No decision yet on Claudette Singh as Speaker – Granger Conference Centre to be renamed after President Arthur Chung PPP/C supporters protest in front of GECOM offices 9 bodies recovered; search on for 1 other Mahdia
thursday, may 21, 2015
President David Granger in an invited comment, disclosed that he intends to officially write former President Donald Ramotar, inviting him to join the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition’s “unity train”.
Following allegations that he is refusing to work alongside the new Administration, Ramotar made it clear that he, nor the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), has received formal invitation from the current President to join his unity movement.
Therefore, he asserted that any attempt by the new leader to suggest that the PPP/C has scoffed at inclusionary governance would be disingenuous.
Meanwhile, when asked by media operatives on Wednesday if he had official invited Ramotar to form an inclusionary government, Granger replied in the negative.
When asked if he intends to write Ramotar anytime soon, Granger replied “yes I do, I will. I will have to have a meeting with my partners first but I plan to write him.”
Nonetheless, Granger registered his disappointment that the former Head of State has not yet shown any indication that he wishes to work together with the new government, despite the fact that a formal invitation has not yet been issued.
“There has been no indication of acceptance. I have seen an article in the papers which says that there will be no acceptance… I am disappointed not surprised… this is a moment that Guyana has been waiting for. It is a moment that we should regard as the start of a process of building national unity; as a process of creating inclusionary democracy and rejecting the winner-takes-
all governance,” the newly elected President previously said.
But Ramotar maintained that President Granger never had any discussions with him or any senior member of the PPP/C about forming an inclusionary government.
Meanwhile, Granger noted that he was humbled that the majority of the Guyanese people chose him to lead the country, noting that he intended to do so to the best of his ability.
“I now have the support
Mahdia
Some four days after a mining pit caved in at Mowasi Backdam, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) burying 10 miners, a total of nine bodies have been recovered and the search for the last one continues. This was confirmed to the Guyana Times by a source close to the owner of the camp, Imran Khan.
Sunday’s incident claimed 10 lives and injured seven others. The survivors include Sheldon Adams, Andrew Lazarus, Henry Xavier, Regan Greene, Alex
of the majority of the population to do the things that they wanted done and that is why I am here. That’s why they elected me. It’s a feeling of great responsibility and I expect to discharge that responsibility and as I said at my inauguration I will be a good President…. I have been to all of the regions here in Guyana and I have a good idea of what the people want,” he said.
The newly-elected President told reporters that during his tenure, while there are many things
he would like to address, there are three key areas to which he wanted to pay specific attention to: education and literacy, poverty and employment for the youth population. “Three things, one is that there will be universal literacy – that we will be a complete literate population; complete education; two is that poverty will be abolished, that there will be no extremely poor people and three is that young people will be fully employed – full employment,” he shared.
Following the incident, an intense search was conducted, and five bod-
ies were initially retrieved on Monday and flown to Georgetown the next morning. They were taken to the Lyken Funeral Parlour,
where only three were identified. A fourth body was identified on Wednesday.
thursday, may 21, 2015
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic from Thursday, May 21 - 05:00h-06:30h and Friday, May 22 - 05:00h-06:30h
The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Thursday, May 21 – 05:15h-06:45h and Friday, May 22 - 05:55h-07:25h
Ferries will be departing the Parika and Supenaam stellings on:
Thursday, May 21 - 06:00h and 16:00h Friday, May 22 – 06:00h and 17:00h
Thundery showers can be expected in the morning, with heavy rain showers dominating throughout the afternoon. Thundery showers with return in the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius.
Winds: East North-easterly between 4.02 metres and 5.81 metres per second.
High Tide: 06:17h and 18:47h reaching maximum heights of 2.67 metres and 2.49 metres respectively.
Low Tide: 12:19h reaching a minimum height of 0.56 metre.
By Alexis Rodney
ith exploration company Exxon Mobil announcing that it has discovered oil during its drilling in the Stabroek Offshore Guyana, President David Granger said it becomes even more important for his administration to set up a Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF)
A SWF is defined as pools of money derived from a country’s reserves, which are set aside for investment purposes that will benefit the country’s economy and citizens. The funding for a Sovereign Wealth Fund comes from Central Bank reserves that accumulate as a result of budget and trade surpluses, and even from revenue generated from the exports of natural resources. The types of acceptable investments included in each SWF vary from country to country; countries with liquidity concerns limit investments to only very liquid public debt instruments. Some countries have created SWFs in diversifying their revenue streams. For example, the United Arab Emirates relies on oil exports for its wealth. Therefore, it devotes a portion of its reserves to an SWF that invests in other types of assets that can act as a shield against oil-related risk.
Reacting to the United States (US) oil firm’s announcement, President Granger said he was elated and vowed that the disposal of any natural resource will go towards benefitting the people of Guyana. He reminded that before assuming the office, he had announced the creation of a SWF which would see that surpluses from exportation of all minerals be paid into that fund so that “children
will not have to live in poverty; that no matter what happens to the resources of the country, there will always be wealth to look after their education”.
Exxon Mobil announced on Wednesday that the Liza-1 well has encountered more than 295 feet of high-quality oil-bearing sandstone reservoirs. The well, which began its exploratory activity in early March this year, is first on 6.6 million acre Stabroek Block, and drilled to 17,825 feet by Exxon Mobil’s affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd.
Exxon Mobil’s President Stephen Greenlee said he is encouraged by the results of the first well on the Stabroek Block. He assured that over the coming months the company will work to determine the commercial viability of the discovered resource as well as evaluate other resource potential on the block. According to him, the well data will be analysed in the coming months to better determine the full resource potential.
The former Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, had said that any discovery of oil would be a significant boost to Guyana’s economy. Exxon Mobil has made headway amid the political mayhem between Guyana and Venezuela, where the latter remains adamant that the area where the US company is drilling is within their territory.
In early March, the oil and gas company, one of the largest in the world, was warned by the Spanish-speaking country to refrain from going ahead with its planned exploratory drilling activity, on a concession awarded by Guyana. The multibillion-dollar project, however, got underway early last month. Esso Exploration and Production Guyana
Limited holds 45 per cent interest; Hess Guyana Exploration Limited holds 30 per cent interest and CNOOC (China National Offshore Corporation) Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited holds 25 per cent interest.
The project is expected to be executed over a 10year period and has been divided into three sections, including two phases in each section which lasts for one to two years. The scope of operations include a drillship with approximately 200 crew and contractors; helicopter support with two from Ogle, including a utility and a Search and Rescue at all times; four support vessels and two shore bases, running from Georgetown and Trinidad; and a waste treatment facility at the John Fernandes Site at Houston, Greater Georgetown. The total area allotted to Exxon covers 26,806 square kilometres. Guyana has been receiving sustained international attention from huge companies, especially in the oil sector. The US Geological Survey said in 2000, that the GuyanaSuriname Basin has the second largest unexplored oil potential in the world after Greenland. Guyana first struck oil in the 1980s in the Takutu Basin, and there is much optimism that oil will be found in commercial quantities. ExxonMobil has joined other investors such as CGX Energy, Repsol, Anadarko Guyana Co, and Nabi Oil and Gas in exploring oil in Guyana’s offshore Atlantic basin.
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
After the tense wait following the elections of May 11, when the "preliminary result so" were finally announced, the United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator, Khadija Musa, felt it necessary to invoke the question of identity. She was quoted in another section of the press as declaring:
“It is very important for Guyanese to think of themselves as Guyanese and not Indo-Guyanese, Afro-Guyanese, Amerindian-Guyanese, Portuguese-Guyanese or whatever their background is.”
She must have followed the returns pouring in and tabulated in the press and noticed the correlation between ethnicity and voting preference.
However one reader, in a riposte, pointed out that the US Resident Coordinator was demanding the abandonment of cultural identities, something that went against the very principles that the UN itself, stood for. The reader also threatened to raise the matter at the UN, unless Ms Musa retracted her statement.
Yesterday, Ms Musa responded, but rather than retracting her statement evidently sought to "explain" what she meant:
"I would like to reaffirm that I believe that cultural heritage is very important to a plural society like Guyana’s. However, Guyanese should not allow their ethnic identity to divide the nation. It is evident from current conflicts around the world, the devastation such divisions can lead to, examples of which can be seen today in the Middle East and Ukraine."
But it now even clearer that Ms Musa still does not understand the fundamental nature of the objection to her assertion. Even in her "explanation" she still posits an ineluctable conflict between ethnic identity and "national unity".
And to compound matters, she cites two examples to illustrate her "point" - conflicts in the Ukraine and the Middle East - in which several other factors, not the least being "big power" competition have operated to initiate and fuel the conflicts. And not necessarily ethnic
Ms Musa should do herself a favour and examine the UN documents on the two conflicts she cites and to discover whether the body to which she belongs ever mentioned that ethnic identity in and of itself has been the cause of the conflicts.
But Ms Musa shows her hand when in her riposte, she prefaced her statement by saying, "I believe...." The point to be made is that the UN Resident Coordinator cannot preach to the people of this country what she happens to "believe", but what the UN has actually declared to be their stance on the issue.
The right to participate in cultural life is enshrined in Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and within the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights:
"In those States in which ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities exist, persons belonging to such minorities shall not be denied the right, in community with the other members of their group, to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practise their own religion, or to use their own language."
In our dear land of Guyana, where we are all "minorities" no one should be asked to view their cultural expression as inimical to "national unity". Instead, the institutions of the nation and state should be so structured to facilitate the free expression of the various cultures. Remarkably for one who has been sent here to represent the UN, Ms Musa insists on putting the cart before the horse.
What the UN has shown in so many instances is that it is only when one or more groups are privileged above othersin effect when there is "stratification - along any number of cleavages of which "ethnicity/race" is only one - will conflict arise.
As the Director-General of UNESCO declared when the was launched in the wake of September 11, 2001: "The Universal Declaration makes it clear that each individual must acknowledge not only otherness in all its forms but also the plurality of his or her own identity, within societies that are themselves plural."
Dear Editor,
The just concluded 2015 General and Regional Elections are shrouded in controversies and doubts. Any entity that prides its operations on truth claims must know that these truth claims can be tested.
I have basis to believe that the 2015 elections were anything but fair and truthful. One irregularity in the system is enough to bring down the entire system. I am firmly of the belief that GECOM has rehearsed to pitch perfection the manipulation of these elections’ results to favour APNU/AFC.
Hence, this is an open letter to Dr Surujbally and officials of GECOM and those observers from the ABC countries, who believe that their word is the truth and feel that we must accept their conclusions of the 2015 elections.
If Dr Surujbally and the ABC observers have an iota of morality and their consciences are not already seared with hot iron, then we would see them proving the truth claims they have made.
We demand truth in every area of our lives and from everyone we deal with. We demand truth from our spouses, our children, our teachers, our leaders, etc. When this is so, then how much more shouldn’t we demand the truth from GECOM, the body entrusted, not with an electoral process, but with the safeguarding of the truth spoken by an entire nation?
GECOM and the ABC observers would want us to believe that the 2015 elections were truthful in reflecting the will of the Guyanese people. I ask Dr Surujbally and
the ABC observers: what truth are we to believe? And whose truth should we believe?
How do we know that GECOM and the ABC observers are telling Guyanese the truth about the 2015 elections? How do we test this truth? This is where I intend to help Dr Surujbally and the ABC observers.
In order to accept the truth, we must first understand the fundamental question: what is truth?
We have to be careful because if we hold the wrong view of truth and impose the same on a nation then the consequences of subjectivism and relativism of truth are destructive to intellectual honesty and to life.
Of all the symptoms of decay in our decadent civilisation subjectivism is the most disastrous. A mistake can be discovered and amended if and only if truth exists and can be known, and is loved and is searched for.
So Dr Surujbally and ABC observers, let us then understand what some of the tenets of objective truth are.
Firstly “objective” does not refer to an unemotional, detached or impersonal attitude. Truth is not an attitude. Truth is not how we know, truth is what we know. Secondly, “objective” does not mean “known by all” or “believed by all”. If everyone believes a falsehood, it is still false. You don’t find truth by counting noses.
