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Fourth annual Nereid Rally welcomed to Guyana P12

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

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

Issue No. 2976

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Who are the “anticorruption advocates”? − Jordan questions

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WHAT'S INSIDE: Albouystown execution

Reputed wife blames hospital for taxi driver’s death

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2 dead, 3 injured in Berbice accident

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AFC an abysmal failure in Govt – Nandlall P2

P7 - Police hunting suspects

Son fined P13 $20,000 for threatening to stab mother

2 stabbed during wedding P7 house brawl Annandale Secondary’s CSEC results

Students’ grades still in limbo P10

… no definitive word when matter will be resolved – CEO

In this composite photo: Senior Islamic scholar delivers the Khutbah at the Queenstown Jama Masjid, Church Street, Georgetown, on Monday in celebration of Eid alAdha. Muslims gathered at their various places of worship and partook in the ritual of sacrificing animals as part of the activities. The meat from the sacrificed animals is divided into three parts. The family retains one third of the share; another third is given to relatives and friends; and the remaining third is given to the poor and needy

T&T agrees to help Guyana develop oil and gas sector – MoU to be signed in November

Fisher lost at sea survived on ‘raw fish and rain water’

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P17

Region 10 seeks agriculture P10 promotion through gardening clubs

2 NEWS

tuesDAY, september 13, 2016 | guyana-times.com

ICT needed to transform traditional teaching techniques – Granger

AFC is an abysmal failure in Govt – Nandlall

resident David Granger emphasised the need to connect every school in the country through Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in order to transform the traditional teaching techniques into modern methods that can significantly boost the level of education being offered to students.

He reiterated this message during a recent interview on the Public Interest, which was inkeeping with the theme of Education Month.

The President underscored the need for every child to go to school so as to attain an education – the backbone of any developing society.

He noted that while parents have their part to play in ensuring that their children attend school, the government must also live up to its role to ensure the environment and conditions under which children study are conducive.

In this regard, the President said his

ith the ministerial powers assigned to its members significantly reduced, the Alliance For Change (AFC) arm of the coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU/AFC) has been nothing but an abject and an abysmal failure in government.

This is according to Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) and former Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall, who ridiculed claims by AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan, that the party is doing a fantastic job with its partner in Government – APNU. Nandlall pointed out that most of the AFC Ministers have little or no authority within Government. He also highlighted that the AFC officials are constantly being sidelined by APNU members.

Examining the roles and functions of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, the politician posited that he only has oversight of the Guyana Chronicle newspaper and the National Communications Network (NCN) – a role which was previously held by Information and Press Liaison, Kwame McCoy. The Cummingsburg Accord outlines a very pivotal role for the Prime Minister in government: to chair Cabinet, to be consulted on important constitutional matters and to be in charge of domestic affairs.

Some 16 months in Government, Nandlall observed that none of those promises have materialised and it appears that it will never be realised.

Also, he said contrary to the rhetoric that is being peddled, Nagamootoo is only a symbolic leader of Government business in Parliament.

“It is clear to all, that Ms Amna Ally is the de facto leader of Government business in the National Assembly,” the MP stated.

Moving on to the Public Security Minister, the former AG showed that his en-

P

President David Granger

Government is still committed to ensuring that every teacher, upon graduating from the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), leave with a laptop which will aid in bringing ICT to schools nationwide.

Last year, the E-governance unit began rolling out Wi-Fi networks in schools and works were to commence to provide Internet access to hinterland and remote areas.

Only recently, President Granger pledged an ini-

tial $1 million to boost the Berbice High School’s (BHS) computer laboratory as he noted that an education founded in the Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects is key to innovation and transformation of the country.

But while the President has been placing significant emphasis on the importance of education, the unemployment rate of the country continues to soar.

In fact, a large number of educated/qualified persons continue to struggle to find jobs commensurate with their qualifications.

Just on Sunday, Guyana Times featured a 19-yearold Communication Studies student who has been struggling to find a job since graduation from high school several years ago.

The teenager wrote a poem in the form of an open letter to the President about the unemployment rate in the country and had implored on the President to take action to address the situation.

… shows Ministers’ powers truncated

W

Attorney Anil Nandlall

tire portfolio was truncated even before his appointment, with an important segment of his Ministry being removed and given to APNU’s Winston Felix.

Moreover, Nandlall noted that Ramjattan continues to fail at managing even a reduced portfolio.

“Based upon media reports, comments from random members of the public and views expressed on the social media, Mr Ramjattan’s performance is adjudged to be mediocre at a minimum. In the opinion of the public, crime continues to spiral out of control and Mr Ramjattan appears progressively more incapable of tackling the situation,” he stated.

Another AFC Minister, Noel Holder who has responsibility for the agricultural sector for the country, is said to have done nothing impacting for the industries in Guyana.

“Mr Noel Holder, by any standards, appears both hopeless and helpless.

Sugar and rice – the two largest sectors in the agriculture industry in Guyana – are in crisis,” the parliamentarian said.

With regards to rice, Nandlall pointed out that cultivation for this crop is a significant 40 per cent less than the last crop. “The farmers which have gone back to the land are in survival mode. Do not listen to me. Hear AFC/APNU’s Turhane Doerga and Jinnah Rahaman on the state of the rice industry in Guyana and the incompetence of the Agriculture Minister,” he stated.

Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan

Minister

Furthermore, Nandlall highlighted that AFC’s Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan, has been kicked aside by APNU’s Mayor and Town Clerk on several pertinent matters at City Hall including the controversial parking meter scandal.

He showed too that the AFC’s nominees to the Procurement Commission, Dr Anand Goolsarran and Christopher Ram, have both been rejected by APNU in the Public Accounts Committee.

A d d i t i o n a l l y , Nandlall argued that the Government is nowhere close to doing a fantastic job in governing the country – as exclaimed by the AFC leader.

In fact, he contended that the public is witnessing a greater volume of corruption, more single sourcing than ever and the greatest degree of disregard for the Procurement Act since its implementation in 2003. Ramjattan, a Vice President and the Public Security Minister in the coalition Government, told a recent press conference that his party is satisfied with the representation it is receiving as a partner in the coalition which was successful at the 2015 General and Regional elections. Responding to criticisms that the party has reneged on its promise to keep the APNU in line, Ramjattan said his party has not violated any promise it made to the country, particularly supporters of the AFC.

news

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tuesDAY, september 13, 2016 | guyana-times.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, September 13 –14:30h-16:00h and Wednesday, September 14 – 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, September 13 – 13:50h-15:20h and Wednesday, September 14 – 14:40h-16:10h.

2 dead, 3 injured in Berbice accident

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Heavy rain showers with chances of sunny weather can be expected in the morning and early afternoon hours, while light rain showers can be expected in the afternoon. Clear skies can be expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 25 degrees and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to South-easterly between 1.34 metre and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 1:33h and 14:09h reaching maximum heights of 2.31 metres and 2.36 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 07:37h and 20:02h reaching a minimum height of 0.84 metre at each scheduled low tide.

Saturday, september 10, 2016

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Dead: Richard Ramnarine

T

wo men are now dead following an accident on the Corentyne Highway in Region 6 (East Berbice-Corentyne) on Saturday evening, after a drinking spree.

Dead are the driver of the car Richard Ramnarine, 45, a businessman of Number 46 Village, Corentyne, and Ramesh Rampat, 23, a porter of the same village.

The injured have been identified as Prakesh Gangaram, 24, also called ‘Rex’ of Number 47 Village, Rameswar Mangar, 31,

Dead: Ramesh Rampat

Injured; Rameswar Mangar

also called ‘Boy’ of Number 46 Village, and Mahendra Ramprakash, 24, also called ‘Sneeze’ of Number 47 Village, Corentyne.

Reports are that the five men were in the car when the accident occurred at about 20:40h at Number 49 Village.

Gangaram, Mangar and Ramprakesh were rushed to the Skeldon Hospital and subsequently transferred to New Amsterdam Hospital, treated and sent away while Ramnarine and Rampat were pronounced dead at

the Skeldon Hospital.

This publication understands that the men were reportedly drinking in Number 47 Village.

At about 20:30h the group decided to go home, Gangaram would have been the first one to be dropped off at the Number 48 Village dam.

However before they arrived there, a decision was taken to go for a ‘wash down’ at a gas station located at Number 48 Village.

They never made it.

Reports are that as the

Injured; Mahendra Ramprakash

car was approaching the Number 50 Village dam, three horses ran across the road and the driver hit the first one and then smashed into a culvert before toppling into the canal.

The other two horses escaped unharmed.

The dead horse carried no brand.

Police are investigating.

The bodies of Ramnarine and Rampat are at the Skeldon Public Hospital Mortuary awaiting post-mortem examination.

(Andrew Carmichael)

Teenager confesses to Bourda Market murder T he main suspect in the stabbing to death of Omesh Chetram, who was killed during an argument at Bourda Market, Georgetown, in the wee hours of Sunday, was apprehended by the Police and has since confessed to the heinous crime.

Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan, in a release stated that the suspect was arrested on Sunday in the vicinity of the market.

The suspect reportedly told investigators that the now dead man worked with his mother to watch over the stall when the market closes.

However, on the morning of the stabbing, the suspect left to purchase something to eat while leaving Chetram to look over the stall. Upon returning, the 16-year-old realised that some items were missing from the stall.

As he confronted the man, an argument ensued during which Chetram, who is usually armed with a cutlass, was asked to remove from the area. He did not comply but instead whipped out the cutlass and threatened the teenager.

In retaliation, the young man reportedly grabbed a knife from a nearby stall and stabbed the man in

his abdomen. Chetram, also called “Black Boy”, 32, of Unity Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

With the confession by the teenager, the Police are expected to approach

the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice and recommendation.

On August 25 last, the deceased was before the courts for breaking and entering a shop in the Bourda area. He was a known “junkie” who did odd jobs around the Bourda Market area.

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guyana-times.com

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707

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

Editorial

Iron fist vs velvet glove L

et’s get right down to business. For those who may not be familiar with what the title means, here goes – an iron fist in a velvet glove. First off, it describes a style of doing or taking care of business. Whether in politics, foreign affairs, business relations, or on the street, a man who hides an iron fist in a velvet glove is a man with the diplomacy and tact to resolve things rationally, and the guts to unleash his iron fist when circumstance demands it. We are going to examine the two parts of this phrase and liken them to the unfolding situation at City Hall and the decisions taken there which are affecting the masses.

Here we are yet again, facing another impending storm.

There is talk that City officials are contemplating another move which will affect dozens of citizens and possibly disrupt their ability to earn a living. This is like throwing gas on an already smouldering flame. Already there is tension between City Hall and hundreds of vendors in Georgetown. Only a few nights ago a protest erupted in the Stabroek Market area. A part of it was captured on video and clearly shows one female being shoved and treated in an undignified manner. This is by no means acceptable.

As we all know by now, we cannot just go running around shoving everyone who crosses our path because they oppose us. Severity is just one way to get things done. But when it is abused, it loses all impact.

These issues are by no means secret and the situation continues to unfold in the public eye. Let us now shift our attention to the decision-makers. Clearly the Town Clerk, Mayor and other city officials will not win any popularity contests any time soon (at least not if the vendors have anything to say about it). What is also clear is that they seem impervious to the calls for dialogue, the criticisms over their actions and most importantly the cries of their fellow Guyanese brothers and sisters. These officials continue to wave their iron fists and expect the masses to accede. They wield the power, after all.

Conversely, we have got to admit that harnessing power is a tricky thing, especially in a bureaucratic era of “communication strategies”. Gone are the days of making quick, cutthroat decisions and gone are the days of pounding an iron fist on your desk and insisting that it’s either your way or the highway. You cannot always be a war monger.

During these times officials need to don that velvet glove. Sheath the iron fist.

Here is where diplomacy, communication and flexibility come into play. Persuasive rhetoric and the willingness to listen are also useful tools the City officials can employ to resolve many of the existing issues. Maybe, just maybe, the persons who are being affected will have some meaningful suggestions on finding a middle ground and ending the impasse, if they are treated with respect and dignity.

There has to be a better way. There is no way the City Officials can claim that they have exhausted every diplomatic angle. It is time the powers that be demonstrated that they possess the aptitude to make fair decisions, the alacrity to work with the people (especially those that voted fort them) and the astuteness to find reasonable solutions that will benefit all involved.

The people will then come to trust their judgment, and the officials then will be able walk the line between tactful diplomacy and putting their foot down. This doesn’t make them weak; it reflects their strength as leaders.

Clearly it will take balance to rule with an iron fist in a velvet glove. However, once the city officials find a way to rule gently but firmly, they will learn that the days of the iron fist are quickly fading.

Sailing down the Essequibo River: Yachts docked at the Hurakabra River Resort as the Business Ministry and the Guyana Tourism Authority hosted its fourth annual Nereid’s Rally on Monday (Dexter Ceres photo)

Land issue should not become an ethnic issue

Dear Editor, Eric Phillips contends that “There are seven land issues facing Guyana”.

Guyana is a racially fragile nation and one has to be careful not to make pronouncements that exacerbate racial divisions.

As a counter-balance to Phillips’ seven, without lending legitimacy to them, intellectuals I spoke with have come up with nine critically important land compensatory issues: 1. Compensation for expropriation of private school property (including land and building) as well as business confiscated by the PNC dictatorship during the mid-1970s; the owners of these private properties were never properly or fairly compensated and they feared for their lives in seeking judicial review.

2. Compensation for expulsion of Indians from prime agricultural land in the 1970s in the greater Georgetown area that were used for public housing for PNC supporters; Indians had prescriptive rights to these farm lands that they had farmed for decades feeding the nation. The planting of these lands helped to feed the nation and their conversion to public housing for PNC supporters added to food shortage.

The farmers were forcefully evicted from the land under the barrels of guns deployed by the PNC regime and were never compensated for loss of produce or the land itself and loss of income.

Fear of loss of life and victimisation deterred Indians from seeking judicial recourse; instead, many victims packed up and left the country and engaged in productive farming in Surinam,

Venezuela and Trinidad, among other countries.

3.

Compensation (land and money) to varied ethnic groups (Portuguese, Chinese, etc) for the racial persecution (loss of value of their land, property, business as well as abandonment of property that were subsequently occupied by non-owners) during the period of illegal PNC rule between 1966 and 1992; victims never received fair compensation for confiscation and loss of land or other property.

4. Land reparations for victims (non-PNC supporters) of the preferential granting of land and other resources to PNC supporters during the reign of PNC for 28 years and discriminatory practices of land grant against non-PNC supporters during said period of time.

5. Land Reparations as reparatory justice to those indentured servants for the 80 years of “indentured enslavement” (and denial of fair compensation) during which time they built new sugar and rice plantations and rehabilitated old unproductive ones they found, that became very profitable, as well as for moving millions of tons of dirt with their bare hands to which the entire state (country) is the beneficiary.

6. Land compensation for victims of the Wismar/ McKenzie massacre who unjustly lost their land, property, and savings and loss of limbs and life.

7. Reparations for farmers whose produce was confiscated by the government (during 1970s and 1980s) or who were coerced into selling to the state at fixed (below cost) prices causing the farmers to subsi-

dise the state which in turn procured the produce for its supporters.

It is only just that these farmers be compensated for their losses plus interests – with tillable land as a form of compensation if the state is unable to meet the compensatory costs estimated at hundreds of billions of dollars at current value.

8. Reparatory justice (return of the money at today’s value) for the PNC confiscation of the Indian Immigration Fund that was used to build the National Cultural Centre.

9. Compensation to victims of the Rupununi massacre for seeking autonomy of communal land that belonged to them.

I agree with Phillips that the land issue should not become an ethnic issue. It should be an issue of justice for all ethnic groups seeking compensation for wrong-doing by the state.

If people had legitimate right to land (property and bank accounts) unfairly taken from them and they did not receive fair compensation, then by all means the state owes them compensation.

Also, the Government should simply compensate people for the brutalisation and loss of property they suffered during the period of PNC rule. The fact that they were brutalised on account of ethnicity is indisputable.

The US Government compensated Japanese victims during WWII. Germany and other European countries compensated Jews for their genocide.

An NGO already exists advocating for African slave reparations. But there is none for indentured labourers and the indigenous population who suf-

fered humiliation as well as loss of income and land; all the land had belonged to the Amerindians in communal ownership and was subsequently expropriated by colonizers and divided up rendering the Amerindians almost landless.

An NGO should be formed seeking accreditation with Caricom and Commonwealth Secretariat to petition for compensation for the injustices of indentured servants as well as the injustice meted out against Amerindians, as well as for violations of rights of Guyanese during the period of the PNC dictatorship (1966 thru 1992).

I am just curious – who appoints Phillips as the spokesperson to seek reparations on behalf of Africans against the Guyana state?

As Guyana Government appointed rep on the Guyana Reparations Committee to Caricom, was it our Government?

Will the Caribbean nationals be seeking compensation from their respective countries on slave reparation with this petition being spearheaded by Caricom?

If not, why not?

Why only must Guyana pay up? Caricom needs explain!

Should there be reparations for all those victims of the 1960s riots and violence, 1973 Berbice Ballot box martyrs, all election violence, and 2006 massacres at Lusignan and Bartica?

And how about reparations for cultural degradation and loss of family values as a result of PNC misrule and banning of basic goods required for religious practices and cultural diet?

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

friday, september 9, 2016

guyana-times.com

5

News

Who are the “anti-corruption advocates”? Teen bedridden − Jordan questions after horrific Goed Fortuin accident F inance Minister, Winston Jordan has taken to task, Former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran over his recent claims that “the Government has not been moving swiftly enough to bring criminal charges against who abused the laws and public resources of Guyana, making specific reference to the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL).

