The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Monday, April 13, 2015 – 12:30h-14:00h and Tuesday, April 14, 2015 – 13:30h-15:00h
The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Monday, April 13, 2015 – 11:35h-13:05h and Tuesday, April 14, 2015 – 12:45h-14:15h
FERRY SCHEDULE
Ferries will be departing the Parika and Supenaam stellings on:
Monday, April 13 – 05:00h, 09:00h and 15:00h
Tuesday, April 14 – 05:00h, 10:00h and 16:00h
WEATHER TODAY
Heavy rain showers can be expected throughout the day. Light rain showers can be expected in the early evening, with thundery showers prevailing later. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees and 29 degrees Celsius.
Winds: East North-easterly between 4.47 metres and 6.25 metres per second.
High Tide: 11:44h reaching a maximum height of 2.28 metres.
Low Tide: 05:10h and 17:54h reaching minimum heights of 1.03 metres and 0.87 metre respectively.
President Donald Ramotar on Saturday flayed the Kaieteur News (KN) and Stabroek News for their anti-Government reporting tying KN’s Publisher, Glenn Lall to smuggling activities, which he said made the tax evader rich.
Ramotar made the comments during the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Bartica Rally at First Avenue. He declared that the two entities are always hating and attacking the Government because they too are in the race to seek political power.
“Kaieteur News will always hate us…Why? Because…when we talk about what happened in the 1970s and 1980s when food was banned, those people who got rich then were doing the smuggling and bringing in the goods and today they have plenty of money,” Ramotar exclaimed.
It is not the first time Lall has been identified with the underworld.
He was described in a US Embassy cable as a person with a “sketchy past and allegedly involved in “alien smuggling”.
“He translated a shoe
trading business and rumoured involvement with alien smuggling into a muckraking independent newspaper. He has also been accused of having his finger on the pulse of Guyana’s underworld, which serves his media enterprise well,” the cable said.
The then political officer in the US Embassy in Georgetown, Benjamin Canavan had spoken with Lall, whose correct name is Mohan Lall, prior to the writing of the cable. Lall has never publicly denied the allegations. At one time when approached by this newspaper, he declined to comment.
Ramotar told the Bartica rally that while Lall still had the money today, he no longer had political influence and, therefore, would try whatever he could to regain that power.
“They have a lot of money now, but they don’t have political power and they want political power to do precisely what they were accusing of us. They want the state apparatus to entrench this new class, the nouveau riche in the society, and they see the PPP as a bulwark that’s stopping them from doing these things,” Ramotar warned the public.
Lall has been on a socalled anti-corruption crusade against the Guyana Government, yet he was fingered in a multimilliondollar duty-free scheme racket where he allegedly imported two Lexuses through a US-based couple under the Remigrant Scheme. Lall, after being charged and appearing in court, later agreed to settle the case with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to avoid prosecution.
Turning his attention to the Stabroek News, Ramotar said that newspaper will always hate the PPP/C Government for the same reasons and will forever continue in its quest to regain the power it had when the “corrupt” People’s National Congress
tion immediately lost all their power when former President Jagan embarked on a journey to democratise the nation.
“They never forgave us for that,” Ramotar said, indicating that the entities were boiling with envy over their loss of power
(PNC) was in power.
“They said that the PPP, that Cheddi Jagan in particular deprived those who they represented from power because in the past, the old rich people used to make decision for our country over a bottle of Whiskey and they didn’t bother with Parliament,” Ramotar highlighted.
However, he said when the PPP/C became victorious in the 1992 elections, those who had aided and abetted in the corrup-
to control the state and make money off of those who were suffering at their hands.
As a result, he said both the Kaieteur News and the Stabroek News have been carrying articles aimed at attacking the Government with the intention of turning the population against the incumbent administration so that they can bring back the days when they were rich and in political control.
President Donald Ramotar
KN Publisher Glenn Lall
Editor: Nigel Williams
Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134
General elections present one of the most critical decisions we will be making as citizens of this democracy. And it should be made after due consideration and deliberation. Choosing a Government may now seem to be routine, but that is only because in the 22 years, those in office have never threatened our inalienable right. It was not always like this.
In choosing a Government, we have to ask, “Why Government?” Governments are supposed to create and maintain the overarching conditions that will allow us, the citizens, to fulfill our capabilities so that we may live a happy life.
However, the Government uses, and is constrained by, the resources of the State and available to the State. There are those that would bemoan our economic circumstance. But we have to look at where we are compared to where we were when this Government took office. A journey can only be measured from where it began.
No Caribbean country experienced the abyss into which this country had been plunged by the PNC. We were the poorest of the poor, the pariah of the region: officially we were a Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) low development country.
Today, that debt has been managed and we are now a medium human development country. In the field of economic development, there is nothing more difficult that reversing an economy that had been plunging downwards for decades. It was not only the physical infrastructure and productive facilities that had been devastated, but the most important human and social capital.
But successive PPP/C Governments did perform the herculean task of turning the economy around and today we are outperforming every economy in Caricom. Jamaica and Barbados are now in the clutches of the IMF, which has cautioned T&T that its future growth prospects are challenging as the country’s energy resources dwindle.
Guyanese cannot afford to risk turning the economy at this stage over to, at best, inexperienced hands that can only quote from their theoretical position papers. Or at worse Carl Greenidge, who ruined it in the 1980s.
Our macro-economic progress is expressed in the higher and rising standard of living experienced by the average Guyanese. Availability of every conceivable type foodstuff and clothes in stores; house-lots and homes; phones, computers, cars, and other consumer goods have raised the horizons of Guyanese expectations. We are on an upward trajectory.
In the social services sector, our hospitals have moved light years from the days when rats chewed on children’s toes. Yet medical services are still free. Our life expectancy has increased by a decade. Schools have been rehabilitated; curriculum revamped; teachers retrained and the educational standards recalibrated.
The results have been exemplary. Infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, have been rehabilitated. The security situation, which was very precarious and untenable because of opposition recalcitrance and ambitions, has been stabilized through the Government’s firm and decisive initiatives.
But this does not mean that Guyana is out into the clear. We can see the promised land but who will guide us to it? Our economy is still comparatively underdeveloped. The traditional economy has been stabilised.
The Government has taken the initial steps to shift our economy to a new quantum level with the LCDS-based green economy and Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D). Exxon has just announced "good prospects" for oil.
As Guyanese make up their minds in these final weeks, we believe there is a simple but profound question that they can ask of and then answer by themselves. Is your life better or worse off than it was a decade ago?
In addition to your material progress, you can gauge your status by your expectations. From a decade or five years ago, how did you assess your prospects? And what are those prospects today?
It is now a world of infinite possibilities. Stick with the tried and true.
Coalition running from Presidential debate
Dear Editor,
It seems apparent that the PNC/APNU+AFC coalition has already accepted defeat in the proposed Presidential debate organized by the PSC with the lame duck excuse that there should first be a Prime Ministerial debate.
Why then did the
Opposition coalition not initially inform the PSC about their position when they received the Presidential debate invitation?
In this regard I recognized that the Opposition coalition may have admitted that its Presidential Candidate David Granger
is absolutely no match for President Donald Ramotar who is an economist. And to avoid shame and disgrace to the electorate, the PNC/APNU+AFC coalition is now planning to run from the Presidential debate. This as well clearly shows that the PNC/ APNU+AFC coalition has
absolutely no solution or plans for Guyana’s continued social and economic development. A landslide victory for the PPP/C at the May 11 general and regional elections!
Peter Persaud
A disgrace for a man who claims to be an intellectual
Dear Editor,
It has now dawned to me that UG made a terrible blunder when they terminated Freddie Kissoon’s contract in 2012. This man was on the verge of solving the problems of GuySuCo with the application of the theory of scientific management.
This theory was developed by Frederick Taylor in the 1880s and became obsolete by the 1930s, although some aspects of it was absorbed by other contemporary management theories or has influenced the development of such theories. Therefore, the value of the scientific management theory is seminal in nature.
This claim by Kissoon may have been influenced by his namesake who postulated that theory. It is apparent that Freddie Kissoon has lagged far behind in his exposure to contemporary management theories.
However, Freddie feels that since he was speaking to Berbicians whom he has scant regard for, the use of the term scientific will cast them in a state of awe and wonderment and project him as a great intellectual.
Then, Kissoon on DTV 8 on the same day, April 11, made a claim which is quite
stunning and which I do feel should be relayed to Khushid Sattaur of GRA. He claimed that businessmen are currently evading taxes to the tune of 11 billion dollars and that he has seen records to verify that.
He further claimed that this money can be used by the coalition to pay wages and salaries increase. So it seemed that apart from jailing some members of the PPP/C, the coalition will target and witch hunt these businessmen to recover those taxes. No wonder the coalition is seeking to become more militarised.
Kissoon then spoke of a new political culture whereby people must forget what happened in the past and seek to unite all races and that the coalition of AFC/APNU has done just that.
He claimed that it was Burnham and Jagan’s dream of the 1950s coming true. This man does not seem to know that Burnham rejected any form of coalition with Jagans PPP right up to his death.
Furthermore, Jagan did not want to get rid of the PPP but to include it and to bring together the two major races. Freddie is a disgrace for a man who claims to be an in-
tellectual!
It is now clear that the past is the greatest impediment in the path of the coalition so Freddie wants us to erase this period of our history. Bissessar then implored Berbicians that what happened during the PNC misrule of 28 years will not happen again.
But the AFC+APNU Prime Ministerial candidate in his 2011 budget speech had said, “I have fought the Police repression - and I was a victim of it - and I fought the fair battles against rigged elections in Guyana for 28 years.”
There was no intention at that time about implementing this new political culture, but since the coalition in their quest to deliver the 11 per cent Indian votes they first need to inject this amnesiac state into the minds of the Indians, especially those in Berbice.
However, towards the end of the programme, Kissoon angrily flung this veneer of intellectualism and attacked a caller in the most disgraceful manner. The caller rebutted what they were saying and this caused Freddie to resort to some Elm Street tactics.
He flew into a tantrum
and accused the caller to be a PPP stooge and ex-convict who was rehabilitated by the PPP/C to make that phone call. Then he shamelessly mimicked the caller who had begged them not to cut him off.
This was so immature and puerile. I simply could not believe what I was hearing. This man has the audacity to condemn people like Jagdeo, who simply was relating an incident he heard about. Freddie should be ashamed to show his lovely face in Berbice. I have that DVD and I could verify what I am saying.
During that programme, both Ramayya and Bissessar made a mess trying to convince Berbicians that they will not close GuySuCo. Bissessar claimed that GuySuCo needs to diversify into aquaculture and Ramayya maintained that they will not be doing tilapia farming. Maybe Ramayya does not understand what aquaculture is and thought that he was hearing some vulgalarity. Rajendra please educate your friend! How could you sit there and allow your friend to mispronounce vulgarity twice?
Haseef Yusuf
Songkran festival, also known as the water festival, marks the start of Thailand’s traditional New Year and is believed to wash away bad luck. In this photo, elephants and locals spray tourists with water in celebration of the Songkran water festival in Thailand’s Ayutthaya province, north of Bangkok, April 10 (Reuters/Chaiwat Subprasom)
Militarisation of PNC/APNU-AFC a recipe for dictatorship
Dear Editor,
A strongman does not apologise for his past and Brigadier David Granger fits this profile perfectly. So let us take a tour of this man’s PNC credentials.
The Brigadier joined the GDF, as so many others did, to serve his country, but the mission of the Army of Guyana under the PNC dramatically changed course. This change was initiated by Forbes Burnham because he feared that the Army was going to overthrow him. So the Army became the tool of the PNC.
Granger willingly swore allegiance to Burnham and the PNC and this is a documented fact. Granger, an eager supporter and member of the Social, Political, and Economic Council (SPEC), an imitator of the feared German Gestapo organisation, branded Indians as the backward ones and they
were marked for subjection and elimination.
This indoctrination of the GDF by people like the scholastic Granger was to have deadly consequences for two young men in the 1973 election. The deaths of Jagan Ramasssar and Bholanauth Paramanand were a direct result of the indoctrination of the PNC’s GDF to demonise Indians.
This traumatisation of Indians continues to this day, with Indians in the Corentyne “sleeping with one eye open”.
To further demonstrate Granger’s belief that Indians are his enemy, one needs to look no further than Granger’s categorisation of the ballot box martyrs as gangsters. Has the tiger changed its stripes, Moses Nagamootoo?
At every private and public meeting, Nagamootoo goes into
his mantra about forgiving and moving forward. Granger on the other hand gets that condescending look in his eyes and face when the myopic traitor tries to earn his keep.
The Brigadier will repeat what he knows best and that is to militarise the Government. Everything about Granger is excessive and militaristic down to his associates and advisers. Do not be fooled by his civilian attire, beneath is a dictator with an iron fist.
So I say to you, when you read this letter, ask yourself a simple question. Do these two old men Nagamootoo and Granger (140 years of failure) offer change?
One failed in every organisation he has been a part of and the other has been a PNC (Burnham) enforcer.
Latchman Mohabir
Granger has no intention of elevating women
Dear Editor
The law is very clear... for a political party to be eligible to contest a general election, one-third of the persons on the party’s list of candidates must be women.
Accordingly, the total number of females on any party’s lists for geographical constituencies shall be at least one-third of the total number of persons on those lists taken together, for the geographical constituencies in which that party is contesting.
A senior official of GECOM confirmed that the coalition APNU-AFC submitted a list of 75 candidates, of which only 14 (they needed at least 25) were women on Nomination Day, April 7.
Later, in order to satisfy the constitutional requirement, the PNC-APNU-AFC was forced to include other female members thus increasing the list 96 candidates. But the damage was already done.
It was clear that the PNC-APNU-AFC Leader David Granger had no inten-
tion of elevating the women in his party to positions of leadership if he could have gotten away with it.
When Chief Scrutineer Amna Ally was asked to comment, she said it is not a big issue. Really Ms Ally? No wonder you were so callous in your defense of the accusations made against you by former APNU Parliamentarian Africo Selman.
As a woman yourself, you ought to be ashamed of siding with Granger to retard the development of progressive women in the PNCAPNU party.
Women in Guyana need to be recognized and celebrated for their tremendous leadership skills, and be placed in positions of authority where they can make a more meaningful contribution to nation building.
Interestingly, when addressing women’s forums or when trying to win the women vote, Granger echoes these very sentiments. But when given the opportunity to practise what he preaches, he falls disappointingly
short of all expectations.
While on the hunt to win over women’s groups prior to the 2011 general election, Granger has said that his first preference would be a woman, and that is not only good politics, but it would be good for the nation. Then Granger went on to name Rupert Roopnarine as his running mate.
In February, 2012, the late Dr Faith Harding resigned from the Central Executive Committee of the PNC because she was sidelined by Granger. She accused him of being a stranger to truth, and claiming she was “locked out, sidelined and treated unfairly”.
“How could you answer a lie,” Dr Harding said at the time, arguing that no offers were made to her for any postings, either within the ranks of the PNCR or the APNU. This highly respected, educated woman added that she “refused to be part of a movement that is delinked from its membership and micromanaged by a few males”.
turn to page 18
A bold, courageous step to restore
diplomatic relations with Cuba
Dear Editor, The recent Summit of the Americas in Panama will be remembered for the historic meeting between United States President Barack Obama and Cuba's President Raul Castro.
This is the first such meeting between the two heads of state for over 50 years and represented a paradigm shift in US-Cuba relations.
Imam Bacchus should assure staff they don’t have to follow his lead
Dear Editor, With regard to letter by Imam Baksh on Baksh's political affiliation, I interviewed several of the staff and shoppers at (and from) Baksh Enterprises (Anna Regina) for the NACTA poll, and although the businessman may not have coerced anyone on who to vote for, his public political affiliation could be construed as leading his staff and shoppers who to vote for.
This response was not published in another paper that carried the same article.
I do not know Imam Baksh and am not sure if I conversed with him when I was interviewing people at random in front of his business at the parking lot. I did interview a few individuals with Baksh outfits (shirts).
One older gentleman with the trademark Baksh outfit said he is aware of the NACTA poll and queried whether I am Vishnu Bisram, describing me as the nemesis of Freddie Kissoon (I do not view myself as such).
He said he thought I am a much older person and that he thought I was an Indian. “I did not know you are Portuguese,” he commented. A younger person with him, maybe his son, with a little boy, corrected him, “He is Indian. The sun just
made him appeared red like a Portuguese.”
At Imam Bacchus, people (staff) and shoppers spoke freely of their political affiliation and the proprietors did not stop me or interviewers from conducting our survey. I expressed my gratitude to him.
My recollection, based on our survey, is a few of the respondents polled were in favor of the alliance, some were undecided, and most were in favor of the PPP/C. Respondents were overwhelmingly against the formation of the APNU (PNC)AFC alliance though some supported it.
One individual, a promoter of the alliance did say that initially AFC supporters were opposed to the alliance with the PNC (APNU), but later they came around to endorsing it in order to remove the PPP/C from office. This viewpoint was not substantiated by the poll’s findings.
No Imam Bacchus staff or shopper complained of being coerced into supporting any political party, and I did not get a feeling that people were fearful of victimization in their political affiliation. If they did, it was not shown.
At any rate, respondents provided their answers to
the poll’s questions in private and in confidence. We never requested names or addresses. Some respondents withheld their views while others were forthright.
In any business, people may be careful of expressing their political views for fear of victimization – promotion, loss of job, etc. Businesses should not interfere with people’s political affiliation. People should feel free to express their political views, and at the same time they should not be pressured into supporting a political party.
