Guyana Stores tax bailout….
– Red Thread says “we can no longer trust them”
Concerns about fungusinfested GRA HQ not being ignored – GRA
Jaden Mars’ mother still looking for justice Page 3
Teenager jailed for 4 years for 5 counts of robbery US reaffirms commitment to reform judicial sector
Government’s State Asset Recovery Unit blunders on “Pradoville 2” findings
friday, october 16, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com
Recent reports have been made public by various media entities about the condition of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) headquarters that is said to be causing the workers to fall ill. In a recent press statement, the Authority stated that it has joined in the call for strong legislation to be put in place to protect the public’s health.
While speculations abound, the Agency categorically stated that there are in fact structural issues within the building that have led to the growth of mould and fungus.
The Authority noted that the issue has been of concern for a long time and was raised with the previous, as well as the current, Administration. It added that the matter has
gotten the attention of the Finance Minister and the Governing Board and every possible effort was being made to have this issue rectified. Currently, the health concerns have also been raised with the Health Authority and the National Insurance Scheme.
The GRA also shared that it must be emphasised that it was not in any way attempting to trivialise the matter, but the unwarranted publicity from other sections of the media seemed geared at generating undue “mystification” which can only lead to unwarranted fear.
It must also be noted that discussions are underway on the possibility of vacating the premises; however, owing to the time and cost constraints attached to relocating, as has been correctly alluded to by various articles, a decision was taken to employ remedial actions inclusive of an extensive sensitisation programme aimed at educating staff to ensure they are better prepared to deal with the existing conditions.
The GRA pointed out that this matter continues to engage the attention of the relevant authorities and noted that all persons, including Officers of the GRA can be assured that they will be apprised on any decisions made and the impact, if any, those decisions will have on the various stakeholders.
The Accountancy Training Centre (ATC) on Wednesday held an outreach programme for prospective students interested in qualifying through the Association of Business Executives (ABE) at its New Market Street building.
Speaking at the programme ABE Regional Manager Kereesa Carrington-Nunez said: “Studying with ABE gives you the opportunity to develop your knowledge of business and management topics and grow your key competencies - so you gain the skills to tackle work projects and situations more effectively”.
The regional manager further went on to say that it gives you the potential to earn promotion within your organisation or a platform from which to progress onto a Bachelors, Masters or MBA degree course around the world.
Administrator of ATC Kamladevi Singh-Sharma explained: “You don’t need a formal qualification to start your studies with ABE if you start with the Level 4 Diploma. However, if you have a higher qualification you can take the next appropriate level of ABE qualification to develop your business knowledge”.
In practice, most ABE students simply work their way up through the levels until they reach the level
they need for the job they want or to go on to university.
Successful completion of an ABE Level 5 Diploma or higher qualification entitles you to an Associate and, in time, a Member of the Association of Business Executives with the prestigious designator letters after their name (AMABE and MABE respectively). With sufficient experience persons can move up to become a Fellow of the Association of Business Executives (FABE). It is understood that students receive certification awards at every stage of the programme, which means if their studies are discontinued (after attaining a particular level); they will still have a valuable and recognised qualification.
Chaos and confusion broke out at the Demerara Harbour Bridge on Thursday morning as a man attempted to jump off the bridge in an attempt to end his life. The incident occurred during the peak-hour morning rush as persons were making their way to work.
According to a driver, at about 08:00h, the man who appeared to be in his late 20 rode up on a bicycle and climbed onto a rail. As he reached on top the rail, he shouted that he was going to end his life. The traffic was then halted and persons exited their vehicles in an attempt to persuade the man not to jump. Their efforts were in vain as the man still jumped into the
Demerara River, but lucky was rescued. A life buoy was thrown into the water and the troubled man pulled from the river. He sustained minor injuries due to the jump. After the ordeal, which lasted for almost 30 minutes, traffic resumed and persons continued their daily activities. The man was reportedly taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre by public spirited citizens for the minor injuries he sustained to be treated.
Persons are of the view that the man should receive counselling, since the attempt on his own life was a cry for help. His bicycle was reportedly left on the Bridge.
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Friday, October 16 – 05:00h-06:30h and Saturday, October 17 – 05:30h-07:00h
The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Friday, October 16 – 05:45h-07:15h and Saturday, October 17 – 06:20h-07:50h
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h daily.
Weather: Light rain showers with sunny intervals can be expected throughout the day, while partly cloudy skies are expected in the evening. Temperatures can range between 25 degrees and 31 degrees Celsius.
Winds: East to East North-easterly between 2.68 and 4.02 metres per second.
High Tide: 06:06h and 18:16h reaching maximum heights of 2.62 metres and 2.68 metres respectively.
Low Tide: 11:52h reaching a minimum height of 0.64 metre.
BY MICHAEL YOUNGE
Several businessmen who own small- and medium-scale stores along the Regent Street, Georgetown business district are demanding that the Government level the playing field and provide adequate or similar assistance to them in line with what was offered to the privately owned Guyana Stores Limited which benefited from a massive multimillion-dollar tax relief concession during the past week.
The businessmen made the demands after Guyana Times broke the news that the National Industrial Commercial and Investments Limited, (NICIL) a Stateowned company, paid over $40 million in back taxes owed to the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown on behalf of the Guyana Stores Limited which is privately owned by Businessman Tony Yassin and embattled Kaieteur News owner Glenn Lall.
The payments were made in secret to the City Council and were lumped together with other payments owed by the Government for several of NICIL’s properties in the city. Some $200 million was handed into the City Council’s coffers, with $40 million directed to cover the debt owed by the Guyana Stores Limited.
When contacted on Tuesday, however, Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green denied that monies were paid by Government on behalf of Guyana Stores Limited but confirmed that the interest owed by the company was written off.
She could not give accurate figures as to how much money the cash-strapped Council had foregone, but this had to be in the mega millions, since the Guyana Stores property is one of the most significant in the city.
It is not clear whether the same discretion was exercised when the Government paid monies on behalf of Guyana Stores Limited.
It was also not immediately clear why the Government would direct NICIL to make the multimillion-dollar pay-
ment to the City Council on behalf of the private company, which it currently has several court actions against for hundreds of millions of dollars.
Glenn Lall and Tony Yassin, now Directors of Guyana Stores, owe US$2 million of the US$6 million the property was sold for back in 2000 by the Government via NICIL. Past due interest on the outstanding balance would amount almost to another US$2 million. The matter is sub judice as the Government owned corporation moves to the courts to recover its monies. In the meantime, the profits of the company are collected and pocketed by the two owners.
The present Government had criticised the past People’s Progressive Party Administration of using NICIL as a “slush fund” and it appears that this is what the new Finance Ministry –under which NICIL falls –has now utilised the monies deposited in the putatively autonomous body for.
Businessmen shocked
As the news spread in the business community, several businessmen contacted Guyana Times on Monday and expressed their shock over the move by Government, while decrying the unfairness of the decision to pay the back taxes and other debt owed by the private company.
“I want to know if the new Government would be so kind
friday, october 16, 2015 |
and considerate to pay my back taxes and to assist me in settling my account as I am similarly not in a position to do so, given the financials of my business. If they can do it for Guyana Stores Limited and Glenn Lall, I am sure they can do it for the more decent, law abiding and honest businessmen,” the owner of a fabric store related.
Speaking under anonymity, another businessman said that the move to pay the back taxes of Guyana Stores was suspicious and discriminatory as the Government did not offer other small and emerging businesses the same facility.
“I want help too. What is special about Glenn Lall and Tony Yassin. These men run (sic) that business into the floor after squeezing its profits dry and now this new Government bail them out. I want the Government come and do the same for me. I vote for them,” another irate businessman of a popular shoe enterprise related.
Others said the fact that Government could engage in such a barefaced act at a time when the economy was bad was both shocking and strange.
“As soon as I read the article, I know is truth. Them men close and I know they use to help out Glenn Lall with a lot of things long before they get into power. Now they got to reward he because of all he did fuh them on the campaign trail. Well I vote for them and I demanding the same treatment and help”, a downtown grocer related.
Others called for the payment of millions of dollars in taxpayers monies on behalf of a private company to be thoroughly investigated and action taken against all those who are involved.
“Things hard and is not now… before the election… and it got worst after… I have noticed a trend where the [A Partnership for National Unity] APNU and [Alliance For Change] AFC always defending Lall and Yassin and it look like the two manage to get the Government to help them again with the Guyana
Stores back taxes… I don’t see nothing wrong if you helping businesses, once ya helping everybody because I willing to accept”, the owner of an electronics store reported.
The Government’s relationship with Glenn Lall apparently started way before its ascent to office. The two ruling parties while in Opposition had defended Lall when he was embroiled in several scandals.
Top figures in the parties had represented Lall when he was at the centre of the tax evasion scandal involving the importation of two Luxury SUVs which saw the public coffers loosing over $100 million in taxes.
Lall also received representation and assistance from top officials in the parties when action was taken against him two years ago by the Town Clerk for defaulting on the payments of millions of dollars in property taxes for the operations of two businesses he owns in the city.
At this point of time, when the Government has paid off the $40 million of taxes owed by Guyana Stores – a private company – it has been enmeshed in a bitter controversy where public servants, Police, nurses and teachers have complained bitterly that while the Government claims they have no money to give them their promised salary increases, they were able to find money to give themselves 50 per cent pay increases.
Government had also vowed to return the millions in NICIL’s accounts to the Consolidated Fund, from where they could have been used to pay the increase salaries for Government servants. With NICIL’s funds depleted through the paying off of debts of private companies, such as Guyana Stores, these increases look increasingly uncertain in the future.
Analysts have questioned the reason why the Government would open itself to further criticisms of ignoring its support base by favours, bestowing such huge benefits to the controversial Glenn Lall.
Editor(ag): Michael Younge
Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134
Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown
Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com
In the playbook of modern political strategists, the tactic of “misdirection” – to deflect the populace from missteps (or worse) of political leaders – looms very large. The present unfurling of “Pradoville 2” as front page dramatic headlines in the State and Government-friendly media is a classic case of misdirection – in this case, away from the obscene 50 per cent pay hike awarded to itself by the Executive, while grudgingly conceding a five per cent for Government’s salaried poor –which is threatening to cripple the Government.
Misdirection is the paradigmatic stock in trade of the magician or (more familiar to us in Guyana) the three-card hustler. Their premises are that the eyes of the spectator ( the “mark”) will look where their eyes are looking; they will use a sweeping movement to cover the motion they want to hide and finally, to keep you occupied with wisecracks and patter to direct your attention away from what they want to conceal.
So right now, the Government’s entire strategy is to make sure Guyanese not think about the miserly salary raise they received versus the millions they are directing into the Executive’s pockets. They know people will follow what the media puts out and therefore they want to ensure the media has something else to focus on – something “juicy and salacious” – to grab the attention of the citizen (the “mark”).
Guide the media away from their sins towards another with another broad and dramatic movement is the rule. In this instance, the outrageous claims about the President and several Ministers became blazing headlines on the state Chronicle and also the Government aligned Kaieteur and Stabroek News. This is the patter, which must be spewed incessantly and emphatically. We can expect for the next few weeks, for the “Pradoville Affair” to be expanded and embellished. Most of the patter will be fabricated: for instance a President cannot be jailed for acts done while occupying the presidency, the movement of the National Communications Network tower could not have cost more than $10 million, the land was swampland that has to be filled in; the market value cannot be compared to developed properties, etc. But the point is to keep the “mark” occupies, away from the real action – the unforgivable and unjustifiable salary hikes that has infuriated the Government’s supporters.
One tactic of the three card hustler would be to make the “mark” fearful: here, if he is not careful, the People’s Progressive Party will get back into office. Even if they are doubtful of the claim, fear will get them into line. The hustler Government will make broad sweeping generalisations –“Jagdeo, former Ministers face criminal charges!,” blared the KN. They will conceal the real information about what they are hiding by dragging in red herrings. What does the Chronicle’s claim that the past three Presidents’ salaries are $6.3 million prove? The present President now has a higher salary than each of them and three times his salary over $7 million.
Even if the Government was not as close to the three aforementioned newspapers, the fact that all media has to attend their media briefings means that their story will be spun: this newspaper had to carry the story because it covers “all the news” - even if manufactured. The manufactured story does not have to be true – merely plausible because of a few true facts. For instance it is true that the named individuals bought house lots at Pradoville 2. But so did many others who are not named. We can expect, as we said before, for the story to be kept going – until the citizens forget the salary increase. The hustler knows that the people at the three-card hustler’s table generally suspend their beliefs – and even if initially skeptical of the spiel, will gradually go along if there is no alternative unmasking of the truth.
Which for both the hustlers at cards and in politics, is to part the people from their money and get it into their pockets.
Dear Editor,
It was former 1960s PPP Deputy Prime Minister Brindley Benn who famously reminded Guyanese that “the tail cannot wag the dog”.
So why are WPA’s Mr Moses Bhagwan and company leading from behind by their signature letter to the press to protest PNC coalition pay increases?
The post-Rodney WPA of the PNC-led coalition became eager handmaidens to harass and batter their one-time PPP/C ally, in revenge. What else?
The SN letter of 10-12-15 by WPA supporters means complete zilch unless their WPA “ twice has been” Prime Ministerial candidates Dr Clive Thomas and Dr Rupert Roopnaraine both take a public unambiguous stand against the pay increase. They will not.
The WPA leaders’ inclusion in the PNC-led coalition is their last power gasp above ground level as they sink below.
If they condemn the pay increases, it will be another “hindsight” superficial middle jig, as they too hog rush it up at the trough. Expect no less.
Twenty-eight years during and after the PNC wrecked Guyana’s economy they are back to their old tricks. This time a militarised battle-ready PNC is in full control. Appointing Mr Hamilton Green as Chairman of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) is a most dangerous provocation which is certain to trigger racial and economic turmoil. Victorious on the political front, they will be unable to win the peace with starvation looming on the horizon.
Confirming all is rotten in the State, Mr Bhagwan and colleagues still proceeded to heap lavish praises on the PNC-empowered Dr Thomas for his financial recovery mission while publicly reminding him he is their WPA comrade in arms. Make no mistakes.
Dr Thomas is no noble Dr Walter Rodney to heroical-
ly about turn and emphasise class subsuming race to reunite Guyanese like his leader. The legend’s nationwide success earned him ideological assassination done with extreme prejudice by courtesy of the PNC.
Race
With Dr Thomas proudly the ACDA’s leading kuhanimkuu (high priest) of African graft “kwaida” (tradition) in Guyana, nothing otherwise will be forthcoming. Their militant agenda denies tribal affinities and instead emphasises only African race unity which combines politics and religion as introduced by American Maulana Ndabezitha Karenga (born Ronald McKinley Everett in 1941).
In revenge after GECOM Chairman Doodnauth Singh secretly swore in Janet Jagan in 1997 as elected President of Guyana, Dr Thomas had no qualms in awarding a 31 per cent pay increase to civil servants in 1999 and 26.6 per cent in 2000. The PPP/C Government honoured Dr Thomas’s tribunal award under protest. But it did not bankrupt the economy.
The same Dr Thomas also joined Mr Eusi Kwayana in vigorously opposing Dr Cheddi Jagan as the consensus Presidential Candidate before the 1992 elections. History proved them wrong with the WPA’s eventual decline.
Today, WPA’s merry men can repeatedly write many letters of public inquiry about their own. But the naked truth is the “in coalition” WPA “has beens” are in hypocritical collusion with the unconscionable now empowered. Safety understandably requires their denouncement from overseas. The PNC-led coalition pay increases , like other extremes, may however also eventually excused as corrective entitlements due for the ravages of slavery. Such entitlement arguments have traction but are not pivotally anchored exclusively or partially on any Guyanese for final resolution.
Why must they suffer in perpetuity?
For Mr Bhagwan to ask “We wonder how Dr Thomas’s team views this unilateral and ill-timed raise” is indicative that they already know, maybe, that Dr Thomas feels the PNC has done nothing wrong. All is hunky dory for kith and kin by blessings of the kuhanimkuu (high priest).
