Guyana Times

Glenn Lall, Kaieteur News lie, libel once

Trotman paedophilia allegations… Police wrapping up probe – Crime Chief

Guyana averts blacklisting by FATF –Nandlall

Guyana acquires Chikungunya testing kits

Lusignan man killed in hit and run accident

Faceless body floats up at Onverwagt

Duty-free

Remigrant says Lall clutching at straws

Fires devastate East Coast, West Bank families

BRIDGE OPENINGS

Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Friday, October 24 from 05:00h-07:30h

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Friday, October 24 from 16:35h-18:05h

WEATHER TODAY

Weather: Thundery showers can be expected during the better part of the day with heavy showers expected in the afternoon. Thundery showers can be expected in the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees and 29 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 04:29h and 16:40h reaching maximum heights of 2.70 metres and 2.79 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 10:17h and 22:38h reaching minimum heights of 0.53 metre and 0.40 metre respectively.

Trotman's paedophilia allegations... Police wrapping up probe – Crime Chief

Crime Chief Leslie James has said that the investigation into allegations that Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman sexually molested Johnny Welshman when he was 12 is almost completed and will soon be handed over to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.

Speaking to Guyana Times on Wednesday, James revealed also that while the police have not been able to contact the young man’s father, who is another of his alleged abusers, Trotman and another accused man, Colin Wilson, were interviewed by the police.

Trotman has so far denied the allegations made by Welshman as “wicked assertions”, positing that they are being peddled by “an unstable young man, who appears to have a troubled mind”. He also claims that the allegations against him are politically motivated.

However, Welshman has said that years of being allegedly raped and physically abused as a child have left serious emotional scars on him. Depression, post traumatic stress disorder, behavioural problems, poor self-esteem and thoughts of suicide are the key psychological effects of childhood sexual abuse, and Welshman has evidently been through all of that.

Welshman had detailed that that he was first sexually molested by a close relative at the age of eight while he was a student at the St Agnes Primary School. But this, he said, was just the beginning, contending that the relative’s

friend, from Yarrowkabra, used him as a “toy” for sexual gratification.

However, he alleged that it was only at the age of 12 that Trotman sodomised him, after becoming knowledgeable of the acts committed on him by the close relative and the other man. The young man said that as a child he, along with his brother, was encouraged to visit Trotman’s office on South Road.

However, on the day in question, his brother was not present. “The first time he did it to me, it was in his office on South Road, but the second time, he took me in a house, I believe it was in Brickdam because I can recall passing the old people’s home (the Palms),” Welshman recalled.

Criminal act

According to him, his father was fully aware of the assault on his childhood, but used it for his advantage. “If you check the record, you would see that Mr Trotman represented my father on numerous occasions and I knew my father was playing that card,” he

said.

Trotman allegedly pampered him with goodies and even introduced him to the late President Desmond Hoyte, Welshman said, adding that the acts committed against him had caused him to “act out”. This is a standard manoeuvre by paedophiles and is known as “grooming”. Under the new Sexual Offences Act (2010), grooming is now a criminal offence.

He explained that in school he had become very rebellious and suicidal, noting that it was during that period, social workers realised that something was amiss. “I have been receiving counselling since I was a child and I am sure that Help and Shelter would provide those records. I could vividly remember visiting Ms Ann Greene when she was the Station Administrator of Social Welfare; she had suspicions, but I refused to tell her and that was my fault,” he said.

According to him, he was fearful of his father who had served as an officer at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), alleging that his father physically abused him. “He throw me out as a baby, cuff me, gun butt me, kick me. I hate my father for those things. I can’t say that I love him. Everyone knows how he

used to beat my mother, and who represented him in the court?” said a riledup Welshman, referring to Trotman.

Though he had left the shores of Guyana for the twin-island republic Trinidad and Tobago, Welshman was reportedly often plunged into a state of depression, resulting in him seeking treatment and counselling. According to him, it was during these counselling sessions that his counsellor said true healing would only come if he confronts his abusers. According to him, it was based on this recommendation that he journeyed to Guyana on July 23, 2014. His intentions, he said, were pure, positing that he simply wanted true healing.

Johnny Welshman

Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman

Editor: Nigel Williams

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

Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown

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

Editorial

The “light vs dark” conundrum

With the official Diwali celebrations behind us, but with sweetmeats still circulating, it may be time to mull over some of the issues raised by the ancient festival. Incidentally, the word “sweetmeats” for the vegetarian delicacies shared to friends and neighbours sometimes raises eyebrows.

There is a sneaking suspicion that the sweets are possibly used as apologies for meat. Actually the English word “meat” originally signified generic “food” – including vegetables and flesh.

Most Guyanese know that Diwali is associated with “the triumph of light over darkness” – with “light” representing “the good” and “darkness”, “the bad”. This symbolism is very common in many civilisations, but, unfortunately, the West transferred the negative connotations of “darkness” to people who were dark-skinned during the period they enslaved millions of dark-skinned persons from Africa.

This value judgement on a physical characteristic was transmuted into a universal category of thought because of the West’s conquest and domination of most of the world.

In India, for instance, the two major incarnations of God/ Vishnu as “Sustainer of the Universe” – Rama and Krishna –are described “as dark as a monsoon’s rain clouds”, and the word “krishna” literally means “black”.

There were no negative connotations to their physical skin’s colour, since their wives were described as “very fair” and the “match” as “perfect”. Yet after a century and a half of British rule, the latter’s equation of dark skin colour and negative qualities have been imbibed into modern Indian thinking.

In Guyana, therefore, there should be a conscious effort made within the education system and in the media to disjuncture the symbolic usage of light vs darkness from the physical colour of persons.

Diwali is a great time to do this, since the source of the symbolism is being acknowledged. As the period of darkness increased with the approach of winter – which was synonymous with hardships – humans in ancient civilisations interceded with their own attempt to “bring back the light”. It has nothing to do with the colour of people’s skins.

But the origin of the dichotomy in value judgements on the actions of man as “good” and “bad” also signals that the latter should not be allowed to continue without human intercession. To “light a light” in our own lives, we must take into cognisance both our own areas of darkness and those in the society.

It would be very foolish and short-sighted to work only on correcting one’s failures to be better persons while ignoring the structural conditions into which all are imbricated and which play most significant roles in shaping our destinies.

Take for instance our political system and the politics that are being played out right now. The political system is a combination of the written rules encapsulated in documents such as the Constitution, decisions of our Judicial System on pertinent questions, Standing Orders and just as important, the traditions of the various institutions.

The rules of the system must not be used expediently to subvert the goal towards the fulfilment of which they were formulated. This would be an instance of the darkness that we are supposed to counter.

The “no-confidence” motion is a powerful device intended to bring down a sitting government that would have been ushered into office by the rules of the Constitution. The tiny AFC, however, did not see fit to even engage with its major partner in the Opposition, as to whether the latter felt that there were more pressing issues to address before bringing down the government.

In terms of what is “light” and what is “darkness” in the political realm, the former has to be whatever furthers the greater good of the society in the eyes of the majority of the people.

The AFC’s No-Confidence Motion fails this test and must be categorised as “darkness” that must be removed with the light of the people’s intervention.

In fighting poverty, be guided by the story of teaching

Dear Editor, I have been reading Dr Clive Thomas’s weekly column in the Stabroek News of Sunday, 2014-10-19, entitled “The Minimum Wage, Trade Unions and Guyana’s Fight Against Surging Inequality and Poverty”. I would like to caution my fellow MP of the Sixth Parliament to look in a different direction, start at another end, and focus our attention on improving production, productivity, quality and competitiveness to bring about the improvements in our lives which we all want.

Dr Thomas, as he says, puts three blunt propositions, focusing mainly on distribution and redistribution of income, and a living wage, without reference to production, productivity, quality and competitiveness. His blunt propositions, I admit, constitute the ‘gospel’ for most of us, “since morning”. But this ‘gospel’ has not got us far. I believe (from the evidence of so many years, and in comparison with a number of countries), because it kept us from focusing on the “main-chance” things – improving production, productivity, quality and competitiveness.

In the fight against poverty, we should be guided by the story of teaching a man to fish and feeding him for life. Poverty is to be fought by somehow or the other organising for everyone to be working and working steadily more productively, to satisfy some needs near or far. Like a farmer sowing a crop with hopes for many bags of harvest and good prices at the

marketplace, we will have expectations and aspirations; we can set targets, but earning levels, minimum wages, living wages in their totality are outcomes, results of our production.

I take issue with Dr Thomas that poverty, absolute poverty is surging but income distribution may well be widening – as economic activities occur some persons may happen to be in more favourable places. How to moderate a widening income spread? Dr Thomas, in one of his earlier columns, allowed that our budgets with our relatively high tax levels are a major means of redistribution of income. Taking account of the calls from many sides during our last elections for lower tax levels, we have probably gone as far in this direction as our society would tolerate.

It has been, no doubt, natural for us to focus on the distribution and the redistribution of income, of the goods and services produced and available – but that has not got us far. To take, perhaps, the most extreme case which the Indian Arrival Committee (lAC) pointed out a few months ago, Singapore, like us, was in the US$300 per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 1960, while now we are at US$3500, Singapore is at US$54,000. There are a number of other examples where the comparisons are not so unfavourable. One of the drives in Singapore was to “provide the world a German quality workplace at about 70 per cent of what

a man to fish

the Germans were paid”. Improvements in production, productivity, quality and competitiveness cannot, and should not, be left to take care of themselves, or be left to others. Indeed, I have always felt that a fatal flaw of many of us of the socialist ‘left’ has been our ambiguity, if not reluctance to consistently call for, to advocate, and to celebrate steady improvements in production, productivity, quality and competiveness.

It is not that fairness in distribution and redistribution is to be ignored, but it is very limited in the improved lots which it can bring – a zero-sum game; and the redistribution of goods and services must be coupled with the redistribution of responsibility for savings and investments, if the seed-grains needed to plant next year’s crops are not to be eaten today, with no crops in the future!

I referred to Dr Thomas as my colleague of the Sixth Parliament, because of what I understood him to say in the debate on the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME), that although our hourly pay was then so abysmally low, nonetheless, our low productivity, low quality, high rates of re-work, etc, led to such a large number of labour-hours in each unit of goods or services that the customer would accept and purchase, that our labour cost in that unit was among the highest of labour costs, and we were uncompetitive!

I was hoping since then,

and I would still like, to encourage Dr Thomas, with his credibility and standing, particularly with Labour and Unions, to follow upon that insight, and lead in directing our national focus to improvements in production, productivity, quality and competitiveness. It must become the major concern and task of each of us – worker, manager, or business person. As Dr Bho Tewarie proclaimed some months ago, we are equally blessed with the human imagination, the ingenuity, the innovative-ness, and we are equally placed to spot and implement opportunities for improvement in whatever production in which we are engaged. We are talking, quite rightly, these days of moving along the value-added chain. Our economy is at a point where we need to spot and take profitable opportunities for the adding of value. It is not that exporting commodities is an abomination – the greatest added-value country, the USA, exports a lot of commodities, including wheat, to us – it is a matter of economics, and what we can make work for us. Improvements in production, productivity, quality and competitiveness are of even greater importance, as we correctly focus on adding value, for we must add value much faster than we add cost, for if not, we would (with our uncompetitive value-added products) be wasting whatever natural advantage we might have had at the commodity-stage.

Picture perfect: Young participants of one of the floats that participated in the Diwali motorcade on Wednesday depict various aspects of Hindu divinity (Carl Croker photo)

GRA obligated to provide professional environment for all employees

Dear Editor,

Reference is made to a letter to the editor published in another newspaper on October 17, titled “What will be uncovered if an audit is done on Mr Sattaur?” The letter was read and its content noted. We thank the author of the letter for the concerns stated.

It is important to note that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is the most prestigious revenue collection agency in this country. We are obligated to provide a professional environment and assurance of the rights of all employees.

Like all large organisations, we uphold the standards and best practices required to treat with and motivate staff at all levels. Accordingly, to ensure that all staff at all levels are treated fairly and professionally, there are human resource policies, such as, the Grievance Handling Procedure, where all staff are advised to channel their complaints/ concerns through a systematic process.

These matters are resolved with impartiality, due care, and confidentiality. Sadly, however, this was not followed in this case and it is rather unfortunate that the ‘staff member’ chose such a medium to raise his/

her concerns.

The organisation respects the right to publish articles. However, this right also has a commensurate responsibility that requires a newspaper to substantiate the facts before bringing the organisation into disrepute.

It is urged that in cases where letters/articles relating to staffing issues within the GRA are sent for publication, it will be prudent to adhere to the known principles of journalistic protocol before publishing, by allowing the GRA an opportunity to respond to these statements/conjecture which are deemed to be unfounded.

Please note that inaccurate statements published may lead to litigation/s which would serve to defeat the purpose of a daily newspaper.

Hence in future, it is requested that contact is first made with the GRA for comments before publishing those articles and/ or letters.

Submitted by,

Public Relations Department

Guyana Revenue Authority

Time to increase jail time for armed robbery

Dear Editor,

It is high time that our judges and magistrates increase the jail time for armed robbery offenders. I am also asking for the imposition of hefty fines to go along with the jail sentence.

My reason for saying this is the gravity and prevalence of the crime with no apparent end in sight. All matters pertaining to the use of a firearm and the forceful taking of another’s cash or valuables should receive swift and decisive punishment.

Let us take a close look at a matter presently engaging the court. A repeat offender is accused of holding up a 69-year-old businessman and snatching $2 million from him. Now, two things immediately catch your attention.

The first thing is this is a repeat offender, someone who has done this before. With previous successful heist(s), he was encouraged

to go that route again. So it begs the question: Why these felons are not given just punishment for their crimes?

Obviously, he was given little or no time at all for the previous offences so he would have come to the conclusion why not continue to tap into this lucrative criminal activity.

Guyana is inundated with this type of behaviour from the criminal community, that is, stake out hapless business victims with large sums of money and carry out an armed robbery. The proceeds are then divided up among the group and the criminal’s lifeline is financially remunerated.

Well, my plan addresses the fact that the criminal should be given a substantial amount of jail time, enough for him not to benefit from his criminal proceeds; I am speaking of upwards of

10 years’ incarceration.

