Guyana Times Daily - June 23, 2015

tuesday, june 23, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

Ram vs Jagdeo court case

Ram rebuked for contacting Magistrate ... escapes censure after apologising

Magistrate Charlyn Artiga on Monday rebuked Attorneyat-Law Christopher Ram for making contact with her via telephone in relation to the issues arising from the private politically motivated criminal charge he made against former President Bharrat Jagdeo for remarks made at Babu Jaan, Port Mourant earlier this year.

One respected Attorney told Guyana Times that Ram was lucky to escape with just a warning for initiating an exparte communication with the Magistrate.

The prohibition against exparte communications with the court is designed to protect the opposing party’s right to a fair hearing and, ultimately, the impartiality and integrity of the courts.

Communications are commonly understood to be exparte if made by one party outside the record without giving the other party notice or an opportunity to respond.

Besides in-person contact,

the rule covers communication by telephone, letter, email and any other modes.

The case was called again at the Whim Magistrate’s Court on Monday, but was adjourned until July 13 owing to Jagdeo’s ill health. Jagdeo was represented by Attorneys-at-Law Mursaline Bacchus, Adrian Anamayah and Perry Gossai who submitted a medical report explaining his absence.

The medical report was accepted and the presiding Magistrate adjourned the matter until July 13.

Bacchus explained to the court that a letter was submitted a few days back stating that Jagdeo was unwell.

Further, the Attorneys made an application for statements and a transcript from the recording to be made available.

Apology Magistrate Artiga made it clear that she would not permit anyone (Complainant or Defendant) to contact her personally on matters re-

garding the case.

She made this statement after Ram had sought to contact her via the telephone regarding issues he had.

Monday’s hearing was relatively quiet with no protesters.

The private politically motivated charge was filed

She said any contact should be made through the court, either through the clerk or the office and both parties should be present.

Ram, through his lawyer, Charrandass Persaud, apologised to the Magistrate for making contact with her, the apology was accepted.

under Section 139 D1A of the Representation of the People Act by Ram regarding remarks made by Jagdeo on March 8 at Babu Jaan, Port Mourant.

Ram contended that the statements made can result in racial or ethnic hatred among the people.

Under the said act, if found guilty, a person can face a fine of $100,000 together with two years’ imprisonment.

Jagdeo had made his first appearance in the case on May 25 amid protesting supporters who said that the charge was politically motivated.

No evidence

During the first hearing, Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos had argued that the charge filed showed no evidence that an offence was committed.

“The charge before the court does not disclose any offence leading to the law, so we want it quashed. We want it thrown out; that’s essentially what we are aiming for…you cannot charge someone if there is no offence.”

De Santos said after examining the allegation and the section of the law under which the charge has been laid, in his view, it was frivolous, vexatious and an abuse

of the process of the court in which it has been filed.

Further, he pointed out that it was a gross misinterpretation and colossal misuse and abuse of Section 139D of the Representation of the People Act, Chap1:02.

The Senior Counsel noted that while he would not speculate in relation to the motive which inspired the institution of the charge, he will, however, state that “it constitutes an abridgement of the constitutional right and freedom of my client to speak and express himself freely”.

De Santos further noted that the unprecedented use of a criminal charge to muzzle speakers at public political events was an assault on the democratic right of political leaders to speak freely on matters of national interest as well as a violation of the democratic right of the citizenry to receive such information.

He said that the case was nothing more than political sensationalisation and mischief.

Woman killed, cop critical after Nismes

By Bhisham mohamed

APolice rank attached to the Sport Department of the Guyana Police Force is battling for his life at the Georgetown Public Hospital following a vehicular accident at Nismes Village, West Bank Demerara (WBD) on Sunday evening which resulted in the death of his wife.

The dead woman has been identified as 35-yearold Odessa Howard of Lot 56 Inner Bagotville, WBD while her husband is Peter Howard, 55. According to information reaching Guyana Times, the Policeman and his wife were travelling on a motorcycle along the Nismes Public Road when they were struck from behind by a car.

The Howards were rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where the woman was pronounced dead on arrival and her husband referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he remains in an unconscious state.

Guyana Times understands that the driver of the motor car was taken into Police custody. He reportedly claimed that he was driving along the public road and as he slammed on his brakes, the car spun around and hit

Howard and his wife off the bike.

Quamie Chandler, the brother of the dead woman, told Guyana Times that he received a phone call about

21:30h from someone enquiring if he were the brother of Odessa. Upon giving an affirmative response, he was told that his sister and her husband were involved in

an accident and he was summoned to the West Demerara Regional Hospital.

Upon his arrival at the medical facility, he saw his sister’s lifeless body on a stretcher while his brother-

Georgetown Public Hospital.

As of late Monday afternoon, Chandler disclosed, his brother-in-law was still unconscious. He last saw his sister alive about 18:30h on Sunday when she and the

in-law was receiving medical treatment. At that time, his brother-in-law, he recalled, was not responding to treatment hence a decision was taken to transfer him to the

now injured man left on the motorcycle to take a ride. He explained that prior to the accident, a few relatives had gathered in celebration of Father’s Day.

crash

The couple was together for several years and tied the knot about five years ago. Their union brought forth three children. At the home of the couple on Monday afternoon, persons gathered to offer their condolences to the bereaved family.

A close friend of the injured Police rank told Guyana Times that the couple and some friends, including himself, were enjoying a ride on Sunday evening, but owing to the moderate speed at which the Howards were travelling, he left them behind. He stated that shortly after, he heard of the accident.

He noted that based on reports gathered, the driver of the vehicle might have been going at a fast pace and might have lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a turn after which the vehicle spun several times and crashed into the couple on the bike. The driver might have also been under the influence of alcohol at the time. He described Howard as a very quiet person who looked out for his friends and a dedicated family man. Odessa Howard’s body is at the Ezekiel Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem examination. She leaves to mourn her five children, husband and siblings.

Magistrate Charlyn Artiga

Odessa Howard and her husband in happier times The motorcycle the couple were riding at the time of the accident

tuesday, june 23, 2015 |

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Tuesday, June 23 – 09:00h-10:30h and Wednesday, June 24 – 10:00h-11:30h

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Tuesday, June 23 – 08:10h-09:45h and Wednesday, June 24 – 09:05h-10:35h

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery showers are expected to dominating throughout the day, with heavy to thundery showers expected in the late afternoon and into the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly between 2.68 metres and 4.02 metres per second.

High Tide: 08:56h and 21:28h reaching maximum heights of 2.32 metres and 2.27 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 02:28h and 14:57h reaching minimum heights of 0.93 metre and 0.90 metre respectively.

2 dead, 1 feared drowned as car plunges into trench

By Bhisham mohamed

Two men are dead while another is feared drowned after the car in which they were travelling hit a cow along the Stanleytown Public Road on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD) and ended up in a nearby canal in the wee hours of Monday.

The accident reportedly occurred about 00:30h, but the bodies were discovered several hours after. The dead men are: Premraj Bhola, 19, of Lot 661 Belle West, Canal Polder Number Two, WBD and Aleem Solomon, 19, of

Lot 560 Belle West, while the missing man is identified as Ganesh Sewcharran, 20, of Lot 788 Belle West.

According to information received, Solomon was found in the car and Bhola was recovered in the trench. Sewcharran, the driver of the car, is suspected to have drowned, but his body is yet to be recovered. Guyana Times understands that the car bearing registration number PRR 2932 belongs to Sheriff Car Rental. It had been rented by Sewcharran’s stepfather who is visiting the country. The young man might have collected the car while his mother and stepfather were asleep.

From all indications, the three men, who were seen consuming alcohol on Sunday evening, were heading out of the Canal Polder Number Two Road when Sewcharran lost control of

the vehicle, which hit a cow and ended up in the canal which is some distance from the main road.

A woman who resides in the area told Guyana Times that residents heard the impact about 00:30h and some ran out of their homes to investigate, but saw nothing. At that time, they did not see the car in the canal, because it had already sank. It was not until closer to dawn as the skies lightened that the four wheels of the car were seen in the air. The Police were contacted and the vehicle was subsequently pulled from the canal with a tractor.

Salome Bhola, the mother of Solomon, told Guyana Times that she learnt of her son’s demise about 07:02h on Monday after her sister who resides a short distance away phoned her. She was told her son was involved in an accident and he, along with a friend, died while another is still missing.

The grieving woman stated that she rushed to the scene where she saw her son’s motionless body lying on the parapet. She last saw her son on Sunday evening about 21:00h when he left home claiming that he was going to meet some friends. After some time elapsed and he did not return, she phoned him about 23:30h and he promised that he would be home soon. However, the woman stated that when she woke up on Monday morning, she did not see Solomon

at home and enquired whether or not her husband saw him. “He stepfather tell me that when he went out to buy cigarettes, he see him and two other guys drinking at Ganesh house… After he tell me that, I thought that after it get late he decide to stay at his friend, since he does normally do that,” his mother said.

Shock

A few streets away, the relatives of Premraj Bhola were making arrangements for his wake as his father sat on a table with a solemn face.

Nanakisshorelall Seeraj told Guyana Times that the family received the news of the accident about 07:15h.

The distraught father stated that he was not at home on Sunday evening, but upon his return, he enquired about his son, and was told that he left to go out with some friends. “His mother tell me that he ask her for some money and he ID card and tell she that he was going to Princess Hotel Casino… but she tell me that she didn’t give him and he left.”

He related that upon receiving the news, he went to the scene where he saw the wrecked car being pulled from the canal but his son’s body was not inside; a short while later, his body was recovered from the canal. Seeraj was not allowed close to the scene, but from information he gathered, the two young men might have

drowned. Seeraj added that the three friends would frequently go out together. He said the death of his son, who he described as an easygoing person, was a major loss. Meanwhile, at the home of Sewcharran, his sister related that earlier on Sunday evening, her now missing brother washed the car and parked it under the house, but later asked his stepfather to play some music from the car’s deck. The stepfather agreed before retiring to bed.

The teenager stated that after her stepfather woke up, he did not see the car after which he received news of the accident. The stepfather reportedly told investigators that his stepson took the car without his permission while confirming also that he was not the holder of a driver’s licence. Sewcharran’s mother, who was at the La Grange Police Station, did not wish to offer a comment.

A senior Police source told Guyana Times that the two dead men have several issues pending at the Wales Police Station. Moments after the vehicle was pulled from the canal, the Police rank stated that they checked for suspicious items, but found none. The bodies of the two men were taken to the Ezekiel Funeral Home to await a post-mortem examination. The Police are continuing their search for the third person as they investigate the matter.

The rented car after it was pulled from the canal on Monday

Dead, Premraj Bhola

Missing, Ganesh Sewcharran

Editor: Nigel Williams

Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134

Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown

Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

Caricom needs a ‘reset’

“Caricom Day” is but two Mondays away. In view of the inability of the institution to address the challenges facing the Caribbean, as was the case with its predecessor integrative mechanism, the WI Federation, voices are being raised in Jamaica about Caricom’s very existence.

We cannot just ignore such sentiments and maybe it would be useful to remind our people why the institution was launched in 1973. There were specific commitments - which, between states are embodied in institutions - made by the founding fathers of Caricom and these were accepted by the later members.

In its latest formulation, the objectives of Caricom were described as: to improve standards of living and work; the full employment of labour and other factors of production; accelerated, coordinated and sustained economic development and convergence; expansion of trade and economic relations with third States; enhanced levels of international competitiveness; organisation for increased production and productivity; achievement of a greater measure of economic leverage; effectiveness of member states in dealing with third states, groups of states and entities of any description; and the enhanced coordination of member states’ foreign and foreign economic policies and enhanced functional cooperation.”

But impressive offices, grand meetings and laudable goals are not the test of whether an international institution is successful. The test is whether member countries are ready to make genuine commitments to each other and that means, ultimately, whether they are prepared to follow the rules embodied in the institution to deliver the stated objectives.

Without that, the institution lacks any real purpose. And this is why, on the cusp of its 42th anniversary, Caricom is on ‘pause’. Caricom needs a ‘reset’.

To defend the need for a Caribbean integrative mechanism to accomplish the objectives of Caricom is not to defend any specific institution - defined as a set of rules that must be followed by the organisation.

These must be judged - and reformed or discarded - on their merits. As the world changes, institutions sometime do not keep in step with those changes and this is the problem with Caricom.

However, the organisations, defined as the personnel in place to work within the rules to deliver the objectives, almost invariably become set in their ways. They develop an inertia that needs to be overcome to make them more attuned to the new world that the institution must cope with.

The challenge for us is to find a role for Caricom, relevant to present circumstances and to decide on the operational capabilities and instruments which that role demands.

Holding meetings and issuing communiqués are not enough. It is worth re-evaluating the nature of the challenge: the specific commitments made in 1973 may no longer be relevant.

And this is why many Caribbean citizens feel Caricom is useless. Failure to reform the institution will condemn it to irrelevance and obscurity. But nothing would be more damaging to our prospects of joining the developed world alike than the abandonment of further integration.

Piecemeal reforms are unlikely to work. Caricom should focus on those specific areas where we need to tackle problems collectively. We will then have to ensure that the commitments the member countries enter into are clear.

The job of institutions is to support those commitments. In many cases, like an umpire, their job will be to uphold them. That will only be possible if the players - countries - are very clear about the agreed rules of the game. Without that, any further tinkering is pointless.

We will then have to provide Caricom with the necessary tools to enforce the commitments of its member states.

For instance, we cannot avoid appointing a governing council with the authority and responsibility to implement the necessary decisions. If this generation fails then the work of those who were “present at the creation” will have been undone. It is our duty to re-formulate the institutional framework we inherited.

Caricom cannot be allowed to simply muddle on.

Diaspora concerned about spike in crime

Dear Editor, Guyanese in the diaspora have expressed deep anguish about the sudden spike in crime (robberies, murders) since the change in government last month.

Criminals are preying on visitors. Too many visiting Guyanese (from North America) and locals have become victims of crime over the last month and the new government has not mounted an effective response.

In fact, it is not even addressing the issue - business as usual. Instead of concentrating on fighting crime, the new political dispensation is going after supporters of the previous regime removing many from their jobs.

In conversations on

the phone and in person, many in the diaspora have been querying me whether they will be safe if they visit Guyana, especially during the summer break when thousands from North America visit their former homeland to see relatives during their vacation.

They worry they will be targeted by criminals who have been preying on visitors mostly in rural communities where government provides limited security.

Many overseas-based Guyanese are putting travel plans on hold and others are considering cancellation of travel fearing for the safety of their families and themselves. Some told me "bai, meh nah go back deh; the place nah good".

Instead of spending precious time, resources and energy on settling scores and on political and ethnic cleansing at various government agencies, the government should focus on an effective anti-crime response.

Visits from the diaspora are critical for the growth in the economy during the summer break as members of the diaspora spend tens of millions of American dollars in the country during this period.

The country cannot afford a reduction in visitors. It behooves the government, therefore, to go after the criminals and have a more active patrol of the security forces from the airport and high crime areas.

Visitors are urged to

be vigilant when arriving at their abode and in their movements. Overseas Guyanese are also concerned about the firing of supporters of the former government. They worry how these fired workers would be able to obtain a job to provide for their families. Now is not the time for political and ethnic victimization as all hands are needed in battling the scourge in crime that threatens the development of the country. The country also needs Guyanese to unite against threats from neighboring countries. Thus, firing and victimizing supporters of other political parties will not bring about unity.

Vishnu Bisram

As a constitutional body, the ERC is independent

Dear Editor, I refer to Bishop Juan Edghill’s interview published in the Guyana Times on June 19 under the headline, “Bishop Edghill wants clarity on Ally’s role regarding ERC.”

Bishop Edghill’s is totally correct and in order. The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) is a constitutional body, but it seems that the Government

now wants to hijack it and place it under the control of the Ministry of Social Cohesion.

This is a violation of our national constitution. The genesis of the ERC lies in the Herdmanston Accord signed on January 17, 1998, which provides for the establishment of a Constitution Reform Commission (CRC).

The CRC, in its report to

the National Assembly on July 17, 1999, recommended that the Constitution shall establish an adequately-funded, suitably broad-based ERC for the improvement of race relations in Guyana.

Article 212A of the constitution provides for the establishment of the ERC and on March 8, 2002 the ERC was formulated to carry out its constitutional

mandate to promote ethnic harmony in Guyana.

Further, as a constitutional body, the ERC is independent and does not to take instructions or directives from no one or authority. The ERC is ready to work, but its elected members are all waiting to be sworn in by the President.

Edwin Thomas

A question that has many Guyanese baffled

Dear Editor, During the PPP/C government’s 23 years in office, Venezuela has never issued a decree trying to stop major investments in the Essequibo region, the portion of Guyana it has always been claiming, despite the validity of the 1899 arbitral award.

But lo and behold Venezuela recently issued a decree. But why? This is the question that has many Guyanese baffled or mindboggled.

Some Guyanese are saying that Venezuela may not trust the new Guyana gov-

ernment with an oil discovery in commercial quantities in our waters, bearing in mind its relationship with the US.

Also, the new government, like the PNC administration prior to 1992, may mismanage Guyana’s natural resources to the detri-

ment of the Guyanese people.

These are some of the views circulating on Venezuela’s current claims to a portion of Guyana’s territory.

John Issacs

June 21 (the summer solstice) is the longest day of the year and the beginning of summer. In this photo, persons participate at the

traditional Ivan Kupala festival, near Minsk, Belarus, which celebrates the summer solstice with overnight festivities such as singing and dancing before jumping over campfires, which people believe will purge them of their sins and make them healthier (Reuters/Vasily Fedosenko)

Kill sugar and agriculture, and Guyana is doomed

Dear Editor,

The only best way forward is to completely rescue the sugar industry from its distress. Time has already punished the PPP/C.

Both climate change and Guyana’s loss of the favourable European market with its preferential prices are self explicit. They both damaged the economic viability of the industry.

But even if long term crop diversification likely occurs, climate change will still continue to negatively impact agriculture regardless. So what? Stop anything associated with agriculture forever and go

into self imposed PNC coalition starvation all over again?

“I am not an expert in the sugar industry, but I keep abreast with information about the plight of the local sector as well as the world sugar market. As a former practicing journalist and communicator, I maintain a healthy knowledge of all matters of national interests,” wrote Mr Lennox Cornette in “Sugar is a dead horse in Guyana and we should stop flogging it”. What was surprising is Mr Cornette then suggests that “we should instead seek international help”! Why? At first glance one

wonders if it is to hasten its demise or rescue the industry?

In Mr Cornette’s published concerns one can be hopeful, that there is no ambiguity when he wrote “that help, combined with local expertise and the knowledge of those who have years of working in the sector should lead us to the best way forward for the sugar industry”.

Agriculture is the original powerhouse of Guyana’s economic success. But successive PPP/C governments failed to incorporate it as a practical alternative in the school educational curricula. Wasn’t this unwise?

What could GuySuCo have done better is not in isolation from what occurs on the national agenda. The sugar industry is now currently at the mercy of a hostile PNC-led government which has no agriculture policy.

Any nobility to resuscitate the sugar industry would be most welcome if that is the intent of Mr Cornette’s letter. Considering the former journalist’s admission that he is without any expertise about sugar and in spite of ambiguities apparent clarity can be productive and reassuring.

To whom Mr Cornette may be referring when he

Private sector must be proactive in creating national development

Dear Editor,

Much has been recently reported about a business slowdown in Guyana which began during the election cycle and has not changed since the election of the new government. Some analysts seek glee in stating it is because the new government does not have an economic plan.

Others see the slowdown as a natural multiplier effect of the dramatic drop in gold prices and the associated impact it has on the economy. Still others argue it’s the effect of the AML/CFT Bill and the squeezing of the underground economy of drugs, money laundering and other well-known nefarious activities.

