.”

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Monday, March 23 – 05:00h-06:30h and Tuesday, March 24 –– 05:00h-06:30h

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Monday, March 23 – 06:00h-07:30h and Tuesday, March 24 –– 06:40h-08:10h

FERRY SCHEDULE

Ferries will be departing the Parika and Supenaam stellings on:

Monday, March 23 – 06:00h and 16:00h

Tuesday, March 24 – 05:00h, 10:00h and 17:00h

WEATHER TODAY

Sunny conditions can be expected throughout the day, with cloudy conditions in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 23 degrees and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-easterly between 3.57 metres and 4.02 metres per second.

High Tide: 06:27h and 18:53h reaching maximum heights of 2.87 metres and 2.74 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 12:26h reaching a minimum height of 0.35 metre respectively.

PPP/C highlights country's transformation

...reminds Charlestown residents of PNC's failure

By DavenDra Kissoon

People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)

Member of Parliament Manzoor Nadir on Saturday night shared the Party’s plans to transform the developmental trajectory of the country, mentioning the Amaila Falls Hydro-Electric Project (AFHEP) as well as the modernisation of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) as key components of the plan.

Nadir made the comments while addressing a meeting at Charlestown, Georgetown as the party continues its elections campaigning across the city. Nadir stated that when people come on vacation to a country, they want to enjoy the fruits of their hard work. He stated that while on a flight to Guyana, a tourist was heard describing the airport terminal as a “shed” and when it was raining passengers were held up in the plane for as much as 30 minutes because of the lack of walkways onto the planes.

The Opposition unfortunately has constantly attacked the modernisation of the CJIA project and has blocked funding for it in the last budget. “Tourists want an airport with air bridges, whether its 40 or 5 inches of rain falling outside, you must be able to come off the plane and do your business. So a new Cheddi Jagan Airport is good for Guyana, good for business,” Nadir,

himself a former Tourism Minister, declared. He also pointed out that expanding the airport would reduce freight cost.

Nadir mentioned that the Marriott Hotel would also be good for business and tourism, noting that the Marriott website is the most popular hotel booking site in the world “… having the hotel will give the country more exposure to the world,” the former Government Minister said, noting that the Marriott Hotel will create more than 300 jobs for Guyanese and having a new five-star hotel and conference centre along with a modern airport will make the country suitable for hosting international conferences.

Nadir, continuing on the same theme, said that “tremendous progress” has been made in the 22 years of the PPP/C rule. The politician stated that the first 25 years of the University of Guyana, up to 1992, graduated 9300 students. Since the PPP/C has come into Government, more than 30,000 have graduated from the University of Guyana. The PPP/C, he said, has graduated three times the number of students as the People’s National Congress (PNC) in less time.

Attorney-at-Law Euclin Gomes, also speaking at the meeting, touched on the AFHEP, stating that for the first time in Guyana’s history the country has secured the financing to fund a hydropower project, but yet the Opposition has blocked it. “If I were to do a census, everyone standing here today would like their light bill to go down,” he declared. He explained that this project would reduce the cost of electricity to consumers, as well as reduce the cost of generation.

On the issue of Information Communication Technology (ICT), Gomes said shortly the worldclass Teleperformance Call Centre will open its doors

on Camp Street, creating hundreds of jobs for young Guyanese.

He stated that ICT companies were coming to Guyana because of the confidence they had in Guyana, a confidence that has been created under the PPP/C. He stated that over the next five years, more than 25,000 jobs could be created at call centres in Guyana, making the ICT sector one of the country’s largest sectors.

Gomes added, “You must ask them (the PNC), as you are entitled to, what they did when they were there.” He lamented that in 1992, there was no housing programme, highlighting that today it was easier to get apartments and afford your own houses than ever before.

“We must look into the rearview mirror”

Meanwhile, reminding the meeting of the “dark” past under the PNC, which is now the main plank in the Opposition alliance APNU+AFC, Reverend Dr Kwame Gilbert highlighted that history serves as a reference for us.

The PPP/C MP said, “We refer to history because it is important for us to know the context in which we are viewing our current realities, but it is not a place in which we reside.” He said that cars have a rearview mirror “so that we can look at what has gone past us”. The pastor said that like drivers look into the rearview mirror we must look at back at our history.

“Many of us can attest to the fact that our parents achieved what they have in much later years than many of us in our generation has been able to do so.” Dr Gilbert said the Government of the PPP/C has made tremendous efforts to eradicate poverty and youth unemployment.

He noted that one of the challenges of a developing nation is that people become aspirational. “We want more than we had last year.”

He said the side-effect of those aspirations is that we tend to forget where we come from. “I remember as a young man visiting my grandmother in the hospital, and standing in ward and being able to see what was happening in the ward on a lower floor; the holes were that big. The occupants on the bed were competing for space with rats. The stench of human filth and death was in the wards.”

That was the reality of the past that “is no longer our reality,” the Reverend noted.

Dr Gilbert stated that “we still do have challenges, but the fact remains as a nation, we have seen significant changes in our health sector, education sector and in fact, our social sector. It is irresponsible to play Russian Roulette with your future on the basis of what is promised to you. You must take those promises in the context of the facts and the context of the history.”

He recalled that many years ago, “when you were arriving in Guyana, when you looked out of the window, all you see is blackness. Now, you come home you see the lights of the Diamond Scheme, you see the lights of the ParfaiteHarmonie Scheme. This is an indication that as a nation we have grown....Do not let the dissatisfaction of where you are blind you from the reality of what you came from.”

PPP/C Member of Parliament Manzoor Nadir

Reverend Dr Kwame Gilbert

Editor: Nigel Williams

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

Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown

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

Editorial

Responsibility of journalism

There is hopefully a greater appreciation of our democracy now that those who remember the dictatorship that existed prior to 1992 are witnessing the freedoms of assembly and speech that are now unfettered.

But those even older would recall that in the creation of that dictatorship, there were several forces deployed relentlessly to destroy the institutions of democracy, even as they abused the freedoms guaranteed by that democracy. We look today at the role of journalism and the press.

There is the aphorism that those who forget the lessons of history will be doomed to repeat them. Let us be forewarned.

In our democratic (albeit colonial-ruled) 1960s, the press was primarily privately owned, as it is today. A section of the press, aligned with the Opposition of the day (which is still around trying to camouflage itself), created hysteria in the country by their daily vitriolic outpourings that the elected Government of the day was “communist”.

The Government was going to reduce to reduce the populace to slavery to serve their nefarious, obviously totalitarian, ends etc, etc. History has shown that these “facts” were actually lies: some that pulled the strings actually apologised. But the damage had been done: 28 years of destruction and decrepitude.

However the danger that journalism might be used to subvert democracy by stoking the fears of ordinary people had been identified long before – in fact, by a man that is widely regarded as one of the founders of modern journalism, the American Walter Lippmann.

Lippmann had served in World War One (WWI) as the US’s propaganda chief in Europe and observed from within how easily the minds of people can be swayed by a mixture of opinions on tenuous “facts”. Returning to peacetime America, he wrote a prescient text, “Liberty and the news”, which was re-released a few years ago because of its topicality in the modern world.

Lippmann identified what he defined as a “crisis in journalism” precipitated by the sheer explosion of information about a world that had become smaller because of increased communications.

And that was almost a hundred years ago, before the internet! No one, he pointed out, could now keep track of what was going on around even his/her limited sphere. John Public now depended on the press to perform that function.

But unlike most commentators that felt the danger lay in advertisers influencing the news, Lippmann believed that the greater menace originated in the smug assurance of some journalists of their omniscience. And their propensity to place their opinions ahead of facts. Worse yet there were some that manufactured their “facts”.

There is a confusion of what “liberty” under a democracy meant for journalism: not just to print whatever came to mind, but according to Lippmann, “the effort to protect for public use access to a factual record”.

This is a lesson that is lost in the Opposition press: that veracity should come before “edification”. We have journalists that use “he seh, she seh, and dem she” to define businessmen in toto as “corrupt”, the government as “a dictatorship” and the state as “fascist”.

They ignore the contradiction that they are allowed to get away with this because of the freedoms that abound.

There is the further irony that in being so arrogant in asserting their opinion is not merely a point of view, but instead the “TRUTH”. These journalists betray their own totalitarian and fascist tendencies.

As we have pointed out, these tendencies arise out of their ressentiment at being failures, but yet obsessed about being “big men” to strut on the world stage because of a little knowledge.This latter is, as has been remarked, a dangerous thing.

We call upon the members of our newspaper fraternity to rein in these petty pen pushers that are destroying the good name of journalism. Or would we rather repeat history?

Who stood to benefit from Crum-Ewing’s death?

Dear Editor, The man with the bullhorn is dead; murdered most foul. Who gains from Mr Crum Ewing’s death; is it the Government; is it the political Opposition; or some obscure group, keen on fermenting violence?

Mr Crum Ewing was not a threat to the Government. Therefore, in respect to the allegations being made; they had all to lose, and

nothing to gain. It would have been a case of political suicide. They have been around too long to commit such an act.

In days of yore, Dr Walter Rodney and the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), was a serious threat to the then Government, therefore Rodney had to go; remember also Father Darke.

Mr Crum Ewing had not

the popularity, nor influence; he would have been considered as a mosquito on an elephant’s back. He was not even an irritant to the present Government.

Mr Crum Ewing’s death will only benefit the opposing forces, not the Government.

Was Crum Ewing a sacrificial lamb? Was he setup?

His execution was almost a professional one. Not

satisfied with the number of rounds fired into his motionless body, the coup de grace was administered by the main executioner, with a final round to the head. Who has the capacity to order such a hit?

Dear readers, go to a safe pub with your trusted companions and discuss.

C S Vaughn, MSM Major (Rtd)

Payment of MIR not hindered by GRA

Dear Editor,

It is rather incomprehensible that some taxpayers still face difficulties accessing concessions under the Mortgage Interest Relief (MIR), long after determined efforts would have been made by the GRA to iron out obstacles hindering the process.

A letter in the March 17 Edition of the Stabroek News by Ricky Roopchand headlind, “Can’t get benefits under Mortgage Interest Relief Programme”, is the latest indication of a problem that had existed with the MIR.

In the letter, Mr Roopchand lamented the fact that he is yet to see evidence of the relief though he followed the outlined criteria, met all the requirements and was in receipt of

his letter of approval.

In view of his publicly expressed concerns, a call was made to Mr Roopchand’s banker, the GBTI, to discuss the concerns raised. The bank subsequently communicated to the GRA that there were administrative shortcomings at the institution which resulted in the delays of payments to Mr Roopchand and that a letter of apology will be dispatched to him.

The GRA recalls advising Mr Roopchand during his visit to the MIR Unit on March 16 that payments were made to his banker. In fact, information from the Revenue Accounting Unit revealed that the cheque was prepared on February 16 and was uplifted by the bank on February 26.

For the benefit of taxpay-

ers, especially those whose MIR applications have been approved, the relief takes the form of a refund check paid by the GRA to the bank where the taxpayer has accessed the mortgage and is bound by the contract to repay with interest. In events that cheques are ready but have not been uplifted, the lending institution is notified.

In the initial stages of implementation of the MIR, cooperation with the lending institutions was a problematic area that had stymied processing of a large number of applications. Subsequent meetings were held between the GRA and the bankers association to reach a solution.

The GRA therefore expresses hope that all stakeholders, including the com-

mercial banks, fulfil their end of the bargain so that no other taxpayer, who has been approved for the MIR, would have to face similar challenges.

While it is regrettable that Mr Roopchand had such an unfortunate experience with the MIR, the GRA is of the opinion that editorial discretion should have been exercised with an attempt by Stabroek News to first contact the GRA for a response before publishing the letter.

Subsequent to the publication of the letter, the newspaper made contact with the Authority seeking a response on the issue as well as other information relevant to the MIR since its introduction in October 2013.

An aerial view shows the Mont Saint-Michel off France's Normandy coast. The Mont Saint-Michel 11th century abbey is expected to be entirely surrounded by the English Channel following exceptionally high spring tides. Parts of the French coast were on alert for the so-called "tide of the century", with tidal coefficients of 118 and 119 respectively on March 20 and 21 (Reuters/Pascal Rossigno)

I was never offered a Cabinet post in 1992

Dear Editor

It alleged that I refused a Cabinet post in 1992 and instead demanded legal work for my firm. I was never offered a Cabinet post in 1992 and there was no flood of legal business to my firm.

My firm, a well known corporate and commercial law firm, was retained by only one major Government owned business as a client shortly after 1992, the then National Bank of Industry and Commerce (NBIC), which was soon after privatized.

There were some smaller clients with very little legal business. Imagine a Government headed by Dr Cheddi Jagan allowing open nepotism of the sort I am accused of without being given short shrift!

For some perspective, it should be known that the income derived from legal business handled by my firm for Government agencies amounts at the highest to no more than ten percent of our overall income. Only three of the Government agencies which are clients of my firm have regular legal business. There are dozens of Government agencies which have lawyers other than ourselves.

It was alleged that I refused a Cabinet post in 1997 because a Minister’s

salary was too low. After Janet Jagan decided to accept nomination as the Presidential Candidate, having first nominated me and being persuaded by Dr Roger Luncheon and others to accept the nomination instead, she suggested that I should be a member of a team of three, with herself and Sam Hinds. I was to be designated her successor in case she could not continue for any reason.

I readily accepted the offer, but said that I could not accept a Cabinet post because at that time my two children were in university and law school overseas. I offered to accept a position as an unpaid adviser, who would attend Cabinet meetings and so become familiar with Government issues, if it was considered that such was necessay. It was insisted that I must take a Cabinet post.

Had I taken the post, I would not have been financially able on a Government salary to maintain my children in school and would have had to terminate their education. I explained all of this in some detail, but the executive of the PPP/C was unmoved.

I made the choice that any parent would have made. I declined to sacrifice my children’s education, sacrificing instead

the possibility of my succeeding Mrs Jagan to the Presidency. Bharrat Jagdeo was elevated in my place.

This is well known to then Executive members of the PPP/C. However, the narrative of my declining the offer of the Presidency because of money was invented by the PPP/C, because of the negative, public, questions which arose when I was omitted from any role.

I don’t know of anyone who would decline a potential Presidential nomination because of money. The issue of my children’s education has been conveniently omitted in the narrative. Several prominent persons were aware of these facts and my dilemma at the time, including Miles Fitzpatrick, my former senior partner, Joey King, and Dr Henry Jeffrey.

An old story is repeated alleging some sort of fraud in the estate of Yusuf Mongroo, a case in which the deceased’s Will is challenged by his daughter, Sherene Mongroo, who along with her siblings lived overseas, while her deceased father lived for about 40 years in Guyana, where she never visited him.

His estate was given to his Guyanese reputed wife

Navaratri

Dear Editor, Hindu philosophy is very scientific. Hindus pray or make adoration through devatas or deities to reach the Almighty God. We are not pure enough to reach God so we used these media to reach Him by making offering and sacrifices through the cosmic energy by reaching out to the devatas and deities. This is done throughout the dedication.

Every year the beginning of summer and the beginning of winter are two very important junctures of climatic change and solar influence when Navaratri is celebrated.

These two junctions have been chosen as the sacred opportunities for the worship of the divine power because, the Hindu Philosophy teaches us to believe, that it is the divine power that provides energy for the earth to move around the sun, causing the

changes in the outer nature and that this divine power must be thanked, for maintaining the correct balance of the universe, due to the changes in the nature, the bodies and the minds of people.

In Navaratri celebration, because of climate changes, prayers and adoration are made to the Nine Planets, between the nine days and nights of ceremonies through nine deities. We are asking the eight planets to help the planet earth to keep its cycles continue in life.

As the cycle changes on a daily basis so the climate changes on a daily basis. We are now in the cycle of kalyuga, last of the cycles. There are many legends attached to the conception of Navaratri like all Indian festivals. All of them are related to Goddess Shakti, Hindu Mother Goddess, and her various forms.

and Guyanese business manager. None of the close friends of Mongroo, who knew him for the decades he was in Guyana, including the beneficiaries of his estate, were ever told by Mongroo that he had children. They only became aware of this when they turned up for his funeral.

In the vast majority of cases involving a Will, there are allegations of fraud. This case is no different, except that the range of the accused includes every single person who had has something to do with this matter. I have been accused and so have the lawyer who made the Will, the doctors who witnessed it, Yusuf Mongroo’s Barbados lawyer, bankers in Barbados and others in the Cayman Islands.

It should be known that the case has been heard and decision is being awaited. No evidence of anyone committing actual fraud has been given in the case and no other court case or criminal charges alleging any other kind of fraud anywhere inside or outside of Guyana has been filed, as one would have expected, if the allegation had any merit.

