Guyana Times Daily - February 16, 2016

The Race to LGE 2016

Stanleytown, West Bank Demerara candidates P17 outline agenda Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 2769

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

PRICE

Confusion reigns over agency responsible for SOCU Page 3

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Freedom House employee P17 arrested – Party says “political witch-hunting”

– established as an arm of the Police Force, but budgeted for under Ministry of the Presidency

14-year-old shot while liming in Charlestown Page 7

Early morning fire destroys Chateau Margot house Page 2

New drug procurement process P2 announced – adjustments to be made to bidding documents

Sugar workers start nationwide P16 strike – to down tools one day per week

“Mosquito” remanded on cocaine charge P8 The large gathering at the Regency Suites, Hadfield Street, Georgetown on Monday as the Diocese of Guyana Mothers’ Union celebrated its 90th Anniversary under the theme “A Celebration of Faith.” Inset is First Lady Sandra Granger addressing the gathering as she applauded their generous work in Guyana

Guyana records another Zika case – US citizen infected after travelling to Guyana Consideration of 2016 Budget Estimates

Skyrocketing contract workers dominate day 1 Page 9

– Ministry of the Presidency hires additional 126 contracted employees

Page 7

State audits

Sharma recommends criminal charges, Police probe Page 9

Revamping of Teaching Service Commission

GTU to intensify protest actions

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tuesday, february 16, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Early morning fire destroys Chateau Margot house

The aftermath of the fire on Monday

A

n early morning fire at Chateau Margot, East Coast Demerara has left a mother of two counting her losses and making alternative living arrangements.

The flames were reportedly spotted following an explosion in the house located at Lot 4 Chateau Margot, on Monday morning. Reports are the fire might have started after a bottle, in which the woman kept gasoline, exploded.

Basmattie Vivekanand,

the sole occupant of the house, explained that she was on the Railway Embankment along with her son who is visiting from overseas, when she saw fire emanating from her house.

“I de waiting with my son on a bus for him to go to Berbice … then I see flames but by this time the bus come and meh son jumped in…,” the woman related. She said she rushed to the burning house, but it was too late to

save anything, except for a few pieces of clothes that were drying on a line outside. She noted that the clothes were all she had left.

While she could not confirm the cause of the fire, she explained that she kept a bottle of gasoline in her house and it might have exploded due to the heat. “I have a weeding machine and would buy gas to work it so it could be that that blow,” the distraught woman said.

Vivekanand told this newspaper that among the things burnt were $100,000 and CDN$200 along with a quantity of items that her husband had sent to be sold.

“He does normally send barrel with things to sell so I does sell and keep the money,” the woman stated.

As tears trickled down her face, she stated that she did not have any money and was now forced to live with her sister.

When questioned about the fact her son left for Berbice despite her house being on fire, Vivekanand explained that her daughter had already made plans for him to travel to Suriname and she did not want to spoil his vacation.

By the time the fire tenders arrived on the scene, the wooden structure was engulfed in flames. Both the Guyana Fire Service and the Guyana Police Force have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fire. As a result of the blaze the woman was unable to salvage any household items

New drug procurement process announced – adjustments to be made to bidding documents

By Devina Samaroo

T

he Public Health Ministry has introduced a new system for the procurement of drugs and medical supplies with the aim of enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the drug supply chain in the country.

This will be complemented with several changes in the bidding documents which are intended to create a more level playing field among competitors.

During a press conference at his Brickdam Office on Monday, Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton told media operatives that the procurement of drugs and medical supplies remained a centralised process (with the exception of minor purchases including medical gases, snake bite kits and small emergency supplies). However, each Region would be responsible for submitting to central government a list of the drugs needed and the total sum required to purchase those drugs.

This means that monies will be warranted back to the Public Health Ministry from the Regions to facilitate the centralised procurement.

“The Regional Executive Officers will send the agreed sums to the Ministry of Public Health, and the Ministry of Public Health will pool all these monies and purchase drugs and medical supplies for the facilities across the regions,” the Minister emphasised.

Dr Norton explained that this system would help in determining the total cost for drugs in each Region and would also address the disease profiles of each Region based on the drugs being sourced.

Additionally, he announced several adjustments that would soon be made to the bidding documents in order to allow other companies to qualify as a supplier.

“We have now a new bid-

ding document where companies that have never participated in the competitive bidding will have a chance to take part in the exercise,” he explained.

For instance, adjustments will be made so that bidders will no longer have to meet the requirement of supplying brand-name drugs, since generic names would be acceptable.

Also, drugs will no longer be required to be packaged in bottles since blister packaging would be up to standard.

Another change in the bidding documents would see candidates having the opportunity to submit proposals for supply of drugs for a specific category – unlike what was required before.

“The different number of medical supplies and pharmaceuticals are separated in lots, so we find for instance, we need diabetic supplies and that will be in one lot; if we need ophthalmology supplies…, that will be in another lot. Whoever is participating can bid for a particular lot…we made some changes where in the bidding document, it was stated that you had to bid for 100 per cent of the lot, meaning everything…so changes are being made with respect to that,” Dr Norton explained.

There will also be adjustments in the requirements to be met by suppliers as it relates to the validation of the standards of the drugs supplied.

“For instance, some of the requirements state that the suppliers should have lab facilities to test these medications, and that they should state for the last three years, their sources of drugs supplied as well as the ability to supply these mediations. Adjustments are being made in that respect,” he posited.

Dr Norton disclosed that these changes would soon be made and announced to the public.

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tuesday, february 16, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, February 16 – 11:30h-13:00h and Wednesday, February 17 – 13:00h-14:30h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, February 16 – 10:35h-12:05h and Wednesday, February 17 – 12:00h-13:30h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Weather: Rain showers sometimes accompanied by thunder are expected to prevail throughout the day. Clear to partly cloudy skies can be expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East to East North-easterly between 4.47 metres and 7.15 metres per second.

High Tide: 10:53h and 23:42h reaching maximum heights of 2.29 metres and 2.17 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 04:19h and 17:05h reaching minimum heights of 1.00 metre and 0.94 metre.

Confusion reigns over agency responsible for SOCU – established as an arm of the Police Force, but budgeted for under Ministry of the Presidency

BY EDWARD LAYNE

C

onfusion over the mandate of under whose purview the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) falls continue to deepens as it was revealed in the National Assembly Thursday that SOCU is being budgeted for under the Ministry of the Presidency and not the Guyana Police Force (GPF), despite being identified as an agency of the force.

A total of $40 million was budgeted for SOCU in 2016.

During consideration of the 2016 Budget Estimates,

Ministry.

He said for security reasons all the information requested cannot be provided, “I will consult and will provide as much information as available,” he said.

SOCU was established in 2013 as a law enforcement agency to investigate, exclusively, allegations and reports relating to money laundering and terrorism as part of Guyana’s international obligations to strengthen its Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML&CFT) apparatus.

It was expected to

MP Juan Edghill questioning the operations of SOCU in Parliament

People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament (MP) Juan Edghill asked if the SOCU was established under the Guyana Police Force, then why is it funded under the Ministry of the Presidency’s Defence and National Security?

He also requested a breakdown of SOCU expenses, the employees and their salaries and non-salary benefits.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, in response, told the House that this is a temporary arrangement, adding that the Unit will be moved under the Public Security

work in tandem with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) which falls under the Ministry of Finance.

Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira explained that SOCU was placed under then Office of the President (now Ministry of the Presidency) since at the time of its establishment the AML& CFT amendments were not passed by Parliament.

She added that having been passed in 2015, the SOCU should have been removed and placed as a separate entity, similar to the FIU and should have been budgeted for under the Ministry of Finance.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon responding to questions about SOCU’s operation

It is important to note that while the agency is not under the Guyana Police Force, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan announced last week during the Budget debates that protocols were drafted to bring SOCU’s operations in line with the GPF - totally conflicting the manner in which it was budgeted.

Another interesting utterance is that of Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud who said on January 15, 2016 that he was unaware of the circumstances surrounding the probe by the SOCU of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) into the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), including the identity of the persons under Police surveillance and who gave the order for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to get involved.

Interestingly, President David Granger had made it clear that no politician was giving directions to SOCU, but rather those instructions have to come from the Police Chief.

“As far as I know the SOCU is conducting some investigtions…the request may have came from the police force to the defence force… no politician gets involved in giving directional objectives to the police force or Chief of Staff,” said the President.

This is an indica-

tion that indeed SOCU falls under the GPF. SOCU has been under heavy scrutiny from the political Opposition and rights group after a botched operation on December 30, 2015, involving a highspeed chase down Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown, left three persons dead –GDF Sergeant Robert Pyle, his wife Stacy Pyle and the driver of a Canter truck Linden Eastman.

Sergeant Pyle and a team from SOCU were supposed to have been conducting surveillance on a home of former Head ofNICIL Winston Brassington at Cowan Street, Kingston, Georgetown, and became engaged in the high-speed chase down Carifesta Avenue with a vehicle occupied by Opposition Parliamentarian Charles Ramson Jr, his wife Alana Seebarran and her brother.

During that high-speed chase, Pyle slammed into the truck that was travelling in the opposite direction, resulting in the deaths of the three.

While the GDF claimed Pyle had been on an official operation, there were reports that he was never instructed to get involved in any chase.

The Government has since refused to launch a Commission of Inquiry into the incident, prompting condemnation from politicians and rights group.

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Editorial

Journalistic principles

T

he issue of journalistic principles has been raised once again following the election of the APNU/AFC Government. While they were in Opposition, the parties railed against what they identified as blatant partisanship in the coverage by the State media. Now that they are in Government, there has been little change in coverage and the President had to upbraid the Director of Public Information for declaring that the state media should only cover the activities of the Government. In the private media, the Kaieteur News continues unabatedly to traduce journalistic principles by publishing concocted libel, which even its friends have had to disown.

The issue of journalistic principles should be revisited. Over a decade ago, after several years of research and discussion, a project of the Pew Research Centre distilled several principles of what it considered to be the “shared purpose” of responsible journalism. We share them with you today because this newspaper shares them as our guiding principles.

Journalism’s first obligation is to the truth: Democracy depends on citizens having reliable, accurate facts put in a meaningful context. Journalism does not pursue truth in an absolute or philosophical sense, but it can – and must – pursue it in a practical sense. This “journalistic truth” is a process that begins with the professional discipline of assembling and verifying facts. Then journalists try to convey a fair and reliable account of their meaning, valid for now, subject to further investigation.

Its first loyalty is to citizens: While news organisations answer to many constituencies, including advertisers and shareholders, the journalists in those organisations must maintain allegiance to citizens and the larger public interest above any other if they are to provide the news without fear or favour. Commitment to citizens also means journalism should present a representative picture of all constituent groups in society. Ignoring certain citizens has the effect of disenfranchising them.

Its essence is a discipline of verification: Journalists rely on a professional discipline for verifying information. When the concept of objectivity originally evolved, it did not imply that journalists are free of bias. It called, rather, for a consistent method of testing information – a transparent approach to evidence – precisely so that personal and cultural biases would not undermine the accuracy of their work. The method is objective, not the journalist.

Its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover: Independence of spirit and mind, rather than neutrality, is the principle journalists must keep in focus.

While editorialists and commentators are not neutral, the source of their credibility is still their accuracy, intellectual fairness and ability to inform – not their devotion to a certain group or outcome.

It must serve as an independent monitor of power: Journalism has an unusual capacity to serve as watchdog over those whose power and positions most affect citizens. It must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise: It should strive to fairly represent the varied viewpoints and interests in society, and to place them in context rather than highlight only the conflicting fringes of debate. Accuracy and truthfulness require that as framers of the public discussion, we not neglect the points of common ground where problem solving occurs.

It must strive to make the significant interesting and relevant: Journalists must continually ask what information has most value to citizens and in what form. While journalism should reach beyond such topics as Government and public safety, a journalism overwhelmed by trivia and false significance ultimately engenders a trivial society.

It must keep the news comprehensive and proportional: Keeping news in proportion and not leaving important things out are also cornerstones of truthfulness. Journalism is a form of cartography: it creates a map for citizens to navigate society. Inflating events for sensation, neglecting others, stereotyping or being disproportionately negative all make a less reliable map.

There have been intermittent calls for a Media Monitoring Body: the above might form the underlying principles that our media should follow.

Gently down the stream! This family was captured returning home after church at Camodi Creek, Santa Mission (Marceano Narine photo)

International politics and oil prices Dear Editor, The price of oil has fallen dramatically in a very short period of time. While this is having a huge impact on oil producing/exporting countries, those non-producing countries are benefitting significantly.

In Guyana, it is estimated that the cost of generating electricity has dropped from US$0.28 at the beginning of last year to about US$0.09 per kilowatt today.

The explanation/s for the current low oil prices varies.

The talk about the slowing down of the world economy, mainly China, is one prominent explanation.

Another is the over-supply of oil on the world market. The traditional economic axiom – demand is way below supply – thus a fall in price.

At the same time, Iran, the world’s second largest oil producer, is back on the market after sanctions against it were lifted.

Many commentators are predicting the prices will remain low for a long time because supply is high. This is particularly true, since Saudi Arabia, the largest oil producer in the world, has announced that it has no intention on cutting back on production.

Since the Saudis have maintained this stance, the other major oil producers will follow suit for fear of losing their market share.

In the past, when oil prices fell, producers tried to slow down production to allow supply to fall in relation to demand and to push prices up again.

The big question remains: why is that not being done today?

In order to find a true answer to this question, we must not confine ourselves

to economics. The answer could be found in international politics and the struggles taking place in the international arena.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US and their European allies seem determined not to allow Russia to rise again.

Russia’s economy was devastated by the shock therapy it received during in the post-1990s period. Few people thought that Russia posed a threat to anyone and/or any country.

With a weak Russia, the US reneged on its promise to Gorbachev, the last President of the Soviet Union that NATO would not expand towards the east of Europe.

NATO began to expand and many Eastern European countries joined the alliance.

The biggest fear of Russia was being realized. It was being surrounded by NATO forces.

Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and others joined. Some states called on NATO to station troops in their territories and in the name of ‘peace’, weapons were being put on Russia’s border.

In a bid to advance the ‘circle’ round Russia, NATO forces moved to bring the Ukraine into its camp.

By then though, Russia’s economy improved tremendously and this recovery was due to the high price of oil.

This enabled the Russian government to boost their military forces.

When NATO moved to take over the Ukraine, Russia was much stronger than it was in the 1990s.

It counter attacked. With a large Russian population in the Ukraine that was being oppressed, there was an attempt to ban the use of

Russian language there.

Russia moved to stop the snatching of the Ukraine. It organised a referendum in the Crimea and repossessed that territory after the people there voted to join with Russia.

That was the first significant blow that the revived Russia struck against NATO’s expansion programme.

The other significant area is the Middle East. The former Soviet Union had considerable influence in that region. However, with the fall, a lot of that influence was lost in that region.

In Syria though, Russia inherited a naval base located there from the former Soviet Union.

Since 2011, Syria came under attack when the opposition to the government was supported by international terrorists and financed by the West to get rid of Assad, who did not see eye to eye with the West.

The West did nothing to stop the growth of the terrorists since it was against Assad. It is a wellknown fact that thousands of terrorists passed through NATO territories, including Turkey, to join the notorious ISIS group.

No attempt was made to stop the sale of captured oil by ISIS forces across the border to Turkey.

This forced Assad to seek Russia’s assistance.

Russia, having its own interest in Syria, mainly its naval base, agreed to help the government of Syria. This intervention has turned the tide in favour of the Assad administration.

The West was caught flat-footed on this move, since they themselves described the Syrian opposition as terrorists. Therefore,

Russia’s intervention to diminish the terrorist forces should have been a welcome initiative.

However, the West is clearly not happy with this.

They are worried that the one leader standing up for the Palestinians in the Middle East, Assad, is still maintaining his stance.

Moreover, Russia’s influence could increase with a Syrian victory.

The Western forces, therefore, are determined to hurt Russia economically and force it to stop helping Syria.

Russia’s economy is vulnerable since almost 20 per cent of its GDP depends on oil exports. So far, it has not yet transformed its economy to more manufacturing, etc.

It is still heavily dependent on the sale of its natural resources, particularly oil.

So the NATO countries, mainly the US will use their influence to keep oil prices low. This is their strategy to damage the Russian economy.

Last year, Russia’s economy contracted by 3 per cent and this percentage is expected to increase this year.

Will this force Russia to renege on its position in the Middle East and the Ukraine?

Only time will tell.

Moreover, it should be pointed out that history has shown that the Russian people are strong and resilient. They have had to bear a lot of suffering in the past and their sacrifices to defend their country have been great.

Russia, therefore, could very well surprise the West, as they have done so often.

Sincerely, Donald Ramotar

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The task Minister Trotman was given the wrong portfolio of national unity Dear Editor, President David Granger seems to be finding himself in some very precarious positions as he seeks to unite this divided country. Looking on from the outside it appears that many of those close to President Granger and those who are friends of those close to him, are not on the same page with him.

There has not been an event that I have attended where the President did not deliberately, or via segue, touch on the topic of social cohesion.

