Guyana Times Daily - September 15, 2015

CCI launches “Adopt a P11 Cause” School Programme

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 2617

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

PRICE

Campaign financing funds

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

APNU and AFC refuse to name sources of $billion spent

Bulkan insists on imposing flags on P7 Regions ...despite majority rejection

Page 3

Bandits raid Bourda Stall

P9

...without sources, figures useless – Opposition Leader

Govt to raise Bartica Hospital standards Page 11

Police cars injure two in accidents Page 9

Irate rice farmers picket Reg 6 REO Ramayya

– “quasi-political” appointee hides from $6000/bag promise

P9

Missing P9 children reunited with family members 75 tonnes P12 of rice dispatched to storm-hit Dominica Kartabo, P13 Itaballi villages soon to benefit from potable water supply

Page 2

Political appointee and Region Six Regional Executive Officer, Dr Veerasammy Ramayya’s office was picketed by scores of rice farmers on Monday

Wife of murdered Herstelling man Page 8 arraigned for the crime

Duo remanded on drug trafficking charge

Possible Govt-Opposition “national unity” discussions…

Nagamootoo’s Berbice gambit dismissed – Opposition Leader Page 11

Berbice watertaxi proposal faces hitches – minibus operators fear

Page 7

impact on revenues

Govt tells P13 Judiciary how to deal with gun crime – Nandlall slams PM’s directive

2 news

tuesday, september 15, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Irate rice farmers picket Reg 6 REO Ramayya – “quasi-political” appointee hides from $6000/bag promise

S

cores of irate rice farmers from Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) on Monday picketed the office of the newly-appointed Regional Executive Officer (REO) Veerasammy Ramayya as they called on Government to pay attention to the plight of rice farmers in Guyana and to live up to the promises made during the lead-up to the May 11 General Elections. At his appointment, Ramaya had been described by Joseph Harmon, Minister of the Presidency as “quasi political” even though he was occupying a bureaucratic/ technocratic office.

The farmers held posters and called on the REO to come out of his office and meet with them. “Ramayya and [Khemraj] Ramjattan are liars”, “Ramayya fool us and make we vote fo dem”, “Come out and face us now,” they shouted, raising posters which said, ‘Docta Ramaya pay up the $6000 per bag you promise’. The farmers, who are being backed by the Rice Producers Association (RPA), are receiving less than half of what Ramayya had promised them several times while appearing on televised programmes during the campaign.

The A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition had promised that farmers would receive between $6000 and $9000 per bag of paddy during its campaign leading up to the May 11 poll.

According to the rice farmers who operate in the Black Bush Polder, Crabwood Creek and other parts of the Corentyne, the $2300 they are currently receiving for the paddy they produced this crop cannot meet the expenses they have incurred.

Speaking from the picket line, some farmers claimed that they owed financial lending institutions for tractors and combines as they noted that the money being offered to them could not cover those loan commitments.

The farmers questioned where the $23 billion allocated in the 2015 National Budget for the rice industry was, saying that 7000 rice farmers should benefit from it.

“We are not seeing anything that they promise, what happen to the $23 billion in the budget – nothing, but $22 million gone for the Prime Minister [Moses Nagamootoo] to get a vehicle, because the Prime Minister want a new vehicle to use...”

The Corentyne farmers expressed their frustration, saying that rice farmers in Essequibo took to the streets seeking Government’s attention, while more than 400 did the same in Georgetown and no one came out to talk with them. “Is he Ramayya promise we $6000 a bag and now he lock up in the office an can’t come and answer we,” they said.

Ramayya, nine days before, said that he was accepting the job as REO in order to meet with the people of Region Six who he claimed the previous Administration had neglected. However, he did not go out to meet with the worried rice farmers.

Regional Chairman David Armogan, who has an office in the same compound [RDC Compound Vrymen’s Erven, New Amsterdam], met with the farmers and was told that they were not there to see him, but the new REO who was commencing his tenure and was marking it by neglecting them.

Despite the noisy protest outside, Ramayya told the media that he was unaware of the picket demonstration.

He further said that he never promised rice farmers that under the APNU/AFC Coalition, they would receive $6000 per bag of paddy.

Meanwhile Armogan expressed disappointment that the farmers did not get to meet with Ramayya. He noted that it was Ramayya who promised that they will receive $6000 per bag of paddy. “They are here to remind him of the promises that he made to them. He should come out and talk to the farmers. He can’t go about the place making empty promises. They voted for you and then you turn your back on them. That is irresponsible behaviour.

The farmers are contemplating other moves get the attention of government and those who made promises to them.

news

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tuesday, september 15, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, September 15 – 05:00h-06:30h and Wednesday, September 16 – 05:00h-06:30h The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, September 15 – 05:00h-06:30h and Wednesday, September 16 – 05:35h-07:05h

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

Campaign financing funds

APNU and AFC refuse to name sources of $billion spent ...without sources, figures useless – Opposition Leader

WEATHER TODAY

Heavy rain showers are expected throughout the morning and early afternoon, with sunny conditions otherwise. Clear skies can be expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East North-easterly at 1.78 to 3.57 metres per second.

High Tide: 05:27h and 17:40h reaching maximum heights of 2.69 metres and 2.70 metres respectively.

Opposition Leader and former President Bharrat Jagdeo

T

Low Tide: 11:17h and 23:34 reaching minimum heights of 0.55 metre and 0.50 metre respectively.

Saturday, September 12, 2015

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he A Partnership for National Unity has refused to disclose the financiers of its extravagant 2015 General and Regional Elections even though the political coalition had promised full public disclosures on its campaign funds. It had said it would provide 60% of the funding of the coalition with the AFC, which reveals it had spent an incredible $400M. This would make the total coalition spending at least $1B. The PNC-led APNU has adopted this position despite having vigorously preached about the need for transparency and accountability.

APNU General Secretary Joseph Harmon told the Guyana Times on Monday that the Party is willing to reveal the amount of money it utilised for campaign purposes but will not disclose where the money came from.

Its partner in government, the Alliance For Change (AFC) already disclosed that it expended some $400 million dollars for campaigning purposes.

They too did not disclose the name of their donors.

GECOM

GECOM’s Chairman Dr Surujbally had told the Guyana Times that while GECOM has been pushing for campaign finance legislation there is only so much the body can do. He noted that the responsibility of passing the legislation lies in the hands of the National Assembly and they have taken no direct stance on the issue.

GECOM’s Legal Officer Wanita Barker had also explained to the Guyana Times that the existing legislation governing the campaign financing is “really of no value.”

According to the Legal officer, the current law is antiquated and in dire need of being amended given that it stipulates each party is expected to expend no more that G$25,000 on a single candidate.

She also explained that it does not say when campaigning for elections should start so to ask for parties to submit financial records for any campaigning period would a complicated task. According to Barker, the enforcement has to be detailed.

Jagdeo wants evidence

But, in an invited comment, Opposition Leader and former President Bharrat Jagdeo explained that campaign contribution figures without their sources would be completely useless as there will be no way whatsoever to verify whether the data released is accurate.

“It does not make sense to just name a figure, they have to give details of the donors so then the public would know if you are speaking the truth then because, if someone doesn’t see his name on the list…then he can easily challenge it,” Jagdeo stated.

He further reasoned that political parties could just, for the sake of politics, release figures, however, if the identity of their donors were releasedthen that would represent true transparency and accountability. On that note, Jagdeo said if APNU and AFC were prepared to list their donors then it would be groundbreaking and commendable.

“However, if they are not, then it is just a political gimmick,” he highlighted.

Meanwhile, in anoth-

AFC Treasurer Dominic Gaskin

er section of the media, AFC Treasurer Dominic Gaskin, in revealing the amount of monies spent by his Party for the May 11 General and Regional Elections; explained that they are still waiting on APNU to disclose their figures.

When prompted, Minister Harmon said his Party is still in the process of calculating the net total.

“Election campaigns are expensive things and therefore you, even after your campaign, there are expenses which need to be cleared and clarified. So in due course we will have a full, total disclosure of what has been the total debt,” he said. He further explained the reason why APNU will not reveal the identities of their donors is because of the fear of “consequences”.

APNU General Secretary Joseph Harmon

cerns raised by sections of the society that several big businessmen pumped millions of dollars into the then opposition campaign with the understanding that they would get big contracts, kick backs and other gains if it won the elections.

Leading up to the elections, both APNU and AFC pledged to make public the details surrounding the financing for their campaigns. In fact, based on reports, they had promised to make this information public by the first week in August but to date, no substantial information has been released regarding campaign financing.

Meanwhile, Harmon told this newspaper that all the political parties, if they have nothing to hide, should feel committed to “transparency” and reveal their information.

“This is what we have been asking the PPPC to do for 23 years and I hope we can get some answers from them,” he said.

However, PPP/C General Secretary Clement is currently not in Guyana and therefore was unable to respond to any questions relating to campaign financing.

No progression on Legislation

The two parties made these revelations, years after it had tabled a legislation to tighten campaign financing here, the Alliance For Change (AFC) has made no moves to see this initiative completed.

And at a time when there are renewed accusations of that party and its senior partner – A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) – being funded by a shady businessmen– created group ahead of the upcoming elections, Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Dr Steve Surujbally says it would seem that Guyana’s political

“You don’t ever do that…I think I did disclose that people like to be private and they are aware sometimes that there might be consequences in a small country like this if it is public,” Harmon said.

“You don’t ever do that…I think I did disclose that people like to be private and they are aware sometimes that there might be consequences in a small country like this if it is public,” Harmon said.

But Harmon also adopted that position despite the con-

players have no interest in the issue.

Financial experts have suggested that the major reason why APNU and AFC had opposed the passage of the Anti-Money Laundering/ Countering of Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Bill in

Parliament, was because their trail of funding from questionable sources.

Since 2009, the Organisation of American States (OAS) has insisted on Guyana to introduce campaign financing laws. These laws are not intended just to capture the quantum of funding to political parties, but also the nature of the source of the funding.

While the AFC and APNU had given lip service to the introduction of such laws – one of which was ironically introduced since 2011 by the AFC – they have studiously avoided making the law operational.

Gail Teixeira of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) had said previously that the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) had downplayed the proposal by the OAS for a model regarding campaign financing for the 2011 elections.

Teixeira had said then that

GECOM Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally

the party said it was not necessary for the elections of that year. It was in that same year APNU announced ahead of the 2011 elections that it had secured some US$6M campaign funds, but failed to disclose from where the money was secured.

The AFC has also been accused previously of being financed from questionable sources. Questions were raised as to how the party was able to secure the services of USbased political consultant Dick Morris for the AFC’s 2006 elections campaign, whose fees would have run into the tens of millions.

At January this year, when asked about the lapse in them not pushing through the legislation even when the combined opposition held the majority in Parliament, the AFC blamed former Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall for them not doing so.

General Secretary David Patterson said then that the party had always been concerned about campaign financing. “The question of campaign financing is something I must admit that we have always wanted to table…we have a draft and things like that but circumstances have overtaken us on that,” Patterson explained.

He did not detail what those circumstances were that led to the AFC missing out on the opportunity to address this foundational issue.

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, september 15, 2015

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

Editorial

Integrating Indigenous Peoples

W

e have reached the midway point of "Amerindian Heritage Month" (AHM) which was launched this year under the theme "Preserving our customs and traditions". Unfortunately, the launching was done against the backdrop of the firing by the new APNU/AFC Government of 1972 Community Service Officers, who were working solely to service Amerindian communities. This has served to deflect attention from the traditional activities that characterised AHM and highlighted perennial issues about Amerindians being at the bottom of the economic ladder.

While there have been yeoman efforts by the PPP administration over the past 23 years to integrate the Indigenous Peoples into the national warp and woof, the facticity of their being locked away in the highly forested and inaccessible interior of the country has presented its unique challenges. Until this inaccessibility is addressed and overcome, the economic position of Indigenous Peoples will always be precarious and their horizons limited.

With this in mind, it is imperative that the new Government place the Lethem-Linden Highway on top of their development agenda. The feasibility study was conducted, the plans were already drawn up, and they were placed on the desks of former President Donald Ramotar of this country and Dilma Rousseff of Brazil. The Highway plan was coordinated with a proposal from Brazil for the development of a Hydro Electric Power plant in the Mazaruni River.

In late June, Brazilian Ambassador to Guyana, Lineu Pupo de Paula, reminded the Government of Guyana, via Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, about the hydro project and the paving of the Linden-Lethem road. Such a project will deliver immediate benefits to Amerindians, who should be given priority on the construction jobs that will become available.

In conjunction with the Highway, the Government should also announce moving the administrative capital to Lethem, much as Brazil did back in 1960 when they created Brasilia in the heart of their country.

Without any connection to the "Amerindian issue", Guyana needs to move its capital away from the Coast where it is already six feet under sea level. With climate change guaranteeing rising sea levels in the coming decades, regardless of whether we agree on its cause, Georgetown's present drainage challenges will pale into insignificance by the middle of this century.

Relocating the capital to Lethem provides several benefits apart from the calamitous inundation of Georgetown. There is first of all an affirmation of our "continental destiny" that will, notwithstanding the present travails of Brazil, create a "hinterland" that we can service to lift our standard of living to world-class levels. Even as presently configured, by providing an outlet to the Northern Atlantic for the manufactured goods of Manaus, Brazil will save millions in transportation costs, days in shipping time and provide employment for thousands of Guyanese - especially Amerindian Guyanese.

Indigenous Peoples will also not so incidentally be empowered, especialły the ones in Region 9 due to their facility with Brazilian things, including Portuguese. While most coast-landers cast their eyes northwards and had their "papers" filed, folks from the interior explored Brazil and today can be a useful conduit for the rest of Guyana to explore the opportunities presented by the 6th largest economy in the world.

While emphasising "heritage" is very important for the psyche, it does not have to be done at the expense of neglecting the economic wherewithal to enjoy that heritage. For too long Indigenous Peoples have been treated paternalistically by others who adopted a "We will lift them up" attitude. This must come to an end but can only be done when they have the opportunity to participate in the national economy and enjoy the national patrimony, on equal terms with others. The answer is not for Indigenous Peoples to be wrenched from their roots like all the other peoples of Guyana were, to become "Guyanese". Guyana must be taken to them so they can add to our mosaic.

These pupils were intent on absorbing all they could about recycling at the Caribbean Container Inc (CCI) launch of its “Adopt a Cause” School Programme at the company’s compound in Farm, East Bank Demerara (Carl Croker photo)

Political reactions to electoral defeats in Trinidad and Guyana Dear Editor, It is interesting to note the political response in Trinidad and Guyana to the electoral outcomes in both societies that held elections within four months apart.

Former Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Monday night conceded defeat by newly sworn in PM Keith Rowley, following the general elections. She was somewhat graceful in her concession speech though she did not offer congratulations directly to the victor. She subsequently did so almost a week later. This is quite unlike what happened in Guyana where the PPP has refused to accept that it was defeated in the general elections of May 11, not even four months later.

The PPP has insisted that it was cheated out of

office and has not formally congratulated the new Government on its victory as it refers to the APNU/AFC as the “de facto Government”.

An election petition has been filed charging electoral fraud. The APNU/AFC has not gone out of its way to embrace the Opposition although it has called for a national unity Government.

No concrete proposal has been advanced and the PPP has not jumped to such an invitation of talks towards national unity setting a condition on the negotiator.

In Trinidad, Kamla said she has no regrets about her journey as T&T’s first female Prime Minister. She is disappointed at not being re-elected although she won more votes than Rowley.

She thanked the nation for placing their trust in her

stewardship as PM. Former President Donald Ramotar has expressed disappointment at being cheated out of office whereas Kamla said she did her best, stating that: “It was not good enough for some people but in my heart I know I did my best.”

She said she accepted the peoples’ electoral verdict and called on supporters to do likewise – very "stateswoman like" which is quite different from what happened in Guyana. Kamla wished the new Government well – also very different from Guyana.

The T&T new Prime Minister, Rowley, has called for national unity, similar to Guyana but not to include the Opposition in his Government. He wants the Opposition to support his

proposed policies. He said he is PM for all – those who voted for his party and those who voted for other parties.

This will help bring healing in T&T where like in Guyana, there was an acrimonious racial campaign.

A similar gesture from the Opposition and a fitting response from the APNU/AFC would have helped to bring national unity and healing that is badly needed in Guyana.