Ralph Ramkarran, SC

Freddie should publish the names of those who built his house

Dear Editor, In a recent edition of Kaieteur News, Freddie Kissoon was trying to discuss my business, something he knows nothing about. In accordance with the low journalistic standards to which I have become accustomed in the past, Mr Kissoon speculates that most of our business arises from Government contracts without any verification whatsoever.

The fact of the matter is that a large portion of BK International’s work arises from private companies and individuals. Mr Kissoon has disappointingly but unsurprisingly continued to publish articles without any fact checking, dutifully fulfilling the mantra of the National Enquirer and the Sunday Punch, “News sells, publish first, verify later”.

He then reported what he claims was an “interesting story” told to him about a “close friend” of former President Bharrat Jagdeo who bought a quarry on a bank loan of $2 billion, then got a $3 billion contract from Jagdeo then instantly paid off the loan.

Not only is that statement defamatory, since it would lead a reasonable reader to believe that he is talking about myself and my company, it is sadly reprehensible and full of falsehoods.

lieve to be Mr Kissoon’s lack of stature, professionalism and class.

While BK does not report to anyone the source of our funds, the terms of our loans and our repayment, given the private nature of those transactions, it is worth mentioning that the quarry was publicly offered for sale and other bidders could have bought it if they wanted. They didn’t, we did. In fact, our company was the highest bidder. We make no apologies for our far reaching alliances, not only locally but internationally, and sadly are now forced into the gutter to rebut “an interesting story” based on innuendo and the ranting of an unprofessional journalist. Even more troubling is the fact that after Mr Kissoon’s “interesting story” was published. He told readers that he “didn’t know if the story is true”. This is the worst form of rascality in journalism. It is my view that Mr Kissoon is clearly desperate for coverage.

While I have heard many sordid, but interesting rumours about alleged improper conduct of sociology lecturers at UG, trading in exchange for grades, I do not know if those rumours are true and prefer not to repeat them.

It is one of the most celebrated festivals of the Hindu calendar, Navaratri is a festival dedicated to the worship of Mata Durga. The word Navaratri means nine nights in Sanskrit.

During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakti/Devi are worshipped. The tenth day is commonly referred to as vijayadashami or dasara. In India, some areas celebrate four types of Navaratri, while other areas celebrate five types of Navaratri that come in a year, but Sharad Navaratri is the most popular one.

In Guyana we now celebrate Navaratri in spring time, March-April and winter time, SeptemberOctober.

Navaratri is celebrated to worship Goddess Durga, who has many other forms like Bhavani, Jagdamba and Mahakali for nine nights, while the Goddess

of valour, Mata Durga, is worshipped for three days, Mata Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth, meaning abundance in everything, is worshipped for the next three days, with the last three days dedicated to Mata Saraswati, Goddess of knowledge and art.

Each Goddess represents a power, attribute or function. Saraswati embodies creation, Lakshmi represents preservation, and Durga symbolizes the transformation of the universe and everything in it.

More specifically in our lives, these are the three fundamental powers of action (Durga), willpower (Lakshmi) and discernment (Saraswati).

During this highly auspicious time period, people have an increased ability to overcome destructive habits and personality flaws.

Turn To page 18

There was a bidding process and our company was the highest bidder. Our company bought the bankrupt Teperu Itabu Quarry from its Receiver, invested millions of dollars in upgrading the facility and employed hundreds of persons in the process.

All of this is thanks to Jagdeo’s efforts to set this quarry going again and drive employment and promote local manufacturing. As a direct result of BK’s efforts, the price of stone has been reduced and now a steady supply of stone has been secured for Guyana.

BK produces 75 per cent of stone in Guyana due to massive investments, hard work, strategic marketing and diligent management. In 2003, BK was even nominated as an Entrepreneur of the year in Guyana.

There was never a $2 billion loan. That is a blatant lie. No loan was ever paid off instantly. That statement is a demonstration of what we be-

I believe that Freddie has a pathological hatred of certain politicians and persons and attacks everyone allegedly friendly to them, in clear demonstration of what I believe to be his miserable failings in life. In other words, he feels the need to attack good men as a distraction to prevent scrutiny of his life. But should we have cause to pause for a moment and take a look at Mr Kissoon’s life, his hypocrisy would quietly become apparent.

For example, in the interest of transparency, I challenge him to publish the names of all the businessmen who built his house, if any. I bet you he never would. And he would never attack them by innuendo no matter what they do.

He protects them like a hypocrite, but I don’t know if all this is true.

Brian Tiwarie Chairman BK Group of Companies

Page Foundation

Denial – A symptom of alcoholism?

One of the most frustrating factors in dealing with alcoholism, as a relative, friend or professional, is it is almost always accompanied by a phenomenon known as “denial.”

In the long path the alcoholic takes toward mental, physical and moral decline, usually the first thing to go is honesty. He simply lies about his drinking. Little lies at first.

I only had two... I haven’t had a drink in a week... I don’t drink as much as he does...

As the alcoholic begins to drink more, and more often, he begins to hide this fact from those around him. Depending upon his circumstances he may drink openly, but usually he will conceal the amount he drinks, by not drinking around those who are closest to him.

If someone tries to dis-

cuss his drinking with him, he simply refuses to talk about it, or dismisses it as not a real problem. After all, he’s a big boy now and he can drink if he wants to, it’s nobody else’s business.

Clues to a problem

But these simple acts of denial, lying about his drinking or refusing to discuss it, are clues that the alcoholic himself deep down inside knows that he has a problem. If it’s not a problem, why lie about it to anyone? To protect them?

But the true alcoholic, the person that has the disease, covers up and denies his drinking out of his own feelings that there is something different or “wrong” about it. Somewhere inside he realises that his drinking means more to him that he is willing to admit.

As the disease progresses and his drinking be-

gins to cause real problems in his life, remarkably the denial likewise increases. Even though his sprees have gotten him into some real trouble, he denies it has anything to do with his

ease has gotten to the crisis point, he has developed a support system of family and friends who unwittingly enable him to continue in his denial.

Because they love the af-

drinking. Some say this is purely a defense mechanism.

How is this possible? Usually by the time the dis-

fable, clever and witty alcoholic, they act to protect him by covering for him, doing the work that he doesn’t get done, paying the bills that

he doesn’t pay, rescuing him from his scrapes with the law, and generally taking up the responsibilities he has abandoned.

Protecting the alcoholic

He can’t come in to work today, he’s got a, er, virus... We’ve got to get him out of jail, he’ll lose his job! Then what will we do... It was my fault, officer, I said some things I should not have said...

By doing these things, they are protecting the alcoholic from the consequences of his own actions. He never has to feel the real pain caused by his drinking. They rush in to put “pillows” under him so he doesn’t hurt himself in the fall. Consequently, the alcoholic never finds out how it feels to fall.

Although drinking has placed him in a helpless and

dependent position, the alcoholic can continue to believe he is still independent because he has been rescued from his troubles by his well-meaning family, friends, co-workers, employers and sometimes clergymen and counselors.

The roles these enablers play to “help” the alcoholic can be just as obsessive and harmful as the alcoholic’s drinking, but that is a story for another day.

With these enabling devices in place, the alcoholic is free to continue in the progression of his disease, with his denial intact, until he perhaps reaches the point of hitting bottom, at which point even the most dedicated drinker must finally admit there is a problem. But there is no way for him to ever hit bottom when it’s always covered with pillows.

(alcoholism.about. com)

How fathers can help boys become men

By Wayne Parker

One of the best tra-

ditions our family has had over the years is the fathers and sons campout. We have traditionally gone up to the mountains with my sons and my sons’ friends and their dads every spring for a Friday and Saturday to camp out, cook out and just talk around the campfire. Some of my best teaching moments that have helped me with raising responsible sons have happened in the fathers and sons

campout setting.

Fathers have a vital responsibility to teach their sons how to be strong and responsible men as they grow up. It is clear that in the absence of a father, or at least a positive father figure in a young man’s life, he struggles to learn what it means to become a good man – one who shoulders responsibility, one who values hard work and determination, and one who will one day take on the responsibility of becoming a father and supporting a family. But teaching a young

man how to become a responsible man involves more than just being there. It is a conscious process of mentoring, training and connecting that creates a desire and the skills needed for a boy to become the kind of man we all hope he becomes. It starts with understanding the key principles associated with being a great man and a great father and then both teaching them and living them in your own life.

So, having raised three sons, and having talked with lots of dads who raised suc-

cessful sons, and having talked with some who think they didn’t do all that they could have in raising responsible sons, here are some suggestions for things to know and do to raise boys into good and responsible men.

Be the role model There is no more important aspect to raising responsible young men than modelling the behaviour you hope that they embrace when they become men. As they watch you in action, they learn what being a man is all about. You have to demonstrate com-

mitment, sacrifice, self-control and responsibility in order for them to want to be the kind of man you hope they become. Sometimes this can be the toughest assignment of all, but it is critically important. Your sons will learn more from watching how you react and behave in given circumstances than they will from everything you tell them.

Teach them about planning. Too many men seem to go through life just reacting to what is happening around them. We all know that little

boys tend to be reactive to the moment, but part of becoming a man is making choices based on key values, even before the situation arises. For example, help them develop a personal budget and savings plan so they don’t just fall into the lifelong trap of impulse buying. Help them think about their careers and emphasise the need for planning and preparation. Take time in your family nights to teach about scheduling and time management. As they begin to see the impact of thinking ahead and planning, they will develop an essential skill of manhood.

Teach and model respect. Men in our popular society seem to be most valued when they rebel against authority and do what they want, regardless of the impact on others. But living together in a day to day society and culture requires that we behave differently than that. Help your young men learn respect for authority, to show respect for women and girls, and to be gentlemen. Help them learn to work well with others and show respect for differing points of view. Teach them to be trustworthy. Successful men live up to their commitments and live ethically. If they are just watching examples in the popular media, they may see role models who are dishonest, unfaithful to commitments and who put their conveniences and comforts ahead of anything else of value. But real men keep their promises, are honest even when they aren’t being watched, and are worthy of trust. Be that kind of dad to them, and correct them when you see an evidence of a lack of trust. (Excerpt from www. fatherhood.about.com)

DDL Group records $1.5B after tax profits

By Vahnu manikchand

Despite most of its international market economies are struggling to get back to pre-recession growth, the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) Group of Companies in 2014 recorded a $1.5 billion after tax profit which represents a 20 per cent increase over the previous year. The figure also represents the highest growth of the company in any year.

This is according to Chairman of the Board of Directors, Komal Samaroo, in his report. He noted that the group’s profit before taxation stood at $2.653 billion compared to $2.205 billion in the previous year, that is, an increase of $448 million. Samaroo stated that while 2014 saw the United States economy returning to growth, the Euro Zone region continued to struggle. He noted too that the instability of Eastern Ukraine and the sanctioned imposed against Russia had an adverse effect on the market conditions in both countries.

“The economies of most Caribbean countries strug-

gled to achieve growth in the year; Guyana appears to have led regional economies with a projected growth in the region of 5 per cent. It is in the context of this summarised global economic background that the group’s performance should be viewed,” he said.

Group’s performance

The group’s gross profit for the year saw an eight per cent increase; with three per cent generated from turnovers and the other five per cent from increased margins as a result of operational improvements and cost reduction. Furthermore, the group’s liabilities declined by more than $1.8 billion by the end of 2014. Additionally, turnover increased by 3.3 per cent while local revenues grew by almost eight per cent.

“International branded sales grew by 24 per cent, while international bulk rum sales declined by 14 per cent. The group’s key strategic focus for its product is to continue developing export markets for its branded products…Exports for banded products in the year

“Rastafarian”

increased by 24 per cent over the previous year. Our brands experienced strong growth in North America and Caribbean markets. However, in Europe, branded sales declined by 18 per cent...We therefore remain resolute in our strategic goal of seeking diversity of markets as we build a global business to hedge against the risks of upheaval in anyone market,” the chairman outlined.

Subsidiaries’ performance

As it relates to the performance of local subsidiaries; the Demerara Shipping Company Limited (DSCL)

recorded a profit before tax of $217 million compared to $185 million in 2013. However, Distribution Services Limited (DSL) was affected by the parallel importation of several of the brands it represents. DSL’s profit before tax for 2014 was $313 million, decreased from the $455 million recorded in 2013; whilst, Tropical Orchard Products Ltd (TOPCO) reported a $22.5 million profit before tax compared to $20.9 million in the previous year.

On the other hand, the group is expected to invest in its Information Technology (IT) infrastructure with the aim of bringing its business processes in line with contemporary best and industry practices that are adopted globally. Additional, the group will be looking to upgrade its wharf facilities this year. This was scheduled to be done in 2014 but had to be deferred because more land will have to be acquired.

Transformation

Samaroo further mentioned in his report that the group is looking to transform into a brand building, mar-

ket oriented entity that is innovative in its conceptualisation and marketing strategies. “Such a transformation necessarily involves the recruitment of highly skilled talent to undertake research and product development as well as design of cuttingedge route-to-market strategies. Our success so far has been quite remarkable, but we need to keep investing in our skilled human resources if we are to consistently build on our accomplishments to date and successfully compete with those global companies, with strong brands supported by generous marketing budgets which dominate the retail shelf space available,” he outlined.

The chairman said that despite the projected challenges expected this year, he is optimistic that the group will have a prosperous year with continuation of brand building activities and distribution expansion of core brands. He added too that new products will be introduced this year and will give the group an advantage over the niche market.

In addition to successes in its financial position,

DDL Group also upheld its corporate social responsibility by supporting the development of youths through various avenues such as education and sports. In 2014, 26 students benefitted from financial and mentorship assistance from the DDL Foundation.

Meanwhile, the company supported sporting activities such as football, boxing, cycling, horse racing, golf and hockey. DDL also put forth its sponsorship towards Mainstay Regatta, Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, GuyExpo 2014 and the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 among others. The company also engaged in human resources development with programmes such as the Cadetship/Scholarship Programme and Graduate Trainee Programme for employees along with its work attachment programmes, bursary scheme and educational tours. DDL will be hosting its 63rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) on March 27, at the Diamond Complex, East Bank Demerara.

party to contest Regional Elections …but

will back APNU+AFC for General

B y G omatie G an G adin

Newly formed

Healing The Nation Theocracy Party (HTNTP) is expected to contest the upcoming Regional Election but says it will join the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition to contest the General Election.

Speaking to Guyana Times on Sunday afternoon at the party’s Congress held at the FE Pollard Primary School, Kitty, the party’s leader, Alfred Park said his party has been duly recognised by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to contest the Regional Election and as such, the Congress was organised. According to Park, this should not be misinterpreted to mean that HTNTP had organised the congress because talks with the APNU+AFC coalition had fallen through.

He noted, however, that the party has realised that it cannot run alone for the General Election and as such, has approached the APNU+AFC coalition to get on board.

The leader said while deliberations are still ongoing and the party is scheduled to meet with APNU General Secretary, Joseph Harmon on Tuesday, it would seem “pretty much a done deal” as the party has no intentions of turning back at this point.

When questioned on what his party will be

pushing for should the APNU+AFC coalition welcome the party on board, Park said that the main aim at this point was to secure a seat in the National Assembly.

He expressed his wishes to address the needs of the Guyanese society in areas of poverty eradication and the legalisation of marijuana, stating that for this to become possible, then HTNTP will have to be able to have that representation in the law making chamber. “We want to represent our people; we can push for the things that we want,” Park said.

Meanwhile, APNU Executive Basil Williams said that HTNTP had expressed its wishes to join forces with the APNU+AFC coalition.

According to Williams, HTNTP will be meeting with the party’s General Secretary and Working

People’s Alliance Member, Dr Rupert Roopnarine in the coming week where the matter will be extensively discussed.

He noted that while the APNU+AFC coalition is an inclusionary party and wants a Government of national unity, HTNTP will have to be assessed so as to ensure that its policies are workable and similar to those of the coalition.

“We will make an assessment of any party that wants to join us; that party will have to be assessed to determine whether their aims and objectives are consistent with that of the A Partnership for

National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC),” Williams said.

During a previous interview, however, Park had noted that the APNU+AFC coalition was offering lim-

ited power to the party. As such, he had pointed out that the chances of them merging were very unlikely; a statement he has now taken back.

HTNTP Leader Alfred Park

APNU Executive Basil Williams

Chairman of the Board of Directors, Komal Samaroo

Crum-Ewing’s murder:

Phone records crucial to cracking case – Police

As investigations continue into the murder of Courtney CrumEwing, Police believe that once the man’s mobile phone is unlocked they will crack the case.