Both when he speaks publically and when he is met privately, his constant refrain is that of the need and the benefits of social cohesion. The mantra of the magnanimity of a social contract in Guyana rolls of the tongue of the President as Adel’s “Hello” from the lips of a repentant lover.

But that same deliberate desire for national cooperation seems to be lost on some of those close to the President.

From the unnecessary prolonged defence of the coalition’s right to splash their colours all over the country, to the GINA’s reluctance to cover the opposition’s views, to the whimsical disdain for anything PPP, it all speaks of a failure of the coalition to catch the President’s message of inclusion.

The work of social cohesion is not going to be easy. We are a broken nation for some 50 years and any profound change will not come easily.

In addition, there are those who, for their own personal and political survival, will do everything they can to keep this country divided. Whether that divide is economical, racial or ideological, there are those whose only relevance comes from fuelling a national divide and they will never relent. Relenting will mean their political death and maybe, their financial and societal demise. And because of their public positions they are pushing the red-meat kind of divisive politics. Those persons, from either side of the divide, need to be ignored and their policies

of divisiveness shunned.

Good will triumph over evil and those of us, especially those who are responsible for crafting national policies, need to pledge our allegiance to the work and realisation of national unity.

Those strategically placed in the leadership of the current administration need to quickly buy into the stated objective of the President on this issue. The Government, through the Ministry of Social Cohesion, might need to convene some formal workshops among its leaders and governmental officials, in the art of developing the social contract of which the President speaks.

The administration needs to mandate that care be taken in execution of their tasks, with the objective of social cohesion being the default practice.

The Government and its affiliates should do nothing to have any of the supporters of the opposition feel like they are being ostracised. And if at any time they are accused of bias, the administration must be able to objectively and candidly justify their position.

Maybe I am utopic in my views, however, I think that nothing ventured, nothing gained. As a pastor my default behaviour is one of forgiveness and inclusivity. The Gospel is a message of social cohesion; it talks about turning the other cheek, of going the extra mile and of giving your cloak when your coat is taken.

The President’s commitment to national unity suggests he is not only being guided by his patriotic compass but indeed by his religious persuasion. It therefore behoves those within his administration – at all levels – to read the tea-leaves and find some religious, nationalistic or moral reason to leave the petty, political, pandering aside and join the President in this national agenda.

Sincerely, Wendell Jeffrey, Pastor Candidate for District #8 Wortmanville/ Werk-en-Rust

Dear Editor, It is without a doubt that the Natural resources sector in Guyana is by far one of the more important ones. I will not contest any statement to the effect that the mining sector is facing problems. It is rather surprising however to see Minister Trotman making irresponsible and inaccurate statements about the Forestry sector recently.

Trotman has spoken about large-scale corruption in the sector on numerous occasions. He however failed to demonstrate to the Guyanese people the extent of this corruption. Where is the independent audit report? Where is the proof of this corruption? Upon listening to Trotman, I sometimes wonder if he has any clue as to what is going on in the Forestry sector.

Recently, Minister Trotman made statements to the Norwegians to the effect that Guyana is doing a fairly good job of maintaining the forest cover. He also indicated that a ban was put on the export of logs so as to curtail the large-scale cutting of logs that was previously taking place and there

was a clamp down on logging done by the Chinese.

I will first like to deal with Trotman’s assertions. He indicated that we are doing a fairly good job of maintaining the forest cover but then proceeded to say that there is large scale cutting down of logs and as such, a ban was placed on export.

I may be wrong; however these statements are totally contradictory. I will not dwell on the statements made by the Minister because I am of the firm belief that he is clueless.

I appreciate that he is a trained lawyer who may have never had any exposure to the forestry or natural resources sector prior to May 2015.

My question at this time however is whether or not the Minister has access to previous reports and audits done on deforestation.

Be reminded Editor that Guyana has been receiving payments from Norway based on its ability to keep the deforestation level at a particular level.

If Trotman was in any way familiar with same, he would know that deforestation over the last 20 years has not exceeded 0.08 per

cent (this is less than 1 per cent).

Further a large percentage of that less than 1 per cent is as a result of mining activities and not forestry activities. Forest activity in Guyana is limited at a meagre 500 hectares of Guyana’s forest out of a total 12,000 hectares. This is only one of the many monitoring and verification methods utilised to ensure our forests are protected.

Editor, I am concerned for Guyana.

Minister Trotman is in effect telling the independent Norwegian body that they may not have been accurate in conducting their audits and reports before giving money to Guyana in the past.

I can only hope, Editor, Guyana does not suffer as a result of Minister Trotman’s lack of knowledge and misrepresentation of the facts. The statistics are there to speak for themselves.

The manner in which investors have been harassed and ridiculed is appalling, it is unprofessional and unbecoming of us as a nation which has in the past fostered inclusion.

Is this the message we

want to send to our investors and the international community?

More recently, Minister Trotman made statements to the effect that they will be taking back concessions distributed to persons because one hundred per cent of Guyana’s productive forest has been distributed.

This is a gross misrepresentation but more importantly I wish to indicate that a large number of Guyanese are part of the forestry sector and they will be the ones affected by such a move.

I think Minister Trotman needs to educate himself or employ persons who are capable of educating him as it relates to the forestry sector.

I also think the President erred in not appointing an individual who is more familiar with the Natural Resources sector.

I hope and expect that in the coming days, Minister Trotman will at least attempt to remedy the mistakes he would have made in misrepresenting various facts.

Sincerely, Tiana David

The teachings of Swami Vivekanada Dear Editor, In a letter captioned ‘Swami Vivekanada’s legacy is a living inspiration’, (Guyana Times Jan 19) is a glowing tribute being paid by Pandit Charranlall Nandalall - to whom I extend my warmest congratulations – on the Swami’s 153rd birth anniversary, taken from the preface of the swami’s biography written by the illustrious Swami Nikhilananda of India.

Swami Nikhilananda in one of his monumental works entitled “A Book of Daily Thoughts and Prayers” has captured many a heart by his inspiring thoughts, appealing messages and soul-stirring

prayers.

Kindly permit me a space, Editor, to share a few verbatim extracts taken from his book which is considered by many to be a literary gem on spirituality. (i) The one who lacks faith misses his point of contact with Divinity. (ii) Faith is the one sure antidote for doubt and fear. (iii) Fear and depression has no place in the realm of spirit. We all have to pass through the slough of despondency sometime or another. You must not let your spirit go down under any circumstances. Do your duty bravely and faithfully.

Never feel that your life is a failure. Try not to brood

over such ideas. (iv) A wise man, if he is struck, is not willing to stoop to striking back – not because he feels a sense of superiority, but because he wishes to prove his loyalty to his highest light. When we hear a harsh word, we let it grind into our consciousness. The remedy is to bring to another thought.

The remedy for a weakening thought is to think the opposite thought; overcome evil by good. (v) May I be ever a humble, faithful servant in the Lord’s household; May I never give way to rebellion or arrogance. May I never obey the dictates of my little will. May I overcome all

egoistic sense; And learn to say from my heart, ‘Not I, not I, Only thou!” (Vi) Merit? Merit? Brother, who told thee I had merit? Merit have I none, nor ever did I have. What merit hath the straw? The weaver shapes a basket with it. If the basket be fair it is not merit of the straw; It is his skill who make it. I am that straw which once lay at the great Weaver’s feet. But he, the compassionate, took it in his hand and fashioned it.

Now I cherish this basket of his fashioning to gather his blessing.

Sincerely yours, Shane Rampersaud (Region 6)

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Foundation

By Garth Sundem

that help Maths, reading or both. The skill that helps both is not one thing, and it’s not exactly the mix of general intelligence. Instead, it’s memory retrieval. This skill of memory retrieval is made up of sub-skills including attentive behaviour, reasoning, working memory, visuospatial memory, and something called rapid automatised naming (basically, how quickly you can recall the word “apple” when presented with a picture of an apple). Basically, the skill that makes

D

o you remember reading groups? They had nifty names like redbirds, bluebirds, and goldfinches to keep us from discovering who was in a “high” group and who was in a “low” group. But it took about four seconds to realise that the redbirds in reading were the same children as the redbirds in Maths, solving the easy mystery of the bird groups. And this points to a great, unfair truth in education: Smart children tend to be smart across the board, whereas children who struggle in reading tend to also struggle in Maths. Why is that?

These skills seem so distinct! Is it general intelligence that boosts both?

Study skills? Tiger parenting?

Of course, not everybody who is good at Maths is also good at reading (and vice versa). But there’s an ability underlying these two skills and a paper by researchers at Vanderbilt University scheduled for publication in the journal Child Development pinpoints what it is.

First let’s take a look at the science.

The Vanderbilt study is both ambitious and powerful, following 747 children from First through Third Grades and testing them along the way to discover their paths. There’s some obvious stuff: children who started with high reading skills usually finished with high reading skills. The same was true of Maths. (The authors point to this as evidence that a child’s academic trajectory can be largely fixed very early...)

But then there’s a whole mix of skills

children good or bad at both Maths and reading is the ability to pack and unpack memory.

“This suggests that competent Third-Grade calculation and wordreading performance both rely on the ability to form and fluently retrieve from memory arbitrary associations between the visual symbolic and

phonological forms,” the paper writes.

This was especially true for Maths skills: This One Skill To Rule Them All trumped the influence of any single skill on the development of Maths ability.

Here’s an example of how this works: attentive behaviour does not directly predict which children will be good at reading. But this attentive behaviour tends to boost children’s memory retrieval, which in turn boosts reading. If somehow attentive

behaviour didn’t help a child sow and reap from his or her memory, it wouldn’t necessarily do squat for his or her reading. (Yes, I realise that’s wonky...)

Then there are skills that even taken piecemeal boost reading or Maths. Here are the skills that boost reading: language, phonological

guyanatimesgy.com

memory, rapid automatised naming.

Here are the skills that boost math: attentive behaviour, working memory, reasoning. Notice that there is no overlap! Outside the underlying ability of memory retrieval, Maths and reading are different skills.

So now we’ve got two things going on. We’ve got a pool of skills that create memory retrieval, boosting both reading and Maths together, and we’ve got individual skills that boost one or the other but not both.

We’ve also got at least a preliminary answer to a longstanding question in education: why do so many children do well or poorly in both reading and math, but also why do some children break this mould?

The answer is that children who are good at both very likely depend on this skill of memory retrieval – this high tide floats both boats. Children who are good only at reading might be a little lower in memory retrieval (allowing them to underperform in math), but probably have one or more of the special reading skills of language, phonological memory, or rapid automatised naming. Likewise, children who are only good at maths might lack the One Skill To Rule Them All, but have special prowess in attentive behaviour, working memory, and/or reasoning.

In a vastly oversimplified but nonetheless compelling and thoughtprovoking nutshell, that’s why most children are good or bad at both reading and math, but some kids can buck the trend to excel at only one. (psychologytoday.com)

D

oes this sound like science-fiction?

Something taken from the pages of a fantasy novel, perhaps? You might be chuckling to yourself, these situations are not fantastical. They’re very real and attainable.

How? The short answer is: positive role modelling.

To raise great children, first, set a great example that your children naturally want to follow.

You set the tone. You teach your children how to operate in the world. When you eat your veggies, when you manage your stress levels, when you set routines for yourself and honour them, consistently, your child naturally wants to follow suit. It all starts with you.

“Positive role modeling” sounds simple enough, right?

Simple, and yet not always easy to do. Especially when life gets messy and challenging. It’s not always easy to be a “positive role model” for your children when your spouse decides to cheat, when illness strikes, when stress and tension build up, when you’re tired, when you’re anxious, when you’ve been wronged, or when you’re just in a lousy mood.

Yet, in those trying moments, that is when your child needs you to be a positive role model most of all. Those are the moments when you have a unique opportunity to teach your child, “This is how we can manage stress effectively” and “This is what it means to be honest and also compassionate” and “This is what unconditional love looks like” and “This is what it means to honour your word,” and “This is what it means to forgive.”

Commit, today, in this moment, to becoming the best person, parent, and role model for your child that you can possibly be. Not just when life is easy. When life is not easy, too.

It is never too late to become the person, parent, and role model that you want to be – and that your child needs and deserves.

Your child is looking to you & counting on you.

It all starts with you.

(psychologytoday)

news

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tuesday, february 16, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Guyana records another Zika case Onus with Govt to open – US citizen infected after travelling to Guyana doors for dialogue – Rohee BY: DEVINA SAMAROO

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By: Devina Samaroo

G

overnment’s continuous calls for inclusionary democracy with the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Opposition will continue to fall on deaf ears unless it puts an end to the spate of witch-hunting and the persistent racial and political discrimination being perpetrated on scores of Guyanese.

This is according to PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee who reiterated that he does not buy the government’s public performance in extending the olive branch and will continue to refuse the offer to engage in dialogue unless the administration adheres to the concerns expressed by the Party.

He was at the time addressing the media during a news conference on Monday at PPP/C Headquarters Freedom House, Robb Street.

In fact, Rohee believes that responsibility lies with the government to put their differences aside and make the first step to work with the Opposition towards the development of the country.

“The onus rests with the government in the sense that they must stop the witch-hunting and arbitrary and whimsical dismissal of persons they perceive to be associated with the PPP and take cognizance of the demands made

by PPP…” Rohee stated.

He posited that the whole issue revolves around trust, and until the PPP perceives a sense of

PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee

trust and once government puts measures in place to address the Party’s concerns, the invitation for talks will be making no progress.

“The PPP has said time and again that given the ongoing political, social and economic realities, it is not favourably disposed at this time to engaging at a Party to Party level in political dialogue with the APNU/AFC…” he emphasised.

It was previously pointed out by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo that it remains uncertain exactly what the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government is offering when it refers to the “national unity talks”.

President David Granger had initially requested the Opposition Parliamentarians to participate in a “National Unity Committee” however, shortly after, Prime Minister

President David Granger

Moses Nagamootoo during an outreach in Whim, Berbice, extended an arm to the PPP/C for a “National Unity Government”.

The APNU/AFC Government has been peddling the mantra of national unity and an inclusionary government since assumption to office and has also extended several public invitations for the PPP/C to join them in constructive dialogue.

At one point, the PPP/C had rejected the invitation given the current political atmosphere.

Moreover, the Party had also advocated for the scrapping of the Social Cohesion Ministry which was established with responsibility to promote unity among Guyanese.

The Party had indicated that Ministry’s genuine role is to act as a smokescreen to promote racial and political discrimination in favour of the APNU/ AFC coalition.

14-year-old shot while liming in Charlestown

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14-year-old lad is now a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital nursing a gunshot injury to his abdomen after he was shot while liming at Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown on Sunday evening.

The teenager, Nathan Martin, of Middle Road, La Penitence, was reportedly in the company of his friends

when a lone gunman confronted them and discharged a round which hit Martin. Information remains sketchy, but after committing the act, the perpetrator made good his escape.

The teenager was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was admitted. The Police have launched an investigation into the shooting incident.

male student, 16, who resides in Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD), is Guyana’s second confirmed case of the dreaded mosquito-borne Zika Virus.

There were about 88 suspected cases of the infection in Guyana.

Public Health Minister Dr George Norton during a press conference on Monday disclosed that from the 88 suspected cases, 55 test results were returned which confirmed two cases, while the others were deemed negative.

The first case of the Zika Virus was recorded earlier in January in a woman, 27, who resided in Rose Hall, Berbice, and Covent Garden, EBD. Speaking during the press conference was Chief Medical Officer Dr Shamdeo Persaud, who explained that symptomatic treatment was administered to the patient who has since recovered and is already back in school.

He disclosed that the teenager had visited the interior regions more than a month prior to him displaying the symptoms of the virus which includes rashes, fever and conjunctivitis.

Dr Persaud also stated that the Vector Control Service continues to monitor the teenage and has already tested persons whom he has been in close contact with to ensure no one else was infected.

Commenting generally on the Zika situation in Guyana, the CMO explained that persons exhibiting symptoms of Zika would initially be tested for dengue fever and Chikungunya since the warning signs are similar. If those test results are negative, blood samples will be sent to neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago for testing of the Zika Virus.

He added that this usually takes about seven days.

He pointed out however that symptoms of the Zika Virus can be very mild therefore, there may be relatively healthy persons who are infected and spreading

Public Health Minister Dr George Norton

the disease but they would just not be aware.

Moreover, Dr Persaud said the Vector Control Service will continue fogging particularly in areas with high mosquito index; alert health facilities are on the lookout for suspected cases; and will continue distributing nets to pregnant women.

He highlighted that most of the suspected cases of the Zika Virus are from Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Meanwhile, Ohio State has recorded two additional cases of the Zika Virus, one involving a Licking County man who was in Haiti and the other a woman who travelled from Guyana.

The woman who travelled from Guyana was identified as a Butler County woman.

Guyana has already been placed on the United States Centres for Disease Control (CDC) Zika Virus warning list.

The CDC cautioned pregnant women not to travel to Guyana, among other Zikainfected countries, since the virus is suspected to lead to severe birth defects.

Babies suffering from the condition have smaller than normal heads, preventing their brains from developing properly.

There is also a possibility that the Zika Virus can be sexually transmitted after one recorded case of such in Texas.

The Zika Virus is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is also known to carry the Dengue, Yellow Fever and Chikungunya Viruses.