In addition, he should be fined or forced to make restitution in the amount he is accused of stealing.

If he cannot recover the stolen amount, then his jail time increases. When criminals are made financially accountable for their actions, this would act as a deterrent for any future decisions they might want to take.

The point is felons are getting away too easily with their criminal enterprise, both by way of the paltry time given to them and the ability to benefit from the large sums of stolen loot.

My submission to the authorities is that the criminal must be denied the enjoyment of loot, as well as given enough time to sit in jail and effect a change in his behaviour pattern.

Sincerely,

Neil Adams

We have had for many years now and, more so, recently, much talk about banning the export of logs. There is no challenge in banning the export of logs – that is easy, with no more than the stroke of a pen. The challenge is for some of us, while paying competitive prices for the logs, to develop the people, the production plants, to convert the logs to wood products which could be sold sustainably and profitably. If not, we could end up with no log sales, no added-value sales, nothing at all. We should be warned that it is not easy – we had an addedvalue wood-product which won prizes, which we celebrated, but which did not survive long in the market place. What would have been required to sustain it? At what pay-rate would production have been continued, and the jobs saved? What productivity and quality improvements would have been needed? And, so on. Such questions we should have been addressing, resolving and reconciling.

Let me say that with my 25 years of chastening experience in our bauxite industry, I know that business success does not come easily, nor does it last long. As another aside, I have been

concerned that we of the socialist ‘left’ have tended to underestimate, undervalue, and even belittle the contribution of the “capitalists”, and set ourselves up to perform differently from, and better than them – which too often we cannot.

About 50 per cent of business ‘start-ups’ fail within the first two years – the answer is to have a thousand ‘start-ups’ – let a thousand flowers bloom! Since failure rates are so high, we have to encourage trying, and trying again. We must learn how to comfort each other when we fail, tend to our bruises and, in good time, send ourselves back into the fray to attain competitiveness, on the basis of the production, productivity and quality of our goods and services.

It should be informative and instructive to know that, at least up to some years ago, lots and lots of logs were exported from North America to, mainly, Asian countries, where they were converted to furniture and other wood- products, and re-exported to North America. We are not North Americans – can we attain the production, productivity, quality and competitiveness-level of the Asians? We need to – we can learn from them –

for it is a common way to advance along the value-added ‘train’, learning from others who are already there and are often looking to move on. Yes, we should be thinking of utilising our commodities more, but we should not be thinking of banning the export of anything, once it is available to local producers at the equivalent price. We should be aiming at utilising our commodities more and more, at steadilyimproving levels of production, productivity, quality and competitiveness, so that, in time, there is no more commodity available for export. And indeed, then, and even before, we might be importing that commodity when, in given circumstances, it might be advantageous to do so. Steady improvements in production, productivity, quality and competitiveness should be the main concern and focus of us all. Let us, for the next five years, shift focus away from distribution and re-distribution (we already have a good set of labour laws, which must be adhered to) and focus, rather, on production.

Samuel A A Hinds, OE, MP Prime Minister

Ebola strikes NYC: Doctor tests positive for deadly virus

AHarlem Doctor who recently treated patients in Africa, tested positive for the deadly disease after he was rushed to Bellevue Hospital with symptoms, including a 103-degree fever, sources told The Post.

Craig Spencer, a 33-yearold Docotrs Without Borders volunteer, began showing symptoms one night after he was out bowling in Brooklyn,

Wednesday night bowling in Williamsburg. He used an Uber car service to get to and from the Brooklyn neighborhood.

Hipster bowling hot spot

The Gutter was closed last night due to “unforseen circumstances.”

Spencer had spent a month treating Ebola patients in Guinea, according to his Facebook page.

He landed at Kennedy

police sources said.

Spencer and his live-in girlfriend, Morgan Dixon, 30, were both quarantined at Bellevue at noon Thursday as cops retraced their steps since the doctor returned from Guinea on October 17, the sources said.

Spencer had spent

Airport on Oct. 17 on a connecting flight from Brussels, Belgium, the sources said. With enhanced screening in place, officials checked his temperature upon arrival, and it was a healthy 98.6 degrees, the sources said.

But on Thursday morning, he awoke with nausea,

the alarming 103-degree temperature and stomach pains.

Spencer self-quarantined at his West 147th Street apartment and immediately alerted Docotrs Without Borders, which notified the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and Mental Hygiene.

“After consulting with the hospital and the CDC, DOHMH has decided to conduct a test for the Ebola virus because of this patient’s recent travel history, pattern of symptoms and past work,” the agency said in a statement.

An army of emergency vehicles swarmed Spencer’s block around noon and completely shut the street down.

A witness saw a person huddled in a wheelchair and

swaddled in blankets being lifted onto a stretcher and into an ambulance.

FDNY specialists in hazmat suits sealed off his fifth-floor apartment, sources said. Spencer was taken to Bellevue, which has been outfitted to treat any Ebola cases that arise in New York.

As Docotrs waited for his test results, a team of disease detectives searched for

Neighbors have seen the couple around town since he arrived home. Dixon even dropped off the couple’s clothes at a local dry cleaner on Wednesday.

The NYPD’s missingpersons squad is looking at Spencer’s MetroCard, credit cards and bank statements to follow his trail since he arrived back in the city, lawenforcement sources said.

Robert Cedano, who

Residents at the building were handed fliers with bullet points on Ebola, including symptoms and how the virus is transmitted. “I’m pretty sure he’s going to be fine,” she said. But a law-enforcement source wasn’t so confident.

“He told the authorities, ‘Yeah, I was in West Africa, I was treating Ebola patients and now have a 103

everyone who had been in contact with Spencer. That includes Dixon, who was picked up at her Downtown Brooklyn office on Thursday afternoon. So far, she has not shown any symptoms.

WORKS in Spencer’s Harlem building, said he’s concerned about catching the deadly disease.

“It’s worrisome,” he said. “I don’t know when he got back. But he’s gone now, so I’m relieved.”

fever and stomach pains, nausea, which are the classic symptoms of Ebola,” he said. “You do the math.” Spencer normally works out of ColumbiaPresbyterian Hospital in Manhattan but, “He has not been to work at our hospital and has not seen any patients at our hospital since his return from overseas,” the medical center said in a statement.

“Our thoughts are with him, and we wish him all the best at this time.”

At least two Docotrs Without Borders workers have contracted the disease so far this year.

Norwegian physician Silje Lehne Michalsen was infected in Sierra Leone and recovered this month, according to the Nordic Page.

A French nurse was also diagnosed with Ebola on Sept. 16 while working in Monrovia, Liberia, and recovered in France, said Docotrs Without Borders. Docotrs Without Borders has been fighting Ebola in West Africa since March, and they have almost 3,000 staff in the region. They have six Ebola case-management centers and have 600 beds to keep patients they are treating in isolation.

The nonprofit has treated over 4,500 people with at least 2,700 confirmed cases of Ebola. A thousand of their patients have survived.

Craig Spencer

Police officers stand outside the apartment building of Dr Craig Spencer (Photo: Getty Images)

The ambulance carrying Dr Craig Spencer arrives at Bellevue Hospital (David McGlynn photo)

Minister Ali to Lindeners:

“Rid yourselves from the devils of the past”

Acting Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister

Irfaan Ali said Linden, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) should not isolate itself from national and international developmental initiatives and the community should rid itself of the “devils of the past”.

At the time, Ali was delivering remarks at the Linden Chamber of Industry, Commerce and Development’s Annual Luncheon. Isolation, he said, can be a stumbling block to economic growth and development, preventing the local economy from capitalising on existing opportunities on the national and international scene. With Guyana experiencing eight years of consecutive economic growth through rapid Private Sector investments, Ali said the leaders of Linden and, by extension, Region 10 should mobilise their people to capitalise on the economic transformation taking place.

He made reference to the controversial Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, telling the regional leaders to think about the potential benefits that can evolve from such a multimillion-dollar initiative that would bring cheaper electricity to Guyana.

The domino effect from this project, which was estimated at US$800 million, would have resulted in Guyanese being provided with reliable and affordable electricity. Additionally, it would have created hundreds of jobs and simultaneously boost the country’s economy.

The project was designed to be constructed where the Amaila and Kuribrong Rivers meet. Electricity produced at the plant would have been delivered to Guyana’s capital, Georgetown, and its second largest town, Linden, by an electric transmission line.

CJIA expansion

The Commerce Minister also alluded to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Expansion Project, the Marriott International Hotel, Hospitality Institute and Agro Processing Plant. However, Minister Ali said in moving forward, communities must rid themselves of things from the past. “We need to rid ourselves of the devils of the past. In order for us to move forward, we have to collectively understand that we have to rid ourselves of the devils of the past.”

He argued that communities must confront the present and aspire to the future with recognition that whatever occurred in the past that created negative energy should be a lesson to learn from and not one that dictates process.

“If we cannot release ourselves from that trap, then we would not be able to achieve the ideals, the visions and

the objectives laid out.”

He stressed that Linden as the gateway to the interior should unlock opportunities and create a new environment based on cohesion and trust. Businesses, he said, would not prosper and achieve full potential if the society is not cohesive.

Three main problems

Meanwhile, Linden Chamber of Industry, Commerce and Development President Kevin De Jonge said research has indicated that there are three main issues blocking growth and development in Linden, despite its wealth of resources. Politics, lack of unity, and high unemployment were the three factors identified.

According to him, there is a perception that politicians are pursuing their own agenda rather than fulfilling their mandate to serve the people. Though the Linden Chamber is not a political institution, De Jonge said in keeping with its constitutional requirement, the Chamber would serve as a key link between the Private Sector and the Government of the day.

He pointed out that prior to the operationalisation of the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN), the Chamber was in frequent consultation with the Minister within the Finance Ministry Juan Edghill. Meetings have also been held with the Public Works Ministry.

The Chamber’s President explained that representation was made on behalf of the people of Linden to have the local body play an integral role in the execution of major projects in Region 10. This, he said, is necessary to ensure that the projects are executed in accordance with the scope of work or standards laid out by both the Government and the region.

Alluding to the issue of lack of unity, De Jonge said Linden was known as a town of togetherness, that spoke in a united voice but there has been a shift. However, he said the Linden Chamber stands ready to serve as a catalyst for such unity to be developed again.

In the area of unemployment, De Jonge said it was a

known fact that after graduating from high school or even the University of Guyana, youths are often faced with the issue of unemployment.

According to him, since Linden shifted its focus from primarily bauxite, the town appears to be confused about “what to do next”; however, the time has come for residents to think outside the box. “Rather than wait for somebody to bring employment, we need to start creating employment,” he emphasised.

In addition to welcoming investments being made by foreign companies such as Troy Resources, De Jonge said the Chamber will remain a strong advocate for entrepreneurship, positing that the Tourism and Agriculture Sectors are areas to be fully exploited.

Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon; the Mayor and Town Council (M&TC) Interim Management Committee (IMC) Chairman Orin Gordon; and the Private Sector Commission’s Secretary Ramesh Dookhoo were among officials present at the annual luncheon.

Digicel Guyana Inc; Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED); Guyana and Trinidad Mutual Fire and Life Insurance Group (GTM); Linden Utility Services Co-op Society Limited (LUSCSL); Troy Resources Guyana Inc; National Communications Network (NCN); LEN and the US Embassy were among entities represented at the event held under the theme “Developing our gateway for a better Guyana”.

GOIP represents Guyana at TT Indigenous peoples’ festival

A15-member delegation from the Guyana Organisation of Indigenous Peoples (GOIP) represented Guyana at the Hyarima First Peoples’ Festival in Arima, Trinidad and Tobago (TT).

Amid much pomp and ceremony, the contingent from Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara); Four (Demerara-Mahaica); Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) which comprised representatives from the Carib, Patamona, Akawaio and Lokono Nations, created quite an impression among

both the host and foreign cultural teams.

Organised by the Trinidad and Tobago-based Caribbean Organisation of Indigenous Peoples (COIP), the festival was held to commemorate the 377th Anniversary of the 1637 Uprising by Hyarima, Trinidad’s Carib hero. At the time Hyarima rose up against militant Spanish colonial seizures of lands owned by the island’s aboriginal peoples, and was later murdered.

On October 14, the festival was opened with a brief but brilliant non-political speech by TTs President Anthony Carmona. It was a spiritual smoke-ceremony

Belize secures

held under Chief Hyarima’s bronze statute majestically positioned near the Cycling Velodrome in Arima, the only town where small numbers of Carib survivors exist today on the island. The event ended on October 19 and received participation from not only Guyana but Suriname; Waitukubuli (Dominica); Belize; Yurumein (St Vincent); Venezuela; Guatemala; and Honduras.

According to the Guyanese participants, “Hyarima’s struggle against all forms of oppression, power-drunkenness and landstealing was a great inspiration to Guyana’s first peoples, some of whom today face similar issues.”

US$4.58M from

CDB for road safety project

The Government of Belize will receive an additional loan of US$4.584 million from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) for an ongoing Road Safety Project.

The original loan of US$7.248 million was approved in 2012, but stakeholder reviews of the project have led to a revision in scope which required further financing. The Road Safety Project was designed to assist in the reduction of deaths and serious injuries associated with road traffic accidents.

Because this is a pilot project, annual review meetings were incorporated into the process. These meetings afforded the opportunity for feedback from a wide crosssection of public and private sector stakeholders.

Following the discussions at the stakeholders meetings, it was agreed that a number of adjustments would be made to the project design, including additional guardrails, drainage and intersection improvements, and mobility and safety features for the infrastructure works.

Additionally, the projected cost of some of the civil works packages has risen from original appraisal estimates.

Initially, it involved such areas as road safety infrastructure; accident emergency services; road safety enforcement; public education and awareness, including curriculum development and teacher training; and capacity building.

The CDB is a regional financial institution established in 1970 for the purpose of contributing to the harmonious economic growth and development of the member countries in the Caribbean. There are 19 regional borrowing member countries, three regional non-borrowing member countries, and five non-regional, non-borrowing member countries.

Members outside of the Region are Canada, China, Colombia, Germany, Italy, Mexico, the UK and Venezuela. As of December 31, 2013, the CDB had total assets of US$2.57 billion. This includes US$1.45 billion of ordinary Capital resources and US$1.12 billion of Special Funds Resources.

