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Issue No. 3195

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Friday, April 28, 2017

PRICE

Law books vendetta

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

SOCU charges Nandlall Page 3

Seizure of computer systems

Enmore P14 NDC files $5M lawsuit against SARU

Fisherman jailed for marijuana stash under P8 bed

…as court releases him on self-bail Former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall leaving the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday after he was charged by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) and released on self-bail by Magistrate Fabayo Azore (Marceano Narine photo)

Police yet to crack reopened cold cases Page 11

Deeds Sovereignty Registrar of the people denies paying appeal case herself monies filed at CCJ Page 10

Page 9

Police arrest Berbice teacher …reportedly forced for sexual assault teen girls into act Page 7

Guyana suffers decline in P2 media freedom …ranking drops 3 places

Opposition P14 submits motion to revoke VAT on education …parents expect AFC support

Mazaruni Prison to see $60M expansion P2

2 news

friDAY, APRIL 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Guyana suffers decline in media freedom …ranking drops 3 places

R

eporters Without Borders (RWB), an entity that campaigns for media freedom and the rights of journalists, has indicated in its 2017 World Press Freedom Index that there have been significant setbacks in Guyana over the past year, although the constitution guarantees free speech and the right to information.

The RWB Guyana World Press Freedom Index published on Wednesday has placed Guyana 60th in its world ranking, down by three places from its last ranking; while Trinidad and Tobago has been ranked 34th, Jamaica 4th, and the Eastern Caribbean 38th.

RWB has said that, in Guyana, “officials often use… defamation laws, which provide for fines and up to two years in jail, to silence opposition journalists"; and that “members of the media regulatory authority are appoint-

ed directly by the president.

This restricts the freedom of certain media outlets, which are denied licences.

Journalists are also subjected to harassment that take the form of prosecutions, suspensions and intimidation”.

President of the Guyana Press Association (GPA), Neil Marks, told Guyana Times on Thursday that the organisation has placed on record the deterioration of the state media climate in Guyana. He said: “Ministers of the Government continue to dictate content to the state media, with some stories even being vetted by a senior Government minister.”

He also said that the GPA recently had cause to note what he described as the “frightening development” of Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan reportedly seeking to dictate the agenda of the state media by suggesting what should be the main news item in the

Guyana Chronicle.

Marks declared, “The President's counter that Bulkan was expressing his personal view does not hold, as Bulkan signed his missive to the newspaper as ‘Minister of Communities’.

Even if he had not signed as minister, anyone -- and surely the minister must know -- with common sense would deduce that Bulkan's public office trumps any other positions he may hold; and as such, his missive to the Chronicle was an attempt

at censorship and intimidation.”

The GPA, Marks said, remains deeply concerned that despite the public utterances of President David Granger: that his Administration will not seek to control the public or private press, the Director of Public Information, Imran Khan, continues to serve as Chairman of the Board of the Guyana Chronicle. “This has to change if the public utterances of the President are to be taken seriously,” Marks has asserted.

Reporters Without Borders has said that the 2017 index “reflects a world in which attacks on the media have become commonplace, and strongmen are on the rise. We have reached the age of post-truth propaganda and suppression of freedoms, especially in democracies.”

Declaring that the overall level of constraints on media freedom worldwide has risen by some 14 per cent over the past five years, the organisation has said that media freedom has never previously been so threatened.

In the past year alone, the organisation wrote, some 62 percent of the 180 countries surveyed have seen “a deterioration of their situation, while the number of countries where the media freedom situation was ‘good’ or ‘fairly good’ fell by 2.3 per cent.”

The World Press Freedom Index has been published annually since 2002. The survey is based on criteria that include pluralism, media independence, media environment and self-censorship, legislative environment, transparency, infrastructures and abuses.

Mazaruni Prison to see $60M expansion

M

The Mazaruni Prison in Region 7

inister of State, Joseph Harmon, announced at Thursday’s post-Cabinet press briefing that almost $60 million would be spent on expanding and rehabilitating the riverine correctional facility of the Mazuruni Prison, located in Region Seven (Cuyuni/ Mazaruni), in order to accommodate more long-term prisoners from the Camp Street Prison in Georgetown.

The minister disclosed that Cabinet had given its approval for two contracts to be issued in this regard: one for $28.1million to A. Nazir and Sons Contracting, and another for $30.4 million to R. Kissoon Contracting Services Limited.

This development comes almost one year after a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) had recommended that more space be provided for inmates at the Georgetown Prison.

The Mazaruni Prison, standing on some 20 acres of land, provides living accommodation for prison officers, blocks for inmates, and land for agricultural development. Rehabilitation of this facility also includes proper fencing of its entire 20-acre spread and expansion of its current facilities.

Minister Harmon explained that the plan has always been to move some of the prisoners from Camp Street to Mazaruni, thus accommodation has to be provided for that purpose. He said Government is trying to provide for prisoners accommodation in keeping with international standards.

“The facilities we provide for Guyanese… although they are in prison, we still have to treat them as prop-

er human beings; and therefore the conditions that we provide for them in these facilities, we are looking to upgrade those,” Harmon said.

Government had immediately established a Commission of Enquiry to determine the root causes of the massive fire that had engulfed the Camp Street Prison in March 2016 and had claimed the lives of 17 inmates.

Several recommendations had been made after completion of that CoI, including relieving the congestion at that correctional facility by providing enough space for inmates; and more timely resolution of legal issues by abolishing preliminary inquiries (PIs) as an urgent priority of the judiciary.

It was also recommended that a robust programme of community-based sentencing alternatives and a piloting of alternative and community-based sentences should be undertaken with women and juvenile offenders.

Moreover, the release of prisoners who are on remand should be automatic once the time they served equals the sentence which the offence would have attracted. Further, maximum limits for the time in which inmates are on remand should be taken into consideration.

It had also been suggested that the large number of prisoners on remand was responsible for overcrowding in the prison system. Figures released by the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) have indicated that 258 prisoners were remanded by magistrates at the end of February 2016.

news

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Friday, April 28 – 05:00h-06:30h and Saturday, April 29 – 05:30h-07:00h.

Law books vendetta

SOCU charges Nandlall …as court releases him on self-bail

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

By Jarryl Bryan

Friday, April 28 – 05:15h-06:45h and Saturday, April 29 – 06:00h-07:30h.

FERRY SCHEDULE Parika and Supenaam departure times - 05:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h daily

WEATHER TODAY Heavy to light rain showers, accompanied by thunder in the mid-morning hours, are expected to prevail throughout the day. Partly cloudy skies and light rain showers are predicted for the evening hours. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East North-easterly between 3.57 metres and 5.81 metres.

High Tide: 05:41h and 18:10h reaching maximum heights of 2.95 metres and 2.80 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 11:42h and 23:58h reaching minimum heights of 0.26 metre and 0.48 metre respectively.

F

ormer Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, was on Thursday arraigned before Georgetown Magistrate Fabayo Azore on a charge instituted by members of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) which detailed that, between May 15 and May 29, 2015, while being a bailee (custodian), he had fraudulently converted to his own use and benefit 14 Commonwealth Law Reports, valued at $2.3 million -- which he allegedly unlawfully retained after demitting office in 2015.

Represented by a battery of attorneys that included former Education Minister Priya Manickchand, as well as Glenn Hanoman, Sase Gunraj, Euclin Gomes and Sanjeev Datadin,

Former AG Anil Nandlall arrives at court for a second time, accompanied by two of his attorneys

SOCU to bring Nandlall before the court to have his case heard.

Nandlall, meanwhile, was taken from the magistrate’s presence, but as the

“This has nothing to do with the law books. As I indicated earlier, it has a political and sinister motive. (But) the state will expend millions of taxpayers’ money to prosecute this charge, and it will go nowhere.”

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Nandlall’s entry into the courtroom was preceded by his eminent legal representation, and he was initially informed by the magistrate that the case file was not with her clerk. This caused some commotion as the lawyers tried to determine whether SOCU officers were attempting to manipulate the system to further detain Nandlall.

There was a terse exchange between Magistrate Azore and Attorney Hanoman, who argued that the matter should be dealt with expeditiously, as Nandlall’s liberty was at stake. Magistrate Azore eventually told the defence battery of lawyers to leave the courtroom as the case file was not in her possession, prompting the team to mull filing a Habeas Corpus that would have compelled

case file was brought to the magistrate after a delay, he was returned to court, and the former Attorney General was not required to plead to the indictable charge.

Defence Attorney Hanoman, arguing for selfbail, said Nandlall was a former Attorney General of Guyana and, moreover, in 19 years of legal practise, had never had an incident. He also referred to Nandlall’s address as his fixed place of abode.

It was also pointed out that the High Court had only days before granted Nandlall a conservatory order preventing SOCU from seizing the said law books.

State Prosecutor Patrice Henry informed the court that more statements had to be taken in relation to the matter. As such,

Nandlall was released on self-bail. He is scheduled to return to court on May 9.

Arrest

Nandlall later told the media that SOCU operatives had gone for him at his law office earlier in the day, and had whisked him away to their headquarters. Shortly after members of the media had arrived at the unit’s headquarters at approximately 12:00hrs, Nandlall was brought out

by SOCU operatives to be taken to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Nandlall arrived at the courthouse in a heavily tinted SOCU vehicle, but remained outside the courtroom in SOCU custody. After some time had elapsed, the SOCU officers had drove away with Nandlall while his lawyers frantically tried to determine where the officers were taking him.

Vendetta

Outside the court, Nandlall told the media he was not surprised by the charge, which he stated was a long time coming, after he had begun criticising the performance of Attorney General Basil Williams.

“I don’t think anyone would be surprised by the turn of events. The Attorney General prom-

ised over a year ago that, should I continue to publicly criticise him, he will make these law books an issue and I will be charged,” Nandlall claimed.

“This has nothing to do with the law books. As I indicated earlier, it has a political and sinister motive.

(But) the state will expend millions of tax payers’ money to prosecute this charge, and it will go nowhere.”

The former Attorney General expressed conviction that he was being persecuted, and he said this was one of several attempts to embarrass and silence him and to break his spirit.

He insisted that the charge should not have even been filed, since he had already begun proceedings in the High Court.

“The Constitution is very clear: A magistrate ought to defer to the superiority of the High Court and the superior law of the land. Hopefully, at an appropriate stage, that application will be made and it will be dealt with,” he said.

“I am happy that this is being done, so the world is witnessing how quickly we have descended (into authoritarianism). Today it is Anil Nandlall, tomorrow it can be any one of you.

Your business is exposing (wrongdoing) (and) that is my business as a politician, too. And that is all that I’ve been doing -- exposing wrongdoings.”

Nandlall reiterated that part of the package he had negotiated with former President Donald Ramotar was that the state would pay his subscription for the law books with United Kingdom publisher Lexis Nexis. He insisted that Government could not produce any document to verify actually buying his law books.

Nandlall opined that his arrest and indictment was just the tip of the iceberg. According to him, it is likely that the state will bring more opposition politicians and former ministers before the courts.

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GPSU elections and the Patrick Yarde syndrome

T

he way was cleared by the courts for the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) to hold elections on Thursday.

However, one wonders what service has the leadership of this embattled Union rendered to its membership over the years, while living off members’ contributions out of meagre salaries like fat cats.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC), inclusive of the GPSU – which for the duration of the oppressive People’s National Congress (PNC) Administration was a toothless poodle without bark or bite – under successive People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Administrations had become such a ferocious bulldog that it called protests and strikes to destabilise and destroy the labour constructs of this country at the whims and fancies of its master puppeteers – political opportunists who have historically proven that they have no qualms in using their supporters to destroy and decimate their own survival systems.

The TUC and the GPSU calmly accepted the PNC’s destruction of the bauxite mining industry and its abominable treatment of public servants with oppressive, punitive conditions of work – (including them being forced to work for free on Hope Estate or in the cane fields on holidays and weekends); wages frozen at $2000 to boot and no relief in the various vital social service sectors, such as housing, health care, education, etcetera. But, the unions suddenly found a ferocious voice to destabilise all the people-friendly, empowering mechanisms that the previous Administration devised to give Guyanese citizens – across the board – opportunities for upward mobility.

A cursory examination of the history of the GPSU would clearly show its primary historical role is that of a (strong) arm for a violence-prone political party.

Every initiative the previous Administration implemented to better the lives of Guyanese was shot down by then opposition forces, including the GPSU. A prime example of its modus operandi was one instance when, purporting to represent the rights of the labour force, it agitated relentlessly against the PPP/C Government employing prisoners to work, as if Guyana’s prisoners are Martians with no right to a means of earning revenue to support themselves or families.

The right to work and earn is a basic human right, and a government is mandated to take care of every citizen of the land over which it governs. In a Third World, developing country that has to guard its spending and strategise to stretch dollars while obtaining maximum service for public monies spent – if the people can benefit in a multiplicity of ways from an allocation, that benefits everyone, because all the stakeholders win.

The previous Government was to be commended for the initiative whereby this resource served a dual purpose – giving prisoners a sense of purpose and self-worth while empowering them financially, as well as utilising their services in its drive to clean up the city, which had, under Hamilton Green’s stewardship, become a huge garbage dump and a microcosm of Guyana under the PNC Administration.

The contract fittingly awarded to the Guyana Prison Service by the PPP/C Administration simultaneously addressed several essential national needs. The Government needed to get on with the job for which it was mandated by the citizens of this country, which was to govern for the betterment of country and citizens and leave the perennial naysayers, doomsayers and destroyers of this nation’s survival systems to do what they do best – prophesy gloom and doom on the nation, then act to fructify their portentous prognostications.

But today the GPSU has reverted, under another PNCled regime, to once again becoming a toothless poodle, only yapping at the heels of its masters, while the public servants remain in limbo as the fat cats drive in limos and spout unending rhetoric and make unrealisable and implausible promises to its membership – the Patrick Yarde syndrome.

One awaits the outcome of the GPSU elections. Will Patrick Yarde retain his position, or will there be a change of leadership that will create a dynamic representational force, advocating and agitating for the rights of the workforce it represents, instead of using them as perennial protesters and battering rams to wrest power and riches for leaders of a political construct that always neglect their needs once they have served their purpose to install their leaders in high office?

Time will tell, but it is to be hoped the membership of the GPSU has learnt its bitter lessons and will choose its representational leaders wisely and carefully.

Student Shoaib Khan interacts with First Lady Sandra Granger after presenting her with a large thank you card when she visited the Step by Step Foundation on Thursday to get a personal look at its operations there. The school for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is located at Bagotstown on the East Bank Public Road

Appoint the Local Government Commission now!

Dear Editor, President David Granger’s flagrant disregard for the previously submitted list of nominees for Chairman of the Guyana Election Commission (GECOM) from the Leader of the Opposition is in actuality a deliberate procrastination to name the new Chairman of GECOM. As a consequence, the electoral system is moving further and further into dangerous waters, and the impact of this would be far-reaching.

The recently conducted ninth continuous registration exercise comes up for scrutiny, since it is a cycle being conducted without the Chairman of GECOM being in place. Further, there have been serious complaints regarding the significant wasting of money spent during the period, in addition to the outcry from members of the public who have complained bitterly about the attitude of some of the GECOM staff.

The humongous costs incurred for the exercise stands out for reasons associated with the paucity of information released.

It is also notable that, after the continuous registra-

tion, the claims and objections period was supposed to flow almost automatically.

However, that was not the case on this occasion. GECOM commenced the claims exercise earlier this week, and it appears as though the objections exercise will commence after two weeks. These expensive exercises by GECOM are normally to be followed by elections. In essence, justification must be demanded for conducting the ninth cycle at this time when there are no pending elections, given the fact that this exercise would have to be repeated before any new elections.

In the absence of a functioning GECOM, it is clear that the GECOM Secretariat cannot hold any elections.

Hence the numerous vacancies and issues in the Local Authority Areas are causing serious problems for the smooth running of the Local Authorities.

Further, there are many constituencies that need to have by-elections in order to complete the 2015 Local Government Elections.

However, after the sound thrashing that The Coalition APNU/AFC received at

the March 2016 Local Government Elections, they are doing everything to frustrate the smooth running of the NDCs. The Local Government Areas are experiencing serious difficulties, and Guyanese are rightfully blaming the Government. The Eccles NDC has complained bitterly about the construction of a bridge in the Nandy Park /Eccles area which, because of its preferred specifications and associated costs, falls to have been awarded under the Regional Democratic Council.

