Guyana Times Daily

First suspect arrested

Exhibitors gear up for GuyExpo

Elderly woman raped at Matthews Ridge

T&HD employee killed in WCD accident

Centre for Laparoscopic Surgery commissioned at Linden Hospital

FAO

Exhibitors gear up for GuyExpo

With less than 48 hours to go before the grand opening of GuyExpo 2014, the Sophia Exhibition Complex is indeed blooming, as exhibitors make the final adjustments to their booths and put the finishing touches on their exhibits.

Registration for this highly-anticipated trade fair and expo has closed, and those fortunate enough to have secured their booths are busy making final ad-

justments in anticipation of welcoming the thousands who will throng the venue from October 2 to 5.

Excitement is brewing as the hours count down, and there is much anticipation over the new additions to this year’s GuyExpo: the Guyana Supermarket is one of the main focal points as the inspiration for all to ‘buy local , eat local, live local’.

With the aim of promoting local companies, prod-

ucts, ideas and talents, a Business and Networking Forum is billed for October 3 at the Guyana International Conference Centre, from 09:30h to 16:00h.

During these sessions, there will be presentations by GO-Invest on the investment climate and incentives offered in Guyana; other presentations will be delivered by the Private Sector Commission, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, the Guyana

Tourism Authority and the New GMC.

Over the years, the GuyExpo Committee continues to place emphasis on ensuring that local businesses find markets for their products and services and that those integral linkages with overseas buyers are created.

As an indicator of the

from 10 countries including Trinidad, Barbados, India, USA, Pakistan, Argentina, Brazil, Bangladesh, French Guiana and Suriname.

During the expo, several meetings will be facilitated for both investors and buyers and a specific meeting area has been identified for this purpose; this will see

GuyExpo realising its potential as a marketplace for negotiations, networking, and sales.

GuyExpo 2014 will be hosted under the theme “Transformation: Partnering for a Better Guyana”, showcasing the best Guyana has to offer in the areas of business and commerce.

international interest generated, the international pavilion is 100 per cent filled with representatives

Jamaican, Guyanese and TT nationals shortlisted for ACP top post

Three candidates from Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica have been shortlisted for the post of Secretary General of the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) grouping.

Informed sources said Guyana’s Brussels-based Ambassador to the ACP, Dr Patrick Ignatius Gomes; Jamaica’s Patricia Francis, the former Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC); and Dr Hamid Ghany, a political scientist and senior lecturer at the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) have been shortlisted for the post. St Vincent and the Grenadines, Haiti and Suriname had also named

candidates for the top ACP post.

Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn RodriguesBirkett is quoted by a local website as saying she is “happy that the process has advanced for selecting the Secretary General of the ACP”.

The website also quoted Suriname’s candidate Rabin Parmessar as saying the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country would have preferred just one candidate named for the post.

“It’s time for the Caribbean region to show their teeth. It is our term to appoint a SG for the ACP, and we have opposed to the idea to name three candidates for the ACP Ministerial Council to vote on, instead of just present one candidate,” he told the website.

Caribbean leaders are yet to publicly confirm the names of the shortlisted candidates, keeping the matter very closely guarded.

Caricom have until today, September 30 to present three final candidates for the position and Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque, speaking at the end of the summit of regional leaders in Antigua in July, noted that a process is being led by the ACP with regard to the selection of a candidate. (Jamaica Observer)

All is set for the grand opening

Finishing touches being done on one of the booths at the Sophia Exhibition Complex

Dr Patrick Ignatius Gomes

OPENINGS

WEATHER TODAY

September 29, 2014

Trotman’s gagging of accuser terrible – Teixeira

Asenior Government official on Monday criticised the move by Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman to gag the man whom he allegedly sexually violated when he was 12.

In a four-page letter to the Editor of Guyana Times, Presidential Advisor on Governance, Gail Teixeira said the injunction granted to Trotman by the High Court last week “is so terribly dangerous; it has undermined the entire tenets of justice for victims of sexual violence. This terrible precedent victimises the accuser all over again. In my opinion, this injunction should never have been granted.”

Trotman last Monday secured the injunction restraining his accuser, Johnny Anthony Welshman from making any statements or publishing any materials about the issue. Trotman has since denied the allegations. In the court

himself, his servants and or agents howsoever from publishing and/or attempting to publish whether in print, electronic or any other media any material relating and or pertaining to allegations of sexual assault by the plaintiff on the defendant”.

Utter disbelief

Meanwhile, in her letter, Teixeira said it was with utter disbelief and alarm she read about the injunction against the young man who alleges that when he was a child, he was sexually abused by the Attorneyat –Law, who is also the Speaker of the National Assembly and a known politician. “I also note with even more alarm that the rights groups, or those who have held themselves out to be rights groups have been deafeningly silent on the issuance of the injunction.”

Teixeira said no allegation of sexual abuse wheth-

documents, Trotman is also seeking a whopping $50 million for libel contained in articles published in the Stabroek News and the Guyana Times last week Monday and materials circulated on Welshman’s Facebook page.

The ex-parte affidavit in support of the application for an interim injunction states, “…restraining the defendant whether by

er made by a male or female and whether current or going back to their childhood should be muzzled. “One expects that the accusation will be subjected to the scrutiny of the justice system where the accuser and accused will be heard and a judgment made by a jury. A young man has made an allegation of sexual abuse claiming that this was done when he was a child. His

complaint should always be taken seriously and be heard and our facilities, institutions, services and environment must always be ones that promote and facilitate such a complaint being made.”

This, Teixeira said, should never be an occasion or an opportunity to gag the accuser. “From reading the injunction, it seems as though it was granted because there was a claim that the complainant was depressed and suffering from other mental health problems and because the accused, the politician, claims that the accusation was politically motivated. The accused claimed that it was causing him to lose his reputation and be embarrassed.

“A complaint of sexual abuse by a child or an adult against another will always cause that other to lose his/ her reputation, assuming there was one to lose. It will always be something embarrassing. It will always be harmful to the accused. It is after all a criminal offence to rape or sexually assault someone. In no other accusation of a criminal offence is the issue of the reputation of the accused put under the microscope.”

Additionally, Teixeira said according to worldwide research, almost every person who is raped or abused will suffer some form of depression and other mental health issues.

“The claim by the accused that it is a political setup is easily something that can be determined by

the Police and/or a jury. It would be a matter of fact that should not, according to our laws, be determined by a judge alone. This injunction sets such a dangerous precedent. It opens a door where any and every person who is accused of rape can go to the court, claim that his/her reputation is being damaged, that the person making the allegations is sick, and that it was a plot or ploy by another person/persons and secure an injunction against the person who is making the claim.”

Taking a swipe at the justice system, the former Home Affairs Minister said considering the abysmal state of our rate of prosecutions and convictions in cases of sexual offences as exposed by the Guyana Human Rights Association and the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, we can ill afford as a country to have any more obstacles placed in the way of securing justice for our victims of rape and sexual assault, where the victims are predominantly women and children. “A court ought to be aware of these dimensions of rape and sexual assault and the research on these issues should be what informs the court’s decision. Anything less would be to short-change the people of Guyana.”

Stamp it out

Teixeira recalled that in a long and countrywide campaign to “stamp out sexual violence” in 2007- 2008 (prior to the enactment of the new Sexual Offences Act), the people of Guyana spoke on the issues that were affecting them relating to the reporting, investigation and prosecution of sexual offences. She said they detailed how they thought men with power and/or money got away with rape and other sex crimes; they complained against the sloth of the system; and they expressed frustration at the then laws being impractical in securing a conviction, particularly where children were the complainants.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman

Presidential Advisor on Governance, Gail Teixeira

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

Sensationalism and cynicism

The media in Guyana, especially the press, are going through a crisis, but they, least of all, do not seem to appreciate it. We are not speaking of the crisis that can be seen lying ahead if one look at the newspapers in the US and the UK withering on the vine for lack of readership and ad revenues.

That is perchance ten years down the road, and for us in Guyana, that is a lifetime: something for someone else to worry about.

We are referring to the deeper damage being wrought in the minds of our populace by the press about that fragile plant called "democracy", which we have been trying to nurture here for more than a century. But that is not exactly correct, is it?

We know that even though our newspapers weighed in heavily during that great struggle in the 1960s that was billed as "totalitarianism versus democracy", the side that they picked did not exactly exhaust itself spreading that form of ordering society and government.

In fact, the press itself was explicitly pruned to purvey a brand of journalism designed for a "New International Information Order". In this brave new world, the function of the press was to tell and retell the deeds of the government of the day. The private media did chafe at the bit and a "crisis" was declared.

In Guyana the crisis was epitomised by the PNC government of the day, effectively banning newsprint through their denial of foreign currency to procure same. The private press was choked to death.

It was with great fanfare that the dawning of a new era was declared when the system of governmental control was abandoned and the private press was brought back to life. Interestingly, the same country that had conspired to ensconce the totalitarian government into office, which killed the free press, helped to return both "democracy" and the "free press".

It is often forgotten that the Stabroek News received US$100,000 grant from the US's National Endowment for Democracy to launch its operations in 1986.

But it was with the return of free and fair elections in 1992, that another subversion of the press occurred. Television stations sprung up like mushrooms and several newspapers were launched. This arrival of democracy and the opening up of press freedom, not coincidentally arrived coevally, birthed in a climate of smaller government and lesser controls.

And just as in this new dispensation businesses in general ran amuck in its pursuit of profits at the expense of the societal greater good, sections of the press adopted the sensationalistic, yellow journalistic that had been so derided in its first destructive incarnation in the US as the "spit press".

But in Guyana, there was an even more insidious turn to the depravity of the press in its rejection of its more traditional role of creating a more informed citizenry to better perform their democratic duties.

The Kaieteur News in particular, initiated a process in which the most scandalous derogation of persons in or associated with the government became their norm. The law of libel was no bar to their depraved depictions as they pandered to the basest instincts of the populace.

And it is here that the greatest damage to the creation of a democratic polity in our country occurred. Because the Kaieteur News was able to deploy the Goebbelsian technique of repeating the "Big Lie", not about ideology or abstract concepts, but negative portrayals of individuals in authority, gradually we have arrived at a situation where a deep cynicism about government in general and democracy possibilities in particular.

However, it is hoped that the present imbroglio in which the owner and publisher of the Kaieteur News has found himself defending a charge of conspiring to defraud the state, will demonstrate to citizens that the posture of the paper might have been just projecting its owner's own venality.

Allegation of sexual abuse should not be occasions for injunction

Dear Editor,

The struggle for women’s and children’s rights began in the late 1940s in the then British Guiana. First amongst these rights was the right to have a voice, to be able to participate equally in the right to vote, regardless of gender and whether one owned property or not. This was achieved in 1952.

It was not until the late 1980s after years of calling for the end to sexual and domestic violence that several women’s organizations – the Women’s Progressive Organization, the Guyana Women’s Lawyers Association and the Red Thread came together calling for the revisions of the antiquated sexual offences statutes and the introduction of statutes criminalizing domestic violence.

The legacy of the 9th Parliament, particularly 2009-2011, is the enactment of a compendium of 5 progressive laws to protect and promote children’s rights and protect victims of sexual violence in the new Sexual Offences Act. The latter statute was gender neutral thereby giving for the first time protection to males in general, and, male children in particular, in cases of sexual offences.

These statutes came to fruition after long and consistent consultations stretching over years, involvement of grass roots organizations and communities, inputs from non–governmental organizations, and several parliamentary special select committees which received submissions and revised the original bills to incorporate expert advice and further strengthened the objective

of protecting victims of sexual violence and protecting children, in particular.

The overriding understanding by all, was and still is, that children are powerless as victims of child abuse and sexual violence, and therefore the responsibility of all citizens and the executive, legislature and judiciary must be the “best interests of the child” in accordance with the constitution.

After these long and hard fought for gains, it is therefore with utter disbelief and alarm that l read that an injunction has been issued against a young man who alleges that when he was a child, he was sexually abused by an attorney-at –law who is also the Speaker of the National Assembly and a known politician in Guyana.

I also note with even more alarm that the rights groups, or those who have held themselves out to be rights groups, have been deafeningly silent on of the issuance of the injunction.

The injunction

No allegation of sexual abuse whether made by a male or female, and whether current or going back to their childhood, should be muzzled. One expects that the accusation will be subjected to the scrutiny of the justice system where the accuser and accused will be heard and a judgment made by a jury.

A young man has made an allegation of sexual abuse claiming that this was done when he was a child. His complaint should always be taken seriously and be heard and our facilities, institutions, services and en-

vironment must always be ones that promote and facilitate such a complaint being made.

This should never be an occasion or an opportunity to gag the accuser.

From reading the injunction it seems as though it was granted because there was a claim that the complainant was depressed and suffering from other mental health problems and because the accused, the politician, claims that the accusation was politically motivated. The accused claimed that it was causing him to lose his reputation and be embarrassed.

A complaint of sexual abuse by a child or an adult against another will always cause that other to lose his/ her reputation, assuming there was one to lose. It will always be something embarrassing.

It will always be harmful to the accused. It is after all a criminal offence to rape or sexually assault someone. In no other accusation of a criminal offense is the issue of the reputation of the accused put under the microscope.

Additionally, according to worldwide research, almost every person who is raped or abused will suffer some form of depression and other mental health issues.

The claim by the accused that it is a political set up is easily something that can be determined by the police and/or a jury. It would be a matter of fact that should not according to our laws be determined by a judge alone.

This injunction sets such a dangerous precedent. It opens a door where any and every person who is accused

of rape can go to the court, claim that his/her reputation is being damaged, that the person making the allegations is sick, and that it was a plot or ploy by another person/persons and secure an injunction against the person who is making the claim!

Considering the abysmal state of our rate of prosecutions and convictions in sexual offences cases as exposed by the Guyana Human Rights Association and the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, we can ill afford as a country to have any more obstacles placed in the way of securing justice for our victims of rape and sex assault, where the victims are predominantly women and children.

A court ought to be aware of these dimensions of rape and sexual assault and the research on these issues should be what informs the court’s decision. Anything less would be to shortchange the people of Guyana.

In a long and country wide campaign to “stamp out sexual violence” in 20072008 (prior to the enactment of the new Sexual Offences Act ), the people of Guyana spoke on the issues that were affecting them relating to the reporting, investigation and prosecution of sexual offences. They detailed how they thought men with power and or money got away with rape and other sex crimes, they complained against the sloth of the system, they expressed frustration at the then laws being impractical in securing a conviction, particularly where children were the complainants.

Riot police fire tear gas to disperse protesters after thousands of protesters blocked the main street to the financial Central district outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong (businessinsider.com)

Trotman should do the right thing and resign

Dear Editor, The ethical thing, for the speaker of the house to do, is to resign until the police investigation of the accuser’s complaints is completed. Let the beacon of the truth take its course.

If Mr Raphael Trotman did indeed write a letter of recommendation for the accuser to get a job as a supervisor at the Pegasus Hotel, then it would be difficult to conclude that this 22 year old accuser is mentally challenged, as Mr Trotman wants us to believe.

Mr Trotman has been

a master of manipulation from the PNC/AFC. He used his position in those parties to penetrate himself into parliament as Speaker of the House. Mr Trotman should do right and honourable thing, and step down to allow justice to be served.

I am sure if a Member of Parliament was holding a high position in the Government, and was accused of rape from the time the victim was 12 years old, the Opposition and you, Mr Speaker, would have called for that person, even if he

were a Minister, to resign or step down and allow the law to take its course.

We must recall how the opposition and the Lindeners had called for Minister Rohee to resign over the shooting incident in Linden – an incident Mr Rohee had nothing to with.

The excuse that because there is a pending No Confidence Vote, Mr Trotman should remain Speaker of the House is absurd, shameful and despicable.

In any job or sensitive positions in Government

service such as in those held by doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc, when an accusation is made against those individuals, an immediate removal from the job follows. The accused is suspended, with or without pay pending the completion of the investigation.

Mr Speaker, resign now or step down and let the due process take its course which will vindicate either the victim (plaintiff) or defendant (Mr Trotman).

Sincerely,

Vassan Ramracha

Allegation of sexual abuse...

The lawmakers listened, heard and drafted laws that saw Guyana passing revolutionary and new legislation to cater for those weaknesses in our system including making provisions modern and real, such as removing the need for corroboration of a complainant’s account, allowing for special measures that remove the aura of heavy formality in the court room, allowing a witness to be shielded from an accused, etc.,.

This injunction now negates the work of the women’s rights movement over the last thirty years and the work of the 9th Parliament which drafted the laws and more importantly the thousands of Guyanese who contributed to that process.

All the work that has been expended to foster an environment to encourage victims of sexual violence to trust the system (police, social workers, prosecutors, and judges) and report these cases has been severely eroded.

This injunction sends a dangerous but clear message that accused persons can use their money and might to go to court and secure an injunction against a complainant from talking about or “publishing” the ordeal that the victim suffered.

It places more burdens on an already traumatised and very confused, depressed etc person whose very dignity and sense of safety was snatched from them by the very person being protected by the court.

A victim could now legitimately form the impression that a politician can rape and get away with it and that it makes little sense complaining as that person will use his/her power and money to get an injunction.

A victim can now easily decide not to complain against a lawyer for rape because the accused will go to the court where they will

reign amongst their friends and make the victim into the bad person and use the heavy hand of justice to gag them.

Regrettably, the injunction validates once again public opinion of the judicial system.

And can one blame people for that viewpoint ??

After all the case against CN Sharma, another politician, on charges of pedophilia is still not concluded after 5 years, and, now the accusation against another politician, the Speaker of the National Assembly.