Acting Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali

Beharry Group wins contest for eighth straight year

The Edward B Beharry Group of Companies stole the spotlight with its spectacular float to win for the eighth consecutive year the Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s Annual Motorcade held on Wednesday evening.

The beautifully decorated float that depicted Mother Lakshmi in her splendour and Lord Shiva won the first prize in the commercial category for the eighth consecutive year. The float was designed by Andrew Arts. The float was indeed a breathtaking piece that left the thousands who lined the route with something to talk about. The masterpiece also won the best overall float of the three categories.

Coming in second in the commercial category was newcomer Beepats under the Nestle Brand Maggi.

In the small category, the

Woodley Park Vishnu Mandir in second and Betsy Ground Kirtan Mandir in third.

Taking the fourth prize was Bakti Bavan Montrose Mandir, with La Bonne Intention (LBI) Temple

floats dominated, copping four of the top six prizes. In first position was Bath Shri Krishna Mandir followed by

Youth Group coming in fifth and the

In the large category, the Success Hindu Mandir took top honours, with Golden Om Dharmic Organisation taking the second spot and Dharmic Naujawaan coming in third.

The Better Hope Mandir came in fourth while the Soesdyke Vishnu Mandir took the fifth place and Enmore Youth Development Group walked away with the sixth-

place prize.

Most creative

In addition, the Woodley Park Vishnu Mandir was adjudged the most creative float in the small category, with Dharmic Vishnu Mandir in second. In the large category, Success Hindu Temple was awarded the most creative prize followed by the Better

Hope Mandir.

There were a total of six youth groups that participated in the motorcade but Golden Om Youth Group was the most creative, with the Enmore Youth Development Group following closely. This year, there were a total of 26 floats that participated in the annual spectacle. The organisations that did not win also received a cash incentive and a trophy.

The judging criteria for the motorcade included Illumination along with originality, creativity and innovation worth a whopping 25 points each. Craftsmanship which includes detail of design with effective use of colours and materials was awarded 20 points. For dress and overall appearance, floats were awarded a maximum of 15 points. Music, which is an important component of the motorcade, carried 10 points. Finally, floats were judged for punctuality (worth a total of five points).

The floats were judged along the route to the LBI Community Centre ground on the East Coast of Demerara. The first segment of judging was done at the assembly point, Campbellville Mandir, then at Conversation Tree and again at Starlite Drive-In and finally at the LBI Community Centre ground.

Eyew tness

The ultimate sacrifice...

...for the Mook

It’s clear that the Mook over at the Muckraker is running scared. For years he’d been playing big and bad – and not only because he had big guts and bad breath! – but mainly because he’d snuffed out the life of a young man in McDoom and gotten away with it.

He felt he was untouchable. But now that one man – the GRA boss – had finally decided he wouldn’t put up with his bullyism just because he could scandalise people in his Muckraker – people were beginning to see he was just a quivering coward at heart.

With jail time staring him in the face on tax fraud charges, he was trying every which way to wriggle out. The Mook was still using the Muckraker to intimidate others ... but it was now more bluster than anything else. His desperation could be seen in the new tactics his loyal house slave editor had come up with.

There was the defence that “other people are also involved in the car scam”. “OK,” said the GRA chief. “We knew that and we’ve a whole wider investigation going back to 2010!!” The moral question, of course, is whether two wrongs make a right.

And the legal question, more to the point, is that other people breaking the law ain’t no defence. When tried and proven guilty – it’s still jail time for the MOOK.

Then the house slave came up with the scheme to paint the Mook as being persecuted for publishing the slanderous bilge in the Muckraker!! That earned snickers all across the land. As if everyone and their stepdaddy didn’t know that to the Mook it was just a case of terminal jealously and envy at others doing better than him!

But the most revealing act of desperation was when the Mook and his house slave had one of their Voyeurs suggest that folks should come up with more novel ways of supporting the Mook. Like fasting!! And not any old fasting – but fasting to the death like that Wayne Kublalsingh chap over in Cuckoo land otherwise known as “Trinidad”.

When no one volunteered, the Voyeur actually accused Guyanese of being selfish!! But since the particular Voyeur had previously compared the Mook to Gandhi (yep!! that’s true), why doesn’t he have Mook the Martyr become a real martyr (to his own cause of course) by imitating Kublalsingh??

At a minimum, the wanker could certainly use the weight loss!

...by Man Man

The Voyeur’s call for someone to sacrifice themselves for the Mook reminds this Eyewitness of his CSECs, back in the day.

He’d read Naipaul’s Miguel Street. It had to do with the life and times in one of the streets in the slums of Port of Spain. One of the funniest pieces was about Man Man who decided to imitate the ULTIMATE sacrifice. Jesus Christ being stoned on the Cross.

We could see the Mook being the local Man Man –who was also seen as a “mad man”.

“Some men put up the cross and tied the Mook to it.

The Mook said, “Stone me, brethren.”

The women wept and flung bits of sand and gravel at his feet.

The Mook groaned and said, “Father, forgive them, They ain’t know what they doing.” Then he screamed out, “Stone me, brothers.”

People began flinging really big stones at the Mook, aiming at his face and chest.

The Mook screamed, “What the hell is this!?? Get me down quick and I go settle with that son of a bitch who pelt a stone at me!” Then he began cursing so loudly and coarsely that the people stopped in surprise.”

The Police took away the Mook.

And that’s the problem with charlatans, ain’t it?? Truth will out.

Edward B Beharry Group of Companies, winner of the Commercial Category

The Golden OM Dharmic Youth Organisation during the motorcade on Wednesday evening

Betsy Ground Mandir, third-place winner in the Small Category

Berbice

Rosignol Santana Mandir taking the sixth spot.

Diwali Motorcade:

Glenn Lall, Kaieteur News lie, libel once again – Accounting

In the face of a fresh smear campaign being employed by the Kaieteur News and its publisher Glenn Lall against Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Khurshid Sattaur, the GRA Head says he is unaware of any probe by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Guyana (ICAG) against him.

This revelation comes after the October 23 edition of the Kaieteur News with an article headlined, “Sattaur faces lifetime ban if found guilty”.

The article went on to indicate that Sattaur, if charged and found guilty of any criminal offence, could face “lifetime blacklisting by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)”.

The article was attributed to an anonymous local accountant who had indicated that the ICAG had launched an investigation into Sattaur’s work.

body unaware of any

But Sattaur explained to Guyana Times on Thursday that he made contact with the Administrative Officer of the ICAG Cardilla Agard, who informed him that she was “totally unaware of any letter issued by the local body concerning any disciplinary action or investigation against Sattaur.

“Kaieteur News continues to publish these very slander-

‘probe’

ous articles concerning me and is now inserting veiled threats of life disbarment presumably done in their continued attempt to intimidate me into not pursuing the audit,” said Sattaur.

“The once self proclaimed exposer of Government wrong doings is now apparently being exposed himself, so he is behaving like the proverbial cow going to the slaughter house,” he said.

“It would appear to me that Lall, having committed a serious error of judgement by publishing two fabricated emails using information he illegally obtained, and he is now threatened with a breach of privacy and other illegalities, is now in a very serious predicament that he is more or less caught with his pants down.

“How is he going to explain to a judge or court the origin of other taxpayers’ information, which without a

Mosquito invasion prompts massive fogging in NA

By Andrew CArmiChAel

The Health Department of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) is moving to address the mosquito infestation problem plaguing the town of New Amsterdam and surrounding communities.

This was made known when regional officials held a media briefing on Monday afternoon. Last Friday evening, residents on the streets of New Amsterdam and in their homes were greeted by swarms of mosquitoes, forcing many to scamper to get to their destinations or reach for mosquito repellents. Buses plying the Number 56 route (New Amsterdam/Rosignol) also pulled off the park leaving scores of commuters stranded as they did the ‘mosquito dance’. They were seen clapping at the air with their hands while stomping and wiggling while the mosquitoes buzzed. The situation was no different on Saturday and Sunday. “These mosquitoes are the swamp mosquitoes and cannot transmit the dreaded Chikungunya virus,” Chief Executive Officer of the Berbice Regional Health Authority (BRHA), Dr Vishwa Mahadeo said.

Addressing the media on Monday, he said when there is an extraordinary high tide, the mosquitoes swarm. This has been the case over the past few days.

There are three types of mosquitoes common to Guyana, according to the World Encyclopaedia – the Anopheles, Aedes and Colex. However, there are different species of Aedes and the one which is plaguing New Amsterdam currently, the Encyclopaedia says, is the Aedes trivittatus (flood-water mosquito).

Dr Mahadeo told media

operatives that the mosquitoes are not disease-carrying. “The swamp mosquito is more of a nuisance.” The plan of action involves fogging and will be done both during the day and evening.

The massive fogging exercise commenced on Monday evening. Dr Mahadeo explained that the chemical being used though toxic is not harmful to humans the way it is being used. “But it is deadly to the insects which is what we want to get rid of.

“We have had calls [which have prompted the exercise] from areas like the fisheries at Number 66; we have had some calls from other areas, but most of our calls are located in and around the New Amsterdam, Canje and Fort Ordinance area. So we will be tackling these areas first and then we will be dealing with the other areas.”

The BRHA has also received a significant number of phone calls from the Port Mourant area.

Two teams will be in operations on most occasions. According to Dr Mahadeo, fogging will go on late into the night and sometimes until midnight. He is advising residents to open their doors and windows so that the mist can get into their homes when the fogging

against GRA Head

shadow of a doubt he has in his possession, and alarmingly not even a letter or one figure was published concerning his company.

“Heisnowengaged in the famous (Joseph) Goebbels’ theory of repeating a lie often enough and it assumes attributes of the truth itself.

Scare tactics

"He is hoping to scare me enough not to prosecute him for being in possession of highly classified, private and confidential information and to save his cohorts and coconspirators from prosecution and jail.

“He is attempting to suggest that since GRA is the owner and source of the information, this will exonerate Lall and associates as to how they themselves received it,” said Sattaur.

The GRA Head said

his lawyers will soon be filing legal action against Lall for contempt of a court order obtained against him and his associates from publishing libelous information about him.

“In the contempt proceedings we will be demanding that he tells the court the source of his information used in his fabricated emails. If he fails to do so he will be in even more trouble than he thinks I am in.

“Publishing information on taxpayers' affairs carries a penalty of up to two years imprisonment.

Alleged murderer

“Unlike the leaked information which no one other than Lall seems to have an interest in, even though the information has absolutely nothing on his newspaper, as

Commissioner General myself and well over 250,000 taxpayers in Guyana all want to know how this alleged murderer obtained information on his competitors.”

Sattaur said this seems to be a regular ‘game’ of Lall to solicit information as he himself once asked him (Sattaur) to give him information on the source of supply of Guyana Chronicle printing ink and on certain aspects of the Guyana Times operations

“I refused to divulge any confidential information on taxpayers’ affairs. It is surprising that Lall knowing this

would now fabricate evidence and publish false reports to suggest that I am involved in the very activities he encouraged me to engage in, but I refused.

“It’s evident he found other compliant sources,” explained Sattaur.

He said it is clear that Lall is extremely dishonest in his publications and is “economical” with the truth.

He added that the public should be made aware of these dishonest actions of Lall, since he has portrayed himself as a “virtuous and righteous” person when he evidently is not.

Tax experts have surmised that numerous businesses owned by Lall and his wife Bhena Lall appear to exist only as a front to shield his questionable money and ownership of several properties in Guyana and the United States. Lall has been strenuously trying to avoid his recent spate of suspected illegal criminal activities reaching the court, or facing form of investigation.

He continues to claim that his newspaper is being muzzled and that effors are afoot to shut his media house down.

A self-proclaimed campaigner against corruption, it has been a torrid few weeks for Lall, as one startling revelation after another has surfaced about his alleged illegal criminal activity.

team comes around.

Addressing the media, Regional Chairman David Armogan said the massive mosquito fogging exercise is needed because of the urgent requests by residents. “You know we always respond to the needs of our people.” He added that President Donald Ramotar was swarmed by mosquitoes on Sunday at State House, New Amsterdam.

Regional Executive Officer (REO) Paul Ramrattan said the project will cost the administration about $500,000 weekly. That figure, he explained, does not include wages and salaries for the fogging operators. He said the region was recently able to acquire the necessary equipment. “We bought two of the heavy-duty fogging machines earlier this year and we were given a small swing fog [machine] by the Ministry of Local Government to aid in our fight against mosquito infestation.” That, he said, will supplement what the Administration already has.

Meanwhile, Dr Mahadeo is appealing to residents not to abuse the operators while they are in the process of carrying out their duties, as this unfortunate situation has happened on several occasions.

The fogging team on Monday preparing to go to work

GRA Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur

Kaieteur News Publisher Glenn Lall

CDB provides US$2.5M grant to Haiti to pay for insurance

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) will once again ensure that Haiti has insurance coverage to limit the impact of catastrophic hurricanes and/or earthquakes.

The CDB is providing a grant of US$2.57 million to cover Haiti’s premium to the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) for the period June 1, 2014 to May 31, 2015, the

Bank said in a statement. The decision to provide the grant was taken at the 263rd meeting of the Board of Directors of CDB, which was held in Barbados on October 16.

“On behalf of the Haitian Government and Haitian people I thank CDB for agreeing to make this payment to the CCRIF. This will ensure that the Government is covered in the event the coun-

Pullin out is big problem

De whole of Waste Indies cricket deh in problems right now since dem fellas decide to pull out from India. Is not often that cricketers does pull out from any ting so easy when dem gettin pay.

If any ting, dem does wanna stay in too long, but in de wrong tings.

Chanderpaul is de only one who does stay in fuh very long and de fans does still like he when he deh in. And now at 40 years old, Chanderpaul still deh in and de fans still don’t want he to pull out.

WICB tink Chanderpaul can’t bang de ball so dem pull he out from de One Day team. But a lotta people tink dem should put he in back, because dem other fellas don’t ever last fuh long.

Even Gayle don't last fuh long and when he in de middle some bowler does pull he out. And dem other fellas does keep goin in and comin out too fast. After all, Chanderpaul born in a fishin village, so no body understand why de WICB tink de man ain’t able.

