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TCV launches community outreaches, students’ self-esteem workshops

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Issue No. 2851

Monday, May 9, 2016

CAPE, CSEC exam locations moved to accommodate jubilee float parade Page 7

Ogle Int’l Airport Police nab trio to be renamed trailing bank … NATA keeps customers today up resistance Page 8

Page 7

PRICE

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE: Wales Sugar Estate closure

Govt awaits report of Economic Services P17 Committee on workers’ future Telecoms Bill at AG Chambers – Minister Hughes

P2

2 injured in Mother’s Day collision P17

P9 PPP/C to move motion for fresh rice negotiations with Venezuela First Lady, Sandra Granger along with the winners of the 2016 Mother and Daughter Pageant at the National Cultural Centre on Saturday evening. Also in photo are the founders of the pageant, Ingrid Fung and her daughter, Pageant Director and Executive Producer, Dr Sulan Fung

Struggling single mom may soon be homeless: The story of a "broom maker"

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The gift of P11 motherhood on Mother’s Day

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Swarwattie Sampuran and her five children

Tariff reduction on renewable energy equipment forthcoming – President Page 3

200 acres P2 of cassava fields being destroyed by caterpillars

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news

monDAY, may 9, 2016 | guyana-times.com

200 acres of cassava fields being destroyed by caterpillars – NAREI providing assistance to farmers

T

he National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) is currently providing assistance to farmers in riverine areas desperately battling caterpillar infestation.

According to a statement from the NAREI, extension officers in Region Two (Pomeroon Supenaam) were informed on May 4 about the infestation in the riverine communities and an assessment was subsequently done to determine the gravity of the situation.

It was discovered that over 200 acres of cassava farms were infested.

Extension officers were immediately dispatched and are assisting farmers in Wakapoa, Curimaru, Myrie and Yarrashirima who are affected by the infestation.

NAREI is assisting the farmers with chemicals (best-tac, fast-tac, or alphacypermethrin) to combat the

NAREI Extension Officers interact with farmers

pest. These chemicals are available on the local market.

Extension officers will also be conducting informal training sessions to educate farmers about the safe and effective use of the chemicals

for optimal result.

In addition, NAREI will be working closely with the Toshaos and Village Councils to ensure all affected farms are treated.

The statement noted that NAREI is very cognisant of

the devastating effects caterpillar infestation would have on crops and by extension the communities.

As such, farmers are asked to be watchful and report any abnormalities to extension officers immediately.

Telecoms Bill at AG Chambers – Minister Hughes

Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes

E

ven as Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) and Digicel, Guyana’s main mobile service providers, roll out the long-awaited 4G internet service, government is yet to table the Telecommunications Bill which will see the liberalisation of the telecoms sector.

However when contacted, Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes told Guyana Times the Bill is currently with the Attorney General’s Chambers for legal vetting. She added that she is hoping to get the piece of legislation to Parliament before the end of this month.

“The bill is receiving the attention of the Attorney General’s Chambers. It is my hope that it will come to the parliament before the end of May,” she stressed.

GTT currently holds a 20plus year monopoly over the sector and stakeholders, particularly Digicel, has long been calling for this monopoly to be broken.

The Telecoms Bill, which was first introduced in 2011 and revised in 2013, was with a Special Select Committee in the 10th Parliament and was near conclusion when parliament was prorogued in 2014. It is among 12 other Bills that were recalled in the 11th Parliament.

Meanwhile, under the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change

(APNU+AFC) administration, the Bill underwent a new set of consultations with the two main players in mobile service and other stakeholders including the Private Sector Commission (PSC) and several non-governmental organisations before it was submitted to Cabinet.

Government had even appointed two overseas consultants Janice Brendman and Geeta Ragubir to complete the work on the Bill.

The Telecommunications Bill seeks to create a competitive regime in the telecommunications sector. It provides for an open, liberalised and competitive sector that will be attractive to new market entrants and investors, while preserving the activities of the current participants.

By creating this competitive environment for telecommunications, the Bill is expected to result in greater choice, better quality of service and lower prices to consumers.

The Bill also specifically addresses the expansion of telecommunication networks and services into unserved and under-served areas, through the institution of a new universal access/universal service programme, in an effort to further national, regional, social and economic development.

news

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monDAY, may 9, 2016 | guyana-times.com

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

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, May 9 – 05:40h-07:10h and Tuesday, May 10 – 06:25h-07:55h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Heavy to light rain showers sometimes accompanied by thunder can be expected throughout the day.

Thundery showers can further be expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East North-easterly between 3.12 metres per second and 5.36 metres per second.

High Tide: 06:05h and 18:36h reaching maximum heights of 2.84 metres and 2.65 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 12:07h reaching a minimum height of 0.38 metre.

Saturday, May 7, 2016

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Tariff reduction on renewable energy equipment forthcoming – President

I

n an effort to encourage the establishment of renewable energy sources, government will soon be moving to reduce the tariffs on the importation of key materials utilised to create greener energy.

President David Granger has hightlighted the importance of having a greener economy; lessening the country’s addiction to fossil fuel, and moving into a new world with huge wind and solar farms, and hydropower systems.

In order to advance to that stage, President Granger said his government will introduce legislation to allow for the reduction of tariffs on the importation of all equipment used to generate renewable energy.

He was at the time fielding questions on his weekly programme, “The Public Interest”.

In outlining the immediate steps he will soon embark upon to achieve a green economy, the President noted that the tariff reduction is of critical importance in this process.

“We did this when we were embarking on the information technology revolution, we just reduced tariffs on computer equipment and we must do the same now for power generating equipment,” he stated.

However, the President said the most important aspect would be to educate and expose stakeholders, including children, about the whole concept of a greener country.

“Mainly it is, first of all, providing the sort of education and exposure to students, to teachers, to other operators within the public and private sector so that they will know what is available, have exhibitions, that sort of thing,” he stated.

Thirdly, the President said government must lead the way in rolling out renewable energy systems: “We must take the lead, in government buildings, apartment buildings, university and so on, we must take the lead in actually

President David Granger

converting these premises into buildings which use renewable energy, with-

from other countries or international organisations.

According to Granger, Guyana must learn to become dependent on its own resources and take responsibility of its own projects.

However, he did not dismiss the idea of forming partnerships with international bodies to work on projects of this nature.

On the topic of climate change and cheaper and sustainable energy, the President had previously stated that the Norway Funds, which Guyana receives, will be used on more projects than what was done under the previous ad-

Administration was concerned about Low Carbon Development Strategy and was concerned with the direction of some of the funds to projects which were Amerindian retitling of lands and also regeneration of energy through the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project. We would like to look at climate change more broadly,” Granger had stated.

Some areas to be covered include the introduction of policies to promote reforestation in mined-out areas, generation of energy apart from hydropower, coastal zone management,

Artist's impression of Amaila Falls Hydropower Project

in the next 24 months.”

Asked about any particular project of this nature, President Granger said the main initiative at this moment is to transform Bartica into a model green town, displaying all aspects and measures for implementing sustainable renewable energy.

In fact, he disclosed that there is a plan outlining how government will embark upon converting Bartica into a green town.

On the matter of funding for these lucrative undertakings, the Head of State made it clear that the country under his rule will not be seeking any handouts

ministration.

“The

previous

and to combat the impacts of El Niño.

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guyana-times.com

mondAY, may 9, 2016

Views General Editor: Michael Younge News Hotliine: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544 223-7230,223-7231,231-0544, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707

Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

Energy Security

P

resident David Granger represented Guyana at the 2nd US-Caribbean-Central American Energy Summit, hosted by Vice President Joe Biden in Washington on May 3-4.

The first Summit last year emphasised the need for energy security through the substitution of renewables for petroleum products for energy development.

Even with current low oil prices, electricity prices in Guyana - as in the rest of the Caribbean - average over US$0.25 per kWh, about three to four times more than what is paid in the US or other developed countries. This high cost of energy for manufacturing and other uses has acted as a fetter on Guyana and the region’s efforts to produce more value-added products competitively.

Following the previous Summit, several Caricom countries embarked on projects to reduce energy costs and petroleum dependency. Jamaica moved ahead in renewables with a 36 MW wind farm that received US$63 million in funding from the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation and other donors.

Exploratory drilling and preparatory work has been initiated in Dominica, Grenada, Monserrat, St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Vincent and the Grenadines to harness geothermal energy to generate electricity.

In Guyana, however, efforts have lagged even though this country launched a Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) in 2009, which had the generation of clean, renewable energy at its core.

The Amaila Falls Hydro-Electric Power (AFHEP) project was a flagship vehicle for renewable energy generation designed to replace the present generating capacity of 165 MW through petroleum products.

Unfortunately, even though funding had been secured with US$80M committed by Norway from its GRIF contribution and the remaining funding had been secured though the China Development Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the developer Site Global, the government which was then in opposition, derailed the project through its obdurate resistance.

President Granger returned from Washington an evidently disappointed man since the US committed only US$10M grant to seed the efforts of the entire Latin America and the Caribbean to move into renewables. His comment, “That’s not serious money. Guyana will put in a bid… but that is not enough seed money for the magnitude of project that we are envisioning” must be evaluated against the recent moves by the US to encourage the region away from the Venezuelan-initiated PetroCaribe energy facility.

Back in June 2014 US Vice President Joseph Biden had launched with great fanfare, the Caribbean Energy Security Initiative (CSEI) at a meeting with Caribbean leaders in the Dominical Republic. Biden emphasised US commitment to Caribbean energy security. Six months later, in January 2015 this was followed up with the US-Caribbean Energy Security Summit (CESS) in Washington DC. CESS was supposed to lay the groundwork to enable countries to build the fiscal and legal frameworks necessary for the Caribbean’s wider adoption of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies. But as one Think Tank pointed out after the meeting, the US needed “to help the region address the three elephants barely mentioned in that everso-diplomatic room on January 26: the continuing erosion of the Venezuelan economy and its credit support for so many of the regions’ key energy consumers; the serious barriers to entry of private capital to power generation in so many Caribbean economies; and the need to formulate a serious response to the Caribbean Community’s (Caricom) request for more rapid access to volumes of US LNG and CNG.” When in April of 2015 US President Barack Obama met leaders of the Caribbean in Kingston, Jamaica, he committed to providing “early-stage funding” for clean energy projects in the Caribbean. And also to establish a Task Force to examine the future of clean energy development in the Caribbean and Central America. And now just US$10M. President Granger is correct. We cannot depend on aid for our energy security. AFHEP must be returned to the front burner.

Mother’s Day: The Cove and John Ashram/Guyana Sevasharam Sangha, East Coast Demerara, joined with the rest of the world in honouring mothers for their significant contributions to the family. The Ashram honoured over 60 mothers at its Sunday service

SN’s brand of antiIndian prejudice Dear Editor, Your “Eyewitness” last Friday reported very correctly on Vice President Khemraj Ramjattan’s address at the Indian Commemoration Trust’s Pushpanjali 16 event to mark Arrival Day. However, it left out a critical word that Ramjattan used in his harangue against IndoGuyanese honouring their heritage. The word is “exclusionary”. I was in the audience and listened to him regurgitate all that elections campaign rhetoric of rearview mirrors and crashing, etc.

The implication was clear that Indians congregating to commemorate their history and heritage through music, dance, and remembering means that they are excluding themselves from the cohering that is necessary to create a Guyanese nation.

Stabroek News always obliges at this time of year with its own brand of antiIndian prejudice. Its selfdefined dougla” columnist Allan Fenty always cusses out the Indian part of himself, calling it “triumphal” and “dominant”. He is a man at war with himself and shares the selfconflict he suffers.

Not to be outdone, cartoonist Paul Harris drew a nasty cartoon of the “Happy Arrivals” with the

African still enslaved, and ignored the fact that the arrivals included African, Portuguese, and Chinese inden-tured labourers.

But Indians are always their only targets so SN’s editorial of Saturday, May 7, 2016, “Optimism v Popu-lism” tried to take a swipe at those who “wanted to preserve traditional community” which according to their carefully selected quote from English philosopher Dr Julian Baggini, meant that a country that wanted to have such communities must “stop people getting degrees”. They are likened to Trump supporters.

However Baggini has clearly stated: “Moral values must be questioned, but if discrimination against women, homosexuals or ethnic minorities is wrong here, then it is wrong anywhere else in the world…”, This quote would, of course, never be used by SN since the views conflict with its own continuous discrimination against Guyana’s Indian group.

I am sure that the philosopher welcomes the election of the new Mayor of London Sadiq Khan who, as a Muslim, comes to the position complete with his Islamic traditions which are rooted in a medieval past. He is also university educated

and has written books.

His Western educa-tion and Islamic traditions are not contradictory.

To reference Baggini again, it is SN’s fears that the Indian wouldn’t or couldn’t conform to a Guyanese way of life – as defined by them – that underlines their racist exclusivity of “Guyaneseness” to which they are the selfappointed gatekeepers.

One can begin to sympathize with Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo’s confusion about his identity – whether he is Hindu or Christian, Indian or Guyanese - since he has to stick to the PNC party line of forgetting the past which is necessary to cover up the shameful legacy of corruption and violence of his chosen political partner.

Destroying the Indian is so vitally important to so many that all of history including the world’s great religions becomes collateral damage.

Like your Eyewitness, I am also awaiting Emancipation Day when Ramjattan should also warn Afro-Guyanese about crashing because they are so focused on the rearview mirror.

SN, of course, will be speaking from a different side of its hypocritical mouth and will have nothing but praise for the Africans as they cel-

ebrate their history and heritage. For political and cultural reasons, it is only Indo-Guyanese who are targeted for destruction.

Among the neemakarams hired to carry out this mission for their masters are the aforementioned Ramjattan and Nagamootoo, and Messrs Ralph Ramkarran, Jerome Khan, Imran Khan, Minis-ter Amna Ally, and the leader of the pack, F Kissoon.

One has to admire the strategic move to recruit neemakarams. This allows Africanists like Dr David Hinds to refer to F Kissoon’s self-contemptuous views as “Indian” ones without Hinds ever having to strike a note of irony.

Such “Indian” support for Hinds’ and other African views are important to their fight to invalidate the Indian presence, which began 178 years ago.

The neemakarams are the ones who are working tirelessly and loyally to ensure that Guyana never has a “Sadiq Khan” moment when an educated Indo-Guyanese with pride in his or her heritage will be respected and allowed to rise to top positions within Guyanese society.

