Guyana Times Daily - November 20, 2015

Guyana, New Zealand share P16 common sustainability approach – High Commissioner

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 2683

Friday, November 20, 2015

Another neonatal death rocks GPHC guyanatimesgy.com

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WHAT'S INSIDE: CJIA cocaine bust

St Lucian women P8 jailed Page 3

– mother bedridden, family blames nurses’ negligence

Demerara Timbers Guns, ammo workers down found in East tools, demand Coast tint shop pay increase NEW GPC receives highest award for export achievement Page 7

North Ruimveldt execution

Suspect in custody P16

Page 16

Page 7

As crime spirals out of control

Ramotar P13 says Granger advocating an “insular approach” – restates need to deploy Army

City Council workers P12 demanding 14% salary increase

– Finance Minister lauds manufacturing sector New GPC Human Resources Manager Fay Smartt-Scott (sitting left) proudly displaying the trophies the company received for its award for export achievement. In picture (sitting) are Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo; Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Norman McLean and a representative from Qualfon. Also in photo are other winners including representatives from Umani Inc; Peter Abdool from Abdool and Abdool; Sattaur Gafoor who received the Lifetime Achievement award; Joyclyn Williams of JTW Associates and a representative of Guyana Colour Paint Inc

Charandass ‘haul off stage’ comment

James Bond, men’s group express outrage Page 11

– condemn comment

Amaila Falls Project was never abandoned – Jordan Page 7

Lack of transparency

Page 10

Widespread corruption in award of contracts for City clean-up – Edghill

P16 NIS launches online contribution checking system

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BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, November 20 – 12:00h-13:30h and Saturday, November 21 – The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, November 20 – 11:05h-12:35h and Saturday, November 21 – 12:15h-13:45h

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Weather: Thundery showers can be expected throughout the day and into the evening.

Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North North-easterly between 1.34 metres and 3.57 metres per second.

High Tide: 11:31h reaching a maximum height of 2.34 metres.

Low Tide: 04:52h and 17:31h reaching minimum heights of 0.86 metre and 0.90 metre respectively.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

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Thursday, November 19, 2015

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Another neonatal death rocks GPHC – mother bedridden, family blames nurses’ negligence

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n East Coast Demerara family is outraged at the attitude of nurses at the maternity ward of Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), claiming that their negligence has caused a woman, 34, to lose her baby.

Sumarie Balwant called “Shalinie” of Lot 640 Good Hope, ECD, was pregnant with her second child and had reached full term pregnancy when she went into labour. She was taken to GPHC, where family members claim the nurses refused to deliver the baby, saying she was not ready, even though her amniotic sac commonly called ‘water bag’ had burst.

The family is alleging that because of the nurses’ negligence, the baby suffocated and died inside of Balwant.

Speaking with Guyana Times, the woman’s mother, Yungal Kumarie, explained that her daughter had to undergo a caesarean operation to deliver her first child, who is now four years old, and had joined the clinic at GPHC during her second pregnancy. The woman said her daughter visited the clinic on Monday, which was her due date, and was told all is well with the baby and she would deliver any time soon.

“When she came home, she started getting pain so I told her if it continues we will go to the hospital in the morning (Tuesday). Early Tuesday morning we took her to GPHC and she was admitted,” the mother recalled.

The woman went onto say the nurses took her daughter into the operation room and examined her but said she was not ready to deliver. Balwant remained in the hospital and according to her mother, her water bag burst the following day (Wednesday).

Kumarie told this newspaper her daughter had complained that she felt the baby coming out of her womb but

Sumarie Balwant along with her husband and son during her pregnancy

was told by the nurses that she was still not ready.

She went on to say that later in the evening around 19:00h, one of her neighbours who knew someone at the hospital called there to find out if her daughter had delivered but was told Balwant was still in the ward.

Kumarie further stated that on Thursday morning at about 06:00h, the neighbour called the hospital and was told that Balwant’s baby had died ‘in her.’

“After we heard that, we rushed down to the hospital and she was still in the theatre room so I beg to see her and they send me in. She was lying flat on her back, couldn’t move and could barely talk because they had to give her an injection in her back to take the baby out. She said the baby died and ask to call her husband,” the woman recounted.

The mother added that when she returned later she saw her daughter in the ward but she was unable to move.

Kumarie said that Balwant

told her that when the nurses were preparing her for delivery on Tuesday afternoon, they did not find any heartbeat and prevented her from informing her family.

“If they (nurses) had carried her to the operation theatre since Wednesday then my grandson would have been saved. Imagine my daughter tell these people that the baby coming down but they didn’t take her in, they wait till the baby dead and then take him out and then they have the mind to tell my daughter that she nah gone mek them get fired, This is the kind of people

we have to deal with,” the angry woman vented.

Kumarie further remarked: “After my daughter come out the theatre and told us wha happen, I went upstairs to the nurses to find out what really happen and they held out that my daughter was not ready to go in labour. They not taking blame, your baby died but they aren’t concerned.

This is not the first time something like this happen, you always hearing they making somebody baby die because of their negligence,” the grieving woman stated.

Balwant is still a patient but in a bed-ridden state at the GPHC. The Georgetown Public Hospital is also being sued by another distraught family whose baby also suffered injuries after a nurse allegedly dropped the newborn on the ground.

Guyana Times understands also that steps are being taken by another family to file a lawsuit against the Davis Memorial Hospital after a 33-year-old mother and her newborn child died allegedly at the hands of negligent nurses and hospital staff.

Meanwhile, Parbatee Ramdat, 29, of Reliance Village, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) is currently in the process of taking legal action against the Suddie Public Hospital after her newborn baby suffered a fractured shoulder and broken hand during delivery.

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Views Editor(ag): Michael Younge Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134 Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

Time for AFC to man up O

n Thursday Guyana observed International Men’s Day under the theme “Make a Difference for Men and Boys” with Guyana focusing on working to expand reproductive options for men.

The objectives of International Men’s Day 2015 included a focus on men and boy’s health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive male role models. It is an occasion for men to celebrate their achievements and contributions, in particular their contributions to community, family, marriage, and child care while highlighting the discrimination against them.

But even as Guyana celebrates our menfolk, there are those among us from who much is expected. Recently, one elected member of the National Assembly continued his excruciating abusive outbursts towards reputable Hindu leader and Parliamentarian Dr Vindhya Persaud.

Charandass Persaud, Attorney and APNU/AFC parliamentarian, showed utter disrespect to women in Guyana when he was blatantly abusive towards women’s rights activists, who had called upon him to apologise to Dr Persaud.

As we celebrate International Men’s Day, more specifically our local men, we should be ashamed as a nation to have a man sitting on the highest decision making institution of our land and yet think women are so inferior that they should kiss his a**.

What utter disrespect! Why is the government, more particularly the Alliance for Change (AFC) aspect of the administration, silent on this issue? Charandass’s outburst speaks to the fact that Guyana is heading down a road of acceptance of lawlessness which is being condoned by our leaders. What justification is there for this man, shamefully an elected representative in Parliament, to want to ‘haul off’ Dr Vindhya Persaud from a stage simply because she ventured to differ from his viewpoint? More so, what justification is there for him to ask that the women’s rights activists, who condemned him and demanded that he apologise must now ‘kiss his a**’ before he does so? Is this seriously the behaviour of a Member of Parliament? Is this seriously something the government has accepted? Is it seriously going to be brushed aside by government without disciplinary actions or prosecution?

Sadly, as announced by the Clerk of the National Assembly, there is no Code of Conduct for Parliamentarians. This in itself says Parliament cannot sanction the MP for his unbecoming behaviour.

According to the Clerk, a draft code of conduct, which will regulate and monitor the actions of each Member of Parliament (MP) both on the Government and Opposition benches of the House, is with the Ministry of Presidency. The question now is, how long do we have to wait for a review of this draft code of conduct and when will it be implemented?

It is time as a nation that we hold our leaders to the highest level of scrutiny and accountability not only for finances but in all facets of leadership.

Charandass is what is considered in law a ‘repeat offender’ since this is not the first time he as attacked women in our society.

In 2013, he ridiculed Dr Vishalya “Artie” Sharma for being “so fat, she could probably not fit in the front seat of her jeep” when he was arguing she could not administer the New Amsterdam Hospital.

The leadership of the AFC then had reprimanded him and he publicly apologised to Dr Sharma. If he was sanctioned then, why not now? But what is obvious is that his sanction for this ‘repeat’ offence should be greater and heavier since he is now a serial abuser towards women. Charandass should by all means, do the respectful thing and step down from his public post and seek therapy for his obvious lack of respect for women.

Therefore, as we reflect on the achievements of our men in society, we must also condemn those who blatantly disrespect our women.

Indian Hindu devotees perform rituals at sunset on the banks of the Yamuna River during the Chhath Puja festival in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015. During Chhath, an ancient Hindu festival, rituals are performed to thank the Sun god for sustaining life on earth (Huffington Post)

AFC’s MP should step aside Dear Editor, The Diwali fallout has not let up even though for two days the diyas were lit. As with Shakespeare, the trees aren’t just part of the background scenery. Explore what if, any role Birnam woods play in Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

Militarised strategy was originally born of shrill supernatural prophecy.

In Guyana, one man sits high atop an overshadowing PNC coalition tree and is sawing the branch which supports him. Will the militarised politicians move to save their tree? Would they force him to step down?

Silent he won’t be, because all knows what will happen. He is no “Hush-a-by baby On the tree top,...The cradle will fall, and down will fall baby cradle and all.”

Charandass Persaud is ill advised that he is the PNC led coalition’s Berbician Macbeth hero fit for the usual monument thing. Who advises him to: “Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are. Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him”?

(Shakespeare’s Macbeth).

“Nobody read my letter and in my letter I never said that I will ‘haul’ her or I wanted to, and if I said I wanted to haul the Prime Minister or the Queen of England off the platform

what does that mean, I am assaulting her? Even if I said that I want to haul Dr Vindhya Persaud off the stage, mind you when they read the letter they will know that is not what I said, so the gutter journalism needs to come to an end…. And the women rights group, tell them for me, that if they want me to apologise, let them come and kiss my ass…,” AFC MP Charandass Persaud was reported in the Guyana Times 18 November 2015, as saying.

My sensibilities were finally jolted by what Haseef Yusuf wrote in the Guyana Times the same day (18 November) decrying Persaud’s behaviour: “To add insult to injury, he is now asking that his ‘ass be kissed’ before he apologises for his earlier statement. If such be the case, then we can expect to see this AFC MP with his pants down in public! “ The spectacle of Charandass baring his posterior, pants down in public, while perched atop a tree sawing away as our Guyanese women’s activists line up to comply with this crudeness from the half naked MP issuing invitations by the press is a new low. The controversial AFC MP insists that he will not apologise despite his public disrespect and implied threat of violence to Guyana’s most prominent female Indian leader, Dr Vindhya Persaud

and the respected Pandit Jagmohan.

Why would the attorney be so uncouth to malign, disrespect, and threaten violence to the respected Pandit and a female Guyanese leader? Hasn’t Charandass now crossed Latchman’s line in the sand and in effect irreparably damaged his reputation and honour which is to protect his countrymen especially women?

Let me be clarify: Charandass is no evil Ravana in disguise. He still has the courage to speak up about what is wrong about Guyana. But he has lost his case by his own ill conduct. Now it brings Guyana’s highest law making institution of which he is part into public disrepute and sets a bad example of unrighteous conduct by a public official.

A few months ago a former PPP/C Minister who insulted a female gay rights activist was dismissed because of his public behaviour unbecoming of a Minister, MP and public servant. He paid the price. Womanhood is still sacrosanct especially so among culture nurturing and decent identifying Indian Guyanese.

Charandass’s constant Press engagements only make his case worse.

Undoubtedly he will be privately advised to cease and desist. He cannot be denied his full rights to defence but it does him no good.

Nevertheless his behaviour cannot be condoned even if he goes below the radar.

In any case is the change of government to be alone blamed for the Diwali debacle? They only took advantage of their detractors’ internal division.

Charandass must admit the AFC was supposed to bring change for the better - for everyone. His behaviour exemplifies otherwise.

He represents that significant historical PNC led coalition’s violence which is their usual resort but this time potentially against Indian religious leaders.

Before this happens all moral outrage seeks to condemn and reject it as unacceptable. As a Hindu he knows such public disrespect is repugnant, intolerable, uncultured and unacceptable to any religious leader. He knows what the right, corrective thing to do as it will not go away. That the overwhelming majority of Hindus celebrated Diwali on 11 November is also most significant. The event is over now. Yet the bitterness continues unabated.

Change has come all right but not what’s on window display. It’s time for back to basics of public decency so necessary when nothing seems to be going right in our country.

Sincerely, Sultan Mohamed

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You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Govt: Higher salaries, lower performances SALARIES – TOTAL

Dear Editor, In an incontrovertible period of economic slowdown in Guyana, the new Granger-led APNU+AFC government’s decision to increase their salaries by over 50 per cent while other public servants got less than 5 per cent has in one fell swoop converted itself from “the incompetent” to “the incompetent and heartless”.

In an effort to provide some clarity I believe the more important question is: what is the cost of the new Granger-led

APNU+AFC government to the treasury?

With reference to the forgoing, I pose the following simple questions to President Granger and the APNU+AFC government on behalf of ALL the people of Guyana: 1. Will your increase mean higher productivity? (if the answer is ‘yes’ then it means that for the last 6 months you have not been working as hard as you could have been and if the answer is ‘no’ then you do not deserve an increase

SALARIES – MONTHLY BREAKDOWN

2. Are you saying that the only way a country can have ministers who are not corrupt is by having a large salary or a salary that is MORE THAN ELEVEN TIMES the average salary? If the answer is yes please show me where this was posted in your manifesto and contract with the electorate.

3. Can you account for your failure to deliver on your manifesto promise of 20 per cent increase to public servants, police, teachers, nurses while giving yourself a 50 per cent+ increase?

4. Since “public service” is intended to be a “service” to the “public” can the President and ALL the ministers publish their previous declared taxable income which will show how many of them ever earned more than their current salary?

5. How do you justify the President and the Attorney General’s salaries being tax free?

Sincerely, Charles Ramson Esq MP

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New York Guyanese will miss iconic leaders from India Dear Editor, Ashok Singhal, an iconic Hindu leader, who has deep admiration for Indo-Guyanese and other Indo-Caribbean people has passed on. Singhalji, held in great esteem by Hindus worldwide, was felicitated at the Guyanese Surya Narayan Mandir in Jamaica, New York, midSeptember. He was also honoured by Guyanese at other temples in recent years. He died Tuesday at a hospital in Gurgaon, India.

Pandit Ram Hardowar paid tribute to Singhal-ji.

The great Indian intellectuals Ravi Dev and Swami Aksharananda knew him well and hosted him in Guyana.

Singhal, 89, served for 20 years as the International President of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad that was founded by a Trinidadian Member of Parliament during the 1960s when he visited and lived in India. The VHP has branches in several countries including Trinidad and the US where many Guyanese are members and followers.

