Sunday Times

Guyanese girl gets into 8 Ivy Leagues and 13 other P schools 2

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 2822 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

April 10, 2016

$420M fertiliser contract was “return” on political ... says GRDB director, investment rubbishing GM’s claims

PRICE

$120 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE: P7 Clyde Roopchand laid to rest

Page 3

Govt hikes excise tax on neutral spirits from 40% to 65%

GDF rank killed in Sheriff Street hit and run accident Page 9

... threatens survival of manufacturing businesses

Page 11

Mahaicony Dormitory needs repairs, P8 supplies Meeting P7 urged between TIGI and Harmon ...to address “outrageous claims” on Govt corruption

Occupational Safety and Health Month observances Page 17 Page 12

Lindeners walk against work-related stress

Lennox Cornette P16 tipped to be NCN’s new CEO

Public trust in Police stronger – Commander P16 Hicken

Members of the Linden Utility Services Co-op Society Limited took part in a walk against work-related stress as part of observances to mark Occupational Safety and Health Month

Nagamootoo’s Office is a nest of patronage – Jagdeo Page 17

AFC's Ramayya flouts High Court order

Page 18

... illegally swears in Councillors

President GrangerPage calls for greater 17 security cooperation Man jailed in the Region for 3 years

for trafficking narcotics P8

…tells Magistrate “de weed weight wrong”

2 NEWS

SunDAY, april 10, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Guyanese girl gets into 8 Ivy Leagues and 13 other schools

G

uyanese-born Kelly Hyles, 17, achieved a remarkable accomplishment, getting accepted into all eight Ivy Leagues colleges in the US, as well as 13 other schools.

While she is a straight A student, she is the first to admit that getting into so many schools didn’t come without a lot of hard work.

Though she grew up in Queens, New York, Hyles spent the first decade of her life in a small village called Vryheid’s Lust, on the East Coast of Guyana.

“They were a bit more serious about school,” said Hyles of children from her village. “Teachers are allowed to beat you – it wasn’t anything severe, but it keeps kids in check.” She moved to the US when she was 11.

Hyles lives with her mother, who has set an example of what hard work looks like.

Her mom works two jobs – she’s a home aide and a certified nursing assistant.

Hyles commutes an hour and a half every day to the High School for Math, Science and Engineering in Harlem; one of New York’s nine specialised high schools.

Hyles is one of less than two dozen black students in her senior class, which has more than 130 people. It’s a common theme throughout New York City’s specialised high schools – a fact she found troubling.

“I am convinced that the decrease is not due to intellectual aptitude, but to lack

Govt working on implementation of regional Police Commanders

V

Kelly Hyles at age six in Guyana (left) and today (right)

of preparation and confidence,” she wrote in one her personal statements.

So she did something about it. Hyles partnered with the DREAM programme, which prepares students for the Specialised High School Admissions Test. For three summers, she spent every weekday mentoring students at her former Brooklyn middle school.

When Hyles took the SAT for the first time in May 2015, she wasn’t satisfied with the results. She channelled that energy into studying more.

A classmate gave her text books he no longer needed.

“My biggest sacrifice was sleep,” she said, adding that she averages about five hours a night. “Sometimes, I wanted to sleep late or go to the movies or a party with my friends, but I had to prioritise.” Hyles said she knew her mother wouldn’t have enough money to put her through school.

“I knew I had to at least get academic scholarships, if not need-based scholarships,” she said, adding that college application fees were waved due to her financial standing.

Being a great student isn’t enough, though. “I knew I needed to be well-rounded,” said Hyles, who is also a cheerleader and a dancer. “I heard stories of people that made amazing grades that didn’t get into the colleges they wanted.”

So Hyles and two other students started a Black Student Union at her high school in 2014. “There were no clubs in which students could voice their outrage,” she wrote in one of her favourite college essays about the unrest after the shootings of unarmed black teens.

The group hosts weekly meetings to discuss social issues and black “excellence.”

Hyles, who was recently named a Ron Brown Scholar, said she was well aware of

the negative stigmas ahead of her – she’s black and a woman.

Instead of letting those beliefs win, she embraced things like her skin colour and her kinky hair. Hyles added that moving to a new country at a young age “was a culture shock,” but it taught her to be adaptable.

She said she waved at a woman and said “Good afternoon, auntie” while riding her bike when she first moved to the US. That’s the typical greeting in Guyana, but not so in Queens. “She looked at me like I was crazy.”

All of this has prepared her for wherever she lands.

Hyles applied to 22 schools and was waitlisted only at Stanford University. She said that while Harvard has been her dream school, she’s considering all of her options.

“Honestly, I’ve had so many changes in my life I feel like I can adapt to fit in anywhere,” she said.

ery soon, each administrative region across the country will be appointed with its own regional Police Commander.

As a part of the major transformation awaiting the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Government had proposed the idea of assigning each of the 10 administrative regions with its own Police representative to ensure better control and management of security of each region.

Providing an update on the progress, President David Granger told media operatives that the proposal is still on the table, adding that his Administration is working swiftly to ensure this becomes a reality.

“What has happened is that we have a regional system with 10 regions, an old country system with three counties and an old colonial system with districts…,” the President pointed out as he lamented that in all the years gone by, no attempt was ever made to marry the Police divisions

with the current regional administration.

“So there are a lot of anomalies. For example, the Commander of B Division actually straddles Region Five and Region Six. So we just want to streamline the system to ensure that one Police Commander would respond to Regional Chairman or one regional interest,” he explained.

In further supporting the need for this regional integration with the Police Force, President Granger further highlighted that there is only one grouping of Police managing the entire hinterland regions.

“Literally Region One, Seven, Eight and Nine were under one Divisional Commander who was actually working in Eve Leary and living in Georgetown…,” the President expressed.

Nonetheless, he pointed out that through his Administration’s intervention, the Divisional Commander is now living and working in Bartica, Region Seven.

NEWS

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SunDAY, april 10, 2016 | guyana-times.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, April 10 – 05:30h-07:00h and Monday, April 11 – 05:00h-06:30h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, April 10 – 06:00h-07:30h and Monday, April 11 – 06:45h-08:15h.

$420M fertiliser contract was “return” on political investment ... says GRDB director, rubbishing GM’s claims

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

WEATHER TODAY Light rain showers with sunny intervals can be expected throughout the better part of the day, while sunshine is expected in the late afternoon.

Partly cloudy conditions can be expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North Easterly to East North-easterly between 3.57 metres and 4.47 metres per second.

A

midst swirling controversy over Raphael Trotman of the AFC describing campaign contributors to the AFC as “investors who expect returns”, Jinnah Rahman, a director on the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) is contradicting the claims made by the General Manager (GM) of GRDB, Nizam Hassan that a now dead $400 million fertiliser deal was for the farmers’ benefit.

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman

High Tide: 06:26h and 18:55h reaching maximum heights of 2.88 metres and 2.72 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 00:01h and 12:27h reaching minimum heights of 0.43 metre and 0.33 metre respectively.

Guyana Rice Development Board General Manager Nizam Hassan

Rahman said the $420 million fertiliser contract was entered secretly among Hassan, the Agriculture Ministry and

Saturday, April 9, 2016

tiliser so that was recommended to the Minister of Agriculture.”

However, Rahman said that, “we had to sign a secret document saying that we shouldn’t disclose any information or give any information to anybody, even our rice farmers. I am totally against that and I will not be stopped. I will say and disclose to the public what I feel is important for them to know or else it will conflict… with the Freedom of Information Act that was passed in this country. I am not going to abide by any secret act; they can do what they want to do, but I am going to continue to campaign

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Co-owners of Spice Restaurant, Lounge and Catering Hardat Rampersaud Singh and Ann Narine

a political supporter of the Alliance for Change (AFC), Hardat Singh.

Rahman highlighted that the board of directors agreed they should give concessions to rice farmers “and one of the things we said that we were going to do was to give them relatively cheap fer-

that we must not have any secrecy when it comes to the public interest.”

Rahman lamented that the $420 million contract was issued to “a man calle d Hardat Rampersaud Sing h.” GRBD’s GM Hassan, in his media release outlined that the contract was given to HDM labs.

Guyana Times understands that HDM labs is owned by Hardat Singh, a campaign contributor to the AFC coffers. Singh is also the co-owner of Spice Restaurant, Catering and Lounge in New York along with Ann Narine who was also photographer with Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo during a meet there.

Rahman noted further that the board was not furnished with a copy of the contract even though it was agreed that all the directors would be given a copy. “I understand that the matter went to the Cabinet and the Cabinet approved of this person so the board didn’t know who this person was before, it came to us as a

Agriculture Minister Noel Holder

curement of $420 million in fertiliser from a known campaign financier of the AFC/ APNU collation. He also pointed out that the contract

Ann Narine with AFC Vice Chairman and now Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

surprise.”

General Secretary of the Rice Producers Association, Dharamkumar Seeraj had said in a press briefing months ago that Cabinet approved a contract for the pro-

was not tendered, nor advertised and government’s actions were “in direct contravention of the laws, norms and conventions applicable to the acquisition of farmers’ turn to page 7 inputs.”

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guyana-times.com

SunDAY, april 10, 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

New towns

P

resident David Granger has now made it clear that the launching of three new towns for the Local Government Elections – another, Mahdia could not join them because of technical details – was not done merely for administrative efficiencies. In a speech to the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry within a week of those elections, he revealed it was a part of his administration's strategic plan for the development of the country.

He postulated that each region must have one "capital town" with a specific mandate to become the nucleus of development for its region. There are now Mabaruma (Region One), Anna Regina (Region Two, Georgetown (Region Four), one will have to be chosen between New Amsterdam, Rose Hall and Corriverton (Region Six), Bartica (Region Seven), Mahdia (Region Eight), Lethem (Region Nine) and Linden (Region 10). The President suggested that possibly Parika (Region Three) and Fort Wellington (Region Five) might seek to attain township status.

The towns would now have to utilise the appurtenances of municipalities such as banks, industrial sites, hospitals, schools, etc to foster their own development and their regions – independent of central government. The question arises, however, as to how this development would be ignited and secondary how they would be kept viable.

These are among the ambiguities that need to be cleared up. The President took pains to state later that the towns are "corporations": "I think the municipalities should see themselves as corporations, encouraging business rather than just being administrators expecting subventions. They must examine ways of generating revenue and earning a profit.”

But what exactly does a town being treated as a "corporation" mean beyond it can conduct matters under its statutorily delegated mandate as a legal entity? Which is what they were always and were able to do. We can look at Anna Regina in Region Two, for instance, which was incorporated into a town with our attainment of Republican Status in 1970.

Anna Regina has a Bank, a market, an industrial site, mayoral office, etc, but it has been unable to foster development of the sort envisaged by the President in the 46 years it has been in existence as a "corporation". Why? The challenge for Anna Regina - and it will be for all the other towns apart from Georgetown – is they will be unable to garner the revenues necessary to become first, self-sustaining in development, then to spread that development into the surrounding areas. The most critical need would be to initiate some industries that would create employment in Anna Regina and its environs.

The President talked of Agro-processing as undertakings the new towns could foster. But what can Anna Regina offer to induce such businesses? Without the power, for instance, to offer tax incentives – which are still controlled by the Central Government – the officials of the town are left with just moral importunings.

Another, even more pertinent lack of power is the inability to generate loans for the needed industrial development. In Anna Regina, for instance, the local branches of the three national Banks each have over $1 billion in deposits garnered from Essequibians but lend a mere fraction of that in the entire Region Two, much less Anna Regina. If the Towns were given the power to insist that a certain percentage of their deposits must be reinvested locally this would go a far way in generating the development the President hopes for. As it is the government takes the pressure off the banks from lending by issuing Treasury Bills because there is "too much liquidity" in the system.

The point we wish to make is that it would appear the government wants to give the new towns baskets to fetch water. That is, it wants to relieve itself from being responsible for regional development yet will not devolve the powers to the towns really necessary for that to be achieved.

As part of a community project, football club Topp XX of Linden recently re-painted three pedestrian crossings in the community, two on Sir David Rose Avenue and another on Republic Avenue, Mackenzie

Behaviour of some politicians and their followers are against biblical teaching Dear Editor, As a Christian, my concerns are about the misuse of the name of Jesus Christ in politics by politicians of APNU/AFC and some of their followers in their commentaries, which by observation, have become more pronounced after May 11, 2015.

It caused me to wonder about the perception held by non-Christians when they hear the words and observe the attitudes and behaviour of some persons going under the name Christians.

This letter is not against Christians but against false Christians. There’s a difference. I am compelled to write because true Christians are witnesses and we need to be careful of what people are seeing in us.

Here are some troubling examples: * Immediately after the announcement of the winner of last year’s elections, persons of a certain ethnic group took to the streets, singing hymns, calling God’s name, quoting Scripture and rejoicing in a manner that was unbecoming. * Social media particularly – but also workplaces and communities – exploded with disturbing comments spewed from persons’ lips about the past government and their supporters. Scripture was used to make it appear that God deposed one party and one ethnic group to elevate another party and another ethnic group. The ethnic group and the deposed party became the subject of ridicule and condemnation again with the use of God’s name and Scripture. The victorious party leadership and followers publicly claimed that God has done this deposing. I wondered how they know this for sure since the Bible says.

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom andi]” style=”boxsizing: border-box”> knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord?” (Romans 11:33-34) * Most recently, I have seen a certain young man referred to the Lord when he

rejoiced in Dr Jagdeo’s sister’s death. The individual “thanked God” for “dealing with the PPP and getting rid of Jagdeo’s sister” (sic) and knows that God will kill them “one by one” (sic) and asked “everyone to praise the Lord.” (sic). Disturbingly, several persons did. * I saw comments from another man on social media threatening to kill various members of the PPP and vowed to protect the current government, all in the name of God. * I heard a speech given

by Mr Trotman that was laced with Biblical references, and noticed the insinuations.

My immediate thought was: are Christian leaders and church leaders seeing these things and do these things cause them any discomfort about the perception of true Christianity? I don’t think so because to this date, I have not seen any Christian publicly denounce these things or attempt to correct public perceptions about Christianity, given the false projections of the faith from persons who are not true Christians.

Let me first of all say this, that the God of the Bible is God for all people of every nationality, every ethnic group from every walk of life, everywhere. Christ came to save mankind from their sins and make them sons of God (John 1:12). Therefore, He is the God of the Africans in the same degree as He is the God of Indians, Amerindians, Chinese, Americans, Koreans, etc to as many as would receive Him. So one group cannot claim exclusivity on Jesus Christ and denounce others for their political preference; if that preference is for another political party. Just as much as some Christians voted for APNU/AFC, some Christians voted for the PPP. Being created in the image of God means we have been given free will to make choices.

In true Christianity the brethren are unified. If one group is dancing and rejoicing on the streets, claiming that

God granted them victory, then what does that mean for the rest of the believers associated with the other political parties? Was God split into two?

God does not rival Himself, so why should His followers who are supposed to be one body?

In other words, true followers don’t engage in such things.

Regarding the young man, who by his words, identified himself as Christian and thanked God for “getting rid of Jagdeo’s sister” and so on, I can say this much: such utterances not only depict a twisted mind but he is a perfect example of what sin does to people.

In Christian terms he is referred to as an unregenerate, meaning he is not spiritually born. The Bible teaches us that “…if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Cor. 5:17) That’s simple to understand. The comment of this young man is out of sync with this. In Ezekiel we are told: “I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD.” (Eze. 18:23,32 & 33:11). How then did the young man come to rejoice in the death of someone and has presumptuously call on God to kill others?

I had the opportunity of listening to a speech Rapheal Trotman. The speech was posted online. While I care not for his politics it caused me some angst when he began to use Scripture. My first set of arguments about those who rejoiced after May 11, would apply to Mr Trotman. But I still need to go further. He speaks of liberation after 23 years in similarity to the Israelites’ liberation after 400 years of bondage in Egypt.

I mused on the following. Who is he trying to liberate? Is it an ethnic group or Christians? It can’t be Christians because Christ has already liberated us. It would be troubling if he is referring to an ethnic group – which I think he was. That would constitute racism and sowing seeds of discord, for which he is hiding behind Scripture and this is what troubles me. I say

this because the crux of the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt was not political as it was spiritual.