Moments after the shooting incident at Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD), crime scene experts retrieved the man’s mobile phone which is being sent to be unlocked with the aim of analysing his incoming and outgoing calls. Police are looking at several leads at their disposal and will await the list of numbers from the call log which might be vital to the case.

Due to the sensitivity of the shooting incident, Police have been working extremely hard to solve the case. One man remains in custody but based on information received, the man has denied having any connection to the murder of the former army officer. His car, Police stated, was dusted and several samples were taken to be

analysed to determine if the car was used in the murder. “Based on what was seen on the surveillance footage, the man was shot at close range and at some point in time, the blood from the man’s body spilled on certain parts of the car…it doesn’t matter how much you wash the car, there will be blood residue and it can be picked up…”, a Police source added.

The results of those tests will return shortly but in the meantime, Guyana Times understands that the Leopold Street resident and the car will remain under Police guards. Guyana Times understands that on Saturday evening, members of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) were heading to Supply, EBD after they received information that one of the vehicles caught on surveillance cameras at the murder scene, was spotted. The ranks reportedly drove past the location and as they were about to turn around, another vehicle collided with them causing injuries to at least one rank. One of the occupants of the other vehicle would have sustained injuries but not life-threatening.

Investigators plan to revisit the area and question persons with respect to the wanted car.

Courtney Crum-Ewing, a father of three, was gunned down execution style while

urging residents of the Diamond Housing Scheme to go out and cast their ballots on May 11.

An autopsy report proved that Crum-Ewing was shot five times – three bullets went to the head, while one struck the back of the neck and the fifth bullet 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 through his shoulder.

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

Two .38 warheads were removed from the dead man’s head. Over the past week, Crum-Ewing has not only been made into a martyr, but a “political” martyr by the entire Opposition, their allies in the media and several civil society groups.

Harlem man killed in road accident

Hours after being struck by a motor vehicle along the Harlem, West Coast Demerara (WCD) Public Road, a father of three succumbed to his injuries while receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) on Sunday morning.

The dead man has been identified as Fareed Mohamed, 35 of Lots 7-8

Harlem, WCD. The accident occurred a few rods from where the man lived.

According to information received, a motor car bearing registration number PRR 324 was proceeding east along the northern side of the road when the driver alleged that he saw an object at the center of road.

As a result, he reportedly applied brakes and swerved to avoid a collision but de-

spite his efforts, the right side front rear view mirror collided with Mohamed. Mohamed pitched into the air before landing on top of the car thus receiving severe injuries.

He was taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where he was treated, but was subsequently referred to GPHC where he died at 05:25h on Sunday.

He sustained severe head and bodily injuries. When Guyana Times visited the home of the dead man, a man, who claimed to be his son, refused to speak, saying that they wish for the accident not to be made public.

The driver is in Police custody assisting with the investigation. A post mortem examination will be performed today.

No bail for man who allegedly abused girlfriend

A28-year-old man was remanded on Friday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts for allegedly assaulting his 35-year-old girlfriend.

Martin Young, of 273 John Smith Street, Campbellville, Georgetown, appeared before Magistrate Alex Moore on Friday to answer to the

charge of assault. He allegedly assaulted Carol Newton on March 19, 2015. The woman told the Court that she has been in a relationship with the defendant for the past eight months. Newtown along with her children had migrated to Georgetown from Bartica to live with Young, but since her relocation he

has been beating her.

Newton told the Court that on the day in question, the defendant threatened to kill her after beating her. According to the woman, he placed a knife at her throat even as he made the threat.

However, the VC said that she simply wants Young to go to jail “fuh some

time,” noting that she has already vacated the house she had shared with Young.

The defendant’s attorney, Paul Fung-A-Fat was not at Court with his client on Friday but the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge. He said his attorney will be at the next Court date on Monday March 23.

Eyew tness Follow the money...

...in the US

David Granger and Moses Nagamootoo are trying to boost the APNU/AFC war chest for the upcoming battle. Nowadays campaigns don’t come cheap... your Eyewitness was given some numbers that made even his jaded eyes bulge!! So the newly co-joined couple headed out to North America. It’s an old, GUYANESE tradition that started way back in colonial days.

If you need money for doing things to save your butt... don’t suck it in and earn it yourself. Just hop on the plane, get off at the “mother country” and pass your hat around.

Back in the day the hat was passed to the “mother Government” - nowadays it’s to “overseas GUYANESE”.

What stuck your Eyewitness right away was even though APNU swears on its mother’s grave that it’s a “rainbow coalition” in itself - he didn’t spot a single person from WPA, GAP, NFA or JFAP in the mooching party!!

What he did see was the PNC and AFC in the persons of Granger, Harmon and Nagamootoo. And even the latter was absent in the Florida kick off. Which was a pity since in the pic, while the audience was sparse, the liquor in “halfgallons” were in abundance.

Harmon, Granger’s aide de camp, who stood in for Nagamootoo did a piss-poor job since the latter could’ve easily polished off one of the half gallons on his lonesome!! Harmon actually SIPPED his drink!! So unWhim-like

The money flowed however...and if we’re to believe the rhetoric from the Opposition camp about their “higher standards of transparency” on public funds...we guess they’ll give us a report on how much moolah they got.

Don’t hold your breath however, even though Ramjattan wasn’t brought along! There were those persistent questions about his sticky fingers and foreign loot...no?

Anyhow the next stop was in Brooklyn. Still no other APNU members - just the same ole, same ole PNC crowd off Flatbush. Especially the ex-soldiers from the GDF who gave their old commander a rousing welcome. Not so much money in evidence...but the old squaddies did promise to return to old mudland to campaign for “Dagger”. Aaaah... these army “false names” never fade, eh??

But the biggie was scheduled for Queens...where Mr 11 per cent Nagamootoo figures to raise a good chunk of the cash to buy the 12 seats Granger promised AFC to join up in unholy matrimony. If Flatbush is old PNC stomping grounds, then South Ozone, where the fundraiser’s being held, is PPP’s...along with adjoining Richmond Hill.

You Eyewitness is waiting with bated breath for that tête-à-tête!!

...in NICIL

In Guyana there’s a lot of people who carry on about “money” when they haven’t the foggiest notion of what it’s all about. They’re armchair economists “catching deh tail” because their “knowledge” is all theoretical.

Like the fella who thinks he can swim because he knows all about the “principle of flotation” and Bernoulli’s principle ...but has never gone into the water!!

So Carl Greenidge had to be bitch-slapped by Ashni Singh because he was trash talking about the IDB disbursing funds to Guyana during the elections period. This Eyewitness knows that Singh’s normally respectful of old folks - but Greenidge was too outrageous.

Then there’s the Donkey Cart Economist who asked the question in his column in the Stabber, “Who owns NICIL?” and answered, “Duh! the-people!”

Yes...that how he speaks, “Duh!!!”’ Fact of the matter, NICIL is a private company owned by the Governmentand governed by the rules on corporations. As such it pays it’s shareholders dividends - which, in this case, then goes into the Consolidated Funds.

Get it? Duh!!

...on procurement

Ramjattan’s rolling heads on Pharma procurement already!! Even if the “coalition” wins by a major miracle, he should read the writing on the wall: “RAMJATTAN FOR WATER BOY!!!!”

Even the PNC’s scared of his his sticky fingers!!

Dead: Courtney Crum-Ewing

Govt keen on pursing alternative energy sources – President

The move by a rice farmer to take up a challenge by government, to explore the use of alternative energy sources was welcomed President Donald Ramotar.

The president visited the Ramlakhan and Sons Rice Mill, located at Exmouth, Essequibo Coast, on March 21, for a firsthand look at rice miller Ramesh Ramlakhan’s

operations. The miller has invested approximately $40 million in an effort to reduce the cost of fuel consumption at his mill. The plant which arrived late last year, has already undergone installation and successful testing. The state -of -the- art unit works with the gases derived from the rice husk. The gases emitted are cleaned of solid particles, tar/carbon

and water/moisture, and directed into the combustion chambers of a 250 kW power generation set, replacing 70 per cent of the diesel normally required.

According to Ramlakhan, the gasifier would greatly reduce his energy costs, improve his market viability and also allow him to keep paying a competitive price to farmers for their paddy,

APNU+AFC Fundraiser picketed in Queens ...Nagamootoo called

Guyanese living in Queens New York on Sunday evening picketed a fund raising dinner by the A Partnership For National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU-AFC) coalition, calling out the parties’ candidates for their alleged past atrocities and deeming them unfit to lead this nation.

The Fundraiser was held in South Ozone Park which abuts Richmond Hill, the area where most Indo Guyanese have occupied in New York. About 200 Guyanese attended the fundraiser and had to run the gauntlet of approximately 60 placard-bearing protestors. From all appearance the protesters took Moses Nagamotoo and David Granger by surprise and at one time the coalition’s heads were forced to deploy their own troops among the picketers in an attempt to blunt the effect of the demonstration. The two leader of the electoral coalition arrived separately and had to be escorted into the building through a side entrance. As of late Sunday evening several pictures of the protest had begun to make the rounds on social media.

Granger and Nagamootoo flew separately to New York last weekend for a series of fund raisers. On Saturday Granger told hundreds at a fundraising forum in Brooklyn, New York to invest in the development of Guyana. In taking the coalition’s campaign trail to the international scene, Granger told the gathering of supporters that Guyana is being predominantly dominated by investors from Brazil, China, Russia and Canada while the

Guyanese investors are being left on the sideline.

“We want you to help us to transform Guyana because we cannot do it alone… we need you skills and your expertise… we need teachers, technicians, engineers,” he pleaded. Granger lamented the fact that the Guyanese Diaspora is left out of the electoral system and that their voice cannot be used to drive change in their country. Granger then promised to establish a “Department of Diaspora” to make it possible for overseas-based Guyanese to contribute to Guyana’s development with just the “click of a mouse” on the computer, if his party wins the May 11 election. More controversially, he called for the return of “overseas voting” which the PNC had in the past used for rigging elections here.

On Sunday protesters displayed placards reading: “Moses you are a Nemakharam”; “Sell out Moses you are a disgrace to Guyanese”; “Granger has blood on his hands”; “Stop the war against democracy” among others. “We are here protesting against Moses and Granger because we

making sure they stay profitable. Government views energy management and conservation as an important tool to ensure the rice industry meets critical objectives for short and long - term goals. Enhanced energy efficient technologies

for design and profits of rice mills have been identified to improve energy efficiency, lower the industry’s dependence on fossil fuel, reduce the environmental impact, reduce carbon emissions and lower production costs.

During his state visit to India earlier this year, President Ramotar discussed the use of such technology to improve efficiency and reduce operations costs in various sectors using alternative energy sources such as the gasifier and biofuels.

don’t want what happened to us happen to those living in Guyana,” one protester told a passerby at the scene. She was making reference to the poverty-stricken days she and her relative endured in Guyana under the PNC rule which forced to migrate to the US. “We had to come here for betterment, things were really bad back then and today we don’t want the PNC to get back into power...they will take the country down those days again,” the female protester commented.

Other picketers reiterated the clear and present danger the PNC posed to Guyana, given the party’s track record when it was in office. “We remember what they did to that country...nobody forgets that. We remember Dr Walter Rodney; we remember the days of lining up for oil and chicken those were hard days,” another protester who had left Guyana in his teen commented.”Ramotar was right. MOSES and Ramjattan will get Larwah when the elections over,” said one man who claimed to be an AFC supporter who quit in disgust when the AFC entered into the coalition with APNU.

President Donald Ramotar and other officials commissioning the gasifier at Ramlakhan and Sons Rice Mill at Exmouth, Essequibo

Inside the meeting hall of the APNU+AFC fundraiser in Queens New York on Sunday

Sandy Babb Street man found dead at Kitty Seawall

The body of a resident of Georgetown was on Sunday found at Kitty Seawalls at about 08:00h with bruises but relatives said he might have committed suicide.

Dead is 37-yearold, Ramesh Nauth also called Raymond, of Lot 83 Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, Georgetown. He was reportedly found among the rocks close to the seaside by passersby. At the time of the discovery, he was just clad in a pair of long black pants.

His body was taken to the Lyken’s Funeral Home awaiting a post mortem examination. At the home of the dead man, Rajkoomar (only name given), an uncle told Guyana Times that ever since his nephew’s accident at Agricola Public Road, he had not been himself.

The accident, he recalled, occurred on Phagwah Day, 2014, while they were heading to the Guyana National Stadium Providence to par-

ticipate in the celebrations. Due to the accident, the now dead man had sustained a fractured skull and it had affected him mentally. Also a close friend of his died which contributed to his condition.

The uncle disclosed that at about 21:00h on Saturday evening, Nauth left home, claiming that he was going to purchase cigarettes at a nearby shop. After sometime, he did not return home and they retired to bed. One of his brothers, however, reportedly woke up at about 03:00h and did not see him at home.

The uncle stated that the now dead man’s brother woke him up and requested some money to go in search of this brother. The frustrated brother went to the Kitty Police Station but he was not there. He continued his search by checking the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) but came up empty handed.

As he rode around the

area, he saw a small gathering at the Kitty Seawall and upon enquiring, he was told that a body was found. He was a little hesitant but after consulting with the Police, he realised that it was his brother.

Rajkoomar explained

that Nauth’s body had bruises and concluded that it could have been the rocks that cause them. The uncle recalled that ever since his nephew came out of hospital, he threatened to commit suicide.

“He always say that he

fed of life… due to he head injuries, he would act flighty sometimes…he does remember the accident and that is what does eat he out like,” the uncle stated. He worked at GUYNAZ at Bourda Market but left after sometime.

After leaving his job, Nauth was cared for by his brother. His mother reportedly passed away about 15 years ago, and his father about three years ago. He is survived by his three siblings. The Police have launched an investigation into the matter.

Parfaite Harmonie residents advocating for street lights

The residents of La Parfaite Harmonie Housing Scheme, West Bank Demerara are complaining about the lack of street lights in the area.

La Parfaite Harmonie is one of the largest housing schemes established by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) within the recent decade, comprising several plantations, namely Schoonord, Westminster, Onderneeming, RecthDoor-Zee and Lust-EnRust.

According to residents of Westminster, there are no lights on long stretches of roads. Due to the lack of

street lights, the residents are contending that crime is on the increase at nights.

“We don’t have any street lights, we have to get lights! When you coming home late in the night you could never be sure if you will reach home safe because thieves and gangs are all over the place, lingering in the darkness,” one resident said.

Another resident, who identified himself as “Boyo,” in expressing his dissatisfaction, said the situation is further compounded by the fact that many of the unoccupied lots in the community are covered with overgrown vegetation.

“All this bush over hay got a bunch of snakes coming in people yard and the mosquitoes them causing all kinda boils on we skin. We just want them to let the people that own these lots fuh come and clear away the bush. Duh is all we want.”

Residents are calling on the relevant authorities to install street lights in the various communities within the housing scheme to prevent an escalation of crime. Additionally, they are calling on owners of house lots within housing scheme, who have not yet occupied their lands, to clear them of overgrown vegetation.

Police conducting their investigation at the scene

A view of the overgrown vegetation

monday, march 23, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

NACTA: Population fears PNC return to office

An ongoing tracking opinion poll being conducted by the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) that began since mid-February is showing that a majority of voters (mostly Indians, Amerindians, Portuguese and Chinese, and also of some African and mixed race) are fearful of a return of the People’s National Congress (PNC), renamed A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) to office through the coalition with the Alliance For Change (AFC) at the upcoming May 11 General Elections.

Earlier polls conducted last October and November showed similar fear of the

PNC (APNU) coming to power. The polls projected that the PNC (APNU) on its own would have no chance of winning a plurality, much less a majority of the votes. The minor AFC party also has no chance of winning the general election on its own and was projected to run third behind the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C)) and PNC. However, in combination, the PNC and AFC pose a formidable challenge to the incumbent PPP/C, and it (the alliance) has a good chance of wresting power, especially since apathy runs high

among traditional PPP/C supporters who are disenchanted about issues relating to governance and arrogance of certain officials.

But a majority of voters have greater concern over the rise of an alliance Government dominated by the PNC, fearing a return of human rights abuses that took place between 1965 and 1992. The findings reveal a majority of voters (53 per cent) within Guyana are fearful of/or concerned about a return of the PNC to power with 42 per cent not concerned and five per cent not expressing an opinion. They also expressed objection to PNC Leader David Granger being the Presidential Candidate and former members of the military who are closely by his side and were involved in rights abuses. Some voters related past incidents under the PNC rule of intimidation by Granger as well as abuses by his colleagues when wearing military fatigues at civilian meetings.

