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50th anniversary commemorative stamps unveiled

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 2820

Friday, April 8, 2016

PRICE

Public officials warned against taking political orders Page 9

…to face “serious consequences” when PPP returns – Opposition Leader

Ministerial Code of Conduct still to be enforced Page 11

WHAT'S INSIDE:

GNBA awaits names of additional P10 stakeholders to RBI board

SOCU begins following P9 protocols – Sydney James

Wales Sugar Estate closure

...documents still to be made public for stakeholders input

GAWU, Wales workers stand in solidarity during Vigil

Coldingen Railway Embankment murder

$80 vat included

Page 16

Page 2

Daughters, boyfriend, taxi driver charged

Wife begs P8 court to pardon husband over assault charge

Cunha Canal rehab project to start year-end P11

4 Venezuelans charged with P2 larceny Deady prison riot

In this composite photo: The two daughters of murdered Roger Manikam, Nalini Manikam, 18; and her 12-year-old sister along with Veeram Lall, also known as "Adam", 24; and Devon Brown, 23; a taxi driver, were all charged for his murder

Mothers forced to share beds in GPHC maternity ward Page 3

– poor conditions force some to sleep in chairs

Pilgram unfit to run Prison – former inmate P16 Unlawful appointment of Mabaruma Mayor, NDC Chairs

Govt to reject Court ruling

...“Bulkhan’s action is undemocratic, thwarts the will of the people” P7 – Jagdeo

2 news

friDAY, APRIL 8, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Coldingen Railway Embankment murder

Daughters, boyfriend, taxi driver charged

The man’s daughter Nalini Manikam, 18, and his adopted daughter, 12, were charged with his murder

By Ahreefa Bacchus

T

he two daughters who conspired with two male friends to kill their father were slapped with a murder charge and

on Thursday appeared before Magistrate Zameena Ali at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.

Roger Manikam’s two daughters – Nalini Manikam, 18, and his ad-

opted daughter, 12, both of Nonpareil, East Coast Demerara – along with Veeram Lall, also known as “Adam”, 24, a High Court bailiff who resides on West Bank Demerara, and Devon Brown, 23, a taxi driver from West Coast Demerara were all jointly charged for his murder.

The Police Prosecutor told the Court that Manikam and Lall shares a relationship and that the heinous crime was allegedly orchestrated by Lall sometime before that fatal night on April 2.

It was further related that on the night in question, the two girls lured their father, 64, into the kitchen where the elder daughter pounced on him and delivered the fatal chop to the back of his neck using an axe. They then reportedly summoned Lall to the scene, who in turn called Brown to assist in disposing of the

Murdered: Roger Manikam

body. The four then secured the body in construction plastic with a piece of rope, loaded it into Brown’s car and took it to the Coldingen Railway Embankment, ECD, where they dumped it at the side of the road.

The three adults were remanded to prison while the adopted daughter will be held at the Juvenile Detention Centre in Sophia.

The older daughter’s boyfriend Veeram Lall (left) and Devon Brown seen leaving the court on Thursday

They will be making their second Court appearance on May 6.

Manikam’s body was found by residents in the area around 06:30h on April 3, with wounds to the head and upper neck. He was bound and his head was covered with a plastic bag.

Detectives became suspicious of the dead man’s daughters after they realised that the rope serving as the clothes line in the yard of the home was identical to the one used to secure the plastic around the man’s head.

The Police took the two young ladies into custody and during interrogation they broke down and admitted to killing him, claiming that he was a “nuisance” to them, subsequently providing Police with a detailed account of the murder.

The young woman’s boyfriend was also arrested and confessed to being an accessory to murder. He had been previously detained for questioning in relation to the murder of Regent Multiplex Mall owner Ganesh Ramlall, but was released shortly thereafter. Relative to information the three sus-

pects gave the Police, Brown was also arrested. The suspects were later taken to the scene, where they identified the spot where they had dumped Manikam’s body.

They also took investigators a short distance away where they dumped incriminating materials such as bloody sheets and clothing.

In one instance, the man’s daughters alleged they committed the act because their father would frequently drink and abuse them; however, Nalini Manikam later provided a conflicting statement to reporters, telling them that her father does not imbibe in alcohol.

Family of the dead man related that Manikam was ill and due to the medication he was using, he could not use alcohol. The family also quashed the allegations of sexual abuse made by the older daughter, saying that she made the claims in an attempt to get away with the murder.

The family have since reported that the murder was committed in an attempt to inherit a large sum of money the man acquired from the sale of his sawmill.

4 Venezuelans charged with larceny

F

our Venezuelans on Wednesday appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan charged with larceny. Rolex Williams, 17, Reon De Santos, 20, Tony Rampersaud, 20, all of Venezuela, pleaded guilty while Scarlett Gonzalez, 21, pleaded not guilty to the offense.

It is alleged that between March 31 and April 1, 2016, at Eteringbang Landing, Cuyuni River, Essequibo, they stole one 75 Yamaha engine valued $580,000 property of Daniel McKenzie.

Prosecutor Deniro Jones told the court that on the day in question, the Virtual Complainant (VC) secured his boat and left to do errands. Upon his return he found his engine missing and

reported the matter to the Eteringbang Police Station.

Acting on information, police arrested Williams, De Santos and Rampersaud who admitted to the offence.

The defendants took the police to the location of the engine and it was found in the home of Gonzales.

She was subsequently arrested and charged.When given an opportunity to speak, Rampersaud told the Magistrate that Gonzales was not involved in the matter as she was not aware that the engine was stolen.

He explained that he and his colleagues stole the engine because of ‘hard times’.

Magistrate McLennan fined all three men $30,000 each or a default of eight months in prison. She dismissed all charges against Gonzales.

news

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friDAY, april 8, 2016 | guyana-times.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, April 8 – 05:00h-06:30h and Saturday, April 9 – 05:30h-07:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, April 8 – 17:10h-18:40h and Saturday, April 9 – 05:15h-06:45h.

Mothers forced to share beds in GPHC maternity ward – poor conditions force some to sleep in chairs

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny intervals can be expected throughout the day, while partly cloudy conditions can be expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly between 3.57 metres and 4.91 metres per second.

High Tide: 05:05h and 17:30h reaching maximum heights of 2.99 metres and 2.92 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 11:03h and 23:20h reaching minimum heights of 0.20 metre and 0.34 metre respectively.

Pregnant mothers as well as those that have already delivered are forced to share beds in the maternity ward

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s World Health Day was observed, persons complained of poor conditions within the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) Maternity Ward.

Despite many promises by the Government to have the issue addressed, the facilities at the city’s main hospital is in a state of dismay, as problems of unsanitary conditions and overcrowding plague the ward.

The issue was once again brought to the public’s attention after a photograph of a mother and her baby sleeping under a bed in the ward was circulated on social media and online news.

As such, persons made a cry for the matter to be investigated and for attention to be placed on the institution.

A visit to the maternity ward on Thursday revealed that the allegations of vast overcrowding were true.

The Georgetown Public Hospital is responsible for over 60 per cent of babies born in Guyana, yet the new mothers had no other alternative but to share beds – the result of which leads to some mothers taking to the chairs in search of a better accommo-

dation.

When Guyana Times visited the maternity ward, some mothers complained of restless nights of being unable to sleep due to the fact that it is practically impossible to have a good night’s rest when they, just out of the delivery room, have to sleep with their new-born baby.

These new mothers also expressed their concerns about the manner in which the nurses carry out their duties, describing it as a “don’t care” attitude.

Additionally, mothers recalled instances where as much as three babies were forced to share one incubator. Some of the patients were reluctant to be photographed for fear of being harassed; however, some were keen on having the issue highlighted.

At the ending of 2015, President Granger in his annual Christmas visit to the maternity ward, while speaking to nurses at the end of his tour, promised that he “will be working with the Minister of Health to improve the circumstances under which you work and under which mothers have to give birth. This

is where life starts and if you don’t ensure you have a safe environment, that the mothers are in a comfortable environment and the staff have the resources they need to do their work, we are likely to have problems”.

Four months later and the Public Health Minister has not yet found a solution to the outstanding problem, even after $89 million was award to the Ministry in the 2016 Budget.

Health Minister, Dr George Norton had earlier promised some 50 beds for the new facility and the

“sharing beds would be a thing of the past” but until today, this seems to be a continuing issue.

The matter has not only affected the Staterun medical facility in Georgetown, but it was reported in January that a similar situation had occurred at the Suddie Public Hospital.

Suddie Hospital had also recently come under scrutiny for poor service as residents called for keener attention to be paid to the health sector by Minister Norton.

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friDAY, april 8, 2016

Views General Editor: Michael Younge News Hotliine: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544 223-7230,223-7231,231-0544, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707

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

Editorial

The new Georgetown City Council

T

he Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Councillors of the Georgetown City Council were sworn in and held their inaugural meeting. One would want to believe that now that a new Council is in place, citizens of Georgetown could expect to see many positive changes, more particularly in the manner in which the affairs of the city are managed.

It is well-known that citizens were fed up with the wrangling and sometimes even outrageous behaviour of previous Councillors. Ideally, it would have been good to see the entire top brass of the City Council, including Patricia Chase-Green, who was elected to lead the Council, bow out as they are largely responsible for the current deplorable state of the city.

Led by former Mayor Hamilton Green, those tasked with managing the affairs of Georgetown at the time, many believe, were more concerned about advancing their own self-interest as against those of the residents. Almost on every occasion there was a problem in the City, whether it was flooding, issues of solid waste disposal, allegations of corruption and mismanagement, etc, the nation was fed a huge dose of in-fighting and blame-throwing amongst officials.

While we do not wish to dismiss or discredit the newlyelected Council even before it begins its work, we have noted that controversial APNU member Winston Harding was also sworn in as a member despite mounting calls from civil society and the political Opposition for him to refuse the position due to allegations of child molestation being levelled against him.

It was reported in the media that Harding was adamant that he would not vacate his Council seat nor does not intend on tendering his resignation. Here again we were hoping that Harding would have done the moral and mature thing and refuse to take up his seat considering the many calls being made for him to do so. Even though he was never convicted, many would find it difficult to work with such an individual.

That said, it is our hope that the new Council will hit the ground running and carry on with the task of building a modern, clean and attractive capital city. Everyone wishes to see Georgetown transformed from its present deplorable state.

For years, Central Government has been allocating huge sums towards various projects aimed at restoring the city to its former glory. Unfortunately, citizens are not seeing the kind of results they expect. Certain parts of the city are littered with garbage; there are clogged drains and canals; pavements are blocked due to illegal vending, preventing persons from walking freely; dilapidated structures could be seen in some areas and there is no order and decency at the bus parks and the list goes on.

To begin with, the new Council would need to draft both a short-term and long-term plan to ensure the city remains in a proper state. It makes no sense allocating millions every year towards cleaning the city and after a few weeks, residents have to endure the same discomfort they have been complaining about the previous year.

Firstly, the single most worrying challenge for the Council remains solid waste management. This would require a genuine effort by all stakeholders to work collaboratively in order to arrive at practical and sustainable solutions.

Secondly, the issue of recycling would also need to be looked at. The PPP/C Government had indicated a willingness to provide concessions to persons who import machinery for the purpose of recycling plastics. Unfortunately, the response has not been that favourable. However, we believe that given the apparent lack of widespread interest in the recycling initiative, the Government should lead the way in this regard and promote a recycling initiative of its own and hopefully the Private Sector will join in.

One cannot ignore the fact that over the past 21 years, the city has been managed mainly by the PNC/APNU. In fact, the APNU/AFC is now in control of 25 of the 29 seats on the newly-elected Council. The nation, more particularly residents of Georgetown, will be waiting patiently to see what positive changes this present Council will bring. The in-fighting, rancour, and immature and unprofessional behaviour which existed previously must be a thing of the past.

Darshini Balac from the Education Ministry’s 50th Anniversary Secretariat along with Kristin Josiah, a member of the media relations team, about to unveil the Golden Jubilee Commemorative Stamps at the launching on Thursday at Castellani House

Significance of Navratri Dear Editor, During Navratri, we invoke the energy aspect of God in the form of the universal mother, commonly referred to as “Durga”, which literally means the remover of miseries of life.

She is also referred to as “Devi” (goddess) or “Shakti” (energy or power).

It is this energy, which helps God to proceed with the work of creation, preservation and destruction.

In other words, you can say that God is motionless, absolutely changeless, and the Divine Mother Durga does everything. Truly speaking, our worship of Shakti reconfirms the scientific theory that energy is imperishable.

It cannot be created or destroyed. It is always there.

We think this energy is only a form of the Divine Mother, who is the mother

of all, and all of us are her children.

“Why mother; why not father?” you may ask. Let me just say that we believe that God’s glory, his cosmic energy, his greatness and supremacy can best be depicted as the motherhood aspect of God. Just as a child finds all these qualities in his or her mother, similarly, all of us look upon God as mother.

In fact, Hinduism is the only religion in the world, which gives so much importance to the mother aspect of God because we believe that mother is the creative aspect of the absolute.

Every year, the beginning of summer and the beginning of winter are two very important junctures of climatic change and solar influence. These two junctions have been chosen as

the sacred opportunities for the worship of the divine power because: (1) We believe that it is the divine power that provides energy for the Earth to move around the Sun, causing the changes in the outer nature and that this divine power must be thanked for maintaining the correct balance of the universe.

(2) Owing to the changes in the nature, the bodies and minds of people undergo a considerable change, and hence, we worship the divine power to bestow upon all of us enough potent powers to maintain our physical and mental balance.

Navratri is divided into sets of three days to adore different aspects of the supreme goddess. On the first three days, the Mother is invoked as a powerful force called Durga in order to de-

stroy all our impurities, vices and defects.

The next three days, the Mother is adored as a giver of spiritual wealth, Lakshmi, who is considered to have the power of bestowing on her devotees inexhaustible wealth.

The final set of three days is spent in worshipping the mother as the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati.

In order to have all-round success in life, we need the blessings of all three aspects of the divine mother; hence, the worship for nine nights.

May the blessings of the universal mother be with our country and our people at all times. Happy Navratri!

Regards, Surendranauth Persaud Tiwari

Understanding English language is an art Dear Editor, On Thursday, March 31, 2016, Guyanese Hubert Devonish, distinguished Professor of Linguistics at UWI (Mona), was our guest in the Department of Language and Cultural Studies, Turkeyen Campus, UG. The event was an informative and inspiring Language Conversation.

Many truths came to the fore, both in his presentation and in responding to questions from the audience. I took home the pro-

found reality that many ‘bright students’ end up in ‘wasteland’ because of the notion that they are ‘not bright.’

In reality, it is the educator who has failed them, teaching them in their (the teachers’) English Language, which is mistakenly taken to mean our native tongue. It is very well established that our native, mother and natural first language is Guyanese Creolese.

This however is still unfairly stigmatised and

its users are seen as ‘less than.’ This pervasive and longstanding false perception that those who can only use the Guyanese Creolese are ‘not bright’ has naturally stymied the educational and social progress of these ‘lesser than’ .

Professor Devonish is all for making education, especially at the incipient stages, available via Guyanese Creolese. This approach is not novel, nor within the Guyanese context, is it a push to displace current English mode education. It

is really a belated effort to accept the reality of at least a bilingual Guyana, where the Guyanese Creolese is much more prominent.

Hence, if Professor Devonish only succeeded in enlightening me, I am more than glad, and his visit was a huge success; we do need more.

Sincerely, Henry Singh Lecturer in the Use of English, University of Guyana

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friDAY, april 8, 2016

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GTT’s poor service US symposium to address race, corruption and is appalling Dear Editor, A few days ago I visited the GTT Office at Church Street to pay my Internet Bill.

First, I was searched by a security officer before I entered the building. I entered the building at 1:20 PM I was the last person in the line that had over 40 people.

I noted with a great deal of interest only two persons were working, but I counted six teller booths: one teller was attending only to pensioners in a separate line.

The line was stink with human sweat, no fan was working, the air conditioner also looked dead. Only one staff was collecting bill payments, but many staffers were seen in the office walking about just idling.