Singhal, who partook in India’s freedom struggle as a youth, often visited Guyanese and Trini Temples during his visits in the greater New York area. He also visited the Caribbean several times.

In his various appearances at Indo-Caribbean gatherings in America, he showered glowing tributes on Indo-Caribbean people for holding on to their (Indian) culture some 175 years after leaving India. He spoke at the Surya Narayan Mandir just before returning to New Delhi where he made his home. He visited Guyana and Trinidad several years ago. He has been lobbying the Indian government to commit resources for culture and education to the large Indian Diaspora.

He interacted at length

with Indo-Caribbean community leaders. He praised the Hindu and Indian community leaders in New York and the Diaspora for their service to the community and for maintaining close relations with the land of their foreparents.

Tributes to the great leader poured in from around the globe including Guyanese pandits in New York. Ashok Singhal was called a ‘Raj Purush’ (statesman) by the Guyanese Hindu community leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described his death as “a deep personal loss”.

Modi said Singhal was an institution centred on serving the nation and the Indian Diaspora although he was not a politician.

Singhal lived the life of a Bachelor committed to seva (serving others).

Another Indian national, Narain Kataria, who showered accolades on Indo-Caribbeans for holding on to their culture also passed away recently. Kataria-ji was 85. He was an institution in the Asian Indian community.

He offered support and encouragement to Guyanese in the struggle against the dictatorship. He attended several events organised by Guyanese. He was among a small working group of Indian nationals who collaborated closely on various projects with Indo-Guyanese in Queens where he made his home.

He would lead a large team of participants at the annual Phagwah celebrations held in Richmond Hill and at other events organised

by Indo-Caribbeans.

Like Singhal, Kataria was effusive in his praises to Guyanese for Indian cultural retention. He was a regular reader of IndoCaribbean weeklies in New York including Caribbean New Yorker and Guyana

Times. He saluted the great work of Indo-Caribbean community leaders, journalists and intellectuals including Pt Hardowar, Dr Somdath Mohabir, Dharamdat Sukhai, Patanjali Rambrich, Ravi Dev, Vishnu Bisram, among others.

Kataria was founder of the Indian American Intellectuals Forum. He was also a relentless organiser on India-related activities and a regular participant at the annual Diwali celebrations at South Street Seaport and the India Day parade. He was the guiding hand behind several organisations and events, including the International annual Hindu Unity Day held in Queens over the last 20 years at which Guyanese were active participants.

Many Guyanese and other Indo-Caribbean people attended his funeral service in Long Island last week.

Both Indian leaders will be sorely missed by the Indo-Guyanese and Indo-Caribbean communities in America and the Caribbean.

Sincerely, Vishnu Bisram

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BY RHIANNON LUCY COSSLETT

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hich rites of passage make an adult? Is it being able to live independently, without parental support? Having a stable career? Being married or making a lifelong commitment? Owning your own home? Or is it being responsible for the wellbeing of another human life – in other words, becoming a parent yourself?

These are the traditional markers of adulthood; of stability, responsibility and independence. From an early age, most of us grow up thinking that we will achieve some, if not all, of these things. But if you asked me, a 28-yearold woman, whether I fulfilled most of these criteria, you’d have to deduce that I am, essentially, living a prolonged adolescence.

I live in a shared, rented flat with my long-term boyfriend and another flatmate, where the rent will remain affordable only if the landlords decline to hike it again (last year we had a £300 a month increase). I have a freelance income that fluctuates wildly. I’m in no position to get a mortgage – not just in London, but anywhere in the UK (even if the latter were a possibility, I’d have to move to a part of the country where there is very little of the work I rely upon). Asking my parents for a deposit is not an option, nor is it for my boyfriend (and why should they give us money?

I worry enough as it is about how they will get by in old age). As I approach my 30s, I can’t help worrying: what happens when I decide I want a baby?

The average age of British mothers hit 30 for the first time in 2013. This is often framed as a result of women “choosing” to focus on careers before they decide to have children. Very little has been said about those women – or, indeed, couples – who want to have children, but whose circumstances prevent them from doing so.

I have always known that I wanted

guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation children and, because of disabilities in my family, I was told it would be better for me to do it young (or, at least, before I was 30 or so). But I graduated into the recession and, following a number of unpaid internships and a couple of years spent establishing a still unpredictable freelance career, I only just feel as though I’m getting on my feet. The idea of having a baby in my current situation is unthinkable. For a start, I couldn’t afford to take maternity leave, and the state maternity allowance of £139.58 a week would nowhere near cover us.

I long ago accepted that I wouldn’t own a house by the time I got pregnant, and was never prepared to let that get in my way. I was born into a shared house

myself – but it was a big, alternative co-op and my parents lived in the attic.

What single young professional flatmate is going to put up with a screaming baby in a tiny two-bed? Not one I know.

These hurdles to the world of adulthood continue to be a great source of sadness and anxiety, and I’m not alone. For swathes of people in their 20s and 30s, who largely thought they would be at least a bit sorted by now, achieving the adult lives they want seems a distant fantasy. Spiralling property prices coupled with the fetishisation of

housing as an investment – expressed through buy-to-let properties and often poor rental conditions – means secure housing is off the table for many of us as we continue to subsidise our much richer landlords. The average price for a starter home rose to £211,000 this year, requiring an average deposit of 17%, or £36,000. The recession, unstable and unreliable unemployment, low pay compounded by a pensions shortfall and an ageing population, have all led to a situation in which many members of my generation feel not only short-changed, but helpless when it comes to building some semblance of a stable family life.

While our generational predecessors, the baby boomers, reaped the rewards

of free university education and affordable property prices, we have been disproportionately affected by austerity.

Andrea, 30, is a university administrator from Bradford. “I’d love to start a family,” she says, “but that’s just not going to happen and it really, really upsets me. I spend hours looking at Facebook at the photos of my friends’ babies, and making presents for them – I learned to knit a few years ago and have made various booties, hats and coats. I get a lot of compliments at baby

showers. I hate baby showers. I do all this knowing that it can’t happen for me because of the hours I have to work in order to have a career, in order to have any kind of job security.”

Andrea works a 45-hour week, commuting for three hours a day, but still feels home ownership is not a realistic prospect. “I’d probably get a mortgage, but where the hell are we supposed to find £10K-plus for a deposit from?”

The challenges that young women like Andrea are facing when it comes to settling down are compounded, she says, by that perennial difficulty of balancing a career with having children.

“Within my industry, the women in positions of power are either nonparents, or came to the industry after they had children. I don’t know one woman in the grades above mine who has young children.” Andrea’s situation is compounded by the media coverage of pregnancy statistics. “Those ‘Have a baby by 30 or you’re sterile, you selfish career-driven hussy’ headlines,” she says.

Andrea wanted to remain anonymous, as did most of the people I spoke to, for various reasons. Generation Y are used to being accused of whining when we talk about our frustrations, and we are sensitive to that. We’ve been brought up in a somewhat status-obsessed society, too, so mentioning financial difficulties leads to feelings of shame. Some young women were concerned that admitting to the desperate desire for a child might harm their career prospects. But by far the most commonly cited reason is that they didn’t want to hurt their parents’ feelings by discussing how, in contrast to the parents of some of their peers, they are unable to give them that vital leg up.

Everyone I spoke to wanted to stand on their own two feet, but they were aware that their parents shared their feelings of powerlessness and sadness. “It would kill my father to have this printed,” one woman said. “He’s a proud man.” (The Guardian)

BY RICK NAUERT, PHD

N

ew research from the UK suggests parental ambitions can benefit or harm a child’s academic achievement.

If a parents expectations are realistic, children tend to do better in school. However, if the goals are unrealistic, then the child may not perform well in school.

“Our research revealed both positive and negative aspects of parents’ aspiration for their children’s academic performance.

Although parental aspiration can help improve children’s academic performance, excessive parental aspiration can be poisonous,” said lead author Kou Murayama, PhD, of the University of Reading.

The study was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Murayama and his colleagues analysed data from a longitudinal study from 2002 to 2007 of 3530 secondary school students (49.7 per cent female) and their parents in Bavaria, Germany. The study assessed student Maths achievement as well as parental aspiration (how much they want their child to earn a particular grade) and expectation (how much they believe their child can achieve a certain grade) on an annual basis.

Researchers found that high parental aspiration led to increased academic achievement, but only when it did not overly exceed realistic expectation. When aspiration exceeded expectation, the children’s achievement decreased proportionately.

To reinforce the results, the researchers attempted to replicate the main findings of the study using data from a twoyear study of more than 12,000 US students and their parents.

The results were similar to the German study and provided further evidence that parents’ overly high aspirations are associated with worse academic performance by their children. (www.psychcentral.com)

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Amaila Falls Project was NEW GPC receives highest award for export achievement never abandoned – Jordan – Finance Minister lauds manufacturing sector

NEW GPC INC Human Resources Manager Fay Smartt-Scott receiving the award from Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

T

he New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation Inc (New GPC) was awarded the President’s Award for Export Achievement by the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) on Wednesday.

The company received the award for rapidly expanding domestic and overseas markets for Limacol, Ferrol Compound & Nutrophos Nerve Tonic.

The award was collected by the Company’s Human Resources Manager Fay Smartt-Scott.

This is the Company’s

fourth GMSA President’s Award.

In accepting the award on the company’s behalf, SmarttScott extended gratitude to the GMSA for recognising and applauding the company’s efforts to share with the world quality products manufactured in Guyana.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of New GPC Inc, we thank GSMA for bestowing on us this prestigious Executive President Award.”

Speaking at the GMSA dinner at Pegasus Hotel on Wednesday evening,

Finance Minister Winston Jordan underscored the importance of manufacturing companies in Guyana.

“Manufacturing in Guyana must become a key driver of rapid economic growth, and the associated creation of employment, both directly and indirectly.

There is considerable accumulated evidence that manufacturing still functions as the heart of the economic development process,” he stated.

The Minister highlighted worldwide success stories where manufacturing has led to economic success and growth of countries. Those countries, he outlined, are Brazil, China, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.

In 1999, the Company won the award in recognition of the substantial investment by the Company in the rehabilitation of the Farm manufacturing facility, in particular, the improvement of the Quality Assurance System and the attraction of overseas markets.

In 2002, New GPC Inc was awarded in recognition of the pioneering work done by the Company in the production of low cost antiretroviral HIV drugs.

In 2014, it won the award for its unprecedented investment in sports and culture at the regional and international level.

Guns, ammo found in East Coast tint shop

T

wo men are now in police custody following the discovery of several rounds of ammunition and a firearm at a tint shop at Nonpareil, East Coast Demerara on Thursday.

According to information, police ranks went to the shop and conducted a search where 14 rounds of

.32 ammunition and three rounds of .38 ammunition along with a .9mm pistol were found.

Guyana Times understands the ammunition and gun were found hidden in the shop. Two men in the shop at the time were taken into police custody and are assisting with investiga-

tions.

Over the past several weeks, several various calibre ammunition and guns were unearthed in police operations.

The police have stated they will continue to conduct searches with the aim of getting rid of illegal guns and ammunition.

An artist’s impression of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project

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inance Minister Winston Jordan has announced that the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) coalition never abandoned the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project.

He was delivering the feature address at the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) Annual Dinner on Wednesday evening at the Pegasus Hotel.

“I hope that it is absolutely clear that contrary to reports that we have abandoned the project; that the project has always been on the burner,” the Minister stated.

Critics contend his statement is a blatant contradiction to proclamations previously uttered by APNU/AFC members.

Most recently, Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson adamantly declared the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project was too burdensome and too costly to pursue. On that note, he revealed government’s intention to pursue alternative hydropower sites in MocaMoca, Kato and Tumatumari.

Jordan had also asserted, during the Budget 2015 presentation, that it would be “criminal” to pursue the Amaila Project as it would be too costly a venture for the government to embark upon.

Despite these public statements, Jordan insisted the government never abandoned the project.

He told the gathering that government is currently involved with the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) to study the cor-

rect “energy matrix and energy mix” for Guyana to meet its hydropower needs for the next 30 years. He noted that this study is due early next year and will include the analysis for five hydro

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

sites including Amaila. He added that government is in discussion with Norway to procure another review of the project; to pronounce, once again, on the viability.

Facts

Jordan had posited that the Amaila site is too expensive to pursue. He explained that the Amaila Hydro will cost GPL US$2.6 billion over 20 years (US$130 million per year) and this was too unreasonable.

On the other hand, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had explained that Jordan was wrong in his calculations.

In exposing the facts and offering clarification, the PPP/C pointed out that in actuality GPL will be saving billions of dollars:

First of all, GPL would have been required to pay US$100 million and not US$130 million per year.

Secondly, that money would have bought about 50 per cent more power than GPL’s entire generation in 2012.

Therefore, to generate that amount of power without Amaila Falls would have cost GPL far more money, almost US$200 million using 2012 costs.

So rather than Amaila costing GPL US$130 million per year, it would be saving GPL US$100 million per year – or put another way, Amaila Falls will generate 50 per cent more electricity than was generated in 2012 for almost half the cost.

“In short: Instead of Amaila Falls costing GPL US$2.6 billion over 20 years, GPL would actually be saving almost US$2 billion, or G$400 billion, at 2012 prices,” Jagdeo highlighted.

Meanwhile, the Amaila Project is the flagship of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). The project was expected to deliver electricity to Guyana’s capital, Georgetown, and its second largest town, Linden.

Guyana currently relies on imported fuel oil and diesel for its electricity generation, which is both expensive and carbon-intensive.

The Amaila Hydropower plant was expected to shift Guyana’s reliance on thermal generation to renewable energy, eliminate over 90 per cent of the country’s energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, and provide energy production for approximately 90 per cent of Guyana’s population.

8 NEWS

friday, november 20, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Eyew tness

CJIA cocaine bust

St Lucian women jailed T

he two St Lucian women who were busted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport with cocaine stashed in their vaginas, were on Monday jailed for 48 and 50 months respectively when they appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman charged with trafficking in narcotics.

Cosmetologist, Carmessa Wills,38, admitted that on 18 November she had in her possession 88 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

Also, babysitter Andrea Wills, 43, also pleaded guilty to the same charge which stated that she had 298 grams.

According to the prosecutor’s case, the women, who are cousins, came to Guyana on vacation.

On the day in question,

Carmessa Wills

they were outgoing passengers on Caribbean Airlines Flight BW 524. It was reported that as the women approached the scanning machine, they were seen behaving in a suspicious manner. As such ranks of the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit approached to conduct a

search.

Andrea Wills admitted that she had the drugs stashed in her vagina and as such they were taken into custody.

Carmessa Wills did not admit right away to the offence and was taken to Woodlands hospital, where an x-ray revealed the drugs lodged inside of her. She reportedly removed the dildo which contained the narcotics and handed it to the Police.

Under caution, she admitted ownership and was charged.