The defeated party in Trinidad is planning to file an election petition challenging the extension of voting time by one hour by the election commission. The party feels the extension of voting time cost it the election.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

The media must conduct more investigation Dear Editor, In a media landscape where there is an abundance of resourcesn the issue of the missing woman in Kaieture Falls National Park, should have been more adequately covered by the media, both print and electronic. I could not see the story on most nightly newscasts or even followed the progress of the search. There were a few repetitive newspaper articles with similar details from the previous. The electronic media did not make use of simulation videos of the Falls and a possible jump; the

print media did not make use of family accounts or even maps.

The entire story lacked investigative journalism.

Headlines such as “Woman missing at a world- famous falls”, would have attracted millions of eyes worldwide since similar falls exist at Niagara, NY and Canada.

Our journalists should have had a field day with such a human- interest story.

There were no interviews of the woman’s relatives— we didn’t hear about any problem or issue she might have been going through pri-

or to and during the trip, although she was crying during the trip, as some sections of the media revealed.

We did not get enough information from the press, our gatekeepers of knowledge. I do not know if the media were allowed to accompany the army on the search, but again there were no pictures from those searches. Doesn’t the army have a photography or media section?

It isn’t every day that someone jumps from the Kaieteur Falls. The reportage of the story had several

missing links and gaps.

Yesterday, the news broke that a woman’s body was spotted at the bottom of the Falls. I can only hope that some of our press members were allowed to travel to the search area to bring us first- hand information.

The media must go deep into stories, especially those of such nature. Instead of just presenting the facts, we should start conducting more analysis.

Sincerely, Leon Suseran

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, september 15, 2015

5

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

Are we addressing GuySuCo's core problem?

Dear Editor, In recent times there has been a plethora of commentaries on GUYSUCO's state by many self-proclaimed experts and commentators on sugar.

These were almost always devoid of in-depth analysis of the industry's problems except for generalisations. Despite poor analysis, commentators and experts present proposals for the industry's future. The result is a proposal that is impractical, economically unsound and provides great potential for chaos if pursued.

In this regard, a commission of inquiry (Col) is a welcomed move since it should provide detailed analysis of problems before proposing solutions.

Guysuco's financial problems have their genesis in operational cost, production decline and reduced sugar prices. To simplify, the company's expenditure (operational cost) is rising while income is lowering (production & price). The end result is a certain and in-

creasing deficit which triggers repeated requests to Government for support. Such support is

nothing strange or alien as commentators and experts attempt to suggest.

Other Governments do support their industry in a finite way. Support can come in various forms and anyone can research this at their convenience for other industries.

It is anticipated that the many self-proclaimed experts and commentators on sugar will be making submissions to the Col. It will be interesting to see how the Col distills these submissions to support the Prime Ministers' declaration at the National Cane Farmers Conference.

If there is seriousness to support the Prime Ministers' declaration, the Col must examine at minimum the causes of increased operational

While causes for increased operational cost and reduced sugar prices are easily identifiable, the Col must address in detail, the issue of drastic production decline.

In 2004, the industry produced 325,000 tonnes of sugar and its cane fields produced 74 tonnes of cane per hectare for that year. Though far from potential, performance in 2004 is considered excellent when compared to recent past.

Between 2009 and 2014, sugar production and cane yield slumped to their lowest level in 2013:

Dear Editor, I have observed that this Government since it took Office in May, has effected a number of forensic audits and commissions of inquiry to investigate several State agencies and quite rightly so.

However, it seems to have overlooked the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown for fiscal inspection, an agency accused over the last two decades for being culpable of every financial impropriety

possible.

One wonders whether this is an oversight or whether it is deliberate bearing in mind that this municipality has been governed for the last twenty one years by the majority

by Councillors that belong to the governing party.

Whatever the reason, with the Local Government elections looming large, it is important for the Government to step in quickly, investigate these allegations and stop the

Mayor and Councillors if necessary from destroying what is left of the Council.

It would be a monumental mistake if the Government were to hand over the budgeted amount for the rehabilitation of Georgetown to this Council without conducting an audit.

Another area which must be inspected at City Hall, are the allegations of contracts being handed out left right and center to friends and family, individuals, not companies

cost, production decline and reduced sugar prices and provide strategies to reverse those trends.

state of the company. The question is, what caused yields to drop from 74 tonnes to 56 tonnes per

under his watch based on recent yield numbers.

In any other industry, such poor performance

labour shortage, wild-cat strikes, etc. that will be provided to Col members, and whether Col mem-

2004

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Sugar Production (tonnes)

325,000

234,000

221,000

237,000

218,000

187,000

216,000

Tonnes Cane per Hectare

74

57

66

63

55

54

56

hectare? This cane growing problem must be assessed immediately to return the industry to viability.

Most commentaries identify the new Skeldon factory as the reason for the industry's state.

However, did the new Skeldon factory cause cane per to drop from 74 to 56 tonnes per hectare?

In addressing this yield decline, it is hoped that the Col examines in detail the structure and operations of the agriculture department of the industry and how decisions are made relating to growth and cane estimates. The company's Head of Agriculture Operations should be providing answers since one can conclude that canes disappeared from fields

would initiate some sort of action. Unfortunately, this is not the case in Guyana because the same head is advising the present and past CEOs. In fact, all public utterances from the company relating to agriculture have been glowing and without any hint that there is such devastation in cane fields.

Guyanese now awaits the usual GUYSUCO explanations for poor yields such as high rainfall, low rainfall, too much sun, too little sun, heavy breeze,

but persons without any prior experience, without equipment, without technical knowledge. So far, it is public knowledge that the Deputy Mayor’s son was given a maintenance contract for the cemetery.

The Communities Minister must ensure that the capital and resources of citizens are saved from wanton pilfering of taxpayers’ dollars.

Dear Editor, The APNU/AFC’s call to the PPP/C for a “national unity” Government indicates that the coalition does not have all the solutions to Guyana problems.

Such an acceptance is conducive to creating mutual understanding, trust and respect which is what consensus politics is about.

The PPP/C and the APNU/ AFC each needs to acknowledge that they alone do not independently have the solutions to Guyana’s problems.

Hence, the APNU/AFC needs strategic support

bers will deem those as acceptable.

If this Col doesn’t adequately address the issue of depressed cane yield, the entire exercise will be futile and akin to abandonment of sugar in troubling times. This will be a stark contradiction to Prime Minister's recent declaration at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre.

Sincerely, Fredrick Yuvraj

For consensus politics and a national unity Why no forensic audit for City Hall? Government The figures indicate that GUYSUCO has a grave problem growing canes which obviously precipitated low sugar production hence, the

Sincerely, Sean Moniz

Is Clive Thomas best pick to head GuySuCo? Dear Editor, The PNC-led coalition attack on former Guysuco CEO Dr Rajendra Singh because he is fighting back in court against the unlawful termination of his contract is most shameful.

Everything he has done at Guysuco is now used to paint him as having acted against the sugar industry. Dr Clive Thomas, his successor, is not the right man for the job when he is alleged to have little business experience.

By his placement he is misusing his power to run Guysuco whilst he sits on another commission to investigate the very corpo-

ration. In fact, this would enable him to avoid being blamed for the Guysuco failure, while easily placing the blame on Dr Singh.

One wonders which CEO would go public with unverifiable company information when he is in court?

Guysuco doesn’t need a theorist and this flagrant case of conflict of interest should not be condoned by the local and international business community.

After the government's flagrant violation of the Berbice Bridge contract it's obvious that the PNC-led coalition is confused.

I completely reject the nonsense being carried by

the media regarding the adjudication of business contracts, especially Dr Singh's lawsuit.

Justice under the PNCled coalition died when the claims of rigged elections were refused a proper investigation by GECOM. It is hardly likely that this

Government’s efforts to address the issues with which it is faced will amount to anything much. It is time for change and fresh national election. Federalism must come soon to get us out of this mess.

Sultan Mohamed

and guidance from the PPP/C. And, the PPP/C needs strategic support and guidance from the APNU/AFC. Some people are too wrapped up in their personal hatred to see the necessity of consensus politics whereby we have to work together to channel our energies towards moving Guyana forward.

This is a Golden Opportunity that has been created.

Sincerely, Sean Ori

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guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation

By James Lehman, MSW Dr William Sears

A

s parents – and referees – of eight children, we have survived personality clashes, ability battles, attention tactics, and multiple minibattles, only to conclude that sibling rivalry, like nightwaking, is one of the inevitable annoyances of having children.

We also learned that the degree of sibling rivalry, and whether or not it has longterm positive or negative consequences, depends on what parents do about it. Yet, out-of-control sibling rivalry should not be

considered an unavoidable consequence of having more than one child.

Our first two children, Jimmy and Bobby, were born 26 months apart and began the competing roles of the usual close-in-age sibs. As preschoolers they fought over toys; as middle-schoolers they competed over grades; as young teens they vied for friends. When Jim was the first to get married, bridegroom Bob commented, “No fair!” (Bob went on to father the first grandchild – at last he did something first!) Years later these rivalling sibs are now close friends and partners in paediatric practice as Dr Jim and Dr Bob (along with their dad, Dr Bill). Many kids ago we realised that part of discipline is doing what we needed to do to like

living with our children. High on our list was both promoting sibling harmony and discouraging sibling rivalry. Here are 20 ways that we learned to help our children be friends with each other before they learned to fight with each other. *Make friends before birth. Get your older child acquainted with the new baby before birth. Show her pictures of a baby growing in mommy’s belly. Let her pat the baby beneath the bulge, talk to baby, and feel baby kick. Replay the older child’s babyhood. Sit down with your child and page through her baby photo album.

Show her what she looked like right after birth, coming home from the hospital, nursing, and having her diaper changed.

By replaying the older child’s baby events, she will be prepared for a replay of her brother or sister. * Make the older sibling feel important.

Savvy visitors who themselves have survived sibling rivalry will bring along a gift for the older child when visiting the new baby. In case this doesn’t happen, keep a few small gifts in reserve for the older sib when friends lavish presents and attention on the new baby. Let her be the one to unwrap the baby gifts and test the rattles. Give your child a job in the family organisation. To pull the child out of the “I want to be a baby, too”

belief, play up her importance to you, personally and practically. Give her a job title, such as “mommy’s helper”. Shortly after our fifth child, Erin, was born, we gave our four-year-old, Hayden, the job of “mother’s assistant.” And, we paid her to help. After a few weeks, Hayden was not only more pleasant to live with, she also picked up some housekeeping skills. One of our children liked the title of “go-fer.” As Martha was nursing Stephen, she would ask three-year-old Matthew to “bring the clothes for mama”, “please grab those toys,” “help hold the diaper…” And she would thank Matthew for his help. When an admirer looks at your new baby and says, “My, what a wonderful baby,” quickly add, “Yes, now we have two beautiful children.” *Time share. What bothers children most is sharing you with the new baby.

Since the concept of sharing is foreign to the child under three (as mom is their most important “possession”), it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to sell the child on the concept of sharing mother. It sounds good to say that you’ll give your older child equal amounts of your time, but in practice that’s unrealistic and unnecessary. New babies require a lot of maintenance, and you don’t have 200 per cent of yourself to give. We would wear our infant in a baby sling, which gave us two free hands to play a game with the older one. While feeding baby, we would read a book to the sibling, or just have cuddle time. Spending a lot of time sitting on the floor increases your availability to your toddler while your baby is in-arms or at breast. As baby gets older, place him in an infant seat, or on a blanket, on the floor to watch you play one-on-one with her big brother or sister.

This entertains two kids with one parent.

As first-time parents, we struggled with how we were going to meet the needs of a newborn and a toddler, only to realise that because our toddler got what he needed as a baby, he could handle frustration. An infant can’t. (Excerpt from AskDrSears.com)

“O

n the way home from work every day, I start getting stressed out because I know that my 15-year-old son will be there waiting, ready to start a fight with me. There are times when I just want to turn the car around and not deal with him anymore, but I know that’s wrong. I’m so tired of the screaming matches and power struggles. What can I do?”

I’ve had many parents tell me how much they dread coming home to their children after work, or how they feel overwhelmed by the fights and chaos in their house when the children come home from school. Why is this time of the

to know that children are very vulnerable to the anxiety of heightened expectations, and the stress to get things done.

This is true especially if they have self-control problems.

So when children come home from school, that’s a time to have some structure for them.

Remember this: structure is the key to helping children manage transitions.

Don’t go home ready for a fight Many parents have a fight with their child before they even get in the house, because they’re imagining that fight on the way home; if you’re imagining a fight, you’re probably going to get one. Or they’re waiting at the house, already in their corner, prepared to go head-

Many parents have a fight with their child before they even get in the house, because they’re imagining that fight on the way home.

Here’s the truth: if you’re imagining a fight, you’re probably going to get one. day often so stressful – and a prime time for acting out? One of the reasons may be because it’s a “transition time”. Transition events are moments when children stop one activity and start another, or move from one environment to another. It’s also a time when anxiety is high and inappropriate behaviour easily gets triggered –you’ll see acting out on the part of children, and often, arguing and conflict on the part of adults. It’s been my observation that a lot of people react to that in ways that don’t help solve the problem.

As a parent, it’s important

to-head. Here’s the truth: that will just provoke you and upset you more. If you’ve been doing this, know that you’re not helping the situation, and you’re probably unknowingly making things worse.

One way to handle this situation is through soothing self-talk. This is when we speak positively and soothingly to ourselves when we’re anxious – and it’s a very important tool during transition times. So for example, on the way home from work, start to prepare mentally by saying things like, “I can deal with whatever is there. The children need me right now, and if there’s a problem, I know how to deal with it.” Another thing that I tell people is that once they learn strategies to deal with their children’ behaviour, they should remind themselves of those strategies when they start to get tense. You can say, “OK, if he does this, then I’ll just do that; I can manage it, I’ll be in control.” This helps calm you down and focuses you on what you need to do next.

Train your children to give you time to transition Adults as well as children need structure to manage transitions. One of the recommendations that I make in The Total Transformation is for parents to have a few procedures set up when they get home. No matter what’s going on, unless it’s a crisis, you should go upstairs, wash your face, put on your comfortable clothes and get settled in. If your children start bickering or calling to you, tell them you’ll be down in a minute. So the first part of the new after-school, after-work structure becomes, “When I get home, I have to go change and then I’m going to come down and deal with you.” That way, you train your children to give you time to transition. (Excerpt from

empoweringparents.com)

TO BE CONTINUED

news

7

tuesday, september 15, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Bulkan insists on imposing Berbice watertaxi proposal flags on Regions faces hitches ...despite majority rejection

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o m m u n i t i e s Minister Ronald Bulkan said Government was determined to see the regional flags initiative come to life despite the fact that a majority of the regions’ heads have already rejected the idea while protesting the lack of consultation with key stakeholders.

During a brief telephone interview with Guyana Times on Monday, Bulkan provided an update on the project, noting that the Ministry was still receiving feedback from the regional bodies.

“We are still in the consultative phase, we’ve invited feedback from throughout the regions and we are going to engage the Private Sector bodies,” he said. Asked about his response to the concerns expressed by several Regional Chairmen about the flags, Bulkan pointed out that they did not raise those concerns with him.

“They have not responded to be rejecting the suggestion,” he said, noting that if they had a problem with the flags, they should relate it to him so the issue could be worked out.

Legislation When prompted, Bulkan declined to provide details

on the process to finally bestow upon each region its own flag.

Several regional heads have expressed concerns that the imposition of regional flags required amendments to legislation and, therefore, were hesitant about the proposal.

“I don’t know if that is constitutional and I will not act until there is proper guidance provided on this because whatever happens must happen in confines of the law,” Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) Regional Chairman Devanand Ramdatt had proffered.

However, Bulkan assured that this initiative did not require any change in legislation.

Rejection Guyana Times had spoken recently to several of the Regional Chairmen about the proposed regional flags, and most were quite upset over the lack of consultation in the process – ridiculing the entire strategy, noting that it was more cosmetic and would not aid in making each region selfsufficient as was intended by the Government.

According to Bulkan, “As part of the decentralisation and regional empowerment, we are convinced

Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan

that the question of engendering regional flags would be an important component of that feeling of having regional pride.”

However, the regional heads argued that flags simply would not help in this process.

“While for them they believe that the flag is a sign of independence and a sign of identity for a region… there are much more important elements needed to be introduced to decentralise authority rather than a flag,” Region One (BarimaWaini) Chairman Brentol Ashley had asserted.

“I don’t know if a flag can bring any degree of independence for a region.

I think what needs to be

done to bring independence would require a lot of strategic thinking so this can be sreamlined properly…we are speaking about certain ministries which may need to be decentralised and certain key operations need to be decentralised. It is much more complex and it would require great consultations,” The Region Two Chairman expressed.

