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Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 2795 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

March 13, 2016

PRICE

Radio, TV licences

The law will be followed in issuing new licences – GNBA head Page 3

... Broadcast experience not a requirement for applicants

$120 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE: The Race to LGE 2016 P5

“It’s not about the Party, we want to see development” P19 – PPP Candidate

Rice farmers brace for the worst Centre

Constitutional reform

Recommendations for Cabinet discussions P19 this month

– crippled industry further deteriorating One year later A dry parched rice farm in Region 6 as the El Niño weather phenomenon severely hits Guyana’s rice industry

LGE 2016

The coalition has broken its promises – Jagdeo tells Essequibians

Investigations into Crum- P8 Ewing’s death still ongoing – Crime Chief

Page 9

Plantain chip factory

The large crowd at a PPP/C public meeting at Charity, Region 2 on Saturday where Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo addressed residents about the broken promises of the Administration

Guyana will take up US offer on Roger Khan’s testimony – Granger Page 3

Learning Channel broadcast

NCN’s cost outweighs that of TVG’s Page 5

– lies about TVG “profiteering” exposed

Wakenaam residents reiterate P9 calls for completion – claim new Govt placed project on hold

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NEWS

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BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, March 13 – 08:30h-10:00h and Monday, March 14 – 08:30h-10:00h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, March 13 – 07:05h-08:35h and Monday, March 14 – 07:50h-09:20h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery to heavy rain showers can be expected throughout the day, while thundery showers are expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 07:32h and 20:02h reaching maximum heights of 2.74 metres and 2.59 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 01:06h and 13:32h reaching minimum heights of 0.53 metre and 0.49 metre respectively.

Radio, TV licences

The law will be followed in issuing new licences – GNBA head

... Broadcast experience not a requirement for applicants

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hairman of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) Leonard Craig has said that broadcasting experience is not a requirement for persons who are applying for radio and television licences.

Craig, when asked on Saturday by Guyana Times if this is a written or agreed requirement, answered in the negative, stating “I don’t recall seeing that.”

“All that is written is in the law, we are not veering off of that path whatsoever,” he said in reinforcing his point.

The GNBA Head’s statement throws out the window remarks made by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo on Friday, which insisted that the previous People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration breached the Broadcasting Act by issuing licences to persons who had no broadcast experience.

No criteria

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plained that a sub-committee of the Broad is examining that and he was not aware of its status.

However, the Broadcasting Act 2011 has an entire section which details the requirements for the Board to issue licences. For instance Section 23(i) insists that only corporations involved solely in broadcasting can be approved.

Reduced fees

In defending a proposal to significantly reduce the broadcast licensing fees, Craig said that the decision was birthed out of a survey done on the revenue stream of existing radio and television stations and was found to be reasonable.

“We took a survey of what people earn; TV stations and we made a decision as to what is reasonable... it’s what a TV station can actually support and not what we think they should have and we believe that is reasonable fee to charge,” the GNBA

Eligibility for licences

The GNBA head, when asked if criminal records will be considered when applications are reviewed, said all factors will be considered.

“We would look at all the applicants, we will evaluate them using all the factors in

the law and all other social and other factors. We will take everything into consideration,” he stated.

In fact, insiders informed Guyana Times that this is the most salient requirement for issuing broadcasting licences, since broadcasters have a tremendous ability to influence the youths and other susceptible members of society.

One executive stated that Section 24(1) of the Broadcast Act specifies “Eligibility for licences” and subsection 2 insists “the authority shall have regard to...(b) whether the applicant is a fit person to hold a licence.”

Several members of the business community have raised concerns about the issuance of licenses to persons who would have been or are involved in criminal activities. They advised that when the Board meets, the issue of applicants involved in criminal activities, is taken into consideration, and any such person/s should be prohibited from obtaining licences.

Pending applications

Craig could not say offhand the number of pending applications or the names of some of the individuals who or companies which applied for licences, but assured that all applications will be examined, regardless of when they were submitted. He has been quoted in other reports as saying there are around 25 pending applications for radio, television, and cable licences.

Guyana will take up US offer on Roger Khan’s testimony – Granger

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LUCKY 3 4

Meanwhile, when asked about the criteria to be used by the GNBA for the issuance of licences within weeks as announced on Friday, Craig said the body is still to come up with a list of criteria.

“When the Board meets, it will determine what the final criteria (is) which will be published. It will be a transparent process,” Craig stated.

But when asked how the Board will be able to determine who will be issued with licences in the absence of the list of criteria, Craig ex-

Chairman of the GNBA Leonard Craig

head stated.

When asked if he was not concerned this lowered fee could lead to a number of “fly by night” TV and radio stations, Craig said this was not possible since there are limited spectrums to be issued, and as such, the other accompanying factors will limit the number of persons who would actually be issued with licences.

“We cannot as a broadcast authority just hand out spectrum willy nilly. What we will do, we will raise the standards of expectation to which people will have to confirm. Things like programming, things like per cent of local programmes, language that you use on air and so o,n and we will be strict with violations, so eventually only those who are able to sustain a certain level of quality will then stay in the business,” he explained.

However, according to several members of the business community, reducing the broadcasting fees would in fact encourage individuals who would be unable to fund the infrastructure to service the geographical range specified by the Broadcasting Act – which is the entire 83,000 square miles of Guyana.

overnment has indicated that if local investigations into the narcotics trade reveal any link to self-confessed druglord Shaheed Roger Khan, then it will take up the United States’ offer to access copies of his testimony during his trial in the US court, and if possible Khan himself.

Fielding questions on his weekly television programme “The Public Interest”, which aired on Friday evening, President David Granger pointed out that investigations are currently being conducted into the recent allegations against the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) and there are plans in the fu-

ture to probe extra-judicial killings that occurred from the year 2000 and onward, noting that if there are connections to the convicted drug baron, then his Administration will seek to engage him.

“Wherever those leads take us, we will follow... We need to have a lawful and orderly society and whoev-

er is accused of committing murders will have to be punished… I’m not accusing anybody but where ever those leads take us, we will follow to make sure justice is done and Guyanese can live in a country where they can be assured of being safe,” the Head of State remarked. turn to page 5

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Views General Editor: Michael Younge News Hotliine: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544 223-7230,223-7231,231-0544, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

IMF Surveillance

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he International Monetary Fund (IMF) now has a benign image in Guyana after the depressing days when visits by its officials always meant "belt tightening" for a hapless populace. As part of Art IV of its mandate, the IMF conducts annual "surveillance" of the economies of its members, which are then free to use or ignore its subsequent report and recommendations, unless the country is part of a programme under which it borrowed money from the Fund.

In that case, as with Barbados for instance, the country must comply with the IMF's directives which invoke the belttightening "austerities" referred to above.

Guyana's recent stress-free IMF experience was due to a very responsible handling of the economy by the previous PPP/C Administration, which produced five per cent growth rates that were consistently higher than those of neighbouring economies.

Guyana's economy, however, is almost totally dependent on the export of commodities - sugar, rice, bauxite, timber, seafood - and gold. As the US Ambassador recently stated, Guyana handled the collapse of the economies of the US and Europe in 2008 very well, as China (and the rest of BRICS to a lesser extent) became the locomotives of global growth.

However the IDB’s 2012 Latin American and Caribbean Macroeconomic Report (LACMR) had predicted Chinese growth rates would fall and as they did, commodity prices would follow, presenting a significant risk for Latin American and other exporters. By 2014 this prediction began to manifest itself, but once again, prudent PPP/C management of the macro-economic fundamentals kept the economy on an even growth rate.

The change of government in May 2015 coincided with the issuance of the IDB's 2015 LACMR and unfortunately this predicted: "failing unanticipated developments, lower commodity prices are here to stay for a while with no sharp rebound expected". With China's growth rate stubbornly remaining depressed – as compared to its two-decade 10 per cent rate – it is almost certain that lower commodity prices may persist.

In such circumstances prudent governments would factor in the anticipated lower revenues flowing into the economy and scale down their spending – especially in areas that would not directly improve economic production or productivity. If this is not done there are several repercussions. For instance debt levels which were prudent under high export prices can suddenly become unsustainable at lower ones and precipitate insolvency, as in Barbados. That country did not acknowledge its plummeting tourist arrivals after the economic collapse up north, and was soon forced into an IMF austerity programme that, among other measures, demanded 3000 workers from the Public Service be terminated.

While acknowledging the danger, the APNU/AFC government was forced by its populist promises made during the campaign - when the symptoms of the lower commodity prices were already kicking in – to increases salaries and PR spending without tying them to increased productivity.

The IMF team warned that the latter practice is unsustainable and strategically dangerous since the increased money's flowing into salaries could have been used to invest in areas that would generate economic returns.

The other negative impact of the increased current spending, the team pointed out, was to "crowd out" private investments since the government would be financing its spending via funds sucked out of the private banks.

The government was also criticised for increasing its excise taxes on petroleum imports as the latter priced plunged by more than two-thirds. While this policy garnered revenues for the government, if it had been passed on to consumers, it would have stimulated the economy.

Much of what the IMF team noted had been pointed out in this space over the last nine months. Unfortunately, several members of the government view critiques as "attacks" and have even refused to communicate with this newspaper. It is hoped that they will heed the message of the IMF and not continue to attack the messengers.

We are all involved but we do not have to be consumed in a meltdown.

This Queen's College student explains how a distiller works to these little ones at the Regional Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Fair 2016

Guyanese should be more engaged in country and community affairs Dear Editor, Local government is the collective term for local councils. You may also sometimes hear them referred to as local authorities. Local councils are made up of councillors (members) who are voted for by the public in local elections and paid council staff (officers) who deliver services.

In the UK, District Council have produced this excellent and straight-forward “Schools Guide” to the Citizens, a wide range of services, either directly through their staff or by commissioning services from outside organisations. They also have responsibility for the economic, social and environmental ’well-being’ of their area.