Health experts are unsure why the Virus – detected in Africa in 1947 but unknown in the Americas until last year – is spreading so rapidly in Brazil and neighbouring countries.

Brazil and Colombia are reportedly the worst-affected countries.

Call 223-7230-1 ext 35

8 NEWS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“Mosquito” remanded on cocaine charge

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scrap metal dealer was on Monday remanded to prison

by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan when he appeared before her at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on a trafficking in narcotics charge.

Michael France, also called “Mosquito”, 41, of Lot 12 Grove Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD) denied the allegation, which stated that on January 29, at Nazreen Street, Grove, he had in his possession 11

Michael France

grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

According to the particulars of the charge, on the day in question, ranks of the Narcotic Branch conducted a raid at Lot 17 Nazreen Street.

The house is reportedly occupied and owned by the accused. During the raid, the ranks saw the man throw a transparent plastic bag into an empty plot of land next door. When the bag was retrieved, it was revealed that it contained a substance sus-

pected to be cocaine. The accused, according to Police sources, subsequently escaped but was captured on February 14.

The accused told the court he is a businessman who operates a scrap metal business, adding that he owns two cars which are being operated as taxis.

Bail was denied and he was remanded to prison.

The Chief Magistrate transferred the matter to the Providence Magistrate’s Court for March 2.

Miner slapped with illegal shotgun charge

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miner was Monday remanded to prison

by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan when he appeared before her charged with illegal possession of a firearm along with matching ammunition.

Don Fraser, 26, a miner and dredge owner of Lot 53 Third Avenue, Bartica, denied the allegations which stated that on February 11 at Honey Camp, Issano Backdam, Middle Mazaruni, he had in his possession one single-barrel 12 gauge shotgun and two matching rounds of ammunition.

According to Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones, on the day in question, Police acting on information went to the accused’s min-

ing camp and conducted a search.

He related that the Police did not find anything; however, they received further information, which led them to conduct a search of a nearby trail just outside the mining camp. The weapons were found there in a clump of bushes beneath a rotting plank of wood, and the accused reportedly admitted to using it for hunting purposes. He objected to bail based on the seriousness of the offence.

However, Fraser’s Attorney Latchmie Rahamat, stated that her client has an unblemished record, he is a licensed firearm holder, and on the day of the search, he showed the

Officers both the firearm and licence.

She further explained that after they found nothing, the officers left and went to an area outside of the camp where they conducted a search of a trail that is usually used by a number of persons.

She stated that her client never left his camp and there are two witnesses willing to confirm such.

According to the lawyer the Police returned shortly after and forced her client to accept ownership of the weapon but he refused.

She alleged that he was also detained far beyond the 72 hours’ detention period.

She told the Court that the Police also confiscated her

client’s firearm as well as the licence.

The lawyer disclosed that she had contacted the Commander who informed her that Fraser would be released and that he would not be charged, however, contrary to that information, he was brought before the Court.

On these grounds, she made an application for bail which was denied.

Fraser was remanded and the matter transferred to the Bartica Magistrate’s Court for February 25.

Lindener on bail for stealing car mirrors

Eyew tness A rose may be a rose... ...but when is a Ministry a ministry?

W

hen your humble Eyewitness was in school, his lecturers tried to teach him about a philosophical concept called “nominalism”. Which is to say - if memory serves him right - there aren’t any things called, say, “chairs” - just particular, individual chairs... or trees or whatever. In other words, there are no “universals”, just particulars.

It seems the APNU/AFC crowd has some nominalists in their ranks. Take their claim that there isn’t any “Ministry of Social Cohesion” - just a “Minister of Social Cohesion”.

Which in this case is the person of Amna Ally. On what platform is Minister Ally then Ministering? Can there be a Minister without a Ministry? Some letter writer said there is, in reality, only a “Department of Social Cohesion” within the Ministry of the Presidency. (Which is headed by a Minister of State and not Minister of the Presidency!) But doesn’t that make Ms Ally a Department Head?

But then she’s getting the salary (including the 60 per cent increase!) that all the “Ministers” receive. Can a Department Head get a Minister’s pay? Your Eyewitness is even more confused than when he was in school parsing the meaning of “nominalism”. But it’s clear he’s not as confused as the members of this government. And it all has to do with this “naming business”.

Take “Prime Minister” Nagamootoo. (“Pleeeease!!”)

What exactly in his title gives him the right to interject himself into the end Budget Debate between the Opposition Leader and the Finance Minister? What exactly is he “Prime” of? Is it like he believes he’s the most “important” Minister and so can push himself on other people’s turf? But is he even a Minister?

He should remember, according to nominalism, there are no “universal” thing called “Minister”... just Ministers with line responsibilities and Ministries to help them carry out their responsibilities. So since the “Prime” Minister doesn’t have any line responsibilities, according to the President, he can’t really be a Minister, can he? Is a lamp a lamp if it doesn’t give off light? Nagamootoo’s no Minister.

What your Eyewitness is forced to conclude is he’s actually just a “prime”. In these philosophical matters you have to think outside the box. Maybe “prime” is being used as a verb - Nagamootoo’s been “primed”? For what? You ask, dear reader? Well, we’ve seen the fella in action during the Budget debate. The man’s definitely primed with hot air, among other things.

The hot air issues through his mouth, whenever he speaks. The other stuff, through other orifices. He’s full of it!

...but can unity be a part or a whole?

A

Guy Porter

23-year-old Lindener was on Monday placed on $15,000 bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan when he appeared before her charged with stealing two car rearview mirrors.

Guy Porter, of 883 South Amelia’s Ward, Linden, denied the charge which stated that between February 9 and 10, he stole two rearview mirrors valued $30,000, property of Philip McPhearson. The facts regarding the charge were not disclosed, but it was revealed that the defendant worked in the interior. As there were no objections to bail by Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones, the defendant was released on $15,000 bail.

The matter was transferred to the Linden Magistrate’s Court for February 24.

Your Eyewitness is also confused about this whole “unity” business the APNU/AFC coalition’s been pushing.

After they got into power, they announced “unity” had been achieved with the 11 per cent the AFC was supposed to have delivered to APNU’s 42 per cent. But since their total votes was a tad over 50 per cent someone didn’t really deliver their promise, did they? However, “unity” was declared.

This “unity” was hailed far and wide. In fact when the incumbent US Ambassador Halloway was being confirmed before the Senate, he boasted about the said unity that was achieved in his prospective posting! And he hadn’t even set foot on our dear Mudland, then!

But President Granger soon allowed he was still seeking the government of “national unity” with the PPP, he’d mentioned before the election. Evidently conceding the AFC coalition hadn’t delivered Guyana into that Nirvana/Holy Grail.

But folks thought he might’ve been speaking with his tongue firmly in his cheek: he appointed Moses Nagamootoo to broker the “unity”!!

...but can Moses merge the Red Sea?

This weekend, Pressie pointed out the PPP’s support base was neck and neck with his and he’s still seeking that elusive “unity”.

But can Moses, “persecuted” by the sea of red, communists in the PPP for not being Hindu, arrange the merger?

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

NEWS

9

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Consideration of 2016 Budget Estimates

State audits

Skyrocketing contract Sharma recommends workers dominate day 1 criminal charges, Police probe – Ministry of the Presidency hires additional 126 contracted employees

BY EDWARD LAYNE

T

he controversy of a ballooning of contract workers on the various government ministries and agencies under the 9-monthold A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government dominated Day One of the Consideration of the 2016 Budget Estimates, as it resulted in constant clashes between government and opposition legislators There has been a significant increase in the number of contracted employees who fall under the Ministry of the Presidency (MOTP), the first agency to be considered Monday, moving from 162 to 288.

This prompted People’s

Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament (MP), Jennifer Westford to ask for the names, designations, salaries and non-salary benefits of the four highest paid and lowest paid contract workers to be provided immediately, while she requested that Minister of State Joseph Harmon provide full details of all the contracted employees in the MOTP. Harmon then revealed that Andrew Bishop, Guyana’s lead negotiator on climate change was the highest paid with a salary of $1.05 million per month, while Floyd Levi, Head of the E-Governance Project is paid $930,000, Chairman of the Civil Defence Commission Chabulall Ramsarup $830,000 and Janelle Christian at $700,000, while three cleaners and one handyman were identified as the four lowest paid employees, earning the minimum wage.

Harmon gave the reason for the increase as the merger of several ministries and departments which now fall under the remit of the MOTP. “What we have seen is basically a coming together of ministries and departments therefore those hirings were conducted… persons were employed based on a need and a vacancy that existed when we took office,” Harmon said in response to a question from PPP/C MP Juan Edghill.

When asked about the

process of hiring these persons, Harmon revealed that most of them were “identified” for employment, a revelation which was met with surprise from the opposition.

“They were interviewed… some of them were advertised and some were identified based on a need that was identified and was urgent,” he said.

Phasing out contract employees

Meanwhile, Minister of Citizenship Winston Felix, who’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship at the Ministry of the Presidency also came in for criticism for increased contracted employees, promised that government will be phasing out contracted employees.

However, when pressed by

PPP/C MP Komal Chand as to when this phasing out process will be complete, Felix said the government will decide.

“This policy is coming to zero.

We will decide that. You can’t force it out of us,” said Felix.

Felix was grilled over a whopping $130 million that is set aside for contract employees at the Department.

It is important to note that while in opposition the APNU/ AFC chastised the PPP/C administration for employing contracted workers, describing them as “super salary” employees and “fat cats”, claiming they were political hacks being handed jobs.

In its review of this year’s Budget – Budget Focus 2016 – Ram and McRae Chartered Accounting firm highlighted that the coalition Government had almost doubled the number of contract employees over the past months.

According to the accounting firm, while some government agencies and ministries have sought to reduce the number of contract workers, there are some that are yet to do so and had even gone so far as to increase the numbers.

One such agency, the firm stated, is the Ministry of the Presidency where the number of contract employees increased from 298 to 505, increasing the wages and salaries bill from $142 million to some $798 million.

Ram and McRae pointed out that it expected a signifi-

cant reduction in the number of contract employees, given the revelation of “ghost” employees under the previous Administration.

The firm outlined that this practice was unhealthy for the country’s democracy and it also placed a strain on Article 38 G of the Constitution, which requires the public service to be free from political influence.

“This is not a problem peculiar to the present Administration.

The abuse started under the Jagdeo Presidency and continued under the Ramotar Administration. This makes a mockery of the idea of the Public Service Commission and approved appointments, the hallmarks of good human resource management in the public service… We sincerely believe that President (David) Granger has the authority to end this abuse. We look to him to act on the matter,” the firm stated.

The analysis from the firm had drawn reactions from both Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman and Minister of State Joseph Harmon who sought to defend the increase.

Trotman explained that Government had not mass hired contract workers, particularly at the Ministry of the Presidency. He said the number was high because at the time the Budget was being prepared there were several Ministries and State agencies under the Ministry of the Presidency, some of which have since branched out independently.

“So this is why you would see what appears to be a jump, but as I said, there has not been this mass hiring of people (but) because of the bundling and the new functions of the Ministry of the Presidency…

It is not that this Government has gone out and hire hundreds of people because it feels it wants to do so,” he outlined.

He went on to say that when the APNU/AFC Administration took office in May 2015, there was a total of 375 staff at Office of the President, but this figure was since reduced to 325 as of January 2016.

Meanwhile, Harmon in a statement had said he was clarifying the facts and noted that the Ministry of the Presidency comprised the Office of the President, the Ministry of Social Cohesion and the Ministry of Citizenship, and still included the Public Service Department, along with accompanying departments such as the General Register Office, Immigration, E-Governance, the National Community Development Council and also the Ministry of Natural Resources, which only recently branched off, thus the increase in the numbers.

BY: DEVINA SAMAROO

J

unior Finance Minister Jaipaul Sharma has made a number of recommendations for further police investigations and criminal charges to be filed in relation to the forensic audit reports into the various state entities, however Cabinet is yet to decide on those proposals.

Sharma, who is also coordinator of these audits, told Guyana Times Monday that he has been making recommendations to Cabinet on a weekly basis, with the most recent submitted sometime last month.

He however declined to disclose which state entities he believes warrant police probe or which individuals should be slapped with criminal charges.

“I will recommend decisions to Cabinet… I don’t want to put Cabinet in the spot to say that I recommended charges and they don’t want to proceed… if they don’t want to, it’s up to them,” Sharma stated, noting that he has completed his task.

Nonetheless, the Junior Minister strongly believes that some cases require po-

Junior Finance Minister Jaipaul Sharma

lice probe as was done with the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) following the submission of the forensic audit report into that entity.

The government had launched forensic audits in about 30 state agencies including the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC); the Guyana Gold Board (GCB); the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); among others.

Meanwhile, during his Budget Presentation, the Junior Finance Minister disclosed that the audit findings indicated that

the former administration in many instances violated the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act and consequently expressed his opinion that persons can be charged for political corruption and acts of fraud.

He had also stated there appears to be sufficient evidence that implicates certain persons in premeditated plans to engage in corruption.

Moreover, Sharma disclosed that the audit reports will soon be made public on the Finance Ministry’s website.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has chided the administration for its delay in releasing these reports, assuming that government’s procrastination is a possible indication that there is no evidence to support its allegations of corruption against People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) officials.

However, Sharma explained that as soon as Cabinet examines the reports and makes a pronouncement, the documents will be uploaded to the Finance Ministry’s website for public viewings.

10

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

News

El Niño

Help leaves for Region 9 today!

A

id is on its way to Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo), as representatives from several Government and international institutions are set to travel to the Region today to provide assistance as needed.

Regional Chairman Brian Allicock told Guyana Times that these officials would be coming into the Region mainly to carry out surveys within villages to identify where wells would be established.

Allicock noted that after their arrival today, the representatives will be going around to the many communities, along with the Region’s engineers and regional personnel of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) to identify the areas where these wells will be placed.

Region Nine Chairman Brian Allicock

He further stated, “We have a company that is in the Region that drills wells and they have gone up to North Rupununi to identify and commence the digging of wells in the area.”

The Regional Chairman added that the first set of wells for the Region

was being sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

He added, water purifying tablets, along pumps and other products, have yet not arrived in the Region and expressed hope of these items arriving soon.

He shared that the Region was still in desperate need of water and other supplies even though there have been some rain showers over the past several days. “It didn’t make a difference. All it did was water the plants, but nothing to bring up the water for the animals and so,” Allicock mentioned.

According to him, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) was waiting on a company to provide the cost of digging wells, after which, he be-

lieves, some semblance of order will be restored to the Region.

“We are hoping that by early next week, the wells can be set up so water can return to the communities,” the Chairman told this publication.

Region Nine has been experiencing a severe drought for several months now. Ten priority villages have so far been identified, including those in South Rupununi which are in dire need of immediate attention. Residents of the Region are worried that a food shortage is imminent if the dry weather persists over the next several weeks. Allicock has urged the Government to prepare to send provisions to the Region in the coming months, as he states that a food shortage is imminent.

Zika Virus

RDC 10 Councillors call for fogging

I

n light of the second recorded case of Zika virus in Guyana, Councillors of Region 10

(Upper Demerara-Berbice) have made calls for increased fogging across the Region.

The calls were made during the statutory meeting of the Regional Democratic Council

(RDC) earlier this month.

Regional Chairman Renis Morian said he will make representation to put mechanisms in place to facilitate activities relating to environmental clean-up. The Chairman said he wants to see more awareness of the people in Region 10.

“It might not only be

The aedes aegypti mosquito which spreads the Zika Virus

fogging, there might be other things we can do... I want to get a letter to the Ministry of Health”, he told the Council.

Meanwhile, Regional Health Officer (RHO) Dr Pansy Armstrong said the environmental team has been working across the Region, and will be conducting visits to different areas.

Already she said, chemicals have been handed over to some residents to aid in the fight against mosquito infestation.

Member of the Health Committee Dr Gregory Harris had recently expressed concern, noting that the Committee had failed to meet on several occasions to discuss matters especially related to the education of Zika virus.

Interview with Dr Patricia Mohammed on Indo-Caribbean Women

L

ast year I conducted an interview with Dr Patricia Mohammed on the status of Indo-Caribbean women. Dr Mohammed is currently Professor of Gender and Cultural Studies and Campus Chair, School for Graduate Studies and Research at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, and Trinidad.

She is also a pioneer in second wave feminism and the development of gender studies at Tertiary level in the Caribbean Dr Lomarsh Roopnarine and has been involved in feminist activism and scholarship for over two decades in Cultural Studies.

The interview will be published by The Journal of International Women’s Studies (2016). Below are a few paragraphs from that interview.

One purpose of this interview in this column is to bring more visibility to Indo-Caribbean women in the region, whom arguably, have been marginalised in almost every domain of life, including the domestic sphere.

The current regime in Guyana has only a few Indian women in its Cabinet. This is not encouraging to young inspiring Indian women who want to pursue a career in politics.

Lomarsh Roopnarine (hereafter LR): One of the most interesting debates on Indo-Caribbean women is whether or not their indentured experience has led to more freedom than in India or they simply exchanged one oppressed environment for another. In other words, are Indian women better off in the Caribbean than in India?