“The thing is now, why have different flag. How do we fit in? Let’s say we go to Linden now, we will be treated as foreigners in our own country because of that distinction? Why do we need that? Why try to have a different identification for each region? Aren’t they promoting unity and that all Guyanese should be recognised as Guyanese?

Why must we be recognised as a Region Nine person or a Region One person,” Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) Chairman Brian Alicock questioned.

Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Chairman Renis Morian and Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) Chairman Vickchand Ramphal had also underscored the insignificance of having flags for each region.

– minibus operators fear impact on revenues

Minibus operators who service the Georgetown-Berbice route have become apprehensive that they will begin to experience declining revenue

W

ith the Berbice river taxi service set to be reintroduced sometime in October to compete with the Berbice Bridge, minibus operators who service the Georgetown-Berbice route have become apprehensive that they will begin to experience declining revenue.

This is according to Junior Public Infrastructure Minister Annette Ferguson who, during an interview with Guyana Times, explained that the bus operators have already expressed their views on the issue.

“I was able to meet with the Minibus Association last week Thursday, and yes, they shared their concerns with us regarding the reintroduction of the speedboats, even though they are happy about

it, they had their concerns,” she admitted.

Asked if they were concerned that business would be taken away from them, Minister Ferguson replied in the affirmative, “Yes, you can safely say so.”

However, she noted that moves were afoot to ensure there was a level playing field between the two services which would now be made available to the people of Berbice.

In fact, she noted that there was already a proposal to resolve the issue which she would submit to Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson for approval.

However, she declined to disclose the proposal at this point in time. turn to page 12

8 NEWS

tuesday, september 15, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Eyew tness Confusion...

Wife of murdered Herstelling man arraigned for the crime E

Beverly Persaud was remanded to prison after being charged for the murder of her husband at his Herstelling, EBD home

T

he wife of murdered Herstelling joiner Nathan Persaud who confessed to hiring his killer was on Monday brought before Magistrate Ann McLennan in Court Two of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to face the indictable charge of murder.

Beverly Persaud, 36, a shopkeeper of 56 Diamond New Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was not required to plead to the charge which read that on Thursday, September 10 at Herstelling, EBD, she murdered Nathan Persaud by way of an arrangement whereby money was promised by her to “Jason” (only name given) in payment for

his death.

The matter was adjourned until October 13 for a report on the progress of the investigation and the woman was remanded to prison. The Police are now hunting for a Georgetown resident who is alleged to be the contract killer.

According to information received, the joiner was found on Thursday morning in a pool of blood in the living room of his Herstelling home, with his head bashed in. The discovery was made about 10:00h by relatives. A knife and a hammer, suspected to be the murder weapons, were found at the scene and were taken as evidence.

The murder accused

succumbed to pressure while being interrogated at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at Eve Leary, Georgetown, and confessed to paying the hitman a huge amount of money to get rid of her husband. The woman reportedly told investigators that her now dead husband was planning to kill her, but she took ‘first jump’. She also admitted that the murder stemmed from a property dispute which is presently engaging the attention of the courts.

The couple had been separated for over a year as a result of their frequent domestic disputes.

The woman, who operates a bar in Diamond New Housing Scheme, was taken into custody hours after the bloody body of her estranged husband was discovered. Based on information received, the woman was seen boarding a minibus with the alleged hitman, who was earlier seen in the village enquiring about the now dead man.

He reportedly had a piece of paper in his hand as he asked several persons questions in his effort to locate the joiner’s home.

Nathan Persaud , according to reports gathered, received death threats via telephone and confided in his four sons.

Murdered, Nathan Persaud

Nathan Jr was a little hesitant to speak, but confirmed that his father had told them that his life was in danger and he needed to leave the country. He stated that he and his brothers convinced his father to stay. The young man told the Guyana Times that the family was still trying to come to grips with the shock that his mother was involved in the murder.

A post-mortem examination performed on the body of the dead man proved that he died as a result of blunt trauma to the head. The autopsy was performed by State Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh, at the Georgetown Public Hospital on Friday.

Drug trafficking suspect on $200,000 bail

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South Ruimveldt man was on Monday placed on $200,000 bail by Magistrate Ann McLennan when he appeared before her in Court Two of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged with trafficking in narcotics.

Keshawn Rhode, 26, of 1720 Priority Place, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, pleaded not guilty to the charge, which read that on Thursday, September 10, at Providence, East Bank Demerara, he was found in

possession of 30 grams of cannabis sativa for the purpose of trafficking.

The detailed particulars of the charge were not revealed in court. Rhode was represented by Attorneyat-Law Paul Fung-A-Fat, who stated that his client was a visitor at the location mentioned in the charge as he was paying a visit to his grandmother who resided there. The Attorney argued that on the day in question the narcotics were not found on his client, but in

Alleged drug trafficker Keshawn Rhode

an empty lot next door and as such, there were no ties between his client and the cannabis.

Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones stated that the drug was indeed found in the lot next door, but only because it was thrown there by the defendant.

The matter was transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court for October 28 and the man was released on $200,000 bail.

Fisherman on $70,000 bail for larceny

A

Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD) man was on Monday placed on $70,000 bail by Magistrate Ann McLennan when he appeared before her in Court Two of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged with simple larceny.

Erin Herbert

Erin Herbert, 48, a fisherman, pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that on Friday, September 11 at the Houston Wharf, Georgetown, he stole one Galaxy Note 2 smartphone valued at$75,000 property of the Virtual Complainant (VC), Lorenzo Hamilton.

Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones stated that the defendant was caught on Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) footage removing the item from among the VC’s possessions. The matter was adjourned until October 14 for statements.

...with social cohesion

ver since the new Government threw out its "social cohesion" bait, it seems to've confused most Guyanese - including its putative partners in the AFC. Part of the problem is the Government's not sure at what level it should make its pitch. The "social" level? Meaning that should just get together and hang? And maybe sway with upraised arms to some smarmy music?

But Guyanese do that all the time, don't they? And they used to do it "till morning come" until some party-pooper Minister issued a Royal proclamation that henceforth no partying can go beyond 2 am. That's been the biggest setback to "social cohesion" since bad breath. Adhesion precedes "cohesion" no? And by 2 am you're barely getting into your groove to adhere to the object of your attention, since you entered the club at midnight, HOW THE HECK ARE YOU GOING TO INCREASE social cohesion this way?

Economics is a part of the "social", right? So maybe the Government's hoping to increase economic cohesion? Well the Ministers in general - and the Minister of Amerindian Affairs in particular - sure picked a funny way (NOT "ha ha" funny) to increase social cohesion with their mass firings.

So Amerindians are supposed to "cohere" by comforting the 10% of their workforce fired by their Minister?

Political cohesion? Was it reverse psychology to take back control of the Committees so the present Opposition can't enjoy what the Government did when they were the Opposition? Or to appoint Nagamootoo to head the negotiations with the PPP on "national unity". That's like appointing the Klu Klux Klan to negotiate with the British Government for Reparations for Africans?

Nagamootoo HATES the fellas in the PPP! He's convinced they did him wrong! Deprived him from running this country and having that fat pension (and benefits, let's not forget the benefits!) that President Granger's going to be collecting soon. And then again, how do you have "political cohesion" when the fella telling you to sign on the dotted line has been banished so far from the centre of power that he might've just as well be in...Well...Berbice!

With Ramaya?

And just when this Eyewitness thought the confusion over "social confusion" couldn't get worse, up comes the President himself - who must've coined the term, no? - to tell the PPP not to worry about Nagamootoo with his call for "national unity". The President implied this was too wide ranging and proposed that the PPP shouldn't bother burdening themselves with "power sharing".

They should just help the Government with crime, sugar and rice. Areas they're doing so well with.

Ain't this "social cohesion" thing a blast

...on schools and postal codes

This Eyewitness wonders what's happened to the old PNC. This present lot seems to have jettisoned its institutional memory when they ditched Robert Corbin. OK. He knows that Granger was there back in the day...but then he was probably marching up and down in the sun that he missed all the goings on back at the Belfield Residence.

When Burnham named the new Secondary School on East Coast "Presidents College" (after the Queens Board turned him down cold) he didn't append his name on it for a very good reason. Through his 1980 Constitution and the rigging of elections, Burnham had made himself President FOR LIFE. Adding his name would've been redundant!

Then there's this call for the Post Office to introduce postal zip codes. Say what??!! Burnham did all of that back in the day. The Regional Codes was the preface to a seven digit code.

Didn't Dereck Bernard leave his notes with someone?

...on venom

The Health Ministry says it's out of anti-venom. They should check with Nagamootoo. To counteract the venom for Jagdeo and the PPP that consumes his entire being, his body's full of the stuff.

Problem is, he's also full of the other stuff. Nasty!!

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

news

9

tuesday, september 15, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Bandits raid Bourda Stall sure.

When Guyana Times arrived at the scene, Lynch was counting his losses. He told this newspaper that the burglars made off with a large quantity of food items, including oil, peas, mustard, ketch-up, sausages and milk, in addition

newed the call for the City Constabulary to increase security in the Market, saying that this was just one of many robberies that have occurred in the Market in recent times.

“Well, they need to tighten up the situation with the Constables them

Stallowner Anthony Lynch

The metal door which was cut open by the bandits

V

endors operating in Bourda Market are once again advocating for heightened security after burglars broke into one of the stalls during the wee hours of Monday.

Just about 06:00h, stallowner Anthony Lynch received a phone call, which

has since left him in a depressed state. His stall in Section K4 (Lots 93-96) in the Bourda Market was raided by bandits. From all indications, the burglars gained access to the stall after cutting open a metal door which was put in place as a security mea-

to more than $100,000 in cash.

“They raided this entire shop. Is only de other day I pack up meh stall, now look at this place it empty, is nuff thing dem carry way,” Lynch said as he pointed to one of the empty shelves.

According to him, the bandits would have made off with more than $500, 000 in cash and groceries. Lynch, like many of the other vendors, re-

because people paying stall rent, investing and then de stalls getting break and at the end of the day, no body ain’t got nutin to give you back. This is bad, they need to do better,” Lynch, who has been vending in the area for more than 15 years, lamented.

Despite the breakin, Lynch and his workers were determined to work, even as the City Constabulary conducted its investigation.

Missing children reunited with family members

J

ust five days after Lynette Thomas, a distraught grandmother, pleaded with the general public to assist in her search to locate her granddaughters, three of the four girls have been located and reunited with the family.

Thomas, who recently reported to this publication that her four granddaughters and daughter of Hyde Park, Timehri, East Bank Demerara, were missing, on Monday shared that the three older girls had returned home safely. Luana Higgins, nine; Leona Higgins, seven and Leanna Higgins, six, have reunited with the family while four-month-old Lisa Gocool is still missing.

Thomas said the three older girls were left with their mother’s friend in Unity, East Coast Demerara. She added that the friend shared that she was not aware that the children’s relatives were unaware of their location. The friend only realised what was going on when she saw media reports alleging that the children were missing. So she brought the children down to the Timehri Police Station, on Friday around 22:00h, where they were reunited with family.

The now grateful grandmother told Guyana Times that she had since spoken to her daughter and “let her know what she had to know”.

She disclosed that her daughter told her that she did not want anyone to know where she was going, as her

Duo remanded on drug trafficking charge

T

wo persons were on Monday remanded to prison by Magistrate Ann McLennan when they appeared before her in Court Two of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged with trafficking in narcotics.

Andre Sean Pilgrim, 43, a taxi driver of 83 Lamaha Street, Georgetown and Chrisell Browne, 26, a beautician of 32 Lamaha Park, Georgetown, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

It is alleged that on Friday, September 11 at Timehri Public Road, East Bank Demerara, the two were found in possession of 12.314 kilograms of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

Pilgrim was represented

by Attorney-at-Law Adrian Thompson and Browne was represented by Attorney-

Alleged drug trafficker, Chrisell Browne

at-Law Mark Waldron, who both stated that their clients have no previous or pending matters and requested the release of statements. turn to page 11

Uitvlugt schoolgirl struck down by Police car

A

Police Constable is now in hot water after he allegedly struck down a first form student of the Uitvlugt Secondary School, as she was using the pedestrian crossing in front of the school.

The 11-year-old student of Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara sustained lacerations to the forehead and left hand. The child was treated at the Leonora Cottage Hospital and sent away.

According to information received, the Constable was driving the vehicle assigned to D Division (West Demerara) Commander Steven Mansell at the time of the accident.

He was reportedly driving at a fast pace with the siren running.

Further, as he approached the pedestrian crossing, the

Constable reportedly overtook several vehicles resulting in the accident.

Divisional Commander Mansell, in a brief interview with Guyana Times, confirmed that the driver was under close arrest and would be charged shortly. The Commander stated that he would not condone such behaviour and the Police rank would face the full brunt of the law.

The official stated that there was no need for the driver to be speeding down the road, since he was not on an assignment but rather was returning from the fuel station.

Mansell stated that he has met with the relatives of the injured girl and offered his assistance, while noting that she was out of danger.

Canje cyclist struck down by Police car

P

From left: Luana, Leona and Leanna Higgins

reason for not leaving the children with relatives.

Thomas stated that her daughter was “running behind a man” and she was either in Cayenne, French Guiana or Suriname with the youngest, Lisa. Thomas said her daughter did not state the date of her return.

The three young ladies who are now under the care of their grandmother and aunt at Park Hyde have missed the first two weeks of school, but were

excited to return to classes today.

They each told Guyana Times that they were okay with their mother’s friend, but were happy to be back with family.

The grandmother also added that she was happy that three of her granddaughters were home, but was still worried about the youngest who remained with her mother in a foreign country. (jpinder@guyanatimesgy.com)

olice are investigating an accident involving a Police vehicle and a pedal cyclist in East Canje, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) on Monday morning.

Reports are the cyclist was on his way home about 06:50h when the accident occurred. Police sources said that they were awaiting statements before a release could be distributed.

The injured man, Deodat Ali, also called “Uncle Whistle”, told this publication that he did not know what happened. “I catch myself going in the hospital door; I start seeing dazed and then my eye start clearing up,” he said.

Ali was treated at the

New Amsterdam Hospital and sent away.

Eyewitnesses say the Police vehicle was travelling in its lane, but then suddenly swerved into Ali. According to them, the driver of the vehicle said he bent down to pick up a piece of wire while driving and when he realised he had swerved into the cyclist, it was too late.

The Police took Ali to the Hospital, but refused to allow cane harvesters who were in the vicinity to accompany the injured man to the Hospital.

Ali said he received injuries to his hip, knees, hand, head and eye. At the time of the accident, Ali was taking a pail of water home.

10

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, september 15, 2015

News Possible Govt-Opposition “national unity” discussions…

Nagamootoo’s Berbice gambit dismissed – Opposition Leader

O

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

pposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has once again reiterated his Party’s position as it relates to high-level proposals and discussions coming from or involving Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.

In a telephone interview with Guyana Times on Monday, Jagdeo stated that the Prime Minister sought to give the public the impression that the PPP/C members have become frustrated and were “on our knees begging” to participate in a national unity Government.

“It is the APNU/AFC’s proposal to us; it is not like

we have made an approach to them to have a national unity Government. When I had met with President [David] Granger, one of the items on the agenda was the national unity committee. Then Nagamootoo says in Whim to the people that they are inviting us to form a national unity Government which is very different than participating in a national unity committee,” said the former President.

He is of the view that when the Prime Minister visited Whim, Berbice and was met with a ‘bad reception’ from citizens, he

“wanted to say something to Berbicians”.

Jagdeo maintained that any talks of a national unity government would have to come from the Head of State of Guyana, David Granger.

The Opposition Leader elaborated once again that when he met the President recently, an agenda was presented to him which had five items listed. Of the five, Jagdeo committed to participating in the one which related to border issues, while the national unity committee was one of the four items remaining.

“I told the President about the need to have a more conducive atmosphere and that I think that they need to finish the era of campaigning because they are still in campaign mode before we talk about participation in this committee.

Shortly after Nagamootoo makes a statement in Berbice about a national unity Government and so I said that Nagamootoo does not have the authority to offer to us participation in a national unity Government.

He is neither Head of State nor the Head of Government

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

and I know he tends to be very loose with his language,” said Jagdeo.

According to the Opposition Leader, his response to the Prime Minister’s declaration will remain the same and un-

til he hears from President Granger himself that there is an offer for a national unity Government, he will not take whatever Prime Minister Nagamootoo has to say.

With regard to the claim

by the government official that if President Granger were to head the unity committee, the PPP/C, and Jagdeo in particular, would still have issues, the Opposition Leader stated that the issue was with the Prime Minister and not the President.