Most council services are mandatory. This means that the council must do them because they are under a duty to do so by law. Some mandatory functions are tightly controlled by central government, resulting in a similar level of service across the country (eg payment of housing benefit).

Other mandatory requirements (eg libraries) leave councils with some choice over the level and type of service they provide. Other services and functions are discretionary. These are services a council can choose to provide but does not have to.

They range from large economic regeneration projects, to the removal of waste.

Councils have a general power to charge for these services provided they are not prevented from doing so by other legislation and the council does not make a profit. Councils can charge for arts and entertainment activities, and sports, etc.

City councils are responsible for services across the whole of a county or city, like education, transport, planning, fire and public safety, social care, libraries, waste management and trading standards.

District and borough councils cover a smaller area, often a town or rural area, and are usually responsible for services like rubbish collection and recycling, council tax, leisure services and housing.

Local authorities are councils that provide one tier of local government and provide all services. Confusingly, they can be called city councils or town councils or just councils!

Parish and town councils operate at a level below district and borough councils. Parish or town councils are elected and can help on a number of local issues, like planning applications or running local sports grounds and

community centres.

Local government spending is about a quarter of all public spending in the UK. Local councils are funded by a combination of grants from central government, Council Tax and business rates. (In Northern Ireland, district councils still raise money through a domestic rate and a business rate.) They also receive income from investments, council rents, sales and charges for services.

Central government (or Cabinet, through the Government of Guyana) provides specific and general grants to enable local authorities to deliver all the necessary services.

To divide up the funding, the government uses a system based on the number and value of properties in each area and how much it costs to provide services there.

Council Tax provides about a quarter of local funding.

Local councils set the total Council Tax they need to raise, based on their overall budget for the year. Each household pays an amount depending on the value of their home.

The government has powers to ensure that increases in local authority budgets and Council Tax are not excessive. Business rates are a property tax on business-

es and other properties that aren’t homes. The national rates are set by central government.

Councillors from different political parties make up the full council. The council is divided into individual groups called committees, which have responsibility for particular services such as education or planning. Many decisions are recommended by the committees, but have to be agreed by the full council. After decisions have been made by the elected members of the council, they are carried out by the officers whose job it is to deliver the particular service.

Every council must publish in advance when key decisions will be taken and publish meeting papers at least five working days beforehand.

The minutes of the meeting, summarising decisions, must also be published.

You can attend most meetings of the council, although usually you won’t be able to speak at them.

In closing I urge the citizens of Guyana to become more engaged in your country and community affairs and to follow what is going on to be more informed of works and services in your area.

Yours sincerely, Ivan Bentham

Guyana moving backwards

Dear Editor, Roshan Khan in a section of the media was reported to have been nominated by his religious organisation to serve on the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC). This is good but at the same time it is news regarding the ERC, a constitutional body. Are there fresh nominations of persons to be appointed on the ERC?

If so, what happened to those persons who were elected in May 2014 by their respective entities to be commissioners of the ERC but were not sworn in? Were they sent a letter of apology and reasons for fresh nominations

by Guyana’s Parliament? If not, I do not think these persons who have “earned public respect” and are of “unques-

tionable honesty and integrity” were respectfully treated by the national assembly.

As a matter of fact they were all disrespected by the highest decision-making forum of Guyana – the Parliament.

I am disappointed. But the question is, why were the May 2014 elected nominees to the ERC not sworn in by President Granger af-

ter a motion was successfully moved in the National Assembly to re-endorse them to the ERC instead of having repeated nominations?

Guyana in its new dispensation is now moving backwards instead of forward. It’s sad.

Sincerely, Carl Lucas

NEWS

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Learning Channel broadcasts

NCN’s cost outweighs that of TVG’s – lies about TVG “profiteering” exposed P rime Minister Moses Nagamootoo’s recent revelation that the monthly cost for the uplink and broadcast of television signals via satellite for The Learning Channel (TLC) has not changed, despite the service being moved from Television Guyana (TVG) to the state-owned National Communications Network (NCN), exposes the vicious lies that were being peddled by sections of the local tabloid Kaieteur News and key figures of the then opposition (APNU/AFC), which had been claiming that proprietor of TVG Dr Ranjisinghi Ramroop was “profiteering” from the contract with TLC. This service had previously been contracted to TVG Ch 28 since 2010, since it was the only local broadcaster with the capabilities.

Nagamootoo while addressing the commissioning of NCN’s Satellite Earth Station Multimedia Teleport on Friday stated that, “We used to pay a private broadcaster ($3.6 million) a month.

We still pay almost the same amount to have the service provided through the satellite.”

However, in the intervening years, there has been a persistent and vicious campaign by then Opposition fig-

ures and several media entities, especially the Kaieteur News alleging GTV’s “profiteering” from the contract with TLC. In Saturday’s edition of the Kaieteur News, a front page banner headline announced: “Ramroop TVG collected over $225M from Learning Channel”. The implication was that massive profits were made by TVG. Guyana Times contacted Dr Ramroop for comments, and he said it was interesting that the very entities which have been on a vicious campaign, now refused to elaborate on the Prime Minister’s statement. “They should all be apologising to me,” he stated Dr Ramroop explained that the actual price charged

by TVG was $3.08 million monthly and the remainder of the claimed $3.6M monthly went back to the government as VAT.

He also noted the Prime Minister did not factor in the depreciation costs of the equipment NCN installed, the charges from the foreign consultant they used, the cost of the personnel to run the programme, etc.

“When he does, he will discover that TVG – the “private broadcaster” – was substantially subsidising the cost of broadcasting TLC, because we felt that providing a quality education to hinterland students was the right thing to do,” Dr Ramroop stated.

In 2010, the Education Ministry approached TVG Ch 28, with a request to broadcast educational videos to several hinterland locations. The channel would be part of the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), an agency of the Ministry and would operate as an open educational, completely non-com-

mercial broadcaster.

The objective of the channel was to provide quality learning materials to students of all ages through its various programmes.

At the time, TVG had established a teleport with the capability of up-linking video content to a NSS-806 satellite from which it could be down linked via earth stations. This gave TVG the option of transmitting high quality video signals to consumers in remote locations outside Georgetown, in addition to its fixed land based towers from which signals could on occasion be degraded.

It entailed an initial capital outlay plus monthly recurring costs of over G$4 million in bandwidth rental and associated services.

A five-year $185 million (or $3.08 million monthly) contract was signed between the government on behalf of the Educational Television Broadcasting Service (ETBS) Channel 80 and TVG in 2010 to provide a satellite uplink facility.

In April 2011 after several weeks of broadcasting, RTBS was renamed “The Learning Channel (TLC)”. The government paid TVG $3.6 million per month in a bundled package for services inclusive of the uplinking cost to the sat-

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo ellite.

As was explained in Parliament by then Minister of Education Priya Manickchand, to a question from AFC MP Cathy Hughes, “The services from TVG were obtained using the singlesource procurement method under the Procurement Act of 2003, Section 28 (a), which states: ‘The procuring entity may engage in single-source procurement when – the goods or construction are available only from a particular supplier or contractor, or a particular supplier or contractor has exclusive rights with respect to the goods or construction, and no reasonable alternative or substitute exists’ ”.

It was later revealed by Dr Seeta Shah-Roath, the head

of TLC, that the state TV station NCN was approached first but they did not have the capability of performing the uplinking and dismissed the request as being beyond Guyana’s technical capabilities.

TVG absorbed the initial capital outlay for installing the teleport and ancillary equipment, imported foreign technical staff to train its local personnel and absorbed the cost of those personnel that maintained the transmissions.

TVG performed all the duties required contractually up to December 2015 when the contract was to expire and when the government indicated it would not renew the contract and would deploy its own teleporting equipment.

However, in December the Ministry of Education indicated it was having some challenges with its equipment and requested a continuation until the end of February 2016.

TVG obliged and on midnight Feb 29, it eased broadcasting content for TLC. Asked for a concluding statement, Dr Ramroop said, “We at TVG wish TLC all success in its work. As in so many areas of communications, we pioneered teleporting and we hope NCN can follow in our path.”

Guyana will take up US offer on Roger Khan’s... tied; when you have so many deaths which have not been investigated; when you have a Minister of Government who has been assassinated and you don’t even have an inquest, something stinks and we are going to investigate those deaths,” the President had declared.

Meanwhile, at a press conference at the US Embassy back in October 2015, Ambassador Perry Holloway

President David Granger

Roger Khan

Khan had made claims of working to curb an out of control crime situation at the time by using extra judicial methods of execution and had even implicated several Ministers under the former regime in his undertakings. He is currently serving a 15-year sentence in the US after he pleaded guilty to arms trafficking, drug trafficking, conspiracy and witness tampering.

United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent Cassandra Jackson, in her affidavit to the US Court about Khan’s involvement in the drug trade in Guyana, indicted how powerful he was.

“Khan was ultimately able to control the cocaine industry in Guyana, in large part, because he was backed by a paramilitary squad that would murder, threaten, and intimidate others at Khan’s directive. Khan’s enforcers committed violent acts and murders on Khan’s orders that were directly in furtherance of Khan’s drug trafficking conspiracy,” she had stated.

As Opposition Leader and

even after his appointment into the presidency, Granger has long called for a Commission of Inquiry into extra-judicial killings in Guyana. In August 2015, while addressing a gathering at a forum on the State of African Guyanese at the Critchlow Labour College, President Granger said “I will ensure that all those who were killed have their deaths investigated”.

He also reiterated his intention to see a motion passed in the National Assembly for the appointment of a Commission of Inquiry which will probe a large number of killings during the period 2000 and 2008.

Granger had first drafted the motion in 2012 while he was Opposition Leader. It seeks to investigate, among others, the killing of Agriculture Minister Satyadeow Sawh and the massacres at Lusignan, Bartica and Lindo Creek.