Are the Bhagwan bunch on a mission to embarrass their leaders? To what purpose? Nothing may change unless they succeed. What’s good for the Black goose must also be good for the Indian gander. Guyanese must know why the WPA’s one-time Prime Ministerial Candidate, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine should escape their outrage? He will also become more monetarily enriched
Treasury
Face it. By the change of government to the PNC coalition, things have only become painfully worse for all Guyanese. Worst is yet to come. The PNC’s militarised leadership which easily told the tall Hitlerite tale that Guyana’s treasury was empty now has “no apologies” or conscience to fill their pockets with taxpayers’ money.
Reveal
Will the Afro-Guyanese base of the PNC, regardless, ride out the storm in support come election time? Is it history, race or DNA conditioning so familiar on all sides which befuddles our consciences?
Touting that Mr Eusi Kwayana returned taxpayers’ money when he was in Government service is no badge of valour to shout about anyway. Mr Bhagwan conveniently omits and should reveal the total sum Mr Kwayana accepted for his overseas and other junkets. Returning what he did not spend is just boastful embellishment.
Service
Kwayana accompanied Prime Minister Forbes Burnham on his African multi-country tours of
Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zambia, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and Mozambique in 1964. He was not in Government service at that time. Why did the Afrocentric messiah accompany the PNC founder leader’s huge entourage when his presence served no useful purpose except as a tourist? No Indocentric Bhagwan tagged along for “One People One Nation , One Destiny” in unity showmanship. This was at a time when predominantly Indian sacrifices found the PNC Government devouring the fat from the sugar industry by its imposed sugar levy to finance such PNC members overseas tourism junkets. That Mr Kwayana became more culturally enlightened on the free African tours was good for him. What did it achieve for the rest of Guyana? Do sugar workers and rice farmers now deserve similar PNC economic support like Kwayana and others enjoyed?
Evidence Mr Kwayana’s travel expenses and housing were even surreptitiously paid by the Rodney Commission of Inquiry (CoI) when he gave evidence. Is there any clearer case of corruption which is yet to be investigated by Dr Thomas? Contrast all this SN 1012-15 touting embellishment of Mr Kwayana in relation to Mrs Janet Jagan. As First Lady of Guyana, she only accepted one measly Guyana dollar in 1993 as payment for her job for many months as Guyana’s Ambassador to the UN. In New York City where she resided, the First Lady of Guyana reportedly daily walked alone many blocks to work with no bodyguards. Mrs Jagan chose to live as she died, in Guyana, quite unlike Mr Kwayana whose name means “Blackman of Guyana”. He chose to live in the USA. Can Guyana’s fragile makeup withstand the many challenges, as our country heads into dangerous waters in the days ahead?
Yours, Sultan Mohamed
You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com
Dear Editor
One of the slogans of the APNU/AFC is ‘The Good Life.’
This slogan is being regularly used by the President himself. As expected, this is also followed up by his ministers.
It is not a bad slogan and most likely many people believed in it.
Indeed, in a way, they were not lying about it.
Many people thought they were talking about a good life for the Guyanese people. This is not the case.
All the actions of the regime point in one directiona good life for the regime and the APNU/AFC ranks who now occupy the corridors of power in Guyana.
The massive increase in salaries that they have given themselves is just another ominous sign of things to come. The regime just does not care about what people think. They do whatever they please.
They have even violated their own party’s manifesto,
which stated explicitly that they would set up a committee to review salaries for government ministers and constitutional post holders.
However, the regime has shown its old PNC character and its arrogance once again.
They have reneged on the promise made to public service workers to increase salaries by 20%.
They have bluntly told rice farmers that their problems are of no concern to the regime. This was after promising them first $6000 per bag of paddy and later $9000 per bag. They also seem intent on disintegrating the sugar industry, as their leaked information seems to be preparing the ground to close estates. They refuse to implement the well-thought-out strategic plan initiated by the PPP/C Government, which focused on increasing revenue streams, cutting costs and generally modernising the industry. That plan is working, as can be seen at GuySuCo now.
What is also clear is the arrogance of the regime. Joseph Harmon, the most powerful of ministers, angrily blurted out that they have no apologies to make; they deserve this (50% or more pay increase). He went further to say that they need bigger salaries to prevent corruption.
Harmon is wrong on all counts.
Firstly, what or who evaluated these Government officials to judge whether they deserve an increase or not?
Who advised Harmon that bigger salaries will stop a thief from the temptation of stealing?
It has not happened anywhere. A thief will remain a thief.
The increase has another effect. It has exposed the false propaganda that the treasury was empty when the regime took office.
Moreover, for those who still believe this falsity, then this is very immoral on their part.
How can they take a hefty 50% and more increase from an empty treasury?
What is clear by this action is that the clique in office is only interested in feathering its own nest. They will use the State apparatus to enrich themselves. This is the new class – ‘The Bureaucratic Capitalist Class’.
When they speak about ‘the good life’, it is clear they did not mean a good life for the people of Guyana, but a good life for themselves, their families and party hacks.
That is why racial and political discrimination is taking place at a rapid pace. Michael Khan has gone and it appears that Dr Shamdeo Persaud, the Chief Medical Officer, is now on the chopping block.
People, stand up now and let your collective voice be heard before it is too late!
The regime is already running out of control.
Yours truly, Donald
Ramotar
Dear Editor
I thank Fizul Bacchus for the kind words expressed about my writings in his missive On “memories of Guyana’s 1973 rigged elections” (October 15). I also have unforgettable memories about that flagrantly rigged elections on that fateful July 16 day – official ballots marked PPP or Liberator Party were found in cane fields, agro lands, canals, and the seashore in Port Mourant, Canje, Albion, etc -- thrown from helicopters and military trucks. That was the first time I had seen what a ballot looked like. Several people were prosecuted for showing the ballots or exposing the rigging.
Throughout the country, thugs terrorised Indian, Portuguese, Chinese and Amerindians, anyone who was viewed as a potential supporter of the opposition PPP, UF or Liberator Party. The Soldiers and Police confiscated ballot boxes after close of poll and took them to Military and Police headquarters and exchanged them for fraudulent ballots marked in favour of the PNC.
All over the country, in PPP strongholds, many voters and election observers or poll workers were beaten blue and black by Police and army men and supporters of the PNC. No criminal action was taken against the killers of democracy, the riggers of elections and those who were literally murdered in defence of the ballot boxes.
The world must not forget that two of our freedom fighters, Bholanauth Parmanand and Jagan Ramessar were murdered in cold blood by Soldiers. Others were also hurt when Soldiers discharged munitions and tear gas against peaceful assemblies. No charges were filed against the Soldiers for fatally shooting the two unarmed men (and beating
others) who were defending the franchise that we fought for and given by the British in 1953. Bholanauth and Ramessar were no different in their struggle against racism and denial of the vote from the struggle waged by Dr Martin Luther King who fought against racism. The franchise was reversed by the PNC dictatorship in 1968 and again in 1973. The US and Britain were silent about the riggings and the murders of defenders of the franchise.
Chris Ram, Joe Harmon, and Desmond Trotman are Pursuing public service cases against PPP figures for alleged wrong-doings. When will they file public service cases against their colleagues who were/are known (proven) electoral and financial bandits and murderers of people who fought for democracy? What is good for the goose is also good for the gander! That is fairness!
I remember as a 13-year-old going at the roadside in front of Rambhalas store at Port Mourant that Jul 16 afternoon and seeing dozens of Soldiers and Police intimidating Indians who had gathered peacefully against rigging. There were armoured GDF carriers (one resembling a tank) and trucks and police vehicles. They were in full battle gear.
They had with them self-loading rifles, submachine guns, bayonets, tear smoke, grenades, steel helmets, rolls of bullets. The Military and Police were determined to intimidate democrats. Guns were directed against unarmed civilians, ordering them to go home. No such actions were taken in PNC strongholds of Manchester or parts of Rose Hall or Fyrish, etc.
Indians were beaten (unprovoked) on the Corentyne. I remember the heavy Police and Military presence in the streets of the mostly-Indian vil-
lage of Port Mourant (from Rose Hall to Bloomfield) in the month before elections intimidating people and abusing our women, many of whom were forced to submit their bodies (in short raped) to gain compassion for a brother or a father or a husband. Such was the nature of the abuse at the time.
The PNC affiliated-Police and Army with all their munitions descended on the Corentyne to abuse Indians and steal the elections. Parmanand’s wife and four children and his ailing parents were left without a breadwinner and neither the PNC nor the murderers showed any compassion. Ramessar’s near lifeless body was paraded around in a GDF truck and kicked and stamped upon on the Corentyne Coast to send a message to others not to resist injustice. It was no different from the experience of White American soldiers being killed and their bodies desecrated in Somalia when the US sought to rescue that helpless country.
Ramesar’s parents and siblings can never forget the youngster whose life was taken by the army in coldblooded murder. We too can never forget this experience.
As a result of rigging and lack of democracy, many were sexually and physically abused with the result that tens of thousands of Indians and other ethnicities were forced to leave Guyana. From abroad, some of us made supreme sacrifice in the fight for free and fair elections in our homeland. Fizul Bacchus also played a role in that struggle in Guyana and New York. And yes, Fizul, the Nation will never forget the PNC’s rigging of elections.
Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram
I had nothing to do with satellite uplink equipment
Dear Sir I read with utter disbelief the frontpage story in Kaieteur News of October 14, 2015, claiming that only four NCN staff knew about the presence of satellite uplink equipment sitting in a storeroom of NCN and that I was somehow involved in this debacle.
Let me state clearly, for the record, that I left NCN on June 30, 2012. I could not have therefore had anything to do with the capital budget of 2012 since the budget process starts in July/August of each year, with a submission of a wish list to the Board of Directors.
The list is prepared in order of importance and once approved by the Board is submitted to the Ministry of Finance and the office of the President. Each item on the list has to be justified by a written plan and a verbal presenta-
tion by each agency head several times at the Ministry of Finance and Office of the President before a figure is determined for capital budget support to each agency each year.
That figure is then applied to the capital budget submission and whatever is prioritised above the line established by the agency’s allocation is approved and the rest is discarded. The person making the presentation for 2012 was certainly not me as I had left before the process started. The allocation is then taken to Parliament for approval as part of the capital budget presentation and is documented in the annual estimates with reasons for each line item and verbal presentations to the Committee of Supply. Once the capital budget is approved in April/May of the following year the items are purchased and installed.
APNU/AFC seemingly not bothered by economic downturn
Dear Editor
It is now an indisputable fact that the leaders of the APNU/ AFC were never interested in the social and economic development of our country but in satiating their lust for power and personal enrichment. The ‘scissoring’ of the 2012, 2013 and 2014 Budgets are stark reminders of this fact. They have shamelessly sacrificed the idealistic principles which they claimed they stood for in just under the first 100 days – this unmerited and humongous salary increase was already agreed at a Cabinet meeting nearly two months ago, one which Prime Minister Nagamootoo vehemently denied. Guyana Times newspaper had brought this to the public notice since that time. I wonder what has happened to the Kaieteur News since they seem to be in the forefront in ‘exposing’ instances of self-enrichment by the former Government Ministers and leaders. It is a shame for the Minister of State to conclude that they had to give this enormous increase to avoid ‘thiefing’. In doing so he inadvertently admitted that the coalition is infested with brigands whose greed for money has to be appeased even before they have made any tangible contribution to stem the downward spiral of our economy. But nothing can appease this greed – they were there before!
The Coalition’s lust for power can be glaringly seen in the appointments of three VicePresidents and two extra ‘technocrat’ Ministers and the horde of Junior Ministers. Moreover, there are countless ‘unqualified’ advisors whose salaries are so huge that it can only be concluded that this is ‘legal’ stealing. For instance, in Region 5 there is an AFC Executive member of questionable character, who was made a liaison officer to Prime Minister Nagamootoo. Then there is the herbalist in Berbice who have failed to account for millions of dollars of donations of the AFC during the 2011 elections campaign but is now the Accounting Officer (Regional Executive Officer) for Region 6! This man had admitted to an Inquiry that he could not account for $4.5 million yet he made claims to this sum from the AFC Executive without evidence to substantiate such spending. In addition, this man is bereft of the necessary qualification and experience. There are numerous such instances where unqualified/unsuitable persons were given positions simply because of their political affiliation to the APNU or AFC. It is simply jobs for the boys!
The failure here seems to be on the part of the Board of Directors and the management team at NCN at the time of the receipt of the equipment in the third quarter of 2013. Either they were not aware of the purpose of the purchased equipment or they simply dropped the ball and failed to proceed with the implementation of the system. Clearly the blame for this cannot be placed on my shoulders as I was not part of the management team or the Board of Directors for the last three-and-one-half years.
I humbly request that you give this clarification a prominent place in your publication.
Yours truly,
Mohamed Sattaur Former CEO, NCN
mer Agriculture Auditor of the Corporation, I am aware first hand of numerous reports detailing the problems faced by GuySuCo and one of the major problem is the world market price.
This has created a vicious circle which has created numerous difficulties for management. But the COI will kill two birds with one stone! It will provide the Coalition with the relevant excuse to close and later privatise the Corporation! Another such reward scheme is the State Assets Recovery Unit! It is still unimaginable how the claims of a ‘bankrupt’ economy can afford the members of the Coalition ‘to live a Cadillac lifestyle in a donkey cart economy’. Our Prime Minister used to stand loftily and brag at public meetings how Cheddi Jagan once caught him cleaning ‘bangamary’ fish and was so taken aback by this, that he complimented him and lamented the fact that are so few like people like him (Nagamootoo).
This same man bragged about the many portfolios he held during Jagan’s tenure and the humbleness of the office which he had. He claimed that he epitomised the ’lean and clean’ Government of the PPP/C. But now he spends nearly a hundred million dollars on the renovation of his home (one which was only recently vacated by the former Prime Minister), furniture, vehicle and a whopping salary increase for hardly working! I think all of us should start cleaning ‘bangamary’! It surely pays off in the end! The question is: Is this the same man that we have as our Prime Minister?
The Coalition’s rewarding scheme also extended to the many Commissions of Inquiry and the Forensic Audits which are being carried out simply to give its members huge bonuses for their support. This can be evidenced by the fact that the place where a forensic audit is much needed, the City Hall run by Mayor Green, a blind eye is in focus!
One of the Chartered Accountants of the current forensic audit is aware of the state of the accounting records of City Hall since he was or still is the auditor of the entity. He should have recommended forensic audit but he cannot bite the hands that feed him!
Moreover, the just concluded Commission of Inquiry of GuySuCo is just another reward scheme. Everyone in GuySuCo knows what the problem is in GuySuCo and being a for-
All of these self-enrichment schemes, together with the bare-faced salary increases for Ministers and Junior Ministers, were never in the Coalition’s Manifesto and they have deliberately disregarded what they had prioritised in it. What they promised did not materialised - no ‘significant’ salary increases for public servants, no reduction of VAT, no ‘significant’ increases for pensioners, the taking away of their GPL and GWI subsidies; no wage increase for GuySuCo workers, in fact they are faced with closure of some estates and retrenchment; escalating crimes and falling rice and paddy prices and the loss of rice markets. There is a serious economic downturn and the Coalition does not have a clue how to get out of it. They are too busy filling their pockets, basking in their new-found power, and taking revenge on the same people who have made it possible for them to now live affluently in a euphoric atmosphere!
I want the people who voted for the Coalition to be aware that a country is not governed by making allegations of corruption, witch-hunting and dismissals of people who are deemed to be members and supporters of the PPP/C, but it is run by people who have the required qualifications, experience and competencies to make and implement sound economic and social policies. It is time the media, especially Kaieteur News, stop hoodwinking the public and start to guide this Coalition by responsible journalism.
I have noticed that the Stabroek News has now embarked on such a course! I must commend Guyana Times for its continued patriotism!
Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf
BY NATALIE MORIN
Welcoming a newborn into your home brings a lot of joy and excitement, but also a good amount of risk. Many parents “baby-proof” their homes, meaning they cover sharp corners and block-off any areas that might cause their child to take a tumble. But despite these efforts, you can’t protect your baby against all danger. Accidents are bound to happen.
Here are some of the products that cause the most injuries to babies – most of which are found in the average home. The data comes from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, and each product is ranked by the average number of annual injuries to babies from 1997 to 2014.
Non-power tools – Power tools aren’t the only threats to infants. Non-power tools, such as screwdrivers and hammers,
caused 7313 injuries to babies in 2014.
Car seats – Car seats can often be unstable or strapped too tightly around babies, which are among the reasons there were 9773 reported injuries in 2014.
Metal containers – Sharp metal containers are shiny but risky to leave alone with small children. About 7757 were the causes of injuries last year.
Televisions – Unstable televisions were the causes of 7905 injuries to zero to twoyear-olds in 2014.
Silverware and tableware – From 2013 to 2014, there was a rise in injuries to babies involving silverware and tableware – 12,337, to be exact.
Linen – Linens caused 11,825 injuries to infants in 2014, an increase from the previous year.
Toys – Toys caused 24,981 injuries to infants in 2014.
Cribs – Babies were injured by cribs 13,846 times in 2014.
Coins – Coins caused 12,422 injuries to babies in 2014, likely due to accidental swallowing.
Strollers and other mobile carriers – Injuries to babies from strollers have gone down from 2013, from 13,562 to 11,247 in 2014.
Irons and heaters – Irons and heaters caused 12,524 injuries to infants in 2014, an drop from the previous year.
Jewellery – Infants often want to put shiny objects in their mouths, and swallowing these items could cause a serious injury. Jewellery alone was the cause of 16,582 injuries to babies in 2014.
Shopping carts – Babies have suffered an average of 16K injuries from shopping carts every year since 1997. In 2014, the number of injuries dropped to 15,589.
Cycling – Cycling caused 13,407 injuries to infants in 2014, probably due to a baby seat on a bike malfunctioning or any other bike accidents
involving a baby.
Showers and bathtubs –Injuries suffered by babies in showers and bathtubs have remained pretty stagnant over the years, hovering between 20,000 and 25,000 annually. In 2014, there were 21,394 reported injuries.
Doors – Opening and closing doors without checking the surrounding environment can be harmful to babies. In fact, they caused about 46,888 injuries in 2014.
Chemicals – Chemicals, such as paint and cleaning products caused more injuries (44,497) to infants in 2014 than the previous year.
Pharmaceuticals –Prescription and nonprescription drugs caused harm to infants 42,073 times in 2014.
Stairs – Stairs can be dangerous for everyone, let alone babies. These cause the second most injuries every year – 91,088 during last year alone. (MSN)
(Continued from Wednesday – Part 2)
Conscious regulation versus automatic In the 1990s, Psychologist Roy Baumeister and his colleagues noticed that the research literature on the more conscious and intentional processes of self-regulation seemed to point to a “strength model” of self-control. Likening the process to a muscle that gets tired, the researchers reported that self-regulation seemed to be a limited (though renewable) resource that could be depleted: a conscious act of self-control caused diminished performance in an immediately subsequent test of self-control.
But the muscle analogy did not break down there: “Just as exercise can make muscles stronger,” they wrote, “there are signs that regular exertions of self-control can improve willpower strength.” And there was still more good news. In the same way that depleted athletes can gather all their resources for one final push, “if the stakes are high enough,” people with depleted reserves of self-control are also capable of gathering their resources to meet a further demand before requiring time for renewal. As a side benefit, “targeted efforts to control behaviour in one area, such as spending money or exercise, lead to improvements in unrelated areas, such as studying or household chores.”
Still, if exerting our selfcontrol muscles makes such heavy demands on our resources, how can we be expected to cope effectively
with the many daily tasks that require some form of selfregulation? Fortunately, not all of those tasks require effortful self-control. Automatic selfregulation is the control of thought, emotion or behaviour without conscious, purposeful intent. It’s possible to convert self-control from conscious to automatic, and to carry out the automatic response rapidly, even under stress.
The most obvious influence on the conversion from effortful control to an automatic response is frequency. When we always respond to a particular situation with a certain behaviour without thinking about it, that behaviour can be said to be automatic. An example might be nail-biting as an unthinking reaction to anxiety. If it happens often, we may catch ourselves ruining our nails and thereby become aware of the need to react to anxiety in a more positive way. And if we succeed at repeated efforts to replace the nail-biting with a different response, the new behaviour will eventually become as automatic as the old one.
But there’s another way to automate self-regulation. In an oft-cited study on the topic, German researchers Peter M Gollwitzer and Veronika Brandstätter demonstrated that planning a certain response to a situational cue created strong mental links between the cue and the desired behaviour. They called these planned responses “implementation intentions,” distinguishing them from goal intentions. For instance, an admirable goal intention might be “I intend to lose weight”; yet, even if this goal is backed up by a great degree of willpower and dietary knowledge, achieving it is not so simple. However, when implementation intentions are rehearsed in anticipation of stressful or distracting situations, goal intentions are strengthened. In the early stages, the idea is to link the desired action to a specific trigger. For instance, our dieter would designate a specific if-then intention before a potentially tempting situation – say, going out to a restaurant with friends. She might commit to a specific course of action: “When they bring the dessert menu, I’ll order peppermint tea.” If this contingency is mentally rehearsed, an effective association can be created between the situational cue (the appearance of the dessert menu) and the desired behaviour, making it easier to perform in the actual event even when distracted or pressured.
We may learn to regulate our own emotions and behaviour with these concepts in mind, but how can we give our children the conscious as well as automatic selfregulation skills they need for optimal well-being? (www.vision.org) TO BE CONTINUED
– Red Thread says “we can no longer trust them”
By Jillica Pinder
The A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition Government on Thursday continued to face domestic pressure from key stakeholders for it to withdraw a decision to increase the salaries of its Ministers by more than 50 per cent as several NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs) hit the streets of Georgetown in protest.
The Organisations picketed the Ministry of the Presidency in an effort to vent their objection to the mega increases that were given to Government Ministers who have only been in office for less than five months. They have since asked the Government to “reel and come and again”.
The protesters congregated in front of the building on Vlissengen Road, Georgetown to voice their distrust of the new Administration, stating that
the move to increase salaries did not have the citizens of Guyana in mind.
Betrayed by Government
Social activist Nicole Cole told Guyana Times that she was of the view that Guyanese were betrayed by the new Administration. She recalled clearly that on August 5, 2015, Governance Minister Raphael Trotman held a press conference to announce that the new Administration was not considering salary increases for Ministers, after a rumour of
such had emerged.
She noted that weeks after that televised forum, the Minister backpedalled on his word, describing it as unethical and a betrayal. Cole further stated that the Minister of State, Joseph Harmon had the temerity to tell the public in arrogance and pomposity that he has no apologies to make.
“This very Government, when in the Opposition decried fat cats, little did the people know that they [the Government] were preparing themselves to be the fat-
test cats,” the frustrated activist added.
She also stated that the Government’s withdrawal of subsidies from pensioners for $4000 extra was “rubbish” as the subsidies had better assisted Guyana’s elderly.
In expressing further distrust of the David Grangerled Administration, Cole said, “The Minister of State claimed, why must he work for over $500,000 a month? Why must we accept a measly five per cent? That cannot work and we have no
apologies in telling you we don’t trust you anymore. It is the Minister of Governance who came on television and lied to us and told us that they were not considering the increase, but then went behind our backs and did it secretly. We cannot trust them… They have broken the trust… Shame on them!”
She also believes that the Government’s policy is of pure self-interest, as it only sought better for itself so soon after being in office.
Pensioners and public servants
Also part of the gathering, head of the NGO Red Thread Guyana, Karen De Souza, stated that Government’s first priority should have been ensuring the public servants and pensioners were well taken care of before the already highly paid ministers.
She added also that the Government’s justification was utter nonsense and as such, unacceptable.
“It is not right that pensioners and public servants have to pay for water bills and electricity bills out of the pittance of the measly income and the Government of Guyana that’s already making so much more than everyone, chooses to double their already high salaries, even though they have the benefit of having an allowance for their utility bills. It is not right and the justifications that have so far been offered are not acceptable,” De Souza stated.
friday, october 16, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com
Two siblings were on Thursday placed on $100,000 bail by Magistrate Fabayo Azore in Court Five of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts after they appeared before her charged with escaping Police custody after being found in possession of narcotics.
Lisa Mangru, 26, and her brother Brian Robertson both of Lamaha
Park pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that on Thursday 15 October, at the Alberttown Police Station, they escaped from lawful custody while pending a narcotic charge. Additionally, the duo pleaded guilty to the charge which read that in the wee hours of Thursday morning, at the Kitty Seawall, they were found in possession of one gram of cannabis.
According to the facts as presented by Police Prosecutor Corporal Simone Payne, on the day in question Police on patrol intercepted a car being driven by Mangru and occupied by her brother and several others. A search was conducted and the drug unearthed on both suspects.
The two were arrested
and taken into custody, however while there the two ran away but were later arrested at their home.
The Magistrate sentenced them to a fine of $5000 each and six months community service on the narcotics charge. They were also granted $50,000 bail each on the escaping lawful custody charge.
They will return to Court on October 29.
Ateenager was on Thursday sentenced to two
years in prison by Magistrate Alex Moore in Court Ten of the
Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts after pleading guilty to five counts of
armed robbery.
Anfernee Archer pleaded guilty to the charge which read that on August 21, at West Ruimveldt, while in the company of others and being armed with a gun, he robbed the Virtual Complainants (VCs), Jameila Jossiah, Demitrius Howard, Kimberly Moore, Kimberly Bellville and Jerwayne Kerr. Among the items stolen were personal documents, two handbags, two cellphones, a gold wedding band and $8000 in cash, carrying a value of $175,500.
According to particulars of the charge presented by Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves, on the day in question the VCs were in a car at West Ruimveldt when one of the tyres got puncture so they stopped to change the wheel. While doing so, they were approached by the defendant and his accomplice who were armed with a gun. They were relieved of their valuables and the robbers made good their escape.
After reviewing the charges, the Magistrate sentenced the young man to two years on each charge. The sentences will run concurrently, however, he had previously had a two-year suspended sentence by Magistrate Faith McGusty. That will now commence. The young man will now have to serve four years.
...when under fire
In warfare, it’s said that “offence is the best form of defence”. And with all those Army types in this Government, it’s clear the advice wasn’t long in coming as the war of attrition took its toll in the “salary scandal”. They’d fired every available salvo to repel the attacks coming from all sides – even (or especially) from within. Didn’t work.
No point repeating all the excuses proffered for the humongous salary hikes. For the simple reason that your poor Eyewitness just can’t keep count! If it’s another day, it’s another spokesperson – with another menu of excuses. Never mind the excuses keep contradicting each other. Was the raise because of more work or to stop them from being led into temptation?
Anyhow, when a politician – any politician, never mind one with a VERY tattered reputation – says “Trust me” – you know they’re dragging the bottom of the barrel. Raphael Trotman’s the very last person the Government should’ve sent out to say “Trust me”. You know the question the Americans have on the “trust quotient” –“Would you buy a used car from this person?” Well, let’s just say Trotman would be panhandling around Stabroek Market if he were selling used cars!
Anyhow, the Government decided to launch its counter war by speeding up its “inquiry” into Pradoville 2 – which is supposed to be sub judice!! The Government could be held in contempt of court for horning in on Desmond Trotman’s case. But what the heck – all’s fair in love and war, no? And baby, in this salary fiasco that just won’t go away – it’s a goddam WAR!
But apart from most of the charges by the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU) not holding water – the President can’t be charged for actions done when in office! – its statement of the purported “criminal acts” committed by Jagdeo and his Ministers just places the salary hike in a whole new (criminal) light!
SARU asserted, “Public officers ought to carry out their duties not for the benefit of themselves but for the benefit of the public as a whole. If they neglect or misconduct themselves by their actions in the course of their duties, this may lead to a breach or abuse of the public’s trust. The act of the Cabinet members for their benefit is serious enough to amount to an abuse of the public’s trust.”
Now, isn’t this exactly the problem with Trotman’s confession that the ENTIRE Cabinet agreed to raise their salaries (“to benefit themselves”) and not the public?
And that the raise of 50 per cent compared to five per cent for public servants is “an abuse of the public’s trust”??
“Jail them!!” You say?
It does seem that with this Government, the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand’s doing. Or maybe that’s an endemic problem when you insist on speaking from both sides of your mouth. The brain will get confused trying to keep up. Ever try patting your head and rubbing your belly?
On one hand, the Government told the folks who voted them into office, “Ooops!! Can’t give you more than a symbolic 2.5 per cent raise. Cupboard’s bare. Sooory!” But then turns around and award themselves a humongous 50 per cent pay raise!!! “So where’s that money gonna come from?” asked supporters plaintively but not unreasonably.
But the other hand just didn’t know when to stop. With all that outrage building up, the Government left hand decides to reward one of their own – Glenn Lall and his Guyana Stores. Lall, you would remember was the chief cook and bottle washer with FUCOP – Fund for a United Candidacy for an Opposition Presidency. $40 million taxes paid off just like that!! When will APNU/AFC supporters show up with their pitchforks?
Your Eyewitness wonders why the judiciary keeps sentencing youths for cellphone robberies. Don’t they know this is a mere boyish prank that should get just a slap on the bamsee?
Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com
Asixteen-year-old student of Academy of Apex Education, East Coast Demerara, has revealed that in light of him being assaulted by two former classmates for a second time, he was told by teachers that he should stay home to avoid future altercations with his assailants.
The revelation was made before Magistrate Alex Moore in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court Ten while the teenager was giving testimony.
According to Mohamed Shafeeq, the first incident of assault took place within the school compound and was captured by the school’s security cameras; however nothing came out of that incident.
On the second occasion the student was walking towards the Kitty Seawall when he was accosted by the two classmates and two other individuals who proceeded to assault him with their belts and fists. He revealed that the matter was reported to the Police, and the school subsequently expelled his two assailants.
It was stated that the classmates who perpetuated the act live close by to the school, as such the teachers made the stay home suggestion despite the fact the young man is scheduled to sit the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination in May 2016.
The entire ordeal was related after Shafeeq was called to take the stand and offer testimony against one of his assailants.
However, halfway through giving his testimony the Magistrate sought information from Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves about the defendant who was absent from Court.
It was then revealed that the defendant is a minor and as such the trial could not continue in his absence. Upon Magistrate Moore raising questions as to why the Prosecutor was pursuing a trial against a minor in his absence, it was revealed that he was served a verbal summons by a female rank, but did not show up for court.
This, the Magistrate re-
However after the incident Shafeeq related that he was told by school officials he should stay home to avoid another such altercation as they would not be held responsible should he be attacked again.
vealed, is against the law as a minor cannot be served a summons, but it was the duty of the Police to serve the summons to his parents.
The Magistrate further inquired as to why only one of the assailants is being charged, and after being given the reason he opined that the entire fiasco shows “sloppy Police work.”
It has been revealed that the Police along with the VC’s father went to the home of the second assailant once, but after they were told that he wasn’t home the Police left and did not seek to pursue the issue any further.
This enraged the Magistrate who questioned the ethics of one Sergeant Liverpool who is reportedly in the habit of submitting cases to the Court without any proper investigations or without pursuing the right chain of action.
The Magistrate adjourned the matter to November 5 and ordered that the Police produce the other three assailants. He also ordered that the VC’s mother pay the school’s administration and sort out the matter of her son’s return to classes.
BY KRISTEN MACKLINGAM
As a result of the harsh effects of the dry season that sections of the country are battling with, and in light of what is expected to come due to the current El Niño season, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change Government will be establishing an El Niño task force.
