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Teen moms reintegration P17 programme receives donation

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyana-times.com

Issue No. 2942

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

PRICE

Pharmaceutical Farce

Govt sole sources substandard ware-“house” for drugs Page 3

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE: Marginalisation of Afro-Guyanese claims

President speaking with forked tongue – Rohee P11

2 more P11 Venezuelans deported

...conducted own evaluation; pays $150M annually

Woman seriously injured in Diamond accident

P17

The bond of Linden Holdings Company, Sussex Street, Charlestown with registered business address at Sidewalk Cafe building, Middle Street for which Government now pays a $12.5 million monthly rental

Gold inflates Guyana’s GDP again Page 7

…as traditional pillars return horrendous performances

Road deaths increased by 16% – Police

…serious crimes down by 17%

4 hidden bank accounts unearthed at City Hall

PSC signs MoU with TERI for greener economy P10

Page 7

Page 9

…Councillor says affairs shrouded in secrecy

Guyanese dismembered by boyfriend receives P17 new arms

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

news

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tuesDAY, august 9, 2016 | guyana-times.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

Pharmaceutical farce

Govt sole sources substandard ware-“house” for drugs

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, August 9 – 09:00h-10:30h and Wednesday, August 10– 09:30h-11:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, August 9 – 07:50h-09:20h and Wednesday, August 10– 08:30h-10:00h.

...conducted own evaluation; pays $150M annually

T

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Heavy rain showers will prevail throughout the day with thunder expected in the late morning and sunny conditions expected in the early morning hours. Clear skies can be expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 24 degrees and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: South-easterly to Easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 08:29h and 20:50h reaching maximum heights of 2.40 metres and 2.36 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 14:23h reaching a minimum height of 0.86 metre.

ransparency and Accountability - or rather the lack thereof - was on full display on Monday as Government sought to defend almost $1 billion it had advanced from the Contingencies Fund to meet “unforeseen” expenditures.

Health Minister Dr George Norton was prodded to provide answers to the Members of Parliament in relation to a new company with which the Public Health Ministry has contracted to store pharmaceuticals.

The MPs were told that Ministry of Public Health engaged a company named Linden Holdings Company.

Secret contract on pharmaceuticals

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That company has its registered office as 176 Middle Street, Cummingsburg— the same address as the Sidewalk Café, owned by Telecommunications Minister Catherine Hughes.

The bond for Linden Holdings Company is said to be located in Sussex Street, Charlestown, and the company’s principal listed as Larry Singh.

The House was told that a three-year contract has been entered with the company for rental at some $12.5 million a month, only began in March of this year; and as such was not catered for in the original budget, hence the advance from the Contingencies Fund.

Dr Norton told the House that the resort to have another facility for use to store government pharmaceutical was since the NEW GPC Inc was asking an exorbitant fee.

He did confirm to the House that NEW GPC has in fact only this year began receiving payment for the storage of drugs and medical supplies for government.

The NEW GPC storage warehouse facility of 30,000 square feet had been provided free of cost to the GHPC

Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton

and the Min of Health for a decade-and-a-half. It has the necessary equipment, staff, IT, security, certification and sanitation to comply with WHO/PAHO standards. The facility also has three separate temperature control zones for the storage of temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals in addition to a separate area for the storage of controlled substances. It also has testing facilities.

The Government claimed that it would store all its pharmaceuticals at its Diamond Warehouse facility which was built at a cost of $100 million.

Grilled on the suitability of the new storage facility being used by the Public Health Ministry and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, Dr Norton said it was built to PAHO/WHO standards but when asked to produce a certificate to this effect, the Health Minister was unable to do so.

In fact, he said that it was the Ministry which evaluated the company’s facility and decided on its suitability.

People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament Dr Frank Anthony drew the House’s attention to the fact that under the PEPFAR arrangement, there is a requirement for the facilities to meet international stan-

dards.

On the matter of whether there was any public tendering in the selection of Linden Holdings Company, Dr Norton said this did not obtain since the facility was required on an emergency basis.

Acknowledging that government is looking to end all such arrangements with private facilities, Dr Norton said the initial contract is for three years but could not give a definitive answer as to when government is looking to end using private facilities.

Dr Norton was also asked to make a copy of the contract between the Ministry and Linden Holdings Company and its terms and conditions available to the House, but according to the Public Health Minister, he would be unable to do so until both parties (Govt and Linden Holdings Company) agreed to have the document made publicly available.

He said the arrangement with Linden Holdings Company was done through sole sourcing with the approval of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, in addition to a No-Objection offered by Cabinet.

The matter was subsequently raised in the House, since in addition to the allocations from the Contingency Fund, the Ministry of Public Health sought an additional $62.5 million for the storage of pharmaceutical to be met from the Consolidated Fund.

Opposition Chief Whip

Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira

Gail Teixeira at this time vehemently objected to the use of the facility since according to the Former Health Minister, the building was unsuitable for the storage of pharmaceuticals for the people of this country.

Teixeira told the House that not only is the building not appropriate, it is a private residence with garbage strewn at its entrance in addition to a lack of security and basic amenities such as windows.

Opposition speakers objected in vain to the allocation since the new arrangement entered into

by Government is for the monthly payments of $12.5 million when NEW GPC had previously offered the same service to Government free of cost.

“This is a building costing $12.5 million a month when we were getting NEW GPC free for four years…

We have a right to ask about the quality of this building.”

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TUESdAY, august 9, 2016

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 2310544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707

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

Editorial

Infrastructure for Growth

A

s the Government flounders in its stated goal of creating jobs so that Guyanese can enjoy the “good life”, we remind the policymakers once again about the recommendations of the World Bank and other multilateral financial institutions on the utility of infrastructural projects, of which so many have already been initiated, to engender both growth and jobs. All the Government needs to do is pick up the ball and run with it.

One of the projects that come immediately to mind is the continuation of the UNASUR-sponsored “Initiative for the Integration of the Regional Infrastructure of South America” (IIRSA), which is supposed to link South America’s economies through new transportation, energy, and telecommunications projects.

We were included in the second component of the Guyana Shield Hub aspect of the Initiative, focusing on connecting us to Brazil. The construction of the Takutu Bridge was a standalone project within the IIRSA and this, of course, was completed since 2008. The next step was to construct an asphalted all-weather highway connecting Boa Vista to Bon Fin/Takutu Bridge in Brazil and then Takutu Bridge/ Lethem to Georgetown in Guyana. The Brazilian portion of the plan was completed even before the Takutu Bridge, so it is the Guyanese aspect that is in the air.

While in the Opposition, the now APNU/AFC Government had trenchantly criticised the PPP/C Administration for not pushing the project, which would have benefited the struggling mining town of Linden. The Lethem-Georgetown highway was only one aspect of the Guyanese leg of IIRSA, albeit a foundational one. At the northern leg, the Highway would have branched off to Berbice where it would have connected to a deepwater harbour, as part of the project.

With the Takutu Bridge already connected via Boa Vista to Manaus, the latter’s vast export of manufactured goods to the Northern Hemisphere would have found its long-sought vent via Guyana. Lethem and Linden as intermediate stops in Guyana would have provided necessary services and sopped up much of the unemployment precipitated by the stagnant bauxite operations there. Why is there no push to complete the Lethem-Georgetown Highway?

One suggested reason was that the Guyana leg of the project also includes the Amaila Falls HydroElectric Project (AFHEP) and this Administration seems determined to scuttle that potentially transformational energy source for our industrialisation. The argument from the now Government when in Opposition was that AFHEP’s proposed costs were too high because the PPP/C Government had padded the figures so as to have a cushion for “siphoning off” funds.

However, now that they have the reins of power, the Government has the wherewithal to investigate the AFHEP contract with a fine-tooth comb or solicit alternative bids from presumably “clean” financing and construction companies. This it has not done. While the AFC had claimed it would support the AFHEP if the Procurement Commission were formed, APNU had claimed it was waiting for the IDB’s due diligence report.

This is now out and should be released immediately so that any identified challenges can be addressed by proponents of the project. Alternatively, as was pointed out, the AFHEP is a component of the IIRSA and can, therefore, be funded through that route. In this regard, the Presidents of both Brazil and Guyana have reports and recommendations on their desks on how to proceed on the entire plan.

With AFHEP as part of the LCDS – in fact one of its linchpins – it has also received US$80 million from Norway which is sitting in the coffers of the IDB. Guyana was paid for providing a service (carbon sequestration) to the world and because the conditionalities are usually “use it or lose it”, it is quite anomalous for Norway to be pushing us to make a decision.

What is important now is that the APNU/AFC must not cut its nose to spite Guyana’s face when it comes to going ahead with the infrastructural transformation that was envisioned by the PPP/C.

An evening of Dance, Drums and Drama: dancers during one of the many presentations by the National Dance Company entitled “A Celebration of African Heritage” at the National Cultural Centre on Saturday evening (Carl Croker photo)

Only Amerindians can claim ancestral land rights Dear Editor, Eric Phillips wrote: “We need to pay attention to the truths of our history”. No one can disagree with the brother on recorded truths.

We need real truths, not pseudo scientific truths of history. Phillips asserts that “Africans have a rightful claim to ancestral land”.

My own studies of history and academics I spoke with, say Phillips misunderstands the concept of “ancestral land” to which only Amerindians, not the other five ethnic groups, can lay a claim, and Amerindians have been enjoying rights to the land.

According to academic scholarship, no immigrant group, certainly not Africans, Indians, Chinese or Portuguese or mixed races can make a claim of ancestral land. The concept of ancestral land applies to an indigenous group that culturally, since time memorial, has a right to the land but never seeks to appropriate it as theirs through title ownership as is the case today in the modern concept of land ownership.

Eric Phillips, himself, claims that Africans were an immigrant group. This fact rules out the Africans as being an indigenous group and as having ancestral rights to the land. The closest to an indigenous group in Guyana, and the rest of the

Americas and Caribbean, are the Amerindians. Thus, the Amerindians would be in a rightful position to lay any claim for ancestral land and not the other ethnic groups in Guyana or the Americas.

It is inexplicable why Phillips would restrict his African ancestral land claim only to Guyana. If indeed Africans predate Amerindians, as he and others assert without authentic evidence, and have first claim to the land, why restrict the rightful claim to “relatively valueless” land in Guyana.

The group would be entitled to ancestral land claim in North America and South America where land is far more valuable than little Guyana. I say, Phillips, go for “gold” – ask for land rights in North America and South America and all of the Caribbean. You have my support once you have the evidence of Africans as being an indigenous people in the west.

In Guyana, the recorded, authentic, accurate history (and we are looking for truths, according to Phillips) would reveal that Africans and Portuguese started owning land around the same time –1840s. The Indians and Chinese owned land much later (after 1860s). No group had ancestral land claim and none of them made such a claim pri-

or to Phillips.

Phillips’ argument on ancestral land rights contradicts itself. He said Africans bought land after slavery, and unquestionably, the recorded history supports this fact. But if Africans were entitled to ancestral land claims, why would Africans buy land? They would have simply occupied or “squatted” on the land since it was theirs in much the same way that the Amerindians occupied their own land – that is settle down on what was rightfully theirs.

The Africans bought land and land was also given to them by the plantocracy and by court (state) interventions. That being the case, why did they waste money buying land when they could simply claim it for free as part of their ancestral land claim rights? The Africans never sought land rights and they were not entitled to any ancestral land right claim from the colonists, according to eminent historians since they were not indigenous like the Amerindians.

Some time ago, Phillips and others of his ilk penned that Africans predated Amerindians who, archaeologists believe (based on scientific carbon dating) came some 30,000 years ago from Asia, an Asiatic tribe.

There is no proven recorded evidence that Africans came before Amerindians

to the Americas and the Caribbean. The European colonists, as their recordings suggested, met Amerindians when they first landed in the Americas and the Caribbean.

There were no references to meeting Blacks, who were only brought to the colonies as “slaves” (free labour) to work the land after the Amerindians proved unsuitable for the kind of rigorous labour sought by the colonists.

And if indeed Africans predated Amerindians, there would have been no need to go to Africa and bring slaves. The local Africans would have met the needs of the Europeans for Black slaves.

This claim of Africans being the first to settle in the west is not different from those who claim that Indians and Africans were sending astronauts to space thousands of years ago -- that is a myth, a legend. Writers should focus on real history and how to solve problems facing Guyana.

Instead of stirring up ethnic controversy over reparations with ancestral land claims, why not focus on equitable sharing of resources and power among the varied ethnic groups so we can live in peace and harmony?

Yours faithfully, Vishnu Bisram

guyana-times.com

TUESDAY AUGUST 9, 2016

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

10-point suggestion to curb alcoholism

Dear Editor, Our Humble Pranaam and Namaskar.

We of the Mahatma Gandhi Organisation and the Gandhi Youth Organisation (Woolford Avenue) would like to sincerely thank Messrs Vishnu Bisram, Annan Boodram and Dr Niamatalli for their timely and important contributions in the print media on the epidemic of alcoholism wreaking havoc in our society.

Our organisation would also like to note herein the numerous interventions made by Bhai Vidyaratha Kissoon on the subject imploring the authorities, manufacturers and distributors of alcohol in Guyana to take steps to bring the situation under control, seeming-

ly to no avail.

Our constitution contains clauses in the aims and objectives section dealing with the need for action to be taken by our membership to advocate against the use and abuse of alcohol.

As one of the oldest registered Hindu organisations in this country (since 1953) we recognise that there is a major crisis in the country as more and more people turn to this dangerous substance to somehow “numb” themselves from their daily trials and tribulations.

We wish to state that we are available and open to joining in any national effort or initiative to counsel, guide, advise, and admonish our fellow Guyanese about the dangers of this substance as highlighted by the

erstwhile gentlemen already mentioned.

We call on all Hindu bodies and temples and indeed all other social and religious entities to join the drive against the use of alcohol and to educate persons about the dangers of consuming/abusing alcohol.

While we have not carried out any scientific study on the problem, we wish to recommend the following course of action: 1) Relevant government agencies to meet and commission a study (if not already done) on the cost both socially and financially of alcohol abuse. If the study has been done then publish the results.

2) Convene seminars and other similar fora to sensitise the public on the dan-

gers of this product.

3) Increase taxes on all alcohol-based products (except for medicinal purposes).

In the United Kingdom empirical evidence has demonstrated that increasing taxes on alcohol has had the effect of reducing consumption.

4) Enforce drink and drive laws which will have effect of deterring persons from consuming alcohol and then proceeding to drive.

The cost to the country in lives and limbs lost due to accidents caused by drunk drivers must be astronomical.

5) Legislate as is done in the cigarette industry for warnings to be prominently placed on alcoholic products about dangers to health.

6) Put in place laws to

prevent the advertising or selling of alcoholic beverages in activities involving school activities.

7) Enforce rigorous laws relating to opening and closing times of “rum shops” and “beer gardens” and prosecute and fine those who violate the law including suspension of licenses.

8) Restrict granting of new licences to persons desirous of selling alcohol.

9) Intensive campaign in schools should be carried out on the dangers of this substance as research has shown that if teenagers get “hooked” on this product, then it is very difficult and costly to get them to stop consuming it. At the same time persons who have never used alcohol say up to 2224 years old are very unlike-

ly to start consuming it after this age hence the importance of nipping the problem in the bud.

10) Negotiate with or legislate for manufacturers and distributors of alcohol to contribute say 2% of their sales to fund rehabilitation programmes.

These are suggestions but previous governments have not shown much interest in alleviating this problem, instead being more reactive than proactive and we hope to have some decisive action by this government and other stakeholders.

Dear Editor, When Bharrat Jagdeo highlighted the disturbing fact that, “there is an assault on our democracy, an assault on Indo-Guyanese and an assault on PPP/C supporters” in a recent address in New York City, he set off a firestorm, particularly within the APNU/PNC/AFC Government. Such an action shed light on the callousness and willingness by government to bury the rights of Guyanese for political gains.

Undoubtedly, IndoGuyanese have been hammered by racial assaults which intensified after the May 2015 election. This is common knowledge.

Like any caring and decent human being Jagdeo offered solace when he remarked: “we are going to take back Guyana.” Even in American politics, politicians including Hillary Clinton, Pat Buchanan, Ross Perot, John Kerry and Barack Obama have used the exact same words when addressing supporters.

Government seems to be bullying Jagdeo who deserves praise for his courage to stand against inhumanity, and I urge others to stand by him. We must remember that we should never turn a blind eye when our fellow humans hurt. And this is exactly my motivation to jump into the fray.

Undeniably, govern-

ment itself discriminates against Indo-Guyanese and without a doubt it knows of the chronic racial problem overtly plaguing the IndoGuyanese community.

Government wants us to believe that racism does not exist. So it creates a firestorm and mounts a cruel attack on Jagdeo, falsely branding him a racist. Such antics are aimed solely to silence Jagdeo and fool the people of Guyana.

Government’s actions have got to be a ruse when we are hurting. In the wake of all this, government cannot escape earning itself the notorious reputation of being: insensitive, biased and inhumane.

Knowing what I know about racism in this country, I can safely say that only a mad man or someone hungry for votes would have a problem with what Jagdeo said.