“When you have Ministers of the Government bringing in computers so you can track down peoples mobile phones; when you have young men being shot in the back of their heads with their hands

had told local reporters, when asked, that there is a possibility for the Guyana Government to access Khan’s testimony.

He noted that there is a process to follow but one which has high requirements. Nevertheless, the US Diplomat said that his country would cooperate if the necessary procedures are followed.

“If the rules and regulations of the agreement are done with Guyana, or we have

signed up under the UN or OAS to allow for such a thing, we would be sure to be disposed to cooperating within the framework of the rule of law,” the US Ambassador had stated. Minister of State and Secretary of the Defence Board Joseph Harmon had subsequently welcomed the offer.

“We would have an interest in what came out of the trial because it points to some lev-

from page 3

els of collusion with the past Administration and the criminal elements; that is where the evidence is. If it is there, we would be happy to have it, because they have always said, ‘where is the evidence? Where is it?’ Well, that is where it is, and if that is where it is, we will go and get it and let the Guyanese people know who was doing what at that time,” Harmon had remarked.

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Foundation

Human Relations Management Heart Foundation completes 17 successful during slavery "No one is more enslaved than a slave who doesnt surgeries at GPHC think they're enslave." – Kate Beckinsale

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Anu Dev

his is the concluding part of the report on a groundbreaking book, “Beyond Massa: Sugar Management in the British Caribbean, 1770-1838”, by John Campbell. The author proposed that enslaved people (not “slaves”) seized much more agency that normally acknowledged by historians and those in skilled positions negotiated working relations that were forerunners of the modern Harvard Human Relations Management (HRM) techniques.

Campbell also pointed to the establishment of a female elite class of enslaved people.

They formed their own network that acted as a support system for their fellow enslaved people. This support system “accommodated female identity creation, enslaved resistance, and also subversion of the white male power centre”.

These women also practiced folk medicine and helped to heal their fellow enslaved so

that the enslaved were not dependent of the plantation for healthcare. He used the Maroon leader Nanny as an example of “defining female leadership”.

Despite being placed into these elevated positions of power over their fellow enslaved, the elite of both sexes still identified strongly with their fellow enslaved, since they used their positions as “a means of securing rights for all enslaved people”. At times the elite were even moved to encourage their fellow enslaved to rise up to protect the interests of the plantations.

The elites were very astute and selective in how they wielded their power.

They were careful to maintain their positions of power by collaborating with the white managers, but at the same time, they maintained close links with their fellow enslaved. They were concerned with improving the conditions of living and working for the enslaved, to change the tone of Caribbean slavery to more resemble the West African form of slavery.

Campbell proposes that the enslaved people had “ideological clarity”, which also influenced the degree to which they opposed or resisted the managerial class, since their underlying issue was not with the system of slavery itself, but

instead with the chattel aspect of Caribbean slavery. More concerned with securing greater autonomy and rights for the enslaved people, Dr Campbell suggested: “Their move to resist seemed to be contradicted by some of their accommodationist tendencies”.

From the HRM perspective, what helped was that in Jamaica, like many other British colonies, most plantation owners were absentee owners, living in England while appointing managers to take charge of the day-to-day running of the plantation. The absence of the plantation owners gave much autonomy to the managers to innovate in ensuring high sugar production, given that there was no means of quick communication between the manager and the owner.

This fact is used to propose that worker-manager relations presaged the present Harvard framework of HRM which acknowledges the fact that the sugar managers had to make many day-to-day decisions that could crucially affect the production the plantation given contingencies such as “warfare, weather, and slave resistance”.

More to the point, they were forced to include stakeholders such as the enslaved elite and women in their decisions given the resistance and bargaining

power of these groups at the time.

Additionally the managers were limited in their options to dramatically increase the numbers of enslaved people purchased and instead were forced to turn to HRM techniques to improve productivity (and to keep potential rebellions at bay) by providing managerial gifts and other appeasement strategies.

Another HRM technique used to compensate for the inability of the estate to constantly buy increasing numbers of slaves was the renting of “Jobbing slaves”.

The jobbing slaves “were often in a better condition than the estate’s own enslaved people”.

Overall however, it would appear that while the contingencies of the local West Indian factors forced managers to utilise some HRM techniques, the central tenet of the latter approach - to acknowledge workers as not simply means to accomplish ends - was missing.

A more tenable proposition might be that the techniques that evolved in the management of slaves on plantations might have led to those techniques being a forerunner of HRM in the following centuries. The Caribbean is therefore not only a forerunner of mass industrial production but also modern Human Relations.

A member of the International Children’s Heart Foundation along with a child who had been successfully operated on

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espite technical difficulties faced by the team from the International Children’s Heart Foundation (ICHF), they were nonetheless able to successfully complete 17 surgeries on children.

The foundation had visited Guyana last month as part of their annual trips to countries across the world, attending to children with chronic heart diseases.

Aimed at reducing the number of children living with heart ailments, the foundation has been over the years performing paediatric cardiac surgeries and interventional cauterization procedures in a number of countries.

However, upon arrival in Guyana, there were concerns over electrical difficulties at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).

The foundation indicated that this posed a threat to the surgeries they are planning to perform.

Nevertheless, Minister of Public Health Dr George Norton told Guyana Times the foundation had overcome these hiccups, benefitting 17 children.

With the patients at heart, the foundation had moved on to purchasing new

equipment to facilitate the procedures.

Being aware of the mortality rate of children due to chronic diseases, the foundation based in Tennessee, United States of America, continues to ensure that their role is significant in reducing these rates throughout the world. This is done regardless of country, ethnicity, religion, or gender.

To benefit the children of Guyana, the foundation had partnered with The Caribbean Children’s Foundation (TCCF) for this cause.

This is not the first visit they have made here, as this has been consistent since they were requested by the Health Ministry to offer their services to Guyanese children. In addition to providing free surgical care, the foundation also specializes in training surgeons and medical staff to become more capable in their profession as it relates to chronic ailments.

To ensure ultimate care is at all times provided, they have also been consistent providers of related equipment for surgeries, surgical supplies and medications to health facilities in the countries they visit.

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One year later

Investigations into Crum-Ewing’s death still ongoing – Crime Chief

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ourtney Crum-Ewing was murdered during the run-up to one of the country’s most overwrought General and Regional Elections, and now one year later, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum has disclosed that investigations into the matter is still ongoing.

He however declined to provide any details on new angles being pursued, new evidence or even to comment on the pace of investigations.

Nonetheless, Blanhum noted that Crum-Ewing’s family is being regularly posted on the latest developments arising from investigations.

To no avail, investigators have explored numerous politically-related angles in pursuit of the murderers of the political activist, whose upswing to stardom only escalated after his tragic death.

Given the circumstances surrounding his untimely demise, masses of Guyanese including political leaders were not the least bit hesitant to

Courtney Crum-Ewing point fingers towards the past administration as the political masterminds behind the killing. It was not long before this notion gained traction, creating the ideal opportunity for the APNU/AFC coalition to score political points – and such began the campaign “Justice for Crum – Ewing.”

The coalition laboriously campaigned on this slogan, propelling the popular perception that the former adminis-

tration was threatened by the activist and hence ordered his death, and with that fixation, the APNU/AFC vehemently promised to put behind bars Crum-Ewing’s killers.

From the former Attorney General Anil Nandlall’s bodyguard Rajput Narine to Freedom House employees Kwame McCoy and Jason Abdulla as well as controversial self-confessed death squad killer Sean Hinds, authorities arrested, harassed and interrogated a number of politically-connected individuals in the Crum-Ewing murder investigation.

However, investigators are yet to lay a single charge or even seemingly unearth evidence that supports the belief that the former administration is responsible for the man’s death – a notion which could very well be a misconception.

Critics have contended that perhaps Crum-Ewing’s murder was not even remotely related to politics.

Prior to the former adminis-

tration affiliates, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) had arrested Regan Rodrigues, known as “Grey Boy” who was subsequently charged with the murder.

A father of three, CrumEwing, 40, was gunned down execution-style on March 10, 2015, as he was advocating for residents of the Diamond Housing Scheme to cast their votes in favour of the APNU/ AFC coalition.

Also a former soldier, Crum-Ewing was known for staging regular picketing exercises outside of the Attorney General Anil Nandlall’s Office calling for his removal.

He was shot five times – three bullets went to the head, while one struck the back of the neck and the fifth entered under one arm.

All the bullets were fired from behind and at close range except for the one that hit under his arm and exited his shoulder.

Following his death, the APNU/AFC had promised to hold independent inquiries into the killing of Crum-Ewing. In fact, the coalition had urged Guyanese to vote for them if they wanted to see justice for Crum Ewing. Yet to date, there appears to be little progress with the investigations.

During an interview with this publication, Crum-Ewing’s mother Donna Harcourt said she is satisfied with the pace of the investigations and with the persons who were hauled in for questioning.

“All those persons who were brought in for questioning, their names were called the very week he was killed,” she stated.

Meanwhile, the family is confident in the police force’s ability to one day capture the real killer(s) and are urging that the matter be dealt with more urgently.

Eyew tness Spending...

T

...without understanding

his Eyewitness never fails to be amazed (and aghast) at some of the things that issue forth from the mouth of some politicians. But then he’s reminded of the wit and wisdom of the American social critic, Upton Sinclair: “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on not understanding it.” And probably it passeth understanding when his salary has been just doubled.

Take Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo’s utterances when he declared open the government’s just installed uplinking facility to beam its Learning Channel to the hinterland communities via satellite. The PM tried to “make a funny” when he blurted, “I feel stupid wearing a suit in this hot, sunny weather and snow falls on the NCN television screens in Berbice.” He was of course criticising the broadcast quality of the state TV out in Berbice.