Now it look like de ICC gon pull out from de WICB just like how de GCB pull out Sarwan from de Guyana team and can’t find no body like he to put back in.

Dem pull out a fella from Barbados and every body know whah dem Bajans like when it come to pullin out and puttin in. It musbe some body at de GCB who like whah dem Bajans like.

These days, one big man beggin another big man name Sattaur to pull out and beggin he not to ever come back in. It look like de big man had never know that it woulda get so painful wid de big Sattaur in fuh so long. Now is every day he bawlin, "Ow Sattaur".

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! And all de time Rum Jhaat was happy when Green Jah was in. But since Green Jah pull out from Rum Jhaat, it causin big problem.

try is hit by a natural disaster during the coverage period,” Haiti’s Director for CDB, Hancy Pierre-Louis said.

The fact that Haiti had no claims in the 20122013 period would have earned the country a rebate of US$1.285 million on its traditional premium. However, the Haitian Government has elected to use the value of the rebate to secure policy coverage for the additional hazard of excess rainfall.

The CDB also provided a grant of US$2.57 million to Haiti in 2013, for payment of its CCRIF premium for the period June 1, 2013 to May 31, 2014. CCRIF, the world’s first regional insurance fund, is a parametric insurance facility, owned, operated and registered in the Caribbean for Governments in the Region. It is designed to

limit the financial impact of catastrophic hurricanes and earthquakes to Caribbean Governments by quickly providing shortterm liquidity when a policy is triggered.

CCRIF was developed through funding from the Japanese Government, and was capitalised through contributions to a multidonor Trust Fund by the Government of Canada, the European Union, the World Bank, the Governments of the United Kingdom and France, the CDB and the Governments of Ireland and Bermuda, as well as through membership fees paid by participating Governments.

The CDB in August lauded the inception of CCRIF’s excess rainfall insurance package and commended the countries in the Region that have purchased policies for 2014-15.

CDB President, Dr Warren Smith

Guyana averts blacklisting by FATF – Nandlall

From all indications, Guyana, once again, has been able to avert being placed on a blacklist by the Financial Action Task Force, largely due to the high level commitment of the Government coupled with demonstrable actions taken in the country’s attempts to comply with recommendations made to address the technical deficiencies identified in the country’s AMLCFT regime.

However, Guyana will continue to be subjected to an “Ongoing Process in Improving Compliance” to ensure that it discharges its obligations under the Action Plan which was worked out with the AARG and submitted as Guyana’s action plan, Attorney General Anil Nandlall said Thursday night. He said a statement will formally be issued today to this effect and will also identify the actions which Guyana is required to take within time frames which will be specified therein.

Loopholes

Earlier in the week Guyana had committed to fixing loopholes in its antimoney laundering regime during the first day of its review by the Financial Action Task Force, International Cooperation Review Group FATF-ICRG, in Paris, France. On Monday when the review commenced Nandlall reiterated the country’s commitment to international financial legislation, and reported that an action plan was worked out between Guyana and the

Americas Regional Review Group (AARG) in which certain technical deficiencies were identified in Guyana’s AMLCFT regime and timeframes were agreed upon for these deficiencies to be rectified.

Significantly, the Attorney General highlighted that a national task force has been established, comprising very high ranking members of Government and important stakeholders/agencies of state, and that the national task force is currently reviewing a five-year plan for Guyana’s AMLCFT regime.

“I also highlighted the technical and strategic ongoing assistance which the Government of Guyana continues to receive from the local diplomatic community including the embassy of the United States, the British and Canadian High Commissions, and the European delegation,” the Attorney General said. Minister Nandlall handed over a Letter of Commitment from President Donald

Ramotar to President of the FATF, Roger Wilkins AO, pledging Guyana’s commitment to ensure that the country implements an AMLCFT regime that meets the requisite international standard. Guyana’s’ case will continue to be reviewed over the next two days of the plenary session of the meeting, and at the end of that process, the country will know its fate.

Review

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), through the International Cooperation Review Group’s ARRG, co-chaired by Darlene Boileau (Canada) and Maria Fernanda Garcia-Yrigoyen Maurtua (Peru), had executed a targeted review of Guyana’s deficiencies with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Framework earlier this year.

Nandlall prior to leaving for Paris had said that “We have come to the position of accepting the sad reality that in term of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill of 2013, the Opposition has demonstrated that they are not interested in having the Bill passed.”

According to him, the Opposition parties will do all in their power to ensure that Guyana is blacklisted by FATF due to the non-passage of the AML/CFT Bill. While the parties at the level of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee have agreed on the AML/CFT (Amendment)

Bill of 2013 since February; the amendments to the AntiMoney Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act of 2009 remain the biggest blockage. In May, the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) referred Guyana to FATF after the country was further recognised as a jurisdiction with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies due to its noncompliance with the Action Plan developed with the regional body. CFATF had already sounded an alarm, calling on member countries to safeguard themselves from Guyana with the introduction of countermeasures to protect their financial systems from the ongoing money laundering and terrorist financing risks.

But despite the prevailing challenges, Nandlall said Government is doing everything that is possible to enable compliance with Guyana’s treaty obligation with regard to non-legislative requirements.

In the absence of the required legislation, the Government has moved to establish the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU). SOCU, when it becomes operational, will be investigating suspected cases of money laundering and terrorism plots, in close collaboration with the FIU. SOCU will be led by Lieutenant Colonel Sydney James. Just days ago, the Guyana Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Kingdom for SOCU’s officers to be trained and monitored by the latter.

Male nurse killed on Kitty Seawall

Amale nurse attached to the Dr Balwant Singh Hospital was on Thursday stabbed during an altercation with another man at the Kitty Seawall, mere hours after the annual Diwali motorcade had passed.

According to information from the Guyana Police Force, James Peter, a 31-year-old of Camp Street,

Georgetown, died while receiving medical treatment at the hospital where he worked. The circumstances surrounding the stabbing are still unknown to the Police and hospital officials were tight-lipped when contacted for information on the young nurse.

He apparently received two stabs to the shoulder and another in the vicinity

of his neck, which may have been the fatal stab. Guyana Times understands that Peter is an Indian national but has been employed at the medical institution for some time.

The incident occurred around 23:30h a while after the extremely large Diwali crowd dispersed. The Kitty Seawall is notorious for criminal activities that oc-

cur there, with robberies, shootings and stabbings being frequent features.

Only recently, officials had instituted a ban on part of the seawall preventing persons from being there after certain hours; however, persons ignore this ban and are there almost any day of the week, ignoring the dangers to which they may expose themselves.

Guyana acquires Chikungunya testing kits

Guyana has moved closer towards being able to test for Chikungunya with the purchase of 20 enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits by the National Public Health Reference Laboratory.

Laboratory Director, Dr Nadira Ramcharran, told the Government Information Agency (GINA), that this is only a portion of the kits ordered.

The lab is still awaiting a second batch of these kits along with a batch of dengue Igm ELISA kits. She noted that the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that both tests should be carried out on individuals who are suspected of suffering from Chikungunya as the symptoms are very similar in both diseases. By doing this, any possibility of the patient suffering from dengue will be ruled out.

In addition to the procurement of these kits, the lab is also conducting verification on the samples taken from individuals to ensure that the equipment is working correctly before

opening its service to the public.

Quality control samples are expected in the upcoming week from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Trinidad and Tobago.

ELISA is a popular format of “wet-lab” type analytic biochemistry assay that uses a solid-phase enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to detect the presence of a substance, usually an antigen, in a liquid sample or wet sample. The Igm kits allow direct identification of current infections.

The Chikungunya virus is transmitted to people by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. The most common symptoms of Chikungunya are fever and joint pain with other symptoms likely to be headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash. Outbreaks have occurred in countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Indian and Pacific Oceans. In late 2013, Chikungunya was found for the first time in the Americas on islands in the Caribbean. It first showed up in Guyana in May in East Canje, Berbice.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall

Scenes from the annual Guyana Hindu

A home illuminated for the Festival of Lights

Second-place float in the commercial category, newcomer Beepats under the Nestlé Brand Maggi

A side-on view of the Edward B Beharry float

Another float bedecked with lights

A father and his daughter enjoying the concert at the LBI Ground

President Donald Ramotar delivering remarks at the LBI Community Centre Ground

One section of the crowd after the motorcade concluded at LBI

Another section of the crowd at the LBI ground Another dance performance A mesmerising dance performance

Hindu Dharmic Sabha motorcade 2014

The journey to the LBI Ground

Dancers having a grand time on one of the floats

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds posing with motorcade participants

Rodney CoI

Chairman slams 'propagandist' Basil Williams

The Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry (CoI) was on Wednesday thrown into a frenzy when the lawyer representing the interest of the People’s National Congress (PNC), Basil Williams, accused Commissioner Seenath Jairam of always attacking the political party.

Williams was at the time carrying out the cross-examination of Crime Chief Leslie James at the Inquiry probing the death of Dr Walter Rodney, being held at the Supreme Court Library building.

The Crime Chief was answering questions on the role of Donald Rodney and the Guyana Police Force in the 1980 explosion which claimed the life of Dr Walter Rodney.

The PNC lawyer was seeking to find out from James his thoughts on Donald Rodney’s immediate “getaway” from the scene of the incident. And whether he thought that it was an actual attempt by the injured man to get away from the Police.

The Crime Chief said he could not say, maintaining that he could not reason what was going through the mind of Donald Rodney. At that point Chairman Cheltenham interjected, saying, “He has already answered that question, Mr Williams.” Williams was visibly upset with that interjection, and declared that the PNC has always been short-changed at the Inquiry.

“How fair would it be for the PNC and their representatives in the Commission of Inquiry that Donald Rodney’s lawyer could ask questions about Donald Rodney and the PNC cannot ask?” Williams questioned. It was this question which prompted Commissioner Jairam to ask Williams if the PNC has any intention of bringing any witnesses before the Commission.

In response, Williams blasted: “You are trying to impair the PNC – every time in this Commission. You are attacking the PNC in this Commission. You have attacked functionaries on the PNC during that period. So I don’t have to bring

witnesses. We have to get to the truth of the testimony of witnesses.”

Chairman Cheltenham was at that ti,e forced to signal a five-minute adjournment after Williams accused Commissioner Jairam of always attacking the PNC with his comments.

Williams blurted that the Commission has also always been targeting him, primarily because he is representing the PNC, the party implicated as the mastermind behind the June 13, 1980 explosion.

Chairman Cheltenham once again upbraided the Attorney, calling his accusation propagandistic. After the break, Williams said he was giving the Commission notice to make a submission on the Standing Orders of the Commission.

He noted that he had been in possession of the Standing Orders provided by the PNC, but was “trying to give it a chance, but would like to make a submission on the partiality and impartiality of the Commission”.

Lusignan man killed in hit-and-run accident

Awelder/fabricator was killed in a hit-and-run accident along the Lusignan Public Road on Wednesday evening. The driver of the motor car was subsequently apprehended and handed over to the Police.

The dead man has been identified as Deonarine Singh also called Paul Singh, 50, of Lot 164 Lusignan, East Coast Demerara. The father of three was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Guyana Times was informed that the man was about to attempt to cross the Lusignan Public Road when he was struck by a car, causing him to be tossed through the air before landing on the roadway. Based on reports received, the driver of the motor car was overtaking another car and veered into Singh who was standing on the side of the road.

As a result of the impact, the man’s head was smashed while his arms and legs were broken.

then taken to the Lyken Funeral Home to await a post-mortem examination.

The driver of the hit-and-run car, who is suspected to be in his late 20s, was on his way to the Annual Diwali Motorcade when the accident occurred. He is assisting with the investigation.

Tragic

Man shot during Eccles robbery

Abusinessman was on Wednesday shot several times during yet another Eccles, East Bank Demerara robbery/shooting.

According to reports, SanCarlos Sukhu who was in a vehicle with Ha San Wong, was shot to his right ankle and shoulder after a gunman approached the stationary vehicle at the stoplight with a handgun and demanded cash.

Guyana Times understands that the businessman proceeded to hand over the valuables, but apparently, the gunman was dissatisfied with what he was given and fired several shots in the general direction of the car. Two of the bullets struck the Kara Kara resident, while Wong escaped uninjured. The Police have said

Covent

that they are investigating the incident and treating it as a robbery. Sukhu was admitted to the hospital where he is receiving treatment for the injuries he sustained. It is expected that the Police would be reviewing surveillance footage from nearby Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) cameras as was done in a recent shooting earlier this year. Local fashion designer Trevor Rose was executed in late January when a lone gunman opened fire on the car he was in while in the vicinity of the traffic lights at Eccles, East Bank Demerara. During the shooting, Troy Nieuinkirk, 30, a taxi driver, and the mother of Rose’s two-yearold son, Latoya Towler, 29, were also injured.

Garden man killed by taxi

A54-year-old Covent Garden, East Bank Demerara man died on Thursday morning after being struck down by a motor car attached to a popular taxi service in his village.

when the accident happened.

As a concerned citizen who resides in the area, he decided to apprehend the driver and took another side street and waited for the vehicle as it exited. Upon intercepting the car, he took the driver back to the scene and it was at this point that he realised that the injured man was his bother.

His brother, he noted, was badly injured to his head and body. He was picked up by the Police and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, but he died on his way there. His body was

His brother, Monahar Singh, who witnessed the accident, said he was at his mother’s house when he saw the two cars racing down the road and then heard a crashing sound. He said as he looked out, he saw a man lying on the road while the car’s driver attempted to escape in his vehicle through a nearby street.

The ill mother of the deceased did not know of her son’s death until Thursday morning when she was informed by her neighbours. On the night of the accident, the elderly woman, who was in a state of shock, told the Guyana Times that she was in her bed when she heard people traversing the area and talking loudly.

As she got up, she was told that there was an accident, but her neighbours did not tell her then that her son was involved owing to her ill health. It was only on Thursday morning she learnt that her son was dead.

On a further tragic note, Thursday marked nine years since another son, Chatterpaul Singh, 37, was killed in a similar manner at the same spot.

The welder/fabricator leaves to mourn his wife and three children who reside in the British Virgin Islands, his mother, and three siblings.