Therefore to use this story to refer to political liberation is misleading. To help Mr Trotman understand this, in Exodus 4:21-23, God told Moses to tell Pharaoh “This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son, and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me.”

I’ll go further still. When Christ came to earth, He did everything to avoid political leadership although the people wanted Him to become a political leader. The Jews wanted Him to liberate them from Roman rulership but Christ made it clear that He didn’t come to deliver them politically. He came to deliver them from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

These are some of the truths about Christianity.

Jesus Christ is a God of love.

He loves everyone. The PPP leadership is God’s creation too. He loves them the same.

Who dares to say differently?

The Bible however, makes it clear how to tell a true Christian follower and leader from false ones. It says “By their fruits you shall know them” (Matthew 7:16). True Christians go through a transformation process, a change which is seen in changed thinking and behaviour.

If persons profess to be Christians and Christian virtues cannot be seen in them or they are disobeying Biblical instructions – such as to love your neighbour as yourself, bless those who curse you and persecute you, pray for others, love our enemies, desist from slandering and speaking ill of others, and so forth – they are not of Christ.

The matter needed to be addressed because with the change of our politics last year, references to God and Bible have increased. Troublingly, many of the words spoken and actions portrayed are not in keeping with Biblical teaching, thinking and conduct.

Yours sincerely, Daren Jaipaul

guyana-times.com

SunDAY, april 10, 2016

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

Someone has an We are failing our children axe to grind Dear Editor, I refer to Nigel Hinds letter in Guyana Times (Thursday, April 7, 2016) Titled “Vendetta against the head of the Presidential Secretariat/Minister of Sta te!”

I am in agreement with his letter but unfortunately it failed to include the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) and its Commissioner James Singh as being also victims of a dirty Vendetta campaign

by WPA’s activist David Hinds, Anand Goolsarran and the Kaieteur News to destroy the GFC and the Forestry sector. Nigel

Hinds in his letter asked “Could the seizing of assets of BaishanLin have been done in a more tactful manner, considering our substantial fractional dependence on foreign investments from China and Chinese companies and also considering the role of its managing director Chu Hong Bo, in the association of Chinese Enterprises in Guyana?”

Hinds is correct here because Hong Bo can certainly approach his Embassy which is the Chinese Embassy to make an intervention calling on the Guyana Government to

cease its harassment of the Chinese companies or else China’s Government will stop its aid programmes to Guyana.

China’s government in this regard cannot be wrong since it is simply putting an end to ungratefulness.

And should this happen the Guyanese people can be sadly affected. The Granger Administration should therefore cease its harassment of the Chinese companies in Guyana in the interest of both the Guyanese and Chinese people.

Dear Editor, Indications in the press are that the Labour Department in the Ministry of Social Protection is clamping down on employers throughout the country who do not adhere to the labour laws and as such will be increasing its workplace inspections nation-wide.

Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection with responsibility for labour, Keith Scott told the media that work place inspections are of vital importance to the wellbeing and output of employees as well as their employers.

Well I would like to propose to Minister Scott that the first entity his team should visit are the locations belonging to the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown.

Starting at the Municipal Stores located at the Constabulary Training Complex in Water

Street (Old House Service Department) they will find the staff working there, forced to labour in a bond that is poorly lit, extremely dusty and dirty, with no windows or other form of ventilation for long hours, but worse than that, they are forced to endure a leaking toilet located on the floor above.

Just up the road, on the same Water Street, this time at the Municipal Abattoir, there is an urgent need for repairs to be effected to the floor whilst the hot water chambers are a major disaster waiting to happen, should one of the ancient boilers blow out. But more alarming is the manner in which animals are slaughtered there.

It is most archaic and cruel. Instead of using a captive bolt pistol or stun gun in the process of slaughtering, which is more civilized, they just bludgeon the animal to death.

Over at the Solid Waste Department the building has deteriorated to the point where all the wooden walls have rotted and more resemble parchment paper rather than wood.

And even at City Hall, workers are subjected to occupy this old building that has very aged wiring that should be condemned, whilst the upper floors such as the Concert Hall, it has been converted into a sanctuary for birds, pigeons, rodents and other wildlife both dead and alive.

It is clear that the administrators at City Hall are unconcerned about the health and safety requirements and needs at their various locations or of their employees.

In fact it is strange that such a large employer does not even have a Health & Safety Officer on its staff.

Yours Sincerely, Peter Persaud

Labour Ministry should clamp down on City Hall

Sincerely, Sean Moniz

Kissoon’s apology more akin to grovelling Dear Editor, Freddie Kissoon’s recent attack on Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman, and his grovelling apology two days later tells many stories of what is taking place in Guyana.

Many people know that Kissoon is a coward. His WPA colleague Tacuma Ogunseye once gave details of incidents where Freddie hid when dangerous situations arose. This is the same man who beats his chest and exaggerates his role in the fight for democracy.

Well, his behaviour in the Trotman scenario demonstrates several things: 1. It confirms what those

close to him have known all along – that he is a coward.

The grovelling was nauseating to say the least.

2. It is clear that the old PNC is once more back in action. He was either seriously threatened directly that he should apologise and/or his boss was ordered to fire him if he did not comply.

3. He feels safe attacking the PPP/C because he is secure in the knowledge that the PPP/C does not resort to violence and does not promote such.

4. His cowardice is part of the problem we have in this country - when he behaves like this, it encourages the use of threats and vio-

lence in the society.

5. It shows that this man has absolutely no convictions. He cares about his own skin because he feels he is in danger of being harmed, he quickly, not merely, apologises, but as mentioned above it could be better described as grovelling.

Kissoon will not write against this regime for a long time to come (if ever).

What a disgrace calling himself an intellectual and political analyst. It is clear he is none of that.

He is just a huge fraud.

Yours truly, Gopaul Singh

Dear Editor, Words cannot express the sadness I felt when I looked at the Friday 08 dailies and saw a 12-year-old girl charged for murder.

Over the years especially during the period when we were being governed under PPP/C I penned numerous letters begging/imploring those responsible for our youths, religious leaders and the various organisations to come out with a clear plan to help our youths and I even got into details and used Zeelugt on East Bank Essequibo as an example, citing the huge school-dropouts, increased drugs and alcohol use and crime.

To date no help or project have been introduce to that village. Instead, there are small gangs emerging, crimes being committing (some murders) and some villagers living in torment from these youngsters because the police seem rather reluctant to act on certain reports that they seem to judge as irrelevant whilst those misbehaving keep increasing their behaviours. Because of neglect crime seems to be getting worse and the majority of them are committed by youths.

Whilst passing schools,

especially high schools in the afternoon, you could observe lots of young men dressed in various fashion liming and having conversations with the schoolchildren. Those liming are mostly school-age and their actions seem to be Influencing many to drop out from schools and join them to dress and look ‘cool’.

Listening to their vulgar conversations with the school children is very appalling and if one tries to scold them, one is met with a barrage of insults, threats and even assaults.

Many parents would see the actions of these children and would openly share their opinions on proper training while their own might be worse off because they don’t care what they are doing but when problems arise they quickly jump up to defend them.

I am still waiting to see the administration come up with a plan for these ‘loiterers’ at the schools.

Finally Editor, I have posted on my Facebook page my opinion about the sorry welcome Lisa Punch got at the Timehri Airport and to see our two young ladies from the victorious West Indies women team entering Guyana without a

decent welcome is very embarrassing. That is to show the feelings those in authority have for our youths here!

Our Director of Sports hastily calls a press conference to say that the GCB did not inform him so that he could have arranged a hero’s welcome for the two young ladies.

Now my questions are, as Director of Sports, couldn’t he have called and enquired, instead of waiting? Couldn’t he get the girls’ contact numbers and make contact with them personally; and apart from the press conference did he convey any congratulatory message to them?

Our youths are not getting the credits they deserve and actions like these only seem to deter them from shining.

Perhaps our Director of Sports should take time off from updating Facebook of where he is and actually show us what he is doing when not eating or drinking, because the last time I recalled seeing the deplorable conditions some of our athletes had to eat in whilst they are representing Guyana!

Sahadeo Bates

Alexander is seeking to mislead the public again Dear Editor, It is with reluctance that I have penned this response to Vincent Alexander’s in your letters column. Once again, Mr Alexander has deliberately caused libellous statements about me to be published.

Let me, once and for all, set the records straight because, for now I am interested in the decision of the court. Thereafter, I will address matters incidental thereto: 1) I pursued the UG LL.B. degree from 2000 to 2003.

2) I was granted the only loan (for the first year), and the expiry repayment date

for that loan was 31 August, 2006.

3) I was acted against in 2003. The expiry date for repayment had not arrived.

4) Neither the University of Guyana nor the Ministry of Finance wrote me on this matter while I was awaiting approval and saw no reasons why there should have been problems as a continuing student.

5) N Rheka, (Finance Secretary as he then was) pointed out to me that he saw no reasons why the monies sent by the Ministry of Finance to the University of Guyana omitted payment for me.

6) Mr Alexander should

not be allowed to confuse the public that there was/is anything other than the above facts.

7) Mr Alexander needs to be reminded that he has also libelled me when he wrote and had published that I was involved in the crime of CONSPIRACY when I wrote 20 different exams during the academic years 20012002 and 2002-2003 and I have ill gained grades!!!

8) He cannot wish away the examination attendance slips for each and are now a part of the court’s records.

Regards, Clairmonte Cox JP Student # 00/0850/0207

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SunDAY, april 10, 2016

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guyana-times.com

Foundation

Violence against A Division hosts females and Goddesses career day fair for

“There is no need to request You, Oh Durga, To protect and save us.

For does the mother on whom children solely depend, Ever need such a request?

And So our salutations to You; So pray the Gods to You.”

Anu Dev

W

e are on the fourth night of Nau Raat which Hindus specifically set aside (twice annually) to worshipping God as “female”. As a Hindu young woman, whose chosen form to worship God is female - in my case specifically Saraswati, in whom all knowledge reposes and emanates - I’ve sometimes wondered how some Hindu men who also worship the Divine in her various female forms and incarnations, can inflict violence on females. But of course, violence against women isn’t confined to Guyana and certainly not only to Hindus.

It’s just that since we Hindus are supposed to have elevated women to the ultimate Divinity I was kind of hoping our menfolk would’ve seen us as in a bit kinder light that those from other religions that insist

that God is male. And Who might need to use a “rod of correction” ever so often.

In Hinduism, by contrast, while God is ultimately beyond categories - including sex or gender - the conceived female aspects are actually endowed with the Shakti - or animating power. In other words, the male manifestations are posited as completely inert (Pakriti) without the female. Can’t do a thing! So we have, for instance, the Creator Vishnu with his female counterpart Lakshmi. She’s the power behind whatever “creation” - or “projection” as we Hindus prefer - that’s going on. One third of Hindus are “Shaktas” - whose major object of worship is the Mother in her various manifestations. In Guyana, most Shaktas originated in South India and are lumped together as “Madrassis”, since they left India from the port of Madras.

While Vishnu has incarnated first as fish, tortoise, boar and half-man/ Half lion, in all his human

incarnations - whether as Ram or Krishna - Vishnu is accompanied by his Shakti.

As Ram, for instance, his double is Sita. Bringing matters to the human level then, supposedly to provide a model for us to imitate, when one marries, the women is said to be “the Lakshmi of the house”.

In offering prayers to the Divine, the male householder is incomplete and the offerings aren’t accepted if he’s not accompanied by his “Lakshmi”.

So what goes with all this wife beating and violence against females in our society? Why hasn’t our elevation of women among Hindus as Goddesses increased respect for women?

Well for one, in the “modern” world, we have all accepted that “religion” is just one aspect of “life”.

Religion as a seamless, integral way of life as posited by Hinduism, is “old fashioned” and “backward”. Traditional Hinduism, we are convinced, can’t be “modern”. So our menfolk worship the Mother of the temple in the tem-

ple and then knock around the Mother of the House in the house.

The view that the man is the owner of all he surveys in reflection of the man with the grey beard who’s floating in the sky above looking down at us - undergirds what is called “patriarchy”.

In modern Hindu homes, unlike the original model of society in which the female was the boss in her own domain, boys and men are still socialised to see females as “their own”. And in a capitalist society, this becomes translated as their “property”. And more to the point “sexual property” which he “jealously” guards.

If we’re ever going to get rid of this mind-numbing violence that’s inflicted daily on females, this structural power imbalance between males and females which starts in the home - ironically by mothers - must be eliminated.

What was it they said about “the hands that rock the cradle”? It can help to make “ruling the world” a bit fairer. All hail the Devi!

Police’s youth clubs

Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine touring the Guyana Police Force booth as Top Cop Seelall Persaud looks on

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olice youth clubs from across the country assembled at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary, Georgetown, on Saturday for what will now become the annual A Division (Georgetown-East Bank Demerara) career fair.

The inaugural fair was an all day event, held under the theme “Transforming the Mind, Developing the Nation through Motivation and Inspiration”. It kicked off with performances from children across the country.

There were skits, dances, recitals and even charges from Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine who declared the event open.

Delivering brief remarks, Dr Roopnaraine commended the efforts of the Guyana Police Force, more specifically the Divisional Commander, Officers and ranks of A Division and other stakeholders for staging of the event.

He noted that the theme of the fair strikes at the core of education in Guyana.

Dr Roopnaraine stated that he was impressed with the emphasis placed on local activities and local products observed in the exhibition booths and expressed the view that they will generate high interest in the youths.

The Education Minister also noted that many of the children attending the career fair were at an important stage of their lives where decisions will influence the kind of persons they become, and urged that they pay close attention to their parents, teachers and those who give them guidance in order that they may

be able to make a contribution towards the building of Guyana.

On the other hand, Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud noted that the career day fair held three important values. Firstly, to the children of the youth clubs, many of whom are completing secondary education and may be entering the labour force, and therefore need to seize the opportunity to explore the diversity of the work environment.

Secondly, to the exhibitors who have the opportunity to recruit labour, and thirdly to Police Force itself which has transformed over the years from a para-military organisation into a service oriented and social problem-solving Police Force.

Among the agencies which participated in the career fair and engaged young persons were the Disciplined Forces; the Ministries of Education, Public Health and Agriculture; media entities; E R Burrowes School of Art; the Museum of African Heritage, and new kid on the block call centre – Teleperformance.

Meanwhile, scores of children and teenagers attended the fair throughout the day and interacted with the exhibitors. Most of the younger ones were dressed as their professions, such as police officers, doctors and nurses, and lawyers, displaying their aspiring career paths.

The students seemed enthused as they moved from one booth to another, exploring. Guyana Times managed to get the reaction of a few on the career fair. turn to page 10

news

Meeting urged between TIGI and Harmon ... to address “outrageous claims” of Govt corruption

F

ollowing President David Granger’s pronouncements, political commentator Ramon Gaskin is urging the local transparency body to meet with State Minister Joseph Harmon to engage in discussions related to the ongoing controversy and the corruption claims.

In an invited comment on the matter on Saturday, Gaskin explained that since the President recommended that the Transparency Institute of Guyana (TIGI) meet with Harmon, then the non-governmental organisation should so comply in order to gain the answers they seek.

“He said that TIGI should go and see Harmon and I think that TIGI should go and see him and put the questions to Harmon and let him answer… cause Harmon is not saying anything so that’s what should be done,” he stated.

Guyana Times also contacted TIGI for a comment on Granger’s response to

their corruption claims; however, its President, Reverend Compton Meerabux declined to offer any statement until he discusses the matter with the entire executive body.

Nonetheless, he assured that a statement will be released very soon in this regard.

TIGI had accused the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition Administration of being corrupt, basing its assertion on the circumstances in which Minister Harmon issued what he described as an “honorary” appointment of businessman Brian Tiwari as his “business advisor” and also in staying a Guyana Revenue Authority order to seize two vehicles from Chinese logging company BaiShanLin. Breaking his silence on the issue, President David Granger expressed his dissatisfaction with the way TIGI haphazardly accused his Administration of being “corrupt”, without be-

ing apprised of all the facts and without even making attempts to seek an explanation.

“When they make statements that the Government is corrupt, what does that mean? Does it mean that I am corrupt… does it mean that the Prime Minister is corrupt? It is an outrageous statement and I would ask TIGI to verify its information before going to the media. It is difficult for me to accept a blanket of criticism of the entire Administration because of one incident,” he had said.