But a couple of things first. Why does the PM feel compelled to wear a suit “in this hot sunny weather”?

Was it part of his job description: “PM must wear I’llfitting hot and sweaty suits”? Sheesh! We may blame Burnham and Jagan for many things but at least they refused to follow the example of “mad dogs and Englishmen” to be in the sun in full metal jacket. Would Nagamootoo “lose his dignity” if he doffs his jacket?

Pressie doesn’t seem to have a problem to go that route.

But back to the matter at hand. The PM admitted: “We used to pay a private broadcaster ($3.6 million) a month. We still pay almost the same amount to have the service provided though the satellite”. So this means the “private broadcaster” couldn’t have been getting much – if any – profit to provide the service to the Government’s Learning Channel. Which is what the fella had been saying all along – to no avail. So couldn’t the PM have risen to the occasion and admitted he and his cohorts were wrong? Not apologise... just clear the air?

But the PM instead rambled into realms he obviously hadn’t a clue about. He claimed he will solve NCN’s “snowflake” problem in Berbice since he “we will make sure we get the service we paid for… therefore, we will go to the max and ensure we get not 50% but 100% strength.” What’s this about “boosting strength”?

Does PM Nagamootoo think a satellite is an antenna via which you can “boost strength”?

Does he know he would have to increase bandwidth from the satellite provider if he wants to do that? And does he know the cost of that bandwidth?

Sheesh!! Nagamootoo should heed Wittgenstein’s advise: “Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.”

...and wasting taxpayers’ money

One has to be thankful for small mercies. The government convened parliament last Thursday for just 1 hour!! That’s right – ONE HOUR!! Now you’d think this would only happen if the Government had some URGENT matters that just couldn’t wait. After all, even without the full meals being catered, the sitting would set us back by $1 million. Think about flying in all those from the hinterland.

So what was so URGENT? Couldn’t have been the motion to join the Inter-Parliamentary Union, could it? Or condemning Venezuela for the zillionth time?

Or noting several Committees’ reports were overdue?

Naaah!! Then it had to be the last matter dealt with: DECLARING AN EIGHT-WEEK RECESS FOR PARLIAMENT!!

From March 11 to May 4.

Why? Well, what else but “overseas commitments”??

So in addition to $65 million in salaries that’ll be paid to the APNU/AFC parliamentarians – we can expect to pay for 66 first class tickets to foreign!

How sweet it is!! Let the good times roll!

...on unbalanced Boards

Did you see that pic of the new GPOC Board? Wasn’t there some promise to make these appointments “balanced” after the last year’s faux pas? Where’s the gender balance? Where’s the ethnic balance?

Has the ENTIRE government gone cock-eyed?

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

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SunDAY, march 13, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Plantain chip factory

LGE 2016

The coalition has broken its promises Wakenaam residents reiterate calls for completion – Jagdeo tells Essequibians – claim new Govt placed project on hold

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and Regional Chairman Devanand Ramdatt among the large gathering at the Charity meeting

By Indrawattie Natram

T

he People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) continues to blaze through the campaign trail for the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE), attracting a mammoth crowd at all public meetings over the weekend in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

The Party Leader received a warm welcome from supporters as they garlanded and embraced him with much vigour and enthusiasm.

It was quite a spectacle to witness as residents rushed out of their houses to welcome the former President, showering him with kisses, roses and the lively drumming of tassa music.

Addressing huge gatherings of residents, the Opposition Leader gave reasons in abundance as to why they should vote for the PPP/C as he reminded them of all the broken promises made by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition.

“One conclusion about the coalition is that they are untruthful and they have not fulfilled none of their promises, rice farmers are suffering and although we have made recommendations to help the rice and sugar industries they have not listened,” Jagdeo declared at all of his outreach-

“They have not fulfilled any of their promises” es along the Essequibo Coast.

Jagdeo was accompanied by a high delegation team comprising parliamentarians Irfaan Ali, Pauline Sukhai and Dharamkumar Seeraj.

The first stop was Johanna Cecilia on Saturday evening where Jagdeo told his supporters that their energy and enthusiasm helps motivate the Party to fight for betterment.

Jagdeo went on to undermine the

promises President David Granger made to Essequibians during the coalition’s visit in the area.

“As far as I am concerned, they have significantly failed rice farmers and sugar workers in Guyana,” the Opposition Leader lamented.

He also expressed utter astonishment over the fact that the government is yet to invest any money whatsoever towards keeping the productive sectors alive even in the midst of relentless hardships.

“If they are not going to help the productive sectors and all the money that was left in the treasury will be spent on unnecessary projects as such Guyana will become a begging nation again, our young people will grow up to pay debt that was happening in the past,” the Opposition leader said.

For his part, Seeraj highlighted the drastic changes in the country’s economy that have been negatively affecting all Guyanese.

In her speech, Sukhai posited that the PPP/C will continue to stand by the people of Guyana.

Ali, during his presentation, assured supporters that the Party is not afraid of the Government and that all its leaders will stand to the end with the people.

The PPP/C also held outreaches in Charity, Bushlot, Aurora, Columbia, Richmond, Jib, Hibernia and Pomona.

Local Government Elections will be held on March 18 in 71 Local Authority Areas including 62 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and nine municipalities – a total of 580 constituencies.

The PPP/C will contest 70 of the 71 Local Authority Areas and will be represented by the Cup.

I

n light of the many economic challenges emanating from the rice industry, residents of Wakenaam are restating the call for the completion of the plantain chip factory. It was explained that dying rice crops coupled with declining prices for paddy have highlighted the need for alternative industries to be available on the island.

Cattle farmer Tareeq Ahmad related that the infrastructure is around “90 per cent completed” but observed that the facility is yet to be furnished with the equipment and staff.

“It’s not operational, there’s still some minor works that have to be done for construction… since this Government has assumed office, they put it on hold but I heard that they’re gonna go ahead with it but there’s no main word on it.

[This] would have offered an alternative to farmers in Wakenaam,” Ahmad explained. resident Jeanette Another Harrylall noted that the project is “a very good initiative.”

“It definitely will help with easing the burden of unemployment as well as an outlet for the people’s produce; it’s going to give them a better competition between here and Parika with the plantains,” opined the resident.

“They had started the foundation already during [the previous] administration but with the change of government, I don’t know if it has been put on hold or scrapped altogether,” expressed Harrylall.

On March 6, Guyana Times ref-

erenced the lack of return on investments and available employment in the rice industry. Some farmers said they had no choice other than to abandon the sector while others who remain observed that they were forced to eliminate the employment of several young men as much of the acreage could not be cultivated. It was opined that this state of unemployment led many to turn to alcohol and other social ills.

In January, Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) Vice Chairman Sheik Inshan Ayube told this publication that residents wanted the longawaited plantain chip factory in their area up and running”.

He noted that the former People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) planned to establish the factory to negate any negative impact of the rice industry on the island.

“This would have ensured that the affected rice farmers have another source of income,” Ayube had noted.

“It appears this project is neglected by the present Government or the Minister of Business does not have any idea how to move this project forward,” posited the Region Three Vice Chairman.

“Since the government distanced itself from the rice industry, the residents are calling on them to make the plantain chip factory operable as early as possible, so they can have an alternative to rice cultivation,” the Vice Chairman had expressed.

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sunDAY, march 13, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

News

CJIA seeking owner of jewellery abandoned in 2013

T

he Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Corporation is seeking the owner of a quantity of gold jewellery that was found there over a year ago.

A notice published in a local daily stated “Found: A quantity of gold jewellery at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, on December 12, 2013”.

However, the publication did not give any further details about the jewellery pieces or the circumstances under which they were found.

When contacted CJIA’s Public Relations Officer Aneka Edwards explained that much

information about how the jewellery were left at the airport and how they were discovered cannot be divulged, as they want them to be returned to the rightful owner.

“It’s just some personal jewellery that a passenger left and we have been trying to get the rightful owner for a while now… we just want to return them to the rightful owners,” Edwards said.

According to the notice, claimants will have until April 30, 2016, to make a claim and shall have to satisfy the officer as to the identity and ownership of the jewels. Claimants are asked to contact the

Airport Duty Officer on 2612281 or 600-7022.

Last year it was revealed that there was a major organised gold smuggling racket in Guyana, allegedly involving customs officers. CJIA is often used as a hub to smuggle gold jewellery and raw gold out of the country.

Of recent, airport authorities have seized several pieces of jewellery believed to be for the purpose of smuggling, under new Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Amendment Act passed by Government last year, which allows designat-

ed officers to seize jewellery in excess of US$10,000 (G$2 million). However, this caused some concerns by the travelling public. Back in January, local businessman Richard Ramjit filed a $10 million lawsuit against Government after he was detained at the CJIA for several hours and his jewellery, valued some $4 million, was confiscated.

Ramjit, who is also a goldsmith, said two pieces of this jewellery, a gold and silver neckwear and a gold and silver wrist band, were seized by officers who claimed to be attached to the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU).

Singing Kumbaya

S

atiricus was very exasperated. Here it was, PPCEE MP The-Sharer was giving KFC MP Rum Jhaat stick for convening a One Hour session of Parliament. “Why the heck is she working up a sweat for?” fumed Satiricus.

“Didn’t she ever hear about QUALITY TIME?” As a card-carrying member of the KFC, Satiricus knew a central principle of his leaders’ commitment in politics was to bring his erstwhile comrades from the PPCEE into the coalition he had forged with the Pee-and-See. It had nothing to do with “sharing power” as he had thought in the beginning. “No sir!!” Rum Jhaat had confided to Satiricus and his local KFC group. “It was all about sitting together with his comrades in the Pee-an-See singing Kumbaya.”