Yours truly, Shanie Jagessar

guyana-times.com

monDAY, may 9, 2016

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Cummingsburg Accord Why and what are we celebrating?

– A recipe for disaster!

Dear Editor, The chaos that we now face in the coalition Government is largely as a result of the lack of performance of AFC Ministers and their appointed party hacks –- who are totally incompetent and useless to the people of Guyana.

Anyone who studies closely the contributions of AFC Ministers, the Prime Minister and their other personnel will conclude that they have brought utter chaos and disaster to the first coalition Government, after the “colonial fix “ (PNC-UF) by the British to get rid of Stalinist Jagan and the PPP. Apart from the mishandling of the crime situation –- by the designated Minister – there is the recent case where Moses Nagamootoo, in his capacity as Acting President, at the time, desperately tried to take over the united trade unions’ march on May Day. This writer was a witness to this act of petty dictatorship and shamelessness!

I have never seen such a level of stupidity by a person who was – at the time – acting as the President of Guyana, following the departure of David Granger, abroad. This display of arrogance is enough to tell the Guyanese people about the type of party (AFC) and leadership we are dealing with. The President, David Granger, will never think of doing such a thing.

Nagamootoo’s performance has brought the institution of Prime Minister into disrepute. It was an utter disgrace to see such “low -level” tactics.

The unity achieved on May Day between the two trade union blocs – the Guyana Trades Union Congress ((TUC) and the Federation of Independent

Trade Unions of Guyana ( FITUG), began seven years ago between the officials of GAWU and officials of the TUC. The discussion was initiated by this writer (Jinnah Rahman), when he invited the veteran PPP and GAWU educationalist – Navin Chandarpaul, and Norris Witter, who was at the time Acting General Secretary of the TUC, for talks with hope of uniting the workers of Guyana.

Mr Nagamootoo and his cohorts had no interest in the unity of the working class in Guyana. He played no role in any mass movement in Guyana. He has always been a rank opportunist. A top source in the PPP said that Mr Nagamootoo was a correspondent with the Novista Press Agency, a Russian news outfit. The source claimed that he should have paid a part of the money to the PPP. No one knows if he did.

The APNU must break out from the shackles of this so-called “Cummingsburg Accord” and place competent people to run these important ministries and in other positions. No longer must we allow these “power hunger” lunatics to bind us to a useless piece of document that is likely to spell huge disaster for our country. The AFC did not contribute to winning seats at the last Local Government Elections. The Accord must be renegotiated to coincide with the daily deficit of the AFC. AFC Ministers have been looking to make a “quick buck”, since they are convinced that this will be their last chance in Government.

One Minister has made it clear when he told friends: “I want to make as much as I can and run”.

In agriculture, we have had the biggest failure in

the history of the country.

The appointment of Noel Holder – who admitted that he knows nothing about the rice industry and sugar.

Hein turn appointed officials to the Rice Board, who are equally bankrupt of ideas and incapable of carrying out the Manifesto promises on the rice industry. This is all the doing of the AFC – since it has been given the Ministry of Agriculture – for political reasons – under the Cummingsburg Accord.

The Tourism and Telecommunications Ministry under Cathy Hughes has not done better.

She has failed miserably to do the very basics. The road signs in and around the city are not visible or don’t exist, roads are bad, and many streets are not properly lit or have no lights at nights.

Public places, bars, and restaurants are unhygienic, unsafe and many of them do not meet the required standard – as set out in law. The Sanitary Inspectors are reportedly bribed or pay scant regard to the health and safety regulations.

Those of us who made the ultimate sacrifices to place the coalition in power – now demand the highest standards all around, open and regular consultation and accountability from all elected and appointed officials of this Government. We cannot go back to the Jagdeo-PPP to better things. The PPP has brought Guyana to its knees!

The Guyanese people – here and abroad – deserve better governance. Our President, who campaigned for a better life for all Guyanese, must act swiftly against all the defaulters of our Manifesto Commitment, before it is too late.

Sincerely, Jinnah Rahman

Dear Editor, In reading and observing all the pomp and planned celebration for Guyana’s 50th Independence anniversary one often ponder and struggle to understand exactly why are we celebrating.

Guyana gained independence in 1966 with the PNC at the helm. May 26, 1966 marked a new beginning, positive optimism for many and a long march through a gauntlet of hopelessness, oppression, degradation and exclusion from the national dialogue for many.

It marked the beginning of a process of mass migration making Guyana (relatively) one of the most exited countries in modern history. We can reference very few nations with such a record.

Yet many nations have gone through major convulsions and are today beacons of hope for their people.

Between 1966 and 1992, Guyana was taken from a stable budding nation with a sound economy and decent social fabric to the brink of abyss. The economy collapsed, the physical infrastructure crumbled, the social structure was decimated.

Strife and mistrust grew, families thrown in disarray as they split up and rushed helter-skelter to other countries seeking refuge.

Many females sought the path of early marriage as a means to exit the nation, forgoing higher education and their dreams. Many men rushed through dangerous back-track means to find a way out of Guyana.

Social and moral decay set in.

Between 1992 and 2015 the economy and physical infrastructure was rebuilt.

However, continued fear and uncertainty prevailed as politically inspired ethnic violence, strife and mistrust ensured no let-up in migration. The brashness of criminal gangs ensured no one lived without fear.

For a small nation like Guyana, politicians can hardly agree on anything as everything becomes mired in one-up-man-ship. The heroics of our leaders seem to be etched on successfully stymying and thwarting the agendas of each other at the expense of the nation’s interest.

Since May 2015, we see more of the same. The much touted “Change” government ascended to power and immediately embarked on a process of discrimination, ethnic cleansing of the civil service ranks and political gimmicks. They immediately voted themselves massive salary increases drawing a caution from international lenders.

The current government was voted in on a platform of change, transparency and people first. However, instead they immediately embarked on an agenda of “me-first” ensuring the good life for themselves.

The masses, on all sides, watched in dismay united only in their mutual distrust of each other, while their leaders “laugh all the way to the bank”.

Furthermore, the much feared and suspect historic alliance between the political and military establishment reared its ugly head again. If there was hope in May 2015, it was shattered this time around in the shortest of orders ever since May 1966.

In 50 years, looking at the rest of the world, many nations went to hell and

back while Guyana continues to languish in political purgatory by a government who say what you want to hear but do what they want to do.

Migration remains high, crime is out of control, corruption is rife, Guyana has the “gold medal” in suicides, ethnic divisions and mistrust remains as it was prior to 1966.

The economy is again teetering on the brink while politicians go about their business as usual. Looking back over the past 50 years, Guyana seems stuck in quick sands of change with progress stymied by political partisanship.

Even the 50th anniversary “stadium” seems a disgrace with the quality and workmanship that could only be described as laughable if it was not for such a waste of precious resources. Is this the best of Guyana after 50 years?

Guyana continues to straddle between measured hope and hopelessness. This is emblematic by the fact that the educated, progressive, and ambitious youths continue to cast their eyes upward but outward.

In looking, one is forced to ask, what are we celebrating, apart from the passage of time? What is needed at 50 is some serious national therapy, political reconciliation and soul searching by the leadership on all sides as to what type of nation they want to build and how to get there. Not a big celebration of show and tell of nothingness and waste of the nation’s resources.

Sincerely, HS Gautam Naraine, NY, USA

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mondAY, may 9, 2016

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guyana-times.com

Foundation

The Day after Mother’s Day

Positive Parenting:

Rules to help you deal with negative child behaviour more positively

D

o your children drive you crazy? If you were asked to describe them, after saying, “He’s a good kid, but…” would you use words like “defiant”, “whiny”, “unmotivated”, “disrespectful”, “angry” or “demanding,” with a few positives sprinkled in?

If the negatives loom larger in your mind than the positives, the first thing to realise is that this is natural.

We parents are human after all, which means we tend to look for what’s wrong with our offspring so that we can focus on what we should “fix” in them. Somehow this calms us down; we believe we are improving their chances of long-term survival in an often difficult world.

Putting a stop to searching for what we fear is an important parenting – and life – skill to learn.

The problem is, however, that if we spend most of our time worrying, fixing and trying to shape our children up into what we think they should be, we miss the positives of who they actually are. The good news is that it’s actually more effective to look at the balanced picture

if you want to positively influence your child and keep communication open between you. I’m going to help you “change the lenses in your glasses” so that you can see your child’s negative behaviours in a more positive light – or at least a more accurate one!

Here are five rules to get you started:

Rule #1: Stop searching for what you fear

When tension rises, parents can have a tendency to search for evidence of what they fear. I had a friend who was so afraid that her son was a social loser that it kept her up at nights. She herself had struggled socially all her life. To deal with her fear for her son, she rode by the playground at recess to look for evidence to confirm her negative belief about him – that he had no friends. Of course, when you look for evidence to confirm your fearful beliefs, you’ll find things – and label them as such. As she drove up, there he was standing alone on one end of the blacktop while all the other children

By Eva Ritvo, MD

Y

were playing on the other end. She got out of her car and ran up to him practically frantic and said, “Jake, why are you standing here all alone and not joining in with the other kids? He said, “Mom, can you move out of the way. I’m the goalie and I’m in the middle of a game of soccer!”

This illustrates exactly what anxiety can do to us – it can lead us to look for evidence of what we fear, and then we begin to treat it as if is real – and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. If this becomes a habitual way of responding to him, instead of helping him learn how to deal with others more appropriately, you may inadvertently help create more of the same in him.

Rule #2: Change your lenses

We also can turn positives into negatives when we are unable to see the good things buried within the annoying, obnoxious behaviours that drive us crazy. How often do we worry when our children are defiant with us? We don’t like it when they go against us by

disagreeing with what we want them to do. When they say no or refuse to do what we ask, it makes us mad. It’s natural to get angry with how difficult our children are and label their behaviour and attitude as a negative – something we need to fix in them. While we need to address the resulting behaviour (refusal to comply) the actual characteristic in your child is not necessarily a bad thing.

By changing the lens in our glasses, instead of trying to change our children, we can come to appreciate their oppositional tendency, even though it can be exhausting and difficult to deal with. Look at it this way: we want our children to grow up and be self-directed and independent adults. The defiance and oppositionality you see can also translate to a child who’s not afraid to say “no” to peer pressure, or who has strong leadership skills.

Our job as parents is to direct this energy in an appropriate way by setting limits, knowing our children, and trying to keep the lines of communication open with them. (Excerpt

from empoweringparents.com)

to be continued...

ou literally owe your life to your mother. Mother’s Day is the most powerful day of the year, because it is a day for mothers. Mothers were there for us and sacrificed a great deal, especially during our formative years. If you have a child of your own, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

If there is one thing I have learned in my 25 years as a practising psychiatrist, it’s that mothers have some amazing superpowers, which I have written about before (The Secret Superpowers of Mothers). Mother’s Day should be a joyful celebration, and our mothers deserve a special day. But what about the day after Mother’s Day? And the 363 days after that? What can neuroscience teach us about how to celebrate and treat our mothers every day?

Almost everything about your mother comes down to five neurochemicals

While psychiatry and neuroscience are incredibly complex fields, some surprisingly simple insights have emerged about the easy ways you can help yourself and others to boost well being, vitality, and happiness. A surprising percentage of human behaviour comes down to the interplay of 5 important neurochemicals, which you can remember with a handy acronym: CODES. Cortisol: For all of us, but especially your mother, stress needs to be kept low.

Our bodies release cortisol when stressed, and it can seriously damage the body in the long run. As we age, we become more sensitive to cortisol. The older your mother is, the less cortisol (and stress) she’ll be able to handle well.

Oxytocin: Sometimes known as the cuddle hormone, we release oxytocin when engaged in touch.

Hugs, kisses, really anything that involves touch, including holding hands, walking arm in arm, and touching a shoulder. When levels are high, it gives a sensation of warmth and trust.

Dopamine: This neurochemical is released any time we encounter something new. It could be a new song, a new movie, or even a new website or a piece of technology. Essentially, it is our brain’s way of rewarding us when we discover something.

E n d o r p h i n s : Endorphins are released in response to physical activity/ exercise. This is the neurochemical that is responsible for the “runner’s high”.

Serotonin: Serotonin is produced when you help others, bond with others, and when you feel healthy pride in a job well done. We get a surge of serotonin when those close to us achieve

something meaningful, such as the feeling of a parent when the child graduates high school or wins an award.

Serotonin comes from being connected to something beyond ourselves, and it is produced when you feel confident (in life or work) that others have your back, and you have theirs. Serotonin is what social animals, like us humans, use to glue ourselves together into families, teams and communities, and this neurotransmitter makes you feel very good, in a way that is decidedly unlike simple happiness.

The CODES to improve your mother’s entire life

Here are the CODES that will help you go beyond telling your mother that you love her and show you how to demonstrate and create love.

Help manage her cortisol: Find ways to reduce her stress. If your mother is not being social enough, her loneliness could lead to increased cortisol levels. If she’s struggling with keeping up with housework, you can reduce her stress by helping her out. Also, just be kind. Nothing makes a mother prouder than a kind child.

Seeing you being kind to others goes a long way toward reducing her stress level.

Boost her oxytocin: The more you can hug and kiss your mother, the more oxytocin will be coursing through her veins. Make it a point to have more physical contact with your mother.

Hugging really does perform miracles, so make it a point to do it more.

Increase her dopamine: This one is easy. The more new and novel experiences you can give your mother, the greater her dopamine level. This could be taking her to a restaurant she’s never been to before, or introducing her to a new technology.

Endorphin rush: Do your best to increases your mother’s physical activity. It could be going on walks, gardening, or any physical activity that is appropriate for her fitness level.

Elevate her serotonin: There are several ways to boost serotonin. Frequent contact, especially face to face, is one of the most effective ways. Visit, call, send texts or emails...the point is to maintain consistent and frequent contact. Another way to boost serotonin is to engage in acts of kindness, so consider taking your mother to a volunteer event, or over to help a friend or relative.

Helping others will do amazing things for her mood and well-being. Serotonin is perhaps the most important of the neurotransmitters So yes, you should go all out on Mother’s Day. Your mother deserves the best.