Can one blame onlookers coming to the conclusion that wealthier persons are more likely to have easier access to the court?

The injunction reverses the even handed role and function of the court where victims expect to be protected and expect to get justice to one of facilitating the accused.

Justice no longer appears to be blind and even handed.

This is why this injunction is so terribly dangerous; it has undermined the entire tenets of justice for victims of sexual violence. This terrible precedent victimises the accuser all over again. In my opinion, this injunction should never have been granted.

I am not judging whether the accused Trotman is guilty or not, that l believe is for the court and a jury, if it ever reaches there.

The point is that an injunction can now be issued against every single complainant from making or “publishing” such complaints to the police, a social worker, a family member, the church, etc.,. Surely this must cause profound concern for human rights and democracy in our nation.

Rights groups

This is why the deafening silence in response to this unprecedented injunction of the rights groups who have been known to comment and

champion the cause of victims and children of rape and sexual assault deeply worries me. That, if nothing else, should have been noisily protested against. Nobody is asking rights groups at this point to determine the vexed issues as to whether the accused is innocent or guilty. That is not the point.

In the same way that these groups were justifiably adamant that the order should not have been made by the High Court in the Commissioner of Police Henry Greene matter (he too was innocent until proven guilty ), so too, one would expect that they would now be out in full force condemning the grant of this injunction.

Recall Henry Greene had gone to the court to secure an order stopping the Director of Public Prosecutions from charging him because he said the evidence was weak.

The complaint at the time by many, including a Minister of the Cabinet, was that the order was setting a terrible precedent in that every person could so claim and a judge (without a jury) could decide on facts … which is usually supposed to be done by a jury…and that a judge could determine the matter.

The same applies here. Every person accused of rape/sexual assault can now go to a court and claim that their reputation is being damaged or that they are being set up (which incidentally is an overwhelming claim by accused persons) or that the complainant is sick (which incidentally, the complainant is likely to be if the complainant was forced to suffer the indignity and crime of being abused sexually) and on those grounds, the accused could now obtain an injunction preventing the victim from speaking out.

That the rights groups are silent in the face of this horrific development is very,

The US Diversity Visa Lottery programme

Dear Editor, Guyanese and citizens of other countries can begin submitting an application for the 2016 US Diversity Visa Lottery programme.

The Diversity Visa Programme, often called the “green-card lottery”, is an annual diversity immigration programme that makes available by random selection upwards of 50,000 immigrant visas to people from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Currently, Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean region are among qualified countries.

from page 4

very sad and worrying. Surely their silence on this matter ---unlike others---- cannot be based on who the accused is??!! If that is so, then this is a terrible indictment of our times.

In retrospect, l cannot remember any call for CN Sharma to submit to justice from some of these same groups when he was charged with rape of a little girl, and would feign illness and check himself into hospital etc, causing then and even now untold delays in the hearing of the case.

Turn To page 17

The programme gives applicants an opportunity to get a green card visa without going through the normal family or business or professional sponsorships. There are limits of visas for certain areas and countries. Winners are chosen by random by a computerized process. Everyone has an equal chance of winning. Application will be accepted from noon October 1, 2014 through noon November 3, 2014. For details on eligibility and how to officially enter the DVL, visit www.dvlottery.state. gov.

There is no fee to enter the Diversity Visa Lottery.

Lottery winners will only pay fees at the US Embassy at the time of their interviews if they win a visa. One does not need a lawyer or a specialist to apply for the raffle. It can be done by yourself or someone with basic competence in using a computer.

Do not let anyone fleece you as has happened to so many in the US. Illegals in the US may also apply; however, they face issues to actually get a green card if they overstayed their visas in America. After an application is submitted, one gets a confirmation number that must be saved. It will not be possible to get that number again; if you lose it, there is no way you will know if you have won a raffled visa. Only through this number can one determine if you have won a visa by entering it into an Entrant Status Check. This can be done from May 5, 2015, to June 30, 2016. Please remember that only one entry per person is allowed. Multiple applications under the same identity disqualify the person from being entered into the raffle.

Submitted by, Vishnu Bisram

Who is the bully and who is the victim?

Dear Editor, I read the Kaieteur News front page comment dated September 29, headlined, “Plot to muzzle Kaieteur news”, and I am thinking why is it Kaieteur News is always involved in some controversy?

Why is it that from the four established daily papers, Kaieteur News is the only one that complains about attempts to either silence or shut them down? Why is it that they paint themselves as victims?

Victims don’t use their freedom to malign the character of persons in power (state and private) who don’t share there tunnel vision perspective. Victims don’t spew derogatory remarks at persons aimed at embarrassing them because they don’t subscribe to the opinions of the publisher of Kaieteur News. Intrinsically those are traits of a bully.

It’s rather perplexing how oblivious Kaieteur News is, as it pertains to their transgressions, but totally aware when they are ready to play the victim role and are confronted with what I must say is very smartly, the same tactics that they use.

And this is clearly seen in their front page comment

when Kaieteur News pronounced that the information pertaining to its publisher Glenn Lall’s duty free concession scam was released by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and that the information is confidential.

In fact Kaieteur news said, “Who is vindictive when information that should be held in confidence by GRA is leaked to newspapers? This has implications and raises serious questions about what else has been conveniently and maliciously leaked.”

Now Kaieteur News is ready to play the victim here again, but didn’t Kaieteur News leak confidential information, concerning the email exchanges between the head of GRA Khurshid Sattaur, former President Bharrat Jadgeo and Attorney General Anil Nandlall. Was that information not private and confidential?

Kaieteur News should explain to the public how is it that they were able to get such confidential information? The only way that could’ve been done is if the accounts of the persons were hacked by Kaieteur News, Kaieteur News bribed someone who has access

to get it, or it was released by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T).

I doubt it would be the last one since GT&T I presume is a professional company and would not divulge confidential information. So that leaves either hacking or bribing, now these two things are illegal in advanced countries and are most times used by terrorist organizations, yet here we have the Kaieteur News utilizing similar tactics, but is oblivious that what it is doing is reprehensible, all the while playing a victim role.

Kaieteur News should also know that what they have done “has implications and raises serious questions about what else has been conveniently and maliciously leaked”. It’s only tragic that an overwhelming number of persons read the Kaieteur News on a daily basis and use that medium to be informed, sooner or later though the discerning populous will see that the paper which is playing the victim, is really the paper that is the bully.

Yours sincerely, Faruk Mohamed

Page Foundation

Keeping children safe from predators

By Sara Bean, Med

Jerry Sandusky. Michael Jackson. Mary Kay

Letourneau. All of these individuals were accused and/ or convicted of committing unspeakable crimes against children. While certainly upsetting, these high-profile cases are a good opportunity to spark a conversation with your children about staying safe, as parents are the first and most powerful line of defence against predators. When parents educate their children, and make home a safe place for children to ask questions and talk about their experiences, children are less likely to become victims. Having a discussion with your child about online and offline safety isn’t always easy or comfortable, but it is important.

Children need facts and skills to protect themselves. They also need to know that you will calmly listen and understand what is going on, before reacting.

Please note that the information contained in this article is an overview and does not account for every type of predator, every prevention method, or every possible warning sign of abuse. If you suspect that your child may be a victim, or that someone is attempting to victimise them, contact your local law enforcement or child protection agency immediately.

But I don’t want to scare them

Talking about predators can be scary, especially for younger children. So before you talk to your child, think about what you want to say, and how you want to say it. What do you want your child to learn? How will you help them learn that? How might your child react?

Let your child know that while most people wouldn’t hurt them, there are some people who do the wrong thing. Tell them that you will always do your best to protect them. Remind them that one of the reasons you have rules and limits is to help keep them safe. Reassurance is key. Encourage your child not to keep secrets, especially if the secret makes them feel weird, uncomfortable, nervous, or unsafe. Your child needs to know that they can tell you about

ance can be very scary. Instead, if your child brings up a question, or if you see something on TV or in a movie, use these examples to talk about how your child can protect himself, how he should react if that happened in real life, and so on.

Teach age-appropriate skills

Teaching your child specific, age-appropriate skills can help them stay safe. As children age, the knowledge and skills they need change based on the risks they are likely to encounter.

these things and that you can handle it calmly. Stress that you will love them, no matter what. The bottom line is that children need facts and skills to protect themselves. But, they also need to know that you will calmly listen and understand what is going on, before reacting.

Be mindful when sharing specific real-world examples. I remember being about five years old and my mother telling me there was a kidnapper going around in a gray van taking children. This was absolutely terrifying! I don’t remember much discussion about what I should do if approached, but I do remember being frightened for years. My point? Giving specific examples and no personal safety skills or reassur-

Teaching safety is an ongoing process that can start as early as the pre-school years. For example, young children need to know not to talk to strangers (and really understand what a stranger is). They should be taught not to get into a car with strangers and the tricks strangers might use to lure them, like candy, puppies, or “your mom asked me to come get you”. You can also show them what to do if a stranger approaches them in this manner, like yelling “No!” and trying to run.

Meanwhile, older children need to understand that online, not everyone is who they say they are. Talk with them about how to spot a possible predator (for instance, if someone online is asking for their picture).

Explain what they should do if someone is making them uncomfortable (for example, they should always tell you, even if they know how to “block” that person).

Teens need to understand how using alcohol and drugs leave them vulnerable to sexual assault. Talk about how they might prevent someone from putting drugs in their beverages in order to later take advantage of them, like always keeping an eye on their drink.

Addressing the “It Won’t Happen to Me” Syndrome

Some younger children may be so innocent and naïve they have a hard time believing that someone could want to hurt them. Teens, on the other hand, can often feel invincible. While teens know that children can and do get hurt, they think, “That will never happen to me.” You can’t change your child’s thinking, but you can use your actions to let them know that this is a serious issue.

When talking about serious subjects like safety, remove all distractions—the tone of the conversation should reflect the magnitude of its importance. Have the conversation at a time and place that will allow you to talk face-to- face, rather than in the car or by text. Turn off all electronics during the discussion. Have clear rules and consequences. Let’s say the children aren’t following your rules about using the Internet; then perhaps they lose their computer privileges until they can show you they can make safe choices in other areas for a couple of days. Or, imagine your child takes off after school and doesn’t tell you where she is going. (Empoweringparents.com)

Online and offline safety precautions

Since children of all ages go online (whether on the computer, through their gaming systems or even your smartphone), education about online safety is as important as safety in the community. Even very young children need safety rules, such as what sites and apps are okay for them to use. Establish very clear expectations about the use of technology, backed by consistent consequences. Some rules to consider implementing with your children:

Do not talk online to someone they don’t know. Discuss with your children what it means to “know” someone; give clear examples about who they can and can’t interact with online. Ignore “friend” requests from people they don’t know well. Be specific. Is someone who follows a friend-of-a-friend considered by you to be a person they “know well”?

Do not share personal details, like where they live, go to school or play sports. Remember, online accounts are vulnerable to hacking – a complete stranger can literally hijack an account and chat, pretending to be your child’s friend. Even small bits of information shared in a public profile or postings can be put together to locate your child. Pictures and information you share can also be used to gain access to your child.

Other proactive steps parents can take include: Educate yourself about the types of social media and other technology your children are using. Learn how to use Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, etc.

Understand how privacy settings work –and check to make sure your child is using the strictest settings.

Join the social networks your child is using and “follow” or “friend” them so you can monitor their activity.

Limit Internet access during late-night hours—or make it unavailable altogether. This may decrease the possibility of encountering someone who is up to no good.

Keeping children safe offline

It’s a sad reality that most predators know their victim prior to committing an act of abuse. They “groom” the victim and the victim’s family over time. As Malcolm Gladwell reported in The New Yorker, grooming is a process by which a predator tests out likely victims, makes them feel special, and gains trust from the family and the child. It might start out with the predator initiating a hug. He then waits to see what the reaction is and slowly escalates his behaviour over time to increase the intimacy of physical contact.

Talk with your children about healthy boundaries: who is allowed to touch them, when, where and for what reasons. Who is it appropriate to wrestle with, horseplay with, shower with, share a bed with?

Children need to know that if a touch is unwanted or doesn’t feel right, it’s okay for them to tell that person to stop. Stress that if it feels wrong, it probably is wrong.

Signs that someone may be trying to initiate an inappropriate relationship with your child:

Giving expensive gifts or special privileges

Inviting the child to events while excluding others

Offering to transport the child alone

Inviting the child to their home

Threats and explicit bribes

Inviting the child to sleep in bed with them

Inviting the child on oneon-one day or overnight trips.

If something or someone sends up a “red flag” for you, think about who the person is and what their responsibility is to your child. A coach or teacher has no responsibility to give your child a ride, and it crosses professional boundaries for them to single out a child for a gift. (Excerpt from empoweringparents.com)

Activists warn against sexual grooming of boys

– law imposes $1M fine or five-year jail term

By Jomo Paul

Amid an upsurge in sexual violence against children, rights activists here are appealing to parents to be more vigilant as to who their children accept gifts from, while urging the authorities to aggressively tackle the issue of sexual grooming of young boys from paedophiles.

Grooming is a process of identifying and engaging a child in sexual activity. It involves an imbalance of power and elements of coercion and manipulation and also intent to sexually exploit the child. The issue came to light recently when Johnny Anthony Welshman accused Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman of pampering him with gifts during the alleged period of his sexual abuse.

“He started to sexually assault me when I was 12. It first started in his office, at that time I did not agree with it, but he offered to take me to Dairy Bar (formerly located on Croal Street) to buy me ice cream and then later that day, he took me to the House of Flavours and so I start to give into him,” the young man had alleged. Welshman went on to say that after the assault continued, he complained to his father who turned a deaf ear, so he continued to collect the things which were offered to him by Trotman.

“Around school time he would usually take me to buy all my school things, telling my parents that he will take care of the expenses. He would also make sure that I wear the most expensive clothes and also buy me fancy sneakers and everyone in my class would usually tell me that I am rich with the amount of money I used to go to school with; all of that Uncle Raphael give me,” Welshman had noted.

Trotman has since denied all the allegations, describing them as malicious and unfounded coming from “an unstable young man who, sadly, appears to have a troubled mind. I categorically deny his wicked assertions.”

Trotman said unfortu-

nately, Welshman seems to have been “conveniently encouraged by manipulative and diabolic political forces. Conveniently, such scandalous assertions are obviously intended to provide a timely distraction from the serious prevailing political situation in Guyana, which imminently requires me as Speaker of the National Assembly to guide the ship of the nation’s Parliament through the strongest test to Guyana’s constitutional democracy: the debate of a noconfidence motion.” He said, as a true patriot of Guyana, “I will not allow the office of Speaker of the National Assembly to be compromised or be denigrated by false accusations for political expediency. There is absolutely no truth in the allegation, and I am confident that the masterminds and supporters of this dastardly plot will soon be exposed. I call for a thorough and professional investigation into this scurrilous allegation. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Head of the Child Care and Protection Agency, Ann Greene told Guyana Times on Monday that most child abusers use the grooming tactic to get to their victims. “Most child abusers will groom their victims first. Even in home that’s how you get to children and get them not to talk,” Greene said. “You get them to trust you...

PPP/C pleased with new development at GECOM

After months of criti cising the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) said it is finally pleased with ongoing de velopments within the Commission and by exten sion the Secretariat.

Addressing reporters at a PPP/C news conference on Monday, the party’ General Secretary Clement Rohee said GECOM’s decision to solicit international donors to monitor the electoral pro cess in Guyana is a step in the right direction; allowing for free, fair and transparent elections. He said the setting up of the Joint International Technical Assistance (JITA) to aid the transparency of the entire electoral process must be applauded as well. According to him, Guyanese must remember that it was the PPP that lobbied for JITA to be present here even before the process of registration got under way.

strengthened and Guyanese are afforded their rights.”

However, the General Secretary said the PPP/C is concerned over the orchestrated smeared campaigns and character assassination aimed at some of its leaders. According to him, the proposed MMU would safeguard politicians against such “assassinations”.

GECOM’s decision to employ an Information Technology (IT) Manager and the consideration towards the establishment of a Media Monitoring Unit (MMU) are also welcomed initiatives, Rohee added. “With elections looming, be it general or local, this is certainly an encouraging move… to ensure that our democracy is

In its most recent press conference, GECOM’s Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally indicated that the Commission was in the process of acquiring the services of a JITA. JITA refers to an experienced individual who engages in the management of elections. It was explained that JITAs have always been

buy clothes and buy all these things. It’s the preparation for the attack.”

Studies of sexual offenders have found that deliberate tactics are often used to select victims and engage them in sexual abuse. Sexual offenders have often claimed to identify vulnerable children – for example, those who are less able to tell about the abuse, or are unhappy or needy. According to publications, there are a number of specific techniques that offenders use to mask their behaviour prior to the assault, as well as during and after the assault.

“Many deliberately establish themselves as the kind of person you wouldn’t suspect to be a sex offender, because they are “too nice” or an upstanding person in the community who helps a lot of people out,” an article by Laurel House, a North and North-West Tasmania Sexual Assault Support Services said. Described as a powerful tactic, it allows offenders to become embedded

in a community and be involved in a number of socially responsible activities such as youth groups, churches and schools, which can give the offender access to a number of potential victims without ever being suspected.

“This double life causes parents and others to drop their guards and to allow access to their children without suspecting anything. It is important to also note that the majority of offenders are known to the family, and too often are family members,” the organisation said.

