Guyana Times Daily - May 9, 2015

GECOM says it's ready for E-Day

Carter arrives for crucial elections

Former US President and Head of the Carter Center, Jimmy Carter disembarks at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport

saturday, may 9, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

Guyana Times, TVG categorically reject claims of dropping Opposition’s ads

General Manager of Guyana Times/ TVG Channel 28/ Radio Guyana Inc, Daniel Singh, has responded to the accusations hurled by A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Member Cathy Hughes, who expressed disappointment over what she said has been the inadequate air time and publication of the party’s advertisements.

At a news conference at the coalition’s office in Queenstown on Friday,

Hughes told media operatives that the party has had several problems with the media house, particularly with the airing and publishing of its campaign ads.

“We’ve had every day discussions with them. Today was the last straw. We had booked two fullpage ads since April 26 and our full-page ad did not appear in today’s papers, but the PPP/C has six fullpage, full-colour ads; that is totally unacceptable,” Hughes told the press conference. But Singh, in response, said that the company has been publishing the party’s ads in all of its media houses, as was requested. “I am deeply surprised that Ms Cathy Hughes would make such a statement at a press conference, because in a prior conversation concerning APNU/AFC advertising, I gave a commitment that the coalition’s ads would be carried,” Singh related.

He said he had opened the line of communication

with Hughes, even providing her with the number to his cellular phone. Hughes claimed that the issue was not just with the Guyana Times, but with the newspaper’s sister company, Television Guyana Inc. Singh said the few times he communicated with Hughes, the

conversation was always healthy. According to him, this was several weeks ago. He noted that since the last conversation, he has not received any other complaints from her, and

“is, therefore, taken aback by her public comments”.

The General Manager said that he could only assume that Hughes has opted to politicise a “non-issue since he has not heard from her since”.

However, Singh also stated that APNU/AFC has apparently jumped on the bandwagon of the Kaieteur News by publishing highly scandalous full-page advertisements under the guise of elections campaigning about the Queens Atlantic Group of Companies and its Executive Chairman, Dr Ranjisinghi Ramroop.

Singh also warned Hughes that the Guyana Times/ TVG/ Radio Guyana Media Group has every right not to publish the ads and, in fact, to also take steps to refute malicious publications of advertisements and articles which are designed to villify the Queens Atlantic Group, including NEW GPC INC, as well as any

other company or organisation in Guyana. Singh added that one can only wonder whether or not Hughes has timed her comment so as to coincide with the arrival of former US President Jimmy Carter and other international observers for the General and Regional Elections on May 11. "I finally wish to advise Ms Hughes that my telephone

line remains open to her as it has always been and that she would no longer need to take the route of a press conference, the same goes for any other APNU/ AFC coalition members."

For the record once

again, Singh said Television Guyana was bought from VCT Communications Limited, which was owned by a former PNC Member of Parliament Anthony Vieira, and Radio Guyana was a result of the High Court Award, yet APNU/AFC along with the Opposition controlled media houses have continues to peddle misinformation that the former President Bharrat Jagdeo gave away radio and television licences to Dr Ramroop prior to him leaving office, Ms Hughes, as a candidate for the upcoming elections should answer to the Guyanese people why she continues to peddle misinformation about the Guyana Times/TVG/RGI Media Group, when this information had been made public. Singh reiterated that the Group has been publishing ads from APNU/AFC as it has been doing for other parties. “We have been publishing APNU/AFC’s ads in all of our media houses; Guyana Times and Evening News have been carrying the ads and we have been giving fair coverage to all political parties. We have even been carrying replays of their rallies.”

Duo on gun possession charge gets bail

ALinden couple accused of illegal possession of a firearm were released on bail on Friday.

The accused, 26-year-old Atina Bowen and 20-yearold Litisha Garraway from Blueberry Hill, Wismar, Linden were brought before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on Friday to answer to the charge.

The charge detailed that on May 5 at Blueberry Hill, they were found with an unlicensed firearm.

Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves told the court that on the day in question about 16:30h Police conducted a search on Bowen’s premises after receiving a tip. It was stated that the search was conducted in the presence of the duo and the gun was found in one of the bedrooms. They were arrested and charged for the offence.

The Prosecutor stated his objection to bail, cit-

ing the prevalence of the offence. However, the defendants’ attorney objected, stating that Bowen’s home was ransacked by the Police Officers. She said that neither defendant was told what was happening and was not made aware properly of what exactly they were being charged with.

Also, she complained of not having access to her clients as the officers did not permit her to see them, when first arrested. The lawyer told the court that Bowen was in need of medical attention and she was not allowed to ensure he got this.

Given these circumstances, she asked the court to free her clients on bail, stating that Bowen reared poultry for a living and had no previous court matters. Garraway, on the other hand, was simply visiting Bowen when the Police showed up.

Chief Magistrate Sewnarine-Beharry insisted on seeing the full statements of the case from the Prosecutor and was surprised when she found that Bowen was not even present, as mentioned by the Police, when the gun was found at his premises. However, Garraway was.

The Magistrate accepted this as a special reason and granted $125,000 bail to both defendants on the condition that they report to the Mackenzie Police Station every second Friday beginning May 22.

Both parties are expected at the Linden Magistrate’s Court where the case will be tried on May 13.

Litisha Garraway

Guyana Times/TVG Channel 28/ Radio Guyana Inc General Manager Daniel Singh

APNU/AFC Ececutive

Cathy Hughes

PNC Member of Parliament Anthony Vieria

saturday, may 9, 2015 |

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic from Friday, May 8 – 05:00h-06:30h and Saturday, May 9 – 08:30h-10:00h

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, May 8 – 06:40h-08:10h and Saturday, May 9 – 07:30h-09:00h

FERRY SCHEDULE

Ferries will be departing the Parika and Supenaam stellings on: Friday, May 8 – 06:00h and 16:00h Saturday, May 9 – 06:00h and 17:00h

WEATHER TODAY

Sunny intervals can be expected throughout the day with partly cloudy conditions in the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly between 3.57 metres and 5.36 metres per second.

High Tide: 07:01h and 19:35h reaching maximum heights of 2.65 metres and 2.48 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 00:35h and 13:05h reaching minimum heights of 0.70 metre and 0.57 metre respectively.

NEW GPC continues to excel in Guyana and the Caribbean

Employees say 'we have done it!'

EW GPC continues to excel in Guyana and the Caribbean and stakes the claim to be the only pharmaceutical manufacturer and exporter in the region that is United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) compliant. The company manufactures over 200 products including world famous Limacol at its East Bank Demerara plant. After privatisation in 1999, the Company has added over eighty (80) new products to its range and has a further 25 new products in the pipe-

line which includes statins, proton-pump inhibitors, anti-fungals, anthelmintics and anti-parasitical formulations.

Export Leader, US FDA and Quality

The Company is not only the undisputed leader in the domestic market, it exports over 60% of its output to North America, Europe, The Caribbean, South and Latin America. Recently the company has started to export to Haiti as well.

NEW GPC is pursuing a vigorous export-led strategy, which drives continuous improvement and adherence to the highest international standards for quality in a fast paced environment. The Company is «Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP)» compliant - the gold standard in a highly regulated industry and has undergone two recent US FDA Audit inspections and found compliant thereby clearing the way for continued exportation to the USA.

Pre-qualified Government Supplier

In the 1970’s, the then Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation was the largest supplier of Pharmaceuticals

to the Government of Guyana. Several years after its privatization, NEW GPC INC was able toregain its old position as the largest supplier of pharmaceutical products to the government’s health sector. This came after years of hard work and significant investments in production and warehousing facilities. NEW GPC has the most extensive and modern 100,000 square feet warehousing facility which is used for storage of government’s pharmaceuticals and which is granted free of charge to them. This facility is easily the best in the Caribbean, meeting international standards and comprising of three temperaturecontrolled zones.

Editor: Nigel Williams

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

Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown

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

Editorial

A call for peace

Despite the presence of international observers and statements of condemnation the PNC-led APNU/AFC has been powerless to rein their supporters who up to Friday evening disrupted another People’s Progressive Party Civic’s meeting at the Stabroek Market Square. Almost mimicking the despicable display by their colleagues at Warlock and Buxton, the bravados showed up Friday night determined to break up the meeting and they eventually did even throwing stones at Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Luncheon.

It cannot go unnoticed that at a news conference earlier in the day Presidential Candidate of the APNU/.AFC, David Granger while saying that his party will not condone acts of hooliganism, virtually gave his supporters a free pass by repeating the now worn excuse that the “people were reacting to a government that has been uncaring to them.” It is this double message that has provided fodder for the coalition’s supporters to behave in the manner they did at Warlock and Buxton and now at Stabroek Market Square.

What also makes it suspicious at best that the attacks on the PPP/C’s meetings have been centrally directed is the fact that the APNU is made up of an army of ex-military who pride themselves in maintaining order and discipline. By their training and military culture this type of behaviour should not have been tolerated and the fact that they have allowed it to fester leaves one to conclude that it is geared at setting the stage for more trouble post-elections. This of course is something this country can ill-afford given the torrid period following the 1992 elections.

It has been said before in this column that these acts can only serve to disrupt the peace and engender violence against groups in this tense political season. Whatever our differences as a people, and there are many, electoral violence is not one of the solutions. What will solve the problem is democracy, which is made possible only when we have an election with integrity; when our leaders engage in issue-based debates and campaign meetings are focussed on outlining one’s vision for the development of this country.

To this end, political and religious leaders must begin to educate their followers on the need to show restraint and let them know that elections are not a do or die affair as some tend to say- we can wait for the next cycle. The peaceful conduct of Monday’s national election and its aftermath is of the highest importance for long term peace and reconciliation in this country and this newspaper urges that all Guyanese to adhere to the electoral laws and to avoid provocative acts, not only in the election period, but also during the postelection stage.

It is instructive that since arriving here all of the observer missions have stressed the need for peaceful elections, condemning the campaign rhetoric and warning against fear mongering. Here it is hoped that these groups would visit some of these public meetings to hear the messages of the parties and to also see firsthand the intimidation as being demonstrated by the opposition. It is also the hope of this newspaper that our citizens both on social media and in the society at large desist from spreading baseless rumours about violence. For most of us we remember the devastating consequences of rumours during the aftermath of the 1992 and 1997 elections. We must not go through those experiences again. It is against this background that the electoral management body is urged to remain committed to full transparency in their decision-making and conduct, ensuring clear and timely lines of communication. In addition to the electoral authorities, responsibility for peaceful and credible polls largely rests with political leaders, candidates and their supporters. We urge all candidates to guide and shape the actions and attitudes of their supporters with serious public commitment to opposing violence and scare tactics. While the gains made thus far in this young republic might have been threatened at times we must now show the world that as a people we can conduct our internal affairs with the greatest of dignity and peace.

The PNC, now APNU, is more sinister for wishing to hide its racist past

Dear Editor, My response to Nadia Sagar will be brief. If there is no self denial then why so shy of saying she is Indian? I could leave it there but I would add that she is much too educated to forward the banality that enjoying one another’s cuisine makes us united. And are Indian, African, Amerindian children not as beautiful or is Ms Sagar proposing that dougla children are the real Guyanese as others have tried to do in similar past discussions?

How many times does it

need repeating that we have race-based politics and racebased voting? Both sides are playing the race card. If the PPP/C is more forthright with its comments, the PNC, now APNU is more sinister for wishing to hide its racist past. I can counter any crudity on the PPP/C’s part with that of a picture of a woman with her legs spread peeing on the PPP/C flag in public. And now another from Buxton with a woman bent over to show everyone her panty. Are those ugly and destructive enough for you, Ms Sagar?

But none of this is really Ms Sagar’s issue. Her real issue with me is that I am a proud Indian and for the self denying Indian this is anathema.

I guess Ms Sagar finds comfort in the gimmicky slogans of the coalition which are profoundly race based, anyway, with their promise of a magical post-elections unity which has no foundation in truth, fact or reality.

It must be as comforting as eating cookup with achar. There really is nowhere to go with the simplistic banality of

using cuisine and hair length as a yardstick for some idea of an identity that is evasive of a simple truth and fact. This is probably my last letter to the press before elections day. I hope that peace prevails whoever wins. From the discussions this campaign has raised I feel that we have not moved a millimeter nearer to resolving our race issue. This is the largest stumbling block to any real progress and development so I remain pessimistic about Guyana’s future.

Ryhaan Shah

Ethnic security: a vital prerequisite for national peace

Dear Editor, When could mark the beginning of the "past", now be the subject of our latest quibbling? Let’s hope the controversial KN columnist can eventually get it right one good day.

Freddie Kissoon of Kaieteur News (FKOKN) is on piggyback to explain why Indian Guyanese are like savages is because their "tribal" instincts are uncontrollable. He only refers to Indian Guyanese as "tribal it's".

Again we find he is using press freedom, this time to paint Indians as tribal and savages and somehow "therefore" racists. We thought that racism was invested after the tribal stage of human development. But this time he is accusing all educated Indian Guyanese for tribal behaviour as well.

The dubious paper-weigh "intellectual" advocates that, Indian Guyanese will still be voting for the PPP/C on May 11 in spite of how they feel.

"Tribal" or "savages" are not normal everyday usage to describe specific racial or ethnic voting patterns or Guyanese behaviour. Is the FKOKN fellah’s usage indicative or a mental dysfunction which so many have alleged so often?

The FKOKN [Freddie]

writer appears very well acquainted with "tribalists" and "savages" and we may wonder why, since he lived all his life in Georgetown.

Of course the FKOKN fellah deliberately leaves out other race groups who are happy with the PPP/C government for improving their housing, employment, education, healthcare and the betterment of the economy.

But by inversely using the FKOKN's logic, all African Guyanese, or any others ethnic groups who support the PPP are not tribalists, savages. So what are they?

The FKOKN writer is playing a dangerous race game here. Should we believe or accept no other race groups fit the FKOKN fellah's bogus hogwash criteria for rich ethnic tribal ignorance then Indians are the worst of Guyanese!

Why are tribal ethnic voting patterns only exclusively specific to the allegedly "ignorant" Guyanese Indian population? What explains the startling fact that, after 28 years of PNC’s starvation of Guyanese, that party obtained a higher percentage of African Guyanese votes in 1992 than in 1964 - which was supposed to be the most polarised election of all?

If we use the FKOKN label, it appears that most African

Guyanese “tribalists” continue to loyally give their votes to the PNC despite their orchestration of the 1964 Wismar ethnic cleansing, the Son Chapman bombing, the murder of Dr Walter Rodney, mass starvation for some 28 years, rigging of elections and destroying the country's economy.

Because Indian Guyanese do not insist on their ethnic and racial security they become targets. Mr Freddie as a self proclaimed educated intellectual is also prey to his own logic.

Freddie is supporting PNCR in spite of all their wrong.