Our remittances are almost 20 per cent of GDP; Dr Clive Thomas states the underground economy is 60 per cent of GDP, VAT is 16 per cent, corruption and the raping of Guyana is a significant percent of GDP.

Not discussed are the underlying strategic factors which impact Guyana’s economic ascendancy. Central to this is the role of the private sector in Guyana’s economic trajectory.

In reality, the private sector must take more responsibility for the country’s economy and also must be honest in both their capacity, their competitiveness and their expectations. An excellent example has been in the area of Amaila Falls.

While the private sector endorses this project, they have been economically dishonest in their arguments. Surely, would the private sector in Guyana invest in the building of Amaila Falls?

Strongly recommended by this author is the need for the private sector to perform a SWOT analysis on itself and to create a private sector’s National Strategic Plan in which the government is

seen as one of the stakeholders.

I would recommend the private sector use Peeping Tom’s article of January 27, entitled “A baby in the world of giants” for self-analysis. Sustainable development is a marathon and not a sprint. These words of Colin Powell, former Secretary of State of the USA should be a motto for Guyana.

It has also been often stated the private sector is the engine of growth with the government creating the enabling environment of legal, regulatory and fiscal frameworks for economic development and sustainability.

Guyana is a low middle income resource-driven country whose main exports are gold, bauxite, sugar, rice, forestry products and seafood. Guyana is therefore a “brown” economy.

Brown growth is economic development that relies heavily on fossil fuels and does not consider the negative side effects that economic production and consumption have on the environment.

Richly endowed in natural resources and having a strategic geographical location as the bridge between the Caribbean to South America, Guyana’s GDP has recently been more heavily weighted towards an expanding services sector.

Resource driven economies have succeeded when six elements are present: building the institutions and governance of the resources sector, developing infrastructure, ensuring robust fiscal policy and competitiveness, supporting local content, deciding how to spend a resource windfall wisely, and transforming resource wealth into broader economic development. Guyana is struggling with most of these areas.

In order for the private

sector to become the true “engine of growth” and a codevelopment partner with the government, it has to reengineer itself. It has to become more visionary, more inclusive, more strategic and more aligned with national development goals.

A sober analysis of the private sector would reveal several characteristics. First, the private sector it is a relatively young private sector which has been operating in a free enterprise mode for less than 30 years.

Second, it is technologically unsophisticated having never gone through an industrial revolution primarily because European and particularly colonial powers decided Guyana would be a cheap raw producing export country.

Third, the private sector is comprised of very small companies with profits less than US$10 million except for the mainly monopoly positioned and vertically integrated third generation family owned businesses.

Guyana has no multinational companies - no true international companies, but has many resellers of global brands. It has a few large export focused extractive foreign owned companies which provide very little skills transfer, technology transfer or high paying jobs for local nationals, or true sustainable development.

Fourth, access to capital is one of the major constraints to private sector development and growth in Guyana. The reality is that access will continue to be a fundamental issue until other structural and institutional arrangements are simultaneously addressed.

Fifth, a fundamental ethnic imbalance structurally exists in the Guyanese business community. Amerindian and African Guyanese play no signifi-

wrote that “many people would not want to accept the fact that sugar is but dead, even though they know it so to be” is not clear.

But Guyanese are, like Mr Cornette has pointed out, fully well aware that “one of the main reasons for the ostrich-like attitude relates to the 16,000 people who depend on the industry for their livelihood as well as the industry’s relegation to being a political football”.

None can however remain insensitive of the economic effects on the national economy should the industry be closed down.

Sugar is not a dead horse until it is dead. Kill sugar and agriculture and Guyana is doomed. The country will go into self imposed destruction because agriculture is what

cant role in the economy for many historical and political reasons.

Key to re-engineering itself is the creation of its own holistic growth vision. Over the last 30 years, the private sector in Guyana has had to operate within the frameworks of the Economic Recovery Program (ERP), the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), the National Development Strategy (NDS), the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), and the Competitiveness Strategy (CS).

In all of the above referenced Government driven plans, the private sector has played second or third fiddle. The NDS, for example, the plan with the most direct involvement of the private Sector, there has been no concerted effort by the private sector to ensure it was implemented.

Rather there have been opportunistic strategies employed by several large companies to entrench their monopolistic tendencies. The Guyana 21 Plan which was a blueprint for sustainable national development was an integral part of the NDS and would have transformed Guyana and the private sector.

It would have made Guyana the Singapore of Latin America, serving the huge $200 million plus Brazilian market primarily through a road and freight railway services to Brazilian companies, a deep water harbour, an expanded airport located away from the current limitations of the current airport, a free enterprise zone, several bridges strategically located across Guyana to provide the necessary infrastructure for sustainable growth, and which would have opened up much more productive agricultural lands to make Guyana the breadbasket of the Caribbean.

it says: “a culture”. It exists and is still alive because it is part of the culture and tradition. Those who do it best will survive regardless. It’s those who do not know anything about this culture who will suffer the most.

So we have oil? It will not spoil, but over there Venezuela believes it’s all theirs. Sugar and suffering, imposed PNC and more suffering, and then oil and more forever suffering have its own owners.

Who is all set to rejoice when the walls come tumbling down for achievement of one nation cannot be hidden anymore. The obvious course is to rescue our agriculture treasure.

Sultan Mohamed

Many challenges facing rice farmers in Region 2

Dear Editor, Essequibo rice farmers continue to picket at Anna Regina on the Essequibo Coast for long overdue paddy payments by millers, poor drainage, clogged up sea defence sluice, and loss of young rice.

Having seen this picketing, I decided to visit the areas which were flooded. My first stop was at Lima, where I met with farmers and saw firsthand that the desilting mud from in front of the sluice was thrown in the drainage trench leading to the mouth of the koker, causing the water to pile up.

This has caused flooding of housing areas and hundreds of acreage of young rice are now under water. I saw the farmers using their tractors to pump out water from their flooded rice fields.

The small pump, which was place at the sea defence by the Regional Administration to help pump water, was not working because there was no fuel.

Most of the young rice that I saw was infested with duckweed, because it grows very vigorously in standing water. It is a serious aquatic weed in rice crop and generally grows in dense population when rainfall is heavy or the field is flooded early in the growing season.

Poor drainage contributes to this. It also competes with the young rice plants for both space and nutrients, reducing tillers and ultimately grain yields. It can smother the young rice seedlings, leaving large areas in the field without rice plants.

As I travelled further to the north, the same conditions exist at Danielstown, Sparta, Windsor Castle, Hampton Court and Devonshire Castle. Hundreds of acres of young

rice were under water.

This has been going on for crop after crop because of bad management in the Regional Administration in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam).

Over the years, the previous administration made massive investment in this region. Millions of dollars were spent on sea defence, river defence, pumps, drainage and irrigation systems. But every thing malfunctions and operates inefficiently because of bad or poor administration.

There are many challenges facing the rice farmers in Region Two, where no intervention was ever made on behalf of the farmers by personnel of the GRDB and NDIA. Not enough was done to save crops, especially in instances of unpredictable weather patterns or prolonged drought, which often decimated large acreages of cultivated fields.

At the mills, there was no quality control grading officers present to overlook the grading, weight, moisture and dockage of the farmers’ paddy and the issuance of the proper grading certificates to correspond with the correct grade when the paddy was purchased.

There are no trained graders that are attached to some rice mills and there is no proper equipment in the grading laboratories.

GRDB failed to address these areas where no proper management and strategic intervention was ever made to prevent the many anomalies to reduce losses and enhance profitability, which is very vital to the lives and the livelihood of so many families.

Mohamed Khan

Page Foundation

Little ways to raise bighearted children

Introducing good values

Young children can sometimes be so sweet that they bring a tear to your eye. But we also know they are emotionally immature and, for the most part, focused on their own needs. That’s why it’s so hard to get toddlers and

“Children who learn values at a young age are capable of handling anything life throws at them,” says Wiley Rasbury, PhD, a Paediatric Psychologist based in Detroit. “The earlier you start, the more ingrained these qualities will become.”

For toddlers and pre-

preschoolers to collaborate on an art project, keep track of their things, and consider another child’s feelings. But that doesn’t mean you should hold off on introducing good values, like honesty and generosity. In fact, experts say it’s a smart move to start instilling positive character traits by the time a child is two or three.

schoolers, the key is to make the process of learning values into a fun game. A lecture about sharing and caring is bound to go in one ear and out the other. “But when you introduce teamwork and compassion in a playful, hands-on way, even little children can take them to heart,” says Jamie Miller, author of 10-Minute Life

Lessons for Kids

Don’t expect your child to pick up these traits overnight. Teaching her to be compassionate and generous takes patience, positive reinforcement, and lots of practice. Wondering how to get started? We’ve broken down nine key virtues into little projects you can work on together.

Gratitude

Why it’s important Giving thanks isn’t just about good manners. It’s a state of mind that lets children feel content with the things they have – and don’t have. “A child with a grateful heart doesn’t take people’s kindness for granted,” says Miller. “She appreciates what others do for her.”

Bring it to life. Talk about people who deserve your child’s gratitude, such as a teacher or a friend who gave a gift. Then write thank-you cards together. Also point out everyday things your child can be grateful for (such as a warm, comfy bed at night or a surprise visit from her cousin).

Perseverance

Why it’s important. A can-do attitude empowers children to follow through on their dreams. Ironically, the best way to instil it is to let them struggle a bit. “Encourage them, then

stand back and let them problem-solve on their own,” says Dr Rasbury. Bring it to life. Fill a sturdy gallon-size plastic baggie halfway with ice. Add six tablespoons of rock salt. In a separate quart-size plastic bag, pour in one cup of milk, two tablespoons of sugar, half a teaspoon of vanilla, and a handful of chocolate chips. Seal the smaller baggie and put it inside the larger bag (seal that one too). Shake the bag for 10 minutes, taking turns. It will seem like forever to a four-year-old, but when the time’s up, she’ll find her perseverance has paid off –with homemade chocolatechip ice cream!

Honesty

Why it’s important

Children start fibbing as early as age two or three (“I didn’t spill that milk”), and lying can quickly become a hard-to-break habit. “But if you teach your child to tell the truth, that becomes a habit too,” says Richard Eyre, co-author of Teaching Your Children Values. And honest children will have an easier time establishing solid, trusting relationships. Bring it to life. Try this exercise: Tell your child you’re going to say something and then he has to let you know whether you’re telling the truth or not.

Throw a ball up in the air, catch it, and say, “I caught the ball.” Ask him if that’s true. Then rub your tummy and say, “I’m patting my head.” Ask again. This exercise will help him distinguish between being honest and lying.

Bring it to life. At the dinner table, write down various ways to show compassion on separate slips of paper (such as “give someone a hug” and “offer to help out”), and place them in a bowl. Ask your child to pick one, read it aloud, and then help him follow the instruc-

Compassion

Why it’s important. “By the time he starts school, a child needs to begin thinking about other people besides himself,” says Arthur Dobrin, DSW, professor of humanities at Hofstra University, in Hempstead, New York, and author of Teaching Right from Wrong: 40 Things You Can Do to Raise a Moral Child

tions. Let everyone in your family take a turn.

Loyalty

Why it’s important. When children know they can count on friends and family members, they feel more secure – and will start to look out for others too. “Explain that we’re all here to help and support one another,” says Eyre. Bring it to life. Go through a family album with your child, and let her pick out a few of her favourite pictures. Have her stick them on a poster board (hint: write “My Family” on top). Then bring up a time when you’ve depended on one of the people she selected (“Remember when Uncle Fred helped us put your swing set together?”), and recall instances when your child has helped out someone else (“When you made that painting of a smiley face for Grandma because she wasn’t feeling well, it really put a smile on her face”).

Teamwork

Why it’s important. Whether they’re playing soccer or building a block tower with friends, children need to learn that cooperation is an essential component of success. “A child also needs to trust other people,” says Miller. “Once he does, being part of a team becomes fun.” Bring it to life. Give your child a toothpick and ask him to snap it (do this together with your child to avoid splinters). Then tie together a bunch of toothpicks with a rubber band and have him try to break them (he won’t be able to). Explain that a group is stronger than any one of its members.

(www.parents.com)

Nonpareil man beaten to death during robbery

By Bhisham mohamed

Ayoung construction worker was on Sunday evening beaten to death by a bandit, who along with an accomplice, relieved him and a cousin of a quantity of cash and other items a short distance from his Nonpareil, East Coast Demerara home.

Ragunandaan Persaud, also called Ryan, 27, of Lot 464 Section B, Nonpareil, sustained head injuries which were inflicted by a “road apple” (a piece

Dead, Ragunandaan Ryan Persaud

of wood used on a horse cart), wielded by one of the perpetrators during the attack. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital late Sunday evening.

Information reaching Guyana Times revealed that Persaud and a cousin, Navin (only name given) were heading home from a Chinese restaurant in the village when they were confronted by the two men who were earlier seen at the restaurant. During the attack, one of the men

Berbice man goes berserk ... hacks 3, burns house, commits suicide

By andre CarmiChael

An East Bank Berbice man on Sunday night killed himself shortly after he attempted to kill his former reputed wife, her brother and a friend, and burnt down her mother’s home at Number Seven Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB), Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

Dead is Nandlall Ragnauth of Krotheraadt Village, East Bank Berbice. Police in a statement said that about 20:50h Sunday, Ragnauth, 48, went to the home of his former reputed wife’s mother at Number Seven Village, broke into the home and attacked his reputed wife, Hushmanie Rasheed, 28, with a knife.

Police said Rasheed; her brother, Devanand Tuldas, 21, and a friend, Bharat Narine, 34, of Number Two Village, WCB, were stabbed to their bodies during the incident. Ragnauth then set the house on fire, destroying it, and hanged himself from a tree in the yard. The body is at the Fort Wellington Hospital Mortuary.

Rasheed and Narine were treated at the Fort Wellington Hospital, while Tuldas has been admitted to the New Amsterdam Hospital. Investigations are in progress, Police said. Reports reaching this newspaper state that Rasheed and Ragnauth ended a seven-month relationship, two months ago. According to Rasheed, Nandlall was very abusive and threatened to kill her on several occasions, forcing her to walk away from the relationship. She said on Saturday he showed up at her Number Seven home, but was not welcomed. “I chase he and tell he that I ain’t want he.”

That was about 21:30h. Rasheed said he later returned with a bottle of rum and consumed some of it. According to the mother of

two, on Sunday, Ragnauth was put into a bus by her two children to go home. He returned a few minutes later saying that he was given some food by a friend and needed a spoon to eat it. “I did just finish bathing and went in the bedroom fo change my clothes and he go in the kitchen for the spoon, but instead he pick up a knife he pick up a knife and push open the bedroom door and come an start juke me up.”

Rasheed was able to escape without many injuries as her attacker turned his attention to her brother. Later, Narine who was on the road two villages away was stabbed three times by Ragnauth.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Narine told this publication that he had left the house along with his son and had gone to Number Five Village to purchase

food when he was attacked. According to him, his son noticed that Ragnauth was following them and was carrying a knife. “When I turn back he just come up to me and start stabbing me and I start fight with he to get the knife and I take way the knife and thrown way the knife.”

Narine said he has known Ragnauth for about 15 years, but they were not close, although he and “the man never get no talking or anything…” The fisherman denied allegations that there was a relationship between them. Guyana Times was told that while the injured were being taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital, Ragnauth reportedly returned to the house and set it on fire before hanging himself. The body is at the Fort Wellington Hospital Mortuary.

picked up the “road apple” which he swung at Persaud, who managed to fend it off with his hands.

The second swing was the fatal blow. The wood reportedly struck Persaud to his temple resulting in him falling to the roadway. The two men then accosted the cousin who they relieved of the money he had in his pocket after which they dived into Persaud’s pocket and collected the money he was carrying that he had won from a cockfight earlier in the night. They also took away a blue pedal cycle belonging to Navin.

Scuffle Navin told Guyana Times that he had left home around 22:30h and headed to the Chinese restaurant to purchase a soft drink. As he entered, he saw his cousin in the shop arguing with a man. The argument turned into a scuffle. During the scuffle, he recalled seeing the two men standing outside, but ignored them and attempted to persuade his cousin to go home.

Eventually, he stated that Persaud agreed to go home with him, but a short distance from the restaurant, the two men ap-

proached them and claimed to be relatives of the man with whom Persaud had the scuffle.

“They said that the man is them family and come to take revenge … that is when one of them pick up a road apple and swing it at Ryan but he bar and the second lash catch he to he head and he fall on the ground,” Navin stated.

The distraught young man then ran in the direction of Persaud’s home and alerted his family. He said that he has never seen the two men before that night.

Melissa Persaud, sister of the dead man, related that they were about to lock up the house and retire to bed when they heard her cousin shouting and saw him running towards the house. The woman stated that while standing at the gate he related what occurred and they immediately rushed to the scene.

There, they saw her brother lying on the ground with blood oozing from his temple. As she held his hands, she recalled, she did not feel a pulse and at that moment knew that her brother was dead.

Nevertheless, they took him to the Georgetown Public Hospital where doc-

tors claimed he died while taking saline.

“I knew he was dead, but due to the emotional state that the family members were in, I presumed that the doctors thought it would be comforting to tell us that he was taking saline,” she stated with tears in her eyes.

The sister stated that upon finding out about the two men, they learnt that they were not related to the man with whom her brother had the argument but rather were thieves.

Guyana Times understands that the two men might have been monitoring Persaud’s movements since they were seen at the cockfight and again in the street where the now dead man resided. They would have also seen him collecting his winnings at the illegal event.

The Police have since arrested Clayman (only name given) who had the scuffle with Persaud in the Chinese restaurant as they continue their investigation. The young man leaves to mourn his parents and two siblings.

His body is at the Georgetown Hospital Mortuary awaiting a postmortem.

Bharat Narine

Prisoner escapes from Number 51 lock-ups

– 2 officers in trouble

Two Police Officers attached to the Number 51 Police Station, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) are in hot water after a prisoner, Jonathan Etwaroo, walked out of his unlocked cell and escaped.

The prisoner, who was arrested on Friday in the Black Bush Polder, was taken to the Number 51 Police Station before being sent to the New Amsterdam Prison to be remanded until a date when he was to be taken before a judge for failing to attend court.

However, on Monday morning, it was reported that the prisoner had escaped. Details of what transpired are sketchy. However, Guyana Times has been informed that Etwaroo escaped from lawful custody.

Newly-appointed B Division (Berbice) Commander, Assistant Commissioner Christopher Griffith told this publication that it was as a result of negligence on the part of

the Police at the Number 51 Station that Etwaroo was able to walk out of the lockups and subsequently out of the station. “I say negligence because nowhere was broken so the man had to just walk out of the station so the Police are guilty of negligence.”

The new Divisional Commander said he would not allow any lapses on the part of Police Officers to go down lightly. “This is a time where Police Officers must be vigilant,” Griffith said.

The Commander had launched an investigation into the incident, which has already been concluded. He says he is to be advised on the way forward.

Guyana Times understands that at the time of the escape the two officers

were on duty. According to Commander Griffith, they are likely to be placed before the court as he will not tolerate such lapses on the part of ranks.

Etwaroo was before the High Court in Berbice to respond to an allegation that he promised on April 24, 2014 to pay $300,000 in three weeks to plaintiff Navindra Persaud, whose car he rented and damaged on the same day. Etwaroo had promised to pay $2 million in total, with the first instalment being $300,000, and reneged on his pledge. Etwaroo after being charged never showed up for court despite being summonsed. On June 12, Justice Franklyn Holder issued an arrest warrant for Etwaroo, of Number 47 Village, Corentyne.