The nation has vivid memories of such political pressure during the PNC dictatorship when people were forced to attend political rallies or faced loss of jobs or denial of promotion.
The appearance at a political platform of the proprietor of Imam Bacchus and his endorsement of the APNU-AFC alliance could act as a pressure for his staff to follow his lead.
So as to avoid any controversy and accusations of pressuring his staff on who to vote, Imam Bacchus should make every effort to assure staff that they do not have to follow his lead and that they should support any political party of their own choosing.
Vishnu Bisram
How can citizens trust GECOM to produce free, fair election results?
Dear Editor,
I write with great concern to kindly make representations on behalf of myself and colleagues who believe that GECOM has erred significantly in the selection and appointment of polling day staff, Returning Officers and Deputy Returning Officers.
It is my view that the Commission exercises biasness in selecting and appoint-
ing persons to these positions.
As a student of UG, I am confident that I have passed the requirement of 50 per cent in the training, not only because assessments and training were simple, but because I have worked with GECOM as a polling staff (Assistant Presiding Officer) in the November 2011 general and regional election.
Even if we did not meet
the requirements, I challenge GECOM to provide the evidence. What is also alarming is that most of my class mates from the university and colleagues who attend the training together did not get selected nor appointed. Therefore, it is palpable that there is some wrong doing along the process of the employment procedure.
This is the next logical step in the restoration of full fledged relations between these two powerful neighbours and will certainly be the crowning jewel for the Obama administration.
President Obama will go down in history as the only US President who took the bold and courageous step to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba despite strong resistance from the
The recent decision taken to restore diplomatic ties between the two countries and now the historic handshake by the two presidents now set the stage for the lifting of the trade embargo against Cuba by the United States.
Republicans and other right wing forces who seem stuck in a cold war mentality.
The world is changing and as President Obama so correctly pointed out, America cannot live in the past but must be willing to embrace change.
History is unfolding before our very eyes and one can only hope that this momentum of change and development in our hemisphere will be consolidated and deepened.
Hydar Ally
Page Foundation
Making mornings manageable
BY MICHELLE LAROWE
Though mornings with children can be hectic and unpredictable, you can always count on one thing to be the same: being greeted by a trail of misplaced homework, followed by a sea of mismatched shoes that leads to one panic-stricken child (or husband!) who can’t find what he needs to start his day. If the midweek scavenger hunts have left you searching for a more manageable morning system, take a deep breath, find a cozy seat and get ready to receive a plan of action that will leave you searching for only one thing: a second cup of coffee to enjoy as your household is transformed from chaos to calm in three easy (okay, fairly easy) steps: ***Prioritise, Organise*** and ***Activate***. These three words are the lyrics to your new mental theme song. Repeat them often, as they are the steps to success when it comes to organising your home (and your life!) in a way that eliminates the frustrating last-minute searches for the must-haves, enabling everyone to get out the door on time.
Prioritise
For today’s working mothers, learning to prioritise is critical. In case you have any doubts about that, let’s do some basic math. There are 168 hours in a seven-day week. Let’s
say you clock an average of 50 hours of work per week. You’re down to 118 hours. Subtract eight hours of sleep a night, and you’re down to 62. Take away another, say, seven hours of time spent in the car commuting to work and childcare, and 15 hours a week of meal preparation and eating. Now you’re down to a mere 40 hours. Forty hours a week to manage a house (clean, do laundry, grocery shop), run errands, supervise homework,
not until you’ve got your plan of action in place). You need to prioritise today.
When working with families, I have found that part of the reason they run into so much trouble completing and maintaining household organisation is that they fall to prioritise the projects that they take on. Take back-toschool season, for example. You go out and shop ‘til you drop, buying all your child’s new school clothes in record time and on a record budg
(Part one of a series)
As usual, hindsight is 20/20. You realise that organising the current wardrobe (and taking an inventory of it before the big shopping trip) should have taken priority over purchasing new clothes. For prioritisation to have any real meaning, you need to have a clear objective. If your objective is to have a functional, usable closet, it needs to be organised. If your objective is to save money, you need to
whether it is formal (“We put our faith and fam ily first”) or funny (“We don’t believe in miracles – we rely on them”). The goal of pri oritising, then, becomes the means whereby you can achieve your objective with the least amount of effort, in the least amount of time. And as we’ve already seen, a working mom’s time is lim-
over the long haul.
How exactly will you get all that
gle day? You’ll begin
sonal priorities that will put time on your
make calls to or visit with friends and family, and maybe – just maybe – sneak in an hour to go to the gym or to soak in a bubble bath. Doing the math may make you long for a midday nap, but when you recalculate the numbers, you can clearly see that there is no time for snoozing (at least
fall wardrobe. Uh-oh, you think to yourself as you realise that there is no place to actually store, hang or put the new fall wardrobe. The closets and drawers are bursting with clothes that don’t fit, clothes your child won’t wear and even some clothes with their tags still attached.
what you need. If your objective is to bring home a new back-to-school wardrobe, you still need to have somewhere to put it. Your objective could be a set of personal goals (to keep an orderly house) or a state of being (stress-free living) or even your family’s personal mission statement –
The cliche “There’s so much to do and so little time” was surely coined by a working mother.
One way to help prioritise household and home-management tasks is to make a daily to-do list (a simple yellow legal pad is my favourite to-do list tool). Spending five minutes a day making this list will help you save time
Your daily to-do list should have three columns: the “Must Do” column, the “Should column and the “Would be Nice to Do” column. The “Must Do” column consists of items that need to be completed today; the “Should Do” column consists if items that need to be completed before the end of the week; and the “Would Be Nice to Do” column outlines the items that can wait until you have more free (ahem, unscheduled) time.
Once you’ve completed the list, keep it posted in plain view (the fridge or a kitchen corkboard work well).
Delegate any items that you can delegate – maybe your spouse can stop at the pharmacy on his way home, or your daughter can walk the dog. Then check off the items as they are completed. Honestly, does anything on earth feel quite as good as checking off an item on a todo list? (Okay, there are a few things – but not many… at least not for a task-oriented person like me!)
Now is also the rime to consult your budget to see if you can afford to hire out any of the tasks on your todo list. In the professional world, they call this “outsourcing.” Sometimes the cost of paying for personal shopping and errand running, housekeeping and dog walking are outweighed by the time you’ll have to do other, more important, things. You may be able to hire a family employee (a retiree, a college student or a single mom) who is willing to do a wide range of tasks for a set hourly rate.
You can also begin to develop some long-range planning systems. For example, you can designate every Saturday as your official laundry day. Friday evenings are pizza out and grocery buying night. Saturday evening is date night. Sunday nights are family nights. Sunday afternoons and Tuesday evenings could be “mom time.” Having a designated day for designated tasks relieves a lot of stress. Case in point: When you pass the almostfull laundry basket, you can say to yourself, It will get done on Saturday. I’m now going to read a book and take a bath, guilt-free. I hope you’re realising that you can use your many talents to make your household run as efficiently as your workplace. It’s amazing how many professional skills can be adapted for home use. This is certainly one concept that working moms need to bring home, along with their paycheque.
(www.focusonthefamily.com)
PPP/C unveils development plans for Reg 10
By Gomatie GanGadin
The People’s Progressive Party/Civic continues to deliver its message of hope during the campaign promising Region 10 residents on Sunday better social and health services as well as the setting up of a Linden Development Fund and the building of homes for retirees.
PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate Elisabeth Harper has promised better social and health services for Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), should the party be re-elected on May 11 when General and Regional Elections are held in the country.
Speaking to a large crowd at Wismar, Linden, which welcomed her with loud cheers, Harper related that if elected Prime Minister she would work to ensure that the rights of all women were protected and that opportunities for their empowerment were provided.
“The PPP/ C has always realised the critical role women can play and should play in our nation-building process. Our list presented on
Excellency, President Donald Ramotar and the Cabinet and with other stakeholders to ensure that the progress made for the past two decades in empowering our women and girls is safeguarded and further enhanced,” Harper, a former Director General of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, told the crowd.
Meanwhile, in talking up the Party’s plans for the Region should the Party be returned to power, the former diplomat related that the PPP/C Government has realised and was fully aware that there was always more that can be done to bring development to communities in Guyana and as such, this has been reflected in the Manifesto which is being put together by the Party for the elections to be held on May 11.
She disclosed that some of the changes which can be expected would include a Development Fund, a sports facility and Information Communications Technology (ICT) parks and infrastructure. “…in our Manifesto, emphasis has been placed for Linden and Region 10
Nomination Day abides by that institution. Our Party believes in the full respect for the human rights, in particular the rights of women: our right to choose and be involved in the political life of our country; our right to decent work and equal pay and our right to further education to develop our careers; to have businesses and to fully develop our homes.”
Harper said: “as Prime Minister of Guyana, I will, therefore, work with his
in the following areas: we will create a special development fund for the region. This will be patterned after the Amerindian Development Fund to encourage jobs and wealth creation activities. We will establish a sports facility in Linden, ICT parks and infrastructure will be established. We will strengthen the capacity of the regions and district hospitals to reduce referrals to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation particularly concerning preg-
nancy; We will establish and equip health centres and polyclinics to offer a better service,” she said.
The Prime Ministerial Candidate went on to state
that the Party would seek to establish sub-regional diagnostic centres in the hinterland, recruit foster families and promote foster care, establish a programme for sin-
gle parents to be assisted and supported so that they can receive further training while ensuring that daycare services are provided for those who work.
Retirement homes
Retirement homes for citizens in all of the 10 Administrative Regions were also touted along with the promotion of the rights of the differently able, the establishment of a special victims unit for victims of sexual violence, as well as the establishment of two water treatment plants in Wismar and Wisroc.
Meanwhile, in addressing youth issues, Harper told the young people in the crowd that they were one of the most valuable assets of the country and as such, the Party was committed to engaging them fully in the decision-making process. On this point, she related that it was the Party’s leaders’ wish to see young people remain and build the country and as such, there were also plans for them in the Manifesto.
According to her, this includes incentives and increased training for employment for young people and for more interaction and di-
alogue “so that we can hear and engage youths and your concerns so that together we can move forward with full decision-making with you on board.”
She disclosed that the Party’s vision for young people also includes establishing youth entrepreneurial skills training programmes where youths from all 10 Administrative Regions can be offered the opportunity of a second chance for specific skills areas in technical schools, but more so for the one in Linden.
Better life for all
President Donald Ramotar for his part noted that his Administration was committed to ensuring a better life for all. Ramotar reiterated that the Opposition has incessantly tried to harm the country and Government through its non-support for developmental initiatives. Among those, the Opposition voting against the new airport, even though it initially agreed to support the project – the changed position opened the Government to litigation. The Opposition also did not support a change in law to accommodate a reduction in environmental taxes charged on an imported aerated drink to ensure the playing field was level for both local and foreign companies distributing the product.
He said the Opposition’s destructive behaviour was evident in past elections, and it continued during the past three years with an anti-development thrust in the National Assembly, he stated. The Specialty Hospital would have not only provided improved and more advanced services to Guyanese, but aided with medical tourism to develop Guyana.
A section of the crowd which gathered at the PPP/C’s Linden rally on Sunday
These two young men seem to have already made their choice as they proudly display the PPP/C flag and tokens
Even this young lady came out to show her support at the PPP’s Linden rally
No time for complacency –APNU/AFC warns youths
The PNC-led A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) coalition has warned the youths of Georgetown not to become complacent on May 11 when General and Regional Elections are held in the country.
The warning was issued on Friday during the coalition’s second youth rally which was held at Hadfield Street, Georgetown in the vicinity of the White Castle Fish Shop. Taking the stage first was Region 10 (Upper Essequibo-Upper Takutu) Chairman Sharma Solomon, who told the youths that they were the future of Guyana, and if they wished to see the change that they wanted, then they must not stay home on Election Day but come out and vote for the coalition.
“It is the young people in this world, in this country who will help to change this world. It is against the back-
drop of our future, that we must vote on Election Day on May 11...the best choice for change is what we have now...deliver a resounding victory for the coalition,” Solomon told the youths.
He noted that in voting, they should be mindful and vigilant of the struggles that have been fought over the years, the ills that exist under the current Government, and the sacrifices which have been made by the people of this land.
“The decision we make now, decades from now it will affect us, affect our children and grandchildren... come out and vote…vote early and vote wisely...,” he encouraged them.
Meanwhile, Veronica Gouveia, a youth activist who hails from the Essequibo Coast, told the gathering that she was there to target the votes of the women and young people, especially the ones voting for the first time, since it is important that
they understand the importance of voting.
Gouveia said young people must “get rid” of the notion that they will not make a difference in society if they vote. “If you don’t vote, don’t complain after because every vote counts,” she emphasised.
Former APNU Member of Parliament Annette Ferguson, speaking on the issue of health and medical services in the country, told the mammoth crowd that they must vote on May 11 to remove the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration which continues to provide citizens with poor healthcare services.
Ferguson said that it was a shame that in the 21st Century, pregnant women and mothers are still “doubling up and tripling up” at the Georgetown Public Hospital. In bashing the Government, Ferguson said there is always a shortage
of drugs at the health centres and hospitals across the country. On this note, she promised the group that should they vote for the coalition, it will ensure that there is a greater promotion of health services to address the needs of the people.
“You have to give us the chance. Vote solidly for us, for the alliance on May 11. Get out there and vote. If you don’t, we will remain the way we are. There are no proper medical services for the Guyanese people, no training programmes for our doctors and nurses... vote for us,” Ferguson stressed.
On the other hand, Alicia Roopnaraine, daughter of Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, Leader of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) and Executive Member of APNU, said the time has come for young people to be given better educational and employment opportunities, noting that these will be guaranteed under a coalition Government.
She condemned the state of the University of Guyana (UG), the poor wages and salaries of teachers and the high unemployment rate in Guyana, noting that the current situations were unacceptable.
Attorney-at-Law and former APNU Member of Parliament James Bond, who spoke on the issue of security, told the core of predominantly young men that it is time for an overhaul of the justice system which continues to fail citizens, but more particularly, targets young men. “You need to wake up and see the light... we are not safe anymore; young men are being targeted, people are being failed by the justice system...let us make the change,” Bond admonished his young audience.
Eyew tness
Trivialising ...
...ethnicity
Some folks insist on “playing the fool” on Nagamootoo’s denial of his heritage and ethnic roots. One tactic is to trivialize it. Take Ralph Ramkarran’s excuse for Nagamootoo in his Stabber column. Ramkarran reduced ethnicity on his “passing” as “Mixed” when he was feeing his oats as a youngster. What does “looks” have to do with ethnicity??
A fella of “Indian” heritage can be fair and aquiline, like say, the McDooms (Afghan?) or as curly haired, dark and snub-nosed as the Nagamootoos of Tamil Nadu. Ethnicity has to do with one’s culture and place of origin and it’s a totally contextual category. You can even have a short, stocky “Chinese” looking fella like the first, great Indian leader of Guyana - Dr Jang Bahadur Singh. He came from Nepal.
But what Ramkarran and all those rushing to defend Nagamootoo’s denials of his Indian ethnicity - even as he seeks to exploit it to deliver the 11 per cent to the PNC - is that, by definition, ethnicity is a very politicized term. It’s associated with mobilizing people along self-identified criteria as “a people” with presumed common interests - to secure power. It has nothing to do with young Ramkarran being the “village ram”, as he would have us believe. (But really???)
It would have to do, for instance, with him having to attend a Christian Congregation School and forced to recite “The Lord’s Prayer” because the “Indian” prayers - Muslim and Hindu - were deemed to be “pagan”.
Or as Jagan recounted - being refused a job in the Civil Service because that was for the “Coloured People”. Or it would have to do with Critchlow - for all his forward thinking on labour issues - opposing Indian Guyanese struggle to obtain the franchise.
The sickening thing about it is that fellas like Ramkarran and Nagamotoo know all about this. So why play the fool by using ethnicity on one hand to trawl for votes but on the other hand, deny their own affiliation?? It’s simply that they’ve still haven’t actualised the truths of men like Walter Rodney and Bob Marley. They still haven’t overcome their “mental slavery”.
Growing up in an environment where to be “Indian” was to be “uncivilized” and “uncouth” these two ambitious men want to jettison that part of their identity to be accepted by those who have real power. They want to “go along to get along”.
So let’s get off this nonsense that Nagamootoo’s gratuitous rejection of being an “Indian” was to emphasis his “wider” Guyanese identity.
Was it on the basis of his “Guyaneseness” he forced Granger to give him 12 seats??
...Jagan’s meritocracy
Cheddi Jagan’s only begotten son, Joey, weighed in on the Opposition-manufactured issue that the PPP/C’s list “contained the names of sons, daughters and wives” of members . He says his father was totally against this. Unfortunately, the only example he offered was he being denied being on a list on in a role in or out of the party or Government.
He neglected to note that Dr Jagan never stopped his wife Janet from being on a “list” or from being in Parliament or being a Minister. Indeed, we know that his father’s last act was to designate his wife as his successor to the presidency.
In fact we’re told Mrs Jagan had it in writing. This of course, was to the great chagrin of Nagamootoo, who’d been told (so he says) that Dr Jagan had anointed him.
For some obscure reason, Joey didn’t mention that his Godfather Burnham had made his son-in-law a Minister. Or that Granger’s daughter and son-in-law are on his list.