Around 2 PM, another staff entered one of the empty booths; she worked for 10 minutes; when I was about to go pay my bill, she puts up a notice ‘’next wicket please’’ so I ended up spending an extra 30 minutes to pay my bill leaving the office at 3 PM with just one staff working and five booths were not staffed. I wonder if the supervisors upstairs and managers are unaware of what happens in their office downstairs.

I am convinced they are aware since they have security cameras and can see from upstairs what is happening in and out of the building. On Mondays, the line goes down to the National Library and yet only two or three staff on the job with three empty booths.

I wonder if GTT is short of staff or they simply have no value for hardworking Guyanese citizens’ time who have to stand in a line for hours. Most GTT offices I visited from Berbice to Georgetown has these same staffing problems, but their offices upstairs are filled with

staff who just gaff and idle the day away. If all six staff were working I would have only spent 15 minutes there.

My next problem with GTT is whenever I call to report a problem, they always have a recording ‘’all our staff are busy now please hold the line’’, you wait and wait for days until you go in person to make a report and yet no one is coming. In this day and age of advanced technology, we have not progressed as a nation we have gone backwards from year to year.

My next concern is the poor high-speed internet service offered by GTT that is slower than the former ‘dial up’ from private companies.

Their internet shuts off your email, Skype, Facebook, Whats App suddenly. Their downloads are a million per cent slow; our Internet service I believe doesn’t cost $1000, but we are exploited for a service we cannot receive.

They own the monopoly, it’s about time Digicel gives landline service and other companies, to break this dictatorial monopoly system GTT operates under. The Internet service offered in Trinidad is a hundred times faster than GTT service yet they boast: ‘’GTT getting better all the time.’’

GTT will tell you if you gave them a complaint that they will come in three working days Why three working days when you have to pay for those days to receive no service then they disconnect your phone and Internet when bills are not paid on time. Who in GTT will look into a customer’s concern whose phone and Internet have been disconnected for over a month?

My neighbour’s phone is not working six months now; they were told that the black service line on the post to

their house is damaged and this line is not available in Guyana for now.

Since I know a bit about technical things, this line can be replaced by another line, but GTT is simply incompetent. They are not very far from closing down if they can’t replace a simple service line to customers.

Long lines and pushing around is all over this nation from the past Administration; it gets worse currently because our present Administration cannot perform a miracle in less than a year.

The GRA is worse than the Zoo: you need a map to read the long twisted lines.

The Central Immigration Office has hundreds of people daily like sand flies, all hustling to leave Guyana; after 10 years this passport office still cannot be decentralised.

The deeds registry and land registry are another circus of lines and ‘’pushing around’’: a simple transport and land title takes years to process.

The bigger the technology, the greater the heavy burden of ignorance. The banks are the worst uncivilised places in this country: they need tonnes of documents and the lines never cease to grow longer while staff are idling at Rose Bud Café and the long dismal list of a new change has evolved from bad to worse.

As we approach another 50 years of independence, I asked this question again: what have we achieved as a nation after 50 years of mismanagement? I challenge all our diplomats and parliamentarians none of whom would stand in these stink sweaty lines for hours. God himself will run from Guyana, I believe.

Yours truly, Reverend Gideon Cecil

accountability in Guyana Dear Editor, Is Dr David Hinds anytime qualified to fairly speak at a symposium on the topic “Guyana’s National Identity Beyond Race?” Moreover is selection of an obscure Canadian Marlene Narayana his balancing equal to provide equality, fairness and justice? Knowing that Dr Hinds is an Afrocentric militant without apology, how does Marlene sum up to be his opposite equal? Ed Greene is the third speaker.

Obsessed with power sharing when the PPP/C was in Government, Dr Hinds has actively abandoned his advocacy, content that the AFC has achieved the Nassau solution recently revealed by AFC cofounder Raphael Trotman. That plan was thankfully revealed

by Freddie Kissoon in the Kaieteur News as hatched in Nassau, Bahamas by PNC leader David Granger and Trotman.

According to my overseas sources, the plot was to divide the PPP/C by agreeing to anything (the

Cummingsburg Accord) which the PPP rebels wanted knowing that once they were in power the PNC would not implement it.

Equally surprising was an all-Indo Guyanese panel selected to speak on “governance, accountability and transparency”. The symposium seems to be sputtering to a start today (Friday) in Washington DC with many registrants dropping out.

The lone Afro-Guyanese who was supposed to speak on that topic dropped out and was replaced by Singh at the last minute. As part of Guyana’s 50th anniversary celebrations, the University of the District of Columbia, USA, is holding the symposium organised by Professor Paul Nehru Tennassee, former political leader of the DLM. The symposium is to be opened by Guyana’s Ambassador to the USA and addressed by a retired US Inspector General.

What is surprising are the listed speakers. For governance and transparency, the panellists are one time

PPP-turned-AFC-turnedAPNU supporter Tarron Khemraj; Errol Arthur, a long-time pro-PPP activist and an unknown Mike Singh.

All are non-resident Indo-Guyanese living in North America. With the Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc (TIGI) condemning the APNU/AFC Government for facilitating and proliferating corruption in Guyana, it appears some do not want to be painted with the same brush.

The programme for Friday’s does not list all the topics. But the speakers, for a third session, are AFC supporter and Chronicle columnist Sase Singh alongside Desmond Roberts and Rohan Lachman.

Professor Randy Persaud, who was slated to speak on this panel, no doubt adding academic balance, has dropped out as he is out of the country.

He was replaced by Rohan Lachman at the last minute.

Sincerely, Sultan Mohamed

Alexander’s last rebuttal Dear Editor, My thanks to you for your tolerance in publishing what is turning out to be a senseless diatribe, albeit purposeful in that Cox, Marcus and Mustapha are still seeking to vilify me in the name of justice, in a situation where they have suffered at the hands of their folly or ill fate and cannot come to grips with reality, even in the face of possible legal restitution, on technical grounds rather than substantive grounds. Such is nature and the law, a reality that will not bother me, in this case, and one that has to be accepted in any case.

I crave your indulgence, for the last time, the very last, on this distraction. I was at my wits end in trying to elucidate the matter so that the triumvirate may retire in the hope that fate changes.

But alas, I think that is an impossible task. Their blinkers are irretractable and whoever is in their path is dispensable. Such is the manner of some men. So they continue to misrepresent even what I have written pellucidly. So here`s my final say, for the public sake, less the public become victims of the Gobbelsians.

I have written twice, even quoting Cox, on my contention that in 2000 Cox defaulted in his payment arrangement with the loan agency and as a consequence did not secure loans for 2001 and 2002 and did not pay fees for those years. This is irrefutable, yet they seek to contend

that I stated that Cox was indebted for some degree that predated the debacle.

It is only a sordid state of illiteracy or immorality that can explain this crass concoction that is then attributed to me as a “lie”. ‘Yu hear lie, da is lie’. I know nothing of Cox`s discharge of his obligation to teach for five years.

It has nothing to do with the matter that they brought to the public`s attention. It has nothing to do with his nonpayment of fees, for the law programme, for two years.

That is irrefutable, I repeat, that fact cannot be refuted. The next concoction: “I wish to thank Mr Vincent Alexander for informing the Government and reading public that we were awaiting the approval of our loan applications by the Finance Ministry” (Marcus’ letter to the Chronicle Editor, April 6, 2016). I did say that in 2001 Mr Cox was granted a grace period to pursue the acquisition of a loan but I also said that that period expired and he had not been granted a loan because he was in default, so there was no waiting attached to some subsequent undertaking by the agency to grant them loans.

For two years no loan was granted and no fee was paid.

Imagine UG having a system where for years they offer tuition while students wait for the processing of a loan to pay their fees. Even now students are protesting the inability to write examinations because of slothful processing of loans, unlike the three

musketeers whose loan applications were turned down for successive years.

Imagine the loan agency taking two years to process loans and make the requisite disbursement to UG, which has to pay staff, light bill, water bill and the likes. Then comes Marcus` sleight of hand “the Finance Ministry had sought to pay UG on our behalf.”

Indeed many years after UG had closed this matter and had so indicated, Cox came forward with an offer to pay, by loan, based on a letter from the Finance Secretary, but Marcus would wish the public to believe that their loans were being processed to be made payable in an acceptable time frame.

They had long departed UG when, as far as I know, Cox brought such a letter, not from the loan agency but from the supervisory body to which they had appealed the denial of the loan. UG indeed did not facilitate the opening of the matter, hence it is where it is.

Now tell me where I lied?

This is probably my case of libel for the Court. But I will rely on the Court of the public and not fear that they tarnish my name. In any case the loan agency will never consider a loan for them to pay for libelling me. I close my case.

Yours faithfully, Vincent Alexander No Stranger to the Truth

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Foundation

Communication in autistic disorders How do speech and language normally develop? he most intensive period of speech and language development is during the first three years of life, a period when the brain is developing and maturing. These skills appear to develop best in a world that is rich with sounds, sights, and consistent exposure to the speech and language of others. At the root of this development is the desire to communicate or interact with the world.

The beginning signs of communication occur in the first few days of life when an infant learns that a cry will bring food, comfort, and companionship. Newborns also begin to recognise important sounds such as the sound of their mother’s voice.

They begin to sort out the speech sounds (phonemes) or building blocks that compose the words of their language. Research has shown that by six months of age, most children recognise the basic sounds of their native language.

As the speech mechanism (jaw, lips, tongue, and throat) and voice mature, an infant is able to make controlled sound. This begins in the first few months of life with “cooing,” a quiet, pleasant, repetitive vocalisation.

Usually by six months of age an infant babbles or produces repetitive syllables such as “ba, ba, ba” or “da, da, da.” Babbling soon turns into a type of nonsense speech called jargon that often has the tone and cadence of human speech but does not contain real words.

By the end of their first

T

year, most children have mastered the ability to say a few simple words. Children are most likely unaware of the meaning of their first words, but soon learn the power of those words as others respond to them.

By 18 months of age most children can say eight to 10 words and, by age two, are putting words together in crude sentences such as “more milk.” During this period children rapidly learn that words symbolise or represent objects, actions, and thoughts.

At this age they also engage in representational or pretend play.

At ages three, four, and five a child’s vocabulary rapidly increases, and he or she begins to master the rules of language. These rules include the rules of phonology (speech sounds), morphology (word formation), syntax (sentence formation), semantics (word and sentence meaning), prosody (intonation and rhythm of speech), and pragmatics (effective use of language).

What causes speech and language problems in autism?

Although the cause of speech and language problems in autism is unknown, many experts believe that the difficulties are caused by a variety of conditions that occur either before,

during, or after birth affecting brain development.

This interferes with an individual’s ability to interpret and interact with the world. Some scientists tie the communication problems to a “theory of mind” or impaired ability to think about thoughts or imagine another individual’s state of mind. Along with this is an impaired ability to symbolise, both when trying to communicate and in play.

What are the communication problems of autism?

The communication problems of autism vary, depending upon the intellectual and social development of the individual.

Some may be unable to speak, whereas others may have rich vocabularies and are able to talk about topics of interest in great depth. Despite this variation, the majority of autistic individuals have little or no problem with pronunciation. Most have difficulty effectively using language. Many also have problems with word and sentence meaning, intonation, and rhythm.

Those who can speak often say things that have no content or information.

For example, an autistic individual may repeatedly count from one to five.

Others use echolalia, a repetition of something previously heard. One form, immediate echolalia, may occur when the individual repeats the question, “Do you want something

to drink?” instead of replying with a “yes” or “no.”

In another form called delayed echolalia, an individual may say, “Do you want something to drink?” whenever he or she is asking for a drink.

Others may use stock phrases such as, “My name is Tom,” to start a conversation, even when speaking with friends or family. Still others may repeat learned scripts such as those heard during television commercials. Some individuals with higher intelligence may be able to speak in depth about topics they are interested in such as dinosaurs or railroads but are unable to engage in an interactive conversation on those topics.

Most autistic individuals do not make eye contact and have poor attention duration. They are often unable to use gestures either as a primary means of communication, as in sign language, or to assist verbal communication, such as pointing to an object they want. Some autistic individuals speak in a high-pitched voice or use robot-like speech. They are often unresponsive to the speech of others and may not respond to their own names. As a result, some are mistakenly thought to have a hearing problem. The correct use of pronouns is also a problem for autistic individuals. For example, if asked, “Are you wearing a red shirt today?” the individual may respond with, “You are wearing a red shirt today,” instead of “Yes, I am wearing a red shirt today.” (childdevelopmentinfo.com)

TO BE CONTINUED

Autism fact sheet – Guide for parents of autistic children Also called Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)

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utism is a disorder that is usually first diagnosed in early childhood. The main signs and symptoms of autism involve communication, social interactions and repetitive behaviours.

Children with autism might have problems talking with you, or they might not look you in the eye when you talk to them. They may have to line up their pencils before they can pay attention, or they may say the same sentence again and again to calm themselves down. They may flap their arms to tell you they are happy, or they might hurt themselves to tell you they are not. Some people with autism never learn how to talk.

Because people with autism can have very different features or symptoms, health care providers think of autism as a “spectrum” disorder.

Asperger syndrome is a milder version of the disorder.

The cause of autism is not known. Autism lasts throughout a person’s lifetime.

There is no cure, but treatment can help. Treatments include behavior and communication therapies and medicines to control symptoms.

Autism FAQ What is autism?

Autism is not a disease, but a developmental disorder of brain function. People with classical autism show three types of symptoms:

impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication and imagination, and unusual or severely limited activities and interests. Symptoms of autism usually appear during the first three years of childhood and continue throughout life.

Although there is no cure, appropriate management may foster relatively normal development and reduce

undesirable behaviours.

People with autism have a normal life expectancy.

Autism affects an estimated two to 10 of every 10,000 people, depending on the diagnostic criteria used. Most estimates that include people with similar disorders are two to three times greater. Autism strikes males about four times as often as females, and has been found throughout the world in people of all racial and social backgrounds.

Autism varies a great deal in severity. The most severe cases are marked by extremely repetitive, unusual, self-injurious, and aggressive behaviour. This behaviour may persist over time and prove very difficult to change, posing a tremendous challenge to those who must live with, treat, and teach these individuals. The mildest forms of autism resemble a personality disorder associated with a perceived learning disability.

What are some common signs of autism?

The hallmark feature of autism is impaired social interaction. Children with autism may fail to respond to their names and often avoid looking at other people. Such children often have difficulty interpreting tone of voice or facial expressions and do not respond to others’ emotions or watch other people’s faces for cues about appropriate behaviour. They appear unaware of others’ feelings toward them and of the negative impact of their behaviour on other people. (childdevelopmentinfo.com)

TO BE CONTINUED

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friDAY, APRIL 8, 2016 | guyana-times.com

More townships ahead Govt to reject court ruling as Govt pledges riddance ... “Bulkhan’s action is undemocratic, thwarts the of political interference will of the people” – Jagdeo Unlawful appointment of Mabaruma Mayor, NDC Chairs

President David Granger

By Devina Samaroo

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overnment has plans on creating more capital towns across the country as it pledges to ensure good governance, devoid of political interference, that is known to have previously created many obstacles in the path of development.

During an interview on “The Public Interest”, President David Granger disclosed plans to establish townships in the three coastal district of Region Three (Essequibo IslandWest Demerara), Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), and Region Five (MahaicaBerbice).

“I am looking to create three towns in these coastal regions so that every single region would have a capital and that town would have its own airport, its own bank, National Insurance Scheme (NIS) Offices, Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA),” Granger stated.

He noted that this move is a part of Administration’s wider plan to decentralise Government functions and allow each region to become self-sufficient.

“You’d be surprised to know that in the Rupununi,

to register a business, you’ll have to go to Region Two (Pomeroon Supenaam) and that is just bizarre, how our current system is and that is what we are trying to reform,” he explained.

While no specific area for those new townships has been identified, the President mentioned some areas up for consideration.

These include Parika, Vreed-en-Hoop, Triumph and Fort Wellington.

Granger further explained that steps are being taken for Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) to gain its township status this year.

Mahdia was one of the four communities proposed to achieve its township status ahead of the Local Government Elections on March 18; however, due to legal restrictions, this did not occur.

