Guyana Times Daily

Glenn Lall threatens Khurshid Sattaur

saturDaY, august 30, 2014 | guYanatimesgY.com

Labourer feared dead after plunging into canal

Alabourer attached to the Barama Company Limited, Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara, who could not swim is feared dead after he plunged into a nearby black water canal in the area Friday afternoon.

Up to late that evening, the body of Shawn “Denzil” Hopkinson, 22, of Timehri, East Bank Demerara was not found. A search party consisting of relatives, colleagues and public-spirited citizens searched for several hours, but to no avail.

As a result of the moss in the canal, an excavator was used to clear the area, but the search party came up empty-handed.

According to information received, the young man and his colleagues left the worksite about 11:00h and went to the ball field to get some practice since they were scheduled to play a cricket competition on Friday afternoon.

After practicing, the group of young men went to the nearby canal to “clean up” in preparation for the fun day which was slated to start at 15:00h.

Hopkinson’s colleagues were already in the canal when he decided to jump.

As he jumped, he went under the water and ultimately under the moss and never resurfaced.

Some of his colleagues went to his rescue, but he was nowhere to be found. They immediately raised an alarm, resulting in senior officers rushing to the scene.

A supervisor told Guyana Times that after the incident, he made a report to the Timehri Police Station and alerted the man's relatives, including his mother, who rushed to the scene and joined the search party.

The Supervisor explained that due to the Day of Sport, the workers were allowed to leave work earlier than the stipulated time. He said that he was in office when he received the devastating news. He along with other officials went to the scene where they saw a group of workers searching under the thick moss.

The company will lend its support to the family, the Supervisor said.

Lawmen urged to take fight to sex offenders

By Svetlana MarShall

The Human Services and Social Security Ministry and the Guyana Police Force are working closely to ensure the full implementation of the Sexual Offences Act of 2010. Through a process of education, they intend to reduce the number of cases thrown out of the court due to the lack of evidence.

On Friday, the Human Services Ministry commenced a Sexual Offences Training Programme at the Felix Austin Police College, but it got off to quite an ironic start as only a handful of the target group turned up to the session one hour after it was slated to begin.

As she awaited the arrival of ranks of the Guyana Police Force, the Human Services Minister Jenifer Webster told the reporters that the two-day programme targets “frontline” Policemen and women who are often called upon to investigate rape, sexual assault, child molestation and other sexual offences.

By understanding the law, Minister Webster said Police officers would be able to effectively process cases, allowing for timely prosecutions at the level of the court. Ranks are therefore being brought up to speed with the Standard Operating Procedures

(SOPs) that would reduce the risk of sexual offences cases being dismissed because of the lack of evidence or breach in protocols.

At the level of the Human Services Ministry, she said the Child Care and Protection Agency has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Child Link and Forward Guyana for the creation of a child-friendly environment for the provision of evidence by children who have suffered at the hands of offenders.

Greater role

Even as the Human Services Ministry builds its partnership with the Guyana Police Force, Minister Webster said Guyanese should play a greater role in the fight against sex crimes, especially those committed against children.

Residents, she said often turn a blind eye to crimes committed against children and women.

“People in communities have knowledge and it is only when something seriously happens, then you hear, oh well you know

the father was interfering with the child all the time or he was beating her all the time,” the Minister explained.

This challenge, she said, can be overcome with knowledgeable residents filing complaints at neighbouring Police stations or at the Child Care and Protection Agency.

Hotline

“The Child Care and Protection Agency has a hotline, you can call it… sexual violence, domestic violence and interpersonal violence is everybody’s business.”

In addition to clamping down on sexual offenders, the Human Services Minister told the press that more parents would be prosecuted for neglecting their children. Through an ongoing campaign, the Ministry has found a number of cases where children were left unsupervised for extensive periods.

“We have gone to homes, couple in Sophia where we have found children living in very terrible circumstances, parents have abandoned them. In another

case, one child was at home cooking and a 10-yearold was left with a small baby… but we will be sending a strong message to parents this year,” the Human Services Minister said.

The Child Care and Protection Agency Director Ann Greene also echoed similar sentiments.

“We want more parents to be charged for offences, many times we rescue the children and we have the children in protective care, but the parents they have a duty and responsibility to provide protection and care for their children,” Greene said.

Alluding specifically to the training programme, she said the Guyana Police Force has made significant strides in the handling of sexual offences cases involving children, but said there is room for improvement. It was explained that it is important for key aspects of the Sexual Offences Act to be understood by ranks of the Guyana Police Force who investigate such cases. The training programme will conclude today. (svetlanam@guyanatimesgy.com)

Accused robber beaten to death

Aman who was accused of snatching a handbag belonging to a teacher was on Friday afternoon beaten to death by public-spirited citizens at Samatha Point, Grove, East Bank Demerara.

The dead man was identified as Eldon Sampson, 25, of Craig Old Road, East Bank Demerara.

According to information received, the man’s lifeless body was discovered about 10:45h with several bodily injuries.

Guyana Times understands that the man snatched a teacher’s bag while she was walking along the Samatha access road. He was reportedly riding a bicycle at the time.

Reports stated that after the snatching, the teacher raised an alarm and several persons ran to her rescue.

Several persons went in pursuit of the bandit and caught up with him at one of the cross streets. The teacher’s bag was recovered in the man’s possession. He was given a sound trashing by the men and left to die on the roadway.

As the news spread about the incident, person in the area confirmed that Sampson is a known bandit. The Police, in a statement on Friday, said Sampson was recently released from prison after serving a sentence for robbery under arms.

At the home of the dead man, his father told reporters that his son was at home earlier in the day and he had warned him not to leave the house since they were doing some construction.

He said after he got news that his son’s body was found, it was only them he realised that he had left the yard.

Samson also confirmed that his son was involved in a previous incident that required him visiting the Police station.

He said when he reached the scene, the body was already removed. His body was subsequently taken to the Lyken’s Funeral Home and is awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Child Care and Protection Agency Director Ann Greene addressing the gathering

OPENINGS

WEATHER TODAY

Granger told to return missing weapons

President Donald Ramotar is calling on Opposition Leader

David Granger to return the 155 weapons that went missing from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) while he was the Commander, after being issued to the People’s National Congress (PNC) Government in the 1970s.

At a media conference on Friday at the Office of the President, Ramotar said he expects Granger would make some genuine effort to return the weapons. “I know that when some of the weapons were missing that some of the present-day activists in the PNC, one was heading the army and one was heading the Police Force, so maybe they can help now. We know where the weapons went and how they can get it back to us,” he said.

On Tuesday at the

Commission of Inquiry into the death of Historian and Working People’s Alliance (WPA) Leader, Dr Walter Rodney, it was revealed that of the 237 weapons issued by the GDF in the 1970s to the PNC, some 155 weapons were still outstanding. This revelation was made by head of the Intelligence (G2) Unit of the GDF, Lieutenant Colonel Sydney James, as he also testified that while those guns have not yet been recovered, no word has been given for searches to be carried out for their recovery.

President Ramotar noted that in many cases, those missing weapons and ones that went missing subsequently were found in the hands of the criminal community.

“During the crime spree, the 31 AK-47s that went missing – this is a lot of weapons that are out there at this point in time and these weapons have found themselves in the hands of criminals. Already you have seen from that bunch that was given to the PNC, that some were found in the hands of criminals when you had the shootout at Mahaica/ Mahaicony during the crime spree,” the President said. In 2008, following a shootout with criminals, the Police recovered a number of weapons and ammunition, which were traced to those issued by the Army to Wilfred Skeete on July 6, 1978

and to Robert Corbin on May 19, 1976, under the National Development Ministry.

Ramotar stressed that “… the five escapees made their break, they didn’t break and enter into any army, but yet they were very, very wellequipped with weapons.”

The President noted that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has been saying, for a long time, there is a connection between the Opposition party and crime in Guyana.

He even opined that the situation in Buxton would not have lasted as long as it did,

had there not been political support in the community to drive the illegal activities. The President continued that his Government was now left to struggle with the impact that the era of crime has left on the country. He ex-

pressed his satisfaction with the fact that all of these details are being revealed at the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry, particularly that the weapons given to the PNC are being found in the criminal community.

“The Leader of the Opposition likes to talk about Commissions of Inquiry of everything else other than those things that are important for the country,” the President stated. Additionally, Ramotar disclosed that over the years, his government has made a lot of efforts to locate the missing weapons.

He noted that law enforcement agencies are continuously engaged in efforts to recoup not only these weapons but all the illegal weapons on the road. “All the illegal weapons in society, all the illegal weapons in the hands of criminals, it is the task of the law enforcement agencies to continuously work to try and get them back,” he mentioned.

Questioned about whether anyone was penalised for not being able to relocate the missing weapons, the President responded in the negative, saying no one was disciplined in his time. He further stated that he has not questioned former Army Leaders Joe Singh and Michael Atherly, stating that they probably do not have any information other than what is already known in public.

No urgency on “snap elections” – President says PPP/C will regain majority

President Donald Ramotar has contended that there is still much time available to deal with the issue of snap elections in Guyana and take further action on the no-confidence motion.

Responding to questions posed by the media at a press briefing on Friday, the President said that there is no hurry to set any election date, as the matter comes up in October and he does not want to deal with it prematurely.

Speaking on the issue of a National Front Alliance, Ramotar posited that his party has always been open to such; however, he added that it seems as though this is not a concept favoured by other political parties.

“From the moment the PPP [People’s Progressive Party] was split in 1955, we have constantly been working to bring in people to work together, but unfortunately, some people pay lip service to this whole question of joint governance, because how do you want to have joint governance and we can’t pass the Anti-Money Laundering Bill? What kind of Government

would that be? Would that be a Government that is designed to stall development and progress of the country?” he questioned.

Confidence

On the other hand, Ramotar remains confident that his party will return with a majority Government should elections be held.

“I am sure that whenever elections are held, whether it be held tomorrow, whether it be held next week, whether it be held next year, whether it be held 2016 that PPP will regain majority in the National Assembly. I am very confident and have no doubt in my mind about that,” he noted.

The President also expressed his concerns about the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE), which has been reportedly padded. He pointed out that the list includes names of some persons who had died even before the house-to-house registration process in 2008, including former President Arthur Chung. He rubbished the notion proffered that may be the former President’s death was not reported to the Guyana

Elections Commission by the Registrar’s Office. Ramotar said that he was yet to receive any proper explanations about the inconsistencies, as he urged GECOM to rectify the issues with the lists. He went on to say while there are possibilities for legal action to be taken to challenge the PLE, he cannot say whether it is a course of action his Government would take.

In addition, the President was asked whether Government will be seek-

ing direction from the judiciary in its approach to deal with the no-confidence motion brought against it by the Alliance For Change (AFC) and subsequently supported by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). Over the past few weeks, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has complained vociferously about the PLE complied by GECOM, claiming that it was padded in favour of the Opposition.

President Donald Ramotar

Opposition Leader David Granger

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

Hinterland education

Education Month has dawned upon us again, providing an opportunity to reflect and strategise to overcome the challenges in the sector, and to celebrate the achievements made. This year, the occasion is being observed against the backdrop of improvements at both the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, even though the results indicate that much is still to be done.

From the programme planned, it appears that the Education Ministry is moving away from the concentration of activities in Central Georgetown, to the far-flung regions, notably Regions One and Seven. The month will open with an interfaith service in Region Seven on August 31, followed by a grand launching in Region One.

The view from above

The launching in Region One is a commendable move as there are a large number of people, including public event planners, who even in this digital age, still appear to see Georgetown as Guyana. But more importantly, it is an indication that the Ministry is placing attention on two regions, which have the highest failure rates at the NGSA and the CSEC examinations.

Though access to education in these regions in recent years has improved significantly, students’ results have been a sordid saga. However, there have been some encouraging signs that much better can be achieved, if much attention and resources are allocated to schools there. A case in point is the performance of Khary Boyer of North West Secondary, Region One, who scored 11 Grade Ones and a Grade Two at the recent CSEC examinations.

In fact, the aspiring Geologist was also quick to point out that too often many believe that only students from City schools do well, noting that he studied diligently, and with the help of extra lessons, he was able to prove them wrong. Boyer is probably one of many hinterland students who have the drive and enthusiasm to excel, and it is important that the Education Ministry work aggressively to provide the enabling environment for these students to realise their full potential.

And to its credit, the Ministry has recently rolled out a Hinterland Education Enhancement Programme, with the aim of improving students there. It is also commendable that the Ministry, a few years ago, made a decision that all teachers from the hinterland who completed studies at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) must return and serve their respective regions. The objective is to springboard learners’ outcomes.

What is important now is for the Ministry to stick to its game plan, matching its rhetoric with meaningful action. For far too long, the top achievers in the country have been mainly from Georgetown. The time is now for greater attention be paid to hinterland schools so that students there can be among the national cream of the crop. Similar attention needs to be placed on Region Eight, which is also noted for churning out poor results at the NGSA and CSEC examinations.

Given the high dropout rates, one gets the impression that education in these regions is being treated more like a pastime than a priority, as the majority of youths there are seeing a better life in earning big cash working in the mines, than being in school.

The problem with this sort of lifestyle is that with the youths earning huge sums of money and without any proper guidance from adults, they quickly become exposed to the various ills of society such as drugs, sex and alcohol, ruining their lives in the process.

Some of the dropouts, who do not go to the mines, turn to crime. These are some of the issues the Education Ministry, with the help of parents and community leaders, need to address, or they will be failing the youths in these communities. And with strong support, the vision of the theme of Education Month 2014 “Literacy by Grade Four through consistent home, school and community involvement” would not be a distant reality.

Waiting to see what position Goolsarran, Ram will take

Dear Editor,

I applaud the recent exposé about the local publisher at the centre of duty-free concession scam, which uncovered the alleged corrupt practices of the pseudo whistleblower. The report clearly showed how one family reportedly defrauded the Government and people of Guyana millions of dollars in taxes.

The local proverb of “if you live in a glass house, you shouldn’t throw stones at others” comes to

mind with Glenn Lall and the scandalous tabloid he runs. Lall, I am sure, will not comment on the issue of a corrupt practice uncovered which involves himself. But this comes as no surprise to those of us who recall the US Government labelling him in the WikiLeaks Cables as having a firm hand on criminality.

One can only hope that the advocates of transparency and anti-corruption, including the ever watchful Annand Goolsarran

and his organisation Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc (TIGI), will condemn this shameful display of disrespect to both the people and Government of Guyana.

I am waiting to see what public position Goolsarran and Christopher Ram are going to take on this issue.

Will they condemn Glenn Lall for the blatant public fraud they have committed against the people of Guyana? Will Goolsarran be fair and balanced, or will he continue to profess

that he is a crusader for transparency?

This band of friends is known for piously promoting their collective political ambitions.

Let’s see what Goolsarran and Ram will say now that there is reportedly clear proof that the public and the Government have been blatantly robbed of tax dollars, allegedly by their friend.

Sincerely, Andrea Singh

We should share our views about the current situation

Dear Editor,

Looking at the mind-set of the Opposition, as any other country, Guyana has its own share of issues. But as a citizen of this country I definitely must convey what our country is facing due to the lack of expression from fellow citizens who feel they don’t have the importance to speak out, or in this case speak up.

As citizens and taxpayers, we should share our views about the current situation of our country. We are not being treated fairly.

The Opposition instigates the “race” card.

Instead of inculcate excellent strategies to empower our young and old people, so that good sense will prevail and a proper and brighter generation will befit our homeland, they themselves are ruining every standard that is being met to help Guyana move forward.

They don’t have the ability to rule our country, they behave as wild animals. I personally don’t think the Opposition can govern this

country, take a look at all the projects they have destroyed, jobs, families, etc. Is this what we want everyday?

Also, amid the escalating war of words, there is need for the formulation of a system for APNU and AFC to curb political violence, which could even be obligatory by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

The PPP/C has come out strongly against political violence. Parliament should pass a resolution on aban-

doning the cult of violence by everyone, as it destroys the fabric of secularism and parliamentary democracy.

The PPP/C and most citizens of Guyana, especially the ones affected, condemned the culture of political violence of all brands. Such violence has destroyed the basic foundation of democracy in this country.

We must stand in solidarity for a violent free environment.

R Persaud

Use of photos without permission

We refer to a letter by Mr Trevor Pemberton in relation to the use of his photos by Guyana Times. We thank him for expressing his concern about the unauthorised use of

these photos and for his time on a phone call made to him.

