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First Lady urges youth to invest in their future

– at National Youth Week Symposium P16

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

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 3223

Saturday, May 27, 2017

Potential closure of Uitvlugt Estate

PRICE

Page 3

Jagdeo urges sugar workers to be vigilant

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

P8 GPL criticised for constant ‘blackouts’ on Essequibo Coast

Spectacular flag raising ceremony – ushers in 51st Independence anniversary Centre pages

Mesmerised by the spectacular fireworks display, persons were seen in this composite photo with their cellphones capturing the moment during Guyana’s 51st Independence anniversary flag raising ceremony on Thursday night

Housing expo opens at Perseverance

Efforts P10 underway to establish domestic violence centre in Linden

Women Lawyers Association elects new P2 President, executive

Page 3

… 1 lucky applicant will win a low-income house lot on Sunday

Govt distributes pension books – without getting signatures

Page 7

Qualfon to open new P11 location at Providence

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NEWS

SATURDAY, MAY 27, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Women Lawyers Association elects new President, executive T he Guyana Association of Women Lawyers (GAWL) has elected, at its Annual General Meeting (AGM), a new executive committee to serve for the fiscal year 2017/2018.

A release details that the new executive consists of President Gaitree Ramona Rookhum, Vice President Shellon Boyce, Secretary Chandrawattie Persaud, Treasurer Alanna Lall, and Assistant Secretary Treasurer Nekeisha Persaud.

The Committee Members will be Jaya Singh-Backreedy, Denise Hodge, Coleen Sparman-Stephen and Anita Mohan-Hamilton.

The release noted that these lawyers all come from a solid legal background. The new President was admitted to the bar in 2008, where she joined the Chambers of Messrs Hughes, Fields and Stoby and is currently an associate of Richard B. Fields, Esq, SC, and is practising general civil law.

She takes over at the helm as the Association celebrates its 30year anniversary, being founded in 1987 by the now retired Honourable Madame Justice Desiree Bernard, the first female judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice. Its charter secretary then was the late Deborah Jan Backer.

Through the past three decades, the Association has been led by Sheila Chapman, Pearlene Roach, Claudette La Bennett, Susan Moore, Anande Trotman, Rose Benjamin-Noble, Roxane George, Rose Cadogan, Sandra Bart, Dale Kingston, Gem Sanford-Johnson, Sandra Kurtzious, Emily Dodson,

Newly installed GAWL President, Gaitree Ramona Rookhum

Simone Morris Ramlall and most recently Sadie Amin.

The Association is known for its publication of books such as ‘the Law and You’; ‘the Constitution and You’ as well as ‘Local Government and You’. These are all books designed to be user-friendly and to explain prevalent laws and procedures in layman’s terms.

Its annual activities also include educational and humanitarian outreaches to women and children, visits to inmates at the women’s prison

in New Amsterdam, and continuing legal education workshops for members.

The GAWL was founded in 1987 with the aim of giving legal advice and assistance to women in society.

Justice Desiree Bernard, a former Justice of the Caribbean Court of Justice, was instrumental in forming the association.

Justice Bernard, who was then a Puisne Judge, saw the need for an association which would seek to address the concerns of women in relation to legal issues that affected them. The founder members were Justice Bernard, Ms Elvy Edwards, Ms Sheila Chapman, Ms Deborah Osman-Backer, Ms Carole JamesBoston, Ms Birnie Stephenson, Ms Josephine Whitehead, and the late Mrs Pearlene Roach.

The Association is a voluntary organisation and it is not compulsory for women lawyers to be members of the Association. Of the approximately 125 women lawyers in Guyana currently, about one-third are members of the Association. Some of these lawyers are also members of the Guyana Bar Association, the membership of which is also voluntary.

Membership of this organisation is open to all women lawyers, whether they are members of the judiciary or magistracy, state counsel or in private practice.

With a motto of “Women Supporting Justice and Equality”, the Association has worked over the years to promote women’s rights and issues, especially as they relate to property rights and violence against women.

news

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, May 27 – 05:30h-07:00h and Sunday, May 28 – 05:30h-07:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, May 27 – 05:00h-06:30h and Sunday, May 28 – 05:45h-07:15h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Heavy rain showers with light cloud cover can be expected throughout the day, while clear to partly cloudy skies can be expected in the evening.

Temperatures should range between 24 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East North-easterly between 1.34 metres and 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 05:23h and 17:55 reaching maximum heights of 2.90 metres and 2.72 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 11:26h and 23:42h reaching minimum heights of 0.30 metre and 0.54 metre respectively.

wednesDAY, May 24, 2017

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20 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017

DAILY MILLIONS

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saturDAY, may 27, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Potential closure of Uitvlugt Estate

Jagdeo urges sugar workers to be vigilant I

n light of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) touting the possible closure of the Uitvlugt Estate over the fact that workers from Wales are refusing to work at the West Coast Demerara facility, sugar workers are being asked to remain vigilant.

This call was made by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo at a press conference earlier this week.

Government had merged the operations of the two West Demerara estates after closing the Wales Estate last year. It had noted that the Uitvlugt Estate is being upgraded to increase its production from 20,000 to 40,000 tonnes of sugar annually, which will demand more labour. In this regard, some 374 of the Wales workers were to be transferred to Uitvlugt but they have refused the employment offer, saying that it is unreasonable for them to travel some 22 miles to the West Coast Demerara facility.

In light of this situation, the sugar corporation said in a statement a few days ago that it may have to consider closing the Uitvulgt Estate if the nearly 400 Wales harvesters and cane transporters continue to withhold support from the Uitvlugt Improvement Programme.

However, this disclosure comes as a departure from what the National Assembly was told earlier this month

by Agriculture Minister Noel Holder when he presented the White Paper on the future of the sugar industry. The Minister had said that only the Rose Hall and Enmore Estates would be closed by year end, Skeldon will be divested.

According to Jagdeo, the ink on the White Paper has not even dried properly and there is now a new move to close another estate. “This betrays the thinking in some circles in the Government, and they don’t understand that they are not only putting sugar at risk, but our country at risk and its wellbeing,” he said.

workers their termination benefits and then re-employ them on a new contract.

White Paper

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

Severance

In their refusal of the transfer, the workers were requesting severance pay, and have been staging protest actions to get the Government and the sugar corporation to pay. GuySuCo has refused to make the payment, contending that the workers would be entitled to severance pay only if their services are terminated. The company further insists that the workers are not being transferred but will remain on the Wales payroll.

But former President Jagdeo pointed out that the law stipulates that if the transfer is more than 10 miles, then the workers have the right to refuse. In this regard, he posited that Government should pay the workers their severance, as was done by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration.

In fact, the Opposition Leader noted that Government can easily pay the

Moreover, turning his attention to the White Paper, which was dubbed ‘State Paper on the Future of Sugar Industry’, Jagdeo asserted that the document is hopelessly ill-conceived, misconceived, and does not address the future of the industry or the critical concerns of workers -- such as diversification into what, and how to ensure that there is no loss of welfare.

The Opposition Leader went on to outline that the document is not GuySuCo’s White Paper but a Government of Guyana White Paper.

He said this to highlight that GuySuCo is more concerned about profitability as a company, and he opined that Government has to be the one concerned about people’s livelihoods.

“There is a big difference between a government’s white paper and a profit and loss statement by a company making decision. So the Government has failed on those standards -- on tabling this White Paper and not addressing those critical issues,” he stated.

Against this backdrop, Jagdeo is urging the public that everyone in the community – man, woman and children – must all come out to show the Coalition Government their displeasure at what they are doing to destroy their livelihoods.

“As people have done in Georgetown with the parking meter, across race and across politics; as people have done with the VAT on education -they have come out and showed their displeasure, and (done) so peacefully and in large numbers. That’s what I’ve said at all my community meetings, and I hope people continue to do this in the sugar belt,” he noted. The Opposition Leader further posited that this Government pretends to be saving the industry and sugar workers, when in fact it has taken away 10,000 jobs from the workers.

Housing expo opens at Perseverance … 1 lucky applicant will win a low-income house lot on Sunday

T

he Communities Ministry in collaboration with the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) officially on Friday launched “Housing Solutions 2017 and Beyond” at Perseverance, East Bank Demerara.

The housing expo is geared towards providing low- and moderate-income earners, along with State employees and youths, the opportunity to access affordable houses in a modern setting.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CH&PA, Lelon Saul, underscored the importance of the expo, noting that it provides options and helps the body to execute its mandate. “We are guided by Government policies which are in sync with our mandate to provide affordable housing for the working class. Our in-

Attendees at the Housing Solutions 2017 and Beyond launch

terest is not only in providing service lots but more importantly, creating safe, cohesive and sustainable communities,” he said.

Minister with the responsibility for housing, Valerie Patterson said Housing Solutions focuses on the Government’s housing programme which seeks to improve the housing delivery system, especially to

low-income earners.

“The model village gives interested person a real life experience, you don’t have to use your imagination to see what your housing unit will look like; you can walk through the house and experience and interact with its design. You have a range of options from which to choose. The model village provides partici-

pating contractors a stage to showcase their products, designs, craftsmanship and new building technology. More importantly for us, it allows them an opportunity to partner with Government to make housing more affordable for Guyanese at a lower level of the economic scale,” Minister Patterson said. turn to page 9

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guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MAY 27, 2017

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

Discipline in schools: then and now

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dults in families are often to be blamed for the moral turpitude of the children under their care, and if inculcating false values into children is an instance of abuse, then many adults are guilty of both abuse and the misdemeanors that the children under their care commit. For instance, some children are encouraged by the adults in their lives to covet and steal the possessions of others.

We will take the privilege of quoting some passages from an enlightening chronicle of times past, documented in an autobiography entitled ‘A Goodly Heritage’ and written by Elma Seymour, wife of A.J. Seymour, renowned Guyanese writer.

(In the absence of their mother, who was visiting her elder daughter in the USA), Mrs Seymour related of their caregiver, “Aunt Car was truly a second mother to us, and papa left many of our problems in her hands. She was always helpful and kind. Besides, we all had to be very polite, well-mannered, and obedient; and no loose-talking or (loose) jesting was allowed in our home.

“Aunt Car was always one for encouraging the members of the family, especially those who were married and had started to raise a family, to establish the ‘Family Altar’, where prayers and Bible reading were said daily every morning.”

On the discipline and administration in the educational system, Mrs Seymour recorded, “The primary school system in those days was administered by a governing body for primary schools, and priests and ministers of the various denominational schools were appointed to monitor the administration of the schools. For example, at Carmel R.C., while I was there, Fr. McCaffrey was the priest who visited the school once or twice per month, to sign the payroll and the attendance register of teachers; look into any problem facing the head teacher; and sign in the logbook the date of his visit and any remarks he might have to make concerning the discipline of pupils or staff.”

This was during the first PPP Government, when C.V. Nunes was the Minister of Education.

There were also schools run by Hindu and Islamic organisations, with similar codes of conduct.

The products of this system were decent, well-behaved lawabiding adults who believed in the basic principles of honour, respect for their fellow humans, and compassion for the less fortunate in society.

The system involved training in decorum, deportment, and good manners, with the requisite and necessary inputs to achieving equitable intellectual, social and physical development, which started from the home, and which was strategically supported by a strong network involving the educational system and the community.

Any objective observer can easily argue how far down the ladder we have descended in social behaviour from the days when Mrs Elma Seymour taught school. Rather than a practice where families “pray together” in order to “stay together”, they instead drink together and fight together, and the only solution to this rapid decay in the moral fabric of society is that a holistic approach be taken, as in the days of yore, wherein there is total involvement of societal sectors to upgrade and enhance social behavioural norms.

