Guyana Times Daily - December 10, 2015

Universal prayers for schools underway P16

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

Issue No. 2703

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Thursday, December 10, 2015

PRICE

President, Cabinet exempt from accounting for overseas spending Page 3

Bandits beat, rob Meten-MeerZorg family Page 13

2 bandits shot dead in South Ruimveldt, Police hunt Page 12 2 others

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

New CEO confirmed for GTT P13

Kaneville man wanted for Mowasi Landing murder P9

M&CC hosts Christmas tree light-up – to rehabilitate recreational parks

Page 17

2016 LGE Voter Education Project

GECOM seeking P7 help after poor public response – Deputy CEO

The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of Georgetown in its efforts to beautify Georgetown on Wednesday hosted a Christmas tree light-up at Merriman Mall, Bourda, much to the amazement and excitement of hundreds of children who gathered with their parents to witness the spectacle

AFC’s leadership turning into dictatorship

– money buys power in party – ex-leaders

Page 11

Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards tipped to be next acting Chief Justice – Opposition Leader suggests criteria

Page 12

EBD man killed in early morning accident

Page 10

COP21 conference

Guyana gets US$300,000 grant for P17 Green Fund

2

thursday, december 10, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

news

3

thursday, december 10, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, December 10 – 14:30h-16:00h and Friday, December 11 – 05:00h-06:30h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, December 10 – 15:45h-17:15h and Friday, December 11 – 16:20h-17:50.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Weather: Thundery showers can be expected in the morning, while light rain showers with sunny intervals are expected in the later afternoon. Partly cloudy skies are expected to give way to thundery showers in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly between 2.68 metres and 4.91 metres per second.

High Tide: 03:36h and 15:48h reaching maximum heights of 2.51 metres and 2.65 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 09:23h and 21:48h reaching minimum heights of 0.69 metre and 0.54 metre respectively.

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

LOTTERY NUMBERS E 03 14 16 20 25 26 06 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

Daily Millions

04 10 12 18 22 LUCKY 3 0

7

4

Draw De Line 01 03 08 10 12

19 21

DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

President, Cabinet exempt from accounting for overseas spending P

resident David Granger, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and other senior Ministers of the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government are now exempt from accounting for the monies they spend abroad on State trips, following a clandestine move by the Finance Ministry to change its policy on the rules governing the issuance and spending of Per Diem allowances.

This policy was changed despite being in force for 23 years and applicable to public servants, to allow equity in the system and higher levels of accountability and transparency with respect to how monies are expended and refunded to the public purse.

According to an internal circular issued following a Cabinet meeting on June 16, all Vice Presidents, Ministers, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Chancellor of the Judiciary and other officials approved by the Office of the Presidency will not be required to uplift advances as was required previously to cover expenses, inclusive of hotel accommodation, meals and transportation. These expenses will be treated as a final charge in the country’s account.

This means that Ministers will no longer be required to explain and justify their spending after they have gone on official State functions, as the circular indicates whatever monies are given to them will be charged on the treasury and are final.

Commenting on the situation, Opposition Leader and former President Bharrat Jagdeo condemned the Government for implementing a policy that will now reap corruption.

“When you think that it was just the 50 per cent salary increase… about a week and a half after the inauguration, they changed the Per Diem policy that we have had for 23 years, where the President gets the same rate as the public servant… it is obscene,” Jagdeo posited.

Exploitation

Jagdeo insisted that the policy will be exploited by a small group of persons in Government at the expense of the hardworking Guyanese populace.

ly US$500. In addition, this category is exempt from accounting for the expenditures incurred. Simply put, when these Ministers receive their monies, they are not required to account for how it is spend; therefore, if no money is spent, they can pocket the money as opposed to returning it to the treasury.

Per Diem adjusted

President David Granger

While this is the case for senior Government functionaries, junior officials are still being required to account for their advances, with the exception of out-of-pocket allowances.

Additionally, unlike before, there is no fixed limit of allowances payable to the President and the Prime Minister and their spouses when travelling abroad.

In comparison, under the previous Administration, the President and Prime Minister were entitled a fixed Per Diem of approximately US$325 a day- notably, which was the same amount for other categories of Government officials.

Also, the Per Diem for the other categories of Government officials was increased from approximately US$325 per day to rough-

Initially, Finance Minister Winston Jordan had stoutly denied any increases to the Per Diem allowances but later confessed that indeed, Government had adjusted the policy.

The Minister had stated that increases in the per diem allowances are inevitable as the figure varies on the circumstances surrounding the time of travel and that the rate submitted to Cabinet is just used as a guideline.

Ministers travelling to the South/North American/ Caribbean regions will be given accommodation allowance of US$275 per night but if travelling to Europe/Asia region, the stipend will be US$350 per night.

For Permanent Secretaries and other officers of similar positions, those staying in the South/ North American/Caribbean

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

regions will be given US$175 per night and in Europe/Asia region, they will be given US$250 per night.

For other officers, the allowances are US$150 and US$175 respectively.

Meal allowances and outof-pocket expenses will remain the same for all officials at US$100 for meals per day and US$25 for out-of-pocket allowances.

But he pointed out that these figures will not necessarily reflect the precise amounts expended on trips as the prices will fluctuate at various times of travel and therefore, sometimes, the cost may be higher or lower.

Meanwhile, the circular also noted that in instances where bills and other evidence are not produced, 60 per cent of the unaccounted part of the advance, less out-of pocket allowance, must be refunded to the treasury within 10 days after the end of the official engagement abroad. Also, the practice of signing an “Honour Certificate” in lieu of presentation of bills has been discontinued.

That aside, the Ministers are already receiving a 50 per cent increase in salaries after Cabinet made another decision after just four months in office.

These senior functionaries are also receiving countless benefits at the expense of the State including housekeepers, assistants, gardeners, free fuel, living accommodation; and in some instances, telephone as well electricity subsidies.

4

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 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

Whither oil prices?

A

fter ExxonMobil (XOM) struck oil in the Lisa-1 well off Essequibo, there was a rush of euphoria in the powers that be. At last, one of Guyana’s fabled “potentials” was going to be unlocked to deliver us from the stultifying cancer of poverty that had ravaged our country since its founding as a colony centuries ago.

Just a month ago, the Minister of Governance, who has responsibility for Natural Resources and the Environment, announced that the Government would be approaching XOM to make an advancement payment of US$2 billion against future oil production.

There was dancing in the streets and fist bumps in the offices, as discussions raged as to how the eggs were to be prepared. The request, unfortunately, came during a still unfolding revolution in the pricing of oil to make any speculation on future sales rather premature.

Evidently, this must have been the reason the request was abandoned almost stillborn. What had not been taken into consideration were the structural and contingent factors that go into the pricing of oil, such as price vs cost vs supply/availability vs demand vs alternatives.

As far as “price” is concerned, whatever might have been the notion of a “real value” of the commodity – somewhere between US$20-50 – speculation in and of itself had always contributed at least 30-40 per cent of the market price. And there are so many factors that feed into speculation – especially local and global politics.

In the last decade, enhanced oil recovery techniques, such as fracking in the US, has pushed oil prices below US$40/barrel even though it is rarely economical under US$50. What the obviously subsided prices have done is to keep world supply above demand, placing a strong downward pressure on prices. Saudi Arabia has been playing a game of chicken with the US but neither has blinked, much to the delight of oil consumers and the consternation of economies such as Venezuela that are heavily dependent on oil revenues. As far as Guyana’s cost for producing oil from ultra deepwater reserves, the US$50 ceiling would definitely be pierced. While the Saudis might be able to pump it out even at US$10, Canada’s tar sands would definitely not add to the supply.

Then there is the demand. It was expected that China and India and the rest of the developing world would add pressures for more oil as they ratcheted up their electricity production to increase the manufacturing component of their GDP. But this is where even though the earlier expectation that nuclear power would ease demand for oil fizzled, other alternative sources have been growing exponentially – hydro, solar, wind, geothermal, etc.

Thus, while India up to now has depended mostly on coal for energy, it has elected to bypass oil and go directly into solar energy for a large proportion of its growing energy needs. All the alternatives to oil are plummeting in price and consequently increasing in demand and supply. With solar power, for instance, the cost per Kh is already below US$40 oil, but only the storage capacities of batteries constrain its wider usage.

But the straw that will most likely break the oil price’s back will be the efforts to combat climate change – with capital “Cs”. Whatever agreement comes out of COP-21 in Paris this weekend, reputationally, oil has suffered a blow from which it cannot recover. All the major oil companies, except XOM, have decided if they can't beat the conservationists, they “might as well join ‘em”. They are now rebranding themselves as “energy providers”.

With US$30 trillion to be invested in “renewable” energy, they have decided that discretion is the better part of valour. Since net emissions will have to be brought to zero, sooner or later, hydrocarbon use and their prices will have to fall.

For us in Guyana, we should be able to be one of those countries that at least can export our oil at not much above cost so as to bring in foreign currency. Our own energy can come from renewables.

The foundation being prepared for the new Umana Yana, in Kingston, Georgetown. The Umana Yana was gutted by fire in September 2014 and the new structure is expected to be completed by early 2016

Sasenarine Singh is not the financier of AFC

Dear Editor, I, Sasenarine Singh, am not the financier of the Alliance For Change (AFC) and I have given the AFC under US$1000 between 2013 and 2015. The financier has provided the AFC with over US$200,000 between 2013 and 2015.

So let me set the record straight: 1. As Dr Asquith Rose did state, in 2012, the AFC Leader, Mr Khemraj Ramjattan did sit in a meeting in New York silently where this financier unilaterally banned two members.

The two members who were banned at that time were Rab Mukraj and myself. The majority of the members of the leadership in Georgetown took a principled stance and continued to recognise the membership of both Mr Mukraj and myself.

The position of the party then was that if someone was to be banned, they should be given a fair hearing – the financier never did this.

2. Mr Mukraj then ceased supporting the AFC with two other members, Dr Tyrone Khemraj and Dr Asquith Rose and joined the APNU support group in New York,

while I continued with the AFC. I was even being promoted to the highest decisionmaking body of the AFC – the Management Committee because of my policy skills, and not money.

3. I then resigned in 2013 because of my professional commitment in Washington DC. (This was in the Guyanese newspaper). But I still continued to share ideas with the leadership in Georgetown whenever I could. I am a firm believer in providing ideas, equipment and tools needed for an election, not money.

4.

Both myself and Dr Rose chose to join the AFC Queens Group sometime in 2015 and the President of the AFC Queens Group approved these applications. Since then a new leadership team was selected for the AFC Queens Group. By consensus, at an Executive Committee meeting on November 22, 2015, the entire leadership present at that meeting voted to not join the AFC financier and his family picnic which is trying to rebrand itself using autocratic means. They have an unelected arrangement that only recognises friends and family.

5.

So, you can imagine

how ticked off this financier was when he was advised that the AFC Queens Group will not join his undemocratic arrangement. A few days ago, the same financier conducted a kangaroo investigation on some emails between three members and again exceeded due process and his authority and again unilaterally banned two members of the AFC Queens Group as a reaction to the AFC Queens Group rejecting him.

Again, the same process was followed, the accused was not given a fair hearing and he took the position of judge, jury and executioner and again he got the full support of the Leader of the AFC – Mr Ramjattan.

Can you imagine what this has done to the democratic credentials of Mr Ramjattan?

Now get this, the two people banned were Dr Asquith Rose and myself. Of course, both persons chose to ignore this system of jungle justice.

The matter has again been referred to the AFC leadership for deliberation, but we do not expect justice since the AFC under Sheila Holder and the AFC under Mr Ramjattan is not the same.

So, in the final analysis,

the newspaper got the wrong end of the stick – I, Sasenarine Singh, is not the financier, but a victim of the bully tactics of this financier.

Mr Ramjattan personally told me that if he has to make a choice between us with the brains vs the financiers with no brains, he would always choose the financiers because money is the “mother’s milk of a political party”.

Dear Editor, Stress is a major part of our society and because of this; depression and suicides cripple a huge part on our people in this part the world.

Our people are going through a lot – being laid off from work, being demoted, being criticised because of their ethnicity and religion. I thought that Guyana is a free land, but I guess we are back to the days of darkness wherein our people have no voice to even defend themselves and their families.

The crime level in Guyana is at a very critical level, with people afraid to even let their children out to play. Our peo-

ple are been harnessed by all the negative influences of these times and because of this, many are tempted to give up and are filled with the stresses in their lives on a daily basis.

We generally hear that there is too much stress, strain and tension in our day to day life. In business, it is ‘cut throat’ competition. There may be strain within the family or in social relationships.

Within ourselves, we may find disintegration. This stress and strain manifests itself as anxiety, worry, fear and frustration.

How do we overcome these various stresses?

Some people try smoking and drinking. Others seek change or even a vacation.

Thus, we adopt various temporary escapes from tension.

Some of these are tamasik (inactive) such as the drinking or rajasik (active) such as attending a spiritual retreat.

How do we know whether it was an escape? If, after the retreat, we are afraid of diversion, then it did not solve our problem. When we gain a new vision at the retreat, we should become more dynamic and fearless, ready to face all challenges.

A certain kind of stress is normal, physical and objective. Therefore, I will call

it ‘Objective Stress’. Such a stress is experienced when we face a challenging situation – a lot of work has to be accomplished within a short period of time. If we have a tight schedule of engagements, even though we may be efficient, we feel stressed out because time is limited. In such circumstances, we must “keep cool” and not get overexcited and figure out how our work can be accomplished in a shorter time. This is called the science of time management. For example, if I have to write 10 letters in a short time, I should write only a few lines in each letter.

Regards, Sasenarine Singh Editor’s note: The Guyana Times in its Wednesday's edition misinterpreted the truncated content of Dr Rose’s letter and inadvertently named Sasenarine Singh as the Financier of the AFC at the centre of an internal power tussle when in fact he was one of the victims of the alleged excesses of this individual. While the financier is known within the Diaspora, this newspaper will not mention his name until Dr Rose and those complaining about the party have done so with supporting evidence of their claims.

Overcoming stress in these times

CONTINUES ON PAGE 5

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

5

You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Tribute to Kamal Mohammed who was undermined because of race Dear Editor, Kamaluddin “Charch” Mohammed passed away last week. Had it not been for his race, as so many penned in the media and said on TV and radio broadcasts, he would have been Trinidad’s Prime Minister in 1981.

Mohammed was a political legend of sorts, promoter of Indian culture (Mastana Bahar whose localised songs became famous in Guyana), and a mentor to many wouldbe politicians, as well as potential radio announcers.

He was also an admirer of Dr Cheddi and Janet Jagan, though they never saw issues eye to eye. “Charch” or “Kamal” as he was popularly called; was perhaps the last of the surviving Members of Parliament from the 1950s in the Caribbean region. Up until his death, Mohammed had been the last surviving member of T&T’s very first Cabinet of 1956. As a Minister of Government for 30 years and Caribbean Ambassador, he visited Guyana several times and was mesmerised by its vastness and natural beauty.

In an interview I conducted with him at his home in 2005, he lamented the slow development of Guyana, attributing it to the tense race relations in our beautiful country. He expressed enormous respect for Dr and Mrs Jagan and he condemned authoritarian rule and election rigging in Guyana. He told me he conveyed his opposition to Burnham’s policy on criminalising the consumption of essential foods and that he encouraged Trini businesses to assist Guyanese during their period of food shortages in the 1970s and 1980s while he was a Minister.

Tributes have poured in for “Charch” from friends and foes, including from political opponent Basdeo Panday,

with whom he had many running battles between 1978 and 1986. Mohammed entered politics in 1953 with community council elections winning his seat. After meeting Dr Eric Williams in 1954, they founded the PNM in 1956. “Charch” served as deputy leader for the entire period of time when he was with the party from 1956 thru 1990; he was driven out during the mid 1990s after losing his seat. He was Williams’ right-hand man so to speak. And when Williams died in March 1981, it was expected he would be the PM senior but he was by-passed by the party’s Executive members who felt it was impractical for an Indian to be the political leader of a black party and Prime Minister.