In Court, Andrea begged for leniency, stating that she didn’t want to commit the act but that “the devil took control of her body”.

The Magistrate took into consideration the women did

W

Andrea Wills

not waste the Court’s time and handed down the sentences.

Carmessa was fined $79,200 and sentenced to 48 months; meanwhile, Andrea was fined $268,200 and jailed for 50 months.

Teen on attempted murder charge – Screwdriver still stuck in victim’s neck – Prosecutor

A

young mason was on Thursday remanded to prison by Magistrate Judy Latchman charged with attempted murder.

Akeem Dazzel, 18, of Lot 173 Campbell Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, was not required to plead to the indictable charge, which stated that on 15 November at James Street,

Albouystown, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Jamal Nicholas, with intent to commit murder.

The details surrounding the charge were not revealed in Court however, Defence Attorney Clive Forde alleged that on the day in question his client was attacked by a group of young men while walking home and acted in self-defence. He stated that

Dazzel was injured on multiple parts of his body during the scuffle.

Police Prosecutor Kerry Bostvick revealed that the VC is still hospitalized, adding that the screwdriver is still lodged in his neck.

As such bail application was denied and the teen remanded.

The case will continue on December 1.

Shifting gears…

Mechanic on fraud charge

A

mechanic was on Thursday placed on $100,000 bail by Magistrate Judy Latchman when he appeared before her charged with fraudulent conversion.

Lawrence Moore of Lot 2535 Layou Street, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, denied the allegation which stated that on 13 November while being solely entrusted with a computer box, a radio transmission set, a bus light and dash board clock, all to the value of $218,000 property of Carlton Barker, he fraudulently converted the items to his own use and benefit.

According to Police Prosecutor Kerry Bostvick, Barker, 39, and the Virtual Complainant (VC), are known to each other. The Prosecutor told the court that on the day in question the VC went to uplift his minibus from the mechanic when he noticed the items missing. When he enquired, the accused reportedly remained quiet and as such the VC filed a complaint with the Police.

Defence Attorney Burchelle Smith requested reasonable bail, stating that the accused is of a good reputation and character.

There were no objections to bail so the accused was released on $100,000 bail.

The case will continue on November 30.

…on Mash?

ell, well, well! The times ARE a changin’! Way back in the early days of the PPP administration – in fact almost as soon as they slid into the hot seat in 1992 – Dale Bisnauth had railed at the vulgarity into which Republic Day had descended. He insisted Republic Day celebrations should at least acknowledge the seriousness implied by choosing Cuffy as the central figure around which the “day” was organised.

Cuffy was a “mere” slave, but took on the entire plantocracy and Dutch government in his struggle for his people to be free. Did he just give his life – and the life of the hundreds who were killed – just for the right to gyrate in the streets like animals in heat? Nothing wrong with simulating the sex act in public – but Bisnauth’s complaint was “Did it have to be done on Cuffy’s Day… chosen as Republic Day?” There was such a firestorm of protest at the man’s point – cursing out him so nastily, not was only he forced to back down – but the PPP actually worked assiduously for the next 23 years to increase the vulgarity level of Mash! We guess the guiding principle was “if you can’t beat ‘em, then you might as well join ‘em!!”

In the years since, there were sporadic voices of protests echoing Bisnauth’s point – but they were also booed off the stage for disparaging the display of “we kulchur”. The celebratory forms chosen for Mashramani – as the “sport” was called (relaxing after a day’s hard work) - was a bit anomalous since the material results of the claimed “hard work” weren’t immediately visible. But who could say no to a good wine and circus event for the masses?

Well, from the announcement a couple of days ago that Mash and it’s vulgar parade of gyrating, jiggling flesh are going to be moved to the May 26 “Independence Day” - the new government seems willing to say “no!”

While sceptics might say APNU/AFC has the street cred to make that choice (it took an “anti-communist Nixon to make peace with Communist China) you gotta give Jack his jacket.

The interesting question that arises is whether all the “nationalists” who condemned and hounded Bisnauth out of office will now get on the case of this government? Will the principle of “sauce for the goose being equivalent to the sauce for the gander” operate?

Or will it, being the case of all on the ‘same side” of the fence, end with the newly repressed masses singing, “Do wha you want wid me!?”

…on crime

Back in the day when England still made movies, they had a film “Don’t raise the bridge – lower the river!!” It was a comedy, of course, and a rollicking one at that. Seems that some of the old fogies in the new government have the same strategy for addressing the crime crisis - as Jerry Lewis and the rest of his comedians had about getting rich….just pull some old con from their back pockets.

We’ve already talked some about the nonsense spouted by the police and their statistics – and thought they’d realised how silly the manipulation sounds. Not even good for a chuckle – at best maybe a snigger, like the one a former member offered in the letters column. But the Police doesn’t only insist an 8 per cent crime spike is no big thing: they’ve gotten Pressie to echo the line.

Now the thing is with military types, they accept what they call “collateral damage”. So Pressie says “trust me” till next year.

But how many will survive the “crime spiral” to see whether he was just talking through his hat?

…not at GECOM

So the US Ambassador was briefed on the state of preparedness of GECOM for local government elections.

Your Eyewitness is puzzled. Do all the ambassadors get briefed by GECOM’s El Jefe?

Or are some more equal than others?

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

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friday, november 20, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

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friday, november 20, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Lack of transparency

Widespread corruption in award of contracts for City clean-up – Edghill

BY EDWARD LAYNE

A

s the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) continues to avoid questions on the manner in which contracts are being awarded, the opposition People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) is alleging there is massive corruption in the award of contracts by the new government.

PPP/C Member of Parliament (MP) Juan Edghill, during a news conference at his party’s Robb Street, Georgetown Headquarters questioned the deafening silence of the government on the financing and other issues surrounding the city clean-up and by extension the national clean-up activities, as well as claims of demands being made by government officials.

The party is in receipt of information which shows that “family members” of top officials of the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown are the ones responsible for the citywide clean-up activities, he pointed out.

City Clean-up

Edghill, while commending the efforts to clean the city, said there are a number of critical questions which remain unanswered, thus raising questions about transparency and corruption.

“Do you know who the contractors are? Do you know what the contract sum is? Do

you know what is the scope of work that is to be done by every particular contractor and how will the public know if the work is being done in keeping with the contract awarded? None of that is available.

What we know is that work is taking place and we don’t know the scope of works, the contract sum, who is the contractor,” Edghill said, adding that: “What we are hearing is that family members of high officials on the Mayor and City Council are the ones who are responsible for executing these contracts. This is an allegation of gross corruption, which we are hearing and we expect that there will be a response as it relates to this.”

Edghill said that while his party is hopeful these allegations are false, he wants the truth to be told by those responsible for the activities.

He also reminded that under the PPP/C Government, an unpriced bill of quantity was always posted at prominent places in communities, so that citizens are aware of exactly what is to be done.

“It’s an unpriced bill, so you will know the quantities, how much truck loads of sand, how many tons of earth is to be removed, how wide the drains are to be, the gauge of the zinc for the roof, everything was so spelt out, now we are not hearing that.”

Efforts to contact both Mayor Hamilton Green and Town Clerk Royston King for a comment proved futile.

sub-contractors, these people, these newly created companies. This is a major shift and it’s all being done quietly with very little scrutiny,” Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo said, but was hesitant to name the Minister, noting that his Party was still examining the matter; and will make further disclosures in due course.

Specifically identified sub-contractors

Edghill said the PPP/C is in receipt of information which points to massive corruption by government officials regarding the implementation of major contracts.

The former Minister within the Ministry of Finance said accounting officers of many procuring entities are refusing to sign contracts unless the contractors agree to give subcontracts to “specifically identified subcontractors”.

“Major contracts are on the desks of accounting officers of procuring entities for signatures [for] thirty days, sixty days and in excess of sixty days and these contracts are not being signed until and unless the contractor that has been awarded the contracts commits to give subcontracts to specially identified subcontractors and some of these sub-contractors are newly registered companies, with no experience, in total breach of procurement requirements of having at least three years’ experience and the rest of it,” he alleged.

Edghill vows that the PPP/C as the party in opposition has brought these issues to the public, in a bid to ensure that these corrupt practices ceased immediately.

“We are calling on all public officials, accounting officers to ensure they are not obeying any unlawful instructions that put them in difficulty with the

Cosmetic approach

PPP/C MP Juan Edghill financial management regulations that govern the financial architecture of Guyana,” he added.

During a recent news conference, Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo had said his party was in receipt of information which shows that a Minister of President David Granger’s Cabinet formed some 20 new companies which are being handed lucrative Government contracts.

“We have heard about some 20 companies that have been created… one particular minister is busy creating these companies and they are now given contracts… we have one case [where] the person told me… he will get the contract if he promises to appoint as

Meanwhile, Edghill described as “cosmetic approach” the contract management and implementation, reports of some contractors who are able to have their contracts signed for implementation, are receiving up to 80 per cent of their contracted sum as mobilization and advances, which is contrary to every financial regulation on the management of contracts.

“Let me tell you how dangerous that is: it give the impression at the Ministry of Finance that expenditure is being incurred because the money is paid out an done the IFMAS (Integrated Financial Management and Accounting System) there will be a report that the expenditure is huge, but in reality the contractor receives 80 per cent of the contract sum, he holds it in his bosom, there is no implementation, the year will come to an end and you will see no works on the ground. So what is actu-

ally happening is cheques are being cut and are being held as if the expenditure is being made, which is really a cosmetic approach as it relates to contract management and implementation,” Edghill said.

The government was already hauled over the coals by the opposition for “stacking” the various regional, ministerial and other tender boards with party activists, many of whom are said to be unqualified.

“This Government that says it believes in transparency has surreptitiously, insidiously appointed a lot of these tender boards and put a lot of party members on these boards, many of them not qualified, across the country, who will now be adjudicating contracts,” Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has said.

While in opposition, both APNU and AFC had continuously accused the PPP/C Government of appointing “political hacks” in various key positions in state agencies and vowed to “depoliticise” these agencies, should it gain political power. However, after assuming office following the May 11 General and Regional Elections, the administration has been blatantly appointing party candidates and supporters to a number of key positions, particularly state boards.

Registration series “PVV” to commence shortly

T

he Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has announced that it is expected to commence the new motor vehicle registration series PVV shortly.

According to a release from the Authority, GRA Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur has given approval for the new series to be introduced.

The current PTT series was introduced on November 13, 2014, following the PSS registration series. The GRA is further advising the general public that the new PVV registration series will affect privately registered vehicles, buses, trailers and goods vehicles (inclusive of vans and lorries).

A Motor Vehicle Registration Series elapses after 9999 vehicles have been reg-

istered by the Licence Revenue Office (LRO) of the GRA. The revenue body pointed out too that the introduction of this new series is another indication that persons continue to be afforded their own vehicle.

On the other hand, even as the GRA introduces this new registration series, it has been felt that the sloth of the country’s economy has resulted in massive depletion in tax collections, particularly on excise taxes.

According to the MidYear Report released by the Finance Ministry last month, excise tax collections from motor vehicles declined by some $309.7 million this year on account of decreases in the number and value of imported motor vehicles.

Days after the release of

the report, a source at the GRA told this newspaper that the effects of the declining economy have severely affected the purchasing and importation of new vehicles. The source noted that, at present, the PTT series for motor vehicles is yet to be exhausted and it did not appear that the new PVV series would commence anytime soon.

“The PTT series most likely will go beyond the timeframe … we at GRA had anticipated. Normally, a series ends after 9999 vehicles have been registered and it was expected that by September, the PTT series would have ended and the PUU series would start. But, according to our registration records, the PTT series will go beyond the end of the year,” the source said.

Police intensify campaign against motorcyclists

A

s Police ranks in A Division (GeorgetownEast Bank Demerara) continue their sensitisation campaign to ensure motorists comply with traffic laws, several motorcyclists were detained. They are expected to be charged shortly.

According to reports received, during a traffic enforcement exercise recently, at least 20 motorcycles were impounded after it was discovered that they had no proper documentation and more importantly, the riders were not wearing the appropriate safety gear.

The exercise was conducted under the supervision of Woman Inspector C Layne.

Police Inspector C Layne with some of the motorcycles detained

Guyana Times was told that the Police will continue to conduct these exercises in order to maintain law and order. The Police would usually

advise motorists to adhere to the Five Cs – Consideration, Commonsense, Caution, Courtesy, and Care – on a daily basis.

friday, november 20, 2015

guyanatimesgy.com

11

News

Charandass ‘haul off stage’ comment

James Bond, men’s group express outrage – condemn comments

A

lliance for Change (AFC) Member of Parliament and prominent Attorney Charandass Persaud continues to be under pressure to publicly apologise for his disparaging and disrespectful statements towards women of this country.

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) member, former parliamentarian and fellow Attorney James Bond joined the bandwagon and has called on his colleague to do the honourable thing and apologise.

Women’s rights activists and other influential figures have already expressed disgust with the parliamentarian’s behaviour and they too have also echoed similar calls for a public apology.

Speaking to Guyana Times on the sidelines of an International Men’s Day event, Bond underlined that any statement or comment that lends itself to aggression against women should be strongly condemned: “I don’t care who says it.

We should not be making these statements in this day and age.”

Bond explained that an apology is necessary, given the public outrage over the matter.

AFC MP and Attorney Charandass Persaud

“If he said statements that provoked violence towards a woman, then I would say he is wrong and he should apologise. I know him very well, I know he’s a gentleman and I don’t think it is in him to abuse a woman… If your statements are taken out of context, apologise and clear it up… don’t let it fester,” he urged the AFC parliamentarian.

Bond was not the only man who felt Charandass’ statements were an abuse towards women.

Alvin Doris, President of a newly formed men’s group

ReMan Guyana, also called on the parliamentarian to apologise.

“Charandass Persaud did not have to be a Member of Parliament or a prominent Attorney to find it necessary to apologise. Any man should apologise for offending a woman in any way,” Doris stated.

Nonetheless, he noted that “from time to time, we have these slipups that is an affront to womanhood” however, in such situations it is necessary to apologise.

“When a man does something like that, it reflects badly on manhood generally. I ask your pardon as woman… we (men) are not to destroy the woman, or demean the woman; we ought to celebrate the woman, that’s what a man ought to be…,” he stated.

Letters to the Editors writ-

Dr Vindhya Persaud

Published in the Kaieteur News 19 November edition, a letter written by Nowrang Persaud substantiates the gravity of the situation and

“When a man does something like that, it reflects badly on manhood generally. We (men) are not to destroy the woman, or demean the woman; we ought to celebrate the woman, that’s what a man ought to be…” ten by both men and women are also evidence of the growing outrage over Charandass’s statements.

the need for men and women alike to condemn this and similar actions of all public of-

ficials.

In addition, people are taking to social media to vent their concerns over the unprofessional conduct of the country’s leaders and the lack of action taken by the administration to reprimand such offensive demeanours.

Moreover, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament Bishop Juan Edghill believes strongly that Persaud should resign or be terminated from his post as a parliamentarian.