The Government needs to take a pro-active approach in dealing with juvenile delinquency in a structured way, where children with severe discipline problems should be sent to obtain their education under rigid disciplinary conditions, which may serve to restore their sense of social responsibility.

Teachers are constrained from punishing children because of widespread concerns about abuse, and the media reported a recent incident where a very dedicated teacher gave an erring student a few lashes and was severely persecuted by students, their parents, and officialdom.

According to her, discipline has to be left completely to the parents, as teachers are allowed no latitude, despite the most provoking behaviour from troublemaking students, who even walk with weapons and threaten other students over trifling incidents.

Parents, on the other hand, can withhold privileges within the home environment, but without a simultaneous programme, wherein the school is allowed some leeway, even with monitoring from officials from the Education Department, the problems of society will continue to deteriorate into an escalation of violent and aberrant behavior, where even authority figures will be helpless to contain.

A school of sharks: National Geographic (Your Shot) photographer Kimberly Jeffries was scuba diving in the Galápagos Islands when dozens of scalloped hammerhead sharks began swimming above her. “Without the use of video lights or strobes it was challenging to shoot straight up,” she recalls, “but we didn’t want to disturb the sharks with flashes. It’s beautiful to witness nature in its untouched and wild form like this.” (Photo by Kimberley Jeffries, National Geographic)

Is M&CC the most profligate municipality in the world?

Dear Editor, The Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown (M&CC) must have, by now, attained an achievement that could be recorded in the Guinness Book of Records – their being the most profligate municipality in the world.

The Council has, over the last several months, created scores of new positions at the senior management level, whilst filling many other senior positions that had become vacant but were deliberately not being filled as an act of fiscal restraint and due to the lack of necessity for them.

Could someone say why the Town Clerk’s Office needs a town clerk, a deputy town clerk and two assistant town clerks? In the past, when the City was properly managed, they had no assistant town clerks.

Why does the City Engineer’s Department need seven engineers on the staff whilst the City continues to flood, the roads are filled with holes, and bridges collapse everywhere?

Why do they need a Public Relations Section staffed

with so many persons, when the image and reputation of Georgetown continues to be at its lowest ebb?

Why do senior functionaries need bodyguards? Are they afraid of being robbed of their wealth? Why does the Council need to create a Human Resources Department, when the Personnel Section they had was notoriously underperforming and was underutilised? This section was capriciously upgraded from a section to a department. Of course, everyone within that section, starting with the head, was catapulted up the salary scales with fancy and important sounding titles.

Then many new positions were added with these positions, carrying with them super salaries, allowances, and many other perks.

Of course there has been no improvement in the management or motivation of Council’s human resources, as these persons were not given the tools and, in many instances, lack the competence to perform. So they are just enjoying the ride of their lives off the backs of the citizens.

Another archetypal instance is the upgrading of the Municipal Cleansing Section -- a section that came under the Public Health Department; that had responsibility for managing the incinerator, several landfill sites around the City, and the entire process of refuse collection in the City though its own fleet of garbage trucks, graders, etc -- to the Solid Waste Department, with a lot of fancy sounding positions whilst at the same time outsourcing more than 90 percent of refuse collection in the city, closing down the Incinerator, ‘Old Smokey,’ and giving up responsibility for managing landfill sites. It is totally amazing!

The irony of this situation is that in years gone by -- when they had fewer fancy departments; less highly paid managers and directors; no public relations section; senior staffers who did not have chauffeurs, bodyguards or sports utility vehicles to drive around in and to drop their children to school and do families’ shopping; no cutting-edge, all-expenses-paid

cellular phones; none of the many overseas training opportunities and first class trips abroad, which they currently enjoy -- Georgetown was the Garden City of the Caribbean. It was immaculate, with smooth roads, working streetlights, clean drains that children played in, good sanitation, and proper security in the markets, etc.

Today, with all of that reckless and uncontrolled spending on themselves, the City stinks! There are junkies and thieves everywhere, the municipal markets have the largest rodents in the world, the drains are clogged with weeds and unmentionables, animals are bludgeoned to death at the abattoir, the Stabroek Market wharf has collapsed, the Kitty Market is still to be completed, the City Hall building looks like a deserted haunted castle, the Merriman’s Mall has become a shantytown, and visiting the cemetery is akin to going on an exotic safari trip. It is all such a mess!

Sincerely, Sean Levius

Govt urged to examine sugar the same way it does oil

Dear Editor, According to media reports, Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, has said that notwithstanding a refinery was not feasible, the Government would have to take a political decision, as many benefits expectedly will accrue to Guyana and Guyanese. The Minister’s statement follows the presentation made by the consultant who had examined the feasi-

bility of establishing an oil refinery, and it is indeed appropriate. It is pleasing to note Trotman’s approach to oil, but at the same time I recognise that the Administration is not taking an even approach to all sectors and areas of national life. While the investment in a refinery is seen as possibly a worthwhile project despite the negative economic conclusions, we see that in the sugar industry a

completely opposite approach is being taken. Sugar is recognised by all and sundry for the diverse role it plays, yet the Government, in spite of the compelling evidence and arguments, has -- for whatever reason -- chosen to shun the industry and promote plans for its miniaturization, which will surely have negative consequences for tens of thousands of people.

I urge the minister and

the Government to examine sugar in the same way it does oil. After all, sugar is already a tremendous economic advantage for the country. An objective and sincere examination of sugar will reveal its importance to the nation at this time, and the need for its support, and not its destruction.

Yours sincerely, Patricia Persaud

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MAY 27, 2017

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

Some Guyanese commonalities Objecting to May 26 being date of with Manchester City Guyana’s Independence celebration Dear Editor, Terrorists affiliated with ISIS and other radical groups have been targeting mass congregations in Western cities like Manchester, massacring unarmed civilians, children included.

Peoples’ lives are being cut down, even at a tender age.

Although we are not directly affected by terror, Guyanese should stand in solidarity with Manchester in the United Kingdom. Although far away in location, Manchester is important and closer to Guyanese than we think.

There is a somewhat direct connection with Manchester for Guyanese and other West Indian people. Several Guyanese have studied or are studying in Manchester. Some Guyanese and their siblings are settled in Manchester. Cricket is very popular in Manchester, and Guyanese cricketers played there in county cricket and international competitions.

Shivnarine Chanderpal is attached to Lancashire, which is not far from Manchester, where he also played along with Clive Lloyd and others.

In school, we studied the Industrial Revolution which began in Manchester. Raw materials from Guyana ended up in Manchester for factories and for the industrial revolution; our sugar, rice, and lumber also end up in Manchester. Many Guyanese

visit Manchester, a fantastic city, as tourists. History books note that “the first steam-powered cotton mill opened there in 1781”, and it has had a profound effect on shipping from or to Guyana – products and people (slaves, indentured labourers, etc).

Manchester was the home of radical thought which define the ideology of dominant political parties in Guyana.

The concept of the working class, which is popularly used among trade unionists and parties in Guyana, came from Manchester. The idea of a Trade Union Congress, which we have in Guyana, was copied from the UK and came from Manchester. In university, political science and economics students are mandated to study history of the working class. The Suffragette Movement also was founded in Manchester, and is compulsory study in classes in all social science disciplines.

Marxism and left wing ideology had a notable presence in Manchester. Marx and others who studied the working class (and of constructing a better society) had Manchester in mind when they wrote about class or a classless society.

Marx himself spent time in Manchester, where he met Friedrich Engels. They collaborated on writing the Communist Manifesto, which is compulsory reading for students of history, economics,

political science and sociology.

Marx read economics books at a library in Manchester.

Marxists make reference to Manchester in their writings, especially in critiques on industrial development and exploitation of the working class.

The British Labour Party had a foundation in Manchester, and from that place many principles so important to so many left wing parties were founded, including our own PPP. So we have inherited a lot from, or have several commonalities with, Manchester.

And we should stand in solidarity as they come to grips with a terror attack.

As security analysts note, terror attacks appear unstoppable, as one city after another is brutally targeted with improvised bombs to hurt the maximum number of people. Concerts and sports activities are targeted. ISIS is hoping their terror will trigger ethnic wars within the West (between Muslims and Christians) and between the West and Islamic countries.

This must not be allowed.

Prime Minister Theresa May said after the attack that the spirit of tolerance in Britain will continue.We all have a part to play, and we must join authorities everywhere to stop the planners and organisers of this radical violence.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

Dear Editor, The People’s Progressive Party (PPP), under its current leadership of Dr Bharrat Jagdeo as the Opposition Leader, should object to May 26 being the date of Guyana’s Independence celebration. For unknown reasons, the PPP has failed to articulate this during its recent administrations.

In the past, however, the PPP, under the leadership of Dr Cheddi Jagan, had recorded in a timely manner its objection to the use of May 26 as the date for independence, in light of the atrocities that occurred in the Wismar-ChristiansburgMackenzie area (i.e., today’s Linden) on or about May 26, 1964.

Specifically, on November 19, 1965, the PPP welcomed Independence, but stated: “The Party fails to understand, however, the significance of the date, May 26, unless it is the wish of the British and British Guiana Governments to make it symbolic of their contempt for the Guyanese people, and a grim reminder of the unfortunate events of May 25/26, 1964 and their aim to keep the Guyanese people divided.”

Arguably, most Guyanese do not know about what happened in the WismarChristiansburg-Mackenzie

Unhindered venality to its highest Dear Editor, The Georgetown Municipality must be the most paradoxical, twisted and bizarre entity in Guyana.

On one hand its officials constantly cry out about being cash strapped, bankrupt, and unable to provide the most basic and essential of municipal services to the citizenry of the capital. On the other hand, they just splurge hundreds of millions of dollars a year on themselves, without care or concern, for which the citizenry gets no returns.

This is just unhindered venality to its highest.

Around the world, governments, local governments, businesses both small and large, public corporations and other entities have all been downsizing their human resources due to the economic crunch caused by shrinking economies, and as a consequence of increasing the efficiency of their operations through mechanisation, automation, computerisation, etc.

At the Georgetown Municipality, they have been doing the exact opposite. They have been upsizing their human resources in a major way, and not at the lower-level, labour-intensive areas where the sanitation workers, labourers, construction workers, weeders, etc, are placed; but at the top tier, where their pals are earning fat cat salaries, allowances and other perks for hardly do-

ing anything.

It should be noted that, during the last two years, whilst engaged in this obtuse featherbedding, the Council has opted to contract out most of their services and obligations, which should have resulted in the retrenchment of most of their staff, but instead did not. A few examples to which I refer would be the engagement of a private guard service without a tender process and in which a member of the ‘Fantastic Four’ has a special financial interest. This is whilst still having guards on the employ of the Council, and an entire City Police Department costing tens of millions of dollars per month.

They have also hired a contractor to install electrical cabling and fixtures in the City Constabulary Training School whilst deliberately opting not to utilise their own electricians, who remain idle in the meanwhile. Incredibly, they have also hired this same contractor, who seems to be a ‘Jack of all Trades’ to weed parapets, clear the drainage of aquatic overgrowth to the tune of hundreds of millions per month, whilst having their own weeders, tree trimmers, drainage workers, and sanitation workers fiddling. This is all without tender or bidding procedures being adhered to.

Why would the Council be allowed to call a fire sale in

which it literally gave away most of its garbage collection trucks received as donations from Government, and other refuse collecting and excavating equipment, when it has a financially starved mechanical workshop with the capacity to refurbish and maintain these pieces of equipment.

Before long, the contractors to whom they sold this equipment will have these

items fully functional again, and would rent them to the very Council at a rate several times more than they bought it for, laughing all the way to the bank. I do not believe that the decision makers at City Hall are totally senseless, so there must be some other motivating factors.