The individual who made the decision to print the photos is no longer part of Guyana Times

We again sincerely apologise to Mr Pemberton.

Daniel

Singh, General Manager

An overhead shot of frontier mining community Port Kaituma surrounded by the majestic jungle (Jomo Paul photo)

Guyanese New Yorkers and India’s Independence

Dear Editor, India’s independence (August 15, 1947) has had a historical significance for Guyanese and people of all Caribbean nations, as it paved the way for the Region’s political independence. And in fact, IndoGuyanese and other IndoCaribbean people supported India’s independence struggle from their home soil, the Region where they were domiciled in plantation life.

In New York, IndoGuyanese, Jamaicans, Trinis and Surinamese partook in celebrations marking India’s independence from Great Britain.

India’s freedom struggle and its model for home rule served as a model for Caribbean people to fight for their own self-rule and independence from colonialism in the 1940s through the 1960s. The freedom of India in 1947 set the stage for the independence of colonies around the globe.

Not surprisingly, many Guyanese and Trinis turned up at India’s Independence Day celebration in New York last Sunday to mark the country’s 68th Independence Day. That was the 35th annual parade.

I was here at the inception with Arjune Karshan, Vassan Ramracha, Baytoram Ramharack, and other freedom warriors fighting for Guyana’s liberation from PNC misrule, and Trinis turned out in significant numbers to catch a glimpse of their favourite Bollywood stars.

Bollywood personality Sunny Deol, son of popular actor Dharmendra, was the star attraction this year among a few others at the parade which drew tens of thousands of people on Madison Avenue. Previous parades had bigger draws like Hema Malini, Amitabh, Jeetendra, Madhuri, Preity Zinta, etc.

India’s Independence was also marked at several temples (being on a Sunday) where there were patriotic bhajans and songs as well as the singing of the Indian national anthem.

The desire for India to become a free nation propelled many Indo-Caribbean peoples since the late 1900s to identify with the “Quit India” movement and the struggle to free India of British rule.

And later, the freedom of India would pave the way for the freedom of the Caribbean colonies. For example, Dr Cheddi Jagan modelled his style of polit-

ical struggle for Guyana’s liberation on that of Jawaharlall Nehru.

Today, many New Yorkbased Guyanese and Trinis take pride in participating in India’s Independence celebrations as they also do in their own countries’ independence ceremonies in NY.

The Consulate General (CG) of Trinidad held a reception last Thursday evening to mark her country’s Independence at which prominent personalities were invited, including this writer. The CG of Guyana also normally attends celebrations of Guyana’s Independence though the Government never really hosts the kind of reception held by the CG of Trinidad and Tobago or Jamaica.

Because of their gratitude for what has been done for them, Indo-Caribbean people fervently participate in the India Day parade and attend or organise other festivities celebrating that country’s achievement.

They also attended flaghoisting ceremonies organised by the various community organisations and several usually attend a reception hosted by the India Consulate. Guyanese and Trinis have been participating in the annual India Day parade over the years. There is no similar parade for any Caribbean nation except the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Almost every major country has an Independence Day parade in New York. Trinis mark their country’s Independence with a banquet dinner and/or a cultural variety show. The CG of Trinidad also hosts celebrations for community leaders and the media. There is no similar event for Guyanese community leaders.

The India Day parade started out small and grew in size and stature over the years attracting American politicians including Mayors, Senators, Governors and Members of Congress. Indo-Caribbean people feel at home participating in the parade.

Today, there is very active involvement of Guyanese and Trinis (Kali, Prita Singh, etc) in the parade, joining floats and sporting banners and putting in dance performances. Vishnu Bandhu, Pandit Ramlall, Ramesh Kalicharran and I, among others, sponsored floats relating to the struggle for free and fair elections in Guyana during the 1980s.

The parade has become a major attraction in the city, drawing tens of thousands of spectators and is among

the major cultural events in the city’s calendar of events. The celebration this year kicked off with the traditional singing of both the American and Indian national anthems.

Speeches and salutations from politicians and star personalities stressed the importance of Indian freedom from British colonialism as people were reminded of the sacrifices made for independence.

Speakers also commended India’s newly elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he will lead India to a great future. Indo-Caribbeans expressed tremendous hopes and expectations in Modi to transform India in to a great nation.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

Ram should familiarise himself with the GFC Act

Dear Editor, It seems as though the Kaieteur News in its misleading campaign against Bai Shan Lin Logging and the forestry sector had run out of misinformation when they republished Christopher Ram’s comments on Janette Bulkan and John Palmer’s criticisms of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) Annual Reports for the years 2005-2012.

Ram said that the GFC illegally paid over to NICIL $600 million. Let me again advise Ram that he should familiarise himself with the GFC Act that allows the Commission to manage its own resources and to make payments being a statutorily incorporated entity.

I have noted as well that APNU’s Carl Greenidge is concerned about the Commissioner of Forests’ handling of foreign companies.

Greenidge was the Finance Minister in the PNC Government when it was voted out of office in 1992, leaving Guyana in social and economic ruin and misery. He should have been the last to speak on the forestry sector’s management or the management of any productive sector in Guyana.

Further, can Greenidge say if the PNC Government ever provided annual reports for the forestry sector? And did the PNC Government ever consult with the Guyanese people when it issued the Barama Company 1.1 million hectares of forest lands?

Ram asks “in whose interest are GFC and Government acting… Bai Shan Lin or Guyana”? The problem with Ram is that

he is part of the misinformation campaign against the GFC and Bai Shan Lin. But can Ram say if he was a consultant to one of the joint venture arrangements that had connections to the Bulkans some years back?

Guyana’s so called “new political dispensation” has caused some to become apostles of transparency and anti-corruption. In this regard, they will have to be prepared for the boomerang effect which will only expose the hypocrisy of the political Opposition in their mischievous power-hungry campaign.

A few days ago, it was alleged that a publisher of one of the newspapers in Guyana, an advocate of anti-corruption is at the centre of a duty-free concession scam. On this matter, where are the other advocates of anti-corruption in the political Opposition? It seems that on this alleged scam they are in total silence, but not silent to provide gross misinformation in the Opposition sections of the media about the forestry sector. The recent Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc (TIGI) column is an example.

Did the TIGI seek clarification from the GFC before writing its columns about the forestry sector before arriving at its absolutely unqualified assumptions and conclusions? By the way, who is telling TIGI what to write in its columns on forest matters? The inaccurate information presented is simply being recycled to the political opposition and its lackeys.

Yours respectfully, Peter Persaud

Participants march on Madison Avenue during the annual India Day Parade on Sunday, August 17, 2014. The parade celebrates India’s independence from the British Empire in 1947 (Newsday)

Page Foundation

The neuroscience behind stress and learning

BY JUDY WILLIS, MD

The realities of standardised tests and increasingly structured, if not synchronised, curriculum continue to build classroom stress levels. Neuroimaging research reveals the disturbances in the brain’s learning circuits and neurotransmitters that accompany stressful learning environments. The neuroscientific research about learning has revealed the negative impact of stress and anxiety and the qualitative improvement of the brain circuitry involved in memory and executive function that accompanies positive motivation and engagement.

The proven effects of positive motivation

Thankfully, this information has led to the development of brain-compatible strategies to help students through the bleak terrain created by some of the current trends imposed by standardised tests. With brain-based teaching strategies that reduce classroom anxiety and increase student connection to their lessons, educators can help students learn more effectively.

In the past two decades, neuroimaging and brainmapping research have provided objective support to the student-centred educational model. This brain research demonstrates that

superior learning takes place when classroom experiences are relevant to students’ lives, interests, and experiences. Lessons can be stimulating and challenging without being intimidating, and the increasing curriculum requirements can be achieved without stress, anxiety, boredom, and alienation as the pervasive emotions of the school day.

During my 15 years of practising adult and child neurology with neuroimaging and brain mapping as part of my diagnostic tool kit, I worked with children and adults with brain function disorders, including learning differences. When I then returned to university to obtain my credential and Masters of Education degree, these familiar neuroimaging tools had become available to education researchers. Their widespread use in schools and classrooms globally has yet to occur.

release of neurotransmitters that increase executive function and attention. Relevant lessons help students feel that they are partners in their education, and they are engaged and motivated.

We live in a stressful world and troubled times, and that is not supposed to be the way for children to grow up. Schools can be the safe haven where academic prac-

Neuroimaging and EEG studies

Studies of electrical activity (EEG or brain waves) and metabolic activity (from specialised brain scans measuring glucose or oxygen use and blood flow) show the synchronisation of brain activity as information passes from the sensory input processing areas of the somatosensory cortex to the reticular activating and limbic systems. For ex-

late or impede communication between the parts of the brain when information is processed and stored. In other words, properly applied, we can identify and remove barriers to student understanding!

This brain research demonstrates that superior learning takes place when classroom experiences are motivating and engaging. Positive motivation impacts brain metabolism, conduction of nerve impulses through the memory areas, and the

tices and classroom strategies provide children with emotional comfort and pleasure as well as knowledge. When teachers use strategies to reduce stress and build a positive emotional environment, students gain emotional resilience and learn more efficiently and at higher levels of cognition.

ample, bursts of brain activity from the somatosensory cortex are followed milliseconds later by bursts of electrical activity in the hippocampus, amygdala, and then the other parts of the limbic system. This data from one of the most exciting areas of brainbased learning research gives us a way to see which techniques and strategies stimu-

The amygdala is part of limbic system in the temporal lobe. It was first believed to function as a brain centre for responding primarily to anxiety and fear. Indeed, when the amygdala senses threat, it becomes over-activated. In students, these neuroimaging findings in the amygdala are seen with feelings of helplessness and anxiety. When the amygdala is in this state of stressinduced overactivation, new sensory information cannot pass through it to access the memory and association circuits.

This is the actual neuroimaging visualisation of what has been called the affective filter by Stephen Krashen and others. This term describes an emotional state of stress in students during which they are not responsive to learning and storing new information. What is now evident on brain scans during times of stress is objective physical evidence of

this affective filter. With such evidence-based research, the affective filter theories cannot be disparaged as “feelgood education” or an “excuse to coddle students” – if students are stressed out, the information cannot get in. This is a matter of science.

This affective state occurs when students feel alienated from their academic experience and anxious about their lack of understanding. Consider the example of the decodable “books” used in phonics-heavy reading instruction. These are not engaging and motivating. They are usually not relevant to the students’ lives because their goal is to include words that can be decoded based on the lesson. Decodability is often at the expense of authentic meaning to the child. Reading becomes tedious and, for some children, confusing and anxiety-provoking. In this state, there is reduced passage of information through the neural pathways from the amygdala to higher cognitive centres of the brain, including the prefrontal cortex, where information is processed, associated, and stored for later retrieval and executive functioning.

Additional neuroimaging studies of the amygdala, hippocampus, and the rest of the limbic system, along with measurement of dopamine and other brain chemical transmitters during the learning process, reveal that students’ comfort level has critical impact on information transmission and storage in the brain. The factors that have been found to affect this comfort level such as selfconfidence, trust and positive feelings for teachers, and supportive classroom and school communities are directly related to the state of mind compatible with the most successful learning, remembering, and higher-order thinking.

The power of joyful learning

The highest-level executive thinking, making connections, and “aha” moments of insight and creative innovation are more likely to occur in an atmosphere of what Alfie Kohn calls exuberant discovery, where students of all ages retain that kindergarten enthusiasm of embracing each day with the joy of learning. With current research and data in the field of neuroscience, we see growing opportunities to coordinate the design of curriculum, instruction, and assessment in ways that will reflect these incredible discoveries.

Joy and enthusiasm are absolutely essential for learning to happen – literally, scientifically, as a matter of fact and research. Shouldn’t it be our challenge and opportunity to design learning that embraces these ingredients? (www. edutopia.org)

WWF looking to intensify CMRV in Guyana

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Guianas in an effort to intensify the Community Measurement Reporting and Verification (CMRV) system hosted a South-South international exchange workshop over the past week.

The workshop was a collaborative effort by the WWF, the WWF’s Forest Carbon Programme (FCP), the Global Canopy Programme (GCP) and the Global Forest Observation Initiative’s Silva Carbon Programme.

It was held from August 23-28 at the Roraima Arrowpoint Resort to allow participants easy access to the forest, where they demonstrated their innovative techniques and equipment.

At a press briefing prior to the departure of the participants on Friday, WWF Country Manager, Dr Patrick Williams said Guyana was chosen for the workshop due to its leadership role as the first country in the world with a functioning national-scale MRV system and a pair of model CMRV projects.

Williams pointed out that one of the projects saw the development of a CMRV system in 16 communities of North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB) and the second project is in the Wai Wai community of Kanashen where the NRDDB is training residents to develop their own CMRV capacity.

Jon Parsons, a Digital Producer at Global Canopy Programme, was also a part of the workshop. He not-

ed that during the workshop, they focused on capacity building in communities, where they conducted trainings on how to use technology to gather data. The GCP representative said he can walk away now since they are proud of the work they would have done.

“I can walk away from the countries in that area feeling that not only they got a solid grasp of the technology that they using, but they can take the data themselves and monitor the data and understand data. I feel now they have the ability to take control of their resources and monitor their own natural resources and make much better decisions on how those natural resources are managed,” he said.

Advanced stage

Meanwhile, Natural Resources and Environment

Minister Robert Persaud said the MRV system is in the advanced stage of development and now Guyana is able to report on the national level deforestation and forest degradation. He noted that Guyana is the only country which offers a global model on how routine MRV system can be implemented in a robust, transparent and replicable manner.

Persaud noted that collaborations among international and local non-governmental organisation are crucial to maximise efforts to advance MRV activities at the community level. The Minister explained that with the replication of these MRV models, they should be

relevant to the community’s need and reflective of the technical specification and requirements for monitoring at international and national levels.

“In building such a system, we urge that consideration be given to ensuring such an effort is sustainable through the integrating of monitoring, reporting and verification elements at the community level. It is also imperative that the models being developed have the potential to be replicated at other communities in Guyana and also in similar cases, in other countries,” Persaud mentioned.

WWF International MRV Coordinator of Forest and Climate Programme, Naikoa Aguilar-Amuchastegui said the experience in Guyana was an enriching one as they got to meet with locals and share their technical ideas and strategies. He disclosed that with Guyana being the only country in the world with a MRV system, it was selected for the Reducing Emissions from the Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) Funds. The WWF representative added that the workshop allowed for the sensitisation of local participants on activities the MRV system promotes.

In addition, lead trainer of the NRDDB Sherlon Davis said they are using the CMRV to collect data on various resources and use it to identify the problems in the communities. He noted that having such data, the communities are better able to manage their resources.

Vendor lands in toilet paper trouble

A61-year-old Bourda Market vendor charged with conspiracy to defraud a toilet paper company was on Friday morning arraigned in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. It is alleged that on June 1 at Georgetown, Harold Sampson, conspiring along with others to defraud the company, collected 30,000 bales of toilet paper valued $2,407,000 from the Guyana Soft Touch Company.

Sampson, who was unrepresented by legal counsel, pleaded not guilty to the charge. Police Prosecutor Michael Grant told the court that the defendant had no prior antecedents, and did not object to bail.

Sampson was placed on $150,000 bail by presiding Magistrate Judy Latchman. He is to return to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on September 30 to face the Chief Magistrate.

Remigrant scam deepens… Glenn Lall threatens Khurshid Sattaur

Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur said last evening that publisher of Kaieteur News Glenn Lall of issued grave threats to him on the phone following the publication of a story in which he (Lall) was pin pointed in a scam robbing Government of import duty on two luxury SUVs.

The GRA is currently in the middle of an investigation in which the Government was cheated out of $40 million in import duties for vehicles that are being driven by Lall and his wife Bhena, who is the owner of Bhena's Footwear.

Sattaur told Guyana Times that Lall contacted him Friday evening in an effort to intimidate him not to pursue the investigation. But the GRA head said all the threat did was to strengthen his resolve to get to the bottom of the issue.

“Glenn Lall called me from an overseas number and threatened to expose me; he threatened to deal with me in a matter, as if I’m a thief and he’s going to do this thing because I am using my office to deal with the matters I normally deal with.

“He threatened to use his newspaper to expose me; I don’t know what wrong I am doing. If I am trying to do the Government’s work…. I don’t know why people should be upset, if they are doing wrong things they should be subject the laws as well,” explained Sattaur.