He also invited the transparency body to meet with Minister Harmon and have their concerns addressed at that level.

Minister Harmon is currently subject to public opprobrium after the business advisor appointment document was leaked and published by the Kaieteur News which kept up a daily crescendo of criticisms on Tiwari and Harmon.

Clyde Roopchand laid to rest

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ormer Chief Planner of the Finance Ministry, Clyde Roopchand, who has been hailed as a patriot and outstanding public servant, was on Saturday laid to rest. Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, Junior Finance Minister Jaipaul Sharma Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo greets family members of the late Clyde Roopchand

Persons solemnly pay their last respects

and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo were among those present at the funeral service, held outside of the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

Roopchand worked at the

State Planning Secretariat and also sat on several Government boards. He was 70 years old and passed away in New York, USA. After his passing, the Ministry of the Presidency had said issued a simple statement which read:

$420M fertiliser contract was “return”...

GRDB’s GM Hassan broke his silence on the issue after information went public that the shady deal was in jeopardy. He said in a press release that the contract was granted to the foreign company in a move to improve farmer’s production costs and overall productivity, since their rice, no longer being supplied to Venezuela at US$760 per tonne, would now attract the world market price of US$400 per tonne.

According to GRDB, one of the ways in which this could have been done was by assisting in making fertiliser available to farmers at lower prices. The price for urea fertiliser at that time was between $5500 and $6500 per bag.

Hassan pointed out: “It is noteworthy, that when local suppliers became knowledgeable of GRDB’s attempt to reduce the cost of fertiliser to farmers for supply of urea, the price immediately fell from $1000 to $2000 per bag.” He also said that, “while payment for the fertiliser was by Letter of Credit established through a local commercial bank, the supplier requested that the Letter of Credit be irrevocable and transferable.”

The GRDB GM said this suggested that a supply from that source was not immediately available. However,

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the local bank only provides the service of irrevocable Letter of Credit which is not transferrable.

“GRDB continued to monitor the supply and prices of urea on the local market and has been in constant communication with HDM Labs Inc since the supply of this commodity can no longer be considered urgent and immediate” said Hassan.

Rahman contends that the contract fell apart because indeed, Hardat Singh could not supply the fertiliser since he did not have the financing to do so and want-

ed an advance payment on the contract from the bank to be able to deliver the goods, “that’s why he asked for the Letter of Credit to be irrevocable and transferable”, but as GRDB’s GM Hassan pointed out, “the local bank only provides the service of irrevocable Letter of Credit which is not transferable.”

Guyana Times understands this move by local banks to make credit not transferable is done to prevent money laundering.

Rahman is calling for Hardat Singh to be in-

vestigated since he is in receipt of information which shows that Singh was convicted in the USA on charges of fraud and money laundering.

“In my view I believe somebody, some political party or some group of individuals would have benefited from this deal and not the rice farmers. That needs to be further investigated, why is it that after all this talk, especially in the AFC camp about sole sourcing, tendering transparency and setting up of the Public Procurement Commission

“President David Granger has expressed condolences to the wife and relatives of Mr Clyde Roopchand.”

The People’s Progressive Party had also expressed their grief at the passing of the former public servant.

“His passion and commitment to advance the country and the welfare of its people is undisputed.

Guyana has indeed lost a stalwart and a true son.

The best tribute would be to ensure that his contributions are not forgotten and the impeccable standards he set, be emulated,” the Party had noted.

from page 3

[PPC], the government did not put this contract out for tendering. There was no urgency to purchase and sign a contract with this gentleman” said Rahman.

Just recently Opposition Leader Bharat Jagdeo in a press conference pointed to the credibility of the supplier that was given the contract, citing that “we saw somebody who owns a Chinese store now getting a $420 million contract to supply fertiliser to Guyana without any tender.”

According to Rahman “most of the board members

are extremely angry that such a deal was signed behind there back, and this is the kind of nonsense that is still going on that used to go on in the past; we have to put an end to that; we are not any longer going to allow any form of corruption, nepotism or squandermania to take place in this country.

At the end of the day it’s the people who are producing the rice and paddy who are suffering and you have a group of crooked people who want to make money.”

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SunDAY, april 10, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Man jailed for 3 years for trafficking narcotics …tells Magistrate “de weed weight wrong”

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man, who has been jailed for three years for trafficking in narcotics, had objected to the amount of cannabis sativa he was accused of having.

Victor Kipping of Trafalgar Village, West Coast Berbice, told Magistrate Rhondell Weaver at the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court, that he was guilty of the offence but with an explanation when the traf-

ficking in narcotics charge was read to him.

On February 7 last, at Trafalgar Village he had in his possession 345 grams of cannabis sativa (marijuana) for the purpose of trafficking.

When asked what his explanation was, Kipping told the Court that the marijuana was wet at the time it was weighed and so the weight he was being charged for was incorrect.

The Magistrate then entered a plea of not guilty and ordered that the accused be tried.

During the trial, Detective Constable Quincy Colder told the court that on the day in question, police officers acting on information went to the home of the accused at Trafalgar Village and on seeing the officers he scaled a fence and jumped into a trench with a black plastic bag in his hand. Colder said an officer also jumped in and arrested him.

Constable Travis Griffith told the court that the trench was in front of the yard that Kipping came out of.

He told the court that he arrested the suspect, who had a plastic bag, in the trench.

According to the officer when the bag was opened it contained other plastic bags which were all sealed.

The leaves, stems and seeds of marijuana were in the inner bags. Griffith that the marijuana was well protected from water and it was weighed while dry.

Kipping was found guilty and sentenced to three years and fined $50,000.

Mahaicony dormitory needs repairs, supplies

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dormitory in Mahaicony, Region Five (DemeraraMahaica) which houses 20 Indigenous students, is in dire need of repairs and food supplies. The students who currently reside at the facility age between 12 and 16 and are all from the Indigenous community of Moraikabi, and currently attend Mahaicony, Hope, Belladrum, Novar and Bygeval Secondary Schools.

Four of the 20 students

are preparing to write the Caribbean examinations.

Guyana Times has been told that even though 25 pounds of fish, one bag of potatoes and a quantity of sausages were supplied over a week ago, all that currently remains was some of the potatoes. This publication was also told that one kind-spirited citizen donated three trays of eggs and five packs of sausages on Friday. It was noted that this is insufficient to feed the 22 persons

who reside there, which includes two guardians.

While this batch of students only moved into the facilities in October, this publication was also told of the deteriorating conditions at the dormitory. It was related that one side of the compound’s fence is damaged and repairs are needed to the piping system.

This newspaper has been made aware that officials from the region and the Education Ministry visited

the facility over two weeks ago and it was promised that the many concerns would be addressed. However, the situation remains unchanged as there have been no followup visits. Guyana Times was on Saturday unable to contact Region Five Chairman Vickchand Ramphal.

Moraikobai, the Amerindian village home to the 20 students, is located 10 kilometres up the Mahaicony River.

Eyew tness Good news...

Y

...on young Guyanese achievements

our Eyewitness was tickled pink (figuratively, of course because he's too pigmentally challenged to achieve that effect!) when he read about 17-yearold Kelly Hyles being accepted to every one of the eight Ivy League schools in the US! He'd only just come off the high of West Indians copping all three of the ICC's T-20 World Cup Tournaments! And now this! His cup runneth over.

If we needed confirmation that Guyanese can measure up to any other group in the world, this is it.

Our young'uns within Guyana had been churning out CSEC's like there's no tomorrow for a decade now – but some felt the exams might've been diluted from the old GCE's of decades back. And wondered how we'd stack up against stiffer competition than other West Indians.

This Eyewitness was never of that ilk...But Miss Hyles’ performance answered that question! And her admissions isn't one of those "Affirmative Action" squeeze-ins – this young lady attended one of the eight high schools in NYC that demands a competitive exam that thousands write to vie for the spots.

Kelly would've probably just completed her NGSA before she migrated and her comment that "school in different" in Guyana is telling. We shouldn't knock our schooling too much...our curriculum's top notch. And once we start paying teachers what they're worth...we'll garner wider demonstration of our excellence. Kelly's point about the need for discipline during the early years is also important – and while this Eyewitness will have no truck with corporal punishment – he accepts there has to be some sort of sanctions imposed to inculcate discipline.

Kelly's performance was matched by another girl from NY – Uwamanzu-Nna. She's is of Nigerian parentage – and this brings up the point your Eyewitness wants to make.

When folks go as immigrants to countries, they already have a firmness of purpose as to the "why". They want to succeed – and they'll do this by any means necessary.

People from the Caribbean, Africa and India do well in the States because they go there with this drive and determination. Kelly's mother holds down two jobs. Back in Guyana, there are some who spout a lot of nonsense about "some who can't achieve" and "others who can" as if it's genetic. If we check history, it all boils down to some coming here as immigrants and maintained their immigrant drive. Some. Just as Kelly and her mother are doing in the States.

What's needed is for leaders to ensure there are level playing fields – and inculcate in all groups the belief that success WILL come out of hard work.

...on eyes opening

When the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) was being pilloried by the Kaieteur News and all kinds of "experts" and NGO's (most times the two were the same)...the Opposition-now-in-Government were rubbing their hands in glee. If it wasn't one manufactured scandal, it was another. This paper and this Eyewitness pointed out it all had to do with the envy and jealously KN's MookLall, striking out when he didn't get his way – only he should be enriched, feted and courted.

Well...the shoe's on the other foot. He's still not getting his way – as much as he wants, anyway – and he's once again hitting out and orchestrating the usual suspects of "experts" and "NGO's" to sing his tune. And Pressie's mad as hell and just defend his "Government".

But he should notice the venom and vitriol aren't thrown at the entire Government – just the APNU/PNC wing. The AFC're getting a free ride.

And with good reason: who'd you think are producing the leaks?!

...on mediocrity exposed

Rawls Lucas fancies himself as a financial maven. On the weekend the Panama Papers exposed the largest money launderers in the world – he wrote his "exposé" on the subject.

But beats up on unmentioned Guyana while writing NOTHING about Britain as one of the largest law breakers!

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

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GDF rank killed in Sheriff Street hit and run accident

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Guyana Defence Force (GDF) rank attached to the Band Corp was early Saturday morning killed in a hit and run accident along Sheriff Street, Georgetown.

Lashana Moore, 22, of Lot 917 Providence, East Bank Demerara, was reportedly struck by two cars at about 05:30h as she attempted to cross Sheriff Street in the vicinity of Campbellville Secondary School.

After receiving the first

hit, the woman was toss several feet in the air and landed on the roadway and was again hit by another moving vehicle that was passing at the same time.

Both cars drove off the scene but one was subsequently found abandoned at Freeman Street, East La Penitence, Georgetown without the driver.

The woman who has a seven-month-old child died on the spot but was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where doctors pronounced her

National Library hosts week of celebrations

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he National Library will be hosting its annual National Library Week from April 10-16.

Over the years the National Library has been the main source of literature in Guyana. Centralised in the country’s capital, it stands at a point easily accessible to the Georgetown populace.

Throughout the week activities will sensitise the public on areas of importance in Guyana.

The list of events are being held under the theme of “Transforming your communities with help at National Library.com” Sunday (today) will be the advent of activities with a fitness walk beginning at 06:00 hours from National Library along Church Street north into Vlissengen Road up to Thomas Lands and conclude at the National Park.

This event is slated on the heels of World Health Day recently and wishes to emphasise to the public the significance of a healthy lifestyle. The public is also invited to visit the National Library’s collection of fitness books.

Monday is for the religious aspect of the Library Week with an interfaith service commencing at 08:45 hours. Religion has always been a centrepiece of Guyanese with the three main religious bodies: Hinduism, Christianity

and Islam. Ideally, this service will include prayers from leaders of the three main denominations in Guyana.

Tuesday’s schedule extends to cover advocacy, by means of a ‘big read’ programme at 09:00 hours followed by an open poetry and symposium at the Bagotville Library. The event is slated for Guyanese poets and staff who will showcase their talent.

On Wednesday the public can expect a detailed tour of the National Library. This tour, commencing at 10:00 hours and finishing at 16:00 hours will include an in-depth look at the services provided by the National Library.

‘Ask a lawyer’ is set for Thursday. The National Library in collaboration with the Guyana Bar Association will sensitise the general public on troubling questions of the law that affect their daily lives.

Approaching the end of the week staff of the National Library will be appreciated with a breakfast service at 08:45 hours and move on to a surprise event later in the day.

The week of events will conclude with a story-telling marathon and book give-away ceremony at the Library.

The public is invited to celebrate National Library Week with stakeholders and staff of one of Guyana’s main research facilities.

dead on arrival. From reports received, the woman left Camp Ayanganna after receiving a telephone call.

At the home of the dead woman on Saturday morning, her weeping mother, Denise Moore explained that she received a telephone call from one of her daughter’s friends who informed her of the accident.

She hurriedly rushed to the scene where she saw her daughter’s motionless body lying on the roadway.

She recalled that her daughter’s head was bloodied and it sustained a puncture. She later learnt that her daughter had exited a taxi and was about to cross the road when she was struck by two vehicles. One of the drivers, she noted, was arrested while the other escaped.

The woman further recalled that her daughter had telephoned her on

Dead: Lashana Moore

Friday informing her that she will collect her daughter to braid her hair.

“She does normally stay at Camp Ayanganna and come out on weekends and collect her daughter to take her for outings,” the distraught mother cried.

She noted that her grandchild stays with her great grandmother in Grove, East Bank Demerara. After the accident, she claimed that she was made to understand that her daughter received a telephone call and left without informing anyone about her whereabouts.

“It could be that she was getting a drop to collect her daughter and then head home… we don’t know but she was a very loving child”.

Moore joined the Guyana Defence Force four years ago and would have been part of the Band Corp. Her grandmother who was also at the house

and seemingly in shock told Guyana Times that she would have received the unfortunate news at about 06:30h on Saturday morning. She iterated that the young woman has left a young baby who will now grow not knowing her mother.

She said that she took care of the child so that Moore could be a part of the military. The devastated elderly woman recalled that her now dead granddaughter was a loving individual who was always jovial. She also loved to party, the aggrieved grandmother stated.

The woman’s body is at the Lyken’s Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem examination. She leaves to mourn her mother, daughter and three siblings.

The Police have since confirmed that they have arrested one man in connection with the incident as investigations continue.

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guyana-times.com

News

Potaro River accident

Body of TSU rank still to be recovered

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wo days after Tactical Services Unit (TSU) rank Akeem Hyles went missing in the Potaro River, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) after the boat he was travelling in capsized, his body is yet to be recovered.

Special Constable 14536 Hyles, 22, of New Amsterdam, Berbice, was in a boat with several other persons when the vessel capsized sometime around noon on Friday at Amatuk Falls area. His body was not recovered.

When contacted on Saturday, Commander of F Division (Interior locations), Rabindranauth Budhram related that the search was still on to locate the missing rank.

He noted that a team of officers travelled to the area on Saturday morning and are ex-

Dead: Special Constable Akeem Hyles

pected to camp out there until the body surfaces.

“Some civilians and Police Officers are there camping out in the area where the accident occured… they have to wait until the body float up so they can

retrieved it, so that’s what’s happening now,” he stated.

However, Commander Budhram noted that there is a possibility that the current of the water might have moved the body from the area. “We are not certain whether the body will remain there, sometimes with the current of the water, it might move and gone somewhere else so they have to traverse the river and see,” he noted.

Hyles was in the boat with other Police ranks, members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and representatives of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) on Friday heading to conduct raids on illegal mining camps in the area, when the boat came into contact with rough terrain and subsequently capsized.

According to the Police, Hyles had departed the Ogle International Airport on Friday morning along with the other members of the Joint Services, who were dispatched to assist the GGMC officials in dealing with illegal mining that was being carried out in the Kaieteur National Park area.

The Guyana Police Force extended sincere condolences to the parents, relatives and friends of Special Constable Akeem Hyles.

Meanwhile, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman in a subsequent statement expressed his condolences to the Force and the family of Hyles. Trotman said he is saddened by this unfortunate incident and his prayers are with the relatives of the missing rank.