Patricia Mohammed (hereafter PM): Indian women benefitted from migration in many ways. Many were leaving lives of destitution or in fear of violent husbands and as unpaid and undervalued help in households and perhaps living under conditions that offered them little hope of advancement for themselves and their offspring within their lifetimes.

They were brought into a system that offered advantages of being wage earners in their own right, and being in much shorter supply than men. For the entire period of indentureship to the Caribbean, the female population constituted between 25 to at most 40 per cent of the male population.

The rules pertaining to arranged marriages, dowries and female virginity in India rapidly underwent change as femininity was a more prized commodity and they were able to bargain for greater power in many spheres.

LR: Do you think that women entered into a new caste/class system in the Caribbean?

PM: Migration offered Indians the possibility of challenging the fixed caste system from which they were drawn although there emerged another caste hierarchy mediated by a parallel class system that the migrants would be fitted into in the new society.

Women perhaps had greater flexibility with the caste system as, again, being in short supply, caste endogamy could no longer be binding. At the same time women were also vulnerable as a result of their sex. We are not sure how many women were at risk of unwanted attentions on plantations from overseers and sirdhars (headman on the plantation) but this would have been one of the new threats they faced in the Caribbean, although I am sure there was no shortage of this in India itself.

The difference in the new society was that the family and village network that provided protection was not available in the earliest days of indenture and both men and women were more vulnerable as migrants always are…

LR: What are some newly emerging trends and thoughts on Indo-Caribbean?

PM: Even as we speak, there are new groups of Indians entering, under different migration schemes, changing the landscape of what is constituted as Indo-Caribbean.

Hajima Degia, a scholar at Cave Hill Barbados, has for instance written about the new migration of Gujarat populations into this society, while in Trinidad, groups of commercial and professional Indians are settling into the society.

So the first thing is that we cannot constitute Indians as a homogeneous group who travelled on the same ships around the same time.

The second trend might be the real class differences, between and among the very wealthy and entrepreneurial class, the professional classes who comprise part of the expanded middle class especially in Trinidad and those who still survive barely above the poverty line.

These exhibit vast differences in values, cuisine choices, vacation destinations and so on.

The third trend might be the antagonism again between two ideological groups within the Indian communities, those who feel that they have remained and should remain “authentic” to received values and religious traditions from Indian that has not been tainted by western mores and those who view their birth and presence in a multicultural western society as allowing them to combine the best of both worlds, the home as a safe culturally-defined Indo-Caribbean space, the world as the mixture of many cultures that they contend with on an everyday basis…

The significance of this interview in this context is that it adds to Dr Baytoram Ramharack’s series on the Indian mind as well as providing alternative discussions and discourses on Indo-Caribbean women. (lomarsh.roopnarine@jsums.edu).

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

News

Revamping of Teaching Service Commission

GTU to intensify protest actions

T

he Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) has pledged to intensify its picketing exercises until the rule of law within the education system regarding teachers’ welfare is upheld and teachers are treated fairly.

GTU General Secretary Coretta McDonald told this publication that the Union was committed to continuing its battle against the Teaching Service Commission (TSC).

The Union had shared that the TSC has continued to ignore its appeals regarding the non- promotion of senior teachers since last year.

The Commission had stated it would not be engaging in any negotiations in relation to this matter with the Union.

McDonald stated that this move by the Commission was affecting and frustrating teachers all across the country.

She added that during this time teachers usually looked forward to filling up

GTU General Secretary Coretta McDonald

application forms in anticipation of a promotion, which could not happen because there was a matter in court.

“There will be no vacancy notices going out, so teachers will not be able to fill out application form,” McDonald said, “So we feel that this is the time we have to intensify our picketing action until the Government decides to say something to us, to either remove the Commission

Wedding Expo RTTA event

Couple cops $3M wedding winning couple was made at the packed Roraima Duke Lodge’s Valentine’s Day Special on February 14. The series of events leading up to the announcement of the winner includes; couples interviews on February 5, Media visit to Arrowpoint Nature Resort on February 7, house visits on February 10 and online voting via Facebook occurred during the period February 9 to 14.

“The competition was far more challenging than previous years”.

Said one of the returning judges, Mitra Ramkumar.

The winning couple Steven Persaud and The activities Monalisa Sammy in the competition at Arrowpoint espite the difficulty ranged from Mountain bikof choosing a winner, ing, kayaking, and forest exthe choice became pedition. Those activities clear as Steven Persaud and gave the judges the opportuMonalisa Sammy impressed nity to examine the couple’s the judges through their interaction under stress and “good ambassadorship” potheir chemistry. tential of the Wedding Expo Sponsors for the “Race legacy and online voting supto the Altar” and Wedding port.

Expo 2016 were Tower The Wedding Expo “Race Suites, Sacha Designs, to the Altar” entered its 4th John Lewis Styles, Kings year with 15 couples vying Jewellery World, Ansa McAl, for the $3,000,000 all-incluBonny’s Marketing Complex, sive wedding. Good ambasMonique’s Amazing Designs sadorship and online voting and Hand in Hand Insurance were just some of the criteCompany. ria of winning. Other points April 2 will be the of winning included strong Wedding of Steven Persaud chemistry between the couple and Monalisa Sammy and and the couple’s inability to the public is invited to witafford a $3,000,000 wedding. ness the ceremony.

The announcement of the

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11

or get the Commission to straighten up.”

The General Secretary stated that protest actions would be intensified over the coming weeks, since the TSC was not working according to its mandatory schedule and was ignoring the criteria to be followed within the educational system.

Members of the Union had recently taken up protesting outside the TSC office as a result of several appointments made by the Commission.

GTU President Mark Lyte had told reporters that the Union would continue to reject the Commission until the new members were removed by the relevant au-

thorities. He had shared that the Commission’s new members were appointed at a time when the matter was in the court, which imposed a responsibility on the Commission not to make any appointments until a decision has arrived at in court. Lyte labelled the actions of the TSC as complete disregard for the law.

The Union is once again calling on President David Granger to appoint a new Commission, which it believes should comprise “professional persons”, warning that otherwise its protest would never be over.

Attempts to contact members of the TSC proved futile.

Chopped 10-month-old

Child critical, suspect arrested

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he 10-month-old baby who was chopped in the head on Saturday is listed as critical at the Georgetown Public Hospital as doctors battle to save his life.

Speaking with this publication on Monday, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said that the suspect, who was reportedly the child’s grandfather, was arrested and charges were pending.

This newspaper was told that the incident occurred on Saturday evening after an argument ensued between the child’s mother and the suspect.

It was alleged the argument ensued after the child

was left unattended while the mother was attending to some chores in the backyard. During the incident, the grandfather reportedly picked up a cutlass as the woman ran to rescue her child. However, the brutal attack was carried out by the man.

During the attack, the mother received a chop to her right hand while the baby was chopped to his head. Both the baby and his mother were rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, but were transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital. The mother’s condition has been listed as stable.

12

NEWS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Health Minister, GWI Govt, Barama commence deny water shortage at contract renewal talks West Demerara Hospital

F

ormer Minister, Dr Frank Anthony’s lambasting of the current Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton for not addressing a water shortage at the West Demerara Regional Hospital, has been refuted by the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) and the Minister.

Last week during Dr Anthony’s 2016 Budget debate speech, he lambasted the Public Health Ministry for returning millions to the treasury without first assessing what could have been done to rectify shortcomings at the hospitals and in the general health sector.

Dr Anthony went on to underline the issue at the West Demerara Hospital where, he claimed, there was a shortage of water especially in the nights causing the staff much inconvenience, as it hindered them from efficiently executing their tasks.

According to the former Minister, he had received reports that because of the water shortage, most cases of emergency, which were admitted at night to the facility, had to be transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Additionally, he informed the National Assembly that

D

Overview of Barama’s Buck Hall operations Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton

Former Minister Dr Frank Anthony

nurses who were staying at the hostels at the West Demerara Hospital had to wait in line during morning hours to fill water in order to execute their daily tasks.

“How much money would it take to fix the water situation at the hospital?”

Dr Anthony questioned.

However, during an interview with this newspaper on Monday, Dr Norton denied having knowledge of the water shortage, stating that it was possible that the Hospital might be facing such a situation, but it was never reported to him although he had only recently visited the facility to reopen its Neonatal Intensive Care

Unit (NICU).

GWI also indicated that it too was unaware of the situation, since it was not reported to the utility or its division manager who is assigned to the region.

In addition, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) Executive Officer Dennis Jaikaran also informed Guyana Times that he had visited the Hospital a few minutes prior to the interview to have an update on whether there was indeed a water shortage since he had been hearing that there was, but there appeared to be no shortage of water reported.

Jaikaran pointed out that there was an issue in previous weeks whereby the pump at the Hospital was down, but there was adequate water to meet the needs of the staff and the hospital.

iscussions have commenced on the possibility of renewal of the Barama Company Limited billion-dollar investment in Guyana.

Representative teams of both Barama and Government have held discussions of the lumber company’s request for contract renewal of its investment agreement, as the $43 billion ontract is to expire in October this year.

The Government’s team comprised persons from the Ministries of Natural Resources, Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Business and Public Infrastructure,

along with the Guyana Revenue Authority, and the Guyana Forestry Commission.

However, other formal talks on the company’s contract renewal is said to commence later this month.

Late last year, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman visited the company’s Buck Hall, Essequibo, operations and met with Chief Executive Officer of Barama Company Limited, Choo Siong Liew, General Manager, Mohindra Chand, and Senior Manager with responsibility for Human Resources, Patricia Mingo.

During that tour, Chand

had reiterated the $43 billion company’s determination to continue its operations in Guyana, stating that while they are faced with many challenges, they are committed to never closing its operations.

The Barama Company established its operations in Guyana since 1991 and is one of Guyana’s biggest employers, employing approximately 1000 Guyanese.

Barama’s operations consist of Forest Management, Timber Harvesting and manufacturing of various wood-based products such as plywood, sawn timber, and flooring products.

Zinc sheet manufacturing plant established in Linden

From left: Vladimir Glasgow (left), an RDC 10 Councillor and Rory Chetram

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he Linden community will continue to benefit from the investments of Parika businessman Rory Chetram –a housing scheme and zinc manufacturing plant.

Prime Ministerial Representative to Linden, Vladimir Glasgow met with the businessman late last week and indicated that the initiatives have brought both development and jobs to the community. During the meeting, Glasgow was given a preview of the businessman’s ongoing projects currently underway in Linden.

The housing scheme, situated at Amelia’s Ward, is the first such private initiative in the Linden community. Glasgow said he met with Chetram in an effort to get an overview of the housing scheme which caters for approximately 32 homes for low-, medium- and high-in-

come earners.

“I’m happy to see investors coming to invest in the beautiful town of Linden and I’m encouraging other investors around Guyana and Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) to come on board and develop this beautiful Region,” he noted.

The housing scheme is expected to have security, a hot spot and gardens.

Chetram is also involved in the manufacturing of zinc sheets in the community which are then sold to wholesalers in and around Linden and Region 10. This manufacturing section was also visited by Glasgow, who stated that the businessman is also planning to invest in the packaging of cement in Linden.

“So that is also something else on the drawing board, but what it’s doing is creating employment for

Lindeners. He would have explained to me that his customers are the hardware stores in Linden and he tries to have them all set a standard...he’s actually investing in another machine to manufacture more zinc and he has been getting a good response from the community and the Region,” Glasgow outlined.

He added that he welcomed the investment and was encouraging businessmen and women to invest in the community especially those with commercial lands.

“I would urge them to utilise those spaces. Don’t wait on the Government to create employment. The development of any Region, nation or country basically lies in the hands of private investors...I’m also urging our Government to support private investors”.

13 Diocese of Guyana Mothers’ Union celebrates 90th anniversary NEWS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

First Lady Sandra Granger addressing the Mothers’ Union Monday at the Regency Suite

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he Diocese of Guyana Mothers’ Union celebrated 90 years of fellowship on Monday at their Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Regency Suite, Hadfield Georgetown.

Under the theme ‘A Celebration of Faith,’ the parishioners were encouraged

by Father Monsel Alves to keep a close connection with God through prayer and devotion.

Members from the Union were applauded for their generous work throughout Guyana and the great bea-

con they have grown into.

The members were encouraged during the service to keep the faith as their ministry is celebrated throughout the diocese.

Christian care families were encouraged by First Lady Sandra Granger to continue supporting families and nurturing their faith.

She stated the Mothers’ Union within Guyana is currently carrying out a series of empowerment programmes, since they are focused on the vulnerable sector of Guyana’s popula-

tion.

She pointed out that given the challenges that women in general and mothers in particular, face every day, the importance of the services provided by the Union cannot be understated.

Mrs Granger explained that women continue to bear the burden of nurturing and educating and in many cases providing for their families, while at the same time grappling with issues such as sexual, mental and physical abuse, and human trafficking.

National Tourism Policy finally completed – THAG to meet with Minister Hughes

Tourism Minister Cathy Hughes

By Shemuel Fanfair

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his year is likely to see the growth and development of the tourism sector as the National Tourism Policy is said to be completed. This policy targets activities such as sports fishing, sports tourism such as motor racing and cricket; yachting and cruise visits along with entertainment and cultural tourism.

President of the Tourism Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) Shaun McGrath related to Guyana Times Monday that the organisation intends to meet with Tourism Minister Cathy Hughes, to seek clarity on a number of issues.

“We are currently gathering with a few of our members and we will get back to the minister at the end of this week as to what we thought of the policy.”

“I know the policy has

been made up of a lot of the studies that have been done before that stakeholders would have endorsed,” posited McGrath.

Though THAG is yet to take an official position, McGrath stated he is pleased with status of the policy which was announced

by Minister Hughes in the Budget debates last week.

The THAG President explained: “This is the first time we’ve even gotten to this stage and there’s a lot of very positive stuff in the document. I think that with some minor tweaking, it will certainly lay the ground rules for the developments of the sector for the next four to five years.”

“I am very happy that the policy has taken the expert advice we have been giving over the years in relation to what we need to do with our product, the strengths that we have in Guyana,” McGrath emphasised.

He stated that the prospects for yachting and sports fishing are great and also sought to commend the work which THAG has done over the years to advance these.

According to McGrath, legislation has been changed to allow Bartica to become a port of entry where documentation was simplified from 35 pages to just one.

This has made the yachting industry more attractive which the THAG President stressed was long advocated.

“We were lobbying for that for a long time and the previous Government actually agreed to that because any

THAG President Shaun McGrath

ship coming into Guyana was treated as a cargo ship and the documentation was long and tedious and you had to go to Georgetown to do it,” explained McGrath.

He also explained that yachts can directly go through the Essequibo River rather than docking in the capital which McGrath said will further enhance the sector.

In the upcoming meeting with Minister Hughes, THAG expects to have clarifications over the financial allocations to the tourism sector in 2016 budget.

Minister Hughes announced that these allocations increased from $214.6 million in 2015 to $312.7 million which is a jump of $98.1 million in 2016.

This represents a 45.7 per cent increase in direct allocations to the tourism sector through the Ministry of Tourism and the Guyana Tourism Authority.

“Women work in the public and private sectors, in the field and the factory, in banking and commerce, in the medical profession, in education, in nursing and in the disciplined services.

Some women are self-employed, some work for minimum wage as domestics or shop assistants or security guards. Some go into the hinterland lured by the promises of lucrative jobs and some migrate to North America and the Caribbean in search of better paying jobs. A woman’s life is a life of continuing and confronting challenges, of overcom-

ing the obstacles thrown in her path each day…” the First Lady said.

She emphasised that through faith and prayer the work completed by the Union will be continued as they attain and surpass their centenary.

The Mothers’ Union in Guyana begun in 1926 and continues to grow each year.

Members are involved in numerous community initiatives and projects throughout the country, from the urban centre of the capital Georgetown to the most isolated of communities in the rainforest and riverine ar-

eas.

The body seeks to empower families and communities across Guyana to realise their potentials. The Union provides a safe, secure and homely environment for the nurturing of children while away from their parents.

The AGM saw the participation of members from parishes in Essequibo, Linden, Upper Mazaruni, Imbaimadai, East and West Demerara, East Coast Demerara, Georgetown, East and West Berbice, Tumatumari and Rupununi.

State media coverage

PPP concerned over conflicting reports

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he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) said it was concerned over the conflicting reports about the coverage provided by the State media and has issued a call for an official declaration on the matter.

Even after President David Granger came forward and debunked statements by Director of Public Information Imran Khan over the coverage offered by the State media, the Party said there was still a hint of uncertainty on the matter and an official declaration on the situation was needed.

Khan had initially posited that the Government Information Agency (GINA)

was not responsible for covering the Opposition side of the House during the Budget debate.

However, the President shortly afterwards, when prompted by media operatives, declared otherwise.

During a press conference on Monday, PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee expressed concerns over the conflicting reports and consequently issued a call for an official declaration on the matter.

“Again we come back to the question where we getting conflicting statements and we don’t know really who is the authority…,” Rohee said.

Moreover, Rohee sug-

gested that if the President’s position were to be validated, GINA should dispatch letters to all political parties, informing them of its policies on State media coverage and particularly the amount of airtime they are allotted.

