Guyana Times Daily

Walter Rodney’s 36th death anniversary

WPA wants parliamentary debate on CoI report, renaming of UG P11 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyana-times.com

Issue No. 2884

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Monday, June 13, 2016

PRICE

Eteringbang shooting

Guyana fires back at Venezuela for denying military shooting

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE: Madewini killing

Suspect confesses to murder

P8

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– cautions against destabilisation of diplomatic relations Soesdyke man killed P7 in hit-andrun accident Parking meter confusion

No proof of work completed by contractor on international P3 scale – Ralph Ramkarran, Govt Adviser question deal

In this Marceano Narine photo, two lads enjoy an afternoon in the Atlantic Ocean aback the Marriott Hotel, Kingston, Georgetown

Criminal Alim Shah Stores dropped from uniform gang strikes voucher programme again in

Healthcare delivery declining in Region 1 – Chairman P10

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..."victimisation" by Govt for column, claims Ryhaan Shah

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Good Hope

– suspected ringleader apprehended

50 killed in mass shooting in Orlando Page 15

Rose Hall P9 Estate Manager sues GuySuCo for wrongful dismissal

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MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

NEWS

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MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, June 13 – 11:30h-13:00h and Tuesday, June 14–13:00h-14:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Berbice – Monday, June 13 – 10:30h-12:00h and Tuesday, June 14 –11:45h-13:15h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Light to heavy rain showers can be expected throughout the day, with cloudy conditions expected in the evening hours. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius.

Wind: South-easterly to East North-easterly between 1.34 metres and 4.47 metres. and 23:37h reaching 2.19 metres and 2.22 and 17:02h reaching 1.05 metres and 1.00

SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 2016

LOTTERY NUMBERS I

01 06 09 10 14 21 24 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

Daily Millions

09 16 17 19

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No proof of work completed by contractor on international scale – Ralph Ramkarran, Govt Adviser question deal

By Devina Samaroo and Edward Layne

FERRY SCHEDULE

High Tide: 11:02h maximum heights of metres respectively.

Low Tide: 04:33h minimum heights of metre respectively.

Parking meter confusion

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DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

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haos, confusion and controversy have completely replaced the shortlived excitement which initially surrounded the city parking meter project, as investigations by Guyana Times of National Parking Systems (NPS) and Smart City Solutions (SCS) leave more questions than answers.

Director of NPS and SCS, Kamau Cush, during an interview with Guyana Times, insisted that his companies are legitimate and have been doing business on the international scene for a number of years.

He claimed that his companies have worked in Panama, Argentina, Peru and Mexico City among others; however, checks by this publication in these locations turned up empty as there is no mention of either company.

Further checks on search engine www. whois.net revealed that the NPS’s website (http:// npsgreatcities.com/) was registered on April 8, 2016 through www.godaddy.com--a website hosting company in the US. This was about the

Director of NPS and SCS, Kamau Cush

same time fresh discussions about the installation of parking meters in Georgetown surfaced.

Key stakeholders are raising concerns over the possibility of the undertaking being a shady deal aimed at exploiting the local populace.

The project was announced recently by the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of Georgetown as an innovative initiative to ease congestion in the city and aid in generating more revenue.

However, former Speaker of the National Assembly and commentator Ralph Ramkarran said the undertaking seems to be nothing but a “getrich-quick scheme”, given the capricious and tenuous strategies and justifi-

cations provided for some aspects of the project.

In his weekly blog “The Conversation Tree”, Ramkarran outlined a number of issues in relation to the project and

even suggested alternatives that the M&CC could explore before moving ahead with the contentious parking meter plan.

TURN TO PAGE 14

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MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 231-0544, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707

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

Editorial

Jagan and Rodney

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oday is the death anniversary of Dr Walter Rodney, whose political activism can be summed up by the slogan "Power to the People". On Thursday, Enmore Martyrs Day, on which Dr Cheddi Jagan gave a commitment to struggle for the poor, will be commemorated. What bound up the lives of these two great Guyanese, then, is a dedication to the empowerment of the Guyanese poor.

Yet 50 years after this country achieved Independence, the masses of Guyanese remain poor – both relatively (only Haiti is poorer in this Hemisphere) and absolutely (43 per cent of the population live in officially defined "poverty").

What can we learn from their history – why their dream was never fulfilled, to change our trajectory today?

One singular lesson from Jagan's experience is his quixotic jousting with the US when that nation was embroiled in a "Cold War" with the USSR for sole superpower status. Early on, Jagan chose to cut fine distinctions with John F Kennedy about whether we were a "communist" "fellow traveller" of Moscow. He did not appreciate, in the penumbra of the US President's humiliation over his failed Bay of Pigs invasion, he could not risk "another Cuba in this Hemisphere".

Unlike those who were in charge of both the US and USSR's foreign policy, Jagan appeared to be an "idealist" rather than a "realist". While both schools accepted states will always act to further their national interest by increasing their power, realism has the following characterises which are quoted in full because it is still applicable to our situation in the world.

"The world is a harsh and dangerous place. The only certainty in the world is power. A powerful state will always be able to outdo –and outlast –weaker competitors. The most important and reliable form of power is military power.

A state’s primary interest is self-preservation. Therefore, the state must seek power and must always protect itself. Moral behaviour is very risky because it can undermine a state’s ability to protect itself. The international system itself drives states to use military force and to war. Leaders may be moral, but they must not let moral concerns guide foreign policy."

Using that realist logic, the US ousted the PPP Government of Dr Jagan in 1964 and installed and maintained the PNC of Forbes Burnham as the Government of Guyana for 28 years.

Unlike Jagan, Rodney was not so much a "communist" as a "Marxist" who used the philosophy of Marx to analyse the situation of the newly "decolonised" countries in Africa and the Caribbean. In Guyana, he factored in the problematic of race/ethnicity into the Marxian class focus and in this way his approach resonated much widely at the grassroots.

As one of the founders of the "dependency school" of economic development, he emphasised the global structural relations into which a small economy on the periphery like Guyana's are embedded. While he understood the role of the US in protecting and projecting its interests might have negative consequences for Guyana, he was pragmatic enough not to advocate any jettisoning of all linkages with the West. In the present circumstances, when the US is asserting its presence in the Region with the not-coincidental gradual diminution of "the left" in the Caribbean and Latin America, a Rodneyite approach rather than a Jaganite one might be advisable.

Domestically, both Jagan and Rodney articulated the need for Guyana to be governed by coalitions to address the extant racial/ethnic fissures. In the wake of his 1976 "critical support" for the PNC Government, Jagan called for a “National Front Government" in 1977 that would include "all progressive forces". Walter Rodney and the WPA rejected Jagan's inclusion of the PNC under that rubric in 1979. In the present circumstances, with the demonstration since 1992 that Guyanese in "free and fair" elections still "vote race/ ethnicity", and parties having no ideological difference, anall inclusive "Government of National Unity" is suggested.

Schoolchildren cheer as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrives to attend “We Are the Happiest in the World”, a performance of schoolchildren to celebrate the 70th founding anniversary of the Korean Children’s Union (Reuters/KCNA)

Prison CoI report should be implemented to mend protractedly broken prison system Dear Editor, I have been vindicated. Yes, Editor, I have been vindicated! I have been following the revelations of the findings of the Prison Commission of Inquiry (COI). After months of testimonies, millions of dollars spent, and all the hoopla, the inquiry revels what I have been saying, consistently and for free, for the last seven years.

• More than 75% on the inmates are repeat offenders.

• Most of the inmates are academically and vocationally challenged.

• Upwards of 70% are youths.

• The inmates need a formal and sustained rehabilitation programme.

• The released ex-offenders need to be formally place in a post-release rehabilitation programme.

• The inmates need to be psychologically evaluated to ascertain their mental health.

The results of the CoI have me feeling cheated.

I should have charged the government for all my years of suggestions and free advice. I am not surprised,

though, that the CoI agrees with my voluminous writings on these matters over the years. After all, I am the professional here.

Long before many of those who are now making the rules that govern prisoners were in their positions, I have been doing prison chaplaincy and criminology.

I have been in the trenches of prisoner rehabilitation internationally, for over 20 years. I have studied it, I have practiced it and I have been writing on it.

In fact, if the CoI had come up with any other results, I would have been very embarrassed. Indeed my critics would have had ammunition to use against me. Several of them are constantly trying to belittle my knowledge in this area.

There is not a single person in Guyana who has been as consistent on the matter of prisoner rehabilitation as I have. Through this access you afford me, I have parsed, dissected and reassembled the benefits of a post-release prisoner rehabilitation programme in Guyana. And I have never been wrong.

I took pains to show that for all the complaining of the growing crime situation, no

government officer has ever seen fit to put in place an exoffender rehabilitation programme. Guyana has never had such a programme and maybe the fear of the unknown is causing some to be reluctant.

Editor, I would even venture as far to say that if the successive governments had listened to me, there would never had been a prison riot that resulted in the deaths of those 17 prisoners.

For years I have been suggesting that the government needs to set up Guyana’s first Ex-Offender Rehabilitation Programme.

The logic is simple.

According to the just released CoI, more that 80% of all our inmates have been to prison before. If you create a programme that seeks directly to reduce the recidivism rate (the recurrence of incarceration), you will precipitously reduce the prison population.

There are 2500 inmates locked up in Guyana’s prisons, five prisons at any one time. 80% of that amount means that some 2000 are repeat offenders. A formal rehabilitation programme, designed to deal with their criminogenic needs – voca-

tional training, housing, education, substance abuse, and spiritual formation, will aid in keeping them out of prison, thereby reducing that percentage.

The programme should be designed to transition along a continuum of a prerelease, directly into a postrelease construct. This is a best practice that I have helped to develop in the USA and it can work here in Guyana. At least, it should be tried.

A project document with a sustainability plan for a post-release aspect of the programme has been crafted and submitted. The training material for the pre-release programme is already documented for immediate rollout. The CoI has done its work. Thanks and congratulations go out to Justice Patterson and his professional team.

Now let’s get on with implementing the requirements of the report and mending this protractedly broken prison system in Guyana. Can we do it? Yes, we can.

Yours faithfully, Wendell Jeffrey

Take a bow, David Arthur Granger

Dear Editor, Last Saturday night, as guest of Captain Gerry Gouveia, I attended the 50th Independence Anniversary “Golden Jubilee” Dinner in New York City at which President David Granger was the guest of honour and keynote speaker.

For me, the highlight of the evening was the President’s address which did not include any mention of the former government’s 23 years in office, which did

not include any mention of any partisan politics, did not include any mention of forensic audits but rather highlighted the assets including our flora and fauna, the achievements and prosperity.

In introducing the President, the young lady slipped and said “I give you....President of the United States....then quickly corrected the faux pas.

But she might have been on to something for the

President’s speech was Obama like in content...a bit of history, identification of the attributes that make Guyana great, some analysis of the current state of affairs and recommendations about how the country might best develop over the next 50 years, not to mention snippets of humour.

At various events in the past to celebrate our Independence and Republic anniversaries, some of which I was involved in

planning in Florida, one of the trends of the speakers from Guyana was to refer to 28 years of dictatorship and to highlight their perceived ills of the Opposition of the day. Not so Saturday night!

We saw more than a glimpse of statesmanship.

Take a bow David Arthur Granger.

Thanks Capt Gerry Gouveia for inviting me to be among your guests.

Regards, Wesley Kirton

guyana-times.com

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016

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You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Dr Walter Rodney represented and still represents light in the midst of darkness Dear Editor, At the recent annual conference of the Caribbean Studies Association held in Haiti, acclaimed scholar-activist, Angela Davis, gave a memorable address in which she linked race, class, nation, history, oppression and survival. When she got to the point of her address that discussed underdevelopment, she asked the audience who she was thinking about and hundreds of voices responded in unison— “Walter Rodney,” followed by a generous round of applause.

It is commonplace to hear Rodney’s work quoted by scholars who speak about him in elevated ways; after all he belonged to the world—one of Guyana’s most precious gifts to world civilisation. But when I heard that audience speak his name that evening, I felt a rush of pride as a Guyanese, as a comrade and a descendant of Rodney and the Caribbean, Black, African and Guyanese radical tradition which he contributed immensely to. But I also felt a gush of pain, largely because Guyanese of the post-1980 generation do not get to experience moments like those when their country is lifted to the mountaintop by the mere mention of his name. There were several Guyanese scholars at the conference to witness that moment, but shamefully, there was only one scholar from the University of Guyana—lecturer and historian, Estherene Adams— who presented a well-received paper on another outstanding Guyanese, Eusi

Kwayana.

As I think about Walter Rodney who we assassinated 36 years ago on a Friday night, I think about Guyana and its slow but steady march towards the edge. I think about some of the backwardness I read on Facebook and the newspaper blogs and I wonder if we can pull ourselves back. In the end our words betray our thoughts and our thoughts are shaped by what we see and feel.

Despite our glorious history of overcoming, the Guyana of today assassinates that history at every twist and turn. The brutal murders and our seemingly numbness to them; the national hypocrisy when it comes to our ethno-racial condition; the persistent betrayal by our political leaders replete with economic and psychological brutalisation of poor people—the doom varies but it never goes away.

But in the end, we must press on, for we have no choice but to confront our demons. Walter Rodney had taught us how to use the combined weapon of resistance, history and self-activity to overcome our ethnic insecurities. He also taught us the value of asking questions of power even when the face of that power looks like ours. It was he, the scholar-activist, who argued that the educated sons and daughters of the poor must serve the poor in word and deed and in this regard he led by example.

Walter Rodney, in the 1970s gave Guyana hope again as we were plunging into the deep and dangerous

waters of self-destruction.

He represented and still represents light in the midst of darkness.

Rodney had asked that should he be cut down, his body should be used as a barricade for the revolution. The revolution which he started and for which he was murdered by the hand of the State, is still incomplete. That State still stalks the land—always looking for the next victim. The poor are still impoverished and powerless. Ethnic domination and spite still reside in our political bosoms.

If we must keep alive the freedom spirit of Emancipation and Independence, Walter Rodney must live again in Guyana as he lives in the global space. As CLR James, another Caribbean intellectual giant, would say—there is always work to be done.

Let us on this June 13, whatever our politics, say thanks to Walter Rodney for making us whole while he worked this space and for the legacy of hope he has left us. And if we must dare to ask questions of our powers and push them to see our collective liberation as paramount, we must reach for Rodney’s spirit and praxis.

Yours sincerely, David Hinds

Hopetown rejects this selfish project Dear Editor, I was forced to pen this letter after I attended a commissioning of a street this afternoon (Sunday afternoon) in my home village of Hopetown. I am very surprised of it, especially under this APNU/AFC Government.

In this lovely village, there are several businesses and many streets that need to be developed, but this Administration sees it fit to do one street in the whole of Hopetown, which is the street Regional Councillor Carol Smith Joseph is living on.

The street is well paved, have street lights erected and some benches. In the entire Hopetown, there are no street lights, but this street seems to be the best street because of that councillor.