The GRA Head further told Guyana Times that from his conversation with the newspaper publisher, it would seem as though Lall considers himself above the law and not subject to the same laws as every Guyanese.

“It seems like Mr Glenn Lall is not subject to the laws

of this country like any one else,” Sattaur said.

The scandal involving Lall came to the fore after extensive investigation was done by another media house. It appears that Lall was at the centre of a remigration scam involving a Guyanese couple who returned to Guyana, importing vehicles under the guise of ownership.

Documents obtained indicate that this issue started with husband and wife Narootandeo and Gharbassi Brijnanan, who were on July 3, 2013 granted permission by the Foreign Affairs Ministry to return to Guyana as “remigrants”, along with the concomitant incentives of the scheme.

Under the remigrant programme, Guyanese who would have resided overseas for more than five years may return home with a number of benefits. These include an import duty-free waiver for vehicles, and tax exemptions for household items, once these are owned for six months or more.

As husband and wife, Narootandeo and Gharbassi Brijnanan were entitled to concessions as two separate individuals, although a joint application was submitted.

The Brijananans, on their application form, indicated

that besides household items, they were returning with two 2013 Lexus Suburban L57 vehicles, the chassis numbers of which were listed along with other required information. One chassis number however did not match what was in the original application. Lall, was listed as the closest relative of Naratootandeo Brijnanan on the application form. The Brijnanans gave as their address in Guyana 221 Number 61 Village, Corentyne Berbice. What would have occurred is that the Brijnanans successfully obtained duty-free concession for each vehicle, totalling in excess of $40 million.

The GRA License Revenue Processing System (GRA -LRPS) form indicates that the licence plate numbers for the two vehicles are PRR 8398 and PRR 8399, which are driven by Lall and his wife, Bhena. Lall has been a widely accused backtracker for some time now. He was also named by the US authorities as having translated a shoe trading business and involvement with alien smuggling into a muckraking newspaper, and has a finger firmly on the pulse of Guyana’s criminal underworld, which serves his media enterprise well.

Natural Resources Minister Robert Persaud along with local and international participants of the workshop

Harold Sampson

GRA Commissioner General

Khurshid Sattaur

Kaieteur News Publisher

Glenn Lall

Real estate agent on bail for alleged fraud

A36-year-old realtor was on Friday placed on $100,000 bail for allegedly obtaining money by fraudulent means.

Appearing at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Judy Latchman, Shawn Waaldijk, of Lot 90 Duke Street, Kingston, Georgetown stands accused of obtaining from Alisa Joseph $500,000 by falsely pretending that he was in a position to sell Lot 1473 XXIV Buxton Village, East Coast Demerara on February 18, 2013.

According to the facts of the case, Joseph was interested in buying land and her uncle suggested Waaldijk to act as a realtor.

The real estate agent subsequently took her to Buxton where he showed her the lot he claimed he had to sell.

Shawn Waaldijk

Joseph agreed to buy the land and the defendant took $500,000 from her that day.

The Virtual Complainant (VC) later went to the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission with the lot number where she was told

that the land had already been sold to someone else.

A report was made and sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice after which the defendant was later arrested and charged.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge and told the court that he had repaid the VC his portion of the monies and was waiting on the other party involved to repay the VC their share.

Waaldijk was represented by Attorney Paul Fung-AFat, who told the court that his client has been in the real estate business for 16 years and requested reasonable bail.

He also stated that the VC cannot deny his client’s statement, because the money was given to her in the presence of a Police Officer.

The prosecution objected to bail on the grounds that the defendant is currently accused of matters of a similar nature. Nevertheless, bail was granted to the defendant, who is expected to return to court on September 30.

Eyew tness

Elections drums of race...

...from AFC’s Hughes

If the race talk has gotten all hot and fiery – then elections must be in the air. And if elections are in the air – it’s not surprising the AFC’s leading the racial incitement. After all, it’s the one that’s dragging its APNU bedmate screaming and kicking down the road of the “noconfidence” vote!

And so we had Nigel Hughes, the once and future (secret) Company Secretary of the Amaila Falls Hydro – and not coincidentally, still the Chairman of the AFC –riling up the folks in Buxton-Friendship.

You heard that right...Buxton-Friendship, where the audience was chock-full of the now grown-up “childsoldiers” from the days of the Douglas-Fineman gang. He finally explained the AFC’s understanding of “power sharing”. The criminal lawyer confessed: “(Keeping all power constitutionally) may be in our interest if we are in power, but it’s certainly against our interest if we are out of power.”

Talk about Machiavellian expediency!!! “Power Sharing” is only convenient when “we” are out of power – otherwise, keep the dictatorship rolling, baby!! The million-dollar question, which should be of interest to other AFC supporters – and other Guyanese – is, who’s the “we” Hughes was talking about?? Well, he was in front of a “Black Consciousness Forum”, explicitly declaring he was speaking about African Guyanese.

So this shameless wanker’s saying to this multiethnic nation it would’ve been OK if African Guyanese had held on to power after Burnham’s 28 years of rigging!! Like Hamilton Green at the time, he even criticised his Godfather Desmond Hoyte for accepting the 1992 elections results. “Before WE gave up power... WE should have changed the Constitution.”

But we hope that African Guyanese will not fall for this demagogic rhetoric that has come their way ever since they were given the vote. Ambitious politicians from their community have showed no compunction in talking about “WE”, when all they’re concerned about is to get the “I” into power. And look what that Pied Piper named Forbes Burnham did to them!

Let’s look at one contradiction from Hughes’ forked tongue. Back when he was defending Freddie Kissoon’s libellous statements against Bharrat Jagdeo, he complained that the latter’s administration was throwing out African Guyanese from their home in the Public Service. But at Buxton-Friendship, he criticised those same African Guyanese Public Servants for fostering the now supposedly pernicious notion: “the State will always provide for us”!!!

Anything to play the race card, no?? Look for Ramjattan and Nagamootoo to play the other face of the card in Berbice!

...against East Indians

One of the sickest features of the politicians that’ve climbed the backs of ordinary African Guyanese for their own ambitions is to “sic” them on other Guyanese. Especially from other communities. In the 19th Century, it was the Portuguese – with the Angel Gabriel Riots and all. Then in the 20th Century, it was against the East Indians. Think Wismar.

Politicians like Hughes are full of “diagnosis” and “analysis” – but completely unwilling to stick to the course to implement their fancily-worded ideas. Hughes glibly talks about “teaching entrepreneurship”. He’s made enough money to last 10 lifetimes – and we’re not even including his father’s fortune which he inherited.

So how come he doesn’t open up an institute to teach Entrepreneurship? And then use all the connections he has to get the graduates jobs and start-ups?? But no. All he can say is “East Indian Guyanese have so entrenched themselves economically since the PPP/C took office in 1992 that it would be difficult for blacks to compete EVEN IF THEY REGAINED POLITICAL POWER.”

So what’s he telling those youths of BuxtonFriendship?? Forget politics?? Seize wealth by whatever means necessary??

...but self-exculpation

Hughes complained: “The situation in African villages was worsened by the inward migration of political thinkers and leaders from villages to cities.” So he’s selling Sidewalk Cafe and the mansion at New Providence and returning to Berbice??

GNIC completes construction of Hope Canal sluice gates

The Guyana National Industrial Company (GNIC) on Friday said it has completed the construction of the eight sluice gates and accompanying guides for the Atlantic end of the Hope Canal currently under construction.

The completely stainless steel sluice gates were constructed in the company’s shipyard located on Lombard Street within the prescribed two-month contract deadline, GNIC said in a statement.

According to GNIC’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Clinton Williams, the delicate construction was completed under the close supervision of Gilbert BM Corlette, a highly certified and very experienced welding/fabrication Quality Assurance Engineer.

Ready

The gates and guides have been ready to be transported to their intended locations since the beginning of August.

GNIC was sub-contracted earlier this year by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to construct the sluice doors and the guides that will facilitate their smooth vertical movement when the US$15 million Hope Canal project goes into operation to alleviate flooding in the Mahaica/ Mahaicony/Abary (MMA) areas.

Williams pointed out that the GNIC Shipyard is wellequipped for a wide range of construction works, from ship building and ship repairs to maintenance of riverine and ocean-going vessels of all categories.

For decades, the company, formerly the GNEC, has been working in collaboration with the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) and

the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD). On various occasions, GNIC was called upon to do major structural repairs to the T&HD ferries, tugs, barges and other motor vessels, including privately owned ones that ply Guyana’s rivers and tributaries.

The completion of the Hope Canal has been affected by a series of delays. Last month, Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy had told Guyana Times that the EDWC Hope Canal Project is expected to be completed by the end of June.

However, this deadline could not have been met due to several delays.

Minister Ramsammy later told this newspaper that all the time-consuming work has been completed, and only a small percentage of the work remains.

He added too that while he cannot give a specific date as to when the project is expected to be completed, he is scheduled to meet with the Engineers to fix a date.

Within budget

The Agriculture Minister noted that while the $3 billion project has experienced several delays, it has not exceeded its initial budget.

Dr Ramsammy noted that with the completion of the bridge, half of the project’s work is done. He disclosed that the head regulator of the eight-door sluice is 98 per cent completed while the outer sluice is 85 per cent completed.

Most of the work is also done on the Canal; however, there are some areas in the canal that were not dug. The Minister explained that this is because persons, mostly students, from the neighbouring community use those

areas as a short cut to get to Anns Grove via Douch Four, and if the canal was completely dug out, then students would have had to walk all the way around using the public road.

Dr Ramsammy noted that a walk bridge will be built connecting the Hope New Scheme to Douch Four so that students would not have to face difficulties in getting access to their schools.

He added that the bridge was not budgeted for, so the funds would have to be acquired.

Up to early July, a wrench was being acquired for the head regulator of the eight-door sluice, which Dr Ramsammy had said has been purchased from a USbased company.

Installation

The wrench will be placed at the top of the regulator to help lift the gate of the sluice and will take approximately half of a day to be installed.

As it relates to the outer sluice, the Agriculture Minister explained that the major foundation work has been completed; however, whatever small works left to done have been delayed by the rain.

Additionally, a gate has to be installed and a walkway has to be built at the top of the sluice for the workers to access. Dr Ramsammy further stated that the current head regulator is manually operated.

However, sometime in the near future, the Ministry would change it to an automated system. The EDWC Hope Canal Project is an initiative of the Government to prevent excessive flooding along the EDWC, an area prone to floods, particularly after heavy rainfall.

Mara, Tapakuma farmers complete exchange programme

Executive members of the Mara Farmers Association (MFA) concluded a twoday exchange visit to the Tapakuma Women’s Farmers in Region Two.

Activities of the exchange includes members of the visiting group participating in the Region Two local economic development planning and advisory committee meeting held at the Regional Democratic Council boardroom, and several farm visits in the Tapakuma mission.

Regional Executive Officer Sunil Singh welcomes the delegation and encourages both groups to utilise the opportunity for maximum knowledge sharing and exchange of best practices.

CARILED National Country Coordinator Dhanraj Singh explained that the exchange is one of many activities that the organisation in collaboration with the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry are supporting across various regions in Guyana to support local economic development in communities.

MFA executives was impressed by the determination and courage of Tapakuma youngest female

farmer (17 years old) and provided her with financial assistance.

During the farm visits, Mara Farmers Association (MFA) President Ovid Phillips explained to all participants how to conduct simple soil test using soil samples, a container with water and litmus paper.

Mara Farmers Association Vice President Ramjagan Singh demonstrated effective planting techniques for cassava planting, extracting of new plants and planting techniques for plantain and banana and also offered technical advices on effective use of fertilisers and agro-chemicals for increase farms productivity.

Growth, production

Doreen Jacobis, Toshao of the Tapakuma mission, explained that farmers in the mission are young farmers and not so experience and the knowledge exchanged and shared with the farmers on local agricultural practices, agro-chemical utilisation, pest management and disease control will see significant growth and production in the mission.

Jacobis also shared several governance and community management prac-

tices that the mission have used for decades and have work effectively in fostering social cohesion and economic development in the mission.

CARILED is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, Canada, (DFATD). It is a six-year programme launched in May 2012, with headquarters in Trinidad and Tobago, and sub-offices in Saint Lucia (OECS) and Ottawa, Canada.

The programme is being implemented by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), in partnership with the Caribbean Association of Local Government Authorities (CALGA), the Caribbean Forum of Local Government Ministers (CFLGM) and the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF).

The programme, focused on local economic development, currently works in seven Caribbean countries to develop models of LED that can be shared throughout the region.

It aims to partner with 50 local Government authorities to support the growth and development of 500 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Farmers from Tapakuma and Mara benefitted from exchange of local agricultural technology and community governance practices

The eight stainless steel sluice gates for the Hope Dochfour Canal

Lions Club of Bartica hosts youth summer camp

The Lions Club of Bartica recently hosted its annual Youth Summer Camp, educating the young charges on a number of social issues in the community.

The camp was held at the Bartica Secondary School and saw a total of 450 children in attendance during the one-week session. These children were pulled from several nursery, primary

and secondary schools in Bartica.

They participated in a range of activities such as spelling bee competitions, reading, tie dye sessions, football camp and played some cricket. After each session, the participants were treated to refreshments.

There were also special lectures on usage of the road, proper hygiene and more importantly, keeping

their environment clean. These lectures were done during the week.

One the penultimate day of the camp, the children were taken on a trip to the Amerindian Village called Dogg Point where they interacted with children there. They also played a game of cricket and football which they won. The campers were also treated to a home cooked meal of cook up rice

and fruit juices.

At the closing ceremony, President of the Bartica Lion Club, Anthony Murray and other members of the board had discussions with the participants on their week’s activities while committing to have the event on an annual basis.

Each participant was awarded a gift for their involvement in the camp.

GDF trains ranks of St Kitts Nevis Defence Force

In the true spirit of military cooperation among Caricom states, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) continues to provide training for officers and ranks of the St Kitts and Nevis Defence Force (SKNDF).

In this regard, SKNDF Captain Peter Kayode Sutton, on August 18, graduated from the GDF’s Senior Command and Staff

Course Number 13.

In addition, Sergeants Shayne Mike and Jahmoy Gumbs recently completed training on the Drill Instructor Course.

Mike and Gumbs are now on attachment to the GDF Training Corps, where they are going to serve as members of the training staff, on the

Force’s upcoming second annual Basic Recruit Course, scheduled to commence shortly.

Their colleagues, Warrant Officer Class Two, Mervin Lewis and Sergeants Sherwin Julius and Althea France are currently students on the Senior Leader Course.

Meanwhile, Corporal Desroy Elliot, a trained mechanic and Lance Corporal Melissa Carey, a Financial Clerk, are on attachment to the GDF’s Motor Pool and Finance Department respectively.

Elliot is scheduled to commence training on the Section Commander Course while Carey is slated to train on the Junior Leader Course.

Captain Sutton says that the experiences of the Senior Command and Staff Course, built on his earlier training with the GDF when he was enlisted as an Officer Cadet back in 1999.

“This has not been a

strange experience for me. I was able to adjust rather quickly since I am already familiar with the GDF and its training environment. In actual fact, coming back on this senior course is like coming home,” he said.

“In our Defence Force, Guyana is regarded very highly for the comprehensive nature of its training. In fact, my earlier training as an Officer Cadet enabled me to successfully complete Ranger training in the USA.”

The Captain explained that many more of his colleagues and ranks from the SKNDF will be coming to Guyana to pursue training as it is recognised as a necessary element for their development in the SKNDF. He believes that the experience of training in Guyana has tremendous benefits not only for his soldiers, but also for the further development of the SKNDF.

The other soldiers of

the SKNDF say that their experiences thus far have been quite valuable. They confessed that, it has taken some getting used to Guyana and some cultural differences, but agreed that the experience is one that they will always treasure.

The relationship between the St Kitts and Nevis Defence Force goes back several decades and many officers and other ranks of the SKNDF have benefitted from training with the GDF.

In the framework of cooperation among Caribbean states, the GDF remains committed to providing members of the militaries of sister Caricom states with opportunities to gain professional development through participation in its training regimen. In this regard, on an annual basis, the GDF invites Caribbean militaries to participate in all its various training programmes.