Thirdly, “objective” does not mean “publicly proved.” An objective truth can be privately known. What “objective” means in “objective truth” is “independent of the knower and his consciousness.”
Aristotle, the master of common sense in philosophy, defined what ordinary people mean by truth as “saying of what is that it is and of what is not that it is not”. To simply put, truth can be defined as “that which corresponds to its object” or “that which describes an actual state of affairs.” An even simpler definition of truth is “telling it as it is”.
Dr Surujbally and ABC observers, all truth claims are absolute, narrow and exclusive. Consider these four points:
1. Truth is discovered, not invented. It exists independent of anyone’s knowledge of it.
2. Truth is unchanging even though our beliefs about truth change.
3. Beliefs cannot change a fact, no matter how sincerely they are held.
4. Truth is not affected by the attitude of the one professing it.
In short, contrary beliefs are possible, but contrary truths are not possible. We can believe everything is true, but we cannot make everything true.
Therefore, can truth be known? Yes it can. How is truth known? There are a few ways. The process of discovering truth begins with the self-evident laws of logic called first principles. But I won’t elaborate on this since my focus is discovering truth through observation and testing a premise.
We get information from observing the world around us and then drawing general conclusions from those observations. We draw these conclusions through induction and deduction.
I have said all of this to
say this: GECOM’s truth claims can be tested. As I have highlighted, truth is not truth because a certain entity or someone makes a particular statement, nor is it truth because it is known or believed by all.
Therefore, we cannot accept GECOM’s conclusions of the May 11 as the truth. Just because GECOM says that the process was free and fair and the international observers say that the elections were free and fair, it does not mean that the elections were free and fair.
GECOM’s words or conclusions do not constitute truth. At least, it no longer does given the abundance of controversies and irregularities that have surfaced. The ABC observers’ conclusions about the May 11 elections do not necessarily constitute the truth either.
For what we know, there may have been collusion between GECOM, the ABC observers and the coalition to sing from the same sheet a song called “free and fair” but in different tones.
I’ve just established that objective truth is independent of what certain people think. For what we know, GECOM and the ABC observers may be wrong and want us to accept a falsehood as truth just because they say that it is so.
Now that we know that conclusions made by GECOM and the ABC observers may not necessarily reflect the truth, then how do we know the truth? Simple. Evidence shows the existence of truth. Where is this evidence found? The ballot boxes.
continues on page 5
Dear Editor, Congratulations to the Justice For All Party for being part of the victorious change in our beautiful country.
The Justice For All Party played a significant role in the change of government in our country fighting for the poor and the voiceless since I
could remember, and they did it with great opposition from the PPP/C government for over 20 years. In light of this which
Government ministry do you think the Justice For All Party should be suitable for?
Lakeraj Sharma
Dear Editor,
The results of the May 11 General and Regional Elections have been declared by the Chief Executive officer of GECOM since May 16.
Even before these results were declared, we unearthed numerous differences in numbers from our Statements of Poll and more importantly, from a verification exercise carried out by the Returning Officers in the various Polling Districts at which representatives from all the political parties were present.
As a result, we requested a final general count as we are entitled to at law. The Returning Officers have no discretion to refuse this request. Yet this request was refused.
Therefore, this integral procedural step legally
provided for and designed to ensure the integrity of the results for these elections was deliberately omitted.
Significantly, after the declaration of the results, we have made a request in writing for the copies of Statements of Poll and Tally Sheets which were used to tabulate the results of these elections and a breakdown of the results from each Polling Division or Ballot Box. To date we have received no reply to our request.
The information which we have requested should have been made public contemporaneous with the declaration of the results.
We fear that this delay is another machination which is being used to alter Statements of Poll and Tally Sheets, as a result of the discrepancies which
An open letter to Dr
Dr Surujbally, despite your claims that the May 11 elections were free and fair, your words and your credibility have been severely tarnished by:
1. Several inefficiencies within GECOM’s electoral process on elections day (for example, I know of two polling stations where GECOM’s staff made electors vote on tender ballots and sometime later, they scrambled to find those people and had them vote again on valid ballots the second time. How could this be? How does this support GECOM’s truth claims about integrity in the process?
2. If the electors’ list were padded with dead people and emigrants, how is it possible to have 100 per cent voters’ turnout in some places?
3. How did fake SOPs, identified and acknowledged by a top rank within GECOM itself, become part of the system?
4. How did you know that the results will either not change or be marginally changed even when you never conducted a forensic audit of the ballots to determine the quantity of fake SOPs?
Only when you know the quantity of the fake SOPs within the process and determine how great or marginal the manipulations of votes were, can you accurately pronounce on its impact.
How could you have known otherwise? That you made such a pronouncement without an investiga-
we have identified and in the face of a public pronouncement that we will launch a legal challenge to these elections.
We hereby demand that GECOM furnish us with copies of these Statements of Poll, Tally Sheets and a breakdown of results of each Polling Division or Ballot Boxes forthwith. The longer they take to do so the darker the clouds will become which loom over the integrity of the electoral machinery and indeed the results which it produced.
We continue to maintain that the results declared by GECOM for the May 11 General and Regional Elections do not accurately reflect the will of the people.
PPP/C
Freedom House
tion severely undermines your integrity and that of the electoral process.
On the part of the international observers:
1. How can you declare an election free and fair when the results were never yet announced?
2. What constitutes free and fair elections to you?
3. How can an election be free and fair when the process was shrouded in controversies and, worst, its truth and integrity compromised with the presence of fake SOPs?
4. Why did you continue to sing the song of “free and fair” amidst great concerns that the democratic rights of citizens may have been suppressed?
5.Do you have any ulterior agendas you are pushing by adamantly singing “free and fair” of the May 11 elections, even when concerns and evidence surfaced about manipulation of the results and yet you showed no interest in finding out the truth? That you call for the quick declaration of results and swearing in of a presidential candidate amidst all of this?
Since I have established that the truth is not constituted because GECOM and the ABC observers say so, then we need to establish the truth of what really happened on May 11, 2015. And that truth can be known. It can be discovered by the evidence which will be found by conducting a forensic election audit.
Dr Surujbally, the fact the you refuse a political party a national recount
Dear Editor,
This letter was sent to other media houses, but was not published. There were several violence related events (issues) that need to be addressed by the law and by GECOM on elections day; culprits must face the wrath of the law.
Two (involving law breaking) that starkly stand out need to be immediately addressed and compensation must be awarded by the state to the victims. In the interest of promoting professional conduct among our police and Fire Service and to guarantee public safety and freedom of movement, the state has a legal, not to mention moral, duty to act.
The perpetrators of the violence and those cheering them on must be hauled before the court. Acts of hooliganism by civilians and misbehavior by Police, Fire Service, and GECOM elements must be held accountable for their actions.
There were photographs and videos of the violence. Whoever perpetrated the acts must be hauled before the court.
The DPP should act with urgency. Also, since Police Officers swore to uphold the law and did nothing to intervene to protect McCoy, charges must be brought against them for dereliction of duty and inaction.
It is as if they perpetrated the acts of violence. Let the law decide on their behavior. What happened to McCoy could have happened to anyone, including polling agents or party supporters or observers. Mob behavior cannot be tolerated. So the state needs to act to discourage, if not altogether, prevent its recurrence.
called and did not render an effective response as was their lawful duty. An investigation (by the fire marshal, as well as a criminal investigation is needed and actions taken against the culprits). Whoever (and not just the ones who lit the torch but also those who egged them on as well as the brains behind it) was involved in this act of arson (as well as other violent acts) must be brought to justice.
Everyone who lost property must be fully compensated by the state for its failure to protect the public. Whoever organized the mob must also be brought to justice.
from page 4
even when there are reasonable grounds for doing so brings into question your integrity, character, motives and possible complicity in what is perceived to be a well-orchestrated plan to manipulate the 2015 elections results for whatever reasons.
Sir, the population already have in their minds what some of those reasons may be. I would have thought that any man who values his character would want to prove that his is above board. You don’t seem a bit interested.
To the ABC observers, this time your credibility has been tarnished as well. In the minds of Guyanese, Carter Center is no longer synonymous with free and fair elections. Are the ABC countries also complicit in a well-orchestrated plot to manipulate votes for whatever reasons? Again, the population has speculated on those reasons.
Sirs, these are serious concerns. Now that you know that truth is not truth because of who professes it, surely I would think you would want to clear your names. Establish the truth for once and all. Allow the national recount. The truth can be known. I trust that good sense prevails.
Dr Surujbally, prove to the nation that the “truth” you told is “that which corresponds to its object” or “that which describes an actual state of affairs.”
Marcelle Persaud
I read President David Granger has called for an investigation into the Sophia riot. I think all the violence related incidents should be investigated and actions taken to act as a deterrence to a recurrence of similar behavior.
As reported in the media, Kwame McCoy, an election candidate, was accosted and beaten by a mob. Photographs show this was done in the presence of Police Officers who simply looked on and did nothing.
As an election candidate, McCoy, like every other candidate, has a right to visit polling stations and in fact all the candidates of all the parties did; they did not break the law. Beating anyone of them or blocking their movement is violating the law.
As the media reported, McCoy owed his life to Granger and Joe Harmon protecting him from a mob.
I also read reports that while McCoy was being beaten, some of GECOM polling agents and the agents of a party were laughing, having a fun time, and cheering. That is unacceptable behavior – to laugh at the pain and misfortune of others and not making an effort to seek assistance. They were accessories to a crime. GECOM must carry out on investigation and reprimand as well as sanction these staff members.
The other egregious act of violence was against Narine Khublall and family of Sophia. He did not break any law, and he did not violate any election rules. Yet hooligans went looking for him to give him the McCoy treatment – the hooligans did not go there on their own; they were sent.
The mob set his home on fire. Several homes and individuals were affected. As reported, there was Police presence and no action taken to protect the man’s property. Several cars were also set ablaze.
The fire brigade was
The first official act of the new government should be to order an investigation of these and other violent acts and the arson of that day to give the nation an assurance that it will have zero tolerance for lawbreakers.
The government must show it will not close its eyes to injustice. In the meanwhile, since the state failed in its duty to give protection to the persons affected, the state must provide temporary relief to the victims until such time that fair compensation can be determined.
I am disappointed that none of the media, parties, members of the diplomatic community, the law body, religious figures, eminent persons, or observers has come out to condemn the disruptive behavior and or call for an inquiry, prosecution, of law breakers, and or to offer compensation to the aggrieved.
But such is the hypocrisy of many who only seek power for themselves at the pain of others.
Vishnu Bisram
Editor’s Note: This letter was received after not being published by other local newspapers
Some five days after the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) declared A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) as the winner of the 2015 General and Regional Elections, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) is requesting the final figures of the results.
Leader of the PPP/C Donald Ramotar has sent a letter through his lawyer to Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield requesting “the results in respect to each Ballot Box of the votes cast, both valid and invalid, at those elections” and “a copy of every Statement of Poll that was used in the tabulation of the declared results”.
The letter, dated May 20, was sent by former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Attorney Anil Nandiall and was addressed to Lowenfield.
According to Nandlall, Ramotar wrote the Chief Elelctions Officers on May 18, requesting this information but got no response, hence he sought the intervention of his Attorney.
“To date, you have failed, omitted and/or refused to comply with my client’s aforesaid requests. In the circumstances, I am instructed to demand, as I hereby do, that you comply with my client’s requests forthwith. I sincerely hope that I do not have to resort to legal proceedings to compel you to do so,” Nandlall said in the legal document.
Following the May 11 polls, it was revealed that the election was a close contest between the two main political parties with the APNU+AFC coalition leading the race.
However, five days after Guyanese cast their ballots, GECOM finally announced that the coalition won the presidency with a 4500 lead over its immediate opponent, the former ruling party.
The announcement was delayed after the PPP/C requested several recounts.
The PPP/C had initially made a request for a recount to be done in Regions One, Two and Eight, which was done; but subsequently asked for a recount in sections of all 10 regions, claiming that they were cheated of votes. This request was also denied by GECOM, however, the Commission then
agreed to recount 22 ballot boxes from Region Four.