Jagdeo’s remarks fully resonate with me because they are the truth. I have experienced overt racism since I was a youngster and I have been itching to fight against it. Racism upends everything and turns life into hell.

There wasn’t a single day that I did not encounter racism. Racism stripped my dignity and left me wounded.

Then there were the racists who profiled me, mugged me and brutalised me umpteen times. My memory is saturated with cruel encoun-

ters of racism.

Editor, think about the fact that Indo-Guyanese represent roughly less than 20% of the public sector in spite they are in the majority. This speaks volumes on racial discrimination against us. Jagdeo was alluding to exactly all this when he remarked that Indo-Guyanese are going through a rough time.

Racism is cruel and inexcusable.

The interest of the people must trump the interest of government. Government must find a way to engage all. Government needs to know that its actions are antithetical to social cohesion which is desperately needed to break five decades of failure in this country.

It is a well-known fact

that this government prefers not to do business with Indo-Guyanese; if government prefers “loyalists” who are not Indo-Guyanese, then you may ask why it is doing business with Nagamootoo.

The answer is obvious: Nagamootoo is used as a vehicle to draw votes from Indo-Guyanese, while the APNU/PNC continues to abuse us. This is sad and tragic.

Racism is destructive.

Racism is ignorance. We need a caring government who understands our pain irrespective of what we look like.

Government can’t eat its cake and have it too. If government does not like Jagdeo to address such a situation on racism, then it must do something about it.

Moreover, only a dishonest freak would draw the singular conclusion that Jagdeo panders to race when in fact he is addressing a chronic and massive problem which is real, not a figment of our imagination.

In any race/ethnicity there are racists and considering that Guyana is plagued with widespread racism, I am cognizant of the fact that racism has touched the lives of all Guyanese.

Indo-Guyanese must understand the propellers to this problem if we are going to safeguard ourselves.

Although we are not saints, like most human beings we must understand that perhaps, our relatively calm personality portrays us as weak and makes us vulnerable.

We rarely stand up for our rights.

We rarely join the picket lines or engage in civil unrest, riots or similar aggressive behaviours even when we are abused.

We almost never engage in street suppressions and do not menace another race/ ethnicity.

Our good nature portrays us as weak and so we are taken advantage of. We must acknowledge the problem of racism and address it.

To this end, I urge Jagdeo and all Guyanese to continue to stand against racism.

Racism should never be tolerated.

Kudos to Jagdeo!

Yours sincerely, Pandit Sawh Christopher Persaud Mahatma Gandhi Organisation Woolford Avenue

Jagdeo deserves praise for his courage

Sincerely, Dr Annie Baliram

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Foundation

Does your child have a victim mentality?

“I

By Janet Lehman

t’s not fair! You’re always yelling at me, even when it’s not my fault!”

Sound familiar? The minute you say no, or set limits, or try to enforce the rules, your child immediately says that you’re not being fair and that you always pick on him. He overreacts constantly to routine requests and takes no responsibility for his behaviour. No matter the circumstances, he is always the one who has been wronged or unfairly put-upon – in other words, the victim.

If this is a pattern – your child’s typical response – she is displaying a victim mentality. And she does so because it gives her an excuse for her bad behaviour that works for her. When children take on a victim mentality, it becomes a form of defiance, used to avoid taking appropriate responsibility and being held accountable. And when it plays on our emotions as parents – getting us to question whether, maybe, we have been too tough or unfair, or making us feel guilty about any limit we try to set – rules are forgotten, limits ignored, and we lower our expectations.

If left unchanged, the victim mentality can eventually impact your child’s ability to have healthy relationships and to adequately function as an adult. It is vital that your child learns new skills in order to manage responsibility in the real world. To start that process, it’s helpful to look at the behaviours that lead to the victim mentality.

When your child thinks

like a victim, he will begin to feel and act like a victim.

If left unchanged, the victim mentality can eventually impact your child’s ability to have healthy relationships and to adequately function as an adult.

Thinking errors that support a victim mentality

Thinking errors, simply put, are patterns of thinking that are inaccurate or irrational; they influence our feelings and behaviour, often in negative ways. In

other words, when your child thinks like a victim, he will begin to feel and act like a victim. Below are some of the common thinking errors that fuel your child’s victim mentality and its related behaviours.

Victim Stance sounds like: “Why are you always on my back about the lawn?

I work at a job after school and never have any time for myself! I don’t have any time to mow the lawn!” Its related behaviours include: Blaming others (often you, the parent) when he

doesn’t meet his responsibility Always having an excuse ready Fighting for the right to be a victim Injustice sounds like: “You never made my older brother clean his room when he was my age. It’s because he’s a boy and I’m a girl. You always treat me worse than him. It’s not fair!” Its related behaviours include: Viewing normal expecta-

tions as unfair Refusing to follow what are perceived as unfair directions Complaining that consequences for misbehaviour are unfair Uniqueness sounds like: “You don’t understand, and you never will because you don’t care about me as much as you care about my sister! Just because I don’t like the same things you do!” Its related behaviours include: Claiming that she is different and thus needs different rules

Accusing others of not understanding her Focusing on that “lack of understanding” rather than the real issue Anger with an Angle sounds like: “You started screaming at me for no reason so I went crazy and smashed the vase. You need to stop screaming!” Its related behaviours include: Losing control of behaviour and claiming he couldn’t help himself Training others to avoid making him take responsibility Using anger to have power over people and things Over time, parents hear these excuses, see these behaviours and get pulled into believing that it must be true. Then you start responding to your child’s unhealthy behaviour in unhealthy ways. You tiptoe around your child because you can anticipate the response you’re going to get.

You know your daughter is going to start yelling the minute you remind her she needs to babysit. You wonder if you should just stay home; it might even be easier than having the big fight and the risk that she’ll take out her anger on her little brother.

These thinking errors can also lead to a sense of fatalism on your child’s part: he actually begins to believe he can’t change, that your expectations are beyond him, and that he is unable to take responsibility for his actions. He then becomes unable to see his role in making things better. It’s important to avoid this fatalistic trap by reminding yourself that change can happen at any time. (Excerpt from

guyana-times.com

4 steps you can take to help your child change S

tart with targeting one behaviour at a time. Identify something that is making life difficult for you, but also something that you think can really change. For example, you could start with a reasonable wake-up time and morning routine, or follow through on a chore, or expectations that meals will be civil, with no screaming allowed.

Sit down and talk with your child when you’re both calm. Fill them in on the change you want to focus on. “I’d like to have a discussion about following through on your chores. This is a problem for me, as I need you to do your part around the house. We all have our responsibilities in this family and doing the dishes is yours. If you want to continue to use the car, you will need to do the dishes each night. If you can’t or won’t do that, you’ll need to take the bus.”

Be calm and matter-of-fact in your delivery, as your child is so used to overreacting to any expectations or limits. Think of what you’re doing as all business. The limit setting parent role works best when you are non-emotional.

Don’t expect that your child will take kindly to this, though.

In fact, they may be quite resistant, but stay calm and focused through the initial challenges.

Don’t give up on expectations and consequences – and don’t give in to bad behaviour. It takes a long time to relinquish the victim mentality and replace it with a more responsible way of thinking and behaving. It’s become a habit for your child, and parents often develop habits in response. It’s easy to fall back into these habits and to think that rather than setting this limit and dealing with my child’s defiance, I’ll back off this one time and let it go.

This is natural. We all try to avoid things that feel like work, but in this case the work is worth it.

empoweringparents)

Provide positive reinforcement when your child takes responsibility and makes good choices. The changes may be subtle at first, but the minute your child starts taking responsibility for his actions, he’s beginning to shed the victim mentality. He’ll need encouragement to keep changing his thinking and taking on healthier problem-solving skills, and you can provide this.

Remember: change doesn’t happen overnight. Once your child realises that there is really going to be a change in expectations, they will slowly begin to meet those expectations. And once the change begins, additional behaviours can be addressed and expectations added.

Keep in mind the goal of all this work: to raise our children to be responsible adults, able to function in life and to solve the problems that come up along the way. Feeling and acting like a victim will not lead to the kind of adult life we want for our children. But once your child has learned to take responsibility for their behaviour, they will feel better about themselves, be better able to solve problems and make the most of their life. (Excerpt from empoweringparents)

news

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tuesday, august 9, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Gold inflates Guyana’s GDP again …as traditional pillars return horrendous performances

G

uyana’s mining sector continues to be the boon for the economy as the traditional pillars of the economy continue to perform disastrously with under-performance by as much as 30 per cent of what was projected in certain sectors.

This is outlined in the 2016 Mid-Year Report presented to the National Assembly on Monday by Finance Minister Winston Jordan.

Gold has since recorded its highest production ever in Guyana’s history, returning a whopping 322,493 ounces for the first half of the year.

This has since prompted the Ministry to revise it 2016 projections for gold to an anticipated 650,000 ounces.

The mining and quarrying sector grew by 65.7 per cent during the first half of 2016 which Minister Jordan said was, “buoyed by significant growth in the gold industry and improved performance in the bauxite industry.”

In fact, gold as an isolated activity saw an increase in production of 94.3 per cent over the corresponding period last year.

The performance of the sector was credited to improved oversight of the industry and granting of concessions.

The bauxite industry as an isolated sector delivered a creditable performance, with a 3 per cent growth. The ‘other mining and quarrying sector,’ grew by 13.9 per cent, “mainly driven by a 16.7 per cent growth in the diamond industry.

This was the extent of the

positive news in the Finance Minister’s 2016 mid-year report on the performance of Guyana’s economy during the course of the year.

The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has once again recorded a dismal performance during the first half of the year.

According to the Finance Minister’s report, the

tonnes, as against the original projection of 231,145 for the year.

The rice sector also continues to return less than desired results. According to the Finance Minister, this sector also declined by a whopping 26 per cent compared with the same period last year. Rice production for the first half of the year was

Agriculture, Fishing and Forestry sectors collectively, declined by 10 per cent over the previous year.

Minister Jordan has since reported that sugar recorded a disappointing 56,645 tonnes which is 30 per cent below what was projected for 2016.

The Finance Ministry has since blamed the significant shortfall as being mainly due to the severe El Niño dry spell.

“This combined with the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s inability to irrigate the fields coupled with delays in the acquisition of fertilizer and fertilizer application further compromised the quality of canes harvested,” Jordan reported.

The industry has since had to revise its projections downwards to 218,188

recorded at 265,818 tonnes.

The Finance Ministry has also identified the culprit for the dismal performance of the rice sector as the EL Niño dry spell.

Early rains were also said to be due in part, for further losses which was also compounded by delayed payments by millers.

Production for 2016 has since been revised downwards from 687,784 to 600,000. The loss of the Venezuelan rice market continues to have a nagative impact on the industry since, according to Minister Jordan, “the industry is emerging from a price structure that was artificially inflated by the Venezuelan market.”

Minister Jordan in his report documents a 0.8 per cent growth in the livestock sector while the fisheries sec-

tor grew by 2.1 per cent and the ‘other crops sector’ also grew by 2.0 per cent.

A dismal performance were recorded in manufacturing which, according to Minister Jordan, contracted by 14.1 per cent during the first half of this year, largely as a result of the decline in the output of rice and sugar.

The finance minister reported that the financial and insurance industries grew by 5.9 per cent.

“Noteworthy performances occurred in the other services category due to the Jubilee celebrations. This resulted in an increase of 102 per cent in visitor arrivals in May 2016.”

The minister has since estimated that the spending stimulated over the period by the additional visitors resulted in increased activity in the hospitality sector including hotels, restaurants and craft markets, to name a few.

He noted however that that wholesale and retail trade, and construction, which amounts for approximately a third of the sector contacted by 11.3 and 7.5 per cent, respectively.

The minister in his report have since conceded that the positive growth in the mining sector and some subsectors served to partially offset the below par performances of the agriculture, construction, and wholesale and retail sectors.

The ministry has since revised downwards Guyana’s overall growth rate for the year to 4.0 per cent from the anticipated 4.4 per cent at the beginning of the year.

Road deaths increased by 16% – Police …serious crime down by 17%

T

he Guyana Police Force on Monday announced that there was an increase in road death by some 16 per cent, while serious crime has decreased by 17 per cent compared to the corresponding period last year.

According to statistics released by the Police, there has been a 16 per cent reduction in the reports of murder; nine per cent decrease in gun-related robberies as well as a 12 per cent decrease in armed robberies where other instruments were used.

In addition, a 22 per cent reduction in robberies with violence was recorded. The Police also revealed that there was a two per cent increase in robberies with aggravation; a 17 per cent decrease in rape; and a 21 per cent decrease in break and enter and larceny. Burglary was also on the decline by 15 per cent as well as larceny from the person by 35 per cent.

In the area of traffic management, the Police have recorded 72 road fatalities at the end of July 2016 when compared to 59 for the same period last year.

While there was a reduction in serious accidents, there have been increases in minor and damage accidents.

The Guyana Police Force has charged 41,497 persons

with traffic offences thus far for the year. This includes 15,427 for speeding and 1035 for driving under the influence of alcohol. Traffic enforcement is continuous countrywide, with special emphasis being placed on driving under the influence, speeding and the use of mobile devices while driving.

Attention is also being placed on pedestrian crossings at schools and elsewhere where there is a high percentage of foot traffic during peak hours. The Force was happy to announce that the traffic department has registered an influx of newly trained certifying officers, who will assist in reducing traffic offences on our streets and roadways.

Meanwhile, the Police Force continues to work hand in hand with various stakeholders in both the Public and Private Sectors in a collaborative effort to reduce crime countrywide and improve the safety of all Guyanese.

This is made possible by the gaining of momentum in increasing public trust which spins off into the gathering and sharing of intelligence that result in the solving and prevention of serious crimes and, in some instances, even the reopening of cold cases. turn to page 9

8 news

tuesDAY, august 9, 2016 | guyana-times.com

IN THE COURTS

Laing Avenue shooting

Eyew tness

Taxi driver charged Historic Irony... for murder

The dead man, Orin David

O

ne of the men who were arrested and charged with the killing of 32-year-old Orin David at his Laing Avenue home was on Monday arraigned.

Samuel McIntyre, a taxi driver, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Judy Latchman charged

with the capital offence of murder.

The charge stated that on August 1, 2016 at Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, McIntyre fatally shot David. The murder accused was remanded to prison. The case will continue on September 8, 2016.

David was gunned down at his home late last week following an argument with two other men.

The argument was allegedly over money – $100,000, which was owed to him by the two men.

Reports are the argument escalated, after which the two men allegedly left but later returned armed with guns.

They allegedly called out to the deceased telling him that they just wanted to talk, but upon approaching them, he was struck in the face.

S

The murder accused, Samuel McIntyre

David tried to retaliate, but was shot twice – once in his leg and once in the chest by the men.

He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pro-

nounced dead on arrival.

The Police have since launched a manhunt for the two men, who, according to reports are both well-known to law enforcement.

Cotton Field woman charged Essequibo with wounding doctor duo – granted $40,000 bail remanded on narco M trafficking charge

adanna Calvan, 20, of Cotton Field, Essequibo Coast, was on Monday granted $40,000 bail for unlawfully wounding a doctor with a glass bottle. The woman appeared before Magistrate Dylon Bess at the Charity

Magistrate’s Court.

She was slapped with the charge of unlawful wounding which stated that on August 1, 2016, at the Charity Wharf, in Charity, Essequibo Coast, she took a glass bottle and wounded Fiona Willams, causing bodily harm.

Williams was at the time visiting Region Two for a wedding when an argument ensued. Williams is a doctor from Tuschen Village, East Bank Essequibo.

Calvan pleaded not guilty to the charge and will return to court on August 22.

R

avi Patrick, 34, and Munesh Ramsaroop, 24, of Charity Village, Essequibo Coast, was on Monday remanded to prison on a trafficking in narcotics charge. The duo appeared before Magistrate Dylon Bess where they pleaded not guilty to the charge.

It is alleged that on August 5, 2016, ranks from the narcotics unit in G Division conducted a sting operation at Charity Housing Scheme.

During the operation Police used a vagrant to purchase cannabis from alleged vendor Patrick and labourer Ramsaroop. The duo allegedly sold the vagrant the illegal substance in a black plastic bag but was subsequently nabbed afterwards.

The men were told of the offence and arrested. They were taken to Charity Police Station where the black bag was opened and a quantity of seeds, leaves and stems of cannabis were weighed and amounted to 49.1 grams.

Police Prosecutor Haimwant Ramsewack objected to bail.

They were remanded and the case will continue on August 22.

...on Burnham

ome folks feel there are really no coincidences in history. And so there must be a reason why the PNC refused to accept the findings of the Rodney CoI in Parliament – for which the Guyanese taxpayers forked out $400M – and then a day later Prezzie announced that Burnham was the “author of social cohesion and national unity” in Guyana?

Now could it be it was because the CoI concluded: “… given the manner in which the country was run, coupled with the threats issued by Prime Minister Burnham to the members of the WPA and the evidence of Mr Robert Allan Gates, we conclude that Prime Minister Burnham knew of the plan and was part of the conspiracy to assassinate D. Walter Rodney.”?? You think?