Just don’t forget that your mother deserves the best every day. (psychologytoday.com)

news

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monDAY, may 9, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Ogle Int’l Airport to CAPE, CSEC exam locations moved be renamed today to accommodate jubilee float parade

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… NATA keeps up resistance

Ogle International Airport

D

etermined to fight till the end, the National Aircraft Transport Association (NATA) continues to protest the decision to rename the Ogle International Airport even as the official rebranding ceremony is set for today.

In a public announcement, NATA noted with deep disappointment that the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) government blatantly ignored their pleas for a reconsideration of the decision to rename the Airport after Guyana’s first Public Transport Minister Eugene Correia, a name which coincides with that of the Chairman of the Ogle Airport Inc. Michael Correia.

According to NATA, this will add to the already filled vessel of complaints regarding anti-competitive behaviour of the Board of Ogle Airport Inc. The Private Sector

Commission (PSC) recently came out and supported this position.

However government has totally disregarded those concerns, insisting it does not need approval from the aircraft operators on the renaming of the facility.

NATA is made up of nine operators of the ten aircraft owners, accounting for 90 per cent of the aircraft located at the Ogle Airport and for this reason, the organisation is deeply worried that the government refused to hold consultations with them on the matter.

Moreover, NATA pointed out that the rash decision to rename the airport will result in unnecessary expenses.

It contended that a name change requires coordination and cooperation by all concerned since every billboard, statutory and other paraphernalia will need to be adjusted accordingly,

at costs some of which will have to be borne by government.

NATA said it plans to do all in its power to influence the reversal of the renaming. Already, the body has matters pending before the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

Meanwhile, the renaming ceremony of the Ogle Airport is slated to commence at 17:00h today during which President David Granger and Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson will be delivering remarks.

Last year when the issue first surfaced, President Granger met with a group after the proposal met strong objections from most of the airline operators who work out of the Ogle Airport.

They pointed to the fact that one of the airlines at Ogle, Trans Guyana, is owned by the Correia Group and that group’s owner is already the Chairman of the Airport.

aribbean Advanced P r o f i c i e n c y Examinations (CAPE) and Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) students from seven city schools sitting examinations on Thursday, May 26 will be relocated to facilitate the float parade to mark the country’s 50th Independence Anniversary.

According to the Education Ministry, students from The Bishops’ High, St John’s College, St Rose’s High, and St Stanislaus College will write their examinations at Queen’s College. It said too that students from Central High School will be relocated to St Joseph’s High School.

Students from Christ Church Secondary and Brickdam Secondary Schools will be relocated to Tutorial High School.

Students from the Josel Education Institute will also sit their examinations at Tutorial High School.

During the week leading up to the 26th, CAPE candidates will be sitting Literature, Physics, Applied Maths, Biology, Management of Business, Environmental Science, Law, Electrical and Electronic Technology, Physical Education and Sport, Pure Maths,

Agricultural Science, Food and Nutrition, Digital Media, and Building and Mechanical Engineering Drawing.

Meanwhile, CSEC candidates will be sitting Biology, Building Technology Construction, Social Studies, Principles of Business, Geography, Physical Education and Sport, and Office Administration.

A number of activities had been rolled

out to mark the anniversary during the one-week period when school will be suspended.

These include the largest May 26 float parade that is the embodiment of the Republic Day parade that was postponed given the anniversary.

Also set for that day is the GTT Mega Concert slated for the National Stadium after the float parade.

Another of the grand events set for the period is

the National Flag-raising ceremony at D’Urban Park as well as the Independence Jouvert, both scheduled for May 25.

From the 22nd to the 24th, other activities consisting of symposiums, book launchings, pageants and a long list of additional events have been planned.

Being one of the most anticipated and monumental events in Guyana’s history, the Government has gone all out in ensuring that this indeed leaves an imprint on the minds of those who are lucky enough to be part of the celebrations.

Over the past few weeks, activities, promotions and special packages leading up to the anniversary have been launched.

Corporate support for these activities has been flowing in, since the beginning of the year, from both local and international sponsors.

The country is expected to be transformed into a business paradise fostering economic growth and placing the country on the international map.

A large turnout is expected from the Diaspora, as persons from across the world have been indicating their interest in celebrating the Golden Jubilee through “Reflection, Celebration and Inspiration”.

8 news Police nab trio trailing bank customers T monDAY, may 9, 2016 | guyana-times.com

he Police on Saturday arrested three men, suspected of being part of a gang associated with a number of robberies.

The men were arrested at Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara, on Saturday afternoon after a businessman called the Police from a gas station to report that he suspected he was being trailed by a car after leaving a commercial bank.

According to Commander

of A Division Clifton Hicken, after the man made the report, the Police intercepted the car, with licence PPP 2662 along the East Bank roadway. The three occupants attempted to escape by exiting the car and boarding a minibus, however, the Police managed to apprehend them. They were taken into custody where they are currently assisting with investigations.

According to informa-

tion, the men are suspected of being involved in a number of robberies where persons were robbed after making large withdrawals at several banks.

In the past, the Police had urged persons to exercise caution when making such transactions. Just last month, a man was robbed of a sum of cash at a store on Hadfield Street after being trailed from a bank.

Additionally, on that

same day a pastor was robbed of $2.4 million after he left a city bank and was heading home.

Last year, Cane Grove rice farmer, Hardat Kissoon, was shot dead in a minibus at Turkeyen Access Road by a man who had trailed him from a city bank, where he had encashed a cheque for $500,000.

A man was subsequently arrested and charged for that incident.

Linden woman slapped with assault charge

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woman, who hails from Block 22 Wismar, Linden was slapped with an assault charge last week when she appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Linden Magistrate’s Court.

Amanda Gordon, 22, was granted bail in the sum of $15,000 after the charge of

assault causing actual bodily harm was read to her.

She pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on Friday, April 29, she unlawfully assaulted Tamara Douglas at Block 22, Wismar.

The matter is set to continue on April 29.

Soesdyke resident fined for traffic violation

Jason Williams, 28, was fined $10,000 for a traffic offence when he appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Linden Magistrate’s Court.

The defendant of Lot 2930 Soesdyke/Linden Highway was charged with breach of the road regulation, in that he drove up a one-way street.

The court heard that he drove lorry GTT 7806 West along Greenheart Street, Mackenzie, Linden on April 27 when which he was accosted by Police and told of the offence.

Failure to pay the fine will result in a default sentence of two weeks imprisonment.

Eyew tness On names...

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...of places

hat does naming a place mean? Well, there's the obvious one of folks being able to know what they're actually talking about. Not in the ontological sense of "knowing" what the "thing" REALLY is, but simply to "reference" it. But "referencing" something – let's say, a chair – implies you know what the qualities of "chairs" are.

So with all that extended clearing of underbrush, can we examine what does calling Bartica a "town" mean? If Bartica on the day before wasn't a "town", what does the baptism mean? Towns, we know, are larger than villages and have larger populations. When, for instance, Anna Regina was made a "town" back in 1970, the Government cobbled together several villages with the village of Anna Regina to take care of that requirement. Any villages around for Bartica Town to annex?

The commercial activities in a town are much more diversified and extensive than in a village – but as far as we can tell, Bartica will still be depending on mining. But if the mining is extensive enough, it can be a "mining" town – like Linden. But then Barticians better watch out, since Bartica's existence will be dependent on that one (precarious) activity. And that's where the main function of a town comes in: the Mayor and Town Council elected to run the "town" has to now actively plan and execute programmes to diversify its economy. So let's all hold our breaths as we look at what the new executives of Bartica Town will be doing. "Go Green", we're told!

Then there's the "renaming" drive. What does renaming a place mean? Well, for one, the name could be objectionable for one reason or another. For instance, "Murray St" named after the Lt Governor during the 1823 Rebellion, was renamed "Quamina St" after one of the slaves who was beheaded for participating in the rebellion.

Then we may want to honour a respected figure. The folks at Mackenzie and Wismar decided to rename their town "Linden" after PM Forbes Linden Sampson Burnham.

The PPP decided it wanted to similarly honour President Cheddi Jagan by renaming Timehri Airport after him.

But President Granger seems to have a special liking for renaming places. He startled everyone when he named the Convention Centre after the first President Arthur Chung, since he didn't seem to have consulted anyone.

But there wasn't any fuss since Chung was, after all, a notable figure in Guyana's history. But now that he's decided to rename Ogle Airport after EF Correia, he's being challenged.

Both procedurally, on who decides these things in a democracy and substantively, as to why Correia.

Guyanese want to know what in the name!

...and huckstering

With all this talk of "arrivals" we can't help but remember that this "vendor" situation isn't new. Even before the abolition of slavery, it was slave women who planted the "provision grounds" and some went on to sell their excess produce on Sunday in what became markets.

Markets were more than a place of exchange and like the ones they would've known in West Africa were centres of cultural sharing and transmission. After slavery this activity intensified throughout the Caribbean mostly by women called "hucksters" here and "higglers" in Jamaica.

But when women tried to go from vegetables into other products, the British Merchants who controlled the import trade gave priority to the newly-arrived Portuguese who had finished their indentureship and entered the retail trade. The African female-dominated hucksters were practically driven out and left in the margins.

The Government in 2016 has an obligation to finally bring them Ibai into the mainstream.

...and "fat cats"

Back in 2012, Moses Nagamootoo, man of words as he fancies himself, dubbed the PPP Ministers and those aligned with them as "fat cats" who had become “playful, prime and plump”.

With the "marginal" $200,000 he added to the $1.5M monthly salary, what has he become?

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

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monday, may 9, 2016 | guyana-times.com

PPP/C to move motion for Slain Parika fuel dealer laid to rest fresh rice negotiations with Venezuela

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ore than one year after the historic PetroCaribe rice-foroil Guyana-Venezuela deal collapsed, a motion will be moved in the National Assembly urging Government to reopen negotiations with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on the

Under the PetroCaribe deal, Guyana was required to pay up front a percentage of the cost of fuel acquired from Venezuela, with the balance, which was placed in the PetroCaribe Fund at the Bank of Guyana, being treated as a loan repayable over 23 years,

Workers loading paddy destined for Venezuela onto a vessel in 2015

rice and paddy trade.

People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) parliamentarian Irfaan Ali is scheduled to move the motion when Parliament resumes on Thursday.

Last year, Venezuela abruptly halted the importation of rice from Guyana under the PetroCaribe arrangement.

At that time, the PetroCaribe deal was to remain functional until it expired in November of that year, but owing to certain circumstances, Venezuela terminated the rice deal before the official end date.

Since the collapse of the arrangement, Guyana has not clinched similar rice deals with other countries.

However, Government had announced in March that the Spanish-speaking nation may still be purchasing Guyana’s rice, albeit through neighbouring Suriname.

The PetroCaribe deal was sealed by then President Bharrat Jagdeo with then Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez several years ago, which saw Guyana receiving oil in exchange for rice at premium rates.

with a two-year grace period and two per cent interest.

Each deposit into the Fund was treated as a loan to the country with the same concessionary terms. This resulted in Guyana being able to defer its payments, which were at concessionary rates, over a longer period of time.

Venezuela had been by far the major market for Guyana’s rice and paddy, accounting for around 60 per cent of total exports in 2010. In 2014, exports to Venezuela accounted for approximately 38 per cent of total exports although the overall tonnage exported (150,000 tonnes of rice and 50,000 tonnes of paddy) far exceeded the 2013 export levels. Therefore, the loss of the Venezuelan rice market was indeed a significant blow to the rice farmers, the entire industry and, by extension, the entire economy.

Meanwhile, with regard to the state of the local rice industry, the PPP/C Member of Parliament (MP) also intends to push for a number of items, including the elimination of all forms of taxes and duties on fuel for the industry as well as

for machinery, equipment and spares.

Ali’s motion is also calling on the Government to commence discussions with all the commercial banks that lend to the industry to review terms and conditions of loans taking into account the low prices farmers are getting in order to ‘soften’ repayment conditions, to suspend payments of land leases and drainage and irrigation charges, among others.

Following the collapse of the PetroCaribe deal and the hardships that were thrust upon rice farmers across the country, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had proposed a plan to the Government to aid in reviving the industry; however, the Administration never paid it any heed.

Government has staunchly maintained the rice industry falls within the realm of the Private Sector and, therefore, those affected by the prevailing problems should not depend on Government for solutions.

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Family members and friends pay last respects to Seeram Singh

amily, friends and well-wishers gathered on Saturday at the Faith Community Ministries church to pay last respects to the late Seeram Singh, the well-known Parika fuel dealer who was murdered on April 30 last.

The atmosphere was sombre and emotional as the man’s relatives were inconsolable and found it hard to accept their loved-one was no longer around.

Singh’s eldest daughter, Shavita Singh, sobbed as

she gave her father’s eulogy.

Meanwhile his second daughter Bonita Lall-Ram paid tribute to her father’s death by reciting a poem.

Singh, 52, a father of five, was attacked and shot to his back, and when he fell, the shooter reportedly stood over him and shot him to his chest and head, before robbing him of some jewellery.

Kurt Thomas called ‘Deportee’ of Hyde Park, Parika, East Bank Essequibo, has since been charged for killing Singh.

Seeram Singh

He was arraigned on Friday at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court, all the while professing innocence while being led by officers into the courtroom.

Thomas was not required to plead to the indictable charge and will return to court on June 20.

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guyanatimesgy.com

monDAY, may 9, 2016

News

NICU commissioned at Bartica Regional Hospital – referrals to GPHC reduced by 50 per cent

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he Public Health Ministry in collaboration with charity organisation, Guyana Help The Kids (GHTK) officially opened the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Bartica Regional Hospital in Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni) on Saturday, coinciding with the official declaration of Bartica’s township status.

As a result of vast improvements in the range and quality of services provided by the Bartica Hospital over the past eight months, referrals to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has reduced by almost 50 per cent.

This was revealed by Regional Health Officer (RHO) Dr Edward Sagala during the commissioning ceremony.

Dr Sagala said the Bartica Regional Hospital caters not only for Region Seven residents, but also those from areas such as Saxacalli, Essequibo Islands – West Demerara (Region Three), River’s View, Upper Demerara-Berbice (Region 10) and more recently, residents of Parika who choose to travel to Bartica rather than to the city.

The RHO recalled that during the 2015 elections campaign, President Granger had

promised residents of Region Seven that he would ensure the hospital was upgraded to become a full-fledged regional hospital and this feat has been achieved within his first eight months in office.