Goolsarran in an article published in the tabloid-like Kaieteur Newspaper on September 9, 2016, titled “Govt must seriously commit to prosecuting those who abused laws, public resources - Goolsarran”, stated that Anti-corruption advocates were questioning whether Jordan has truly displayed an interest in seeing the former CEO of NICIL face the full extent of the law.

But, Jordan in a strongly-worded letter to the press queried who are the anti-corruption advocates raising the concerns.

“I do not know who these “anti-corruption advocates” are. Do they include Anand Goolsarran who, in recent times, has set himself up as a transparency and accountability czar?,” Jordan questioned.

The Finance Minister went on to remind the former Auditor General that regards to criminal proceedings against The former CEOor another official who is accused of a crime, there must be due process.

“I am not a lawyer. Most of my professional life has been devoted to economics and finance.

But even without the benefit of substantial legal training, I know that everyone is presumed innocent, until proven guilty. Facing the full extent of the law is a function of the outcome of police investigations and the judgment of the Director of Public Prosecutions, not the bleating of the anti-corruption advocates,” Jordan arrested. He noted too that even though there have been repeated explanations from the government that the Cabinet had established a process to deal with the forensic audits, there still seem to be unnecessary questions.

In March of 2016, a SubCommittee of Cabinet was appointed, consisting of Hon

Finance Minsiter Winston Jordan

Former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran

Khemraj Ramjattan, Vice President and Minister of Public Security, as Chairman; Hon Basil Williams, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs and Hon Jaipaul Sharma, Minister within the Ministry of Finance to scrutinize the forensic audit reports to determine which of them dealt mainly with administrative irregularities and which entered the sphere of criminality.

lawyers, that clearly contradict the assertions of Goolsarran in his report. NICIL’s response pointed to the existence of these opinions, including the fact that Goolsarran is not a lawyer. It also pointed out that there was no evidence of self-enrichment, that all the prior audit opinions of NICIL were clean audit opinions, and that there was a body of evidence showing that all major matters, Cabinet’s or the NICIL’s Board approval was evident. NICIL further pointed out that as a company, all actions were consistent with its incorporation documents which dated back to 1990.

Forensic Audit

Goolsarran was the auditor hired by the Government back in July 2015 to conduct forensic audit into the affairs of the NICIL and to make recommendations.

The audit was completed and Goolsaran recommended criminal and/or disciplinary actions against all those responsible for violations, including failure to properly account for state resources under their control. This included the former Finance Minister, Ashni Singh, who was also the Chairman of NICIL. However the audit was said to have lacked credibility and integrity, since the recommendations against the holding company were shrouded with biasness and prejudice.

In December 2015, Guyana Times was able to obtain a report which contained NICIL’s response to the forensic audit which was conducted by Goolsarran.

These responses were not included in a copy of the audit report, “leaked” to pro-government media entities.

In the report, NICIL made the point that the findings stated the audit report do not provide any evidence to any instance of a constitutional breach. In fact, Guyana Times was able to see the various legal opinions issued in favor of NICIL, from prominent local

Bias and Prejudice

Added to that, NICIL contended that Goolsarran’s position as former Auditor General gave him access to information and knowledge about the entity that would have been based on pre-2002 matters and circumstances thereby introducing potential risks for bias and prejudice in the forensic process where there is a conflict with his predispositions and the status quo. NICIL highlighted that this potential risk for bias and prejudice was demonstrated by Goolsarran’s emphasis on pre-2002 events in his executive summary and his minimal and “sometimes dismissive” reference throughout the report to the audits and clean audit opinions for every year from 2002 of the current Auditor General Deodat Sharma. Goolsarran audited NICIL from 1990 to 2002.

NICIL had highlighted also that its contention of potential risk and prejudice was further supported by the forensic auditor’s two-part newspaper publication called “Accountability Watch” where Goolsarran, in his personal capacity, prior to conducting the audit, opined

on several matters involving NICIL and made recommendations in his concluding remarks about what course of action he believes government should take regarding NICIL. These very conclusions were repeated in the recommendations of the report, NICIL posited.

Meanwhile, NICIL opined that the forensic auditor failed to satisfy the main objective of the forensic audit by failing to provide any evidence which substantive law, accounting principle or government policy was broken, violated, breached or ignored. NICIL refuted all references by Goolsarran to his “so called legal positions”, to indicate NICIL possessed substantial legal advice to the contrary on these matters.

Additionally, NICIL stated that the report fails to distinguish clearly, which matters are legal matters and which matters are policy matters.

Moreover, it noted that in almost every case, there was no support to show where the law had been breached or the many cases of previous audits that do not reach this conclusion.

It has been widely observed and commented, that without the former NICIL CEO and his team having sight of the final report, which they were promised before the start of the forensic audit, that the final audit report by Goolsarran was serially leaked to KN and SN. One KN reporter at a public press conference with Brassington in December, while on camera, stated that Goolsarran was speaking to her on what she was publishing on the NICIL report when the report had not even been shared with Brassington.

Goolsarran subsequently denied this allegation to this newspaper. But observers have said that this KN reporter along with the leaked audit report, suggest that Mr Goolsarran independence and credibility can be seriously questioned and that perhaps the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Guyana and its overseas body, be formally invited to investigate these matters of Mr Goolsarran commenting in the media on matters when the Government is his client.

The opposition has called on the Government to officially release the audit reports along with the responses of the responsible officials. To date, this has not happened.

Motorcyclist dies weeks after slamming into horse

T

he motorcyclist, who collided with a horse on the East Canje Main Access Road, has succumbed to his injuries.

The accident occurred on August 24, and the injured man Deodatt Singh, 32, died on Saturday while receiving medical attention.

Singh of Lot 8-9

Cumberland, East Canje, Region 6 (East BerbiceCorentyne) was at the time of the accident, riding motorcycle bearing registration plate CD 5674, when the horse ran into his path. The horse was unbranded and Police have since been unable to identify the owner.

Following the accident,

Singh was taken to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital and later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was admitted suf-

fering from a fractured skull and other injuries.

Police are continuing their investigations.

F

our months after a horrific accident at Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara, one of the victims, 13-year-old Shemar Henry remains in a vegetative state at the West Demerara Regional Hospital. Also injured in the accident was 43-year-old Wazir Ali of Lot 18 Industry Front, East Coast Demerara.

The teenager was reportedly catapulted into the air after he was struck by a speeding car on May 29 last. He was flung into a parked car and then landed on the roadway.

In a recent interview with Guyana Times, the teenager’s mother, Sharon Davidson, revealed that her son has since been bedridden and is unresponsive.

She further explained that after the accident, he was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital and was subsequently discharged.

While at home, the child, who sustained a fractured skull, suffered a seizure in July and was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital; he was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

After a few weeks in the medical facility, he was again discharged. The worried mother further stated that her son suffered yet another seizure two Saturdays ago and has since been a patient of the West Demerara Regional Hospital. “He cannot walk, he cannot talk,” the mother cried. However, while she is making every effort to make her son comfortable at the hospital, she is quite upset over the manner in which

her child is being treated.

“He is not being attended to as often and the nurses at the hospital claim that they are not being paid to change pampers,” the mother related.

Although she provides the hospital with pampers on a regular basis, every time she visits her son, his pampers are soaked.

“On Friday, I visit my son at about 06:30h and when the nurse see me, she get up and went to look after him... his pampers weigh almost three pounds when it was removed,” she claims.

She is also concerned that her son’s bed is always wet with urine. Despite her taking clean linen, the nurses reportedly refused to put on fresh ones. When she enquired, the frustrated mother was reportedly told that nurses are paid to look after a patient three times a day.

Davidson said that on Friday last after her 06:30h visit, she returned at 12:00h, this time to find a male patient lying on the floor of the washroom.

He claimed that he was there for an hour and no one came to attend to him. While she is calling on the relevant authorities to look into the neglectful behaviour of the nurses, the concerned mother is hoping that her son would not be victimised following the newspaper report. The woman also related that the driver responsible for her son’s present condition was placed on $25,000 while her son remains in hospital. The case is expected to be recalled at the Wales Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Page

guyana-times.com

Foundation

Parenting

By Charlotte Latvala

O

ne of the most frustrating parts of being a new parent is feeling clueless about your baby’s wants and needs. Does a soft, whimpering cry mean he’s got a wet diaper – or that he’s getting hungry? What about a loud screech? And forget about crying for a moment – what does it mean when your baby rubs her ears, or flails her arms around?

Babies communicate long before they say their first words, says Linda Acredolo, PhD, professor emeritus of psychology at University of California, Davis, and author of Baby Signs. “Babies are born with the ability to express several emotions, including distress and contentment,” she says. When we read their cues and respond quickly to their needs, she adds, babies feel secure and the parent-child bond is strengthened. Of course, easier said than done – not all babies send the exact same signals, and sometimes it takes months before you feel truly in tune with your baby. Still, some general principles apply. Read on for expert advice on how to decode three major types of baby cues.

Making faces

Little frowns, wrinkled foreheads – your baby’s expressions can be fleeting and easy to miss, admits David Hill, MD, adjunct assistant professor of paediatrics at University of North Carolina Medical School. “Compared to crying, facial expressions are certainly more subtle,” he says. Watch closely, however, and you’ll soon catch these familiar expressions:

Gaze aversion

A baby who turns his face away from you needs a break

from eye contact. “From about two months on, babies disconnect if they’re feeling overwhelmed or over stimulated,” says Dr Acredolo.

“Sometimes, the baby will turn his head to the side almost stubbornly, or play with his fingers or toes, or even start crying – anything to break contact with an adult.”

What to do:

around loved ones.

What to do: Encourage your baby by reacting positively to her first smiles; laugh and smile back at her, tell her how terrific she is – even if she doesn’t understand the words, she gets the message.

Copycat

We are blueprints for our babies. “Between three and

you should always hand your baby off to someone else. If you’re alone, put him down in a safe place like his crib until you’ve calmed down.)

Body talk

Studies suggest that about 90 per cent of communication by babies and adults is nonverbal, says speechlanguage pathologist Diane Bahr, author of Nobody Ever Told Me (or my Mother) That!

“For instance, many babies make little fists when they’re hungry and begin feeding,” she says. “Once they are satisfied and full, their hands relax and open.” Other common body language cues:

M

y seven-year-old son started second grade this year.

Every morning he declares that he hates school, and he’s not going to go. It’s a struggle for us to get out the door. What can we do?

– Dave Children have many reasons for not wanting to go to school – separation from home and parents, bullies, assignments and grades, or a teacher.

Talk with your child – and then perhaps with his teacher – to find out more about what’s causing his anxiety and about his be-

ing them develop good study habits.

Setting up shop

The kitchen or dining room table is a popular workspace for younger children; they may feel more comfortable being near you, and you can provide encouragement and assistance.

Older children might prefer to retreat to their rooms, but check in periodically and review the homework when it’s completed.

Wherever children do homework, it’s important to make sure their workspace is:

Arching his back

New parents sometimes get overenthusiastic when interacting with baby, says Dr Acredolo. “These parents will try moving into their baby’s line of sight even if the infant has turned away, or they may keep talking, tickling or jostling to win back their baby’s attention,” she says. Respect your baby’s need for down time, and wait patiently and quietly until he turns back to you. “Then, smile broadly and re-engage with your baby,” she says.

Smiling

The first true smile usually occurs between six and eight weeks, says Dr Acredolo.

“At this early age, smiles are likely a signal of physical contentment,” she says. “My own baby’s first smile, for instance, was triggered by the cosiness of a warm towel after her bath.” But soon, smiles become more controlled, and happen when your baby is

six months, most infants will learn to imitate facial expressions –fear, surprise, sadness,” says Dr Hill. By nine months, a baby will take in a new situation (ie the appearance of a stranger), then look back at her mother’s face. “If the baby sees the parent is also distressed, then her anxiety will increase,” says Dr Hill. “Usually, the baby will start clinging or crying.”

What to do: Remember that if you’re feeling stressed, your baby will be too. If it’s a minor case of anxiety, take some deep, cleansing breaths and consciously relax your facial muscles to ease tension. “In many cases, the act of smiling itself is likely to calm you down,” says Dr Hill. “Follow that with strong, smooth touch such as hugging or patting, to let your baby know everything is okay.” (Of course, if you’re reaching the point of anger or frustration,

Starting a few weeks after birth, babies begin arching their backs when they’re in discomfort, says Michele Saysana, MD, Director of the Paediatric Hospitalist Programme at Riley Hospital for Children at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

“It might mean he has reflux, especially when the arched back is combined with crying,” she says. “The baby will squirm around and move to try to get to a more comfortable position.” Often babies arch their backs when they’ve had enough to eat and want to move away from the breast.

(Around four or five months, this movement might mean something completely different – that your baby is trying to roll over for the first time.)

What to do: Your baby probably just needs a change of position (after all, she can’t move very much herself yet.) If she’s in a carrier, car seat or stroller, try taking her out for a few minutes; hold her upright against your shoulder or give her some wiggle time on the floor.

(Excerpt from parenting.com)

TO BE CONTINUED

haviour at school. A school counsellor or psychologist also might be able to help.

Homework

During grade school, children start getting homework for the first time to reinforce and extend classroom learning and help them practice important study skills.

By doing homework, children learn how to: read and follow directions independently manage and budget time (for long-term assignments like book reports) complete work neatly and to the best of their ability It also helps them develop a sense of responsibility, pride in a job well done, and a work ethic that will benefit them well beyond the classroom.

Parents can give children lots of homework help, primarily by making homework a priority and help-

well-lit comfortable stocked with school supplies (pens, pencils, paper, stapler, calculator, ruler, etc) and references (dictionary, thesaurus) • quiet and free from distractions — TV, video games, phone calls, or other family members If children need a computer for schoolwork, try to set it up in a common space, not in a bedroom, so you can discourage playing video games, chatting with or emailing friends, or surfing the Internet for fun during study time.

Also consider parental controls, availa b l e through y o u r Internet service provider (ISP), and software that blocks and filters any inappropriate material. Find out which sites your kids’ teachers recommend and bookmark them for easy access. (Kidshealth) • • •

news

7

Tuesday, september 13, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Albouystown execution 2 stabbed during wedding house brawl Reputed wife blames hospital for taxi driver’s death T wo brothers are now nursing injuries about their bodies after they were attacked and brutally stabbed by a group of men at a wedding house at Waterloo Street, Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice (WCB) on Saturday evening.

The injured men are 31-year-old Khemraj Jodha and 36-year-old Jaggarnauth Jodha of Bath Settlement, WCB. According to reports, another brother of the two injured men had a misunderstanding with a man whom he claimed slapped him.

He however called out to his brothers who confronted the accused, but they were greeted by four men armed with broken bottles. The younger brother sustained a stab wound to his neck while the other received several wounds about his body.

The injured men were taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital where they were treated and admitted.The matter was reported to the Police and several persons

— Police hunting suspects

associated with the perpetrators were detained and questioned. Guyana Times understands that the Police have not received any tangible information that can lead to the arrest of the actual perpetrators.

The Police have taken statements from the injured men and are continuing their investigations. Earlier in the year, Surendra Nauth, 29, of Lot 43 H and J Albion Front, Corentyne was stabbed to death during a wedding house brawl at Albion.

It was reported that on the night of the stabbing,

the now dead man and his brother-in-law were involved in an argument at Williamsburg, Corentyne, with a man who had allegedly slashed a tyre of their motor vehicle.

During the argument, the suspect attacked the men with a knife, stabbing Nauth to his abdomen and inflicting a wound to another man. Following the incident, both men were rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital where Nauth later succumbed to his injuries. The suspect, who was later arrested, had previous brushes with the law.

3 nabbed with gun, cocaine T

hree men were on Monday morning arrested on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) after they were found with an unlicensed gun, several matching rounds of ammunition and a quantity of cocaine.

According to reports, Police acting on information went The gun and ammunition that were seized to a house at Market during the Police operation on Monday Street Lusignan, Police Commissioner, David ECD, where they conducted a search on the Ramnarine revealed that premises and found a 9mm a total of 46 firearms have pistol with 12 matching been seized during the perirounds of ammunition along od January 1 to August 20 – 23 pistols, 13 revolvers and with 180 grams of cocaine.

The three males who 10 shot guns.

The highest number of were occupying the house at seizures was recorded in A the time were arrested and Division (Georgetown-East are assisting the Police in Bank Demerara) with 20 their investigations.

Only recently, acting seizures, while F Division

(Interior locations) followed with 12 firearms.

After this revelation, the Police have made several seizures across the country.

Only recently, Police arrested a man at Melanie Damishana, ECD, who had in his possession an illegal gun, with several matching rounds of ammunition and a quantity of cannabis.

It was reported that Police on Saturday stopped and searched the man on Melanie Public Road and found a snub-nosed revolver with four matching rounds in its chambers. The suspect in that matter is expected to be charged today.

Slain, Oswald Rambarran

A

s investigations continue into the execution-style killing of Oswald Rambarran, 42, of Lot 93 West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, Georgetown, the Police are still hunting for the two gunmen; however, the reputed wife is holding out that the hospital did nothing to save the man’s life.

Speaking with Guyana Times at her home on Monday, Dolly Yarde explained that after she received the news of the shooting she rushed to the hospital only to be told that Rambarran has to undergo a scan and it will cost $18,000.

At the time, she did not have the money and as such contacted her daughter who subsequently brought it but that was too late. During that time, the man was kept in the emergency unit with a bullet lodged in his

left-side temple.