Guyana’s Sexual Offences Act 2010 specifically spoke of “meeting a child under 16 years following sexual grooming”. Under Section (1) A of the Act, it states that any person 18 years of age or over who commits the offence of meeting a child following sexual grooming if (a) having met or communicated with another person (“the complainant”) on at least two earlier occasions, the accused (i) meets the complainant; or

(ii) travels with the intention of meeting the complainant in any part of the world at the time, the accused intends to do anything to or in respect of the complainant, during or after the meeting and in any part of the world, which if done will involve the commission by the accused of an offence under this Act; and (c) the complainant is under 16 years of age and the accused does not reasonably believe that the complainant is 16 years of age or over. In subsection (la) the reference to the accused having met or communicated with the complainant is a reference to the accused having met the complainant in any part of the world or having communicated with the complainant by any means from, to or in any part of the world. A person who commits an offence under this section is liable (a) on summary conviction, to a fine of $1 million or imprisonment for five years; (b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for 10 years.

identified and funded by the International Development Partners (IDP).

According to him, the scope of work, list of duties and the terms of reference have already been submitted to IDP.

Alluding to the IT Manager’s post, Dr Surujbally had disclosed that the Commission was in the process of acquiring a competent and qualified individual to the post.

However, it was explained that GECOM has repeatedly advertised the post locally and internationally for suitable candidates to apply, but to no avail.

“The Commission was not satisfied that the applicants who expressed interest in the job would have been able to fulfill the requirements of the position. The Commission is currently in the process of sourcing someone, even temporarily, to fill the position very likely with the help of the International Development Partners (IDP),” the Chairman explained.

Despite criticisms, Dr Surujbally maintains that GECOM has gained international recognition due to its outstanding electoral systems. Soon, he said GECOM will apply for ISO certification.

GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally

Head of the Child Care and Protection Agency, Ann Greene

tuesDAY, september 30, 2014 | guYAnAtimesgY.com

GDF officer charged with causing death of fellow officer

Twenty-six-year-old

Antonio Eastman was granted $200,000 bail after being arraigned on a charge of causing of death

by dangerous driving.

The Army Lieutenant stationed at Camp Ayanganna appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

It is alleged that on November 1, 2013, he drove motor vehicle PPP 2210 along Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, in a manner dangerous to the public causing the death of Lieutenant Ronald Gonsalves, 31.

Eastman was represented by defence counsel, who told the court that his client is not a fight risk and requested reasonable bail.

Police Prosecutor Michael Grant had no objections to bail.

Lieutenant Gonsalves, a father of two of Linden, was killed after the car he

Woman remanded on illegal firearm and ammunition charges

Twenty-one-year-old

Elisabeth Winter was on Monday remanded to prison on charges of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition. She appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

It is alleged that on September 25 at 14 Miles, Bartica, Region Seven, she had in her possession five rounds of ammu -

nition without being a licensed firearm holder. On September 27, she also allegedly had in her possession a revolver without being the holder of a firearm licence.

Police Prosecutor Michael Grant objected to bail on the grounds of the offence’s prevalence and no special reasons being presented. The Chief Magistrate ruled in favour of the prosecution, remanding Winter until October 9.

Siblings stabbed by man of unsound mind

Two siblings are now patients at the Georgetown Public Hospital after they were allegedly stabbed by a man suspected to be of unsound mind in the Vendors’ Arcade, Water Street, Georgetown on Monday afternoon.

The incident took place around 16:30h. The injured men were identified as Alex Layne and Arlo Layne of Lot 544 Good Hope, East Coast Demerara. Alo suffered one stab wound to his forehead, one to his right shoulder and another to his right palm, while his brother sustained stab wounds to his left abdomen and hands.

According to information received, the two siblings operate stalls in the Vendors’ Arcade and were going about their business when the allegedly insane man attacked Alex with a sharp object. Upon seeing the commotion, Alo ran to

his rescue and in fighting off the “mad man”, he was also injured.

Persons in the area reportedly ran to the siblings’ rescue and managed to apprehend the assailant who was subsequently handed over to the Police. The two injured men were placed in a minibus and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where they were admitted.

As the news spread, relatives rushed to the medical facility but did not offer any comments since they were not around when the incident occurred. The Laynes have been selling at the Vendors’ Arcade for quite some time. Persons in the area related that the man would normally pass through the area threatening to hit people, but, most times, he was ignored. The Police are continuing their investigation.

was travelling in crashed in to a utility pole on Mandela Avenue in the vicinity of the Rubis Gas Station, last November. According

to persons on the scene, the car was heading along Mandela Avenue at a fast pace when it suddenly slammed into the utility pole splitting it in two, with splinters plunging through the car window and fatally injuring the officer.

Three other Army officers: Lieutenant John Flores, Lieutenant Eastman (the driver) and Lieutenant Rickford Warden were also injured in the accident. They were listed as stable at the Georgetown Public Hospital where they were rushed for medical attention.

Gonsalves is survived by his two children and his wife. Eastman will make his second court appearance on October 21 at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Former reporter charged for fraudulent conversion

Forty-five-year-old

Mark Bradford was granted $50,000 bail after he pleaded not guilty to a fraudulent conversion charge when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on Monday.

It is alleged that the former Guyana Chronicle re-

porter, between November 1 and December 24, 2013 at Georgetown, being solely entrusted by Elton Cordis with $525,000 to pay for a venue, music and Police for a “foam” party, with the intent to defraud, converted the sum to his own use.

Police Prosecutor Michael Grant did not oppose bail and the matter was adjourned until October 31.

Trotman’s gagging of...

From page 3

“The lawmakers listened, heard and drafted laws that saw Guyana passing revolutionary and new legislation to cater for those weaknesses in our system, including making provisions modern and real, such as removing the need for corroboration of a complainant’s account, allowing for special measures that remove the aura of heavy formality in the courtroom, allowing a witness to be shielded from an accused, etc...”

“This injunction now negates the work of the women’s rights movement over the last 30 years and the work of the Ninth Parliament which drafted the laws and more importantly the thousands of Guyanese who contributed to that process. All the work that has been expended to foster an environment to encourage victims of sexual violence to trust the system (Police, social workers, prosecutors, and judges) and report these cases has been severely eroded.”

She added: “This injunction sends a dangerous but clear message that accused persons can use their

money and might to go to court and secure an injunction against a complainant from talking about or “publishing” the ordeal that the victim suffered. It places more burdens on an already traumatised and very confused, depressed, etc person whose very dignity and sense of safety were snatched from them by the very person being protected by the court.”

She said with the precedent set by the injunction, a victim could now legitimately form the impression that a politician can rape and get away with it and that it makes little sense complaining as that person will use his/her power and money to get an injunction. “A victim can now easily decide not to complain against a lawyer for rape, because the accused will go to the court where they will reign amongst their friends and make the victim into the bad person and use the heavy hand of justice to gag them. Regrettably, the injunction validates once again public opinion of the judicial system. And can one blame people for that viewpoint ??”

Eyew tness

Male bovine excrement...

... from Ramjattan

Ramjattan’s having to backtrack so fast from his lies on the $30 million “bribe” allegations he concocted in his sick and perverted mind, he’s suffering from whiplash. The fella so hates the PPP/C it looks like he’s literally sold his soul to the devil to get back at them. But he would know that these Faustian bargains have a habit of consuming the maker. In fire. “Bun” them!!!

Ramjattan’s Opposition Leader Granger has just put away all diplomatic niceties and bluntly told the wanker that all his claim boils down to is an “INVENTION”. That’s right. Granger’s saying, “Ramjattan’s a lying so-and-so”. But it’s just he didn’t put it in those words. He’s not Nagamootoo. Now Ramjattan can’t blow away this damning accusation by rubbing his doo doo on the Chronicle and saying “they made up Granger’s denial”. The story was carried in the Opposition’s Muckraker!! But once you start lying, you can’t stop. It’s like dogs sucking eggs! Ramjattan, caught in his lie, then tried to bluster. He claimed, “I can’t really recall saying that it is only members of APNU.” And of course, he took the opportunity to blame the Chronicle. Hey!! An asteroid hits the Planet Mars?? Got to be the Chronicle, if you ask Ramjattan!!

But weeks ago, Ramjattan was caught on tape by a reporter from this newspaper explicitly saying (sanctimoniously) that AFC MPs would never take bribes. Cross his heart and hope to die!!! It was APNU MPs that were caught doing the dirty!! This Eyewitness has asked that the tape be passed on to the Evening News so that even those who can’t read can hear. It was the same tape in which he told the PPP/C three times to “Haul deh ass”!!

But like we said. Once you start lying through your teeth…pressed as to where he heard about the “bribery allegation”, he then claimed it was “from deep within the PPP/C”!! What a fibber!!

We know Nixon was brought down in the Watergate scandal by the leaks from “Deep Throat”. We guess with all the allegations of paedophilia involving boys forced to perform all kinds of unnatural acts, the AFC want to say they have their own “Deep Throat”!!

Finally (for this piece, that is. There’s no “finality” to the lying of Ramjattan.) Ramjattan lied again when he said he couldn’t tell who exactly it was that gave him the information, because “as a lawyer”, he had to respect the attorney-client privilege on confidentiality.

What a crock!!! As we learnt recently, this privilege only kicks in when the person giving the info is a client. For which Ramjattan would’ve had to collect a retainer. How much did Ramjattan collect?? As much as he got from Fedders Lloyd??

...from MuckrakerKN

The Muckraker and its owner, Mook Lall, have their backs against the wall. So like all rats do when cornered, they’re lashing out. But if what they spewed out in their “front page comment” to defend the charges against them on the remigrant scam’s the best they can do, then Lall and some of his associates are due to spend some quality time at Lot 12 Camp Street.

Here it is, they’re being charged with conspiring to defraud the Government of Guyana of millions through false declarations on an official transaction. Namely buying two Lexuses in the States in the name of the parents of an associate and shipping them back dutyfree here. The vehicles arrive and Lall uses them ALL THE TIME.

And Lall’s defence in his Front Page Comment?? That the duty-free allowance might’ve been abused by others ALSO!!

Hey!! Everyone who did the crime will have to do the time!! Mook Lall’s going down!

...on tax info

So again we ask. How does information on the financials of Stabroek, Guyana Times and Chronicle become a “conspiracy to destroy” the MuckrakerKN??

The deceased: Lieutenant Ronald Gonsalves

The accused: Lieutenant Antonio Eastman

First suspect arrested Welshman's alleged sodomy...

– Police still probing Trotman

Just over a week after Johnny Welshman Jnr accused Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman, his father and a close family friend of sexually molestation, a Yarrowkabra businessman was arrested on Monday and is being interrogated.

A Division Commander Clifton Hicken confirmed the arrest, noting that the suspect is being questioned by members of the Criminal Investigative Department (CID).

He said that since the report was lodged, an investigation has been launched while disclosing that there are no eyewitnesses to support the young man’s claims.

As such, charges are not likely to be instituted at this stage. There have been reports circulating that the Speaker of the National Assembly will be charged in the same matter.

House, creek Guyana Times understands that the accuser, Welshman, would have accompanied a detective from the CID to Yarrowkabra on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway where he pointed out the house and creek where he was molested.

The suspect reportedly refused to corporate with the Police and allegedly told Welshman “you could have come to me first”.

Sources confirmed that Johnny Welshman will be before acting Chief Justice Ian Chang on Wednesday where he is expected to present his affidavit requesting for the ex parte interim injunction filed by Trotman to be discharged.

On that day, he intends to release information about several high rank -

ing politicians who have lashed out against him. Information ranging from affiliations in Trinidad and Tobago, gifts offered to him by several political activist and others.

In addition, Guyana Times understands that the Johnny Welshman Snr cannot be located. Several calls to his mobile phones by the investigators went unanswered and so did that of the Speaker of the National Assembly.

Recently, Crime Chief Leslie James told Guyana Times that the Guyana Police Force has

launched a formal investigation into alleged sodomisation of a 13-yearold boy by Trotman, who is an Alliance For Change (AFC) Executive Member and former Presidential Candidate.

He said the Police have already contacted Trotman to obtain a statement with the aim of completing the preliminary round of investigations.

When asked when the report was lodged by Welshman with the Police, the Crime Chief did not give details.

James comments come at a time when there is

growing public outrage and unease following Welshman’s decision to go public about the sexual molestation he allegedly endured while he was a boy at the hands of Trotman.

A senior Police officer, who is close to the probe, told this newspaper that the Force is treating the case with the same level of urgency and attention as any other case involving paedophile allegations.

“We will not be intimidated. We will do our work professionally and responsibly. We are not looking at the office that Trotman holds, we are looking at him in his personal capacity. We are only concerned about ensuring that we do our part to ensure that justice is served,” the officer said.

He insisted that the Police will not be sidetracked or distracted by the comments made by the AFC and its leadership.

“They have work to do and we have our own work to do. We will resist any attempt by the party or its members to interfere with our probe,” the officer said.

Meanwhile, Director of Public Prosecutions Shalimar Ali-Hack has already confirmed receiving a complaint from Welshman.

Albouystown shooting... Post-mortem report missing from file sent to PCA

Police Complaints

Authority (PCA)

Chairman Cecil Kennard on Monday disclosed that while he is in receipt of the file with respect to the shooting to death of Adrian Bishop, 28, the postmortem examination report is missing.

The former justice told Guyana Times that the report plays an important part in the matter.

Based on the report submitted to the PCA Chairman, it is alleged that the gun went off accidently, but with the post-mortem examination, it likely to determine if that was the case.

He also noted that there is one witness whose statement is entirely different from what the Police said had occurred. There are a total of 12 statements to be perused before he makes his recommendations to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Backup

However, Guyana Times understands that Bishop and the Police rank who had called for backup shared a relationship and on the night of the incident, they had met at a dance in Hill Street, Albouystown.

The report that was submitted to the PCA Chairman stated that on the night of the incident, the now dead man attempted to throw a bottle at her.

It was this time, she contacted her colleagues who were in the area and reported the matter. The young man was arrested and placed in the minibus where he was subsequently shot.

After the incident, the Office of Professional Responsibly (OPR) was called in to investigate the matter, and as such, compiled the report which was sent to the PCA.

Bristol was shot to the neck while he allegedly attempted to relieve a Police rank of his shotgun. He was arrested on Saturday evening for a robbery under arms offence.

Assault report

However, after the shooting incident, the Police in a release stated that ranks of a mobile Police patrol responded to a report received from a Policewoman, stating that a suspect who was wanted for robbery under arms had assaulted her in Albouystown, Georgetown.

The Police, accompanied by a reporter, went to Hill Street, Albouystown, where Bishop was pointed out to them.

Bishop was informed of the allegation against him and was arrested and placed in the Police vehicle.

The Police added that while being transported to the Police station, he held on to a Policeman and attempted to relieve him of his shotgun, resulting in a struggle during which, he was shot to the neck. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

On the contrary, Adrine Mc Almont, the mother of the dead man is holding out that her son was cold-boldly murdered by a Police rank. She said based on reports she received, the young man

was shot once to the neck while he was sitting in a silver grey “Pitbull” used by the Police.

She is contending that the shooting stemmed from jealousy involving a Policewoman with whom her son shared a relation. It was reported that after the Policewoman saw the young man at the party with another woman, she started an argument and it was during this time, she called for Police back up, claiming that Bishop was wanted in connection with a robbery.

Meanwhile, the Police had implicated Bishop in several crime-related activities. He was placed on $100,000 bail for an offence of carjacking. He came out of the lock ups on September 5 after he posted bail.

On September 7, he was reportedly riding to his mother’s house on Garnett Street when Police intercepted and took him into custody after he did not have a license to ride the motorcycle. A traffic matter, she noted was changed to armed robbery.

Dead: Adrian Bishop

Rape accuser, Johnny Welshman Jnr

Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman

Govt, tour operators discuss incentive regime

When the Tourism Ministry sat down with the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) on Monday to discuss the 2015 tourism budget, high on the agenda was the introduction of an incentive regime for tourist operators.

According to acting

Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali, the Ministry has recognised that with the type of tourism product Guyana has to offer, there is a high cost to access them.

“Tourism for us is a very expensive endeavour in relation to the type of tourism we offer and the placement of the tourism: river, savannah, interior

locations…the sector has raised their concerns in relations to incentives to promote easier mode of travel and in acquisition of assets to benefit the sector and how we will link that to growth and development and taxation,” the Minister explained.

Ali said that the Ministry will be focusing

on a joint collaboration and expansion regarding its marketing approach of the sector as he dubbed 2015 the year of marketing.

“Marketing, as we know, is a responsibility in this entire sector and the Government also has a major stake. We would like to see 2015 being the year of marketing and compliance,” he said.

On this note, the Minister said the intention of his Ministry will be to focus heavily on compliance and adherence to regulations within the tourism sector.

The Minister foresees 2015 being the year of tourism and hopes that all of Guyana adopts this concept as they market Guyana internationally and actively pursue targeted markets so that Guyana’s tourism product can achieve its full potential.

International level

Meanwhile, THAG President Shaun Mc Grath emphasised the need to develop the tourism product to international market level, which requires an incentive regime at the national level that is suitable to the industry.

“We do a lot of stuff in the interior, a lot of transportation and it makes our product very expensive and in general you will find people who come down and use Guyana currently, one of their biggest concerns is transportation within the interior in terms of the condition of the road, the type of vehicles that are used and they all make Guyana’s tourism product very expensive,” the THAG President pointed out.

Additionally, Mc Grath called on Government to give due recognition to the tourism industry, stating that the sector has continuously brought in decent income.

“We are an export industry and just because

Paper man gon have to face de music

Areporter who does wuk pun Saffon Street wid paper man, aka Mook Lall, aka backtracker, aka nighttime pumpkin farmer, aka money-insuitcase man, aka duty-free man, aka US embassy snitcher, tell a funny story de other day around some other reporters.