The RDC, having usurped the functions of the NDCs in this respect, awarded the contract to one of their cronies.

Months beyond the passage of the expected project delivery time, the bridge has still not been built.

Further, the 2016 budget has provided for the construction of one health centre in the NDC area, and this is yet to materialise. It is sad to know that, after two years, the residents are still awaiting the construction of the Health Centre.

After the 2nd phase of the 9th cycle of continuous registration concludes

through the completion of the claims and objections exercise, the Guyana Elections Commission would not have the authority to embark on any other cycle of registration unless the Commission is in place. This could happen only if and when the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission has been appointed.

So come May 2017, should the Commission not be in place, then the entire machinery of the Guyana Elections Commission would be shut down, and the only function of the Elections Commission would be that of identification cards’ distribution at all the permanent centres. The GECOM Secretariat would have no other mandate, but they have indicated the period would also be used to conduct staff training. The appropriate question therefore is: Staff training for what?

Appoint the Chairman from the list that would be submitted by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.

Appoint the local Government Commission now!

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

Bipartisan committee needed to investigate allegations of corruption

Dear Editor, It’s a sad day when persons placed in the public trust ignore professional ethics and social responsibility and make fools of themselves in the media, trying to defend the indefensible. I refer to a letter written by the apologist for Carol Joseph, the CEO of the Region 5 RDC, Mr Ovid Morrison, which was published on April 25, 2017.

In his response to

a previous letter written by me detailing the abuse of the addictive drug Pethidine by the discredited former APNU/AFC RDC Councillor, Morrison correctly stated, “Ms Joseph could not have accessed these drugs all by herself, since they are kept under secure circumstances at the Hospital”, and, “The dosages of medication Ms Joseph received were prescribed by doctors.”

Morrison is also correct when he wrote, “I must note, however, that implicit in the allegations of her abuse of medication at the Fort Wellington Cottage Hospital is the insinuation that the doctors at this hospital were less than professional; or worse, (were) aided and abetted Ms Joseph in her alleged abuse.”

But nowhere in his letter did he question why, despite repeated complaints of drug

abuse by Carol Joseph, an investigation was not done by the Regional Medical Officer of Region 5, Dr Steven Cheefoon. Neither did he explain his reasons for instructing the RHO to immediately transfer the whistle-blower, Staff Nurse/ Midwife Sherilyn Marks, from the Fort Wellington Hospital, where she performed exemplary service for the past four years. continued to page 5

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friDAY, april 28, 2017

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You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Mr Alexander peddling Who’s fixing the potholes half-truths Dear Editor, Mr Alexander should be congratulated and feel proud for directly and indirectly having caused myself and so many others honour tuition debts to the Government for education and training at the University.

However, as an enforcer in my case, he is at his wits end to divorce himself from peddling half-truths against me.

He needs to reconcile a with the fact that the memo, which indicates that I had until 31st August,2006 to discharge my indebtedness on the loan, emanated from the students loan agency of the Ministry of Finance and not the University of Guyana. His assertion that it is a fabrication is simply not true. Editor, your media has a copy which is also in the records of the courts.

When I approached then Vice Chancellor Dr James Rose, he advised me to make arrangements for payment and collect my results. There upon, I visited Mr Alexander's office and during our discussions he told me to bring an initial three hundred thousand dol-

lars ($300,000). I immediately left Alexander's office, went to the Bursar's and initiated discussions to pay the University because it was then that I learnt that of the monies sent by the Ministry of Finance to the University of Guyana none was applied to my name. Mr N. Rheka, then Finance Secretary could not explain the hiccup to me, but expressed his astonishment. Let me draw to your attention diligent reading public, that in Alexander's office I saw my student file on his desk. I asked him to go through the file in my presence to see if there was a copy of any letter to me that fees must be paid to the University by student # 00/0850/0207. Mr Alexander as Registrar is yet to say that I withdrew from the programme or was expelled from the University of Guyana. Suffice it to say he did not and to this day, cannot produce any communication to me for fees to the University. Yes, he speaks only about the loan, on which I had defaulted, and for excusable good reasons.

I wish to point out that I have copies of my regis-

tration forms for courses of studies in law for the academic years 2000-2001, 2001-2002, 2002-2003. It is on these facts that the court could only have ruled that I am a student.

Here is something I think will shock everyone who has been following this story. Mr Alexander admits he was Registrar. He knew of my dilemma in 2003. Being desperate to become an attorney-at law, even at that stage, I decided to give it another determined effort. So, I applied to our University of Guyana to read law from the beginning in the academic year 2004-2005. On the 30th day of April, in the year 2004, I received this from the Office Of The Registrar:" RE:Application for admission to university of Guyana 2004-2005.

With reference to the subject at caption, I regret to inform you that after careful consideration of your application for Admission to the University of Guyana in the academic year 2004-2005 you were not recommended for admission by the Faculty of Social Sciences to major

in law on the basis that you did not satisfy the basic entry requirement."

Mr Vincent Alexander tell the reading public at large that the University of Guyana has not wronged me under his watch as registrar. The documents are all available to Mr Alexander and the press.

During March-April 2016, Mr Alexander took to the press and wrote all manner of things about me when the Guyana Court of Appeal was engaged in hearing arguments in the now dismissed action 27 of 2014- University of Guyana vs. Clairmonte Cox. I have always avoided erratic activism. So I drew to the attention of editors of our dailies (not any response to Alexander) that there were libellous statements published by me. One media house forwarded my concerns to Vincent Alexander and inquired into his assertions which they categorised as imprecise. This was followed by a decent unreserved apology to me in that paper.

Regards, Clairmonte Cox

Bipartisan committee needed to investigate...

Instead, REO Ovid Morrison sought to defend allegations of medical misconduct by two doctors working at the Fort Wellington Hospital under his administration. Those doctors helped to facilitate this addiction.

Then there is the allegation of medical misconduct against the RHO himself; who, knowing the history of her addiction, wrote a prescription on October 25, 2016 for Carol Joseph in someone else’s name, and ordered his staff at the nurses’ station to administer the drug to her, despite their refusal to do so on the ground that the prescription presented by Joseph was not in her name. I have evidence of the RHO’s initials being on the prescription and on the Dangerous Drug Act book, certifying that the drug was given on that very day.

Morrison should know that the RHO never signs this book, but was forced to do so because the certifying nurse refused to be part of this illegal act and also because the administering of this drug has to be certified in the book, as required by the Dangerous Drugs Act. Disturbingly, I am aware that despite the immense coverage the Carol Joseph drug abuse was given in the press, she is still accessing Pethidine from the Fort Wellington Hospital, and this with the knowledge of the RHO. And the nursing staff are being threatened with being transferred, like

Nurse Marks was, if “they talk” about it.

Is the RHO, Dr Steven Cheefoon, so oblivious to the seriousness of what he is allowing to take place at this hospital? Or is he doing so with the approval of an arrogant Government which is determined to take care of their own?

The public disclosure of Carol Joseph’s addiction forced her resignation as a Region 5 RDC Councillor; she did not do so voluntarily. After being investigated by the police for allegations of fraud at the Mahaicony/ Abary Rice Development Scheme (MARDS), followed closely by the disclosure of her addiction, she was undoubtedly fast becoming an embarrassment and liability to the PNC-dominated APNU. What other reason could be given for her abrupt “resignation” from that group as well? She had to go. But now she need professional help to recover from her addiction, and should not be allowed to continue feeding it. But this is exactly what is being done with Dr Cheefoon’s knowledge and approval.

I have documented evidence that shows Carol Joseph has been getting this drug since 2008. So how does REO Ovid Morrison explain, or even try to justify, the actions of the two doctors under his administration, who collectively are responsible for writing these prescriptions for Carol Joseph all these years? Surely, the doc-

tors must have known they were contributing to her addiction. The question is: “Why?” But now that the REO is aware of all the allegations of drug abuse and medical misconduct taking place under his watch at the Fort Wellington Hospital in

from page 4

Region 5, I expect that he would act professionally and advise the Ministry of Public Health to name a special bipartisan committee to investigate these allegations of corruption.

Sincerely, Harry Gill, MP (PPP)

at Vlissengen Road & Carifesta Ave junction?

Dear Editor, For about four months now, while commuting to Georgetown daily from the East Coast, I have noted with interest the presence of two holes on the road – by the junction of Vlissengen Road and Carifesta Avenue.

As the months went by, these two holes became bigger and wider, and they are now blocked off by a barricade set up by the Guyana Police Force.

What bothers me is that most of our ministers of Government pass there daily -- the President and Prime Minister too -- and the police have blocked off this piece of road, thereby slowing down traffic; yet, no one in authority thinks of fixing this road, thus it is getting worst daily.

I guess that City Mayor Chase Green and Town Clerk Royston King pass that junction constantly too, but they just turn a blind eye to it. But they were very efficient in implementing the parking meters around the city, and they will still implement those meters sooner or later.

If they cannot fix basic road problems, then it's not possible for this current administration to fix this country's economic problems. These potholes are all over the place. I noticed another big one opposite

Guyana Stores and by the Muneshwer's junction. That one has some sand in it and a few sticks around it, and that can even cause a vehicle to divert and run into Guyana Stores Supermarket. Where I live in Agriculture Road, Triumph, ECD, we have two miles of growing potholes in the road. I wrote several times about those, yet no one has come to fix this road. The NAREI big wigs, the NDC chairman and even the police drive here daily, yet they turn a blind eye to the situation.

I am calling on our erudite Minister of Public Infrastructure, the Honourable David Patterson, to get fixed immediately the potholes at Vlissengen and Carifesta junction before a serious accident occurs. I want to suggest to the Mayor and City Council to immediately set up a Road Builders Committee that would travel the entire city to fix deplorable roads.

Our basic problem in this country is incompetence and negligence. We wait until something is completely destroyed before we do something, when all along we could have rescued it long before it got destroyed.

Yours truly, Rev Gideon Cecil

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FRIdAY, APRIL 28, 2017

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Foundation

Brains have owners – the owner should be your conscious mind

By William R Klemm, PhD

B

rains have owners.

The question is, “Just who is this owner?”

Can the brain be its own owner? Or is it more likely that the brain generates a process that acts like an owner? You might call that process you.

The owner is your conscious mind. But how does conscious mind exist? What does the brain do to possess it?

Everything the brain does, as far as we know, involves the deployment and distribution of nerve impulses in defined circuitry to control bodily functions, thought, and behaviour. Thus the owner, that is your conscious you, could exist as a special collection of nerve impulses operating in a particular way.

The conscious self is an explicit frame of reference by which the nerve impulse patterns of stimuli from all senses can be evaluated in the context of self-awareness.

The smell of sizzling steak is only detected by my olfactory pathways, but it is perceived by my “I”. In both cases, this processing is mediated by nerve impulses. Likewise, a touch of kindness, or the sound of great music, or the taste of fine wine, are all represented by nerve impulses in my primary sensory pathways, but perceived by my conscious sense of itself.

Nerve impulses and their consequences

One approach to this as-

guyanatimesgy.com

sertion about nerve impulses and their consequences is to dismiss it as irrelevant to the issue of consciousness.

This is the dualist position, which holds that mind is external to brain, but is trapped in there while you are alive. However, almost all scientists hold that mind should not be ripped out of the brain. Why can’t conscious mind exist as a materialistic property, existing as unique patterns of nerve impulses flowing in self-organising neural circuitry?

Neural circuit impulse patterns (CIPs) underlie all basic brain functions – that should include the state of consciousness. Religious people might say that this is an atheistic position. Not necessarily. There are multiple other explanations for what we call the soul. Here, let us stick with what science has thus far revealed.

Consciousness is a state of awareness (knowing that you know) that uses a set of circuit impulse patterns (CIPs) to represent the sense of self, just as bodily sensations are represented by impulses flowing in the mapped circuitry of the sensory cortex.

Movement commands are represented by impulse patterns in the motor cortex and allied structures. The CIPs of conscious self could be the equivalent of a brain-created avatar that acts in the world on behalf of its brain and body. I suggest that conscious CIPs constitute a being. It is

what makes us a human being.

Avatars

People who play computer games know about avatars that act as proxies for the gamer. The avatar is the game-player’s agent, doing things in the game on behalf of the player. A good example is the increasingly popular Web environment known as Second Life, in which players create their own avatars and live vicariously through the avatar in the virtual world.

Unlike computer avatars, the brain avatar can programme itself by deciding what it wants to experience, learn, and remember. Moreover, the biological avatar gets to decide or at least influence what the brain thinks is in the best interest and supervise the actions to accomplish it.

This avatar being is the conscious sense of “I”. It detects much of what the brain is thinking, such as beliefs, wishes, decisions, plans, and the like. Moreover, the avatar knows how it is teaching the unconscious brain in terms of specific cognitive capabilities, motor skills, ideas, attitudes, or emotions. The avatar, by definition, processes information in the context of its own self-identity. It is the avatar that is self-aware.

The nervous system’s fundamental design principle is to accomplish awareness— to detect things in the environment and then generate

appropriate responses. In higher animals, that capability extends to detecting more and more abstract things, ultimately the most abstract thing of all, the sense of self.

Such a CIP-based system is not only able to detect and code events in the “outside” world, but it can do the same for its inner sense of self.

Thus, the conscious mind, being automatically and simultaneously aware of the outside world and its inner world has the capacity to know that it knows. This sense also has an autonomy not found with the traditional five senses. It is an entity that has a life of its own.

Any time we are awake, the avatar is active – deployed on line so to speak.

By way of computer analogy, when the avatar is “on-line” during wakefulness, it is operating in RAM and able to exert its functions. When the avatar is shut down, as in going to sleep, the avatar goes off-line and saves its CIP files on “hard disk”. In biological systems, the hard disk is stored in the neuron terminals and synapses of the preferential segments of the global neural network that hold the memory of self and the capacity for rebooting the self when sleep ends. The self may have undergone some subtle changes with the day’s experiences. By the way, updating the modified self in long-term memory is one of the functions of sleep.

Maybe my idea of “I” is

an illusion, a figment of my brain’s imagination … But wait: I have to be more than a virtual me. My idea of “I” is created and represented in the form of real brain circuitry, in the wetware of nerves, impulses, and aqueous solutions of neurotransmitter chemicals. When “I” am online, my sense of self exists as patterns of nerve impulses propagating throughout that

circuitry. When I am asleep my “I” goes off-line and exists as preferred junctions among neurons that store “me” on the biological equivalent of a “hard drive” that has the capacity to put “me” back on line. Remember, all these avatar processes operate throughout our brain’s odyssey from womb to tomb.

The avatar is what makes us human. (psychologytoday.com)

Helping children deal with Continued

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Help your child think of things to do

f there’s a specific problem that’s causing stress, talk together about what to do. Encourage your child to think of a couple of ideas. You can start the brainstorming if necessary, but don’t do all the work. Your child’s active participation will build confidence. Support the good ideas and add to them as needed. Ask, “How do you think this will work?”

Listen and move on

Sometimes talking and listening and feeling understood is all that’s needed to help a child’s frustrations begin to melt away. Afterward, try changing the subject and moving on to something more positive and relaxing. Help your child think of something to do to feel better. Don’t give the problem more attention than it deserves.

Limit stress where possible

If certain situations are causing stress, see if there are ways to change things. For instance, if too many after-school activities consistently cause homework stress, it might be necessary to limit activities to leave time and energy for homework.

Just be there

Children don’t always feel like talking about what’s bothering them. Sometimes that’s OK. Let your children know you’ll be there when they do feel like talking. Even when children don’t want to talk, they usually don’t want parents to leave them alone. You can help your child feel better just by being there — keeping him or her company, spending time together. So if you notice that your child seems to be down in the dumps, stressed, or having a bad day — but doesn’t feel like talking — initiate something you can do together. Take a walk, watch a movie, shoot some hoops, or bake some cookies. Isn’t it nice to know that your presence really counts?

Be patient

As a parent, it hurts to see your child unhappy or stressed. But try to resist the urge to fix every problem.

Instead, focus on helping your child, slowly but surely, grow into a good problem-solver — a kid who knows how to roll with life’s ups and downs, put feelings into words, calm down when needed, and bounce back to try again.

Parents can’t solve every problem as children go through life. But by teaching healthy coping strategies, you’ll prepare your children to manage the stresses that come in the future. (psychologytoday.com)

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friDAY, APRIL 28, 2017| guyanatimesgy.com

Law books vendetta

Conditions of employment must be respected – trade unionist

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n the wake of former Attorney General Anil Nandlall’s arrest and indictment, a prominent local trade unionist is arguing that if he did receive the Commonwealth Law reports as a condition of employment, such a condition must be respected.

Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) President Komal Chand put forward this position, during an interview at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday. Chand noted the reports were that the law books Nandlall received were part of the arrangements of his employment and, as such, the Administration must respect the bargaining arrangement.

Asked whether anything constituting a contract existed to attest to this, Chand stated that that must be left to the court to determine.

However, he correlated the books for which Nandlall was charged with other perks that Members of Parliament and Government Ministers receive.

“If, indeed it’s a condition of employment, then that’s it. If I’m going to take up this job, but (I say) you need to give me A, B or C for me to be able to do the job and to be updated with the (latest) court

GAWU President Komal Chand

matters and court decisions, then that’s it,” Chand posited.

On the other side of the spectrum, Chand stated that if it was not a condition of employment, then the court had to pronounce on that.

“In that case, if the court doesn’t accept (Nandlall’s ownership of books), then I would say the natural thing is the books ought to be released by him and returned.”

Attorney-at-Law Euclin Gomes, a member of Nandlall’s legal team, also expressed support for the former Attorney General. He stated that the drive to prosecute Nandlall was a politically-motivated one.

“If you follow the sequence

of events leading up to this charge, you cannot come to any other conclusion,” he said.

Nandlall was brought before the court by members of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) on Thursday afternoon and indicted for allegedly converting to his own use 14 law books the State claims he unlawfully retained after demitting office in 2015.

Nandlall was represented by a battery of Attorneys, including former Education Minister Priya Manickchand, Glenn Hanoman, Sase Gunraj, Euclin Gomes and Sanjeev Datadin. He appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The particulars of the charge are that, while being a bailee (custodian), Nandlall fraudulently converted 14 Commonwealth Law Reports valued at $2.3 million between May 15 and May 29, 2015.

Hanoman, the lead defence Attorney, argued for self-bail. He stated that Nandlall was a former Attorney General of Guyana and moreover, in 19 years of legal practice, he had never had an incident. He also referenced Nandlall’s address as his fixed place of abode.

Police arrest Berbice teacher for sexual assault …reportedly forced teen girls into act

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olice in Region Six, East Berbice, have taken a Corentyne teacher into custody on an allegation that he had forced two teenage sisters -- reportedly school dropouts aged 14 and 15 -- to perform oral sex on him.

Reports are that the teacher had gone to the home of the teen girls ostensibly to take food items for the family, but had instead collected the sisters and taken them to another location, where he allegedly forced them to perform the act on him. Following the incident, the teens went to the Albion Police Station and reported the matter.

Police Divisional

Commander, Assistant Commissioner Ian Amsterdam, confirmed that the teacher has been taken into custody, and that the teens had taken police to the place where the incident had allegedly occurred. He said the police have since prepared a file based on the reports, and are awaiting legal advice on the matter.

Guyana Times understands that some parents had, in the past, alleged that this teacher had been seeking advanced payment of school fees under the pretext that the money was needed to purchase fuel for a motor vehicle.

Meanwhile, in a separate

incident that has similar implications of sexual impropriety, it was reported to Guyana Times that an executive member of the Alliance For Change (AFC) had sexually assaulted a Corentyne teenage girl.

Commander Amsterdam reported on Thursday that police had gone to the suspect’s home following receipt of the report, but he had gone into hiding. The man has since turned himself in to police custody.

According to Amsterdam, the Police have already prepared a file based on the report made by the teenager.

That file will be sent for legal advice soon, Amsterdam said.

It was also pointed out that the High Court had granted Nandlall a conservatory order only days before, preventing SOCU from seizing the law books.

State Prosecutor Patrice

Henry did not object to Hanoman’s submission, and Nandlall was released on selfbail. He is scheduled to return to court on May 9.

While Nandlall has argued that the books were

part of a negotiated arrangement he had with former President Donald Ramotar, the Government has held out that the State purchased the law books and his retention of them was against the law.

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fridAY, APRIL 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS

Fisherman jailed for marijuana stash under bed

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n Albouystown fisherman who was on Tuesday busted by Police under a bed hugging two bags of marijuana, will now spend three years behind bars after admitting to possession of the illicit substance.

Appearing before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, Shaheed Ali admitted that on April 25 at Albouys Street, Albouystown, Georgetown he had in his possession 2.025 kilograms of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

Prosecutor Arvin Moore informed the court that on the day in question, Police acting on information swooped down upon the premises called "Gym Yard" where a search was conducted. Prosecutor Moore related that the 28-yearold man was found hiding under a bed gripping the bags. Ali was then ordered to come out of hiding by a rank, who reportedly seized the said bags and opened it in his presence; revealing a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be can-

nabis.

The defendant was told of the offence, cautioned, arrested and escorted to the Brickdam Police Station where he was charged with the offence.

In court on Thursday, Ali said that he uses the prohibited herb for medicinal purposes when questioned by the Chief Magistrate.

He was then ordered to pay a fine of $3,037,500 (triple the street value of the drug) and ushered out of the courtroom.

…for press freedom

Shaheed Ali

Fake number plate lands Lusignan man in jail

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lroy Livan, a Lusignan, East Coast Demerara man, was on Thursday morning slapped with a one-year jail term and fined $1 million after Magistrate Annette Singh concluded that he was guilty of fraudulently imitating an identification mark.

The court found that Livan fraudulently imitated identification mark HB 7412 on a registered motor car with number HC 7294 on November 14, 2016. The accused, along with two others (ex-cop Devon Chase and Frederick Boyce), was

Elroy Livan

captured by Police during a high-speed chase late last year at Lamaha and

Republic Streets, Newtown, Georgetown. The men were shortly after arraigned before the courts where they were jointly charged with armed robbery. Additionally, they were charged for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The former Policeman was jailed for four years and fined $60,000, after he pleaded guilty at first instance to the charge of gun and ammo possession, contending that he kept the weapon for protection purposes as he was an ex-cop. His counterparts entered not-guilty pleas and were remanded.

Reports are the charge of robbery under arms was subsequently dismissed against Livan, and the firearm/ammo matter was also withdrawn.

Slippery slope…

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During the trial, the court was told that on the day of the incident, Police received a report that some men were planning to rob a gas station. Shortly thereafter, a heavily-tinted car matching the given description was spotted by ranks and the driver of the car upon spotting the Police vehicle accelerated, leading Police on a high-speed chase around Georgetown.

The pursuit ended after the car came to a halt in a ditch, reportedly skidding off the road into the nearby trench. The trio then exited the vehicle, and a search conducted by ranks led to the discovery of a 9mm Taurus pistol and 10 live rounds under the dashboard opposite the front passenger seat.

n the day after it was announced that Guyana had slipped three places downwards on the World Press Freedom Index, PM Nagamootoo, who is in charge of “Information”, was delivering the feature address at the Government Public Relations Conference held at the National Racket Centre! The locale’s name couldn’t have been more apropos, since it’s the “racket” Nagamootoo and his shill -- the DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC INFORMATION -- are engaged in!!

Do these fellas, who claim to be “mavens” of information, know how these titles strike folks from real democracies? Minister and Director of Information??

Jeez!! That’s straight out of 1984 Orwellian doublespeak!!

The Press Index ranking just mentioned a few of the sins the PNC-led government’s been committing: “often use its defamation laws, which provide for fines and up to two years in jail, to silence opposition journalists; (and) the members of the media regulatory authority are appointed directly by the president.”

They didn’t even mention the biased and outrageous reporting by the state-owned Chronic, which at this point makes Pravda look like the London Times. The heavy hand of Nagamootoo and his shill are evident in every edition of the newspaper -- which is subsidised by the taxpayers of this country. Imagine: Nagamootoo was addressing the PR heads of the various ministries; yes, we have those in addition to the Minister of Information and his Director and staff.

The PR hacks had the nerve to complain that the state media wasn’t giving enough coverage to Government’s activities!! On that day, the Chronic had its front page devoted to Pressie meeting Queen Elizabeth; pg 2: Pressie pressing the flesh and inviting a British Minister to “come on down!!”; pg 3: elaborating on Pressie and the Queen’s tete-a-tete; pg 4: about the police; pg 5: Harmon addressing Public servants; pg 5: editorial ripping apart the former AG Nandlall; pg 6: PM addressing his PR confab; pg 7: Harmon on Code of Conduct; pg 8: Min of Finance Jordan on economy!! You get the idea??

You’d never suspect Guyana has an Opposition with just ONE seat less than the Government!! And placing the final nail in the state paper -- to ensure our press freedom index keeps heading south -- the Chronic announced Ernesto Woolford’s the new Director of the state media board. He’ll be backed by his protégé and Opposition critic, Gordon Moseley; the Director of the Government Information Agency, Beverly Alert (No! This is a different lackey than the Director of Public Information, who licks only the PM’s boots)!!

The descent of the Press Freedom Index of course mirrors the overall authoritarian creep in all parts of the government. En guard, citoyen!!

…for Indian Monument

With May 5th - Indian Arrival Day - around the corner, is the collapse of the walls of the Indian Monument’s base at Palmyra a portent of deeper contradictions? This monument is a gift from the Government of India, and it was years in the pipeline. It’s supposed to symbolise the first Indians who stepped ashore Guyana some miles downriver, at Highbury. But with the site away from the madding crowd, some worthies decided to move it to Palmyra.

Is the collapse a signal that the gods aren’t happy with the move? Or is it just a case of a shoddy contractor doing the usual shoddy job and getting caught in a shoddy rush?? You want to unveil a monument standing on a concrete base on May 5th and you’re putting up HOLLOW BLOCKS a week before?? And that when the Monument was in the country for four months??

And while we’re on the subject of Information and Press Freedom: Why can’t the press get the name of the contractor? Portent of corruption?

…on exams timing If May 5th as a public holiday for Indian Arrival rubs the administration of UG the wrong way, what’s their beef with May 1st, Labour Day?? They scheduled law exams on both days.

Will there be a discrimination lawsuit based on “Adverse Impact”??

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

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friDAY, APRIL 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Sovereignty of the people appeal Regulations will bring back ethics case filed at CCJ to airwaves – GNBA Chairman

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overnment has instituted measures that would have its sovereignty of the people appeal case heard in the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

State Minister Joseph Harmon has said that an appeal in this regard has been filed, “but we have to await now the written judgement by the Court of Appeal in order to proceed further. A notice of appeal has been filed; we are awaiting the written judgement of the court”.

Government had, earlier this year, decided to have the case heard in the CCJ after the Appeal Court in Guyana had dismissed its appeal against the ruling of former Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang – which had stated that in Guyana, sovereignty resides in the people, and not in the Parliament.

Justice Chang’s ruling meant that certain fundamental clauses in the Constitution, which serve to define its substantive nature, could only be altered by a referendum of the people.

The ruling was appealed by then Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman, and now by Attorney General Basil Williams.

The constitutional challenge case brought by Georgetown resident Cedric Richardson in February 2015 had sought the court’s interpretation of the National Assembly’s changes to Article 90, as those related to four restraints on the freedom of choice by citizens at national elections. Richardson argued, through his lawyers, Emily Dodson and Shawn Allicock, that the amendment – Article 17 of 2000 – unconstitutionally curtails and restricts his sovereign and democratic right and freedom as a qualified elector to elect a specific person of his choice as the Executive President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

Richardson had also contended that the limit was unconstitutional and illegal. He sought the court’s interpretation to determine whether a referendum on the amendment should not have been held, instead of the two-third majority in the National Assembly having the power to decide the limit on the number of terms.

Justice Chang had ruled in July 2015 that the alteration of Article 90 by the Act No 17 of 2000, in substance and effect, undoubtedly diminishes the democratic rights of the electorate in electing a person of their own choice as President.

The former acting Chief Justice noted that such an amendment needs a referendum and is invalid and without legal effect for reason of non-compliance. He further ruled that Act 17 of 2000 seeks to dilute the pre-existing demo-

cratic rights of the electorate to elect a President of their choice.

As such, while the Constitution provides for representative democracy, such representative democracy cannot encroach on popular sovereignty from which it derives and which is entrenched by the requirement of the referendum.

However, the High Court’s decision was appealed by the Attorney General’s Chambers and former Speaker Trotman, both of whom were named as respondents in the court action.

They asked that the ruling be “wholly set aside”.

Appellate Court’s decision

When the matter was heard in the Court of Appeal, that court handed down a split decision, whereby Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh and Justice BS Roy upheld former Chief Justice Chang’s ruling that the term limit was unconstitutional, thus throwing out the appeal, while the then acting Chief Justice Yonette Edwards-Cummings found that the term limit was not unconstitutional, hence she upheld the State-sponsored appeal.

Justice EdwardsCummings had ruled that the fundamental rights of citizens to choose and elect a President of their choice had not been interfered with or diminished by the passing of the amendment, nor did such an act require a referendum, since Articles 1 and 9 of the Constitution were not affected by the change.

However, in his decision, Justice Singh contended that the amendment “watered down or diminished” the opportunity of Guyanese to elect the President of their choice, adding that such changes could only be effected by a referendum of the people.

In his conclusion, the Chancellor posited that he was cognisant of the political consequences that derive from the appeal, but, at the same time, could not relinquish the court’s fundamental responsibility, which was to pronounce on the meaning and intent behind the country’s constitutional provisions.

Meanwhile, Justice Roy wrapped up the near threehour hearing with one sentence, indicating that having read the former Chief Justice’s ruling, he too agreed with the decision of the High Court.

Voided

Act No 17 of 2000, which was struck down by then acting Chief Justice Chang, as being unconstitutional, a decision upheld by the Court of Appeal, imposed qualifications upon the presidency that are restrictive, discriminatory and which ultimately strike at political democracy and individual free-

…notes infractions will land broadcasters in hot water

doms.

I t imposes the following restrictions, which were not part of the 1980 Constitution: It is clear that (A) precludes naturalised citizens who are not of Guyanese parentage from being qualified to be President. So, irrespective of how long such a person may have been residing in Guyana and notwithstanding the outstanding contribution that person may have made to national development and to the welfare of the Guyanese people, and although that person is a citizen of Guyana and would be qualified for all the rights and privileges accorded to a Guyanese citizen, such a person is denied the right to vie for the highest office of this land, the presidency. Such a disqualification is not only unfair and without any rational basis, but it is also discriminatory against thousands of naturalised Guyanese citizens. The point would be best made by pointing out that had this provision been in place in 1997, Janet Jagan would have never qualified to be President of Guyana.

Guyana has a large diasporic community estimated to be as large as the population of Guyana itself. Hundreds of thousands of Guyanese maintain dual residency and citizenship. They own and operate businesses in Guyana and overseas. They own properties in both places. They contribute in multiple ways and significantly, to the Guyanese economy and to the lives of their relatives, friends and family living in Guyana.

These hundreds of thousands of Guyanese living overseas are disqualified from the presidency because to qualify, one has to be resident in Guyana continuously for seven years prior to the elections.

Again, such a disqualification is not only unfair and without any rational basis, but it is also discriminatory against hundreds of thousands of Guyanese living overseas.

The most fundamental deficiency of the said amendment is that it restricts the right of every single elector of this country from electing a person of their choice to be the President. This is so because the combination of (A) and (B) above disqualifies hundreds of thousands of Guyanese from being elected to that office and by extension, deprives hundreds of thousands of the electorate, the right and freedom of electing them.

T

he recommendations presented by the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo will, if incorporated as broadcasting regulations, effectively aid in forcing broadcasters to “clean up their act” and the airwaves along with it.

This is according to GNBA Chairman Leslie Sobers, in an interview with this publication. The former Magistrate, who took over as Chairman in February of 2017, spoke of the infractions, which he and his Board looked at while compiling the recommendations to present to the Prime Minister.

“So, we looked at the whole idea of racial incitement; vilification of religion; the corruption of public morals; the quality of broadcasting from a technical point of view; the advertising of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products at a time when children are more likely to be viewing or listening; the disparaging references to women; racial epithets.”

According to Sobers, the objective was essentially to protect the nation from mischievous broadcasts. The Attorney-at-Law stated that the entity wanted television, radio, and cable broadcasting to be done in such a manner that it would “enhance the quality of life for Guyanese”.

“Of course, we were look-

GNBA Chairman Leslie Sobers

ing at licensing too. Whether a person is fit and proper to hold a licence and if they should violate legislation, what should be the penalties, the terms, and conditions of revocation.”