Many voters note that the PNC-AFC alliance brings back memories of the partnership between the PNC and the United Force (UF) during the 1960s that defeated the PPP leading to the establishment of a fascist dictatorship and election rigging between 1966 and 1992.They note that the UF was dumped after the PNC consolidated its power and supporters (of both UF and PPP) were ejected from Government positions, the Army and the Police. Voters worry there could be a repeat of that history, especially that the Forbes Burnham Constitution gives unlimited powers to the President and virtually none to the Prime Minister. Voters say it is not beyond the PNC to resort to dictatorial rule and rigged elections, especially since it rigged its own internal elections last July and in 2012.

A majority of voters believe that if the PNC

(APNU) were to come to power through the alliance after the May elections, it would be the last democratic elections, as they feel the PNC would resort to election rigging as in the past to retain power. A majority also believes PNC (APNU) would transform Guyana into a dictatorship, noting that the PNC (APNU) has not been (democratically) transformed since it was defeated in free and fair elections in 1992, pointing to rigging of internal elections, staging of violent protests that led to ethnic violence, and the strong influence of former military officers in the party.

The findings of the poll are obtained from inter-

views with 830 voters (42 per cent Indians, 31 per cent Africans, 17 percent Mixed, nine per cent Amerindians, and one per cent other races) from mid-February through now.

In addition, dozens of Guyanese of varied ethnicities were polled in the Diaspora on their views of the formation of the alliance, leadership, and the potential return of the PNC to power through the alliance. Among the Diaspora, there is an even greater fear of a return of the PNC to power as they reflect on the abuses of the 1970s and

1980s. Although many voters within Guyana and in the Diaspora say they are not pleased with PPP/C governance, a majority is deeply worried that the PNC could use the alliance to come to power as in the 1960s with the UF and re-establish a dictatorship, re-impose national service, and ban goods. But other voters are not unduly concerned about

a PNC return to power, pointing out that the AFC would be a counterbalance to any potential PNC abuse of power or election rigging as happened during the Burnham/Desmond Hoyte dictatorship. They also say the population will not tolerate another PNC dictatorship. A majority of voters (51 per cent) said they would have been comfortable with supporting the alliance if Moses Nagamootoo, former PPP/C stalwart turned David Granger’s Prime Ministerial Candidate, were the Presidential Nominee.

The alliance would have won the election under Nagamootoo’s Presidential candidacy. Nagamootoo has the confidence, trust and support of a majority of Guyanese within Guyana and in the Diaspora and is easily by far the most respected and liked of all the political figures in the electoral fray. Granger also trails Nagamootoo in likeability and popular support with a majority of voters (61

per cent) not supportive of Granger as leader of the alliance; he also trails Donald Ramotar for the Presidency.

But Granger’s electoral standing rises with Nagamootoo at his side though it may not be enough to win because of the widespread fear of the PNC, especially with the history of its abuses and the refusal of the leadership to apologise for wrongdoings. More voters would have been attracted to an alliance led by Nagamootoo.

A switching of the alliance candidates for the two positions is likely to result in an alliance victory. On the PPP/C’s side, voters are looking for its parliamentary and regional candidacies line-up hoping for fresh credible faces of integrity and probity. The election is turning out to be a horse race. The NACTA poll will continue to query voters on how they plan to vote. The findings will be released in updated reports.

Nurses evening classes doing well – Health Minister

Amid the standoff with students Health Minister, Dr Bheri Ramsaran said the evening classes for nurses at the old Guyana Water Authority’s (GUYWA’s) building in Barrack Street, Kingston, Georgetown are doing extremely well despite challenges.

Recently the school saw 15 students from its first batch successfully graduating as nursing assistants. Minister Ramsaran, speaking during an interview on the National Communications Network’s “Political Scope” programme on March 18, said the move to establish the evening classes was influenced by the need for more

professionals, as well as space for classroom facilities during the course of the day. Also another contributing factor was the need for tutors who also were not available in the day due to their employment commitments.

He however, added that there are challenges, as there is ‘mischief in the leadership about the night/ evening classes… this is some of the sabotage that is happening in the system, we had instructed, that based on policy, that the classes should start from three, straight into the night, so you are potentially freeing up the same spaces in the day for the day school to gradually decamp …” he said. Minister Ramsaran further noted that “ somebody instructed that these classes start at one o’ clock, so my evening classes now are starting in the midday, which mean theoretically you have destroyed my intention to use the same facilities 100 per cent more, so we are going to revert

that to three o clock in the next intake.”

Recently trainee nurses staged a protest against the Health Ministry’s decision to relocate them to the Kingston location. But, Minister Ramsaran said the ministry will continue its work, as there are plans for the removal of other classes such as those for Lab Technicians which are also being done at the facility to be diverted to another building, which is more suitable for its nature. The Medex courses have been held at this facility for a number of years. Also as the ministry continues to work towards strengthening the academics of its medical staff to build capacity and allow for a better quality of care for its people, Professor Mina Singh, PhD, of York University, Canada, is working with the Tutor Development Education Program in collaboration with the ministry to train nursing tutors.

This is a major step for the ministry because there were high failure rates at the National Nursing examinations and one of the contributing factors was the delivery of the curriculum, which is now expected to be improved under this programme. Further the minister encouraged nursing assistants to consider joining the midwifery programme which will soon be further upgraded as the ministry is working with the University Hospital and Case Western University. The partnership will see a team visiting Guyana to improve midwifery techniques through in service training. (GINA)

APNU+AFC Presidential Candidate David Granger

PPP/C Presidential Candidate Donald Ramotar

APNU+AFC Prime Ministerial Candidate Moses Nagamootoo

Health Minister, Dr Bheri Ramsaran

AFC/APNU will boost New Amsterdam

– former PNC Finance Minister

By Andrew CArmiChAel

APartnership for National Unity (APNU) Shadow Finance Minister Carl Greenidge claimed New Amsterdam has received very little attention from the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration since it took office in 1992. Greenidge,who hails from New Amsterdam, had been Finance Minister of the PNC government from 1983 to 1992, during which the township had been allowed to slip into decrepitude.

At the time, Greenidge was addressing residents of the township during a rally organised by the APNU+AFC (Alliance For Change) coalition at Smithfield, New Amsterdam, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) on Wednesday evening. According to Greenidge there is need to replace the current Administration with one that recognises the importance of inclusionary democracy. “The manner of governance in which they make decisions, the way in which they manage our taxes, the way in which they treat children, the way in which jobs

and contracts are allocated need to be changed. People must not access taxpayers’ money simply because they are friends of someone,” he told those present.

Greenidge said under an APNU/AFC Government, developmental projects have to be properly considered and discussed with citizens, noting that communities would be encouraged to hold the Government accountable for monies spent on their behalf. Under the constitution, GUYANESE hold the government responsible for the monies spent on their behalf by electing Representatives to the National Assembly who have the power to approve or disapprove the Government’s budget in its entirety. Greenidge did not elaborate how he would effectuate the presumably new method of holding the government responsible for finances.

He noted that several senior Police officers are often forced by the current Administration to act in appropriately. He did not cite any specifics but cited a case in an autonomous organisation the NBS. “And if you think that I am exaggerating, just recall the case of

“Don’t paint all men with one brush” – MAB

The National Community Policing Group held a seminar for men on Thursday at the Ocean View Hotel where the issue of domestic violence was discussed at length.

Administrator for the Men’s Affairs Bureau (MAB), Diego Alphonso, who facilitated the seminar, said that men are usually depicted as the perpetrators of domestic violence, which is generally the case. Even so, the administrator said that men are never given a chance by society to move away from such aspersion.

He explained that society moulds men and their ways of thinking, thus “men believe it is weak to cry, it is weak to talk of their feelings and it is weak to show emotions.”

Alphonso said the society is failing to acknowledge that men are humans too and thus have the same vulnerabilities as women.

He explained that the culture in Guyana, and in most Caribbean countries, train men from boys, that they are not to show emotion. Alphonso explained that this causes great harm to a man’s ability to vent his frustration or anger in healthy ways.

This culture, he said, prevents men from talking about their feelings and as a result, in most cases, they are unable to explain the way they feel and the way things affect them. However, it was agreed by the men and the few women at the seminar, that women are very articu-

the New Building Society, in which we had four officers charged by the Police… because the they did not hand out money to entities based on the instructions of senior politicians...,” Greenidge said. Mr Greenidge ignored the fact that the Ombudsman took pains to point out that

he never came to the conclusion that was cited.

If elected into office, the alliance promises to give high priority to the reduction of crime and generation of jobs, according to the for,we PNC Finance Minister.

“Jobs that can give you a decent income,” he added. The APNU+AFC Executive said the Government will ensure that the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) are managed effectively.

Speaking of Government’s housing drive in which thousands of Guyanese have been allocated house lots, Greenidge said that only 40 per cent of those who received house lots were able to construct their homes. This figure has been flatly contradicted by the government.

“The housing programme that we need is one that will meet the houseless and the

poor. All the communities must be attended to.”

Greenidge said should the alliance win; communities that have been neglected by the current Administration will receive attention. Infrastructural development, he said, will be the number one priority.

Meanwhile, political activist Sean Smith, who is closely aligned to the AFC, said the PPP/C has divided the nation but the alliance will reunite Guyanese. He said Guyana cannot continue on a course which hinges on the principle of “divide and rule.”

According to him, the PPP/C claimed that Guyanese were denied the right to housing under the People’s National Congress (PNC) regime but the PPP/C has denied residents of New Amsterdam the right to employment. “I recently went into Angoy’s Avenue and I met 50 youths who were all

seeking jobs. There are no jobs for our youths today,” Smith contended. It would appear that Smith might need alluding to the former PNC “cooperative Republic” regime in which the government promised to provide jobs. In the present free enterprise economy, the Government created the environment friendly to business and it is left to private enterprise to create jobs. This depends on entrepreneurial drive amongst other factors.

While crediting the current Administration with the execution of four major projects that were undertaken in Berbice – the Skeldon Sugar Factory, the Berbice River Bridge, the University of Guyana Tain Campus and the Ophthalmology Hospital – Smith noted that since the this Government took office little or nothing has been done for the people of New Amsterdam.

late. The MAB Administrator said that the mouth is the strongest weapon a woman is said to hold, as she knows the words that can hurt or to explain how she feels.

Contrary, a man struggles to put two words together to explain his frustration with his work, with his family or just the frustration with the market. This inability to express these negative feelings, Alphonso said, is dangerous as a man then starts to use the sole tool he thinks he has at his disposal to express himself, his arms, his strength against his spouse.

He said “a beating a woman may receive from her spouse may be because he was unable to vent his frustration for a lousy day at work or because of the abuse he received from his father or the neglect he received from his home.”

The facilitator said that many social groups are bias in their outlook as women are assumed victims before the entire situation is heard. However, he said such social groups need to give men just as much time to vent and talk about the situation as women.

He stated that such objective account gives a more rounded view of what happened to the relationship between a man and his spouse, and why the man believed he needed to lash out through his strength. Alphonso said it is important to get to the root of the problem and with this, a solution can be surmised.

APNU+AFC Executive Carl Greenidge

Bishop ordained in Chile despite abuse cover-up claims

Juan Barros has been ordained Bishop in the Chilean city of Osorno despite being widely accused of covering up crimes of a Catholic reverend who the Vatican sanctioned for sexually abusing young boys.

Barros was appointed on Saturday, as hundreds protested against the move outside the church hosting the ceremony.

Demonstrators dressed in black, a symbol of mourning, denounced the 58-yearold and many called for him to immediately resign.

Police had to escort Barros out of the church after his ordination, which was attended by only 15 of the country’s 35 bishops and about 20 of the 35 priests in the diocese some 930 kilometres south of the capital Santiago.

While Barros himself is not accused of molestation, at least three victims of sex abuse say he was present when they were molested by the Reverend Fernando Karadima in the 1980s and 1990s.

The controversy has been closely watched by victims, advocacy groups and politicians as a test of Pope Francis’ promises to crack down on clerical sex abuse.

“I hold the Pope responsible,” said Juan Carlos Cruz, a 51-year-old journalist who is one of the accusers.

“As victims, we had become used to the slaps in the

face by the Chilean hierarchy, but we never expected a slap in the face from the Pope,” he told the AP news agency.

Barros had long declined to comment publicly on the allegations against him. However, he sent a letter to priests in the diocese on Monday saying he did not know about Karadima’s abuses when they happened.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Lucha libre wrestler Pedro Aguayo killed by blow in Mexico ring

Acelebrated Mexican wrestler has died after taking a heavy blow to the neck in the ring.

Pedro Aguayo Ramirez, known as “Hijo del Perro Aguayo” was thrown on to the ropes after a kick from Oscar Gutierrez, known as “Rey Misterio Jr”.

The match in Tijuana continued for several minutes before anyone realised that Aguayo was not moving. He was rushed to hos-

pital, but died early on Saturday morning. An investigation has been opened.

The cause of death is still unclear but local media report that he suffered cervical spine trauma.

The state prosecutor’s office has said it is looking into possible manslaughter.

Aguayo was the son of retired wrestler Pedro “Perro” Aguayo, a wrestling legend from the 1970s to 1990s.

The company AAA, where he worked, tweet-

ed: “Pain overwhelms our hearts again. Rest in peace, Hijo del Perro Aguayo”.

Wrestler Hijo del Santo told Associated Press: “I think the fans in Japan, the US and Mexico of course, where he was very popular, must be in mourning, especially because of his youth. He had much ahead of him.”

Professional wrestling or lucha libre is extremely popular in Mexico and is known for its colourful costumes and famous characters. (BBC News)

PM says Jamaica on growth mission

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller says Jamaica is on a mission to meet its growth projections to build the economy and improve the quality of life for all citizens of the country.

“As we move to achieve this goal, we have kept sharp focus on creating a more vibrant economic environment in our country for businesses, whether small, medium or large, local or foreign. Our goal is to facilitate win-win investments that will bring (investors) a good rate of return, and also create the jobs we desire for our people,” she said.

She was speaking at Friday’s official opening of Jamaica’s first Hyattbranded all inclusive resorts, the new Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall and Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall.

The Prime Minister, in her address, stressed the Government’s commitment

to creating the nurturing environment for investments to succeed and welcomed the US$85 million investment by the developers, as a signal that “we are doing it right.”

“That is why we are ensuring that the fundamentals of our economy are sound and sure, as we accommodate greater levels of Foreign Direct Investments.

We are, therefore, very de-

lighted that the Hyatt Zilara and Hyatt Ziva hotels will be doing business in Jamaica at this stage in our economic progress,” she said.

“We recognise that by your investment in these state-of-the-art resorts, you are demonstrating your confidence that Jamaica will continue to be one of the premier destinations, not only in the Region but globally,” she noted further. (Excerpt from

Three smugglers, US$7M in cocaine seized by US Coast Guard in Caribbean Sea

The United States Coast has transferred custody of three smugglers from the Dominican Republic and about 212 kilograms (466 pounds) of cocaine to US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Special Agents in Puerto Rico following an interdiction in the Caribbean Sea.

The interdiction off the coast of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico on Friday was the result of a multi-agency international law enforcement effort that also involved the Dominican Republic Navy.

The drug shipment was estimated to have a wholesale value of about US$7 million, the Coast Guard said.

While on a routine patrol early Tuesday, the Coast Guard said a suspicious 20foot boat was detected, travelling towards Puerto Rico.

The vessel, carrying three people with what ap-

The drug shipment was estimated to have a wholesale value of about US$7 million, the Coast Guard said (Credit:

peared to be multiple bales of contraband onboard, was transiting without the use of navigational lights.

It is reported that the passengers proceeded to “jettison their cargo overboard.”

Shortly after, the three suspected smugglers were apprehended and the suspected drug shipment tested positive for cocaine. Since January 2014, the Coast Guard has seized 15,671 kg of cocaine and 2410 kg of marijuana during 16 counter-drug interdictions as part of Operation Unified Resolve. It said the wholesale value for these seizures is worth more than US$524 million. (Excerpt from CMC)

British visitors to the Caribbean warned about spread of Chikungunya virus

Britain has warned travellers to the Caribbean about contracting the Chikungunya virus, based on the dramatic increase in the number of people affected by the disease in the last year.

On Friday, Public Health England (PHE) said according to its latest annual data, there has been a 12fold increase from 24 cases in 2013 to 295 cases in 2014 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The majority of cases, 88 per cent, were acquired on trips to the Caribbean and

South America. The outbreak, which started in December 2013 in the French Caribbean territory of St Martin, has now affected most of the countries and territories in the Caribbean and Americas.