Every body was skinnin dem teeth when de reporter tell de story. But as old people seh, all skin teeth nah laugh. De reporter was talkin bout how de paper man like dress up, suit up, shoes up and dhaal up.

Well, he can’t comb up so he does have to shave up, accordin to de reporter. Poor Adumb, aka headitor, aka house slave, aka soup drinker, does have to check to see if any hair leff any where. And any where can be every where, including down there, accordin to de reporter.

De reporter seh de paper man like plenty music too, and so he like to dance up, sport up, drink up, smoke up and talk up. Apparently de paper man does do all this, because he can’t get any ting else up, accordin to de reporter.

Wid all dem injunction, lawsuit, city council tax and duty-free tax charges, de paper man does put on he music and dance up wid Adumb at de wuk place and laugh at dem. Another reporter send a photo de other day and that look like it had some serious jump up.

But de reporter seh de paper man gotta setta music comin to he whah he ain’t gon like. And that is when every body start to skin dem teeth, like if dem know whah kinda music de reporter was talkin bout.

Because every body who know de paper man know that paper man like to jump up when he hear music. Well, apparently de judge and de magistrate gon soon be playin a lotta music in de court and de paper man gon have to dance to that music.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! But de reporter seh he not sure if paper man ready to face that kinda music!

nothing leaves the country don’t mean we are not an export industry, we export our product but our product doesn’t leave the country, which is very unique. We earn higher currency and anywhere in the world would classify as being an export industry. Even in Guyana, there are incentives in place for export industries and we would like to see that applied to us as well,” he urged.

On the other hand, former THAG President Kit Nascimento pointed out that for Guyana to compete with other tourism destinations in the Caribbean and Central America, its domestic product needs to

be competitively priced.

“It is expensive to get to our product once you land in Guyana because our product is fundamentally nature tourism and it’s in our hinterland… are we therefore competitive? We are not at this point, but we can be if the Government takes into account the need for incentives and they are applied to make us competitive for the Caribbean and Central America,” he stated.

Minister Ali is hoping to wrap up discussions soon and present the Ministry’s tourism budget to the Finance Ministry by the end of the week.

Acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali and other officials at the 2015 tourism budget discussions

Elderly woman raped at Matthews Ridge

Amother of five of Matthews Ridge, North West District was allegedly raped on Tuesday last by a man in the village who had broken and entered her home.

The 55-year-old woman has been paralysed on the right side for the past two years after suffering from a stroke.

According to information received, the woman lives alone and on the night in question, the man reportedly gained entry into the house by opening a door located next to a window.

The woman reportedly heard movement in the house and got up from her bed to enquire, but was attacked and pushed to the ground where she was assaulted about the body. After assaulting the woman, the perpetrator reportedly ripped off her clothes and committed the heinous crime.

The perpetrator might have been under the influence of alcohol when he committed the act. A report was lodged at the Matthews Ridge Police Station which led to the arrest of the man, but he was released after the Police claimed that there was no evidence against him.

He allegedly told investigators that the woman had agreed to have sexual intercourse with him. A daughter of the woman told Guyana Times via telephone that the perpetrator is walking a free man.

She explained that after the incident, her mother went to a relative of the suspect and related her ordeal and was encouraged to report the matter to the Police. After lodging the complaint, she took the Police to her home where a pair ofsunglasses belonging to the man was recovered.

She also showed them her torn garments. Upon seeing this, a male Police Constable, the daughter stated accompanied the woman to the hospi-

tal for a medical examination to determine whether the woman was raped.

The furious daughter is holding out that the nurses never examined the woman to determine if she was raped, but issued a medical certificate to prove that she was indeed physically assaulted.

She added that a detective from the Port Kaituma Police Station was summoned to investigate the matter, but he too claimed that there is no medical certificate to substantiate the woman’s claim, and as such, the man was released.

Guyana Times understands that the perpetrator worked for the woman’s son in a mining camp, but was recently let go due to his attitude.

The daughter, who is concerned about her mother’s safety, recollected the manner in which a villager was raped and killed about a week ago.

Relatives of the woman are calling for justice and the Guyana Police Force to investigate the matter thoroughly.

Samantha Ashby of Pakera, Matthews Ridge, North West District (NWD) was found around 11:00h on Tuesday in a clump of bushes by a group of schoolchildren who were passing by.

Guyana Times was made to understand that the woman’s body bore marks of violence and her feet had abrasions. Her eyes were “black” and “blue” and her face swollen. There were bloodstains on her body and her knees were badly bruised.

An autopsy performed by Dr Nehaul Singh on the woman proved that the mother of one suffered a broken hip and fractured skull. He also confirmed that the pregnant woman was raped before she was killed.

Four persons were arrested, but due to the lack of evidence, they were subsequently released.

T&HD employee killed in WCD accident

Ayoung motorist lost his life on Sunday evening after he was allegedly struck down by a car and run over by another at Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara (WCD).

Rayshan Cooke, 21, also called “Cookie” of Lot 36 Crane Housing Scheme, WCD was stuck down about 20:40h and was left to die on the roadway.

According to information received, the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) employee who was stationed at the Parika Stelling was not wearing any helmet and was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident.

He was riding his CG motorcycle bearing registration number CE 4343.

Cooke was reportedly at the Region Three Jamboree at the Uitvlugt Community Centre Ground and would

Dead: Rayshan Cooke

have left with the intention of changing his clothing to return.

While he was heading home, he allegedly came into contact with a motor car, resulting in him falling onto the roadway. He was subsequently run over by another car which was travelling closely behind.

Timandra Bairde, a cousin of the dead man, told Guyana Times that she, Cooke and other rela -

Mahdia Chinese restaurant robbed of millions

AChinese national who operates a restaurant at 111 Miles, Mahdia, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) was on Sunday evening terrorised and robbed of a quantity of cash and gold.

The incident reportedly occurred about 21:45h.

According to information, Lejum Jhang, 62, was in the process of closing his business when four men entered, held him at gunpoint and robbed him of $3 million and an ounce of raw gold.

A source told Guyana Times that the four men armed with handguns gain entry into the man's premises by scaling a fence.

One of the men held the

owner at gunpoint and demanded money and gold while the others terrorised his workers and an elderly woman.

Lejum put up resistance but was dealt several lashes to the body and head with the gun. After searching the building thoroughly, the money and the gold were found by the bandits who left on feet.

Guyana Times understands that the Chinese national would normally buy raw gold; hence, he would keep a large amount of cash at his premises.

The elderly woman received injuries about the body and was taken to the Mahdia Hospital where she was treat-

tives were at the jamboree. She said her cousin went straight from work and after spending some time, he decided to go home to change his clothes.

She said she was up and about doing “her thing” when she received a phone call from a relative, informing her about the accident. Bairde said by the time she arrived at the scene, his body was already removed; hence, she rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH). But when she got there, the body had already been taken to the Ezekiel Funeral Home.

There, she said, she saw his badly damaged body. He suffered broken bones and his head was partially crushed, she added. The woman said she later learnt that he was left on the road for more than an hour before he was picked up and taken to the hospital.

She is holding out that

he might have been alive if public-spirited citizens had rendered assistance.

The cousin described Cooke as a quiet person who was always on the move.

Meanwhile, Jenna Henry, another relative with whom Cooke shared a close relationship, explained that about 13:30h, she spoken to him on the telephone.

The young woman said she was at the creek with her supervisors when he had called, telling her that he was going to Leguan to drop off someone.

During the conversation, the phone disconnected and she thought that his credit was finished. She did not hear from him for the rest of the day. Upon her return home, she received the dreaded news of his demise. The relative related that by the time she reached to the hospital, his body had already been tak -

en to the parlour.

Henry said from all indications, it seems as though the two drivers were racing at the time when her cousin was stuck down.

“The thing that is terrible, is that both of them left him on the road for more than an hour before he was picked up,” she added.

The mother of the dead man said she was at home when she received the telephone call and rushed to the scene only to see her son’s motionless body lying on the roadway. At the time, she could not say what had occurred, but claimed that eyewitnesses refused to give an account of what took place.

Cooke's body is at the Ezekiel Funeral Home and is awaiting a post-mortem examination. He leaves to mourn his mother and two sisters. Both drivers are in custody assisting the Police with their investigations.

ed.

The source went on to say that after the robbery, Police launched a manhunt for the perpetrators and arrested several persons for questioning.

He said from all indications, the robbery was planned, claiming that there was a party on the streets in Mahdia and more particularly in front of the Chinese restaurant.

The crowd became aware of the robbery after Lejum raised an alarm after the men left the premises. Police reportedly shut down the party soon after acting on information received. They are continuing their investigation.

The motionless body of Rayshan Cooke lying on the roadway at Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara on Sunday evening

tuesDAY, september 30, 2014 | guYAnAtimesgY.com

Ramotar to Guyanese diaspora: invest in Guyana!!

President Donald Ramotar has called on Guyanese living in the United States of America (USA) to return home and invest in the country’s booming economy.

The President, who travelled to the USA to attend and address the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, used the opportunity to meet Guyanese living there. He met the Guyanese community in Queens, New York on Friday evening and those in Washington on Saturday evening.

President Ramotar updated the several hundreds of Guyanese on developments taking place in the current and prevailing political uncertainty. He spoke of the eight successive years of economic growth in the Guyanese economy, infrastructural advancements and Guyana’s success stories in the social sector, particularly housing, education, and health.

“This says a lot and really drives a nail in the lie that our country wasn’t going anywhere. And why have we been able to do that? We have been able to do that despite the fact that 1) traditionally, one of the most important sectors of the economy – sugar, was not doing very well… broadening the base of our economy, what we had promised from since 1992 about broadening the base of our economy and making it more immune from external shocks, we have succeeded in a very large way... because rooted in the philosophy of the PPP is the fact that the economy must serve the people in an inter-related and connected way, while the economy will serve the people, the people will have to build the economy.”

The President noted that his Government always believes in the fact that the most important factor for development have been the people, and his Government has been investing heavily in its people to build capac-

Amaila Falls Hydro Power project, and the Specialty Hospital, among others.

The Presiden, mean while, said his Government has never denied there is corruption in the country, but pointed to the various efforts successive People's Progressive Party/Civic ad ministrations have been making to tackle this issue, “but let me make this point to you, our achievements could not have been possi ble without improvement in our economic democracy, we could not have survived and strive in an international at mosphere when you had a grave financial and econom ic crisis gripping the world”.

Centre for Laparoscopic Surgery commissioned at Linden Hospital

ity, pointing to the way in which the Government has been allocating resources.

“Let me give you one startling figure that you never see in the press anytime. When we came into office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was getting more

“I would not stand in front of you here and tell you that we do not have corruption in our country, we know, we talk about it ourselves, but we have put in place many, many things to fight corruption. When we came to office there was no bidding system for Government contracts or procurement of services. We didn’t know how much corruption was taking place (under the PNC Government),

money than the Ministries of Education, Health, Housing and Agriculture, all put together. Today, we have the opposite situation, where the bulk of our investment, if you examine our economy, goes to the social sector –health – education gets the biggest in this, 30 per cent of our budget,” he explained.

Collective effort

The President said his Government remains committed to continuing the transformation of Guyana, but needs the help of all Guyanese, since he does not have a development partner in the Opposition, pointing to their anti-developmental stance since they won a one-seat majority in the National Assembly which they used to cut critical budgetary allocations, defeat important legislation like the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill and block transformational projects like the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, the

because the Auditor General was prevented from doing auditing of Government books.

The last Auditor General’s report came out 10 years before the Government changed. The last Auditor General’s report under the last regime was in 1982… they had all kinds of accounts; they had an account in Canada which no one was allowed to audit and they are making these kinds of accusations against us. Since we got into office, every year, the Auditor General report comes out. That report goes to a Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly and that Committee is always chaired by a member of the Opposition.”

The President urged the diaspora to return home and invest in the economy so that Guyana can reach its full potential.

Many Guyanese living abroad responded positively and requested that they be informed of how they can work with the Government to set up their businesses in Guyana.

Healthcare services continue to expand and improve at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC), with the most recent addition of a Centre for Laparoscopic Surgery, now located inside the health facility.

The centre is sponsored by the National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People’s Republic of China.

An official inauguration ceremony held at the health institution on Sunday marked the commissioning of the centre, although it has been in use for some time.

Laparoscopic surgery, also referred to as keyhole surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) or bandaid surgery is a new and advanced surgical technique whereby operations are started a far distance from the site, through small inci-

Li said it was a pleasure to join Ambassador Zhang and Dr Persaud in the visit to the LHC to witness the inauguration ceremony of the centre.

She said the event represents the advancement of medical techniques at the LHC and represents the traditional friendship between Guyana and China.

“On behalf of the Chinese Health and Family Planning Commission, I would like to formally congratulate the inauguration of this centre. In the health area, we have conducted in-depth, concrete operations for the past many years. Twenty-one years ago, China deployed the first of the China medical teams to Guyana, and so far has already sent altogether, 124 medical workers. For many years, the Chinese medical teams have devoted themselves to pro-

Li said the fundamental change marked by the transitioning from the former LHC building to the newer, more modern hospital complex, where the laparoscopic facility is being housed, will inspire better services to the local people. She added that the commissioning of the centre represents a new starting point of many more achievements for the LHC.

Dr Persaud in his remarks noted that the LHC is a very important medical institution which serves a significant proportion of the Guyanese populace. She emphasised that the collaborative knowledge of medical staff deployed to the laparoscopic centre will help to address some of the major health issues, in the institution’s quest to achieve the ultimate Millenium Development Goal. She

sions in the body.

Chinese Ambassador to Guyana Zhang Limin; Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Shamdeo Persaud; Chinese Health Minister Li Bin; LHC Chairman Mortimer Mingo; a Chinese medical team, and other healthcare professionals within the Health Ministry were present to witness the simple yet significant ceremony.

In her remarks, Minister

vide good services to the local people and patients.... It may be easy for one country or one person to provide a good thing for another country, but for many years, for a long run, it may not be so easy to provide such good stuff. The Chinese people see the Guyanese people as our brothers and sisters and will provide sincere aid and help to the Guyanese people,” she noted.

also thanked the medical staff who contributed to the proper functioning of the Laparoscopic Surgery Centre since it got underway.

Following the inauguration, the team of officials paid a visit to patients inside the centre, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and the Maternity Ward of the LHC.

President Donald Ramotar addressing members of the diaspora in the US

President Donald Ramotar meeting the diaspora in Washington

China’s Health Minister, Li Bin (centre); Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Zhang Limin (her left) and LHC Chairman Mortimer Mingo (her right) after unveiling the plaque

China’s Health Minister, Li Bin addressing the gathering, flanked by Chinese and other medical officials

Teachers assigned to Litchfield Nursery following protest

Three teachers were on Monday assigned to the Litchfield Nursery School, Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) following a protest by parents last Wednesday.

Since the new school term started in September, students of the nursery school on the West Coast of Berbice have had to contend with one teacher, functioning as both class and headteacher.

Parents have told Guyana Times that they have raised the matter with the Regional Education Department but it was falling on deaf ears.

As such, they related that they were forced to share their concerns with the media as they wanted the matter to be addressed, and in a timely manner.

One parent on Wednesday explained that she was not only frustrated that the school had one teacher, but was concerned because the teacher is also attending the University of Guyana and her 49 students most times are left unattended.

“Most days my daughter would come home and when I ask her what she learnt, she

would say, ‘We only play with dough’.”

Meanwhile, on Monday, in a telephone interview with Regional Education Officer Owen Pollard, he said the matter has been addressed and things are back to normal at the school.

Several parents who spoke with Guyana Times on Monday commended the Education Ministry for fixing the problem, but warned that they will be looking out to ensure that the teachers assigned are at work.

Transatlantic slave trade memorial will send ‘powerful message’

– UNESCO Director General

he United Nations took

Tone more step on Friday towards constructing a permanent commemoration to the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade in what the head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) said would be “a message of hope, of tolerance, of human dignity”.

At a high-level ceremony on the margins of the UN General Assembly, the representatives of six nations – The Netherlands, New Zealand, Qatar, Senegal, Jamaica and Spain – marked the financing of The Ark of Return, the new memorial which is expected to be unveiled on the grounds of the UN’s Headquarters in New York in the beginning of 2015.

Speaking at the event, UNESCO’s Director General Irina Bokova highlighted the memorial’s role as “a powerful symbol” and said UNESCO was “deeply honoured” to have been associated with the coordination of the process by which the memorial was selected.

The Ark of Return is the design of Rodney Leon, also the architect and designer of the African Burial Ground National Monument in Manhattan. It was selected as the winner of an international UNESCO-led competition in August 2013.

Maher Nasser, acting Undersecretary General of the UN Department of Public Information – the body that manages the UN’s Remember Slavery commemorative programme – was equally humbled by the role the memorial would play in ensuring that the legacy of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade is not forgotten.

“The memorial will be an important addition to UN Headquarters complex when it is built,” he told those gathered, “and it will send a powerful message on the need to

remain vigilant about the dangers of racism and racial discrimination today”.

In his remarks, Ambassador Tete Antonio, the representative of the African Union to the UN, similarly described the inauguration of the memorial as “a momentous time in the history of the United Nations”.

“The overwhelming support of member states is evident today in the generous contributions that continue to flow into the trust fund for the construction of the Ark of Return,” Antonio noted.

“This is a symbol set in marble that will stand high on the grounds of the United Nations for generations to come lest we forget.”

The project is funded through voluntary contribu-

tions from member states, complemented by funding from foundations and private individuals. A trust fund account is administered by the Fund of the UN Office for Partnerships.

