Pressure mounts for forensic audit of City Hall Hindus commit the majority of suicides in Guyana
Cotton Field residents complain over poor drainage Govt mum on PPP/C’s proposal to assist with tax evasion cases "No show" of guns in B, G Divisions not worrying – Commanders Firearm Amnesty Programme
In light of rising tensions between Guyana and neighbouring Venezuela over the ongoing border dispute, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) continues with its intense training and preparatory activities. In response to Venezuela beefing up its military presence –both personnel and weapons – at the border with Guyana, the GDF had announced that its soldiers would be engaged in two days of military manoeuvres.
On Friday, Battle Musters were held at all military bases across Guyana. At Camp Stephenson, Brigadier Mark Phillips addressed the ranks following a parachute display. Additionally, the GDF Coast Guard conducted tactical manoeuvres from its headquarters at Ruimveldt to the Demerara Harbour Bridge.
On Saturday, the soldiers from Camp Stephenson marched from
Providence, East Bank Demerara to Georgetown, while the troops from Camp Ayanagana marched from Better Hope, East Coast Demerara. They all converged at Sandy Babb, Street, Kitty, Georgetown; where Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Mark Phillips took the eyes right before delivering a feature address at Base Camp Ayanganna, Thomas Lands.
The Chief-of-Staff underscored the importance of protecting Guyana’s integrity and the sovereignty. Simultaneously, there were marches in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) and Anna Regina, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), where Venezuela is claiming most, if not all, of its territorial waters in a decree issued a few months ago.
The Beepats company on Saturday evening commissioned a multimillion-dollar state-of-theart warehouse on Dennis Street, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, two years after a raging fire destroyed the original structure which was located at Ogle.
is now among the largest facilities of its kind in the country equipped with modern facilities for storage, handling and inventory control systems.
During the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, acting in the capacity of President,
job creation opportunities.
Business Minister Dominic Gaskin during his speech, also extended warm congratulatory messages to the company on their success.
State Minister Joseph Harmon also congratulated the company on their
Although only 90 per cent complete, the net construction cost at its completion would amount to $9 million. Boasting 75,400 square feet of floor space, the new Beepats warehouse
delivered the keynote address, where he recognised the long line of successes on the Beepats family, congratulating them on yet another milestone.
He also recognised the economic benefits this new bond would bring to the residents of surrounding communities through possible
achievement.
Beepats is one of the leading product distributors in Guyana and has become a well known household name in the country, distributing high end products from companies such as Nestle Caribbean Inc, Unilever Bestfoods, Reckitt Benckiser, among others.
After several days of probing the alleged corruption involving a number of Police ranks, who are accused of taking a $6 million bribe, investigators are in the process of wrapping up their case.
This is according to Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Wendell Blanhum. The Crime Chief told Guyana Times on Saturday that they have collected all statements and are in the process of compiling the report. He noted that by Monday the report should be ready and presented to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice on the way forward.
CID ranks rushed to B Division (Berbice) on Wednesday morning after it was reported by senior officials within the Division that some ranks were allegedly involved in an act of corruption. A Corporal and three Constables, including a female, have since been placed under close arrest for allegedly accepting some $6 million in bribe in exchange for giving a vehicle, reportedly carrying cocaine and cash, a free pass.
An Assistant Superintendent of Police also fingered in the alleged corruption was transferred from the Division to Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, pending investigations. The CID ranks subsequently returned to the Division on Friday to conduct further
investigations during which they were able to recover some of the money taken by the officers.
Police sources have revealed to this newspaper that $1,060,000 was handed over to investigators by two of the four ranks involved in the alleged corruption. The female and another Constable have been cooperating with investigators and did lead them to their cut of the ill-gotten money. The source further indicated that the other two ranks are not cooperating with the Police and have denied the corruption allegation.
Meanwhile, in a previous interview Blanhum had confirmed that the men who reportedly paid the bribe to the officers, are assisting with investigations.
BY MICHAEL YOUNGE
A49-year-old woman is now battling to erase from her memory the mental scars and trauma which constantly haunt her after she was brutally raped by a 21-year-old male at Kingsley Village, West Coast Berbice recently.
The woman, who is a domestic worker, was attacked by the male whose name was given as Ryan Gouveia in the village after he invaded her premises. On Saturday, residents of the community told Guyana Times that Gouveia is a known character and a young man who is usually involved in criminal activity.
“He was caught attempting to rape two other girls and was sent to boy school. The boy then while at Boys school raped another boy and was sent to jail. All of this happening since he was “lil”…like 15 year old we hear”, one resident told this newspaper.
Another resident from the village alleged that the boy was recently released from prison after being pardoned by President David Granger.
This newspaper was told that the matter was transferred to Georgetown but on Saturday, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum, when telephoned for a comment, could not give any details about this particular case. He advised that the B Division (Berbice) Commander would be the best person to contact for information.
When Guyana Times contacted the Police authorities in Berbice, they were tight-lipped about the matter involving Gouveia. B Division Commander Errol
Watts explained that the Police are investigating the matter and have already arrested the young man at the centre of the incident.
He declined to speculate or confirm whether Gouveia was indeed one of the persons recently pardoned by President Granger.
“I cannot speculate. I do not have that information at hand. I am unable to say whether he was pardoned from looking at his file. You will have to call the Head of the Guyana Prison Service, Mr Trotz because the President released the names to them and not the Police”, the Commander said.
Trotz, speaking with the Guyana Times via telephone, said that he could not confirm nor deny that the young man’s name was on the list because he did
not have the requisite information at hand.
He gave an undertaking to check his records and supply the newspaper with the information being requested on Monday. Residents in the area are not taking the matter lightly and are calling for the Police and prison authorities to investigate the incident thoroughly. They are demanding that the Police say definitively whether the 21-year-old young man was
pardoned by the President.
“His relatives have said so… and we heard him say so many times because we aint know how he get out of jail”, another resident stated. Guyana Times tried on numerous occasions, after President Granger made the announcement of his pardon of 60 young prison-
ers, to ascertain the list of the names of the individuals who were pardoned and given a second chance by the President. All that was revealed that the original list of 60 persons to be pardoned was reduced to 40.
Countless calls and attempts to solicit the information have been stonewalled by the Guyana Prison Service, the Ministry of the Presidency and the Public Security Ministry.
In mid June, the pardoned prisoners were released into USAID’s Skills and Knowledge for Youth Employment (SKYE) Project for a three-month rehabilitation programme. The three-month period would have expired last week.
Even the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/ Civic had expressed concern over the decision by the President to release persons whom he said were “petty criminals” and incarcerated or remanded for “stealing cellphones” etc.
Other members of civil society have already expressed their shock and reservations about the move in light of the Government’s refusal to be transparent and allow the names of those released to be made available to the public.
President Granger had indicated that he would be pardoning selected prisoners annually.
Sunday Editor: 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
On Friday September 25, at the Sustainable Development Summit on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly annual meet, world leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Crafted after years of discussion and debate, it is centred around 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change by 2030.
Back in 2000 at the same General Assembly of the UN, after an even longer and more contentious process, consensus had been reached on mobilising and delivering greater assistance to the more impoverished nations. At that time eight international development ideals were proposed and accepted, and which all signatories pledged to pursue and meet by the year 2015. These became known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), that were intended to improve human welfare through economic and social improvements.
The enumerated goals were each given targets and a series of measurable indicators which provided a more precise framework for pursuit of and reporting on outcomes. The goals were to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensure environmental sustainability, and develop a global partnership for development.
In Guyana, while great progress was made on most of the goals, the reduction of child mortality and maternal deaths remain as challenges. The greatest hurdle, however posed to achieving the goals, was the failure of the developed nations to play their part to "develop a global partnership for development." In every international forum, especially in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) they refused to live up to agreements that they had pioneered in aid, trade or sharing of technology. Based on that experience, this recalcitrant attitude of the developed nations will be the challenge to overcome if the new SDGs are to be achieved by 2030. Interestingly, unlike the 8 MDGs, the SDGs are include the developed world also.
The SDGs are to "end poverty in all its forms everywhere and to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition". Presumably this will be achieved by "promoting sustainable agriculture" and will "ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages". Moving to higher human needs, there are the goals to "ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning while achieving gender equality and empower all women and girls."
In more developmental terms there are the goals to "ensure access to water and sanitation for all, ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all, build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation, reduce inequality within and among countries."
Recognising the growing urbanisation taking place across the globe, one goal is to "make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable", while in a gentle reminder to the conspicuous consumption pattern of the developed country, there is the goal to "ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns." This will be a threshold issue, since the developed countries do not accept that there are not enough resources on planet earth that can have the lesser developed countries raise their standard of living, if the former insist in doing the same.
Picking up on the growing awareness of the degrading environment, there are the three goals to "take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts, conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources and sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss."
Rounding off the SDGs is the exhortation to "promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies" and finally, the major sticking point from the MDG experience, to "revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development".
There is much that is worthwhile in having these development goals stated up front and maybe our political elites can find common ground for achieving them rather than just talking about some utopian "unity".
Dear Editor, We are all amazed when we see extraordinary natural phenomena happening in the sky. This evening we will be treated to a total super moon lunar eclipse also known as blood moon. It is something that most of us will be excited to observe. With nothing more than our two eyes and cameras we will eagerly be on the look out to capture this super moon. Not forgetting, our professional photographers who will be extra prepared with super cameras just to get hold of the total lunar eclipse in its entirety. But, other than knowing of the excitement that arises, what do we understand about a total lunar eclipse?
Firstly, a lunar eclipse can only occur when the moon is full and only if, the moon passes through some portion of the Earth's shadow. The Earth's shadow is divided into two component
known as the outer/penumbral shadow; zone where the Earth blocks part but not all of the sun's rays from reaching the moon, and the inner/umbral shadow; region where the Earth blocks all direct sunlight from reaching the moon. There are three basic types of lunar eclipse namely penumbral lunar, partial lunar and total lunar eclipse. The later we will be observing this evening.
During the total lunar eclipse the moon will be full and at its closest point in its orbit around the Earth. This causes the moon to appear approximately fourteen percent (14%) larger and about thirty three percent (33%) brighter than other full moons. In addition to this, the Earth will be directly aligned between the sun and moon causing the moon to completely fall in the shadow of the Earth. When the total lunar eclipse occurs
the moon passes through the Earth's umbral shadow (where no direct sunlight can reach it).
Despite that, while the moon is within this inner shadow, indirect sunlight still manages to reach the moon making it illuminate with vibrant red or orange colours. This is possible because the Earth's atmosphere bends or refracts some of the sun's rays thus allowing for a small amount of light to reach and light-up the moon.
However, most of the blue coloured light of pure sunlight reaching the Earth is been filtered as it passes deep through its atmosphere. When this happens, the remaining light which is been reflected to the moon appears much darker giving the moon its striking deep red or orange colour. Hence the name blood moon.
This evening the blood moon/super moon's phases
will commence a few minutes after 8 pm and last through to early Monday morning. It will begin with the penumbral eclipse followed by the partial eclipse and then a full eclipse phase at approximately an hour after. The entire phenomena which will last until early Monday morning will end with a partial eclipse followed by a penumbral eclipse. At the end of this total lunar eclipse, the moon will be moved completely out of the Earth's shadow. This occurence of such a phenomenal lunar eclipse is quite an event to witness. The last phenomenon observed in Guyana had being in April, 2014 while the next is predicted to happen in March, 2016. Life is short. We don't want to miss this one!
Sincerely, Ayeisha Khan
Dear Editor, The APNU/AFC Government claims that it will be providing “a good life in a green economy” to all Guyanese. The question is, when will this be? In the next fifty years when Guyana will be celebrating 100 years of political independence from Great Britain?
But to be realistic “a good life in a green economy” could have only been realised with the construction and completion of the Amaila Falls Hydro Power Plant, the flagship project of Guyana Low Carbon
Development Strategy (LCDS). This 165mw LCDS poject would have provided to the Guyanese people clean, affordable and reliable energy on a continuous basis, reducing carbon emissions by over 92 percent.
The Amaila Hydro project therefore would have certainly played a significant role in the fight against Climate Change.
This is why the Kingdom of Norway continues to support the Amaila Project and in the new dispensation calls on the Granger Government
to pursue it. Otherwise, Guyana may lose over US$80 million which was earned under the LCDS Agreement.
But Finance Minister Winston Jordan and his colleagues in the Government are saying that the Amaila Hydro Power Project will not be pursued any longer because it is “criminalistic” based on its cost. But who were the real criminals when our national treasury was left empty in 1992and when the country’s economy crumbled under former Finance
Minister Carl Greenidge? What about recently when $23B was identified for the relief of rice farmers but suddenly switched to the payment for oil?
The current management of our national economy seems not to be in the hands of a competent economist and I am strongly urging the Granger-Led Administration to take corrective action before it is too late. Guyana is already on a downward economic slope.
Yours faithfully, Paul Stoby
Dear Editor,
India’s Prime Minister Modi has been in the US since Wednesday meeting with the Indian Diaspora, including Guyanese, and holding bilateral discussions with several world leaders. He also met with President Granger and will meet President Obama on Monday. Separately, he met with over 50 CEOs of Fortune 500 companies and community leaders including a Guyanese leader of a major Diaspora organization.
The Indian Diaspora welcomes the Prime Minister and hopes his Government continues to strengthen its relationship with them. The Diaspora is a major asset to India in foreign relations as well as in economic development plans and Modi has been courting them to assist in India’s development objectives, such as building one hundred smart mini-cities.
The Diaspora has been an asset to India and to Modi himself, and he has been courting them ever since he became Chief Minister of Gujarat in the 1990s. The Diaspora had become very special to India since the early 1990s when India began approaching wealthy overseas Indian businessmen for investment.
Overseas Indians have invested hundreds of billions of dollars in India over the last 20 years. In addition, the Diaspora is increasingly playing an important role in India’s politics, canvassing support for parties. In fact, Modi and his BJP and NDA allies that currently govern India partly owe their victory to the Diaspora, especially those in America. Thousands of volunteers
from the US, including Guyanese, traveled to India to campaign for the BJP that won a decisive victory in 2014. Modi showed his appreciation by announcing a number of benefit schemes for overseas Indians, including Guyanese, and wherever he traveled since he became PM he met with leaders of Indian organisations and addressed large PIO gatherings. The Diaspora wants to help their ancestral homeland and Modi wants their help to make India become a developed nation as well as to increase its role as a global power.