But even without going into why the CoI said what it did or didn’t – which certainly never even remotely suggested Burnham pushed social cohesion – maybe we can look at the uncontested historical record. Prezzie grounded his assessment of the PNC’s Founder Leader from a single speech the gentleman made in 1964 after becoming Prime Minister of then British Guyana. There’s no question Burnham DID say all the six peoples of Guyana were “important” to the PNC/UF Government and that they’d all be “protected”.

But don’t the declassified files of the US and the UK confirm for Burnham to become Prime Minister he went along with the CIA’s fostering of riots to get rid of the PPP – which was supposed to take British Guiana into independence? And that the PNC had a hand in many of the operations of the CIA and was well funded for its troubles – even after the PPP was forced out? It doesn’t seem to this Eyewitness that conniving with a foreign power to remove your legally elected government from office is a good move to build social cohesion, nuh?

There’s that age-old dilemma of using nettlesome means to deliver facially laudable ends. No one’s really doubting Mr Burnham’s laudable goals for the lions to lie down with the lambs. But the Rodney CoI did uncover some pretty gruesome means Burnham took even two decades after his radio broadcast. Using the House of Israel to violently break up political meetings of the Opposition wasn’t going to lead to greater social cohesion, would it? And how about challenging the WPA to “make its will” since the PNC had “sharper steel”?

But seems to this Eyewitness it’s clear we’ve come a long way since then. Yeah, baby!

After all, why would the WPA not contest Prezzie’s statement on Burnham, but now say the Kabaka might’ve been misunderstood?

...on education

In the conferences and talk shows and private discussions about the “State of the African Guyanese Community”, your Eyewitness is a bit taken aback by the emphasis placed on education. Now in theory, nothing’s wrong with education.

But after looking back at our history, shouldn’t we be concerned about what exactly are we being educated about?

After all, at the abolition of slavery in 1838, “education” was also emphasised by one and all. Especially by the missionaries. But don’t we remember that the strike of 1848, which broke the backs of the freed Africans, was undercut more by the “education” on docility than the introduction of indentured labourers?

Or later when Africans wanted to move up, they were told “education” meant imbibing the “classics”, which had nothing to do with the engineering and managerial skills that would prepare them for really running their affairs professionally.

So when your Eyewitness hears about “education” – without connecting it to jobs being created – alarm bells get set off!

...on cricket

Your Eyewitness heard about “third time lucky”. So he’s beyond consolation after the performance of his Amazon Warriors in the finals. These fellas he saw with the Warriors uniforms didn’t show up to play. 93 runs?

An entire nation’s eyes and hopes were on them...and they choked. Plain and simple.

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

news

9

tuesday, august 9, 2016 | guyana-times.com

4 hidden bank accounts unearthed at City Hall …Councillor says affairs shrouded in secrecy

By Edward Layne

A

ccusations of secrecy and possible corruption are mounting at the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) after it was unearthed that the Council has four bank accounts which are not being reflected in its financial statements presented at statutory meetings, Councillor Bishram Kuppen has alleged.

Kuppen, a People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Councillor, told a Monday morning news conference that these accounts remain a secret as information from the authorities on them was not forthcoming, despite constant requests from Councillors.

He explained that at the Council’s first statutory meeting after the swearing in, he went through the report, including the financial statement, and the discovery of the four accounts was made.

“I went through the entire report; it was a very thick report and towards the end would have the financial statement reconciliation, the heading of it would be reconciliation of the main account, right away I wanted to know are there secondary accounts? Are there more and I posed that question to the Council. After a number of attempts, the City Treasurer just blurted it

out that there were four additional accounts, and each subsequent statutory meeting, I keep pushing for those additional accounts to be included in the reconciliation of the financial statement. All those accounts should be included,” Kuppen explained, but complained that no moves were being made to have the accounts included.

The City Councillor said information requested about where the accounts were held and the amount of monies in them was not forthcoming.

Secrecy

The PPP/C Councillor went on to say that the affairs of the municipality were mired in secrecy, thus leading to constant accusations of corruption.

“There is the widespread perception that corruption is rampant at City Hall. This perception is fuelled by the lack of accountability for hundreds of millions of dollars spent on projects with no public tendering, improper financial reporting, four hidden bank accounts which are not included in any financial reports to Councillors, and financial deficits being reported on a consistent basis every month,” Kuppen said.

The Councillor said it was a sad state of affairs at the municipality as information on many other

PPP/C Councillor Bishram Kuppen

projects and programmes, expenditures, as well as contracts continued to be ‘state secrets’.

“I am deeply troubled about what is going on at City Hall, regarding the lack of accountability and transparency, as it relates to the city’s finances with billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money being spent without any credible financial reports or audits performed for the money spent as required by the Municipal and District Councils Act, Chap 28:01, Sect 177,” Kuppen said.

Forensic audit

The City Councillor also renewed a call for there to be a forensic audit of the municipality’s account, which he said should be a normal practice whenever a new administration took

over, pointing to the argument Central Government used when it embarked on dozens of forensic audits of State agencies, following the May 11, 2015 General and Regional Elections.

As a matter of fact, Kuppen attempted to move a motion for a forensic audit on three occasions by submitting a written request to the Mayor and Town Clerk to have the motions included on the agenda for the statutory meeting.

On each occasion, he said, the Town Clerk responded that he found fault with the motions but did not advise what those deficiencies were.

“It is my firm belief that my motion for a forensic audit is being deliberately blocked by the Town Clerk and others. The City of Georgetown is not an independent sovereign state, and it is in the interest of all citizens and the Central Government to ensure that a forensic audit is conducted of the City’s finances as soon as possible,” the

Georgetown Mayor Patricia Chase Green

Councillor argued.

Kuppen said he was not the only Councillor who was of the view that there needed to be an audit of the city’s operations, as many other Councillors shared similar views.

Only early last month, former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran called for an immediate in-depth audit into the Council.

Goolsarran insisted that 10 years of arrears in terms of financial reporting and auditing was not only a

Road deaths increased...

In terms of training and development of ranks, the Guyana Police Force has recently seen the graduation of 225 ranks from its various training colleges in Essequibo, Berbice and Demerara.

These ranks have been deployed across the seven policing divisions in an effort to boost Police’s present strength and further aid in the reduction of crimes, in particular, by increased visibility.

“disturbing trend” but also showed that the Council had no interest in bringing the accounts to order.

He stated that as of August 2013, the last set of audited accounts of the Council was for 2004 and the Audit Office had received financial statements for the years 2005 and 2007. There is no evidence to suggest that any financial statements were produced for 2006.

According to the Municipal and District Councils Act, within four months of the close of the financial year, the city treasurer is required to prepare and submit to the auditor, financial statements for that year for audit. If the treasurer fails to comply, he/she will be guilty of an offence.

It has been over a decade that the M&CC, dominated by the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), a main partner in the governing coalition, has failed to make any public presentation of its financial position. from page 7

A further 215 recruits were recently accepted into the Felix Austin Police College and currently, 33 ranks are being trained in investigative techniques to boost the Criminal Investigation Department.

10

guyana-times.com

tuesDAY, august 9, 2016

News

PSC signs MoU with TERI for greener economy I Indian identity n support of a green economy and sustainable development, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The MoU, which will be binding for three years, allows for TERI to assist the PSC in the sustaining of green growth, conducting energy performance audits, sharing research and technology, exploring renewable energy options for business, and establishing linkages with Private Sector entities in India.

It also allows the local Private Sector to explore collaborative efforts in other areas of mutual agreement.

TERI’s assistance to the PSC would be supported through the company’s partnership with Energy Efficiency Services Limited, a Government of India Joint Venture Company.

The PSC has established a partnership with the global company, which has been offering technical support to the Government for the past five years in the promotion of energy efficiency and renewable energy.

TERI has assisted the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo); Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB); Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL) and Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) to yield technological and economic improvements.

It has carried out an in-depth study on the root causes associated with the

Private Sector Commission Chairman Edward Boyer shakes the hand of TERI Director General Ajay Mathur

increase in power consumption of large consumers of GPL and assisted in an assessment of the Moco Moco hydroelectricity project.

The institute also conducted a feasibility study for establishment of a Centre of Excellence for the Study of Biodiversity in Guyana.

PSC Chairman Edward Boyer told the gathering at the signing, which was held at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, that the Private Sector was cognisant of the need for the business community to support global efforts to combat climate change.

President David Granger, Boyer noted, has continuously affirmed his commitment to creating a green economy that is centred on the generation of renewable energy. “He has even pledged thousands of hectares of forest to conservation,” said Boyer.

“We are today signing a Memorandum of Understanding with TERI that allows us to harness

technical advice and support, in areas of climate change, energy, environment and sustainable development,” Boyer remarked, adding that the subject of environmental protection was not something to which Guyanese could turn a blind eye.

He further said that the common obstruction to the expansion of the local Private Sector and the country’s competitiveness was affordable, reliable energy, noting that the high cost of energy was perhaps the greatest barrier to development and expansion of the manufacturing sector.

“While there has been temporary relief due to the current low price of oil, this situation is not expected to last. Alternative renewable, cheap and sustainable energy sources, therefore, assume greater importance and, in this area, TERI is an acknowledged global leader,” he highlighted.

According to the PSC Chairman, “we look forward

to working with the members of TERI and would maintain a close working relationship. We know that we would benefit immensely from the proven knowledge and experience of this organisation”.

TERI Director General Ajay Mathur indicated that in an effort to further strengthen relationships with the Government and the PSC, TERI has decided to establish Guyana as a base from which the organisation would work in the Caribbean.

He stated that the company has appointed a representative for the Caribbean, Shyam Nokta, who he said was instrumental in TERI coming to the Region.

“TERI’s work has been well received by both the Government of Guyana and the Private Sector in Guyana and I must say on behalf of TERI that we are encouraged by the Government’s commitment to continue the partnership with TERI,” Mathur said. He added that the Government’s push towards a green economy, renewable energy, and the greening of towns and cities was admirable and a demonstration of its willingness to play a leading role as the global community moved towards urgent action to address climate change.

“I wish to assure you of TERI’s commitment to work in Guyana and to share our knowledge and expertise with the Government, the Private Sector and the people of Guyana,” the Director General declared.

Woman remanded for narco trafficking

A

woman was on Monday remanded to prison by Magistrate Judy Latchman after she was slapped with a possession of narcotics charge.

Jenny Acford, 20, of Phase One, East Ruimveldt Squatting Area, Georgetown, pleaded not guilty to the charge when she appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The charge stated that on August 4, 2016 at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), the defendant was intercepted with an undisclosed amount of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. The prosecution’s file on the matter is still incomplete; as such, the details were not revealed in court.

The young woman was remanded to prison and would return to court on September 13.

I

n a previous column, I suggested that I would provide some alternative analyses of East Indian (hereafter Indian) identity in Guyana and in the Caribbean. My suggestion coincides with one hundred years of indentured emancipation (March 2017) and the ongoing discussions, discourses and debates on ethnic relations in Guyana.

My hope is that my columns in the upcoming weeks would contribute to a better understanding of who really is an Indian in Guyana and in the Caribbean. My hope also is that my thoughts on Indian identity would foster a better relationship amongst the ethnic groups since the Ministry of Social Cohesion has so far proven to be a lame and limp department, lingering on a league of its own to which this social sore only understands. I urge the President to dismantle this thing now because it is a waste of time, a waste of resources, and above all, a waste of humanity.

I will begin by focusing on Dr Lomarsh Roopnarine how migration has led to the formation of different types of identity among Indians in the Caribbean. I have already presented two alternative analyses of Indian identity in the Caribbean in two previous columns.

To call, the first is Coolieology, that is, a theoretical as well as a practical framework that argues that Indians in the Caribbean have not overcome the indignities of indenture.

The second is a multipartite approach that argues that Creolisation identity (Euro-African) does not apply to a majority of Caribbean Indians.

To repeat, Creolisation is predominantly black, marginally white and faintly brown.

I will not repeat that information here but show instead that the identity of Indians in the Caribbean can be conceptualised on an ethno-local, an ethno-national, a transCaribbean, and a global level. Within all four there is a sense of struggle to maintain these identities. Some overlaps also exist in this multipartite structure of Indian identity.

To understand the four alternative forms of Indian identity, it is instructive to observe how Indian identity has evolved as well as examine some prevailing thoughts and trends related to Indian identity in the Caribbean. Here we go.

Indentured Indians brought with them to the Caribbean a form of identity that revolved around their religion—Hinduism and Islam—and their social structure: mainly caste which is a strict form of social stratification into which individuals are born to specific stations of life and remain so until death.

There were, of course, some mobility between castes in India but they were not the norm. Nineteenth century indentured Indians socialised according to their caste position.

These forms of identity were powerful in terms of guiding day-to-day activities and life in general amongst indentured Indians in their homeland. However, upon their arrival in the Caribbean, these forms of identity were immediately challenged.

The Caribbean plantation system identified with and revolved around western values, which were different from the eastern values of the migrants. For instance, western plantation values were motivated and guided by the production and profit and the practice of Christianity while eastern values were motivated and guided by caste rules such as purity, rank and the practice of Hinduism.

The differences between the two value systems whenever they clashed had an enormous impact on the eastern value system for two fundamental reasons.

The first is that the western plantation system was more powerful largely through the force and facet of colonialism, imperialism and capitalism. Moreover, the eastern value system was a transplant without any firm grounding in the new environment. The outcome was a struggle in which the indentured migrants had to adapt to or resist the plantation system to find a place for themselves.

In the islands where Indians were the minority population (St Lucia, Grenada, Jamaica, for instance), they were quickly absorbed into the wider society with relative ease largely due to the exposure to western education, the work of Christian missionaries and the desire of the migrants themselves to live a different life from their homeland.

The result is that these Indians have lost practically every aspect of their ancestral homeland culture and custom. They are considered to be Creole, although there have been efforts in these islands to revive some aspects of their ancestral Indian customs through direct communication with India and with resident Caribbean Indians in Guyana, Trinidad and Suriname.

These efforts, however, have revealed unfortunately more sentiments of symbolism than substance.

The situation was different in countries, for example, like Guyana, Trinidad, and Suriname, where Indians have now formed the majority population.

I will continue this assessment in my next column. (Send comments to lomarsh.roopnarine@jsums.edu)

tuesDAY, august 9, 2016

guyana-times.com

11

News

2 more Venezuelans President speaking with deported forked tongue – Rohee T P Marginalisation of Afro-Guyanese claims

resident David Granger is coming in for heavy criticism and faces accusations of inciting racism, after he claimed at the weekend that Afro-Guyanese were marginalised by previous Administrations.

Addressing the opening of Cuffy250’s fourth Annual State of the African Guyanese Forum at the Critchlow Labour College Sunday morning, President Granger claimed that ethnic discrimination and lack of equal access to public services contribute to inequality, adding that people of African descent have in the past alleged such acts of discrimination in the Public and Private Sectors.

“There is evidence that there was discrimination.

We must now correct that situation because discrimination against anyone promotes insecurity and social exclusion and that can lead to disorder,” the President said.

Rohee said even though his Party was still analysing the President’s statement, Granger’s comments were duplicitous, especially since it was the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Administration, which had

President David Granger

labelled as inciting racism, statements in New York by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo that Indo-Guyanese and other Guyanese supportive of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) were being discriminated against and victimised by the Government..

“Mr Granger as the President of this country seems to be speaking with a forked tongue,” Rohee declared.

He went on to explain that on one hand the President is saying that Jagdeo should temper his language and should not speak out in favour of people who have been marginalised and oppressed, while

PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee

he himself is making allegations of ethnic marginalisation, the very thing he accused the Opposition Leader of doing.

Rohee noted the evidence of marginalisation of Indo-Guyanese and other Guyanese who are associated with the PPP was glaring, pointing to what was taking place in the sugar industry and the Government’s plans to close the industry which employed mainly Indo-Guyanese, the current troubles facing rice, another sector in which the majority of the farmers are IndoGuyanese.

He, however, went on to explain that Jagdeo did make it clear that apart

from Indo-Guyanese, other persons perceived to be supporters of the PPP were also being victimised and marginalised by the Government.

Rohee argued that Jagdeo’s statements in New York were rooted in facts, unlike the claims of the President, for which there is no empirical evidence and, as such, the PPP remained resolute in its support for the Opposition Leader.

“When you attack Mr Jagdeo especially in those terms, it’s an attack on the PPP. Mr Jagdeo cannot be separated from the PPP and vice versa. So when you attack Mr Jagdeo on the question of racism, it’s an attack on the PPP,” Rohee declared.

Observers have called into question the President’s statement which they said bordered on inciting racial division, the very claims his government made about statements made by Jagdeo in New York.

One observer told the Guyana Times that Jagdeo’s New York comments were based on facts that IndoGuyanese were being marginalised and were similar to those made by the President when he spoke of marginalisation of Afro Guyanese existed.

wo Venezuelans were ordered deported when they appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Judy Latchman.

Tandy Ramos and Levenie DeSantos both pleaded guilty to the offence of entering Guyana by sea on July 9, 2016 at Eterinbang, Cuyuni River, and disembarking without the consent of an immigra-

Levenie DeSantos

Tandy Ramos

tion officer.