Father accused of hiding cocaine in crotch remanded

Afather of one was remanded to prison on Monday after he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts faced with a charge of narcotics trafficking.

Twenty-eight-yearold Lennox Smith, a Miner from Albouystown, Georgetown, was refused bail by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry when his Defence Attorney Jerome Khan was unable to produce a special reason why bail should be granted to the defendant.

Smith stands charged of being in possession of four grams of cocaine with the purposes of trafficking while in Region Nine (Upper

Alleged cocaine trafficker, Lennox Smith

Takatu-Upper Essequibo) on June 15. Police Prosecutor,

Corporal Bharat Mangru told the court that the accused was walking when he was stopped by patrolling ranks on the day in question after it was suspected that he had committed an offence. A search was carried out and transparent plastic bags were found in his red trunks as well as hidden in his crotch.

Prosecutor Mangru objected to bail, stating that there is no special reason available as to why the accused may not be guilty of the offence.

However, Attorney Khan stated that the Police Officers searched the accused and did not state anything about drugs un-

til they had taken him to the nearest Police station. Smith said no cocaine was shown to him. The Attorney also argued that a date for the court in the jurisdiction where the offence was committed – the Lethem Magistrate’s Court – is not until September, stating that if his client is remanded he will have to remain in jail until that time.

The Chief Magistrate listened to the arguments of both parties and ruled that the defence’s application was indeed not sufficient for bail. Hence, she ordered the accused to be present at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court on September 7.

Eyew tness

On Ministers, Advisers...

...and costs

We’ve got to cut to the chase on this “Minister” and “Adviser” business. We’re a country with just above three-quarters of a million in population and a budget of just above US$2 billion to oversee, right?

So do we need 27 Ministers, three Vice-Presidents and over a dozen high-powered “Advisers” who rake in at least twice the salary of Ministers - advising the President on how to run this country!! Obama governs America, with its US$17trillion economy with 15 Cabinet Secretaries!!

And it looks like “we’ve only just begun” to hire the help!!

The “ministerial” distinction between “senior” and “junior” Ministers doesn’t cut any ice with this Eyewitness. For instance, what’s the point to dubbing the person in charge of “culture, sports and youth”, the “Junior Minister of Education”?

She’s the Minister of Culture, Education and Youth”, with all the salary and perks! These 27 Ministers will each be drawing some $579,000 monthly plus another $100,000 in benefits - not to mention the duty free car.

Now while we heard quite a bit of kvetching about the Attorney General’s salary - weighing in at $1.6 million plus the aforementioned perks and allowances, there’s now a deafening silence.

We won’t even mention the $420,000 vacation allowance!! So is Basil going to return a portion to the Treasury, or is this one of the matters on the agenda after the first 100 days??

But we have the same contradiction with the “Advisers” and the line Ministers as that between “junior and senior” Ministers. Let’s take the Adviser on Governance - Raphael Trotman - and the fella who was supposed to be the top honcho in this area - the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister draws down a cool $1.5 million monthly plus all the perks of the AG, including salaried chauffeur, but plus gardeners, etc.

Now while Trotman will be handling all the burdens of natural resources - gold, diamonds, bauxite and now oil - is it fair for him to survive on a measly $579,000 per month - plus the perks - while Nagamootoo hauls in $1.5 million for just overseeing “information”??

It’s a matter of justice - including distributive justice, restorative justice, and whatever other justice you can think about. It just ain’t fair. And so we arrive at the “Advisers” to the President.

For instance, Winston Jordan will be doing all the grunge work of the Finance Ministry for that measly $579,000 monthly (OK...plus perks), while the new “Adviser on Economics” Clive Thomas will be drawing much more than that - $800,000? - as a “contract” worker.

Ain’t fair. Especially when it ain’t “lean” and certainly not “mean”, like we were promised.

...and presidential pensions

Now while there’s been no review - much less reduction - in the salaries of Ministers, (junior or senior) and Advisers, the new government will be bringing up - as the first order of business this Thursday - the matter of the “benefits of the President” once he retires.

So while the government’s salary expenses have been bloated by some $25 million per month...they’re going after the benefits of retired Presidents that cost at most $1 million monthly, tops!

While Sam Hinds and Donald Ramotar will be affected, all Guyanese know that this is a “get Jagdeo” move. Jagdeo just sticks in their craw. Some souls who spent the last decade in hibernation on a Mars mission might believe that it has to do with the money.

But as we’ve shown above, cutting costs is the last thing on the minds of this administration.

They just want to embarrass the man who repelled the best they could muster - the armed challenge after 2002. But half of Guyana hasn’t forgotten his service above and beyond. Can’t touch that!!

...and forensic auditors

The doubts of this Eyewitness about the probity of PPPC-government critics becoming auditors have now been assuaged. In his SN column, one of those critics-now-auditors, Goolsarran, assured us “not to worry”.

Escapee, Jonathan Etwaroo

PPP/C holds talks with Westford over transfer of PSM vehicles

The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has met with its member, former Public Service Minister, Dr Jennifer Westford, and has advised her on the course of action to be taken regarding allegations of fraud levelled against her.

The former Minister has been accused of trying to appropriate at least eight Government vehicles, property of the Public Service Ministry, by transferring them into the names of herself, spouse and close associates.

“I met with the comrade and we had some discussions and she was advised on a course of actions to take and I believe that she is taking those courses of actions,” PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee

said.

Reports indicate that Dr Westford, her spouse and two senior officials from the Ministry have state assets being transferred to their names.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum on Saturday confirmed that the Guyana Police Force has initiated an investigation into reports of fraud at the Public Service Ministry, which was headed by Dr Westford.

President David Granger had disclosed that Government was in possession of evidence that shows several state vehicles being transferred to the former Minister and her spouse, who is a serving member of the Guyana Defence Force. The evidence also points to two senior officials within the Ministry who are connected with the transfer of state assets.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon had noted that irregularities were recognised on documents from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) which indicated that vehicles were being transferred to the four persons. The vehicles include seven highend brands. Permanent Secretary Hydar Ally brought the issue to the attention of the Minister of State who launched an immediate investigation.

Corruption highlighted as 2 Police Officers get bail

Two Police Officers were granted bail on Monday when they appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on charges of corruption.

The officers – Detective Constable Ruel Paddy and Sergeant Colin Bailey – of the Vigilance Police Station, on the East Coast of Demerara, are both being challenged by a civilian for receiving bribes.

Paddy and Bailey appeared in Court One where Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry presided. The Magistrate made it known to the court that the men are charged for corruptly obtaining $300,000 on May 7, as inducement from Kissoondat Preimsook, also known as “Dave”; a licensed firearm holder, for his release.

Sergeant Paddy is also charged with fraudulently obtaining $50,000 from Preimsook as an inducement so that charges would not be laid against him on June 15.

The men pleaded not guilty to the charges against them and their Attorney Jerome Khan explained to the court his account of what lead to the charges against his clients. He stated that the accused have been employed by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for over a decade and there has never been a complaint against their integrity as officers until this point.

The lawyer explained that both Paddy and Bailey were stationed at the Vigilance Police Station in June when a complainant, Arvin Narine, went to the station to report that Preimsook had threatened him. The officers went to the village of Lusignan, on the East Coast of Demerara where they were informed he resided. However, they were unable to locate him.

Even so, the lawyer continued that Bailey and Paddy

CHEC executive calls on President Granger

CHEC General Manager Xiaofeng Wang on Monday met with President David Granger following a courtesy call by Ambassador Liu Huanxing

Tapprehended Preimsook when he went to the Vigilance Police Station to lodge a complaint for another matter. Khan told Guyana Times that Preimsook “freaked out” when his licensed firearm was removed from his person. He supposedly launched out in a rant that he cannot be arrested as he knew several persons in high positions. These persons were named in court by the Attorney.

The Attorney continued that Sergeant Bailey and Detective Paddy took Preimsook’s statements regarding the complaint that was made against him by Narine. During this process, however, Preimsook used his cellphone to call someone. The Attorney said that the call indicated that it was someone who can have the charges dropped against him.

Thus, it was no surprise that soon after, Narine showed up at the Police Station to retract his complaint against Preimsook. Narine said he wished for no

further action and his statement was taken.

According to the lawyer, this should have been the end of the matter but Preimsook showed up in June at the Vigilance Police Station.

Attorney Khan was not clear why he was there but stated that Sergeant Bailey confronted him in the presence of several other officers about an allegation he had been making against Baily and Paddy. In the presence of the officers, the lawyer stated that Preimsook denied the allegation against him.

Again the lawyer said this should have been the end of that matter. However, Preimsook went to the Vigilance Police Station on June 15, straight to the office of Sergeant Bailey where he allegedly apologised for the accusations he had been making, stating that he wished for no trouble from the Police.

However, Khan said this was not the case as Preimsook left a wad of cash on the chair

he was sitting in. It was at this moment that two officers came in and arrested Bailey for accepting a bribe. Khan told Guyana Times that his client tried to explain what transpired to the officers but they would not listen. The officers then arrested Bailey and Paddy and charged them at the station. Preimsook reportedly admitted to giving the two accused more money in May to secure his release.

In his bail application, Attorney Khan told the court that the matter is summary and asked that his clients be released on their own recognisance. To convince the court of this, he said that apart from being officers of the law, Bailey and Paddy are fathers with minor children; a factor which prevents them from being flight risks. Also he stated that they have fixed places of abode in Vryheid’s Lust and Cane Grove respectively.

Police Prosecutor, Corporal Bharat Mangru indicated his willingness to acquiesce with bail but only monetary bail.

With these proposals, Chief Magistrate SewnarineBeharry granted the defendants $100,000 bail for each of the charges against the duo and ordered that their passports be lodged with the Prosecution.

She also ordered them to return to the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court on July 10 where their case will be tried.

CHEC, which is based in Trinidad and Tobago, has been operating in Guyana for a number of years and most recently signed a contract in December 2014 for the construction of Movie Towne Guyana. The US$30

he General Manager of China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC), Xiaofeng Wang, on Monday met with President David Granger following a courtesy call by Ambassador Liu Huanxing, Special Envoy for Caribbean Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.

million agreement, inked between CHEC and Derek Chin, is expected to be completed in 18 months. Prior to that, the company was contracted for the Cheddi Jagan Airport and Runway extension project, which is currently in limbo.

Dr Jennifer Westford

Sergeant Collin Bailey and Detective Constable Ruel Paddy

US, Guyana discuss enhancing extradition laws

The Governments of the United States and Guyana are in discussions to have the existing extradition laws between the two countries enhanced.

During a courtesy call on newly appointed Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams last Friday, US Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Bryan Hunt, disclosed that the matter was discussed as they are always looking at ways to col-

laborate on enhancing the effectiveness of the agreement between the two countries that was established in 1931.

“The AG and I talked about a wide range of ways in which we can collaborate on improving criminal justice and bringing to account, those who are guilty of crimes and part of that of course could potentially be enhanced extradition arrangements between the United States and Guyana,” he told reporters after the meeting.

According to Hunt, there is a long way to go before any amendments can be made. He explained that lawyers of the new Government will have to look at what’s feasible under Guyana’s law and the US lawyers will have to look at what’s feasible under the US law. “So I won’t expect this is something that would happen instantaneously but it is something that we want to ensure that the existing agreements are

able to work and we are going to continue to explore ways to ensure that procedures are in place to do that,” Chargé d'Affaires outlined.

Asked if there is any specific changes that he would like to see made to the agreement, the Embassy official stated that they have just began discussions and are not at the stage as yet where either side is able to table specific amendments

or changes. He further remarked that changes may not be made to the existing agreement between the two countries but merely to the procedures relating to how they handle requests from the two sides.

Back in October 2009, the Ninth Parliament passed an amendment to the Fugitive Offenders Act 1988, correcting a lacuna in the local extradition laws, inserting a clause that empowers the Home Affairs Minister to have the final decision on whether to extradite or not.

The Bill, Fugitive Offenders (Amendment) Bill 2009, was presented by then Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Charles Ramson.

This move by the then People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) was made just a year after there was major controversy surrounding a request from the United States to have Guyanese Barry Dataram extradited for cocaine trafficking offences. The US was unable to se-

cure custody of Dataram since there was a conflict in the extradition treaty between the two countries.

The US law allowed the extradition of a person, who was extradited to the US to another country. However, this clashed with the provisions of Guyana’s Fugitive Offenders Act. The Act states “no one shall be extradited or kept in custody for the purpose of extradition from Guyana to another country unless provision has been made by that Commonwealth or treaty country for ensuring that they would not be extradited to a third country for trial of any offence without the consent of the Minister.”

Only recently in April, Dataram along with four others were arrested in Diamond, East Bank Demerara, with 129,230 kilograms of cocaine hidden in frozen seafood. He was also found to be in possession of a quantity of firearms and ammunition. Last week he was

granted $4 million bail by the High Court and another $400,000 for the weapons. Speaking on this matter at a briefing with media earlier this month, new National Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan pointed out that he would like to see the ministerial grip on the discretion of whether to extradite or not be minimised.

“We would like whatever powers the Minister has to be in the treaty or in the Fugitives Amendment Act and not at the hands of the Minister,” he declared. Ramjattan underscored that if according to the law a person committed a crime of a certain gravity in another jurisdiction and a request is made, then that persons must be extradited. The National Security Minister noted that he will have to discuss such amendments at the level of Cabinet with his Minister colleagues before presenting such a Bill in Parliament.

Continue working toward building Guyana

– Dr Roopnaraine tells 2015 MBA Graduating Class

“Graduations are events for celebration, the recognition of dreams fulfilled and hopes renewed. Graduations are milestones of achievement and markers of growth, not just in the lives of the individual graduates, but of the institutions through which they graduate.”

These were the words of Minister of Education, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, as he addressed the third batch of Master of Business Administration (MBA) students to graduate from Nations University. The event was held at the Pegasus Hotel last Saturday evening.

Dr Roopnaraine in his remarks pointed to a World Bank report, which stated that Guyana has the highest rate of migration of tertiary or university graduates in the world, adding that “like other countries in the Caribbean, we are at the bottom of the hemispherical pile in terms of the number of citizens between the ages of 18 and 30 who are enrolled in higher education”.

The Minister said that there is no area of our economic and social development in which a functioning, innovative education system is not simply just necessary but absolutely critical.

“Our national development is underpinned by our education system. Our cohesiveness as a society is underpinned by our education system. Our ability to truly become ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny’ is un-

derpinned by our education system,” he said.

Policy decisions would have to be taken to facilitate the transformation of the education sector and improve facilities for both teachers and students.

The Minister said that he has taken office for about one month and he is still in the process of both reviewing existing systems to get a sense of a credible baseline from which to launch our policy, as well as incorporating the functions formerly executed under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

On that note he used the opportunity to state his ambition for the sector, which is that students have a more rounded educational experience that includes better counseling and extracurricular programmes in schools;

better monitoring and evaluation of programmes to ensure that they achieve their objectives; and the introduction of civics perhaps as part of the formal education curriculum. This, he said, calls for a more systematic approach.

The Minister said that in the current global environment, there must be a transition from ‘ad hoc programmes’ to a ‘policy environment’ that systematically links public sector initiatives to private sector programmes and international accreditation.

He challenged the graduates to see beyond the obligations to their places of employment and commit to continue working towards building this country together.

“Work with us so this nation can grow and benefit

you as well. Whether you’re in the public sector or the private sector, you function within the same particular ecosystem,” he said.

“I can think of few things more illustrative of exemplary character than using your education for the greater good of your community and country.

“And, from the perspective of a society, of this country, every graduation ceremony is a sign that we are strengthening our people for the many challenges and the opportunities that the future will be sure to present us, that we are gathering momentum to leap ahead and leave the menace of catastrophe far behind us,” added the Minister.

The Minister assured the University that the Ministry of Education considers the School a strong partner in

Pregnant teen attempts suicide to kill unborn child

A15-year-old of Onderneeming Housing Scheme, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) was hospitalised and later discharged from the Suddie Public Hospital after she attempted to end her life. The teenager is said to be five months pregnant.

According to reports, she was rushed on Saturday to the Public Hospital after she stabbed herself in the stomach with a knife, trying to kill the unborn. The knife was then taken away by relatives. She was said to be under pressure to reveal how she got pregnant. The teen had dropped out of secondary school some months ago after she reportedly got pregnant.

Residents have called on counsellors to visit the teen and offer words of advice. Several pastors have visited the teen. Senior School Welfare Officer for Region Two, Haimraj Hamandeo said that an investigation will be launched into the matter.

US Embassy Chargé

d'Affaires Bryan Hunt

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

the delivery of education in this country.

The MBA programme is offered by Australian

Institute of Business in collaboration with Nations University, Guyana.

The 2015 Nations University MBA Graduating Class

What will they come with next?

– Sharma Solomon asks

Former Region 10

(Upper DemeraraBerbice) Chairman

Sharma Solomon has issued a statement in light of persistent reports that he will not be returning as Chairman. Below is the full text: With dedicated service to the PNC/APNU and the people of Region 10, with commitment to build a strong and united party and Region, and to restore a level of accountability, inclusion and good governance, it is sad to see attempts being made to destroy and even deny our many contributions to party and Region even in this dawn of change.

Another hard worker Ms Vanessa Kissoon is similarly attacked. Unlike her term as Member of Parliament which came to an automatic end, the yet unannounced replacement of the regional leadership is allowing our worth to be targeted by those who are seeking to replace us. In their efforts to do so, a number of fanciful, unsubstantiated claims continue to surface from the same sources.

I assume these are to show our ineligibility for our holding of public office and to justify the appointment of those from the same quarters who seek public office, not through quality performance and the will of the people, but through back stabbing, continuous denigration, misinformation and feeding of fears. Their previous allegations stating corruption was swiftly put to rest. Claims that as Regional Chairman I did not perform, were shown to be patently false and groundless. When challenged to deal with evidence contrary to the claims made, the perpetrators of this hate went silent on their allegations.

They have now diverted to new claims that I am not a team player. Anything goes to justify and support denying us our rightful position and due recognition that we worked and went overboard for. I dare to say politics of envy and greed instead of politics for progress can make for desperation. Many young politicians when faced with what myself and Ms Kissoon faced with would not have continued the pursuit of winning an elections for our party and the people of

Pride and ego were sacrificed and the party, region, coalition and national good above personal political ambition prevailed. Hard and smart work, day and night, long hours and seven days a week not only to deliver Region 10 but to increase its voting numbers for the coalition (a campaign which did not start three months ago but three years). Ms Kissoon worked to the end and beyond for a party that she is suspended from. Under constant attacks and efforts to sabotage our success, we encouraged party loyalty in the midst of internal turmoil and rallied for the Granger/Nagamootoo ticket. What more testimony of team player do the detractors need?

Many faced with less than we have had to endure have sought to destroy instead of build and deliver. Many faced with trials within the party have sought to break away and join other parties. Others have called for support of other parties. Sharma Solomon and Vanessa Kissoon stood resolute. It is one thing to deny us office but quite another to tarnish our names, our reputation and our commitment to purpose. An objective look at the response of people in general and not the detractors to my stewardship speaks to the level of commitment, respect and togetherness which was fostered through teamplay.

Our efforts and dedication were not in the name of competition as our commitment to the people we faithfully serve requires no competing for recognition. However, as to those who have been competing, if they achieve their ultimate goal of catapulting themselves into public

President outlines comprehensive development plan for Region 7

Woffice they will be judged by their performance and measured against the benchmarks which were set and attained during my stewardship. In July 2014, the first ever in the history of Guyana, State of the Region Conference was presented. This was a united conference involving stakeholders and equal participation of PPP and AFC councillors reporting on the region’s affairs and planning a way forward. That is team play of the ultimate political level, when one is able to rally opposing political forces to work together for our region and common good. They would like to ignore this.