He informed that today the Cuyuni-Mazaruni region has a total of 22 doctors. The Bartica Hospital alone, which previously had only four doctors, now has 16, seven of whom are medical specialists, while the others are general practitioners.

Most of the specialists are university professors and have worked in countries such as Haiti, Angola and Yemen.

They include dermatologists, ear and throat, cardiologist, obstetrician/gynaecologist, general surgeon, anaesthetist and paediatrician.

The hospital also holds a monthly mental health clinic led by renowned Guyanese psychiatrist Dr Bhiro Harry.

Prior to these services being taken to Bartica, patients had to travel to Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) and Georgetown for the specialised medical care.

“The works are still ongoing in order to upgrade this institution because in-

Health Vision 2020.

“The opening of the NICU at this hospital will see fewer women travelling from Region Seven to Region Three for specialised health care… the close cooperation between the Ministry of Public Health and the Guyana Help the Kids has no doubt lead to a significant decline in neonatal deaths at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. In December, 2015, the GPHC recorded a drop in mortality from 35 per cent to seven per cent,” Dr Norton said.

Mission

President David Granger, First Lady Sandra Granger and Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton check on a patient during a tour of the facility

frastructure alone cannot operate in a vacuum; we need people who are highly trained and well-motivated.

This is not all that you are seeing, within the next year you would be surprise to see how many more health services will be offered here. We intend to become one of the best regional hospitals in the country,” Dr Sagala predicted.

President David Granger, First Lady Sandra Granger,

Government Ministers Joseph Harmon, Amna Ally, Volda Lawrence, Ronald Bulkan and Dr George Norton were in attendance.

Zero maternal deaths

Meanwhile, President Granger expressed his Administration’s appreciation to the doctors, nurses and staff of the Bartica hospital who have been working tirelessly to save lives, particularly those of new-born babies. He said regardless of the cost, his Government will ensure there is a maternity hospital in the near future.

“We want to aim at zero maternal deaths, not just a

reduction. There should be no reason in 2016 for babies to die… we want to ensure that no resident must have to leave his or her region to get access to basic public services,” the Head of State said.

He added that now that Bartica has achieved township status it must be possessed all of the necessary resources to ensure residents are provided with all the services they need.

Health Minister George Norton informed that while neonatal mortality rates has been decreasing in Guyana, it continues to be a major public health concern, which is why it remains the primary focus of his Ministry’s

President of the Guyana Help the Kids organisation, Dr Narendra Singh said their mission is to ensure that every single baby born in Guyana has a fighting chance to survive. This led to the commencement of the paediatric post-graduate residency programme of which he is the director.

“I am thrilled to say that as of yesterday we have graduated ten well-trained, brilliant Guyanese paediatricians,” Dr Singh said.

Additionally, the organisation has trained 30 neonatal intensive-care nurses who will be deployed to the GPH and regional hospitals.

This is the sixth NICU that the Canada-registered organisation has established in Guyana. The others are located at GPHC, Linden, New Amsterdam, Suddie and West Demerara hospitals.

monDay, may 9, 2016

guyana-times.com

11

News

Struggling single mom may soon be homeless: The story of a "broom maker"

By Andrew Carmichael

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ancy dishes, pampering, best wishes, and visits are some of the things most mothers enjoyed on Sunday - Mother’s Day – but this was not the case for Swarwattie Sampuran, who is struggling to provide basic essentials for her five children.

Sampuran, 29, also called ‘Rita’ of Bush Lot Village, West Coast Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice), hardships in life has now been compounded by the disclosure that she will soon be without a home.

The mother of five is squatting on government reserve at Bush Lot, on the southern side of the old train line, living as a single mother. With two young children including a 10-month-old baby, Rita is self-employed but making far less than the national minimum wage.

Her eldest son, she told this newspaper, was forced to

Swarwattie Sampuran and her son making ‘pointer’ brooms

leave school because she cannot afford to send him. He has not been to school since he was 12, now he is 14.

His job is to go into the backdam with his mother, who must take her baby and 3-year-old daughter along, in

harsh terrain and weather in search of coconut branches, to make ‘pointer’ brooms, which she sells so her family could survive.

Rita has also been planting her garden to supplement her small income but her ef-

The gift of motherhood on Mother’s Day

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or many women, Mother’s Day is a day when they are pampered with material gifts and love from their children.

But for six women, Mother’s Day 2016 brought them a gift that surpasses any other… the gift of motherhood.

On Sunday, the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Maternity Ward recorded six births, four boys and two girls.

For Alexis Boucher, who delivered a bouncing baby boy, motherhood is nothing new to her as the adorable little bundle of joy lying next to her is her third child.

“This is my third child. I delivered minutes after 1 am,” she related. She announced

The first baby boy born at Georgetown Public Hospital with his mother Alexis Boucher, along with ANSA McAL reps Joel Lee and Oneca Benjamin who gifted her a Pampers hamper

St Louis was born just after 09:00h and is her first child.

“I don’t want to put him

Sherry Crandon and her first-born baby boy

that her child would be named Aaron, and that she is very excited to again be a mother. “I just feel proud of myself and my child,” she chortled.

Meanwhile, Sherry Crandon was having difficulty casting her eyes off her bundle of joy. Jahiem

down,” she stated, lovingly stroking his face like only a first-time mother would.

“Since I found out his gender we got his name on the same day so that was already set,” she revealed.

She explained that she would be making the necessary sacrifices so she could be a major part in her son’s

life. “This is all pretty exciting. I want to be there for the first step in everything so I’m definitely going to be taking the three months off and three months unpaid leave,” she related.

She further explained that while pregnancy was not quite easy, it was all worth it: “I didn’t know what to expect because it was my first child so what had happened was that I was actually at home when I went into labour. I came here at about 5 am and then they just rushed me in so I really didn’t know what the pain would be like,” she shared.

Also, Scheneka BobSemple related that she delivered her “little princess” just after midnight. She explained that she looked forward to motherhood since it is her first child and an exciting time for her.

While she has not decided on a name as yet, she looks forward to the process of choosing one and caring for her little girl.

forts to rear a small amount of livestock was met with opposition from neighbors. “I build this lil house on the

government reserve and now they telling we that we got to move.”

Rita says it was not her choice to be a single-mother with five children but her relatively comfortable life changed when her husband migrated to the Caribbean and never looked back. That happened days after her fourth child was born. He eldest son’s father walked out of the relationship when he too was a baby. She said she subsequently met her husband eleven years ago but when their fourth child came along, it was too much for him to cope with so he too moved on.

In a vulnerable position Rita got herself into yet another relationship and after becoming pregnant, the man was sent to prison for ten years because he destroyed by fire his former wife’s home.

Now Rita is a mother of five, again single, and this time struggling.

“I want to do better for my children, I want all of them to go to school, but right now I can’t even mind two fowl and I live on government land and they say everybody around here need to move.”

Rita has been on the land since 2008 and prior to that she lived in a rented house.

“The reason I ain’t apply for a house lot is because I can’t afford to pay for it. If I get a house lot I can build just like I build this house. I put board one-one and beg people for wood and keep putting them on the house.”

On Friday, as a Mother’s Day approached, the New Jersey Arya Samaj Humanitarian Mission of Port Mourant presented Rita with a quantity of household items and foodstuff.

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016 | guyana-times.com

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guyana-times.com

monDay, may 9, 2016

Regional

Cuban lung cancer vaccine Bolivian President Evo Morales says to be tested in US

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lung cancer vaccine developed in Cuba will be tested in the United States through the work of the Rosewell Park Institute – a cancer research and treatment centre located in New York.

The vaccine, known as Cimavax, will soon enter the US and could benefit cancer patients in that country.

“We believe that treatments should be available to all patients and that politics and geography should not prohibit the drug development process,” reads a statement on the webpage of the Washington-based Lung Cancer Alliance.

“The development of

The Cuban vaccine known as Cimavax

Cimavax is particularly exciting as it would represent a new class of therapeutics for lung cancer – a vaccine that primes the immune system, similarly to the flu shot or

TT State funding for ‘medical mafia’

T

he Health Ministry’s multimillion-dollar External Patient Programme (EPP), in which patients at public hospitals are transferred to private medical facilities at the expense of taxpayers, is “scandalously corrupt” and must be abolished.

So far, TT$60 million has been spent on the programme which started in July 2014. This figure represents the amount spent between 2014 and 2015. The 2015 to 2016 figures are still outstanding.

Sunday Guardian obtained the information which was submitted by the National Workers Union (NWU) to the Dr Winston Welch-chaired committee which was established by Cabinet last November to “review the levels of healthcare delivery by the regional health authorities, and to rationalise the system of public sector doctors in private practice”.

The NWU, which made its submission to the com-

mittee on February 16, has also questioned the criteria used by the Health Ministry in the selection of the private medical facilities used in the EPP. According to the NWU, “public health institutions are now holding bays and clearing houses for the routing of patients into the private health system and the State pays – another disgusting incident of the looting of public funds by politically connected persons”.

The EPP was launched in May 2014 by the Kamla Persad-Bissessarled People’s Partnership Administration.

On May 29, 2014, the Cabinet approved US$10 million for Phase One of the EPP. Phase One of the EPP began on June 2, 2014, and included cataract surgeries, knee and hip replacement surgeries, computerised tomography (CT) scans and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

common childhood vaccines,” the statement continued.

The Lung Cancer Alliance was founded in 1995 to meet the needs of lung cancer patients and those at risk by

improving outcomes, eliminating stigma and securing public health research funding.

In 2010, Lung Cancer Alliance began its first awareness programme.

Since then, Lung Cancer Alliance has developed many programmes focused on lung cancer awareness: “Give a Scan,” “National Shine a Light on Lung Cancer” and “Team Lung Love” have helped create awareness in the United States and internationally.

In February 2012, Lung Cancer Alliance took on its first major initiative, creating a national framework for lung cancer screening. (Excerpt

from CMC)

Islamic Bank South-South cooperation to improve rice production in Suriname

T

he Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), through its “reverse linkage” initiative to enhance South-South cooperation among its 57 members, is matching the challenge of Suriname with the experience of Malaysia so that the two countries can collaborate to maintain self-sufficiency in rice production in Suriname, according to an Islamic Bank press release last week.

One of the mandates of the Islamic Bank is to promote cooperation among member countries of the OIC in an effort to “strengthen collaboration, to utilise and foster their talents, skills and technological capacities”. As a result, the bank responded and launched its Technical Cooperation Programme in 1983.

According to the Islamic Bank, “The structured skills swap under Reverse Linkage helps the recipient country diagnose and

analyse a problem while the provider country shares its proven knowledge and expertise to find a solution.

The idea that all partners have something to gain from cooperation lies at the heart of Reverse Linkage.

The learning process is reciprocal, knowledge transfer is in both directions, and benefits are mutual.”

The Jeddah based bank, which Suriname joined in 1997, said the project will bring about the “necessary improvements of varieties, breeding and production methodologies, infrastructure and human resource development to achieve and maintain Suriname’s longterm self-sufficiency in rice production.”

The Islamic Bank study concluded that Suriname has the potential to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production and develop better rice-based products that can be marketed domestically and internationally.

(Excerpt from Caribbean News Now!)

Holness reassures US investors

P

rime Minister Andrew Holness has reassured United States investors that the Government has already moved to get rid of unnecessary delays and bottlenecks to investing in Jamaica.

Addressing more than 40 investors at a joint meeting of the US Chamber of Commerce and the American Chamber of Commerce of Jamaica (AMCHAM) in Washington, DC, last Thursday, the Prime Minister said the Government was mindful of delays in the country’s investment process, so it was necessary to overhaul the system.

He said that with the establishment of the Ministry

AMCHAM Jamaica President Ron McKay (second left) adjusts the lapel of Prime Minister Andrew Holness’s coat at the end of the event. At left is AMCHAM Jamaica Vice President Andrew Pairman

of Economic Growth and Job Creation in the Office of the Prime Minister, investments will be fast-tracked.

The Prime Minister said

that all agencies responsible for granting approvals fell under that Ministry, and once all the basic requirements were satisfied, inves-

tors seeking permits would deal with that one Ministry.

He pointed out that this will eliminate the need to obtain multiple approvals which, in the past, created significant delays in investment projects.

“My Government will ensure that the risk to investment is minimised; that foreign investors can feel comfortable about the process of transitioning from the US into Jamaica and that the process is as seamless as possible,” Holness said.

The Prime Minister encouraged investors to come to Jamaica as the country is open for business and there are many investment opportunities available. (Excerpt from

Jamaica Observer)

Chile base is a threat

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olivian President Evo Morales has accused neighbouring Chile of threatening his country by establishing a military base close to their border.

Morales said the base about 15 kilometres (10 miles) from the border was an act of aggression against Bolivia.

Chile says it has stepped up military patrols, but denies it has established a base.

The Foreign Ministry in Santiago said: “No such military installation exists.

What has happened is that we have intensified military patrols in Chilean territory to stop attacks against civilians, robberies, contraband and drug trafficking coming from Bolivia.”

The statement said “the only military installation is in the area of Silala River on the Bolivian side only 1.5 km (one mile) in a straight line from the frontier from Chile.

“Bolivia should answer for why it has a permanent military presence on the border.”

Both countries have been at loggerheads for years over access to the waters of the Silala River.

The River Silala rises in Bolivia, but flows down the Andes into Chile.

President Morales said Bolivia would file a suit against Chile at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the issue of the river.

Bolivia says it owns the Silala spring in a border region and that it is not being compensated by Chile for the use of its waters.

But Chile says it is an international waterway of shared use.

Chile uses some of the river’s water for its mining operations in the Atacama Desert. The country is the world’s largest copper producer. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Former Brazilian Minister, BNDES head pressured firms for donations – report

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Former Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega

former Brazilian Finance Minister and the current head of the nation’s development bank allegedly pressured big construction firms into making campaign donations for President Dilma Rousseff, a newspaper reported Sunday.

The Folha de S Paulo newspaper cited testimony it says Marcelo Odebrecht, the jailed former chief executive of the Odebrecht construction conglomerate, gave while trying to broker a deal to become a State’s witness.

According to Folha, Odebrecht told prosecutors that former Finance Minister Guido Mantega and BNDES head Luciano Coutinho were in charge of pressuring businesses that secured BNDES loans for overseas work to make contributions to Rousseff’s 2014 reelection.