“Chikungunya is an unpleasant viral illness that can cause fever and joint pains, which, in some patients, may persist for a prolonged period,” said Dr Hilary Kirkbride, head of PHE’s Travel and Migrant Health.

“Prevention relies on avoiding mosquito bites,

particularly around dusk and dawn, when day biting mosquitoes are most active, as there is no specific preventive medicine or vaccination against Chikungunya,” she added.

Dr Dipti Patel, joint director at Britian’s National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC), “strongly” recommends that travellers seek pre-travel advice from their general physician, a specialist travel clinic or pharmacy at least six to eight weeks before they travel. (CMC)

Trinidad: Diego Central MP admits pressure from PNM "clique"

Diego Martin Central Member of Parliament , Dr Amery Browne says a small “clique” within the People’s National Movement wants to put him under pressure as he faces the screening committee.

Sunday Guardian learnt that Browne is likely to be rejected when he goes up for screening next month. On Saturday, a party insider indicated that Arouca/Maloney MP Alicia Hospedales and La Brea MP Fitzgerald Jeffrey were also likely to be booted out. Hospedales is expected to be replaced by Senator Camille Robinson-Regis, lady vice chair of the party.

Jeffrey, Browne and Hospedales are the last three sitting MPs to be screened by the party. On Friday, former Port-of-Spain Mayor Louis Lee Sing and former Finance Minister Mariano Browne said talk on the ground was that Browne and Hospedales would not be on the PNM’s new slate.

On Wednesday, Laventille West MP Nileung Hypolite and MP for Laventille East/Morvant Donna Cox were rejected by the party. Fitzgerald Hinds was given the nod over Hypolite. So far, the PNM has selected 34 candidates, 30 of whom are newcomers. The four incumbents are Dr Keith Rowley,

Colm Imbert, Terrence Deyalsingh and Marlene Mc Donald. In response to an email on Friday, Browne admitted that “they are trying to put Amery under pressure” when told that he was expected to be rejected by the screening committee.

“Of course in the political field at the ground level I have encountered a small clique that may wish to select and control the prospective representatives of the people, but I fear them not and they don’t distract me,” Browne wrote. Browne said he was nominated by ten PNM party groups, including the youth league. (Excerpt

While Juan Barros himself is not accused of molestation, at least three victims of sex abuse say he was present when they were abused [AP]

coastguardnews. com)

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller

Singapore’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew dies aged 91

Lee Kuan Yew, the founder of modernday Singapore, has died. He was 91.

The former Prime Minister, who had been hospitalised in intensive care for severe pneumonia since early February, died early on Monday morning in Singapore General Hospital.

Lee is widely considered to be single-handedly responsible for Singapore’s unique success story, the architect behind its fantastic transformation from glorified fishing village into one of the world’s economic powerhouses.

A complex and controversial figure, Lee’s adherence to the rule of law and tight social control ushered in an era of peace and prosperity

that he worried in his later years would be taken for granted by a younger generation of Singaporeans.

Showing the physical frailty that comes with his 91 years, Lee made relative-

ly few public appearances in recent years. But by many accounts, Singapore’s first and longest-serving Prime Minister remained mentally active, continuing to write occasional books and opin-

ion columns, and sometimes stepping into policy debates about the island-nation’s future.

With Singapore nearing its 50-year-old mark as a nation in August 2015, Singaporeans wonder aloud what their country will look like without its founding father.

“Mr Lee’s biggest legacy to Singapore is to have Singapore continue robustly as a unique state even after his passing,” Eugene Tan, an associate professor of law at Singapore Management University, told Al Jazeera.

“A Singapore that cannot endure and thrive beyond Mr Lee would be an indictment of Mr Lee’s leadership and legacy.” (Excerpt

Tunisia launches manhunt for third museum attacker

Tunisian security forces have begun a manhunt for a third attacker in the assault on the Bardo museum that killed 21 people, mostly foreign tourists, the President has said.

Tunisia’s Interior Ministry said on Sunday it was seeking the whereabouts of Maher bin Al-Moulidi AlQaidi, four days after two of the other gunmen involved in the attack were killed.

President Beji Caid

Essebsi told French TV network iTele that the attack involved “three aggressors” and that the third man had escaped.

“Two were killed, but there is one who is now on the run,” he said. “In any case, he will not get very far.”

Maher bin Al-Moulidi AlQaidi has been named as a primary suspect.

Authorities had earlier released security camera footage showing two of the gunmen walking through

UN envoy says Libya talks will continue despite clashes

The United Nations special envoy to Libya has warned against a military solution to the country’s crisis, calling on political rivals meeting for peace talks in Morocco to remain engaged in talks.

UN envoy Bernardino Leon told Al Jazeera on Sunday that reaching a political agreement between the country’s two rival administrations and allied militias was the only way forward after fierce clashes erupted in and around the capital Tripoli in recent days.

“We have spent the whole day in consultations with the parties and have been insisting there is no military solution for Libya,” Leon said.

“The situation in Libya has deteriorated in the last day and a half... and obviously it has had an impact on the dialogue.

“For the moment no one is leaving. We have had a

difficult moment after these attacks. The worst possibilities were either cancel the dialogue or to lose some delegations, which will have a similar impact. The delegations are staying, no one is leaving.”

Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra, reporting from the Moroccan city of Rabat, said the Tripoli-based General National Congress (GNC) Administration, which has been hesitant of the talks, was looking for assurances that the violence, including air strikes, would stop.

On Saturday, the UN-recognised Tobruk Government launched air raids against airports and a military camp in Tripoli, killing Salah Burki, a senior commander loyal to the GNC, officials said.

After urging the parties to stay, Leon said on Sunday that the mood was positive with plans to expedite the talks. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

the museum, carrying assault rifles and bags.

At one point they encountered a third man with a backpack walking down a flight of stairs. They briefly acknowledged each other before walking in opposite directions.

The footage was accompanied by two stills, said to be showing the bodies of the two gunmen - named as Yassine Laabidi, 20, and Hatem Khachnaoui, 26. Both men were killed after

the assault.

The two Tunisians reportedly trained in neighbouring Libya and left the country last December, Rafik Chelly, the country’s secretary of state, said days after the attack.

On Saturday, Essebsi said security “failures” had helped facilitate the attack on the museum, the deadliest on the North African country since the 2002 suicide bombing in Djerb. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Climate change: China official warns of ‘huge impact’

Climate change could have a “huge impact” on China, reducing crop yields and harming the environment, the country’s top weather scientist has warned, in a rare official admission.

Zheng Guogang told Xinhua news agency that climate change could be a “serious threat” to big infrastructure projects.

He said temperature rises in China were already higher than global averages.

China, the world’s biggest polluter, has said its emissions of gases that cause climate change will peak by 2030.

However, the country has not set a specific target for cutting emissions of the gases, mainly carbon dioxide.

Zheng, the head of China’s meteorological administration, said warming temperatures exposed his country to a growing “risk of climate change and climate disasters”.

He said temperature

Kabul mob attack: Women help bury wrongly accused Farkhunda

The coffin of a woman, killed by a mob in Kabul on an apparently false charge, has been carried by women, marking a break with Afghan funeral customs.

Hundreds of people attended a funeral for the woman, named as Farkhunda, demanding her killers be punished.

Farkhunda had been accused of burning the Quran, but an official investigator said there was no evidence for this.

The attack on the woman, as well as the alleged failure of Police to intervene, has been heavily criticised.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he had ordered an investigation into the killing.

Footage of the attack, filmed on mobile phones, has been widely circulated on social media.

A mob, largely made up of men, attacked the woman

with sticks and stones, beating her to death before setting her body alight, while Police reportedly looked on.

Witnesses said the crowd had accused the woman of burning a copy of the Quran.

The attack, near the Shah-Du-Shamshaira mosque and shrine, is thought to have been the first of its kind in Afghanistan.

At the funeral on Sunday, women’s activists carried the coffin, breaking with tradition as men usually perform that role.

An Interior Ministry official in charge of investigating the case said he had found no evidence that the woman had burnt the Quran.

“Farkhunda was totally innocent,” General Mohammad Zahir told reporters. He said 13 people, including eight Police officers, had been arrested. (Excerpt from BBC News)

rises in China had already been higher than the global average for the past century.

Zheng warned of more droughts, rainstorms, and higher temperatures, which would threaten river flows and harvests, as well as major infrastructure projects such as the Three Gorges Dam. He urged China to pursue a lower-carbon future.

“To face the challenges from past and future climate change, we must respect nature and live in harmony with it,” the Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying.

“We must promote the idea of nature and emphasise climate security.”

China and the United States together produce around 45 per cent of global carbon emissions.

Leaders from the two countries are taking part in a summit in Paris this year that will aim for a global deal to cut carbon emissions by 2020.

“Water man of India” Rajendra Singh bags top prize

An award known as “the Nobel Prize for water” has been given to an Indian campaigner who has brought water to 1000 villages.

The judges of the Stockholm Water Prize say his methods have also prevented floods, restored soil and rivers, and brought back wildlife.

The prize-winner, Rajendra Singh, is dubbed “the Water Man of India”.

The judges say his technique is cheap, simple, and that his ideas should be followed worldwide.

Singh uses a modern version of the ancient Indian technique of rainwater harvesting.

It involves building lowlevel banks of earth to hold back the flow of water in the wet season and allow water to seep into the ground for future use.

He first trained as a medic, but when he took up

a post in a rural village in arid Rajasthan he was told the greatest need was not health care but drinking water.

Groundwater had been sucked dry by farmers, and as water disappeared, crops failed, rivers, forests and wildlife disappeared and people left for the towns.

“When we started our work, we were only looking at the drinking water crisis and how to solve that,” Singh said.

“Today our aim is higher. This is the century of exploitation, pollution and encroachment. To stop all this, to convert the war on water into peace, that is my life’s goal.”

The Stockholm International Water Institute, which presented the prize, said his lessons were essential as climate change alters weather patterns round the world. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Lee Kuan Yew was whip-smart, self-assured and unflappable, but earned plenty of criticism along the way

Women’s rights and civil society activists helped bury Farkhunda at the funeral in Kabul

monday, march 23, 2015|

Hypocrisy in early elections campaign

Election time is when political parties are suppose to give us their vision for development, their plans for making lives and our country better. The Opposition parties took first jump in launching their election campaign. But thus far, it has been a disappointing start and a frightening possibility should they be elected.

Their Presidential candidate, the man who was a senior member or also head of the Army during the entire period when the army helped the PNC to rig elections and led state-sponsored murders, now call the Government members and members of the PPP/C “jackasses”.

His vision for Guyana’s future is that “jaguars” (we guess this is APNU+AFC) cannot be ruled by “jackasses”. This is his number #1 reason why people must elect them to govern Guyana. The corollary, of course, is that we “jackasses” in this country must elect the “jaguars” to rule us.

David Granger comes from and leads a political party that historically divided Guyana based on race. Granger leads now

Carbon

a PNC that refers to itself as a mathematical formula – APNU + AFC = PNC –which seeks to add another division of society, based on those who consider themselves upper classes, referred to as “jaguars”, and those of us who belong to a lower class, called “jackasses”.

Apologizing would be below Granger, a man who refuses to apologize for rigging of elections which took away our freedom and democracy and led Guyana on a spiral of economic and social failure.

This is a man who refuses to come forward to the Commission of Inquiry, to tell us what as a senior member and head of the GDF, he knows of the murder of Dr Walter Rodney and the Army giving guns and ammunition to senior functionaries of the PNC.

Granger is so bereft of ideas for transformation that he is forced to adopt all the things he personally objected to in the 10th Parliament. One of his transformative ideas for Guyana is education.

This is the same Granger that also led the cutting of $89 billion from

Guyana’s budget in the 10th Parliament. Some of the budget cuts were within education.

This Government has invested heavily in education and brought universal access to primary and secondary education. Guyana today has the highest rate of access to nursery education in Caricom and one of the highest in Latin America and the Caribbean. The PPP/C has broadened and provided greater access to university and technical and vocational education.

Granger now promises Guyana an alternative ener-

emissions

gy paradigm. The new paradigm is exactly the very things they voted against in the 10th Parliament. They voted against Amaila Hydro Electricity Project and against the LCDS when they cut $89 billion from three budgets.

When it comes to an energy policy, Granger’s paradigm shift is adopting the PPP/C policy, giving different names to the various projects and switching management from “jackasses” to “jaguars”.

This is acknowledging that jackasses had the vision and competence not merely

to talk about the vision but to place Guyana on a trajectory to a more secured and sustainable energy pathway that the jaguars want to do.

Can anyone believe that Granger who never denied that an APNU media conference called for the closing of sugar now says sugar is “too big to fail”? But he failed to say that they objected to investing in sugar. Granger has a vision for Guyana –everything that the PPP/C is doing.

Granger says that APNU + AFC = PNC will not bring blacklisting to Guyana, as the PPP/C did by not passing the AML/CFT bill. Remember the same bill that APNU + AFC led by Granger, the leader of the PNC, voted against, not once, but on different occasions? Now Granger’s plan for Guyana is to pass the AML/CFT Bill. Talk about people who are completely bereft of ideas!

Granger is advised by his economic and financial guru Carl Greenidge. During his long stint in charge of the economic development, management of the financial sector and accountability, Guyana’s assets were disposed of without even a line

of accountability.

But worst Granger has never apologized to Guyana for the PNC’s total lack of accountability when for more than a decade not an iota of effort was made to provide audited accounts for the government in the 1980s. Even when accounts were provided between 1974 and 1982, they were partial accounts.

As a price for being anointed newly minted “jaguars”, Moses Nagamootoo and Khemraj Ramjattan appeal to us their previous comrade “jackasses” to forget the past. But the “jaguars” admit no evil or mischief in the past. So what is it the new “jaguars” want their comrade “jackasses” to forgive?

They say the best tribute is imitation. The PPP/C seems to have all the right ideas for the development of Guyana – at least from the perspective of APNU + AFC. They have conceded the things that the PPP/C has been doing are the pillars on which to continue to build Guyana. Readers are invited to send their comments by email or Facebook to times. notebook@gmail.com.

from forests down by 25% – FAO

...better forest management, slowdown in deforestation cited

Total carbon emissions from forests decreased by more than 25 percent between 2001 and 2015, mainly due to a slowdown in global deforestation rates, according to new estimates published by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) last week.

Global emissions from deforestation dropped from 3.9 to 2.9 Gigatonnes (Gt) of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year over the period of 2001-2015. Deforestation is defined as a land-use change, from forest to other land uses.

“It is encouraging to see that net deforestation is decreasing and that some countries in all regions are showing impressive progress. Among others, they include Brazil, Chile, China, Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Turkey, Uruguay, and Viet Nam,” said FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva.

“I urge all those countries to share their successful experiences with other countries. Through SouthSouth Cooperation programme, FAO is ready to facilitate this collaboration and knowledge exchange.”

FAO emphasised at the

same time that despite the overall reduction in carbon emissions from forests linked to less deforestation, emissions from forest degradation have significantly increased between 1990 and 2015, from 0.4 to 1.0 Gt CO2 per year. Forest degradation is a reduction in tree biomass density from human or natural causes such as logging, fire, windthrows and other events.

FAO published these figures for the first time on the occasion of the International Day of Forests, celebrated on 21 March 2015. The data are excerpts from a larger FAO study based on the FAOSTAT Emissions

database and FAO’s Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015 (FRA), which will be launched in September 2015 as one of the highlights of the XIV World Forestry Congress in Durban. This will be the first time this global event is organized in Africa, under the auspices of the Government of South Africa, with more than 5,000 participants expected.

Managing forests

A more sustainable management of forests will result in a reduction in carbon emissions from forests and has a vital role to play in addressing the impacts

of climate change, the FAO Director-General stressed.

“Forests are critical to the Earth’s carbon balance and hold about threequarters as much carbon as is in the whole atmosphere. Deforestation and forest degradation increase the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, but forest and tree growth absorbs carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas emissions”, he said.

Graziano da Silva also highlighted the important role of sustainable agriculture to reduce pressure on forests, along with implementing the UN-REDD programme to reduce emis-

sions from deforestation and forest degradation.

Imbalances

The absorption of carbon by forests helps to counterbalance, although not entirely, overall emissions due to the conversion of forests to other types of land use. Forests absorb and store an additional two billion tonnes of CO2 per year (2011-2015), excluding emissions from deforestation. Half of the forest carbon sink is related to growth in planted forests.

Developed countries continue to represent the bulk of the overall estimated carbon sink, with a share of 60 percent (2011-2015). This share, however, has decreased from 65 percent (2001-2010), mainly due to a decrease in the establishment of new planted forests. Developing countries account for the remaining 40 percent of the total carbon sink.