Can Freddie tell us why the Buxton terrorists (who he wrote expensively on) could be labeled as "Freedom Fighters" when they skipped next door Annandale to go to Lusignan (where Eusi Kwayana was born) to massacre sleeping Indian Guyanese children and defenseless Amerindian women and men and degutted children in their beds?

Something is wrong when Indian Guyanese are targeted by race, and it only is denounced by few in token solidarity.

It’s a downright shame how those impoverished in ideas and morality can debase their humanity and distort it for their gain. Whom the Gods

wish to destroy they first make mad. Many will commit suicide when the PPP/C wins the May 11 elections. In the context of Guyana, ethnic insecurity is the most formidable impediment to our racial harmony. It is most vital for Indian Guyanese security, their existence and survival. The educated Indian is under fire because; quite unlike in the past, they dare to speak up. What may be "tribal voting" for some will only become minimized in future elections by mutual accommodation of everyone's ethnic security.

When those who beat up on Indians to vote for them can first comprehend why voting for Granger strikes terror to their core, then they will be liberated. In the same vein those who demand to control their own destiny by ethnicity or race should seriously consider Federalism for peaceful coexistence. What's to lose when so much can be gained?

Confession of sins is good for the soul. I do not wish suicide on anyone. It’s is a sin as it is a treatable and serious sickness. May I suggest Freddie; you should consult Annan Boodram on this matter. He speaks fondly of you for some reason.

Vassan Ramracha

The white marks the spot: The depleted water level caused by a prolonged drought in the Western United States can be seen on Lake Mead in Nevada on May 6 (Reuters/Mike Blake)

Replace the Constitution

Dear Editor, Chief Justice Ian Chang is expected to rule on the challenge (filed by a few voters) of the Presidential term limit bill. I will be most surprised if he rules that the bill is “constitutional”. And whichever way he rules, rest assured that there will be a challenge.

Voters were never consulted by the constitution and never gave their assent to it. For me, and indeed a majority of people I spoke with since 1978, the Burnham constitution is unconstitutional. It should have been dumped twenty two years ago as Cheddi Jagan promised during the campaign for the 1992 elections, in speeches in New York, and in a news-

paper interview I conducted with him.

The fact that a Parliamentary Committee made changes to the constitution bill in 2001, does not make it any more legal than what it was in the rigged 1978 referendum. I have consistently argued that voters should be given a chance to assent to or reject the constitution or any amendments to it.

Why should only Members of Parliament decide on how the people will be governed? Why can’t the people themselves decide on how they should be governed? The people are sovereign – they, not the parliament, should be empowered to decide on their po-

litical fate.

The Burnham constitution is illegal. Whichever party is elected on Monday should move with haste to replace it. The people should be consulted on the preparation of a constitution.

The elite should not be the only ones to decide on what is best for the people. Whatever constitution is drafted, there should be a choice for the people to choose from.

And the people should have the right to a referendum to alter the constitution at any time of their choosing through a petition or through a majority vote of the parliament.

Vishnu Bisram

Pray for an election that is free and fair and free from fear

Dear Editor,

On May 11 Guyanese will be voting in the General and Regional Elections. There are a lot of rumors circulating in the country about what may happen after the voting.

The CIOG is calling on all Guyanese especially our Muslim community to be calm and to pray for a peaceful election and to work for peaceful elections in our country.

We must all pray and work for an Election that is free and fair and more importantly, free from fear.

We urge all our Imams, Regional Vice Presidents, and Islamic Workers throughout Guyana to organize our communities to pray for peace and to be calm, before, during and after the elections.

We urge all Guyanese to go out and vote and to encourage all those eligible to vote to do so.

We advise all Guyanese to be respectful of the other and their right to vote for the party of their choice.

We all must work for a country that respects the

rights of each of its citizen irrespective of race, religion, culture and color; we are all Guyanese.

We have printed a Duah that the Ulema of Islam have advised that we recite as much s possible during situation like we are facing right now. Please circulate and encourage all Muslims to recite it as much as possible. May Allah SWT Bless and protect all of the people of our country.

CIOG

The Opposition coalition’s bullyism

Dear Editor, It was brought to my attention that the Prime Ministerial Candidate of the PNC-led APNU-AFC coalition Moses Nagamootoo and Nigel Hughes bulldozed their way into Aishalton Village in South Rupununi on April 30 to hold a so-called political rally without the permission of the Toshao and village council.

The rally was held at the village’s small community centre.

Aishalton Village’s residents have expressed outrage over this bullyism by the coalition’s Prime Ministerial Candidate and pointed out that the APNC-AFC coalition has disrespected their community, which is an

Amerindian village and questioned their type of leadership for Guyana.

Because of the utter disrespect shown to the Aishalton Village’s Toshao and Council, residents claimed that the APNU-AFC coalition will never receive their electoral support.

Peter Persaud

The people will prove Kissoon wrong

Dear Editor, Freddie Kissoon has chastised Indians in Guyana who have come out in support of the PPP/C and who have not expressed a preference for the PNC/APNUAFC and who have not, according to him, recognised African Guyanese leaders.

He has also launched a litany of asininities against former President Jagdeo, accusing him of racist demagoguery. I recall that former President Jagdeo sued Kissoon for a similar scandalous attack.

I don’t know if there is an injunction against Kissoon which prohibits the repetition of such unfounded labels. If there is, these comments on Jagdeo would mark Kissoon’s grave insult and disrespect for the court and its order but that is a matter for Mr. Jagdeo and his lawyers.

I would however like to focus on Kissoon’s drivel about Indians who support the PPP/C. He referred to Ronald Bulkan whom he said is transfixed by “the transmogrification of a number of Indian Guyanese who just months ago found the PPP/C regime to be characterised by cascading incompetence, corruptibility, unpleasant functionalism and other unacceptable motifs.”

I am surprised that there is no attempt at an evaluation/analysis of the current stand of the persons who have caused Ronald Bulkan’s transfixation at their transmogrification. Such an evaluation/analysis would be the first recourse for objective political analysts.

To be fair to Kissoon, he has offered that these

Indians have allowed themselves to be influenced by instinctive racial considerations.

He sees these Indians as Indian supremacists who hold to the view that Indians must hold political power in Guyana. He gleefully admits to what would be his delight at the PPP/C loss of the forthcoming elections.

There is no disputing the truth that there are African Guyanese who want to see the APNU-AFC led by David Granger in government. By Kissoon’s logic would he describe Lincoln Lewis, David Hinds, Lenno Craig , Norris Witter, Aubrey Norton and Joe Harmon as African supremacists. There is not a word from Kissoon on this.

The truth is Mr Kissoon, leading Indian personalities have been critical of the PPP/C when they felt justified in doing so. The PPP/C is not above criticism. The PPP/C itself has candidly admitted that in government it has made mistakes.

The persons who bear the brunt of Kissoon’s criticism are entitled like all other eligible Guyanese to vote for the political party of their choice. These Indians, like all other Indian Guyanese, have vivid recollections of the brutal, vicious, oppressive and authoritarian record of the PNC in government.

They are well aware that Indians in particular bore the brunt of PNC neglect, victimisation and oppression in the past. It may be that by offering their support to the PPP, they have resolved unto themselves, that they will go with the PPP/C.

That notwithstanding their past criticism they will

choose the lesser of two evils. Kissoon may not agree with them but it is their choice and as a man holding himself out as a defender of public rights, he should respect their choice.

Ronald Bulkan is also critical of the Indians he identified, but Bulkan is guilty of a terrible error of judgment. He seems to have erroneously concluded that the criticism of the PPP/C by intellectually able Indians necessarily translated into their support for APNU.

But Bulkan too is guilty of a lack of respect for people like Rhyaan Shah, Swami Ashkarananda, Ralph Seeram, Peter Ramsaroop, Asgar Ally and others. If these Indians had followed in the footsteps of people like Ronald Bulkan and his uncle the former PNC Attorney General Mohamed Shahabudin, on the road to Sophia and into Congress Place, Bulkan and Kissoon would have considered them right thinking Indians and above criticism.

Note must be taken of how APNU in the newspapers plays up the photographs of Indians who have made a political choice of supporting APNU ,viz. Robert Badal, Joey Jagan, Jacob Rambarran and an unknown doctor.

Freddie Kissoon should dilate on the fact that when Indians in Guyana reflect on their experiences under the PNC. The recollections for Indians are painful ones. These were the realities that have scarred and left indelible prints on the Indian Guyanese psyche.

saturday, may 9, 2015| guyanatimesgy.com

Granger has no plans for oil and gas sector – Jagdeo

Following the recent finding of an indication of oil by US oil giant ExxonMobil in Guyana’s offshore waters, former President and Executive Member of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Bharrat Jagdeo boasted of his Party’s plan for a fruitful oil and gas sector.

During an interview with the Guyana Times, Jagdeo declared that the PPP/C’s manifesto is the only document with a plan for the development of an oil and gas sector in the country.

“We’re the only manifesto that has something on the oil and gas sector,” Jagdeo pointed out, exposing the People’s National Congress (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition for not including a plan or even making mention of it in its manifesto. That aside, Jagdeo said the PPP/C has an extensive plan of action to embark upon in the event that Guyana starts to earn

revenue from this lucrative sector. He indicated, as outlined in the manifesto, that the PPP/C planned to establish a world-class system for the management of petroleum revenue through the passage of appropriate legislation. “If we get money from oil and gas, we’ll pass a special legislation to regulate its use; an international legislation because we’ve seen how it creates the dust disease in other countries, the appreciation of the exchange rate, and kills off every other sector in the economy. We don’t want that to happen…,” he said.

Jagdeo tied this new development to the incumbent Administration’s vision for taking Guyana forward into the future, ultimately bettering the lives of all Guyanese.

The PPP/C has continuously explained the benefits this sector would open up for all of Guyana, starting with the creation of new jobs, the cheaper cost for oil and the earning of more revenue, which can then be pumped

back into the country’s development.

Meanwhile, Guyana appears to be one step closer to hitting the jackpot of discovering oil in its offshore waters. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud announced that hydrocarbons of which crude oil consists were discovered in the Esso exploration well, the Liza-1 on

the Stabroek Block, using the drillship, Deepwater Champion

While the prospects ahead appear to be encouraging for Guyana’s developing economy, it must be taken into consideration that ExxonMobil made this headway amid the political controversy between Guyana and Venezuela, where the latter remains adamant that the area where the US com-

pany is drilling is within its territory.

In early March, the oil and gas company, one of the largest in the world, was warned by the Spanishspeaking country to refrain from going ahead with its planned exploratory drilling activity, on a concession awarded by Guyana. The multibillion-dollar project, however, got underway early last month.

Venezuela has repeatedly laid claim to the area being explored, ignoring an 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award, which was declared as the full and final settlement of the boundary between the two South American nations. With Venezuela’s obdurate insistence on its position, Guyana is considering judicial settlement of the boundary.

15 pistols, 2 AK-47 found at City wharf

Aconsignment containing a cache of arms and a large quantity of ammunition was on Friday intercepted at a City wharf, authorities have confirmed.

The bust was made around 11:30h on Friday at the Guyana National Industrial Company (GNIC) wharf, Lombard Street, Georgetown. According to information reaching the Guyana Times, ranks of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Drug Enforcement Unit made the interception during the clearance of a box that was shipped from the United States.

This was initially confirmed by a Police source.

Police Public Relations Officer Ivelaw Whittaker late Friday evening issued a statement detailing the findings from the cargo consignment.

It was reported that two AK47 assault rifles, four .40 pistols, 11 9mm pistols along with 15 extra magazines and 489 various calibre rounds for the firearms were found. A body protection vest was also

found, among the weapons. The Customs officers were able to detain a male who went to clear the shipment. The suspect, the weapons and ammunition were handed over by the GRA to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for further investigations. Guyana Times was made to understand that as of Friday evening, two persons were in custody at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Eve Leary, being questioned by the Police.

The 19-year-old reputed wife of accused drug trafficker Barry Dataram was on Friday granted bail in the High Court in the sum of $1.5 million.

Anjanie Boodnarine, a resident of Patentia Housing Scheme, West Bank Demerara, has been charged, along with Dataram and two other persons, with possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking and unlawful possession of ammunition without being a licensed firearm holder.

According to the charges on April 16 at Fourth Avenue, Block X, Diamond, East Bank Demerara, Boodnarine, Dataram, and two of their friends, namely Trevor Gouveia and Komal Charran, were found to be in possession of 129.230 kilograms of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. Additionally, Boodnarine and Dataram faced a charge which stated that on the said day at the aforementioned location they were found to be in possession of 180 live rounds of .233 ammunition without being licensed firearm holders.

The four defendants, who are being represented by Attorney-at-Law Glen Hanoman, had earlier appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts be-

fore Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and Magistrate Ann McLennan for a trial date. Hanoman made an application for bail on the grounds that the prosecution was not prepared to begin trial. He also stated that the prosecution lacked evidence given that his clients were charged for the possession of a substance that has not been identified as cocaine as yet. Bail was denied and the matter was adjourned to May 28. Later in the afternoon, Boodnarine was released from Police custody and the Guyana Times received confirmation that she was granted bail from the High Court.

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

Anjanie Boodnarine

The cache of arms and ammunition seized by law enforcement authorities

GuySuCo surpasses 1st crop production target

The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) this week surpassed its 2014 first crop production. The Sugar Corporation has reached a production of 80,000 tonnes of sugar which is approximately an 8 per cent increase over its first crop production in 2014.

In a release, GuySUCO said that the target for 2015 first crop stands at 83,000 tonnes and, therefore, it is on a pace to achieve its first crop 2015 target. With

Albion, Blairmount and Skeldon still grinding sugar cane, it is expected that GuySuCo will exceed its estimated target for the 2015 first crop.

It is therefore encouraging to note that over the last 24 hours, the Skeldon Sugar factory has produced over 415 tonnes of sugar at a TC-TS of approximately 12. The throughput of cane going through the system has been 280 tonnes per hour. The targeted throughput for the Skeldon factory is 300 tonnes per hour. GuySuCo has seen the new punt dumper increasing its capacity gradually towards the 300 tonnes per hour target and it is expected that the corporation will reach a routine throughput of 300 tonnes per hour.

Uitvlugt, Blairmont, Wales, Rose Hall and Albion estates have all surpassed the 2015 first crop target and it is expected that Enmore and Skeldon will also reach its target before it closes down grinding for the first crop.

GDF fully prepared to maintain national security during elections period

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) said it has activated Operation Plexus which has as its central thrust, the stability and security of the nation in the pre-, E-Day and post-elections period.

Britain

Since the announcement of a date for General and Regional Elections, the troops have been immersed in training to fulfil their role of supporting the Police if required to do so. Training was focused exclusively on internal

security aspects such as crowd dispersal drills, cordon and search activities, the conduct of road blocks and the suppression of unlawful assemblies.