Political investors and bull manure

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atiricus came from a farm. And like they say, you can take the boy from the farm, but you can’t take the farm from the boy. So when Satiricus heard Nagga Man was helping rice farmers, he was mighty pleased. Even though Nagga Man was from fishing stock (which is different from “fish stock”), he was a fella so full of bull, manure farmers liked him around. So it was not surprising to Satiricus to learn Nagga Man’s actual help to rice farmers was to obtain fertiliser on the cheap. Fertiliser was just a fancy way of talking about “bull manure”.

Seems when Nagga Man was in New York pressing the flesh on the campaign trail and insisting he was no “Apache Indian”, he hooked up with an enterprising “outside” Guyanese named Hard Hat. Hard Hat was a smooth operator. He ran a business from his basement apartment that had never made any profit – but he had a slick website and all that. Hard Hat pressed some cash into Naga Man’s outstretched hand and insisted he was just a good ole Guyana Babu.

Pretty soon after Nagga Man became the PRIME Moocher, however, his KFC colleague Trot Man made the Kitty Declaration of the “KFC’s doctrine of Campaign Contributions”. This was right after the leader of the KFC Rum Jhaat bigged up his old business buddy for paying for the KFC’s new Headquarters. When some small minded spoilsport snidely remarked the KFC seemed to be for sale, Trot Man huffily enunciated the Kitty Declaration: “Campaign Contributions are hereby acknowledged as “political investments”. Like all investments, they are supposed to generate a substantial internal rate of return (IRR) equivalent to at least 1000 times what the Campaign Contributor would have earned had he invested it in a Panamanian Tax Haven.”

And it was in the spirit of the Kitty Declaration that Nagga Man spoke to his acolyte Has-San to award a $420 million contract to Hard Hat for cheap bull manure for rice farmers. Hard Hat was also full of bull manure and was certain he could supply the requisite amount from his basement.

However, he wanted half of the payment up front so that he could get his IRR. He would have to hire several men to scoop up so much bull manure.

However back in Guyana, Has San’s GRAB Board balked. They said they could get plenty of bull manure right here in Guyana from men like Nagga Man. And didn’t have to pay up front.

'A' Division hosts career day... from page 6

One of student from Richard Ishmael Secondary School indicated that the fair proved to be educational, mentioning in particular, a device developed by the Hydrometrological Office to test water.

Another student related that her interest was captured by the various career paths available with the Guyana Defence Force.

“I didn’t know they had so much opportunity, to be honest. A lot of people think that Police and Army is just that but they offer much more, it’s very interesting,” she stated.

Speaking with this newspaper, 'A' Division Commander, Clifton Hicken, was pleased with the turnout, noting that the event is part of a calendar year of activities planned for Guyanese youths. He noted that events such as these

seek to develop and mould youths to become leaders of the future.

According to Hicken, the fair also provides a forum for children across the country to interact and form a network with each other. “In 'A' Division, we are continuing with these types of programmes in the hopes that the children will walk away with brochures, walk away with new information, walk away with the understanding that if you want to become a professional as part of a professional organisation, then there is a road you need to walk and education is the key to getting there,” he stated.

Hicken is encouraging his fellow Divisional Commanders to host similar initiatives that would see the Police Force strengthening and rebuilding its relationship with the public.

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News

Govt hikes excise tax on neutral Mahaica residents spirits from 40% to 65% concerned about ... threatens survival of manufacturing businesses poor water quality

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move by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to amend the excise tax on alcohol, essentially increasing the tax levied based on the strength of the alcohol, has now delivered a crippling blow to local manufacturers that use alcohol in its purest concentration.

Many local manufacturing companies had complained last year about having to pay an alarmingly high excise tax of 40 per cent on alcohols that they would purchase locally from Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL).

To that end, they requested government’s intervention to alleviate the burden plaguing the local manufacturing sector. Instead of getting relief from paying the 40 per cent in excise tax, manufactures now have to pay an incredulous 65 per cent for the neutral spirits they buy locally to use in the production of their goods and services.

The alcohol purchased by manufacturers is referred to as extra-neutral alcohol or neutral spirits and is measured in Litres of Pure Alcohol (LPA). At the purchase strength of 96 per cent alcohol v/v (volume-volume) percentage, it is considered only suitable for industrial use or further processing.

NEW GPC INC and Twins Manufacturing Chemists, two local manu-

R

facturers, had confirmed to this news agency that they use 96 per cent alcohol/neutral spirits to manufacture a diverse array of local products for the domestic and export markets.

They noted that the charging of the excise tax on the alcohol significantly impacts the cost of production and therefore the competitiveness of their products against the increasing influx of cheaper imports.

According to NEW GPC, further exacerbating the situation is the revelation that Value Added Tax (VAT), at 16 per cent, is also levied on the excise tax, which now stands at 65 per cent.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan had outlined in his 2016 Budget presentation that his government would be increasing the excise tax as a means to bring “equity to the charging of excise tax on alcoholic beverages.”

He had highlighted that “the intent is to introduce a graduated, specific rate sys-

tem for the collection of excise tax on alcohol based on the alcoholic strength. This is deemed to be the most effective way of dealing with importers and domestic manufacturers of alcoholic beverages. It will also be easier for the Guyana Revenue Authority [GRA] to administer as well as reduce significantly, opportunities for manipulating the values of the goods for the purpose of taxation”.

The manufacturers are questioning whether the Minister took into consideration the adverse effects that an increase of this type of tax would have on those manufacturing businesses that use 96 per cent alcohol/spirits in the production of their commodities, as opposed to those that use a lesser strength in the sale of alcoholic beverages.

The trickle-down effects of the tax increases are significant when one factors in the slow turnover of the private sector and sloth of the economy.

Most of the local manufacturing businesses that use neutral spirits of a high strength would now have to restructure to recoup their losses, possibly leading to persons losing their jobs and less monies circulating in the economy, thereby perpetuating the cycle of sloth.

An alternative route

According to NEW GPC, if this situation is not rectified the company will seriously consider taking the route of importing alcohol as opposed to buying locally.

Currently, it is cheaper to import the neutral spirit from Trinidad and Tobago because both the excise tax and value added tax are waived by the GRA under the existing tax legislation to incentivise local manufacturing. turn to page 12

esidents of Lancaster, Mahaica, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), especially in the Riverview and Mosquito Hall areas, are complaining bitterly over being forced to use poor quality water for over a month now.

They are calling on the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) to stage an intervention to rectify the issue.

Guyana Times received information stating that the water coming through the taps is discoloured and is not healthy for consumption.

Reports also state that sediments could be seen floating in the water. The water when use for domestic purposes, especially to do laundry, is causing the clothing to be discoloured, one resident stated.

The water is being described as rusted colour with fragments floating in it.

One resident, identified as ‘James’, told this publication “I am fed up of having to use such terrible water and having to pay for it when no one cares for your welfare.

The water is hazardous to our health, how long will we have to use it?”

Another resident lamented that she became sick be-

cause of having to consume the water. This newspaper also heard that the residents have taken their concerns to the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) but nothing has been done.

The residents have also made numerous reports to GWI but have not received any assistance thus far. This newspaper made contact with the Public Relations Officer (PRO) Timothy Austin who stated that they have not received any such complaints but assured that he will see to it that the matter is looked into immediately.

Residents of other regions of Guyana have also been voicing similar complaints.

In Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo), residents were also being forced to use discoloured water but this was as a result of the drought conditions.

And in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), residents of the East Bank of Essequibo (EBE) have been complaining of having to use contaminated water but this issue was rectified by the water utility.

12 news

SunDAY, april 10, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Worldwide emphasis placed on Zika Virus pandemic – Guyanese join rest of the world in training personnel

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s the Zika virus continues to plague parts of the world with more and more persons falling victims, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) has declared it a worldwide pandemic.

With this being announced and the recent confirmation by PAHO that the virus is indeed linked to Microcephaly – babies being born with abnormally smaller heads – more prominence has been placed on ensuring that this virus becomes dormant.

Subsequent to the reports of the thousands of cases being recorded the world over, PAHO had taken on the initiative of having persons from the various countries undergo training

in detecting the virus and testing samples.

Being one of the main laboratories for testing of the suspected blood samples, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Trinidad has been selected to facilitate these training sessions.

This was according to Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton, who stated that because of the newly rolled out imitative, it is affecting the time when Guyana’s representatives are slated to return home.

With reported cases in Guyana on the rise, two medical practitioners were sent to the laboratory in Trinidad to undergo training on how to detect and test samples for the presence of the virus.

This was prior to the decision by PAHO to include the rest of the world in the training, which has caused an extension to the staying time of the Guyanese.

Norton said that Guyana’s representatives have joined 60 others from varying countries but the Ministry is unsure of when the training would end.

The decision to have these persons sent for training had come as Guyana had recorded over 90 suspected cases of the virus, with below five being tested positive.

Minister Norton had informed in a recent interview that Guyana is at a disadvantage of detecting the virus since there were no medical personnel with requisite knowledge to test sus-

pected persons.

However, he had confirmed that Guyana is in possession of the equipment to test for the virus. With the persons being trained, Guyana would be at an advantage of detecting the virus in persons in its early stage so that victims can be treated accordingly.

Meanwhile, the number of cases of the virus stands at six in Guyana with no

recent reports of suspected cases.

Reports surfacing however indicated that additional persons had been tested positive for the virus at private institutions but these cases have not been reported to the Minister.

Commenting on this, Norton said that only the Ministry is authorised to send samples for testing and he is unaware of ad-

ditional cases being confirmed.

Nonetheless, the Public Health Ministry along with other Ministries and the Vector Control Unit (VCU) has been maintaining its preventatives strategies throughout Guyana.

This includes regular fogging exercises, the dissemination of information to the general public and other effective measures.

Mora/Parika NDC Chairman to end illegal vending, touting

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fter being re-elected Chairman of the Mora/ Parika Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Jaideo Sookho has outlined his plans and objectives to improve the lives of residents in his area.

In an interview with Guyana Times the chairman noted that a wharf and “small stelling” will be constructed so that farmers can off- and on-load their produce.

Farmers presently do so on and many sell at the Parika Stelling which times lead to confusion since passengers from various regions have to transit there.

“We also have the desilting of the sea defence, the sea dam drains at Parika,” the NDC head further posited.

Sookho also stated there will be construction works at the “Bhodoo Scheme” to improve the conditions of the roads.

While Sookho noted a “satisfactory” feeling being re-elected as chairman, he observed that he will waste no time in restoring order to Parika. It was explained that some of the squatting areas will be regularised while the

Mora/Parika NDC Chairman, Jaideo Sookho

appropriate locations for car and bus parks are being identified. The chairman further told this newspaper he will ensure that “illegal vending” on the roadside will end.

The NDC Chairman also responded to on-going complaints against “touting” of passengers, especially those arriving from other locations in Essequibo to make their way to Georgetown and be-

tween.

“We have plans; we want to cut out this touting, find a proper monitor so we could get a turn system,” emphasised the chairman. When questioned as to when these measures will be made operational, Sookho said that after the second statutory meeting in April, these disclosures will be made public.

Guyana Times has been informed that works on the Parika Stelling have commenced, following a prolonged period which saw many sections fall into a dilapidated state. Parika is strategic in the Essequibo area.

Many farmers in Essequibo Islands, Coast and other inland locations use the Stelling as the point from where produce is transported to various locations in the country.

It was in March that Guyanese observed Local Government Elections for the first time since 1994. Aside from recent problems in some districts, these polls saw a wide return of elected officials assuming the posts of councillors.

Govt hikes excise tax...

NEW GPC is calling on the Government to differentiate between alcohol utilized for manufacturing by local businesses and alcohol which is utilized at the consumer level to bring more clarity to the rationale between the tax increases.

Any local businesses desirous of using alcohol as a raw material will have to endure the now onerous 65 per cent tax or import foreign alcohol – an alternative that is coincidentally inimical to the interests of another local manufacturer and the Guyanese economy.

from page 11

Alcohol is an input for many major industries such as cosmetics, food, beverages, hygiene and household products, etc.

This application of the tax on a raw material, which was meant for “sin goods”, is considered inexplicable.

news

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SunDAY, april 10, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Copyright Legislation on Ruling by Divine right? parliamentary agenda

By Ryhaan Shah

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“

believe God brought that man to be President… I believe that God made him President for such a time as this.”

Most of us reading those lines uttered by Minister Raphael Trotman in Bartica during the APNU/AFC’s LGE campaign might be moved to laughter at the preposterous idea of a divinely elected President governing any country in the 21st century.

Ryhaan Shah Trotman’s speech, however, might have been instrumental in securing the Coalition its comfortable win in that township.

Since the story broke about his infamous Bartica address, an edited version has been posted on Kaieteur News’ website in an attempt to contain the damage done.

Trotman would have more than 1800 words to say at any campaign rally and would surely refer to the other LGE contenders so it is obvious that the most egregious parts of the “hate filled” speech (as was originally stated by the now contrite whistleblower) have been expurgated.

Even so, once you get past the absurdity of the idea of Guyana being governed by a divinely appointed President, the inherent implications are too dangerous to be taken lightly.

President David Granger’s haughty manner now makes perfect sense as does his grand inauguration ceremony for, as Trotman believes, this is no ordinary President.

Granger’s unilateral renaming of buildings and ministries, his release of criminals and flouting of the Cummingsburg Accord, and his deafness to all criticisms – these are not the actions of a man who feels bound to manmade laws. His loyalty obviously lies with another authority which could only be the one that “made him President”.

Everyone should be further disturbed by the implications of Trotman’s words to the crowd: “I don’t always understand what President Granger is thinking or doing, but believe you, as the months pass I see it taking shape and I nod my head and say ‘I see’, and when I don’t understand, I wait. I don’t run around bad mouthing him, I don’t run around challenging him, I don’t run around organising a rebellion against him. I wait.”

Taken together with the many Biblical references in his address and the idea of a divinely elected President, his words take on an eerie cult-like quality. To portray fealty to an elected official as the desired behaviour of the populace goes against all democratic norms where the electorate is actually tasked with being critical and holding him accountable.

That anyone would use the Bible for low politicking must be painful to every decent Christian and the blind loyalty being encouraged sets the country on a dangerous path where orders could be given, and would be obeyed out of fear or a corrupted sense of loyalty.

For nearly 30 years, and with the full support of the US and its allies, the PNC held dictatorial power until it was in the US’ interests to have democracy restored. Democracy is theirs to give and theirs to take away.

The Nassau Plan, as revealed to Trotman by Granger 10 years ago, would have involved machinations to return the PNC to power. This required a percentage of Indian Guyanese vote to gain a majority and to give a “unity” look to the thing, and the AFC willingly brought its 11% Indian Guyanese support to the Coalition.

That support has now returned to the PPP/C since it has become clear that the original PNC is back in power complete with its racisms and corruptions and with its backing, as before, from the US. The US should be embarrassed by what the Trotman revelations say about their chosen local ally.

But they have meddled and will continue to meddle in Guyana’s affairs and any Government has to, therefore, be pragmatic about its relations with the international community.

Now is the time for the PPP/C to show statesmanship, effect reforms and bring a freshness of perspective that will attract Guyanese of every race and persuasion to the party. With the results of the multitude of forensic audits of the PPP/C Government revealing no grand theft but only incompetence and ethical lapses, even the hysteria whipped up about their alleged corruptions now appears part of the political ploy to return the PNC to power.

With its loss of the 11% Indian Guyanese vote, only rigged elections could possibly secure another “win” for the PNC/ APNU party. A New PPP/C can win the day with the right reforms and strategies in place.

With true popular support, would the US stand in their way? And will we stand by and let them prop up the PNC through rigged elections as happened in the past?

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

I

n an effort to protect local entertainers from infringement within the music industry, the government is mulling to have Copyright legislation passed in Parliament in the near future.

This is according to Minister of Tourism and Public Telecommunications Catherine Hughes, who informed that Copyright legislation is on the current parliamentary agenda for discussion.

The minister said the government is not oblivious of the concerns of local performers in relation to their work being protected and therefore it is their duty to have the legislation laid in Parliament.

Over the years, local musicians had lamented that being a performer in Guyana is somewhat of a risky business, since persons have the constant fear of having their work copyrighted.

The delay in passing the legislation had also captured international concern, as the United States had criticised the absence of the legislation sometime late last year.

In addition, the Ministry of Public Telecommunications along with government is making it possible for mu-

Minister of Tourism and Public Telecommunications Catherine Hughes

sicians to apply for a waiver under the criteria that the performers are Guyanese and their piece coincides with the country’s culture and music.

