Guyana Times Daily - August 7, 2015

Nurses who cared for abandoned child honoured

P16 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 2578

Friday, August 7, 2015

PRICE

Minister claims $60B will finance budget deficit

WHAT'S INSIDE: “Fat Cats” perks for officials

Page 3

– calls Private Sector “hysterical” for objecting

Crum-Ewing murder probe completed, file sent to DPP

– prime suspect remains in Police custody

$80 vat included

Govt denies increasing Ministers’ per diem P7 allowances – claims previous rates remain in force

Prisoner beats taxi driver unconscious in the P10 presence of Police

Page 7

Murder of Montrose Granny...

P12 Police checking out alibi provided by suspect in custody

Govt preparing for global Climate Change P13 conference

The 30th death anniversary of late President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham was commemorated on Thursday at his resting place, the Mausoleum at the Seven Ponds in the Botanical Gardens. In the photos above, Guyanese superstar Eddy Grant and current President David Granger laid wreaths at the mausoleum of the Guyanese leader, who died on August 6, 1985 while undergoing a throat operation at Georgetown Hospital

Leave Govt funds Queenstown in commercial man dies in mining banks pit cave-in Page 12

Page 10

– stimulate manufacturing via low interest rates, say business leaders

Govt to rectify State Boards’ composition under new criteria P13 Shooter on the run after killing Plaisance mason P16

2 news

friday, august 7, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Govt sued for $1.7M Govt hires legal consultants to complete Telecoms Bill over wrongful G dismissal

P

eople’s Progressive P a r t y / C i v i c (PPP/C) Member Zulfikar Mustapha is suing the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Administration for in excess of $1.7 million over his wrongful dismissal as a Community Relations Liaison Officer for Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

Only recently, the APNU/AFC coalition Government was sued for $2.7 million in benefits by former Local Government Minister and Adviser Clinton Collymore over similar circumstances.

Mustapha, who is being represented by Attorneysat-Law Euclin Gomes, Sase Gunraj, Manoj Narayan and former Attorney General and Attorney-at-Law Anil Nandlall, filed a writ in the High Court against Attorney General Basil Williams for the wrongful termination of his employment contract with the Government.

In the writ, Mustapha claims that the contract was for a fixed term of three years commencing from January 30, 2013 to January 29, 2016 and was determinable by three months’ notice in writing or three months’ salary in lieu of such notice.

However, according to the court document, the Ministry of the Presidency issued a letter of immediate termination to Mustapha.

In response, through Mustapha’s Attorney, it was pointed out that since the contract was terminated with immediate effect, Mustapha was, therefore, owed three months’ pay.

It was also highlighted that Mustapha was not permitted to take his vacation

PPP/C Member Zulfikar Mustapha

leave in accordance to the contract and therefore was entitled to pro-rated pay in lieu of his vacation.

Mustapha is suing for his entitled basic salary for three months which totals $1,068,258; his 17 days’ annual leave for 2015 total $199,002; and damages caused by the breach in contract in excess of $500,000 among other costs.

Meanwhile, in the court document, it was pointed out that Minister of State, Joseph Harmon was given adequate time in which to follow the correct procedure and pay Mustapha his entitled salary and benefits; however, there was never any response from the government official in that regard.

“This is a simple matter which I hope we can resolve swiftly without the resort to litigation. Please let me hear from you soonest…,” Attorney Nandlall had written to the Minister, but to no avail.

As such, Mustapha was left with no other choice but to move to the courts.

overnment has given the go-ahead for the appointment of two legal consultants to harmonise the amendments of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and complete the Telecommunications Bill, so that it could in time become law.

Governance Minister Raphael Trotman announced that Government has given approval for the appointment of overseasbased Janice Brendman and Geeta Ragubir as consultants to complete the work on the Telecommunications Bill.

The Bill, which was first introduced in 2011 and revised in 2013, was at the level of a Select Committee in the 10th Parliament.

It is set to address concerns, including those of the industry’s stakeholders.

Government is moving to have the Bill passed in the 11th Parliament.

State Minister Joseph Harmon had indicated that the new Administration intended to put on the frontburner the passage of the Telecommunications Bill during this session of Parliament.

The Bill was on the verge of conclusion in the Special Select Committee during the 10th Parliament, but was put on hold on account of the prorogation of Parliament.

Harmon said since the bulk of the work has already been done, there could be

Governance Minister Raphael Trotman

consent on the way forward to ensure that the Bill is passed.

“We have to really move this sector forward. It is important not only to businesses, but to school children, the people in the education system, so we can have better bandwidth, faster communication with the rest of the world,” the State Minister had said.

He had said that the situation was so unusual that when foreigners come, they are frustrated because the Internet service is slow, preventing them from doing business in the way they want to do it.

The Telecommunications Bill seeks to create a competitive regime in the telecommunications sector. It provides for an open, liberalised and competitive sector that will be attractive

to new market entrants and investors, while preserving the activities of the current participants.

By creating this competitive environment for telecommunications, the Bill is expected to result in greater choice, better quality of service and lower prices for consumers. The Bill also specifically addresses the expansion of telecommunication networks and services into unserved and underserved areas, through the institution of a new universal access/universal service programme, in an effort to further national, regional, social and economic development.

Following the prorogation of Parliament, former Digicel Guyana Inc Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gregory Dean had lamented the situation the Telecommunications Bill had found itself in, pointing out that it is another missed opportunity for the sector to be liberalised.

The Telecommunications Bill is among 12 other bills that will have to be recalled in the 11th Parliament. The others include the Customs (Amendment) Bill, the Broadcast (Amendment) and Education Bills. Upon assent, this Bill would in essence break the morethan-20-year –old monopoly enjoyed by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T).

Former GT&T CEO

Radha Krishna Sharma had said that the company was prepared for Government’s plans to liberalise the sector, pointing out that the company – which began 23 years ago --- was looking forward to contributing to the refinement of the legislation. He had stated that there are tremendous opportunities within a “liberalised” sector.

The move, he said, would afford the company the opportunity to speed up planning and focus on strategic business decisions, which include capital allocations.

However, the former Digicel CEO, who was hoping that the Bill would have been passed since early last year, said the sector continued to operate with uncertainty, which negatively impacted much-needed investment.

He said while he was disappointed, he was not surprised since it is the latest in efforts to liberalise the sector. He said, however, that the passage of the legislation lay in the hands of the National Assembly. The company had been at the hub of numerous consultations seeking to have the Bill, passed in the National Assembly.

Dean had said the liberalisation of the sector would lay the base for the company becoming fully competitive with GT&T. He also said that liberalisation would draw other companies into the Guyana market.

Duo on bail for theft charges T

wo men were allowed to leave the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday after paying $156,000 in bail.

Kurtis Reid, 27, a plumber of 2208 Central Amelia’s Ward, Linden and Royston Peters, 26, a contractor, also from Linden, were granted bail in the sum of $78,000 each by Magistrate Ann

McLennan.

The men are before the court on theft charges.

They allegedly stole 172 15-foot 2” diameter steel pipes valued $1,204,000 from Kevin Baron between July 13 and August 3 at Central Amelia’s Ward.

The pipes are the property of Guyana Water Inc (GWI).

Both accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Reid’s legal counsel provided all the relevant information to the court for the bail application. She informed that her client has his own business and also worked sometimes with the GWI. The Attorney added that while the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts were “judicious and competing”, the court in Linden only sat twice a week, prevent-

ing her client from getting justice as soon as possible.

She said that Reid could also report to the closest Police Station as a condition of his bail.

This was agreed to by Magistrate McLennan as she granted bail to both defendants on the condition that they report to the Amelia’s Ward Police Station. They are expected back in court on August 24.

news

friday, august 7, 2015

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, August 7 – 11:00h-12:30h and Saturday, August 8 – 12:00h-13:30h The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Berbice – Friday, August 7 – 09:55h-11:25h and Saturday, August 8 – 11:10h-12:40h

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery to heavy rain showers can be expected in the morning, with heavy rain showers giving way to sunny weather in the late afternoon.

Clear skies can be expected in the evening.

Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East to East South-easterly between 2.23 metre and 4.91 metres per second.

High Tide: 09:57h and 22:23h reaching maximum heights of 2.35 metres and 2.36 metres respectively.

Low Tide:03:25h and 15:51h reaching minimum heights of 0.77 metre and 0.91 metre respectively.

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

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Thursday, August 6, 2015

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| guyanatimesGY.com

Minister claims $60B will finance budget deficit – calls Private Sector “hysterical” for objecting

BY MICHAEL YOUNGE

F

inance Minister Winston Jordan is looking to give the Private Sector and the local Bankers Association a lesson in economic and monetary policy as he insisted on Thursday that the new A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change coalition Government will withdraw all of its funds from the Commercial Banking System.

This confirmation comes after the Private Sector Commission (PSC) expressed strong concerns over information which suggested that the new Government wanted to remove some $60 billion worth of government funds from the Commercial Banking System over the next few weeks.

The PSC, following discussions with members of the business community on Tuesday, issued a release warning the Government against its decision to withdraw the monies which were deposited by statutory agencies and Government corporations.

It said the withdrawal of the huge sum could result in a crash in the local economy explaining that this is possible given the current stagnant state of the economy, the a drop in consumer spending and expectations, the fact that projects are being delayed/suspended due to the cessation of payments on some projects and foreign and local business partners have put a hold on some investments.

“The PSC is concerned that the current situation can lead to a high level of non-performing loans and is

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

extremely concerned about the intended removal of over $60 billion in Government funds that are deposited at the commercial banks.”

But Jordan, speaking with Guyana Times during an exclusive interview on Thursday, said that the withdrawals were being done to finance the budget deficit and honour several campaign commitments made by the two political parties on the campaign trail ahead of the May 11 General and Regional Elections.

He recalled having a meeting with the Local Bankers Association which was headed by John Tracey when the issue first surfaced and was pointedly discussed.

He also recalled being warned against such a move and because it will leave a hole in the banking system in terms of them having funds for investment.

“I said look, Mr Tracey what we are trying to do is what we said on the campaign trail and so on… the semi autonomous agen-

cies that collect monies on behalf of the Government such as Guyana Forestry Commission, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and the National Frequency Management Unit and others have been collecting monies for years and have not been turning it over to the Consolidated Fund but keeping it in commercial banks where it then attracts interest that is not been paid to the Government…”, Jordan told this newspaper.

Jordan maintained that given the fact that the Government was running a deficit and it may end up having to go to the Private Sector to borrow their money through commercial banks via treasury bills to finance the deficit, it was necessary that the withdrawals be made.

“In essence then, we are borrowing our own money… so the Consolidated Fund is not an interest bearing account.. it’s a zero interest account… so you are borrowing your own money that you have to pay back interest costs on…,” he related.

Minister Jordan argued that “this can’t be right and it could never be a sensible policy”, before confirming “… I said that this is situation… so we are going to remove our funds….”

He said that Government could consider the request of pursuing a phased withdrawal. He said that he was unaware that the funds Government had in the commerical banking system amounted to over $60 billion, arguing that that figure could represent the sum total of all of Public Sector funds.

Jordan reasoned that the

Chairman of the Bankers Association John Tracey

Government was only interested in specific semi-autonomous agencies and their funds and that all of the State and wider agencies.

“Even if you ran short of investable funds that is funds for lending to the Private Sector... you have a stock of sterilised treasury bills that are at the bank of Guyana… that is treasury bills that we have pulled out of the system to hold liquidity… it’s at the bank of Guyana doing nothing… that is nearly to a value of $100 billion worth… so you could never run out of investable funds… because you could always go down there and draw out those funds… They are not ours… they are your… if you have lending opportunities”.

He said that he could not understand the “hysteria” being created and advised the Private Sector to seek out experts to understand the potency of the rationale behind the move by Central Government.

Corentyne fire leaves 10 homeless – man runs out of burning house naked

T

en persons are now homeless after a fire destroyed a two-storey house at Fyrish, Corentyne on Thursday morning.

The Lot 54 Douglas Road, Fyrish Village, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) house was home to two families.

The fire is said to have started about 09:15h as heavy smoke was then seen coming from the upper flat.

At the time of the blaze, two children were in the upper flat and an adult was in the lower flat. When the alarm was raised, a man was seen running out of the lower flat without any clothes on. He made his way quickly to the toilet situated at the back of the yard to shield his nudity. It is believed that he was having a bath when the alarm was raised and he fled the house naked.

The two children in the

The two-storey house at Fyrish, Corentyne which was drestroyed by the fire

upper flat were rescued by neighbours. The owner of the house had been residing in the United Kingdom for several years.

Carmen (only name given) who lived in the upper flat was a few buildings away when she heard shouts of “Fire!” She said, “I borrow a bicycle and hurry come, I thought me two daughters was in the house, so me start-

ed to cry, but then somebody tell me that somebody done take them out and them deh by a neighbour…Me na know how it start and me na care, me just thank God that me daughters alive. Me had TV, fridge, computer, tablet upstairs...”

Mother Crandon, who first saw the fire, said: “I was hanging clothes when I see flames so I thought them

burning garbage , so I started to peep, but my eyesight is not that good you understand ... [so I] call me son to see and then he say is a fire.”

One unit from the Rose Hall Branch of the Guyana Fire Service responded and was able to prevent the fire from spreading. Neighbours were high in their praise for the quick response of the fire department.

Meanwhile, residents say that one resident of the lower flat had been acting strangely recently. They say the individual was mentally challenged and had once caused a fire at the same house.

Guyana Fire Service Berbice Divisional Officer Patrick Carmichael, in an invited comment, said that the fire department received a call about 09:30h, and one unit from Rose Hall Town responded. The cause of the fire, Carmichael noted, is still unknown.

4

guyanatimesgy.com

friday, august 7, 2015

Views Editor (Ag): Michael Younge Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134 Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

Breastfeeding and Work W

orld Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August in more than 170 countries to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. It commemorates the Innocenti Declaration signed in August 1990 by Governments, policymakers, WHO, UNICEF and other organizations to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. This year’s activities are being held under the theme: “Breastfeeding and Work, let’s make it work”.

It is well accepted that breastfeeding is the best way to provide infants with the nutrients they need. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding starting within one hour after birth until a baby is six months old. Nutritious complementary foods should then be added while continuing to breastfeed for up to two years or beyond.

According to the WHO, globally, less than 40 per cent of infants under six months of age are exclusively breastfed.

However, if every child was breastfed within an hour of birth, given only breast milk for their first six months of life, and continued breastfeeding up to the age of two years, about 800,000 child lives would be saved every year.

While this finding provides a compelling reason for breastfeeding, not every mother could afford the time to breastfeed their baby, and this could be due to a number of reasons, the main one being that mothers have to get back to their various professional responsibilities which makes it difficult for them to breastfeed their newborn at least during the day.

Most companies here only allow three to six months maternity leave, and generally do not put systems in place to allow mothers the opportunity to breastfeed their babies at their workplace.

Also, as in the case of many other countries, there is no labour legislation which makes provision for this.

That said, the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Awareness (WABA) has noted that much progress has been made over the past two decades or so in relation to global action aimed at supporting women in combining breastfeeding and work, particularly the adoption of the revised ILO Convention 183 on Maternity Protection with much stronger maternity entitlements, and more country actions on improving national laws and practices.

In observance of this year’s WBW, the WABA has called for: concerted global action to support women to combine breastfeeding and work, whether in the formal sector, nonformal sector, or at home, ratification and implementation of maternity protection laws and regulations by Governments, in line with the ILO Maternity Protection Convention, and inclusion of breastfeeding target indicators in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In keeping with this year’s Theme, we support the calls being made for concerted global action to assist women to combine breastfeeding and work. Whether a woman is working in the formal, non-formal or home setting, it is necessary that she is empowered in claiming her and her baby’s right to breastfeed.

Meanwhile, in Guyana, there are still some concerns which must be addressed in relation to getting more mothers to breastfeed their babies, these include, addressing the level of biased and incorrect information that is fed to mothers, both directly, through advertising, health claims, information packs and sales representatives, and indirectly through the public health system.

Most mothers are physically able to breastfeed and will do so if they have accurate information and support. But in many cases, women are discouraged from doing so, and are misled to believe that they are giving their children a better start in life by buying commercial substitutes.

Further, it’s important to note that for the breastfeeding campaign to be successful, there is need for adequate breastfeeding counselling and support for mothers and families to initiate and maintain optimal breastfeeding practices.

For this reason, the Health Ministry should step up its campaign to encourage mothers to breastfeed their babies.

These efforts must be supported by NGOs and other groups that are involved in this type of work. Unfortunately, this year, we have noted that not much public awareness or educational activities were carried out to mark WBW by the Ministry and NGOs to encourage more mothers to take the route of breastfeeding.

Flood-affected people sit on a broken embankment of a road damaged by the floodwaters as they wait for relief supplies at Howrah district in West Bengal, India, August 5, 2015. At least 75 people have died and tens of thousands have had to take refuge in state-run relief camps after heavy rains caused floods and landslides in eastern India, Government officials and aid groups said on Monday

(Reuters/Rupak De Chowdhuri)

Jagdeo is committed to serving his country and his people Dear Editor, Anyone who read my earlier letters in the press over the years, would know just how critical I used to be of former President, Bharrat Jagdeo and his administration. But I’m sincere and honest enough to admit I was wrong.

While living abroad I relied exclusively on the internet for news from Guyana, and foolishly allowed my past association with then Opposition sympathizers and the misinformation spewed daily on the Mark Benschop ‘Hate’ Radio, to cloud my vision into believing that nothing good was happening in Guyana under the PPP/C. That was the myth propagated by the then Opposition now in Government.