This is according to Agriculture Minister Noel Holder who during a press conference on Thursday stated that preparations are underway by his Ministry and its various sub-sectors to efficiently handle the droughtlike conditions.
It was noted that both the irrigation and fresh water systems may “come under stress” at the end of next month, hence the importance of practicing water usage in an efficient manner from now.
Meanwhile, representatives from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), the Guyana Rice Development Board
(GRDB) and the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) who were also present at the media briefing highlighted counter active measures to challenges which the agricultural sector in Guyana may face because of the El Niño season.
According to the General Manager of the GRDB Nizam Hassan, the conditions at the moment are favourable to rice farmers who are presently in the harvesting stages.
More than 60 per cent of paddy has been harvested thus far throughout the country but in the near future if there is not enough water available to the rice farmers, this can affect production.
It is expected that when the harvesting period concludes the rice farmers will be faced with water issues. As such, it is anticipated that in Berbice; specifically Crabwood Creek, rice farmers would face some problems and they would resort to obtaining water from the Corentyne.
“Black Bush Polder have
no problems… we are able to get fresh water from the upper reaches of the Berbice River… once we go into crop period then we estimate there would be some problems with the East Demerara Water Conservancy.”
Acting Chief Executive Officer of the NDIA, Fredrick Henry, told reporters that at present, the water levels are high enough to sustain the various sectors until the middle of December 2015.
He stated that should the drought-like condition persist, measures will have to be put in place to allow water to be pumped into the conservancies through the Canje River basin, as well as from other water sources.
Additionally, Henry noted that some of the rice farming communities in Berbice will be affected; however, they will have other sources of water to their disposal.
Guyana Times understands that during the El Niño period, it is projected that a 50 per cent decrease in rainfall with higher temperatures occurring. (kristenm@ guyanatimesgy.com)
Chief
Making a quantum leap from the sciences to law, Eleanor Delores Maria Luckhoo on Thursday had her petition heard before Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang. Luckhoo has become a fourth generation Lawyer, who will take up her practice in her father’s firm, Luckhoo and Luckhoo; one of the oldest legal firms in Guyana.
Her petition was presented by Senior Counsel Robin Stoby. Justice Chang heard of the young woman’s resilience and diverse academic achievement, to which he expressed his fondness.
Details of her petition revealed that the Young Luckhoo attended Queens’s
College where she obtained nine subjects, all with Grade One passes.
She went on to the Caribbean Advance Proficiency Examination (CAPE) where she excelled with a Grade One in Chemistry. She followed in this area when she attended Miami University and read for a degree in Chemistry between 2002 and 2006.
Back in 2010, she returned to Guyana where she began her journey into the legal field by enrolling into the University of Guyana where she read for her LLB.
In 2013 she proceeded to the Hugh Wooding Law School where she excelled in every area of her study, in-
cluding the Certificate of Achievement, along with nine other academic awards at her graduation.
Speaking with Guyana Times, Luckhoo said she had always had an interest in the science field, but later found that she would prefer to spend the rest of her life in the legal field; an area that most of her family members have treaded. She recalled the sleepless nights and the days away from home, but reckoned that it all paid off in the end.
Her father Senior Counsel Edward Luckhoo said he could not have been more proud of his daughter, who has always had an organised approach to everything she did.
The United States on Thursday reaffirmed its commitment to assisting Guyana in the reform of its judicial sector
This was communicated by new US Ambassador to Guyana Perry Holloway who paid a courtesy call on Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General Basil Williams at the AG’s office.
“I have reaffirmed our commitment to working with the Government and the People of Guyana on Judicial Sector Reform and providing technical assistance, and our doors are opened whenever he needs assistance”, the Ambassador told journalists moments after having met the AG.
In response, the Attorney General said his Government remains committed and welcomes the support of the US in this critical area.
“I thank the Ambassador for his support which was similarly extended by his predecessors, particularly in the area of Local Government Reform and other areas”, Williams said.
Only a few months ago, Charge d’Affairs of the US Embassy Bryan Hunt in meeting with the AG, said the US was seeking to ensure independence of the judiciary and due process
within the country.
He said Government has a number of forward-thinking ideas and the perimeters under which the United States may be able to assist in order to achieve those objectives – these were under discussion.
The Attorney General then underscored the importance of meaningful reforms, noting that it requires a certain majority in Parliament soit can be passed. And just a few days ago, Government also received commitment from the European Union which said it would be forging a partner-
ship with the Government of Guyana to initiate a reform of the Laws of Guyana and the Judicial System
During the meeting it was posited that the partnership will see reform of the Laws of Guyana, address the backlog of cases in the court system and also address the issue of access to justice.
He went on to say that in order to enhance judicial independence in Guyana, his Government intends to reform the Constitution.
The Legal Affairs Minister outlined that the Constitution Amendment
Bill seeks to restore independence of several Constitutional Bodies that were eroded by legislations that made them Budget Agencies.
The proposed entities to receive financial independence include Director of Public Prosecutions Chambers; Judicial, Public, Teaching and Police Service Commissions; Public Service Appellate Tribunal; Public Procurement Commission; Office of the Ombudsman, and Guyana Elections Commission.
In addition, the Legal Affairs Minister outlined
that there is an imminent bill on the independence of Parliament. This will not be tabled on Thursday, but will be done sometime in the near future. The bill will be titled “Clerk of Parliament”.
The AG also spoke of the new Civil Procedure Rules, which has been in the implementation stage for some time now but is yet to be fully operational. The new rules will simplify the litigation process and are a major step towards reducing the number of cases which go to court, as well as curbing long delays in the hearing of
civil litigation cases. Another strategy the Attorney General said that is being used to address the backlog of cases is that of paper committals. “They started well, but a number of Magistrates have not been implementing paper committals, as they will speed up Preliminary Inquiries” he said.
A much needed reform of the Laws of Guyana is set to take place, the Minister disclosed, and added that a permanent Law Reform Commission will be established to update laws.
The Government of Guyana will be enlisting the assistance of a Canadian university to design the nation’s Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWN).
This is according to Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman who on Wednesday told a media briefing that the Canadian Government has offered Guyana the use of the facilities available at the University of Calgary.
“So later in the month of November, a team is coming from the University of Calgary with specific responsibility of putting together the mechanism for what we refer to as the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF),” the Minister stated.
According to Trotman, the SWF is intended to hold a percentage of the funds garnered from all the resources of Guyana and not just oil resources but gold, diamond, sand, stone and even seafood, as well as water.
Asked by Guyana Times whether Government has outlined what percentage of the proceeds would be taken from each sector to deposit into the Fund, the Minister noted that this was a fiscal arrangement that had to be determined by Cabinet after taking into consideration the advice of the Finance Minister.
However, Minister Trotman explained that Government was looking to have three sub-funds within the Sovereign Wealth Fund. One fund will secure the wealth of the nation for future generations for hundreds of years; the second will be for budget support when there are lean months or lean years, and the third a developmental trust as a backup for emergency work on developmental projects or initiatives.
“So there are three funds that comprise the Sovereign Wealth Fund, but each have
a different rate at which it is supplied and different reasons or mechanisms from which it can draw down,” Trotman noted.
There seems to be a buzz about Government’s announcement on its plan to establish an SWF and the potential benefit for Guyana’s economy and its people as a whole. During the last election campaign, the previous People’s Progressive Party Administration had also floated the proposal to establish a SWF to handle the expected revenues from the recent oil find by ExxonMobil.
Soon after his swearingin earlier this year, President David Granger announced that his Government would be establishing an SWF to take in the revenues proffered from the proceeds from the country’s resources.
It was also, of course, just after the above mentioned United Statesbased oil and gas company ExxonMobil announced that it had discovered oil in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana that President Granger said it had become even more important for his Administration to set up the SWF.
This particular type of Fund is defined as pools of money derived from a country’s reserves, which are set aside for investment purposes that will benefit the country’s economy and citizens.
The types of acceptable investments included in each SWF vary from country to country; countries with liquidity concerns limit invest
ments to only very liquid public debt instruments. Some countries have created SWFs in diversifying their revenue streams. For example, the United Arab Emirates relies on oil exports for its wealth. Therefore, it devotes a portion of its reserves to its SWF that invests in other types of assets that can act as a shield against oil-related risk.
President Granger had vowed that funds from any natural resource would go towards benefiting the people of Guyana. He reminded that before assuming office, he had mooted the creation of the Fund into which surpluses from all minerals exported would be paid, so that “children will not have to live in poverty; that no matter what happens to the resources of the country, there will always be wealth to look after their education”.
Late last month, Minister of State Joseph Harmon had said Guyana has been receiving much attention since the discovery of oil here by the US oil giant and while this was good for the country, Government would not budge from its plan to have the proceeds placed into an SWF.
Harmon was at the time speaking to Journalists about a recent engagement between the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association and several companies from the oil-rich Trinidad and Tobago.
During the forum, University of the West Indies Professor, Dr Roger Hoosein had said the development of the oil and gas sector could have detrimental impact on production and manufacturing. He cautioned that every Government needed to be careful with the proceeds of the industry.
Two former Government Ministers under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and People’s National Congress (PNC) Administrations have berated the current A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/ AFC) Administration for its decision to massively increase the pay of its Ministers after just being in office for four months.
Former Minister of Agriculture Dr Leslie Ramsammy voicing his concern over the APNU/ AFC decision to raise the Ministers salaries said:
‘If one thing has become clear to everyone, including diehard supporters of APNU/AFC, it is that APNU/AFC is nauseatingly arrogant.
Their arrogance knows no limit and it is suffocating the development of our country. It brings back bad memories of the People’s National Congress (PNC) in Government between 1964 and 1992.”
These actions by the Administration who are only six months in office have been seen by critics as a certain abuse of power and betrayal of its supporters.
Ramsammy posited:
“The recent salary increase for Cabinet members and the huge salary for advisors, together with the benefits associated with these jobs, including large pensions, is an example of the limitless arrogance of APNU/AFC.
“APNU/AFC is led by people who made themselves righteous by denouncing the salaries and benefits of Cabinet Members of the PPP/C Government. Others vowed that if people put them in Government, they will cut the salaries”.
On the campaign trail APNU/AFC accused the PPP/C of wanting to live “Cadillac lifestyles in a donkey cart economy” yet on entry to office they have been portrayed to be living the most lavish lifestyles.
Prime Minister Mosses Nagamootoo is ensuring that for the next five years he will be enjoying quite a sybaritic lifestyle. When only four month in office a $22 million customized luxury Land Cruiser was added to his existing fleet of 22 vehicles, that was just the tip of an iceberg
of extravagant expenditures in his personal life.
Thus far Nagamootoo has cashed in on hefty amounts for the repairs to the bridge and road to his private residence, repairs to the official Prime Minister’s residence and the Office of the Prime Minister.
Former Minister Ramsammy further stated: “They have given themselves astronomical pay increases and they have not yet completed six months in office.
Nevermind the unbelievable salaries of the President, Prime Minister, Attorney General, the VicePresidents and senior ministers, even more insulting to our people are the salaries of the Junior Ministers who will earn more than the President of Venezuela, the Prime Minister of India and many other heads of state around the world”.
Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman has recently been reported as saying “trust us” on the issue of the megasalary increases for Ministers as he confirmed it was a Cabinet decision. Minister of State Joseph Harmon was the first to say that the Government has no apologies for the salary increases even though public servants were given 5% for half of the year.
The two-time Minister of Heath added that “in the midst of a public outcry about the astronomical pay increases they have given themselves and in the process begin a public raping of the treasury, the Finance Minister has unambiguously chastised those of us who have publicly objected that the increases they have filled their pockets with by de-
claring that the increases are irreversible – there will be no change and we need to consider ourselves fortunate that they did not take the even larger increase” .
“I want one of them in APNU/AFC to provide just one iota of evidence that they told people that should they win they will increase the very salaries and benefits they described then as a burden on the nation, unreasonably high and among the highest in the world.
I dare any of them to give me an indication that they did tell people that one of the reasons they wanted to become the Government and one of their priorities will be to increase their salaries” he added.
In a multitude of public meetings, rallies, in innumerable TV and radio talk-shows, and newspaper articles that said they will on day 1 in Government increase public servants’ salaries by 20%. Yet six months later their loyal supporters are left to face the brunt.
A recent interview conducted by Guyana Times with several persons in the city, showed that the economy is suffering and
some linked it to starting after the May 11 polls. Even supporters of the current Administration are outraged, saying that is far too soon for such an increase and that they have forsaken the public servants while they become “fat cats”.
“The truth is that APNU/AFC has no care for the families who need the $10,000 per child for school; for the elderly whose old age pension is a life-line; for the Amerindian youth who want to make a decent living; for the professionals who want to serve. They have no care for those who suffer from escalating
crime and they could not care less that the economy is plummeting like a spaceship on its way back to earth” Ramsammy concluded.
Jackson’s Take Meanwhile, Former Foreign Affairs Minister Rashleigh Jackson is begging the question as to whether ministers will now be able to afford to pay their utility bills given the increase in their remuneration packages.
During the Budget presentation in August, it was announced that subsidies for pensioners’ utility services would be withdrawn. In his explanation for this move by the David Granger-led Administration, Finance Minister Winston Jordon stated that 42,397 beneficiaries of Old Age Pension will now equally benefit from a monthly pension of $17,000, which is a 30% increase on the previous amount of $13,125.
He had also stated that discriminatory practices must end, and further explained that, at the time, only 30% of pensioners benefit from the electricity subsidy, since it requires either proof
of ownership of property or registered tenancy of property, and in the provision of the subsidy for water services, only 62 per cent of registered pensioners benefitted, with more than 16,000 pensioners excluded.
Former Minister Rashleigh Jackson, in an editorial letter in another section of the media stated: “Now that Ministers have increased their salaries, will they now be in a position to pay their electricity bills? They did after all withdraw the electricity subsidy from pensioners when the latter were ‘rewarded’ with a ‘raise’, notwithstanding this recent step (the salary increase) or is it a misstep?”
This recent move by Government has left many outraged as the salaries of its Cabinet members has been increased by over $266, 119, 248 even in the face of widespread condemnation and concern by the public and other stakeholders.
Former Ministers, members of the Opposition and the general public have all taken to various outlets to voice their concerns.
friday, october 16, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com
The Chambers of the Legal Affairs Ministry could move towards laying civil charges against five former Ministers under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration, if its investigation proves the allegations levelled against them to be true.
Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams on Thursday confirmed that he had received a copy of the completed report from the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU), which also urged him to use his office to institute charges against the former office bearers. Pointing out that the only action his Chambers could take against the former Ministers was a civil action of misfeasance; he said upon perusal and guidance by the Chambers lawyers, this would most definitely be the next step.
The news of the SARU report has gone viral over the past 48 hours but the PPP immediately responded that the claims were simply cobbled together by the Government to deflect from the trenchant criticism, even by their supporters, on the massive salary increased the Executive awarded itself.
The issue at hand was that former President Bharrat Jagdeo and several former Ministers, both under his and former President Donald Ramotar’s tenure, had obtained State lands at an undervalued market price. They allegedly include PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee, former Education Minister Priya Manickchand, former Public Service Minister Jennifer Westford, former
Natural Resources Minister Robert Persaud, and former head of the Guyana Sugar Corporation Board Sheik Baksh.
They have all been accused of misusing their office to gain benefits from the ‘Pradoville 2’ Housing Scheme some five years ago. Williams said this was a clear-cut case of misfeasance in public office, a breach of the tort law.
“You have to get the necessary evidence and you deal with it. I assure you that once we are satisfied, the Chambers will look at it. I assure you too that once we have sufficient evidence (and I believe there is), because we have former Ministers who knew that they were getting land at an undervalue and they resold to make a profit.”
According to the SARU report, the former President had instructed the organisation responsible for the privatisation of State land –the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) – to privatise the land located at
Sparendaam on the East Coast of Demerara. It was through this process that the Ministers were able to acquire the lands at prices way below their market value.