Hughes said once the entertainers applying for the waiver fits the requirements, the ministry is more than willing to grant them it.

This would increase the chances of musicians actually being able to reap

expansive benefits when they hold shows in Guyana.

Most importantly, the minister pointed out that entertainers would stand a better chance of increasing the finances gained from their performance to foster their development.

It means when you look at the bottom line it makes it a little more profitable for performers to be able to hold shows and be able to cover their costs and more importantly to put aside something from those performances that can lead to the development of that specific art from.

With the consideration of Guyana’s entertainment industry and the aim to have it thrive on both a local and international map, government had recently cut back on entertainment taxes.

This was announced in this year’s National Budget, where the ministry of finance had announced a reduction of entertainment taxes for musicians and entertainers who are required to pay when performing in Guyana.

Hughes said there are just some incentives by government to protect and promote the growth of its entertainers, even as Guyana progresses as an independent nation.

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SunDAY, april 10, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Rice farmers to petition Younge’s Take Govt for compensation Making Guyana I great again n light of the struggles and difficulties that rice farmers are currently being faced with countrywide, as a result of the large amount of crops lost due to the drought season, efforts are being made for them to be compensated.

Regional Chairman of Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) Julius Faerber disclosed to Guyana Times that at a recently held Regional Democratic Council meeting, it was decided that they will be petitioning

the Government on behalf of the rice farmers to have them compensated for their losses.

The petition is to benefit those farmers in areas such as Wakenaam and Leguan where the loss of rice crop has been significant. In Wakenaam, the last report received indicated that 300 acres of rice was lost and some 2000 additional acres were at risk.

In Leguan, the situation had become so dire that 3840 acres of rice was planted instead of the usual 4000 acres.

Also in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), thousands of acres of rice were lost because of drought.

Faerber told this publication that the Government needs to ensure that the rice farmers have finances when the drought period is over to replant their crop.

As a result of all the crops lost and also the loss of finances, the farmers are complaining that they need an intervention from Government.

Given the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Administration’s lack of intervention in addressing the concerns of the farmers, Faerber highlighted that drastic measures are being taken.

It was also highlighted that the previous Administration, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) would have intervened in such instances, whenever the farmer where faced with such situations in order for them to start their new crop.

T

here can be no doubt in anyone’s mind that Guyana is a beautiful country which is blessed with natural flora and fauna, as well as a captivating line-up of various species of rare birds and wildlife.

The country is home to many mighty waterfalls, flowing fresh water lakes and rivers, and immense greenery which feature virgin forests and untouched terrain.

Michael Younge Its people are among the warmest and most hospitable in the western hemisphere and English-speaking Americas. As a result, the country boasts a melting pot of rich, diverse and unique cultures, religions and ethnicities; all intertwined to create a modern multicultural and pluralistic society.

Guyana is also blessed with an abundance of natural resources ranging from rare ore and minerals to bauxite, magnesium, diamonds and gold.

That aside, the country also has a proud history because of the indelible contributions of its first peoples, the Amerindians; and the African slaves and indentured labourers who came long after.

Tidings from these groups along with the continued patronage, and struggles of their descendants have led to the creation of a modern State which gained the right 50 years ago to determine its own destiny and future through independent socio-economic governance and political autonomy from its former colonial masters, the British.

A precursory glance at the country’s history would also prove that despite internal rifts, social structure problems and political turmoil, Guyana has always managed to make a rebound while remaining the envy the Caribbean hemisphere and many Latin American countries, as well some of the developing powers in the Southern America.

But these last four decades have posed a serious threat to the country’s forward movement nationally, regionally and internationally. Dogged largely by racial divisions caused by political instability, ineptness and rifts, Guyana continues to plunge deeper into a crisis state with little or plausible solution in sight.

While the country had started to make immense progress under the stewardship of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) after years of stagnation during the reign of Prime Minister LFS Burnham, that progress seems to be at stake because of paradigm shift and new political outlook of the new A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) Government.

Instead of picking up where the PPP left out or did poorly in some respects, the new Government appears to be deliberately pursuing policies that call for a complete overhaul of the system and the reinventing of the wheel.

For whatever reason, President Granger’s Government still has not grasped the importance of continuity in Governance and the need for new Governments to creep before they walk.

So, he and his Ministers continue to craft three point plans for this and eight-point plans for that without first accepting that enough time has been wasted. They do not seem to appreciate that it is time to get on with the business of governance through the introduction of a set of new and modern macroeconomic policies and social sector reforms that will no doubt have a direct positive impact on issues such as poverty reduction, standing and cost of living, GDP, racial cohesiveness as well as national unity.

The APNU/AFC Government so far has set in motion a confusing regional and foreign policy agenda and an almost invisible parliamentary agenda. The missteps of the Government have led to countless court actions by both the PPP Opposition and citizens who feel that it is acting outside of the laws.

Added to that, the economy is on the down with the strength of the dollar looking uncertain in the not so distant future.

Unemployment has climbed and the public service appears to be facing new uncertainties as Government again spends millions of dollars pursing outdated initiatives that will be frown upon by another generation because of the technological options available to replace the traditional notion of the public service.

In the same vein, the politically flavoured Commission of Inquiries (CoIs), audits and probes being conducted by the new Government will not help Guyana become great again, as many of them lack the professionalism, analysis and independence to arrive at conclusions with recommendation to solve many of the sicknesses facing various entities and sectors that they cover.

If Guyana is to become great again and to return to a state where patriotic and nationalistic tendencies are high, the new Government has to listen, take advice, remove those personalities that are bitter and hateful to the Opposition, involve youth in a meaningful way in the political discourse and work without the cosmetology in a serious way to create national unity and social security among the different casts in the country.

No one party or President can achieve this single handedly but several unified forces inclusive of the PPP can work to ensure that Guyana is great again.

guyana-times.com

sunday, April 10, 2016

15

Around the world

Mohamed Abrini admits After ‘Panama Papers’ leak, UN expert calls for to being ‘man in the hat’ end of financial secrecy to halt illicit fund flows at Brussels airport I

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fter nearly three weeks of frantic searching, Belgian authorities have announced they have finally arrested and identified the elusive “man in the hat” spotted alongside two suicide bombers who blew themselves up at Brussels airport on March 22.

In a statement on Saturday evening, Belgian prosecutors said Mohamed Abrini, 31, the last identified suspect at large from the Paris attacks on November 13, had confessed to being the vest- and hat-wearing man whose video image had been widely circulated by authorities.

“After being confronted with the results of the different expert examinations, he confessed his presence at the crime scene,” the statement said.

The revelation that a Paris suspect escorted two

Mohamed Abrini was held in raids in connection with Paris and Brussels attacks

of the Brussels bombers to their deaths at the city’s Zaventem airport is among the strongest signs yet that the attackers who struck both cities killing a total of 162 people were intimately linked.

Abrini, who was arrested on Friday in a Brussels police raid, was one of four suspects charged on Saturday

with “participating in terrorist acts” linked to the deadly Brussels suicide bombings that resulted in 32 deaths and 270 injuries at the airport and at the city’s Maelbeek subway station.

The prosecutors’ office said Abrini threw away his vest in a rubbish bin and sold his hat after the bombings.

(Excerpt from The Guardian)

Scores killed as fire breaks out at Indian temple in Kollam

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large fire at a Hindu temple in the south Indian town of Kollam has reportedly left an estimated 60 people dead and 200 injured.

The incident took place at 03:30h as worshippers had gathered to celebrate the Vishu festival at the temple, in Kerala state.

State home minister Ramesh Chennitala said more than 60 people died and 150 others were injured in the fire. He says the blaze

was started by firecrackers stored in the crowded temple.

The Government has reportedly launched an investigation into the tragedy.

Indian media reported more than 77 people had been killed. The Times of India said the conclusion of Puttingal temple festival is marked by fireworks and that one of the fireworks ignited firecrackers stored in a shed, leading to a huge explosion.

Images from the scene posted on Twitter showed a

huge fireball erupting into the night sky. The Times reported that 200 injured people had been taken to several hospitals, many suffering serious burns.

Kollam beach lies about 70km north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram.

The port town of Kollam attracts thousands of tourists each year, with its panoramic views of the Arabian Sea. It’s the second largest port in Kerala after Cochin. (The

Guardian)

Yemen: Gunmen ambush troops, execute 20 by firing squad

The Yemeni soldiers were ambushed on a road and later executed by a firing squad, officials say

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t least 20 Government soldiers were kidnapped and executed in southern Yemen on Saturday, local officials and residents said.

The troops were seized while travelling from the southern port of Aden to alMahra province in eastern Yemen via Ahwar, a city in Abyan province that has

been under al-Qaeda control.

Officials and residents said the captive soldiers, who were aligned with President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, were taken to a remote area and killed by firing squad. Seventeen other soldiers were wounded in the incident, with some managing to escape and get

help from local tribal leaders, they added.

A military source told the AFP news agency that the executions had been carried out by al-Qaeda fighters.

“Armed members of alQaeda ambushed a group of young soldiers travelling in three civilian vehicles in the province of Abyan, killing at least 20 of them,” the source, who requested anonymity, said But Ansar al-Sharia, an al-Qaeda affiliate in Yemen, later issued a statement denying responsibility for the attack and blamed a local armed fighter named Ali Aqeel.

Yemen has been at war since September 2014, when Iran-backed Houthi rebels and their allies drove the Government out of the capital Sanaa and much of the country’s North. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

n the wake of last week’s leak of a trove of confidential financial documents from a Panama law firm, a United Nations (UN) human rights expert called on the international community to urgently put an end to financial secrecy.

“Tax evasion and the flow of funds of illicit origin undermine justice and deprive Governments of resources needed for the realisation of economic, social and cultural rights,” UN independent expert on foreign debt and human rights, Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky, warned, as the documents, which have

been dubbed the ‘Panama Papers’, have shown how corporations, wealthy individuals and politically exposed persons have systematically hidden assets in more than 21 offshore jurisdictions.

“The clients may have had different motives for depositing their assets into more than 210,000 secret shell companies. But tax evasion, hiding corruption and criminal funds appear to be a prominent reason,” said Bohoslavsky, author of a recent study on illicit financial flows presented to the UN Human Rights Council.

The expert noted that shell companies have also been used in the past by groups and individuals busting sanctions, trafficking drugs, engaging in illicit arms trade, terrorism as well as by authoritarian rulers responsible for severe violations of human rights.

“Tax evasion destroys trust in public institutions and the rule of law, and shrinks the fiscal space for investing in public health care, education, social security and other public goods and services,” the expert explained. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

Commonwealth pledges to deliver on Paris climate change agreement

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o more excuses on decisive and effective climate action! That was the message that rang loud and clear as Commonwealth governments and climate change experts and practitioners met this week at a Commonwealth Dialogue on Climate Change.

Hosted by Commonwealth Secretary General, Baroness Patricia Scotland, who took office on April 1, the forum focused on the way forward after the historic Paris climate agreement at COP21 last December.

She pledged that the Commonwealth would play a “central role” in address-

Commonwealth Secretary General, Baroness Patricia Scotland

ing the existential threat of climate change.

Describing the issue as “the most severe global challenge facing our generation” the Dominican-born Secretary General said the

Commonwealth, with its “potent combination of distinctive strengths and advantages” is well poised to continue to provide smaller and more vulnerable states with a vital platform for wider political consideration of their concerns.

“The 53 countries then went to Paris, united in our aims and active across the five different regions.

We had members of the Commonwealth with one voice saying, ‘take this seriously’. And they did,” she said.

“So now, having been instrumental in achieving the Paris agreement, the Commonwealth now has to be instrumental in delivering it.” (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

16 news

SunDAY, april 10, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Lennox Cornette tipped to be new NCN CEO A uthor of the famous novel The Development of Telecommunications in Guyana, Lennox Cornette, has been tipped to be the new Chief Executive Officer of the National Communications Network (NCN) following the resignation of former CEO Molly Hassan earlier this year.

Efforts to contact Cornette for a comment proved futile as all calls

to his phone went unanswered, but Guyana Times understands that the Board of Directors is considering offering the position to Cornette.

He served as the Public Relations Officer at the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) for several years as well at Conservation International and provided consultancy services for a number of companies.

Lennox Cornette

Public trust in Police stronger – Commander Hicken

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o m m a n d er of A Division (Georgetown-East Bank Demerara), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Clifton Hicken, believes that the Guyana Police Force is gradually building its relationship with members of the public to regain their trust.

At the A Division career day fair held on Saturday, Commander Hicken outlined that the attendance of 800 plus children means public trust and confidence in the Force is growing, as parents were comfortable sending their children to the event.

Hicken pointed out that the service the Police provides is unlike any other. He said it is not one-tracked but benefits all of Guyana, as such, he wants members of public to be part of the policing process.

The Commander noted that his division will continue to work assiduously to bring members of the public on board and for them to work along with the Police.

However, he noted that A Division is already making some headway in this regard.

Public giving assistance

Hicken reflected over the past month during which the Police received tremendous support from members of public in solving several high profile matters. He mentioned the Smyth Street murder of O’Riley Small, 32, of Lot 2 Smyth Street, Georgetown, who was gunned down in his backyard moments after returning home from a night club on March 19; the execution of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Lance Corporal Kevon Payne, 22, of Sussex Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, on March 29; and 57-yearold Gladston Taylor, called “Tuffy” of Adelaide Street, Charlestown, three days later.

According to the Commander, members of the public played an integral role in solving these killings for which persons have been charged and placed be-

A Division Commander Clifton Hicken

fore the courts. “I am overwhelmed as I say this because members of the public were on the scene with us, they spoke with us there and even went to the station to talk with us. They have been giving us information all the time, people have been calling us at all levels and we have an open door policy so we are seeing them at all levels,” he remarked proudly.

Moreover, the A Division Commander revealed that for the first time in 20 years, serious crimes within his Division are down to a record minus 22 per cent (-22%). Hicken credited this not only to the improved intel-capacity of investigations but to support from members of the public.

“Before, there was always that fear that whenever you give Police information it would have gone back, but I think we are past that hurdle now and we are getting information as it unfolds. This allows us to solve matters in a more timely manner,” the Commander noted.

Hicken committed that as long as he is Commander of the Division, he will continue to build capacity with members of the public.

Over the past two years, the Guyana Police Force has embarked on a Social Crime Prevent Programme, the brain-child of Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud. The initiative aims at regaining public trust by engaging persons in skills training, sports and cultural activities.

NEWS

17

SunDAY, april 10, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Anna’s

Are donations the best the Government can do?

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uring the course of last week, it was revealed that the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry and the Guyana Foundation signed an agreement to distribute some 28,000 pieces of clothes, in thirty seven communities in Regions 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9.

It is reported that the donation of clothes is intended for the enhancement of the “social and economic wellAnna Correia being of Guyana’s indigenous peoples”. This comes after a popular airline assisted with donations of “shoes that grow”, proudly distributed by First Lady Sandra Granger, earlier this year.

However, this news is interpreted as extremely insulting to Amerindians who believe that it is not with hand-outs that they would be able to secure their future livelihood. One former Toshao on social media clearly expressed this view by stating the following: “(…) Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs will be providing clothing to a number of Amerindian communities. This is total disrespect; I know that these [people] can afford to buy their own clothes. What they need is their land!!!! Give them the land that was promised to them during the [elections] campaign”.

Indeed, donations of clothes and “shoes that grow” have little impact on the socioeconomic development of any community. For Amerindians, development depends on land, not short-lived handouts, and they know this.

The policies geared toward indigenous peoples’ development have so far under this coalition administration, proven to be unsubstantial and untenable, and are hardly likely to contribute to the long-term social and economic development of our first peoples.

On the other hand, the Government of Guyana is cultivating a trend of accepting donations from third parties, as though it is unable to fund a container of used clothes for Amerindians, if they really needed it. More donations in agreement with the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry are to be envisaged, according to reports emanating from the Guyana Foundation. This begs the question of what exactly the Government is doing to promote indigenous peoples’ development.

Ironically, in terms of social policies, there has been no innovation. Instead, social benefits were removed by the Government, such as the $10 000 back to school voucher per child, electricity and water subsidies for pensioners (where applicable) and, the removal of technical support jobs for 1972 Community Support Officers (CSOs).

