Guyana Time

International Women's Day 2016

54 Guyanese women honoured

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… President pledges to end “hereditary poverty”

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 2791

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

PRICE

LGE 2016

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Smooth voting for Disciplined Services – PPP says some voted without ID cards

The Race to LGE 2016

Young Pandit to focus P17 on youth development

…concerned that system’s integrity could be compromised

Centre pages

Trio arrested during marijuana P17 bust in Bartica Wakenaam Stelling to undergo P2 multimilliondollar repairs

Members of the Disciplined Forces in Guyana on Tuesday paved the way for the holding of Local Government Elections (LGE), when they cast their ballots at polling stations across the country

Cuban national Corentyne woman hacked to death found dead on EBD road by husband

Model jailed for cocaine trafficking P16

Page 9

Page 9

Deadly prison riot

Page 3

President Granger defends Ramjattan – says relief to family not a legal obligation

Wales Estate Closure

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Int'l union wants Govt to immediately halt decision

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wednesDAY, march 9, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Wales Estate closure

Int’l union wants Govt to immediately halt decision

T

he Switzerland-based International Union of Food (IUF) is threatening to take action if Government fails to halt all plans to close the Wales Sugar Estate.

The Union, of which the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) are affiliates, wrote Agriculture Minister Noel Holder in this regard.

The Union urged the Guyana Government to “immediately halt plans to close the Wales Sugar estate,” while insisting that the Government, “as a matter of urgency to enter into full and good faith negotiations with GAWU and NAACIE to find a just solution which will maintain the estate and ensure employment.”

The Union said that it was with shock and dis-

The Wales Sugar Estate

belief that it received the plans of the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s to close the estate at the end of the year, especially with the absence of a socio-economic study.

The Union said that it has been working with the two local Unions for many years to improve the living and working conditions of workers in the sugar sector.

It reminded of the dire impact the closure would have on the lives of the 1700 employed at Wales and their

families.

“Sugar has historically played an important role in Guyana. It has been a crucial source of rural employment. Workers on the estate and the families who depend on them will surely be pushed into poverty by this cruel closure,” the Union stated.

As such, it warned that it will be monitoring the situation closely and is fully prepared to take further action to assist workers in the local sugar industry to

maintain decent employing in this crucial sector.

The IUF had previously noted that it alerted its affiliates worldwide about the situation and called on them to support Guyana’s sugar workers in their time of need.

The IUF is the global trade union federation representing workers throughout the food chain. It comprises 416 affiliated unions, including GAWU and NAACIE, in 126 countries.

The Government has been under severe pressure to reverse its decision to close the Wales Sugar Estate at the end of the second crop of this year, plunging many of the workers there into a possible state of unemployment.

The Government in justifying its decision to close the factory claimed it was as a result of the estate not being financially viable and promised that no jobs will be lost.

IUF General Secretary Ron Oswald

But already, over 50 employees from Wales were sent packing.

The Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), several independent commentators, along with trade unions and rights groups, have all called on the Government to halt the closure plans and hold consultations with the workers affected.

However, those calls have fallen on deaf ears, leading to a series of protest actions involving workers as well as business owners and residents of Wales and its neighbouring communities.

Sugar workers across the country have declared their support for the workers at Wales.

The Wales Sugar Estate is one of the oldest in the country still functional but is operating at a huge loss so the relevant authorities opine it should be closed down. Plans are afoot to have these workers receive their benefits and severance pay, a source stated.

Guyana Times was told that in the phasingout process, the canes at Wales will be transported via tractor/trailers – at tremendous costs – to the Uitvlugt Factory on West Coast Demerara.

It must be noted that the distance between the two factories is great. The old fashioned method of using punts to haul canes is not applicable since the Boerasiri conservancy does not have a direct link between the two estates.

This means the only way to transport canes would be via tractor/trailer which can carry a comparatively very limited amount per trip, thus proving to be a very costly venture.

Wakenaam Stelling to undergo multimilliondollar repairs

R

esidents on the island of Wakenaam, in the Essequibo River, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) will benefit from a rehabilitated stelling this year.

This is according to Tameshwar Persaud, Clerk in Charge of the Wakenaam Ferry Stelling, who recently made this disclosure.

Persaud during an interview with Guyana Times said materials have already been procured for the rehabilitation works. He noted that the Transport and Habours Department is awaiting the requisite approval from the Public Infrastructure Ministry to commence works.

“The Ministry purchased some of the materials and

Tameshwar Persaud, Clerk in Charge of Wakenaam Ferry Stelling

rehabilitation works are expected to start very soon.

The decking and the ramp that is basically what we are going to repair,” Persaud pointed out.

He also noted that the current ferry service operates from Wakenaam to Parika twice per day on weekdays and once per day on weekends.

Persaud further explained that on Sundays, the ferry leaves Parika for Wakenaam at 17:00h, then departs the island on Monday morning and returns in the afternoon. He also said that there is no Saturday afternoon service.

Wakenaam is situated at the mouth of the Essequibo River and has an estimated population of over 3000 people.

news

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wednesDAY, march 9, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, March 9 – 05:00h-06:30h and Thursday, March 10 – 05:00h-06:30h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, March 9 – 16:50h-18:20h and Thursday, March 10 –05:00h-06:30h.

WEATHER TODAY Sunny intervals with light rain showers can be expected in the morning, while sunny weather with light cloud cover is expected in the afternoon.

Clear to partly cloudy conditions can be expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-easterly to East North-easterly between 3.57 metres and 4.91 metres per second.

High Tide: 04:47h and 17:08h reaching maximum heights of 2.88 metres and 2.94 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 10:41h and 23:02h reaching minimum heights of 0.30 metre and 0.29 metre respectively.

Saturday, March 5, 2016

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President Granger defends Ramjattan – says relief to family not a legal obligation

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

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Deadly prison riot

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resident David Granger on Tuesday lashed back at People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) General Secretary Clement Rohee, who called for the immediate dismissal of Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, insisting that he will not let go of his Minister.

Rohee had insisted that Ramjattan is to be blamed for the deadly prison riot, and as such, again called for his immediate dismissal or resignation.

“Lying at the feet of Ramjattan and indeed the Granger Administration are 17, not three dead bodies,” Rohee told a news conference on Monday referring to when a No-Confidence Motion was passed against him, following the deaths of three individuals in the Linden unrest in 2012.

He said the current Administration came to power fooling the Guyanese electorate that it was most knowledgeable and best prepared to handle public safety and security in Guyana.

On that note, Rohee said the Camp Street Prison unrest shattered the myth that the current Administration was best equipped to manage the country’s security sector.

The former Minister also used the opportunity to admit that his Administration failed to leave behind a perfect system, but he indicated that the present Government now has to pick up from where the PPP/C left off.

In comparing the track records of the two Administrations, Rohee contended that his Government never presided over a riot of such magnitude as the

President David Granger speaking to the media on Tuesday

one that recently took place which claimed the lives of 17 prisoners, and more than a dozen injured.

“The Granger Administration stands condemned. Heads must roll for this unforgiveable and unforgettable episode in the hierarchy of the security sector in general and the prison service in particular,” Rohee declared.

But the Head of State said what Rohee is calling for is nothing more than “absurd”, adding that the Minister who had been holding the same portfolio for almost a decade, did absolutely nothing to remedy the situation.

“Ramjattan is trying to clean up the mess we inherited nine months ago and the former Minister was the Minister of Home Affairs for nine years and he never did the things he is talking about now, so I don’t know how he can expect us in nine months to clean up the mess he encouraged for nine years,” the Presdient said lashing back at the previous Administration.

“All the problems discovered had existed for de-

cades… we are trying to put reforms in place to prevent a recurrence,” he noted.

No legal obligation to families

Meanwhile, President Granger also on Tuesday made it clear that the monies being offered to the families of those who lost their lives in the prison riot fire last Thursday is not an obligation of the State, but rather an act of kindness being expressed by Government.

The Head of State’s comment came at a time when family members of the 17 inmates of the Camp Street Prison who perished, are clamouring for a higher compensation package.

The families say the

$100,000 promised by Government reeks of utter disregard for human life.

Questioned by journalists on Tuesday, the President made it clear that the State has no legal obligation to provide families with any compensation in this regard. According to him, the act is one of moral obligation rather than a legal requirement.

“This is an ex gratia payment, it’s a one off payment to bring relief to Guyanese citizens. It’s not an obligation on our part but we want to make sure that children are in no way disadvantaged by what occurred... This is not a question of compensation, this is a matter of relief and we understand the tragic circumstances under which people died last week and the Government is attempting to assist the widows and the children,” the President told reporters.

Following the March 3 fiery riot at the Georgetown prison which left 17 inmates dead, Government, through the Social Protection Ministry, offered financial assistance to the relatives.

But family members have collectively refused this, contending that since the men were in the care of the State, it was the State’s responsibility to protect them.

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Editorial

Women and parity

O

n Tuesday, Guyana joined other countries across the globe to celebrate International Women’s Day under the theme “Pledge for parity. Planet 50:50 by 2030. Step it Up for Gender Equality”.

As was expected, the Government, local women’s rights lobbyist groups and international organisations heaped praises on women folk while reflecting on the tremendous challenges that are being faced in their quest for equality and parity.

Countless campaigns and special conferences were also held to discuss the current status of the ‘girl child’ with a view of creating paradigm shifts while redefining the concepts of what it means to be “female” and “feminine”.

Also, there was special emphasis this year by world leaders on the need to realise economic parity in order to truly achieve gender equality and a levelled playing field in which both sexes could realise their full potentials with the hope of being duly rewarded.

This is another step in the right direction and adds credence to the view that with more emphasis and focus, a lot more can be achieved in the fight for gender parity and equality.

Of particular importance also is the fact that the recently released Ninth Global Gender Gap Report states that it would take approximately 81 years for the attainment of gender parity in the workplace.

That report points out in great detail the horrifying fact that despite the perceived gains already made, key modern and developing countries are still not doing enough as far as crafting policies, programmes and legislation to empower, protect and guarantee the human rights of women folk.

Some of them have even seen previously won gains in the areas of health, education, employment and leadership incrementally reversed.

The tenth report which was released in Switzerland last November underscores the point that despite an additional quarter of a billion women entering the global workforce since 2006, wage inequality persists, with women only now earning what men did a decade ago.

“The global gender gap across health, education, economic opportunity and politics has closed by only four per cent in the past 10 years, with the economic gap closing by just three per cent, suggesting it will take another 118 years to close this gap completely,” it notes.

Interestingly as well, the gap has widened in 22 per cent of surveyed countries since 2006 and, while more women than men are enrolling at university in 97 countries, women make up the majority of skilled workers in only 68 countries and the majority of leaders in only four.

Interestingly, the Nordic countries still dominate the Global Gender Gap Index. Ireland is the highest placed non-Nordic country, ranking fifth. Rwanda (6th), Philippines (7th) and New Zealand (10th) are the only non-European countries in the top 10; and the United States falls eighth places to 28th.

Guyana continues to slip in this respect despite having moved from being ranked 48 out of 136 countries back in 2013 when compared to 64 of out 145 countries in 2014. The country has slipped back to 66 in 2015 as result of setbacks.

Despite this, there needs to be an end to the talk shops and workshop mentality that prevails in the country.

Sadly, those who have the political and policy power to make meaningful changes that will positively impact the lives of ordinary, and rural women in particular, continue to believe that the rolling out of one-off campaigns, holding workshops and engaging in cosmetic community meetings will result in an immediate change in the status quo and the state of the Guyanese woman.

There is an outcry by Guyanese women for the Government to do more to help single women, teenage mothers, women living with disabilities and those interested in becoming small, large and medium-scale entrepreneurs.

Simply providing them with secondary and tertiary education is not going to lift them out of the slums of poverty as many times girls and females are faced with a still strong stereotype that “labourintensive work” is not for them; hustling is not for them; there ambitions must be tempered or they will offend the males and become unattractive; unless they are dressed as sex objects then they are not modern, liberal or up to the times or even beautiful.

They need, like their male counterparts, the capital to be able to make meaningful investments in various areas and to grow wealth that could not only lead to their personal upliftment but their entire family.

Parity can only be achieved when females are allowed to be at the forefront of CoIs, male driven industries and political parties.

It can only be achieved if this nonsense about them being a “help meat” is frowned up and they are treated as an equal when it really matters.

President David Granger presenting a plaque to Region One resident Elizabeth Romanscindo on Tuesday at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre where International Women’s Day was observed. He also extended his condolences to the elderly woman whose granddaughter was tragically killed in a boat accident two weeks ago

Another case of political discrimination Dear Editor, Managing Director of the Guyana Oil Company Limited (Guyoil), Badrie Persaud, last week was unceremoniously dismissed from his position. This constitutes another act of racial and political discrimination.

As Mr Persaud mentioned in an invited comment to another section of the media, he was not even given a copy of the Auditors’ Report to comment on any charge against him; clearly, that was the fig leaf in his dismissal.