With thanks, Riley Matthews

area on and about May 26, 1964. Thus one “celebrates” independence without questioning the historical significance of the May 26 date.

Over the last 50 years, this information has been suppressed. Books are published, history classes taught, articles written, and speeches made while ignoring the atrocities that occurred; and, naturally, their resulting consequences still undermine institutions in Guyana, including the ideas of democracy and self-rule.

While the extent of the complete damage is still unknown, the Guyanese people should know that on May 26, 1964, hundreds of Guianese East Indians, including children, found themselves fleeing with their trauma, hunger, and significant injuries on two steamers -- M.V. Barima and the R.H. Carr -- travelling 60 miles down the Demerara River from the WismarChristiansburg-Mackenzie area to Georgetown.

Most of their possessions, including livestock and land, were looted or uncompensated for.

On May 26, 1964, over 200 homes and businesses owned by Guianese East Indians were burned down or

were still burning. On May 26, 1964, scores emerged out of the jungle, where they had hidden overnight, to flee on the steamers. On May 26, 1964, women were admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital to undergo surgery, having been sexually violated. On May 26, 1964, bodies of persons murdered lay in the Mackenzie hospital morgue, still to be examined by a pathologist, et cetera.

There is absolutely no logical or patriotic reason for this date to have been chosen. Today, there are persons who survived these atrocities and have every right to celebrate Guyana’s independence, but cannot do so for obvious reasons.

It is time to stop living and celebrating a farce. The calendar has more than 300 days from which the political powers that be may choose a new date (to celebrate) independence; (one) that is not characterized by violence, disrespect, division, racism, murder, arson, and sabotage. It is time that the PPP, having publicly objected to the May 26 date, articulate this issue in the National Assembly.

Sincerely, Rakesh Rampertab

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SATURDAY, MAY 27, 2017

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guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation

Encouraging independence in young children

– how to gently nudge your children out of their comfort zone

BY Kyle D Pruett, MD

Do collisions make young drivers safer?

– teen drivers are affected by crashes – at least temporarily

By Art Markman, PhD

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tsunami of cartoons mocking 25-year-olds for living with their parents has arrived on our screens. Simultaneously, there are many four-year-olds who can operate a smartphone just fine but can’t/won’t get the milk from the fridge for their morning cereal. Are these phenomena related? Maybe causal?

Well-meaning parents, especially the really busy ones, struggle with the desire to prove their love and devotion to their children’ success in life without undermining their children’s sense of achievement and pride. How are parents supposed to nudge their children toward the edge of their comfort zones (the place where most growth actually occurs) and allow them to fail just enough for them to know that they are not losers and will be able to handle what life will deal them?

Most parents are wise enough to know this dilemma is not so much about them as it is about how to support and appreciate their child. What comforts or bothers the child, what does the child fear, what is challenging to pry the child away from? Once parents have some idea about who their child is, it becomes easier to figure out how to gently nudge him or her out of his or her comfort zone. If the child is bold, he or she might periodically need a governor, but if the child is shy, he or she might periodically need a loving nudge, which should be done from the sidelines. It is your child’s game (party, sleepover, friendship, etc) to win or lose, and learn from, in the process. This is hard for many parents because it means they are not in control of the outcome.

The outcomes and the lessons learnt belong to the child, not the parents. The child who figures out, with parental encouragement, how to have a good time at the party of the child he doesn’t really

like is unlikely to fear the next party invitation. Parents can encourage autonomy in their children by managing their own anxieties first, then consciously expecting, while supporting, children to figure out how to do things themselves, messy as it may be at the start. Here are some tasks children can help with that encourage independence.

Three-year-olds should be able to dress themselves (with some supervision), help set and clear the table, stow the toys after play and the clothes after wearing, wash their hands and face and brush

I

have three kids, and over the years, I have seen each of them get a driver’s licence and go out on their own. I didn’t consider myself an anxious parent, yet I still worried a bit every time the kids took off in their cars. After all, I remember some of the silly things I did in my car as a teenager – accelerating quickly out of traffic lights, zipping around corners, and speeding on the highway.

Eventually, those teenage tendencies calm down a bit.

Drivers get safer. That is why the car insurance rates for teens are so much higher than for adults.

There are many factors that contribute to people becoming safer drivers as they get older. There is a general tendency for people to get less sensation-seeking as they age. People’s sense of the risks of an accident also starts to outweigh the thrill of dangerous driving.

An interesting question is whether being involved in a collision affects driving behaviour? When teens have first-hand experience with a crash, does that make them less likely to drive dangerously in the future?

This question was explored in a paper in the April 2017 issue of Psychological Science by Fearghal O’Brien, Joe Bible, Danping, Liu, and Bruce Simons-Morton.

It turns out that it is hard to assess people’s driving behaviour.

You can ask them about their attitudes about driving and their behaviours, but teens may not know enough about safe driving to give accurate assessments about their safety. In addition, when teens are aware that they are driving unsafely, they may not want to admit it.

So, these authors did something more elaborate. As part of a broad study, they were able to put data collection devices in the cars of 254 drivers who were 16- or 17-years-old. These devices

their teeth. It helps to make these routine and reinforce them with humour.

Five-year-olds should be able to pick out their clothes (and later get them to the laundry), brush or comb their hair, handle simple chores like dusting and filling pet food dishes, memorise their contact info and make an urgent phone call.

Seven-year-olds should be able to help prepare meals, make their own beds and sandwiches, stow groceries, understand where money comes from and where it goes and why. (psychologytoday.com)

had cameras pointed inside the car as well as forward. They also had a device to measure acceleration. When someone is driving dangerously, then they have lots of significant accelerations and decelerations in driving. They may pull away quickly from traffic lights, swerve around corners, or jam on the brakes.

So, the authors counted the number of these significant acceleration/deceleration events per 1000 miles driven each month for the drivers in the study. That was a measure of how dangerously the teens were driving.

Of the teens in the study, 41 were involved in significant collisions (meaning that the Police had to be notified of the accident). So, how did these crashes affect driving behaviour?

First off, the driving behaviour of teens who had a collision was compared to that of the teens who did not have a collision in the months before they had a crash. Teens who were involved in a crash were more dangerous drivers overall. That is, on average, they had a higher number of acceleration/ deceleration events than the teens who did not have a crash.

That means that these teens were more prone to accelerate quickly, turn sharply, and brake suddenly.

After the crash, teens changed their behaviour immediately.

In the month after the crash, they had many fewer acceleration/ deceleration events. This change persisted in the second month after the crash. However, by the third month after the crash, these teens had many more of these acceleration/deceleration events. By three months after the crash, these teens were driving more dangerously than teens who had not been involved in a crash.

This analysis suggests that having a significant crash does affect the behaviour of teens for a few months. By the third month after the collision, however, they returned to the style of driving they engaged in before the crash.

There are two interesting aspects to this study. First, crashes are not purely random events. Drivers who engage in more dangerous behaviour really are more likely to get into a collision than those who drive more safely. Second, direct experience with the dangers of driving has only a short-term impact on overall behaviour. (psychologytoday.com)

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SATURDAY, may 27, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Govt distributes unsigned pension books

– PAC member chides Ministry reps for illegal action, flimsy excuses

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ecent instances of old age pension books being issued with no one signing for them, in order to ensure accountability, have come to the attention of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

According to PAC member parliamentarian Juan Edghill, it is an illegal act to be issuing pension books and not collecting signatures.

However, he stated that a representative of the ministry has admitted that employees of the ministry did

just that, during the PAC’s latest meeting.

“That was an admission made at the PAC by the accounting officer at the Ministry of Social Protection -- that there are pension books that were issued (for which) no signatures could be found,” Edghill stated in a recent interview.

It is understood that upon being pressed by the PAC for an explanation, representatives of the ministry stated that a crowd crisis at the distribution point caused the

books to be issued without being signed for.

“It is an illegal issue,” Edghill affirmed. “And the explanation they gave was that there was a crowd crisis.

So people collected the books without signing. It’s not plausible, it’s not acceptable and it can’t stand the scrutiny.

“Because if you have a crowd crisis, what you have to do is control your crowd and continue,” the former Junior Finance Minister said. “But you can’t just be passing out books to people and they’re

Harmon calls for social cohesion – at Region 3 flag raising ceremony

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inister of State, Joseph Harmon, promoting social cohesion among residents of Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara), has called on them to embrace each other, regardless of whatever differences there may be.

“We can only truly be united as a people if we understand and appreciate each other in all our diversity. True national unity has to be based on mutual respect, mutual trust and common understanding. At the basis of all this must be an appreciation of our respective histories, including our struggles as separate groups before our Independence,” he explained.

Addressing residents and officials at the Region Three flag raising ceremony to commemorate Guyana’s 51st Independence anniversary on Thursday night, Harmon said he is convinced Guyanese will come together to build a cohesive society, and Government believes Guyana can only become a truly developed and prosperous nation on the basis of national unity.

“From the inception, it was recognised that national unity was indispensable

Minister of State Joseph Harmon

to our success as a people.

Throughout our 51 years of Independence, there has been a consistent clarion call -- by all who would like to see Guyana foster true development -- for national cohesion and for national unity. In our quest for social cohesion and national unity, we can deduce many lessons from the historical struggle of our people in their peculiar circumstances throughout our history. Our common struggles against the colonial masters have set the stage for the moulding of our nation. No matter how deep our differences seem to be, the ties that bind us and the values that unite us far out-

weigh those differences,” he adumbrated.

Harmon has pledged Government’s commitment to working towards making Guyana a unified nation, wherein everyone is able to meaningfully contribute to the development of the nation.

“We shall work towards a future that is culturally enriching, economically self-sustaining, and politically cooperative. We shall never rest from working to fulfil our promise of a good life for all Guyanese. As we celebrate, let us resolve to get to know each other better, and strive together to foster true development so that we can all enjoy the good life in our beautiful land -- Guyana the free,” he appealed.

Region Three Chairman Julius Faerber echoed sentiments that were similar to Harmon’s, and noted that the future of any region or country depends on its people and their ability to unite and work together. He noted that, since Independence, steps have been taken in the country to ensure a unified, prosperous nation, but he said the citizens must now work together and each must do their part to ensure that these goals are achieved.

PAC member Juan Edghill

not signing (for them).”

While in opposition, the coalition had claimed that the People’s Progressive Party had inflated the list of pensioners by thousands.

The parties had claimed that investigations and a study were done. However, demands to produce this evidence were never met by the coalition; and today, the number of old age pensioners has risen.

A forensic audit had been launched into the Old Age Pension Scheme subsequently revealing that the previous Ministry of Social Protection was not being accountable for the distribution process of pension books.

This was the finding of auditor Leslie Veerasammy of Nizam Ali and Company.

The audit covered the period January 1, 2015 to May 31, 2015. When it was completed, there were a number of recommendations to improve the system.

During the probe, Veerasammy said it was found that “there was no proper accountability for the 50,500 OAP books printed for 2015, as reconciliation is not maintained between books printed versus books used.”

It has been noted that the total amount of eligible pensioners as recorded in the pension database stood at 45,262 at the beginning of 2015 during January 1, 2015 to May 31, 2015, and there

Amna Ally now heads the Social Protection Ministry

were 2301 additions and 587 removals. Therefore, the total amount of eligible pensioners as per the database at May 31, 2015 was 46,976.

Moreover, during the investigation, it was found that some 27 instances were found where persons collecting the pension books were not the eligible pensioners.

The auditor stated that attempts were made to confirm the existence of these persons by contacting them, but the exercise was unsuccessful.