The people of Hopetown voted solidly for this Government but it seems as if this is the only woman that voted for the coalition in Hopetown. Everything she does is questionable.

As I looked around, I saw several regional officials on the Government side. I also saw several RDC Councillors. I approached one of the Councillors on the Government side and asked him, “Why this street alone has street lights and benches and none other?” I also asked why it is this big celebration for this street opening. I was amazed by the answer given.

The Councillor said that the Government declared Ms Joseph’s street as the Regional Jubilee Street.

Oh my god, how can this Government do something like that? There are other streets in Hopetown that could have been used. Why there was no consultation done with the residents if it’s a Government project for the 50th Independence Anniversary?

I was also told that millions of dollars was given to the Hopetown Community Centre because it was designated as the Regional Jubilee Ground. To date, nothing is being done on the ground.

Who has the money for that project?

I would like for the Government to now say how much monies was given to do that street and why no other street was chosen.

It amazes me to see how this Government is neglecting its own supporters.

People in Hopetown hardly engage or like this Councillor because of her bad attitude.

The President needs to tell us why so much of power is being put into this one person’s hand. I was told she runs the entire Region and people are afraid of her, so they have to put up with what she does.

The Councillor said that he raised several concerns about this woman’s behav-

iour at their PNC party regional meetings and nothing is being done. He said that she bullied her way around things and that the leaders of the party need to take things seriously about this woman.

I told him that the entire Hopetown rejects this selfish project and calls on the Government to take a stand against this woman or come 2020 we will voice our disappointment.

Yours truly, Leon Smith

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guyana-times.com

Foundation

Don’t just tell children what International not to do: show them what to do Day of Yoga

— healthy coping strategies are the key to risk prevention R

esilience requires a wide repertoire of skills to cope with stress. Here’s the bottom line – life is stressful, so we need to prepare our children to handle challenges effectively.

While we’d like to think that childhood is idyllic, children are not as shielded from stress as we might imagine. They worry about school, their peers, the future, their identity, and their appearance. They want to please us, and sometimes they worry about us. They sense parents’ stress even when they’re small. Children pick up on all our spoken and unspoken words. When we seem unnerved, they feel anxious.

Stress makes us terribly uncomfortable. We feel nervous, unsafe, insecure, and ungrounded. We can’t think clearly. We become restless, lose sleep, become tired, and maybe get headaches. We grow irritable, less patient, and much less understanding of others.

We all hate discomfort. To avoid it, we figure out some way to cope and make ourselves feel comfortable again. Anything that will banish those disquieting feelings will make us feel more settled, at least for the moment.

We have both positive and negative ways of coping. It's not that positive ways always work and negative ones always fail. On the contrary, some negative ways offer immediate relief. The difference is that positive coping strategies enhance well-being and ultimately lead to at least partial relief. Negative strategies might feel great and offer quick relief, but they perpetuate and intensify the cycle of stress.

Virtually all the behaviours we fear in children and teenagers are misguided attempts to diminish their stress. Procrastination, feigned laziness, and boredom are methods of

dealing with school-related stress.

They temporarily push stress out of sight and mind for a while. Bullying, smoking, drugs, gangs, sex, disordered eating, and self-mutilation are also efforts to deal with stress.

We may have our greatest impact in helping children and teens avoid negativity and dangerous behaviours by equipping them with a wide range of alternative, effective, and safe coping strategies.

Our challenge is to raise children with effective coping strategies that deal directly with problems, healthy strategies that help us confront and comfort our emotions, and safe, thoughtful strategies that help us avoid our problems.

This means children need to learn how to: • Identify and then address problems by breaking them into manageable parts.

• Avoid stressful situations by choosing not to confront those people, places, and things that trigger painful responses. Let some things go rather than wasting energy on things that can’t be changed.

• Build strong, resilient bodies by incorporating wellness strategies regarding exercise, relaxation, sleep, and nutrition.

• Know how to avoid emotions occasionally by taking “instant vacations” such as working on hobbies, reading books, or taking walks.

• Release emotional tension through healthy means such as taking, writing, praying, playing, and creative expression?

Even the youngest children pick up ambivalent messages. They know the difference between what we say and what we do. Adolescents pounce on our hypocrisy, point it out mercilessly, and use it to explain why we shouldn’t have the authority to set rules of behaviour. We can’t model

problem-solving if we take a nap to avoid our discomfort each time we get stressed. We can’t tell children it’s good to talk about their feelings if we bottle up our own emotions. We can’t teach the danger of drugs while drinking alcohol. We can’t talk about the importance of balancing our lives if we haven’t taken a day off in a month.

So, for the sake of your children, take care of yourself first: Don’t think it’s selfish to have a hobby, take time to relax, or have creative outlets.

When you take care of yourself, you show your children how to be emotionally healthier. You are the model they will follow as they learn to manage stress.

Role modelling may be most effective when you talk aloud about what you’re doing: “This is a gigantic work assignment to finish in just a week. I’m going to break it down into smaller parts that I can handle.”

“I’m so stressed out that I can’t even think. I’m going for a run. That always makes me feel better.”

“I really need to clear my head.

I’m going to take some slow, deep breaths and imagine I’m on that beautiful beach we visited last summer. Remember that sunset?”

“I’m so angry that I can’t think straight. If I make a decision now about how to deal with your behaviour, you won’t like it. Right now I need some time to myself to cool off.

I’m going for a long walk to relax.

Then we’re going to deal with this problem.”

Remember: the greatest gift you can give your child – and perhaps the most important thing you can do to prevent problem behaviours – is to model self care and healthy coping strategies. (psychologytoday.com)

By: Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh-Guyana (HSS) (Hindus for Selfless Service)

W

e would like to assume you are enjoying all the different yoga postures that we have presented thus far, and are eagerly awaiting the others. Today, it is our pleasure to introduce another beneficial asana called Trikonasana (triangle pose).

By practicing this simple technique, the benefits of it will bring you closer to the well-shaped body you desire.

TRIKONASANA (TRIANGLE POSTURE) In this position, the individual stands with the feet parallel and hands loosely at the side. It is usually done in two parts, facing

the left, and then the right which involves inhaling, exhaling, bending and touching the ankle.

By preforming this asana one can attain remarkable benefits such as: * Eliminate pain in lower back

* Reduce stiffness in neck, shoulder and knee

* Improves appetite, digestion and circulation * Strengthen the legs, knee, ankle, arms and chest TECHNIQUE (i) Stand with the feet together, arms by your side. (ii) Separate your feet comfortably wide apart (about 3½ to 4ft) left foot in a 90 degree angle and right foot slightly facing your right.

(iii) Inhale, raise both arms straight out from the shoulder parallel to the floor with the palms facing down. (iv) Exhale slowly while turning the upper half of your body to the left, bend at the waist and bring the left hand down to the left ankle.

The palm of the left hand is placed along the outside of the left ankle. The right arm should be extended upwards. Both legs and arm

are kept straight without bending the knee or elbows. (v) Turn the head upwards to the left and gaze up at the fingertips of the left hands. Inhale and return to the standing position with the arms outstretched. (vi) Hold this position for the duration of the exhaled breath. Repeat steps (iv) to (vi) on the opposite side for three times.

Drink on glass of water after you have completed this exercise. Hope you enjoy doing this today and eagerly await tomorrow’s tip.

S o u t h l a n d International is the official beverage sponsor. They are the “Home of Blue Water in Guyana”.

We welcome feedback from our readers, so like and comment on our Facebook page Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh Guyana. Do have a peaceful day – and be reminded that on Sunday, June 19, 2016 at the Leonora Secondary School, West Coast Demerara at 13:00h (1pm), HSS will be observing International Day of Yoga –so come one, come all.

NEWS

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MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Criminal gang strikes again in Good Hope – suspected ringleader apprehended By: Romario Samaroo

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he suspected leader of an infamous gang has been arrested in connection with a recent attack on two families of Good Hope, East Coast Demerara

cash, watches, televisions, music systems, cell phones and household appliances, all of which were purportedly packed into his car that they also stole.

Basdeo recalled that after he had awoken he noticed a lot of things in the home were missing and immediately rushed downstairs to see if his Toyota NZE with registration plate PLL 8602 was there. It was not.

behind their clothes.

Basdeo summoned the police then conducted a search in the neighboring community. He retrieved his mangled car abandoned on Market Street, Annandale.

The bandits had crashed Basdeo’s car into a stall and made good of their escape.

However, individuals around the area who witnessed the accident described the occupants who exited the vehicle as the

was transferred from the Vigilance Police Station on a possession of stolen articles charge as Basdeo’s property was discovered in her home.

“This well-known gang which operates on the East Coast are no strangers to the police” Basdeo added, “but this is the first time they were actually caught with articles in their possession.”

It seemed as if the gang was getting out of con-

Michael Basdeo, latest victim of the gang

(ECD) on Saturday.

Two families living at Lot 81 Good Hope, ECD were the latest victims of a series of attacks in the community.

Michael Basdeo, who was home at the time recalled what transpired. The bandits entered the home through a louver window after removing several panes

Basdeo’s abandoned car mangled on Market Road, Annandale

After an alarm was raised, Basdeo found that the occupants of the bottom flat were also oblivious as to what transpired, lending credibility to his ‘gas’ theory. The occupants of the

“notorious saltfish gang,” and pointed the police and Basdeo in the direction of their home in Annandale.

When Basdeo and the Police arrived at the residence, a number of his per-

bottom flat found it strange that with all the commotion including dogs barking, they did not awaken, as would be normal for them.

Fortunately for them nothing else were stolen except the clothes on the line.

Upon examining the yard, the family discovered that the criminals had left

sonal belongings were discovered in the home and the persons living there were taken into custody.

Among those arrested were Gaitri Kadar, 48, of Lot 14 Annandale, ECD. When Guyana Times contacted the Beterverwagting Police Station, the ranks confirmed that the woman

The Lot 81 Good Hope residence

around 02:30h. He is of the belief that the thieves had used sleeping gas to put his family in a state of unconscious stupor, making them unaware of what was happening around them.

He explained that the criminals escaped with well over a million dollars’ worth of a quantity of laptops,

trol, having robbed several homes in the community within the week, including Basdeo’s neighbour.

The gang reportedly made up of a mother and six sons, allegedly commits their crimes by administers sleeping gas to their victims in order to escape comfortably with their booty.

Alim Shah Stores dropped from uniform voucher programme

...“victimisation” by Govt for column, claims Ryhaan Shah

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he management of Alim Shah Stores, Regent Street and Corentyne, notes that their stores have been dropped from Government’s School Uniform Voucher programme for the first time since the programme began under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government.

From the list issued by the Education Ministry in its full page advertisement it appears that Alim Shah is the only business that has been singled out for omission this year.

The management feels that this is a direct result of Alim Shah’s daughter, Ryhaan Shah, a columnist of Guyana Times, being critical of the Granger Administration.

According to Ryhaan Shah, “as an Indian rights activist” she was also very critical of the PPP/C Government but her father’s business was never singled out for victimisation under that government. She feels Guyana is moving once again into dangerous territory where “criticism of the Government is being stifled and any critics will be aware that they will pay a

heavy price.”

Since the Alim Shah stores provide competitively priced school uniforms, the management feels that while government’s decision to drop the stores might affect business, the shops will continue to do back-toschool business. “It will also affect the local manufacturers who employ people to sew the uniforms for us, but we’ll all manage,” Alim Shah said.

Alim Shah has been in business since 1947 and noted that the business survived the worst of the Burnham era: “Being dropped is a setback but we’ll continue to do business. Our good prices and product will continue to attract customers. I’m very disappointed with the Granger Government’s decision but I’ve lived through it all and this will not break us.”

Ryhaan Shah says she is very troubled that government has taken this decision to “victimise her father and her father’s business. He’s 90 years old and has never hurt anyone. This is plain cowardice. Why not come after me?” she said.

8 NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Madewini killing

Suspect confesses Eyew tness to murder What’s M going on... oments after a 24-year-old Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara man suspected of a Madewini stabbing was apprehended by detectives at the Kingston Seawall, he admitted to killing Puranand Baljit in his bedroom on Thursday evening.

The suspect, according to information received, is a known felon in the area who was accused of committing several robberies.

The murder stemmed from a robbery, as was confirmed by the suspect during interrogation.

After Police got a breakthrough in the case on Thursday evening, detectives reportedly went to the home of the suspect where they found a bloodstained knife suspected to be the murder weapon. Reports indicate that the suspect, upon seeing the Police approaching his house, escaped via the back yard. Police ranks went in pursuit of him, but he managed to evade them.

This prompted law enforcement to set up a sting operation whereby they asked his employer to make contact with him to make arrangements for him to col-

Deceased: Puranand Baljit

lect his wages. During the subsequent conversation, the suspect said he was on the Seawall so the employer agreed to meet him there.

The employer then passed on the information to the Police who staked out the area.

As the Police moved in on the suspect, he ran towards the Atlantic Ocean, but detectives were able to apprehend him.

During interrogation, he reportedly told detectives that he had been monitoring the movements of Baljit for quite some time. He said the young man always had many phones in his possession and he wanted to take

one.

On the night of the murder, he walked through a bushy track leading to the young man’s home and waited for some time before he carried out the attack. He allegedly knew that the young man slept with his windows open and thought that while he was asleep was an opportune time to carry out the robbery.

The suspect told investigators that as the lights went out in Baljit’s room, he walked towards the young man’s bedroom window and as he looked into the bedroom, he saw several phones on a table. The young man, he said, was asleep.

The suspect recounted that he collected a concrete block which he used to climb through the window.

However, while in the bedroom, Baljit woke up and a scuffle ensued between them.

During the scuffle, the suspect claimed that he was chopped to the hand by the now dead man and in retaliation, he collected another knife and dealt one blow to the young man’s neck. As Baljit collapsed on the bed, he continued to stab him. He then took a phone and a laptop computer and escaped

through the window.

The injured young man managed to scream once, alerting his father and stepmother who took some time to respond since they were not sure if thieves were in the house.

The investigation was led by Detective Bowman who was praised for solving the murder in such a short time.

The suspect is expected to make his court appearance as soon as possible.

Baljit, 25, of Lot 57 Madewini, EBD, was stabbed at least seven times by his attacker on Thursday about 21:30h. He was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Detectives immediately launched a probe, questioning among others two of the dead man’s best friends and one of his girlfriends.

They were subsequently released as the detectives received information about the prime suspect.

Up to the time of Baljit’s demise, he worked with his father at his mechanic shop. He leaves to mourn his father, stepmother, grandmother and friends.

(Bhisham Mohamed)

I

...with Local Government?

t’s like the mountain laboured and produced a mouse.

Your Eyewitness’s talking about Local Government, which he’d been told was his birthright that was denied him by the dastardly PPP for decades. After Local Government Elections had ensconced local folks into their local offices, all problems of governance would vanish as the local officials would solve the local problems they themselves faced. All politics is local, nuh?