In terms of policies promoting economic development, again, progress is minimal. The GRIF funded Amerindian Development Fund (ADF) project is practically a failure, while the Amerindian Land Titling (ALT) Project suffered more than seven months of interruption. So what exactly should we expect in the next four years, in terms of social and economic policies for indigenous peoples?

Incidentally, Guyanese do not know what the Government has in store for indigenous development in the near future, since this year the subject budget debate was reduced to a scandalous 10 minutes in Parliament. However, the Government seems to think that hinterland development is synonymous of indigenous development, whereas this is not quite the case. As a matter of fact, developing townships in the regions will not necessarily guarantee Amerindian socioeconomic development. On the contrary, it can sideline development in Amerindian communities, by encouraging migration to towns in search of better opportunities, while draining them of their human resources. This may in turn, negatively impact village economies. While priority is being placed on the townships, Amerindian land titling seems to be progressing at snail’s pace, and now faces challenges from civil actors opposed to the methodology followed by the Government of Guyana and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

One organization noted for its indigenous rights activism is reportedly pitting some villages in the Rupununi against the Amerindian Land Titling Project, as it disagrees with the procedures involved. Reports are that the villages in question are being induced into taking this direction with bribes inclusive of food.

Au finale, Amerindians are condemned to face not only the Government’s myopia, but also the greed of organizations within the civil sector, which seem to be more interested in their glorification rather than in indigenous development.

But shoes, food and clothes are not what Amerindians need.

Instead, they should be empowered through sustainable and growing village economies, education and social welfare plans designed to suit their needs and particularities.

Land must remain the central axe around which development must progress and Amerindians must be made the masters of their own future.

Send comments to Sundayarrow@gmail.com

President calls for greater security cooperation in the Region

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resident David Granger has called for greater security cooperation in the Caribbean.

The Head of State made this impassioned plea for greater security cooperation while delivering the feature address at a dinner hosted by the Institute of International Relations (IIR) of the University of the West Indies (UWI) to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The dinner was held at the St Augustine Campus of UWI. President Granger in making the call for greater security cooperation, allied himself with the position of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, who at the 27th Inter-sessional Meeting of the Heads of Government Conference of the Caribbean Community held in Belize in February 2016, had brought to the attention of regional leaders the urgency of the security threats facing the Region and the necessity for urgent and timely action to be taken to improve security across the Region.

The Guyanese Head of

President David Granger

State, an alumnus of the IIR and historian, recalled a variety of security crises – the secession of Anguilla in 1967, the armed insurrection in Grenada in 1979 and the invasion by the US of that island four years later; the security crises in Haiti since 1994 – and the challenges these have presented for regionalism.

President Granger observed that ‘old’ threats including invasion, insurrection, intervention, international and domestic terrorism, mutiny, maritime disputes, secession, territorial claims and coups d’état still persist, while new threats in the forms of transnational crimes: narcoticstrafficking, gun-running, money-laundering and illegal migration have emerged.

The region, according to the Guyanese President, has also witnessed the emergence of organised crime and violent ‘posses’ and gangs.

The persistence of old security threats and the emergence of new ones suggest, according to the President, that the current arrangements for security cooperation in the Caribbean may be insufficient to meet the needs of member states. He called for these arrangements “to be evaluated and, if necessary, supplemented by additional systems and mechanisms in order to achieve the wider strategic objectives of the states.”

The Guyanese Head of

State stressed that the security of the Caribbean will not improve on its own accord and that a Security System is needed to respond to the new security problems.

President Granger told the large gathering at the IIR’s dinner that individual countries of the Caribbean Community cannot, on their own, overcome threats posed by territorial claims, transnational criminal networks, epidemics and environmental jeopardy. He called for new security architecture to make the Caribbean safe, deter aggressors, combat illicit trafficking and create a zone of peace in the Caribbean.

The President also called for the Caribbean to be preserved as a zone of peace: “It must become a zone in which the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Caribbean states are respected, where the new security threats are extinguished, where our children can play in parks without fear of becoming innocent victims of gangland violence and where our young people are not seduced into drug trafficking and gun-running.”

Nagamootoo’s Office is a nest of patronage – Jagdeo

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pposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday declared that Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo’s Office is nothing but a nest of political patronage whereby his family, friends and affiliates are regularly awarded.

Jagdeo expressed these sentiments during a news conference at Freedom House, Robb Street, Georgetown.

He was at the time offering his take on the controversy currently surrounding State Minister Joseph Harmon to media operatives.

“I noticed Harmon said he had to sign many things for both APNU and AFC supporters. Was it that he was saying that we both did the same thing so why would Nagamootoo feel ignorance and some of the others feel ignorance of what Harmon did when he, Harmon, would have had to sign similar instruments for many AFC supporters?” Jagdeo questioned.

Jagdeo explained that the Prime Minister, among other government officials,

are guilty of the same yet there is no public outrage over those incidents.

“Nagamootoo Office has been a nest of patronage and he has not done any work on behalf of the nation. He enjoys massive resource at his disposal, much of it personal because the benefits he get as perks of Office,” Jagdeo stated.

Furthermore, Jagdeo disclosed that Nagamootoo’s relatives have been appointed to manage the old cinema government had rented for use as one of its offices.

Jagdeo also reminded of the Prime Minister’s regional representatives, all of whom he posited were “jobs for the boys”.

Nagamootoo has come in for harsh criticisms over his exorbitance at the expense of taxpayers’ monies.

Firstly, there was the $22 million customised luxury Land Cruiser that was added to his existing fleet of 22 vehicles, which was deemed just the tip of an iceberg of extravagant expenditures in his personal life.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

Reports indicate that Nagamootoo has cashed in on hefty amounts for the repairs to the bridge and road to his private residence, repairs to the official Prime Minister’s residence and the Office of the Prime Minister.

Moreover, in the Budget Estimates 2015, an additional $10 million was set aside for the rehabilitation of the Office of the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister’s Official Residence. Some of this money will go towards constructing several second-

ary buildings at the Prime Minister’s residence, while the remainder will be distributed for the refurbishing of cubicles, security barracks, storage houses, waiting area, and the roof.

An additional $10 million was set aside for the purchase of furniture and equipment, while another $4 million is allocated for the refurbishing of furniture and equipment, Nagamootoo stated, contending that the buildings he inherited were in a deplorable state.

Also, some $10 million was budgeted under the Office of the Prime Minister for “minor works”, which Nagamootoo said will be distributed to assist in various projects undertaken by the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU); the Salvation Army and the Diocese of Guyana, among others.

Additionally, a whopping $15.7 million is set aside for “other expenses”. Added to that is the massive salary increases, which he had requested, now being paid to government officials.

GECOM silent on constitutional breach – Opposition Leader

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pposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo’s Office has noted with concern that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has remained silent in the face of the imbroglio which has engulfed six local authority organs that have been unable to lawfully elect their Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Chairpersons and Deputies because of an equality of seats on those organs allocated to the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC).

In a press statement, Jagdeo’s Office explained that it is public knowledge that his Party launched legal proceedings and obtained a series of orders from the High Court quashing decisions of Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan who in violation of the law, purported to select the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Mabaruma as well as the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the several Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) affected.

The Opposition Leader’s Office further explained that

orders were also obtained restraining the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and the Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons from functioning in those capacities and that orders were obtained mandating the Town Clerk of Mabaruma and the several overseers of the NDCs to appoint a date for new elections in the several local authority areas affected as the law prescribes. Jagdeo said these legal proceedings were filed not only to protect and defend the will of the electorate, but was also done to protect and preserve the Constitutional mandate

of GECOM which is the authority that the Constitution has endowed with the exclusive responsibility in respect of and in relation to the conduct of elections. The statement said against this backdrop, GECOM’s silence and inaction amount to a gross abdication of its constitutional responsibilities.

“It is obvious that were GECOM to assume its responsibilities, it will present some reprieve to this impasse. We call upon GECOM to snap out of this paralysis and begin to discharge its mandate now.”

18 news AFC's Ramayya flouts High Court order SunDAY, april 10, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

... illegally swears in Councillors

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espite the ruling by a High Court Judge forbidding the swearing-in of two Berbicians to head the Gibraltar-Fyrish Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Six (East Berbice/ Corentyne), Dr Veerasammy Ramayya ignored the court order and swore-in the NDC Chairman and Vice Chairperson.

Kerwin Crawford and Gail Thomas were sworn-in on Thursday at the REO’s Office, Vrymens Erven, New Amsterdam.

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) had moved to the High Court to block the selection of a Mayor and Chairmen five Neighbourhood for Democratic Councils (NDCs), after there were ties between the councillors to elect heads for those councils.

The party was seeking to nullify the selection of Crawford as Chairman and Thomas as Vice Chairman of the Gibraltar-Fyrish NDC along with Audrey Thomas as Chairman of the IndustryPlaisance NDC; Peter Livingstone as Chairman and Royan Junior Thomas as Vice Chairman of the Malgre Tout-

Meer Zorgen; Carol Nurse as Chairman and Wilbert Vhypius as Vice Chairman of the Woodlands-Bel Air; Gershon Clarke as Chairman of the Woodlands-Farm and the selection of Rupert Henry Smith as Mayor and Astrille Gamell as Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Mabaruma.

Justice Diana Insanally ruled that the decision by Minister Bulkhan to select a Mayor and Chairmen for five NDCs was in violation of Municipal and District Councils Act Chapter 28:01 and the Local Government Act Chapter 28:02. She said the decision is in excess of and without jurisdiction, made in bad faith, is unreasonable, arbitrary, capricious, based upon irrelevant and improper considerations, malicious, vindictive, unlawful, ultra vires, null, void and of no legal effect.

Despite the ruling on Wednesday, Dr Ramayya on Thursday went ahead and installed Crawford and Thomas.

When Local Government Elections were held both the PNC and PPP had a deadlock and had decides that each side would alternate the chairmanship each year.

Region 2 gears up for Jubilee celebrations By: Indrawattie Natram

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egional Executive Officer of Region Two, Rupert Hopkinson says the agricultural Region of Pomeroon-Supenaam will use the Jubilee celebrations to market itself and bring awareness to the products and services it has to offer Guyanese here and further afield.

He made this disclosure at a recent meeting of the RDC held specially to address issues affecting the Region.

Under topic of “Celebration of our 50th Independence Anniversary” which was up for discussion, the REO said presently a team is working on a website that will provide essential information about the Region.

He explained that with the website up persons would be able to access information on the established parks, markets, tourist attraction sites, important monuments and landmarks within Region 2.

Meanwhile in observance of Guyana’s 50th Independence, the Region will host a two-night activity slated for May 21 and 22 at the Anna Regina Community Centre ground branded under the theme “Flavour of Region Two”.

It will give businesses the opportunity to meet, socialise and generate economic activities.

“You want boil crab, bar-

Regional Executive Officer Rupert Hopkinson

beque, cassava bread, fresh coconut water, then you have to visit the two-night activities,” Hopkinson said where booths in some cases would be free to businesses in Region Two. It is his wish that the activity once successful would be an annual feature and afford persons the opportunity to visit the Region.

Currently there is a planning committee working to pull the activities off.

The committee is headed by the DREO, Sunil Singh and AREO Evett Yastings.

As a result, Region Two Chairman Devanand Ramdatt called for the calendar of events for the 50th Independence to be made available to all RDC councillors. He also requested for all regional and national events be integrated as Independence Observance.

Ramdatt also urged wider stakeholder participation from the business community.

Meanwhile on Thursday the heads and their deputies for the other 15 NDCs were installed.

The PPP has the chairmanship for 14 NDCs with the APNU/AFC coalition heading the Hogstye/Lancaster NDC. Two NDCs will be headed by women while six women are vice chairpersons.

Those sworn-in are Teer Arjune and Pamela Bhadrasami for Jackson Creek/Crabwood Creek NDC, Devanand Chitram and Ahmad Rajab for Number 74 Village/Number 52 Village NDC, Swarsattie Sharif and Nagaser Sookram for Number 51 Village/Good Hope NDC, Norbat Dean and Vera France for Joppa/Macedonia NDC, Ganpat Harbance and Muneshwar Bira for Tarlogie/ Maida NDC, Natasha Dwarka and Kalamudeen Mohamed for Bush Lot/ Adventure NDC, Forbes Moore and Bridget Chichester for Hogstye/Lancaster NDC, Kissoolall Chitreka and Sewat Veerana for Whim/ Bloomfield NDC, Imran Ali and Navendra Persaud for

Sixteen NDC chairpersons and their deputies were sworn-in on Thursday in Region Six

John/Port Mourant NDC, Haseef Yusif and Lucille Ayana for Hampshire/ Kilcoy NDC, Crawford and Thomas for Fyrish/Gibraltar NDC, Basant Persaud and Raymond Mohamed for Kintyre/Borlam NDC, Steve Dasrat and Roy Jaffarally for Ordnance/Fortlands NDC, Carlos Causeway and Sherriann Beharry for Canefield/Enterprise NDC and Padaarat Sebarran and Wajid Khan for Enfield/New Doe Park NDC. Region Chairman David Armogan in congratulating the new NDC heads and dep-

uties said their election to the office is as a result of the confidence people have put in them: “Many times what we find is that when people are sworn into respective offices instead of becoming servants of the people, they become masters of the people and that is unacceptable. We expect that every one of you here having been duly sworn will ensure that you execute your duties in accordance with the Local Government Act. There will be many problems in the community, I don’t want you to come into this work thinking that it is a walk

over and it is easy, those of you who have been around before would know that it is not an easy task to serve your community.

There will be many demands, many more than you will be able to meet but you will have to be able to extend your resources and stretch it to the maximum to ensure that more people can benefit from the limited resources that you have.”

Ramayya informed the new NDC leaders that they will be required to work closely with the Regional Democratic Council.

Mother is the unending link in the chain of life

By Pandit Ravi Maa

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av Raatri provides the opportunity for the complete reverence of every aspect of motherhood. Hindus undoubtedly secured the most esteem position in the field of recognition, reverence and veneration of Mother’s. Hindus do not only celebrate the anniversaries of the incarnations (Avatars), such as Lord Rama, Krishna, Hanuman and the Trimurti but also great emphasis is placed on the celebrated existence of the consort of the Avatars.

Nav Raatri highlights the importance of nine nights of strict abstinence and dedicated worship of the Devi.

In the Shrimad Devi Bhagwatam, a special chapter is dedicated to the occasion of Nav Raatri. Special emphasis is placed on the modes of worship. The nine days are divided into three sections; the first three days are assigned to Durga Devi, the second to Devi Laxhmi and the final three to Maata Saraswati, the creatrix energies of the universe.

Nav Raatri is observed twice annually during the season of spring and autumn.

These seasons are considered very busy and also pose severe health risks which are influenced by climatical and atmospherical changes. To confront any crisis or challenges, divine intervention is sought. Hindus always put their main trust in God and Nav Raatri is no exception.

How the occasion should be observed?

In the Devi Bhagawatam, Sutji, a great intellectual spoke to Raaja Janmejaya, the king who was a descendent of the Pandavas – as pertaining to the dos and don’ts of Devi worship.

Raaja Janmejaya was told that the two seasons of spring and autumn are like the teeth of (Yama) the Lord of Death and to escape the fangs of disaster, the worship of Devi is necessary.

The blessings of the Goddess remove all deficiencies and enhance Longevity.

For the protection of the Kingdom and the Welfare of the subjects, the benedictions of the Devi are essential. Advice was given to the

ceremony of worshipping the Devi should be permitted to lead the ceremony.

During this period, the devotee should be fully established in devotion to Devi and should at no time deviate to any other worship. The Devi should always be the premier or central figure in all affairs. The occasion should also be used to reflect on the glories of the Devi.

The Devi Puran high-

King pertaining to the actual preparation of the worship. The commencement of the vows included a complete fasting process by the devotee.

The process stimulates internal and external purification. For this observance, a special elevated altar is secured for the establishment of the Devi. At no time the orator and the Devi should be accommodated at one level. The (shrota) devotee and the priest should always sit below the Devi. A Brahmin priest who observe fully the customs and usages, who is self-restrained and whom is skilled in the

lights many stories which are associated with the advent of the Goddess. The recitation of the sacred mantra – OM HRIM SRIM DUM DURGAYA NAMAH is considered the Beej Mantra of the Devi. This mantra has the full potency to apprehend and remove all fears, evil omens and deficiencies and simultaneously replacing them with fearlessness, brilliance and confidence.