Badrie Persaud did an excellent job during the 10 years he led the company.

When he took over in 2006, Guyoil’s annual revenue was in the vicinity of $20 billion. When he was sent on leave in 2015, annual revenue was close to $50 billion – a huge increase by

any standard.

He improved the infrastructure of the company tremendously; the stations he inherited were all upgraded to modern facilities and were rated among the best in the country.

Under his leadership, new stations were built at Diamond, Palmyra and Heathburn. Moreover, the company’s wharves in the Demerara and Berbice Rivers were totally rehabilitated/strengthened to concrete structures.

Mr Persaud also diversified Guyoil into other areas of development, moving in pace with the country’s developmental process.

The company started supplying aviation fuel.

In so doing, the monopoly held by Rubis was broken, creating a more competitive market and in the pro-

cess bringing the cost of the fuel down. The result was cheaper costs for airlines.

This enabled more flights to enter and leave Guyana, since fuel is the main determining factor in the cost of travel for tourists and other travellers.

This was an important service to assist the country to develop the tourism sector. Together with the Marriott, the planned Specialty Hospital and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion project, it formed the firm foundation for more tourist arrivals.

Badrie Persaud’s management saw Guyoil growing from strength to strength. When he took over, the daily bank balance was $0.5 billion (half a billion dollars). When he left the company, it was $7 billion.

He also cleared bad debts the company had incurred and when he was forced to leave, no debts were outstanding.

His stint as Managing Director was really outstanding. He performed a great service to this nation and distinguished himself as a top-class manager.

This is how the PNC-led Government rewards success.

On the basis of his outstanding performance, he should never have been dismissed.

The motive for dismissing Badrie Persaud could only be explained by the previous actions of the Government. Clearly, it is racial and political discrimination.

Sincerely, Donald Ramotar

Council should consider re-examining Merriman Mall arrangements Dear Editor, I have observed with unease the construction on the Merriman Mall of a number of stalls between Cummings and Light Streets in the Bourda by, I am told, the Georgetown City Council.

These are to be used by food vendors for them to sell their products outdoors, which will be exposed to environmental contaminants such as dirt, insects, and pollution. This is in addition to the fact that these stalls have little access to potable water for hand or product

washing.

I wish to highlight the fact the these vendors due to the close proximity of the stalls shall be working under circumstances with the potential for cross-contamination from sources such as other food products from nearby stalls, improperly cleaned storage, and improperly used cleaning agents, sanitisers or other chemicals.

Given these conditions, this new arrangement will create the existence of significant potential for food-

borne illness due to crosscontamination, improper food handling, or environmental exposure.

I would, therefore, like to suggest that this new facility be used as a stable for ponies, donkeys and horses that certainly will feature in the petting zoo that is to be established there shortly.

These stalls seem to be wide enough for a horse to lie down in comfortably, but that would depend on the size of the horse, and allow for a manger for hay at the

front of each standing stall, so the width of this should be considered.

The metal posts seem to be sturdy and high enough so the horse won’t get its legs over the tie rope, but still would be able to reach feed and water. The stalls also seem to have enough ventilation and light.

I would, therefore, like to recommend that the Council considers this change of plans.

Sincerely, Sean Moniz

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WEDNESDAY, march 9, 2016

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Those fired should be given due process Dear Editor, Several people told me they were happy to see Khurshid Sattaur go as head of GRA and several others who were terminated because of the way they illtreated people. But Sattaur was not given due process according to law when he was terminated. The Government violated the law and those fired should seek legal address. They were replaced by APNU/ AFC supporters.

Sattaur, like several oth-

ers appointed by the PPP Government, rubbed too many people wrong, including this writer, and disrespected them. They were very arrogant as Bharrat Jagdeo stated recently costing the Party the government. Sattaur and others did not serve people with humility the way Jagan or a Vishnu Bisram would. But regardless of how Sattaur and others ill-treated people or how arrogant they were, they deserve due process, a fair fairing before termina-

tion from their job.

Government cannot fire people at will and replace them with party hawks.

I hold no brief for Sattaur or others who have been terminated. With regard to Sattaur, I never had reason for much interaction with him, but the two occasions I went to see him at his office, he was not helpful. On the latter occasion, he was outright disrespectful and as such, I should be pleased to see him fired. But I am a person of fair play and jus-

PPP reaffirms disapproval of efforts to discredit President Rousseff Dear Editor, The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) condemns the campaign launched by Brazilian State Security and its judicial sector together with sections of the media and reactionary political parties against the constitutional Government of Brazil.

The primary aim of the campaign is to criminalise and eventually overthrow the democratically-elected Government headed by President Dilma Rousseff and to discredit the Workers’ Party of Brazil – one of the more progressive and labour-oriented political parties in Brazil and on the continent of South America.

The PPP abhors the manipulation of the so-called anti-corruption campaign aimed at embarrassing and intimidating former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and diminishing

his widely recognised prestige and influence in Brazil and the world at large.

The PPP has noted the widely-held view in Brazil that the principal objective of the selective investigation is to diminish and derecognise the achievements of the transformation process, which was initiated since 2003 under President Lula and continued by President Rousseff; above all, the campaign is aimed at disqualifying Lula as a candidate for the 2018 Presidential Election in Brazil.

The PPP recalls with a sense of appreciation and pride the visit of President Lula to Guyana and the high degree of friendship and solidarity that he fostered and encouraged between our two countries.

It is in this context that the Party values highly its friendship and solidarity with the progressive and

democratic forces in Brazil.

The PPP reaffirms its disapproval of any attempt to discredit and criminalise President Rousseff and her predecessor former President Lula.

The Party is confident that just as witchhunting and seeking to criminalise and discredit leaders of the PPP/C Administration by the Granger Administration will fail and the truth will out, in the same way the attempts to discredit and criminalise Rousseff and Lula will fail and be unmasked and the working people in Guyana and Brazil will close ranks in defence of democracy, social progress and the gains they have won over the years.

Sincerely, People’s Progressive Party Freedom House

tice. He was wrongly terminated.

My visits to Sattaur’s office related to requests for granting customs waivers of small shipments of items I sent to non-profit organisations that were held up at the wharf for excessive duties. The non-profit charities were entitled to dutyfree goods. I needed Sattaur to use his influence to speed up the process because I had to return to New York and the charities needed the gifts to hand out to orphanages and senior centres caring for the disabled. On the first request, he gave a flat no, but I succeeded in obtaining the approval in a roundabout way using contacts. In the second visit, he told his secretary for us (accompanied by Vishnu Bandhu, President of Arya Samaj) to make an appointment to see him. I explained the urgency of the matter.

But Sattaur won’t budge because he does not have walk-in appointments. I agreed to make an appointment since I needed to clear the goods to distribute to the poor, disabled and less fortunate. But when Sattaur’s secretary told me the next available date was some two weeks later, I shook my head in disbelief. While we were chatting with the secretary, Sattaur walked out of his office, and he did not have the courtesy to say hello to Bandhu (whom Sattaur

knows) or myself (whom he would not have known personally but would have been familiar with my name from my extensive writings).

Bandhu had choice words to describe Sattaur. Sattaur’s behaviour, as well as that of others exposed by Jagdeo, revealed the kind of crude characters they were – arrogant – perhaps cut down to size now that they have been rendered “a nobody”

by APNU/AFC. Thus, one can understand why many people don’t have sympathy for the likes of a Sattaur.

As several people told me, Sattaur and the others behaved like they were on top of the world. People like them had/have no humility for those at the bottom of society, and it was their arrogance (that President Jagdeo condemned) that brought about the defeat of the Party and the loss of their jobs (and all the perks and privileges that come with titles). What harm would have been done in Sattaur extending a courtesy greeting or a handshake as people like myself would offer to others?

It was people like Bandhu and myself who fought for the restoration of democracy that gave Sattaur his job. But, as PPP supporters said, Sattaur was like a little king running his own fiefdom, and he couldn’t care less about the subjects he ruled as he and others

never thought they would lose power. (As an aside, Bandhu and I were able to get the charitable goods out of customs before I departed the country and distributed to the needy who were very appreciative of the handouts).

Nevertheless, Sattaur’s arrogant treatment of people (taxpayers) and the arrogant temperament of others who were in authority should not be reason to cheer their removal from office. I hold no bad blood for anyone, not even Freddie Kissoon who told so many lies on me, Ravi Dev, Baytoram Ramharack, etc.

But Sattaur and others deserve due process.

The manner in which Sattaur and others were fired is unacceptable in a democratic society. It comes across as politically motivated and worst, as ethnic victimisation. It also brings back memories to how people, perceived to be affiliated with the PPP, during the 1960s, were fired by the PNC (now APNU) regime when it was installed into office in December 1964.

During that period, historians would recall another Sattaur was also dismissed (from the security forces) and the history of what followed is well known – not good for the nation. Is this an omen of what is to come?

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

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wednesday, march 9, 2016

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By Janet Lehman

W

e all love positive reinforcement – we like to hear that we’re doing a great job, and our children do too. Parents often get pulled into the emotionality of what’s going on with our children, especially when the child’s selfesteem is shaky. But if you have a child who doesn’t feel good about himself to begin with, focusing on positive behaviour – and making sure he is held accountable when he misbehaves – is even more important.

For example, your teen comes home from her sporting event and has just been cut from the “A” team and relegated to the “B” team.

She’s so upset that she states she “can’t clean her room and do her laundry”. You feel terrible for her, but know that having a messy room full of dirty clothes isn’t going

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Foundation

to help her feel any better about the situation. Instead you gently remind her of her expectations, offer a little help getting started, leave her to the task and then let her know what a great job she’s done when the room is clean and the

complishment in an otherwise unhappy day.

Not focusing on feelings can be difficult for parents, and can initially seem overwhelming, awkward, and like we’re being callous about our children’s emotions, as if we don’t care.

But think of it this

and not be rude or mean to their siblings. In other words, feeling bad doesn’t remove us from our responsibilities.

After all, even if your car breaks d o w n on the way to work, y o u

laundry is done. It’s not going to help her get back on the team, but it’s going to give her some positive ac-

way: if you were to just focus on your child’s feelings all the time and not their behaviour, how would they learn to solve their problems in life? A change in behaviour can clear the air and keep everyone from wallowing in negative feelings.

Understand that you can listen to your child and hear what they have to say, but then you need to remind them of the behaviours you expect. They may feel awful about what their friend said about them today, but they still have to do their chores

have to deal with it, rearrange your work day, and get the car fixed and your work done. It feels bad, but you deal with it and move on.

Bad situations and real feelings

There are times when bad things happen to our children and their negative emotions are very real.

An example of this is when a child falls out with a good friend. As a parent of course you’re going to feel your child’s sadness, and the situation can be painful for

everyone. But this is also a time when it’s especially important to remember that it’s your job to help your child find some way to problem solve, learn new strategies, and employ those strategies.

When we feel sorry for our children, it’s more difficult to follow-through with consequences, but don’t let this become an excuse for them. Instead, think about the big picture – you want to keep your child’s life as consistent as possible, and help them look outside their problems and keep moving in a positive direction. Overempathising and letting them off the hook whenever they’re sad, angry or upset won’t accomplish this; in fact, it can often have the opposite effect.

Here’s a parenting truth: Sometimes our children just need to feel bad, and we need to let them feel that way without trying to “fix it”. Having a hard day doesn’t stop the world or give your child the right to treat others badly. They still need to be held accountable for their behaviour, but in the long run, this is going to help their self-esteem building. The end result is that your child will learn appropriate ways of acting when life is difficult. (Excerpt from empoweringparents.com)

continued from Tuesday

By Rebecca Wolfenden

Define the issue. Once you have decided where to focus your efforts, it helps to be specific about the issue at hand, and discuss how it affects your child.

Plan a goal. The next step is to plan your goal. What changes would you like to see happen, and over what time frame? It is important to keep in mind that a goal is not a wish; it is a commitment. Rather, a goal is a specific, measureable product of one’s actions.

Keeping with the example of a child’s dirty bedroom, a goal might be “I will keep my room clean for 30 consecutive days.

Create steps toward the goal. The final step is to describe the action your child will take to meet this goal. Again, you want these steps to be specific and measurable; you also want to ensure that they are realistic, within your child’s capabilities and time efficient. While your child might spend a whole day cleaning and organising her things occasionally, it is not realistic to expect her to clean her room all day, every day.

On the other hand, it may not be realistic to expect that her room will stay clean if she is only going to spend 10 minutes on it once a week. Again, it’s about finding a reasonable amount of time which will help her work toward her goal. One example might be, “I will spend at least 15 minutes in the morning, and at least 15 minutes before I go to bed taking care of laundry, putting away books and dishes, and emptying the trash as needed.” Part of creating action steps is also planning for potential obstacles. What might get in the way of your child accomplishing her goal?

With the bedroom example, what is the plan if your child oversleeps one morning, or comes home late, and doesn’t have time to do the daily scheduled cleaning? If the bedroom is small, or your child has too much “stuff”, you might also consider that as an obstacle to keeping it clean and organised.