The Unit said that the actions of the former Cabinet Ministers have shown that they wilfully neglected to perform their duties without reasonable excuse or justification to such an extent that it amounted to an abuse of the public trust in the office holders, hence the belief that criminal charges are indeed warranted.
But Williams said instituting criminal charges is way out of his league, noting that he would be recommending the report to the Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and the Director of Public Prosecutions Shalimar AliHack, who incidentally, has also benefited from this deal. Asked about her involvement in this, Williams said she may have to recuse herself from the case.
He said, however, that there was a possibility that the former President may not be charged, since he was protected under a special constitutional act.
The Attorney General maintained that abuse of public office could not be tolerated. “Ministers must know that they are in an office of trust and they must use their office for the benefit of the State, and they cannot be involved in an exercise that would undermine the rights of the State, especially taking State lands,” he said.
Other beneficiaries of the deal are listed as former Head of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) Ramesh Dookoo; former Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon; former Labour Minister, Dr Nanda Gopaul and Lisaveta Valantina Ramotar, daughter of former
President Donald Ramotar, among others.
The lands were allegedly transferred to the persons on the condition that those receiving the land were not at liberty to sell, lease, transfer or part with possession of the said property within 10 years of transfer without the written consent of the Minister responsible for housing.
Breaches
The SARU report, however, stated that former Minister Manickchand sold her land in 2013 without informing the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) and hence breached the conditions.
Other perspectives
Meanwhile, Executives from the PPP/C have dismissed the report, saying that it was Government’s way of diverting attention
from its mega salary increase.
In fact, the Government’s handling of the matter is being seen as an attempt on its part to divert attention from the widespread public outrage over its decision to breach the public trust by doing the same thing that it is accusing the PPP/C Ministers of doing in increasing the pay of its Ministers.
Several stakeholders told Guyana Times when contacted on Thursday that the Government has displayed double standards as it is using the ‘Pradoville 2’ issue to hit back at the PPP after revelations that it had used its Cabinet powers to enrich its Ministers with a 50 per cent pay hike while paying thousands of poor and hardworking public servants miniscule increases.
“They did the same thing just the other day. Nagamootoo and his boys
Seeta Persaud of John Fernandes terminal on Mandella “Back Road” Avenue is still searching for answers about her son who disappeared a year ago today.
The mother told Guyana Times on Thursday that her son Troy Greenidge, 27, had travelled out of the interior on October 9, 2014 and on October 16, went to receive his money for his work in the interior but never returned home.
The mother alleges that her son may have been kidnapped by a “Barry Hymus” and several other gang members.
She said that
come up with a plan to increase their pay way above the levels of the ordinary public servants ‘cause they felt they deserved more and thought that people would accept it. If the Asset Recovery Unit will recommend charges against the PPP Ministers for their alleged wrongdoings, it must demonstrate independence and also tell the Government that it was wrong to cheat public servants and increase the pay of its four-monthold Ministers,” a very vocal stakeholder said.
Others believe that the Government was attempting to go on another fishing expedition aimed at diverting attention from its poor track record so far in office. When contacted, several PPP/C Executive Members dismissed the report which they argued was being used as a political tool.
Greenidge is the father of two, a 3-year-old, and a 10-month-old that he never had a chance to meet.
She stated that she keeps searching for her son in many places, but she has only been pushed around by the Police and others. She claims that her son was a “quiet and peaceful child”, and she just wants to know what really happened to him. She has since reached out to the Ministry of Public Security but to no avail.
The mother is pleading with the general public for any information that can lead to some explanation about her son’s disappearance, to contact the nearest Police Station, or herself on 609-2304.
Minister of Governance with responsibility for the Natural Resources and Environment Raphael Trotman has charged the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission’s (GGMC) Board of Directors to step up its efforts to ensure a safe and secure mining sector is achieved.
The Minister declared that stricter measures will now have to be taken by that agency to ensure the laws are enforced and upheld. This charge was given to the Board on Thursday at a meeting at the GGMC Boardroom on Brickdam.
Addressing the Directors, who included Clinton Williams Chairman of the GGMC Board, Gerry Gouveia Director on the GGMC Board, Rickford Vieira Commissioner of GGMC, Terrence Adams President Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) and Lisaveta Ramotar, Head of the Guyana Gold Board (GGB), Minister Trotman said the day for “free passes” are over and it is now time the mining sector is put on a safe and stable footing.
The Minister referenced President Granger’s speech at the first gold pour at the Aurora Gold mines, where the Head of State declared: “The days of the free-for-all are over, and we need to be more environmentally conscious if we are to hand this country over to our children and grandchildren… The health and safety of entire communities are being threatened by unsafe mining practices… Sometimes large areas are cleared for mining but after the mining ceases we just have holes in the ground to show posterity.”
Minister Trotman said GGMC must ensure it holds accountable the miners who are responsible for these ‘lawless’ practices: “The responsibility for the environment is not solely that of the State. It is the responsibility of those who own and operate mining concessions to ensure that after they would have ceased operations they do not leave these huge abscesses on our landscape, but that the land is reclaimed by nature.”
The Minister of Governance pointed out that as it stands, the sector has attracted criticism: “The thrust of this is the manner in which the industry is viewed and regulated. It has to change.
We must protect and preserve our national patrimony for the others to come.”
Continuing, Minister Trotman informed the Board on the expectations of the Government and emphasised: “It has to be regulated better …we must make mining safer, have no incidences of corruption and graft and we must examine how we can ensure that the people of Guyana benefit. That is the policy of the Government. The Minister, the Commission and the Commissioner must work together and cooperation and respect must be given to each other.”
Acknowledging the need for improved infrastructure and Government’s role in providing these, Minister Trotman told the Board that it is also their responsibility to ensure the environmental and health facets of the sector are not neglected.
“It is our job to provide infrastructure. That’s a Governmental function, but we need to ensure the security and safety of the sector. We need to improve health and environmental practices. They [miners] have been given a free pass for too long.
We have to put them to work. An environmental bond of $100,000 is simply insufficient and we must address this,” he declared.
The Minister also told the Directors that the granting of duty free concessions must now come with an attached condition, which is that miners must practice safe and sustainable mining.
“You’ve got to show that you are paying your taxes; that you haven’t left lands with gaping holes and you’re practicing safe mining. At the end of the day to qualify, you’ve got to show you are mining in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way,” Minister Trotman outlined.
The Minister of Governance also said Government was examining the possibility of the re-establishment of a Mining Court, which will deal strictly with mining-related matters so as to minimise the time spent on such matters in the Civil Court.
In the meantime, Clinton Williams, Chairman of the GGMC Board of Directors, assured Minister Trotman that the mandate given by President David Granger will be fulfilled, even as he pledged the Agency’s commitment to ensuring that it op-
erates in a fair, balanced and unbiased manner.
“We intend to use the President’s presentation as a basis to developing our plan. We intend to move the bar… Now that the way has been cleared for the Board to operate and the President has given his mandate, we will carry out our duties without fear or favour,” Williams assured.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) said fewer than half of countries have achieved gender parity in education, a goal that should have been achieved since 2005.
This is contained in a new Gender Report compiled by UNESCO’s Global Monitoring Report for International Day of the Girl Child. The document shows that although the goal was not met by all, the progress is one of the biggest education successes since 2000.
The number of countries that have achieved the goal of gender parity in both primary and secondary education has risen from 36 to 62.
Irina Bokova, the Director General of UNESCO said, “Educating a girl educates a nation. It unleashes a ripple effect that changes the world unmistakably for the better. We have recently set ourselves a new ambitious agenda to achieve a sustain-
able future. Success in this endeavour is simply not possible without educated, empowered girls, young women and mothers.
Sixty-two million girls are still uneducated but the number of out-of-school girls has declined. Nonetheless, the gender disparities widen and the poorest girls remain at a stark disadvantage.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, boys are at a disadvantage. Fifty-five per cent of boys compared to 63 per cent of girls in rural areas complete lower secondary education.
School-related genderbased violence is one of the worst manifestations of gen-
der discrimination and holds back education attainment. Likewise, child marriages remain a persistent barrier to girls’ education. In 2012, almost one in five women married were aged 15 to 19.
The gender gap in youth literacy is also narrowing. UNESCO encourages international peace and universal respect for human rights by promoting collaboration among nations.
Its mission is to contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information. (Antigua Observer)
Taiwan is pumping money into St Kitts and Nevis’ crime fight and mitigating the impact of climate change. A donation of two cheques will see EC$800,000 (US$296,296) being used for anti-criminal activities, while efforts to mitigate disasters due to climate change has received an EC$19,000 (US$7,037) injection.
“The contribution is in support of our crime fighting activities and in particular to strengthen the capacity and the capability of the police to deliver law and order,” said Prime Minister, Dr Timothy Harris, adding that the Government will “spare no effort and will leave no stone unturned” for the peace and security of the twin-island federation.
“Given the importance of the strong response of the police and in fact law enforcement agencies in the context of the criminal ac-
tivities which are taking place, we are heartened by this special donation. We will use these resources to ensure that we have, for a longer period, the expertise, experience and support of some crime fighting, law enforcement officers from the United Kingdom, in particular the Bramshill Police Advisors.”
The advisors have been in the federation working on several assignments and Harris said they had done a good job in training, mentoring and in providing investigative support in solving crimes and homicides in particular. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)
The opening of the 2015 hunting season has put wildlife on the run. On Tuesday night a two-year-old anteater ran into the yard of Cindy Mohammed, of Killdeer Trace, Rio Claro. She put it in a cage and sought help on social media.
Kishan Ramcharan, Forester 1 in the Forestry Division, Agriculture Ministry, said he came across the request while browsing online later that evening.
“I observed a post with someone inquiring of a strange species that ventured into their property, I replied informing her that the species is a silky anteater also called “Poor Me One” and that it was a protected species and not listed as a game species under the Conservation of Wildlife Act,” he said.
Mohammed told Ramcharan that would pre-
The anteater welcomed the new area with enthusiasm only to reach for the highest branch to curl in a ball and sleep comfortably
fer that the anteater be relocated rather than released in the nearby forests as hunting goes on regularly and she was concerned of its safety.
Ramcharan said he along with volunteer conservationists Taariq Ali, Kristopher and Christian Rattansingh, went to Killdeer Trace on
Wednesday night. here are two species of anteaters in Trinidad. The other is the three toed anteater or matapel. Both have an appetite for ants and small insects and are protected animals. Ramcharan said the anteater was taken to an undisclosed wildlife sanctuary.
(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)
The Security Council on Wednesday morning extended the mandate of the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) for one year, until October 15, 2016, at the UN Secretary General’s recommended force levels of up to 2370 troops and 2061 Police.
Unanimously adopting a new resolution, the Council affirmed its intention to review by October 15, 2016, the MINUSTAH’s overall capacity to ensure security, stability and security conditions on the ground, in order to consider the possible withdrawal of the Mission and transition to a future UN presence in the country, and it asked the Secretary General to conduct an assessment mission to Haiti, “preferably by 90 days after the inauguration of the new president, and ideally after the formation of a new Government.”
Welcoming the holding of the first round of legislative elections on August 9,
the Council strongly urged Haiti’s political actors to cooperate and without delaying ensure the holding of free, fair, inclusive, and transparent legislative, partial senatorial, municipal and local elections. It also encouraged the Government to promote increased women’s political participation in Haiti.
Noting that the Haitian National Police’s capacitybuilding remained a most critical task, the Council
requested MINUSTAH to make renewed efforts to mentor and train police and corrections officers. It encouraged the mission to continue to assist the government in tackling gang violence, organised crime, illegal arms trafficking, drug trafficking and trafficking of persons, especially children. It further encouraged the Haitian authorities to continue to implement justice reform. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)
Argentine President Cristina Fernandez and Amnesty International have called for justice after the violent death of a transgender activist.
worldwide, rights groups say.
Local media have reported the Government is trying to help Cunha, who faces charges for taking bribes in a scandal at staterun oil firm Petrobras, sur-
razil’s lower house Speaker Eduardo Cunha said on Thursday he had not made an agreement with President Dilma Rousseff’s Government or Opposition politicians regarding impeachment requests against the President.
vive a hearing with a congressional ethics meeting in exchange for not opening an impeachment procedure. Opposition politicians have sought to convince him to fast-track impeachment. (Reuters)
Diana Sacayan, a well-known activist for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) rights, was found dead in Buenos Aires on Tuesday. It is the third violent transgender death in the country in the past month.
Latin America accounts for most transgender murders
Rights group Amnesty International said on Wednesday that the body of Ms Sacayan, discovered in her flat, showed signs of violence. “A dark cloud has set over Argentina’s trans community,” said Mariela Belski, Executive Director of Amnesty International Argentina.
“Unless this latest wave of murders is effectively investigated and those responsible taken to justice, a message will be sent that attacking trans women is actually ok.”
President Fernandez echoed Amnesty’s concerns.
“I ask the national security services and the metropolitan police to solve this horrible crime,” she said during a public address. Ms Sacayan, 40, had been the leader of a number of organisations seeking equality for Argentina’s LGBT community.
In 2012 she was personally given her national identity card by President Fernandez, recognising her as a woman –a first for Argentina. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Israel has announced that it will begin banning alleged Palestinian attackers and their relatives from occupied East Jerusalem as increasingly harsh restrictions are being imposed on local Palestinians amid weeks of protests and clashes.
The ongoing violence was triggered last month by incursions into the alAqsa Mosque compound – the third holiest site for Muslims – by right-wing Israeli groups.
Protests against Israel’s ongoing occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip have increased in frequency, while Israeli forces have responded with force, using tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets and live ammunition against demonstrators.
Speaking to local radio on Thursday, Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, a
member of the ultra-nationalist Jewish Home party, announced that alleged attackers and their “supportive” family members would be stripped of their Jerusalem residency rights and social security.
Most Palestinians who live in occupied East Jerusalem do not have Israeli or Palestinian Authority citizenship and instead carry an Israeli-
issued residency permit.
Shaked’s announcement is the latest in a wave of harsh measures introduced amid tit-for-tat attacks between Israelis and Palestinians and violent clashes between demonstrators and Israeli forces.
The attacks have been used as “an excuse for Israel to get rid of as many Palestinians [in Jerusalem] as possible”, according to
Rima Awad, a member of the Coalition for Jerusalem, a group that campaigns for Palestinian rights in the city.
“The accused were neither tried nor found guilty, and there was no legal process,” Awad told Al Jazeera. “That means their families are being collectively punished for an accusation that has not been proven legally.”
(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Egypt, Japan, Senegal, Uruguay and Ukraine were elected to the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, pitting Kiev against veto-power Russia in what Ukraine’s Foreign Minister promised would not be a conciliatory two-year term.
The 193-member General Assembly elected Egypt with 179 votes in favour, Japan with 184, Senegal with 187, Ukraine
with 177 and Uruguay with 185. All five were unopposed. They replace Chad, Chile, Jordan, Lithuania and Nigeria on the Council on January 1.
The Council is made up of 10 elected members – five voted on each year – and five permanent veto-powers who are the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia. The Council is the only UN body that can make legally-binding decisions.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin earlier this week described Kiev’s approach to Russia as “definitely not conciliatory ... the permanent member of the Security Council is an aggressor in Ukraine, waging a hybrid war against Ukraine”.
Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimea in March last year, which was followed by fighting between Russiabacked separatist rebels
and Ukrainian Government troops in eastern Ukraine. A truce has largely held in eastern Ukraine for the past month.
A deadlocked UN Security Council has had more than 30 meetings on Ukraine since the seizure of Crimea. Russia’s UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin declined to comment on how Moscow would interact with Ukraine on the Council.
(Excerpt from Reuters)
An Indian woman stranded in Pakistan for a decade has identified her family in photos sent from across the border.
Efforts to find the family began in August after India accepted the woman, named Geeta, was one of its citizens.
Geeta, who has speech and hearing impairments, was about 11 when she is believed to have strayed into Pakistan.