Indians I spoke to across the globe feel that Modi is on the right trajectory in India’s relations with her Diaspora. Under Modi, there has been an improvement in relations between India and the major countries with large communities of Indians both in developed and developing countries.
Development in India has a profound impact on the rest of the world as well as on the Diaspora. India has been growing rapidly and is soon to displace Japan as the third largest economy, as it engages in trade of hundreds of billions of dollars annually with other countries. In addition, India has some of the finest tertiary institutions graduating surplus professionals in engineering, Maths and sciences.
These professionals are courted by companies and Governments around the world to meet shortages. Wealthy entrepreneurs from India have established businesses overseas investing tens of billions of dollars annually including in the developed nations and in Africa and Latin America.
The Diaspora boasts large numbers of professionals especially in the more advanced countries.
They have invested large amounts of money in the countries where they are settled and have donated billions to various universities and charitable causes in North America and England. Additionally, India has provided over ten billion dollars annually in development aid to poor countries in Africa and the Caribbean, in addition to sending technical staff to help these countries with development plans and goals.
The Diaspora seeks better relations between India and their countries of residence, as they believe that this will inevitably result in a stronger and more prosperous India that in turn will provide more financial benefits to their countries of residence. Many overseas Indians have placed full faith in Modi to transform India into a developed and powerful nation. In so doing, overseas Indians say they can hold their heads high and speak glowingly of their ancestral homeland as other Diasporas do.
In addition, a stronger and wealthier India will inevitably result in an increase in global trade and technological and scientific exchanges, contributing to a win-win situation for India and the Diaspora countries. Thus, Modi-ji should continue to visit and engage the Diaspora to strengthen relations. It is advised that the Guyana Government should tender an invitation for the Indian leader to visit our homeland.
Yours faithfully, Vishnu
Bisram
Non-cooperation of political parties unfavourable to development
Dear Editor, It is most distressing to anyone who is sincere about the balanced development of our nation that those on both sides of the political spectrum continue to carry on the affairs of our country with the misguided approach that they are right in whatever they are engaged in and the other side is wrong. This means that they try their utmost in word and action to discredit all that the other side is proposing or has implemented and as a result working without the benefit of their contribution.
It is must be clear from this that the effect is that at any one time we are actually benefiting from only about 50% of the mental and other
resources available whenever we have to implement any project. Is this what the authors of our constitution intended when they crafted the rules by which we should be governed, i.e. by the cooperative system?
The present administration is hell-bent on proving that the actions and nature of the past one are and have been totally out of order, while the opposition is resisting any efforts at coming together to utilise our full potential in our affairs. I expect that their reason for this obduracy is that those presently in power vetoed all they had proposed during their time holding the reins.
I strongly believe that this inflexible approach to our political affairs will keep
Dear Editor, Swami Dayananda Saraswati, a great Hindu Saint, Sanskrit scholar and well-known expert of Vedanta passed away in Rishikesh, Bharat (India) on Wednesday night. He was given bhusamadhi (a reserved form of burial for Swami jis) in a sitting position at a spot facing the Ganga Mai (river) at his ashram at Rishikesh, near the said river. The final rites for the revered Swamiji was done on Friday morning amid sacred chanting of mantras from the Vedas and Upanishads. Thousands of people, including Prime Minister NarendraModi, Saints, dignitaries, and ordinary folks across the world, offered rich tributes to the life of Pujya Shri Swami DayanandaSaraswatiji, as he was popularly called. Swami ji was 85 years old and has left a worldwide following of students. He was a great master of Sanskrit texts, lucidly explaining them, and utilised modern scientific principles to illustrate his message of Vedanta during his teachings of the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads. Swami Dayananda’s commentary on the Bhagavad Gita (Hinduism’s Upaveda or highest Veda) is highly rated and serious students
of the Gita study it on par with commentaries of AdiShankara, Ramanuja, Madhva, Nimbarka, Madhusudana Saraswati, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Dnyaneshwar, RaghavendraTirtha, BalGangadharTilak, Mahatma Gandhi, Sri Aurobindo, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Swami Prabhupada and Swami Chinmayananda.
Swami Dayananda was the spiritual Guru of India’s Prime MinisterModi. The Swami has left behind several highly trained disciples and his academic, advocacy, and humanitarian work will surely continue.
He was very articulate in English language and was not shy to take on issues facing the Hindu society. He was also a prolific writer. He was a stern opponent of conversion, a proponent of social justice, and a key speaker at national and international Hindu events, including those organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad(VHP), the largest Hindu organisation in the world.
I was honored to personally listen to discourses given by Swami Dayanandaji and met him in New York in August 2000 at the Dharma Ganga, organised by the VHP, and done in conjunction with the United
Nations Millennium Peace Summit. Swami Dayananda along with the indomitable Shri Ashok Singhal, played major roles at the summit. 108 highly respectable Swami jis, including our own Pujya Swami Aksharananda, was a delegate. I remember a roundtable discussion at the event in which Swami Dayananda and Swami Aksharananda drew major applause for their strong and lucid articulation. At the said event, I was introduced by Swami Aksharananda to Shri NarendraModi who at the time, was an ordinary volunteer of the Sangh. I believe that after the UN Millennium Peace Summit meeting, Guyana’s illustrious Swami Aksharananda developed a special respect for Swami Dayananda and visited him both in America and India and also brought him to Guyana on a special visit. My understanding is that Swami DayanandaSaraswati was particularly interested in the growth of SaraswatiVidyaNiketan (SVN) founded by Swami Aksharananda and sent a Sanskrit teacher to the SVN high school.
Sincerely, SomdatMahabir
us mired in under-development until those we have elected to serve us consider first the greater good of our people rather than the narrow-minded and self-serving policy of this self-righteousness and wielding of their authority as if Guyana was their property, and without any apparent consideration for those who are represented by the other side of the house.
I dream of the time when statesmanship will become the prevailing feature of our succeeding administrations, and our politicians will truly work towards gleaning the full potential of our people in their efforts at development.
Sincerely, Roy Paul
"Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom" – Thomas Jefferson
thing mean and take someone down a few pegs.
And those people seem to really pride themselves on their brutal honesty. They think it's a virtue! They're like, "Oh that's who I am, I tell it straight. I'm brutally honest. If people don't like it then that's their problem." But there's a difference be
should respect the person you're being honest to. I've written before of the philosopher Immanuel Kant's exhortation that we must not treat people as means but rather as ends. Each person is an autonomous being... not there for you to spew your frustrations or insecurities on.
I've noticed that there are some people who seem to think that the only way to be honest to someone is to be brutal about it. And that's quite confusing for me. But I've realised that those people just use 'brutal honesty' as an excuse to say some-
someone and being a jerk about it.
There's nothing dishonest about delivering a truth in a kind manner, taking the person's feelings into consideration. Even when you're being firm - you
That old nursery rhyme
"Sticks and stones will break my bones; But words will never harm me" is waaaaay off base, in my opinion. Words are capable of quite a lot of damage. The most damaging since they can harm the psyche and corrode the soul. Why do we teach kids that rhyme? Especially at that age when they have no filter, kids can say some of the cruelest things to each other. So why're we telling them it's okay to say whatever they like to each other but just don't have a go at each other with sticks?
People also quite like to
begin their sentences with "No offense, but..." and then continue on to utter some incredibly offensive language. Sure, ordinarily I would've gotten offended by that, but since you said that you didn't mean to offend, I guess it's a-okay!
I think there's a difference between being blunt and being brutal that some people seem to miss. It's the difference in treating the "other" as an object or a subject. You can be blunt or straightforward without it having that sort or sharpedged meanness of being brutal.
There is the quality of empathy that each one of us should cultivate: just put yourself in that person's shoes and ask whether you would want to be spoken to like that. And if you do, then you are a certified masochist...and you need help!!
The truth can be a difficult thing to hear and even more difficult to accept, so why make it even harder for that person by being mean about it? Man is a social being - we have to live with each other. There's no need to be like porcupines with their needles always raised when someone gets close.
By Kristen MacKlingaM
The future of the ownership structure of the multimilliondollar Marriott Hotel in Guyana is uncertain as the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government is yet to determine the role it will play in the days ahead.
Guyana Times understands that a review is to be conducted by the Administration on the financial stability and operations of Marriott Hotel.
According to reports, Tourism Minister Catherine Hughes had recently stated that at present her Government is in the process of having a few individuals ‘look at the Marriott,’ its financial performance and operations.
This is to allow the Administration to determine what it will ‘want to do eventually’ with the hotel.
During an interview at the National Communications Network (NCN Channel 11), she mentioned that the concern of the Government, while it was in opposition, was that it was best to leave certain projects to private investors.
Minister Hughes further stated that the APNU+AFC coalition was not of the view that the cost for the construction of a hotel should be paid with taxpayers’ money since this is the job of the private sector.
She told the media the government is of the opinion that hotels are ventures which the private sector is involved in and this was the APNU/AFC’s main concern with regards to the construction of the Marriott Hotel.
“I don’t want people to think that we (the Government) didn’t think that it was important to have a hotel that raised the bar and standards in the industry.”
Guyana Times also understands that the Tourism Minister deems this venture as one that will be a boost to Guyana’s hotel and accommodation sector.
She reportedly stated that the Marriott Hotel (Guyana) is a ‘beautiful hotel, with high standards, a model for other hotels to
strive to achieve’. It should be noted that Minister Hughes participated in conversations with the Manager of the Marriott during which she was assured that the hotel is attracting "a lot of business". It has done so also by hosting a number of functions and other events.
She pointed out that whether the Government will make a final decision on whether the Marriott Hotel is something it would want to sell to a potential investor, albeit a local or an international, or whether the Administration would want to “hold on to the Marriott”, the Government is not sure as yet.
Hughes emphasized that the APNU/AFC Administration has more important functions to undertake and, “running a hotel” is not one of these. According to reports, she noted that running a hotel is a function which someone in the private sector should be more interested in doing since the administration is occupied with managing the affairs of the State.
On April 17, 2015 the Guyana Marriott Hotel, costing US$58 million, was officially commissioned. This massive and grand hotel saw an investment from the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) which totalled US$36 million, and Republic Bank Ltd of Trinidad investing US$15.25 million out of its US$27 million total financing. (kristenm@guyanatimesgy.com)
Statistics in Guyana indicate that Guyanese of East Indian descent account for 80 per cent of all suicide deaths in Guyana. The figures for attempts at selfharm vary slightly. The figures also indicate that by religion, Hindus account for more deaths than any other religious group in Guyana. This is according to a survey on suicide conducted by the Mibicuri Community Developers (MCD) in Guyana.
Worldwide statistics paint a different picture to what the statistics in Guyana indicate. Worldwide, Hindu countries have a 9.6 per cent per 100,000 populations, Christian countries 11.2 and Muslim countries where suicide is strictly forbidden, the total suicide rate is 0.1 per 100,000 population. This is according to data provided in “A global perspective in the epidemiology of suicide” by Bertolate and Alexandra Fleischmann.
However in Guyana, the statistics are different, given the data provided by the Mibicuri Community Developers. It was revealed that Hindus account for 69 per cent, Christians 22 per cent and Muslims eight per cent of all attempted suicides.
In a document produced by the MCD, in Guyana the most common methods of committing suicide are by consuming a poisonous substance, which represents 66 per cent; 17.2 per cent by hanging; 8.2 per cent by self immolation (setting oneself alight); 3.4 per cent by overdosing on pharmaceutical pills and 1.3 per cent by drowning.
Religion and suicide
From a religious standpoint, these figures on suicide in Guyana pose several startling questions; the most frequently asked – does the Hindu religion
promotes suicide?
Pandit Suresh Sugrim of the Humanitarian Mission of New Jersey Arya Samaj who has participated in many suicide awareness programmes in Guyana answers this question with a resounding no.
Pandit Rajin Balgobind of the Hindu Society of Berbice (HSB) Sri Krishna Mandir is of the opinion that there are several factors which result in those statistics but none of them has to do with the teachings of the religion.
“Hinduism condemns it. It is one of the most heinous crimes that one can commit against themself. If somebody has no value of themselves, that thought does not mean anything to them,” Pandit Balgobind says.
Ethnicity
Based on the findings of the Mibicuri Community Developers; with respect to ethnicity, persons of East Indian descent account for 80 per cent of all attempted cases of suicide in Guyana, while Africans account for 11 per cent. Persons of mixed ethnicity account for 11 per cent and Amerindians account for the other one per cent.
This poses another question; what may be the contributory factors that
influence East Indians –the group which has the highest suicide attempt rate in Guyana – to commit such an act?
Pandit Suresh Sugrim questions the authenticity of the figures but says that he is aware that there is a high number of East Indians who attempt self harm and says that all religious bodies need to become ‘our brother’s keeper’.
“Religious leaders need to spend more time focusing on the issue and have groups in their organisations that will work with troubled persons… My approach to suicide in Guyana is love; man needs love and love is the key word.”
Pandit Balgobind responded by saying that there are more East Indians in Guyana than any other ethnicity, therefore any survey done will show figures that East Indians engage in that activity more.
However, in Guyana, East Indians represent approximately 43 per cent and not 80 per cent of the population.
Another question raised – and for the purpose of clarity less the wrong idea be derived – is what is the Hindu faith’s official position on suicide.
“God does not like it and there is nowhere in the scriptures that the Bhagwat Geeta promotes the taking of one’s life,” Pandit Sugrim says, while Pandit Balgobind notes that the Bhagwat Geeta is about lifting one’s spirit. “Don’t run away from life.”
Balgobind, himself a suicide survivor, who at the age of 18 years overdosed on sleeping pills, says the thought of killing one’s self occurs at a moment when you are temporary insane and lose all your faculties. “This occurred after a fight with my father and he wanted to hurt him. It is one of the most regretful things I ever did in my
According to Pandit Balgobind, one of the causes of self harm is that of peer pressure and the fact that there are more youths ‘unemployed than those employed. “There has been no establishment for hiring young people in Region Six [East BerbiceCorentyne] for generations. How many of our young people who would have graduated at the top of their class can afford to travel to Georgetown to work and travel back in the evening?”