...hate
This Eyewitness knows Glenn Lall hates the owner of RGI 89.5. But he trivializes his hate when he descends into inanities like questioning why the MMU didn’t cite RGI 89.5 for favoring the Government.
89.5 doesn’t carry opinions or interview, wanker!!
A section of the crowd during the youth rally last Friday
Challenges in the public health system
...a personal case
Thirty-seven-year-old Shondel Marshall of Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), died on March 10, approximately three weeks after being faced with the sad reality that she was diagnosed with cancer.
Though the news of her illness sent shockwaves throughout her family circle, the mother of two never showed weakness, as she was determined to fight, but she was disappointed that the public health care system had failed her miserably.
After experiencing severe pain about her body, Shondel had sought medical attention at the Bartica Regional Hospital, and though a health team had conducted two major surgeries on her within a period of five months, at no point was she told that she had cancer.
In an interview with Guyana Times, her second eldest sister, Jacqueline Marshall, recalled that in early 2014, Shondel started experiencing abdominal pain. After doing an ultrasound, doctors at the Bartica Regional Hospital informed her that she had developed an “unknown mass, a gallstone, and a cyst,” and as a result, it was critical for her to do a “complete hysterectomy.”
But after undergoing the
first surgery in July 2014, the pain continued. “After the first surgery, she was still in a lot of pain, extreme pain, and she started using pain killers based on the instructions of the doctors,” Jacqueline recalled.
Due to the severity of the pain, Jacqueline said her sister was later informed that she would be required to undergo a second surgery because she had developed appendicitis. “When she found out that she had to do a second surgery, she was totally devastated. It was performed in November.”
The surgeries were reportedly conducted by a medical team from the West Demerara Regional Hospital with the assistance of a medical doctor stationed at the Bartica Regional Hospital.
But after undergoing those surgeries, her situation continued to deteriorate. The 37-year-old started losing weight rapidly, and the pain had intensified. When approached, the doctor had suggested that she was depressed and needed a vacation.
“He told her that she is probably depressed. He had even advised her to go to Barbados and spend some time, and she said, ‘I am not depressed. I am worried about why I am losing weight rapidly, why I am in constant pain day and night, even though I had two major surgeries’.”
Jacqueline said her sister had hoped that after the second surgery, she would have recovered. Now, Jacqueline is convinced that the doctors were experimenting on her sister and had no clue about what they were doing.
Grim reality
“They would have just butchered her as far as I am concerned. They went into her and I don’t know if they realised what they did the first time and they just shut her up back and allow her to deteriorate like that.”
Jacqueline said she has
Prisoner found dead in Lethem lock-ups
Aprisoner was early Sunday morning found dead in the Lethem Police Station lockups, Police have confirmed in a statement. According to the Police, around 08:00h the body of Roy Bovell, 36, of Tabatinga, Lethem, who was in custody at the Lethem Police Station, was found hanging from the grill work of the station’s lock-ups. The Police had earlier visited the lock-ups at 06:15h
where he was alive and well.
Bovell was the only prisoner in the lock-ups at the time and had been arrested at about 19:45h Saturday at Tabatinga after he was found with 60 grams of cannabis sativa (marijuana) in his possession. The body is at the Lethem Hospital Mortuary. The Police Office of Professional Responsibility is conducting investigations into the matter.
no faith in the public health sector owing to the grim reality Guyanese are often faced with when their loved ones die at the hands of doctors and nurses due to negligence.
It was only until visiting several private doctors in February that Shondel was finally informed that she had cancer. Her foster mother, Debra Marshall told the Guyana Times that on February 16, they sought the assistance of a private doctor who instructed Shondel to do a CT scan at the Guyana Cancer Society. The CT scan was done on the same day and the results were received the following day.
“When we received the results on February 17, the doctor said he was seeing a mass and it had already taken over her liver and back,” Debra recalled. Due to the severity of the case, the doctor referred Shondel to another doctor who further interpreted the CT scan and recommended that a biopsy be done to determine the type and extent of the cancer. The biopsy was done on February 18.
“When that doctor examined Shondel, he was surprised. He said, they mess up this young lady and it was then we found out that they never did a complete hysterectomy, they did a partial hysterectomy, so the cancer started from the uterus, spread to the back, the liver and one of the kidneys.”
Awaiting the results of the biopsy, which was expected to take three weeks, Shondel journeyed to Linden where she stayed with her foster mother. On the night of March 1, she fell ill and was admitted to the Linden Hospital Complex. Despite her condition, the relatives of Shondel were told that the hospital would monitor her situation until the results of the biopsy were submitted.
“So she was there on
saline all the time and on March 8, one of the doctors did a kidney function test because she was not urinating and it was then they decided to rush her to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), although they had all the other reports from the private doctors.”
On March 9, the doctors at the GPHC who attended to Shondel had promised to conduct a kidney analysis. “That Monday, they had connected her to a machine monitoring her; they were giving her saline and they promised to put a tube down her throat to ease the vomiting.
To my surprise when I arrived at the hospital early Tuesday morning, the machine was gone, no saline, no tube, nothing. They had even moved her to another bed, because they say another patient needed the one she was on. They had already given up on her and so they leave her there to die.”
Shondel died that very morning, while her foster mother was cleaning her with the assistance of a family friend. It was only un-
til she was dead that one of the doctors told her foster mother that she could not have made it. Another sister of the 37-year-old mother of two also lashed out at the GPHC for the below par service offered. Mikhail Marshall said that during the last hours with her sister in the emergency section of the hospital, she had to pay a security guard on duty $1500 during the wee hours of Tuesday morning to help clean Shondel, because the nurses on duty refused to help.
Shondel was laid to rest on Saturday, March 14 at the Bartica Burial Ground. She leaves to mourn her parents, Wainwright Marshall and Mary Elizabeth Holder, her two children Nicholas Collymore and Chastain Ramdatt, and her 11 siblings, including Svetlana Marshall, a reporter attached to Guyana Times
Her family is now advocating for Guyana to implement stricter policies with relation to patient care and patient information. Meanwhile, Health Minister, Dr Bheri
Ramsaran when contacted on Sunday told the Guyana Times that patients and/or their caregivers have the right to know their diagnosis, especially in cases where they have developed lifethreatening diseases such as cancer.
However, he said, in Guyana, some health professionals do not tell patients because of the fear that they might become stressed. “But patients have a right to know,” the Health Minister emphasised. Dr Ramsaran said when dealing with critical health issues, counselling should also be provided, pointing to the system used when a person is tested positive for HIV, noting that a support system should also be put in place.
Though lacking the particulars of the Shondel Marshall case, Minister Ramsaran advised that contact be made with the Region Seven Regional Health Officer for an investigation to be launched into the case to determine whether malpractice resulted in the death of the mother of two.
Miss World Guyana cancels pageant
The Miss World Guyana Board of Directors has announced the cancelation of the 2015 Miss World Guyana pageant, and will select a representative from the list of current applicants to represent Guyana at the 2015 international pageant.
The decision to cancel the Miss World Guyana 2015 pageant is as a result of poor response from incountry applicants, which may be linked to national elections being a priority at this time, a release from the organisation said. The 2015 application process saw a greater response from overseas-based Guyanese.
The Miss World Guyana
Franchise is currently interviewing qualified applicants who applied on or before March 20, 2015 deadline.
The Miss World Guyana 2015 Representative will be selected and revealed at a special event in June at which Rafieya Husain, Miss World Guyana 2014, will be presenting her crown to the new Miss World Guyana. The date and venue of the ceremony will be announced.
Franchise Holder Natasha Martindale said that while there will not be a pageant this year, she is confident that Guyana will be represented well. In the meantime, she added, “the Miss World Guyana Organisation would like
to take this opportunity to have an early start on preparations for the 2016 pageant and focus on finalising plans for a homecoming fundraiser event for Miss World Guyana 2014 – Continental Queen of Caribbean, Rafieya Husain, as she concludes her reign.”
Miss World Guyana wishes to apologise to all its devoted supporters and the applicants for the cancellation, but saw this as the best alternative given the current challenges. The Franchise hopes that in 2016 the Miss World Guyana Pageant will be a grand success as it will be the 50th Independence anniversary of “our beautiful country, Guyana”.
The Bartica Regional Hospital where Shondel Marshall underwent her two last surgeries before she succumbed to cancer
The late Shondel Marshall
Franchise Holder Natasha Martindale
monDAY, APRIL 13, 2015 | guYAnAtImesgY.com
PSC gives Marriott thumbs up ahead of grand opening
The Private Sector Commission (PSC) has publicly endorsed the establishment of the soon-to-be opened Marriott Hotel, describing it as a catalyst to further development.
It noted that the Hotel was among the many projects it has been advocating for a very long time now.
The 197-room Hotel is set for its grand opening on Thursday, complete with the 29,000 square foot entertainment complex that will house a casino, restaurant and nightclub all of which will be privately operated, separate and distinct from the hotel and its operator.
In a release to the media on Sunday, the PSC related that its members had recently toured the US$58 million facility and were very impressed by the amenities and services to be offered by the internationally branded Hotel.
“The PSC is of the view that the introduction of these facilities and the quality of service will contribute significantly to raising the standards of the local hospitality industry and would be a great complement to boost the growth of the tourism sector in our country and create an improved business environment,” the Commission.
It said it was convinced
the hotel’s opening will ignite many other developments of similar nature in the future.
During its tour, the PSC said, it was informed of the Marriott’s recruiting and training methodology and was very satisfied to see that many young Guyanese workers, being highly motivated to be of service to the various global visitors who will eventually be utilising the services of the Hotel. Some 95 per cent of the 500 employees at the Marriott Guyana Hotel will be Guyanese.
“The General Manager highlighted the Marriott’s ethical principle of only partnering with reputable, law-abiding local suppliers of goods and services as they
will not be procuring goods and services from persons unless they can prove that their businesses are in compliance with the laws of the country,” the PSC related.
International brand Marriott is an international brand very familiar to business owners and travellers globally given the quality of service offered. The PSC said it was happy that many of its business partners and stakeholders will now be able to access service comparable to what they would receive in most other parts of the world.
“The ecosystem of business is global and this hotel will definitely contribute to Guyana being a part of that space and network of busi-
for being patient and resilient despite the various challenges, and Republic Bank for seeing the merit of such a project and contributing to the financing arrangements.
According to the PSC, “It augurs well for the country and the business community when a global brand such as Marriott and a reputable regional finance institution such as Republic Bank choose to do business in Guyana. We are also confident that the investments made and incentives provided by the Government of Guyana to materialise this project will bear the fruits expected”.
ness travellers. We have no doubt that the Marriott Hotel will raise the image of businesses in our country when our international stakeholders choose to stay there during their visits to
It congratulated the Government of Guyana for initiating such a visionary project, the Marriott Group
The Marriott Guyana Hotel boasts services of an international standard and facilities such as business, fitness and entertainment centres, guest rooms to meet various preferences and meeting spaces that could accommodate as many as 700 persons. There are also facilities that are tailored for the visually and
hearing impaired.
The glass finish of Marriott allows picturesque views of the city of Georgetown in the front or the Atlantic Ocean in the rear.
According to the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Ltd (NICIL) an estimated 12.2 per cent of Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) came from travel and tourism in 2011 up from 11.5 per cent in 2010. The World Travel & Tourism Council estimates that this sector will grow from $35.1 billion to $42.3 billion by 2021, nearly doubling from 2011 to 2021, making this Hotel a worthwhile investment.
The Hotel is owned by Atlantic Hotel Inc (AHI), a company owned by the Government of Guyana through its shareholding company NICIL. AHI was incorporated in Guyana on September 10, 2009 under the Companies Act 1991.
Mercy Hospital to celebrate
70 years amid setbacks
Amid considerable setbacks over the years, the St Joseph Mercy Hospital will this year celebrate its 70th Anniversary; seven decades of immeasurable contributions to Guyana’s Health sector.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Vivakeanand Bridgemohan said the institution, which boasts a highly specialised team of doctors, nurses, therapists and caregivers, has been working tirelessly over the years to become the premier health institution in the country, in keeping with its mission to deliver quality care to the people in Guyana.
“In the revised plan we are looking to secure a sustainable future existence of the hospital with improved
health system is becoming increasingly competitive in Guyana, Dr Bridgemohan said Guyanese have become more conscious about what it really means to receive
quality and spectrum of services, and therefore we are improving the hospital and empowering not just as a hospital but as a ministry of the Catholic Church to heal all people regardless of your religion. As a catholic institution we serve everybody. That is our mission,” he said.
Recognising that the
quality care. According to him, this could only mean that medical institutions will have to continuously improve their standards.
“Since the fire in 2011, St Joseph Mercy Hospital has been embracing development and welcoming into the departments new diagnostic and therapeutic tools,
with high levels of skilled and professional health care workers to effectively and efficiently produce on each occasion, high quality care service,” he said.
Mercy Hospital, as it is widely known, is now the only institution in Guyana to have 24-hour Radiology Imaging Services with an on-site radiologist living at its Parade Street location. This allows for CT scans, MRIs, Ultra Sounds and other such tests to be done on a 24-hour basis with a specialist on stand-by for further assistance.
“According to American Stroke Policy a person would need to have a CT scan done in cases of stroke related sickness, in less than one hour, and we are the only facility in Guyana that can produce that in less than one hour on a 24 hours schedule, complying with that requirement,” the CEO noted.
The hospital is also offering specialised care in cancer related illnesses, and has a wide range of highly qualified and experienced surgeons specialising in cancer pathologies on its team.
The hospital has also been placing much emphasis on women’s health. The facility has retained a highly qualified female gynaecologist and has proven to be very effective. “We have answered the call for women who prefer to see a female gynaecologist, so for over many years the hospital has installed a female gynaecologist who is highly qualified, pleasant and has proven to be very good. Many persons have spoken of their satisfaction of the services they have been receiving,” the CEO indicated.
St Joseph Hospital CEO Dr Vivakeanand Bridgemohan
Medical team conducting surgery
The Marriott Guyana Hotel is scheduled to be opened on Thursday
Guyana.”
Times Notebook
Granger ducking debate
It seems like we will not have a Presidential Candidate Debate for the 2015 General Elections. The much anticipated debate is once again in limbo. Again the candidate for APNU+AFC appears to be inventing a way to duck out of the debate.
This is unfortunate and although there would be a major spin to justify the pullout from the debate, nothing will change the truth – David Granger ducked another debate opportunity.
From what we could gather, the PSC was preparing to host the debate between the Presidential Candidates of the PPP/C and APNU+AFC in accordance with an invitation it had made to the two candidates.
Agreement was reached between the candidates and the PSC and from what we understood the final preparations were being put in place for the debate. Both candidates and their parties had agreed to allow the Commission to broadcast live the debate.
Guyanese were looking forward to the debate. President Donald Ramotar signaled that he was ready and rearing to go. The PSC was starting a brand new initiative that would have added to the election process in a democracy that is building new layers all the time.
Guyana’s democracy which is still a young one could only benefit from such debates. The agreement by the two candidates to participate in the debate was another positive step in the advancement of our democracy.
People across the country were eagerly anticipating the debates. It was likely that the debates would have been the most watched TV and most listened radio
show ever.
Now it appears that APNU+AFC has created a barrier to prevent the debate from occurring. They now insist that it must be preceded by a Prime Ministerial Candidate Debate. In theory, there is nothing wrong with this recommendation, but coming at this late stage, appears like an effort calculated to thwart the Presidential Candidate Debate.
From our vantage point, it is a deliberate effort to duck the debate and this is unfortunate. In some corners of our country, people would declare that Granger chickened out of the debate.
The Private Sector Commission’s invitation was for a Presidential Candidate Debate. This was clear; there was never a suggestion in the proposal for both a Presidential Candidate Debate and a Prime Ministerial Candidate Debate.
Earlier the candidates
were invited by the NCN for a series of joint TV and Radio town-hall style debate in different settings.
The PPP/C’s Candidate, President Ramotar, agreed to have these debates. But after waiting for a long time for a response from David Granger, the APNU+AFC Candidate, NCN had to call off the debate.
NCN was never given the courtesy of an answer; their invitation is still awaiting a response from the Opposition Leader.
The APNU+AFC candidate seems to prefer the uncontrollable situation as exist at the UG Student Association Debate in 2011, when the hall was filled with unruly supporters of APNU who heckled and prevented the President from speaking. He was perhaps hoping that such a situation would have prevailed again.
He wanted a rigged process as happened in 2011. No candidate should be subjected to the disgustingly bi-
PPP/C unveils...
The President also spoke of Government’s plans to build a deepwater harbour to accommodate larger ships, since the present capacity in the Demerara River is limited to ships of 10,000 tonnes. Government is also hopeful for a new energy sector with the drilling for oil and gas that is ongoing. “What is at stake in May 11 is extremely important ...you should judge us on our record and there is no way the APNU and PNC record can compare to us…That is why they don’t want to talk about
the past, they don’t have a record that could compare to our record…elections are about character as well and the PPP/C is proud of the fact that it takes its promises seriously.”
Also speaking at the rally was former President Bharrat Jagdeo, who told the gathering that it was time they changed the PNCled Regional Administration since they were doing nothing to develop them. He noted that should the Region endorse the PPP/C, they can be guaranteed a better life, more
opportunities and a higher standard of living. “It is time to change this Regional Administration. You have to kick them out. Give us the power too here and you will see progress. Just give us at least one seat,” he noted.