Notably, the A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change while in Opposition had been very vocal against what they said were discriminatory practices by the then operations of GINA and the National Communications Network (NCN). Their cry was against not being able to have equal access to the State agencies.

14

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, february 16, 2016

Regional

US and Cuba to sign Caricom Heads to tackle key development issues at Belize meeting agreement for direct regular flights

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dvancing the regional response to the Zika Virus threat will be among matters engaging Caribbean Community (Caricom) Heads of Government at their 27th inter-sessional meeting in Placencia, Belize, February 16-17.

The heads are also expected to focus on measures to position the Region to benefit from the historic Paris Agreement on climate change, including access to climate finance.

The Belize meeting comes two weeks after the World Health Organisation declared Zika as a ‘public health emergency of international concern’. The suspected Zika link to cases of microcephaly in parts of Latin America, with babies born with underdeveloped brains, has also heightened public concern about the virus.

At least five Caricom member states have diagnosed cases of the Zika virus. The Caribbean Regional Public Health Agency (CARPHA), which has been providing testing and

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Caricom now faces the challenges of Zika and using the COP21 agreement as the basis for future climate action

prevention and control guidance to member states, is expected to help the meeting determine the future actions in the Zika Virus fight.

The meeting also gives the Caricom Heads of Government an opportunity to build on the favourable outcome, from last December’s COP21 Paris Climate Change conference, for Small Island Developing States (SIDS),

Japanese Embassy cautions nationals about crime in Trinidad

T

he murder of a Japanese woman who was in Trinidad for Carnival has prompted the Japanese Embassy to issue a warning to its nationals visiting the twin-island republic.

It advised them to take measures to ensure their safety, given the increase in crime in the country in recent years.

The short caution came a few days after Asami Nagakiya’s body, still clad in the costume she wore to Carnival Tuesday, was found in the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain, last Wednesday.

An autopsy indicated the 30-year-old pannist who often visited Trinidad and Tobago for Carnival and played with the local PCS Nitrogen Silver Stars Pan

Orchestra when she was in the country, was strangled.

The Japanese Embassy alerted its nationals to the incident and urged them to take caution in Trinidad, particularly at night.

“As the rate of violent crimes has increased over the last few years, to avoid encountering any unexpected threats to personal safety, please minimise any unnecessary night-time outings,” the brief note stated.

“However, if you need to go out at night, such as in cases of emergencies, please be aware of your surroundings and exercise caution at all times and all locations.”

There was no suggestion that Japanese citizens avoid travelling to Trinidad and Tobago altogether. (Excerpt from

Caribbean360)

which include Caricom Member States.

Caricom climate change negotiators in Paris, using the popular mantra “1.5 to Stay Alive”, successfully promoted the ‘temperature rise’ as an existential issue for the Region, and were able to have language included in the historic final agreement which takes account of the 1.5 degree option.

(Excerpt from Caribbean News Now!)

he signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of direct regular flights between Cuba and the United States will take place today in Havana.

According to a press statement released by the Cuban Foreign Ministry, Transport Minister Adel Yzquierdo and Institute of Civil Aeronautics of Cuba President Alfredo Cordero will represent Cuba on the ceremony, while US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and Ambassador Charles H Rivkin, Deputy Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs of the State Department, will do so for the United States.

As announced earlier, negotiators of the two countries

reached an understanding on this issue and, after the corresponding steps, the final document will be signed.

A few weeks ago, in an exclusive interview with ACN, Josefina Vidal, Director General of the US Department of the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that after the signing of the document a conciliation process would open between the entities responsible for providing the service to address all technical requirements.

Vidal pointed out that a few months will still be necessary to establish these regular direct flights, but that the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding is a positive step in the right direction. (Caribbean News Now!)

Several Caribbean countries under drought watches or warnings

A

number of Caribbean countries have been placed under immediate drought warnings or watches, according to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).

The Barbados-based agency said that last year was the driest on record for the Eastern Caribbean and some other areas and the 2015-16 drought situation is similar to the major drought of 2009-10.

“The drought situation remains a major concern for many countries due to the below-normal rainfall recorded during the previous dry and wet seasons, which resulted in a number of countries experiencing water shortages in 2015,” CDEMA said in a statement.

Drought alerts have been issued by the Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) for several countries up to March 2016

Drought alerts have been issued by the Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) for several countries up to March 2016, it added.

Drought warnings have been issued for Antigua

and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, northern Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and northern Suriname.

A drought watch has also

been issued for Grenada, while Haiti east-and southward has been noted for drought concern.

The drought outlook for the short-term, until March 2016, may result in a rise or persistent drought situation in Haiti east-and southward and especially in Antigua, Barbados and the Leeward islands, CDEMA said.

“The longer term outlook – beyond March 2016 – will see a drier early part of the year in the Lesser Antilles due to a peak in the strength of El Niño.

“This may lead to drought concerns towards the end of the Caribbean dry season that is May 31, 2016.

A drought watch is, therefore, issued for the Bahamas and southwest Belize during this period,” the agency said. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

tuesday, february 16, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the world

23 dead as missiles hit 3 Ugandan Opposition hospitals, school in Syrian towns Leader's arrest sparks protests A t least 23 civilians were killed when missiles hit three hospitals and a school in rebel-held Syrian towns on Monday, residents said, as Russian-backed Syrian troops intensified their push toward the rebel stronghold of Aleppo.

Fourteen people were killed in the town of Azaz near the Turkish border when missiles slammed into a school sheltering families fleeing the offensive and the children’s hospital, two residents and a medic said.

Bombs also hit another refugee shelter south of the town and a convoy of trucks, another resident said.

“We have been moving scores of screaming chil-

At least 23 civilians were killed when the missiles hit on Monday

dren from the hospital,” said medic Juma Rahal. At least two children were killed and scores of people injured, he said.

Activists posted video online purporting to show the

damaged hospital. Three crying babies lay in incubators in a ward littered with broken medical equipment.

Reuters could not independently verify the video.

In a separate incident,

missiles hit another hospital in the town of Marat Numan in Idlib province, in north-western Syria, said the French President of the Doctors Without Borders/ Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) charity, which was supporting the hospital.

“There were at least seven deaths among the personnel and the patients, and at least eight MSF personnel have disappeared, and we don’t know if they are alive,” Mego Terzian told Reuters.

“The author of the strike is clearly ... either the Government or Russia,” he said, adding that it was not the first time MSF facilities in Syria had been attacked.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Australian Police seize almost US$1B worth of meth

A

ustralian Police have seized more than US$900 million in methamphetamine, a narcotic known as ice, which had been hidden in gel bra inserts and art supplies, in one of the country’s biggest drug busts ever, authorities said.

Three people from Hong Kong and a Chinese national were arrested during the joint operation with China, which Justice Minister Michael Keenan described on Monday as the largest seizure of liquid methamphetamine in Australian history.

“This has resulted in 3.6 million individual hits of ice being taken off our streets with a street value of 1.26 billion Australian dollars,” he said.

“This largest seizure of liquid methamphetamine

Some of the methamphetamine confiscated was hidden in gel bra inserts [EPA]

to date is the result of organised criminals, targeting the lucrative Australian ice market from offshore,” he added.

Chris Sheehan, the Australian Federal Police

Commander, said that the operation began in December 2015 when the Australian Border Force examined a shipping container out of Hong Kong in Sydney.

It originated in mainland

China.

“That shipping container was found to contain gel bra inserts and hidden inside those gel bra inserts was 190 litres of liquid methamphetamine,” he said.

The seizure was referred to the Australian Federal Police who began an investigation which traced an additional 530 litres of liquid methamphetamine to five storage units in Sydney, where they were found inside art supplies.

In January, a 33-year-old Hong Kong man was arrested and charged in connection with the original seizure.

A further two people from Hong Kong, a man, 37, and a 52-year-old woman, along with a Chinese man, 59, were arrested and charged. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Israel’s ex-PM Olmert starts 19-month prison sentence

F

ormer Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has begun serving his prison sentence, making him the first Israeli Head of Government to go to prison.

Olmert was scheduled to enter Ma’asiyahu Prison near Tel Aviv on Monday to start serving a 19-month sentence for bribery and obstruction of justice.

Hours before, Olmert released a video message saying that he “rejects outright” the bribery charges he is convicted of.

“When I was Prime Minister, I was given the highest responsibility of safeguarding the security of the citizens of Israel

Olmert made a last-minute plea to salvage his legacy, appealing to Israelis to remember his peacemaking attempts as leader [Abir Sultan/Reuters/Files]

and today it is I who am about to be locked up behind bars,” Olmert said in a video message, calling the experience “painful and strange”.

He admitted to having “made mistakes”, but said

these were “not criminal”, and denied having taken bribes.

“Life is offering me today no simple test. I go towards it with great sadness,” he said.

The 70-year-old was

convicted in March 2014 in a case that accused him of accepting bribes to promote a controversial real-estate project in Jerusalem.

The charges pertained to a period when he was Mayor of Jerusalem and Trade Minister, years before he became Prime Minister in 2006.

Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz reported that the Israel Prison Service had set up a special wing for him at the Ma’asiyahu Prison complex in Ramle.

Olmert will be held in Wing 10 and will be considered a “protected person” whose environment and contacts will be monitored. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

O

pposition Leader and presidential candidate Kizza Besigye has been released after being briefly arrested by Ugandan Police for leading a procession of supporters in the capital, Kampala.

The arrest of the leader of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party on Monday came just days before presidential and parliamentary elections are due to take place on February 18.

Coleen Nantongo, an FDC parliamentary candidate for Kampala Central, said the detention cast a dark cloud over the upcoming polls.

“Uganda is doomed,” she said. “We cannot have a fair election when this is what the Police do. Whenever there are elections, they tear-gas us and arrest us, so how can we be expected to have a fair competition?”

Besigye has lost three disputed elections against the current President,

Yoweri Museveni, who has been leading the country for 30 years.

FDC supporters gathered outside the Police station in Wapeendwo, Kampala, where Besigye was believed to have been held.

Opposition supporter James Magara, 40, said that the arrest raised doubts that the election would be free and fair.

“There is no democracy in Uganda, and now the whole world will see it. Museveni does not want to lose so he sends the Police after us, but this time we will not accept it. We will not let him continue like this,” he told Al Jazeera.

Police in full riot gear could be seen in parts of downtown Kampala Central later on Monday, while in Wakiso District, Police and Army Officers were on patrol as groups of Besigye supporters marched chanting through the streets. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Violence in India court after sedition arrest

The arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar on the charge of “sedition” sparked outraged protests

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iolence has been reported at a court where a student leader from a top Indian university is to be produced after being charged with “sedition”.

Kanhaiya Kumar from Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) was arrested after a rally against the 2013 hanging of Mohammed Afzal Guru at which anti-India slogans were allegedly raised.

The University saw protests over the weekend at the “excessive action”.

Afzal Guru was convicted over a 2001 plot to attack India’s Parliament.

He had always denied plotting the attack, which was carried out by Kashmiri militants and left 14 people dead.

Reports from the Patiala Court in the capital, Delhi, said that a group of men claiming to be lawyers had attacked some JNU students who had come to the court to support Kumar.

Some journalists were also assaulted and injured.

Students have accused the Delhi Police of doing nothing to stop the violence.

The arrest of Kumar on the charge of “sedition” sparked outraged protests from faculty members, university students and sections of the media, who called it an overblown reaction to student action.

A strike call has been issued inside the University, while another 40 universities have extended solidarity to the students.

A column in one Indian newspaper said “nothing that JNU students did poses nearly as much of a threat to India as Government’s subversion of freedom”, while another website pointed out that the charge of sedition in the case was incorrect since “speech can be criminalised only in situations where it is being used to incite crowds to violent action”.

However, angry Government Ministers have not backed down, and vowed to punish the “anti-national elements”. (Excerpt from BBC News)

16 NEWS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Sugar workers start nationwide strike – to down tools one day per week

By Kizzy Coleman

W

orkers across the sugar belt in Guyana will down their tools one day per week in solidarity with their colleagues who face an uncertain future with the imminent closure of the Wales Sugar Estate.

Speaking with Guyana Times on the sidelines of the ongoing Budget debate at Parliament on Monday, Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) President Komal Chand said while cane harvesting would be taking place within the various sugar estates, workers have agreed to down tools to address three main issues affecting the workers of the Wales Sugar Estate.

“Workers are committed to downing their tools to address three main issues: the first issue being that persons are seeking to engage once again in collective bargaining; secondly, workers need to have their [Annual Performance Incentive] API disputes settled and thirdly, to provide solidarity with the Wales workers,” Chand ex-

GAWU President Komal Chand

plained.

He further disclosed that for the moment of the seven estates in Guyana, four would be affected by the strike action of the workers.

“The Skeldon, Rose Hall and Enmore estates are not in operation currently so it means that the other four estates that are grinding at the moment will be affected in the one-day protesting,” Chand said.

These measures would result in a halt to sugar production in Guyana which could have a drastic impact on the current crop and more significantly, the nation’s Gross

Domestic Product (GDP).

Since the announcement was made that the Wales Sugar Estate would be closed, workers of the Estate, several workers unions, and civil society bodies, along with the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), have launched a series of actions to combat this decision by the Government.

The Opposition had stated that by closing operations at the Estate, the Government would be affecting the livelihood of the workers.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, in a bid to save the Estate, had said that with the injection of small amounts of money, the industry can survive and production at the Wales Estate, among others, could be revived.

He voiced dissatisfaction over the closure of the Estate, highlighting the significant impact this would have on the people and the community.

The Wales Sugar Estate is one of the oldest in the country, but is operating at a huge loss, so the relevant authorities reason it should be

Launch campaign to educate farmers about pesticide safety – TCV

N

on-governmental organisation The Caribbean Voice said it is thrilled about the basket of initiatives outlined in the recent Budget debates, particularly in relation to the plans and policies to tackle the issue of suicide in Guyana.

Though it welcomes the announcement by government to distribute some 150 cabinets to farmers, the organisation believes the project should be complimented with an extensive educational campaign to inform farmers about pesticide safety.

“Given that there are

cals can be stored safely so that no one else can have access except the most reliable family member and that the chemicals should only be given to whoever needs to use them for legitimate purposes.

TCV suggested that the campaign sensitise households and communities on the dangers of the various chemicals used in the area.

That aside, TCV is urging the Health Ministry and the Social Protection Ministry to reach out to all sports organisations in an effort to persuade them to include suicide awareness and information dis-

Social Protection Ministry along with the Regional Health Authorities, Health Institutions, Regional Social Workers and other NGOs to help build a national approach to suicide prevention.

“Please do bear in mind that the life you save may be that of a loved one,” TCV added.

Meanwhile, the NGO said it is pleased with the Health Ministry’s upcoming stakeholders’ forum to address suicide prevention.

“We strongly urge that this forum set up a national coordinating committee that can help to foster col-

tens of thousands of farmers in Guyana…,” TCV noted, highlighting that the cabinets being distributed is most likely to be insufficient.

The NGO posited that the campaign must clearly propagate that all agrochemicals and other poisons to be purchased by someone who’s very reliable (preferably provided with some sort of official permission to buy such chemicals) and who would immediately safely store the chemicals upon reaching home, in cabinets/strong boxes secured by farmers/householders themselves.

Secondly, it must cover ways in which these chemi-

semination in their sports programme as is currently done by other clubs.

The organisation is also appealing to the telephone companies to embark on an awareness campaign by sending out broadcast messages on suicide prevention and promoting the helpline numbers.

TCV also echoed calls for the University of Guyana to take the lead in suicide research, build models to actualise redress and provide training to implement the models.

Moreover, the NGO is urging all and sundry to make contact with the Health Ministry, Education Ministry, and

laboration, map all that is happening so as to avoid duplication, ensure followup, maximise resource use and plug the gaps. This would facilitate a structured approach and regular feedback drive an ongoing national campaign and provide citizens with the wherewithal to help save lives,” the organisation stated.

TCV added that the Ministry should also establish a comprehensive database of all groups involved in suicide prevention and social activism for better networking in the national suicide prevention approach.

closed down. Plans are afoot to have these workers receive their benefits and severance pay, a source stated.

Hundreds of sugar workers and their families are slated to be directly affected as their only means of a livelihood will no longer exist.

This newspaper was told that in the phasing-out pro-

cess, the canes at Wales will be transported via tractortrailers – at tremendous cost – to the Uitvlugt Factory on the West Coast of Demerara.

It must be noted that the distance between the two factories is great—from West Bank to West Coast. The oldfashioned method of using punts to haul canes is not ap-

plicable since the Boerasirie Conservancy does not have a direct link between the two Estates.

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

Budget 2016

Harmon grilled over budgetary allocations for People’s Militia – says funding will come from GDF budget

BY EDWARD LAYNE

D

espite the revival of the Guyana People’s Militia (GPM) by the President David Granger-led A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition Government, there is no specific allocations in the 2016 National Budget for equipment, training and kit for the reserved-like military unit, This led to heavy scrutiny from the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/ Civic’s (PPP/C) Members of Parliament, including former member of the Defence Board Gail Teixeira.

Teixeira was the first to question Harmon about where the allocations for the GPM were placed in the Budget.

He responded: “Mr Chairman, it is not there… there is no special provision that is being made for the GPM, it is basically reactivating the service which was there and to train and mobilise the people.”