The Sixteen modes of worship of the Devi are appropriate during performance of the rituals, whether at home or at mandirs. The worship of Durga Maata is mostly practiced

during this period. This practice was inherited from the forebearers of the Hindus and still prevalent on to this day.

Laxhmi Puja seems to be a daily exercise for all Hindus. While establishing lights in their homes, the Hindus pay tribute to Laxhmi Maata who is the giver of brilliance, illumination and radiance. She ignites the Life of the individual with wisdom and higher intelligence which paves the way for prosperity, success and victory.

Saraswati Maata is being held in great reverence by those who diligently pursue learning, knowledge, music and fine arts. Saraswati Maata imparts and correct perception and clears all doubts.

She is considered to be the Soul of all music. The manifestation of rhythms, tones and melodies are products of Saraswati Devi.

As music influences a delightful mind so too stability in body, mind and intellect is instilled through the worship of Saraswati.

The image of Saraswati depicts purity, discriminative power, detachment, modesty, morality and balance.

Saraswati Devi reminds the aspirant that spiritual sciences are superior to secular ones. Nav Raatri concludes with the ardent devotee reaching the state of purity. With the conclusion of Nav Raatri, Raamnavami is celebrated. The Viraat Sabhaa Guyana is encouraging all citizens to establish Raam Raajya during their existence. This example of kingship will lead to a more responsible and harmonious life.

May Shakti Maa bless all.

SunDAY, april 10, 2016

Mumbai v Supergiants, IPL 2016, Mumbai…

Seamers, Rahane lift Supergiants to winning start

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Joshua beats Martin to become world heavyweight champion

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ising Pune Supergiants made a sweet start to their life in the IPL, their seamers waylaying Mumbai Indians’ top-order to set up a breezy nine-wicket win over the defending champions. Chasing 122, they got there with 32 balls to spare, Ajinkya Rahane steering them home with a fluent unbeaten 66 off 42 balls.

The pitch had lost most of its early bite when Supergiants batted, and Rahane quickly got into the groove with a pair of straight-driven fours off Mitchell McClenaghan, in the first and third overs of the innings. Any residual chasing nerves Supergiants may have had dissipated in McClenaghan’s third over - the fifth of the innings when both Rahane and Faf du Plessis picked up sixes off mis-hits; they probably would not have carried all the way on a bigger ground.

N o n e t h e l e s s , Supergiants were well on their way, and the openers put on 78 before du Plessis played on to Harbhajan. It left the rest of the batting a mere 44 to get from 62 balls, and Kevin Pietersen hastened their passage home with a couple of monster sixes off Harbhajan. The 15th over began with Supergiants needing eight to win, and Rahane finished the game with two sixes in four balls, clubbing Hardik Pandya over the long-on boundary and then ramping him over the third man boundary.

Ajinkya Rahane struck seven fours and three sixes in his unbeaten 42-ball 66

Mumbai made life easier for Supergiants, with Jos Buttler fluffing a chance to run du Plessis out after a dreadful mix-up between the openers, and Shreyas Gopal missing a caught-andbowled off Rahane.

The season began on a Wankhede Stadium pitch dissimilar to the easy-paced, hit-through-the-line surfaces offered up during the World T20, and Mumbai, after surprisingly deciding to bat first, struggled against the seam movement and bounce. They only got as far as 121 because Harbhajan climbed into Pune’s bowling towards the end of the innings, clubbing an unbeaten 45 off 30 balls and scoring the bulk of the 41 runs Mumbai made in the last three overs.

Till his intervention, they seemed to be struggling to even get to 100. Ishant Sharma, getting the ball

SCOREBOARD Mumbai Indians innings (20 overs maximum) LMP Simmons b Sharma 8 RG Sharma* lbw b Sharma 7 HH Pandya c †Dhoni b Marsh 9 JC Buttler† c R Ashwin b Marsh 0 AT Rayudu c du Plessis b R Ashwin 22 KA Pollard lbw b Bhatia 1 S Gopal c Rahane b M Ashwin 2 Harbhajan Singh not out 45 R Vinay Kumar c Smith b Singh 12 MJ McClenaghan not out 2 Extras: (lb-1, w-12) 13 Total: (8 wickets; 20 overs) 121 Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Sharma, 1.1 ov), 2-29 (Simmons, 3.5 ov), 3-29 (Pandya, 4.1 ov), 4-30 (Buttler, 4.6 ov), 5-40 (Pollard, 7.1 ov), 6-51 (Gopal, 10.6 ov), 7-68 (Rayudu, 15.1 ov), 8-96 (Vinay Kumar, 18.4 ov) Bowling: RP Singh 3-0-30-1

(1-w), I Sharma 4-0-36-2 (4w), MR Marsh 4-0-21-2 (1-w), R Bhatia 4-1-10-1, M Ashwin 4-0-16-1, R Ashwin 1-0-7-1

Rising Pune Supergiants innings (target: 122 runs from 20 overs) AM Rahane not out 66 F du Plessis b Harbhajan Singh 34 KP Pietersen not out 21 5 Extras:(lb 1, w 3, nb 1) Total: (1 wicket; 14.4 overs) 126 Fall of wickets: 1-78 (du Plessis, 9.4 ov) Bowling: MJ McClenaghan 3-0-27-0, JJ Bumrah 3-0-300 (1-nb), R Vinay Kumar 2-014-0 (3-w), S Gopal 3-0-180, Harbhajan Singh 3-0-24-1, HH Pandya 0.4-0-12-0

to nip around and climb on the batsmen, and Mitchell Marsh, getting late swing away from the right-handers, reduced them to 30-4 by the end of the fifth over, and it became 40-5 when Rajat Bhatia trapped Kieron Pollard lbw with an off-cutter in the eighth over.

Apart from helping the quicker bowlers, the pitch was also offering Bhatia grip, and Mumbai struggled for rhythm against his stumpto-stump mix of cutters and slower balls. He finished with figures of 1-10 from four overs. Shreyas Gopal, who made two off 16 balls, faced nine balls from Bhatia and failed to score off any of them.

Gopal’s stay at the wicket came to an end when he holed out to long-off off the bowling of M Ashwin, the debutant legspinner. Nerves were evident in the number of short balls M Ashwin sent down - they gripped and turned too much for the Mumbai batsmen to do very much with them - but he also bowled a couple of ripping googlies that hinted at the potential Supergiants must have seen in him to shell out INR 4.5 crore for his services.

His more famous namesake R Ashwin, meanwhile, only bowled the one over, continuing a puzzling trend of being under-utilised by MS Dhoni. He struck with his first ball - just as Ishant, Marsh and Bhatia had also done - but that first ball came after a 15-over wait. Dhoni declined to use him after that, entrusting the final overs to RP Singh and Ishant. Though Harbhajan took heavy toll of those overs, Mumbai had made far too little before that for his runs to make too much of a difference. (Cricinfo)

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Anthony Joshua needed less than five minutes to beat Charles Martin

nthony Joshua stopped Charles Martin in two rounds at London’s O2 Arena to claim the IBF heavyweight title in only his 16th professional fight.

The Briton floored his American opponent with a peach of a right-hand counter and after Martin was knocked down again, the referee called a halt.

The 26-year-old is his country’s sixth bona fide heavyweight world champion.

And he is only the third man to win a pro heavyweight world title while still a reigning Olympic champion.

Joshua’s victory now brings a super-fight against fellow Briton and WBA and WBO champion Tyson Fury a step closer.

Champion Martin, who was making the first defence of the title he won in January, entered the ring wearing a tall crown, a furtrimmed, velvet cape and a smile as broad as his shoulders. But the smile soon disappeared.

Some thought Martin, 29, would trouble Joshua with his southpaw stance he was the first left-hander Joshua had faced in the

paid ranks - but he barely threw a punch in anger.

It took Joshua half of the first round to find his range but when he did, he landed with three or four big right hands that appeared to rattle the champion.

The challenger staggered Martin with a sweet left hook early in the second, before a beautifullytimed right put him on the seat of his pants.

Martin rose at eight but after another massive right put him down again, referee Jean-Pierre van Imschoot counted him out on his feet, one minute and 32 seconds into the round.

Remarkably, Joshua now has 16 knockouts from 16 pro fights and has only boxed 34 rounds in total.

His only fight to go past three rounds was a seventh-round stoppage of Dillian Whyte last time out.

Joshua is only the third man to win a pro heavyweight world title while still a reigning Olympic champion.

Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, won light-heavyweight gold in 1960 before dethroning Sonny Liston in 1964; Leon Spinks won light-heavyweight gold in 1976 before

dethroning Ali in 1978, in only his eighth paid fight.

While nobody has won a world heavyweight title faster than Spinks, Joshua surpasses Ali (20 fights), Lennox Lewis (22) and Mike Tyson (28).

Frank Bruno, Lewis, David Haye and Bob Fitzsimmons complete the list of Britain’s heavyweight world champions.

Herbie Hide and Henry Akiwande were WBO title-holders when the belt was not taken seriously by many of the elite fighters in the division.

Joshua v Fury next?

The IBF belt was stripped from Fury when the Manchester boxer opted for a rematch with Wladimir Klitschko rather than a mandatory defence.

Should Joshua beat Martin and Fury beat Klitschko in their rematch on July 9, a blockbuster meeting between the two Britons would be inevitable.

Also in the mix is former heavyweight world champion Haye, who returned to the ring with a first-round knockout of Mark de Mori in January and fights again next month. (BBC Sport)

PCB’s ‘two heads’ costing...

from page 21

When you sit with him, he can talk about cricket for hours. And I think when you are a captain, you need to absorb a lot of things from the coach.”

He had managed to maintain a working relationship with Afridi, Waqar said, but that has been wrecked by the leaked report. “I have

been very clear that report was not for the media, but for the cricket board.

Unfortunately, the report was leaked and my relationship with Afridi has been spoilt.”

In his report, Waqar had mentioned the need for a high-performance manager’s post to be created by the PCB, and he

reiterated that view. “I think there should be a high-profile position, like a performance-enhancing manager, who can work as a bridge between the board and the players, enhance physios, trainers, the NCA, and only handle cricketing matters. That could be a foreigner, so there is no baggage.” (Cricinfo)

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guyanatimesGY.com

sundAY, APRIL 3, 2016

Kolkata Knight Riders v Delhi Daredevils, IPL 2016, Kolkata…

GCA, GISE, Star Party Rentals, Trophy Stall 1st division 2-day cricket…

Knight Riders’ experience DCC, GCC locked in battle for first innings points v Daredevils’ youth

Following his World T20 final heroics, Carlos Brathwaite is set for an IPL debut today

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autam Gambhir v Quinton de Kock.

Robin Uthappa v Shreyas Iyer. Yusuf Pathan v Karun Nair. Andre Russell v Carlos Brathwaite. Shakib Al Hasan v Pawan Negi. T20 experience v T20 exuberance. An ensemble cast v a bunch of apprentices.

Kolkata Knight Riders’ push for their third title has become stronger, with Sunil Narine’s reworked action getting a clean chit from the ICC two days before the start of the tournament. Narine, however, isn’t a certainty for the first match, having returned to West Indies following his father’s death. Shakib is ever present in Knight Riders’ attack, and Brad Hogg, 45, the inspiration behind T20I’s oldest debutant Ryan Campbell, is still fit and ready to step in. Kuldeep Yadav, also a chinaman bowler, although 24 years younger than Hogg, provides another spin option. And the ensemble has got bigger with the cheap addition (INR 30 lakh, or USD 44,000 approx) of Colin Munro who can switch-hit fast bowlers for sixes. Munro is not just about brawn; he has it in him to grind it out as he showed against Mustafizur Rahmanpowered Bangladesh at Knight Riders’ den during the World T20.

Daredevils let go of 11 players and rebuilt their squad and support staff, laced with a flavour of Rajasthan Royals. Iyer, the torchbearer of Daredevils’ youth force, is not far from breaking into the team’s top-ten run-getters list, after only one IPL season. Brathwaite, who went 6,6,6,6 to seal West Indies’ second World T20 title a week ago at Eden Gardens, is billed as the other face of the team.

However, there are plenty of concerns in the bowling department. The injured Joel Paris has already withdrawn from the tournament, the fit-again Mohammed Shami lacks match time, and to top it all captain Zaheer Khan has not played competitive cricket since the last IPL.

In the spotlight

At the 2015 IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders sent #MuscleRussell trending. He was called the “Dre Russ” at the Big Bash League, where the Jamaican duck-hooked a skiddy bouncer from Doug Bollinger for a one-bounce four over square leg. At the PSL, Andre Russell was the leading wicket-taker. He has won the BPL, BBL, PSL and World T20 this season. An IPL title will be the perfect topping.

Pawan Negi, listed at a base price of INR 30 lakh

(USD 44,000 approx), was purchased for INR 8.5 crore (USD 1.3m approx) at the auction, following consistent bowling performances in the Vijay Hazare (India’s domestic one-dayers) and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (the domestic T20 competition). He then made his international debut for India at the Asia Cup. Negi, a T20 specialist who was earlier with Chennai Super Kings, can also swing his bat in the lower-middle order, but a hefty price tag brings pressure. Ask Yuvraj Singh. Ask Dinesh Karthik.

Team news

If Narine isn’t available, Knight Riders have a few back-up options, including Piyush Chawla. They will have to make a choice on the pace front between Morne Morkel and John Hastings.

Morkel wasn’t part of South Africa’s World T20 squad, while Hastings got only one match in that tournament.

Kolkata Knight Riders (probable) 1 Gautam Gambhir (capt), 2 Robin Uthappa (wk), 3 Manish Pandey, 4 Shakib Al Hasan, 5 Yusuf Pathan, 6 Suryakumar Yadav, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Brad Hogg/Sunil Narine, 9 Piyush Chawla/ Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Morne Morkel/ John Hastings.

With de Kock in good form, Daredevils will want him to open and spend as much time as possible in the middle. Sanju Samson might beat Mayank Agarwal to the XI. Delhi Dardedevils (probable) 1 Shreyas Iyer, 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Sanju Samson/Mayank Agarwal, 4 JP Duminy, 5 Karun Nair, 6 Carlos Brathwaite, 7 Pawan Negi, 8 Zaheer Khan (capt), 9 Mohammed Shami 10 Amit Mishra, 11 Imran Tahir.

(Cricinfo)

Christopher Barnwell plays a forward defense shot during his 68

By Akeem Greene

D

emerara Cricket Club (DCC) and Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) are locked in an intriguing battle for first innings points in the semifinal of the Georgetown Cricket Association’s (GCA)/ General Industrial and Supplies Enterprise (GISE), Star Party Rentals and Trophy Stall First Division Two-day competition.

Playing at DCC on Saturday, GCC reached 1725 at the close of play with Ronald Ali-Mohammed on 11 and Devon Lord on 08, still trailing by 129 runs in response to DCC’s first innings total of 301.

GCC, who took the crease about 15 minutes before tea, lost Robin Bacchus (08) with the score on 22, but Manny Forde, who played some exquisite straight drives, help his side reach 35-1 at tea.

At the break, Forde was on 12 and Vishwanauth Ramlakhan on eight.

Upon resumption, Forde was bowled by left-arm spinner Totaram Bishun without adding to his tea time score, followed by Ramlakan (10) at 66-3.

Guyana Jaguars’ second leading runscorer this season in the PCL Four-day

Vishaul Singh

tournament, Visual Singh, took a liking to the spinners with a series of spanking drives and cuts.

Singh and Raymon Reifer tamed DCC’s enthusiasm with an 85-run, fourth wicket partnership, before Singh was out in bizarre fashion. Brian Sattaur, in his only over, bowled a full toss to the left-hander who only succeeded in finding the fielder at long-off, as he fell for an attractive 74.

Reifer (33) was then bowled by Bishun to leave the Bourda side 153-5.

DCC, batting first, would certainly not be satisfied with their first innings total of 301, as most of their batsmen fell to injudicious shots.

Former national youth captain Sattaur and West Indies Under-19 player Tevin Imlach added 88 for the first wicket, before Singh, bowling off-spin, got one to skid-on and trapped Imlach leg before for 16.

Singh then accounted for Kevon Boodie (02) and Sattaur (70 runs, 10x4s, 6x4s), attempting a slogsweep which ballooned into the air, as the home side slipped to 101-3.