Her plight emerged following a Bollywood film
“Bajrangi Bhaijaan”, which told the story of a Pakistani girl who cannot speak and is trapped in India. For most of her time in
Pakistan, Geeta has lived at an Edhi shelter home in Karachi, reports the BBC’s
her her name
she is now thought to be about 22.
“The Indian High Commissioner has lately sent a family photo to us and Geeta has recognised the family,” Anwer Kazmi, a senior official at the foundation, told AFP news agency.
“We have showed the picture to Geeta and she says they are her family... We hope she will confirm the family identification during the Skype chat through sign language.” (Excerpt from BBC News)
Volkswagen has said it will recall 8.5 million cars in Europe as a result of the diesel emissions scandal.
The move was prompted by Germany’s automotive watchdog, which earlier told VW to recall 2.4 million domestic cars.
German media reports suggest the KBA earlier re-
jected VW’s proposals that car owners could voluntarily bring their cars in for repair. Meanwhile, Italian Police have raided VW offices in Verona and Lamborghini offices in Bologna. Reports suggest Italian prosecutors are investigating alleged commercial fraud.
Separately, the man
tipped to become VW’s North America boss has resigned. The company said Winfried Vahland was leaving because of “differing views on the organisation of the new group region”.
VW gave no details of the recall and said it would contact individual customers directly.
It added that it was work-
Reversing policy on Afghanistan, President Barack Obama announced on Thursday he will prolong the 14-year US military engagement there, effectively handing off the task of pulling out troops to his successor.
Calling it a “modest but meaningful” adjustment to winding down the American presence in Afghanistan, Obama said the United States will maintain a force of 9800 through most of 2016.
Obama had previously aimed to withdraw all, but a small US-Embassy based force in the capital, Kabul, before he leaves office in January 2017. Under the new plan, troops will be drawn down to 5500 starting sometime in 2017 and will be based at four locations –Kabul, Bagram, Jalalabad and Kandahar.
Afghanistan’s stability is
vital to the United States, and Afghan troops who are now in charge of security are not yet as strong as they need to be, Obama said, adding “If they were to fail, it would endanger the security of us all.”
Asked by a reporter if he was disappointed in having to make the decision, Obama said he was not and added, “This isn’t the first time those adjustments have been made. This probably won’t be the last.”
“I suspect that we will continue to evaluate this going forward, as will the next President,” he said.
The US-led coalition in Afghanistan ended its combat mission after 13 years of war at the end of 2014, and Afghan troops have since been in charge of the country’s security, with help from US and NATO troops. But Afghan forces have struggled in assaults from Taliban militants. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Myanmar has signed a ceasefire with eight ethnic minority rebel groups in a step towards ending decades of civil war.
ing on solutions to fix the recalled cars “at full speed”.
Last month, authorities in the US discovered some VW diesel cars had been fitted with a device to cheat emissions tests. The carmaker subsequently admitted that up to 11 million cars worldwide could have the device fitted. (Excerpt from BBC News)
The move was weakened by the refusal of several other armed groups to join the deal, despite more than two years of negotiations.
The truce was a key goal of President Thein Sein in advance of November elections, which are likely to sweep his Army-backed party from power.
Thein Sein signed the agreement on Thursday in the capital, Naypyidaw, in a televised signing ceremony attended by the Army Chief
and rebel representatives in ethnic dresses.
The refusal of the larger armies, such as the Kachin and Wa, to sign it prevented Thein Sein from reaching what he had hoped would be the crowning achievement of his five-year term. Nevertheless, the agreement, called the National Ceasefire Agreement, is seen as a first step towards ending six decades of fighting between the Government, dominated by the Burmese majority, and various minority ethnic groups demanding autonomy and control over their natural resources.
(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
friday, october 16, 2015| guyanatimesgy.com
In light of a wide cross-section of Guyanese expressing disgust at the Government’s recent decision to award its officials massive pay hikes, the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) coalition has resorted to using “diversions” in order to do damage control.
This is according to the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) who on Thursday via a press release stated that the “shameless” and “unconscionable” salary increases have the Administration on the “back foot”.
“One of the tools in the damage control tool box the Government has resorted to is the technique called diversion. It is used to divert attention away from an issue such as the current salary increase debacle which the Granger-led APNU/ AFC coalition Administration
has come under severe criticism for on a daily basis. The Government is hoping that by diverting the public’s attention away from itself and the obnoxious salary increase doled out to its Ministers, et al,” says the PPP/C.
It was explained that by “shifting attention to the socalled Pradoville 2 inquisition” though the leakage of results of the investigation and recommendations by the “shady and cabalistic Asset Recovery Unit”, the Government was hoping to succeed in re-focusing the public’s attention from itself and the current morass to the fabricated “Pradoville 2 Nancy story”.
As such, the PPP/C reminded that the legality, composition and Terms of Reference of this Asset Recovery Unit remained a mystery to date.
“In a desperate effort to wage a fight-back, several bene-
ficiaries of the largesse from the treasury have come out in defence of their defenceless ‘split the spoils, mates’ syndrome. First, it was Minister Joseph Harmon, followed by Minister
United States Ambassador Perry Holloway on Thursday pledged his commitment to working with the Government of Guyana in the areas of crime and security and countering the narco-trade.
Following his first meeting with President David Granger, at the Ministry of the Presidency, the Ambassador expressed his admiration for the work President Granger has done, both over the course of his career and since he took Office.
Basil Williams, Minister Winston Jordan then Minister Raphael Trotman who came out in Viva Zapata style defending their hefty pay hikes. Others are bound to follow suit as the coalition sinks deeper and deeper in the quagmire which they have found themselves,” the Opposition declared.
Guyana Times was told that “the apologists” for the David Granger-led coalition have failed miserably in their efforts at deception and would continue to do so.
The Opposition maintained that the most recent statement which was made by Minister Trotman on the salary increases issue where he pleaded that the nation “trust” and “believe” the APNU/AFC officials was “clumsy” and must be seen as further blundering by the Administration.
“The attempt to divert attention away from the salary issue is quite obvious to all and
sundry. These efforts are another manifestation of the incompetence of the Granger-led Administration to fool the people. In effect, their defence has been transformed into pyrrhic counter-attack and the target is the Opposition as is to be expected,” the PPP/C noted.
Guyana Times was further told that Minister’s Trotman’s recent pleas relating to the mega salary increases would “fall on deaf ears” and his attempt to defend his hapless colleague, Minister Harmon, who is still smarting from the wounds for his insensitive and arrogant “No apologies to make” outburst, re-enforces the APNU/AFC’s determination that the Government would not budge on the issue.
The PPP/C said claiming that Minister Harmon was “caught off-guard” would not suffice; hence, a public apology for his public misconduct was absolutely necessary.
“How can the APNU/AFC be trusted when in July 2015, Government spokespersons were all denying the hefty increases in their pay packets, but were in fact already benefiting from the increase which was made retroactive with effect from July 2015?” the Opposition questioned.
Further, the PPP/C in its release reaffirmed that it would not be daunted by the on-going APNU/AFC “witch-hunting and campaign of vilification”.
“The PPP/C remains convinced that at length, the truth will out and the Party’s unsinkable faith in the people in general, and its members and supporters in particular, will eventually see the APNU/ AFC being a sorry sight. All the evil and diabolical acts they have committed will be dashed to pieces and consigned to the dustbin of history,” the Opposition added. (kristenm@ guyanatimesgy.com)
BY KRISTEN MACLINGAM
Former Labour Minister Dr Nanda Gopaul has lashed out at the APNU/ AFC Government for doing “irreparable harm” to his integrity and character after reports emanating from the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU) reportedly declared that Gopaul should be held liable and charged criminally over “Pradoville 2” sale of lands.
agency and appears clear that the current Government is attempting to embarrass former Government officials,” said the former Labour Minister.
He maintained that in his view, there is nothing wrong or illegal in the development of any housing project by the Government of Guyana, under the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) era, inclusive of “Pradoville 2.”
“I think that this is a historic time in Guyana. I told him that you have the 50th anniversary of Independence; you have potential oil production occurring in the country in the coming years, which will definitely change the economy; you had successful fair, free and violencefree elections and a transition of power,” Ambassador Holloway said.
Natalie Casey, the mother of Jaden Mars, and others staged a small protest in front of the Health Ministry’s compound on Thursday as she continued her quest to get justice for her son’s death.
Casey told Guyana Times that she only wished that the relevant authorities would do right by her, after her oldest son died as a result of hospital error more than two years ago. The four-year-old died at the Georgetown Public Hospital after he was taken there for a tongue injury. An autopsy revealed that the lad died as a result of a blocked main artery to the lung, or one of its branches. Since that fateful day, Casey has waged a battle to hold those responsible accountable.
Further, with regard to Guyana becoming an oilproducing country, the Ambassador lauded the Administration for its plans to establish a Sovereign Wealth Fund. He, however, noted
that much planning would have to be done in terms of setting up the Fund and establishing priority areas.
The Ambassador added that one of the challenges the new Government will encounter is the process for the setting up of the Sovereign Wealth Fund. He noted that much thought would need to go into the decision-making on priority areas; whether there are infrastructure, education or other areas and the mechanisms that would be put in place to account for changes in those areas over time.
She said she wanted to know what exactly it was the
authorities were doing for her son’s case, as she would not give up her fight until the persons responsible are brought to justice.
Casey noted that she has heard reports that the doctors who attended her son were disciplined; however, she was not notified. The mother of two stated that she has been trying to get a meeting with Health Minister, Dr George Norton since September 12, but to no avail.
After being featured in the media once again, she explained, she is hoping that the Health Minister will reach out to her, as that is the only time she feels they pay any attention to her plight. Today, young Jaden would have been six years old.
In a letter to this newspaper on Thursday Gopaul categorically stated that he is not the holder of any plot of land at that location nor did he play any role in the allocation of land there.
“I played no role in the decision making process involving the sale of those house lots. I was not a Minister of the Government when those lots were allocated and I view with grave concern the attempt by the State Asset Recovery Unit or any other agency of Government to malign my name and impugn my character, as being part of some alleged illegal activity, by naming me. It is clear that there was haphazard work done by the Government
“This attempt by arms of the current Government to seek to sensationalise issues and damage the character of former Government officials must be condemned and highlighted as a bad omen which will create further division in our society. I take serious view of the SARU report, if it is correct, and the follow-up reporting by the media houses of same. I therefore seek a complete retraction and an appropriate apology with equal prominence over this misinformation, which has done irreparable harm to my integrity and character,” Gopaul stated.
On Thursday sections of the media published articles stating that former Ministers of the PPP/C Government who accessed property in the con-
The Red Thread head stated that the undertaking made by the Government in its campaign was to work for a good life for all Guyanese. “All means them and us and it isn’t supposed to start with them, since we are more in need and deserving of it, and since we put them there,” she added. She claimed that the Government should have started where the need was greater, as its move seemed rather selfish.
De Souza stated that as Guyanese, they are refusing to accept the argument that the Government has to “harmonise” with other salaries, as harmonisation can take place at any time. She reiterated that the Government’s responsibility must be to ensure the well-
troversial Pradoville 2 scheme should be liable for misconduct in office. The document was based on a report forwarded by SARU to Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams. It was also reported that the former Ministers who benefited from land in the scheme are Gopaul, Natural Resources Minister Robert Persaud, Education Minister Priya Manickchand, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, Public Service Minister Jennifer Westford.
However, it was noted that there was no statement in the document as to any action being taken against former President Bharrat Jagdeo as he is covered by Presidential Immunity.
The APNU/AFC coalition upon entering office in May this year had declared it would pursue the recovery of state assets that the new Government felt were ‘wrongfully’ taken by the PPP/C Government.
Subsequently, the Administration established SARU and appointed its head as Dr Clive Thomas. (kristenm@guyanatimesgy.com)
From page 7
being of the public servants and that is all.
Paid not to steal
Another member, Vidyaratha Kissoon is of the view that the Government’s arrogance in responding to the situation is intolerable.
He shared that the justification of them having to be paid such a high amount to reduce corruption within a Government is also ludicrous and horrifying. He added that while citizens may not always agree with the persons in office, he was sure that the thought had not crossed the minds of Guyanese that the Government would steal from the taxpayers. Kissoon added that such a high increase in such a short space
of time is making the Guyanese population uneasy.
“This is basically telling Guyanese, in order for we [Government] not to thief, we have to get more money, which is not right,” Kissoon shared. He further added that what was also clear was that the Government was not backing down on its decision, as every time a Minister spoke, they reinforced the “crazy position that the salary increases are ok, and that we must hold on for something else”.
The protesters clearly stated that they no longer had any trust in the current Administration, as this was not the change they were hoping for. (jpinder@guyanatimesgy.com)
As Guyanese prepare to celebrate Diwali 2015 on November 11, the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha has organised eight spectacular Deepavali motorcades across the country.
This will be the 42nd year for the motorcades. Thousands of Guyanese will line the streets and converge at the various venues to enjoy the
dazzling spectacle which ushers in the Festival of Lights.
There will be gorgeously bedecked representations of Mother Lakshmi and other depictions from the Scriptures, a kaleidoscope of lights, devotional music, spectacular cultural programmes and much more.
The first motorcade will be held on Friday, November 6 at the Anna Regina Market Tarmac, Essequibo Coast, and on Saturday, November 7, motorcades will be held at the Oceanview Mandir Compound, West Coast Demerara and at the Diamond Market Tarmac, East Bank Demerara.
On Sunday, November 8, four motorcades will be held in Berbice.
In West Coast Berbice, the motorcade will converge at the Bath Community Centre Ground. In East Berbice, the floats will assemble at Main and Vryheid Streets, opposite Church
Picking up from where it left off in 2014, the Ishara Dance Group will again mesmerise its fans come November 14 at the Theater Guild, Parade Street, Kingston, for another fantastic dance production titled “Ishara 3 – Choice vs Destiny”.
The 2014 show left patrons mesmerised, and this year will be no different since the group has several new dance pieces that they are eager to showcase.
Come November 14, it will be a kaleidoscope of colours and a mixture of talent that would indeed leave you wanting more.
The Ishara
View Gift Shop and proceed to the Rose Hall Community Centre ground, Canje.
On the Upper Corentyne, floats will make their way from Crabwood Creek and Number 36 Village to the Tagore High School ground. The Central Corentyne Praant’s motorcade will move from Bush Lot, Corentyne and Number 1 Village and converge at the Port Mourant Community Centre ground.
All of the motorcades will culminate with grand cultural programmes and presentation of prizes beginning at 19:00h.
The spectacular Georgetown/East Coast Demerara motorcade will be held on Tuesday, November 10, and is often described as the single largest event on the Guyanese calendar and this year’s motorcade promises to be exciting as ever.
Dance Troupe was established in 2008 and has been creating a storm locally and internationally with its magnificent dance pieces.
Ishara participates mainly in events to celebrate national holidays, to raise funds for charitable organisations and the annual dance production, as a way of celebrating the year-long hard work and dedication of its troupe members.
This exciting masterpiece will take the audience through a journey of two best friends – “Asha” played by the talented Shivanie Latchman and “Yash”, portrayed by Kumar Latchman – as they explore the world of dance and drama.
Their decision to widen the horizon of dancing created the avenue for versatile and complex personalities to join their troupe.
The story continues with “Asha’s” best friend “Pooja”, played by Malisha Bharat, who migrated but unexpectedly returned to face her destiny. The production will take a story line that will showcase the
The fabulously decorated floats will assemble at the Shri Krishna Mandir, Campbellville, Georgetown, from 18:00h and will move West along Campbell Avenue into Sandy Babb Street, North into JB Singh Road and East onto Seawall Road, to the La Bonne Intention Community (LBI) Centre ground, East Coast Demerara. More than 20 floats have already registered their participation.