The Guyana Times understands that Dindyal Persaud was about to cross the road on Wednesday evening when he was hit by the vehicle. The accident took place a few corners from Persaud’s residence. According to the man’s family, he was returning home

His mother explained that she got the call informing her of the accident around 06:00h on Thursday. She said that by the time she rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, her son was in a bad state. She related that shortly after, the 54-year-old succumbed to his injuries.

Guyana Times understands that the driver of the car is in Police custody assisting with the investigation.

Faceless body floats up at Onverwagt

Police are investigating the circumstances which led to the death of a West Coast Berbice (WCB) farmer.

The body of 41-year-old Joseph Semple was removed from a canal in the backlands of Onverwagt Village, WCB, on Wednesday afternoon. At the time of the discovery, all the flesh of his face, tongue, eyeballs, and ears were missing. It is believed that piranhas may have attacked him.

The discovery was made by a group of boys who had gone to the canal to swim. Guyana Times was shown pictures of the dead man who also had his throat eaten.

Semple was last seen about 14:00h on Wednesday, an hour before the discovery was made. He had earlier in the day been imbibing and had left to go to his home which is about one mile into the backlands.

Semple who lived on the far side of the canal is believed to have crossed the canal on his way home and

fallen. “I believe that he possibly hit his head on one of the tree roots and when he fall the water and the blood cause the ‘Perai’ to attack him,” a close relative said on the scene. According to the relative when Semple’s body was seen, only his face was in the water and it was not until the body was turned over that the damage was seen.

The canal has no bridges. This publication was informed that Semple would walk or swim across the canal daily to get to and from home. Immediate family members could not be contacted, because there was no bridge to cross the canal to get to their home. This publication understands that several families are living on the other side of the canal all engaged in farming activity. Semple was a small cattle farmer.

Police are awaiting a post-mortem on the body which is expected to be conducted shortly. Currently, the incident is not being deemed a homicide.

The mother of the dead man talking with the Guyana Times

Duty free scam:

Remigrant businessman says Glenn Lall clutching at straws

Remigrant businessman Kamal Mangal has flayed the Kaieteur News for misrepresenting facts from an interview he granted the newspaper, accusing its Publisher, Glenn Lall, of clutching at straws as he tries to stave off prosecution over his embarrassing tax fraud scandal.

The newspaper on Thursday carried an article headlined: “Remigrant who imported Mercedes Benz SUV says…‘I don’t know I have to live in Guyana’ in which it stated that Mangal, the uncle of Attorney General Anil Nandlall, who became a remigrant almost two years ago, was unaware that he had to be living in Guyana to qualify as a remigrant. The newspaper however admitted that Mangal denied that he did anything wrong when he used the Attorney General’s home address to apply for remigrant status which allowed him to import a high-end Mercedes Benz SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) and other personal items.

Same trick Lall had tried the same trick when he accused several of the country’s US-based diplomats of also cheating the system to import luxury vehicles. But this was debunked by the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

“I write out of deep concern for the hardworking diplomats in Guyana’s Foreign Service, regarding an article appearing on page 16 of the Kaieteur News of October 9, captioned “Govt orders probe into dutyfree concessions… Reports fingers top GRA officials in fraud scheme,” Director General Elizabeth Harper said.

Among other things, the article states: “Another case that is under the spotlight involves a number of SUVs brought in by a Guyanese diplomat posted to the US. He brought the vehicles, reportedly, applying for it as an in-

vestor. However, the vehicles were sold.”

Harper said none of the diplomats who are posted from Guyana to the United States of America “has imported to Guyana SUV vehicles. They just cannot do so while they are serving abroad”.

Harper noted that a phone call to the Foreign Affairs Ministry by Kaieteur News would have set the record straight. “That omission and subsequent publication of the misleading information have caused undue discomfort to our hardworking diplomats.

I request an apology on their behalf,” Harper said.

Lall, his wife Bhena Lall, and two friends have been charged with multiple counts of tax evasion.

Malicious, wicked Mangal said his attention was drawn to the KN article.

“The fact that this non-story made the front page and that my relationship with the Attorney General and the Minister of Legal Affairs was highlighted should clearly demonstrate to the intelligent reader that there is more in the mortar than in the pestle.

The truth is: the owner of the Kaieteur News has been implicated in a remigrant dutyfree scandal and he has been charged along with others with several criminal offences, and now he is obviously using his newspaper to drag innocent people into a scandal along with him.”

According to Mangal, the impression conveyed by the article is that “I am implicated in some scandal or wrongdoing by importing a motor vehicle as a remigrant from the United States of America.”

Mangal explained that it was also obvious that Lall wanted to drag the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister into the tax cheat scandal as well. “I want to make it very clear that the Attorney General and

Minister of Legal Affairs had and has absolutely nothing to do with the importation of my vehicle. Kaieteur News’ attempt to connect him to this transaction is simply malicious and wicked.”

Mangal said he migrated to the US 30 years ago. From 2002 to 2011, he said, he began travelling regularly to Guyana acquiring properties and engaging in business. According to him, in 2012, he made a decision to remigrate to Guyana. “I applied for and was granted a duty-free concession to import the motor vehicle in question which I had owned at the time in the USA. There was nothing unusual, irregular or illegal about my application. Significantly, I have complied with every condition imposed by the GRA including making the vehicle available to them at stipulated intervals."

Abuse of press freedom

He said at the time he made the application he was staying at the home of Nandlall, a relative, because his house a few blocks away was under construction. “I don’t consider anything unusual, irregular or illegal about that.”

He also denied telling the Kaieteur News reporter that he did not know that he had “to be living in Guyana to be a remigrant”. “I told the reporter that I lived in Guyana at the above address, but that I travel frequently to the United States, because I have business in Maryland. I saw in the article that it is mentioned that I own properties in Florida and my family lives in Florida. I never said these things to the reporter. They must be a figment of the reporter’s imagination. The owner of Kaieteur News must stop using his press as a tool to settle personal scores and malign the character of people. This is not freedom of the press. It is an abuse of it,” Mangal asserted.

4 held for engineer’s murder ... Police seize guns, ammo

Police have arrested four men in connection with the murder of Abdool Saleem, an Electrical Engineer, who was gunned down in his Prashad Nagar yard on Sunday.

In a statement on Thursday, Police said during investigations into the murder of Saleem, ranks arrested a suspect in Sophia on Wednesday. Further investigations led to the arrest of three other men in Sophia. Two unlicensed .32 pistols with a total of 21 rounds were found. The four men are assisting with the investigations.

Saleem, 24, of Lot 33 Delphi Street, Prashad Nagar and formerly of Lot 32 Arberdeen Village, Essequibo Coast, was killed when ban-

dits invaded his residence at 04:00h on Sunday. According to information received, the young man lived alone and it was while he was attempting to open his gate, he was confronted by three men on bicycles. Guyana Times was

Barack Obama extends Diwali greetings to people across the world

US President Barack Obama greeted Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists across the world on the occasion of Diwali, saying it was a chance to remember that even in the midst of darkness, light will ultimately prevail.

“I want to wish a Happy Diwali to all those who are celebrating the festival of lights here in the United States and around the world,” Obama said in his Diwali message yesterday.

In 2009, Obama became the first US president to celebrate the festival, a time of rejoicing for many in the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and across the world.

“For Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists, lighting the lamp – the diya – is a chance to remember, even in the midst of darkness, that light will ultimately prevail. Knowledge will defeat ignorance, and compassion will triumph over despair,” he said.

“Diwali is also a reminder that we must each do our part to achieve that victory, by dedicating ourselves to service to others. If we affirm our commitments to one another and strive to lift each other up, then together, we will continue moving closer to that brighter future we all seek,” he said.

America is a great and diverse nation, strength-

ened by the contributions of its entire people, he said, adding, he was proud to host the first Diwali celebration at the White House in 2009.

“Since then, we’ve continued to mark this holiday to honour the rich traditions that define the American family. And I know Michelle and I will never forget the wonderful time we had celebrating Diwali in Mumbai with food, dancing, and the company of friends,” Obama said.

“So, to all the families gathering together this Diwali to reflect on all the blessings of the past year, I wish you a joyous celebration and Saal Mubarak,” said the US President.

This year Secretary of State John Kerry would host the annual Diwali celebration of the Obama Administration. It would be held at the historic Benjamin Franklin Room of the Department of

State. Kerry will be joined on stage by the Indian Ambassador to the United States S Jaishankar, the State Department said yesterday. Following their remarks, Kerry and Jaishankar will light a traditional Diwali oil lamp.

A local Hindu priest from the Sri Siva Vishnu temple will preside over the ceremonial lighting and will drape Kerry with a traditional shawl.

In his remarks Kerry will celebrate the important contributions Indian and South-Asian Americans have made to the United States, and highlight the State Department’s commitment to human dignity, compassion, and service – a commitment that is at the heart of all great faiths, a media release said. (Excerpt from The Indian Express)

told that the men demanded that Saleem hand over his valuables, but instead, he put up a fight. It was during the scuffle, he was shot to the abdomen. He then ran some distance and hid behind a minibus, but the men reportedly followed him and pumped at least three more bullets into his body.

Upon hearing the gunshots, persons in the neighbourhood rushed to his rescue and summoned the Police. Saleem was picked up, placed in an ambulance and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The three men reportedly managed to relieve him of his mobile phone, his wallet and the jewellery he was wearing at the time.

US President Barack Obama

Abdool Saleem

FriDAY, october 24, 2014 | guYAnAtimesgY.com

Fires devastate East Coast, West Bank families

The Diwali celebrations turned tragic for three families as a fire devastated their Lusignan, East Coast Demerara residences Thursday evening, leaving them homeless, while another building went up in flames at Canal Number Two Polder, West Bank Demerara.

Speaking with this publication was Domattie Ramrattan, called Aunty Golin, owner of the house where the fire began. She said she and her grandchildren were outside and the children were spinning steel wool (in celebration of Diwali when her tenant who lived in the lower flat noticed smoke upon entering her apartment.

“Bodo! Bodo! There is smoke!” the woman shouted

The buildings, situated at 127 Lusignan North, were completely destroyed. When Guyana Times visited the scene on Thursday evening, fire-fighters were going through the rubble, while others were still trying to keep the rising smoke at bay.

to her son, Aunty Golin said. When they ran to the upper flat, she noted, smoke was emanating from the back of the house. In tears, she said: “We could not get anything. We ran in, but had to run out back. Everything destroyed.”

She noted that although the family was lighting diyas, none were lit in the house, so she could not say how the fire began.

Ramrattan, who could not estimate her losses, said she was clueless, as to their next move. Her family, how-

Canadian PM pledges tougher laws after attack

Canada’s Prime Minister, Stephen Harper has said he will speed up plans to bolster laws on “surveillance and arrest” after a deadly attack on Parliament in Ottawa which he said was designed to instil fear and panic.

Parliament reopened on Thursday, a day after a gunman, identified as Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, was shot dead after storming into its main building shortly after killing Nathan Cirillo, a soldier guarding the nearby national war memorial.

ever, was making preparations to stay at the home of her grandson’s friend. The family of four who

occupied the lower flat of the house are reportedly seeking refuge at another residence. They also lost everything in

the massive blaze. The three occupants of the other home destroyed by the fire have already left the area, this publication was told.

Meanwhile, Guyana Times was informed of another fire which began around 08:00h on Thursday evening in Canal Number Two Polder, West Bank Demerara. Information about the incident was sketchy, but this publication was informed that a two-storey building was completely destroyed. More details in Saturday’s edition.

ALBA promises to assist the region in Ebola prevention

The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) says it will look after, as a priority, “the special needs of our sister countries in the Caribbean that would allow them to benefit from the cooperation for preventing and confronting Ebola that are agreed to by the ALBA-TCP countries”.

the Caribbean, on the basis of accumulated experience. The group of nations will also create a cadre of professionals from different specialties to train healthcare workers in the areas of bio safety, including the use of personal protective equipment to be used for suspected or confirmed cases of Ebola, care of haemorrhagic diseases and critical patients, that might become facilitators and advisors in their respective countries.

Gonsalves told the summit that SVG, the OECS and Caricom have been taking measure to prepare should Ebola arrive in the region.

“But the truth is this – we are very unprepared for this disaster, this crisis, this spread of Ebola,” Gonsalves said Monday while at the summit.

Gonsalves noted that St. Vincent and the Grenadines is an archipelago with airports on five islands, seven seaports, and 12 points of entry for yachts. The Prime Minister also told the summit that because SVG is an archipelagic state, which historically has a good maritime sector, it means there is a lot of traffic between the islands. “So, it’s a phenomenal challenge,” he said, and expressed gratitude to Havana for accepting SVG’s request to help with training the relevant professionals.

Harper opened his speech to MPs by stating: “I know we will always stand together.”

“The objective of these attacks was to instil fear and panic in our country. Canadians will not be intimidated. We will be vigilant, but we will not run scared. We will be prudent, but we will not panic.”

Harper pledged to speed up a plan already under way to bolster Police powers in the areas of “surveillance, detention and arrest”.

Canadian Police on

Parliament opened with applause for the sergeant who shot Zehaf-Bibeau, and a moment’s silence for the dead soldier.

Thursday said Zehaf-Bibeau was working alone, contrary to statements on Wednesday that officers were looking for “one or more people” even after the gunman was shot dead. Police offered no motive for the attack.

The mother of the attacker meanwhile said she was crying for the victims of the shooting, not her son.

“Can you ever explain something like this?’’ Susan Bibeau said in an interview with the Associated Press.

“We are sorry.’’

“If I’m crying it’s for the people. Not for my son.” (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

The declaration came at the ALBA summit on Ebola in Cuba this week, where Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Dr Ralph Gonsalves told the ALBA Extraordinary Summit, called to deal with the Ebola epidemic, that St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) like the sub-regional Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the larger Caricom bloc is unprepared for the Ebola virus, which has claimed more than 4,500 lives in West Africa, and has now reached the United States.

Among other things, the ALBA countries agreed to coordinate their efforts to prevent and deal with the Ebola epidemic, including rapidly providing and using assistance among member countries, with healthcare workers and relevant supplies and materials.