“If I hear from Granger, I will take it seriously. So what Nagamootoo is doing basically is he is dragging Granger in, I said I am not taking HIM seriously, not that I won’t take Granger seriously. So he wants to spread the criticism over to Granger because what I said is that the President is the Head of State and as the Head of Government, he has the authority to make that offer,” he proffered.

CCI launches “Adopt a Cause” School Programme

C

aribbean Container Inc (CCI) on Monday launched its “Adopt a Cause” School Programme at the company’s compound in Farm, East Bank Demerara.

CCI Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Patricia Bacchus told Guyana Times that from time to time, the group has been involved in more informal sessions with various schools, and the need developed to create a more structured way of delivering its message.

She added that CCI operated an integrated paper recycling and corrugated box manufacturing facility, and was a ‘green’ business operating in line with the concept of sustainable development, and from this concept, the “Adopt a Cause” Programme was launched.

In keeping with the nature of the company’s business and in recognising the cultural change necessary to effect good environmental practices, CCI has adopted the environment as its cause. It said that this cause was aimed at imparting environmental awareness and promoting environmental best practices and sustainable development in schools.

The scope of the company’s project includes schools within a two-mile radius of the office which will include the Providence Nursery School, Providence Primary School, Covent Garden Primary School and the Covent Garden Secondary School.

Under the project, CCI will provide waste receptacles suitable for use in the

CCI CEO Patricia Bacchus addressing the gathering at the launch of the new programme

classrooms and larger bins to be used in the schools’ compounds and provide photocopying services for the schools.

The organisation also plans to introduce an Environmental Champion Award. This award, which will take the form of a trophy and special prize, will be introduced at all three levels of schools (nursery, primary and secondary) and will be awarded to a student from the graduating class at the respective levels. The teachers will decide the recipient of the award based on agreed criteria: that person will generally be the student who has best demonstrated environmental awareness and environmentally friendly and sustainable practices.

In addition, CCI will also provide educational materials on environmentally friendly practices for all levels, including crafts, games and learning material specific to recycling and other environmentally friendly practices for students.

CCI pledged to facilitate tours for the fifth form students and shared that it would accommodate students for the viewing of environmental documentaries at the company’s training facility.

This project will cover the academic year 2015/2016 – August 2015 to June 2016 and will be renewable subject to the mutual agreement of CCI and the respective schools. (jpinder@ guyanatimesgy.com)

tuesday, september 15, 2015

guyanatimesgy.com

News

33-year-old needs urgent heart surgery

Govt to raise Bartica Hospital standards well-equipped but equally important staffed.

The five NICUs, which have been put in operation during the period 2012-2014, are operating at Georgetown Public Hospital, the Linden Hospital Complex, and the Suddie and New Amsterdam Hospitals.

Public Health Minister Dr Georgetown Norton

A

Orin Sutton

T

he assistance of the public is again being sought as relatives of a 33-year-old man attempts to raise $2 million for his surgery.

Denisha Sutton is pleading with the general public for monetary donations for her 33-year- old cousin, Orin Sutton who needs a heart valve replacement surgery at the Caribbean Heart Institute. The procedure will cost an estimated $2 million.

The father of three who has had a heart defect for most of his life only recently became aware of his condition.

His cousin shared that he took ill one day and family members rushed him to the Linden Hospital Complex, which referred him to the Georgetown Public Hospital. Denisha mentioned that they had waited for an entire day

and a night without any word from the hospital officials about her cousin’s condition. They then took him to the Woodlands Hospital, where they were referred to the Caribbean Heart Institute and they became aware of the severity of his condition and knew immediate help would be needed.

The young woman stated that they have been slowly trying to raise the funds for the surgery, but whenever he falls ill, they have to rush him back to the hospital which then “sucks up” the money.

The family says any form of assistance will be greatly appreciated, and those interested in making donations to the worthy cause can make contact with the relatives on telephone numbers 665-2613 or 665-6343 or donations can be made to Account 218824440 at Citizens Bank.

Duo remanded...

The two were arrested on Friday with a quantity of cocaine in milk packets and within the false walls of a suitcase after a tip was received by the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU). The latest interception strengthens international categorisation of Guyana as a transshipment point for drugs to the US and other northern locales. Browne was on her way to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) where she was due to board a Fly Jamaica flight destined for the John F Kennedy International Airport, New York. From all reports received, Browne, a frequent traveller, might have been under surveillance for some time. Meanwhile, the taxi driver is holding out that he was only hired to take Browne to the airport and

11

from page 9

Alleged drug trafficker, Andre Pilgrim

knew nothing of the cocaine.

Prosecutor Bharat Mangru requested additional time for the completion of the investigation. The matter was adjourned until October 9 for report and the duo was remanded to prison.

s the David Granger Administration puts the requisite systems in place to transform Bartica – the gateway into the interior – into a town, the Health Ministry is working assiduously to raise the standards of the Bartica Regional Hospital.

In recent years, the Bartica Regional Hospital has been highly criticised for the poor services offered to residents, some of whom may have died owing to negligence, poor management and even shortage of medication.

During a recent interview with Guyana Times, Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton disclosed his intention to enhance the standards of the health institution, starting with the installation of new management.

With new management in place, he said, some cases which were previously transferred to Georgetown Public Hospital are being attended to right at that regional facility, much to the satisfaction of residents.

Understanding the importance of reducing infant mortality in Guyana, Dr Norton said the Health Ministry has made a decision to install a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Hospital.

NICUs provide specialised care for premature babies (neonates) who are not fully developed and are unable to survive on their own without the assistance of monitoring equipment, incubators and breathing apparatus. The neonatal period in Guyana is considered to be from 28 weeks gestation to the first 28 days of life.

Acknowledging that the country is currently experiencing a shortage of specialised medical and nursing personnel to operate in the existing NICUs, Dr Norton said a special effort would be made to ensure that the NICU in Bartica was

The Bartica Regional Hospital

The NICU at the West Demerara Regional Hospital continues to experience operational difficulties owing to the lack of medical personnel to man the department.

It was in June 2015 that President David Granger set April 23, 2016 as the date by which

the mining community would gain township status. It is expected that Bartica will become the seventh town, complementing Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Rose Hall, Anna Regina and Corriverton. (smarshall@guyanatimesgy.com)

12 news

tuesday, september 15, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Govt mulls extension of gun amnesty programme He explained that gun amnesty programmes were not done often, but they were about giving members of the public who have unlicensed firearms the opportunity to turn them in. The Minister also warned that if they did not take advantage of the amnesty programme, they would face the consequences provided by law.

In most cases, the guns and ammunition collected during an amnesty Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

T

he ongoing gun amnesty programme which commenced on September 1 and concludes on the last day of the month can possibly be extended depending on the response from the public as they continue to surrender illegal firearms and ammunition.

This was according to Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, who was confident that persons would turn in unlicensed guns and ammunition as the amnesty period winds down. The Minister stated that so far, he was pleased with the response taking into consideration the number of guns and ammunition handed in. To date, 30 firearms and 1457 rounds of ammunition were collected at various Police Divisions across the country.

“All the guns and ammunition coming out in the hands of those who had them before and bringing them to the Police Station is indeed a big plus,” he posited.

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud

are destroyed, but Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud stated that once the ballistic experts give clearance that the guns were not used in any crime related activity, the Guyana Police Force can apply to the authorities to have them added to their stock.

“We will be advised by our ballistic experts and we will provide a report for consideration by our policy makers,” he added. Tests, he noted, have already begun on the weapons and to date, none were linked to

any crime.

The Police Chief explained that once a gun has been linked to an offence, the Police can and would reopen an investigation into the particular matter.

The Commissioner further stated that those who would have surrendered their illegal weapons during the amnesty programme will have absolute immunity. The immunity, however, only relates to possession of firearms, but not the crime it might have been involved in.

“If the firearm is linked to a particular crime is another story,” the Commissioner disclosed.

Upon the announcement of the amnesty programme, former Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee stated that the Government was wasting its time in this regard, as no success will be had from this crime fighting initiative.

Public Security Minister Ramjattan had stated that the Government would accept all illegal weapons from individuals who hand them in, adding that these individuals would not face prosecution.

While he had then said the Churches would be the depository for the weapons, this was changed to the Police Stations being the locations for the activity, with the faith-based organisations overseeing.

While he himself was a crusader for the initiative, Rohee said that international experience and advice from his consultants here have proven this idea to be troublesome.

Berbice water-taxi...

US$9M prime housing land still belongs to Sunset Lakes Inc – Director

D

irector of Sunset Lakes Inc, wellknown contractor Brian “BK” Tiwarie is contending that the accusation made by the Kaieteur Newspaper that 100 acres of prime land was sold for US$9 million by him was erroneous stating that “Sunset Lakes is still the owner” of the property in question.

In a letter to the Guyana Times on Monday, Tiwarie posited that he was presently in the process of constructing four houses, two of which were “almost complete”.

“I have also built a lot of internal roads. Work is proceeding slowly at the site because of certain constraints,” said the Director.

He explained that his absence at a meeting last week with Junior Communities Minister Keith Scott was not due to him being ‘disrespectful’ to the Government of the day.

“Please note that I received communication regarding a meeting at 16:30hrs from one of the office staff. I contacted my secretary and she said she was unaware of any such meeting. Nonetheless, I responded in writing to the Honourable Minister ex-

Sunset Lakes Inc Director Brian “BK” Tiwarie

pressing regrets immediately after seeing the press release,” he explained.

According to the Director, he advised in his letter to Minister Scott that he was ill. However, his company was represented by his partners of Sunset Lakes Inc. Guyana Times was also told by Tiwarie that he was neither ‘disrespectful’ to the subject Minister nor to any member of Government.

“I have always been very supportive of the present leadership even before the coalition formed the new Government of Guyana. It is my intention to continue to

work with the Government to initiate progress and development always. I hope that I have clarified the situation,” he added.

Reports made in the Kaieteur News were that many months after officially purchasing the housing land on the East Bank of Demerara, “a private developer last year turned around and sold it to a Chinese logging company”.

It was further stated that this Chinese company in turn, shortly after, unveiled an ambitious gated community behind the National Stadium in Providence, EBD. The media house went on to say that particulars of the sale of the 100acre plot by Sunset Lakes Inc to BaiShanLin Forest Development Inc “is not only raising eyebrows but has fallen under the radar of the new Administration”.

However, it should be noted that the newspaper in question did state that Tiwarie had requested another meeting with Minister Scott after being absent at the initial meeting. The Minister reportedly confirmed that the Director requested such. (kristenm@ guyanatimesgy.com)

75 tonnes of rice dispatched to storm-hit Dominica

S

ome $8 million worth of white rice amounting to 75 tonnes was dispatched to the storm-struck island of Dominica as aid relief for residents who are currently struggling to survive.

effort – a joint effort by the Private Sector and the State in responding to the needs of the Dominican people after their recent disaster. I think that this kind of collaboration between the Private Sector

land of Dominica was hit by Tropical Storm Erika in late August and was again struck by another storm, Tropical Storm Grace a few days ago.

More than 25 persons were reported to have died

from page 7

The system was not working perfectly fine with the people of Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

“There is the Vreed-enHoop Stelling and you have the Demerara Harbour Bridge and everything is fine,” he had told this newspaper in an invited comment on the issue.

Meanwhile, Minister Ferguson explained that the reason why the river taxis could not be implemented at this point was because the authorities are still trying to work on a pricing structure.

Previously, the Minister disclosed that the Government would heavily subsidise the cost for the elderly and schoolchildren utilising the river taxis.

“I had a meeting this morning (Monday) with a few Heads of Department… there are some little things we have to work out before the reintroduction of river taxis so…my estimation is that before the

month comes to an end, we should have river taxis in place,” Ferguson related.

The Minister had met with representatives from the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD); the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and the Education Ministry.

Furthermore, Ferguson said officials are considering having the transit points at the New Amsterdam Stelling and the Rosignol Stelling; however, the decision was yet to be finalised.

Another possibility, she explained, is to have the boats travel from New Amsterdam to Blairmont.

Thus far, there are four river taxi operators already onboard but for the initial stage, Government would be utilising only two.

“Based on discussion, it was suggested that two would be utilised for the moment and as traffic picks up, there would be need for the other speedboats,” she explained. Additionally, she pointed out that as time

progressed and the demand for the service increased, Private Sector operators can come onboard.

The decision to reintroduce river taxis was made following the impasse between Government and the Berbice Bridge Company Inc (BBCI) regarding the reduction in the bridge tolls.

The situation is that the Government wants to forge ahead with the reduction of the tolls via the provision of a subsidy to the Bridge Company; however, the Company is contending that a reduction in the current fare structure could plunge it into bankruptcy if Government failed to honour the Toll Formula which stipulates that the fares be increased periodically so the Bridge Company could meet its financial obligations.

Nonetheless, even as Government pushes for the river taxi services, it noted that it would continue negotiations with the Bridge Company with the aim of lowering the tolls.

The 75 tonnes of rice dispatched to storm-hit Dominica

Additionally, a 40-foot container of stock-feed is being shipped off to the country for the purpose of feeding the livestock there.

State Minister Joseph Harmon, who visited the Guyana National Industrial Company Incorporated (GNIC) Wharf on Monday, where the shipment of rice was being loaded onto the vessel, expressed his delight over the joint effort between the Public Sector and the Private Sector in helping the country in need.

“On behalf of the Government of Guyana, we are very pleased with this

and State Sector is important to demonstrate to the rest of the world that Guyana is a state to respond when there is a need,” he stated.

Harmon pointed out that the initial target was 25 tonnes; however, owing to the overwhelming support, Guyana succeeded in tripling that amount. On that note, Harmon encouraged persons to support the effort.

“If there are other persons who want to make similar contributions, they can make contact with Civil Defence Commission (CDC) who is the coordinating body,” he said.

The eastern Caribbean is-

as a result of the storms while hundreds are said to be homeless.

Earlier in September, Guyana’s Private Sector donated medical and pharmaceutical supplies, cleaning items, generators and an undisclosed quantity of cash to Dominica.

Some of the donors included NEW GPC INC; Gaico Construction and General Services Inc; International Pharmaceutical Agency (IPA); National Hardware Limited; Demerara Tobacco Company (DEMTOCO) and CAMEX Ltd. (devinas@guyanatimesgy.com)

13 Kartabo, Itaballi villages soon to benefit from potable water supply R news

tuesday, september 15, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

esidents of Kartabo and Itaballi should be accessing potable water before the end of the year. This is being made possible under a project funded by the Caribbean Development Bank and implemented through the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF), the Project Implementation

village.

“The pump will be powered by solar. The pump will send water to the storage, then by gravity feed. We will have about five standpipes at strategic points in the areas so residents can benefit,” Singh explained.

It is expected that Government buildings,

He further explained that in this Seventh Cycle of the BNTF, there are 18 water supply projects that will be executed countrywide targeting Regions Two (PomeroonSupenaam), Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

The funds are already com-

idents to have safe water to drink,” Singh said.

Operations Officer of the CDB and Supervisor of the BNTF Guyana Project, Karl Pivot explained that the BNTF programme was targeted at poverty reduction. “We go in the communities, identify where the poverty is, the most needy and

ensure that projects were delivered on time, the designs were as approved and the funds were being spent as agreed.

While in Guyana Pivot will be making random visits to various project sites to ensure they are progressing as planned, after which, he will report on their status to the

million) which will allow more projects to be done.

The Trust Fund of the CDB has the following countries as beneficiaries for the programme: Belize, Dominica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat and Turks and

Guyana started benefiting from the BNTF programme during its Third Cycle in 1993 and saw a number of projects in the education, water, and health sectors being implemented

Unit of the Finance Ministry.

BNTF Project Manager Michael Singh, in an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), indicated that the projects were approved by the CDB and were in their final stages. He said that the projects entailed the digging of a 200-foot shallow well and installation of overhead storage and a photovoltaic system that would be linked to a submersible pump at each

such as the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and Regional Democratic Council (RDC) offices, health centres and schools will have direct connections to the water supply.

“These villages were selected as a result of our needs assessment, where we collaborate with the Guyana Water Inc. They had identified these two areas as areas urgently in need of this intervention,” Singh explained.

mitted for the implementation of these projects.

“We also have attached to the sub-project infrastructure, training in water and sanitation, where we partner with the Guyana Water Inc. and the Environmental Protection Agency, to teach about safe water, the treatment of the water. We also left a chlorination kit with the communities so they will be able to know how to treat water with chlorine, for res-

we put intervention in those communities, to ensure that the beneficiaries of those interventions, their lives are changed,” Pivot said.