As at September 15, pledges and contributions to the fund stand at about US$1.5 million, leaving a minimal funding gap of approximately $500,000 to complete the project as planned. It is the aim of the Permanent Memorial Committee that the shortfall should be raised by the end of 2014 given the current trend.

Over 70 member states have supported the project to date and the Permanent Memorial Committee appeals to others to join the group of contributors in order to bring the project to completion.

FAO calls for “paradigm shift” towards sustainable agriculture

Policymakers should support a broad array of approaches to overhauling global food systems, making them healthier and more sustainable while acknowledging that they “cannot rely on an input intensive model to increase production and that the solutions of the past have shown their limits”.

This was the charge by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Director General José Graziano da Silva on Monday in his opening remarks to the 24th session of the Committee on Agriculture (COAG).

Calling for a “paradigm shift”, he said that today’s main challenges are to lower the use of agricultural inputs, especially water and chemicals, in order to put agriculture, forestry and fisheries on a more sustainable and productive long-term path.

Options such as agro-ecology and climate-smart agriculture should be explored, and so should biotechnology and the use of genetically modified organisms, the FAO Director General said, noting that food production needs to grow by 60 per cent by 2050 to meet the expected demand from an anticipated population of nine billion people.

“We need to explore these alternatives using an inclusive approach based on science and evidences, not on ideologies,” as well as to “respect local characteristics and context”, he said.

Graziano da Silva also asked the COAG, which will

conclude its biannual meeting on October 3, to consider the importance of family farming in all aspects of its agenda.

Members of COAG, a technical advisory body that helps guide and formulate FAO’s policy agenda, also heard Danilo Medina, President of the Dominican Republic, outline his country’s novel use of surprise visits to rural communities as a way to improve officials’ understanding of their needs.

President Medina said his Government was a strong supporter of the principle that “food is a universal right” and that “the only viable strategy to fight hunger is to revitalise the countryside and rural incomes”.

The Dominican Republic has reduced its population suffering from hunger to below 15 per cent from more than 34 per cent in 1990, and the island plans to institute a law on the right to food.

Poverty reduced

In his keynote speech, President Medina said rural poverty in the Dominican Republic has declined by nine percentage points in the first 18 months of the current Government, even faster than nationwide poverty, as a result of a suite of policies including almost doubling in two years the volume of agricultural loans, many of them offering improved terms of credit, grace periods, and crop insurance to smallholders.

He emphasised that social

and economic policies should be complementary in developing nations, most of which need to invest more in the creation of human capital in rural areas.

He added that the budgetary costs of his country’s efforts had proven surprisingly modest. “It is not a question of committing resources, but of taking decisions – even small amounts of money, well-targeted, can make an impact,” he said.

“Surprise visits” to farming communities have played a major role in catalysing an agricultural boom, President Medina said, noting he personally participates in the outreach project. The visits offer an opportunity for officials to listen and better understand concrete local concerns and also to encourage smallholders to establish cooperatives and other organisations to scale up their competence.

“The countryside in the Dominican Republic is undergoing a real revolution,” he said.

“Subsistence agriculture on small plots of land perpetuates the vicious cycle of poverty. The only way that our producers can be competitive is to join forces,” the President added. “We see that by working together toward a common objective, they are producing as never before.”

The Dominican Republic achieved its core Millennium Development goal ahead of schedule, reducing the share of its population suffering from hunger to 15 per cent from 34 per cent in 1990.

The country is also on the verge of promulgating a law establishing the right to food, Graziano da Silva noted approvingly. “Political commitment at the highest level is fundamental to advancing towards food security,” he added.

The COAG meets every two years. Central themes being discussed this week are water governance; livestock diseases, in particular the effort to replicate the successful eradication of rinderpeste on the peste des petits ruminants; soil management; and food safety.

The island of Gorée, Senegal, which from the 15th to the 19th Century was the largest slave-trading centre on the African coast (Photo: UNESCO/Dominique Roger)

FAO Director General José Graziano da Silva (right) addresses the COAG prior to President Danilo Medina’s (left) keynote address

AG wants US probe of alleged email leak to Glenn Lall

By Michael younge

Attorney

General and Legal Affairs Minister

Anil Nandlall says he welcomes a decision by the Kaieteur News to share the alleged emails, supposedly sent to him by Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Commissioner-General Khurshid Sattaur, with the diplomatic community and more specifically, the local United States Embassy.

Over the last few days, the Kaieteur News’s Publisher Glenn Lall alleged that the Government was plotting to shut down his newspaper operations because of its continuous reporting on corruption and the misuse of State resources. The newspaper made these allegations after the GRA began probing an incident, which saw the abuse and misuse of Government’s Remigrant Scheme Project to avoid paying over $100 million in taxes on the importation of two luxury Lexus vehicles.

Two pensioners who are in their seventies are at the centre of the scam after they were allegedly used as fronts to import the vehicles under the Scheme by Lall and his wife, Bhena. The latter two have admitted publicly to utilising the vehicles after they were brought into

the country.

It is the GRA’s contention that the Lalls provided the funds for the purchase of these vehicles by the two pensioners in the US. Lall, through the Kaieteur News, launched a brutish attack on the Commissioner-General, the Government, and former President Bharrat Jagdeo as he alleged that a plot was being executed to silence his media house because of the probe, which had widened after more anomalies were discovered.

But Nandlall, speaking during an invited comment on the matter, said that he was very happy that a decision was taken to involve these stakeholders, as he maintained his position that the Kaieteur News “will

fool no one” with its latest ploy. “I am happy that the Kaieteur News has decided to involve the US Embassy in this matter. The United States’ position on invasion of privacy and more specifically, the fabrication of and interference with emails is well known”, he explained.

Nandlall said one only has to look at the WikiLeaks scandal and the fact that, to date, the perpetrator Edward Snowden remains one of the most sought-after fugitives in the world by US authorities because of his actions.

“So I hope, when the US Embassy is engaged, this matter receives its thorough examination. So I reiterate and I agree with the Kaieteur News that the US should investigate this matter.”

The Attorney General said confidently that the US’s investigation may “also enable the Guyana Revenue Authority to gather very vital pieces of evidence that would be relevant for the pending charges in the court”. The Legal Affairs Minister would offer no other comment on the allegations made by the Kaieteur News and its publisher.

Meanwhile, Commissioner-General Sattaur has confirmed that the GRA has filed crimi-

Foresight provides the long-term vision needed to create public policies

Foresight provides the long-term vision that is key to creating public policies, several speakers emphasized during the inauguration of the Seminar Latin America and the Caribbean 2030: World visions, continental views, which is being held at the headquarters of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), in Santiago, Chile.

At the opening ceremony last Wednesday, ECLAC’s Deputy Executive Secretary, Antonio Prado, said that the current situation is particularly favourable for boosting the practice of foresight, given that the regional scenario for moderate growth in the medium term along with the global debate on the post-2015 agenda are forcing thinkers to explore alternatives to the development model of the last two decades.

In that debate, the United Nations organization advocates a structural change that puts equality at the center of development goals. Jorge Máttar, director of ECLAC’s Latin American and Caribbean Institute for Economic and Social Planning (ILPES), explained that this proposal requires a long-term vision.

He said that foresight al-

lows for an analysis of the most suitable paths for these needed transformations and thereby contributes to improving the design and application of public policies.

The seminar was organised by ILPES and supported by the Korean government. The Ambassador of that country in Chile, Ji-eun Yu, recalled that since its incorporation as a member state of ECLAC in 2007, the Republic of Korea has worked together with this organisation to encourage the region’s economic and social development. He pointed to this gathering as a good example of that cooperation.

The meeting aims to consolidate a network of professionals and organizations dedicated to studying future global trends and their implications for public policy in the region. Ten experts are participating in the plenary sessions, among them William Halal, Professor Emeritus of Management, Technology and Innovation at George Washington University; Moonjung Choi, Director General of the Office of Strategic Foresight at Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP); Barry B. Hughes, Director of the Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures at the University of Denver; and

Catarina Tully, Director of the School for International Futures, United Kingdom.

The presentations will address issues related to climate change, sustainable cities, emerging technologies and economic cooperation with China, among others. The audience is composed of planning authorities from throughout the region, who will give their opinion on the specialists’ proposals. These officials include Gabriel Frugoni, Director of Uruguay’s Planning and Budget Office; Hugo Gómez Cabrera, Guatemala’s Deputy Secretary of Planning; and Santiago Vásquez, Ecuador’s National Deputy Secretary of Planning and Development. Moreover, the Chilean Council of Planning and Strategy was presented on Wednesday 24.

It brings together a group of politicians, academics and diplomats interested in contributing to the development of foresight in Chile. This presentation was led by Sergio Bitar, a member of the Foreign Strategy Committee at Chile’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the event, the II Development Planning Sessions will also be held. Around 20 papers on planning and foresight in the region are expected to be presented in parallel sessions.

nal charges against the Kaieteur News owners and all those linked to the alleged case of tax fraud and evasion. In fact, Sattaur also expressed concern about what appears to be a breach of confidentiality within the GRA as the Kaieteur News appears to have access to the tax records of businesses and other citizens.

The Commissioner-General would also be involving the Police, to determine the extent to which the Kaieteur

News has a mole in the tax entity that is feeding its publisher with privileged information.

He maintained that this was a wanton breach of people’s privacy and their right to confidentiality of their re-

cords. He said that no stone will be left unturned in probing the charges laid against the Kaieteur News, regardless of the wicked and malicious attacks that it has launched on the integrity of the GRA and Government officials.

Fabricated emails

The Guyana Times was reliably informed that the emails were fabricated and concocted by Lall to create a diversion from the probe launched by the GRA. It is widely believed that the Kaieteur News, via its mole with the tax body, got wind of information that there was going to be an in-depth audit of the company’s finances and its resources.

The entity may have also hacked into the email belonging to Sattaur to create public mischief and add credence to its claims that a plot was being rolled out against it. I

n fact, the Kaieteur News continues to harp about information being released about the tax information of several media houses, including this newspaper, to former President Bharrat Jagdeo. It is doing so blatantly even though its own publication was never copied in the purported exchange of emails.

The Kaieteur News then

recognising its blunder published another article explaining that its tax information was never released to the former President, but continued its myriad attacks that the CommissionerGeneral was in breach of oath because of the information released about other media houses. Many believe that these are desperation tactics being employed by the publisher of the media house to avoid possible prosecution, rake up public sympathy and influence the judiciary. The undisputed fact remains that having examined the alleged emails, no mention was made of the Kaieteur News, and no information disclosed about the Kaieteur News.

Mining info toolkit to be re-launched soon

Canadian High Commissioner Dr Nicole Giles said the Guyana Mining Information Toolkit will be relaunched within weeks.

According to Dr Giles, the toolkit which was launched back in 2012 is being upgraded based on legislative changes. The mining Toolkit was launched in collaboration with the Natural Resources and the Environment Ministry, the Canadian High Commission and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).

“Canada has partnered with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Mining Communities, Canadian and Local Mining Companies, mining and mining related associations to create a mining toolkit which is a guide for Communities to aid in the understanding of the extractive sector operations.”

It included clarifications on the mining cycle which contains four critical sec-

tions; mineral exploration, mine development, mine operation and mine closure.

In addition to the Mining Toolkit, Dr Giles said Canada continues to work closely with the Natural Resources and the Environment Ministry in building capacities that are needed in education to support development in the extractive sector.

“Both the College of the North Atlantic and the Marine Institute of Newfoundland Canada have been active in the delivery of courses for the

Guyana mining school,” the Commissioner disclosed. The Mining School has been offering skills training since it were formally launched in May 2012. The school’s curriculum has been designed to foster growth within the sector. It was explained that the Guyana Government in its venture with investors in the oil and gas sector has been ensuring that a proviso of their operation is that Guyanese must be involved in these projects, hence the need to train the workforce.

In June this year, subject Minister Robert Persaud led a Guyanese delegation to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, participating in sessions which were designed to enhance Guyana’s technical capacity in the area of Natural Resources Development.

Accompanied by the Canadian High Commission, the Natural Resources and the Environment Minister spoke to issues relating to applied science and technology for partnership with the Guyana Mining School and Training Centre Inc and the University of Guyana.

Canadian High Commissioner Dr Nicole Giles

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall

GRA Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur

Kaieteur News

Publisher Glenn Lall

National Museum modernised to meet demands of electronic era

The Guyana National Museum is now modernised to meet the demands of a 21st Century society as the Government continues investing in keeping with the thrust to transform and update.

Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, said that the museum recognised the need to improve itself in light of the current era of computers and digital technology; hence, the decision was taken to bring it into the 21st century.

“We started to talk about it; instead of perhaps trying to read the sign, they can have a headphone and listen to the narration of what they are seeing. Or maybe if you want more in-depth information, you will be able to access that,” Minister Anthony said, according to the Government Information Agency (GINA). “We want to make the exhibits more interactive,” the Minister added.

Nadia Madho, the Museum’s Administrator, explained that the “Modernisation and Digitisation Project” was

awarded to a contractor, Digital Technology, and work commenced late November 2013 and was completed on August 5, 2014.

She said the project is the database of the National Museum’s collection of artefacts and displays with a website format, and provides ex-

panded history on artefacts. Madho added that the project is expected to continue to provide learning experiences for everyone who visits the museum

Hong Kong protesters stockpile supplies, prepare for long haul

Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters extended a blockade of Hong Kong streets on Tuesday, stockpiling supplies and erecting makeshift barricades ahead of what some fear may be a push by Police to clear the roads before Chinese National Day.

Riot police shot pepper spray and tear gas at protesters at the weekend but withdrew on Monday to ease tension as the ranks of demonstrators swelled. Protesters spent the night sleeping or holding vigil unharassed on normally busy roads in the global financial hub.

Throughout the night, rumors rippled through crowds of protesters that Police were preparing to move in again. As the sun

rose many remained wary, especially on the eve of Wednesday’s anniversary of the Communist Party’s foundation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.

“Many powerful people from the mainland will

come to Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Government won’t want them to see this, so the Police must do something,” Sui-ying Cheng, 18, a freshman at Hong Kong University’s School of Professional and

Continuing Education, said of the National Day holiday.

“We are not scared. We will stay here tonight. Tonight is the most important,” she said. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Death toll rises in Japan volcanic eruption

Toxic gases and ash from still-erupting Mount Ontake has forced Japanese rescue workers to call off the search for more victims as dozens of relatives awaited news of their family members.

Rescuers found five more bodies near the summit of the volcano, bringing

the death toll to 36, but 24 of the bodies remain on the volcano, the Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun reported on Tuesday. Earlier, rescuers managed to airlift only 12 bodies off the mountain since the start of the eruption on Saturday because of dangerous conditions.

How the victims died re-

mains unclear, though experts said it was probably from suffocating ash, falling rocks, toxic gases or some combination of them. Some of the bodies had severe contusions.

Survivors told Japanese media that they were pelted by rocks from the eruption.

One man said he fled with others to the basement

of a lodge, fearing that the rocks would penetrate the roof.

Yuji Tsuno, a veteran mountain photographer, was near the summit. After taking pictures of the initial explosion as ash and debris rained down, he quickly took refuge in a nearby hut, he told the TBS TV network.

using modern technology.

The project includes three 21-inch interactive touchscreens and one 84inch customised interactive touchscreen with necessary individual wiring, server and attachments. Two screens are on the upper floor of the museum and the other on the lower floor.

The National Museum’s Library is currently being rehabilitated and soon all collections will be accessible to the public.

Further, museum staff members are being trained in digital technology to be able to properly carry out their duties. At present, a small amount of data from the National Museum can be accessed online via the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry’s website.

Minister Anthony said a process has been started to digitise holdings at the museum, and “that’s where we want to go and today we are taking a step in that direction. It will be much more appealing to the young people to be able to interact with on-screen displays. It is a first step on the long road of making the muse-

um a 21st Century museum and eventually we hope that a lot of our holdings can be accessed online.”

A few galleries have been added to the museum over the past few years, in its thrust to make the museum an educational place where people can learn about their country.

The museum also provides a bus that will enable movement of exhibits to assist in the learning progress of schoolchildren. Schools are encouraged to become a part of the museum’s loan programme.

Minister Anthony said workshops and camps for young people, especially during the summer holidays are also held at the museum. Persons are also urged to explore other museums across Guyana to continue to learn about Guyana’s rich heritage among others.

The museum will also work with teachers to facilitate the schools’ curriculum and provided relevant exhibits. “We want to be a partner to our learning institutions and schools,” Minister Anthony said.

US judge rules Argentina in contempt on US debt row; UN body backs country

AUnited States judge has ruled that Argentina is in contempt of court for refusing to obey an order to repay the debt it owes to two US hedge funds.

Argentina has been mired in a US court dispute with the funds, which bought the country’s debt at a discount after its default in 2001.

The United Nations Human Rights Council has passed a resolution in Geneva condemning a group of American hedge funds that took Argentina to court.

The investors are demanding payments worth more than US$1.3 billion on Government bonds they hold. Argentina defaulted on its debts in July after refusing to comply with a US court ruling in favour of the funds.

It is searching for ways of meeting its obligations to its other creditors without paying the hedge funds in full.

The Argentine Government has accused the hedge funds, which it refers to as vulture funds, of being greedy and damaging its economy.

“The vulture funds will not stop unless we stop them

ourselves,” Foreign Minister Hector Timerman told the council before the vote. The billions that these vulture funds grab in countries in the south lead to school closures, hospitals without medicines, political instability, insecurity and violence,” he said.