He says because of peer pressure, many young women get involved in activities and then feel scorned after and some young men find difficulty coping with themselves having to live with the thought of what they might have did to someone. “That moment of temporary insanity comes and they think of the easy out and try to kill themselves.”
“All these seminars where people go to and say that they want to live and they will not get depressed, is all talk. A week later when they cannot get a job and they are pressured at home or their heart is broken… Our duty is to tell them that it is something temporary and can be fixed. Financial difficulties, break up in relationships all cause depression,” Balgobind notes.
He says alcohol plays a major role in cases of suicide and suicide attempts, adding that in Guyana, fruits are more expensive that alcohol, making alcohol an easy choice.
“You will come to the temple and we will try to pound it into you… but at the end, when they leave the temple they want some level of security... There are various reasons that affect us all and these cannot
be limited to one religion,” Balgobind told Guyana Times
“In religion we can all live in the name of God but at the end of the day we need food on the table, we need clothes on our backs, we need money to put in out cellphones… If there is job creation in Guyana we will see a significant change with the suicide rate.”
Pandit Balgobind’s advice to persons who are contemplating suicide or harbouring such thoughts is “Nothing in life stays the same, things change. Tomorrow could be a positive, so why kill yourself today.”
He feels that there is need for support systems, while noting that Hinduism advocates a positive way of life. “Krishna is there to give us that support.”
With the ruling out that the high suicide rate in Guyana is rooted in religious beliefs, there will have to be structured sociological investigations to discover what other factors may be responsible for Hindus recording a 69 per cent rate of all suicide cases in Guyana, so that directed programmes may be devised to deal with the scourge.
The Crime Chief explained that they have not held them since they are assisting with the corruption allegation.
“You can’t have your cake and eat it. We had to do a trade off… Besides, we don’t have any evidence against them right now,” he pointed out. Additionally, Blanhum also confirmed reports that a known character from the East Bank Demerara was the one who provided the bribe money.
The incident occurred since September 10, but
the senior officials in the Division got word of it on Tuesday. Police sources revealed that the ranks involved are from the Whim Police Station.
On the day in question, the ranks were conducting a road block exercise at Salton, Corentyne, when they intercepted a minibus reportedly carrying a quantity of cocaine and a large sum of cash.
The ranks reportedly took the vehicle and its occupants to the Station however before entering the
compound, the officers allegedly negotiated a settlement with the occupants instead of arresting them and took some $6 million in cash as payoff for freeing the bus and its occupants. Further reports indicated that the freed men reportedly went back to the station, where they informed the Assistant Superintendent about their misdeed and instead of taking disciplinary action against the ranks, the senior officer took a portion of the bribe money.
Amid talks of deploying troops to defend Guyana’s territory and integrity against Venezuela, Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force Mark Phillips declared that arms are necessary for peace to prevail.
“Today, nations arm themselves for peace, not for war,” Phillips stated.
He was, at the time, addressing hundreds of soldiers who assembled on an early Saturday morning to march from Better Hope, East Coast Demerara all the way to Providence East Bank Demerara.
Phillips also told his ranks that Guyana stands ready to fight for peace against Venezuela’s aggres-
GDF Chief-of-Staff Mark Phillips
sion amid the ongoing border controversy.
His comments are in light a recent position taken by the former Commanderin-Chief Bharrat Jagdeo, who cautioned that Guyana
ought not to portray the impression of aggression, especially since it is such a small nation. Jagdeo emphasised that Guyana’s only strength lies with diplomacy and dialogue and therefore warned against the deployment of troops and display of weaponry on the border with Venezuela.
On the other hand, the Chief-of-Staff defended the deployment of Guyanese soldiers on the borders, claiming that it was necessary to protect Guyana’s sovereignty.
Over the past week, Venezuela has been intensifying its military operations at the border, deploying heavily armed boats in the Cuyuni River inside Guyana.
According to Venezuelan media, that country’s Defence Minister, Vladimir Padrino López, announced shortly after President Granger alerted the public to the intensified military presence that its military officers are holding “operational exercises”. He did not elaborate on the number of soldiers and equipment involved in the operation.
The Venezuela/Guyana border controversy was revitalised following United States oil giant ExxonMobil announcement of a prolific oil discovery in Guyana’s offshore waters- a section which the Spanish-speaking nation is claiming belongs to them. (devinas@guyanatimesgy.com)
Following recent concerns raised about the prevalence of “landlordism” being practiced in the mining sector, the industry’s regulatory body has pointed out that Government needs to take the necessary actions to address the issue.
Speaking with Guyana Times Commissioner Rickford Vieira of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), explained that the Mining Laws do not provide a limit on the amount of lands that can be leased to a specific person. As a result of this, many largescale miners and even businessmen have sought to acquire mining lands and then rent them out entirely or in portions to smaller miners.
This practice has been ongoing for years and is said to be prevalent across the country’s mining regions. Recently, concerns were raised about the widespread practice of landlordism, with
GGMC Commissioner Rickford Vieira
calls being made for the matter to be addressed.
However, Commissioner Vieira pointed out that this matter will have to be addressed at a policy level, that is, the laws need to be changed to put a cap on the amount of lands being acquired by an individual.
According to the GGMC Head, because there are no capping laws, persons tend to take advantage and exploit
small miners.
“It (landlordism) is prevalent in the mining industry, yes but we don’t have a directive to address it; there is nothing we can do… It is a policy matter that Government will have to address if they want to cease the practice because it’s a policy matter,” Vieira outlined.
The Commissioner noted that while the practice is widespread, it does not affect the work of the GGMC.
Moreover, the GGMC Head went on to highlight that many persons who are granted lands fail to gainfully use them, while others are left without. He noted that often the smaller miners are forced to rent the lands from these landlords.
The issue of landlordism was raised in the GGMC’s Management and Systems Review Inception Report, which was prepared by Dr Grantley Walrond, LJ. Heesterman, and J
Goolsarran. In the Report, it was pointed out that with a lot of interests being shown in the mining sector, the prime areas available for prospective applicants is minimal.
“In addition, the majority of properties are held by few persons, who hold prospective miners to ransom. The current laws do not allow a cap on aggregate land ownership, but does allow properties to be challenged.
However, challenging a property claim is onerous and time consuming, and may not be worth the effort, while consuming significant regulatory time and resources,” the Report detailed.
The authors of the Report highlighted that there is little monitoring of “landlordism” practices. It further revealed that medium-scale miners were granted hundreds of Prospecting Permits - Medium Scale (PPMS) and Mining Permits (MP) at the same time.
he distinction between “growth” and “development” had been made so many times since the 70’s that your Eyewitness won’t burden you, dear reader, with another disquisition of the subject. Save to say that while you can have growth without development, in the US, for instance, where the top 1% hogs 90% of the wealth. Did you see “8 Mile” with Eminem?
Living in a trailer park in the city that makes Cadillacs isn’t development! Anyhow the UN just came up with some new 17 “sustainable development goals” (SDG’s) - as opposed to the 8 Millennial ones (MDG’s) . Your Eyewitness has no problems with goals per se. Hey! - If you don’t set goals, you’re just drifting where ever the tide takes you, OK? And you’ll inevitably end up on the shoals one day. What he’s concerned about is that the lessons why so many of the first 8 goals weren’t achieved were ignored in the new and more ambitions SDG’s.
Let’s take this “ending poverty” goal. In the MDG it was to halve “extreme” poverty ...now it’s ending ALL poverty. But they ignore that half of the folks removed from poverty in the MDG’s were from China - where it was done all by themselves. And China didn’t futz around with giving handouts - like so many of the other “anti-poverty” programmes did. Even though it maintained it was “communist” the ruling party went full steam ahead with the profit motive to push growth. Which then led to “development” because they invested into the real economy - where people had to be employed. So even though China now has scores of billionaires, it also has a new 600 million middle class.
And where, even though there were all kinds of handwringing about working conditions, the Chinese ordinary citizens put their shoulders to the wheel and bootstrapped themselves out of poverty. As opposed to Guyana, where though businesses are crumbling all around, the Government ministers have refused to offer them incentives - while demanding higher salaries and “better working conditions” for the employees. Evidently it doesn’t strike them to ask where the money will come from.
But back to this “ending of poverty”. That’s good... that’s noble but to address the “relative” nature of the concept, the UN has continued to insist that an income of US$1.25 gives you a “get out of poverty” card. And this is what the Eyewitness has a problem with. Surely there isn’t a place on planet earth that US$1.25 will take care of even the “bare necessities” for a day.
So is the bar set deliberately touching the ground so that “success” can be claimed in 2030?
...on the border controversy
Your Eyewitness was pretty upset when some folks snickered at our boys from the GDF jumping into action with heavy camouflaged outfits in the middle of the city. Presumably to “send a signal” to Maduro. Hey...your Eyewitness is very proud that these fellas are prepared to do what they gotta do. Back in 1969, some of their intrepid predecessors did expel some Surinamese invaders in the New River Triangle...OK?
Your Eyewitness just wants to reiterate the point the Opposition Leader just made: why reject diplomacy totally even when you have to counter your opponent’s posture? In our case Maduro needs rice and paddy to feed his restive supporters as much as we need his country to take our rice and paddy off our farmers’ hands. If Venezuela hasn’t stopped shipping oil to us because of the economic fact that when oil is below $40... we have to pay upfront - why can’t we also see the economic necessity of shipping rice and paddy to them?
Are our rice farmers to be sacrificed on the altar of machismo?
...on
The Government’s accepted the SDG of at least 7% annually that’s set for Low income countries. Now could they let us in on the plan to achieve this?
In order for Guyana to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it will require high levels of political commitment to these goals, and the United Nations (UN) Summit is only a start.
This is according to President David Granger who made this declaration at the UN Sustainable Development Summit 2015 on Friday.
Guyana Times understands that, in his address to the gathering, he noted that Guyana must continue to work with other members of the UN as stated in the international community and work together with people within the various countries.
“Unity of effort is essential to confront the difficult but necessary choices which must be made to realise the goal of sustainable development. Vigilance will be required from us as leaders and from all stakeholders. A reformed and revitalised UN development system and intergovernmental machinery, including the Economic and Social Council and the HighLevel Political Forum, will be needed to exercise core functions in such a manner that will provide impetus, enable
accountability and actualise course correction,” he posited.
According to President Granger, there must be policy integration to address competing priorities and demands and Guyana is counting on the UN system for effective support in this regard.
He emphasised that Guyana is of the view that the same spirit of understanding and cooperation that attended the preparation of this Agenda should mark its implementation, and that success will require nothing less.
“We have laid the basis for the implementation of the 203o Agenda. The means of the implementation outlined in that Agenda, in conjunction with the provisions of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, will be critical to the realisation of the Sustainable Development goals and targets. We recognise that all sources of financing will be required to contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
President Granger noted that all countries, developed and developing, will be required to play positive roles in accordance with their diverse circumstances and situations.
Guyana Times under-
A24-year-old, labour-
er of Three Friends Village on the Essequibo Coast took his own life on Thursday, September 24, after he had an heated argument with his teenaged wife.
Dead is Kemlall Seegobin, who was discovered hanging from a rafter off of his Three Friends home. He was discovered by his reputed wife, who he was said to be living with for two months, and brother.
According to information reaching Guyana Times, the deceased went home under the influence of alcohol and engaged in a heated argument with his 18-year-old wife. It was reported that he then started to physically abuse her, dealing several lashes to her body.
His reputed wife then went to the deceased man’s
brother’s home in Colombia, a village away, to complain about his behaviour.
After spending some time there, she and the brother returned, when they discovered Seegobin hanging from the rafter. The Police was subsequently informed, who later visited the scene and brought the body down from its hanging position.
There were no marks of violence on his body. After doctors pronounced him dead, he was transported to the Suddie Funeral Home.
Thus far this year, statistics have shown a total of 69 registered cases of suicide, 52 treated cases and 17 deaths (13 males and four females) in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) alone. The most contributing factor resulting in the death of such persons is domestic problems within homes.
stands that progress in implementing the Addis Ababa Action Agenda can provide a strong impetus to efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda. This is especially pertinent to such service deliverables as:
• Implementing a new global social compact for the delivery of social protection and essential public services for all;
• increasing international cooperation in tax matters;
• ensuring debt sustainability;
• intensifying efforts to end hunger and mal-
nutrition;
• bridging the critical infrastructure gaps;
• operationalising the technology facilitation mechanism; and
• employing the ECOSOC forum for the follow-up to Financing for Development.
According to a press release from the Ministry of the Presidency, Guyana recognises the links between peace, security and the rule of law and the successful implementation of this agenda. As such calls are being made to all the nations to eschew recourse to the threat, or use, of force in the resolution of controversies.
“Guyana urges that friendship and understanding should underpin relations between states, in consonance with the principles of international law and in a renewed spirit of global solidarity and partnership. Guyana, at the national level, is richer for the many lessons of our collective development experience. Not least has been our long embrace of the primacy of the pursuit of a path of
sustainable development, including the effective integration of its three dimensions at all levels,” the Guyanese President told the UN gathering.
He promised that his country will work tirelessly, in accordance with Guyana’s national plans and aspirations, to build a modern, peaceful and prosperous nation, in which all citizens share equally in the benefits of development.
This newspaper was told that the policy is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and to promote lifelong opportunities for all.
“Education - SDG Goal No 4 - is the mother of other goals. It is the gateway to reducing inequality and to empowering all women and girls - Goal No 5. It will boost national efforts in the fight against poverty - Goal No 1. Its achievement is necessary to end hunger,” he said. It was further stated that over the next five years Guyana will have, as one of
its foremost priorities of national development, the provision of inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.
As such, this lies within our collective will to address the defining challenges of the country’s time successfully. It should be noted that these challenges include eliminating trafficking in persons, eradicating poverty, promoting more inclusive, just and peaceful societies and combating climate change.