Moments before the swearing in ceremony held at Parliament Buildings on Saturday last, Lowenfield revealed that the final results, which were approved by the Commission.
The APNU+AFC coalition picked up a total of 207,200 votes, with the PPP/C running close behind with 202,694 votes for General Elections.
On the other hand, the coalition also led the way in the Regional Elections with a total of 205,001 votes, that is, 2733 more votes than the PPP/C.
Meanwhile, the National Election results for the smaller parties are as follows: The United Force (TUF) party came in third with 1080 votes; while the
United Republican Party (UR) secured 432 votes putting them in the fourth spot. The Independent Party (IP) came in fifth with 344 votes; while the National Independent Party (NIP) acquired 262 votes from the National Elections. As it relates to the Regional Elections, TUF secured 1314 votes while the URP got 1283 votes. Additionally, the Healing The National Theocracy Party (HTNTP) manage to acquire 294 and the Organisation for Victory of the People’s Party (OVPP) got 418 votes.
Based on these figures, the winning party secured 33 seats in the National Assembly while the PPP/C acquired a total of 32 seats, putting the former ruling party on the Opposite side of the House in more than 20 years.
Bright daylight does not seem to be a concern for criminals anymore as a taxi driver was brutally attacked by two men on Camp Street Wednesday around midday. Taxi driver Shawn Straker spoke to the Guyana Times hours after the incident took place outside TVG (Channel 28) at Camp and Quamina Streets.
He informed this publication that one of the men followed him from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) building as he had stopped to conduct some business. The victim, who now bears several stab wounds around his back, said that the first assailant confronted him in front of St Margaret’s Primary School about speakers that he had supposedly knocked over when he exited GRA.
Straker said the man was quite disrespectful and aggressive, pulling at his shirt and pushing his hands in his face. However, he was emphatic as he stated that he did not know anything about any speakers or the man confronting him.
Straker said he then subsequently ignored the man and continued down Camp Street to where his car was parked in front of the television station, but he was followed. The assailant, who was this time accompanied by another person on a bicycle, approached
him. He said that the first assailant pointed to him and said, “Look he de heh, look he de heh, leh we do wa we got to do.” Straker said he then ran up to him and stabbed him multiple times with a screw driver, while the second assailant acted as a look-out.
The attacked man said that he tried to fight back but was caught between two vehicles, which made it difficult to manoeuvre. However, he caught sight of a glass bottle near him and was about to pick it up to use in his defence, when the men made a run for it.
However Straker said that he was not going to allow this, so he got into his car and pursued them down Quamina Street. During the chase, he realised that he was bleeding profusely and getting quite dizzy, so he had to give it up and go to the hospital where he was treated and released.
Probe launched
He then reported the matter to the Police Station and an investigation was immediately launched. Straker said that his attackers took nothing from him, as he had nothing on him to lose. However, he was quite insistent in his need to locate and identify who the assailants were. He came to Channel 28 where he was assisted with footage to help the Police with their investigation.
This is the latest in a string of robberies and attacks that have occurred along Camp Street. This has become quite worrying for businessmen and patrons of businesses along the street. Observers have stated that the presence of these businesses and GRA may be the reason behind the increasing interest from criminals.
The Police have indicated that in their duty to protect and serve Guyana, they will be taking into consideration the attraction the upper side of Camp Street poses to criminal masterminds.
The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) in its quest to get a total recount of votes conducted a peaceful protest on Wednesday in front of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) offices in Bush Lot, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and in Fort Wellington, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) .
test was headed by former Minister Alli Baksh and attracted over 50 PPP/C supporters from within the region. Despite the rain, the staunch supporters armed themselves with placards which read, “Surujbally Must Go”, “We demand fairness”, “They steal our
tions throughout Guyana, as well as the resignation of GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally.
“ ... Is there something to hide??? If we want a total recount, why not grant us?? In 2011, recount was granted to the Opposition why can’t GECOM satisfy
votes and give to APNU”, “Cheated but not defeated” among other slogans.
our request?” one supporter asked.
The protests follow a statement by former President Donald Ramotar that the Party will seek recourse via the options made available under the country’s Constitution, as the Party called on citizens to be vigilant.
In Region Two, the pro-
The protest in Region Two, which started about 14:00h, lasted for almost six hours.
According to Baksh, who is also the PPP/C representative, the protest was to renew the call for a total recount of individual ballots of all 2299 polling sta-
Those identified thus far are Bobby Brian Errol Brittlebank of Wisroc Housing Scheme, Linden; 17-year-old Raymond August of Dartmouth, Essequibo; Michael Moore Gardener, 26, of Better Hope, East Coast Demerara; and 21-yearold Orlando Richmond of Kurukabaru, North Pakaraimas, Region Eight.
Meanwhile, during searches conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday, four more bodies were pulled from the mud – two on each day. This newspaper was made to understand that the four bodies are at Mahdia, awaiting identification. One of the men was recognised as Jason Trotman of Grove, East Bank Demerara; however, a relative was yet to confirm his identity. The source confirmed that the search will continue throughout Wednesday night into Thursday.
Speaking to the Guyana Times, the cousin of Richmond, Cellest Clario, said that she went to identify the 21-year-old’s body at the Lyken Funeral Parlour on Wednesday after she received a call about the incident that morning. The woman said that she saw the incident on the news but had no idea it was the same mining camp that her cous-
in was working at. Clario told this publication that Richmond left his North Pakaraimas home since he was 15 to work as miner. She recalled that December was the last time she spoke to her younger cousin.
At the parlour, the woman noted that there were two unidentified bodies that were badly damaged.
“I coulda barely recognise Orlando, but I identified him because of his hair… I know he had plait hair,” Clairo remarked. However, she disclosed that along with Richmond, she has two other relatives who were working at the same camp.
According to information received, about 17 men were in the pit working when the walls came crashing down. The area had been experiencing extensive rainfall over the last few days, resulting in the earth becoming moist and loose. A relative of one of the miners who lost his life told the Guyana Times that the incident was caused as a result of bad management by the operators since they had adopted “bad practices”. According to the man, who requested anonymity, there was heavy equipment on the edge of the pit while the men were working down below. The weight, he added, compounded by the
Over in Region Five, about 150 supporters were on the picket line, calling for a recount.
The PPP/C, in a statement on Tuesday, called on Dr Surujbally to resign, saying, prior to the May 11 General and Regional Elections, it raised concerns both publicly and
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“wet conditions”, caused the walls to give away and tumbled onto the workers.
The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) had disclosed that the operation at Mowasi Backdam was illegal and the owner, Imran Khan of Grove, East Bank Demerara, had breached several aspects of the Mining Rules and Regulations. According to the Commission, it was made aware of the illegal operations since August 2013, but Khan had obtained an injunction from the High Court barring the GGMC from taking any action against him and his mining activities.
Meanwhile, Natural Resources and Environment Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine called for the strengthened enforcement of laws in the mining sector.
Speaking with Guyana Times on Tuesday, Dr Roopnaraine remarked that much more work needed to be done to ensure that mining operators were in compliance with the rules and regulations that were in place. He also called on GGMC and the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) to boost their monitoring activities as well as education programme for mining operators.
privately with the GECOM Chairman, Commission and Secretariat; the advance assessment teams of the United Nations, Commonwealth and the Carter Center; the diplomatic community, and subsequently with the International Observer Missions with regard to the partiality of the GECOM machinery. The PPP/C had
queried the recruitment of polling staff connected to the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition.
The Party also cited the fact that fake Statements of Poll (SoPs) were found as grounds for a recount.
The PPP/C, which is maintaining that it won the election, is also con-
tending that several of its requests to GECOM for copies of SoPs and Tally Sheets which were used to tabulate the results of these elections and a breakdown of the results from each Polling Division or Ballot Box were rejected.
The protesters reiterated these demands, as the Party maintained that the results declared by GECOM for the May 11 General and Regional Elections did not accurately reflect the will of the people.
The protesters have vowed to continue their action until GECOM agrees to a total recount of the ballots cast.
On Saturday, supporters of the PPP/C picketed in the Black Bush Polder area, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) simultaneously with supporters at Rose Hall Town in another part of the region.
President David Granger has subtly confirmed that the new administration is contemplating the appointment of the former Justice of Appeal, Claudette Singh, as Speaker of the House. However, no definite decision has been made.
When asked by media operatives on Wednesday about the possibility of Justice Singh, who is cur-
rently the Guyana Police Force Legal Advisor, being the next Speaker of the National Assembly, Granger said there are several nominations.
“I’m not aware that there is a shortlist that can be made public at this time...if one of the parties nominated her, she must be given an opportunity to indicate that she’s willing to serve and, to my mind, that hasn’t happened as yet,” he stated.
Under the Cummingsburg Accord, the Speaker has to come from civil society.
Reports indicated that Singh, along with former Speaker of the National Assembly Ralph Ramkarran, are being touted for the position.
With less than 14 days before the 11th Parliament is slated to be convened, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC)
Executive Member Dr Rupert Roopnaraine told this newspaper on Tuesday, that the coalition has several persons in mind who are
qualified to be appointed as Speaker. Senior members of the coalition are in the process of reviewing their profiles to determine who will best fit the position. Roopnaraine explained that the new Government is putting much effort into ensuring that the person selected commands the respect of both sides of the House: the APNU/AFC Government and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Opposition.
Former Speaker Raphael Trotman, who presided over the 10th Parliament, had explained that the coalition decided to chose someone from civil society to ensure he/she is impartial when presiding over the National Assembly. But Ramkarran, who presided over the Eighth and Ninth Parliaments, said that if the coalition was attempting to send a message to the public that it was not interested in dominating the Parliament, it really did not matter from which grouping the Speaker was selected from because it is the duty of the Speaker to maintain the balance. “It is not difficult; the rules are there and you just implement them,” he stated.
Ramkarran was previously asked by this newspaper whether he would consider returning to the 11th Parliament as Speaker, to which he stated that the chances of that occurring are highly unlikely. “I have no expectation that I would be asked to be Speaker of anything else,” he said.
ACarpenter who pleaded with the Magistrate to grant him bail, stating that his children would be left unprotected if he is remanded, was released on $20,000 bail on Wednesday after he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The defendant, Darrel Sinclair, of Meadowbrook Gardens, Georgetown, told the court he is a Carpenter/ Mason by profession.
He is charged with unlawful wounding after allegedly stabbing Desmond McPherson on May 11. The details involving the incident were not related in court.
Sinclair told the court that the VC stole $1000 from him and he was simply trying to “put up a fight to get it back.” He said he did not stab the VC and is unable to say how he got stabbed.
He appealed to the court
to release him as he is unable to pay the bail, having no one whom he could call to post bail. Sinclair told the court that his girlfriend is not around at the moment and his two children were left in his care. He said the children are currently in the care of a neighbour but added that he is doubtful this can continue. Sinclair continued to plea with the court for his release.
Sinclair apologised to
the VC for assaulting him, stating that he is willing to come to some kind of agreement with him so the matter can be dispensed with but McPherson declined.
Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry placed him on $20,000 bail and transferred the matter to Magistrate Annette Singh to preside over in court 11.
He is expected back in court on June 3 for statements.
If you think the land rush on the East Coast is undignified, wait until you see what's unfolding in the "jobs for the boys and girls" section.
Like all Opposition, the present government was rather expansive with their criticisms of the incumbent and as to how much more they'd do "when they get in". What they haven't realised yet, is that most of their supporters actually believe them.
Take for instance those rice farmers, who we're told, voted for them in Regions Two and Six. They actually believe that the new government will get them higher prices. Seems that the fellas (and felines?) from APNU/AFC forgot to tell the farmers that a government in a private enterprise has absolutely nothing to do with prices.
It all comes down to that pesky concept they drum into you in elementary Economics 101 - supply and demand. You produce too many mangoes, the market is flooded and price drops. In the modern world, with commodities like rice, some contrary countries like Thailand might buy the rice from the farmers and then sell it abroad.
But like when the PNC did the same thing at their first turn at the helm - the Thai rice industry's going bust! Don't mess with the market!