At the LBI Community Centre ground, the stage programme starts at 19:00h with special performances by ZEETV’s Saregamapa finalists Bishakh Jyoti and Shreyasi Bhattacharjee. In addition, the Dharmic Nritya Sangh, Sookrane Boodhoo, Rekha Singh, Artie Sookhai, Mona Gowkarran and others are slated to perform.
In excess of $3 million in cash and trophies will be presented to the winning floats in the various
versatility of the members.
A portion of the funds raised at this event will go towards the feeding and clothing of some of less fortunate children in Guyana.
categories. Prizes will also be given for the most outstanding mandirs in each category and for the best overall designed float.
Admission to all motorcades is free and no alcohol is allowed.
The project is slated for December as the group continues to spread cheers on a yearly basis especially at a time when Christmas is celebrated.
Tickets for the dance production cost $1500 and $1000 and are available at Sankars Auto Works, Lot 1 Campbellville, Georgetown, or interested persons can contact the Director of the dance group on telephone number 622-0601.
Kross Kolor Records is known for producing some of the best artistes in Guyana and its musical impact on the Guyanese music industry. Once again, the group is leading the way as it sets the pace for being the only record label to produce a Christmas album of fresh songs.
“Christmas with Us” was birthed by Melissa “Vanilla” Roberts and Simeon Brown, and spearheaded by the man with the golden touch Burchmore Simon. Its concept is simple – create music that represents their version of Christmas that involves the empowerment of youths.
To this avail, the group introduced the power of working together to set the example of what a Guyanese music industry represents.
This project did not only include popular singers like Vanilla, B52, Tennicia De Freitas, Jovinski, Gavin Mendonca, Shawn English, and Ossie O, but it also embraces unknown singers like Randy Kirton, T’Shanna Cort, Shivanie Bhola, Sueann “China” Campbell, Romichelle Brummell, Daniel Dondre and Shaundelle “JP” Alleyne, courtesy of Vizion Sounds.
In addition to the list of talent, Poet Leeanna Alleyne; Steelpan player Andrew Tyndall; Keyboardist Trevor John; and Saxophonist Roy Stewart all add an
infectious Christmas vibe. The incorporation of makeup artiste Renee Chester of Bromeliad Rnc, designer Keshia Edwards of ShaSha Designs, photographers Azikiwe “Ziggy” Denheart and Dwayne Hackett all make it possible
for the success of this project. Producers and arrangers Burchmore Simon, Simeon “Lil Jay” Browne and Drew Thoven added effortless magic on the project.
Guyanese are urged to tune into Morning Mayhem with Wendell Badrie tomorrow on Fresh Fm at 10:00h, On the Block with Simeon Brown at 11:00h and on Sunday on Riser with Tamara Rodney on Boom FM at 06:00h for a taste of the album.
Kross Kolor Records has always been a front runner in Guyana’s music industry and with the festive season quickly approaching, the music entity is encouraging companies and the public at large to give the gift of music. What better way to celebrate than with the sounds of sweet Guyanese tunes. After all, the season just would not be complete without some good musical vibes.
After winning the competition for four consecutive years, Bombay Massala was on Sunday last dethroned as Digicel’s Duck Curry Competition winners as Dindiyal Crew out of Number 65 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, reigning supreme.
The group would have pocketed $250,000 as the best duck curry cooks when the competition was held at the Number 63 Beach, Corentyne. Coming in second was the defending champions who also received cash prizes and trophies. Coming in third was Hormala Basdeo and securing fourth place was Jijmal Saroop.
This year’s competition, which was dubbed a resounding success, saw thousands of Guyanese converged on the beach to take part in the festivities, the food and the stage performances.
This year’s competition was keenly contested and drew participation from as far
as Georgetown and Essequibo. Over 20 groups would have participated in the event but at the end, the Dindiyal Crew came out victorious. The competition was judged on taste, texture and aroma of the curried duck and points were also awarded for table layout which included
cutlery and cooking utensils. The thousands in attendance at 63 Beach were treated to live performances by Trinidadian Chutney singers, Omadath Maharaj and Sally Sagram. Also performing live was Jumo “Rubber Waist” Primo. Lyndon “Jumbie” Jones
also added some flavour to the event. Winners of the novelty events also walked away with mobile phones and other prizes. This is the fifth year the telecommunications giant has hosted the competition and from all indications, it has grown bigger every year.
The Promenade Gardens on Middle Street, in Georgetown, will come alive on Saturday as ‘Della Mae’ is set to perform live at an event dubbed “Meet me in St Louis”.
“Meet me in St Louis” is the first American Festival to be held here in Guyana and will feature the Grammynominated multitalented female combo ‘Della Mae’.
These four versatile instrumentalists/vocalists – Celia Woodsmith on vocals, guitar; Kimber Ludiker on fiddle, vocals; Jenni Lyn Gardner on mandolin, vocals; Courtney Hartman on guitar, banjo, vocals; and Zoe Guigueno on bass, vocals have been building a large and enthusiastic fan base throughout North America and around the world.
Additionally this festival will have hot dogs, burgers, malt shakes, chocolate chip cookies, sliders, popcorn, cupcakes and banana splits, which will be available in this open air tropical garden setting. On the other hand, grown-ups will be able to stop by the Cocktail Bar to check out the huge selection of popular American cocktails such as the Martini, Manhattan, Tequila Sunrise, Margarita, Cosmopolitan, Daquiri, Mojito, and Piña Colada under the stars in these picturesque gardens.
Patrons at this event will be able to gorge themselves on American smoked meats including pulled pork, brisket Buffalo wings and barbecue.
Patrons can also expect a variety of menus to chose from that include fried chicken and French fries, pizza, and nachos, along with coffee, smoothies, chocolate beverages and countless flavors of Ice Cream. The event gets underway at 16:00h and is absolutely free.
Calling all Soca Junkies to Palm Court, Main Street, Georgetown, this evening for the wildest concept party ever, titled “Addicted to Soca”.
There is no other place to be, and nothing else to do except be at PC when the clock strikes 21:00h. Come and enjoy the best soca music from yesteryear to present, with the best deejays and selectors in the business. Those who are gearing to head down to Palm Court are urged to wear something comfortable as it is expected to be fun until the curfew steps in.
Those who will make sure you have a grand and memorable time are the Boom Deejays including Energy, Selecta Diamond and Gully Ras. The event is sponsored by Cheese Please and Stag Beer.
Remember the place to be this evening is the original Palm Court for “Addicted to Soca”.
Referred to as one of the best African Drumming Schools in Guyana, Majek Fingers will be hosting its annual drumming production on October 25 titled, “Feel the rhythm of the drums” at the Botanical Gardens, Georgetown.
The event is being held in honour of the school’s fifth anniversary and is recognition of the school being touted as the leading drumming school locally.
The event which is also referred to as the “drum circle”, will feature drummers, dancers and singer from around Guyana.
The main focus of “Feel the rhythm of the drums” is to continue inspiring, educating revitalising the culture and drumming art form by bringing together talent and the community at large.
The school started with 12 amazing drummers and it has since expanded.
Offering a six-month certificate programme, the school covered the history of drumming, types of drums, keys, and rhythms.
At the school, the focus is solely on hand drumming, teaching the student techniques and styles for various forms of hand drums from around the world including Congas, Bongos, Djembe, and Doumbek.
Students gain knowledge of the origins and history of various types of hand drums; the proper way to hold and position drums; what’s the proper hand position; basic hand strokes specific to the student’s type of drum; play and read rhythms specific to the students type of drum; develop time-keeping skills by playing often; play and read more complex rhythms; and develop creative solo ideas.
Jamaican dancehall duo, RDX is set to perform live inside Gravity Lounge on Friday, October 23 for the first time and the vibes are already building.
The duo – Carlton Williams, better known as “Deejay Renigade”, hails from the Waterhouse and Andre Bedward, better known as “Delomar”, hails from Kencot; both communities in Kingston, Jamaica.
Both artistes first started out in the dancehall reggae business in 2003 as members of a group call “Xsytment”. In 2006 they formed their own group “RDX”, instantly creating an impact in the dancehall music scene.
Their big break came in 2007 with the release of one of their biggest single “Dance”. This was followed by
“Everybody dance” which was also a monster hit for them. Since then, they have been on top of their game with the release of
“Skip”, “Turn Your Swag Up”, “Bend Ova”, “Movements”, “Like Magic” and “Dancers Anthem”. Now reaping the fruits from years of hard work, dedication and commitment, the very organised and business like duo have been strategically putting various plans in place, setting goals and meeting deadlines to ensure future success. In 2011, they performed in Nairobi, Kenya before thousands of patrons who came out to catch a glance of the ‘Swagger Masters’ in action. And, they were not
Loud screams and cheers greeted the duo as they rocked the audience for 45 minutes with hit after hit. Apart from the live performance, DJ Blaxbee, Selector Diamond and Gully Ras will be in the house to set the right tone for a fantastic Ttickets for the event at Gravity Lounge cost $2000.
The Jewan Ka Nritya (JKN) dancers in collaboration with the Indian Commemoration Trust will host Ramleela on October 24 at Monument Gardens, commencing at 18:00h.
Ramleela is an illustration and depiction of the Ramayana; the story of Shree Ram. The JKN cast will take you through a river of emotions as they journey through the epic story. This is the second time the members of the group will be hosting the event. The performances are scheduled this time of year to conclude the period of Navratri; Vijayadashmi or Dusharia. At the end of the Ramleela, patrons will be educated on how
Lord Rama defeats Ravana and a structure of Ravana is set on fire and burnt to ashes. It is the first time that three groups will participate – Mon Repos, Versailles and the Blankenburg Mandirs. Some of the lead cast members are Tahirih Boodhoo; Navinash Persaud; Vishal Ramchand; Suraj Narine; Munesh Ramsaywack; Tonya Singh; and Bepaul Bandoo, who will be playing Seeta, Ram, Laxman, King Dasrath, Ravana, Surpnakha and Inderjeet respectively. The cast consists of almost 60 members. Come out and enjoy the story of the Ramayana on October 24. Admission to the event is absolutely free.
Orlando Primo was born on December 12, 1986 at the Davis’s Memorial Hospital, in Georgetown.
Being the seventh of 11 siblings, he began playing drums at the tender age of seven with his brothers Jomo and Kurt, as a beginner at the many thanksgiving services his father spearheaded.
He was not really a quick learner with the drums, but his dad and brothers always remained spellbound at the melodious and stirring rhythms he created.
By age 10, he was ready to take on the world as a young drummer and from there on, improved rapidly until he became one of the most talented African drummers around. He soon became a household name, creating his own style and routines which always found favour with his audiences. In 2003, they formed a group called the Primo Brothers of which Orlando was made the ‘second in command’ even though he was still very young.
This group effortlessly won the E Kaabo kabiesi Competition in 2004, and placed second in the African Cultural Association Drumming Competition in 2005. In 2006 they again won the E Kaabo kabiesi Competition, and repeated that feat in 2007.
Since then, Orlando has greatly improved his act and has rapidly moved up the ranks to become one of the most talented and skillful African drummers not only in Guyana, but in several neighbouring countries.
His musical accolades are paralleled by his academic achievement – he completed secondary school where he earned is Diploma in general studies at Campbellville Secondary School (Guyana) and is currently perusing is Associate Degree in Business at Delgado Community College (DCC), in Louisiana.
The talented drummer became the face of drumming after he launched Majek Fingers Drumming School; the first drumming school in Guyana in 2010. His pictures appeared on Billboards And Phone Cards all over Guyana and in the local newspapers, making him one of the most recognisable faces in Guyana.
Shortly after, in September 2010, Orlando held the first African Drumming and dance Festival in Guyana. He has represented Guyana at several competitions – in Barbados at the Global DAY of Drums; in Suriname at the Inter-Guyana Culture Festival (2011); at the International Day of Peace in Brooklyn NY (2014) and at the Congo Square Rhythm Festival in New Orleans (2015).
Orlando believes in using and imparting his gifts and talents, and now builds his drum school upon two pillars: inspiration and education. His school won first place at the Music Arts Festival 2013.
T$100,000 and a trophy, while the runner-up will cart off $50,000 and a trophy.
During the competition, keen attention will be placed on the individual performances since at the end of the tournament, the person adjudged the Most Valuable Player will walk away with $20,000 and a trophy.
Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets will clash with Young Warriors Cricket Club in the lone semifinal game of the Tenelec Inc 50-over round-robin First Division cricket competition.
The RHT side beat Police by four wickets in a low-scoring encounter during the final playoff game recently.
Played at the Area ‘H’ ground, Police won the toss and decided to take first strike in a game that was reduced to 36 overs a side.
The tournament is a 10over format and is being held on a round-robin basis with the semi-finals and final billed for December 2 and 12 respectively under floodlights.
The winner of the tournament will walk away with
he inaugural Trophy Stall cricket tournament bowled off at the Deokie’s Cricket Club with 16 teams competing for supremacy. The teams were drawn from the East Bank of Demerara, as far as Herstelling and Yarrowkabra on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway.
In addition, there will be a $10,000 reward for both the best batsman and best bowler in the tournament. It gets better as the organisers have also decided to offer trophies and cash incentives for the Man-of-the-Match in the final. Matches will be held every Sunday at the Deokie’s Cricket Ground, Latchman Sand Road, Soesdyke East Bank Demerara.
They, however, mustered 101 all out in 26.5 overs. Essequibo senior opener Norwayne Fredericks provided resistance with 27.
Bowling for the RHT Gizmos & Gadgets, pacer Keon Sinclair picked up 3-13, Collis Butts 3-30, while Clinton Pestano and Troy Mathieson each supporting with two wickets apiece.
Needing to score 102 from 36 overs on a tricky pitch due to late preparation, Rose Hall Town suffered an early setback with the sudden loss of Assad Fudadin, caught at first slip off the first ball bowled by Michael Newland for no score.
However, Jason Sinclair then joined Vidal Crandon and together they put on 47 for the 2nd wicket before Crandon was trapped leg before wicket by Kwesi Mickle for 15.
Sinclair also went by the same route for a well-played 35. Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets lost Renwick Batson (0) and Clinton Pestano (5) in quick succession to be shakily placed at 70 for 5 in the 19th over.
They were saved by level-headed batting by the experienced Rajiv Ivan (15) and Eon Hooper 12 who took the score to 93 before Hooper was bowled by Mickle. Ivan was unfortunately then struck in the eye from a sweep shot and retired hurt for 15.
Skipper Shawn Pereira and Troy Mathieson then took their team to victory.
Bowling for Police, off-spinners Andel
Jason Sinclair
with Clinton Pestano as his deputy. Collis Butts is the coach.
Full squad: Shawn Pereira (Captain), Assad Fudadin, Vidal Crandon, Royston Crandon, Jason Sinclair, Rajiv Ivan, Clinton Pestano, Eon Hooper, Renwick Batson, Troy Mathieson, Collis Butts, Keon Sinclair, Kevlon Anderson, Keith Simpson and Junior Sinclair.
The semi final clash is set for October 17 at the Area ‘H’ ground.
The winner of the semifinal will take on the invincible Albion on October 27 (tentative) at a venue to be named.
The second annual Dave and Celena’s 10/10 softball cricket is back in Linden, with over a million dollars in cash and prizes to be won.
The tournament, which is set for a grand launch on Saturday at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) ground, will feature male and female cricketers from around the country.
An exciting re-match of last year’s finalists, Two Sisters versus Linden’s number one team South Stars, is slated for opening day on Saturday. The action is set to continue on October 24, 31, November 7, fol-
November 14.
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Rangana Herath bowled Sri Lanka back into the dominant position achieved by Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal’s double-century stand and squandered somewhat by a collapse that cost them their last seven wickets for 59 runs. At the end of an action-packed second day, West Indies were 66 for 2, trailing Sri Lanka by 418 runs.
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The quick demolition of Sri Lanka’s lower order raised West Indies’ spirits when they came out to bat, and the openers got off to a solid start against the quicks, with three fours coming off the second over, bowled by a Nuwan Pradeep erring generously on the full side. But Herath, introduced as early as the sixth over, pulled West Indies back down to earth with his ability to beat both edges.