If there are aspects you would like to change in your parenting, you and your child can each work on your goals together. Part of the discussion with your child can also include short-term and long-term rewards for working on the targeted issue, as a way to stay on track and keep motivated to change the behaviour.

As you are coaching your child toward his goals, or working on your own, keep in mind that it is a process and is more involved than simply deciding that things are going to be different. Changing one’s patterns of behaviour rarely comes easily, and some setbacks are to be expected.

(Excerpt from empoweringparents.com)

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WEDNesDay, march 9, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Lusignan Massacre

Appeal Court orders retrial for acquitted accused A

fter a 12-member jury panel found Mark Royden Williams and James Anthony Hyles not guilty in August 2013 for the murders of 11 persons, including five children, during the 2008 Lusignan Massacre, the Appellate Court has ruled that a retrial be held.

The Chambers of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had appeal the outcome of the sensationalised case on several grounds, including the fact that the foreman of the jury, Vernon Griffith, failed to inform the court that he was a client of one of the defence attorneys Nigel Hughes.

On Tuesday morning, the Appeal Court handed down its decision after it found that the initial trial was flawed, thus allowing the appeal and ordered a retrial in what is considered one of Guyana’s most horrific mass-murders.

The panel of Appellate Judges was led by acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh; acting Chief Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards; and Justice BS Roy. Also present in the courtroom were DPP Shalimar AliHack, Attorney Roger Yearwood who is representing Williams and Attorney Hughes who is representing Hyles.

Justice CummingsEdwards read the Court’s decision which dealt with seven grounds. The first was in relation to the minitrial that was held to vet the jurors before they were empanelled. The Appellate Court said that there is no

Mark Williams

common law or statutory provisions for this to be done, and as such, the trial Judge, Justice Navindra Singh, “erred in law” by allowing this.

The second ground dealt with the fact that the trail Judge permitted the cross examination of Police witnesses in relation to alleged improprieties by the Police without informing them they would have to substantiate it. Thirdly, the Appeal Court Judge found that the exclusion of 76 photos from the trial ought not to have happened.

The Appellate Court went on to deal with the issue of joint enterprise, agreeing with the DPP that the jury was not adequately directed on the issue of joint enterprise.

On the matter of the foreman being a client of one of the defence counsels for over a five-year span, the Justices of Appeal pointed out that this was not disclosed by either of the parties to the trial Judge at anytime during the trial.

The court is of the opinion that the foreman had the ethical and legal duty to disclose his relationship with the attorney and by not doing so, the neutral role of the juror was compromised.

Chancellor Singh added that this was a serious error of judgment on the part of Attorney Hughes when he failed to disclosed to the court that he knew the jury foreman.

In relation to the sixth ground which dealt with the fact that the trial Judge did not hold an inquiry when it was brought to his attention by the State Counsel that one of the jurors was seen showing the “thumbs up” sign to the father of the number two accused, the acting Chief Justice outlined that the Appellate Court felt that the trial judge ought to have held an injury into the complaint since it was the paramount duty of him to hold an inquiry.

James Hyles

Finally, Justice Cummings-Edwards declared on the matter of trial Judge directing the jury to determine whether the Caution Statement (CS) of the two accused was made freely and voluntarily, that the voluntariness of the Caution Statements is not an issue for the jury to determine.

After the 12-member panel led by Griffith found Hyles, known as “Sally”, and Williams, called “Smallie”, not guilty of murder on August 2, 2013, the trial Judge, Justice Singh remanded Williams to prison because of pending matters at the time, while Hyles was placed on $1.1 million bail after senior State Counsel Judith Gildharie-Mursalin had served the court notices of the intent of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to appeal the matter.

During the wee hours of Saturday, January 26, 2008, gunmen stormed into the village of Lusignan, on the East Coast of Demerara, and murdered 11 people, including five children.

Police believed that the gunmen who were armed with shotguns and AK-47s entered the village around 02:00h, and invaded the homes of five families.

Within 20 minutes, they

carried out the rampage.

Those killed were Clarence Thomas, 48; Vanessa Thomas, 12; Ron Thomas, 11; Mohandan Goordat, 32; Seegopaul Harilall, 10; Seegobin Harilall, 4; Dhanwajie Ramsingh, 52; Seecharran Rooplall, 56; Raywattie Ramsingh, 11; Shazam Mohammed, 22; and Shaleem Baksh, 52.

The mastermind of the massacre was believed to be Rondell “Fineman” Rawlins.

It was believed that Rawlins retaliated after his 19-yearold girlfriend, Tenisha Morgan, vanished on January 18, 2008 while on her way to a city hospital to deliver her baby.

Rawlins believed that his girlfriend was kidnapped by law enforcement officials in an effort to force Rawlins to turn himself in. The Joint Services have since denied this claim.

8 news

wednesDAY, march 9, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Eyew tness

Albouystown man jailed Cleaning for drug possession

A

n Albouystown, Georgetown man will spend the next three years of his life in prison after he was jailed on Tuesday for possession of narcotics.

Errol Williams pleaded guilty to the charge when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan to answer to the charge.

Williams admitted that on March 5, 2016 at Albouystown, he had in his

possession 15 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

The prosecution stated that the defendant was arrested in connection with a simple larceny matter when a search was carried out on his person.

Police Officers found leaves, seeds and stems which were later identified as cannabis in the defendant’s haversack. He was told of the offence and taken to the Ruimveldt Police Station.

When asked by Magistrate McLennan why he was in possession of the drugs, the defendant explained that the haversack did not belong to him. “I borrowed it to take clothes home.”

When asked if he would like to change his guilty plea to not guilty, the defendant refused.

He was subsequently fined $30,000, the street value of the drugs, and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.

Romeo Frank

Around 10:30h, the VC left her phone charging and went out. Upon her return, she noticed that her phone was missing and reported the matter to the Prashad Nagar Police Outpost.

The defendant was contacted by the Police and a search was carried out on his person: the phone was found in his pants crotch.

In court on Tuesday, Frank told the Magistrate that he took the phone with the intention of selling as he needed money to go to Berbice to see his mother.

The VC explained that she did not want the defen-

up...

H

Errol Williams

Berbice man jailed for larceny

A

Berbice man was on Tuesday jailed when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Faith McGusty on a simple larceny charge.

Romeo Frank, 20, pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that on March 2, 2016 at North Sophia, Georgetown, he stole one Samsung Galaxy cellphone valued $93,000, property of Samantha Allen.

The prosecution said that the Virtual Complainant (VC) and the defendant were cousins and Frank was staying at Allen’s home.

dant to go to jail, but just would like to have her phone returned.

Magistrate McGusty explained to the VC that the defendant had to face the consequences of his actions and jailed him for two months.

Minibus driver slapped with causing death charge

A

minibus driver was granted $800,000 bail on Tuesday when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan slapped with a causing death by dangerous driving charge.

Sherwin Hopkinson pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on March 5, 2016, at Aubrey Barker Public Road, he drove minibus BBB 1302 in a manner dangerous to the public thus causing the death of William Trim.

The prosecution is alleging that on the day in question, 30-year-old Hopkinson, of Lot 78 North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was attempting to overtake several vehicles when he lost control and collided with a motor car.

The impact of the collision caused the motor car to move some distance away from the point of impact and Trim to be thrown from the vehicle. He was picked up in an unconscious state and rushed to a city hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones had no objections to bail, but requested that bail be set in a substantial amount.

Magistrate McLennan granted bail and ordered that the defendant’s licence be suspended until the completion of trial.

The matter will continue on March 30.

... Burnham’s stain

amilton Green’s on his last leg...about to be booted out of City Hall where he’s held sway because of the bickering between the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and the People’s National Congress (PNC) to grant real autonomy to local government entities – the NDCs and municipalities. But he’s not going quietly into the night. He’s responded to the Rodney CoI Report with a letter so replete with inaccuracies, innuendoes and outright lies, it’s more a window into his tortured mind than a clarification of any fact.

Green was an integral part of the thug element that defined the Burnhamite regime during Rodney’s swift ascent in Guyana’s political firmament. In fact, it was he who set the bomb rolling, so to speak, when as the PNC’s representative of UG’s Council, he moved to rescind the world renowned historian’s appointment to the university’s staff in 1974. He had to’ve been acting at the behest of Burnham – a relationship he revelled in since the bloody sixties’ ethnic riots.

Your Eyewitness will merely respond to one assertion of Green’s to illustrate his sly hatchet job on Rodney to justify the great man’s assassination: “Recall, that after Rodney was expelled from the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, no less a person than the internationally respected Julius Nyerere analysis was that Rodney was frustrated in his efforts to climb the political ladder by words, but had opted for the route of violence.”

The fact of the matter is RODNEY WAS NEVER EXPELLED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA!! In 1967, after earning his PhD at the age of 24, the year before on “the History of the Upper Guinea Coast” Rodney taught briefly at the University of Dar es Salaam where he taught Issa G Shivji, later holder of the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Chair at the University. In his paper "Remembering Walter Rodney”, Shivji explained: Rodney wrote “a very militant paper about the African revolution and so on castigating the first independent regimes as petit bourgeois regimes that had hijacked the revolution. He called it the “briefcase revolution,” where the leaders went to Lancaster House, compromised, and came back with independence and this was not real independence. This paper was published in the Party [TANU] newspaper called The Nationalist. Nyerere took very strong objection to it. The next day, the newspaper carried an editorial called, “Revolutionary Hot Air””.

It was assumed that Nyerere was the writer but Shivji continued: “This idea that Rodney left Dar es Salaam because of, or just ahead of, an order to leave – I do not think it’s true. If it was true, he would have definitely told us. Don’t forget, Rodney left early and went to Jamaica.”

AND RODNEY RETURNED TO TANZANIA and TAUGHT THERE 1969-1974 while NYERERE WAS STILL RULING!!!

...Green’s slander on Rodney

Contrary to what Green would want us believe, Rodney eventually left Tanzania and returned to Guyana to make his contribution to his native land that was being transformed into a dictatorship by Burnham. As Shivji recounts: “From Jamaica he was deported. That’s where he wrote his very famous pamphlet ‘Groundings with My Brothers’. After the riots in Jamaica, he came back to Dar es Salaam. Then he left in 1974. Now, when he was about to leave, I remember specifically a personal conversation.

We were driving from the campus, and at the time he and Pat were preparing to leave for Guyana.

“I told Walter, I said, “Walter, why do you have to go?

Look, stay here. You can easily try and get your citizenship and continue the struggle. You don’t have to go back.” He said, “No, comrade. I can make my contribution here, but I will not be able ever to grasp the idiom of the people. I will not be able to connect easily.

“I have to go back to the people I know and who know me.” I heeded that. That was his position and he left. “ Only to be killed by Burnham and his henchmen.

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

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wednesday, march 9, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Corentyne woman hacked Workers strike across sugar belt to death by husband S T

he battle between the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and workers across the sugar belt continued as the planned strike action took place on Tuesday.

Workers solidified their commitment to “downing tools” to address the issues which have been affecting them.

Guyana Times understands that 70 per cent of cane cutters at Skeldon downed tools while Wales saw 60 per cent of cane workers supporting the industrial action. Additional information reaching this publication posited that at Albion, some workers performed duties while others nixed their duties. Some of the estates have not begun grinding.

Speaking with this newspaper on Tuesday evening, President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) Komal Chand said the industrial action “affects the harvesting across the industry”. He also related that this will impact upon the cane loading process which would affect the production total.

Chand related that GuySuCo is yet to engage the Union in discussions on collective bargaining for possible increases in Annual

GAWU President Komal Chand

Production Incentive [API].

“We haven’t got word from GuySuCo on addressing wage increases,” stated the GAWU President. The Union President pointed out that if GuySuCo agrees to conduct negotiations in a considerable timeframe, the strike actions will cease and operations will return to normal.

Some weeks ago, talks between the Union and the Labour department within the Social Protection Ministry were described as being in “deadlock” as no decision could be made on possible increases. The position of GuySuCo was that

while its total revenue for 2015 was $18.4 billion, its employment costs amounted to $21.6 billion. However, sugar workers are adamant that they be awarded increases dating back to their 2015 wages and have vowed to further intensify the industrial action.

Meanwhile, GuySuCo has professed that if these strike actions continue, the Corporation would have no other choice than to halt the current crop. GAWU defended its actions to engage in strikes to represent the rights of sugar workers.

The Corporation intends to discontinue the Wales Sugar Estate in early 2017 which many believe will turn Wales into a “ghost town.”

Many workers are still to make a decision whether to transfer to Uitvlugt or to receive severance packages.

Meanwhile, workers have vowed to further intensify their strike and protest actions if the decision to close Wales in not rescinded.

Government and GuySuCo confirmed the closure of the estate in January after Guyana Times published that a decision was made to close the entity. The rationale behind the closure was that this year would see Wales accounting for $1.6 billiion-$1.9 billion in losses.