The 2012 Region 10 uprising and mobilising of a regional response with extra-regional support from various quarters in response to the Government electricity effort preceded this. Also, our involvement of the AFC in the 2012 struggle and the involvement of the AFC’s Nigel Hughes in our sojourn to North America where engagements with the Diaspora and US Government representatives were had, and his participation as a member of the Region 10 negotiation team which helped to construct the August 21 Agreement (long before the talks of Coalition, the Region 10 Administration had achieved the idea of coalition). Sadly, however, this too is clearly ignored. The people now wait to see what they will come with next.

ith his recent announcement that Bartica will gain full township status in April of 2016, Head of State David Granger said all the necessary development works must now commence in order to fulfil that goal.

During a public meeting on Sunday at the Bartica Secondary School, the President called for citizens and the business community to play their role as he committed his Administration’s will to bring about the necessary change.

He however pointed out that already the community has most of the facilities that qualify it for township, but much work still needs to be done. The Administration, through the Ministry of Public Health would be working to bring the Bartica Hospital to its rightful standard, that of a regional hospital, he said. President Granger told a packed auditorium that when persons visit the hospital, they must be able to access a comprehensive service.

Meanwhile, in the area of youth development, the President said there is, and always has been the need for a technical institute in Bartica, which would equip youths with the necessary skills to add to their personal growth, and that of their community. This, he added, will in turn aid with the issue of brain drain in the region.

In addition, President Granger said there is also the need for a state-of-theart sporting facility in the region, which would see youths excelling in the various sport disciplines. This and a strong education system in the region are necessary for human resources development, and ultimately producing rounded individuals. The residents were

also called on to play their role in maintaining the social fabric of society, and to fight against the many social ills.

As it relates to businesses in the community, the President said while he is in no way against foreign direct investments, those coming into the community must adhere to the rule of law. He however warned that for businesses to invest in the community; there must be safety, and most importantly, there should be no room for errant law enforcers. President Granger pointed out that already the community has most of the business facilities needed to propel the economy, including banks. However, going forward, there is need for an aerodrome of international municipal standards in the region. This facility, the President told the business community, should feature an extended and upgraded runway, state-of-the-art terminal building and waiting area, with all the necessary amenities which would attract more businesses to the community.

Having outlined his vi-

sion for the community, President Granger said his hope is to see a strong Region Seven. “I don’t see it as being an appendage to the rest of the country. I see Region Seven almost as being as a state, and I see the Regional Chairman and the Regional Council propelling the development of this region.”

With regard to giving the community its own decision-making powers, the President told the residents that it is his intention to hold Local Government Elections at the earliest date possible. “I believe in a strong region, and that is why we have committed ourselves to having local government elections, and I’m in touch constantly with the Guyana Elections Commission and the Minister of Communities to have the local government elections as early as possible.” With the hosting of Local Government Elections, the President said residents through their elected Mayor and leaders would be able to choose the course on which their region would move forward. (GINA)

Inquiry launched into collapse of mining pits

Government has launched a Commission of Inquiry into the many incidence of mining pits collapses.

In a statement, the Ministry of Presidency said the issue of safety in the mining sector is one of paramount importance to the Granger-led Administration. In recent times, a number of reports have reached the Ministry of the Presidency and the general public about the collapse of pits and other incidents resulting in the

injury and in some cases, deaths of miners.

More importantly, reports also indicate that regulatory agencies (namely the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission) are restrained by the “Orders of the Court” from executing their mandate that in many instances may have prevented injury and the loss of life.

The Ministry said “our Human Capital is of pivotal importance to the sector and the country as a whole and cannot be

lost to what may appear to be avoidable situations.

In this regard, Raphael Trotman, Minister of Governance, directed by President David Granger, has launched an inquiry into the collapse of mining pits that have resulted in the injury or death of miners. The inquiry is to be conducted by a multi-stakeholder committee that will work independent of the Commission but is authorised to request any relevant information from any employee through the

Commissioner of GGMC in order to carry out its functions.”

The three-member committee will comprise individuals knowledgeable and competent in their respective fields and will include the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association. It’s expected that by July 31, a report detailing the Committee’s findings along with recommendations for immediate and long-term actions will be submitted to the Minister of Governance for implementation.

President David Granger

Guyana.

Sharma Solomon

tuesday, june 23, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

Cops hunt 2 for Nandy Park shooting

BY BHISHAM MOHAMED

As Police contin-

ue their investigations into the slaying of murder accused Travis Rudder, whose body was riddled with bullets on Sunday morning at his Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara (EBD) home, the search is on for three known characters to the Police.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told Guyana Times on Monday that investigators visited the homes of the three men but none of them was in sight. Searches were also conducted at several other locations but the Police came up empty handed. The Police will continue

to hunt for the three men who cold-bloodedly murdered Rudder, while severely injuring the mother of his child and his 18-month-old baby. Guyana Times understands that two of three men who are wanted by the Police were acquitted of murder a few years ago while the third is also a shady character and was charged several times for armed robberies. The names of the three men are withheld as Police continue the manhunt for the suspects.

Recuperating Hospital officials have confirmed that Travic Rudder was shot five times and underwent successful emergency surgery. The official stated that the toddler is in a stable condition in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital. His mother, Mawanza Gill, age 33, is also said to be recuperating at a fast rate. She reportedly told investigators that she and Rudder, along with their baby boy were sleeping and suddenly she heard a crashing sound which was followed by a hail of gunfire.

Most of the bullets, she added, were discharged in the direction Travis Rudder who received 18 gunshot wounds. She also recalled that Rudder pushed her aside and threw himself over his son to save his life.

Murder accused Travis

Rudder, age 26, of Lot 130 Lindley’s Avenue, Nandy Park, EBD, was gunned down on Sunday morning after several gunmen opened fire on him and his family while they were asleep.

The perpetrators reportedly used a wheel barrow as a mean of elevation as they pushed the 9mm pistols with extended magazines through a bedroom window and pulled the triggers. In the process, the mother of his child and baby was shot and injured.

After the shooting, the men drove off in a while car after which Gill started to shout for help. After a few minutes, a neighbour ran to her rescue but due to her injuries, he was unable to move her but took the baby and sped off to the Georgetown Public Hospital where the baby underwent emergency surgery. Gill was later collected by an ambulance and taken to the med-

ical facility where she was admitted.

In November 2007, the now dead man and his close associate Sivon Warner were accused of murdering Demerara Oxygen Company Limited (DOCOL) employee Ivor Cordis. Rudder was also accused of attempting to murder ex-Policeman Toney Williams on November 19, 2007. It was also alleged that on May 15 in the same year, while being armed with a gun, he robbed Nicola Barkley of one Motorola cellphone valued $32,000 and $17,000 in cash.

Earlier, in March of that year, Rudder allegedly shot his then girlfriend, Donnis

King at her parents’ home at Bagotstown, EBD, during an argument. It was reported that the couple had an altercation, during which she expressed a desire to end the relationship. She was shot in the abdomen.

After two months in the hospital, King succumbed to her injuries in the High Dependency Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital. Only recently, he was implicated in the attempted robbery of Neezam Khan of Grove, EBD, which left one man dead and one injured.

Rohee calls for complete revamp of GECOM … renews calls for Surujbally to go

The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) is now calling for a complete overhaul of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) before the body moves ahead with the holding of the long overdue local government elections.

President David Granger had recently announced that Guyanese will once again go to the polls sometime later this year to elect leaders of their respective communities. But the People’s Progressive Party recently disclosed that it may not participate in the electoral process, particularly if the Chairman of the governing body responsible for the rolling out of the elections – GECOM – remains at the helm.

On Monday, the party added that there must be a complete overhaul of the agency before this important election is held.

“It is precisely for these reasons that the PPP recognises and urges the public to support the party’s call for local government elections

to be held only after a complete overhaul of GECOM’s machinery including its staff compliment, its modus operandi, the law governing the conduct of local government election as well as the responsibilities of the returning and deputy returning officers and above all, GECOM’s top brass must experience fundamental personnel changes before local government elections are

held”, General Secretary of the PPP/C Clement Rohee said.

He noted that the call by the party for Surujbally to demit office before local government elections are held is “no flash in the pants” reaction to the cheating it suffered at the May 2015 elections.

“The party is convinced that had it not been for GECOM’s cheating machine, the PPP would have romped home successfully. However, due to the accumulative impact of the many irregularities that transpired on election day, victory for the party at the poll was thwarted.

He said there are those who believe that because the international observers had made a declaration of free and fair election that that was the end of the matter.

Last week, Rohee said the party will not participate in Local Government Elections now scheduled for later this year, if GECOM Chariman, Dr Steve Surujbally remains at its helm.

Since the announce-

CGX plugs $1.5M into flood prevention project

Canadian oil and gas exploration company, CGX Energy Inc, has plugged over one million dollars into a project to alleviate flooding along the New Market Street, Georgetown, area.

This announcement was made by Co-Chairman of CGX Guyana, Professor Suresh Narine on Monday. According to Professor Narine, New Market Street is prone to flooding very easily and becomes inundated faster than the other parallel streets. He noted that this street is home to a lot of businesses, including the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and when it floods, not only does the water takes a while to recede but also affect the operations of these businesses.

ment of the results of the 2015 General and Regional Elections, the party has been calling for the immediate resignation of Surujbally. The call was mounted particularly because of his failure to acquiesce to the party’s request for a total recount of the ballots, as it contended that the election was rigged.

Rohee made it clear that the PPP/C’s position remains that Dr Surujbally must give up his position, telling journalists “Not with Mr Surujbally” when asked about participating in the election. “We have been calling for his resignation. We want Mr Surujbally’s resignation almost immediately.”

He said any other changes the party will be seeking regarding the operations of the election body will be relayed in the petition that will be filed in the High Court. Local Government polls were due in Guyana since 1997.

Dr Surujbally had maintained that he will resign his post when he feels it is necessary.

As a result, the CGX Chairman said that, they hired Gaico Construction Inc to have a study done to determine how this issue can be alleviated. He explained that the study found that there are several alleys running from Church to Lamaha Streets between every block and these are clogged, hence preventing the water from draining into the Lamaha Canal, thus causing floods.

The contracting firm recommended that these alleys be cleared as well as the parallel drains along New Market Street, as such, CGX took it upon themselves to clean and clear two blocks on New Market Street, between Waterloo and Camp Streets then between Camp and Thomas Streets. The works are expected to be done this coming weekend. The works will include desilting the drains, debushing the allies and removal of excessive materials from site.

Professor Narine outlined that in addition to financing the project, the company will also be providing manpower to work along with the contractor so that the work can be done expeditiously. Furthermore, CGX Energy Inc also committed to maintaining the drainage for the next six months.

Meanwhile, the CoChairman pointed out that he hopes this initiative by CGX is mirrored by other corporate entities, not only on New Market Stree but all over Georgetown. “So we are pleading with all of our corporate neighbours to join us in similar efforts because collectively, if we begin to act in this fashion and under the direction of the Ministry, I think we can start to address the significant problems that the city has. It’s very difficult for Government alone to address the enormity of the drainage problem that we have and its very important that corporate citizens take up this challenge,” he added. The project is being carried out by the Canadian company in collaborations with the Public Infrastructure Ministry. Technical Adviser of the Ministry, Walter Willis, said collaborations with corporate Guyana on projects that will enhance the country’s infrastructures are always welcomed.

He highlighted that as we are in the May/June rainy season, the low-lying parts of the City such as New Market Street are often flooded. He noted that this initiative by the Canadian company comes on the heels of the Ministry placing advertisements for bids to have the Lamaha Street outfall cleaned so that the water can run smoothly from the alleys into the canal.

“If we do all this cleaning of the alleyways, drains and roadside drains that go into Lamaha Street, if the collection and conveyance by the Lamaha Street Canal and the final disposal through the sluice is not done then all this work would be in vain,” he disclosed.

Owner of Gaico Construction Inc, Komal Singh said in addition to working on the two blocks with CGX, he will also be working along with the Infrastructure Ministry to see what can be done to address flooding at Georgetown Public Hospital block and sections of Middle Street.

PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee

Government Engineer Walter Willis and Contractor Komal Singh looking at the alleyway between Camp and Thomas Streets

Little Travic Rudder in the ICU of the GPHC

Travis Rudder

Mawanza Gill

State forensic audits

PPP/C ups calls for replacement of Ram, Goolsarran

… supports int’l auditors

Former Legal Affairs

Minister Anil

Nandlall said he would in no way object to the presence of independent international auditors to ensure transparency and fairness is in place of the “hand picked” auditors chosen by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) Government to carry out its forensic audits on State agencies.

Nandlall was speaking directly to Government’s decision to use Attorney Christopher Ram and former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran to audit some 30 odd State agencies.

The former Minister and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) have been objecting to the move, claiming that the duo is closely aligned to the Government. On Monday, PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee said the absence of a Public Procurement Commission (PPC) has cheated the system. According to Rohee, APNU/AFC in its manifesto, had promised to establish the Public Procurement Commission and has not been able to deliver.

“But then, why again would they appoint a commission when they are busy awarding the persons like Anand Goolsarran and Christopher Ram lucrative contracts to do forensic audits, while these very persons are disqualified on the grounds of lack of independence,” Rohee commented.

He noted that the Guyanese public has not been told what procurement process was followed to secure the service of Goolsarran and Ram and how much they are being paid.

Government recently announced that it had contracted private independent firms such as Ram and McRae, Hinds and Associates, former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran, among others, to begin the audits into the operations and transactions of 30 plus agencies. Both Christopher Ram and Anand Goolsarran are staunch critics of the previous Administration and had publicly commented on the financial status of a number of the agencies being audited.

Rohee said while Government had promised

that it will seek to establish a PPC during the first 100 days of its reign, it moved ahead and appointed Ram and Goolsarran without due process. It was brought to Rohee’s attention, however, that in order for the Procurement Commission to be set up, there must a two-third majority in the Parliament. This is not the case since the party has refused to attend Parliament.

“It was not the PPP that made the promise of the immediate establishment of a Public Procurement Commission, it was they (APNU/AFC) that made that declaration and more than that, the fact of the matter is that we are arguing that how can you speak so proudly of your intention to establish a PPC when the services of persons are being procured to carry out audits of Government agencies and departments without going through the procurement process”, Rohee said in defence.

Meanwhile, Nandlall again questioned the process, saying “Was there a procurement exercise and did they win the bid to audit?” He said since the inventory is aimed at achieving transparency, it is expected

that the process itself illustrate some amount of transparency.

Nandlall had said his party remains cognisant of the undermining of the integrity of the forensic investigations with the retention of the two known supporters. He further stated that the personnel chosen to do the audits are members of the party.

This act, he stressed, will dwindle the objectivity of the audits. He said he did not think that any reasonable mind could be persuaded that the auditors Christopher Ram of Ram and McRae and former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran could bring an “objective mind to bear on the process”.

“We were led to believe that there was this mammoth mountain of corruption in the Government. One would have expected that as soon as the joint Opposition took Government, they’re would have been “walking” on this corruption in these various Ministries. That is the impression they created that this thing is overflowing, overwhelming.”

Nandlall said the PPP/C has taken a position that the forensic audits are processes that are “polluted” with bias. He said the auditors have made their conclusions known “ad nauseam” that there was corruption under the PPP/C Administration. Putting them at the helm of the audits, he said, was like a judge making a pronouncement before the commencement of a trial. “That is the unfortunate thing regarding the forensic audit as well as the posture of [Guyana Elections Commission] GECOM to our request for the information that we consider very important to the credibility to the electoral process.”

Granger wants Bartica to be

“green town” ...to be accorded township

status next April

President David Granger on Sunday charged Barticians to clean up their environment and make it into the “green town” of Guyana.

Come April 23, 2016, Bartica will attain the status of township in keeping with a promise made by President David Granger during his election campaign, and also in keeping with an ordinance made by the British Government some 178 years ago.

The Head of State, during a public meeting at the Bartica Secondary School made the announcement. Minister of Public Health, Dr George Norton and Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection Simona Broomes were also present at the meeting.

“I made a promise when I was campaigning and I promised that Bartica will become a town before the 26 May, 2016, the 50th Independence anniversary, in fact Bartica will be a town on the 23 April, 2016.”

Speaking on the significance of the date set, the President told the gathering that it was on April 23, 178 years ago, that the ordinance was made by the colonial government and his Government will make that ordinance a reality. Speculating that April 23 may coincide with the Easter Regatta celebration, the President called on all to come out and celebrate the township and show solidarity for the community moving forward.

However, moving forward, the President charged

the residents to make the necessary preparation for township status as he called on them to make Bartica the “first green town”. “I would like you to use the next 10 months to make Bartica the most beautiful town in the entire country. There are economic reasons, there are health reasons for that, there are political, social and cultural reasons for that.”

President Granger pointed out that making Bartica a “green town” is important, adding that when persons visit, everything should reflect Guyana’s pristine hinterland region. “… By a green town I mean that you must look at your energy, stop bringing in diesel and gasoline, let us use wind and sun power… but we have to adopt green energy and Bartica must be Guyana’s first green town.”

To this end, the President said the use of styrofoam and plastic must be minimised while much attention should be given to proper solid waste disposal. “Let us ensure that energy generation is sustainable, let us ensure that our schools, our hospitals, our clinics, and our homes use green energy, sustainable renewable green energy from sunlight, from the wind.”

It is also important too that children are brought up learning how to properly dispose of waste and how to utilise the good things that are produced locally, in an effort to minimise the importation of commodities including plastic. “So by being a green economy Bartica will renew itself, sustain it-

self, and not damage the environment as I see happening now.” Speaking of some of the adverse effects on the environment by human practices, the President pointed out that there still remains the issue of “predatory and rapacious attitude to the exploitation of our resources.”

Pointing to the fact that these resources are not renewable, the Head of State said it is therefore important for citizens to start thinking of a sustainable economy. In so doing, the President challenged the residents to let reforestation and lesser use of harmful chemicals be foremost as they continue to ply their trades.

Meanwhile, the residents were also encouraged to get involved in cleaning up their surroundings and beautifying the environs as they prepare for township status. The Head of State said a collective effort would be needed to bring Bartica to what it should be as a town in every aspect. Also at the meeting, residents were afforded the opportunity to raise some of their concerns which include the urgent need for a proper waste disposal site and the delay of the requisite permit for a crematorium.

Residents of Karrau raised some concern over land distribution in the village and called for a thorough investigation and audit into the Village Council activities. The President gave this undertaking and noted that several other Amerindian villages have been calling for same. (GINA)

Importers reminded of sanitary requirements

The Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department

(GA-FDD) is informing importers that all food items that are to be placed on the local market must be accompanied by the required documents to satisfy sanitary and phytosanitory measures. Original copies of the Free Sale Certificate or Health Certificate must be issued by the National

Regulatory Authority or an Independent Conformity Assessment from the country of origin.

In a release, the department said it must be noted that the laws of Guyana – Chapter 34:03, Section 32 (2) and its Regulations #10 of 1977 Part 13 – states that “no article of food, drug, cosmetic or device shall be imported to Guyana unless the article wholly conforms to the laws of the country it

was manufactured or produced.” Therefore, importers need to take the necessary steps towards ensuring all items imported to Guyana for the purpose of sale must always have the required legal documents or they will face the courts, since it will be a breach of the laws of Guyana. The GA-FDD said safety of the consumers is the foremost important concern, even the World Trade

Organisation (WTO) 1995 Sanitary and Phytosanitory Agreement requires a Free Sale Certificate or Health Certificate to prove that the items being imported are produced or manufactured under regulated, safe and sanitary condition that guarantees food safety.