Well, it very well might be – but you couldn’t tell from the same ole, same ole going on across the country. Is the theory of local involvement cockeyed? Or are there other factors at play? Well, we were told (by your Eyewitness!), our grassroots operatives would need a heck of a lot of training. Can the majority even conduct a discussion without coming to blows or a cuss-out? Well, it’s not their fault - training WAS promised to them....and someone’s holding out.

Then there’s the not inconsequential matter of money.

Yes...the filthy lucre that unfortunately makes the world go ‘round. It greases the wheels...and more importantly, greases palms. Weren’t the local officials now authorised to raise funds for their local activities? But circularly we return to the epistemological question: do the locals know how to go about this? Well, in Georgetown, the question’s being tested for real.

Georgetown always knew about raising funds from “rates and taxes”. Their problem, however, was always “who know who?” Once you knew someone in City Hall...especially one of the big ones, you could count on your taxes being written off. Well, we hear the Council’s threatening foreclosure of properties? Let’s see how that’ll pan out. Friends are forever?

But most intriguingly... we’ve been hearing about this new parking meter solution to Georgetown’s fiscal challenges. One fella came up with a proposal to supply five or so streets with meters and the 20% the City Council will get will be worth $200M annually! That means the company’ll keep $800M, nuh? And here your Eyewitness thought only the Bank of Guyana was permitted to print money!

But before we get to counting the money (loot?), there’s another troublesome question that needs to be answered. If Local Government was supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread, how come the Deputy Mayor who’s elected by the people – can’t question the choice by the Town Clerk of a fly-by-night operator for installing the parking meters?

The City Clerk is unelected and still the appointee of the Central Government Minister Bulkan, no?

What happened to the Local Government Committee that was supposed to replace him in the order of things?

...on the western front?

You have to give this ex-pat Guyanese fella in the US – Wesley Kirton – an “A” for effort in promoting Guyana and business for Guyana. He’s been doing it for years... and while we haven’t heard of too many fruits from his labours that’s not his fault, is it? You can take the investor to the water, but you can’t force him to drink, can you?

But there’s this letter he’s just written to the press.

He was at some high-level panel discussion in NY, which included a State Governor from Venezuela along with other Venezuelan and Western heavies. They were all figuring out how to raise US$50 billion to rescue Venezuela from its meltdown. What was interesting was their nonchalant assumption that our oil reserves should be developed “jointly” with Venezuela.

Remember that? Joint development that had been offered to and rejected by Burnham, back in the day?

Seems we have to be careful of folks playing both sides against the middle?

...with inciting hate?

Now 50 gays have been murdered in America. This is the product of hate. A hate of the “other” that’s destroying the original promise of America to save “huddled masses”.

A hate that’s fuelled today by leaders like Donald Trump.

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

NEWS

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MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Soesdyke man Rose Hall Estate Manager sues killed in hit-and- GuySuCo for wrongful dismissal run accident T

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father of three has consistent with a vehicubecome the lat- lar accident. est road fatality “This means that the after he was killed in an vehicle which killed my faalleged hit-and-run acci- ther is still out there”, she dent along the Soesdyke/ stated. However, when Linden Highway on asked if her father might Saturday evening. have been under the inDead is Gregory fluence of alcohol when he Atkinson, 49, of Grant left her home, she replied Sand Road, Soesdyke, in the negative.

East Bank Demerara. On the other hand, The man was reported- information reaching ly struck sometime after Guyana times highlight23:30h in the vicinity of ed that the man was seen Ideal Road, Kuru Kururu. staggering on the roadReports revealed that way. One taxi driver who the dead man went to drop plies the route told this off an item for his daugh- newspapers that he was ter who resides at Robert heading to Yarrowkabra Bush, Soesdyke/Linden to drop off a customer and Highway, and was head- as he was in the viciniing home when he killed. ty of Ideal Road, he saw One of his daughters the man on the roadway Euline Atkinson, when and from all indications contacted told Guyana the man appeared to be Times that her father left drunk. her home about 23:00h He stated that by the and within a few minutes time he dropped off the she received news that passenger and was resomeone was struck down turning to his base, he and killed. Without hesi- saw a crowd on the roadtating she along with oth- way and as he drove closer relatives rushed to the er, saw it was the same scene, only to find her fa- man he had seen earlier ther’s mangled body on that night. the roadway.

The man worked as a She noted that the labourer with a prominent scene was too graphic to businessman in the comlook at since blood was munity. When contacteverywhere as well as her ed, the businessman told father’s body parts includ- Guyana Times that on ing his brain.

Saturdays his staff leaves The aggrieved daugh- work between 14:00h and ter noted that from all in- 15:00h and that it was dications, her father was until Sunday morning he struck by one vehicle but learnt that Atkinson was was mangled by several killed in a hit-and-run acothers. “His hands, legs, cident. head and so twist up”, said He noted that the man the distraught daughter has been working with who was sobbing during a him for several months, telephone interview with and never saw him in a Guyana times. drunken state.

The woman also stated The police are continuthat the police have since ing their investigations. detained at least two cars Atkinson leaves to mourn in connection with the ac- his wife, three chilcident but none of them dren and other relatives. seemed to have damage (Bhisham Mohamed)

he Guyana Sugar C o r p o r a t i o n (GuySuCo) is being sued some $1 million over the wrongful dismissal of Rose Hall Estate Manager Deodat Singh.

According to the court documents seen by Guyana Times, Singh is claiming damages in excess of $1,000,000 for breach of contract.

He is also claiming that he has not received his severance package and other benefits to which he is entitled by law.

Singh said he received a letter on May 6, 2016, informing him of his dismissal, without notice.

The court documents explained that the letter received by Singh stated, that the Estate Manager was guilty of serious misconduct, that is, negligence resulting in losses to GuySuCo, as incorrect data and liquid stock

were used to determine the amount of sugar produced and/or estimated on a daily basis.

The letter also accuses Singh of falsification/manipulation of work records as well as incorrect sampling of molasses, which were done repeatedly.

In his defence, Singh is arguing that it is the duty of the Head Laboratory Technician to take liquid stock and then report his findings to the Production Manager who is tasked with making a sugar declaration.

He posited that it is his duty to ensure that the Production Manger declares

sugar volumes in a timely manner.

He added that the accuracy of any declaration made by the Production Manager is normally verified by an audit and not by the Plaintiff in his capacity as Factory Manager or at all.

Singh contended also that prior to this incident, he did not have any work related and/or disciplinary issues during his employment with GuySuCo. The former Estate Manager resides at number 16 House, Rose Hall Estate Compound, East Canje, Berbice with his wife and

two children.

As Estate Manager, Singh was entitled to a gross monthly salary of $497,000; five weeks annual leave with pay; annual leave passage assistance of $523,000; housing, including all utilities paid for by the Company; gas allowance of $4000 per month for motor vehicle; corporation pension scheme; corporation medical scheme; cell phone allowance of$5000 per month; linen allowance of $30,000 every five years; vehicle and driver; performance based incentive, once per year; and use of school bus for children.

Now unemployed, Singh said he is finding it difficult to provide for his wife and two children who are dependent on him.

In the court documents, Singh said he is ready, able and willing to resume duties.

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guyana-times.com

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016

News

EPA, Natural Resources Ministry work with community to clean up Good Hope

C1 Division Community Policing Group Chairman Mr Dass with some members of the body and the tools donated by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and EPA to clean up Good Hope

A Guyana Prison Service supervisor monitors a few prisoners who joined in the effort to clean up the Good Hope Cemetery

n recognition of World Environment Day, the community of Good Hope, East Coast Demerara teamed up with the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to host a cleanup exercise on Sunday.

Responsibility for the event was left to represen-

in the Housing Scheme, indicated the value of this initiative, stating that it brought awareness to the community on the importance of a clean environment that was suitable for the nurturing of children.

He went on to point out that the community had embraced this project with open arms, noting that many participants were

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tatives from the Good Hope Community, Good Hope Sports Club, Women at Work Group, the Lusignan Neighbourhood Democratic Council and the Good Hope Policing Group.

The EPA and the Ministry provided all the tools and equipment to get the job done, while the community came out in their numbers in support of

the initiative. The Guyana Prison Service also chipped in, providing additional manpower.

The exercise encompassed the Good Hope Cemetery and Phases One, Two and Three of the Good Hope Scheme.

C1 Division Community Policing Group Chairman Mr Dass, who was at the time leading the exercise

young people of the community which was a good sign.

Another member of the cleanup project said he was thankful to the project organisers for selecting the Good Hope community, since it not only needed a cleaning up, but it wanted an activity that brought the residents of the community closer.

This is the third project to be implemented under the EPA and the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry cleanup initiative. It looks to bring about an improvement in the aesthetics of communities around the country and motivate them to show more care in their treatment of the environment.

Healthcare delivery declining in Region 1 – Chairman

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lthough the Public Health Ministry has made it its mandate to improve the delivery of health care across Guyana, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region One (Barima-Waini) is contending that the health sector of that district is falling through the cracks.

This conclusion was made on the basis of the fact that not only have drug shortages become a major concern for the Region’s administration, but the general health sector is going down a rocky path.

This was disclosed during a press conference on Saturday with the Regional Chairman, Brentnol Ashley and Vice Chairman, Sarah Browne, who both said the

Region One Regional Chairman, Brentnol Ashley

situation has been ongoing for over six months, but nothing was being done at the level of Central

Government.

Based on reports from health facilities across the Region, it was highlighted that there were a number of glitches within the sector that were clearly being left unattended by the Ministry.

It was pointed out by the Chairman that there was a brewing issue of decreasing human resources at these facilities.

Ashley related that not only were persons turned away with no medication when they visited hospitals, but often times there have been reports of an inadequate complement of doctors at the facility to attend to their patients.

Guyana Times understands that these shortcomings had been reported to

the Ministry, but to no avail, as failed promises were only derived.

In addition to this, the Ministry had been lagging in its supply of medical equipment.

With the topic of drug shortages constantly being raised by politicians and the general public, there continued to be instability in this area at almost all facilities in Region one.

Echoing the comments

by Ashley, Browne added that drugs were budgeted for in the Region’s allocation of finances and, therefore, there was adequate money to purchase the needed medication.

However, she pointed out that the Ministry had the responsibility of procuring

these drugs and then supplying them across the country, and this was where the root of the shortage lay.

“The question of the issue is not a matter of us not having the money to purchase the drugs. We have the money, but the issue is the Ministry,” she stated.

Moreover, based on the remote nature of health institutions in the Regions, the delivery of drugs is usually delayed. This then leads to the expiration of the drugs by the time they are delivered to the facilities.

The issue is said to be widespread in the Region, as even the central medical institution is lacking basic medication such as panadol and cough syrup.

Drug shortages have be-

come a more debated topic as it has been on the front burner of the health sector since the beginning of the year.

The Health Minister had outlined that the change in the procurement system has led to the countrywide shortages.

However, the contention had been made that millions were returned to the treasury by the Ministry even though the health sector is crumbling.

The Minister had announced that this issue would be a thing of the past as companies would start supplying drugs as early as next month. This was after Cabinet had approved a number of contracts for this cause.

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016

guyana-times.com

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News

Walter Rodney’s 36th death anniversary

WPA wants parliamentary debate on CoI report, renaming of UG

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oday marks the 36th death anniversary of Working People’s Alliance (WPA) Co-Founder and political activist Dr Walter Anthony Rodney, and his party has issued another call to the David Granger led A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) administration to allow the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) report to be laid in the National Assembly.

Executive member Dr David Hinds on Sunday called on government to fulfil its promise and have the report properly laid before Parliament and debated.

“I hope that such a debate avoids the political finger-pointing and instead focus on the big lessons, in particular the banishment of the use of the state and parastate institutions as a tool of violence against political opponents and the citizenry in general”, the political commentator stated.

He also urged government, of which the WPA is part of, to honour Dr Rodney in the most non-partisan manner by re-naming the University of Guyana “the Walter Rodney University of Guyana”.

“All Guyanese regardless of political affiliation agree that Rodney was one of our most brilliant scholars. It would be a fitting symbol of the efforts to regenerate the university and a living monument to Rodney and the centrality of education to Guyana’s national development”.

He called on the Ministry of Education to introduce Rodney’s two chil-

Dr Walter Rodney

dren’s books—“Kofi Badu out of Africa” and “Lakshmi out of India” into the school curriculum. Such a move, he said, would contribute immensely to national cohesion, particularly among the youth.

“Rodney’s insights into our ethnic dynamics are invaluable and should not be wasted. Finally on this anniversary, I call for a national stand against attacks on the independent media.

This is an area of our politics that Rodney was most concerned about. He saw the assassination of the journalist, Father Bernard Darke in 1979 as a descent into barbarism. The recent grenade attack on the Kaieteur News is a stark reminder that there is still fear of the “Open Word”.

On the anniversary of Dr Rodney’s death, Hinds also called on President David Granger to expand his promise and to inquire into the death of former PPP Minister Satyadeo Sawh and his family, to include all politically-motivated killings over the last

four decades.

He also called for inquiries to be held into the deaths of Ronald Waddell and Courtney Crum-Ewing, since the families of “these brothers” and all of Guyana need to know the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

The findings of a Presidential Commission of Inquiry established by former President Donald Ramotar in April 2014, found that the political activist, considered a thorn in the flesh of the former People’s National Congress (PNC) regime of the 1980s, was the victim of a state assassination.

It also found that the then government had used its influence to silence the political leader and educator, by using a then army sergeant and communications expert to plant a bomb in a ‘walkie talkie’ device Rodney was interested in.

Meanwhile, the WPA said while much has changed since Rodney was “cut down by the assassin’s bomb blast”, the core questions he raised and the solutions he proposed are still relevant.

“On this the 36th anniversary of the assassination of our beloved brother and comrade, Dr Walter Rodney, in this age of neoliberal domination at the global level and passive acceptance at the domestic level, Rodney’s thesis of the nexus between development of the powerful and underdevelopment of the powerless still rings loud across the globe,” the party said.

It added that as the countries of the Global

Dr David Hinds

South fight for their survival in a world in which their voices and aspirations are smothered by harsh socioeconomic prescriptions from the Global North, Walter Rodney’s insights about the destructiveness of global capitalism for the poorest peoples must be embraced and acted upon.

It said that the Guyana which Walter Rodney and his comrades fought so hard to democratise, is still a menace to the citizenry.

“The criminalisation of the State has been a ma-

jor step backwards for Guyana and the elimination of corruption and autocracy would require all the energies and willpower of the current political directorate. Walter Rodney has left us a large body of ideas about governance and democratisation that could aid in this process,” the statement said.

Towards this end, the WPA said it is still not satisfied that enough effort is being put into ensuring that Rodney’s work is made available to the general public, in particular the education system.

“We use this opportunity to publicly call on the policy-makers in the education sector to correct this grave error. We cannot, as a nation, be satisfied that the work of one of our leading intellectuals is better known in places other than his native country,” the statement said.

The WPA said Rodney’s anniversary this year comes on the first anniversary of Guyana’s first genuine Partnership Government, of which the WPA is a part.