And what about, say, the bauxite workers or the gold mining workers. There's nothing the government can do about prices. And it's not even a matter of supply and demand. There's factors like hoarding, hedging and speculation that just confuses the hell out of everybodybut ensures in the end that the primary producers get it in the rear!
And how about that promise about cleaning up Georgetown. Does anyone really believe that with the slothful habits now firmly embedded at City Hall, we'll suddenly wake up one morning and see Hamilton Green actually WORKING?
Let's get real now, shall we? What's gonna happen is that the government will have to create jobs for the boys and girls because they persuaded those little darlings that they weren't ensconced in cushy jobs pulling in the big bucks, because of the big, bad PPP/C.
So this Eyewitness would like to see where the jobs for 3000 Sociology graduates, 2000 International Relations graduates and 1000 Public Management graduates will come from. Because of course, we have been promised "lean and clean" government.
Like one of the APNU/AFC supporters asked of the PPP/C not so long ago: will the APNU/AFC Government be able to suck cane and blow whistle at the same time?
Now the Eyewitness is doing his darndest to let the new Government enjoy their "honeymoon". It's the gracious thing to do, his Editor reminded him testily. But it's not easy for a Rottweiler to roll over for his tummy to be scratched by any Tom, Dick or Harilall, is it?
So he can't help commenting on how the Cummingsburg Accord's being implemented on job for the boys.
Here it was, the fellas from the APNU and the AFC took a whole month to negotiate its terms and still there's no job for Ramkarran? Hey!! The Speaker was supposed to be the AFC’s to have and to hold, no?
At least it was so in 2011. You mean they got less than they got in 2011? Doesn't seem right. First Ramkarran was mooted as the Consensus Candidate for the coalition's presidential candidacy - and was summarily shot down. Now the Speakership? And some folks are complaining that Roopnarine's always the bridesmaid and never the bride. Jeez!!
Ramkarran isn't even getting a chance to enter the Church!
...in cricket
Your Eyewitness was pretty miffed when the WICB dissed Bravo and Pollard for the WI team. But that's nothing compared to the number the English Board did on Pietersen. At least Bravo and Pollard didn't have to just through so many hoops!
Ouch!!
Days after announcing its discovery of hydrocarbons, oil and gas giant ExxonMobil is now reporting the discovery of oil-bearing rock in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana.
The United States-based oil company said the Liza-1 well has encountered more than 295 feet of high-quality oil-bearing sandstone reservoirs.
The well is the first on the 6.6-million acre Stabroek Block and has been drilled to 17,825 feet. It was drilled by ExxonMobil local subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd.
ExxonMobil’s President, Stephen Greenlee said he was encouraged by the results of the first well on the Stabroek Block.
He assured that over the
coming months the company will work to determine the commercial viability of the discovered resource as well as evaluate other resource potential on the block.
The well was spud on March 5, 2015. According to him, the well data will be analysed in the coming months to better determine the full resource potential.
Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd has a 45 per cent interest in the block. Hess Guyana Exploration Limited holds 30 per cent interest and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited holds 25 per cent interest.
Former Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud had said that any discovery of oil would be a significant boost to Guyana’s economy.
The oil company has made headway amid the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela, where the latter remains adamant that the area where the US company is drilling is within its territory.
In early March, the oil and gas company, one of the largest in the world, was warned by the Spanishspeaking country to refrain from going ahead with its planned exploratory drilling activity, on a concession awarded by Guyana offshore its Essequibo Coast. Guyana, however, requested that Venezuela not interfere in its development activities.
Venezuela has repeatedly laid claim to the area being explored, ignoring an 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award, which was declared as the full and final settlement of the boundary between the two South American nations. With Venezuela’s obdurate insistence on its position, Guyana is considering judicial settlement of the boundary.
The multibillion-dollar oil exploration project, which is expected to be executed over 10 years, got underway early last month. Guyana has been receiving sustained international attention from huge companies, especially in the oil sector, after the US Geological Survey said in 2000 that the Guyana-Suriname Basin has the second largest unexplored oil potential in the world after Greenland.
Alleged dangerous driver gets $120,000 bail
The driver of motor car HC 2420 was released on $120,000 bail after being brought before Magistrate Zamina Allie at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court for dangerous driving.
The accused Deonarine Surujpaul appeared in court on Tuesday where he was read the charge that alleged that he drove his car in a manner dangerous to the public on the Mon Repos Public Road, on the East Coast of Demerara.
Police Prosecutor John Singh told the court that it was around 17:30h on the day in question that the defendant was seen driving his motor car along the southern side of Mon Repos Public Road proceeding in the westerly direction. During this time, a motor car bearing registration number PEE 390 was parked on the southern side of Mon Repos Public Road with the Virtual Complainant (VC) Bibi Saleema standing next to it.
The prosecutor told the
court that the defendant was driving at a fast rate and lost control of his car, which resulted in his car colliding with PEE 390 which subsequently hit the bystander, injuring her. Remarkably, she was not seriously injured and she was treated at a city hospital and sent away.
After the Police completed their investigation, the defendant was arrested and charged for the accident. The prosecutor ended by informing the court that the damages to motor car PEE 390 amounted to $350,000. However, the defendant maintains that he was not to blame for the accident, telling the court that the VC had stopped suddenly in front of him and he was forced to apply his brake, resulting in his car skidding and hitting the parked vehicle.
Nevertheless, Magistrate Allie granted Surujpaul bail in the sum of $120,000. He is to return to court on July 10.
Amechanic was on Tuesday evening killed after colliding with a minibus while riding his motorbike along the Lusignan Public Road, East Coast Demerara, around 19:45h.
Ovido Kirton, also called “Coveman”, 58, of Lot 15 Lusignan West, died while receiving medical treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital about 21:00h.
According to information received, while on his motorcycle, Kirton made a sudden dash across the road and into the path of a minibus heading to Georgetown. Some time after the collision, the well-known mechanic was reportedly picked up and rushed to the hospital, where he subsequently died. The driver of the minibus is in Police custody, assisting with the investigation.
When Guyana Times visited the Kirton home on Wednesday, family members were seen making arrangements for the wake.
Andrea Kirton, the eld-
est daughter of the dead man, told this publication that on the night of the accident, she was at home when she heard a loud crashing sound. As she looked out, she saw a motorcycle on the roadway and a man lying on the ground, and soon after she realised the man was her father.
She noted that her father
left earlier in the afternoon and, at the time of the accident, was returning home.
The grieving young woman added that as she rushed to the scene, her father was bleeding from his ears and nostrils. He also sustained broken arms and legs and had a gash to his head which might have been an indication of a fatal head injury.
The woman added that it took a while for her father to be picked up off of the roadway and rushed to the hospital. “Persons were just standing around, and it was a taxi boy who come and hurry them to take him to the hospital,” she noted. At the medical institution, she was told that her father had severe head injuries. After some time, the family received the devastating news of his death. Andrea recalled her father’s love for his motorcycle – that was his passion, she added. Kirton leaves to mourn his wife and three children. Police are continuing their investigation.
GT&T has added more data to its Smartphone plans at competitively lower prices, in a move, according to the company, to have its mobile data customers experience the best value in Guyana.
In a release, GT&T said the introduction of these new plans gives several new options that cater to customers with varied Internet usage needs.
“The highlight of the new offers is the introduc-
tion of a three-day data plan which gives 150 Mb for only $499 and is ideally suited for weekend data users.” This plan not only provides more data, but also an extra day to use it at a lower price.
The traditional data plans have also all been revised to provide more data at lower rates. GT&T continues to provide uncapped plans, so users are not limited to a daily amount on larger plans.
In addition, customers have the privilege of select-
ing from new one-day and one-month data plans. The new plans give greater flexibility for customers to affordably access data connectivity anywhere, anytime. The entire suite of plans: 1day (30MB) for $220; 1 day (60MB) for $300; 3 days (150MB) for $499; 1 week (300 MB) for $999; 1 month (600MB) for $2299; and 1 month (1GB) for $2999. Check the website gtt. co.gy or text gtdata to 6204884 for more details.
The David Granger Administration will seek to establish a Public Service Staff College in an effort to reduce the high levels of corruption and improve the efficiency of the Public Sector in Guyana.
President Granger, during a conference with the various Permanent Secretaries and Heads of State Agencies on Wednesday at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC), told the gathering that the entire public service was in dire need of reform.
He noted that public servants must possess expert knowledge and high standards of service in order to improve the sector’s efficiency and to increase the satisfaction of the people of Guyana.
Therefore, the establish-
ment of a Public Service Staff College for those individuals desirous of a career in the public service sector is deemed by the Granger Administration as “a step in the right direction”.
The purpose of this institution would be to properly equip public servants with the relevant knowledge and expertise needed to efficient-
ly serve in their intended position.
According to Granger, students of the institute will learn the basics of public administration and understand how to operate in the Public Sector as a public servant to the people of Guyana.
Further, the President noted that the public service
should be established firmly on the basis of an effective merit system and not on the basis of political partiality.
As such, he anticipates the functioning of the college would assist in ensuring that merit system is reinforced.
“We need to establish the criteria so people can’t just call up a political party headquarters to guarantee they will be promoted,” he asserted, noting that the college would ensure individuals are properly trained and qualified before they can be promoted.
Meanwhile, Minister of the State designate, Joseph Harmon explained that such a college would be ideal in the fight against the high levels of corruption in the Public Sector of Guyana.
He noted that it would help get rid of non-meritorious promotions by reinforcing the policy that individuals can only be promoted or assigned a certain position based solely upon their qualifications and expertise.
“If you want to be promoted in the Police Force from a constable all the way up to Commissioner of Police, you have certain steps you have to take … but to get to the various levels, there is a set of training you have to do … so in the public service this is really what we are saying…,” he noted.
After serving the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited with professionalism and integrity; Chief Executive Officer, Radha Krishna Sharma has tendered his resignation with effect from June 18, 2015.
In a telephone interview with Guyana Times, the incumbent CEO explained that that the time has come for him to take a hiatus from the corporate world while sighting other interests. He reiterated that his resignation might have come as a surprise to all but maintains that “it’s nothing more than wanting to take a break”.
Sharma worked with Barclay Bank in the 1980’s and severed as Chief Executive Officer of Demerara Bank and Guyana Bank For Trade and Industry, and Director
HTNTP to Granger: “Add Marijuana
– wants amnesty for marijuana offenders
The Healing The Nation Theocracy Party (HTNTP) is calling on A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government to include the setting up of a national Marijuana Commission as part of its ‘100 Day’ plan. In a congratulatory letter to the newly elected Government party, the HTNTP requested that the Government fund a Marijuana Commission as part of the mandated issue by the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Heads of Government back in 2014. The HTNTP noted that fellow Caricom Member State Jamaica recently amended its legislations to ease restrictions on the use of the herb on the tourist island.
“HTNTP is seeking to have the new APNU+AFC coalition Government table legislation within the first 100 days to amend the Narcotic Drugs and
Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act Chapter 10:10 in order to decriminalise marijuana for medicinal, religious, scientific and therapeutic purposes,” the party stated.
The party which con-
tested the General and Regional Elections on May 11 and managed to secure 294 votes, stated that if the commission comes into fruition, the National Marijuana Commission will oversee the legalisa-
of National Competitiveness Strategy Unit, Ministry of Tourism for 22 years. He then took over the reins of GT&T from Retired Major General, Joseph Singh as CEO for the telecommunication giant.
However, in a release issued but the telephone company, it stated that over the last two years, the company benefited greatly from Sharma’s leadership and thanked him for his many contributions during a period of organisational transformation.
“He served GT&T with the highest levels of professionalism and integrity and we extend warm wishes for his future success”, the release stated.
Meanwhile, moments after tendering his resignation, the company named Chief Financial Officer Justin Nedd as the company’s Interim CEO. Nedd has served as CFO since 2013 and has an extensive background in finance, administration, and information technology, including previous roles with GT&T.
In addition, the release stated that Nedd has made a strong mark and earned the trust and support of his colleagues. “He rapidly assumed significant responsibilities and has shown an ability to get things done. We are pleased to entrust him with the interim CEO role and are confident in his ability to lead GT&T forward”.