“Why they couldn’t do the scan and wait for his relatives come to have the money… that is my thing, why they couldn’t put him through the scan and take the bullet out of his leftside head… so they didn’t do anything so he died with the bullet in his head,” the angry woman related.

She refuted reports in certain sections of the media that Rambarran’s body was riddled with bullets, claiming that he was only shot once. Yarde explained that she checked his body when she arrived at the Georgetown Public Hospital and did not see any bullet wounds to his body except his head.

Yarde is not sure about the motive for the shooting since she claimed that the father of six did not have any enemies. But according to reports, Rambarran have had brushes with the law.

Back in 2008, he was shot during a high speed chase after he and an accomplice were seen trying to put a man in the trunk of his car.

The woman when asked about the 2008 incident and others that he might have been involved in, claimed that for the past 11 years, she never knew him to be involved in criminal activities.

Meanwhile, a relative of the dead man who asked to remain anonymous told Guyana Times that the services at the Georgetown Public Hospital is “horrible” and is also claiming that

The reputed wife of the dead man

the institution did nothing to save the man’s life.

He noted that the man was rushed to the hospital at about 21:00h and was not attended to until after sometime.

Oswald Rambarran was shot moments after delivering food at a residence in King Edward Street, Albouystown, Georgetown.

He was reportedly driving off when two men on a motorcycle rode alongside him and opened fire.

Persons in the area recalled hearing at least nine gunshots. Police later arrived at the scene and retrieved several spent shells that are being analysed.

A post-mortem is expected to be done on Wednesday.

Rambarran leaves to mourn six children, reputed wife and other relatives.

(Bhisham Mohamed)

8 news

tuesDAY, september 13, 2016 | guyana-times.com

IN THE COURTS Unity Street, La Grange murder

WBD teen appears at Wales Court

A

lad who is being accused of murder was all smiles as he made his first appearance at the Wales Magistrate’s Court late last week.

West Bank Demerara (WBD) native Christopher Chung, 16, appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse to answer the charge which stated that on July 17, 2016 at Unity Street, La Grange, WBD, he allegedly murdered labourer James Stewart, 51.

The deceased was discovered along the roadside near his Lot 101 Unity Street home.

The Prosecution’s facts contend that the teen confessed to the murder on August 1, 2016.

However, during the lad’s arraignment, at the Vreeden-Hoop Magistrate’s Court

last month, Defence Counsel Melvin Duke maintained that there were “gross violations of law” committed, as the defendant had been held in Police custody for over 84 hours and was not afforded the privilege of an attorney at the time.

According to reports, the youth allegedly told Police that Stewart had knocked him off his bike, which caused him to fall to the ground. Chung added that he went to a friend’s home, borrowed a hammer and returned to where he had last seen Stewart. It was then that he reportedly struck the man once to the head with the hammer.

However, relatives of the deceased have maintained that robbery was the motive behind Stewart’s beat-

S

he pled guilty to narcotics possession.

Green appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court last week where he

Introspection... ...or masochism? n the day after our Muslim brothers and sisters re-enacted and re-affirmed the attitude of sacrifice, mankind ought to adopt towards God – it might be opportune for the rest of us to reflect on our attitude towards our country. With us being such a multi-religious land, there are so many divergent ways in which we may relate to God, maybe we can at least agree on a common stance towards our motherland? After all, we’re all just “Guyanese”, no?

But your Eyewitness has to confess – it takes a strong stomach to look around at what’s being inflicted on our country right now. It’s almost masochistic to even consider it. “Rape” and “plunder” immediately come to mind. There isn’t a day that goes by and there isn’t another report of somebody or other from one or the other level of government – or government-owned entity – committing an atrocity to the motherland. Even GECOM! Just now there was a letter indicating serious graft going on in GPL when it comes to handing out even petty jobs. The mind boggles when one thinks of what goes on at higher levels. The dust still hasn’t been settled on the rape of the Executive compensation packages. Last word we got was after replacing the previous chairman with one of his controversial deputies; the latter was sacked but just got a $15 million pay-out. Yet, for the ordinary Guyanese citizen, the blackouts continue unabated.

At the local government level – after the much heralded elections that was going to return “power to the people” – the graft and thieving continues with renewed vigour. The press has been flooded with reports of criminal behaviour from the Regions. Thieving hospital equipment is only the half of it! About Georgetown, the biggest Municipality… what can your Eyewitness say that hasn’t already been said? Suffice it to say, the Gang of Four at City Hall seems to believe in that medieval technique of curing the city of its ailments – bleeding with leeches. For the next 20 years – with the right to renewal for another 20 – Georgetown will be bled by a leech called Smart City Solutions on their parking contract.

But it’s at the Central Government level that the callous plundering of the country has reached its zenith (or nadir?). Just the Pharmagate contract gonna set us back $450M – and the inevitable “out of court” settlement that’s ahead isn’t even included. Then there was the billion dollar expended on Jubilee Park? Did we get bang for the buck? And don’t you for one moment shed a tear about the “private donation” from a “businessman”.

That businessman’s been well rewarded many, many times over, thank you!

O Chung made his first appearance at the Wales Magistrate’s Court

ing, since it was not the first time he had been robbed.

One family member also noted that violent robberies were a developing problem in the community; this was evident as many people would appear at the hospital beaten and robbed, the rela-

tive pointed out.

Stewart’s post-mortem report revealed that the he died from haemorrhaging and multiple injuries to the head.

Meanwhile, the lad will return to court on October 7, 2016.

“Bongo” to do community service for narco possession elwin Green, 27, called “Bongo” of Supenaam Village, Essequibo Coast, will serve two months community service at the Aurora Police Station after

Eyew tness

admitted that he had two grams of cannabis in his possession. He was also fined $5000.

The Prosecution contended that on September 6,

2016 during a Police raid, he had two grams of cannabis in his home.

The narcotic was found in a transparent bag under some clothes.

...on oil as saviour A lot of folks in the government are betting (and praying?) that the offshore oil will save them come 2020.

They shouldn’t be putting all their eggs in THAT basket and start hedging their bets. Why? Well our deep sea oil doesn’t justify pumping it out below US$54/barrel and right now it doesn’t look like apart from a few occasional spurts we’re going to break out from under US$50/barrel in a long while.

Why? The sad truth is in, oil production isn’t being pushed by good, old supply and demand. Capital’s what’s driving the gush of black gold. And right now with US shale oil production providing what’s considered a safe haven for oil industry capital, as soon as prices drop, capital rushes in like something you’ve never seen.

Everyone and their Texan uncle want to buy low so they can sell high.

Rigs increase during the period of the temporary uptick, production increase and we have the inevitable drop in prices.

Let’s stop counting eggs and start producing some. ...on BaiShanLin As he sees the BaiShanLin drama playing out, your Eyewitness wonders if the nationalisation of Bauxite assets of the then dominant superpower’s being replayed.

Knock got knock back!

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

9 T&T agrees to help Guyana develop oil and gas sector NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

FATF on-site visit could be disastrous for Guyana – Nandlall

T

he visit by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) later this week to observe Guyana’s regulatory practices, could prove disastrous for this country, which is still to come up to par with international financial recommendations.

Former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall said on Thursday last, that the Guyana Government is failing in many ways and could find itself in a “serious problem” when the monitoring team visits Guyana.

“When the on-site visit takes place later this month, we might find ourselves in problems, because we don’t have an enforcement unit as recommended by the FATF”, Nandlall said during a televised interview.

He noted that when they group comes to Guyana, it will find two gaping holes in the system. One, he said, will be that the country does not have a Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) for the purpose of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) requirements.

Also, he said Government has created a huge beauracratic organ, called an AML/ CFT Authority, which should comprise of some 20 persons; 10 of whom will be holders of certain offices, similar to that of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the Police Commissioner, the head of CANU, the Guyana Revenue Authority, etc, and the other 10 to be appointed

by Parliament.

Nandlall said it could be difficult since Parliament took some 15 months to ap-

PPP MP Anil Nandlall

point the Director and the Deputy Director of the critical Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).

“I don’t know how long it would take to appoint two,” he stated.

Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams had said that Guyana would soon be able to exit FATF and the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) when officials from FATF carry out an on-site visit here.

“Having met the core recommendations for CFATF, we would have been able to exit but for the fact that Guyana had been referred under the previous Government to the FATF process after being subjected to three public statements and still haven’t corrected or implemented the recommendations. So it’s obvious we cannot exit CFATF until we exit FATF and that is why we are here because we have satisfied all those recommendations in CFATF and that is why we were able to have them do the on-site visit”, he told journalists.

The on-site visit to Guyana by FATF’s fivemember team will be conducted on September 14 and 15.

“With the on-site visit,

FATF will be looking to see if the reforms contained in the agreed action plan between Guyana and FATF, if those reforms have been introduced, implemented and sustained and if there is political commitment to sustain it,” Williams said.

He added that once the team is satisfied then Government, at the next October meeting, will move a motion for them to exit the process.

The team will also meet with the Attorney General and compliance team; the Finance Minister; the Director of Public Prosecutions; supervisory authorities and reporting entities, including banks and remittance services.

Williams said Guyana has prepared for this visit by having its AML/CFT compliance team conducting meetings with key agencies, including the Financial Action Unit (FIU), The Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) and the Bank of Guyana (BoG) to sensitise them on their AML/CFT obligations.

“There is no delay; Guyana has done something that is unprecedented in the FATF world and that is within a year in Government, we are poised to exit both FATF and CFATT… This is the third round. In the fourth round you will not only have to comply, but show effective compliance. The fourth round has already started because we have already been exposed to the whole issue of de-risking and the National Assessment that has started to identify risks in Guyana”, the Attorney General said about the process.

— MoU to be signed in November

Natural Resources Raphael Trotman

T

Minister

he Governments of Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) are set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)

by November, which will see the twin island republic providing technical assistance to this country for the development of its oil and gas sector, the Trinidad Guardian newspaper has reported.

The newspaper quoted Trinidad’s Energy Minister Nicole Olivierre as saying she met with President David Granger and Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman in late August.

Minister Olivierre said President Granger asked for support and cooperation in the areas of education, with emphasis on engineering and technical stud-

President David Granger and Trinidad and Tobago’s Energy and Energy Industries Minister Nicole Olivierre during her visit to Guyana in August 2016

ies, infrastructure development, and agriculture.

The MoU, according to Minister Olivierre, is being drafted and will be signed and executed in November, while a delegation representing Guyana’s Private and Public Sectors will visit that country to view the operations and facilities available there.

Options for monetising natural gas, commercial and fiscal arrangements in the oil and gas sector, learning from T&T in the development of local content and training of industry practitioners are some of the specific areas of interest, Olivierre revealed.

She added that Government will provide guidance to ensure that

the Guyana Government does not make mistakes Trinidad would have made in developing its own oil and gas sector.

Texas-based oil and gas giant, ExxonMobil Corporation is currently conducting exploratory drilling for oil and gas in its Stabroek Block; a concession off Guyana’s coastland.

The company back in July 2016 had announced that drilling results from the Liza-2 well, the second exploration well in the Stabroek block offshore Guyana, confirmed a worldclass discovery of oil with a recoverable resource of between 800 million and 1.4 billion oil-equivalent barrels.

TURN TO PAGE 17

10

NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Annandale Secondary’s CSEC results

Students grades still in limbo …no definitive word when matter will be resolved – CEO

A

s the class of 2016 Annandale Secondary School students continue to be disallowed from furthering their education due to a reported “technical glitch”, the matter remains under investigation.

In a recent interview with Guyana Times, acting Chief Education Officer (CEO) Marcel Hutson related that the error, which caused students of the Annandale Secondary School to be issued with incorrect grades and some with no grades following their 2016 examinations, is still under the engagement of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).

“I spoke to the Superintendent of Examinations, and she has assured me that the matter is being engaged…CXC is engaging this matter right now. It was technological glitch, it’s not that the work wasn’t done by the teachers,” Hutson affirmed.

When asked by this pub-

lication on a possible date when the affected students would receive their results, the acting CEO could not at the time commit to a possible date but noted that he is employing efforts to ensure that students can move forward with their studies: “I can’t say definitively [when the students would get the results] but I told those responsible that we need those results today (Saturday) because our children are awaiting those results to know how they would have performed from a holistic perspective.”

Last week, parents of the affected students had called off a planned protest after they were told by the school’s management and the Education Ministry that the matter would have been resolved.

It was in August that Guyana Times first reported that many of the students were unable to obtain passes in certain subjects due to the school’s alleged non-sub-

L Acting Chief Education Officer Marcel Hutson

mission of the SBAs but the Education Ministry later explained that the issue was a “technical glitch” and had contacted the Caribbean Examination Council. “This is not a situation that the teachers did not do what they had to do it was a technical glitch,” Hutson had indicated.

Meanwhile, parents are still frustrated over their children not being able to attend the University of Guyana or Sixth Form.

Speaking on the sidelines of Education Month on September 1, Education Ministry Dr Roopnaraine had told Guyana Times that he would investigated the matter since he was “not aware of the report” at that

time.

This publication had reported that the school’s teachers had received the requisite training in sending the SBA grades via online to the CXC but nonetheless did not adhere to the deadline.

This publication had also reported that many students were disappointed since their failure grades barred them from proceeding with their studies.

The exact number of students affected has not been disclosed.

Hutson, had assured that the ministry is prepared to do everything in its power to ensure the children are enrolled to tertiary institutions. He had promised that the situation would be rectified.

Region 10 to scale up agriculture through gardening clubs

I

n the quest to scale up agricultural activities in Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice), the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) is exploring the creation community gardening clubs.

This was recently outlined by Regional Chairman Renis Morian, who posited that the initiative, once adopted, would assist the Region with securing an agriculture budget.

Region 10 has been without such a budget for a number of years. Morian said community gardening clubs may also promote youth involvement. The community has for years been dependent on the bauxite and gold industries. Morian explained that he will meet with the Region’s Agriculture

Committee to broach the initiative: “I am still pushing to see agriculture scale up in Region 10… I want to look at community gardening clubs and involve a lot of young people. It’s another way of helping our youths to look in this direction. It also speaks to our food security and also helps the community. I will discuss this with the Agriculture Committee and together, the gardening clubs will come on stream.”

Just recently, Agriculture Committee Chairman Douglas Gittens disclosed that several recommendations were put forward on agricultural enhancement when the Committee met for discussions. He pointed out that the committee would like to become involved

Ethno-national identity – Part 2

in agro-processing training through the Agriculture Ministry.

The committee is expected to present a plan for developmental activities for the Region to the Minister of Agriculture. It has also made recommendation for a department of agriculture in the Region, with subdepartments such as for aquacul-

ture, with the aim of initiating a budget to the Region, through the Plan of Action for Regional Development (PARD).

Morian has also urged the Committee to write the National Agricultural Research Extension Institute (NAREI) and Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder, regarding steps to be taken.

ast week, I ended my analysis of the first part of ethnonational identity with a series of investigative questions.

While I may not be able to answer all those questions here, I will show that the maintenance of ethno-national identity can be a stumbling block to nation-building. I will also show that ethno-national identity is not restricted to the boundaries within the nation-state. Actually, ethno-national exists in the Diaspora with strong and significant strings attached to the parent-homeland, which arguably, provides a deep anchorage for sustenance and ultimate survival.

The mere quest for an ethno-national identity in multiethnic Guyana, Trinidad, and Suriname can be problematic, leading to ethnic tensions. The jockeying for power along ethnic lines in these countries can result in hegemonic control and the exclusion of other ethnic Dr Lomarsh Roopnarine groups in important sectors of society.

Favouritism and competition for limited resources-jobs, housing, land, education, and credit-can fuel discontent and civic strife making the above countries virtually ungovernable and trapped in a cycle of wasted opportunities.

One has to be living under a rock for the past fifty years not to realise that ethnic favouritism has dominated Guyanese politics in which the both majority populations - Indians and Africans - have taken turns distributing the country’s spoils according to ethnicity. There is no indication that this perilous pattern of ethnic patronage will change, certainly not from the decorative coalition regime.

What is certain is that there are no set repressive measures (eg in the constitution) implemented to suppress and make demands on one ethnic group. But there is this perception that the majority African population that controls the levers of power in the coalition government has engaged in witchhunting against Indo-Guyanese.

How much of this is accurate will depend, in my case, on more investigation but the public outcry amongst IndoGuyanese has certainly created a perception that witchhunting exists. Worrying, too, is that there are no sound plans from both sides of the political divide to remotely address the perception of witch-hunting. There has been, so far, an exercise in finger-pointing.

Witch-hunting aside, ethno-national identity is not restricted to one’s nation of birth. It is expressed outside one’s nation of birth in diasporic communities such as in North America and Europe.

In these distant and different communities, Caribbean Indians, for instance, find out very quickly upon arrival who they are, and consequently, are quick to declare and express their ethno-national identity.

Until recently, an average white person in the United States does not differentiate between black and brown people. To them, all non-white people are black.

To some people, such as Caribbean Indians, especially from Guyana who were scarred by the former PNC regime, the non-white-people label is offensive.

I label these Indians in the Diaspora as ethno-xiles, that is, they were exiled from their country because of their ethnic description. To these Indians, an association or a misplacement of their ethnicity is an attack on the very essence of their humanity.

Similarly, Caribbean-Indians in North America and Europe feel rather uncomfortable when mislabelled and mistreated as South Asians, although not with the same intensity as being mislabelled as an African-Guyanese, for example.

To demonstrate, in the US and Canada, no category for Caribbean-Indians exists in the census and so they are given the choice to identify themselves as black West Indians or South Asians.

Coming from an environment where race and ethnicity are more important to them than class, Caribbean Indians find being treated as blacks, South Asians, or Arabs to be demeaning and have strived to maintain an identity that suits them.