The three new townships are Bartica, Mabaruma and Lethem.

On the issue of political interference hampering regional development, the President reminded of his charge to the newly sworn in Mayors to put all biasness aside to work for the betterment of the country.

“I am aware that peo-

ple come from different political parties, some are independent, some are established parties but they swore an oath to act without fear or favour, affection or ill will and I think that Guyana has a powerful opportunity now to move the country forward economically…,” he stated.

He added, “Talk to central government, talk to the regional government, and let us work for the good of the country… People always have political preferences but those preferences must not be antagonistic…

We are different but not antagonistic.”

Granger also underscored the importance of regional pride in this process.

“I see a region in Guyana like a state in America, they are proud of being Texan, Californian, or New Yorkers. I detected in Guyana, a great deal of local pride, people proud of being Barticans, they get upset when people call them Barticians, they are proud of coming from Mabaruma… people proud of being Berbicians… There is tremendous amount of pride and I feel that the local government system should encourage that,” he explained.

On that note, President Granger reminded of Government’s initiative to bestow upon each administrative region its own flag as a representation of independence.

Granger explained that Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan is currently overseeing this development. “It is a consultative process… we have some ideas and we are awaiting feedback,” he said, noting that there is really no deadline.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

Attorney General Basil Williams and Communities Minister Ronald Bulkhan

he A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Administration has thrown its full support behind Communities Minister Ronald Bulkhan who appointed the Mayor of Mabaruma, Region One (Barima-Waini) Henry Smith and Chairpersons of five Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) all at which the government and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) won equal number of seats.

After the stalemates, Minister Bulkan applied Section 13 (4) of the Municipal and District Council’s Act Chapter 28:01 which states, “where at an election [as prescribed above], two or more Councillors secure an equal number of votes the Minister shall direct which of those Councillors shall perform

the functions of the office of Mayor; and that Councillor shall assume and perform those functions until such time as the Mayor or Deputy Mayor as the case may be is able to act.”

But, PPP/C Executive Zulfikar Mustapha on Wednesday moved to the High Court to block the officials from taking up office, contending that their appointments were unlawful.

The PPP/C is arguing that Bulkhan literally jumped the gun in his appointment by ignoring Section 13 (6) which provides that the Town Clerk shall appoint a date for the election of a Mayor by the people. This date shall not be later than December 28 of the same year - the next step after the council fails to elect a Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

Justice Diana Insanally on Wednesday quashed the appointment of a Mayor of

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Mabaruma as well as the appointments of the Chairmen of the five NDCs. Further, Justice Insanally ordered that the Councillors selected by the Minister be restrained from acting as or performing the functions of Chairmen, Vice Chairmen and Mayor of their respective NDCs and municipality on the grounds that to do so, would be contrary to and in violation of Municipal and District Councils Act Chapter 28:01 and the Local Government Act Chapter 28:02, is unlawful, unfair, unreasonable, arbitrary, capricious, in excess and without jurisdiction, oppressive, malicious, illegal and ultra vires.

However, Attorney General Basil Williams on Thursday maintained Minister Bulkhan acted within the confines of Guyana’s constitution. turn to page 15

8 news

friDAY, APRIL 8, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Cane harvester remanded for armed robbery

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cane harvester of Blairmont Sugar Factory was on Wednesday remanded to prison on an armed robbery charge when he appeared at the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Rhondell Weaver.

Bharat Madray, 26, of Benet Street, Rosignol, West Coast Berbice, Region Five (West Berbice/Mahaica), was not required to plead

to the indictable charge which alleged that on April 1, 2016 at the Rosignol Market while armed with a dangerous weapon, a gun, he robbed Ramdat Singh of a quantity of gold jewellery valued at $7.2 million.

The prosecution’s case stated that on the day in question, at around 06:30h Singh and his son, 16, of Bush Lot, WCB, were in the process of opening their jewellery shop at the

Rosignol Market when two unmasked gunmen held them up demanding their assets.

One of the perpetrators discharged a round which struck Ramdat Jr to his jaw.

Police Prosecutor Sergeant Althea Solomon objected to bail due to the nature and gravity of the offence. She also noted that there are other charged pending, stemming from

the same offence.

However Attorney Horatio Edmondson mitigating for bail told the Court that the accused has not been proven guilty and should be allowed pretrial liberty. He argued that Madray has a stable job and a fixed place of abode.

The Magistrate upheld the prosecution’s submissions and remanded Madray. He will next appear in court on April 21, 2016.

Pomona men charged Wife begs court to with unlawful assault pardon husband D

evon Adonis, 24, and Leroy Ghir, 19, from Pomona Village, Essequibo Coast, were both charged with unlawful assault. The duo made their first appearance before Magistrate Sunil Scarce on Thursday at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court.

According to police, on March 27, 2016 at Airy Hall, Adonis unlawfully assaulted Mahendra Narine thereby causing actual bodily harm. The labourer pleaded not guilty to the charge and admitted it was the second time he was appearing in court. He was charged previously for the possession of a narcotic where he did community service.

He was then granted selfbail.

Meanwhile police stated that on March 27, 2016 Leroy Ghir unlawfully assaulted Mahendra Narine at Airy Hall Sand Pit. Ghir pleaded guilty with explanation. He said Mahendra approached his cousin trying to touch her under her skirt when she complained to him. He further related he went over and push Narine and he fell. Ghir said Narine was intoxicated at the time of the incident.

After listening to the defendant, Scarce granted Ghir $10,000 bail. The duo will make their next court appearance on April 22 for the commencement of trial.

over assault charge

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woman married for more than 10 years begged Magistrate Sunil Scarce to drop the case against her husband who was charged for unlawful assault.

Haimwattie Singh from Onderneeming Village, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) told Magistrate Scarce that she loves her husband and she wants to give him another chance.

They both appeared on Thursday at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court.

According to a police report, Kumar Singh on March 16, 2016 at Onderneeming Village, Essequibo Coast,

unlawfully assaulted his wife Haimwattie Singh.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The wife told the court that out of anger she reported the matter but she does not wish to proceed with the case.

Magistrate Scarce asked her if she was sure and reminded her it was not the first time she was reporting against her husband. In reply she said she was sure about dropping the case even as on many occasions she put him out the house.

After listening to both parties Scarce dismissed the matter.

70-year-old charged with threatening behaviour

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asant, 70, (only name given) from Adventure Village in Region Two (Pomeroon/ Supenaam) was on Thursday charged with threatening behaviour.

He made his first appearance before Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Suddie

Magistrate’s Court.

According to the charge, Basant on March 16 at Sand Pit Village, Essequibo Coast made use of threatening behaviour towards Ganeshwar Harrylall.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

During the hearing,

Harrylall however asked the magistrate to warn the pensioner and dismiss the case. He was then asked why in the first place he made a report and he told Scarce it was due to provocation.

Basant threatened to hurt Harrylall with a fork

after he told him that he was gay.

Harrylall also accused Basant of using obscene language towards him.

After listening to both pensioners Scarcel boned both Harrylall and Basant to keep the peace for one year.

Eyew tness Govt mamaguying...

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...on Local Government reforms

itizens have just been able to get rid of that ink they dipped their index finger into at the LGE and they’ve already discovered another slip between the cup (of promises) and the lip (of delivery) from this Government. In case you forgot, Dear Reader, LGE weren’t just to get your finger dirty – they were supposed to return you to the centre of governance. You’ll do that by having representatives who answer directly to you – ‘cause they’re literally never far from you.

And since they lived in your community they’d fix whatever was broken on the assumption “only those who feel, know”. They wouldn’t have to bow and scrape anymore to the Minister of Communities – who ruled on high from afar. Very afar. So what happened right after the elections to THAT promise? Well, as we mentioned before, in Georgetown APNU/AFC filled every position on the all-important “Finance Committee” with their own folks and blanked the independents. Even though these independents live in the communities in which they won their seats, it’s clear the APNU/AFC Councillors believe they “feel more” so they “know better”.

One letter writer noted, for instance, that they might “know better” who should get all the plum contracts and whose rates and taxes needed to be reduced. The new “Chief Citizen” Patricia Chase-Green, might be able to guide them since she was there at the left hand of Hamilton Green and definitely “felt more” – of the graft.

Now comes another “same ole, same ole”, when Minister of Local Government (now Communities) Ronald Bulkan takes it upon himself to decide who’d be the Mayor of Mabaruma and Chairman of five NDCs. How could he do that? The law’s very clear in cases of a tie in the vote by the Councillors – which is what occurred – the Town Clerk or Overseer has to call another election. But then, maybe Bulkan “feels” more than those who made the law and “knows” more than them, no?

The irony about this kind of hubris, of course, is the Minister of Communities was supposed to be eased out of LG since his powers were devolved to a “Local Government Commission” (LGC) by an Act of Parliament.

But who cares about laws? Well, the Court does! And they’ve just issued an order reversing Bulkan’s Executive overreach. Unless he can show that he is above the law, of course. And now we know why there’s no LGC! All of this is very depressing for APNU/AFC partisans who might’ve hoped for real change following the LGE after 23 years.

But not for most Guyanese who know you can’t teach old dogs new tricks.

...on Code of Conduct

Everybody and their Uncle are throwing stones at Harmon on the cross of corruption created by the Kaieteur News. All kinds of cockamamie “reasons” are being proffered by all sorts of experts for their charges – but they ignore the reason offered by your Eyewitness from the beginning of the farce. It all has to do with Brian Tiwari – the successful cousin of Glenn Lall – being able to develop a relationship with the new Government through Harmon. Hell hath no fury than the founder of FUCOP scorned.

But there’s another elephant in the room everyone’s ignoring. If the Government had issued the Code of Conduct it promised “in the first 100 days”, we’d all have objective reasons for evaluating Harmon’s actions.

Remember?

“A Code of Conduct will be established for Parliamentarians, Ministers and others holding high positions in Government public office to abide by including mechanisms for demitting office if in violation of the Code of Conduct.”

In the absence of a Code, some just pursue personal vendettas.

...on Photoshopping

The Chronic’s now identified who’s responsible for the “Photoshopping of Social Cohesion” on its front page.

Will the PM’s water boy now apologise for his snide comment that “holdovers” from the PPP days did the dirty?

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

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friDAY, APRIL 8, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Public officials warned against SOCU begins following protocols taking political orders – Sydney James …to face “serious consequences” when PPP returns – Opposition Leader By: Devina Samaroo

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ublic officials engaging in illegal and corrupt activities at the behest of political orders ought to fear the return of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) to government as there will be serious consequences awaiting.

According to Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, the Party will be keeping a record of all complaints received of public officers carrying out malicious and discriminatory actions against innocent persons and upon assumption to executive office once again, thorough investigations into “every single case” will be conducted and culpable persons will face the full force of the law.

“If at any time, now or in the future, when the PPP resumes office in this country and we find out, because we are going to review every single case, that any public officer has acted contrary to the law or against individuals based on political directions, then those officers will face the consequences,” Jagdeo warned.

He made it clear that the Party will have no tolerance

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

for public officers who lack decorum and have acted unlawfully with the intent to discriminate against citizens.

In fact, he disclosed that the PPP/C is currently putting together a database of all cases likely to be investigated when the Party returns to government.

On this note, Jagdeo pointed out that if public servants act professionally, then they have nothing to fear.

Notwithstanding, he conceded that there may be public officials who only follow political direction out of fear of losing their jobs, and

in this regard, he said there should be measures in place to govern such a situation.

“We will support whistle-blower legislation. You are right that some public officers may be exposed to political directions and they are fearful that their jobs would be on the line if they don’t carry them out; you are absolutely right about that and so whistle-blower legislation will basically protect those officers,” he said.

Further, he urged public officials in those situations to keep records of all the illegal activities they would have been asked to undertake, including the dates and times, the nature of instructions, and any written message.

“We will understand that they were pressured by the political leadership into committing illegal acts,” he said.

Jagdeo made it clear however that this would not be a witch-hunting exercise but rather an initiative to ensure the professionalism of the public sector remains intact under the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) administration.

Landscaper slapped with drug charge

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landscaper was on Thursday granted bail in the sum of $20,000 after he was slapped with a possession of narcotics charge.

Peter Henry, 46, of Dowden Street, Kitty, Georgetown, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan to answer to a

charge which stated that on April, 5, 2016 at Station Street, Kitty, he had in his possession six-and-a-half grams of cannabis.

He pleaded not guilty.

His lawyer in making a bail application explained to the court that Henry is married, the father to two young children, and if he is

remanded his children will not be provided for since he is the sole breadwinner for the family and his salary is meagre.

Magistrate McLennan placed him on $20,000 bail despite the prosecution’s attempt to have a larger sum.

The case will continue on April 11, 2016.

...documents still to be made public for stakeholders’ input

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he Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has been following the highly-anticipated Protocol, drafted by Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud.

This is according to Head of SOCU Lieutenant Colonel (Ret’d) Sydney James.

Responding to a query by Guyana Times on Thursday, James was reluctant to divulge any information regarding the protocol and referred this publication to the Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan.

But after being pressed to say whether SOCU was in possession of the protocol, James confirmed that his unit was following the protocol but again declined to elaborate.

“We have been operating with the protocol, sir,” James said briefly.

It is important to note that Minister Ramjattan had promised that the protocol would be taken to cabinet and the National Security Committee before it is circu-

Lieutenant Colonel (Ret’d) Sydney James

lated to the relevant bodies and made public, following which it will be finalised and be used by SOCU. However the protocol was never made public, but is already being allegedly followed by SOCU. Several calls to Minister Ramjattan‘s phone Thursday went unanswered.

Ramjattan last month had opined that the protocol was “well done”, but needed a little fine-tuning.

Speaking during the 2016 National Budget debates on February 12, Ramjattan an-

nounced that the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) protocol was drafted for the unit, which is an agency of the GPF. “The protocols have been already drafted… It’s about six pages of protocols as to how they are going to do their operations,” he said, adding that it is geared at ensuring SOCU members “come in line” with the GPF’s SOPs. SOCU was established in 2013 as a law enforcement agency to investigate exclusively, allegations relating to money laundering and terrorism.

However, the Unit’s mandate has since been expanded in recent months.

SOCU has been under heavy scrutiny from the political Opposition and rights groups after a botched operation on December 30, 2015, involving a high-speed chase up Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown, which left three persons dead – GDF Sergeant Robert Pyle, his wife Stacy Pyle and the driver of a canter truck, Linden Eastman.

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guyanatimesgy.com

friDAY, april 8, 2016

News

GNBA awaits names of additional stakeholders to RBI Board

By Utamu Belle

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s the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) awaits the list of names of stakeholders to be added to the board of trustees of the Region 10 Broadcasting Inc (RBI), it would have already commenced business with the Trust, which it says it recognises as the legal entity to support the return of the television station to Linden.

This is according to GNBA Chairman Leonard Craig who recently emphasised that the GNBA is satisfied that the Trust adequately represents the intent of the Region 10 Democratic Council (RDC) to fulfil such mandate.

He said the law requires that GNBA be notified of any change of ownership, management, trustees or similar, following which it would respond to say whether the change has been accepted. Additionally, trustees would have to be identified and vetted to ensure they meet the legal requirement to become part of the Trust.

Craig said GNBA has been notified of the expansion of the RBI Trust and is awaiting confirmation of who will be the new trustees.

“Then we would write back to the Trust to say, ok we have vetted, they meet

the requirement and we give permission for these people… and that is the law… it is required by law that the GNBA gives consent. That is where we are now”, Craig stated.

However, presently there are hiccups with the expansion of the board, as secretary of RBI Sharma Solomon said he expects all stakeholders to have their names of recommended representatives to be submitted by today (April 8).

Craig said GNBA has already given permission to broadcast; however a licence has not yet been granted. He noted that when the ownership issue is sorted out then the licence will be granted.

Some stakeholders though, including RDC Chairman Renis Morian and Councillor Sandra Adams have argued that the Trust is not being formed in the right way and that there should be no rush in having it formed.

Craig said it was recommended to stakeholders during a recent meeting in Linden with Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo that the RDC be represented on the Trust, since it was the entity which commenced the process of the television station, however he is uncertain as to what was agreed to.