During that time, I became a victim of a strategy made famous by Joseph Goebbels, Nazi Germany’s Propaganda Minister during the reign of Adolf Hitler.

Goebbels believed that, “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.”

For years, the PNC led APNU propaganda strategists used this very technique to undermine Dr Jagdeo’s achievements and disguise their fear of him.

After all, he was the young, brilliant, charismatic leader of the PPP, second only

in popularity to the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan. The PNC led APNU Leadership was determined to destroy his surging popularity before it became a problem for them, having to contest national elections every five years with a racially divided electorate and a young, popular Jagdeo. For unlike the PPP, APNU has none in its leadership who can boast of having the qualities of its founding leader, former President Burnham.

So the then Opposition launched a relentless, sustained campaign with the aid of the ‘independent press’, to totally destroy the character and accomplishments of the man, whose vision and policies restored Guyana.

These lies would have us Guyanese believe that we suffered under his administration, that he’s a racist who plundered the treasury.

However, Bharrat Jagdeo and the PPP have always strived to enhance the quality of life of Guyanese and the hard work accomplished left a track record to be proud of. Compared to the massive salaries that Ministers of the Granger Administration will allegedly soon be enjoying, they produced a lot more over the years for a lot less personal income. I hope that Minister Carl Greenidge and others who criticized the PPP/C

Administration of giving themselves exorbitant salaries, will now have the decency to publicly apologise for misleading the Guyanese people.

But with all the lynching he’s endured, one wonders what motivates Dr Jagdeo to accept the responsibility as Leader of the Opposition?

What does he have to gain from this?

Perhaps the answer lies in how the man is perceived by others, especially by those in the international community.

For instance, he is known to have reduced external debt by almost halved, heavily investing in social services such as significantly improved access to education, rehabilitation of the health system, far-reaching land reform, the biggest expansion of the housing sector in Guyana’s history, expansion of the water and sanitation systems, and large-scale development of the road, river and air transport networks.

New public procurement and competition laws were passed, and reforms to the tax, fiscal and investment regimes were implemented.

This is the descriptive provided on Wikipedia, international platform for sourcing information.

He reformed the agriculture sector while advocating for international climate change, being described

by the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Rajendra K. Pachauri, as “one of perhaps half a dozen Heads of Government who truly understands the issue”.

Dr Jagdeo also initiated the funding of US $250 million LCDS Agreement in partnership with Norway to promote a sustainable green economy.

As a highly respectable international personality, brilliant economist and former President with a proven, Dr Jagdeo is in demand.

He would be a prize catch for a host of international financial and banking institutions institutions wishing to employ his expertise. Most in Jagdeo’s position, would grab the opportunity but yet he chooses to stay here where he is constantly attacked by a hostile media and the likes of Freddie Kissoon. He responded to the need to serve his country and by his return to Parliament, Jagdeo has demonstrated his commitment to serve the people of Guyana, and the need to put country above self. He is fully aware of his role in preventing Guyana from slipping back into bankruptcy under the PNC led Administration. After all, he is best experienced and prepared to protect the legacy the PPP/C has left behind.

Harry Gill

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friday, august 7, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Tacuma Ogunseye is barking Allegation of Fake SOPs, up the wrong tree Multiple Voting and Rigging Dear Editor, Several Indo-Guyanese business folks I met at a trade show in Trinidad, indicated that although they supported the new coalition Government, they felt the election was rigged. They revealed how their friends who worked as polling agents on the East Coast related the rigging that took place and this detailed description also applies to other polling stations.

They stated they voted for change and enthusiastically supported and welcomed the new Government. They’d funded the coalition and campaigned for it against the PPP. However, they felt the election wasn’t won fairly and believed that there was “damning evidence of rigging”. However, they welcomed the removal of the PPP from office saying it was long overdue given that elements of PPP leadership were fighting everyone without justifiable reason.

One stated he was happy “to see the PPP go even if it took place through fraud.

We want them out, though now with some regret in light of what is happening to the Indian people”.

They approved of the Granger led Government inclusive of Nagamootoo.

But now they express regret over the change of Government – of the spate of robberies and killings, witch hunting, and the firing of state employees based on ethnicity and presumed political affiliation.

They claimed they knew of incidents of fake SOPs long before they were “discovered” by GECOM and

brought to the attention of the PPP and the media.

Apparently, in Paradise, Buxton and several other polling stations in greater Georgetown, there were fake SOPs. It was surprising that the PPP polling agents weren’t aware of the fake SOPs distributed to some agents before the closing of polls. At one particular polling station on the East Coast, it’s alleged that several people voted multiple times for other absent voters who were abroad.

At that particular polling station, it was alleged that PPP polling agents weren’t present when multiple voting took place. They also claimed that “PPP and URP agents were not allowed into the stations” in certain polling stations. Also, the fake SOPs were said to be in circulation by midafternoon at some polling stations.

It would appear that the fake SOPs were distributed to agents at polling stations where the PPP had weak representation to guard against fraud and in some stations, the PPP had virtually no presence and no relief to protect against such manipulative actions.

It’s alleged that one female polling agent who received fake SOP was brought back by a GECOM bus to the polling station after she had left on a break earlier. It is believed that there was collusion between GECOM staff and polling agents regarding the fake SOPs and that officials of GECOM were in cahoots with the rigging. However, to date no one has come forward with

credible evidence to link ranking GECOM officials to the rigging.

They alleged that an East Indian woman aligned with APNU/AFC (a sister in law of a leading candidate) was allowed to enter a polling station on the East Coast with a bag and no one from the PPP or other parties was allowed in that station. Apparently she had in her possession fake SOPs and entered the polling station after the close of polling. She was in violation of the rules. The business people said the APNU/AFC received a lopsided majority of the votes after the count in that station and several others where PPP observers were missing. The turnout was unusually exceeded the norm of previous elections.

It’s felt that the PPP has not done enough to gather the evidence to expose fraud. Everyone I spoke with felt there should have been a recount of the votes which should have been dealt with expeditiously.

And they felt that a recount was necessary in the region where the coalition won by one vote. They’re surprised that GECOM hasn’t launched an investigation into the fake SOPs. Were the fake SOPs part of the count that led to the final declaration of results?

Although it charged there was rigging, the PPP is yet to disclose how the fraud took place and theorize how the fake SOPs made their way into the polling stations and GECOM. Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

All reports on Government’s initiatives should be double checked Dear Editor, I agree with the letter sent by Stacy Cheong in the Guyana Times regarding allegations against Guyana Times newspaper for publishing libelous material concerning Government members and policies. I believe that the Times is possibly the only paper left in Guyana that is not biased in favor of the coalition Government.

I urge the editor to be careful of what is printed,

since a great effort is being made to discredit the reputation of the Times and to suggest that it is PPP biased and as such not to be trusted. That is why the paper must check and double check any reports regarding the new Government’s actions. The PPP was advised to do the same. It is possible that the Government was planning to buy new cars and raise their salaries by 100 percent, but by the leak

of information possibly from the PPP ranks before the actual purchase, the Government was able to deny these reports as being false.

Perhaps, everyone should wait for these things to occur, before commenting, so that the public sees what the Government is worth. Just my opinion Sincerely, N Augustus

Dear Editor, So Tacuma Ogunseye has decided to engage me and at the same time defend his colleague, Clive Thomas on the Globe Trust debacle.

The first is understandable, the second poses some difficulty.

Ogunseye is barking up the wrong tree. His accusations are misplaced. Recall the quotation I used; “The Directors of Globe Trust must be criticised for allowing this sorry episode in the institution’s history by its failure to act decisively in the face of lax, loose and grossly incompetent management.”

Those were the Chief Justice’s words not mine.

Ogunseye conveniently brushed this aside in order to formulate a political argument to justify an attack in my direction.

Further, he sought to heap responsibility for the Globe Trust fiasco on Kenneth King because of the “lengthy period” he served on the Globe Trust Board before Thomas’ appointment.

Surely, Ogunseye must

be acquainted with the old adage; “The King is dead, long live the King!” and its applicability to Thomas’ succession to the inheritance of King’s role and responsibilities as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Globe Trust.

The question is, when Thomas realised the mess he inherited at Globe Trust did he go public and expose all those who were responsible for the mess and scampered off scotch free with millions of poor people’s money?

Why did he not shout then as he is doing now that; “the corrupt can run but they can’t hide?” Was there some selective blindness then?

What Ogunseye is obviously not aware of is that the Globe Trust Board under Thomas’ chairmanship breached fiduciary trust by continuing to run a bankrupt institution contrary to the Financial Institutions Act. Stronger action could have been taken by the Bank of Guyana but it chose not to do so in the interest of the thousands of poor depos-

itors. Ogunseye should ask Thomas for the facts and not peddle inaccuracies.

Incidentally, questions are being raised whether Clive Thomas, in his capacity as Presidential Advisor on Sustainable Development, is behind government’s move to cart off the $60 Billion plus of state funds from Commercial Banks to the Consolidated Fund.

What advise has he offered to his principals at Office of the President in respect of the growing concern of the private sector about the economic downturn Guyana is currently experiencing?

These are the searching questions in these trying times that the working people want answered. One journalist asked, why is this matter being dug up now after so many years? My response was; ‘Those who forget the past are bound to repeat it’.

Clement Rohee General Secretary People’s Progressive Party

Region One rejects the Government’s proposed regional flag Dear Editor, I am back in my Region after attending a Leadership Conference in Georgetown held by the Communities Ministry for newly elected Regional Democratic Council leaders under the theme “Unveiling a Vision for Regional Empowerment.”

It’s a commendable initiative by this Government. The conference which lasted for a day saw several Ministers and Representatives presenting on behalf of their various Ministries, which was welcomed since most of us had no idea of the functions of some of these new Ministries.

I must thank the Health Services Minister for bringing to light all the terrible things the PPP Administration did during their leadership with regards to health. The focus was placed so much on the ills of the PPP/C that I cannot remember the charge he

gave to us leaders at this leadership conference and the vision he unveiled for regional empowerment in the health sector if there was any. The new Government brought to the fore allegedly new ideas and plans for our country, one such being a Flag for every region which was presented at the end of the Conference. We were told that the concept behind the flag is that it would empower Regions to become more competitive, a concept similar to how houses would compete in schools. A good idea for schools.

The flag given to my Region, Region No. 1 happens to bear a strong resemblance to that of an APNUAFC coalition flag at first glance. In a region where the PPP/C gained the overwhelming majority and the leaders are trying to bring political healing in the best interest of development I

cannot see the implementation of such a flag achieving the objective it is supposed to. All folders were coincidentally green and even the logo on the programme was of the coalition colour.

I would give the benefit of doubt that it was an oversight of the current administration and they really intended to empower leaders through this conference.

I am therefore thankful for democracy that allows us to reject and choose to say no to the flag shown to us.

It is our people’s right to decide on their recognition or simply choose to unite under the Golden Arrowhead as one people living in one nation working towards one common destiny. A holistic development of our diverse country.

Sincerely Region One RDC Councilor

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Foundation

New pool safety gadgets help prevent drowning – children between the ages of 1 and 4 are most at risk for drowning, and adult supervision often isn’t enough to prevent it

BY JOHN CASEY

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mong the good things about residential swimming pools is the fact that so much research has been done on pool safety. One outgrowth of that research has been the development of a vast number of products and devices that aim to keep your pool safe.

There are fences designed with self-closing, selflocking gates and rigid covers that slide over the pool like horizontal garage doors.

There are even several electronic alarms of various designs. One is worn on the child’s wrist like a watch and sounds upon contact with water. Others sound an alarm when movement in pool water is detected.

“Nothing is foolproof when it comes to protecting children from drowning in a pool,” says Mark Ross, a spokesman for the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). “That’s why we recommend that pool owners provide layers of protection.”

Children between the ages of one and four are most at risk for fatal and nonfatal drowning, according to the CDC, which tracks drowning deaths. CDC data show that in children, most cases of drowning occur in residential swimming pools. In adults, most drowning occur in natural waters.

But the majority of cases of child drowning occur when children get into the pool on

their own. The CDC found that “most young children who drowned in pools were last seen in the home, had been out of sight less than five minutes, and were in the

sures are important, too, says Ross. Here are some of their recommendations based on extensive product testing: * The pool should be surrounded by a fence at least

attaches to the side of the pool and actually detects motion under the water, rather than those that monitor surface movement,” said Ross.

“Surface alarms can be trig-

“And while they are good as a backup layer of protection, we don’t recommend them as highly as the underwater motion sensor because of the false alarm problem and because they are not as reliable.”

Protection backs up vigilance

“It’s true that there is value to electronic alarm systems as part of the layering of protection,” says B Chris Brewster, President of the US Lifesaving Association, which provides training and certification for lifeguards.

“But what worries

care of one or both parents at home at the time.”

Figures from the CDC show that from 2001-2002, 775 children aged 14 and under died from drowning.

While drowning rates have slowly declined, drowning remains the second-leading cause of injury-related death for children.

Layers of pool protection

The first and most important layer is constant, adult supervision during swim times. Other protective mea-

four feet tall. * The fence should have self-closing and self-latching gates with latches that are out of the reach of children. * The fence should completely separate the pool from the house. * The door to the pool should have an alarm. * Install a rigid, power safety pool cover. * Install an underwater motion swimming pool alarm.

“We recommend at a minimum the type of alarm that

gered by wind moving the water, and you can get more false alarms.”

Ross adds that the CPSC also tested a type of alarm that attaches to a child’s wrist like a wristwatch. There are several models available. Some sound an alarm if the wrist band gets wet. Others sound when the band has been under water for a few seconds.

“We did testing on the wrist alarms,” said Ross.

me about the alarms is that people might think they don’t have to keep close watch if they have an alarm. That’s absolutely wrong. Never, ever leave a child alone in a pool even for a few seconds.”

The unfortunate fact of the matter, however, is that a CPSC study on how child drownings occur found that supervision can fail. The investigation looked at deaths of children under age five in Arizona, California, and Florida who had drowned in home swimming pools. Here are some of the findings.

Who was in charge of supervision at the time of drowning? * 69 per cent of the accidents occurred while one or both parents were responsible for supervision. * 10 per cent were adults other than the parents. * 14 per cent were sitters. * Seven per cent were siblings.

What was the location of the pool drowning? * 65 per cent were in a pool owned by the child’s family. * 22 per cent were at a relative’s. * 11 per cent happened at a neighbour’s.

Where were they last seen? * 46 per cent were last seen in the house before being found in the pool. Of these, 15 per cent were thought to be sleeping. * 23 per cent were last seen in the yard, porch, or patio, not in the pool area. * 31 per cent were last seen in the pool or pool area.

Teach your child to swim

Teaching a child to swim would seem to add a further layer of drowning protection. But there is no evidence that swimming ability reduces a child’s chance of drowning. In fact, many of the drowned children in the CDC statistics knew how to swim.

“Learning to swim at the earliest reasonable age is a good idea,” said Brewster, of the Lifesaving Association.

“But children who drown are often under four years old, and even if they can swim,” they aren’t strong enough to get themselves up and out of the pool in time.

Brewster adds that if you have a pool, “you should have a rule that the child wears a Coast Guard-approved life jacket whenever the pool is being used.”

In addition, he advises that you hire a lifeguard whenever you have a pool party.

“Maintaining safety for swimmers and non-swimmers requires constant vigilance, and there is just too much going on at a party for any of the participants to provide that.” (www.webmd.com)

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friday, august 7, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

"Fat Cats" perks for officials

Govt denies increasing Ministers’ per diem allowances – claims previous rates remain in force

By Michael Younge

G

overnment on Thursday denied increasing the per diem allowances offered to its Ministers, advisers and other high-ranking officials who embark on various trips abroad to conduct the business of the State.

Guyana Times reported on Wednesday that the Finance Ministry was in the process of favourably considering a proposal made that would see significant increases in the per diem travel allowances offered to State officials, primarily Ministers of the new Government, that would see them travelling in comfort, on par with what obtains in other jurisdictions.

These increases in per diem allowances for overseas spending are in addition to the massive salary increases that the Government has already conceded are under "consideration" which the Government said would not take effect now.

Guyana Times learnt from sources in the Finance Ministry that the proposed increase was from US$25 per day to about US$500 per day as far as the out-ofpocket per diem allowance was concerned. Sources at the Ministry had also told this newspaper that the new Government was also considering raising the allowance offered for hotel accommodation to approximately US$200 per day. Under the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government, Ministers and other officials were only entitled to US$150 per day when even they travelled abroad.

Additionally, steps were reportedly being taken to increase the allotted monies for meals from the US$100 offered per day by the previous PPP/C Administration to approximately US$200 representing a 100 per cent increase.

This publication also learnt on Wednesday that Minister Jordan was also considering putting in place a US$3000 "contingency allowance" for Government Ministers and advisers. This amount would be spent at the discretion of the official who would determine what the "contingency" was.

Under the PPP/C, there was no such allowance and the only monies made available to the Government Ministers were the US$25 out-of-pocket allowance at the expense of the treasury.

But Minister Jordan denied that any proposal to that effect existed. He told this newspaper on Thursday that the Government had never even discussed any increases as far as per diem was concerned.

“I am the Minister of

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

Finance and I am telling you that there is no such document or proposal existing,” he insisted as he contended that the figures quoted as increases were “fictitious” and aimed at undermining the integrity of the office of the Minister and those employed at the Finance Ministry.

Jordan also denied that the new A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change coalition Government made changes to the PPP/C’s policy on the amount of contingency funds made available at the expense of the State for travelling Ministers and officials.