Cuban national found dead on EBD road

T

he body of a male Cuban national was found on the East Bank Demerara (EBD) roadway in the wee hours of Tuesday with a wound to his neck.

According to reports, the body was discovered around 01:30h at Providence, EBD, in close proximi-

ty to MACORP. The dead man has been identified as 47-year-old Joel Perez Laffita.

No one has been arrested in connection with the Cuban national’s death.

However, Guyana Times understands that the Police are currently conducting investigations into the death

of Laffita and are checking out footage from surveillance cameras in the area in hopes of finding clues that will lead them to the perpetrators.

The body of the 47-year-old man is at the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary awaiting a postmortem examination.

hock waves were sent through the community of Number 77 Village, Corentyne, Berbice on Tuesday evening after a heated argument between a couple escalated into an irate husband hacked his wife to death in full view of their children.

Dead is Indrawattie Saumur, 39, also called “Sharda” of Number 77 Housing Scheme, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

Reports are that the now dead woman, a domestic worker, had an argument with her 30-year-old husband who is unemployed.

Neighbours told Guyana Times that they were alerted by screams and saw the woman covered in blood being chased around the yard as her husband, who repeatedly chopped her.

This newspaper was told that the woman col-

lapsed after receiving several chops and died in the yard.

According to neighbours, as the irate man chopped his wife, their helpless 13 and 17-year-old children were heard shouting at their father to stop.

This publication was also told that one of the children ran out of the yard screaming, “Daddy deh chopping Mummy and she aint moving.”

The first to arrive at the scene was Saumur’s sis-

ter Oma who said that she found her sister’s lifeless body in the yard.

She said that the Police arrived moments after and arrested the suspect.

Meanwhile, this newspaper was told that the couple had been together for some 10 years during which time the husband did not work. Neighbours said it was an abusive relationship, with the suspect constantly accusing his wife of infidelity.

Police are investigating.

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wednesdAY, march 9, 2016

News

International Women’s Day 2016

54 Guyanese women honoured … President pledges to end “hereditary poverty”

A

s Guyana joins the world in celebrating International Women’s Day on Tuesday, some 54 Guyanese women were awarded for their stellar contribution to women’s empowerment in the country.

These women were selected from the 10 Administrative Regions of the country by the Social Protection Ministry. They were honoured during a commemorative ceremony held at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, Liliendaal, on Tuesday.

Addressing the femaledominated gathering, President David Granger said in order for women to be fully empowered, the cycle of hereditary poverty, among other cultural hurdles, needed to be broken.

Granger said the cycle of poverty was the greatest source of inequality. “This is so because poor mothers tend to produce poor children and poor children tend to produce poor children too,” he stated.

According to the President, in certain parts of the country that are poverty-stricken, the average age of grandmothers is 32, which means that more young women and teenagers are becoming mothers.

“What we see is a cycle of poverty that mothers who tend to get babies ear-

The Chatterati

S

Some of the awardees with Social Cohesion Minister Amna Ally at the International Women’s Day celebration on Tuesday at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre

ly in life – at 13 and 14 – they tend to set a pattern for their own daughters to get babies earlier in life… we have to break this vicious cycle of hereditary poverty.

If there is inequality in society, the burden of poverty invariably, if not inevitably, will fall heavily on women,” he stated.

Against this backdrop, the Head of State pointed out a virtual cycle needed to be established whereby educated women, those with self-esteem and those who have developed themselves facilitate and provide the opportunities to empower others.

The President noted that in order to achieve this, there needed to be employment opportunities for young women and single mothers to earn for their families.

“We need to ensure that women can work for a living

wage so that they can grow out of poverty. We need to ensure that there are jobs to help poor women to have sustainable incomes so that they have a better opportunity to exit from poverty,” Granger stressed.

He went on to outline that education was the gateway to employment, but noted that good employment could only be achieved if there was guaranteed equal access to education. According to the Head of State, there continues to be wide disparities in society particularly between the hinterland and the coastland with regard to the delivery of education.

To this end, President Granger pointed out that his “3Bs” (buses, bicycles and boats) initiative aimed at ensuring that transportation was provided so that every child could get to school safely and comfortably.

He added that “these dis-

parities tend to exacerbate the problem of inequality … gender parity cannot be achieved in the absence of a more equal society”.

Moreover, the Head of State underscored that while Guyana has the necessary legislative framework to promote gender equality, it was necessary to enforce those regulations and conventions that the country has signed on to.

“The legal architecture cannot be faulted... We must, therefore, move from enactment of laws to enforcement of laws and change in attitude … The legislative architecture for gender equality is intact, what is not intact is the attitudinal and behavioural architecture,” the President said.

On this note, Granger urged that there be conversations on how the patriarchal cultural norm could be eliminated in Guyanese society, stating that “so many things are embedded in our culture, in our minds that legislation cannot change…

It is something that we need to confront”.

Nevertheless, the Head of State is optimistic that Guyana can achieve the goal set out in this year’s theme for International Women’s Day – “Planet 50:50 by 2030 – Step it up for Gender Equality”.

In her remarks, Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence said that while Guyana had made significant inroads, with more women assuming leadership roles, undertaking entrepreneurial endeavours and featuring in decision-making positions, there were still many more challenges out there such as male chauvinism, discriminatory practices, sexual violence, abuse, human rights violations, denial of opportunities to work and be educated, non-recognition of labour in the home, and disrespect by men.

According to the Minister, in order to achieve gender equality and end discrimination and violence, there needs to be equal participation and opportunities in all spheres of life.

“Our respective Governments must pledge to make sound investments in gender parity through concrete and measurable

atiricus is NOT a sucker-upper – but some people had snidely suggested he was. So Satiricus had promised not to discuss for a while the life and times of his two favourite politicians – who were like SURU and DURU. But these two fellows were so quotable, they were a reporter’s wet dream. Not like that infrastructure politician Satiricus discussed earlier in the week. Dull as a doormat, the fella acted as if he were Albert Speer – not realising that made his boss Adolf Hitler.

But it’s not every day in the week a politician turns against the class out of which he emerged. The ties were too strong, the connections too intimate to just tell off people you grew up with and shared all their predilections and foibles. But here it was Rum Jhaat had just fired a withering broadside against “the chattering class”. It was that apocryphal journalistic urban legend: MAN BITES DOG! “How do you not report it,” mumbled Satiricus.

The chattering class was what Rum Jhaat all his life had sought to join. They were also known as the “Chatterati” – a combination of “chatter and literati” which gave a hint as to what gave them their social cachet in setting the tone of public discourse. They were, of course, the opposite of the “hoi polloi” and have been dubbed at various times as “nattering nabobs of negativity”, “all talk and no action”, “WOFS – “waste of effing space”, etc ... by their detractors. Of which Rum Jhaat seemed to have been a member.

As Rum Jhaat complained when he was criticised about a new jail, the chattering class believe they have the answers to everything under the sun – and then some.

But this omniscience was exactly what the Jhaat had been spouting from the moment he’d founded the KFC party.

And the reason why Satiricus saw him as THE leader!

Speciality Hospital? Rum Jhaat had the answer. Firing Rodee for Linden? Rum Jhaat had the answer. Procurement Commission? Rum Jhaat had the answer. After 10 years of this, Rum Jhaat had proven he was a dyed-in-the-wool member of the chattering class.

And now he was deriding them? Saying they didnt know what they were talking about? What was going on? Surely it couldn’t be because he was in Government now and HE was responsible for all the things he’d been suggesting needed new answers?

“Nah!” thought Satiricus, “That would make Rum Jhaat a hypocrite – and THAT He never was!”’ strategies, activities and programmes that will dismantle some of the fundamental barriers that threaten our achievement of gender equality.

We must commit to a future where women are equal, where individuals’ rights are not violated because of their sexual persuasions and orientations, where remuneration is fairly structured and access to resources is free of gender bias,” she stated.

Meanwhile, Guyana Times caught up with some of the excited awardees who registered some of the concerns and the vision they have for women’s empowerment in their respective regions.

Marilyn Thomas from Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) wants to see more skills-oriented initiatives to develop uneducated young women in her Region. “We have a lot of young uneducated women in the Region, so we need some programmes in Linden for them to be involved in activities (sewing, craft-making, cooking classes, etc) that will as-

sist them,” she stated.

Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) Vice Chairman Nandranie Coonjah expressed the desire for equal rights for women in her Region. “I would like to see every woman in my Region, regardless of their status, have equal rights. They must be able to stand alongside their male folk and not be discriminated anywhere,” she remarked.

Fifteen-year-old youth leader Shoneta Tyrell from Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) wants more to be done to educate and empower women in her Region, especially since many of them face sexual harassment and are victims of human trafficking.

“You see a lot of young women being trafficked there and I feel for them; that’s why I resolved to not be like that and so this award is an empowerment symbol for me… I will use to help empower and educate other young girls in my community, I will show them that being an educated young woman means a lot,” she declared.

wednesDAY, march 9, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

11

News

Promotion of teachers

GTU to stage further picketing actions of teachers across Guyana.

There were plans to

I

Past picketing actions by the GTU in front of the TSC building

n light of the ongoing conflict between the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) and the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), there will be continued picketing until a permanent solution is found.

Despite the matter pending in court, the Union believes it is moving at a snail’s pace and urgent intervention needs to be taken by the relevant authorities.

Representing hundreds of teachers across the country, the GTU is aiming at ensuring that the welfare of these individuals is not violated and hindered from achieving maximum productivity.

The Union has been staging these picketing actions for the past months, after they had found the TSC guilty of breaching the laws in terms of the promotion of teachers.

Considering the actions of the TSC, the Union believes that this has breached the laws regarding teachers, which has caused immense inconveniences.

Speaking on behalf of the Union, General Secretary Coretta McDonald revealed that since minimum efforts are being taken in relation to the conflict, the GTU will fight for their worker’s rights.

This they hope to achieve through protest actions, which will quicken the pace of addressing the matter at hand.

However, McDonald told <<<Guyana Times>>> that a letter was sent to President David Granger on the issue. She said that in response, the President said that consultations will be done with the Education Ministry to resolve the conflict.

Following these consultations, only then the Union would be presented with information on the way forward, McDonald said.

The GTU is however

unaware of how long these consultations would take, and therefore will continue their picketing exercises until a resolution is made.

According to information from the Union, they had filed an injunction in the High Court calling for the halt of the promotion sector of public school teachers.

This injunction had applied to the TSC and also the Education Ministry’s School Board Secretariat, but according to reports, the Commission was the only party that didn’t comply.

Subsequent to the restriction, the TSC allegedly bluntly disregarded the calls and went ahead in promoting a Grade C teacher to a Grade B school and a Deputy Head Teacher to another school.

This had caused uproar within the GTU as it saw the action as being impertinent, sparking the picketing action in front of the TSC’s office.

Conversely, the TSC had refuted these allegations, saying that the appointments were not their doing. This led the GTU to file a case against TSC in the court, and the matter is currently ongoing.

Due to the pending court matter, teachers are also extensively affected since there has been a halt to the processing of application forms for promotions.

McDonald told <<<Guyana Times>>> during a recent interview that there are currently no vacancy notices going out, even though this is the period where teachers anticipated promotion forms.

The Union is calling for the Government to completely remove the Commission and replace it, since they stated there is no confidence in the body any longer.

Until this is done, the Union has stated that it will maintain its picketing actions for the rights

hold a nationwide strike to strengthen their calls, but

following a meeting with Minister of State Joseph

Harmon, this was called off.

12 NEWS

WednesDAY, march 9, 2016 | guya

LGE 20

Disciplined For Low Disciplined Services turnout in Berbice

P

Smooth voting for Disciplined Service

…concerned that system’s integrity could be

Two officers going to cast their vote

olling stations in Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) opened on time with the first person on record to cast his ballot being Officer-in-Charge of Central Police Station, Sergeant Marlon Odonoghue, while at New Amsterdam, Assistant Superintendent Gary Nurse started the process, as the Disciplined Services cast their ballots at the Local Government

The first two hours of polling were considered slow and just over 120 voters cast their ballots.

Speaking with Guyana Times, Patricia Lynch, a candidate in New Amsterdam, said that the low turnout in the area was a concern to her.

“I don’t know what would have caused the low turnout. I would think that this is military and the officers must have ad-

T

A GDF officer having his ID verified at the polling station on Tuesday

he People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP) said it is deeply concerned about the level of professionalism displayed by some members of the Disciplined Services who turned up to vote on Tuesday without their National Identification Cards.

The Party said it views the situation as very “alarming”, giving the experience of the recently concluded

General and Regional Elections and the possibility of an opportunity being created to compromise the integrity of the poll on Local Government Elections day, which is March 18, 2016.

“The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic has been informed by its Party agents overseeing the balloting for today’s (Tuesday) Disciplined Services members that a significant

number of these electors are pr ing themselves without any fo identification in order to vote Party said in statement to the m Tuesday evening.

It said early reports from stations suggest that up to h all of those who voted showe without their ID Cards. It said asked to explain, the inform given, in the case of Police members at Brickdam, was they had been “briefed” to sho without their ID Cards.