The RDC had actually

put forward its recommendation to be included as part of the Trust, along with the Linden Mayor and Town Council, and Kwakwani NDC, among others.

Under the Broadcast Act, Craig said GNBA can facilitate conflict resolution in instances of disputes, as was recently noted between the present RDC and the RBI. He said another recommendation put forward is to have ordinary citizens of Linden become actively involved in some way. “…Another recommendation that came from us during the mediation process, is that they find a way of making ordinary people of Linden, the man-inthe-street to be able to subscribe, either to some share or some premium, something that they must be able to subscribe to… the people of Linden can still be assured that their interest is being taken care of and the GNBA is very interested in helping to preserve the interest of the people.

We have no desire whatsoever to circumvent any of that and we are willing to work with the people and their representatives,” Craig said.

Funding Craig noted that the Office of the Prime Minister has responsibility for that

sort of funding as it relates to the television station, however, he is unclear if GNBA can facilitate such.

Regardless, under the Act, the GNBA can facilitate the avenues for creative local talent development which can be translated into broadcasting.

“Let’s say for example, if somebody wants to do a movie about Linden or wants to do a documentary, while we do not yet have it in our budget, under the Act, we can set aside part of our budget at the GNBA to encourage that, since we can raise

the level of broadcasting. I believe if the GNBA goes in that direction and I hope it does very shortly, I am hoping that we can give a boost to people who are preparing content for broadcasting, so that the quality can be raised,” he explained.

Coverage

He added that GNBA under the Broadcast Act, is required to ensure that specified areas are properly served with the widest possible coverage, however, instead of the entire Region 10, the RBI application

seeks permission for broadcast only in Linden, with intentions of subsequently expanding to other parts of Region 10.

“But, we do not have an actual application and I suspect that they would want to start with Linden and once they get that up and running, they will then branch off.

That is just my suspicion, based on the document in possession of GNBA but as it is right now, the operation and the permission is intended for Linden”, he established.

Man fined $1.4M, jailed for 3 years for trafficking ganja

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man was on Tuesday fined $1.4 million and sentenced to spend the next three years in prison when he appeared before Magistrate Rhondell Weaver at the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court.

Dorsett McCammon, 34, of Edinburgh, East Bank Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that on December 7, 2015, he had in his possession leaves, seeds and stems later identified as cannabis.

The prosecution’s facts stated that on the day in question, acting on information, Police set up a road block at Fort Wellington and apprehended some criminals who was in a hire car travel-

Dorsett McCammon

ling from New Amsterdam to Georgetown.

At the time, McCammon was in possession of a haversack which was searched

and the drug was discovered.

The leaves, seeds and stems were tested and then weighed in the presence of the suspect and found to be 962 grams. He was arrested and charged.

McCammon has been before the court on several occasions for possession of cannabis and armed robbery as well as murder.

Back in 2007, on February 11, McCammon was accused of shooting and killing Police Constable Michau Cort, 27, of El Dorado Village, West Coast Berbice.

He was charged with murder and committed to stand trial in the High Court, but he was freed by the Court in December 2009.

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friDAY, april 8, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Ministerial Code of Conduct still to be enforced

F

ive months after releasing a draft copy of the Code of Conduct for ministers of the Government and other Members of Parliament (MP), the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) is yet to make an official declaration and enforcement of the new set of rules.

At the beginning of March, government had said it was extending the countrywide consultation on the subject, opening opportunities for civil society to give its extensive input on the way forward. However, up until now, nothing of the sort has been forthcoming.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon was unreachable on Thursday for a comment on the subject. According to the Ministry of the Presidency, the purpose of the Code of Conduct is to assist ministers and members of parliament and public office holders

• Accountability. Public office holders are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions, and must submit themselves to scrutiny and criticism.

• Dignity. Public office holders are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that is worthy of the respect of their peers and the public.

• Diligence. Public office holders are expected to be effective, efficient, courteous and reliable in the performance of their duties.

• Duty. Public office holders are reminded that they owe a duty to the public and must consider themselves servants of the people.

• Honour. Members of Parliament should regard it as an honour to serve in the nation’s highest legislative forum. They have a moral responsibility to preserve the reputation of their office.

• Integrity. Public office holders have a duty to declare any private interest relating to the discharge of their duties and responsibilities, and to ensure that their personal decisions and actions are not in conflict with the national interest.

• Loyalty. Public office holders should display allegiance to the State and should show concern for the wellbeing of the persons that they were elected to represent.

• Objectivity. Ministers, in carrying out public business, should make decisions based on merit when making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits.

• Responsibility. Ministers collectively; have a basic responsibility to take decisions only in the national interest void of any forms of personal gain, or other material benefits for themselves, their family or their friends.

• Transparency. Ministers should be open about all their public decisions and actions and be prepared to provide explanations when so demanded by the public. in the discharge of their obligations to their constituents and the public at large.

It provides guidance on the values - the moral qualities – that should govern the conduct of ministers and

members in discharging their parliamentary and public duties. It is also meant to reinforce public confidence in the way ministers and public office holders perform those duties.

Ministers by virtue of the Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance taken when they are elected, have a duty to be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, accord-

ing to law.

Public office holders are duty-bound by this Code in all aspects of their public life.

This Code does not seek to regulate the conduct of public office holders in their private and personal lives.

Public office holders have a duty to uphold the law, including the general law against discrimination and sexual harassment, and to act with propriety on all occasions in accordance with the public trust and confidence placed in them.

Public office holders have a general duty to act in the interests of the nation as a whole and owe a special duty of care to their constituents, and citizens.

The Code of Conduct says that the acceptance of gifts and other forms of rewards, worth more than $10,000

by Ministers, Members of Parliament and public office holders in their official capacity, shall be reported to

the Integrity Commission.

Ministers, Members of Parliament and public office holders should consider declining such gratuities if the acceptance of same could be perceived to have an effect on their objectivity and lead to complaints of bias or impropriety.

The Code of Conduct lays out that Ministers, Members of Parliament and public office holders should also avoid using their official position or transmitting any information made available to them in the course of their duties to benefit themselves, their relations or any other individuals with whom they are associated.

They should avoid compromising themselves or their office and which may lead to an actual or perceived conflict of interest. Failure to avoid or declare any conflict of interest may give rise to criticism of favouritism, abuse of authority or even allegations of corruption.

Cunha Canal rehab project to start year-end jected by the World Bank and implemented by the Agriculture Sector Development Unit (ASDU) under the Ministry of Agriculture.

The project will see the reconstruction of four kilometres of the North Eastern Dam of the East Demerara Water Conservancy as well as the construction of three

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Agriculture Minister Noel Holder during a meeting with IDB specialists

ehabilitation work on the Cunha Canal is set for this yearend. This was confirmed by the Agriculture Ministry on Wednesday after discussions were held at a meeting with Agriculture Minister Noel Holder and a team from the World Bank.

Under the project, there will be the rehabilitation of the drainage canal, construction and rehabilitation of sluices and the construction of a bridge on the East Bank Demerara Public Road.

Apart from flood relief, the project will also seek to improve drainage in agricultural areas on the East Bank of Demerara that drain into the Bandarima Creek

and Sarah Johanna Canal.

According to the Agriculture Ministry, these areas will “now be able to have an increase in agricultural production”.

It was explained that these areas previously waterlogged, but upon completion of the project will be drained and available for cultivation.

Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist Armando Guzman said that the Cunha Canal rehabilitation project also comprised a “compensation component” that includes a one-off payment to Barama Company Limited.

At the meeting, the Agriculture Minister also

made enquiries into the engineering aspect of the project in relation to the construction of the dam. It was revealed that all “relevant studies” were completed with regard to the structure’s capacity to withstand the challenges of the rainy season.

The Ministry explained that the World Bank was “injecting US$3 million into the project, which would ultimately improve the relief capacity of the East Demerara Water Conservancy system by lowering of the risk of water levels exceeding “safe operating levels”.

“Under the Flood Risk Management Project, US$11.9 million was in-

Clothes vendor jailed on drug charge

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clothes vendor was jailed for three years Wednesday by Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged with narcotics possession.

Milroy Abrams, 50, of 14 East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, had initially pleaded not guilty to the offence of having in his possession, on December 30, 2015 at East Ruimveldt, 18 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

During the trial the prosecution presented evidence to show that on the day in question, police acting on information that

Milroy Abrams

Abrams was selling narcotics from his Ruimveldt home, went there and conducted a search.

According to the prosecution’s case, he refused

to allow the Police into the premises but his brother, who is also a Policeman, allowed them into the home.

When they entered police found Abrams vigorously trying to flush the narcotics down a toilet.

Some was retrieved and a search of his room revealed 11 grams in a calabash.

Abrams’s attorney during the trial continuously pointed out to the court that no search warrant was presented to his client before the search was conducted.

This however did not carry much weight to affect the outcome. As such having been found guilty Abrams was jailed.

pump stations at Hope/ Enmore, Lusignan and Buxton/Friendship,” the Ministry stated.

It was revealed that tenders were recently submitted for the reconstruction of the dam, while tenders for the pump stations were “expected to be advertised by the end of April 2016”.

It was noted that a team

of specialists will be collaborating with the ASDU and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to ensure the project is completed over the next three years.

This project was signed in February 2016 at the Finance Ministry by Finance Minister Winston Jordan and World Bank representatives.

12 news

friDay, APRIL 8, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Harmon gets slaughtered, Trotman gets a free pass – Jagdeo ...questions public’s selectivity

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hough they both made similar controversial pronouncements deemed to be admissions of corruption, State Minister Joseph Harmon is currently the subject of immense public backlash but Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman was easily let off the hook, and according to Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, the situation is quite odd.

During a news conference on Thursday, Jagdeo questioned the public’s judgement in openly criticising one government official over a particular issue while his colleague, who is also guilty of same, was not even remotely publicly reprimanded.

“Trotman gets a free pass, making a statement as outrageous as that two months back and Harmon gets slaughtered for what he said,” he expressed.

Trotman, during a postcabinet press briefing on

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman

February 3, disclosed that businessmen typically make donations into political parties as their way of making an investment.

“In a sense, they are saying that we are not going to get involved, but you’ve come to us for assistance so we’ll give both (political parties), some they give more to, some they give less to and in a sense, it is their way of

making an investment and that is the way it is done throughout the world,” he had stated, but no one had batted an eye.

Similarly, Harmon recently declared in defence of his appointment of businessman Brian Tiwari as advisor, that “we have issued several instruments of appointments like these to persons both from the APNU

and the AFC side and you would notice that I have signed it for many persons who have helped us in the campaign and those who have the capacity to help us further.”

In this case, his comments sparked widespread public uproar which went as far as Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc (TIGI) issuing a scathing statement, labelling the entire administration as corrupt.

Jagdeo believes both statements are equally reprehensible and he so cautioned the public not to be selective in their criticisms against public officials.

He also used to opportunity to remind government that one of the central focuses of its campaign was to stamp out corruption, yet, he indicated that the new administration seems to be doing quite the opposite of what they preached.

EPI 2016 Report

Guyana ranked 6th for world’s cleanest air

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ith the growing threat of climate change on developing countries, Guyana has

still been able to come in at number six on the rankings of 180 countries on this year’s Environment

Performance index (EPI).

The 2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI), a Yale-based initiative, which

evaluates how 180 countries protect ecosystems and human health, has found cause for both optimism and serious concern.

According to the report, the world’s nations have expanded access to water and sanitation while creating more protected areas than ever before, yet countries have failed to reverse degradation of air quality and decline in fisheries. The EPI, which measures national and global protection of ecosystems and human health from environmental harm, draws out trends and highlights data gaps in priority areas including air quality, water management, and climate change.

According to the report, Guyana sits just below Australia and above New Zealand with an air quality score of 95.72. It has scored 100 on the air Pollution Exceedance, 98.14 on the Air Pollution Average Exposure to Nitrogen score, and 90.27 on household air quality score.

The United States of America, a developed country ranks 43, while China sits way below at 179. These two countries have been notorious for their huge impact on climate change with their high degree emissions.

Climate change has significantly impacted small states in coral reefs, fisheries and other marine-based resources Small developing countries like Guyana are vulnerable to climate change impacts, which will become critical if no appropriate action is taken. Many islands are threatened by rising sea levels. continued on page 13

God is female... also

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ast night, the Hindu community initiated nine nights of the worship of God as “female”. The Hindi equivalent of “nine nights” is “Nau Raat” and it is by the latter name that the observances are commonly known.

Growing up in Guyana, I discovered while yet in primary school, that “God as Female” was a very strange notion to most of my friends. I attended Uitvlugt Church of Scotland School and had to attend Wednesday services in the Church. I was more interested in the gleaming brass pipes of the huge organ which we had to supply with air from bellows as Miss La Rose played sedately.

But I gathered the dominant idea from the sermons that God was REALLY a male who was somewhere “up there in heaven”.

When I attended Mandir every Thursday night (in the beginning, more for the “parsaad”, I confess) arrayed in front of me was a complete pantheon of Gods - male of various visages, female of as many visages, half-man half beast, all beast, and seemingly everything in between.

The “in between” alternated between various symbols (Om and Formless Lingas) and even sound and silence.

So as a Hindu, to worship God as “female” was as natural as breathing air. There was no “one way” of worshipping and certainly not one conception of God to which worship was offered. To ME, what was preached in the Church of Scotland was quite strange. I was raised by my grandparents and my Nana was somewhat of a nonconformist. He didn’t attend Mandir and preferred to expound at home on his favourite text, the Ramcharitmanas - the exploits of Sri Ram. He challenged me to think very early about whether a God that pervaded the entire universe - was “here, there and everywhere” - could possibly have a particular form, much less a male and not a female form. His position was that whatever form you were comfortable with, that was the way to worship.

He often chanted the portion of the Ramcharitmanas when the incarnation of God (as Vishnu), Sri Ram prayed to God as not just female - but a “warrior” female - Durga Devi. Once you could get your head around that concept there’s no going back to God as a grey bearded man in the sky.

The interesting thing about Hinduism is that it starts from the premise that if we are incapable of comprehending the nature of even the physical universe, (Wasn’t this just confirmed - at a very mundane level - by the recent detection of a four dimensional spacetime continuum through the measurement of gravity waves?) what about God in which that universe itself in immanent? can we dare to limit God by gender or number? But all is not lost.

Hindus have discovered several paths through which one can directly apprehend God. And one of these is to love and worship Her in whichever way you can through whatever form you can respond to. Or no “form” for that matter.

In Hindu semiotics females are the signifiers of power - Shakti and male are merely “inert”. So in the nine days of Nau Raatri we worship God first as “Durga” who possesses all the weapons and strength of the Gods the same Durga worshipped by Ram before he went into battle against Ravana.

While Mothers are usually thought of as peaceful, no one will defend her children as a mother will. In our own lives, we all have battles to fight and so for three days we pray to the Mother in this form to show us the way.

During the next three days, we will then continue with worshipping God as female by focusing on her as Maha Lakshmi, the bestower of wealth.

In Hindu culture it is the female who is the conserver of the wealth of the family, which is absolutely necessary for life. And the last three days to Mother Saraswati, the bestower of knowledge without which no battle can be won, nor wealth acquired.

Happy Nau Raatri, Guyana.

News

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friDay, APRIL 8, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Regional fisheries stakeholders Work moving apace to meet on emerging challenges East Bank Road Expansion Project

meet August deadline

…Guyana committed to promoting sustainable marine practices – Agri Minister

Regional stakeholders at the CRFM’s 14th Meeting on the Caribbean Fisheries Forum on Thursday at the Ramada Princess Hotel

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Contractors working on the expanded road in front of the Providence Police Station on Thursday

eeks after the signing of an addendum (addition) to the original contracts to facilitate the continuation of delayed construction on the East Bank Road Expansion Project, work is moving apace as the contractors look to meet the August deadline.

The East Bank Expansion Project, which commenced some three years ago, is divided into three lots – Lot One (Providence to Covent Garden); Lot Two (Prospect to Little Diamond) and Lot Three (Little Diamond to Diamond Intersection).