“We must harness a spirit of understanding and cooperation to assure the successful implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development within the next fifteen years. The Cooperative Republic of Guyana declares, today (Friday), its full support for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We commit to work untiringly for its full realisation. We are determined to achieve all the sustainable development goals and their targets,” President Granger divulged. (kristenm@guyanatimesgy.com)
Amid the Guyana/ Venezuela border controversy, the ongoing United Nations (UN) meeting in New York provides the ideal opportunity for Guyanese President David Granger and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to engage in constructive dialogue geared towards easing the diplomatic tension and rescuing Guyana’s rice market in Venezuela.
This is according to Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo who pointed out that the issue can only be best resolved through dialogue between the two nations as it could result in the lowering of tensions between the two countries, resume functional cooperation and allow Guyana to rescue its rice market.
“I wish to urge President Granger to meet with President Maduro in New York… We can aggressive-
ly pursue the integrity and the sovereignty of our borders and we should do so with all the strength in our bodies, but at the same time we have to maintain a channel open for dialogue and we have to maintain trade flows and functional cooperation between our neighbours,” Jagdeo stated.
Guyana Times understands that the two Heads of Government are expected to meet today at the Office of the United Nations Secretary General Ban Kimoon.
Arrogant foreign policy
In understanding the sensitivity of the situation, Jagdeo cautioned that there should be no room for a belligerent, obnoxious or arrogant foreign policy as any actions of such a nature can only worsen the existing problem.
“Dialogue is the only way forward… Our only strength as a small country is in diplomacy and dialogue,” the former President insisted.
Further, Jagdeo noted that Guyana ought to be very careful that it does not portray an image of aggression whenever addressing the border controversy.
“One thing we must not do, we must never allow Venezuela to argue that we are a belligerent nation so the signals we send, whilst we have to be ready and we have to all collectively defend our country from whatever external threat we face, if we start sending
images across the world of troops carrying guns, then we undermine the strength of small countries which is diplomacy,” he firmly stated, cautioning the media too in their reporting style.
Jagdeo also noted the heightened presence of Venezuelan troops at the border, but again cautioned that Guyana should not respond with hostility.
Referring to reports that Guyanese soldiers are “getting ready”, the former Commander-in-Chief said the Government should see it fit to brief the Opposition on the matter before making any decision, reminding that the situation goes beyond political differences. In fact, he stated that no country wants to go to war and, on that note, reiterated his calls of dialogue.
Global solidarity
The former President also underscored the im-
portance of global solidarity in this regard, noting that it is extremely critical that Guyana gain as much public declaration of support as possible.
The People’s Progressive Party/Civic has already pledged its full support to the Government on border related matters though each entity may have their differences on how the matters should be addressed. Nonetheless, Jagdeo said he is fully prepared to lobby anyone for support, including the Commonwealth Heads of Government.
In fact, Jagdeo pointed out that the support of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) nations combined with the support from the Commonwealth nations could be extremely beneficial for Guyana. “Global solidarity is very important with small countries,” he noted.
Satiricus was awestruck at the display our men in olive were putting on in Georgetown. Satiricus knew that the entire city had been on tenterhooks when they saw pictures of all those Venezuelan missiles poised on our border. While Satiricus wasn't any kind of military maven, he was pretty sure those missiles weren't meant to be dropped on Bai Shan Lin's stands of greenheart.
In fact, since Maduro had issued "identity cards" to all the folks in Essequibo, THEY had nothing to worry about. Maduro wouldn't be killing off his own newly anointed "citizens" would he? "No sir! It was we folks in Georgetown that would suffer from the Venezuelan Blitz," moaned Satiricus. And he was grateful for the soldiers in the city.
Satiricus wasn’t worried hadn't been equipped them with SAM's (that's Surface to air missiles) to take out the oncoming SRBM (that's Short Range Ballistic Missiles). "It's not what equipment you have... it's how you use it," thought Satiricus, as he clenched his jaw. The Commandant of the army had already looked over our airborne resources. While the Bell 412 Helicopter was "unserviceable" and the Chinese made Y-12 plane was "under repairs", the 2 seven-seater Bell 206's could easily ferry the squad that would take on the Venezuelans.
And the commandant was already placing an order for weapons to match the Venezuelan arsenal. Satiricus was worried that we might be plunging into an arms race with the Venezuelans. While he knew he would enjoy strutting past our own missiles and Mirage Fighters and all that on Independence Day, Satiricus was worried. He'd read that if a country buys gums, they can't buy butter. Satiricus wasn't sure as to why this was so but he did love his bread buttered. But more to the point, Satiricus thought the Commandant was ignoring the lesson of our own history - and we would be doomed to repeat it. Back in 1966 he'd read that that Great Leader Burnt Ham had repealed the Venezuelans by making "every citizen soldier". Burnt Ham quadrupled the size of the army, formed a National Service, a People's Militia, a Women's Auxillary, and armed his Youth group and had schoolchildren doing the lizard crawl in their school uniforms.
"Did a number on our elbows and uniforms" Satiricus reminisced, "But it scared away those nasty Venezuelans!" What's more, the unemployment problem would be solved, the economy would get the stimulus with all that military spending and our people would finally see why our Pressie hired all those military brass.
The man was a prophet!
Residents along with businesses operating within the vicinity of Cotton Field Public Road in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) are complaining about poor drainage in their area which is resulting in an unpleasant odour in the atmosphere. Workers attached to businesses have bitterly complained over the stench emanating from the stagnant drains.
Residents are calling for the drains located in the vicinity of the popular Chinese restaurant to be dug. According to them the drains are clogged with unpleasant non-biodegradable items thrown by popular businesses around the area. They have also complained that the drains are creating an unpleasant environment for them to operate.
“We can’t stand up here long; we feel sick. I was on leave for a few weeks and when I returned recently, the smell just sick my stomach, I will be forced to resign if this continue” a worker said. Customers using the Bank nearby have also complained over the stench.
When Guyana Times visited the area, the drains were definitely clogged with an unbearable stench plaguing the area. This, residents said, has been happening for some time. Despite several complaints to the Anna Regina Town Council and
the Environmental Officers, nothing was done. However when contacted, Town Clerk of the Anna Regina Town Council Diane Critchlow she said the Council are aware of the complaints made. She pointed out that the Council had intervened, and a koker was built by a private individual to assist with the drainage issue. She however said she is of the opinion the problem was solved, but promised that a team from the Council will make a visit to the area as early as Monday.
Critchlow said the stagnant drains could be as a result of irresponsibility presently being exhibited, and is calling on all residents living in the area to assist in cleaning the drains in front their gaps. The Town Clerk went on that advises were given to the restaurant to find better ways of disposing of liquid
Public Private Partnership (PPP) aimed at enhancing health care continues to be a strategy embraced by Health Administrators in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
Private individuals continue to assist the administration to be better able to deliver quality healthcare. Recently there were two donations of similar nature: one from an expatriate, and the other from a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO).
Guyanese expatriate based in the USA Dr Royston Albert, formerly of Leeds Village, Corentyne, donated a significant quantity of laboratory coats, theatre gowns, patient gowns, scrubs and other medical gowns to the New Amsterdam Hospital.
The items were handed over by sibling of the donor Carlos Albert to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) New Amsterdam Hospital, Colin Bynoe who was assisted by Medical Superintendant Dr Vishalya Sharma.
The Albert family has a long association and growing passion for improvement in health care in Berbice,
having another sibling who served as a nurse for a number of years.
Meanwhile Hilbert Foster on behalf of the Rose Hall Town Anniversary Development Organization presented a quantity of scrubs to the New Amsterdam Hospital.
In accepting the items the CEO expressed gratitude for the support given and is pleased that the public and even those in the Diaspora recognise the magnitude of the demand on health care in Guyana and are willing to give back to their country.
He noted that the donated items will ensure that health care providers giving critical services are properly attired for their duties, thus improving outcome. He said these gestures motivate and assist health care providers to be better equipped to help the public daily.
Bynoe has left the door ajar for similar gestures from humanitarians, urging like expressions of support for New Amsterdam Hospital and all other public health care institutions across the region.
waste. Residents are of the view the situation can only be solved if the drains are dug. They said the obvious stench is due to ‘meat’ water being drained from a nearby restaurant, thus whenev-
flooding.
and other businesses are located in close proximity.
As the tension continues to build between the two neighbouring countries over the border controversy, the matter was brought up for discussion at a recent Commonwealth meeting in New York.
On Thursday last, the 14th Annual Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (CFAMM) was held in New York on the sidelines of the 70th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.
However, the ongoing
border controversy issue was brought up in another meeting with the Foreign Ministers prior to the CFAMM.
“The group is preparing a statement that will call for respect for Guyana’s boundaries, a peaceful resolution to the border controversy, and support for the UN Secretary-General’s efforts to reach an agreement,” a Commonwealth statement detailed.
Over the past few days, Guyana has been engaged in intense training of its
military – the Guyana Defence Force – in response to actions taken by the Venezuelan Government to beef up military personnel and weapons at the border with Guyana.
Meanwhile during the CFAMM, the Foreign Ministers took stock of the progress made in a number of mandates from the 2013 leaders’ summit, including initiatives to support free media, expand trade opportunities for small states, and help climate vulnerable states access financing
mechanisms.
The meeting was chaired by Sri Lanka’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Mangala Samaraweera.
Additionally, Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee of the House of Representatives of Malta, Luciano Busattil, provided a briefing on preparations for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of
In addition, a meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) was also scheduled for this week in New York. The group, comprising of nine Foreign Ministers, is tasked with assessing serious or persistent violations of the Commonwealth’s fundamental political values including democracy, hu-
er reasonable justification; systematic denial of political space, such as through detention of political leaders or restriction of freedom of association, assembly or expression; and a national electoral process that is seriously flawed.
Additionally, they will also consider: the abrogation of the rule of law or undermining of the inde-
Government Meeting, which will be held in Malta this November. The Ministers also discussed the proposed agenda for this summit.
Moreover, the Foreign Ministers also reviewed the Commonwealth Secretariat’s work to advance democracy and fundamental political values in member states, as well as the activities in economic and social development.
The CFAMM took place on the eve of the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, at which a new set of international development goals will be agreed by world leaders.
man rights, and the rule of law. Secretary-General of Commonwealth, Kamalesh Sharma, will brief the group on issues of concern in member countries.
The CMAG members will also consider eight circumstances that would trigger the group’s interest and potential engagement with member countries. These include: unilateral abrogation of a democratic constitution or serious threats to constitutional rule; suspension or prevention of the lawful functioning of parliament or other key democratic institutions; postponement of national elections without constitutional or oth-
pendence of the judiciary; systematic violation of human rights of the population, or of any communities or groups, by the member government concerned; and significant restrictions on the media or civil society.
Using these circumstances to trigger interest from CMAG will help the group deliver the deeper mandate it has been given by Commonwealth Heads of Government - to become more proactive and positive in its work with member states in order to protect and promote the Commonwealth’s fundamental political values.
When questioned by media operatives, Jagdeo disagreed with the notion that the Caribbean countries’ involvement in the PetroCaribe deal with Venezuela could undermine their sovereign support to Guyana amid the controversy.
“Our Government has assured us that Caricom supports us fully…I do not want to doubt that…My view is that in spite of the participation in PetroCaribe, those countries from what I gather…they express full support of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity… So it is my position that they will not allow their participation the PetroCaribe to undermine their support to Guyana,” he posited.
Jagdeo indicated that there is a correlation between the border issue and the loss of Guyana’s lucrative rice market in
Venezuela.
He explained that almost every year, the agreement Guyana signs with Venezuela has a finite life and therefore, the agreement would have had to be negotiated on the regular basis. The last agreement, he said, saw the deal coming to an end in November.
“Because of the relationship that we maintain with Venezuela, the good functional cooperation we had…Every year, we got that agreement renewed,” Jagdeo pointed out. Jagdeo indicated that the deepened issues between the two countries significantly affected the trade flow- which in turn is significantly affecting the rice industry and ultimately the economy.
“If the agreement was coming to an end in November, why did they stop importing from August if it was not related to our own problems?” he posed.
from page 10
If the matter is not immediately addressed, Jagdeo said, the slowdown in the economy can rapidly accelerate and people will begin to suffer.
Meanwhile, Jagdeo acknowledged that while in dialogue, in order to arrive at an amicable position, both countries will have to compromise.
“It is up to President Granger to decide what compromise they will make, if there is a need to compromise…No countries in the world want to go to war and I am sure that through dialogue, you can find some resolution that satisfies the concerns of both sides,” Jagdeo stated.
However, he insisted that in negotiation, Guyana should never compromise its historical position on the border issue.(devinas@ guyanatimesgy.com)
The underlying idea of democratic Government is that of stewardship, of service. Government controls the public purse and provides vital services but only at the behest of the people. And all of it comes under the umbrella of the rule of law as enshrined in the constitution. But more than the legalities and correct procedures are the issues of integrity and ethics as it pertains to public servants.
Ryhaan Shah
Since our independence in 1966, Guyana has hardly had a spell of public administration that can be deemed free of corruption. The PNC dictatorship was followed by PPP Governments that furthered the political decay. With no sustained period of governance that has not fallen prey to partisanship, corruption and sycophancy, our public servants can hardly be blamed for their unprofessionalism. Given no model of leadership to emulate or which insisted on ethical standards, there is currently no culture of work.
Everywhere, the public service is run through with graft and bribery and it is not only at the highest official levels. At every stratum ordinary people give “raises” to get birth certificates, passports, driver’s licences, etc. That the police are viewed as corrupt, as shown in a recent allegation of bribery, makes the issue more problematic.
However, we expect to see real change from our public servants who will now be held to higher standards and will be expected to perform with a newfound professionalism.
A Commission of Inquiry is meeting to propose the way forward for our public servants and we all expect that its deliberations will result in Government services that will be based on ethical principles which the public must be able to view as fair, just and correct. It is the highest of the servant leaders, President Granger himself, who will need to set the standard of attitudes and behavior which must be based on a moral disposition.
While the coalition promised increased wages for public servants, Finance Minister Winston Jordan has since tempered that campaign promise, stating that pay hikes will be premised on increased productivity thus providing further incentive for greater professionalism and efficiency.