“Additionally, while it is ye sible for an elector to vote wi an ID card, on the proper adm tering of an “Oath of Identity” process is a lengthy one and is to abuse in the form of “voter m rection, delay and consequent frustration”.

The Party noted that all had happened after the Gu Elections Commission (GE expended enormous sums of ey for “Voter Education” whi far, seems to have had little im among the “Disciplined Forces “The repeat of this phenom indicates the urgent need for r in the electoral legislation to for the presentation only of a National Identification Card fo purpose of voting,” the state said.

The Party has called on GE to vigorously encourage and mote the requirement for th of the ID cards so as to allow expeditious and transparent Government Elections proce 2016.

Voting process

US observers in New Amsterdam on Tuesday

Elections (LGE).

The process was reported to have been smooth, but notably many officers who spoke with this publication said that they were not familiar with the persons who were contesting in their constituency.

In Region Six, ballots were cast at six polling stations. Two hundred and twenty-seven Police Officers and 21 soldiers were listed to cast ballots at the New Amsterdam Town Hall, while 85 prison officers were slated to vote at the New Amsterdam Prison. At the Whim Police Station, 127 Police Officers were slated to cast ballots.

Ballots were also cast at Springlands Police Station where 90 Police ranks and 10 Guyana Defence Force (GDF) soldiers were on the voters’ list. Also used as a polling station was the Fort Wellington Police Station in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) where Police Officers voted.

In New Amsterdam, the first prison officer to cast his vote was Assistant Superintendent Paul James. At that polling station, voting was slow and by the end of the day, 51 of the 85 voters listed exercised their franchise. The turnout at the New Amsterdam Town Hall summed up the day for Berbice where 126 Police Officers of the 227 listed voted and 15 of the 21 soldiers voted.

vised that ‘look, you guys have all day’,” she said, adding that there was some concern over ballots not being stamped.

Officers of the Guyana Police Force checking for their names on the list

Meanwhile, in what may out to be a historical event, mem of the Disciplined Forces in Gu on Tuesday paved the way fo holding of the long overdue Government Elections (LGE), they casted their ballots at p stations across the military lin Servicemen made their w the polls as early as 06:00h an

No hiccups in Region 2 Disci … “process was smooth” – Divisional Commander

By Indrawattie Natram

T

Polls closed: At the end of polling only 141 of the 248 ballots were cast

he atmosphere was one of calmness and tranquillity at the five polling stations in G Division (Essequibo CoastEssequibo Islands) on Tuesday, as Disciplined Forces ranks cast their votes with much optimism for the Local Government Elections (LGE).

Speaking with Guyana Times, Divisional Commander Kevin Adonis said that polls were opened at 06:00h.

He noted that there were no major hiccups and he was pleased that voting was conducted in a timely and organised manner.

The polling stations were located at Anna Regina and

G Division Commander Kevin Adonis casting his vote

Charity Police Stations, Richard Faikall Police College, Suddie; Sans Souci Police Station in Wakenaam and Leguan Police

Station.

One hundred and six officers were expected to cast their votes at the Anna Regina Police Station, 28 at Richard Faikall Police College, 10 at Charity, 3 at Sans Souci and 13 at Leguan.

The votes will be added to the rest of the ballots on March 18 when the LGE will be conducted nationwide.

Officers related that the process was quite simple and smooth.

Commander Adonis said that Sergeants from the various stations reported that the balloting exercise was successful and there were no major issues at their locations. He said that while it was a normal working day for officers,

NEWS 13

ch 9, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

E 2016

orces vote

No delays as armed forces vote in Linden

ervices – PPP says some voted without ID cards

ould be compromised

se electors are presentes without any form of in order to vote,” the statement to the media ing. rly reports from some est that up to half of who voted showed up ID Cards. It said when plain, the information case of Police Force Brickdam, was that n “briefed” to show up ID Cards. ally, while it is yet poselector to vote without n the proper adminisOath of Identity”, this engthy one and is open he form of “voter misdiand consequent voter

cording to polling agents, the process was mostly smooth. Apart from a few officers who could not find their names on their bases’ Official List of Electors (OLE), there has been an overall satisfactory turnout to an election which was last held some 22 years ago.

Over at the Guyana Defence Force, the system was easy for the officers; many of whom said they would rather cast their ballots sometime later in the day. Those who had already voted said the system was very much different to what they had come to know in the General and Regional Elections. For many, it was the first time they voted in an

ting process

e, in what may turn torical event, members ined Forces in Guyana paved the way for the he long overdue Local Elections (LGE), when heir ballots at polling s the military lines. n made their way to arly as 06:00h and ac-

M

Ranks waiting to cast their vote at Police Headquarters

US Embassy observers

y noted that all that ed after the Guyana ommission (GECOM) ormous sums of monEducation” which, so have had little impact isciplined Forces”. at of this phenomenon urgent need for reform al legislation to allow ntation only of a valid ntification Card for the oting,” the statement

has called on GECOM encourage and proquirement for the use ds so as to allow for an and transparent Local Elections process in

Polling station at Wismar, Linden

A female rank casting her vote

LGE. The same process was carried out at the Police Officers Mess, Eve Leary, Georgetown, and at the Guyana Prison Service, where officers strolled in to cast their ballots.

Some 7000 law officers were expected to cast their ballots, paving the way for the remaining Guyanese populace that is expected to go to the polls on March 18.

Meanwhile, the United States Embassy which observed the election, on Tuesday evening congratulated GECOM on what it said was the “successful conclusion of the Disciplined Services vote,” as part of the 2016 Local Government Elections.

The embassy said it was pleased to have observed the process as members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), and the Prison Service participated in the first Local Government Elections in more than 22 years.

“The Embassy team of observers found nothing to question the integrity or credibility of this critical phase of the voting process and the Guyana Elections Commission is to be commended for its logistical arrangements for this phase of the process… Embassy observers were pleased that some locations saw comparatively high-levels of overall voter turnout. However, this was not true at all polling places and, at some polling stations, turnout appeared to remain comparatively low.”

In addition, the embassy said it found that a sizable number of prospective voters in some areas arrived at the incorrect polling location

Disciplined Forces’ voting

mander

and six offid to cast their Regina Police chard Faikall at Charity, 3 13 at Leguan. added to the on March 18 l be conducted

ed that the e simple and

onis said that e various stat the balloting ssful and there ues at their loat while it was day for officers,

Officers from G Division display their inked fingers after voting

necessary security measures were put in place for the day.

Commander Adonis said he cast his vote at 11:00h and it was an easy

process. He anticipates that March 18 will also be a calm day in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) as many persons are now seasoned voters.

During visits to various polling stations along the coast by this newspaper, it was observed that agents from the various political parties were present.

or without national identification cards.

“Guyana Elections Commission procedures were wholly adequate to deal with these eventualities and the polling staff performed admirably in ensuring the integrity of the process while avoiding voter disenfranchisement. Even so, these observations point to the need for all stakeholders to redouble voter education and mobilisation efforts in advance of the March 18 general vote.

It is our observer team's hope that civil society, media organisations, and political parties will play a key role in this regard,” the embassy said in a statement.

embers of the armed forces at Linden and other parts of Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) on Tuesday exercised their franchise in the Local Government Elections (LGE).

At Linden, there were two polling places situated inside the compounds of the Mackenzie and Wismar Police Stations. The polls officially opened at 06:00h, and Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) employees were present. Evidently, there were no long waiting lines, and peace and calm marked the activity.

Speaking with this publication after casting his vote, Police Constable Bakker attached to the Wismar Police Station explained that the process was simple.

Some officers who were required to be at the Linden Magistrate’s Court opted to vote later in the day when their duties there were completed.

E Division (Linden-Kwakwani) Commander Calvin Brutus told this publication that in outlying areas such as Ituni, Kwakwani and Mabura, voting was completed by midday.

He explained that ballot boxes for the polling places at Ituni and Kwakwani were transported on Monday afternoon and were secured at the Kwakwani Police Station. He further explained that some officers stationed at Linden had to be transported to their place of polling so that they could be given the opportunity to vote.

“The others who came from Georgetown last week, they are new and their names are not on this list (at Linden), so we arranged for transportation to take them to Georgetown,” he said.

14 NEWS

wednesday, march 9, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

GRA begins capacity Keeping it real building training We must face our demons T H

hrough a project funded by the European Union, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has commenced workshops on customs and trade capacity building.

The exercise is part of the 10th European Fund Project dedicated for training personnel in the customs and trade department to become more efficient in the broader aspects of competition, public procurement and custom and trade facilitation.

This project was initiated after evident glitches were noticed within

Some of the trainees at the trade and customs capacity building workshop

the least-developed countries, such as those in the Caribbean, resulting in delays in the clearance

of goods at the border for traders due to inadequate port facilities.

At the training session

on Tuesday, personnel were educated on improving job skills and expanding the Caribbean’s role in trade and customs.

Hosted at the GRA building, a number of customs officers were engaged throughout the day in Level One training workshops, which focused primarily on explaining trade facilitation, highlighting thematic areas of training and mechanisms for custom cooperation.

The workshops, which were facilitated by Claude Paul, Permanent Secretary of the Caribbean Customs Law Enforcement Council (CCLEC), offer the opportunity for these individuals to undergo extensive studies on how they can better serve the people.

Before engaging in the workshops, the trainees were charged to use the opportune time to develop themselves and learn as much, even though the workshops would prove to be challenging.

Addressing the gathering, Commissioner General (ag) of GRA, Ingrid Griffith encouraged the trainees to increase their job knowledge and skills through the workshop, which would prove to be beneficial in the end.

She noted the keen areas which will also be positively affected given that the trainees dedicate their all towards acquiring education.

Griffith told them that not only would their knowledge of trade and custom expand, but so will the custom arm of the company they serve, GRA. Additionally, this will foster harmonisation in trade, which will increase the countries gain in revenue, reduce the time that businesses usually have to wait before they can receive imports and reduce the cost for consumers when clearing items, she informed.

Speaking at the event also, Carlos Wharton, Director of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), Implementation Unit told the gathering that such training will put the country in a better position in regards to trade and customs.

He added that the partnering bodies have also been facilitating similar sessions in 15 Caribbean States.

Wharton therefore urged the trainees to take full advantage of the excellent opportunity. This initiative was also one which was supported by the Government of Guyana.

istorical events often create opportunities for a reflection on the status quo. Such is the case with any military conflict, national disaster or change in government.

The death of 17 inmates at the Camp Street Prison after prisoners started a fire should trigger an assessment of the problem in order to prevent this disaster from reoccurring.

We may not like what we Dr Baytoram Ramharack discover about the past.

Historians will continue to examine the contributions of Forbes Burnham and Cheddi Jagan, both of whom have constructed the political space in the society in which we live.

Aside from Jagan and Burnham, much has been discussed about our political leaders, including Bharrat Jagdeo and David Granger. These discussions often take place within the prism of race where the instinct is given to defending one’s ethnic leader while allocating blame to the other. Under such conditions, reconciliation is difficult, making nationbuilding much more elusive.

A writer, Sultan Mohamed, wrote a lengthy piece in which he critiqued some of the issues I raised in recent letters to the press. He seemed most peeved at the comments that Indians have to reassess the legacy of Cheddi Jagan and separate the good from the bad and ugly of what Jagan represented. It is interesting to note that a response was not forthcoming from the inheritors of the legacy of Cheddi Jagan, but from an outsider.

The pieces I had written were in line with my calls for Indian intellectuals to address the many problems that are unique to the Indian community. Since the PPP is seen as the party that is supported by the majority Indians, we must also examine the effectiveness of its leadership, past and present.

The GECOM website lists several individuals with the name “Sultan Mohamed”. However, there is no evidence anyone with that name has been involved in any organised way to promote the good and welfare of Guyanese. On the contrary, our political work in Guyana to date is in the public domain. Our record of public involvement dates back to our role in the Jaguar Committee for Democracy and ROAR. Sultan’s slash-and-burn, shoot-to-kill monologue mimics the kind of responses one would expect from the likes of Freddie Kissoon.

I had argued that Cheddi Jagan had some great qualities as an individual: honesty, charisma, frugality, and modesty.

However, his political contributions must be measured against our current situation and where Guyana could have been in the global community of nations had he not made some of the grave mistakes he had made during his political career. I identified four aberrations that stem from Jagan’s political naiveté: commitment to a vulgar communist ideology not grounded in the Guyanese reality, unwillingness to confront the racial/ethnic divide, inability to seriously challenge the Burnham dictatorship for almost three decades, and his deliberate role in silencing the intellectual voice within the core leadership of the PPP. In addition, there were some other qualities of Cheddi that were troubling, including the dismissal of his Hindu culture and his contribution to the destruction of an Indian voice early in his political career, including those of Balram Singh Rai, Dr Jang Bahadur Singh and the British Guiana East Indian Association. I would refer Sultan to several authors, including Mohan Ragbeer, Clem Seecharan, Stephen Rabe, to name a few, all of whom have expanded on this theme.