Lots One and Two were completed last year; however, works in Lot Three were significantly delayed after the contractor – Dipcon Engineering – encountered difficulties with the removal of utilities and sourcing materials. The company had even engaged Government for financial assistance in acquiring materials and transporting them to the site.

Last September, the Public Infrastructure Ministry amicably dissolved the US$8 million contract with Dipcon and subsequently handed over the Project to the two contractors who worked on Lot Two (General Earth Movers (GEM) Ltd and Gaico Construction) and Lot Three (BK International Inc).

Works on Lot One were divided into two sections; the first from Providence to midway Herstelling (in front of Khamboat Restaurant) was awarded via the addendum to GEM and Gaico, while the other section from the end of the first section to the begin-

ning of Lot Two was given to BK International.

In an interview with Guyana Times, Chief Roads and Bridges Officer Ron Rahaman explained that GEM’s and Gaico’s initial contract was to the tune of US$5.8 million and they were paid an additional US$3.3 million to complete the new set of works, while BK International was paid US$1.7 million in addition to the US$3.4 million it initially received.

Works in Lot One were about 60 per cent complete.

GEM and Gaico recommenced work on March 11 and have so far completed approximately 10 per cent.

Among the works to be done in this section are installing concrete drains and filling out the sub-base of the expanded road before laying asphalt.

As it relates to the section awarded to BK, work commenced there on February 22 and to date about 10 per cent has been completed.

Works in this section include widening of the road and installing concrete drains.

Both contractors were given an August 30, 2016 deadline to complete the works.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funded East Bank Road Expansion Project kicked off in early 2012 and was expected to end in late 2013, with a total budget of US$17.2 million. Shortage of materials, delays owing to utilities relocation, cash flow, downtime of equipment, lack of human resources and construction methodology were

Guyana ranks 6th for...

Another growing concern is the increasing number and severity of extreme weather events – with all they entail in terms of loss of life and damage to property and infrastructure that can easily cripple small economies.

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are among the parties least responsible for climate change and are dependent on others to ensure that significant action

is taken in support of the Convention. Consequently, they strive not only to support the process directly but also to ensure that proper international action is taken to limit emissions of greenhouse gases and to adapt to climate change.

Guyana has so far conserved its forests, providing the world the benefits of carbon sequestration without compensation. However, development pressures are

among some of the challenges the Project has faced.

Meanwhile, as it relates to the Two-Lane Highway Upgrade from Grove to Timehri, the IDB-funded feasibility study has been completed. At the 2015 year-end briefing, Head of the Works Services Group, Geoffrey Vaughn, had stated that the Ministry was awaiting final submission by the consultant, CEMCO/ EXP. The goal of this two-lane upgrade project is to widen the road to include parking and sidewalks, creating more space and convenience for road users.

In May 2011, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Cabinet had given its no-objection to the US$1.6 million contract to improve the access road leading to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

Government had subsequently obtained US$20 million from the IDB for the East Bank Road Extension Project.

The main objectives of the Project are to enhance urban and suburban mobility and safety by lowering transport costs and reducing accident rates via the expansion of the East Bank Demerara Main Road from two lanes to four lanes between Providence and Diamond.

The roadway itself not only links West Demerara via the Demerara Harbour Bridge, but leads to the country’s main international airport at Timehri, and Linden, a main gateway to the hinterland.

from page 12

increasing the burning and clearing of tropical forests as Governments seek to combat poverty and provide for their people.

In this age of climate change, the global community needs to develop incentives for developing nations such as Guyana to conserve their tropical forests for both the climate change benefits and the irreplaceable resources and services they provide.

takeholders from across the Caribbean are meeting over a two-day period to discuss and strategise on an action plan as it relates to tackling emerging challenges in the Region’s fisheries sector.

This is being done as the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) is hosting its 14th meeting of the Caribbean Fisheries Forum in Guyana. The two-day meeting, which commenced on Thursday, will see the 50plus participants from across the Region placing emphasis on promoting the development, management and conservation of the Caribbean’s fisheries resources.

Speaking at the opening ceremony at the Ramada Princess Hotel, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder pointed out that with the increasing health awareness globally and

the known benefits of fishes, the demand for seafood was getting high. He noted that while the global marine sector was being pressured to fulfil this demand, it should be done in a sustainable manner so that future generations can enjoy similar conditions.

On this note, the Minister said Guyana was committed to working along with regional partners in promoting sustainable marine practices.

“We in Guyana are committed to sustainable management and advancement of the sector, and we are committed to working with our partners to ensure that we fish responsibly and practice sustainable fishing practices,” he stated.

According to the Agriculture Minister, the local fisheries sector faces many challenges that are not foreign to other Caribbean countries such as adverse conditions and

an increase in seaweed, which hamper fishing activities.

He noted that with this Forum, regional stakeholders would be able to tackle these issues while developing efficient ways of managing the Region’s fisheries and aquaculture resources.

“In Guyana, like many others CRFM members, aquaculture is proving to be struggling to take off commercially because of numerous challenges and such as the high costs of imported feed and other inputs… (but) we need to work together as a Region to ensure the success of aquaculture,” he said.

CRFM Secretariat Executive Director Milton Haughton noted that while the challenges affecting the Region’s aquaculture sector were numerous, he believed that together they could sustain a thriving sector. turn to page 14

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guyana-times.com

friDay, april 8, 2016

News

Sussex Street executions

World Health Day

“Sound” charged for Health walk and exhibition hosted GDF rank’s murder – 2 others charged for death of “Tuffy”

Dellon Small

Dellon Thom and Trefon Parris

ellon Small, also called “Sound”, was on Thursday slapped with a murder charge when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

It is alleged that on March 29, in Georgetown, he murdered Kevon Payne, a Lance Corporal with the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard.

In court on Thursday, Defence lawyer Glenn Hanoman told the court that Police investigators failed to take the statements of three witnesses, who could account for Small’s whereabouts on the night Payne was gunned down.

According to Small’s Attorney, at the time of the execution, his client was some distance away from the murder scene. The lawyer is calling for a thorough investigation into the mat-

ter before the case is called again on April 20.

“I hope that the Police can do a proper investigation and get advice from the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions),” the lawyer told the court. Small was remanded to prison until April 20, when the case will continue.

On the night of March 29, Payne and another man, Shakel Williams, 22, of James Street, Albouystown, were among a group of men standing on the roadway at Lyng and Sussex Streets, Charlestown, when two men armed with firearms rode up on a motorcycle and discharged rounds in their direction.

Payne was hit about his body and Williams was hit to his right foot. As a result, Payne was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival while

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Williams was admitted.

The Police say ranks of a Police mobile patrol in the vicinity of the shooting responded to the sound of gunshots and confronted the two suspects who managed to escape after an exchange of gunfire with the ranks.

Meanwhile, Dellon Thom and Trefon Parris were also slapped with the murder of Gladston “Tuffy” Taylor. It is alleged that on April 1, at Sussex Street, they murdered Taylor.

On the night of the shooting, Taylor was reportedly sitting at Adelaide and Sussex Streets, when two men rode up on a CG motorcycle and opened fire on him. He was shot at least five times about his body.

He was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of the duo.

Students participating in an “Active Living” word search game

By Shemuel Fanfair

A

s Guyana joined the rest of the world in observing World Health Day 2016 on Thursday, the Education Ministry in collaboration with the Public Health Ministry hosted a health walk and exhibition.

Under the banner of “50 days of Activism”, the day’s activities commenced with a walk from the Education Ministry’s office at 21 Brickdam and ended at the National Cultural Centre where the mini-health fair was held on the tarmac.

Present at the exhibition was Director of Youth (acting) Gillian Frank who described the day’s proceedings as a “success”.

Frank explained that the “50 days of Activism” started Thursday and will run until May 26.

It was explained that the main objective of the activities was to create and increase health awareness on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and mental illness. The acting Director of Youth explained that the Ministry intended to conduct awareness programmes across all the Regions.

Blood pressure and eye testing were some of the services participants were of-

fered and gained knowledge about.

Dr Neil Trotman explained the measures persons could take to maintain a good blood pressure.

“In order to maintain a good blood pressure or ideal blood pressure, we need to look at our diet – cutting down the amount of salt intake we might use; also regular daily exercise, not necessarily lifting weights but normal jogs in the afternoons and checking your blood pressure regularly especially if you are hypertensive,” he noted.

Students were also educated on ways to prevent diabetes and the importance of breast feeding. Community Nutrition Officer of the Public Health Ministry’s Food Policy Department, Diekola Gittens praised the health fair. She sought to explain the responsibilities of her Department.

“The Food Policy Department is responsible for manning the nutritional status of the country, and to report to the Minister of Public Health findings. We also do BMI (Body Mass Index) education for the general public where we take a person’s height and their weight and we do calculations – depending on the

number we come with, we would know whether that person is overweight, underweight or in their normal weight,” Gittens explained.

Many students were seen taking their measurements and anxiously awaiting the results.

Students also learnt of the dangers which smoking poses to health. Tisha Campbell of the Adolescent Health Department highlighted the dangerous chemicals in cigarettes and their link to lung cancer.

Other topics covered were contraception, dental health, and prevention of mosquito-borne diseases, such as Dengue Fever and Zika.

Schools which participated in the exhibition were The Bishops’ High and St Joseph’s High; Charlestown, Campbellville, Dolphin, North Ruimveldt, and Lodge Secondary Schools.

Students from the Kuru Kuru Training Centre also participated.

Earlier at the health walk, Junior Education Minister with responsibility for Youth, Culture and Sport, Nicolette Henry and Director of Sport, Christopher Jones were in attendance.

Regional fisheries stakeholders...

Haughton outlined that sustainable aquaculture and use of marine resources was particularly important because it was recently reported by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) that the WesternCentral Atlantic sea is one of the most overfished areas in the world.

The Executive Director noted that while the Caribbean has recorded a trend of production that was said to be “in poverty”, the Region needed to be cautious.

“When we hear about these declines, we all have to be concerned and we all have to redouble our efforts to make sure that we re-

verse this negative trend,” he remarked, adding that he is “confident that if we continue to work together in the spirit of partnership and cooperation, we can successfully navigate troubled waters and create a brighter future for our people based on our marine and other aquatic resources.”

Outgoing Chairman of the Caribbean Fisheries Forum, Justin Rennie, noted that this Forum provided a platform to build on past achievements.

Rennie will be handing over the reins to Guyana’s Chief Fisheries Officer, Denzil Roberts, who will head the technical e body

from page 13

for the next 12 months.

Among some of the key areas the Forum will be focusing during on the twoday session are: improving conservation and management of key species, and applying and using the value-chain approach in order to increase benefits such as income and export potential.

Quality control for exportation to international markets, strengthening the linkage between fisheries and tourism, and progress in relation to the implementation of the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy (CCCFP) are also expected to be addressed by the Forum.

friDAY, april 8, 2016

guyana-times.com

15

News

Local businesswoman attends Land Court Judge home invasion entrepreneurial exchange in US Accused denies involvement as trial continues

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Businesswoman Christine Gooding during a television interview while in the US

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nother Guyanese recently returned from the United States after participating in the Embassy-sponsored International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP) exchange initiative.

Following her return, businesswoman Christine Gooding met with US Ambassador Perry Holloway on Thursday.

Gooding, founder and co-owner of Market Square (M2), joined 23 other female entrepreneurs from various industries across the globe in an IVLP exchange on “Women and Entrepreneurship” from February 27 to March 19, 2016.

Recognising that the untapped potential of women is a lost opportunity for economic growth and development, the initiative aims to illustrate the essential role of non-governmental and grassroots organisations in supporting and empowering the development of womenowned businesses, and exploring the progress of women in participating more fully in the global economy.

Through in-depth discussions, workshops, and site visits, participants were in-

troduced to various business models, support mechanisms and innovations such as micro-lending, multi-level marketing and the use of the Internet. Discussions also centred on societal barriers hampering entrepreneurs, especially women and other disadvantaged groups.

Participants with first-hand experience overcoming those barriers had the opportunity to share best practices with their counterparts.

Among the highlights of the visit was a visit to Silicon Valley, the heart of entrepreneurship, the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector and innovation. Gooding was particularly impressed with the emphasis placed on technological advancement for women and girls.

Promoting the full participation of women and girls in the political, economic, and social realms of their countries remains a key goal of US foreign policy.

Ambassador Holloway reaffirmed the US Government’s commitment to work with and strengthen the role of organisations and contribute to the improved well-being of Guyana’s most valuable resources – its people,

Govt to reject...

He told a news conference that the judge misinterpreted the law and did not consider it in complete context, given that voters as prescribed by S.16:06 of the Local Government laws would refer to the elected councillors.

Williams argued that the law clearly states that Mayor and Deputy Mayor cannot be elected by the electorate and as such any move in this direction will conflict the constitution.

He was confident the government can successfully challenge the decision in the court when it comes up before the Chief Justice later this month.

Bulkhan who joined Williams at the news conference said councillors were appropriately notified by the Town Clerk and Overseers

through capacity building and strengthening institutions. He noted that the IVLP programme offered one of the best means to do so, as it fostered an exchange of new ideas with leading Americans and US organisations, while leading to lasting connections among IVLP participants.

On Wednesday, local businessman Triston Thompson met with Ambassador Holloway after he too returned from participating in another exchange programme.

During his visit, Thompson got the opportunity to meet with US Secretary of State, John Kerry and Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere, Roberta S Jacobson at the US Department of State to discuss the future of entrepreneurship and the importance of empowering young leaders throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

The IVLP brings together emerging leaders in their respective professions to learn how US experts in their professions operate, and to share best practices with other programme fellows who hail from across the globe.

from page 7

and that they were aware the sole purpose of the meeting in the case of the town of Mabaruma, was to elect a Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

The minister said he intends to challenge the decision.

Earlier Thursday, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo told a news conference that Bulkhan disregarded the laws for the sake of convenience.

“This here is a legal action on the part of the government,” Jagdeo declared He told reporters that his party sought to reach a compromise with the APNU/AFC and offered for there to be a rotation of the Mayorship and Deputy Mayorship in Mabaruma and similar arrangements for the five NDCs where there is a tie.

Jagdeo said he personally spoke with the government’s chief Whip Amna Ally on the matter at the weekend where she said after consultations with President David Granger, a decision has been taken to accept the suggestion of the PPP. He said there were even discussions on the process and procedure and talks about a formal agreement on the rotation.

However, Jagdeo said the government has reneged on its position and moved to flout the laws and unilaterally appoint APNU/AFC councillors to the top posts, even in areas where the PPP won a plurality of votes.

This action, Jagdeo said, is undemocratic and is thwarting the will of the majority of the people in those NDCs

s the trial into the July 9, 2015, home invasion and robbery of Land Court Judge Nicola Pierre and her husband Mohamed Chand continues, one of the accused has denied any involvement in the brazen robbery.

Premnauth Samaroo; Damien Millington, 22, of Lot 118 Caesar Street, Agricola, Greater Georgetown; Nicholas Narine, 18, also of Caesar Street, Agricola; Anthony David, 28, of 63 Hadfield Street, Stabroek, Georgetown; and Warren McKenzie, 22, of Lot 18 Brutus Street, Agricola, are before the court for the robbery and home invasion, as well as an additional charge of discharging a loaded firearm at security guard Ron Peters.

The men, who are all on remand, are all denying any association with the robbery.

The matter is being tried before Magistrate Zamilla AllySeepaul at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.

On Wednesday, Samaroo, in an unsworn statement denied involvement in the crime as well as alleged he does not know

the other defendants. He alleged that on the night in question he was at a friend’s residence in Festival City playing video games.

He continued by relating that later that night, they left the house and headed to Agriculture Road, East Coast Demerara, to pick up another friend.

“Me and two other persons drive up Agriculture Road and been and collect me friend right by he girl. He does live right in Festival City,” he stated, adding that during the journey two other men joined the vehicle. He explained that when returning from the girl’s house, the car broke down at Better Hope, ECD. “We were pushing it to Georgetown. The driver end up telling we that he got family in Plaisance,” he explained, adding that they later went to his friend’s relatives’ home where they parked the vehicle.