In his very first over, he had Kraigg Brathwaite adjudged lbw with one that turned sharply from leg to off, only for Hawkeye to rule the ball had pitched marginally outside leg stump. In his next over he sent down the arm ball, which snaked past the inside edge of Brathwaite’s defensive bat and rapped into his front pad. This time the batsman didn’t even review.
Shai Hope was next to go, bowled by a beauty. The opener came half-forward in defence, inward drift causing him to open up, and the ball turned past his outside edge to clip off stump.
Herath caused Darren Bravo problems as well, beating his outside edge on a couple of occasions and causing him to inside-edge sharply turning deliveries close to short leg. Bravo survived the testing spell in the company of Marlon Samuels, but both of them will have to come out and begin all over again on the third morning.
The day began with Chandimal and Karunaratne extending their overnight stand to 238 - the highest by any third-wicket pair in Galle - after which Chandimal added a further 86 with Angelo Mathews. Sri Lanka were 425 for 3, and a 500-plus total looked like a formality. Their sights, perhaps, were set on 600, but they only managed 484.
The slide began with tea around the corner, when Chandimal slapped Jerome Taylor straight to cover, against the run of play. In his next over, Taylor straightened one from around the wicket to produce an edge from the debutant Milinda Siriwardana.
First ball after tea, Mathews was back in the dressing room. Jason Holder banged one in short, and Mathews, getting into an awkward position while trying to fend the ball into the leg side, popped back a simple return catch. Devendra Bishoo then sent back Dhammika Prasad and Rangana Herath off successive deliveries, before Kusal Perera, looking for quick runs, played on to Shannon Gabriel. The final wicket fell to Bishoo, who finished with four wickets as Nuwan Pradeep miscued a slog to deep midwicket.
The tumble of wickets must have left West Indies wondering how good their position might have been had they held their catches. On day one, with Chandimal on 11, Taylor had put down a relatively straightforward chance while backtracking from mid-on. In the tenth over of the second morning, Chandimal cut Shannon Gabriel to backward point, where Jermaine Blackwood spilled the ball after getting both hands to the overhead chance. Chandimal was on 82 at that point.
Bishoo had struggled on a slow pitch, the batsmen easily negotiating his legspin off the back foot, often making length balls look like short balls. In the third over after lunch, he managed to draw Mathews forward and find his edge, only for Jason Holder to put him down at slip.
Later, Hope dropped Prasad at backward point, taking West Indies’ total of spilled chances to five, including Bravo letting off Lahiru Thirimanne on the first day.
Coming in to bat at 339 for 3 - it was the first time since August 2014 that he had walked in with Sri Lanka’s score past 200 - gave Mathews license to play his shots. He hit two fours off Bishoo in the first over after tea - admittedly off bad balls - and continued going after the spinners after Holder dropped him. He pulled Bishoo for another four, ran down the pitch to Marlon Samuels to launch him over wide long-on, and scored his runs at a strike rate of above 100 until he reached 32.
Chandimal was a little more sedate at the other end, but got enough scoring opportunities, with Kemar Roach and Taylor both feeding his favourite square-cut, and the latter shot getting him to 150.
In the morning session,
Samuels dismissed Dimuth Karunaratne 14 short of a double-hundred. The wicket was a result of the slowness of the pitch, which Karunaratne had dealt with expertly till then, picking the right lengths to drive and even then refusing to go hard at the ball. For once he jabbed at the ball, a short one from Samuels that stopped on him, and ended up lobbing a return catch to the offspinner.
Till then a double-hundred had seemed inevitable. The ball was only 10 overs old at start of play, but there was little of the seam movement that had been in evidence on the first morning. The runs came at a good clip, with Karunaratne pulling Taylor to the square leg boundary in the fifth over of the morning before driving him through mid-off for another four to bring up his 150. At the other end Kemar Roach, bowling without either the seam movement or the pace he generated on the first day, conceded two fours in two overs to Chandimal. Taylor and Roach went out of the attack, and Gabriel, who replaced Roach, saw an edge from Karunaratne fly through the vacant slip area before Blackwood put down Chandimal. In his next over, Gabriel produced the only other moment of discomfort for a Sri Lankan batsman in the session when he straightened one past Chandimal’s edge. Chandimal was not unduly deterred. Following Bishoo’s introduction, he stepped down the track and whipped him away wide of mid-on, and in the next over flat-batted Gabriel over extra cover to bring up his hundred. It was his second in a row at the venue, after his match-turning 162* against India two months ago. (Cricinfo)
By Rajiv Bisnauth
Shimron Hetymer and Christopher Barnwell struck final- day half centuries, but the first fourday practice match for the Guyana Franchise meandered to a draw on Thursday at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Ground.
Resuming their second innings on 125-3, Leon Johnson’s X1 batted for almost two sessions to end on 259-8 declared, an overall lead of 331.
After tea, the passage of play was a mere formality, as the two teams accepted a result was highly improbable, if not impossible.
Chasing 332 for victory, Shimron Hetymer’s X1 reached 123-1 off 28 overs. Hetymer was unbeaten on 76, while Tevin Imlach was not out on 29, when play
was called off.
The left-hander, Hetymer faced 80 balls, and struck nine fours and a six. Earlier, Barnwell helped himself to a solid 58, while Shivnarine Chanderpaul contributed 38, and Anthony Bramble hit an unbeaten 28 in Johnson’s X1 second innings.
Johnson’s X1 lost overnight batsman Vishaul Singh (14) and Raymond Reifer (0) in quick succession to pacer Raun Johnson, who ended with 2-43 for a match haul of 5-72.
Both batsmen provided wicket-keeper Dexter Solomon with regulation catches. At the other the veteran West Indies batsman, Chanderpaul compiled his runs in his typically efficient method, but was on 38 off 89 balls, when he was trapped leg before to leg-spinner
Steven Sankar (2-64).
At 164-6, Bramble joined forces with Barnwell, but the right-hander, Bramble was put down before trouble the scores by Kandasammy Surujanrine off left-arm spinner Raj Nanan (1-29).
The pair survived a testing period and reaches the interval at 175-6. The two right-handers then made batting look increasingly comfortable on a placid pitch. Both batsmen had found their touches and gave ample display of their batting abilities.
Barnwell was the attacking of the two batsmen, unleashing some superb shots, and in the process notched up his half-century, off 90 balls.
However, fast bowler Keon Joseph (156) was rewarded with the wicket of the well-set Barnwell, who
was undone by the pace and consistent line. Barnwell struck seven boundaries in his 109-ball innings.
A few minutes later, the out-of-sort Steven Jacobs was knocked over by Barbadian Jevon Searles (122), after strangely leaving a delivery which shaped into his stumps.
The dismissal of Jacobs prompted the declaration, ten minutes before the tea interval.
Hetymet’s X1 began solidly, batting a second time. Robin Bacchus and Shimron Hetymern added 36 for the first wicket.
However, the righthander, Bacchus was taken at the wicket off Ronsford Beaton for 12. Beaton hit Imlach the very next ball on the side of the helmet with a vicious bouncer, but otherwise the Under-19 pair batted with great maturity and determination.
The 18-year-old, Hetymer smashed Jacobs for his first six to move into the 40’s before hitting Anthony Adams to the ropes to move to 49.
However, Hetymer offered Kemol Savory a running catch at long-on, but was eventually put down, allowing him to reach his second fifty of the match. The pair continues to frustrate the fielding side and ensue there was no further causality.
The second and final four-day practice game is scheduled to start on October 26 at the Guyana National Stadium.
The second edition of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Four-day Professional Cricket League bowls off on November 6.
With the aim to bridge gaps among clubs from different counties as well as to promote the development of the game, the Port Mourant Cricket Club (PMCC) will play host to Everest Cricket Club on Sunday in a 40-over cricket match, commencing at 10:00h.
The two Clubs have already engaged in two pre -
vious encounters, and according to President of the PMCC; Vickram Seubarran plans are on the way to stage a four-team tournament next month.
Suebarran indicated that the four-team tournament will comprise PMCC, Everest, and two other teams from around Guyana.
Meanwhile, PMCC lineup for Sunday’s clash consists of: Ariff Chan, Loydell
Lewis, Joshua Ramsammy, Avishkar Sewkarran, Manoj Lokhnauth, Demetri Cameron, Nickolas Cameron, Samuel Kishnasammy, Veramootoo Senwasane, Daniel Samaroo, and Vivekanand Jagjit.
On the other hand, Troy Gonsalves, Amir Khan, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Tajenarine Chanderpaul are expected to boost the ECC line-up.
The long-awaited return of softball inter-county cricket is drawing near and the business community is continuing with its financial support.
On Thursday, tournament organiser Parmamand Persaud received sponsorship cheques from Prem's Electrical Store and Powerline Automotive.
Prem's Electrical Store of Alexander Street in Georgetown is the title sponsor for the Berbice A team and Director Nirmala Sukhram said that her company is delighted to see the return of inter-county softball cricket and are more than pleased to support Persaud and the championship in this way.
Powerline Automotives also expressed satisfaction at sponsoring the eight-team spectacle and said the company is looking forward to entertaining and competitive cricket action.
Persaud, who is also a national golf player, said that he is elated by the immediate response by the sponsors to date and he promises a memorable weekend of softball inter-county cricket at Everest on October 24 and 25.
The tournament is making a return after an absence of 14 years.
Digicel and Stag Beer will be having promotional giveaways throughout the weekend for spectators and players alike.
Teams in the competition are Demerara A and B, Essequibo A and B, Berbice A and B, Bartica and Linden.
The winning team will pocket $500,000, while the losing finalist will get $300,000. The losing semifinalists will get $100,000, and the other four teams, who were knocked out at the quarter-final stage will get $25,000 each.
By Akeem Greene
Football Club
Pele
climbed back to the top of the eight-team table with 14 points after their 3-0 win over Monedderlust on Wednesday evening at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) Ground.
With a large crowd support, Travis “Zorro” Grant surrounded by five Monedderlust players found a way through and into the back of the net within the first minute.
In fact, Grant's goal is the fastest in the league so far, coming just 45 seconds into the game.
The Monedderlust side often gave away the ball on too many occasions and were left dazed when ball found the foot of Pele’s strike man, Gregory “Jackie Chan” Richardson who then extended the lead with a second goal in the 31st minute with a right footed volley from about 20 yards out from goal.
It ended the first half 2-0 in favor of Pele. Richardson’s goal was his sixth and confirmed him as the league’s leading scorer while Alpha United’s Delon Lanferman is in second with five goals.
With the start of the second the Berbice side would have been hoping for a comeback like they did in their previous match but Daniel Harris’s goal in the 81st condemned Monedderlust to their fourth loss in six matches.
This victory puts Pele two points clear of Alpha United and with their top striker “Jackie Chan” saying he feels he is in good touch; one can expect greater performances from the talented and experienced striker
as their unbeaten run continues.
Meanwhile, in the evening’s second game, Fruta Conquerors were held to a thrilling 2-2 draw by GFC. The home side looked out of the game when Fruta Conquerors went 2-0 in the first 30 minutes. Kwamie La Fleur in the 9th and Rafael Edwards in the 26th set a brilliant first half hour for the Tucville based side.
Curtis Kellman’s goal in the 34th minute revived the hope for GFC but the battle
continued in the second half as Fruta looked to hold on to the lead to secure their 3rd victory.
Romario Welcome’s scorcher playing in injury time leveled the score sheet giving one point for both teams.
Action continues on October 17 in Berbice where Slingerz FC meets Fruta Conquerors from 19:00h and home side Monedderlust faces off against Alpha United from 21:30h. (akeemg@ guyanatimesgy.com)
By TreisTon Joseph
Digicel Guyana will host their fourth Breast Cancer awareness cycle road race that is scheduled to pedal off on October 25.
At the launching on Thursday it was revealed that the event will now be a two-stage event with the first stage starting from 07:00h at Schoonard, West Demerara while the second stage will pedal off from 12:30h at Abary, East Coast.
With October being breast cancer awareness month, Sponsorship Executive of Digicel Luanna Abrams highlighted that it is important to create a bigger “buzz” for the event especially since all of the proceeds from the registration will go to the Cancer Institute.
“We want to have many teams onboard as well as a bigger buzz, the funds raised will be given to the Cancer Institute,” Abrams mentioned.
Digicel will also be making a sizeable donation after the event to the Cancer Institute in support of
breast cancer awareness.
Medical Director of the Cancer Institute, Dr Ravindranauth Hichlangod pinpointed the importance of such an event.
“Creation of awareness in all activities we are involved in has significance… cycling has significance because it is a form of excericise which helps to keep cancer away.
“The fund raising has significance we can help persons that can’t come for regular screening… cancer can be cured once we see it from the screening so I want to thank Digicel for their part and let’s spread this word of breast cancer awareness and let’s have a cancer free Guyana,” Hichlangod stated.
Coordinator of the event
Keith Fernandes who is the President of cycling club
Gillette Evolution noted that club is grateful to be a part of the event.
“Gillette Evolution is happy to partner with Digicel and we are fortunate to be asked to coordinate this event and we look forward to working with Digicel in future as well as having a safe race,”
Fernandes noted.
Meanwhile, President of the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) Horace Burrows was please to be associated with the event and expressed gratitude for playing a role not only in breast cancer awareness but also in cycling.
The first stage of the event will move from Schoonard to Bushy Park before returning to the place of origin for all seniors and juniors while the veterans and ladies will have their turning point set at Uitvlugt.
The second stage will start at Abary and head to the National Park where the seniors and juniors will circle the outskirt of the National Park twice before finishing.
The ladies and veterans will start at the “Half Way Tree” before ending their race similarly to the seniors.
The top prize will be $250,000 for the seniors while for the juniors it will be $80,000. The veterans and ladies top prize will be set at $50,000. (josepht@ guyanatimesgy.com)
The Better Hope Sports Club and the talented Bravados Cricket Club will clash on Sunday in the East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB) 2nd division 40-overs final at the Better Hope Community Centre Ground.
A keen competition is anticipated between the two teams with Clive Rampersaud, Kevin Rampersaud and Jayadev Mana) being very competent players and is largely responsible for Better Hope Sports Club reaching the final.
On the other hand, with Earl Gilks, Anthony Ifill and Nigel Estarado Bravados Cricket Club will be no easy walk over.
Play is expected to start at 10:00h, and the umpires are: Gyananand Sukhdeo and Kenalyn Baker, with the match referee being
Judister Rampersaud.
The Better Hope Sports Club team will be selected from: Clive Rampersaud (Captain), Kevin Rampersaud, Daniel Kowlessar, Roy Persaud, Jayadev Mana, Amir Khan, Mustaphar Azzimulla, Mulchend Singh, Rayan Premchan, Sachin Singh, Chandra Mohan and Randy Danraj. The Manager is Jagnatine Singh and the Coach is Robbie Harnarine. The Bravados Cricket Club squad is: Earl Gilks, Nigel Estarado, Anthony Ifill, James Marell, Alex Cully, Mark Gordon, Lionel Wordsworth, Anthony Kelly, Rohan Prakash Simpson, Neville Sobers, Josha Lakhan, Marcus Whatkins, Kellon Chrmicheal, Marlon Garfield. Arnim Griffith being the Coach and Hermauth Herman being Manager.
Shimron Hetymer pulls viciously for a boundary
Rangana Herath celebrates the wicket of Shai Hope
angana Herath bowled Sri Lanka back into the dominant position achieved by Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal’s double-century stand and squandered somewhat by a collapse that cost them their last seven wickets for 59 runs. At the end of an action-packed second day, West Indies were 66 for
2, trailing Sri Lanka by 418 runs. The quick demolition of Sri Lanka’s lower order raised West Indies’ spirits when they came out to bat, and the openers got off to a solid start against the quicks, with three fours coming off the second over, bowled by a Nuwan Pradeep erring generously on the full side. turn to page 21