Meanwhile, public outcry on this issue has stemmed from the AFC parliamentarian’s initial comments towards Dr Vindhya Persaud, who is also a parliamentarian, a cultural leader as well as Head of the largest Hindu organisation in Guyana - the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha. The AFC parliamentarian deemed it fit to write a Letter to the Editor, attacking and threatening the Hindu leader for merely expressing her views regarding her religion.

“Dr Vindhya Persaud so disgusted me that I felt like hauling (her) off the stage,” penned the AFC leader under a letter purporting to be calling for reconciliation of Hindu-Guyanese who were

James Bond

in disagreement over the date for Diwali.

Women’s rights activists immediately came out to condemn his statements.

When contacted for a response on the issue, the AFC parliamentarian was highly aggravated and told Guyana Times the women’s rights group can “kiss my ass”.

The parliamentarian’s tone was quite unrepentant and this was further supported by his response.

“Who the hell is Vindhya Persaud? And if they kiss my ass I will apologise to Vindhya Persaud. That is all they need to hear,” he stated.

12 news

friday, november 20, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Port Kaituma residents demand promised house lots – claim outsiders given priority

R

esidents of Port Kaituma, Region One (BarimaWaini) on Thursday protested at the office of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), demanding that they receive house lots that were promised to them.

The protest was so raucous that Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley had to meet residents and appease them with a promise that the matter would be investigated.

The residents’ contention is that the decision of the Lands and Surveys Department there, taken by one of its officers, Dexter Chakan, was unfair.

According to the residents, the officer suddenly decided that he was going to offer house lots to persons outside of Port Kaituma, for placement in the new Ornoque Housing Scheme, although villagers have already began paying the relevant fees.

Speaking with Guyana Times on Thursday, resident Andrew Kenneth said close to

Resolving the Ethnic Struggle

F

Some residents of Port Kaituma hold up placards in protest

25 persons protested outside the NDC; however, that was just about half the amount of persons who are affected.

Residents believe that it is rather unfair for persons to be coming into the village and be given preference over those who live there and more particularly those who have al-

ready paid for those lands.

Guyana Times understands that the protest, which lasted for most of the day came to an end when the Regional Chairman honoured his promise and met with the residents, who made their frustration known to him. He reportedly explained that he

was unaware of the issue and promised to carry out a thorough investigation into the matter.

Guyana Times was told that that promise was enough to soothe the residents, but they stated if over the next month or so nothing happens, the protest would resume.

City Council workers demanding 14% salary increase

W

orkers of Georgetown Mayor and City Council are pressing for a 14 per cent increase for 2015 and 2016.

This was revealed by President of the Guyana Local Government Officers Union (GLGOU), Dale Beresford on Thursday.

According to him, while the union was successful in receiving an 8 per cent increase for workers in 2014, discussion will soon com-

GLGOU President Dale Beresford briefing the media on Thursday

mence on a possible 14 percent increase for 2015 and 2016.

Meanwhile, GLGOU said it will also be pressing M&CC to implement stricter measures that will enable workers to effectively embrace the changing green economy.

Beresford said effecting this change will require innovation in knowledge, management systems and incentive mechanisms.

He noted that the transition to a green economy will rely heavily on dynamic areas where governmental regulatory and control mechanisms must care in enabling rather than limiting.

It now calls on the Mayor and City Council to establish a vibrant and innovative environmental goods and services sector that includes providers of waste management, recycling techniques and service.

Meanwhile, the GLGOU said it will be putting forward several proposals to the M&CC that would see more revenues coming into its coffers.

While the Council thrives on the tax, the Guyana Local Government Officer’s Union said it has already set out some proposals to be put forward to the Minister of Communities that could see a widening of the Revenue base of the municipality.

Beresford said the union is currently in discussion with the municipality, making its proposals.

With the proposal, Beresford said Georgetown should return to the beautiful Garden city it was known to be.

Among the proposals the Union will put forward include the implementation of a ticketing system for parking meters, and the regularisation of public minibus parks; a system that will see some fees attached.

or two decades, I have been calling for our government to introduce “Ethnic Impact Statements”. In all societies the policies and subsequent implementation by any incumbent government will be evaluated critically. They are, after all, elected to run the State to secure the goals of that society. This scrutiny is even more vigilant in poor countries, especially by those who may have voted against the government, to discern whether the government is discriminating against them.

In some countries such as the US and UK, there are mechanisms to ascertain and announce ahead of time the impact of governmental policies on “minorities”. The more divided and polarized the society is, the more critical will be the evaluation of these policies, since the premise of the government being the hand-maiden of “one side” is even more credible.

In Guyana, to the extent past PNC and PPP Governments attempted to discuss the impact of their policies on “constituencies”, they insisted they favoured the “working class”. The “constituencies”, however, invariably evaluate every policy of the government from ethnic perspectives.

The PNC and PPP had to defend every initiative – be it appointments and dismissals to and from the Public Service, downsizing of the bauxite sector, house-lot allocation, contract awards, etc - against claims of discrimination against the “other” constituency and favouring their own.

The parties’ explanations were invariably too little, too late.

For instance, the PNC since 1992 had consistently accused the PPP of practicing racial/ethnic discrimination against primarily its African supporters. The charges of “marginalisation” from the African community have been the primary fuel in the ethnic conflagrations since 1998. The agreement signed by President Jagdeo with Mr Hoyte (2001) and Mr Robert Corbin (2003), were attempts to answer such charges. But they simply led to additional charges and counter-charges over implementation. The PPP, like the PNC before it, refused to overcome its ideological reservations and deal with a spade as a spade. The shoe is now on the other foot once again.

Guyanese have all accepted (hopefully) the need for “Environmental Impact Statements” before embarking on programmes affecting the physical environment. The policy is an acknowledgement of the fragility of our environment and the importance we place on its health and survival, for our own health and survival.

Hopefully, after 2000-2008, we will now acknowledge our social environment is as important (and even more fragile) as our physical environment. The destruction of our social environment is the direct destruction of all of “us”: with the environment at least the effect is a bit indirect and delayed.

Unquestionably, the ethnic problem goes beyond governmental actions but we have to begin there since the state should serve all. It is a question of justice. No matter which party forms the Government, Governmental actions have to be conducted on behalf of all the people.

So what is the harm of scrutinising “ethnic impacts” ahead of policy implementation? The activities of the Government unfortunately as in most of the Third World, produce most of the national patrimony. Equitable outcome for all groups is part of the reason why they are scrutinised so closely and emotionally.

If “Ethnic Impact Statements” could be crafted and issued before the announcement and implementation of policies and programmes, they would precipitate discussion and debate, as feedback mechanisms to modify them before they become political mobilisational tools.

To wait for the inevitable ethnic post-mortem is to ensure there will be trouble. Big trouble. The old cliché still holds: justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done. “Ethnic Impact Statements” on Governmental activities would go a long way to ensuring the latter happy condition. “ In its Manifesto, the now APNU/AFC government promised that the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) will be empowered “to provide Ethnic Impact Statements of Cabinet Decisions and Government departments, where necessary, and such findings will be acted upon in the best interest of all Guyanese.” I remember during “Third Force” discussions, Rupert Roopnaraine commended this initiative.

Was it his input?

Be as it may, we hope Ethnic Impact Statements arrive sooner rather than later.

news

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friday, november 20, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

As crime spirals out of control

Ramotar says Granger advocating an “insular approach” – restates need to deploy Army

BY EDWARD LAYNE

A

s the nation grapples with the current spiralling crime situation, Former President Donald Ramotar has brushed aside a suggestion from his successor, President David Granger to stay out of national security matters and restated his earlier call for a deployment of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to assist the Guyana Police Force (GPF), which seemingly is unable to tackle the situation of law enforcement.

Following an attempted robbery on the Sophia, Georgetown home of Former Police Chief of Criminal Investigations, Leslie James earlier this week, Ramotar knocked the Granger Administration’s failure to deploy the Army to hold joint patrols with police, as was done during his People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) tenure in office.

However, President Granger in response said the former Head of State should stay out of Government’s business.

Former President Donald Ramotar

According to Granger, Ramotar is the country’s former President and therefore should not comment on current political activities.

“As Commander-inChief and Minister of Defence, I have given (certain) instructions to the Army. I think the best thing would be for Mr Ramotar not to interfere in the way the Guyana Defence Force is being administered,” he told reporters on Wednesday, adding that any deployment of the army would be made in his

America Street robbery...

Third suspect remanded

T

he third suspect in the America Street ‘money changers’ robbery was on Thursday remanded to prison by Magistrate Judy Latchman when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts slapped with a robbery under arms charge.

Thirty-four-year-old Calvin Johnson, also known as “Gunbutt”, of Lot 154 East Ruimveldt, denied the charge, which stated that on November 3 at America Street, Georgetown, while being armed with a gun, he robbed Rayburn Fraser of $520,000; US$3000, TT$2000 and SR$2000, all to a total of $1,600,000.

Additionally, he was charged with robbing Osafo Bourne of $400,000 and $US700, a total of $540,000.

According to prosecution’s case, on the day in question, the defendant and seven others armed with guns opened fire on America Street ‘money changers’ and robbed the two Virtual Complainants.

The accused reportedly turned himself into custody on November 16 and allegedly admitted to being in the company of the two others who were previously charged for the offence. He was placed in an identification parade and positively identified by witnesses.

Troy Abrams and Anthony Primo of Lot 153 West Ruimveldt, Georgetown were previously charged for the same robbery. Johnson was remanded to prison. The case will continue on December 1.

“considered judgement”.

However, this did not deter Ramotar and on Thursday, he reiterated his position for the army to be deployed in the face of the spiralling crime situation, while expressing “surprise” at the reaction by the Guyana Police Force and that of Granger to his initial suggestions.

“This is even more needed as we enter into the festive holiday season. Our citizens have a right to expect that they can go about their business in a secure environment. The remarks by the President that I should keep out of the business of security displays an intolerance to other views and suggestions. At the same time, the parties in government continue to pay lip service to national unity,” Ramotar said.

He argued that a crime

President David Granger

committed against any citizen is not just an attack on the victim, but also an attack on the state.

Ramotar also reminded the President of Article 33 of the Constitution which states: “It is the duty of every citizen to defend the State.”

The former president said clearly, fighting crime is not just the preserve of the regime, but a national issue, and a national duty.

“The constitution goes against the insular approach that the President seems to be advocating. I see it as my duty to make suggestions and to take action where necessary to enhance the welfare of the Guyanese people. I strongly believe that the army’s presence with the police would not only increase their capacity, but serve as a deterrent to criminal activities,” Ramotar argued, adding that armies in many countries, including the Caribbean, have been actively and successfully helping the police to combat crime and improve security.

He said this helps to give a feeling of security in

the populace and has become much more frequent as the nature of crimes and criminals change.

Ramotar urged the Granger administration to familiarise itself with the feelings of citizens in relation to the crime situation, which will help them discover how insecure citizens feel.

“Trying to belittle the situation will not help to give confidence to our people,” he concluded.

Almost daily, Guyana is experiencing murders, including execution-style, armed robberies and other high-profile criminal activities.

Up to mid-October Police reported a 10 per cent hike in the number of serious crimes recorded at the end of September when compared to the figures for the same period in 2014.

14

guyanatimesgy.com

friday, november 20, 2015

Regional

Santos Honduras says Syrians not part Colombia’s in serious difficulty of terror cell, want refuge in US if FARC deal fails C F ive Syrian men detained in Honduras for travelling on doctored Greek passports do not belong to “any terrorist cell”, Honduran authorities said on Thursday, adding that four of them were university students.

They said the five had been fleeing conflict in Syria and had been trying to get to the United States when they were detained.

Honduran Police said there were no signs of any links to last week’s suicide bombings and shootings in Paris that killed 129 people.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks and there have been reports that at least one of the attackers may have slipped into Europe among migrants

Policemen escort five Syrian men after they were detained at Toncontin International Airport in Tegucigalpa, Honduras on November 18

registered in Greece.

The five were part of a wider group of seven Syrian nationals who acquired forged passports in Brazil and then went by land to

Argentina on their way north, a US Government source familiar with the case said. The source also said there was no evidence to suggest the men were mil-

itants.

They took advantage of the porous Triple Frontier near well-travelled tourist destination Iguazu Falls where Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay meet, the source said. The three countries belong to the Mercosur customs bloc, where you can cross borders with simple identity documents rather than passports.

“They probably spent the majority of their time in Brazil, because that’s where they got the documents.

They made their way from Brazil through Argentina pretty quickly,” the US Government source told Reuters, adding that they were bound for the United States. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Ex-Justice Minister in Antigua charged with battery on Police

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ormer Justice and Public Safety Minister Collin Derrick appeared in court Thursday to answer four charges, including battery on Police.

Derrick, who was detained for 16 hours earlier this week then released on EC$7000 (US$2,592) bail, has also been charged with resisting arrest, obstructing a Police Officer from executing his duties and disorderly conduct.

The Opposition mem-

Former Minister of Justice and Public Safety, Collin Derrick

ber said he was confident he would beat the charges that centre on an interaction with a Police Inspector and a woman, who allegedly became rowdy at the public meeting.

Defending his actions, the former Minister said he was merely trying to calm down a woman at the meeting, and was later he arrested.

“She was struggling and protesting with the intervention that took place, and

so I went outside and tried to calm her down,” he told the local media.

“After successfully doing so I went back inside, sat down, continued listening to the meeting. Then after about 20 minutes later, some officers came and asked me to come outside and then arrested me.”

A video has been circulating on social media of the ex-Minister being escorted

by Police. (Excerpt from Caribbean360.com)

Cayman to deport J’can Nicaragua finds VIP teacher imprisoned for sexually crash victim assaulting 3 schoolboys

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Jamaican teacher who was sentenced to three years for sexually assaulting three teenage boys, has had his sentence reduced by two years.

Earlier this year, Delroy James – a drama teacher, admitted to several acts of indecent assault and gross indecency on three 15-year-old students at a government school in Grand Cayman.

He was then slapped with a three-year prison sentence.

However on Tuesday, his

defence Attorney argued before the Court of Appeal that the sentence of three years on a count of gross indecency deviated from the basis of the pleas James had entered into with the prosecution.

James, who has been on remand since he pleaded guilty in June 2014, has served more than 16 months in prison and will now be eligible for early release.

He will be deported to Jamaica. (CMC)

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olice in Nicaragua have found the body of a former Cabinet chief after a helicopter crash which is confirmed to have killed three other people.

Antonio Lacayo, who served as Cabinet chief from 1990 to 1997, was flying from the town of San Carlos to the capital, Managua, when the helicopter came down on Monday.

The Pilot and two US businessmen died in the crash, Police confirmed.

Local people said there was poor visibility at the time

of the accident.

Lacayo played a key role in the Government led by his mother-in-law, President Violeta Chamorro.

After leaving office he became chief executive of fruit company TicoFrut.