Nedd stated that he is
thrilled to take on this expanded role at a truly exciting time at GT&T. He disclosed that the company is innovating for customers across all aspects of the business, and intends to lead the way in a new, more competitive environment.
“From our new blazing
fast broadband speeds, to customer service upgrades, to better mobile plans and devices, GT&T is on the move. We are, and will be, continually providing more value and greater capabilities to our customers,” Nedd added.
Despite the announcement, Sharma will continue to serve as CEO through the middle of June and will assist with the transition while Nedd continues to serve as CFO upon assuming the Interim CEO position.
tion of the herbal narcotic by putting together the necessary rules and regulations to manage usage of the drug.
Furthermore, in its proposal to the Government, the Theocracy Party emphasised the medicinal and economical benefits of using marijuana. According to the Leader of the party Alfred Park, legalising marijuana is not only about “smoking,” but also to use the herb in medicine in the form of capsules and tablets.
Park, who was speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, noted that marijuana possesses a healing power for the body. He explained that Guyanese are bent on destroying their bodies with all the different types of meat products they consume.
“(Marijuana) is one of the top herbs that heal the human body because of the unhealthy way they eat. If
they didn’t eat unhealthy then there would have been no need for marijuana but we eat unhealthy so marijuana has to come in place to clear the body from all the toxins,” the leader noted.
As it relates to the economical aspect, Park pointed out that producing marijuana would see profits plummeting from the trade, which will in turn aid in ridding the country of poverty. Along with the legalisation of the herb, the eradication of poverty was also a main plank of the HTNTP’s elections campaign.
Meanwhile, in addition to the setting up of the National Marijuana Commission, the HTNTP is also calling for amnesty for those prisoners who are incarcerated on possession and trafficking charges.
Chairman of the HTNTP, Ras Leon Saul, noted that when persons are jailed for possession
of small amounts of marijuana, it often breaks up families. However, the Chairman outlined that they are not looking to release high profile criminals.
“We are looking at people, first of all, who have been put in jail for possession of marijuana in small quantities and those put in jail for quantities that are considered for trafficking. We are not talking about people who have gone to jail on theft, robberies and other nefarious acts; we are particularly concerned about the infringement of people’s human rights,” Saul remarked.
Additionally, the Chairman mentioned that in order to effectively legalise marijuana, there needs to be an intense educational programme in the form of a national campaign to educate the public on not only the controlled use of the narcotic but its medical benefits as well.
The Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) will be renamed the “Arthur Chung Convention Centre”.
Guyana’s newly-elected Eighth Executive President, retired Brigadier David Granger announced this on Wednesday during a conference with the Permanent Secretaries and Heads of State Agencies at the GICC, Liliendaal Greater Georgetown.
Guyana’s First President Arthur Chung, who served from 1970 to 1980, does not have any significant monument or historic landmark named in his honour in the country he determinedly served.
According to Granger, persons of various countries all over the world, particularly the United States of America, remember and honour their first Presidents but the trend seems to be lacking in Guyana.
“Sometimes we tend to forget who our first President was … I would like the first President in
this country to be remembered,” he stated.
Granger explained that Arthur Chung was the first person of Chinese descent to govern a non-Asian country and therefore renaming the GICC in his honour would be the least this country can do to pay tribute.
“I do this because this is the 45th anniversary year of becoming a Republic and Mr Chung was the first person of Chinese descent who was President in a non-Asian
country and it was historic…,” he noted.
Chung was born at Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara.
When Guyana became a republic in 1970, Chung made world history when the National Assembly elected him as the country’s first President. He took office on March 17.
Ten years later, a constitutional revision transformed the presidency into an executive position and Forbes Burnham succeeded Chung as President on October 6, 1980.
On June 23, 2008, Chung died at his home.
His body was subsequently laid to rest at the Seven Ponds.
The GICC, which was funded by a grant provided by the Government of the People’s Republic of China, was constructed at a cost of approximately US$8 million. It has a main conference hall with a seating capacity of 372, five smaller conference rooms, a business centre and a restaurant.
Although Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud has initiated a massive reshuffle in the hierarchy of the Guyana Police Force, the transfers are placed on hold waiting the appointment of the National Security Minister, which is expected to be done today.
This was in accordance with what was said by President David Granger, who had earlier stated that the transfers will not take effect unless the Security Minister is briefed on the reasons for the reshuffling. “I have said to the Commissioner of Police that I do not want these high level changes take place unless the incoming Minister has an opportunity to be briefed on them as to the reasons for it”.
Once it is done this
way, it will not look as if the transfers were done for reasons unknown to him or the Security Minister, the President added. Alliance For Change (AFC) Leader Khemraj Ramjattan was pinpointed to be the subject minister but will be confirmed when he takes the oath before President Granger at the Ministry of Presidency.
More so, the President would have met Persaud and discussions were held which resulted in the appointment of Brain Joseph as head of the Presidential Guard Service. However, the reshuffling of senior Police ranks has raised eyebrows, especially with the removal of incumbent Crime Chief, Leslie James with his deputy Wendell Blanhum. Although Blanhum is well qualified and severed 16 years in the Criminal Investigation Department, some thought that he is still premature for the position. However, the top cop has the authority to make changes within the Guyana Police Force.
The announcements were made on Monday following a meeting with His Excellency David Granger and Police Commissioner, Seelall Persaud. James was informed and would have already being assisting with the smooth transition. James, Guyana Times was
Guyana’s newest President, retired Brigadier David Granger, during his first meeting with the Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Agencies, made it clear that he will be aiming to create an “unbribable” public service sector in the country.
Granger, at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC), on Wednesday, made this point as he laid down his expectations to the various agency heads concerning the type of public service sector he wants to create.
He did not hesitate to make it clear that his Administration would not tolerate an inefficient and distorted public service, noting that public servants must set out to ensure the country becomes “bribery free”. “I would like to have an unbribable public service...No foreigner, no miner, no businessman should feel, if he needs to get something done, he needs to put his hand in his pocket to give them (public servants) a raise,” Granger demanded. He explained that, in his
a job. Therefore, before a person was accepted within the public service, he/she would be required to meet several criteria.
In fact, he declared that all public servants must possess intelligence, integrity and impartiality in order to effectively serve the Guyanese public. On that note, Granger was adamant that career officials be selected via a proper merit system.
Political preference
“It doesn’t serve the purpose of good administration for a politician to be elected, selected or appointed as a Permanent Secretary, and his or her subordinates know more about how the Ministry is run than he or she,” he said, asserting that his Administration will not tolerate advancement based on political preference.
Further, Granger was firm in his announcement that public servants must not try to be politicians and politicians cannot be public servants. “We cannot function properly if politicians become public servants…Public servants must not try to be politi-
Granger maintained that the public servant was obliged to execute whatever decision was made.
In addition, Granger reminded the gathering that in order to establish an efficient public service, its agencies must have roots in all areas of Guyana. He lamented the fact that many areas in Guyana, like the hinterland areas, are completely alien to many who reside on the coastline, and vice versa. He noted that in some areas, persons live for days without any contact with the bustling world outside their communities. “There is no newspaper, no television, no cell-phone, no radio…It’s like it’s a new country,” he described.
Granger stated that in some instances, persons have to travel afar just to visit a public service outlet to render the necessary assistance they need. “You shouldn’t have to pay $5000 to travel all the way to another village to collect a pension of $13,500 and then be told that it is not in yet,” he related the sad reality. In the same breath,
told, will be attached to the Office of the Commissioner of Police but his duties were not immediately known.
Apart from the removal of James as Crime Chief, some other transfers were announced in B Division (Berbice) as well as C (East Coast Demerara), D (West Bank Demerara/East Bank Essequibo) and E (Linden/ Kwakwani) Divisions. Presently, Christopher Griffith who commands C Division is expected to be interchanged with D Division, which will also see Marlon Chapman being reassigned. Calvin Brutus who heads the E Division is expected to take up a position in B Division. In addition, there are expected to be some minor changes in the Traffic Department at Headquarters.
view, the public service is the engine of the executive and therefore, a corrupt public service reflects on the nature of the Government and its executives.
In working towards creating an “unbribable” public service sector, Granger said, foremost, public servants need to be paid better. He explained that an underpaid person would most likely find alternative means of earning money to support themselves and their families. Therefore, a more attractive salary would help eliminate the urge for one to accept a bribe and would be the first step towards creating better public service and, by extension, a better country.
Career public service
Additionally, he said better pay would attract better individuals –more careerdriven individuals to work in the Public Sector. “If you pay the public servants badly, you will not get good work,” he said.
Granger said he envisioned persons who work as public servants would actually be interested and engaged in serving their country, rather than just getting
cians,” he contended. Granger explained, as happened before, when politicians become public servants (and vice versa), it leads to catastrophe because the politicians/public servants would tilt towards pleasing their associates rather than attending to the needs of the country.
Moreover, Granger said he was not the least interested in which political party the public servants voted for, noting that in the professional atmosphere he seeks to create, there will be no room for divisions among workers.
“I don’t care who you voted for last week Monday … What I care about is that when political Ministers enter offices … public servants should forget who they voted for and work with tuition and dedication to ensure that the Ministry succeeds … Whoever comes into office as your political Minister, the public servant must be prepared to work without reservation,” he underscored.
He also pointed out that it was the duty of the public servant to answer to the Minister and provide impartial and expert advice. However, whether or not that advice is accepted,
Granger said he intended to guide the Public Sector towards ensuring they respond promptly to people and circumstances outside of Georgetown. “It is important to have an efficient public service … It is essential to create the environment so citizens can enjoy a good life,” he noted. In attendance were Amerindian Affairs Ministry Permanent Secretary (PS) Nigel Dharamlall; Local Government PS Collin Croal; Natural Resources PS Joslyn McKenzie; and Office of the President PS Omar Sharif. Heads of State Agencies included Guyana Sugar Corporation (CEO) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Raj Singh; Guyana Energy Agency CEO Dr Mahender Sharma; Guyana Water Incorporated CEO Shaik Baksh; Head of E-Governance Project Alexei Ramotar; Head of the National Industrial and Commercial and Investments Limited (NICIL), Winston Brassington; National Drainage and Irrigation Authority CEO Lionel Wordsworth, and Guyana Power and Light (GPL) CEO Bharat Dindyal.
thursday, may 21, 2015|
... Nagamootoo sworn in as PM, several Ministries merged, renamed
By Alexis Rodney
Veteran politician
Moses Nagamootoo was on Wednesday sworn in as Prime Minister and First Vice President of the David Granger-led Administration. His swearing in preceded the official appointment of some 15 other Cabinet Ministers as part of the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC)
coalition Government. Nagamootoo is now tasked with the chairmanship of the Cabinet. In his capacity, he will hold a liaison and supervisory role of the entire Cabinet to work around the legislative agenda.
Prime Minister Nagamootoo after his swearing in related that in his capacity, he would be moving head-on into the clean-up of the city. “Let’s see how we could send a message to the Guyanese
people that elections are behind us, and we have to now work together,” he said. PM Nagamootoo pointed out that being Leader of the House in the National Assembly would keep him busy, “but I will pay special attention within my ministerial outfit, to Information and Constitutional reform, those are two big areas because we had promised the Guyanese people that we will have constitutional reform, so I will pay special
attention to that area.”
Nagamootoo was born in the village of Whim, Corentyne Berbice (East Berbice-Corentyne). He worked as a Teacher and Journalist, and later became a lawyer. He was elected to Parliament in 1992 as a People’s Progressive Party (PPP) MP and subsequently served as Information Minister and Local Government Minister. He remained in Cabinet under the presidencies
of Cheddi Jagan, Samuel Hinds, Janet Jagan and Bharrat Jagdeo. He resigned as Minister in 2000 but remained an MP until 2011, when he resigned from the PPP, having first joined in 1964.