In a statement, the GDF said currently, troops are being deployed to var-

rejects coalition government

...votes for continuity and solid economic performance

British Prime Minister David Cameron swept to a stunning election victory on Friday, confounding forecasts that the vote would be the closest in decades and winning a clear majority that left his Labour opponents in tatters. The sterling currency, bonds and shares surged on a result that reversed near-universal expectations of an inconclusive “hung Parliament”, in which Cameron would have had to jockey for power with Labour rival Ed Miliband. This was the situation in Guyana after the 2011 elections, and resulted in a stymieing of the Government’s programme.

Instead, Cameron met Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace to accept a mandate to form the first majority Conservative Government since John Major’s surprise victory in 1992.

The 2010 General Election resulted in a hung Parliament (Britain’s first for 36 years), and the Conservatives, led by David Cameron, which had won the largest number of seats, formed a coalition with the Liberal Democrats in order to gain a parliamentary majority, ending 13 years of Labour Government.

It was the first full coalition in Britain since 1945, when there was a coalition to confront the post WWII rebuilding effort. Traditionally in the Parliamentary by radiation, which Guyana shares, coalitions are not favoured because they lead to weak governments which prove incapable of moving countries forward. Despite the unexpectedly decisive outcome, longer-term uncertainty looms over whether Britain will stay in the European Union, and even hold together as a country. Secessionists swept

the board in Scotland, and Cameron repeated a promise to hold a referendum on EU membership.

The scale of his triumph surpassed his Party’s most optimistic projections.

“This is the sweetest victory of all,” Cameron, 48, told enthusiastic supporters at Party’s headquarters.

Smiling beside his wife Samantha, he returned to the Prime Minister’s office in Downing Street after meeting the Queen. Staff lined up to applaud when he entered the residence.

Cameron’s pitch to voters was that he had rescued Britain from economic crisis to deliver the fastest growth among major economies. In Guyana, the PPP/C has delivered the highest growth rate in the Caribbean and the IMF projects that it will do so in the next two years. This of course is premised on continuity in governance and policies. (Adapted from Reuters)

ious parts of the country to deal with any circumstance that require their involvement and support for the provision and maintenance of peaceful and stable communities.

The endgame is to ensure that the General and Regional Elections are executed in a safe, secure, and stable environment, and that a state of normal-

cy is maintained throughout.

There is absolutely no need for citizens to be fearful of the presence of army troops in communities as “we are deploying to ensure your safety. We urge that, as responsible citizens who have always respected and cooperated with the military, you will be supportive of our

tasks as we interact with you from day to day, during this period”.

“We assure all Guyana that the Officers and Ranks of Guyana Defence Force remain professional and committed to its constitutional obligations to assist the civil authorities in the maintenance of law and order,” the GDF said.

Troops being mustered at Base Camp Ayanganna

3 remanded for Linden businesswoman’s murder

Three men appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday to answer to the charge of murder.

The men, 22-year-old Robin Maxwell Thomas of120 West Montrose, East Coast Demerara; 29-year-old Aiden Bowen of Blueberry Hill, Wismar, Linden, and 29-year-old Anthony Primo of 153 Laing Avenue, Georgetown, were not required to plead to the indictable charge which stated that on April 4 at Block 22, Wismar, they murdered

Shevon Gordon. Attorney-at-Law

Melville Duke appeared on the behalf of Primo and stated that his client did not know the two other defendants. Primo has been charged in the past for robbery under arms and the unlawful possession of a firearm.

His co-defendant Thomas pleaded for justice and alleged that he was tortured by the police. He denied knowing the other defendants and having any knowledge of the murder. Bowen, who was earlier

in the day placed on bail on a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm, also made allegations of Police brutality before the court.

After listening to all of the allegations and reviewing the information presented, the Magistrate remanded the men to prison and adjourned the matter to May 12 when it will return to Court One.

The deceased, Shevon Gordon, who resided at 125 One Mile Block 22 Wismar, was shot dead in front of her home on April 4. Gordon, 45, who operated a bever-

age stand at the LindenGeorgetown bus park, was about to enter her yard with her husband in their vehicle when they were approached by two men, one of whom was armed with a handgun.

The men demanded a bag containing cash which the woman had in her possession and she resisted after which one of the bandits opened fire and she was struck several times about the body.

The woman was subsequently rushed to the hospital and she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Eyew tness

Closed minds...

...and democracy

The essence of democracy is that folks get a chance to vote for their leaders. So you have the latter extolling their virtues (or hocking their wares) to the electorate every five year or so. If you're in Guyana, and it's the PPP in government, it's whenever the Opposition decides. Now if the arrangement is to work, you'd expect the folks about to anoint their leaders should at least give the aspirants a hearing, no?

Well, again, Guyana's different. Here if you're a PNC/APNU supporter, not only you don't give the PPP a hearing, you subject them to the most hi-decibel, obscene and scatological language you can musterall delivered with exposing various and sundry parts of your anatomy sometimes dubbed "private parts".

But then "communication" can involve words and actions, no?And a good time is had by their children who're always brought along to be socialised into the same behaviour as adults.

In Guyana, you're not supposed to talk about this lewd and licentious behaviour. If you do, you'd be accused of "stereotyping" and being "racist" or worse. But it cannot be swept under the carpet...not least because of two terrible consequences for our democratic society.

There's first the vitiation of the democratic principle that "the other side must be heard". What's the point of having elections if folks have already made up their minds.,

Now some might say that with ethnic voting being what it is in Guyana, this kind of locking out the "other" remains the order of the day. But it's not really so, is it? We haven't heard of any Opposition meeting being disrupted by such scandalous behaviour. The variable, we believe, is the different rhetoric from the two sets of leaders. It has nothing to do with one or other set of people being "wutless".

The Opposition have so demonised the PPP that being "wutless" is the only recourse of some of their supporters - who may not have words to express their feelings.

It's clear that the Opposition leaders Granger and Nagamootoo are satisfied with the goings on (or "goings down) - they haven't uttered a word in of reproach. Nigel Hughes did condemn the School Welfare Officer - now identified as the daughter of APNU MP Joan Baghevems - who pissed on a PPP flag. But in this campaign who's he?

And the other night, when the President ventured into Buxton - an APNU stronghold, he got such a dose of vulgarity in words and deeds that it made the pisser from Ruimveldt look like a angel!!

And yet silence from Granger and Nagamootoo. Is this a portent of things to come?

...and peacemakers

Your Eyewitness just saw a report about a group of "peacemakers" being funded by the UNDP during the current elections. Obviously the UNDP believes that the "peace" will be "unmade" - hence the need for peace "makers".

Now it's not like they're paranoid or anything...after every election since 1964, there's been violence of one sort or another doled out to those dubbed "supporters of the PPP".

It doesn't matter whether those individual folks are ACTUAL PPP supporters: once they look the partit's a condign beating or worse. but what's more than passing strange to this Eyewitness is that none of the Peacemakers mentioned in this noble effort has uttered a word about the PPP being literally "pissed" upon up to now.

So it's not psychological" violence" if your flag's pissed on, or burnt - even as chants of "Bun Dem out!!!" fill the air, what is?

Or are we waiting for some physical violence to be inflicted? Is the UNDP watching how it's money's been spent?

...on MMU

This Eyewitness doesn't know the Ms Primo who writes up the Media Monitoring Unit reports. But whoever she is, she really need some monitoring of her language. Seems like she's got her knickers permanently in a knot!

Shevon Gordon was murdered outside her home

Murder accused: Anthony Primo

Murder accused: Aiden Bowen

Murder accused: Robin Maxwell Thomas

Baby dies 6 months after being punched by dad

Six months after eightmonth-old Reshma Deodat was alleged punched to the head during a domestic dispute between her parents, she succumbed to a fractured skull on April 25 at the Georgetown Public Hospital. She was only two months old when the incident occurred.

Little Reshma was laid to rest on May 1 and her teenage mother is now seven months pregnant.

It was reported that the child’s parents, Premchand Deodat and Darshanie Baijnauth, were fighting when little Reshma reportedly fell out of her mother’s arms at the same time her father threw a punch, which she received the brunt of.

The infant was taken to a Health Centre in Berbice and, given the seriousness of her condition, was transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital and ultimately to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she was admitted.

After spending some time in the hospital, the child was discharged, but a few weeks later, she was diagnosed with excess fluid in the head due to the injuries she sustained. In addition, she suffered a haemorrhage to the brain.

The child was again admitted to the Georgetown Hospital where she underwent several surgeries to correct the problem, but eventually succumbed. A post-mortem examination performed on the infant proved that she died as a result of inflammation of the brain.

Justice

Now the grandmother of the child who was given guardianship by the Child Care and Protection Agency subsequent to the incident is calling for justice to be served.

Patricia Sanasie’s family praises Police work

The family of slain businesswoman Patricia Sanasie has expressed gratitude and appreciation to the Guyana Police Force for its exemplary work in investigating the woman’s murder and eventually finding her alleged killer.

Vishnu Persaud, the brother of the dead woman, told the Guyana Times that his family, especially the children of Sanasie, are very pleased with the outcome of the investigations. “We would like to thank the entire Police Force in Guyana, for doing such an outstanding job! We are grateful and appreciate all the hard work and effort they put in to this case,” he stated.

Persaud further urged the Force to continue their good work and continued to give justice to other families as they did with them. “I’m very happy with what they did for my sister and I can only hope they continue doing so,” he noted.

He added that the family was eagerly awaiting the prosecution of his sister’s kill-

Bibi Shakira Alrasheed, in a phone interview with the Guyana Times on Friday, stated that she wanted her daughter and her reputed son-in-law to be held responsible for the child’s death. She explained that her daughter and her reputed husband have been at loggerheads since they began living together some two years ago.

The teenager, she stated, is living an abusive life and despite them encouraging her to end the relationship, she is determined to carry on. The grandmother is now fearful for the life of the child that her daughter is carrying.

She explained that in 2014 when Reshma was born, she encouraged her daughter to stay at her home at 222 Ordnance Fort Lands, Corentyne but after the nine-day celebration, she went home with the young man to Nigg Village.

After some time, the grandmother stated, she received a telephone call from a family member asking her to collect her daughter and grandchild, since the father was arrested for a previous issue he had with someone. Her daughter then returned to the child’s father after he was released from custody.

“Dem does fight steady and ah fight dem bin ah fight when the baby get knock… when the Police call in, the mother cover up … Now the baby dead and gone and she still nah go learn sense,” Alrasheed stated.

After the baby passed away, the Police, she added, told her that they have to wait on the medical records of the child that have to come from the Georgetown Hospital. The Police also claimed that they were waiting on the post-mortem examination before they send the file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

er.

The 45-year-old businesswoman was shot five times by a lone gunman as she was about to enter her yard after returning from church earlier this year. She was in the company of her eldest daughter who only able positively identified her mother’s killer two weeks ago after being hospitalised. On the night of January 12, the now dead

The alleged perpetrator, Richard Stanton, 39, of Lot 53 Princes Street, Georgetown, was charged and placed before the courts last Tuesday for the woman’s murder. Stanton was previously arrested after he matched the description given to the Police, but the daughter was too traumatised to attend the identification parade.

woman arrived at her Lot 129 Atlantic Gardens home and exited the car to open the gate so that her daughter could drive into the yard. It was while doing so, the lone gunman confronted her and pumped at least four bullets into her body. She was quickly picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Initially, there were allegations that Sanasie’s husband had contracted someone to kill her. However, the businessman, Ram Sanasie called “Monkey Man”, has denied having any connections to his wife’s killing. The couple, who have been together for 28 years, separated last year after there was an attempt on the man’s life.

In February 2014, the businessman was shot three times about his body while outside his business place on Fourth and Light Streets, Alberttown, Georgetown. He had claimed that his wife and her younger brother were behind the failed attempt on his life, but this was denied by the two siblings.

Dead infant, Reshma Deodat

Vishnu Persaud and Romona Sanasie, the brother and daughter of the dead businesswoman

saturday, may 9, 2015| guyanatimesgy.com

Granger welcomes oil and gas find

The People’s National Congress (PNC)-led

A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) said it was happy with the announcement of the United States-based oil and gas company Exxon Mobil that it has discovered hydrocarbons in its offshore Stabroek Block, nothing that the resources which will come from the operations will go towards the full development of all Guyanese.

Presidential Candidate David Granger made the statement on the heels of the announcement made by the US-based oil company on Wednesday. The company, through Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud, informed that it had discovered hydrocarbons during its drilling off the Stabroek Block.

It said, however, that it still needed to carry out a full evaluation of the results before it could confirm whether there were commercial quantities of hydrocarbons, specifically light crude.

Granger said the discovery of hydrocarbon is all the more reason for Guyanese to vote for the

party on Monday. “We will have a lawful, responsible Government. Transparent, good agreements and we’ll ensure that any revenue coming from that petroleum will be used for the public good. We will ensure that the people of Guyana will be the beneficiaries of any profits coming from that,” Granger told the Guyana Times in an invited comment.

Granger said there has been significant oil find indicators over the past 35 years and it would take some five years before oil begins flowing.

Delighted Meanwhile, APNU/ AFC’s Executive Member, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine said the party was delighted with the announcement of the oil find, as it would be available to the new government. He promised that the resources coming from the operations would not go the same route that others have gone.

Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, the local affiliate of ExxonMobil, holds 45 per cent interest in the Block. Hess Guyana Exploration Limited holds 30 per cent interest and

CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited holds 25 per cent interest. The project is expected to be executed over a 10-year period and has been divided into three sections including two phases in each section which lasts for one to two years. The scope of operations include a drillship with approximately 200 crew and contractors; helicopter support, with two from Ogle, including a utility craft and a Search and Rescue at all times; four support vessels and two shore bases, running from Georgetown and Trinidad, and a waste treatment facility at the John Fernandes Site at Houston, Greater Georgetown. The total area allotted to Exxon covers 26,806 square kilometres. The company has a target depth of 1750 metres.

Guyana has been receiving sustained international attention from huge companies, especially in the oil sector. The US Geological Survey said in 2000 that the GuyanaSuriname Basin has the second largest unexplored oil potential in the world after Greenland. Guyana first struck oil in the 1980s in the Takutu Basin, and there is much optimism that oil will be found in commercial quantities.

ExxonMobil has joined other investors such as CGX Energy, Repsol, Anadarko Guyana Co, and Nabi Oil and Gas in exploring for oil in Guyana’s offshore Atlantic basin.

Roopnaraine hails presence of int’l observers

The People’s National Congress (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition said it was pleased with the presence of the various international observer missions here to monitor the upcoming General and Regional Elections.

This is according to Executive Member, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, who was at the time responding to questions posed by the Guyana Times about the coalition’s satisfaction with the mandate of these observer groups.

According to the scholar, he was too a part of similar observer missions under the umbrella of the Commonwealth and knows that electorates are usually comfortable with the presence of such groups.