In an interview in a newspaper on May 16, 2009, Mohammed told Journalist Ken Ali, “I felt more than hurt. I felt denied an opportunity that should have been mine. I was Leader of the House and the most senior member. It was Sir Ellis’ (the President) discretion. He talked to others (in the Executive of the black party) and picked George Chambers to swear in as PM.” It was a case of race superseding ability, experience, and party loyalty. Kamal felt betrayed by his black colleagues and was humiliated by the experience. But he remained with the party until he was excommunicated after he was defeated in election for Chairman in 1997.

Kamal’s life epitomised service to his community.

For him, politics was about service to his people and his (PNM) supporters, not like today’s politicians throughout the Caribbean region, including Guyana where serving self triumphs over community.

For all of his service to his country, the party he founded failed to recognise his contribution. However, Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley of the PNM acknowledged Kamal’s contribution. Acting Prime Minister Colm Imbert paid tribute to Kamal attending the funeral rites (Rowley was in England) and in Parliament. Mohammed was honoured during the UNC Administration’s tenure under then Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, receiving the highest honour – the Order of T&T. He was also given an honorary doctorate under the Persad-Bissessar Administration by UWI, St Augustine. He was also presented with the Order of Caricom by the regional body that was supported by the Guyana’s Government for his long years of service to the region and advocating for regional unity.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

Corporal punishment should be banned

Dear Editor, I refer to Mr Malcolm Alves’s letter: “The debate on corporal punishment” in which he defends its use and this prompts my letter. I fully support a ban and respectfully disagree with Mr Alves.

Firstly, Mr Alves pointed out that 19 States in the United States of America are currently using corporal punishment and these includes Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming. It is to be remembered that 31 States, mostly affluent ones with disproportionately high levels of college graduates have banned it.

Secondly, the odds are that the remaining 19 States will soon follow. Why cite

such an example to stall a ban that will do a world of good?

Thirdly, college graduates are also likely to be of a higher socio-economic bracket; as such they understand the injurious consequences of corporal punishment (both mental and physical) and are more likely to axe it. It is no wonder 31 States have banned it.

Fourthly, it is erroneous to assume that all children in New York City are wild.

Parents from higher socio-economic brackets in New York or elsewhere are less likely to beat their children, yet they are not wild. The fact remains that New York City and the USA at large, have produced most of the leading academics in the world; which includes Nobel Laureates in Science, technology, and finance. Wild children do not become leading academics but highly disciplined ones do.

Overcoming stress...

Thus, we can see how the maximum work can be accomplished in the shortest possible time.

One method of overcoming stress in the objective field is to become more disciplined and organised. The discipline of getting up earlier can make our lives smoother. When we hurry, we try to do things quickly and often make mistakes, but with planning and discipline, we can act with greater efficiency and less strain.

Another kind of stress is subjective stress. In the outer world, there are only situations; in the physical world there is no stress, no tension.

The strain that we feel, which

is so exhausting, is not because of the outer situations but because of our inner reaction to the situations.

When does the outer situation become a problem, a threat? Worry and anxiety arise from our inability to face a particular situation and to deal with it effectively. This is the stress that we feel in many forms and we try to find relief in many ways. Anxiety comes when we are unprepared. If a student has studied well, is the examination a problem for him? No, because he is well prepared!

When there is insecurity in the job or emotional insecurity, a strained relationship within the family or any other

Fifthly, piles of scientific evidence point to the fact that corporal punishment is indeed bad and this is not propaganda. Our children are hurting. We need to move forward with a ban. Finally, corporal punishment (a form of operant conditioning) has been traditionally used but Science has taught us that this is bad.

Why continue to use it?

It just does not make any sense. There are safe, effective, cheap and highly feasible alternatives available including – other types of operant conditioning with a focus on reward/reinforcement schemes rather than whacking.

Reward/reinforcement schemes have broad appeal and are particularly suitable for a country like ours where poverty soars.

Sincerely, Dr Cecil Dilip Kumar

FROM PAGE 4

type of insecurity, then there is always stress. At every moment there is fear. The only certain thing about the world is that everything is uncertain.

Accepting the fact that nothing is certain, that all is unstable; is in itself a relief for tensions and stress.

The most effective method of avoiding subjective stress is to have faith – call it faith, devotion, or surrender. Faith is the clear understanding that the one Lord is taking care of us. Is He not running everything? And still we are worried? That is why in the Bhaja Govindam it is said, “O fool!

Why worry…? Is there not for you the One who ordains rules and commands?”

When we travel by plane, the plane flies, we only eat and sleep. We know that the pilot is taking care of us; we have faith in him. When we are seasoned travellers, we are not afraid of anything. We are relaxed.

‘We should have the same attitude in the voyage of life, remembering Lord Krishna’s promise: “Rest assured.

Remember Me. I will take care of you. Those who remember Me with single-pointed attention, I take care of; I take care of their entire life.” – Swami Tejomayananda Yours truly, Pandit Surendra Tiwari Patentia Mandir

6

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

Page

guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation

8 ways to teach children self-discipline skills – strategies to help children become more responsible

By Amy Morin

A

lthough self-discipline is one of the six most important life skills that parents should be teaching children, it’s often overlooked. There are many reasons why children need to learn self-discipline. It is a great skill that will greatly help them throughout their lives. Teaching self-discipline should be an ongoing process throughout a child’s life and there are several different ways in which parents can promote self-discipline skills.

2. Provide education

Children need to know how to make healthy choices for themselves. When it comes to helping children learn how to make healthy choices, an authoritative approach can be one of the best types of discipline because it helps children understand reasons for the rules.

1. Provide structure

Children need structure and routine so they can become self-disciplined.

Establish clear household rules and stick to the consequences when rules are broken. This teaches children what to expect and they will be better equipped to make healthy choices.

Create a similar schedule every day. Children need a morning routine that includes when to eat breakfast, comb their hair, brush their teeth and get dressed. Create an after school routine that teaches them how to divide their time between chores, homework and fun activities. Also, it’s important to have a bedtime routine that teaches the importance of settling down and getting plenty of rest.

Instead of simply saying to a child, “Do your homework right when you get home from school,” explain the underlying reason for the rule. Say, “It’s a good choice to do your homework first and then have free time later, as a reward for getting your work done.” This helps them to understand why it is a good idea rather than thinking, “I have to do my homework before dinner because that’s what Mom said I have to do.”

Role playing can be an excellent way to educate children on self-discipline.

Identify specific problems that children are likely to face and discuss different ways to deal with those problems. With a younger child, role play how to respond if another child takes

his toy, calls him a name or pushes him. With an older child, role play how to resist peer pressure or what to do in unsafe situations. Role playing can help children feel better prepared and it can prevent them from responding impulsively.

3. Use appropriate consequences

Sometimes children need to face natural consequences. A child who constantly forgets his homework at home each morning, won’t learn to pack his belongings each day if his mother delivers his homework to the school each time he forgets.

Instead, he may need to face the consequence from his teacher before he learns.

Sometimes children need logical consequences. A child who plays too rough with his mother’s computer, may need to lose the privilege of playing games on it. Or a child who has trouble getting up in the morning may need an earlier bedtime that night.

When parents are focusing on self-discipline, it’s important to avoid power struggles.

Don’t try to force children to do something because it won’t teach self-discipline. Instead, make it clear what the negative consequences will be and give them the choice. They need to learn how to make healthy decisions for themselves by evaluating the consequences. (discipline.about.com) TO BE CONTINUED

(Conclusion) Recommendation for video games

* Monitor video game play the same way you need to monitor television and other media. * Be a loving, attentive parent who disciplines your child well. An aggressive child is more a product of dysfunctional parenting than anything else, including violent games and TV. According to Los Angelesbased Psychotherapist Robert Butterworth, PhD, dysfunctional parenting, children with little guilt, and accessibility to firearms with little parental supervision can create violent children. “Most children who commit violent crime show an early combination of personality and family factors that include having trouble getting along with playmates in preschool,” Butterworth says. “By second or third grade they’re doing poorly in school, and have few friends.

By the age of 10 they’re picking fights and getting labelled by their peers as social outcasts.” What’s more “they typically come from families where parents are poor at disciplining because they are indifferent, neglectful, too coercive or they use harsh physical punishment with little love.” * Although playing video games can be a learning experience, give your child a variety of entertaining things to learn from, so your child will not be addicted to just one thing. Be sure to make him read books, play sports, interact with other children, and watch good TV. Everything should be taken in moderation. The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends that children not spend more than one to two hours per day in front of all electronic screens, including TV, DVDs, videos, video games (handheld, console, or computer), and computers (for

non-academic use). This means seven to fourteen hours per week total. * Consider limiting your child’s video game playing to an hour a day. A study by Oxford University in fact suggests that children who play video games for up to an hour are happier, more sociable and less hyperactive than those who do not play at all. * Monitor the effect of video games on your child. Observe his behaviour. If it appears that he is becoming more aggressive with his siblings or friends during

and exercise. * Limit your child’s video game playing if he displays sign of addiction and experience “video game withdrawal”. * Instead of letting your child indulge in watch TV, let him play a good video game instead on the console or the tablet. For young children, playing video games is better than watching TV, according to Queensland University of Technology Games Research and Interaction Design Lab. Some games encourage children to be moderately active, and some also exercise children’s

the period that he is playing violent games, stop him from playing the games. If he becomes interested in history after playing historical games, then the game is beneficial to him. * Limit your child’s video game playing when you see him spending less time doing homework and that he is getting lower grades. * Limit your child’s video game playing when you observe him having a sedentary lifestyle, and not engaging in sports and exercise. You can let him play video games that require physical action as there are a number of games that can be as physically intense for younger gamers as playing outside. But this shouldn’t take replace his actual engaging in outdoor play

cognitive skills. According to Dr Penny Sweetser, such games “can improve academic performance, social skills and self esteem”.

He recommends, though, to let your child play with parental interaction and supervision. * Use the video game ratings to determine the violence and adult content of the game.

What to look for in choosing a video game

* Decide what is acceptable in your home and if you think violent games are not acceptable, explain to your child the reason why it might be bad for him. * Check the Ratings of the game before you buy it or allow your child to play it. Check its rating which is indicated in the box. Note the title and cover picture. If they have themes of sex and/or violence, then these themes are in the game. If possible, be familiar with the game or read its reviews in the internet. Sometimes, the “bad” part of the game is hidden in the higher levels. Do not neglect supervising your child as a parent. * Consider your child’s maturity level to determine which games are suitable for him. Chronological age is not necessarily a measure of maturity. * Pick games that require the player to come up with strategies, and make decisions in a game environment that is more complex than punching, stealing, and killing. * Look for games involving multiple players to encourage group play. * According to Los Angelesbased psychotherapist Robert Butterworth, PhD, you should “evaluate the shows and games not just in terms of violence or obscenity, but in terms of the mental engagement that they require. Boys need to slay dragons and play games with action figures of cowboys and Indians,” he says. “They need to be in a fantasy where they are conquering heroes; suppressing this may have long-term effects that may not be good.” (raisesmartchild.com)

NEWS

7

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

2016 LGE Voter Education Project

GECOM seeking help after poor public response – Deputy CEO

By Edward Layne

A

s Guyana prepares to hold Local Government Elections (LGE) in just over three months, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is complaining of the poor response by members of the public to its ongoing Voter Education campaign, particularly community outreaches.

Speaking to Guyana Times on Wednesday, Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO) Vishnu Persaud said the Civic and

Voter Education Projects commenced way before the Claims and Objections exercise and officials of GECOM were in all 72 Local Authority Areas; however, the public has not been very responsive.

“We advertise these meetings on the ground through PA (Public Address) Systems and flyers; we also invite members of Civil Society Organisations as well as the Local Authority Area representative – those councillors, and we are not satisfied with the response we get on the ground,” Persaud said.

He underscored the im-

portance of these meetings in educating citizens on a number of aspects of the upcoming elections.

“What we are providing in the form of flyers at those meetings have the forms and procedures laid out in simple language and the purpose we are there is to respond to any queries that the attendees might have; if there is any area of doubt and where they may need clarity, we are prepared to do that,” he stated.

The DCEO said in an effort to bolster attendance at these meetings, GECOM would soon begin publishing

Neonatal deaths

Preventative measures reinforced – GPHC

By Devina Samaroo

T

he Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) is assuring the public it has been working closely with the Public Health Ministry, along with support from Canada-based charitable organisation Guyana Help the Kids (GHTK) to reduce the number of neonatal deaths at the Hospital.

The GPHC has developed a reputation in Guyana as an institution staffed with ‘irresponsible’ individuals, when it comes to addressing matters concerning maternal and neonatal care. Throughout the years, scores of families have complained of the negligent and unprofessional demeanour of the GPHC staff in dealing with their loved ones, who may have perished or suffered immensely during basic maternal or neonatal procedures.

Only recently, a number of lawsuits have been filed against public and private health institutions, alleging medical negligence.

In light of this public distrust, the GPHC, in a press release, noted that preventative measures were being reinforced at the Hospital to reduce the number of neonatal deaths there.

Among these measures are the full sanitisation of the maternity block at the Hospital and the closure of some rooms of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) as well as special areas, in order to house and provide care for high-risk babies. Additionally, mothers have been encouraged to remain with their babies to access further neonatal care.

Proper infection control and strict guidelines for adorning clean clothing, gowns, masks and shoe covers have been reinforced for all personnel.

The standard of 100 per cent hand washing with appropriate solutions is also being reinforced.

The institution noted that the strengthening of these measures indeed reaped significant results as the mortality rate dropped from 35 per cent to 7 per cent within a

The Maternity Ward of Georgetown Public Hospital

matter of approximately two months.

“During the past few months, the mortality rate had been averaging 35 per cent for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) admissions and this has dropped to seven per cent in the month of November,” GPHC stated.

The institution noted that unfortunately, some babies were born very prematurely or with significant congenital abnormalities, both of which put them at high risk for death.

Junior Public Health Minister, Dr Karen Cummings added that the lack of resources and unavailability of quality services were just a few of the reasons behind the preventable maternal and neonatal deaths that occur at the GPHC. Nonetheless, Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton pledged to continue to engage the doctors of the GPHC and the GHTK to ensure the continued decline in the number of neonatal deaths.

He noted that the Ministry would continue to work in partnership with the Canadian charity to train doctors and nurses as well as to upgrade equipment to improve facilities at the hospital’s NICU.

NICU not working

Meanwhile, work is under way to ensure that the NICU at the West Demerara Regional Hospital and the New Amsterdam Hospital are fully functional soon.

Dr Norton had disclosed that four of the five NICUs in the public health sector were

not working.

The NICUs at Linden, Suddie, New Amsterdam and West Demerara Hospitals are all non-functional.

Dr Norton noted that in most cases, the Units were fully equipped; however, acquiring adequate personnel was where the challenges lay.

“Having a paediatrician is not good enough; we need neonatologists … When we have neonatologists, that is when we will start reducing the amount of infant mortalities,” the Public Health Minister emphasised.

In the case of the New Amsterdam Hospital, the NICU there had to be closed down, because it was infected.

The decision to establish the Units at the Linden Hospital Complex, the West Demerara Regional Hospital, New Amsterdam Hospital and the Suddie Regional Hospital was made on account of the success of the GPHC NICU, with the GHTK playing an integral role. The units at West Demerara and Suddie were only installed in 2014.

Statistics indicate that over a period of five months in 2014, more than 160 infants died at the Georgetown Public Hospital. In June that year, 25 babies succumbed, while 30 died in the month of July, 44 in August, 33 in September and 35 in October – all at the Georgetown Public Hospital. In many of the cases, the infants died from sepsis (infection). In Guyana, neonatal deaths account for approximately 50 per cent of under-five deaths. (devinas@guyanatimesgy. com)

Deputy Chief Elections Officer Vishnu Persaud

the meeting schedules in the print media.