Customs Entries and Licenses to import foods are submitted to the department for processing without the original copies of a Free

Sale or Health Certificate, those documents would then be stamped to signify rejection or it will be processed if the requisite certificates are presented to the GA-FDD. This process is essential to assure that consumers are protected from the exposure to unsafe foods. For more information, contact the Food and Drug Department on telephone numbers 2228857 and 222-8859.

President David Granger as he addressed the gathering at the Bartica Secondary School

Former Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall

Regional

Grenada to benefit from US$1.5M donation by the Vatican

Grenada will be the beneficiary of a £1 million (US$1.587 million) charitable aid package from the Vatican.

This was announced by Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, Grand Prior of the Constantinian Order and Protodeacon of the Holy Roman Church, and inter-faith campaigner Sir Anthony Bailey, during a courtesy visit to Prime Minister, Dr Keith Mitchell last Wednesday morning.

The charitable projects will include the complete restoration and rehabilitation of the Grenada Public Library in St George’s, the

New Life Organisation (NEWLO) vocational training project, the St Joseph’s Convent Education and Training Project, St Patrick Roman Catholic Church, the Dorothy Hopkin Home for the disabled, Top Hill Home in Carriacou, Grand Anse Home for the Aged, Grand Anse Girl’s Centre and other worthy projects. In receiving the support, Prime Minister Mitchell said that he “was moved by their generosity, especially since the projects will affect many of the most vulnerable among us.”

The cardinal and team thanked Mitchell for his vis-

Dominica media owner calls for Freedom of

Information

legislation

The Managing Director of the Dominica News Online (DNO) website, Tim Durand, has called for the passage of Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation in Dominica.

“We depend now on the generosity and the good will of our political leaders to make themselves available to us when we require information about issues in the country for on-passing to the public,” Durand told the inaugural award ceremony honouring six media houses and seven media workers in recognition and appreciation of their services to Dominica.

Veteran Journalist and Radio Broadcaster Felix Henderson and the island’s oldest newspaper, The Chronicle were among those honoured.

Durand, himself a veteran Journalist, told the ceremony organised by the year-old Concerned Citizens

Movement (CCM) over the weekend, that it was imperative for there to be FOI legislation to aid journalists carry out their functions.

“And my recommendation which is nothing new… I think there is need for us to consider the Freedom of Information Act,” he said, noting that the legislation would also allow the general public to have access to data held by Government.

“They (FOIs) establish a “right-to-know” legal process by which requests may be made for Governmentheld information, to be received freely or at minimal cost, barring standard exceptions,” Durand told the ceremony, adding that the legislation does not necessarily cover every organisation that receives public money such as certain charities and certain private sector organisations that perform public functions. (Excerpt from Antigua Observer)

it to the Vatican last year, and expressed how beneficial the visit has been to both sides in forging a relationship and helping to strengthen the Vatican’s charitable presence in the Region.

They also urged the Prime Minister to move speedily and join most of his regional neighbours in appointing a non-resident ambassador to the Holy See, which will help in further strengthening the relationship between the region and the Holy See, given their new thrust to help in the development of the Caribbean. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

Russia to help Jamaica agriculture, possibly import meat, crops

Russia has promised to help Jamaica restore its mined out bauxite lands to full agricultural production. It also plans to share its technology to boost the island’s agriculture and help address its environmental issues.

Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Phillip Paulwell made the disclosure as he attended the 19th St Petersburg International Economic Forum in Moscow, Russia, where he met with representatives from the Russian Government to strengthen cooperation in specialised areas.

“I held discussions with the Agriculture Minister [Alexander Tkachov]. That discussion was very productive. The Minister has pledged to assist us with restoring our mined-out [bauxite] lands to full productivity,” Paulwell said.

“He promised to share with us the latest in Russian technology and expressed hope that both livestock and food crops can be exported from Jamaica to Russia,” the minister added. He told JIS News that coming out of talks with Russia’s Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, Sergei Donskoi, an agreement has been reached to provide support to the island on environmental issues.

“A lot was discussed. In the end, it was agreed that Russia would offer its assistance to Jamaica,” Paulwell said. Prior to the start of the forum, Minister Paulwell also met with executives of Russian aluminium giant, United Company Rusal Alumina Limited (UC Rusal). (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Chile’s Santiago declares smog emergency

Authorities in Chile’s capital Santiago have imposed emergency measures amid rising pollution. According to city officials, pollution has reached a “critical level”.

Under the measures, around 40 per cent of cars with a catalyst and 80 per cent of those without are banned from the streets from 07:30h

until 21:00h on Monday.

This June has been the driest since 1968 and the lack of rain has contributed to the poor air quality in the capital, officials say. Santiago is located in a valley and when there is little wind and no rain, smog can hang over the city of six million inhabitants for days.

Industries considered particularly polluting have also

been ordered to stay shut on Monday. Residents have been urged not to exercise outdoors. However, training sessions for teams competing in the Copa America football tournament, which Chile is hosting, are expected to go ahead.

No games are scheduled for Monday. The first of the quarter-final games

will be held in Santiago between Chile and Uruguay on Wednesday. The authorities called on residents to show their “civic spirit and solidarity” on Monday by reducing pollution to a minimum. The emergency measures will be in place for 24 hours, but officials can extend them if they deem it necessary. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Colombia faces hard task to reinsert rebels if peace struck

Jessica Quintero awakes drenched in sweat and instinctively grabs for her AK-47 assault rifle. With her old weapon no longer there, she hides beneath the sheets to escape the air raid of her nightmare.

“The bombs still scare me, I don’t sleep,” says Quintero, 18, recounting a regular night-time ordeal after fighting for three years with Latin America’s oldest guerrilla group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces

of Colombia (FARC).

Scared of the persistent air strikes on her camp deep in Colombia’s jungle, the former child soldier fled and surrendered in 2013, one of thousands who abandoned the FARC in the last decade as its ranks were cut in half to around 8000.

Quintero, whose 11 siblings also joined the rebels, now spends her time with 60 ex-combatants, receiving post-traumatic stress therapy at a safe house in the city

of Medellin.

They are trained in car repair, sewing and electrical wiring, while learning to read and write.

President Juan Manuel Santos hopes to incorporate thousands like them into society if peace is reached at talks with FARC leaders in Cuba that have gone on for two-and-a-half years.

But combatants face multiple challenges. Many like Jessica have been traumatised by war, others have

spent most of their lives fighting in the jungle and have few other skills, and Colombian society might struggle to accept them. If the reinsertion policy fails, there could be additional suffering for Colombia after 51 years of conflict as former fighters struggle to find jobs and a new life. It could also crimp growth in Latin America’s fourth-largest largest economy. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Singapore educators for Jamaica

The Jamaica government says it is boosting the capacity of mathematics educators through a programme being administered by educators from Singapore.

The Ministry of Education said at least 56 mathematics teacher educators from public and private teacher-training institutions, along with 21 mathematics specialists employed to the ministry, will

benefit from the programme to be conducted by representatives of the National Institute of Education in Singapore.

The Ministry of Education said in collaboration with the National Mathematics Programme, the programme is being implemented to strengthen the capacity of those responsible for the development and delivery of Jamaica’s mathematics teacher-training pro-

grammes. It said participants will examine areas such as Principles in Teaching Mathematical Problem Solving, Assessment of Mathematical Problem Solving, Use of Instructional Media, Using ICT in Teaching Mathematics, and Assessment of Student Learning.

National Mathematics Coordinator, Dr Tamika Benjamin, noted that the

initiative is integral to the ministry’s ability to meet the targets it has set for student performance levels in the subject. She said that the training programme is being facilitated to ensure that the participants are given the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to support the development of quality primary and secondary teachers.

(Excerpt from Antigua Observer)

A delegation from the Vatican pays a visit to Grenada

Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Phillip Paulwell (right), is greeted by Russia’s Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Sergei Donskoi, before engaging in discussions as they attended the 19th St Petersburg International Economic Forum

EU leaders to hold emergency summit on Greek debt

European leaders are due to meet in Brussels for an emergency summit on Greece’s debt crisis, just hours after Foreign Ministers of their countries broke off talks without any agreement.

The lack of a result at the meeting of the Ministers on Monday left the summit that is due later in the day with few prospects of making any concrete decisions on Greece’s bailout.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on Monday that the bloc “so far received no substantive proposals” from Greece.

“That is why we are unable to provide adequate preparation” for Monday night’s summit, he said.

Al Jazeera’s Phil Lavelle, reporting from Brussels, said the media had been told not to expect any deals on Monday.

“The European leaders’ meeting will still go on, but they will not be talking about the terms of the agreement, because that agreement is not expected to be reached now until at least Thursday,” he said.

The leaders were going to start another two-day summit from Thursday, following a separate meeting between their Finance Ministers.

The development came a day after the office of Alexis Tsipras, Greece’s Prime Minister, said the leader offered a “mutually beneficial deal” in a phone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and JeanClaude Juncker, European Commission President.

Martin Selmayr, Juncker’s Cabinet head, said the Greek proposal offered “a good basis for progress”, though he described the negotiations as a “forceps delivery”, underscoring the exertions to prevent Greece crashing out of the eurozone. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Heatwave in Pakistan’s Sindh province leaves 224 dead

Some 224 people are now believed to have died during a heatwave in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province.

Health officials say most of the deaths have been in the largest city, Karachi, which has experienced temperatures as high as 45 Celsius in recent days.

The city has seen power cuts caused by an increased demand for electricity because of the extreme weather.

Many of the victims are elderly people who have been suffering from fever, dehydration and gastric problems.

Hundreds of patients suffering from the effects of the heatwave are being treated at Government hospitals, Provincial Health Secretary Saeed Mangnejo said.

Local media has reported that more than 150

bodies have been taken since Saturday to the Edhi morgue in Sohrab Goth, which usually receives about 20 bodies a day.

The demand for electricity for air-conditioning has coincided with increased power needs over Ramadan, when Muslims fast during daylight hours.

Hot weather is not unusual during summer

months in Pakistan, but prolonged power outages seem to have made matters worse, the BBC’s Shahzeb Jillani reports.

Sporadic angry protests have taken place in parts of the city, with some people blaming the Government and the city’s main power utility, K-Electric, for failing to avoid deaths. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Iran says good nuclear deal more important than deadline

It is worth missing the June 30 deadline in nuclear talks between Iran and world powers by a few days in order to get a good deal, Iran’s Foreign Minister was quoted as saying on Monday.

Mohammad Javad Zarif’s comments were the second indication on Monday that the talks may overrun, after a spokesman for Germany’s Foreign Ministry said the

deadline was tight.

“Reaching a good nuclear deal is more important than missing the deadline by a few days,” Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA and other Iranian agencies. “There are still differences ... some political and some technical.” Zarif was speaking after arriving in Luxembourg for discussions with his

Around the World

UN: Possible war crimes by both sides in Gaza

An independent United Nations Commission of Inquiry has found that both Israel and Palestinian groups committed serious abuses that could amount to “war crimes”.

The Commission released its report on the 50day conflict on Monday.

“The extent of the devastation and human suffering in Gaza was unprecedented and will impact generations to come,” New York Judge Mary McGowan Davis, the Chair of the Commission, said in a statement.

The report decried the “huge firepower” used in Gaza, with Israel launching more than 6000 airstrikes and firing 50,000 artillery shells during the 50-day operation.

“The Commission is concerned that impunity prevails across the board for violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law allegedly committed by Israeli forces,” the report said.

“Israel must break with its recent lamentable track record in holding wrongdo -

ers accountable, not only as a means to secure justice for victims but also to ensure the necessary guarantees for non-repetition.

“With regard to Palestinian armed groups, the Commission has serious concerns with regard to the inherently indiscriminate nature of most of the projectiles directed towards Israel by these groups and to the targeting of civilians, which violate international humanitarian law and may amount to a war crime.”

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Germany releases Al Jazeera journalist

German authorities have released Al Jazeera journalist Ahmed Mansour, who had been detained at Berlin airport at the request of the Egyptian Government.

Accompanied by his lawyers, Mansour greeted his supporters after his release on Monday, and thanked the German court for its decision.

“I extend my thanks and appreciation to the honest and honourable Judges of Germany,” he said in Arabic.

“Thanks to people around the world who supported me in the last days,” Mansour added. “I’m free,

I’m free, I’m free.”

Earlier reports had said a court in Germany was about to consider Egypt’s request to extradite Mansour, one of the Arab world’s most respected journalists.

Al Jazeera’s Paul Brennan, reporting from Berlin earlier, said a temporary detention investigative judge concluded his investigation with Mansour on Sunday, after which he was transferred to Moabit Prison in Berlin.

Our correspondent said that the court and Mansour’s lawyers are “making the arrangements for his departure”.

Saad Djebbar, one of Mansour’s lawyers, said that while his client was “very happy” about the court’s decision, he was also very sad that the Al Jazeera journalist was detained in the first place.

Another lawyer Patrick Teubner said that with the court decision, Mansour could now leave Germany. Dozens of supporters of Mansour had protested in front of the Berlin court building where he was held.

Fazli Altin, another lawyer of Mansour, said that Germany was getting involved in a “politically tainted case”. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

EU extends sanctions against Russia over Ukraine

Tcounterparts from Britain, France and Germany, and EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini.

Iran is hoping to reach a deal with six world powers that would curb its nuclear programme in exchange for relief from international sanctions. The talks have made progress, but a number of issues are still unresolved. (Reuters)

he Foreign Ministers of the European Union have extended economic sanctions against Russia to the end of January 2016 to ensure it fully implements Ukraine peace accords, according to officials.

The move came on Monday, a day before the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia were due to meet in Paris today to review the situation in Ukraine.

Jen Stoltenberg, the

NATO chief, welcomed the EU decision on Monday, saying the sanctions were “a strong signal and clear message that it has consequences when a country behaves like Russia has in Ukraine”.

For its part, Russia expressed disappointment, blaming partisan EU groups for the decision.

“We are deeply disappointed that the opinion of the Russophobic lobby, which pushed through the decision to prolong ille-

gal restrictions, once again dominated in the EU,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The decision was “guaranteed to cause hundreds of thousands of Europeans to lose their jobs”, it said, focusing on a sore point in the bloc.

It also described as “cynical” the fact that the decision was taken on June 22 – the same day that Nazi Germany launched its devastating invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.

from Al

(Excerpt

Jazeera)

Leaders of Greece’s creditors – the European Central Bank (ECB); International Monetary Fund (IMF); European Commission and European Council – met to discuss strategy before Monday’s summit

The report decried the “huge firepower” used in Gaza, with Israel launching more than 6,000 airstrikes and firing 50,000 artillery shells [EPA]

Curtains to protect against the heat are in great demand

PPP/C to continue boycott of Parliament

…still to announce leader, MPs

Uncertainty continues to hover over the participation of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in the first few sittings of the 11th Parliament, particularly who will represent and lead the political unit in the ensuing days.

General Secretary Clement Rohee, while declaring that the Party would not be attending the second sitting of the National Assembly on Thursday, June 25, said executives were still determining who would take up the leadership role of the Party. He said too that he was unsure whether the Party would be available to participate in the sittings before the end of the 100-day period.

The Party has been crying “foul” after the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) declared the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition the winner of the General and Regional Elections, which took place on May 11, claiming that the electoral process was rigged.

At Thursday’s sitting, APNU+AFC Members of Parliament (MPs) are expected to debate the speech delivered by President Granger at the opening of the 11th Parliament on June 10.

The PPP/C said it viewed the debate as a “charade” by the “GECOM engineered parliamentary majority to lend legitimacy to the creation of an ambience of cooperation in Parliament, at a time when PPP/C leadership and members and supporters are under daily attacks and made to suffer deprivation of their basic human, political and civil rights”, Rohee told reporters. The General Secretary said while debates on presidential speeches have indeed taken place in the National Assembly, Thursday’s debate would take place against the backdrop of a ‘GECOM rigged’ elections and a composition of a Parliament which did not reflect the will of the Guyanese electorate. He added that in any event, a cursory perusal of the speech delivered

by President Granger would show that it was “replete and backsliding” on the parties’ promises made in the Cummingsburg Accord.

Own agenda

Meanwhile, pressed on the identity of the Party’s leader in the face of rumours former President Bharrat Jagdeo had accepted the top position, Rohee said that information would be relayed when the Party showed up in Parliament. He stressed that the name of the Party’s leader, Chief Whip, Deputy Speaker and Members of Parliament would all be revealed at that time.

“We have our own agenda. Not so much the Opposition Leader, but what will be required of the Party in the next few months and years ahead. We will have to go in there in fighting force in a combative way within the confines of the Standing Orders, defending the policies and programmes of the PPP/C Administration, exposing the Government in all their shortcomings and showing supporters and the general Guyanese public that we have an interest in following our modus operandi in Parliament that we are a force to be reckoned with inside and outside of Parliament, because we are committed to parliamentary as well as extra-parliamentary struggle,” Rohee said. Granger, during his ad-

dress to MPs, said the pieces of legislation he wanted to introduce included the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, to add certain entities, such as the Service Commissions and GECOM that ought to enjoy financial autonomy as constitutional agencies; the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly Bill, to establish an independent office of the Clerk of the National Assembly that would allow greater independence in the appointment of all staff of the Parliament Office; the Fiscal Management and Accountability (Amendment) Bill, to ensure that certain entities enjoy financial independence, to free them from executive interference with their budgetary allocations; the former Presidents’ (Benefits and Other Facilities) Bill to cap benefits, including taxfree concessions and to specify some conditions under which the benefits are to be enjoyed; the Constitutional Offices Commission Bill to periodically review salaries, pensions and other conditions for persons appointed to constitutional offices, including Members of the National Assembly and the Public Utilities Commission (Amendment) Bill, to allow equal treatment to all investors in this sector and to ensure better service to consumers.

20-year-old remanded for marijuana possession

A20-year-old man from Lodge, Georgetown, was remanded to prison on Monday by Magistrate Annette Singh when he made first court appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The accused, Akeel Hatton was brought to court on Monday morning to answer to charges of narcot-

ics possession after he was found with 123 grams of cannabis sativa (marijuana) in his possession on June 17, while in 86 Hill Street, Lodge, Georgetown. Hatton pleaded not guilty to the charge and urged the Magistrate release him. However, Police Prosecutor Gillian Simmons stated that the defendant

Guyanese urged to take advantage of Credit Info services

Chief Executive Officer of Credit Info Guyana, Judy Semple-Joseph has urged Guyanese to take advantage of the services of the agency.

Semple-Joseph pointed out that Credit Info Guyana was set up to provide credit reporting services to lenders of credit and greatly urges the general population of Guyana to get to understand the details of what it means to have a credit score and the benefits it can add to their lives.

Joseph stated that Guyanese are not exposed to credit, as it is in more developed societies. She noted that in most countries, persons live on credit alone, grow their businesses and live their full lives, and that too is now a possibility here in Guyana if persons would just seize the opportunity.

She shared that under the credit reporting act under which the bureau was set up, there are certain agencies that are designated by law to be credit information providers, such all banks in Guyana, micro-finance institutions, utility companies, hire purchase merchants and insurance companies. She added that the bureau has recently extended their database to include large trade creditors, such as MACORP. These companies are officially ordered by law to give credit, so these are the entities that would need credit information about consumers who come to them for credit. The credit bureau’s job is to now facilitate that process.

For an individual to obtain their credit score, they must visit the Credit Information Bureau with

valid proof of identification. Once identity is confirmed, the person will be given a form to fill out as the company checks their database of your credit history, including the rate it took an individual to repay a loan, pay bills, etc, after which that person can receive their scores.