The party said it sees the Coalition’s ascendency to power as a positive development for the country, which has long been weighed down by one-party government.

“As a partner, the WPA is committed to playing its part in ensuring the success of the government, while protecting its own integrity.

The WPA, despite being in the government, will never trade its core principles for political expediency. But we also will not seek to impose our will on the collective; for us that is the antithesis of partnership”.

Finally, the WPA remembers other fallen comrades, including Ohene Koama and Edward Dublin, whose extreme sacrifices it said, will always be remembered and cherished.

“We are indebted to the families of these comrades who have had to nurse the hurt of being left fatherless and husbandless.

We also remember Father Bernard Darke and all the other martyrs of our struggle to give meaning to our Independence”, the statement said

12 NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Eteringbang shooting

Guyana fires back at Venezuela for denying military shooting

– cautions against destabilisation of diplomatic relations

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he Guyana Government has expressed grave concerns about the Venezuelan Government’s staunch denial of the shooting incident which almost claimed the lives of four Guyanese.

Approximately two weeks after the alleged shooting incident in the Cuyuni River, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), the Venezuelan Government has denied that the shooting occurred, maintaining that officers of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces did not open fire at the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) officers as is being reported locally.

Guyana Defence Force Chief of Staff Brigadier Mark Phillips officially an-

nounced on May 30, 2016, that workers attached to GGMC came under fire from the Venezuelan Army whilst they were patrolling an area along the border.

The Guyana Government had since dispatched a Note Verbale to the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveying its gravest concern over this incident, and calling on the Venezuelan Government to desist from such provocative and dangerous actions on the border.

However the Venezuelan Government issued a media release, denying that the incident ever occurred.

Responding to this development, the Guyana Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a statement Sunday evening, registering its deepest con-

Guyana and Venezuela have been embroiled in a longstanding border controversy

cerns over the fact that the Venezuelan Government did not find the courtesy to formally respond to the claims, but to instead choose to strongly deny the allegations, especially in light of the diplomatic situation.

According to the statement, the Venezuelan Government’s stance flies in the face of direct reports

which the authorities of Guyana received from the victims as well as the explanation which the representatives from Guyana’s military received from the Venezuelan army Corporal In Charge of the six troops who were involved in the incident.

“The Venezuelan authorities would have done well to have checked with the troops in question at the observation post, La Boca, on Ankoko Island who had furnished Guyana’s investigators with an explanation which the Government of Guyana believes and which it has found to involve unacceptable behaviour because it assumed that they had rights of policing the river which is in Guyana’s territory,” the statement posited.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry reminded that in the past such incidents led to the loss of lives.

“It is irresponsible to brush off this incident, an occurrence which the Government of Guyana continues to hold as being completely reprehensible” the government stated.

In this regard, the Guyana Government reiterated that

it categorically dismissed the claims by the Venezuelan Government that Guyana’s actions are part of an international media campaign to destabilise their country.

Furthermore, the Guyana Government re-emphasised that Venezuela must desist from such provocative actions on Guyana’s border since such acts could only lead to destabilisation of relations between the two countries.

Recently, President David Granger had expressed confidence that the situation will not escalate into an international conflict, noting that it was just a localised matter: “It is localised…It was a local incident and we are not saying that there is no fault but my information is that the rain was falling very heavily and there might have been some misunderstanding with the boat that was taking the officials….”

Nonetheless, Granger made it clear that the matter is still unacceptable.

This is not the first time there has been tension at the Guyana/Venezuela border. In September last year, the Venezuelan military dispatched heavily armed troops as well as a gunboat and other heavy artillery to the Cuyuni area.

Then in December, a Venezuelan helicopter landed at the Kaikan Airstrip, in the said Region Seven.

Relations between Guyana and Venezuela have been tense over the past few months because the Bolivarian Republic contin-

ues to lay claim to over 2/3 of Guyana’s territory, even though an 1899 Arbitration panel awarded the disputed Essequibo region to Guyana.

In February 1966, just before Guyana was granted Independence, in Geneva, Switzerland, the governments of British Guiana, the United Kingdom and Venezuela signed an agreement to resolve its contentions, but Venezuela has sporadically raised the controversy it created.

The controversy was reignited by Venezuela when the Guyana Government granted access to the USbased oil exploration company ExxonMobil, allowing it to drill for oil in the Stabroek block offshore Essequibo.

The Venezuelan Government was peeved at this move and made direct contact with the oil company, urging it to discontinue its drilling activities in the area. Saying it had no part in the territorial issue, the oil company went ahead with its drilling.

President Maduro later issued a decree on May 26, 2015, which purported to ratify maritime sovereignty over waters within 200 miles including the entire Atlantic Ocean off the Essequibo Coast as well as part of Suriname’s maritime territory and an area which is under dispute with Colombia.

Guyana has been seeking UN help in resolving the issue and has sought a juridical settlement if the UN process fails.

NEWS

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MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

PNC was afraid of the WPA – Alexander By: Alexis Rodney

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xecutive member of the People’s National Congress (PNC) Vincent Alexander has said the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), the small political party which had grown to prominence during the reign of the late Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham back in the 1980s, was more than just a political threat to the government of the day. He said the physical being of PNC members was also in danger.

Alexander was part of a three-member panel which sat recently on TVGs “The Factor”, hosted by Neaz Subhan, where the life of Dr Walter Rodney, a founder of the WPA, was being discussed. The discussion was in commemoration of the leader’s 36th death anniversary which is being observed today.

Alexander, along with activist and leader of the ROAR Ravi Dev, and Tacuma Ogunseye, executive of the WPA, delved deeply into the life and work of the historian, prior to his death on June 13, 1980.

He was killed when a bomb, said to have been placed in a communications device he was examining, exploded while he sat in his younger brother’s car, in the vicinity of the Georgetown Prison.

His death was found to be state orchestrated - a conclusion drawn from a recently held Commission of Inquiry (CoI).

According to Alexander, while Rodney and the WPA were seen by the Burnham government as an “enemy”, members of the then

PNC also saw the WPA not only as a competing party, but as an organisation that posed a threat to their physical wellbeing.

“There were circumstances where we felt physically threatened by the WPA. And there were things the WPA did that validated this position”, Alexander said. He said there was no doubt in his mind that it was the WPA that burnt the Ministry of National Development down.

“I have had the opportunity where persons have confided in me… So we felt a real threat being posed.

It was not just a matter of a political opposition, but a threat to our being”, Alexander posited.

Speaking defensively, Ogunseye, said he would not deny that the then government felt threatened by his party, but couldn’t understand how the small political unit without any army, guns, police, could have felt so.

“Because they had the monopoly of violence in society, so I could understand how human beings feeling threatened by people who they believe have the will to harm them...we were very clear that the PNC saw us not only as a political rival, but we were clear that the PNC and Burnham thought that if any group had the possibility of bringing this government down, it was the WPA and Rodney.”

He made it clear that the party was not trying to violently overthrow of the government, but was seeking to win over the black military and mobilise a multiracial mass.

Meanwhile, examining

The panelist: PNC Executive Member Vincent Alexander with activist and leader of the ROAR Ravi Dev, and WPA Executive Member Tacuma Ogunseye and host Neaz Subhan

the life and work of the educator, Dev said Rodney was very critical of the government, since it did nothing for the lower and middle classes. According to him, Rodney was openly critical of what was known as the “briefcase revolution”, which implied that the British was handing over power to a group of people who were not interested in fundamental change that would rectify the historical oppression of the ordinary people.

“I think Walter Rodney brought together two elements (race and class) that still need to be confronted today. Burnham, while he gave some lip service, did not go deep enough,” he said.

Alexander, who is also the Technical Facilitator to the Minister of Education said in some regards, the WPA represented a collection of intelligence and

of the middle class who saw things different from the People’s National Congress...the young party might have also misread the political landscape, might have found the then People’s Progressive Party, led by Dr Cheddi Jagan, as an ally that it could have worked with against what they considered to be a dictatorial regime which came to power on the back of rigged elections.

“I think the WPA in some regards, represented an element of the mid-

dle class who earlier had struggled with Burnham and therefore, they found that it was a comfortable place to continue that struggle. They saw the WPA as a place where they could continue their politics”, Alexander said.

Meanwhile, Ogunseye described Dr Rodney as one who made himself as a revolutionary intellectual, who saw himself as a servant of the working people.

“What he stood for is articulated in his work and the work of others.

Walter stood in the main for the self-organisation of the working people. He believed fundamentally, that despite all the revolutionary theory that people could liberate themselves through their own active efforts. Walter saw himself as a person committed to change, but not the beneficiary of the change...He never expressed any presidential ambitions. Walter never expressed that interest”, he said.

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guyana-times.com

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016

News

Men arrested for illegal guns Foetus found in trench at Stevedore at Enmore, Berbice T Housing Scheme

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he police launched an investigation Sunday morning following the discovery of a foetus in a trench in front of Uncle Eddie’s Home, Stevedore Housing Scheme, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

According to reports, the foetus was found in the trench at about 08:00h and was pulled from the water by curious onlookers.

When contacted, Acting Crime Chief Hugh Jessamy confirmed that a foetus was found and an investigation has been launched.

So far, police are questioning residents to ascertain if there were any pregnant women in the area.

A police source told

Guyana Times that the foetus looks like a full grown baby and might have been disposed of after the mother had given birth.

The umbilical cord was still attached to the foetus and its head seems to be clotted with blood.

While no one was taken into custody, the police are continuing their investigations.

In 2013, the remains of a decomposing new-born baby was discovered in Victoria Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, after a dog was observed playing with a hand it had ripped from the body which was in a septic tank.

The woman who made the discovery had reported that a stench had been

emanating from somewhere but she was unsure of where.

She however went into the yard and saw the dog with a hand of a baby.

As she looked closer she found the remains of the foetus in the septic tank and raised an alarm.

The woman who gave birth to the baby when questioned by police said the baby was born dead.

She said while it would have been better to dispose of it in a “better way,” because of the rain she threw it into the septic tank in her Albouystown yard but did “not expect it to float up back.” She was subsequently released after the post mortem results were undetermined.

wo men are now in Police custody assisting with investigations after they were found to be in possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition in separate instances.

The first arrest was made early Saturday morning a police river patrol conducted a search on a house in the Berbice River. During that search they found an unlicensed single barrel shotgun and five live 12 gauge car-

No consultations

Firstly, Ramkarran knocked the City Council for moving ahead with a project of such magnitude without holding proper consultations with all stakeholders expected to be affected.

“Owners of motor vehicles who park them on the roads in Georgetown, either for long or short periods, while at work or for any other purpose, except residential, have not been consulted. Since a financial burden is to be imposed on these persons, one would have thought that both democratic principles and respect for the public that is to be burdened by the imposition would dictate that prior to the implementation of the decision to install parking meters, there would have been adequate consultation,” he posited.

Ramkarran reminded that the election of the City Council to office did not give it a right to unilaterally exercise authority where the expectation existed that consultation would take place or where the public had a right to be heard, if its interests were to be affected.

More so, he called out the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition for keeping this plan a secret from its constituents during

Georgetown Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan

the campaign trail, for “obvious reasons”.

“Coming so soon after the elections, this decision to install parking meters was clearly on APNU/AFC’s agenda prior to the elections. During the elections, APNU/AFC contestants had ample opportunity to inform the residents of Georgetown that parking meters were on the agenda, but they kept this plot a secret for obvious reasons,” Ramkarran penned.

Locations

The selective locations for the installation of the parking meters are another matter of concern for the former House Speaker and well-respected Senior Counsel.

The streets in which the meters are to be installed are Avenue of the Republic, Regent Street, Robb Street, Camp Street, Main Street, Brickdam, Water Street, America Street and Church Street.

Contending that this decision should be reconsid-

ered, Ramkarran pointed out that it was simply unfair for employees who park on those streets to have to pay exorbitant amounts while other employees are somewhat exempt.

“Why are specific streets selected? For example, why Church Street and not North Road? What answer would the City Council give to the person who is employed in Church Street who asks why he or she has to pay for eight hours of parking while the North Road employee has to pay nothing?” Ramkarran explained.

Exploitation

Ramkarran also contended that the fact the contractor would be taking 80 per cent of the revenue earned from these meters while the City Council would cash in on 20 per cent was extremely worrying.

“This smells very much like a get-rich-quick scheme to exploit owners of motor vehicles, many of whom are regular working people, for the substantial benefit of the 80 percent private contractor(s) and not the City Council,” he stated.

Reports indicate that some 300 parking meters will be installed across the city, charging $125 every 15 minutes for an expected yearly income of approximately $100 million to $200 million.

Moreover, minibus and taxi operators will be expected to pay $100 every time they park in their respective parks.

Those employees who park outside their offices for eight hours per day will end up paying roughly $80,000

Since the beginning of the year, Police have been able to crackdown on a number of unlicensed firearm holders. These arrests have been made largely in mining areas, and those found with the illegal weapons were placed before the courts.

If found guilty of being in possession of an illegal firearm, an offender can face a minimum of three years imprisonment along with a fine.

Marijuana fields found in Berbice – over 600kg of cannabis destroyed

T

he Police on Saturday destroyed five cannabis sativa (marijuana) farms in Berbice which totalled over five acres along with over 600 kilograms of the dried form of the plant.

According to a report from the Police, Officers were conducting several drug eradication exercises in the Berbice River, and during the exercises, the farms were discovered.

Over five acres of cannabis cultivation, several nurseries, and in excess of 600 kilograms

No proof of work completed...

Ramkarran’s sentiments supports the assertions of Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan and Government Advisor Ruel Johnson, both of whom believe that the lack of transparency on the project is a reflection of poor governance and the project must be halted immediately.

tridges. The occupant was taken into custody.

On that same day, at about 05:20h, police were conducting a search of a house at Enmore, East Coast Demerara, during which they found an unlicensed 9mm pistol and 19 live matching rounds. They were able to make one arrest.

Both men are likely to appear before the Courts this week.

of dried cannabis were found on the five farms. The plants found ranged from two to seven feet in height. The Police, subsequent to making the discovery, destroyed the plants by way of fire. They were unable to make any arrests; however, an investigation was launched.

Back in February this year, the Police had found and destroyed several such farms in drug eradication operations along the Essequibo Coast. Officers had unearthed

two fields under cultivation at Onderneeming Backdam, Essequibo Coast.

One of the fields appeared abandoned. The two-acre field contained some 4200 plants at an average height of 30 centimetres. A camp with 100 kilograms of dried marijuana was also found. Both the field and the camp were destroyed by the Police. There have been no arrests thus far. In those two instances, the Police were unable to make any arrests and investigations were conducted.

FROM PAGE 3

Former Speaker of the National Assembly Ralph Ramkarran

every month.

Alternatives

Ramkarran said if the City Council wanted to tax the use of motor vehicles, it could consider alternatives like imposing a tax on taxis and minibuses which use the city roads as a major and free resource for their business through which they profit considerably.