Deputy Director of Police, Francisco Diaz said the bodies of the Pilot and the other two passengers had been found.

They have been identified as Coca-Cola executive James S Horrisberger and Phil Wendell Tope, who worked for a Florida-based juice company. (BBC News)

olombian President Juan Manuel Santos has said he will face major political problems if the Colombian people reject a peace agreement being negotiated with the FARC rebel group.

“I will be in serious difficulty,” he told the BBC’s HARDtalk programme.

“But I am absolutely convinced that the overwhelming majority of the Colombians will support me,” he added.

Government negotiators have been engaged in talks with the left-wing rebels in Cuba since November 2012.

It is expected that a peace accord will be signed in March 2016, putting an end to more

than five decades of conflict.

Santos has made it clear that the agreement would only be implemented if it was approved by the Colombian people.

“If we sign the final agreement around March, let’s say, then the plebiscite will be done a couple of months afterwards,” he told the BBC’s Stephen Sackur.

Santos insisted that if the agreement was to be rejected

by Colombians, the deal with the FARC would be off despite more than three years of negotiations.

The FARC has criticised the idea of a referendum, saying it was never meant to be part of the process. (Excerpt from BBC

News)

Trinidad to strengthen trade facilitation processes with help from the IDB

Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile and Peru are among the countries in Latin America that already have experienced significant improvements thanks to their single window programmes

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he Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a US$25 million loan to Trinidad and Tobago to help the twin-island republic improve its trade facilitation processes, part of an effort to boost and diversify the economy.

The loan will help strengthen the country’s Single Electronic Window for Trade and Business Facilitation Project (TTBizLink), a secure business portal created in 2009 that simplifies foreign trade and business processes by providing aroundthe-clock access to relevant Government services.

The platform seeks to substantially reduce time and costs of trade and business transactions for Private Sector

users while gathering and sharing relevant information among Government agencies to simplify processes and optimise revenue collection.

The 25-year loan will support business processing reengineering and risk management for Government agencies, an epayment solution, the connection with Ports and Customs systems, an intermodal logistics platform, and the interoperability with other single windows, among other things.

More than 70 countries around the world have implemented single-window systems, and multiple studies have shown that they experience substantial cost and time savings and enhanced transparency and interagency collaboration. (Caribbean360.com)

friday, november 20, 2015

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the world

Alleged architect of Paris At least 5 dead in Israel and West Bank attacks attacks killed in raid

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bdelhamid Abaaoud, the key suspect behind the Paris attacks, was killed in a Police raid early on Wednesday in the Saint Denis suburb, the Paris Prosecutor said.

“Abdelhamid Abaaoud has just been formally identified ... as having been killed during the raid” in a northern Paris suburb on Wednesday, Francois Molins said in a statement on Thursday.

The confirmation of his death followed fingerprint analysis, Molins added.

French Police are still looking for another alleged attacker, Salah Abdeslam, who is on the run.

Abaaoud, a 27-yearold Belgian national of Moroccan origin, allegedly orchestrated the attacks claimed by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Police originally thought

Belgian national Abdelhamid Abaaoud was killed in a Police operation in SaintDenis on Wednesday

he was in Syria, but their investigations led them to a house in the Paris suburb of Saint Denis and heavily armed officers stormed the

building before dawn, triggering a massive firefight and multiple explosions.

Three Police officials said a woman who died in the raid was Abaaoud’s cousin. One said Hasna Aitboulahcen, 26, is believed to have detonated a suicide vest after a brief conversation with Police Officers.

The official confirmed an audio recording, punctuated by gunshots, in which an officer asks: “Where is your boyfriend?” and she responded angrily: “He’s not my boyfriend!” Then loud bangs are heard.

Bernard Cazeneuve, the French Interior Minister, said Abaaoud had been involved in at least four previous foiled attacks, including an incident in August when a gunman tried to kill passengers on a high-speed train between Amsterdam and Paris. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

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t least five people have been killed in two alleged Palestinian attacks in Tel Aviv and the Gush Etzion Israeli settlement near Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, Israeli Police have said.

The first attack was allegedly carried out on Thursday by a knife-wielding man who fatally stabbed two Israeli men and seriously injured a third in a southern Tel Aviv office building. He was arrested at the scene.

Luba Samri, an Israeli Police Spokeswoman, said troops were searching for a possible accomplice of the

attacker, the Associated Press news agency reported.

Samri said the attacker was apprehended by civilians. She said he was a 24-year-old Palestinian from the West Bank village of Dura.

Shimon Vaknin, a witness, told Israeli Channel 2 TV that a bloodied man stumbled into the room where he prayed with companions. He described a dramatic standoff with the worshippers standing against the closed shop door as the assailant tried to force his way in.

“We were in the middle of prayers ... a man fell upon

us covered in blood, all cut up,” Vaknin said.

In a separate incident, three Palestinians allegedly opened fire on an Israeli car from a vehicle in the Gush Etzion settlement south of Bethlehem, killing at least an Israeli, a Palestinian and an American according to the Police.

Micky Rosenfeld, an Israeli Police Spokesman, said that two of the attackers were shot and captured while a search for the third was ongoing. At least seven other people were also wounded, a medical source said. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Antibiotic resistance: World on cusp of ‘post-antibiotic era’

T Libyan held over 1984 UK Police shooting A Libyan man has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder PC Yvonne Fletcher three decades ago.

PC Fletcher, 25, died after being shot while policing a demonstration outside the Libyan Embassy in London in 1984.

Scotland Yard described the arrest of the man, in his 50s, as a “significant development”.

He was detained on Thursday morning in south-east England and is now in custody. He was also held on suspicion of money laundering.

Two other Libyan na-

tionals – a woman in her 40s and a man in his 30s – were also arrested on suspicion of money laundering at separate addresses in London and south-east England.

PC Fletcher’s family said in a statement that her father Tim had recently died, with his “one regret in life” being that he had “never witnessed any justice”.

The Met is offering a reward of up to £50,000 for information.

PC Fletcher was one of 50 officers policing a protest against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s re-

gime outside the embassy when she was hit by a burst of gunfire from a first-floor window.

The death of Gaddafi in 2011 and the subsequent regime change provided new lines of enquiry, with Police visits to Libya since then unearthing “new and fresh evidence”.

The force has released images of 14 people they want to trace from a proGaddafi group, which was holding a counter-demonstration nearby.

Video footage of the demonstration and shooting has also been released.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Indian Muslims protest against deadly ISIL attacks

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prominent Muslim group in India organised protests across the country against recent deadly attacks in France, Lebanon, and Turkey by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

“Islam doesn’t permit killing of innocents. Since most of the killings are being done in the name of Islam and jihad, that’s why it is our religious duty to raise our voice against the act,” Maulana Mahmood Madani, chief of Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind, told Al Jazeera.

Thousands of Muslims across dozens of cities came out on the streets on Wednesday chanting slogans and raising banners against ISIL and its affiliated groups, Madani said.

“Those [ISIL] who

he world is on the cusp of a “post-antibiotic era”, scientists have warned after finding bacteria resistant to drugs used when all other treatments have failed.

They identified bacteria able to shrug off the drug of last resort – colistin – in patients and livestock in China.

They said that resistance would spread around the world and raised the spectre of untreatable infections.

It is likely resistance emerged after colistin was overused in farm animals.

Bacteria becoming completely resistant to treatment - -also known as the antibiotic apocalypse – could plunge medicine back into the dark ages.

Common infections would kill once again, while surgery and cancer therapies, which are reliant on antibiotics, would be under threat.

Chinese scientists identified a new mutation, dubbed the MCR-1 gene, that prevented colistin from killing bacteria.

The report in the Lancet

Resistance to colistin has emerged before. However, the crucial difference this time is the mutation has arisen in a way that is very easily shared between bacteria

Infectious Diseases showed resistance in a fifth of animals tested, 15 per cent of raw meat samples and in 16 patients.

And the resistance had spread between a range of bacterial strains and species, including E coli, Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

There is also evidence that it has spread to Laos and Malaysia.

Professor Timothy Walsh, who collaborat-

ed on the study, from the University of Cardiff, told the BBC News website: “All the key players are now in place to make the post-antibiotic world a reality.

“If MCR-1 becomes global, which is a case of when not if, and the gene aligns itself with other antibiotic resistance genes, which is inevitable, then we will have very likely reached the start of the post-antibiotic era.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Syria crisis: Assad says no transition while ‘terrorists’ remain A surge in ISIL attacks has taken place around the world in recent weeks [Manish Swarup/AP]

are doing this are really Allah’s rebels,” the Jamiat leader said.

The activists held placards with messages reading “ISIS is a threat to humanity,” and “Stop ISIS everywhere.”

“We have received huge support. Almost all Muslim organisations have joined us from across India,” said

Madani.

Irfan Ahmad, Associate Professor of political anthropology at the Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, told Al Jazeera the Indian protesters demonstrated because they have been stigmatised over the false notion that they support terrorism. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

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yria’s President Bashar al-Assad has said a political process to end the country’s bloody civil war cannot begin while it is occupied by “terrorists”.

Assad told Italian State Television the timetable for elections “starts after starting to defeat terrorism”.

It is unclear whether he was referring only to Islamic State (IS) militants or also to Westernbacked rebels.

Last week, 19 countries – including Assad’s allies – set a deadline of January 1 for the start of peace talks.

They signed a UN statement that calls for a ceasefire to be agreed by May 14, 2016 and for free elections to be held a year later.

Neither the Syrian Government nor Opposition were invited to take part in the event in Vienna so that the countries could present a unified message.

In an interview with

Rai TV broadcast on Wednesday night, the Syrian President stressed that no deadline for the start of a political transition could be set while parts of the country were not controlled by his Government.

“This timetable starts after starting defeating terrorism. You cannot achieve anything politically while you have the terrorists taking over many areas in Syria,” he said.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

16 news

friday, November 20, 2015| guyanatimesGY.com

GTU threats of industrial action

President meets with Union T wo days after the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) threatened to resume industrial action over its frustration with government on various outstanding issues, including de-bunching payments, President David Granger on

He noted that one of the matters of major concern to the Union has to do with the de-bunching of payments, which would ensure teachers are paid based on their qualifications. “The assurance we have been given is that the President will dis-

President David Granger in conversation with members of the Guyana Teachers’ Union at the Ministry of the Presidency

Thursday met with the union.

Discussion at the meeting centred on issues regarding the multi-year agreement the Union has had with the Government since 2011. The meeting was held at the Ministry of the Presidency.

In a brief comment after the meeting, President of the GTU Mark Lyte said the Union is hoping to sort this matter out with the new administration so that it can provide its membership with much-needed clarity. The existing agreement comes to an end in December.

cuss this matter with the Finance Minister and give us a feedback in the near future,” the GTU president said.

In 2011, the union successfully negotiated a multiyear remuneration package for teachers, inclusive of a five per cent annual across the board increase as well as other non-salary benefits.

Six months ago, the union had taken industrial action – in the form of the “Work to Rule” process – to retaliate against Government’s nonpayment of de-bunching money. However, the action was suspended following the General and Regional

Elections the same month.

But the GTU has stated it will resume the action countrywide if the situation continues. Speaking at a media conference on Tuesday, Lyte said teachers are so frustrated over the delayed de-bunching of payments that they have extended their support to the union to resume the industrial action. “Our teachers are agitated,” he warned.

The union head expressed frustration that the GTU is being pushed around for the monies promised to teachers in the public system. He explained that they were recently told Cabinet would deal with the payment but on Monday, they received a correspondence which stated that the matter was referred back to the Permanent Secretary of the Education Ministry.

The payment of debunching monies was promised to teachers as part of an agreement inked between the GTU and former People’s Progressive Party/ Civic administration. The multi-year agreement covered the period 2011 to 2015.

Apart from de-bunching, several other outstanding issues were raised during the media briefing by executive members of the union.

These included the house revolving fund, house lot allocations, and permanent certificates for teachers doing the Associate Degree in Education (ADE programme), among others.

Guyana, New Zealand share common sustainability approach – High Commissioner

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ew Zealand’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Jan Henderson paid a courtesy call on President David Granger on Thursday during which discussions were centred on ways in which the longstanding relationship between the two countries were strengthened.

High Commissioner Henderson, in an invited comment to the Government Information Agency (GINA), said: “Particularly we were looking at engagements around the green economy.

New Zealand is very passionate about the environment and conservation and also about agriculture and

how we really make our way in the world by utilising the land, but being very conscious about its sustainability.”

Against this backdrop, the High Commissioner, who is based in Barbados, said that it was her opinion that New Zealand’s approach was very consistent with Guyana’s approach.

Demerara Timbers workers down tools, demand pay increase – Ministry to meet with Union, company

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ome 70 workers of the Demerara Timbers Limited (DTL) went on strike Thursday, calling for an increase in salaries.

The strike crippled the Company’s operations at Mabura Hill, Region 10.

According to a release from the workers’ union, Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), since June 22 it has been seeking to engage the DTL to discuss various issues raised by workers.

Among the issues: wage/ salary increase of 12 per cent, meal and station allowances to be increase by 12 per cent, night premium for security personnel including suitable guard huts, issuance of personal protective gears, and improvement

in the quantum of annual level.

GAWU stated it persevered until it was successful in getting the company to engage in a Collective Bargaining. The union added it attended three meetings with DTL officials – the last one being Tuesday last.

According to GAWU, during the meeting the company did not approve any wage hike but offered a Christmas bonus of $5000 to each worker in lieu of a wage increase for 2015: “The company said it could not offer an increase in light of the company’s revenue position.”

Following the outcome of that meeting, workers downed tools and participated in a “spirited picketing exercise” at Mabura Hill on

NIS launches online contribution checking system

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he National Insurance Scheme (NIS) on Thursday promised the general public much improvement from the entity as it launched the insurance company’s online contribution checking system at Cara Lodge, Georgetown.

Over the years, the NIS has come in for great criticism with respect to the need for a more convenient and easily accessible means for checking contributions.

As such to deliver this service to contributors, the online contribution checking system (OCCS) was developed. The system is an innovative option for accessing contribution updates as well as making contribution queries via the internet. Generally, the database is updated quarterly with extractions from the live NIS database.

It must be noted that this programme was initially launched in April 2015, but was now re-launched with additional functions.

NIS General Manager Doreen Nelson explained to those gathered that though the entity is still faced with difficulties in dealing with thousands

of persons on a daily basis, this programme is now moving the institution into the future. She reminded that it is not only the responsibility of the NIS to ensure all the public information is up to par, but also that of employers.

She noted that over the years, many persons had visited NIS to enquire about their contributions only to find that their employers were not performing their duties, forcing

Chairman of the Board of Directors of NIS Dr Surendra Persaud addressing those gathered on Thursday

the insurance company to take legal actions against such per-

North Ruimveldt execution

Suspect in custody P

olice have arrested a suspect as investigations continue into Wednesday’s shooting, which left a Festival City, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, man dead and his five-year-old son injured.