Furthermore, the probe highlighted instances when pension books were dis-

tributed in hinterland areas through the Toshaos or Village Councillors; hence there is no need for pensioners to sign the prescribed distribution sheet when uplifting their books. This, Veerasammy explained, opens room for misconduct.

The auditor had recommended that the ministry provide a detailed reconciliation of all OAP books for 2015, including the number of books printed, number of books issued to social workers, number of books returned by social workers, damaged books, and number of books on hand.He also made a recommendation for a monthly reconciliation to be done. It is not clear whether a monthly reconciliation system was indeed implemented in keeping with this advice.

Last year, the Government had announced that an automatic distribution system for old age pension would be introduced by January 2017.

As part of the new system, the ministry had announced that pensioners would be required to have the new National Identification Card, rather than the nine-digit ones formerly used.

8 news

SATURDAY, may 27, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

GPL criticised for constant ‘blackouts’ on Essequibo Coast – region’s flag raising ceremony disrupted twice by power outages

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ontinuous power outages on the Essequibo Coast have twice disrupted the proceedings of the Independence programme in Region Two on Friday morning.

Region Two (Pomeroon/ Supenaam) Chairman Devanand Ramdatt has said Essequibians living along the Coast are fed-up and frustrated at the poor and unacceptable service being offered by the power company.

Speaking at the flag raising ceremony for the 51st Anniversary of Independence, held on Friday morning at the Anna Regina car park, Ramdatt said the region’s RDC is disappointed at the way the utility company is treating Essequibians. He noted that the flag raising ac-

Region Two Chairman, Devanand Ramdatt

tivity gave him the opportunity to “speak out on the poor quality of power supply,” and to raise his concerns on the

poor quality of service being offered by the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL). His comment came immediately after the programme was disturbed by periodic power outages.

Some of the items on the programme had to be struck out since there were no electricity. Speakers at the event had to continue their speech either without electricity or with power from a vehicle. Ramdatt said this is unacceptable, and he cannot understand why, even as Guyana celebrates 51 years of Independence, there is an unreliable power supple despite the country’s vast natural resources.

The first outage happened when Regional Officer Deryck Persaud was deliv-

ering opening remarks. He was forced to step under the shed, where he spoke without the support of a microphone.

Calypsonians had to sing without their tracks. Those who attended the function were very disappointed that most of the items were struck out. Residents questioned the planning committee and why is it that a ‘stand by’ generator was not considered for such a significant event as the country’s Independence celebrations.

The Chairman alluded to the fact that Region Two has been experiencing severe power outages, and despite several complaints made to the company, there is no valid reason why the region is receiving unreliable supply of power. (Indra Nathram)

ChildLinK engages schools to stamp out child abuse

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hildLinK Inc, in collaboration with Family Awareness Consciousness Togetherness (FACT), Heavenly Light World Outreach Fellowship, and The Orchid Foundation, is currently engaging primary and secondary schools in Regions Three, Four and Five to conduct sensitisation sessions as part of its current project, the Child Rights Alliance (CRA).

The facilitators of these sensitisation sessions are trained by ChildLinK’s Child Care Counsellor and Trainer, Stacy Parris, to engage students in classroom discussions about various topics relating to child abuse, measures to prevent child abuse, and the rights and responsibilities of the child.

Child Care Counsellor and trainer, Stacy Parris

Parris’s experience in the CRA and past projects continue to highlight how important teachers are to increasing the number of reported cases of

child abuse.

Parris has several years of experience providing counselling and sensitisation to children, and training teachers in new approaches to address violence in schools. In her experience, she has noted a gap between students and teachers.

“Children are generally of the view that they cannot be open and honest to their teachers. I would ask students (who were abused), ‘Why is it that you never told your class teacher, a particular subject teacher or even your head teacher?’ And they would often say, ‘Who can I trust?’” the childcare counsellor and trainer said.

“Teachers can bridge the apparent gap by showing a genuine interest in their students and by being more vig-

ilant, even though we know this is adding more to their already heavy workload,” she explained.

“Teachers have their curriculum to teach, registers to update, work plans and other reports to produce, and that is going to take up most of their time. But if teachers really want to help their students to learn, a holistic approach is crucial,” she posited.

Noting that a child cannot learn effectively if his/ her world outside of school is unbalanced, Parris said: “Teachers should have a genuine interest in their students, and be able to get to know them better. Know a little about the child’s home situation and their community. A teacher must also be vigilant in order to observe changes in a child’s behaviour.”

The sensitisation sessions, conducted by members of the CRA, continue to further illustrate that there are many unreported cases of children suffering from child abuse while attending schools.

When children learn about abuse and know that are systems in place to protect them, they often feel encouraged to come forward and report their stories to the facilitators, the trainer noted.

Meanwhile, CRA partners working in Regions Three, Four and Five have sensitised 473 students in three secondary schools and two primary schools. Of the 473 students, 34, or 1 in every 13 students, indicated to a CRA facilitator that they were abused in some form.

While those figures are not indicative of the national situation, they are nonetheless disturbing. The cases of abuse reported to the Child Rights Alliance facilitators are physical, sexual and neglect.

ChildLinK and the CRA partners follow the protocol of Guyana’s child protection system by reporting child abuse cases to the Child Care and Protection Agency (CPA).

Independence…

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…in Guyana or most of the PNC’s first go at running things in Guyana, they didn’t “big up” “Independence” much; Republic Day was their thing, with Mash as the centrepiece. You couldn’t really find fault with their rationale: At Independence, the Queen was still the Head of State via her proxy, the Governor General. What was the point of “independence” if -- even nominally -- you had to genuflect to the old order?

With the attainment of Republicanism, the country could do its own thing to really be independent. The question Pressie should’ve answered, in the estimation of your humble Eyewitness, was: How much had we actually become independent? And to the extent we have lapsed, it can’t all be dumped at the door of the PPP government, which was ousted two years ago.

Yes, they were there for 23 years; but, for more than half that time, they had to clean up the mess made by the PNC in its 28 years. There’s no point in prolonging the blame game, but the biggest albatross that weighed down our real independence was the debt the PNC had accumulated. And it wasn’t even the quantum of the debt -- which had every man, woman and new-born babe owing $450,000 -- it was the bankruptcy which pushed us into the clutches of the IMF. So when the Government knocks the PPP, they should at least acknowledge the policies imposed by the IMF. Does anybody remember the latter organisation forbidding “cross subsidisation” of the Demerara Estates?

Anyhow, your Eyewitness would like to review some metrics by which a country can measure its “independence” in an admittedly interconnected world.

Right up there is the economy, which the Government accepts should be able to deliver the “good life” to its citizens.

While the PPP moved us from the lowest category of a “highly indebted poor country” to a “high middle income country”, in real terms, this still left us at the bottom with Haiti. Every Guyanese knows to our cost, ain’t no “good life” @ US$335/month. Combined with our educational failures and life expectancy, these make our Human Development Index anything but “independent”. By most standards that count, we really haven’t moved past our living conditions at Independence.

Then there are the social indicators -- which remind us that we still have astronomical levels of suicide, alcoholism, domestic violence; and depressing levels of migration in the face of Brexit and Trump; which tells us what ordinary folks really think of our “independence”.

But the most glaring indictment is the number of them who also say they’d really like to be a colony of Britain.

Bring back the “white man” is not a cry of “Independent People”!!

…and actions Another point that struck your Eyewitness about Pressie’s speech was, as usual, he hit all the right notes; but his actions belied his words. In another -- and very important context -- that disjuncture between works and action was noted by an outside analyst. Over in La Jolla, California, our oil find made us the cynosure of a lot of (oily?) eyes.

One “Control Risks” Senior Analyst, Raul Gallegos, pointed out that while the Government has certainly talked the talk on private enterprise re-protecting “private property”, creating a business-friendly environment; when it came to transparency, where it matters to Guyanese, like the terms of the Exxon contract, opacity reigns!

So while Pressie extolled “diversity”, where was the diversity in his appointments to heads of Government departments?? For that matter, where was the diversity in the National Awards he handed out on Independence Day??

In this environment, the sprinkling of non-PNC types honoured makes them tokens. …awards And speaking about National Awards, could someone explain what exactly did Ivelaw Griffith do to deserve one?? As opposed to, say, Ramjattan? Creating a “Cabinet” to govern UG?? Pulling off that fund raising caper in which he spent more than he garnered?

Or is just being an old YSM hand enough?

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

NEWS

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SATURDAY, MAY 27, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Jagdeo ready to discuss same-sex decriminalisation with Govt – says Guyana not ready for same-sex marriage

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo

“And so, because of what the religious communities, the NGOs and others came up with, we decided not to go to that level,” Jagdeo pointed out.

He is therefore cautioning that, given the strong views expressed by the public during those consultations, the matter must be approached in a bipartisan way. “…and so that is what we will do: we’ll engage the Government in discussions on this issue to see how we can move forward (to a place) where people are not

general law. So the laws, at some point in time, may have to (be) changed… So there may be a case for that -- – for having the laws reflect the practice,” Jagdeo explained.

The former Guyanese Leader has posited that he does not believe Guyana is prepared for same-sex marriage, given the reactions that obtained during the consultations done under the PPP regime.

“I don’t think the country -- based on what our consultation revealed among large numbers of people -- is ready

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he local community of lesbians, gays, bi-sexual and transgender (LGBT) persons has rejected Government’s move to hold a referendum on decriminalising same-sex intimacy, and former President, now Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, has said he is willing to sit down and discuss the issue with Government.

Recalling that during the tenure of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in power, a range of public consultations had been held in this regard and two sets of views were generally expressed, Jagdeo said one of those views was that persons must not be discriminated against in terms of employment, education or health because of their sexuality or preferences; and accordingly, the laws were changed to reflect this.

The Opposition Leader reminded that, during a constitutional vote done in this regard, there had been a huge outcry in the country against making samesex marriages a fundamental right. He said it was felt that this was not a fundamental right, and opined that if the then Government had gone ahead with it, the Marriage Act would have been illegal.

discriminated against because of their sexual preferences,” he expressed.

Pointing out that the Guyanese populace does not want anyone to be discriminated against because of their sexual preference, the Opposition Leader underscored the need for the laws to be changed in order to reflect the current practice that obtains in the country in relation to homosexuality.

He explained that, as in the case with the death penalty -- which is still on the law books but is not being practised, since the last execution was done in 1997 -- laws criminalising homosexual practices are still in place, but persons involved in homosexual practices are not been charged on the basis of those laws anymore.

“We should remove (those laws) from the books, because the laws must reflect our practice and our

for same-sex marriage and (any) of those things,” he opined.

While the State has issued no official word on the issue, both Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams have publicly stated that Government will be moving to hold a referendum to determine whether same-sex intimacy should be decriminalised.

However, the local LGBT community has objected to such a move, and on Wednesday called on the coalition administration to fulfil its manifesto promise of ensuring that the LGBT community and other minority groups are not discriminated against.

In fact, Executive Director of the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), Joel Simpson, told reporters at a press conference that this referendum will not be

supported by the three local LGBT groups -- Guyana LGBT Coalition (Guyana Trans United), Guyana Rainbow Foundation (GuyBow), and SASOD; nor will it be supported by the Guyana Equality Forum, because the rights of a minority group should not be

subjected to a popular vote.

“This divisive referendum will deepen the marginalisation and isolation of LGBT persons, as rightwing groups will undoubtedly heighten their homophobic rhetoric, as is already happening on social media,” he said.

The SASOD Executive explained that the move to hold a referendum will only serve to stress out and burden the mental health of the local LGBT community, instead of strengthening social cohesion and building national unity.

Housing Expo opens...