He also suggested that the taxes on domestic properties be increased after being revalued and the percentage of taxes chargeable adjusted downwards so that the increase would be affordable.

“Taxes for domestic properties have not been increased for decades and are ridiculously low,” he stated.

Contracts

F u r t h e r m o r e , Ramkarran noted that there appeared to be a mass of confusion in the City Council about the awarding of the contracts, with one contract being given to one compa-

ny since 1996 while another was made with another company sometime in 2007.

Importantly, Ramkarran argued that it was worrying that no tender was done before contracts were awarded.

City Council had announced that the contract had been awarded to the company with which it had entered into agreement since 1996 – NPS, leaving the other company on the sidelines.

The project, being undertaken by NPS, will be done in a joint venture with SCS. However, recently, concerns have been raised over the legitimacy of these companies since there appeared to be scant evidence available about their existence.

Deputy Mayor Duncan claimed he was provided with little information about the companies and, therefore, was forced to resort to independent research to discover more about them.

But, in his research, Duncan said he found nothing to substantiate the legitimacy of the companies.

“In my research, I have not found any company by the name ‘Smart City Solutions’ associated with parking meter systems, in any of the places the company is purporting to have done business like Panama…There is no evidence that such a company actually exists,” Duncan highlighted in a Facebook post on Saturday.

The following day, Johnson, who is the Cultural Policy Adviser to the Minister of Education, endorsed the views expressed by the Deputy Mayor.

In his Facebook post, Johnson posited, “Why on

Government Adviser Ruel Johnson

earth would any sane person interested in good governance want this deal to go through? And while I applaud Sherod Duncan, who has been completely reticent on many issues, for speaking out coherently on this one, where are the voices of the other Councillors on this?

Even if there were a majority in favour, there has to be a reasonable minority against this.”

Johnson also called on the public to use this opportunity to hold the Government accountable and demand better governance.

In a direct message to the governing Administration, Johnson said, “Dear coalition government, you cannot have what for all purposes seems a sham company control a critical revenue system in the capital for decades to come – indeed 10 seconds would mean that this indecency would have parked itself on the city’s potential development for too long.”

The parking meter project is earmarked for completion in September.

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016

guyana-times.com

15

Around the world

President Maduro: “No 50 killed in referendum until next year” mass shooting V in Orlando

Eyewitness Anthony Torres said he fled the scene and filmed as he watched people shooting "back and forth"

F

ifty people are now known to have died in a shooting in a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, the city's mayor Buddy Dyer has said.

The gunman, named by officials as Omar Mateen, was killed after taking hostages at the Pulse club.

President Barack Obama said Americans were united in grief, outrage and "resolve to defend our people" after "an act of terror and an act of hate".

The attack is the worst mass shooting in recent US history.

Officials said the killings were likely to be ideologically motivated, though there was no information that the gunman was associated with a particular group.

However, US Congressman Alan Grayson said it was "no coincidence" the attack happened in a gay club.

"It may be we've seen the commission of an awful hate crime," he added.

Mateen's father Mir Seddique told NBC News that the incident had nothing to do with religion, and may have been triggered by the sight of a gay couple kissing in Miami.

But NBC News reported that Mateen called the emergency services before the attack and swore allegiance to the so-called Islamic State militant group.

The group later said – via its affiliated Amaq news agency – that an IS "fighter" had carried out the attack.

The claim did not specify whether IS was directly involved or simply taking credit for inspiring the attack.

Obama described the attack as "the brutal murder of dozens of innocent people". Mateen, a US citizen of Afghan descent who was

born in New York and lived in Florida, was not on a terrorism watch list.

However, officials revealed that the FBI had twice interviewed him in 2013-14 after he made "inflammatory remarks" to a colleague, before closing their investigation.

It has emerged that he legally purchased several guns in the past few days.

Mateen worked for a private security company. His employers, G4S, said he had worked for them for nine years and carried a gun as part of his job.

In a statement, the company said he had undergone screening twice, in 2007 and 2013, and the checks had not revealed anything of concern.

His ex-wife has told the Washington Post newspaper that he was "not stable", had a violent temper and beat her up regularly during their short-lived marriage for trivial things like not doing laundry.

The death toll means that the Orlando attack surpasses the 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech, which left 32 people dead.

States of emergency have been declared in the city of Orlando and surrounding Orange County.

Orlando Police Chief John Mina said the attack began at 02:00 (06:00 GMT). There was an exchange of fire with a police officer working at the club, after which the suspect took hostages.

Chief Mina said a decision was taken at 05:00 to send a Police assault team into the club after Police received text messages and phone calls from some of the hostages.

In an apparently unrelated event, a heavily armed man was held on

weapons and explosive materials charges in southern California after saying he wanted to go to a gay pride event in Los Angeles.

Gun control

Obama said the "brutal murder of dozens of innocent people" was a further reminder of how easy it was to acquire a deadly weapon in the US and shoot people.

He added that it was a heartbreaking day for the LGBT community, and that an attack on any American was an attack on all.

Obama has ordered flags on federal buildings to be flown at half mast until sunset on Thursday.

The Democratic Party's presumptive nominee for President, Hillary Clinton said in a statement: "This reminds us once more that weapons of war have no place on our streets."

Meanwhile, her Republican rival, Donald Trump, said Obama should step down for refusing to use the words "radical Islam" when condemning the attack.

"If we do not get tough and smart real fast, we are not going to have a country any more," he said.

The head of the Council on American-Islamic Relations urged politicians not to "score points" or "exploit fear" in the aftermath of the attack.

In a direct message to IS, Nihad Awad said: "You do not speak for us. You do not represent us. You are an aberration."

According to the Mass Shooting Tracker, the US last year suffered 372 mass shootings, defined as a single incident that kills or injures four or more people.

Some 475 people were killed and 1,870 wounded. (Excerpt from BBC News)

enezuela's President Nicolás Maduro has insisted no referendum on ending his term will be held until next year, amid mounting pressure as the country teeters on the brink of economic collapse.

Maduro's opponents are racing to call a referendum before January 10, as a successful recall vote before that deadline would trigger new elections rather than transfer power to the Vice President.

If the Opposition meets all requirements with their bid to oust him, "the recall referendum will be held next year. Period," the President said on Saturday.

For months now, Maduro has faced increasing hostility, with opponents accusing him of driving oil-rich Venezuela to near economic demise and launching a marathon process to call a vote on ousting him from office.

Maduro's comments came after the National Electoral Board (CNE) announced it would take fingerprint scans from June 20

Opponents accuse the President of driving oil-rich Venezuela to near economic demise [Reuters/Handout]

to 24 to confirm the identity of 1.3 million people who signed the Opposition's referendum petition.

The South American country's State-led economy has seen its situation veer from bad to desperate, with long lines for basic items such as rice or corn meal, looting and black marketeering now everyday scenes.

Seven in 10 Venezuelans

want Maduro to go, according to polls cited by the AFP news agency.

"We must respect whatever the electoral authorities" decide, Maduro said at a pro-Government event in Caracas.

Opposition members have said that they want the vote to be held in October or November 2016. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Pope slams culture of 'perfect' people shunning the disabled

P

ope Francis scathingly decried the pursuit for perfect bodies on Sunday, saying such obsession leads to society hiding away the disabled to avoid offending sensibilities of what he termed "the privileged few".

In St Peter's Square, Pope Francis celebrated Mass dedicated to disabled people and their caregivers, then spent time chatting with and hugging many of them at the end of the service.

"It is thought that sick or disabled persons cannot be happy, since they cannot live the lifestyle held up by the culture of pleasure and entertainment," Pope Francis said in his homily. "In an age when care for one's body has become an obsession and a

Disabled and sick people wait for Pope Francis arrival for a jubilee mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Sunday, June 12, 2016 (AP

Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

big business, anything that is imperfect has to be hidden away, since it threatens the happiness and serenity of the privileged few and endangers the dominant model."

"The world does not be-

come better because only apparently 'perfect' – not to mention 'made-over' – people live there," the pope said, but "when solidarity and mutual acceptance and respect increase."(Excerpt from MSN)

Shanghai Pudong Airport explosion wounds 4

A

man has set off a homemade explosive device at Shanghai international airport, injuring four people as well as himself, Chinese officials say.

The attacker threw a bottle containing explosives, which went off near a check-in counter in Terminal Two. The man then took out a knife and stabbed his own

neck, officials say.

In 2013, a man in a wheelchair detonated a bomb at Beijing airport to highlight a personal grievance. He was later sentenced to six years in prison.

The latest incident happened about 15:00 (07:00) on Sunday.

Eyewitness Ni Bowen told the Associated Press news agency that she

was waiting to check in at Pudong International Airport when there was a loud bang.

"A beer bottle filled with white smoke rolled right by my feet. I was scared and made off at once,'' she said.

The four victims sustained light wounds and are being treated in hospital. The unnamed attacker is said to be in critical condition. (BBC News)

16 NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

VOX POPULI

What the people say

I SAY...

Guyanese views on the increase in gas prices Shawn McNeil

"The increase in gas prices is messing with my hustle as a taxi operator. I'm earning $2000 less now. I would put in $2000 gas in my tank and I would get at least $5000 profit from that $2000.

Now, I am barely making $3000 with the same $2000 gas, so it's like a $2000 loss from my earnings."

Joseph (Only name given) "I really want the Government to do something for it to lower the fuel prices, we as drivers can't really ask passengers for an extra money because they won't travel back with you, work slow and sometimes when you get a ticket all your money goes to the court, I think that there should be a decrease in the fuel prices, drivers suffering".

Wendell Castello “This would affect me a lot because we are working these cars short drop and we already have buses competing with us. So it’s fighting our car business because we can barely perform. With the increased gas prices, we might have to raise from $60 which would make the buses take away our passengers. Also, we won’t be making any kind of money because the fares are already low and all the money we will have to use to buy gas.”

Calixte Williams

"All I can say about the increase in gas prices is 'pressure', because when gas raise, everything else raises along with it."

Melroy Kelm “I am not satisfied with the raise in gas prices. We need these prices to go down because it will be hard on me as a taxi driver. It’s not too high right now as it is, but if it could go down a little more just to balance things off then that would be a good move for drivers and their livelihood.”

Bernard Providence “Work is not going at the moment how it is supposed to go, so this will definitely affect us. With the increase we will be affected a little, but not too much. I believe this would impact our business for a little time, but hopefully we can adjust to the change within a short matter of time.”

Richard Seecharran "I think there would have been a drop in fuel prices instead we have to pay more; it’s really hard on drivers because meeting your target per day is hard and as drivers, you really can't request an extra dollar from any passenger so it’s really difficult at the moment for drivers on the Essequibo Coast."

Kevin Jacobs “Well, these increase in gas prices will see an increase in my personal fares for travelling because with taxi drivers it is different than bus drivers. We might have to raise the fares but I know mostly persons would not want to pay that increase so that is where we have a problem. I don’t think this move should have been made.”

Anthony Henry “For short drop cars, the fare has remained the same over the past years, so with this increase we might have to also raise our fares. I really think this would have a great impact because customers would start to cut down. We can’t be taking $60 to go all the way up the East Bank, because if we calculate it, we are not making sufficient money at the end of the day to even buy back gas.”

Linden hosts “Independence Jubilee wash-down”

R

evellers pranced through the streets of Linden on Sunday, in observance of the country’s 50th Independence anniversary celebrations.

The ‘Independence wash-down’ and fun day event was organised by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

Lindeners lined the streets from Mackenzie to Wismar shore, to get a glimpse of the revellers who were decked out in numerous flamboyant costumes as they waved

the Golden Arrowhead.

The parade culminated at the Bayroc Community Centre Ground and was followed by a fund day event.

17

NEWS

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

The stereotypes regarding the Confusion reigns over behaviour of men have to change WCD road works

vendors’ relocation

A

fter the announcement that some 65 vendors in Vreed-enHoop, West Coast Demerara, had agreed to be relocated to facilitate works under the West Coast Demerara Road Project, there is now dispute over the land which these vendors were to occupy.

With the blessing of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, the vendors had received permission to construct stalls in the environs of the Vreed-en-Hoop Secondary School and have until Monday (today) to vacate their current location.

But in a twist of events, Godfrey Bess is claiming that he bought the land from “Mr Raymond” in a private arrangement, while others argue that the land is government’s reserve.

Originally the vendors were to be moved to a tarmacked area (originally intended to be a market) in Pouderoyen, but they rejected this proposal.

When Guyana Times spoke with vendors on Saturday, the majority expressed that they do not have an issue with the relocation, though they could

vendors by my property,” he noted.

Bess further claimed that he owns two properties in the Vreed-en-hoop area, one which the government supposedly gave him a “50year lease” on, and the other, now in contention, which he posited was privately acquired.

A vendor, Timeka Bowen,

Nero

plight.

A clothing vendor, Dianne Cameron, related that she has accepted the relocation but stressed that moving from the main road will reduce her earnings.

This single parent has to take care of her mother and niece.

“I don’t really know what going on with Mr Bess and Mr Raymond (one-time Chairman of Region Three), but they give we there and we have to take it,” the woman lamented.

“We gotta get help and justice because we got to get a proper place to sell…he

Vendors on Saturday marking their plots

have been given at least one week to move. However, when asked about the dispute, vendors stated that Bess threatened to dismantle their stalls when they move.

“Them move abbe from here and dem a put abbe

Godfrey Bess

however pointed out that it was explained to vendors, that the property is owned by government.

“That type of land is owned by the government, he just want to covet [it] be-

Part of the road expansion project

[Bess] can’t touch we thing [when] we done mek it,” stated another vendor.

In his defence, Bess

cause he wants to make his own money,” the woman who has plied her trade with her mother over five years

By Shemuel Fanfair

W

omen have been responsible for great exploits in the upward trajectory of human achievement.

One of the key accomplishments locally was Guyana, through strenuous activism, gaining Universal Adult Suffrage in 1953, meaning that all adults, especially women, gained the right to vote. This signalled that women could express themselves by exercising their franchise, which made way for other freedoms and empowerment.

One would imagine that with our women folk being actively involved in education, business, construction, mining, and Parliament just to name a few, that men would realise that women ought to be honoured, revered and most of all, loved.

However, in this post-modern world, domestic violence remains like a plague on the nations, like a disease without a cure.

The plague of domestic violence is encouraged by the scourge of alcoholism which by any standard is prevalent in this society. While men are not the only perpetrators of abuse in married or cohabiting relationships which include verbal assaults, slapping, choking, and cuffing, men are the main architects of these crimes, many of which go unreported.

Just recently, a 45-yearold father of five was placed on bail for unlawfully assaulting the mother of his children at the home they shared. But if you believe that this was the first instance in which he was placed before the courts, you would be sadly mistaken as it was revealed that he was previously fined for a similar offence. The Magistrate in this matter, who became visibly annoyed, banned him from contact with his family

throughout the duration of his current trial. The man is staying at an alternative address.