The resolution was tabled by Argentina along with Russia, Brazil, Venezuela and Algeria.

It was approved by 33 votes to five, with nine countries abstaining.

The United States, Britain, Germany, Japan and the Czech Republic voted against the resolution. The resolution “condemns the activities of vulture funds” and says it regrets the effect the debt payment to such funds could have “on the capacity of Governments to fulfil their human rights obligations”.

The American representative at the council, Keith Harper, said the text was unacceptable.

“The state’s responsibility for promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms is not contingent on its sovereign debt situation,” he said.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony; Rojeria McWatt, Bishop’s High School student; and Nadia Madho, Administrator at the National Museum unveiling the Digitisation Project

A vehicle drives among protesters blocking the main street to the financial Central district, outside the government headquarters, in Hong Kong

tuesDAY, september 30, 2014 | guYAnAtimesgY.com

PPP/C favours National Democratic Model of Governance

As it moves towards the establishment of a national democracy, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) said it will be utilising the National Democratic Model of Governance.

PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee made this disclosure at Freedom House on Monday.

“The process of national democracy can only fulfill its full potential if all the political and social forces come to the table to determine the role in which it would wish to play in this process of national democracy,” Rohee said.

But even as the PPP/C champions the cause for shared governance in Guyana, the General Secretary made it clear that it must be built on trust. He explained that a model of national democracy cannot be built in an atmosphere that is polluted with a high degree of distrust.

He said shared governance cannot be achieved overnight, given the “charged atmosphere”, positing that the Opposition must first wipe its slate clean and indicate what model of shared governance would be placed on the table.

“As far as I am aware, I haven’t seen any model coming from the Opposition.”

He also slammed the Opposition, saying that they are now sheepishly singing from the PPP/C’s hymn book in an attempt to take credit for something they rejected from the inception.

“This posture is nothing

but another ploy to distract public attention from its internal problems and media attention generated as a consequence of damning allegations made against a senior executive of that party,” Rohee said as he alluded to the Alliance For Change (AFC).

Road blocks According to him, Guyanese ought to guard themselves against those who continue to hinder the country’s economic and social fabric by putting road blocks in the path of developmental projects. He said the obstructionists tactics employed by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and AFC have “harmed” Guyanese, in particular the young population. He emphasised that it

was the PPP/C that first initiated the notion of “political and ideological pluralism” and inclusive governance; a concept which would allow for Guyanese to be integrally involved in the process of national development.

“This party wishes to reiterate that it is fully committed to a Government of National Unity and will do everything within its powers to bring together the diverse people of Guyana in an effort to harness their collective energy towards the realisation of the national motto of One People, One Nation, One Destiny.”

PPP/C has been holding consultations with stakeholders on the notion of national governance. In earlier statements, Rohee said Guyanese are being assured that they will benefit signifi-

cantly from higher levels of transparency and accountability through shared governance.

Shared governance has been a long debated subject in Guyana, dating back to 1957 when the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) under the leadership of the late Dr Cheddi Jagan attempted to form a broad united front to contest the General Elections; a move which would have seen a Government of National Unity. At the time, Prime Minister Linden Forbes Burnham had rejected the notion of “shared governance”.

But approximately 54 years after, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) reintroduced the concept, calling for a Government of National Unity. APNU is a coalition which is dominated by the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR); a party formed following the 1957 General Elections by Burnham.

APNU has come in for high criticisms, not because it championed the cause for “shared governance” months ahead of the 2011 General and Regional Elections, but because it has failed to advance the notion.

Back in 2011, the coalition comprising the PNCR, the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), Guyana Action Party (GAP) and National Front Alliance (NFA) had said that constitutional and institutional reforms were necessary for the realisation of shared governance.

GPL promises more blackouts

Several areas in Georgetown, East Coast and East Bank Demerara suffered prolong power outages Monday night as the Guyana Power and Light announced a new round of blackouts.

In a statement GPL said due to unforeseen circumstances, it has been forced to load shed over the next two days. According to the company completion of the major overhaul on the No. 4 Diesel Generator (DG) at the Kingston1 Plant has been delayed and the unit, which was expected to be back in service on Sunday will be in operation from 01:00h Tuesday. In addition, GPL said it is forced to replace a damaged turbo charger outlet casing on the No. 4 Wartsila DG at its Garden of Eden Plant, and repairs was not expected to be completed prior to the peak demand period Monday evening. The Skeldon facility will undergo maintenance activities today and the Nos. 1 and 2 turbines will be unavailable from 08:00h to 20:00h, severely restricting the capacity available to the grid. “It is envisioned that output will be restored to normalcy by late Tuesday night, thus alleviating the need for further load shedding. GPL apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.

Date Period Areas

September 29, 201418:00 to 22:00hrsGood Hope to Success ECD, Lamaha Gardens and CampbelvilleEast of Sheriff Sts. & South of Dennis Sts

September 30, 201418:00 to 22:00hrsVictoria to Bygeval ECD

Canefield to Auchlyne

NIS monthly expenditure pegged at $1B – Chairman

Chairman of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) Dr. Roger Luncheon on Monday called on workers of the scheme to recommit to providing services of an impeccable standard to the people whom they serve, and to execute their duties in such a way so as not to expose the institution to criticisms and ridicule.

He was at the time speaking in his capacity as Chairman of NIS’s Board at a ceremony in commemoration of the scheme’s 45th anniversary. Speaking of NIS’s public image, Dr. Luncheon said that the scheme like many other organisations has not escaped unscathed from the proclivity of some sections of society to tear down and ridicule.

“It is our 45th year and there is so much for us to be proud of, but at the end of the day we have to be careful to safeguarding the honour, integrity and image of this scheme and not be adopting reckless approaches that would threaten the very image that has so laboriously been established through the efforts over the

decades of so many people and organisations,” Dr. Luncheon said, according to a Government Information Agency (GINA) release.

He noted that NIS must be able to clearly identify what it has accomplished over the years as well as where it has fallen short.

This he said is only on the basis of this type of individual and collective organisational self-assessment that the scheme will be able to move forward and continue to improve.

“Armed with what we

have accomplished, we must have the strength of character to confront the areas of weaknesses where we have to recognised that we can and must do better …45 years of accomplishments means that we can solve with problems, but we have to identify them as such,” Dr. Luncheon said.

NIS collects over $1B per month in contributions and spends a similar amount in the payment of benefits. The Chairman noted that very few institutions in Guyana could boast of conducting

financial activities of this scale. He called on management and staff to strengthen their resolve to continue to move the work of the scheme forward in the same steadfast way it has been promoted over the past years.

Over the 45 years, NIS has moved from a level of unsophistication to expanding its services and making significant strides in the process of technology application. Dr Luncheon said that going forward into the future, the focus must be on preserving the scheme and

ensuring its financial viability.

“This is an eternal obligation on successive management, board and generations of Guyanese…we have to invest in the future of this nation to ensure the future of the NIS and to bring on board the income that would allow us who contribute this year to ensure that as pensioners years from now, we have something to look forward to,” the Chairman said.

Going forward too, steps will be taken to reform the legislation and statutes that govern the scheme so as to open up broader vistas that would allow for it to address the issue of workers’ social security in the most comprehensive of ways. Dr. Luncheon added that legislative interventions will ensure that the scheme remains relevant.

Meanwhile, NIS’s General Manager, Doreen Nelson said that the scheme continues to strive to meet its commitment to the workforce in accordance with its mission statement and provide the social security required at this time. Tasked with ensuring the registration of workers,

the receipt of contributions and the payment of benefits, NIS has, over the past 45 years, registered over 27,700 employers, 660,000 employed persons and 29, 900 self-employed persons.

However, Nelson explained only approximately 16 percent of the employers, 18 percent employed persons and 29 percent of the people in the self-employed category are still active in 2014.

“The reduce number of active employees was influenced by the regionalising of public entities, for example public schools that were registered with the scheme individually, are now the responsibility of the regional administration which is regarded as a single employer,” the General Manager explained.

NIS has 550 permanent members of staff at the 14 offices across the country. As is customary at the anniversary celebrations, bursaries were awarded to the children of the members of staff who performed outstandingly at this year’s National Grade Six Assessment examinations.

PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee

Chairman of the Board of the National Insurance Scheme, Dr Roger Luncheon with senior officials from the scheme and students who have been awarded bursaries

Guyana Power and Light Chief Executive Officer Bharrat Dindyal

Are these mothers victims?

Dear Editor,

Recently, local news media carried the sad story of a Guyanese family living in Trinidad under deplorable conditions. Their plight became public after a miraculous rescue of the thtree year old toddler Jordan Campbell.

As the story goes little Jordan wandered on to the busy Southern Main Road where he would have met an almost certain death from one of the fast moving vehicles. However, he was saved by an alert passerby who saw the little boy and rushed to his aid. He was handed over to the police who after several enquiries was able to locate his mother.

Julia Campbell lives with her five children in a squatting area in South Trinidad under very impoverished conditions. The wooden shack they lived in leaned so badly that the least wind or earth tremor would see the entire structure falling apart. Added to that is the fact that the family had nothing to eat which caused the investigating Policeman to change his role of interrogating officer to humanitarian worker. He immediately turned his attention to the raising of funds and the acquisition of much needed supplies for the family.

I would pause here to go to another story, to relate the plight of a young Guyanese mother living right here in Georgetown. Standing at the corner of Robb and Camp

Streets I overheard a conversation between two ladies.

The younger of the two ladies said to the other, "Ramotar seh he givin $10,000 to dem muddahs fo buy school clothes fo the new school term ... a glad for the money fo dem five children a got."

The other lady responded "Ramotar ain’t givin you de money. He givin a voucher to get school clothes fo de children." To which she replied but "dat money ain’t do fo me five children, Ramotar must know that I ain’t gat a man to tek care a dem."

The other lady then responded to her in language I cannot here repeat which caused the mother of five to walk away quickly. After she left the vendor said to me that the lady in question has five children with no permanent spouse to take care of them. She too lives in a squatting area, Sophia.

But the distressing part of her story is this, the vendor revealed that this mother is irresponsible; does not send the children to school, and one who can be seen frequenting night clubs.

What she think is it at all, is the government to mine she children? Well, that sums it up I need not say more.The point is crystal clear, two ladies both having the mistaken belief that it is their God given right to have children but it is the government's responsibility to take care of them.

Not forgetting the fact

that these children have fathers. Where are the fathers? The last time I did a study of procreation I came up with the shocking reality that it takes a man and a woman to have children and it is their sacred responsibility (man and woman) to nurture them.

Strangely enough the two ladies in our discussion are of a differing view, they give the impression that the man should be let off the responsibility part of the process so the government should fill in. Outrageous! Why do these women let the fathers of their children get off so lightly?

Men ought to take up the mantle and take care of their offspring. Why must the children of irresponsible men be the responsibility of the state?

The Guyana Government has been a caring administration in coming to the aid of mothers who are caught up in this vicious cycle of poverty but this means of support should not be exploited.

Rather than chide the Government for not doing enough these mothers should be grateful as well as be encouraged to go after the deadbeat fathers of their children. My point is this, as pathetic as these cases may seem, the mothers can do more to lift themselves out of poverty. These women are not victims.

Sincerely, Neil Adams

Navratri’s significance

Dear Editor,

How can we as Hindus benefit from this period of Navaratri. It is a period for worship to Bhagwan in the form of the divine Shakti (ma). Let us for a brief moment forget about the divine mother Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati and focus on our earthly mother.

What is it that our earthly mother can do for us? Our earthly mother will practically do anything humanly possible to ensure that we are taken care of. For example go back to your childhood days the moment you open your mouth and say mommy I want the latest school bag or footwear if it means literally hiding the money from the husband she will do just to ensure that her child is happy.

Even if an individual is public enemy number 1 for mother that individual is a gem. Our earthly mother will fight for us, scold us etc. all because of her love.

If our earthly mother can do so much for us, think now how much the divine mother will do because we are all children in the eyes of Ma Durga.

As Hindus we are fortunate that our Hindu calendar is structure in such a way so as to remind us of these events and it also shows how vast

Hinduism is. We have periods that are set on our calendar to worship GOD in the form of mother.

Bhagvad Gita chapter 9 verse 17 – Pitāham asya jagato mātā dhātā pitāmahaḥ Vedyaḿ pavitram oḿkāra ṛk sāma yajur eva ca. I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable oḿ. I am also the Ṛg, the Sāma and the Yajur Vedas.

Ma Durga doing battle with the demon raktabeej represents unwanted desires, every time we conquer one desire in life another pops up. As devotees of Ma Durga use this opportunity of Nava-ratri to do a self analysis of your life plunging head on in this spiritual bath to get rid of all the dirt from us namely ignorance, ego, unwanted desire, hatred, lust, anger, etc.

Note if we are going to take a bath definitely we will need soap or shampoo in the spiritual bath that we are taking during this period soap and shampoo will be the fasting, bhajans, havans, pujas, etc. At the end of this Navratri we are going to celebrate victory , what victory are we going to celebrate that the very

Dem Guyanese passengers

BY ANIL GOORAHOO

“Is every airport we go, we does have to be abused so!” the in-transit passenger complained aloud. He was not referring specifically to himself or to his travel companions, but generally to his Guyanese countrymen whom he felt are targeted by immigration, customs and security officers alike, for undue attention and scrutiny.

Ninety minutes after he cleared the security check point at the departure lounge of Piarco International Airport last Tuesday night, he continued his argument for the benefit of all those Guyanese passengers who arrived with him from New York and were awaiting their connecting flight to Georgetown.

His peeve was the insistence of the female security officer on duty that no one could enter the departure lounge with any kind of “prohibited” substance.

By prohibited she meant the small bottles of expensive perfume which she took from one passenger; the several bottles of body lotion which she confiscated from others; the three sealed bottles of water which an elderly man had to surrender; the bowl of frozen cooked food which a lady carried in her hand-luggage; and the myriad other items which hapless passengers had to hand over if they hoped to get home.

One-by-one they watched, some in horror and on the brink of tears, as their treasured items crashed into the bottom of a large bin.

existence of life in itself is a blessing to be a human as human treat your fellow humans with love , respect etc, renewing your love, faith and devotion to your Bhagwan.

Yours faithfully,

Vinodha Narine

“How it is we get to board with these items in the US which has the best airport security in the world,” he wondered aloud, “but come here for she to throw way all ah we tings?”

“That is international law,” the officer tried to reason. “I just doing my job”! It didn’t matter that she might

have been right; her dismissive and condescending tone would have angered even someone with the patience of Gandi. “This is not the US. This is Trinidad,” she continued unapologetically.

“Obviously!” another Guyanese passenger chimed in. “In the US dey show some understanding and let the old man keep his water and de other fella keep he perfume. Is no wonder we in de Caribbean so backwards.

Everybody with a little power want to show it off,” he quipped to the approval of all except the security officials.

It was not until several minutes of “bad-john” talk passed between them, with neither side speaking directly to the other but loud enough so the other side could know, that someone finally raised a point worth thinking about.

“I didn’t want to come to Trinidad. I buy a ticket to go to Guyana. Caribbean Airlines take my money and drop me off here and now they digging up in my bags and dumping everything. Once I get cleared in the US to go to Guyana they shouldn’t be checking me here. I didn’t want to come here,” the first Guyanese objector pointed out.

“So why he didn’t take a Guyana Airways flight…,” a Trini passenger whispered under his breath – clearly unhappy that his country’s airport security was being verbally abused but not wanting to incur a tongue-lashing of his own. “…cus dey airline buss and dey have to use we own”, he added.

It was one of those comments which adequately sum up why Caribbean integration has failed so miserably. It focused on the fact that ‘dem is Guyanese and we is Trini’ but ignored the very valid issue raised by the passenger.

Why did an in-transit passenger who boarded in

Allegation of sexual abuse...

So maybe the rights groups have their little affinities too? One has to wonder if they would have been so silent if it was a government or a “PPP affiliated” person being accused or charged with rape and sexual assault?

It cannot go without notice that Nigel Hughes, leader of the AFC and recently proposed prime ministerial candidate, is the lawyer for the accused.

Plots and constitutional crisis

Expectedly the AFC has jumped to defend its founding leader, however, their defense appears to be one of “smoke and mirrors”.

The first thing they did was to counter the accusation of the young man by saying that it is politically motivated! Nothing substantial but unmistakably a diversionary tactic! And to keep the illusion going they have tossed several PPP/C names into the fray from the Attorney General and mine to a young female lawyer.

More recent is the AFC’s announcement that this is all part of a plot to make the Speaker resign and create a constitutional crisis. This is utter poppycock!

Their objective is to create fear and con-

fusion and intimidate the general population, especially investors and the business community…again another diversion!

To set the record straight, were a Speaker of the National Assembly to resign for whatever reasons, there is a Deputy Speaker who can act as Speaker until the Assembly votes for a new Speaker.

The new Speaker can be nominated and elected from among the sitting Members of Parliament or from someone who would have been eligible to be a Member of Parliament as provided for in the Constitution as was the case with former Speakers Derek Jagan and Ralph Ramkarran, and, present Speaker Raphael Trotman !!! When Speaker Derek Jagan died the Deputy Speaker Mr. Martin Zephyr became the Speaker by election and a new Deputy speaker from the PNC was also elected.

Has the AFC forgotten that APNU MP Basil Williams holds the Deputy Speaker? There is no constitutional crisis in the making ! Rather it appears that the AFC is afraid that were Trotman to resign ----as he has publicly said recently that he would if charged --- then the AFC would lose con-

New York and was taken directly to the airport’s departure lounge at Piarco – never having passed through immigration and customs and who therefore never technically entered TT – have to go through TT’s airport security.