“I am the Minister of Finance and I can tell you that this Government has never given any of its Ministers contingencies to travel anywhere since we took office. I have been in the Finance Ministry for a very long time and I can tell you that I have travelled with PPP Ministers who were given US$1000 and up contingencies allowance to do specific things. In many cases, the things were not done and they never returned the monies to the treasury,” he alleged.

He claimed that he was surprised and taken back by the article as the current rates that were used before the new Government took office were still in force. The Guyana Times source reaffirmed the original information supplied and surmised that with the cover of the increase being blown, along with the furore over the salary increases, the Government was not going ahead.

Concerns have been raised from time to time about the funding of the trips of Ministers abroad, and in many instances the new Government has failed to properly inform the populace as to the scope and nature of the trips overseas which they claim are either totally or partially funded by unknown private individuals.

In other democracies, the quantum of funding from private funding would have to be released to the public.

Crum-Ewing murder probe completed, file sent to DPP – prime suspect remains in Police custody

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anks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) probing the death of political activist Courtney Crum-Ewing have wrapped up the investigation.

Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Wendell Blanhum, on Thursday told reporters that investigators have completed the file into the March 10th execution of the ex-soldier.

He further disclosed that the file was submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, last Friday for advice.

“The investigation was completed and is currently before the DPP. I do not wish to disclose anything further with regards to that investigation... We have someone in custody – the prime suspect is in custody,” the Crime Chief stated.

The main suspect, Regan Rodrigues, was arrested a few weeks ago with a .32 Tarus pistol and 14 matching rounds of ammunition.

A Police source has disclosed that the firearm was proven to be the same weapon that was used to execute Crum-Ewing. Guyana Times was made to understand that Rodrigues has not been cooperating with Police and was tight-lipped about his alleged involvement.

He was charged and placed before the courts for the possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

Courtney Crum-Ewing

Crum-Ewing was gunned down on March 10 while encouraging residents of Diamond New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara to cast their vote in the May 11 General and Regional Elections for the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change coalition.

With Rodrigues still in custody, the Police are hoping to discover the “intellectual authors” behind the execution-style killing, as they believe the suspect was paid a hefty sum to get the job done to cause chaos during the elections period.

Two weeks ago, investigators arrested Rajput Narine, a former bodyguard of former Attorney General and People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Executive Member, Anil Nandlall in connection with the former soldier’s murder.

Narine was reportedly implicated in the killing; however, he was subsequently released after the

72-hour detention period expired.

A Police source indicated to this newspaper that although Narine was released, he had to report to Police Headquarters on a daily basis as the investigation continued. His passport was reportedly lodged.

Following the arrest of Narine, Nandlall immediately denied any involvement in the assassination of Crum-Ewing, and said that his ex-bodyguard was hired several days after CrumEwing’s death. Nandlall repeatedly refuted suggestions that he, or any other member of the PPP, orchestrated the murder, which is being deemed a politically motivated killing.

In a recent revelation, political activist Mark Benschop claimed that $3 million was offered to Rodrigues to get him killed.

After he would have been eliminated, the next hit was to be on Crum-Ewing.

Benschop claimed that

Rodrigues would have reported to the Police that he was paid for the two hits, but contrary to his claims, the Police have no knowledge of such allegations.

“If Mark Benschop’s life was in danger, why would he send the man who contracted to kill him to make the report? Does it make any sense?” the source asked the Guyana Times.

Another issue that has surfaced is an alleged recording of Rodrigues telling a Police

Prime suspect Regan Rodrigues

Officer of the apparent hits.

“There is no audio, there has never been one,” the source declared.

Furthermore, the Police source stated that Benschop never gave a statement to the Police regarding the threat on his life and more so, he did not make a report.

“It is quite strange that at this time, Benschop is trying to defend Rodrigues, very strange.”

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friday, august 7, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Miner remanded for fraud – forged cheques

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miner appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan in Court two of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday charged with conspiring to commit a felony and fraud.

Arnold Melville, 42, of 79 Robb Street, Georgetown, was not required to pleaded to the charge which read that on June 15 at Georgetown, he conspired together with

persons known and unknown to defraud Action Tyre of 12 R20 Good Year tyres valued at $1,140,000; the property of Action Tyre. It was further alleged that on the same day in the Georgetown Magisterial District, in the county of Demerara, he uttered to Gibron Elitton, one Republic Bank Limited Draft in favour of Alleyne’s Mining and Transportation Services

dated June 12 for the sum of $1,140,000 knowing same to be forged. The man’s defence Attorney Paul Fung-A-Fat requested that the two charges be reduced to one as they both represent the same sum of money. Attorney Fung-A-Fat stated that his client has no previous convictions nor does he have any pending matters. He made an application for bail stating that his cli-

ent is willing to accept any conditions the court orders and would be lodging his personal travel documents at the court.

Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones objected to bail stating that the accused provided the Police with a conflicting address. The Magistrate refused bail and remanded Melville to prison. The matter was transferred to Court Five for August 13.

Men on fraudulent conversion charges...

One released on bail, case dismissed against the other

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wo men were on Thursday placed before Magistrate Ann McLennan in Court Two of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged with fraudulent conversion.

Devon Cuthbert, 22, of 24 West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, Georgetown, pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that on Monday, July 20, at Robb Street, Georgetown while he was solely entrusted by the Virtual Complainant (VC)

Kelon Sam with the sum of $200,000 to purchase a quantity of steel rods and other materials which he was to return to the said Kelon Sam, he fraudulently converted the same to his own use and benefit.

The VC told the court that he no longer wished to proceed with the criminal proceedings against Cuthbert, since an agreement was reached between himself and the defendant for the money to be reim-

bursed. The Magistrate before dismissing the matter ordered the accused to repay the VC and placed him on a bond to keep the peace. She informed the accused that failure to observe the bond would result in a default sixmonth prison sentence.

Meanwhile, Dwayne King was placed on $75,000 bail after he pleaded not guilty to a similar charge.

The charge read that on November 15, 2014 at Stabroek Georgetown in

the Georgetown Magisterial District, county of Demerara while he was solely entrusted by the Virtual Complainant (VC), Kwesie Maynard with the sum of $450,000 to purchase a nose cut for a motor car which he was to return to Maynard.

He however fraudulently converted the same to his own use and benefit. The Prosecutor made no objection to bail which was granted. The matter will return to court on August 24.

Eyew tness Verbal gymnastics…

T

...on salary hike

he PNC has performed all kinds of gymnastics to jettison its old, discredited image earned by the prior gymnastic of its Founder Leader Forbes Burnham. It's the death anniversary of that gentleman and in line the dictum he propounded once in the House of Assembly, no more shall be said of him.

De Mortuis nil, nisi bonum.

But this Eyewitness must confess that the PNC's change of name to "A Partnership for National Unity" (APNU) under the very transparent ploy of "coalescing" with five "oneman" parties seems to've worked. Not many folks bring up that APNU's 99.99% the old, discredited PNC. If they were a corporation the "corporate veil" would've been pierced immediately.

When the AFC was launched they made a big thing about their name, which included the word "change". Political cynics who'd castigated the PPP for all kinds of excesses scoffed at their pretensions. They predicted that rather than "change" Guyanese would be "short changed". Well, with the PNC/APNU/AFC now in Government the country's been short changed to the 3rd degree. Just look at the verbal gymnastics they're engaged in to hide their ineptitude and avarice.

Let's not even go back to the verbal gymnastics on the Cummingsburg Accord. In Guyana, even though rape's a criminal offence (against the State even!) if the victim chooses not to give evidence (for all sorts of reasons- like maybe being paid off) there's nothing the State can do about it. Case dismissed. So if the AFC leaders Nagamootoo and Ramjattan swear nothing untoward was done to them, who's your Eyewitness to protest?

But let's examine some of the verbal gymnastics from the last week alone. This newspaper revealed that pay hikes, averaging 100 percent were being considered for Vice Presidents, Ministers and other "high officials". "Not 100%!!" screamed the PM/VP and the Governance Minister - who'd huffed the PM's substantive powers. But note how they parsed their disavowal. Not that pay hikes aren't being considered - but that it's not 100 percent! Well, to paraphrase Ramdhin's riposte to Sir Viv, "Tell we how much, na?"

Verbal gymnastics...that's all it is. Truth of the matter is that the wankers (that's the only word that captures your Eyewitness' outrage) were going to slip their pay raises into the Budget without telling anyone. Especially their Public servant supporters who're being stiffed of their promised 20 percent raise. And now to rub salt to the open would, we're being told it's not REALLY a "raise" It's an "adjustment of the wage scale" so that officials salaries are commensurate with their duties.

So once more we ask with outstretched arms to the heavens: why not "adjust" the wage scale downwards?

...on banking withdrawal

Another verbal gymnastic that played out last week was on the withdrawal of Government funds from Commercial Banks. First came the diversionary response that it wasn't $60 billion that was being withdrawn. Well, duh!! If it wasn't $60 billion, how much was it? Isn't the real problem that we have a Government that refuses to share information with the people - after kvetching for 23 years that its predecessor was doing the same?

Then came another gymnastic on the original gymnastic: it wasn't THE GOVERNMENT that was taking out its money - but agencies and autonomous bodies!! But for the same 23 years, wasn't the now Government beating the then Government over the head - insisting that agencies and autonomous bodies are still part of the Government? What's the point of the present gymnastic?

But the Government's throwing out the baby with the bathwater with this gymnastic. It's intensifying the economic crisis by indirectly tightening credit from commercial banks.

Cutting Guyana's economic face to spite the PPP's face.

...on State Boards

Announcing the new State Board, the Government brushed off the PPP's criticism that they weren't consulted.

Now after criticisms from their "own" on gender and ethnic imbalances, they're "readjusting" the Boards.

So who'll be axed?

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

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friday, august 7, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Region 9 contractors deterred from bidding on projects – say REO failed to publish engineer’s estimates

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ontractors from Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo) are up in arms over the fact that the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) did not publish the engineer’s estimates for the various projects scheduled to be undertaken, putting them at a severe disadvantage when it comes to making bids for the intended projects.

Compounding the situation are the allegations by several contractors that various officials from the RDC Office would allow their “contractor friends” access to the estimates, putting them at an advantage when it came to bidding.

This allegation was supported by Region Nine Vice Chairman Karl Singh, who told Guyana Times that the Regional Executive Officer (REO) Carl Parker has acquaintances who are con-

tractors and these estimates would be shared with them, while the other contractors were left in the dark without the slightest idea of how to bid.

Efforts to contact the REO for a comment proved futile.

Singh explained that every year, the various regions would publish the invitation for bids in the local newspapers alongside the engineers’ estimates, however, for some reason, it was not published this year.

“Region Nine was the only region that did not publish this. I do not know for what reason,” he stated, noting that the estimates would guide the contractors on how to bid because if the bid was above the estimate, the contractors could not be awarded the project.

Owing to this uncertainty, many contractors are deterred from bidding.

Prima facie case made out against alleged narcotics trafficker – decision pending

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prima facie case was made out against an alleged narcotics trafficker on Thursday after a three-month trial in Court Two of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Roger Gill, of 103 Carmichael Street, North Cummingsburg, was asked by the court to lead his defence after Magistrate Ann McLennan ruled that the prosecution had proven that it had a solid case against him.

Gill was charged in May with being in possession of 426 grams of cannabis sativa (marijuana) after he was allegedly found with the drugs in a calabash at his stall at the Bourda Market on May 8. He had vehemently denied the accusation.

However, the Police had maintained that on the day in question, a rank received a tip about the drug and went to investigate.

He subsequently found the illicit substance at Gill’s stall. Apparently it was displayed ‘for sale’, while more of the substance was found in a black bag in the back of the stall.

During the trial, a Police Officer had testified that Gill had explained that he was trying to make some extra cash by selling the drug.

When called to lead a defence, Gill presented two witnesses to testify. He also gave his account of what happened, explaining that nothing was found when the Police searched his stall. Even so, he said, the officers still arrested him, along with another person who was subsequently released later.

This explanation aligned with his attorney’s sub-

Roger Gill will know his fate on August 12

mission as he closed his case.

Attorney-at-Law Clive Forde stated that there were two persons who had control of the illegal substance at the stall at Merriman Mall. He said he had proven this during the trial and asked the court to consider that it represented doubt in the prosecution’s case against his client.

On the other hand, Prosecutor Deniro Jones told the court that he had proved beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant was guilty. He added that every element of the offence had been proved to indicate that Gill was indeed in control and had knowledge of the illicit substance. To discredit the defence witnesses, he stated that they were friends of the accused and thus could not be trusted to be objective in their testimony.

N e v e r t h e l e s s , Magistrate McLennan could not make a final ruling on Thursday. She asked both parties to assemble in Court Two again on August 12 for a decision on Gill’s fate.

“Many of us won’t go and invest because you have to go get up all the necessary documents and these cost money. So what’s the sense of spending our money to get these documents and we bid without any idea, any estimate, while some engineers have the estimate, so they will get the contracts and we won’t and we will just waste our money,” one of the contractors explained, speaking under the condition of anonymity.

“This is a grave concern for us because the estimate would serve as a guideline, if some people see it, obviously they will know how to bid and we won’t, so tell me how this is fair?” another contractor expressed.

Some of the many projects open for bidding include the installation of security grills at Lethem Port Complex; the construction of a fence for Officers’ Quarters in Aishalton; the

The projects open for bids

completion of Sand Creek Bridge; and the purchase and installation of a complete solar system for an Amerindian Hostel in Annai.

All bids must be deposited in the respective Tender Box no later than August

28 at 09:00h.

The contractors say they were desperately trying to have a meeting with the REO concerning this situation before the deadline to submit the bids, but all their efforts thus far were in vain.

Vice Chairman Singh pointed out that the Procurement Act did not stipulate that the estimates must be published; however, in this case, no contractor must be able to see the estimates in efforts to create a level playing field.

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Leave Govt funds in commercial banks – stimulate manufacturing via low interest rates, say business leaders

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usiness leaders outside the official Private Sector Commission - which has already done so - are calling on the government to revisit its announcement to abruptly withdraw billions in deposits from Commercial Banks. The issue, they contend, is not whether the monies were deposited by the Central Government or agencies/autonomous bodies, but how best the monies can be utilised for the development of the country, while maintaining the overall integrity of the financial system. This they say can be done by the government

stipulating that the funds be used to fund low-interest loans to the manufacturing sector.

The Chief Financial Officer of a major conglomerate operating in the country gave his opinion on the condition of anonymity. To the question as to whether there was anything illegal in the practice of Governments depositing funds into commercial banks, he answered “There is absolutely nothing untoward in Governments keeping funds in commercial banks. As had been explained by the previous Minister of Finance, this is the practice of many semi-

autonomous bodies as well as corporations owned by Governments.”

He explained that the practice can stem from any number of factors. “Apart from the Central Bank encouraging lending by commercial banks through their reserve requirements and other tools, the Government deposits can also accomplish the same goal by making banks more liquid,” he con-

can therefore afford to lend at very low rates. “Minister of Governance Trotman is right to point out that the commercial banks are very liquid. But he must follow up that statement to understand that the consequence of that is banks are forced to make loans at lower interest rates. Banks don’t make money by having money sit in their vaults.”

He continued when

tinued.

Since the Government would normally be receiving a very nominal amount of interest on the deposit – somewhere in the vicinity of one per cent – the bank

asked to provide an example, “I must say that from a decade ago when commercial interest rates were 14-17 per cent, right now it has dropped to seven per cent which is quite competitive with loans from foreign banks. My company has been able to finance our expansion entirely from locally sourced loans.”

Asked why he would not want to have his name used, the Executive laughingly said, “In Guyana, we businessmen keep a low profile!” In conclusion, he said in a very serious tone, “I would strongly suggest to the Government to keep the money in the commercial banks, but establish even lower interest ceilings on loans to the manufacturing sector.”

When Guyana Times- got in touch with a banker, he enthusiastically endorsed the recommendation of the businessman. “It’s no secret as to why the housing sec-

tor, as well as the rice sector was able to expand so rapidly over the last decade.

The Government deposits created a virtuous circle of investment. The low interest on their deposits meant we could demand commensurate low interest rates on homeowners and farmers.

Then their spending of the money spurred other businesses to expand and have the confidence to request loans to fund that expansion. Most people don’t realise that money in an economy is created primarily through loans.”

When asked whether the Government couldn’t achieve the same investments through a development bank as was floated, the banker replied, “Not only Guyana, but most

where people in high places have friends. If the loans are intermediated through commercial banks, these downside risks are minimised.”

Asked as to what specific manufacturing sector he felt should be stimulated via low-interest loans, the answer was quick, “Agroprocessing. This would be a win-win situation for everyone – not only those directly in agriculture but other workers that would be needed in the factors. it appears that because of sugar not being viable in the future, we may have prime agricultural land on the market.

Experts are calling for diversification – but this will need money. And so that there will not be surplus the products must be processed and packaged. The factories

Third World countries have had a very bad experience with Government-run development banks. The questions of moral hazards arise, where borrowers just borrow thinking that Governments won’t come after them.

Both GaiBank and [Guyana National Cooperative Bank] GNCB had huge unserviceable outstanding loan portfolios when they were closed down.

There is also the question of governmental rent-seeking where the funds might not be lent or allocated in the most suitable areas but

will also have to be funded.

All of this will stimulate the economy.”

Asked for a parting comment, the banker responded, “I don’t want to knock our local business community, but we have to recognise that too many of them as stuck with a cake shop mentality – just buying and selling.