They were both fined $30,000 and deported.

Just about two weeks ago, 14 Venezuelans were deported from Guyana and a source disclosed that over 100 more are to be deported.

All of the deportees decried the hardship that they

are faced with in their home country which contributed to them seeking refuge in Guyana.

Venezuela is currently facing its most devastating economic crisis caused in part by the decline in oil prices on the world market and its people have been suffering.

The people are calling for assistance as they claim that there is no food or jobs for them to provide for their families.

However, President David Granger explained that while the situation in the neighbouring country was cause for concern, Venezuelans are welcome in Guyana once they enter through legal means and abide by the laws.

12 news 3 ministerial advisers paid $530,000 each monthly

tuesDay, august 9, 2016 | guyana-times.com

…Govt justifies D’Urban Park Project

T

he allocations advanced from the Contingencies Fund on the D’Urban Park Project generated a lively back and forth in the National Assembly on Monday when Opposition members of Parliament questioned the almost half a billion dollars used on the facility.

It was recalled that back in April, when the project was handed over to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, there was a public pronouncement that it would have only required an additional $150 million to be completed.

Substantive Minister David Patterson told the House that while this is

ties, slated to commence in a matter of days.

Internet

Aerial view of the D’Urban Park Project

for the completion of the D’Urban Park Project.

Park project will shortly be handed over to the Ministry of Communities which will also assume responsibility for the annual maintenance of the facility, along with utilities and security.

Countering the arguments that the activity could not have been urgent and unforeseen, Minister Patterson reminded that it was only in April that the project was transferred to his ministry and as such there was no allocation made in the original Budget for 2016.

Farcical proceedings

Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson

true, when the Ministry assumed responsibility of the project, the scope of works was widened.

He said the $150 million is included in the $406 million that was advanced

Patterson told the House that the ministry had in fact prequalified 16 contractors to finish the project—all of whom have since been paid in full.

He said the D’Urban

Throughout the course of the consideration of the $931 million advanced from the Contingency Fund, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo could be repeatedly overheard calling the proceedings ‘a farce.’

The constitutionality of the expenditures was also routinely questioned by for-

mer Attorney General Anil Nandlall, and other PPP/C MPs who were of the view that government’s resort to the Contingency Fund to make the advances is in fact unlawful.

The advances were nonetheless approved by Government using its majority vote in House.

The House also considered and approved $2 billion to be used from the Consolidated Fund, in order to meet varying expenditures related to Parliament Office, the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry, the newly Gazetted Ministry of Public Telecommunications, the Public Health Ministry, the Ministry of Legal Affairs, the Guyana Defence Force and the Ministry of Public Security, among others.

Among the allocations for which clarity was sought was $69 million sought for the National Assembly, inclusive of which is a $20 millon allotment for overseas conferences and seminars for MPs and staff as well as monies to pay for telephone and internet charges for MPs. The amounts sought on the Financial Paper 2/2016 according to Finance Minister Winston Jordan, is for monies not yet spent.

He was at the time responding to former Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai, who queried additional funds being sought for the hosting of Heritage Month activi-

Sukhai observed that the money was being sought just days before the month of activities and suggested bad planning on the part of the Minister and Indigenous Affairs Sidney Allicock.

He told the House that there has been an increased level of request for Indigenous Peoples wanting to take part in the 2016 activities.

P u b l i c Telecommunications Minister Catherine Hughes was also questioned on an $88.7 million allocation for the provision of Internet and services, and she explained

Rental of buildings and DHL charges were also catered for under the supplementary being requested in addition to amounts for equipment maintenance, utility charges and salaries for ministerial advisors and a consultant.

The Ministerial Advisors were identified as Journalist, ICT Enrico Woolford, Lance Hinds and Attorney Geeta Raghubir, each at a salary of $530,000 per month in addition to other benefits including vacation time.

The minister told the House that the consultant is yet to be hired and that this person would be employed to conduct negotiations with the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) since the

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

that this was undertaken since the failed fibre optic cable could not be used.

She told the House that the expenditure is considered as sustainable since all government agencies will be urged to utilise the service.

She said too that $18 million of that allocation will be used to set up a pilot programme for the provision of internet services to hinterland communities—traditionally unserved by Internet Service Providers (ISP).

Ministerial advisers

Other allocations approved for that ministry included monies for the security of a number of LTE Sites which forms part of the infrastructure for the administration’s eGovernance project.

full liberalisation of the sector, essentially breaking the longstanding monopoly is yet to obtain.

$500M

The settlement with BK International and Puran Brothers jointly over the management of the Haags Bosh Landfill, also attracted the attention of MPs. Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan informed the House that the total settlement $1.7 billion—is to be paid to the entities as a joint venture and as such there was no breakdown of how the money would be divided between the two.

The initial claim made by the Joint Venture, according to Bulkan, was for almost double the amount agreed on as a settlement.

Attorney General Basil Williams told the House that the issue was one inherited from the previous administration. His predecessor, Anil Nandlall, was adamant that the payments should not have been made since the matter has since been appealed in court.

Nandlall asked: “why did they proceed to settle the matter without the hearing and determination of their own appeal.”

Williams replied it “is because of the mess that was left by the last government.”

Communities Minister Bulkan, in an effort to provide clarity, said the administration felt that to wait, the sum that would have had to be paid would have been more than the settlement agreed to by the government.

NEWS

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tuesday, august 9, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Govt launches CoI into treatment of veterans

“Tap into the Amazon Fund” to aid biodiversity research – UNDP rep

Retired Colonel Desmond Roberts, Magistrate Judy Latchman and Minister of State, Joseph Harmon at the swearing in

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ormer Director of the Guyana National Service, Retired Colonel Desmond Roberts has been sworn in as the lone Commissioner for an Inquiry into the treatment of retired members of the armed services.

Colonel Roberts took his oath as Commissioner before Magistrate Judy Latchman and Minister of State, Joseph Harmon in Court Three of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Monday.

This latest Commission of Inquiry (CoI) will seek to examine, advise and report on the conditions and circumstances facing armed services veterans, including those from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF); Guyana People’s Militia and the Guyana National Service. The public hearings will be held at the Ministry of the Presidency’s Department of Public

Service, Waterloo Street.

Colonel Roberts suggested that his experience in various levels of military administration has made him suitable for the post.

“I’ve been a senior officer of the military. I’ve worked with the Guyana Youth Corps [and] I think administration is very important thing,” the retired army officer noted.

He also related that many of the retired armed services members have skills that can be passed on.

“Many veterans have skills that are actually quantifiable but are sometimes not transferrable, there is no reason why those things cannot come into civilian life, [but] we have to try to also get some equivalency to make sure that military skills could transfer.”

Meanwhile, responding to questions on what Government hopes to

achieve from this CoI, Minister Harmon expressed that Government would seek to implement the recommendations.

“There would be some clear recommendations as to how Government should act…what institutions should be set up to ensure that veterans are given a fair share and that they are being dealt with in a fair and just manner,” Harmon further explained.

Over the next two weeks, the Commission will compile its preliminary report and gather witnesses. About 60 witnesses are expected to testify from various regions across the country.

These include the present and former Army Chiefof-Staff and Retired Major General and Private Sector Commission Chairman, Norman Mc Lean. Colonel Denzil Carmichael will serve as the Commission’s secretary.

Amelia’s Ward benefits from road upgrades

Upper Main Street, Amelia’s Ward, being rehabilitated

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hree areas at Amelia’s Ward, Mackenzie, Linden, are presently being targeted by the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC) as it embarks on its capital works road rehabilitation programme.

The areas currently benefiting from such road works include Church Lane, upper Main Street and Banquet Hall road.

Linden Town Clerk (TC) Jenella Bowen during an interview with Guyana Times said the three projects are a

cumulative sum of $3 million, which is an additional sum of the Council’s 2015 subvention that has been provided

by Central Government.

The roads which were in dire need of repairs had been identified for upgrades under the previous Council, however Bowen explained that those works are only now being executed: “We were able to officially uplift our cheque...$8 million, to start with our subvention. We haven’t had any monies from Central Government for

2016, it’s our first tranche.

Once we would have expended just maybe about 90 per cent of that, we will be allowed to uplift our second tranche. It is now August and it would have been late July when we would have gotten the cheque. So we have practically just a few months to complete the year’s proposed and approved capital works and the use of our subvention monies.”

The rehabilitation includes patch-works and resurfacing.

President David Granger declared the Fourth International Congress on Biodiversity of Guiana Shield open

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uyana was charged with the responsibility to press Brazil for the Amazon Fund to be expended for Guiana Shield biodiversity scientific research on Monday when President David Granger declared the Fourth International Congress on Biodiversity of Guiana Shield open.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative Khadija Musa stated that the Fund was overloaded with resources that could be utilised for research. “There is no doubt that the Guiana Shield is worth protecting,” she said, adding that it was critical for the respective governments to tap into the resources that the Fund possesses.

The main purpose of the Amazon Fund is to provide support for projects to stop, observe and combat deforestation, as well as for the conservation and sustainable use of forests in the Amazon.

She proposed that since it was laden with a vast number of resources, there was no reason why the Shield should not receive funding.

The IV International Congress on Biodiversity of the Guiana Shield is a forum organised by several local partners that sees the participations of scientists, policy makers, Private Sector entities and other stakeholders from across the Region and beyond.

This five-day congress will be in session from August 8 to 12 and is expected to identify, discuss and analyse problems and issues confronting the sustainable use of resources in the Shield; suggest modalities for information shar-

ing and technology transfer; propose solutions to problems and navigate the way forward to a sustainable future for the use of the biological resources of the Region.

The UNDP representative added that the countries should be proud of their research in Region since it was crucial to the development and sustenance of the ecosystem.

At the opening ceremony, President Granger suggested that since the world was under threat from human activities that decimate the environment and cause global warming, the Shield’s existence was important. He stated that it was the organisation’s duty to protect and preserve the ecosystem.

Currently, the Guiana Shield comprises six nations which have dedicated their forests to conservation.

Granger proposed that it was crucial for the Shield to receive funding to carry out its mandate. He also suggested the establishment of a permanent institution aimed at protecting, conserving and sustaining the Guiana Shield biodiversity.

He said such an institution should be a functioning scientific research institute and be a secretariat to coordinate efforts and combine the works of the Shield.

He also touted that there should be a comprehensive biodiversity policy developed to assist with information sharing.

Real work

Meanwhile, Professor Marten Schalkwijk, who is the Chairman of the International Society for Biodiversity of the Guiana Shield (IBG), stated that the congress brings the countries together to share information and discuss ways to

do more to better the ecosystem.

He indicated that there were 27 different subject areas with 127 papers on species studies and species conservation to be discussed.

High on the agenda is the issue of mining and mercury.

Dr Schalkwijk said they had an important role to play to make a proper assessment of the ecosystem and advise policy-makers on what could be done.

“An international congress is nice, but the real work is done in each of our countries. If we do not research in our own countries, there will be nothing to report in the paper proposals,” he noted, further stating that if they did not research, they would not be able to attract members to the local chapter and if they did not have a strong local chapter, “we will not be able to attract funding for research, so we have to step up the process in our own countries”.

The University of Guyana (UG) has joined in preserving the ecosystem, and according to Vice Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith, the University’s academic board will met today when he will propose the upgrading of the School of Earth and Environmental Science.

He also stated that UG would be rolling out its first doctorate programme on biodiversity the 2016/2017 academic year. This congress is testimony of a commitment to do more for the ecosystem, Griffith noted.

The congress is in partnership with the Natural Resources Ministry, the University of Guyana, UNDP Guyana, WWF Guianas, CI Guyana and the Iwokrama International Centre.

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guyana-times.com

TUESday, AUGUSt 9, 2016

Regional Health problem sends T&T PM to the US C

alls for Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley and the Government to “come clean” with the nation on his health condition have mounted, following Rowley’s recent hint that there appear to be some “changes” in his health issues.

Politicians and analysts say his health cannot be his personal business when he’s a public figure and the country’s leader. Three weeks ago, Rowley announced he would do a medical check during a two-week vacation he was taking.

Soon after, Office of the Prime Minister spokesman Stuart Young had said at this stage there was no cause for concern about Rowley’s medical condition, but asked people to “pray” for him.

The PM left last

Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley is so far mum on what issue doctors are investigating

Thursday for the US, accompanied by his wife Sharon.

He was due to check into a Los Angeles clinic Monday following statements he made about having to check up changes in his health

over the weekend.

Rowley was quoted as saying for the past 35 years he’d “managed his health issues with diligent, disciplined guidance from chosen doctors locally and in California”. He said he’d been reviewed over the years, but due to the intensity of work, hadn’t kept appointments in the last 36 months, until recently.

Rowley said after he did an examination locally and the results were transmitted to his doctors abroad, “there appeared to be some changes which both sets of doctors conclude should be investigated further”.

He said the various processes and procedures will take about a week, but added that his health matters were his personal business.

Rowley’s statements set off vast speculation. (Caribbean360)

Growing fears that Zika could impact 10,000 pregnancies in Puerto Rico

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he Zika Virus is spreading so quickly in Puerto Rico that it’s likely to infect one in four people, including up to 10,000 pregnant women, by the end of the year, according to Thomas Frieden, Director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The greatest danger from Zika is microcephaly, a condition in which infants are born with abnormally small heads and catastrophic brain damage.

About 41 per cent of

pregnant women in Puerto Rico with symptoms of Zika – such as a rash, fever, joint pain, pink eye, headache – tested positive for the Virus, Frieden said.

But only 20 per cent of people with Zika develop symptoms, and about five per cent of pregnant women with no Zika symptoms also tested positive for the Virus, according to a CDC report.

Tests of the blood supply in the US island territory also indicate that the virus is widespread. About 1.8 per cent of blood donations test-

A

was convicted of abusing a 10-year-old boy in Mariana, Minas Gerais and jailed from 2007 to 2015. He was arrested last week following criminal complaints that he had molested two boys aged 9 and 13.

Buzzi was cited among the paedophilia cases listed at the end of “Spotlight,” the Oscar-winning 2015 film based on the Boston Globe newspaper’s investigation of sexual abuses by Catholic priests and efforts by the Boston Archdiocese to cover

them up.

Allegations against Buzzi first emerged in the 1990s in his home state of Santa Catarina. In 1995, he was convicted of molesting two boys in his parish near Mariana after their parents accused him of performing oral sex on their children.

Buzzi got a reduced sentence and the Catholic Church obtained a court order allowing him to serve it out at the home of the local archbishop. (Reuters)

(Caribbean360)

Jamaica: Sugar workers get pay hike, but sector’s outlook remains grim

Brazilian priest cited in “Spotlight” hangs himself in jail Brazilian priest mentioned in the Catholic clergy sex abuse film “Spotlight” was found dead in a prison cell after he was arrested again for suspected paedophilia, authorities said on Monday.

Father Bonifacio Buzzi, 57, hanged himself with a sheet in a jail in the state of Minas Gerais where he was taken after his arrest on Friday, the state Government said in a statement.

A decade ago Buzzi

ed positive for Zika, meaning that the person who gave the blood was infected in the last week or so, according to the report.

“That may not sound like a lot, but it means that about four per cent of people are being infected every month,” Frieden said.

According to the report, tests also found that 21 people with Guillain-Barre syndrome – a condition in which a person’s immune system attacks the nerves of the body, causing paralysis – were infected with Zika.

The Golden Grove Sugar factory

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ore than 2000 sugar workers are to gain from a new agreement for improvements in their wages and fringe benefits to be introduced by August 15.

The agreement is for the same level of increases granted to Government workers last year – four per cent in year one, which commenced in January this year, and three per cent for year two, which starts at the same time next year.

the beginning of the 2015/16 crop at the estate/factory, whichever is earlier. They will be implemented by September 1 and will last for a total of 24 months.

Other improvements include increases in clothing allowance; out-of-base and overtime meal allowances; and shift premium.

The workers will also benefit from increased coverage for group life insurance; and increased personal accident insurance.

The workers are represented by the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union,

National Workers’ Union, and the University and Allied Workers’ Union.

However, despite the improved package, the industry continues to suffer from a number of challenges, which have placed its survival in doubt and raised serious problems for the new Government.

New Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Karl Samuda stated during the recent sectoral debate in the House of Representatives that the first challenge the new Administration faced was the widespread problems in the sugar industry.

He said that these problems were precipitated by low export prices in the European Union and two years of drought, and were manifested in a number of the private players facing financial challenges which threatened the closure of their factories. (Jamaica Observer)

Mexico searches for victims of deadly Storm Earl T&T: 4 drown in 2 incidents The new rates will be retroactive to January 1, or

Tlaola in Puebla was almost entirely buried under mud and rubble

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mergency workers in Mexico are searching for survivors after landslides killed dozens in the wake of Tropical Storm Earl.

The worst-affected state was Puebla in central Mexico, where at least 28 people were killed after torrential rains set off mudslides.

Puebla Governor Rafael Moreno Valle said dogs had been brought in to search for

those missing.

Officials said some outlying areas had not yet been reached.