She noted that the credit system scores range from 250 to 900 and that a “reasonable” credit score is around 600. The CEO shared that the credit bureau is an entity that collects credit information for the purpose of facilitating access to credit, and adds that the bureau is not a lending agency. Credit information includes credit accounts or loans a person may have with banks, retailers, credit card issuers and other lenders. The credit bureau uses that credit information to provide a credit report for said individual. Knowing your credit score is important as the higher your credit score, the easier for you to access credit. Your credit score can change as you make payments on your credit accounts. Good credit habits can increase your ability to obtain credit.

Joseph strongly main-

tains that person’s information is “1000 per cent secured” as the database is housed off shore in a facility that she maintains the security is second only to that of the National Aeronautics and Space Association (NASA) and is the highest form of security in the entire Caribbean region. She stated that the company is very confident that there has not been any breach of data nor will there ever be.

The CEO stated that with the new dispensation happening in our country at the moment, there are going to be many more opportunities that persons can benefit from with the availability of credit systems, and the credit bureau is now available to facilitate that access.

Creditinfo, out of Iceland, will allow Guyanese easier access to financing. The company was officially launched in Guyana in September 2013, and is a global information company that has access to certain types of credit information that could provide credit granters including banks, retail, mortgage and utility companies with the capacity to make informed credit and financial decisions.

Murder accused to be tried at High Court

Twas found with the illicit drugs in the pocket of the pants he was wearing at the time. She objected to bail based on the seriousness of the offence.

Magistrate Singh upheld the objection and refused Hatton bail. She ordered him to return to court on June 3.

he case of murder made out against 20-year-old Allistair Woolford will be handled by the Supreme Court of Judicature after a Preliminary Inquiry (PI) deemed the case a solid one.

The ruling was made on Monday in Court Three of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts by Magistrate Judy Latchman, who has been presiding over the case since 2014.

The Magistrate ruled

that the prosecution, lead by Police Prosecutor, Inspector Vishnu Hunt, has proven that there is sufficient evidence for Woolford to be tried in the High Court for allegedly murdering Devon Howell.

Woolford made his first court appearance on November 26, 2014 where he was not required to plead to the indictable offence.

Nevertheless, the court heard that he dislodged a loaded firearm with the intent to murder Howell on November 21, 2014 in D’Andrade Street, Kitty, Georgetown.

On the day of the incident, Woolford, along with some friends, were playing with a handgun when the firearm went off and shot Howell, age 20. He was immediately rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was treated. However, he later succumbed to his injuries on December 8, 2014. His up-

per spinal cord was reportedly damaged and he never regained consciousness.

Woolford made another appearance in court on December 15, 2014 where the charges were amended after Howell’s death to that of manslaughter. It was revealed in the post-mortem examination that was conducted on the deceased revealed that his death was directly linked to the gun shot injury he received.

CEO of CreditInfo Guyana, Judy Semple-Joseph

PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee

Devon Howell Charged for manslaughter, Allistair Woolford

Kaieteur News attacks integrity, independence of judiciary

... on claims PPP/C “fired Magistrate” – former AG

Former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, has blasted local newspaper, the Kaieteur News, over an editorial article, which he says attacks the integrity and independence of the judiciary.

In a statement on Monday evening, Nandlall pointed out that the press is considered to be the fourth estate in modern democracies, therefore, checks and balances must be applied to ensure that this important institution in a democracy does not run amok.

He referred to the newspaper’s Monday June 22 editorial, claiming that it contains the most vile attack on the judiciary. The former Attorney General, noted that the editorial commented on the private criminal charge filed against former President Bharrat Jagdeo, which is being heard before Magistrate Charlyn Artiga,

opining “It should be made clear that if the PPP/C was still in office, Magistrate Artiga would have been fired just as how the PPP/C fired Magistrate Geeta ChandanEdmond who was about to sentence the son of former Prime Minister Sam Hinds”.

According to Nandlall, the editor in the article made no attempts to justify or explain the “bizarre conclu-

sion”. He added that the statement is a most brazen and scurrilous attack on the integrity of the judicial system and a baseless accusation of serious constitutional violation by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration.

“It is trite knowledge that under our constitutional structure, the Executive bears no responsibility for the discipline and dismissal of judicial officers. Those func-

tional responsibilities reside exclusively with the Judicial Service Commission, an independent constitutional body. The PPP/C played absolutely no part in the removal of Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond. As far as I am aware, the learned Magistrate was removed by the Judicial Service Commission in relation to an incident which occurred over one year prior to the institution of the charge against Samuel Hinds Jnr. A simple phone call to the Judicial Service Commission ought to have edified the editor of Kaieteur News accordingly,” the Nandlall posited.

He further went onto say that he recognised that the objective of the editorial is carefully designed to influence the judiciary against the PPP/C and those who are connected with it in order to demonstrate its “independence”.

Monday’s editorial in the Kaieteur News titled “Is Mr Jagdeo’s day of reckoning coming soon?” spoke about the private politically motivated charge instituted by political commentator Christopher Ram against former President Bharrat Jagdeo reguarding remarks made at Babu Jaan, Port Mourant earlier this year.

Digicel upbeat about liberalisation of telecoms sector

Digicel Guyana Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kevin Kelly said the company was confident that liberalisation would take place under the new David Granger-led Administration.

He stated that the new Government gave its commitment in its manifesto to liberalise the telecoms sector and Digicel was confident that liberalisation would take place. He noted that although the company may just have to wait and see if any significant changes to the telecoms bill that was placed before the 10th Parliament would be made and fully reviewed in the Select Committee with the input of stakeholders.

He maintains that Digicel holds the belief that the bill as presently drafted will serve the intended purpose of having an open and competitive telecommunications sector with significant benefits to Guyanese and the development of the country.

When asked about the company’s state of readiness for a fully de-monopolised sector, Kelly stated that Digicel would be delighted to compete. He added that the company looked forward to becoming a full-service communications provider of mobile and fixed services and Digicel was confident that it could give customers new and improved products and services. He further added that more importantly, the company believed vigorous competition would give consumers greater value for their

money as has been seen in the domestic mobile arena.

Benefits of competition

The CEO mentioned that the non-passage of the bill has greatly affected Digicel and more importantly the country as a whole, as investors were reluctant to create new jobs and invest significant sums of money owing to the lack of a clear indication of where the sector was going. He stated that for example, Guyana was now the only country in the Englishspeaking Caribbean without any Third Generation (3G) or faster mobile data service. He pointed out that the country’s economic development was being hindered, since advanced technologies reduced costs of production as well as aided innovation. He highlighted that every sector was impacted by communications, and it was even more critical in Guyana given the size of the country and population spread. Kelly acknowledged that essentially the Guyanese consumer was

impacted by low Internet penetration, high charges, lack of choice and poor service as a result of a lack of competition in the technology field.

If the bill is passed, Kelly noted that liberalisation would equal more advanced services, more choice and greater value for the Guyanese consumer across the communications spectrum, since Digicel did not intend to limit its involvement to the mobile market. He stated that the economy would benefit from significant direct investment into the country, creating new and good employment opportunities and making Guyana a more attractive country for potential investors in communications and other sectors.

Kelly pointed that in terms of benefits for local businesses that the passing of the telecoms bill would allow them to access technology currently enjoyed by the rest of the Caribbean and the world, thus creating a level playing field for Guyanese businesses to compete in the global economy.

He explained that the overall change in value and services would be similar to what occurred when Digicel first entered the Guyanese market, creating rigorous competition in 2007. It was recently noted that since coming to Guyana in 2007, Digicel has invested close to US$80 million, providing coverage to close to 96 per cent of the population, including persons residing outside Guyana’s coastland.

Health coverage reaches 46 million in Latin America, Caribbean

Latin America and the Caribbean has seen meaningful progress toward universal health coverage, with an additional 46 million people in nine countries having at least nominal guarantees of affordable health care, according to a new joint publication by the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) and the World Bank, in the United States on Monday.

The region has increased its spending on health and narrowed the gap between rich and poor on a number of key outcomes: average life expectancy has risen significantly, more children live to see their first and fifth birthdays, and fewer mothers are dying from complications of childbirth, said Jorge Familiar, World Bank Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean.

In a context of constrained resources and lower economic growth, countries now face the challenge of boosting the efficiency of their health systems to continue building on these

achievements, he said. The report, “Toward Universal Health Coverage and Equity in Latin America and the Caribbean: Evidence from Selected Countries”, shows that while countries have been expanding population coverage and access to health services, the poor remain underserved, and inadequate attention is paid to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that account for most deaths in the region. The study primarily focuses on 10 countries – Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay.

The report shows that countries have made meaningful progress toward universal health coverage, with increases in population coverage and access to health services, a rise in public spending on health, and a decline in out-ofpocket payments, said Dr Carissa Etienne, PAHO/ WHO Director. Despite the advances, much remains to be done to close the equity gap and address new health challenges in the region.

PAHO/WHO Director Dr Carissa Etienne

The report, edited by Dr Gisele Almeida, Advisor in Health Systems and Services Analysis at PAHO and Dr Tania Dmytraczenko, Senior Economist at the World Bank, notes persistent health inequities between and within countries and the failure of some health systems to address changing health needs. While the rate of impoverishment owing to health care expenditures is declining, two to

four million people in the nine countries analysed were driven into poverty due to out-of-pocket health spending, with expenditures on medicines being the largest cost driver.

Latin American and Caribbean countries also face new health challenges. While many countries in the region have achieved impressive gains in the level and equity in access to maternal and child health services, the report stresses the urgency to extend those gains to NCDs, which are an increasing share in the burden of disease.

The regions changing demographic and epidemiological profile, notably its aging population, has shifted the burden of disease toward chronic illness, which tends to affect all population groups, while increasing the cost of and demand for health services across the board,said Dr Tim Evans, Senior Director of Health, Nutrition and Population at the World Bank Group. The greatest challenge now facing countries, the report notes, is the need to in-

crease public financing and efficiency to further expand health coverage and to cope with rapidly aging populations and the rising burden of NCDs. The report recommends that countries explore new, more effective and fairer financing measures, while also increasing the efficiency of health systems through strategic reforms that prioritise primary care.

Delivering on the commitment to universal health coverage will invariably require concerted efforts to improve revenue generation in a fiscally sustainable manner as well as to aim for more value for money. The report notes that advances have taken place as countries have recognised health as a right by enshrining it in their constitutions or by ratifying certain international conventions that define implementation of the right to health as a state obligation. Nineteen of the region’s national Constitutions mention health as a right. In 2014, the Member States of the Pan American Health Organisation unanimously

adopted a regional Strategy for Universal Access to Health and Universal Health Coverage.

National policies and strategies promoting universal access to health and universal health coverage should be firmly anchored in the premise that the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being, said Dr James Fitzgerald, Director of Health Systems and Services at PAHO/WHO.

Dr Etienne praised the World Bank for its embrace of universal health coverage as part of its mission to eliminate absolute poverty by 2030, calling investment in universal health a powerful and underutilised tool for economic development. The report also finds evidence that the best results have been seen in countries that increased public spending on health covered their whole populations and integrated their health systems rather than maintaining separate systems for different segments of the population.

Digicel Guyana CEO Kevin Kelly

Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall

Kaieteur News Editor, Adam Harris

I agree with Veda Nath Mohabir’s view of Frederick (Dolezal) Kissoon

Dear Editor, I agree with Veda Nath Mohabir’s view of Frederick (Dolezal) Kissoon. What puzzles me about Dolezal-Kissoon’s relationship with Africans is that they embrace him and other self-hating Indians.

This is so unlike the US where Ms Dolezal found herself immediately rejected by Black Americans for her obvious self-hatred.

African Guyanese seem to like having Indians like Donezal-Kissoon as their friends and beside them on their political platforms and see them as “better” than

Indians who are proud of their ethnicity and heritage.

I think they could learn from their brethren in the US who act like proud, selfassured Africans and reject the patronage of self-haters.

To put it another way, it is as if Indians here would embrace an African who hates Africa, Africans and everything African.

The only reason I could see for this to happen would be if Indians felt inadequate and had to have their selfworth bolstered up by having an African friend who cussed down his proud African

brethren as supremacist and racist and talked constantly about how much he loved Indians instead.

You would think that proud Africans would prefer the company of proud Indians rather than the likes of self-haters like DolezalKissoon and that they would tell the self-haters to try and like themselves better.

My feminine instinct tells me that Freddie would look very pretty indeed with curls a la Donezal. It would complete him, self hate and all.

Shanie Jagessar

Comments on the Specialty Hospital

Dear Editor, I read a report in a section of the press that the US Embassy has declared that the aid allocated by the government of India for the Specialty Hospital would be better deployed elsewhere, as the present administration wishes.

The tone of the report was that the US Embassy was positively supportive of the government’s position and was advising what is to done with funds still in the pipeline from another sovereign country.

If that were so, it would quite rightly make the donor, the Indian Government, hesitate to use its funds at the behest of another government.

The US Embassy’s Charge D’Affairs Brian Hunte, however, is a very capable and professional diplomat and would never make such a faux pas.

The media which carried the report obviously thought that they would be supportive of the government if they could surreptitiously and unfairly draw Hunt in a position of apparently supporting

the government, even though the man was being objective and had no intention of taking sides or violating diplomatic protocol.

Very positively, Hunt offered his government’s support for health services, and among his suggestions was the establishment of another ‘GPHC’. The government must immediately open discussions with the US Government about its financing and location

T Drakes

Scrapping the Specialty Hospital is a disaster

Dear Editor, I think scrapping the Specialty Hospital is a disaster for Guyanese. Guyanese need the best health hospital we can have. This regime,

with the political nursing of outsiders, is not listening to Guyanese.

Give Guyanese a fair chance to express their views about the Specialty Hospital

instead of suppressing them politically and democratically.

Thank you, democracy.

V Persaud

The presidential pardon

Dear Editor,

A presidential pardon is an act of mercy by the highest office of the land given to a convicted person.

This pardon or forgiveness is granted along certain specific guidelines, one of which is the prisoner would have served a considerable part of his/her sentence and most importantly, has shown remorse or someone who has shown exemplary behaviour while incarcerated. Once you have met those criteria you are eligible for pardon.

The emphasis of a pardon focuses mainly on the word "mercy" or "forgiveness." As human beings in our administration of justice, we are not only called upon to give punishment commensurate to the heinous act but we are also called upon to exercise mercy, justice tempered with mercy.

We take our cue from the Bible which speaks to this fact. The text in Isaiah says, "Though your sins be as scarlet" (horrible heinous sins), the text goes on to say, "I will throw those sins into the sea of forgetfulness." This is talking about mercy and forgiveness.

So, on that basis the mer-

cy committee deliberates and on these criteria the committee makes its recommendation to the Head of State for his consideration.

Contrary to popular belief there is no stipulation debarring a criminal from pardon. Any crime is pardonable, once the criminal has met the requirements, he can be pardoned.

That criminal could have been incarcerated for the worst of crimes, but once you have fulfilled the requirements listed above, you can be set free by the Head of State. This is the way pardon or parole is carried out all around the world. Guyana is no different.

When a felon is pardoned it simply means he is forgiven of his crimes. Simply put, freed of his crimes. A pardon is not a retrial of the prisoner - something the former political opposition now government would want you to believe.

Trials, convictions, sentencing, retrials, appeals and the whole lot would have been things of the past. All that is left at the stage of pardon is the fulfillment of the require-

Govt should address burning issues facing the insurance industry

Dear Editor

Insurance is the cornerstone for the development of any country. As a country and its people develop, its populace acquires more and more items of property, hence creating the need for protection against its everyday use.

Insurance fills that void and provides the comfort and confidence to the public that the assets and liabilities of the public are adequately protected and will make good the insured for death, injuries, losses or damages that may arise from time to time.

This confidence garnered through the insurance mechanism promotes trade, industry and commerce in our society and fosters development. As such, the insurance industry needs to be closely guarded and regulated.

Over the years, my firm, along with at least another insurance broker, is on record as having made several calls and pleas to the Government and its legislature to introduce reasonable amendments to the archaic legislation governing third party limits of liability and other related issues.

They have all fallen on deaf ears. Our roadways continue to be a place of tremen-

Key to the private sector becoming the engine of growth is a significant improvement in national competitiveness. Guyana’s National Competitiveness Strategy has three essential components: core policies, sector policies and policies targeting strategic sub-sectors of activity.

The core policies are geared towards improving competitiveness across most sectors of the economy to generate a business-friendly investment climate. Yet, Guyana has been bleeding human capital which is the single greatest issues associated with competitiveness

ments and the Head of State's approval or referral.

It is the president's prerogative to grant pardon or refer the case back to the committee as was done twice in the Charles Manson case. Yes, strange but true, mass murderer Charles Manson was up for parole twice.

Now, Ramotar's pardon of that lone criminal was done in strict adherence to the law. Barring the political brouhaha, the President had every right to grant pardon.

My layman's knowledge of the law governing a life sentence amounts to 22 years in prison. This guy served 21 of those years. So, Ramotar's pardon does not amount to much, judging the time that guy spent in prison.

Then, the de-facto government's talk of the PPP/C administration being too sympathetic to a criminal lacks legal merit.

What they should be doing is to give the people a rationale or some sensible reason for Granger's freeing of 60 young, robust criminals at the start of his presidency.

Neil Adams

dous grief and sorrow for the entire country, and more particularly, those persons who have lost their loved ones through recklessness on our roadways.

The previous government had turned a blind eye to these growing calls to address this burning issue as the families of those departed souls have been left with just their grief and memories from these wanton accidents on our roadways.

Our roadways continue to suffer from poor policing and contain numerous hazards coupled with the outdated traffic laws which just mandate a pittance payable to the estates of those injured or dying from such accidents.

This is a matter that needs urgent attention by this new administration to bring some semblance of order and fair play in the operations of our roadways.

Whilst we are at this, I would now venture to extend this evaluation to include loss of lives on our waterways also, since there has been a marked increase in the frequency of serious accidents on our waterways in the past few years.

We need to have and implement rigid and strict regulations to govern the use of

seeing CSME partnerships and the need for clusters as necessary prerequisites for global competitiveness.

For innovation and the introduction of more technology, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) are the foundation. This means there is a need for a different alignment of these topics in the school system and more private sector government dialogue in these areas.

The private sector has to become more proactive in creating national development. Climate change is a serious threat. The invasion of Guyana by economic citizens also has to be factored in

The Guyanese private sector has to pursue different strategies from the past. It can immediately seek to do six important actions.

The first is its internalization of the LCDS and the development of strategies by leading Guyanese companies to lead the charge in these sectors and to be the drivers of export diversification.

Secondly, the private sector has to develop a process within which they can work with the government to reconcile and integrate the LCDS development pathway of 2008 with the NDS of 2006.

The second challenge is the need for the private sector to become the “engine of growth” in Guyana. To do so, it must focus on product and export diversification, innovation and entrepreneurship, adopting new modern technologies to achieve competitive advantage, and visioning and

Guyana’s LCDS is also about global warming, climate change mitigation and adaptation. This is the second goal and Guyana is pursuing this goal using REDD+ to prove its LCDS model to the world.

One of the 17 projects is the Cunha Rehabilitation Project Climate which will help to address flooding. (Appendix A). Climate change is a major threat to Guyana’s development as Guyana is very vulnerable to flooding and extreme weather patterns.

Georgetown, the capitol of Guyana, is located two meters beneath the sea level of the Atlantic Ocean. In 2005, for example, Guyana lost approximately 60 per cent of is GDP because of heavy rainfall which flooded Georgetown and the East Coast.

The Caribbean Climate Change Community Center has also projected severe impacts on Guyana and Caribbean islands in the next 30 years. Guyana’s exposure to climate change is therefore a very significant risk to its development, brown or green, if this exposure to floods is not scientifically and politically well managed.