And that was why Rum Jhaat never minded being shafted from the power he and Naga Man had been promised. “What is the joy of sharing power compared to the joy of sharing in the harmonies of Kumbaya?” And this is what he hoped to demonstrate to the PPCEE when they met in Parliament, even if only for an hour. Didn’t The-Sharer see how he, Rum Jhaat and Hard-Man chuckled with each other ever so often? Kumbaya!! “Why did TheSharer not see that power was corrupting and Kumbaya was better?”

Then The-Sharer went on about how much the ONE HOUR cost. Satiricus found this very crass. Why did the PPCEE have to reduce everything to money? Didn’t she realise the chance to sing Kumbaya with the Pee-an-See and KFC was worth all the gold and silver in Fort Knox? “But then as Brother Rum Jhaat said, all the PPCEE know about was to cuss and behave bad!” thought Satiricus.

But they liked to take their do-do and rub it on Rum Jhaat’s bamsee by saying Rum Jhaat was a “cuss bud”.

“Since when a term of endearment like “Haul Yuh Ass”’could become a cuss word?” fumed Satiricus. “It shows the PPCEE crowd just don’t read the Bible.”

When the Saviour came to Jerusalem, he rode on an ass. But it was a stubborn ass and everyone had to remind him to “haul yuh ass!” Satiricus hoped the PPCEE MPs would “haul dey asses” and come to Parliament to sing Kumbaya! And not keep on harping on “power”.

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sunDAY, march 13, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

12 news

sunday, march 13, 2016| gu

El Niño

Rice farmers bra – crippled industry further deteriorating

By Devina Samaroo, Shemuel Fainfair, Indrawattie Natram and Andrew Carmichael

T

he El Niño weather phenomenon is currently ravaging rice farms across Guyana. In some cases, many rice farmers already fear bankruptcy for failure of meeting commitments with financial institutions.

The merciless dry spell compounded by high costs of production meshed against record-low prices for paddy, rice farmers are further crippled as their crops continue to perish, resulting in massive losses.

Region Two

In Region Two (Pomeroon/ Supenaam), one of the major rice producing districts in the country, farmers believe they are suffering the worst from effects of the drought conditions.

Despite receiving low prices for paddy, some farmers risked the chances of earning a profit in the harshest of circumstances.

Others decided to play it safe by sitting out the current crop since they deemed it a waste of time, effort and money to attempt to battle the truly unruly weather conditions.

They related that the rice industry is facing “serious blows” and it would be unprofitable.

Presently, long stretches of rice lands in the Somerset and Dunkel areas are completely vacant.

Female farmer Sandra Mahadeo

Rice lands in need of water in Region Two

explained to Guyana Times that she did not venture to plant this year because last year’s crop was disastrous.

“Me can’t go blindly investing into this crop. We aint mek nothing last crop. The price we received could not even offset our expenses,” she stated.

In fact, a great percentage of the rice fields were not put under cultivation owing to the low prices offered which ranges between $1800 and $2000 per bag of paddy.

Prompted on whether they would pay better prices given that there is less rice in the system, most millers staunchly replied in the nega-

tive. According to one miller, speaking under condition of anonymity, last year’s rice is still in the system owing to unavailability of markets for the bumper crop. Therefore, purchasing more rice would just add to that stock, thus resulting in additional surplus.

“I would personally like to assist all rice farmers and offer a better price but I can’t do so if the markets aren’t available,” the miller noted.

Another miller from Ex-mouth Village related that he will be purchasing paddy but not in large quantities, practically for the same reasons.

Petro Bharahally is a largescale farmer who hails from Maria’s Delight, Essequibo Coast, and owns about 175 acres of land. He told Guyana Times that his main issue was with the pitiable drainage and irrigation systems in the region as well as the long overdue payment from millers. He asserted that it appears nothing is being done to alleviate the problem.

Over 2000 acres along the Essequibo Coast have been burnt due to the lack of irrigation which were reportedly neglected by the Regional Administration but when the water was finally released via the Dawa Pump Station, it was intruded by salt water which damaged the lands.

In the latter part of January, over 20,000 acres were also under threat owing to inadequate irrigation.

The Good Hope and Riverstown drainage and irrigation structures have major faults (leakages) and efforts were not made to address the issues, resulting in over 8000 young plants perishing.

Farmers from the Cozier Agricultural Scheme also complained of not receiving water in their fields. As a result, a handful of farmers incurred huge expenses to pump water into their fields whereas the others despaired and left the crops to die.

Meanwhile, Regional Chairman Devanand Ramdatt in an invited comment explained that some drain-

Large scale rice farmer Petro Bharahally

age and irrigation structures were vandalised and no works were done to remedy them.

Nonetheless, he noted that the water shortage crisis needed to be tackled in a holistic way, which would require involvement of key stakeholders, including central government.

Region Three

The situation is no different in Region Three (Essequibo Islands/ West Demerara) – another major rice producing region.

The island of Leguan boasts 4000 acres of operable rice lands however, only 40 acres were under cultivation and 20 acres of this amount were later destroyed.

In Wakenaam island there are

5000 fields cultiv were droug B the c age s farm wate River the in th lands R suffe rice a mone A Legu owed while owed B Ojha are n cultie encou F Ruim on W also f A a con level C Regio Faer

A seiz

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rch 13, 2016| guyanatimesGY.com

13

race for the worst

were done

at the to be which f key l gov-

ent in lands/ major

s 4000 wever, vation re lat-

5000 acres of operable rice fields but only 200 acres were cultivated of which 50 acres were razed by the harsh drought conditions.

Both islands do not have the conservancy water storage system; so consequently, farmers resorted to the salt water from the Essequibo River which they mixed with the “sweet water” reserves in the trenches to quell the lands.

Rice farmers there are also suffering from the depleted rice acreage coupled with the money owed by millers.

Arjune Raghuber of Leguan explained that he is owed approximately $350,000 while Mahendra Tularam is owed close to $1,000,000.

But rice miller Rajendra Ojha explained that farmers are not paid due to the difficulties which millers are also encountering.

Farmers in Crane, Hague, Ruimzigt and Windsor Forest on West Coast Demerara are also facing similar hardships.

Although these areas have a conservancy system, water level remains low.

Contacted for a comment, Regional Chairman Julius Faerber explained that moves

are afoot to sectionalise the water in the conservancy.

Regions Five and Six

Across in Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice) and Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne),

$2000 per bag of paddy being offered by most millers, some farmers are now not able to service their loans.

In 2015 commercial financial institutions were forced to reschedule loans to farmers in

with accounts of rice farmers which are, “in the red.”

Meanwhile some of the millers are seeking working capital from the banking system. But the $13 billion debt racked up by the industry,

Region Five Chairman, Vickchand Ramphal

Dry rice field, thirsty for water

the current situation in the rice industry is having a negative impact on the local banking sector thus affecting all other industries in the regions.

Farmers are now being paid for their paddy at a price lower that production cost. At

e are

A seized combine outside of IPED's office

the rice industry in an effort to keep rice farmers in business.

About 70 per cent of farmers in Region Five are financially committed to Republic Bank while in Region Six farmers are split mainly between and the Institute of Private Enterprise Development and Republic Bank.

A random check at another financial agency revealed that seven of eleven rice farmers who would have taken a loan in December have not paid a dollar on it, the lowest loan being $1.8 million.

According to an official from the institution, bad debts are mostly to persons in the rice industry. “We are not an agriculture bank, we give loans to every sector; we are not even situated in an agriculture area and look what is happening,” the official said.

Asked whether these loans will be rescheduled, the official said the institution had not taken a decision yet nor has Central Bank given any advice on what should be done

and considered bad, has put bankers off. Overdraft facilities, which amount to more than $3 billion annually, are also being curtailed.

Players in the industry continue to clamour for gov-

ernment to obtain a concessional loan to refinance the industry’s debt. Farmers and millers both feel that if the rice industry fails the economy will sink.

Rice farmers in Black Bush Polder (BBP) are receiving two-thirds of the minimum price they can accept for their paddy as harvesting has commenced in Region Six while flood waters remain a concern to rice farmers in that community.

The situation is quite frightening, with most farm-

ers telling a similar tale of not being able to plant and the desperate need for water.

Ruth Semple, a rice and cash-crop farmer with 120 acres of rice cultivated at Blairmount last crop and a further ten acres under cashcrop at Gelderland, Ithaca, says only 40 acres are under rice cultivation for the current crop.

“This is because we don’t have the water, and the only source of water we have there is from the Heritage; the estate [GuySuCo] block off the water. We have a Koka there that Sam Hinds put down so that the estate will have to give us water. That is the only source of the water.”

For this crop, Semple says Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has refused to give them water, citing the need for water to take care of the cane fields.

Regional Chairmen David Armogan and Vickchand Ramphal have both expressed grave concerns over the current situation and have assured that all angles are being explored to bring some form of relief to the farmers.

14 news

SunDAY, march 13, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

LGEs are about returning power to the people – President – promises jobs, agro-processing and improvements in education for Region 2

GECOM’s failings

H

By Indrawattie Natram

W

ith Local Government Elections (LGEs) just a few days away, the APNU/AFC Government Friday evening took their campaigning to Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) at a rally urging Essequibians to support them in the upcoming polls.

Addressing the meeting at the Anna Regina Bus Park, President David Granger said the break-down in local democracy over the past two decades is a major factor in the incidence of social problems being faced in Region Two and other communities across the country.

President Granger emphasised the importance of problem solving at the community level and community policing, which he said is among the functions of local authorities.

“It hurts my heart to hear about suicide. It pains me to hear about some old widow raped and murdered… there must be better community policing.

The police must know what is going on in the communities… the community policing must know what is going on to protect that person’s life,” he said.

Addressing the issue of jobs in the region, President Granger also called on Council members, who will be elected in LGEs on March 18, to focus on job creation and education in order to create an educated region and a generation of entrepreneurs, who will use the region’s abundant resources to transform it into an economic power. The President said this approach will also help to reduce social problems.