At least 40 people have been confirmed dead after Tropical Storm Earl moved over Mexico on Saturday.

Earl had earlier hit Belize and Guatemala in Central America.

But it was in the Mexican states of Puebla, Veracruz and Hidalgo where its heavy rains caused most damage.

Among those killed in Puebla were 15 children who died when their homes were buried by mud which slid down the rain-soaked hills.

A whole hill collapsed near Huauchinango, sweeping down on a nearby village.

“It is a tragedy what has happened to our people in Huauchinango,” Mayor Gabriel Alvarado said.

About two hundred people were left homeless in the state of Puebla alone.

In neighbouring Veracruz, 11 people were killed and in Hidalgo a 15-year-old died in hospital after being pulled from the mud.

More than 10,000 people were affected and 18 villages remained cut off in the eastern state.

The US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) has warned of another storm approaching Mexico.(BBC News)

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&T Coast Guard divers, Police and Air Guard officers mounted a land, sea and air search in the choppy waters of the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday, after four people, including a nine-year-old child and a teenager, drowned in two separate incidents at Mayaro and Manzanilla.

The bodies of pensioner Morris Sammy and his granddaughter Anna Ali were recovered, but up to press time there was no sign of Deoraj Harridass, 49, and his 13-year-old step-daughter Ranesha Basdeo.

The first drownings oc-

curred at the Ortoire River, off the Manzanilla Road, around 7:30h, when Basdeo went to wash her hands near the mouth of the river.

Police said the child did not realise there was a 12-feet drop near the river bank and she slipped in. Basdeo, an estate constable with Allied Security Services, dived in to save her but was pulled in by the strong undercurrents. While the family hurriedly called for help, the man and his step-daughter were washed further out to sea.

They both were residents of Robert Street,

Tableland. Basdeo attended the Tableland High School and was preparing to enter Form Two in September.

The family had gone on a camping trip for the weekend. Relatives milled around the area where the family had spent the night under a white tent and mattresses, but refused to speak with the media yesterday.

One woman sat on the mattress holding her head, eyes red-rimmed. She politely told the T&T Guardian that the family had gone to the nearby Mayaro Police Station. (Trinidad Guardian)

Antigua rattled by earthquake

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n earthquake of magnitude of 4.8 rocked Antigua on Monday, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The Trinidad-based Seismic Research Centre

(SRC) at the University of the West Indies (UWI) said that the quake occurred at 6:15h (local time) and had a depth of 31 kilometres (km).

It said that the earthquake was located at latitude: 17.42N and Longitude:

61.93W and was 35 km north-north west of the capital.

The quake was also felt 90 km east of Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis and 137 km north-northwest of Point-àPitre, Guadeloupe. (CMC)

tuesday, august 9, 2016

guyana-times.com

15

Around the World

Suicide bomber Hundreds of protesters kills at least 70 at arrested in Kashmir Pakistan hospital G

First responders and volunteers transport an injured man away from the scene of a bomb blast outside a hospital in Quetta, Pakistan August 8, 2016

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suicide bomber in Pakistan killed at least 70 people and wounded more than a hundred on Monday in an attack on mourners gathered at a hospital in Quetta, according to officials in Baluchistan.

The bomber struck as a crowd of mostly lawyers and journalists crammed into the emergency department to accompany the body of a prominent lawyer who had been shot and killed in the city earlier in the day,

Faridullah, a reporter who was among the wounded, told Reuters.

Abdul Rehman Miankhel, a senior official at the Government-run Civil Hospital, where the explosion occurred, told reporters that at least 70 people had been killed, with more than 112 wounded, as the casualty toll spiked from initial estimates.

Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, a faction of the Islamist militant Pakistani Taliban group, claimed responsibility for

the attack in an email.

It was not immediately clear if the group had carried out the bombing, as it is believed to have claimed responsibility for attacks in the past that it was not involved in.

The motive behind the attack was unclear, but several lawyers have been targeted during a recent spate of killings in Quetta, the provincial capital of Baluchistan which has a history of militant and separatist violence. (Reuters)

Error puts Chinese tourist in German migrant hostel

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Chinese tourist spent nearly two weeks in a German migrant hostel after mistakenly applying for asylum when he actually wanted to report a theft.

German media say the 31-year-old backpacker, who spoke neither German nor English, underwent a medical check and his fingerprints were taken.

A Red Cross worker later found out that the man’s wallet had been stolen in Stuttgart. But instead of going to the Police the man registered as a migrant.

A Mandarin speaker solved the puzzle.

The translator was found

at a Chinese restaurant near the migrant hostel where the tourist was staying, in Duelmen, near the west German city of Dortmund.

In early July the tourist arrived at the hostel on a bus with migrants, from Dortmund.

“He was so different from the others. Very, very helpless,” said Red Cross worker Christoph Schluetermann.

A translation app confirmed Schluetermann’s suspicions that the tourist had got entangled in the asylum system by mistake.

“It came up with phrases like ‘I want to go on a trip abroad’,” he said. It emerged that the tourist had plans to

visit Italy and France.

The man, from northern China, had calmly allowed the authorities to take away his passport and visa, and take his fingerprints.

He then had a medical check and was given the standard papers that migrants get on arrival in Germany. He had meals at the migrant hostel and received some spending money.

Schluetermann said hostel staff made futile calls to various consulates, hoping to identify the tourist. Finally his asylum application was stopped and he was able to continue his European tour. (BBC News)

overnment forces have arrested more than a thousand protesters in Indian-controlled Kashmir over the last two weeks in an attempt to stem anti-India demonstrations in the Himalayan region, a top Policeman has said.

Inspector General Syed Javaid Mujtaba Gillani said on Monday the arrests were made in a bid to end a month of protests in which more than 55 civilians and thousands of others injured.

Kashmir has been under a security lockdown and curfew since the killing of a popular rebel commander on July 8 that sparked some of the largest protests against

Indian rule in recent years.

Tens of thousands of people have defied the curfew and participated in street protests, often leading to clashes between rockthrowing residents and Government forces firing live ammunition, shotgun pellets and tear gas.

On Monday, tens of thousands of troops patrolled streets ringed with barbed wire and enforced a curfew in most parts of Kashmir.

Shops and schools were closed because of the security crackdown and a separatist-sponsored protest strike.

However, protests demanding the end of Indian rule over the region contin-

Scores killed in Ethiopia protest crackdown

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cores of people have been killed across Ethiopia’s Oromia and Amhara regions at the weekend, as the authorities brutally suppressed a new wave of anti-Government protests in two key regions.

A Opposition Leader told AFP news agency that up to 50 people were killed, while Amnesty International claimed more than 90 people were killed, many of them extrajudicially, in the protests linked to an aborted Government attempt to commandeer local land.

Police fired tear gas and blocked roads to several towns in the vast Oromia region as demonstrations erupted after a call from a spontaneous social media movement.

“We have reports of between 48 to 50 protesters killed in Oromia. This death toll might be higher because there were a lot of wounded,” said Merera Gudina, leader of the opposition Oromo People’s Congress.

Protests accusing the Government of unfairly distributing wealth have also hit the capital (Reuters)

A diplomat confirmed that 49 people were killed.

Among the towns worst hit by the violence were Nekemte, a town in western Ethiopia where 15 people were killed, the diplomat said, while 27 died in Bahir Dar, the capital of the Amhara region.

“They appear to be low level, quite disorganised protests scattered all around...,” the diplomat told the AFP

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Evan McMullin is a CIA veteran and chief policy director of the House Republican Conference

an “authoritarian”.

“It’s never too late to do the right thing, and America deserves much better than either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton can offer us. I humbly offer myself as a leader who can give millions of disaf-

fected Americans a conservative choice for President,” Mr McMullin said in a statement.

The group Better for America had been reportedly searching for an independent presidential candidate to put up against Trump.

McMullin, who was expected to file his candidacy paperwork on Monday, released a statement to ABC News.

The Utah native graduated from Brigham Young University and has a master’s of business administration from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, according to his LinkedIn page. (BBC News)

news agency on condition of anonymity.

“The brutal response of the Government risks provoking more anger and making it worse.”

Amnesty International put the death toll at 97, with 67 killed in Oromia and 30 in Amhara on Saturday and Sunday. The rights group said the bloodshed in Bahir Dar may amount to “extrajudicial killings”. (Al Jazeera)

Android bug feared in 900 million phones

Anti-Trump Republican launches White House bid

ormer CIA agent Evan McMullin has announced an independent presidential bid as an alternative to Republican nominee Donald Trump.

McMullin, the chief policy director of the House Republican Conference, is backed by an anti-Trump group.

He is likely to face challenges in appearing on some state ballots just three months before Election Day. The 40-year-old Mormon has never held elected office.

McMullin is an outspoken critic of r Trump on social media, calling the businessman

ued in several places, with reports of clashes between protesters and Government forces in at least five locations. Seven civilians were reported injured.

Separatist politicians, who challenge India’s sovereignty over Kashmir, have called on residents to resist the crackdown and stage protests when troops raid neighbourhoods to arrest young people.

Kashmir is divided between archrivals India and Pakistan, which have fought two wars over control of the region since British colonialists left the subcontinent in 1947. (Al Jazeera)

S

The flaws affect devices containing Qualcomm chips

erious security flaws that could give attackers complete access to a phone’s data have been found in software used on tens of millions of Android devices.

The bugs were uncovered

by Checkpoint researchers looking at software running on chipsets made by US firm Qualcomm.

Qualcomm processors are found in about 900 million Android phones, the company said.

However, there is no evidence of the vulnerabilities currently being used in attacks by cyberthieves.

“I’m pretty sure you will see these vulnerabilities being used in the next three to four months,” said Michael Shaulov, head of mobility product management at Checkpoint.

“It’s always a race as to who finds the bug first, whether it’s the good guys or the bad.”

Affected devic-

es included: BlackBerry Priv, Blackphone 1 and Blackphone 2; Google Nexus 5X, Nexus 6 and Nexus 6P; HTC One, HTC M9 and HTC 10; LG G4, LG G5, and LG V10; New Moto X

by Motorola; OnePlus One, OnePlus 2 and OnePlus 3; US versions of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Samsung S7 Edge and Sony Xperia Z Ultra.

Shaulov said six months of work to reverse engineer Qualcomm’s code revealed the problems.

The flaws were found in software that handles graphics and in code that controls communication between different processes running inside a phone.

Exploiting the bugs would allow an attacker to gradually be able to take more control over a device and gain access to its data.

(BBC News)

16 news

tuesday, august 9, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Parking meter controversy

TIGI decries “handpicking” of contractor

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rivate Sector Commission (PSC) Chairman Eddie Boyer has stated if the parking meter contract was not transparent, it should be disregarded while the Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc (TIGI) has come out to criticise what it believes is a lack of local governance.

a review of the contract between Smart City Solutions Inc and the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) following rising apprehension about the project’s transparency.

The review was conducted by Finance Minister Winston Jordan and Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil

“If it’s transparent, we will buy it; if it is not…then they have to go back and come again” – PSC Chairman Over the past few months, the parking meter contract has come under fire from all sections of the public, but the Government has reassured stakeholders that it has found nothing illegal in the contract which was signed with Smart City Solutions Inc. “If it is transparent, we will buy it; if it is not transparent, then they have to go back and come back again and I think the whole issue of the parking meters is transparency,” Boyer asserted, adding that he agreed that the contract should have undergone an in-debt review.

When the contract was signed in June for implementation throughout Georgetown, many persons were alarmed about the lack of transparency in the deal, with some saying that it appeared to be a shady one aimed at exploiting the local populace.

Despite this, Smart City Solutions Inc had gone ahead and conducted demonstration exercises on how the parking meter would work throughout the city.

Persons were also seen conducting assessments on various streets in the city.

Government had ordered

Williams, and it was later disclosed that there were no illegalities found.

It also appeared based on a review of the documents that the terms and conditions of the contract were onerous and heavily in favour of the concessionaire, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon had indicated.

He assured that recommendations were made to ensure that Guyanese were not ripped off.

However, the TIGI is of the opinion that the deal is shrouded in unaccountability and ambiguity.

“TIGI is of the view that the handling of the parking meter project by the Georgetown Municipality and its response to relevant queries exhibit a dearth of democratic principles and disdain for citizens that would lead to a feeling of exclusion, and alienation from the decision-making process. These failures serve as a strong contradiction to the purpose of local government,” TIGI President Troy Thomas said in a statement.

Handpicking

He said there was no open tendering for the project and there was “handpicking” of a contractor and

Councillors to conduct due diligence in Mexico.

“This was perhaps necessary as it was a fool’s errand from the onset against the backdrop of an already signed contract, which positioned it in the interest of the Mayor to find the firm suitable or even exceeding the requirements,” he added.

Thomas stated that there ought to be transparency and accountability in the operations of local government and the views of the people must be respected. He contended that the project being allowed to continue in its current state despite a legal basis for enacting a new and transparent process was a telling blow to “transparency, accountability and good governance”.

“The people of Georgetown, their children, grandchildren and perhaps great-great-grandchildren have been bullied into a deal, the details of which are yet unknown and which, from all accounts, has not benefited from an assessment of feasibility or their input. It is the people that bear the burden of poor governance and it is up to them to be vigilant and to use the democratic provisions to have their voices heard,” he said.

Delayed installation

The project was initially slated to commence in September; however, on Monday, Georgetown Mayor Patricia Chase Green announced that it would be not be starting in September.

According to Chase Green, after the report and agreement between the Mayor and City Council and Smart City Solutions, no irregularities were found.

She disclosed that the Finance Ministry made recommendations that would

be discussed by the members of the Council at a later date. “I would have asked that the Town Clerk distribute a copy to every Councillor and that he sets aside a date next week so that the entire Council can sit and review the report and look at a way forward with the parking meters.”

Chase Green also highlighted that alterations would be made pertaining to the proposed parking fee per hour, indicating that the cost may be decreased to $200 an hour or less, based on the agreement of the M&CC. “The report went with the $500 an hour, there is to be discussions about a reduction.”

Region 10 officials, parents concerned over placement of students

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umerous parents and officials in Region 10 (Upper Demerara/ Berbice), moreso Linden, have expressed concern over the placement of students, as complaints have surfaced that some students have not yet been officially placed at schools.

Region 10 Education Committee Chairman Denise Belgrave indicated that she has received numerous complaints from parents that their children have not yet been placed at schools. However information coming from the Region’s Department of Education has indicated that the lists for placement have been sent to schools, and perhaps those parents with queries may be the ones whose names are not yet on the list.

Speaking on the issue Regional Chairman Renis Morian alluded to issues where siblings may be placed at different schools, which he noted is one of the major concerns for parents.

Additionally, Regional Councillor Charles Sampson said he is aware of complaints by parents and pointed out that there must be a suitable policy put in place by the Department of Education. He said in many instances parents are of the belief that they are not getting the required results from the Department of Education. In the absence of a direct policy, he said the process would not be a smooth one.

The Department of Education has over the years placed students at schools in close proximity to their

homes.

“It seems as though there is no proper policy in relation to placement of students in various schools...As most of us may know, people have their preferences in terms of schools and sometimes their preferences ties into their addresses. There must be valid reasons by the Education Department for any refusal of a child in a particular school.”

The councillor noted that there have been cases where the parents want their child to go to a particular school because they think it’s a better quality school. “…but there must be a policy...I know schools have numbers, classes have numbers and those are the things that must influence a decision...unless we have that policy people will always pre-

fer their children to go to certain schools,” Sampson said.

The councillor further related that there are also circumstances where a parent may prefer for their child to attend a certain school because it is in close proximity of their workplace and that such circumstances should be considered. Sampson also called for a Committee to be established to look into such issues, in addition to the Welfare Department.

Meanwhile, Morian outlined that he will seek to have Deputy REO Maylene Stephen, Vice Chairman Elroy Adolph, along with head of the Region’s Youth, Culture and Sports Committee meet with Regional Education Officer Marcia Paddy Andrews to have those issues resolved.

Solid Waste Management Strategy consultations launched

A

imed at enhancing Guyana’s garden city image and improving its solid waste management structure, the Ministry of Communities has outlined a comprehensive and economically viable, biofriendly initiative that will serve as a blueprint for the implementation of best practices.

The Ministry of Communities on Monday launched the consultations for the National Integrated Solid Waste Management Strategy (NISWMS), at the Umana Yana, Kingston.

Georgetown.

The consultations saw in attendance mayors, deputy mayors, and regional chairmen, officials of the business community and sanitation service providers.

During opening remarks, Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan said that the strategic framework will guide government’s agenda on waste collection, transportation and disposal; improving the waste management infrastructure, enforcing existing legislation and promoting wasteto-energy initiatives.

“The strategy is also expected to inform the country’s integrated efforts at converting waste into useful resources by ensuring their full utilisation and eventual exploitation for byproducts” Minister Bulkan pointed out.

The objective is to reduce the long-term environmental, social and economic impact of a broken, archaic and disorganised system of solid waste management as the nation grapples with the resocialisation of a generation that thrived under a culture of littering and unlawful disposal of garbage that plagued the country for a number of years.