“God forbids that the asking prices for these houses should be prohibitive for the people we intended to reach, we reduced the cost of the house lots here in Perseverance for the model village. We reduced the prices from $500,000 to $300,000 for the low-income, $500,000 for the moderate-income and $700,000 for the middle-income. That was an attempt to assist the exhibitors to ensure that their prices at the end will be affordable,” she added.

Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan said the occupancy rate of Government housing schemes developed over the past 20 years has plummeted below 20 per cent for the 38 housing schemes developed during the 20112014 period. He noted that those 38 schemes consumed more than 4200 acres of land, with an approximate investment of $13 billion and would require an additional $16 bil-

FROM PAGE 3

One of the wooden duplex exhibits available for purchase after the expo closes

lion to complete the infrastructure. He added that that money is not available.

“Land divestment is unaffordable for the State; this is why it is necessary for a higher density model to be pursued if we are to provide a higher model solution.

Government buying itself will not achieve the success it wishes in the delivery of this

housing solution, it will have to partner with the Private Sector in a robust open and transparent process,” the minister said.

The CH&PA will be giving away a low-income house lot to a lucky applicant on Sunday night and encourages those who have applications in the system on or before December 31, 2016 to enter.

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news

SATURDAY, may 27, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Efforts underway to establish domestic violence centre in Linden

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inden, in Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice), is the next place slated to have a domestic violence shelter established, to provide assistance to victims and survivors of domestic and sexual abuse.

This is according to Manager of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Policy Unit within the Ministry of Social Protection, Akilah Dorris.

She indicated earlier this week that a building in the community has already been identified, and the ministry is hoping to conduct rehabilitation works to it soon.

Last year, the ministry would have met with representatives of the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC) and the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), and expressed the interest in collaborating in terms of establishing a Centre for Domestic Violence survivors in the town. Dorris said that given the prevalence of domestic violence incidents in Guyana, and the increase in its incidence, the ministry has decided to embark on numerous ambitious initiatives to combat this scourge.

She said the need to provide an alternative option for victims of domestic and sexual violence was recognized, in addition to the fact that such services need to be decentralised. One such option, she stressed, is to provide temporary accommodation so that victims can

Manager of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Policy Unit, Akilah Dorris

be removed from abusive situations and get their lives back on track.

Dorris explained further that it is the intention of the ministry to establish at least one Domestic Violence Shelter in each Region across the country. The initiative, she said, is also supported by Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally, as she noted that it is definitely a path which the ministry would be embarking on.

“We were able to identify a building (in Linden), and the ministry has agreed to undertake full rehabilitation of the part of the building that will be used to establish this shelter. We did some preliminary assessments of the building to ascertain an average cost

that the Ministry of Social Protection will have to bear financially to get this up and running,” Dorris told Guyana Times.

She said the ministry is aware there in place is a Management Committee which has oversight responsibility for the management of the building, since it is being used for other purposes. She stated that another meeting is planned in relation to the initiative.

“So we intend to have that meeting again, and very shortly; because we’re really hoping that we can at least commence the rehabilitation works by the 1st of July, 2017. We recognise that we need to continue increasing the services, especially the Shelter Services or temporary accommodations for survivors -- those bold women who would have made that well-informed decision to escape an abusive relationship. They often times wonder: ‘If I leave, where can I go? What will I do?’

Hence Dorris noted that, as part of its communication strategy, the ministry has several programmes which are being implemented. One such is the temporary assistance programme to assist survivors of domestic and sexual violence, which is intended to provide temporary accommodation to those survivors who may not have anywhere else to go.

“We are prepared to rent

a place for them, furnish it with the basic furnishings, ensure that their children continue schooling, ensure that there’s minimal disruption to their livelihood and the education of their children,” Dorris explained.

Also, through the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) and the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute, the ministry further intends to build the capacity of these survivors by teaching them new skills that can be used so that they can become employable.

Additionally, Dorris pointed out that through the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency within the Social Protection Ministry, some of these women will be enlisted in an effort to secure jobs.

“What we intend to do is not just train them in any kind of skills training, but with those skills that are needed -- that employers are asking for, so that there will be a smooth transition.

Of course the temporary assistance programme is not a permanent programme; it’s intended to enable survi-

vors to be able to be on their own and be able to take care of their families. So after a time, they will be weaned off of the programme so that other vulnerable survivors and their dependents can come into the programme and benefit from it”.

While alluding to efforts that have already been made to rehabilitate Domestic Violence Centres at Corriverton and Whim in Berbice, Doris made it clear that Linden is also a priority area, as much as the rest of the country. (Utamu Belle)

First day of free medical outreach dubbed successful – at Dolphin Secondary School

A section of persons waiting to be attended to at the health fair

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Dr Olatdoye tends to an elderly patient

cores of persons turned up at Dolphin Secondary School during the early hours of Friday, to take advantage of the free medical outreach hosted by Arms of Care International in collaboration with Freedom Life Ministries and the Public Health Ministry.

The outreach which commenced at 09:00h, saw a team of internationally-based doctors complemented with the assistance of local medical personnel from the Health Ministry, conducting a series of primary healthcare services, inclusive of eye testing, screening for hypertension and diabetes, among other common illnesses.

Melanie Morris, member of the Co-coordinating Committee expressed her delight in being a part of such an initiative while highlighting the aim of the outreach.

She related that the main aim of the church is to be able to give back to the com-

munity and when Arms of Care International sought partnership, the church, according to her, jumped at the opportunity. Freedom Life Ministries is no stranger to executing benevolent works around the Charlestown community.

Georgian Family Physician, Dr Sylveria Olatidoye explained her first experience in Guyana as “exhilarating”, while adding that there is much need in the medical sector.

“We’re offering diabetes screening, blood pressure checks, asthma evaluation and general medical checkups. We also have an eye department where we are doing vision screening; hopefully we will have an ophthalmologist tomorrow to do vision checks…” the doctor said.

Meanwhile, founder of Arms of Care, Dr Michael Obiekwe disclosed the reason behind his foundation’s decision to visit the jurisdiction, while relating that the programme is part of an in-

ternational outreach.

According to the doctor, Arms of Care was started 40 years ago in Georgia, USA, and their decision to come to the country owed largely to an existing partnership with the Freedom Life Ministries, which communicated to them, the needs of the Guyanese community.

He was optimistic to continue collaborating with local organisations to have the programme executed on a regular basis, so as to assist persons who cannot afford medical care.

Guyana Times was told that while the primary objective of the outreach is to offer medical support, counselling services are available to persons in need, as to ensure the mental well-being of individuals. In addition, free eyewear and wheelchairs are available for qualifying patients.

Beneficiaries of the exercise expressed their gratitude and deemed the programme a success in light of costly health care in Guyana.

However, one person suggested that the outreach be better organised on the next occasion, as to guarantee that persons who arrive first be serviced accordingly.

“Some people show early in the morning and the doctor can’t see them till now… they should have waiting cards the next time to avoid the confusion”, one person stated.

The two-day affair which is open to the public commenced on Friday morning and spans until today from 09:00h–17:00h. Meanwhile, persons are encouraged to visit the Dolphin Secondary School on Broad Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown.

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saturDAY, may 27, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

The Blacklist T

(Following is an opinion piece written by former Attorney General Anil Nandlall)

he news that 200 persons are ‘blacklisted’ -- that is, prevented from leaving the country -by the Guyana Police Force, more particularly the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), must have sent shivers down the spines of law-abiding and freedom loving Guyanese.

Were Guyana of greater global significance, this would have made the headlines at both CNN and BBC. It is common knowledge that SOCU has not yet charged 20 persons. This means that more than 90% of the persons on that list have not been charged. This damning revelation was made in the press two weeks ago. I waited patiently for some form of public disputation to emanate from the Guyana Police Force.

None came. My colleague Member of Parliament Bishop Juan Edghill wrote to the Commissioner of Police on the 9th May, 2017, requesting the names of the persons so ‘blacklisted’.

By letter dated 22nd May 2017, the Commissioner of Police responded. Significantly, he did not deny the assertion that 200 Guyanese have been ‘blacklisted’ by the Guyana Police Force. Instead, he informed the Bishop that he was advised by the Police Legal Advisor to direct the request to the Commissioner of Information. In these circumstances, one can safely conclude that the information is accurate.

This debacle requires closer examination.

Article 148 of the Constitution Perhaps, a convenient point to commence is by recognising that Article 148 of the Constitution of Guyana guarantees to the individual the freedom to leave and enter Guyana as a fundamental right. Understandably, no right is absolute; therefore, that constitutional provision itself imposes certain restrictions on that right.

Most of those restrictions are irrelevant to the issue at hand. Those that are relevant relate to a person being charged for, or convicted of, a criminal offence. Since more than 90 % of the persons who are the subject of this ‘blacklist’ are not charged, a consideration of the latter restrictions is also not germane to this discussion.

Under our criminal justice system and the Constitution, suspicion at its highest cannot, and does not, lawfully equal guilt. This is so because Article 144 of the Constitution ensconces the presumption of innocence as a fundamental right as well. In consequence, the fact that a person may be the subject of ongoing criminal investigations, or may even be the prime suspect in a criminal investigation, without more, cannot form the basis upon which he/she can be lawfully prevented from leaving the country. Any attempt to prevent that person from leaving would constitute an abridgement of his or her constitutional right to leave Guyana. It then begs the question: On what basis are approximately 180 citizens of this country being denied their

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

constitutional right to travel?

The explanation for this mass abrogation of fundamental rights and freedoms lies in politics.

The Burnham/Hoyte years The infamous ‘blacklist’ is nothing new to the Guyanese politically-knowledgeable public. It is a relic from the Burnham/Hoyte years of government. The younger generation may not know, but this was a most potent weapon in the political armoury of the authoritarian regime of that era. It was invoked regularly to stop critics and political opponents from leaving the country. Ironically, it was used with particular vehemence against the then leadership of the Working People’s Alliance

This current constitutional travesty is aggravated by the fact that the persons who are ‘blacklisted’ have not been so informed. They will realise that they are prohibited from travelling only when they are so informed by the Immigration Officers at the Airport.

(WPA), including some who are today so comfortably snuggled in bed with the People’s National Congress (PNC).

To attend the Independence celebrations of Zimbabwe, Dr Walter Rodney was forced to ‘backtrack’ to Paramaribo, from whence he flew to Holland en route to his final destination. He was ‘blacklisted’ at Timehri International Airport. There are reported cases with written judgements in our legal system rendered in constitutional actions filed

by Mr Eusi Kwayana, Dr Clive Thomas, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, et al, challenging their “blacklisting”/prohibition from leaving the country in the 1980s. Today, the same Messrs Roopnaraine, Thomas et al are solidly part of a regime that is doing unto others the same grievous injustice which was done unto them. And we hear not a whimper, either from them or from those pre-May 2015 avowed human rights champions.

As Attorney General, I was very firm in my advice to the Police regarding preventing persons from leaving the jurisdiction. In fact, I did a legal opinion for the Police Force, outlining the circumstances when a person can lawfully be prevented from leaving the country. I was forced to do so because a High Court Judge had awarded damages against the State when Immigration Officers at Cheddi Jagan International Airport prevented an entire family from leaving Guyana for North America, because their names were placed on a list prohibiting persons from leaving the country on the basis that the head of the household was suspected of being involved in some form of criminality. They sued the State for violations of their constitutional rights to leave Guyana. There was simply no legal defence. On the other hand, I have no doubt that this current mass ‘blacklisting’ is either done upon the advice of the Attorney General, or with his imprimatur. At a minimum, he cannot claim to be unaware of it.