Other Ministers
Meanwhile, also taking the oath of office before the Head of State were Basil Williams as Minister of Legal Affairs
Minister of Communities, which is an amalgamation of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development as well as Housing and Water Ministry. Besides, AFC’s Cathy Hughes was appointed Tourism Minister. Former Budget Director in the People’s National Congress (PNC) administration, Winston Jordan has been appointed Finance Minister, while
and Attorney General; Amna Ally as Social Cohesion Minister and Carl Greenidge as Foreign Affairs Minister. Ronald Bulkan has been appointed
Drs George Norton and Karen Cummings have been appointed Minister of and Minister within the Ministry of Public Health respectively.
thursday, may 21, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com
Following them were Volda Lawrence and Simona Broomes who were appointed Minister of and Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, which will replace the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security. Dr Rupert Roopnaraine and Nicolette Henry have been sworn in as Minister of and Minister within the Ministry of Education respectively. Guyana Times was told that both sport and culture will fall under the Education Ministry. Additionally, AFC’s General Secretary David Patterson and APNU’s Annette Ferguson have been appointed Minister of and Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure respectively.
Today the President is expected to swear in four other Ministers. These include: Khemraj Ramjattan as Minister of National Security, which has replaced the Ministry of Home Affairs;
Noel Holder as Agriculture Minister; Sydney Allicock, Minister of Indigenous Peoples and Dominic Gaskin, Minister of Investment and Business.
Reduce and rename Meanwhile, in addition to reducing the number of Ministries, President Granger has renamed and merged several others. The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs has been renamed the Indigenous Peoples Affairs Ministry while the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development has been renamed the Ministry of Communities. This Ministry will envelop Housing, Water and Local Government, while the Ministry of Business is expected to be responsible for internal trade, information and communication technology.
A number of Ministers of State are also expected to be appointed over a period of
time to help orient new persons for eventual full-fledged ministerial appointments. Speaking following the swearing in ceremony, the President stressed that his Cabinet is one team and was absolutely sure that each member would work towards the betterment of Guyana.
“We are one team and we are committed to ensuring that Guyana becomes a less divided country and a less poor country and I am confident that the Ministers that were sworn in today will give their support to me as President and Prime Minister Nagamottoo and will continue to work towards ensuring that the people of Guyana have a good life”, Granger told the gathering at his office.
He said he hopes that the Indigenous People’s Ministry would now focus on having proper roads and marketing strategies to help sell the produce of Amerindians out-
side their communities. The President said the renamed Ministry would continue to focus on land rights and community issues.
Meanwhile, also being sworn in was Retired Army Colonel Joseph Harmon as the Minister of State of the Ministry of the Presidency.
The President related that Harmon’s official position will be that of Minister of State with duties combined with the office of the Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS). He explained that the difference will be that this position will now be a political appointment. This change is in line with the whole thrust of the new Administration, of bringing stronger cooperation and coordination among the different agencies and partners of the Government and the regions, the President explained.
He further explained that the role of the Cabinet
Secretary will now be separate. Under the previous Administration, the roles of the HPS and the Cabinet Secretary were carried out by one individual, Dr Roger Luncheon.
The President said that he expects that the Cabinet Secretary will be a public servant post. He reminded all though that under the Cummingsburg Accord, this position can go to the Alliance for Change (AFC).
Saraswati Vidya Niketan (SVN) Secondary School and the Nirvana Humanitarian Society have joined the agencies and members of the public that responded to the call for lifesaving assistance from the parents of seven-year-old Colleacia Harcourt who was diagnosed with brain cancer.
The two entities made a substantial donation of $560,000 toward the medical expenses of the young girl, who needs urgent medical attention overseas.
Little Colleacia of Lichfield, West Coast Berbice, is diagnosed with a rare intra-ventricular tumour that obstructs the flow of fluids in the brain and causes a build-up of pressure in the skull.
Without immediate medical intervention, any patient is at severe risk of developing a life- threatening complication.
According to her father, Travis, the family has succeeded in garner -
ing over $2 million, of the $7 million needed to facilitate the crucial surgery.
Harcourt explained that his daughter started to experience agonising migraines just before school closed for the
Dear Editor,
It is our responsibility to remind the PPP/C the important task of representing the will of 202,694 people, leaving out the many others who supported the PPP/C, but regrettably did not vote for one reason or the other.
We stand with the party during this time. Had we not been patriotic supporters for the PPP/C, maybe
more votes would have gone to the coalition. Many of us forgot the pain the PNC put us or our parents through to give them another chance in Guyana’s Parliament. Nevertheless, it is important to stand strong, represent us once more. Remember that standing alone the party has mustered 49.19 per cent of the amount of people who have
voted, while six parties have joined hands to muster 50.29 per cent of the amount of voters to gain victory.
Accept the friendship arm of David Granger and work for Guyana’s interest and the Guyanese people.
Together we stand, divided we fall.
Avid Singh
Dear Editor,
Healing The Nation
Theocracy Party (HTNTP) offers its heartfelt congratulations to the victorious coalition of APNU+AFC in the recent General and Regional Elections.
The HTNTP reiterates its support for the coalition and looks forward to working with President David Granger and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo in rebuilding the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and pushing the development of our “El Dorado”.
Healing The Nation
Theocracy Party is calling on the new government to include the setting up of the National Marijuana Commission, as mandated by the Caricom Heads of Government in 2014, as part of its mandate to fulfill certain commitments within 100 days of assuming office.
HTNTP is also calling for an “amnesty for all ganja prisoners”!
Early in the elections campaign, both A Partnership for National
Unity (APNU) through a pronouncement by Joe Harmon and the Alliance For Change (AFC) through an announcement by Rafael Trotman, had indicated their respective parties’ support for “a review of legislation surrounding the decriminalization and eventual legalization of marijuana”.
HTNTP, through its weekly television programme has been advocating for the legalization of ganja. This was also a main plank of HTNTP’s elections campaign, along with the total eradication of poverty.
In calling for the setting up of the governmentfunded National Marijuana Commission, Guyana is joining with sister Caricom State – Jamaica, which recently this year amended its Dangerous Drugs Act in its Parliament to ease restrictions on the use of the herb on the tourist island.
HTNTP is seeking to have the new APNU+AFC coalition government table legislation within the first 100 days “to amend
Easter Holidays this year. She was eventually diagnosed after her father decided to have a brain scan done after doctors could not find the source of the problem.
Travis Harcourt can be contacted on 699-1005 or 622-4080. Persons desirous of making donations can do so through Republic Bank Account 730-269-1.
JIPA Network, which is responsible for the girl’s treatment, has provided a bank account in the USA where funds can be wired to:
Bank of America
JIPA Network LLC
ABA: 026009593
Account number:
229038312826
Swift#: BOFAUS3N
Tax ID: 80-0539060.
Local aviation company Air Services
Limited (ASL) has announced the launching of ASL’s new one-day tours to Lethem, Bom Fim, Brasil and Kaieteur Falls. The formal launch is slated for 10:00h on Friday, at the ASL Hangar, Ogle International Airport, East Coast Demerara.
Among those expected to attend and participate are the newly installed Tourism and Local Government Ministers, Cathy Hughes and Ronald
Bulkan; the Brazilian Ambassador to Guyana, Lineu Pupo de Paula; the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) President, Shaun McGrath; and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) Director, Indranauth Haralsingh. ASL’s General Manager Annette Arjoon-Martins will be presenting details of the tours.
Guests will then be taken on a brief tour to view the company’s additions to its fleet of aircraft and ongoing expansion.
Dear Editor,
The Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr advised: “If we are to go forward, we must go back and rediscover those precious values - that all reality hinges on moral foundations and that all reality has spiritual control.”
Fellow Guyanese, we are gathered here to give thanks to Almighty God. Though He is called by different names based on our religion, we all acknowledge His presence in guiding our path.
ployed became the wind beneath our wings.
We are fully aware that our future lies in victory at both regional and national governments. Brothers and sisters, we have much to be thankful for.
the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act Chapter 10:10” in order to decriminalize marijuana for medicinal, religious, scientific and therapeutic purposes”.
As in Jamaica, the new law will make the possession of small quantities of ganja a non-arrestable offence. Instead it makes it a ticketable infraction that does not result in a criminal record.
It permits the use of ganja for religious, medical, scientific and therapeutic purposes, and it provides for regulation through the granting of licences to permit the development of a lawful industry for medical ganja and industrial hemp.
HTNTP stands committed to work with the APNU+AFC coalition administration in ensuring constitutional and judicial reforms to make Guyana a better place with “equal rights and justice for all”!
HTNTP
As we, the people of this blessed region embarked on a political campaign a few months ago to change the course of history, to change the course of our lives, we leaped out on faith that greater is He that is within us. With Him all things are possible.
We fought a hard campaign on the moral conviction that as children of Guyana, we too deserve to be treated with respect and dignity and benefit from the nation’s resources. For many, it has been a hard road to travel and a rough, rough way to go.
Guided by faith we knew we could not hesitate to be the change we wanted to see and the only path desired is the path that goes forward.
We went into the elections on faith that an alliance government offers this region a chance to make real our dreams, our hopes and our aspirations.
The alliance’s commitment to form a government on the foundation of good governance that assures equality for all, the implementation of our August 21, 2012 agreement, developmental opportunities for the youth, protection of the vulnerable and safeguarding the prospects of the em-
In addition to being instrumental in the alliance win, this region has once again soared. This is the only region where the PPP/C lost votes; the alliance won 85 per cent of the valid votes cast, that is 16,791 of the 19,742; won both of the geographic seats; and secured 98.8 per cent of the increased votes cast.
Your hard work, commitment and sacrifices are noted. These victories have been made possible because of you.
Fellow Guyanese, we must be able to live the creed of One People, One Nation, One Destiny. Together we must make real inclusionary democracy, accountability and national unity.
Together we must continue the work to realise our dream for economic upliftment, equal opportunities and fair play. We must continue the task of forging this nation’s mighty soul and constructing its frame, where freedom must remain our everlasting goal, courage and truth our aim.
We must remain unyielding in our quest for peace and justice. As our nation’s hero brave let faith remain guardian of our effort to uphold the values upon which this great country is built. Onward, upward, may we ever go.
Thanks to those who voted for the alliance. To those who voted for another party your right to association is respected. To all, in Region 10 we remain one!
Each and every citizen of this beautiful region is assured of my continued representation of your interests, the defense and protection of your rights, and commitment to execute my duty without fear, favour or ill will.
Thanks for the privilege to serve and the confidence reposed in me over the three years. Thanks for the good times and the not so good times we shared. Trust I have met your expectations. You have helped to make me a better citizen and I am humbled by the experience. May God continue to richly bless you and this dear land!
Sharma Solomon
played Test cricket in 2013
Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has returned to India’s Test squad for the first time in two years after he was picked for the only Test in Bangladesh from June 10 to 14. The selection committee, which met in Mumbai on Wednesday, retained the majority of the squad that toured Australia in 201415 with the exception of left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja.
Fast bowler Mohammed Shami was not picked because of the knee injury he suffered during the World Cup that also ruled him out of the IPL. No first-choice players had requested rest despite having played the World Cup and the IPL back to back and so the selectors were able to pick fullstrength squads for both formats.
Sandeep Patil, India’s chairman of selectors, said consideration had been given to the number of lefthanders in the Bangladesh Test squad before the decision to pick a second offspinner was made. However, Harbhajan played only three first-class matches in last season’s Ranji Trophy - six wickets with a best of 3-51 - but has been in impressive form for Mumbai Indians this IPL season, picking up 16 wickets in 14 matches.
“The Bangladesh batting order has six left-handers, keeping that in mind, we discussed with the captain and we felt it was necessary to have a second off-spinner,” Patil said. “I also want to point out we not only discussed Harbhajan. We also discussed other youngsters and considered them. Ultimately the selection committee and the captain felt this was the right choice for this particular tour.”
Patil said Harbhajan had not been picked in the ODI squad because the selection panel felt “chopping and changing or disturbing the combination” of the team that had reached the World Cup semi-finals was unnecessary.
In an interview with PTI, Harbhajan described his recall as “a fresh beginning”, and said he was ready to play for another four-five years.