Harmon explained that under the PPP/C administration the People’s Militia was almost derecognised and renamed the Second Infantry Battalion.

He said all that is being done now is to return the Second Infantry Battalion to the Guyana People’s Militia and as such its funding will come from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) budgetary allocation.

But, Teixeira who maintained that as a former member of the Defence Board, she finds Harmon’s statement “fascinating” and “rather revealing”, since she has never heard that the Second Infantry Battalion was the Guyana People’s Militia.

Despite repeated requests by Teixeira and her colleagues Clement Rohee and Juan Edghill, Minister

Minister of State Joseph Harmon

Harmon continued to defend the re-establishment of the GPM, noting that as Guyana continues to struggle to protect its porous borders, it is cheaper to train reservists as against regular soldiers, thus the move in this direction. He, however, continued to evade the question on how much was budgeted for the training of these additional recruits.

“The equipment, kits and everything that has to do with the Guyana People’s Militia will be purchased and acquired through the lines that are being utilised for the purchase of kit and equipment for the Guyana Defence Force,” Harmon maintained.

The Minister if State also noted that apart from assisting with border protection, the GPM will assist the Civil Defence Commission in disaster response.

PPP/C’s Odinga Lumumba queried whether there were other purposes for which the GPM will be deployed other than those listed by Harmon, to which the Minister replied that it is up to the Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force to decide, however the roles and functions of the militia are clearly defined.

On December 1, 2015 the government, led by President Granger a former Army Chief, resuscitated the militia and has since advertised for an additional 500 persons to join the GPM.

The GPM is provided for in the Defence Act as a reserve corps.

Amid widespread fears and concerns of Guyana becoming a military state and in light of the recent re-launch of the GPM, President Granger had sought to justify the return of this paramilitary organisation which existed during the People’s National Congress (PNC) regime.

President Granger during an interview last month, assured that the return of the GPM is not an attempt by government to militarise society.

“We are not trying to militarise society but it’s a very useful organisation. In the time of flood for example, militia people can turn out and mobilise and help in flood relief,” the President said.

Back in 1976, the GPM was launched amid fear that the country was under threat by forces opposed to its socialist thrust.

The latter would have included continued relations with Cuba and nationalisation of the bauxite and sugar industries as well as all banking institutions in the country.

After initially offering support in a show of “anti-imperialist” unity, the People’s Progressive Party and its ally in the sugar industry, GAWU, soon condemned the GPM as another “PNC front”, especially when GPM members acted as “scabs” in GAWU’s 185-day strike for recognition.

In view of experiences with the GPM, such concerns and fearfulness have lived on in the memories of many who are now opposed to the resuscitation GPM. The announcement of the GPM’s resuscitation had drawn criticisms from several quarters of society, many of whom fear a repeat of what obtained under the Burnham era.

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news

Tuesday, february 16, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Freedom House employee arrested – Party says “political witch-hunting”

P

eople’s Progressive Party (PPP) employee Jason Abdulla was arrested on Monday afternoon at Freedom House.

Reports are members of the Guyana Police Force turned up at Freedom House, Robb Street and arrested Abdulla without informing him of the reasons for his arrest.

This newspaper was told that the employee was taken to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary then transferred to Grove/Diamond Police Station.

The Party in a statement late Monday night said

Jason Abdulla

that a lawyer representing the interests of the employee was told by the Police that the officers who arrested him had left the station and no further information

was available.

At a recent picketing exercise in front of the office of the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Kingston, the Police attempted to arrest Abdulla but subsequently retreated.

“This development reinforces the suspicion of a carefully orchestrated diabolic plan by those in authority to target and harass people associated with the PPP. This vicious ongoing political witch-hunt is a serious cause for concern especially since the Police are being used to carry out these despicable acts,” the PPP said on Monday night.

Team Benschop member beaten while posting flags – alleges being followed by senior City Hall official

Injured Iqbal Rahim

A

n investigation has been launched into the attack of several members of Team Benschop group that is vying at the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE).

In a statement issued late Monday night, Team Benchop announced that it member Iqbal Rahim was physically assaulted while placing Team flags on Dowdin Street

in Constituency number two, Kitty.

Reports are that Rahim is nursing minor injuries following this assault. A report has been made to the police.

According to the statement, this is the most recent of a series of attacks on its members around the city which is being perpetrated by a member (name withheld) of the APNU/AFC team.

“The attack is not an isolated incident. Earlier today (Monday) while campaigning in Tucville, Constituency 12, Team Benschop candidates Mark Benschop, Royston Alkins and volunteers were trailed,” the statement said.

On February 8 last the statement said, a candidate for Constituency Number One, (name withheld) was instructed by her immediate superior at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), to stop campaigning as a candidate for Team Benschop or face disciplinary action.

“Team Benschop views these acts as infringements on citizens’ rights of association and freedom of political opinion as guaranteed under our Constitution. Team Benschop calls on all right thinking and law abiding citizens with the interest of Guyana to condemn these attacks,” the statement said.

Japan’s economy contracts in 4th quarter

J

apan’s economy contracted in the final three months of 2015, adding to a string of setbacks for the Government’s economic reform policy.

Between October and December, the economy shrank by 0.4 per cent compared with the previous quarter, official figures show.

Expectations for the numbers were for a quarterly contraction of 0.3 per cent.

Weaker domestic demand, together with slower investment in housing, contributed to the disappointing numbers.

On an annualised basis, the economy contracted 1.4 per cent during the period.

That compares with expectations for an annualised contraction of 1.2 per cent.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s plan to revive the economy – dubbed Abenomics – was introduced after his December 2013 election win.

The aim has been to combat deflation, which Japan

has struggled with for nearly two decades, as well as boost demand and investment.

But the world’s third-biggest economy has been facing problems.

In the three months to September, according to revised numbers, it avoided a technical recession. But it has been in recession four times since the global financial crisis.

However, analysts said Monday’s numbers should be viewed in context and that the outlook was not all bad.

“A single negative growth number should not be overinterpreted because the economy remains in rather good shape and continues to get strong policy support,” said economist Martin Schulz.

“The outlook has certainly deteriorated, however, along with global trends.

Growth forecasts will almost certainly be down-adjusted again, and the pressure on the Government to come

forward with more tangible growth-oriented reforms will increase.”

Abe’s economic policy – Abenomics – is based on three arrows: The monetary arrow: expansion of the money supply to combat deflation; the fiscal arrow: increased Government spending to stimulate demand in the economy; and the structural arrow: structural reforms to make the economy more productive and competitive.

Haruhiko Kuroda, Governor of the country’s Central Bank, has repeatedly said he will do “whatever it takes” to defeat 20 years of deflation. But the core of Abenomics is not reflation; it is weakening the Japanese currency, the yen.

Why? Because Abe and his advisers know that the only easy way to get Japan growing again is to increase exports – the most important engine of growth for Japan, say analysts. (BBC News)

The Race to LGE 2016 Stanleytown, West Bank Demerara candidates outline agenda

By Shemuel Fanfair

T

his year’s Local Government Elections (LGE) will see candidates in nine constituencies’ battle for places as councillors in the Toevlugt-Patentia Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).

On Nominations Day, incumbent Chairman of the NDC Roy Bennett, informed Guyana Times that only the lists of the two major political groupings have been accepted by Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

Constituency 2 [North Phyllis Outar Street to Inner Stanleytown] is being contested by teacher Myrtle Caldera of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) coalition and a Supervisor Ravi Rikee, who represents the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

APNU/AFC’S Caldera, who expressed much optimism with the upcoming elections, was previously a Regional Democratic Councillor in the 1980s with the People’s National Congress (PNC). She told this publication that the APNU/AFC’s main platform is to “continue development.”

She noted that roads that need urgent attention will be addressed. “Stanleytown Church St Rd up to one section is done but going back [onwards] has many pot holes,” she said.

She also stated that the La Retraite old road will be rehabilitated as it has been in its current condition for many years. Caldera also pointed out proper drainage will be her main focus.

“That’s the problem in Stanleytown; lots of flooding happens here and we will have to look after the drainage,” Caldera mentioned.

It was explained that while the front lands are high, the backlands are prone to flooding whenever there is significant rainfall. The last heavy rainfall in August flooded residents of Stanleytown which Caldera posited would not be likely to recur if the trenches are dug.

The APNU/AFC candidate plans to engage the RDC on these matters by putting up budget proposals to ensure that her projects will be completed. She did mention that she was unsure of what had been taking place in the most recent NDC council.

Caldera stated that based on her interactions with persons who live in her section of the constituency they would not be significantly affected by the closure of the Wales Sugar Estate. She however noted that these individuals have come to understand the impact of the situation.

“People are getting to understand… we don’t have many people in the community who would work at the Sugar Estate,” stated Caldera.

The APNU/AFC candidate has also echoed Dr Clive Thomas’ call to diversify the lands and move away from cane cultivation.

“I feel diversification might be the best thing… either you sell... people are just hyped up now because they will be affected because of jobs.

“You can’t put money in something where you’re not getting money and it

means if you put more you might be at a bigger loss,” posited the candidate who feels that Government will make “the best decision.”

Caldera said persons should vote for APNU/AFC rather than the PPP/C if they want to keep the party in power to see projects advanced.

“A vote for me is vote for APNU/AFC. If not, it will be a vote for Mr Rikee,” stated the candidate.

On the other hand, Rikee who represents the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP) described the policies of the administration as “visionless.”

Rikee plans to overhaul the way in which the current NDC has been managing the area. He pointed to weeding contracts done in a manner that saw branches, grass and other objects being thrown into the drains.

“The clogged-up drains will breed mosquitoes with all the kinds of sicknesses that they carry, and flooding” the PPP/C candidate stated. “The people who they give these contracts too just clean dams and where the houses are. Nobody from the NDC checks these works so the community gets no proper work for the money they paid in taxes,” stated the PPP/C candidate.

Rikee also plans to engage the RDC to make sure the needs of residents will be addressed. “We will hold meetings with them and present pictures of the types of work we need to be done,” he stated.

Rikee pointed to the bad roads that need urgent work which has seen increased maintenance costs to vehicles owners.

“They say the road bad, it damage the vehicles, tyres, steering end… a vehicle can dash from a hole and end up in a next one,” Rikee stressed. He is also against the move to ban used tyres as roads are yet to be rehabilitated. “I buy it today, the big, big holes in the road [would] bend up the tyres, it finish,” expressed the candidate.

He also emphasised that the proposed closure of the Wales Estate will see many hardships in his section of the NDC. He explained that he is against the move since several persons from his area sell cash crops to many persons employed with the Estate and the closure has “chain-link” effects that will hamper the local economy.

“What you’re going to find is plenty thieving, prostitution, drugs,” stated Rikee.

He stated he will be pushing for street lights and telephone service to be installed in the NDC and stated that his party will bring about changes that will “transform the whole community.”

“You have to do work for everybody, not one set of people – it’s the community, not one area like what has been happening,” the PPP/C candidate explained. Rikee emphasised that voters in the constituencies should vote for the PPP/C rather than the APNU-AFC coalition. “They are visionless, they are there doing absolutely nothing but we feel we have a very good chance to win because people are fed-up with what they are doing now,” Rikee expressed. And so the battle begins as the race intensifies.

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, february 16, 2016

ARCHIE

Surprise someone by doing something out-of-the-or(March 21- dinary or special. Your kind April 19) gesture will bring you closer together. Money matters can be resolved if you communicate openly.

ARIES

Don’t let anger control TAURUS you. If you don’t like the way (April 20- things are being done, do May 20) them yourself. Taking action is the best way to get ahead while getting what you want.

dilbert

Use your charm and show GEMINI (May 21- your willingness to get things June 20) done. Set your priorities and follow through on your plans with discipline in order to bypass someone trying to give you a hard time.

CANCER

Peanuts

(June 21July 22)

Show a little passion and excitement about life and the people you love. An original idea to please someone will go over well and win you favours.

Uncertainty in a relation-

LEO ship will help you recognise (July 23- what you want. Make whatever Aug. 22) changes are necessary to turn

your intentions into reality.

You will impress someone special with your thoughtfulness.

Take a proactive approach VIRGO to whatever you do. Don’t feel (Aug. 23that you have to do everything Sept. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

in a conservative manner.

Sometimes it pays to think outside the box when it comes to bringing about change.

If you put greater effort LIBRA (Sept. 23- into moneymaking opportuniOct. 23) ties, contractual negotiations and your health, you will succeed. Don’t procrastinate or wait for someone else to do things for you.

SUDOKU

You’ll be noticed one way SAGITTARIUS or another. Be careful not to (Nov. 23- do something that makes you Dec. 21) look bad or hampers your chance to advance. All eyes will be on you.

TODAY’S WORD – VEHEMENTLY (VEHEMENTLY: VEE-uh-ment-lee: Fervidly; with intense emotion or conviction.)

Average mark 23 words Time limit 40 minutes Can you find 36 or more words in VEHEMENTLY? The list will be published tomorrow.

YESTERDAY’S WORD – MILLINER merlin mien mile miler mill miller

milline mine miner mini mire inlier

lien lime limier limn line liner

lire emir rein rile rill rime

Use your energy wisely.

SCORPIO A creative project will lead to (Oct. 24Nov. 22) greater recognition, as long as you are careful not to go over budget. Do the work yourself and save money.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Time and patience will CAPRICORN pay off. Do everything you can (Dec. 22- to improve a situation with a Jan. 19) friend, relative or neighbour.

Getting along with others will be the best way to go.

Positive alterations will AQUARIUS (Jan. 20- make it easier for you to purFeb. 19) sue a dream, project or pastime. Don’t let someone else take charge or you won’t get things done your way.

You’ll create confusion PISCES (Feb. 20- with your changeable attitude March 20) and mood swings. Money, fitness or legal matters can be improved if you are thrifty, health-conscious and orderly.

tuesday, february 16, 2016

19

2015 a phenomenal year for GSSF

P

resident of the Guyana Sport Shooting Federation (GSSF), Vidushi Persaud, has declared 2015 as a “phenomenal year” for the Federation, and the various shooting entities it encompasses.

Speaking at the Federation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) recently, Persaud said the success of the body during the past year was entirely due to the support of the members, who unhesitatingly came on board.

After Persaud’s presentation at the AGM, Secretary of the GSSF, Steve Ninvalle, proceeded to deliver a comprehensive report to the membership, giving a brief background from its establishment in August 2014 to the end of the reporting period of December 31, 2015.

He indicated that the Federation conducted 13 GSSF’s Range Discipline and Firearms Safety Courses, which is the elementary and essential safety seminar offered by the Federation.

The theoretical part of the two-day course for the last year was hosted at various venues: the National Resource Centre, Persaud and Associates Law Firm, conference room at National Hardware and thereafter, Mohamed Qualander made a conference room available at his building, which houses Queensway Security.

He has since kindly collaborated with the GSSF to make these facilities accessible on a regular basis. For the reporting period, one advanced Practical Shooting course was conducted by the Federation for its members.

The Secretary went on to indicate that monthly livepractice sessions were hosted in 2015. For internal competitions, the GSSF was represented by three members at a Police Combat Shoot hosted by the Chairman TTPS Sport Shooting Section, Superintendent James and the members of the TTPS Sport Shooting Section in September at the International Defensive Pistol Association Range, Gran Couva, Trinidad and Tobago.

Ninvalle indicated that for 2015, the Federation had successfully hosted five Steel Challenge competitions and four Practical Pistol matches at the GDF’s Timehri Ranges with the fifth Match unfortunately being cancelled because of a prior event at the Range.

The Practical Shooting Matches continued to be open

Flashback! Top performers from the GSSF first event of 2015, sponsored by Woodpecker Products

Vidushi Persaud

to all established Practical shooters, with invitations being sent also to the Guyana National Rifle Association, but regrettably, there has been no response on this.

The Federation’s final Match at the end of the year saw the attendance of some members of the Guyana NRA’s IPSC group due to the sharing of this invitation to the Regional Director of IPSC for the Region of Guyana, Harold Hopkinson.

Over 2015, Ninvalle reported that the Federation has seen a continuous growth in number of competitors, as the GSSF has been able to continue to conduct safe and successful matches. Every Match was noted to have a very high standard, with capable Range Officials officiating and ensuring that all rules are followed.

In Practical Shooting, the quality of stage design continued to be raised as the GSSF procured and received through donation and volunteer work by members.

Stage designers assisted and secured materials for stage props, which include a number of screens with various

ports, barrels and most memorably a platform which doubled as a boat in the Final Match for 2015.

In Steel Challenge, the SCSA Committee also worked together and successfully increased the Federation’s steel targets and props. The Secretary further reported on affiliations, stating that the GSSF is affiliated to three international bodiesthe Steel Challenge Shooting Association, the Amateur Trapshooting Association and World Archery Federation.

Archery

Ninvalle reported to the members that on July 31, the GSSF was accepted as a permanent member of the World Archery Federation at the 51st World Archery Congress in Copenhagen when Guyana was among a handful of nations unanimously accepted to Permanent Membership.

Thereafter, the Federation, in collaboration with World Archery Americas, successfully hosted its inaugural Archery Development Seminar, conducted by international archer/coach Diego Torres of Columbia.