“They like to see them. They are not a guarantee for security for the electorates, but I believe that the electorates are somewhat comforted by their presence. My feeling is that the observer missions are obviously not going to be able to deploy into all the areas of the country. We have indicated to them where we believe problems may arise, and pointed out to them our sense of where they should use their limited resources on Elections Day. We are happy they are here, and we welcome them to the country,” he said at the coalition’s weekly press conference.

Dr Roopnaraine further noted that the alliance met with some of the international observer missions and expressed concerns over arrangements made in relation to the elections process. Nevertheless, the APNU/

AFC Executive assured that they would do everything in their power to ensure that the election was conducted peacefully.

“The observers … wanted to ask the APNU, asked the coalition if you are prepared to accept the results. Of course we said to them, that barring flagrant violations of the electoral laws and best practices on Elections Day, we could see no reason at this present time why we would find any difficulty in accepting the results of the elections,” Dr Roopnaraine stated.

However, he added that “we believe that we have conducted a campaign in the best interest of the country and have done absolutely everything we can, at times, to stem the anger of the population on certain things that have occurred on the PPP’s platform, especially since former President (Bharrat) Jagdeo’s arrived on the scene and injected a lot of unwanted toxic matter into the campaign”.

Thus far, four international teams have been confirmed including the Commonwealth; Caribbean Community (Caricom); the United States’ based Carter Center; and the Organisation of American States (OAS). Meanwhile, among the domestic missions are Blue CAPS; the Private Sector Commission (PSC); the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU); the Electoral Assistance Bureau (EAB); the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), along with the United States Embassy and the British High Commission.

CIIP helping to fight vectorborne diseases in Region 3

The Community Infrastructure Improvement Project (CIIP) in enhancing communities is contributing to the reduction of vector-borne diseases in Region Three ( Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara). This is according to Region Three Environmental Health Officer Deoramdeen Persaud.

According to Persaud, the elimination of vectorborne diseases is one of the main environmental health concerns of the Region. He believes that CIIP is a good initiative that is complementing the efforts of the Regional Environmental Health Unit in this regard.

“Community Enhancement Workers are cleaning drains and burial grounds, which are breeding grounds for vectors and oth-

er pests …I had approached Neighbourhood Democratic Councils in the past to clean the burial grounds because they were overgrown with bushes, but nothing was done until CIIP was implemented … I am pleased about this,” Persaud said.

“Works done by the project plus recent fogging exercises executed by the Unit have resulted in the reduction of vector-borne diseases in the Region,” he added.

Persaud said that with most breeding grounds for mosquitoes destroyed the environment looks cleaner and more beautiful. He noted that the project’s design to have burial grounds cleaned periodically would definitely help to prevent the spread of diseases.

“The works done by the workers are important for healthy communities … while we go around talking to residents, the workers are the persons on the ground making a big difference,” Persaud said.

CIIP is a Government of Guyana Project which is being implemented by the Housing and Water Ministry, and is aimed at improving aesthetics and access in communities while creating employment in the said communities.

He stressed that residents have a major role to play in maintaining a healthy environment. Dead animals and garbage were some obstacles Community Enhancement Workers faced as they cleaned drainage networks in the Region. He noted that as part of the Unit’s education awareness component, residents were sensitised about proper sanitation.

Deepwater Champion has discovered hydrocarbons, a strong indication of the presence of oil

Granger pressed on student loan cuts

APNU/AFC

Presidential Candidate of the People’s National Congressled A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition, David Granger was once again placed under public scrutiny , this time in front of an audience of University of Guyana students, when he rolled out the plans to transform the institution into a five-star university.

Granger has excessively been critical of Government’s role in the operations of the prime tertiary institution and on Wednesday evening, he had the opportunity to lay out what he intended to do differently to improve the university experience. But Granger, in his response to the many questions posed to him, admitted that the institution already has the necessary systems in place but in the context of a new government, his administration would set out to improve on those systems to lift the standards of the university.

Law school

Granger said one of the immediate long-term goals of the coalition would be to establish a quality law school right in Guyana so that students pursuing a career in law would not have to go overseas to earn their degree. Currently, law students spend three years at the University, but afterwards have to go to the Hugh Wooding Law School (HWLS) in Trinidad and Tobago to complete their degree — an additional two years.

However, there is a limit to the number of Guyanese law students who can attend the HWLS – 25 – and since hundreds of students are eligible each year to advance their studies, most of them are left behind as a result of that limit.

Granger noted with regret this reality as he vowed to, if elected, work towards the establishment of a law school within the next five years where undergraduates can complete their degree and then be admitted to the Bar.

However, he acknowledged that Guyana will have to work to attain the necessary resources to embark on this venture, and that such a bold plan will take some time before it becomes fruition.

“It will take a long time to attract the expertise and acquire the resources,” he professed, but noted with the right attitude, it was possible.

Granger’s plan for a fivestar University does not intend to include much focus on the arts. According to Granger, “at this stage of Guyana’s development”, students should focus on more successful areas of studies. “As far as my role as President will be, I warn you that I will be biased in favour of science … but I will not discourage anything in the art fields or anything in the cultural field,” he said.

He explained that Guyana’s economy needed engineers and scientists to develop the nation, as he argued that art and culture would not make a significant contribution towards the development he wanted to see.

“Look at history, I love history, but I don’t tell people to do history anymore. I tell them to do engineering,” he added.

With regard to the sciences, Granger said he would ensure quality lecturers were posted at UG which would result in the delivery of quality education to Guyana’s youths who could then be deployed into society to use their skills and expertise garnered from their studies right here to take the country forward.

Student loans

Meanwhile, Granger then began to tout free education at the University level even after he, along with AFC executives boldly cut $450 million from the student loan programme, putting the education of hundreds of Guyanese at jeopardy. If it were not for Government’s intervention, the funds cut from the budget would have never been restored and hundreds of Guyanese would have been deprived of having a university education.

However, Granger and his counterparts, to this day, continue to criticise the Government for restoring the money for the student loans. Granger told the student population that the money cut for the student loans was bundled with that intended for the National Communications Network (NCN) and the Government Information Agency (GINA), therefore when they cut the money from the two media outlets, the student loan programme was cut in the process.

Caricom’s Observer Mission anticipates “competitive” election

The Caribbean Community (Caricom) has deployed a team of professionals from the region to observe Monday’s General and Regional Elections in Guyana, and is predicting a competitive race based on what it has seen thus far.

The team, which consists of persons with vast electoral experience and political representation, will be led by Deputy Director of the Elections Commission in Jamaica, Earl Simpson, and Josephine Tamai of Belize as Deputy Chief of Mission. Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, the Head of the Observer Mission noted that while they have only been in Guyana for a short period of time, they have been monitoring the political atmosphere in the country.

According to Simpson, since their arrival on

Wednesday, himself and Tamai have been looking mostly at the local media and various talk shows to get a sense of the perception of what is happening on the ground. In addition, Tamai stated that they are already having the sense of what is happening in the country though it may not be to the extent, they would prefer.

“The sense is that it is going to be a pretty competitive election. We will closely monitor what is happening and what is being said, but then whatever is our conclusion would be included in the report that we would present to the Caricom General Secretary,” the Chief of Mission stated.

Simpson noted that after Monday’s polling day, the group will be issuing a preliminary statement on their findings. This will be followed by a final report which will outline the ob-

servations by the Mission and its assessment of the election process, including recommendations if necessary.

On this note, the Chief of Mission was asked whether his team is concerned about the usual lack of interests by the Government to implement the recommendations. In response, Simpson said that they are yet to go through previous recommendations and assess whether they were implemented.

Like the other international observer agencies, the Caricom Group will be widely monitoring the elections process. The team is mandated to observe the elections process including campaigning activities, casting of votes, counting of ballots and transfer of the results. They are also tasked with observing the conduct of electoral officials and political stakeholders, and the electoral environment.

Additionally, the Mission will have to observe the outcome of the elections and its immediate impact on the social and political environment. “It is our intension to abide by the laws of Guyana. We will visit as many polling locations and polling stations to take a broad representative sample of the process as possible…It is important to point out that we are committed to being neutral, impartial, objective and independent,” he stated.

In order to effectively cover Guyana’s National and Regional Elections, the team will be collaborating with other observer missions to maximise its coverage in areas that they will not be able to access, since they are unable to be present at all the polling stations.

The 10-member team is scheduled to be in Guyana from May 6 until May 13.

Presidential Candidate David Granger

Chief of the Caricom Observer Mission Earl Simpson (second sitting) and Deputy Chief of Mission Josephine Tamai, along with Programme Manager of Communications at the Caricom Secretariat Kendol Morgan

saturday, may 9, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

GECOM says it is ready for E-Day

…promises free, fair and transparent polls

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is assuring stakeholders that it is fully prepared and ready to conduct free, fair and credible elections as scheduled for May 11, 2015. According to the elections body, notwithstanding some challenges, it has been able to achieve an almost perfect state of readiness for the efficient and transparent conduct of the May 11 Polls noting that all the necessary technical, administrative and logistical systems are in place in every district, and are functioning optimally, thus enhancing GECOM’s credibility.

Training

GECOM said that it has continuously been engaging its Election Day staff in a plethora of training exercises that have seen them constantly being trained, retrained, refresher trained, and further trained, in an effort to have all Polling Day staff fully prepared and ready for the professional and transparent conduct of May 11 General and Regional Elections.

The elections body in a release said that the frequency of its training exercises are designed to mitigate all likely errors on Election Day, and welltrained and helpful personnel

are being deployed in all of the 2299 Polling Stations across Guyana to work on Election Day – with the full understanding that the electors are their employers.

In addition to ensuring that well-trained personnel are functioning well on Election Day, GECOM noted that it had conceptualised and had introduced a rigorous Civic and Voter Education campaign, the primary aim of which is to inform the electorate on everything they need to know about the elections process.

“Such is the design of the Civic and Voter Education programme that it also involves the use of a sign language expert in all of the

television infomercials – especially targeting those persons living with hearing disabilities. Further, with the help of the National Commission on Disability (NCD), GECOM has been able to produce a stencil, which will allow the visually impaired persons ... to vote independent of assistance by another person who may not vote as directed by the visually impaired elector,” the release said. It said that thus far, it has produced 100,000 booklets and had them distributed to the voting public not lastly via stakeholders, including Political Parties. The 2014 Telephone Directory from (page 154-168), also provides a gamut of pertinent

information a voter needs to know about the electoral process. “Every communication medium is being utilised by GECOM to get its Civic and Voter Education messages across to the respective target audiences in Guyana,” the Commission said.

Polling stations

GECOM further noted that polling stations have been identified throughout the 10 Registration Districts amounting to 2299 in number. According to the Commission, polling stations comprise a variety of public buildings as well as some private residences, with the number of private residences at 166.

GECOM’s Media Centre

GECOM said that with the help of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), it has established a Media Centre to facilitate the efficient dissemination of official elections results to the media and the nation.

Observer Missions

Meanwhile, a number of international and domestic election observers will be involved in the May 11 General and Regional Elections. Presently, 13 domestic ob-

Vendor gets 12 months for houselot fraud

Avendor was on Friday sentenced to 12 months in prison by Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry after facing a charge of obtaining money by false pretence at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Thirty-two-year-old Dhanram Harilall, of 528 Block A Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that between March 27 and April 28 at Ruimveldt, he obtained $1 million from Malik Rasheed by pretending to be an employee of the Housing Ministry who was in a position to allot him a house lot at 25 Section B Nonpareil, East Coast Demerara.

The defendant had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charge, but he later changed his mind and explained that he wanted to finish the matter rather than

have it prolonged.

According to Harilall, he had indeed obtained a sum of $700,000 from Rasheed’s wife on three different occasions, but it was under a different circumstance. He claimed that he told the man that he would attempt to get him the house lot, but he did not tell them that he had one to sell to them.

It was disclosed that this was the defendant’s first offence of this nature and none of the money was recovered. The defendant begged for leniency, claiming that he was willing to repay the virtual complainant. The Magistrate after giving the facts some consideration sentenced the man to 12 months in prison.

servers have been accredited with five International Observer Missions already in Guyana.

“We at GECOM would like to reassure all Guyanese and indeed the international community of our commitment to do everything within the law to conduct free, fair, credible, peaceful and almost

perfect elections,” the release from the Commission said.

The elections body is calling on all Guyanese, political parties, candidates and all other stakeholders to accept the results of these elections in good faith and to engage in no activity which would be inimical to the maintenance of post-electoral peace.

Catholic Church urges peace, reconciliation ahead of polls

The Head of the Catholic Church in Guyana, Bishop Francis Alleyne has urged peace on Election Day and beyond in the midst of all that is being said and done in the lead-up to elections in a message to the nation.

The Bishop said a finger on the pulse of the electioneering and campaigning over the past few months, and before that in the National Assembly, suggests that the “shalom (peace)” readings are not yet in a viable range – the pulse is weak.

“What seem to be surging through the systems at elevated levels are experiences and memories from the past that intimidate and terrorise and discredit. Performances on-stage and on-camera and in paid advertisements rehash the hurt, pain and suffering that we blame on each other across the political and ethnic divides. As one person said to me, it is like a driver looking only in the rear view mirror instead of taking in the vista offered through the windshield. In this regard, I restate my belief that reconciliation and trust are vital to an ongoing process of building “shalom” in our nation,” Bishop Alleyne said.

He recalled last November, when Parliament was prorogued to forestall a no-confidence motion, “we, the church, recognised that the nation was venturing into uncharted territory and from a faith perspective, drawing on the language of faith, and the social teachings in our faith tradition, we engaged a number of communities in conversations about national con-

cerns. These were impressive encounters which made it clear that people have a good grasp of social and national concerns.”

Bishop Alleyne said because of their faith, they also had a good grasp of human worth and the ways we could be and ought to be in right relationship with one another and the whole of creation. “Christians, and those of other faith traditions, believe in the innate goodness of God’s creation, of which humanity forms an important part. We believe that all people, regardless of race, ethnicity or otherwise, are created in God’s image. We believe that fundamental goodness cannot be overturned by sin; however, endemic that sin may be. It falls to us now to embody this belief and with resolve to work together to shape and nurture the way forward. I pray that participation in the polls on May 11th will not only indicate the people’s choice, but also mark the renewal of commitment on the part of every citizen to be engaged in nation building.”

According to the Bishop recently, while interfacing with a group of young people, he was struck that very few in the group could be clearly defined by one ethnicity. Bishop Alleyne said as a people of faith “it is our minimum duty to participate in the elections and go to the polls. Let us, with the casting of our vote, go further, beyond the minimum, where our faith will inevitably spur us, to nurture healing, right relationship, trust and collaboration.”

Bishop Francis Alleyne

GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally

Dhanram Harilall was sentenced to 12 months in prison

Message from the Ambassador of the European Union on Europe Day 2015

Europe Day is an opportunity to celebrate the EU’s achievements in promoting democracy, human rights, peace and prosperity in Europe and the wider world. On May 9, 1950, the nations of Europe decided to unite and make war on our continent impossible. 65 years later, this message of peace and unity is as relevant as ever. The decision to overcome age-old divisions just five years after the Second World War laid the foundations of what has become the European Union (EU). Over the years our Union has grown from six to 28 countries to become the world’s largest peace project. The dreams of our founding fathers have become a reality.