“We are also sending the entire schedule to the political parties to see if they can enthuse their constituents to come out to these meetings. In fact, we are requesting that the parties try to motivate their constituents to come out at these meetings,”

he added.

Apart from the meetings, there are a series of infomercials on all the local radio and television stations, as well as in the newspapers.

According to Persaud, he already issued a public invitation to any interested party desirous of engaging GECOM with a view to providing the interested party with information on the LGE. However, he said, “To date I can tell you I have received no such request.”

As such, he is urging all Civil Society Organisations, including the religious community, to come on board and help educate the electorate.

Persaud explained that the voter education initiative was taking on a two-fold approach.

“Registration Officers (ROs) who are responsible for the respective registration areas across the country know the Local Authority Areas and their constituencies and the boundaries of those constituencies; they are

there to arrange the meetings and to provide technical on-the-ground information.

We also send out with them at these meetings, the trainers we have engaged to train people for Local Government Elections,” he explained.

The DCEO dismissed claims that there was not enough time to properly educate the electorate on the many new features for the LGE. “How can the time be too short when the people are not coming to be educated?” he asked, adding that GECOM has already made clear that it would be engaged in voter education until Election Day. Voter education has been prominently featured among the concerns of the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), which claimed that enough was not being done by the Commission to educate the electorate on the upcoming polls.

Local polls, which were last held in Guyana in 1994, are billed for March 18, 2016.

8 NEWS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Case dismissed against man accused of throwing missiles

A

Linden man accused of throwing missiles and also making use of threatening language had both charges against him dismissed by Magistrate Clive Nurse on Tuesday.

Jevon Shwartz appeared at the Linden Magistrate’s Court after being charged for the offences. He was previously granted bail in the

sum of $15,000 for the offences.

Shwartz was accused of throwing missiles and stones to the annoyance of the Virtual Complainant (VC) Vernon Williams, in addition to using threatening language against him at his home at Blueberry Hill, Wismar, on July 3.

However, when the case

was called on Tuesday, Magistrate Nurse, following the testimony of the VC ruled that the court failed to establish that Williams had indeed seen the defendant throw the missiles and stones on his home on the night of the alleged incident.

The VC told the court that he heard the sound of the stones and saw the de-

fendant outside his home sometime later but did not actually see him engaged in the act. The presiding Magistrate also ruled that the court failed to establish that there was any level of fear displayed by the VC at the time of the incident, hence the charges were dismissed.

less driving.

The first-time traffic offender, Shaquille Lambert, of Lot 98 Blueberry Hill, pleaded guilty to the charge, which stated that on November 18, he drove motor car bearing registra-

tion plate PTT 4995 along the Washer Pond Road, Mackenzie, Linden, and failed to execute care and attention to other road users.

Lambert explained to the presiding Magistrate that on the day in question, he was

transporting doors atop the motor vehicle, and as such, he extended an arm outside to secure them in an effort to prevent them from falling. He was fined the sum of $25,000 or an alternative of four weeks imprisonment.

Courts, charged with simple larceny.

Patrick Thomas pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that on December 8 at Bissoon Trading, King Street, Georgetown, he

stole a comforter set valued $17,000, property of Bissoon Singh Dyal.

The facts surrounding the allegation were not revealed in court; however, it was related that the stolen

Wismar man fined $25,000 for careless driving A

Blueberry Hill, Wismar, Linden man was fined $25,000 on Tuesday when he appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Linden Magistrate’s Court, to answer to the offence of care-

Pensioner sentenced to community service for theft

A

67-year-old man was on Wednesday sentenced to serve community service when he appeared before Magistrate Alex Moore at the Georgetown Magistrates’

Patrick Thomas

item was recovered.

Magistrate Moore sentenced the elderly man to serve 60 hours of community service before March 12, 2016, under the supervision of the Guyana Prison Service. Failure to do so would result in a prison sentence. Thomas is expected to return to court on March 14, 2016 for report.

Eyew tness

Money talks…

A

…and BS walks in AFC

rather nasty power struggle’s been going on in the overseas branches of the AFC – with serious repercussions over here in our dear Mudland.

We’d all been regaled a couple of years ago when four members of “the AFC New York/New Jersey” branch walked over to APNU. It’s now revealed that – like the iceberg that sank the Titanic – there was more going on below than what was visible above.

All of this came out in a missive by long-time supporter of the outfit from New York – Asquith Rose – who’d been scribbling away in a frenzy, along with one Sase Singh for years, in support of whoever was against the PPP – which just happened to be the AFC and APNU. By the time the twosome hit stride, it was hard to tell the two Opposition parties apart in any case.

Turns out when the walkout erupted in New York, it was the result of a grab for power in the group by a big “financier”. Let's call him the big fish – or the Big Basha since there appears to’ve been a lot of “big fishes” – at least in their minds. According to letters from Rose and Singh, they know the name of the Big Basha, but keep referring to him as the “financier”.

This got the folks at this newspaper so muddled, they ended up calling Sase Singh, the “Big Basha” – which he ain't. No way Singh could provide US$200,000 annually to the AFC when his W2 return to the IRS shows he isn't even making half of that at his day job.

But enough of that sideshow…the main action has to do with Ramjattan and the Big Basha.

Seems the Big Basha felt his money bought the rest of the members of the NY/NJ group the way the Europeans used to buy slaves from West Africa.

Members of the group were supposed to do the dirty job of canvassing and arranging meetings and such like, while the Big Basha cracked the whip.

When matters were brought to a head by the restive natives, Ramjattan, who usually collected the cash, pretty much told the insurgent Rose and Singh, “Who pays the piper, calls the tune.” Was the same in Guyana – at a different scale, of course. Whoever provided duck curry and bush rum on Ramjattan’s travels through rural Guyana got the nod.

Well, this Eyewitness hopes Singh learnt you just can't give carte blanche to a politician. He got a lot of stick in this column for sycophantically extolling virtues that could never be present in sleazebag Ramjattan.

Because of birds of a feather and all that.

…even louder in Guyana

But the Big Basha’s contribution over in the Big Apple pales in comparison to what’s playing out in Guyana – as we intimated above. There’s a lot of Big Fishes out there…Just look at the contributions for the last campaign. The AFC ‘fessed up it raked in $400 million. Now, even with our Monopoly money – that's still a lot of dough – US$2 million. And we can expect the Big Basha chipped in a big chunk of that. Why else would he be rewarded with being officially made into an “OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE” of Guyana?

But based on the formula worked out in some agreement that no one seems to remember –APNU was supposed to cough up $600 million – but we understand it actually spent $800 million! This feat needed more than “Big Fishes” – we’re talking about “Big Crocodiles” now. So we’ll call him the “Big Camoudie”.

Word is the Big Camoudie’s already setting up big businesses in South Africa and Florida. His guiding mantra, Dear Readers, is summarised by that old Beatles song: “The best things in life are free But you can keep 'em for the birds and bees.

Now give me Money; that's what I want.”

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

NEWS

9

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana, US sign MoU to set up Narcotic Investigative Unit – members to be polygraphed and tested for drug use

A

s Guyana continues its fight against narcotics trafficking, Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States through its embassy here, for the operation of a vetted CounterNarcotic Investigative Unit programme locally.

The MoU was signed by Second Vice President and Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and US Ambassdor to Guyana Perry Halloway, on Wednesday at the Minister’s office in Brickdam.

Minister Ramjattan signed the document on behalf of the Customs AntiNarcotic Unit (CANU) and the Ambassador on behalf of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) of the US. Head of CANU James Singh was also present at the signing.

The mission of the vetted Unit programme of the DEA of the United States is to train, equip and provide necessary assistance to partner countries so that specialised units in those countries can meet certain mutually-determined standards and can increase capacity in integrity, professionalism, and competence

ranks in Guyana without the expenses of having to bring US trainers here or having to send Guyanese trainees to the North American country.

Minister Ramjattan thanked both the Ambassador and the Deputy Head of Mission for the US’s continuous support.

Kaneville man wanted for Mowasi Landing murder Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and US Ambassador Perry Holloway signing the MoU as Head of CANU James Singh and Deputy Head of Mission Bryan Hunt look on

in fighting drug crimes.

This programme is intended to ensure better investigations and interdictions, and to prosecute and dismantle high-value targets in narco-trafficking networks.

Members of Guyana’s law enforcement sector who will participate in this vetted programme will have to pass certain background checks, along with tests relating to their medical and psychological fitness for duty, polygraph testing and random drug testing.

Meanwhile, the DEA will stand all expenses for the training, whether it is to be done locally or inter-

nationally. The MOU is to remain in force for a period of five years.

Following the signing of the document, the Public Security Minister took the opportunity to request assistance from the US concerning a high-powered portable container scanner to facilitate surveillance of the contents of containers at the various wharves in Georgetown.

Deputy Head of Mission of the US Embassy, Bryan Hunt, who was also present at the MoU signing, informed Minister Ramjattan that the request is actively being looked into and experts in the US are pres-

ently engaged in identifying costs and maintenance arrangement for such a crimefighting asset.

Additionally, Minister Ramjattan was also pleased to learn of the procuring by the US Government of equipment for virtual Police training by trainers out of the USA, through tele-conferencing.

The equipment will be stationed at the Police Academy. This has now come to fruition because of the provision of high-speed Internet services provided

by GTT to the Academy.

There will now be more extensive and intensive training of officers and

T

he Guyana Police Force has issued a wanted bulletin for a Kaneville, East Bank Demerara, man in relation to a murder investigation.

The wanted man has been identified as 28-yearold Steve Mohamed, also known as “Cheesy” of Lot 721 Third Street, Kaneville, and also of Lot 321 Albert Street, Alberttown, Georgetown.

He is wanted for the murder of 31-yearold Quacy Thompson of Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) which occurred on July 15, 2014, at Mowasi Landing, Konawaruk, Potaro, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni).

According to reports, Thompson was involved in an argument with two men during which he was stabbed and shot several times about the body.

Wanted: Steve Mohamed

Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Steve Mohamed is asked to contact the Police on telephone numbers 2261333, 225-2722, 226-9941, 225-6411, 911 or the nearest Police station. All information will be treated with strict confidence.

10

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

News

Family Court opening

Legal Affairs Ministry reviewing revised laws

T

he Chancellor of the Judiciary has handed over to the Legal Affairs Ministry, the revised Rules of Law that will govern the operations of the much anticipated Family Court.

Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams told reporters on Monday that efforts are being undertaken to have the facility on stream shortly.

“As you know that’s a matter that is within the domain of the Chancellor and I know they are making renewed efforts to try to get the court established,” he stated.

The Minister disclosed that the revised laws have been handed over to the Ministry and are currently being reviewed before it is submitted to the National Assembly for passage.

“We are finalising the rules, I think we might now be more or less ready. But as I said, we have to also train people to being able to understand and execute these rules when they become law,” Williams stated.

In preparation for the operationalisation of the Family Court, several training sessions were held.

Training was done with the staff at the Registry and another session was held with members of legal fraternity.

“As I understand (it), training is going on, countrywide training of Magistrates, Judges and even members of the Bar to make them familiar with the rules,” the Legal Affairs Minister said.

Asked about the prolonged delays with the operationalisation of the court, Williams pointed out that his Administration had inherited all the issues preventing the establishment of the Family Court, such as the furnishing of the building.

At one of the familiarisation training sessions held in June,

The Family Court building in the Supreme Court compound

Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh had recognised that the opening of the facility was constantly being delayed but noted that this was as a result of the many challenges faced. Nevertheless, Justice Singh had stated that a full complement of staff was already identified. He noted too that Court will have a separate Registry to facilitate its needs.

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC), of which Justice Singh is the Chairman, has appointed two more female Judges – former Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and former Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Jo-Ann Barlow.

The two new Judges were placed at the High Court, while two existing High Court Judges – Justice Sandra Kurtzious and Justice Dawn Gregory – are slated to preside over the Family Court. These two Judges have already taken up offices at the new building which is located in the compound of the High Court in Georgetown.

It has been almost five years since the Family Court building was completed and handed over to Government. Works were ongoing

for about seven years to have the Family Court established.

The new facility will be handling cases of custody, maintenance, neglect of children, domestic violence and juvenile matters. The upper flat of the building will accommodate the courtrooms, the Judges’ chambers and a children waiting facility, while the lower flat will be the Family Court’s Registry.

In 2010, then Human Services Minister Priya Manickchand had said the establishment of such a court was prompted by observations that Guyanese family units were affected by societal demoralisation.

It is expected that the services of the Family Court would be mostly sought by the Human Services and Social Security Ministry, through the Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA).

The court was established to address problems arising from the dysfunction of the family unit and to give special attention to child rights issues. It will handle issues such as divorce, division of property, domestic matters, adoption, guardianship and custody.

EBD man killed in early morning accident

A

father of three has become the latest road fatality after the truck he was driving crashed into a utility pole at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara, on Wednesday. Dead is Youghraj Singh, 50, of Lot 30 B Coverden, East Bank Demerara.

According to reports received, at about 01:20h, Singh was on his way home after dropping off a load of sand at an East Coast Demerara village when he lost control of the truck and crashed into a utility pole. Police in a statement revealed that the now dead man was driving at a fast rate.

However, Guyana Times understands that Singh might have swerved from hitting another truck and in the process crashed into the utility pole since it is believed that the steering rod broke, hence, causing the accident. After sometime had the elapsed, Singh was pulled from the truck and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

When this publication contacted the relatives of the dead man on Wednesday, his daughter Madera Singh explained that her father left home just after midnight to take a load of sand to the East Coast.

She stated that at about 01:30h, the family received a telephone call informing them that her father was involved in an accident and was at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The aggrieved daughter explained that from reports gathered, after her father crashed, no one went to his assistance although there were several people standing around.

“Another truck driver who was passing and saw my father

Dead: Youghraj Singh

truck thought he had a puncture so he stopped to assist… he said that as he looked around he didn’t see my father and decided to look in the cabin…,” the woman stated.

The distraught daughter added that as the man looked into the cabin, he saw her father leaning towards the steering wheel and tried to put him in a sitting position but from all indications, he had already passed away. He was taken to the hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.

In tears, the woman stated that persons stood there and did not render assistance. “My father was someone who would assist people when they were in problems… he is always concern about people when they are not feeling well and so…”. She stated that when she saw her father’s body in the hospital, there were no outward signs of injuries, expect for blood oozing through his nostrils. A post-mortem examination is expected to be performed on the man’s body on Friday.

He leaves to mourn his wife, three children and siblings.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

guyanatimesgy.com

11

News

AFC’s leadership turning into dictatorship

... money buys power in party – ex-leaders

A

s the divisions widen within the Alliance For Change (AFC) New York Chapter, members have now publicly declared that the party is condoning a dictatorship in an era of democracy.

Speaking with Guyana Times on Wednesday, Sasenarine Singh, who was on December 5, 2015 permanently banned from all AFCUSA chapters, said AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan has clearly chosen “money over democracy”. Singh said he was banned from the party without being given a chance of a hearing.

According to Singh, he had resigned from the party in 2013, but had still continued to share ideas with the leadership in Georgetown.

He said that earlier this year, he rejoined the membership of the party and became part of the AFC Queens Group.

Singh added that one of the most recent fallouts within the party occurred after a major financier of the party attempted to make the Queens Chapter and New York/New Jersey Chapter one body.

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan By consensus, at an Executive Committee meeting on November 22, 2015, he said the entire leadership of the Queens group voted not to join the AFC financier and “his family picnic” which is trying to rebrand itself using “autocratic means”.

According to him, the financier has provided the AFC with over US$200,000 between 2013 and 2015 and, as such, has been given ‘unlimited’ powers over the party’s USA affairs.

“The AFC today is no longer the AFC as was formed.

Mr Ramjattan has told me

in no uncertain terms that if he has to make a choice between money and a member, he will choose money since money is the mother’s milk of a political party,” Narine said.

Another former member, Dr Asquith Rose in a letter to the editor on Monday, also said that Ramjattan continued to undermine the other Executive Members for the sake of the powerful US financier.