“You deserve to be able to sit down

Younge’s Take

President David Granger addressing the gathering at Anna Regina on Friday evening

around the table with your colleagues and comrades, with your neighbours, to decide how this beautiful town will be developed,” the President told those gathered, promising the establishment of more agro-processing facilities, empowerment courses and improvement in the education sector.

He noted that job creation and establishing of industries are the coalition’s “top priority” noting that this can be realised once the Government wins the majority of constituencies in the region.

In explaining how the coalition government intends to provide jobs for young people, President Granger said an agro-processing facility will enable mothers, producers as well as manufacturer to earn and become self-sufficient.

With an agro-processing facility the President believes Essequibians will be better off and persons can aide in the agriculture sector, outlining that the branch of Guyana School of Agriculture

can be put to maximum use.

“Everything that you produce will be marketed, anything you want to export we will find markets, don’t sit on your hands, be selfemployed, let private enterprises earn you an income” President Granger said.

In endorsing the candidates for the Anna Regina municipality, President Granger said the previous administration had “no vision” when they installed the Interim Management Committee within the region, which led to the destruction of the local authority bodies.

The President tasked candidates vying for the Anna Regina Town council to pay attention to children and their education when elected, ensuring that every child attends school and are given a meal.

Additionally, he urged supporters not to become complacent, explaining that the elections is not an easy task.

The President was accompanied by Ministers Amna Ally, Ronald Bulkan, Volda Lawrence and David Patterson.

igh levels of a r r o g a n c e , insensitivity and high-handedness have slowly turned into permanent characteristics of the leadership of the current Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) under the stewardship of Dr Steve Surujbally and a once humble Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield.

The Commission under Michael Younge their watch has become lazy, complacent, unresponsive and ineffective as far as executing the most important part of their mandate in relation to the upcoming and no doubt, historic Local Government Elections (LGE).

It is, therefore, not surprising that there is public outcry over the fact that Guyanese still do not understand the importance of these elections and the impact they will have on their livelihood and that of their communities.

It is also not shocking that a majority of those who find themselves eligible to vote and on the Official List of Electors do not even known how to vote, who to vote for or where to vote despite the elections are nigh upon us.

There is still much confusion in almost every constituency in understanding the new systems that were introduced by the Commission following the tabling and passage of a spate of reforms in the National Assembly with the hope of developing a system where these Local Government Elections are free, transparent and fair.

The truth is, GECOM waited too long to get various Voter Education Campaigns going. Regardless of what the boisterous Dr Surujbally will say, the Commission had over 22 years to prepare for these polls and should have done everything in and out of the elections season to train its staff, educate the electorate and partner with key civil society stakeholders to create more knowledge-driven and educated electorate as far as understanding the system is concerned.

Yet on the eve of these LGEs, GECOM in spending millions of hard-earned taxpayer’s dollars to fund voter education advertisements of poor broadcast quality that serve as a turn-off to the educated, and entertainment to the masses.

The objective of getting the messages across is lost in the poorly scripted pieces for radio and television which do not address the crux of what Local Government Elections are about.

That aside, the political parties recognising GECOM’s ineffectiveness, continued failings and shortcomings have had to do most if not all of the groundwork themselves because obviously they are running with the aim of winning these elections in various constituencies.

One would have taught that the poor turnout at the polls from the Disciplined Services would have forced the Surujballys of our world to accept that something is wrong and more needs to be done to push the electorate to come to the fore, participate in the system and vote correctly.

But GECOM appears contented with the work done by the questionable USAID-funded youth driven Vote Like A Boss Campaign which in itself has gotten cold and boring, and the support given by its diplomatic partners.

There is no momentum surrounding these elections despite them having not been held for over two decades and it is because GECOM did not cover its base.

Also, the manner in which GECOM publicly responds to the main opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic whenever issues or complaints are raised via the media is worrying but very indicative that the organisation is adopting an old familiar posture whenever its staff and candidates commit infractions in the lead-up to these elections.

Surely, the current APNU/AFC cannot be satisfied with GECOM’s preparatory work and voter education campaign but a previously vocal and up-right Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan has gone down under and is in hiding. He appears busy doing the kind of political work that is characteristic of past PNC Local Government Ministers ahead of these polls.

The bottom-line is, if GECOM continues in this vein, these elections will not see the return of the brand of democracy that President Granger while in opposition had touted… they will not see a return of enthusiasm at the local community level nor will they see the impact of the hard fought for and passed electoral reforms.

As two of the Vice Presidents in the Government whose party members have a lot of experience with cutting things, stripping themselves in public places, and hauling people’s asses would say “GECOM is cutting its noise to spoil its face” and maybe going through a period of “controlled freakism”.

Hopefully, Moses is not involved this time in leading GECOM through the great red sea!

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sunDAY, march 13, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

A year of disappointment

By Ryhaan Shah

I

t’s not yet a full year for the Coalition Government but there is unlikely to be a change of direction over the next two months to ease our disappointment. After 50 years of successive governments that could always have done better for us and our country, the disappointment deepens our sense of despair.

By all appearances, our immediate future is to be a Ryhaan Shah rehash of past failed policies which should have been a learning experience at best. But President David Granger is a product of that past and, being a GDF officer at the time, was undoubtedly involved in shaping it.

The cabinet he selected, mostly PNC/APNU cronies, has little or no expertise in business, finance, and economic planning and Guyana is feeling the bite of this crucial oversight.

The economy was hardly robust to begin with and with the gold rush over, rice and sugar in trouble, and falling oil prices making the oil find off our coast unlikely to reap dividends any time soon, this is exactly the time when governments are expected to rise to the challenge with pro-active and creative solutions.

Promised investments have not materialised and no major government infrastructural projects are underway. Instead of concrete plans, there is much oratorical puffery coming from government like: growth is not the “elixir of sustainable development”.

Growth is only the means to get there, they say, while overseeing an economy that has ground to a halt because their “elixir” is obviously missing. After successive years of economic expansion under the PPP/C government, 2016 will register as a year of negative growth.

Social change will also register negatively. The racial divide has never been wider or more contentious as Granger rewards his party supporters in every way possible, even to the extent of pardoning their crimes and releasing them from prison.

In a letter to the press, PPP/C MP Charles Ramson Jr linked Granger’s pardons to the recent prison riot that left 17 inmates dead. The inference is hardly incorrect given that many of the victims’ families who gathered outside the Camp Street jail in the aftermath proclaimed that they had “voted for Granger”.

Promises were made and expectations are high. Party supporters expect their leader to deliver no matter the cost or consequences for the country at large.

Another of the year’s disappointment is the collective silence emanating from the local diplomatic missions of the US and its allies even as parliamentary democracy is eroded and corruption has become rampant. These same diplomats were very vociferous in their criticisms of the PPP/C government and made no bones about their wish to have them gone.

They got their wish but are the highhanded manner and poor performance of the Granger government what they signed on for? The US protected its Cold War interests by keeping Jagan out of office for nearly 30 years. But what, exactly, are the US’ current interests in Guyana? Is it the oil find? But why would the US need governmental control in order to negotiate what should be a fair deal for our oil?

An oil-for-power tradeoff would be in no one’s best interests and we must believe that the US would not sanction the destruction of Guyana yet again for ready access to our oil reserves.

Much was also made of the alleged narco-trafficking under the PPP/C government and Guyana does appear to be a transshipment point. However, since other countries in the Caribbean, and Central and Latin America are just as or even more involved in the drugs trade, Guyana hardly tops the list for urgent intervention.

Perhaps, the US, like many others, thought that the PPP/C government in its 23 years had become arrogant and corrupt and needed to go. Not many would argue with that reasoning and the US and its allies could have been persuaded by the change and unity promised by the Cummingsburg Accord.

However, that brokered alliance between APNU and the AFC is on shaky ground what with the open flouting of terms of the agreement by the larger APNU faction, and since Granger and his government are cast in the mould of the PNC, there is little chance that they can ever change tact.

We must believe, further, that the international community will not be so unholy as to prop up a corrupt and destructive government, as was done in the past.

This year of disappointment could be a vital lesson for everyone and if the PPP/C undertakes the necessary reforms to make the party healthy and whole, no one can stop it from winning the next general elections.

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

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SunDAY, march 13, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

NEWS

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SunDAY, march 13, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

THE

Other forsaken principles of indigenous rights

I

n 2014, the United Nations World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (WCIP) produced an Outcome Document translating the commitment of member States to continue to protect and promote indigenous peoples’ rights, reinforcing thus the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

The change in Government in 2015 was marked by a Anna Correia symbolic shift in leadership style, more focused on expending resources on beautification, visual effects and hand-outs, rather than long-term investments.

The State systematically nips at the social benefits of the more vulnerable classes, while augmenting public service taxes and fees for practically every active person in society. The country’s largest annual budget has so far disappeared in initiatives of which the poorer classes on the coast and in the Hinterland are indifferent, since they do not counter the incessant economic decline, forcing those at the bottom into peril as uncertainty continues to define their future.

This dangerous methodology cultivates neither economic development, nor trust between the State and the people. On the contrary, trust is being slowly dissolved, as people are becoming more concerned about their future rather than with ephemeral hand-outs which add little value to their long-term development.

In addition to FPIC, quality and sustainability have become the forsaken principles under this regime.

But when the State fails to prioritize quality service to indigenous peoples, provisions of the international framework are breached. Such is the case with the Outcome Document of the WCIP. Paragraph 11 of the document cites “social programmes” for indigenous peoples designed “to improve well-being through initiatives, policies and provision of resources”. This includes “access to high-quality education” as well as to “health”. Under the previous Government, it was common policy that Amerindian patients travelling to seek medical attention on the coast were reimbursed for their travel expenses. However, this is no longer an imperative. In Region 9, home to the Wapishana, Wai Wai and Makusi, the Regional Executive Officer (REO) Carl Parker, has issued an official notice to all Village Councils banning this practice for Amerindians patients and school children coming to Lethem.