Captain Christopher Barnwell and Sherfene Rutherford then put on 121 in an enterprising fourth wicket partnership.

Barnwell, who hit 11 fours and two sixes, fell for 68 he lobbed a catch to midoff, while Rutherford, who made 52 (4x4s; 4x6s), fell in the same over to left-arm spinner Anthony Adams.

The first ball of the next over Keemo Paul (00) was bowled by left-arm seamer Reifer as DCC lost three wickets with the score on 222 to be reduced to 222-6.

Dennis Squires (38), Kemol Savory (18) and Jahron Byron (11) made handy scores to carry the Queenstown side to their eventual total.

Singh (2-40) and Reifer (2-55) led the way with the ball for GCC.

Antigua’s Sports Minister unsure about disbanding WICB

C

het Greene, Antigua’s Minister of Sports, is of the belief that disbanding the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) will not end the problems facing the sport in the region.

He added that if the dream of some CARICOM leaders, who have been calling for the dissolution of the board, becomes reality, it could create more problems than it solves.

“We see no value in disbanding the board; it would only lead to chaos,” Greene said.

“If the Caribbean governments were to ban the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), it means that

Caribbean cricket and all the glory we are now enjoying could suffer. The cricketers who ply their trade in India, with a world ban on West Indies cricket will not have that opportunity to ply their trade and so therefore my call and the prime minister’s call has always been for sober, rational, sensible discussions.”

Greene’s sentiments echo those of Prime Minister Gaston Browne. Following the West Indies’ triumph in the World T20 last week, Prime Minister Browne issued a statement that credited the WICB with putting the region’s cricket on the right path.

Greene also shared his thought on West Indies captain Darren Sammy’s postmatch comments on Sunday.

“You don’t spoil an occasion with the politics of the situation,” Greene said.

“Darren Sammy’s comments may very well be legitimate and may very well have a place in the discourse.

I don’t want to pretend that all is well and so while his comments may be rooted in truism and give rise to the need to continue the reflective and engaging practices, I think what was done on the morning when the world was watching the region, kind of took away from, and blunted the moment.” (Digicel Sportsmax)

SPORT

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Waqar Younis (left) and Shahid Afridi did not see eye-to-eye

aqar Younis does not think he was able to make much of a difference to Pakistan cricket in his recently concluded two-year stint as national coach. A big part of the problem, he told ESPNcricinfo in an interview, was a lack of proper direction at the administrative level, with the PCB having “two heads” in board chairman Shaharyar Khan and executive committee chairman Najam Sethi, who pulled the game in “two different directions.”

Outgoing T20I captain Shahid Afridi’s “temperament issue” did not help either, Waqar said.

A former Pakistan captain himself, Waqar had resigned from the coaching role earlier this week with three months left on his contract, following Pakistan’s dismal showing at the Asia Cup and World T20 where they won only three games out of eight. It was a messy parting of ways, with his announcement coming soon after his scathing report on Pakistan cricket - featuring Afridi’s lack of leadership skills, and the indiscipline

among the players among other things - was leaked to the public.

“The biggest issue was having two heads of a family, [it] did not help the cause,” Waqar said. “Not only for the coach but cricket overall also suffered because, inside the PCB, there are two heads and two different directions. That needs to be looked into. That is very important.”

It was important for the PCB to realise it existed to help grow cricket in Pakistan, not the other way round, Waqar said. “I have said previously that people in a cricket board should be coming towards the team, towards the coaching staff.

They should be coming towards us, to improve things, because they are for the cricket team, for the game.

The cricket team is not for them.

“Here we have a culture where cricket teams beg for things from them [administrators]. It should be the other way around and it needs to be changed on an immediate basis.”

When asked why he had stayed in the role for so long

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despite all these issues, Waqar said he had hopes of changing the way Pakistan cricket worked. “I couldn’t do exactly what I wanted to. I’m always in support of the younger players coming through, indulging the younger players, but unfortunately it did not happen. There were forces that didn’t allow me [to do so].

“Some people ask why didn’t I leave early but I have faith in the idea that to fix the system, you have to stay in the system. I’ve tried to fix it, but it didn’t work.”

The main problem with Afridi, Waqar said, was his inability to concentrate for long periods. “Afridi’s drawbacks as a captain are for everyone to see. He has got a temperament issue. He cannot sit for too long to highlight things, or absorb things and then go and implement them. I’ve said this in my report.”

Waqar said Afridi was in stark contrast to Pakistan Test captain Misbah-ulHaq. “My relationship with Misbah was excellent and we all know that. Because I think he has got a great temperament for cricket.

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Jose Mourinho has never coached a national team

F

ormer Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has rejected an offer to coach Syria, according to his agent.

In an email sent to Associated Press, Jorge Mendes said Mourinho told the Syrian FA that, “while

he felt honoured to receive the invitation, he cannot at the moment accept it”.

The Portuguese, 53, was sacked for a second time by Chelsea in December.

Mourinho, who has also managed Porto, Real Madrid and Inter Milan, has been

linked with Manchester United.

It was reported last week Mourinho had started house-hunting in Cheshire after his representatives held talks with United.

Syria, who have never qualified for the World Cup, sacked coach Fajr Ibrahim despite reaching the Asia’s third and final round of qualifying, scheduled to begin in August.

They are 123rd in the Fifa rankings and are the rank outsiders of the 12 countries in Asia still competing for two automatic places at the 2018 World Cup and a play-off spot.

Syria have played their home games in the Gulf state of Oman since the country was plunged into civil war five years ago. (BBC Sport)

22

guyanatimesGY.com

sundAY, april 10, 2016

Foster wants more emphasis on female cricket

By Avenash Ramzan

S

ecretary/CEO of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC), Hilbert Foster, is of the firm belief that much more can be done for the growth and development of female cricket in Guyana.

Speaking to this publication during an exclusive interview on Saturday, Foster, whose club in East Berbice has the most active female cricket set-up in the country, bemoaned the fact that the ladies are being left to play second fiddle to their male counterparts, noting that little or no interest is being paid to the females.

“Female cricket in Guyana is being treated like a step child with no emphasis being placed on it at all,” he declared.

“It’s only the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, which has about 18 girls as members right now, has a female team, and even we at the club are becoming frustrated because the girls are being forced to play Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 against all-male teams. In a sense, it is assisting them to improve a lot playing against males, but at the same time it is quite frustrating because the girls want to play against their fellow females.”

Foster related that the West Indies Women’s title win at the World T20 should inspire more females to get into the sport in Guyana, but noted that the active cricket clubs around the country have got to show a keen interest in investing in female cricket.

Shemaine Campbelle

Both Guyanese on the World Cup-winning West Indies Women’s teamall-rounder Shemaine Campbelle and fast bowler Tremayne Smartt- are products of the RHTY&SC. While Campbelle is currently the captain of the club’s Metro Female Team, Smartt is now attached to the Bermine male team.

“It is simply unbelievable that clubs like GCC [Georgetown Cricket Club], DCC [Demerara Cricket Club], Everest, Albion and the other top clubs in

Hilbert Foster

Stafanie Taylor

Guyana are placing no emphasis on females. There are a lot of girls out there who live far away from Rose Hall who want to play cricket, but to the huge cost in transportation and things like that they’re finding it difficult to travel down,” Foster explained.

He continued, “I really think the Guyana Cricket Board and the different county boards should be more proactive, because emphasis is only placed on the girls about two or three weeks before Intercounty, and the females in Demerara, I’ve spoken to some of them, they’re very upset that nobody seems to be placing them on the agenda…I don’t know how we will improve female cricket in Guyana if the girls are not playing 365 days a year.”

The Guyana Cricket Board is the governing body for the sport in Guyana, and female cricket falls under its purview. Foster has proposed a few ideas that the Board could implement to move cricket on the distaff side forward.

“They will have to identify a pool of girls for special training on a year-round basis, just like what they’re doing with the boys. They will have to invest in female school cricket so that we could have some new talents coming forth because it’s been one set of players dominating the female level year after year [in Guyana], unlike other countries where players like [Hayley] Matthews and [Afy] Fletcher and other exciting youths are coming up…we’re not having that in Guyana,” Foster explained.

He added, “I also think that the Guyana Cricket Board should give incentives to clubs to form female teams, whether it’s financially or with gear, but if we could have two or three clubs in every county to form a female team I think we will be on our way [to improving female cricket].”

Recruitment drive

Foster’s comments came less than a week after West Indies Women’s skipper Stafanie Taylor suggest-

Tremayne Smartt

ed that “a recruitment programme is needed as part of an elaborate plan to keep the sport alive in the region.”

Taylor was speaking days after the West Indies female side toppled Australia in the World T20 final in India, winning comfortably by eight wickets.

Taylor, who was voted player-of-the-tournament, is worried that women’s cricket in the region could suffer a significant decline if a proper system is not put in place for when the current crop of players retire.

The Jamaican all-rounder said a recruitment drive needs to target schools across the Caribbean, in particular. “We need to go into the schools and try to get girls to come out,” Taylor told the Jamaica Observer.

Infrastructure is another area Taylor believes could be improved in the

Caribbean. “I think we definitely need some infrastructure where as Australia and England they do have it. We need young girls coming up.

When you look at our team, most of us are fairly young and when these core players are gone. It’s going to deteriorate and we need to start building young players coming up.”

Taylor also spoke of her ambitions to see female Test cricket at some point.

“That’s one of my dreams, to play Test cricket. The type of player I am I think it will definitely suit and build my game as time goes on, but I will definitely love to play Test cricket. I think it will definitely help some of the girls. Longer format of the game where they could build their game and I think it will definitely help us in playing in one day games,” she explained.

(aramzan@guyanatimesgy.com)

RHTY&SC to honour World GPF, FACC cycle road race on today in Berbice Cup champion Campbelle – Caribbean Airlines donates ticket

T

Police Officers, led by Superintendent Guy Nurse, beams with confidence as Assistant Superintendent Keith Williams presents the sponsorship cheque to coordinator of the race and coach of the FACC, Randolph Roberts

F

ollowing the successful staging of a cycle road race on the Corentyne highway two Sundays ago, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Flying Ace Cycle Club (FACC) will collaborate once again today to stage a 28-mile race in Berbice.

The event, which is for cyclist of the FACC, is set to pedal off at 09:00h from Tacama Turn, New Amsterdam.

The riders will proceed along the New Amsterdam, Canje and Corentyne highways to the Independence Arch at Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, before turn-

ing back to finish at the junction of Main and Alexander Streets, New Amsterdam.

A number of prizes are up for grabs, including the first four finishers, first two Under-16 riders and first three females. There will also eight sprint point prizes up for grabs.

he Caribbean’s premier airline, Caribbean Airlines, has joined hands with the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) to honour West Indies World Cup champion, Shemaine Campbelle.

Campbelle, a member of Guyana’s leading youth and sports organisation, the RHTY&SC, and captain of its Metro Female Team, was a member of the victorious West Indies 20/20 World Cup team, which defeated Australia in the final to lift the title.

The RHTY&SC, during its 26th annual awards ceremony on April 17, would honour Campbelle with a collection of special gifts, including the airline ticket donated by Caribbean Airlines.

Secretary/CEO of the club, Hilbert Foster, expressed gratitude to Caribbean Airlines for the donation of the North American airline ticket as it would allow the RHTY&SC to properly honour Campbelle, who was described as a true and proud representative of the club and its tradition.

The club, he stated, over

Caribbean Airlines Executive, Dion Inniss (right), hands over the ticket to Hilbert Foster of the RHTY&SC

its short 26 years has achieved unbelievable success, but it was only the second time it has produced a world champion after Assad Fudadin was part of the West Indies Under-15 team in 2000.

Honouring its heroes on and off the cricket field, Foster stated was very important to the RHTY&SC, as the organisation strongly believes in recognising and rewarding hard work and dedication.

Campbelle, the long-serving Secretary/CEO noted, is

an outstanding sports ambassador of the RHTY&SC, Berbice, Guyana and the West Indies.

Caribbean Airlines Marketing Executive, Dion Inniss, in handing over the airline ticket to Foster, stated that the airline was pleased to be associated with the club to honour Campbelle. The airline, Inniss stated, is fully aware of its corporate responsibility. He wished Campbelle and the RHTYSC the best in the future.

guyanatimesGY.com

sundAY, april 10, 2016

23

GFF/Stag Elite League…

Fruta Conquerors thump Alpha 3-1

Slingerz goalscorers! Devon Millington (right) and Julian Wade

A

lpha United got a taste of their own medicine when they succumbed to a 1-3 defeat to a well-organised Fruta Conquerors unit in the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) Stag Elite League Finale on Friday evening at the

National Track and Field Facility, Leonora.

Conquerors continued their outstanding form to cement their second place position. The last time these two sides met in the earlier rounds, they played to a 1-1 stalemate.

The Tucville-based club

GSL/Golyn 10/10 softball…

Action set to resume today at Leonora

T

he Golyn 10/10 countrywide softball cricket tournament organised by the Guyana Softball League (GSL) and sponsored by Golyn and Sons, Trophy Stall and Miss Love Trading (West Coast) will resume today with 11 matches in three zones.

At Leonora, Omesh XI will play Mighty Lions. Omesh XI will be looking to build on their recent popularity in the one day tournament in which they defeated seasoned side Wolf’s Warriors to take the top prize.

The team is bubbling with confidence and will look to crush any opposition at this time. Mighty Lions have been going about their work quietly, chalking up wins and gaining points, but will have to play hard to win today’s game.

It will then be Ruimzeight XI against Maracs XI. Ruimzeight XI will be looking to come out of this encounter with a win and further strengthen their chances of a quarter-final spot.

Maracs have been low on confidence as shown in their last encounter in which they lost badly and the skipper will be pulling out all skills in order to restore the confidence in the team.

Goed Fortuin Exclusive XI will come against the likes of Superstreet XI. Exclusive XI, made up of some of the most promising young players in the tournament, will look to play aggressively to ensure they come out on top.

Superstreet XI have played unbeaten so far, and with experience in their lineup, they can be devastating when the conditions are in their favour.

In the final match, Amazon Warriors XI will clash Crossbreed XI. Crossbreed Warriors XI have rebounded nicely in this tournament, having lost in their first match. They have a powerful bowling line-up, which has dominated the opposition so far.

The batting has come on lately and in Imtiaz Hack and Mark Grant they have been successful in thwarting the opposition in winning by large margins. Matches will also be played in Diamond and Linden.

Meanwhile, the one ball ‘Man-to’ sponsored by Miss Love Trading (West Coast) will see a winner being crowned in this first phase as the ‘King’ and the second phase will start next weekend.

could count themselves unlucky as yet again there seems to be an issue concerning transfer legitimacy of their players as their leading goalscorer Shaquille Agard had to sit on the bench.

But Agard’s absence did not in any way stop the freeflowing football they have been playing throughout the League Finale, as they took the lead in the 31st minute, thanks to goal by Jahall Greaves.

In the second half, their dominance continued as Eon Alleyne extended the club’s lead in the 66th minute, while Hubert Pedro added to the pain of Alpha United with a goal in the 85th minute.

A late goal by Delon Lanferman in the 90th minute gave Alpha United some consolation, if any, as they suffered their second loss of the season form eight matches.

Conquerors, on the other

Fruta Conquerors marksmen! From right: Eon Alleyne, Jahall Greaves and Hubert Pedro

hand, are well placed with 19 points from their eight matches, with just one defeat.

In the other match, Slingerz FC continued their dominance in the League following a 2–1 win over Pele FC. The unbeaten Slingerz

were simply too much to handle for a listless Pele unit as they plunged to their fifth loss from eight matches.

Their performance has been a stark contrast to the second place finish in the League Genesis.

It was Devon Millington

in the 32nd and Julian Wade in the 58th, who found the net for Slingerz, while Jumane Somerset scored Pele’s only goal in the 86th minute.

Slingerz FC have now extended their lead at the top of the table with 24 points from eight successive wins.

SUNDAY, APRIL 10, 2016

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

guyana-times.com

Foster wants more emphasis on female cricket Page 22

West Indies Women won the World T20 title for the first time earlier this month in India

GFF/Stag Elite League…

Fruta Conquerors thump Alpha 3-1

Page 23

Part of the action between Fruta Conquerors (orange and white) and Alpha United

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