Embodied in this case, which is just one of many similar matters, is the negative behaviour of the father, occasioned by alcoholism, which affected his entire family. In situations such as these, the man is usually the principal breadwinner and

the

wife manag es the home.

You can see here, the strain, both financial and emotional, which all will have to face – father, mother and children.

Instability in a family setting can affect the performance of children in school which can add to the frustrations of the mother and also burden the education and social systems as more resources would have to be allocated to ensure that these children have improved performance.

Moreover, it has been noted that boys who witness such events often emulate such acts and become inflictors of domestic violence when adults. Often times, young ladies seeing their father as aggressors would either view this behaviour as acceptable or may possibly develop trust issues in romantic relationships. Some may swear off men altogether, but that’s a story for another day. The point is the cycle perpetuates itself.

While it might be impossible for men to give up alcohol consumption in its entirety, what is needed is responsible alcohol use. Beyond the 02:00 AM curfew, men have

T&T Govt owes more than TT$2B to contractors

T

Land being cleared for relocation of vendors

Timeka Bowen

aback there and one man creating problem with everybody… Bess cussing abbe,” a vendor, Nero, also known as “pine lady” told this newspaper.

She further explained that she has to maintain two children and is a single parent and calling for the authorities to look into her

claimed that he is indeed the rightful owner of the land and observed that no one, including government will be able to bully him.

The man stated that he has documents to prove that the land belongs to him but this newspaper was not shown these documents.

“I have transport, I have all the legal documents to show it’s my land…there’re something that you call compulsory acquisition...I would not accept the government coming to bully me and tell me that [they] could put the

explained.

Meanwhile, on Saturday afternoon the vendors were measuring out their plots and have vowed that they will not be prevented from occupying the new space approved for utilisation.

It was at a meeting with Junior Minister of Public Infrastructure Annette Ferguson that some 65 vendors agreed to relocate.

While it was stated that the move was only temporary, the vendors will not be allowed to return at their former location.

to take it upon themselves to look out for each other and maintain a level head in their times of enjoyment.

This includes cautioning your friends when you notice that they are exceeding the limit.

Often times, when men are finished enjoying themselves at bars, rum shops or even street corners, they eventually find their way home and create a ruckus. Usually, a barrage of expletives are used by the drunken men, they attempt to fight family members or sometimes even try to run them out of the home. This leads to frustrated women and children fearful of their fathers. The violence which follows is enshrined in the case in point above.

Over the past few years, the Social Protection Ministry’s Men’s Affairs Bureau (MAB) has hosted workshops and counselling sessions with the aim to helping men deal with anger issues and other matters relating to their emotional state of being – albeit on a small scale. Persons to whom I have spoken posited that men are more inclined to discuss their issues over rounds of alcoholic beverages rather than in counselling sessions which seem to reiterate the convention that men are expected to turn to alcohol to relax or deal with their problems.

In order for us as a society to move forward and have healthy discussions on these prevalent social issues, the stereotypes regarding the behaviour of men have to change. As mentioned before, men ought to honour, revere and cherish women so that statistics relating to the incidence of interpersonal violence correlates to the reduced rate of violent crimes which the Police have said decreased for the year so far by 16 per cent.

he Trinidadian State owes in excess of TT$2 billion to local contractors.

Reeling under the pressure, some contractors have been forced to close shop, employees are being sent home and, fearing foreclosure by banks, there is now a threat from some of legal action to get monies owed to them.

The grim picture emerging from the construction industry was painted by President of the T&T Contractors’ Association Mikey Joseph, who told the GML Enterprise Desk that among the debtors are Nipdec, Nidco, the Educational Facilities Company and the HDC. Joseph noted that when the People’s Partnership

T&T Contractors’ Association President Mikey Joseph

came into office they met a TT$1 billion debt, “but they ignored it. In some cases the funding was misappropriated and used for new projects”. He said the previous

Administration “in trying to win power extended themselves beyond capacity to pay and gave out a lot of contracts. Today, contractors are screaming again as the debt has now climbed to over $2 billion.”

While he could not say how many contractors are owed, Joseph said the bulk of the debt –in excess of TT$800 million – was owed by the Educational Facilities Company Ltd. Joseph said as far as he was aware, no payment has been made to any contractor to date. He said two or three months ago, a payment of TT$200,000 was made “to a small number of contractors,” but that is just a drop in the bucket and the huge amounts owed are not being paid”. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

18

guyana-times.com

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016

ARCHIE

Get moving. Too much pondering and not enough ac(March 21April 19) tion will leave you standing in the same place. Make a move based on what your intuition tells you. Romance is in the stars.

ARIES

Weigh what's being ofTAURUS fered carefully. An empty (April 20- promise will take up valuable May 20) time. Invest in your skills, talents and innovative ideas, and work on your own projects.

DILBERT

Do whatever you can to GEMINI improve your surroundings.

(May 21June 20) You don't have to spend money to have fun or win approval from others. You have more to offer people than mere cash.

Bide your time. Don't get CANCER emotional when dealing with (June 21- partnership matters. Keeping July 22) a clear head will be necessary if you want your ideas to be considered. Don't fear being different.

PEANUTS

Talk to people who can LEO help you make your dreams (July 23come true. A change in the Aug. 22) way you present what you have to offer will pay off.

Romance is encouraged.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

Proceed with caution. You VIRGO will face opposition if you are (Aug. 23too vocal regarding your inSept. 22) tentions. Get everything up and running before you share your plans. Network to gather information, not to give it.

Make plans and follow LIBRA (Sept. 23- through with them. Your abilOct. 23) ity to formulate an idea and put it into play will help you gain confidence and the support you need to succeed.

WORD GAME TODAY'S WORD – DENOUNCE

SUDOKU

(DENOUNCE: dih-NOUNS: Condemn as being evil or reprehensible.)

Average mark 19 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 27 or more words in DENOUNCE? The list will be published tomorrow.

SATURDAY'S WORD – SALUTARY

salary salt salty satyr saury slat slaty slay slur star stay

stray stylar sultry surly alar alas altar arty astral astray atlas

aura aural austral last lust lusty ultra talus tarsal tray truly

tsar rust rusty yurt

RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” is not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed. To contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe, write to Word Game, Kathleen Saxe, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

You need to make your SCORPIO plans financially feasible. It's (Oct. 24OK to dream, but efficiency Nov. 22) and expense will be factors if you aren't realistic. Build slowly. Start with simple, moderate undertakings.

You should beef up your SAGITTARIUS resume to fit the current eco(Nov. 23- nomic trends, but be honest Dec. 21) about what you can offer an employer. Opportunity will be yours, so you'd better be prepared. A partnership is questionable.

Don't give in to someone CAPRICORN in order to keep the peace.

(Dec. 22Someone using emotional Jan. 19) tactics is best treated firmly if you want to come out on top. Ask questions if something appears inconsistent.

Don't play games. Make AQUARIUS up your mind and stick to (Jan. 20Feb. 19) your plan. You'll gain respect and impress a loved one if you are straightforward about what you want.

Demands that are diffiPISCES (Feb. 20- cult to meet will be made. You March 20) should put more money and effort into an investment that will help you get ahead. Call in favors if it will help you reach your goal.

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016

19

England v Sri Lanka, 3rd Test, Lord's, 4th day...

Hales makes 94 as Sri Lanka chase 362

E

Alex Hales

ngland would have had two main ambitions on a bedraggled fourth day at Lord's.

The first would have been to make incursions into Sri Lanka's second innings to prepare a route to victory and a 3-0 clean sweep in the series; the second, a maiden Test hundred for Alex Hales neither eventuated as Sri Lanka continued to resist gamely in the final Test.

Left with 12 overs to see out at the end of the day, Sri Lanka's openers clipped 32 from the 362 needed for victory. Alastair Cook's declaration at 233 for 7 was well judged, a touch more generous perhaps than if the series had been level. The pitch is a little uneven, but nothing excessive and, judging by the sober way Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva went about their work, Sri Lanka look in the mood to scrap every inch of the way.

Hales is getting closer to

a treasured first Test hundred, but he will have to wait a while yet. He was on 94, only six runs short, when he fell lbw only 10 minutes before tea, trying to turn Angelo Mathews quietly on the leg side. He reviewed umpire Rod Tucker's decision, but it was with a wan expression from a man fearing the worst. Ball-tracking technology held that the ball would have struck the top of leg stump.

With two 80s to his name in the series, Hales could at least console himself that he had done much to implant himself at the top of the order, his composed, if occasionally fortunate, innings providing more evidence that he can successfully adjust to the demands of the five-day game. Without repeated self-destruction against Sri Lanka's spinners earlier in the series, he could have been basking in something even better.

Rain had prevented

a start until 2.40pm, but England held an overnight lead of 237 and, despite several more pesky showers, the day yielded 45 overs, enough to keep the Test meaningful.

Hales' composure held England's second innings together, even if he was not without fortune. On 58, he suffered a replica of Joe Root's dismissal the previous day - his off stump hit by a shooter from Nuwan Pradeep - only for umpire Tucker to call no-ball.

TV replays suggested that Pradeep's heel was behind the line on first impact, the umpire perhaps being fooled by the bowler's foot slipping forward on landing.

Understandable complaints that international umpires were ignoring repeated no-balls so that they could concentrate on events at the business end of the pitch seem to have caused a recent reassessment of that approach, but Tucker's noball call for such a borderline delivery - a wrong call as it turned out - will not allay concerns.

With no chance under current regulations to use TV evidence to reverse the decision, Sri Lanka were understandably aggrieved.

Those regulations were already due to be examined at the ICC annual meeting in Edinburgh later this month.

Undiplomatically, Sri Lanka responded by hanging the national flag from the Lord's balcony, which could either be regarded as a plucky statement to their players that they would

fight on regardless of their mounting ill luck or, conversely, as an infantile gesture carrying the implication of umpiring bias. The request soon came through for them to take it down: Lord's does not allow flags of any description, certainly not from dressing room balconies.

Thilanga Sumathipala, SLC's president, called the decision "unacceptable" and said: "It will be reported to the ICC. The flag is a symbol. It is a mark to say we are not happy with the decision. To show solidarity and fight back."

Sri Lanka also thought they might have had Hales on 45 when Shaminda Eranga brought one back to strike him on the top of the pad but umpire S Ravi's notout decision was upheld by virtue of "umpire's call" on review.

The breaks in Hales' favour were fast adding up. In reaching 41 by Saturday's close, he might have fallen on 19, if Karunaratne had clung on to a low chance to his left at second slip and again on 39, shortly before the close, when he glanced Pradeep down the leg side only for Dinesh Chandimal to grass the chance. There were no reports of draped flags then.

Nevertheless, Hales had some dominant moments, too, none better than when he conquered Rangana Herath's over-the-wicket attack into the rough by hoisting the left-arm spinner straight for six, then sweep-

ing his next delivery for four.

England did lose the night-watchman Steven Finn, lbw to Eranga, clearing the way for Cook. His place at No. 7 was purely happenstance, and not due to regulations limiting a player's place in the batting order after injury, explained by the fact that his mishap while fielding at silly point was regarded as an external injury.

Cook showed no ill effects although he, too, flirt-

off stump by another sharp spinner, but this Sri Lanka erroneously chose not to appeal the original not-out decision. Hawk-Eye would have sent the England captain on his way for 11.

Cook's unbeaten 49, batting at No. 7, including a deep midwicket six into the Mound Standoff Eranga he had hit 10 previously in Tests - and surely his first attempted ramp shot. The latter felt a bit like tipsy dad on the dance floor. Probably

SCOREBOARD

England 1st Innings 416; Sri Lanka 1st Innings 288 England 2nd innings N Compton c †Chandimal b Eranga 19 A Hales lbw b Mathews 94 4 J Root b Pradeep J Vince b Pradeep 0 J Bairstow† b Pradeep 32 S Finn lbw b Eranga 7 9 A Cook* not out M Ali c Herath b Eranga 9 C Woakes not out 0 Extras: (b 6, lb 4, w 1, nb 8) 19 Total: (7 wickets dec; 71 ove rs) 233 Did not bat: SCJ Broad, JM Anderson Fall of wicket:s 1-45 (Compton, 12.2 ov), 2-50 (Root, 13.4 ov), 3-50 (Vince, 13.5 ov), 4-101 (Bairstow, 35.1 ov), 5-120

ed with the vagaries of the review system. On 6, Herath spun one back to hit his thigh, playing back, but replays showed the ball had struck him outside the line.

Then, in Herath's very next over, he was struck in line of

(Finn, 42.2 ov), 6-202 (Hales, 63.2 ov), 7-224 (Ali, 70.2 ov) Bowling: Lakmal 13-2 -45 -0, Eranga 14-1-58-3 (3nb, 1w), Pradeep 15 -5 -37 -3 (3nb), Herath 20-2-630, Mathews 9 -3 -20-1 Sri Lanka 2nd innings (target: 362 runs) F Karunaratne not out 19 J Silva not out 12 Extras: (lb 1) 1 Total: (0 wickets; 12 overs) 32 To bat: B Mendis, D Chandimal†, A Mathews*, H Thirimanne, M Perera, H Herath, R Lakmal, R Eranga, N Pradeep Bowling Broad 5-2-15-0, Anderson 4 -1 -5 -0, Woakes 2 -1 -7 -0, MM Ali 1-0-4 -0

judging that was enough tomfoolery for one day, he then declared, no doubt returning to a dressing room where he commands so much respect that players can happily giggle at his adventure. (Cricinfo)

Euro 2016...

Schweinsteiger scores in Germany win W

orld champions Germany began their quest for a record fourth European Championship by beating Ukraine.

Despite a mercurial performance from Toni Kroos and an early headed goal from Shkodran Mustafi, they were troubled at the back at times.

Jerome Boateng cleared off the line superbly while keeper Manuel Neuer made several good saves before a late scare.

Yevhen Konoplyanka threatened for Ukraine but they tired, with Bastian

Schweinsteiger adding a late second.

The Manchester United midfielder, who has not played since 20 March because of a knee injury, came off the bench in stoppage time and two minutes later scored a sweet half-volley from a swift counter attack.

Poland beat Northern Ireland 1-0 After Poland beat Northern Ireland earlier on Sunday, Germany now top Group C. On Thursday they face the Poles, who beat them in qualifying for Euro 2016.

Northern Ireland's

first match at a European Championship finals ended in defeat as Arkadiusz Milik gave Poland a 1-0 win in Nice.

Ajax star Milik slotted in after being picked out by Jakub Blaszczykowski early in the second half.

Poland had dominated the first half but were thwarted by some superb defending by Michael O'Neill's men.

Northern Ireland did not manage to get a decent effort on target and must now regroup to play Ukraine on Thursday.

Modric leads Croatia to

Bastian Schweinsteiger

win over Turkey Luka Modric scored a

sensational long-range volley as Croatia deservedly opened their Euro 2016 campaign with victory over Turkey in Paris.

Modric struck towards the end of the first half and his team created numerous chances to extend their lead as they dominated after the interval.