On a more personal note, as Indians, we owe it to ourselves to condemn the madness we see in our community and the organisations that seek our support. One of the moral advantages that Africans have always maintained is that not all Africans stood by silently as Burnham rode roughshod over Indians and Africans. Walter Rodney paid the ultimate sacrifice with his life for exposing the dictatorial practices, including the anti-Indian practices of the PNC dark days.

As Indians, and as Guyanese, we have an obligation to assess where we are as a people. The Jagan legacy may have had some successes. However, it is time Indians, particularly the majority of poor Indians, begin to deconstruct Cheddi Jagan as we carve a pathway to the future.

The current PPP leaders, several of whom are suspected to have been engaged in questionable moral and political actions while in office, must not be given carte blanche authority to define for their supporters what that future would look like. (Send comments to BRamharack60@ gmail.com)

wednesday, march 9, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the World

China, South Korea Migrant crisis: UN has legal concerns over EU-Turkey plan step up sanctions

T

he United Nations has expressed concern over a radical European Union-Turkey plan to ease the migrant crisis, saying it could contravene international law.

Under the plan, all migrants arriving in Greece from Turkey would be returned and for each Syrian sent back, a Syrian in Turkey would be resettled in the EU. The UN’s refugee agency said any collective expulsion of foreigners was “not consistent with European law”.

Amnesty International called the plan a death blow to the right to seek asylum.

The deal, discussed at a summit in Brussels on Monday, has not been finalised and talks will continue ahead of an EU meeting on March 17-18

The deal, discussed at a summit in Brussels on Monday, has not been finalised and talks will continue ahead of an EU meeting on March 17-18.

Europe is facing its biggest refugee crisis since World War Two. Last year, more than a million people entered the EU illegally by boat, mainly going from Turkey to Greece.

Most of them were Syrian, fleeing the country’s four-year civil war. Another 2.7 million Syrian refugees are currently in Turkey.

The EU heads said “bold moves” were needed to tackle the crisis. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Donald Trump’s tone likened to Hitler's

by Mexico’s Pena Nieto

M

exican President Enrique Pena Nieto has compared the rhetoric of US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to that of German Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

In an interview with Mexican daily Excelsior, he called Trump’s rhetoric “strident”.

He added that “that’s how [Italian fascist leader] Mussolini got in, that’s how Hitler got in”.

The Mexican leader also said that Trump had hurt US-Mexico relations.

Trump has said that if he is elected he would build a wall along the US-Mexico border to keep migrants from crossing into the US il-

legally.

The Republican candidate has also insisted that Mexico would pay for the border wall, which President Pena Nieto dismissed out of hand.

He said there was “no scenario” under which Mexico would ever pay for such a wall.

Trump, who has made

the fight against illegal immigration the main plank of his campaign, outraged Mexicans last June when he called undocumented Mexican migrants “criminals” and “rapists”.

President Pena Nieto said Trump offered “very easy, simple solutions to problems that are obviously not that easy to solve”. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

on North Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un

C

hina has barred a North Korean freighter from one of its ports and South Korea announced a crackdown on individuals and companies linked to Pyongyang’s weapons programme, stepping up sanctions against the isolated state.

North Korean general cargo ship Grand Karo arrived at Rizhao port in north-eastern China a few days ago, but the port did not allow the ship to berth, said a person at the Rizhao Maritime Authority, declining to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

The ship is among 31 vessels blacklisted by China’s Ministry of Transport after they were covered by harsh-

er sanctions on North Korea that were approved by the United Nations Security Council last week.

At least two other ships on the list of barred freighters are now sailing away after being anchored off Chinese ports, ship tracking data on the Reuters Eikon terminal showed on Tuesday.

Another of the vessels has been banned from leaving port in the Philippines until safety deficiencies, found during a security and safety inspection of the vessel, are rectified.

The 6593 deadweight tonne (dwt) Grand Karo is now anchored about 35 kilometres (22 miles) from Rizhao, ship tracking data showed. (Excerpt from Reuters)

16 news

wednesDAY, march 9, 2016| guyanatimesGY.com

Model jailed for cocaine trafficking

A

Guyanese model was on Monday jailed for four years

by Magistrate Leron Daley when she appeared at the Providence Magistrate’s Court.

Sadeeka Leona Odi, of Lot 186 Thomas Street, Kitty, who was charged for trafficking in narcotics, had initially pleaded not guilty to the offence when she made her first appearance before then Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

It was alleged that on February 8, 2014, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), the 41-year-old woman was found to be in possession of 9.27 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in mango achar.

She was subsequently remanded to prison and the matter was transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court.

During the trial, the prosecution called three witnesses who gave evidence in the matter against the model of a local arts school and a mother of five.

The Court heard that Odi was an

E

Sadeeka Leona Odi

outgoing passenger on a flight destined for New York’s John F Kennedy Airport. Based on information received, ranks from the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) took her off the aircraft and conducted a search of her suitcase; the drug was then found concealed in the achar.

Odi was represented by Attorneyat-Law Dexter Todd.

Lindener charged for stealing car granted bail

A

Lindener slapped with the charge of stealing a car was on Tuesday granted bail by Magistrate Clive Nurse when he appeared at the Linden Magistrate’s Court.

The defendant, 34-year-old Wickham Nedd, a labourer of Lot 144 Dageraad Avenue, Mackenzie,

Ramsammy’s Ruminations Government missing in action as drought punishes rice farmers

Linden, pleaded not guilty to the charge. It is alleged that on March 3 at Dageraad Avenue, he stole a Corolla motor car, PGG 4947, valued $400,000.

The car is the property of Richard Bakker. The defendant was granted bail in the sum of $75,000. The case will continue on April 12.

ach day brings bad news for rice farmers and the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) has shamelessly left them on their own to face the onslaught of El Niño. The rice crops in Leguan and Wakenaam have been totally lost. In West Demerara (Region Three) and in Regions Two, Five and Six, thousands of acres of rice have been lost because of drought. The Agriculture Minister has not found the time or the need to address the plight of the rice farmers. Neither has the Prime Minister nor the President availed themselves to address this national crisis.

Since APNU/AFC has not even bothered to hide the indisputable fact that they have become a military Government, we can use a military term – they are AWOL (Absent Without Leave) as the rice industry is being decimated by an El Niño drought.

Indeed, as rice farmers battle the drought, APNU/AFC is acting as if there is no drought, totally ignoring the farmers' plight.

We cannot blame APNU/AFC for the drought. Guyana is victim of a climate change phenomenon, similar to other countries, where extreme weather is having major negative impacts on people and economies around the world. But this does not excuse APNU/ AFC from the total abdication of their duty to provide support to farmers to save their crops or to deal with the economic losses they are suffering because of the drought.

In moments such as the present, when farmers are fighting for survival against drought, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) would have been helping farmers – either save their crops or to deal with the economic losses. The PPP would have had their Agriculture Minister, the Prime Minister

and the President in their communities, "foot-to-foot", seeking solutions to save the crops or finding ways to ease the economic losses that farmers would inevitably face.

The PPP did not succeed 100 per cent in meeting the needs of the farmers and farmers were often brutal in their criticism and demanding the PPP did more. But all farmers would concede that through thick and thin, the PPP Government stood with them.

In the worst drought conditions, they found ways to save crops and when there were losses, the PPP found ways to provide financial relief. I recall APNU/ AFC deemed these relief programmes as "handouts" to farmers.

The truth is that the rice industry is a critical component of the economy and should not be a political football.

But APNU/AFC, like its parent body, the People’s National Congress (PNC), always target rice farmers because they view them as supporters of the PPP. The rice farmers are merely collateral damage as the APNU/AFC wage war against Jagdeo and the PPP. This is a classic case of biting off your nose to spite your face. In refusing to support the rice farmers, it is not the PPP that is affected, it is the whole country.

The abandonment of the rice industry by a spiteful Government is not only evident today as the drought brings dismay to farmers every day.

This abandonment has been evident from day one on the assumption of the Government by APNU/AFC in May 2015. Rice farmers to this day are owed for paddy they sold to millers.

APNU/AFC contends that those debts are as a result of private transactions.

This is true, but the Government has a responsibility to intervene on the farmers’ behalf, including in making interim payments.

Dr Leslie Ramsammy APNU/AFC promised that Mexico would replace the Venezuela market which they clumsily lost. Farmers and the Guyanese public should not hold their breath. The Prime Minister who boasted that he found a new market has gone silent on the subject. No one is addressing the issue as to when this market will kick in and no one is saying what kind of price Mexico will pay Guyanese farmers. At the same time, APNU/AFC is silent about damaging value-added manufacturing by our millers since Mexico has only promised to buy paddy and not rice.

At the same time, the Government has given as a reward, a $800 million contract to one of their financial backers to supply fertilisers at a cost of $5000 per bag, a price higher than farmers are presently buying fertilisers for. This is not only a bitter pill for farmers to swallow, but is 100 per cent corruption that someone should go to jail for.

El Niño has brought great challenges for the rice farmers who know that this is nature at work. While they accept that the drought is nature, they know that their plight is man-made as they have been made enemies in their own country by their own Government.

17

news

wednesday, march 9, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Trio arrested during Young Pandit to focus marijuana bust in Bartica

The Race to LGE 2016

on youth development

By Kizzy Coleman

W

ith Local Government Elections (LGE) just nine days away, candidates vying for seats continue to campaign with the hope of coming out victorious.

It is said that age is just a number, as according to Charles M Schwab, “A person can succeed at almost anything for which they have unlimited enthusiasm.”

This quote perfectly describes the ambitions of 19-year-old Gansham Lekhram, a Pandit, who is contesting under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) banner for Constituency 5, Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).

Lekhram is to make focus on children chief among all that he has planned for his constituency if elected.

“Many children in Zeelugt are using alcohol, drugs and are getting involved in delinquent activities. As a young person myself, this issue weighs heavily on me and I intend to do something about this.” In the community of Zeelugt, there is a need for recreational facilities. These, Lekhram noted, would enable children and youths to do constructive activities with their time rather than “waste away their lives”.

“We need a play park where children and youths can be occupied, because most of the afternoons if you are to walk around this community, you see children on the streets with nowhere to go

and nothing to do. We need to get them to lend their time to what is good for them,” he said.

Children are the backbone of every society, which is why there is a special need for their interests to be focused on, Lekhram explained.

“Myself and all the other youths, we are the ones who will build this country; we are the ones who will take Guyana higher: that is why we are the ones that need to be focused on. We have too many school dropouts, too many children dying from drug abuse, too many children committing suicide. That is why we need to help; it is an urgent issue and this is what I intend to fight for.”

Garbage disposal is another issue that strongly impacts the community of Zeelugt; as such, it is also of chief concern to Lekhram.

“We have a lovely community, but it needs to be cleaned up. We have too much dumping of garbage in too many areas and this need to stop. It could be stopped, but no one ever really tried, so I want to try. I want to be the first person to speak out against this in my constituency and the first person to bring about change in this regard,” Lekhram disclosed passionately.

The feeling of being secure, to be able to leave your home and return to it just as it was left, to be able to walk the streets without looking around suspiciously – this is not a feeling enjoyed by Zeelugt

T

hree persons have been arrested following a raid in Bartica, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), where a quantity of narcotics was unearthed by Police.

According to reports, Police ranks from F Division (Interior Locations) on Monday conducted a search

around the town of Bartica, based upon intelligence gathered. This occurred between 15:00h and 17:00h.

During the search, leaves, seeds and stems believed to be cannabis were unearthed in four homes.

Three persons were arrested and taken into Police custody to assist with investiga-

tions.

Meanwhile, the marijuana was weighed, and amounted to a total of 710 grams. The three men remained in custody and were expected to be placed before the courts as early as today to answer to possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking charges.

North Ruimveldt mother appeals for help ...as special needs son goes missing Gansham Lekhram

residents.

Zeelugt is frequented by bandits who have left fear in the people of the community.

Lekhram aims to remove this fear: “This is a difficult task I know, and everyone will say that this is what they will work towards, but I want to say that I will devote myself towards this cause. We need to feel secure wherever it is that we live.”

Lekhram also pledges to ensure the rebuilding of all roads that need urgent attention in Zeelugt.

“I am a Pandit and I deal with people every day so under a religious point of view I have been helping people, but I want to push further and harder. I know that I am young and that I am taking on a great task, but I am ready to fight for my rights and for the rights of the people in this constituency.”

S

hanna Wilson, of Kaikan Street, North Ruimveldt, Greater Georgetown, is appealing to the public to assist her in the safe return of her eldest child, N’tem Pickering, who went missing on Sunday.

Wilson told Guyana Times on Tuesday that she last saw her 28-year-old special needs son at 07:00h on Sunday before she left for work.

The missing man, who does not work owing to his physical difficulties, was said to have intended to visit his grandmother after attending church, but never turned up at her house. It was stated that Pickering would leave ear-

N’tem Pickering

ly in the morning to attend services at Light Chapel Church in La Penitence after which he would return home around 20:00h for dinner.