Monitoring

Pivot and a team were returning from Kartabo and Itaballi, where they had visited to monitor implementation of the water projects, when he spoke with GINA. According to Pivot, the purpose of his visit was to

CDB. “This programme is a grant programme, they are contributors who use taxpayers’ money to provide this funding, so we have to ensure that taxpayers’ money is spent, and there are positive outcomes from them,” Pivot said.

He added that negotiations will commence early in 2016, for the Ninth Cycle of the BNTF, and it is hoped that the cycle will receive a similar allocation (US$46

Caicos Islands.

Guyana started benefiting from this programme during its Third Cycle in 1993 and saw a number of projects in the education, water, and health sectors being implemented. The Lethem and Mabaruma Hospitals, Diamond Nursery School, Number 77 Nursery School and Ithaca Nursery Schools were some of the projects undertaken over the years.

Govt tells Judiciary how to deal with gun crime – Nandlall slams PM’s directive

T

he newly-appointed A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition Government is being accused of attempting to subvert and undermine the independence of the country’s judiciary when Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo on Monday appeared to be giving orders to that branch of Government on how it should execute its mandate with respect to dealing with gun crimes.

Nagamootoo on Monday at the Criminal Investigations Department, Police Headquarters, Eve Leary instructed the magistracy and the judiciary to take note of the prevalence of crime involving the use of firearms, adding that there should be no discretion in imposing sentences in the law for illegal possession of firearm. “…There should be no discretion in imposing sentences under the law for illegal possession of firearm. As a judicial officer myself, I am of the view that our Courts must review granting of bail involving repeat offenders arraigned for illegal possession of firearm or the use of firearm in the execution of robberies,” the PM said.

He was at the time speaking at an inspection exercise of the guns and ammunition that have been surrendered under the ongoing amnesty programme which comes to an end on September 30.

Nagamootoo also stated that the

which is an indication that most Guyanese are cognisant of being lawful. However, he admitted that there was still some distance to go.

As such, he pledged his support and that of the Government of Guyana to the initiative and again encouraged those with illegal firearms in their possession to turn them in. In closing, he commended the Subject Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, the Police Commissioner, the Guyana Police Force and members of the civil society for the work that has been done so far, specifically with regard to the firearms amnesty and the fight on crime.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

Police will deal condignly with persons who are found to be in possession of illegal weapons after the amnesty programme would have come to an end.

Nagamootoo also stated that the law was very stiff, since it has been amended to prosecute anyone found with an illegal firearm. He noted that the penalty was about three to five years’ imprisonment.

This, he admitted, might be preventing people from handing in the illegal weapons, but he iterated that the amnesty program was in place to address the issue.

“I believe that we have to look at the amnesty in its merit and not to try to read into it that it is some

escape valve for people who had committed a crime,” he stated.

The amnesty programme, he explained, opens the door to those with illegal firearms to come forward and surrender their weapons during the days that are left. He pleaded with family members to encourage those in the household with illegal weapons to surrender them.

“We all have the common duty to make our homes, our streets and our country safer,” the Prime Minister stated.

The amnesty programme, he added, has proven positive since 30 firearms and 1457 rounds of ammunition were surrendered

Should withdraw unfortunate statements

But former Attorney General Anil Nandlall emphatically stated that as long as Nagamootoo holds the office of Prime Minister or continues to be a Member of the Executive Branch of Government, he could not lawfully and properly attempt to influence, or worse yet, dictate how discretion was to be exercised by the judiciary.

This, he noted, is tantamount to judicial interference and is a violation of the doctrine of separation of powers.

“Parliament may remove the discretion, if it wishes, but so long as it is a discretion, the judiciary enjoys the independence to exercise it without any form of political censure or interference,” Nandlall

stated.

He further stated that those who are dissatisfied with the manner in which it is exercised are free to challenge it by appeal and other legal processes.

In light of the comments, the former Attorney General called on the Prime Minister to publicly withdraw his unfortunate remarks forthwith and apologise for making them in the first place as far as the magistracy and judiciary are concerned.

Less than two weeks ago, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) lashed out at Nagamootoo as he attempted to sit in the National Assembly while performing the duties of President. Again, Nandlall objected to the development, stating that the Constitution states that the Parliament shall consist of the National Assembly and the President.

At the time, Nandlall pointed out that “What is upstairs there is the National Assembly. The President cannot be there at the same time; you will have a constitutional collision”.

In another incident, Nagamootoo had attempted to suppress the democracy of the media following a headline in the Stateowned Chronicle newspaper that he was not too pleased with.

As a result, he had had reasons to discipline the reporter who wrote the story. The editor of the day was subsequently demoted.

14

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

Regional

Ecuador extradites Cuba pardons thousands of prisoners, detain activists ahead of Pope Francis visit Peruvian “drug lord”

O

n the occasion of the visit by Pope Francis, the Cuban Council of State has agreed to pardon 3522 prisoners, Granma newspaper reported on Friday.

The article explained that the decision considered the nature of their crimes, the inmates’ behaviour in prison, their prison terms and health reasons.

Among those to be released from jail are persons over 60 years of age, youngsters below 20 years with no other criminal record, persons with chronic diseases, women and some who are close to their eligibility for parole in 2016, as well as others who are serving their terms while working in open facilities, and foreigners whose country of origin guarantees their repatriation.

The article noted that with, very few exceptions, those imprisoned for murder, homicide, rape, corruption of minors, theft, drug

Gerald Oropeza

E

Most of the activists were members of the predominantly Catholic dissident group, Ladies in White

trafficking, robbery or violence and intimidation were not included nor those imprisoned for crimes against the security of the state.

The decision will be implemented in 72 hours after the announcement and, in the case of the foreigners, the Foreign Ministry will coordinate with corresponding

embassies in Cuba the steps to be taken for the repatriation of their citizens who benefited from the action.

Meanwhile, Cuban Police have detained more than 50 people who took part in a march calling on the island’s Communist Government to release political prisoners.

The detentions come

less than a week before the Pope’s visit.

Most of the activists were members of the predominantly Catholic dissident group, Ladies in White.

They walked through the streets of Havana holding up pictures of political prisoners, before they were rounded up by Police. (Excerpts

from BBC News and Caribbean News Now)

cuador has extradited a Peruvian man who is accused of being one of Peru’s most powerful drug dealers.

Gerald Oropeza had been on the run for five months when Police detained him in the Ecuadorean beach resort of Salinas at the weekend.

He is suspected of smuggling large amounts of the drug in containers from Peru to Europe.

In 2013, Peru overtook Colombia as the largest producer of cocaine in the world, according to the United Nations.

Heavy security surrounded his transfer to Peru, with Oropeza wearing a bullet-proof vest and a helmet.

As well as drug trafficking, he is being investigated for murder.

Peruvian Interior Minister Jose Luis Perez

Guadalupe said Police had traced Oropeza to Salinas and arrested him with the help of their Ecuadorean colleagues on Saturday.

Oropeza, who was taking a stroll along the beach in flip flops and shorts, did not offer resistance.

Police had become suspicious of Oropeza after he was attacked by gunmen believed to belong to a rival gang.

The assailants threw grenades at his Porsche on April 1.

Oropeza managed to escape the heavy gunfire which followed the grenade attack.

His lavish lifestyle and love of luxury cars and beautiful models prompted Peruvian media to call Oropeza “Tony Montana” after the drug-dealing character in the film “Scarface”. (BBC News)

Barbados yet to pay Shanique Myrie UN chief offers ‘good offices’ support lawyers; Myrie officially enters politics in Colombia-Venezuela border dispute

U

T

he lawyers who represented Jamaican Shanique Myrie in her case against the Barbados Government are yet to be paid, almost two years after the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruled in her favour, according to the Jamaica Observer.

While Myrie received about US$38,000 as ordered – though not until eight months after the Trinidadbased court made the historic judgment – the newspaper reported that the lawyers have not received a cent, neither do they know when they will be paid.

According to the report, this is although invoices and receipts for the legal costs were submitted to the CCJ and the Government of Barbados.

Myrie successfully challenged the Barbados Government after being denied entry into the island on March 14, 2011.

She had alleged that when she travelled to the island she was subjected to a body cavity search, de-

Shanique Myrie (right) with one of her lawyers Michelle Brown when the hearings were held in Barbados in 2013 (Barbados Today photo)

tained overnight in a cell and deported to Jamaica the following day. Myrie also claimed that she was subjected to derogatory remarks by a Barbadian Immigration Officer.

The CCJ ruled in October 2013 that Barbados had breached the rights of the Jamaican national, afforded under Article 5 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, by denying her entry, and therefore or-

dered that she be paid damages.

Meantime, Myrie is pushing forward with a political career.

She has been given the nod by the ruling People’s National Party (PNP) to represent the Olympic Gardens Division in St Andrew – currently represented by the Jamaica Labour Party’s Christopher Townsend – in the next Local Government Elections. (Excerpt from Caribbean360.com)

nited Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has conveyed to the Foreign Ministers of Colombia and Venezuela that he “trusted” their countries would address the border challenges they faced through constructive dialogue, and offered his “good offices” mediation services if both parties so requested.

Ban met on Friday at UN Headquarters with Delcy Rodríguez, Foreign Minister of Venezuela. This followed his meeting with Maria Ángela Holguín, Foreign Minister of Colombia, on September 8.

During the meetings, the UN chief took note of the Foreign Ministers’ views regarding the situation along the Colombia-Venezuela border and conveyed that he is following the situation with concern.

“The Secretary General conveyed to the two Foreign Ministers that he trusted both countries would address border challenges through constructive dia-

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon

logue,” UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters. “He offered his good offices if both countries so requested.”

The good offices and mediation roles of the Secretary General in the prevention and the peaceful settlement of disputes derive from the UN Charter and have been

developed through extensive practice. These roles can be set in motion at the Secretary General’s own initiative, in response to a request from one or more of the parties to a dispute, or as a result of a request from the Security Council or the General Assembly. (Caribbean News

Now)

Florida couple charged with operating sex tourism business in Dominican Republic

A

n American couple accused of running a sex tourism operation in the Dominican Republic has been charged with promoting prostitution.

Jennifer and Alfred Cotten, of Fort Myers, Florida, were arrested after a 10-month investigation into their company,

Tropical Adult Vacations, according to the Dominican Today.

The Cottens, who first caught the eye of authorities in New York when officials noticed some suspect bank transactions, allegedly managed women who were sold for sex between July 2011 and August 2015.

The website for Tropical

Adult Vacations promises the “best erotic dominican republic adult sex vacation”. The business calls itself a “reputable adult sex resort”, news-press.com reported.

At the arraignment in Manhattan Supreme Court, Assistant District Attorney James Lynch said the accused were living in

Florida and advertised all over the country, including Manhattan.

Calls and money transfers related to the business occurred in the city, although the husband and wife were based at their Florida home, prosecutors said.

They dealt in email and phone inquiries and ad-

vertised on Backpage.com, Lynch said, adding that authorities had a recording of a controlled call in which the pair discussed options for a bachelor party.

The New York Daily News reports that when a search warrant was conducted at the couple’s home, investigators found 55 pounds of gold and sil-

ver coins, thousands in cash – including Dominican currency — and a .38-caliber Colt automatic.

Lynch told the court that customers of the Cottens would be met at the airport in the Dominican Republic by a company employee named Paco. (Excerpt from Caribbean360.com)

tuesday, september 15, 2015

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the world

El Niño set to be Australian PM Tony Abbott ousted A strongest ever T

he developing El Niño is stronger than the last major event of its type in 1997.

According to the United States National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the United Kingdom Met Office, this El Niño is shaping up to be the strongest since records began in 1950.

El Niño is a natural phenomenon which occurs every two to seven years and lasts between six and 18 months.

It manifests as a warming of the surface waters of the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. The current El Niño is so strong that in some areas sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are more than two degrees Celsius above the long-term average.

Aside from the devastating effect that El Niño has on the Peruvian fishing industry, the real significance lies in the change in weath-

Severe weather conditions have been experienced around the Asia-Pacific region

er patterns that it produces around the globe.

In the Pacific, the warmer waters in the eastern part of the ocean have spawned more typhoons, super typhoons and hurricanes than usual, with the tracks of those storm systems also being altered considerably.

Severe weather conditions have been experienced around the Asia-Pacific region.

Changes in the weather around the Pacific re-

gion are hardly surprising, but almost every continent is impacted by a strong El Niño.

In Australia, many parts of the country have had an exceptionally hot summer with temperatures regularly exceeding 40C. In South America’s Atacama Desert, one of the driest regions on Earth, the heaviest rain in 80 years resulted in severe flooding and the deaths of more than 20 people. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

ustralia is to have a new Prime Minister after Tony Abbott was ousted as leader of the centre-right Liberal Party

by Malcolm Turnbull.

In the dramatic latenight party leadership ballot, Abbott, who had been plagued by poor opinion polls, received 44 votes to Turnbull’s 54.

Turnbull said he assumed that Parliament would serve its full term, implying no snap general election.

The new leader will be Australia’s fourth Prime Minister since 2013.

The Prime Ministerelect is expected to be sworn in after Abbott writes

to Australia’s Governor General and resigns.

Earlier on Monday, Abbott had dismissed rumours of a leadership challenge as “Canberra gossip” – only to be voted out by his fellow Liberal Members of Parliament.

They also voted for Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to remain deputy leader of the party.

Speaking after the result was announced, Turnbull praised his predecessor for his “formidable achievements” as Prime Minister.

The new party leader said Australia needed to have “the economic vision, a leadership that explains the

great challenges and opportunities we face”.

He said he would lead “a thoroughly Liberal Government, committed to freedom, the individual and the market”.

Ahead of the vote, Turnbull had said if Abbott remained as leader, the coalition government would lose the next election, which is likely to take place next year.

He said he had not taken the decision to launch a leadership challenge lightly, but that it was “clear enough that the Government is not successful in providing the economic leadership that we need”. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Border-free Europe unravels as migrant crisis hits record day

Gujarat ranked best Indian state for business by World Bank

G

ujarat, the state Prime Minister Narendra Modi ran for more than a decade, is India’s best place for conducting business, the World Bank said on Monday, in a report that ranks the country’s states in an effort to encourage them to cut red tape.

The report, prepared with support from KPMG on the request of the Modi Government, gains importance by coming before the World Bank’s annual Doing Business report, which ranks nations and is expected to be released next month.

Since taking charge in May 2014, Modi has set an ambitious target of improving by 2017 India’s national ranking from a woeful 142 of 189, below Pakistan and

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Iran, to the top 50.

Last year, India slipped two spots in the report, and was ranked lower than Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa – mainly because of delays in approvals for starting a business, tax payments, getting bank loans and property registration.

“The growth of business in India requires concerted

action on several fronts – infrastructure, capital markets, trade facilitation and skills,” said Onno Ruhul, the World Bank’s India director. “The stark reality is that India remains a difficult place to work, do business.”

Monday’s report suggested that such steps as offering single-window clearances for administrative approvals, if followed by all states, could improve India’s global ranking.

It said that states — including the top five, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh — had implemented reforms in online tax payments, construction, permits, electricity connections and environmental clearances in a specified time. (Excerpt from Indian Express)

T

Thousands of migrants have entered Europe on a daily basis

wo decades of frontier-free travel across Europe unravelled on Monday as countries reestablished border controls in the face of an unprecedented influx of migrants, which broke the record for the most arrivals by land in a single day.

Germany’s surprise decision to restore border controls on Sunday had a swift domino effect, prompting neighbours to impose checks at their own frontiers as thousands of refugees pressed north and west across the continent, while European Union Ministers argued in Brussels over how to share the burden.

Austria said it would dis-

patch its military to help the Police carry out checks at the border with Hungary after thousands of migrants crossed on foot overnight, filling up emergency accommodation nearby, including tents at the frontier.

Thousands more raced across the Balkans to enter Hungary before new rules take effect on Tuesday, which Budapest’s rightwing Government says will bring a halt to the illegal flow of migrants across its territory.

By 1400 GMT on Monday, Police said 7437 migrants had been recorded entering Hungary from Serbia, beating the previous day’s record of 5809.

Then a line of Hungarian Police in helmets blocked off the main informal crossing point. Backed by mounted Police and soldiers with a helicopter circling overhead, dozens of officers took up positions on a railway track used by migrants to enter the EU’s Schengen zone of border-free travel.

Slovakia said it would now impose controls on its borders with Hungary and Austria. The Netherlands announced it would make spot checks at its borders.