The idea that Government is about power and control directly conflicts with the underlying principle that public service is about the proper stewardship of the country’s affairs. This includes managing the country’s resources, practicing fairness and equality, maintaining transparency, and simply conducting the people’s business in what would be seen as a right and just manner.
In a multi-racial and multi-cultural society such as ours which has a history of racial discord and division, Government would also have to protect the rights of every group. Respect for human rights is interrelated to the public good and in the stewardship of public revenues. The distribution of the country’s wealth must be fair and equitable to ensure the security and development of every citizen no matter race, creed, gender, etc.
As it stands, the public service does not reflect the cultural and ethnic diversity of our country, a vital component of a just and ethical service. Government’s much criticized witch hunt resulting in dismissals that are seen as ethno/political has not been a good start for any valuable reform. Perhaps, the COI will be able to reverse this by recommending that hiring and firing practices must always be fair and must always adhere to the rules of due process.
Our political history gives us a healthy distrust for public officials and in the face of the administration’s witch hunt, corruptions, hypocrisy and arrogance, the commission’s well intentioned recommendations might well prove to be an exercise in futility.
There is a direct correlation between good governance and better economic performance but democratic elections and a majority Government do not in themselves guard against tyranny and autocracy. We know enough to recognize the early signs of a creeping dictatorship and we must all do our part to make sure that the country is not taken down that path again.
In closing, perhaps, the COI will recommend the longoverdue removal of those infernal dress codes for the public who need to transact business at public offices. We live in the tropics where slippers, sandals, short pants and sleeveless frocks are de rigueur and most comfortable especially when waiting in long queues in hot, airless offices.
We are all adults who can dress ourselves to conduct our business at our public buildings. This “nanny state” situation of forcing the public to conform to someone else’s idea of “proper” attire and giving security guards the power to hassle the public over such an inconsequential matter is plain eyepass.
Readers are invited to send their comments by email to shah@guyanatimesgy.com
“National
– Jagdeo seeks clarity on “national unity talks”
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo pointed out that it remains uncertain exactly what the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government is offering when it refers to the “national unity talks” and as such, called on President David Granger to proffer an explanation.
Jagdeo pointed out that there is great ambiguity in what is being proposed and is therefore requesting that Government define clearly their proposition before both sides move forward with these “talks”.
In explaining the lack of clarity on the issue, Jagdeo stated that President Granger first requested that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Opposition participate in a "National Unity Committee", then Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo during his recent outreach in Whim, Berbice, extended an arm to the PPP/C for a
"National Unity Government".
“They are two different things… There needs to be clarity around the concept,” Jagdeo stated. Therefore, Jagdeo posited that unless a proper explanation is formally offered from the Ministry of the Presidency, then neither party can move forward on the issue.
National Unity Government
The hullabaloo surrounding the matter of “national unity talks” actually stems from Nagamootoo’s “National Unity Government” offer to the PPP/C, since Jagdeo contended that the PM has no authority to invite the Opposition to form such an alliance.
“I do not know whether this is the intention of the President… apart from the fact that he spoke to me frivolously, he does not have the authority to make that offer because he is not Head of State nor Head of Government,” Jagdeo insist-
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo
ed, noting that however, if the proposal for a national unity government came from the President, then he would take the matter seriously.
When Jagdeo raised his objections about Nagamootoo leading the “National Unity” talks, a public outcry erupted from the Government benches.
Nagamootoo even took
to the social media to post a statement, attacking the Opposition Leader for expressing his views on the situation. From Jagdeo’s perspective, Nagamootoo behaved like a “tyrant” and called him a “loser” who cannot be a “chooser”.
But Jagdeo clearly reminded that the Opposition never approached the Government for national unity talks.
“We never went over and begged Nagamootoo or the Government to get into the executive,” he highlighted, noting that Nagamootoo’s rant was purely nonsensical.
Jagdeo maintained that the PPP/C will always keep an open mind on the issue of national unity but whether it will participate in the committee or an inclusionary government is another matter. Jagdeo said the details of the proposal still need to be examined and whether the conditions exist for this kind of a cohesion between the two sides.
Even with a whopping $20 billion of taxpayers’ monies on the line, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition
Government is yet to accept the offer made by the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Opposition to help Attorney General Basil Williams in several pending tax evasion cases.
During a recent interview with the Attorney
General, he declined to comment on the matter.
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo during a media conference on Friday expressed some concerns over the apparent non-acceptance of the offer, urging the Administration to swiftly make contact with former Attorney General Anil Nandlall for assistance.
“I hope the Government does not lose those cases based on bad representa-
tion,” Jagdeo posited.
The new Government is currently faced with about 10 tax evasion cases which could rake in some $20 billion, if government is successful in winning them.
Williams had previously accused the previous People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) administration of being responsible for several missing files relating to the cases.
However, the PPP/C maintains it did not take away any documents. It also offered to assist the
Government in winning the cases by offering the services of the country’s former Attorney General who has a wealth of knowledge about these cases.
“We will share all of the institutional memory that we have about those tax cases, because we don’t want the Government to lose those tax cases based on bad legal representation, because it will cause the treasury billions of dollars and us as taxpayers – people of this country. We want to share things with them; we want to work with them on this,” Jagdeo had previously outlined.
Jagdeo had noted that if Government is successful in winning these cases, then the billions of dollars could be directed towards developing the country.
Ranks of the Guyana Police Force, on Friday, unearthed a quantity of marijuana from a vehicle at West Coast Berbice.
According to Police Public Relations Officer Ivelaw Whittaker, several ranks were on duty on Friday when they stopped and conducted a search on a motor vehicle at Weldaad, West Coast Berbice. During the search the officers discovered the narcotics, and as such they arrested the occupants.
Three men and two women were in the vehicle at the time. At the station the marijuana was weighed and amounted to five pounds. The occupants are still in custody assisting with further investigations. They are expected to be charged and placed before the courts.
(vahnum@guyanatimesgy.com)
Ahead of the 2015 elections campaign, thousands of Guyanese appeared to be crying out for change.
Some were tired of the Peoples Progressive Party Civic which they alleged had become corrupt, anti-grassroots and anti-working class since the death of its founding leader, former President Cheddi Jagan back in the early 1990’s.
Others simply wanted to revel in the experience of living under a new administration that would boast younger and more energetic candidates with a passion for development and a knack for creativity and innovation.
These candidates, this group hoped, would represent the future of the country and would commence a process of positive reforms, building a Guyana that would be the envy of its neighbours and a force to reckon with in some many respects.
Most Guyanese, however, wanted to live life in a more safe and secure country where there would be jobs, stability, economic and social progress and development for all.
They wanted racial equality and an end to the partisan and political discrimination and skullduggery that many believed had muddied the image of both the Peoples Progressive Party Civic and the Peoples National Congress which were the main political actors in pre and post independent Guyana.
What was common was that they wanted change and progress and they wanted to feel the soothing effects of it immediately after casting their ballots.
Recognizing this, the then political opposition parties crafted their elections strategy to reflect this feeling.
In classic style, these parties hurriedly grouped themselves together to take advantage of the feeling of nostalgia being experienced by the electorate and announced that they were successful in forming a strong opposition alliance and coalition ahead of the polls.
The APNU/AFC coalition with David Granger at its helm promised to do everything under the sun that the electorate wanted included some things which by any stretch of the imagination were impractical and unrealistic in nature but politically appealing.
The then incumbent PPP did even thing to warn Guyanese about the coalition’s promise of Change explaining that the time nor atmospheres was not right because the country needed continuity and progress not change.
The party warned that the coalition would deceive the masses and was purely playing politics if any serious analysis was done on the background of the coalition’s candidates and the parties themselves.
The local elections Commission prepared and executed the elections and then declared that the united opposition coalition had won at the polls.
The elections are over and it’s now September 27, 2015. The only change arising out of the APNU/AFC’s electoral victory appears to be uncertainty and racial divisiveness.
The levels of ethnic tolerance in the country are at an all time low and Guyanese know it. The unemployment rates in the country are soaring with the Government’s decision to fire thousands playing a major part. Investor’s confidence over the first four months of the coalition’s Government has also plummeted with not a single new investment being announced or put on stream.
The Venezuela/Guyana border dispute is at “crisis” levels and thousands of ordinary rice farmers and sugar workers are struggling to make ends meet because of the state of the industries.
While the President’s men and cabinet are now getting comfy in their new jobs and positions of power, poverty on the ground is swelling because the Government refuses to articulate clear policy positions and initiatives that could stimulate real domestic direct growth.
Guyana is in a Commission of Inquiry mode and a Scooby Doo corruption “investigation” mode.
There is no such thing as national unity existing and there will no shared governance agreement reached in the next five years from the look of things. Crime is spiraling out of control in every nook and cranny and mostly one ethnic group has become the victim but no one in Government seems to care.
But the new Government is busy trying trailing after the “good life” which they say will see all benefiting to acknowledge how the ethnic problems in this country have exuberated since the polls.
It has adopted, like its social media commentators, "a blame the PPP for everything under the sun approach".
Slowly, Guyanese, this time round unlike 1992, are recognizing that change is not progress and does not mean ethnic equality or solidarity.
Immense pressure is mounting on the David Grangerled Administration to launch a forensic probe into the Mayor and City Council – an entity widely labelled as one of the "most corrupt" in Guyana even as central continues to offer it massive subventions. When the People's Progressive Party/ Civic Administration had injected $500 million for the cleanup effort last year, the Govt as the Opposition had then criticized the accountability yet another $300 million was allocated by them in August.
Given the Administration’s undertaking to embark on forensic audits into several state agencies, with the intention of unearthing corrupt practices, a series of concerns have been raised as to why Government would refuse a similar probe into the City Council, which has been plagued with countless accusations of financial impropriety which have also been backed by several investigations.
In an invited comment, political commentator Dr Henry Jeffrey strongly believes the Government should similarly launch a forensic probe into that agency, contending that it has every authority to make such a request even though the Government previously argued otherwise.
“Just like how we are auditing all other institutions… I would say yes to an audit into City Hall to put the matter to rest,” Dr Jeffrey stated, indicating that it is strange the Government did not find the need to conduct a similar ac-
tivity into this agency, given the myriad corrupt allegations against it.
“A forensic audit, as being done here, presupposed that there is a lot of wrongdoing going on in the institution – that’s politics. The question is, does the Government feel a lot of wrongdoing has been going on at City Hall and does it require an audit…
“I would have said, well look, so many things have been said about City Hall, so to put the matter to rest politically, I would have done an audit to see whether or not it is true,” he reasoned.
Similarly, former Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker asserted that these are not frivolous accusations against the Council and has therefore demanded that an audit be launched.
“There is enough information to substantiate the allegations and comments of people with respect to the mismanagement of funds of the City Hall… you need to do a forensic audit,” Whittaker insisted.
He reflected on the situation during his term in office, noting that several reports were compiled, detailing that Council is guilty of negligence, incompetence, and corruption but many on the then Opposition benches contended otherwise.
Therefore, Whittaker justified that the new Government should launch similar forensic probes into the Council to settle the matter once and for all.
“Just as you are doing audits into the other entities, you
can do an audit into the City Council,” he posited.
Even ordinary members of the public found it amiss that the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government did not request an audit into City Hall, given their stance to ensure accountability and trans-
would have to make a proposal to Cabinet. If Cabinet has no objections, then the Minister can proceed to hold discussions with the City Council.
Therefore, the question still remains, why no forensic audit into City Hall?
Meanwhile, the Mayor and City Council appeared to not
parency prevail.
Several Letters to the Editor, in more than one of the local dailies, saw persons expressing concerns regarding the apparent decision to bypass the City Council.
On the other hand, Junior Finance Minister Jaipaul Sharma, who is currently spearheading the forensic audit probes, told this newspaper that the decision would be up to City Hall to say if it wants an audit, since it is an independent entity of the Local Government arm.
Nonetheless, Sharma did explain that if Government wanted to launch an investigation into the operations of City Hall, then the respective Minister
cle published in Guyana Times questioning why no forensic audit was launched.
In a letter to the editor, the Council said: “The article is malicious, deceptive and a calculated attempt to attack the current work of the Council to promote the clean green city initiative.”
But the City Council for years has failed to address the many issues facing the capital city. While the Council continued to blame its inability to deal with the problems confronting the capital on the lack of financial resources, Whittaker has always contended otherwise.
take too lightly an earlier arti-
Whittaker had pointed out that the Council has no serious debt recovery programme to capture the billions of dollars owed in taxes by businesses and residents. Instead he explained, the Council continually cried that Central Government did not provide adequate funds for it to effectively conduct its operations.
“How can the Georgetown Council now bombard Central Government for more resources when it is not taking steps to secure and utilise what it already has at its disposal?” Whittaker had questioned.
In fact, he had once told the National Assembly that from the little taxes the Council was collecting it was misappropriating those funds on questionable areas via short-sighted methods. At the time, Whittaker chastised the Council for spending citizens’ taxes on the payment of a large workforce which consisted of hundreds of workers as opposed to spending monies in areas where there was a need.
In seeking to prove his point, he explained that some 27 employees were in a roads division, but yet no roads were being repaired or built in the city.
An excess of 2000 medium scale permits have been relinquished within the last year alone due to the progressive fall of gold prices compounded with the high cost of holding lands, which ultimately forced many miners to abandon their holdings, however the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) noted that these lands can now be released to small scale miners, who are often confronted with the unavailability of lucrative mining lands- a move which can sustain the industry during these worrying times.
In a media release, the Association highlighted that the availably of land with known presence of minerals and accessibility has always been a concern expressed by the small scale miners in the industry, but now with over 2000 permits being returned (equivalent to over two million acres of land), small miners now have an opportunity to benefit- without the need for the Government to dig into the public coffers.
“The GGMC (Guyana Geology and Mines Commission) has more than enough land locked off which can be distributed to small scale miners, this must be urgently addressed. The more than two million acres of returned land is more than adequate to satisfy this need, and one does not even need to dip into the state reserves at this time,” the body stated.
The Association noted that
many persons can acquire lands that are without any minerals or with occurrences too low to ensure viability, and that this has in fact been the case with a majority of the small scale miners throughout the years. As such, the GGDMA is calling on the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission to direct this now available land to the smaller miners.