The Police Legal Advisor That the ‘blacklist’ phenomenon has returned, I am not surprised. At the 12th Biennial Congress of the PNC, held in August 2015 at Congress Place, its leader, President David Granger, proclaimed a return to ‘Burnhamism’.

Only last week, we read in the press another statement by that Party, recommitting itself to ‘Burnhamism,’ at the celebration of its 60th Anniversary. Quite frankly, these public pronouncements are unnecessary. From the time they took office, so many authoritarian methods of the Burnham years have returned that it is difficult to keep track.

With them have come the despotic ‘blacklist’.

This current constitutional travesty is aggravated by the fact that the persons who are ‘blacklisted’ have not been so informed. They will realise that they are prohibited from travelling only when they are so informed by the Immigration Officers at the Airport. Therefore, not only are they being denied their constitutional rights, but they will also be made to suffer the public humiliation, pecuniary loss and tremendous inconvenience -- that will ensue when they turn up at the Airport prepared to leave Guyana. Even their parliamentary representative is denied this information. If this is not authoritarianism, the transitioning into a Police State and the most callous abuse of power, then I do not know what is.

One other issue is troubling me. The Police Commissioner, in his letter to the Bishop, professes to be acting upon the advice of the Police Legal Advisor. I know that the holder of that office knows better. That is what makes this fiasco even more eerie.

Lastly, I offer my services free of charge to any person who is unconstitutionally prevented from leaving the country in these circumstances.

Qualfon to open new location at Providence

An aerial view of the 10-acre Qualfon Providence campus shows the blue roof of the newly constructed contact centre

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n Wednesday, June 7, Qualfon will unveil the second of three contact centre facilities planned for the campus, and the company will highlight the growth of its mission to “Be the best BPO. Make people’s lives better.”

When complete, the campus will sprawl 287,000 square feet. Qualfon continues to invest in Guyana because its native-English-speaking population and competitively priced services are unique in the global outsourcing market.

Known as one of the largest contact centre campuses in the world, its newest facility doubles the cam-

pus operational footprint, adding 55,000 square feet and 992 more workstations.

Chief Executive Officer of Qualfon, Mike Marrow stated that they are excited and honoured to lead the Guyana BPO industry growth through its mission and will continue to showcase Guyana as a premier outsourcing destination.

The event is expected to draw crowds and dignitaries. Business Minister Dominic Gaskin, and Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes, are expected to be the key speakers during the ceremony.

However, presently,

Qualfon has approximately 13,000 employees serving international brands across many industries, and its intelligent outsourcing locations span the United States, the Philippines, Guyana and Mexico.

Qualfon’s mission to “Be the Best BPO, Make People’s Lives Better” means we invest in our people and, in return, they take better care of you and your customers.

Qualfon’s employee retention regularly exceeds the industry average, which creates a people-driven value chain: Our employees stay longer, providing you a higher quality service at a lower price.

12 Independence Day Celebrations

saturDAY, may 27, 2017 | guyan

51st Indepen anniversary u in with spect flag raising ce

T

These school children posed for our cameras earlier in the evening before skilfully executing their performance

One of the groups which performed during the packed cultural programme

The fireworks display mesmerised the gathering

housands of Guyanese on Thursday night gathered at the D’Urban Park on Homestretch Avenue, to observe the hoisting of the Golden Arrowhead, as Guyana celebrates 51 years as an Independent nation.

It was a display of national unity as Guyanese from all walks of life congregated to witness the packed cultural presentation before the hoisting of the Golden Arrowhead. Some screamed in excitement while some danced as they proudly waved the Golden Arrowhead and others just stood in amusement.

Among the dignitaries in attendance were Head of State David Granger and First Lady Sandra Granger along with the Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and his wife Sita Nagamootoo.

Members of the Opposition were notably ab-

Persons whipped out their cellphones to capture the specular fireworks

A section of the gathering at Thursday evening’s flag raising ceremony

A group of Indigenous youngsters moments before they proudly displayed one of their tribal dances

One of the spectacular dance pieces that was performed

The Golden Arrowhead flying proudly after being hoisted at the stroke of midnight

sent, h event.

Mea explosio mances to poem Afte sentatio Guyana the Gu their uniform tion to the crow This lowed b Golden approxi in the Park. A ed ther beating Nationa the bac The 50ft x 3 and swa heavy hoisting for abo the crow

27, 2017 | guyanatimesGY.com

Independence Day Celebrations

13

ndependence rsary ushered h spectacular sing ceremony

yanese ursday thered rk on to obof the as years ion. of nayanese ongrepacked n beof the Some ement s they Golden rs just

itaries Head ranger Sandra h the Moses s wife

the bly ab-

sent, having boycotted the event.

Meanwhile, there was an explosion of cultural performances ranging from dances, to poems and songs.

After the cultural presentations, ranks from the Guyana Defence Force and the Guyana Police Force in their pristine ceremonial uniforms, marched in formation to the loud applause of the crowd.

This was immediately followed by the hoisting of the Golden Arrowhead on the approximately 200 feet pole in the centre of the Jubilee Park. As the flag was hoisted there was the ceremonial beating of the drums and the National Anthem echoing in the background.

The massive flag, which is 50ft x 30ft, started to unfold and swayed proudly with the heavy wind. Following the hoisting, fireworks lit the sky for about 10 minutes while the crowd cheered lustily.

The marching band making its way to the centre of the ground for the flag raising ceremony

A very patriotic Guyanese

Scores of Guyanese turned up at D’Urban Park for the 51st Independence anniversary flag raising ceremony

President David Granger and First Lady Sandra Granger being greeted upon their arrival at D’Urban Park for the 51st Independence anniversary flag raising ceremony Another display of Guyana’s cultural diversity

Patrons at the D’Urban Park on Thursday evening ushering in the nation’s 51st Independence anniversary

14

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, may 27, 2017

Regional

Under State pressure, Venezuela US admits DEA lied about Honduras TV limits live coverage of protests ‘massacre’ that killed 4 villagers

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n the mountains above Caracas, two Government officials often stand watch over the antennas of TV news network Globovision, poised to take it off air if regulators object to coverage of anti-government protests, according to two station employees.

They said the 24-hour Venezuelan news station receives regular warnings from state telecom regulator Conatel against showing live footage of clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces, or broadcasting terms such as “dictatorship” and “repression.”

“It’s a daily threat,” said one of the employees, citing information from station managers and asking not to be identified for fear of reprisals. “Conatel is making decisions about coverage.”

In contrast to past waves of unrest in Venezuela, particularly during Hugo Chávez’s 1999-2013 rule,

T

Demonstrators throw molotov cocktail bombs during a rally against Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, May 26, 2017

the nation’s three main private television stations have provided minimal live coverage of the latest anti-government demonstrations.

They rarely show more than a few minutes of real-time images of protests, which range from peaceful marches to violent melees that have left 57 people dead amid anger against

President Nicolás Maduro and frustration over the crumbling economy.

However, the private networks, including Globovision, do give broadly equal weight to Opposition and Government leaders and supporters in broadcasts – contrary to assertions by critics that they muzzle the Opposition. (Excerpt

from Reuters)

3 Jamaicans among 6 nabbed at sea in suspected human smuggling case

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hree Jamaicans are among six people now in United States Border Patrol custody in connection with a suspected human smuggling case. The Caribbean nationals were nabbed on Tuesday along with an Israeli, a Jordanian, and one person who claimed to be a US citizen. They were on a 36-foot cabin cruiser, approximately 11 miles East of Fort Lauderdale, when they were intercepted by a Coast Guard vessel.

During initial question-

ing, the vessel operator reported they had two people aboard, but the Coast Guard officials who had boarded the boat discovered four additional people on the cruiser. They were all taken into custody.

Approximately 45 miles separate the South Florida and Bahamanian coasts, and the area in between is constantly patrolled by the US Coast Guard, and Customs and Border Protection partners to detect, deter and stop illegal smuggling ven-

tures.

“These smuggling operations and illicit networks care nothing about the people who put their lives and money in their hands,” said Captain Aldante Vinciguerra, Coast Guard Seventh District chief of response.

“They callously risk both their passengers’ and the public’s lives. We will continue to work with all of our partners to foil their efforts and save lives.” (Caribbean360)

CDB ready to lend economically troubled Barbados a helping hand

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arbados may not have to look as far as the Washington-based International Monetary Fund for assistance. The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has served notice that it’s on standby to bail out the island’s troubled economy if necessary “We are ready when they are ready to proceed,” CDB President, Dr Warren Smith told the Nation newspaper.

However, the offer comes with conditions.

According to Smith, the Freundel Stuart administration would first have to get in line with its requirements. These include lowering the country’s spiralling debt and introducing measures to correct government spending while boosting revenues.“The task that faces Barbados is to bring the fiscal deficit down and bring it down substantially

he US Drug Enforcement Administration lied about its role in a bungled anti-narcotics operation in Honduras that left four innocent villagers dead, then misled Congress, the justice department and the public as it tried to cover its tracks, a damning bipartisan investigation has found.

Honduran officers under the command of DEA agents fired at unarmed passengers traveling by taxi boat in May 2012, killing four people – including two pregnant women and a schoolboy – and serious-

ly injuring three others.

The operation, which left several children orphaned, was part of a militarised DEA programme that led to a series of deadly confrontations and has now been abandoned.

The DEA had previously absolved itself of any wrongdoing, but the scathing report released by the justice department’s inspector general on Wednesday found major discrepancies in the agency’s description of the events.

The shooting took place at about 2am on 11 May on the river Patuca near the village

of Ahuas in north-eastern Honduras, after a passenger boat with 16 people on board collided with a disabled vessel carrying American and Honduran agents and large quantities of cocaine that had been seized. The ground troops were escorted by four state department helicopters equipped with mounted door guns.

The DEA said two Honduran officers on the disabled boat had fired at the river taxi in self-defence after they came under gun attack.

(Excerpt from The Guardian)

Smugglers try to use dolls to get cocaine from Jamaica to London

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olice in Jamaica have launched an investigation to find out who was behind a shipment of cocaine filled dolls destined for London, England.

The narcotics, which weighed just over a pound, were seized at a warehouse at Norman Manley International Airport in the capital, Kingston, on Wednesday.

A team from the Narcotics Division had been alerted by their counterparts from the Contraband Enforcement Team of the Jamaica Customs that anomalies had been discovered during the scanning of a shipment destined for

Some of the dolls containing the illegal drugs

London.

During further processing, seven dolls were reportedly found dressed in outfits that have become synonymous with

Jamaican culture.

The police said when the package was further examined, it was discovered that seven dolls contained cocaine. (Caribbean360)

Former Cayman Islands football official admits money laundering

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n Wednesday in federal court in Brooklyn, the former General Secretary of the Cayman Islands Football Association, Costas Takkas, pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy in connection with his laundering of millions of dollars in bribes paid to now-former CONCACAF President and FIFA Vice President, Jeffrey Webb. Takkas was the attaché to Webb at the time of Takkas’s arrest in Zurich, Switzerland pursuant to an indictment unsealed in May 2015 alleging various corrupt schemes in organised football. At sentencing,

Takkas faces a maximum sentence of 20 years. According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, Webb accepted a US$3 million bribe in exchange for using his influence as a football official to award and enforce a contract granting two sports marketing companies the media and marketing rights to home World Cup qualifier matches played by teams representing soccer federations of the Caribbean Football Union during the 2018 and 2022 qualification cycles.

Webb, Takkas, and representatives of Traffic USA, one of the sports marketing compa-

nies, arranged for Traffic USA secretly to funnel half of Webb’s US$3 million bribe through front companies and accounts controlled by Takkas.

After receiving this US$1.5 million, Takkas distributed these funds at Webb’s direction.