Sobers said the GNBA has for years been compiling regulations. He stated that when the previous Board came to an end, it was working on recommendations to present to the Prime minister for broadcast regulations.

“That board came to an end and this new board was put in place and that advice was not complete. So this board was approached by the Prime Minister, who is the subject Minister and asked to review the advice that was given and to decide whether we want to expand.”

While responsibility for

forming regulations to go with the Broadcasting Act lies with the Prime Minister, who is also the Minister of Information, Sobers explained the context for Nagamootoo’s approach to the GNBA. “So, what we have here is the parent act, which is the Broadcasting Act. The Broadcasting Act has a provision for subsidiary legislation. So that Act says that the Minister shall make legislation to go along with the parent act.”

“And regulations would be a bit more detailed as to how broadcasting must operate in the country. So, it was with that in mind that the Prime Minister approached the Board for advice. So, that is what we gave to him (Monday).”

The GNBA’s Board comprises Sobers, Dr Rovin Deodat, Shaharazad Khan, Jocelyn Josiah, Aretha Campbell and Joel Edmonds. It became operational on February 1 and is expected to serve for two years.

The previous Board of Directors comprised Leonard Craig, Anthony Vieira, Vic Insanally, Abiola Wong-Inniss, Jocelyn Josiah and Ameena Gafoor. Craig resigned on December 16, 2016.

Back in September, that board appointed Dr Prudence Lewis-Bhola as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

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friDAY, APRIL 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Deeds Registrar denies paying herself monies

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s the Police investigation continues into allegations of the $4 million payment fraud, Deeds Registrar Azeema Baksh has since denied any wrongdoing. This was detailed in a statement issued on her behalf by her lawyer, Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes, on Thursday.

It was alleged that Baksh unlawfully paid herself a higher salary than was approved by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

These payments reportedly started in 2014 and continued up to the present, totalling almost $4.5 million.

Additionally, it was

claimed that the Deeds Registrar also waived some $7 million of revenue owed to the Deeds and Commercial Registries Authority (DCRA). The request was alleged made by an attorney who owed some $8.5 million, but only paid the Authority $1.5 million.

However, Baksh has refuted both of these allegations. “Ms Baksh strenuously denies the allegations and will continue to provide the Guyana Police Force with all the documentation and other material to confirm her innocence,” the public missive from her lawyer outlined.

In fact, Hughes pointed out that on February 13, 2013, the then Cabinet had taken a decision that all staff of the Deeds Registry who opted to transfer to the Deeds and Commercial Registries would be paid severance and would be offered contract gratuity appointments.

He continued that pursuant to the issuance of that Cabinet memo, the staff of the Deeds and Commercial Registries were written to by the Permanent Secretary of the Legal Affairs Ministry on May 19, 2014, providing them with two options – either refuse the offer of emDeeds Registrar Azeena Baksh and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams back in 2015

ployment with the Deeds and Commercial Registries and be transferred to another Government Ministry or Department, or accept employment with the Deeds and Commercial Registries and receive severance under the termination and severance act.

“Ms Baksh accepted the offer of employment with the Deeds and Commercial Registry and was paid severance in keeping with the offer from the Permanent Secretary of Legal Affairs.

The payment of salaries for the staff of the Deeds Registry is prepared by the Human Resources Department and submitted to the Finance Department for disbursement of sal-

aries,” Attorney Hughes pointed out.

He went on to underscore that Baksh did not have the authority to direct the Human Resources Department or the Finance Department, to make any payment of salaries. These Departments, he added, report to the Governing Board of the DCRA. The lawyer noted too that his client never authorised the Human Resources Department to place any member of the Deeds and Commercial Registries on the payroll.

Nevertheless, Hughes stated that Baksh was invited by the Head of the Fraud Department of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Tuesday for an in-

terview, which she attended and the allegation that she had wrongfully authorised the payment of her own salary on a contract basis – when she was still a member of the permanent establishment – was put to her.

The Attorney said the Deeds Registrar denied the allegation and undertook to provide the Police with all the documentations relating to the Cabinet decision, the offer of severance and the payment of her salary.

Hughes further stated that the following day, his client returned to the CID Headquarters where she provided the Police with copies of the Cabinet memo, the offer from the PS of the Legal Affairs Ministry and other pertinent documents. However, he noted that on neither of those days, no allegation of any waiver of fees or waiver of any monies due to the Registry or the Government was ever put to Baksh during the interviews with the Police.

Meanwhile, also commenting on the issue, former Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, under whose tenure Baksh was appointed, explained that whatever remuneration package the Deeds Registrar was enjoying came out of consultations with the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) prior to her, along with other staff members, transferring to the DCRA.

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friDAY, APRIL 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Police yet to crack reopened cold cases

The essence of GuySuCo’s effectiveness is results, not more gaffes

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or state companies like GuySuCo, seeking large-scale operational improvements rather than shuttering factories is the key to success. By announcing his decision to move the sugar industry from a 7-factory industry to a 3-factory one, President Granger has basically taken the decision to emasculate the social and economic foundations of the industry with his own hands, without professionally exploring all the options. It is now becoming very clear that this process was politically rigged from day one with the Parvattan Commission.

Jock Campbell once said that the success of sugar has to be grounded in three fundamental principles: (1) increased efficiency; (2) price for its production; and, most importantly (3) the human relationship management in the industry. On all three scores, both the PPP under Raj Singh and now the PNC-led Government under Errol Hanoman have failed to comprehensively address these issues. The fastest way for any company to secure the right price for its production is to most efficiently deliver the right product demanded by the market.

The market needs refined sugar; alcohol; packaged sugar (especially in the small sachets); agro-energy; ethanol, and even agro-tourism. In reality, GuySuCo barely sells a little agro-energy and a small amount of packaged sugar. It does not take an Einstein to figure out why the industry is failing: it is because of the political leadership in the agricultural sector (Holder/Thomas/Hanoman), which just cannot frame the solution required for GuySuCo (meaning: plain and simple incompetence).

Granger, at the West Berbice exhibition, told the nation that only Blairmont, Uitvlugt, and Albion estates would remain in Government’s hands. I respond to such utter nonsense with this verse of scripture: “Woe to those who devise wickedness and work evil on their beds”! This declaration from Granger is most deceptive and disingenuous. What the President is not saying is that both Skeldon and Rose Hall estates have higher yields (tonnes sugar per hectare of land) than Uitvlugt (see graph below).

What Granger is not saying is that both Rose Hall and Enmore estates have a more efficient cost structure than Uitvlugt Estate when it comes to the cost of production per pound of sugar produced. What is worse is that the evidence is now manifest that even the now shuttered Wales Sugar Estate had a more efficient cost structure and a higher yield than Uitvlugt. So the rationale for shutting the Wales Factory was all along beyond reasonable logic, and was nothing but a political gimmick to give coverage for the PNC master plan to plunder the land for their business associates at a discounted price.

This preconceived fix by the PNC and the comatose AFC to keep GuySuCo as a raw bulk sugar producer has deeper purposes; one that is political and the other because of massive corruption. Any school child will know that raw bulk sugar is the poison pill that would move the sugar belt from being in a coma to actually dying.

Yet there is massive resistance by the Granger team to upgrading the sugar industry into a value-added sugar-related products’ manufacturer. Why? Has Noel Holder or his close sugar advisors conceptualised how to expand the operational-improvement programme in the sugar belt? Have they used their offices to create new markets in valueadded products, and taken any steps to climb that value chain?

Does Holder or Thomas have the skill set to assemble the required private capital to move the entire industry up the value chain? More importantly, can this troika motivate the employees to support the reforms? I am challenging anyone to show me the evidence where this troika has successfully run anything in the past. They are all failures rehashed from the past, but with that “Midas Touch” that Walter Rodney once spoke about. Holder touched the agriculture sector with his “Midas Touch” and it declined by 10.4% in 2016.

There is more misery to come from these “Kings Midas” in 2017.

As President Granger flounders in his fog of strategic delusion on the question of developing Guyana, he has paid very little strategic attention to answering the question of how to move the sugar industry up the value chain to enhance the revenue potential. By failing to competently lead the nation on this sugar issue and do his job for which Guyanese people are paying him a package of more than Gy$30 million a year, he has done nothing but infuse much hopelessness in thousands of rural families. Is this his brand of “LET US CO-OPERATE FOR GUYANA”?

Please feel free to share your comments at sasesin1@yahoo.com.

lmost one year after several cold cases were reopened by the Guyana Police Force (GPF), investigators are yet to solve any of them, even as plans to establish a special unit to probe such cases seem to be frozen.

Nevertheless, Head of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Wendell Blanhum has stated that the investigations into those cases were active. In fact, he told reporters on Wednesday that investigators were constantly working on those cold cases, but, at the same time, they were tasked with current investigations and so their attention was divided between the two sets of cases.

“So, we have to prioritise those (current) cases so we are dealing with the cases that we had for 2016 and also 2017. (But) we are doing some work with cases that would have occurred five years ago, 10 years ago or as in the case of Monica Reece, [more than ] 20 years ago,” he stated.

Speaking on the progress of investigations of the

Monica Reece case, Blanhum disclosed that investigators have since questioned several persons and re-interviewed some of the witnesses. However, he opted not to divulge much more details since the cases were still active.

On Good Friday back in April 1993, the body of Monica Reece was thrown out of a speeding vehicle on Main Street, Georgetown.

A suspect was detained and interrogated by ranks shortly afterwards, but was later released because of the lack of evidence. His vehicle, a 4x4 – which was described by witnesses as being the vehicle Recce’s body was dumped from – was also returned to him.

The Monica Reece case remains unsolved, and suspects continue to be released.

The case is among three unsolved high-profile killings that were re-opened in July last year, some two months after the Police cracked the six-year-old murder case of Babita Sarjou and subsequently charged her husband.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum

The other two cases are the murders of popular local designer Trevor Rose and former Demerara Bank employee Sheema Mangar.

Rose was shot dead in January 2014 when a lone gunman riddled the taxi that he was in with a female companion with bullets. Both the female and the taxi driver survived their gunshot wounds, but Rose was pronounced dead on arrival after being rushed to the hospital

following the shooting.

Meanwhile, 21-year-old Mangar was killed during the course of a robbery back in September 2010. She was waiting for a minibus to head home when a male snatched her cellphone and ran into a waiting motor car. In an attempt to retrieve her phone, Mangar reportedly ran in front of the vehicle and was dragged under it.

Since the reopening of these cases nine months ago, there have not been any breakthroughs. There have since been calls, particularly from the families of these three persons, for the Police to be more proactive in the probes.

In fact, Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud had disclosed during an interview with this newspaper back in 2015 that the Force would be establishing a Cold Cases Unit to investigate high-profile murder cases, which remained largely unprosecuted or unsolved.

To date, there has been no news of the establishment of the unit.

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friDAY, APRIL 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

NCN gets new Board A

new Board of Directors has been appointed to the State-owned National Communications Network.

The new Board, which will commence work on May 21, and will run for one year, will be headed by Enrico Woolford.

The announcement was made on Thursday by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing.

Other directors include Beverly Alert, Margaret

Lawrence, Gordon Moseley, Michael Leonard, Kamal Persaud and Dane Gobin.

Harmon said he expected the new Board to put new policies in place that would see improvements at the entity.

“I would expect that the new Board would look at policies and the guidelines that they would receive with respect to ensuring that the entity operates, provides information to the Guyanese public. That the information is timely, accurate and

it is something that the Guyanese public can look forward to”.

Harmon, however, reminded that the Board was not the management of the entity and that policies put forward would not in every way influence the dayto-day management of the news agency.

The appointment of the new Board comes less than four months after former Board Chairman Bish Panday handed in his letter of resignation.

Eureka Labs to soon offer Zika, Chikungunya testing

Eureka Labs’ Deputy Quality Manager Dominique Russell, Human Resources Manager Ren Gonzales, CEO Andrew Boyle and CoDiagnostics Inc’s Morrison, Dwight Egan and Seth Egan with the PCR kit is in the foreground

Mechanic slapped with narco trafficking charge T

A

27-year-old mechanic was remanded to prison for 26 grams of cannabis following an unsuccessful bail application by his lawyer when he faced Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Thursday.

The charge against Raphael Cadogen read that on April 17, 2017 in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni District, he had in his possession 26 grams of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

In his submission for bail, Cadogen’s Attorney related

that his client was a father of two and had a family to maintain, being the sole breadwinner of the household.

He added that the “suspected substance” was found in a motor vehicle, which his client had no knowledge or control of.

Thereby, in these circumstances, he requested that Cadogen be released on bail, pending the outcome of the matter. In addition, the lawyer expressed his client’s willingness to comply with any conditions the court im-

posed, should bail be granted.

The prosecution strongly objected to the lawyer’s application, positing that the drugs were found in Cadogen’s pants when Police conducted a search on him.

Moore pronounced the high possibility of the defendant fleeing the jurisdiction in the event that he was released.

Bail was denied, and the matter was transferred to the Bartica Magistrate’s Court, where it was expected to continue on May 12.

esting for viruses such as Zika and Chikungunya, which is usually done abroad, is merely a fraction of the possible tests that Eureka Medical Laboratories Inc (EML) will soon be offering.

Andrew Boyle, the Chief Executive Officer of the medical facility at East Street, Georgetown, met recently with the President of CoDiagnostics Inc, Dwight Egan, to finalise the setting up of a viral laboratory as an expansion of EML’s services to the public. This is expected to be realised within the next few months.

Co-Diagnostics Inc is a Utah corporation headquartered in Sandy, Utah, United States. It is a molecular diagnostics company that develops, manufactures, and markets new, state-of-theart diagnostics technology.

Using the power of computers to create unique mathematical models in-

stead of relying on costly laboratory infrastructure, the company has created a revolutionary new DNA-based testing platform, resulting in tests that are faster, much more affordable, and flexible.

It is also simple to use, accurate, and adaptable to both high-volume and portable, low-cost analytical devices.

To this end in recent weeks, Eureka Labs has collected samples for Zika testing for the initial testing using a method called PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) developed by Karry Mullis in the 80s, for which he garnered the 1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Asked about this initiative, Egan said his company was pleased to be partnering with EML to introduce this cutting-edge technology to the people of Guyana.

“We plan to make available a large menu of tests over the coming year that will enable the citizens of

Guyana to have the same high quality of molecular tests enjoyed in the most developed countries in the world.

We are appreciative of the support we have received from the Eureka Lab, the Ministry of Health and other Government officials in introducing this needed technology to the people of this beautiful country,” the CoDiagnostics Inc President stated.

Meanwhile, the EML’s CEO expressed optimism at the prospects in the medical field that such capability would bring.

“Today marks a significant day for Eureka; it’s not only so because of us now being blessed with the capacity to do innovative Zika and TB PCR testing, but because of what is in store for our futuristic diagnostic capabilities.

What a way to commence the celebration of National Medical Laboratory Week 2017,” Boyle exclaimed.

Through the aforementioned technology, laboratory test results can be made available more accurately and in unbelievably faster turnaround time. For instance, the machine being introduced can test 48 blood samples per hour for Zika.

Also included are testing for Chikungunya, TB, various STIs, HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and many more. The EML is the only International Standards Organisation (ISO) accredited medical laboratory in Guyana.

news

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friDAY, APRIL 28, 2017| guyanatimesgy.com

Local Govt Elections influenced rise Digicel partners with NFMU for Girls in ICT Day of sustainable enterprises – CLO

T

he Local Government Elections have had a positive influence on the creation of sustainable enterprises, Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle has said.

Ogle was addressing the launch on Wednesday of a two-day National Tripartite Workshop at the Grand Coastal Hotel, which discussed the enhanced policy advocacy for sustainable enterprises.

The Chief Labour Officer said other factors that have led to this success include: social dialogue, easy access to financial services, entrepreneurial culture, easy access to information and communication technology, the rule of law, and respect for property rights.

Ogle, who was filling in for Social Protection Minister Amna Ally and Minister within the Social Protection Ministry, Keith Scott, advised the participants to collaboratively submit their thoughts for the design and implementation of specific modalities to be operationalised in Guyana.

“I need not reiterate the premium value which Guyana has placed on the relation it has with the ILO (International Labour Organisation), but I must submit at the conclusion of this event, Guyana will be better positioned to achieve its Strategic Development Goals against the backdrop of our Decent Work Country Programme,” he stated.