He said that this has been ongoing for the past seven years, with the financier being allowed to dictate not only the party’s politics but to determine who should be members.

“At present, there is a major power struggle between the AFC phantom groups in North America because of this individual who wants to dictate to the groups and those who disagree with him are banned for life from the AFC,” Dr Rose alleged.

On Wednesday when this newspaper contacted Ramjattan for a comment on the issue, he bluntly refused to respond to the allegations by former members.

NTFC submits recommendations to Govt – works dependent on provisions in 2016 National Budget

By Kristen Macklingam

T

he first detailed report compiled by the Administration’s National Task Force Commission (NTFC), which commenced work under the “Guyana Restoration Project”, has officially been handed over to the Government earlier this week.

Guyana Times understands that several recommendations for drainage, solid waste disposal, the homeless, and more in all 10 Administrative Regions by the various committees under the NTFC have been included in this report, which is now in the hands of Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson.

It is expected that the Cabinet would soon review the information put forward in the report and the NTFC would receive feedback from the Minister as it related to the Government’s assessment of the detailed document.

According to Chairman of the Commission, Retired Major General Joe Singh, despite the successes the NTFC has been seeing to date, there are difficulties which it has encountered throughout the past months.

As such, it is hoped that works can commence soon in the direction of the recommendations made for some of the challenging areas which need dire attention so as to ensure that Guyana evolves.

However, this is based

NTFC Chairman, retired Major General Joe Singh

on funds which will be made available to the NTFC along with the relevant bodies that function under its umbrella for the “Guyana Restoration Project”.

During a press briefing on Wednesday, Singh explained the upcoming 2016 National Budget and its provisions would determine how much work could be executed for the first half of next year, which would be Phase Two of the Project.

The NTFC anticipates that between January and May next year, its attention would be on refining the report since thus far it only entails “working figures” and not specifics.

“Refinement would be a reflection of what Cabinet says will be possible, or what they are prepared to move forward

on. Therefore, those adjustments will have to be made,” he acknowledged.

Guyana Times was also told that the National Budget would also determine how funds would flow to the various sectors and the NTFC would have to “work with” those figures.

He further explained that the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE) slated to be held in March 2016 would have some effect on the NTFC and the works that needed to be executed.

“I expect that we will see changes at the regional level, the neighbourhood level and the Village Council level. Therefore, new players, same as we had a change in Government, there’re new players in the region in terms of Regional Chairmen. We anticipate a change again being reflected from the Local Government Elections being held in March. However, many of these projects are ongoing projects regardless of who may be the village leaders…” Singh further stated.

He also explained that many of the projects to be undertaken in the regions were dependent on weather, and it was hoped that significant drainage works like those being completed in Georgetown were executed in the other regions throughout the country before Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations on May 26 next year.

TURN TO PAGE 16

Dr Asquith Rose “I don’t deal with former members. I don’t respond to former members who are making allegations,”

Ramjattan said.

He explained that in any political party there were conflicts, but these should be dealt with internally and not through the press.

“This is a major distraction to me from dealing with matters of national security [for] which I have responsibility,” Ramjattan said.

Ironically, although Ramjattan now believes that a political party’s internal issues should be dealt with within that party, he himself had taken to the press in 2003-2004 expressing his disagreement with the People’s Progressive Party prior to his expulsion from the Party in February 2004.

Sasenarine Singh Ramjattan’s expulsion was based on what the PPP/C described as disregard for Party rules.

12 NEWS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

2 bandits shot dead Justice Yonette Cummingsin South Ruimveldt, Edwards tipped to be next Police hunt 2 others acting Chief Justice

P

andemonium broke out in South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, on Wednesday morning after a shootout between bandits and Police ensued. At the end of it all, two suspected bandits were left dead, while two others are on the lam.

The shootout occurred moments after the bandits carried out a robbery on the home of Assistant Registrar of the University of Guyana, Arleen Mc Lean at Pioneer Lane, South Ruimveldt Park, Georgetown.

The dead men have been identified as 22 year-old Edgar Blackman and 22-yearold Sherwin James, both of Tucville, Georgetown. Their bodies are at the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary.

According to reports received; four men, three of whom were armed with firearms, invaded the home Mc Lean shares with her sister Ann Marie Mc Lean and took away a sum of cash and a mobile phone.

– Opposition Leader suggests criteria

J

The Police removing the bodies after the shootout

ing the building. The Police in retaliation returned fire and in a bid to escape, two of the perpetrators ran into a yard at Reliance Place, South Ruimveldt Park, and took cover behind a water tank from where they continued to engage the Police in gunfire. The ranks reportedly waited and as the daylight became brighter, they continued their operation, thus re-

The black tank which the men hid behind during the shootout

During the robbery, a report was made to the Police thus resulting in several ranks responding and they were greeted by a hail of gunfire.

Guyana Times understands that as the Police arrived, the men were leav-

sulting in the death of two of the bandits.

Divisional Commander for A Division (GeorgetownEast Bank Demerara) Clifton Hicken when contacted on Wednesday evening told this publication that the Police are currently going through

their database to determine if the two men were known to the Police.

When Guyana Times visited the scene later in the morning, the men’s hats and other personal belongings were seen in close proximity to where they were killed.

Residents in the area looked on as the bodies of the two men were removed by Police ranks.

They openly praised the Police for their work and thought it was indeed welcome, especially at a time when crime is on the increase.

One woman stated that at about 04:40h, she was in the washroom and heard the dogs barking, followed by sound of people running in her yard.

Soon after, she heard gunshots and saw at least three men climbing a neighbour’s fence.

Upon hearing the gunshots, she instructed her children to “stay flat” on the floor.

However, as the men climbed the fence, one of them made his way onto the roof of a nearby house. “All I heard the Police saying is shoot he, shoot he… and about 60 bullets went off”, the woman who asked to remain anonymous stated.

She went on to say that based on reports she gath-

ustice Yonette Cummings-Edwards is likely to become the next acting Chief Justice.

President David Granger during a meeting with Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on Wednesday nominated Justice CummingsEdwards to act as Chief Justice when Justice Ian Chang, who currently holds the post as acting Chief Justice, proceeds on pre-retirement leave on December 15.

However, the Opposition Leader in a press briefing on Wednesday said he was not in a position to declare whether or not he supported the nomination since he was not au fait with the nominee’s track record.

He stated that during the meeting, he did not nominate anyone, but he proposed criteria which he strongly believes should be used to select a suitable candidate to fill the post.

“In the exchange that we had, the Attorney General asked whether I had a nominee; and I said “no I did not have a nominee” but I had some principles I think we should follow in making such an appointment that,” Jagdeo stated. He also registered his concern that Attorney General Basil Williams posed the question and not the President.

Nonetheless, Jagdeo said the person to act as Chief Justice should be selected based on seniority in the judiciary and on performance.

“An objective report should be solicited from the Judicial Services Commission about the per-

formance of that person in office, the number of cases, how many decisions were written, outstanding works issued, disciplinary issues…,” Jagdeo said.

He noted that he is not sure if Government took these factors into consideration when they nominated Justice CummingsEdwards.

On the other hand, the President described Justice Cummings-Edwards as the “most suitable person to act in the position.”

According to the President, the Constitution does not require him to follow the process proposed by the Opposition Leader.

“The Constitution requires me to consult and having considered the potential candidates, I have made my choice. I am satisfied that she is a good person to fulfil that function and in due course, I will have to have other consultations with the Leader of the Opposition to have a permanent appointee but right now, Mr Carl Singh is the substantive Chief Justice, he is acting Chancellor and

I do hope that in due course, we will be able to have substantive persons in both positions,” he said.

The Head of State added “We looked at the Judges particularly, the Judges in the Appeal Court and we felt that Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards was the person that could carry out the duties of Chief Justice. We felt she was the most suitable person.

We looked at her experience; the decisions that she has given, her qualifications and we felt she was the most suitable when all these factors were taken into consideration.”

Substantively, acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Carl Singh is the Chief Justice.

Chang has been acting as the Chief Justice for more than a decade. Unless Government confirms his position as Chief Justice when he retires on February 27, he will retire as a Land Court Judge.

Meanwhile, Justice Cummings-Edward is currently a Justice of Appeal at the Appeal Court.

ered, the two men thought it was safer to hide behind the water tank but the Police riddled it with bullets. The woman claimed that the men were not from the community but later leant that they were from Tucville.

In addition, another resident stated that he was in his house when he heard the

gunshots and immediately ran for cover. He was not sure what was happening but later learnt of the robbery followed by the shootout between the bandits and the Police. He too expressed his satisfaction with the work of the Police.

The Police recovered an unlicensed 9mm Luger pistol

with three matching rounds, an unlicensed .38 revolver with four matching rounds, and two spent shells belonging to the perpetrators.

The Mc Leans’ when approached for a comment did not wish to speak on the incident. The Police are continuing their investigations into the shooting.

Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards

NEWS

13

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

New CEO Bandits beat, rob Meten-Meer confirmed -Zorg family A for GTT M e t e n - M e e r Zorg, West Coast Demerara family was on Wednesday beaten and robbed by two armed bandits.

Reports indicate that at about 03:00h, businessman Ravindra Persaud, also known as “Ravo” was awakened after he heard a loud crashing sound in his Lot 8 West Meten-Meer-Zorg, Railway View home.

He said that upon investigating, he was confronted by two armed bandits who demanded cash and valuables. “As I was going to the

J

Newly appointed CEO Justin Nedd

ustin Nedd was confirmed on Wednesday as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GTT (formerly the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company). Nedd, who was formerly the company’s Chief Financial Officer, had been acting in the capacity of Interim CEO since June of this year.

A press statement from the communications giant on Wednesday stated that its Board of Directors is of the view that the new CEO has over the years proven his ability to lead the company in an “exciting new direction” for both its customers and employees.

It posited that Nedd, along with the company’s Chief Technical Officer Russell Davis and Chief Commercial Officer Gert Post, is steering a strong path for the company, which includes new services and even better value plans, new and advanced network investments, new capabilities to further improve customer service, and an exciting new brand proposition to continually ‘do more’ for the company’s customers.

Meanwhile, the newly confirmed CEO stated that he is honoured to be entrusted with the leadership of the telephone company at “such an exciting time”.

“We have made a brand promise to our customers and to the country to ‘Do More’ and we are doing so every day. From our up-

grades to new blazing-fast Internet speeds earlier this year, to our new-look retail store opening at the Giftland Mall in the past weeks, GTT is a company that is on the move. The best is yet to come,” Nedd boasted.

According to the telephone company, 2016 will be another year of exciting new offers and capabilities, further establishing GTT as the best provider of wireless, broadband, home voice and other services in Guyana.

The company’s former CEO, Radha Krishna Sharma had tendered his resignation in May 2015.

Shortly after the news spread about Sharma’s resignation, he told Guyana Times that the time had come for him to take a hiatus from the corporate world and cited other interests. He reiterated that his resignation might have come as a surprise to all, but maintained that “it’s nothing more than wanting to take a break”.

Sharma worked with Barclays Bank in the 1980s; served as CEO of Demerara Bank and Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry; as well as Director of the National Competitiveness Strategy Unit, Tourism Ministry for 22 years. He then took over the reins of GT&T in January 2013 from retired Major General Joseph Singh who briefly returned as CEO for the telecommunication giant after the departure of Yog Mahadeo. (kristenm@ guyaantimesgy.com)

living room, I saw the two men coming towards me and they point a gun to my head and ask me for the money and jewellery,” Persaud said.

The businessman explained that he only had $45,000 and he handed it over to the men, but they were not satisfied.

“I gave them the money, but I have no jewellery so when I told them that, they told me to bring my son, that they will kill him. Me and my wife started to scream and they told us to shut up, if not, they will kill all of us,” he explained.

Persaud told Guyana Times that after the men threatened to kill his son, he and his wife stopped screaming. He related that the men began beating him since they did not believe that there was no jewellery in the house.

“They cuff me up in my belly and beat me up because I had no jewellery to give them and they pointed a gun to my son’s head,” the visibly traumatised man stated.

He said that the men became angry at the small amount of money they had

and began to fire shots about the house.

Persaud’s wife, Ruby, told this newspaper that the men entered the house through a small window in their washroom.

“When they were gone and we check to see how they got in, we see the window in our washroom broken so that is where they came in,” she explained.

Ruby went on to explain that she, along with her husband, own a grocery shop and beer garden. Police have since launched an investigation into the incident.

14

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

Regional

World's first dengue Brazil’s top court suspends fever vaccine cleared for impeachment of Rousseff use in Mexico – makers

Dengue fever is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito

T

he first-ever vaccine against dengue fever, which affects up to 400 million people per year, will be publicly available for the first time after being cleared for use in Mexico, French manufacturer Sanofi said Wednesday.

“It’s a very important moment in the history of public health,” Olivier Charmeil, head of the company’s vac-

cines division, told AFP, describing Dengvaxia as the “innovation of the decade”.

This vaccine could potentially become “a blockbuster” and generate more than a billion dollars in revenue for the French pharmaceutical company, Charmeil added.

It took 20 years and more than 1.5 billion euros (US$1.6 billion) in research

and development to create Dengvaxia. Until now, scientists have been stumped by dengue, which has four separate strains.

The World Health Organisation says dengue has become the fastestgrowing mosquito-borne disease, with as many as 400 million people infected every year.

It can trigger a crippling fever, along with muscle and joint pain. There is no known cure and children are at particular risk. The deadliest form of the disease kills 22,000 people per year, the WHO says.

It was once considered a disease of the tropics endemic in only nine countries. But globalisation, urbanisation, climate change and jet travel are helping it to move into more temperate zones and it is now endemic in more than 100 countries.

(Excerpt from Yahoo! News)

Vincentians vote in historic poll

A

fter weeks of campaigning, Vincentians vote for a new Government on Wednesday, as the ruling Unity Labour Party (ULP) seeks an historic fourth term in office.

A total of 89,527 voters in 15 constituencies are eligible to exercise their franchise across St Vincent and the Grenadines. The polls will open at 07:00h and close at 17:00h.

Some 43 candidates from four political parties will seek to gain the approval of the electorate in an attempt to form the next Government.

Both the ULP of Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves and the main Opposition New Democratic Party of Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace are fielding a full slate of 15 candidates.

The Democratic Republican Party of Anesia Baptiste and the Green Party led by Ivan O’Neil will field six and seven candidates respectively.

The ULP will be seeking an historic fourth consecutive term against the backdrop of the nation’s first major international airport nearing completion, claimed revolutions in education and

housing and prudent fiscal management amidst harsh economic times.

However, the NDP has chided government spending while making promises of its own, including a new hospital, jobs for young people and better infrastructure. A recent CADRES poll predicts a comfortable victory for the ULP with neither the DRP nor the Green Party making a significant impact.

Electoral missions from CARICOM, OAS and the Commonwealth observed Wednesday’s poll. (Excerpt from

Caribbean News Now)

B

razil’s Supreme Court has suspended impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff until it rules on a secret vote that stacked a congressional committee with opponents trying to oust her.

The decision late on Tuesday by a judge appointed by the President has stopped the creation of the committee until Brazil’s top court can meet on December 16 to decide whether the unprecedented secret ballot was valid.

The ruling was a reprieve for Rousseff because a court decision could favour her situation by curbing the power of her nemesis, lower house speaker Eduardo Cunha.

Cunha, who himself faces a possible congressional investigation on corruption charges, began the impeachment proceedings last week based on an Opposition accusation that Rousseff broke

Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff gestures during a news conference after a meeting with jurists defending her against impeachment at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, December 7

Brazil’s budget laws.

But the delay could also give Rousseff’s opponents more time to mobilise public sentiment against an unpopular President who is besieged by a severe recession and a graft scandal that has ensnared dozens of her allies less than a year into her

second term.