Minister Bulkan stated that the purpose is also to ensure that Guyana’s natural resplendence and unspoiled beauty remains intact and consequently preserved, so as to ensure the health and wellness of the nation’s most precious asset, “its human resource.”

Environmental Engineer at the Sanitation Management Unit (SMU) of the Ministry of Communities, Satrohan Nauth explained that Guyanese must begin to think about ways to first prevent waste generation before minimising and reusing it.

He mentioned that the three pillars of waste management: reuse, recycle and recover, will help in reducing the amount of waste that eventually ends up at landfill sites.

Nauth disclosed that the SMU will be seeking to establish sanitary landfill facilities in all 10 regions of Guyana.

Chief executive officer of Tagman Media Inc Alex

Graham pointed to the synergy between personal hygiene and public waste disposal practices.

Graham, who is also the communications consultant for the ministry’s “Green Generation Guyana” public awareness campaign said that provisions must be made to ensure the reeducation of a society that is accustomed to improper garbage generation and disposal habits.

He noted that the awareness campaign will be especially geared towards children with the aim of producing a new cadre of Guyanese with a more modern and progressive way of addressing the issue of Solid Waste Management.

During his presentation, Environmental Consultant Samuel Wright detailed that every human action creates a by-product and requires prior thought even before the waste is produced.

He related that the Solid Waste Management Strategy is a progressive one based on the sustainable paradigm of a green economy.

Wright said that after a period of consultations in 25 communities in all 10 regions, the draft solid waste management strategy is expected to inform a final document that will support the enactment of the National Solid Waste Management Bill.

According to Wright, it is projected that by 2024, 40 per cent of all generated waste will be recycled, composted or otherwise be put to use.

Minister within the Ministry of Communities Dawn Hastings-Williams during her closing address noted that many citizens are now fully cognisant of their role in contributing to a society that is clean, healthy and wholesome for human habitation: “No more can we afford to allow our citizens, their children and grandchildren to regress to a status quo of wanton disregard for the environment.”

She expressed hope that this new approach to solid waste management will eventually place Guyana in a position where it will truly be known for its resplendent beauty and cleanliness.

According to the junior minister, the ministry is hoping not only to erase old habits but inculcate and encourage new ideas of waste management in a younger generation of Guyanese.

“We are therefore tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that the necessary legislative provisions and infrastructural mechanisms are in place so that the emphasis on cleanliness is not just a piece of document but an integral part of our emerging culture,” she said.

17

News

TUESday, AUGUST 9, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

City Hall unable to pay staff on Guyanese dismembered by time, still advertising vacancies boyfriend receives new arms − “Not overstaffed, under financed”−Town Clerk

By Ramona Luthi

T

own Clerk of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), Royston King has said that one of the reasons why employees of City Hall are not being paid their salary and wages in a timely manner, is because the Council is owed $16 billion in taxes.

According to King, they are currently working on levelling the fields in meeting the needs of citizens and paying employees.

“What we are doing now is striking a balance between reaching out to citizens and taking care of our workers.”

He highlighted that the previous administration was involved in two kinds of “corruptions” namely, “Corruption of Omission” and “Corruption of Commission,” which is why they were always able to pay staff in a timely manner.

“Corruption of Commission is when you put your hands in the bag, when you commit fraud, when you steal from the organisation. There’s the Corruption of Omission, where you collect monies to do things that you’re supposed to do and don’t do it,” he explained.

King asserted that because the new Council has been utilising the monies of tax payers to “better the facilities in Georgetown, as it was meant to do”, there have been times when workers would be paid later than they are supposed to.

He said “the easiest thing for us to do in this Council is to pay salaries.

I can pay salaries on time every month. It is the easiest thing to do. All I need to do is not do any works at all in the City. All I need to do is don’t clean drains, don’t do roads, and don’t do

City Hall

anything at all in the City and pay salaries. That was what was happening before this administration took house.”

King said it is because the M&CC has been making visible progress through the cleanup campaign, restorations of buildings and many other projects, that employees have not conducted “strikes” and still continue to work.

“We couldn’t spend all the money on them and they understand that there are times when we will be short on their part and other times when we will be short on the part of our citizens,” he relayed.

At the meeting, the Town Clerk admitted that City Hall is cash-strapped, adding that the blame fell on the business owners who refused to pay their required taxes, which he lamented was in excess of $16 billion.

“When you think about the Teleformance building, paying $16,000 a year!

When you think that we have not collected until now, any money from the Giftland Mall, with that wide expanse of land, the vast squats of land along the East Coast, where people are building gated communities, we’re not collecting any money! When you think of the business com-

munity having an excess of $16 billion, when we’ve had to slash container fees from $25,000 to $5000, and when many of the revenue generating projects were taken away from us, leaving us with the responsibilities… you get to see the picture why we’re in this!

We have extremely limited money, and we have to take care of our local communities!” King lamented.

According to the Town Clerk, the M&CC had exceeded its spending limits during the country’s Jubilee celebrations in what he described as an act to save Guyana from the embarrassment in the faces of tourists who came.

“When we had Jubilee celebrations, we overstretched ourselves, because if we didn’t do that, we would have been embarrassed. The city was so filthy that we had to actually credit work from contractors to get the work done…Imagine that!”

King went on to declare that City Hall was “not overstaffed” but rather “under financed.”

However, even in light of this revelation, the Town Clerk also highlighted at the Statutory Meeting that City Hall has vacancies and are advertising for yet another Assistant Town Clerk.

Women seriously injured in Diamond accident

A

n early morning accident in the vicinity of the Diamond Diagnostic Centre has left one woman seriously injured and a young man suffering lacerations about his body.

The injured woman was identified as Donette Griffith, 38, mother of four, who resided in Kitty, Georgetown, and was employed as a dental nurse at the medical facility. Griffith reportedly suffered a fractured spine and is said to be a patient of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The young man injured, was identified as a work study student. He received minor injuries, was treated and discharged.

Reports indicate that a speeding car swerved from colliding with a Canter, resulting in the car driving over the median separating the two carriageways, and slamming into Griffith and the teenager.

The drivers of both the Canter and the car were arrested and are assisting Police with their investigations.

Injured: Donette Griffith

S

ome New Yorkers have given an extraordinary donation to a young woman who endured a horror.

The woman was mutilated by an abusive boyfriend, and her children were killed.

As CBS2’s Carolyn Gusoff reported exclusively to the woman, Natasha Houston.

The simple act of pushing open a car door is a struggle for Houston, in what amounts to a painful reminder of an unthinkable act by a man she once loved – a man who was easily enraged.

“He would start hitting me — that’s ‘his business. ’I was to ask no questions,” Houston said. “He was just slapping me, choking me, cuffing me into my head.”

Houston, 23, wears the scars of the horror she survived in her native Guyana – a horror that left her two children dead.

“He padlocked the door with me inside with my kids,” she said.

In July 2013, Richard Lord – armed with a sword he used to cut sugar cane – hacked off Houston’s right arm.

“I knew this hand was already lost because of how it was, so I started to fight with him with this hand — the left hand,” Houston said.

Lord then slashed Houston’s left hand, leaving her defensive as he slaugh-

Natasha Houston during exclusively with CBS2’s Carolyn Gusoff

tered their son Saif Lord and daughter Kimberly Houston — and left Natasha Houston for dead.

“It broke my heart — to hear that would happen to someone,” said prosthetics maker Dan Bastian.

Bastian, an amputee himself, learned of the tragedy from a group of Guyanese New Yorkers, who had been pooling resources for a year to get Houston help in the form of new arms and hands.

“At least it’s a start; it gets her back out in the community,” Bastian said. “She can actually use the functional arms.”

In the US, prosthetics are readily available, covered by insurance and highly advanced. But in Houston’s native Guyana, prosthetics are antiquated and Houston was told they could not help her.

But on Long Island, Houston was given a left hand.

“It has acrylic nails. It’s

custom painted to match her skin exactly with the veins; the palms,” Bastian said.

Houston also has a bodypowered right arm.

“She can open and close the hand; lock and unlock the elbow so that she can hold things,” Bastian said.

Houston was immensely grateful. “I have a life back, and I’m thankful for everything,” she said.

And with her life, she wants to help other women unable to break free of abuse.

“I want them to know that don’t stay in any form of abusive relationship, because it’s going to end worse,” she said. “They say they’re going to change, going to change, it’s going to stop.”

Houston returns this week Guyana as a proud and brave survivor.

Lord was never caught.

But he was found dead weeks after the attack – he had committed suicide. (CBS)

Teen moms reintegration programme receives donation

ANSA McAL hands over $150,000 in baby supplies for the Teenage Mothers Reintegration Programme. From left to right: Janelle Sweatnam, HIV/AIDS Coordinator: Donna Chapman, Deputy Chief Education Officer: Delma Nedd, Permanent Secretary and ANSA McAL representatives

A

NSA McAl has donated a quantity of baby supplies to the Education Ministry to lend its support to boost the Reintegration of Teenage Mothers into the School System. The donation valued $150,000 will assist the Education Ministry in its effort to ensure that teenagers who become pregnant will still be able to complete the Secondary School Certificate Examination (CSEC), commonly known as the CXC exams.

Speaking at the handingover on Monday, ANSA McAl marketing representative Joel Lee explained that his company is more than happy to contribute to this venture.

Included in the care packages are baby diapers, oil, powder, towels, a bottle, cream and wipes.

“This is just the beginning and we look forward to continued partnership with the Ministry of Education [to as-

sist] the teenage mother’s programme. To be a part of this is really an honour and we thank [the Ministry] for approaching us to give us this opportunity to be a part,” the marketing rep noted.

Meanwhile, the Education Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Delma Nedd observed that so far, more than 100 expectant mothers in various regions have been given packages.

She added that 17 mothers in Region 4, including Georgetown, recently benefitted from the programme while 14 benefitted in Region 10. Nedd however cautioned that this initiative should not be seen as a means for girls to get pregnant.

“This is quite an opportune time for ANSA McAl to come on board with us to assist our teenage mothers getting back into our schools, equipping them with supporting materials for their newborns [but]

we don’t want to publically say to young ladies to go and get pregnant…but what we want to do is to ensure that they can get a second chance,” Nedd posited.

Earlier in 2016, Minister of Education, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine highlighted that the implementation of the programme would result in the creation of “better all rounded citizens” and “a better society.”

He added that when school aged girls do not return to school after giving birth, it creates an “overburden” on the welfare system, which he noted could possibly create avenues for the exploitation of women, thus increasing the illiteracy rate.

The programme to reintegrate teenage mothers in the school system was first launched in 2008 and the initiative is in keeping with the Millennium Development Goals.

18

guyana-times.com

tuesday, august 9, 2016

ARCHIE

ARIES

You may feel impulsive, but

(March 21- that isn’t likely to pan out well April 19) for you. Take a moment to go

over and organise your plans first. Do what’s right.

Put your networking skills TAURUS to use. Getting involved with (April 20- groups and taking part in May 20) events that will help you keep abreast of industry news will lead to a prosperous new beginning. Romance is highlighted

dilbert

Organise your time and GEMINI don’t make promises that (May 21will be impossible to keep.

June 20) Overdoing it in any manner will cause problems at home and work. A minimalist attitude will serve you well.

Stretch your imagination, CANCER think outside the box and utilise (June 21- your time optimally in order to July 22) get the most bang for the least effort. Your savvy, organised and precise actions will pay off.

Peanuts

Put emotional matters to

LEO rest by being up front about the (July 23- way you feel and how you want Aug. 22) to move forward personally and

professionally. Romance is in the stars.

Put emotional matters to VIRGO rest by being up front about the (Aug. 23way you feel and how you want Sept. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

to move forward personally and professionally. Romance is in the stars.

Try something new and exLIBRA (Sept. 23- citing, as it will give you the Oct. 23) energy and motivation you need to bring about personal change. If what you are doing isn’t working for you, do something about it.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Do what makes you happy.

SCORPIO Adjust your schedule or routine (Oct. 24in order to have time to enjoy Nov. 22) life, experiment and gain experience. Romance is highlighted and will improve your life.

Stick to your promises or SAGITTARIUS you will ruin your reputation.

(Nov. 23- Arguments will lead only to Dec. 21) isolation, not to resolution.

Find alternative ways to get along and get things done.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

You can work around anyCAPRICORN one who gets in your way.

(Dec. 22Jan. 19) Your ability to manipulate situations will play in your favour. Don’t worry about anyone who walks away; you’ll do fine on your own.

You can settle differencAQUARIUS es by direct negotiation. Don’t (Jan. 20let an emotional situation cost Feb. 19) you personally or financially.

Make whatever change is necessary to protect an important relationship.

RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” is not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed. To contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe, write to Word Game, Kathleen Saxe, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

PISCES Take care of business be(Feb. 20- fore someone muscles in. You March 20) will be outmanoeuvred if you aren’t up to date with the latest technology or methods.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

19

Bolt calls for faith but Michael Phelps wins Usain questions if rivals are drug free 19th Olympic gold

M

Michael Phelps

ichael Phelps produced a vintage performance to claim an astonishing 19th Olympic gold medal of his career on Sunday.

The 31-year-old, who quit the sport after the 2012 Olympics was back with a bang in Rio as Team USA

eased to victory in the 4x100 meters freestyle relay.

Phelps, who produced a stunning second leg, has now won 23 medals in total, extending his record as the most decorated Olympian of all time.

With son Boomer in attendance, Phelps did his

kid proud, along with teammates Caleb Dressel, Ryan Held and Nathan Adrian.

It was the second gold of the night for the U.S. after Katie Ledecky produced an astonishing performance to win gold in the 400m freestyle.

The 19-year-old smashed her own world record to win in a time of 3:56.46 -- nearly five seconds ahead of her closest rival.

Ledecky’s previous best in the 400m was in August 2014, when she came home in 3:58.37 at the Pan Pacific Championships.

But she tore that time to pieces to finish ahead of Britain’s Jazz Carlin and U.S. teammate Leah Smith.

A day after anchoring the U.S 4x100m relay team to silver, Ledecky showed just why she’s being touted as the best female swimmer on the planet. (CNN)

Bolt targets ‘sub-19’ 200m

R

unning the 200 metres in less than 19 seconds is the ambitious goal for Usain Bolt at the Rio Olympics.

Usain Bolt has set his sights on becoming the first person to run the 200 metres in less than 19 seconds.

The Jamaican sprint superstar holds the world record in the event (19.19secs,

set in 2009) and is defending the title at the Rio Olympics.

Despite a hamstring injury in the lead-up to the Games, the 29-year-old wants to smash the mark he set in Berlin.

“I’ve always wanted to run a sub-19,” Bolt said on Monday.

Of the customary hysteria that has greeted his pres-

ence in Brazil added: “To me it’s always great when you come to a country and you feel the love.

“I’m looking for a full stadium here.”

Bolt will defend his 100m crown on Saturday and Sunday before following that up with the 200m as he targets history. (SportsMax)

Wild celebrations as Brazil win 1st Rio gold B razil won their first gold medal of the Rio Olympics as Rafaela Silva triumphed in the women’s 57kg judo.

Silva defeated world number one Sumiya Dorjsuren of Mongolia by Waza-ari to delight a partisan crowd at Carioca 2.

The gold medal marks a fairytale rise to Olympic triumph from a childhood in Rio’s notorious ‘City of God’ favela for Silva.

She qualified for London 2012 Games but was disqualified in the early rounds for a rule violation.

London champion Kaori Matsumoto of Japan took bronze alongside five-time European champion Telma Monteiro of Portugal. (BBC)

Local hero Rafaela Silva becomes Brazil’s first gold medallist of the Games with a dramatic judo victory

U

Usain Bolt

sain Bolt has told people to “have faith” in athletics, but says he cannot be sure if his Olympic sprint rivals are drug-free.

The run-up to the Games was dominated by Russia’s doping scandal, while American rivals Justin Gatlin and LaShawn Merritt have served drug bans.

Six-time Olympic champion Bolt is aiming to retain his 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay titles in Rio. “I think we’re going in the right direction,” said the

Jamaican, 29.

“People should have faith. I think we’re weeding out the bad ones.”

But he added “nothing is guaranteed” when asked if the sprint races in Rio, which start on Saturday, would be drug-free.

Bolt, who said in February he would retire from athletics after the 2017 World Athletics Championships, confirmed this would be his last Olympics.

The sprinter, who holds the 100m and 200m world records, also said he was

aiming to become the first man to run under 19 seconds in the 200m.

He could leave Rio with a third successive Olympic treble after winning the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay titles at Beijing in 2008 and again four years later at London 2012.

“The 100m is never stressful,” Bolt said. “For some reason, when I get to the 200m, I’m always a little bit nervous. I always wanted to run sub-19. It’s going to be hard, but you never know.”

(BBC)

Japan clinch gymnastics gold as China fall short A fter finishing second in 2008 and 2012, Japan finally claimed top spot on the podium for the men’s team gymnastics at Rio 2016.

Kohei Uchimura held his nerve to deliver a strong floor routine that wrapped up gymnastics gold for Japan in the men’s team final at Rio 2016 on Monday.