In a written statement given to Folha, Coutinho denied playing any role in Rousseff’s campaign, while

Mantega’s lawyer Jose Batochio said his client also had nothing to do with obtaining donations for the President’s reelection.

Neither Mantega nor BNDES responded to requests for comment, and Rousseff’s office did not return calls. Odebrecht’s lawyers also did not respond to calls and emails seeking comment.

Folha did not say how it acquired the leaked testimony or when Odebrecht gave it.

Odebrecht, who ran Latin America’s largest engineering firm, was sentenced in March to more than 19 years on corruption charges for his role in a massive graft scheme that has engulfed State-run oil company Petrobras. His company used BNDES loans to finance several large projects abroad.

If Prosecutors accept him as a witness he could cut his sentence in half under Brazilian law. (Excerpt from Reuters)

monDAY, may 9, 2016

guyana-times.com

15

Around the world

Fuel-tanker crash kills over Greece to vote on controversial austerity bill 70 in Afghanistan’s Ghazni

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housands of protesters have rallied in Greece as the country’s Parliament prepares to vote on a controversial tax and pensions overhaul which has prompted mass opposition.

Police said almost 15,000 people turned up in Athens and Thessaloniki on Sunday against the measures demanded by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the Government is seeking to adopt ahead of a crunch meeting of eurozone creditors in Brussels today.

The measures, to be voted later on Sunday, aim to reduce Greece’s highest pension payouts, merge several pension funds, increase contributions and raise taxes for those on medium and high incomes.

Central Athens was largely closed to traffic with a significant Police presence in the city although numbers were significantly down on February’s protests when 40,000 people marched in

A

Greece’s budget deficit has grown as it struggles to keep up with its debt payments [Yorgos Karahalis/AP]

Athens alone.

Al Jazeera’s John Psaropoulos, reporting from Athens, said some self-employed and salaried professionals would end up paying up to 55 per cent of income tax if the measures were to be applied.

“People here feel that this bill coming at the end of a whole series of austerity bills over the last eight years simply adds too much to the burden of the average Greek household,” he said.

The austerity measures are part of a package demanded by the EU and IMF in exchange for a US$95 billion bailout agreed last July, the third for the debt-laden country since 2010.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras defended the measures on Friday, telling legislators from his left-wing Syriza party – which holds a slim majority with 153 seats in the 300-seat Parliament – that they would spare the poorest. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

US election: Trump in apparent reversal on taxes for rich

P

resumptive US Republican nominee Donald Trump has said taxes for rich people may have to go up in an apparent reversal of his stated policy.

“On my plan they’re going down. But by the time it’s negotiated, they’ll go up,” Trump told ABC’s This Week.

He also apparently reversed his position on the minimum wage, telling the programme: “I’m allowed to change.”

Trump is all but certain to become the official

Republican candidate for the November presidential election.

Several top Republicans have said they will not vote for him.

On the Democratic Party side, Hillary Clinton has a substantial lead over Bernie Sanders.

Trump’s tax plan says the wealthiest individuals would get a tax break. But he told ABC his “optimum plan” would be negotiated with Democrats, but not be approved as such.

His top priorities would be lowering taxes on businesses and the middle class, not helping the rich.

On the minimum wage, Trump said: “I haven’t decided in terms of numbers. But I think people have to get more.” He has previously said he is against increasing the minimum wage.

When asked about the change of position, the New York billionaire said: “I’m allowed to change. You need flexibility.” (Excerpt from BBC News)

Philippines election: Security tight as polls open

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huge security operation has begun in the Philippines ahead of polls opening in general elections this morning.

More than 100,000 Police Officers will be on duty, amid fears of violence.

Five candidates are in the race to become the new President. A vice president, senators and about 18,000 local officials, including Mayors, will also be elected.

The campaign has been marred by violence and 15 people have been killed so far during the election campaign.

On Saturday, a mayoral candidate was murdered in the south.

A gunman stormed the home of Armando Ceballos, standing as an independent in the town of Lantapan, and shot him dead, Police said.

t least 73 people have been killed and dozens of others injured after two passenger buses and a fuel tanker burst into flames following a head-on collision in eastern Afghanistan.

Many of the dead, including children, were burned beyond recognition as a result of Sunday’s accident in Ghazni province, near the Afghan capital Kabul.

Jawid Salangi, a spokesman for the governor of Ghazni, said the two buses, carrying about 125 pas-

sengers from Kabul to Kandahar, collided with the tanker, setting off a fire that quickly engulfed all three vehicles.

Afghan army units were rushed to the scene of the accident in Moqor district and managed to save some passengers, but many of the injured were in a critical condition, he said.

Al Jazeera’s Qais Azimy, reporting from Kabul, said the drivers were most probably speeding to avoid attacks by the Taliban at the time of the accident.

“There are Taliban checkpoints on that road,” he said. “It seems like the bus drivers and the tanker driver were trying to cross the most hostile part of that road as fast as they could.

“It looks like the bus driver was trying to avoid any Taliban checkpoints, and the tanker driver was trying not to be ambushed by the Taliban,” he said.

“They were driving quite fast. That is what caused the accident.” (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Canada wildfire likely to burn for months

C

“In no way is this fire under control,” Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says [Reuters]

anadian officials say they expect the massive wildfire that has destroyed large parts of Alberta’s oil sands to continue burning for months.

The Alberta Government said on Saturday the massive blaze in the province will cover more than 2000 square kilometres by Sunday and continue to grow because of high temperatures, dry conditions and high winds.

Chad Morrison, Alberta’s manager of wildfire prevention, said it was not uncom-

mon to fight such an inferno in forested areas for months.

There is fear the growing wildfire could double in size and reach a major oil sands mine and even the neighbouring province of Saskatchewan.

“In no way is this fire under control,” Rachel Notley, Alberta’s Premier, said.

No deaths or injuries have been reported since the fire started a week ago, but thousands of people have been made homeless.

Notley said about 12,000 evacuees have been air-

lifted from oil sands mine air fields over the past two days, and about 7000 have left in highway convoys escorted by Police. She said the goal was to complete the evacuation from northern work camps by Sunday.

The fire could reach the edges of the Suncor oil sands facility, about 25 kilometres north of Fort McMurray. Non-essential staff have been evacuated and efforts have been made to protect the site. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Egyptian Policemen killed in ambush south of Cairo

E

ight plainclothes Policemen in Egypt have been shot dead on the outskirts of the capital, Cairo, officials say.

Their white Police van was ambushed in the early hours of Sunday morning in the southern district of Helwan.

Four gunmen in a truck sprayed the vehicle with bullets from automatic weapons,

the Interior Ministry said.

Militants affiliated to socalled Islamic State (IS), who usually operate in the Sinai Peninsula, say they carried out the attack.

Known as Sinai Province, the IS faction has killed hundreds of security personnel in the Sinai region since the military overthrew Islamist President Mohammed Morsi

in July 2013.

The insurgents have recently conducted hit-and-run attacks on Police in Cairo and been behind small-scale bombings in the city.

BBC World Service Middle East editor Sebastian Usher says killing so many Policemen so near Cairo is a worrying escalation. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Taiwan’s new Govt accuses China of interference in WHO status

A total of 15 people have been killed during the election campaign

Correspondents say the Philippines has a long history of political violence and dozens are killed during each election campaign.

The presidential frontrunner is 71-year-old Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte, who has run a campaign focused on law and order issues, but made many controversial statements, including

saying that he would butcher criminals.

A former State Prosecutor, he has been Mayor of the southern city of Davao for more than 22 years.

Current President Benigno Aquino is leading attempts to bring together other candidates to defeat Duterte. (Excerpt from BBC News)

T

he incoming Taiwanese Government on Sunday accused China of “political interference” after a senior Chinese official cast doubt over the island keeping its observer status at the World Health Organisation (WHO) if bilateral relations deteriorated further.

China and self-ruled Taiwan underwent a rapprochement under the outgoing Government which was run by China-friendly Nationalists, but ties have begun to strain with their successors, the independence-

leaning Tsai Ing-wen and her Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Tsai and the DPP won landslide presidential and parliamentary elections in January, in part on rising anti-China sentiment on the island. She has said she would maintain the status quo with China, but has never conceded to a key bilateral agreement, the “one China” principle.

Under this agreement with the Nationalists, Taiwan and China agree they are both part of a single China

although both sides lay claim to being its legitimate Government.

On Friday, Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office, China’s top agency that deals with the island, said that Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly was an arrangement based on the “one China” principle, and this could cease “should the political foundation of cross-Strait ties be destabilised in the future”, according to a Staterun Xinhua report. (Excerpt from Reuters)

16 news

monDAY, may 9, 2016 | guyana-times.com

VOX POPULI

What the people say

I SAY...

Guyanese share their views on whether Government should match Trinidad and Tobago's offer to CPL so that Guyana could host the finals and/or regular games Dodi Bhagwandas (Affiance, Essequibo Coast) "Yes, I think the Government of Guyana should match TT's offer to CPL so that Guyana can host finals. My reason is we have the facility for the hosting, it will generate tourism and hence revenues will be earned. Our Guyanese brothers can get to witness our own Guyanese team playing; they will get to interact with international players. We are part of the Caribbean and, as such, our Government need to invest more in cricket; sports need to get more money; youngsters need the kind of exposure to international games. We haven't had this the longest while; Guyana haven't even produced a cricketer in the longest while: we need persons to represent Guyana in the other league. The Ministry of Sports need to do more representation enlisting the cricket academy."

Cleveland Beckles (Linden) "Yes, I think the Government should match Trinidad and Tobago's offer. But I think sometimes organisers are scared of investing. You see Trinidad would have hosted CPL before and they have massive interest, so the country knows what it would gain from it."

Alexie Singh – Teacher (Golden Fleece, Essequibo Coast) "Yes, I think the Government of Guyana should match the TT offer to CPL so that Guyana can host finals. I see this as a great tourism boost for Guyana earning revenues as well as to put Guyana on the map for international cricket. I totally think that there need to be a revamping of sports in Guyana; Government needs to do more when it comes to cricket and there needs to be more international games. We need to get more persons playing cricket for international games: youngsters need the kind of exposure."

Dereck Juan –Cricketer with Wild Oats Team (Cotton Field, Essequibo Coast) "Although it will be a costly exercise for the Government of Guyana, I think honestly they should match the TT offer to CPL so that Guyana can host finals. Guyana needs this kind of boost for international cricket: we need more persons to represent Guyana on the international scene and we need more Guyana cricketers. Bringing such games to Guyana will be a great boost to the tourism sector – more revenues for the country. Cricket needs more investment from the Government; young cricketers need this kind of exposure and boost. We have a lot of talented and seasoned good cricketers, but they need the kind of push and motivation as well as games and competition plans to promote such."

Denzil Leitch (Georgetown) “Yes, I think that the Government should match TT's offer to host the CPL finals and regular games. I think they should because there is going to be many exciting events going on in Guyana around that time such as the Golden Jubilee celebrations and all the activities to mark that accomplishment. So they should host some games here, because many overseas Guyanese will be coming home so local support will be there as well as a boost to the tourism sector.

Godwin Allicock (Rose Hall, Berbice) “It would have been the ideal occasion for Guyana to spend any amount of money to win the bid to host the CPL finals.

Guyana is celebrating its jubilee, and having the finals here would have put the icing on the cake. I am sure if those who claim to represent cricket in Guyana had gone to the business community they would have gotten the support they needed to ensure that Guyana hosts the final. I also think that as a fellow Caribbean country, Trinidad should have allowed Guyana to host the finals since this is a special year for Guyana.”

Dabriah Frank (Linden) "Yes, I think it would have been great for Guyana to at least host regular games if not the finals. I understand that we lost the bid to Trinidad and Tobago, but I think that we should have at least been given the opportunity to host, since Trinidad would have hosted several times before. That's a loss for Guyana, but we should still try to get grab the opportunity since it would do a lot in terms of foreign exchange and attracting tourists to the country. Better luck next time."

Caesar McAlmont (Linden) "I believe cricket fans would have been thrilled. It's a bit disappointing that Guyana didn't get to match Trinidad and Tobago's offer. Hosting CPL is major in terms of sports and economical development. I think it would be a plus for the country even if it's regular games.”

Shamar Hooper (Georgetown) “I think that they should, because it will boost the tourism industry and well, the international players like the Australians like to explore the places they visit, so it will be good for the country: the more exposure the better. Also, Guyanese like cricket and most of them can't afford to go to other countries to watch the matches so this would be a good opportunity.”

Bebi Osman (Berbice) “Those who are responsible for the bidding should never have allowed Trinidad to outbid them. Had the finals been hosted in Guyana, people from all over the world would have flown in to see the final… it would have put Guyana on the map in more than one way.”

Ronaldo Griffith (Georgetown) “I believe that the Government should make the same offer as TT to host the finals or regular games. The Trinidadians obviously see the prospects that hosting the world renowned sporting event such as the CPL offer to a nation, not only in the area of added tourism but also the overall economic boost. Then there's the matter of national unity, cricket unites Guyanese of all ages and surely in the year of our Golden Jubilee, the Government should spare no expenses to foster a harmonious Guyana.”

Zhenyuan Li (Corentyne, Berbice) “I don’t understand cricket, but I know that Guyanese people like cricket… when I hear that the final playing in Guyana I plan with some of my friends in New York to come. One time I went to 20/20 and was nice, but plenty people would come if the final play here.

They should do everything so that Guyana can get the final, because it gon be more than one game and this year is Guyana anniversary year. Nobody else ain’t suppose to get the final this year. Look how much money they spending for the anniversary and nobody getting nothing. If the cricket come to Guyana, plenty people will get some money. The Government needs to look into that…”

17

news

monDAY, may 9, 2016 | guyana-times.com

TCV launches community Wales Sugar Estate closure outreach, students’ selfGovt awaits report of Economic Services esteem workshops Committee on workers' future

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on-governmental organisation The Caribbean Voice (TCV) recently launched its community outreaches and students’ self-esteem workshop in Demerara County as it continues in its efforts to reach out to people to boost their confidence, develop their coping skills and teach them that there are other ways of dealing with problems than ending their lives.

The community outreach is geared towards reaching

All organisers were satisfied with the success of the event and expressed hopes of continued collaboration in building stronger communities.

The series of self-esteem workshops is a follow-up to similar initiatives held last year in high schools in Berbice, by the New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir Humanitarian Mission (NJASM), in collaboration with Peace Corps and the Education Ministry. It provides students with infor-

schools and communities.