Justice Luiz Edson Fachin, whom Rousseff appointed to the court in June, said in his decision that the suspension of the impeachment proceedings was needed “to avoid acts that could eventually be invalidated by the Supreme Court.” (Excerpt

from Reuters)

All past and off-duty officers in Grenada called out in search for missing Canadian

T

he search for missing Canadian woman Linnea MooreVenoitte continues, with all past and off-duty officers being called into action.

But there are conflicting reports about whether the apparently abducted woman was hit by a car as Police reported. Lawmen said on Tuesday that they had launched a hunt for the 36-year-old mother of two – who was working in Grenada at St George’s University – after she went for a Sunday morning run with the family dog, Nico,

and never returned.

They said it appeared both Veinotte and the dog were struck by a vehicle.

The dog was left on the side of the road but Veinotte was nowhere to be found.

According to Police, there would be damage to the front, right side of the vehicle that struck the two and “the driver is thought to have also incurred a flat tire in the incident and would have had to change it somewhere nearby”.

But in a statement posted on the ‘Find Linnea Veinotte in Grenada’ Facebook page,

a message attributed to the missing woman’s husband, Matt, stated that there was no evidence that she was struck by the vehicle.

The husband has offered an EC$100,000 (US$37,037) reward for information on his wife’s whereabouts. The Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) said in a statement that it was working diligently to solve the case.

Police thanked the public for its help thus far, saying that the support “has been absolutely tremendous and first class”. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Venezuela election: Opposition Jamaica’s economic growth remains ‘anaemic’ – World Bank ‘supermajority’ confirmed

T

V

enezuelan electoral authorities have confirmed that the Opposition has won a key two-thirds majority, enabling it to challenge President Nicolás Maduro.

The Opposition said it would work to release jailed Opposition leaders and address the country’s economic crisis.

Maduro has announced a Cabinet reshuffle but vowed to veto any amnesty law for jailed politicians.

The election result is the worst for the Socialist movement founded by late Leader Hugo Chávez in 1999.

The majority means the Democratic Unity coalition can now make sweeping changes, including calling a possible referendum on Mr Maduro’s leadership.

It also wants the release of one of its leaders, Leopoldo Lopez, who was given a 13-year prison sentence for inciting violence –

he World Bank in its latest report on the Jamaican economy says the country’s economic growth “remains anaemic” with one of the main contributing factors being an extended drought that caused agricultural production to contract by 4.6 per cent.

In the report titled “Jamaica; Laying the Foundation for Growth and Debt Sustainability, the World Bank however stated that the agricultural sector

The Opposition said it would work to release jailed Opposition Leaders and address the country’s economic crisis

a charge critics say was politically motivated.

But Maduro said he would block any amnesty law. The murderers have to be prosecuted and have to pay,” he said in a televised address. He said his Socialist Party would hold an “extraordinary congress” to find out what went wrong

at the election.

The Opposition meanwhile warned of looming food shortages for Venezuelans. “We urge the Government to stop crying and start working,” opposition leader Jesus Torrealba said.

“We’re just a few weeks away from a very serious problem in terms of food,” he added. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

“has begun to show signs of a potential recovery, posting a quarterly growth rate of 0.4 per cent, year-on-year, for the second quarter of 2015.”

Concerning the service industry, the report said it grew at an average rate of 0.8 per cent due largely to an increase in tourist arrivals. It said while manufacturing, industry and fixed capital investment remained stagnant over the fiscal year , there are now signs of improvement, growing by 1.4 per cent in the

second quarter of 2015.

Business confidence is another area on the upward trend, t he report states that “despite weak overall growth in 2014/2015, business confidence shot up by 25 per cent, while consumer confidence improved by 16 per cent as of December 2014.”

On the other hand, poverty rates remain high, the World Bank says Jamaica has yet to reclaim the ground lost during the global financial crisis.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

T&T Chamber President: No need to panic over recession

T

he fact that T&T is in a recession is no reason to panic or abandon ship, says Richie Sookhai, President of the Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Sookhai, who was part of forum between the Indian High Commission and the Chaguanas business community at the Plaza De

Montrose, Chaguanas, said diversification is the way forward for the T&T economy.

He was reacting to Central Bank Governor Jwala Rambarran’s announcement last week during a Monetary Policy Forum in Port of Spain that the economy is in officially in

recession after four consecutive quarters of deadline “Our country has been heavily dependent on oil and gas for too long and we have tended to be complacent about that dependency, both at the political level and among us in the private sector,” Sookhai said.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the world

COP21: Fireworks expected as Syrian rebels leave Homs following new climate text published

A

critical “clean” draft text has been published at United Nations climate talks in Paris after delays.

This new version, 29 pages long, marks the first time the French presidency of the meeting has pulled together an outline of a deal.

The new draft has significantly reduced the options on many of the key questions after days of negotiations.

One observer warned that there could be “fireworks” if countries are unhappy with the compromises proposed.

Last Saturday, negotiators from 195 countries agreed on a weighty 48-page document, the summation of four years of talks that began in Durban in 2011.

That document was handed to the French pres-

The publication of the latest text could be a significant moment at COP21

ident of COP21, Laurent Fabius.

Over the past few days, he has asked pairs of ministers from around the world to try to advance aspects of the document.

Wednesday marks the first time the French will present their version of

the progress that has been made.

They have included a smaller number of options on some of the most contentious issues.

According to Fabius, the key difficulties have been identified.

“The focus is now on open

questions that still need to be settled at a political level,” he told the negotiators.

On the key issue of what the overall purpose of the document should be, there are now three options: The first says that temperature rises should be kept below two degrees C above pre-industrial levels The third option says they should be kept below 1.5 degrees But option two, the one which would seem to be the obvious compromise at present, says temperatures should be kept well below two degrees C, while scaling up efforts to limit the rise to below 1.5, while recognising that in some parts of the world there are high risks projected even for warming at that level. (Excerpt from BBC

News)

rare ceasefire deal

H

undreds of Syrians, including rebel fighters, have left the last rebel-held area of Homs as part of a rare local ceasefire deal negotiated between the Opposition and the Government.

The fighters and their families were being moved to rebel-held areas of the northwest near the Turkish border on Wednesday.

Homs was a centre of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

The deal follows a major Syrian Army ground offensive to the north of the city backed by Russian air strikes.

Witnesses saw 15 buses leave the area. Homs Governor Talal al-Barazi told reporters that 300 fighters were on board, together with 400 members of their fami-

lies.

The fighters took light weapons with them, he said.

The deal echoes a local ceasefire agreed in September elsewhere in Syria under which rebel fighters were supposed to be transferred to Idlib, though it has yet to be fully implemented.

Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst, Marwan Bishara, said there is a “certain will on both sides to calm things down, especially in places where it’s clear that one party has the upper hand over the other”.

“The general mood is; no one is winning in Syria, so let’s – at least for the time being – settle down, take it easy, until we see if there is a serious transitional process possible.” (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

UN calls on China German Chancellor Merkel named to end rife torture, TIME’s “Person of the Year” crackdown on lawyers

A

United Nations rights watchdog called on China on Wednesday to halt torture of detainees that it said remains widespread in Police Stations and prisons and to close its secret illegal “black jails”.

The UN Committee against Torture voiced deep concern about the deaths in custody of several high-profile political prisoners and at China’s crackdown on lawyers and activists.

At least 25 of 200 lawyers rounded up since July remain in detention, it said, calling for China to “stop sanctioning lawyers”.

The 10 independent experts asked Beijing to report back in one year on progress in complying with an interna-

tional treaty banning torture.

Their recommendations came after examining China’s record at a two-day hearing, the first review since 2008.

“The Committee remains seriously concerned over consistent reports indicating that the practice of torture and ill-treatment is still deeply entrenched in the criminal justice system, which overly relies on confessions as the basis for convictions,” the Committee said.

In Beijing, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she had not seen the report. “But in recent years China has been promoting the rule of law and has made great efforts in all regards including on opposing torture.” (Excerpt from Reuters)

T

IME magazine named German Chancellor Angela Merkel its 2015 “Person of the Year” on Wednesday, noting her resilience and leadership when faced with the refugee crisis and turmoil in the European Union over its currency this year.

In a statement explaining the magazine’s choice, Managing Editor Nancy Gibbs said despite crises in the region that caused “reason to wonder whether Europe could continue to exist,” Merkel, 61, emerged as an “indispensable player”.

“For asking more of her country than most politicians would dare, for standing firm against tyranny as well as expedience and for providing steadfast moral leadership in a world where it is in short supply, Angela Merkel is TIME’s Person of the Year,” Gibbs wrote.

In response to the news, Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel appears on the cover of TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year issue in this undated handout photo obtained by Reuters on December 9

spokesman Steffen Seibert told a Government news conference: “I am sure the Chancellor will cherish this as an incentive in her job.”

Merkel celebrated her 10-year anniversary as Chancellor last month, making her the European Union’s longest-serving leader.

For years she was seen as a cautious, risk-averse leader who paid close attention to public opinion in formulating policy. But her leadership in the Ukraine crisis last year, her clinching of a deal this summer to keep Greece in the eurozone and her stance in the refugee crisis have changed that view.

In late August, when tens of thousands of migrants fleeing war in the Middle East streamed into Hungary, threatening a humanitarian crisis, Merkel agreed to suspend the European Union’s asylum rules and allow them to continue into Germany. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Tanzanian President John India, Pakistan to resume dialogue Magufuli helps clean streets E

President Magufuli (pictured) has been nicknamed “The Bulldozer” for his no-nonsense approach

T

anzania’s new President John Magufuli has joined hundreds of residents in the main city Dar es Salaam to take part in a public cleanup operation.

Magufuli picked up rubbish from the street outside State House as part

of the scheme, which he had ordered to replace Independence Day celebrations.

The move is being seen as symbolic of the President’s promise to tackle corruption, our correspondent says.

Thousands of people across Tanzania are report-

ed to have joined the cleanup.

Last month, Magufuli cancelled traditional Independence Day celebrations, which usually include a military parade and concert, saying it would be “shameful” to spend huge sums of money while the country was facing a serious cholera outbreak.

“Let us work together to keep our country, cities, homes and workplaces clean, safe and healthy,” Magufuli told a crowd of surprised onlookers as he picked up rubbish off the street, AFP news agency reports.

“Tanzania has changed – this is a new Tanzania,” one resident told AFP, on a break from cleaning up the city’s public beach. (Excerpt from

BBC News)

xternal Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Wednesday said India and Pakistan have decided to start comprehensive bilateral dialogue.

Earlier, hours before she met Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Wednesday, Swaraj said it was time to display “maturity” and “self-confidence” to do business with each other. Later, when she reached Sharif’s residence at Constitution Avenue, she was received by his daughter Maryam Sharif, who accompanied her to the meeting.

“Let me take this opportunity to extend our hand to Pakistan as well. It is time that we display the maturity and self-confidence to do business with each other and strengthen regional trade and cooperation. The

Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj talking to the media as she arrived at Islamabad in Pakistan on Tuesday. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar is also seen (PTI)

entire world is waiting and rooting for change. Let us not disappoint them,” she told the gathering, which included Sharif and his foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz.

Her comments, made while addressing the ministerial meeting of the Heart of Asia conference, come against the backdrop of

Pakistan not allowing transit of goods between India and Afghanistan. Islamabad had blocked the consensus on the SAARC motor vehicles agreement at the SAARC summit in Kathmandu last year. Pakistan has also resisted India joining the Afghanistan-Pakistan Trade and Transit Agreement.

(Excerpt from India Express)

16 NEWS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana Goldfields donates boat to Universal prayer for schools underway President’s “three Bs” programme E

S

ocial Cohesion Minister Amna Ally on Wednesday received another boat which will be used to ferry children to school in Moraikobai, Mahaicony River, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

A release from the Ministry of the Presidency stated that Minister Ally received the boat on behalf of the President and the Government of Guyana, at a simple presentation ceremony held at the Guyana Goldfields Incorporated/ Aurora Gold Project Buck Hall, Essequibo Coast location on Monday morning.

The release also stated that President Granger commissioned the vessel later that afternoon in Moraikobai.

In handing over the boat, Logistics Manager of the Guyana Goldfields (Buck Hall operations) Kenrick Glasgow said that the commitment to gift the President a boat for his ‘Buses, Boats and Bicycles’ or ‘Three Bs’ programme – which is aimed at ensuring that all children in Guyana are able to get to school – was made the same day that the company poured its first gold bar.

“This is a present from the people of Guyana Goldfields for the children of Moraikobai in the Mahaicony River. It is indeed a pleasure and an honour to give this gift for the children so

Social Cohesion Minister Amna Ally shakes hands with Kenrick Glasgow, Logistics Manager at Guyana Goldfields Inc/Aurora Gold Project, as she receives a boat the company donated to President David Granger’s ‘’three Bs’ programme

that they can go to school,” Glasgow said.

Minister Ally, in accepting the gift, said the Government and the country as a whole is grateful for the donation of the boat, as it will ensure that access to education in that community is made easier.

“I am happy to be here and to receive this gift. I would like to thank Guyana Goldfields for this effort that they have made to the people and children of Guyana and more particularly the recipients of this boat. The President has a passion for education and the Ministry of Social Cohesion is working in tandem with him to ensure that we can bridge the gaps that exists in our country; that is poverty and equality and so on, which all hinder and hamper [the] de-

velopment of our country,” Minister Ally said.

The Minister further related that this will be the fourth boat which will be commissioned by the President as corporate Guyana has responded favourably to the President’s call for action on education; recognising that education is key to the nation’s development.

At the commissioning of the third boat in Upper Pomeroon last month, President Granger had said that the idea for the ‘three Bs’ programme was birthed in the Pomeroon when a resident told him that he was forced to pay $5000 per week to get his children to school.

Minister Ally has been playing an integral role in the private-public partnership to support the ‘three Bs’ programme.

ducation Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine has announced that a universal prayer for all public schools in Guyana is currently being drafted to represent Guyana’s multireligious society.

In a telephone interview with Guyana Times on Wednesday, the Minister stated that he has had consultations with religious leaders of the three major religions in Guyana to ensure that no faith should feel compromised by a prayer.

It was reported that a number of religious organisations had applauded this move after the announcement was first made in October, as they were of the view that this change was long overdue.

Speaking with this newspaper on Wednesday, Pandit Jagmohan Persaud said that Guyana is a multiethnic and multireligious community, and as such, any action that involves persons of all ethnicities and religions should reflect “the kind of people they are and not cause offence or feel compromising, as prayer should be accommodating.”

The Pandit stated that the action of the Education Ministry is greatly welcomed, as it allows persons of all religions to be comfortable in what is to be described as the holiest of actions.

In an invited comment, Bishop Juan Edghill stated that he believes people should be allowed to pray in keeping with their faith and their traditions. Edghill added that he does not believe anyone should be forced to say a prayer that is contrary to their traditions or

Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine conscience.

He mentioned that prayer should always be a voluntary action on the part of an individual who intends to reach out to their God. “I guess an acceptably worked out prayer that might be considered acceptable to all religions, might be the best formula for dealing as compromising secular society. Something similar as to what transpires in the National Assembly, where there is one prayer being said despite the diversity of faith among the legislation,” Edghill noted.

In the circumstances of a secular environment, like Guyana finds itself, Edghill stated that it is “probably the better option to go with a universal prayer”, but it must be acceptable by all faiths and must not be imposed upon individuals.

Meanwhile, the Education Minister stated that he is anticipating that over the next two weeks, the Ministry and consultants will be in a position to say what is acceptable

and individuals of any faith will not feel excluded. “The idea that we have is that no faith should feel compromised by the prayer. They should feel that the prayer serves all faiths,” Minister Roopnaraine related.

When questioned about the timeframe for which this new prayer will be available, the Minister responded by saying that he would like this prayer to be available as soon as possible, but added that it is more important that there be a complete understanding and agreement among all faiths, than to rush into the situation without full knowledge, eventually causing more harm than good.

Roopnaraine mentioned, “I don’t think there is need for speed. What is important is that we should have full agreement on something that is so central and important”.