All over the world, people want what we have in the EU; personal rights and freedoms, democratic governance, rule of law and a decent standard of living. However, even in today’s Europe, as in many other parts of the world, democracy is a constant work in progress; it

needs to be valued and protected. In this, the final year of my mandate in Guyana, I wish the people of Guyana a peaceful, free and fair elections and I look forward to working with the new Government for the remainder of my time here.

For 40 years the EU has been working with the people, Government, and civil society of Guyana on a range of issues. Three rounds of political dialogue with the Government of Guyana have taken place, in which matters of mutual interest such as political and economic developments; EUGuyana and EU-regional development cooperation; human rights and governance; security, climate change, and regional integration were discussed.

The second EU-CELAC Summit will be held in Brussels on June 10-11, under the theme: “Shaping our common future: working for prosperous, cohesive and sustainable societies for our citizens”. EU-CELAC summits

bring together European, Latin American and Caribbean leaders to strengthen relations between both regions. These summits are the main fora for dialogue and cooperation between Europe, and Latin American and Caribbean

states. We want to build a future based on shared prosperity, our economic ties are one of the pillars of the relationship; cohesive societies – we want inclusive growth, to reduce inequalities in both regions; and sustainable development, not just economically but also environmentally, for our citizens, because we are democracies, accountable to our peoples. We look forward to welcoming the Guyanese delegation to this important meeting for both our regions.

2015 is the “European Year for Development”, and the motto is “Our World, Our Dignity, Our Future”. The EU is the world’s biggest development aid donor. We look forward to strengthening and deepening our relationship with Guyana and the Caribbean Region over the coming years, and working together to build a better world for us all. On that note, this year the Paris climate conference in December 2015 will agree on a new International Climate Change

Agreement that will cover all countries from 2020 onwards. This crucial agreement will, through collective commitments based on scientific evidence, put the world on track to reduce global emissions by at least 60 per cent below 2010 levels by 2050. The EU’s highly ambitious contribution to the new agreement will be a binding, EUwide, greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of at least 40 per cent by 2030. This is an example for all countries around the world to follow.

The European Union is a project for the future. So today we celebrate Europe day to remember, but also to look ahead. I hope you will join us around the globe to work with us for a world where people, no matter who they are or where they live, are free to shape their existence and strive for their dreams.

Ambassador Robert Kopecký European Union Delegation

European Union Delegation Ambassador, Robert Kopecký

APNU/AFC supporters break up PPP/C Stabroek Square meeting

… sticks and stones hurled at Luncheon

It was a scene of chaos on Friday night at the Stabroek Market Square when officials of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) yet again came under attack at one of their political meetings.

Scores of People’s National Congress (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) supporters turned up at the meeting waving the coalition flags and pelting out insults at the various speakers. The situation quickly escalated when some of the Opposition supporters began hurling stones at the speakers on stage.

“We want change” and “No more thieving” were the loud chants of the protesters who constantly attempted to interrupt PPP/C Executive Member, Dr Roger Luncheon, while he addressed the gathering. Only last week, Dr Luncheon was met with similar reactions from residents of Warlock, Ruimveldt, Georgetown. Then on Thursday’s date, another PPP/C meeting was disrupted by Opposition supporters at Buxton, East Coast Demerara.

Although the Police managed to contain the crowd, some individuals still attempted to get past the barricades to take their ridicule closer to the PPP/C members on stage. Nevertheless, Dr Luncheon appeared calm and unfazed by their onslaught of verbal abuse and lewd behaviour as he urged them to behave in a civil manner.

“We forgive you,” he told

the uncouth crowd as he reprimanded them for their actions. “You have to be ashamed to look at the spectacle that the PNC has you doing. The PNC support lies and deception … they have been out here living a life of lies,” Dr Luncheon stated. He went on to warn those present of the Opposition’s tactics to gain support, stating that the APNU “doesn’t have any plans or policies” to ensure the country’s growth and development. Luncheon reminded the gathering of the PPP/C track record of developments, urging them to support the Party’s strides for continued development and growth of the country. “We have proved that we have served Guyana, no other party can stand and look us in the face and say that we have not served this country. That is what our track record is about! It is in your interest to vote for the PPP come May 11; it is in your children’s interest; it in the country’s interest,” he added.

Additionally, the incumbent Party’s Executive Member pointed out that

the PPP/C’s vision will see economic development for Guyana since they have “wise leaders and good policies”. Dr Luncheon further reiterated the PPP/C’s promises of continued development referred to in its “Guyana Version 2.0” manifesto reflect development as the theme for the future.

On the other hand, he raised questions of the Opposition’s reliability as he reflected on the integrity of some of the candidates. “Leaders such as Greenidge are has-beens; they have failed in the past”. Dr Luncheon expressed his belief and confidence that the PPP/C will be successful at the May 11 elections as “none of the lies of the PNC can take away the knowledge that you have … majority will put their ‘X’ next to the cup,” he urged. Dr Luncheon also expressed his views that the PPP/C has something to be proud of which is the progress that it has achieved and it has to defend it. “We are staying,” he confidently echoed as he closed his address, “We will win!”

Elections 2015 Police slam coalition’s bogus claim of mass arrests plot … PPP/C warns of efforts to subvert polls

The People’s National Congress (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) APNU/AFC coalition said that it has credible information that the Police are planning to arrest a number of people over the weekend to prevent them from voting on Monday— a claim the Guyana Police Force dismissed and called on the grouping to be more responsible.

In a statement, the coalition accused the ruling People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) of hatching a plan to detain and arrest a number of persons over the weekend and on Election Day, in a “deliberate” attempt to prevent these persons from voting. But the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has since debunked those allegations by the

Opposition. In a press release, the GPF maintained its professionalism, pointing out that it has been conducting its operations in a professional manner during the entire campaign season. “The Guyana Police Force has been acting professionally during the campaign period so far, and intends to continue until the end of the process,” the statement asserted.

On that note, the Force indicated that the PNC-led APNU/AFC Coalition’s allegations were spurious, assuring the public that there was no plan for any mass arrests or illegal arrest of anyone.

“The Guyana Police Force wishes to assure members of the public, including supporters of all political parties, that if they breach the laws they are likely to be arrested;

if they conduct themselves lawfully, they will be protected,” the GPF noted. Further, the GPF stated that the allegations “came as a surprise”, since its hierarchy met with a delegation comprising senior representatives of the coalition where they were encouraged to call the Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud, and Divisional Commanders regarding various issues. However, the concerns of mass arrests were never raised.

Elections subversion

Meanwhile, the PPP/C, in a release, also sought to warn the public of possible attempts by the PNCled APNU/AFC to subvert the electoral process on Monday, May 11. The ruling Party noted that it has received credible information detailing plans by agents of the Opposition to disrupt elections. The PPP/C disclosed that these plans include the photographing and recording of activities at polling stations with the aim of using such images and footage to create distortions and stir problems amongst the electorate.

Indeed, Opposition Leader David Granger is on record urging supporters at the Golden Grove Rally to take photos of their ballots and polling agents, and actions of other electors.

Two of the stones that were hurled at the PPP/C speakers that landed on stage

APNU/AFC’s Winston Felix

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud

Carter arrives for crucial elections

ormer United States

FPresident and founder of the Carter Center, Jimmy Carter, has arrived in Guyana ahead of the 2015 General and Regional Elections on Monday.

The former US President arrived at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) on Friday afternoon. He is coleading the Carter Center’s 100th Election Observer Mission to monitor Guyana’s electoral process along with Dame Audrey Glover of the United Kingdom, and former Foreign Affairs Minister of Barbados, Billie Miller.

The Center had deployed a team to Guyana since April including five experts and six medium-term observers, who were stationed at locations throughout the country. This medium-term observation team was joined this week by more than 50 short-term observers from 24 countries.

They will be witnessing the electoral process, including voting, counting, polling, and tabulation, and will release a preliminary statement of key findings on May 13, which will be available at http://www.cartercenter.org.

This is the Carter Center’s fourth election observation mission in Guyana.

The Carter Center’s assessment of the electoral process will be based on Guyana’s Constitution, national legal framework, and its various obligations for democratic elections under public international law, including relevant regional and international agreements.

The Center’s mission will be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, which provides guidelines for professional and impartial election observation.

Based on initial observations in all 10 electoral districts, the Carter Center had stated earlier this week that

Former US President Jimmy Carter moments after touching down at the CJIA

the country’s electoral preparations appeared to be on track.

The Observer team had met with a wide range of actors, including political parties, the election commission, civil society organisations and even the judiciary. According to the observers, majority of stakeholders in the various regions have expressed confidence in the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and the electoral process in place for Monday’s Polling Day.

“In most parts of the country, electoral preparations appear to be on course, and in some areas, preparations are ahead of schedule. In some more remote areas, there are concerns about the status of logistical preparations,” the Centre stated.

Furthermore, it was highlighted that observers were made aware of electoral offences being committed by supporters of the two main political parties, that is, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Coalition. The allegations had to do with the destruction of flags, banners, and billboards. However, the team encountered very few formal complaints submitted to Police and to the election commission.

Red Cross celebrates 152 years of humanitarian aid

The International Red Cross Organisation and its subsidiaries continue to provide humanitarian aid across the world, as members of the institution on May 8 celebrated the 152nd anniversary of the birth of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement. Here in Guyana, 67 years of service by Guyana Red Cross Society were commemorated.

Director General of Guyana Red Cross Society, Dorothy Fraser, in an interview with the Guyana Times, highlighted that May 8 is the founder’s birthday, and a day set aside for celebrating the lifesaving work of the Red Cross/Red Crescent. Henri Dunant had a vision that went beyond boundaries, and which saw a movement standing firm on its seven fundamental principles.

“In our 67 years of service, we have been looking over vital areas on a wide spectrum under a theme ‘Principles in Action’. We have seen fundamental principles; however, we are looking particularly at humanitarian; nevertheless the principles of impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary serve, unity and universality are not forgotten,” she said.

In the celebration of this

significant occasion, the staff and volunteers of the Guyana Red Cross society organised a “meal on wheels” initiative as youths went out in their numbers across Georgetown providing humanitarian aid and also extending messages and conduction of an interactive session with members of the public as they outlined the initiative of the society and its contributions over the past years.

According to Fraser, this month also celebrates peace, and the organisation has embarked upon a project where it is working with youths, more specifically the females, in providing extra training and indulging them in additional programmes. This is aimed at letting them have an insight as to how to cope with family disaster plans while learning to address the problems which may arise in their households from time to time.

Coin collection drive

Apart from that, the organisation has organised a coin collection drive with schools, businesses and the general public, in collaboration with the Bank of Guyana who has been providing cash for the coins, which in turn is used as funding for

the Society. It was indicated that Red Cross Day will be highlighted in a number of ways in different countries, and by different activities. In Guyana, the youths will be participating in some more activities in the latter part of the month. As of now, they have been stepping up with several first aid trainings which were conducted for the past three Saturdays. The goal is to improve training in emergencies, whereas workshops in Aruba and other parts of the world were conducted on migration and other issues.

The Guyana Red Cross Society has been extending tremendous support in many emergencies and continues to be involved in disaster risk reduction training. There is the welfare clinic which seeks to provide persons with a unique opportunity to meet with others in similar situations, to share their experiences and offer support to their peers. In relation to domestic violence, the organisation, over the past years, has been providing support to the victims especially in the counselling area as well as areas such as health education, water sanitation, among others.

Police slam coalition’s...

The PPP/C also said it is in receipt of information that there are attempts to conscript Polling Officers to engage in other practices that are aimed at undermining a free and efficient poll. In spite of these attempts, the incumbent Administration said it will vigorously pursue action both locally and internationally against any person who is engaged in any attempt to subvert the elections. The Party also called on its supporters to document any and all attempts by Opposition’s forces to

disrupt these elections.

“The PPP/C remains committed to defending our democracy, and more especially, the right of the Guyanese people to freely and democratically choose a Government of their choice. We call on all Guyanese to be vigilant and to protect our hard fought democracy,” the statement read.

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo recently slammed the Opposition for its irresponsible behaviour of attempting to inject intimidation into the electorate on Election Day.

Sections of society have been saying the coalition members are setting up supporters to not accept the election results if the Party loses by their continuous tone and language at the various rallies and public meetings.

Additionally, PPP/C Executives have been claiming that the coalition is doing whatever it takes to create an untrue perception for their supporters to believe in, in the event they lose the election.

Another such attempt, as declared by PPP/C offi-

Fraser outlined that “many persons do not understand that the Guyana Red Cross like its sister nationals, have to fund everything by themselves. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent only come in to help with training and in times of a disaster so as to work with us and other national societies by doing public appeals”, she said. At the local level, she stated the Society has to raise its own funds for all the programmes and activities that it was involved in, noting that it was quite a challenge for them and the Society was, therefore, asking that persons be as generous as they can be in providing support. She also said that she would like to extend a humongous thanks to staffs of all ages and from all backgrounds as well as volunteers who come from around the country and gave their time freely, doing tremendous work for the Guyana Red Cross Society.

National Societies, like the Guyana Red Cross Society, are recognised national voluntary organisations acting as auxiliaries to the public authorities of their own countries in the humanitarian field.

from page 22

cials, is the claim of a “dirty” voters list by Granger during a meeting in New York. These concerns were reportedly never raised with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), as it should have been done. Jagdeo has since accused Granger of having an “ulterior motive” for making these “wild” allegations. “My feeling is that the motive is fear, fear of losing and trying as we know, in that past, the PNC has often done, trying to make excuses for that failure…,” Jagdeo stated.

saturday, may 9, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

PPP/C Port Mourant meeting:

Hinds, Harper tell gathering PPP/C has best track record

Prime Minister

Samuel Hinds says when the electorate go to the polls on Monday, they should cast a ballot for the party which has a good track record.

The outgoing Prime Minister was addressing residents of Port Mourant and Rose Hall Town, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) in his final words of encouragement at two political meetings on Thursday. Port Mourant, which is the birth place of the founder of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Cheddi Jagan, is considered one of the strongholds of that party. Hinds told the gathering there that in his mind the party with the best track record is the PPP/Civic (PPP/C).

“Many persons ask how is it that when we came into office in 1992 we had

the same things that the outgoing PNC (People’s National Congress) had and how is it that we were able to turn things around. How is it that we were able to stop the continuous decline and turn things around?” He explained it simply by saying that the cook matters.

“You can give the same ingredients and recipe to two different cooks and you can get two different dishes coming out … and the PPP/C has been the one that will make the best meal with what we had,” he explained.

According to the Prime Minister who has occupied that position since the party took office 23 years ago, the reason for the PPP/C doing better is that it has been more realistic and more disciplined.