Other speakers at the rally included PPPC’s candidate, Pamela SauersRambarran; Junior Finance Minister, Juan Edghill; PPP/C’s Youth Rep and Linden resident, Dr Gregory Harris; Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon and Works Minister Robeson Benn.
ased set-up as happened in 2011. The 2011 debacle cannot expand our democratic processes. Indeed, the 2011 situation reminded us too much of the rigged elections
prior to 1992 and raised the specter of election harassment and intimidation.
It is a lost opportunity to establish Guyana’s elections as one of the more advanced ones in Caricom, since election debates between Prime Ministerial candidates are rare and not a normal part of electioneering in Caricom.
As we have stated the debate between the Prime Ministerial Candidates, as now being demanded by APNU+AFC, is not something bad. But agreements made must be kept. APNU seems to have a penchant in making agreements and breaking them.
There are many instances in which they have failed to keep their end of the bargain. One such instance was their agreement with President Ramotar to establish a process through which the electricity rates in Linden would be increased in a phased manner.
They even vetted and had no objection to the statement that was read by
the Prime Minister in the Parliament. Yet they reneged on the agreement and this led to great hardships as APNU led Lindeners in blocking the bridge and created negative economic impact. Worst it led to three lives lost.
The proposed debate between the Presidential Candidates was already agreed to and in the interest of Guyana and the right and moral thing to do is to honor the agreement. Tying it to a new proposal is really ducking the debate.
We would understand a strong proposal for a debate between the Prime Ministerial candidates. But linking this entirely new condition to the original proposal for which there was already agreement is wrong. Granger has again ducked a debate with Ramotar.
Readers are invited to send their comments by email or Facebook to times. notebook@gmail.com.
APNU+AFC's Presidential and Prime Ministerial Candidates David Granger and Moses Nagamootoo
monday, april 13, 2015
AG warns Essequibians to take note of missing army weapons
– says businesses prospering under PPP/C Government
Attorney General (AG) and People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Central Committee Member Anil Nandlall has warned Essequibians to be careful where they cast their votes in the upcoming May 11 elections, cautioning them not to vote for persons who allegedly were in possession of illegal weapons.
Nandlall, in his address to well-attended rallies at Affiance and Anna Regina in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), said during the ongoing Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry, “the Army came to give evidence. In 1978, [David] Granger was head of the Army; the Army handed to Robert Corbin 155 AK-47 machine guns, what will a political party want to do with so much guns?”
Repeating an oft-made claim of his Party, Nandlall linked the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) to criminals, noting that in 2010 following a bank robbery in the Corentyne, Berbice, the bandits were followed to Rose Hall and some guns were recovered which matched the serial numbers of the missing guns. He said from all indications, the PNCR has knowledge of the missing guns.
The Legal Affairs Minister further alleged that Granger, the PNC and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Leader, was “afraid to go to defend at the Inquiry”.
Rigging
Calling to mind the two most recent Congresses of the PNCR in 2012 and 2014 at which the party leadership was elected, Nandlall noted that both times, Granger, who ran
for the position of leader, was accused of rigging the elections by senior party members. Former APNU Member of Parliament Africo Selman, who has since resigned and joined the PPP/C, has also claimed that the list was padded by Granger.
Nandlall urged residents to “vote on issues, vote according to track records”, since the 2015 election was all about the future of the young generation. He called upon
Coastland hit with blackout after canter crashes into GPL pole
Most of the coastland was Sunday night hit by a prolonged blackout and the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) up to press time did not disclose the reason.
vehicle crashed into a GPL pole breaking it in half in the vicinity of Agriculture Road, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.
The name of the man was not immediately available to the Guyana Times. He sustained injuries to his body, but refused to be taken to the hospital to seek medical attention.
According to information received, the driver was reportedly under the influence of alcohol and may have lost control of vehicle. As a result, he crashed into the utility pole breaking it in two with one piece landing on the cabin of the Canter truck he was driving.
them to reflect on the development and the transformation that have taken place under the PPP/C Government. He noted that the PPP/C Government facilitated the process of development and ensured that persons get house lots, better electricity and loans to build their homes.
and Affiance to come out and vote.
Banned items
Nandlall reminded residents about some food items being banned under the PNC regime and “you could have gone to jail for eating bread”.
The PPP/C Central
“We have moved most villages in Region Two from cow pastures to blooming housing scheme, this is what we have to secure... we have to continue this upward drive of development. We can only do that if you all become soldiers of PPP, this is the duty and obligation of every one of you,” Nandlall said, as he stressed that every vote was important and urged residents of Anna Regina
Committee Member said that Guyana went through some horrific episodes and called on older folks to educate the young people. He said history has proven when the PPP/C won the election in 1992, the Opposition was trying to destroy Guyana via the post-elections riots – interfering with the people’s lives. He recalled that later the former President and then Opposition Leader
Desmond Hoyte instituted the policy of “slow fire, more fire”.
“Moses Nagamootoo telling us we must forget the past, how can we forget criminal?” Nandlall questioned.
Nandlall continued that the Opposition parties could have done much for the people with their one-seat majority in Parliament, but “they used it to cut development; they want to gag people of the PPP, they gagged Rohee from speaking. Rohee is not only the GS [General Secretary] of PPP, Rohee is a powerful person for the security of Guyana – they cut his power to speak”.
He cautioned the people not to listen to anything the Opposition had to say, reminding rice farmers that it had sold all the rice mills to a private individual and they eventually became bankrupt.
Former APNU MP Selman echoed Nandlall’s sentiments, saying that the Opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Charge (APNU/AFC) was in a quest to gain power and had nothing to offer the people. She applauded the efforts of the PPP/C and the progress that was achieved under its rule.
“Do not vote for a party that has broken promises, vote for a party that cares for the people... “ Selman said.
Also attending the meetings were Party executives Alli Baksh and Vishnu Samaroo.
Hillary Clinton declares 2016 Democratic presidential bid
Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has formally entered the 2016 race for the White House in a bid to become the first woman US president.
She launched her campaign website on Sunday, telling Americans she wanted to be their “champion”.
Clinton ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008, but lost to Barack Obama.
The video features a number of Americans talking about their hopes and aspirations.
It ends with Clinton saying: “So I’m hitting the road to earn your vote because it’s your time and I hope you’ll join me on this journey”.
John Kerry, called her a “good friend”, telling ABC’s This Week programme she “did a terrific job of rebuilding alliances that had been shredded over the course of the prior years”. But the attacks from the Republicans have already begun.
From around 20:00h, residents across the country reported to this newspaper that they were experiencing power outages. In some parts, power was restored only to cut off again in brief seconds.
Meanwhile, in what many are blaming as the source of the power outage, a man escaped death on Sunday evening after his
On account of the incident, the electrical cables were damaged; hence, reportedly causing a major power failure in Georgetown, East Coast and East Bank of Demerara. The Guyana Times understands that several teams from GPL were deployed to the area in an effort to return the situation to normalcy. The driver was subsequently arrested and taken to the Sparendaam Police Station, ECD, where he was being interrogated.
The overwhelming Democratic favourite, she had been expected to declare her candidacy for months.
In a video on her website, Clinton declared: “I am running for President”.
“Americans have fought their way back from tough economic times,” she said, “but the deck is still stacked in favour of those at the top.
“Everyday Americans need a champion and I want to be that champion,” she added.
Clinton’s team said would spend the next few weeks building up grassroots support in the early Democratic primary states; she tweeted that she is on her way to Iowa.
She is expected to hold her first rally, officially kicking off her campaign, in midMay.
Clinton has already had the backing of President Obama, who told a news conference at the Summit of the Americas in Panama on Saturday that she would make an “excellent president”.
And her successor in the post of Secretary of State,
Republican presidential contender Rand Paul criticised Clinton for her handling of a September 2012 attack on a US diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, in which the US Ambassador was among those killed.
He also said questions remained about funds received by a charity set up by Mr and Mrs Clinton.
Jeb Bush, former Florida Governor and brother of George W Bush who is also considering whether to stand as a Republican candidate, tweeted: “We must do better than Hillary.” (BBC News)
AG Anil Nandlall addressing residents
Africo Selman speaking at the Anna Regina meeting
A piece of the GPL pole resting on the top of the truck that crashed into it
Digicel Guyana releases Crum-Ewing’s phone records
– last call was placed to girlfriend
Digicel Guyana Inc has released the phone records of slain ex-soldier Courtney Crum-Ewing who was killed execution style on March 10, 2015 in the vicinity of Third Street, Diamond New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara.
A senior Police rank told Guyana Times that the phone records are being analyzed but confirmed
that the last call made by Crum Ewing was to his girl friend’s number. The Police rank stated that there are several other numbers that were frequently called by the now dead man.
These numbers, he added, will be plotted, noting that investigators are hoping for a breakthrough in the matter as soon as possible.
As Police continue their investigation into the mur-
der, the phone belonging to Crum-Ewing remains in their possession as well as the bullhorn that he was using at the time of the shooting.
Police have confirmed that, thus far, eight persons have been arrested but they have all been released owing to the lack of evidence. Investigators are also awaiting the fingerprint analysis done on the bullhorn. In addition, Police are awaiting
the results from the tests done on the car suspected to have been used in the shooting to death of the man.
Crum-Ewing, a father of three, came to the public’s attention after he held a one-man demonstration for 80 days in front of the office of Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, following revelations of a taped conversation between that official and a
Global agencies call for urgent action to avoid groundwater depletion
FAO, UNESCO, the World Bank, GEF and the International Association of Hydrogeologists have on Friday called for action by the global community to manage the increasingly urgent depletion and degradation of limited groundwater resources.
Ahead of the 7th World Water Forum in South Korea (12-17 April), the five organizations have proposed a set of principles governments can use for better groundwater management.
The 2030 Vision and Global Framework for Action represent a bold call for collective, responsible action by governments and the global community to ensure sustainable use of groundwater.
For too long, groundwater governance has been an area of policy neglect, resulting in the degradation and depletion of this critical resource.
Global groundwater withdrawals have tripled over the past half century -- more than a fourth of current withdrawals are non-sustainable. Widespread groundwater pollution is threatening humans and the environment. Most urban aquifers suffer from sanitation issues while coastal aquifers are exposed to saline water intrusion. Industrial pollution, pesticides and fertilizers also find their way into reservoirs.
The amount of renewable groundwater is unevenly distributed across regions. Some areas, especially those with low rainfall, are at risk more than others. Withdrawal intensity is highest in large parts of China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, the United States, Mexico and Europe. This could result in lost freshwater reserves at a time when groundwater storage is critical for sustaining water security and adapting to climate variability.
“Since time immemorial humans have sought water from the soil. But we have moved from a village being based around a well to whole cities and industries being built around groundwater,” said Junaid Ahmad, Senior Director of the World Bank Group Water Global Practice.
“We have learned how to dig ever deeper, pump ever harder, and how to turn deserts into breadbaskets. But we have not also increased the
rate at which our groundwater is recharged, and so we should not be surprised when our wells run dry. Much as we have invested in pumps and crops, so now we must invest in groundwater governance.”
Groundwater is indispensable to poverty reduction and shared prosperity. It accounts for more than a third of municipal and industrial supply and services some 40 percent of the planet’s irrigated agriculture. Groundwater has the potential to provide an improved source of drinking water for millions of urban and rural poor people. Many poor farmers and their families depend on it to irrigate their crops and sustain their livelihoods.
The 2030 Vision and Framework for Action provides an enabling framework and guiding principles for coordinated action among governments and organisations. “Sustainable management of groundwater is key to maintaining ecosystems and adapting to climate change,” said Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
“We can no longer take this invisible but vital source for granted; urgent action is needed to ensure its long term availability. We look forward to joining hands with partner agencies and countries to ensure water for drinking, food, cities, energy and industrial uses is available for generations to come.”
In response to the urgency of the situation and a product of four years of consultations with stakeholders from more than 100 countries, these principles focus on legal and institutional frameworks, policies, and plans as well as information and incentive structures for sound and effective groundwater management. This process signals strengthened collaboration across the international community to understand the barriers to better groundwater governance and address key regional challenges. “Collective and coordinated action is urgently needed to protect and prolong the integrity of our aquifers,” said Moujahed Achouri, Director of the Land and Water Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). “The cost of inaction can be enormous. This vision and framework is an urgent
call to decision-makers to act now with the right political decisions to help reach globally shared goals of social and economic development”. “To make groundwater governance a reality, it is necessary to foster cooperation among
countries, especially on transboundary aquifers,” said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. “Water directly influences our future, we must work together to manage this precious resource more sustainably.”
five times – three bullets to the head, one to the back of the neck and the fifth bullet entered under one of his arms. All the bullets were fired from behind and at close range except the one that hit under his arm and exited through his shoulder. It was also reported that the bullet wound to the back of the man’s neck was at point-blank range and gunpowder residue was found on the collar of the shirt he was wearing. Two .38 warheads were removed from the dead man’s head.
He was gunned down while urging residents of the Diamond Housing Scheme to go out and cast their ballots on May 11.
An autopsy report proved that Crum-Ewing was shot
Samples and pictures were taken by the family’s lawyer and were sent overseas to be analyzed by a private pathologist. Hours after the shooting, the Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee ordered a full investigation into the murder of the man which has since been politicized.
Courtney Crum-Ewing senior reporter of Kaieteur News.
Regional
Obama-Castro summit meeting caps thaw in US-Cuba relations
US President Barack Obama has said his meeting with Cuban President Raul Castro will help both countries “turn the page” after decades of hostility.
He described the meeting on the fringes of the Summit of the Americas in Panama as “candid and fruitful”.
Obama said that the former foes would continue to have differences, but could advance mutual interests.
The meeting was the first formal talks between the two countries’ leaders in more than half a century.
“What we have both concluded is that we can disagree with a spirit of respect and civility,” said President Obama. “Over time, it is possible for us to turn the page and develop a new relationship between our two countries.”
His remarks came at the end of a regional summit which has been dominated by the historic thaw between US-Cuba relations.
Cuban leader Raul
Castro said that the two countries had “agreed to disagree” when necessary.
“We are disposed to talk about everything, with pa-
es out of me,” the Cuban leader said. “I have to ask President Obama for forgiveness. He is not responsible for the things which
tience,” he said. “Some things we will agree with, and others we won’t.”
Earlier, the Cuban leader referred to Obama as an “honest man” after a lengthy speech largely taken up with the history of the relationship between the US and Cuba.
“When I talk about the revolution, the passion ooz-
happened before his time.”
Latin American and Caribbean leaders at the summit in Panama have welcomed the reconciliation.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff hailed it as a courageous effort to end the last vestiges of the Cold War, which she said had caused great damage
in the hemisphere.
President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner of Argentina gave the main credit to Cuba, saying it had fought with unprecedented dignity against the US blockade.
The US broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1959 after Fidel Castro and his brother Raul led a revolution toppling US-backed President Fulgencio Batista. The Castros established a revolutionary socialist state with close ties to the Soviet Union.
Castro has called for the lifting of the US economic blockade on Cuba and the country’s removal from Washington’s list of state sponsors of terrorism.
For Washington, political reform and human rights in Cuba are key issues. Obama is expected to remove Cuba from the terrorism list in the coming days.
The Summit of the Americas brings together the leaders of North, Central and South America. This, the sev-
Turks and Caicos developer sued over criminal Ponzi scheme funding
The developer of a recently announced Ritz Carlton resort in Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), Walter Stipa, is being sued in US federal court to recover the proceeds of a criminal enterprise. Stipa’s development company Desarrollos is also being sued to recover part of the proceeds of a US$300 million fraud described as Connecticut’s
largest Ponzi scheme in history.
Stipa and the TCI Government just concluded the signing of a development agreement for a US$224 million resort on Providenciales’ world famous Grace Bay. The resort approval process has gone through several stages, with announcements of its development capturing the at -
tention of the investment community in the corruption-tainted islands.
The lawsuit alleges that “Defendants [Stipa and Desarrollos companies] received or benefited from at least US$15 million transferred from Receivership Entities while failing to provide any reasonably equivalent value”.
The receivers appointed by the US Justice
enth, is the first which Cuba attended.
Attempts to improve relations between the US and Cuba began in December when Obama declared Washington’s approach “outdated”.
As US ties with Cuba improve, those between Venezuela and Washington remain fractious.
The US imposed sanctions last month on a group of Venezuelan officials it accuses of human rights abuses. Obama also issued an executive order declaring Venezuela a threat to US national security.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has described the order as “disproportionate”.
President Maduro spoke briefly at the summit to President Obama,
who stressed that the US was interested in supporting and not threatening Venezuela.
The Venezuelan leader disputed that view, but according to a tweet from one of his aides “there was a lot of truth, respect and cordiality” during the short conversation.
The summit also highlighted differences between President Rafael Correa of Ecuador and the US.
Correa said the US had failed to live up to its ideals: “Let’s talk about human rights. In Ecuador, we don’t have torture, the death penalty or extrajudicial renditions.”
In response, Obama said the US does not claim to be perfect. “We make a claim to being open to change,” he said. (BBC News)
Brazilians protest against President amid oil scandal
Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff is just three months into her second term as leader, but she is facing growing discontent.
Her approval rating has dropped to just 13 per cent and protests against her are being planned across the country on Sunday.
They come as her Government is embroiled in a corruption scandal involving the state oil company, Petrobras.
According to Reuters, almost two thirds of Brazilians favour the impeachment of President Rousseff over the scandal, but roughly as many doubt it would drive her from office, according to a poll released on Saturday.