While recognising that participants would be empowered to understand and utilise data within the context of promoting sustainability in enterprises, Ogle urged them to deliberate and discuss the concept of sustainability at length, so that it was driven home to as many businesses as possible.

“The development of enterprises is one thing, but it is the sustainability of those en-

Enterprise Specialist Kelvin Sergeant discussing policy advocacy for sustainable enterprises at the launch of a two-day National Tripartite Workshop at the Grand Coastal Hotel

terprises that matters much.

Far too often, business ventures mushroom overnight and disappear before they can significantly impact national development. This is not what is expected from here onwards. Let me repeat, what is expected is sustainability and that is what we should strive for,” he remarked.

The Chief Labour Officer said the 2017 Budget contained several measures designed not only to make the conduct of business easy, friendly and confortable, but also for the vibrancy and sustainability of all business enterprises.

“The fact that this forum is tripartite by composition is testimony to the stakeholders’ commitment to inclusiveness in policy formulation and implementation. It cannot be overemphasised that the factors, which influence the emergence, growth and development of enterprises are wide and varied.”

He also boasted that Guyana was now seeing a new level of peace and political stability, “It is the kind of peace, which is conclusive to the development of sustainable enterprise.”

The Enabling

Environment for Sustainable Enterprises (EESE) team aims to improve the business environment to encourage longevity of businesses, thorough red tape assessment and enterprise formalisation, among other measures.

It is a comprehensive and powerful ILO methodology developed to assess, advocate, and reform the environment in which enterprises start up and grow.

It allows stakeholders to identify the major constraints hampering business development; fosters dialogue between workers, employers, and the government to reach shared policy recommendations; boosts investments; and can generate overall economic growth.

The workshop is being facilitated by two ILO Caribbean Office officials, Senior Employers’ Specialist Vanessa Phala and Enterprise Specialist Kelvin Sergeant.

The ILO-sponsored event will culminate on Friday, April 28, 2017.

Girls in ICT: The female secondary school students pose with Digicel Communications Manager Vidya Sanichara and other participants

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igicel (Guyana) on Thursday joined the National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU) to observe “Girls in ICT” at the Leonora Secondary School.

Close to 300 girls attended a symposium organised by the NFMU where they benefited from small- group workshops, information on cyber security, videos and training sessions.

The “Girls in ICT” event is organised by the NFMU, and for the past four years, Digicel has been participating in the activities to observe the day.

Digicel Communications

Manager Vidya Sanichara noted that “this year is no different for Digicel, Girls in ICT is a notion that we will always support. At Digicel (Guyana), more than half of our workforce is women or you can say ‘Girls in ICT’ not just locally, but in all 32 markets in which we operate. We are pleased to be part of this event where girls are encouraged to find or peruse careers in ICT. Digicel remains committed to playing our part in helping to bridge this gap.”

The communications and entertainment company presented a quantity of donated flash drives to some

of the girls from Leonora, Vergenogen, West Demerara, Parika-Salem, Uitvlugt, Stewartville, Zeeburg and Vreed-en-Hoop Secondary Schools.

Also participating in the symposium were several final-year Information Technology female students, who also received flash drives.

“Girls in ICT Day” is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in April and is a global effort that is spearheaded by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to raise awareness for more women to be active in the ICT workforce worldwide.

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guyanatimesgy.com

fridAY, april 28, 2017

News

Opposition submits motion Enmore NDC files $5M to revoke VAT on education Seizure of computer systems

lawsuit against SARU

The Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) office at Enmore, East Coast Demerara

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he State Assets Recover Unity (SARU) has been slapped with a $5 million lawsuit, filed by the Enmore Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) over the seizure of its computer systems three weeks ago.

It was reported that on April 6, 2017, a group of agents attached to SARU went down to the Enmore NDC and confiscated 15 desktop computers and eight backup power packs without informing officials there.

However, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SARU, Major (Rtd) Aubrey HeathRetemyer had explained that his agency had merely gone

to render assistance to the E-governance Department, which was going to retrieve the computer systems after it was informed by SARU that the NDC wanted to “get rid” of them.

But Vice Chairman of the Enmore NDC, Iqbal Dawud, subsequently denied that there was any “such plot”, adding that a decision was taken by the Council to have the “outdated” computers sold, if possible, and replaced with a new compliment so that the community could continue to benefit from their use.

To this end, the NDC sent SARU a lawyer’s letter asking that the systems

be returned but the CEO responded last week saying that the matter was currently engaging the attention of the Legal Affairs Ministry and tye Attorney General’s Chambers and the computers and backup power packs have still not been returned.

As a result, the NDC took legal actions against SARU, claiming damages in excess of $1,000,000 for trespassing; $1,000,000 for the unlawful seizure and confiscation of the computer systems; $1,000,000 for the unlawful detention of the systems; $1,000,000 for conversion of the computer systems, and another $1,000,000 for aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as interest and other costs or relief deemed fit by the court.

The NDC is also requesting an order directing the defendants to return the said desktop computer systems along with backup power packs or pay its value.

The court documents, seen by Guyana Times, listed as the defendants; Director of SARU Clive Thomas, CEO Heath-Retemyer and Attorney General Basil Williams.

… parents expect AFC’s support

P

Former Junior Finance Minister Juan Edghill standing in solidarity with the protesting parents

arliamentary Opposition, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), on Wednesday submitted a motion to the Clerk of the National Assembly calling for the revocation of Value Added Tax (VAT) on Education as parents continue to protest the tax imposition.

The motion will come up for debate at the May 8 sitting of the National Assembly and is being moved by former Education Minister Priya Manickchand. In the motion, Manickchand calls for the immediate revocation of the 14 per cent tax imposition on private education.

The motion stated that impact of the onerous budgetary measures has caused great consternation and anxiety for parents and students and the future of students’ rights to access education of their choice, inclusive of private education, as provided for in the Constitution.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan, in his 2017 Budget speech had announced the reduction of VAT from 16 per cent to 14 per cent but stated that the tax base needed to be broadened to cover the expenditure. In what was described as an ‘uncaring’ move, the Minister announced that private education and educational services would be subjected to VAT. This caused widespread protest, from parents with children accessing private education.

On Wednesday parents continued their protest against the Government in front of the Ministry of the Presidency and were joined by Opposition MP and former Junior Finance Minister Juan Edghill.

Parents also protested at AFC Headquarters on Monday, and spoke to several senior officials who promised their support.

“Hopefully they (AFC) will convince the Government to remove the

VAT. The AFC party has come out and say they are against the VAT on education but that is separate from the Government,” Jonathan Yearwood said.

"The PPP have said publicly that they are trying to get a motion in Parliament on the 8th (of May) and we are hoping that we give the AFC enough time for them to collectively made a decision to convince the Government to remove the VAT because if the PPP wins the motion, it is a political victory for the PPP,” he added.

Another parent, Samantha Sanchara, explained that she is finding it difficult to keep up with the payments for her child at a private school since she has to pay an additional $8400 for VAT. The AFC will be put to the test when the motion comes up for debate in the National Assembly since they have since signalled their support for the parents’ plight.

Ruimveldt man jailed for cocaine pellets in stomach

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former employee of a popular fast-food restaurant whose flight to Barbados was aborted after he told ranks of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) that he had ingested a quantity of cocaine pellets, was on Wednesday jailed for three years. He was also fined $1.5 million when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Anthony Gibson of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, admitted that on April 24, 2017, at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation he had in his possession 548 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

The court heard that on April 23, 2017, the defendant was an outgoing passenger on a Caribbean Airlines flight to The Bahamas when he was observed by ranks of the narcotics branch acting in a suspicious manner.

When questioned by the officers, Gisbon related that

Anthony Gibson

he had ingested a quantity of cocaine pellets, upon which he was escorted to the hospital where he secreted a total of 52 pellets containing a substance suspected to be cocaine the following day.

The man was told of the offence, cautioned and ar-

rested, subsequently being escorted to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters where he was charged with the offence.

Gibson reportedly confessed to the felony in a caution statement. When given a chance to speak, the accused told the court that he had hit “rock bottom”, having lost his job and having a family to maintain, since his reputed wife was also out of employment. In the circumstances, a sobbing Gibson related, he accepted the offer of a two week-old acquaintance known to him only as “Jermaine”, to smuggle the illicit drug out of the jurisdiction.

The man apologised for his actions and the Magistrate obiter dicta told him to thank God for the Guyana Police Force as he would’ve probably ended up in a worse situation (even dead) had he not disclosed to the ranks the real cause of his discomfort at the airport.

friDAY, april 28, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the World

Merkel’s Brexit stance shows Venezuela to withdraw from OAS need for Tory poll win – May as deadly protests continue

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G

erman Chancellor Angela Merkel’s comments about the United Kingdom’s Brexit stance show how “tough” negotiations will be, the British Prime Minister, Theresa May says.

The German Chancellor said some Britons had “illusions” that trade talks could take place at the same time as negotiating the terms of the UK’s exit.

The UK PM claimed this proved she needed “the strongest possible hand” in the talks.

Labour has accused the Tories of adopting a “rigid and reckless” approach to Brexit talks.

The UK is due to leave the EU by March 2019, once formal negotiations have been completed.

The Government has repeatedly said it wants the terms of the separation – including demands for any exit fee – to be dealt with at the same time as a new trad-

enezuela says it will withdraw from the Organisation of American States (OAS), accusing the US-based grouping of meddling in its internal affairs.

The Government made the announcement after the OAS voted to hold a meeting of Foreign Ministers to discuss the spiralling crisis in Venezuela.

Neighbours have expressed concern at mounting

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (right) and British Prime Minister Theresa May

ing relationship is negotiated.

But EU leaders have resisted this, and on Thursday, Merkel told German Members of Parliament (MPs) it would be “a waste of time” to maintain illusions that the two sets of negotiations could be held simultaneously.

She also said the UK could not maintain the rights it has as an EU member.

“A third country – which

is what the UK will be – cannot and will not have the same rights as an EU member state,” she told the Bundestag, Germany’s lower House of Parliament.

“All 27 EU countries and the EU institutions agree about that.”

Speaking on a campaign visit to Leeds, May will repeat her claim that an increased Tory majority is needed to strengthen her Brexit negotiating hand.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Russian intelligence ship sinks off Turkey’s Black Sea coast

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Russian naval intelligence ship sank off Turkey’s Black Sea coast on Thursday after colliding with a vessel carrying livestock and all 78 personnel on board the navy ship were evacuated, Turkish officials said.

The rescued crew members of the Russian ship Liman were in good health after the collision with the Togo-flagged Youzarsif H, Turkey’s Transport Minister Ahmed Arslan said.

The incident took place in fog and low visibility 18 miles (29 kilometres) from Kilyos village on the Black Sea coast just north of Istanbul.

Turkish authorities dispatched a tugboat and three fast rescue vessels, the coastal safety authority said.

Advisers to Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim conveyed his sadness over the incident to Russian counterparts, according to sources in his office.

Relations between the two countries have suffered from political disputes over the civil war in Syria, where Moscow and Ankara support different factions.

Russian warships frequently pass through the narrow Bophorus Strait, which cuts through

Istanbul, on their way from the Black Sea to Syria’s Mediterranean coast.

A spokesman for Hammami Livestock which owns the Youzarsif H said there had been no loss of life on board the vessel. “It is considered a slight hit, for us,” he told Reuters in Lebanon, adding he had no information about the cause of the collision.

“We don’t know our losses yet, but thank God there is no loss of life – neither from our side nor from the other ship,” he said, adding the livestock carrier was heading to Jordan’s Red Sea port of Aqaba from Romania.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Bollywood actor Vinod Khanna dies of cancer

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ne of India’s most well-known Bollywood actors Vinod Khanna has died aged 70, his hospital has confirmed.

Khanna, also an active politician, had been suffering from cancer and was admitted to hospital earlier this month as his illness became more serious.

He acted in more than 100 Bollywood films and was widely seen as a counterfoil to the “angry young man” played by Amitabh Bachchan.

He was elected to parliament four times and was once a junior foreign minister.

Khanna began his career in 1968 and was a house-

unrest in the country.

Violent protests against the Government continued in the capital Caracas on Wednesday, with one protester killed.

He was hit by a tear gas canister during clashes with Police.

Nearly 30 people have been killed since the wave of protests against President Nicolás Maduro began last month. The Venezuelan government has accused the US

of trying to undermine Mr Maduro’s Socialist Party.

On Wednesday, Rodriguez said the protests were part of an organised effort to defeat Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution.

“Tomorrow [Thursday] we will present a letter of complaint to the OAS and we will begin a process that will take 24 months,” she announced in a televised statement.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Syria war: Israeli strike hits military site near Damascus airport

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n Israeli missile strike has caused a large explosion and fire at a military site near Damascus international airport, Syrian state media report.

A fuel tank and warehouses were damaged, the Sana news agency said.

But Syrian rebel sources said an arms depot run by Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement, which is fighting in Syria as an ally of the Government, was hit.

Israel said the explosion was “consistent” with its pol-

icy to prevent Iran smuggling weapons to Hezbollah.

But it stopped short of confirming it was responsible.

Israel regards Hezbollah, and its key backer Iran, as its biggest threat. It went to war with Hezbollah in 2006 and the group has grown considerably more powerful since then.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a United Kingdom-based monitoring group, reported that the powerful blast was heard across the capital at dawn on

Thursday and that it was believed to have happened near the main road that leads to the airport.

Sana said several missiles had been fired at a military site south-west of the airport, causing explosions that resulted in some material losses.

Pro-Government AlMayadeen TV cited sources as saying that missiles had been fired by Israeli jets flying inside the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Terror arrest near British Houses of Parliament

A

man carrying knives near the Houses of Parliament has been wrestled to the ground by armed Police and arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences.

The man, thought to be 27, was detained as part of an intelligence-led operation on Parliament Street.

A witness described seeing two knives on the ground, one of which he described as a large bread knife.

The Metropolitan Police said there were no injuries.

The suspect is in custody in a south London Police station. A French tourist who saw the arrest said the suspect looked “very calm”.

Another witness said the man was not shouting, or

The suspect was under surveillance for “some time” before being arrested

acting aggressively.

A Police statement said: “The man was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism. Knives have been recovered from

him.

“Detectives from the counter-terrorism command are continuing their investigation, and as a result of this arrest there is no immediate known threat.” (Excerpt

from BBC News)

New arrests in Hong Kong as Police hold 9 democracy activists

H Vinod Khanna acted in more than 100 Bollywood films

hold name in India, particularly during the 1970s and eighties when he played the starring role in a number of Bollywood hits.

Tributes have been pouring in for Khanna who died after a long illness. The hashtag #VinodKhanna was

trending on top of Twitter India on Thursday afternoon.

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee led tributes from politicians while many Bollywood celebrities also paid homage. (BBC News)

ong Kong Police have arrested at least nine democracy activists in connection with anti-government protest last year, the latest in a series of politically motivated prosecutions that critics say are designed to eliminate opposition.

The arrests on Thursday come just one day after two disqualified pro-independence lawmakers were charged, months after the pair stormed the legislature amid a saga over a dramatic anti-China protest during

their swearing-in ceremony.

Derek Lam and Ivan Lam were both arrested at their homes around 07:00h, their political party Demosisto said. They were charged with unlawful assembly and causing disorder in public places for participating in a protest that saw thousands take to the streets in November after Beijing stepped in to bar the two pro-independence legislators.

The protest and surrounding political chaos came just two years after

the pro-democracy Umbrella Movement occupied key roads and thoroughfares with tent protests, as a younger generation of activists faces off against Beijing loyalists.

The other activists arrested on Thursday included the chairman and two members of the League of Social Democrats, two members of the Student Fight for Democracy group and the former chair of the Lingnan University student union.

(Excerpt from The Guardian)

16 news Comply or face legal action – M&CC tells roadside cosmetologists T friDAY, april 28, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

he Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has warned roadside city barbers and cosmetologists to return to the Merriman Mall or face legal action, while simultaneously risk having their equipment seized.

This was told to over 20 of the entrepreneurs who attended a meeting called by Georgetown Mayor Patricia Chase Green, Deputy Mayor Lionel Jaikaran and Councillors on Wednesday.

They were reminded that it is illegal to operate on the streets of Georgetown and that a decision was taken by the Council on April 24, to have them removed permanently.

“You can’t be washing people’s feet, doing pedicures, filing nails on the streets and cutting hair.

And in some cases, right next to where people are selling food. It is unhealthy and the law is quite clear,” Chase Green explained.