With Kenzo Shirai (16.133) and Ryohei Kato (15.466) having laid the foundations for Uchimura to clinch the victory, Japan’s star man posted a score of 15.600 to keep Russia at bay.

Russia led for much of the competition and were only overtaken by Japan heading into the final rotation, triggering a showdown on the floor.

But Russia were unable to claw back the lead following Japan’s superb performance, and were ultimately left sweating on their final floor score to ensure second

Kohei Uchimura

spot at China’s expense.

China, who won three of the previous four gold medals on offer in this event, had to settle for bronze thanks to a below-par display.

For defending individual all-around champion Uchimura, Japan’s gold represents a personal triumph having been part of the teams that missed out to China in 2008 and 2012.

Great Britain had been in the running to challenge

China for the bronze medal, but Louis Smith came off the pommel horse as he desperately sought a score that would trouble the Chinese.

That slip ended British hopes following their bronze four years ago, while hosts Brazil put in a creditable display as they finished sixth in front of a lively home crowd.

The United States finished fifth, with Danell Leyva coming off the high bar during the final rotation.

20

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

Zimbabwe vs New Zealand, 2nd Test, Bulawayo, 3rd day...

Ervine ton stalls dominant New Zealand Z

imbabwe celebrate their heroes on August 8, and in Craig Ervine they certainly found one. His maiden Test ton and 148-run sixthwicket stand with debutant PJ Moor took Zimbabwe to within 78 runs of avoiding the follow-on. Perhaps more crucially, he frustrated a New Zealand attack that now has a maximum of two days - could be less-

er if the visitors have to bat - to take 14 wickets and on a flat Queens Sports Club surface.

In their favour is the fact that New Zealand have discovered the best way to break through - reverse swing. With the second new ball that is more than 30 overs old, they may start looking for it again early on fourth morning. When they found it with their first ball,

SCOREBOARD New Zealand 1st Innings 582/4 dec.

Zimbabwe 1st innings (55/0 overnight score) TMK Mawoyo b Southee 26 CJ Chibhabha c Williamson b Santner 60 Sikandar Raza c Williamson b Wagner 3 CR Ervine not out 115 PS Masvaure b Santner 2 SC Williams lbw b Sodhi 16 PJ Moor† c Guptill b Sodhi 71 AG Cremer* not out 2

Extras: (b 8, lb 2) 10 Total: (6 wickets; 120 overs) 305 To bat: DT Tiripano, J Nyumbu, MT Chinouya Fall of wickets: 1-65 (Mawoyo, 35.6 ov), 2-83 (Sikandar Raza, 45.3 ov), 3-107 (Chibhabha, 56.2 ov), 4-115 (Masvaure, 62.3 ov), 5-147 (Williams, 74.1 ov), 6-295 (Moor, 114.6 ov) Bowling: TG Southee 2412-64-1, TA Boult 21-10-370, MJ Santner 31-5-102-2, N Wagner 25-7-51-1, IS Sodhi 18-8-41-2, MJ Guptill 1-1-0-0

they made life uncomfortable for the Zimbabwean line-up, who were suffocated with close fields to the spinners.

With just eight Tests under his belt, Ervine, the most experienced of Zimbabwe’s line-up going into this match, played the way a senior should. His approach combined caution with clever strokeplay and ensured the scoreboard kept ticking over.

Zimbabwe scored 250 runs on the day, 120 in the final session alone. The dismissal of Moor for 71 in the last half hour lifted the morale of the visitors, who were run ragged after a spirited start.

Ervine was needed after Zimbabwe’s openers - Chamu Chibhabha and Tino Mawoyo - gave the team their best start in 13 Tests, over five years, with a 65-run stand. Chibhabha was lucky to survive a confident shout off a Trent Boult delivery that tailed back in late. There was a bat-pad noise which may have put umpire Paul Reiffel off.

His opening partner

Mawoyo appeared to be better equipped to play defensively and bullishly. He fronted up to Neil Wagner’s short-ball strategy before inside-edging a drive onto the stumps.

After they were separated, Sikandar Raza, batting at No. 3 in place of the injured Hamilton Masakadza, squandered an opportunity to present his case further. By then, a spell of uncertainty had been woven into the Zimbabwean mindset. For 9.3 overs, Raza looked to have put away his aggressive streak but then drove lazily at a wide Wagner delivery with no foot movement to give Kane Williamson at gully a present on his 26th birthday.

Chibhabha, for all his fidgeting, had shown ability to occupy the crease. He fought his way to fifty and looked like he would see out the opening session. But Williamson’s decision to introduce spin in the form of Mitchell Santner paid off as Chibhabha drove with hard hands to find short cover.

New Zealand could have had one more in the open-

Craig Ervine held on with an unbeaten 115 to take Zimbabwe to 305 for 6 at stumps - 78 short of avoiding the follow-on © AFP

ing session when Southee tempted Ervine to drive, only to see Ross Taylor grass an opportunity in the slips. Instead, they had to wait until after the break when Prince Masvaure brought about his own dismissal as the ball bounced back off a half-hearted defense to hit leg stump.

That brought Zimbabwe’s most assured pair of Ervine and Sean Williams together. While they were watchful, they also cashed in when the bad balls came their way.

Williams, fresh off a century in the previous Test, was in sparkling form till he was adjudged lbw off a premeditated reverse-sweep against Ish Sodhi.

After a period of settling in, Moor scored freely, especially off the second new ball, which became available with 25 minutes left in the session.

But Williamson, who waited until there were only 10 overs left before taking it, may need to wait a little longer before it brings rewards. ( Cricinfo)

Talent boost for US Open T20 NSC/AAG launches Athletics

A

s cricket continues to catch on in the United States of America through the efforts of Cricket Council USA (CCUSA) more and more top talents are showing interest in playing in the US Open T20 Tournament in November of this year.

Billed as the most popular T20 cricket tournament in North America, the US Open which is run

by CCUSA is now taking flight and bigger names are signing up for the tournament which takes place over the Thanksgiving weekend.

CCUSA President Mohammad Ahmed Qureshi (Maq) and his executive body recently launched the 2016 edition at a gala ceremony at the Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderdale.

Cricket operations manager at CCUSA Sophian Qamar said this season promises to be the most exciting in the seven-year

Sophian Qamar

history of the tournament.

According to Qamar; “This season we have been working really hard to bring in some top players and I can say that we have about nine right now. At this point in time I would not give away who they are but trust me there will be some names playing in the US Open 2016 that would make you very excited.”

The Cricket Operations Manager went on to say “Over the years we have worked hard to build this league and make it something that we can be proud of. Through the hard work of Maq we have been able to reach that stage now.”

“Every year we go out there and we look to learn from our mistakes and make things better. This year will be taking the league up notch in terms of the quality of the players coming through to play.”

Qamar said that there are great opportunities for investors to come on board, given the fact that the tournament will gain tremendous media coverage.

“We are open to approaches from sponsors who will like to partner with us, as I can guarantee you that the mileage your product will get will be worth it. This tournament will be shown ‘live’ on MaqTV and will also gain attention from media outlets in the US, Caribbean and Asia.”

12th Annual Regan Rodriques Cycling Road Race finishes on high

T

he 12th Annual Regan Rodriques Memorial Cycle Road Race which was held in West Demerara, was won by Raul Leal of the Evolution team.

Leal won the race is just 1 hour 27 min followed

by Orville Hinds while Christopher Cornelius finished third. Cornelius is also the junior champion rider.

Raphael Leung finished 2nd in the Junior’s category fol-

lowed by Jornel Yearwood.

Shaquel Agard rode his way to fourth as last year’s champion and Seven Seas 11-race winner, Michael Anthony finished 5th.

Ian Jackson rounded up the top six as well as led the veterans. In the Veterans category, Raymond Newton and Paul Choo Wee Nam completed in 2nd and 3rd respectively.

This was the first time

the race was reduced due to maintenance works causing the riders to abandon the usual turning point at Bushy Park after starting in Wales, to turn around at Leonora but went through new Parfait Harmonie and finish near to the Demerara Harbour Bridge.

This race was sponsored

by Ricks and Sari Agro Industries Limited.

clinic and coaching camp

—100 pairs of running shoes donated to athletes

Director of Sport Christopher Jones (centre) and some of the athletes pose with the shoes

By Romario Samaroo

T

he National Sports Commission (NSC) in collaboration with the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), on Monday officially opened the track and Field Clinic and coaching camp programme 2016 which will be held at the National Track and Field Stadium, Leonora.

The programme is a one week activity which begins today and runs until Saturday, August 13, where there will be an athletic meet at the same venue.

The 100 athletes that departed Georgetown to Leonora at 15:00h on Monday will be housed in the Leonora Secondary School.

AAG President Aubrey Hutson, noted that in his opinion there are three main obstacles that affect the country from producing better caliber of athletes.

These are expected to be dealt with throughout the programme, one of them being adequate technical training, secondly, nutrition and thirdly cohesion among athletes.

Additionally, these athletes were given a pain of spiked boots. 100 boots were donated to these sportspersons through Claudia John, a United States citizen who, along with her son wanted to make a contribution to sports in her country of birth.

It was revealed that the idea stemmed from Claudia John who contacted Director of Sports, Christopher Jones in order to donate 20 pairs of spikes to the athletes but within a matter of days that number grew five times.

Hutson said it would be a great sight to see this number double come next year.

These participants, according Hutson may not be AAG registered athletes, but athletes who have come through the various schools and excelled.

In support of developing athletes, Huston indicated that there will be some 32 local coaches who will take part in this programme.

He went on to state that the AAG is proud of the fact that four out of the six participants from Guyana at the Rio Olympics are athletes, and this, he hopes will con-

tinue to improve and maybe double by the next Olympics.

Further, the International Athletic Association has made it clear that they will be donating over a period of four consecutive years, US$ 25,000 per year to help develop sports in the country.

Jones, speaking on how this initiative was a positive sight for the development of the sport in Guyana said he is proud to see such enthusiasm being shown and on his part, will be adding this event along with the Aliann Pompey Invitational will definitely be added to the list of event for 2017.

Claudia John, who represents the group, ‘Helping Other People Excel’ (H.O.P.E.) identified that it was through a one day commemorating of Guyana’s Jubilee celebration in the United State believed that the Diaspora could play a major role in helping to develop Guyana through a non-profit organization. The vision of this group is to provide youths with vision to achieve their full potential in academics and sports in this developing country.

YELLOW PAGES TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016 | WWW.GUYANA-TIMES.COM

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CPL 2016...

21

SPORTS

Scholar Walton longing for international return O

ne of the more scholarly cricketers roaming around the Caribbean Premier League, master’s degree candidate Chadwick Walton still has ambitions to represent West Indies in international cricket.

Sitting on the Jamaica Tallawahs team bus in Portof-Spain heading to Queen’s Park Oval for the 2013 Caribbean Premier League semifinals and finals in Trinidad, then 27-year-old Chadwick Walton was shadowing the team’s newest addition Kumar Sangakkara, who had signed as an overseas replacement player for the playoffs in place of Pakistan’s Ahmed Shehzad. Walton, a fellow wicketkeeper, was looking to gain insight into what made Sangakkara tick.

How did he play those silky drives? How did he pick fellow Tallawahs and Sri Lanka team-mate Murali’s doosra from behind the stumps? Instead, the experience hanging around the pair of Sri Lankans on the way to the Tallawahs title-winning run was memorable to Walton for altogether different reasons.

“A little bit of everything is being talked about on the team bus when you’re around athletes,” Walton recalls. “But these two, it was mostly business and family. So that stood out to me because you see these persons on TV and you idolise them and now you sit in a room having dinner with them and listening to the type of conversations. I didn’t know what to expect so it really stood out to me.

“I used to hang with Murali a lot and Kumar, just the way they socialised it was a bit different to what I was typically used to. They were talking mostly business, more on a macro-economic scale.

They were talking big, the whole country. I mean yes we hear it in the Caribbean from some players but it’s not the norm to hear it from athletes. They’d speak about issues of government, future investments, macro investments. I liked how these fellas how they view stuff. [Kumar] spoke about his restaurant.

Murali would talk about manufacturing. I was quite impressed just sitting there and listening.”

Walton’s window into Sangakkara’s approach to life also provides a view into the Jamaican’s own outlook. Now 31, he has been an intricate part of this year’s Tallawahs campaign on the road to the final, scoring 276 runs while opening the batting alongside Chris Gayle, but cricket is not the be all and end all for Walton.

Influenced in part by Sangakkara’s pursuit of a law degree, Walton enrolled a few months later in a sports science and marketing master’s program jointly run by Canada’s University of New Brunswick and the University of West Indies campus at Cave Hill in Barbados.

However, the scholar, who had done his undergraduate bachelor’s degree in accounting and will get his master’s diploma in October, says that despite his mother’s job as a teacher growing up, he wasn’t always so keen to be interested in academics. Rather, his path to cricket began precisely because it helped him to get away from school.

Chadwick Walton has been a vital asset to Jamaica Tallawahs in their road to the 2016 CPL title © Getty Images

“I used to like missing school so cricket was my avenue for missing school,” Walton says. “If you have a cricket game, you miss an entire day of school. Your parents give you more money because you have to travel. So it was a double incentive for me.”

At one point, the selfproclaimed “problem child” says he was suspended from high school for his behavior.

However, as his approach to academics began to mature, so did his cricket. After spending a few summers in the USA visiting his uncle Uriah Chambers and playing in the Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York leagues in 2005 and 2006, Walton was encouraged by local Jamaican coaches to stay home if he wanted to be serious about becoming a professional. The increased focus in 2007 led to a List A debut later that year for Combined Campuses and Colleges and, early in 2008, to a first-class debut as well.

By 2009, Walton was making his Test debut for West Indies, although not in ideal circumstances. A simmering feud between the WICB and the West Indies Players’ Association resulted in a players strike ahead of the twoTest series at home against Bangladesh. Walton was one of the seven debutants in a squad flown in to St Vincent about 24 hours before the first Test, a 95-run loss.

“It wasn’t the best of circumstances,” Walton recalls of his international debut.

“We didn’t have enough time to prepare but suffice to say we lost. If you lose by an inch or you lose by a mile, it’s still a loss.”

His first two ODIs followed later that year in South Africa during the Champions Trophy with the first-choice players still on strike. In the years since, Walton has made several touring squads, including the 2013 tour to India for Sachin Tendulkar’s farewell series and the subsequent tour of New Zealand where he played in three ODIs. Despite the limited appearances and his ensuing academic pursuits, Walton still holds out hope that the window on his international career has not come to a close.

“I don’t feel that path of my career is gone,” Walton says.

“I still feel I can play international cricket. It’s just that the right opportunity hasn’t come to pass. I’ve played only six first-class games in two years.

Between doing a master’s and playing sport, it’s challenging. I’m not sure it’s one of the reasons I was overlooked. I cannot really put a finger on it or say that I can’t play international cricket anymore because I still can. Now that the master’s is over, I’m still looking to play international

cricket.”

Walton captained the CCC team in this year’s Nagico Super50, finishing second on the team in runs with 170 at 42.50 behind Rovman Powell.

This season’s CPL experience has given more evidence that he’s better placed if called upon to represent West Indies again. In particular, his 97 off 54 balls against Barbados Tridents, the fourth-highest individual score in the competition this year, showed his skills with the bat have not eroded while he was hitting the books.

Though Sangakkara has taken the gloves throughout the season, Walton has demonstrated his fielding versatility by leading the team in catches with 11, just two behind Jason Mohammed for the CPL lead, and has been a reliable presence patrolling the long-on and midwicket boundary for catches in the slog overs. Being around the overseas players in particular is something Walton feels has enhanced his professionalism.

“The Caribbean Premier League has helped and given me a lot of exposure on and off the field,” Walton says. “Yes, on the field you’re on TV and people see what you have to do. Off the field, you have persons like Sanga and worldclass bowlers like Murali, Dale [Steyn] and all these sort of persons. You’re learning both ways. You’re learning while you’re playing the game and you’re learning a lot more watching theses fellas and how they generally go about in their preparation.

“You have to know yourself. That’s what I picked up from these fellas. You’ll have days that they’ll come and practice very very hard. Then you’ll have days where they’ll come and say, ‘Five balls and that’s it.’ Sometimes you have persons who say, ‘Coach, I’m okay.’ Chris Gayle in particular. He knows his game inside and out. Chris comes and knows what he has to do and that’s Chris. It’s pretty much know yourself and what works for you and what you need to do to perform on the field.”

As for how much longer he wants to stick around the field of play before making use of his master’s degree, Walton has an eye for business interests but says he’s now back to being fully focused on cricket for the next few years, health permitting. This season’s CPL has been a chance for him to show selectors that he hasn’t disappeared.

“I’ve been thereabouts for selection. I’ve been included in training camps and a few more tours but I’ve just never been included in the final XI,” Walton says. “It’s not that I’ve been out in the wilderness.