The survey by polling firm Datafolha showed 63 per cent of respondents sup-
port impeachment in light of the widening Police investigation into a huge kickback scheme at Petroleo Brasileiro SA, as the oil giant is formally known. Still, 64 per cent said they did not expect the scandal would be enough to cut short Rousseff’s second term, which began in January.
Opposition parties have played down the prospects for impeachment, although they have lent support to protests against Rousseff. Rousseff herself is not under investigation in the still-expanding Petrobras probe. She says she knew nothing about the bribery and price-fixing racket that allegedly cost the company billions of dollars while she was Chairwoman from 2003 to 2010. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera and Reuters)
Suriname stops Jamaican teen’s ISIS trip
Suriname Police said a 16-year-old boy from Jamaica was refused passage through Suriname on Saturday after Immigration’s officers suspected that he was travelling to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) through Turkey.
Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission, who were tasked with identifying and collecting the proceeds of the crime, discovered the stolen money. Franscisco Illarramendi, the mastermind behind the crime, pleaded guilty in 2011 to the massive fraud and is awaiting sentencing.
In a statement, the Police said the teenager arrived at the Johan Adolf Pengel Airport on a flight from Jamaica, intending to transit to the Netherlands, from where he would travel to Turkey.
“He was denied entry to Suriname, because we received information from a regional intelligence service that he wanted to join ISIS,” the Police said, without identifying the teenager.
The statement said that after the boy was interrogated and additional informa-
tion received from Jamaica, the decision was made to send him back to Kingston on the next available flight.
The statement said the decision was made by the Police Chief, the Attorney General and management of the Military Police, which runs immigration services.
Police said his repatriation is the result of successful cooperation between local and international intelligence services.
“It sends a clear signal that Suriname is doing everything so the Region does not become involved in terrorism.”
This case comes just weeks after the Jamaica Ministry of National Security in a statement on March 14 said there were no nationals fighting alongside ISIS. (Excerpt from CM5
Increased commerce and travel likely after talks between the US and Cuban Presidents for the first time in decades
Left to right seated: Acting TCI Governor Anya Williams, Desarrollos Hotel Group President and CEO Walter Stipa, and TCI Premier Dr Rufus Ewing. Left to right, back row: Regency Christies International Real Estate Director and Broker, Walter Gardiner Jr; TCIG Attorney Khalila Astwood; Development Consultant for Desarrollos Group, Guillermo Martis; TCIG Investment Unit Investment Executive, Rochelle Thompson; Finance and Investment Minister Washington Misick
Turkey angry at Pope Francis’ Armenian genocide claim, recalls envoy
Turkey has recalled its envoy to the Vatican after Pope Francis described the mass killing of Armenians under Ottoman rule in WW1 as “genocide”.
Turkey has reacted with anger to the comment made by the Pope at a service in Rome earlier on Sunday.
Armenia and many historians say up to 1.5 million people were killed by Ottoman forces in 1915.
But Turkey has always disputed that figure and said the deaths were part of a civil conflict triggered by WWI.
The row has continued to sour relations between
Armenia and Turkey.
The Pope made the comment at a Mass in the Armenian Catholic rite at Peter’s Basilica, attended by the Armenian President and church leaders.
He said that humanity had lived through “three massive and unprecedented tragedies” in the last century.
“The first, which is widely considered ‘the first genocide of the 20th Century’, struck your own Armenian people,” he said, in a form of words used by a declaration by Pope John Paul II in 2001.
Pope Francis also re-
ferred to the crimes “perpetrated by Nazism and Stalinism” and said other genocides had followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Burundi and Bosnia.
He said it was his duty to honour the memories of those who were killed.
“Concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding without bandaging it,” the Pope added.
Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan welcomed his comments, saying they sent a powerful message to the international community. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Saudi Arabia rejects Iran’s call to end Yemen raids
Saudi Arabia has rejected calls by Iran to halt air strikes on neighbouring Yemen, saying Tehran should not interfere in the conflict, now in its second week.
Speaking at a news conference in the Saudi capital Riyadh, Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said on Sunday the aerial bombardment on Houthi positions seeks to help a “legitimate” Government.
“How can Iran call for us to stop the fighting in Yemen ... We came to Yemen to help the legitimate authority, and Iran is not in charge of Yemen,” al-Faisal
told a joint news conference with his French counterpart Laurent Fabius.
Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies began air strikes against Iranian-allied Houthi fighters in Yemen on March 26 to try to prevent them from expanding their control across the country.
The Houthis swept into the Yemeni capital Sanaa in September and in February put President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi under house arrest, demanding that he carry out political reforms.
Nine Arab countries, five of them members of the sixnation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), are part
of the Saudi-led coalition, which is also backed by the United States.
Sunni Saudi Arabia feared the rebels would take over the entire country and move it into the orbit of Shia Iran.
Fabius, meanwhile, has expressed support for the Saudi-led air strikes against the Houthis.
“Concerning Yemen, we are here to demonstrate our support, especially political, to the Saudi authorities,” he told reporters as he began a series of meetings with the Saudi leadership, including King Salman. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Monitor says Syrian Army bombs Aleppo school
Agroup monitoring the Syrian war said at least nine people, including five children, were killed in a Syrian Army air strike that hit a school in a rebel-held area of the country’s second city Aleppo on Sunday, though the Army denied the report.
A Syrian Army source told Reuters the Army had stepped up attacks on rebels since the insurgents bombarded a Government-
held residential area in the north-western city on Saturday. But he said the military had not targeted civilians.
Aleppo is a major frontline in the four-year-old Syrian civil war, a conflict which the United Nations says has killed around 220,000 people. The city, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the Turkish border, is divided between Government and insurgent
It is India’s right to get a permanent seat on UNSC – PM Modi
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday made a strong pitch for a permanent seat for India in the United Nations Security Council, saying it should get it as a “right” for its immense contribution to global peace.
“Those days are gone when India had to beg. Now we want our right. No other country has such moral authority,” he said while addressing the Indian commu-
nity in Paris.
“This is an opportunity to recognise a peace-loving nation like India,” he said, asking the UN to reconsider its stand on the issue when it celebrates the 70th anniversary.
Addressing an enthusiastic civic reception by the Indian community on Saturday evening, Modi said that this is the centenary year of World War I, and India gave 14 lakh jawans to
fight in a war that was not its, and lost 75,000 men.
“I want to give the message to world, that they should view India differently, that this is a country that gives sacrifice not just for itself but for others,” he said. He said India is the largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping force and the Indian soldiers are known for their discipline, valour, intelligence. (Excerpt from Hindustan Times)
Deadly stampede at Kenyan university after explosions
One Kenyan student has died and 141 others have suffered injuries in a stampede on the campus of the University of Nairobi when students mistook several accidental explosions for an attack, according to an official.
The victim in Sunday’s stampede was identified as a male third-year student, according to the Associated Press news agency, which cited Peter Mbithi, the vice chancellor of the University of Nairobi.
The injured students have been taken to hospitals for treatment, Mbithi said.
He said an electrical
transformer exploded and students thought it was an attack like the April 2 assault by Somalia’s al-Shabab rebels on Kenya’s Garissa University College in which 148 people were killed.
“It was around 5am local time and the transformer at the campus exploded about four or five times which made students mistake it for an attack,” said Mbithi. “Most of them jumped out of their hostels thinking it was an al-Shabab attack.”
control.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks the war using a network of sources on the ground, said the death toll from the strike on Jamil al Qabani school would likely rise.
The dead included two women, it said.
The Observatory circulated a video it said showed the aftermath of the attack.
(Excerpt from Reuters)
Al-Shabab has killed more than 400 people on Kenyan soil in the past two years, including 67 during a siege at Nairobi’s Westgate mall in 2013, damaging tourism and inward investment.
Kenya responded to the latest attack with air strikes on al-Shabab targets in Somalia and closure of informal financial firms suspected of involvement in the funding of the rebels. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Sharon Mutual, a student of the University, told the Reuters news agency: “Some students rushed through the doors, others jumped through the window from the fifth floor, others on the fourth floor. Most of them were unconscious after falling.”
Shark kills surfer, 13, off Reunion in Indian Ocean
There have been 16 such attacks on the island since 2007. Seven people have died
A13-year-old boy has been killed by a shark off the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion.
The teenager, named as Elio, was surfing in an offlimits section of water off the west coast, when he was attacked on Sunday morn-
ing. In a statement, local authorities said they had deployed specialist boats in an attempt to locate the shark.
There have been 16 such attacks on the island since 2007. Seven people have died.
The young victim was said to have been a promising surfer. Rescuers arrived at the scene quickly but were unable to save him.
In February, after a non-fatal shark attack, a ban was imposed on all water activities outside areas monitored by lifeguards. (BBC News)
Many members of the Armenian clergy were at the ceremony
An electrical transformer exploded and students thought it was an attack, with many jumping from their dorms
monday, april 13, 2015|
CIOG’s annual fundraising dinner in Canada set for May
The Canadian Support Group of the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) is set to host its annual fundraising dinner billed for May 2.
During the dinner, which will be held at the Islamic Institute of Toronto (IIT), Scarborough, Canada, invitees would be edified on the actions taken to
tunity to seek their generous contributions so that the CIOG can continue to serve the less fortunate people of Guyana.
In a release on Sunday, CIOG said the contributions will continue to make a significant difference in the lives of others via a number of existing programmes.
“For example, to ensure
must be paid to travel and conduct Madrasah classes.
To provide for the vulnerable, our orphan sponsorship programme meets the nutritional, educational and medical needs of children for just US$30 a month per child. To strengthen bonds in the community, our social services include assisting poor Muslim families
help the poor and needy.
Additionally, the support group would use the oppor-
that the knowledge of Islam is circulated, our teachers working in several regions
with the burials of their loved ones. To safeguard the happiness of our chil-
dren, the 375 orphans currently registered in our programmes are treated to a delicious meal, games, rides and presents every year at an annual fun day,” CIOG explained.
It was also pointed out that Zakaat can also be donated at the dinner and will be used only for its intended purpose. It was also
YCG, UNESCO strengthening women’s entrepreneurial skills
Youth Challenge Guyana (YCG) is working in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to improve the abilities of women to reduce debt and increase revenues for their businesses.
The partnership has thus far resulted in the hosting of a Women’s Entrepreneurship Support Workshop which was designed to train women to become successful business entrepreneurs.
stated that all donors will receive a tax deductible receipt from the International Development Relief Foundation (IDRF) for their donations made.
The event is one in which the members of Canada come together to lend a helping hand to the executives of the CIOG in Guyana; to show them how
much they appreciate the great effort they are making to help the people of the country.
The event will be chaired by the Imam of the Taric Mosque, Shaikh
while the keynote speech will be delivered by
The event is being led by Dr Abdullah Hakim Quick.
Mercy Hospital...
Further expanding on the hospital’s specialties, Dr Bridgemohan said, “the other area which we have developed is Neuroscience...now the hospital has a neurosurgeon on staff and we have also been conducting neurosurgery. We are connecting to a network called the JIPA Network which connects us with over 200 facilities including physicians, very good neurologists like Dr Nedd and neurosurgeons such as Dr Crandon from Jamaica.”
The JIPA Network collaborates with medical experts,
Graduate Degree in ICU for children, with over 20 years experience,” the CEO pointed out. The emergency unit works 24 hours per day, inclusive of holidays and weekends and is always staffed with experienced qualified nurses trained in basic life support and advanced cardio-life support and trauma. Nurses are supported by physicians who are always on site so there is never an instance where emergency doctors have to be called in. “Every doctor has at least 5 years experience. The
Ramrekha said book keeping, communication for businesses, networking, strategic planning and elements of marketing were among topics covered during the workshop.
The YCG Education Programme Manager further explained that mentors have been attached to the participants to ensure that key benchmarks are attained. “It is of our hope that the knowledge they have gained will help to improve their business management, confidence and have system in place to prevent failures in their business operations. I have seen great potential in growth and development in all of the businesses run by the participants and sin-
Speaking at the conclusion of the four day workshop on Friday, YCG Education Programme Manager Chriseana Ramrekha told Guyana Times that 21 persons participated in the workshop who are proprietors of grocery stores, salons and confectionary stands among other businesses in Regions Three and Four.
cerely hope that they will all be successful in the overall development of their businesses,” Ramrekha said.
Meanwhile, YCG Director Dimitri Nicholson said that he is confident that the knowledge acquired by the participants would contribute to the success of their businesses. “Even though they might be competing, they are collaborating at the same time because of the skills and networking they have attained during the course of the workshop.” He urged the participants to keep on looking for ways to improve themselves.
One of the participants, Tracy Ann, who has a baby store, told Guyana Times that she acquired “tremendous experience” during the four day workshop.
“This programme has
transformed me, I am now a better business woman and I can say the same for the other participants, because it was truly a learning experience,” Ann said.
In total, the programme is targeting 60 business women from small communities who will participate in a series of workshops which will come to an end in December.
YCG creates opportunities for youths and communities to allow for positive local social change, strengthened by global partnerships. It was established to offer the young people of Guyana and across the world an opportunity to make significant contributions to community development while gaining valuable leadership and problem solving skills.
with state-of-the-art technologies and services, in order to provide patients with access to health care, critical medical services and elective procedures.
While invasive neurosurgery is conducted at Mercy Hospital, there may be instances where additional medical treatment overseas is required. In this regard, Dr Bridgemohan said patients are efficiently moved through the JIPA Network for fast and affordable care elsewhere and can access after-surgery physiotherapy at the rehabilitation centre located at Mercy Hospital.
The facility also boasts a well-staffed Paediatric Nursery. “We have probably the most qualified pediatricians in Guyana, including our lead pediatrician, who, besides being a pediatrician, holds a Masters Degree in infections in children, and Post
Emergency Room is supported by two operating theatres that work on a 24-hour basis. Of the two theatres, one is the largest that exist in Guyana,” the CEO stated.
A special facility for the elderly, under the management of St Joseph Mercy Hospital is set to be commissioned before the end of 2015. It is envisioned that at the facility, persons with special conditions such as schizophrenia and dementia can be treated and properly cared for. The facility is being built to accommodate some 50 persons. Dr Bridgemohan said while “we are not God and we can’t resolve everything” rest assured that at Mercy Hospital patients receive expert medical care and services, and the highly trained staff do all that is humanly possible to ensure issues are resolved.
Imran Ali
Shaikh Abdool Hamid.
Students receiving their awards at the CIOG/Zakat House Annual Orphans’ Fun Day in 2014
Computer Training Centre commissioned at New Amsterdam, Berbice
Some of the businesswomen who participated in the YCG/UNESCO workshop
Lab Technicians at work
Allegations against Rohee’s daughter…
Dr Luncheon says show evidence of racism
BY VAHNU MANIKCHAND
Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr Roger Luncheon on Tuesday asked those levy ing allegations against new member of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Rima Rohee-Paul, to present evidence support ing claims that she is a “rac ist”.
Rohee-Paul, who was listed in the Party’s National Top-Up List of Candidates, has come in for a dose of heavy criticisms for mak ing several racial comments on various social media but more prevalent on her Facebook page.
tions will definitely be taken. However, he explained that it cannot be expected that because the allegations are coming from a member of the media, or anyone else as a matter of fact, then that would be the basis for the implementation of disciplinary procedures against errant party members.
the allegations were made,” the Cabinet Secretary remarked.
He went onto say that if found to be in breach of the ethical rules that guide the PPP/C then the member would be sanctioned.
HHonesty
onesty is important because it creates peace of mind and promotes relationships of trust among us. The good thing about honesty is that it makes a relationship with people and society a complete whole.
According to Dr Luncheon, when a member of the party transgresses the rules of politically correct behaviour – especially at a time when General and Regional Elections are around the corner – then there is no place for that person in the party.
On the flip side of this when we are not honest, it surely leads to conflict and corruption. We may not realize this, but honesty can provide some sort of self-improvement – meaning that when a person is honest with him/herself, it means that they can recognize their own weaknesses, which is a good thing, because this will allow them to work towards becoming a better person.
Whereas, when someone is dishonest with him/herself, they have a harder time to make any improvement.
At the post Cabinet briefing on Friday, Dr Luncheon was asked whether any disciplinary action would be taken against the new member, given the fact that she is the daughter of the PPP/C’s General Secretary Clement Rohee.
The HPS pointed out that if such a claim is supported by evidence, then ac-
“It is the supply and provisions of the facts of the matter. This person has contravened the party, this person is a member of the party (and) in essence, we are expecting party rules to apply. I think in terms of natural justice, this is the preferred way instead of these allegations that frequently surface unsupported by facts with strident calls for actions to be taken against those who
“That kind of behaviour is unacceptable,” he declared.
The HPS went onto say that with the availability of the data, information and facts, the appropriate actions will be taken against errant persons.
MICS Survey to be released within weeks
The Report on the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) Round Five in Guyana is scheduled to be released before the end of the month.
UNICEF Resident Coordinator Marianne Flach told Guyana Times that while the results have been received, a final analysis is being done to ensure that the data is correct. She said that once the final analysis has been done and the report is formulated, it will be released. This is expected to be finished before the end of April.
The data-collection campaign, which was launched in March, 2014 at the Bureau of Statistics, is a study to look at the welfare of women, children and men because, previously, no such information was collected, but this time, statistics on men’s health are being gathered.
Flach pointed out that for most countries, MICS are used for situation analyses, policy decisions and programme interventions, and for influencing public opinion on the situation of children and women.