At the regional level, Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean all continued to release more carbon than they absorb, although emissions from Africa and Latin America decreased between 1990 and 2015. Brazil alone represented more than 50

percent of the overall estimated reduction in carbon emissions between 2001and 2015.The forests of Europe and North America functioned as net carbon sinks between 1990 and 2015 since they absorb more carbon than they release, whereas Oceania did not show a clear trend in forest emissions over the same period.

Methodology

The FAO analysis is based on national data reported to the agency by countries using groundbased and aerial measurements. They are not directly comparable to measurements using satellite imagery only, which, although useful, do not capture certain types of forests or stages in the growth cycle, and do not easily capture land-use change dynamics. For example, dry forests in Africa or central Brazil have great spaces between trees and often have few leaves for large parts of the year, making them difficult to capture by remote sensing, and regular harvesting activities in managed forests may be detected as deforestation by satellite surveys.

APNU+AFC Presidential Candidate, David Granger

Global emissions from deforestation dropped from 3.9 to 2.9 Gigatonnes (Gt) of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year over the period of 2001-2015

No sign of fisherman thrown into Atlantic Ocean

Relatives of murdered fisherman, Deochand Sukhlall, 22 of Lot 20 Dundee, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, are determined to find his remains. According to the family, only then they can have closure on the matter.

The young man, also called “Avo,” was reportedly murdered and thrown into the Atlantic Ocean just off the foreshore of Bush Lot, Berbice on Tuesday last, but despite several days of searching, there has been no sign of the man’s body. A relative told Guyana Times on Sunday morning that several family members joined in the search with the hope of finding the young man but they came up empty handed on every occasion they went to sea.

Police investigators also took the crew out to sea to show them the exact spot

where the incident occurred but that search also proved futile. However, the threemember-crew that was taken into custody for the man’s death is expected to make their court appearance today in Berbice.

From reports received, after the incident, the captain of the boat drove to Charity, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) where the matter was reported to the Charity Police Station. However, investigators are trying to determine why the captain travelled to Charity when the incident occurred in Berbice.

Since the launching of the investigation, the crew members have admitted that the act was committed by one of the men with whom the now dead man had a confrontation with.

Based on information received, the young man and one of his co-workers on board the fishing vessel had a confrontation which led to a scuffle. During the scuffle, the worker reportedly dealt one blow to Sukhlall’s head resulting in him falling overboard.

A search was launched, but the body was not found. The captain and crew members are in Police custody assisting with the investigation. A senior Police rank stated that based on reports, the suspect and the now dead young man had been at loggerheads and the incident might have stemmed from a heated argument.

The man lived alone and would have left home about 14 days ago, claiming that he was heading to Charity to work on the fishing vessel. Relatives are still doubtful that he is dead stating that “only when his body is recovered they will believe”.

Sukhlall had been working on sea for quite some time and was quite familiar with the sea. He is survived by his three siblings. Police are continuing their investigations.

Crum-Ewing visited me six weeks ago

Dear Editor, Death, maiming, or disfiguring of anyone from the barrel of a gun always bothers me. Another thing that bothers me even more is when suspicion preoccupies our minds and blame becomes evident.

The PPP/C throughout its political history has never resorted to killings.

Courtney Crum-Ewing visited me six weeks ago at my place of business to seek financial assistance to repair his minibus. He claimed that his vehicle which he uses to make a living was vandalized and his neighbours saw the thieves, but failed to pre-

vent the perpetrators from carrying out the act.

He then went on to tell me that he went to Queen’s Collage with Dr Ashni Singh and Anil Nandlall, and that he is the oneman protester outside the Attorney General’s Office.

It was then that I actually recognized him. His demeanor undoubtedly told me this was a troubled man; a man who needed help. Our conversation continued.

I asked him whose fight he is carrying and how far he can push it as an individual. He laughed and said that he is not affiliated to any political party

Payment of MIR...

From page 4

and the struggle is his.

Our discussion ended, I give him the money he requested. We shock hands and he left. I am very sorry that his life was taken away from him on March 10, as he was doing what he loved.

My deepest sympathy to his wife, children and family members. He will always be remembered and volumes will be written about his life and struggles.

I appeal to the investigative Police ranks to check every lead to crack this case and bring to justice all those involved in this gruesome murder.

I wish to caution all, that the Holy Books speak about and condemn suspicion; for it is a major sin. We are aware of the numerous wars waged throughout history because of suspicion and the unspeakable sufferings caused to the innocent.

May God Almighty bless all of us to be one united nation even in the midst of an election and cause our leaders to be responsible for their utterances to the electorate.

Businessman Name withheld by request

Self-esteem

It is not uncommon for us to spend time impressing other people, but for me it is a very foolish thing to do, because when we really think about it, the person we really need to impress is ourselves. The way I see it is that this is probably a good way to elevate our self-esteem and to earn our own respect.

Sometimes we try to win the respect of others, however it does not work that way, but rather we have to seek to improve ourselves against our own achievements and not anyone else’s.

I guess what I am trying to say here is that we must live our lives with self-determination based on what matters to us, and respect will come. It is okay to walk away from people who do not respect us. But when we cannot do so, we should never get to their level.

While other people’s opinions may be valid, it is not a good idea to set our life according to others, though their ideas may have a place in our life. One thing to remember is that we do not have to aim for very high goals, it can be a simple improvement. The key is to make sure to judge our goals wisely.

Sometimes it is best to choose a goal just for the fun of it – something in our lives that is coming from the heart. For me a good goal is something we would enjoy in the whole process even if no one else recognises what we have done. The fact that we know what we have done engenders a good feeling and this is a good way to feed the soul.

It is a good practice to compliment oneself regularly. This can be done by taking the time to look in the mirror and say something good about ourselves. I have seen many situations where people quickly compliment other people for their successes, but fail to do the same for themselves. This is not a good practice.

Believe it or not, we can also enhance our self-esteem dramatically by improving our physical strength and we may feel a sense of empowerment as well. Many might question how do we do that, but it is not too complicated, by us exercising consistently for at least 30 minutes several times a week, this can become possible.

A while back I wrote a whole article on gratitude and I’ll take this opportunity to remind us all again to find something special that we have done every day. It is a good habit to practise. Keep in mind that it doesn’t always have to be huge things, something small can be rewarding as well.

For example it can be as simple as taking a walk to the park. I actually have a book where I wrote down all my good qualities and from time to I do check it out to remind myself of my capabilities and I can honestly say that it works. I really encourage everyone to do the same, because at the end of the day if we are happy with ourselves then we can easily boost our self-esteem.

For questions, comments or feedback, email them to mcnarine@rogers.com.

Thus far the GRA has received 2,185 applications for MIR. Approximately 1,207 of those applications have been approved. The MIR Unit has also completed processing of 1,617 applications in order to determine those that have been approved.

The remaining 568 are at various stages of being completed. Records to date show that about 177 applicants have additional information which is yet to be submitted. Those persons are being urged to submit same in a timely manner.

relevant information from their respective lending institutions.

As part of the criteria for accessing the relief, the applicant must be a first-time homeowner and also provide

The processing of MIR applications, including interviews with the applicants is ongoing and as the implementing body, the GRA is determined to ensure that the objective of the MIR is met thereby ensuring that aspir-

ing homeowners realise their dreams. The MIR is a 30 per cent reduction on the interest paid on a residential mortgage not exceeding G$30M. MIR disbursements to date have totaled $165.9M.

Guyana

Revenue Authority

Narine Dat Sookram

Murdered: Deochand ‘Avo’ Sukhlall

Freddie in for a rude awakening

Dear Editor,

I think that the issue of the former President Bharrat Jagdeo living a comfortable lifestyle should not be an issue at this election as Kaieteur News and more so, Freddie Kissoon, are making it to be.

For the record, Jagdeo earned his wealth the hard way which is through sweat and toil. It is his business how he wants to live. Kissoon and Kaieteur News should mind their business and leave Jagdeo alone.

Never have I witnessed a former President being attacked so much by a single media house, like in this situation of Kaieteur News attacking Jagdeo. There seems to be no end to this vicious attack. Jagdeo deserves peace and respect.

After all, when he was in President, he had to contend with an Opposition that was bent on preventing all progress in the country. Yet, he helped Guyana to gain the respect of the international community.

The progress of his Government was astounding when one takes into account all the impediments he had to overcome. He was like a beggar man, going to countries that Guyana owed and asking them to either write off loans or softening the loan agreements. But why did he have to beg other countries to wipe off loans the PNC accrued and misused?

That is because Jagdeo has Guyana at heart. Instead of moving to prosecute all of those PNC

Ministers, he decided that his Government will clear up the massive mess. Yes, the same PNC that wants to get back in Government again.

Let the record show that Jagdeo doesn›t have a Swiss bank account like a former paramount leader of this country that Kissoon adores. This is a commentary on Kissoon’s value system. By the way, does he have values?

I consider Kissoon to be the most morally depraved person in Guyana. He takes joy in destroying the characters of people he doesn›t like, or to be more precise, people who have done better than him or are more intellectually endowed. He is no match for Jagdeo. He is a Lilliputian next to the former President.

He has attacked Vic Puran, Reepu Daman Persaud, and hundreds of others. Like a rotten beast, his desire for destroying people is insatiable. Even when they are dead, he still attacks them.

Kissoon can continue on this sinister road because he is aided and abetted by Kaieteur News, which jumps to his defence when those he attacks respond. The latest person to be attacked by Kissoon was Brian Tiwarie of BK International.

Kissoon strongly suggests that Tiwarie and his company are successful because of his friendship with Jagdeo. When the company refuted all of Kissoon’s frivolous claims, Kaieteur news

Navaratri...

By praying, meditating, repeating mantras and performing pujas or make offerings during this period, we purify our actions and more readily embody prosperity and wisdom. This is not just a festival, it is actually a very special energetic moment for planet Earth by adoring the planetary system.

The first three days are dedicated to Mother Durga and Mother Kali, who are in essence the same energy. Mata Durga brings out the concealed negativity and kali destroys the negativity.

Mata Durga reveals the hidden garbage and Mata Kali completes the inner cleaning. After three days of removing the weeds from the field in this way, the moments comes to plant the seeds.

These next three days are Mata Lakshmi’s time to act, purifying our intentions and hearts. After plowing for three days, it is time to harvest what you have sown. During the last three

days Mata Swarswati manifests herself, bringing wisdom, creativity of speech.

During Navaratri, we invoke the energy aspect of God in the form of the universal mother, commonly referred to as Durga, which literally means the remover of miseries of life. She is also referred to as Devi (Goddess) or Shakti (energy or power). It is this energy, which helps God to proceed with the work of creation, preservation and destruction. In other words, you can say that God is motionless, absolutely changeless, and the Divine Mother Durga, does everything.

Truly speaking, our worship of Shakti re-confirms the scientific theory that energy is imperishable. It cannot be created or destroyed. It is always there.

In Guyana and America we celebrate Vasanta Navaratri for nine days dedicated to the nine forms of Mother Shakti, Mother Goddess in early Spring.

In spring, Vasanta

responded with the following:

“There may be innuendoes here but there is nothing more to suggest anything illegal in the dealings of BK International. Kissoon may have taken liberties with the language, and as a columnist was given his way. However, this newspaper does not question the credentials of Tiwarie and his company.»

Seriously? So Kissoon is allowed all the freedom to publish his filth? Why does Kaieteur News not allow Kissoon to apologise? Why was he allowed to publish this article in the first place? Does Kaieteur news believe that readers are so gullible that they will be swayed by the deceptive language used in the Editor›s note?

This is why many of my friends have stopped reading Kaieteur News. They are fed up with this incessant and dirty attack of people›s characters.

Kissoon is also a big ‘cochore’. He pretends to be taking up the case of Nadira Jagan-Brancier and the Jagans. You know what Kissoon? Everyone can see through your pretensions.

You don›t like the Jagans or anything related to the PPP/C. Just keep your comments to yourself. There are many Guyanese who know better. You have no moral ground to stand on.

On March 12, you and your cronies will be in for a rude awakening.

Rakesh Singh

From page 5

Navaratri, is nine days dedicated to the nine forms of Shakti (Mother Goddess) in the month of Chaitra (March-April) and is observed during the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon) of Chaitra.

The beginning of this Navaratri also marks the start of the new year as per the Hindu mythological lunar calendar (Vikrami Samvat) On this occasion many Hindhus take the opportunity to do their religious ceremonies asking God for His blessing and guidance.

Navaratri signifies the victory of Mother Durga over the buffalo-demon Mahishasura and the effigies of the 10-headed Ravana are burnt on Vijaya Dasami day, emulating the killing of Ravana by Rama and the victory of Mother Durga, over the buffalo-demon Mahishasura, which is celebrated on the 10th day of Navaratri, signifying good over evil.

S N Singh

Fidel’s message to President Maduro

Dear President Nicolás Maduro,

As the press has reported, the Alba Summit took place on March 17 in Caracas to analyze the outrageous policy of the US Government toward Venezuela and Alba.

The idea of creating this organization came from Chávez himself, wanting to share with his Caribbean brothers and sisters the enormous economic resources with which nature had blessed his native homeland, the benefits of which had however landed in the hands of powerful US corporations, and a few Venezuelan millionaires.

Corruption and squandering were the fundamental motivations of the first oligarchy with fascist tendencies, addicted to violence and crime.

The violence and crime committed against the heroic Venezuelan people was so intolerable that it can never be forgotten, and a return will never be allowed to the shameful past of the pre-revolutionary era which led to attacks on commercial centers and the murder of thousands of people, the number of which no one can

today confirm.

Simón Bolívar devoted himself entirely to liberating the continent. More than half of the best of his people struggled and died over long years of uninterrupted fighting.

With less than one per cent of the world’s surface area, Venezuela possesses the world’s greatest oil reseres. For a full century, the country was obliged to produce all the fuel which European powers and the US needed.

Even when today, the hydrocarbons produced over millions of years could be consumed in no more than a century, and human beings, who today number 7.2 billion, will double within 100 more years, and in 200 will reach 21 billion.

Only the marvels of the most advanced technology may perhaps allow the survival of the human species for a little more time.

Why are the fabulous means of communication not used to inform and educate about these realities, instead of promoting trickery, which everyone in their right mind should recognize?

An Alba Summit cannot be held without taking into account these realities which are so close to us.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has stated in a very precise manner that it has always been disposed to talk with the US in a peaceful and civilized fashion, but will never tolerate threats or impositions on the part of this country.

I add that I have been able to observe the attitude, not only of the people of Bolivar and Chávez, but also a special circumstance: the exemplary discipline and spirit of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces.

Whatever US imperialism may do, it will never be able to count on them to do what they did for so many years. Today, Venezuela can count on the best equipped soldiers and officers in Latin America.

When you met with officers recently, it was evident that they were ready to give their last drop of blood for the homeland. A fraternal embrace for all Venezuelans, the peoples of Alba, and for you!

Fidel Castro Ruz

Letter to the Foreign Affairs Minister

Dear Minister,

Please allow me to inform you about recent activities of our Amnesty International Group in Germany. We have written letters on human rights concerns to authorities in Egypt, China, Sudan, Azerbaijan, India, Swaziland, USA, Zimbabwe, Russia and Oman.

Now, I would like to bring to your attention my concerns about Courtney Crum-Ewing: the killing of a political activist during the pre-electoral period fuels fear that further violence and limitations to freedom of expression may occur.

Crum-Ewing was killed on 10 March in the East Bank Demerara neighbourhood shortly after he had called on local residents through a bullhorn to vote in the upcoming legislative elections, scheduled for 11 May, in order to oust the incumbent ruling party.

The autopsy showed that Crum-Ewing was shot five times, with three shots to the head and another at

point blank range from behind his neck. Police initially said a car with four men drove up and discharged the shots at him before driving off.

A few days later, the Police arrested two men, but on 16 March, announced that they were most probably going to be cleared of the crime.

Crum-Ewing had staged a protest for several weeks outside the office of the Attorney General between November and December 2014 calling for his resignation following allegations of corruption and threats to journalists.

In recent months, Crum-Ewing had reported receiving threats from members of the ruling party and filed two complaints with the Police. After his killing, his mother stated that those reports had not been adequately dealt with.

Several members of both the Opposition and the ruling party have condemned the killing of Crum-Ewing and urged the Police to thoroughly investigate it.

However, given the sensitive electoral context and the Police’s poor record in solving high-profile murder cases, there are fears that this killing might exacerbate political tensions, spark further violence and have a chilling effect on freedom of expression.