The low-interest loans I am recommending would not go to dead end business like selling plastic buckets, or mining or sugar expansion. I am talking about aiding value added manufacturing in every sector.

Prisoner beats taxi driver unconscious in the presence of Police

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a m n a r i n e Mohabeer, a hire car driver of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), was punched several times to his face and head during a beaten which rendered him unconscious. He was reportedly beaten by a prisoner at the Supenaam Stelling road on Tuesday in the presence of several ranks of G Division (Essequibo Coast/Islands).

Relating the story to Guyana Times, the injured driver said he was standing on the road in the vicinity of the Supenaam Stelling

observing the prisoners as they were brought out from a speedboat by Police. He said before he realised it, one of the prisoners who was not hand-cuffed came up to him and dealt several punches to his face.

Mohabeer said the prisoner’s feet were in shackles but his hands were free. After the driver received several cuff about his body, he fell unconscious to the ground.

He claimed the Police did not even render assistance to him. He was assisted by public spirited in-

dividuals.

The driver admitted however, that he had some old grievances with the prisoner. Mohabeer has since lodged a complaint with the Aurora Police Station.

He has also received a medical certificate as proof of the injuries he sustained as a result of the beating.

This newspaper also learnt that the matter is being placed before the court where the prisoner will answer to relevant charges.

Police are continuing their investigations.

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News

Task force establish to investigate UG operations H olding fast to his promise to reform Guyana’s tertiary institution, Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine said his Ministry has established a task force to investigate the operations of the University of Guyana (UG).

Speaking to Guyana Times on Monday, Minister Roopnaraine explained that the University, because of its current state of affairs, needs to undergo some form of analysis, before it could move forward.

“I believe that there are going to be measures that are going to be implemented by the task force.

The University has been at the centre of numerous reports. We have to look at the University in terms of its financial sustainability, its programmes, etc... there is a lot of work to be done at UG”, he told Guyana Times.

The Minister had earlier indicated that his mission was to reform the country’s highest learning institution, which has recently been coming under tremendous pressure.

He had said that if after he completes his stint as Minister, there has not been a transformation to a level that matches international standard, then he would accept that he has failed as Minister.

The same commitment was also given by President David Granger himself, who last month, had said that Government hoping to reform and refinance the country’s leading tertiary institution, making it one that every Guyanese can be proud of.

The University of Guyana has been going through a trying period, particularly with its management and student affairs. But in spite of this, the President committed to placing the university at that place where it needs to be. “I’d like to see an educated workforce, I’d like to see a reformed, refinanced

UG Turkeyen Campus

university for Guyana, so that we could be proud of our graduates”, Granger had said.

Also expressing concern was Head of the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) of the University of Guyana, Professor Suresh Narine, who noted that much more needed to be done regarding the quality of education being offered to students at UG. The current status of the University leaves a gap in the relationship between its administration and the staff representatives.

Vice Chancellor (VC), Dr Jacob Opadeyi, had last month filed a lawsuit, suing the University of Guyana Student Staff Association President, Dr Melissa Ifill for some $10 million, for brewing a document, which was signed by members of the UGSSA and the University of Guyana Workers Union (UGWU). The VC claimed the document had disparaged his character. The document called for his immediate removal from the post at the country’s leading tertiary educational institution.

The unions attacked the Vice Chancellor, saying that he was responsible for eroding the powers of the Academic Board as prescribed in the statutes of the University of Guyana; and compromising academic quality and integrity for the sake of cutting costs.

Following major fall-

outs earlier this year between the Unions and the University’s Administration, a pact was signed between the parties, where improved wages and working conditions were

promised. The Unions had staged daily protests which lasted for over five weeks in January of this year, calling for better treatment from the University’s Administration.

The Unions had signed a petition among themselves, signalling a vote of no-confidence in Professor Opadeyi in his capacity as Vice Chancellor and Principal of the University.

In addition, the Unions said Opadeyi is responsible for the “dictatorial, vindictive, micromanagement leadership style that is characterised by dishonest and deliberately misleading communications.”

He was also accused of altering terms and conditions of work without consultation with employees; failing to honour contracts with employees, including illegally withholding le-

gitimate payments due to staff; among many others.

Opadeyi, adamant that he would not buckle under the pressure of the Unions also succeeded in securing an interim injunction against the UGSSA President over the remarks issued by the two bodies. In the court documents seen by Guyana Times, it is stated that Ifill was responsible for issuing an email to several persons including junior and senior staff at the University, students and others in which she falsely published those defamatory words about his character.

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Friday, august 7, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

GWMO yet to provide Murder of Montrose Granny... statistics of TIP cases Police checking out alibi provided

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he Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO) is yet to provide any statistics whatsoever regarding the Trafficking In Person (TIP) cases it would have intervened in throughout the first half of 2015.

GWMO Acting President Urika Primus said the organisation is yet to tabulate the number of persons they would have rescued for 2015, as they continue to receive numerous calls on a daily basis about people who need their help.

One of the daily challenges facing the organisation is

the lack of financial and other resources needed to rescue victims.

The GWMO usually works alongside the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to help people, especially vulnerable females, get out of the inhumane conditions they often find themselves in when they venture into the interior regions looking for decent jobs.

However, concerns were raised when Junior Social Protection Minister Simona Broomes arrested and charged “TIP victims” who were in fact, not victims of TIP but rather prostitutes.

Consequently, the public

began to question the credibility of the GWMO; given that Broomes is the founder of that organisation.

According to the GWMO’s Acting President, Guyanese have over the years often failed to differentiate between prostitution and TIP, which is a major worry in society. She is convinced that the reason Guyanese lack this knowledge is due to inadequate sensitisation programmes initiated by the government.

With regards to Broomes’ blunder, the organisation declined to comment on the situation.

Queenstown man dies in mining pit cave-in

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he Frazer family of Queenstown Village in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) is mourning the death of a 38-year-old member who lost his life tragically when a mining pit caved in at Toroparu Backdam, Cuyuni River. Dead is Omet Samuels of Queenstown Village.

According to Samuels’ spouse, Shellon Frazer, she received the tragic news around 17:30h Wednesday.

She said at the time she did not believe he had died, so she made further inquiries which had proved that the news was indeed true.

Frazer said Samuels only left for the backdam two months ago where he worked as a “jet man”. She said she recently spoke to her reputed husband who had sent money for her.

Frazer further related that Samuels had worked for the same company before.

She said the mining company operates out of the Alfro Alphonso multi-complex mall.

The saddened woman, who was currently in Georgetown, said the body of her reputed husband was taken to the Lyken Funeral Home where she identified him.

She said to date no one has informed her what really went on when he died, “all I am hearing the pit cave, but post-mortem has to reveal what he died from, either drown or injuries”.

The frustrated woman said it was her understanding that her reputed husband drowned.

According to Police, about 11:45h on Wednesday, the mining pit caved in and Samuels was trapped beneath the rubble.

A Police investigation is in progress. A post-mortem is expected to be conducted shortly.

by suspect in custody

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olice investigators are still trying to determine whether the suspect, who was taken into custody three days ago, is the person who attacked and gruesomely murdered 77-year-old Carmen Ganesh, of Montrose, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told reporters on Thursday that investigators are still trying to confirm whether the person they arrested on Tuesday is indeed the man who was captured on CCTV footage, entering the elderly woman’s home and fatally attacking her.

According to Blanhum, the suspect in custody provided investigators with an alibi. “They (investigators) are currently looking at his alibi, they are examining it and sometime (after) we will be able to make a decision,” he informed media operatives.

Furthermore, asked by Guyana Times whether the businessman with whom the elderly woman had a dispute over a piece of land is still in custody, the Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) stated that the man was released from custody after the 72hour detention period had expired.

“He was released on bail but is assisting Police with

The suspected murder accused in the home of the dead woman

investigations,” he noted.

Further questioned as to whether any connection was made between the businessman and the suspect in custody, the Crime Chief stated that investigations are still ongoing; hence he will not disclose further details about the case.

The body of Carmen Ganesh, age 77, of Lot 121 Montrose, ECD, was found in a pool of blood on Saturday last with a gash to her head and a cloth tied around her neck. A knife was found close to the woman’s body.

Information reaching this newspaper revealed that the woman’s daughters did not see her for the entire Saturday morning, which was unusual; hence they went to the house and called out to the woman. However, their calls went unanswered

and the gates were locked, as such they could not get into the yard.

Becoming suspicious, a grandson of the now dead woman was summoned and decided to scale the fence. As he entered the yard, he saw his grandmother lying in a pool of blood in the kitchen and immediately raised an alarm. The Police was summoned and have launched an investigation into the gruesome murder.

He explained that his grandmother worked with the owners of the house for quite some time, but after they left the country they entrusted the house to her.

He added that the perpetrators probably thought that there was money on the property since the yard housed several vehicles, a speed boat and an outboard engine.

Meanwhile, the CCTV footage that was obtained from the premises shows the perpetrator spending almost an hour in the house after attacking the elderly woman upon his entry into the house. Investigators on Monday issued a screenshot image of the suspected killer, seeking the public’s assistance in identifying and locating him. The following day around 11:30h, Police arrested a suspect at a house in Georgetown.

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friday, august 7, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

No GuyExpo for 2015 – Small Business Expo to be held instead

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overnment has announced that it will not host the much-anticipated GuyExpo trade show this year.

The decision was announced by the Ministry of Business on Thursday.

A statement released by the Ministry mentioned that after consultations with the Guyana Manufacturers and Services Association (GM&SA), the Ministry decided instead to hold a “special version of the event” to mark the 50th anniversary of Guyana’s Independence in May 2016.

In the statement, the Ministry shared that it did recognise that the annual GuyExpo was a popular event and an avenue for local businesses to showcase and sell their goods and services to thousands of potential consumers, so the Ministry was now considering the hosting

of a Small Business Expo to be held in late November, as well as efforts to encourage and support the holding of Regional Business Expos.

The Business Ministry is anticipating that such an approach will provide incomeearning opportunities for businesses, as well as allow for the testing of new products and services in preparation for the bigger event in May 2016.

The Ministry will be consulting with relevant stakeholders, such as Regional Chambers of Commerce, Regional Democratic Councils, Government Ministries, agencies and other Private Sector bodies in the coming weeks to share ideas on this matter.

Guyanese on Thursday took to social media to express their thoughts about the decision to cancel Guyana’s biggest trade fair. Although many explained that they

were very disappointed by this move, some stated that it was a great move by the Administration as the event had become more of a grand party instead of what it was supposed to be, a way to help businesses showcase their products to many prospective customers.

GuyExpo began in Guyana in 1995 and has since evolved, with 2015 marking 20 years of the premier event. It began as an activity that attracted almost 200 exhibitors and was now Guyana’s biggest trade fair with almost 500 local and international businesses participating yearly with the chance to display their goods and services.

GuyExpo became an annual event in 2004 under the chairmanship of Keith Burrowes. It is now recognised as the longest sustained exhibition in the Caribbean.

Govt preparing for global Climate Change conference – sets up taskforce ahead of COP21

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abinet has approved the appointment of a taskforce to advance Guyana’s engagement in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process.

This was disclosed by Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman, who submitted the memorandum to Cabinet, seeking its approval for the appointment of this taskforce.

This approval, according to the Minister, will ensure that by September 28, 2015, Guyana’s position on its intended nationally determined contribution will be in place, putting Guyana in a better position to participate meaningfully in the Sustainable

Innovation Forum (SIF15) annual Conference of Parties (COP21), scheduled for December 7-8, at the Stade de France, in the Le Bourget area of Paris, France.

According to information from the official COP21 website, approximately 40,000 delegates representing each country, observers and civil society members will participate in this crucial event.

The COP is made up of all “States Parties” to the Convention and is the supreme decision-making body.

It meets every year in a global session where decisions are made to meet goals for combating climate change.

COP21 will be a crucial conference, as it needs to

achieve a new international agreement on the climate, applicable to all countries, with the aim of keeping global warming below two degrees Celsius. The host country will therefore be playing a leading international role to ensure points of view converge and to facilitate the search for consensus by the United Nations, as well as within the European Union, which has a major role in climate negotiations.

This Framework Convention is a universal convention of principle, acknowledging the existence of anthropogenic (human-induced) climate change and giving industrialised countries the major responsibility for combating it. (Excerpt from GINA)

Govt to rectify State Boards’ composition under new criteria – after public outrage over ethnic/gender imbalances

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he various State Boards across Guyana may be up for review again as Government admitted to using inconsistent guidelines for the selection of the recent appointees and is now in the process of making the necessary adjustments to establish a new criterion.

This disclosure was made by Minister of Governance and Patrimony Raphael Trotman during a post-Cabinet press briefing on Wednesday.

Trotman acknowledged that the entire process may have been rushed and not much consideration was given to some of the appointees on the various Boards.

“I know there is a criticism about insufficient gender and balance (on the Boards),” the Minister admitted, quickly noting that Cabinet is currently in the process of establishing new guidelines which can affect the current appointees.

Following the announcement of the State Board appointees, the David Granger-led Administration came under harsh criticisms from sections of society over the ethnic and gender imbalance composition of the new Boards of Directors.

The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) is one such organisation which spoke out against the composition of the State Boards, slamming the Government for failure to

Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman

have a balanced representation of gender and ethnicity on the Boards.

“All Government functionaries responsible should feel ashamed over today’s announcement that only three (9.4 per cent) of the new Chairs of the 32 State Boards in the finance sector are females,” the organisation had said in a release.

According to the GHRA, while the full membership of only 20 out of the 32 boards were disclosed so far, only 18 per cent are females, that is, 22 persons out of a possible 125 as it relates to Boards in the finance sector with only one woman named a member on three boards and another woman on two boards.

Government accepted this blunder and noted that moves are afoot to make the necessary corrections.

Meanwhile, Minister Trotman admitted also that

several individuals were given too short notice about their appointments, bestowing the responsibility upon the Government for this blunder.

However, he noted all the persons selected had, in the past, expressed an interest in serving on the respective State Board.

The Rice Producers Association had made a big hullabaloo over Government’s failure to make the necessary contact with the individuals before the public announcement of the new members.

Moreover, Trotman explained that the various Ministers were charged with compiling a list of names of suitable persons to sit on the State Boards and from there, the “old guidelines” were followed and as such, the qualified persons were appointed.

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guyanatimesgy.com

friday, august 7, 2015

Around the World

Haiti President Michel Martelly US$5M reward offered for Mexico drug lord Guzman embroiled in sexism row

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President Michel Martelly

hree officials in Haiti’s governing coalition announced their resignation on Wednesday in protest at a remark President Michel Martelly made at a campaign rally last week.

The remark was directed at a woman in the audience who had criticised Martelly and his administration.

According to Haitian media, Martelly told her to “go get a man and go into the bushes” at the rally in

Miragoane.

A presidential adviser said Martelly’s words had been distorted.

Martelly, who is in the final year of his five-yearterm, is a former singer of Haitian dance music known for his flamboyant style and sometimes colourful language.

The row was triggered

by President Martelly’s reaction to a woman at a campaign rally in the port city of

Miragoane on July 29.

The woman complained about the failure of the Government to provide electricity to her area, prompting Martelly’s hostile response, which in turn was greeted by cheers and clapping from the audience.

In response to the incident, Women’s Affairs Minister Yves Rose Morquette, Social Affairs Minister Victor Benoit and Secretary of State for Alphabetisation Mozart Clerisson announced on Wednesday that they would step down from their posts.

They all belong to the Fusion of Haitian Social Democrats party, which is part of the governing coalition.

Party leader Edmonde Supplice Beauzile said Martelly’s behaviour was “unbecoming” to a Head of State.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

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he United States Government is offering a reward of US$5 million for information leading to the capture of fugitive Mexican drug lord Joaquin “Shorty” Guzman.

Guzman escaped from a Mexican maximum-security jail on July 22.

He is one of the world’s most wanted drug lords whose Sinaloa cartel smuggled huge quantities of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines to the US. The head of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said he believed Guzman was still in Mexico.

DEA Acting Director Chuck Rosenberg told reporters he believed that Guzman was hiding in his home state of Sinaloa, in north-west Mexico.

But he said that was only “an educated guess”.

Shortly after his escape,

Guzman is one of the world’s most wanted drug traffickers

Mexican authorities announced they were offering a US$3.8 million reward for information leading to his arrest.

Rosenberg said Mexican and US authorities were working together to catch Guzman.

Guzman, also known as El Chapo, or Shorty, escaped from the Altiplano penitentiary west of Mexico City through a 1.5 kilometre-long (1 mile) tunnel.

It is the second time he has escaped from a maximum-security jail.

In 2001, he broke out of Puente Grande jail, reportedly hidden in a laundry cart after bribing officials.

He was on the run until February 2014 when US and Mexican security officials traced him to a flat in Sinaloa state.

He was arrested without a shot being fired. (Excerpt from

BBC News)

Prayers held as Hiroshima India captures ‘Pakistan’ marks 70 years since bomb militant after Kashmir attack

Children perform a die-in in front of the Atomic Bomb Dome at Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima [Reuters]

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ells tolled and thousands bowed their heads in prayer in Hiroshima at ceremonies in the Japanese city marking the 70th anniversary of the world’s first atomic bombing.

On Thursday at 08:15h (23:15 GMT, Wednesday), the exact time when the bomb, dropped by the US B-29 aircraft, the Enola Gay, exploded on August 6, 1945, the crowd stood for a moment of silence.

In the heavy summer heat, cicadas shrilled, the Peace Bell rang and hundreds of doves were released into the sky.