De coverage and de cover-up

Some people does sweet talk other people when dem need a favour. Then cuss dem down when dem don’t get that favour. Or even cuss dem down after dem get the favour. That is why old people does remind young people that a friend in need is a friend indeed.

Now, it gotta newspaper man who stay just like that. He love to suck up when he want a favour. Even to foreign embassies and tings like that. He get thru wid that favour so he stay quiet. But de other day de paper man try a ting with a big company and a big man.

Since then to up to now is sheer cussin. So no body ain’t gotta ask now whah happen when he ask de big man de favour. Just remember whah does happen when a friend, who does only be a friend when he in need, ain’t get whah he want.

Old people gotta special word dem does call people like that which de Bell Crier can’t use in this newspaper. It begin with ‘N’ and end with ‘M’. And in this case when yuh consider who de name describe, it musbe all caps and bold. Well, up until now de headlines can’t done. He even stand up pun de big man wood and tek out photo, then put that in he paper. It ain’t got plenty people in life who like to pose wid next man wood like that. But this is a paper man who like put he self in he own paper.

De only change to that was de other day when he get ketch wid he pants down. And that ain’t a pretty site no matter whah is de viewer personal orientation. But that was when he own crime mek he hide from he own paper. Yet, this paper seh dem givin coverage to any crime under de sun.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! And de other paper in crime know good how to cover (up?) crime too. So dem ain’t call he yet!

Woman washed

up at Kitty Seawall “drowned” – autopsy

An autopsy performed on the body of Sharon Forde, who was washed ashore at the Kitty Seawalls on Wednesday, proved that she drowned.

The examination cleared all speculations that foul play was involved in her death.

The post-mortem was performed by Dr Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital. Troy Forde, brother of the dead woman initially suspected foul play, claiming that only a post-mortem examination would clear his doubts.

On Friday, during a telephone interview, he said that the way things are going in society, he cannot take things for granted. He said that the body has been released to the family and they are making arrangements for burial in the new week.

Forde, 45, a former City Constable of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was found on Wednesday afternoon washed up at the Kitty Seawalls. At the time of her discovery, the mother of five was unidentified but her brother made the positive identification the following day.

It was reported that the woman was mentally ill. She went missing on Tuesday morning after she walked out of her yard while her brother

went to collect a few pieces of garments. Several search exercises were launched to locate the woman but failed to locate her.

According to reports, the woman was subsequently spotted walking along the East Coast Embankment but disappeared from view. She was reportedly naked when she was seen walking aimlessly. Again, the relatives went to look for the woman but to no avail.

The brother, upon hearing the news that a body was found at the Kitty Seawalls, went to the Lyken’s Funeral Home on Thursday morning where he identified his sister’s body.

Some of the participants with camp leaders

Dead: Sharon Forde

Members of the St Kitts and Nevis Defence Force

Captain Peter Kayode Sutton

Climate change, water policies go hand-in-hand

Concerned that climate change could lead to an intensification of the global hydrological cycle, Caribbean stakeholders are working to ensure it is included in the region’s plans for Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM).

The basis of IWRM is that the many different uses of finite water resources are interdependent. High irrigation demands and polluted drainage flows from agriculture mean less freshwater for drinking or industrial use.

Contaminated municipal and industrial wastewater pollutes rivers and threatens ecosystems. If water has to be left in a river to protect fisheries and ecosystems, less can be diverted to grow crops.

Impact

Meanwhile, around the world, variability in climate conditions, coupled with new socioeconomic and environmental developments, have already started having major impacts.

The Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C), which recently brought international and regional stakeholders together for a conference in Trinidad, is aimed at better understanding the climate system and the hydrological cycle and how they are changing; boosting awareness of the impacts of climate change on society, as well as the risk and uncertainty in the context of water and climate change and especially variability; and examining adaptation options in relation to water and climate change.

“Basically we’re looking to integrate aspects of climate change and climate variability and adaptation

into the Caribbean water sector,” Natalie Boodram, Programme Manager of the Water, Climate and Development Programme (WACDEP), told IPS.

“And this is a very big deal for us because under predicted climate change scenarios we’re looking at things like drier dry seasons, more intense hurricanes, when we do get rain we are going to get more intense rain events, flooding.

“All of that presents a substantial challenge for managing our water resources. So under the GWP-C WACDEP, we’re doing a number of things to help the Region adapt to this,” she added.

Most severe

Current variability and long-term climate change impacts are most severe in a large part of the developing world, and particularly affect the poorest.

Through its Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) workshops, GWP-C provides an opportunity for partners and stakeholders to assess the stage of the IWRM process that various countries have reached and work together

Lower Pomeroon miner remanded for alleged rape

Trevon James, 22, of Lower Pomeroon River was remanded to prison on a rape charge when he appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Wakenaam Magistrate’s Court.

He was not required to plead to the indictable charge and was not represented by an Attorney.

According to Police reports, on August 24, he

broke into the house of a female and raped her twice at knife point.

The woman made a report to a nearby Police station and James was subsequently arrested and placed in Police custody.

The matter was prosecuted by Ramsewak Hiawant and the perpetrator is expected to return to court on September 22.

to operationalise IWRM in their respective countries.

IWRM is a process which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources in order to maximise economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems.

IWRM helps to protect the world’s environment, foster economic growth and sustainable agricultural development, pro-

mote democratic participation in governance, and improve human health.

GWP-C Pegional Coordinator, Wayne Joseph, said the regional body is committed to institutionalising and operationalising IWRM in the Region.

“Our major programme is the WACDEP Programme, Water and Climate Development Programme, and presently we are doing work in four Caribbean Countries –Jamaica, Antigua, Guyana and St Lucia,” he told IPS.

Gender-sensitive

“We’re gender-sensitive. We ensure that the youth are incorporated in what we do and so we provide a platform, a neutral platform, so that issues can be discussed that pertain to water and good water resources management.”

The Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN) is a non-profit, civil society body that focuses its resources on empowering Caribbean young people and their communities to develop programmes and actions to address so-

cioeconomic and environmental issues.

Rianna Gonzales, the National Coordinator of the Trinidad and Tobago Chapter, has welcomed the initiative of the GWP-C as being very timely and helpful, adding that the Region’s youth have a very important role to play in the process.

“I think it’s definitely beneficial for young people to be part of such a strategic group of people in terms of getting access to resources and experts… so that we will be better able to communicate on water related issues,” she told IPS.

Areas being addressed

The CYEN programme aims at addressing issues such as poverty alleviation and youth employment, health and HIV/ AIDS, climatic change and global warming, impact of natural disasters/hazards, improvement in potable water, conservation and waste management and other natural resource management issues.

“A very significant activity for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States has been to prepare a Water Sector Model Policy and Model Water Act which proposes to remedy the key water resources management issues through new institutional arrangements and mechanisms that include water and waste water master planning, private sector and community partnership and investment mechanisms,” GWP-C chair Judy Daniel told IPS.

IWRM has not been fully integrated in the policy, legal and planning frameworks in the Caribbean although several territories have developed/drafted IWRM policies, roadmaps and action plans. Some of these countries include Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, The Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The GWP-C said the Caribbean Region has been exposed to IWRM and it is its goal to work together with its partners and stakeholders at all levels to implement IWRM in the Caribbean.

(Caribbean360)

Beverage manufacturer Banks DIH Limited treats all waste water, making it safe for disposal into the environment (Credit: Desmond Brown/IPS)

saturDaY, august 30, 2014 | guYanatimesgY.com

New pump station for Lima village

BY INDRAWATTIE NATRAM

National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA)

Chief Executive Officer

Lionel Wordsworth said a new pump station will be established at Lima Village on the Essequibo Coast.

He said the station will be equipped with a high capacity 200 cubic feet per second pump that was obtained from the India Line of Credit.

Wordsworth was at the time speaking at a recent special farmers meeting held a Sparta on the Essequibo Coast.

He said the request for the station and high capacity pump was made by farmers for proper drainage and irrigation in the area.

The CEO said several complaints came before his office from Lima residents, particularly rice farmers, noting that they were suffering from irrigation problems.

ECLAC hosts regional consultation on accountability

– for Post-2015 Agenda

Representatives of the Region’s member states and United Nations experts meeting at the headquarters of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in Santiago, Chile, advocated a strengthening of existing regional mechanisms for the implementation and accountability of the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

his capacity as Chair of the 35th session of ECLAC.

According to the Executive Secretary, “The development agenda should have equal rights at its heart, as well as environmental sustainability and full employment. ECLAC is reaffirming that equality is the aim, structural change is the way and policy is the means.”

ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Bárcena, opened the meeting on the challenges of monitoring and accountability for the Post2015 Development Agenda in Latin America and the Caribbean, which will be held on Thursday and Friday for representatives of member states, civil society and the private sector.

He told farmers that millions of dollars on a yearly basis is being invested into the drainage and irrigation network system in Region Two, noting that the empoldering works from Kabakaburi to Jacklow is on stream.

He said the NDIA will continue to make interventions in terms of cleaning facade, clearing outfalls and desilting sluices.

Wordsworth said 3000 rice farmers from the area will benefit from the establishment of the pump station, disclosing that within three weeks, the contract will be awarded. The project will enhance the efficiency of drainage and irrigation network system in the Lima area.

The opening also featured contributions from the Regional Director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Jessica Faieta, in her capacity as Chair of the United Nations Development Group for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNDG LAC); the Secretary General’s Special Adviser on Post-2015 Development Planning, Amina Mohammed; and Luis Fernando Llanos, from Peru’s Development and Social Inclusion Ministry, in

Bárcena underlined: “We think that there are mechanisms in the Region that may be useful for accountability. At ECLAC, we have the subsidiary bodies in which member states can discuss the content and follow-up to the Post-2015 Agenda. We should take advantage of our Region’s institutional architecture as much as possible.”

ECLAC’s subsidiary bodies include the Statistical Conference of the Americas, the Regional Conference on Women, the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee, the Committee on Population and Development, the Committee of High-level Governmental Experts, the Committee on Central American Economic Cooperation and the Regional Council for Planning.

Mohammed reiterated that this meeting was in re-

sponse to a request made in June by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, to the five United Nations regional commissions to organise consultations on accountability in the Post-2015 Agenda. This must be approved by the United Nations General Assembly, and would begin to apply following the expiry of the time period for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

As part of the new agenda design, the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, which was set up in January 2013 with representatives appointed by member states, completed its work in July

and put forward 17 major focal points. The content and targets will be discussed by countries in a process that will last into next year.

Faieta emphasised that the implementation of MDGs showed that global targets do not guarantee a closing of the gaps affecting the most vulnerable population groups; there is a need to build local capacities in accordance with each society’s specific needs; and development agendas should not be based on piecemeal sectorial interventions, but rather on structural and multisectoral strategies, particularly at the national level.

Mohammed, who took part via video link from Nigeria, stressed the challenge of implementing accountability mechanisms to monitor the fulfilment of a non-binding agenda, as well as the relevance of having robust and reliable statistical information systems to measure progress and demonstrate the inequalities that are sometimes hidden behind averages.

Llanos, Director General of Follow-up and Evaluation of the Peruvian Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion, called on countries to get involved in the planning of this process and to set feasible targets aimed at reducing such inequalities within countries.

NDIA CEO Lionel Wordsworth

ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Bárcena

Around the World

Controversial Bill passed after heated debate in TT Senate

The controver-

sial Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2014 was passed in the Senate on Thursday night with the support of Independent Senators Dhanayshar Mahabir, Rolph Balgobin and David Small.

After almost three days of heated debate, the Bill was passed at 23:09h with a total of 18 senators voting for it and 12 against it. All the Opposition Senators present and six independents voted against the Bill. However, the Bill received the three Independents’ votes only after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar agreed to accept an amendment to the controversial runoff clause put forward by Mahabir.

Mahabir proposed that a third place candidate in an election, who gains 25 per cent of the votes and who is within a margin of not less than five percentage points of the second place candidate, also be allowed to contest the

Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar who had earlier indicated she was prepared to face “political suicide” in getting the legislation approved, had to garner the support of three of the nine independent legislators

runoff election. He said this triage system will give all parties a fairer chance in an election and allow the third parties a chance. Initially, the Government

had proposed that only the top two candidates would contest the runoff if neither of them gained at least 50 per cent of the votes. But many argued that this would kill off third parties.

As it turns out, however, in the runoff election as proposed by Mahabir, the Government also agreed to waive the 50 per cent winning margin for the three candidates. This means the winner of the runoff could win the seat without gaining at least 50 per cent or more of the votes. PersadBissessar also accepted Balgobin’s proposal to recall a non-performing MP after two and a half years instead of three. The PM also accepted an amendment proposed by Small that people wishing to recall MPs must get the support of 20 per cent of the voters in a constituency to apply for a petition. The original clause had a 10 per cent threshold. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

Ukraine ‘slipping out of control’,

Germany warns

The crisis in eastern Ukraine is “slipping out of control” and needs to be reined in to avoid direct military confrontation between Ukraine and Russia, Germany has warned.

Foreign Minister FrankWalter Steinmeier spoke as the EU is poised to consider more sanctions on Russia.

Russia has denied claims by NATO that its forces illegally crossed into Ukraine to support separatists there. Some 2600 people have died in fighting between rebels

and Ukrainian troops.

The conflict in Ukraine’s Eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk erupted in April following Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s southern Crimea peninsula a month before.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has blamed Ukraine for the crisis, comparing its siege of the rebel-held cities of Donetsk and Luhansk to the siege of Leningrad by Nazi Germany in World War Two.

On Friday, Steinmeier warned that the “already

dangerous situation” in Ukraine had now entered “a whole new dimension”. “Our hopes that direct talks between [Ukraine and Russia] would contribute to de-escalating the situation have been disappointed,” he said in Milan. “The border infringements have intensified, and raised concerns that the situation is slipping out of control. “This needs to stop, especially if we want to avoid direct military confrontation between Ukrainian and Russian military forces.” (Excerpt from BBC News)

Aruban-born woman arrested in Belgium as ISIS recruiter

Belgian Police have arrested an Arubanborn woman on suspicion of recruiting for the terrorist group known ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham), Belgium’s largest newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws reported. Rosliana Adelline Geerman age 21, converted to Islam only a few years ago. But she already tried to send at least two girls to Syria, investigators say. "Oum Uthmaan", as Geerman is calling herself in extremist circles, was the driving force behind a support group on Facebook for ‘Umm Haneefa’ and ‘Oum Abbas’. These are the pseudonyms of two girls from Antwerp who were stopped last May while trying to leave for the Syrian conflict. Hakima Maatouch, age 18, has been imprisoned since then, while Jessy H – a 17 year old – has been committed to a juvenile institution.

A militant carrying the ISIS flag

Besides her links with the two teenagers, Geerman also has a lot of contacts with sympathisers who are already in Syria. She is said to be communicating via Facebook with at least four women from Belgium and The Netherlands who are currently with ISIS forces in the city of ar-Raqqah.

Among them is an 18-yearold Dutch woman to whom a well known ISIS fighter from Antwerp, Brian De Mulder, married. For the investigators, there is sufficient indication that Geerman has served as an intermediary in the recruitment of the two girls. (Excerpt from

Suriname leader’s son pleads guilty to trying to help Hezbollah

Suriname President Desi Bouterse’s son pleaded guilty on Friday to charges of attempting to aid Hezbollah, a US-designated terrorist group, and conspiring to import cocaine into the United States.

Dino Bouterse, who once held a senior counter-terrorism post in the South American country, admitted in a New York Federal Court that he had tried to provide material support to the Lebanese paramilitary group.

“In 2013, I knowingly provided a false Surinamese

passport to a person I believed to be associated with Hezbollah, an organisation I knew to be designated a terrorist organisation by the United States,” Bouterse, 41, said in court. He also pleaded guilty to conspiring to import narcotics and carrying a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime. Bouterse, who faces a sentence of between 15 years and life in prison, was accused of inviting people he believed to be from Hezbollah to establish a base in the former Dutch colony to attack Americans, in exchange for an initial

US$2 million payment. His plea came a year after his arrest by Panamanian authorities to face US charges that he conspired to import cocaine into the United States. The charge relating to Hezbollah was added in November.

Bouterse met in 2013 with people who claimed to work for Mexican drug traffickers but were actually confidential informants with the US Drug Enforcement Administration, to discuss helping them transport cocaine and obtain weapons, according to the US indictment. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Malaysia Airlines to cut 6000 staff after disasters

Malaysia Airlines is to cut 6000 staff as part of recovery plan after being hit by two disasters this year. The reduction in staff numbers represents around 30 per cent of its workforce of 20,000.