Having been in-transit at several major airports, I cannot recall a single instance in which I had to go through security between getting off the first plane and boarding the other. Not even in Paris (during the immediate aftermath of September 11, 2001) where one sometimes needs to take a bus operating terminal-to-terminal within the airport, was there need to go through security at Charles de Gaulle. At Heathrow in London intransit passengers who do not need to change airlines are taken into a comfortable lounge and then escorted to their next flight – not having to be re-checked by security. The situation at Piarco last Tuesday was the same. The Guyanese passengers boarded a CAL flight at JFK en route to Georgetown via Trinidad. It was the same CAL that was transporting them from Trinidad to Guyana with a mere two-hour interval between flights.

It cannot be unreasonable to expect CAL would make some sort of arrangement with the airport’s authority whereby its in-transit passengers who do not technically enter Trinidad, could simply go from plane to plane without the hassle of unnecessary security checks.

Alternatively, the airport’s authority, on its own, should try to keep pace with the rest of the world and ensure that in-transit passengers are adequately catered for.

That it has not already done so is an embarrassment to itself and to the country.

(Trinidad and Tobago Newsday)

trol of the Speakership of the National Assembly.

All MPs know that many APNU MPs have been unhappy with giving this critical position to the smallest party in the National Assembly.

The crisis would not be constitutional rather it would be one of a power struggle within the opposition forces for the speakership. A struggle the AFC would most likely lose.

The crux of this matter is that a very serious accusation of a sexual offence of a minor has been made against the fourth highest ranking person in the hierarchy of Guyana.

The AFC cannot wish this away and miniaturize the accusation by deflection and illusions of smoke and mirrors!

How Guyanese society treats with this issue will depend on how fair and even handed the scale of justice is for the accuser and the accused. At this stage, the scale seems tilted in favour of the accused!

Sincerely yours,

Gail Teixeira, MP Chief Whip

SUDOKU

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

(May 21June 20)

An offhand remark will strain an important relationship. Physical activity will keep you out of trouble. Unexpected delays will turn a happy experience into a headache.

Lending money or picking up the tab will not impress anyone. Pitfalls lie ahead if you fall prey to a fast-talking scam artist who guarantees wealth and prosperity.

Your best option will be listening to and deciphering what’s actually going on around you. Once you have gathered all the information, you will be able to make an informed choice.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

If you pace your actions, you will get a lot done. Don’t hesitate to delegate tasks if you think you are falling behind. A solid effort will help to clinch the deal.

You will have the power of persuasion working for you, and a beneficial partnership is on the horizon. Keep some details secret so that you are not left in a vulnerable position.

Remove yourself from the hustle and bustle of everyday routine, and put your worries aside. A day of relaxation or time spent doing something you enjoy will boost your spirits.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Meet up with someone you want to get to know better. Prepare to make big changes. It’s likely you will be recommended for a promotion or an unusual opportunity.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

You will come out on top if challenged. Not only will you be able to think fast, you will play a critical role in helping someone with a pressing problem.

CAPRICORN (June 21July 22) (Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

Engage in a heart-toheart talk with someone you have an issue with. Be direct to avoid confusion. Don’t let anxiety get the better of you.

Persuasiveness will evade you today. Refrain from initiating a partnership. Equality will be difficult to maintain in any relationship you venture into. Go it alone in order to reach your goal.

PISCES

(Feb. 20March 20)

Don’t engage in personal talks regarding assets or secrets. Your wit and charisma will be entertainment enough. Someone influential will have a profound effect on your future.

Go to great lengths to avoid disputes among your peers. You will ruin a chance for advancement if you take sides. Observe and collect information to help get ahead. Don’t meddle.

Peanuts

dilbert

AQUARIUS

CANCER

GEMINI

calvin and hobbes

West Indies' quest for an allrounder continues

– West Indies' ODI squad for India is surprisingly light on spin, but the tour is an opportunity for Samuels and Russell to make strong comebacks

By Tony Cozier

There are a few unmistakable conclusions to be drawn from the West Indies squad for the imminent ODIs in India.

One is that in the limited time prior to the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, the new selection panel, under Clive Lloyd, is focusing on players who have been there, done that. Another is that spinners do not figure prominently in their World Cup plans, a third that the search for a capable allrounder continues.

Six of the 15 players heading for India for the five matches (Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy, Kemar Roach, Ravi Rampaul and Andre Russell) were in the previous World Cup there in 2011, when West Indies were comfortably defeated by Pakistan in the quarter-final. Assuming that Chris Gayle recovers from

the operation on his back and none of the others breaks down, the number to go on to South Africa in January for a final buildup to the World Cup will be seven.

Not many teams venture to India short of spinners; the preponderance of turning pitches is as predictable as the traffic chaos of the teeming cities there. This West Indies team has one, Sunil Narine; as potent as he has been in several T20 tournaments, he lacks support from those of a contrasting method, such as the left-armers Sulieman Benn and Nikita Miller.

Benn's continuing omission from the 50-over format is as surprising as the return of Russell and Samuels is significant. The 2011 World Cup was the last time Benn appeared in an ODI; until recalled for the recent home series against New Zealand and Bangladesh, his absence from the Test

team went back even further, to 2010 in Sri Lanka.

In the five Tests since his return, he wheeled away stoically for 302 overs for his 28 wickets at an economy rate of 2.32 runs an over. His height, from which he gains bounce, and, if controlled, his fierce competitive edge enhance his statistics. Doubtless he will be back for the three Tests that follow the ODIs; in India, of all places, he is worth a

had only one such match over the past 18 months.

The most recent instance of his ability to create mayhem in the opposition ranks was for the High Performance Centre (HPC) against Bangladesh A at Kensington Oval in June.

Entering at 140 for 5 after 33 overs, he exploded with 13 sixes and seven fours in 132 not out off 56 balls, setting up a victory by 117 runs. In the next

Test against New Zealand in June. It seemed that, at 33 and with a record of underachievement, his time in West Indies colours was over; Lloyd's contention was that, whatever his recent problems, he was simply too talented to discard.

Like Russell, Samuels has to make of Lloyd's confidence what he will.

While the senior team is in India, the A team is in Sri Lanka for three four-day and three one-

go in the abbreviated format as well.

In their different ways, Russell and Samuels are Lloyd's two most interesting picks. Lloyd has said that Russell has the potential to be the allrounder now blatantly missing from the Test team. If it is an assessment not supported by his inconsistency, his powerful hitting, his quick bowling and, not least, his athletic fielding, have been game changers in one-day matches for West Indies' senior and A teams, as well as for his various T20 franchise sides. Occasionally he has combined all three to make a difference.

His one and only Test was in Sri Lanka in 2010. Since then he has been confined to 35 ODIs, in which he averages 30.27 with the bat at a strike rate of 119.78 and 30.29, with 44 wickets at 5.51 runs an over. Yet he has

match, he took 6 for 28 off 8.5 overs in another HPC victory. The Bangladeshis were hardly the strongest opponents but they were a representative international team and it was still a cricket match.

West Indies have searched in vain for someone suitable enough to bat at No. 6 and take up the slack as a third or fourth seam bowler. Dwayne Bravo was that someone until injuries and a preference for overseas T20 franchises weakened his case. Now captain, he is again a candidate.

For a change, Russell has a chief selector, and eminent former captain at that, willing to give him the chance; it is up to him to seize it.

Lloyd has also been instrumental in Samuels' reinstatement. He hasn't had an international game since he was dropped after his twin ducks in the first

day matches. There is relevance as well in the choice of Carlos Brathwaite as captain, with the consequent demotion back into the ranks of Kirk Edwards, who was at the helm for the A tour of India a year ago and whose batting star dipped in the recent home series against New Zealand and Bangladesh. Brathwaite's first-class batting average of 28 and bowling average of 20.63 for his 57 wickets are enough to place him in the allrounder category in a region where the term has been greatly devalued; he is a tall, strapping bowler whose pace is less than he appears capable of, and a lower-order batsman who should have scored more than one hundred in his 22 first-class matches. He is another vying for the attention of Lloyd and his colleagues as they hunt for those who can turn a match with one innings, one bowling spell - or both. It is a time for the contenders to seize the moment. (Cricinfo)

Can Andre Russell be the one the selectors have been looking for? © Getty Images

Marlon Samuels

Dwayne Bravo

Kallis happy with retirement timing

Former South Africa allrounder Jacques Kallis has said that his decision to retire from international cricket was well considered and not taken at the spur of the moment. Speaking exclusively to ESPNcricinfo, Kallis revealed he felt "the time was right" to walk away from the game despite making his ambitions of playing the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand public earlier.

"I have always said the day I wake up and I don't have that feeling of wanting to play international cricket, I'll call it quits and that's exactly what happened," he said. "I was always going to be honest with myself about that. It would have been nice to get through to the 2015 World Cup but I'm certainly not going to play if I am even 1% off from where I should be for international cricket."

Kallis announced his decision to retire after scores of 0,1 and 4 in the three-ODI series against Sri Lanka in July. He had announced his Test retirement in December 2013 after the final Test against India in Durban. "I know I have made the right choice. I sleep comfortably at night," he said. "I felt I had spent enough time away from home, other things were more important than international cricket to me."

Over the course of his career, Kallis was part of five World Cup campaigns that ended in defeat. He insists the tag of chokers is "overused" and is regarded as a "joke" within the side. According to Kallis "little things have gone wrong at the wrong time" in previous World Cups for South Africa. "Somewhere along the line I can guaran-

tee you South Africa will win a World Cup and the way the team is playing at the moment, there's no reason it can't be the one coming up."

While Kallis' international career might be over after 166 Tests and 328 ODIs, he intends to continue playing T20 cricket around the world for a few more years. Currently in India for the Champions League T20 as a member of Kolkata Knight Riders, Kallis said he enjoyed the role of mentoring younger players. "When I grew up, seniors did that for me. I have 20 years of knowledge and I can pass that on to some of the youngsters and help them become cricketers they want to become."

Knight Riders, who won their second IPL title in three years in June, are currently on a hot streak of 12 consecutive victories. Kallis credited the success to the players getting on well both "on and off the field". "The side was very cleverly and well chosen. Sometimes being a good cricketer doesn't mean you are going to become a good

team man," he said. "The side has very much been selected on guys getting on well off the field which sometimes plays a massive role on the field."

They were the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of the CLT20, racking up three successive wins, but Kallis insists there is no talk about the title in the dressing room. "Not a word has been spoken about that yet. We take it one game at a time. That's been a strength of this side; it's the reason why we've won 12 in a row because we haven't looked ahead."

Despite the growing popularity of T20 Kallis, who is the second-highest century maker and third-highest run-getter in Test cricket, believes the longest format of the game is "healthy". "I believe there's no need to change anything about Test cricket," he said. "Cricketers still want to be judged at how good they are in Tests. I think T20 has been magnificent for the game, it has speeded up Test cricket, made it more exciting, brought new audiences to Test cricket." (Cricinfo)

Ashley Cole: Pressure on Man City for Champions League game

City lost their first match of the group stages to Bayern Munich earlier this month.

"There's a lot of pressure on City," Cole said. "They have big players and are hungry to win the Champions League.

"We are probably the underdogs but we will give it everything and will give them a tough game."

Roma are bidding to build on an impressive 5-1 victory over CSKA Moscow in their opening game, and Cole says a win would give them a fighting chance of beating City to qualification.

"If we win it will make it more difficult for them to catch up and will probably make us top of the group and put us in good stead for qualifying," said the 33-year-old.

The former Chelsea defender said he was surprised to come up against ex-clubmate Frank Lampard so soon after they both left Stamford Bridge over the summer.

"It will be great to play against people like Joe Hart and Lamps," he said. "I never expected to play against him.

"If I am selected and

Asian speedster sets sights on Bolt

Asian 100 metres

champion Femi Ogunode says he can outsprint Usain Bolt to gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro -- even without the help of a coach.

The Nigerian-born runner took the gold medal for his adopted country Qatar with a continental record of 9.93 seconds at the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, on Sunday.

Ogunode, 23, clocked the joint fifth-fastest time in the world this year despite dispensing with his coach four months ago and opting not to replace him.

"I am fine without a coach, I know what to do," said the confident sprinter, who returned from a lengthy doping ban at the start of this year.

"Without a coach I can discipline myself and train myself. I've been training

Lamps is selected it would be nice.

"Everyone knows what Lampard brings to any team - he's a great experienced player who scores goals."

(BBCSport)

"I trained as normal and what I did today was not strange to me. I believed and trusted myself that I could do it."

Ogunode told reporters he would now turn his attention to next year's world championships and then to the Olympics in Brazil the following summer.

Asked if he could beat Jamaica's Bolt -- the world's fastest man at 9.58sec -Ogunode replied: "I have confidence in myself that I can challenge anybody."

alone. When I'm training myself I believe in myself so strongly and I improve so much," he added.

Ogunode only returned to competitive action in January after a two-year suspension for testing positive for banned substance clenbuterol.

"For me everything was the same," Ogunode said of his 24 months on the sidelines.

"I see myself winning the gold medal in Rio."

Ogunode finished well ahead at Incheon's Main Stadium on Sunday with China's Su Bingtan taking second in 10.10.

Kei Takase of Japan crossed the line in third on 10.14 while his Chinese team-mate Zhang Peimeng timed 10.18 in fourth. (Yahoo Sport)

Marin Cilic wins at China Open in first match since US Open victory

Marin Cilic picked up a straight sets win in the opening round of the China Open in Beijing in his first match since becoming US Open champion.

The 26-year-old Croat admitted to still being "rusty" after beating Chinese wildcard Yan Bai 6-3 6-4.

Cilic, the fourth seed in Beijing, said putting extra pressure on himself as a Grand Slam winner would be "dangerous".

"Most important is not to put too many expectations on my own shoulders," said the world number nine.

Cilic is currently fifth in the race for the end of season ATP World Tour Finals in London.

He must finish in the top eight to qualify for the tournament in November.

The world's top three players - Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer - have already confirmed their places.

And a good run for Cilic in Beijing - where he is seeded fourth - will greatly enhance his chances of qualifying.

"It's going to be a process for me, for sure, on all the tournaments to keep my level at the high point where I want it to be," Cilic added.

"I know it's always difficult to start tournaments. You know, players are always looking at you much more. I think it's important for me to keep focusing on

improvement of my game and try to, of course, recreate the game I was playing in the US Open."

Elsewhere in the first round, Bulgarian fifth seed Grigor Dimitrov needed three sets to defeat Spain's Fernando Verdasco 6-1 3-6 6-3.

In the women's draw, Serena Williams beat Silvia Soler-Espinosa of Spain 7-5 6-2 while Ana Ivanovic made light work of Switzerland's Belinda Bencic, winning 6-2 6-1.

France's Alize Cornet upset 10th seed Jelena Jankovic 7-5 3-6 6-4, building on the momentum of reaching the quarter-final of last week's Wuhan Open. (BBCSport)

Jacques Kallis

Femi Ogunode

Usain Bolt

Roma defender Ashley Cole says Manchester City will be under pressure when the two sides meet in the Champions League on Tuesday

Marin Cilic said he "played the best tennis of my life" after winning the US Open in New York

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Ashraful's ban reduced to five years

Former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful has had his eight-year ban for involvement in corruption reduced to a five-year penalty, with two years suspended, by the BCB's disciplinary panel chairman. Ashraful had appealed to the disciplinary panel chief, Justice Mohammad Abdur Rashid, in July, asking that the ban he received a month earlier, for his involvement in match and spot-fixing in the 2013 edition of the Bangladesh Premier League, be reduced.

The five-year ban is dated from 13 August, 2013. The last two years are suspended subject to his participation in a BCB or ICC anti-corruption education and training programme. "Upon production of a certificate of good conduct from ICC", a BCB release said, he will be eligible to return to cricket "on or about 13 August, 2016".

Ashraful, who had admitted to his guilt before being banned, said he was pleased with the result of his appeal. "I had wanted a reduction in the ban similar to what has been given to me, when I had appealed," he told ESPNcricinfo. "I'm very happy, now I can play

[sooner]. I should have been punished, yes, but I think this is good for me."

In other decisions taken by the disciplinary panel chief, Sri Lanka slowbowling allrounder Kaushal Lokuarachchi's 18-month ban, for failing to report an approach, was reduced to one year.

One of the owners of Dhaka Gladiators, Shihab Jishan Chowdhury, who had been found guilty of "being party to an effort to fix" a match in the BPL and handed a ten-year ban, had also appealed. His ban was upheld by the disciplinary panel chief, but the fine of BDT 2 million that went with it was quashed.

However, Salim Chowdhury, the franchise's chairman, who was acquitted of all charges after the anti-corruption tribunal concluded its hearing into the matter, was slapped with a ten-year ban by the disciplinary panel chief. Salim Chowdhury's ban will be dated from 13 August, 2013.

Responding to the disciplinary chief's rulings, the ICC and BCB said in a joint statement: "The ICC and the BCB have received the determination and are

pleased to note that Shihab Jishan Chowdury's 10-year ban has been upheld, while Salim Chowdhury has now also been found guilty and banned for 10 years.

"In respect of the other findings, the ICC and the BCB are in the process of carefully reviewing the determination, following which they will decide on their next steps, including whether or not to appeal any aspect(s) of the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport."