I call on the authorities to carry out a thorough, independent, impartial and timely investigation into the killing and bring those responsible to justice.

I am calling on the authorities to guarantee a favourable context and peaceful atmosphere for the peaceful exercise of freedom of expression, association and assembly and other civil and political rights.

I urge the authorities to provide adequate protection to political activists, journalists and human rights defenders who might be at risk as a result of the exercise of their right to freedom of expression.

I look forward to receiving your kind letter.

Windies need more consistency, says Holder

Jason Holder has arguably had the toughest gig in this World Cup. He's only 23 and was given the West Indies ODI captaincy suddenly at the start of the year, with little time to shape a squad without Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine to his style of leadership.

He then lost Darren Bravo to injury and had to cope with the uncertainty surrounding Chris Gayle's fitness. And then there was the issue of performance, with West Indies losing heavily to Ireland, South Africa and India in the group stage, before another comprehensive defeat to New Zealand in the quarter-final ended his campaign.

"Me personally, I've taken a lot you know, been through a lot, there's been a lot of criticism, left right and centre, all over the place," Holder said, when asked what he will take away from the World Cup. "I'm proud of the way I

stood up. I'm not one to shy away from responsibility or dip my head when things get tough. I expected a tough job when I accepted the captaincy.

"No doubt it's been a tough time but we've had some very good times and I've learned a lot in how to manage our players, just trying to get the best out of our players, you know. It's been a challenge yes, but one I truly enjoyed."

Holder put the immediate cause of West Indies' exit – Martin Guptill making 237, New Zealand racking up 393 – down to missed opportunities in the field and poor lengths from the bowlers. Guptill was dropped by Marlon Samuels on 4, and he went on to spearhead a surge that cost West Indies 206 runs in the last 15 overs.

"It was obviously a good innings, he really took the game away from us," Holder said. "What was good about his innings was he batted straight through. Having

said that we put him down early and we had a few halfchances that we probably could have taken. I think we just need to respond well when bowling at the death. We didn't land our yorkers and we paid for it today.

"We were inconsistent when we bowled. With our lengths upfront, thought we

were a bit too full, and at the back end we didn't land our yorkers. That's just it. I don't think we need to overanalyse things at this point of time.

"If we were too short the ball just sat up … but in terms of the right length on the pitch, it had to be that in-between length and

also vary your pace because it was a good pitch, in my opinion."

When asked about the larger picture – Holder began his captaincy tenure with a 4-1 defeat in South Africa – he put West Indies' troubles down to inconsistency. "We've had some good games, we've had some bad games, but we've never been consistent. Going forward we need to be a lot more consistent that we are at the moment."

The road ahead for West Indies doesn't contain oneday internationals until the end of the year, when they play Sri Lanka, so Holder will have time to take a break from the captaincy –Denesh Ramdin is in charge of the side for Tests – as West Indies regroup under a new coach Phil Simmons.

He said the team had been on the road for a long time and could do with some much-needed rest and recuperation before the home Tests against England.

"The guys have put their

bodies on the line for the last four months. We've been away from our families for four months," he said.

"I think the first thing to do is just refresh a bit at home. We just have a few days at home before the training camp for the England series. I think that break will be well deserved. It will do well for a lot of the guys. Just need to refresh, come back strong against England. We don't have ODI cricket until the end of the year against Sri Lanka so we have time to make some changes, or try to fix problems that we have."

It is unlikely that Holder will face as difficult a challenge in the near future as the one he has just endured. He hasn't always been in control on the field, but he comes across as a calm and measured individual – a bowler with obvious batting talent – and West Indies will hope that he is stronger for the experience. (Cricinfo)

Gayle out against England, plans on extending career

Chris Gayle is not retiring from any form of the game, but a recurring back injury will keep him out of West Indies’ upcoming home Test series against England.

“Definitely want to play the T20 World Cup next year for West Indies, there’s no doubt about that,” Gayle told ESPNcricinfo. “I’ve got a few concerns and a few injury [cases] to try and solve. I’ll give myself some time and hopefully look back at it and see how well I can actually progress for West Indies cricket at this point in time.

“I’m actually out of the Test series, the back won’t hold up for that format at this point in time. But I haven’t retired from any format as yet. As I go on I will keep informing WICB about my progress in the future with West Indies cricket.”

West Indies were knocked out of the World Cup on Saturday after losing their quarter-final against New Zealand by 143 runs. Gayle made a 33-ball 61 in an attempt to keep West Indies in touch with the asking rate in a chase of 394. Gayle said he suffered a groin strain during the game, but his back didn’t trouble him too much.

“[The back] actually held up well, to be honest with

you, in the outfield for 50 overs and then opening the batting,” he said. “It wasn’t too bad, slight scare again with a niggle in the groin, so all that was happening, and you have to take the conditions into consideration, it was a bit cold and you’re feeling some pain.”

whose omissions he had spoken out against before the tournament.

could have helped us in some sort of way.

“[We were bowled out for] 250 with 19 overs to go, that goes to tell how dangerous we can be, but just to get the mindset right and get a hold of everything and the players to actually believe we can make these things happen.”

West Indies lost to Ireland in their opening match of the World Cup, and went through an up-and-down ride that eventually carried them into the quarter-finals. Gayle felt West Indies had played good cricket and were a ‘good all-round team’, even though they missed Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard -

“I thought we played some great cricket,” Gayle said. “Yes we missed [Bravo and Pollard], but I thought we did well. We had a good all-round team, and the guys played some crucial innings for us.

“It was a situation where you look at it, we reached a quarterfinal, anything could have happened, you just need two good games. You chase 390 runs, psychologically it will affect your batters, but if we actually had a better plan or structure chasing these sort of targets, it

The WICB appointed Jason Holder, the 23-yearold allrounder, as West Indies’ ODI captain months before the World Cup. Asked how he rated Holder’s captaincy, Gayle said he had room to improve but wished him well, and hoped he would hold the team together in the future.

“There’s always room for improvement,” Gayle said. “There’s no doubt about it. Nothing wrong with a young captain, but goes to show [how] inexperience can play a big part in this sort of tournament. Can Jason actually grow from this, get more structure behind him and more support in this area?

Then hopefully he can build on this and use this as a learning experience.

“It’s never going to be easy, coming here and captaining in a World Cup for the first time, it’s always going to be a mind factor and lot of pressure is going to be there on a youngster like that, but in the future, I wish him well, hopefully he can use this as a learning experience, and can get better. Just keep your players together and just hold them and stick with them.”

Gayle looked forward to working with Phil Simmons, who will take over as West Indies’ coach after the World Cup. Simmons, the former West Indies allrounder, has just ended an eight-year stint with the Ireland team.

“I didn’t know he was appointed, so that’s news to me at this point in time, so I wish him all the best and hopefully he’ll have a successful coaching career with West Indies and can uplift West Indies cricket and take us further in international cricket and help the Regional [Tournament] as well.” In West Indies’ group match against Zimbabwe, Gayle made 215, the first double-century in World Cup cricket. In Saturday’s quarterfinal, Martin Guptill bettered his effort and smashed an unbeaten 237. Gayle was one of the first West Indies players to congratulate Guptill when he went past 200.

“Yeah, fantastic,” Gayle said. “[Guptill] batted well, we know his capability. It was a good wicket out there, it was a belter out there, small ground, small boundary, but we can’t take anything away from the fact that he batted superbly. He set up his innings fantastically. Congrats to him on getting the double century, 237 I think, I wish him all the best furthermore in his career, and he’s a wonderful player as well.” (Cricinfo)

“I know Phil from a personal point of view, I know him well,” Gayle said. “He’s a good man, he has done well with Ireland and he’s one of us as well, so there’s no doubt about it. We know how we can actually become a stronger unit.

Jason Holder

Chris Gayle

Brathwaite, Phillips put Barbados in command

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite was closing in on his 13th first class hundred as Barbados Pride took command of their final round WICB PCL contest against Jamaica Franchise at Sabina Park in Jamaica on Sunday.

At the close of the third day, the visitors were 168 for two in their second innings – a lead of 250 runs heading into Monday’s final day.

At the core of their enterprise was the righthanded Brathwaite who was unbeaten on 78, an innings that has lasted 236 deliveries, 5-1/2 hours and included seven fours.

He put on 135 for the first wicket with the lefthanded Omar Phillips whose 59 contained eight fours off 171 balls in 3-1/2 hours at the crease.

Earlier, Jamaica were bowled out for 228 to concede a first innings lead

of 72. Resuming on 222 for nine, Jamaica lost Marquino Mindley for ten bowled by Jomel Warrican, to give the left-arm spinner figures of eight for 72.

Jason Dawes, unbeaten on 16 overnight, finished 20 not out.

With a healthy lead, Barbados pressed home their advantage to reach lunch on 47 without loss, with Brathwaite on 27 not out and Phillips, 19.

Brathwaite eased to his half-century in 140 minutes off 105 balls with five boundaries and Phillips followed soon after, to carry Barbados to the tea inter-

val at 130 without loss.

However, the visitors suffered two setbacks in the second over after tea when fast bowler Jason Dawes, who has taken two for 28, struck twice.

He knocked over Phillips with the first ball of the over and with the fifth, had Shai Hope caught at the wicket for four.

However, first innings century-maker Shamarh Brooks joined Brathwaite to help add 33 for the third wicket, and see Barbados safely to the close.

The right-handed Brooks was unbeaten on 21. (CMC)

SCOREBOARD

BARBADOS PRIDE 1st Innings 310

JAMAICA 1st Innings

(overnight 222 for nine)

JR Campbell st Dowrich

b Warrican 36

J Campbell c Hope

b Warrican 35

J Blackwood c K. Brathwaite

b Warrican 33

*T Lambert lbw b Warrican 18

+C Walton c Brooks

b Warrican 12

B King lbw b Warrican 17

D Bernard Jr lbw b Nurse 9

D Jacobs c Hope b Nurse 12

R Lewis c Hope b Warrican 5

J Dawes not out 20

M Mindley b Warrican 10

Extras: (b6, lb6, nb9) 21

TOTAL:(all out, 94.1 overs) 228

Remy’s late goal extends Chelsea’s lead in Premier League

Thibaut Courtois was indebted to Loic Remy after his late winner extended Chelsea’s Premier League lead over Manchester City to six points.

The visitors went two goals ahead after Eden Hazard fired in and Diego Costa curled in his 20th of the season.

But Hull replied with two goals in 74 seconds as Ahmed Elmohamady slid in before Abel Hernandez took advantage of an error by goalkeeper Courtois.

Substitute Remy then beat Allan McGregor to score with his first touch.

The goal, which sneaked through McGregor’s legs,

papered over an inconsistent display from Jose Mourinho’s side, who went from awesome to awful in the space of 28 first-half minutes.

Courtois will be mightily relieved at Remy’s strike after the Belgium goalkeeper failed to control Branislav Ivanovic’s back pass, inadvertently gifting the ball to the onrushing Hernandez for the equaliser.

And the French striker could become an important figure in the title run-in after he replaced the injured Costa, who had a hamstring problem.

While the game was not as controversial as the reverse fixture in December

where Hull had a man sent off and Hull boss Steve Bruce accused Chelsea players of diving, it was entertainingly robust.

But after Chelsea established a comfortable lead, they appeared to show a fragility which is becoming more common as the season nears its finale.

Hull did not quite have the quality to fully take advantage, and they remain only three points clear of the relegation zone.

If Chelsea can continue the form they showed in the opening 10 minutes, no team are likely to catch them, even if they are still to face Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool. (BBC Sport)

Score’s Even thumps them again to take

“Clash of the Titans”

Fall of wickets: 1-69, 2-85, 3-118, 4-147, 5-148, 6-168, 7-184, 8-190, 9-201, 10-228. Bowling: Cummins 9-2-17-0, Brathwaite 4-0-19-0, Stoute 4-1-11-0, Warrican 41.1-2172-8, Nurse 36-9-97-2.

BARBADOS 2nd Innings

*K Brathwaite not out 78

O Phillips c Bernard b Dawes 59

S Hope c wkp Walton

b Dawes 4

S Brooks not out 21

Extras: (lb1, nb5) 6

TOTAL: (2 wkts, 81 overs) 168

Fall of wickets: 1-131, 2-135. Bowling: Mindley 14-3-350, Dawes 15-6-28-2, Bernard 11-3-21-0, Lewis 9-0-33-0, Jacobs 10-2-22-0, Lambert 216-26-0, Blackwood 1-0-2-0.

Score’s Even of the Dennis DeRoop Simple Royal Stable had another royal day on the track, winning the feature A and Lower event in the “Clash of the Titans” horse race meet on Sunday at the Port Mourant Turf Club, Corentyne, Berbice. With the animals racing out of the gates on a level break, Score’s Even with Rad Drepaul on its back was out front early and never looked back. The animal dominated the 1600 metres event to race away for a comfortable win for the first prize of $1.2 million.

CP Got Even, Run Nana Run, and Lady Budapest were next in that order. Organised by the “Four Horsemen Promotion”, the day’s event saw horses competing in eight races. However, results from the other seven races will be available in our subsequent publication.

Novak Djokovic beats Roger Federer in Indian Wells final

World number one Novak Djokovic recovered from a second-set battle to beat Roger Federer 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 in the BNP Paribas Open final.

The Serb had dominated the opening set at Indian Wells but the Swiss rallied in the second set, coming from a break down to win the tie-break.

Djokovic, 27, seemed rattled both by Federer and the crowd in the decider.

But he regained his composure to win his 50th career title and his fourth Indian Wells crown.

“Tough luck Roger, it was a great tournament and you’re a great champion and great competitor,” eighttime grand slam title-winner Djokovic told Sky Sports 3.

“It was a pleasure playing against you and, as you said, hopefully we can play some more this year.”

Djokovic came into the match full of confidence, having swept past Andy Murray in the semi-final, and he showed his intent with the first break-point opportunity in the fourth game of the match.

Novak Djokovic saves a point during his final

Federer rescued that situation but two games later, Djokovic went 40-0 up on the Swiss player’s serve and although Federer saved the three break points, including with an ace at 3040, Djokovic set up another chance and sealed it with an angled passing shot which Federer steered wide.

The Serb, who had won his two previous meetings against Federer at Indian Wells, held to love in the next game to go 5-2 up and quickly wrapped up the set when Federer netted.

Federer needed to try to impose himself more in the

match in the second set and was given a glimmer of hope with a break point in the second game but Djokovic raised his game once again.

The Swiss threw everything at the Serb but the world number one, who won the Australian Open in January, gave it back to him and broke again in the third game. After Djokovic held to go 4-2 ahead, the game seemed up for Federer but he held and then played some patient tennis to break his rival and level it at 4-4, much to the delight of the Indian Wells crowd.

Score’s Even wins the feature race at “Clash of the Titans” horse race meet

Kraigg Brathwaite unbeaten on 78

Loic Remy’s winner goes agonisingly through Allan McGregor’s legs

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Man Utd top Liverpool

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was sent off 38 seconds after coming on as a half-time substitute as Manchester United retained their grip on a top-four place with a vital win at Anfield.

Gerrard was introduced for Adam Lallana at the start of the second half with United deservedly leading through Juan Mata's early goal - but was gone almost as quickly after following up a thunderous tackle on the goalscorer with a reckless reaction to a challenge with a clear stamp on Ander Herrera.

It was inexcusable behav-

Daniel Sturridge pulled a goal back to give Liverpool hope of an unlikely comeback but the visitors were never seriously threatened again and could even afford the luxury of Wayne Rooney seeing an injury-time penalty saved by Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet.

United built on last Sunday's impressive 3-0 win against Tottenham to extend their lead to five points over Liverpool, who are a place behind in fifth.

And the magnitude of the win was emphasised by the sight of manager Van Gaal

was leaving Anfield in the summer after joining the Reds aged nine, will now serve a threegame ban.

The hosts have made a fast start their trademark at Anfield under Rodgers - but United turned the tables comprehensively and fully merited the lead given to then when Herrera slipped in Mata superbly for a composed finish in front of the Kop.

The visitors' tempo meant Liverpool were getting no joy in midfield or attack, where Sturridge cut an isolated figure and Raheem Sterling was pushed to the periphery on the

iour from a player of Gerrard's experience, having just been handed the responsibility by manager Brendan Rodgers of getting an underperforming Liverpool side back into the game.

Mata emphasised the folly of Gerrard's red card when he added a second with a sensational volley just before the hour to confirm United's superiority in a game that confirmed the impression that manager Louis van Gaal is now getting the sort of performances and results he demands.

joining his players as they celebrated with their fans in the Anfield Road end at the final whistle.