To this noble task, let us now unreservedly, commit our party and ourselves.

our roadways and waterways and maybe even our airspace. On another related issue, the entire insurance industry, historically, had met in the boardroom of Bank of Guyana in January 2012 to deliberate on some pertinent amendments to the Insurance Act of 1998.

These sessions had a Canadian facilitator and the entire insurance industry had some very fruitful and cordial discussions/debates and had agreed on the way forward for this Act and its implementation. It should be noted that this Act does not deal with any aspect of the traffic laws and issues mentioned above but mainly provides for the regulation of the general insurance industry in its operations.

I am advised that this amended Act is languishing somewhere in the Ministry of Legal Affairs for the past few years and I would like to call on the current Minister of Legal Affairs to lead this process through its final stages of enactment.

Raj Singh CEO Raj Singh Insurance Brokers

For example, the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), the flagship of Caricom, will create a single economic space which will allow for the more efficient utilization of regional resources and provide access to a market of over 14 million consumers.

It will also encourage international standards of production, enforced by the Caribbean Regional Organization for Standards and Quality. In time, Guyana will have increased access to capital, skills, and other inputs from across the region and the strengthening of the legal framework to facilitate the pooling of Caricom resources will enable Guyana and Caricom to be more effective in international negotiations. This environment will provide the platform to enable Guyana and Caricom to integrate effectively and competitively with the rest of the global economy through creating the conditions to enable our goods and services to compete and win in both intraregional and extra-regional markets.

Companies in Guyana need to become more focused on export and product diversification. To do this Guyana, it must focus on product and export diversification, innovation and entrepreneurship, adopting new modern technologies to achieve competitive advantage, and visioning and seeing itself as a CSME business.

The private sector in Guyana has to look at itself in a mirror and become part of the solution.

Eric Phillips

Rugby player dies after on-field incident in Australia

Arugby league player seriously injured during a Queensland Cup match in Australia has died in hospital.

James Ackerman, 25, was playing for the Sunshine Coast Falcons when he suffered a head injury in a tackle five minutes into a game against Norths Devils.

The father-of-two was treated on the field at Bishop Park, before being taken to hospital in Brisbane, and Saturday’s game was then abandoned.

Queensland Rugby League (QRL) said on Monday that Ackerman had passed away.

Australian newspaper the Courier-Mail said Francis Molo, 20, who made the tackle on Ackerman, is “struggling to cope”.

A minute’s silence was held for Ackerman prior to Monday’s NRL game between St George-Illawarra Dragons and Sydney Roosters.

Both sets of players also wore black armbands.

Sunshine Coast Falcons chief executive officer Chris Flannery described Ackerman as a “champion guy” and “one of our leaders”.

He added: “He lived for

rugby league. He was a tough competitor and a fine player who in many ways was the heart and soul of our team.”

QRL managing director Robert Moore said it was a “very difficult and traumatic time”.

He added: “We send our deepest condolences to James’s family and friends,

Olliver and Milly, brothers Andrew and Thomas and parents Michael and Sonya - thanked the medical staff at both clubs, paramedics, the hospital and his current and former team-mates for their “overwhelming” support.

Their statement read: “James loved the game of rugby league, he always

and the Sunshine Coast club.

“One of the strengths of rugby league is the game’s ability to rally behind its own - and I have no doubt this will happen throughout this challenging period.”

Moore also said it was not an appropriate time to comment further on the incident.

Ackerman’s family - including wife Saraa, children

played the game with his heart on his sleeve. We will miss you.”

The Falcons are a feeder team for NRL side Melbourne Storm, as are Norths Devils for Brisbane Broncos.

NRL chief executive Dave Smith said: “This is such a tragedy and we send our sympathies to everyone who knew and loved James.” (BBC Sport)

No appeal for Neymar ban

Neymar has been ruled out of the Copa America tournament in Chile after Brazil opted not to appeal against the Barcelona forward’s four-game ban.

had said that the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) would likely contest the card.

But Neymar was due to leave the Brazil camp

The 23-year-old was shown a red card after the final whistle of Brazil’s 1-0 defeat to Colombia last week.

Brazil coach Dunga

on Monday after the confederation released a statement not to appeal.

“The technical commission and the player hopes that Conmebol [the

South American Football Confederation] adopt the same rigour they used in punishing Neymar in all their competitions,” said the statement.

Neymar, who won La Liga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey with Barcelona in 2014-15, was banned for four matches after getting a yellow card, a straight red and then showering the referee with abuse during and after last Wednesday’s game with Colombia.

Brazil lost the match 1-0, their first defeat in 12 games.

Neymar was in the ground on Sunday to see Brazil beat Venezuela 2-1, a result that took them to the top of Group C and into a quarter-final tie with Paraguay on Saturday.

The final of Copa America is on 4 July. (BBC Sport)

Maradona to run for FIFA presidency

Argentine football great Diego Maradona has decided to stand as a candidate for the FIFA presidency to replace Sepp Blatter, Uruguayan journalist and author Victor Hugo Morales has said. Morales said

to inform,” Morales posted in Spanish on his twitter feed.

“’I am a candidate’ were the two words Diego Maradona used to answer me when I consulted him about the nomination for the presidency of FIFA,” he added in anoth-

Maradona had told him of his intention when he called the former coach of the Argentina national team to check on the condition of his sick father on Sunday.

“He told me he was going to run for president of FIFA and authorised me

er tweet.

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro earlier this month suggested Maradona become the next FIFA president.

Maradona, 54, has long been a trenchant critic of Blatter and last month said he was “enjoy-

ing” the corruption scandal that led the Swiss to announce he would stand down at an extraordinary congress of football’s world governing body.

Like Brazilian Zico, another great former player who has announced his candidacy, Maradona might struggle to get the support of federations from five countries, as required under FIFA statutes.

Liberia Football Association Chairman Musa Bility is the other candidate announced so far for a ballot likely to take place later this year or in early 2016.

Morales is famous around Latin America for his passionate commentary of Maradona’s wonder goal against England at the 1986 World Cup. Maradona led Argentina to their second World Cup triumph in that tournament.

The pair hosted a TV show together for Venezuelan station Telesur during last year’s World Cup in Brazil. (Reuters)

Chandrika looking...

“It was a good feeling to be part of the squad, and being able to see how things are done at the international level. Coach [Simmons] was very accommodating and he told me that sometimes you have to experience failure before you enjoy success,” Chandrika outlined.

Simmons, in an interview after the Test series was over, spoke of the conversation he had with the 25-year-old. “There are two things that I said to him, he has to understand that many men made bad starts to their Test career and ended up being great players. In sports sometimes you have to fail to succeed. You look at Michael Jordan who was not good at the beginning of his career and ended up being great.”

Simmons added, “The other thing he has to understand that is he can bat, or else he would not have been on the team. He has to keep that confidence in himself, correct his flaws and move forward in his career.”

Chandrika had impressed in the warmup game preceding the Test series, scoring 74 for the West Indies Cricket Board’s (WICB) President XI against the Aussies in Antigua.

Prior to that, Chandrika enjoyed his most productive season with the Guyana Jaguars team in the WICB’s Professional Cricket League Four-day tournament, finishing as the team’s second highest runscorer with 525 runs at an average of 35 with five half-centuries. Only Shivnarie Chanderpaul had more runs for Guyana Jaguars.

Notable batsmen

Among the notable batsmen to bag a double ‘duck’ on debut are England’s Graham Gooch, Sri Lanka’s Marvan Atapattu and Pakistan’s Saeed Anwar.

Gooch, a phenomenal runscorer in First-Class

cricket, went on to play 118 Test matches, scoring 8,900 runs, including a career-best 333. He racked up 20 Test hundreds and averaged 42.58.

Atapattu, who had five ‘ducks’ in his first six Test innings, ended up playing 90 matches, scoring 5,502 runs with 16 centuries, six of which were double.

Despite his first Test blip, Anwar became one of Pakistan’s finest openers, accumulating 4,052 runs from 55 Tests at an average of 45.52. He scored 11 hundreds.

The last specialist batsman to collect a ‘pair’ in his first Test was South Africa’s opener Dean Elgar in November 2012 against Australia at Perth.

Since then, the lefthander has scored three hundreds and a similar number of fifties. Elgar currently averages 37.65 per innings.

James Ackerman

Diego Maradona

Neymar

Dhoni dismisses calls to give up captaincy

MS Dhoni has hit back at his critics, saying the captaincy was a responsibility he was given and not something he craved or clung to. In the aftermath of India’s successive ODI defeats and subsequent series loss to Bangladesh, Dhoni said he would love to give up the captaincy if that guaranteed a change of fortunes for India.

“I am really enjoying my cricket,” Dhoni said when asked of his captaincy plans, before making plain his annoyance at the media scrutiny. “I know this question was coming. I know the media really loves me. These are the questions that will keep popping up.

“Yes, if it is a justifiable thing that if you remove me and the Indian cricket will start doing really well, and if I am the reason for all the bad that is happening to Indian cricket, definitely I would love to step away and play as a player. Ultimately you want India to win. It doesn’t matter who is the captain. I was never really in line to become a captain. It was a job or responsibility for me. I have taken that responsibility. It was given to me, I took it. If they want to take it away, I am happy to give it away.

“What is more important is to play for the country and contribute to the team and try to keep the dressingroom atmosphere good. So that whenever youngsters are coming in, they can come and perform. That will be the ultimate achievement for me. Also, it is slightly different. Indian cricket had been used to players coming in toned, ready for international cricket. Now it has changed. You have to grind it through. Cricket has changed and all that. We have had tough times. That’s what cricket is all about. You can’t win every series you play.”

It was interesting that Dhoni said he would love to step aside as captain and play just as a player. For as a pure batsman, Dhoni has not been in great form. His last match-winning performance with the bat came in July 2013, when he won India a triangular-series final in the West Indies. Until that match, he used to win a Man-of-theMatch award once every 13 games. He is currently 38 matches without a match-winning innings.

One of the reasons for that is Dhoni has chosen to take the extra responsibility of batting at No. 6. In the sec-

ond ODI, though, he came in to bat at No. 4. He showed glimpses of the old Dhoni in scoring 47, but as India kept losing wickets at the other end, he kept getting slower and failed to kick on in the end. He hinted that this could be a long-term shift, and that

MS Dhoni

it was perhaps time a good batsman took that responsibility of batting at No. 6.

“The whole idea was for me to go up and play more freely,” Dhoni said.

“The last four-five years, I have batted at 6, and there is always some kind of pressure other so I have not been able to bat freely. I wanted to get set and bat freely, but when I got set we lost wickets. Then we had to build some kind of partnership before we could go after the bowlers, then again we lost a couple of wickets. It was not really possible.

“I would like to bat slightly up in the order so I can play a bit more freely. Yes I have adapted to what the team needed of me since 2006, but for the longer run it is important for us to see who is a good batter at No. 6, at 7 or even maybe 5. That is why I dropped (Suresh) Raina (down the order). He has been successful at that slot.

“If I move up there, it should be someone experienced at that slot. It is a difficult slot. You can’t just go out

there and play the big shot. You don’t really have as many big batsmen behind you. If an opener plays a big shot. he thinks twice, but if you are No. 6 or 7 you have to think three times or you don’t think at all because you are not worried about anything else.”

One of the occupants of that lowermiddle-order slot has been Ravindra Jadeja. Now Dhoni has always backed Jadeja, playing an important part in using him as a match-winning bowler in Tests when nobody rated him in the longer formats. Since his shoulder injury, though, Jadeja has struggled a bit in international cricket.

Another issue with India in the transition since the World Cup has been to identify a coach and proper supporting staff. When he was asked if there was a correlation between the uncertainty there and the results in Bangladesh, Dhoni did not lose the opportunity to praise the former coach Duncan Fletcher.

“At least indirectly you are saying you are missing Duncan Fletcher,” Dhoni said. “I felt he was one guy who was never really appreciated by the media. He did all the hard work. He was with the team for a long time. He went on really tough tours but I don’t think we should blame the support staff. Ultimately it is the individuals that go out and adapt and do what is required. I don’t think it is the support staff.

“If you are indirectly hinting that we need a coach and all that, we have enough people in the support staff to take care of us. And even if the position of the coach is vacant for some time, it is okay. Don’t put just anybody there just because the post is vacant. Then it will have a bad impact in the long run. It takes time to make these decisions, and our team generally doesn’t have that time because we keep playing non-stop.”

As with the support staff, Dhoni said no big changes were expected in the personnel of the actual squad. “This is the best lot of players we have,” Dhoni said. “What we have to think about is, if we are playing in the subcontinent whether we want to go in with the extra spinner, whether we really want fast bowlers who bowl quick but are not good with line and length. At times we have seen they can really go for runs. (Cricinfo)

Spieth wins US Open after Johnson's 3-putt

Masters champion Jordan Spieth added another chapter to golf’s record books with a nerve-jangling, oneshot victory at the U.S. Open on Sunday after Dustin Johnson blew his chance to force a playoff by three-putting the last.

American young gun Spieth sank a curling 28-footer to birdie the 16th and forge three ahead, then shrugged off a double-bogey at the 17th before becoming just the sixth player to slip into a green jacket and hoist the U.S. Open trophy in the same year.

Though Spieth birdied the par-five 18th to end a wildly fluctuating final round of high drama with a one-under-par 69, he then had to watch as fellow American Johnson, in the last pairing, had a 12-foot eagle putt to win it at the 18th.

Johnson’s putt slid past the cup and he then missed a fourfoot birdie putt coming back to squander the chance of forcing an 18-hole playoff on Monday at Chambers Bay.

The 21-year-old Spieth post-

ed a five-under total of 275 on a challenging links-style layout that firmed up under a baking sun as he became the youngest winner of the U.S. Open since Bobby Jones in 1923.

“I’m still amazed that I won, let alone that we weren’t playing tomorrow,” Spieth told reporters. “So for that turnaround right there, to watch that happen, I feel for Dustin.

“But I haven’t been able to put anything in perspective yet. When I finished, I was just hoping to be playing tomorrow. I can’t seem to wrap my head around the finish of today.”

The victory saw Spieth join Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan and Craig Wood as the only players to have won the Masters and U.S. Open in the same year.

“It’s cool to be able to have two legs of the grand slam now, and to conquer golf’s hardest test,” said Spieth. “The U.S. Open is conquering the hardest layout in all of golf.

“The fact that we did it is

World anti-money laundering body deletes FIFA-related warning

Aworld anti-money laundering body has deleted all trace of an alert it issued last week warning that financial institutions had not done enough to police suspicious financial activity by officials at FIFA, soccer’s global governing body.

The alert, on the website of the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force, was originally posted on June 16, almost three weeks after U.S. authorities indicted nine current and former FIFA officials and five business executives on a series of corruption charges, including bribery, money laundering and wire fraud.

In the statement, FATF said that “recent reports about alleged corruption and money laundering activities on a large scale by several high-ranking FIFA officials underscore how important it is that financial institutions identify and monitor highrisk customers.”

FATF, an inter-governmental group whose members include national antimoney laundering agencies around the world, added that financial institutions “do not appear to have given a sufficient amount of scrutiny to the financial activities of the officials concerned, as many of these allegedly corruption-related transfers passed through the international financial system undetected.”

Reuters first learnt of the FATF notice from a European official familiar with FIFA investigations, and located it on Saturday through a Google search, though when the search engine on FATF’s own website was queried, the FIFA notice did not appear.

On Monday morning, the URL which initially brought up the FIFA notice on Google instead produced a “not found” notice.

amazing. We really grinded this week. Didn’t have my best stuff ball-striking at all and we really grinded over those four or five-footers ... that was the differ -

Open and PGA Championship).

Further heartbreak

Johnson, seeking his first major crown, had to settle for a

Jordan Spieth

ence.”

Spieth, who stunned the golf world with a wire-to-wire victory by four shots at the Masters in April, became the youngest player to win back-to-back majors since Gene Sarazen in 1922 (U.S.

share of second place with South African Louis Oosthuizen, who sensationally birdied six of the last seven holes, including five in a row from the 12th, for a 67.

It was further major heartbreak for the big-hitting Johnson, a nine-times winner on the PGA

Concerns about phrasing Roger Wilkins, FATF’s President, told Reuters that he took the decision to remove the statement from the agency’s website due to concerns about its phrasing and a lack of concrete evidence to support the claims.

“We don’t want to interfere with ongoing investigations and the way it’s phrased could be misconstrued ... We don’t have any direct evidence that financial institutions have done necessarily anything wrong or failed to do anything in relation to these things,” he said, while attending a FATF meeting in Brisbane, Australia.

FATF officials could not be immediately reached for further comment.

Several bank compliance officers expressed concern about the level of due diligence into the sports business that was being suggested. One, at a British bank, said: “What, am I supposed to research? Who the marketing guy is at each shoe company who makes decisions about promotions tied to players and then watch his account to see if he receives an extra $50,000? Where does it stop?”

In addition to the U.S. criminal probe, Switzerland is investigating possible corruption in connection with FIFA’s award of the World Cup hosting rights to Moscow in 2018 and Qatar in 2022.

Switzerland’s Attorney General Michael Lauber, who is leading the investigation, told a news conference last week that his investigators were examining 104 banking relationships and 53 suspicious transactions which had been reported by Swiss bankers to Switzerland’s own anti-money laundering agency. (Reuters)

Tour who came desperately close in his title runs at the U.S. Open and PGA Championship in 2010.

South African Branden Grace, who’s hopes evaporated with a double-bogey at the 16th where his tee shot ended up on railroad tracks out-of-bounds, carded a 71 to share fourth place with Australians Adam Scott (64) and Cameron Smith (68).

Johnson, one of four players tied for the lead overnight in the year’s second major, appeared to have the title within his grasp when he moved two strokes clear at the turn on a picturepostcard afternoon in the Pacific Northwest.

However, he lost his way with bogeys at the 10th, 11th and 13th, leaving Spieth and Grace effectively duelling for the lead.

Spieth then benefited from a three-shot swing at the 16th after he sank a left-to-right breaking birdie putt from 28 feet and Grace ran up his double, before further drama unfolded over the last two holes. (Reuters)

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Open tryout in USA for regional team in 2016 WICB Super50

Players in USA, Canada and Bermuda will have a rare opportunity of an open casting call this September in Indianapolis to see if they are good enough to take on West Indies stars in a combined ICC Americas regional team to play in the 2016 Nagico Super50 tournament. Top performing players for the Americas team in the West Indies domestic 50over tournament may subsequently be offered tryouts or contracts to play in the 2016 Caribbean Premier League.

The announcement was delivered by the ICC during the Associate and Affiliate Members meeting on day one of the ICC Annual Conference in Barbados. The ICC global development manager Tim Anderson hopes it will result in finding some hidden gems to lift up cricket in the region.

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ICC Americas office will be overseeing the entire application and evaluation process. Players aged 16 to 30 who are eligible to play for an Associate or Affiliate member in the Americas region can submit bio information and links to their club or league stats as well as videos of match footage or training sessions to give evaluators a better sense of their skill sets.

The online application process will be open until July 17. Depending on the volume of applications and skilled candidates that apply, Anderson says that probably between 50 and 100 players will be invited to Indianapolis to take part in phase one of the trial at World Sports Park from September 18 to 21.

“We came up with the idea of having a selection camp to pick the team but before that let’s have an open trial to find some talent within the wider region,” Anderson told ESPNcricinfo on Monday from Barbados. “Let’s have an open application process and see if we can find some rough diamonds and get them into the system. Particularly in the USA and Canada with large geographies and challenging environments regarding talent identification, we want to see whether there are some people out there that we haven’t identified or that haven’t been involved in a system that has been able to identify them yet, that might be good enough to play at this level.”