School children are also affected by the removal of the $10 000 back to school voucher which provided significant financial assistance to parents. While the intention of the “3 Bs” initiative might be noble, it has not yet benefitted three quarters of Amerindian villages. As such, access to education is being reduced.

Paragraph 14 reinforces commitment to ensuring the cultural preservation of indigenous peoples for the benefit of their children. The Arawak Language Revival programme launched in 2013, can be interpreted as a significant step towards achieving similar motives. Plans to expand the initiative to include other languages such as Warrou were underway, despite that the Projects Department responsible for its implementation under the former Amerindian Affairs Ministry was dragging its feet on the matter, in an almost nonchalant expression of indifference.

Before the new administration took over, the Arawak programme was in dire state due to neglect. More troubling is that no mention of culture preservation was made by the two new Ministers during their 2016 budget presentations and debate. The Arawak programme appears to have been discarded by the Government despite that cultural particularities are what define Amerindian peoples.

Paragraph 15 speaks to the “empowerment and capacitybuilding of indigenous youth”, and “their full participation in decision-making processes in matters that affect them”.

The Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP) launched in 2014, was a notable step to achieving this objective. It provided employment opportunities for 1972 young Amerindians, capacity building opportunities and access to decision-making within their communities, as they worked closely with Village Councils and Community Development Officers (CDOs). They were disintegrated from the programme by the Allicock administration without prior notice or engagement in the decision-making process which would affect their future.

A similar project, the HEYS, was perhaps intended to replace the YEAP. However, it has only benefitted some in Region 8, without offering opportunities for the 1972 Amerindians deprived of income and self-development.

These few examples highlight either the coalition’s disregard for established indigenous rights guidelines, or its limited knowledge and experience in implementing them. We might never know how exactly the Government channels resources into Amerindian development and what sectors are being prioritized and why, considering that the 2016 indigenous affairs budget was not allowed to be substantially examined. Subsequently, we can only rely on dubious policies which take with one hand the double of what it gives with the other.

18

SunDAY, march 13, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

news

The Race to LGE 2016

19

sundAY, march 13, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Constitutional reform

“It’s not about the Party, we want to Recommendations for Cabinet see development” – PPP Candidate discussions this month

By Ahreefa Bacchus

F

or young Pandit Khemraj Singh, the Local Government Elections (LGEs) is providing him an opportunity to lobby for the development he wants to see in his community. Singh is contesting to be a Councillor for Constituency Eight, Herstelling/ Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara.

Speaking with Guyana Times the religious leader, also a supervisor at Guyana Power and Light (GPL), related he is aiming to use this opportunity to address the issues facing the residents of his community, and forging a chance to ensure they are resolved.

He explained that there are not many troubles faced by the community; however, the few they are faced with are major ones. “First and foremost, a major issue we face in Little Diamond is the need for proper drainage. The drainage channels that we have, which are mainly trenches, are rendered almost useless as they have mud build-up and are overgrown with vegetation, and as such the water does not flow freely and remains stagnant,” he explained.

He added that another factor of the poor drainage is the buildup of garbage in these trenches as most residents are without proper garbage disposal facilities and opt to use the trenches.

“The lack of proper means of garbage disposal affects all residents, either directly or indirectly.

So if elected, I will be working in collaboration with the Government to resolve this issue. One suggestion I have would be to hire a truck and persons to come around to homes in the community and collect the garbage and take it to a dump site,” he revealed, adding that he would also be requesting that the community be provided with large garbage bins like the ones in the city which would be placed at strategic points in the community.

“I plan to collaborate with

other private organisations as well as those organisations focused on environmental preservation and protection to facilitate campaigns to strike out littering in the community,” he revealed.

Singh further explained that the community is not plagued by a high crime rate; however, the residents have voiced their concerns about the need for proper lighting in the streets. “We need street lights, not just for security purposes. When workers are returning home in the evening, they find it difficult to navigate in the dark streets which pose a threat as it is, not necessarily a threat from thieves but from reptiles and other obstacles that may be in their path,” he stated.

He explained that the issue of security is being aptly handled by the Community Policing Group (CPG), and many residents have aired their opinion that the CPG should remain a permanent fixture in the area.

Community development

Singh iterated that in terms of developing his Constituency, he will be importuning for the creation of employment within the community. “Most of the persons employed have to travel great distances to get to work. I would be encouraging Central Government to investing in projects which would see the creation of employment opportunities within the area. For example, if they were to provide funding for a market facility… that project would benefit the community in more ways than one.

Persons would have an opportunity to earn an income by vending, and residents would have access to a closer market to do their shopping,” Singh posited.

He posited that another opportunity for employment could be provided if the Ministry of Communities allocate the cleanup and drainage projects to residents of the community instead of hiring private firms.

“The persons in the area

C

Pandit Khemraj Singh

would be highly appreciative of the income and would do a far better job than a private contractor and his employees as the residents stand to benefit in more ways than one,” he explained.

He related to this publication that he would like to see the provision of recreational facilities for youths. “We need a facility for young people to spend their leisure time engaging in productive activities rather than taking part in delinquent activities,” he explained, adding “we will also be collaborating with the relevant authorities to educate the youths on social issues such as teenage pregnancy, heath issues that affect them and other social scourges such as suicide.”

Voting for development

The contestant encourages residents to vote for him and his other nine Party candidates as they are keen on community development. “It’s not about me… it’s not about the community.

We want to see the community develop, so when you are casting your vote, do not look upon face, race, or religion, look at what is best for the community. We want to see the community being developed to its full potential. We want the people’s voices to be heard so that all of us can come together and make decisions that affect us,” he concluded.

abinet is now making a move to review and deliberate on the report of recommendations on constitutional reform; some two months after the document was handed over to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.

Nagamootoo received the interim report from the Convener of the Steering Committee on Constitutional Reform (SCCR) Nigel Hughes on January 2.

Chairing the post-Cabinet press briefing on Wednesday last, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman disclosed that the document is still with the Prime Minister, however, he assured that Cabinet will certainly set aside time this month to deliberate on the proposals.

Constitutional reform has been a very hot campaign issue. In its elections manifesto, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition touted a number of constitutional reforms including presidential powers, sexual orientation and the electoral system.

“The Constitution, in its current form, does not serve the best interest of Guyana or its people. Within three months of taking up office, APNU/AFC will appoint a Commission to amend the Constitution with the full participation of the people.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo receives the interim report from the Convener of the Steering Committee on Constitutional Reform Nigel Hughes

The new Constitution will put the necessary checks and balances in place to consolidate our ethos of liberal democracy. Freedom of speech, reduction of the power of the President and the Bill of Rights will be enshrined in the document,” read an excerpt from the manifesto.

Nagamootoo had also declared during an elections campaign in Vreed-en-Hoop that too much power is concentrated on one person’s hands.

Meanwhile, the Constitutional Reform Steering Committee comprises of former Director of Transparency International and Attorney Gino Persaud, Professor Harold Lutchman, former Magsitrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond, former Chief Economist at the Central Bank Haslyn Parris,

and is chaired by Attorney and AFC Executive Member Nigel Hughes.

This Committee was established by the subcommittee on Parliamentary Affairs reportedly without consultation from the parliamentary Opposition.

Nagamootoo, who is the Chairman of the Parliamentary Affairs Subcommittee, will now have to take the report to Cabinet.

Thereafter, a constitutional reform commission will come on-stream and it is this committee which will effect the changes to the Constitution.

Government promised that they will have consultations with civil society and the Opposition People’s Progressive Party Civic before making any constitutional reforms.

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21

Inadequate infrastructure hindering development – President

P

resident David Granger has stated that Guyana’s infrastructural network is severely inadequate, thus hindering the country’s development.

The Head of State was at the time speaking on his weekly televised programme “The Public Interest”, where he spoke about economic development through community-based enterprise. The programme was aired on Friday.

President Granger pointed out that one of the areas that is mostly affected by this is the hinterland region where infrastructural facilities are poor. He noted that his Administration has since developed an infrastructure plan to correct this situation, referring to the Linden-Lethem Highway, better wharfing facilities and better vessels to ply the riverine regions.

“We have renamed the Ministry of Public Infrastructure because the infrastructure base in this country is inadequate, it is hindering economic development.

We need more roads, more bridges, better ferries. This will take time but this is part of our plan and part of our investment, particularly in that big Rupununi region (Region Nine – UpperTakutu-Upper Essequibo); a region bigger than Costa Rica – we have to get a highway going through there,” the President stated.

He noted with better infrastructure and commodities would be delivered in and out of the hinterland region, on a timelier basis and at reduced costs. The President pointed to the horrific vehicular accidents in hinterland regions due to the poor conditions of the roads. He also mentioned the frequent boat accidents in Guyana’s waterways.

“Public infrastructure is a major issue and I am very confident that over a period of years, not something that will happen next week or next month, we will have better infrastructure allowing producers and farmers to get their produce to markets,” he stressed.

On this note, the Head of State pointed out the need for Guyanese living in those eligible constituencies and municipalities such as Mabaruma to go out and vote at Friday’s Local Government Elections.

He noted, this way, residents can put persons who they want to be in charge of the development of regional infrastructures.

Moreso, Granger added that they will also have a say in who will enhance the capacities within communities to encourage growth, economic activities and investments, which will in term contribute significantly to national development.

The Head of State believes that community-based enterprise will go a long way in this regard, since stronger communities would be able to encourage and attract the type of development needed. He outlined that “grass root developments” in communities such

President David Granger

as agro-processing and other small enterprise initiatives will provide employment for young people and will eventually move onto bigger industries.

“The community is where these (efforts) start. I am encouraged with indigenous communities where women come together to produce cashew nuts, produce cassava bread and casreep. This is what I see happening and a lot of community-based projects eventually will have a regional and national flavour,” the Head of State remarked.