Other EU countries, ranging from Sweden to Poland, said they were monitoring the situation to decide whether controls were needed. (Excerpt

from Reuters)

Chinese shares fall sharply as economic data undermines mood Egyptian security forces kill 12 in tourist convoy

M

ainland Chinese shares fell on Monday after economic data released on Sunday underlined fears growth is slackening.

Growth in both fixed-asset investment, up 10.9 per cent in August from a year ago, and factory output, at 6.1 per cent, came in below expectations.

The Shanghai Composite index closed down 2.67 per cent at 3114.80, although Hong Kong’s Hang Seng closed up 0.27 per cent at 21,561.90.

The Shanghai index has lost nearly 40 per cent since its peak in mid-June.

Shares of four of China’s largest brokerages tumbled as much as seven per cent following news of fines and penalties from the securities regulator for failing to conduct proper checks on clients.

The four were fined 178.5 million yuan (US$28 million) and had 62.4 million yuan of profits confiscated, according to the securities filings by the companies.

Regulators have been

cracking down on trading firms to stem the volatility that has rocked the markets for the past few months.

The rest of Asian shares traded mixed, despite Friday’s positive finish on Wall Street, with investors cautious in advance of the Federal Reserve meeting this week.

All eyes are on the US policy meeting, which ends with a decision on Thursday on whether to raise interest rates for the first time in almost a decade. (Excerpt from BBC News)

E

gyptian security forces have killed 12 people, including Mexican tourists, after mistakenly targeting their convoy while pursuing fighters in the country’s Western Desert.

A joint Police and military operation on Sunday “chasing terrorist elements” in Al Wahat “mistakenly” targeted four pick-up trucks carrying Mexican tourists, the Interior Ministry said in a statement (Arabic).

There were conflicting

reports about the number of Mexicans killed.

Egyptian security forces said eight Mexicans were killed; however, the Mexican Foreign Ministry has so far confirmed that at least two of the dead were Mexican nationals.

The vast Al Wahat district has become a hideout for armed groups. The Mexican Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the victims were still being identified, and Ministry person-

nel were working with the families of the victims.

Al Jazeera’s John Holman, reporting from Oaxaca in Mexico, said that the Mexican Government demanded a thorough investigation into the incident.

“President Enrique Pena Nieto on Twitter condemned the incident. He also said that he is adding to the diplomatic personnel in Egypt to attend to the people that have been injured.” (Excerpt from

Al Jazeera)

16 News

tuesday, september 15, 2015| guyanatimesGY.com

Forensic audit holds up Canada to help boost justice system resumption of scrap metal trade L

T

he ongoing forensic audit into the operations of the Scrap Metal Unit which began almost two months ago has not yet been completed resulting in the hold-up of scrap metal trade.

This is according to Junior Communities Minister Keith Scott, who told Guyana Times that the scrap metal trade will only continue once the audits are completed. “Scrap metal trade in Guyana will not resume until I have a copy of the auditor’s report on my desk”.

He said at that point he would convene a meeting and come up with a way forward for the Unit.

The Minister stated that if someone was found to be not guilty of illegal trading, they would be allowed to resume their operations, while the others would be dealt with accordingly.

The Minister noted he was as anxious as “every other innocent person for trade to resume”, but added that he would not compromise the investigations, as it was in the hands of the auditors.

“If I am to resume that [the trade], I might very well be accused of allowing guilty people to gain under the guise of innocence,” the Minister explained. “I will not do that.”

When asked about the innocent persons who depend on the scrap metal trade for their livelihood and were now at a loss about what to do, Scott stated that it was not a matter of a person’s livelihood, as

Junior Communities Minister Keith Scott

he cannot decide who is innocent or guilty.

He stated that they have proven that corruption existed within the unit and they are working to eradicate the dishonesty.

Scott stated that he was going to allow the investigation to conclude without political interference. He reiterated that a way forward will only be dealt with after the report has been completed.

Minister Scott, some two months ago, announced that a forensic audit into the operations of the Scrap Metal Unit and its bank account would commence, citing irregularities in the Unit’s operations and finances.

In previous reports, Scott stated that he could not determine the length of the auditing process into the Scrap Metal Unit and the Housing Ministry as members of the respective entities must answer questions about funds and other irregularities presented

by the auditors before the trade can resume.

“I found it weird that the former Cabinet removed the Scrap Metal Unit from another Ministry and placed it, under strange circumstances, under the authority of the Minister and one other person.

We are investigating this and a number of other things that appear irregular like the operations of the bank account. We are talking about a very large sum of the taxpayers’ monies,” Scott reportedly said.

Former Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali had told this publication that the Unit was transferred from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Commerce to the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) for better management.

“Both sectors had one Minister, the Scrap Metal Unit and the Enforcement Unit of the CHPA were both viewed as having the capacity that can be interdependent in order to police the system.

“You may recall that one time there was tremendous vandalism of property, even phone lines and so on as it related to the scrap metal trade, so an enforcement arm became necessary for the Scrap Metal Unit,” Ali said.

Therefore, instead of establishing another enforcement arm, the Minister decided to bring the Unit under the Housing Ministry for more integration. (jpinder@guyanatimesgy.com)

egal Affairs Minister and Attorney General Basil Williams has met with a team from the Vancouver-based Justice Education Society (JES) to discuss the two-year Government of Canada funded “Strengthening the Guyanese Criminal Justice System” (SGCJS) project.

The Minister pointed out that the discussions were centred on the com-

noted, “We have identified with the components in the programme that is being administered by the Justice Education Society and we believe it’s very relevant due to complaints such as lawyers taking advantage of Police Prosecutors.”

JES International Programme Manager Evelyn Neaman said that activities would be commencing as early as next

Georgetown, it can create a ripple effect throughout the country, and in so doing, strengthen the justice system in its entirety. The International Programme Manger also pointed out that the media would play a vital role. She said, “There is a documentary for public viewing which will bring about greater awareness on the project and what it hopes to achieve, so the pub-

Members of the JES group, Canadian High Commission officials and Attorney General Basil Williams meeting

ponents of the Crime Scene Investigations and investigations by the Police in connection with obtaining evidence for a successful prosecution by the courts.

In addition, the Minister alluded to the critical fact that training must be given to Magistrates and State Prosecutors as well as Police Prosecutors.

The Attorney General

month, providing the necessary training supplies and equipment arrive in a timely manner. The range of the activities include: working with the Director of Public Prosecutions; helping the Police Prosecutors and providing the requisite training for Magistrates.

Neaman is of the opinion that when the strong candidates can be trained from

lic can better understand what this project is so we can build better confidence in the justice system.”

Similar projects of this nature have been conducted by the Justice Education Society. The Canadian NonGovernmental Organisation is set to invest US$750,000 for the development of Guyana’s Legal system.

Experts analyse contribution of fiscal policies to combating climate change

T

he use of diverse economic and fiscal instruments such as green taxes, subsidies, charges for waste disposal and emissions certificates to coordinate development objectives with the fight against climate change impacts in the region were the topics addressed during an international seminar recently held at the headquarters of ECLAC in Santiago, Chile.

Experts and academics from numerous countries attended the gathering on Climate Change and Environmental Taxation in Latin America and the Caribbean, organised by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in conjunction with German cooperation.

The seminar was inaugurated by Jürgen Klenk, the main adviser to the ECLAC-BMZ/ GIZ Cooperation Programme, and Joseluis Samaniego, Director of ECLAC’s Sustainable Development and Human Settlements Division.

In his welcome remarks, Jürgen Klenk emphasized that the State has various instruments to correct the negative environmental impacts stemming from

economic development, which makes the link between fiscal policy and climate change ever more relevant.

“The inclusion of fiscal tools in environmental policy is an issue that is already present in the pub-

opment,” Klenk said.

Meanwhile, Joseluis Samaniego underscored the need to find points in common between taxation and environmental policies. He said this explains the relevance of meetings such as this

“We must advance towards the key provision of public goods for countries, which are the paths of action in the face of climate change-related losses (…) For example, strengthening public services is crucial. Managing water

The next two years could be the hottest on record globally, says research from the UK’s Met Office, as the El Niño phenomenon, which sees surface waters warm dramatically in the eastern Pacific, is set to be the worst known

lic discussion, but it is a continuous process and requires a constant effort in order to contribute to sustainable and inclusive devel-

one, where participants can share experiences, debate cases and reflect upon the direction that development should take.

and solid waste well and bolstering public transportation are mitigation policies that have high levels of social inclusion,” said

Samaniego, who added that it is also important to identify inclusive options for adaptation measures.

At the seminar on Monday, September 7 experts discussed the use of economic and fiscal instruments to achieve compliance with the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) that each country must present with a view to the agreement expected to be reached during the Conference of the Parties (COP21) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which will take place in Paris in December.

In addition, along with presenting experiences regarding the application of these tools in the Region’s countries, officials launched the Climate Change, Environmental Taxation and Economic Instruments Network, the objective of which is to establish a mechanism of constant contact between specialists to exchange information on these practices and other environmental challenges.

The Climate Change and Environmental Taxation international seminar was part of a series of activities organised by ECLAC during the week of September 7-11 to reflect upon climate change.

17

news

tuesday, september 15, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Body of missing Kaieteur Foreign investment will boost tourist to be transported value-added production locally

T

he body of Gyaneshwarie Laleta Sivinand who went missing at the Kaieteur National Park has finally been spotted by a park ranger and secured by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) on Monday. It is expected that the body will be transported by plane from the location to Georgetown for a post-mortem.

According to a press release from the Ministry of the Presidency, the body of the woman was found in a rocky area at the base of the Falls, which had previously been submerged because of high water levels.

Guyana Times understands that once the woman’s body is elevated to the area at the top of the Falls today, it will be transported.

Meanwhile, the Park remained closed for the completion of the recovery operation and it is expected

Gyaneshwarie Laleta Sivinand

to re-open by Wednesday, September 16, 2015.

“Late in the afternoon of Tuesday, September 1, it was discovered that a tourist, who arrived on an Air Services Limited flight for a

tour of the Park, was missing after she left the group she had arrived with on the way back from the Falls. A search operation was immediately launched by KNP rangers. An expanded search was later led by the GDF and the Guyana Police Force (GPF), focusing on the base of the Falls and the surrounding gorge and trails, but no trace of the woman was found at that time..... The Ministry of the Presidency expresses sympathy to the family of the tourist during this difficult time,” the press release stated.

According to reports, the woman was discovered missing She was last seen making her way back to the airstrip when it was time for all tourists to return to the plane which was heading back to Georgetown after the completion of the tour.

Major crop losses in Central America due to El Niño

P

rolonged dry weather associated with the El Niño phenomenon has severely reduced this year’s cereal outputs in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, putting a large numbers of farmers in need of agricultural assistance as the subregion tries to recover amidst ongoing dryness. This was according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on Monday.

This is the second consecutive year that the region’s main season cereal harvest has been negatively affected by severe dry weather related to El Niño.

The Central American Agricultural Council – headed by Agriculture Ministers of the subregion – has declared a state of alert after hundreds of thousands of subsistence farmers have suffered the partial or total loss of their crops planted for the main grain season that runs from May to September.

Early estimates from Central America’s main de prima harvest suggest declines of as much as 60 per cent of maize and 80 per cent of beans due to dry weather caused by El Niño, a weather phenomenon characterised by abnormal warming of surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

El Niño-related dry spells are known to delay planting, reduce planting areas and stifle crop development.

Recovering as dry weather continues With hundreds of thousands of families affected by severe food losses, the Governments of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua have begun distributing agricultural aid packages, including seeds, fertilisers and irrigation pumps, to help farmers recover as much as possible in the

second planting season, now under way.

Three out of the four countries have also begun distributing direct food aid to help families cope with severe food shortages.

“This year’s El Niño’s impacts are even more intense than last’s. After two years of intensifying dry weather,

El Salvador is one of the countries in Central America most affected by this year’s El Niñorelated dry weather, which caused strong reductions in its maize harvest.

it’s critical that we support farmers to recuperate some of their losses by helping them achieve stronger yields in the second season,” says Felix Baquedano, Economist in FAO’s Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS) unit covering Latin America.

Those farmers now planting second season crops, meanwhile, are doing so under exceptionally dry conditions.

With near certainty that El Niño conditions will continue into early 2016, second season output will likely also be limited by severe dry weather.

Losses At an estimated three million tonnes across the subregion, this year’s maize harvest is expected to be far be-

low average and some eight percent below last year’s already compromised harvest.

Production declines are expected to be particularly sharp in El Salvador and Honduras, which both saw 60 per cent of their maize crops destroyed by the irregular rainfall earlier this year.

In El Salvador alone, losses are estimated at US$28 million in seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and land preparation.

Honduras additionally saw 80 per cent of its beans perish.

Countries across the subregion have increased imports of staple foods from other parts of Latin America to increase availability of food and keep prices stable.

In El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, maize prices have remained significantly above last year’s level – with increases of as much as 20 percent in Honduras.

Guatemala is the only country in the dry corridor that has managed to bring prices down from August last year thanks to imports from Mexico and improved supplies from the ongoing 2015 main harvest.

In Guatemala, where crop losses have triggered food distributions to some 110,000 families, FAO is supporting the Government in building early warning systems and developing management plans, as well as in making seeds and training available to farmers to increase the country’s resilience against the effects of El Niño.

FAO is further mobilising resources to provide direct assistance to production and to support food and nutrition monitoring systems in Honduras, while continuing to support the government of El Salvador in its long-term strategy to adapt local agriculture to the effects of climate change.

W

ith the increase of foreign investment in Guyana there will be a much higher rate of employment opportunities, skills training programmes and even training in some of the most updated, foreign technology.

This is according to Governance Minister Raphael Trotman, who in a telephone interview with Guyana Times on Sunday, stated that the Administration welcomes foreign investors and investments in the country.

He explained that while Guyana has the potential to be placed on the map for its production of natural resources, much more can be achieved if the country can have more ‘value added production.’

Guyana Times was told that it is a well-known fact that Guyana has a lot of forestry in terms of trees and timber. Ff the country were to process this on a large scale for exportation this would definitely boost its portfolio and bring in more revenue.

Once this becomes a reality Guyana would be able

Governance Minister Raphael Trotman

to assist other countries with value added products (wood) in times of need, such as countries like Dominica which was hard-hit by the Tropical Storm Erika.

Minister Trotman further stated that with the arrival of more foreign investors locally, there will be the transfer of skills and this would in turn result in more Guyanese citizens having the opportunity to become more skilled in a number of areas.

“Persons will be able to receive training in some of the latest types of technology. Having more value-added production in the country

will also create more job opportunities and allow persons to develop their skills,” he told this publication.

The Government official referred to the Barama Company, which has been operating in Guyana for almost a quarter of a century. He posited that the Government has always maintained good relations with Barama during the past 25 years and that he recently met with relevant authorities of the company to discuss changes.

“The end of the 25-year agreement with Barama is October 2015 and instead of waiting for this agreement to expire I met with representatives and we reviewed what has worked over the years and what did not. I went on the ground and saw for myself and the agreement with Barama and the government is a strong one, we want to see more value added production in Guyana. Barama will also work to improve their brand and we expect to renew their agreement but with some new conditions,” he added. (kristenm@guyanatimesgy.com)

Brazil cuts spending and raises taxes

T

he Brazilian Government has announced a US$7 billion package of spending cuts aimed at plugging a huge black hole in the country’s 2016 budget.

At the same time, it unveiled plans to raise

They include reducing the number of Government Ministries from 39 to 29, as well as cutting 1000 Public-Sector jobs and freezing the pay of remaining State employees.

Finance Minister Joaquim Levy and Planning Minister Nelson Barbosa’s announcement was long-awaited

another US$8 billion by bringing back an unpopular financial transactions tax that was abolished eight years ago.

The Government is struggling to pull the country’s economy out of recession.

It has also been hurt by the slump in President Dilma Rousseff’s public approval rating, which is now just eight per cent.

The measures were announced at a news conference by Finance Minister Joaquim Levy and Planning Minister Nelson Barbosa.

End of boom Levy said the axe would fall on some big public infrastructure projects. But projects designed to benefit poorer Brazilians, such as the social housing programme Minha Casa Minha Vida (My House My Life), will also be hit.

Analysts were unimpressed with the package, saying it was unlikely to do much to restore the public finances to health.

“We’re left with the impression that the Government is now scraping the barrel in an effort to plug its budget hole,”

said Neil Shearing, chief emerging markets economist at Capital Economics.

“Indeed, the latest measures reveal more about the impotence of the Government in being able to constrain spending than anything else.”

Brazil’s economy has been depressed by the end of the global commodities boom, while a corruption scandal centred on state oil giant Petrobras has damaged investor confidence.