Guyana’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud shared that MICS provides the wide range of information needed to address several areas which include education, child protection, water and sanitation, and many health issues, including HIV and AIDS. The information is also used to address special health issues for men, women and children.
Dr Persaud also pointed out that MICS ena-
bles the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including those related to hunger, primary education, gender equality and environmental sustainability, which are proving to be more elusive and costly to attain. He said the Health Ministry is looking forward to the results from the survey, since there are always other pressing health matters that have to be faced, including the emergence of new diseases.
The project was funded by the Government of Guyana and UNICEF.
MICS is a household survey developed by the agency in response to the World Summit for Children, held in 1990, to measure progress towards an internationally agreed set of goals for children. Since the inception of MICS, four rounds have been completed in 1995, 2000, 2005-6 and 2009-10.
The first was conducted around 1995 and although Guyana did not participate,
it was one of the 65 countries involved in the second round of global surveys conducted in 2000 and participated, again, in 2006. This has given the country, its decision-makers and its donors, quality data that maps out development trends for the country.
While Guyana has either achieved or is well on course to achieving several of the MDGs, including those related to hunger, primary education, gender equality and environmental sustainability, other goals are proving to be more elusive and costly to attain.
Among those is the goal of reducing infant and maternal mortality, but while it has made significant progress in reducing under five mortality through better vaccination coverage and management of childhood illnesses, neonatal mortality is still a critical issue.
While many children still die from preventable causes within the first month of life, MICS data can provide the information needed to identify these trends and plan effectively to address them.
It is an important monitoring tool for assessing the well-being of children, women and their families, as it gathers facts for over 20 of the 48 MDG indicators.
MICS is the largest international household survey to collect information on so many MDG indicators in such a short period and for Guyana to continue making progress as a lower middleincome country, sound information on child rights indicators is crucial for formulating and revising national and sub-national pol-
icies and for monitoring to ensure the country’s progress toward the achievement of the MDGs and other global commitments aimed at promoting the welfare of children.
MICS Five will address the current data gaps in Guyana, and for children, this means that they will be better able to identify the critical areas which need to be addressed, and ensure that they are protected, have better access to quality health care and education and make better life choices, so that they will have a sustainable future as they grow into adulthood. With the completion of the data-gathering process, the final report is expected to be available by the end of December.
We must remember that a society that is characterized by a culture of dishonesty is missing the opportunity to thrive businesses and even the government as well. And speaking of Government, a dishonest political leader can easily take advantage of his/her office in many of ways.
Some of them may be stealing funds from the public. Honesty can really makes a relationship stronger by promoting trust, because if someone finds out that he/she has been lied to, it makes it very challenging to trust the liar in the future I have no doubt that we all at some point in our lives have come across people who seems very loving at first, but as we get to know them more, we see a completely different side to them.
And as we get to know them more, we realize their charm is only phony. For example when they smile, we can surely see a big smile, but on the other hand their eyes is telling a whole different story.
Or in many other cases, as soon as we try to talk about anything important, their body language may change right away.
There is an old saying that when someone is being nice to us, it’s a good reason not to trust them. I personally grew up respecting those who told me the truth even in the most difficult times in their live, because it surely wasn’t an easy thing to do.
It is much easier to get over a situation this way, rather than having to lie to people only because we want to come across as a nice person. Honesty surely takes courage, because it’s never easy to break someone’s heart.
However, a good example is if we are not in love with someone who is badly in love with us, then the right thing to do is to be strong enough to tell them how we feel and that we want to end the relationship.
For the sake of being honest, it is important for us to accept the fact that a situation as such is a tough one, but at the same time we must take some responsibility for putting ourselves into that situation, but most importantly we must face such difficulties with courage.
When we can do this we are seen as an individual who people can trust, because it’s all about being honest.
For questions, comments and feedback, send them to mcnarine@rogers.com.
WBD businessman in custody for
2kg marijuana
Abusinessman on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD) was on Saturday arrested and taken into custody following the discovery of a large quantity of marijuana at his home. The discovery was made at about 14:15h.
The businessman, Kishore Rambarran of Lot 21 Vriesland, WBD is expected to be slapped with a possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking charge when he makes his appearance at the Wales Magistrate’s Court today.
According to reports received, a team of Police ranks from the La Grange
Police Station swooped down the man’s home after receiving a tip off. Upon their arrival, they recognised Rambarran attempting to get rid of a black plastic bag after he saw them approaching in his direction.
The man then walked into his home, but the Police ranks retrieved the bag and upon a closer inspection, a quantity of seeds, leaves and stems were discovered. The man was questioned, told of the offence, and taken into custody. The marijuana was weighed to be two kilograms.
The man’s house is re-
portedly close to the Sea dam which gives him easy access to the Demerara River leaving investigators to believe that his business is conducted through that route.
Nothing substantial was found in the man’s house after a search was conducted. Police confirmed that Rambarran was previously charged for a similar offence.
Over the past few weeks, Police have been successful in clamping down on the drug trade on the West Bank of Demerara following reports that illicit drugs are flooding the streets.
Narine Dat Sookram
Chief Medical Officer Dr Shamdeo Persaud
monday, april 13, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com
Summit of the Americas can easily be described as tremendous success
Dear Editor,
The just concluded seventh Summit of the Americas in Panama can easily be described as a tremendous success mainly because the Presidents of the United States Barack Obama and Cuba Raul Castro warmly shook hands and sat side by side each other on Friday and Saturday.
Secretary of State John Kerry also had discussion with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodríguez and, as further evidence of trade relations between Cuba and the United States, Castro had discussions with President of the US Chamber of Commerce Tom Donahue.
The historical Cuba/US relationship attracted more than 2000 journalists from all parts of the world, including China, Africa, and hundreds from Cuba and the US, and there was tight security in the city, which forced the closure of half of the city on Friday and Saturday.
Obama was a bit cautious when he said that even as a "new chapter" in relations
was launched", we have our differences, Government to Government, with Cuba on many issues.
Cuba’s presence on the blacklist - which also includes Iran, Sudan and Syria - has been a major sticking point in the negotiations.
I understand that now that Obama has made a favourable decision. Congress has 45 days to decide whether to override his recommendation. Cuba is clamourng for the embargo to be lifted because it is the main reason for the island’s economic troubles.
Organization of American Sates (OAS) Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza said that "this Summit in Panama has such a special dimension because Cuba’s President was present and UN Chief Ban Ki-moon emphasised that "the presence of President Castro embodies a longing expressed by many in the region".
Obama said on Saturday he was not interested in what transpired in the past. "We have to move forward -
we have to focus on the future", stressing the need or an integrated region and the emphasis on youths and education.
He also spoke about the respect for human rights and freedom of speech. He said that he has voted US$1 billion to improve Central America and that there will be an exchange programme for 100,000 students from the US to Latin America, and another 100,000 from Latin America to the United States.
During the past year, he added, there has been a better relationship between the US and Cuba since far more Americans visited Cuba and there was also an increase of export to the island.
Guyana was represented at the Summit by the Foreign Minister and Ambassador Bayney Karran. President Donald Ramotar attended the conference with US President Barak Obama in Jamaica with other Heads of Caricom.
Oscar Ramjeet
Moses was recognized as "Person of Indian Origin"
Dear Editor, Mahadeo (Mike) Persaud wrote in another section of the media, “Dr Vishnu Bisram, Dr Baytoram Ramharack, and others … penned attack letters against Moses Nagamootoo" for disavowing that he (Moses) is not Indian.
A response was not published in that paper. That is misinformation and political propaganda being peddled by Persaud. We did not attack Moses. Ramharack commented that Moses must have made the statement that is not Indian to be “politically correct” in his new found relationship with the PNC. Ramharack did not attack Moses, with whom Ramharack and myself shared a close relationship during the struggle against the PNC ethnic dictatorship. Moses had no reason to disavow his Indianness.
One should be proud of one’s ethnic origin, and one does not have to deny one's origin to celebrate one's nationality or respect the identity of others. One does not have to deny one’s Indianness in order to be called Guyanese. Kwayana and David Hinds did not disavow their Africanness to be called Guyanese.
I nominated Moses for the GOPIO award based on his significant contributions to Indo-Guyanese and other groups (as an Indian leader). I used my contacts in New Delhi to provide him with the best of accommodation and an audience with eminent individuals while he was there to receive the GOPIO honor.
When GOPIO conferred the honor on Moses, it rec-
ognized him as a "Person of Indian Origin" - making it clear that the organization wasn't conferring "Indian" citizenship to him! It was a disappointment to the GOPIO leadership and my friends in India to learn that Moses now feels “he is no Indian” because of his new found alliance with the PNC.
Contrary to what Persaud penned, I have not seen any statement from the PPP/C or any evidence in its campaign to win “every last Indian vote”. That is Opposition propaganda. Where have these appeals been made? This is an invention of Persaud’s imagination.
At any rate, even if such an appeal is made, it has no connection with Ramharack and or myself as we are not advisors or members of the PPP/C, and we are not campaigning for it. Persaud is campaigning for the PNC alliance. We merely pointed out facts as stated by Moses.
Persaud suggested that Ramharack and myself (and others) “invented” the statement attributed to Nagamootoo at Naresa palace. That is impossible. While I cannot swear to the accuracy of Ramharack’s report, the good Professor would not mislead readers or lie on Moses, especially when 300-plus people were at the meeting.
Others I spoke with confirm that Moses did say he “is not Indian”. Dr Dhanpaul Narine also affirmed that Moses did make such a comment. Moses himself has not denied making the statement. I cannot comprehend,
Why doesn’t the coalition want young people to know
Dear Editor,
The idea being advanced by the coalition parties, APNU and the AFC, that voters must forget the past when making their decision at the polls is unfortunate. The AFC hopes that since our young people know nothing about the past and are therefore not burdened by it they will vote for the coalition.
If our youth know nothing of their history, shouldn’t these supposedly responsible coalition leaders educate them, inform them and tell them about it? Is the coalition planning to win on the ignorance of our youth? Are they banking on it?
Why does the coalition not want young people to know about the past? Are they ashamed, guilty, or afraid of being unmasked as something they are not?
If youthful ignorance is being praised by the coalition one wonders what kind of education our children will receive should they win. A revisionist history of events? A blank of so many years because some want us to forget?
History matters. Writers and philosophers have said it in so many ways that not knowing your history, or willfully forgetting it leaves you rudderless and directionless, and could condemn you to repeating the mistakes of the past. It is from experience that we know what works and what should be corrected or abolished.
Because none of the parties is giving a clear vision of the future it has in mind, we have no alternative but to evaluate them from their past record. Who kept promises? Who subverted justice? Who condoned corruption? Who killed and who justified the killings?
The list is long and the sad state of affairs is that no one side comes out unscathed. This is why it is especially important for young voters to know all of the history if they are to make an informed choice at the polls.
It is an especially difficult choice. One side fears a return to Burnhamism and the other a continuation of Jagdeoism. Most voters see it as a choice between two evils and since Indian
the past?
Guyanese will see one party as the lesser evil and African Guyanese another, by and large, race-based voting will continue. What a boon it would have been had just one party admitted to mistakes made in the past and given assurances that there would be no such recurrence. What a missed opportunity for true greatness to have put all of Guyana first and leave partisanship behind. But we have no such leaders. We only have petty politicians and grubby, little opportunists. There is not a single statesman among the lot of them. Who is to blame for this sorry state of affairs, them or us?
I fear it is us as I watch thousands jig themselves merrily to nonsensical campaign messages including ones that tell us that our future lies in forgetting the past. Given this sad state of affairs, Guyana will continue to lose no matter who wins at the polls.
Ryhaan Shah
Granger has no intention...
She had long made public her concern that there are not many women leaders in society, starting at the helm of the PNC-APNU.
therefore, why Persaud insists the statement was not made and that it was “invented”. Something is amiss in making accusing us of inventing the statement while simultaneously phoning GOPIO to query on the criteria for the honor.
Either the statement was invented or not – it is not a case of being half pregnant. Does Persaud mean 300 people would lie on Moses, one of the most decent politicians I have met during my political struggle of over 40 years?
Finally, as best as I know, contrary to what Persaud penned, Ramharack and I did not go out and “appeal to every Indian to vote PPP/C”. Neither Ramharack nor myself are running for office. We spent almost 25 years struggling for the restoration of democracy and the right for Guyanese to freely choose their Government.
I have been conducting opinion polls in Guyana, as was Ramharack before me. It would not be appropriate for me to inject myself in political campaigns. How Indians vote is their business.
Persaud condemns those who appeal to Indians to vote PPP/C. Why hasn’t he criticized those from the PNC or AFC who has appealed to every African to vote PNC (alliance)?
Where are the balance and objectivity in his criticism? Or is it a case of you don’t criticize your party?
Vishnu Bisram
Sadly, Dr Harding, a former Government Minister, educator, women’s rights activist, community worker and psychotherapist, died earlier this year after a period of illness. Guyana mourns the loss of a true patriot.
More recently, APNU Member of Parliament Africo Selman quit the party and harshly criticised David Granger for his alleged “antiwoman” stance.
Selman accused Granger of using the hardworking women within his party as a front to give the impression that the party respects women and has a plan for their overall development and upward mobility, but in reality, Granger wanted to relegate them to subservient roles.
Now the outspoken Selma said she experienced the worst forms of emotional, ver-
bal and psychological abuse within the PNC-APNU camp.
Like Dr Harding before her, she exposed the hypocrisy of the men at the helm of the PNC-APNU who constantly sideline women and young ladies with dissenting, independent views who wanted to be promoted to senior postings on the basis of meritocracy.
She calls on Guyanese to denounce the “window dressing” of women in the PNCAPNU camp, and to take a stance against the abuse, misuse and maltreatment of women in politics. “They are saying one thing and doing another. They are using women as a front and they are ill-treating and sidelining them behind the scenes. They want to just keep us barefoot and pregnant,” she said.
Women’s right’s advocate and Minister of Education Priya Manickchand had this to say: “Not only do they place their active women in the back seat just before they
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exclude them altogether from their party's leadership a la Vanessa Kissoon….”
“And not only do they abuse and denigrate their women leaders a la Africo Selma, but they also unlawfully try to circumvent the law that has been in place for many years now that at least one third of the list of candidates must be women.”
As we approach E-Day in May, Granger has the audacity to solicit votes from our womenfolk to put them in office when he has chosen yet another male as his running mate.
But judging from Moses Nagamootoo’s uncouth and unwarranted attacks on Elisabeth Harper, it would appear that the PNC-APNUAFC Leader has found someone that’s truly compatible with his views on women who dare to enter the political arena.
Harry Gill
How can citizens trust...
At the opening session of the two-day Training of Trainers Programme at the St Joseph High School on September 13, 2014, Keith Lowenfield emphasized that favoritism, cronyism and nepotism will not be associated with the employment procedures being used by GECOM.
However, in District Six the opposite happened, contradicting the CEOs’ remarks. In fact, the Returning Officer of District Six helped his friends in the process, disregarding the criteria associated with due process and international best practice as mentioned by Dr Surujbally.
The Elections Clerk handpicked his son, who was a trainer of polling day staff and positioned him as DRO, overlooking the fact that his son was not trained as a DRO, but a polling day staff trainer.
Isn’t this a blatant and glaring act of cronyism?
Another fundamental question that is left unanswered is why advertise for Clerical Assistant, only to realize you don’t need them in this election structure?
This certainly a waste of advertising resources, people’s time and shows poor planning, because it appears that the RO has no powers
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since he is new while the two election clerks have all the powers vested in them.
GECOM needs to be a transparent body in all its functions, including the temporary employment of election workers because if the commission can’t get the issue of employment right then, how can we the citizens trust them in producing a free and fair election results?
The commission needs to rectify there concerns before May 11.
Student (name withheld) University of Guyana
Simmons impressed with uncapped Windies duo
ew West Indies head
NCoach Phil Simmons says he is impressed with the growth shown by the two uncapped players selected in the regional side to play England in a threematch test series starting here Monday.
Rookie batsman Shai Hope and fellow Barbadian, fast-bowling all-rounder, Carlos Brathwaite, were selected in the 14-man squad announced by selectors late Friday.
Hope, was the fourth highest run-getter in the WICB Professional Cricket League (PCL) amassing 628 runs from nine matches, which included a score of 211 against Windward Islands Volcanoes.
“I think young hope is technically sound, to score double hundreds at any level you must be able to bat
for a long period of time,” said Simmons, the former Ireland coach, who was appointed to the vacant position of West Indies head coach following the conclusion of the ICC World Cup
can bat for a long period of time and that’s a big thing with young cricketers now. Some of them just want to go out and play shots but he showed that he has the temperament”.
Brathwaite, 26, has been on the fringe of Test selection for some time having already turned out in the shorter versions for West Indies.
“Young Brathwaite, he just bowled like a test bowler, like an international bowler in the practice game and hit his lines and his length and troubled the batsmen right through so good things to be seen” said Simmons.
The former West Indies allrounder, took over the top job last week, and says
last month.
“He showed that in the practice match that he
it feels great to be working with the players.
“I’m a proud West Indian
Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) defeated Transport Sports Club by five wickets to win the Brainstreet Under-15 Competition on Saturday at the Malteenoes Sports Club Ground.
Transport Sports Club batted first and were dismissed for a paltry 85 runs, with Joel Spooner top scoring with 31 runs – the only batsman to make a meaningful contribution. The DCC bowling scalps came from Dequan Bamfield who took 3 wickets for 10 runs, Jospiece Jones took 2 for 10, Qumar Torrington took 2 for 11 and
took 2 for 25.