Darijo Srna and Ivan Perisic struck the woodwork while Turkey keeper Volkan Babacan made several good saves as Croatia won the first match of a tough group that includes Spain and the Czech Republic.

Turkey's best chance came in the opening half, when Ozan Tufan saw his header saved - but despite being roared on by their passionate fans inside the Parc des Princes, they were second best on Sunday.

They did produce one scare for the Croatian defence right at the end but there was a timely block from Vedran Corluka, who was wearing a white bandage that evoked shades of former England defender Terry Butcher after suffering a cut to his head from a stray elbow in the first half.

(BBC).

20

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016

Fitness Express joins Clint Dempsey sends in sponsoring youth hosts into quarter-finals cricket programme T Copa America Centenario, USA 2016...

F

itness Express has joined in supporting the youth cricket mentorship programme along with the initial sponsors GTT, Body Maxx Gym, Attorney-at-Law Sanjeev Datadin and Attorneyat Law and Member of Parliament Charles Ramson which was launched some eight (8) months ago.

The three players who were awarded the contract were wicketkeeper / batsman Ronaldo Renee, allrounder Malcolm Hubbard of Everest Cricket Club and all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford of Demerara Cricket Club.

Rutherford was subsequently awarded a contract from the GCB so could no longer benefit from the programme. However, the programme was progressing successfully with Renee and Hubbard having very successful seasons, being selected for the Demerara U-19 team and are now being considered for selection in the Guyana U-19 team.

The contracts and a mentorship programme for a duration of one year is valued at over $600,000 each inclusive of a $30,000 monthly stipend, gym membership from Bodymaxx Gym, a new smartphone, cricket gears, clothing and now nu-

Jamie McDonald, Manager/Owner of Fitness Express (left), makes the donation to Ronaldo Renee, in the presence of Attorney-at-Law Charles Ramson

tritional supplements from Fitness Express.

The contracts were awarded on a competitive basis after a trial, gruelling fitness test and interview held at the Everest Cricket Club in November, 2015.

The programme is the brain child of prominent attorney Charles Ramson who explained that “the success of the programme so far shows that it works and businesses and companies need to see that and appreciate that they also have

a big role to play in harnessing talent in the country they do business in by providing the opportunity through sponsorship”.

Ramson added “Everyone wants to know that they are making a difference so I have no doubt that the sponsors GTT, Body Maxx Gym, Sanjeev Datadin and Fitness Express which took the jump and the risk by joining this pilot programme will be pleased with its progress so far”.

he United States booked its spot in the Copa America Centenario quarterfinals, holding on for a 1-0 win over Paraguay.

A first-half goal from Clint Dempsey saw the U.S. secure a crucial three points in Group A, sealing a place in the last eight.

DeAndre Yedlin was sent off early in the second half to make it tricky for his team, but they managed to hold on at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday.

Gyasi Zardes set up Dempsey with a good cross in the 27th minute for the game's only goal as the U.S. moved onto six points.

A pair of bookings in a matter of minutes saw Yedlin sent off, but Paraguay was unable to make the most of its numerical advantage.

Paraguay struggled to break down the Copa hosts in the second half and bowed out in the group stage for the first time since 2001.

Jurgen Klinsmann stuck with the same starting lineup again after his side's 4-0 thrashing of Costa Rica last time out.

Paraguay made four

changes, with the suspended Oscar Romero and injured Edgar Benitez among those making way, while Victor Ayala and Fabian Balbuena started.

After Fabian Johnson tested Justo Villar with a strike, the U.S. needed some excellent defending from John Brooks to deny Paraguay.

A three-on-one counterattack appeared certain to finish with a goal until Brooks' intervention.

Miguel Almiron was played in down the left and had options inside, but Brooks cut it out when the midfielder perhaps should have shot.

Dempsey fired a free kick from just outside the area over the bar soon after, yet he found the opener in the 27th minute.

Zardes broke down the left and delayed crossing before picking out Dempsey in the center of the area to put away the opener.

Paraguay should have been level in the final minute of the half, but Brad Guzan got down low to deny Dario Lezcano in a one-onone from an angle.

Things were made far more difficult for the USA

Clint Dempsey

just three minutes into the second half.

Yedlin picked up two bookings in a matter of minutes, the second for a poor sliding challenge from behind on Miguel Samudio.

Zardes saw an excellent opportunity go begging on the break, but it was Paraguay that was the more dangerous side.

Guzan was needed to keep the U.S. ahead in the 82nd minute as he made a double save.

Substitute Jorge Benitez forced him into the initial one before he also denied Almiron from an angle on the rebound as the USA held on.(Goal.com)

Zimbabwe v India, 2nd ODI, Harare…

Zimbabwe seek remedy against stagnation

Ramdin eyes big scores at Warner Park C W icketkeeper Denesh Ramdin has urged his West Indies teammates to capitalise on the batting-friendly Warner Park ground, and keep the regional side in contention in the Ballr Cup Tri-Nations ODI Series.

West Indies opened the tournament with a fourwicket win over South Africa but then lost by six wickets to Australia in their second game, as all three teams came away from the Guyana leg with a similar 1-1 record.

However, batsmen from all three sides struggled on the low, slow surface at the Guyana National Stadium and Ramdin said Warner Park presented the ideal opportunity for redemption.

“It was still good to get a result down there on our part in terms of winning one.

We know it was slow and it’s a pitch that could frustrate batsmen, and it’s also bowling friendly,” Ramdin explained.

“It is very important that we bat well here in St Kitts.

All of the teams have won one so we need to put up a good show here. We have the firepower in the batting department, we just need a good start at the top of the

Denesh Ramdin

order. The guys have been working hard but they didn’t get the starts in Guyana.”

He added: “The bowlers have been doing a good job and it is very important we believe in ourselves, believe in our skills and go out and execute that nicely in the next few days.”

West Indies chased down 189 to beat South Africa but then folded for 116 batting first against the Aussies, in a disappointing batting performance.

Ramdin, promoted to number five in the current series, scored just 10 and 12 in his two innings but still backed himself to deliver up

the order.

“I think I am quite happy batting at number five. In the last series against Bangladesh in the Caribbean I batted at four,” he pointed out.

“I relish that opportunity. There are a lot of overs for me to go out there and express myself, get set and bat as deep down as possible.

“I didn’t get the starts in Guyana but having said that. I’m still confident enough to go out there and do it. The likes of Pollard, Carlos Brathwaite, those guys are good power-hitters on the small ground of the Caribbean that we have, and it augurs well with me to bat with those guys down in the end.”

West Indies clash with Australia on Monday and with South Africa two days later, all games Ramdin expects to be high-scoring affairs.

“I think it is going to be a high-scoring ground. It’s a small ground, a very good pitch for batting and not much room for error on the bowler’s part. It’s going to be [some] high-scoring games throughout the next couple games here.”

ricket at the Harare Sports Club is often a throwback. The ball swings, almost through the day. The outfield is large enough that mis-hits do not turn a profit for the batsman. And if you want to buy runs, you have to spend time. That Zimbabwe could only put up 168 - a total considerably short of their own expectations, let alone the par score at the ground - was because only four of their XI could last more than half an hour at the crease on Saturday.

Another deficiency that needs addressing is their strategy. After 299 balls, Zimbabwe could round up only 82 singles.

They did, however, go on a spree looking for dots and found 197 of them. Early morning starts in winter ensure sideways movement through the day. Why tackle that on your own when you can tag in your partner at the other end? India did that to perfection through KL Rahul (108 balls) and Ambati Rayudu (120 balls), who shared strike almost evenly to record the best second-wicket partnership ever (162 runs) at this ground.

Although 50-over cricket does provide batsmen with the luxury of time, it is preferable to avoid stagnation. That way the opposition has to worry about things beyond simply putting the ball on a good length and hitting repeat.

Zimbabwe's think-tank is aware of this, judging from batting coach Lance Klusener's comments at the post-match press conference: "Had we applied ourselves and maybe got a few partnerships would've maybe at least forced them [India] to try and play a little bit differently." When in his prime, Klusener was the kind of batsman always looking for runs. Zimbabwe would do well to inculcate that mindset.

Chamu Chibhabha is Zimbabwe's leading-run getter since the start of 2015. He

Zimbabwe's batsmen need to invest a little more in their stroke play when they tackle India today

was able to survive most of the first hour on Saturday until he was undone by a lovely inswinger from Jasprit Bumrah and walked back with 13 off 42 balls. Zimbabwe would want their opener to set a better pace than that.

This tour was aimed at determining how strong India's reserves are, but with only three of the XI getting to bat, the team management may keep Mandeep Singh and Faiz Fazal on the bench a little longer. Left-arm quick Jaydev Unadkat, offspinner Jayant Yadav and allrounder Rishi Dhawan may get a look in considering India should have enough information about Bumrah and Axar Patel.

India (probable): 1 Karun Nair, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Ambati Rayudu, 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Kedar Jadhav, 6 MS Dhoni (wk) 7 Axar Patel/ Jayant Yadav/ Rishi Dhawan, 8 Dhawal Kulkarni, 9 Yuzvendra Chahal, 10 Jasprit Bumrah/ Jaydev Unadkat, 11 Barinder Sran Zimbabwe: 1 Chamu Chibhabha, 2 Peter Moor, 3 Hamilton Masakadza, 4 Sean Williams/ Vusi Sibanda, 5 Craig Ervine, 6 Richmond Mutumbami (wk), 7 Sikandar Raza, 8 Elton Chigumbura, 9 Graeme Cremer (capt), 10 Tendai Chatara, 11 Taurai Muzarabani. (Cricinfo)

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Finals venue still not known

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ust 16 days away from the opening match of the Hero Caribbean League (CPL) 2016 there is still no word on the venue for the final.

Organisers are still to finalise negotiations with the bidding parties and before making a choice for the showpiece match of the June 29 to August 7 tournament, they want to ensure everything was in place.

In an interview with WEEKENDSPORT, CPL chief operating officer Pete Russell said it was somewhat frustrating that they had not yet been able to pick a venue.

“We’re obviously very keen to announce the final as quickly as we can but as you can appreciate, it is a very important decision for the CPL. It’s our flagship event of the tournament.

For us, it is very important that we get the right partner there,” Russell said.

CPL has so far announced that four matches will be played in St. Kitts and Nevis, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago in the Caribbean and six matches

will be played in Florida at the Central Broward County Ground in Lauderhill.

However, no official word was made about the venue for the three play-off matches and grand final.

The fourth installment of

Pete Russell

CPL is slated to bowl off on Wednesday June 29 at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain with the defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders hosting the St. Lucia Zouks from 21:00 Hrs. The Guyana Amazon Warriors will open their campaign a day later at Warner Park against the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots from 20:00

Hrs. This year Warriors will be led by experienced New Zealand batsman Martin Guptill will play four matches in Guyana at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. On July 7 they open against the powerful Jamaica Tallawahs from 19:00 Hrs, then on Saturday 9th from 12:00 Hrs they will engage the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots. Sunday July 10 will be a key fixture from 19:00 Hrs against the Trinbago Knight Riders with the St. Lucia Zouks wrapping up the home matches for the Roger Harper coached team on Tuesday July 12 from 19:00 Hrs. Tickets are on sale for the Guyana matches at the new CPL Ticket Office at 238 Camp and Quamina Streets in Georgetown where there is also the Merchandise Shop where original Guyana Amazon Warriors souvenir items and replica uniforms are available.

Tickets cost $4,000 for the Red and Green Stands, $3,000 for the Orange Stand, $2,000 for the Party Mound and $1,000 for vehicle parking passes.

Gafoor pleased with Group 3 performance at CMRC — driver optimistic about better results in Trinidad

Gafoor’s Mazda Mita in action at the JamWest Circuit

Photo)

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Nazim Gafoor

uyanese speedster Nazim Gafoor is pleased with his performance at the opening leg of the Caribbean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC) at the Jamwest Circuit, Jamaica which was held in late May. Gafoor, who has competed mostly in the group two and one category in the past, moved into the Group three action this year and copped two third place finishes with his gold coloured Mazda Miata.

Gafoor said, “the car ran well, we qualified in third and we finished two races in third also; we were 300lbs overweight but the still ran

well and brought us some valuable points”.

Quizzed on the more on the fierce competition in the new category, the driver responded saying, “It was a bit more competitive, way more competitive but I still managed to do well by staying focus”.

Team Guyana did not had the best of showings at the race meet with some of their most experienced suffering serve car troubles which hampered their progress. The result means Guyana sit in third place on 131 points. Trinidad and Tobago are the leaders with 217 points; Jamaican in second with 291 while on the distant side Cayman Island 60 points and Barbados 43 points round off the top five.

(Mikey Spice

In reflection of the team’s performance posited that “we did okay but not well enough, we didn’t had enough cars and those who there had problems and these are good drivers who would have brought in some more points”.

The next leg of the Seaboard Marine CMRC is slated for July 23-24 at Waller field, Trinidad and former drag racer is brewing with confidence ahead of the round.

“The plan is to get the car down to weight and maybe get a little more power but I’m very confident, I hope to run very well in Trinidad because I think the car is capable of produce top performances”, Gafoor said.

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GUYANA-TIMES.COM

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016

Hero Caribbean Premier League 2016…

GFF/NAMILCO National Under-17 Thunderbolt Flour Power...

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Fruta Conquerors power toBerbice 3-1legwin over GFC Khan welcomes return of CPL — kicks off with 3 thrilling matches season at Queen’s Park Oval

L

ooking ahead to the start of the 2016 CPL campaign, Shah Rukh Khan, owner of TKR, said: “We’re counting down to the start of CPL, which I believe will be the biggest party in cricket. We have assembled some of the best players from the West Indies and across the world this year and I know our players are raring to step out on to the field and represent Trinidad & Tobago with pride. I know we can count on the full support of the Trinbago fans to cheer TKR as we commence the defence of our title.”

Mr. Venky Mysore, Director of Trinbago Knight Riders said, “It feels extra special to start our defence of the title at our home ground. The passion of T&T fans is unmatchable and I am sure that the team will enjoy the support and perform to their best in front of their home crowd.”

TICKET SALES START TODAY Reigning champions the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) are delighted to announce that fans can purchase tickets for all home games in the forthcoming 2016 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) campaign now on www. cplt20.com and the Ticket Office will open today.

Located at the Queen’s

Shah Rukh Khan

Park Oval, Port of Spain in Trinidad, the Ticket Office will be open for business from Monday to Saturday during normal working hours (9am-5pm) to enable supporters to buy their tickets in advance for the biggest party in sport this summer.

In addition, the TCCB Office at Couva will be selling tickets from Tuesday morning from 9am-4pm (Monday-Saturday).

Supporters can also buy tickets online now at www. cplt20.com.

TKR will launch their defence of the CPL title against St. Lucia Zouks on Wednesday, 29 June and

will play four night games in total between 29 June – 4 July.

TKR will once again be led by the influential Dwayne Bravo and will include enigmatic batsman Brendon McCullum – one of a trio of New Zealanders in the panel alongside Colin Munro and Anton Devcich.