This is when ethno-national identity is reconstructed in a foreign land, which essentially means drawing on departed homeland ethnic sentiments to develop a sense of resurgence rather than resignation.

What generally happens in the Caribbean Indian Diaspora is that if they are mislabelled as black West Indians or South Asians they may go at great lengths to educate whites in small, immediate, and friendly circles about where they come from and who they are, even though they may have little meaningful contact with their former homeland.

From an open standpoint, the collective classification and subsequent identification of Caribbean Indians as something other than themselves misrepresent and undermine the unique differences among Caribbean people in North America.

It is risible because no one wants realistically to be mislabelled for something else, particularly in developed countries of the world where higher standards are expected.

Nonetheless, the very urge for separate identity, however, may prevent Caribbean Indians from forming alliances with other ethnic groups to achieve greater goals such as racial equality in white societies as well as in their departed homeland.(Send comments to: lomarsh.roopnarine@jsums. edu)

news

Athoy Neil: Strength after adversity

TCV to launch mental health survey in Guyana

- the story of a woman pushed to suicide but survived

Athoy Neil

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thoy Neil is a strong, resilient, independent woman who has endured the worst, but used her experiences to help and motivate others.

Neil, 23, was born in Port Maria, St Mary, Jamaica, where she spent four years of her life before her grandmother took her to Kingston due to unfortunate circumstances.

“My biological family could not take care of me.

My mother wasn’t doing a good job and my father was always on the road or busy having other children,” she told All Woman. “My grandmother took me to Kingston because she once visited and saw me playing in torn underwear that she had seen me in a few days before.

When she asked my mother why she didn’t bathe me, she said my clothes were dirty.

She asked her to wash them and she said she wasn’t going to wash any pickney clothes in her husband’s house. So my grandmother took me and my clothing to Kingston.”

But Neil said her grandmother became burdened with the responsibility of looking after her father’s children, so she gave up three of them for adoption.

Unfortunately for Neil, she was among that number.

“It was terrifying. I loved my grandma and didn’t want to leave. But I had no say, so I cried, hollered, and almost tore down the gate. Eventually I got over it and accepted the fact they weren’t coming back for me,” she said.

Neil was adopted by her cousins and remained an only child until 2003, when

her adoptive mother died and her adoptive father started having other children with his partner.

For Neil, the chance of a family was great, but what she didn’t know was that some of her most harrowing experiences were on the horizon.

“They got married, started having kids, and there were about five children in the house. But I was being abused sexually by my adoptive father,” she said.

“The abuse started at age eight – mainly fondling, then a bit of oral sex and it went on like that until I was 12. By the time I reached 12, actual penetration started and another family member joined in by then,” Neil said.

“Two things that messed me up about the situation is when I was 14 and my stepmother saw what was happening, I think she was in shock. He told her that he only had oral sex with me.

As a woman you would expect that she would have been more protective, but in return, she never fed me for months. I had to save up my lunch money to eat and she cooked and washed the same for him. Then when I was 16 and I was on my cycle, I thought he wouldn’t trouble me, but he got a towel, placed it on the bed, got a condom, and had sex with me just the same. I thought if he could go that far, he wasn’t going to stop.

He even told me that if I got married, when my husband wasn’t treating me right, I could come to him. I went to the bathroom, tried to wash it off and realised I couldn’t do anything. I looked for pills, took everything I could find, and wrote a note apologising for hurting anyone, as I was expecting not to wake up,” she said.

But when Neil was awakened by cold water running over her, she realised her plan had failed and tried another route.

“At age 10, I’d attempted suicide. I would cut myself with bottles, knives, just hoping to die. I would tell lies that I fell on the bottles.

Now, the pills didn’t work so

I tried using a rope to hang myself, but when I jumped off the tree, the rope was too long,” she said.

At this point, Neil said she gave up on suicide and decided to speak out as she realised she was bottling everything in. As a result, she was removed from her home and placed in a girls’ institution, where she went through counselling until age 18.

Today, her counsellor is still in contact with her and she said her experiences have made her develop strength of character that she has used to overcome and in turn help other people.

“I don’t wear the badge of an abused person; I realised there must be a reason I’m around and I realised I’m going to get through this and do this by helping other people, which will in turn make me become stronger. Now I enjoy going into homes, talking to young people and mentoring them, that’s what I do,” she said.

Neil, who originally had hopes of becoming a teacher or pathologist and who once worked as a recruiting officer in human resources, is now a Marketing Assistant at MegaMart and holds philanthropy close to her heart.

“My passion is helping people and children and that is my weakness. I always think that if I can protect these children – the homeless, the abused – and look out for them so that they don’t have to go through the same thing I did, then I would have done a lot,” she said. She added that this heartfelt connection came to life after she cared for a friend’s baby for six months as the friend feared letting her family know she was a mother. In her spare time she enjoys music, writing poems and drumming. Also a nature lover, she holds fast to the saying, “Let the good that I can do be done now, because I may not pass this way again.”

“I’m on this journey, helping people personally and professionally,” she said. (Jamaica Observer)

11

tuesday, september 13, 2016 | guyana-times.com

TCV Managing Director Bibi Ahmad

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nationwide survey on mental health will soon be launched, as efforts intensify to help persons with mental health disorders and to prevent the illness from further progressing.

Given the fact that mental health illnesses in Guyana are now reaching great heights, non-governmental organisation (NGO), The Caribbean Voice (TCV) decided it was time to take the bull by the horns and take the lead.

TCV Managing Director Bibi Ahmad told Guyana Times that the data gathered from the survey will be used to aid and guide the organisation in helping vulnerable groups in order to monitor, control and prevent mental disorders.

“There is a dire need for more focus on mental health in Guyana, particularly when it comes to suicide prevention. We need to address these issues from the core,” she stated.

Surveys are costly to conduct and require significant amount of work, which is one of the main reasons why statistical data on a number of pertinent issues in Guyana has been lacking.

Ahmad further explained that the organisation was hoping that by now, the Government would have published current data on mental health illness and related issues in Guyana.

She maintained that having more available data on

the state of mental health in Guyana will aid significantly in developing strategies to reduce the suicide rate in the country.

Though the survey will be spearheaded by TCV, the organisation is extending an invitation to other NGOs, the civil society, the Private Sector and to the Government to join them in this effort. TCV is still in the planning stages of this initiative, but it is hoping to launch the survey before the new year.

Relevant studies in the Americas indicate there is likely a prevalence of 10 to 15 per cent of the population with a mental disorder at any one time, with three to five per cent of the population having a severe chronic mental disorder. This is according to a World Health Organisation – Assessment Instrument for Mental Health Systems (WHOAIMS) on the mental health system in Guyana.

The 2008 report said, given a population estimate of 750,000, this would predict that 75,000 to 112,500 Guyanese suffer from mental disorders and require some level of mental health care services. Of these, approximately 22,500 to 37,500 would be expected to suffer from severe mental illnesses.

These projections do not include the number of patients with epilepsy and mental retardation, which are not surveyed in typical psychiatric epidemiologic studies, but are included in the population serviced by mental health care services in Guyana. The report said that the mental health system in Guyana is fragmented, poorly resourced, and not integrated into the general healthcare system.

It noted that although care of the mentally ill is provided for under the legislative framework of the Mental

Health Ordinance of 1930, this is antiquated and fails to make provisions for the protection of the rights of people with mental disorders.

Senior Psychiatrist of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Dr Bhiro Harry, recently announced that the legislation is being revised and in its draft version; patients have been given much more rights than before.

Last year, the Public Health Ministry launched Guyana’s National Mental Health Strategy 2015-2020, which outlines a coherent strategic framework for guiding the development of new plans, while bringing alignment and synergy to the Ministry’s national and international activities over the next five years.

In addition, it will serve to coordinate development and technical assistance and other partnerships in health.

Among the programmes and services which are earmarked for implementation are: the National Suicide Prevention Programme; the Integration of Mental Health into Primary Care, Drug and Alcohol Prevention Programme; Psycho Geriatric Clinic; extend and enhance satellite clinics to communities (Diamond, Leonora, Mahaicony, Enmore and other communities with such needs). Stakeholders have also urged that the Ministry take into consideration the stigma, social exclusion and discrimination that occur around people with mental disorders which compound the situation. Reports indicate that persons with mental disorders are reported to suffer discrimination in their communities, the workplace, educational institutions and the healthcare system. This was glaringly evident in the case of the young lady on the Essequibo Coast who was inhumanely locked away owing to mental illness.

12 NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Fourth annual Nereid’s Rally welcomed to Guyana ... We are onto something good here – Gaskin

Minister Dominic Gaskin meeting with some of the participants of the Nereied's Rally on Monday at Hurakabra River Resort

BY KIZZY COLEMAN

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he Business Ministry and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) in collaboration with the Hurakabra River Resort, on Monday, welcomed the Fourth Nereid’s Rally to Guyana during a ceremony held at the Hurakabra River Resort in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

Fourteen yachts were welcomed to the land of many waters with great pomp, sailing from countries such as Italy, Britain, Russia, Canada and many others.

Since it’s commencement in 2013, the rally has seen more participants coming to the “undiscovered” Guyana more and more; the event started with only three yachts visiting.

“On behalf of the Government of Guyana, I

is another way of putting to use our many waters. So therefore, this is happening and I am happy that you (yachters) decided to come to Guyana”.

Gaskin underscored the fact that yachting is becoming popular in Guyana, citing the growth of the event since its inception.

“It is still small but I think that we are on to something good and if we can make the right decisions and take the right actions over the coming years, this is something that could very well mushroom into something a lot bigger,” he said.

Encouraging the over 30 tourists to explore Guyana, the Minister said “we have a rich fauna and flora that is meant to be seen, to be explored”.

Founders of the Hurakabra River Resort,

One of the yachts anchored off the Hurakabra River Resort

am proud and honoured and delighted to welcome this fourth Nereid’s Yacht Rally to our country, to our continent, and to the Guiana’s and I hope that your time spent in Guyana is enjoyable and that you can make many precious and lasting memories in this country,” said Business Minister Dominic Gaskin, as he welcomed the participants.

The Minster explained that it is important for Guyanese to exploit the gift that is theirs, and to use the land of many waters to its fullest potential.

“This rally being welcomed yet again to Guyana

Kit and Gem Nascimento spoke of their delight at being able to host the yachters, yet again. They noted that Guyana has the easiest customs clearance for yachters.

Organiser of the event, David Matelacani who “accidentally” landed in Guyana a few years ago during a freak storm, ended up in the hands of Kit, who already had the idea of establishing a marina in Guyana.

Working together, the two successfully launched the Nereid’s Rally and have since been working to improve the event.

“I believe that I make an honest claim when I say,

it is one of the major, consistent, repetitive tourism events that we’ve been able to have in Guyana over the past five years” Nascimento announced.

Alluding to the Nereid’s Rally, the Regional Chairman of Region Seven, Gordon Bradford, noted that some years ago, a baby was born. He said that like babies that keep growing, the Nereid’s Rally, if nurtured correctly, will continue to grow.

He opined that seeing the yachters coming in their numbers to Guyana, signals an economic boost for the country’s efforts and drive for eco-tourism and tourism development.

“On a regional level, we have been collaborating with the Ministry of Tourism to make this event a success from year to year,” Bradford explained.

The Chairman said that in Region Seven, tourism is seen as an economic salvation due to the fact that currently there is a shock in the mining sector which a major part of what the region promotes.

He therefore advocated for a greater effort to promote tourism in Guyana.

One yachter, who along with his wife sailed the largest yacht to dock in Guyana since the beginning of the rally, thanked the organisers and the Guyanese people for the “warm” welcome which he along with his companions received.

He especially thanked Matelacani for his hard work “for having a vision to conceive of the rally, which has encouraged many of us to join and for putting in the sheer hard work into shepherding all of us through the bureaucracy of travelling and reef building”.

During their stay, yachters can look forward to a tour of Georgetown, and a visit to Kaieteur Falls.

Residents of Bartica will come out as the town hosts a picnic by the sea to entertain the tourists, and on Saturday, Hurakabra will be hosting a “reggae on the river” concert.

Preserving Amerindian languages as we celebrate Amerindian Heritage Month 2016 under the theme: “Our Culture, Earth’s Future - Saving the Environment, Live the Indigenous Way.”

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ong long ago in the age when the earth was young and man was not yet here, birds walked like men but they had no colours! But one creature that had colours like a rainbow lived in both the water and on land! It had the power to change its appearance.

And so the story started when this creature from a faraway place came to the forest pond where all the animals came to drink water, most of which were birds and after a few days the creature watched the birds come and go as they pleased.

One day, early in the morning, the first one there was a dove and the creature decided to show herself to him; but she couldn't just come out of the water in front of him so she hid behind a tree and came out of the water and changed into a beautiful woman and approached the dove. On approaching, he heard something and looked around and at the sight of her he was mesmerised by her beauty. Looking at her he couldn't find words to speak, so she spoke first and said hello to him; he responded by just saying hi, and she just smiled at him.

After his sense came back he then decided to ask her where she came from and what she was doing here at the forest pond so early in the morning?

“I was waiting on you to come”, she said.

Hearing this the dove was surprised and said: "Me, but why?"

"Because I've been watching you for some time now coming and going from the pond as you please with no care of the other animals and birds,” she responded, before adding: “I could be yours if you tell no one about me and bring me food when you are coming to the pond in the morning, I will be waiting here for you!"

So without any questions he agreed to her terms and set off to do his normal days’ work.

On noticing her power of seducing the male birds, she decided to use it to get all

the male birds to bring food for her at the pond without them knowing that they were seeing the same creature and in the night she would return to the water and change back to her true form. The change only happened when she was in the water for she was a water serpent and when the sunlight shined on her body it would illuminate like the rainbow.

Day by day the birds brought food for her and no one noticed anything for some time and everyone was happy because they thought they were the only ones seeing her at the pond but little did they know she was just using them all for her own gain and so things went on; the creature thinking nothing could go wrong and enjoying life like it was heaven-made there in the forest pond.

However, one morning the dove was late. This was not like the dove to be late, thought the creature, but she didn't think anything of it as it was the first time. The dove, on the other hand, was going to surprise her by bringing more than usual that morning. That is why he was late for it wasn't easy to lift that much food at once. But when he arrived at the pond another bird was with the creature, and he saw them doing the same things that he would usually do with her. The dove got very, very angry with her and, out of anger he decided to tell all the other birds about her and what she wanted him to do for her.

So the dove called a meeting with all the birds in the forest and when everyone was there he started to tell them everything that had happened with him and her.

After hearing the dove, the other birds got up and said that it was the same thing she had told them, too. At this point the dove got even more annoyed and suggested they should kill this creature before it caused any more trouble at the forest pond and everyone agreed to this madness for they were

all annoyed with her for fooling all of them at the same time.

The dove had an idea on how to get close to her without her knowing it. The idea was that everyone would get their weapons ready the next morning, and the dove would go as usual to meet her. This time, however, the others would be there too, waiting for a signal to attack her.

Everyone agreed to this plan.

Early the next morning everyone got their weapons ready for the kill. The dove headed for the pond with food as he would do normally. When he arrived at the pond, she was sitting on a log just near the edge and the sun was shining on her body. As he approached and got closer she turned to him.

The sun struck her hair and there were so many colours never seen before! The dove wanted it all for himself and stepped closer and closer to her and hugged her. The other birds attacked when he was doing that with her, but she sensed something was wrong and pushed him off; just then she looked around and saw them coming.

After seeing all the male birds coming she got scared turned and ran towards a little stream. But she forgot that when water touches her skin it changes back to the serpent form and that’s just what happed to her.

Everyone saw her true from and the wonderful colours she had and everyone wanted it. But one bird was very smart; he left the crowd, went around the pond and, coming from the other side, he killed the creature.

Before anyone could see it, he took the most beautiful colour from her and put it on his chest and after that everyone came and took a colour from her too. Even today you could know the bird that took that colour because it's still on his chest and the bird was the grey-winged trumpeter. (Kenneth Butler, Surama, North Rupununi)

NEWS

13

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Colours of the Forest

Makushi translation of the Colours of the Forest Inkarîta Ya Rèko Pena wanî pî amean pe pata tannel wàràrò tompara tannè, Toron yamî saptîpî waràrò pom pe Twîn wanî pî yarîko pemere-mere pe wanî, akomam pî tî pî tonakà moro paî amom po. Merunti ke wanî pî, tirèko tinkàmaî ya.

Sene pam pe pantan tèpati pî senè pemokon upî sene pata ya, sene patà tamnawironkon. Kamo moro paî tororo ya mî îîto ya tona nîîye.

Twin wîî yaî penanpî, rîwo eisha na ni pî, mikîrî pî sene wîrî ya aronè e na pî tise tonakaî paî e mòka pra wanî pî miri ye nen, e sonimi pî parî kon koretà moro paî manon wîrî pam pe e naa pî rîwo pîa.

Rîwo pia ai pî pî tanne main ta pî ya. Moro ra ma pî ya moro pai eî ta ta ton pra wanî nî, masa pra manonpe wîrî wanî pî riwo pia.

Hi ta pîa neken rîwo pî, moeo pai hi tapi rîwo ya wîrî pî miri.

Arîm ti pî rîwo senmenka to îîpî pî e Mikî rî eirî e kararpî pî gnon pata paî e pî pî amirî ta pî ys. Îton pe ye penan pî kopî ka wanî mirîrî ta pî rîwo ya wîri pî ta pî ya rîwo pî amirî ni mî kai uu’ ya mirîrî ta pî ya.