Christopher Wharton, called “Chrissy” and “Taps” of Bogey Peck Street, Festival City, was shot several times about his body while his son, Nashan, sustained a gunshot injury to his right foot, when two men stormed into their yard and one of them opened fire.

Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Wendell Blanhum, con-

firmed on Thursday that investigators, acting on intelligence gathered, arrested one of the suspected perpetrators.

“He was attempting to leave the city. He was in a Linden bus travelling along the East Bank when he was taken out of the minibus by Police Officers,” Blanhum disclosed.

The Crime Chief further stated that the suspect in custody is believed to be the one who fired the shots, killing Wharton and injuring his son.

Guyana Times was made to understand that the man in custody, as well as his accomplice, is known characters to the Police.

Dead: Christoher Wharton

According to reports, around 17:00h on Wednesday,

Thursday. The workers used placards to express their dissatisfaction with what the company is offering.

Some of the slogans carried by the workers include: “No increase, No work”; “We need 12 per cent increase”, “$5,000 is an insult”, “DTL unfair to workers” and “We need Madam Broomes to sweep Mabura.”

Meanwhile, after the deadlock in the talks between the Union and DTL on Tuesday, GAWU promptly requested the conciliatory services of the Ministry of Social Protection.

A meeting has since been scheduled between the union and the company for 13:30h today at the Ministry’s boardroom on Brickdam, Georgetown.

Wharton was at home when two men rode up on a motorcycle. The men entered the yard and upon confronting Wharton, one of them opened fire.

The father of one was rushed to seek medical attention but succumbed to his injuries some two hours later.

However, no one knew about the injury on his son’s foot until the child was about to shower later that evening.

The dead man’s cousin Jennely Mulligan, who spoke with Guyana Times on Thursday said at the time when the men confronted Wharton, he was sitting on his front step with his five-

year-old son. “So the guys who approach him, rush straight up the step towards him and like he push off one of them and then the other one pull out a gun and start firing shots. One of the bullets even knock the lil boy but he is at the hospital taking treatment right now,” she added.

Mulligan further disclosed that before her cousin died, he called the names of the two men who shot him.

The 41-year-old leaves to mourn his son, three brothers, parents and other relatives and friends. A post-mortem examination is expected to be conducted today.

sons. Nelson added that this is one of the situations the entity is attempting to bring an end to.

Recently appointed Chairman of the board of directors of the NIS Dr Surendra Persaud explained that when the new board took office, they were handed many of the shortcomings of the previous body, hence they are now hoping to create a new path not only for the agency but for all Guyanese.

He further shared that persons cannot expect to benefit from NIS if they do not contribute in the manner that is required by law. “The majority of complaints about the NIS revolve around the accuracy of the contribution record. The NIS accepts that the records are less than perfect and the inconsistency in these records is a source of great dissatisfaction to all Guyanese. But this new programme gives the opportunity to ensure accuracy, which is the very reason this launching is being done”, Persaud stated.

The company also promised that this is the first such that it has to offer the general public to make life a little easier.

To access contributions online, persons are asked to visit the website at contributions. nis.org.gy, and complete and submit a registration form.

The administrator will then review the information and approve the account, after which the user will be sent their login details. The new user will also be able to access their bio data as well as their NIS contributions. The company is also reminding the public that all persons between the ages of 16 to 60 are required by law to contribute to NIS. It is important to note that the online database was last updated on October 31, 2015 and reflects the contributions made up to October 15, 2015.

Any difference in online and official statement should be corrected when the database is next updated.

Friday, November 20, 2015

guyanatimesgy.com

F

ans of Guyana’s award-winning theatrical production Naya Zamana are in for an end of the year treat as the show makes it way to New York on December 5 for one show only at the York College Performing Arts Centre.

As it celebrates its 20th year, the dance drama superbly fuses the best of Bollywood and Broadway, creating a show-stopping spectacle which takes one’s breath away.

Dr Vindhya Vasini Persaud, the

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creative mind behind Naya Zamana, will take the audience on a non-stop journey of music, song, dance and drama in a gripping story set on a cruise ship.

Stops at scenic destinations around the world give the audience a chance to go on a whirlwind tour with the characters. This feel good production gives the audience the opportunity to participate in the plots, the entertainment and yes, to travel vicariously.

he 15th Edition of the King’s Jewellery World Duck Curry competition is billed for Sunday, November 29 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara.

The event will see 27 local duck curry champions, including three from the recently concluded Digicel Duck Curry Competition, competing for over a million dollars in trophies and prizes. There will also be participation by groups from the United States of America, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname and Barbados. The competition starts at 14:00h and the entries will be judged on texture, aroma and taste.

There will be prizes for the best presentation and largest group among others.

However, as the sun sets, patrons will be in for a treat as several regional,

Music generously interspersed throughout Naya Zamana will take all back and forth through the ages.

The talented Vishalie Sukhram, E-Networks Emerging Voice Winner 2014, also lends her voice to the production.

Romance, thrills, a gamut of emotions cascade and a twist throughout the plot will ensure that Naya Zamana – The New York Edition will keep patrons on the edge of their seats.

international and local artistes will be performing.

Headlining the event will be Reigning Chutney Monarch

Cutting edge choreography is brought to life by the 20-member cast coming from Guyana.

Hundreds of glamorous costumes, artistic sets and props designed by Trishala Simantini Persaud perfectly complement this much awaited production which will definitely leave theatre goers wanting more.

Tickets for the production cost US$50 for VIP reserved seating and US$30 for general seating and are available at Star Music – 113 Street

Rikki Jai; Guyana’s own Terry Gajraj; and Trinidad and Tobago’s number one cross over band, Karma, featuring Ravi B and Nesha B. There will also be several local artistes and the Shakti String Orchestra with its versatile singers, Pooran Seeraj, Yoland Nedd, Steven Ramphall and others.

In addition, tassa lovers can dance to the sounds of several tassa groups out of the Twin Island Republic and Guyana. Admission to the event is free.

The 15th Annual Duck Curry Competition is sponsored by Kings Jewellery World, Banks DIH, Digicel, Maggie and others.

Be sure you don’t miss this one.

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and Liberty Avenue; Spice World, 124 Street and Liberty Avenue; Saree Couture, 127-05 101 Avenue, Richmond Hill, NY; Sybil’s Bakery, 13217 Liberty Avenue, Jamaica, NY; Jaichand Jewellery, Lefferts and Liberty Avenue; Central Auto Repairs, 123-34 Rockaway Blvd, South Ozone Park, Queens, or by calling VJ on telephone number 347-645-0046 or Dev on telephone number 347-2913807.

s the Guyana Police Force continues to forge a relationship between its ranks and the public, A Division (Georgetown-East Bank Demerara) will be hosting its first ever karaoke this evening at the Brickdam Police Station.

The event will take the form of a social meet, where the hierarchy of the Police Force will take the opportunity to mix and mingle with the public.

The public and ranks of the Force can also participate in the karaoke singing which will start at 19:00h. Apart from the karaoke, there will be a well stocked bar. The public is encouraged to come out and support the Police Force as they maintain a good relationship with the public.

Admission to the event is absolutely free.

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guyanatimesgy.com

friday, NOVEMber 20, 2015

his year, the Miss Guyana Universe Pageant was held at the Princess Hotel and would

Kiswana Abimola Jefford

have seen some elegant and not so elegant gowns designed by both local and international designers.

The evening gown segment was keenly contested and the gowns were gracefully displayed by the nine

Diana Ahmad

delegates who competed for the coveted title.

In this edition of Guyana Times

Babita Devi Seelall

Entertainment, we are pleased to feature the gowns of the Miss Guyana Universe Pageant.

Malika Russell

Shauna Ramdyhan

Najuma Nelson

Meleisa Celeine De Freitas

Zena Althea Bland

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easing, better known as “tantalising” in Guyana is nothing new since it is imbedded in our culture. We hear it at home, work, Parliament and in minibuses.

But it does not get better than on the stage when we bring together 12 of Guyana’s best young comedians, on one night, in one place, on one stage to face off for half a million in cash and the legendary “Habeeb Khan Trophy”.

The battle is set for this Saturday at Demerara Park, opposite Thirst Park in Georgetown.

Among the line-up are Floyd Martindale, Brian Goodman, Adrian, “Ugly Cuffy”, Kwasi “Ace” Edmondson, Jermaine Grimmond, Mike Benjamin, Sean Thompson, Mark Luke Edwards, Michael Ignatius, Max Messiah and Chris Gopaul.

The hosts of the verbal war are Jumbie and Chow Pow, who will have their own battle which will add to the

night of extreme laughter – the first of which will be the famous “Sir Mars” in a “king” competition.

Comedy Slam started back in the days when the audience would heckle Habeeb Khan during his

performances, only to be ‘slammed’ for their efforts, since Habeeb “never tek leff”.

It continued at the Upscale with the likes of Lyndon “Jumbie” Jones, Henry Rodney and Kirk “Chow Pow”

Jardine and the audiences loved it.

The art of “slam” or “snap” as it is called in the USA, is an integral part of a comedians’ repertoire. The great Richard Pryor was the Master of the “slam”.

One would give Henry Rodney that tittle as he is one of the best at it on our shores presently.

Rodney, however, will be functioning in the capacity as Judge this coming Saturday.

With the c o n t e s t a n t s having had tastes of competition experience derived from competing in the “Uncensored” event, comedy fans are really in for a special treat and we know “yuh gon laff till yuh teeth hut”.

The competition will have two segments – the “slam” where the

Tricia Marie Quail

contestants will have a faceoff against each other after which they will be required to perform individual 10-minute routines. The points will be tallied and the winner will be crowned.

Judges include Dustani Barrow, Henry Rodney, Leslyn Bobb-Semple and queen of comedy Odessa Primus.

Tickets for the event cost $1000 and can be uplifted at White Castle Fish Shop, Gismos and Gadgets, Nigel’s Supermarket and the Garage Bar and Grill.

Fans are warned that the event will start promptly at 20:00h. A wellstocked Banks bar and Banks Mobile Kitchen with waiters to serve will be in attendance.

The event will cater to an adult audience so fans are encouraged to leave their children and dentures at home. The “King Of The Ground Comedy Slam” is on!

guyanatimesgy.com

friDAY, november 20, 2015

“R

eflections”, one of Guyana’s signature Fashion Shows, was first held in November 2012.

It was dubbed a major success attracting not only local but regional media attention.

Guyanese Fashion Designer Nelsion Andre Nurse will yet again captivate patrons and fashion lovers with his third chapter called “The Genesis” which is set for Saturday, November 21.

Model casting for the show was hosted recently for the selection of local models that will be joining a visiting cast of models from Suriname.

This time around, our curvy ladies and wellrounded men are sure to rake in a space on the runway now that Nurse is accepting both male and female plus size models.

Reflections is more than just the regular fashion show, since it is choreographed to tell a fashion story, incorporating music, dance and drama.

As such, patrons will be treated to performances by Kross Kolor recording artistes who will be launching a Christmas Album of original local tracks by the very

T

he Indian movie “Masala” is being taken in a unique direction with the upcoming staging of an Indian Retro Concert at the Rose Hall Canje Ground, Berbice on Saturday evening.

It is now cliché to say “oldies are goldies”, but when it comes to the music of Hindi cinema, no one can really argue with that.

Songs of the 50s and the three decades that followed remain some of the most popular filmi songs, be it the sensual “Aaiye Meharbaan” (Howrah Bridge, 1958) or the soulful “Lag Ja Gale” (Woh Kaun Thi, 1964).

Be it romance, comedy, cabaret, or even an ode to Orient nations, Bollywood delivered in the good old days. When the 1980s was breaking out in the West, so versatile Mellissa Roberts, also known as “Vanilla”, Jovinski Thorne and others under the KKR label.

Teron Marshall, Mickael Sam and other artistes are also slated to perform. Lots of sizzling performances will also be coming from the Classique Dance Company which is slated to perform the night of the show. Also

on the platter is Kelton Jennings, from the ‘Unique Arts’ dance group.

The audience this time will be lucky to access giveaways form KrossKolor Recording Studio, Simpli Royal Salon and Spa, and some of our local designers carded to showcase at the event. Also expected is a wine tasting segment from

A

too it was in the East, with Bollywood churning out some of the best disco music the industry has ever produced.

Now, Black Sage Media, a cultural development organisation made up of a diverse group of young professionals, in association with the Indian Action Committee (formerly Indian Arrival Committee) has teamed up to present openair concerts featuring evergreen Hindi classics.

The first concert, featuring a range of songs and dances, starts at 19:00h.

Sponsors of the event are ANSA McAL and the Tourism Ministry, with support from TVG/Radio Guyana International, Auto Fashion and Perception Incorporated.

Pandama Wine Company.

Patrons will be able to view on stage designs by some of Guyana’s leading designers, inclusive of Sonia Noel, and by visiting regional designers and Keshon Hawthorne of Jamaica.

Keshon was a finalist in Caribbean Reality TV Show, Mission Catwalk.

A

ll roads will lead to the Guyana National Stadium on Saturday evening for the long anticipated “Jail Timesis Waste Time” concert. The event is expected to feature Jamaican dancehall artiste Popcaan along with a host of local artistes.

The event which is promoted by 007 Promotions, The Creator Family and Trinity Promotion, are moving apace with preparations for the event that is expected to be grand. Security at the event will be strict and patrons will not be allowed into the venue with any

19

s Xtra Energy Beverage Company gets set to officially launch the Xtra Beer on November 28 at the Hits and Jams Water World featuring some of the Region’s best artistes, Darmin’s Bar at Better Hope, East Coast Demerara is kicking things off.

For every six-pack of beer purchased at Darmin’s Bar on Friday evening, customers will receive a free ticket to the official launch party, compliments of the Xtra.

The launch party will feature Trinidad’s soca sensation Patrice Roberts, Jamaican dancehall artiste I-Octane and De Marco.

Several local artistes including Jackie Jaxx and Jumo Primo will also be performing at the event. Both artistes are known for performing. Come November 28, patrons will be fully entertained.

The promotion starts at 18:00h and lasts for three hours. Remember the place to be this evening is Darmin’s Bar, opposite the Better Hope Community Centre Ground.

form of firearm.

Apart from the Jamaican artiste, Guyana’s own Timeka Marshall, Kwasi “Ace” Edmondson, Jumo Primo, Calvin Burnette, Brandon Harding, Lil Million, Shelly G, Solutions, Flava, Remar and Jory Hector will take to the stage. Known for their energetic performances, they are bound to put you in the mood for a fantastic evening.

Also adding some vibes to the night will be Mr Wickedee, Gully Ras, Magnum, Selector Face and Deejay Puffy.

The “Jail Time is Waste Time” concert is sponsored by the Ministries of Education, Public Security, and Social Protection; Palm Court; Corona Extra; E-Networks; and National Hardware.