“The more than two million acres is the ideal land for small scale miners, since these are more likely to bear fruitful prospects.
The GGDMA therefore calls for urgent action and keen attention to ensure that the real estate agents who lurk in the sector do not get access to these lands before the genuine miners can have an opportunity to make effective use of the land,” the Association stated.
Meanwhile, the Association questioned the Government’s intentions for the mining industry, particularly in light of reports emanating from the press relating to their plans to “revamp” the sector.
“The GGDMA notes with great fear the recent messages in the press which seem to indicate that some are bent on ‘reorganising’ the sector to benefit those who now wish to make a quick fortune rather than mine,” the release read.
The Association also expressed some concerns over the talk of the redistribution of lands, which it noted would be at the expense of the private sector investment. “The days of nationalisation should be well behind us and support for keen and genuine nation-
al investors should be embraced and supported, not questioned and threatened. The setting of such a dangerous precedent would not only be deleterious to the local private sector, but would hurt prospects of foreign investments; such developments would no doubt give such investors reason for pause and hinder monetary flows into our country,” the release stated.
Moreover, the Association lauded the growing relationship between professional mining companies and the small operators, which has proven to be significantly impactful to the overall strength of the sector and beneficial to the small miners. These relationships see small miners benefiting from assistance through the provision of infrastructure, capital, spares, fuel and credit facilities which will them to continue plying the trade.
In fact, moves are afoot to ensure these relationships become more structured where both parties can be protected. “Many small operators do not have the means to setup a full-fledged operation, and depend on a partnership agreement to get started in the industry. Venturing to the local banks is, most often, not an option for such persons as the risks associated with the gold and diamond mining indus-
try are too volatile for the banks to sanction loans to participants in the sector,” the GGDMA said, noting that this relationship offers a good mechanism that will ensure persons with genuine interest have enough start-up capital.
“The area of concern is not the existence of such relationships, but the structure of the relationship that must ensure fair terms to all parties involved and the legal enforceability of the terms of this relationship so that there is a sense of longevity and security. To this end there needs to be a well-crafted and formal partnership agreement. This has already been discussed with the GGMC and a proposal to have it established via mining regulations, to ensure protection of both parties, is already in the works and should be accelerated,” it noted.
Moreover, the GGDMA vowed to continue to work with the new Administration to address the issues that face the mining sector and to continue to strengthen the capacity of all legitimate miners.
The Association reminded that mining is a business and not a hobby or a get rich quick scheme, referring to the many persons often rush into operations when the prices of gold is at a record high. The organisation highlighted that mining poses daily struggles where persons venture into the unknown, prying from land to land, risking almost everything on a single put or claim.
With just a mere few days remaining before the month of amnesty for persons to hand over illegal firearms, ammunition or explosives without facing prosecution ends, there has been no submissions in the B (Berbice) and G (Essequibo Coast and Islands) Divisions of the Guyana Police Force, however the Divisional Commanders are not worried about this.
The Firearm Amnesty Programme was launched on September 1, as part of the Government’s plan to curb the number of illegal firearms circulating in the country. Thus far the programme has yielded a total of 78 firearms, including 64 shotguns, six pistols, six air rifles, one revolver and one AK-47 rifle. Additionally, a total of 1512 rounds of ammunition and ammunition components were handed over to the Police between September 1 and 26.
With the exception of B and G, all the other Police Divisions have seen some sort of activities but this does not seem to be a worrying fact. Speaking to the Guyana Times, acting Commander of the B Division, Errol Watts, explained that while there has been no submission within his Division, it does not mean that there are not illegal firearms.
Watts stated that per-
sons maybe not be inclined to hand over their illegal weapons, but noted that with just four more days left for the programme, he is urging persons to take advantage of it and benefit from the amnesty period.
Meanwhile, Commander of the G Division, Kevin Adonis, told this newspaper that he is not worried about the fact that no submissions were made thus far in his Division. As a matter of fact, Adonis went on to say that his Division does not have a lot of gun related crimes; hence he is not surprised by this.
On the other hand, in giving an update on the programme, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum disclosed that in the A Division (Georgetown/East Bank Demerara) 12 firearms were handed over; one firearm in the C (East Coast Demerara), D (West Demerara/East Bank Essequibo), and E (Linden/ Kwakwani) Divisions; and in F Division (Interior Locations) a total of 63 firearms were submitted.
Among these, an AK-47 assault rifle along with 12 rounds of matching ammunition was handed over on Wednesday last at Omai, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni).
The Firearm Amnesty Programme will run until September 30. Persons interested in handing over fire-
arms, ammunition or explosives can do so between 09:00h and 16:00h daily at selected Police Stations identified in the various Police Divisions.
In the A Division, the Timehri, Ruimveldt, Providence, East La Penitence, Brickdam and Albertown Police Stations were selected for handovers to be done. The Fort Wellington, Blairmont, Central, Albion, Whim, No 51, Springlands and Mibicuri Police Stations were air marked in B Division.
Meanwhile, six Police Stations were identified in the C Division, namely Sparendaam, Beterverwagting, Vigilance, Cove and John, Mahaica and Mahaicony. Over at the
D Division, the La Grange Police Station, Vreed-enHoop Station, Leonora Station and the Parika Police Station were selected.
The Kwakwani Police Station, Mabaruma, Wismar and Mackenzie Police Stations were air marked in the E Division. And, in the F Division a total of 25 stations were indentified including Bartica, Kurupung, Aranka, Enachu, Issano, Lethem, Annai, Aishalton, Karasabai, Monkey Mountain and the Kato Police Stations. As well as the Mabaruma, Moruka, Yarrikita, Port Kaituma, Matthews Ridge, Baramita, Kamarang, Eteringbang, Imbaimadai, Kaikan, Mahdia, Paruima, Kurupukari and Itabali Police Stations. In the G Division, the Suddie, Anna Regina, Charity, Wakenaam, Leguan and Aurora Police Stations were listed as locations for handing over the illegal items.
The Public Security Ministry has assured that “all transaction conducted in relation to this specific amnesty period will be treated with strict confidentiality”, while also warning that those who are found in possession of any illegal weapon, ammunition or explosive after the amnesty period will be prosecuted in accordance with the laws of Guyana. (vahnum@guyanatimesgy.com)
By Kristen MacKlingaM
The recent visits to Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) by President David Granger and Government officials from the Communities Ministry have come under the scrutiny of former junior Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker.
In a letter to Guyana Times he stated that during the 2015 Budget debate speech, the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition had boasted about what it will do for Lindeners.
However, quite recently the Interim Management Committee (IMC) Chairman of the Linden Municipality, Renis Morian, publicly accused the Government of ignoring the mining town. This incipient rebellion created waved in all levels of the APNU/AFC Government.
Whittaker explained that the Chairman no doubt determined that Lindeners had given APNU/AFC enough support at the 2015 General and Regional Elections and should not be made to wait to start to reap the fruits/promises, commitments made to them by the Government.
As such, in this re-
gard, the Chairman alluded to what he termed “the slow pace with which the Government was addressing critical issues facing the Municipality including the reopening of the Kara Kara Toll Booth and benefits for staff and councillors”.
The former Minister posited that this is what propelled the Government into pressing the ‘panic button’.
“First His Excellency President David Granger makes a hurried visit to Linden; for which many were unprepared. His Excellency and Regional Officials seem to have had two distinct Agendas. Hope that the hundreds of thousands of dollars of foodstuff and refreshments at the Watooka found needy beneficiaries as His Excellency seemed in a hurry to leave Region 10 and obviously could not accommodate a visit to that Guest House,” Whittaker stated.
He told Guyana Times that after the President’s trip to Linden; Government officials from the Communities Ministry visited with “obvious clear instructions that must have had the benefit of the input and blessings of His Excellency.”
“The Linden Municipality was engaged and direct-
ed to procure the services of some 150 persons (obviously APNU/AFC activists and supporters) to be employed in Clean-up activities within the Municipality… a replica of a similar project for the City Council? Each worker will be paid $30,000 per month for working four hours per day while the foremen will receive $40,000 per month,” Whittaker maintained.
He stated that the number of workers would be doubled to 300 during this year.
According to Whittaker, this is a clear indication that Amerindians are not a priority on the APNU/AFC agenda since the coalition does not “even have a conscience” as he referred briefly to the Amerindian Community Support Officers (CSOs).
He made reference to a People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Councillor who sat on the Regional Tender Board and was replaced for reason/s unknown.
“And the Regional Chairman who chairs the RDC Finance Committee (an RDC Standing Committee) now also chairs the Regional Tender Board. Reminds you of Ministers of the Government being identified to chair State Boards? What
Renowned Nigerian novelist and feminist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie said that “Culture does not make people, but people make culture”. She was referring to the notion that culture is never a constant, but rather that aspect of human life that is in perpetual evolution, causing us to adapt to changes in our environment regardless of how much we try to resist. Change seems inevitable for everyone unless if we choose to live like the Sentinelese, an uncontacted indigenous people on the North Sentinel Island of East India, who up to now reject any foreign contact or intrusion by resorting to the use of violence.
Indigenous peoples are faced with this change, whether it is imposed upon them or not. In Guyana, the noticeable changes which transpired over the last Century began with the introduction of Christianity by Catholics and missionaries of a number of other denominations. Perhaps one of the first detrimental impacts of the conversion of Amerindians to Christianity in Guyana is the loss of their language. For instance, records show that Catholic missionaries on the Santa Rosa mission forbade children to converse in their native tongue and penalised them whenever they did. Language has always been a main component of culture for indigenous peoples, as it is a vector for transmitting knowledge as a reminder of traditions, identity and belonging. Many indigenous cultures depend on narration for transmitting their knowledge, so that when a young generation no longer speaks its ancestral language a generation gap is created and a culture begins to die. It is why archaeologists are forced to rely on engravings, sculptures, pottery, petroglyphs and other relics to get a glimpse into the lives of our ancestors. Language might not entirely define a people but it gives an insight into the character of a society, differentiating through the choice of expression whether a society is individualistic, communitarian, aggressive or enterprising for example. As culture changes, language adapts. European languages for example, have taken on a significant number of Americanised words which for certain countries, threaten their identities.
an anomaly.”
Guyana Times was further told that with the approval of the Government no doubt, most of the Community Development Councils (CDCs) democratically elected by residents of several communities of Region 10 during the tenure of Office of the PPP/C were autocratically removed and replaced by known handpicked APNU/AFC “cronies.”
“Mind you, these CDCs were elected by the residents of the specific interested communities through a democratic process facilitated by the PPP/C Director of CDCs, Commrade Philomena Sahoye- Shury JP. I have been trying hard to conceive and to concede that perhaps this is part of the methodology of the Government to “bring an end to the neglect of Region 10” and perhaps also, it coincides with the hallucinations and hullabaloos of its supporters who continually parrot: “Is we time now,” Whittaker noted.
According to the PPP/C member, this begs the questions: Was Region 10 and more specifically Linden indeed neglected? And if so, by which Administration? (kristenm@guyanatimesgy. com)
Among Guyana’s nine indigenous languages, those that risk extinction the most are Warrou, Arawak and Carib, where the majority of these populations due to their coastal habitats, no longer speak the language. It is why in August 2013, I was excited to draft the Arawak Revival Language Programme which was adopted and implemented by the then Amerindian Affairs Ministry. The programme was later considered for other villages and languages. It is reassuring to observe that the 2015 National Budget makes provisions for language preservation.
Before the last Election, I had also submitted a draft for the creation of an Amerindian Resource Centre at the Ministry, where material pertaining to indigenous knowledge, culture and land could be documented and made available to the public and researchers. Again, I am pleased to see that the initiative was considered in the national budget, despite the recent violations of indigenous rights by this Government. Hopefully, this Government will divert from its casual trend of breaching promiseswhich were intended to encourage Amerindian development.
In 2013 I had reported that more than 50% of the world’s cultures belong to less than 5% of its population, represented by 370 million indigenous peoples. Yet indigenous peoples are those that suffer the most from marginalisation and inequity of rights. It seems as though governments of both developed and developing countries tend to forget the fragility of indigenous peoples and what they represent in our human heritage. If not cared for, more than 50% of the surviving indigenous cultures are bound to disappear within the next 50 years.
So far, the attitude of this Government towards Amerindians is patronising and indifferent to the particularities which define Amerindian affairs. It has chosen to dictate without the consent of Amerindians, policies which do not only negatively impact their social and economic rights, but also their culture. It has adopted an arrogant stance of superiority, not quite unlike certain superpowers and their natives, by excluding our first peoples from the decision making process guaranteed by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In this case, it shows that it has little regard for the preservation of the remnants of Amerindian cultures, as it creates one of submission where Amerindians will once again have to compromise their freedom as opposed to their right to self-determination.
(Please send question and comments to sundayarrow@gmail.com)
The Executive Committee of the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) held a fruitful meeting with Director of Sport Christopher Jones recently at his Homestretch Avenue office.
The meeting was held to discuss the plans, aims and projects of the GTTA in view of seeking the National Sports Commission’s support for the initiatives of the GTTA, as well as to seek the input of Jones in order to align the plans and programmes of the GTTA with the NSC where possible.
According to a press release by the GTTA, Jones alluded to the fact that he was very enthused by some of the developmental projects outlined by the GTTA and would be giving support to ensure that the sport grows.
Jones also indicated that his affinity would be to see a focus on developmental plans of the respective associations.
The meeting with GTTA was the first of several that Jones plans to have with several national associations in order to get insight on their plans, programmes and projections for the respective sports.
President of the GTTA, Godfrey Munroe, outlined a summary of the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities the association has ahead of them while noting their plans and programmes in a meeting that lasted for approximately two hours.
The way forward
Discussion points of the meeting are as follows as Jones indicated his willingness to help the GTTA realise bigger successes:
(1) Proposal for highlevel Chinese Coach/Player through diplomatic provisions: The GTTA advocated and outline it’s position and reasons for seeking the Director’s support and endorsement in view of engaging the People’s Republic of China via the Chinese Ambassador/Embassy through diplomatic technical cooperation grant provisions between the Government of Guyana and the government of the People’s Republic of China for a high-level Coach /Player to visit Guyana on a one or two year stint in Guyana to boost the national elite programmes. The President of the GTTA also engaged the Director on his support in engaging the Chinese government through its embassy in view of securing training opportunities in high yield training environments for top athletes.