Many of those gathered for the ceremony renewed their calls for peace, while survivors recalled agonising memories that continue to haunt them 70 years on.

Eighty-nine-year-old Keigo Miyagawa spoke to Al Jazeera of the terror and the trauma his 19-year-old self

went through.

“It felt like lightning. I saw this strong flash, and it was followed by this sound, and it swept me off my feet.

I lost consciousness,” he recalled. “When I woke up ... I was injured and bleeding.”

For the last five decades, Miyagawa has been committing images imprisoned in his mind to canvas.

The Hiroshima bombing, which killed 140,000 by the end of the year, was followed three days later by the bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, which killed about 40,000 instantly. The war ended on August 15.

The effects of the bomb blast outlived its survivors.

The cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki became known for cancers, premature births and malformed babies.

About 90 per cent of the city was destroyed, which is why it looks so new today.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

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The attack in Udhampur killed two Indian soldiers and injured 14 others

ndia says it has captured a Pakistani militant who attacked a border security convoy on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in the disputed Kashmir state.

Indian Police say that “preliminary questioning” has revealed the man to be from Faisalabad in Pakistan.

Local media reports said the militant had been overpowered by two civilians he had taken hostage, and then handed over to Police.

Two soldiers were killed and 14 others were injured in the attack.

On Thursday, Home Minister Rajnath Singh made a statement on the incident in the Parliament where he termed it “a terrorist attack”.

Singh commended the bravery of the villagers who had “caught the terrorist with no thought of the danger to their own lives”.

He said that he would talk to the state authorities about rewarding them.

Last week, gunmen stormed a Police station and killed seven people in India’s Punjab state, south of Kashmir.

India said the gunmen had come from Pakistan, according to an analysis of a GPS tracking device they carried.

Kashmir, claimed by both countries in its entirety, has been a flashpoint for more than 60 years and the South Asian rivals have fought two wars over the region. (BBC News)

friday, august 7, 2015

guyanatimesgy.com

15

News

Ramjattan considering decriminalising suicide attempts – wants to restrict access to poisonous substances

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ublic Security Minister and Vice President Khemraj Ramjattan pointed out that strategic steps needs to be taken in suicide prevention efforts and is considering the decriminalisation of suicide attempts.

The Minister was at the time addressing the gathering at the launching ceremony of the Guyana Police’s InterAgency Suicide Prevention

Helpline on Thursday at the Officers’ Training Centre, Eve Leary, Gerogetown. According to Ramjattan, attempted suicide is a punishable offence under Chapter 8:01 Section 96 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act and has a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment.

However, the second Vice President noted that penal actions is wholly unnecessary

and self defeating, since most persons attempting suicide are doing so to escape problems or out of a position of perceived hopelessness.

“They need, rather than imprisonment or prosecution that leads to imprisonment, adequate counselling and medical assistance. To punish survivors (we) then fail to address the root cause of the issue, which may have led to the

272 suicide deaths recorded in less than three years – as Police launch suicide prevention “helpline”

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he Guyana Police Force (GPF) on Thursday launched the Guyana Inter-Agency Suicide Prevention Helpline, even as the suicide rate in the country continues to spike, with a whopping 272 deaths recorded from 2013 to date.

The launching ceremony was held at the Officers’ Training Centre, Eve Leary, Georgetown, where Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan disclosed that according to a study done in 2012, it was estimated that in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), there were some 50 suicide deaths per 100,000 persons while in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) came in second with 36 deaths per 100,000 persons.

Speaking on more recent figures, the Public Security Minister stated that records acquired by the Police reveals some 129 reports of suicide in 2013. The B Division (Berbice) again topped the list with the highest suicide deaths of 42, while C Division (East Coast Demerara) came in second with 22 deaths, A Division (Georgetown and East Bank Demerara) with 20 and the G Division (Essequibo Coast and Islands) with 19.

Ramjattan noted that while this figure is worrisome, what is more troubling it the fact that of the 129 suicide deaths, at least 90 of them were males of East Indian descent. This trend, he added, continued last year when a total of 97 reports of suicides were recorded, of which 68 were males of East Indian descent.

Meanwhile, at it relates to the period January to June 30, 2014, the Minister outlined that a startling 46 suicide deaths were recorded with 29 being Indo-male Guyanese. “This is all troubling, very troubling,” he declared.

The Public Security Minister pointed out that in order to be more effective in reducing the high rate of suicide in Guyana, a comprehensive multisectoral suicide prevention strategy needs to be adopted. He referred to recommendations in a World Health Organisation (WHO) 2014 report, which stated that for the national responses to be effective, a comprehensive multisectoral suicide prevention strategy needs to

attempts in the first place,” the Minister posited.

While the topic may brew much criticism, Ramjattan is of the view that there are a lot of supporting points to change the laws, noting that some 59 countries the world over have decriminalised attempted suicide.

On this note, the Public Security Minister urged that there be a debate on the decriminalisation of attempted suicide, adding that he wants to hear the arguments on why the offence should remain on the law books.

“People who survive need to be rehabilitated, not imprisoned… I prefer individuals rather than getting jail, lead productive lives after a period of counselling,” he stated. More so, Ramjattan recognised that decriminalisation of attempted suicide will not heal the social ills that lend to persons feeling inclined to

commit such an act.

Furthermore, the second Vice President referred to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report in 2014 on suicide which stated that doctors, more than Police Officers, needs to be involved in suicide prevention efforts.

Meanwhile, Ramjattan went on to outlined that one of the many recommendations that the said report listed is the restriction of access to the means of suicide. He specifically raised concerns about the use of poisonous substances to end lives, which he noted is one of the two main means of committing suicide in Guyana. The other is hanging.

“Restricting access to the most common means, including pesticides, poisons and hazardous substances, it has worked in other countries as the report indicated we must ensure that it works here in Guyana. I wish to urge that

the dealer and users of these substances, must ensure that they be kept in safe, secure places and not be left casually around the house or farm.

They must be locked away,” he underscored.

Moreover, the Public Security Minister urged that there be more public awareness of safety regulations for the handling, usage and storage of pesticides.

In the report issued in September 2014, the WHO listed Guyana as the country with the highest estimated suicide rate for 2012.

Suriname was named the sixth-highest. According to records acquired by the Police, there were some 129 reports of suicide in 2013 with at least 90 of them being males of East Indian descent. This trend continued last year, when 97 reports of suicide were recorded of which 68 were males of East Indian descent.

The Importance of Jalsa Salana’s Annual Conference

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Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud at the launching ceremony of the Police’s Suicide Prevention Helpline

be adopted.

“Suicides are preventable but it requires, as the experts say, a national response is required. A multisectoral, inter-Government broad-based approach is required and I am very happy to see that that is what has been happening. Social Protection (Ministry), Health (Ministry), the Chaplin, the Police Force and Private Sector all playing a role in helping,” the Minister pointed out.

The Police Force has collaborated with the Ministries of Public Health and Social Cohesion to have the programme implemented.

Several Doctors under the Ministry had provided training sessions to ranks, as well as the faith-based members who are involved in this initiative.

Speaking on behalf of the Health Ministry, State Psychiatrist, Dr Bhiro Harry, noted that suicide prevention is everybody’s business.

He too endorses the need for a collaborative approach to tackle the societal scourge of suicide.

“Public health alone cannot do it… it has to be multisectoral… we have to collaborate in a coordinate manner and not in a haphazard manner. If everybody is going to do something but doing their own thing and nobody knows who is doing what, we will create confusions,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, the mastermind behind the project

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud explained that in addition to the four landlines and two cellphones, there are also a twitter account, facebook page and an email through which the centre can be contacted.

Persaud explained that a suicide prevention centre has been established with trained personnel who will engage the victims. “The centre receives the communication and once they get the location where the caller is making the call from, the Police station closest will be contacted and asked to pick up one of the Counsellors be it the social workers from the Social Protection Ministry or the faith-based leaders who are Counsellors.

They go to the subject and take over that process. At some stage they will decide whether counselling would work or there is need for more professional engagement. In such cases, we will engage the Ministry of Health – Dr Harry and his department,” the Police Commissioner noted.

Additionally, he stated that a steering committee will be established to monitor the work of the programme to see how well it is operating. Furthermore, the top cop went on to say that other interventions will be made to facilitate the collection of adequate data as it relates to suicide deaths and the circumstances surrounding it.

nder divine inspiration, the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi, Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS) announced in May 1891 that he was the Promised Mahdi awaited by the Muslims.

Later in the same year, the Promised Messiah (AS) decided to hold the first Jalsa Salana (Annual Conference).

Accordingly, the first Annual Conference was held from December 27 to 29 at the Aqsa Mosque in Qadian, India.

Only 75 members attended that year; the next year, 327 members attended the Jalsa, and at the last Jalsa Salana attended by the Promised Messiah (AS) in 1907, there were 2000 participants. The last annual gathering that was held in Rabwah in 1983, at least 300,000 attended the blessed meeting.

With a few exceptions, it has been held since then every year in many countries of the world like the United Kingdom, Germany, India, Canada, and the United States.

Jalsa Salana Germany 2014 concludes: More than 33,000 people attend the three-day convention in Karlsruhe.

48th Jalsa Salana United Kingdom concludes: More than 33,000 people attend and 97 countries represented.

Concerning the purpose of Jalsa Salana, the Promised Messiah (AS) writes distinctly: “The primary purpose of this Convention is to enable every sincere individual to personally experience religious benefits; they may enhance their knowledge and – due to their being blessed and enabled by Allah, the Exalted – their perception [of Allah] may progress. Among its secondary benefits is that this congregational meeting together will promote mutual introduction among all brothers, and it will strengthen the fraternal ties within this

Community.”(Ishtihar 7 Dec 1892, Majmoo`ahIshtiharat Vol I, Page 340).

In the end, he offers a Prayer for all the attendees of this auspicious spiritual Convention: “ I conclude with the prayer that everyone who travels for [attending] this Convention that is for the sake of Allah: May Allah, the Exalted, be with him, reward him in abundant measure, have mercy on him, ease up for him his circumstances of hardship and anxiety and eliminate his anguish and grief. May He grant him freedom from every single hardship and lay open for him the ways of [achieving] his cherished goals, and raise him up, on the Day of Judgment, among those of His servants who are the recipients of His blessings and Mercy. May He be their Guardian in their absence until after their journey comes to an end. O Allah! O Sublime One and Bestower of bounties, the Ever Merciful and One Who Resolves all problems, do grant all these prayers, and grant us Victory over our opponents with scintillating signs, because You alone have all the prowess and power. Aameen! Aameen!!”

(Ishtihar 7 Dec 1892, Majmoo`ahIshtiharat Vol I, Page 342) The World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Fifth Khalifa, His Holiness, Hadrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, concluded the 123rd Annual Convention (Jalsa Salana) of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Qadian, India on Sunday, December 8, 2014 with a faith-inspiring and emotional address.

His Holiness addressed the final session via satellite link from the Baitul Futuh Mosque in London. Over 18,700 people, representing 37 countries, attended the Jalsa in Qadian, while more than 5400 gathered in London for the concluding session.

Annual Conventions also took place that weekend in Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Senegal and the West Coast of America.

During his address, His Holiness spoke of how Islam’s teachings were being distorted by terrorist and extremist groups throughout the world.

He categorically condemned all forms of extremism and said that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was constantly engaged in spreading the peaceful message of Islam.

His Holiness said that Ahmadi Muslims responded to all provocation and hatred only with peace and prayers because this was in accordance with the true teachings of Islam.

His Holiness reiterated that freedom of belief and religion was a fundamental tenet of Islamic teaching. He quoted directly from the Holy Quran to prove that Islam did not permit any punishment for apostasy and he also rejected as entirely false the allegation that Islam was spread by the sword.

He said that history proved that Islam reached Africa, China, Europe, India and other parts of the world through peaceful means of preaching.

His Holiness also reflected on his previous visit to Spain in 2013 when he visited a part of Spain where Muslims had sought shelter for as long as possible after being driven out of other parts of the country.

His Holiness said he had met a Christian academic who said that Muslims should reclaim that part of Spain.

In response, Hadrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said: “Certainly, one day we will reclaim that land from which the Muslims were forcefully driven out, but we will not do so by brandishing a sword or through any form of violence or terror. Rather, we will reclaim it through the power of love and love alone.”

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FRIday, august 7, 2015| guyanatimesGY.com

Instel air carrier Nurses who cared for abandoned child honoured grounded at CJIA

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he Georgetown Public Hospital Cooperation (GPHC) on Thursday hosted a small ceremony to celebrate the life of Joshua Moonsammy and also to show appreciation to all of the nurses who cared of him while he lived at the institution.

Joshua, who was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, was abandoned by his mother about five years ago at the medical institution as a result of his diagnosis. Little Joshua then became a fulltime occupant at the medical facility. Sadly, precious little Joshua passed away on July 30 and his passing has left the hospital staff who loved and cared for him, in a state of dismay.

At the event hosted at the Paediatric Ward, Chief Executive Officer of the GPHC Michael Khan thanked the nurses for the kindness and love they showed to Joshua while he was in their care. He added that many of these nurses went above and beyond their call of duty.

Khan expressed how “honoured and proud” he

he Central Immigration Office at Timehri on Wednesday reportedly grounded an Insel air carrier, which was scheduled to depart the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) at 06:45h.

The aircraft was not permitted to depart the CJIA until arrangements were made to transport eight Indian nationals out of the jurisdiction.

CEO of GPHC Michael Khan hands over a small token of appreciation to Nurse Angela Edwards in the presence of other nurses and her son

was of the dedication shown by the staff at the ward, especially Nurse Angela Edwards.

Speaking to members of the media, a very emotional Nurse Edwards spoke about how much she will miss Joshua and she also expressed how hurt she felt when the boy passed away last week .

She added “It was my pleasure to take care of

Joshua” and Khan also told the media that she would usually take him into her home, especially on holidays like Christmas and Easter and because of this, Edward’s biological children also bonded with Joshua.

The nurse said that “I would usually take him to see Santa at Christmas, I would take him to fly kites at Easter and I would even wash his clothes and take

care of him.” The nurse had developed a special bond with Joshua and she was even planning on celebrating his 6th birthday on December 22 this year.

The nurses and other staff attached to the unit will definitely miss little Joshua since his life represented something special.

Though he will be sadly missed, the nurses are sure he is now in a better place.

National Youth Policy Draft completed – still to be viewed by President, Education Minister

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draft of the National Youth Policy 2015 has been completed and a copy of it will soon be in the hands of President David Granger and Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, according to Presidential Adviser on Youth Empowerment, Aubrey Norton.

According to the Government Information Agency (GINA), on Thursday, Norton stated that the completed draft was largely restructured. He said it now reflected clearer policy objectives and performance measures were included for every objective.

Norton said once the Policy was taken for analysis and endorsement to the higher level in the Government structure, the next step would be popularisation of the document.

He explained that following buy-in from the public, and more importantly the youth segment of the population, a National Youth Policy Action Plan is to be crafted for the implementation of the Policy.

The Presidential Adviser explained that the intention was to engage the technical people to develop the clear Terms of Reference for this five-year strategic action plan – 2016 to 2021.

The National Youth Policy 2015 is a comprehensive policy document that states the vision of the Government of Guyana (GoG) for the youths of the country, and also how this

and Regional Elections, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition, had pledged to prioritise youth development. Among the promises was the timely convening of a National Youth Conference to push the Terms of Reference and programme of action for the long-awaited National Youth Policy and National Youth Policy Action Plan.

Presidential Adviser on Youth Empowerment, Aubrey Norton

vision would be realised by the Government. The Policy caters for the needs of the youths in the age group of 15-35 years, which constitutes over 50 per cent of the population.

It also identifies the vision and the five key objectives that are further sub-divided into several priority areas for youth development. It further suggests policy imperatives that should be implemented in each of these identified priority areas.

The National Youth Policy 2015 seeks to achieve a nation where all the young people are safe and healthy, have equal access to opportunities, can participate in public life, and are empowered to meaningfully contribute to Guyana’s sustainable, national development.

In their Manifesto for the May 11, 2015 General

This conference, which was convened in early June, brought together youths from across the nation, in a working session that discussed a draft profile of the ideal Guyanese youth, in addition to the National Youth Policy document.

The conference was critical in arriving at the final document that is to be sent to President Granger and Minister Roopnaraine.

The nationals reportedly arrived in Guyana on July 19, 2015 but were refused entry into the country for various immigration reasons and have been in the custody of the Guyana Police Force since then, the statement said.

The management of the CJIA is said to be investigating the incident. It says it regrets any inconvenience caused to passengers booked on the said flight.

18-year-old on narcotics charge A young man who currently attends the Skills and Knowledge for Youth Employment (SKYE) Programme was released with a fine and community service on Thursday after he was busted with one gram of cannabis sativa (marijuana).

Daniel Ross, 18, of 79 Section A, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, was brought into Court Two of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to the narcotics possession charge.

The Police found him on Camp Street and North Road in Georgetown on August 5 and attempted to search him, but he let loose a string of curse words when they did. For his disorderly conduct, the Police Officers arrested him and took him to the Brickdam Police Station where the marijuana was found on him.

Ross pleaded guilty to the charge and was fittingly reprimanded by Magistrate Judy Latchman for being in possession of the drug. She said that he has a chance to do

Daniel Ross

something with his life at the Sky Programme upon learning of his attendance there and should not waste it.

The Magistrate fined him $3000 for the cannabis possession along with 20 Tuesdays of community service at the Palms on Brickdam, Georgetown.