O’rîr ta pî rîwo ya” inna ta pî wîrî ya rîwo pî, masa para amirî pî uyeno-ni pî ta pî ya.

Tiponari ayesru warî pîtraronkon yentaî ta pî ya.

Amirî pià kon pe uuri ni

e paî non tapî ya rîwo pî e karemekai pra tiaron kon pî moro paî uu’ yukerî ton ni pî ya kon e paî penan non, pî ta pî ya rîwo pî.

Inna ta pî rîwo ya wîrî pîtikiri ton nîp tî pia ya .

Sene wîrî ya taminawirikon wararo torn ya mi pininka pî ya e tikirton ne po to ya’e tikiriton nip o to ya penan pî e kopî ka, mirî tip o awena po to na ka koman ye, wirî tîn ka ma iona ka neken, masa pra tona kawon ekî pe wanî nî pî, weî ya’ yapî yay a. nori pe etirka ma mere mere pe.

Wei kashîrî toron ya mî ya wîrî yekarî ton nî pîptoya e po to tempra wanî toron ya mîî wanî pî.

Ekî yaî pop e neken to yenkama e po to tor’ pra’, morî pe wanî nî pî sene wîrî oma pia. Timiti to pe neken to yen ka mi ya mîrî.

Twin weî rîwo, esha pra wanî pî man pra penan pî eke mîrî rîwo -tise siriri pe pî pra wanî pî, Tise rîwo ya mararî pra wîrî yekarî ton ne’ ya nî pî.

Nepî ya taune , rîwo ya tiaron toron ramapî wîrî konpe,kop tîa pamper tiaron waroro ko pî pî ya mirîrî pî rîwo kore’m sa nipî karmî ka pî ya tiaron toron ya mi pî.

Rîwo ya taminawironkon toron ya mi morokon tî pî ya, to pî wîrî seru kasemeka pî ya- lnrî-pam pî rîwo korem sa ni pî.

Masa pra to yen ko to ya mara ri pra.

Miri ye nen amnke pra rîwo na pî oma-ekî pîa Rîwo ya wîrî yenkoto to koneke pî ya ere masa pe taninawironkon ya tamanikon wîrî wîî tosa pe to nî pî.

Tise rîwo senka mapî mirîrî pam pe, wîrî yekarî ton ni pî pî rîwo ipîî tanne îpia weî wîrî po paî to ya pî she paîa ya. Mararî pra epo paî yarî ko wanîni pî.

Rîwo epîî pî e pai, masa pra timiri pe use wanî pî Mirîrî tanne tiaron kon toron ya mîî epi pî.

Tise eki wîrî ya potî pî ya rîwo to ka pî ya, e ra tî pî mararonkon epî pî ewîî.

Waroro kon toron yamî epîî ranma-pî ya, niriri pî e shen pî pî.

Wîrî katoni pî korenan e wite ka tise e poto tonpra wa nî pî tona ya ipî ya nekan e tinka ma Nejen eki pe, Tami nawî ron kon ya wîrî tinka ma ra ma pî.

E’n’ka moro ya ta ri ko ton yuse wanî pî.

Tise twîrn toron wanî pî mîîe pe, tiaron kon toron ya mi wenaki e na pî -tiaron kon waka pî ya, era tai wen pai shemai , sere wîrî eki wîî pia ya, tiaron kon ramapra tanne-ta ri koton moka pia ya to rapotori po na tî ripî ya mirîrî to taminawiron ya ta ri ko ton moka pî to ya.

Siriri to ye, mirîrî toron ya tananawironon ya potipî man e rapotp po iriko wanî ye. (Translation was done by Eugene Xavier)

Grey winged trumpeter

Son fined $20,000 for threatening to stab mother A

man was last week fined for threatening his mother, a market vendor.

Balkissoon Bharrat, 21, of Lot 3873 Westminster, Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara appeared at

the Wales Magistrate’s Court where he pled guilty.

The charge stated that on August 27, armed with a knife, he threatened his mother, June Singh.

According the Prosecution’s case, on the day

in question, the defendant went to his mother’s home at about 19:00h and an argument ensured over money.

The court heard that after Singh rebuffed her son’s repeated demands for money, he armed himself with a

knife and said that if she does not give him money, he will stab her.

The Mother, Singh, became fearful and so made a report at the La Grange Police Station and her son was later arrested and charged.

The Wales Magistrate’s Court also heard that the Westminster resident was previously charged and fined for simple larceny.

After the prevailing facts were considered, Magistrate Clive Nurse fined the young

man $20,000 for the threatening behaviour or an alternative of eight weeks imprisonment.

Nurse also placed the 21-year-old on one year bond to keep the peace.

14

guyana-times.com

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Regional

T&T to spend US$17.5M on Colombia’s FARC apologises for crime-fighting initiatives taking captives during conflict

T

T&T Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley

rinidad’s Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley says his Administration will be spending US$17.5 million on equipment that will enable the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) to boost intelligence-gathering efforts in the fight against

crime.

Rowley, in a 37-minute address to the nation late Sunday, said the twin island republic has been grappling with an increase in crime even as the Government also deals with some economic challenges.

“We wake up each day

to the numbing news of the depressing actions of a proportionately small number of our citizens; non-stop killings; from the revenge murders among the organised criminal gangs to the ever too frequent tragedies of domestic violence; to the inexplicable mindless acts of wantonness which defy logic, causing us to believe that amongst us there are warped minds which place no value on human life.”

He said his Government is resolute in its commitment to confront those who choose crime as a way of life and undertake to work tirelessly to rebuild a sense of safety through meaningful reduction of crime and removal of the fear of crime in our communities. (Excerpt from

C

olombia’s Marxist FARC rebels apologised for the “great pain” they caused by kidnapping thousands of people to fund half a century of conflict as the insurgent group prepared to sign a peace accord with the Government.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) said in a video recording late on Sunday that it had taken captives over the years but would not do so again.

The rebels and

Government are gearing up to sign the accord after reaching agreement on August 24 to end a war that has killed more than 220,000 people and displaced millions. Some 7000 FARC fighters will be incorporated into society and permitted to form a political party.

“We want to acknowledge, with the sentiment of humanity and reconciliation, that during the conflict the FARC also caused great pain with the retention of

people for ransom,” FARC’s commander and lead negotiator, Ivan Marquez, said in the recording.

“That conduct, while always used to sustain the needs of the rebellion, resulted in harming entire families,” he said from Havana, Cuba, where negotiations took place.

Some 27,000 people were kidnapped between 1970 and 2010, according official figures. As many as 90 per cent of those were seized by the FARC. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Belize Government opens door for appeal of court Latin American investors look to ruling that legalised gay sex Jamaica Observer)

expand business ties in Caribbean

L

atin American investors are seeking to expand business ties in the Caribbean, with companies in two major business capitals looking to forge new and deeper ties with their smaller Hemispheric neighbours to the south.

On the heels of the announcement of a visit scheduled for November from a Brazilian investment mission interested in doing business in the Eastern Caribbean, Mexico says it too has plans meet with investors from the wider Caribbean in November, in Mexico.

The Brazilian mission, being coordinated by a private Brazilian entity, Nomad Development, is due in the island November 11 to 17. It will bring 15 investors and parliamentarians to discuss a wide range of business opportunities.

The Embassy of Brazil in St Lucia is assisting in the preparations for the mission and Ambassador Sergio Couri says “investments can be direct or joint, private and/or public.”

The Brazilians are interested in projects ranging from tourism and construction to alternative energy

and agriculture. But while the Brazilians are heading to the Caribbean, the Mexicans have arranged to invite Caribbean investors to talk and do business in Cancun.

The Embassy of Mexico to the Eastern Caribbean States (based in St Lucia) has announced that the 2016 Cancun Forum “Creating Synergies to Strengthen the Competitiveness of the Greater Caribbean” will be held November 16-18 at the Peninsula Convention Centre in Cancun, Mexico.

(Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Brazil’s ex-Speaker faces losing seat over Swiss bank accounts

Eduardo Cunha was suspended in May and resigned as Speaker in July

T

he ex-Speaker of Brazil’s lower house, Eduardo Cunha, faces being stripped of his seat amid accusations he lied about undeclared Swiss bank accounts.

Newspaper O Globo (in Portuguese) counts 300 representatives who will vote against him later on Monday – well above the

257 required.

Cunha is widely regarded as the architect of the impeachment process against President Dilma Rousseff. He denies wrongdoing and has said her supporters are seeking revenge.

Rousseff was impeached for moving funds between government bud-

gets, which is illegal under Brazilian law. Cunha is also being investigated by the Supreme Court for allegedly taking millions of dollars in bribes to secure contracts with state oil giant, Petrobras.

Petrobras is at the centre of a massive kickbacks scandal which cost the company US$2 billion (£1.5 billion) and has led to the arrest of dozens of lawmakers and top businessmen.

At least three businessmen have said under interrogation that they paid bribes to Cunha, which they deposited in his overseas accounts. If he is voted out of his seat he will lose the partial immunity from prosecution that comes with being an elected representative.

In March 2015, Cunha stated that he did not have “any type of account anywhere that is not declared on my income tax”. (Excerpt from

BBC News)

Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow says his Government will challenge a small aspect of the historic ruling

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fter weeks of insisting it would not appeal a decision by the country’s Chief Justice that made sex between consenting homosexuals legal, the Belize Government is challenging one aspect of it.

It wants the interpretation of the word “sex” in the Constitution to remain male/female instead of ex-

tending the definition to “sexual orientation”, as the ruling did. But that small challenge paves the way for the church and others who were unhappy with the ruling to launch a wider appeal.

The development comes a month after the August 10 ruling of Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin that

Section 53 of the Criminal Code that criminalised intercourse between consenting adults of the same sex was unconstitutional.

Despite earlier calls by the church – which had staged protests – for his Government to appeal the ruling, Prime Minister Dean Barrow had insisted that his Administration did not want to see the ruling overturned. But after meeting with church leaders last week, he announced that Government is prepared to appeal the part of the Chief Justice’s decision that expands the definition of “sex” in the constitution to include “sexual orientation.”

“That position Government came to after an extensive review of the judgement and the advice of the attorney general,” he said.

Barrow acknowledged that government’s narrow appeal allows all who are interested parties to make submissions across the board. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Jamaica deports 405 T

he Government has made it clear that deportation is not a oneway street, saying Jamaica had deported 405 individuals since January last year – 95 between January and now, and 310 in 2015.

Robert Montague’s National Security Ministry also revealed in a press statement that the People’s National Party (PNP) Administration had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of the United Kingdom (UK) in April 2007, under which Jamaica is obligated to accept people

being deported from that country.

The Ministry’s disclosure came in the wake of last week’s uproar over Britain’s deportation of 42 Jamaicans, some said to have lived nearly all their lives in the UK and have no known relatives here.

Responding apparently to claims that some of the deportees might not be Jamaicans, the security ministry said that in the present circumstances of the 42 Jamaicans who were deported from the United Kingdom on September 7, “all the individuals were

duly processed at the JCF Mobile Reserve and a case manager has been assigned to assist in the reintegration process which includes making contact with potential local support as well as overseas family members.”

The Ministry said it was not unusual, nor the first time, that Jamaican citizens had been deported by the UK in such large numbers. In 2014, some 40 persons were returned to Jamaica on a charter flight, and since then, persons have been returned to the island on a regular basis.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

tuesday, september 13, 2016

guyana-times.com

15

Around the World

Syria ceasefire comes into Beijing and Moscow launch effect under US-Russia deal South China Sea naval drills

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A

nationwide ceasefire in Syria brokered by the United States and Russia began at sundown on Monday, coinciding with the Muslim Eid-ul-Adha holiday, but there are concerns about whether it will hold.

The deal, agreed to on Friday by US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, aims at putting an end to fighting and moving towards a political transition after more than five years of war between forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and rebel groups fighting to depose him.

The truce does not apply to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), or Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, the group formerly known as alNusra Front that changed its name after cutting ties with al-Qaeda in July.

The Syrian Government, as well as Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah armed

The initial ceasefire will last for 48 hours, and, if successful, can be renewed for another 48 hours at a time [Reuters]

group, two of its strongest allies, have all agreed to the deal.

Yet, just hours before Monday's truce was set to begin, Syria's main Opposition group and several rebel factions called for "guarantees" on the implementation of the ceasefire before fully endorsing it.

"We want to know what the guarantees are," said Salem al-Muslet, spokesman

for the High Negotiations Committee, Syria's main opposition bloc.

"What is the definition that has been chosen for 'terrorism', and what will the response be in case of violations?" Muslet told AFP. The Free Syrian Army (FSA), a leading rebel alliance, said over the weekend that it would observe the truce, but had major reservations. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

UK: Former PM David Cameron resigns from Parliament

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ormer British Prime Minister David Cameron has announced his resignation from his seat in parliament "with immediate effect".

The news on Monday came nearly three months after he stepped down from his job as the country's leader in the wake of Britain's vote to leave the European Union.

Cameron, who first came to power in 2010, said he had told his successor, Prime Minister Theresa May of his decision to stop representing his constituency in

Oxfordshire to make way for someone who could concentrate on the area in central England.

"In my view with modern politics, with the circumstances of my resignation, it isn't really possible to be a proper backbench MP as a former Prime Minister. I think everything you do will become a big distraction and a big diversion from what the Government needs to do for our country," he told Britain's BBC. The ruling Conservative Party elected May to lead the country after Cameron

resigned following his failed campaign to persuade voters to remain in the European Union in a June 23 referendum.

He had campaigned in favour of remaining in the EU bloc.

At the time, Cameron had said he would complete his term in office until the next election due in 2020, although he would no longer have a leadership role in the Conservative Party.

Cameron's unexpected announcement will trigger a by-election for his seat in Oxfordshire. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Violence in Bangalore over Cauvery River

Protesters in Bangalore singled out vehicles registered in Tamil Nadu

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rotesters in the southern Indian city of Bangalore in Karnataka state have at-

tacked shops and set fire to vehicles in a long-running dispute about water.

They were angry at a

Supreme Court ruling ordering Karnataka to share more water with neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

Karnataka must release 12,000 cubic feet of water per second from the Cauvery River until September 20.

Both states say they urgently need the water for irrigation and a battle about access to it has raged for decades.

The violence in the technology hub closed many offices and much of the public transport system.

Police have imposed an emergency law that prohibits public gatherings, and more than 15,000 officers have been deployed.

Reuters reported that Tamil Nadu registered vehicles were being singled out by protesters and pelted with stones.

(BBC News)

hina and Russia have launched eight days of naval drills in the South China Sea in a sign of growing cooperation between the countries' armed forces against the backdrop of regional territorial disputes.

The exercises come at a time of heightened tension in the contested waters after a United Nations-backed tribunal ruled in July that China did not have historic rights to the South China Sea and criticised its environmental destruction there. China rejected the ruling and refused to participate in the case.

The "Joint Sea-2016" war games will include ex-

ercises on "seizing and controlling" islands and shoals, according to Chinese navy spokesman Liang Yang.

They will involve surface ships, submarines, fixedwing aircraft, ship-borne helicopters, marine corps and amphibious armoured equipment from both navies, he said in a statement on Sunday.

"Compared with previous joint drills, these exercises are deeper and more extensive in terms of organisation, tasks and command."

The ministry did not say exactly where the drills would be held in the South China Sea. However, Chinese

news agency Xinhua said the Russian ships arrived early on Monday in the Guangdong province port of Zhanjiang, and the exercises would be held off the Guangdong coast, apparently in waters that are not in dispute.

Joint Chinese-Russian drills have become increasingly common in recent years. This week's exercises are the fifth between the two navies since 2012.

China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than US$5 trillion of trade moves annually. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have rival claims.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

S Sudan leaders 'profit' as country suffers during war

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outh Sudan's rival leaders have been accused of amassing wealth abroad amid a conflict in which tens of thousands have been killed, according to a US-based watchdog.

A new report, published on Monday by The Sentry group, said that President Salva Kiir, Opposition Leader Riek Machar and those close to them had looted the country in accumulating assets that included mansions and luxury cars abroad.

"The leaders of South Sudan's warring parties manipulate and exploit ethnic divisions in order to drum up support for a conflict that serves the interests only of the top leaders of these two kleptocratic networks," according to the two-year-long investigation, entitled "War Crimes Shouldn't Pay".

The Sentry said it had obtained images of the leaders' family members partying in five-star hotels, as well as documentation of their offshore properties and business deals.

The leaders of South Sudan's warring parties manipulate and exploit ethnic divisions in order to drum up support for a conflict that serves the interests only of the top leaders, the report said

"President Kiir officially earns about US$60,000 per year. However, this investigation found evidence that President Kiir and his family have amassed a significant amount of wealth – far exceeding what he could have earned in his official capacity – and parked a sizable amount of assets outside South Sudan," the report concluded.

The probe also said that Kiir's immediate family members held stakes in a wide range of businesses

involved in South Sudan's oil, mining, and financial sectors.

Kiir's office was not immediately available for comment.

The Sentry also said that Machar, Kiir's rival and former vice president, and members of his family had engaged "in several questionable transactions and business ventures" and enjoy an "extremely comfortable lifestyle living outside the country". (Excerpt

from Al Jazeera)

Baby born on Mediterranean rescue ship

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Nigerian woman has given birth to a boy on board a rescue ship in the Mediterranean after being plucked from an overcrowded rubber dinghy.

Medical charity MSF said because the baby was born in international waters, his nationality was still under debate.

A midwife on board the ship MV Aquarius described the birth as "normal... in dangerously abnormal conditions".

Thousands of refugees and migrants risk the dangerous crossing from Libya

to Europe in search of a better life.