(2) Proposal for engaging countries such as China, Japan, Korea, France, Austria and Brazil for training stints for elite athletes at different ages levels: The GTTA’s executive also discussed using other diplomatic provisions with countries that have strong table tennis programmes and high yield centres such as Japan ,France, Austria and Brazil in view of engaging/soliciting the inputs/assistance of the Charge de Affaires or ambassador of these countries in view of arranging training stints or internships for our elite athletes at high yield training centres in the countries outlined given that these countries have world leading training facilities and other successful nations are utilizing this avenue for the development of their player.
(3) National Table Tennis for Schools Programme: Outlined plans for the introduction and implementation of a National School Table Tennis Programme as an integral part of the association’s long-term athlete development strategy, in view of delivering athletes to the national team with greater potential for improvement at an age where optimal performance is possible over time.
(4) Land/Home for Table Tennis: This centred around the critical need for the as-
sociation to have a home of its own in order to facilitate training of athletes at the required level and time in view of achieving improved results in international tournaments the discussions centred around the acquisition of land to build/house a home for table tennis. Reviewing the Memorandum of Understanding previously discussed and drafted with the Government in view of arriving at a position in terms of design of building, location of building, financing aspects utilisation etc.
This the director indicated was pet project of his since he felt facilities were critical to providing access to sports men and women and improving mass participation in sports in view of improving the fortunes of Guyana’s sporting success.
(5) Plans for the development of a National Sports Structure: The committee brought the director up to date on plans of the association as it relates to the Development of a National Sports Structure (DNSS) for the sport of Table Tennis, which is pivotal to the decentralisation of the sport along a sustainable pathway and its impact in building capacity and bring cohesion to the many plans and programs of the association This is a an Olympic Solidarity Programme that would be initiated through the Guyana Olympic Association.
(6) Support of Association’s programmes: Parameters for support for the Table Tennis Association as it relates to elite players. Support for international competition and training and teams travelling to represent Guyana. (josepht@ guyanatimesgy.com)
Roy Persaud won the first every target archery competition that took place last Sunday at the National Aquatic Centre, while Reneta Thomas won the female version.
Persaud amassed a total of 27 points to win the event, while Eric Hing was second with 25 points. Manley Thomas was third with 17 points.
On the distaff side, Thomas won the event with a total of seven points, while Margaret Pearson was a close second with five points.
Michael Hing won the junior category automatically with 11 points, as he was the only participant in that category.
Meanwhile, Heritage Games 2015 saw the inauguration of swimming and archery as competitive sport for the indigenous communities, both of which are part of the life and culture of Guyana’s first peoples.
This was alluded to by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Junior Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, in their addresses to the crowd of swimmers and archers gathered at the Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal.
Also speaking were President of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) Ivan Persaud, who was also a cocoordinator of the Heritage Games 2015, as well as Nicholas Hing, representative of the Guyana Sport
Shooting Federation and the recently launched Archery Guyana.
Both associations collaborated to arrange the first-ever target archery competition to showcase how Olympic target archery is done, since the sport of target archery is new to Guyana.
Members the GSSF/ Archery Guyana also had on display their newly-made Olympic-styled PVC bows, which were designed by World Archery coach Diego Torres, for anyone who wished to inspect and try them out. Prime Minister Nagamootoo took the first shot.
The archery competi-
tion saw many eager participants, some of whom had never even used a bow before, but were encouraged by the fact that there were trophies to be won. Before the start of the competition, everyone present was advised of the strict safety rules which are a standard of the World Archery Federation. The enthusiastic archers however, enjoyed the competition, each shooting two rounds at 25 metres with locally made indigenous bows and arrows and two rounds at 18 metres shooting with their own bows and arrows, in both male and female categories. (josepht@guyanatimesgy.com)
Australia’s decision to postpone the team’s departure for Bangladesh was based on a security
Australia’s Test tour of Bangladesh is in doubt after Cricket Australia delayed the departure of its team due to increased security concerns. The players were due to depart for Bangladesh on Monday, but that has now been postponed as Cricket Australia awaits further security advice before determining if the tour will go ahead.
Cricket Australia published a press release on Saturday night in which chief executive James Sutherland cited “recent advice from a range of Australian government sources” that identified potential security risks to Australian interests in Bangladesh.
“We have received advice from DFAT [Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade] and based on that informa-
tion we are working with security experts and the Bangladesh Cricket Board on a revised security plan for the tour,” Sutherland said. “We want the tour to go ahead and are planning for that, but the safety and security of our players and support staff is our number-one priority and won’t be compromised.
“We will wait to receive updated security information early in the week before confirming the team’s travel arrangements. In the meantime, we are working with the Australian Cricketers’ Association and keeping our players and support staff fully informed.”
Sources at the BCB have said that they were taken by surprise by the developments.
There had been no security alerts issued in the coun-
try.
However, the Australian government’s travel advice website, Smartraveller, issued updated travel advice for Bangladesh on Friday. It said “There is reliable information to suggest that militants may be planning to target Australian interests in Bangladesh.”
The original tour schedule had Australia playing a warm-up game in Fatullah from October 3, followed by two Tests in Chittagong and Mirpur. It is due to be Australia’s first Test tour of Bangladesh since 2006, although the team has travelled there for one-day matches and last visited in 2014 for the ICC World Twenty20 tournament. (Cricinfo)
ABrazilian court has frozen assets of Barcelona star Neymar, his family and related businesses valued at US$48 million.
The Sao Paulo federal court said that the 23-yearold is alleged to have evaded almost US$16 million between 2011 and 2013. He moved in 2013 from Brazilian club Santos to Spain’s Barcelona.
In a statement, Judge Carlos Muta said Neymar only declared assets worth a little less than US$5 million.
However, Iagaro Jung
Martins, an auditor with Brazil’s federal tax agency, said that Neymar isn’t likely to go to jail if he pays what he owes.
“He will be able to discuss the frozen assets in a civil court,” Martins told The Associated Press (AP). “But legislation in Brazil isn’t too harsh. If Neymar pays what he owes, he is very likely to be free from any other punishment.”
Contacted by AP, Neymar’s father Neymar da Silva Santos, who serves as the player’s business manager, called the charges “un-
just.”
“Neymar Jr is not a partner in any of those companies and, therefore, he cannot declare something he does not own,” he told AP. The elder Neymar said that Brazil’s tax agency “doesn’t understand” his son’s tax obligations.
His father also said his son’s case had yet to be heard by the court.
In May, a Spanish court alleged Barcelona club president Josep Bartomeu and his predecessor Sandro Rosell evaded millions in taxes after signing Neymar. (Jamaica Gleaner)
Ganga urges TTCB to adopt best practices in governance
Former Trinidad and Tobago captain Daren Ganga has appealed to the current executive of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) to focus on the issues of good governance over personal attacks.
Ganga was at a media conference on Republic Day as part of the six elected TTCB national league representatives who submitted a draft proposal for a review of the current TTCB constitution.
Ganga supported the industry best practices of one club, one vote, term limits for the president and no out going votes for executive and nominated members.
“We have been duly elected by clubs in the national cricket league in T&T and that is our locus standi in the entire situation. We think we have a responsibility to make sure the decisions of the TTCB are made in the right manner and those decisions we don’t feel it is democratic hence the
Carlos Brathwaite says one of his aims is to transform himself into a genuine allrounder, and plans to focus on developing his batting.
The 27-year-old will travel with the 15-man West Indies squad to Sri Lanka at month-end where the regional side will clash with the hosts in two Tests.
“I want to be a genuine all-rounder but the way I see myself selected for the team at this present time, I think my fast bowling has got me into the team with the addition of me being able to bat,” the Barbadian said.
“However, in the future I would like to, even if my bowling isn’t going well, be seen as someone who can play as a batsman and add bowling.”
Brathwaite is yet to play a Test despite being on the selection fringe in recent years. He made his international debut in 2011, but has played four One-Day Internationals and two Twenty20s since.
In the three-day tour game against the touring Australians in April, Brathwaite impressed, blasting an unbeaten 50 from 42 deliveries and snatched three wickets for 39 with his seam bowling.
He said his perfor -
mances in the subsequent Caribbean Premier League, however, had been instrumental to his confidence.
“If I look at my career from the beginning up until then and now, I think that was a turning point in the CPL just after I batted without fear, and it is something I want to incorporate into my game going forward, but I have to be a little smarter, especially in tight situations where the team require me to bat a longer period, but it is a learning process,” he explained.
Though he has not had many opportunities, Brathwaite said he had learnt much from being
around the West Indies set-up.
“Having been with the team for the England series and playing the OneDay series in South Africa and making my debut here back in 2011, one of the main things that I got from all of those series is that mentally the ones with the strongest minds are the ones who come out on top,” he pointed out.
“Everyone has a similar skill level – obviously some guys are ridiculously talented – but the core group of players have the same skill level, it is just the ones with the tougher minds that take themselves from good to great.”
(Barbados Nation)
reason we have started this process. We have gotten to this point and we also think that in order for the best persons to be elected for the best positions in our cricket we need to ensure the process is very fair, all-encompassing and it allows for the different persons to go through a process where we will get the best person to fit that role that is required for T&T,” the T&T sports ambassador said. (Trinidad Express)
The Petama Enterprise/ Motor Trend inaugural softball cricket competition continued recently with Wolf’s Warriors highlighting the latest round of matches with a crushing 251-run win over Brickery Super Stars.
Wolf’s Warriors, the reigning Guyana Softball Cup Open champions, piled up an imposing 346-8 off 20 overs and the ripped through Brickery Super Stars batting, dismissing them for 95. Mark Harold was the magician with the ball, claiming 6-6.
Below are the summarised scores from the games played.
Wolf’s Warriors defeated Brickery Super Stars by 251 runs. Wolf’s Warriors 3468 off 20 overs (Azad Azeez 73, Lincon Leander 73, W. Hussein 52, Vikash 46, A. Juman 2-54, F. Wilkie 2-68) Brickery 95 all out from 14.5 overs (Mark Harold 6-6, S. Ramnath 2-13).
Princess Hotel defeated United Brothers by 52 runs. Princess Hotel 98 all out (Rasko King 32, Azaad
Azeem 3-22 )United Brothers 46 all out (D. Sookdeo 6-20, Shafeek Ishmel 3-15).
Floodlights Masters defeated Park Rangers by 52 runs. Floodlights 190-9 off 20 overs (Ramesh Narine 35, Ricky Deonarain 29, Wayne Jones 28, Ryan Singh 4-46, A. Mitchell 2-26) Park Rangers 138 all out from 17.5 overs (Dennis Mangroo 31, F. Ali 21, W. Jones 3-7, Ramesh Narine 3-9, Greig De Franca 3-24).
Enterprise Legends defeated Savage Masters by 66 runs. Enterprise 1907 off 20 overs (Dairam Hemraj 79, Ravi Ally 42, Arjune Persaud 3-33) Savage Masters 124 all out from 18.3 overs (Raymond Bisraj 37, Kennard Luke 30, Stanley Mohabir 4-3, Narine Roopdeo 4-27).
Fishermen Masters defeated Floodlights Legends by 17 runs. Fishermen 1797 off 20 overs (R. Mohan 51, Ramo Malone 39, David Harper 31, Rahaman Khan 2-28) Floodlights 162-8 off 20 overs (Lloyd Rooplall 46, S. Ramdin 28, Lionel Persaud 2-18, R. Mohan 2-33). Young Guns defeat-
ed Herstelling Raiders by 14 runs. Young Guns 110 all out (Ralph Layne 3-15) Herstelling 96 all out (P. Mann 26, Gaj 5-18).
Wellwoman defeated Blue Divas by eight wickets. Blue Divas 76-5 off 10 overs (Cindy Chunoo 22) Wellwoman 79-2 off eight overs (Latoya Smith 23*, H. Mohamed 22*).
Trophy Stall Angels defeated 4R Lioness by two wickets. 4R Lioness 90-5 off 10 overs (Shemaine Cambelle 52, KavitaYadram2-7)
Trophy Stall Angels 91-8 off 7.3 overs (A. Allen 24, R. Demonik 19, N. Mohamed 2-14).
Regal defeated Farm by 87 runs. Regal 217-7 off 20 overs (F. Rafeek 46, C. Gittens 36, R. Latif 34, A. Khan 4-52, A. Mohamed 2-33) Farm 130-7 off 20 overs (S. Perch 42, Q. Yusuf 24, F. Rafeek 3-22).
Regal Masters defeated Parika Defenders by seven wickets. Parika Defenders 167-7 off 20 overs (A. Jagan 81, O. Black 23, P. Persaud 2-35) Regal 174-4 off 18.3 overs (E. Thomas 99, M. Chunilall 48).
After 14 years of dormancy, the extremely popular Inter-county softball cricket competition is set to return on October 24 at the Everest Cricket Club ground, Camp Road.
The event, dubbed ‘Parsun Inter-county Softball Championship’, was launched on Friday last at Crown Mining Supplies on Dennis Street, Campbellville.
The tournament, which is being sponsored by Crown Mining Supplies, Ansa McAl’s Stag Beer and cell phone giant Digicel, will be played under the auspices of the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc. (GSCL Inc.).
Marketing Executive of 93.1 FM and Parsun’s representative, Kort Yee, said
they are pleased to be associated with such an event, adding that the radio station will provide updates and live commentary for the semi-finals and final.
Ian John, Vicepresident of GSCL Inc., underscored the importance of sponsors in such a prestigious tournament and was grateful for their support.
Also in attendance was Ansa McAl’s Public Relations Officer, Dharshanie Yussuf, who uttered warm sentiments, noting that they are happy to partner with the other sponsors for an event of this magnitude.
She declared that Ansa McAl is committed to the development of sport in Guyana. Digicel’s representative Louanna Abrams expressed gratitude to GSCL Inc. for giving the
company an opportunity to be part of the competition.
The tournament will involve eight teams- two from each of the three counties and one each from Linden and Bartica.