The focus of that visit was archery safety, the fabrication of PVC bows and teaching the correct form for target archery. Shooting sessions were held at the National Gymnasium for indoor archery and at the Leonora Synthetic Track for outdoor archery. Ninvalle indicated that August 24 marked another grand occasion for GSSF, when at Carifesta Sports Complex Ground, Archery Guyana was officially launched.

Ninvalle noted that it was encouraging to have the support from the Ministry of

Indigenous Affairs, who organised local archers from seven villages, including St Cuthbert’s and Surama to attend the launch to display the local bows.

Following the launch of Archery Guyana, the Federation was pleased to collaborate with Ivan Persaud, co-coordinator of the Heritage Games 2015, which were held at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal, in September. This successful collaboration resulted in the first target archery competition in Guyana to showcase Olympic target archery.

Archery Guyana’s final event for the calendar year 2015 was the “Christmas Archery Extravaganza 2015” at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue, where members of the Federation and the new members were in attendance to try the Federation’s own membermade PVC Olympic-styled bows and obtain instructional training and practice the art of indoor Archery.

Trapshooting

The Secretary went on to report that since the GSSF at the end of 2014 secured affiliation to the Amateur Trapshooting Association, an internal Trapshooting Committee was tasked with pioneering this discipline in Guyana. Ultimately, October 17 marked another momentous day for the Federation when the first clay was launched in a regulated manner at the GDF Range at Yarrowkabra.

A practice session was hosted at the end of 2015, and the Trapshooting Committee highlighted several areas to work on and has already commenced moving forward with

Steve Ninvalle

these areas so that the GSSF can continue to introduce yet another stepping stone to an Olympic sport discipline to Guyana.

It was reported to the general membership that the National Sports Commission has been incredibly supportive of the GSSF in so many ways with access to the various sporting facilities and thanks were extended.

Ninvalle reported that immediately after the formation of the GSSF in 2014, the Federation sought affiliation to the Guyana Olympic Association in keeping with its constitution. Receiving no formal response, a second letter of request was sent on July 30, indicating that the GSSF is officially a permanent member of the World Archery.

At the time, the Federation was looking forward to working together to establish this Olympic sport to Guyana’s sport portfolio, but there has been no response to date.

Invitations were sent to GOA and members of the Executive to the Archery launch, which symbolised the country’s high achievement for the sporting community: the prospect of introducing an Olympic sport to Guyana and thereby setting the stage for the country’s second Olympic medal in the future.

Again, there was no response or attendance. With the more recent launch of yet another Olympic sportTrapshooting- the Federation registered its concern at the fact that there has been no response to date, but continues to push ahead in its quest to promote sport shooting in Guyana.

20

guyanatimesGY.com

tuesday, february 16, 2016

Mankads, upsets and mature teenagers

– The Under-19 World Cup made totals above 200 seem impregnable, while also providing a platform for young fast bowlers to shine

E

SPNcricinfo looks back at the Under-19 World Cup that saw a new champion after 48 matches over a period of 19 days. There were upsets, controversies and several other talking points that made news before a side that was not even among the favourites lifted the trophy.

the Mankad moment, which according to some was too close to be given out, during the decisive West IndiesZimbabwe match and carried on till the knockouts too.

India captain Ishan Kishan did not hesitate to say in the post-final press conference that he had also been the victim to a wrong umpiring decision.

In a World Cup that is used as a platform to prepare youngsters for the big stage, maybe the ICC should have used the DRS in some capacity, if not completely, to introduce the players to technology from a young age and also reduce howlers in a tournament that featured 16 teams.

Back to the ‘90s

The 2016 tournament for future stars was a throwback to the 1990s. On what are usually slow and turning tracks in Bangladesh, totals beyond 220 proved very difficult to chase. The highest total to be chased successfully during the tournament was 265 by Pakistan against England in the fifth-place playoff and it was the only 250-plus successful chase.

Only six more 200-plus targets were successfully hunted down and in this era of big bats and short boundaries that help scores of 300 being registered twice in 50over matches, the Under-19 World Cup saw only five 300plus totals - all from teams batting first.

Pitches in Bangladesh were not flat the way they are for international matches, bowlers were throwing challenges throughout the 50 overs and a lot of teams’ fielding standards got better as the tournament progressed. These factors made sure batsmen had to often rely on solid techniques and not the slogs and heaves

A helpful format for the Associates

West Indies players gather on the boundary edge in preparation for a grand celebration

you witness everyday in T20 leagues.

The awareness

Whether it was the Mankad, the non-Mankad (Gidron Pope in the semi-final) or the stumping off a fast bowler (Tevin Imlach in the final), many of the Under-19 players showed that cricket at their age is not merely fun and games. They have shown match awareness of the rules of the game. Someone like Namibia’s Michael van Lingen, who walked after being given not out against South Africa, showed his way was not like everyone else’s. Even the media inter-

action of many of the players from Bangladesh, India, England, Pakistan, Namibia and Afghanistan showed that they are in tune with what the off-field world in cricket now demands.

Fast bowling

It was not just about the West Indies fast bowlers. The quicks were helped tremendously by the 09:00h starts in the tournament and the movement-assisting tracks, especially in Mirpur. Mirpur did not show its usual slow side, was green for nearly every match it hosted and produced hard pitches for good bounce as well.

The likes of Saqib Mahmood, Alzarri Joseph and Avesh Khan all picked up wickets regularly regardless of the opposition.

Joseph showed in Fatullah too that raw pace and bounce can throw any pitch out of the equation. Avesh, on the other hand, proved that Powerplays are not just about fours and sixes.

Seven of the top 10 wickettakers of the tournament were pace bowlers and even though leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane made news for a hat-trick and left-arm spinner Mayank Dagar took wickets consistently, fast bowlers were the talk of the

town for three weeks.

It was not just the big teams. Namibia’s quick Fritz Coetzee played a vital role in taking his team to the knockouts and finished as the top wicket-taker of the tournament. Fiji’s Cakacaka Tikoisuva took the only sixfor of the World Cup to finish with a tally of 12 wickets at an average of 18.41.

Umpiring gaffes

The World Cup witnessed several umpiring errors.

While the ones in non-televised matches went unnoticed, those that were spotted on TV could not evade the attention. It started with

There has been criticism of the Under-19 World Cup’s current format of two teams qualifying out of the group stage. But in this edition, Namibia and Nepal made best use of the format by making it through to the quarter-finals at the expense of teams like South Africa, New Zealand and Ireland.

Namibia’s win over South Africa or Nepal’s over New Zealand might look like oneoff performances, but those were mostly tough contests which could have gone either way. Nepal, in particular, showed that they were good enough even for a semi-final berth if not for Bangladesh’s last-gasp effort in the quarter-final. (Cricinfo)

YWCC salutes Windies Youth captain Hetmyer Somwaru re-elected to head GCUC

Shimron Hetmyer created history by becoming the first West Indian captain to place hands on the Youth World Cup trophy

T

he Young Warriors Cricket Club (YWCC) based in the village of Cumberland, East Canje, Berbice, has congratulated its young opener and fast emerging batsman Shimron Hetmyer for leading the West Indies Under-19 team to victory against pre-tournament favorites India and lifting the winner’s trophy, thereby establishing supremacy in youth cricket in the world.

A release from the club stated that Hetmyer’s talent was spotted from as early as the tender age of six when he used to accompany his elder brother Seon, himself a

former national youth batsman who has a regional youth hundred under his belt, to the ground in the afternoons. He was destined for greatness for he was a naturally born talent, the release continued.

The club, which was resuscitated in 2000, has over the years produced many outstanding cricketers such as Damodar Daesrath, Gajanand Singh, Richard Ramdeen and many more too many to mention, but unfortunately none went on to make the West Indies senior team. The club is however, confident that Shimron will be the first to don the senior team colors. His progress from a child was closely monitored by his coach Hubern Evans, who is a former national senior cricketer.

Even though Shimron might have not scored as many runs as he is capable of, he led smartly and played some crucial innings.

“He scores so fast that he makes life easier for the other batsmen and is the first time that West Indies has ever won the Youth World Cup,” the release added.

The YWCC encourages Shimron to stay focus and advises him that this is the beginning of a new phase in his career. Taking into consideration the current poor state of West Indies senior cricket, the club calls on the WICB to keep this pool of players and even fast track some of them into the senior team.

The club is planning a big welcome motorcade for Shimron when he arrives in Berbice on Wednesday. The club is also calling on all Berbicians to join the event to honour this son of the soil. Interested persons can contact Hubern Evans on 623-6875, Sahadeo Singh on 617-1103 or Rafeek Kassim on 612-0944.

In closing, the club said that Shimron has done his family, his club, his county, his country and the Caribbean proud.

Members of the newly elected executive of the GCUC. Absent are Shannon Crawford, Nigel Duguid, Yosef Yisrael and Joseph Jeffery. Seated centre is President Dhieranidranauth Somwaru

B

e r b i c i a n Dhieranidranauth Somwaru was reelected unopposed as president of the Guyana Cricket Umpires Council (GCUC) when the body held its biannual general meeting on Sunday at Union Building, Woolford Avenue.

Shannon Crawford has returned as the Vicepresident, Nigel Duguid Secretary, Eddie Nicholls Treasurer, Arleigh Rutherford Assistant Secretary Treasurer and

Zaheer Mohamed Public Relations Officer.

The Committee Members are Zabeer Zakier, Dawchand Nagassar, Yosef Yisrael and Joseph Jeffery.

Speaking after the elections, Sowmaru thanked the members for their confidence and congratulated those who were successful at WICUA examinations in 2015. He added that the GCUC will embark on a magazine which will feature past and present local umpires.

The Berbice association said that they have honoured a few members for their services rendered to cricket, while the Essequibo Association indicated that Elroy Stephney and Totaram Ramnarine were successful at preliminary and oral and practical exams in 2015.

The Demerara association informed that Crawford was retained as their president, and Duguid was selected to officiate at the ICC Under-19 World Cup.

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New Zealand v Australia, 1st Test, Wellington…

tuesday, february 16, 2016

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mphatic doesn’t quite do it justice. Unrelenting throughout, Australia put on another exhibition of high quality bowling to seal a vast victory over New Zealand and place one hand on the ICC Mace awarded to the world’s No. 1 Test team. A deflating result for the visitors in Brendon McCullum’s 100th Test was only a tail-end flurry short of New Zealand’s heaviest ever loss at home to Australia.

Having set up the match with expert use of seaming early conditions on the first morning, Australia’s bowlers asked quite different questions on the fourth morning. Mitchell Marsh, Josh Hazlewood and Jackson Bird all used reverse swing to good effect, while Nathan Lyon homed in on a footmark outside the righthanders’ off stump to gain sharp spin. The absence of Peter Siddle, resting a back complaint, was well compensated for.

Steven Smith will be a most contented captain, having overseen a performance in which many questions about this team have been answered.

They chose the right XI for the conditions, they bowled impressively, and most importantly batted with command even after Joe Burns and David Warner were out cheaply with the ball still new on day one. New Zealand will be left to wonder over the significance of the “no-ball” that reprieved Adam Voges early.

Henry Nicholls endured longest for the hosts, on the way to making the highest score by a New Zealand debutant batting at No. 4. But his

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Australian bowlers were dominant in the Test match

dismissal on 59 by Bird left the tail exposed to the bounce and conventional swing of the second new ball. Southee and Trent Boult entertained another strong Basin Reserve crowd with a late flurry against Lyon, but it was merely a parting shot.

Having lost McCullum from the last ball of day three, New Zealand’s chances of survival were slim, and they narrowed further when the 63-over old ball began bending in both directions. Corey Anderson struggled with the ball moving away from him around the wicket, but after a few play and misses Smith directed Marsh to go over the wicket and try to straighten one down the line.

Two balls into the tactic, Marsh pitched one in line and swung it back to pin Anderson in front. Like McCullum he reviewed, but it was a futile gesture for a delivery crashing into middle and leg.

BJ Watling arrived and

his first ball from Lyon hit the aforementioned footmark and narrowly missed spinning back to strike the off stump with the batsman offering no shot. Lyon took note of this, and it was not long before he delivered a slightly flatter delivery on the same line that had Watling playing back, fatally. The turning ball was through him in an instant.

Nicholls had absorbed all this pressure, but Bird’s decision to send one down at a full length made the difference, coaxing the batsman into a flick across the line. Again there was some swing, and the ball flicked off the pads into the stumps. At this, the Australians took the second new ball, and a Hazlewood lbw review against Doug Bracewell was declined due to a lack of conclusive evidence before the interval.

Hazlewood had his due reward soon after resumption, when Bracewell was struck in front: this time there was no bat to confuse the issue. Southee’s blows dented Lyon’s figures somewhat, but the bowler was content to keep tossing it up in expectation of a miscue, which was exactly what happened.

Mark Craig and Boult entertained for a time also, but in playing so freely they did nothing so much as underline how well the Australians had bowled to the batsmen. A match over in fewer than four days had taken place on a pitch that would still be good for batting on day five. In pursuit of Test cricket’s top perch, Smith’s men had played to a very high standard indeed. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD New Zealand 1st innings 183 Australia 1st innings 562 New Zealand 2nd innings TWM Latham c Khawaja b Lyon 63 MJ Guptill c Marsh b Lyon 45 KS Williamson c †Nevill b 22 Hazlewood HM Nicholls b Bird 59 BB McCullum* lbw b Marsh 10 CJ Anderson lbw b Marsh 0 BJ Watling† b Lyon 10 DAJ Bracewell lbw b 14 Hazlewood MD Craig not out 33 TG Southee c Khawaja b Lyon 48

12 TA Boult b Marsh Extras (b-2, lb-5, nb-4) 11 Total (all out; 104.3 overs) 327 Fall of wickets: 1-81 (Guptill, 21.2 ov), 2-121 (Williamson, 38.1 ov), 3-157 (Latham, 51.2 ov), 4-178 (McCullum, 62.3 ov), 5-185 (Anderson, 68.2 ov), 6-214 (Watling, 77.2 ov), 7-218 (Nicholls, 82.4 ov), 8-242 (Bracewell, 90.5 ov), 9-301 (Southee, 99.5 ov), 10-327 (Boult, 104.3 ov) Bowling: JR Hazlewood 29-775-2, JM Bird 19-4-51-1 (2-nb), PM Siddle 8-0-30-0, MR Marsh 17.3-2-73-3 (2nb), NM Lyon 31-10-91-4

Bravo commits to Test cricket

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West Indian cricketing crisis has been averted, with a near full-strength team set to participate in the World T20; 12 of the original 15 picked by the WICB for the tournament have signed the required contracts. Among the three who have not signed is batsman Darren Bravo, who has written to the board saying he wants to focus on Test cricket. All-rounder Kieron Pollard and spinner Sunil Narine had pulled out a few days ago, citing incomplete rehab work on injury and bowling action respectively.

The WICB named allrounder Carlos Brathwaite and off-spinner Ashley Nurse replacements for Pollard and Narine, and an alternative for Bravo will be picked soon.

The threat of the WICB sending a second-string squad

to the World T20 escalated after Darren Sammy, West Indies’ Twenty20 captain, exchanged a series of emails with board chief executive Michael Muirhead, asking for the player remuneration to be revised.

Muirhead was unrelenting on the matter, though, and told Sammy that if each member of the original squad of 15, which was picked on January 29, did not write individually to the WICB by February 14, the board would conclude he “refused” selection.

An episode like the controversial pull-out from the India tour in 2014 - over the revised contracts that significantly cut the internationals’ salaries - will not be repeated emerged last week after Sammy told Muirhead that the players will play in the World T20, but the WICB

“cannot continue to be unfair and unreasonable”.

Meanwhile, Bravo said the reason he was opting out was because his long-term goal was to do well in Test cricket.

“I’m very grateful and humbled for the opportunity to represent the West Indies at the World Cup,” Bravo was quoted in a WICB media release. “However, I’m of the firm belief that I have a very big part to play in the resurgence of West Indies cricket in the longer formats of the game and I will like the opportunity to play in our Professional Cricket League [the regional first-class tournament] because it will put me in good stead and will allow me to achieve those goals that I have aligned myself for the year 2016 and beyond.”

(Cricinfo)

22

guyanatimesGY.com

tuesday, february 16, 2016

Simon looking for revenge against Matthews

Hosting of semi-finals and final…

CPL’s CEO awaits bid from TT Government K

− rematch added to “Hostile Territory” boxing card

By Avenash Ramzan

C

EO of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Damien O’Donohoe, has revealed that they are still waiting on a formal proposal from the Trinidad and Tobago government in regards to the tender out for hosting the semis and final of the 2016 Hero CPL. TT Red Steel, now rebranded as Trinbago Knight Riders under new owner Venky Mysore, hosted the knockouts last year as they clinched their first title and O’Donohoe admitted he favoured the twin isle to host once more, but no formal progress had been made, with Guyana, Barbados and Florida (USA) also lobbying strongly for the seat-fillers.

“I can’t give you a percentage (of estimation) at the moment right now. I really don’t know.