The main contesting

Opposition in the May 11 National and General Elections APNU/AFC has been making promises which are not realistic, he said. “The APNU/AFC promised to give increases to the Police and other public servants salaries as soon as they get into office. They will increase a lot of the handouts that are given to people, they will raise the threshold to $100,000, and they will double up on Old Age Pension and at the same time cut taxes. I say this so that we can be warned. It is very easy to say those things and the PNC said those things and tried to do those things after Independence…”

He said that was the main reason for the spiralling inflation which Guyana experienced in the 1980s. “We did not double up, but gave five per cent

Region 2 rice farmer, 68, found murdered

By IndrawattIe natram

The body of a rice farmer from Paradise- Jib in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) was on Thursday morning discovered floating along a nearby foreshore.

Dead is Richard Ivan Etwaroo, 68, of Paradise-Jib on the Essequibo Coast. His body bore marks of violence to his neck.

A post-mortem examination, which was conducted on his body Friday by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh, revealed that he died as a result of an incised wound to the neck.

every year and after 23 years we are better off today,” Hinds noted, adding that Guyana was experiencing Dr Cheddi Jagan’s dream of a better life. “There is no question that Guyana is better of materially that in 1992.”

Speaking at Rose Hall Town where a similar crowd assembled, the Prime Minister said his party supported all groups regardless of race, colour, religion or creed. “At the PPP/Civic, it is not an issue of race because we support any group that runs into hard times and need our support. If race is put aside, what good reason is there not to vote for the PPP/C… there is none.”

Meanwhile, Prime Ministerial Candidate for the PPP/C, Elizabeth Harper speaking to supporters at Rose Hall Town said the PPP/C needed to win at the May 11 poll so that it could continue to develop Guyana.

“Young people are the future of Guyana and, therefore, development must continue so that youths can take over and run with it.” The PPP/C, she added, wants to ensure that women in their homes feel safe and not become victims of domestic violence.

Harper called on the Police Force to carry out its duties in a professional manner and promised that over the next five years programmes will be implemented to help with the professionalism of the Police Force.

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, who attended both meetings, told residents of Rose Hall Town that the Opposition and the PPP/C have been erecting posters during this campaign period; however, the difference is that the APNU/AFC do not stand for what it put on its posters.

According to the daughter of the deceased, Omadevi Bridjodhan, her father’s body was discovered by her brother, Bruce Etwaroo, who raised an alarm. Still in a state of shock, she said her father, primarily a rice farmer, would usually wake up early to go to the seawall to feed his cattle. The now deceased man left his home 03:30h Thursday to go to the back dam. When asked what may have triggered someone to kill her father, she said, “My dad is a very honest gentleman, he don’t trouble no one; he usually go to the rice field and then go look after his cow.

Who could be so heartless?” the tearful daughter asked. The now deceased was a father of six and was described as very loving and helpful. His body was retrieved from the sea and taken to the Suddie Mortuary. Family members are in shock over the entire ordeal. The family is presently preparing for his funeral. The Police are treating it as a murder. According to G Division (Essequibo Coast/ Islands) Commander Kevin Adonis, several persons were called in for questioning. No one is presently in custody. No weapon was found at the scene. Police are continuing their investigations.

ILO, Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean launch new course in Labour Diplomacy

The course was inspired by a comment from TT Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Dookeran

The Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean, in partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), has created a new module in Labour Diplomacy. It is one of a series of diplomacy courses offered by the Academy. The course was officially launched at the Forum on the Future of the Caribbean, at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad, on Thursday. The fiveday module in Labour Diplomacy, expected to be held in September 2015 at the St Augustine campus of the University of the

West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago, will introduce participants to the ILO through a series of lectures and discussions aiming to: explain the history, mandate and structure of the ILO; identify the role of the ILO’s constitution, international labour standards, current and salient issues related to the world of work and the importance of the Decent Work Agenda. Expert lecturers, distinguished in the field of labour diplomacy, will deliver the course which will target those working in Government, employers’ and workers’ organisations, the Public and Private Sector, as well as postgraduate students, and those from Non-Governmental Organisations, who have an interest in expanding their capabilities and knowledge on labour diplomacy.

“It might seem strange for a diplomatic academy to be offering training on a topic like labour, but the Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean is not your typical traditional academy.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds speaking to residents of Port Mourant

Richard Ivan Etwaroo

saturday, may 9, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

VOX POPULI PUBLIC OPINION I SAY... Voter education

As election soon approaches, members of the public expressed their concerns as it relates to the voting process and how informed they are on the importance of voting.

Omalita Balgobin – “Being a first time voter, anxiety builds as May 11 draws closer. Elliott Abrams said ‘Elections matter, but how much they matter depends on how free, open and fair they are.’ I am thankful to the relevant authorities for their efforts in ensuring that the days leading up to and after May 11 remain free from fear. May the best party win!”

Sanjay Atmadeo – “I am a first time voter and I must say that I am very prepared and just anxiously awaiting to go out and exercise my right to vote. On top of it all I must commend the work of the various authorities that have been trying to educate youngsters on the importance of voting and as such, I would like to encourage my fellow youths to come out and vote. We have the ability to choose a Government that will take the country forward.”

Devin Warner – “I am very excited to go out and cast my vote as Election Day is soon approaching. I would like to commend the work of the various authorities, more specifically GECOM, as they educate the youths on the voting process. I am of the hope that it will be a peaceful election. And whichever party wins, I hope they would continue towards the development of our nation.”

Anuradha Ramdeholl – “I am fully prepared, mentally, to exercise my right to vote. Being a first time voter, I am ready to stand my grounds and vote for what I believe in; the party in which I believe can make a difference and uphold our country. I have a full knowledge on how the voting process works because I am offering assistance. I would also like to encourage all first time voters to go out and exercise their rights like I am doing. I must note, however, that a lot of persons I spoke to, who are also first time voters, are somewhat skeptical about going and vote. But it is a beautiful feeling to know that you have the power to make a difference and stand up to what you believe in.”

Tamika Lester – “I am proud of the efforts made by the relevant authorities in getting persons to understand the voting process, I must commend the work of the officials of GECOM who have striving to make persons understand the importance of voting. It is also my belief that just as how it was conducted peacefully the last time, it will be the same at this upcoming election.”

ILO, Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean...

The Academy adopts an all-of-government approach to diplomacy and shares the view of the International Labour Organisation that individuals in business, government and labour unions should learn the art of diplomacy in order to ensure labour, peace and promote decent work for all,” stat-

ed Professor W Andy Knight, Director of The Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean. Giovanni di Cola, Special Advisor to the Multilateral Cooperation Department, ILO Geneva and former Director of the ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean, who participated

in the Forum on the Future of the Caribbean, stated: “The Masters-level course on Labour Diplomacy is the result of team work among academia, social tripartite partners and the ILO. It aims at developing leadership skills and knowledge on labour matters and decent work in the from page 25

Aditya Persaud – “Recently I have been travelling across the Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice coasts and, especially in the far out country areas, I have been hearing that some people are ashamed to go out and vote; that was really shocking for me. It does not matter which party you vote for but what matters most is that you know your right as a citizen. You have to make that choice and it is important that you do so. As a young person you have rights in your country, go out on May 11 and cast your votes.”

Moreisa Mohan – “I was not able to vote at the last elections however, I will be making it my priority this time to vote at the upcoming elections. I am confused at the moment as to which political party I will be voting for, however, I am sure that I will make up my mind as the day soon approaches. I would like to encourage all the persons who are of the eligible age to vote to come out and exercise their right as a citizen.”

Denish Badal – “I will be going out and voting at the upcoming elections. I am very happy that I was able to get a previous knowledge on the voting process and also the importance of youth votes. I am grateful for the various authorities that have been striving to ensure that voters’ education is at an optimal level and would like to encourage everyone to come out and cast their votes, in that this helps in taking our nation to its next level.”

Ganesh Baljit – “I am a first time voter and I am very happy that I can be able to exercise my democratic right as a citizen. The relevant authorities have been doing tremendous work as it relates to encouraging persons to come out and cast their votes. I hope that this election is of a peaceful nature and the political parties accept the results. I would also like to thank the members of the Inter-Religious Organisation who have brought about the initiative of signing a peace pact. From my knowledge, I can safely say that this is a good move and I hope that the political parties will work with these members in ensuring a peaceful election.”

Ron D’ Avilar – “I must say that I am fully informed about the voting process and I would like to thank the GECOM officials, who have been working towards ensuring that persons are educated on the various aspects of the election process. However, I think they should reach out more on social media, get the youths involve, and let them have an idea of the importance of the youth vote.”

context of new diplomatic and international patterns.”

The course was inspired by a comment from Trinidad and Tobago Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Dookeran, during an ILO side event hosted at The Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in Samoa, September 2014. Exploring the future of economic integration in the

Caribbean, decent work and labour market outcomes, Minister Dookeran challenged the ILO to create a module on labour diplomacy to enable greater engagement of social partners in political processes.

The Forum on the Future of the Caribbean was hosted May 5-7 by The University of the West Indies and the Trinidad and Tobago Foreign Affairs Ministry, in collabora-

am

out and exercise

on

I must commend the

of the

authorities in spreading information as it relates to the voting process, and it is of my hope that the other youths will be going out and cast their vote at the upcoming elections.”

Devon Richardson – “I think that much has been done in getting persons to understand the importance of voting, however, I think that more emphasis should be placed on making persons aware that their ‘Xs’ should not touch the box. I sincerely hope that the election is of a peaceful nature and everyone come out and cast their votes.”

Vasante Prasad – “I am prepared to vote at the upcoming elections and most of all I am proud of the efforts being made by the officials of GECOM as it relates to getting persons on board, and having them educate their fellow citizens on the voting process and its importance. I would like to encourage everyone to come out and cast their votes on May 11, 2015 and I am also hoping that a peaceful election would prevail.”

Reuel Richards – “As a first time voter with all that has been happening, along with the campaigns that were running during this period of elections, I would like to think that yes there was a reasonable amount of effort and energy put in by both parties to try and encourage all voters, both first time and veteran voters. Both of the two main parties did have some very interesting manifestos that would intrigue first time voters, that is why I will be exercising my vote come May 11.”

Treasure Alana James – “I think that a lot has been done to educate the general public about the voting procedure for May 11, and people on the coast of Guyana should have no excuse not to go out and vote. My only concern is for the eligible voters in the hinterland area, because they do not have access to the local television stations and radio which played a major role in educating the Guyanese public on voting information.”

tion with the United Nations System in Trinidad and Tobago, and a wide range of international development partners. It brought together political leaders, academia, Private Sector leaders, young shapers, civil society and policymakers, to engage in a vigorous debate and discussion under the theme: “Disruptive Thinking. Bold Action. Practical Outcomes”.

Kevin Jettoo – “I

fully prepared to go

my right to vote

Election Day.

work

GECOM

Freddie, it is not racist to display ethnic pride

Dear Editor, Freddie Kissoon’s ranting about ethnic pride, racism and racial supremacy in another paper clearly shows he does not comprehend these basic concepts. Freddie wrote utter trash. Any scholar reading his rants would know he is a pseudo-intellectual who is trying to impress gullible readers.

He does not have a grasp of these or other social science or natural science concepts. He misunderstands everything he reads. Unfortunately, he is given unlimited freedom to peddle his tripe, misinformation and unsubstantiated ranting in attacking Indian intellectuals and scholars. Fred, get in touch with me so I can impart knowledge to you on various concepts!

When Indians say they are proud of their identity, they face vitriolic attacks from ignoramus and unintelligent people and are labeled as racist. But when David Hinds, Eusi Kwayana, Ogunsye, Abu Bakr, and other Afroethnocentrists express pride in their race, they don’t face similar attacks and verbal assaults. These pseudo-intellectuals and uniformed writers have an ingrained hatred for Indian intellectuals.

Freddie claims when Indians say they are proud of their ethnicity and culture, and when they celebrate their culture, they are racist. Really? And when Africans do the same, they are not racist. What kind of logic is that? Did he learn that in studying phi-

losophy or history? At which university? Now, readers can understand why University of Toronto denied Freddie a PhD and sent him back to Guyana.

Was Martin Luther King and or Malcom X racist or supremacist for displaying pride in their race? Was Marcus Garvey a racist for saying he is proud of his African race? Was Kwame Toure (Stokeley Carmichael) a racist for saying he is proud of Africa and of being an African? When Blacks say “Black is Beautiful”, does that make them racist? Was Bobby Sands (Irish nationalist leader) supremacist for displaying his pride in his nationality, religion, and ethnic background?

Are Irish racist for celebrating St. Patrick Day? Are Italians racist for participating in Columbus Day celebrations? When the Black Panthers founded a party only for Blacks, Freddie says that is not racist. But when some Indians founded ROAR, for Freddie, that is racist. It is called the Kissoonian logic that is taught at the University of Kissoon, which is ranked higher than Oxford and Harvard.

Being proud of who you are or your ethnic group does not make you a racist. Ethnic pride is an emotional feeling in which people express respect and dignity in who they are. They are proud of their background.

In saying you are proud of your ethnic group, you are not denying or demeaning some-

one else’s ethnicity. National pride means being proud of your own country or proud of yourself for being from your country. It means being proud and happy of being a citizen of that country. It is an expression of who you are.

No matter your nationality, where you are born, everyone has an ethnic identity. Regardless of nationality, like being an American, for example, one can be proud of one’s ethnic background – like being a member of the six different groups in Guyana or being a member of the hundreds of ethnic groups in America. That does not make you racist.

A racist is someone who attacks and denigrates people of another race. He has contempt and hatred for other races, a la Freddie, for example. Freddie does not like Indians and says he is ashamed of being one. He is born an Indian; we can’t change that. Freddie has self-hatred. So he can be excused and must be ignored but corrected so that people will not be misled by his lack of intellect.

Ethnic Supremacism is when one or a group feels his race is superior to another’s. I have not read where anyone has made that claim. The type of government (and governance) practiced in Guyana between 1965 and 1992 is an example of ethnic supremacy in which Indians were kept down by the racist government.

Indians and a handful of Africans and members of oth-

er ethnic groups fought the supremacist government.

None of the Indian intellectuals who write on ethnicity or express pride in being Indian have denigrated other races in Guyana or say their group is better than others. On the contrary, they praise the other groups for being proud of their race and, like me, advocate for racial equality for all.

In Guyana, Indians were oppressed and persecuted on account of their race by the PNC dictatorship. They fought racial victimization and discrimination. They have every right to express pride in their ethnicity.

Advocacy of one’s ethnicity is not a zero sum game or an effort to edge out members of other races. Those who say they are proud of being Indians or Africans are not judging anyone based on their ethnicity or culture or advocating that others be denied resources on account of ethnicity. They are not condemning anyone based on their ethnicity or culture.