The entrepreneurs, who once occupied pavements along Croal, America, Longden and Regent Streets, were moved to the Merriman Mall during May

of last year, after it was recognised that their operations were not in keeping with public health laws.

The aim was to raise the standard for grooming operators to offer their services and earn a living in a more organised, excellent manner which can be beneficial to them and the city.

The facility was therefore set up free of cost to the operators and each person was required to pay a fee of $1000 per week for cleaning and maintenance of the area.

However, the Mayor said it was brought to the Council’s attention that many of the entrepreneurs have returned to the streets of Georgetown, with the help of some City Constabulary officers and Councillors.

“While you may be encouraged by persons who can’t help you, because while they might encourage you to go back there (the streets) and you pay them to stay there, if this Council says to move you tomorrow, you have to be removed regardless of how much you are paying them. And the only person you should be

Mayor of Georgetown Patricia Chase Green addressing roadside city barbers and cosmetologists during a meeting

paying to vend in the City of Georgetown is a revenue collector,” she asserted.

Chase Green said the Council felt disrespected by the decision of the entrepreneurs to return to the city streets after consideration was given to have them placed at a suitable facility.

During the meeting, the entrepreneurs complained of the junkies, who would sleep on Merriman Mall and would leave the area in an unsanitary condition. They also raised concerns about

the toilet facilities.

Meanwhile, a cosmetologist said she was willing to work with the guidelines provided by the M&CC but said she will not be moving from the facility, because she cannot afford to rent someplace on her own.

The Mayor advised the beauticians to pool together their resources and rent spaces around the city.

She said while it may an expensive undertaking for one entrepreneur, it might be a better option to have them join partnerships, so as to reduce overhead costs.

Some of the businessmen and women were not pleased with the advice, and said that it was difficult to find $1000 per week much less to rent a station or buildings.

But Chase Green reminded them that it is not the responsibility of the Council either to provide a space for them to operate. However, she said the Council is willing to sit with them and discuss in greater detail how they could assist them in finding affordable facilities.

Deputy Mayor Lionel Jaikaran also told Guyana Times on the sideline of the meeting that the entrepreneurs are misguided, since they are under the impression that the Council has a responsibility to secure a spot for them, in light of them being taken off the streets.

“If you want to be in business, you have to make sac-

rifices and pay rent. You also have to observe the rules and the laws. Anybody who has ever gone into business, even small entrepreneurs knows this. You can’t depend on City government to do these things for you. It’s impossible. It can’t work,” he explained.

The Municipal and District Council (Act 28:01) Part II has provisions relating to barber shops which states that “No person shall act as a barber in or upon any public street or way or at any place within public view other than at a duly registered barber’s shop.”

Before a barber can commence operations he must be registered with the M&CC. The registration process includes a medical examination by the Council’s Medical Officer of Health, who will provide a medical certificate to the applicant deeming the applicant fit to carry out such an operation.

The entrepreneurs have until July 31, 2017 to find a permanent location to continue their business.

Repeat offender jailed

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wenty-sevenyear-old Avinash Insanally of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, was on Tuesday slapped with a three-year jail term for two counts of narcotics possession.

Magistrate Annette Singh found Insanally

guilty of the charge which stated that he had in his possession two grams of cocaine and three grams of marijuana after he was arrested by Police in Grove, East Bank Demerara on February 3, 2017.

At the time the drugs were found in his possession, he was under arrest

on an attempt to break and enter charge. Earlier this month Insanally was sentenced to 18 months behind bars after Magistrate Leron Daly found him guilty of an attempted break and enter charge.

Insanally has pending matters of similar nature before other courts.

guyanatimesgy.com

T

he last week of the much anticipated Linden Town Week will culminate this weekend, with some exciting events to thrill Lindeners and the hundreds who are expected to travel up to the mining town.

The action gets underway today with the “Bikers Fest”, hosted by Vybz Entertainment at Northern Burnham Drive, with a display of stunts by members of the Sonic Hunter Bikerz Group and the Linden Highway Rippers.

For the children, there will also be a display by the BMX Boys and Skateboard Kids. This will definitely add some excitement to the event.

As the place gets darker, all roads will lead to the Christiansburg Hard Court for “Colour Fete” which will feature top deejays out of Georgetown and Linden, including Gully Ras and Selector Diamond; two of the most versatile men on the console.

On Saturday, members of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club will be part of the Linden Exhibition Festival slated for Koker Street.

There, there will be lots on display as drivers and riders show-off their skills.

friday, april 28, 2017

In addition, there will be lots on sale including food, craft, clothes and many other items. The main event for the night, however, will be the Vybz Regional All Black Affairs at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground. Admission to this event is $1500.

On Sunday, the last day of the celebrations, the main attraction will be the International concert featuring “Vershon” out of Jamaica and soca sensation, Lil Rick out of Barbados. To do some juggling to entertain the audience will be the Stone Love Crew out of Jamaica.

Tickets cost $2000 and the concert is sponsored exclusively by X-tra Beer. After a long week of events, Monday, May 1 will be the wash down at the Dr Haynes Pool at Amelia’s Ward.

Other attractions will include a cricket competition, Linden Open Tennis Championship and the annual Duck

Vershon

Lil Rick

Curry Competition at Major’s residence, Amelia’s Ward. Linden Town Week will end with the Guinness in the Streets Football Tournament hosted by Banks DIH Limited.

this weekend at Lusignan Ground

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C Chutney night The Lusignan Community Centre Ground on the East Coast of Demerara will come alive this Saturday with the hosting of East Coast Chutney Night 2017. The event is being promoted by Aamir Khan and it expected to be epic, with several energetic local artistes taking to the stage.

In addition, the reinvigorated Shakti String Orchestra will also be performing with its lead singers Steven Ramphal and Roger Bowen. Others slated to perform are Ken Rock, Vicardi Singh, Aw Lyrical, Nishal B, former chutney King Bunty Singh and his son, reigning Chutney Queen Vanita Willie and the promoter himself, Aamir Khan.

Also, patrons will be treated to a comedy segment, compliments of the Cool Boyz. Admission to EC Chutney Night costs $1000 and tickets will be available at the venue. The event is promoted by Red Square Vodka. Showtime is 20:00h.

Strictly no firearms will be allowed and security will be tight.

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tudents writing English Literature at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) or those who are studying theatre arts or simply would like to experience a Shakespearean production can witness the theatrical production, “Julius Caesar” at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Wednesday, May 3.

The production is hosted by GEMS Theatre Productions in collaboration with The National School of Theatre Arts and Drama. The two have come together for the second time within the last three years to have such a production that will benefit secondary school students preparing to write the examination.

Unfortunately, this is the last term secondary schools will be using the text.

However, among the cast of over 40 actors are reigning Miss Guyana World Nurriyyih Gerrard playing “Portia” and Nirmal Narine as “Calpurnia”.

Other actors playing the lead roles are Mark Luke-Edwards, Nickose Layne, Clinton Duncan, Jamohl Alexander, Paul Budnah, Randolph Critchlow and students of the National School of Theatre Arts and Drama.

The show starts at 10:00h and will last for approximately three hours. Tickets for the show cost $500 for children and there are limited tickets for adults at a cost of $1000. Tickets are located at the National Cultural Centre Box Office and schools are asked to make contact through telephone numbers 226-0240, 2253557, 617-0244 or 6299895 for ticketing information.

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guyanatimesgy.com

friday, april 28, 2017

Delegate #1 Chrislene Julianna Persaud Age: 12 Hobbies: Listening to music, swimming, roller-skating Talent: Singing Career goals: To become a surgeon, designer or veterinarian Platform: To help students overcome a bad past and prevent suicidal thoughts

Delegate #2 Leah Rebecca Alves Age: 14 Hobbies: Listening to music, reading, colouring Talents: Dancing and singing Career goal: Accountant Platform: Low self-esteem among teenagers

Delegate #5 Afiya Avisia Jacobs Age: 13 Hobbies: Singing, reading, playing sports Talent: Steel pan Career goal: Lawyer Platform: Peer pressure

Delegate #6 Aleoncé Sierra Squilah Cameron Age: 13 Hobbies: Reading Talents: Dancing and dramatic poetry Career goal: General surgeon Platform: Woman empowerment

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he 16 delegates competing for the titles of Miss St Joseph High School – Junior and Senior categories – are presently adding the final touches to their apparels as the time draws closer to pageant night which is slated for Sunday, April 30.

The delegates will be part of a grand rehearsal today at the National Cultural Centre led by their trainer, former beauty queen Alicia Bess. The 16 beauties; eight juniors and

Delegate #3 Kizza Mc Leod Age: 13 Hobbies: Empowering youths, reading and socialising Talent: Dancing Career goal: Doctor Platform: Youth empowerment

Delegate #4 Kesiah Amber Conway Age: 13 Hobbies: Reading, taking leisure walks and watching documentaries and horror stories Talents: Dancing and drawing Career goal: Cardiologist Platform: Child abuse

Delegate #7 Shameeza Asiya Baksh Age: 14 Hobbies: Acting, dancing, public speaking and caring for animals Talents: Dancing and public speaking Career goals: Model or veterinary surgeon Platform: Suicide

Delegate #8 Amira Khan Age: 13 Hobbies: Dancing, acting, listening music & reading Talents: Dancing, writing essays and acting Career goal: Doctor Platform: Feminism

eight seniors, will be competing in the introduction, casual, talent, evening gown, platform question and the final question segments of the pageant.

The objective of the pageant is to help female students of the school develop their inner qualities and to contribute positively to the world. Over the years the pageant has helped to enhance the confidence, public speaking abilities and general success of the delegates as well as raise funds for projects in the school.

The pageant will be hosted by the St Joseph High School Old

Students’ Association in collaboration with the administration of the school.

The pageant is a fundraising activity to finance projects to improve the school so as to better educate students of the learning institution. Tickets to the event are $2000, $1500 and $1000 and are available at the National Cultural Centre, St Joseph High School and members of the executive committee.

Delegate #1 Erica Selicia Henry Age: 15 Hobbies: Playing sports, acting, dancing and singing Talents: Dancing and acting Career goals: Lawyer, journalist, dietician Platform: Bullying

Delegate #2 Devya Singh Age: 15 Hobbies: Singing, reading, dancing and interacting Talents: Singing Career goals: Air Force pilot /aeronautical engineer Platform: Gender-based equality

Delegate #3 Elizabeth Emmiann Angel Baptiste Age: 16 Hobbies: Swimming, singing, playing sports Talents: Dancing Career goals: Lawyer or professional dancer Platform: Mental illness

Delegate #5 Ruth Wilson Age: 15 Hobbies: Listening to music, reading and spending time with family members and close friends Talents: Dancing Career goal: Criminal defence attorney Platform: Building self-esteem among young women

Delegate #6 Brittany Lisa Eversley Age: 17 Hobbies: Swimming, reading, writing Talents: Dancing and poetry Career goals: Lawyer/Judge Platform: Drug abuse

Delegate #7 Zion Vinica Kelman Age: 16 Hobbies: Playing football, reading, singing Talents: Public speaking and singing Career goal: Domestic Lawyer Platform: The stigmatising of children from single parent homes

Delegate #4 Tibina Oliver Deen Age: 17 Hobbies: Singing, dancing, modelling and reading Talents: Modelling, dancing and singing Career Goals: Lawyer Platform: Self love

Delegate #8 Emily Lauren Bookram Age: 17 Hobbies: Reading, playing cricket Talents: Dancing and drawing Career goals: Pilot/aeronautical engineer Platform: How social media affects young women’s self-esteem

friDAY, april 28, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

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he youth arm of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, the Essequibo Dharmic Nawjawan and the Swarswatti Dance Academy, are making sure that all arrangements are in place for the hosting of “Naatak Kee ek Sham” – an e v e n i n g of dance a n d drama.

The

event is set for Saturday in the compound of the Anna Regina Mandir commencing at 19:00h. Patrons are expected to be treated to a night of cultural explosion and entertainment to the highest standard.

Currently the cast is rehearsing and are ready to thrill the audience with their vocals, dance routines, acting and other skills. The dancers will also be performing katak dances, choreographed by Sursattie Singh.

They will be performing to songs such as “Dum Dum”, “Dhannashree” and “Jagveera Premika”.

The theatrical feature will be based on a story which will see two best friends seeking a scholarship to go to India to study. In the end, only one was offered that scholarship but because of the faith and friendship they had in each other, they managed to get one more scholarship and as such both friends were able to live their

dreams.

The storyline portrayed

by Avaani and Maya.

Admission to the show will cost $1000 and all proceedings will go towards the renovation of the Anna Regina Kendra which will in the future serve as a hub for cultural activities.

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is

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he Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha will be holding countrywide Zamana. Tickets for the event cost $3000 and will include dinner. activities to commemorate the 179th anniversary of Indian These are on sale at the Dharmic Kendra and Red Mango or can be Arrival in Guyana. obtained by calling 227-6181 or 219-1900. All proceeds go towards On Saturday, May 6, the Sabha will be t h e Sabha’s Dharmic Rama Krishna School Expansion hosting a special concert at the Dharmic project.

Kendra in Prashad Nagar, Greater The Sabha will also be holding Indian Georgetown, featuring Ben Parag, Vishalie Arrival Anniversary celebrations featuring Sukram and the Dharmic Nirtya Sangh. marches, exhibitions and rich cultural Nineteen-year-old programmes across the country.

Ben Parag has been in the On Monday, May 1, West limelight recently for having Coast Berbice will hold their event made it to the top six in Star at the Bath Community Centre Plus Television’s Music and Ground beginning at 16:00h.

Singing Competition “Dil Hai On Friday, May 5, programmes Hindustani” in India. will be held by the East Coast Parag is the first person Demerara Praant at the Helena of Guyanese origin to have No 2 Cricket Ground in Mahaica at enjoyed such success in any 13:00h and by the West Demerara singing and television show in Praant at the Oceanview Mandir India.

Compound at 18:00h.

The show was judged On Sunday, May 7, the by top personalities of the Essequibo Praant’s event will be Bollywood Indian music and held at Anna Regina Community film industry and featured Centre Ground at 13:00h while many popular guests including Central Corentyne Praant’s Shah Rukh Khan, Vidya Balan programme will be held at Tain and Akshay Kumar.

Campus at 16:00h.

Ben Parag & Vishalie Sukram The talented teenager The final event will be held on was born in New York but his May 7 at Crabwood Creek Road parents are from Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice.

End and will feature both Praga and Sukram.

Also performing on May 6 are Emerging Voices Season One Admission to all of the events is free and they will be alcohol winner Vishalie Sukram and the Sabha’s dance troupe, Dharmic free.

Nritya Sangh, popular for their spectacular performances at Naya

featuring Sinach set for May 13

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igerian award winning songwriter, worship extraordinaire and recording gospel artiste Sinach who was due to perform in Guyana at a mega concert at the National Sports Hall on Tuesday, April 18, 2017, was forced to cancel her performance due to unforeseen circumstances.

However, the artiste has stuck to her promise and will be here to perform on May 13 but at the National Park instead.

The event titled “Open Heaven Worship Experience” will also see live performances by Samuel Medas, Cheryln Maloney, Sean Sobers, Miriam Williams and others.

Meanwhile, with over a decade of experience inspiring millions of people in praise and worship, Osinachi Kalu has performed on the continents of Africa, North America, and in the United Kingdom. She is a member of the Love World Music Team of Christ Embassy and has been performing from an early age. As a songwriter who has written over 500 songs and has won several awards, the talented artiste believes in writing from her heart, knowing what the spirit of God is saying to the church.

Sinach grew up in Ebonyi, Nigeria, a n d is known for her lyrics including “I know who I am”, “Stand amazed”, and “Way maker”. Tickets for the highly anticipated show cost $2000 for adults and children under the age of 12 will be admitted free.

Sinach

Indian Arrival Fest 2017 for Giftland Mall on May 6 A s Guyanese celebrate 179 years of the arrival of East Indians to Guyana, the Indian Culture International presents its annual Indian Arrival Fest at the Giftland Mall, Pattensen, Greater Georgetown, on May 6.

The event will see a rich cultural presentation by several groups including Indian All Stars Orchestra Troupe, Indian Cultural Centre Troupe, members of the Shalitta, Ishara and the Nachgana dance troupes.

In addition, there will be live performances by Guyanese artistes Aamir Khan, reigning Chutney Queen Vanita Will, Aaron Dasraj, Navin Tularam and Sasha Harrichan. Apart from the performances, there will be food and beverage bars.