Rather than having players apply through their home cricket boards where there are often accusations of favouritism and internal politics at play regarding selection and promotion of players by the respective administrations, Anderson said the

“We had a really good experience at the facility in Indianapolis a couple of months ago [at ICC Americas Division One Twenty20 and obviously wanting the facilities to continue to be used as well as the fact that Indianapolis as a sports city provides more than just a cricket ground,” Anderson said. “Dave Cameron was there as well so he was a part of the conversation from the start. Mayor Ballard was a part of the conversation. We talked to him about it and he liked the idea a lot too. So over the last month or so we’ve been developing the concept and here we are.

“Obviously there needs to be a cap on participation numbers given that effectively we only have a long weekend to establish the best of those that apply and get selected in that first phase. We feel that 100 people might be the maximum to sort through over that period of time in terms of fitness testing, skills testing, match awareness and game related testing as well.”

After phase one is complete, a select number of players will be invited back to Indianapolis for phase two of the combined trial from September 24 to 27 during which the newly-identified players will be joined by other regional players who have been tagged as star performers from the ICC Americas Division One Twenty20 tournament in May and the ICC World T20 Qualifier in July. From there, a final squad will be picked to play for an ICC Americas team at the West Indies domestic 50-over tournament early in 2016. Although a coaching staff has not been announced, several high profile names from within the West Indies are understood to be in consideration. Another name that may be on the radar for his expertise is Mike Young. The American most recently was part of Australia’s coaching staff as a consultant during their World Cup triumph in March and has an extensive background in baseball. An American coaching background is something Anderson is keen on integrating into the whole evaluation process in partnership with the ICC and WICB’s established mechanisms.

“The process will be coordinated by ICC Americas but there will be some involvement from the WICB in support as well,” Anderson said. “We are also looking at some initial conversations with some of the big sports franchises in Indianapolis and the interlinking skills with baseball are obvious. So we might try to get some baseball coaches as part of this. It’s a bit of an open process for us to try to combine the best of the region in terms of players, coaching staff, support and also get the best of American sports analysis and assessment involved in the system as well.” (Cricinfo)

Hafeez reported for suspect action again

Offspinner Mohammad Hafeez has once again been reported for a suspect action, following the conclusion of the Galle Test, the Pakistan team management has confirmed to ESPNcricinfo. Hafeez bowled 20 overs in the match and contributed two wickets to Pakistan’s tenwicket victory in the first Test.

According to the ICC’s regulations for bowlers reported a second time within a period of a year, if Hafeez’s action is found to be illegal once again he faces a bowling ban for a period of at least a year, only after which he will be eligible to apply for a reassessment of his action. He must undergo testing within 21 days of the receipt of the official report and will be allowed to bowl until the results are out.

Hafeez had been reported for a suspect action after the Abu Dhabi Test against New Zealand in November last year, and in December his action was found to be illegal following tests at an ICC accredited centre in Loughborough, England. He was found to have an elbow extension up to 31 degrees, far above the permitted limit of 15 degrees. He underwent remedial work at a biomechanics lab in Chennai, but failed an unofficial test on his action on January 3. Later that month the PCB requested the ICC to retest Hafeez’s action in February in Brisbane, so that he could bowl at the World Cup if cleared, but he was ruled out of the tournament with a calf injury. Hafeez was finally cleared to bowl again in international cricket on April 21, after more tests on his action in Chennai. Since then, he has bowled in nine matches in Bangladesh, at home against Zimbabwe, and in Sri Lanka. (Cricinfo)

Mohammad Hafeez

Digicel Nationwide School Football Georgetown leg… Charlestown top Central on penalty kicks

By TreisTon Joseph

harlestown

CSecondary came from behind to top Central High School 4-3 via penalty kicks penalty kicks on Monday in a late afternoon thriller at Tucville ground.

Central, the underdogs in the encounter played a brilliant first half in the soggy muddy conditions of the Tucville as their passes were on point along with their defensive tenacity.

Their counter attacking was brilliant as it led Cordel Gaskin right into the 18 yard box to register the first goal of the game in the 31st minute when he found himself with just one defender to beat.

Charlestown stunned by the goal fell flat defensively as Central High capitalised with a goal from Orwin Hunte in the 34th minute as the half ended 2-0 in favor of Central.

In the second half,

Charlestown capitalised on a tired Central High School and registered their first goal in the 52nd minute.

Central, trying to hold on for dear life could not shake their tired legs as Diquan Osbourne scored in the final minute of the game (69th) to equalise for Charlestwon Secondary.

Charlestown would go on to win 4-3 via penalty kicks to move on in the knockout tournament.

Central Georgetown Police Youth Group launches U-15 Football Tournament

The Central Georgetown Police Youth Group on Monday launched its inaugural one day Under-15 Youth Development Football Tournament, scheduled for Sunday at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary.

With a 10:00h start in place, Coordinator of the event, Colin Haynes, indi-

ment project while the second place team will receive $30,000 and $20,000 for the third place team. Trophies will accompany the top three finishers.

Haynes disclosed that Banks DIH has sponsored the first place prize with the Department of Culture Youth and Sport, under the umbrella of the Ministry of

vealed that there are intentions to make the event the best developmental competition annually.

Aqua Mist Brand Manager at Banks DIH, Errol Nelson stated, “After we were approached by the organisers about this initiative, we signed onto it knowing that it would be a good opportunity for the Guyana

cated that the venture is a continued effort to establish better relationships between the public and the Guyana Police Force through the development of youth and sports.

The competition will feature eight teams from ‘A’ Division for a top prize of $50,000, which will go toward a community develop-

Education sponsoring the second place award and Commander of ‘A’ Division, Clifton Hicken the third prize.

In addition there will also be prizes for the Most Valuable Player and Best Goal Keeper. Tickets will cost $200 to enter the venue.

Further, Haynes re-

Office Express partners with BCB’s Caricom Championship

Office Express of Number 78 Village and Rose Hall is the latest company to join hands with the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) to stage the highly anticipated inaugural Caricom Championship on July 5 at the Albion ground.

The business, which only recently opened a branch in the Corriverton area, has committed to providing the gate prizes on the day of the event.

nity through the noble game of cricket.

Speaking on behalf of the BCB, Board Executive Vicky Bharosay thanked Armogan and Office Express for their kind support for cricket over the years and promised him that the tournament will be professionally run with transparency and accountability being top priority.

He added that gate prizes will give the fans more reasons to come out and support the event. Bharosay

of 20 overs to be played under lights for a top prize of $80,000 and trophy. The runner-up will receive $40,000 and trophy with the losing semi-finalists getting $15,000 each.

The participating teams are: Upper Corentyne/ Skeldon, Port Mourant, Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, Albion, Young Warriors/Edinburg/Rose Hall Center, Police/Bermine, Blairmont/West Berbice and Bush Lot/D'Edward.

Manager Yudesh Armogan said that his company, which deals with photocopying, printing, internet cafe and all stationery items for schools and businesses, is delighted to be part of the fundraiser and he is always impressed with the work of the board.

He added that the business is growing, as is evident by the opening of another branch in Corriverton, and that is only possible because of the support of Berbicians. As a result, he felt compelled to give back to the commu-

called on the young cricketers to take full advantage of the opportunities provided by the BCB for the game provides lots of financial gains these days.

The BCB is also calling on other sponsors to come onboard. Proceeds from the event will be used mainly to organise three-day cricket competition in Berbice.

The Caricom Championship will see the top eight T20 first division teams in Berbice competing in a 10-over knockout competition with the final

Admission is $300 per person and action will bowl off at 10:00h.

Meanwhile, the combined Bush Lot/D'Edward squad has been confirmed. The players are Jaipaul Heeralall (Captain), Javed Saywack (Vice-captain), Somdat Bharrat, Glenroy Fraser, Kurd Griffith, Akeem Miller, Keyron Fraser, Paul Deepnarine, Nivendra Prasad, Eon Abel, Heeralall Bridgelall, Pooran Persaud, Abdul Subhan, Keith Fraser and Lakeram Sukra.

Digicel Nationwide School Football Berbice leg…

Butts hat-trick sends Port Mourant Training Centre into

2nd

round

ATraining Centre record a 4-nil win over Central Corentyne Secondary as play in the East Berbice/ Corentyne leg of the fifth annual Digicel Schools football tournament got off to a start on Monday at the Skeldon Community Centre ground.

Police Force to foster a better relationship with all members of the community and help aid the development of the sport at the grassroots level.”

Nelson disclosed that Banks has been involved with football extensively. He also thanked Police Youth Group for inviting Banks.

The one sided affair saw Paul Williams opening up the scoring in the 21st minute after Mourant Training Centre had sent four shots off target and one into the hands of goalkeeper Tyquan Roe.

Butts then put his magic to work and netted in the 40th, 51st and 52nd minutes. The competition continues today at the same venue

with JC Chandisingh taking on Overwinning at the same venue.

Eighteen schools are slated to participate in the Region Six (East Berbice/ Corentyne) leg of this

year’s tournament with Overwinning playing for the first time.

Vryman’s Ervin Secondary, the Region Six defending champions were booted from the competition at the quarterfinal stage last year when they were beaten 8-0 by the eventual champions and three time winners Christianburg Wismar Secondary School. The New Amsterdam Technical Institute (2011 Region Six winners), Tutorial Academy Secondary (2012 Region Six winners) and the Berbice Educational Institute (2013 Region Six winners) along with the Port Mourant Training School are the favorites in Region Six.

Action between Charlestown Secondary (red) and Central High (white) Treiston Joseph photo

BCB executive Vicky Bharosay (second right) receives the sponsorship from Yudesh Armogan of Office Express in the presence of staff of the business establishment

Officials at the launching on Monday

hat trick by Jamal Butts helped Mourant

(Andrew Carmichael)

Jamal Butts

US, Canadian starlets among 6 new additions to CPL squads

– Windies u-19s join Taylor, Dutta at “Biggest Party in Sport”

Six up-and-coming young cricketers, including USA international, Steven Taylor, and Canadian, Nikhil Dutta, will have the chance to play with and against some of the biggest names in world cricket after being added to the Hero CPL squads after impressing in training camp.

Each franchise welcomed four local under-19 players, and one young player from ICC Americas Associate nations, for training camp, with the incentive of a full CPL contract for one lucky player from each team. Amongst the players joining wicketkeeper-batsman, Taylor (Barbados Tridents), and off-spinner, Dutta (Zouks) are West Indies Under-19 player of the year, Shimron Hetmeyer (Guyana Amazon Warriors), and former West Indies Under-19 captain, Ramaal Lewis (Jamaica Tallawahs).

The six players that have been selected are: Barbados Tridents: Steven Taylor – USA Guyana Amazon Warriors: Shimron Hetmeyer, Guyana Jamaica Tallawahs: Ramaal Lewis, Jamaica

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots: Nikhil Dutta, Canada St Lucia Zouks: Gidron Pope, St Vincent Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel: Mark Deyal, Trinidad Tom Moody, CPL Director of Cricket, said: “Competition for a place in the CPL squads has been fierce. The coaches have been very impressed with the quality of young players on show, so it was hard to narrow it down to one player per squad. These six guys have a fantastic opportunity to make a name for themselves on the big stage, and we wish them all the best for CPL 2015.”

The Biggest Party

“Tickets are already selling out fast as excitement ramps up ahead of CPL 2015, and there definitely won’t be many left when fans find out about the chance to win US$1 million! Catch A Million is absolutely massive for the Caribbean, and we’re so thankful to Guardian Group for making this once in a lifetime prize possible. ”

Larry Olton, Group Vice President –Integrated Marketing Communications, Guardian Group, said:“We’re thrilled to be

GBTI Tennis Open... Seeded players produce mixed results on day 2

in Sport kicked off on Saturday with defending champions, Barbados Tridents, defeating Guyana Amazon Warriors at Kensington Oval in a repeat of last year’s final. At the Hero CPL, global superstars including Kevin Pietersen, Jacques Kallis and Shahid Afridi will join the Caribbean’s finest cricketers, like Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo, and exciting up-and-coming local talent.

Fans have been given an even greater reason to be at the games this year with the CPL’s recently announced ‘Catch a Million’ competition, the biggest ever sports promotion in the Caribbean. The first fan at every match who catches a six, one-handed, will earn US $1000 on the spot, as well as the chance to go to Trinidad for the final. If they catch another six, one-handed, in the final, they will be presented with US$1 million!

CPL 2015 runs from 20th June to 26th July. Last year’s tournament attracted a global audience in excess of 65 million and this year is set to be even higher as fans across the world continue to be drawn to the high quality action on the pitch and the unique party atmosphere off it. (CPL Release)

The Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry’s (GBTI) Tennis Open continued with action on day two producing mixed results for the seeded players at the GBTI Bel Air Park courts.

The Novice Medley players kicked started the day’s event, and on the top half of the draw, Philbert Clark fell at the hands of Delon Fraser 6-3 in the quarter-finals. Despite the big serves thrown at Fraser, he was able to stay focused and clutch his spot in the semifinals.

He will play Akeem Bailey, who also had a 6-3 win over the only female player, Fiona Bushel, who made a good effort by playing good ground strokes and staying consistent, but the aggressive play by Bailey outmatched her.

On the bottom half of the draw, Jamal Goodluck reached his first Novice finals by defeating Romario Chanderballi. Goodluck secured a break of serve to go up 4-1, only to allow his opponent back in the set. Chanderballi broke to go back on serve 4-3, but he broke Chanderballi’s serve and held on to secure a final match against the winner of Delon Fraser/Akeem Bailey semi-final clash.

The first match of the Men’s Open was played between Andre Erskine and young Hemraj Resaul. Erskine, seeded sixth, took

supporting the CPL to introduce Catch A Million, and we wish all the fans the best of luck during the tournament. The League is all about fun and excitement, and Catch A Million is going to take that excitement to whole new level.”

At the Hero CPL, global superstars including Kevin Pietersen, Jacques Kallis and ShahidAfridi will join the Caribbean’s finest cricketers, like Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo, and exciting upand-coming local talent.

Last year’s tournament attracted a global audience in excess of 65 million and this year is set to be even higher as fans across the world continue to be drawn to the high quality action on the pitch and the unique party atmosphere off it. Hero CPL 2015 kicks off with a repeat of last year’s final, with defending champions, Barbados Tridents, hosting Guyana Amazon Warriors, at Kensington Oval, on 20th June. (CPL Release)

the first set easily 6-1, due to nerves and numerous unforced errors committed by Resaul.

Erskine was never truly tested in the match-up, but Resaul made an effort with a few winning shots in the second set. He threatened to break Erskine's serve in the fifth game, but failed to capitalise on the four break chances.

Erskine eventually held and broke to close out the match 6-1, 6-0. His next match will be against the winner of the Khawn Rodney and Chethan Narayan game.

In the match-up between Jamal Goodluck and veteran player Rudy Grant (seeded eighth), Grant outplayed Goodluck 6-0, 6-0.

Grant never allowed his opponent in the match, using his heavy lobs, drop shots and finesse to take

command of the rallies. Goodluck failed to convert the opportunities for break points. Rudy will await the winner of the game between Jordan Beaton and Benjettan Osborne.

Leroy Chapman, the 15th seed, fell to unseeded player Nomechandra Persaud. Chapman won the first set 6-4, but from midway through the second set he appeared injured, dropping that set 2-6.

Persaud displayed a penchant to lengthen the rallies which often forced Chapman to make the unforced error.

The painful struggle continued for Chapman in the final set and Persaud took control to close the match 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.

Oswin Coggins, the 16th seed, rallied pass the American Bobby Adelson 1-6, 6-4, 6-4. Coggins started

slowly, dropping the first set, but found his range in the second. He hit winners after winners, especially on his signature double fisted backhand down the line. Coggins cruised into the next round to face off with seventh seed Joseph De Jonge. In the final match of day two, Seanden David-Longe had the first major upset in the Men’s Singles when he outplayed fifth seed, Benedict Sukra. Sukra served for the first set at 5-4, but nerves got the better which caused him to lose the service game. At 5-5, Seanden held on and immediately broke Sukra to secure the first set. The final set went on serve until Sukra lost his service game and David-Longe took advantage of the opportunity to close the match at 7-5, 6-4.

Shimron Hetmeyer

Khwan Rodney

Hemraj Resaul (right) and Andre Erskine

Rajendra Chandrika: “Coach [Simmons] was very accommodating and he told me that sometimes you have to experience failure before you enjoy success”

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

Being dismissed for a ‘pair’ on debut is demoralising for any player, more so a frontline batsman. Worse yet, an opening batsman!

That is the misfortune that has befallen Guyana and West Indies opener Rajendra Chandrika, who failed to score in both innings against Australia in the second and final Test in Jamaica earlier this month.

The elegant right-hander became the 40th player in history to suffer such a fate on debut, and only the second West Indian after the Jamaican left-arm spinner Alf Valentine on the tour of England in June 1950.

Despite a worst possible debut, Chandrika refused to be downtrodden, but is rather focused on building on the positives that emerged from his first stint with the senior West Indies team.

“Obviously I’m disappointed not to have scored some runs, but going forward I have to learn from the experience, and hopefully it would make me a better batsman and person,” Chandrika told this publication on Monday. Being in the squad and rubbing shoulders with some of the region’s premier cricketers, as well as gaining valuable advice from the coaching staff, especially new Head Coach Phil Simmons, provided a great deal of satisfaction and accomplishment for Chandrika.

turn to page 19

U-23 footballers off to Antigua for Olympic Qualifiers Chandrika looking to learn from experience

CPL, Guardian Group give fans chance to win US$1M

CPL fans have been given One Million reasons to get their tickets for this year’s competition, with the launch of Catch A Million, in association with CPL sponsors, Guardian Group.

Catch A Million will be the biggest ever sports promotion in the Caribbean. If a fan is the first to catch a six one-handedat a CPL game they will automatically win US$1,000 and a chance to win a trip to Trinidad for the finals.The public will vote on the best catches online at CPL’s official Facebook page to decide who makes the trip to Trinidad. If selected and you repeat the feat at the

final, you could win the incredible sum of US$1 million! Full terms and conditions can be found at CPLT20.com.

There were 387 sixes smashed during 30 matches in the 2014 Caribbean Premier League, with Chris Gayle and Lendl Simmons topping the charts, after blasting twenty-four maximums each. With the likes of ShahidAfridi and Kevin Pietersen joining the ranks this year, fans can expect plenty more opportunities to win their prize at CPL 2015!

Damien O’Donohoe, Chief Executive, Hero CPL, said:

The national male Under-23 football team departed Guyana on Monday afternoon to participate in the Olympic Qualifier in Antigua and Barbuda. The Guyanese will play in Group Two of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) leg of the tournament and will be joined by Aruba and Cuba, along with host Antigua. The young Golden Jaguars will play their

first game on Wednesday at 15:30h against Cuba, followed by a clash with Antigua on Friday and will wrap up the tournament on Sunday when they play Aruba. All matches will be

played at the Antigua Recreation Ground in St John’s. With only one team making it out the group, Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz is confident in Guyana’s attempt to feature at the 2016 Olympic

Games in Brazil.

The squad reads: Anthony Whyte, Jason Cromwell, Daniel Whyte, Less Charles Critchlow, Joshua Brown, Clive Williams, William Europe, Sherwin Skeete, Stephan Ramsey, Jermaine Junior, Trayon Bobb, Kadell Daniel, Daniel Wilson, Leo Lovell, Kareem Knights, Delon Lanferman, Jamaal Harvey, Shaquel Agard, Domini Garnett and Pernel Schultz.

Some of the players moments before they departed Guyana