The game ended in more acrimony after a challenge by Reds defender Martin Skrtel on United keeper David De Gea - but nothing could diminish United's joy at a fully deserved win against a home side who paid the price for a poor first-half performance and a moment of sheer recklessness from Gerrard.

The 34-year-old, who announced in January that he

right flank.

Sturridge did, however, set up Liverpool's best chance of the half when he played in Lallana with a clear sight of goal. The former Southampton man took aim before sending a side-footed finish wastefully wide.

Lallana was the player sacrificed for the brief introduction of Gerrard, who hinted at his approach with a thunderous challenge on Mata, followed seconds later with another tangle involving Herrera. (BBC Sport)

Pele endorses Messi ahead of Ronaldo as best in the world

Brazil legend Pele says Lionel Messi has outshone Cristiano Ronaldo as “best in the world” over the past decade.

Argentina and Barcelona star Messi, 27, edges Real Madrid and Portugal’s Ronaldo, 30, 4-3 in Ballon d’Or wins.

“At the moment people always try to compare Ronaldo with Messi [but] it’s a different style,” the threetime World Cup winner told the BBC’s Sportsweek.

The 74-year-old added: “They are two great players, but in the past 10 years the best in the world was Messi.”

Messi and Ronaldo are set to face each other in Sunday’s Clasico at the Nou Camp, with the home side a point ahead of their rivals at the top of La Liga.

In addition to their individual World Player of the Year honours, Real’s Ronaldo has three Premier League titles from his time with Manchester United, and one La Liga title. He has won the Champions League with both clubs.

Messi has won La Liga

six times and the Champions League three times with Barcelona.

Pele continued: “Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore, George Best - they were the same level as Messi. We had

international competitions if they had more players at clubs in other countries.

“They don’t have the experience of playing abroad,” he said. “They don’t have players who have played

in Brazil Zico, Rivaldo.”

Pele previously told ESPN in January 2014 he thought Ronaldo had surpassed Messi, troubled with injury at the time, in recent seasons.

Meanwhile, Pele also says he thinks England would have more success at

in Africa, Japan or South America.

“This is one of the reasons why, when we have a big competitions, the players have a problem.

“But no doubt the level of football in England is one of the best in the world.”

Lionel Messi (right) and Cristiano Ronaldo share an on field moment

Mata scores two including stunning scissor kick

Cheddi Jagan memorial cycling...

Arthur upstages ‘big guns’ to win Essequibo leg

Akeem Arthur joined Hamzah Eastman and Orville Hinds as winners of individual legs of the Cheddi Jagan memorial road race for 2015 when the trilogy concluded on Sunday in Essequibo.

Arthur proved champion of the day in the final leg, outshining his more illustrious competitors who have been dominating this year. However, Eastman, who won the opening stage in West Demerara, was crowned the overall champion based on the points system.

Eastman of Team Coco’s was the points leader heading into the final leg, and his second-place finish on Sunday solidified that status as he finished as the most successful rider of the three legs.

Sunday’s 55-mile race started at Supenaam, journeyed to Charity and returned for the finish at Anna Regina, where Arthur was the first to cross the line in a time of two hours, seven minutes, nine seconds (02h: 07m: 09s).

Eastman settled for second, while last year’s overall winner Alanzo Greaves took third.

The experienced Robin Persaud rode in fourth, followed by Horace Burrowes and Paul Choo Wee Nam, who took fifth and sixth respectively.

Berbician Andrew Hicks took top honours in the Junior category, with Jamal John coming second and Raphael Leung third, while Julio Melville, Deeraj Garbarran and Michael

Holder were 1-2-3 in the Mountain Bike race.

The Veteran race was won by Ralph Williams with Junior Niles taking second and Jaikarran Sookhai occupying third.

Marica Dick was the top female rider, while Walter Isaacs was the lone Over-60 rider. As has been the case over the years, the event was organised by the Cheddi

Jagan Commemoration Committee.

Officials of that Committee, executives of the People’s Progressive Party and representatives of the Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) Administration were on hand to send the cyclists off at the start, witness the race, and later assist in the presentation of prizes.

Bakewell renews RHTY&SC cricket sponsorship

– Under-17 team to be renamed in late CEO’s honour

Bakewell for the 16th successive year has renewed its cricket sponsorship of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) Under-17 and Second Division cricket teams.

The sponsorship for 2015 is worth $200,000 and would cover the cost of cricket balls, transportation, and snacks for the two teams.

RHTY&SC Secretary/ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Hilbert Foster hailed the bond between the Club and Bakewell, since 2000, as special and highly successful.

He noted that the Rose Hall Town Bakewell teams have won a combined six Berbice Championships and have produced players like Assad Fudadin, Royston Crandon, Esaun Crandon, Shemaine Campbelle, Erva Giddings, Dominic Rikki, Shawn Perriera, Akshay Homraj, Jason Sinclair, Khemraj Mahadeo, and Kevlon Anderson among others.

The teams have also completed more than 600 community programmes under the sub-headings of

sports, charity, community development, youth development, pro-education, anti-drugs/suicide and religious.

The Bakewell Second Division team in 2015 would be playing two teams as the Club tries to expose its younger cricketers along with some female players to a higher standard of cricket as part of their development. The Bakewell A team would be led by

Major James Fraser of the Guyana Defence Force, while first-division player Simon Lawson would be in charge of guiding the younger B team. Delbert Hicks would be player/ coach of the A team, while Ronston Lawson would serve as Manager/Mentor of the B team.

Bakewell General Manager Rajin Ganga, in handing over the sponsorship cheque, described the

Kashif and Shanghai Football Tournament... Fruta Conquerors open with impressive display

In a show of dominance, Fruta Conquerors opened their campaign of the 25th edition of the Kashif and Shanghai Football Tournament by routing Mahaica Determinators 3-0 on Saturday evening at Victoria.

While play started passively for both teams, Conquerors quickly found their rhythm and started to attack the defence of the East Coast-based team that held strong until just before

halftime as Odell Williams notched a goal in the 45th minute to end the half positively for the Conquerors. Williams would score again in 88th minute to virtually seal the deal while Jermine Junor added insult to injury with a goal in added time (91st).

Meanwhile, in the earlier fixture, Pele needled Grove Hi-Tech with a 1-nil win, with Konata Manning scoring the game’s only goal in the 45th minute.

Volcanoes in battle for survival...

However, the colossal 251-run partnership came to an end when Chanderpaul was removed by Shillingford for 119. The former West Indies spinner then claimed the wicket of Barnwell, who departed for 148; the visitors went in for lunch with the scoreboard at 366-7.

In the post-lunch session, Permaul made a brisk 29, while Anthony Bramble (11) and Bishoo (8) were the other batsmen dismissed.

Shillingford, who finished with 5-118, and Derlon Johnson, who ended with 2-86, were the most successful bowlers.

SCOREBOARD

WINDWARDS 1st Innings 283

GUYANA 1st Innings (overnight 289 for five)

R Chandrika c Robinson

b Shillingford 35

A Fudadin lbw b Johnson 4

*L Johnson c Peters

b Matthew 3

N Deonarine c Matthew

b Shillingford 15

S Chanderpaul c Smith

b Shillingford 118

RHTY&SC as a model organisation that his company was pleased to be associated with. He stated that the Bakewell Second Division and Under-17 teams have, over the years, made his company very proud with both their on- and off-field activities.

He urged the members of the RHTY&SC to maintain their standard of excellence and to strive for greater success in the future.

Vishal Singh c Lesporis

b Johnson 22

C Barnwell c Theophile

b Shillingford 148

+A Bramble + b Sebastien 11

V Permaul c Robinson

b Peters 29

D Bishoo c Johnson

b Shillingford 8

R Beaton not out 0

Extras: (b23, w5, nb6) 34

TOTAL:(all out, 149.2 overs) 427

Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-37,

3-69, 4-70, 5-111, 6-362, 7-377, 8-388, 9-419, 10-427. Bowling: Johnson 22-286-2, Matthew 20-8-65-1, Shillingford 52-13-118-5, Sebastien 27-7-59-1, Theophile 3-0-9-0, Peters 25.2-6-67-1.

WINDWARDS 2nd Innings

D Smith c Johnson b Beaton 20

T Theophile not out 45

K Lesporis lbw b Permaul 15

J Robinson lbw b Permaul 0

R Currency c Johnson b Bishoo 12

*L Sebastien lbw b Permaul 0

+Denis Smith c and b Deonarine 9 S Shillingford not out 1

Extras: (b7, w2, nb3) 12 TOTAL: (6 wkts, 32 overs) 113 Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-59, 3-59, 4-85, 5-86, 6-106.

Odell Williams (left) and Jermine Junor

The outstanding performers of Sunday’s race pose with their silveware in Essequibo

Bakewell General Manager Rajin Ganga hands over the sponsorship cheque to RHTY&SC Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster

Tiger Sports hails achievements of journalist

Tiger Sports of Old Road Enmore, East Coast Demerara, on Saturday presented a congratulatory plaque to Guyana Times/ TVG/RGI Sport Journalist and News Anchor, Avenash Ramzan, in recognition of him copping the National Sports Commission’s Sports Journalist (Non-Print) award for 2014.

Two Fridays ago, Ramzan was presented with a trophy for winning the accolade for a fourth consecutive year and fifth time overall since he ventured into the media in 2005.

Former national wicketkeeper/batsman Sheik Mohamed, who operates Tiger Sports, said he was proud of the achievements of the journalist, who also resides in Enmore.

“And this presentation of a plaque from Tiger Sports

is on behalf of the people of Enmore to say how proud and happy we are to have someone from our own community being recognised nationally. I want to encourage you to work harder to achieve even higher heights and continue to use your media outlet in the promotion of sports, both at the national and community level,” Mohamed said.

Ramzan, in accepting the plaque, said he was very honoured to be recognised by Tiger Sports, and by extension the community.

“Being recognised by any person or organisation is always an honour, but at the end of the day, it’s about fulfilling my duties to the best of my ability and being able to keep the public informed.

I’m pleasantly surprised by this kind gesture, and I want to assure you here at Tiger

Sports, and those throughout the community, that I’m very much grateful for this and I will continue to perform my duties with professionalism and dedication,” Ramzan said.

Apart from thanking Mohamed and Tiger Sports, Ramzan also used the opportunity to express appreciation to all the sports associations, boards and federations who would have nominated him for the award over the years.

The two other media awards for 2014 were captured by the Stabroek News duo of Emmerson Campbell and Orlando Charles, for Print Journalist and Photo Journalist respectively.

The Sportsman-of-the-Year was cricketer Veerasammy Permaul, while leading Sportswoman was athlete Cassey George.

Banks Smalta Under-13 cricket...

Cricket Club takes top honours

Etook first strike and amassed a total of 251 for 2 in 25 overs to put immediate pressure on GYO. Sachin Premachan, Nyron Bissu and Yeudistir Persaud each topscored with five runs for Everest while Vijay Sharma was the chief wicket taker for GYO with figures of 1-4. Everest were able to restrict GYO to 210 for 8, as Navendra Persaud topscored for the club with 10 runs and Keshawn Thomas chipped in with eight. Zechariah Mootoo was the top wicket taker with figures of 2-4.

Guinness Greatest in the Street... more teams chalk up wins on night two

On a night when goals were hard to come by, several teams chalked up victories at the Haslington Market Tarmac, as the East Coast leg of the Guinness Greatest in the Streets football competition continued on Friday.

Starting night two was a showdown between Victoria Church Yard United and Melanie B. It took penalty kicks to separate the two teams as they both failed to

penetrate the small goal.

In the penalties, Melanie B emerged with a 4-3 success.

Game two finished within the allotted regulation time with Beterverwagting A beating Plaisance B 2-0.

Delroy Deen was the man on target on both occasions for Beterverwagting B, netting in the 13th and 14th minutes.

Mahaica failed to show up for game three, hand-

ing Anns Grove Punters a walkover, while Paradise, through a Carlos Adams 14th minute strike, needled Golden Grove 1-0. In the other games of the night, Plaisance A defeated Nabaclis 2-0, Victoria Eagles edged Mahaicony 2-1, Buxton defeated Haslington Boss on penalties after a nil-all stalemate, while Melanie A pipped Beterverwagting B 1-0.

Fawaz Mohamed (left), the son of Tiger Sports Managing Director Sheik Mohamed, presents the plaque to Guyana Times/TVG/RGI Sport Journalist Avenash Ramzan

The pursuit of goals on night two was a tough one

verest Cricket Club emerged the victors of the Banks

Smalta Under-13 Cricket Tournament, which concluded on Sunday at the Malteenos Sports Club Ground, with a 40-run win over Ghandi Youth Organisation (GYO).

Everest players converge to celebrate the fall of a wicket

WICB PCL 4-Day Tournament... Volcanoes in battle for survival against rampant Jaguars

– trail by 31 runs with six second-innings wickets remaining

Windward Islands

Volcanoes face an uphill battle for survival at 113-6 in their second innings, still trailing the Guyana Jaguars by 31 runs, at stumps on the third day of the final round of the West Indies Cricket Board’s Professional Cricket League Four-Day Tournament at Windsor Park in Dominica.

After Guyana added another 138 runs through the first half of the day to be eventually dismissed for 427 – taking a first innings lead of 144 – the Volcanoes closed the day with Tyrone Theophille on 45 and Shane Shillingford on one.

The Volcanoes lost Devon Smith, Keddy Lesporis, Jelani Robinson, Romel Currency, Liam Sebastien and Denis Smith.

The Jaguars spinners

posed a constant threat, with the turn and uneven bounce. Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul was the leading bowler, claiming three of the six wickets.

Fellow spinners Devendra Bishoo and Narsingh Deonarine along with pacer Ronsford Beaton, all claimed a wicket apiece.

Earlier in the day, the Jaguars resumed on 289-5, with Christopher Barnwell and Shivnarine Chanderpaul continuing from where they had left off on Saturday afternoon. The pair made merry on a beautiful batting wicket offering nothing to the bowlers and piled on the runs.

The 40-year-old Chanderpaul soon completed his century – an innings of patience and determination.

Golden Jaguars defeat

St Lucia 2-0

Guyana's Golden Jaguars made the return of internation al football to the coun try a memorable one with a solid 2-0 win over St Lucia at the Guyana National Stadium on Sunday evening.

Playing in front of a vocal home crowd, the Jaguars took the lead through an Eon Alleyne goal, before Sheldon Holder doubled the advantage to sink the visitors.

It was the Jaguars' first victory of the year, following a 2-2 draw against Barbados last month.

Full details of the game in Tuesday's publication.

Defending champs Lodge Secondary sneak into semi-finals

Defending champions Lodge

Secondary School sneaked into the semi-finals of the Milo Under-20 School Football Tournament on Saturday at the Ministry of Education Ground in hopes of successfully defending their title.

Lodge topped St Mary’s 1-0 in a drama-less matchup, as St Mary’s defensive style of play often gave Lodge trouble to break the defensive line. It would take a late strike by Ryan Hackett in added time (91st minute) to win the game for the defending champs, sending them into the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, in the first game of the day, Morgan

Learning Centre (MLC) routed St Joseph High School 5-1 to move on to the semis.

Led by a double from

as was the case since the

scored

Ronaldo

game’s first goal for

MLC in the 16th minute, while Travis Biardis and Toquan Clarke were the other scorers in the 12th and 35th minutes respectively. St Joseph’s solitary goal came from Dwight Ferguson in the 24th minute.

Dolphin Secondary made their way to the semi-finals as well with a 2-0 victory over North Ruimveldt Secondary School.

Dolphin practically dominated the game and Leon Richardson’s goal in the 24th minute always seemed inevitable from the constant attacks by Dolphin. However Joshua Browne ensured the win with a goal in the 70th minute.

Two early strikes in the seventh and 12th minutes from Marlon Nedd and Jeremy Garreth respectively put Queenstown on the back foot early.

Kelsey Benjamin replied for Queenstown in the 24th minute, while Shamar Barrow raised Chase’s advantage to 3-1 at the end of the first half.

Simeon Moore would put the game out of reach for Queenstown with a goal in the 66th minute, while Benjamin would score for a double in the 67th minute for Queenstown.

The final game of the day saw Chase Academy steamrolling Queenstown Secondary for a 4-2 win and a semi-final berth. Chase shared the ball well, which resulted in four different scorers contributing to the outcome of the game.

Upcoming World Cup matches (with Guyana time) Today: 1st semifinal, New Zealand v South Africa, 21:00h Wednesday: 2nd Semifinal, Australia v India, 23:30h

Wayne Murray in the 68th and 78th minutes, MLC seemed unstoppable

start of the tournament.

Dover

the