For the disorderly behaviour he was reprimanded and discharged. However, Magistrate Latchman warned him against making another appearance in any courtroom again for such offence.

Shooter on the run after killing Plaisance mason

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he Police have launched a manhunt for a Plaisance Squatting Area, East Coast Demerara resident who indiscriminately discharged an unlicensed firearm killing a mason on Wednesday evening. The dead man has been identified as Akeem Yorrick, 23, of Lot 78 Prince William Street, Plaisance.

He reportedly received a single gunshot wound to his abdomen and succumbed to his injuries while receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital just after 22:00h on the night in question. According to reports received, the now dead man left his girlfriend’s home at Prince William Street about 08:20h and joined some friends in the squatting area.

The suspect who lives in the area and who was accused of breaking into several homes over the past weekend thought that the men were coming to get him. He

Dead mason, Akeem Yorrick

reportedly pulled out the firearm and pulled the trigger twice, but it malfunctioned.

The young men retaliated and gave chase to the man who spun around and discharged several other rounds hitting Yorrick to his abdomen and escaped. The injured man was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Hospital where he died.

Natasha Yorrick, his mother, sat in a chair at her

home with tears in her eyes and explained to Guyana Times that her son visited his girlfriend who lives opposite his house on Wednesday evening while she was selling at the front of her yard.

As she was about to go in, she called upon the young man to enquire what was his next move. When he came out of the house, she explained, he was not wearing his vest and she knew that he would not be going anywhere for the rest of the evening, so she went into her house.

After some time past, she thought about calling out to him but she reconsidered and retired to bed. Soon after, a friend rushed to her home and informed her that her son was shot. The woman stated that she ‘ran cold’ and further enquired what happened.

“They tell me that he gone to the hospital so meh friend de waiting on me, but by the time meh husband come and he carry we… when I reach

the hospital, I see people crying, but them ain’t tell me that he dead. I went in and see he on the bed and I hug he and kiss he,” the grieving mother cried.

She said it was afterwards she knew that her son was dead. With respect to the motive for the shooting, she explained that the shooter (Kevin) was accused of breaking into a few homes and after he saw the men near his house he thought that they were going for him.

The woman also vented her concerns with respect to the Police response when a crime is reported. She noted that the youths in the community were involved in several wrongdoings, but when the matters are reported, the Police seem not to care.

Police said they have launched an investigation into the shooting incident. The body of Yorrick is at the Georgetown Hospital Mortuary awaiting a postmortem examination.

Friday, August 7, 2015

guyanatimesgy.com

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he much anticipated Miss Emancipation Pageant is set for Friday, August 14 at the National Cultural Centre and will see seven beauties competing for the title. The delegates vying for this year’s title are Akelia Dey, Jade Primo, Jalicia Thompson, Zineoby Ward, Vonette

Peters, Deon Allen and Keisha Jackson.

The event will be a red-carpet one that features delegates drawn from as far as Linden, competing in five segments.

These segments include education, cultural awareness,

community projects, question and answer and a rich afro-influenced fashion display.

The young ladies who are between the ages 17 and 24, and are Guyanese of African ancestry, will seek to inspire, educate and bring about awareness regarding the

African culture.

The President of the Miss Emancipation committee, Dr Melissa Varswyk, explained that, this year the delegates will be executing a community project which ranges from refurbishing a bridge in Sophia to designing a safe swing for children

who are physically challenged. The delegates during their introduction will further outline each project undertaken.

Tickets for the pageant are available at the National Cultural Centre and will cost $1000 and $2000.

Delegate number one Akelia Dey

Delegate number two Jade Primo

Delegate number three Jalicia Thompson

Age: 19 Education: CPCE graduate Community project: Empowering young ladies in the Sophia community Hobbies: Socialising, counselling and humanitarian involvement

Age: 20 Education: Third Year Optometrist student, University of Guyana Community project: Making available free eye care services to residents of Plaisance, East Coast Demerara and Linden, Region 10 Hobbies: Dancing

Age: 18 Education: Biology student University of Guyana Community project: Promoting STEM in the Linden, Region 10 Hobbies: Writing literature, learning languages, singing, playing the piano, dancing and hiking and volunteering with environmental groups

Delegate number four Zineoby Ward

Delegate number five Vonette Peters

Age: 22 Education: Diploma in Project Management Community project: Promoting a “Grow More” campaign in Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara Hobbies: Mentoring girls at Golden Grove Arts Foundation, fishing and debating

Age: 21 Education: Medical student at Georgetown American University Community project: Designing and constructing a safe swing for disable children Hobbies: Medical outreaches, mentoring children and trying new recipes

Delegate number six Deon Allen

Delegate number seven Keisha Jackson

Age: 18 Education: Tourism student Community project: Creating a greenspace in Plaisance, East Coast Demerara Hobbies: Dancing, singing, reading and writing poetry

Age: 18 Education: Civil Engineer student, University of Guyana Community project: Refurbishing a bridge in Sophia, Greater Georgetown Hobbies: Listening to jazz music and dancing

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stunning Guyanese beauty is expected to be crowned Miss India Guyana Worldwide at a prestigious event at the Marriott Hotel on Tuesday, August 18.

The coronation will be a grand affair, with several dance routines being performed by the Apsara Dancers and a special performance by first runner-up Miss India Worldwide, 2014, Cynferth Turrian (Miss Switzerland). She will be performing a dance routine she performed at the international pageant. <<<Guyana Times Entertainment>>> was told that the beauty selected to represent Guyana at the International Pageant is well groomed and ready for the stage.

I Miss India Worldwide, 2013 Alana Seebarran

While the name of the young lady was not revealed, the franchise holder is convinced that she is the perfect pick. She will compete with more than 60 delegates from around the world in Mumbai, India, on September 6.

For the second consecutive year, a queen has been selected

Reigning Miss India Guyana 2014Divya Sieudarsan

to represent Guyana. Last year, Divya Sieudarsan was selected and would have participated in the pageant but unfortunately, Guyana did not place.

On August 18, she will be handing over the crown to the new queen with the aim of her winning the coveted title for the

Miss India Switzerland 2014 Cynferth Turrain

second time. The first time Guyana won the Miss India Worldwide title was in 2013 when Alana Seebarran brought home the title.

Limited tickets will be available for the coronation.

Those interested are asked to call telephone number 640-2085 for more details.

t’s time of the year to get that all white outfit out of the closet as Gravity Lounge is taking the first bite of the All White Parties set for this month. It’s all about the All White Day Fete at Gravity, this Saturday, August 8.

The party starts from 14:00h and music vibes will be on point as your local favourites – DJ Blaxbee and DJ Shizzle – from the Boom FM will be there alongside guest Trinidadian DJ Lord Hype playing the very best in soca, chutney, reggae and others genre of music.

Everyone in white will be admitted FREE all day long but what is even better is, if you wear white, you get a FREE shot upon entry into the club.

Also, enjoy six Carlsberg Beer for only $2000 all day long… If you reserve three top shelf bottles ahead of time, you get a FREE bottle of Imperial White Ice Moet and Chandon champagne. For more information, call 691-8433. The event is sponsored by Carlsberg Beer.

guyanatimesgy.com

friday, august 7, 2015

Miss St Kitts and Nevis

Jackiema Flemming

Miss Babados

Miss Haiti

which he went to Finland and played with TP 47 Tonio Football Team. In 2013, he travelled to Lithuania where he played football for five months.

Representing Guyana was indeed special since he always wanted to make it on the international stage. He became a member of the Golden Jaguars Football Team in 2010 and played his first game against India. He then played the Under-20 Football Tournament and was successful in scoring goals.

Only recently, he played with the team in the World Cup Qualifier in Antigua but the team lost to Cuba and Antigua. In the game against Aruba, he managed to whip up two goals and assisted with helping the team score two others.

As time flies, he sees himself going back to Europe to play international football with hope of becoming a member of the Manchester United Football Team. In five year’s time, he sees himself as supporting his family in a huge way and living a comfortable life.

eagerly to show Guyana why they should be crowned Miss Jamzone International 2015. Jamaica Artiste Romain Virgo will be serenading the delegates as well as being the featured artiste in the show following the pageant.

Tanika Walton

Miss St Lucia

Niecer Suffren

Miss USA

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troupes that are set to thrill the audience.

Shakti Strings Orchestra will be the official band accompanying the musicians.

Television personality Joel Ganshaam will also make an appearance.

WR Reaz, the official Emcee for the event is all geared to make the night of August 7, a memorable one. Tickets for the show cost $1000 in advance and are available at that La Grill and Sukhpaul’s Gas Station, Skeldon.

Those without tickets will pay $1500 at the gate. The event is promoted by Fire Fest Production and sponsored

by Team MMR, Corona beer, among others.

wenty-one-year-old Trayon Denzil Bobb presently plays as a left wing for Guyana’s football team, the Golden Jaguars. “Lax” or “Bobby” as he is commonly referred was born to Elsa Erna Bobb and fitzroy Bobb at Den Amstel, West Coast Demerara (WCD) and is the last of five siblings.

He grew up in Uitvlugt, WCD with his friends, having lots of fun playing football and cricket. He was always a contented person and one who loves to make a lot of jokes. As a young man, he always wanted to represent his country as a footballer on the international stage.

The talented footballer attended the Uitvlugt Primary School after which he wrote the Second School Entrance Examination (SSEE) and was awarded a place at St John’s College but unfortunately he did not complete his studies.

He got himself enrolled at the Uitvlugt Sugar Estate Trade School where he studied to become an Electrician.

After spending six months, he received his certificate which was a great achievement.

At the age of 16, he travelled to Trinidad and Tobago where he played with Caledonia AIA but left after two years after

the delegates will be battling it out on stage in these segments: Country/ Cultural Presentation, National Costume/Dress, Fantasy Swimsuit, General Swimsuit, Evening Gown and the Final Question.

All these beauties are waiting

Miss Jamaica

Miss Guyana

Afeya Jeffrey

Jaleesa Peterkin

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he stage is up, the music system is erected and the artistes are expected to arrive in Guyana this morning for the first ever, “Skeldon Big Lime” at the Skeldon Line Path ground, Skeldon, Corentyne.

Berbicians will be in for a treat as the artistes are ready to perform to the fullest. Also, Guyanese artiste, Mahendra Ramkellwan will launch his latest single called “Bunjay Wine” at the event.

The show will also feature some of the best chutney artistes in the region including former International Monarch Kris Persad also called “KI”, Veekash Sahadeo, Omadath Maharaj, Savita and Singh others. The event will also feature several local dance

But before a winner can be crowned, these ladies must compete in the One-On-One Interview which will be live on HJTV on August 12 at 20:00h.

On coronation night, August 15, the pageant will held at HJ Water World and will begin at 19:00h and

Cardella Hamilton

Miss Trinidad and Tobago

Nine beautiful young ladies will be vying for the title of Miss Jamzone International 2015 and the US$10,000 cash prize, with delegates hailing from Barbados, St Lucia, the USA, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, St Kitts and Nevis, Jamaica, Suriname and Guyana.

Falance Benjamin

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his year will mark the sixth annual hosting of Miss Jamzone International, as Hits and Jams Entertainment will be celebrating the 15th year for Jamzone Summer Break.

This year, HJ is taking the pageant back to the Beach.

Soyini Phillips

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The younger days During his childhood, Bobb admired Brazil’s soccer player Ronaldinho and Mexico’s Chicharito Hernandez as his role models and inspiration.

However, he advises young men who want to become professional football players to be humble, remain disciplined, pray to God and more so to live a healthy lifestyle. He sees himself as a role model to many youths in his community, and to a greater extent, his country.

As a young ambitious young man, he recalled visiting Trinidad in 2010 as a stepping stone to his career. He has achieved a lot during his football career including being a part of the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup Championship in Europe, being name the Most Valuable Player For Citizens Cup in 2012-2013.

In addition to scored two goals during his game against El Salvador in 2012, he was the youngest player on his team to play in a World Cup Qualifier game.

He is actively involved in providing motivational talks to children in his community and at the school he attended as a child. When he is off the field, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends.

On a lighter note, his favourite colours are black, blue and red while his favourite dish is cook-up and macaroni and cheese along with pepper pot and ground provision. The five foot, seven inches tall footballer is single.

friday, august 7, 2015

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Lochte seals historic One year to Rio 2016: Bolt versus Gatlin heads budding rivalries title in Kazan

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Ryan Lochte displays his gold medal

he men’s 200m individual medley at the FINA World Championships saw Ryan Lochte break a record previously held by Michael Phelps.

Ryan Lochte made history on Thursday as he became the first man to win four consecutive FINA World Championship titles in the 200 metre individual medley.

The legendary Michael Phelps won three on the bounce from 2003 to 2007 before Lochte picked

up the mantle in 2009 and refused to relinquish his crown.

The five-time Olympic gold medallist finished almost a second clear of second-placed Thiago Pereira of Brazil, while China’s Wang Shun was third.

Lochte’s gold in the individual medley offered a degree of consolation after the 31-year-old finished fourth in the 200m freestyle, despite the absence of a number of key swimmers.

Phelps (excluded by the

United States over drinkdrive charges), Kosuke Hagino (injured) and Daiya Seto (failed to qualify) were all absent from Thursday’s final, not that Lochte was bothered.

“There was a couple of people that weren’t in that race, but there’s no doubt in my mind that there was other people there to push me,” he told Eurosport.

There was further American success as Katie Ledecky picked up her fourth gold medal of the Championships as part of the victorious women’s 4x200m freestyle relay.

The US finished ahead of Italy and China in that event.

Ning Zetao clinched gold for China in the men’s 100m freestyle, while the country also triumphed in the 50m backstroke thanks to Fu Yuanhui’s sterling performance.

The remaining gold medal of the day went to Natsumi Hoshi of Japan in the women’s 200m butterfly. (Digicel Sportsmax)

McIlroy hits a driver again after ankle injury

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orld number one Rory McIlroy has shared a video of him hitting a drive, increasing speculation that he may return to play in next week’s US PGA. The Northern Ireland player ruptured his ankle ligaments in July, ending his hopes of defending his Open title.

McIlroy, 26, added on Instagram that it felt “good to hit the driver again”.

The four-time major winner has reportedly booked a weekend practice round at Whistling Straits - the US PGA venue - for this weekend.

His spokesperson said on Tuesday that McIlroy’s recovery was “ongoing” while refusing to comment on whether he might defend the title that he won at Valhalla last year.

As well as the video of his driving the ball,

McIlroy has shared upbeat pictures on social media of reduced swelling on his ankle and of his throwing a medicine ball in a gym.

McIlroy will definitely miss the WGC Invitational that begins on Thursday and will slip behind US Open and Masters champion Jordan Spieth in the world rankings if the American wins at Firestone. (BBC Sport)

Murray suffers surprise defeat

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ritish world number three Andy Murray suffered a surprise second-round defeat to unseeded Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili in the Washington Open.

Murray, 28, had chosen to play an extra tournament in the run-up to this year’s US Open, which starts in New York on 31 August.

But after a bye to the second round, the top seed

lost 6-4 4-6 7-6 (7-4) to the 30-year-old world number 53.

“It wasn’t like I was blown off the court,” said the Scot.

He will now play Masters events in Montreal and then Cincinnati in the next two weeks in preparation for Flushing Meadows.

Gabashvili hit 11 aces and had to break back at 5-4 down in the third set

as Murray served for the match, before going on to win the tie-break.

“It was the first hardcourt match for four-and-ahalf months with only four or five days of preparation, so I was happy with how I moved and did certain things on court.”

Murray helped Great Britain advance to the semifinals of the Davis Cup last month. (BBC Sport)

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Usain Bolt versus Gatlin has all logistics in place for a possible world record race

he Rio Olympic Games starts in exactly a year and we take a look at six budding rivalries in Brazil.

The countdown to the Rio Olympic Games has reached the one-year mark and several intriguing subplots are already beginning to develop - including whether Justin Gatlin can topple sprint sensation Usain Bolt.

Jamaican Bolt is one of sport’s biggest global superstars, built on the six Olympic golds he won in Beijing and London in the 100 metres, 200m and the 4x100m relay.

But his status as the world’s best sprinter is under threat in Brazil from an in-form Gatlin, in one of many budding rivalries developing ahead of the Games.

Here we take a look at six match-ups that are sure to draw the attention of millions worldwide next year.

Usain Bolt v Justin Gatlin - men’s 100 and 200m Bolt’s Olympic achievements have earned him legendary status and his is a name that transcends sport into the public sphere.

But Bolt, the world record holder in the 100m and 200m, has endured a difficult start to 2015 as injuries have restricted his appearances. He showed glimpses of his top form with a season-best 9.87 seconds at the Anniversary Games in wet conditions in London at the end of last month. Gatlin, though, is supremely confident - and with good reason. The American clocked a personal best 9.74 seconds in the 100m in Doha this year and also ran a PB on the way to becoming the

fifth-fastest 200m sprinter of all time with a 19.57 at the US Track and Field Championships in June.

Kirani James v LaShawn Merritt - men’s 400m Since 2012, James and Merritt have been involved in a ding-dong battle to determine the best 400m runner. James made history by becoming Grenada’s first Olympic gold medallist in London 2012, but Merritt’s absence through injury sustained in the heats arguably took the gloss off that win.

Merritt roared back to win World Championship gold in Moscow in 2013. James triumphed when he went head-to-head with Merritt in Lausanne last month, meaning his record in races against the American is now 7-5.