The winner will receive $500,000 and a trophy, compliments of the Trophy Stall at Bourda Market. The runner-up will take home a trophy and $300,000 and the losing semi-finalists $100,000 each. The other participating teams will receive $25,000. The teams will play each other twice with the top four going through to the semi-finals.
The last day of action will be October 25. Patrons are asked to come out in their numbers, as entry to the venue is free and there would be lots of giveaways. (akeemg@guyanatimesgy.com)
The Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) and its cricket teams on Friday last honoured former Berbice, Guyana and West Indies ‘B’ cricketer Leslaine Lambert under the club’s Tribute to Heroes Awards programme.
Lambert has become the 29th person to be included to the Hero’s Hall of Fame and was honoured for his contribution to cricket in Guyana and the Caribbean. He was also specially honoured for his support of the RHTY&SC over the years, especially its charity projects and Say no to Drugs and Yes to Sport programme.
Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster described the former pacer as a true sport ambassador of the Ancient County and one who is a positive role model to youths.
He expressed his personal pleasure of seeing Lambert in his heydays playing for the Guyana Defense Force, Albion,
Berbice and Guyana, and stated that he was not only a hardworking, committed, but highly discipline individual, who did his home village of Fyrish proud.
The long-serving Secretary/CEO noted that Lambert, whose career was cut short by injuries, was unfortunate not to play for the West Indies
due to the present of players like Andy Roberts, Joel Garner, Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding, Wayne Daniels and Winston Davis, but would have walked into
any present day West Indies team.
The RHTY&SC was proud to honour Lambert, despite the fact that he was never played for the Rose Hall Town based club. The RHTY&SC was founded in 1990, while Lambert officially retired from the game in 1985 and migrated to the USA in 1986.
The 57-year-old Lambert played 18 First-Class matches, claiming 48 wickets with a best bowling figure of 7-59 versus Trinidad at the Albion ground. He toured Zimbabwe in 1983 with the West Indies ‘B’ team, along with fellow Guyanese Deryck Kallicharran, Andrew Lyght and Carl Hooper.
Lambert, looking fit as in his heydays, expressed gratitude to the management and staff of the RHTY&SC for honouring him for his contribution to cricket. Reflecting on his days playing for Guyana, Lambert described winning the Shell
Shield under Clive Lloyd’s captaincy as his best moment, while dismissing batsmen like West Indies legends Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes as memorable moments.
He spoke of the hardwork, commitment and discipline that the players had to display to succeed under the guidance of Lloyd, Roy Fredricks and other senior players, and expressed dismay at the current structure of the game at all levels in the Caribbean.
His association with Guyana’s leading youth and sport organisation started after the club was recommended to him by former Berbice Cricket Board Secretary Mortimer George, and he was delighted to support such a dynamic organisation, which touches and changes lives on a daily basis.
Lambert received a plaque, trophy, medal and a collection of gifts from the club.
sunday, september 27, 2015
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By AvenAsh RAmzAn
In what could lead to a resurgence of amateur boxing in Guyana, the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) is set to host a grand Goodwill championship from November 26-29 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Building on the success of a ‘small’ Goodwill tournament in 2014, the GBA is looking to expand its horizon by inviting as much as 15 countries to participate in the second edition later this year.
GBA President Steve Ninvalle during a press briefing on Saturday morning at the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) headquarters on High Street, noted that there were several spinoffs from last year’s event, including Guyana being able to secure a seat on AIBA, the governing body for amateur boxing.
“The tournament last year was a catalyst for many successes in boxing. This year we have sent out invitations to 15 countries. We have already received commitment from eight. We’re awaiting commitments from the others, which we should receive before the end of this month,” Ninvalle informed.
He continued, “It is my expectation that the least we will have participating in this tournament is 10 countries. We’ve had a budget that is just over six million dollars, and for us to have a
successful and smooth tournament, we will need to have all hands on deck.”
Ninvalle envisaged a highly successful competition featuring the best young amateur boxers from across the Caribbean.
“Out of what happened last year, we in the Caribbean have come up for a slogan for Caribbean boxing. It says “One Voice, One Goal, One Caribbean”, and this tournament will surely see that slogan being put to the fore,” Ninvalle promised.
To date, Anguilla, Antigua, Barbados, The Bahamas, French Guiana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and St Lucia have confirmed their participation in the four-day event.
According to Ninvalle, Team Guyana will be selected at the completion of the GBA’s National Open championship in mid-October, following which the team will go into a one month encampment.
The size of Guyana’s contingent will depend on the composition of the other teams, but Ninvalle said they are currently aiming to have 15 boxers represent the Golden Arrowhead.
The GOA has thrown its support behind the activity, and its President K.A. Juman Yassin believes the event will contribute positively to boxing, as well as Guyana’s budding tourism industry.
“I’m certain that this tournament will be a suc-
By AvenAsh RAmzAn
The ninth annual ‘Ride for Life’ Five-Stage cycling meet is set for October 28 to November 1, according to national cycling coach Hassan Mohamed. Mohamed made the disclosure on Saturday, adding that the dates were finalised following a stakeholders meeting on Friday.
The race is the signature event on the local cycling calendar, and usually attracts the largest group of local and foreign riders.
As is the norm, the first two stages will be held on the opening day in Berbice and Demerara. Stage three will take place in West
cess. Apart from that it will also help to a small extent the development and the continuation of sport tourism in Guyana. Because if you have 15 countries coming, at least there will be some amount of expenditure in our economy, and this perhaps we hope will grow as the years go by,” Yassin explained.
The long-serving GOA boss was straightforward in his judgment of the sport, noting that amateur boxing “is in the doldrums.” He made a passionate plea for the boxers to “commit themselves.”
“Steve and his executives are doing all that they can, but it is also for the boxers themselves to make that sacrifice and to be able to commit themselves that this is what they would wish to do,” Yassin reasoned.
He added, “As much as a President or an administrator or an executive does, unless there is that commitment from the respective athlete you will not find the success. And so my plea is for the boxers to commit themselves.”
Meanwhile, on the issue of funding for the tournament, Ninvalle revealed, “We would extend, we would request and we would invite both private and public sector. I know it would be an arduous task, but we think we have enough to get there.” (aramzan@guyanatimesgy.com)
Demerara, followed by Stage four in Essequibo. The final stage will place from Linden to Georgetown.
The opening stage will be held from Corriverton to New Amsterdam (46.6 miles) from 07:30 hours; while Stage Two will be on the same day from Rosignol to Georgetown (60.4 miles) from 14:00 hours.
Stage Three will take place from Wales to Parika (35 miles) from 09:00 hours, while the penultimate stage will be contested from 07:30 hours from Supenaam to Suddie, covering a distance of 62 miles. The fifth and final stage will commence in Linden at 08:30 hours and
finish in Georgetown, covering a distance of 62 miles. As was the case in previous years, the event will be held with the objectives of increasing awareness and knowledge about HIV/Aids among participants and the general public, and increasing HIV/Aids activism and volunteerism among the participants and inspiring them to become ambassadors in the fight against HIV/Aids. Last year’s race, which spanned 266 miles of the country’s roadways, was won by Carlton Wheelers’ rider Robin Persaud. (aramzan@guyanatimesgy. com)
By AvenAsh RAmzAn
Fresh off a highly success stint in the United States of America (USA), Roraima Bikers Club top rider Alanzo Greaves, currently on contract with Team Mengoni of the USA, easily won the feature race of the 11th annual Laparkan 11-race programme at the inner circuit of the National Park on Saturday.
It was Greaves’ first race since returning from North America, where he trained and competed for five months, copping an astonishing nine victories.
He continued the winning trend on Saturday, outsprinting four other riders to win the feature 35-lap School Boys and Invitational race. Greaves formed part of a five-man peloton that lapped the rest of the field, and once they had established a dominant lead it was clear the winner would come from that group.
As they exchanged the lead throughout the ensuing laps, an exciting finish was in the making, and it was Greaves who made the decisive move on the final 300 metres, pulling away from the pack.
Greaves, arguably Guyana’s most complete cyclist, rose from his saddle and accelerated to the finish line to win by a bike length.
Team Gillette Evolution’s Raul Leal copped second, followed by Jamal John, Raphael Leung, Andrew Hicks and Winston Primo in that order.
John won three of the eight prime prizes on offer, while Greaves had two, and there was one each for Leal, Hicks and Leung.
The day’s activities started with Ronella Samuels inevitably copping the winner’s trophy in the BMX Boys and Girls since she was the lone entrant, while Shameer Baksh defeated Jaikarran Sukhai and Junior Niles in that order to win the Veterans Under-50.
Linden Blackman continued his dominance in the Veterans Over-50, winning ahead of Courtney Hackett and Virgil Jones, while
Christopher Griffith, Leung and Kemuel Moses were 1-23 in the Juveniles race. The Mountain Bike event was won by Sean Budhan, with Nicholas Alphonso and Michael Holder taking second and third respectively, while Junior Niles got the better of Alexander Leung and Ajalie Cutting in the BMX Boys 6-9. Jonathon Ramchuchit and Simon Chee were the top two riders in the BMX Boys 9-12, while the top performers of the BMX Boys 12-14 were Adelia Hodge, Thuran Garbarran and Ramchuchit. The event was organised by national cycling coach Hassan Mohamed. Representatives of Laparkan were on hand to assist with the presentation of prizes. (aramzan@guyanatimesgy.com)
The Area ‘H’ ground in Rose Hall Town would come alive on October 11 when the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) stages another five-over knockout cricket tournament for second division teams in Berbice.
The one day tournament, the third of its kind to be organised by the RHTY&SC over the last four months, would be held in memory of the late Naeem Nasir, the founder and former Chief Executive Officer of Bakewell, a long-standing sponsor of the RHTY&SC since 2000.
The tournament, which will start at 09:00h, will involve Rose Hall Town Bakewell ‘A’, West Berbice, Police, Courtland, Kennard Memorial, Rose Hall Town Bakewell ‘B’ and All Stars Youth of West Demerara.
The winning team will take home a package of $100,000 and a trophy, the runner-up $40,000 and trophy and the losing semi-finalist $25,000 each and a trophy.
The first round of six matches will be four overs due to time, while the second round, lone semi-final and final will be played over five overs. Umpires will be pro-
vided by Berbice Umpires Association, while teams will have to provide balls for the first and second rounds. The organisers will provide balls for the semi-final and final. Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster stated that the RHTY&SC was proud to be associated with Bakewell to honour the memory of Nasir, a remarkable friend of Guyana’s leading youth and sport organisation.
Bakewell has been supporting the Rose Hall Town Under-17 and Second Division teams since 2000 and had also sponsored numerous activities for the club, including the annual magazine, annual cricket academy, award ceremony, charity programmes, Say no to Drugs and Yes to Education programmes among others.
By TreisTon Joseph
Round Three of the Stag Elite League will take place tonight at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground, Bourda, from 18:00h with pre-League favourites Alpha United and Slingerz FC still searching for their first win.
Monedderlust will meet Slingerz FC in the first game of the evening, while Alpha United will match pegs with host GFC. Slingerz FC have not registered a win yet, nor have they scored a goal in their two League matches to date.
However, they will have a chance to not only score, but win against a team that is always on the attack and therefore will have a few defensive lapses throughout the course of 90 minutes.
If Slingerz lose this game or go scoreless again in another draw then troubling times might be ahead for the self-
proclaimed winners of the League.
Monedderlust, on the other hand, have an opportunity to cause the biggest upset in the short existence of the League.
A win for the Berbice outfit will definitely make them one of the most dangerous sides in the League, especially with their mode of play being to attack.
While this formula might not be the best, it will definitely be thrilling to see for how long the side can keep up this running style of play.
The encounter between Slingerz and Monedderlust will be intriguing since the latter team likes to push the pace of the game, while the Slingerz boys are more about possession and passing plays.
In the feature game of the evening, GFC will meet Alpha United in a game that should strongly favour the latter.
While Alpha United lack the firepower they once had,
especially at this time of transition, “The Hammer” as they are nicknamed, are definitely no slouches and still possess the ability to breakdown any defence.
GFC played a brilliant game against Slinger FC on Wednesday last by holding the side to a nil-all draw and if they can pull off a draw against an Alpha United side then that might just be considered a win for GFC.
Nevertheless, Alpha United will definitely be in search of a win, especially after the President of the club, Odinga Lumumba, made his feelings known about the officiating, noting that it is “very poor.”
Alpha United, normally a side that aim to break down the defence with their midfield play, will have their opportunities against a GFC side that is up and coming. However, finishing will be key for Alpha United. (josepht@guyanatimesgy.com)
“I know we’ve prepared well” – Coach Nedd
Guyana’s 12-man volleyball team and support staff departed these shores on Saturday, confident they have prepared well in order to give a good account of themselves at the Senior South American Indoor Championship in Maceo, Brazil.
The tournament will serve off today and conclude on October 5, and will feature all the leading teams affiliated to the South American Confederation.
Head Coach Levi Nedd, speaking to media operatives moment before departure for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, said he was confident in the team’s ability to do well.
“I know we have prepared well and to the best of our ability in Guyana, but when we get across there with the echelons of volleyball, such as Brazil, Argentina and so on, they’re well above. But I know we’re ready to start with them in terms of play -
ing the game and achieve what we have to achieve,” Nedd intimated as the team assembled at the National Gymnasium on Saturday.
Nedd, a local volleyball stalwart, is of the firm view that Guyana being represented at the championship for the first time in more than a decade, will serve as a springboard for volleyball’s development
in the country. “As I’ve noticed there is a lot of media coverage and I noticed a lot of sponsors have come forward, and that is why I’m happy that can we restart again where the senior tournaments are concerned. I have high hopes in the team, I know they’re ready to go, and once we get the adrenaline pumping we will get the best out of them,” he outlined.
Initially, there were 21 players drawn from Berbice and Demerara, who were involved in an intense training camp under the guidance of Nedd and his deputy Ian Wills. After careful assessment, the final 12 was arrived at by the panel of national selectors. The squad reads: Quacey Matheson, Jason Seelochand, Ian Baggot, Trevlon McRae, Shemroy Ross, Samuel Fraser, Khemraj Singh, Creston Rodney, Vance Harding, Adriel Moore, Cleveland Peters and Wendell Austin. (aramzan@guyanatimesgy.com)