Another workshop was held at Covent Garden Secondary School on April 28, in collaboration with GIVE Foundation, along with Prevention of Teenage Suicide (POTS), the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA) and the US Ambassador Youth Programme.

Based on feedback and information gathered, the organisers, along with other stakeholders, will return to

The TCV team, along with representatives of the other organisations, pose with students of the Covent Garden Secondary School after the workshop

out to communities affected by suicide and within which suicide potential is high, and investing in sessions that enable such communities to voice their fears, concerns, experiences and suggestions.

Additionally, the outreach provides the communities with strategies and information that will help them to be proactive first responders in their respective communities.

The first outreach and workshop was held at Parfaite Harmonie on April 8, 2016, in collaboration with Orchid Foundation, along with GIVE Foundation.

The inaugural community outreach focused on self-esteem, suicide awareness and prevention and related issues, especially teenage pregnancy.

Presenters included Bibi Ahamad, Chandanie Rooplall and Rayon Mantoos of TCV, Dr Mark and Indra Constantine of Orchid Foundation and Daniel Ali of GIVE Foundation.

mation and strategies to build self-esteem, develop self-confidence and practice self-forgiveness.

Meanwhile, TCV also used the occasion to launch two petitions: calling on President David Granger and his Government to establish a registry of sex offenders and to raise the age of consent to 18 years.

Attendees also signed and pocketed the “ME” pledge developed by the organisation, which was launched on February 9. The pledge encourages self-esteem awareness and provides the suicide hotlines to signers. The pledge has already been widely distributed, including to a number of schools in Berbice and Demerara.

The occasion was also used to interact with students to solicit firsthand information and views about suicide and general mental health issues, drawn from their experiences and experiences from their

the same venue for a followup session.

TCV intends to extent the workshops to all secondary schools and youth entities throughout Guyana, again in partnerships with locallybased groups and other stakeholders.

Meanwhile, TCV extends an open invitation to community-based organisations, faith based organisations, educational institutions and other NGOs and locally-based entities to come on board to organise outreaches and selfesteem workshops in communities and schools across Guyana in a united effort against suicide.

Contact can be made with TCV Managing Director Bibi Ahamad at 621-6111 or 2232637, or youth coordinators Pandit Deodat at 627-4432 and Chandanie Rooplallat 697-9968, or bibiahamad1@hotmail.com or caribvoice@aol.com or caribbeanvoice101@gmail.com.

2 injured in Mother’s Day collision

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wo persons were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital on Sunday afternoon after two cars collided at Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown, hitting a pedestrian in the process.

When Guyana Times visited the scene moments after the collision, persons were rushing an injured and barely conscious Jane Thomas, the woman struck, into a car which took her to hospital. A few moments later, the Police arrived and Miguel Cort, one of the drivers, was also taken to hospital.

According to an eyewitness, the driver of a silvergrey Allion, which bore licence plate PVV 3236, was heading north along Avenue of the Republic, while the silver-grey Toyota Premio bearing licence plate PTT 8989, which was being driven by Cort, was heading

A crowd gathered as injured driver Miguel Cort lies in his car

west along Regent Street.

The eyewitness explained that both drivers were approaching the intersection at a fast rate. At this intersection the traffic light is not functional, however, both drivers failed to slow down which resulted in the collision.

As a result of the collision, PVV 3236 swerved into the pavement and struck

Thomas who was flung into the air, while Cort swerved and stopped the car on the pavement just inches from the glass front of a store.

Thomas sustained several visible cuts and bruises while Cort sustained several gashes on his face.

The other driver remained unharmed and a police investigation was launched into the accident.

S

ome six months after its announcement that it will be closing the operations of the Wales Sugar Estate, government said it is still awaiting an assessment of the Economic Services Committee, where the report of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Sugar Industry was sent in January of this year.

It is hoping that the report would provide some guidelines so that a decision could be made about the future of the more than 1700 workers.

Following the announcement of its closure, government had sent the final report of the CoI into the Sugar industry to the special Parliamentary Committee for review. It is still awaiting that report, which also included matters relating to Wales Estate.

Agriculture Minister Noel Holder on Sunday told Guyana Times that there seems to be some amount of carelessness by the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP), which also forms part of the committee, to make known its recommendations. The committee has been in existence for far too long and should have already carried out most of the work required.

According to Holder, by now, the committee should have already had discussions with persons who participated in the Commission

of Inquiry, among other matters. He said the Committee is however expected to meet on Wednesday, May 11, and hopes that some developments could be had in this regard. Holder noted that the future of the sugar workers continues to hang in the balance.

Government, in January of this year, confirmed that the estate would be closed in December after Guyana Times broke the story.

The announcement had sparked as series of outraged protests over the months following. Workers and their families said they were unsure of what the future hold for them, especially since they knew no other form of work.

On Friday last, the High Court issued an interim injunction barring GuySuCo from dismissing or redeploying hundreds of sugar workers attached to the Wales Sugar Estate, without first consulting with their unions, Guyana Agriculture and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE).

The judges granted the interim injunction restraining GuySuCo from proceeding to implement their decision “to sever the employment of workers of the Wales Estate, Wales, West

Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder

Bank Demerara, and rendering them redundant unless and until they hold consultation with the Applicants/ Plaintiffs (unions and GuySuCo) in accordance with the letter and spirit of section 12 of the Termination of the Employment and Severance Pay Act Cap. 99:08, until the hearing and determination of a Summons returnable in Chambers” The action was brought after GuySuCo began discussions with individual employees of Wales Estate to negotiate severance packages, without informing or involving the unions.

The unions are represented by Attorneys Mohabir Anil Nandlall, Euclin Gomes, Sase Gunraj, Manoj Narayan and Sasha Mahadeo.

18

guyana-timesgy.com

monday, may 9, 2016

ARCHIE

Don’t be daunted by the changes going on around you.

(March 21- Turn any negative you enApril 19) counter into a positive. Strive for perfection and detail, and focus on getting things done.

Work independently.

ARIES

Make things happen. Aim TAURUS to improve your life. Alter (April 20- your living quarters or lifeMay 20) style to suit your current needs and projects. Personal changes and romance are favored.

dilbert

Rethink your next move.

GEMINI (May 21- Something or someone will June 20) lead you astray. Resist temptation, and concentrate on what you can accomplish.

Arguing will not bring the results you want.

Your suggestions will be CANCER well received and will put (June 21- you in the running to adJuly 22) vance or make personal gains.

Partnerships are favored, and expanding ideas, making plans or broadening your surroundings will improve your life.

Peanuts

You desire change, but will LEO face opposition if you are too (July 23blatant about what you want Aug. 22) to do. Putting everything in its place before you share your plans will give you an advantage.

Calvin and Hobbes

Listen to complaints and VIRGO share your thoughts and so(Aug. 23lutions.

Your insight will be Sept. 22) valued and will encourage others to participate in your plan. Love is on the rise.

Don’t let a challenge stop LIBRA (Sept. 23- you from doing your own Oct. 23) thing. Find a space that allows you peace of mind and provides the right setting to develop something spectacular.

SUDOKU

You are best off making SAGITTARIUS some hands-on changes to (Nov. 23- your residence. Physically Dec. 21) moving things around or renovating a space to help carry out one of your dreams will be your best outlet.

TODAY'S WORD – VESTMENTS (VESTMENTS: VEST-ments: Garments, esp. robes or gowns of office or state.)

Average mark 18 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 27 or more words in VESTMENTS? The list will be published tomorrow.

SATURDAY'S WORD – HAPLESS hale hasp heal heap help apse ashes pale pass passe

peal phase plash plea lapse lase lash lass leap leash

less sale sash seal sepal shale shape slap slash splash

Sort out personal affairs SCORPIO and discuss your plans with (Oct. 24an important person in your Nov. 22) life. It’s OK to do things differently. Someone with interesting ideas will help you reach your destination.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

You can reap the rewards CAPRICORN for smart moves you have (Dec. 22- made in the past. Financial Jan. 19) gains, settlements and canny negotiations are all favored.

Celebrate with someone you love.

Do your best to bring AQUARIUS about changes that will make (Jan. 20others notice you. Children or Feb. 19) an older friend or relative will support your efforts and decisions.

Say less and do more.

PISCES (Feb. 20- You’ll have outstanding ideas March 20) that can help you bypass anyone trying to make you look bad. A partnership is favored, as is romance.

monDAY, may 9, 2016

19

Alvarez knocks out Khan to retain belt

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ntil the brutal ending, Khan had used his superior speed and movement to frustrate the champion and appeared to be well ahead on points.

However, when Khan lost concentration for a split second the champion knocked him cold with a huge right hand.

Afterwards, Alvarez said he wanted a unification bout with Gennady Golovkin.

Khan dominates until devastating KO Khan, 29, jumped two weight divisions to challenge Alvarez and was attempting to become only the third former light-welterweight world champion to win a middleweight world title.

The match was made at a catchweight of 155lb, five pounds under the normal middleweight limit.

However, Alvarez came into the ring at approximately 175lb and was noticeably bigger than his opponent.

The fight was the first at the 20,000-capacity T-Mobile Arena, which was vociferously pro-Alvarez on the Mexican festival of Cinco de Mayo.

But the booing and jeering that rained down upon

rendering him unconscious before he hit the canvas.

Khan was counted out with 23 seconds remaining in the round.

No regrets from Khan

Canelo’s huge right hand landed him the bout to move to 47 wins with 33 knockouts in his career

Khan did nothing to cloud his focus.

Khan probably edged a cagey first round courtesy of a couple of flurries and one well-aimed right cross, although Alvarez did land with a flashing left hook.

Khan repeatedly made the champion look clumsy in round two, landing with rapier-like combinations before darting out of range.

And when Alvarez landed with a juddering left hook, Khan stood up to it and returned fire.

It was more of the same in the third, with Alvarez, 25, stalking his prey and finding himself confounded

by Khan's blinding handspeed and volume of punches.

At this stage Khan's prediction that speed and movement would trump power looked like it might come true, while he was certainly confounding those critics who said a year of inactivity would blunt his edge.

Khan unleashed more flashy combinations in the

fourth and while none of his punches appeared to be hurting Alvarez, the Englishman appeared to be well ahead on points a third of the way through the contest.

There were signs in the fifth Alvarez was beginning to find his range and at the start of the sixth he connected with a hurtful left-right combination.

And when Khan left his left hand dangling soon after, Alvarez exploded an overhand right on his chin,

over. A ball later, Praveen had Manish Pandey nicking behind for a duck with an outswinger. When Kulkarni dismissed Robin Uthappa in a similar fashion in his second over, Knight Riders lost more than two wickets in the Powerplay for the first time this season.

Instead, Shakib combined with Yusuf to spark a revival - they put together an unbroken 134, the highest for the fifth wicket in all IPLs. The introduction of spin marked a stark shift in momentum. Yusuf did the early running, drilling chinaman bowler Shivil Kaushik

century off 32 balls. Shakib had been on 24 off 32 balls, but he cracked 42 runs off his next 17 balls to finish with 66 off 49 balls. Yusuf was subdued by the tactful use of yorkers and cutters from round the wicket by Praveen and Bravo. Shakib's twin scoops off Praveen over short fine leg were the only blemishes in an otherwise pinpoint bowling performance.

After taking the Man-of-theMatch award Praveen said that he relished bowling in the Powerplay as well in the slog overs.

The chase was a cruise, largely because of Karthik's third half-century of the season. Karthik is a hyperactive player and it shone through when he began his innings with three successive fours in the ninth over, off Brad Hogg. The first one was reverse-swept against the turn while the second was conventionally swept for four. The third was flicked through midwicket. Karthik was dropped on 40 and 51, but he was stumped a ball after the second reprieve.

The chase was set up by a 42-run opening stand between Brendon McCullum

Khan took a while to come round but finally clambered to his feet minutes later.

"I wanted to go out there as a champion, but unfortunately I didn't make it to the end," he said. "This challenge came and it was hard to turn down."

Alvarez improved to 47 wins (33 knockouts), one draw and a sole defeat - by the great American Floyd Mayweather in 2013. Khan now has four defeats from 35 fights, including three by way of knockout.

What next?

Boxing has been searching for new superstars since last year's much-hyped but ultimately disappointing clash between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, since when both men have announced their retirements.

And Alvarez-Khan was widely viewed as an opportunity for one or both of them to become the new face

of the sport.

Alvarez having prevailed, there will be a huge clamour for him to fight WBA and IBF title-holder Golovkin, who was invited into the ring after Saturday's fight.

The unbeaten Golovkin, 34, has 32 knockouts from 35 fights but would most likely have to come down in weight to make a fight against Alvarez happen.

Whether that fight can be made this year or not, Alvarez has already proved himself a worthy successor to Mexican greats such as Julio Cesar Chavez, Ruben Olivares, Salvador Sanchez and Marco Antonio Barrera.

As for Khan, he should be applauded for his willingness to take a risk and still has options, the most obvious being a fight against fellow Briton Kell Brook.

The cross-Pennine rivals have been circling each other for years, with Khan always claiming Brook does not belong in his company, despite being the IBF welterweight champion.

But given the devastating nature of his latest defeat that is probably not a claim he can continue to make with any credibility.

(BBC Sport)

Bowlers, Karthik take Lions to the top of the table SCOREBOARD T

he skill of Gujarat Lions' seam attack, led by Praveen Kumar, beat the depth of Kolkata Knight Riders as they jumped to the top of the table at Eden Gardens on Sunday. Praveen and Dhawal Kulkarni maximised the advantage of bowling under overcast skies by swinging the ball both ways to reduce Knight Riders to 24 for 4 by the end of the Powerplay. Half-centuries from Yusuf Pathan and Shakib Al Hasan, however, lifted the hosts to 158 for 4. Dinesh Karthik's busy fifty and a string of cameos then sealed Lions' seventh win with five wickets in hand and 12 balls to spare.

Praveen laid down the marker in the first over with a big inswinger, which zipped through Gautam Gambhir's gate and nearly shaved the off stump.