He further related that some time later, they heard explosions which sounded like gunshots so they ventured towards the main road in hope of catching a bus or taxi. “While stand-

ing there, we didn’t know something happen about the place. A police guy run across the road with a big gun and stick up all five of us and took we to the Plaisance lock-ups,” he claimed.

Samaroo recalled that they spent the night in the lock-ups and the next day, they were taken to the Criminal Investigations Department, Eve Leary where they met the Head of Major Crimes Unit Assistant Superintendent of Police Mitchell Caesar.

He said they were later taken to the Beterverwagting Police Station where the police “did forensic testing, however, they found no incriminating evidence on him.

It was while at the said Police Station that Samaroo said he was placed in three identification (ID) parades.

On the third ID Parade the security guard identified him, he recalled:“That was it…I end up in prison for something me ain’t do. These four men, I don’t know them,” he stated, adding that he intends to summonwitnesses to confirm his alibi.

16 NEWS

friDAY, april 8, 2016 | guyana-times.com

50th anniversary commemorative Wales Sugar Estate closure GAWU, Wales workers stand in stamps unveiled solidarity during vigil

By Shemuel Fanfair

O

I

Five of the 15 commemorative stamps for the 50th Golden Jubilee Anniversary

n keeping with the theme of this year’s Golden Jubilee Anniversary, 15 postal stamps were on Thursday unveiled during a ceremony at Castellani House.

The initiative, a joint effort between the Ministry of Education, Department of Culture, Youth and Sport and the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC), highlights Guyana as it is and how it was.

These commemorative stamps will be advertised worldwide as they are expected to circulate internationally, placing Guyana once again on the overseas market for its unique tastes in stamp production.

Additionally, the stamps were created with the effect of bringing back to Guyanese that proud feeling of patriotism, even as the prints of the stamps speak of Guyana itself.

As the theme for the anniversary has been announced as “Reflect, Celebrate, Inspire”, these stamps are categorized based on how they coincide with these aspects of the anniversary.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister within the Education Ministry, Nicolette Henry, said that stamps are figuratively seen as the window into a country and so these newly unveiled stamps will serve to represent Guyana and its people.

She said that these stamps will tell a story of Guyana’s visible development and advancement throughout the years of preIndependence and post-Independence.

The minister cited that not only would these stamps be a representation of our six peoples, but will be a soughafter commodity for the public domain especially those international who had always been interested in Guyana’s fine taste for stamps.

Of the categories of stamps, the first five she said will coincide with the part of the theme indicating reflection which is represented by prints of Guyana in the past years.

The second part of the theme being celebration is marked by Guyana’s national flowers which symbolises life, happiness and beauty.

In keeping with inspiration, she added that the 50th anniversary logo serves to motivate Guyana to strive even as it highlights the country’s survival for the 50 years it has been thriving as an independent nation.

Meanwhile, from the partnering company GPOC, Post Master General Karen Browne said the organisation is grateful to have been the main partners in pulling off the stamp collection.

Since the institution had started operations in Guyana, she said that the post office has evolved into serving the Guyanese population and has been playing a major role when it comes to producing stamps.

Browne said these stamps typically highlight what Guyana fundamentally comprises; its rich cultural heritage, diversity and history.

These stamps which will be in circulation across the country and beyond will be sold in denominations of $20, $80, $130, $150, and $160.

The stamps are available immediately throughout the length and breadth of the country.

Chopping to death of Mahaica farmer – eyewitness testifies to seeing defendant deliver fatal blow

D

hanpaul Singh of Helena Number Two, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, also called “Tailor Man”, is currently on trial before Justice JoAnn Barlow and a mixed 12-member jury for allegedly murdering a Mahaica farmer. The trial commenced on Wednesday and continues today.

The murder charge for which Singh is on trial reads that on September 2, 2014, at Helena Number Two, he murdered Balkissoon, also known as “Balkay”. The defendant is being represented

by Attorney Madan Kissoon while the State is being represented by Attorneys Siand Dhurjon and Shawnette Austin.

During the Preliminary Inquiry at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, it was revealed that Singh, a known drug addict, reportedly confessed to chopping the 52-year-old farmer of

Lot 107 Helena Number Two to his neck. The man succumbed to his injuries shortly after the incident.

Investigators thought that it was premeditated murder, since earlier in the day, the farmer warned the suspect to leave his premises. Singh reportedly left but staked out the man’s farm.

Balkissoon later reportedly left for lunch and it was while he was on his way back to the farm, he was attacked and killed. Moments before the chopping incident, the suspect was also chased from another farm.

On Wednesday, two Police witnesses gave their testimonies at the High Court, but it was on Thursday that the key witness testified to seeing the entire ordeal. Satesh Ramdhani, a friend of the victim’s son, related that on the day of the incident, he was on the farm where the chopping incident took

place.

The young man, who was 18 years old at the time, related that he was attracted to the scene by noise, and when he got there he saw the two men under a tree.

He explained that the defendant had two cutlasses in his handS, and during the confrontation, he saw him chop Balkissoon to his neck and then flee the scene.

He said he saw the defendant dispose of one of the said cutlasses. Ramdhani stated that he then ran to Balkissoon’s house where he informed the family of what he witnessed. During crossexamination, the witness maintained his story and when asked why he did not rush to the older man’s assistance, he stated “ah nah me daddy, me nah guh tek chop fuh he.”

The matter continues today and the Prosecution will be continuing its case against the defendant.

ver 100 sugar workers stood united at the Wales Estate, West Bank Demerara, on Thursday evening at a vigil hoping their voices will not go unnoticed as they continued their call for the rescinding of the decision to close the estate.

The echoing cries that continued throughout vigil organised by workers stated the decision to close the factory must be reversed.

Abdul Rahaman, a labourer who worked with the Estate for over 26 years has not only immediate family that depends on him but his sister as well. He explained that she is a pensioner and as such will have no other source of income.

Rahaman, sole breadwinner for his family expressed worry over his son’s future as he is about to write the National Third Form (Grade 9) exams.

In the presence of his father, a sombre younge Alsiddiq Rahaman, 14, said he has many assignments to complete and is worried that if the estate closes, his father will be unable to support him.

“If it close, he (the father) nah got money fo give me… like to go to internet and type out assignment… I think they shouldn’t bother close no Estate because without sugar de town gon dead,” the lad expressed.

Another young man, Christopher Rattam who was also standing in solidarity with his family told Guyana Times that he finished school last year and attained 9 CXC subjects.

He explained that he is currently without employment and depends on his father for upkeep. Rattam noted that the lives of his entire family will be in jeopardy and

The Rahaman family fears losing everything

as such the Estate must not be closed.

President of Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union Komal Chand who present at the solidarity vigil told workers and their families that they are standing up for everyone who stand to lose from the closure of the Estate.

“You are standing up to protect your jobs, and you are standing up for the other workers who are not here; you are standing up for the residents, housewives, and for the children…. No other Government in the world can ignore when the people take to the streets… all what he wants is to change an unconscionable decision; we want to save the jobs of managers, junior managers and everybody’s jobs… this matter is beyond politics, it’s beyond race, it’s a workers’ cause,” The GAWU president noted.

General Sectary of GAWU Seepaul Narine read out a statement by the union which noted that workers at Wales “remain unwavering in seeking the reversal of the callous, uncaring decision which will risk the livelihood of about 2500 workers and farmers and their dependents”.

The statement added that

those affected will be forced to contend with “economic deterioration” as 1500 hectares of cultivation will be “abandoned by the Government of Guyana”.

“Some weeks ago, 67 workers have been denied continuous employment because the Estate Management deemed their work status as temporary. Another 105 have been deemed redundant while hundreds of others are unaware of their fate, more so when one takes into account that Uitvlugt Estate, having its own workforce, cannot accommodate them,” the union added.

Guyana Times was told there are discussions about taking the protest actions into the capital city, if the decision to close is not reconsidered.

The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) confirmed the closure of the estate in January after Guyana Times broke the news of the decision.

The rationale behind the closure was that this year would see Wales accounting for 1.6-1.9 billion dollars in losses. Since this announcement was made, a series of strike actions have continued against the decision to close the estate.

Deady prison riot

Pilgram unfit to run Prison – former inmate

R

ecently freed inmate of the Georgetown Prison, Patrick Narine, believes that the Officer in Charge (OC) of the facility is “unfit” to manage its affairs.

Narine took the stand on Thursday, where he testified to the Commission of Inquiry about the March 3 disturbances at the Camp Street Penitentiary, which led to the death of 17 inmates with several others injured.

He recalled the events of the fatal day to the Commissioners, claiming the incident was a “massacre” to get rid of inmates. However, under cross examination by Attorney Selwyn Pieters, representing the Guyana Police Service and the Guyana Prisons Service, he opined that Superintendent Kevin Pilgrim, OC of the Camp Street Prison, lacked the leadership capabilities needed to run a penal facility.

“Pilgrim is not fit to run a prison,” he declared. The former inmate went on to ex-

plain: “If you are an officer in charge of a jail and you are going to tell the general population, we are going to lock you in a cell and let you kill each other… (and) I am going to do the necessary paper work, then you can’t be fit,” Narine related to the Commission.

Following his declaration, the Counsel for the Disciplined Forces attempted to ascertain from the witness his qualifications to arrive at such a conclusion but the ex-prisoner failed to provide such.

Moreover, while this may be Narine’s position about Pilgrim and a few other officers currently stationed at the facility, he noted that the Prisons previously had several officers who, in his mind, had the capability of directing the affairs of Prison.

“If a man like Mr Hazel were on that jail it (unrest) would not have happen – these officers look into prisoners’ problem… These men, I would say, are capable of running a prison,” he noted.

One day after the deadly Camp Street Riot, Pilgrim at a press conference publicly apologised to those aggrieved by the events that had unfolded. He noted that at the time, the Georgetown Prison was in an emotional state not only for the prisoners but the officers as well.

The OC recognised that it was his mandate to preserve the lives of every inmate along with the officers who supervise those inmates. “(March 3) was a very unfortunate incident, I am sorry…

I just want to say that I don’t have to wait on an inquiry or an investigation to personally say sorry, simply because of the fact that I am responsible for this prison location and the Laws of Guyana stated clearly when you decide to take up that challenge as an Officer in Charge, like of solider for this troops, you have to be responsible for everyone under your charge,” he had remarked.

guyanatimesgy.com

friday, APRIL 8, 2016

T

he road to Miss World Guyana 2016 officially kicks off with the sashing ceremony of the nine finalists, at Cara Lodge on Saturday, April 23 at 10:00h.

10 finalists are Divya The Yabindranauth – Miss Region One (Barima-Waini); Najuma Nelson – Miss Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); Marva Langevine – Miss Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); Ariella Basdeo – Miss Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); Ashmini Ramnauth – Miss Region Five (MahaicaBerbice); Marleena Ramdass – Miss Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); Treasure James – Miss Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); Nurriyah Gerrard – Miss Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni); and Damalle Jackman – Miss Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo).

The finalists will be competing in several segments including sports and fitness, talent, interview, top model, multimedia competition, and Beauty with a Purpose. These preliminary competitions commence from May 8 leading up to the grand coronation on May 27.

The Miss World Guyana 2016 Pageant is a platform to enable personal and professional growth among finalists in addition to the promotion of community service, beauty, fitness and talent.

Participation in the pageant affords young women the opportunity to raise awareness on issues and causes affecting their communities as they serve as regional ambassadors.

As usual, Missosology Guyana is once again partnering with the Miss World Guyana organisation in conducting the official Miss World Guyana 2016 People’s Choice Award.

This year, Missosology Guyana is shaking things up a bit by rolling out two segments for the Miss Popularity Contest as part of the People’s Choice Award. These are multimedia page and fan voting.

For the first, voting stared on February 23 and ends on May 25 at 12:00h (noon). Patrons are encourage to visit the regional multimedia page of their favourite contestant to keep up to date with all events leading up to the finals of Miss World Guyana 2016.

With respect to fan voting, fans can start casting their votes on April 2 from 12:00h and it will end on May 25 at 12:00h. Only the “LIKES” in this album will be counted towards the scores in determining the winner.

The winner of the Miss World Guyana 2016 People’s Choice Award (Miss Popularity) will be presented with a custom-made trophy and a onehour photo shoot session with one of Guyana’s top photographers.

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guyanatimesgy.com

friday, APRIL 8, 2016

Two of the jumpers proudly landed to safety as they carried the Golden Arrow Head after which there was a military display as one flag was handed over to the Indigenous Affairs Minister.

Also witnessing the handing over were Minister Valerie Garrido-Lowe and Ministerial Advisor Mervin Williams.

Meanwhile, the Ministry’s Golden Jubilee Mini Totem Pole was also on display at the two-

J

udah Kenyon has emerged King of the just concluded 2016 Rupununi Rodeo when the curtains came down on an eventful two days of action on Sunday evening at the Rupununi Ranchers Rodeo ground in Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo).

King Kenyon grabbed the most coveted crown after carting away four of the evening’s top prizes which were up for grabs.

Among the other winners were Point Ranches bull riding champion Eon Jacobus, Bareback Bronco Corine Peters, Wild Cow Milking Paul St Hill, Steer Roping Nicodemas from Dadanawa Ranch, Calf Roping Odis Peters, Best Dressed Male Vaqueros Antonio Andrews and Best Dressed Female Vaqueros Alice Atkinson.

The events which for the most part were held under flood lights saw the thousands in attendance given their money’s worth, with the chills and thrills organisers had promised as they took fans on the “The Wild Side.”

The two days of activities began immediately following a spectacle through the streets of Lethem when vaqueros were all

O

decked out in their cowboy and cowgirl attire carrying flags, with Vice President and Indigenous Peoples Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock leading the parade and proudly displaying a flag with Guyana’s 50th Anniversary Logo.

The ride began at the Lethem Airstrip and concluded at the Rodeo ground.

Among the day’s added attractions was atmen-man military display by members of the Harpy Eagle Parachute Club.

The paratroopers were led

by Veteran Jumper Lieutenant Lloyd Souvenir; with the youngest Paratrooper being 27-yearold Sergeant Chris Corbin who has been in the business for almost 10 years.

n Sunday last, the Sonia Noel Foundation for Creative Arts hosted a fun day and afternoon of talent for the orphans and underprivileged children who reside at the Drop-in Centre at Sophia, Greater Georgetown, and Joshua House on Thomas Street, Georgetown.

The children, who were between the ages of six and 17, were treated to various games and face painting.

There was also a mini talent show, where the children were able to showcase their talents in the form of poetry, song or dance.

The song “Greatest Love of All”, made famous by Whitney Houston, was sung by Otiah. A very shy, Anessa who also plays the guitar sang “I am a conqueror”.

Another participant, Rabenna recited “Crown of Glory” by Reverend Sung Yung Moon which encourages one to believe no matter what the circumstances are.

“I was not surprised by the talent exhibited because we have talent in abundance in Guyana and I feel blessed the Foundation was able to host these precious children. We spoke about love and what it means to us,” Noel stated.

The message of the importance Love Revolution was also passed on those who were present. Church’s Chicken and Pizza Hut were also part of the event which was held as a going back to school activity.

This venture was not only about giving the children

day activity and those in attendance were given the opportunity to view this creative piece of art which was carved by artist Foster Simon of St Cuthburts Mission.

The Totem Pole which is deemed a symbol of Guyanese Unity came to being after consultations with representatives from the 10 administrative regions, local artists and staff, where the spirit of the ‘Makonaima’ was used as the overarching concept.

‘Makonaima’ is believed to be the creator of life and the great spirit which sustains life, the spirit from which things emanate according to Indigenous beliefs.

T

he Guyana Fashion Week Committee held auditions for male and female models in March and the response was overwhelming.

Over 200 excited young people auditioned to be part of the premiere fashion event in Guyana. Although the auditions were held, a number of persons indicated that there were unaware that it had passed, so in an effort to facilitate them, there will be another audition.

The next audition is set for Sunday, April 10 at Water Chris Hotel, located at 184 Waterloo Street, Georgetown and is opened to male and female aspiting models between the ages 16 to 25. Girls are asked to walk with their heels. The auditions start at 14:00h and will end at 17:00h.