President Rousseff’s critics also accuse her of policy mistakes during her first term, including interventions in the energy market and a failure to bring inflation under control.

But many supporters of her left-wing Workers’ Party have revolted against her newfound attempts at austerity, with the MST land-reform movement accusing her of having adopted a “neo-liberal” programme at odds with her election promises.

Last week, Brazil lost its investment-grade credit rating following a downgrade by Standard & Poor’s to “junk” status.

The US rating agency said mounting political turmoil and the difficulties faced by President Dilma Rousseff’s Government in tackling growing debt was behind the decision.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, september 15, 2015

ARCHIE

Don’t let an opportunity slip through your fingers.

(March 21- Changes in your vocation or April 19) your place of residence are possible if you are prepared to act. Money is headed your way.

ARIES

If you want changes to be TAURUS made, talk to the people who (April 20- can help make them hapMay 20) pen. Offer a viable solution.

Complaining without taking action will not bring good results.

dilbert

Children will play an imGEMINI (May 21- portant role in your life. Your June 20) ability to charm will result in getting the help you need to make your plans possible.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Peanuts

Doubt, uncertainty and confusion will leave you mentally and physically exhausted. Take time to reflect on the changes required to put you in a less vulnerable position.

Love is on the rise. Instead LEO of sticking to your usual rou(July 23tine, get out and do someAug. 22) thing different. A favour you offer to do for someone will result in an equal exchange and good fortune.

Calvin and Hobbes

Don’t start something new VIRGO without tying up loose ends.

(Aug. 23It’s vital that you have a clear Sept. 22) passage in order to give your full attention to reaching your destination.

You will be faced with LIBRA (Sept. 23- multiple choices. If you spend Oct. 23) too much time trying to make up your mind, an important opportunity will be missed.

Be prepared to act quickly.

SUDOKU

Don’t depend on others for SCORPIO reliable information. The best (Oct. 24way to fully understand a sitNov. 22) uation is to do your own factfinding. It’s important that you make an informed and logical decision.

Money spent on your apSAGITTARIUS pearance and living quarters (Nov. 23will boost your spirit and conDec. 21) fidence. You know what you want, so don’t be afraid to ask for it.

Last published word – jauntier

solution for Last Published Puzzle

You will receive a gift, inCAPRICORN heritance or settlement. Keep (Dec. 22your views under wraps if you Jan. 19) want to avoid facing opposition from friends and family. Work by yourself to avoid confrontations.

AQUARIUS

Don’t stand on the side(Jan. 20- lines and expect to be treatFeb. 19) ed like a participant. Go after your goals. Get involved by letting others know what you have to offer.

It’s OK to be different, but PISCES (Feb. 20- if you appear unreliable or unMarch 20) dependable, it will be difficult to get the support you need to advance your plans.

tuesday, september 15, 2015

19

Djokovic conquers Federer at US Open M

FIFA: Further ‘individuals and entities’ could be charged

N

ovak Djokovic closed out the grand slam campaign in style beating long time rival Roger Federer to claim the US Open on Sunday, leaving the Serb a hair away from one of the greatest seasons of all-time.

The 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-4 victory gave Djokovic three of the year’s four grand slam titles with a loss to Stan Wawrinka in the French Open final his only blemish.

Although there was no way to tell how big his fourset loss to Wawrinka would be, it ended up denying the Serb a chance to join the men’s calendar year grand slam club that includes just two members, Rod Laver (twice) and Don Budge.

“It’s been an incredible season. Next to 2011 probably the best season of my life,” said Djokovic, who won the same three grand slam

Novak Djokovic stretches for a return shot during his final

phy just once in 2011.

It was more grand slam misery for the 34-year-old Swiss who, for the second consecutive grand slam, reached the final only to be denied an 18th title by Djokovic.

“I had a wonderful last two weeks,” Federer, who has been stuck on 17 grand slam title since 2012, said

Novak Djokovic holds up the US Open trophy after defeating Roger Federer in their men’s singles final match at the US Open Championships (Reuters photo)

titles in 2011.

“But I’m enjoying this year more than any previous one because I’m a husband and I’m a father and that makes it even more sweeter.

“I love this sport.”

It was the 10th career major for Djokovic but only his second US Open.

The 28-year-old Serb had known more frustration than success on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts having previously reached the final five times and lifting the tro-

after competing in his first U.S. Open final in six years.

“I’m very pleased where my game’s at.

“Being back in the finals is where you want to be. Playing against a great champion like Novak is a massive challenge and I enjoyed it. I thought it was a great match.”

Meeting for the 42nd time the rivalry between the elegant Swiss and the dominating Djokovic has developed into one of the sporting

world’s best and the latest installment, perhaps fittingly, deadlocked the head-tohead series at 21-21.

When Federer and Djokovic finally took to the court they were slow to find their rhythm and footing, particularly the top-seeded Serb, who crashed to the surface in the opening set and badly scraped his arm and leg.

But no damage was done, as the unflappable Djokovic quickly regained his composure and balance.

Federer, broken just twice the entire tournament, was living dangerously from the start by facing three break points in the opening game but managing to save all three.

The Swiss, however, could not fight off another three break chances on his next service game as Djokovic made the breakthrough to go up 2-1.

Federer broke back immediately but the Serb would quickly regain the advantage with yet another break to move ahead 4-3 then held serve to take the opening set from a shaky Federer.

The second set was a test of wills as Federer, with the crowd squarely in his corner, went toe-to-toe with a defiant Djokovic, the tug-ofwar highlighted by a tense 15-minute 10th game, which Djokovic held to level at 5-5.

But it was Federer ending the set with a big fist pump after breaking Djokovic with a stinging crosscourt winner that brought the capacity crowd to its feet.

The effort, however, appeared to take something out of Federer as Djokovic, sensing his chance, claimed the crucial break at 5-4 in the next set to take control.

(Reuters)

ore charges against “individuals and entities” are being considered as investigations into allegations of corruption within Fifa have expanded, says US attorney general Loretta Lynch.

In May, 14 Fifa officials and sports marketing executives were indicted in the US on racketeering charges involving more than $150m (£97m).

“Substantial evidence” has been gathered so far, according to Lynch.

Properties in the Alps have been seized in a separate Swiss investigation.

The US authorities are working closely with their Swiss counterparts, and held a joint news conference in Zurich to provide updates on their respective investigations into world football’s governing body.

“The scope of our investigation is not limited, and we are following the evidence where it leads,” said Lynch.

“I am grateful for the sig-

FIFA

nificant co-operation and substantial evidence that we have received from all quarters.”

In June, Fifa president Sepp Blatter announced he would resign less than a week after he was re-elected, saying “his mandate did not appear to be supported by everyone”.

Lynch would not say whether Blatter, 79, is a target of the US investigation.

The Swiss investigation is looking into bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, to be held in Russia and

Qatar respectively.

Swiss attorney general Michael Lauber said 11 terabytes of information had been seized “so far”.

He added that 121 different bank accounts had been brought to the attention of the investigating task force, and said they were “not even at half-time” in their investigation.

Lauber confirmed that Swiss prosecutors will also investigate a Fifa contract for media rights to the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. (BBC

Sport)

Shastri wants ‘sustained brilliance’ against SA R avi Shastri, the India team director, has highlighted the need for patience to be successful against South Africa.

The two teams square off in a four-Test series, in addition to playing five ODIs and three T20s. India are a strong force on home turf, but have occasionally shown fatigue on such long assignments.

Most of them were away from home though. India posed a significant threat to a 364-run target in Adelaide, but slipped away thereafter to lose the series 2-0. A similar theme was seen in England when India lost control of a 1-0 lead and in South Africa when they were noticeably drained in the second Test in Durban after a nail-biting draw in Johannesburg.

Recently though, India came from behind to win a three-Test series in Sri Lanka, where several batsmen came up with innings of substance and perhaps more vitally, the bowlers showed they could build and maintain pressure for long periods of time. A continuation of those good habits

Ravi Shastri is looking for India to concentrate on being patient for long periods of time (PTI photo)

will be necessary to beat the top-ranked Test team in the world, one which has lost only two Test series away from home in the last decade.

“South Africa are the No. 1 team in the world,” Shastri told bcci.tv. “We have to play consistent cricket for long periods of time to put them under pressure. That will be the endeavour. Our style of play will not change. If you reflect on our performances in Australia and Sri Lanka, you will see that consistency was the difference be-

tween defeat and victory.

Sustained brilliance will be the key against the Proteas.

“And that - not letting the opposition off the hook after having them under pressure - demands a lot of patience.

We weren’t patient enough both in Australia and during the first Test in Sri Lanka.

Once the patience and discipline came, in the next two Tests, we saw the results.”

India will have to accomplish that without Ishant Sharma, their premier fast bowler. turn to page 21

20

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TUESday, september 15, 2015

Unflustered Holder ready to embrace leadership challenge N ewly appointed West Indies Test captain, Jason Holder, says he is looking forward to the responsibility the new role will bring but says he does not feel under any pressure as he gears up for the assignment.

The 23-year-old fast bowler was announced to replace Denesh Ramdin as Test captain earlier this month, ahead of next month’s tour of Sri Lanka.

Holder, also the One-Day International captain, is a relative newcomer to international cricket with just eight Tests and 33 ODIs behind him, but believes he has what is required to handle the responsibility of leadership.

“At this present time there’s no pressure on me.

Obviously it is something I’ve done before. I’m the captain of the one-day team,” Holder said here Monday in his first official media conference.

“It’s obviously some added responsibility in the Test arena [but] I don’t think it is something that I can’t handle, if not I would not have taken the job. It’s about me gelling the guys together and getting the best out of everybody.”

He added: “It is something I am looking forward to. I’ve done it a little bit in the one-day arena and it is about translating that into the Test arena now. I’ve obviously led teams before, I’ve led Barbados in youth crick-

Jason Holder

et and I’ve led West Indies A teams and stuff like that so I’m not in a sense new to it.

“It is something that I’ve handled in the past before and I don’t expect to falter in this arena in a sense. I’m really looking forward to it, I’m always up for the challenge and I will try to take it on as best as I possibly can.”

Holder’s rise has been meteoric since his international debut just over two years ago, and has become an entrenched member of West Indies in all formats of the game.

Picked for his bowling, he has pressed his case as a genuine all-rounder with a maiden Test century against England in Antigua last April and an unbeat-

en 82 against the touring Australians in Kingston last June.

Holder said, however, he did not envision the burden of captaincy getting in the way of his continued development as a cricketer.

“It is international cricket, it is international sport.

You have to expect these things (leadership roles) as they always come up in international sport,” he told journalists.

“It’s more responsibility but I don’t think that should impede on my cricket. My cricket is at heart first. I have to play as a cricketer first and lead the guys afterward and I think once I do that, I don’t think it (captaincy) should get in the way

of my actual cricket.”

He continued: “I always look up to the big occasions. I think that’s where you’re remembered. People really remember you on the big stage at the big moments. If I can put my hand up the majority of times in those situations I think I can leave something behind and people can look back and say ‘I remember Jason Holder for this particular scenario or as a particular individual.’”

Appointed ODI captain last December and having presided over a World Cup campaign that saw the Windies reach the quarterfinals before bowing out, Holder said he was hoping to build on the work he had started with the one-day unit.

“It’s been a short stint so far as one-day captain. I think over a period of time I think you would get a good analysis of how I’ve been,” he said.

“Thus far I’ve had pretty good relationships with most of the guys in the dressing room and I can see it building over the next few months and hopefully in years to come. But as I said, it is about getting the relationship building among one another and moving forward as one collective unit.”

Holder’s first assignment will be the tour of Sri Lanka which comprises two Tests, three ODIs and two Twenty20 Internationals, and runs from October 8 to November 12. (CMC)

West Ham win as Newcastle falls to bottom W

est Ham moved fifth in the Premier League as two Dimitri Payet goals sent Newcastle United bottom of the table.

Payet gave the hosts an early lead when he curled the ball past Tim Krul from the edge of the penalty area after Mark Noble’s low cross from the left wing.

The Frenchman grabbed his second with a rebound after Victor Moses had hit the crossbar following a fine run.

Right-back Daryl Janmaat shot straight at Hammers goalkeeper Darren Randolph in a rare chance for the visitors.

The defeat leaves Steve McClaren without a league win since taking over at St James’ Park in the summer.

Late arriving and slow starting Newcastle have now won only three of 24 Premier League matches in 2015 and it was a routine win for West Ham, who picked up their first home league victory of the season.

Sloppy in possession and unimaginative in attack, the

Lara endorses Holder as Test Captain

L

Brian Lara

egendary former West Indies batsman Brian Lara has thrown his full backing behind newly appointed Test skipper Jason Holder.

Lara, himself a former captain, said here Monday the way Holder handled the one-day captaincy during this year’s ICC Cricket World Cup proved that he possessed the mettle to deal with the challenges of the Test captaincy.

“I think it’s an excellent choice. I saw the young man while working during the World Cup in Australia,” Lara said.

“And the pressure that he came under, personally with his bowling and even as a captain, and the way he handled it. He’s very eloquent and big in stature and he reminds me of another version of a Clive Lloyd.”

Holder’s elevation, first as one-day captain last December and more recently in the Test format, has drawn criticism in some quarters because of his relative inexperience.

The Barbadian seam-

er is the second youngest ever Windies Test captain at 23 and has played just eight Tests and 33 One-Day Internationals.

He replaced the more experienced Denesh Ramdin who was sacked after just 15 months in charge.

However, Lara, who led West Indies in 47 of his 131 Tests, said once Holder received the necessary support from the team and the West Indies Cricket Board, he could succeed.

“I have a lot of belief in the fact that he can do well if he gets the support from the players but more importantly from his employers, the West Indies Cricket Board,” said the global cricket icon.

“I still believe we are still in the same mind-set as we were 10, 15, 20 years ago which is not good for West Indies cricket and I hope they can change that a bit, and the likes of [chief selector] Clive Lloyd being around and some younger faces being around, lends to the fact that there might be something on the horizon.”

Lara was one of the most outstanding batsmen of the contemporary era, compiling 11 953 runs with 34 hundreds, at an average of 52.

He retired in 2007 following the first ever ICC World Cup in the Caribbean.

The 46-year-old visited here Monday as a Special Envoy of the Trinidad and Tobago government, holding talks with Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, on how best T&T could assist with recovery efforts following the devastation caused by the passage of Tropical Storm Erika last month. (CMC)

Young athletes pleased with Thompson Sprinting Camp

T

Action during West Ham’s win

visitors offered little to please the fans who made the long journey from the north east.

Traffic chaos in east London saw the Newcastle players have to walk the last mile to the stadium - and within eight minutes they were behind.

It was a fine finish from Payet, but he was allowed too much time and space on the edge of the penalty area to shoot at goal unchallenged.

Moses’s pace causes

Newcastle problems Victor Moses made his Hammers debut after joining on loan from Chelsea on transfer deadline day and his pace and direct running was a constant threat to the Newcastle defence.

Playing high up on the left wing, Moses was the outlet as the Hammers were able to soak up Newcastle’s 61% possession before counter attacking in style.

This was evident for the second goal as from a

Newcastle free-kick near the West Ham penalty area, the ball ended up in their net less than 30 seconds later.

Moses used his strength and pace to run from inside his own half before his shot from 18 yards hit the underside of the crossbar, with Payet in the right place to finish the rebound. Winger Moses was substituted in the 88th minute as striker Andy Carroll made his first appearance since February following knee surgery. (BBC Sport)

rinidad and Tobago track and field star Richard Thompson has come in for some high commendation from developing athletes following the staging of an inaugural sprint camp.

The Gatorade Richard Thompson Sprinting Camp was held by Thompson on Saturday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, Port-of-Spain, with the aim being to provide support and encouragement for future stars.

The athletes received expert advice on the importance of nutrition, and the body's mechanics and how it affects efficiency. According to Carifta bronze medallist Xavier Mulugata an 18-yearold 100mand 200-metre specialist, the information from the camp was well received.

“Being the young athlete that I am, I came out here to learn more knowledge of the sport; to better the sport for my personal gain. It's good

Richard Thompson

to meet with one of our local stars to get more knowledge.

That's my main purpose,” he said.

“It was a hard road, because for the previous season, I've been in an out of injury. It was a hard road for me fighting with injury, trying to get to that competitive stage. So it wasn't an easy road at all. It was a lot of hard work and dedication and not giving up at all.” (Digicel

Sportsmax)

21

sports Stag Elite League: “Slingerz will win,” says Slingerz FC boss

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O

wner of the Slingerz Football Club, Javed Ali is confident that his club will walk away as victors of the inaugural Stag Elite League which is set to kick off on September 18 at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora.