Windies ready to bring the passion against England
and it feels great to be back in the Caribbean working with the West Indies team,” he said.
“It has only been a week so far, but I am happy with our preparations and everyone is looking forward to the start of the first Test on Monday.”
The three Test matches will be played at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua; Grenada National Stadium; and Kensington Oval in Barbados.
The West Indies cricketers were due to continue their preparation with a full training session on Sunday morning at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground. (CMC)
DCC are winners of the Brainstreet Under-15 Competition
86 for the
West Indies appear set to launch a passionate challenge against England when the two sides meet in the first of a three test series in Antingua on Monday.
The West Indies have vowed to play “exciting and attacking cricket” in an allimportant high stakes series which begins at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.
Denesh Ramdin’s men, under the guidance of new head coach Phil Simmons, are also eager to keep intact, their record of not losing against England in Antigua.
“We have a young team and we will come out and play exciting and attacking cricket. It will be a tough series, with some hard days on the field, but we are ready for the hard work. We are fully prepared,” Ramdin said.
“I would like the team to go out and play competitive, exciting cricket. We know the opposition is a very good team.we need to do the basic stuff which is important…when we get out to bat try and spend time at the crease”.
The West Indies wrapped-up their preparation with a full training session on Sunday morning at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
Both teams are in hot pursuit of redemption following a woeful campaign in the recent World Cup.
The experienced wicketkeeper/batsman noted that the team’s preparation camp went well and a tough hard series against the visitors on home soil is expected.
“We know they have a very good bowling line-up so we are not going to give away any freebies,” said Ramdin.
“We are pushing ourselves a lot more now. A lot of youngsters are coming through. New faces that the English don’t know about”.
The new faces include uncapped players, batsman Shai Hope and fellow Barbadian, fast-bowling allrounder, Carlos Brathwaite.
However a number of leading players are unavailable for various reasons including Chris Gayle, Darren Sammy, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, and Lendl Simmons.
The regional team is expected to depend heavily on Ramdin, Darren Bravo,
Marlon Samuels and 40 year old Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
“We had a do with the governor general, Sir Rodney Williams, and they were saying they wanted to beat us 3-0,” said England captain Alastair Cook after a reception with Antigua and Barbuda governor general.
“They’re here to fight and we’ve got to expect, as I kept calling it, a war. We know we’re in for a hell of a battle.”
The once-mighty West Indies have propped up the ICC’s lists, above only Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, for the better part of two decades.
A repeat of their hardfought 1-0 triumph the last time the teams met in the Caribbean six years earlier would be a timely boost in Phil Simmons’ debut as head coach.
“My cricket philosophy is that you practice hard play easy. That’s the way I look at it,” said Simmons, the former West Indies all-rounder, who took over the top job last week.
“We have to be doing things a lot harder in practice which makes things easier when we get on the field”.
West Indies and England last met in the Caribbean in 2009 with the home side taking that close series one-nil.
While England are favourites to win the series, West Indies, like their opponent, are hoping the short series will be a major turning point after an unsuccessful run.
“I think they are going to come hard at us,” predicted Ramdin.
“So we need to prepare for that and put our backs against the wall and do something special here”.
Nkosie Beaton
In reply, DCC scored
loss of five wickets, as Alphius Bookie led his team to victory with an un-
beaten 33 runs and Robin Williams made 20. Bowling for Transport saw Joel Spooner taking
2 wickets for 17 runs and Akeem Maloney 2 for 17 as well. Bookie was named the Man of the Match.
The winning DCC team pose after their victory
Denesh Ramdin
West Indies head
Coach Phil Simmons
Shai Hope
Carlos Brathwaite
Daredevils heartbroken after Hooda heroics
Yet another IPL match was decided by sloppy fielding. Ajinkya Rahane’s dropping of Angelo Mathews allowed Delhi Daredevils to post 184 when they looked like they might waste a good start, but Daredevils went a step further by missing youngster Deepak Hooda twice in two overs. The youngest player in this IPL took them apart with four powerful sixes in his 25-ball 54, but when he fell Rajasthan Royals still needed 19 off 11. Imran Tahir, as did Amit Mishra, kept Daredevils alive with his variations, but Chris Morris and Tim Southee scored the required 12 off the last over to make it 11 defeats in a row for Daredevils, the joint-longest losing streak in IPL. Royals shouldn’t have been chasing this big a total after their spinners dragged Daredevils back from a good start. Mayank Agarwal and Shreyas Iyer both scored 40s, but Pravin Tambe and that man Hooda again applied the brakes with seven overs for 38 runs and one wicket. However, as it has been happening far too often for a league that pretends to boast superlative fielding, the decisive moments in this match too were pieces of ordinary fielding. Angelo Mathews was 5 off 4 when he hit James Faulkner down long-on’s throat. JP Duminy at the other end was struggling, Yuvraj Singh had got out seven balls ago, and at 145 for 3 in the 18th over Daredevils were threatening to post an underwhelming total. Rahane dropped him, and Mathews went on to score 27 off 14 that took Daredevils to 184, a score that should have ideally been too far for Royals after the way the host spinners performed.
Mishra struck in his first two overs, sending Steven Smith and Karun Nair back, and Tahir bowled the big overs to keep bringing Daredevils back with four wickets. However, at 107 for 4 in the 14th, a third spinner should have played a part
in another wicket. Yuvraj bowled three tight balls, the fourth produced indecision in the running, but Yuvraj failed to collect a throw right beside the stumps. Had he broken the wicket coolly, Hooda would have been out for 23 off 13.
In the next over, with the asking rate over two per ball, Hooda was forced to take risks. He did so in his own unique way. With Jaydev Unadkat looking to bowl yorkers outside off, Hooda kept shuffling across and took his back foot behind the line of the stumps to try to convert those into half-volleys. But so badly was Unadkat missing his yorkers that Hooda slogged two low full tosses for sixes. The second of those should have been caught at deep midwicket, but Manoj Tiwary just parried it over.
This was when Tahir made Daredevils believe, beating Rahane with a wrong’un and hitting his stumps. Immediately Hooda snatched the advantage back with a big six over longon. With 36 required off the last three, Daredevils went to their two big bowlers first: Nathan Coulter-Nile and Tahir. In the 18th Coulter-
SCOREBOARD
Delhi Daredevils innings
(20 overs maximum)
MA Agarwal c & b Tambe 37
SS Iyer c Southee b Morris 40
JP Duminy* not out 44
Yuvraj Singh c Nair b Morris 27
AD Mathews not out 27
Extras: (lb 2, w 7) 9
Total:(3 wickets; 20 overs) 184
Did not bat: MK Tiwary, KM Jadhav†, NM CoulterNile, A Mishra, Imran Tahir, JD Unadkat
Kings XI Punjab victorious despite Harbhajan’s blitz
Harbhajan Singh’s manic 64 from 24 thrilled the Wankhede in Mumbai Indians’ first home game this season. But the losses sustained early in their innings ensured the hosts would still fall 18 runs short of the 177 set by a George Bailey-propelled Kings XI Punjab. Bailey clobbered 61 from 32 before his team’s quicks combined to ravage the Mumbai’s top order.
Seventh-wicket pair Harbhajan and J Suchith would plunder 100 runs from 37 balls to take the sheen off Sandeep Sharma, Anureet Singh, and Mitchell Johnson’s figures. But those three, with help from Axar Patel’s left-arm spin, had Mumbai effectively derailed, at 46 for 5 after 12 overs.
Nile served a half-volley, and generally kept bowling outside leg from round the wicket. Three boundaries came off the over, two off edges, but now only 19 were required off the last two.
Tahir once again dragged Daredevils back. First Hooda hit a long hop straight down long-on’s throat, and then Faulkner failed to read a wrong’un. In between, though, Morris slog-swept him for a six, and we were back to two a ball in the last over.
Daredevils went to international experience of Mathews ahead of Unadkat, but Mathews bowled the same angle when he decided to go round the wicket. The fourth ball of the over was a leg-side full toss, which Morris helped fine of short fine leg. Yet a good fifth ball meant Southee, known for his sixes, needed three off the last ball. The strategy now left a bit to be desired.
Mathews bowled from round the wicket, and despite the angle taking the ball away he had no protection deep on the off side. (Cricinfo)
The chase began to falter almost as soon as it began, when Sandeep swung one viciously in to hit Rohit Sharma’s pads second ball. The Kings XI quicks were not only disciplined enough to shackle the hosts’ top order, they made effective use of the movement which persisted through the early overs. Aditya Tare was cramped by one that jagged in from Anureet, and could only present a catch to cover. Soon after, Aaron Finch attempted a big blow across the line and saw Johnson peg his off stump back with one that seamed slightly away.
When Corey Anderson was stumped for a pained 5, off Axar in the eighth over, Mumbai slipped to 25 for 4, and were forced into the period of reticence that made even the batting mayhem to come ultimately futile.
Harbhajan and Suchith would reap 15 runs or more from five consecutive overs, but even through that kind of murderous hitting, a Mumbai victory seemed far off, as the required rate hovered around 20. Anureet was launched for three consecutive sixes in the 17th over by Harbhajan, but he would return to dismiss his
tormentor with the penultimate ball of the match.
With Kings XI wellplaced when Bailey arrived in the 11th over, he picked his way prudently through the middle overs, before embracing violence. After seeing out the impressive Harbhajan, Bailey played his first forceful shot in the 15th over, when he flat-batted a Kieron Pollard length
ball down the ground. He then muscled Lasith Malinga over the square leg ropes to hit the first of his three leg-side sixes.
Having been 17 off his first 13 balls, Bailey struck 44 off his next 19 deliveries. That Kings XI didn’t breach 180 was largely due to the relative lethargy in the innings played by the rest of the middle order. (Cricinfo)
SCOREBOARD
Kings XI Punjab innings (20 overs maximum)
M Vijay c Suchith b Harbhajan
Singh 35
V Sehwag c Pollard b Harbhajan
Singh 36
GJ Maxwell c Rayudu b Suchith 6
DA Miller c †Tare b Malinga 24
GJ Bailey* not out 61
R Dhawan c Vinay Kumar
b Malinga 6
MG Johnson not out 3
Extras: (b 1, lb 2, w 3) 6
Total: (5 wickets; 20 overs) 177
Did not bat: WP Saha†, AR Patel, Anureet Singh, Sandeep Sharma
Fall of wickets: 1-60, 2-68, 3-88, 4-134, 5-150. Mumbai Indians Bowling: R Vinay Kumar 4-0-46-0, P Suyal 3-0-22-0, SL Malinga 4-0-34-2, Harbhajan Singh 4-0-20-2, J Suchith 4-0-41-1,
KA Pollard 1-0-11-0.
Mumbai Indians innings (target: 178 runs from 20 overs)
RG Sharma* lbw b Sandeep Sharma 0 AJ Finch b Johnson 8
AP Tare† c Vijay b Anureet Singh 7 AT Rayudu c †Saha b Johnson 13 CJ Anderson st †Saha b Patel 5 KA Pollard c Miller b Patel 20 J Suchith not out 34 Harbhajan Singh c Sandeep Sharma b Anureet Singh 64 R Vinay Kumar not out 0
Extras: (lb 3, w 3, nb 2) 8 Total: (7 wickets; 20 overs) 159 Did not bat: SL Malinga, P Suyal Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-15, 3-17, 4-25, 5-46, 6-59, 7-159 Kings XI Punjab Bowling: Sandeep Sharma 4-1-12-1, Anureet Singh 4-0-41-2, MG Johnson 4-1-23-2, AR Patel 4-030-2, R Dhawan 4-0-50-0.
Pietersen hits 170 to boost England recall hopes
Kevin Pietersen boosted his hopes of an England recall by scoring 170 for Surrey against Oxford MCCU on Sunday in his first red-ball match since the final Ashes test in January, 2014.
The controversial 34-yearold right-hander, axed by England last February, struck two sixes and 24 fours in his 149-ball knock as he bids to earn a recall to the national side.
Pietersen, who scored 23 centuries and 8,181 runs in 104 tests, has mainly played Twenty20 cricket since being dropped by England but enjoyed his return to the longer format of the game.
“I’ve been given a lifeline,” South Africa-born Pietersen
Kevin Pietersen
told the BBC. “I really like the way the new bosses are talking.
“English cricket needs to
change. It looks like they are going to make some changes. I’ve not been happy over the last 14 months because
England keep losing.
“It’s not nice as an England fan as someone who has played passionately for England every time they have come out and played, so anything that can help England win, I’m all for.”
The England and Wales Cricket Board announced last week that Paul Downton, the man who oversaw Pietersen’s sacking, was leaving his job as managing director and incoming chairman Colin Graves hinted recently that Pietersen could earn a recall. England, who endured a dismal World Cup campaign this year, start a three-test series against West Indies in Antigua on Monday before home series against New Zealand and Australia. (Reuters)
Deepak Hooda raises his bat after making fifty
Harbhajan Singh slammed 64 off 24 balls
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Man Utd go four points clear of City
Manchester United ended a dismal derby sequence and piled the pressure on Manuel Pellegrini as his Manchester City side were well beaten at Old Trafford.
City, attempting to recover from successive away defeats at Liverpool, Burnley and Crystal Palace, made a blistering start and took an early lead through Sergio Aguero.
It was all downhill from then on for the fading Premier League champions as Ashley Young and the revitalised Marouane Fellaini put United in front before half-time.
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Louis van Gaal’s side never looked like surrendering the advantage as they secured a sixth straight Premier League win with further goals from Juan Mata and Chris Smalling.
The victory put them four points ahead of City and firmly on course for a return to the Champions League next season.
As for City, this was the sort of capitulation that never reflects well on any manager and Liverpool could narrow the gap to Pellegrini’s side to just four points if they beat Newcastle United at Anfield on Monday.
Missing out on the Champions League is the unthinkable scenario for City and Pellegrini, who had won the previous four Manchester derbies - including three at Old Trafford - before his side declined alarmingly after a perfect start.
And to illustrate the turnaround in fortunes, it was only just over a year ago that City’s 3-0 win here effectively signalled the end of David Moyes’ United reign and put City 15 points ahead of their rivals having played two games fewer.
United are now the team that looks rejuvenated, while City are in serious need of reconstruction as the defensive frailties and fluctuating form that have characterised their season were exposed once more.
City can take solace from having four of their last six games at home but their defence of the title is in ruins and the speculation surrounding Pellegrini will continue, especially if they miss out on the top four.
The Chilean repeated the ploy that worked successfully in that win at Old Trafford last season when a high-tempo start brought a goal inside a minute from Edin Dzeko. It took slightly longer this time but brought the same reward.
David De Gea had already saved an angled shot from Jesus Navas but he was powerless to prevent Aguero converting a simple tap-in from David Silva’s pass after intelligent work from James Milner.
United were on the ropes but responded to draw level after 14 minutes. De Gea’s long clearance found its way to Ander Herrera and Young reacted first to a rebound after he battled with Gael Clichy to get on the Spanish midfielder’s cross.
Young was then the provider as United went ahead after 27 minutes, his cross dropping over Clichy at the far post for Fellaini to head past Hart, who should have kept the effort out having got strong contact on the ball.
City made a change at half-time as injured captain Vincent Kompany, also on a yellow card for a late challenge on Daley Blind, made way for Eliaquim Mangala.
The tide continued to flow United’s way and Hart
made amends with a crucial double save seven minutes after the restart, first from Wayne Rooney’s free-kick then from Michael Carrick as the midfielder looked certain to extend the lead.
City’s early zest had disappeared completely and United did get the third goal they deserved after 67 minutes when Rooney’s perfect reverse pass released Mata, who beat Hart from a narrow angle.
The visitors felt Mata was marginally offside but once again their defending had been found wanting. And it turned even uglier for City and Pellegrini seven minutes later when Smalling emerged unmarked through a packed penalty area to glance a header past the exposed Hart from Young’s freekick.
Aguero scored in the closing moments but it cannot count as anything approaching consolation on a dismal day for City but one of pure delight for United. (BBC Sport)
Blues now 7 points clear at top
Cesc Fabregas struck with three minutes to go as leaders Chelsea ground out a win against QPR at Loftus Road.
The midfielder arrived late into the box and fired home from 16 yards after Eden Hazard and Oscar capitalised on a poor kick out by QPR’s Rob Green.
Chelsea had not registered a single shot on target until then but did enough to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to seven points.
QPR forced saves from Thibaut Courtois but remain two points adrift of safety.
It would not have been undeserved if Chris Ramsey’s side had taken all three points - Belgian keeper Courtois denying Charlie Austin and the impressive Matt Phillips twice.
Chelsea’s pass completion in this game was 70%, their lowest in a Premier League game this season, and the leaders struggled to deal with some intense Rangers pressing - midfielder Joey Barton catching the eye as he drove the hosts for-
ward at every opportunity.
He, like Austin and Bobby Zamora further forward, made it uncomfortable for Jose Mourinho’s men, who looked like going an entire 90 minutes without forcing a save from Green.
But the former England keeper’s poor clearance was picked up by Eden Hazard, who combined with Oscar down the left before the
playmakers picked out Fabregas. The Spaniard arrived at exactly the right time to steer the ball home.
Chelsea’s goal celebrations were marred by home fans throwing missiles, with Branislav Ivanovic being struck by an object which he subsequently handed to referee Andre Marriner.