Wilson said that her son was well-known in North Ruimveldt.

“I just want him to come home. I love him a lot; he’s my first son and he’s a special child. If anybody see him around, just bring him home. I don’t know where he is and where to start looking,” expressed the worried mother.

Wilson said that the matter was reported to the North Ruimveldt Police Station on Monday and it is under investigation. Anyone with information concerning the whereabouts of N’tem Pickering is asked to contact the nearest police station or his mother, Shanna Wilson, on 685-6926.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesday, march 9, 2016

ARCHIE

Protect what you’ve worked so hard to acquire.

(March 21- Don’t lend money or possesApril 19) sions. Take control by knowing what you want and strategically negotiating on your behalf.

ARIES

Sharing your knowledge TAURUS will lead to a liaison with (April 20- someone who is exceptionally May 20) well-informed and connected.

A face-to-face meeting is your best option. Romance will lead to a passionate encounter.

dilbert

Avoid criticism as well as GEMINI (May 21- being taken advantage of. Set June 20) guidelines and keep the balance in order to get things done and feel good about your position and reputation.

CANCER

Peanuts

(June 21July 22)

Plan and present what you have to offer with precision and clarity. Don’t expect everyone to agree with you.

Gravitate toward those who show interest and want to get involved.

Accept whatever chalLEO lenge comes your way and do (July 23your best to display strong Aug. 22) leadership. Don’t let your ego stand in the way of your progress. Be open to suggestions made and help offered.

Partnerships will need an VIRGO adjustment.

Whether at work (Aug. 23or in the home, be willing to Sept. 22) meet whomever you are dealing with halfway to ensure that you maintain equality in every relationship.

Calvin and Hobbes

Don’t worry about what LIBRA (Sept. 23- everyone else is up to when Oct. 23) you should be taking care of your emotional and physical well-being. Make personal changes that will bring you peace of mind.

SUDOKU TODAY’S WORD – CUMMERBUND

Stay focused on what’s imSAGITTARIUS portant. Don’t let situations (Nov. 23- spin out of control. Contain Dec. 21) your emotions and avoid indulgent behaviour that could lead to disaster instead of solutions.

(CUMMERBUND: KUM-er-bund: A broad sash worn at the waist as an article of formal dress.)

Average mark 26 words Time limit 45 minutes Can you find 39 or more words in CUMMERBUND? The list will be published tomorrow.

YESTERDAY’S WORD – PLOVERS peso pole poler pore pose poser prose prove

lope loper lore lose loser love lover over

verso vole epos role rope rose rove sloe

slop slope sole solve solver sore spore

Jump into an innovative SCORPIO situation ready to take on (Oct. 24whatever challenge comes Nov. 22) along. Mental stimulation coupled with creativity and talented people will lead to an interesting prospect.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Don’t worry so much CAPRICORN about what other people are (Dec. 22- doing. Your goal is to follow Jan. 19) through with your plans and to make the changes that will ensure your happiness and success.

Take a new look at an old AQUARIUS (Jan. 20- idea in order to see how you Feb. 19) can turn it into a workable project with updates that were not available to you in the past.

Refuse to be pushed PISCES (Feb. 20- by someone bullying you.

March 20) Sharing personal secrets will lead to a nasty rumour that will put you in a precarious position. Listen instead of talking.

WEDNESDAY, march 9, 2016

Sangakkara appointed Sri Lanka selector in major revamp S I

19

Topp XX set to claim 1st Division UDFA title

n a surprise move nine days from the start of Sri Lanka's World T20 campaign, the country's sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekara has appointed a new set of selectors headed

by Aravinda de Silva, relieving the previous selection panel ahead of time.

Kumar Sangakkara and Romesh Kaluwitharana are the other major names in the new five-member panel, which also includes former Sri Lanka offspinners Ranjith Madurasinghe and Lalith Kaluperuma.

Jayasekara said this new selection committee's term would end on April 30.* "The appointment of the national selection committee was carried out by the sports minister, citing recent failures encountered by the national team in their

Aravinda de Silva will head the new selection panel, which also includes Kumar Sangakkara (AFP photo)

tours to New Zealand, India, Asia Cup in Bangladesh and the inconsistency of selection criteria," an SLC release said.

The installment of a new selection panel is effectively an emergency, short-

term measure, stemming from the board's dissatisfaction with the World T20 selections put forward by the previous committee. The de Silva-led committee has now made changes to that World T20 squad, and have

announced them on the very day the team is due to depart to India.

The move also follows a brief period of friction between SLC and the previous selection committee, which was headed by Kapila Wijegunawardene. The selectors had felt marginalised by the board, and were also concerned they did not have sufficient say over the XIs that were picked in recent series.

De Silva, though, has led selection committees in previous years, and had chosen the Sri Lanka squad ahead of and during the 2011 World Cup, when Sangakkara was captain. Kaluwitharana has been one of Sri Lanka's top coaches over the past decade - most recently in charge of the Sri Lanka A side.

Sangakkara's presence

in the committee comes as something of a surprise, as only seven months have passed since his international retirement. He also still plays in domestic leagues around the world, including in England, where he is set to appear for Surrey in this year's county season. He said he only agreed to take up the role because it was a short-term position, and because he felt the circumstances were exceptional.

"Usually, someone should spend at least two years out of the team, before taking up a position like this," he said.

Kaluperuma had played Sri Lanka's debut Test in 1982, before making one more Test appearance.

Madurasinghe played in three Tests between 1988 and 1992.?(Cricinfo)

ilver Shattas stopped Federal Winners Connection 3-1 and in the process handed the Upper Demerara Football Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (UDFA) 2015/16 First Division title to pointsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; leaders Topp XX who on 17 points are assured of the crown with a game in hand.

Playing on Sunday night Winners Connection had to win their final two matches if they wanted to walk away with the UDFA First Division title, but they were unable to crack the Shattas and lost by a 3-1 score-line.

Goals from Dellon Allicock (1st minute), Damion Williams (4th) and Robin Adams (41st) were enough to bring them victory. The consolation goal came off the boot of their leading striker Marmalaque Davidson who struck home in the 58th minute.

20

guyanatimesGY.com

WEDNESDAY, march 9, 2016

WT20 qualifier, Group B…

Sibanda's 50 takes Zimbabwe closer to main draw Williams was particularly fidgety and fell when he attempted a cut and played on.

Sikandar Raza was run-out in the next over, after Sibanda insisted on a second run, and Zimbabwe were left in trouble at 62 for 4 in 7.5 overs.

Sibanda, though, knuckled down and built a steady partnership with Malcolm Waller. They were cautious against seamer Aizaz Khan and Ryan Campbell whose contribution was crucial in pulling Zimbabwe back from a score that seemed headed

V

Vusi Sibanda hits through the leg side (ICC photo)

usi Sibanda's first T20I fifty and Elton Chigumbura's audacious finishing ensured Zimbabwe had enough runs to beat Hong Kong, although they will be disappointed in an all-round messy performance. Three run-outs stunted what should have been a more imposing total, and loose bowling and fielding, and a gutsy Hong Kong chase could have easily pulled the carpet out from under them.

Jamie Atkinson's careerbest 53 held Hong Kong's innings together but he battled against a constantly rising required rate which ballooned from a shave under eight to more than 13 with five overs left. With Zimbabwe's slower bowlers struggling for control, Hong Kong were in it until almost the end, when the task proved just a little too much.

Zimbabwe could have

made it a much more comprehensive result with a better batting performance.

They were plagued by lack of partnerships and soft dismissals, which started with the casualness of their captain.

Hamilton Masakadza gave himself an over to get his eye in and then unleashed two fours and a six off seamer Haseeb Amjad.

His innings, however, met a farcical end when he failed to ground his bat or his foot after setting off for a quick single. Babar Hayat nailed a direct hit from mid-off to catch Hamilton short. Sibanda, who had faced only one of the first 14 balls, took over from where Hamilton left off. Richmond Mutumbami, however, holed out to longon for a three-ball duck.

On a sticky pitch, Hong Kong's captain Tanwir Afzal sensed Zimbabwe's hurry and slowed them down. Sean

towards 170 or more. Hong Kong conceded just 38 runs in the next six overs before Sibanda slammed left-arm spinner Nadeem Ahmed down the ground to raise his fifty off 40 balls.

Sibanda showed signs of cutting loose, but just as his partnership with Waller seemed set to take off, it ended. Waller gave a gift to sweeper cover, trying to clear the boundary, and then both Sibanda and Donald Tiripano were dismissed. Hong Kong took

SCOREBOARD Zimbabwe innings H Masakadza*run out (Babar Hayat) 20 V Sibanda c Chapman b Aizaz Khan 59 R Mutumbami† c Nadeem Ahmed b Tanwir Afzal 0 SC Williams b Tanwir Afzal 12 Sikandar Raza run out (Babar Hayat/Campbell) 3 MN Waller c Shah b Aizaz Khan

26 30 E Chigumbura not out DT Tiripano lbw b Nadeem Ahmed 0 WP Masakadza run out (Haseeb 2 Amjad/Babar Hayat) T Panyangara not out 0 6 Extras(b 1, w 3, nb 2) Total(8 wickets; 20 overs) 158 Did not bat: TL Chatara Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-38, 3-53, 4-62, 5-123, 6-125, 7-127, 8-145 Bowling: Tanwir Afzal 4-019-2, Haseeb Amjad 3-041-0, Nadeem Ahmed 4-0-26-1, RJ Campbell 4-026-0, Aizaz Khan 4-0-33-2, Anshuman Rath 1-0-12-0.

Hong Kong innings JJ Atkinson†c Williams b Tiripano 53 RJ Campbell c H Masakadza b Tiripano 9 Babar Hayat lbw b WP Masakadza 9 MS Chapman c Sibanda b Sikandar Raza 19 Anshuman Rath c Tiripano b Chatara 13 Tanwir Afzal* not out 31 Nizakat Khan c Williams b 0 Chatara Aizaz Khan not out 0 Extras(b 4, lb 4, w 1, nb 1) 10 Total(6 wickets; 20 overs) 144 Did not bat: KD Shah, Haseeb Amjad, Nadeem Ahmed Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-43, 3-75, 4-108, 5-130, 6-130 Bowling: T Panyangara 4-027-0, DT Tiripano 4-0-272, TL Chatara 4-0-28-2, WP Masakadza 4-0-30-1, SC Williams 2-0-14-0, Sikandar Raza 2-0-10-1.

three wickets in eight balls to leave Zimbabwe wobbling again.

Elton Chigumbura, however, teed off early. He hit the ball cleanly and down the ground, slapping 30 off 13 balls to take Zimbabwe past 150.

Ultimately, Chigumbura's cameo turned out to be the difference after Hong Kong put up an impressive fight.

Campbell and Atkinson started slowly in the chase against the discipline of Zimbabwe's seamers. The slow-burn approach backfired when Campbell hit Tiripano straight to midon. Atkinson could have been removed an over later, on 10, had Sibanda not misjudged a catch at deep midwicket off Wellington Masakadza.

Wellington then had some reward when he trapped Babar Hayat in front but his joy was shortlived. He was attacked by Mark Chapman, who also went after Raza. But the allrounder had the last laugh when Chapman hit him to deep midwicket with Sibanda redeeming himself. (Cricinfo)

GFF to receive US$1M boost from FIFA

By Akeem Greene

P

resident of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Wayne Forde has revealed that the newly elected President of FIFA Gianni Infantino has made a promise that countries in the Caribbean Federation Union (CFU) will be the beneficiary of major financial subventions by the governing body.

Forde who was an observer at the elections which were held last month in Zurich, said “In his manifesto, the President [Gianni Infantino], conveyed a clear understanding of the challenges that the CFU [Caribbean Football Union] faces and one of those challenges are, the cost of transportation”.

While speaking to media operatives on Monday at his office, he further explained, “We are about to start out CFC campaign and before it is over, it is going to cost the GFF close to 20 million dollars and close to 60% will be for air travel, so part of what President Infantino promised in his manifesto was that the countries of the CFU will receive US One million travel package and that is apart from our FAP which is our financial support and I have no doubt in my mind that he will deliver on them; it will take some time but I’m very confident”.

A bad image of GFF The Guyana Football Federation, in the past has been plagued with numerous tarnishing controversies that have left an image of an untrustworthy institution.

When quizzed about the perception persons may have of the Federation, he responded saying “at this point GFF is not a good brand and I will be the first to accept that as the President of the institution”.

He went unto to say, “my job is to make it a good brand and I will put an exceptional effort into repairing that brand; it’s a brand that has been marred with controversy, in fighting and a whole long list of things that business do want to associate their good brands with”.

The effect of a weak relationship with corporate Guyana has seen

Wayne Forde

Federation having to be onerous of the lumpy expenditures of the national teams.