Following the BCB anti-corruption tribunal's ruling on the corruption allegations earlier this year, the ICC and BCB had expressed displeasure at some of the results. The BCB had set up the tribunal after the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit had brought to its attention the instances of possible corruption in the BPL. Following its investigation, the anti-corruption tribunal had found Shihab Jishan Chowdhury guilty. Ashraful had confessed and pleaded guilty to wrongdoing before the tribunal's investigation, while Lokuarachchi and New Zealand's Lou Vincent had said they failed to report approaches made to them. Six other players were discharged as not guilty by the tribunal, and Salim Chowdhury as well as the franchise's CEO Gaurav Rawat and bowling coach Mohammad Rafique were acquitted of all charges.

As per the BCB's anticorruption code, which governs this matter, the next - and final - stage of the appeals process allows an appeal to be made to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland. (Cricinfo)

No disciplinary action against Younis - Shaharyar

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan has said senior Pakistan batsman Younis Khan ought to show "some maturity", but ruled out any disciplinary action against him for his outburst against the board and selectors.

"I am a bit disappointed at the way Younis has reacted to being dropped from the ODI squad, as he is a very senior player and we have lot of respect for him," Khan told Urdu daily Express.

Younis lashed out after being dropped for the ODI series against Australia and asked if a 36-year-old couldn't be in the future plans of the national selectors if he should shoot himself. He also offered to step aside from the Test side, challenging the selectors to build a new team in five-six months' time.

"Such statements are not worthy coming from Younis, given his stature. We have sent him a letter asking him to be careful in future and we expect him to understand the situation which does no good for the image of Pakistan cricket," Khan said. "But we have no intentions to take any disciplinary action against him and we hope he will settle down now.

"I have plans to meet him in future so that I can hear him out and see what grievances he has, but for the moment the selectors have finalised the team for the ODI series against Australia."

The PCB chief dismissed reports that Younis had been sidelined from the ODI side because of the incident in 2006 when he refused to lead the Pakistan team in the Champions Trophy in India after a tiff with Shaharyar Khan, who was the then chairman, over a minor issue.

"That incident has nothing to do with the team selection and after that happened myself and Younis sorted out things and it was over. There is no question of Younis not being treated with respect, he deserves it given his services to Pakistan cricket."

Younis Khan

Mohammad Ashraful

Shariff Stable takes top honours at Alness race meet

Shariff Racing Stable dominated the Alness horse race meet on Sunday at the club’s race track, Alness, Corentyne, Berbice.

The stable took top honours with two wins in the six-event meet. The initial eight-race meet was reduced due to the limited number of horses entered for the J3 and Lower and F

Class races.

Regarded as one of the top racing stables currently, Shariff Stable romped away with the G3 and Lower event before claiming the feature A and Lower race later in the day.

In the G3 and Lower race, Shooting Star won ahead of Bridal Stone Corner, Marathon Man and Another Jet.

Speed Vision won the K and Lower race from Iron Man, Fit to Fight and Go Zapper.

Party Time charged to the front with ease to defeat Affinity and Lady Secret in the I and Lower event.

In the L and Lower event, Porridge took top honours from Fit to Fight, Brown Boy and Sweet Man,

Dominant Knight Riders remain unbeaten

Leading in his 100th T20, against Dolphins in Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders captain Gautam Gambhir wanted his side to do something different and test themselves before the semi-final. So for the second time in their streak of 13 victories, incidentally the longest for an Indian T20 side, Knight Riders batted first. It veered from their set game plan of allowing their spinners to tie up the opposition in knots before chasing a target but the end result was along expected lines, specially after Robin Uthappa and Manish Pandey had razed the Dolphins attack with unbeaten fifties and a 153run partnership, the highest stand in the Champions League.

Dolphins made a small dent in Knight Riders' innings, getting rid of Gambhir and Jacques Kallis, and Kyle Abbott too managed to slip in a couple of searching overs at the start, utilising some movement off the pitch. Uthappa and Pandey came together with the score at 34 for 2 in the fifth over and by the time the innings ended, their stand had come at a swift clip of 10 runs per over. Their batting was almost effortless, specially Uthappa's, whose polished drives were mixed in with well-timed steers behind the wicket.

Pandey, at the other end, used a looping backlift

to carve out fours and sixes. He also benefited from two reprieves; he was dropped on 32 and 33 in the 13th and 14th overs respectively and duly repaid Dolphins by smashing 43 off the next 19 balls he faced. He mauled Abbott, Dolphins' best bowler, scything and swinging his way to 21 runs in the 18th over. The ease with which the pair accumulated the runs meant that Knight Riders coasted at more than eight runs an over for most of their innings, before ending at 187 for 2.

In their previous games, Dolphins had shown glimpses of an explosive batting side but that didn't

come together for them in this game. The early wickets added to the pressure of an early chase but there were bright spots for Dolphins, particularly the entertaining, sometimes brash 63-run partnership between Khaya Zondo and Andile Phehlukwayo. The latter survived an edgy start before slamming some powerful shots, including a reverse sweep off Sunil Narine that came off due to his late adjustment. Narine contributed 3 for 33 to Knight Riders win, which now places them behind Surrey and Otago on the list of teams with most successive wins in T20s. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD

Kolkata Knight Riders innings RV Uthappa† not out 85

G Gambhir* b Frylinck 12

JH Kallis b Alexander 6

MK Pandey not out 76

Extras (lb 2, w 6) 8

Total (2 wickets; 20 overs) 187

Did not bat YK Pathan, RN ten Doeschate, SA Yadav, AD Russell, PP Chawla, SP Narine, Kuldeep Yadav Fall of wickets 1-25 (Gambhir), 2-34 (Kallis)

Bowling: KJ Abbott 4-0-390, CJ Alexander 4-0-36-1, R Frylinck 4-0-29-1, CS Delport

2-0-19-0, AL Phehlukwayo

1-0-17-0, P Subrayen 4-030-0, K Zondo 1-0-15-0

Dolphins innings MN van Wyk*† c Pandey b Pathan 34

CS Delport c Gambhir b Pathan 0

while Road is Mine won the J1 and Lower event from Slim Shady, Famous Pride and Red Jet.

Meanwhile, the feature A and Lower event was already highlighted in our Monday’s edition but for

those who missed that report, California Strike won that event. Score’s Even had to settle for second, with Church House third and Bridal Stone Corner fourth.

The champion Jockey was Colin

raced away with the champion stable

Over 60 horses took part in the day’s proceedings which had approximately five million dollars up for grabs.

Sparta Boss rule the beach

Sparta Boss displayed great skill to walk away with the top prize of $150,000 when the inaugural Ballers at the Beach tournament concluded on Sunday evening at the Selena Beach Resort, Georgetown.

The first-time event organised by Nebula Promotions saw Sparta Boss defeating Back Circle 4-2 in the final.

The fast-paced action was thrilling to the applause of the huge turnout as Devon Millington opened the account for Sparta Boss in the first minute of the game.

The score line doubled in the space of three minutes with a goal from Dennis Edwards in the fourth minute.

Meanwhile, the lacklustre play by Back Circle was glaring as Edwards would notch another goal in the 12th minute slotting in a superb volley.

Back Circle had a glimmer of hope in when Jamal Adams struck twice in the 15th and 16th minutes to shave Sparta Boss’ lead to just one with the score on 3-2.

However, Cleyon Forrester would drive the nail in the coffin with a goal in the 18th minute to ensure Sparta Boss be crowned champions. In the semi-final games, Sparta Boss topped West Front Road 1-nil while Back Circle came from a two goal deficit to defeat Tigerbay 4-2. The quarterfinal round mirrored the semi-final as Sparta Boss needled Alexander Village 1-0 while Back Circle topped Leopold Street 3-2.

Max Verstappen: Teenager to drive in practice at Japanese Grand Prix

C Chetty c Narine b Russell 1

VB van Jaarsveld st †Uthappa b Chawla 19

K Zondo c Chawla b Narine 32

AL Phehlukwayo b Narine 37

R Frylinck c Chawla b Narine 11

JD Vandiar c Yadav b Kuldeep Yadav 1

KJ Abbott not out 5

P Subrayen not out 7

Extras (lb 2, w 2) 4

Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 151

Did not bat CJ Alexander

Fall of wickets 1-5 (Delport), 2-6 (Chetty), 3-53 (van Jaarsveld), 4-57 (van Wyk), 5-120 (Phehlukwayo), 6-136 (Frylinck), 7-136 (Zondo), 8-138 (Vandiar)

Bowling: YK Pathan 4-025-2, AD Russell 3-0-17-1, Kuldeep Yadav 4-0-30-1, SP Narine 4-0-33-3, PP Chawla 3-0-19-1, SA Yadav 1-0-7-0, RN ten Doeschate 1-0-18-0

Max Verstappen will become the youngest driver ever to take part in a Grand Prix weekend when he drives in first practice in Japan on Friday.

The Dutchman, who is 17 on Tuesday, is making his debut for the Toro Rosso team, for whom he will race in 2015.

He will drive Jean-Eric Vergne's car in preparation for next season when he replaces the French driver.

"To be already participating in a practice session is a dream come true," Verstappen said.

"It will be a very valuable experience, spending some time in the car and also getting used to work -

ing with everyone in the team, to prepare myself for next year.

"I am not going there to break any records, I just want to gain experience."

Suzuka is renowned as one of the toughest circuits in the world and is regarded as an extreme test for even the most experienced drivers.

Verstappen said he had spoken to his father, the former F1 driver Jos Verstappen, about the circuit and had been warned it is "not an easy track to start on".

Max Verstappen added: "I have spent one day driving this track on the simulator, which helps a bit, but it's no substitute for driving it for real.

"My first impression is that it's not an easy track and for example it looks hard to get the combination right in the first Esses.

"I have one and a half hours to drive there and I'm looking forward to doing a good job, for myself and for the team."

Verstappen has less than one year's experience in car racing but Red Bull, who use Toro Rosso as a junior team, say they have promoted him because he is a "once in a generation talent".

The company's motorsport adviser Helmut Marko compared Verstappen to the great three-time world champion Ayrton Senna in an interview last week. (BBC Sport)

Ross. The Shariff Stable

accolade.

California Strike whipped Score’s Even in the feature A and Lower event

Shooting Star won the G3 and Lower race

Devon Millington

Griffith, Sattuar powers DCC XI to 88-run victory over Rest Team

Openers Trevon Griffith and Brian Sattaur were at their destructive best on Sunday evening, hitting contrasting half-centuries in Coach Nedd's DCC XI's 88-run victory over the Rest Team in Coach Garvin Nedd’s T20 Birthday Exhibition Match played under lights at the Demerara Cricket Club Ground.

The two left-handers were harsh during their near 150-run partnership, with Sattaur clobbering four fours and seven gigantic sixes in his hurricane 15-ball 59, while his more senior partner Griffith spanked five sixes and six fours in his top score of 86.

Skipper Christopher Barnwell struck five fours

and muscled two sixes in his brisk 40, steering his team to a mammoth 271 in 20 overs.

In reply, the Rest Team could only muster 183 at the end of their overs with Dexter Williams hammering a quick-fire 37 with six fours and a six along with Robin Bacchus who scored an aggressive 36 at the top of the order.

Bowling for the DCC XI, Antonell Atwell picked up 2-24, Griffith 2-25, Travis Dowlin 2-25 and a wicket apiece for Sherfane Rutherford and Kemol Savory completing a good bowling performance.

The game was held in observance of Garvin Nedd’s birth anniversary celebrations.

GHB names under-19 squad

Nineteen (19) players have been named by the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) to start preparations for the 2016 Junior Pan American Cup penciled for Toronto, Canada.

Coaches Andrew Xavier and Dwayne Alleyne as well as national senior men's coach Robert Fernandes will be conducting the twoyear programme to prepare the lads.

Thirty-two players have been shortlisted as the squad is expected to develop in time for the 2016 tournament.

However, the team will face its first major test in

December of this year when they tour Trinidad and Tobago to play against club teams as well as the country’s under-19 development squad.

While most of the players are newcomers, the team will have some leaders to turn to in Mark Sargeant, Andrew Stewart and Aroydy Branford who have had some success at the senior level, most notably their bronze medal win at the Indoor Pan American Cup in Montevideo, Uruguay earlier this year.

The players are: Mark Sergeant, Medroy Scotland, Kareem McKenzie, Keon

McKenzie, Daniel Hooper, Sammar DeFreitas, Rosario Ramsammy, Lorenzo Vanzo, Aroydy Branford, Andrew Stewart, Leon Bacchus, Robert Brumell, Joshua Carew, Omar Hopkinson, Stephon Sprosta, Shaquille Thomas, Onasis Fraser, Deheron Wilkinson, Richard Thomas, Akeem Wilson, Hllton Chester, Paramanand Dindial, Shemar Boston, Nicholas Nervais, Gordon Trotman, Troy Hodge, Ezekiel Springer, Delmar Ng, Ato Greene, Edmund Chinian, Myron Phillips and Meshach Williams.

Gayle confident of making India Tests

West Indies opener Chris Gayle, is expressing confidence that he will be fit and ready in time to be considered for the West Indies' upcoming Test series against India.

Gayle, who has been nursing a lower back injury in recent times, was last week left out of the West Indies one-day squad for their tour of the Asian country.

The Test series, however, which features three matches, is set to follow the five-match one-day series, which is set to bowl off on October 8.

"My recovery has been coming on nicely, and I expect to be fully fit and ready in time for the Test series," said Gayle.

"The injury is the same

one that has been affecting my back in recent times, but so far it has been coming on well," added Gayle. "I have been able to give it some rest and as each day progresses, it keeps getting better and better."

The explosive Gayle, who in the summer passed the 100 appearances in Test matches mark, has been struggling with the injury since the start of the year and has seen his performances take a dip as a result.

It began in the Indian Premier League in April, where after a series of low scores, he ended up with an average in the 20s.

This was followed by average returns against touring New Zealand in three Test matches in June.

Gayle scored two half-

Chris Gayle

centuries in six innings at an average of 41.60 with his highest being 80 not out in the second Test.

He was not selected for the ensuing two-match Twenty20 internation-

al series against the New Zealand.

The Caribbean Premier League followed in August, however, despite scoring a century early on, he followed with less-than-ideal scores thereafter for the Jamaica Tallawahs.

Bangladesh's subsequent tour of the West Indies in August saw the 35-year-old making scores of three, 58 and six in the one-dayers, and 64 and nine not out in the first of Two Tests.

He did not participate in the second Test.

Gayle, in 103 Tests, averages 42.18, while in onedayers he has an average of 37.33 from 258 matches. He also has an average of 32.60 from 43 Twenty20 international appearances. (WICB Media Release)

GKF holds successful senior championships

The Guyana Karate Federation (GKF) held their annual senior championship on Sunday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall where a number of champions were crowned.

Theresa Sampat was outstanding at the event winning both the 14-17 years female Kata and Kumite events.

Shane Wilkinson won the male 14-17 years Kata while Nixon Cheeks won the 14-17 over 55kg Kumite event. Avinash Ramgolan was the winner of the under 55kg 14-17 years Kumite category.

Patrick Cheeks won the male 18 years and over Kata event while Navindra Soodoo won the under 60kg 18 years and over Kumite category.

The male Kumite under 75kg event went to Rodwell Alleyne while Ryan Alleyne took the under 67kg.

The male under 84kg Kumite went to Dellon Hyman while Keith Beaton won the over 84kg Kumite event.

The one other female event went to Kristina Cheeks who won the over 55kg 14-17 years Kata event to bring the exciting day of Karate to an end.

Association do Shotokan Karate Guyana took the first place prize in the male team Kata as well as first place in the male team Kumite.

Guyana Karate College was second in Kata while finishing third in Kumite as the National Martial Arts Association was third in Kata and second in Kumite.

Trevon Griffith

Brian Sattaur

Aroydy Branford

Senior Inter-County 4-Day Tournament…

Chanderpaul expected to join GCB Developmental XI for final round

– Demerara lead points standing

B

Fresh from his exploits in the recent Test series against Bangladesh, veteran West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul is expected to join the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Developmental XI line-up for the third and final round of the Senior Inter-County four-day tournament, beginning today.

The GCB Developmental XI will play Berbice at the Wales Community Centre Ground.

Chanderpaul, 40, has returned to the top three of the ICC Ranking for Test batsmen following his outstanding performance against Bangladesh.

The Guyanese is the second highest run-getter with 270 runs in the series, and as a result, he jumped two places.

He has leapfrogged David Warner of Australia and Angelo Mathews of Sri Lanka into third position.

The batting table is headed by Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka, who leads South Africa’s AB de Villiers by 27 ratings points.

During the series, Chanderpaul became the second batsman – with a minimum qualification of three innings and 200-

plus runs – to remain unbeaten in a Test series. He scored 270 runs from three innings without being dismissed. South Africa’s Jacques Kallis was the first batsman to achieve the feat.

Chanderpaul also became the 11th batsman to score 30 Test hundreds. Among left-handed batsmen, only two others have more centuries – Sangakkara with 37 and West Indian Brian Lara with 34.

The former captain, who has played a West Indian record of

Shivnarine Chanderpaul

158 Test matches, moved to 11, 684 career runs, just 269 runs away from eclipsing Lara’s West Indian record of 11, 953.

The Developmental XI manager David Black said: "Shiv is in exceptional form at the moment and once he is around, he

will provide valuable middle-order support while demonstrating what it takes to be a world-class batsman to some of our younger players."

Meanwhile, after two rounds, Demerara top the points standing with 28 points, while

Berbice have 22 points; the Developmental XI, 17 points; and Essequibo at the bottom of the table on seven points.

In the other third round game, Demerara will play Essequibo at the Georgetown Cricket Club Ground.

David Black

Robin Uthappa and Manish Pandey's 153-run stand was the highest partnership in the Champions League T20 © BCCI