They also agreed to contribute to the training of health care workers specialized in the prevention and control of Ebola in the ALBA-TCP countries and

Gonsalves told the summit that he believes that Cuba is the only Caribbean nation that is prepared for the possible arrival of the virus. Cuba on Wednesday, dispatched 91 doctors and nurses to Liberia and Guinea and has 256 medical workers to Sierra Leone to help combat the Ebola virus. Havana has put 461 doctors and nurses into specialist training for a six-month mission to the affected countries.

Cuba has so far dispatched the largest number of medical professionals to help fight the virus.

Gonsalves said that amidst the Ebola crisis, Washington and Geneva must be mindful that “one size can’t fit all” and must devise special, concrete arrangements for small states that are archipelagos. He said what is being done in Cuba is a tremendous signal to the world that ALBA is providing leadership, and that Cuba and Venezuela are in the vanguard of the fight against Ebola and want to work together to try to keep the region Ebola free, while helping in countries affected by the virus.

Gonsalves said he wanted to put on record his support and that of his government “for the intimation of Fidel in his recent article for the US and Cuba to work together on this matter, among other countries in the world”. (CMC)

Police sealed the area around Parliament after the shooting. The mother of the attacker meanwhile said she was crying for the victims of the shooting, not her son (AP)

All that remains of the homes destroyed by the fire which left three families homeless

Homeowner Domattie Ramrattan speaks to Guyana Times after the fire

The cat is out of the bag! After weeks of suspense on social media – Facebook, Twitter and Instgram – Golden Boy Entertainment has finally disclosed that the final act for the mega concert in November titled “Boom Bastic” is no other that the man who does not want anyone to know “you and he ah touch”.

Kranium will be sharing the stage with one of his mentors, Shaggy ,along with his colleagues, Baby Cham, Lady O and Christopher Martin. The highly anticipated show will also feature, Guyanese Lil Million, Jory Hector and others.

Kranium, like other reggae/ dancehall artistes, whose claim to fame has brought struggles, the artiste was tried fervently to make a major impact in not only the United States market where he resided, but also in

the Caribbean. Due to these difficulties, many left their place of abode in the tri-state area (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut) of the United States and returned to Jamaica to build their career in the music industry within the Caribbean.

The young artiste is among the batch that has enjoyed some level of success in the New York area. His song, “Nobody Has to Know”, is not only a hit on ethnic radio stations in New York City but on the influential Hot 97 FM.

The artiste recently stated that living in New York was not easy since it was impossible to get a reggae hit out the United States but he has managed to do so.

Produced by PLMR Productions, “Nobody Has to Know” has opened new doors for the 23-year-old, whose real

In recent months, Kranium has stepped up his game, working with top dancehall producers including Tony Kelly, Zinc Fence, TJ Records and Cash Flow.

His latest single “Lifestyle”, produced by Frequent Flyers Records was released this week. He is also completing an EP, Voice of the City. Born in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Kranium moved to Florida in 2005 but relocated to New York one year later.

His career began with a series of appearances in the tristate area which helped create a buzz for him, especially in the

Big Apple. It was not long before Kranium began opening shows for Gyptian, Serani, I-Octane and Tarrus Riley.

Tickets for the Boom Bastic concert have been released and are available at Ashmin’s Trading, High Street; White Castle Fish Shop, Kitty and Hadfield Street branches; Full Range Record Bar, Regent Street; Nigel’s Supermarket, Robb Street; Dave’s Sports

The Mister Guyana international pageant has shifted into another gear with at least one of the contenders pulling out of the competition for reasons unknown. Trevon Fenty no longer has his eyes fixed on the coveted title.

The competition is underway and the remaining 10 delegates participated in a gruelling physical fitness challenge against domestic violence which was held on Sunday last. From sources, it is believed that Kevin Smith might have pipped the others in that aspect.

The competition continues this evening with the swimwear competition and runway challenge titled

“I Am A Man” which will be held at the Duke Lodge poolside. Those who would like to be part of the audience to witness nine muscular men parade in swimwear can pick up their tickets at a cost of $2500.

The competition continues on Monday, October 27 with the intelligent segment which will be done behind closed doors at the Pegasus Hotel.

Then on Wednesday, October 29, the delegates will showcase their talents in the form of dance, poetry and possible vocals.

At the penultimate day of the grand coronation, the 10 amazing young men will participate in a promotional

Grove,

M&M Snackette, Harbour Bridge; Smart Kid Pharmacy, Diamond, EBD, and several other locations. Regular tickets cost $3000 while VIP tickets cost $16,000 and are only available at Kings Jewellery World, Quamina Street and the Golden Boy office, Lamaha Street, Georgetown.

motorcade on Saturday, November 1. The contenders will be a part of a walk-a-ton against substance abuse and date rape.

Then there is the grand finale on Sunday, November 2 where the scores from the preliminary competitions will be added to the scores from the night which will be used to crown the inaugural Mr Guyana International. There will also be four other titles to be awarded on the night.

The contenders vying for the title are Alexander Fiedtkou, Stowell Betham, Paul Charles, Kurt Walcott, Kevin Bhagrat, Colwyn Abrams, Christon Pollard, Kevin Smith, Raphael October and Ryan Washington.

name is Kemar Donaldson.

Bar,

East Bank Demerara (EBD); Anil’s Cellphone Store, Anna Regina;

Alexander Fiedtkou

Kevin Bhagrat

Kevin Smith

Raphael October Ryan Washington

Colwyn Abrams

Christon Pollard

Kurt Walcott

Stowell Betham

Paul Charles

Former Miss Guyana Universe and Miss Guyana World, Ruqayyah Boyer wings out of the United States of America for Japan to prepare for the 54th Miss International Beauty Pageant which will be held from October 29 to November 11, in Tokyo.

Considered the third largest and most popular pageant in the world and run by the Japanese, the Miss International pageant will be the first of the “Big 4” pageants (Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss Earth) to be held this year.

undergo training as a team and she was a part of the Gouldian Camp which focused on hair and makeup, catwalk, evening and swimwear presentation, interviews, wardrobe styling, Japanese etiquette and culture.

In an interview with Guyana Times Entertainment, the former beauty queen noted that in the world of pageantry a representative can only do so much but what is even more essential is the country’s support be visible.

“It’s a collective effort and I have through my experiences been able to garner much needed support, wisdom and the love of those who believe in my journey”.

Eighty-nine contestants from around the world have confirmed their participation in this prestigious quest but it will represented.

In terms of her expectations in the pageant, she said “I will be bringing my A game and given that I have now gained experience from both Miss World and the Miss Universe pageant, I am somewhat familiar, better equipped and more prepared for what is to come”.

Boyer, who recently underwent training in the Philippines, said that it is the first time she received intense training for an international contest of such stature and she believes that the training will greatly impact her presentation and projections on stage.

She recalled that they had to

Nevertheless, she feels prepared as says she has worked and trained hard to make it this far and is looking forward to returning home with that glorious

At the pageant, Boyer will be pre judged overall but the segment that will be focused on are evening wear, talent, swimwear, international forum

On pageant night she will be wearing evening gowns designed by Leo Almodal, a Filipino designer, while her national costume was put together by Guyanese designer, Michelle Cole of ColeFacts. The costume is dubbed ‘Goddess of the lost city of Eldorado’. Her swimwear was designed by another Guyanese designer, Roger

The flight attendant is currently the United continues to be an advocate against domestic

Meanwhile, as former Miss Guyana Universe, 2012, she advised the nine delegates vying for the title on Sunday evening to follow their ‘gut’ feeling and be confident.

“In my experience it’s never the smartest, prettiest or most seasoned person who wins but she that is best prepared and exudes confidence. See the crown before you wear it, eat it,

breathe it, dream it and practice the laws of attraction, whatever you put in that’s what you’ll get out... there are no losers, such post is a state of mind so think positive and best wishes to this year’s batch”.

The Miss International beauty pageant is Boyer’s third major international contest. She personally thanked her Director who also manages the reigning Ms World Guyana, Ms Natasha Martindale and all the sponsors and persons who invested in this endeavour.

To follow her journey info

@ Miss International Guyana facebook page.... Ruqayyah Boyer fb page or my website www. ruqayyahboyer.com

Halloween will be celebrated on October 31 in the United States of America but Guyanese children will have an opportunity to experience the thrills behind such an event. With the most horrifying costumes and creepy tales, the Roraima Duke Lodge will be transformed into a Halloween village this Saturday.

The organisers are calling

all fairies, princesses, pirates, witches and monsters to be a part of the event called “Children Halloween Carnival”. Brave hearted children will have the opportunity to enjoy the ‘Haunted House’ effect in the fun filled atmosphere. They can also get their faces painted complements of Bravo Arts or visit the Gypsy Junction. Apart from all the thrills, snacks on Halloween

themes will be provided to those in attendance. In addition, various cartoon characters such as Barnie, Mickey, Mouse, Sponge Bob and others will be on location to take that perfect photo in your fabulous outfits.

Tickets for the children cost $500 which gives them an opportunity to win great

prizes in the children’s raffle. On the other hand, adults tickets cost $1000 and they can win one of two fantastic door prizes.

First is a trip to Arrow Point Resort and the other is a trip to Kaieteur Falls. The fun starts at 14:00h but make sure to be early and steal the spotlight.

Carlsberg alcoholic beverage was recently launched in grand style at the 704 Sports Bar by Southland International Inc, with several promotions that will be held throughout the country.

is expected to stay on the market and compete with other brands such as Stag, Banks, Heineken among others.

At the launch, the beverage was labelled the official drink for the VIP section of Golden Boy Entertainment’s “Boom Bastic” Concert billed for November 29 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara, featuring the best in dancehall and reggae music.

The beverage which is retailed at $360 each will also be available at leading supermarkets and bars throughout the country. With a great taste, the beverage

Carlsberg is the flagship beer brand in Carlsberg Group’s portfolio of more than 500 beer and beverage brands ranging from alcoholic and non-alcoholic products including Moussy and SOMERSBY Apple Cider which have been on the Guyanese market for the past year.

Headquartered in Copenhagen Denmark, Carlsberg breweries operates over 100 breweries around the world with more than 165 years of brewing expertise making them the fourth largest brewery in the world behind Anhueser Busch,

SABMiller and Heineken. A refreshing lager beer with a clean, crisp taste, satisfying depth of flavour and a rich, golden colour with an alcohol by volume (abv) of five per cent packaged in 250ml modern attractive bottles, Carlsberg beer is now available in Guyana through an exclusive franchise distributor relationship with Southland International Inc.

Consumers who are eager to try this quality brew can now find it major supermarkets, gas stations and outlets countrywide or visit our office at 23 Brickdam, Stabroek, Georgetown (ground floor of the Buddy’s Building).

Guyana Open set for November 1-2

– preparations on stream, says Mohamad

By Rajiv Bisnauth

Preparations for Guyana’s premier golf tournament, the Guyana Open, billed for November 1 and 2, at the country’s lone golf course at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, are moving apace, according to Club President, David Mohamad.

The Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) is hoping to attract 90-100 golfers from Guyana, North America and the Caribbean for its premier golf tournament.

Giving an update to this publication regarding plans for the event, Mohamad, said preparations are moving apace with some overseas competitors already here getting acclimatised.

Mohamad revealed that golfers from the United States of America and Canada are already in the country, while several others from the two countries are expected in the coming days.

“We are also expecting

Roraima

Ocompetitors from Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname and French Guiana,” Mohamad said.

The LGC head said the organisers are anticipating a large turnout of competitors on the nine-hole course, with heated rivalry in the First Flight (0-9 handicap), Second Flight (10-18), Third Flight (19-28) and single Ladies Flight.

“We want to give every-

body a level playing field, so this year we have made a slight change with the overall champion in the men’s division will be judge come from the Best Gross, while on the distaff side the winner will come from the Best Net,” Mohamad disclosed.

Defending champions

When the competition gets underway, Arvinda Kishore dethroned his more illustrious brother Avinash Persaud in the male category.

However, there was no

Bikers

rganised by Roraima Bikers Club, the 17th annual Troy Humphrey Memorial Cycle programme, will be staged on Saturday around the inner circuit of the National Park beginning at 09:30h.

The eight-race programme is being staged in memory of a former lead-

such changing of the guard in the ladies segment as defending champion Christine Sukhram successfully defended her title to engrave her name on the trophy for the seventh time.

Playing off a five handicap, Kishore ended the tournament with a total gross 151 and a 141 net to hold off Patrick Persaud, who finished with a aggregate gross of 153 and a net 137 playing off an eight handicap, while 2012 winner Avinash Persaud closed with a total 153 gross and a 147 net from a three handicap to occupy the third spot.

In the Ladies Division, Sukhram topped the field in both the total gross and net aggregates after registering 151 and 136 respectively to relegate long time rival Joann Deo to the runner-up position, while Shaunella Webster finished third.

Deo ended with a gross of 194 and a net of 150, while Webster closed on a 210 gross and a 144 net.

GNRA begins preparations for 150th anniversary

The Guyana National Rifle Association (GNRA) has started preparations for its 150th anniversary in 2017 and several international teams are expected to participate in a tournament to coincide with the sesquicentennial celebrations.

Secretary of the GNRA, Ryan Sampson, said that invitations have been sent to shooting clubs in Canada, United Kingdom and Australia. He indicated that several English clubs have already signalled their interest in competing.

Sampson, who is also Secretary of the West Indies Fullbore Shooting Council (WIFSC), also disclosed that the 2015 Regional Fullbore shooting tournament, slated for Trinidad and Tobago has been cancelled due to the Trinidadians’ inability to host the event.

The focus will now be on the West Indies sending a strong team to the Palma World Long Range Shooting championships in the United States next year. According to Sampson, a decision was made at the WIFSC Statutory Meeting in Jamaica earlier this year for the Trinidad Rifle Association (TRA) to host the event next year.

Sampson has since dispatched letter to regional associations to updating them of the situation. Below is the content of the letter.

“The West Indies Fullbore Shooting Council at its last statutory meeting in Jamaica in May 2014,

had agreed that Trinidad and Tobago will host the WI Regional Championship in 2015. They were given until the end of August to decide if they will be accepting the offer. The alternate country was announced as Antigua and Barbuda.