Furthermore, President Granger went on to talk about marketing products coming out of these community-based enterprises. He emphasised on the role the Caribbean Community (Caricom) have and promoting regional trade and how local entrepreneurs can reap benefits from initiatives such as the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME).

The President said that Guyanese exporters, manufacturers, and food processors can gain access to regional markets and can even make purchases from other Caricom neighbours.

Nevertheless, Granger underscored how large-scale investments can provide a market source for small enterprises. He noted with such investment someone like a fruit farmer can supply companies with its produces.

“We need to assure investors that there are local small businesses to support their operations,” he said.

Additionally, the Head of State recognised that such investments can also create jobs opportunities hinterland communities. However, he explained that in order to attract investors, Guyana first has to create the type of landscape, environment and framework that would be conducive for investors to feel comfortable and safe.

President Granger remarked that his Government has already taken measures to ensure that there is such an environment to attract investors in the areas of public safety and finance.

From the point of view of financing, President Granger said the subject Minister is looking at the tax regimes to review certain aspects, while in terms of business, efforts were undertaken by GOInvest to ensure that when investors come into the country, they do not have to waste a lot of time or have too much red tape obstructing their access to licences and other things they need for development.

“These combined efforts will create a better environment for investors,” he stated, while adding that it is already happening in some extractive industries such as the mining sector. The President believes that can be repeated in other industries once the productive bases in the communities are created.

22

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sundAY, march 13, 2016

Guyana claim bronze at International U-19 badminton tournament

T

he Guyanese top doubles pair of Sunburst Champion Narayan Ramdhani and Jonathan Mangra won bronze in the under-19 Boys doubles at the II Peru Under-19 Junior International World Ranking Tournament held in Lima Peru at the Regatas Club Badminton Court on Friday evening.

In the semifinals boys doubles playoff, Ramdhani and Mangra lost in a three setter to Peru’s Rodrigo Camogliano Telge and Nicolas Macias with Guyana winning the first game: 2118 and losing the next two: 9-21, 16-21.

The duo performed extremely well at the tournament which will augur well for their experience going forward.

The Guyana Badminton Association (GBA) expressed their pleasure in the success of the duo and commended both players for their superb play.

WICB/PCL 4-day cricket…

Hodge’s 149* puts Hurricanes in charge – Jaguars 61-3 in response to Hurricanes 430

A

Narayan Ramdhani (right) and Jonathan Mangra pose with their medals

The GBA also thanked the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), National Sports Commission (NSC), Yellow Mining & Bounty Farm for making it possible for the players to participate in the tournament.

The GBA’s junior 10-Member team will now be preparing for the Suriname Easter Junior Under-15 and 19 International Championships to be held in Paramaribo from March 2527.

maiden First Class century by Montcin Hodge pivoted the Leeward Islands Hurricanes to 430 all out on day two of their West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Professional Cricket League (PCL) 4-day tournament that continued on Saturday.

Playing at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua, Guyana Jaguars were 61-3 at the close of play with Vishaul Singh (20*) and Devendra Bishoo (02*) at the crease.

Hurricanes resumed the day on 237-3 with Hodge on 74 and Orlando Peters on 29 saw Peters being bowled

by Pacer Ransford Beaton on the first ball of the days play.

The Jaguars bowlers found their lines and the home side slipped to 2987 but the Anguillan born Hodge carried along merrily as he brought up his century and simultaneously, the team’s 300.

A lower-order rally by former West Indies fast bowler Gavin Tonge (59) help the Hurricanes reach

Montcin Hodge

their eventual total as the right-handed Hodge was left on 149 not out.

All five of the Jaguars bowlers picked up two wickets a piece, with Christopher Barnwell 2-68 and Veerasammy Permaul 2-77 leading the way.

Jaguars first innings did not get off the to the bets of starts as they lost Test opener Rajendra Chandrika (04) caught behind off the bowling of pacer Alazarri Joseph to leave the score 6-1 in the

second over.

In-form Captain Leon Johnson (12) soon fell the same route off the bowling of Tonge as the Jaguars were 23-2.

Tagenarine Chanderpaul (13) fell just after bringing up the team’s fifty in the 26th over but Bishoo and Singh made sure there were no more casualties in the day’s play.

Guyana will begin today still trailing by 369 with seven wickets remaining.

sundAY, march 13, 2016

guyanatimesGY.com

23

GFF/Stag Elite League…

Slingerz extend lead with win over Conquerors – Alpha, GDF play to 1-1 draw

one all. The army’s energetic attacking forward Delwyn Fraser put the soldiers ahead with a powerful strike just outside the box in the 14th, which carried the momentum in the

S

lingerz FC extended their lead in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Stag Elite League when they defeated Fruta Conquerors two nil on Friday at the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) Ground.

The West Coast based Slingerz FC now move five points clear of the top of the table with five wins from five matches.

Slingerz disposal of Fruta Conquerors came at the heels of Vurlon Mills in the 36th and Trayon Bobb in the 65th.

Mills goal came as a result of miscommunication between the defender and the keeper and the experienced striker latched on the loose ball to put his side in

Vurlon Mills (left) and Trayon Bobb

Conquerors captain Trevon Lythcott in a run for possession of the ball

the lead.

Though the ball possession was equally shared, Conquerors seemed reluc-

tant to be on the offensive.

Bobb’s goal came as a result of diving header which practically sealed the win for Slingerz; despite the loss,

Conquerors still hold the second place position.

In the other game, Alpha United drew with the Guyana Defense Force

EBFA/Ralph Green U-11 League…

Jones’ double leads Grove Hi Tech past Diamond United

G

rove Hi Tech got off to the best possible start in the Ralph Green sponsored East Bank Football Association (EBFA) Under-11 League when they registered a 2-1 win over Diamond United on Friday at the Grove Playfield.

It was the magic of Captain Tyrese Jones that led Grove to the win when he netted either side of the 30 minute contest in the Group A clash.

Five minutes into the match, Jones worked his way from the defensive end into the Diamond United box before smartly lobbing the ball over the head of the Diamond goalkeeper, Kemary Gittens.

The first half ended with Grove in the lead by a single goal even as Diamond enjoyed a few good moments.

The trend of dominance continued for the home team in

the second half with Jones doubling the lead in the 18th minute from a free kick just outside the area on the left side.

Diamond never stopped trying even though they were trailing and was rewarded with a consolation goal in the 26th minute, Jael Ross’ shot beating goalkeeper Romesh Persaud to his left.

The goal sparked celebrations from the Diamond team with Ross somersaulting to celebrate. Soon after the final whistle sounded and Grove came away victors 2-1. Friendship took full points from Agricola Red Triangle which failed to show up for their matchup.

It was the second win for Friendship who defeated defending champions Herstelling Raiders in the competition’s first match.

Tyrese Jones

home side favor until Dellon Lanferman found the defense and struck in the 57th.

Alpha remains in third position, while GDF moved up to fourth.

The League continues on

Sunday at the #5 Ground Berbice, where Georgetown Football Club (GFC) play Pele from 18:00 hrs and then Buxton United play home side Monedderlust from 20:00hrs.

SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2016

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

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Road to Mecca III…

Raiders, Pacesetters into semis

By Treiston Joseph

D

efending Champs, Trinity Grid Holding (TGH) Pacesetters and the Retrieve Raiders are the first two teams into the semifinals of the Road to Mecca III National Club Basketball Championships when the quarterfinal round began on Friday evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The Pacesetters topped the Half Mile Bulls 88-79 while the Raiders defeated the Victory Valley Royals (VVR) 69-71.

The Pacesetters turned the Sports Hall into a track meet as the defending champs pushed the pace of the ball at every opportunity, a strategy that the Bulls normally use to out-work their opponents.

However, Bulls with the three point shot not working, the Pacesetters rebounded well and utilised their speed to rack up the fast break points.

Travis Burnett top scored with 31

points to go along with nine assists and eight steals while Randy Richards had a double-double of 15 points and 16 rebounds. Stephon Gillis was hot from beyond the arc with five three’s on his way to 19 points in the win.

Keifer Tappin was the leading scorer for the Bulls with 19 points while their usual top scorer Terron Welch was kept quiet and could only muster 13 points.

Kevin Easton also had 10 points in the loss.

Meanwhile in the night’s opening game, the Raiders fought off a stiff challenge from VVR to advance into the tournament.

Jason Alonzo led all scorers with 25 points while Dwayne Roberts had 23 to help down the Royals.

Royals scoring came from Harold Adams with 12 points while Marlon Pollydore and Ron Beckles had nine points each.

The tournament will continue with semifinal action on Sunday at the Sports Hall.

WICB/PCL 4-day cricket…

Travis Burnett scores a layup on a fast break

Milo U-20 School Football Tournament…

Quarterfinals set for today

Hodge’s 149* puts Hurricanes in charge

By Treiston Joseph

Page 22

– Jaguars 61-3 in response to Hurricanes 430

T

he quarterfinal round of the Milo under-20 school football tournament is set for today at the Ministry of Education ground.

Teams are probably getting a sniff of the championship game with the quarterfinal round set to separate the pretenders from the contenders.

However before the game of games teams will have to make it past the

defining round that can provide some upsets.

With four games scheduled for today, an exciting day of football is expected as teams look to carve their way to the final.

Defending champs, Chase Academy will feature in the third match of the day against North Georgetown; a game that Chase should dominate.

The first quarterfinal of the day will pit South Ruimveldt and Christ Church against each other in a contest that

might need the last minute of action to be decided since both teams seem on even keel.

Former champs Lodge Secondary will face last year’s losing finalist Dolphin Secondary in a game that should provide fans with some excitement when the two titans clash.

The last game of the quarterfinal round will see Bishop’s High against Queens College in a rivalry match. Action is set to start from 11:00h.

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