We’re still waiting. I have met with them (TT government) a number of times, but I haven’t got a formal offer as yet. I know obviously with the price of oil it is very tough and the government have a really tough job on their hands, but I hope they see the opportunity and investment they make and the significant return they get. Let’s keep our fingers crossed because I don’t think there’s anyone to support cricket and make noise like Trinis and Venky saw that when he came over to see what he bought last year,” said the CEO.

Damien O’Donohoe

O’Donohoe remained optimistic that a deal would be worked out as he believes in “win-win situations” with all governments and further added that CPL continues to have cordial relationships with all Caribbean governments involved.

He added that CPL had shown them the benefits of sport tourism with the viewership growing and the influx of esteemed names such as Brendon McCullum, AB de Villiers and Shane Watson among the few.

O’Donohoe said that this year was shaping up as their biggest with the most eyes on them since inception. He and Mysore pointed to the fact that the Trinbago audience would love to see their team defend the crown at home especially with McCullum and Hashim Amla added to the

ranks, but also hinted that time would be of the essence in terms of making a formal bid.

He hopes that the quality on tap would expedite the process as both stakeholders continued to laud the cricketing spectacle and presence at the Queen’s Park Oval.

O’Donohoe believes the CPL would continue to reignite interest in the game with West Indies also carded for ODI action against Australia and South Africa; and Tests against India around the same time. With respect to the names attached, he also stated that players on West Indian retainer contracts who were not selected in the draft could only enter a franchise if they were available and if the franchise had a player injured.

However, in the absence of Windies stars, he felt the international pull remained incomparable.

“I think there’s no bigger statement than the caliber of players we’ve provided. It’s first-class and shows now we’re one of the top three T20 leagues in the world. It shows our ambition because I remember in our first year, doubters snickering when we outlined our plans. Hopefully we’ve overachieved and we continue to raise the bar. We’re heading to the US, we’ve got West Indies Under-19 players involved and we’re creating jobs in all six economies,” he concluded. (Newsday)

ishawn Simon will look for revenge against Cassius Matthews when the two meet in a rematch on the “Hostile Territory” boxing card on February 27 at the Giftland Mall. The bout is an addition to the card, which is being organised by the Guyana Boxing Board of Control.

The last time these two met was on Boxing Day 2013 in Linden, where Matthews earned a Split Decision win.

A year later Simon suffered another loss, this time to Revlon Lake, and has not fought since.

With a record of two wins and three losses, Simon is now making a return to the sport, and said he is confident of topping Matthews, who had a record of five wins, eight losses and two draws.

The six-round welterweight contest is being sponsored

by Lewisons Automotive of Corentyne, Berbice.

Simon told this publication that his time away from the sport was to sort out “some personal issues” and deal with some “setbacks”, but noted that he is fully switched on and focused on resuming his career.

“I miss fighting, I miss

winning. I had to recover from a few setbacks…some personal issues and some training. I also had to correct some mistakes I made in the past, and I’m grateful to Gilbert Eastman and Howard Eastman for helping me through that phase,” Simon noted.

Simon will enter the ring on the back of two consecutive defeats, but the Berbician is not daunted by the perils of ring rust, as he has been training hard for the return.

“I learnt a lot from my last two fights, and I think I’m a better fighter because of that knowledge. All I’m looking for right now is to get back to my winning way,” Simon explained.

Dharry headline act

In the main bout, United Stated of America-based Guyanese boxer, Elton “Coolie Bully” Dharry, will trade punches with Venezuela’s Felix Machado.

The 43-year-old Machado is a former IBF Super Flyweight champion, and has a record of 26 wins and 13 losses, eight of which have come in his last nine fights.

Dharry’s record currently stands at 19 wins, 12 by way of knockout, five losses

and one draw. He will enter the ring on the strength of a 16-bout winning streak, stretching way back to 2010.

The 10-round bantamweight showdown will serve as a warm-up for the 30-year-old Dharry ahead of a British Commonwealth fight on May 21.

The main supporting bout will also be a Guyana versus Venezuela thriller, as local boy Dexter Marques will face off with his neighbouring Spanish-speaking rival Freddie Beleno in a 10-round flyweight fight.

Marques, currently boasting six wins on the trot, has a record of 14 victories (5 KOs) and two defeats, while Beleno has 26 wins (15 KOs) and 10 losses, including seven in his last seven fights, dating back to 2008.

In the other fights, Trinidad and Tobago-based Guyanese Revlon Lake will face Miguel Antoine of Barbados in an eight-round welterweight clash; Imran “Magic” Khan will meet Quincy Gomes in a 135 lbs all Guyanese contest; while Mandessa Moses will collide Anselle Norville in a fourround bantamweight.

Admission to the venue is $5,000 ringside and $2,000 outer ringside. (aramzan@ guyanatimesgy.com)

WCC T20 receives backing from Regal Sports

GFF/Stag Elite League…

GDF edge Buxton 1-0; Monedderlust hold GFC to draw

T

he Guyana Defence Force (GDF) defeated Buxton United 1-0 in the latest action of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Stag Elite League on Sunday evening at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground, Bourda.

The soldiers’ tense victory over the East Coast side was due to a total mishap with the Buxton United defenders as they tried to play the ball to each other in front of goal when the lurking Olivis Mitchell intercepted and easily dabbed the ball to the back of the net in the 72nd minute.

The game for the most part saw both teams failing to maintain lengthy ball possession as often passes were easily intercepted or players simply lost control of the ball.

The slippery conditions

made the encounter more difficult for players, as GDF would be regret the numerous chances they had in the final half to increase the margin of victory.

In the other game, home s i d e GFC

a n d Monedderlust played to a disappointing draw. When the first half started, GFC quickly went on the offensive with some neatly orchestrated plays, but none of them brought

about the desired result.

Monedderlust, who finished the League Genesis at the bottom of the table with a disappointing 10 losses from 14 games, mounted some resistance as their youthful team played with great exuberance.

As the game progressed, the wet outfield again posed problems for the players and there was a series of slips and unintentional slides that hampered set plays to be completed.

In the second half, GFC looked the more dominating team, but they failed to weather the conditions and produce a late winner.

The League will continue on Friday with games at the Fruta Conquerors cround in Tucville where they home team will play Buxton United and Slingerz FC will tackle GDF. Action will kick off at 18:00h.

Zaheer Mohamed (left) accepts the cheque from Regal Sports’ Sales Representative, Richard Latif

T

he Wakenaam Cricket Committee (WCC) has received the backing of Regal Sports for the staging of its T20 tournament slated to start today.

Sales representative of the entity, Richard Latif, presented a cheque for an undisclosed sum to Zaheer Mohamed, who accepted on behalf of the WCC at a simple ceremony held at its location- 69 Seaforth Street, Campbellville.

Latif said the company is happy to be associated with the game on the island and is looking forward to a successful tournament, while Mohamed expressed gratitude to the company for its input.

Latif indicated that Regal Sports is a department of Regal Stationery and Computer Centre, which sells cricket bats, gloves, pads, helmets, gear bags and clothing, as well as gym, table tennis, bas-

ketball, volleyball, badminton and chess equipment.

In the opening fixtures, Good Success will face Noitgedacht SC at 09:00h, and Niotgedacht SC will play Sans Souci Jaguars at 13:00h at the Wakenaam Community Centre ground. At G Square SC ground in Belle Plaine, the host will entertain Maria’s Pleasure at 09:00h and Sans Souci will take on Zeelandia from 13:00h.

guyanatimesGY.com

tuesday, february 16, 2016

WICB/PCL 4-day cricket…

Permaul spins Jaguars to comprehensive win over Red Force

By Akeem Greene

G

uyana Jaguars continued their phenomenal run in the WICB/Professional Cricket League (PCL) Four-day competition, as they defeated the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force by 105 runs on the final day at the National Stadium, Providence, to extend their unbeaten run to 13 matches.

Set 303 for victory, Red Force folded for 197 with West Indies left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul snaring 4-45 to end with a match haul of 9-110.

The Guyana Jaguars ended day three on 244-4 with captain Leon Johnson on 111 not out and Anthony Bramble on 39 not out, and declared on the overnight score, affording themselves a maximum of 98 overs on the final day to bowl out Red Force.

In a surprise change to the batting order, Imran Khan was promoted to open the batting along with Kyle Hope (08), but the make shift opening pair did not last long, as in the fourth over left-arm seamer Raymon Reifer disturbed the stumps of Hope to leave the score at 16-1.

It then became 21-2 when right-arm fast bowler Keon Joseph bowled a beauty and rocked back the off-stump of Khan for 10.

The wickets continued to tumble as the first innings’ top scorer Yannic Cariah was caught at forward-short leg by Tagnarine Chanderpaul for nine off the bowling of Permaul.

Captain Jason Mohammed (02) soon fell, caught behind to Permaul, followed by Yannick Ottley for 10 as the Red Force slipped to 75-5 from 26.3 overs.

The incoming Evin Lewis, who tempered his instinct to be aggressive, along with Narsingh Deonarine, stemmed the flow of wickets and took their side to lunch at 101-5 from 35 overs with Lewis on 16 and Deonarine 39.

Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie struck in the first over after

lunch, when he got Lewis to turn a ball off his pads and into the hands of Chanderpaul at forward shortleg for 16 (37 balls; 3x4s, 1x6) to put the Red Force in further trouble at 101-6 in 40 overs.

Wicketkeeper Steven Katwaroo (19). who played a lovely “inside-out” shot over extra-cover for four, later patted an ordinary ball straight back to Motie as the Red Force were further reduced to 127-7.

The left-handed Deonarine weathered a testing spell form Joseph, who was operating on a channel just outside the off-stump, and occasionally tested his fellow Berbician with the shorter ball on a docile pitch. That ploy clearly made the batsman extremely uncomfortable.

The bowling change of Reifer for Joseph at the Media Centre End saw Deonarine easily punching the left-arm seamer straight back down the ground for four to bring up his 46th First-Class halfcentury from 134 balls with four fours. Permaul came back into the bowing attack and got Deonarine driving to a full ball outside the off-

stump and he it straight into the hands of substitute fielder Robin Bacchus at extra cover.

The 32 year-old Deonarine who last played for West Indies in 2013 against New Zealand, made 57 off 141 balls with five fours, spending 201 minutes at the crease as the Red Force now were 147-8 from 56.5 overs.

All-rounder Rayad Emrit began playing a series of brutal shots off the spinners in a wildly entertaining innings of 48 from 51 balls, inclusive of nine fours.

Emrit soon hoisted Bishoo to Joseph at long-off to put Red Force at 187-9, as Jaguars were now one wicket away from a massive victory. Marlon Richards pushed tentatively forward to Permaul to give the spinner his fourth wicket of the innings and hand the Jaguars to the hard-fought victory just before tea.

This victory meant the Jaguars are on 101 points and continue to hold a handsome lead over second place Barbados Pride on 82 points.

Guyana Jaguars will next play Barbados Pride at the Kensington Oval, starting on Friday.

SCOREBOARD

Jaguars 1st innings 237 all out Red Force 1st innings 179 all out Jaguars 2nd innings R. Chandrika b Jaggesar 22 T. Chanderpaul c Mohammed b Jaggesar 42 A. Fudadin c Ottley b Jaggesar 0 L. Johnson* 111 not out V. Singh lbw Jaggesar 23 A. Bramble not out 39 Extras: (lb-6) 6 Total (for 4 wickets; 69 overs) 2 44 Fall of wickets: 1-40, 2-40, 3-111, 4-159 Bowling: Emrit 14-4-43-0, Richards 10-0-58-0, Jagessar 25-5-674, Deonarine 10-4-14-0, Khan 4-0-23-0, Cariah 6-0-32-0 Red Force 2nd innings K. Hope b Reifer I. Khan b Joseph

8 10

Y. Cariah c Chanderpaul b Permaul 9 N. Deonarine c sub (Bacchus) b Permaul 57 J. Mohammed c wkp 2 Bramble b Permaul Y. Ottley c Motie b Bishoo 10 E. Lewis c Chanderpaul b Motie 16 S. Katwaroo c&b Motie 19 R. Emrit c Joseph b Bishoo 48 M. Richards lbw Permaul 11 0 J. Jaggesar not out 7 Extras: (nb-6, b-1) Total: (all out; 69 overs) 197 Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-21, 3-37, 4-41,5-75, 6-101, 7-127, 8-147 , 9-187, 10-197 Bowling: Joseph 11-4-19-1 (nb3), Reifer 10-2-31-1, Bishoo 15-1-56-2 (nb-3), Permaul 195-45-4, Motie 14-2-45-2

23

More corporate support for Mash Cup

Waqar Sahid (left), Managing Director of A. Ally and Sons, presents the sponsorship package to YWCC first division skipper Wahied Edwards

A

. Ally and Sons showroom, located at Sheet Anchor, East Canje, Berbice, has once again on board with the annual fund raiser of the Young Warriors Cricket Club, Mash Cup 2016.

At the presentation ceremony held recently, Waqar Sahid, Managing Director, said that his company is once again pleased to be part of this annual event.

Sahid said that it is important as a business entity to assist such an important event that will help develop the community in which they operate. He further stated that they are impressed with the work of the club which has produced so many cricketers with special mention of Shimron Hetmyer, who recently led the West Indies Under-19 team to Youth World Cup glory in Bangladesh.

Receiving the cheque on behalf of the club was first division skipper Wahied Edwards, who thanked the sponsor for his continued support of the club. He called on the residents in the area to support the business so that it can give back to the community.

Edwards also called on other businesses and private individuals to fol-

low suit. Edwards reiterated the club’s motto of “Striving for excellence through cricket and education” and promised that it will be upheld despite the challenges.

Other sponsors on board so far are beverage giant Ansa McAl Trading, Ashiek and Sons Motor Supplies and Auto Sale, Massy Distribution, Roshan Satar Supermarket and Office Express.

This event will form part of Guyana’s 50th Independence anniversary celebration with proceeds going towards further improvements to the club’s facilities and day-to-day running. In addition, funds will be allocated to three schools in the Number 19 to Gangaram area.

The tournament will be played on February 23, a national holiday, and will involve 10 second division teams from the area. It will be five overs a side with no first division cricketer allowed.

Top clubs such as Canje Pathfinders, Betsy Ground Triple Stars, Kendall’s Union A, Rose Hall Community Centre and the host are expected to compete. Incentives with the value of over $100,000 will be up for grabs with lots of gate prizes.

GSL/Golyn 10/10 Softball…

Speedboat SC beat Vipers XI by 19 runs

T

he Golyn 10/10 countrywide softball cricket tournament organised by the Guyana Softball League (GSL) brought out maximum entertainment as the matches produced some exciting action.

Speedboat SC defeated Vipers XI by 19 runs.

Speedboat XI batted first and made a challenging 131 all out in 9.3 overs with Greg Singh slamming 44 (6x6s), while Amit Hussain snared 3-24 from his two overs and Omar Mohamed 2-12 from one over.

In reply, Vipers XI lost their first wicket in the first over with only one run on the board, but Vickash Totaram (48) with five of the biggest sixes of the day and two fours and with support from Arif Hussain 29

Premnauth Bhimchan’s 5-13 from two overs earned him the Player-of-the-Day award

(4x6s) added 90 runs to take them to the brink of victory.

However, exuberance

got the better of Totaram when he played over an innocuous delivery and was

bowled. His dismissal also signalled a rush of wickets and they were eventually

bowled out for 113, the last eight wickets tumbling for just 13 runs.

Imran Hamid was the architect of the destruction with 3-10 from his two overs, while Kishore Smith claimed 2-22 from two overs. Below are the summarised scores from the other games.

Mighty Lions roared past Maracs XI by eight wickets. Maracs XI 46 all out in eight overs (Anil Shaw 15, Trevor Parjohn 3-8, Manoj Persaud 3-9) Mighty Lions 47-2 (Persaud 30*).

Prem’s XI edged out Super Bet XI by eight runs. Prem’s XI 104-4 in 10 overs (Rajendra Kumar 32, Narendra Hussain 31, Asif Hussain 2-33) Super Bet XI 96 all out (Jitendra Kishore 31, Premchand Bhimchan

5-13, including the first hattrick of the tournament).

Unstoppable XI defeated Goed Fortuin Exclusive XI by 33 runs. Unstoppable XI 119-7 in 10 overs (Zaheer Hanif 22, Eustice Joseph 22) Goed Fortuin Exclusive XI 86 all out (Wendell Austin 42, Yesim Mohamed 4-8).

Meanwhile, in the one ball “man-to” competition, two spectators Nicholas Shivkumar and Narine Shaw have moved forward to the next round after winning their respective rounds.

They are the recipients of $1,000 credit each, compliments of Miss Love Trading, who continues to support the game for the spectators for the second tournament running.

tuesday, february 16, 2016

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

WICB/PCL 4-day cricket…

Permaul spins Jaguars to comprehensive win over Red Force

Pg 23 Spinner Veerasammy Permaul celebrates the final wicket, as last man Marlon Richards prepares to walk off (Marceano Narine photo)

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CPL’s CEO awaits bid from TT Government

Simon looking for revenge against Matthews − rematch added to “Hostile Territory” boxing card

Pg 22

Pg 22 Trinidad and Tobago hosted the knockout stage last year

Kishawn Simon is making a return to the sport, after being out of action for the past 14 months

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