Last year, more than 3700 people are believed to have died attempting the journey.

MSF said that the baby's parents, Otas and Faith Oqunbor, had named him Newman Otas. They had been making the perilous crossing with their two other children, aged seven and five, and were rescued just 24 hours before the baby was born.

MSF communications officer Alva White reported the baby's birth in a series of tweets on Monday from the Aquarius – a search and res-

cue vessel run by the group SOS Mediterranee in partnership with MSF. "Just over an hour ago a baby boy was born on board the Aquarius. Mum, bub, dad and 2 big brothers are all well," she said.

"The gorgeous little guy was born in international waters so his nationality is still under discussion."

White told the BBC that such events were rare on rescue ships, although another baby was born on the Aquarius in May to a woman from Cameroon. (Excerpt from

BBC News)

16 News

tuesDay, september 13, 2016 | guyana-times.com

UNDP plugs new paradigm for Education Month 2016 Caribbean socio-economic Region 10 plans development month-long activities

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…“ensure economic growth is inclusive, empowers people” – HDR report

uyana and other Caribbean countries must draft new public policies to increase gains in the economic, social and environmental fronts while boosting climate and financial resilience and protecting people throughout their life cycles, stated the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Human Development Report (HDR) for the Caribbean, which was launched on Monday in Barbados.

The report titled “Multidimensional Progress: human resilience beyond income” highlights the need to rethink the methods for ranking development in the Region’s countries that go beyond per capita income, economic growth rates and Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

A statement from the UNDP said the report calls for governments and the Private Sector to rethink the Region’s progress along multidimensional lines, inspired by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“The inspiration for this report comes from the strong demands of Caribbean leaders for more comprehensive metrics for assessing development, and for a more nuanced examination of the meaning of ‘graduation,’ recognising that income per capita does not reflect the vulnerabilities, development needs and challenges of middle income countries,” said UNDP Administrator Helen Clark at the launch of the report.

The report also highlights the fact that Caribbean countries high debt hinders the ability to access finance for sustainable development, limiting the region’s ability to achieve the SDGs. In view of the development financing context in the Caribbean, the report demonstrates how, for the most part,

“vulnerabilities”, which accumulate over a life cycle hindering people’s capacity to fulfil their potential and also to leave poverty behind, the report stresses.

Women

Caribbean countries are ineligible for concessional finance due to their status as middle-income countries.

With average national per capita income levels above the international financial eligibility benchmark, the report makes a case for a review of eligibility criteria to access concessional financing. It underscores the extreme economic and environmental vulnerabilities in Caribbean countries that – like other Small Island Developing States (SIDS) – make the Region’s countries special cases for development.

“The challenges of sustainable, holistic and universal development do not end at a certain income threshold: we don’t ‘graduate’ from development challenges unless we can respond accordingly to the multiple dimensions that enable people to live the lives they consider valuable, “ UNDP Latin America and the Caribbean Director Jessica Faieta said.

In line with the SDGs, the report stresses that on the one hand it is crucial to invest in people, environment, sustainable and affordable energy, institutional efficiency, stability and security as these are key factors to boost economic growth. On the other hand, it is essential to ensure that economic growth is inclusive, empowers people, leaves no one behind, and is not achieved at the expense of the environment.

The report focuses on several groups and their

It said women are disadvantaged in the labour market, with lower paying jobs than men. Although they head nearly half of the Caribbean households, the participation of women in senior managerial jobs is still limited to about 25 per cent in the Region, with the exceptions of St Vincent and the Grenadines and Barbados,” the report stated.

HDR said while education can be a potential protective factor against women´s disadvantages in the labour market, women are still earning less than men and are proportionally holding fewer decision-making positions in the Public and Private Sectors.

The report stresses that violence against women is a key challenge for the Caribbean, not only threatening lives but also negatively impacting all of society.

Physical, sexual, psychological violence or a combination of them affect between 20 and 35 per cent of women in the Region.

Youth

The report stated that the Region’s youth are also a critical group in vulnerability, with unemployment among this group ranging between 18 and 47 per cent, except in Trinidad and Tobago where it is 10 per cent.

For young women, it stated that teenage pregnancy can hinder the possibilities of studying, working – and leaving poverty behind. It added that young men, especially in poor communities, are both the main victims and the main perpetrators of crime in the Region.

Fire victim receives donation from Essequibo Praant Mahila Mandalee − a single act of kindness can change someone’s world

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he Women’s arm of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, the Mahila Mandalee, on Sunday donated several household items and cash to fire victim Sohodra Sukhai aka ‘Aunty Finey’, 69, of Henrietta Village, in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) .

The upper flat of Sukhai’s two-flat house was completely gutted on September, 9, 2016 by a fire which erupted during a welding operation. The

widow was living with her daughter-in-law and two grandchildren.

On learning of the tragedy the Mandalee donated two mattresses, one mosquito net, one bowl set along with cash. According to the Mandalee Chairwoman Gaitree Budram, the group is very saddened over the family’s loss.

During a visit with the family, Budram encouraged them to have faith in God and pledged the Sabha’s support in rebuild-

ing their future. Budhram said that the group is conducting a clothing drive for the Sukhai family.

Sukhai thanked the organisation for its timely donation and expressed thanks to God for her survival. She only recently lost her son and husband.

The family lost the upper flat with furnishing, a fridge, television, etc, including the children’s school supplies and clothes. They are attending the C V Nunes Primary.

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he Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Department of Education is joining the rest of the nation in celebrating Education Month 2016, under the theme “Each child matters: Stakeholders unite for the enhancement of education”. The Department has planned a number of activities to mark the month-long observances, including an author’s fair, reading and elocution competitions, reading tent, the Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) moment as well as Spelling Bee, art, cooking and primary debating competitions. The author’s fair is an annual event which consists of short story and poetry competitions in the eight to eleven, twelve to fourteen and fifteen to seventeen year categories.

According to information out of the Department of Education, this year’s topics include, “Why I love my country Guyana”, “Guyana, the best country in the world” and

“Guyana’s Jubilee year”, for the various categories respectively.

Interested participants should note that entries must be submitted to the Region’s Department of Education, Literacy Unit by Friday, September 23. Judging for the competition will be done by a selected panel of judges and prizes presented to winners on Thursday, September 29. All participants will receive certificates, while winning entries will be on display at the National Library, Linden branch during the first week of October.

The reading competition is expected to be held on September 21, at the Mackenzie Primary School’s auditorium and according to the Region’s Department of Education, each school is entitled to two entries per category.

The reading passage will be unseen and is for students of Grades Four and Five; however, the elocution passage will be taken

from the primary poem: “A poet’s prayer”.

Meanwhile, the excitement is slated to continue with the hosting of the annual East versus West cooking competition at the Mackenzie High School, which will draw the participation of parents and teachers. The team leader of the East team, as revealed by the Region’s Department of Education is Charis Joseph and will see participation from Amelia’s Ward, Watooka, Regma, Mackenzie and Bamia primary schools.

Team leader for the West side is Charlene Duke and will see participation from the Wismar Hill, One Mile, St Aidan’s, Christiansburg and Coomacka primary schools. Team members will include a parent and a teacher from each school, with a total of 10 persons on each team. The Department also notes that the Art competition will involve the unity of education stakeholders in the region.

EYDG hosts suicide awareness vigil

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he Enterprise Youth Development Group (EYDG) in collaboration with The Caribbean Voice and over 50 other organisations, over the weekend held a candlelight vigil in commemoration of International Suicide Prevention Day 2016.

The exercise was held under the #STAYALIVE project, in concert with the Caribbean Voice Mission, to bring about awareness and education of the social scourge which has taken the country by storm.

The candlelight vigil, held at Enterprise last Saturday evening between 18:00h and 19:00h, was held simultaneously with other organisations throughout Guyana.

The programmes of each event varied and were done in accordance with the mandate of the various NGO's involved.

During the vigil, a circle was formed where prayers were offered for the country. Candles were lit during a brief discourse on suicide; the talk focused on building awareness.

“They were vibrant interactions, laughter and touching energies when we all came together to pray. We lit the candle in a form of meditation, focusing on the luminous light last (Saturday) evening,” the group said on Monday.

“The first step in ending suffering, pain and guilt is to connect with the Almighty/ universe through light. By focusing on light, it is said that

The Enterprise Youth Development Group’s candlelight vigil on Saturday

one can eventually become the light which can transfer knowledge into society, eliminating darkness and ignorance.The light itself is to bring inner peace of mind to all and to represent a symbol of hope,” the EYDG said.

Candle meditation, the EYDG explained, is a present-awareness exercise which can be used to further enhance one’s present awareness. In this case, it said there is a non-violent and peaceful way to bring attention to important issues which impact the village of Enterprise and the country at large through the holding of candlelight vigils.

“Your loved ones, friends, relatives, God, mental health counsellors, priests, ministers, etc, are all good sources of help. They are all willing to help you and they can make a difference, but you must be willing to take advantage of this help,” the group said, as it urged persons against suicide. “Regardless of your situation, take advantage of

the help that is around you.

Remember: Every problem has a solution. You just have to find it. Suicide is not the answer,” the EYDG stressed.

The vigil at Enterprise was held simultaneously with those hosted by other NGOs which also spread hope during several countrywide observances of World Suicide Prevention Day. The vigils were organised by The Caribbean Voice (TCV), the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), Prevention Of Teenage Suicide (POTS), the Leo Clubs, the Miss Global International Guyana Team, the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha and other religious groups in all three counties of Guyana.

POTS Guyana, an organisation formed by activist Lisa Punch, hosted its vigil at Square of the Revolution, in Georgetown, where a handful gathered to light candles in an effort to inspire suicidal persons to live.

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NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Canada dedicates rainforest to Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy

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Great Bear Rainforest

he Province of British Columbia, Canada will dedicate the Great Bear Rainforest to The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy (QCC), a pan-Commonwealth forest conservation initiative in Her Majesty The Queen’s name.

The announcement was made by the Premier of British Columbia, Christy Clark.

The Great Bear Rainforest is an iconic and globally significant area covering 6.4 million hectares along the central and north coast of British Columbia. It is home to a quarter of the earth’s temperate rainforest and 26 separate First Nations. It is also the only place in the world where the Kermode, or Spirit, Bear is found.

Increasingly threatened by industrial logging, the Government of British Columbia passed historic legislation earlier this year to protect the Rainforest’s ecology and indigenous people.

Making the announcement, Christy Clark said: “The Great Bear Rainforest is a global treasure, and all British Columbians have a

stake in protecting it. The international recognition conferred by The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy is something all British Columbians can be proud of.”

Michael Lake CBE, Director of The Royal Commonwealth Society said: “The inclusion of the Great Bear Rainforest in The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy highlights Canada’s ongoing commitment to the Commonwealth and its leading role in conserving key ecological and indigenous peoples’ cultural values. The ecosystem-based management regime for British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest, developed in collaboration with First Nations, industry and environmental organisations, provides an example that other Commonwealth countries can look to when pursuing their own forest conservation agendas. The Society is proud of this important Commonwealth initiative, conceived in The Queen’s name and honouring Her commitment as Head of the Commonwealth.”

Canada’s commitment to the QCC joins those pre-

viously received by Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Belize, Jamaica, Malta, Mauritius, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom and Zambia.

The announcement comes before Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge travel to Canada for a Royal Tour later this month to visit British Columbia and the territory of Yukon. This will be the second tour to Canada by The Duke and Duchess who made their first visit in 2011.

The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy was launched in 2015 with the goal of uniting the Commonwealth’s 53 members in conserving forests for future generations.

The Great Bear Rainforest is one of the planet’s largest intact temperate rainforests, covering 6.4 million hectares along the central and north coast of British Columbia.

The World Wildlife Fund has ranked the Great Bear Rainforest as a globally outstanding ecosystem due to its biological diversity and rank.

T&T agrees to help Guyana...

FROM PAGE 9

“We are excited by the results of a production test of the Liza-2 well, which confirms the presence of high-quality oil from the same high-porosity sandstone reservoirs that we saw in the Liza-1 well completed in 2015… We, along with our co-venturers, look forward to continuing a strong partnership with the Government of Guyana to further evaluate the commercial potential for this exciting prospect,” said ExxonMobil President Steve Greenlee, in a statement.

However, earlier this month, ExxonMobil reported that its Skipjack well did not yield “commercial

quantities of hydrocarbons” while exploring in its concession.

ExxonMobil’s local manager, Jeff Simmons, was quoted in sections of the local media confirming that the indeed the Skipjack well did not turn up the results expected.

ExxonMobil had however stated that it was continuing with plans to develop the Liza well with its declared capacity of between 800 million and 1.4 billion barrels of oil equivalent and also look for other possible targets for drilling.

Liza-2 hit more than 190 feet of net pay and caused ExxonMobil, along with partners Hess and CNOOC

subsidiary Nexen, to boost their estimate of the recoverable oil in place at Liza.

In July, ExxonMobil submitted a development plan for Liza to Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency to begin the environmental review process.

That plan calls for a pair of rigs to drill development wells from two drill centres, each with a corresponding water injection site to the east.

Production will be sent to an FPSO with capacity of around 100,000 barrels of oil per day. Under that plan, first production from the field would come online sometime in 2020 or as late as 2021.

Fisher lost at sea survived on ‘raw fish and rain water’

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obago fisher Rennie Richardson drifted for over two days in the mighty Atlantic Ocean, travelling over 145 kilometres, ending up in Grenada.

Richardson, 31, of Plymouth, a tiny fishing village, said he survived on raw fish and rain water. He was rescued by Grenadian fishermen on Tuesday after Pastor George Alexander, a Grenadian living in Tobago, contacted his relatives to help search for Richardson.

On Friday, scores of Plymouth fishermen, villagers and family welcomed Richardson with cheers and applause on the very shore where he left on September 4. His journey back home was made on his pirogue aptly named Stamina.

“It was bad weather conditions, so when I was trying to come back home, I couldn’t make it as smooth, because I wasn’t seeing land and then I come and run out of gas. I feel happy to come back home safe and I want to thank the Grenadian people and especially Pastor George for helping me. They helped me out a lot. I want to thank the President of the fishing organisation,

Rennie Richardson, second from left, arrives on his boat

Dougie, and Mr Quashie,” he said.

Brimming with emotion, Richardson said he never lost hope that he would be found and used all the survival techniques he knew during the 48 hours at sea.

“I had to eat raw fish to survive and I drank rain water. At a time I say to myself, ‘I had to do what the best is, to save my life’ because there wasn’t nothing I could do again, but is God. I thank God too. I feel proud as a seaman that I made it back safe,” he said.

Richardson left the

Plymouth beach last Sunday at around 06:00h on a fishing expedition but when he failed to return around 18:00h that same day, a search party went looking for him.

He was treated at a hospital and processed by Grenadian authorities before being escorted back home by two Tobago boats led by the All Tobago Fisherfolk Association.

Richardson has been fishing since age 14 and has been described as a competent fisherman. (Trinidad Guardian)

40 years of Nursery Education in Guyana N

ursery Education is an essential aspect in children attaining optimum academic achievement. This was the contention of Acting Chief Education Officer (CEO) Marcel Hutson as he alluded to the importance of nursery education in the country.

Hutson was at the time speaking at the launch of a Literacy Clinic at the Ramada Princess Hotel on Sunday, explaining that the Day marked 40 years since public access to Nursery Education was realised in Guyana.

“We [are] celebrating 40 years [of] nursery education which is a fundamental kind of education and we believe that if our children are going to do well, they must be able to get that motivation to be able to push and the inspiration to go forward,” he said.

It was in 1976 that all private education was discontinued from Nursery to University and became free of cost. This change was premised on the State’s policy at the time, when socialism was dominant and pre-eminent. Before then, nursery level education was the preserve of the privileged who sent their children to these institution that were run privately.

In fact, at the time the policy was changed, the Education Ministry had lit-

tle involvement in the nursery level.

According to historical accounts, at the time government assumed full control of the education sector, the Ministry of Education, through its relevant agencies sought to train the school owners and teachers to align their teaching methodology with the State’s curriculum requirements.

Further, these nursery education facilitators were then paid by the State.

In the early years of the public nursery system, the government continued to use the same buildings that the private institutions had held. Over time, nursery classes developed into Primary schools, a situation that exists today.

Additionally, government had also set up what is called “Discreet Nursery Schools” where the nursery school was held in a separate building.

One example is the Starters’ Nursery School, located at the back of St Margaret’s Primary in Cummingsburg, Georgetown.

In those days, some parents opted not to send their children to school and many parents would wait until the Primary age to begin formal schooling.

Guyana Times was told that this situation continued, which led to some Headteachers of Primary in-

stitutions being hesitant in accepting children without the nursery level education.

The inclusion of Nursery Education in the public system gave rise to the development of the Early Childhood Education Programme which allowed for teachers to be trained for two years of nursery in addition to the first two years primary education, now called Grades 1 and 2.

Research has shown that when teachers embarked on this programme, they were better equipped to prepare students for the transition from Nursery to Primary.

In Guyana, teachers are professionally trained at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) and the University of Guyana (UG).

On Thursday last, the Education Ministry announced that CPCE is currently interviewing prospective students for 2016-2017 after having received 1847 applications for its programmes: Associate Degree in Education (two years); Associate Degree in Education (one year); and, Trained Teachers Certificate (three years).

It was not specified how many applicants would be included for early childhood training. The statement however pointed out that “applicants will be selected based on the needs of the Administrative Region”.

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guyana-times.com

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

ARCHIE

Getting involved in something you believe in or helping (March 21- someone you love will bring April 19) you satisfaction and promote better relationships. A physical change will give you a personal pick-me-up.