The airline will become completely state owned, and a new Chief Executive will eventually be put in place. Investigators continue to hunt for flight MH370, the Kuala Lumpur to Beijing flight which went missing in

March.

The MH17 air crash in eastern Ukraine is also under investigation. The plane was shot down on July 17, with the loss of all 298 people on board.

The recovery plan will cost about six billion Malaysian ringgit (£1.1 billion, US$1.9 billion).

Khazanah Nasional, the state investment company that owns a 69 per cent stake in the troubled firm, will take 100 per cent ownership.

“The combination of measures announced today will enable our national airline to be revived,” said Khazanah’s Managing Director Azman Mokhtar.

“Success is by no means guaranteed – while it is imperative that MAS [Malaysia Airlines] as a critical enabler in national development is revived, public accountability for the use of the funds mean that it cannot be renewed at any cost,” he added. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Ebola: Senegal confirms first case of virus

The Ebola epidemic that has killed more than 1500 people in west Africa has spread to a fifth country with the first confirmed case of the virus in Senegal. Senegal’s Health Minister Awa Marie Coll Seck, said on Friday the patient was a man from Guinea. He had visited a hospital in Dakar on Tuesday but concealed that he had had close contact with Ebola victims in his home country.

The case marks the first in time a new country has been hit by the outbreak since July, and comes a day after the World Health Organisation warned the number of infections was increasing rapidly.

Scientists meanwhile said the first human trials of a potential vaccine would start next week using a product made by pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline and the US Government.

Two US aid workers treated with ZMapp have recovered from Ebola. However, doctors do not know if it aided their recovery, and a Liberian doctor and a Spanish missionary died despite treatment with the drug

The experimental drug, ZMapp, had proven 100 per cent effective in tests on primates, according to an article published in the journal Nature on Friday.

ZMapp is a mix of three antibodies that help the immune system destroy the Ebola virus. In the study, scientists led by Gary Kobinger of the Public Health Agency of Canada tested a group of infected monkeys and left a control group untreated. All three untreated monkeys died of Ebola by day eight of the trial. For those on ZMapp, even advanced symptoms such as rashes, liver dysfunction and haemorrhaging disappeared, a result Kobinger called “beyond my own expectations”. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Jamaican ends legal challenge to anti-sodomy law

AJamaican gay rights activist who brought a legal challenge to the Caribbean island’s anti-sodomy law says he has withdrawn the case after growing fearful about his safety.

Last year, Javed Jaghai made headlines after initiating a constitutional court challenge to Jamaica’s 1864 law that bans sex between men.

But in an affidavit, Jaghai said he has been “threatened enough times to know that I am vulnerable.” He believes his “loved ones are under threat.”

On Friday, Janet Burak of New York-based advocacy group AIDS-Free World said the fear that pushed Jaghai to end his challenge “is the same fear that keeps gay men in Jamaica underground.”

Jamaica’s rarely used law bans anal sex and anything interpreted as “gross indecency” between men can be punished by two years in prison. (Jamaica Observer)

GT&T says landline service unprofitable – seeks permission to hike rates

The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T), Guyana’s sole landline service provider, says while the service remains critical to the development of Guyana, it is an “albatross” in its current state.

GT&T’s parent company is the Atlantic Tele-Network (ATN). It is the largest provider of telecommunication services in Guyana with a customer base exceeding 600,000 in a country with a population of almost 750,000.

As part of its economic reform programme, the Government of Guyana chose to privatise telecommunications toward the end of the 1980s.

In 1990, the ATN bought 80 per cent of Guyana's telecommunications infrastructure from the Government.

GT&T was opened January 28, 1991 and by September 2004, more than $195 million was invested to update and expand the infrastructure throughout Guyana.

Hike

The company says that unless it can take steps to increase rates and tariffs, the situation will remain the same, since the revenues gathered from that prospect can barely suffice to cover overhead expenses.

This was the position of the executives of the company when they appeared before the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) at the Cara Lodge, Quamina Street on Friday morning.

The company is requesting a hike in rates for landline and wire services and has since approached the PUC ahead

Brazil’s economy falls into recession, latest

figures show

Brazil has fallen into recession, just a month before the General Election, latest figures show. Economic output, GDP, fell by 0.6 per cent in the three months to June, worse than analysts had predicted, and revised figures for the first quarter of the year also showed a fall of 0.2 per cent.

A recession is usually defined as two consecutive quarters of contraction. The news will be damaging for the Government of President Dilma Rousseff. According to the most recent poll, Rousseff would lose to a rival candidate, environmentalist Marina Silva, if October’s election went to a second round.

The World Cup, held in June and July, was not regarded as generally good for business, says the BBC’s Wyre Davies in Rio de Janeiro. “There were more days off for employees and

many traditional tourists stayed away,” he says.

“The problem is that, with elections due in early October, the economy is increasingly seen as President Dilma Rousseff’s weak point.” The data showed that civil construction, manufacturing and investment especially suffered during the second quarter.

“This recession shows the exhaustion of a growth model that has been centred on internal consumption,” said Eduardo Velho, Chief Economist at investment firm INVX Global in Sao Paulo.

“It is a good picture of what the economy is suffering – a slowdown in industry, a fall in investment, rising inventories. The recovery from here will be slight,” he continued, saying that deep reforms would be needed by whoever wins the next election. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Private sector was ‘squeezed’ by Burnham’s PNC

By Alexis Rodney

Tof the Telecommunications Reform Bill, which will seek to liberalise the sector, paving the way for more landline service providers in Guyana.

Fallout

ATN’s Vice President of Finance, John Audis, explained to the commissioners of the PUC that while the company is cognisant of a decline in the use of landline services, it is expected that there will be a further decline if there is an increase in the rates, but the company is prepared to deal with such an outcome.

He noted too that the company is aware that projected increases in profit margins may not materialise, but contended that the company was well prepared to handle such fallbacks.

In addition, Audis said the increased packages will be made available to customers to satisfy their demands and service use, noting that the company is aware too that customers will initially resist the increases.

Speaking to the issue of a subsidy for customers who may not be able to afford the service, Audis said: “If Guyana makes a public policy decision that landline service is a unique national good that must be provided to all citizenry then that’s the only way to do it… the Government has to make a decision to provide that access.”

he Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry on Friday heard of the great suppression of the Private Sector by the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) of the 1980s.

It heard too that although 80 per cent of the economy was controlled by the Government, there were attempts to miniaturise the Private Sector by seeking to take control of the remaining 20 per cent. Forbes Burnham’s PNC had pursued a socialist agenda, which included the nationalisation of a number of corporations.

Returning to the stand at the Inquiry into the killing of Dr Walter Rodney, Jocelyn Dow, who has been a member of the Private Sector since the 1970s, explored both the political and economical atmosphere during the period Dr Rodney was killed. Dow explained that many sections of the business sector faced the wrath of the Government especially those who had associated themselves with the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) of Dr Rodney and to a lesser extent, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). Rice farmers, she elaborated, were victimised by being prevented from acquiring materials for the planting of rice, including fertilisers. There were instances when Government had deliberately failed to address the drainage and irrigation system as well, creating tremendous problems for the farmers.

Dow revealed that many importers and exporters of goods had often found it dif-

Jocelyn Dow

ficult to acquire their licences to carry out their operations. She explained that the situation had a grave effect on labour, although 80 per cent of workers were employed by the State.

Dow shared her personal experiences as a supporter of the WPA, and the fierce challenges she faced at the hands of the Police as a result. She said she was of the firm belief that her phone was tapped and she was under surveillance by the Police. She said it had become normal for her to receive anonymous phone calls threatening her life.

Handbook

Although she was not a member of the WPA, Dow still found her name and photograph in the WPA requisition handbook, said to have been put together by the Police Special Branch. The handbook also had the registration numbers of a number of vehicles she owned. She explained that she understood the situation, as every one of those vehicles, whether they were driven by her or not, were on numerous occasions intercepted by the

Police. She explained that the requisition book was circulated among the security forces across the country.

Meanwhile, in adding to her testimony provided Thursday, Dow told the Commission that a bullet fired in the direction of Donald Rodney just after the explosion on June 13, 1980 was intended to kill him, since he was the only known eyewitness to his brother’s death.

Dow, who emphasised that she was not a member of the WPA, but was closely aligned to members of its hierarchy, told the Commission of Inquiry that based on reports by some persons; a bullet was fired soon after the June 13, 1980 explosion that killed Rodney. Although this revelation is new information to the Commission, Chairman Sir Richard Cheltenham said it would not be ignored. Dow said the gunshot in her estimation was intended to kill Donald Rodney. Dow had reported that Donald Rodney had a huge wound to his neck, when she saw him a few minutes later, but could not say if it was caused by the gunshot.

The younger Rodney, it has been reported, was handed a package (a walkie-talkie containing a hidden bomb) to pass on to his brother by Army Sergeant Gregory Smith, moments before it exploded. Donald Rodney, who is yet to testify at the Commission of Inquiry, had reported that his brother was killed as a result of an explosion while they sat outside the Georgetown Prison on June 13, 1980.

IMF concludes staff mission to Grenada

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team visited Grenada during August 18-27, to conduct discussions on the first review of Grenada’s IMF-supported programme under the extended credit facility (ECF).

The programme was approved on June 26, for a total amount equivalent to SDR14.04 million (about US$21.7 million, 120 per

cent of quota) with SDR2.04 million disbursed upon programme approval.

The mission met with the Prime Minister and Finance and Energy Minister Keith C Mitchell, the Permanent Secretary of the Finance Ministry Timothy Antoine, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Finance Ministry Mike Sylvester, senior officials, as well as representatives of

the private sector and civil society, including the monitoring committee for the home-grown programme.

At the conclusion of the visit, Aliona Cebotari, the Fund’s mission chief for Grenada, made the following statement: “Grenada has made a strong start in implementing its programme. The fiscal consolidation is on track and all quantitative performance criteria

for end-June were met. The main structural benchmark for the first review – the introduction of a new Public Finance Management Act to strengthen budget preparation and execution in line with best international practices – was also met. The Fund mission reached preliminary understandings with the authorities on economic policies going forward. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

US, China plan follow-up to Sunnylands summit in November

US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping, at odds over China’s increasing assertiveness in Asia and issues such as cyberspying, plan a follow-up to their informal summit in California last year after November’s APEC summit in Beijing. Leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group will meet in Beijing on November 10 and 11.

Obama plans to stay in China for a bilateral meeting with Xi on November 12 before heading on for an East Asia summit in Myanmar and a G20 meeting in Australia.

Robert Wang, the senior US State Department official responsible for APEC, said details of Obama’s meeting with Xi, including the venue, were still under discussion, but the US side believed the informality of their summit at a desert getaway in

Sunnylands last June had been “an effective way of doing things”.

“The Chinese seem to be receptive to that, but exactly what they have planned, we don’t really know at this stage whether it’ll be Beijing, whether it’ll be outside somewhere else. But that’s something I think that the Chinese are discussing with us,” he told a news briefing in Washington on Wednesday.

Wang said the talks

would look at expanding areas of cooperation, while seeking to manage differences.

“We have quite a number of issues between US and China, and so far I think we’ve been able to manage them,” he said.

Among such differences is interpretation of Xi’s call at Sunnylands for “a new model of big country relations” based on mutual respect and an avoidance of conflict. (Excerpt from Reuters)

ATN’s Vice President of Finance, John Audis, making his case at the meeting

saturDaY, august 30, 2014 | guYanatimesgY.com

Contracts valued $697M signed for D&I works

The Agriculture Ministry and its National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) on Thursday signed nine contracts at a cost of $697.3 million for the construction of drainage pump stations and sluices, to improve drainage services.

Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy said for the construction of a sluice at Bagotville, West Bank Demerara, Jainul Hossain Civil Engineering Contracting Services was awarded the $48 million contract to build a sluice.

Nabi Construction Incorporated was awarded another contract valued over $57 million, to build a similar structure at La Grange, West Bank Demerara. Both contracts will last for six months.

After the sluice is constructed at Bagotville, 1100 acres of residential and farm lands will have a more effective and efficient drainage and irrigation system and

2500 acres of residential and farm lands at La Grange will benefit from the sluice to be built there.

In addition, a $181.896 million contract was awarded to Roopan Ramotar Investment for the construction of a Pump Station at Joppa Number 43, Berbice, and Samaroo’s Investment received a $191.5 million contract to build a pump station at Lima, Essequibo Coast (see related story on page 13).

The contract to supply steel sheets to the NDIA valued over $177.8 mil-

lion was awarded to Suresh Jagmohan Hardware

Supplies and Construction Services. Both contracts will last for seven months.

A total of 7000 acres of residential and farm lands will benefit from the Joppa Number 43, Berbice Pump Station when it becomes operational and 4000 acres of residential and farm lands will benefit from the Lima Pump Station.

Further, contracts were signed with Suresh Jagmohan Hardware Supplies and Construction Services for the supply of

steel sheet piles to NDIA at a total cost of $177.82 million.

SRKN’gineering received contracts for the provision of supervisory services at La Grange and Bagotville for a total cost of $20.2 million, while Engineering and Agricultural Consultants Inc will supervise works at Lima at a cost of $10.584 million. Caribbean Engineering and Management Consultants (CEMCO) received an $8.8 million contract for supervisory works to be done on the Joppa Number 43 Station.

All of the supervisory contracts are for a period of

eight months, while the steel sheet piles will be supplied for a period of 10 months for the construction of pump stations at Joppa Number 43, Eversham, Gangaram, and Lima.

“These are very important contracts and I want to appeal to both the consultants and the contractors for us to complete these works on a timely basis and within the contract sum. In the last two years, I believe we have a good track record of staying within our contract price and of completing our work,” Minister Ramsammy said.

The Minister further stated that he will be visiting the work sites regularly along with NDIA Chief Executive Officer Lionel Wordsworth and his team, and hopes to see work being done all the time. “Too many of the sites I go to have no work going on sometimes.” This infrastructural programme started in 2011 and involves installation of new pumps at new sites and the replacement of some old pumps. A total of 39 pumps are expected to be installed by 2015 as part of the fiveyear programme.

Duo charged with breakand-enter and larceny

Aduo accused of breaking and entering two neighbouring Yarrowkabra houses escaped being remanded at the pleasure of the State when they were placed on $80,000 bail each by Magistrate Judy Latchman on Friday afternoon.

Anthony Rogers and Michael Lawrence, of Sand Road, Soesdyke according to the two charges, broke and entered the houses at Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke, on the same day. The first charge alleged that on August 26, they broke and entered the dwelling of Rita Hyman and stole one generator valued $90,000.

The second charge alleged that they then broke and entered the dwelling of Darren Canterbury where they stole a quantity of items, such as phones, clothing and cash valued

$170,000 in total. The details of the first charge were limited. The Virtual Complainant in the Canterbury matter said his baby’s cry woke him up and as he was heading to check on the baby, he noticed that five window panes were removed from a window and were on the ground in his kitchen. This discovery prompted him to check his home and he discovered the said items missing. A report was made to Police and an investigation was carried out.

The defendants both pleaded not guilty to the charges. There were no objections to bail raised by Police Prosecutor Simone Payne.

The matter was transferred from the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to the Providence Magistrates’ Court for October 18.

Caricom kicks off Government procurement consultations

The Caricom Secretariat has convened three regional consultations to discuss the findings of a major consultancy on Government procurement in the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME).

The consultations are being facilitated by the European Union (UE) under the 10th European Development Fund (10th EDF).

Country missions to 13 Caricom member states (excluding Haiti and The Bahamas) were undertaken from April to June 2014 by the consultants, Analysys Mason Limited.

This consultancy was to provide the Caricom Secretariat and its member states with the recommendations on required Information Technology (IT) for the establishment of a fully functioning Regional Integration Electronic

Public Procurement System.

The broader objective of this project is the liberalisation and integration of the regional market for trade in goods and services. This is to establish and maintain a regime for the free movement of goods and services within the CSME. The consultations will involve two-day meetings with both the public and private sectors in the host countries. The first consultation kicks off in Jamaica on Wednesday, September 3 for that member state and Belize. Barbados will host the following consultations next week from September 8-9, and the final set of consultations will be held in Saint Lucia for the OECS. These consultations will be preceded by a meeting of the CSME Task Force on Government Procurement from September 1-2 at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica.

Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy along with representatives of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) and the recipients of contracts for the building of pump stations, sluices and consultancy services

Michael Lawrence (left) and Anthony Rogers (right)

GNIC concerned about decline in contracts

The Guyana National Industrial Company (GNIC) said it has been overlooked for lucrative Government contracts to repair some of the state-operated vessels and is concerned that this might be a “subtle blacklisting of their drydock” facilities at Lombard Street, Georgetown.

“The pervasive, unchecked emergence of ship repair facilities” on the Parika Beach, East Bank Essequibo and in Berbice... has had an adverse effect on the number of jobs coming to GNIC,” Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, Clinton Williams has said.

Williams said in recent times, the company lost out on tendered docking and repair works on the Lady Northcote and the MV Makouria, as well as the supply of spare parts for Transport and Habour Department (T&HD) vessels, despite having submitted the lowest bids.

“The company’s management is now concerned about this apparent subtle blacklisting of their drydock,” Williams said. Contacted on the issue, Public Works Minister Robeson Benn said he could not comment on the issue because he had not seen the GNIC release.

Williams said recently, the GNIC was declared the lowest bidder for a number of contracts for structural repairs to the MV Malali

and the ML Thompson, and to fabricate unifloat pontoons and buoys for the bridges in the Amaila Falls Road Project and for the Demerara Harbour Bridge.

GNIC also submitted the lowest bid for fabrication of 30 pairs of connecting posts for the Harbour Bridge and is currently awaiting the announcement of contract awards.

The GNIC CEO said every ferry that plies the Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice Rivers, ferrying passengers and cargo into interior regions, have spent time in the large GNIC dry dock undergoing major and minor repairs and reconstruction.

“The MV Torani measuring 172’ x 37.5’ was actually built in this same shipyard and handed over spanking new to T&HD in October 1960. This was touted as

the largest ship building job ever to have been undertaken in British Guiana and independent Guyana. The main deck was designed by the Ferguson Brothers of Port Glasgow, Scotland. It was this same Scottish shipbuilder who constructed the Torani’s sister ferry, the MV Makouria.”

Williams said the history of GNIC dates back more than 150 years to the colonial era when the company was owned by a private Scottish entrepreneur, Hugh Sproston. Many remember the MV RH Carr that was pre-1970, the sole means of transport between Mackenzie and Georgetown.

“It seemed to hold a quiet romance,” one senior citizen reminisced, “slipping through virgin jungles on either side of the Demerara River”, adding that this ship was powered by steam originally (it was built in Saltney, Wales in 1927) before being converted in the Lombard Street Shipyard to use diesel fuel.

Sprostons became the Guyana National Engineering Corporation (GNEC) in 1976 then the GNIC in 1995. The company has always traded on its spacious drydock which, with a max capacity of some 800 tonnes, remains one of the chief ship repair facilities in coastal Guyana, equipped with the necessary human expertise and mechanical facilities.

Anna Regina man remanded for abduction, possession of narcotics

Abusinessman from Anna Regina was on Thursday remanded to prison until September 17 on a charge for abduction and possession of narcotics when he appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Wakenaam Magistrate’s Court.

Elbert Stephen was not

required to plead to the abduction charge. According to Police reports, on August 26, during a search at his home in Anna Regina, Police found 83 and a half grams of cannabis.

Stephen pleaded not guilty to the charge. Meanwhile, on the same

day, it was alleged that he abducted Ricardo Manchal of Anna Regina after accusing the man of stealing from him.

He was not represented by an Attorney and was therefore remanded to prison until September 17. The case was prosecuted by Ramsewak Hiawant.

Silence surrounds Colombia’s

92,000 disappeared

More than 92,000 Colombians have disappeared during 50 years of war and at the hands of drug gangs, and the Government needs to step up efforts to find missing people, the Red Cross said. Every day nine people are reported missing in Colombia. Of the total number of those registered as missing over the years, nearly 70,000 remain missing without trace, according to the Government’s official register.

Many are victims of five decades of armed con-

flict between Government troops, right-wing paramilitary groups and leftist rebels, while others are victims of ongoing drug-turf wars. “The problem of missing people in Colombia is as widespread as it is silent,”

Jordi Raich, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Colombia said in a statement on Friday.

“We know many have disappeared because of the conflict and armed violence. The uncertainty and suffering of families which comes from not knowing the whereabouts of their loved ones is

22 graduate from rehabilitation, audiology courses

By: Svetlana MarShall

Graduates of the Health Ministry’s 2014 Rehabilitation and Audiology courses were on Thursday challenged to serve with distinction.

The charge was delivered on Thursday at the Regency Suites during the graduation ceremony for the 18 Rehabilitation Assistants and four Audiological Practitioners.

Health Sciences Division Director Wilton Benn, in delivering the charge, told the graduates that though challenges may come, they must always serve with excellence.

“This is the time to shine, the time to make your mark,” he posited.

– ICRC

unacceptable.” Government forensic teams and around 20 state prosecutors from the Attorney General’s Office are searching for the disappeared and exhuming bodies across Colombia.

The Colombian Government offers up to US$8600 in compensation for relatives of those who have disappeared as a result of the conflict, and it recently adopted a protocol on handing back bodies to relatives to ensure they are honored properly and their rights to a private or public funeral respected. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Benn had spoken minutes before the World Wide Mothers’ Union International Trainer, Sheran Harper, who told the graduates that this was the beginning of an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of Guyanese within the Health Sector. Passion and determination are the ingredients needed to make a change, she posited.

“Just think of the stroke patient lying helplessly in bed during the early phase of the condition and by the end of your rehabilitation sessions, think of his joy when he can actually do his activities of daily living once again and more importantly return to work.”

The Rehabilitation Assistants Training Programme in Guyana dates back to 1998. Since then seven batches of Rehabilitation Assistants have graduated following extensive theoretical and practical training sessions in the field. This latest batch, which comprises Rehabilitation Assistants

from Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and Eight, were given 18 months of training at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Highly trained

They were trained in basic techniques in the disciplines of speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy. With their certificate comes the responsibility to provide preventive, therapeutic and

willingness to contribute to the further development of the rehabilitation field and the respect for the rights of persons with disabilities,” she explained. According to her, the Rehabilitation Assistant Training Programme owes a great debt of gratitude to the staff of the rehabilitation services in all regions but in particular those at the Georgetown Public Hospital, Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre, West Demerara Hospital, and Cheshire Home.

Shameka Devonish, a Guyana Defence Force rank, who graduated with a distinction, was deemed the Best Graduating Student for the Class of 2014. The Second Best Graduating Student Award went to Deniesha McAllister who also graduated with distinction. Devonish and McAllister are the only two students to graduate with distinction, while seven graduated with credit. In the Audiology Class of 2014, there were only four graduates with Estherline

rehabilitative interventions to individuals and families in different settings, whether inside or beyond the doors of hospitals, health centres and rehabilitation facilities.

The Rehabilitation Assistant Training Programme Coordinator Geraldine Maison Halls disclosed that the programme has a success rate of over 98 per cent. According to her, the high success rate is due in no small way to the selection process, and the commitment of tutors and staff in the clinical education of students.

“Throughout the implementation of the training, emphasis is placed on the nurturing of attitudes which demonstrate respect for patients, families and colleagues and the public, a

Adolph, who hails from Region 10, topping the batch with a distinction. Dacia Ross, who resides in Region Six, and Tisha John and Vernaden Williams, both from Region Seven, graduated with credit.

The Audiological Practitioner Training Programme Director, Dr Ruth Quaicoe said the graduates have now joined the struggle of promoting primary ear and hearing care in Guyana. The programme also started in Guyana in 1998, with the launching of the “Earcare 2000” Project. Dr Quaicoe said they will now join a movement geared at removing the stigma attached to hearing loss and differently-able persons.

(svetlanam@guyanatimesgy. com)

GNIC CEO Clinton Williams

The Health Ministry’s 2014 Rehabilitation and Audiology graduating class

Estherline Adolph, the 2014 Best Graduating Student for the Audiological Practitioners Training Programme

Deniesha McAllister, the 2014 Best Graduating Student for the Rehabilitation Assistant Training Programme

Speaker supports Cricket for Unity game

Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman on Friday confirmed his support for the inaugural Cricket for Unity 20/20 cricket match on September 6 at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground, Queenstown.

Trotman handed

over a quantity of medals to Coordinator of the match, Dexter “Bushman” Garnett, at Parliament Buildings. Garnett in turn presented Trotman with his jersey for the game, as the Speaker is due to turn out for Roraima Strikers against Kaieteur Thunders.

Trotman said he is

pleased to assist the organisers and said the initiative is a good one since. He lauded Garnett and his team for choosing unity as the theme of the match.

Apart from a host of former cricketers, the match will feature politicians, singers, journalists, businessmen,

LABA acknowledges suspension of players T

The Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) has acknowledged the bans of Linden national players

Dwayne Roberts and Shane Webster after a hard copy of the suspensions was received by the association.

Both players were suspended and fined for off court misconduct at the 2014 Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championships in the British Virgin Islands.

Secretary of LABA Joseph Chapman in an earlier statement noted that because the Association was never in receipt of a copy of the suspensions, LABA was prepared to allow the players to participate in

the Victory Valley Royals knockout tournament that bounced off on Friday.

In addition, while Chapman pointed out that he received an electronic notification of the suspension, the notification was not addressed directly to LABA and therefore felt as though it was part of a media release.

However, with President of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) Nigel Hinds making his way to Linden on Monday to hand deliver the notification of suspensions, LABA ha now barred both players from all competition until the fines are paid and suspensions served.

Police officers and lawyers. Action will bowl off at 19:00h and admission to the venue is $500. This publication also understands that the organisers are working on having a female match to precede the main encounter.

Roraima Strikers squad reads: Travis Dowlin, Aaron Fraser, Ravindranauth Seeram, Mark Harper, Clyde Butts, Esaun Crandon, Rayon Griffith, Jermaine Neblett, Neil Barry, Charles Ramson, David Granger, James Bond, Raphael Trotman, Malcolm Perreira, Gordon Moseley, Carey Griffith, Ramesh Sunich, Steve Ninvalle and Shahabadeen Ahmad.

Kaieteur Thunders squad reads: David Harper, Alfred Mentore, Lennox Cush, Anthony Rigby, Sheik Mohamed, Orin Forde, Reon King, Colin Stuart, Lloyd Harper, Sanjeev Datadin, Khemraj Ramjattan, Dr Frank Anthony, Jomo Primo, Tony Najab, Basil Williams, Lakeram Mike Singh, Alfred King and Clifton Hicken. (Avenash Ramzan)

Scotiabank/GCB

he Scotiabank/Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Kiddy Cricket Camp for youngsters in the Ancient County of Berbice concluded on Friday with the 10 top participants receiving awards.

The top players included best wicketkeeper Nivendra Persaud, best spinners Isaiah Thorne (leg-spin) and Bhaskar Ramduwar (off-spin), best fielder Joval Persaud, best batsmen Deoram France and Daniel Narsaiah, best fast bowlers Nicholas Shivrattan and Romel Retemiah and best all-rounders Daniel Milne and Akash Harilall.

Those awarded were outstanding throughout the three days of the camp. Guyana Under-19 Manger and Coordinator of the camp David Black said he viewed the camp as a success and is thankful that the GCB brought it to Berbice.

“I was impressed by the

Chelsea: Fernando Torres joins AC Milan on twoyear loan

helsea striker

CFernando Torres is to join AC Milan on a two-year loan deal.

The Spaniard's move is subject to him agreeing personal terms and passing a medical on Saturday.

The ex-Liverpool and Atletico Madrid forward joined Chelsea for a thenBritish record £50m in January 2011 but struggled to live up his price tag.

Torres scored just 20 goals in 110 league appearances during his spell at Stamford Bridge, but was part of the club's 2012 Champions League success.

Speaking just hours before the deal was announced, Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho said: "If he wants to leave, it's because he wants to try a new life, a new club, probably a new league. To try to be happier than he was in the last couple of years."

Torres's prospects were hampered further by the arrival of fellow Spain international Diego Costa from Atletico Madrid this summer.

Costa and Didier Drogba remain Chelsea's attacking options.

Milan have been on the lookout for another forward to replace Mario Ballotelli, who left the club

for Liverpool last week.

Speaking on Milan's official website on Wednesday, Rossoneri vice-president Adriano Galliani said: "Torres is certainly an important forward and we will see if we can sign him or another player."

Torres's British record transfer fee stood until Angel Di Maria moved from Real Madrid to Manchester United for £59.7m this week.

While Chelsea fans only saw glimpses of the form that brought Torres 65 goals in 102 league appearances for previous club Liverpool, Mourinho spoke highly of him at Friday's news conference to preview Saturday's trip to Everton. The Portuguese said he did not expect Torres to depart before the transfer window closed and was against a last-minute deal.

"If that happens in the last hour of the market, we are in trouble," said Mourinho. "In this moment we are doing nothing because our belief is that the market is closed for us.

"I've believed for a long time that the squad is closed. We have our squad. We like our squad. It's not the perfect one, because no squad is perfect, but it's one we like."

Kiddy Camp concludes in Berbice

amount of talent that was present at the camp. However, there must be a follow up programme to monitor the players that can elevate to the higher level,” Winston Smith, one of the several coaches that were involved in the programme at Berbice, said.

Meanwhile, earlier in the week camps in Essequibo and East Coast Demerara ended with 10 participants from each camp being awarded.

Those awarded from

Essequibo were; fast bowlers Kamesh Lall (male) and Aveon Fredericks (female), spin bowlers Imtiaz Alli (male) and Shameeza Khan (female), fielders Adrian Arthur (male) and Devonie Persaud (female), wicketkeepers Quincy Hartman (male) and Alexis Thomas (female) and batters Roland Simon (male) and Devonie Persaud (female).

The East Coast Demerara awardees include emerging player Chamal John, allrounders Jaush Paul (male) and Keiara Phillips (female), batsmen Dominique Glasgow and Navindra Narine, spinners Omari Williams and Deniro Persaud, fast bowlers Cordell Charles and Joel Williams. The best fielder prize went to David Clarke.

Territorial Development Officer of the GCB Colin Stuart thanked Scotiabank for its involvement. He be-

lieves the initiative is good for future prospects, who are looking to improve their game.

In addition, Stuart gave high praises to the coaches from the three counties that were objective and constructive during the camp. He said it will be an annual camp however, for the next edition there is expected to be an extended duration in terms of days and more attention will be focused on personal development.

In total over 200 hundred players ages 11 and under attended the camp that occurred in all three of the counties over a two-week period. Forty of the outstanding performers were rewarded for their performances in the various departments of the game. These areas comprised fielding, batting, bowling and wicketkeeping.

Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman receives his uniform from Dexter Garnett

David Black

Fortune masterful at masters

By TreisTon Joseph

SFortune

onto the masters sprint scene in classic fashion by becoming a tripe sprint champion at the just concluded North, Central American and Caribbean Masters World Championships in Costa Rica.

Fortune ran away with the women’s 100 (12.12s), 200 (24.55s) and 400 (56.32s) metres quite comfortably as the only athlete to represent Guyana at the event.

“It was really excellent for me, I was the only one there from Guyana and a lot of people don’t know who we are but they want to know if they are more athletes like me and they want to see us compete more in event like

these,” Fortune told this publication.

However, such victories always comes with sacrifice as Fortune explained, “We are really in debt with $260,000 to pay off for the rip with loans and the ac-

tual ticket from Millennium Travelling Service.

“My coach in the final week leading up to the competition basically told me to take the week off just because of all the running around I was doing and he believed that it would have been too strenuous for me to train as well as look for funding,” Fortune highlighted of the plight to hold the Golden Arrow Head proud around her shoulders.

Meanwhile the long time sprint queen highlighted her future in athletics, “Well I still want to compete against the pros, it will be good competition to prepare for the masters, these masters were past Olympians with juice still in the tank so it is not as easy as it seems,” Fortune noted.

Further, Fortune’s tight scheduled coupled with the lack of sponsorship might affect the near future of Fortune’s budding masters’ career.

“Well I will be prepar-

ing for CAC bodybuilding in October then there is the South American Masters championship in November.