Part of the concert’s proceeds will go to the rebuilding of the Tiger Bay Community Centre and the commencement of the Hope Project’s Mechanical Engineering Programme for inner city youths. VIP tickets for the event are available while general admission will be $2000.

20

friday, November 20, 2015

EBSC Busta Festival bowls off this weekend

Flashback! Enterprise Captain Parmanand Dindyal (right) receives the championship trophy from Guyana Beverage Company’s Managing Director, Robert Selman, for winning the 2014 competition

T

he eighth annual Busta T20 Festival organised by the Enterprise Busta Sports Club (EBSC) will bowl off this weekend with nine matches at various venues on the East Coast of Demerara.

A total of 18 teams will compete for top honours, with a first prize of $50,000 and the Busta trophy up for grabs. The losing finalist will pocked $25,000 and a trophy, while the Player-ofthe-Final and the batsman with the most runs and the bowler with the most wickets will all receive cash incentives.

Four games will be played at two venues on Saturday. At the Enmore Community Centre ground, Avish Auto Sales will take on Golden Achievers at 09:30h, followed by host Enmore against Golden Grove at 13:30h.

Over on the Enterprise ground, Fairfield will face Strathavon at 09:30h, and Confusion XI and Buxton will square off at 13:30h.

On Sunday at the Ogle ground, Enterprise B are down to face Mon Repos at 09:30h and Bravado will meet Ogle at 13:30h, while over on the Better Hope ground, the home team will

collide with Mahaica at 13:30h.

At the Enterprise ground, defending champions Enterprise A will tackle Ogle Masters at 09:30h, followed by Enterprise XI against Helena at 13:30h.

Since nine teams will advance to the next round of the knockout competition, an eliminator will be played on November 28 to determine the final quarter-final spot. The quarter-finals are billed for the following day.

The semi-finals will take place on December 5, while the championship game will be held the next day.

Tradewind Tankers volleyball serves off today

By Avenash Ramzan

T

he National Gymnasium will be transformed into a battlefield over the weekend when male and female teams from three Caribbean nations face off in the fifth annual Tradewind Tankers International volleyball tournament.

The Mandela Avenue facility will host the three-day competition, which will see rivalry among representative teams from host Guyana, neighbouring Suriname and the twin-island republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

The premier volleyball tournament on the local calendar is being held under the auspices of the Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF).

Media Liaison, Ian Wills, confirmed to this publication on

T

he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) on Thursday sponsored the airline ticket for the National Under-23 and Alpha United's captain Daniel Wilson, to attend a tryout with Major League Soccer (MLS) club, Sporting Kansas City.

The 22 year-old Wilson will join Slingerz FC and Dominican International Julian Wade at the threeday tryout in an attempt to become the second Guyanese (after Gregory Richardson) to play in the MLS.

Category finals set for Saturday at DCC T The runner-up of both categories are assured of $25,000 each, while the winner and loser of the exhibition female match are guaranteed $50,000 and $20,000 respectively.

Additionally, the Most Valuable Player of the three finals will receive $5000 each. The Player of the Series for the three categories will collect a trophy and $5000.

The Open category finalists will be decided early in the day at the GNIC Ground when Die Hard Brothers play Regal at 09:30h, and Adventure Sports Club bat-

tle Wolf’s Warriors from 12:30h. The Open final will start at 21:15h at the DCC Ground.

Prior to that, Parika Defenders will take on reigning Guyana Softball Cup Masters champions Regal Masters in the Masters final, starting at 17:30h, while Trophy Stall Angels and Wellwoman will meet in the female game at 20:00h.

Below are the results of the Masters semi-finals.

Regal Masters defeated Park Rangers by 99 runs.

Regal 213-3 off 20 overs (Eon Abel 110*, Rudolph Baker

At least five male players who were part of Team Guyana at the recently concluded South American Championship in Brazil will be on show, while four females who have been identified to represent Guyana at beach volleyball in Uruguay in early December will suit up for the GVF Select unit.

The tournament is set for a grand opening today at 16:00h at the National Gymnasium with Sport Minister Nicolette Henry, Director of Sport Christopher Jones and Guyana Olympic Association president K.A. Juman Yassin among the dignitaries expected to attend.

The tournament is being exclusively sponsored by Tradewind Tankers, the shipping company for the Guyana Oil Company (GUYOIL), to the tune of $2.5 million.

GFF sponsors airline ticket for Wilson

Petama Enterprise/Motor Trend softball he powerful light towers at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) Ground in Queenstown will be switched on Saturday evening to accommodate the category finals of the Petama Enterprise/Motor Trend softball cricket competition.

Co-sponsored by Mike’s Pharmacy, Ariel Enterprise, Trophy Stall, Romeo Oil Seal, Tropical Spring Water, Ramchand Auto Spares, and Rohan Auto Spares, the competition has a top prize of $100,000 each for the winners of the Male Masters and Male Open divisions.

Thursday that all the logistics are in place for the event.

“All plans are in place, and I assure you that we can expect three days of exciting volleyball,” Wills assured.

Suriname will be represented by top club side Yelco, who won the female segment last year, and the Trinidad and Tobago flag will adorn the uniforms of the Big Sepos players, who copped the male title in 2014.

According to Wills, teams from Brazil and French Guiana had indicated an interest in competing at the championship, but both are currently engaged in tournaments back home.

Guyana will be represented by two male teamsone each from Berbice and Demerara- while the female squad will be labelled a GVF Select unit.

64*); Park Rangers 114 all out from 18 overs (Talesh Ramoutar 24, Mahendra Arjune 2-15, Mahendra Hardyal 2-34).

Parika Defenders defeated Fishermen Masters by 31 runs. Parika 119 all out from 20 overs (Faslim Bacchus 28, Asif Ahmad 25, L Persaud 4-23, Jagdesh Persaud 2-23) Fishermen 88 all out from 17.3 overs (R Persaud 26, Kabesh Persaud 3-8, Devanand Kannan 2-6, Faslim Baksh 2-14).

Admission to the games is free, and teams are required to be at the venue by 16:00h.

GFF First Vice-president Bruce Lovell presents Daniel Wilson with his airline ticket

Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Missouri, playing its home games in Kansas City.

The club competes in the Western Conference of the MLS and is one of the 10 charter teams having competed in the league since 1996.

The team was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1995.

Since moving across the state line, they have been the only major professional sports league franchise to play their home games in Kansas. Canadian Football Hall of Famer Alex Bunbury selected the two based on the talent exhibited thus far in their young careers.

Sporting Kansas City

has invited them to their 'invite only' three-day trials from November 21-23.

Wilson and Wade are scheduled to arrive in Kansas City today, and if successful, they will receive pre-contracts and then sign their official contracts during the MLS transfer window in January.

The move is seen as a in lifetime opportunity that is expected to open doors for other Guyanese footballers in the future. This tryout for Sporting FC was made possible by Guyana Born Canadian Football Hall of Famer Alex Bunbury, his 442 Management Agency (USA), Junior Forrester and Next Generation Entertainment- Guyana).

sports

YELLOW PAGES friday, NOvember 20, 2015

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21

Battle rages on in Mobile Wizard 10/10 – Wins for Wolf Warriors, Speedboat, Omesh XI, Settle XI; Leonora Youths

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s the matches continued in the Mobile Wizard 10/10 organized by the Guyana Softball League in collaboration with the West Demerara Softball League, Wolf Warriors defeated Power XI by 50 runs. Power XI won the toss and elected to field and the pair of Vickash Dhaniram 32(2x4s, 3x6s) and Safraz Karim repaired some early damage with a partnership of 59 in quick time and took an outstanding fielding and direct hit from the mid-wicket boundary to separate the two. Karim then unleashed an array of stokes which brought him some 85 runs laced with 11 sixes. The bowling of Jai Chakravarty up front 2-15 was outstanding for the Power XI line up.

In their turn at the crease opening bat Ravi Lalldeo starting in a blaze clobbering Fazir Hussain for 14 runs in the opening over. His exuberance got the better of him and when on 24 he played over a straight ball from Vishnu Tamechandra and was bowled. The inning fell away after that and they were bowled out for 96 in 9.3 overs. Khemraj Ramsundar was the pick of the bowlers for Wolf warriors with 2-13 from 2 overs.

In the next match Speedboat defeated Zeeburg Warriors by 9 wickets. Zeeburg Warriors won the toss and batted scoring 89 all out in 9.2 overs with the inform Zaman Baskh top scoring with 35 (1x4, 5x6s). No other batsman was able to get into double figures. Speedboat XI in their turn hit off the reached 90 runs for the loss of one wicket with Anand Bharat not out on 26(2x4s,2x6s) and Wazim Sundar not out on 34(2x4s,4x6s).

Wolf Warriors humbled Vipers XI by 8 wickest. Vipers XI batted first and scored 84-9 in 10 overs. Steve Mohamed ripped through the batting taking 4-2 in 2 overs with one maiden taking the bowling honors. In reply Wolf Warriors reached 86 for 1 in 5.1 overs with Safraz Karim scoring

Safraz Karim

an unbeaten 27(3x4s,1x6) and Lincoln Leander with 42 not out( 5x6s).

Settle XI defeated Ocean View XI by 18 runs. Settle XI scored 143-6 in 10 overs with extras top scoring with 33. Ocean View XI replied with 125-6 when their overs ran out. They batting of Adrian Ramsammy nearly saw them home blasting 58 off 14 balls laced with 7 enormous sixes and 2 fours but with the fall of his wicket order was restored for Settle XI. Skipper Nazim Azeem who continues to impress took 2-9 off 2 overs.

Leonora Youths stops Next Level in their tracks by 26 runs. Leonora Youths were inserted and scored 1405 in 10 overs. Chris Sookram held the innings together with a responsible 43(3x4s, 3x6s) and with firstly and then Ramcoomar Tulsiram 24(2x6s) and then Premendra Arjune 25(1x4, 2x6s) gave them some respectability.

Narendra Hussain 2-30 was the best bowler for Next Level XI. In their turn Next Level gave the Lenorians a good run by scoring 114 when overs ran

out. Narendra Hussain returned to blast 26 off 7 balls before he was run out. Ramcoomar Tulsiram returned to snare 3-14 from his 2 overs. Omesh XI continues their winning ways by defeating Brickery XI by 61 runs: Omesh XI took the first strike and rattled up 157 -2 in 10 overs with Vickram Kissoon who is enjoying the best time in his batting life clobbering 81 not out (5x4s, 8x6s) off 21 balls and in partnership with Omesh Parboo 54 not out (3x4s, 4x6s) took the score from 57 to 157 scoring exactly 100 in the last 5 overs. In reply Brickery XI overs ran out on them scoring 96-3 in 10 overs with Anand Chetram with 43 not out (5x4) trying his utmost to realize a victory.

ZONE B: At Bonasika: A & Z Sports Ground: Bonasika Challengers defeated Bonasika XI by 3 wickets. Bonasika XI won the toss and batted scoring 121 all out in 10 overs Jai Kumar scoring 37 (3x4s, 3x6s). In reply Bonasika Challengers XI were made to struggle as they only achieved their target with one ball to spare scoring 128-7 with Smith Roberts being at the end not out with 42 (2x4s, 4x6s).

Additionally East Bank zone will begin this weekend and two teams from West Coast zone will be chosen to compete against two Linden all-star teams at the Linden 10/10 finals organized by the Linden Softball Cricket League. The Guyana Softball League will also run off a minor League 10/10 for the primary school teams sponsored

by Rohan Furniture Establishment of Tuschen on the west coast of Demerara.

Notwithstanding the fact that the 10/10 is a creation of the Guyana Softball League the members of GSL will further push the game with the Coastal 10/10 those teams in that area starting on the East Coast of Demerara at the month end. (akeemg@guyanatimesgy.com)

PMCC and Albion clash in 16th Wolf Memorial to start this month end Balram Shane 50-over tournament – $200,000 worth in prizes up for grabs

T

T

he 16th Annual Balram Shane 50 overs cricket match between archrivals, defending champions Albion Community and Port Mourant is billed for Sunday at the Port Mourant Community Centre.

A day full of action is anticipated since both teams are boosted with a number of quality players including Loydell Lewis, Ariff Chan, Joshua Ramsammy, Demetri Cameron, Manoj Lokhnauth, Troy Gonsalves, Avishkar Sewkarran and Chanderpaul Hemraj among others. The game starts at 09:30h.

A close and reviving encounter is anticipated, with the winning team set to receive the Balram Shane Memorial trophy and cash incentives while the losers will also be adequately rewarded.

A number of individual awards will also be up for grabs including the man of the match, best bowler and best batsman among others.

Meanwhile, the fourth

Chanderpaul Hemraj

annual Volleyball competition for teams in Berbice will play simultaneously on the newly built multiplex volleyball court at the Port Mourant Community Centre, beginning at 09:00h.

Most of the top volleyball teams in Berbice including Guysuco Training Centre/ Port Mourant (GTC/PM) which is expected to field more than one outfit, Port Mourant Jaguars, Albion Community Centre, Falcons of East Canje, Rollers of New Amsterdam and Three Door Strikers of West Berbice, No 53 and Skeldon are expected to participate.

he Wolf Memorial softball cricket tournament will begin on November 29 and will be played on a round robin basis.

The tournament is in memory of Imaam Hussain who is the father of Imran Hussain proprietor of Wolf’s Furniture store. The tournament will have about $200,000 in prizes and will be played with the “big ball” that can be bought from trophy stall in Bourda market.

The balls will also be at the grounds and at Wolf’s Furniture Store for the West Coast teams. The winner of the tournament will receive $100,000 plus a trophy, runners up $50,000 plus trophy and the MVP of the tournament one suite compliments of Wolf’s Furniture Store.

The tournament organisers are the Guyana Softball League (GSL) and they will be hoping to have approximately 30 teams in the open category.

The masters category will consist of players over the age of 40 and 23 teams are

expected to participate. Most area boards have been informed of the competition are expected to galvanize teams in their area in order to have the maximum participation.

The rules and playing conditions of the tournament can be uplifted from all reps and any teams wishing to participate can contact the following persons :WEST COAST - Leonard Harprashad – 6460568/268-2458;EAST BANK – Shafeek Mohamed -6572300/265-4720; East Coast – Nadir Baskh 222-3605 (After 5.30pm) ;Bashir Khan – 6090161; Essequibo -Ragubar612-3973; Upper Corentyne – James Hart- 628-2391/3353111; Lower Corentyne – Omeshwar Sirikishun332-1127/627-5788;W.C.BAlston Barrington – 6288291; Georgetown-(contact Leonard Harprashad – 6460568; New Amsterdam – Pinkey Arthur- 615-2493; Linden – Mortimer Denny – 442-1562/ 639-0057. Any team not making contact with any representative contact GSL direct on tel number 268-2458.