Data from a 2002 census on religious affiliation in Guyana indicates that approximately 57 per cent of the population are Christians; 28 per cent is Hindus; seven per cent are Muslims and two per cent practice other beliefs, including the Rastafari movement and the Baha’i faith. An estimated four percent of the population does not profess any religion.

Guyana is ethnically diverse, reflecting East Indian, African, Chinese, and European ancestry, as well as a significant indigenous population. Members of all ethnic groups are well represented in all religious groups, with two exceptions – most Hindus are Indo-Guyanese, and nearly all Rastafarians are AfroGuyanese. Foreign missionaries from many religious groups are present.

Timehri North gets street lights

J

Some of the newly installed street lights in Timehri North, EBD

ust over a week after Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson visited Timehri North, East Bank Demerara (EBD), the

Ministry has moved to install streetlights throughout the community.

According to the Ministry, the action was taken in an at-

NTFC submits...

However, one issue which continues to yield limited or minimal progress to date is dealing with the homeless persons who roam and live on the streets and roadways especially in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica).

As such, the NTFC will be meeting with the Ministries of Public Health and Social Protection and other Government agencies soon to discuss what can be done legally while respecting human

tempt to make the community safer for the residents, particularly schoolchildren.

During a meeting held with Minister Patterson on November 29, residents had the opportunity to voice their concerns and offer solutions for the enhancement of the community. Among the problems outlined was the lack of streetlights in the area.

Many residents expressed concern for the safety of residents who work late as well as schoolchildren, and opined that streetlights would go a far way in reducing crime.

Hence, the Minister saw it fit to provide the community with this much-needed infrastructure. One week after the Minister’s visit, a total of nine 250W lamps were installed from Prison Road to the “Amerijet Junction” on Sunday last.

Residents have since expressed gratitude to the Ministry for its swift action.

FROM PAGE 11

rights to remove the destitute and mentally challenged persons from the streets.

In August this year, Singh had told the media that the NTFC was awarded $36 million by Cabinet for a six-month period until the Budget was presented for 2016, in which funding should be continued throughout the next five years.

He had earlier stated that there was significant deterioration of many aspects of

Guyanese life, including unplanned settlements, traffic congestion, garbage buildup and occasional flooding in many areas.

At that time, the Commission’s aim was to focus on five important issues – drainage; traffic management; sustainable urban, rural and hinterland physical infrastructure renewal; solid waste management and derelict vehicle removal. (kristenm@guyanatimesgy.com)

17

NEWS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

COP21 conference

Guyana gets US$300,000 grant for Green Fund ...Amaila Falls money can be diverted – Finance Minister

G

overnance and Patrimony Minister Raphael Trotman on Wednesday signed a US$300,000 grant with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) on the sidelines of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC), in Paris, France.

The agreement was signed

by Trotman and GCF Director of Country Programming, Ousseynou Nakoulima in the presence of Finance Minister Winston Jordan and Executive Director of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, Dr Kenrick Leslie.

The objective of the agreement is to support Guyana in strengthening the institutional capacity of its National Designated Authority (NDA) to implement its responsibilities to the GCF by preparing climate-related country programmes through a multistakeholder engagement process.

The money will also be used to enhance Guyana’s readiness to access and deliver international climate finance through targeted institutional strengthening. The scaling up of the NDA’s capacity is one of the preliminary steps toward Guyana becoming accredited to the GCF. At the end of the project year, it is anticipated that capacity would be boosted to facilitate effective consultation and communication on climate-related issues and accessing the GCF. There will be extensive knowledge on climate and finance priorities, a system for reviewing proposals and issuing recommendations (or no-objections) will be established; the development

of capacity and systems to monitor, evaluate and report on the activities of the Fund and other relevant finance mechanisms; the establishment of institutions as well as the dissemination of readily available information, including in local languages, on procedures of the Fund to country stakeholders.

The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), the only accredited entity to the GCF in the Caribbean and one of only 20 entities accredited globally to date, will act as the delivery partner for this project.

Coalition of Rainforest Nations

Guyana also engaged the Coalition of Rainforest Nations (CfRN) to advance the proposal for the establishment of a new International Council of Rainforest Nations.

Minister Trotman, accompanied by Chief Negotiator Andrew Bishop, also held discussions with Panama’s Environment Minister, Mirei Endara, who chairs the CfRN. The proposed Council would seek to facilitate cooperation among like-minded rainforest countries, particularly in the implementation of REDD Plus initiatives. The REDD Plus mechanism provides monetary incentives to countries for reducing deforestation and sustainably managing their forests.

The expectation is that the Council will provide greater leverage for accessing the means of implementation from innovative private sources, and supplementing public sources under the UNFCCC. This will open up new funding opportunities for rainforest countries; of these countries, Guyana is internationally

M&CC hosts Christmas tree light-up – to rehabilitate recreational parks

T

he Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of Georgetown in its efforts to beautify Georgetown on Wednesday hosted a Christmas tree light-up where it was announced that the body would be rehabilitating a number of recreational parks in and around the city.

Provision would also be made for those living with disabilities.

The light-up of a more than 10-foot Christmas tree at Merriman Mall, Bourda was much to the amazement and excitement of hundreds of children who gathered with their parents to witness the spectacle.

Those gathered were treated to entertainment by local talent, including steel pan music by the Bishops’ High School steel pan orchestra.

Speaking to reporters, Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green explained that the light-up was one way of giving back to the citizens as well as increasing the aesthetic appeal of the area.

“We’ve decided to turn the Merriman Mall into a play park. The next step here now is that we’re working in col-

laboration with the National Council of Disability so we can be able now to install play equipment that children with disabilities will be able to access, and the future developmental parks that we intend to do will also include those children,” she explained.

She explained that a number of community recreational centres and parks have been listed for developmental works. “You’re going to see lots more parks: we’re now trying to develop the one on Mandela Avenue, the South Ruimveldt Park and there are lots of other small parks around the city that we’re going to do one by one.”

Chase-Green posited that the city was giving back to its taxpayers by undertaking initiatives which would enable the Council to do so. She expressed hope that citizens appreciate the efforts and help in the maintenance and cleaning of the facilities.

“We must have recreational places where we can come, sit…and have a merry time. People use the park for exercise purposes, children come and eat, relax and study,” she said.

Jordan, discussing the future of the Guyana-Norway agreement, said Guyana’s position remained the same - that is the Amaila Falls project's conception was flawed. He said the country could not move ahead with it, since while it was too costly, it also has not been properly studied. recognised as a leader in the sustainable management and conservation of its forests.

Minister Trotman expressed support for the initiative and indicated Guyana’s interest in partnering with the entity. He undertook to seek Government’s endorsement on the initiative.

Meanwhile, the US$80 million provided by Norway under its climate deal with Guyana can now be channelled into clean and green energy initiatives if further feasibility studies conducted on the Amaila Falls Hydro Project confirm that it could

not proceed.

Finance Minister Jordan made the disclosure, following a meeting with Norwegian officials and representatives of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in Paris on Tuesday.

It is important that the 2015 Conference reaches a legally binding agreement to protect vulnerable countries.

Jordan, discussing the future of the Guyana-Norway agreement, said Guyana’s position remained the same - that is the Amaila Falls project's conception was flawed. He said the country could not move

ahead with it, since while it was too costly, it also has not been properly studied.

He contended that it also has environmental, engineering and other issues.

He revealed that the Norwegians were seeking to have an independent study conducted on the Project so that it could be brought to finality. The Minister said Guyana was particularly interested in how the US$80 million can be unlocked for the development of the country.

“We welcome that as it would bring some sort of finality. This will ensure that once for all, we will know if it’s viable and how can we find a sponsor and if it is not, how we can get the money to facilitate it. We got a confirmation in the meeting that this money (US$80 million) was for Amaila, but if the Amaila does not go through, it can be channelled into clean and green energy initiatives,” Minister Jordan said.

Since the agreement with

Finance Minister Winston Jordan Norway was signed in 2009, Guyana has earned US$190 million. However, the agreement comes to an end this year and, as such, it was necessary that the two nations meet.

Of the total amount, US$69.8 million has been transferred to the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF) while the US$80 million was transferred to the IDB.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

thursday, DECember 10, 2015

ARCHIE

Don’t stop short of your goals. Unfinished business (March 21- will leave you feeling anxApril 19) ious and unable to enjoy the festive season. Don’t say anything if you don’t have something nice or positive to share.

ARIES

Take note of what transTAURUS pired this year. There is a les(April 20- son you can learn and informaMay 20) tion you can apply that will help you take advantage of similar circumstances. A romantic encounter is encouraged.

dilbert

You’ll end up being a GEMINI (May 21- scapegoat if you aren’t careJune 20) ful. Don’t claim to be able to do something you can’t. It’s important to be upfront about your feelings and abilities.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Peanuts

Enjoy life, live in the moment and put friends and family first. Do a little shopping and engage in talks that lead you down memory lane.

Romance is in the stars.

Discipline and hard work LEO along with compassion and (July 23generosity will put you in a Aug. 22) prime position. Network with colleagues and pay close attention to any upcoming job openings.

Calvin and Hobbes

An interesting talk with VIRGO someone from a different (Aug. 23background will spark your Sept. 22) imagination and spur curiosity about a joint venture. A personal or professional partnership looks promising.

A last-minute change of LIBRA (Sept. 23- plans can be expected. Don’t Oct. 23) let others’ actions ruin your plans. Attend an event or activity even if you have to go alone.

SUDOKU

It’s a good time to make SCORPIO personal changes that will (Oct. 24update your appearance and Nov. 22) give your morale a boost.

Romance is in the stars. Don’t be shy; share your intentions with someone special.

Don’t let uncertainty get SAGITTARIUS you down. Exaggeration will (Nov. 23make you look bad. Stick to Dec. 21) facts and be open about your motives. No one can fault you for being honest.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

CAPRICORN Look at the big picture (Dec. 22- and the trends that are formJan. 19) ing. Prepare to head into the upcoming year ready to take on whatever comes your way.

Preparation and clear vision will be your saving graces.

AQUARIUS Gravitate to where the action is. Your involvement in (Jan. 20the hustle and bustle that Feb. 19) take place this time of year will encourage you to take on more responsibility.

Limitations will set in if PISCES (Feb. 20- you have taken on too much.

March 20) Don’t make promises you cannot keep. Steer clear of indulgent people or deals that are too good to be true.

thursday, december 10, 2015

19

GTT/Limacol football winners rewarded

Top performers of the GTT/Limacol football competition were rewarded on Wednesday evening during a presentation ceremony at Brandsville Hotel in Georgetown.

The tournament was won by Linden’s Milerock, who edged East Coast Demerara’s Victoria Kings 4-3 in the final on Sunday night after a 1-1 draw at the end of regulation and extra time at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground. Officials of the two companies were on hand to distribute the prizes, while representatives of the Guyana Football Federation were also present at the function.

Further details in Friday’s edition

CGI Local Franchise League 50-over cricket...

GT, Lower Corentyne/NA/Canje, West Berbice and Upper Corentyne victorious

G

Kandasammy Surujnarine made 104

eorgetown, Lower Corentyne/New Amsterdam/Canje, West Berbice and Upper Corentyne all registered victories in the fourth round of the Cricket Guyana Inc. (CGI) Local Franchise League 50-over cricket competition played across Guyana on Wednesday.

At the GCC ground, half-centuries from Jeetendra Sukdeo and Sherfane Rutherford helped Georgetown to beat West

Demerara by 53 runs.

Batting first, Georgetown scored a competitive 241-7 off the 50 overs.

Sookdeo’s innings, which was his second consecutive half century, included five fours. Rutherford’s knock was decorated with four boundaries and three sixes.

There were also significant contributions from David Dick, who made 32; Andrew Lyte 24 and Kemol Savory 24 not out.

In reply, West Demerara

made 188 in 48 overs.

They never threatened Georgetown’s total, as Ganesh Narine top scored with 52, hitting two fours and two sixes. Yatesh Dhanpaul made 31, while Travis Persaud contributed 19. Bowling for Georgetown, Devon Lord took 3-32 off 10 overs, Kellon Carmichael 2-29 off his 10 overs and Sookdeo returned with the ball to take 2-33 bowling offspin.

At the Albion ground, Lower Corentyne/New Amsterdam/Canje continued their unbeaten run as they disposed of East Coast Demerara by 56 runs.

Batting first, the home team was bowled out for 189 in 45.5 overs.

Former national middleorder batsman, Gajanand Singh, top scored with 34, while Joemal La Fluer hit 33 and his older brother Eugene La Fluer stroked 32. Bowling for East Coast Demerara, Steven Sankar followed up his four-wicket haul in the previous round with figures of 4-37 off his 10 overs, while Anthony Ifill took 3-34.

In reply, the East Coast Demerara lads were restricted to 143 all out in the

Steven Sankar

43rd over. Brian Sattaur top scored with 60, which included seven fours.

Steve Ramdass and Steven Sankar chipped in with 21 each. Bowling for Lower Corentyne/New Amsterdam/ Canje, Eugene La Fluer took 2-18, Royston Crandon 2-28 and Devon Clements 2-40.

At the Port Mourant ground, East Bank Demerara/ Upper Demerara got to 207-8 in 45 overs. The reduction of overs was due to a late start.

Danny Narayan stroked a commanding even 100, which included four boundaries and two maximums.

Leonard Caleb was the

other major contributor with 36. Bowling for West Berbice, Waqar Hassan claimed 3-26, while Krishnadat Ramoo had 3-32.

In reply, West Berbice cruised to 210-1 in just 36 overs as their captain, Kandasammy Surujnarine, hit a shot-filled 104 not out, that included six boundaries. Opening the batting with Avishkar Seewkaran, who made 50, they put on 136 for the first wicket as the East Bank Demerara/ Upper Demerara bowlers were put to the sword.

Raphael Estriado was the other not out batsman on 36.

At the Enmore ground, Upper Corentyne was bowled out for 188 in 49 overs. Rajiv Ivan scored his second consecutive half-century (65) against disciplined Essequibo bowling. Lending good support was Jonathan Foo, who scored 31, while Eon Hopper and Arif Chan chipped in with 27 not out and 26 respectively.

Skipper Anthony Adams led the Essequibo’s bowlers with 3-38 off 10 overs.

Former national pacer Trevon Garraway claimed 2-38 and Ricardo Adams had 2-35.

Essequibo was reduced

Rajiv Ivan

to 106-9, as only Rayon Fredericks (29) and Anthony Adams (20) offered any resistance. Bowling for Upper Corentyne, Rajiv Ivan took 2-27 and Jonathan Foo 2-20.

The competition will take a two days break before resuming on Saturday with Georgetown playing West Berbice at Bush Lot ground, East Coast Demerara battling Essequibo at Enmore, East Bank Demerara/Upper Demerara taking on Upper Corentyne at Port Mourant and West Demerara battlling Lower Corentyne/ New Amsterdam/Canje at Everest.

20

guyanatimesGY.com

thursday, december 10, 2015

special helps Barisal Lara blasts senior players, Gayle cruise home in style WICB for lack of leadership

Brian Lara laments that current young cricketers did not have the sort of role models who were in the great West Indies teams

C

hampion batsman Brian Lara says it is no surprise there is a shrinking pool of youngsters aspiring to play for the West Indies, above all else because current senior players are setting a bad example by chasing cheques in Twenty20 competitions.

But Lara also said the players were not totally culpable, slamming the “badly run” West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and hinting there would be an upheaval in Caribbean cricket administration because the WICB was ignoring member nations’ leaders and “acting like a law unto themselves.”

“What you’re talking about is a badly run cricket board, and [when] the player relationship with board members is not really good you’re going to head in the direction where you feel comfortable,” Lara said on Fox Sports’ Inside Cricket. “The guys don’t trust the board any more. They don’t even trust the players’ association. I mean, what choice do they have?”

Former Australia captain Allan Border sympathised with the circumstances that have led the likes of Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo to focus on domestic Twenty20 tournaments, such as the looming Big Bash League where they will represent Melbourne Renegades, ahead of playing for the West Indies.