They are not preventing anyone from saying they are proud of their ethnicity. In a democratic polity, people are free to celebrate their identity. And they should be proud of their identity especially when they were victims of genocide and the withdrawal of the franchise as happened between 1965 and 1992.

Vishnu Bisram

The people will prove...

So in coming now to their political choice, Indians weigh the admission of the PPP that it has made mistakes and its undertaking to correct them against David Granger’s unambiguous and remorseless statement that the PNC did no wrong and that there is nothing that the PNC has to apologise to the people of Guyana for.

Why Mr Kissoon should any Guyanese and Indians in particular vote for David Granger, who seeks to distance himself from overt connection with PNC atrocities but even today, fails to offer a word of condemnation.

Indian Guyanese in particular would find themselves in great difficulty to support David Granger and his motley band of vengeance seeking wannabes.

This is the context in which Indian support for the PPP can be placed and not just through the narrow prism of racial polarisation. Kissoon may disagree but it is my view and I trust that he can show some respect for my view.

The very matters such as incompetence and corruptibility which Ronald Bulkan claims Indians criticise the PPP for, have been prominent features of the notorious record of the PNC in government.

There is however one fact which Kissoon with his poi-

soned pen, with his anti- indian hostility and vitriol cannot deny, and that is that under the present PPP/C government , the life and living standards of all Guyanese are qualitatively superior to that which obtained under the despotic PNC regime.

Freddie Kissoon has in the past heaped encomiums upon Desmond Hoyte. I respect his right to choose his heroes but I ask Kissoon about his thoughts on the fact that Hoyte took the Presidency in 1985 as a result of the most flagrantly rigged elections in Guyana which prompted the distinguished British Law Lord, Lord Avebury to describe the 1985 elections “ as crooked as barbed wire”.

Kissoon speaks of Hoyte as a great reformer. He must be a great admirer of Robin Hood , the thief of Sherwood Forest in England who shared his ill gotten gain with the less privileged. Hoyte stole the Presidency. He ignored the people and their votes. He stole the government and then sought to adopt glasnost and perestroika, according to Kissoon. How can praise be offered to Hoyte? I do however understand that for Kissoon, stealing can be explained away and can be made acceptable.

Kissoon has described former President Jagdeo as a racist. The former President

recently addressed an essentially Indian audience at an essentially Indian function.

He told them that they in the past struggled for the protection and preservation of their dignity and that that achievement was under threat as the PNC cloaked as APNU and led by David Granger who is unapologetic for the past injustices of the PNC, sought to regain political office.

Former President Jagdeo no doubt had in mind the experiences of Indians in Guyana under the past illegal PNC regime when Indian religious and other cultural values were trampled upon.

(Of course I understand that these are matters which Kissoon by his own admission that he is Guyanese and not Indian would care little about). How could such a caution be deemed racially divisive? It was a caution founded on a truthful, historical reality which his audience know only too well and which they were grateful to be relieved of in 1992.

Lest Mr Editor you are tempted to come to the conclusion that this letter itself may carry racially divisive overtones, I hasten to say, that it offers another view of Kissoon’s Kaieteur News contribution that Indian support for the PPP/C is founded upon purely racial considerations .

Is this Mr Ramjattan’s vision of leadership?

Dear Editor, Some politicians, it seems, have to be everything to everyone and fathoming the depths and complexities of their minds can be quite a challenge.

Take for example, Khemraj Ramjattan. When he speaks to a predominantly Indian audience he invokes the Bhagavad Gita to remind us of Krishna’s teachings to Arjuna to stand up and fight.

To the rest of the nation, via Stabroek News (May 3), he pleads for unconditional forgiveness for wrongdoers. Stand and fight when it comes to the “scampishness” of the PPP/C. Forgive and forget when it concerns the “misdeeds” of the PNC.

But then again, one should not be too surprised. I remember when he spoke during the presidential “debates” at the University of Guyana in 2011, he had occasion to list the names of the victims of violence.

He produced an impressive compendium of names among which there was not a single Indian name. I have always wondered, given the violence against Indians in 2002 and 2003, Lusignan in 2008 and later Bartica, how was it possible for him not to remember a single Indian as a victim of violence.

At least in this there is something consistent in Mr Ramjattan’s position. For the wrongs done to Indians, we were first urged to forget and now we are asked to forgive, and unconditionally at that.

from page 5

I have endeavoured to place the continued support by Indians in Guyana for the PPP/C in a sociological/political context for which support Kissoon is grossly disrespectful to them.

And while I have tried to place the Indian political choice in context and perspective, I would like to immediately add that while it receives the overwhelming support of the Indian community in Guyana, the PPP/C has demonstrated significant multi-ethnic appeal and continues to enjoy wide support from people of all walks of life and races of Guyana.

Kissoon was wrong in his predictions of 2006 and 2011 when he wrote “my take is that the PPP/C will lose the elections.”

Come May 11, the people of Guyana will return the PPP/C to Government and will once again prove Freddie Kissoon wrong and he will slither away to lunch with Lenno Craig or Lincoln Lewis or David Hinds or Norris Witter or Moses Nagamootoo. But perhaps Nagamootoo will not be available.

He is likely to be in the embrace of David Granger and together they will be bawling over their devastating defeat by the PPP/C.

David Munian

iation and restoration which I stated would be impossible without the truth, the very truth which Mr Ramjattan wants us to suppress in the name of political expediency. It is a fallacy to suggest that, to get the PNC, or any person or entity for that matter, to acknowledge their historical wrongs, is concomitant with hatred. Since when, the demand for accountability has been equated with hatred for the offender?

To say that accountability implies hatred for the perpetrator virtually means the end to all accountability.

Yet, it is Mr Ramjattan who now accuses me for “generating present day hatreds,” simply because I have rejected his call for historical amnesia on behalf of the PNC.

He has conveniently chosen to ignore two paragraphs of my letter to which he alludes and in which I talked on the dangers in the way history is invoked for the present political discourse, specifically mentioning the so-called “28 years.”

I also pleaded for reconcil-

In any case, with respect to the PNC itself, history provided Mr Ramjattan a unique opportunity to demonstrate to the rest of us how it is possible to “devise collective responses that acknowledge historical wrongs without generating present day hatreds,” if he is convinced of the virtue of this position. Instead he resorted to a sanctification of those collective historical misdeeds by simply leaving it up to the whim of PNC to decide whether to apologise or not, giving us the impression that those years of PNC excesses were not of consequence in contemplating the alliance. It would be “nice” he says if the PNC apologized. But I do not think that many people in Guyana would consider the PNC apology for its misdeeds in terms of gentlemanly nicety. This is not cricket. An apology would be seen as an urgent necessity in terms of moving our country forward.

It is not so much a question of PNC’s apology anymore but Mr Ramjattan’s thinking process that intrigues me.

If Mr Ramjattan knows for certainty that there was no way the PNC would apologise for its “misdeeds,” and I am saying that he had to know this, why is he now telling us it would be “nice” if the party apologized?

turn to page 28

Worried about the attitude of APNU/AFC supporters

Dear Editor, Thank you for the opportunity to publish this letter in your newspaper. Presently, I am residing in the USA.

But I hail from the East Bank of Demerara. On May 3, some friends and I decided to go to Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice to participate in the PPP/C rally. We were enjoying the beautiful scenery on the East Coast Demerara with wide smooth roads, street lights, and immaculate buildings with splendid lawns and verandas.

As we approached the African communities of Buxton, Paradise, Friendship, etc. I was flabbergasted and scared for my life; never in my life have I been face to face with a mob

and unimaginable vulgarity. I always have a deep appreciation and love for children. I learn very early that children cool our eyes, brighten our faces and bring joy to our hearts. How can parents encourage their children, young girls to dance and wine their behind in the must vulgar manner to commuters? They were very loud, using indecent language as they protest. They even threatened us and pelt bottles as we pass hitting one of our vehicles.

I am very worried about the attitude of the APNU/ AFC supporters. I hope that they will accept the defeat when it comes on May 11.

Hana Mohamed

Is this Mr Ramjattan’s vision...

Is he not deceiving himself or others? During the presidential debate in the 2011 elections held at the University of Guyana, when asked a question from the floor, Mr David Granger stated in the clearest and most unambiguous terms that there was nothing for which the PNC needed to apologise. Yet, as he puts it now in 2015, it would be “nice” if the PNC apologised.

There is yet another fundamental flaw in Mr Ramjattan’s argument. He juxtaposes the need for a PNC apology with allowing, “the PPP back in Government to continue its 10-fold worst scampishness and corruption,” as if the two are mutually exclusive, saying that there are choices to be made in these “hard political realities” in which we live.

Why did it have to be an either/or choice? Did not Mr Ramjattan not see that it is possible to demand an apology and at the same time work for the removal of the PPP/C from office? Why the

former had to be sacrificed for the latter to be achieved?

There have been extremely vociferous and passionate calls, and rightly so, for accountability from the PPP/C. In this context would Mr Ramjattan say that such calls for PPP/C accountability would amount generating hatreds? Would they represent a “vision of vengeance?”

Would they be “stoking the fires of resentment and revenge?” Would Mr. Ramjattan then call for, “forgiveness, love and wisdom,” and advocate that the wrongdoers be admitted in “the circle of humanity?” Would he grant “unconditional forgiveness?” Or would he demand accountability and justice?

Leaving aside the casting of aspersions which Mr Ramjattan could not resist, no one could fail to be touched by his unctuous and excessively inebriated, sappy, and sentimental call for forgiveness and no one could disagree that, as a general principle, forgiveness is a great value.

But, however commendable forgiveness is as a value, it cannot be practiced in abstraction. Like every other universal value, it has usefulness and meaning only in particular contexts.

For example, in the Mahabharata, there are hundreds of verses devoted to a conversation between Draupadi and Yuddhishthira dealing with the subject of forgiveness and reconciliation and the quest for truth. Yuddhishthira, also known as Dharmaraja, went into a long protracted discourse on the virtues of forgiveness with which Draupadi had no objection.

Her only claim was that forgiveness must be concomitant with the quest for truth, and therefore vehemently objected to unconditional forgiveness for the violations done to her. The time, the place, the victim, the perpetrator, and the nature of the offence, all of these constitute the context.

I too, like Mr Ramjattan, believe in the power of forgiveness, reconciliation and

from page 27

healing. But as far PNC is concerned, as Mr Ramjattan knows, there is nothing for which to apologise and it follows nothing for which to be forgiven. I too believe in welcoming the “wrongdoer” back in the circle of humanity.

But the PNC has admitted to doing no wrong. Does it not therefore not smack of supreme arrogance and condescension, to say the least, to proffer unconditional forgiveness to someone who does not seek it and for which there is nothing to forgive? Don’t forgiveness and repentance go hand in hand?

Could anyone imagine Black leaders in the United States, descending on Ferguson and Baltimore asking the victims for unconditional forgiveness for all the perpetrators of brutality?

Wouldn’t that be the end of their political career? Is this forgiveness or submission? Is this Mr Ramjattan’s vision of leadership?

Swami Aksharananda

You can’t teach old dogs new tricks

Dear Editor,

Now that it is clear that the APNU-AFC is nothing but the old PNC, now that it is revealed that the race is again PPP versus PNC, the track records of both in government has become of great importance.

Guyana’s experience of the 28 years of the PNC in Government is a matter of public record, a recent past that is rejected by even them. The Guyana experience of the 23 years of the PPP/C in Government is also a matter of public record, still being written and being implemented to Guyana’s eternal pride and satisfaction.

Successful re-elections in 1997, 2001, 2006 and 2011 can only be explained by satisfaction of the electorate with their Government. So for the PNC to succeed on May 11, they will have to convince the majority of Guyanese on May 11 that they have a new approach; one that is better than the incumbent PPP/C’s approach.

Leaving out their manifesto of promises an experienced electorate would ask for evidence of the new PNC approach and how it works. Having renounced their past, they now can only promote the new approach, applied in the 10th Parliament and outlined in their 2015 Manifesto.

Sadly, the new PNC/ APNU is still promoting the old PNC’s ways. Our old people said it best. “You can’t teach old dogs new tricks”.

Like the old PNC, APNU is riddled with old PNC leaders and consequently old PNC ways.

The APNU-AFC is a collection of age old historic figures who are unapologetically renouncing their past and promising new things. The disconnect between their new promises and their implementation is unbelievably bad and distressing to all Guyanese including their supporters. Elected in the 10th Parliament (2011-2015) to represent APNU interests, APNU has confirmed it is PNC, proudly embracing old PNC ways, unashamedly power grabbing and oblivious to public opinion. Their new ways include the old ways of intimidation, bullyism, violence, brinkmanship, lies, misinformation, double standards and downright deception.

Their behaviour in the 10th Parliament was nothing short of an unpatriotic force dedicated to prevent the PPP/C plans to develop Guyana. Consumed/obsessed with grabbing executive power to humble the PPP/C Administration was their obvious and persistent motive.

Their failure in the 10th Parliament joins their 28 years of failure during the first five Parliaments of Guyana. It is as the old people say: “You can’t teach old dogs new tricks.”

This APNU/AFC is a collection of old dogs with no new tricks, new approaches to continue the good work of the incumbent PPP/C from 1992 to 2015.

Dr Roger F Luncheon Cabinet Secretary

The heroes of this election

Dear Editor, For the first time in Guyana our young people will be the ones saving the country from disaster by voting for the PPP/C. It is not by accident that this is so, because the Government had determined a long time ago, our youths will be on the forefront of a progressive Guyana. The PPP/C had the vision and foresight for ensuring our future generation take ownership for their country long before this “late news opposition” could even pronounce the phrase “moving forward”. It is testament to our party’s commitment for securing our future by empowering our youths to be heroes on May 11.

On May 11, my young brothers and sisters will step into the voting booth and place the X next to the cup and walk out as superheroes from that day onwards. We will have a special place in Guyana’s

history for you, as the heroic generation that saved our country from going backwards. As we continue to enjoy our progress, we must always be alert that it all can vanish with a simple stroke of an X and that is why that X must be placed next to the cup and not that confusing sign that shows nothing but backward thinking. My fellow Guyanese, do not take this moment likely, for it is far from a “simple election day”. Instead, it is a day of reckoning, a day that will determine the faith of your lives and the lives of your children to come. You will be tested and tempted with false promises by the opposition but remember one thing and that is, we are sure of what we have now with the PPP/C and we will only get better from here onwards.

Malcolm Watkins

YELLOW PAGES

saturday,

ACCOmmOdATIOn

HARMONY INN: FURNISH AIR CONDITIONED APARTMENTS. FREE WIFI, 24HRS COFFEE/TEA. $5000, $6000 PER NIGHT. TEL: 6680306/218-1400/694-7817

PERMIT (JOIN US ON FACEBOOK. 227-3869/6228162/644-7052

Shalom Driving School, lot 2 Croal Street, Stabroek. Enjoy 20% discount. Phone: 227-3869, 622-8162, 644-7052, 227-3835

Clean Garden earth. Also excavating, grading and leveling done. Call 6279977

For sale by lot: Lot (1): 2 bath tubs, bathroom fittings and fixtures & toilet set; shower fittings - $150,000 and Lot (2): 1 Dell desktop computer and HP scanner - $25,000. Call 2252676 or 601-5285.