Admission to the event is absolutely free. However, apart from parking at the

Mall, there will be additional parking at the National Aquatic Centre, Caricom Secretariat and the Arthur Chung Convention Centre.

Dress code for this historic event will be elegantly casual.

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friDAY, APRIL 28, 2017

GHB/Farfan & Mendes, Woodpecker Products 1st Division Outdoor League…

Regal Masters squeeze past Ariel

Old Fort face uphill battle – 9 matches scheduled for Sunday against Bounty GCC F

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Bounty GCC will be tough to beat at home

he Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Ground, Bourda has become a fortress for the home team Bounty GCC who will feel confident against Old Fort who will have to bring their A game to come out on top today.

Bounty GCC have been one of the more dominating teams in this year’s men’s first division outdoor league, which is sponsored

by Farfen & Mendes and organised by the Guyana Hockey Board.

To date, both teams have been in two matches and suffered mixed fortunes having already tasted victory and defeat.

Old Fort opened this season’s campaign against Pepsi Hikers fighting throughout the match; however their resilient spirit did not stop Hikers from advancing to a narrow 3-2 win.

Also, Hikers handed Bounty GCC their lone defeat right at today’s venue. On that occasion, just like the Old Fort/Hikers clash it went down to the wire but also resulted in a 2-1 victory for Hikers.

Both teams will feel confident with their respective victories in the league to date; Old Fort would have found glory when they came up against Saints, beating them soundly at their home ground on Carifesta Avenue while GCC dismantled the very same opponents 5-0.

In Bounty GCC’s win Kevin Spencer and Mark Sergeant were the prime destroyers as they each scored doubles, while Philip Fernandes chipped in with a goal of his own while Old Fort’s victory came thanks to a Hat trick from Aderemi Simon and one from Chris Low. The contest is expected to be a battle of fitness and skills with GCC looking to the likes of Philip Fernandes, Kareem McKenzie, Kevin Spencer, Rahim Oliver, and Samuel Woodroffe to keep them in contention throughout the one hour affair.

Meanwhile Hikers’ Omar Hopkinson, Anthony Cole, Stephon Sprosta, Jael Gaskin, John Abrahams and Warren Williams will be tough to contain.

azleem Mohamed grabbed five wickets as Regal Masters recorded a narrow two-wicket victory over Ariel Masters when the Regal Sports Softball tournament continued last Sunday.

Batting first at GNIC SC, Ariel Masters made 133 all out from their 20 overs with Rudy Rodrigues scoring 37 and Richard Persaud 21.

Mohamed finished with 5-23 and David Harper 2-29. Regal Masters responded with 134-8 in 18.3 overs. Opener Lyndon Lyght carried his bat to remain unbeaten on 39 while Fazal Khayume made 26 and Afzal Haniff 21. Roy Persaud had 3-21 and Ron Ramnauth 2-9.

Success Masters conceded defeat against Ariel Masters at the said venue. Ariel Masters were 97-2 off 12 overs taking first knock when the Success Masters players refused to continue the game after one of the umpires made a decision in favour of the batting team.

At Malteenoes SC, Savage overcame Amazon by five wickets. Amazon took first strike and scored 151-9 in 20 overs. Rudolph Pereira made 38 while K. Persaud got 29; Z. Hussain took 2-18 and Unis Yusuf 2-30. Savage responded

with 152-5 in 18 overs.

Ramo Malone struck 53 and Nadir Baksh 47. Pereira had 2-63.

HS Masters beat Mike’s Wellman by three runs. HS Masters batted first and got to 139 all out in 20 overs.

Clyde Hoyte made 31; Raymond Harper had 2-10, Jagdish Persaud had 2-24 and Wayne Jones 2-28.

Mike’s Wellman responded with 136-8.

Persaud slammed 86 and Greg De Franca 24. Hanoman Singh claimed 3-13 and Ronald Persaud snared 3-19.

In the open category, Success got the better of Good Hope by 50 runs. Led by an unbeaten 142 not out from Dindyal Lakhan, Success posted 218-4 off their allotted 15 overs. Devendra Deosarran contributed 35.

Good Hope were restricted to 168-7 in reply. Parmanand Sukram made 68 and Dharam Ramnauth picked up 3-20 and Deosarran 2-25. The competition continues on Sunday. At Malteenoes SC Regal Masters will play Mike’s Wellman at 10:00h and Savage will face

Lyndon Lyght

Amazon at 13:30h on pitch one.

On Pitch two, HS Masters will take on Amazon at 10:00h, Speed XI will entertain Hustlers and at 15:30h Speed XI will play Unstoppable.

At GNIC SC, Speed Boat will take on Pigeon XI at 09:00h, at 11:00h Speed Boat will match skills with Brickery, at 13:00h Regal Allstars will face Pigeon XI and at 15:00h Regal will play Brickery.

CWI/Women’s Regional Super 50 Tournament 2017

Guyana get 1st points, Barbados on top Shemaine Campbelle

B

arbados brushed aside Windward Islands to take control of the Women’s Regional Super50 while Trinidad and Tobago kept Jamaica winless, following the fourth round of the competition here Wednesday.

In a clash of

Stafanie Taylor

the tournament’s two unbeaten teams, Barbados used their potent pace attack to good effect to set up a comfortable by six-wicket victory at Arnos Vale Stadium,

and leapfrog their opponents to the top of the points standings.

Sent in, Windwards were restricted to 83 all out off 24.3 overs, with Nerissa Crafton getting 26 and Quiana Joseph, 25.

West Indies fast bowler Shamilia Connell extended her excellent form in the tournament by grabbing four for 15 from six overs while newball partner Shakera Selman, who also wears international colours, supported with two for 16.

The pair ripped the heart out of the Windwards with a devastating opening burst, reducing the innings to the strife of 15 for six in the 10th over before Crafton and Joseph put on a face-saving 58 for the eighth wicket.

In reply, Kyshona Knight steered Barbados to victory with an unbeaten 28 from 26 deliveries including four

boundaries while teenaged West Indies opener Hayley Matthews chipped in with 24, in a 37-run opening stand with Kycia Knight (13).

Windies leg-spinner Afy Fletcher picked up three for 19.

At Park Hill, T&T condemned the Stafanie Taylorled Jamaica to their fourth straight defeat with a ninerun verdict.

In a game reduced to 24 overs per side, T&T rallied to 111 for eight off 24 overs with opener Reniece Boyce top-scoring with an unbeaten 31 off 38 deliveries with three fours and two sixes. She put on 45 for the first wicket with Felicia Walters (13) before becoming the first casualty in the 11th over. Jamaica were making a fist of it at 49 for one in the ninth over when Rashada Williams (15) and Shanel Daley (17) were involved in a 33-run stand.

But three wickets – includ-

ing that of Taylor for three – fell for eight runs in the space of 26 deliveries and it was left to Chinelle Henry (18) and Chedean Nation (16) to revive the innings in a fifth wicket stand of 31.

However, just when victory seemed to be beckoning, Jamaica suffered another slump, losing five wickets for eight runs to derail the run chase.

Slow medium bowler Karishma Ramharack was the best bowler with three for 10. At Sion Hill, International Subrina Munroe and Akaze Thompson undermined Leeward Islands’ batting and set up Guyana for a seven-wicket victory.

Munroe grabbed 3-10 from four overs and Thompson added 3-14 from 4.4 overs, as the Leewards were bundled out for 41 in 17.4 of the rain-reduced 24 overs, after they were put in to bat. No Leewards batter reached 20,

the same for Guyana, whose chase was completed in the 16th over with little to no trouble for their first victory of the tournament.

The final round of matches will be played today with Windward Islands taking on Trinidad & Tobago at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex, Barbados battling the Leeward Islands at Sion Hill and Guyana looking to maintain their winning ways against the winless Jamaicans at Park Hill.

The top two teams after the league stage will meet in the final on Sunday at Arnos Vale.

Standings after the fourth round of matches;

1 Barbados 19 points 2. Windward Islands 15 3. Trinidad & Tobago 14 4. Guyana 5 5. Jamaica 2 5. Leeward Islands 2

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property for sale TWO (2) PROPERTIES IN DOWDING STREET KITTY FRONT LOT – 2 STOREY 1 FAMILY WOODEN BUILDING, UPPER 3 BEDROOMS; LOWER - KITCHEN, DINING, LIVING, TOILET AND BATH,

FULLY SECURED. BACKLOT – 2 STOREY 2 FAMILY CONCRETE AND WOODEN BUILDING, UPPER THREE BEDROOMS ( 1 FULLY SELF CONTAINED; LOWER – 3 BEDROOMS, FULLY SECURED, OPEN CONCEPT BATHS, OVERHEAD TANKS. VACANT POSSESSION GUARANTEED. CALL: 227-6769, SERIOUS INQUIRIES ONLY. Property for sale at Patentia Housing Scheme Wales, West Bank Demerara. A two flat building, well painted, upper flat 3 bedroom, 1 verandah, 1 inside step, 1 outside step, top flat greenheart, bottom flat concrete, 1 living room, dining room, kitchen, inside toilet and bathroom, inside sink with cupboard, place to sit, two tents outside, along with two black tanks. Price Negotiable.

Contact: 610-8963 6 bedrooms Parfait Harmonie, $17M negotiable – 656-7590, 663-3602 Two storey building. Four bedrooms upstairs, Three downstairs.

Transported property. 27 Austin St. Campbellville. Call: 624-4668 Subryanville Property for Sale.

44 Fifth Avenue, Subryanville, Georgetown. $45m or best offer.

Contact - Mortimer: 625-7669 or Richard: 624-1154 PROPERTY FOR SALE IN ENTERPRISE SCHEME. 1 LARGE FAMILY HOME, 4 BEDROOM, FULLY GRILLED, 2-CAR GARAGE, RESERVOIR, OVERHEAD TANKS AND WATER FILTRATION, ETC. CALL/WHATSAPewwP NAVIN: 1-347517-7432 Two buildings on lot at 180 Charlotte Street. L 20 x W 30. Contact Tel: 6247341, 227-6817, 226-5183. Price Neg. Eccles: $27M Neg. Enterprise Sec C: $20M Neg. Mon Repos: $30M Neg. South Ruimveldt Park: $20M Neg. Broad Street: $80M Neg. Charlotte Street between Camp & Alexander: $55M Neg. Providence (land): $6.5M Neg. Parfaite Harmonie (land): $4.5M Neg. Contact: 691-1521 GOOD HOPE AND OGLE. CONTACT: 6735546, 222-3066, 682-7257, 679-0987

services TFA Video Production. Video recording of weddings, birthdays, advertisements, conferences, digital photography. Call: 6842999/624-4668 Technician – specializes in repairing and servicing to washing machines, pressure pumps, refridgerators, exercising machines, treadmills, stove/ranges, dryers, ovens, pressure washers, solar systems, water heaters.

Tel: 673-9283 PRIVATE CUSTOMS BROKERAGE. CERTIFICATE TRAINING COURSE IN JANUARY 2017.

REGISTER NOW AND GET 50% DISCOUNTFOR CHRISTMAS UP TO 31ST DECEMBER. CALL: 6948322 OR 671-9603 Repairs and Spares, Air Conditioning, Car AC, Washers, Stoves. Call Nick: 683-1312, 627-3206

spirituality & ASTROLOGY TWO TIMES GOLD MEDALIST ASTROLOGER AND SPIRITUALIST FROM INDIA; IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS AND NOT GETTING SOLUTIONS FROM ANY ASTROLOGERS, ONCE MEET PANDIT GANESH TO GET ACCURATE REASONS, FOR ALL KINDS OF SPIRITUAL AND FAMILY PROBLEMS PANDIT SOLVES, ALSO PROBLEMS RELATED TO STRESS, LOVE OR FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY, FAMILY ARGUMENTS AND GETTING LOVED ONES BACK, HUSBAND AND WIFE PROBLEMS, HEALTH PROBLEMS, REMOVAL OF BLACK MAGIC, EVIL SPIRITS, VOODOO, WITCH CRAFT, BLOCKAGES, SPELLS ETC. LOCATION: LIGHT STREET BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD STREET, ALBERTTOWN OPPOSITE THE GTT TOWER 600-0926 1. STAR ASTROLOGY AND PSYCHIC READER FROM: INDIA. ARE YOU DISAPPOINTED MEETING ASTROLOGERS AND NOT GETTING SOLUTIONS? THEN ONCE MEET INDIAN MOST POWERFUL SPIRITUALIST. 2. MASTER GURU RAGHVENDRA. YOUR PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE IN CONNECTION WITH COURT CASE, LOVE, EDUCATION, SICKNESS, MONEY, EVIL PROBLEM, BLOCKAGES IN

LIFE AND MUCH MORE. FOR ALL YOUR PROBLEMS HE HAS THE SOLUTIONS, HE SPECIALIZES IN REMOVING BLACK MAGIC, EVIL SPIRITS, VOODOO, OBEAH, WITCH CRAFT AND GIVES YOU LIFE LONG PROTECTION. 3. CONTACT: - 6305073, 600-4096, ADDRESS: LOT 62 MON REPOS (NEXT TO THE MALL) E.C.D 1. SHIVA PARAVATHI ASTROLOGER FROM: INDIA. ARE YOU DISAPPOINTED MEETING ASTROLOGERS AND NOT GETTING SOLUTIONS? THEN ONCE MEET INDIAN MOST POWERFUL SPIRITUALIST. 2.

PRIEST NARASIMHA. YOUR PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE IN CONNECTION WITH COURT CASE, LOVE, EDUCATION, SICKNESS, MONEY, EVIL PROBLEM, BLOCKAGES IN LIFE AND MUCH MORE. FOR ALL YOUR PROBLEMS HE HAS THE SOLUTIONS, HE SPECIALIZES IN REMOVING BLACK MAGIC, EVIL SPIRIT, VOODOO, OBEAH, WITCH CRAFT AND GIVES YOU LIFE LONG PROTECTION. 3. CONTACT: 6827439, 650-0700. ADDRESS: LOT 12 GT&T STREET ANNA REGINA ESSEQUIBO COAST (OPPOSITE GT&T OFFICE) WORLD FAMOUS INDIAN PALMIST AND SPIRITUALISTT ASTROLOGER, AT EAST BANK GROVE. MEET HIM ONCE FOR ACCURATE PREDICTIONS, FIXING PROBLEMS LIKE HEALTH AND STRESS, ENEMIES, JEALOUSY, RELATIONSHIPS, FININCIALS AND GET LOVED ONES BACK. HE CAN HANDLE AND REMOVE BLACK MAGIC, VOODOO, OBEAH, WITCHCRAFT. FOR BETTER RESULTS, CONTACT 664-2505 OR 609-4493. LOCATED AT 150 TIME SQUARE STREET, NORTHWEST GROVE, EAST BANK DEMERARA. THE MOST POWERFUL ASTROLOGER AND SPIRTUALIST FROM INDIA. If you are having problems, he has the solutions. He solves problems related to love, relationships, happiness, financial, family arguments, getting lover back, husband and wife problems, removal of black magic, evil spirits, voodoo, witchcraft, blockages. Location: Light Street, Alberttown, between 2nd and 3rd Streets, Opposite the GTT Tower. Telephone number: 652-4444 / 600-0926 Dutch spiritual healing in removing evil spirit, bad luck, evil sickness, spells, reuniting lovers and prosperity to business. Call: 612-6417, 687-5653 Surinamese spiritualist.

Resolving all problems. Money, love, blockage etc. Call 2236834/600-7719.

Suriname’s Astrology, Palmist and Hindustani Spiritual Healer, solve all purpose problems, 100% confidential guaranteed. Phone: 602-8997

taxi services GR Taxi, 24 hours. Phone: 2257878, 219-5000 or 227-2100

TO LET OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT 12x12 SQUARE FEET, WELL GRILLED WINDOWS AND DOORS, LIGHT, WATER, WASHROOM AND PARKING FACILITIES AVAILABLE. LOT 60 BRICKDAM TELE: 226-1836 1 TWO-BEDROOM APARTMENT, FULLY AIR CONDITIONED, PARKING AVAILABLE LOCATED AT WILLIAM STREET, CAMPBELLVILLE , CONTACT 618-6623 FOR FURTHER ENQUIRIES. Two-bedroom back house upper flat situated at at 64 Seaforth St. Campbellville $50,000 per month.