22

guyanatimesGY.com

friday, November 20, 2015

Inter-Ministry/Corporation futsal

Trophy Stall hands over 1st place trophy

Ramnarine Appiah Memorial T20 cricket competition

Betsy Ground Triple Star secure consecutive wins

with Devanand Cyril 51 and Imran Hussain 40. K Doerga took 3-23. BGTS raced to 169-3 off 16.3 overs to complete their second win of the day. T Ramdat 47, R Jugisteer 29 and W Sobhai 23 were the major contributors for the winners.

Over at Rose Hall Estate Ground, Kendalls Union ‘A’ won against Seawell by six wickets and give themselves a good chance of securing

Anirudh Woarti

B From left: Trophy Stall Proprietor Ramesh Sunich, Foreign Affairs Ministry Captain Kerwin Clarke, Banks DIH Captain Phillip Rowley and tournament organiser Esan Griffith at the handing over

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rophy Stall is at it again, this time around making a contribution to the Banks Beer Inter-Ministry/ Corporation futsal tournament on Thursday at its main branch in Bourda Market.

The company delivered the Tournament’s top trophy along with a few other prizes for the final of the Tournament which will be contested tonight at

the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall between Banks DIH and the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

At the simple handing over ceremony, organiser of the futsal tournament, Esan Griffith thanked Trophy Stall for its investment, noting that it was a timely contribution.

Proprietor of the popular business, Ramesh Sunich was once again pleased to support the

event and pledged his continued support of the tournament.

Banks DIH Captain Phillip Rowley did not hesitate to highlight his team’s confidence ahead of the final showdown tonight.

“We are confident of winning, Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a good team, but we aim to continue to score goals because that has got us this

far,” Rowley said.

However, Foreign Affairs Ministry Captain Kerwin Clarke, who is also a national bodybuilder, noted that his squad was gunning for the title.

“In any competition, it is never easy. Banks is certainly one of the best and me and my team will be going with a positive mindset and we will be victorious,” Clarke stated. Action is set to start from 19:00h.

Black and Green Ranger pops in on King

etsy Ground Triple Star secured consecutive wins in the Ramnarine Appiah Memorial T20 cricket competition for second division teams in the East Canje/ Lower East Coast, Berbice area.

With the wins they now have a chance to qualify for the semi finals based on net run rate with Rose Hall Community Center and Canje Pathfinders.

Both matches were played at the Goed Bananen Land Ground. In the other two matches played at the Rose Hall Estate Ground, the host got the better of Kendalls Union ‘B’ team while Kendalls Union ‘A’ won against Seawell.

Below are the summarised scores: At Goed Bananen Land Ground, Canje Pathfinders batted first and made a respectable 153-7 off their allotted 20 overs. I Harrinandan made 38 and S Badal 32. Bowling for BGTS, O Emamdin took 2-18 and W Sobhai 2-31. In reply, BGTS made 156-7 off 19 overs, to win by three wickets. R Jugisteer made 44 and A Gopaul 32. Bowling for Canje Pathfinders Y Barran and T Dipoo took three wickets a piece.

In game number, Goed Bananen Land made a challenging 166-7 off 20 overs

Devanand Cyril

the second semi final spot in their zone. Seawell won the toss and took first strike.

They made a disappointing 131 all out in 19.5 overs.

Anirudh Woarti topscored with 55 and Amit Ramroop 28. Navendra Mangra and A Ramnarine took two wickets each. In reply, Kendalls ‘A’ won comfortably, ending on 135-4 in 14.5 overs. Dasrath Debiden topscored with 45 and Mangra 43.

At the same venue, the home team won the toss against Kendalls Union ‘B’ and scored a massive 203-6 off 20 overs. Adrian Haralsingh made 39, Sanjay Khan supported with an unbeaten 31, Andre Grant 25 and Khemraj Dyal 23.

Kendalls Union B was routed for a meager 85 Bowling for RHECC, skipper Ameer Rahaman took 4-8 off 4 overs, Khan 3-15 and Kristoff Bahadur 2-1.

Matches continued this weekend at Rose Hall Estate Ground

Persaud leads Everest to victory

W

The Permanent Secretary of the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport, Alfred King, on Thursday met with the present Black and Green Ranger, Azim Rizk, and his team, which includes Grandmaster Koe-Woong Choung, from the Tang Soo Do General Federation – Korea, and Grandmaster Jose Torres.

The 15-man team was invited to Guyana by Roland Eudoxie (2nd Dan Black Belt) – Director/Kyo Sa Nim, Tang Soo Do International – Guyana.

While in Guyana, the team will be involved in a martial arts championship on Saturday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. In photo, PS King spares a moment with the delegation.

est Indies Under-19 selectee Akshaya Persaud turned in a brilliant all-round performance to lead Everest to a four-wicket win over Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) in the Georgetown Cricket Association’s (GCA) second division 40-over competition.

Batting first, GCC posted 166-9 off the allotted overs with Martin Belle hitting 61 and Ronaldo Mohammed 46. Bowling for Everest, Mark Jeffers had 3-43 off eight overs, while Persaud picked up 2-16 and Malcolm Hubbard 2-18.

Persaud then led a comfortable batting effort, as Everest cruised to victory at 170-6 off 31.2 overs. The left-hander cracked a siz-

Akshaya Persaud

zling 79, inclusive of seven fours and five huge sixes.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors youth recruit was supported by Khemraj Ramdeen, who made 33 not out, and Dwayne Adams, who ended on an unbeaten 26.

friday, november 20, 2015

guyanatimesGY.com

GTT Round Robin Knockout tournament

23

CFU Women’s Olympic Qualifier

Victoria Kings, Topp XX Lady Jags to face Reggae Girls in must-win game victorious on day 6 W

A

Some of the action during the course of the evening

ction in the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Round Robin Knockout football tournament continued with two exciting games on Wednesday evening at the Number Five ground in Berbice.

Game one was a tight battle between Victoria Kings and Rosignol United with the former prevailing 2-1.

With both teams struggling to find some fluidity in their respective strategies, Orwin Bishop’s goal on the

stroke of halftime definitely seemed to have a bit of a deflating effect on the players of Rosignol.

Cornel Taylor would equalise in the 78th minute as the game seemed headed to a draw before Alden Lawrence’s late goal in the 89th minute that won the match for Victoria Kings.

The second game of the evening was a fast paced match that ended with Topp XX walking away with a comfortable 4-2 win against new Amsterdam United.

Oswald Benjamin led the way for Topp XX with a double in the second and 25th minutes while Travis Watterton scored in the 10th minute. Keyon Hall was the other scorer in the 73rd minute.

Adrian Adams scored a double for New Amsterdam in the 35th and 69th minutes. Action in the tournament will continue over the weekend.

WICB/PCL 4-Day Tournament

Jaguars to face Pride today

– Permaul, Searles replace Chandrika and Barnwell

O

ne of the oldest rivalries in Caribbean sport will take centre stage, when reigning champion Guyana Jaguars host runners-up Barbados Pride in the key match of the third round of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Professional Cricket League (PCL) Four-Day Tournament, starting today at the National Stadium in Providence.

Matches between the two sides date back to 1865 and have produced some of the most intriguing battles in the regional First-Class game – and more of the same can be expected from this contest, since the outcome could have a heavy bearing on the ultimate destination of the Headley/Weekes Trophy of supremacy.

Both sides will be looking to forge ahead – the Jaguars to extend their lead in the tournament and the Pride to land that elusive second victory.

The Pride trail the Jaguars by 10 points and will want to either eliminate the gap or cut the deficit substantially in their bid to capture the title.

With such a healthy lead, the hosts want to put themselves out of reach of the rest of the competition, including their visitors.

Recent history at the venue favours the Pride – they had beaten the Jaguars in last year’s third-round contest, dismissing them for 66 as they chased 69 for vic-

very fierce opponent over the years, but we have our game plan in place and all we need to do is remain focused and execute well,” Crandon said.

“Once we continue doing the things we have been doing and doing so well, then I know we can come out victorious, taking maximum points to remain at the top of the points table.”

Changes

Veerasammy Permaul

tory.

The memory of this result will stick in the throat of the Jaguars, but the Jaguars have put home advantage to telling use and expectedly rushed to the top of the standings with victories from their first two matches and they will be looking to continue in this vein.

Head Coach of the Jaguars, Esuan Crandon, told Guyana Times Sport that his players have played excellent cricket over the last two rounds, adding that the Jaguars are looking to continue their winning ways over the next four days.

“Our first two games we played excellent cricket, but having said so, we know that Barbados is a

Further, the Jaguars have made two changes to their 13-man squad, with left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul and medium-pacer Javon Searles replacing opener Rajendra Chandrika, who is part of the Caribbean side for the Test tour of Australia, and all-rounder Christopher Barnwell.

Barnwell is reportedly suffering from a lower back injury.

Meanwhile, all-rounder Kevin Stoute will lead the Barbados Pride, while discarded Test players Sulieman Benn and Tino Best have been called up as part of several changes to the squad for the fixture.

Stoute takes over from West Indies opener Kraigg Brathwaite who, along with batsmen Shai Hope and Shane Dowrich, fast bowlers Jason Holder, Kemar Roach and Carlos Brathwaite and left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican, has been omitted because of West Indies duty.

ith Jamaica falling 1-2 to Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday night, Guyana senior national Women’s team, the Lady Jags, will now have to play the Jamaica’s Reggae Girls today at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago.

The winner will fill the final spot that is still available for Caribbean representatives at the CONCACAF round of the Women’s Olympic Qualifier. Guyana has never played Jamaica in a senior Women’s football match, so the first meeting between the two countries should be interesting and historic in its own right.

Despite Jamaica having a more robust approach to Women’s football, like Guyana, they too have looked overseas to muster some of their best talents to help push their country to the Olympic Games next year.

While Guyana had dominated their contest against Puerto Rico, but fell 0-1 late in extra time, the Jamaicans were lucky enough to hold the usually hungry ‘Trinis’ to some degree. Jamaica would score in the 45th minute through Jodi Ann McGregor giving the Reggae Girls the lead into half-time.

Trinidad and Tobago eventually pulled one back in the 59th minute with Derelle Mascall levelling the

They are all part of the regional squad which leaves the Caribbean next Monday for the Test tour of Australia.

Left-hander Jonathan Carter, who just returned from the limited overs tour of Sri Lanka, has been drafted into the 13-man Pride squad along with wicketkeeper Mario Rampersaud, left-arm spinner Benn, speedster Best and legspinner Hayden Walsh Jr. The 34-year-old Benn, with 94 First-Class games and 26 Tests behind him, will add much needed experience along with Best, who has played 112 First-Class games.

The game starts at 09:30h and admission to the National Stadium is free.

The Guyana Jaguars squad: Leon Johnson (Captain); Javon Searles; Ronsford Beaton; Anthony Bramble; Shivnarine Chanderpaul; Veerasammy Permaul; Assad Fudadin; Shemron Hetmyer; Steven Jacobs; Keon Joseph; Gudakesh Motie; Raymon Reifer and Vishual Singh.

Barbados Pride squad: Kevin Stoute (Captain); Sulieman Benn; Tino Best; Kemar Brathwaite; Shamarh Brooks; Jonathan Carter; Roston Chase; Kyle Corbin; Miguel Cummins; Justin Greaves; Ashley Nurse; Mario Rampersaud and Hayden Walsh Jr.

Mark Rodrigues

match and Tasha St Louis’ goal in stoppage time (90+1 minute), turned out to be game winner to hand the Soca Princesses a ticket to the next round.

“We will leave it all on the field,” said the Lady Jags’ Head Coach Mark Rodrigues, looking ahead to today’s match.

It is a must-win match for the Guyanese and one of the things the Head Coach is certainly looking forward to, especially after conceding a late goal against a team that he pounded to the ground, is for his troops to convert the chances that were sometimes gifted to them.

Reflecting on his team’s dreadful loss to Puerto Rico, Coach Rodrigues lauded the Women’s performance, but acknowledged that Guyana’s inability to put away their easy goal scoring chances came back to haunt them in the end.

“The girls played hard and I’m extremely proud of them, despite the result. I’ve seen the improvement when I look back at when we first came together for the camp in Toronto, then in July in Guyana; they have grown so much and that’s why it was sad for me to see us going down like we did, but we will rebound,” said Rodrigues.

Trinidad and Puerto Rico by virtue of reaching the finals, have already secured their place as the Caribbean’s representatives at the CONCACAF playoffs.

The United States of America, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica and Guatemala, have all qualified and would await the result of the Guyana/Jamaica game to see who will round off the eight-team CONCACAF Olympic Qualifier.

The CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship 2016 will be played in the United States from February 10-21, 2016, in the Houston and Dallas metropolitan areas.

The two venues for the competition are BBVA Compass Stadium, home to the Houston Dash of the NWSL and the Houston Dynamo of MLS, and Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, home to FC Dallas of MLS. The top two finishers in the tournament will qualify for the 2016 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament.

National Schools’ Championships

Digicel onboard as title sponsors for 5th year

By Treiston Joseph

D

igicel Guyana will play a major role in Guyana’s most prestigious event in the National Schools’ Championships which will start on November 23rd at various venues around Region Four.

At a simple presentation ceremony on Thursday at Digicel headquarters in Kingston, Principle Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Glendon Fogenay thanked Digicel for their continued support.

“Firstly thanks to Digicel for this sponsorship it is wonderful to work with Digicel and we hope that they continue with us for years to come and that the relationship can only grow in the future. We are working hard to ensure that this year’s championship is the best out of all the previous ones,” Fogenay stated.

Digicel’s Sponsorship Executive, Luanna Abrams highlighted the importance of Digicel’s commitment to the event.

“We are passionate of

youth and sport development in Guyana and we once again pledge our commitment to the championships,” Abrams stated.

The Swimming Championships will be held on Monday, November 23 at the National Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal. In addition to the swimming competition, two field events, Long Jump and Shot Putt, along with the 10km road race, 40km and 25km cycle road race will also take place on November 23.

The Games Village will be established on Woolford Avenue. Tutorial High, North Georgetown Primary and Secondary Schools and Richard Ishmael Secondary will house the 16 Districts from across Guyana that will compete at the Championships.

The Games Secretariat has been officially opened at GTU Headquarters, Woolford Avenue, with Districts submitting their entries.

The Opening Ceremony for the championship is scheduled for November 24 at 10:30h.

friday, November 20, 2015

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

CFU Women’s Olympic Qualifier…

National Schools’ Championships

Lady Jags to face Reggae Digicel onboard as title sponsors Girls in must-win game for 5th year

The Lady Jags were a dejected bunch after their loss to Puerto Rico on Wednesday night

From left, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the National Championships, Edison Jefford; Digicel’s Sponsorship Executive, Luanna Abrams; Principal Assistant Secretary of the Finance Ministry, Glendon Fogenay and Second Vice President of the GTU, Julian Cambridge at the handing over ceremony

WICB/PCL 4-Day Tournament

Jaguars to face Pride today – Permaul, Searles replace Chandrika and Barnwell

The Guyana Jaguars squad along with other Cricket Guyana Inc contracted and academy contracted players going through their paces before the Jaguars’ net session at the National Stadium

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