We were informed by the TRA in late September that they definitely cannot host the WI Regional championship in 2015. This would give Antigua and Barbuda a very small window of time to start preparing, which would have been at their disadvantage to organise a well-run meet.

We had also looked at the possibility of sending a WI Team to the World Long Range Championships and Palma Match scheduled for Camp Perry in Ohio, USA in August 2015. The possible Team Members were announced at the presentation ceremony in Jamaica. The Palma plans have developed positively over the months.

The Captain of the WI Palma Team, Major John

Nelson, is making plans which are becoming successful.

A large number of the team members have made themselves available for the Palma Match. The WI Council had decided in 2007 in Guyana, that in the year that the Palma Match is held, if there is a WI representative team, there will be no WI Regional Championship. In light of this new development, of TRA being unable to host, it has prompted the WIFBSC to make a definite decision to send a Team to the Palma Match. With this new position, the Regional Championship for 2015 was cancelled. This will allow full attendance of our shooters, as leave and financial limitations can affect the participation of the best possible WI Team at the Palma Match.

I wish to therefore, regrettably inform all West Indies Fullbore Shooting Council affiliates, that the WI Regional Championships will not be held in 2015.”

Guyanese shooters named in the West Indies Palma squad are Mahendra Persaud, who is the Vice Captain, Lennox Braithwaite, Ransford Goodluck, Dylan Fields and Sigmund Douglas. Guyana will also be looking to send additional shooters to participate in the World Long Range Individual Competition. Training will intensify for the local shooters at 800, 900 and 1000 yards ranges from January next year.

to stage 17th annual Troy Humphrey Memorial race

ing cyclist whose life was snuffed out following an accident in 1996, when his motorcycle collided with a motor vehicle on Carifesta Avenue.

All eight races are for the various categories of cyclists and will carry cash prizes, with the feature event being for categories

one to three cyclists and will be over 30 laps, with the winner taking home $30,000, while the other top five finishers will receive $20,000, $10,000, $8000, $6000 and $5000 respectively.

Category Four and junior riders will contest a 15lap race and the top four

finishers will receive cash prizes.

Juvenile cyclists will compete for five laps and the top three finishers will also receive cash prizes as will the veterans Under-50 years and veterans Over-50 years. Both veteran races will be over five laps.

There will also be a five-

lap race for mountain bikers and an eight-lap `win and out’ novelty event for all cyclists desirous of competing.

Marlon "Fishy" Williams won the feature event last year along with nine of the prime prizes to underline his dominance of the event.

The programme is being held in honour of former National cyclist Troy Humphrey who died tragically in a vehicle accident and has been remembered by the Roraima Bikers Club which was founded by his father George Humphrey, an ardent cycle fan and administrator.

Ryan Sampson

Christine Sukhram

David Mohamad

Arvinda Kishore

Matthews half century unable to save Windies women

Murray reaches quarterfinal of Valencia Open

An impressive unbeaten half century from teenager Hayley Matthews and a destructive three wicket haul from spinner Anisa Mohammed could not prevent West Indies Women from a six run loss to Cricket Australia Women’s X1 in a T20 match Canberra on Wednesday.

Mohammed snapped up three wickets for 19 runs to unsettle the top order and restrict the homeside to 128 for five in their 20 overs at Manuka Oval.

16 year old Mathews, in her debut year for West Indies, batted throughout the innings to be unbeaten on 62 as the visitors got to 122 for four before the overs ran out.

Allrounder Ellyse Perry who opened the batting was the star of the Australian innings with a top score of 62 retired out.

She teamed up with Delissa Kimmince in a solid opening partnership that

produced 58 runs.

Perry, who faced 52 balls, hit ten fours but did not receive adequate batting support as Mohammed ran through the top order shattering the stumps of opener Kimmince for 11, and removing Jess Cameron and Nicola Carey cheaply.

Matthews, who made her T20 International debut for West Indies against New Zealand a month ago, opened the batting with a commanding display but was running out of partners as the visitors slid to 68 for four.

She occupied the crease for 79 minutes facing 52

balls smashing six fours and two sixes in the process but despite her best efforts was unable to lift the run rate before the overs expired.

Captain Merissa Aguilleira was not out on 15.

The defeat was the second for West Indies women who suffered a nine wicket loss to Cricket Australia Women’s X1 in the first game on Tuesday.

West Indies Women and Australia women will play four T20 internationals and four One-Day International matches starting November 2nd. (CMC)

SCOREBOARD

Cricket Australia Women’s XI

D Kimmince c Selman b Mohammed 11

E Perry* retired out 62

J Cameron c Kycia A Knight b Mohammed 7

R Dick not out 26

E Inglis run out (Selman/ Aguilleira) 5

N Carey c Campbelle b Mohammed 3

G Harris not out 8

Total: 128/5 (20 Overs)

Extras: (w 4, nb 2) 6

Did not Bat: J Barsby, B Mooney+, A Reakes, M Schutt, K Sutherland. Fall of Wickets: 1-58 (Kimmince), 2-94 (Cameron), 3-103 (Perry), 4-110 (Inglis), 5-118 (Carey).

Bowling: S Connell 4-0-22-0, T Smartt 4-0-33-0, S Munroe

3-0-23-0, A Mohammed 4-0-19-3, H Matthews 3-021-0, D Dottin 2-0-10-0.

West Indies Women (Target; 129)

Kycia A Knight c Inglis b Harris 11 H Matthews not out 62

B Cooper c Mooney b Reakes 9 D Dottin c Inglis b Sutherland 1 S Campbelle c †Mooney b Reakes 6

M Aguilleira*+ not out 15

Total: 122/4 (20 Overs)

Extras (b 4, lb 1, w 12, nb 1) 18

Did not Bat: A Mohammed, S Connell, T Smartt, S Munroe, S Selman, S Taylor. Fall of Wickets: 1-24 (Kycia A Knight), 2-50 (Cooper), 3-51 (Dottin), 4-68 (Campbelle).

Cricket Australia Women’s Bowling: M Schutt 3-0-130, G Harris 3-0-18-1, E Perry 3-0-29-0, K Sutherland 3-019-1, A Reakes 3-0-6-2, J Barsby 2-0-12-0, N Carey 2-013-0, D Kimmince 1-0-7-0.

Flintoff to join Brisbane Heat for Big Bash T20

Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has joined Brisbane Heat for the Australian Big Bash T20. Flintoff, 36, returned to professional cricket after almost five years in retirement in July, helping Lancashire to the final of the T20 Blast.

The Ashes winner and former Test captain will join up with Brisbane Heat , who are coached by ex-Lancashire team-mate Stuart Law, in December.

“I’m excited to be coming back to Australia and Brisbane,” Flintoff said.

“Stuart (Law) and I have had a few

conversations and I’m clear on what we’re looking to achieve in the competition.

“The Heat squad has some exciting talent and I’m looking forward to catching up with Dan Vettori again.”

England international Eoin Morgan and former England batsman Kevin Pietersen have already joined other Big Bash teams. Morgan will play for Sydney Thunder while Pietersen has signed for Melbourne Stars.

Though Flintoff was limited to only two regular-season T20 Blast games by injury, he returned for the final against Birmingham Bears.

He took the important wicket of Ian Bell with his first delivery and hit two sixes off eight balls en route to a quickfire 20, but his side lost by four runs.

“I’ve told Fred we signed him to win games of cricket, so that means we want him bowling 140km/h (90mph), hitting sixes and using his experience around the group to get the job done,’’ Law said.

“He’s a wonderful person and we’re looking forward to having Fred and his family with us at the Heat over the summer.”

Since announcing his retirement in 2009, Flintoff has been involved in broadcasting and made a documentary about his one-fight professional boxing career - a points win over American Richard Dawson. (BBC Sport)

Andy Murray moved into the quarter-finals of the Valencia Open with a convincing 6-2 6-4 win over Italy’s Fabio Fognini.

The win is a boost to Briton Murray’s bid to qualify for the season-ending World Tour Finals in London.

Murray dispatched Fognini in 72 minutes, exacting revenge for a crucial defeat by the world number 19 in this year’s Davis Cup

quarter-final.

The Scot will next face South Africa’s Kevin Anderson for a semi-final place.

Murray was in control from the start against Fognini, breaking the Italian twice in the early exchanges to race into a 4-0 lead.

He closed out the first set comfortably, and though the second was more even, a break in the fifth game proved decisive, with

Fognini unable to make any impression on the Murray serve.

World number 10 Murray could meet Spain’s David Ferrer - one of his main rivals in the Race to London - in the semi-finals, in what could be a crucial match for both men’s prospects of reaching the World Tour Finals.

Top seed Ferrer, who has won in Valencia on three occasions, booked his place in the last eight with a comfortable 6-3 6-2 win over compatriot Fernando Verdasco, and will next face Brazil’s Thomaz Bellucci.

Murray, who triumphed in in 2009, is seeking his third title of the autumn swing, having already won in Shenzhen and Vienna.

Meanwhile, Switzerland’s Roger Federer fought back from a set down to beat Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin 3-6 6-3 6-4 and move into the third round of the Swiss Indoors in Basel.

(BBC Sport)

Ronaldo talks rivalry with messi ahead of clash with Barcelona

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo says he is more focused on victory than outshining Lionel Messi in Saturday’s El Clasico against Barcelona.

Ronaldo has netted a La Liga record 15 goals in seven matches this season, while Messi could break the all-time league scoring record at the Bernabeu.

However, the world footballer of the year downplayed any individual rivalry.

“I am not going to play against Messi, I am going to playing against Barcelona,” Ronaldo, 29, said.

Real’s Gareth Bale will miss the match with a thigh injury, but Spain defender Sergio Ramos will be fit after missing Wednesday’s 3-0 Champions League win over Liverpool with a calf injury.

Barcelona played in the Champions League the night before Real Madrid, beating Ajax 3-1 at the Camp Nou on Tuesday, and

Ronaldo says it is unfair that Luis Enrique’s side have been allowed an extra day to recover.

“I don’t understand why they put the match on Saturday,” Ronaldo said.

“It is a difficult match

Argentine forward Messi, 27, will equal Telmo Zarra’s league total of 251 goals if he scores at the Bernabeu, a record that has stood for almost 60 seasons.

Former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez could make his Barcelona debut after serving a four-month ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, and Messi feels the Uruguay striker could give coach Enrique an extra attacking option in the first El Clasico of the season.

“We are excited for Luis to play because he will add his strength to the team,” Messi said.

“I’m happy for him be-

and all footballers know that an extra day’s rest is significant. Cup matches aren’t so important. However, I don’t want to make excuses because the team are fine and confident.”

cause he has spent a long time off the pitch.”

Barcelona lead La Liga with 22 points after eight games, and will go seven points clear of Real Madrid if they win at the Bernabeu on Saturday. (BBC Sport)

Hayley Matthews

Andrew Flintoff

Andy Murray

Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo

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Williams' semifinal hopes still alive with crushing win

The win keeps alive Williams's hopes of reaching the semi-finals and ends Bouchard's campaign in Singapore.

However, the American will be eliminated if Ana Ivanovic beats Simona Halep in straight sets on Friday.

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Halep beat Williams 6-0 6-2 on Tuesday and becomes the first player to qualify for the semi-finals.

Bouchard, who had lost her first two matches in the Red Group, recovered from 0-40 down in the opening game of the match to hold serve.

But it proved to be a false dawn for the world number five as a dominant Williams reeled off six straight games to take the first set.

Williams continued to overpower Bouchard in the second set and wrapped up victory in less than an hour.

"Yesterday was tough but I really had to put that behind me," Williams said. "My coach really helped me.

"He told me 'You're still in the tournament', even though I felt like I was out of the tournament."

Meanwhile, in the White Group, Caroline Wozniacki moved closer to securing her place in the semi-finals with a 7-5 6-3 victory over Agnieszka Radwanska.

The Dane recovered from 3-0 down to snatch the opening set, and then clinched the match in the second with a run of four straight games.

"I just kept fighting for every point," said Wozniacki, who beat Maria Sharapova in her opening match.

"I've been pleased with the way I've been running a lot of balls down and taking advantage of the important points."

In the other match in that group, Petra Kvitova beat Maria Sharapova 6-3 6-2 to leave the Russian's chances of qualifying for the semi-finals hanging by a thread.

It was the Czech's first success against Sharapova in their last six meetings.

"Everything I did today was really good," Wimbledon champion Kvitova said. "I'm glad that I beat her and I have still a chance to go to the semi-final."

The result means Williams is all but certain to finish the year as world number one, with current number two Sharapova now needing an improbable sequence of results to overtake her. (BBC Sport)

Everton stays unbeaten with draw

Everton’s Europa League ambitions remain on course after battling their way to a deserved draw in Lille.

Cheered on by more than 6,000 travelling fans, Roberto Martinez’s men produced a well-organised and increasingly lively display against their French hosts.

Lille bossed the opening 45 minutes but Everton sprung into life after Romelu Lukaku’s introduction from the bench.

Aiden McGeady missed the best chance but Everton will be happy with a point.

Toffee’s boss Martinez had warned his players that unlike the Premier league, with its pace and power, European games were more about tactics, “where strategy is important”.

And the manager was right as the two sides started cagily and it remained so throughout, with the contest only opening up in the closing minutes.

Although it was not, for the most part, a wonderful spectacle, Martinez and his players will have few complaints about a result that

puts them on course for qualification to the knockout stages.

Halfway through the group stage, and following an eye-catching 4-1 win over Wolsburg and a draw with Russian side FK Krasnodar, the Toffees top their pool with five points.

Martinez will have been pleased with the solidity his team displayed at the back in Lille, especially as the boss made six changes from the side that beat Aston Villa in the Premier League at the weekend.

Among those brought in were experienced centre half Sylvain Distin and midfielder Ross Barkley, the 20-yearold making his first start in Europe and his second successive appearance since recovering from a knee injury.

The England man provided some decent moments, despite playing much of the game with a bandage around his head following a nasty cut above his eye in the early stages.

There was little to get excited about in an opening 45 minutes where Everton’s only effort on goal was McGeady’s

tame shot from distance. Their French opponents were brighter but fared only marginally better in front of goal and they almost went ahead when striker Idrissa Gueye’s shot from the edge of the area shaved the post.