One semi-furnished house located at Somerset Court- $38 million negotiable. One house located opposite Guyana National StadiumPrime business spot - $40 million negotiable. Owners leaving countryContact Richard on 592-659-6818.

High success rate. Balwant Persaud & Associates. Certified Immigration Consultants, 68 Sixth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown (Between Cummings & Lights Sts) Tel: 225-1540, 622-8308, 655-3105. Email: balwantpersaud@yahoo.ca

Legal Consultants and Associates located at D2 185 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Maraj Building) Contact 667 2089. We do Affidavit, Leagal Drafting, Legal Referrals, and USA and Canada Visa.

Planning an event? We have the full works from Tents, executive chairs, international portable stage etc. at unbeatable prices. Call Double Day Tents for your special package 6381627, 260-2209

K. LAKERAM - BUILDING CONTRACTOR, HOUSE PLAN, ESTIMATES, WEEDING & SPRAYING GRASS DONE WITHIN 48HRS. CARPENTRY, MASON, TILING, PAINTING, PLUMBING. PROMPT & AFFORDABLE GENERAL HOME MAINTENANCE. FREE ESTIMATES. TEL: 216-0671/622-0267/692-8464. EMAIL: klakeram.construction@gmail.com

Khemraj & Son -landscaping & plant nursery. Lot 77 Independence Street, La Grange, West Bank Demerara. Landscaping, planting grass, weeding, killing wood ants, killing roaches, rats & mealy bug, treat plants, coconut trees and flowers, cleaning ceiling, grafting coconut plants: 18 months bearing period, treating land, grass & spraying grass, grafted papaya plants: 6 months bearing, grafted cherry plant, sour sop & sapodilla, cutting big trees & removing, treated mould for sale & flower plants for sale. Tel 627-5969/ 603-1134

Surinamese spiritualist. Resolving all problems. Money, love, blockage etc. Call 223-6834/600-7719.

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

HEPHZIBAH MINISTRIES 24 hrs Prayer Line 322-5081,3374510,337-4259,337-4583,3373070,337-5103. For healing, deliverance, financial difficulties, marriage issues call now. Jesus Cares.

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

SMALL OFFICE/BUSINESS SPACE, STABROEK AREA. TEL: 2312619/691-7164

ONE TWO BEDROOM BOTTOM FLAT AT 55 A STATION STREET, KITTY; CONTACT: 227-6662/643-3061/654-0382

Two bedroom upstairs apartment.

$60,000 monthly with parking. Couples preferable. Tel 233-2607 / 644-7089

CAR RenTAlS

Need a car to rent? Then call 6111018 for the best cars at great prices. PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL. CAR & SUV $4000 & UP PER DAY. TEL: 6435122/2193900. EMAIL: pro_autorental@yahoo.com

MERCEDES BENZ C200 KOMPRESSOR; COROLLA AE100 WAGON; TOYOTA HIACE MINIBUS RZ; PITBULL-STYLE FREEZER VAN; LAND CRUISER (FULLY LOADED);

ICC Testing Centre comes to T&T

Just weeks after West Indies spinner Sunil Narine underwent testing at the International Cricket Council (ICC) accredited University of Loughborough BioMechanical testing facility, the University of T&T (UTT) is positioning itself to host similar facilities to support not only regional cricket, but all competitive sporting teams across the Caribbean.

This was revealed by National Sport Ambassador and Senior Manager of Sports at UTT, Daren Ganga. The former Test opener also got the ear of Dr Guy Jackson, Operations Manager of the National Cricket Performance Centre of the English Cricket Board (ECB), a facility that is hosted by the Loughborough University. Dr Jackson indicated that he will discuss with the ECB and the WICB to look at ways of supporting this venture.

WICB President David Cameron has already been briefed on the project and

post tour meetings will flesh out the details, to bring the one-of-a-kind facility to the Caribbean.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Ganga told T&T Guardian: “This is ground breaking stuff for our sports and more particularly for cricket in the region. It will give hope to our people so we can not be embarrassed on the international stage, as is the case now.”

Loughborough University is considered one of the best testing and assessment centres worldwide for cricket, with bowlers from every Test playing country being assessed at their facilities. Dr Mark King, lead bio-mechanist at LU Sports Science Lab, presented to the UTT team, drawing reference to the benefits of assessing bowlers, not only to improve performance but also to reduce injury.

He stated that bowlers, and more so the faster bowlers like those in the West Indies, needed to un-

derstand the proper use of speed, run up, front foot force and arm action to strengthen their bowling.

No such research and development facilities currently exist in the Caribbean.

Details of the meeting yesterday revealed that the discussions centred around the establishment of two Sport Labs at UTT, Trinidad—a Physiology and

a Biomechanical Labs.

UTT is striving to be a leader in sport science and has already received initial support from the President of the West Indies Players Association Wavell Hinds and President of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee Brian Lewis in this regard.

Loughborough University is one of England’s leading universities, with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research, strong links with business and industry and unrivalled sporting achievement. They have made great strides with many contributions to the world of sport for over the last sixty years, forming partnerships with exceptional athletes, facilities, coaching, research expertise, and extensive partnerships with major sports organisations.

As such, Loughborough was named University of the Year for Sport by The Times Good University Guide 2014.

(windiescricket)

Cameron hails “remarkable” Windies following Test win

West Indies Cricket Board president, Dave Cameron has labelled the Caribbean’s side third Test win over England as “remarkable” and said the performance proved the team could compete at the highest level. In a statement on Thursday, Cameron also praised the team’s development, noting that the players had exhibited “fight and tenacity” as they stunned England by five wickets inside three days in the third and final Test at Kensington Oval Sunday.

“On behalf of all stakeholders in West Indies cricket, I want to applaud the captain Denesh Ramdin, head coach Phil Simmons and the entire team for what was three weeks of fascinating Test cricket,” Cameron said.

“We saw true team spirit and matches with fight and tenacity. We were especially pleased with the tremendous performance at Kensington Oval to win the third and final Test of the series inside three days.

“It was a truly remarkable on-field performance. The team left fans captivated and it was great to see the fans’ appreciation of the efforts of the players.”

The victory earned West Indies a share of the series, after the first Test in Antigua finished in a draw and they lost the second in Grenada by nine wickets.

House plans & estimates, weeding of grass and spraying done within 48hrs. Call: 216-0671; 622-0267; 692-8464

4 TONS FREEZER; 3 TONS OPEN TRAY; 2 TONS 4WD; NISSAN ATLAS 2 TONS OPEN TRAY TRUCK. PREORDER YOUR UNITS EARLY AND GET THE BEST PRICES. FULL AFTER SALES SERVICES AND FINANCING AVAILABLE.

Importantly, the third Test result was largely shaped by the team’s younger players. Darren Bravo top-scored with 82 in a 108run fifth wicket stand with Jermaine Backwood, who finished on 47 not out, as West Indies recovered from 80 for four to reach their target of 192.

The 23-year-old Blackwood, in only his eighth Test, hit 85 in the first innings to be adjudged Man-of-

the-Match.

Jason Holder, 23, in his sixth Test, also starred with the ball, grabbing three for 15 to ensure England collapsed for a paltry 123 in their second innings. Cameron praised the youth development of the squad.

“We witnessed the growth and promise of a number of young, talented players, as they were put in pressure situations. During the the series, they gave proof of their ability to function and perform at the highest level,” he noted.

“We now look forward to the series against Australia which will be the true test of their improved performance.” West Indies face the Aussies next month in two Tests, in Dominica and Jamaica. (CMC)

Daren Ganga

TBusta Soft Shoe tournament Winners receive prize money Guyana Beverage Inc commits to Fruta Conquerors

he various winners of the Busta Soft Shoe Tournament received their prize money on Friday during a handing over ceremony at the Guinness Bar on Durban Street.

Sparta Boss was the first-place finisher of the tournament and received the top prize of $600,000, while West Front Road finished second, Queen Street Tiger Bay finished third and Kitty Weavers, fourth.

West Front Road was adjudged the most disciplined team and won $25,000 in prize money, while Sheldon Shepherd received $50,000 as the MVP of the tournament. Sophia’s Dwayne Lowe was named as the highest goal scorer of the tournament.

Directors of the Petra Organisation, Marlan Cole and Troy Mendonca both congratulated the teams and the individuals on the wins and pledged a better tournament come 2016.

The Guyana Beverage Inc under its Fruta Brand renewed its commitment to Tucvillebased Conquerors Football Club at a presentation ceremony on Friday at the company’s Diamond, East Bank Demerara headquarters.

This is the 12th consecutive year that the major beverage company has partnered with the popular Football Club.

The sponsorship will be in excess of $1 million and will also include uniforms at various levels.

Managing Director of the corporate entity, Robert Selman, during the feature

address, said the company was once again pleased to be associated with the Club under its flagship brand, declaring that the Club has made a significant contribution to the emergence of the product locally.

“We wish the Club all the best in the future and we will continue to sponsor the team under the same brand going forward,” Selman noted.

Conquerors President Wayne Forde thanked the company for continuing its partnership with the Club, declaring that their partnership has lasted much longer than many marriages worldwide.

Devon Millington (left) receives the winning prize money on behalf of Sparta Boss from Petra Director Troy Mendonca

Scores graduate from lifeguard training at NAC

Government’s aim to increase the number of lifeguards available in the country took a giant leap on Friday when close to two dozen persons received Lifeguard One Certification at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal.

This was made possible through a one-week Lifeguard Training and Certification Programme, which was coordinated by the Sport Ministry and the National Sports Commission, and conducted by Patrick D’Almada of Canada and Stuart Fraser of Jamaica.

Addressing graduates at the closing ceremony on Friday afternoon, Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony said with the Administration’s continued investment in swimming, there was a dire need for more trained lifeguards to ensure safety in the pools and waterways in the country.

He said the Ministry would continue to intensify its efforts to have more persons trained in the future to ensure a cadre of lifeguards was always at its disposal. Dr Anthony said the Administration was grateful for the support and expertise provided by D’Almada and Fraser.

D’Almada conducted a similar course at the same venue in February 2013, while Fraser was working with the prospective lifeguards in Guyana for the first time.

At that event two years ago, Dr Anthony had spoken of his desire to have a national governing body set up to administer the affairs of lifeguards in terms of training and certification, and that came to fruition with Ewin Enmore, a certified lifeguard, heading a group of six persons, who will seek to plot the way forward.

Enmore has been appointed Chairman of the Guyana National Lifeguard Association, with Damian Pilgrim appointed Vice Chairman. The other personnel who have been tasked with responsibilities on the association are Stephanie Fraser (Secretary); Karen Pilgrim (Treasurer); Andrea

Hooper satisfied with...

Malinga, Dilshan and the Guyanese trio – left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul, fast bowler Ronsford Beaton and opener Trevon Griffith – have all returned to the South America-based franchise, while the newcomers are Sri Lankan all-rounder

Thisara Perera, Australian batsman Brad Hodge and the Guyanese quartet – veteran batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, batsman Assad Fudadin and seamer Paul Wintz.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors are looking to win the title for the first time this year, after finishing as runner-up in the first two editions. In 2013, they lost to Chris Gayle’s Jamaica

Tallawahs in the final, while last year, they fell to Kieron Pollard’s Barbados Tridents in the championship game. Last year’s finalists, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Barbados Tridents, will bowl off the 2015 tournament on June 20. The League will conclude on July 26.

Guyana Amazon Warriors squad reads: Denesh Ramdin, Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lasith Malinga, Thisara Perera, Brad Hodge, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Assad Fudadin, Devendra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Christopher Barnwell, Ronsford Beaton, Trevon Griffith and Paul Wintz.

Smith (Public Awareness); and Sherry Van Lange (Training and Competition).

D’Almada, a Provincial Trainer at the Canadian Life-Saving Society, commended the persons for forming themselves into a structured body, noting that

there was an enormous level of leadership within the current group of graduates. Fraser, a Life-Saving Society Instructor/Trainer, told the graduates they should feel a sense of pride and achievement, as they are part of a small group of

33 million lifeguards spread across the globe.

He made specific reference to the involvement of officers of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) during the one-week programme, noting that the Guyana National Lifeguard

Association members should seek to recruit persons attached to the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Fire Service, as they are the first to be called upon in cases of natural disasters.

Fraser also highlighted the great teamwork displayed by the graduates during the programme.

The programme was part of the Sport Ministry/National Sports Commission’s efforts to address the issue of water safety in Guyana, with the final goal of reducing the waterrelated injuries and deaths.

After the first programme in 2013, six persons were certified as National Level Life Guards, which means they were recognised by all Commonwealth nations and the International Life Saving Society, while others attained lower levels of certification.

Over 20 received certification on Friday. The certificates were presented by Dr Anthony.

Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony addressing graduates of the programme

Lasith Malinga

Hooper satisfied with Amazon Warriors’ combination

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

Recently-appoint -

ed Head Coach of the Guyana Amazon Warriors, Carl Llewellyn Hooper, believes his franchise has selected the right combination of players to go one step further and win the coveted Caribbean Premier League 2015.

Hooper, a former West Indies captain and all-rounder, and Team Operations Manager Omar Khan were tasked with selecting the 15 players at the Player Draft in February.

Speaking to this publication from his home in Australia, Hooper pointed out that the only player they may have missed at the Draft was the New Zealand opener Martin Guptill, but according to the Head Coach, they have managed to secure an equally impressive buy in the dashing Sri Lankan opener and tidy off-spinner, Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Guptill had played an integral role for the Warriors at the top of order with Lendl

Simmons, during the first two years, stringing together some vital and match-winning partnerships.

Hooper added that in offspinner Sunil Narine and seamer Lasith Malinga, two premier T20 bowlers, the Warriors have “eight quality overs” accounted for, while the rest of the squad is a good blend of youth and experience.

“Judging from the last two years, the person we missed is Guptill, who was picked up

by another franchise [St Kitts and Nevis Patriots]. But to replace Guptill, we’ve got Dilshan, who I think is going to be amazing,” Hooper said.

He added, “I’m sure Caribbean people know about him and he’s an awesome T20 player… and someone like Malinga, who is a world rated T20 bowler, in addition to someone like Narine, that’s eight quality overs there already. So, yes, I think we have a good squad and of

course, we will try to go one step further.”

Prior to the Draft, the Guyana Amazon Warriors had Narine, Simmons, wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin and batting all-rounder Christopher Barnwell as the retained players from last year, while they picked up the remaining 11 during the Draft process, five of whom had previously represented the franchise.

Carl Hooper

Tillakaratne Dilshan

Sunil Narine

Course instructors Patrick D’Almada (extreme left)