“The reality is you’ve got an offer of $2 million here

[in IPL] and $100,000 there [from the West Indies]. I mean, what decision are you going to make? You want to play for your country, yes, but that is just poles apart,” he said.

“We’ve got to work out some sort of compromise so it’s county first and franchise-cricket second.”

Lara said he was inspired during his childhood by watching the dominant West Indies team, and its cornerstone players. He lamented current young cricketers did not have those sort of role models.

“You’ve got youngsters coming in and [critics] saying they don’t have the passion to play for the West Indies team, but that can only come from examples,” Lara said.

“I believe that the example being set now is that guys are heading off to franchise cricket, everyone wants to make a lot of money out of the game, and the West Indies seems to be very much secondary. If that’s the example, then you’re not going to get the passion from the youngsters.”

Former Australia vicecaptain Brad Haddin said while he welcomed hearing retired players such as Sir Garfield Sobers and Curtly Ambrose speak about their deep affection for West Indies cricket, he wanted current senior players such as Marlon Samuels and Dwayne Bravo to publicly do the same.

“It’s great to see the past

players with passion for the game, but I’d like to see some of the current crop step up, front the media and say ‘We’ve got the same passion about moving West Indies cricket forward’,” Haddin said on Inside Cricket.

Lara, however, doubted the capacity of Samuels, 34, and former one-day captain Bravo, 32, to be able to do as Haddin suggested.

“They don’t know West Indies cricket, they don’t have an understanding of the history, so how could they be passionate? They just want to know where they can get the next cheque to pay their bills – which is understandable,” Lara said. “But you’ve got to play a sport because of the passion you develop over the years. They would not be able to handle a press conference like that.”

The only time Lara deviated from his criticism of the WICB was its decision to install bowling all-rounder Jason Holder, 24, as captain in all formats. He said he hoped it would be a landmark appointment for the West Indies.

“I think the West Indies have an opportunity with a young man like that . . . to build something around him.

South Africa did it in about 2003 with Graeme Smith.

Maybe this is an opportunity,” Lara said.

“Support him, don’t worry about the results too much, and see whether you can build something over the next 10 years with him.”

Lara urged Holder, if given the opportunity by winning the toss on Thursday, to bowl first in the series-opening Test against Australia, believing it would be “impossible” for the team to make enough runs batting first to put pressure on the home team. He said paceman Jerome Taylor could be a key bowler, but had to be supported to ensure the pressure he created did not dissipate at the other end. (The Age)

Chris Gayle smashed four successive sixes off Jeevan Mendis as Barisal won in a canter

C

hris Gayle sent out a stern warning to the rest of the playing field with a blazing unbeaten 92 that flattened the already demoralised Chittagong Vikings. The eight-wicket win consolidated Barisal’s position in the top half of the BPL standings as they moved to 12 points.

Gayle struck nine sixes and six fours in his unbeaten 47-ball knock. But the big hitting was triggered by Mehedi Maruf, who slammed Bilawal Bhatti, before the Jamaican took over by slamming Maruf for 18 in the fifth over of the innings.

There was more carnage as Gayle slammed Asif Ahmed for 19 courtesy three fours and a straight six.

The six-hitting spree didn’t stop there as Naeem Islam and Tillakaratne Dilshan also came under fire, as Gayle brought up his 53rd T20 half-century in just the 13th over to put Barisal in cruise control mode. From there on, it was simply oneway traffic. With 21 needed to win, Gayle struck Jeevan Mendis for four sixes over long-on to end the game within the bat of an eyelid.

However, there was controversy in the first over of the Barisal chase when Dilshan bumped into Rony Talukdar, who was trying to

take a quick single. The collision meant Talukdar was well short of the crease when Dilshan picked up the ball and threw it to the wicketkeeper Anamul Haque, who removed the bails instantly.

Both Talukdar and Gayle discussed the matter with the umpires but ultimately it was given adjudged run out.

Earlier in the day, there wasn’t much drama, but there was inconsistency that

has hampered Chittagong time and again this season.

Their makeshift captain Dilshan had a new opening partner in Anamul for the first time in the tournament after Tamim Iqbal pulled out due to a groin niggle.

They put on 52 for the first wicket before Dilshan fell.

His 22-ball 28 was courtesy ith two fours and two sixes, which he hit in the same AlAmin Hossain over.

Anamul also struck two fours before Sohag Gazi, playing in his first BPL match this season, had him bowled. The offspinner finished a fine four-over spell in which he conceded only 17 runs.

Kevon Cooper had Yasir Ali caught at point in the tenth over before Mendis got into a tangle trying to play a reverse-sweep and was given out. Mohammad Sami then got into the act, first dismissing Umar Akmal after being hit for a six, and then Asif Ahmed in the last over. On both occasions, the batsmen had just changed their bat before the delivery.

As far as these performances were handy in restricting the final total, none of it could match the might of Gayle on the night. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD Chittagong Vikings innings (20 overs maximum) Anamul Haque† b Sohag Gazi 28 TM Dilshan* c †Rony Talukdar b Al-Amin Hossain 28 Yasir Ali c Sabbir Rahman b Cooper 11 Umar Akmal c †Rony Talukdar b Mohammad Sami 25 BMAJ Mendis lbw b Mahmudullah 3 Naeem Islam c †Rony Talukdar b Cooper 4 Asif Ahmed c †Rony Talukdar b Mohammad Sami 17 Bilawal Bhatti not out 9 Extras (b-3, lb-5, w-2) 10 Total (7 wickets; 20 overs) 135 Fall of wickets: 1-52 (Dilshan, 5.5 ov), 2-60 (Anamul Haque, 6.6 ov), 3-72 (Yasir Ali, 9.5 ov), 4-85 (Mendis, 12.5 ov), 5-105 (Umar Akmal, 15.4 ov), 6-112 (Naeem Islam, 17.1 ov), 7-135 (Asif Ahmed, 19.6 ov) Bowling: Mohammad Sami 4-0-

31-2 (1-w), Al-Amin Hossain 4-031-1, KK Cooper 4-0-24-2 (1-w), Sohag Gazi 4-0-17-1, Taijul Islam 3-0-19-0, Mahmudullah 1-0-5-1 Barisal Bulls innings (target: 136 runs from 20 overs) CH Gayle not out 92 Rony Talukdar† run out (Dilshan) 1 Mehedi Maruf b Taskin Ahmed 18 Mahmudullah* not out 19 Extras (lb-5, w-4, nb-2) 11 Total (2 wickets; 15 overs) 141 Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Rony Talukdar, 0.5 ov), 2-31 (Mehedi Maruf, 4.4 ov) Bowling: TM Dilshan 3-016-0, Bilawal Bhatti 3-0-260, Shafiul Islam 2-0-12-0 (1w), Naeem Islam 2-0-14-0, Taskin Ahmed 3-0-23-1 (1-nb, 3-w), Asif Ahmed 1-0-19-0 (1nb), BMAJ Mendis 1-0-26-0

No decision yet on India-Pakistan series

T

he bilateral series between India and Pakistan, scheduled to take place in December, remains in limbo even after a meeting between senior officials of both governments.

India’s external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj was in Islamabad and held talks with her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday. But it is understood that cricket was not among the topics discussed.

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan, however, had been under the impression that resuming cricketing ties would be on the agenda, and the fact that

it wasn’t has put serious doubts in his mind over the series going though.

“We are already late, but this is something which is beyond our control,” he said.

“I am disappointed that cricket didn’t make into the discussion but we are still unclear about the status of the series. I don’t know what

is going to happen but given the delay and silence I understand it’s a no after all from them.”

More doubts were cast when BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur, who is also an MP with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said cricketing relations cannot resume until

there is political stability between the two countries.

These, however, were his personal views and he clarified that he would comply with whatever decision the Indian government or the BCCI took.

“If there is firing on the border, with your people getting killed, will you play

cricket? Of course I’ll say no,” Thakur told NDTV. “Any Indian will say no to that. My personal view could be different, but I have to honour what the BCCI members have decided because I’m secretary.

“Former secretary of the BCCI signed an agreement with the PCB in April last year, where it is clearly mentioned, if certain resolutions are passed by the ICC, we will play you. We have to honour that now. But I can’t force BJP’s agenda or my individual agenda on the BCCI.” After a deadlock over who would host the series, the BCCI and PCB had petitioned their respective governments to allow the teams

to play each other in Sri Lanka. Pakistan had given the nod, the series still awaits the Indian government’s approval.

Even if headway is made and the series does go through, the PCB will have to race against time to make logistical arrangements given it is tentatively scheduled to begin on December 15. According to the MoU signed between the BCCI and the PCB, it is Pakistan’s turn to host the series.

The prevailing uncertainty leaves the Pakistan board with very little time, especially with the venue being Sri Lanka. The PCB, however, is determined to host the series. (Cricinfo)

21

YELLOW PAGES

Badri Persaud memorial T20 competition…

thursday, december 10, 2015

CAR RENTALS Need a car to rent? Then call 6111018 for the best cars at great prices.

Progressive Auto Rental: Cars from $4000 and up. Tel: 219-3900, 6435122

dentistry Dentures provided in 72 hours from as low as $4500. Contact Dr B Stuart, 209B Charlotte St, Lacytown.

Tel: 225-5034

Driving School SHALOM ENTERPRISE 2 CROAL STREET, STABROEK. INQUIRE ABOUT OUR DISCOUNTED DRIVING PACKAGE & INTERNATIONAL DRIVER’S PERMIT (JOIN US ON FACEBOOK. 2273869/622-8162/644-7052

EDUCATION Private Custom’s brokers certificate training course. All importer/exporters and others who trade is on the increase globally and locally. Learn how to prepare custom documents. Date :4th August 2015 (for three weeks).

Classes from 2:00-4:00 pm and 5:007:00 pm (optional). For more information call:694-8322 or 223-1506.

Register early and save$$$

FOR SALE Clean Garden earth. Also excavating, grading and leveling done. Call 6279977 One Brazilian Beef Saw. Call: 6717482.

Vibratable Dildos. Call: 671-7482, Amar 223-0091.

Road to Belwasa and A Dip at the Sangam, Indenture ship Novels at Austin’s Book Store and at Lachmansingh Drug Store. Tel # 226-5053.

For sale by lot: Lot (1): 2 bath tubs, bathroom fittings and fixtures & toilet set; shower fittings - $150,000 and Lot (2): 1 Dell desktop computer & HP scanner - $25,000. Call 225-2676 or 601-5285.

flowers Available: Fresh long-stemmed roses, fresh dried and silk floral arrangements, gift items, bridal boutiques and wreaths. Nesha’s Flowerland. 78 Church Street (opposite St George’s Cathedral). Tel: 227-3553/225-3315

immigration Immigration & Visa Services We handle all Canadian, USA and UK immigration and visa matters. Self sponsorships, holiday/ visitor’s visas, work permits, students visas, family, class, immigration forms, embassy enquiries, appeals for refused cases, US green card lottery, business class waivers, pardons, etc. Get your visa approved. High success rate. Balwant Persaud & Associates. Certified Immigration Consultants, 68 Sixth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown (Between Cummings & Lights Sts) Tel: 225-1540, 622-8308, 655-3105.

Email: balwantpersaud@yahoo.ca

KEY CUTTing Professional Key Shop, 125 Carmichael Street, Georgetown. Phone: 225-3923, mobile: 621-3249. We cut any type of key, service and repair all types of locks. Get your extra key today. optician

Da Silva’s Optical. For Your Eyes Only, Look Better See Better. Phillip A Da Silva OD, Shannon L Da Silva OD, Natalie Da Silva OD. 248 South Road, Bourda. Phone: 227-3529, Linden: 444-6376, Corriverton: 339-3536, Meten-Meer-Zorg: 275-0322, Grand Cayman Islands: (345) 943-1515 for the perfect trendy touch.

lAND FOR SALE PARFAITE HARMONIE (80FT X 45FT) $1M. EAST COAST (LOWLANDS) $1.8M. PARFAITE HARMONIE (100FT X 50FT FENCED) $3.2M. 6117223, 604-2207 Formerly Globe Cinema, Corner lot, Church and Waterloo Street Size 125 ft x 133 ft Tel # 610-2234

services House plans & estimates, weeding of grass and spraying done within 48hrs. Call: 216-0671; 622-0267; 692-8464

spirituality Surinamese spiritualist. Resolving all problems. Money, love, blockage etc. Call 223-6834/600-7719.

Suriname’s Astrology, Palmist and Hindustani Spiritual Healer, solve all purpose problems, 100% confidential guaranteed. Phone: 602-8997 HEPHZIBAH MINISTRIES 24 hrs Prayer Line 322-5081,337-4510,3374259,337-4583,337-3070,337-5103.

For healing, deliverance, financial difficulties, marriage issues call now.

Jesus Cares.

services Repairs and Spares, Air Conditioning Car/ AC, Washers , Stoves. Call: Nick, 683-1312, 627-3206

taxi services GR Taxi, 24 hours. Phone: 225-7878, 219-5000 or 227-2100

VEHICLES FOR SALE JUST ARRIVED: TOP QUALITY RECONDITIONED VEHICLES; TOYOTA NOAH; TOYOTA VOXY; TOYOTA IST (NEW SHAPE); SUZUKI SWIFT; DAIHATSU MOVE (660CC); MERCEDES BENZ C200 KOMPRESSOR; COROLLA AE100 WAGON; TOYOTA HIACE MINIBUS RZ; PITBULL-STYLE FREEZER VAN; LAND CRUISER (FULLY LOADED); MAZDA PROCEED 4WD EXTRACAB PICK-UP; TOYOTA HILUX 4WD EXTRA CAB PICKUPS - 3RZ, 5L, 3L SOLID DEFFERNTIAL; MITSUBISHI CANTER TRUCKS 4 TONS FREEZER; 3 TONS OPEN TRAY; 2 TONS 4WD; NISSAN ATLAS 2 TONS OPEN TRAY TRUCK. PRE-ORDER YOUR UNITS EARLY AND GET THE BEST PRICES. FULL AFTER SALES SERVICES AND FINANCING AVAILABLE. DEO MARAJ AUTO SALES, 2 CHIMNEY ROAD, CHATEAU MARGOT, ECD. 624-0762, 220-5177. A NAME AND SERVICE YOU CAN TRUST

WANTED SALESGIRLS WITH EXPERIENCE PLEASE BRING WRITTEN APPLICATION AND CV TO TRISTAR ELECTRICAL BRASSONIC Bldg.

(MAIN ENTRANCE 42 WATER st. G/ Town. 231-7101

Wins for Good Success and Maria’s Pleasure/Zeelandia G

ood Success and Maria’s Pleasure/ Zeelandia recorded victories when the Badri Prasad memorial T20 competition continued on Sunday in Wakenaam.

Good Success defeated Noitgedacht SC by two runs at the Wakenaam Community Center ground.

Batting first, Good Success scored 142-3 in 20 overs.

Abdool Salim hit an unbeaten 69, while Ejaz Mohamed made 29 not out; Mark Rampersaud took 1-36.

Noitgedacht SC were bowled out in 19.3 overs for 140.

Jaggernauth Manbodh

Vickram Ramnarine

Omal Bacon struck 42 and Neil Ramalho and Shazaam

Mohamed 17 each. Vickram Ramnarine snared 3-23 and

Salim 2-19.

Maria’s Pleasure/ Zeelandia overcame G Square Cavaliers by 41 runs at the same venue. Maria’s Pleasure/Zeelandia posted 167-7, taking first strike.

Ryan Gordon slammed 53 and Leroy Headley 35.

Lokram Narine claimed 3-20. G Square Cavaliers were limited to 126-5 in reply. Satrohan Shiwnandan hit 44 and Jaggernauth Manbodh 31. Bernard Lewis captured 2-24 and Kennard Lewis 2-28.

The competition will continue on Sunday.