Telephone: 227-1293. No pets Three storey 75ft’ x 30 ft. building/bond, Open floors, 2 offices, 2 washrooms, driveways. 25 B Princess Street, Charlestown. Tel : 223-0654/225-0605 Three storey 75ft’ x 30 ft. building/bond, Open floors, 2 offices, 2 washrooms, driveways. 25 B Princess Street, Charlestown. Tel : 223-0654/225-0605 THREE STOREY 75 FT’X 30 FT BUILDING/BOND, OPEN FLOORS, 2 OFFICES, 2 WASHROOMS, DRIVEWAY. 25B PRINCESS ST, CHARLESTOWN. TEL: 223-0654, 225-0605 UNFURNISHED BOTTOM FLAT – 2 BEDROOMS, BATHROOM, KITCHENETTE, DINING/LIVING ROOM, PRE-PAID METER. QUIET NEIGHBOURHOOD – KITTY. NO CHILDREN. NO PETS. SUITABLE FOR STUDENTS OR SINGLE WORKING PERSONS. $55,000 PER MONTH. 2 MONTHS SECURITY DEPOSIT. RENT CONTRACT FOR 6 – 12 MONTHS. CONTACT 6930003 (DURING BUSINESS HOURS)

VACANCIES ONE ACCOUNTS CLERK, EMAIL CV TO info@digitaltechnology.gy or deliver to: Lot 20 Diamond Public Road, E.B.D addressed to ‘The Operations Manager’ - Able to prepare VAT returns, NIS and PAYE submissions (An Asset) - Proficient in the use of QuickBooks and Excel.

FAST GROWING FOOD DISTRIBUTION COMPANY SEEKING A BOOK KEEPER / INVENTORY CLERK, EXPERIENCE AND POLICE CLEARANCE NEEDED. CALL FOR INTERVIEW 231-8344, 223-1027 OR 223103 CUSTOMER SERVICE ASSISTANT – 624- 0033 COOK – 624-0033 PUMP ATTENDANT – 624-0033 OR 680-3863

HEPHZIBAH MINISTRIES 24 hrs Prayer Line 322-5081, 3225738, 337-4510, 337-4259, 337-3070, 337-5103. For healing, deliverance, financial difficulties, marriage issues call now. Jesus Cares.

For sale:- 1 Toyota Fielder wagon for sale $1.6 negotiable. 656-7590

Ifa Temple – Are you having serious problems and urgently need spiritual help? Call 6210552 now. Email: anew-life@ live.com

FOR SALE! 1 TOYOTA AVENSIS, PRR 825. $2.2M NEGOTIABLE. CALL TROY: 619-2975

SPIRITUAL HEALING: REMOVE BLOCKAGES, VOODOO, HEXCURSE, BLACK MAGIC, SPELL, BUSINESS, UPLIFTMENT, PREGNANCY, LOVE & MARRIAGE PROBLEMS, CLEARANCE, ETC. Contact: 612-1975, 683-5228

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Aracari Salon & Spa, WBD 264-3312, 600-3927”

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WANTED Applications are invited for One Evening Tutor for Grade 9 Student.

• Must be a CPCE Graduate or currently attending University of Guyana. • Experienced in Science Subjects.

• Two recent references required.

Interested persons are advised to send applications to: jobrecruiter7860@gmail.com

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DAILY & SUNDAY COPIES OF in your area?

Contact our

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fridAY, april 28, 2017

El Dorado, CPL renew partnership – Universe Boss Chris Gayle hails Universe‘s Best Rum

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he Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) are delighted to announce a new five-year agreement with El Dorado, consistently voted the world’s best rum, which will take the partnership through to the end of the 2022 campaign.

And the news of the contract extension has been welcomed far and wide with Chris Gayle of the St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots proudly declaring: "The Universe Boss welcomes back the Universe’s best rum, El Dorado.”

Based in Guyana, El Dorado have been one of the Caribbean’s most visible success stories globally and have partnered with Hero CPL since its inception in 2013. Enjoyed by players and fans alike, the El Dorado brand is synonymous with the biggest party in sport and news of this new deal will no doubt be greeted positively by the CPL family throughout the Caribbean.

El Dorado has been voted the World’s Best Rum at the International Wine & Spirit Awards for four consecutive years – and won it on seven occasions in

S

Andre Russell (right) collects the top prize from Komal Samaroo for the celebration of the tournament in 2016 (file photo)

Unexpected win for Novice Champion

eventeen year old Nolan Smith shot to prominence in the Bodybuilding world when he won the overall Guyana Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation’s (GABBFF) Novice Championships last weekend, an achievement that came as a shock to the young man.

Immediately after the competition, Smith announced this by saying “I didn’t expect to win the competition.”

However, the talented youngster pointed out what made his victory so special, noting that he is very young and trained hard since he was in form three.

He went on to “give thanks to the almighty first and foremost and my family and everyone who have been supporting me.”

The Life Gym bodybuilder pointed out the key to success was the people around him, “family and so who help me with food and supplements especially the trainer [Caerus] Cipriani, who was behind me all the time, eating right, getting my diet right everything, training hard every day just trying to bring down my weight because it wouldn’t be possible without getting off some of the belly fat”.

Smith walked away with three titles on the night including the prestigious Under-21 as well as the middleweight category before flexing into the main showdown for the overall championship where he did not disappoint.

Additionally, the talented teen has grabbed the attention of President of the GABBFF, Coel Marks who while on Radio Guyana Inc. 89.5 said Smith is immensely talented and has a far way to go in the bodybuilding world.

Marks went on to add that he believes that smith

total.

In 2016, in addition to supporting the Man of the Match awards, the best player celebrations were dubbed “El Dorado Celebrations” in line with the brand’s status as “Official Spirit of the Hero CPL”.

This culminated in the Commentary team choosing the “El Dorado Celebration of the Tournament", which was won in the 2016 season

by Andre Russell of the Jamaica Tallawahs, who was presented with a gold nugget and a bottle of limited edition rum, to mark Guyana's 50th Independence Anniversary,

by Demerara Distillers Chairman Komal Samaroo (pictured).

El Dorado will be executing a range of fan promotions aimed at extending the celebration to fans around the Caribbean.

Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) Chairman, Komal Samaroo, said: “At DDL we aim for excellence and through our El Dorado Rum brand we offer the most premium portfolio of aged rums for consumers around the world to enjoy. Through our partnership with Hero CPL since the start of the tournament

we are delighted to bring to numer- ous consumers in the Caribbean, the opportunity to enjoy their favourite sport while enjoying responsibly the superior quality of El Dorado Rum. The new five-year agreement confirms our desire to further contribute to the improvement of the quality of life for the people of the Caribbean and to market the Caribbean region to the rest of the world.”

Jamie Stewart, Commercial Director of the Hero CPL, added: “El Dorado have been with Hero CPL since when it was just an idea on a page. They have played a huge role in making Hero CPL the ‘Biggest Party in Sport’ and it is an absolute pleasure to continue the relationship with the brand consistently voted the world’s best. El Dorado has, over the years, become beloved by players, commentators and fans, and I’m sure our community will be delighted to hear that they will have the opportunity to enjoy the rich, deep flavours of the El Dorado range for years to come.”

(CPLT20)

All roads lead to YWCC Mash Cup

– Evans, Beharry to be honoured

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or the first time, popular hangout spot, Candy Shop located in front of New Amsterdam Municipal Market will sponsorship for The Young Warriors Cricket Club fund raiser, Mash Cup 2017.

At the sponsorship ceremony, Tito Sancho commended the organisers for including Candy Shop Tucker Park for the first time. He added that he is happy to be part of this event.

In response, President of the club Rafeek Kassim expressed gratitude

table like outfield. "Evans and Beharry were instrumental in the progress of the club and players such as Shimron Hetmyer, Damodar Daesrath, Richard Ramdeem, Gajanand Singh, Kwesi Maltay, Linden Austin, Balram Samaroo and many others," the President continued. He said that those two gentlemen will be honored during the event.

Mash Cup IV is slated for this Sunday April 30 at the Cumberland Cricket Ground in East Canje, Berbice.

Anil Beharry

Nolan Smith is congratulated

by GABBFF President Coel Marks

has not even reached his genetic potential yet, being just 17 years old and already winning, therefore it is only inevitable through proper guidance that he will reach to the top of the field.

By virtue of winning the Novice championship, Smith has earned a spot in the Seniors championship which is billed to take place within the next few months. (Romario Samaroo)

Rafeek Kassim receives items from Tito Sancho in the presence of Bradford Peterkin

to the sponsor and promised that the event will be well run and provide fun and entertainment for the entire family. He further stated that YWCC will continue to provide opportunities for the young boys and girls in the East Canje area.

He stated that the success of the club over the years was as a result of hard work of some of its executives and players and he made special mention of Hubern Evans and Anil Beharry. He said that when the club was resuscitated, Evans and Beharry played important roles is transforming the ground from a pasture to its current position boasting two large concrete sight screens, two pavilions, top quality covers, concrete scoreboard and a billiards

There is excitement in the air as the public looks forward to this signature event. Proceeds from this event runs the clubs cricket programme for the year while part proceeds go to religious and educational organisations as part of the club's policy towards community development.

The action on the field will see eight teams namely: Adelphi Pathfinders, Betsy Ground Triple Stars, Goed Bananen Land, Rose Hall CC, Reliance Young and the Restless, Tucber, Electra Academy and the host battling in the five overs a-side cricket competition for prize monies of over $100,000.

Albion Masters, made up mostly of players who won the recently concluded Inter County Masters Tournament

will compete against a team from the Georgetown based Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association team, Floodlights in a 15 overs a-side feature softball game.

There will be added attractions for the children and the entire family inclusive of live musical entertainment and a well stocked bar.

Hubern Evans

guyanatimesgy.com

friDAY, april 28, 2017

Boyce & Jefford Relay Festival

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Venue is set & ready to go ─ Boyce

he Police Sports Club ground at Eve Leary ground, Kingston is in “immaculate shape, the best it h a s ever been and ready for Sunday.” This is accord- ing to Chairman of the Boyce and Jefford Relay Festival, Colin Boyce, who informed this publication on the preparation for the annual family event.

This Sunday will be the second hosting of the festival and preparations are going according to plan, noting that the administration has already visited the venue on Wednesday to make this proclamation.

Boyce went on to say that “it is just to put in the markings for the different activities which should be done by latest, Saturday.”

He added that there will be tents, bouncy castles and other activities for the children to enjoy throughout the day.

Billed for a 09:30h start, the family event will see a number of different activities including relays at a time when Edison Jefford believes is the right time.

“If you notice what we have done to schedule this particular event around a time when we just had the relay championships in the Bahamas over the last weekend and this week I think Trinidad will have their championships and I so we are falling directly into that international calendar and I think it is one all athletes should grab at,” Jefford said.

Jefford went on to indicate that from the visits to the various camps, the intense rivalry that has been about for the longest times especially between police and GDF is expected to be reignited.

“The atmosphere coming out some of the camps especially the Police, GDF [Guyana Defense Force], they are rearing to go at each other, you know that rivalry existed since time in memorial and I think that rivalry will be renewed on Sunday but not to rule out some of the upcoming clubs, you know Linden had some success at the CARIFTA Games recently so they are expected to feel strong.

There are some other clubs along the East Coast with up and coming runners like Mercury Fast Lanners, you know they are some of the clubs that will have a good showing on Sunday.” the Co-Chairman stated.

The collaboration further pointed out that this is a time when athletes are now peeking ahead of the real championships in May to August so there is an expectation that the level of competition will be at its highest.

The event is will see a total payout of over one million dollars and will feature some disciplines including athletics, cricket, football and cycling.

Admission to the venue is $500 for adults and $200 for children.

Guyana ready for

─ Mike Singh

F

ollowing Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)’s successful debut in Guyana, Fight Central 592’s Michael “Mike” Singh strongly believes that Guyana can become the fight central of the Caribbean.

Speaking to this publication during the event on Sunday last at the Giftland Mall, Liliendaal, Singh indicated that the debut was historic, and “this is basically a launch to show that Guyana is ready for MMA, we have fighters we have athletes to this calibre.”

Singh believes that the debut was successful and based on what he has seen Guyana can be the fight central of the Caribbean with the support of the regional countries.

“This is an indication that we could lean on Trinidad, we could lean on the Caribbean fighters to enhance the local MMA product we have. We have the foundation, we have strong people we have the will, the fighting spirit and that is the main reason we call it Fight Central because Guyana will become the fight central of the Caribbean,” Singh said.

While the debut was historic, there is more coming to Guyana as Singh promises fights every quarter of the year. “The next bouts we are

Fight Central 592’s Michael “Mike” Singh

going to have is July 8, you will see Brazilian MMA fighters, Surinamese, Venezuelans, Trinidadians and Jamaicans… at the end of the day MMA is here to stay,” the Central 592 boss said.

In envisioning the future of the sport, Singh pointed out that “this sport will go all the way to the top”

Sponsors gravitating to Blairmont Floodlight Cup Reload

Blairmont Cricket Club President Shabeer Baksh (black shirt) receiving the sponsorship from Arshad Rasool (left) and Travor Harripersaud

Edison Jefford

Colin Boyce

23

noting that “our vision right now is having a UFC fighter in Las Vegas, Madison Square Garden, at the end of the day look at Conor McGregor, Rhonda Rousey, these are regular fighters that people gave opportunities apart from their talent.”

The former Guyana Amateur Basketball Association President highlighted that “Guyanese we have it; Linden, Kwakwani I know we got the talent, the strength, the will, we achieve a lot with little resources much less if we have a structure where we could catapult our guys.

Both male and female we will have a core of guys doing karate, judo, jujitsu and the Brazilian community here is strong and they will appreciate it so I think the sky is the limit.”

The Fight Central 592 boss believes that the talent here is immense after seeing what we can do with limited resources.

The local MMA fraternity is also setting their sights on establishing a local Federation that will manage this sport.

On Sunday April 23, the Giftland Mall came alive with four eye catching MMA fights with six Trinidadian fighters and one each from Barbados and Guyana.

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orporate support has been streaming in for the third annual Blairmont Floodlight Cup Reload, set to take place this Sunday (April 30) at the Blairmont Community Centre ground.

Recently, club officials were on hand to receive sponsorship from Hand-in-Hand Insurance Company, Sign Arts, Arshad Business Enterprise, Baksh Travel Service and Big B’s Restaurant.

President of the Blairmont Cricket Club, Shabeer Baksh, expressed gratitude to the businesses for seeing it fit to collaborate with the club for the annual competition. He highlighted that the inputs by these entities will go a far way in ensuring the aims and objectives of the one day activity are met.

He also used the opportunity to encourage families to come out and witness a day of clean fun, as apart from the on-field cricket action, there will be numerous activities beyond the boundary to keep the family entertained.

Ten top teams will be competing in the main eventthe 10/10 cricket competition. The teams likely to participate are Blairmont Cricket Club Blazers, D’Edward Super Kings, Cotton Tree Die Hard, Albion Sports Club, Rose Hall Youth and Sports Club, Cold Fushion, Young And the Restless, Bush Lot, Enterprise and Young Warriors.

In 2016, Blairmont Cricket Club’s West Side Titans were winners and Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club were runners-up. In 2015, Cotton Tree Die Hard emerged champions, while Blairmont Cricket Club came in as runners-up.

“The tournament will have nine exciting matches, while there will also will be an Over-40 exhibition game. There will be live commentary by international commentator, Inderjeet Persaud, while tassa drumming and air horn giveaway will make the atmosphere buzzing,” the organisers said in a release.

There will also be a domino competition catering for 15 teams and starting at 12:30h, and a three-a-side volleyball tournament, geared at encouraging individuals to participate in physical activity.

Other attractions on the day will include barbeque sale, tassa drumming, bouncy castle, ice cream giveaway and cartoon characters walk around.

Hand-in-Hand representative Abby Jalim (left) presents trophies for the competition to Treasurer of Blairmont CC, Shizad Ali

FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 2017

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Pg 22

El Dorado, CPL renew partnership

– Universe Boss Chris Gayle hails Universe's Best Rum The El Dorado deal with the biggest "Party in Sport" will go until 2022

GHB/Farfan & Mendes, Woodpecker Products 1st Division Outdoor League…

Guyana Old Fort face uphill battle ready for against Bounty GCC ─ Mike Singh

Pg 20 Pg 23 Old Fort (red) have shown that they are no walk overs in the tournament so far

MMA action during the Guyana debut at the Giftland Mall

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