The selectors are always looking. I’m still there.” (Cricinfo)

22

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

Confident Windies set to resume battle with dominant India in St Lucia — Johnson set to make Test return

E

xcluding Bangladesh and Zimbabwe the last time West Indies went undefeated for two straight Tests was against New Zealand in July and August 2012. They are now faced with the uphill task of avoiding a defeat to stop India from winning the series when they take to the field today in the third Test match against India at the Darren Sammy National Stadium, St. Lucia India is currently leading the four Test series 1-0 after two matches and they are favourite to win the series and if they do so by a 3-0 margin they will surge to the top of the International Cricket Council (ICC) ranking.

However, for them to do so they must get past a resurgent West Indies team that put together an exceptional effort to secure a draw in the previous Test.

The host has lost three of their last five completed Test while the other two were drawn; on the other hand, India drew two of its last five and won three.

Once again the odds are against the inexperience West Indies and it would take more than a stand out effort should they triumph in this encounter. According to news coming out of the West Indies camp, Leon

Roston Chase

Johnson is set to make a return to Test cricket at the expense of Rajendra Chandrika while there are some hints that three pacers would be played because of the nature of the pitch in St. Lucia.

If that should be the case it would be at the expense of a batsman or spinner Devendra Bishoo, who has not impressed so far this series. The latter seems the ideal swap for either genuine fast bowler Alzarri Joseph to debut or all-rounder Carlos Braithwaite to make his return after missing out on the second Test.

Eyes would be on Roston Chase, who made a match saving maiden century in the second Test, just the second match of his ca-

reer. The openers Kraigg Braitwaite and Johnson must set the tone whenever West Indies bat while their number three and four, Darren Bravo and Marlon Samuels should lead from the front in a team that possesses talent but rarely executes.

The batsmen must fulfill their duties to give the bowlers better competition against the opposition.

India would have to make a tough decision at the top of the order, with Murali Vijay now fit to play.

KL Rahul has impressed since being fortunate to replace Manesh Pandey in the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the India Premier League (IPL). He was left out of the first Test but scored a century in the second after replacing Vijay. Shikhar Dhawan has returns of 27 and 84 in the two tests to add to the headaches of selecting the openers for the third test.

Number three batsman Chesteshwar Pujara has averaged 33 in eight innings, with just one halfcentury. His strike rate of 41 compares poorly with his career strike of 48 because he accelerates once he is in. However, of late, he has been getting out before reaching that acceleration phase. In a side that is

NSC "Teach Them Young" summer camp grooming young champions

Some of the participants during one of the sessions

By Romario Samaroo

T

he National Sports Commission (NSC) is continuing to show its support in the development of youth in sports through its ongoing programme, ‘Teach Them Young’ Summer Camp.

The programme commenced on July 28 and has been hosting its activities on the D’urban Park tarmac three days a week.

It is expected to run for three weeks but Coach of the programme, Mark Whyte has indicated that if there is a need to extend the camp, it should be extended.

To date, the programme has attracted nearly 100 students from schools across the country, aged from as young as seven.

The course not only targets cricket and football but a wide variety of sports including, circle tennis, boxing, wind ball cricket, among

others.

Whyte highlighted that the programme not only targets technical training such as formation, but reaches out to the more theoretical aspect of the game such as the rules, adding that through this programme, it would help to identify special talents in different games and groom those talents.

These sessions gave extensive details into the game, particularly useful for those who were new to the game.

Personnel from the National Museum had also participated in the event by running a session, Michael Paris, Guyanese Olympian, came and had a discussion with the children.

Whyte added that the programme was the first of its kind and would like to see it develop enough to have every school in the country involved.

Even though Whyte commended the efforts made, there were still some minor hiccups along the way and noted that there are areas to improve, heading into the future.

One such improvement he wanted to see is the security.

“If you notice, D’urban Park is open and people walk in and out of here without us knowing what their purpose is, however, if we improve on this, more people would be inclined to participate.” the coach commented.

Nigel Hope, another coach at the project, said that this camp was a success, having averaged an 80 percent development in the knowledge and skill level of the sports, by the children.

Hope went on to point out that his personal goal in this programme was to have more females involved in sports.

He made it known that most of the sports in the country is dominated by the males but he is looking to incorporate the females and advise teams to start develop a female team in every sport.

Hope mentioned that there will be a boys and girls wind ball programme coming up when school reopens which will be an Under 16 tournament throughout the country. Through that, a National team will be selected to go to Barbados and represent Guyana.

Leon Johnson

playing only five batsmen, though, you can imagine he might be under pressure to keep his place, especially when the team is focusing on scoring quickly enough to give its bowlers enough time to take 20 wickets.

In the bowling department Amit Mishra might

be overlooked for Ravindra Jadeja while Umesh Yadav could make way for Bhuvneshwar Kumar as the probable changes for India.

Both captains shared similar sentiments on the eve of the match that St Lucia will offer pace and carry for the quick bowlers through the five days.

Match time is 10:00 hrs.

West IndiesJason Holder (capt), Kraigg Brathwaite (vc), Devendra Bishoo, Jermaine Blackwood, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shai Hope, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Leon Johnson, Alzarri Joseph and Marlon Samuels.

India- Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Aswin,

Virat Kohli

Stuart Binny, Shikhar Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Amit Mishra, Mohammed Shami, Cheteshwar Pujara, Lokesh Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha, Rohit Sharma, Shardul Thakur, Murali Vijay, Umesh Yadav and Inshant Sharma.

GHB Lucozade Indoor Hockey Tournament…

Pizza Hut GCC thump Old Fort 6-0

— Stallions, Bounty GCC, Hikers also in winners row

BY ROMARIO SAMAROO

T

he Guyana Hockey Board’s Lucozade Indoor Tournament continued on Saturday night at the National Gymnasium, where four thrilling matches were played, seeing Pizza Hut GCC, Old Fort Stallions, Bounty GCC and Hikers emerging victorious.

Tricia Fiedtkou’s hattrick ensured the Pizza Hut GCC ladies team destroyed the Old Fort ladies in the first match of the night.

Carina Moller scored a double in the first half of the match penetrating the Old Fort defense in just 4 minutes of play and again in the 10th minute.

Tricia Fiedtkou picked up where Moller left off to score her first goal in the 16th minute of play and another two minutes later to give the Pizza Hut GCC ladies a convincing 4:0 lead by the end of the first half.

Fiedtkou returned in the second half to score her third goal of the night as her team led five goals to nil.

Gabriella Xavier made sure she was not kept out of the action, chipping in a goal of her own in the 27th minute to make the final score 6:0 in favor of Pizza Hut GCC at the end of the match.

In the second contest of the night Bounty GCC males went up against Saints males in what would turn out to be one of the best matches of the night.

It seemed as if it was anyone’s game the way these two teams were matched; Ato Greene scored the first goal in just 3 minutes of play for the Saints, but Daniel Hooper would not allow the Saints to slip away, leveling

Old Fort Stallions ( in white) making their way past the Pitbulls’ goalkeeper

the scores in the 6th minute.

Hooper then took the GCC based team in the lead with a superb goal in the 18th minute, leaving the score 2:1 by the half way mark.

Michael Craig and Peter de Groot found it easy to get past the defense of Saints, scoring in the 22nd and 23rd minute respectively, to give GCC a 4:1 lead. However, Greene fought valiantly but only managed one more goal in the 24th minute to leave the score 4:2 by the end of the match in favour of GCC. The third match for the night and the second ladies meet saw Spartans contest against Hickers which proved to be a thrilling encounter.

Tekiesha Delion started off proceedings in the 8th minute when she registered the first goal for Hickers and the only goal for the first half.

Lana McCullock then scored in the 24th minute to take the Hickers to their second goal.

Spartans then managed to score a field goal in the 35th minute to end the game 1:2 in favour of Hickers.

In the final match of the night, Pitbulls crumbled to

a 1:8 defeat at the hands of the Old Fort Stallions.

The entire match was dominated by the Stallions who found it very easy to get past the Pitbulls’ defense and piercing the goal keeper eight times.

Stallions were lead by Omar Hopkinson’s quadruple goals Hopkinson opened the tally for the Stallions by getting past goalkeeper, Michael Hing in the 7th minute while Jason DeSantos got past him in the 10th minute. Hopkinson returned in the 14th minute to blast the third goal for Stallions and Jason Clarke scored his first in the 16th minute to take the score to 4:0. Hopkinson closed off the first half with the score 5:0 following his third goal, scored in the 19th minute. Clarke scored his second in the 21st minute while Hopkinson managed his fourth in the 35th minute followed by Chris LowKoan’s first in the 38th minute to take the score to 8:0.

Meshach Sargeant scored a consolidation goal in the 40th minute to end the game on a high with the score 8:1

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

Hero Caribbean Premier League 2016...

23

Sangakkara praises Tallawahs’ spirit after championship victory —Emrit laments Warriors’ batting display

T

he Jamaica Tallawahs have won the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) for a second time and speaking after their brilliant all round display at Warner Park Kumar Sangakkara explained what a second Hero CPL title meant to him.

“It is absolutely fantastic. I think it is just a vindication of how the team has played, unbelievably well led by the captain Chris Gayle. A lot of people look at Chris from the outside and think that he is all casual and happy go lucky but he is a man with a lot of determination to win and when you are close and playing in the same side you see that passion.”

Speaking of his teammates Sangakkara highlighted a few people that had been influential but also pointed out that it was a great performance by the whole squad.

“Credit to Superman [Andre] Russell, unbelievable again.

Kesrick [Williams] I think has been just a champion through-

out, but every single person has contributed. From Imad Wasim to Shakib al Hasan to Jonathan Foo coming in for the last two games, and then Oshane [Thomas], just two games, the semi-final and the final and bowled outstandingly well. I think it just been a fantastic team effort.”

The Tallawahs never let the Amazon Warriors into the game, with Russell claiming the wicket of Nic Maddinson in the very first over. For Sangakkara that start that saw them pick up key wickets was what set up the victory.

“The start was absolutely brilliant with Russell getting Maddison, we talked about the lines to bowl to him and it was the perfect ball in the channel. Chris Lynn, unfortunately, probably got out to the worst ball bowled to him the whole tournament, he has been an absolute champion for Guyana. A lot rested on his shoulders and unfortunately for him it was not to be today. He was always going to be the danger man and once we removed him

Rayad Emrit

and Dwayne Smith the two left arm spinners [Shakib and Imad] just made sure that the pressure was built, wickets were taken and the fielding was outstanding.”

Sangakkara is now 38-years-old, but here he was hitting the winning runs in the final of the Hero CPL. He says that being able to play an important role for the teams he is a part of is what keeps him going.

“That is the whole point

of playing. If you are not going contribute to winning campaigns it is always hard to keep yourself going. It was a privilege at my age to come and play with these boys and still be of value.”

Sri Lankan Sangakkara comes from an island nation that has punched above its weight over the years, just like Jamaica, and he says that the word “Tallawah” which means strong-willed and fearless is the perfect name for this team.

“I think the name itself says it all. Small, but proud and strong. You take setbacks, you take it on the chin and you come back stronger. That has been the story of Jamaica, from its athletes to it is cricketers, they show that Tallawahs spirit.

And this was just the case, from Florida to here, to lose three games on the trot to win against Trinbago, come here and beat one of the best sides it is just the epitome of the word Tallawah.”

While the Tallawahs were celebrating late into the night the Amazon Warriors were bitterly dis-

Kumar Sangakkara

appointed that after topping the league and beating the Tallawahs in the first playoff, they saved their worst ever batting performance for the final.

Amazon Warriors captain Rayad Emrit lamented the lack of batting rigidity throughout their innings.

They were dismissed for just 93 with only Sohail Tanvir making a significant contribution with the bat.

“Tonight just wasn’t sup-

posed to be,” Emrit said.

“We just didn’t get the runs that we wanted. All in all I am really proud of the guys.

Obviously we didn’t get enough runs on the board and we kept losing wickets at crucial times, we didn’t have any partnerships at all.”

Chris Lynn said that despite this loss the team can take a lot of positives about how well they have played throughout this edition of the Hero CPL. “It is disappointing, but I said in the team meeting beforehand regardless of how we played tonight we had a really good tournament.

We were the underdogs in the actual tournament and we had some very good performances. We can hold our heads high, and we have got the motivation to go one better next year.”

This was the third time that the Amazon Warriors have lost in the final and it will be one of the more painful defeats, but as Lynn says they are ready to try again next year. (CPL)

Singh to utilise West Indies U-16 Belle Vue tame Tigers in stint for personal development series opener T

By Delvon McEwan

Mustafaa Azimullah

B

elle Vue Sports Club (BVSC) of the West Bank of Demerarasecured a convincing five-wicket victory over Tiger Sports Club in their opening tour match of Trinidad and Tobago in Rio Claro on Sunday.

The match scheduled for 50 overs a side was reduced to 30 due to a late start at the Tiger Sports Club. The hosts won the toss and batted first but were reduced to 89 which turned out to be insufficient.

The bowlers of the Guyanese club proved too much for Tiger Sports batsmen and they were bowled out at the end of the 18th over at which point the visitors were in the drivers’ seat

to take first blood in the five match tour.

Imran Khan was the only batsman with the fighting power and hit a six and two fours in the Tigers’ top score of 31 while MustafaaAzimullahripped through the batting with 3 for 12 off 5 overs and got support from Timothy Andrews with 3 for 14 off 4 overs.

Chasing 90 runs form 30 overs for victory BVSC reached their target in 19 overs, with five wickets and 11 overs in the bag.

KerwinBennette top scored with 24 (2 x 4) and Colin Boucher blasted 19 (2 x 6).

All of the Tiger Sports Club bowlers were punished but Omar Daniel with 2 for 20 off 4 overs, and DestrelleNeaves 2 for 14 off 4 overs were among the wickets.

Azimullah was adjudged Man of the Match for his fine spell of bowling.

The teams will meet again today at the same venue but in a T20 match beginning at 17:00h.

Belle Vue Sports Club are on their first tour after the club’s resuscitation following a prolonged absence and will be looking for further success before the series wraps up. The tour is made possible through the efforts of the members and friends including Rockaway Group out of New York City in the United States of America.

o accomplish as much knowledge as he can as well as score hefty with the bat are the objectives on the radar for Guyana under-15 captain Sachin Singh as he prepares to wing out to England with the West Indies u-16 team later today.

The 14 year old, Singh, said he would be using this opportunity to learn from the coach Robert Samuels and manager Courtney Walsh, both of whom are former international players, to aid in his development.

“It’s a pleasure to be part of a set up which includes the best u-16 players in the Region; I’ll use this opportunity to interact with Samuels and Walsh to find ways to improve my cricket and to have a better understanding of the game”, said Singh.

He aspires to score at least two centuries providing he gets the opportunity to play in most if not all of the matches.

He stated, “I’ve scored three hundreds so far in my career, one at u-15 for my club, the second playing for Demerara u-15 in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) inter-county tournament and the third for Georgetown u-17. I have several fifties, two of which were scored while representing Guyana; I know I have the potential to score big it’s just a matter of be-

Sachin Singh

ing focus to do so and due to that I am aiming to score two centuries while on tour”.

Subsequent to his selection on the team Singh approached local players including the likes of former West Indies player Travis Dowlin, his club coach Garvin Nedd and professional player Gavin Singh all of whom would have played in England, to gain knowledge about the condition there which is totally different to the one here in the West Indies.

Singh, who joins club mates, pacer Qumar Torrington and Ashmead Nedd as the Guyanese in the team, said he will stay confident and focused to ensure he achieves his goals.

The left-handed batsman is currently a student of the Charlestown Secondary School and

Despite his tender age, the left-handed batsman has shown immense ability compared to those way above his age in the cricketing world

plays for Demerara Cricket Club (DCC), home to West Indies legends Clive Lloyd and Lance Gibbs among several others, who would have played at the highest level.

He joined the club as a 12 year old and started playing immediately in Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) u-13 tournaments. His potential as a quality top order batsman and a useful offspin was quickly spotted by coach Nedd , who pushed him to higher heights.

Singh is yet to disappoint, as he recently dominated with the bat in the just concluded WICB U-15

tournament finishing with 184 runs at an average of 46. His returns saw him finish as Guyana’s leading run scorer and third overall. At only 14 he has represented Guyana u-15 twice, Guyana u-17 once and he is now set to represent the West Indies U-16 team.

It seems as the beginning to a bright future of one of Guyana’s most talented youth cricketer. His intent is good and he is already on his journey.

Guyana Times Sport would like to take this time to extend best wishes to Singh, Torrington and Nedd along with their West Indies team mates and officials.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

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

Confident Windies Sangakkara praises set to resume battle with dominant Tallawahs’ spirit after championship victory India in St Lucia Hero Caribbean Premier League 2016...

Pg 22

— Johnson set to make Test return

—Emrit laments Warriors’ batting display

Pg 23 Newcomer Roston Chase spurred the team’s revival in the last Test. it is hoped that they can continue with such momentum in the series

Kumar Sangakkara (left) and Chadwick Walton in celebratory mode (CPL 2016 Photo)

NSC/AAG launches Athletics clinic and coaching camp

—100 pairs of running shoes donated to athletes

Pg 20

From left: Jewel Philips, AAG General Secretary, Ms Trim, Director of Sport, Christopher Jones, Mathew John, Claudia John (H.O.P.E. Rep), and AAG President Aubrey Hutson

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