With a total of $15 million as well as two spots to represent Guyana at the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship on the line, Ali declared that, “Slingerz will win this title with ease”.

Slingerz FC will start their campaign off on the first night of action against rivals, Alpha “The Hammer” United in the second match of the evening while Pele FC will do battle with the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) in the league’s first match.

Ali also noted that winning a national league was one of the many dreams he had when forming the club.

“It’s an honour to get a chance to participate in the League… from the inception of the club forming; a National League title was what we had our eyes on,” he noted.

Playing under the West Demerara Football Association (WDFA), Slingerz FC is currently un-

Javed Ali

beaten within their jurisdiction over the last two years.

However, in spite of the club’s many successes and titles, Ali sees the league as a stepping stone to improving the status quo of the club.

“This is the window for the next level, this is what my club was built for – to participate in the league and move on to the CFU and hopefully the CONCACAF. “If it wasn’t for the league, my club would’ve been out of Football because we don’t have nowhere else to go and nothing more to win or to prove. We won almost everything, we had a chance to play in the Banks tournament we won it, we played in the Kashif and Shanghai

and won that too and also we played the Mayor’s cup and we won it after finishing runner-up the first year, so basically, everything for football we've won” Ali pinpointed.

Nevertheless, Ali is cognizant of their first opponent in Alpha who happens to be the only club in Guyana’s history to play at the CONCACAF level and pointed out that his side will be prepared for the fixture.

“Alpha United is a good team and you always have to go to them well prepared.

Even though, the last time we meet we defeated them, Slingerz will be pulling out all the stops for them in the League.”

Meanwhile, Slingerz FC boosted an already strong squad with the recent signing of National U-23 forward Domini Garnett from Caledonia AIA along with St Vincent and the Grenadines National goalkeeper Winslow McDowall.

Fruta Conquerors, Monedderlust, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and Buxton United, are the other teams competing in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) marquee event which is being sponsored by Ansa McAl, Courts Guyana Inc and E-Networks.

McIlroy puts Turkish Airlines Open on his schedule

W

orld number one Rory McIlroy will compete in next month’s Turkish Airlines Open, the first tournament of the European Tour’s end-of-season Final Series competition.

The 26-year-old Northern Irishman has missed a large chunk of the season after sustaining an ankle injury playing soccer with his friends.

McIlroy played in Turkey three years ago when the tournament was an exhibition event.

“I’m looking to finish the year strongly so Turkey will be a key tournament for me,” the four-times major winner told www.europeantour.com on Monday.

“I didn’t perform my best here in 2012.

It’s a really great holiday destination with a wonderful atmosphere but this time I’m hoping to be right in the running come Sunday as it’s a tournament I would really love to win.”

Frenchman Victor Dubuisson won the event when it made its debut on the European

Rory McIlroy

Tour schedule in 2013 and American Brooks Koepka triumphed a year later.

The Turkish Open takes place between Oct. 29 and Nov. 1 with 78 players competing for a prize fund of $7 million.

Shanghai hosts the next two Final Series tournaments, the WGC-HSBC Champions and the BMW Masters, before the season ends with the $8 million DP World Tour Championship in Dubai from Nov. 19-22.

(Reuters)

Shastri wants...

He claimed 13 victims at 23.23 and became the fourth Indian seamer to 200 wickets, but was also in the spotlight for the send-offs he gave the opposition batsmen as a result of which he was copped a one-match suspension.

“I know he has copped a lot of flak over the aggression and he will learn where to draw a line,” Shastri said.

“But let me assure you, he has the backing of the entire team. I want him to be aggressive and I will be the first one to push him in that direction. But I will also mark the line. We will miss

from page 19

him for the first Test. He is our most experienced fast bowler.”

The composition of the Indian batting line-up has been a topic of interest. But Shastri felt credit was due to the players for putting their hands up when the team needed it.

“Cheteshwar [Pujara] had to sit out a long time and then was asked to open the innings. Not for a moment did he complain or give any excuses, and the reward was there for everyone to see. Ajinkya Rahane was asked to go at 3 when we needed more stability af-

ter Shikhar’s injury. Rohit [Sharma] was asked to drop back. They both did it in the interest of the team and they scored runs. It is a case of doing things willingly for the team. These guys don’t think, ‘What if’? They say, ‘Why not?’

“When you have everyone fit and ready, the guys will be back in their normal positions. All the chop and change happened because we were encountered with so many injuries right through the series. What do you do then? You have to be flexible and people have to be prepared to do that.” (Cricinfo)

22

guyanatimesGY.com

tuesday, september 15, 2015

Harris falls in 4th round TKO U

S based Guyanese boxer, “Vicious” Vivian Harris was viciously dealt with by the undefeated Puerto Rican Prichard Colon on Saturday evening at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Canada.

Harris (32-11-2) was unable to hang with the powerhouse and was backed into a corner in the fourth round where Colon (16-00) hammered the former WBA Junior Welterweight Champion with a devastating combination that sent

him to the canvas.

While Harris made the referee’s 10-count, it was in an unconvincing fashion which caused the referee to wave off the fight, thus victory to Colon.

The bout was scheduled for eight rounds as part of the undercard of the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC).

Harris was coming off a knockout loss to Ramon Alvarez in November of 2014 and has now lost eight of his last 12 fights.

Vivian Harris

Reifer hoping for PCL success with Guyana Jaguars

By Akeem Greene

B

arbadian all-rounder Raymond Reifer is hoping for a successful outing at the upcoming Professional Cricket League (PCL) in November.

Reifer, who usually plies his trade for the Barbados National Cricket Team, will be turning out for the second year to his adopted team, The Guyana Jaguars.

played 30 first class matches and has scored 1186 runs at an average of 22.80.

With a high score of only 89 but has seven fifties to his name, Reifer would certainly bemoan these figures with the bat.

Bowling wise, Reifer has 39 wickets at an average of 26.17; though they are respectable returns with the ball, elevation to the senior team will require much

Raymond Reifer

Government aids volleyball men with $400,000 donation

Reifer in his deliver stride

T

John Flores (right) receives the cheque for $400,000 from Minister Nicolette Henry on Monday

he Ministry of Education Department of Sport came to the aid of the national men volleyball team’s aspiration of participating at the 2015 Senior Male Volleyball Championships of the South American Federation set for Brazil later this month with a significant contribution of $400,000.

At the simple presentation ceremony held on

Monday at the Department of Sport head office on Main Street, Minister within the Ministry of Education with responsibility for sport, Nicolette Henry noted her pleasure in supporting the venture as well as wishing the team well.

President of the Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF), John Flores was delighted the gesture and mentioned the “it will go a long way in getting the team

to Brazil.”

Flores also noted that the team has been encamped and revealed that he believed the team will give a “good account of themselves”.

The team is expected to leave the shores of Guyana on September 25 for the event which begins on September 26 and will last until October 5. (Treiston Joseph)

The 24 year old, who is currently training with the Guyana Jaguars, spoke to the Guyana Times Sport at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground on Monday disclosing his goal to have a productive season in hopes of catching the eyes of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) selectors.

“I will just do the work and the let the performances speak “Reifer, who has

more work.

The all-rounder said in response to the franchise system being used that the “PCL gives players new experience in different conditions and helps to bring to instill the aspect of comradely.”

The talented all-rounder had a few good outings for the Guyana franchise, as he made some important contributions with the bat and supported in the wickets col-

umn.

In addition, Reifer will be looking for a more complete tournament, in terms of his performance, as he seeks to better establish himself as a reliable all- rounder in the region.

Reifer, who played in the Champions League T20 overs competition in 2014, has grown to be an experienced cricketer in the region and never seems afraid of a challenge.

Playing most of his cricket in Barbados on more bouncy pitches, Reifer alluded to the fact that he had to adapt to change in conditions of the pitches in Guyana.

Currently, the Guyana Jaguars’ franchise overseas player, focus is on attaining high levels of fitness and being more consistent. The young man, who hails from the parish of St Lucy in Barbados, is keen on helping Guyana defend their PCL title and certainly help to press for a prized place on the West Indies team in the near future.

As the rebuilding phase with West Indies cricket continues, players like these, who certainly have the calibre and skill assets to become international stars, should make an enormous effort to perform outstandingly at the upcoming tournament. (akeemg@ guyanatimesgy.com)

Chelsea boss in dispute with Roberto Martinez C

Jose Mourinho

helsea manager Jose Mourinho argued with Everton boss Roberto Martinez over managerial etiquette after his side lost at Goodison Park on Saturday.

After Martinez spoke to the media first following his side’s 3-1 victory, Mourinho interrupted the Spaniard as he addressed another group of journalists.

The Portuguese felt his interviews should have taken place first.

“Roberto, next time tell me to go before you because we have to travel,” said Mourinho, who swore as he left.

Martinez replied: “I don’t

control that, Jose. I don’t control that.”

After Mourinho left abruptly, Martinez said to the journalists, including a Liverpool Echo reporter: “When he beat us 6-3 last season he was such a nice man. I prefer him like that.”

He also walked out of a pre-match interview with BT Sport’s Ray Stubbs when asked about the club’s failed summer-long pursuit of Toffees defender John Stones, 21.

“Before the game this is too long,” said Mourinho.

Defending champions Chelsea are 17th in the table, 11 points behind leaders Manchester City, having

lost three of their past four games.

Mourinho said after Saturday’s game: “I am the man for the job. I don’t think there is a better man who could come and do my job.”

Earlier this season, he was criticised for his treatment of the Blues’ medical staff, having downgraded team doctor Eva Carneiro’s role.

Mourinho said Carneiro and head physio Jon Fearn were “impulsive and naive” and did not “understand the game” after they went on the pitch to treat Eden Hazard during the 2-2 home draw with Swansea on 8 August.

(BBC Sport)

Roberto Martinez

guyanatimesGY.com

tuesday, september 15, 2015

23

GT Beer Futsal Tournament…

Bent Street crowned champions after thrilling final tion.

However, all good things must come to an end and Nelson ended the game emphatically with two goals in the 26th and 27th minutes to snuff the life out of the Sparta Boss players and supporters. The two goals also gave Nelson a quadruple of goals in the match.

Meanwhile, in the third place playoff Festival City trampled over West Front Road with a 10-6 win.

Eon Alleyne had a quadruple to lead the way for Festival City in the 19th,

for the massive win.

Darren Benjamin and Randolph Wagner were the main threats for West Front Road with double strikes.

At the presentation ceremony held immediately after the final, Brand Manager for beer at Banks DIH Brian Choo Hen congratulated the winners and the teams in the tournament and pledged Banks’ commitment to the development of the sport.

Director of the Petra Organisation, Troy Mendonca highlighted that while he was pleased with

will look into educating the coach and players on the futsal style of play.

“What we saw was more of the street ball style of play that is why there were so many goals which is good for the fans, but I would like to see more skill and what we try to do is to educate the coaches and the players on the style of play,” Mendonca stated.

With the win, Bent Street won themselves the top prize of $500,000 while Sparta Boss walked away with $250,000. Festival

A packed Sports Hall enthusiastically follows the action in the final (Treiston Joseph photos)

By Treiston Joseph

‘T

he best form of defence is attack’, says the proverb; a proverb that held true when Bent Street outplayed Sparta Boss for a thrilling and exciting 8-6 win in the final of the GT Beer Futsal tournament that concluded on Sunday evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).

In front of a packed to capacity Sports Hall, Bent Street and Sparta Boss put on a show for the fans that received thunderous applause from the full house.

The ball got rolling with a blasting right footer from Sheldon Shepherd that rocked the net in the fourth minute to send Sparta Boss

into the lead with a 1-0 score.

Bent Street’s Colin Nelson would reply with a double strike in the sixth and seventh minutes to give his side a 2-1 edge.

The goals kept coming as Shepherd replied with an equaliser in the ninth minute to make the score line 2-2.

With both teams playing a fast paced type of game, Okeene Fraser was able to notch his only goal of the night to put Bent Street up 3-2 in the 14th minute just before the half ended.

On resumption, Shepherd wasted little time in equalising for Sparta Boss with a shot that rocked the right upper corner of the

goal in the 16th minute for his hat-trick while Amos Ramsay replied a minute later in the 17th minute to put Bent Street in the lead again with a 4-3 score line.

Eusi Phillips equalised almost immediately in the 18th minute before Bent Street scored back-to-back goals for the second time in the match with an own goal in the 19th as well as a Steffon Ramsay shot in the 23rd to put the eventual champions up 6-4.

Travis Grant in the 24th minute and Carl Tudor in the 25th minute ensured that Sparta Boss were back on level pecking with the game tied on 6-6 with a full house going wild with the goal scoring, high octane ac-

Rockers open with win in ‘King of the Rim’ tournament

S

mythfield Rockers came from behind to record a big win over Fyrish Black Sharks on Sunday in the opening game of the ‘King of the Rim’ Knockout basketball competition in honor of Rose Hall Town’s 45 anniversary celebrations at the Fyrish Basketball Court The Rockers were down 12-14 at the end of the first quarter but bounced back for a 32-20 at the half time lead.

Neil Wills led the comeback with 15 points for the Rockers.

The Black Sharks were restricted to ten points in the third quarter as the Rockers increased their lead to nineteen points.

Wills received good support from Marlon Simpson with 12 points, Jamal

Felix and Shimroy McKenzie with 10 points each.

For the losers Tyron Dey had a game high of 18 points while Michael Marks chipped in with 10.

The competition continues on Sunday when Ithica Hardliners take on Rose Hall Jammers at the Area H Ground and New Amsterdam W a r r i o r s host Canje Knights at the Vryman’s Ervin Court in New Amsterdam.

The final is billed for September 27.

The team with the biggest win in the first round will advance while the other two teams advancing will meet on September 24 in a semifinal match up.

(Andrew Carmichael)

Bent Street receive their winning trophy and prize money from the Petra Organisation

20th, 23rd and 25th minutes while Dwayne Lawrence (6th, 12th), Solomon Austin (1st, 29th) and Daniel Favourite (28th, 30th) minutes all had double strikes

the fan support and the quality of games played, he hopes to see better “skill” in the future.

Mendonca also revealed that the Petra Organisation

City received $125,000 for their third place effort while West Front Road pocketed $75,000 for fourth place. (josepht@guyanatimesgy. com)

tuesday, september 15, 2015

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

GT Beer Futsal Tournament…

Bent Street crowned champions after thrilling final Pg 23

One of Bent Street’s many goals during the night’s action (Treiston Joseph photo)

Digicel Classic remains in limbo

By Rajiv Bisnauth

T

he return of the much anticipated Digicel Classic Horse Race Meet remains in limbo after the telecommunication giant is yet to finalise its commitment towards the staging of the fourth edition.

An official from Digicel told Guyana Times Sport on Monday that discussions for the return of the Classic is ongoing, adding that a decision will be taken by next week on the way

Vic Oditt

forward.

The Port Mourant Turf Club (PMTC) was expected to host last year’s fourth Digicel Classic, but separate horse-race meets between the PMTC and Budhan’s Memorial Sports Complex and Race Track had forced the telecommunication company to pull the plug on its sponsorship deal with the PMTC.

Both the PMTC and Budhan’s Memorial Sports Complex and Race Track had planned separate horse race meets for July 27, but Digicel ended the partnership, claiming that as a corporate entity, the company wishes to stay clear of conflicts.

In an invited comment on Monday, Secretary of the PMTC, Chattergoon Ramnauth revealed that President of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA), Vic Oditt is in discussion with Digicel on behalf of the club.

Oditt is currently in Jamaica, and could not be reached for a comment.

Early last month, former Digicel Events and Sponsorship Manager, Gavin Hope revealed that the company is working feverishly in putting all arrangements in place for the return of the one-day event in the near future.

Flashback! Horse racing action at the Norman Singh Memorial Turf Club during the Digicel Classic 2013

“We are yet to fix a date.

Like I said, we know the importance of the event and we know the importance to be a part of horse racing fraternity. We know the benefits towards the horse racing fraternity and we want to be a part of the development of horse rac-

ing, so you can look forward for the return of Digicel Classic,” Hope had said.

The Digicel Classic was first held in 2011, and the Norman Singh Memorial Turf Club, located on the West Coast of Berbice, had played host to the telecommunication service provid-

er for that year, as well as 2012.

In 2013, the Bush Lot Corentyne-based Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC), which is Guyana’s oldest horse racing club, hosted the third edition. (rajivb@guyanatimesgy. com)

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