From the last audition, the organisers realised that those who attended were not

stories to tell, but experiences to enrich their lives. Clemencio Godette, a local actress, performed a dramatic pieces which had the children is stitches with laughter.

By the end of the evening, the children left Noel’s residence with their hearts filled with joy.

just aspiring models but rather persons who possessed other talents, such as singing, dancing, cooking and more.

Guyana Fashion Week is not just about learning to walk on the runway and having ‘the look’ but it is about the journey to the catwalk, the growth and the experience.

The Committee will soon launch Designer Portfolio and Model Search. The panellists include Meleesa Payne, Shiv Dindyal, Keron Noble, Nelsion Nurse and Olympia Small-Sonoram.

The mastermind behind GFW, Sonia Noel, said “The response we have gotten is encouraging and we are looking forward to engaging with the young people on a deeper level. We are also excited that we get to be a part of Guyana’s 50th anniversary celebrations”.

The selection process will commence after the final audition.

guyanatimesgy.com

T

friDAY, APRIL 8, 2016

Miss Universe

Derek Moore

Jyoti Hardat

he Miss Universe Guyana has launched its search to find one special Guyanese beauty to ultimately compete on the Miss Universe stage.

Leading the search for the

Miss Universe Guyana organisation is the new production and event management team, RB20/20 Productions.

RB20/20 Productions brings to the Miss Universe Guyana or-

ganisation experienced direction and leadership with CEO and Managing Partner, Jyoti Hardat; and International Pageant Coach and Designer, Derek Moore.

Contestant applications for

the 2016 Miss Universe Guyana Pageant are available online at the official website www.

MissUniverseGuyana.org.

The National Pageant is estimated to take place during the last week of August 2016, and will be viewed worldwide.

“Our global reach is maximized to extend amazing opportunities to the talented young women of our beautiful country, Guyana.

The Miss Universe Guyana organisation is one that is determined to effect change and provide the women who are a part of our system with the skill sets they’ll need to be successful leaders of tomorrow,” expressed Hardat.

The mission of the Miss Universe Guyana organisation is to empower every woman to have the confidence to stand in any forum, anywhere and proudly declare, “I am confident, I am secure, I am comfortable in my own skin. I am powerful; and that is what makes me beautiful-inside and out.”

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The organisation will continue to empower Guyanese women to be profound contributors to society, leaders and role models, as we tackle issues to make way for our future generations to flourish.

For over 60 years, women from across the world, have trained and prepared for their unique journeys toward competing for the title of Miss Universe. The Miss Universe pageant challenges women to get out of their comfort zones, push beyond their limits and be fearless.

As the official licensee of the MISS UNIVERSE® organisation, the Miss Universe Guyana organisation under RB20/20 Productions will ensure that local competitors will not only walk away with an experience of a lifetime but as developed women with the tools to pursue their goals.

To learn more about the new management or to get involved, please contact the Miss Universe Guyana organisation at Info@ MissUniverseGuyana.org.

Atta Boafo

Lil Rick Shal Marshall

A

s several entertainment groups prepare for Guyana’s independence celebrations, the Hits and Jams Entertainment group is moving full steam ahead with its preparations.

On May 22, the first event kicks off with a beach party titled “Soca Gone Wild”, featuring several regional and local soca artistes at the HJ Water World, Providence, East Bank Demerara.

The artistes confirmed to grace the event are Shal Marshall, King Bubba out of Barbados, Lil Rick and others. Guyanese soca sensation Jumo Primo and other locals will also be performing at the event. Tickets for “Soca Gone Wild” will cost $1500.

On May 25, the entertainment group is hoping to have a Jouvert concert also at the HJ Water World and will feature some of the best soca artistes in the Caribbean. Presently the Directors are in talks with the Education Ministry

Beres Hammond

through its Department of Culture, Youth and Sport and the Public Security Ministry to have the event commence at midnight of

Jumo Primo

May 25 into the morning of May 26.

Once permission is granted, the artistes will be confirmed. This will be a massive boost for the jubilee celebration – one that will definitely attract a huge crowd. On May 26, the group is presently planning another massive concert for the GFC ground, Bourda.

Details of this event will be released soon.

Then there is “Fifty Shades of Reggae” featuring the Reggae Doctor, Beres Hammond among others.

This is set for the latter part of May. In addition, as part of Guyana’s 50th independence celebrations, HJ will be hosting an award ceremony to honour Guyanese artistes who have contributed towards the advancement of the music industry over the past 10 years. The details are still being finalised.

Those are just a few of the events presently in the pipeline for the Guyanese public by the entertainment group.

U

nity Gospel Promotions will be hosting a series of events in Guyana, from April 29 to May 1, titled “Jubilee Gospel Explosion” under the theme “Unity Is Strength”.

The events will feature a powerful ministry line-up, including international artiste Atta Boafo out of Ghana, Africa; Minister Prodigal Son out of Kingston, Jamaica; Minister Anointed Vale, also out of Kingston, Jamaica; Minister Gozzy from Barbados; and a host of local ministers.

Unity Gospel Promotions was formed out of the vision to introduce and market the Caribbean’s best Gospel talent through music, drama and poetry. Out of this emerged the God-given mandate to “Evangelise to the nations and strengthen

De Anointed Vale

Prodigal Son

the believers while highlighting excellence in the Gospel Performing Arts Industry.”

These family oriented events are to introduce and hydrate the passion of our Saviour in Guyana, where the secular influences and effects are real and the technological syndrome has eclipsed the role and values of God and family in society today.

Therefore, there is a need for more engaging events such as this.

The gospel concert will be held at the National Park tarmac, Thomas Lands, Georgetown, on April 29; at the Mackenzie ground, Linden, on April 30; and at the Anna Regina Community Centre ground, Essequibo Coast, on May 1.

20

friDAY, april 8, 2016

Flawless Spieth sets early pace at the Masters J

ordan Spieth's love affair with Augusta National continued on Thursday as the reigning Masters champion fired a flawless six-under-par 66 to seize an early three-shot clubhouse lead in the opening round.

The American world number two, bidding to become only the fourth player to claim back-to-back Masters victories, took advantage of relatively calm morning conditions to storm to the top of the leaderboard.

Shaking off a run of inconsistent form in recent weeks on the PGA Tour, Spieth sank a six-footer at the third, a 13-footer at the sixth and a four-footer at the eighth to reach the turn in three-under 33.

He then picked up further strokes at the 10th, 13th and 18th, where he rolled in a six-foot putt before pumping his fist in cel-

ebration, to finish three ahead of Englishmen Paul Casey and Justin Rose in the year's opening major championship.

Out on the course, Ireland's Shane Lowry was at five-under after completing 10 holes while pre-tournament favourite and world number one Jason Day of Australia was four-under after 13.

"I would have signed for two-under today and not even played the round, knowing the conditions that were coming up," said the 22-year-old Spieth, who is aiming to emulate Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods with consecutive Green Jackets.

"Got a lot out of the round with what I felt like was kind of average-ish ball striking. Just scored the ball extremely well, which is something I've been struggling with this season.

Casey, who played in Spieth's company, was hugely impressed by the reigning champion's 66.

"That was a flawless round of golf," said Casey, who shot a 69 on an increasingly blustery day. "One of the toughest days I've ever seen around Augusta National.

"Although, I think we got let off the hook with the rain last night, still incredibly tough. I played a wonderful round of golf, but it was great to have a front row seat to watch that."

Spieth won the PGA Tour's Hyundai Tournament of Champions in January, but struggled to string together four good rounds in his next five strokeplay starts before returning this week to the welcome surroundings of Augusta National.

He tied for second on his Masters debut in 2014,

then last year stunned the golf world as he completed a wire-to-wire victory by four shots, matching Woods' tournament record low of 18-under 270 for 72 holes.

While Spieth flourished in Thursday's opening round, former world number one Ernie Els made a nightmare start as he six-putted from just shy of three feet at the par-four first to run up a mind-boggling nine.

It was the worst ever Masters score on that hole by one shot and left South African Els, who has struggled badly with his short putting for much of the past 12 months, shaking his head in disbelief.

Among the late starters, Northern Irish world number three Rory McIlroy was at two-under after nine holes in his bid to complete a career grand slam of golf's four blue riband events. (Reuters

Sport)

Jordan Spieth

Liverpool hold Dortmund on Klopp's return, Sevilla win

L

iverpool manager Juergen Klopp enjoyed a satisfying return to Borussia Dortmund as his new side frustrated his former charges and claimed a valuable away goal to draw 1-1 in their Europa League quarter-final, first leg on Thursday.

Klopp, whose sevenyear Dortmund spell ended last season, was warm-

ly welcomed back to the Westfalenstadion and enjoyed his night as Liverpool took a first-half lead through Divock Origi before Mats Hummels levelled after the break.

Holders Sevilla are wellversed in the art of getting results in two-legged knockout ties and their bid for a third successive Europa League title stayed firm-

ly on course with a 2-1 win at La Liga rivals Athletic Bilbao.

Villarreal, the third Spanish club in the last eight of Europe's secondtier competition, also enjoyed first-leg success with a 2-1 win at home to Sparta Prague, while Shakhtar Donetsk won at Braga by the same scoreline.

Klopp's return was al-

ways going to be an emotionally-charged occasion for the Liverpool boss and the Dortmund fans, whose affection for their former coach, who delivered two Bundesliga titles, remains undimmed since his departure.

There was warm applause from all around the stadium as Klopp was welcomed back prior to kickoff and the spirit of friendship between the teams extended to a unified and rousing rendition of both clubs' anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone".

Dortmund have been in superb form -- unbeaten in 16 matches in 2016 -- but they were sluggish in the opening 45 minutes when Liverpool chased, harried and pressed relentlessly.

The visitors took the lead after 36 minutes when industrious Origi, preferred in attack to Daniel Sturridge, latched on to a flick forward, took a touch to control the ball and squeezed a low shot across Roman Weidenfeller into the net.

The Belgian should have doubled the lead before halftime but shot straight at Weidenfeller and Liverpool were made to pay three minutes after the break when Hummels powered a header from Henrikh Mkhitaryan's cross past Simon Mignolet.

Henderson injury

Liverpool comfortably survived Dortmund's best

efforts for the remainder of the match and will head to Anfield buoyed by their performance, with a knee injury for captain Jordan Henderson the only disappointment for Klopp.

"Dortmund is a pretty good side and everyone could see that but we had our moments and we could have won the game," Klopp told BT Sport.

"I’m pretty sure a lot of people thought we would lose 2, 3 or 4-0. But at some moments we had Dortmund and around our goal we were brilliant."

Sevilla, aiming to become the first side to lift the trophy for three years running, but had not won an away game in Europe or La Liga all season and were behind early in the second half.

Atheltic's Aritz Aduriz, the Europa League's top scorer this season, got his ninth in the competition when he dipped low at the back post to head Iker Muniain’s cross past keeper David Soria three minutes into the second half.

The two teams, locked together on points in La Liga, were level on the night, however, when Muniain's poor header back was intercepted by Ever Banega, who fed Timothee Kolodziejczak to finish left-footed after 56 minutes.

The comeback was complete with seven minutes

remaining when Kevin Gameiro found Vicente Iborra on the counter and he poked the ball past Bilbao keeper Iago Herrerin.

Rakitskiy volley

Shakhtar Donetsk started their game with Braga on the back of an 8-1 domestic victory over Metalist Kharkiv, in sharp contrast to their Portuguese opponents, who lost 5-1 to Benfica in their last outing.

The Ukrainian side took the lead through Yaroslav Rakitskiy's volley just before halftime, and Facundo Ferreyra doubled the advantage with 15 minutes remaining when he diverted a cross into the Braga net.

Wilson Eduardo gave Braga a lifeline, however, when he headed home in the 89th minute.

Villarreal came into their clash against Sparta Prague with a 100 percent record at home in Europe this season without having conceded a goal, while Sparta had gone 12 matches unbeaten in the competition.

Something had to give and Villarreal will head into the second leg as favourites after Cedric Bakambu's scored either side of Jakub Brabec's equaliser to give them the advantage heading into next Thursday's return fixtures. (Reuters Sport)

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sports

YELLOW PAGES friDAY, april 8, 2016

CAR RENTALS Need a car to rent? Then call 611-1018 for the best cars at great prices.

Progressive Auto Rental: Cars from $4000 and up. Tel: 219-3900, 643-5122

dentistry Dentures provided in 72 hours from as low as $4500. Contact Dr B Stuart, 209B Charlotte St, Lacytown.

Tel: 225-5034

Driving School Shalom Enterprise Driving School 2 Croal Street, Stabroek. You can obtain an International Drivers Permit Covering 131 Countries. Tel: 2273869, 644-7052, 659-3381

optician

Da Silva’s Optical. For Your Eyes Only, Look Better See Better. Phillip A Da Silva OD, Shannon L Da Silva OD, Natalie Da Silva OD. 248 South Road, Bourda. Phone: 227-3529, Linden: 444-6376, Corriverton: 339-3536, Meten-Meer-Zorg: 275-0322, Grand Cayman Islands: (345) 943-1515 for the perfect trendy touch.

health

Healthworld Clinic – Providing professional psychological therapy for all mental and behavioral health problems. Call (592)-690-1824 Mondays-Saturdays 9am-3pm.

Email; healthworldhc@gmail.com

lAND FOR SALE 1.5 Acre Land in W.B.D. Call #:658-0115

EDUCATION Music 2016!! Register - learn to play the recorder, drums, guitar, keyboard, saxophone, violin, steel pan and train your voice at Foundation 7 Music School. Call 225-1151/657-8404

FOR SALE Clean Garden Earth. Also excavating, grading and leveling done. Call 627-9977

Land at La Grange Public Road, Size 4 Acre, could be used for commercial or housing scheme. Tel#: 625-1514 Formerly Globe Cinema, Corner lot, Church and Waterloo Street Size 125 ft x 133 ft Tel: 610-2234 One land 100/50 at Good Hope Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara for sale. Priced six million dollars. For more information, kindly call 623-0156 or 695-3150 (serious inquires only)

property for sale

Road to Belwasa and A Dip at the Sangam, Indentureship Novels at Austin’s Book Store and at Lachmansingh Drug Store. Tel: 2265053.

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Samuels will play for Jamaica after ousting of Hinds, Lewis as selectors

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Marlon Samuels

W

est Indies middle-order batsman Marlon Samuels has opened up about one of the reasons he has been absent from Jamaica's line-ups in the recent past.

Samuels has said he is again available to play for the West Indies territory after it was announced that selectors Wavell Hinds and Wayne Lewis were no longer part of the programme.

The elegant left hander, whose 85 not out played a major role in the West Indies lifting the just-concluded World T20 trophy, was speaking on the back of

comments made by re-elected president of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA), Wilford 'Billy' Heaven.

Heaven announced the dissolution of the JCA's selection panel and it is widely agreed that Hinds, the chairman for the last two years, and Lewis will not be part of a new one.

"Wavell Hinds and Wayne Lewis are no longer selectors, so I'm ready to play for Jamaica," Samuels told local newspaper, the Jamaica Observer.

Hinds, has refused to comment on the issue, while Lewis has expressed sur-

prise at Samuels' comments.

“I’m very shocked to hear that, because I know Marlon last played in 2014 when Wavell and I were selectors.

I had an excellent relationship with him, and I realise that since I became [WIPA] secretary he hasn’t called me. But I wish him only the best, and maybe one day I will get the opportunity to talk to him to find out the reason for his comment,” Lewis said.

Samuels was confirming tofrom Heaven, who said Samuels was "ready to once again play for Jamaica".

(Digicel Sportsmax)

Venus upset in last 16 at Charleston

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Venus Williams

V

enus Williams' bid for a 50th WTA title ended when she fell to Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva in the Round of 16 at the Volvo Car Open on Thursday, while Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber breezed into the last eight.

Williams, currently seventh on the WTA's alltime wins list, lost 7-6(5) 2-6 6-4 while German top seed Kerber advanced with a routine 6-2 6-3 win over Slovakian qualifier Kristina Kucova at the clay court event in South Carolina.

The loss for third seed Williams extended a disappointing season so far for the seven-times grand slam champion as she arrived on the unique green clay courts of Charleston having lost her opening match in four of five previous events.