Laura Trott v Sarah Hammer - women’s track cycling (omnium) One of the most intriguing battles in the velodrome comes in the women’s omnium. Trott gained the upper hand by taking gold at her home Olympics in 2012 and is one of Great Britain’s medal hopes in Rio de Janeiro.

However, Hammer subsequently won world titles in 2013 and 2014 in the discipline. The American finished a disappointing eighth in the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in February, but it would be foolhardy to count against her. Australia’s Annette Edmondson - gold medallist in France - is also one to watch.

Ryan Lochte v Chad le Clos - men’s 100m butterfly Despite being 30, Lochte has shown no sign of slowing down in the pool. The American is a five-time Olympic gold medallist and

has over 50 major championship golds. Butterfly is not necessarily his speciality, but there is still plenty of intrigue as to how he may fare against Le Clos. The South African sent shockwaves through swimming in London when he toppled Michael Phelps to gold glory in the 200m butterfly.

Missy Franklin v Katie Ledecky - swimming Franklin and Ledecky are two of United States’ biggest medal hopes in the pool. The two do not often compete in the same races, meaning the rivalry appears more based on who can outshine the other in Rio. Franklin is more at home in the shorter distance backstroke and freestyle events, although she was beaten by her compatriot when defending the 200m freestyle at the FINA World Championships. That victory was Ledecky’s third of the event in Kazan and she has excelled in the longer freestyle disciplines - winning gold in the 400m and 1500m at the Worlds - the latter seeing her break her own world record.

Mutaz Essa Barshim v Bohdan Bondarenko - men’s high jump Qatar’s Barshim and Bondarenko of Ukraine were the men to beat in 2014. On 12 occasions, a distance of 2.40m was cleared with the duo accounting for nine of those. Barshim, an Olympic bronze medallist, is the only man to have cleared that height so far this year in the Diamond League. But last year Bondarenko outjumped Barshim on four occasions to three, and their rivalry could yet propel someone to beat Javier Sotomayor’s long-standing world record of 2.45m. (Digicel Sportsmax)

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guyanatimesGY.com

friday, august 7, 2015

The Ashes…

Broad and Root bury feeble Australia A

lastair Cook had called for England to “etch their names in history” as they sought a victory in the fourth Investec Test that would regain the Ashes and ease the memory of their whitewash in Australia 20 months earlier.

But even Cook, an England captain brimming with expectation, would not have anticipated the rout that came to pass as Stuart Broad carved through Australia’s batting at will in one of the most startling opening sessions in Ashes history.

Australia, utterly bereft, were dismissed for 60 in only 18.3 overs, with cricket statisticians wading through damning numbers either achieved or narrowly avoided. Broad, carrying an onerous responsibility in the absence of James Anderson, returned his best Test figures of 8 for 15 in 9.3 newball overs amid scenes of general delirium. Only Jim Laker, twice in the same match, has bettered that for an England bowler in the Ashes.

Then order was mightily restored. England came out, so did the sun, and the lead at their lead at the close was 214 with six wickets remaining: the Ashes surely as good as won after a single day.

After Broad’s feeding frenzy came Joe Root’s serene imposition of reality - an unbeaten 124, sagacious where Australia had been so disorientated, his mind crisply attired for the task as he sparkled with a succession of drives and late cuts and a beaming sun taunted Australia for their inability to bat long enough to benefit from easing conditions.

Broad loves Trent Bridge, his home ground, and he must have sensed it making eyes at him on an overcast morning carrying great significance. The occasion stirred him, his competitive zeal allied to faultless exe-

Stuart Broad saluted a turbo-charged five-wicket haul before the drinks break on the first morning

cution. Long before the first drinks session of the day, he was brandishing the ball, a rudely red one only 6.1 overs old, to the crowd to mark a five-wicket haul.

Five wickets in record time: the curdled cream of Australian batting secured by the first delivery of his fourth over. Australia’s batsmen were awash with paranoia. He bowled a perfect, inviting length on a good old-fashioned English seamer, finding just enough movement and leaving a systematic close-catching cordon to do the rest.

“Lack of batting technique leading to collapses,” was the considered opinion of Geoffrey Boycott, prominently placed on ESPNcricinfo as the Test began. Australia can’t say they weren’t warned. Within 35 minutes, they were 29 for 6 and the batsman walking off was Michael Clarke, who had tried to stare down his lack of form with jaw-jutting defiance and who had just had an almighty swipe at a wide one.

Australia did not play and miss all that much, but they went hard at the ball, nicked often and when they did, England’s catching was exemplary, nine of the 10 wickets falling in the cordon.

Broad’s first wicket, that of Chris Rogers, made him the fifth England bowler to reach 300 in Tests. When Clarke departed, Broad’s run of five wickets in 19 balls became the most prolific start to an innings in Test history.

Australia’s inability to adapt to English conditions had never been more striking. An era where so much Test cricket is attritional on sedate pitches, and where T20 holds sway, has eaten into defensive techniques.

From the first ball, as Broad scratched the crease, the brown earth revealed some residual dampness. But the movement was not excessive, not as extravagant as Edgbaston where England had won within three days.

England, for all that, won a good toss to have first bowl on an overcast Nottingham morning, aware that the Trent Bridge groundsman, pilloried for a stultifying surface officially marked as “poor” 12 months earlier against India, would feel obliged to provide something a little spicier. The Test pitch had been dug up and its replacement thought it was housing a county match in April.

Rogers has been one of the staunchest members of

this Australia batting lineup but, as the series has progressed, Broad has found his measure, hounding the left-hander from around the wicket. When he found a little movement to expose a furtive push at the third ball of the morning, the tone was set.

By the time the first over was completed, one of cricket’s prettiest scoreboards was looking uglier: 10 for 2. Steven Smith square drove Broad to the boundary boards - one of only seven boundaries in the innings - but then he edged to third slip. Broad had squared up left and right-hander in turn.

England preferred Mark Wood to Steven Finn with the new ball, aware of his excellent Trent Bridge record, and his insistent line was enough to draw an inside edge from David Warner to a ball that came back.

Clarke, demoted to No. 5 in an attempt at protection, must have been scurrying around the dressing room for bat and thigh pad, feeling no protection at all.

Shaun Marsh, preferred to his brother Mitchell to give Australia six specialist batsmen, became the third duck in the top four, Root the latest sharp knife in the England slip box, standing at third. Adam Voges knows Trent Bridge from county cricket, but Broad knows Voges and knows he is a theory that has not come off.

Resistance was beyond him as Ben Stokes flung himself rapidly to his right to hold a spectacular one-handed catch that will join Ashes folklore.

Broad ran down the pitch holding his hands to his face like a blushing deb who had just received an entirely unexpected present. England’s wicketkeeper and four of the slips had all held catches in the first 4.1 overs.

Clarke’s mind must have

been swirling. A wideish delivery from Broad was tempting to a desperate man. Clarke was a desperate man. The ball flew to his rival captain, Cook, holding the catch above his head. It was a rash attempt to remedy matters with a single statement and it brought him only further misery.

He might have fallen earlier, too, a statuesque flip-pull against Wood that fell short of Finn at deep square.

And so it went on, a collapse that was impossible to arrest. Finn joined the fun, bringing one back to strike Peter Nevill’s off stump.

Then three more to Broad.

Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson - his 25-ball 13 the height of Australia’s resistance - giving two more slip catches to Root and the final one to Stokes as Nathan Lyon became the ninth batsman to fall in the closecatching cordon.

Broad had begun the morning hoping for 300 Test wickets. He finished level with Fred Trueman’s 307.

And as Fred would have said, pipe a puffing, it was hard to know what was going on out there.

Consolidation for

England did not come automatically. By tea, Starc had taken three wickets in return: Adam Lyth undone by late swing; Ian Bell falling into a big inswinger; and Cook, who apart from one flirtation with the slips had looked intent on batting long, so exposing Australia’s fourstrong attack, unaccountably falling lbw to a floaty, full one. But Australia had opted for only four specialist bowlers to stiffen their batting (so much for that theory) and two of them, Starc and Johnson, are not exactly designed for long spells.

Only a dicky back, not for the first time in this series, disturbed Root in an assertive fourth-wicket stand of 173 in 34 overs with Jonny Bairstow, his Yorkshire confrere, whose 74 was less precise but a punchy innings designed nevertheless to establish him in England’s middle order before he chipped Josh Hazlewood to square leg. Root saw out the day, but as adroitly as he batted, it was a day that belonged to Broad, a day when he looked a pugnacious and quarrelsome Ashes record in the eye and pronounced himself a winner. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD Australia 1st innings CJL Rogers c Cook b Broad 0 DA Warner c †Buttler b Wood SPD Smith c Root b Broad 6 SE Marsh c Bell b Broad 0 MJ Clarke* c Cook b Broad 10 AC Voges c Stokes b Broad 1 PM Nevill† b Finn 2 MG Johnson c Root b Broad 13 MA Starc c Root b Broad 1 4 JR Hazlewood not out NM Lyon c Stokes b Broad 9 Extras (lb 11, nb 3) 14 Total (all out; 18.3 overs) 60 Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-10, 3-10, 4-15, 5-21, 6-29, 7-33, 8-46, 9-47, 10-60 Bowling: SCJ Broad 9.35-15-8, MA Wood 3-0-131, ST Finn 6-0-21-1.

England 1st innings 14 A Lyth c †Nevill b Starc AN Cook* lbw b Starc 43 IR Bell lbw b Starc 1 JE Root not out 124 JM Bairstow c Rogers b Hazlewood 74 MA Wood not out 2 Extras (b 10, lb 1, w 1, nb 4) 16 Total (4 wickets; 65 overs) 274 To bat: BA Stokes, JC Buttler†, MM Ali, SCJ Broad, ST Finn Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-34, 3-96, 4-269 Bowling: MA Starc 17-1-73-3, JR Hazlewood 20-4-63-1, MG Johnson 16-2-71-0, NM Lyon 9-1-38-0, DA Warner 3-0-18-0.

Messi ‘headbutts’ defender JAAAs may be looking to the courts over IAAF doping scandal in Barcelona friendly win

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he Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) is just as angry as the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) over a leaked document that was used to question the level of illegal activity within the sport.

Though a documentary on doping in athletics, done by German broadcaster ARD and reported on by the Sunday Times newspaper in the UK, did not call any names, there is the fear that athletes could have their names and character sullied by the report.

“We will look at our options and along with the IAAF, see what redress we can get for our athletes if this happens, because they would be unfairly tainting somebody’s name,” Blake told Jamaican news entity, The Gleaner.

The IAAF has already refuted the claims of the report, which said there was a high percentage of ‘suspicious’ findings from a sample of 5000 athletes taken over an 11-year period

that would suggest dangerous levels of doping in the sport.

The IAAF website, iaaf.org has also quoted Professor Giuseppe d’Onofrio, one of the world’s leading haematologists, as also being taken aback at the irresponsibility of the study done by ARD. “Ethically, I deplore public comments coming from colleagues on blood data that has been obtained and processed outside of the strict regulatory framework established

by WADA which is designed to ensure a complete and fair review of ABP profiles,” said Professor d’Onofrio.

According to the Professor, doing things in that manner, could be dangerous to athletes who have not run afoul of the law.

“There is no space for shortcuts, simplistic approaches or sensationalism when athletes’ careers and reputations are at stake,” the Professor added. (Digicel Sportsmax)

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Messi scored from a Neymar assist in the 41st minute - seven minutes after this clash

ionel Messi appeared to headbutt a Roma defender in Barcelona’s 3-0 preseason friendly win at the Nou Camp.

The Argentina forward, 28, was booked for the incident, in which he also grabbed the throat of France international Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa.

Messi has never been sent off for Barcelona, but seemed to retaliate as the two players went head-to-head.

He went on to score as the Catalan club continued their preparations for their La Liga title defence.

They start the season against Athletic Bilbao on 23

August.

Former Newcastle defender Yanga-Mbiwa was also booked as other players intervened.

Messi’s only red card came on his international debut when he retaliated two minutes after coming on as a substitute for Argentina against Hungary.

(BBC Sport)

sports

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Australia will need to pull together in order to save their hopes of winning the Ashes alive

ustralia captain Michael Clarke insists his side will not give up as they look to save the Ashes series following a disastrous first day for the tourists at Trent Bridge.

Clarke’s side were bowled out for 60 before lunch as Stuart Broad took 8-15.

Joe Root then hit an unbeaten century as England scored 274-4 to establish a lead of 214.

“The Australian way is to never give up. That has to be our attitude,” Clarke told Test Match Special.

“We have to come here tomorrow and bowl England out and then bat as big as we have done in this series.”

Clarke’s side came into the Test at Trent Bridge 2-1 down and knowing that a defeat would see the home side regain the Ashes.

However, they now face the prospect of a heavy defeat after being dismissed for their joint seventh-lowest Test score in 111 balls -

the shortest first innings in Test history.

The Australia captain lost a key toss on Thursday, which allowed England to bowl first in favourable conditions on a wicket that offered incentive for the seam bowlers.

Broad, though, was exceptional, taking the equal fastest five-wicket haul in Test cricket before cleaning up the tail after Steven Finn and Mark Wood had claimed a wicket each.

“It didn’t start well, losing the toss and getting sent in but you still have to execute and Stuart Broad was a class above today,” continued Clarke.

“He put everything in the right area, we nicked everything and England’s fielding was exceptional. Those conditions we faced today were as tough as we faced in a long time so to lose the toss was vital.”

England lost Adam Lyth and Ian Bell cheaply, but 43

from captain Alastair Cook set the platform, which Root (124 not out) and Jonny Bairstow (74) capitalised on with a fourth-wicket stand of 173.

“The wicket flattened out a little bit after lunch but England played really well,” added Clarke.

Australia made a surprise selection for the match, bringing in batsman Shaun Marsh at the expense of his all-rounder brother Mitchell, meaning Clarke had just three seamers at his disposal.

Towards the end of the day, Clarke turned to the part-time seam of opening batsman David Warner.

When questioned about this he replied: “You’ll have to ask the selectors about that. They tried to pick the best XI and I don’t think it would matter who we picked. Shaun Marsh has scored a couple of hundreds and is in good form but he got a good ball.” (BBC Sport)

Tambe unlikely to face sanction for playing with banned Ashraful

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ajasthan Royals legspinner Pravin Tambe, and a host of players from various other countries, who participated in a private T20 tournament in New Jersey that also featured banned Bangladesh player Mohammad Ashraful, could avoid penalties because of the nebulous state of affairs at the USA Cricket Association (USACA).

A day after ESPNcricinfo revealed that Tambe, who has also represented Mumbai in the Ranji trophy, had played with Ashraful in the Laurel Hill Cricket Twenty20 tournament in the last week of July, officials familiar with the code of conduct set up by the ICC watchdog ACSU said Tambe had not breached any regulations. Both the Mumbai Cricket Association and the BCCI have not yet given a formal reaction though.

“He has not violated any code of conduct,” a BCCI official well versed with the anti-corruption code said.

Though the ICC did not want to comment on the matter, a source revealed the prevailing view was that Tambe had not broken any code by playing alongside Ashraful.

The BCCI official said that normally the blame for Ashraful’s participation would lie with the host country, but because the USACA had been suspended by the ICC in June, the case was not so straightforward.

“Normally it is the responsibility of the host association to ensure that no banned player participates in any match organised by them.

In this case it is not known if this match was played under the aegis of USACA.” According to him the BCCI or ICC communicates information on bans imposed to the affiliated associations only. “Hence there may be occasions when players are actually not aware of every player they are playing with or against.”

He said Tambe could not be blamed directly. “If it was local club cricket and Tambe claims he did not know that Ashraful was participating, then we have to take Tambe’s word for it unless proved otherwise.”

When asked if Tambe was at fault for not seeking a no-objection certificate from the MCA, the official said that it would not have been aware of Ashraful’s presence in any case. “Even if MCA

had given him a NOC, MCA themselves would not verify the players playing. It is the duty of the host association to see no banned players are participating in the tournament.”

On June 26, at the end of its annual conference in Barbados, the ICC announced it was suspending the Associate membership of USACA. The ICC thus became the adjudicator for sanctioning official tournaments in the USA. Other than the overseas players, when asked whether any of the USA or Canada players picked for an ICC Americas tryout scheduled for September in Indianapolis could face local sanctions for playing in the same tournaments as Ashraful, an ICC spokesperson replied in the negative.

“The ICC is aware of the issue you have raised and will be reminding its members and other relevant parties of the regulations regarding players who have been banned by other boards,” an ICC spokesperson said in an email.

“This matter will not affect players selected in the [Indianapolis] Combine.”

(Cricinfo)

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guyanatimesGY.com

friday, august 7, 2015

Canadian Digicel presents sponsorship Guyana-born Football Hall of Famer cheque for Guyana Cup meet wants to help national team – local football future might be brighter

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an allocated player (equivalent to DP player) with the then Kansas City Wizards (Sporting Kansas City). His team won the Major League Soccer (MLS) Championship in 2000 and following that game, he retired (age 33) due to ankle injuries.

anadian Football Hall of Famer Alexander “Alex” Bunbury, a son of the Land of Many Waters, is willing, ready and able to give back to Guyana’s football and wants to be part of the Guyana National team programmes.

Bunbury, a native of Plaisance, believes he can impart all his knowledge and experience to the young and more experienced players and believes Guyana can be a power team in the future.

Digicel Events and Sponsorship Manager Gavin Hope presents the sponsorship cheque to Nazrudeen Mohammed Junior, a member of the organising committee. Also sharing the moment was Rovin DeSouza, another member of the organising committee

By Rajiv Bisnauth

I

n another solid demonstration of its commitment to sports across Guyana, Digicel on Thursday added its name to the list of corporate entities that have thrown their support behind the Guyana Cup horse race meet.