ARIES

Count on others only if you

DILBERT

TAURUS want to be disappointed. You (April 20- have more than enough knowlMay 20) edge and skills to do what needs to be done on your own.

Believe in yourself

A chance to make extra GEMINI cash while doing something (May 21you enjoy looks promising.

June 20) Don’t let a needy person monopolise your time or deny you the chance to take advantage of an opportunity.

Think matters through CANCER and be sure to do things for (June 21- the right reasons. It’s time to July 22) put what you want first and stop letting others control your life. Be persistent and persuasive.

PEANUTS

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Educational pursuits, an apprenticeship or an educational endeavour will bring about positive vocational changes that can raise your profile and income. Socialising is featured, and romance is in the stars.

VIRGO Make an effort to update (Aug. 23- your image or improve your Sept. 22) domestic environment. A networking event will give you a platform to present what you have to offer

CALVIN AND HOBBES

Concentrate on making LIBRA personal changes and striv(Sept. 23ing to improve in any way you Oct. 23) can. Look for opportunities at networking events or industry conferences. You will put your skills to good use.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Emotionally fraught matSCORPIO ters will escalate if you aren’t (Oct. 24- willing to listen to others’ sugNov. 22) gestions or constructive criticism. Don’t let uncertainty and confusion weigh you down or prevent you from finishing what you start.

Look at the big picture SAGITTARIUS and weigh what’s doable and (Nov. 23what isn’t before you comDec. 21) mit to someone’s demands.

Empty promises and exploitative behaviour are prevalent.

Take more time to spend CAPRICORN with people who understand (Dec. 22- your vision. Backup will be Jan. 19) necessary if you want to bring about change that is not wanted by everyone.

YESTERDAY'S

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE You will make headway AQUARIUS financially, legally and per(Jan. 20- sonally if you take action and Feb. 19) make things happen. An opportunistic venture should not be ignored. Romance and personal growth are highlighted.

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

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

PISCES Learn as you go. Set real(Feb. 20- istic expectations that won’t March 20) draw interference from someone making demands or trying to control you. Keep personal information a secret to avoid a vulnerable situation.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Belgian Paralympian “not ready” to die A

19

Fury doping violation hearing after Klitschko rematch

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he Belgian Paralympian Marieke Vervoort, who suffers from an incurable degenerative muscle disease, says she will choose euthanasia, but not yet.

The wheelchair racer, who won a silver medal on Saturday in the 400m, said she signed euthanasia papers in 2008.

The Belgian press had reported she might take her life after Rio, but she rejected the speculation at a news conference following her victory.

She said she was "still enjoying every little moment".

"When the moment comes when I have more bad days than good days, then I have my euthanasia papers, but the time is not there yet," she told journalists in Rio. Euthanasia is legal in Belgium.

The 37-year-old suffers from a degenerative muscle disease that causes constant pain, seizures, paralysis in her legs and leaves her barely able to sleep.

She was just 14 when

Marieke Vervoort says she is “still enjoying every little moment of her life”

the diagnosis was made and gradually her life became "a constant battle".

In spite of it, she achieved a distinguished career in wheelchair racing, winning 100m gold and 200m silver in the 2012 London Olympics, and now a silver medal in Rio. But the punishing training schedule is proving too hard. This was her last Paralympics, she confirmed, making her Rio achievement bitter-sweet.

"It's a feeling of 'Yes, I

won a silver medal'", she told the BBC. "But there is also another side to the medal, the side of suffering and of saying goodbye to the sport. Because I love the sport, sport is my life."

The possibility of euthanasia gave her the courage to keep going as long as she has, she says, adding that euthanasia must not be characterised as "murder."

"It gives a feeling of rest to people," she says. "I know when it's enough for me, I have those papers." (BBC Sport)

hearing into Tyson Fury's charge for an alleged doping violation will take place in November, after his rematch with Wladimir Klitschko on 29 October.

Fury upset Klitschko last November to secure the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles but was charged by the UK AntiDoping Agency (Ukad) in June.

A provisional suspension was lifted pending an independent investigation.

Fury, who fights Klitschko at the Manchester Arena, has denied any wrongdoing and threatened to sue Ukad.

Co-promoter Frank Warren said: "After all the injuries and contractual problems, there is no danger of the fight not happening."

Fury confident of being cleared

The road to FuryKlitschko II has been a rocky one. It was originally scheduled for July before the 27-year-old Englishman turned an ankle in training.

In June, the media got wind that Fury and his cousin Hughie, also a heavyweight boxer, had been charged with a doping offence after the banned substance nandrolone was allegedly discovered in their

Klitschko shows his displeasure as Fury misses press conference

urine samples.

However, the samples were taken 19 months ago, nine months before Fury outpointed his Ukrainian rival in Dusseldorf.

Fury, 28, claims he was told by Ukad that he would face no action over the test and that a blood test taken at the time, as well as all tests since, revealed no traces. Hughie's case will also be reviewed by the National Anti-Doping Panel.

Fury's long-time promoter Mick Hennessy said he was "very, very confident" that his fighter would be exonerated after the investigation.

Fury did not attend Monday's news conference in London because

Wawrinka deserves to be in “big five” - Novak Djokovic

W

orld number one Novak Djokovic says tennis now has a 'big five' following Stan Wawrinka's US Open triumph.

Wawrinka beat Djokovic in four sets on Sunday to win his third Grand Slam.

"He plays best in the big matches and definitely deserves to be mentioned in the mix of top players," said Djokovic.

But world number three Wawrinka, who said he was crying with nerves before the final, insisted he was "really far" from the 'big four' of Djokovic, Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

That illustrious quartet have won 42 of the past 47 Grand Slams, though Wawrinka now has the same number of major titles as Olympic champion Murray.

In head-to-head matches against them, Wawrinka

Stan Wawrinka (right) adds the US Open to his 2014 Australian Open and 2015 French Open titles

trails Djokovic 19-5, against Murray he is 9-7 down, Federer leads 18-3 while Nadal is 15-3.

Wawrinka also only has one Masters 1000 title compared with Murray's 12.

"Just look at the tournaments they have won, how many years they've been there," said Wawrinka, who has now won his past 11 fi-

nals.

"If you look, yes, I have three Grand Slams. How many Masters 1000 has Murray? They have been there 10 years.

"They have not only been winning, but being in semi-finals, final every time. That's why I'm not there."

At 31, Wawrinka is the

oldest male US Open champion since 35-year-old Ken Rosewall in 1970 and only the fifth man in the Open era to win more than one major tournament after turning 30, following Rosewall, Rod Laver, Andre Agassi and Jimmy Connors.

He now needs the Wimbledon title to complete a clean sweep of the Grand Slams.

In reaching the US Open final, Wawrinka spent almost nine hours longer on court than Djokovic, a beneficiary of three retirements during the event in New York.

"He's a very complete player. If he feels right he doesn't miss much and he makes a lot of winners so it's hard to play him," said Djokovic, who also lost to Wawrinka in the 2015 French Open final.

Overcoming the nerves

Wawrinka's

confident

performance was at odds with his pre-match nerves, when he broke down in tears while speaking to his coach Magnus Norman "Before the final I was really nervous like never before. I was shaking in the locker-room," said the Swiss, who was match point down against Britain's Dan Evans in the third round.

"When we start talking five minutes before the match, last few things with Magnus, I start to cry," he said. "I was completely shaking.

"But the only thing I was convinced with myself was that my game was there.

"Physically I was there.

My game was there. Just put the fight on the court and you will have a chance to win.

"And that's what happened, after a few games when I start to believe in myself, I start to be in the match."

his car broke down on the way down from his home in Morecambe.

But his uncle and trainer Peter Fury said the boxer was "very upset" with Ukad and the way he has been treated by the British public.

"There's been chaos around this fight, especially with Ukad slipping statements out to the press," said Peter Fury.

"Tyson was found guilty before he was even tried.

But I told him that the main thing is he knows what the truth is and that it will come out eventually."

Klitschko not surprised

by Fury no-show

At a news conference to announce the first fight between the two rivals, Fury turned up as Batman, prompting Klitschko to speculate that perhaps he had dressed as the Invisible Man on Monday.

Klitschko, who had threatened to sue Fury's team over alleged contract tampering, also suggested his rival might not even show up on fight night.

"I wouldn't have been surprised if Tyson Fury had turned up and sung a song, so I'm not surprised he hasn't turned up at all," said 40-year-old Klitschko, whose defeat by Fury in their first encounter was his first for more than 11 years.

"Even if it doesn't happen in October, I will wait.

I've never had such a long break between fights but I've been active, even if I haven't been competing.

"I'm just waiting for my revenge - I just hope he's going to turn up.

"I'm enjoying being the challenger. It has been a great experience for me and it has made me obsessed with the goal of getting the belts back again."

"I don't feel my age. I'm still capable of performing as an athlete and I've just gained more experience as a fighter. And I'm not concerned about ring rust, because ring rust is in your head."

Asked how the rematch would be different, Klitschko said: "The end of the fight is going to be different. I'm not just obsessed about winning this fight, I'm obsessed about winning impressively."

Since beating Klitschko, Fury has been stripped of his IBF title for refusing to fight the governing body's mandatory challenger.

The IBF belt is now held by Fury's compatriot Anthony Joshua, while American Deontay Wilder is the WBC champion. (BBC Sport)

20 Umar Akmal recalled for series against world champions P GUYANA-TIMES.COM

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

akistan have recalled Umar Akmal to their T20 squad to face world champions West Indies in three matches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from September 23.

Akmal last played international cricket at the World T20 in March and was left out of the training camp in May, ahead of the tour of England, on disciplinary grounds. He was one of two players that former coach Waqar Younis felt should go back to domestic cricket and re-earn his place in the Pakistan side. In this season's National T20 Cup, Akmal hit a career-best unbeaten 115 that also included him hitting experienced medium-pacer Yasir Arafat for 34 runs in one over.

Changes in the squadIn: Umar Akmal, Rumman Raees, Saad Nasim. Out: Amad Butt It is learnt that Akmal was cleared for Pakistan duty after he had told

Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman, at a one-on-one meeting last month that there would not be any further issues with regard to his conduct.

"We always thought that Umar deserved a place in the T20 squad and he indeed is in very good form," Tauseef Ahmed, a member of Pakistan's selection committee, told ESPNcricinfo.

"We really don't need to go back into past [and think about] why he was dropped.

We got the required clearance from PCB before picking him. He is a good batsman and there is always a place for him in the squad."

Fast bowler Mohammad Irfan had picked up hamstring and calf injuries on the tour of England in the only match he played and has been left out.

Mohammad Hafeez was also out of consideration due to injury. Amad Butt, the 21year old uncapped seamer, was the only player dropped

Umar Akmal

from the squad that played England.

Left-arm seamer Rumman Raees, who was named to play the World

T20 but was later injured, and batting allrounder Saad Nasim, who has not played for Pakistan in over a year, have found a place in the

15-member squad.

Nasim was picked for tactical reasons. "We want to take a chance with a legspinner against West Indies,"

Ahmed said. "And observing him in the national circuit, I think he can give us some variety as he is also a solid batsman."

Raees has been earmarked as a future prospect.

"Rumman on other hand is booming fast bowler and we want to keep him on line with the national squad," Ahmed said. "He had been outstanding at the domestic level and we want him to be in contention."

Pakistan's new T20 captain Sarfraz Ahmed had led them to one of their most emphatic victories in the format, against England on Wednesday, to round off the tour.

Pakistan squad: Sarfraz Ahmed (capt), Khalid Latif, Sharjeel Khan, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Mohammad Nawaz, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Hasan Ali, Sohail Tanvir, Rumman Raees, Umar Akmal, Saad Nasim.

Audits done and available Pooran determined to be more than just a T20 player - Cameron responds to former WICB presidents Y

P

resident of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Dave Cameron, has come out swinging at the appeals of former presidents and officials of his organisation who have asked that CARICOM do a forensic audit on the organisation.

According to the president, there is no need for a forensic audit because the finances of the WICB are a matter of public record.

Cameron says anybody who wants to look, can go to windiescricket.com.

“Since Dave Cameron has become president of the West Indies Cricket Board, we have strengthened our internal audit process and governance so we have now, a committee called an audit risk and compliance. We have the services of PricewaterhouseCoopers and we have quarterly meetings and our auditors KMPG so all of our accounts are on the website for full viewing for everybody and that’s

Dave Cameron

my response to that,” said Cameron.

Former presidents Ken Gordon and Pat Rousseau have said the future of West Indies cricket is in jeopardy if things are left unchecked, the former going as far as calling the present board, ‘untouchable’.

However, Cameron insists that his organisation has been more transparent and open to change than any previous body. “When

we took over three years ago we went to Caricom and we asked Caricom to play a bigger role and have us come and report to Caricom on a quarterly basis and they have not seized the opportunity but we are always here.

We think Caricom is a very important partner, government in particular and we continue to believe that and we operate in that manner,” he said. (Sportsmax)

Match abandoned after fan ‘punches’ player

A

n FA Vase first-round qualifying match was abandoned on Saturday after a spectator reportedly punched a Worthing United player as he was substituted.

The incident occurred 70 minutes into Worthing’s home tie against Peacehaven at the Robert Albon Memorial Ground.

Sussex Police say a 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault, and has been bailed until 3 October pending further enquiries.

At the time the game was called off, Peacehaven were

The incident happened at Worthing United’s Robert Albon Memorial Ground on Saturday

leading 2-0.

“After receiving reports from the game, we are currently investigating the matter but no further comment is available at this time,” Sussex Football Association

chief executive Ken Benham told the Worthing Herald. ?

In a statement, Peacehaven said they will be holding a “full investigation into the incident”. (BBC Sport)

oung Trinidad and Tobago batsman Nicholas Pooran is already thinking of establishing himself as a player for all formats having only recently been selected for the West Indies team.

Pooran will join the regional team on the upcoming tour of Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.

Although the tour will feature games from all three formats of cricket, the 20-year-old will feature in three games for the T20 squad.

Pooran, a part of the Windies Under-19 team at the 2014 World Cup where he made 143 against Australia, is confident of eventually being a selection for all three in the near future.

“When I return from the UAE, I want to bat long and make a lot of runs in the four-day and 50 overs competitions and show everyone I’m just not only a T20 player. Also, I know my keeping isn’t my strength right now

Nicholas Pooran

and I hope to keep working on it and improving in this area,” Pooran told Cricbuzz.

The player, who had several strong performances in the CPL this season, admitted to being delightfully

surprised by the T20 callup.

“I couldn’t believe it and it’s a dream come true, because an aim of mine was to make the Wes Indies team before 21,” he said. (Sportsmax)

Burkina Faso’s Ben Idrissa Derme dies during French Cup tie

F

ormer Burkina Faso international Ben Idrissa Derme has died during a French Cup tie for amateur side AJ Biguglia.

The 34-year-old suffered a heart attack early in the second half of the third-round tie while playing for the French sixth-division side.

The medical services treated him on the pitch but were unable to revive him.

Derme had been capped four times by Burkina

Ben Idrissa Derme

Faso and had played in the French lower leagues and

in Moldova, as well as in Burkina Faso. (BBC Sport)

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21

SPORTS

GDF retains Lennox Blackmoore National Intermediate Boxing Championship — Keevin Allicock adjudged best youth boxer

I

n a night ram-packed with main event fights, in the end it was the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) who was the most successful boxing gym, having retained their title as the best intermediate boxing gym in the country, holding off fierce competition from the republican boxing gym at the National Gymnasium on the final night of the Lennox Blackmoore National Intermediate Boxing Championship on Sunday.

With 13 fights were carded for the night, seven of which were won by GDF boxers as 17 of their fighters were in action.

With the amateurs in action, in the first fight of the night Keevin Allicock represented the Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF) well. Allicock handed a second round knock out to Rose Hall Jammers’ boxer, Albert Thomas to win the Bantamweight category in just two minutes 11 seconds.

Allicock was also later in the night adjudged the Best Youth Boxer for 2016, living up to the reputation his family had set in the boxing fraternity with over seven of his brothers also stepping into the ring.

In the Lightweight category, GDF’s Travis Hubbard knocked out Rose Hall Jammers’ Jamal Eastman in a second round slugfest.

Eastman was out of the contest in two minutes two seconds.

For the Welterweight category, it was a battle between two youths from the Essequibo Boxing Gym as experience was the main factor when Akil Mounter got the better of Richard Lanferman in the second round as well.

Forgotten Youth Foundation’s Keevin Allicock was crowned the Best Youth Boxer 2016

As the contest moved into the elite fights, the Junior Flyweight Category victory was unanimously awarded to Anil Chitraj of GDF as he outfoxed his fellow lawman, Royden Nicholson in a crowd pleasing encounter. The two soldiers slugged it out with bursts of energy from Nicholson was not enough for him to get the win over the four rounds.

In another armyman match up, Don Cummerbatch out of the red Corner defeated Reeaz Jahurali in the Flyweight category.

Rose Hall Jammer’s Julius Kesney unsettled Courtney Lynch of GDF on his unanimous decision to cop the Bantamweight honours.

Jemol Brisport also conquered his GDF counterpart, Triston Browne in the Lightweight category while Rhondel Douglas of GDF was defeated by Republican, Delroy Nero.

Republican boxer, Joshua Joseph was also successful against a GDF boxer in the like of Orlando Norton in the Welterweight category.

In the Middleweight

Golovkin knocks down Brook in London thriller

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bout it was Joshua Frazer who emerged the better boxer over his fellow soldier, Darren McPherson.

In the Light-Heavy weight, Alnko Bess was victorious over Marvin Williams in another GDF clash.