Williams was plagued by errors during a breezy first set, misjudging a number of volleys and overheads, while Putintseva used her backhand drop-shot to perfection on key points even when pinned deep in the court.

Putintseva, who earned her first victory in four ca-

reer meetings against Williams, will next face either Italian fifth seed Sara Errani or Australian 10th seed and 2010 Charleston champion Samantha Stosur.

Germany's Kerber had no trouble with the windy conditions as she recorded 35 winners and converted seven of her 10 break points to get by Kucova in 85 minutes.

"I think the feeling is coming back from last year because right now I'm feeling much better on clay again," Kerber told reporters. (Reuters Sport)

22

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

friDAY, APRIL 8, 2016

Guyana moves 23 spots up FIFA ranking Queen Stafanie

receives regal welcome

— to host Canada on May 15

T

he Golden Jaguars continue their steady climb up the ranking system of FIFA, this time jumping 23 spots to 133 in latest ranking on Thursday.

Guyana’s latest wins against Anguilla and Puerto Rico in Round One of the Caribbean Football Union 2016 Scotiabank Men’s Caribbean Cup during last month was the reason for the sudden spike in the ranking.

Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President, Wayne Forde was pleased with the move, “I’m indeed very happy and exceptionally proud of the players, the coaching staff and the management team for the tremendous work they’ve been doing with that team.

The senior male’s team represents a brand and it’s a brand that the Executive Committee of the Guyana Football Federation will manage very carefully.

“We believe that is the brand that will position Guyana on the international stage to our rightful place so I want to encourage the nation to join me in extending a heartfelt thank you to the guys for putting in the hard work that they have over the past three international engagements and to encourage them to strive to do better as we go forward in the Caribbean Football Union’s Scotiabank Caribbean Cup,” Forde noted.

While Guyana will play in Round two of the Men’s Caribbean Cup in

L

Alex Bunbury

June against Curacao and the United States Virgin Islands, the Golden Jaguars will host the Canadian National Team in an International friendly at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence on May 15 as part of the Government of

Guyana’s 50th Jubilee celebrations.

The game is being facilitated by GFF’s International Ambassador and former International Football Player/Canadian Hall of Famer, Alex Bunbury and is slated to start at 19:00h.

ate on Tuesday, the Jamaican members of the triumphant West Indies men’s team returned to the island to a hero’s welcome.

And yesterday it was the turn of Stafanie Taylor, the women’s captain, who was greeted like a queen as she arrived at the Norman Manley International Airport.

The 24-year-old allrounder, the lone Jamaican

She said the team’s resolve was steeled because many gave them no chance against the dominant Australians, who were seeking a fourth straight T20 title.

“I remember I had a press conference and a guy from Australia asked if I was intimidated by the Aussies, and I was so angry that I almost cursed,” she told journalists.

“I went back to the girls

Sarwan in preparation mode for CPL

By Akeem Greene

F

ormer West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, who last played any competitive regional cricket in 2014, was snapped up by the Trinbago Knight Riders for US$4,000 in February at the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) draft is eager to get back on the field and perform well.

When quizzed about the preparations thus far he said, “ Good so far, it’s a tournament I haven’t played in a while and I’m trying to get myself physically fit and I have only recently stared net sessions at GCC [ Georgetown Cricket Club] which I’m looking forward to over the next couple of weeks before the CPL”.

Sarwan, who captained the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the 2013 edition of the tournament, is not daunted by the big stage

of the CPL and playing in front of the huge crowds once more.

He revealed, “ I was actually thinking that yesterday, how it would feel to be playing in front of thousands of people, having not had that feeling in months or years but I’m sure it’s going to be exciting, it’s going to feel like making my debut again and I’m looking forward to it”.

He added, “I’m fortunate enough to gain a lot of experience over the years that I have played in front of crowds and without crowds and I think will able to make that adaptation quickly.

Sarwan, who at one point of his One Day International (ODI) career was touted as the best “finisher”, has played 75 Twenty20 games and has a highest score of 70 with a strike rate of 104.39. (akeemg@guyanatimesgy.com)

Stephanie Taylor

Sarwan engaged in some drills at his Fitness53 Gym

Star-studded RCB seek change in fortune H

ow a team boasting of all the T20 riches in the world doesn't have a single IPL trophy to show after eight seasons can perhaps make for a good case study. While it underlines the unpredictability of the shortest format, Royal Challengers haven't helped their cause by being over-reliant on Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers to cover up for the vacuum in the middle.

If there is a lesson in how to not run a marathon, Royal Challengers offer the best example. They've often begun like a 100 meter dash, only to lose momentum before making a desperate bid to the qualifiers. The end result: runners-up in 2009 and 2011, and vast stretches of inconsistency in between.

They head into the new season, like they do most times, with a well-balanced team. They will welcome

Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle form a powerful RCB batting lineup, but the team’s failure to cash in during crunch moments has cost them in the past (BCCI photo)

into their ranks the recently-retired Shane Watson and Stuart Binny, who offer the all-round depth they have often missed in the middle, although not everything is hunky dory in the bowling department. They will miss Mitchell Starc, the team's second-highest wicket-tak-

er last season, because of a foot injury, while there is an injury cloud over Samuel Badree, who hurt his shoulder in the World T20 final.

That means the bowling will largely depend on their local talent - the pace duo of Varun Aaron, S Aravind and legspinner Yuzvendra

Chahal. Starc's absence could give the injury-prone Adam Milne an opportunity to build on his gains from the World T20 - where he picked up three wickets in four matches at an economy rate of 7.43. Should the surfaces aid slow bowlers, they could consider including David Wiese, the South Africa allrounder, who offers batting muscle lower down along with his handy medium-pace and offcutters.

There has been some turmoil off the field, with Vijay Mallya - chairman of the franchise until recently - no longer part of the management. But it is unlikely those matters would affect on-field performances. Over to the men in red and gold to prove they are not just about their 'Big Three.'

Burning questions

While batting is their

in the West Indies squad, was hosted by team sponsor Digicel inside the Pineapple Lounge.

Petals were laid at her feet as she walked before she was seated on a chair akin to a throne for royalty.

The West Indies Women’s team beat favourites Australia by eight wickets with three balls to spare in the World Twenty20 (T20) final in Kolkata, India, on Sunday.

Taylor, who was named player of the tournament for outstanding contributions with bat and ball, made 59 runs in the final. Her firstwicket partnership of 120 with 18-year-old Hayley Matthews, who made 66, put West Indies on the brink of victory.

and I told them this is what is being said. We had to take it in a positive way because it was the Aussies who should be intimidated by us because we had nothing to lose,” Taylor continued.

It is the West Indies women’s maiden T20 title and first time beating Australia in the game’s shortest format.

Sport Minister Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange, representatives of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA), including President Wilford ‘Billy’ Heaven and Chief Executive Officer Courtney Francis, as well as members of the Digicel staff, led by Patrick King, the telecommunications firm’s customer solutions director, were among those who received Taylor.

stronger suit, an abundance of riches has left them with more questions. With Dinesh Karthik released before the auction, the team needs to decide if they go back to de Villiers as their immediate choice as wicketkeeper. If de Villiers is freed of the responsibility, do they turn to KL Rahul, Travis Head or Kedar Jadhav?

Rahul's IPL numbers aren't impressive. While he is best suited in the top three, would the team risk having him open with Gayle or prefer the lower-order hitting ability of Jadhav?

Where does that leave Shane Watson? Do they slot him in the middle to shore up the batting or have him as a floater? And how will they manage Mandeep

Singh and Sarfaraz Khan, who delivered last year at crunch moments, in a robust batting line-up?

(Windies Cricket)

The go-to men

Kohli's appetite for runs only continues to get bigger.

He scored 273 runs in five matches at the World T20, and was adjudged Player of the Tournament. He single-handedly carried India's batting hopes, and would be expected to do more of the same, even though Gayle, de Villiers and Watson offer him some respite in what is largely a blink-and-miss format. Kohli brings more to the table than just as a batsman. His fitness and freshness will go a long way in dictating Royal Challengers' campaign. (Cricinfo)

guyana-times.com

friday, APRIL 8, 2016

23

GSSF host another successful Steel Challenge Shooting Competition

T

he Guyana Sport Shooting Federation hosted yet another Steel Shooting Competition on Saturday, in collaboration with Jus Water.

Shortly after the final shot was fired, scores were released to a highly anticipating group of eleven shooters. Third place was snatched up by Shawn Smith, who displayed some impressive shooting after attaining a score of 79.43; Vidushi Persaud came second with a score of 72.53, followed by the Federation’s usual champion Ryan McKinnon who copped 1st place with a score of 56.75.

Shooters competed in the Limited Division (requiring the use of 9mm or higher caliber pistols).

The Match was declared open by Match Director

Peter Hugh, who emphasized the need and priority for safe shooting practices.

Shooting commenced on the Roundabout stage, followed by Showdown, and finally the most popular, Smoke & Hope stage which consisted of the largest targets thereby allowing the shooters to really exercise their trigger fingers in the fastest display of the day.

In every stage competitors were required to shoot five different steel targets set out at various angles and distances, one of which is designated as a “stop plate” which is shot last. Registering a hit on the plate stops the time.

The total time it takes to hit all five plates is used for the score (Your time is your score.) Misses and penalties add 3 seconds to the time for

each.

Scoring is done using a digital timer which records times according to shots fired; as shooters completed each stage.

Their score sheets were submitted to the Stats Officer Pravesh Harry, who computed scores using specialised software.

The competitor’s best four scores out of five strings of fire on each stage will then be added together for collective score. The lowest total time/score for all stages wins the overall match.

The Federation expressed gratitude to Dawn Oditt of Jus Waters Inc. for sponsoring the exciting event, as well as Chief of Staff of the GDF, Brigadier Phillips, Colonel Doodnauth, GPF Commissioner Persaud, Asst.

Commissioner

Jones blasts GCB for Windies women low key welcome — apologises to Smartt and Campbelle

By Treiston Joseph

T

he National Sports Commission (NSC) is completely absolving themselves from their noshow at the arrival of the Guyanese women who represented the winning West Indies female T20 World Cup squad.

Director of Sport, Christopher Jones rested the blame squarely on the shoulders of the Guyana Cricket Board for not bestowing Shemaine Campbelle and Tremayne Smartt with an auspicious welcome.

“The GCB who is the authority in Guyana as it relates to cricket whether women, men, under-19, under-17, etc. would have been the recipients of the itinerary of the two players just as they would have been for the others of which before they invited Government representatives of the office of the Director of Sport and others.

“For reasons best known to the GCB they withheld the information on the arrival of the two female cricketers from the Government and people of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana… in general if you look at it a representative of the Government was not there, several media houses were not there, the members of the public were not

Christopher Jones

there, this was a secret kept for reason best known to the Guyana Cricket Board.”

He added: “Or perhaps its shows the level of respect the Guyana Cricket Board executive has as it relates to female participation in cricket,” Jones quipped.

Jones even revealed that ten SC showed interest in having a “hero’s” welcome for the two talent women.

“We were proactive for example the when the women’s World Cup was won the first thing we queried in terms of how many Guyanese were there, we learnt that Ms Smartt and Ms Campbelle are there and by virtue of that we were

making preparation for when they arrived to welcome them, hero’s welcome and so forth,” Jones pointed out.

Jones was also apologetic to both Smartt and Campbelle, ““my heartfelt apologies to Ms Smartt and Ms Campbelleon behalf of the National Sports Commission, the Government and People of Guyana for not affording them a hero’s welcome that they so rightfully deserve.

“We were fully aware that the two female Guyanese were members of the West Indies ICC Women T20 Champions and were eagerly awaiting the arrival to welcome and honour them,” Jones stressed.

Nevertheless, the NSC who will hold a reception in honour of the Guyanese Under-19 players who were a part of the winning West Indies under-19 World Cup team will also incorporate both Campbelle and Smartt into that reception.

In addition, Jones revealed that the plan was to give the Under-19 players two gold cricket bat pendants from Sanjay’s Jewelry but will now have to revisit that to incorporate the female cricketers. The reception will be hosted today at the 704 Lounge from 12:00h.

From left: Naresh Samuels, Ryan McKinnon, Vidushi Persaud and Shawn Smith

Ramnarine, Commander Hicken and OC TSU Superintendent Dehnert and the ranks of TSU.

The GSSF, an affiliate of the Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA), continues to pioneer this simple,

yet action-packed shooting sport to local pistol shooters by organising such matches on a regular basis.

Tourism Ministry recognise importance of sport in Guyana

A

s Guyana begins to enter a phase of numerous high profile events, ranging from international cricket, football, Caribbean Premier League among other sport related events, the Ministry of Tourism full of recognition of the impact, sports can have on Guyana.

Director-General, at the Ministry of Tourism, Donald Sinclair when quizzed by Guyana Times Sport on Monday, at the visiting cruise ship on the plans the Ministry has for sport in the coming months.

“We recognize the importance of cricket and tourism, so we always try to facilitate in whatever way we can in terms of promoting”, Sinclair said.

He added, cricket like motor racing brings visitors in the county, so there is a strong kind of collaboration between the Ministry and Cricket authorities.”

In June, Guyana is slated to host three matches as part of the Australia, South Africa and West Indies Trination series; also in June, the Golden Jaguars will play Curacao as part of their campaign in the Men’s Caribbean Cup. In addition, there is the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) which begins in late June and runs until August and as usual,

the country will host some matches during that period.

Based on recent reports, Guyana will be playing Canada Men’s National Football team in May as part of the country’s 50th Anniversary celebrations.

Sinclair also revealed that, “the minister [Cathy Hughes] made a recom-

last time a cruise ship went to Guyana, one of the passengers wanted to see the Bourda cricket ground, because of his recollection growing up, was that cricket was something big happening in Guyana; so that is the recommendation the minister made that Bourda could be made some form as

Donald Sinclair

mendation that something should be done with Bourda [Georgetown Cricket Club], not in terms of playing matches but in terms of the history of cricket”.

The Director-General made the example that “the

a museum”.

The Bourda Ground dates had Guyana first Test match being played there in 1930 and last had a taste of International Cricket in 2006.

Narine's action cleared ahead of IPL

W

est Indies spinner Sunil Narine has had his bowling action cleared by the ICC, just two days before the start of the IPL. Narine has not bowled since November, having been reported while on international duty, but all his deliveries with a remodelled action have been found to be legal.

Narine has been a key player for his IPL franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders, and their new coach, Jacques Kallis, had earlier admitted

he did not know if the West Indian would be available.

Narine has taken 74 wickets in four IPL seasons and helped Knight Riders to the title in 2012 and 2014.

He was suspended in November, after being reported during an ODI in Sri Lanka, and his last appearance came at the Bangladesh Premier League. The ICC said that Narine's retest took place on March 28 in Chennai. He is now free once again to play in international and domestic com-

petitions.

Narine had previously spent a year out of the West Indies side working on his action but, three games into his comeback, he was pulled up again. The WICB initially named him in the squad for the 2016 World T20, but he withdrew citing "insufficient progress in the rehabilitative work on his bowling action".

He was also called for a suspect action during the 2014 Champions League and the 2015 IPL, although

he escaped second time around with a "final warning" from the BCCI. Narine may still be in doubt for Knight Riders' first match against Delhi Daredevils on April 10, having returned to the West Indies following the death of his father. "Unfortunately, he lost a family member, his dad passed away so he's gone back," Kallis said, before news of Narine being cleared. "We are certainly not putting any pressure on him to get back yet." (Cricinfo)

Sunil Narine will be available to play for Kolkata Knight Riders (BCCI photo)

friDAY, APRIL 8, 2016

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

Jones blasts GCB for Windies women low key welcome

— apologises to Smartt and Campbelle

Pg 23

Tremayne Smartt

Shemaine Campbelle

Sarwan in preparation mode for CPL Pg 22

Guyana moves 23 spots up FIFA ranking — to host Canada on May 15

Pg 22

Ramnaresh Sarwan once captained the Guyana Amazon Warriors

The Golden Jaguars take a pose after their big win against Anguilla at the National Stadium

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