Forde highlighted that “the GFF was very unhappy that we were not able to attract any sponsorship for the Lady Jaguars apart from the Guyana Olympic Association…as a nation if we really want to perform well on the international stage we have to be able to afford it and at this point we simply can’t” Asked as to why he believes the various idiosyncrasies tension existed in the GFF, he responded saying I think one of the many reasons we had controversies in the past was because problems in the past have been allowed to fester for way too long and instead of arresting it at the initial stage, it festered and grew out of control”.

However, Forde who is less than four months in office, has admitted that problems have been arising within the Federation but is of firm belief that they dealt with in more expeditious manner.

“One of the key things we are trying to do is mange every potential controversy and we have quite a few; the reason why it has not been in the headline is because we have been able to contain, manage and resolve it expeditiously”, Forde posited.

He added that “I get the impression that the fraternity in general is fully cognizant to the fact that we really have to get together and present the Guyana football fraternity in a different light to the Guyanese people, the business community and the government. (akeemg@guyanatimesgy.com)

21

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GFF/Stag Elite League Finale…

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 2016

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T

he top two ranked teams in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Stag Elite League Finale, Slingerz FC and Alpha “the hammered” United will feature tonight in the double header at the Tucville ground.

The other match will see the vastly improving home side of Fruta Conquerors play Monedderlust.

The Alpha and Slingerz clash will be seen as the clash of the heavyweights and Alpha will be aiming to avenge their League Genesis loss to Slingerz when these two sides meet for the first time in the League Finale.

The match will be filled

with a barge of national players as Slingerz will look to the likes of the experienced Vurlon Mills, Trayon Bobb, Tischard Joseph and Julian Wade to put them in Afront.

Alpha now are a much stronger team and with the likes of veteran forward Anthony “Awo” Abrams, Colin Nelson, Joshua Browne, Solomon Austin along with midfielder Dwain Jacobs returning from their opponents. Daniel Lanferman will also be a threat at the top.

Both Mills and Abrams are in good goal scoring form, with Mills having two goals from three match-

es and Abrams three from three.

The evening’s final game will offer much excitement as well, as the engergetic Berbice side Mondderlust will want to stem their losing streak and register their first win in the league finale.

On the other hand, Conquerors have been playing some composed football having won two and draw one of their three matches and midfielders Shaquille Agard and Jahaall Greaves have been a huge factor in their commendable performances.

Kick-0ff is at 18:00hrs.

A

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– Fruta Conquerors play Monedderlust

Regal set for Florida Cup 2016

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Slingerz, Alpha to battle tonight at Tucville

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spirited Regal Softball Cricket team has their eyes set on the Florida Cup 2016 and they have stepped up preparation.

The squad was seen on March sixth at the Carifesta Sports Complex Ground on Carifesta Avenue in a practice match ahead of the March 11-13 competition in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Having accepted the invitation from the Guyana Consulate (Florida) in collaboration with the South Florida Softball Cricket League (SFCCL) to the 13th Annual Florida Cup the Regal outfit are ready to go.

All of their players are in good shape and form while preparations off the field have put the players in a great frame of mind to bring back the top spoils.

Regal Softball Cricket Teams have been enjoying their recent form and are the double champions of the Guyana Softball Cup having won both the Masters and All-Star categories last November at the Demerara Cricket Club Ground in Queenstown.

Last July the Masters team finished as runners up in the Independence Cup which was played in July 2015 in New York.

However, in their debut season in the Florida Cup 2015 the Masters failed to make it to the play-offs but team Manager Mohendra Arjune said the hard work the players are putting in along with their confidence will go a far way in seeing the team do much better in 2016.

Preliminary matches will be played on March 11-12 at the Brian Piccolo Sports

Media Manager of Regal, John Ramsingh receives a sponsorship cheque from Top Brandz

Park and Velodrome while the finals will be held at the historic Central Broward Regional Park in Fort Lauderdale.

Central Broward Regional Park is the only international cricket venue on American soil and it has been that way since Sri Lanka and New Zealand played the first international match back in May 2010.

Regal Softball Cricket Team received admirable support to make the trip possible and they are aiming to keep the Golden Arrowhead flying high while being good ambassadors of Guyana on foreign soil.

The 13th annual Florida Cup is being played in celebration of Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary and will be played in two categories; Masters for males over 45 years old and the All-Stars category for males of any age. The other teams from Guyana are Floodlights and Floodlights Legends in the Masters category and Wolf Warriors in

the All-Star category.

Regal team; Troy Kippins (Captain), Mahendra Arjune, Eoin Abel, Longsford Klass, Peter Persaud, Eric Thomas, Larry Singh, Rudolph Rodrigues, Rudolph Baker, Mohamed Rafi, Mahesh Chunilall, Fazleem Mohamed, Raymond Harper, Shawn Messiah, Amarnauth Boodhoo, Mohendra Arjune (Manager) and John Ramsingh (Media Manager).

The team’s journey to South Florida is made possible through the support from the Director of Sports Mr. Christopher Jones and the National Sports Commission, Mr. Kawal Narine of Jemtex International in New York, Regal Stationery and Computer Centre, Regal Sports, Top Brandz Distributors, Crown Mining Supplies, Mr. Lennox Cush of Stars Party Rentals, Mr. Danny Persaud of Ink Plus and Mr. Joseph Ramkumar of Payless Variety Store.

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

wednesday, march 9, 2016

SUR, a budding athletics club

By Treiston Joseph

Brave Athletics Club at the recently held Smalta National Youth and Junior Championships.

With long standing clubs

Athletics Clubs who are known for their consistent production of talent participating at the event, finishing second at the meet

Rodney and Niall Stanton, not only is the club developing in their status quo but also expanding with a branch of the club already

bronze medalist Tirana Mitchell, high jumper Osafo Profit and new jumping sensation Vibert Dummet who won triple jump at

Some of the club’s athletes going through the paces at the Georgetown foreshore

A

s their name indicates the Super Upcoming Runners (SUR) Athletics Club is new to Guyana’s track and field landscape.

With just over a year of existence under their belts,

the club which was formed in January of 2015 is already making a name for themselves.

Their latest accomplishment as a unit is finishing second behind powerhouse team Running

The athletes doing drills at Eve Leary

such as the Police Sports Club and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF)

ahead of those clubs is a feat worth mentioning.

Coached by Carla

existing in Berbice under the watchful eyes of Andre Williams.

With approximately 30 athletes registered with the club, mostly consisting of junior athletes, Rodney indicated to Guyana Times

last year’s National Schools Championships.

However, while the club is still breaking out of its shell, Stanton highlighted both short and long term goals for his athletes.

“Well know we can pro-

Staggered starts being done by SUR athletes at the National Track and Field Centre at Leonora

Sport, that remaining focus is key for the club.

“A lot of people pegged us for a break up within the first six months but we are still here and it is because we have been dedicated and focused… I think for us to reach the heights that we want we have to remain focus, not just the athletes but us as coaches,” Rodney highlighted.

The club which utilizes the Police Sport Club ground, Eve Leary as their

duce athletes and we hope that we can get athletes on the South American youth and junior teams for later this year as well as for the Olympics in the future.

“Our aim is to give these young people a chance to develop, grow and follow their dreams and we expect as a young club to only get better with time,” Stanton stated.

Definitely as the club’s name suggests, the club is on the rise, the question that is left to be ask is when

Athletes along with the coaches of the club pose for a photo at Eve Leary

training facility is home to budding stars such as recent Carifta selectee Tyrell Peters, Carifta 200 metres

they become established will they still call themselves Super Upcoming Runners?

guyanatimesGY.com

WEDNESDAY, march 9, 2016

BCB/New Building Society Second Division 40-Over Cricket…

ECC/SPR Enterprise 40-over…

Enterprise ‘A’ romp to 203-run victory over Perseverance

D’Edward, Young Warriors advance to quarter-finals

E

nterprise ‘A’ handed Perseverance a comprehensive 203-run defeat in the East Coast Cricket Committee (ECC)/ SPR Enterprise 40-over tournament on Sunday.

The victory came on the heels of splendid knocks by siblings Bhaskar and Kamesh Yadram as they piloted their team to 288-5 off 35 overs.

Bhaskar, in an opening stand with Vivian Albert added 96 before Albert nicked behind for 41(4x4s; 1x6).

That wicket brought the pair of the former National Youth players to the crease who then added 84 for the second wicket. Bhaskar in this fluent 88 while Kamesh made an unbeaten 81 inclusive of ten fours.

Rabindra Beepat chipped in with 27; Agustine Chichester claimed 3-36.

Perseverance, in their turn at the crease were bundled out for 85 in just 17.3 overs. Chichester returned with the bat with a top scores of 29 (3x4s;1x6).

Samea Singh (12) and Olester Bourne (11) were the only other batsmen to reached double figures.

Amar Kishore snared 3-18, Hemnauth Dindyal 2-11 and Chatterpaul Singh 2-16.

Over at Paradise, the host lost to Enterprise B by nine wickets.

Chasing 197 for victory off 35 overs, open-

Bhaskar Yadram

Kamesh Yadram

ers Vishwanauth Gobin and Mankad Balkishun set Enterprise ‘B’ on course with a stand of 112. Gobin hammered eleven fours and cleared the rope twice before he went for 63 but Balkishun and Hansraj Sookdeo saw their team home with an unbroken second wicket partnership of 85. Balkishun clobbered nine fours and one six in scoring 72 while Sookdeo made 31 (2x4s; 2x6s) as they coasted to victory in the 26th over.

Earlier, Paradise took first strike and scored 1968 off their reduced 35 overs.

F. Jones and C. Fraser gave them a fine start with a first wicket stand of 57 before Fraser went for 27. Jones kept the innings together with a top scored 70; he featured in a third-wicket partnership of 58 with J. Martin who got 25. Following their demise Paradise lost their way as they finished on 196-

8. Dave Persaud grabbed 2-25, Satyanand Ramkumar 2-34 and Balkishun 2-42.

Yadram

Campbell, Schultz lead Vryman’s Erven to first innings over BHS

Lindon Campbell

Solomon Schultz

indon Campbell struck an aggressive 107 while Solomon Schultz made 77 to lead Vryman’s Erven to first innings points over Berbice High School in the Dalchand Rambharose InterSecondary School Under-15 Two-innings Cricket Competition organised by the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB).

Playing at the BHS ground in New Amsterdam, Vryman’s Erven took first strike and were led by Schultz who made 77 (7x4s) and Nicholas Blake (37), managed to post 141 all out in their 1st innings; the pair, had put on 99 for the 6th wicket.

Bowling for BHS, off-spinner Devindra Moses took 4 for 48; medium pacer Jason Rishiram 3 for 39 and Jamal

Sinclair 2 for 42.

When Berbice High replied, they could only muster 112 in their first innings with Joel Campbell top scoring with 44 and Alfred Demonick 18. Off- spinner Travis Sinclair snared 5 for 20 and while Aditya Budhoo took 4 for 34.

When Vryman’s Erven batted for a second time, any thoughts that Berbice High had of bowling them out cheaply, to secure a victory, was thwarted almost singlehandedly by opening batsman Lindon Campbell who proceeded to blast a quick 110 (10x4s; 6x6s) which together with 27 from Troy Caesar, saw Vryman’s Erven safely to 160-8 by the close of play.

L

Heeralall Bridgelall

Kassim Khan Bridgelall

’Edward Cricket Club of West Bank Berbice and Young Warriors of Cumberland, East Canje have become the first two teams to reach the quarter-finals of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) - organised New Building Society Second Division 40Over Cricket Competition.

D’Edward defeated Chesney by 152 thanks to a well composed 76 (6x4s; 4x6s) by Heeralall Bridgelall and Jaipaul Heeralall 52 (4x4s; 3x6s) who spearhead them to 260-9 in their 40-Overs.

Off-spinner Devendra Harilall took 5-37 from 8-Overs.

In Chesney’s turn at

D

BCB/ Inter-School U15 2-day cricket...

23

the crease, pacer Christian France took 3 for 34 and Devindra Lalsa 3 for 2 engineered them to being bowled out for a mere 108 in 18.3 overs. Riaz Ramcharran 35 was the top score.

At Cumberland, Young Warriors beat Friendship Cavaliers by seven wickets; Young Warriors chasing 105 for victory got there with much ease as former Guyana Under-19 player Kassim Khan stroked an unbeaten 42.

When Frendship Cavaliers batted, , left arm spinner Anil Beharry (3-22), Berbice Under-19 off-spinner Amir Khan (3-20) along with Kassim (3-20) picked up three wickets a piece to bowl out the opposition for 104 inside 28 overs. Joshua Leacock (28) and Ryan De Nobrega (22) were the chief runs-makers.

WEDNESDAY, march 9, 2016

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

GFF to receive US$1M boost from FIFA Pg 20

The Golden Jaguars team will now be afforded a chance to take part in more overseas tournaments

Regal set Slingerz, Alpha for Florida to battle tonight Cup 2016

GFF/Stag Elite League Finale…

at Tucville

Pg 21 Pg 21 Slingerz FC and Alpha Utd have developed into fierce rivals

The Regal team celebrate their win of the Guyana Softball Cup

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