Arsenal through to last 16 in Champions League

O

livier Giroud scored his first hat-trick for Arsenal to ensure the Gunners qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League by beating Olympiakos.

Needing to win by two clear goals, the Gunners produced a performance of nerve and nous to finish second in Group F. Giroud headed the opener in the first half, then stroked home the second after good work by Joel Campbell.

Olivier Giroud scored his first hat-trick for Arsenal

The French striker put Arsenal’s qualification be-

yond doubt with his third from the penalty spot.

Arsenal have never failed to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League since the start of the new format in 2003-04, and their experience on the biggest stage shone through on a memorable night in Athens.

They weathered the early enthusiasm from the physical home side, who were backed by typically partisan support, and slowly seized the initiative with a composed performance. (BBC Sport)

Chelsea ease into Champions League knockout stage

C

helsea forgot their domestic woes by easing into the Champions League knockout stage with a routine 2-0 victory which eliminated opponents Porto.

The Blues enjoyed some luck for the opener as Diego Costa’s low shot was saved by Porto keeper Iker Casillas and rebounded in off Ivan Marcano.

Porto, needing to win to join Chelsea in the last 16, offered little threat.

Willian ensured Chelsea advanced as Group G winners by thumping in a rising shot from 20 yards after the break.

The Blues created plenty of opportunities in the final 15 minutes, exploiting the space left behind as Porto chased an improbable comeback at Stamford Bridge.

Eden Hazard struck the post from a tight angle, while recalled striker Costa wasted two clear opportunities as Chelsea threatened a third.

Chelsea defeated Porto 2-0 to advance

The comfort with which Chelsea negotiated a potentially nervy evening came as welcome relief for manager Jose Mourinho, after a season which has lurched from one calamity to another.

The reigning Premier League champions have struggled domestically, losing eight of their 15 topflight matches this season to leave them in 14th posi-

tion.

Mourinho’s position has been under intense scrutiny amid their perilous league position, but he insisted before the match that he retained the unwavering support of Blues owner Roman Abramovich.

And his players responded to Saturday’s shock home defeat by newly-promoted Bournemouth

with a solid, if not sparkling, victory.

Winning their group means the Blues will avoid the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich when the last-16 draw is made on Monday.

The London side will be drawn against either Paris St-Germain, Juventus, PSV Eindhoven, Benfica, Roma or Gent. (BBC Sport)

22

guyanatimesGY.com

thursday, december 10, 2015

Stag Elite League…

Guinness Greatest of the Streets- Georgetown leg…

GFF, NC Chairman refute Sparta Boss, Channel 9 Warriors to clash in final “erroneous article” T

he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and Chairman of the Normalisation Committee (NC), Clinton Urling, have both refuted the contents of an article published in one section of the press on Tuesday, titled “Elite League football prizes still to be funded.”

The report claimed that the GFF was reportedly “cash-strapped”, and only champion team of the Genesis phase of the Elite League, Slingerz FC, was presented with the cash prize, which was $4 million that the Guyana government had donated.

Beaten finalist Alpha United, third place winner Pele and fourth place finisher Fruta Conquerors were not furnished with their cash, which were $2 million, $1 million and $500,000 respectively; it was alleged in the article.

In a response to the report, Urling firstly pointed out that claims of the GFF being cash-strapped are “far-fetched.”

“Firstly, there is someone in the GFF who is leaking specific GFF information to the media. If this continues unchecked, it can really disrupt and jeopardise any forward initiative and planning of the new Ex-Co,” Urling outlined. “Secondly, while the GFF might be going through some cash flow issues because of the transition period from the Normalisation Committee to the new Ex-Co, it is farfetched to say that the GFF is “cash-strapped.”

Urling said the NC has always pointed out to the members of the GFF, most recently at the Congress, that for 2015 the GFF received only half of its FIFA allocated funds, while the other Member Associations around the region has received their full complement of the FAP and Bonuses.

“This remaining half has

left the GFF in a solid financial state and because the NC has ensured that the audited financial statements for 2013 and 2014 were completed during its tenure, FIFA will within a matter of days release to the GFF US$375,000 that is due for 2015. Moreover, the GFF will receive in January an additional US$250,000 in FAP from FIFA

for a cumulative total of US$625,000 dollars by the end of January,” Urling explained.

He added, “For whatever reason FIFA has not disbursed the US$375,000 since the new Ex-Co was elected is another issue, but the monies should have been released upon the new Ex-Co taking office and the NC has always operated on that assumption.”

Urling further stated that the GFF, under the guidance of the NC, had repaid $63 million in debts, $13 million more that it had indicated to FIFA it would have repaid during its tenure.

“We believed that it was prudent to pay off as much of the debt as possible so as to not burden the new Ex-Co with such a large albatross hanging around them,” he said.

“Thirdly, the football community and the media have to be reminded that the Elite League was never a three-month affair that ended in November, but rather a one season league that is split in two halves

and which ends next May. Any projections and finances for the league must take this fact into account. On this score, the GFF will easily meet its obligations to fund the League.”

Additionally, Urling declared that the Elite League has thus far surpassed all expectations in terms of sponsorship received and gate receipts, noting that the sponsorship received was the highest amount ever raised for any event in the history of the GFF. “The approximate $9 million received from gate receipts also represents a significant achievement for the GFF. If these trends continue into the second half of the League, the GFF will have the makings of a very sustainable product that can be administered for years to come,” Urling pointed out.

Meanwhile, the GFF in a statement late on Wednesday afternoon said it was deeply concerned by what it felt was an erroneous article.

“Of all that was stated in the article by an anonymous writer, the GFF is disturbed by what was mentioned in one paragraph, “according to the sources, the federation has supposedly met the title sponsors to try and ascertain when the presentation for the prizes will occur.” The article leads one to believe that it was Ansa McAl who was responsible for the clubs not receiving their prize money and we strongly refute such perception,” the GFF statement read.

It added, “Ansa McAl, as title sponsor for the Elite League under their STAG Beer brand, has so far honoured their contractual obligation and is also working closely with the GFF to ensure that Guyana and more so the participating teams, benefit from the staging of the League.”

Part of the action during the North Ruimveldt/Sparta Boss semi-final match

By Treiston Joseph

D

efending champions of the Georgetown leg of the Guinness Greatest of the Streets futsal tournament North Ruimveldt will not be able to defend their title after Sparta Boss threw a wrench in their plans with a 3-2 win on Tuesday evening at the National Culture Centre Tarmac.

The action was definitely worthy of a being called the final of the tournament

with the intensity of the action. The North Ruimveldt boys were the first to score with Joshua Browne netting in the 12th minute.

Gregory Richardson would soon equalise in the 13th minute just before North Ruimveldt applied pressure again and scored in the 30th minute through a goal from Solomon Austin.

Richardson would equalise again in the 31st minute, before Devon Millington’s game winner in the 41st minute of the game.

Meanwhile, Channel Nine Warriors made the final of the tournament in their debut season with a 2-0 penalty kick win after regulation time ended with both teams on one goal each.

Kemo Lawrence scored in the 10th minute for Channel Nine, while Andy Duke equalised in the 25th minute for Back Circle.

The final of the tournament will be held on Saturday at the National Park Tarmac from 19:00h.

Guyana to participate at 2016 CFU Futsal tournament

W

ith Guyana set to participate at the January 22-26 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Futsal tournament in Cuba, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will be hosting a closed door tryout for prospective Futsal national team members at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The trial, which will run from today to Saturday, will see some of the country’s top Futsal players being scrutinised by Technical Director Claude Bolton and former national coaches Joseph “Bill” Wilson and Denzil Thompson.

Successful participants at the tryouts will be asked to join a mini-camp in the first part of January where the final selection will be made.

Claude Bolton

Guyana will be placed in Group ‘A’ with Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda and Haiti, while in Group ‘B’, host Cuba will

be joined by St Maarten, Costa Rica and Guadeloupe.

The top two teams from the CFU tournament will advance to the CONCACAF Futsal Championship. The 2016 CONCACAF Futsal Championship will be held in Costa Rica in May. Same as previous editions, the tournament acts as the CONCACAF qualifiers for the FIFA Futsal World Cup. The top four teams of the tournament will qualify for the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Colombia as the CONCACAF representatives.

Guyana last participated at the CFU Futsal tournament in 2008, finishing fourth behind winners and host Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti (second place) and Suriname (third place).

SWAF/MCSC T20 competition underway on WBD

I

n existence for just a year, Sweet Water Aqua Farm/Multi Cultural Sports Club (SAF/MCSC), situated in Canal Number Two, West Bank Demerara (WBD), has embarked on an initiative to keep sports alive in the West Bank Demerara communities, through privately organised cricket competitions.

While sports had been a hallmark of the WBD communities in years gone by,

of recent, there has been a force of reluctance to keep the youths involved through organised competitions.

This decline has prompted individuals to be involved in organising competitions and providing the needed opportunities for the youths.

The involvement of private citizens will auger well for the youths to be engaged in competitions and provide them with the opportunity

to realise their potentials.

With all these aims in mind, the SAF/MCSC organised T20 competition bowled off at the weekend, with eight teams vying to become champion of WBD. In the opening match, Belle Vue Sports Club (BVSC) had the better of SAF/MCSC. Batting first, SAF/MCSC amassed 151-8 off their allotted 20 overs.

E. Martin (45) and Isahak (21) were the main contrib-

utors.

Bowling for BVSC, S. Prasad was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 3-26. In reply, BVSC scored 154-5 in 19.3 overs with Krishna Singh (72), M. Azimullah (36) and Ravi Singh (24) being the main scorers.

Bowling for SAF/MCSC, R. Da Silva bagged 2-10 off four overs.

In the other match, Rising Star was victorious against All Youth Cricket

Club. Batting First, Rising Star made 130 off their allotted 20 overs, with Shaquiel Brisport and Michael Richardson being the top scorers with 41 and 33 respectively.

In reply, the boys from All Youth Cricket Club were bowled out for 104.

Bowling for Rising Star, Marvin Cheong picked up 3-18 from four overs and Quincy Grimmon 2-14 off four overs.

Action will continue on Sunday with West Siders La Grange playing Independence B at 09:00h and Canal Number Two Sports Club facing Independence A at 13:00h.

All matches will be played at the Sweet Water Aqua Farm/ Multi Cultural Sports Club (SAF/MCSC) ground. The final is slated for December 27, with cash prizes and trophies up for grabs.

guyanatimesGY.com

thursday, december 10, 2015

23

Guyana could RHTY&SC hails centurion Fudadin T host CPL 2016 semifinals, final he Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) has offered congratulations and words of encouragement to senior national opening batsman, Assad Fudadin, who scored his fifth FirstClass hundred for Guyana Jaguars against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force last weekend.

Fudadin’s century ensured the Jaguars remained on top of the points table in the West Indies Cricket Board’s Professional Cricket League Four-day competition, as they defeated the Red Force by an innings and 49 runs to record a fourth consecutive win.

Below is the full text of the message.

“The Patron, President and Members of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club would like to express congratulations to our member Assad Fudadin on his achievement of scoring his fifth First-Class century versus Trinidad in the West Indies Cricket Board Professional Cricket League.

Apart from enjoying the on-field action, fans have indulged in the fun beyond the boundary

S

tarved of high-class cricket entertainment, Guyanese can have their cravings satisfied in 2016, as the Hero Caribbean Premier League (Hero CPL) semi-finals and final could be hosted in Guyana for the first time in the competition’s history.

First played in 2013, the CPL has emerged as one of world cricket’s most sought-after T20 tournaments by players and fans alike.

However, fans and supporters of the Guyana Amazon Warriors have always expressed disappointment with the fact that Guyana has not hosted the semi-finals and finals, especially given the tremendous support the League has received here.

On Wednesday, this publication was reliably informed by a source within a government ministry that talks are ongoing between the Administration and CPL to have the semifinals and final hosted in Guyana.

The games here are expected to coincide

with activities to celebrate Guyana’s 50th Independence anniversary. CPL 2016 is slated for June-July, and apart from the on-field action, the country’s economy is set to receive a massive boost, given the business and tourism potential that CPL has been able to realise in three short years.

This news will come as an early Christmas gift for Guyanese, who have fully embraced the CPL since its inception, and have thrown their full support behind the highly popular Guyana Amazon Warriors franchise.

Guyana Amazon Warriors have been among the success stories of CPL, having made it to the first two finals, narrowly losing to Jamaica Tallawahs in 2013 and suffering a controversial defeat to Barbados a year later.

In 2015, Guyana Amazon Warriors made it to the semi-finals, losing out to eventual champions Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel.

Assad Fudadin’s hundred against the Red Force was his fifth in First-Class cricket

Assad, who was recently named the best Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club’s cricketer in our 25 years history, is a role model to every one of our members, and, as is the norm at our club, we are all very happy for our clubmate.

Assad is a perfect example of our club’s formula of success - sheer hard work, discipline, dedication, faith in the god we serve, honesty and a strong desire to succeed against all odds. Despite some failures at the start of the season, we were confident that it would only be a matter of time before Assad started to perform to his high standards.

We wish him the best in the remaining matches and all of us are confident that he would shortly be regaining his place in the West Indies team. The Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club is very proud of Assad Fudadin and wishes to re-assure him that he would continue to be in our daily prayers.”

Sun Burst/EBFA U-17 League…

Marshall, Khan lead Soesdyke into semi-finals

It was a goal-fest for Soesdyke Falcons against Kuru Kururu Warriors

S

oesdyke Falcons mauled Kuru Kururu Warriors 12-0 to book a semi-final date with Herstelling Raiders when the group stage of the Sun Burst/East Bank Football Association (EBFA) Under-17 League/Knockout competition ended on Sunday last at the Grove Playfield.

Soesdyke ended Group B as the runner-up team to Grove Hi Tech and were led to their big win by Tevin

Marshall, who blasted four goals, with diminutive forward Tyrone Khan converting a hat-trick, while Kevin Carter helped himself to a double.

It was clear from the outset that Soesdyke, who had upset Agricola Red Triangle in their previous match, were going all out for a huge win. Khan commenced the goal spree in the 13th minute; Shane Meusa doubled the advantage two minutes later, while Khan capped

the first half with his second goal in the 26th minute.

Taking over their 3-0 lead into the final half, Soesdyke upped the ante against the Warriors as they hammered in nine second half goals without an answer from their opponents.

Tyrone Khan’s brother, Tyrel inked his name on the score sheet in the 41st minute. Carter was on target in the 44th and 45th minute, while Marshall hit the network in the 49th, 63rd, 68th

and 70th minute. Tyrone completed his hat-trick in the 53rd minute, while Shonan Somnauth accounted for the other goal in the 60th minute.

The competition is now down to the final four teams, who will be battle for a place in the final. This Saturday’s semi-finals will see Herstelling taking on Soesdyke from 13:00h to be followed by defending champions Grove Hi Tech battling Mocha Champs.

Sports is no longer our game, it’s our business

thursday, december 10, 2015

Guyana could host CPL 2016 semi-finals, final Pg 23 Since its inception in 2013, CPL has received strong support from Guyanese

West Indies v Australia, 1st Test, Day 1, Hobart…

LUNCH UPDATE: Australia 121-3 in 24 overs (David Warner 64, Joe Burns 33, Steve Smith 10, Adam Voges 10*, Shaun Marsh 00*, Jomel Warrican 2-30, Shannon Gabriel 1-18)

Stag Elite League…

Guinness Greatest of the Streets- Georgetown leg…

Sparta Boss, Channel 9 GFF, NC Chairman Warriors to clash in final refute “erroneous article” Pg 22

Pg 22 Clinton Urling

Action between Channel Nine Warriors and Back Circle on Tuesday evening

GUYANA TIMES - www.guyanatimesgy.com, email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, Tel: 231-0544 – MARKETING DEPARTMENT, 231-8064 – NEWSROOM, 231-8063, 225-8697, 225-6695, 225-5634, 225-8696, 225-6707 , Fax: 227-0685 - SALES AND MARKETING - sales@guyanatimesgy.com - PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INC.