The event will be staged on August 16 at the Port Mourant Turf Club where over $25 million will be at stake in cash and prizes.

The presentation was done at Digicel’s main office in Kingston, Georgetown, where Digicel’s Events and Sponsorship Manager, Gavin Hope, presented a cheque to Nazrudeen Mohammed Junior, a member of the organising com-

mittee.

Hope, speaking shortly after the presentation, said the company was once again pleased to be supporting horse racing locally, adding that it was not the first time that the sport has benefited from Digicel’s goodwill.

“Over the years this event has been the Mecca of horse racing in Guyana, the most lucrative in Guyana horse racing history, and we are very pleased to be associated with this event,” Hope said.

He disclosed that Digicel has made significant contributions towards the development of sports in Guyana and the company intended to continue to do so in the future.

Mohammed Junior ex-

pressed gratitude to Digicel for the kind sponsorship, adding that the Guyana Cup will definitely live up to expectations.

The feature race is for animals classified A1 and Lower. A total of $7.5 million will be up for grabs in that race.

The race will be contested over a distance of 1800 metres. Other races listed on the programme are: the Three-year-old race for West Indies bred horses; Twoyear-old race for West Indies horses, E1 and Lower, Fouryear-old for West Indies bred animals, F3 and Lower, G3 and Lower, Two-year-old race for Guyana bred horses, I1 and Lower, J1 and Lower, as well as a race for unclassified horses.

Campbell wants Bolt to lose to Gatlin

Usain Bolt won the 100m impressively at the Anniversary Games

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ormer sprinter Darren Campbell hopes Justin Gatlin beats Usain Bolt at this month’s World Championships to force the sport to “deal” with drugs cheats.

Gatlin, 33, who has served two drugs bans in his career, has ran the four fastest times of the year over 100m.

World record holder Bolt dipped below 10 seconds for the first time this year at last week’s Anniversary Games.

Briton Campbell told BBC Radio 5 live that a Gatlin victory would put the “spotlight” on athletics.

“The fairy tale is that

Usain Bolt beats Justin Gatlin, but in a crazy kind of way I want to see Justin Gatlin beat Usain Bolt because the sport will have to deal with it,” said Campbell, who is an Olympic silver medallist.

“The spotlight will be truly on the sport and the sport will have to make a decision.

“It’s not a decision about throwing out Justin Gatlin, but about how do you [athletics] want to be perceived in the future?”

The meeting between Gatlin and Jamaica’s sixtime Olympic champion Bolt, 28, in Beijing is highly anticipated.

Gatlin, the 2004 100m Olympic gold medallist, set a personal best of 9.74 seconds at the age of 33 in May, but Bolt made an encouraging return from a pelvic injury as he won at the Anniversary Games in 9.87secs.

The International Association of Athletics Federations, the sport’s world governing body, is defending itself from allegations of widespread doping in the sport.

The Sunday Times published data from 5,000 athletes, which it says reveals an “extraordinary extent of cheating”.

The IAAF said the blood results were not positive tests or proof of doping.

Lord Coe, an IAAF vicepresident, said the introduction of blood passports had “chased some of the highestnamed athletes out of our sport”.

Gatlin was banned for two years in 2001 and then again in 2006, originally for eight years rather than life after agreeing to help the US Anti-Doping Agency, but that was reduced to four years. (BBC Sport)

Here are Bunbury’s professional achievements: Bunbury’s professional career began at age 18 with the Hamilton Steelers of the Canadian Soccer League (CSL). He played in the CSL until age 23. In 1992, he was contracted by West Ham United of the English First Division (currently the Premier League). In 1993, he was bought by Club Maritimo in the Portuguese First Division. Bunbury played there for seven years and became their all-time leading scorer to this day.

In 1994, he was honoured as the Foreign Player of the Year. Maritimo was a multiple Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) League participant playing against the likes of Juventus and Leeds United, and players such as Italian legends Roberto Baggio and Jean Luca Vialli. Bunbury was part of the team that represented Maritimo in the first-ever Portuguese League Cup Championship game in team history against Portuguese powerhouse Sporting FC in 1995.

He was honoured as Player of the Year for Maritimo for four consecutive years.

Additionally, Bunbury was awarded Personality of the Year on the island of

Youth development and professional coaching

Alex Bunbury

Madeira- one of the island’s biggest honours. He founded a youth development programme called Esfuma in 1996/97 that was designed to help underprivileged children in remote areas of the island, as well as children from the city; Esfuma is still currently active. In addition, Bunbury was honoured to be one of the first athletes to receive a major endorsement deal (soft drink Brisa) on the island.

Canadian National Team: Bunbury represented the Canadian National Team 67 times and is currently their fourth all-time leading scorer. He is currently the all-time leading scorer for Canada in World Cup qualifying matches with 14 goals. Additionally, he was the first player in Canadian history to score three goals in a World Cup qualifying game. He was the first player in Canadian history to win Canadian Player of the Year, an honour twice bestowed.

Returning to North America

With a year left in his contract, Bunbury relocated to Kansas City and became

After retirement, Bunbury immediately changed his focus to youth development and giving back to underprivileged kids in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area. Through individual and team training, he has developed several top-level college players from a young age. He has several strong connections and relationships with college coaches and agents throughout the United States which have seen many of his youth players, (girls and boys) awarded with college scholarship opportunities.

He is presently coaching his youngest son Mataeo’s team, who has also won multiple State Championships.

Currently, and for the past two years, Alex has been coaching the Minnesota Twin Stars of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). This League is made up of professional, semi-professional and amateur players, and comprises teams covering the United States.

Recent honours •2005 Hall of Fame inductee – Quebec Soccer Federation • 2006 Hall of Fame inductee – Canadian Soccer Association • 2012 Best XI of the past 100 years – CSA and fan nomination • 2015 Hall of Fame inductee - Hamilton Steelers FC, Canadian Soccer League

Man Utd spell ‘did not go well’, says Di Maria

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ngel Di Maria admitted “things did not go well at Manchester United” following a £44.3m move to Paris St-Germain, one season into a five-year deal.

The Argentina winger, 27, suggested that his family were unhappy in the north-west following an attempted break-in at their Cheshire home.

“I’m happy because I know my wife and child will be happy in Paris,” he said.

“It wasn’t just my decision to leave. If I left it was also because they decided to sell me.”

He added: “The three parties agreed. Me, Manchester United and PSG agreed the deal.”

Di Maria moved to Old Trafford from Real Madrid in August 2014 for a British

Angel Di Maria

record £59.7m.

His relationship with manager Louis van Gaal reportedly became strained in the second half of the season as pelvic and hamstring injuries limited his involvement.

PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said: “I’d like to thank him for choosing PSG.

“I know a lot of big clubs were interested because he is a great player.

“He’s already won the Champions League with Real; I hope he can do it with us.”

Di Maria was man of the match when Real beat city rivals Atletico to lift their 10th European Cup in 2014.

(BBC Sport)

guyanatimesGY.com

friday, august 7, 2015

GFF appeals FIFA’s decision on SVG player

Richard Groden

Larry Mussenden

Garvin James

he Guyana Football Federation (GFF), through General Secretary Richard Groden, on Thursday dispatched an official letter of appeal to FIFA’s Appeals Committee, following the world governing body’s decision to side with St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) on the protest filed by Guyana.

The letter was addressed to Larry Mussenden, Chairman of FIFA’s Appeals Committee.

The GFF on June 16 had requested FIFA’s investigation and adjudication on a possible violation of the FIFA rules by the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF) for fielding a player not in possession of a St Vincent and the Grenadines Passport during the World Cup Qualification (WCQ) match on June 14, 2015, at the Guyana National Stadium.

FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee ruled that “after careful examination of all the requested information and documentation, it was considered that no further in-

tervention was necessary in such context”.

However, the GFF is of the view that the Disciplinary Committee gave no explanation for its ruling and no reference was made to the ineligibility of the player for presenting a Passport other than that of the country of the participating member association – SVG – he was representing.

The GFF challenge was premised on the fact that the player in question, Garvin James, did not have a SVG Passport as required by FIFA Regulations for the FIFA 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Referring to Article 7 of the General Provisions which state that “the regulations and all directives, decisions, guidelines and circulars issued by FIFA shall be binding for all parties participating and involved in the preparation, organisation, and hosting of the 2018 FIFA World Cup”.

Under Article 19, paragraph 3 of the Regulations, it states “The only document considered to be valid proof of a player’s identity and

nationality shall be a passport that explicitly states the player’s day, month and year of birth. Identity cards or other supporting official documents shall not be accepted as a valid means of identification. The participating member associations shall present each player’s valid national passport for the country of the participating member association to the FIFA Match Commissioner on the day before the match.

A player without a valid passport shall not be entitled to play.”

The GFF also reminded FIFA, for the WCQ, Guyana did not play four players who did not have a passport in their possession, but who had met all requirements for citizenship.

“If a stamp in their passports of the countries of birth or some other form of documentation from the Guyana Government, other than a passport, would have sufficed, the GFF would have fielded those players and the outcome of the matches might have been different,” Groden said in the letter.

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Everest Masters whip Paradise by 124 runs

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n attacking 95 by opener Shaheed Mohamed propelled hosts Everest Cricket Club Masters to a 124-run victory over Paradise Sports and Cultural Club (PSCC) of Trinidad and Tobago in a T20 fixture on Wednesday.

Mohamed, who was named Man of the Match, slammed nine fours and two sixes off 84 balls as the home team posted a challenging 197-4 off their allotted overs, batting first. He shared in a second-wicket stand of 130 with Hemraj Garbarran after the demise of Rakesh Gangaram (05) with the score

on 14. Garbarran stroked four fours in scoring 32, while Joseph Perry chipped in with 26 not out (3x4 , 1x6). Samuel Roberts claimed 2-38 for the visitors.

Paradise responded with 73-8 in 20 overs with Kevon Charles scoring 22 (2x4s), while Nathaniel Ramcharitar made 16. Ronald Jaisingh and Gangaram picked up two wickets each.

Meanwhile, Ogle SC will host the visitors in another T20 match on Saturday. The game will be played in memory of former manager of Ogle team, Hajji SM Yassin, and will commence at 11:00h.

Team Ogle will come from Allem Mohamed, Sheik Mohamed, Pooran Mangra, Lloyd Harper, David Harper, Romain Mangra, Khemraj Dindyal, David Chunilall, Andrew Samaroo, Alex Chunilall, Michael Pooran and Vickram Horil.

Paradise SCC squad reads: Fareed Ramjohn (Captain); Samuel Roberts; Daniel Hampton; Nathaniel Ramcharitar; Jerold James; Kawall Dhanraj; Kevon Charles; John Eric Sookdeo; Michael Edwards; Lyndon Patterson; Rudy Cassie; Anand Ramlochan and Dane Sennon.

National darts champion to sponsor darts tourney tonight

N

ational darts champion Sudesh Fitzgerald will be sponsoring a darts tournament this evening at the Malteenoes Sports Club, Thomas Lands.

The games are expected to start at 19:00h, and numerous prizes and incentives will be up for grabs.

The tournament is open to all registered members of the Guyana Darts Association and an exciting night is anticipated.

Sudesh Fitzgerald

23

Trojan accuses GCF after plug pulled on Guyana’s participation at CJCC

Controversy has arisen over Guyana’s non-participation at the Caribbean Junior Cycling Championships (CJCC) slated for the Dominican Republic on Saturday and Sunday.

Guyana had selected four riders to represent the country at the meeting which was initially scheduled to take place in Suriname.

However, the neighbouring country last month indicated it will not be able to host the championships this year and the Dominican Republic obliged to host the event.

The new venue for the championships meant a greater cost for travel for Guyana’s Romello Crawford (Trojan Cycling Club); Andrew Hicks (Trojan Cycling Club); Jamal John (Team Coco) and Raphael Leung (United).

The Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) subsequently announced that it will be unable to make the tour, citing a lack of funds.

The Berbice cyclists are accusing the GCF of not doing anything to allow the cyclists from the city to be able to make the trip, while the Federation is accusing the Berbice cyclists of not doing enough to raise funds for themselves.

GCF Secretary Maria Leung, in an invited comment, said the team would not be travelling because the Federation did not want to only take the two cyclists from Georgetown on tour leaving out their counterparts from Berbice because they could not raise sponsorship money.

She explained that arrangements were in place for Leung and John to get air tickets from the corporate community to travel and added that this was done on an individual basis.

However in Berbice, Corwin Crawford, cousin of Romello and executive member of Trojan Cycling Club (TCC) said the Club has been able to secure funding for Hicks’ airfare, while family members were able to secure the same for Crawford.

The TCC official said the GCF failed to coordinate with Government to have its

Romello Crawford

input, claiming that the Federation was unwilling to raise funds for the two cyclists from Georgetown, a claim the GCF Secretary denies.

Last year, Crawford was initially selected for the Guyana team for the CJCC, but had his name struck off of that list when it was learnt that he was in Trinidad.

Crawford had gone to Trinidad to prepare for the Championships. In 2015, Crawford went to Aruba to prepare for this year’s tournament.

A now saddened Crawford says he is confident that he would have won both the time trial and the road race in the Dominican Republic since he was able to defeat some of the top riders expected to participate at this year’s championships during the month of July while in Aruba on training.

The Trojan official is threatening legal action against the GCF. (Andrew Carmichael)

Sports is no longer our game, it’s our business

friday, august 7, 2015

Digicel hosts appreciation lunch for Special Olympics medallists

By Treiston Joseph

D

igicel Guyana displayed its class and appreciation for the Special Olympic medallists who recently competed for Guyana at the event held in Los Angeles, California.

Calvin Thomas was the most successful athlete at the event, winning gold in the 5000 metres and silver in the 3000 metres.

Annisa Bowman and Kevon Price won silver in the female and male 200 metres respectively, while Diandra David won bronze in the female 200 and 400 metres to bring Guyana’s total medal count to six.

Minister with responsibility for sport in the Education Ministry, Nicolette Henry congratulated the medal winners on behalf of the Government of

Guyana.

“We are incredibly honoured at your desire and courage to make a difference in the world with your talents and on behalf of the Government of Guyana, we extend congratulations to you the athletes for your accomplishments,” Henry stated.

Digicel Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kevin Kelly noted the toughness of winning a medal at any Olympics and congratulated the athletes as well.

“This achievement is absolutely marvellous; all four athletes did marvellous, it’s really difficult to win track medals and we at Digicel would like to say thank you for putting Guyana on the map,” Kelly stressed.

The athletes and the managing team also received smartphones from the company.

The athletes and managing team pose with their medals and new phones in the presence of Digicel’s top officials at the appreciation lunch

Courts launches 5th 10k road race

Courts Managing Director Clyde De Haas (third right) hands over the cheque to AAG President Aubrey Hutson in the presence of Guyana’s top athletes, AAG officials as well as Courts officials

By Treiston Joseph

C

ourts Guyana furniture superstore on Thursday launched the fifth edition of its 10k road run at its main branch on Main Street, Georgetown.

The event, which is scheduled for September 20, will

see the winners in the open category, both male and female, receiving $100,000.

Second place will receive $75,000; third $50,000; fourth $30,000 and fifth $20,000.

At the press conference, Athletics Association Guyana (AAG) President Aubrey Hutson thanked Courts for its support, highlighting that the biggest change will be the logistics in place.

“We are to ensure this year that our logistics team is much better than last year, we plan to have at least three medical teams a part of this event,” Hutson stated.

In addition, Hutson highlighted that the event was of major importance owing to the fact that this year’s South

American 10k should feature athletes from all the South American nations.

Courts Managing Director Clyde De Haas was proud to partner with the AAG and the Government to pull off what could be deemed the biggest 10k in the country.

“It is part of our corporate social responsibility to help develop sport and we want to further develop athletics in Guyana,” De Haas noted.

Meanwhile, top distance athlete and the favourite to win the event, Cleveland Forde assured that he would do his best.

“I will give of my best; I’m in it to win it and this is a warm-up to the South American 10k for me which

is expected to be competitive, but it is a bit hard because I’m trying to balance it with UG (University of Guyana),” Forde noted.

Carifta bronze medalist Andrea Foster was positive that she would do well, noting that she was under the least pressure to perform.

The winners of the junior categories, both male and female, will receive a training voucher of $60,000, while second place will receive $40,000. Third place will receive $30,000; fourth $20,000 and fifth $10,000.

The masters will be receiving hampers and trophies only.

Registration for the event is currently ongoing.

WICB, BCCI set for more talks

President of the WICB, Dave Cameron

W

est Indies Cricket Board (WICB) officials were reportedly set to meet with members of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) via telephone to discuss a wide range of issues on Wednesday.

Believed to be at the very top of the agenda, as expected, is the issue of the dispute between the boards regarding the abandonment of a tour last year. The pair have not yet been able to come up with a solution acceptable to both parties, with the BCCI still holding out for compensation somewhere in the range of US$41.97 million.

However, also on the agenda, could be the possi-

bility of an ODI series on the sub-continent between the teams in September.

The series, if approved, would allow the West Indies a chance of qualifying for the Champions Trophy in England in 2017.

The West Indies are currently out of the tournament which will see the top eight ranked ICC teams qualifying for the prestigious event.

The West Indies are ninth in the standings, and in danger of missing a tournament which they won in 2004. They will stay in that position unless they can take part in a series of matches and earn points to leapfrog current eighth place, Pakistan. (Digicel Sportsmax)

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