It spoiled a dramatic end to a contest which saw a well-
organised Rangers side once again impress in their battle to remain in the division. It was not pretty from Chelsea, but it was certainly effective and they went 12 points clear of fourth-placed Manchester City, eight ahead of Manchester United and six in front of Arsenal to edge ever closer to winning their first title since 2010.
(BBC Sport)
Wayne Rooney has now assisted 90 goals in the Premier League
Cesc Fabregas in action during the game
Physical, organisational sports infrastructure have improved exponentially over the years
Sports View By Neil Kumar
Under the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government, which won the leadership of this country in 1992, both the physical and organisational sports infrastructure have improved exponentially over the years. As a direct result, Guyanese athletes were given greater opportunities to excel in their various disciplines; this is most evident in the unprecedented improvement in our athletes’ international performances.
The colonial masters’ approach to sports ensured that only the socially and/or financially privileged could excel in sports and reap the benefits of athletic success on a national or international scale.
The former Administration displayed a very similar attitude towards sports in Guyana. As a result, there was almost no tangible improvement in sports infrastructure or athletic performance in Guyana.
The PPP/C Government, recognising the importance of sports, immediately set about correcting these deficiencies which existed over the decades.
This government dem-
players.
• A state-of-the-art
National Sports Resource Centre. Development is not only the erection and maintenance of facilities, but requires institutions for education. Our people will and must be trained in all facets of the various sports disciplines.
The commissioning of the National Sports Resource Centre marks a new beginning for sports in Guyana. This important and necessary facility will create the opportunity for athletes and other sports personalities to be exposed to information, via print and electronic media, which will take them and the various sports disciplines to the highest level.
The aesthetic and educational facility is expected to give guidance and certification to the stakeholders in sports – athletes, coaches, umpires, referees, scorers, journalists, managers, chaperons, technical persons and even the general public.
The facility houses a library of books covering various sports disciplines which will guide all involved in modern methods of preparation and effective manage-
athletic performances. Our athletes demonstrate this with their constantly improving performances at regional and international competitions.
Community grounds and centres
Millions of dollars were spent in the rehabilitation, construction and maintenance of community grounds and centres throughout Guyana, thus ensuring that athletes in every area have access to proper facilities.
In some cases, these facilities are multipurpose and accommodate classes in Information Technology, academic classes and other skills training.
National Sports Awards
In keeping with its mandate, the Government has annually rewarded sportsmen and women, associations, sports officials, officials of the media and regional sports organisations for their outstanding performances in their respective disciplines. The National Sports Awards Ceremony is the best approach to say thank you and express our genuine appreciation to our top achievers in sports.
onstrated its commitment to our athletes when the National Sports Commission was established under the National Sports Commission Act No 23 of 1993.
The PPP/C Government’s dedication to improvement of Sports in Guyana clearly manifested itself in the construction of:
The Guyana National Stadium which is definitely one of the best in the Caribbean.
• The International 50m swimming facilities which include a Warmup/Warm-down 25m Pool. This public facility is second to none in the Caribbean. Acres of idle land were converted into a world-class facility. Today, the Aquatic Centre is a state-of-theart facility that will attract world-class swimmers.
• The Synthetic 400m track and football facility is a reality and Guyanese are indeed proud of their multi-purpose facility at Leonora.
• An international squash facility, again this facility is the best in the Caribbean and will produce world-class squash
ment, a section for online researching and a conference room which will be used for theoretical training and presentations.
The National Sports Resource Centre is, however, simply the foundation of the PPP/C Government’s vision. It is meant to be the forerunner for a National Sports Institute, which is crucial to furthering the performance of Guyanese athletes on the international stage.
Maintenance of facilities
Over the years, hundreds of millions of dollars were expended to keep these facilities to acceptable standards so that training and competitions (national and international) could be accommodated.
Just a few examples – the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall was nowhere near to where it is today. A rubberised floor, of international standard, was laid at the National Gymnasium. Refurbishing of the Colgrain Swimming Pool, upgrading of the tennis facility.
The maintenance of these facilities has generated an enormous rise in interest and significant improvement in
Thousands of athletes from many communities participate in various sports disciplines. The Days of Interaction engage communities across the country to highlight the importance of exercise, a healthy lifestyle and to promote the spirit of peace, unity, cooperation and cohesion.
World Challenge Day
World Challenge Day is a Sport For All Movement in
genuine interest in sports.
Education in Sport
It is important and necessary that our athletes and officials have sound knowledge of all aspects of sports. As a consequence, many sports educational programmes were organised, including Sports Development for children
• Sports Management (with Grace Jackson and Ato Boldon)
sion of the Government and its positive actions, many more athletes will successfully represent this country at international games and events.
The vast majori-
benefit of health. It has the objectives to introduce a positive attitude towards activity by encouraging citizens to break their daily routine and practise any kind of physical activity for at least 15 minutes. Guyana is committed to participating in this annual international event and joins with the rest of the world under the theme – “Fitness for Life”, attracting thousands of schoolchildren and teachers to be involved in various exercises and physical displays and demonstrations.
Child Protection Seminar Level II FINA certificate course (with Rick Powers)
• Anti Doping Workshop for coaches and team managers FIFA RopProgramme and Referee Workshop
• Workshop on Workplace Injuries and Prevention and Practice (with Dr Sharmilla Roopchand Martain) ITTF levels 1 and 2
ty of sports disciplines in Guyana have shown tremendous improvement – Table Tennis, Basketball, Boxing, Swimming, Cycling, Track and Field, Chess, Badminton, Rugby, Cricket, Martial Arts, Weightlifting, Body Building, Rifle Shooting, Motor Racing, Squash, Football, among others.
Physical Education and sports have been integrated as a structured part of the curriculum in schools. Sports Education is also offered at the tertiary level via the Cyril Potter College of Education.
Foreign coaches
Via bilateral agreements, the Government has secured a number of qualified coaches from various countries in the field of boxing, table tennis, swimming, etc.
Inter Guiana Games
After an absence spanning many years, the Inter Guiana Games were resuscitated among French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana and a state of Brazil.
The IGG which is a 19 and Under competition includes sports, cultural and educational activities.
Many athletes who participated in the IGG went on to represent Guyana at the junior and senior levels.
Representing our country in the annual Inter Guiana Games has now become a great aspiration to many students in Guyana.
Days of Interaction
These activities are a collaboration between the National Sports Commission, Regional Administrations, Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and Amerindians Councils and are held in every region of Guyana.
Teach Them Young Summer Camps
The Teach Them Young Programme is used to encourage children and young people to be physically active during the August Vacation. The Programme is designed to provide early learning to beginners and motivate others to compete in sports. Other than practical sessions, a number of other subject areas are taught – culture and basics of sports, physical and mental preparation, recent techniques and rules, discipline and fair play, nutrition, drugs, HIV/AIDS prevention and a healthy lifestyle. Our Teach Them Young Programme exposes the very young to sports disciplines so that they can develop a positive attitude towards and
• First-ever Life Guard Programme – six Guyanese were internationally certified Visits to sports facilities and workshop and Practical Demonstrations for athletes and coaches during a visit by USA specialist Indoor Hurdler, Kristi Castalin
Because of the interest, commitment and dedication to sports and its development shown by this Government, our athletes over the decades have risen from the unencouraging levels of performances to successes at the various levels of sports. More of our athletes have participated at the highest levels of their respective sports disciplines, including the Olympics. With the vi-
Teachers in training have the opportunity to sign up for Physical Education in a twoyear programme. Sports for Life! Sports must be facilitated from the cradle to the grave. Even after death we must emulate our great achievers. During pregnancy our mothers must exercise and eat appropriately to ensure that the baby is born healthy. The PPP/C Government has a vision of a healthy lifestyle for all Guyanese. Amateur and Professional Sports MUST inspire sports for health, leisure, entertainment. Sport must become an integral part of our society and all Guyanese MUST support the Government’s vision for the future of sports in Guyana!
Leonora Synthetic Track which will be offically opened on April 17
Director of Sports Neil Kumar
Sports Management workshop with Olympians Ato Boldon and Grace Jackson
The National Aquatic Centre which boast a 50m state-of-the-art Olympic-size swimming pool and a 25-metre warm-up pool at Liliendaal
Berbice, Demerara to play feature T20 game at May Day Cup
Archrivals Berbice and Demerara will clash in a feature T20 game on May 2 under lights at the historic Albion Sports Complex.
The game is part of the May Day Cup activities organised by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Region Six East (BerbiceCanje) Group.
Several top national and international players will be on show, according to the organisers.
The winning team will collect $200,000 while the losing team will get half the amount. The Man of the Match will receive $20,000.
Further, the event will see four exciting zone teams from the county of Berbice namely West Berbice, New Amsterdam/Canje, Lower Corentyne and Upper Corentyne/Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) clash.
The matches will be 15
overs-a-side with two semifinals and the grand final.
The winners will take home a trophy and $100,000, the runner-up $50,000, and the two losing semi-finalists $25,000 each.
The Man of the Match will also receive a trophy and $10,000.
Proceeds from this
event will be donated to the PPP/C to carry out its work in preparation for the 2015 elections and beyond.
Several gate prizes for the fans will be up for grabs. The organisers are in the process of securing sponsorship for the six teams participating in the cricket matches.
Following the cricket, Shakti Strings Orchestra, accompanied by the popular Crown Vibes International, will provide entertainment for the entire family during the big after-party lime.
This day’s activity bowls off from 10:00h. Tickets cost $1000, with children under 12 admitted free.
Spieth pulls 5 ahead at Masters
Young gun Jordan
Spieth shrugged off a few anxious moments and remained on track to add his name to golf’s record books as he led by a commanding five shots midway through Sunday’s final round at the Masters.
The 21-year-old American, aiming to become only the fifth wire-to-wire winner at Augusta National, mixed three birdies with two bogeys to reach the turn in one-under-par 35, and 17 under for the tournament.
Spieth playing partner Justin Rose of England, the 2013 U.S. Open champion, was alone in second with three-times Masters champion Phil Mickelson a further stroke back at 11 under, after 10 holes.
World number one Rory McIlroy, who had been on the brink of missing the cut
midway through the second round, was at eight under after 10 holes.
Light breezes and much firmer greens faced the contenders on Sunday where the 79th Masters was Spieth’s to win or lose after producing record-breaking golf to lead by four shots overnight.
Spieth and Rose opened with matching birdies at the par-four first before the Englishman trimmed the lead to three strokes with a two-putt birdie at the parfive second.
Spieth, who missed a birdie attempt from just five feet at the second, rebounded by draining a 17-footer at the third to regain a fourshot cushion at 18 under.
However, the American bogeyed the tricky fourth after missing the green to the left and duffing a bump-andrun to cut his lead to three.
Rose faltered with a bogey at the par-three sixth, where his tee shot ended up short of the two-tiered green, before Spieth dropped his second shot of the day at the par-four seventh, missing a slick five-footer for par.
The unflappable Spieth regained a four-shot cushion with a birdie at the parfive eighth, chipping from just off the green to two feet, before benefitting from a three-putt bogey by Rose at the par-four ninth.
Spieth, who tied for second on his Masters debut last year after leading by two shots with 11 holes to play, and Rose then headed into the back nine where dramatic swings in fortune are nearly always guaranteed on Masters Sunday.
Should Spieth shoot a 69 or better, he would eclipse the tournament low of
Berbician cops overall crown at Novices Bodybuilding championship
Boasting a sharp physique, Corentyne’s Chetram Nagesar emerged the overall champion of the annual Novices Bodybuilding and Fitness Championship organised by the Guyana Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (GABBFF) on Saturday night.
Competing in front of a packed audience at the Theatre Guild in Kingston, the 21-year-old of Tej Mohal Gym earned his place in the final showdown by earlier outperforming four other competitors to win the 132-pound class.
Nagesar was a crowd favourite from the onset, and he did not let his fans down, finishing the night as the best athlete on show.
18-under-par 270 achieved by Tiger Woods in 1997 when the former world number claimed his first major title.
The Men’s Physique category was won by Stabroek News Sport Journalist Emmerson Campbell of BodyMaxx Gym, while Caerus Cipriani of Fitness Paradise and Yannick Grimes of BodyMaxx took
second and third respectively.
By virtue of being the lone entrant, Janica Pluck of Buddy’s Gym was crowned Miss Bikini.
Other winners included Rashleigh Bentick of Fitness Paradise Gym in the Under-21 and Bantamweight divisions, Jamal Tinnie of Fitness Paradise Gym in the Lightweight category, Kris Williams of Buddy’s Gym in the Welterweight division, and Julio Sinclair of Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) in the Heavyweight segment.
Last year’s Novices champion Sylvester Andrews and reigning Flex Night International champion, Godfrey Stoby both guest posed at the event.
The event was made possible by Fitness Express, Cyrex Gym, Al-Haaq, Subs and Salads among others.
Next up on the GABBFF programme is the Senior Championships in July.
Members of the organising committee pose for the camera with Finance Minister Ashni Singh and Education Minister Priya Manickchand, who graced the launching
Jordan Spieth
(Reuters)
GCB U-19 Inter-County 3-Day tournament...
Berbice fight back against Demerara
– Guyana U-17 34-1 replying to Essequibo’s 262
Berbice produced a courageous fight back during the final session to close day one of their Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Under-19 Inter-County Three-Day game against Demerara in a handy position on Sunday at the Georgetown Cricket Club Ground.
Chasing a first innings total of 199 set earlier by Berbice, Demerara were 144-7 at stumps, with Daniel Basdeo set to resume his innings on 24. Demerara still faced a deficit of 54 runs.
Balchand Baldeo and Daniel Lewis grabbed two wickets apiece to help pull things back for Berbice.
Earlier, fast bowler Sherfane Rutherford uti-
lised the conditions perfectly to snatch 4-40, while Basdeo (2-31); Jayden Mana (2-23); and a wicket each from Captain Travis Persaud and Tariq Dharmalall completed a collective and successful bowling exhibition by
Demerara.
Parmanand Ramdhan struck an even 50 for Berbice, while other outstanding batsmen were Kassim Khan (27); Lewis (26); West Indies Under-19 batsman Shimron Hetmyer (18), and Grisean Grant
Busta Soft Shoe tournament…
and Omar Weatherspoon contributed 16 runs apiece.
Tevin Imlach (26); Travis Persaud (21); Ronaldo Renee (18); Rutherford (15); Ashkaya Persaud (14); and Mark Hamilton (13) were the batsmen to offer some re-
sistance for Demerara.
Meanwhile, in the other second-round game, between Essequibo and a select Guyana Under-17 team at the Demerara Cricket Club, the Under-17 team were replying to Essequibo’s first inning at the close of play.
Electing to bat after winning the toss, Essequibo were bowled out for 262 in 76.1 overs late in the final session. West Indies Under-19 selectee Kemo Paul hit 47. He was supported by Parmesh Parstom (42); Neiland Cadogan (31); Looknauth Khinkoo (24); Sachin Persaud (21); and Keanu Harry (20).
Bowling for the Under17s, left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd claimed 5-50 off 21 overs.
Sagar Hatheramani took 2-22, while Ronaldo Ali Mohamed, Richie Looknauth and Timothy McAlmont were the other successful bowlers.
Wins abound on 2nd night of action
By TreisTon Joseph
Only one game ended in a stalemate when the second night of action in the Busta Soft Shoe Tournament continued on Saturday evening at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) Ground. Compared to the Tournament’s opening night which had three draws in six matches, the second night of action produced five wins out of six matches.
Cross Street started off their campaign with a win over Queen Street Tiger Bay 3-1, as Sheldon Profit led the way with a double in the 3rd and 11th minutes while Shalomo Marks scored in the 18th minute. Queen Street had a perfect start to their game with a goal from Deon Alfred in the second minute, but failed to convert their other chances.
Back Circle crept past West Back Road, 1-0 with Kevin Boters scoring the game’s only goal to produce the only match of the tournament thus far to only re-
Some of the action during the thrilling night’s play
cord one goal being scored. The fourth game of the evening saw Bent Street unloading on North East La Penitence with a 6-2 win.
Konata Manning and Daniel Wilson led the way with doubles, while Sheldon Holder scored the game’s opening goal in the second minute. Manning’s double came in the 9th and 19th minutes, while Wilson’s double came in the 10th and 25th minutes. The other goal scorer was Shevane Seaforth in the 26th minute.
ised in the 15th minute while Eon Alleyne, Daniel Favourite and Stellon David went on to score in the 17th, 21st and 28th minutes respectively.
West Front Road were able to pull off a 3-1 victory over Stevedore Housing Scheme, with all four goals of the match being scored in the first half.
Michael Oie in the sixth, Michael Pedro in the 11th and Jamal Pedro in the 14th minute were the scorers for West Front Road, while Eon Parks was the lone goal scorer for Stevedore Housing Scheme in the 10th minute.
Shaquille Brown and Carl Tudor were the scorers for the losing side with goals in the 5th and 13th minutes respectively.
In the fifth match of the evening, Festival City prevailed 4-1 over Kitty Weavers in a display of unselfish play.
Festival City were clearly the better side with each goal coming off an assist as four different scorers rocked the back of the net despite Kitty’s Sherwayne Vincent’s opening goal in the ninth minute.
Keith Fletcher equal-
Meanwhile, in the only draw of the night, North Ruimveldt and Globe Yard played to a 1-all end result. Lenrick Carrington opened the scoring for North Ruimveldt in the 18th minute, while Kevin Lewis replied in the 29th minute just before the end of regulation time.
Games in the Tournament will continue this Tuesday at the GFC Ground from 19:00h.