“I know I can switch in time to compete well but it might be tough because I will have to train smart and also the sponsorship issue might be hectic as well, so it’s tough to say if I will be at the South American games,” Fortune revealed.

Meanwhile Fortune was very thankful of the help she received to attend the games as she made Guyana proud and thanked her coaches Julian Edmonds and Sham Johnny, sponsors; National Sports Commission, Giftland Office Max, Sanjay’s Jewellery, Ming’s Products, KP Thomas and Sons, Mohamed’s Enterprise and finally her Pastor JC Yorrick.

Fortune is also asking the various businesses to also contribute to the sport in an effort to offset expenses by the talented athletes including herself.

AINLIM 10k set for Sunday

All systems are in place for the annual AINLIM 10k set for Sunday morning from 06:00h with the starting point scheduled for Vreed-en-Hoop on the West Coast of Demerara. The race has already attracted over 30 athletes with defending champion Cleveland Forde scheduled to retain his title at the event.

It will be a different type of race since it will be venturing across the Demerara Harbor Bridge for the first time since the vent begun four years ago.

The difference in terrain as well as the steep climbs and falls of the bridge will definitely make for a compelling race that might be a tad slower than usual due to the bridge’s unique built. While Forde will definitely be the favourite to retain the title, the likes of Cleveland Thomas, Nathaniel Giddings and Dennis Horatio to name a few will try to pose a threat to Forde’s dominance. Meanwhile the females will be a bit tougher to call unless Euleen Jossiah-Tanner makes her way from America

GFF names 18-man squad for Caribbean Cup qualifiers

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) on Friday announced an 18-man squad to represent Guyana at the Caribbean Cup qualifiers early next month, focussing primarily on locally based players.

The Guyanese, drawn in Group Six, are down to face Dominica on September 3, St Lucia two days later and St Kitts and Nevis on September 7 in St Kitts.

The squad includes two goalkeepers, six defenders, five midfielders and five forwards. Defender Walter Moore is the most experienced player in the squad, having previously represented Guyana at the highest level.

The squad is Oswald Cornette and Dorville

Stewart (Goalkeepers), Steffon Ramsay, Walter Moore, Quincy Adams, Adrian Adonis, Joshua Brown and Trevon Lythcotte (Defenders), Eusi Phillips, Jahall Greaves, Eon Alleyne, Mark Jhalu and Jamaal Harvey (Midfielders), Delwin Fraser, Delroy Fraser, Shaquille Agard, Clarence Huggins and William Europe (Forwards).

The management team comprises Manager Carlos Bernard, Head Coach Denzil Thompson, Physical Trainer Germin Craig, Assistant Coach Dwain Babb and Physiotherapist Lacretia Abiola Blair.

A prolonged period of inactivity has taken its toll on Guyana’s Senior Men’s national football team’s ranking as issued by football’s world governing body, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

The Guyanese last played as a unit on November 16, 2012, losing 1-2 to Grenada in the Caribbean Cup Championship.

Since then the Golden Jaguars, who created history by reaching the third round of qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil, have been missing in action while administrators continue to battle for the governance of local football.

The emergence of two factions engrossed in a power struggle has certainly not helped Guyana’s cause, the result of which is directly linked to what now appears on the FIFA ranking on a monthly basis.

After rising to an alltime high of 86 in November 2010, the Golden Jaguars have literally taken a nose dive, plummeting to a startling 155. Given the rapid slide down the ranking, the all-time low of 185, achieved back in February 2004, could very well be surpassed if Guyanese fail to win in St Kitts.

CONCACAF Champions League… Olimpia crush Alpha United 6-0 to

go top

for the race.

However, if JossiahTanner is a no show count on local distance queen Alika Morgan to dominate the vent from start to finish. Morgan has run on countless terrains before including Suriname’s high bridge and might be well suited for these types of action come Sunday. Further, the female category seems wide open for anyone to win while the males will have a tough time against Forde’s genius when the pistol fire to start the event on Sunday.

Fredixon Elvir netted a hat-trick to help pace Olimpia to a 6-0 win over Alpha United in Group Five of the CONCACAF Champions League (CCL) at Estadio Tiburcio Carias Andino on Thursday night.

Olimpia (2-0-0, 6 points), who also beat Alpha United 1-0 in their first meeting on August 5, moved into first place. The Portland Timbers (1-0-0, 3 points) are second, while Alpha United (0-0-3, 0 points) have been eliminated from contention with a game to play.

The Honduran power, which recorded its fourth consecutive CCL shutout, scored three times inside the opening half hour.

Antony Lozano struck first in the 19th minute after Alpha United goalkeeper Dwaine Sandy spilled a low, bouncing shot by Oliver Morazan from distance. The 21-year-old forward picked up the ball, turned and hit the back of the net from eight yards.

Sandy had no chance to stop a blast by Morazan six minutes later as the midfielder hammered in a goal

Fredixon Elvir was on target three times for

from 26-yards out to give Olimpia a 2-0 lead.

Elvir made it 3-0 in the 29th minute, when he ran onto an Ever Alvarado cross that was blocked by Wayne Ellis and curled a shot from 24-yards out over Sandy and inside the far post.

The host went up 4-0 nine minutes into the second half. Elvir tapped in a ball cut back into the box by Carlos Mejia, who beat his defender and made a run at Sandy.

Lozano netted his second goal in the 61st minute, leaping high to latch onto

a Bayron Dionicio free kick and heading past Sandy from the edge of the six-yard box to extend Olimpia’s lead further.

Elvir capped the scoring with his third goal in the 74th minute, easily knocking a low shot from the edge of the 18-yard box past Sandy, who was off his line to challenge an initial Olimpia attempt.

Group Five returns to action on September 16 with a meeting between the Portland Timbers and visiting Olimpia.

Walter Moore

Denzil Thompson

print queen Alisha

burst

Alisha Fortune poses with her three gold medals.

Olimpia

Cleveland Forde Alika Morgan

Euleen Jossiah-Tanner

Zimbabwe v South Africa, Tri-series, Harare...

Big win for SA despite Utseya hat-trick

Prosper Utseya’s career-best 5 for 36, which included a hat-trick, was enough for Zimbabwe to bowl South Africa out for just the fourth time in the two countries’ competitive history, but not enough to pull off an upset. On a surface where spinners claimed 11 of the 20 wickets to fall, neither side’s batsmen were able to settle but Zimbabwe’s proved more brittle.

With breaking points at the top, in the middle and at the bottom of their line-up, Zimbabwe could not muster the runs to match a South African XI that was without one of its best batsmen. AB de Villiers was rested for the second time in a week and it seemed South Africa would be made to rue his absence when Zimbabwe reined them in from an opening stand of 142 to conjure a collapse of 9 for 53.

But Zimbabwe went one (or many) worse. They lost their last five wickets for 32 and the five batsmen who managed starts could not convert them into anything more substantial to leave them with the same concerns they have had over the last fortnight.

In the batting department Zimbabwe continue to lack, but their bowling, even without suspended Tinashe Panyangara, prospered. They were able to redirect South Africa after they seemed destined for a third score of over 300 on this Zimbabwe tour.

Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock took more risks than usual but they

Sara Errani wagged her finger and cupped her hand to her ear for the US Open fans who tried to will Venus Williams to victory.

“I think I will remember forever that moment,” Errani said.

Two points from defeat, the diminutive Italian rallied to force a third-set tiebreaker and outlasted Williams in a match that was both lopsided and tight.

Errani won 6-0, 0-6, 7-6 (5) in the third round Friday after Williams had a chance to serve out the match in the final set.

Williams twice came back from down a break in the third but was done in by too many unforced errors -she had 52 in the match.

Errani, seeded 13th, next faces 121st-ranked qualifier Mirjana LucicBaroni, who stunned second-seeded Simona Halep 7-6 (6), 6-2. The 32-year-old Lucic-Baroni hasn’t made a Grand Slam round of 16 since 1999, waylaid by inju-

got away with it. Amla of fered a return catch to Brian Vitori in the fifth over and could have been run out twice before he reached 25 while de Kock also relied on fortune. He had a chance drop short of cover and was lucky to see an inside-edge scream past the offstump

Once they settled, de Kock targeted Elton Chigumbura’s short ball and reached his fifty off 45 sure off Amla, who slowed down after the early rush. Amla’s half-century came off 70 balls and by then both he and de Kock knew they would have to be more watchful because turn had

Sean Williams beat the bat almost immediately and Nyumbu produced flight and zip in his second spell. But it

was only when Utseya was introduced brought on that serrations began. He made the initial breakthrough when Amla came down the pitch to one that turned into him, was beaten and found well short of his crease to provide Brendan Taylor an easy stumping chance. Then Utseya plucked through the South Africa’s top-order and ploughing into their middle to allow Zimbabwe to dictate proceedings.

De Kock squandered the chance to anchor the innings when he tried to reverse-sweep Utseya over short third man but was

caught by a one-handed, leaping Chatara just outside the ring, Rilee Rossouw’s first-match first-ball duck was repeated in his second game when he prodded tentatively at a tossed up ball to edge to slip and David Miller was rapped on the front pad when he played for non-existent turn. Those three wickets in three balls made Utseya the second Zimbabwean to claim a hattrick after Eddo Brandes, in 1997.

South Africa still had Faf du Plessis and JP Duminy at the crease and would have looked to them for a recovery but Zimbabwe were wise to the possibility and quickly shut it down. Utseya and Williams tied South Africa down and tangled them in turn, while generously tossing it up to tempt as well.

Zimbabwe sealed off the boundary for more than half the South African innings and batsmen fell either in frustration or when following flight. Duminy was out lbw when he played outside the line to give Utseya his fifth and du Plessis chipped Nyumbu to midwicket to leave the lower order on their own.

Ironically, it was up to South Africa’s spinners to take them out of trouble.

Imran Tahir and Aaron Phangiso’s last wicket stand of 36 pushed South Africa over 200 and gave them something to defend.

Before either of the tweakers were needed, Zimbabwe’s opening stand was broken. Tino Mawoyo was run-out in the third

over to leave Stephen Mangongo with ever-more questions about who best to use at the top. What he will know is that Sikandar Raza is a keeper, but needs to convert. Yet again, Raza showed promise, pounced on width and dealt with the short ball impressively before giving it away later on.

When he was batting with Hamilton Masakadza, Zimbabwe took the fight to South Africa with aggressive boundary-hunting before Phangiso wrested it back. He was introduced in the Powerplay and with his fourth delivery - the arm ball - found the gap between Masakadza’s bat and pad to peg back legstump. Taylor left the same gap and was bowled in the next over, with his offstump knocked back, to prolong a lean run for the former captain.

Taylor’s dismissal allowed South Africa to keep Zimbabwe quiet with just 24 runs coming from the next six overs. Situations like that are where Raza should show patience but he did not. Imran Tahir had been brought on the over before and Raza had assessed his tendency to flight it but still tried to launch him over long-off and ended up holing out.

South Africa could have sealed the deal three overs later when Malcolm Waller edged Kyle Abbott but the ball went between de Kock and Amla to give Waller a second chance. He went on to share in the biggest partnership of Zimbabwe’s innings, 46 with Sean Williams, but succumbed

to the short ball to leave Williams to be the hero.

Williams threatened with confident strokeplay off the front and back foot but threw it away when he flicked Ryan McLaren to Amla at midwicket. With that, Zimbabwe hopes faded and when McLaren picked up two wickets in succes-

sive balls two overs later, they disappeared altogether to condemn them to a seventh straight defeat. South Africa 231 (de Kock 76, Amla 66, Utseya 5-36, Nyumbu 3-42) beat Zimbabwe 170 (Williams 46, McLaren 3-24, Steyn 3-36) by 61 runs

SCOREBOARD

South Africa innings (50 overs maximum)

South Africa won by 61 runs

HM Amla* st †Taylor b Utseya 66

Q de Kock† c Chatara b Utseya 76

F du Plessis c Sikandar Raza b Nyumbu 15 RR Rossouw c Nyumbu b Utseya 0 DA Miller lbw b Utseya 0 JP Duminy lbw b Utseya 2 R McLaren b Nyumbu 6

DW Steyn b Nyumbu 10

KJ Abbott c Chigumbura b Chatara 6 AM Phangiso c †Taylor b Chatara 13 Imran Tahir not out 23

Extras (lb 2, w 12) 14

Total (all out; 49.5 overs; 216 mins) 231 (4.63 runs per over)

Fall of wickets 1-142 (Amla, 24.2 ov), 2-147 (de Kock, 26.4 ov), 3-147 (Rossouw, 26.5 ov), 4-147 (Miller, 26.6 ov), 5-155 (Duminy, 30.5 ov), 6-163 (du Plessis, 33.2 ov), 7-179 (McLaren, 37.5 ov), 8-190 (Steyn, 41.5 ov), 9-195 (Abbott, 43.5 ov), 10231 (Phangiso, 49.5 ov) Bowling O M R W J Nyumbu 10 2 42 3

TL Chatara 8.5 1 28 2

BV Vitori 6 0 50 0 E Chigumbura

Venus Williams falls to Sara Errani

ries and financial struggles.

“I feel like a little kid, like this is the first time ever happening,” LucicBaroni said.

Trying to close out the match at 5-3 in the third set, the 19th-seeded Williams had one of her eight double faults.

Errani won just 12 games in three previous meetings with Williams. But in the first set, Williams couldn’t take advantage of her power, making just 30 percent of her first serves.

Errani used her quickness to run Williams around the court, and the 34-year-old looked sluggish after playing a long doubles match with her sister Thursday night.

“Even if I won the first set 6-love, she’s an amazing player,” Errani said in an on-court interview.

And in the second, Williams indeed looked like the seven-time major champion she is, pouncing on Errani’s soft serves.

“She’s playing unbeliev-

able,” Errani said. “I really don’t know how I won today.”

Errani just had a little more left in the final set.

“I was ready to just fight,” said Errani, who wasn’t thrilled with fans

looked like a sure winner by Williams.

“Unbelievable,” Errani said. “If I don’t do that, maybe I lose.”

The 5-foot-4 Errani reached the final at the French Open and the semis

yelling out support for her opponent during her serves.

Williams had four more unforced errors in the tiebreaker. And Errani’s quick reflexes, honed in doubles, gave her match point when she stabbed a backhand volley to return what

at the US Open in 2012, but both times she was routed by power players: Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams.

Big sister Venus couldn’t do the same Friday, though she had another chance at victory in a doubles match

later with Serena.

Sixth-seeded Angelique Kerber also was upset, losing 6-1, 7-5 to Swiss teen Belinda Bencic. Bencic, 17, is coached by Martina Hingis’ mother, Melanie Molitor, and was coming off a third-round showing at Wimbledon.

“I started believing that I can play with these players,” Bencic said.

Earlier, Peng Shuai again beat a seeded player to reach her second straight Grand Slam round of 16.

Two days after upsetting fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, Peng defeated 28th-seeded Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-3.

The Chinese veteran had gone two years without making it past the second round at a major tournament before her Wimbledon run this summer. But she didn’t meet any seeded players in the first three rounds there before losing to eventual champion Petra Kvitova in straight sets.

This time, Peng, ranked

39th, will face 14th-seeded Lucie Safarova or 22ndseeded Alize Cornet to try to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.

Peng said she’ll need “more courage” in that match.

She’ll have the momentum of two straight sharp performances. With thirdranked Li Na sidelined by a knee injury, Peng’s success is giving the fans in China something to cheer.

“I don’t know how it’s on Sunday,” she said. “I hope I will be same.”

The 31-year-old Vinci had made the quarterfinals at the US Open the last two years but lost in the opening round at the first three major tournaments of 2014. Ninth-seeded Jelena Jankovic advanced by routing Johanna Larsson 6-1, 6-0. The 96th-ranked Larsson had upset Sloane Stephens in the second round.

Venus Williams lost to Sara Errani of Italy, 6-0, 0-6, 7-6 (5). ESPN.com

Prosper Utseya became the second Zimbabwe player to claim a hat-trick © AFP

Venus Williams

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nico rosberg disciplined by Mer cedes for hamilton collision

Mercedes have taken disciplinary action against Nico Rosberg following his collision with team-mate Lewis Hamilton in the Belgian Grand Prix.

Championship leader Rosberg accepted responsibility for the collision, calling it an “error of judgement”.

The team handed out an undisclosed punishment to Rosberg, likely to be a fine, while agreeing to let them continue racing for the world title.