“It feels like a fresh be-
ginning for me,” the off-spinner said. “It’s a new innings which I want to start on a confident note and make the best possible use of the chance that I have got.
“For me, there is nothing more precious than the India jersey. For the past two years, I have been working hard for this day. Not for a single day, nor for a single moment, did I have a feeling that I won’t play for India again.
“At this point of time, I am ready to play for another four to five years. I am confident that I can represent India in all formats to the best of my abilities.”
Addressing his first press conference after becoming the head of India’s selection panel in October 2012, Patil did not say which players had been discussed at the selection meeting. “It will be difficult for me to say who all would be discussed. Those who we felt - the selection committee and captain felt - were discussed. There was no discussion about Yuvraj Singh.”
Patil said there had been “no emotional angles, emotional attachments” while picking the squads. “We look for the performances, the fitness and the combination - whether a bowler or batsman fits in that combination. Last two years we have been trying … we have
made some mistakes, and may be, we will make some more mistakes but we have to learn from the mistakes. Indian cricket has gone through transition period and we are just trying to settle down.”
A day before the selection meeting, Mumbai Indians had beaten Chennai Super Kings to qualify for the IPL final, and Harbhajan had spoken of a “burning desire” to make an international comeback.
He last played Test cricket in 2013, when he was picked for the final two matches of the home series against Australia that India won 4-0. Harbhajan took only five wickets in those games at an average of 40.80, compared to R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja whose 29 and 24 wickets in four Tests came at 20.10 and 17.45 apiece. Subsequently the selectors and team management under the captain MS Dhoni and Duncan Fletcher retained Ashwin and Jadeja, and dropped Harbhajan, who had played 101 Tests.
Harbhajan’s decline had begun on the 2012 tour of England, where an injury forced him to return home after the first two Tests. He had taken just two wickets in the 70 overs he bowled at an average of 143.
Test squad: Virat Kohli (Captain), M Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh, Karn Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron, Ishant Sharma.
ODI squad: MS Dhoni (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Stuart Binny, Dhawal Kulkarni. (Cricinfo)
Lewis Hamilton has signed a new threeyear contract at Mercedes that could be worth up to £27m a year.
The 30-year-old Briton has been with the team since 2013 after six years at McLaren and won his second world title last year.
“I couldn’t be happier to be staying for another three years,” he said of the deal that will take him up to 2018.
Hamilton leads teammate Nico Rosberg by 20 points in the current championship.
He had been linked with a move to Ferrari, despite saying in March that a new contract was “99.6%” done, with negations said to be completed and just “legal stuff” remaining at that point.
It is understood Hamilton will earn a basic salary, paid in US dollars, of $31m (£20.9m) plus extensive bonuses.
Depending on how many races he wins, and whether he becomes world champion, these bonuses could easily take his annual earnings well over $40m (£27m).
The overall value of Hamilton’s deal is fundamentally similar to F1’s two
other big earners and multiple champions, McLaren’s Fernando Alonso and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.
Since joining Mercedes, Hamilton - who won his first world title with McLaren in 2008 - has won 15 races, 11 of those coming as he beat Rosberg to the 2014 title. He has won three of the first five races of this season.
“The Mercedes car I am driving right now is the best I have ever had in my career,” he added.
“It’s just so much fun to be out there every weekend, on the limit and fighting to
win at every track.”
Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff said: “Lewis enjoyed an historic world championship season with Mercedes-Benz last year and it was a priority for this season to renew his contract for the next term.
“Lewis’ sporting track record speaks for itself and he is a great personality for the company.
“Personally, I am looking forward to continuing to race with the strongest driver pairing in Formula 1 and to more historic achievements together.” (BBC Sport)
Sunderland secured Premier League safety with a magnificent display of defensive determination and organisation to get the point they needed at Arsenal.
Arsenal’s own point effectively means they will finish third behind champions Chelsea and Manchester City - but the celebrations all belonged to Sunderland as manager Dick Advocaat completed the recovery he has engineered since succeeding the sacked Gus Poyet.
On a night low on quality but high on the sort of ten-
sion these relegation struggles provide, Sunderland missed chances - with striker Steven Fletcher the main culprit - to avoid the desperate closing phase that saw them survive a series of desperate penalty box scrambles.
Goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon was a heroic figure as he produced a series of fine saves and handled with complete assurance in what must have been an excruciating last few minutes for the thousands of Sunderland fans who had travelled to north London.
All the worries disap-
peared at the final whistle as Advocaat joined his joyous players on the pitch in front of their supporters, the veteran former Netherlands coach now a Wearside hero. And, with survival guaranteed, Sunderland’s fans turned up the heat on their Tyneside rivals as they chanted “Are You Watching Newcastle?”
The Magpies, who host West Ham, will fight it out with Hull City, who welcome Manchester United, to avoid relegation on Sunday’s final day of the Premier League season. (BBC Sport)
FIFA could vote on whether to suspend Israel from world football’s governing body over claims that it discriminates against Palestinian footballers.
The Palestine Football Association (PFA) says the Israeli FA has violated rules relating to racism, players’ free movement and where clubs are based.
It has requested the vote at the next FIFA congress on May 29.
Suspension would mean Israeli teams would not be able to take part in the Champions League and Euro 2016.
The matters were on the agenda in both 2013 and 2014, but compromises meant it never went to a vote.
The Palestinians have raised three major complaints: (1) Palestinian players and officials are routinely restricted in their movement, making it difficult to play matches; (2) Five clubs play in the Israeli league that are located in
settlements in the occupied West Bank; and (3) They say the Israeli Football Association (IFA) is turning a blind eye to racism. The Israeli federation has said it cannot be held responsible for restrictions imposed by the state of Israel, which frequently limits
Palestinians’ movement or holds up the delivery of goods because of security concerns.
“I don’t think there is any football association around the world which can tell its government how to deal with security issues, including the Israeli Football
Association,” said IFA chief executive Rotem Kamer.
PFA chief Jibril Rajoub said: “We will never, ever accept any compromise, any agreement or deal outside the Congress.
“If the other side insists on causing us suffering, we are not using violence or weapons, we are using the legal leverage of the FIFA statutes. This is nothing to do with politics, this is a sport issue.”
FIFA president Sepp Blatter discussed the issues with Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, before meeting Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and Rajoub on Wednesday. Rajoub said the PFA will keep its proposals on the FIFA congress agenda.
Blatter said he had proposed that FIFA organise a “peace match” between the Israeli and Palestinian national teams in Zurich. He claimed Netanyahu had promised to attend the event if it went ahead.
thursday, may 21, 2015
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Royal Challengers
Bangalore set up a clash with Chennai Super Kings for a place in the final as they sent Rajasthan Royals out of the tournament with a commanding performance.
Two of the big three Royal Challengers batsmen failed, but the third, AB de Villiers, made up for that with 66 off 38. Mandeep Singh chose a knockout game to make the first half-century of the season from a Royal Challengers batsman not answering to those three big names. De Villiers and Mandeep added 113 for the third wicket at more than 10 an over to propel Royal Challengers to 180 for 4. On a ground with a highest successful chase of 166 in the IPL, it was too many runs in the pressure of a must-win chase. Royals crumbled without any fight, losing wickets regularly to go down by 71 runs.
On a hard and grassy but also two-paced pitch, Royal Challengers lost Chris Gayle
England captain
Alastair Cook says he did not issue an ultimatum over the selection of Kevin Pietersen.
Pietersen has been told he will not be considered for selection this summer, with reports suggesting Cook would have resigned had the batsman been recalled.
“There was no ultimatum on KP, I don’t know where that came from,” said Cook.
“The players weren’t consulted and I want it to be that way. I just have to go out there and try to win games of cricket for England.”
Speaking before the first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s on Thursday, opening batsman Cook also said: (1) He agrees with the decision not to consider Pietersen for selection; (2) It is “irrelevant” whether or not he is prepared to play with his former team-mate; and (3) That he “does not know why
and Virat Kohli to Dhawal Kulkarni by the eighth over before reaching 50. Mandeep and de Villiers took a few deliveries to get their bearings before decisively batting Royals out of the match.
Mandeep started the counter when he pulled and lofted Kulkarni for consecutive boundaries in the tenth over. Still, Royal Challengers were going at run a ball at the halfway mark. They were to take 86 off the last six overs, Royals’ death-bowling letting them down again as none of those overs went for less than 11.
No batsman barring Mandeep and de Villiers was able to time the ball consistently on the Pune pitch. Mandeep was strong on the pull and the cut. Gradually, de Villiers found his hitting rhythm too, against left-arm spinner Ankit Sharma in the 15th over, when he slogged two sixes and powered a four to deep extra cover.
James Faulkner went for 42 from four overs to end a
disappointing season with an economy-rate of 9.46. Chris
Morris had a rare off day too, leaking the same number of runs. With such a stiff target, Royals needed their top order to come good. It wasn’t to be. Shane Watson chased and nicked a wide one from S Aravind in the second over.
Sanju Samson’s promotion to No. 3 did not work as Harshal Patel bounced him out. With the asking-rate galloping, Steven Smith grew desperate for the big hit and holed out off David Wiese.
Helpless to stop the exit of batsmen at the other end, and struggling to get the measure of the pitch, Ajinkya Rahane departed for 42 off 39 in the 14th over. There was to be no sparkle from Deepak Hooda. There was to be no finishing from Faulkner. There was to be only a heavy defeat. (Cricinfo)
b
Royal Challengers Bangalore innings (20 overs maximum) CH Gayle b Kulkarni 27
V Kohli* c & b Kulkarni 12
AB de Villiers run out (Binny/ Faulkner) 66 Mandeep Singh not out 54
KD Karthik† c Rahane b Morris 8
SN Khan not out 1
Extras (b-4, lb-3, w-5) 12
Total (4 wickets; 20 overs) 180 Fall of wickets: 1-41 (Gayle, 5.6 ov), 2-46 (Kohli, 7.3 ov), 3-159 (de Villiers, 18.4 ov), 4-177 (Karthik, 19.3 ov)
Bowling: CH Morris 4-0-42-1 (1-w), JP Faulkner 4-0-42-0, DS Kulkarni 4-0-28-2, SR Watson 4-0-32-0 (4-w), Ankit Sharma 3-0-28-0, STR Binny 1-0-1-0
Rajasthan Royals innings (target: 181 runs from 20 overs)
AM Rahane c de Villiers b Chahal 42 SR Watson c †Karthik
he should keep answering questions” about Pietersen, because he was not part of the latest decision to disregard the Surrey batsman.
Pietersen was given hope of an international recall by new England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Colin Graves, only for director of cricket Andrew Strauss to say the 34-year-
old would not be selected because of “trust issues”.
“That was a decision taken by Straussy and chief executive Tom Harrison,” added Cook, 30. “We have got to start looking forward because the story has been put to bed by the ECB.
“They have decided the direction in which they want English cricket to go.
DJ Hooda c Starc b Wiese 11
JP Faulkner c & b Aravind 4 STR Binny run out (Chahal/†Karthik)
CH Morris c Chahal b Starc
Ankit Sharma not out 7 DS Kulkarni b Chahal 3 Extras (w-3) 3 Total (all out; 19 overs) 109 Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Watson, 1.6 ov), 2-33 (Samson, 4.5 ov), 3-55 (Smith, 8.1 ov), 4-79 (Nair, 12.1 ov), 5-87 (Rahane, 13.6 ov), 6-92
I’m responsible for the team out on the field and I have to focus on that.” Cook was part of the initial decision to end Pietersen’s international career in February 2014, but repeatedly asserted he not been involved in the most recent disregarding of England’s highest runscorer.
However, despite endorsing Pietersen’s non-selection, Cook would not explain why he was in favour of not having the South Africa-born player in his team.
“This has gone on for 15 months and we have to start looking forward,” he said. “All the external stuff that has happened over the last 10 days isn’t important.
“What is important is how we play our cricket. That is all I can focus on. It’s irrelevant as to whether I can play with him because it’s not a decision that I have to make.”
Preparations for the Limacol Caribbean Premier League 2015 are in full swing, and one player is looking to take the tournament by storm this year, and also help his franchise cop the title for the first time.