Webb pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and other offences on November 23, 2015 and, in his allocution, he admitted, among other things, accepting this bribe.

Webb, who remains under house arrest in Georgia, was due to be sentenced in May but the hearing was postponed until July. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

Allies of Brazil’s Temer prepare for ‘the day after’

CDB President, Dr Warren Smith

so that the debt dynamics of the country can move in the right direction,” he said.

Smith revealed that the Bridgetown-based regional financial institution and Barbadian authorities have explored the possibility of a policy-based loan for some time now, but no decisions have been made. “We don’t think the conditions are right just yet to be able to

finalize that,” he added, although assuring it was a strong option.

Dr Smith declined to give a figure, but said it was feasible and that Barbados could receive the appropriate amount of money it needed. The financial official urged the country to tackle its financial woes head on, and quickly. (Excerpt

from Caribbean360)

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llies of beleaguered Brazilian President Michel Temer are waiting for a crucial electoral court ruling in early June rather than withdrawing support now, but they are already preparing a grand bargain to pick an interim successor, party leaders said this week.

At dinner parties in plush Brasilia residences and in backroom meetings in Congress, Temer’s coalition partners and members of his own party are seeking agreement on a caretaker to replace

the scandal-plagued president, who they see as too damaged to govern.

Amid the political turmoil that comes just a year after his predecessor was impeached and removed from office, preserving Temer’s agenda of austerity reforms and pulling Brazil’s economy out of recession is more important than saving the leader himself, sources in Temer’s main three allied parties told Reuters.Those measures range from reducing a gaping budget deficit through open-

ing doors to foreign investors to weakening labour laws and tightening pensions.

“We have to wait until we can agree on a way forward the day after, to maintain stability and preserve our Constitution and democracy,” said Senator Tasso Jereissati, leader of the centre-right Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) that is the largest ally in Temer’s ruling coalition. Jereissati, a wealthy entrepreneur, is among likely candidates to become temporary President. (Excerpt from Reuters)

SATURDAY, MAY 27, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the World

Australian Indigenous G7 leaders reach impasse on climate, urge cyber crackdown leaders call for formal ‘voice’, path to treaty

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eaders from the world’s major industrialized nations failed to persuade US President Donald Trump to back a landmark climate deal at a G7 summit in Sicily on Friday after hours of talks that were described by Germany’s leader as “controversial”.

Meeting days after a suicide bomber killed 22 people at a concert in northern England, the leaders did issue a joint statement on fighting terrorism, admonishing internet service providers and social media companies to “substantially increase” their efforts to rein in extremist content.

Host Paolo Gentiloni, the prime minister of Italy, said the group was also inching closer to finding common language on trade, a contentious issue between Trump – elected on an “America First” plat-

From L-R, European Council President Donald Tusk, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. President Donald Trump, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker pose for a family photo during the G7 Summit in Taormina, Sicily, Italy, May 26, 2017. REUTERS/Tony Gentile

form – and the six other leaders.

But on the issue of climate, there was no breakthrough.U.S. officials had signaled beforehand that Trump, who dismissed climate change as a “hoax”

during his campaign, would not take a decision on the climate deal in Taormina, the cliff-top town overlooking the Mediterranean where G7 leaders met.But other leaders, including German Chancellor Angela

Merkel and new French President Emmanuel Macron, had hoped to sway the president at his first major international summit since entering the White House four months ago. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Modi, marking 3 years in power, opens India’s longest bridge

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ndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking three years in power, on Friday inaugurated the country’s longest bridge that spans the vast Brahmaputra River in the North-eastern state of Assam.

The 9.15 km (5.7 mile) Dhola-Sadiya Bridge, strong enough to carry a 60-tonne battle tank, will reduce travel times from Assam to the

frontier state of Arunachal Pradesh whose territory is partly claimed by China.

“The inauguration of the bridge marks the end of a long wait for the people of this area,” Modi’s office quoted him as saying in a speech, adding the bridge “opens the door for economic development on a big scale”.

Modi led his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to a

landslide victory in 2014.

He remains popular – his party swept Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, in a recent state election and looks on track to win re-election in 2019.

The 66-year-old Prime Minister has made upgrading India’s infrastructure a priority, also setting up a ministry to develop India’s remote North-east beyond

the so-called Chicken’s Neck – a narrow strip of territory around Bangladesh.

Modi’s trip to Assam, during which he will deliver a public address later in the day, rounded off a week of festivities and briefings to highlight his Government’s achievements. He embarks on a European tour next week. (Reuters)

Sri Lanka floods: Scores die as monsoon triggers mudslides

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looding and mudslides triggered by monsoon rains have left at least 91 people dead and more than 100 missing in Sri Lanka, officials say. About 20,000 have been forced from their homes in the south and west of the country, rescue agencies said.

Military boats and helicopters have been sent to help rescue operations. The flooding is believed to be the worst since May 2003 when a similarly powerful southwest monsoon destroyed 10,000 homes and killed 250 people.

Sri Lanka’s Disaster

Rescuers dig for Sri Lanka mudslide victims

Management Centre (DMC) said the death toll was rising as reports filtered in from outlying areas.

“The South-west monsoon began with very intense

rain,” Dunesh Gankanda, deputy minister for disaster management, told reporters in the capital, Colombo.

“There are some areas where we are unable to

reach, but relief operations are under way.” One of the worst affected areas is reported to be the south-western district of Kalutara.

Police spokesman Priyantha Jayakody said at least five mudslides had been reported there.

The DMC issued evacuation notices to residents along the Kelani river, which flows through Colombo, amid fears that it was about to burst its banks.

“Residents who are living along the Kelani should evacuate to high ground within six hours,” the agency said. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Egypt launches strikes in Libya after Minya attack

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gyptian air force planes have carried out six strikes directed at camps near Derna in Libya, where armed men responsible for a deadly attack on Christians are believed to have trained, Egyptian military sources say.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi announced on Friday that he had directed strikes against what he called “terrorist camps”, declaring in a tele-

vised address that states that sponsored terrorism would be punished.

“Egypt will never hesitate to strike terror camps anywhere ... if it plans attacking Egypt whether inside or outside the country,” Sisi said. Earlier on Friday, at least 28 Coptic Christians were killed and dozens more wounded by armed men who attacked them while they were travelling to a monastery in Egypt’s Minya prov-

ince.

The Christians were headed to the Saint Samuel Monastery, located outside Minya city, about 220km South of the capital Cairo, when the masked attackers, who came in three pickup trucks, opened fire of them before fleeing the scene.

Egyptian security and medical officials told the Associated Press news agency that of the 28 dead, many were children. There was no

immediate claim of responsibility.

Egypt’s Christian minority, which makes up about 10 per cent of the country’s population, has repeatedly been targeted by armed groups.

In April, at least 45 people were killed and more than 100 wounded in two separate suicide bomb attacks on churches in the cities of Tanta and Alexandria during Palm Sunday ceremonies. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Dancers from East Arnhem Land at the summit’s opening ceremony

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historic summit in Australia has called for a new formal body to represent the nation’s Indigenous peoples in Parliament. More than 250 Indigenous leaders met in Uluru to discuss how to best recognise Australia’s first inhabitants.

Crucially, they rejected the idea of constitutional recognition – an idea that was criticised as merely symbolic. Instead the delegates called for a constitutionally enshrined “voice” in Parliament and a path to a treaty.

The statement – called the Uluru Statement from the Heart – came after three days of talks at the First Nations Convention.

“Proportionally, we are the most incarcerated people on the planet. We are not an innately criminal people,” it said.

The convention said it

would only accept “substantive constitutional change and structural reform” that was not simply a statement of acknowledgment.

“It will have a more practical impact on Aboriginal people’s place in the democracy,” Cape York leader Noel Pearson told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The statement called for a treaty and said a commission should be established to supervise the process and engage in “truth-telling about our history”.

Australia is the only Commonwealth country that has never signed a treaty with its indigenous people.

The recommendations will be delivered to Australia’s political leaders, who will decide whether to hold a national referendum.

Pearson said he hoped the referendum could take place within the next 12 months.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Ramadan: Saudi, 27 countries declare today first day

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audi Arabia’s High Judicial Court has announced that based on confirmed sightings of Ramadan’s new moon crescent, the first day of Ramadan 1438 fasting will be today, May 27.

Saturday was confirmed the first day of Ramadan in 27 other countries also, whereas Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Shia Muslims in Iraq declared Sunday, May 28 to be their first day of Ramadan.

Iran is expected to observe Ramadan fasting from Saturday, an Iranian official told the IRNA news agency on Friday. As per tradition, the sighting of the new

moon marks the beginning of the Muslim lunar month of Ramadan.

Turkey and Muslim communities in America and Europe previously announced they will observe Ramadan fasting from May 27, based on astronomic calculations.

In Muslim-majority countries, offices are required by law to reduce working hours, and many restaurants are closed during daylight hours in Ramadan.“Ramadan Mubarak” and “Ramadan Kareem” are common greetings exchanged in this occasion, wishing the recipient a blessed and generous Ramadan. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

16 news First Lady urges youth to invest in their future saturdAY, may 27, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

– at National Youth Week Symposium

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irst Lady Sandra Granger has urged those in attendance at the National Youth Week Symposium to seek inspiration from individuals who have overcome adverse circumstances, and to invest in themselves by capitalising on the opportunities available to them to acquire marketable skills to empower themselves. The Symposium was held on Thursday at the Guyana Police Officers’ Training Centre at Eve Leary, Georgetown.

“Let us be inspired by the teenage mothers who struggle to raise their children in the best way possible while continuing their

en and men who decide that they will become entrepreneurs. Let us be inspired by the young girls who have been trafficked, who take their courage in their hands and identify the predators; even moreso when they begin to develop a sense of self-worth and recognise and stand up for their own humanity. Let us be inspired by the young members of the LGBT community who demand equality. Let us be inspired by the youths who speak out against HIV stigma and discrimination.

They demonstrate to me that our Guyanese civilisation is growing and developing in a positive way;

From left to right: Adrian Alfred; Education Ministry, Department of Culture; Minister Nicolette Henry; and First Lady Sandra Granger at the head table at the National Youth Week Symposium

Saskia Hinds, Alleah Hamid and Nickesha Daniels (third row); all Humanities students of St Rose’s High School, pay keen attention to First Lady Sandra Granger during her address at the National Youth Week Symposium

education and serving as mentors for their peers.

Let us be inspired by the differently-able child who wants to lead an independent life. Let us be inspired by the young wom-

because if we let our minds roam free and understand and appreciate the views of others, we will become a better-informed, more open-minded society,” she said.

The First Lady said that while many of this generation may not have benefited from the same kind of nurturing environment that she experienced, it is not too late for young people to take charge of their

Food For The Poor donates medical supplies to Linden Hospital

Public Relations Officer of Food For The Poor (Guyana) Inc., Wayne Hamilton shaking the hand of LHC Chief Executive Officer, Dr Farouk Riyasat during the handing over ceremony, with LHC and Food for the Poor representatives looking on

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ood For The Poor (Guyana) Inc on Tuesday last donated a substantial amount of medical supplies to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) in Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice). The items include respirators, paediatric cradles, emergency trolleys and focus lights, among several other medical supplies and equipment.

Speaking at the hand-

ing over ceremony, Public Relations Officer of Food for the Poor (Guyana) Inc., Wayne Hamilton, pledged the organisation’s continued support and assistance.

“Over the years, Food for the Poor has contributed significantly to this hospital, and we are particularly pleased with the manner in which the hospital has been administrating the stuff that we have delivered to them. We recog-

nise that a healthy nation is a productive nation, and we are cognisant of the fact that the hospitals in and around the country are in need…and we pledge to assist the hospitals and health centres as much as possible with items that will be able to sustain them.