They have been warned another similar incident “will not be tolerated”.

While Rosberg apologised to Hamilton in a statement on Friday, his British team-mate responded by admitting “we have both made mistakes”.

The two drivers collided on lap two of Sunday’s race as Rosberg attempted to overtake Hamilton at the Les Combes chicane.

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Rosberg’s front wing hit Hamilton’s left rear tyre, damaging the wing and giving Hamilton a puncture which eventually caused the 2008 world champion’s retirement.

Rosberg recovered to finish second behind Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo, moving into a 29-point championship lead over Hamilton with a maximum of 200 still available over the remaining seven races.

The incident was the culmination of ever-build-

ing tension between the two over the preceding 11 races.

It was a consequence of Rosberg wanting to prove a point to Hamilton that he would not be intimidated in wheel-to-wheel racing, after being forced to back out of passing moves in previous battles in the Bahrain and Hungarian Grands Prix.

But in the meeting on Friday Mercedes head of motorsport Toto Wolff and executive director (technical) Paddy Lowe made it clear such actions were unacceptable and laid down strict guidelines for future racing between the two.

The statement said: «During the meeting, Nico acknowledged his responsibility for the contact that occurred on lap two of the Belgian Grand Prix and apologised for this error of judgement.

“Suitable disciplinary measures have been taken for the incident.

“Mercedes-Benz remains committed to hard, fair racing because this is the right way to win world championships. It is good for the team, for the fans and for Formula 1.

“Lewis and Nico understand and accept the team›s number one rule: there must be no contact between the team›s cars on track.

“They remain free to race for the 2014 FIA Formula 1 world championship.

Rosberg released a statement on Friday on his Facebook page, issuing

India in England 2014...

a further apology.

He said: «After meeting with Toto, Paddy and Lewis, I wish to go a step further and describe it as an error of judgement on my part.

“The number one rule for us as team-mates is that we must not collide but that is exactly what happened.

“For that error of judgement, I apologise to Lewis and the team. I also want to say sorry to the fans who were deprived of our battle for the lead in Belgium.

“Lewis and I have been given clear instructions about how we race each other.

“As drivers, we have a clear responsibility to the team, the fans of the sport, our partners and MercedesBenz to deliver clean racing. We take that responsibility very seriously.»

Hamilton then issued his own Facebook statement, which said: «Nico and I accept that we have both made mistakes and I feel it would be wrong to point fingers and say which one is worse than the other.

“What›s important is how we rise as a team from these situations. We win and we lose together and, as a team, we will emerge stronger.

“There is a deep foundation that still exists for me and Nico to work from, in spite of our difficult times and differences.

“The fans want to see a clean fight until the end of the season and that›s what we want to give them.»

Injured Rohit to miss rest of England series

Afinger injury has sidelined India opener Rohit Sharma from the rest of the England series. M Vijay, who flew back home after the Tests, has been called up as his replacement.

"Rohit Sharma has sustained a fracture on the middle finger of his right hand, and has been ruled out of the ongoing ODI and T20 International Series against England, as a result," a BCCI press release said. "The All-India Senior Selection Committee has picked Murali Vijay as his replacement."

The specialist batsmen al-

ready with the limited-overs squad in England who could replace Rohit in the XI for the third ODI on Saturday are Ambati Rayudu and the 19-year-old Sanju Samson. India could consider using Ajinkya Rahane as an opener, and slotting either Rayudu or Samson in the middle order.

Rohit was promoted to the top order in January 2013, and has had some success in the role, averaging 46.34, contributing to India's Champions Trophy success last year and becoming the third batsman to make an ODI double century.

While Rohit has struggled to nail down a permanent place in the Test side, his replacement Vijay has managed to do so, but has struggled to establish himself in the limited-overs outfit. Vijay was picked for a tri-series in the Caribbean in July 2013, ending a two-and-a-half-year absence from the ODI side, but he didn't do enough to warrant a longer run.

Rohit's previous visit to England in 2011 was also cut short when he was struck by a Stuart Broad bouncer and injured his right index finger.

Nico Rosberg collides with team-mate Lewis Hamilton

Letter to the Sport Editor

Stop this devious and unfounded crusade against Youth Basketball Guyana

Dear Editor,

I am ashamed of the crassness, incivility and the abuse of stewardship that has been demonstrated by some within the basketball fraternity in recent times. It is quite unfortunate that a sport that has so much potential and the opportunity to create massive social change at the grass-root level could be so backward thinking and digressive.

This abuse of the gamemust not, cannot be allowed to continue unabated.

This is the context in which I am compelled to rebuke and correct an opinion penned by Mr Edison Jeffords in the Kaieteur News on Thursday, August 28, in which Mr Jeffords made several unfounded and patently libelous references about YBG.

Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) is an independent registered Non Governmental Organisation (NGO).

YBG has laboured and succeeded in creating an expansive, progressive and enviable structure at the school/youth level. YBG has been directly responsible for the development of the majority of the top youth basketball players in Guyana for the past nine years. YBG has been a credible partner and has retained core sponsors such as: Banks DIH Ltd, Digicel and Edward B Beharry and Company Ltd for its programmes for

six consecutive years now.

We have built and fostered trust and relationships with students, parents, teachers, officials, sponsors and supporters. We have worked favourably with the Education Ministry, Culture Youth and Sport Ministry, the National Sports Commission and other community partners.

Hence, Mr Jeffords’ assertion alluding to YBG, which I quote as “…an independent programme that receives subsistence from the NSC….” Is inaccurate and lack factual basis. This is a direct attack against the credibility of YBG. To insinuate that YBG is receiving funding from the National Sports Commission, is irresponsible and a reckless disregard for truth and accuracy, and borders on being defamatory and libelous, as this can be misconstrued in terms of receipt of funds and use of funds, which are non-existent. This is outright devious and misleading. We demand a retraction of this untruth.

On the question of YBG needing sanction from the GABF for legitimacy, it is not necessary. What YBG needs is the permission from parents and approval from the Education Ministry and head teachers for students to participate-that’s it. We may choose or choose not to request referees from the affiliate of the federation. The Guyana Amateur

Basketball Federation is indeed, the sole competent authority for “FIBA regulated basketball activities, programmes and personnel (italic added for emphasis)”. FIBA itself has identified those categories of its membership and activities that need sanction and can be sanctioned. So, no one doesn’t need the federation’s sanction to organise a summer camp for school children, or your CSEC Inter Schools Basketball Project, or an inter-faith (religious) national basketball championship, especially, if you are not asking them to provide referees and officials and for the participation of any affiliates of the federation. It is the respectful thing to inform them and to pursue relationship and collaboration with the national body, but this could only happen in an atmosphere of mutual respect and common purpose. As a matter of fact, the federation’s approval or permission is not needed for any non FIBA sanctioned activities. This whole exercise in authority is an abuse of power, for the sole purpose of control and to mislead the uninformed.

Lastly, Mr Jeffords has called basketball stakeholders to support the GABF strong stance. My question for the stakeholders is who is representing your interest. Who is supporting the players, coaches, referees, officials and others who

have lost confidence in a broken system?

One of those players I speak for is Stanton Rose. Stanton is a 14-year-old from Kwakwani, Berbice River. He was the starting Point Guard on the under 19 IGG team this year. Five months ago, Stanton and two others were selected on the request of the GABF to participate in a FIBA sanctioned basketball camp, scheduled for August 11-19, in Turkey.

As far, we know everything were on schedule until about two weeks prior to the Inter-Guiana Games. During the IGG training camp, Stanton received a visit from the President of the GABF, who told him that his participation in the IGG would jeopardise his opportunity. Stanton being just a child, who merely wants to play basketball, went ahead and represented his country in the Inter-Guiana Games. IGG came and went, Camp Pass it on held in Turkey, came and went, too. Stanton never heard from the Federation, no explanation, just dropped. My question again, who is representing our players’ interest?

We the stakeholders must not allow this to continue.

Sincerely,

Reverend Chris Bowman Co-Director YBG

Diamond League...

NSC cycling ends TTY camp today

After weeks of instilling the fundamentals of the sport of cycling to dozens of newcomers, national cycling coach Hassan Mohamed will bring the curtains down on the 38th annual Teach Them Young camp today at the National Park.

As has been the norm for close to four decades, the camp will close with an 11-race programme sponsored by the National Sports Commission (NSC).

Action will pedal off at 09:00h and the event is one of several Mohamed would have hosted during

the past few weekends and geared towards giving the participants a feel of competitive cycling.

The participants will compete in the BMX events, which will have categories for Open, 6-9 years, 9-12, 12-14 and Boys and Girls. At the completion of these events, the senior riders will swing into action with the Veterans Under and Over-50 and Over-60, the Mountain Bikes category, Juveniles and the feature 35-lap School Boys and Invitational race.

Last year’s feature event was won by Alanzo Greaves of Roraima Bikers Club. Greaves finished the race in a time of one hour, 17 minutes, 12.79 seconds. Other category winners from last year include Hamzah Eastman (Juveniles), Junior Niles (Veterans U-50) and Clyde Jacobs (Mountain Bike). The NSC is expected to be represented by Director of Sport Neil Kumar, who will witness the day’s activities and assist in the presentation of prizes at the conclusion.

GB women break 4x100m national record

Britain’s women broke the national 4x100m relay record for the second time in 11 days with a time of 42.21 seconds at the Zurich Diamond League meeting.

Earlier this month the quartet of Ashleigh Nelson, Asha Phillip, Jodie Williams and Desiree Henry broke the 34-yearold record when they crossed the line in 42.24 seconds to take gold at the European Championships in the same venue.

And they were at it again at the penultimate IAAF Diamond League meeting of the 2014 season, this time with Anyika Onuora replacing Williams, as they beat Jamaica and the USA in a time of 42.21 seconds.

“It’s amazing,” said

rights in the 100m, crossing the line in 10.06 seconds to take third behind Jamaica’s Kemar BaileyCole and Michael Rodgers. Adam Gemili and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey were fifth and eighth respectively while Chijindu Ujah won the B race in 10.16 seconds.

European gold medallist Martyn Rooney had to settle for fourth in the 400m in 45.10 seconds while Tiffany Porter, also winner of a European title in Zurich earlier this month, was third in the 100m hurdles. While new British outdoor high jump record

Alanzo Greaves Hamzah Eastman

Junior Niles

James Dasaolu

holder Isobel Pooley was sixth in the high jump, James Ellington eighth in the 200m and Andy Vernon 18th in the 5000m.

the quartet of Ashleigh Nelson, Asha Phillip, Jodie Williams and Desiree Henry broke the 34-year-old record when they crossed the line in 42.24 seconds

Robb Street Scotiabank staff donate school items to four orphanages

The Staff of Scotiabank Robb Street Branch put a big smile on the faces of many children preparing for school on Monday, September 1. The staff pooled together their own resources to purchase school items for children at four orphanages around the City. Wednesday, August 27, Joshua House,

Blessed Children's Home, The Convalescent Home and St Ann's Orphanage were the proud recipients of Scotiabank's Robb Street Branch generosity. The donations included pencils, crayons, markers, playdough, exercise books, geometry sets, water bottles, art books, book covers, pens and pencils.

This event highlights Scotiabank's Bright Future strategy to improve the lives of children in areas we work and do business by giving the youths of today a bright future. The Robb Street Branch staff look forward for this event every year and was encouraged by the wonderful smiles and big thank you they received when they

visited the orphanages. The children were elated and was very appreciative of the items received. The representatives of the various homes also expressed sincere appreciation and acknowledge the timeliness

of the donation. One home indicated that there were still donations they received from Scotiabank last year which will be use this year.

As we continue to work in our communities we will like the public to know that

the Robb Street Branch staff will be launching it's annual cake sale in September and we look forward for the spirited support and generosity we would receive from the public, the bank said.

UDFA/Net-Rockers FC Community Cup Under-20 Football Tournament Round up

The Upper Demerara Football Association/ Net-Rockers Football Club Community Cup Football Tournament is now down to its knockout stage featuring the final four teams in what is anticipated to be two exciting Semi-Final matches on Saturday August 30 at the Wisburg Secondary School Ground.

The tournament which started on Friday, August 22,with a preliminary round of eight participating clubs being placed into two groups of four. Each

club played each other in their respective groups and the top two teams from each group advancing to the knock out round.

The four semi-finalist giants will battle their respective opponents in a quest to book places in the finals. Tournament favourites winners Connection FC who tops their Group A unbeaten, will battle will battle Group B 2nd place club Botofago FC in what is dubbed the tournament ‘derby’. Meanwhile Group B winner, Eagles United who also ended their

group stage unbeaten will have to prove their worth when they face off the well rounded Net-Rockers FC who came 2nd to Winners Connection in Group A.

Winners Connection will depend heavily on their scoring machine Marmalique Davidson to continue doing what he does best to see them through while Donavon Francis will have to come up big as he always do if his team is to book that final spot.

kellon Primo is one of the many players that

Eagles United FC will look to if they are to rise above their fierce opponent NetRockers FC whose combination of Shane Luckie, Anthony Layne, Andrew Breedy can positively dictate the outcome of any matchup.

The finals are slated for Sunday September 7 at the Bayroc Community ground and it’s going to be epic.

Among the sponsors who made this tournament a success are: Caribbean International Distributers Inc (CIDI), Thrill Soft

Drinks, Rubis Guyana Inc, Giftland OfficeMax, Danny & Reshma Groceries, S & L Electrical, Farfan & Mendez, Trophy Stall, Express Shipping, CG’S Promotions, Snooks Variety, Bernards Variety, Chicken stag Bar, Figgys Groceries, Wills Electrical, LJ Shopping Zone (Randy Hall), Rite Care Pharmacy, Mayfield Clothing, River View Shopping Centre, Office Pro, Dexter Copland, Stanley Lancaster, Abdulla Hamid, Shamine Hinds, Major Muray, Bunny.

Staff of Scotiabank and the children and staff of The Convalescent Home, Durban Backlands. Brian Hackett Manager, Robb Street Branch are caught handing over the goodies to five year-old Tyra Gordon, while on the right is Ms Joan Stephens-Deveaux, head care giver and other children look on

The children of Joshua house and staff of Scotiabank Robb Street Branch pose with gifts

Rohan Albert, a member at Robb Street Branch team handing over to the gifts to the Blessed Children's Home while the children looked on

Staff of the Robb Street Branch posing with the children of St Ann's orphanage

Bangladesh in West Indies 2014...

WI name 13-man squad for first Bangladesh Test

The new WICB selection panel led by Clive Lloyd has named a 13-man Test squad for the West Indies ahead of the first of two Test matches against Bangladesh beginning on September 5 in St Vincent. The only change to the squad from the West Indies’ previous Test assignment against New Zealand in June was dropping reserve batsman Leon Johnson while all other players have been retained.

In the release announcing the squad, the WICB noted that two other players were considered for selection but instead opted to play in the Champions League Twenty20 competition which begins September 13 in Raipur, India. Since the tournament is in an ICC-approved window on the international schedule, the WICB said the decision of the players will not have any impact on future selection.

Aside from representatives in the Caribbean Premier League champion Barbados Tridents squad, seven other West Indies players are participating in the Champions League Twenty20. Among those possibly in line for Test selection out of that group are Sunil Narine and Dwayne Bravo.

Narine was not considered for selection for all three Tests against New Zealand in June after opting to play for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL Final on June 1. It caused him to miss the start of a West Indies training camp ahead of the first Test starting on June 8. It paved the way for both Shane Shillingford and Sulieman

Benn to make their returns to Test cricket during the series.

Earlier this summer, Bravo expressed his desire to return to the Test cricket following recovery from a shoulder injury suffered at the start of this year’s IPL. The West Indies ODI captain has not played Test cricket since 2010 on tour in Sri Lanka.

supports Cricket for Unity game

West Indies squad: Denesh Ramdin (capt), Chris Gayle, Kraigg Brathwaite, Kirk Edwards, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Jermaine Blackwood, Kemar Roach, Jerome Taylor, Jason Holder, Shannon Gabriel, Sulieman Benn, Shane Shillingford.

(ESPNcricinfo)

West Indies will be depending on Shivnarine Chanderpaul to bounce back after being knocked down to a 2-1 Test series defeat by New Zealand in June © WICB

Dwayne Roberts

Shane Webster

Alisha Fortune grabs gold at the just concluded North, Central American and Caribbean Masters World Championships in Costa Rica