In the face of inclement weather, Guyana Amazon Warriors’ all-rounder
Christopher Barnwell has been doing his bit in personal training as he looks to be in top condition for the highly anticipated showpiece, starting next month.
In a wide-ranging interview with Guyana Times’ Avenash Ramzan on Wednesday, the big-hitting batsman and lively mediumpacer spoke of his preparations, the Guyana Amazon Warriors combination, his runner-up jinx and working with Carl Hooper for the first time.
Below is a full text of the interview.
Avenash Ramzan (AR): Due to the current inclement weather, not much cricket is being played…the Amazon Warriors training camp is also yet to start. As a cricketer, how have you been able to keep fit and ready for Limacol CPL 2015?
Christopher Barnwell (CB): Well, I just go the gym in the mornings. I train at Buddy’s Gym and in the af-
ternoon I try to get a hit at the club here [Demerara Cricket Club], but for the past couple of days we’ve been using the LBI [indoor] facility, so some work is still being done.
AR: So you’re working along with the Guyana Jaguars team at the moment?
CB: Yea, the guys are training, because we have a contract with the Jaguars so we have to go out there and put in some work at LBI.
AR: Are you satisfied with the level of fitness you’re at right now, just a month before the start of the tournament?
CB: Well, I’m now actually recovering from a hamstring injury I picked up a few weeks back, but I’m feel-
ing much better. I played some T20 matches over the past couple of weeks and it was good for me, so I think I’m getting there.
AR: You came into the CPL as one of the players with the ability to muscle the ball, but you have not been able to really light up the CPL as yet. Is that a concern for you knowing that there a lot of expectations from fans and the team?
CB: I think I haven’t been getting much opportunity to bat really. Most of the times the job was done by the top order, by Simmo [Lendl Simmons] and [Martin] Guptill and the rest of players, so my job was not much. I think once I get the opportunity I will produce, and I’ve proven over the years in T20 cricket that once I get the opportunity to bat a certain amount of overs I’m capable of doing some damage.
AR: So you’re saying if the need arise, you would bat up the order?
CB: Yea, obviously I would want to give myself a chance, I don’t want to always be looked at as a bighitter and just come in and finish off the innings. I think I’m a much more capable batsman who can come and bat in the top five and put my team in a good position. I’ve shown it at the club level and the Inter-county level where I’ve scored a lot of hundreds
in T20 cricket, so I think it’s just about getting the opportunity to showcase my talent and I will produce the goods.
AR: You have been on the losing end on both occasions in the final, first against Jamaica Tallawahs in 2013 and Barbados Tridents last year. How difficult is that for a player, knowing that you’re so close, but yet so far?
CB: It’s always difficult. For me, it’s becoming a habit, because I also played in a couple of Caribbean T20 finals for Guyana and we lost there too to Trinidad, and also in a couple of 50-over finals. It’s kinda following me, but I hope this year we can go one step further and win the tournament.
For the past two seasons we’ve been playing consistent cricket, we have been playing as a team, gelling together well and supporting each other, but it’s just that final hurdle that let us down. I think we had a great chance last time against Barbados Tridents, but unfortunately the rain came and play a part and that was something that was out of our control.
AR: You mentioned going one step further and winning the title this year. Looking at the squad, what would give the Guyana Amazon Warriors the edge over the other franchises?
Juventus kept their dreams of a treble alive as they won the Coppa Italia thanks to Alessandro Matri’s extra-time winner against Lazio.
Juve have won Serie A for the fourth consecutive time and face Barcelona in the Champions League final.
They fell behind in Rome when Stefan Radu headed Lazio ahead but Giorgio Chiellini levelled with a fine volley.
The final went to extra time before substitute Matri lashed home to seal a record 10th cup win.
Juventus had not won the trophy since 1995 but will now hope to complete a treble - achieved by Jose Mourinho at Inter in 2010 - when they play Barca in
CB: I think when the captain, manager and coach went to the auction, they knew what they wanted and they bought players they think are suitable to the conditions in the Caribbean. If you look, they went for most of the Sri Lankan players and Brad Hodge [of Australia].
They bought players they think would suit the pitches down here where you have to work the ball a bit more. We have some experience in [Tillekaratne] Dilshan, he played a couple of games with us before. There is Thisara Perera, a very good player playing in the IPL, and Brad Hodge, who we know has been doing his thing all over the world in T20 cricket.
And there is one of the greatest bowlers in the world in Lasith Malinga, so I think we have a very good, balanced team with some very good local players as well. It’s now just a matter of going out there and produce.
AR: Obviously, you would back the Amazon Warriors to win the title, but who would you say is the team to beat?
CB: All the teams have quality players, they have overseas players; it’s just a matter of us going out there and sticking to the basicsthat’s what we’ve been doing for the past two years, going out and playing good crick-
et. I think once we put up a total we have the bowlers to defend it, and once we bowl first we can restrict teams and our batters can chase it down.
So it’s not a matter of us taking any team lightly, we just have to go and play good cricket. T20 cricket is a very funny game- one day one batsman can come and take it away from you and one bowler can come and bowl a brilliant spell so we don’t want to underestimate anybody.
AR: Finally, the previous two seasons you would have worked with Roger Harper as the Head Coach, now there is a new coach in Carl Hooper. I’m sure you’re looking forward to working with him this season.
CB: Obviously, we did well under coach Harper; we didn’t win the final two years but that’s how life goes. We have a new coach now and I’m looking forward to working with him.
He’s someone who played cricket at the highest level, so he knows what he’s about. This is also an opportunity to learn more because different coaches come with different strategies and different plans, so I think in that sense I will be able to learn something different from him.
B y A ven A sh R A mz A n
The current inclement weather has put a damper on proceedings, delaying the grand final, but organisers of the inaugural iNet Communications Inc. Under-13 football competition are convinced the tournament has been a tremendous success.
Exclusively sponsored by iNet Communications Inc., a licensed telecommunications provider in the Global Technology building on Camp Street, the tournament, which caters for youth teams in Georgetown, was coordinated by the Fruta Conquerors Football Club.
The Club, led by President Wayne Forde, has always been a strong advocate for the promotion of football at the youth level, and Forde and his executives are not just resorting to mere talk, but putting their words into action.
Forde, in giving a brief review of the iNet Communications tournament, expressed satisfaction with what has transpired over the past weeks at the Tucville ground- the home base of the Fruta Conquerors Football Club where all the matches were played.
“I am absolutely satisfied with regard the level of play we’ve seen. As I have always said, the talent we have here is comparable to any part of the world…the problem is making that transition from the Under-15 level,” Forde stated.
From a scale of 1-10,
Forde said he would give the tournament a nine, justifying his high rating on the fact that most of the objectives were met.
The football administrator also commended the executives of the participating clubs for allowing their young players to compete in the tournament.
Looking ahead to the 2016 competition, Forde highlighted that one of the areas they would look to address is the availability of more educational packages for players, who impress with their football skills or those who need help in terms of their academics.
“We will work along with the main sponsor and other partners hopefully to have more educational packages for the players, because a lot of these youngsters face different challenges in terms of getting an education.
Also, what we want to do is create not just good footballers, but rounded individuals,” Forde explained.
The final was originally fixed for last Saturday at the Tucville ground, but heavy rainfall which left the venue in an unplayable state, squandered those plans. The championship game has now been tentatively set for this Saturday, weather permitting.
Host club Fruta Conquerors and Santos have booked their places in the final following comfortable wins at the semifinals.
Fruta Conquerors needed just a solitary goal to get past their ‘A’
Gteam and book a place in the championship game, with a Jermaine Garrett goal accounting for Fruta Conquerors success.
In comparison, Santos did a demolition job against Western Tigers, blasting in three unanswered goals to remain in the hunt for the top prize.
Rondell Jordan, Jermaine Padmore and Darren Niles were the goalscorers for Santos.
Secretary of the Fruta Conquerors Football Club, Daniel Thomas, echoed the sentiments of Forde, stating that the competition has been able to unearth numerous talents in the Georgetown area and those will be developed at the club level to ensure continuity.
Thomas is urging parents of the players and football fans to come out in their numbers and witness the future of Georgetown football in action.
He also expressed gratitude to iNet Communications for investing in the Under-13s, noting that it is money well spent.
All players on the champion team will be given scholarships by the sponsor.
The third place game between Fruta Conquerors A and Western Tigers will commence at 15:00h, while the final between Fruta Conquerors and Santos will start an hour later.
Representatives of iNet Communications will be on hand to witness the games and assist in the presentation of prizes at the conclusion.
young sprint sensation, Kenisha Phillips, will be representing Guyana and her De Challengers club this Friday and Saturday at the Hampton Games in Trinidad and Tobago, compliments of Mings Products and Services (MP&S) Limited. She will be accompanied by her uncle and coach, Linden Phillips. Kenisha, who hails from Friendship, East Coast
Demerara, and is a student of Bladen Hall Multilateral School, turned 14 on May 5. She has been entered in the 100m, 200m and 400m, but may have to choose which two events she will compete in, depending on how the heats and finals are placed during the two days of events.
In recent local competition, Kenisha has been winning the Under-17 sprint events, producing times un-
seen in Guyana for her age and age group. Her Carifta Games trials 200m time was 24.6 seconds, and in the absence of Alicia Fortune, she won the Women Open 100m when the new synthetic track at Leonora was christened last month in a reported hand timed 11.3 seconds. She then went on to place third in the Women’s Open 400m in a time of 59.8 seconds.
Premier League
v WI, 4th women’s ODI, Colombo…
Acollective bowling performance, led by off-spinner Hayley Matthews’ career-best 3-7, helped West Indies Women defend 156 against Sri Lanka Women and seal the series 3-1 in Colombo. After having opted to bat, West Indies slumped to 156 all out, with only four of their batters crossing double figures. All-rounder Sripali Weerakoddy carved up the top order, reducing West Indies to 44-3, before left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera inflicted more damage, claiming figures of 3-17 in 10 overs, including four maidens. Britney Cooper, coming in at number five, offered some source of resistance through 46 off 65 balls, but lacked meaningful support from the other end. This meant that the
visitors were bowled out inside 48 overs.
Sri Lanka’s resistance was flimsier as they folded for 125 in 45.2 overs.
Chamari Atappattu fell early in the chase when she was bowled by Stafanie Taylor for two by the fourth over. Weerakoddy couldn’t carry her bowling form into batting; she pottered around for 10 off 45 balls before Tremayne Smartt had her caught behind.
Each of Yasoda Mendis (13), Nipuni Hansika (21), Shashikala Siriwardene (16) and Eshani Lokusuriyage (30) got starts but none managed a substantial contribution, Lokusuriyage’s 30 off 50 balls was the highest score.
The last four Sri Lankan wickets fell for only 10 runs with Matthews bagging her career-best ODI figures after having made 24 off 23 balls. Smartt and Anisa Mohammad finished with combined figures of 20-2-514. (Cricinfo)
Sri Lanka Woman
*C Jayangani b Taylor 2 +P Weerakkody c wkp Aguilleira b Smartt 10 Y Mendis lbw b Smartt 13 N Hansika c Cooper b Mohammed 21
S Siriwardene c King b Fletcher 16 E Kaushalya run out 30 S Weerakkody c Campbelle b Mohammed 4 S Lakshika b Matthews 8 M Samuddika c Fletcher b Matthews 1 S Kumari c Kycia Knight b Matthews 3 I Ranaweera not out 1 Extras (b-2, lb-3, w-10, nb-1) 16
TOTAL (all out, 45.2 overs)
(all out; 47.3 overs) 156
Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Knight), 2-44 (Taylor), 3-44 (Matthews), 4-61 (Dottin), 5-82 (Aguilleira), 6-104 (Campbelle), 7-122 (King), 8-127 (Cooper), 9-135 (Mohammed), 10-156 (Smartt) Bowling: S Weerakkody 7-037-3 (w-3), Kaushalya 6-1-301 (w-2), Samuddika 9-0-20-1 (w-3), Kumari 5.3-0-21-1 (w2), Ranaweera 10-4-17-3 (w1), Siriwardene 10-2-29-1