The Trinidad & Tobago (T&T) based side will also include off-spinner Sunil Narine, following his recent transfer from Guyana Amazon Warriors, as well as the likes of Sulieman Benn who was a key part of the West Indies squad who lifted the ICC World Twenty 20 title in India back in March.

In addition, TKR will be able to call on the experience of Proteas star batsman Hashim Amla and Pakistan’s Umar Akmal, while the Under-19 berth will be filled by Anderson Phillip.

The TKR squad will be coached once more by Simon Helmot who will be assisted by Imran Jan and Chief Mentor Jacques Kallis.

Trinbago Knight Riders Home Fixtures (all times local): 29 June – St. Lucia Zouks (9pm), 1 July – Barbados Tridents (9pm), 2 July – Guyana Amazon Warriors (9pm), 4 July – Jamaica Tallawahs (7pm).

(CPLT20)

New Amsterdam scorers: From left, Jamal Butts, Dwayne Alleyne, Troy Monroe, Osafo Mc Donald, Roshard Davis and Jamal Mc Donald

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he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) NAMILCO National Under-17 Thunderbolt Flour Power Tournament continued over the weekend with most teams recording some massive victories over their opponents.

In the Georgetown Football Association (GFA), four matches were played on Sunday at the Fruta Conquerors ground, Tucville and the homes side made sure they stamped their authority in their first match of the tournament.

Conquerors surged to a 3-1 win over the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) with goals coming of the feet of Jeremy Garnett in the 12th, Malachi Adonis (25th) and Raushawn Rich in the 50th. Adonis goal in particular was due to lighted-feted work, as he dribbled his way past the defenders then dinked the keeper to score; GFC’s lone goal came via a scorching left-foot kick off the heels of Tamiel Hutson in the 19th minute.

Other results saw Alpha United defeating Pele 2-0 due to goals by Shaqvon Favourite and Travis Mc Donald in the 33rd and 40th respectively.

Santos FC inflicted a five nil drubbing over Campton by virtue of a brace by Nazeem Alge in the 19th and 47th minutes.

Eon Adams notched a goal in the 24th minute while Cosmos De Santos and Ryan Dowding were also on target in the 28th and 59th minute respectively.

Teon Van Kenic in the 30th min and Shamar Carrington in the 40 min gave EastVeldt a 2-0 win over Order & Discipline.

Over in the Berbice Football Association (BFA), the first round matches were finally played after postponement due to the inclement weather. At the March pass, President of

the GFF Wayne Forde made a charge to the players to stay focused in schools and find a balance between football and academics, as the Federation is planning to give students scholarships in the near future.

Public Relations Consultant of NAMILCO Hafeez Khan in giving his address, shared similar sentiments as the GFF President. Khan urged the young footballers to stay in school and learned to become well-rounded students by participating in sports and other extra-circular activities.

When the football action commenced, Corriverton Links beat Mahaicony Thunder Hawks 2-0; with braces coming from Brant Peneux in the 26 minute and Sherman Stewart in the 41st.

The second match saw Paradise Invaders defeating Canefield Diamonds Strikers 4-1. Ntini August scored in the 31st minute and supported by a double

by Shafel Deharte (51st and 70th) while Nial Reynolds in the 61st; Odinja Smith managed to score the lone goal for Canefield in the 27th minute.

In the final match New Amsterdam United hammered Leitchfield Nuggets Youth and Sports 8-0 on the back of superb hat-trick by Jamal Butts. Butts scored in the 6th, 9th and 13 minutes.

Dwayne Alleyne also etched his name on the score sheet in the 18th; Troy Monroe in the 30th, Jamal Mc Donald 34th , Osafo Mc Donald 48th and Roshard Davis in the 64th were the other scores for New Amsterdam.

The lone match in the East Demerara Football Association (EDFA) featured a drawn encounter between Buxton Youth Developers and Victoria

Kings at the Golden Grove Ground.

Saturday’s results In the East Demerara Football Association (EDFA) leg, Buxton United and Mahaica Determinators secured convincing wins.

Buxton United dismantled Plaisance by an 8-0 score line. Coby Durant recorded a double in the 31st and 63rd minutes while Brandon Smith, Ronaldo Fredericks, Joshua Liverpool, Isaiah Anderson, Yamani Armstrong and Tironi Semple scored in the 14th, 19th, 46th, 60th, 69th and 70thminutes respectively.

Mahaica Determinators made light work of Beterverwagting (BV)/ Triumph Unitedby winning 4-0. Kevon John scored twice, once in the 10th and then the 17th minutes while Nicholas Daw and Kareem Pitt scored in the 35th and 76th minutes respectively.

At the Grove community ground, Yarrowkabra Jaguars and Kuru-Kururu Warriors battled to a 3-3 in the East Bank Football Association (EBFA). Shamar Gillis, Lavern Matthews and Jonathan Bailey scored for the Warriors in the sixth, 58th and 64th minutes respectively while Mellon Joseph, Desmond Chester and Michael Williams scored in the 24th, 49th and 69th minutes correspondingly for the Jaguars.

In the other match, Mocha Champs gained a walkover against Friendship.

The West Demerara Football Association (WDFA) saw Slingerz FC and Wales FC battled to a 1-1 draw at the Den Amstel ground. Shawn Downer gave Wales the early lead as he found the back of the net in the 29th minute.

However, Slingerz FC responded as Rivaldo Smith scored in the 40th minute.

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016

Ballr Cup Tri-Nation Series...

RHTY&SC Annual Cricket Academy set for July 11

West Indies a big threat on small ground T — hosts take on Australia today at Warner Park

Adam Zampa

A

ustralia moved to the top of the tri-series table with their win over South Africa at Warner Park on Saturday, and could go a long way in securing a place in the final if they follow up with another victory over West Indies on Monday.

When the two teams met in Guyana, West Indies capitulated to Australia's spinners and were bowled out for 116, but in St Kitts, the conditions are quite different and high-scoring contests the norm. So it was a blow that their most in-form batsman David Warner was ruled out as a result of a fracture to his left index finger.

Australia showed on Saturday that reverse swing can also play an important role at the venue, where Mitchell Starc's form was ominous for his opponents for the rest of the series. He moved the ball just enough to trouble the South Africans

and finished with 3 for 43, while Josh Hazlewood also got the ball to tail in.

But the short boundaries will encourage the West Indian batsmen to play their shots - as if they need any encouragement - and if they can make a strong start, they will fancy their chances of joining Australia on two wins for the series. They just need to eliminate the “horrible shots” in the words of their captain Jason Holder that plagued them in the previous game.

The last ODI the West Indies played at Warner Park was a memorable one for two of their batsmen - Denesh Ramdin, who slammed 169, and Darren Bravo, who made 124 in a 91-run win over Bangladesh Sunil Narine certainly enjoyed the conditions in Guyana, where he finished with 8 for 63 in two matches.

The move to St Kitts might theoretically be in favour of the fast bowlers, but Narine has enjoyed bowling there in the past and has 10 wickets at 10.60 from four ODIs. Australia's batsmen will need to be on their game to prevent Narine from turning it around.

Second to Narine on the bowling charts in this series is Adam Zampa who has seven wickets at 16.28. Zampa was preferred to Nathan Lyon and Glenn Maxwell as Australia's only spinner for Saturday's match. He has shown tremendous poise in his first few months as an international cricketer and did so again while bowling late in South Africa's unsuccessful chase.

On Saturday, the pitch was hard and offered some-

Sunil Narine

thing for the fast bowlers early, before slowing up a little later in the first innings.

There was reverse swing available for Australia's bowlers as well. The short boundaries at Warner Park always give batsmen the chance to post big totals.

West Indies squad: Jason Holder (Captain), Sulieman Benn, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Jonathan Carter, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Shannon Gabriel, Sunil Narine, Ashley Nurse, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin, Marlon Samuels and Jerome Taylor.

Australia: Steven Smith (capt), David Warner, George Bailey, Scott Boland, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade (wk), Adam Zampa.

Ballr Cup Tri-Nation Series...

Warner, bowlers script Australia's comeback win

I

f there is any venue outside Australia where David Warner should feel at home it is the ground in Basseterre on the island of St Kitts.

It is tailor-made for him with its short boundaries and hard surface. It is even named Warner Park. In his first international match at his namesake venue, Warner struck his sixth ODI hundred, and first outside Australia, to set up a 36-run victory over South Africa.

Australia thus became the first team to win two games in this tri-series, which has now moved on

from the slow, spinning surfaces of Guyana. Steven Smith had no hesitation in choosing to bat first and Warner's 109 was the dominant contribution of the match, setting Australia on the path to 288 for 6.

South Africa's bowlers seemed to have done well to keep Australia under 300, but those same bowlers also formed a long tail that was unable to offer much resistance after Australia's attack got through the middle order. Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood picked up three wickets each and the lower order collapsed, the last seven

wickets falling for 42 runs.

For a while, South Africa looked to be cruising in their chase. They had lost Quinton de Kock early, when he pulled Hazlewood to deep square leg for 19, but Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis set about building a typically solid platform that should have been adequate. They made it to 140 for 1 in the 26th over before Amla (60) was sharply taken by Smith at cover off Hazlewood.

Life became tougher for the South African batsmen as Australia's fast men found some reverse swing, which helped Starc get rid

23

he Cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, MS during the upcoming school holiday season would be hosting their annual cricket academy and the Republic Bank Sumer Camp for Grade Six Students. These two programmes are being organised by the Rose Hall Town Farfan and Mendes Under -15, Bakewell Under -17 and Second Division, Pepsi Under -19 and Intermiade, Metro Female and Gizmos and Gadgets Under-21 and First Division teams.

The Cricket Academy would be hosted at the Area ‘H’ Ground from the 11th of July to the 23rd from 9AM to 1PM daily. The academy would be conducted by experienced cricket coach Winston Smith with assistance from former national players and Berbice Under -19 Coach Delbert Hicks and Berbice Senior Player Eon Hooper. Secretary/CEO of the RHTYSC, MS Hilbert Foster stated that the main objectives of the academy are to produce future cricketers for the Club, to teach youths how to play the game of cricket, to get youths to understand their role as a sports ambassador and to develop them into role models.

The coaches would concentrate on the basics – batting, bowling, physical fitness, wicket keeping, fielding, field placement

Hilbert Foster

and captaincy while the young cricketers would be involved in a total of fifteen classroom lectures on topics of interest to them.

The topics would include History of Cricket, Laws of Cricket, Structure of the Game, Personal Discipline, Personal Hygiene, HIV/ Aids, Suicide, Drug Abuse, Importance of Education, Career Choices and the role of a Sports Ambassador.

The Club would provide snacks to the cricketers on a daily basis while it would also provide all necessary equipment and cricket gears. The academy would cater for 120 youths and with the large RHTYSC youth membership, few places are available for nonClub members. Interested youths between the ages of 8 to 18 are encouraged to call the Club Office on 337-

of du Plessis, who sliced to backward point for 63. AB de Villiers and JP Duminy then had the job of steering the rest of the innings, but de Villiers was also done by reverse swing when Hazlewood tailed one in to bowl him for 39.

The loss of Duminy, through a somewhat lax sweep to deep midwicket off Zampa for 41, precipitated the lower-order collapse. Zampa had Farhaan Behardien lbw for 4 and had Wayne Parnell caught at long-on for 3, leaving too much work for the tail. Kyle Abbott had already been bowled, done by Starc's reverse swing, before Aaron Phangiso also fell to Starc and Imran Tahir was run out to end the game.

South Africa's seamers had found almost no reverse earlier in the day. Like Australia, who dropped Nathan Lyon and Glenn Maxwell, South Africa strengthened their pace group at the expense of their spin attack, and while Abbott and Parnell especially were tight enough, they couldn't manage to string enough wickets together, even after ending Warner's innings.

Warner's previous five one-day international hundreds had all come in Australia, where the quick and bouncy pitches tend to suit his preference for the ball coming on to the bat. He started this one with two boundaries in the first over of the game and in all struck 11 fours and two sixes, and he was typically harsh on any width offered by the quicks.

His opening partner, Aaron Finch, found no momentum and was bowled for 13 off 28 when he missed an attempted sweep off an Imran Tahir straight ball. Warner and Usman Khawaja put on 136 for the second wicket and a total well in excess of 300 looked like a strong possibility.

Warner brought up his hundred from his 109th delivery when he cut a single off Abbott, and two deliveries later Khawaja raised his half-century from his 58th ball, but neither man was to go on much further. The second drinks break came at just the right time for South Africa, as Warner

4562 or email foster_hilbert@yahoo.com to register.

The Republic Bank Summer Camp would be hosted in the upper flat of the RHTYSC Office at the Area ‘H’ Ground. The Camp would start on Monday 11th of July and would last for a total of five weeks. The camp would be supervised by an experienced Educator and according to the Club Secretary; its main aim is to assist Grade six students to make a successful transition from Primary to Secondary School.

The class would cater for 60 students and they would be taught Maths, English A, English B, Social-Studies and Integrated-Science.

Students would also be involve in lectures on a wide range of topics including peer pressure, choosing friends, classroom manners, career choices and serving the god they believe in.

Students would also be involved in learning the basics in playing cricket. The top ten students from the Summer Camp would receive special gifts from the cricket teams.

Foster is urging parents of Grade 6 students to register them as soon as possible. The RHTYSC and Republic Bank would be providing all of the necessary materials for the classes.

Entrance fee for both the Cricket Academy and Summer Camp is free.

David Warner is pumped after scoring his first ODI century outside Australia © AFP

pulled Parnell to midwicket off the first ball after the resumption.

Khawaja had swept the spinners effectively but the shot eventually brought his downfall on 59 when he top-edged off Phangiso and skied a catch that was taken

by Amla from short fine leg. George Bailey was lbw to Tahir for 11 and Mitchell Marsh holed out deep midwicket for 10 off an Abbott full toss, and South Africa's fightback was looking strong.

However, Smith managed to steer the Australians into the high 200s with a halfcentury at better than a run-a-ball, with some assistance from Matthew Wade, who scored 24 off 14 balls. Smith ended up unbeaten on 52 from 49 deliveries, and Australia had enough to hold off South Africa. (Cricinfo)

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2016

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

Hero Caribbean Premier League 2016…

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan welcomes return of CPL season at Queen’s Park Oval

Pg 22 The cricket-loving fans in Trinidad and Tobago will be pleased at the return of the “Biggest Party in Sport” to the Queen’s Park Oval

Ballr Cup Tri-Nation Series...

GFF/NAMILCO National Under-17 Thunderbolt Flour Power...

— hosts take on Australia today at Warner Park

to 3-1 win over GFC

West Indies a big threat on small ground Fruta Conquerors power Pg 23

— Berbice leg kicks off with 3 thrilling matches

Pg 22 Carlos Braithwaite could be a threat with his six-hitting ability on a small Warner Park ground

Fruta Conquerors (orange and blue) battle for possession of the ball against GFC

Photo)

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(Marceano Narine