Suresh Raina strengthened the slip cordon and even added a leg-slip, perhaps teasing Gambhir to glance the ball fine. The Knight Riders captain attempted that shot, only to deflect the ball off the thigh to the stumps in Praveen's second

Dinesh Karthik’s fifty drove Lions’ chase against the Knight Riders

Suryakumar Yadav, under pressure to break free after giving Praveen a maiden, fell to a stunning catch from Raina at slip, off Dwayne Smith. Lions could have also had Shakib on 3 had Pravin Tambe, returning from injury, not dropped a tough chance at third man.

for back-to-back boundaries in the 10th over. He and Shakib eventually took 55 runs in six overs between Kaushik, Ravindra Jadeja, and Tambe.

By the time pace returned in the form of Dwayne Bravo, Yusuf was in his groove and went on to bring up a half-

Kolkata Knight Riders innings (20 overs maximum) RV Uthappa† c †Karthik b Kulkarni 14 G Gambhir* b Kumar 5 MK Pandey c †Karthik b Kumar 0 SA Yadav c Raina b Smith 4 Shakib Al Hasan not out 66 YK Pathan not out 63 Extras: (lb-2, w-4) 6 Total: (4 wickets; 20 overs) 158 Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Gambhir, 2.1 ov), 2-15 (Pandey, 2.3 ov), 3-21 (Uthappa, 3.3 ov), 4-24 (SA Yadav, 5.5 ov) Bowling: P Kumar 4-1-192, DS Kulkarni 4-0-30-1 (w1), DR Smith 2-0-14-1 (w-1), DJ Bravo 4-0-39-0 (w-1), S Kaushik 1-0-14-0, RA Jadeja 3-0-25-0, PV Tambe 2-0-15-0

and Smith. They rediscovered their mojo and struck seven fours and three sixes between them, before being dismissed by spin in a space of 14 balls. Raina was then bounced out by Andre Russell for 14 off 18 balls. Aaron Finch, who had not taken the field in the chase against Sunrisers

Gujarat Lions innings (target: 159 runs from 20 overs) DR Smith b Shakib Al Hasan 27 BB McCullum c Pandey b Chawla 29 SK Raina* c Hogg b Russell 14 KD Karthik† st †Uthappa b Hog g 51 AJ Finch run out (Pandey) 29 RA Jadeja not out 9 DJ Bravo not out 0 Extras: (w-5) 5 Total: (5 wickets; 18 overs) 164 Fall of wickets: 1-42 (Smith, 5.3 ov), 2-67 (McCullum, 7.5 ov), 3-116 (Raina, 13.5 ov), 4-155 (Karthik, 16.3 ov), 5-158 (Finch, 17.4 ov) Bowling: AD Russell 3-0-211 (w-1), M Morkel 4-0-380, Shakib Al Hasan 3-0-381, PP Chawla 4-0-30-1, GB Hogg 2-0-19-1, UT Yadav 2-0-18-0

Hyderabad on Friday, started with a cover-driven four and launched Shakib inside-out for a six. He teed off further by hitting Piyush Chawla for three successive boundaries before being runout for a 10-ball 29. Jadeja finished the chase with a slog-swept six over long-on.

(ESPN Cricinfo)

20

guyana-times.com

monDAY, may 9, 2016

Dhawan, Nehra direct Mumbai mauling I

t was a 'home' game for Mumbai Indians, but it was Sunrisers Hyderabad, whose base is geographically closest to Visakhapatnam, that rode on Shikhar Dhawan's unbeaten 82 andAshish Nehra's new-ball burst that fetched him three wickets, to defend 177 with aplomb.

A sixth win in nine matches took them to No. 2 in the points table.

Four of Rohit Sharma's five half-centuries resulted in successful chases for Mumbai this season.

Against Sunrisers, he lasted three balls and exposed a middle order that has thrived on Rohit's holding role. They couldn't find form against a rampaging Nehra, whose late swing broke Mumbai's backbone with the strikes of Rohit, Ambati Rayudu and Jos Buttler. At 30 for 4 after four overs, it was a case of trying to limit damage for Mumbai, with Sunrisers' bowling depth shining through once again in their 85-run win.

Rohit poked at an inswinger with leaden feet, and a thick inside edge clattered into off stump.

Rayudu, Mumbai's secondhighest run-scorer this season, fended a skiddy bouncer to point, while Butter was

pouched by Naman Ojha, who stuck out his right hand to pull off a one-handed stunner. The meltdown was complete when Kieron Pollard miscued a slower

a fast outfield allowed him to find the boundary regularly. Both batsmen used the depth of the crease to ride the bounce on a fresh surface.

at midwicket. The doublestrike stalled Sunrisers, who managed just 31 off the five overs following Warner's dismissal.

In the 15th over, Yuvraj

Shikhar Dhawan carried his bat through the Sunrisers Hyderabad innings to end on 82 not out

ball to long-on in the ninth over to leave Mumbai in tatters at 49 for 6.

The brisk start was once again provided by David Warner, who dispatched offerings from Mumbai's pacers as Sunrisers raced to 51 in the Powerplay after being sent in. The effervescence of his strokeplay forced Rohit to pack the off-side field with five fielders at one stage.

Still, he pierced the gap as the bowlers continued to offer him width.

Warner's enterprise allowed Shikhar Dhawan to slip into the anchor role, but his sweetly-timed strokes on

After the Powerplay, Dhawan used deft touches and flicks to give Warner as much strike even as Mumbai's spinners, in an effort to stem the damage, tried to fire the ball in. Warner welcomed Harbhajan with a biff for six over long-on before receiving a succession of darts outside off, which he failed to squeeze through.

Warner holed out to Pollard at long-off, off Harbhajan, in the 10th over to give Mumbai some relief.

In the next over, Harbhajan set up Kane Williamson by deceiving him in flight, and Rohit completed a low catch

Singh signalled the switch in momentum again as he made room and scorched a drive into the cover boundary. Yuvraj followed that with a clean connection that sent a slower delivery soaring over wide long-on for six, as he maximised timing with minimal feet movement.

At the other end, Dhawan used his strong wrists to pepper the leg-side field. He accelerated the run-scoring once past his half-century, hitting Jasprit Bumrah for three fours in four balls in the 16th over. Yuvraj and Dhawan's 85-run stand off 49 balls came to an end

and internationals.

The three matches were due to be played on 13, 14 and 15 May with the Berkshire hockey club hosting the matches between the two arch-rivals.

Sources close to for-

mer Pakistan players said that apparently the UK High Commission refused to issue the visas since the Berkshire club had not got clearance to host the series from the England Hockey Association.

"The rules state that the affiliated clubs have to get permission from the national body for events involving foreign teams and players," one source said.

The source said since the Pakistani players had not

SCOREBOARD Sunrisers Hyderabad innings (20 overs maximum) DA Warner*c Pollard b Harbhajan Singh 48 S Dhawan not out 82 KS Williamson c Sharma b Harbhajan Singh 2 Yuvraj Singh hit wicket b McClenaghan 39 MC Henriques not out 1 Extras: (lb-2, w-3) 5 Total: (3 wickets; 20 overs) 177 Bowling: TG Southee 4-035-0, MJ McClenaghan 4-038-1 (w-1), Harbhajan Singh 4-0-29-2 (w-1), JJ Bumrah 4-0-35-0, HH Pandya 1-010-0, KA Pollard 2-0-23-0 (w-1), KH Pandya 1-0-5-0 Mumbai Indians innings (target: 178 runs from 20 overs) RG Sharma*b Nehra 5 PA Patel† lbw b Kumar 0 AT Rayuduc Williamson b Nehra 6 KH Pandyac Dhawan b Sran 17

when Yuvraj clattered his stumps to be out hit-wicket, but the end-overs carnage gave them the momentum which Nehra rode to derail the chase.

Mustafizur Rahman, introduced in the ninth over, struck twice in successive overs to effectively finish Mumbai off. Harbhajan

JC Buttler c †Ojha b Nehra 2 KA Pollardc Sran b Henriques 11 HH Pandyac †Ojha b Mustafizur Rahman 7 Harbhajan Singhnot out 21 TG Southeec †Ojha b Mustafizur Rahman 3 MJ McClenaghanc Henriques b Mustafizur Rahman 8 JJ Bumrah c †Ojha b Sran 6 Extras: (lb-2, w-4) 6 Total: (all out; 16.3 overs) 92 Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Patel, 0.6 ov), 2-5 (Sharma, 1.1 ov), 3-28 (Rayudu, 3.4 ov), 4-30 (Buttler, 3.6 ov), 5-30 (KH Pandya, 4.2 ov), 6-49 (Pollard, 8.4 ov), 7-50 (HH Pandya, 9.1 ov), 8-58 (Southee, 11.1 ov), 9-78 (McClenaghan, 13.6 ov), 10-92 (Bumrah, 16.3 ov) Bowling: B Kumar 3-0-23-1 (w-1), A Nehra 3-0-15-3, BB Sran 3.3-0-18-2 (w-1), MC Henriques 4-0-18-1, Mustafizur Rahman 3-0-16-3 (w-2)

hung around to delay Mumbai's fifth loss before Barinder Sran closed the game out by dismissing Bumrah in the 17th over. By winning in the manner they did, Sunrisers also boosted their net run-rate, a factor that could come in handy if teams are tied on points. (ESPN

cricinfo)

Logistics play spoilsport: India-Pakistan series in UK postponed A

hockey series planned between the veteran teams of Pakistan and India in England has been postponed after the United Kingdom High Commission did not issue visas to eight former Pakistan Olympians

got approval letters from the English Hockey Association, the UK High Commission did not issue the visas.

Those who did not get visas include some top notch former Olympians and internationals who are said to be

upset with this development.

The source said that Hockey India had also advised its players not to apply for visas until they get approval letters from the hosts and English Hockey Association. (First Post)

West Indies Tri-Nation Series 2016…

South Africa include Shamsi in ODI squad C

hinaman bowler Tabraiz Shamsi's summer of success has reached its dream conclusion. After being the leading spinner in South Africa's first-class competition and earning his first IPL contract, Shamsi has received a maiden call-up to the national side.

He is one of three spinners included in the ODI squad to play a triangular series in the Caribbean in June. Imran Tahir and Aaron Phangiso complete the spin-bowling contingent.

South Africa have also recalled Wayne Parnell, who last played international cricket in July 2015 and has not played ODIs since last year's World Cup. Parnell is one of two allrounders alongside Chris Morris, and joins Morne Morkel, Kyle Abbott and Kagiso Rabada as one of five frontline quicks.

Neither Dale Steyn nor Vernon Philander were picked with Steyn rested ahead of the home Tests against New Zealand in August and Philander not considered despite making a return from injury. David Miller, David Wiese and Marchant de Lange, who were part of South Africa's ODI squad that took on England earlier this year, were dropped.

Shamsi's inclusion came on the back of T20 performances, rather than fifty-over efforts, and prior experience in West Indies.

Shamsi played in last year's CPL and was the joint fifth-highest wicket-taker with 11 scalps at 13.27. He was also part of the Titans team that won the South African

Tabraiz Shamsi is currently playing his first IPL

domestic T20 competition and was their fourth-highest wicket taker with nine scalps at 26.88. Currently with the Royal Challengers Bangalore at the IPL, Shamsi has played four matches and taken three wickets. They were three big ones too: David Warner, Brendon McCullum and Ajinkya Rahane.

"He has shown what he can do in the T20 leagues against international batsmen," Linda Zondi, South Africa's convener of selectors said, while also outlining South

Africa's selection approach to the series. "We have opted for three specialist spinners as we anticipate the pitches in the Caribbean to be on the slow side."

That was also the reason South Africa are not rushing Steyn back after he missed six out of eight Tests last summer. Although he is at the IPL and will play in the CPL, Steyn's absence from ODI cricket will raise questions.

"In the short term our immediate focus must be to get back among the top-ranked Test nations and for this reason we are resting Dale Steyn for this tour," Zondi said. "He is vital to our ambitions in the longest format and he is going to have a heavy workload in the months ahead. He is certainly not out of the ODI picture and could well feature in the home series against Australia later this year."

Instead Morkel, who was left out of the World T20 and was rumoured to be considering his limited-overs future, will lead the attack. Philander may have been hoping that responsibility would fall on him, but after sitting out all but the last two weeks of the South African season with ankle ligament tears, he will have to wait to regain his place.

So Parnell got the nod. He finished the domestic one-day cup as the third-highest wicket-taker with 16 wickets at 23.00 and has the chance to stake a claim for a regular spot. "Wayne has the ability to become a

quality allrounder for us and, like Tabraiz, he is being rewarded for outstanding domestic form," Zondi said.

South Africa's batting line-up had a more familiar look to it with the inclusion of Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy and Faf du Plessis, who is nursing a finger injury. Du Plessis broke the ring finger on his left hand at the IPL and underwent surgery on Tuesday. He needs four to five weeks to make a full recovery and has been ruled out of the first game of the series.

That will likely provide an opportunity for both Rilee Rossouw and Farhaan Behardien early on, but the pair are likely to compete for a place in the top six once du Plessis recovers.

Miller played his last ODI in October 2015. He was in the squad for the home series against England, but did not get a game. Now that he has been dropped for the West Indies tour, it appears he will have to find form in domestic competition to be reconsidered.

The Caribbean tri-series, which also features Australia, starts on June 3.

South Africa squad: AB de Villiers (capt), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Tabraiz Shamsi. (Cricinfo)

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21

sports

Several Guyanese cricketers pay tributes to former Canada Cricket Manager Bajun

F

ormer manager of Canada cricket team Johnny Bajun passed away last week in Trinidad and Tobago in a vehicular accident.

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Johnny Bajun

business trip in his native country, died as a result of serious head injuries, according to reports.

He was age 48.

Bajun, who was a of Brampton co-owner Masters Cricket Club in the Toronto and District Cricket Association Elite and Premier League tournaments over the years, also managed Canada cricket team on various International Cricket Council competitions in Canada and further afield.

Having learnt about his horrific demise, several Guyanese cricketers who played professionally for his club have expressed profound shock and sadness.

Brampton Current Masters opener and former vice-captain Looknauth Ramsuchit stated that he was in disbelief after the distressing news broke out.

“He was a great leader and a gentle individual; there is nothing negative about Johnny and may his soul rest in peace,” Ramsuchit mentioned.

According, Ramsuchit, Johnny was very helpful in all aspects of life not only cricket but his dedication and commitment to the game was certainly admirable.

“He will definitely be

missed for his support; he was everyone’s father when it comes to Brampton Masters and now knowing that he is dead is very saddening,” a grieving and Berbician Ramsuchit declared.