Divock Origi, the 19-yearold signed by Liverpool in the summer and immediately loaned back to Lille, showed he has plenty of potential and came close with a curling effort from the edge of the box.

Lukaku’s appearance as a 65th-minute substitute - replacing Steven Pienaar - coincided with the Toffee’s best spell, the striker sliding in McGeady with his first touch but keeper Vincent Enyeama - who played for Nigeria at the World Cup in Brazil, and kept 21 clean sheets for Lille last season - made a fine save.

Tony Hibbert, who has not scored in his last 323 appearances, had a shot blocked late on as the visitors finished the stronger of the sides.

The teams meet again at Goodison Park on 6 November, a game Everton go into a point ahead of nearest rivals Wolfsburg. (BBC Sport)

l aND FOr Sale

Serena Williams

Action between Everton and Lille

– Johnson, Permaul to join squad National cricketers resume training today

B y R ajiv B isnauth

The national senior cricketers will resume training today after a two-day break with the aim of working on their skills and sustaining their fitness ahead of the inaugural Professional Cricket League’s (PCL), Regional four-day tournament which is set to commence on November 14.

Ten of the retained players along with players, who were identified for the “Pay for Play” option and West Indies star batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, ended the first phase of preparations on Tuesday when they broke camp for the Diwali holiday.

Prior to the break, the cricketers underwent a rigorous two-day fitness training programme.

Head Coach Esaun Crandon was elated after observing the attitude of the players during the first phase, which he felt raised the fitness standard of the cricketers.

“The players’ attitude

towards such an intense period of physical training was exceptional and very professional,” Crandon told Guyana Times Sport

However, he indicated that during this phase of preparation the coaching staff will work on the technical areas of the players. This phase will run until January.

The cricketers will also be involved in two practice matches as part of their preparations. The first four-day practice match commences on October 27-30 while the second is scheduled for November 4-7.

Assad Fudadin and Devendra Bishoo (West Indies A team duty), Barbadian Raymond Reifer, Leon Johnson and Veerasammy Permaul were absent from the first phase of preparation.

However, both Johnson, who returned from India after the West Indies aborted the tour, due to financial remuneration and Permaul, who was absent

due to personal reason, are expected to join the squad.

Reifer is expected to join the squad by month-end.

The Regional four-day will be played on a home and away basis over 10 rounds from November 14 to March 23, 2015.

The league format tournament will commence with three matches in the opening round from November 14 to 17 in Jamaica, Trinidad and Guyana. Each round will consist of three matches.

Each team will play 10 matches, five at home and five away.

The WICB Professional Cricket League comprises the Regional four-day tournament and the NAGICO Super50 Tournament which will be played in January 2015.

Guyana Jaguars will

play their first three games at home, Leeward Islands Franchise from November 14-17, Windward Islands Volcanoes from November 21-24 and Barbados Franchise from November 28. All three matches will be played at the National

Stadium.

The retained players are: Veerasammy Permaul, Christopher Barnwell, Anthony Bramble, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Ronsford Beaton, Narsingh Deonarine, Trevon Griffith, Leon Johnson, Assad Fudadin and Devendra Bishoo. The five the drafted players are: Keon Joseph, Rajendra Chandrika, Paul Wintz, Vishaul Singh and Raymod Reifer.

Other players eligible for selection under “Pay for Play” are: Zaheer Mohamed, Raun Johnson, Anthony Adams, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Amir Khan, Shimron Hetmyer, Steven Jacobs, Kemo Paul, Kevon Boodie, Gudakesh Motie, Ricardo Adams, Jason Sinclair, Kemol Savory, Jonathan Foo, Royston Crandon, Raj Nanan, Kandasammy Surujnarine, and Rajiv Ivan.

WICB contracted player Shivnarine Chanderpaul is an automatic pick to the squad.

caribs rugby tournament set for sunday

The Yamaha Caribs will host the 22nd edition of their one day rugby seven’s tournament on Sunday at the National Park rugby field.

The Caribs has produced some of Guyana’s top players such as Claudius Butts, Theodore Henry, Alton Aguard, Egon Nicolson and Richard Staglon to name a few as the tournament is a highly anticipated event on the rugby calendar.

Teams with the most points will win the tournament, however, if two or more teams are tied, the winner of the tournament will be decided by the match secretary using the Seven-A-Side rules as trophies and medals will be up grabs with the winning teams.

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is the defending male champions of the

BCCDA/CBIS cricket extravaganza on Saturday at Albion

All roads lead to the Albion Sports Complex on Saturday for the annual Berbice Chambers of Commerce and Development Association CBIS softball tournament.

Chief Coordinator, Imran Saccoor, said the tournament, will be played under the theme ‘Building and Developing Unity Among Corporate Partners’.

The tournament in its fifth year will bring together players from Corporate Guyana with the intention of building bridges and friendships among workers.

It has been a success over the years and for the first time the final will be played under international quality floodlights.

The cricket final will be played under lights and this will be followed by the much anticipated T20 match between West Berbice and Chamber Eleven. According to organisers the feature T20 game will see a number of top players in Berbice participating.

The fixture for the softball segment is as follows: Nand Persaud Karibee Rice

Supermarket v Banks DIH from 12.30h. All teams are reminded to be at the ground by 08.45h for the march past before the event kicks off. Many gate prizes will be up for grab

Warner Park catches CPL prize

The St Kitts and Nevis cricket ground, Warner Park, has been voted the best pitch and outfield during the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and has been awarded a US$10,000 prize.

The award was judged by a team comprised of CPL Pitch and Field Consultant, Kent Crafton; International Director of Cricket, Tom Moody; Chief Operating Officer, Pete Russell and Cricket Operations Director, Michael Hall.

The panel was impressed with the overall improvement of the pitches across the Caribbean but had to pay special homage to Warner Park’s grounds and caretakers. Kent Crafton commented, “When the CPL schedule was finalised, we knew that Warner Park was always going to be a challenge with it hosting nine tournament matches in 12 days. The schedule included three double headers, as well as a celebrity match. We all agreed that the pitch square and outfield were turned out in excellent condition and stood up well to the demands which were made on it. Just under 2700 runs were scored in the nine games at an average of just under 300 runs per game and Stedroy Douglas and his team are being rewarded for their efforts.”

CPL Cricket Operations Director, Michael Hall, said; “The season stats for the Limacol CPL 2014 confirm that the pitches were better prepared this year – and a great deal of credit must go to Kent who provided excellent guidance to the each of the curators and their staff

at all the match venues. The average runs per game was 143, up from 131. The average team strike rate was 127, up from 116, and significantly, there were four centuries and 34 fifties, up from zero and 14 last year, respectively.”

Also commenting, SportMinister, St Kitts and Nevis, Glenn Phillip said: “I would like to thank Mr Thorn Phillip from the Royal St Kitts Golf Club and Mr Corey Chapman for their support in making the outfield what it was for the CPL. To all those who worked behind the scenes, we thank you for making the CPL in St Kitts and Nevis such a resounding success.” Head Groundsman at Warner Park, Stedroy Douglas, added; “We put in the hard work and are reaping the rewards. The guys really deserve this award and I am very happy for them and also very proud that St. Kitts and Nevis is being recognised.”

The Limacol Caribbean Premier League is a franchise-based T20 format cricket tournament that combines two of the most compelling aspects of Caribbean life – dramatic cricket and a vibrant Carnival atmosphere. The CPL, billed as “the Biggest Party in Sport” features six teams competing throughout the region – Jamaica Tallawahs, Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel, Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, St Lucia Zouks, Antigua Hawksbills. The Barbados Tridents are the defending champions from 2014.

Esaun Crandon

Leon Johnson

Raymond Reifer

Veerasammy Permaul

tournament and will be aiming to retain the title while the female Pepsi Hornets will hope to come out on top of the female tournament.

Meanwhile with the recent play of the Caribs and the University of Guyana Wolves, the GDF might have a tough time retaining their title.

Proposed teams will be Yamaha Caribs, GDF, Hornets; UG and Police while for the women are Caribs and Hornets. Action is set to start from 12:00h.

Yamaha Caribs, the winners of the seven’s league held earlier this month

v Dharmic Sabha from 09.30h. Hand In Hand Insurance v The New Building Society from

Imran Saccoor

South Ruimveldt Primary dominates at Inter-School sports

– Glasgow impressive in under-12 100m

South Ruimveldt Primary School won the District 13/ South Zone Inter-School

Sports comfortably on Tuesday when the event was held at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ground, Base Camp Ayanganna, Georgetown.

South Ruimveldt amassed 258 points to win the Primary School title for the third consecutive year while St Pius Primary School took second with 214 points and Enterprise Primary School third with 201 points.

A number of toddlers showcased their talent but none looking more

impressive than Tyreese Glasgow who sprinted away with the boy’s under-12 100 metres.

Glasgow displayed good speed for his age and might be a possible candidate for a national gold medal.

While there were a few other outstanding performances such as Yesesnia Andrews in the girl’s under-12 100 metres or John harry in the boy’s under-8 150 metres, Glasgow was definitely the pick of the day.

The Inter-School Championships will continue on October 29 with the Secondary Schools taking the track.

Second leg of IGG starts today

Neil Kumar

The opening ceremony will take place at the Ismay van Wilgen Sporthal at 16:00h today, followed by the Guyana female volleyball team taking on French Guiana an hour later before male volleyball team battles the hosts at 19:00h.

On Saturday, cycling will pedal off the action with the male and female Team Time Trials from 08:00h.

Chess will be played at 10:00h at the Stardust Hotel, simultaneously with table tennis and badminton at the Table Tennis Centre, Zinniastraat and the Chinese Sporthal respectively.

Volleyball rivalry will continue at the Ismay van Wilgen Sporthal from 17:00h, also on Saturday.

On the final day, Sunday, the male and female cycling road race will be held along with the finals of chess, table tennis, badminton and volleyball.

Kumar confident Director of Sport Neil Kumar, a key figure in the planning and organising of the IGG, said he is looking forward to a successful Games, as all systems have been put in place to ensure such.

Kumar wished the athletes from the three nations well, even as he highlight-

ed that the Guyanese have been training hard over the past weeks with the aim of repeating the success of the first leg.

Hosts Guyana had won track and field, placed runner-up in basketball and third in swimming.

The aim of the games is to create possibilities for youths to come together and compete in different sport disciplines, focusing on better sport results and better understanding of each other’s culture.

The closing ceremony will follow at 20:00h at the Ismay van Wilgen Sporthal.

The Guyanese will return home on Monday.

Team composition

The Male cyclists are Kravitz Jeffrey, Akeem Arthur, Alonzo Ambrose and Shaquille Agard, while the females are Ronella Samuels and Toshawnna Doris.

The Badminton players are Narayan Ramdhani, Priyanna Ramdhani, Jonathon Mangra and Ambika Ramraj.

Chess will be represented by regional national junior champion Haifeng Su, Roberto Neto, Jessica Clementson and Sheriffa Ali, while the table-tennis players are Elishaba Johnson, Kyle Edghill, Priscilla Greaves and Selenas Jackman.

The Female Volleyball players are Tamala Onica Felix, Vashti Pooran, Rafaella Richardson, Kelshine Griffith, Tenisha Cort, Melisa Marks, Lisa Marks, Akeila Brown, Padmini Nankoo, Dian Mandokin and Cassie Junor, while the Males are Devendra Latchman, Samuel Anthony Fraser, Madan Kumar Budhram, Yoganand Dhoray, Steven Anthony Veerapen, Muaaz Inshan, Rolwyn Heywood, Roy Mangrau, Rick Daniel Ritchie,Klondyke Rodney, Joshua Jagmohan, Ravi Rampartab and Xavier Lambert.

Tyreese Glasgow sprints away with the under-12 100 metres (Marceano Narine photo)

BCB reprimands 5 players

Discarded West Indies spinner Veerasammy Permaul, national wicketkeeper/batsman

Anthony Bramble, Jason Sinclair and off-spinner Troy Mathieson along with Jonathan Foo were recently reprimanded by the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) for indiscipline behaviour during the just concluded BCB/Berbice River Bridge 50-over final.

The five players were summoned by the Discipline Committee of the BCB for a hearing recently.

From the hearing, the following penalties were applied: Permaul – one year good behaviour bond and $15,000 fine; Bramble – one year good behaviour bond and $10,000 fine; Mathieson

– one year good behaviour bond and $5000 fine, Sinclair – one year good behaviour bond and Foo – warning letter.

A release from the BCB stated that the BCB will not sit idly by and condone such behaviour from any of its cricketers irrespective of who they are.

The release further stated that the BCB has invested significantly over the 75 years of existence which was built on hard work and discipline from all and sundry.

The BCB has produced many players who represented the West Indies and has made the difference in the lives of many others and at no time, will the BCB sit idle and allow a break-

down in discipline among players.

“Cricket is a gentleman’s game and that must be the focus, being used to unite and not divide”.

The release also stated that the BCB is worried about the poor and hostile relationship that exists between the Rose Hall Town and Youth and Sports Club and Albion Community Centre.

The BCB hopes that its action would deter any player at any level from such behaviour and it is hoped that these two major clubs will stretch their hands of friendship and make peace and develop love and understanding.

Warner Park catches CPL prize

Second leg of IGG starts today

– Guyanese confident of coming out victorious

By AvenAsh RAmzAn in PARAmARiBo, suRinAme

After a tiring 12-hour drive into Paramaribo on Thursday, a confident Guyanese contingent will begin the quest for the top podium spot today when the second leg of the InterGuiana Games (IGG) commences in neighbouring Suriname.

A Guyanese group of athletes, officials and media operatives, totaling 76, arrived

in the Dutch speaking nation just about 16:00h after travelling by land and water, via buses and the Guyana/ Suriname ferry service.

The Guyanese, winners of the first leg in Guyana earlier this year, will take on their Surinamese and French Guiana counterparts over the next three days in the disciplines of Cycling, Chess, Badminton, Volleyball and Table-Tennis at various venues in the Caricom country.

– Johnson, Permaul to join squad

Jonathan Foo

Veerasammy Permaul Anthony Bramble

Members of the Guyana contingent waiting to board the ferry to Suriname on Thursday morning (Photo: Avenash Ramzan)

field at Warner Park