Byran Leitch, boxing out of the Republican Boxing gym won the Heavyweight category against Ryan Roberts of GDF. In the final match up of the night, Renee Lewis downed Floyd Cato in the Super Heavyweight category.

The annual boxing championship was deemed a success with President of the Guyana Boxing Association, Steve Ninvalle. “I think the Lennox Blackmoore Intermediate Boxing was a success” adding, “there was great enthusiasum shown from all the teams participating, but the rivalry between GDF and Republicans were stretched, setting up a rivalry heading in to the National Open at the end of October.”

Ninvalle was particularly pleased with the return of drums, which added colour to the three-day event.

Gennady Golovkin (right) and Kell Brook trade punches in their epic fight

K

ell Brook bravely stood toe-to-toe with middleweight king Gennady Golovkin before being pummeled to a fifth-round loss.

Gennady Golovkin retained his WBC and IBF middleweight titles after overcoming Kell Brook's stunningly daring high-wire act in

five remarkable rounds at the O2 Arena.

Brook, who remains the IBF welterweight champion despite going down to a first career loss, stepped up two divisions to face the sport's most fearsome operator in Golovkin.

The 34-year-old Kazakh,

now in possession of a remarkable record of 36 wins from 36 fights and 33 inside the distance, eventually stalked and pounded Brook to a standstill in round five as the Sheffield fighter's corner frantically waved a white towel.

Speaking after the fight, Brook said he believed Golovkin broke his eye socket during a barnstorming second round and his bloodied features told their own story when the end came after one minute and 57 seconds of the fifth.

Golovkin once again professed his desire to fight Mexican star Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and he remains on course for the superfight the sport desires above all others, although he did not have things all his own way in London. (SportsMax)

22

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Hetmyer, Motie among 8 Guyanese selected for West Indies A-team

Veerasammy Permaul

Assad Fudadin

Vishaul Singh

Ronsford Beaton

Rajendra Chandrika

Reynard Leveridge

est Indies under-19 captain Shimron Hetmyer and Guyana Jaguars’ Gudakesh Motie are among eight Guyanese selected for West Indies A- team tour to Sri Lanka next month.

The West Indies A-Team are slated to play three Fourday matches and three One Day International matches from October 1 to November 1.

The other Guyanese players selected are: Rajendra Chandrika, Vishaul Singh, Keon Joseph, Assad Fudadin, Veerasammy Permaul and Ronsford Beaton.

Hetmyer, heads the list of youthful selectees after leading the regional team to glory at the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year. In the 19 year-old first match back in the Caribbean after winning the World Cup he cracked a scintillating 107 at Providence against Jamaica in the 2015/2016

West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Professional Cricket League (PCL) 4-day competition. He further gained selection to the WICB President’s XI against the touring South Africans.

Berbician left-arm spinner Motie, had an impressive debut in the PCL, where he finished fourth on the bowling charts with 40 scalps from seven matches with best match figures of 11-105. The 21 year-old, was recently selected for WICB President XI match against the touring Indians in St. Kitts.

West Indies Test opener Chandrika has been given a new lease on life after having a horrid time with the bat for the regional side in his five Tests to date.

The diminutive Singh call up comes as a result of the lush season with the bat in the PCL where he scored 712 runs from ten matches to finish third on the batting tally. He produced a top

score of 150, scoring two other centuries and one fifty, to average 50.85.

On the other hand, for right-arm fast bowler Joseph, this would be a great opportunity for the bowler who was given the chance to showcase his talent in the recent tour matches against India. Though Joseph only played four matches picking up 11 wickets, the former West Indies under-19 player is known for bulky workload on the field.

In the limited overs team, Fudadin who was one the top performers in the 2016 NAGICO Super 50 where he ended the tournament as the second leading run scorer with 259 runs from seven matches at an average of 51.80.

Similarly, left-arm spinner Permaul gets a chance to press for a recall in the senior team after being constantly ignored in the past despite him having success in the regional tournaments.

In the four-day competition he bagged 40 wickets while in the Super50 he picked up 14 wicket from seven matches at an economy rate below four.

Meanwhile, the lanky Beaton, who had an impressive stint in this year’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) where he only picked up four wickets playing for the Trinbago Knight Riders but his pace and consistency was for the most part, immaculate.

The teams will be coached by Graeme West – Coach with Guyana’s Rayon Griffith as Assistant Coach; Griffith severed in the same role for the victorious Guyana Jaguars over the past two seasons.

The squads comprise players who were consistent at WICB tournaments while a few players with international experience are also included. The fast bowling department seems strong and will be spearheaded by

Kemar Roach who is back from injury.

However, Reynard Leveridge who has never played a First Class match has booked his ticket to Sri Lanka as part of the fourday squad. The Jamaica Defence Force right arm fast bowler got his call up after he was spotted in the nets while bowling to the visiting Indian Test team at Sabina Park in August.

The Management and support staff include; Dwain Gill – Manager, Vernon K A Williams – Physiotherapist, Dinesh Mahabir – Data Analyst, Zephyrinus Nicholas – Strength and Conditioning Trainer.

West Indies A-Team – Four-Day squad: Rajendra

Chandrika, Kieran Powell, Evin Lewis, Vishual Singh (Vice Captain), Shamarh Brooks (Captain), Shimron Hetmyer, Jahmar Hamilton, Damion Jacobs, Rahkeem Cornwall, Gudakesh MotieKanhai, Kemar Roach, Keon Joseph, Delorn Johnson, Reynard Leveridge West Indies A-team - One day squad: Jason Mohammed (Captain), Rovman Powell, Andre Fletcher (Vice Captain),

Kyle Hope, Chadwick Walton, Andre McCarty, Assad Fudadin, Veerasammy Permaul, Jon-Russ Jaggesar, Damion Jacobs, Delorn Johnson, Ronsford Beaton, Kesrick Williams and Kyle Mayers.

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Canadian-based Guyanese Montfort elated to represent Canada

By Ravi Madholall in Toronto

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anadian-based Guyanese cricketer Mark Montfort has expressed elation after winning two caps last week having represented a Canadian High Performance team against a touring Bermuda side at Maple Leaf ground, Toronto.

The former Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) and Demerara Senior Intercounty all-rounder produced a sterling bowling display in his debut game with a fivewicket haul to lead Canada to a comfortable two-wicket victory.

In the second scheduled fixture, Montfort produced a fine batting performance by hitting an attractive 69 to help his team pull off an emphatic 54-run win.

In an exclusive interview, Montfort stated that he was more than joyful to wear the Canadian cap despite the match was an ‘unofficial’ limited-over contest.

“I was delighted with my performances on both days and now looking forward to get into the senior team for

Mark Montfort

international assignments,” Montfort declared.

Having known to bowl off-break, Montfort was influenced by his coach Henry Osinde to share the new ball and he did not disappoint after claiming 5-40 from ten penetrative overs on a responsive track in the first encounter.

“I was just running up and bowl medium pace in the practice session and my coach (Osinde) said to me you can just try your hand with some pace in the game and was happy to grab the opportunity with both hands but more importantly my team had come out

victorious,” the 31-year-old Montfort mentioned.

In addition to that, the left-handed batsman and right-arm bowler divulged he was very confident of doing well and to great extent satisfied with his contributions.

“I was pretty confident going into the match and to do well; thankfully I was able to take wickets with my medium-pace, scored some runs and the team won the two matches,” Montfort cited.

Montfort stated that he is grateful for the opportunity to stake a very strong claim for national selection and expressed deep optimism of getting there soon.

“Obviously, I am satisfied with those performances and I had wanted to impress the selectors to gain a place in the national side for upcoming series; I will continue to work hard and score runs,” Montfort related.

Since his emigration to North America in 2010, Montfort has been plying his trade for JB (Brampton) Masters Cricket Club in the annual Toronto and District Cricket Association Elite

competition.

Montfort was one of the two Guyanese-born cricketers in the HP side.

The other person was all-rounder Dilon Heyliger, who only played in the second game but failed to make an impression scoring six runs and bowled four wicket-less overs.

However, Heyliger was selected to represent the Nation’s Select X1 against the Bermudians and rattled up an impressive all-round showing by first making a steady 27 and then returned with his right-arm medium to snap up two wickets in their handsome 207-run victory via the Duckworth/ Lewis (D/L) method.

Heyliger represented Guyana at the regional youth tournament and also featured for Essequibo at the highest level.

Meanwhile, Bermuda was in Canada mainly to enhance their preparations just ahead of the forthcoming International Cricket Council Division 4 League limited-over tournament, which is billed for late next month in California.

Schedule October 4 - 7 1st 4-day R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium October 11-14 2nd 4-day Pallekele International Cricket Stadium October 18-21 3rd 4-day Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium October 24 1st One-day Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium October 27 2nd One-day Kurunegala Welegedera Cricket Stadium October 30 3rd One-day R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium

T20 players putting Test cricket at risk - Sir Viv

Sir Vivian Richards

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ricket legend Sir Vivian Richards has lambasted cricketers who only focus on the shortest format for financial gain, not recognising that it is killing Test cricket, the very essence of the sport.

Claiming that T20 cricket lacked substance, Sir Vivian accused players of just wanting to play for money.

“The attraction of Big Bash and IPL leagues is too strong and they are truly ignoring the spirit of the game,” said the man they called the Master Blaster.

“They must remember that at the very beginning, Test cricket was all we had, and then the shorter formats came much later.”

He said there needs to be greater control over the

movement towards the shorter form of the game if Test cricket is to remain relevant.

“All of the great players of this game - the Gavaskars, the Tendulkars, the Bradmans - they have come from Test cricket. And if we put too much emphasis on other formats, we will lose all those great performances over the years. Tests are the caviar of cricket, and the administrators need to lay a strong foundation here.”

He added that if players kept skipping one format to play in another more financially lucrative format, then that will only create a mass exodus of players who just want to play T20 cricket.

“It will ultimately kill off Test cricket then,” he said.

(Sportsmax)

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

23

Police nab maiden Mayor’s Cup Title A

BY ROMARIO SAMAROO

s the Mayor’s Cup Football Tournament came to an end, one last twist in the tail was on the cards as underdogs, the Guyana Police Force Sports Club unsettled favourites, Western Tigers in a thrilling on Sunday at the Tucville Ground, Georgetown.

After more than 20 years police were finally rewarded for their heroics, as the new champions carted off with the $700,000 first prize compliments of Aruwai Resort.

The much hyped finale turned out to be a one sided affair, after Western Tigers lost their bite which allowed the aggressive and more hungry Police unit to neutralize the timid tigers attack with more than 70 percent of the game being played in the Tigers’ half of the field.

A few mis-calculated shots only allowed Police to

finish the game with a 2-nil victory, though it seemed as if much more damage could have been done.

Police were lead brilliantly by their leading marksman, Anthio Wallace, who penetrated the defence of Western Tigers in the 25th minute. Wallace collected inside the box, after a deflect from Western Tigers’ goalkeeper and easily guided it in the net with one of the softest of touches.

With just four minutes remaining to the close of the first half, Wallace once again returned to score the to give Police a non-assailing 2-nil lead. Coming off a free kick from the left, Wallace leaped to the skies over the Western Tiger’s defenders to produce a stunning header in the 41st minute.

In the second half, Western Tigers were out of the contest as tiredness was evident on the players and

Police retrieved their first ever Mayor’s Cup Championship

desperation kicked in.

With less than 10 minutes remaining on the clock Randolph Wagner was given a red card after Western Tigers were desperately trying and failing to find the

back of the net.

In the last minute of play and the two extra minutes of injury time added on, a desperate showing for the Western Tigers tried to score but the Police defence

was on a high and prevented any other twist.

Coach of the Police team, Dwayne Bobb thanked Acting Commissioner of Police, David Ramnarine and the entire force for giv-

ing them the support they needed when the team was seen as just making up numbers. Bobb, who indicated that this was his fourth final after reaching this stage three times with Santos pointed out that the extra work done behind the scenes have paid off hugely.

In the battle for third place, Ann’s Grove needled Federal Winners Connection to end the tournament on a positive note.

Nkasi Denny pieced the Lindener’s defence in the 38th minute.

Western Tigers won $300,000 and the Ansa McAL trophy. East Coast Demerara side Ann’s Grove received the John Fernandes Trophy and $200,000 for their spirited showing in the tournament while Linden’s Federal winners Connection pocketed $100,000 and Ministry of State silverware.

RHTYSC Town Week 2016

“What makes me love riding is the Several businesses, Ministry of Social adrenaline rush” – Matthew Vieira Protection make contribution to festivities

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he Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club’s unmatched ability to attract sponsorship due to its proven track-record of success was on display over the last week as plans for the 46th Anniversary Celebrations of Rose Hall Town. The celebration would be launched on Wednesday September 14 by President David Granger and would be organised by the eight cricket teams of the RHTY&SC, M.S. The Club attracted sponsorship from Factory Price of King Street, Georgetown, the Ministry of Social Protection, the Regional Democratic Council of Region 6, the Toronto WestEast Group of the PNCR and the Guyana Beverage Company for the Week of celebrations, which would be the largest and most colourful Town Week celebration in the History of Guyana.

The Factory Price Store donated $50,000.00 worth of trophies towards the hosting of Sports Tournaments on Sunday September 18 at the Area ‘H’ Ground.

Cricket, football and basketball tournaments would be held as part of a Family Fun Day. The Ministry of Social Protection, the Toronto West East Branch of the PNC/R and the Regional Democratic Council all made financial contribution towards the construction of the Family Recreational Park and the printing of T/Shirts for RHTY&SC members.

The Family Recreational park would be opened on September 23

Speeding down the straight away and taking close corners is what the young rider lives for (Samuel Maughn photo)

BY AKEEM GREENE

F RHTY&SC, M.S Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster (right) receives Trophies from a representative of Factory Price

and would include a benab, swing, slide, seesaws, a flower garden among others as part of the Club’s and the Guyana Police Force Say No to Crime, Drugs and Suicide Campaign.

The Guyana Beverage Company would be donating drinks for the Opening Parade and would also sponsor Television Advertisements and the rental of some tents for the historic Rose Hall Town Career and Business Fair scheduled for Thursday September 22.

Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster disclosed that apart from a few minor problems to be resolved, all plans are in place for the host-

ing of the events by the eight cricket teams. He expressed special thanks to the Regional Chairman David Armogan, Minister of Social Protection Volda Lawerence, Tulsi of Factory price, Artie Ricknauth of the Toronto Group and Marc Telting of Busta for their cooperation.

Meanwhile, the RHTY&SC, M.S would like to inform all residents of Rose Hall Town that it is not associated with an upcoming Comedy Show nor is the show associated with the Town Week Calendar of activities. All events for the Town Week would be free of cost to the General Public.

rom the looks on the television or live at a track, motor racing by all counts seems to be a thrilling sport with riders and drivers putting their body on the line to achieve some phenomenal feats.

One of those daredevils is Guyana’s Matthew Vieira, who says the trill the sport gives him is what made him fall in love with the twowheel drive.

“The thing that makes me love riding is the adrenaline rush, cars can’t give you it, Go-karts can’t give it; nothing can beat you flying down the straight, dropping two gears and throwing your whole body basically on the ground to turn the bike” Vieira said in speaking to Guyana Times Sport.

The talented rider is the eldest son of Mark and Sadika Vieira and the brother of two siblings and explained why he went for the two-wheel ride instead of the cars considering his father is a former Caribbean Motor Racing (CMRC) Champion.

He stated, “I was thinking about the cars first when I was younger but I jumped on a bike and fell in love, that’s my passion”.

The 19 year-old who attended School of the Nations says his inspiration for the track life comes from Italian Valentino Rossi.

“He is one of the oldest riders on the grid now, battling a lot of young guns, he changed his style a number of times and I really look to emulate him”, the Super Bike champion revealed.

The rider who grew up in Bel Air Park, Georgetown, and moved to Rahaman’s Park where he lives presently with his relatives said that he has not fully committed to a profession in the sport.

Vieira disclosed, “I might go and take a shot at it somewhere in the United States later but it is just a hobby right now, just doing it for fun I don’t really think of it as career right now but probably if I go and continue to do well I might.”

Life in CMRC The teenage riding sensation currently is have a phenomenal season in the Caribbean Championships, where by an unofficially count he is in pole position to be crowned champion, should his stupendous performances continue come November 13 at the South Dakota Circuit.

However, last year he participated in the Super Bike category where he was deemed the champion rider but talented young man says life in the Super Stock division is very competitive.

“I’m Guyana’s super bike champion from last year but now this super stock category we are with in the Caribbean is more competitive; obviously my cousins Stephen and Elliot are my main competition but they had some top guys from the other countries, so it’s been a rough year,” he explained.

Prior to the Barbados leg of the championship his cousin Stephen was leading the points table and Matthew expects the battle to the finish to be tough.

He said, “I think Stephen will definitely give me a run but basically what I have to do is think about the championship and don’t do anything risky.”

Quizzed as to a constraint of local riders, the young Vieira immediately responded saying, sponsorship is tough but is grateful for the support of Rio Inn, Cyril’s Taxi, H.A.B International, E-Networks, Truck Masters, Game Express and Fast Graphics. (akeemg@guyanatimesgy.com)

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

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

Hetmyer, Motie among 8 Guyanese selected for West Indies A-team

Shimron Hetmyer

Gudakesh Motie

Pg 22

Keon Joseph

GDF retains Lennox Blackmoore National Intermediate Boxing Championship

— Keevin Allicock adjudged best youth boxer

Pg 21 The victorious Guyana Defence Force (GDF) retained the National Intermediate Boxing Championship at the National Gymnasium (Photo by Romario Samaroo)

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