Bujan owned an Employment Agency which is located in Brampton, approximately one-hour constant drive north from the world-known Toronto City.

The cricket fanatic Bujan migrated to Canada from Trinidad and Tobago 25 years ago but began a business endeavour in the twinisland republic recently.

He left to mourn his Canadian-based Guyanese wife Sunita and two children, Joshua (18) and Chelsea (12).

Apart from Ramchuchit, ex-Guyana captain and Canada batsman Damodar Daesrath also echoed similar sentiments and felt that Bujan departed this planet too soon.

“Forever in our hearts, boss! Rest in peace Johnny,” Deasrath related.

Keith Deonarine, a very close friend with Bujan, toured with Canada team and worked as a technical analyst, also shared his feelings. “I am heartbroken! There aren’t words to express my sadness; in the short six years I knew Johnny, our relationship extended beyond cricket, beyond all the tours; you were a big brother to me and you were a selfless person,” the Canadian-based Guyanese Deonarine commented.

Brampton Masters won the Elite tournament in 2012 and 2013 but relinquished the trophy to Centurions Cricket Club the following year. They bounced back in 2015 to lift the championship under Canada’s versatile all-rounder Rizwan Cheema.

Krishna Arjune, who represented Guyana in over 40 first-class matches, turned out for Brampton Masters last year and without hesitation, expressed his sadness of Bujan’s death.

Arjune stated that he was a great man and never saw any degree of resentment from Bujan during his debut stint with the club yesteryear.

Derwain Christian, who featured in Brampton

Derwain Christian

Masters’ colours, also expressed his shocking surprise.

“I can't believe you are gone from us Johnny....

Words cannot express my true feelings at this time.

You were one of the most caring and kind hearted persons I have had the pleasure of knowing on and off the field. Thank you Johnny for everything you have done for me,” the former West Indies and Guyana wicketkeeper divulged.

Royston Crandon, who represented West Indies in one-day international, also featured for the team at the Elite level. The Guyanese Crandon played a pivotal role in the team’s success last year to top the points table after the preliminary round. Crandon is unbelievable since hearing of the death.

As a manager for Canada cricket team, Bujan started off in 2010 at the Americans limited-over tournament until 2014 when he called it owing to personal reasons.

He toured with the team several times at World Cup Qualifiers including the last one in New Zealand in 2014/2015.

Meanwhile, funeral arrangements are currently in progress with the body already back in Toronto.

Jamaican music mogul buys Usain Bolt's Tracks & Records

C

EO of Downsounds Records Josef 'Joe' Bogdanovich is now the majority owner of Usain Bolt's Tracks & Records.

The Jamaican music mogul also recently bought the Sumfest brand and came to be a major stakeholder in Tracks & Records by purchasing a 51 per cent stake in FranJam. FranJam, a franchising company was recently owned by the KLE Group.

According to reports, FranJam owed Bogdanovich a sum in the region of US$650,000 ($79.6 million), after KLE borrowed the money in exchange for a 23 per

cent stake in 2014.

Bogdanovich had also joined KLE's board as part of the deal.

The loan had to be renegotiated in 2015, from an initial 6.5 per cent interest rate over four years, to 7.9 over three.

The Famous Nightclub in Portmore, St Catherine was used as collatoral for the loan, but that entity was sold in January of this year.

The deal with Bogdanovich puts KLE back in the black and with the Olympics set for August, Tracks and Records is looking for somewhere in the region of US$245,623 ($30 million).

CEO of Downsounds Records Josef 'Joe' Bogdanovich

That will, be in addition, to the opening of another Tracks & Records franchise in Ocho Rios, St Ann. Tracks & Records, Ocho Rios, is expected to open its doors in another eight weeks. (Digicel Sportsmax)

22 Colts pocket half million BHS thrash QC; St for “Road to Mecca” Roses, Tutorial and championships PC secure wins T T GUYANA-TIMES.COM

monDAY, may 9, 2016

National School Basketball Festival...

he Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) held their presentation ceremony for the National Club Championship 2016, Road to Mecca at Palm Court on Saturday evening.

City team Colts United who defeated the Retrieve Raiders basketball Club out of Linden 75 – 55 to win the national title in the replayed finals on April 23 were the beneficiaries of the $500,000. first prize.

Veteran player Neil Marks was present to collect the second place prize of $250,000 on behalf of the Retrieve Raiders Club.

The road to mecca III was a successfully ran tournament by the GABF which saw scores of fans returning to the mecca of basketball in Guyana, the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. This year’s tournament saw quality and competitive basketball.

Outstanding junior player Stanton Rose of Colts was deservedly awarded the tournament MVP while Dane Kendall also of the Colts walked away with the coach of the tournament award.

Presented at the cere-

Stanton Rose (left) collects the Most Valuable Player Award from Jamaal Douglas

mony was vice president of the GABF Michael Singh who gave special thanks to Jamaal Douglas of the Mackeson brand for their tremendous support towards the tournament and basketball. Singh also thanked the clubs for their high level of play and promised a bigger championship for 2017.

Mr. Douglas expressed delight at Ansa McAl be-

ing involved in the tournament and urged all basketball fans and players to be prepared for the upcoming Mackeson 3 on 3 competition.

Next on the calendar for the GABF is the hosting of the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) under – 16 Championships which begins on July 3 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in Georgetown.

Independence Cup set for May 20 bowl off

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he Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc (GSCL Inc) in collaboration with the National Sports Commission (NSC) will be hosting the annual Independence Cup softball tournament from May 20.

The tournament will be played in the open and masters categories with an entrance of $50,000. The winning team in the open

segment will pocket a trophy and $100,000 and the runner up a trophy and $50,000.

The first place team in the masters segment will take home a trophy $150,000 and second place a trophy and $50,000.

Six teams will be accepted in the open division and the eight in the masters while matches will be played at the GNIC SC and Malteenoes Sports Club.

Entries will be closed on May 13 while the launching and draw will take place on May 17 at 17:00 hrs at GNIC Sports Club.

Preliminary matches will continue on May 21while the finals will be held on May 22.

Teams can contact Mahendra Hardyal on 610 7902, Samuel Kingston on 619 5103 or Russell Jagbeer on 225 4802 for more information.

he National School Basketball Festival, Georgetown & East Coast Regionals’ continued on May 6, 2016 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall with five competitive and action packed games.

The Bishops’ High School, St. Rose’s High School, Tutorial High and President’s College were the latest schools to secure victories on Friday in the National School Basketball Festival at the at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

In the female action, Tutorial defeated Charlestown easily by winning 8-1, as Denique Ross with four points and Afisha Bruts (2 points) and Natisha Nurse (2 points) were the scores. Charlestown lone point came from Romona Barness.

In the other game,

The Bishops’ High School (BHS disposed of arch-rivals Queens College (QC) to win 18-5. Sileena Arjune (6 points), Kesann Charles (4 points) and Jayla Jonas (4 points) were on target for the Carmichael Street side; Rebecca Persaud and Sandhya Indarjeet scored two points each for Queens College.

In the Boys under-14 segment, The Bishops’ once more got the better of Queen’s College as a combination of ten points from Timothy Richards, seven from Tyrone Singh and Duwon Younge with six, helped BHS to win 29-10. Lugard Mohan with nine points was the man on target for Queens College.

President’s College (PC) edged Marian Academy in close encounter which ended 25-24. Rakin Mc Donlad nine points and three rebounds

combined with Richard Semple (seven points) lead (PC) to the slimmest margin of victory.

Corey Graham ten points and seven rebounds was exceptional in a losing cause for Marian Academy, so as was Jether Harris with nine points.

The final game saw St Rose’s High School blowing away Plaisance Secondary 24- 3.

Jaheem Barton (8points) and Shamar Bristol (five points) led the route of Plaisance while Kurt Sampson scored two points for the East Coast of Demerara school.

The Tournament is sponsored by Digicel, Edward B. Beharry and Company Ltd through the Champion brand of products and Banks DIH LTD under the Powerade banner.

CJIAC boys win Inter-Ministry tapeball competition

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he boys from Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corporation (CJIAC) were crowned champions of the Inter-Ministry tape-ball competition on Thursday last after defeating the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by three wickets in the final.

Batting first, EPA amassed 76-6 in their allotted eight overs with P. Jermaine top scoring with 22 and D. George contributing 21. K. De Jonge of CJIAC picked up 2-2, while R. Sargeant bagged 2-8.

In reply, CJIAC knocked off the runs with three wickets to spare with A. Mohabir making 27 and S. Wong 15.

In their first game, CJIAC defeated Demerara Harbour Bridge Company (DHBC)

The successful CJIAC team and supporters with the winner’s trophy

by 120 runs. CJIAC batted first and amassed 169 runs in eight overs with S. Wong scoring 100 not out. DHBC were bowled out for 49 with S. Wong grabbing 2-12 and K. De Jonge 1-8.

Earlier in the competition, Ministry of Education (MOE) knocked out Ministry

of Public Infrastructure after defeating them by nine wickets. In their second round match, MOE lost to EPA by 36 runs.

The batsman with the highest runs in the final, A. Mohabir of CJIAC, was the recipient of a bat from the Minister of Agriculture.

guyana-times.com

monDAY, may 9, 2016

Fernandes looking to be ranked among the best

By Akeem Greene

T

alented local squash player, Taylor Fernandes has her eyes set on an illustrious achievement, as she seeks to be ranked in the top 30 in the world.

Speaking to Guyana Times Sport, the squash player confidently revealed that her ambition is to win the Caribbean Junior Title before advancing to the senior division.

“This is my last year as junior competitor so I’m looking forward to seeing what I do next but for this year my aim is to win the Caribbean title and by next year when I’m 19, I hope to finish in the top 30 in the world.”

Taylor is not the only player in her family who has been able to gain stupendous achievement throughout her career, as her cousin Nicolette Fernandes, is currently ranked 26 in the world according to the Professional Squash Association.

The 2013 National Champion revealed that it was her cousin who inspired her to play the sport.

“My cousin Nicolette, she was the first person to put a squash racket in my hand, so I guess it just kind of happened and then I made the team,” Fernandes said.

On that note, she was quizzed on playing her cousin in the senior and hopefully being able to surpass her achievement.

She jovially responded saying, “That’s kind of a hard one because she is really good but I hope to get as far as I possibly can”.

Fernandes, who recently received an award from the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) for her outstanding achievement in sport by winning a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games last year in Samoa, said it “was a strange feeling as she has never been recognised before but she is excited”.

At the youth games, she paired with Larissa Wiltshire to play doubles and defeated their Australian counterparts 11-2, 11-5, to cop the bronze medal.

In speaking of those achievements, she said “well me and Larissa [Wiltshire] have never played doubles before, so the experience was great, getting to know other people there and seeing how doubles is actually played was great; we didn’t think we could go this far but we actually made it”.

Fernandes, who constantly plays with a “neversay-die attitude” is certain-

Loss to Bolt made me wiser - Gatlin A

merican sprinter Justin Gatlin claims defeat to world’s fastest man Usain Bolt at last year’s World Championships has made him a wiser athlete.

It seemed Gatlin had all the momentum headed into last year’s athletic blockbuster and was tipped by some to be the first man to finish ahead of Bolt in a major Games in almost 10 years.

It was the double world record holder who triumphed in the tense 100m showdown where an under pressure Gatlin seemed to buckle close to the finish line. Bolt then went on to beat the American in both the 200m and the 4x100m relays.

"Definitely it's given me motivation, but also it's

Barca just need one more win to hold on to La Liga

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arcelona are one win away from retaining their La Liga title after a 5-0 rout of neighbours Espanyol.

Lionel Messi netted before Luis Suarez (two), Rafinha and Neymar scored.

Barca are one point ahead of Real Madrid, who beat Valencia 3-2, while Atletico Madrid are out of contention after losing 2-1 at relegated Levante.

Barca play their final game at Granada next Saturday and will win the league if the teams finish level on points due to their superior head-to-head record.

Romping towards the title

Proud moment! Taylor Fernandes (far right) and Larissa Wiltshire stand at the podium with their Bronze medals at the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2015

made me smarter and wiser," Gatlin told AFP regarding last year’s match-up with Bolt. “Usually you can come with a strategy that can combat the whole field but when you go against someone like Usain, who is unique in stature and talent, you've got to come with a contingency plan, a plan B,” he added.

Lesson learnt; and come this summer’s Olympics the athlete promises to be worried about only one competitor.

"It has made me a smarter and wiser competitor to know when to stay within my technique, execute my race and just worry about myself," he said.

Gatlin opened his season in Japan on Sunday, clocking 10.02 second into a slight headwind to claim the event.

(Sports Max)

ly one can be become hard to defeat and those ambitions would certainly become more and more a reality in the coming years. (akeemg@guyanatimesgy.com)

23

Luis Enrique's side looked vulnerable after seeing their lead at the top of the table ebb away during a four-match winless league run wrapped around their Champions League exit to Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals.

But they have bounced back to form in impressive style - scoring 21 goals in win-

Luis Suarez has scored 53 goals in 61 league appearances for Barcelona

ning their past four league games - to put themselves within touching distance of a sixth title in eight seasons.

Suarez, 29, has led the charge with 11 goals in his past four appearances to give the former Liverpool striker 56 in all competitions and 37 in La Liga - four more than Cristiano Ronaldo.

Messi has 26 league goals, including four in his past five games. The Argentine set Barca on their way to victory with a superb free-kick before teeing up Suarez to make it 2-0 with a calm finish early in the second half. Suarez then headed home from a corner,

before tap-ins from Rafinha and Neymar saw Barca end their home programme with a flourish.

Who stands in Barca's way?

Granada have nothing to play for after securing their safety with a 4-1 win at Europa League finalists Sevilla. They can be caught on points by Getafe and Sporting de Gijon but have a superior head-to-head record.

Granada lost 4-0 at the Nou Camp in January but did beat Barca at home in 2014.

Barcelona also have a Copa del Rey final to look forward to against Sevilla on 22 May.

monDAY, May 9, 2016

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

Colts pocket half million for “Road to Mecca” championships Pg 22

Colts team members are all smiles after collecting championship spoils for Road to Mecca III

Alvarez knocks out Khan to retain belt Pg 19

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez knocked out Britain’s Amir Khan in the sixth round in Las Vegas to retain his WBC middleweight title

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