We also will, as far as possible, contribute more as soon as items are available,” he assured.

Hamilton said the items which were donated from Florida, United States is part of many donations. He further highlighted that the organisation has contributed significantly with similar donations over the years, and noted that it is one of FFTP’s aims to assist hospitals throughout the country.

LHC Chief Executive Officer Dr Farouk Riyasat expressed gratitude for the items, which he noted came at a time of need. Dr Riyasat said the items will be distributed to other health facilities across the Region, including Kwakwani and the Upper Demerara Hospital, noting that all items received would be properly utilised. (Utamu Belle)

lives.

Alluding to the fact that more than half of Guyana’s population comprises youth, she said the onus is on the adults to accept that the torch has already been passed on to the younger generation. As such, they must be “nurtured, guided, and encouraged to pursue the path to (their) own and our country’s development”, Mrs Granger posited.

Further, she said that in keeping with the theme of the week of activities, “Inspiring our youth: Celebrating their achievements”, it is also important that the sentiments expressed therein become a reality. “Having given our youth the environment and the tools through which their minds can blossom, let us celebrate their creativity, their innovation, and their boundless energy and enthusiasm as they contribute to the growth and development of our beautiful country, this dear land of Guyana,” she was quoted as saying in a statement from the Ministry of the Presidency.

Meanwhile, Minister within the Ministry of

Education, Nicolette Henry, said the National Youth Week Celebration is a demonstration of the Government‘s commitment to youth. “Many of the young people and some of you in the audience were involved in a number of activities that not only showcased your talents and skills, but also recognised your worth to the nation.

You were provided with opportunities to interact and learn from one another, to air your views, and to learn about possible courses of action that you can pursue for your own development… The more opportunities you have, the better it will be for you to become fully empowered,” she said.

In an invited comment, Ms Saskia Hinds, a Four Humanities student at the St. Rose’s High School, said, “My expectations are that after this symposium that youths will be more informed about the things that are happening around them and the tools that they can use to make life better for [themselves]. I think that it was very important that [the First Lady] was here, because

she is very influential and she is very involved in youth programmes, and I think that she will have an influence on the youth.

I think they will listen to her.”

Her classmate, Ms Alleah Hamid, expressed similar sentiments. “I personally was very honoured to be here. It was very interesting the way [the First Lady] spoke about youths and the empowerment of youths. With the technology that has been going around the world, Guyana needs to be more [tech savvy],” she said.

In addition, Ms Alliyah Adolphus, a Four Arts student at the North Ruimveldt Secondary School, said she was particularly impressed with the First Lady’s presentation. “I felt her participation was meaningful, since she compared her life to our present [generation] and it is far different. She compared the different usage of technology… Its advances [have] contributed really meaningfully to our society…I expect that they are going to have more technology programmes for the youth, and I hope that they do so because, in our current society, technology is something that most youths use almost every day,” she posited.

The symposium also included presentations

by Ryan Belgrave of the Guyana Youth and Students Movement and Ms Cynthia Rutherford of the Alliance For Change, among others.

It also featured a panel discussion on the topic ‘Youth Employment, Entrepreneurship and Technology’. Students were also treated to an inspiring spoken word performance

by Nacaesy Adams.

Guyana’s independence celebrated in Geneva

Minister Volda Lawrence, Ambassador to Geneva, Dr John “Deep” Forde; and fellow Guyanese celebrated Guyana’s 51st Independence Anniversary in Geneva, Switzerland

news

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saturDAY, may 27, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Ariana Grande to hold benefit concert for Manchester victims

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Member of Parliament, Irfaan Ali

My dear brothers and sisters, Assalamu Alaikum; May the Peace, Mercy and Blessing of Allah be with you all!

On this important and auspicious occasion, the beginning of the Holy Month of Ramadan, I would like to wish all Guyanese and especially our Muslim brothers and sisters, “Ramadan Mubarak!”

Ramadan Mubarak to all our brothers and sisters, the Imams, President and leaders of our country!

Ramadan is the month in which the Holy Quran was revealed to our Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Almighty Allah (SWT) said in the Holy Quran Chapter 2: Verse: 183 O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may learn self-restraint (Taqwah).

Regarding the Holy Month of Ramadan, our Beloved Prophet, Muhammad (SAW) has beautifully and comprehensively described what a blessed month it is by saying “O people! A great month has come over you; a blessed month; a month in which there is a night better than a thousand months. A month in which Allah has made it compulsory upon you to fast by day, and voluntary to pray by night. Whoever draws nearer to Allah by performing any good deeds in this month shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time. Whoever discharges an obligatory deed in this month shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time. It is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is heaven. It is the month of charity. It is a month in which a believer’s sustenance is increased. Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast shall have his sins forgiven, he will be saved from the fire of Hell, and he shall have the same reward

s we approach the beginning of Ramadan, may God accept all our deeds and our fast.

Ramadan gives us the perfect opportunity to reflect on our lives, family and society.

We, as Muslims, must use this period to project Islam for what it is, that is peace, tolerance, patience and love.

It is our duty as Muslims to condemn injustices wherever it is.

May Allah accept our fast and give you and your family the strength and health to make your Ramadan a success. Let this month of fasting renew our commitment

to the poor, struggle against social injustices, discrimination and all dreadful plagues that tear our societies apart and destroy our ability to coexist peacefully.

Ramadan proves that with faith, commitment, trust and reverence to God we have the ability to contribute to the elimination of poverty and many of the problems that destroy the core fabric of our society. We live in a beautiful country that has been blessed with many creation of God all of whom are equal and one in his eyes. To all of Guyana, Ramadan Mubarak!

as the fasting person, without his reward being diminished at all”.

In another narration, our Beloved Prophet (SAW) said, in the first part of Ramadan we earn the mercy of Allah, the second part we earn the forgiveness of Allah and during the third part we earn freedom from the Fire of Hell.

Our Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said whoever does not give up false statements and evil actions, Allah will not be in need of him giving up his food and drink.

Dear brothers and sisters, we have the most noble visitor; in the Holy Month of Ramadan let’s make maximum use of the short time that we have to earn the Mercy and Forgiveness of Allah.

Let us in this month of Ramadan, the month in which the Quran was revealed, go back to the pages of the Holy Quran and reflect on the message of the Quran because it is the greatest message and the final message sent to mankind by Allah.

Let us use our time in Ramadan, to study the life, the mission and the achievements of the greatest benefactor of humanity, our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW). We should let our lives reflect our love for him and all those ideals that he spoke about and taught us.

There is a cry in the world for this noble way of life; the message of peace, the message of love, the message of unity of all humanity, the message of tolerance, the message which if we follow it sincerely and implement it in our lives, our lives will be changed for the better and the world will be a better place for all.

Islam has the solution for all the problems facing humanity whether these problems are religious, social, economic or otherwise. The Month of Ramadan is a time to reflect on all these challenges that mankind faces today and we seek the solution which can only be found through our dedication,

prayer, charity and fast.

Fasting and charity will earn us His grace and His mercy. We need to make maximum use of the Holy Month of Ramadan by praying to Allah, by taking care of the poor and needy in our community, by seeking the forgiveness of Allah for all our sins and turning to Him in repentance.

We should utilise the opportunity to pay our zakaat as our blessings are multiplied tremendously during Ramadan. Muslims make full use during Ramadan to share out their zakaat which is made payable to the destitute especially our near relatives by taking care of their needs. You are therefore encouraged to pay your zakaat upon reaching the Nisaab (Gy$115,500), Allah’s willing.

Let us in the month of Ramadan try our best to make peace with all our family members, neighbours and fellow citizens. Let us visit the sick and pray for them.

Let us extend our mercy to the orphans in our community. Let us sympathise and help the widows and elderly people in society. These actions will earn us God’s forgiveness and mercy; this is what Ramadan stands for.

Let us rededicate our lives to prayers and righteous deeds to make our homes, our community and country a better place for all Guyanese.

I pray that God Almighty give us the strength and health to fast throughout the month of Ramadan and also to stand in prayer during the nights of the Ramadan.

Once again Ramadan Mubarak!

Ramadan Mubarak!

Ramadan Mubarak! May Allah bless us all and bless our country…

W A S S A L A M U A L A L A I K U M WARAHMATULLAHI WABARAKAATUHU!

A l - H a j j SHAHABUDEEN AHMAD President (ag), CIOG

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riana Grande will hold a benefit concert to raise funds for the victims of the Manchester Arena attack. The US singer said her “heart, prayers and deepest condolences” were with those affected by the bombing.

In a lengthy statement on Twitter, Grande said she planned to return to the “incredibly brave” city for a concert “in honour of and to raise funds for the victims and their families”.

She said: “There is nothing I or anyone can do to take away the pain you are feeling or to make this better. However, I extend my hand and heart and everything I possibly can give to you and yours, should you want or need my help in any way. The only thing we can do now is choose how we let this affect us and how we live our lives from here on out.

“I have been thinking of my fans, and of you all, nonstop over the past week. The way you have handled all of this has been more inspiring and made me more proud than you’ll ever know.

“The compassion, kindness, love, strength and oneness that you’ve shown one another this past week is the exact opposite of the heinous intentions it must take to pull off something as evil as what happened Monday.

You are the opposite.

“I am sorry for the pain and fear that you must be feeling and for the trauma that you, too, must be experiencing. We will never be able to understand why events like this take place because it is not in

An Ariana Grande poster is left among tributes to attack victims in St Ann’s Square, Manchester

our nature, which is why we shouldn’t recoil.

“We will not quit or operate in fear. We won’t let this divide us. We won’t let hate win. “I don’t want to go the rest of the year without being able to see and hold and uplift my fans, the same way they continue to uplift me.

Our response to this violence must be to come closer together, to help each other, to love more, to sing louder and to live more kindly and generously than we did before.

“I’ll be returning to the incredibly brave city of Manchester to spend time with my fans and to have a benefit concert in honour of and to raise money for the victims and their families.

I want to thank my fellow musicians and friends for reaching out to be a part of our expression of love for Manchester. I will have details to share with you as soon as everything is confirmed.

“From the day we started putting the Dangerous

Woman Tour together, I said that this show, more than anything else, was intended to be a safe space for my fans. A place for them to escape, to celebrate, to heal, to feel safe and to be themselves. To meet their friends they’ve made online. To express themselves. This will not change that.

“When you look into the audience at my shows, you see a beautiful, diverse, pure, happy crowd.

Thousands of people, incredibly different, all there for the same reason, music.

Music is something that everyone on Earth can share.

Music is meant to heal us, to bring us together, to make us happy. So that is what it will continue to do for us.

“We will continue in honour of the ones we lost, their loved ones, my fans and all affected by this tragedy.

They will be on my mind and in my heart everyday and I will think of them with everything I do for the rest of my life.” (The Guardian)

Region’s exports increase for first time in 4 years

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fter four consecutive years of contraction, Latin American and Caribbean exports returned to a path of growth.

In the first quarter of 2017, the value of goods exports increased 17 per cent yearon-year, having contracted 2.9 per cent in 2016.

The recovery was driven primarily by a rebound in commodity prices, according to an analysis conducted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) using detailed data for 25 countries in the Region.

The update to the annual report Trade Trend Estimates of Latin America and the Caribbean argues that, in 2016, regional exports followed a trend similar to that of world trade, whereas the recovery observed in the beginning of 2017 was more intense.

“The trend reversal is great news for Latin America and the Caribbean. Yet, in the current context, one should not overestimate the driv-

ers of this export expansion, which remain unstable and still restricted to a few regional economies,” said Paolo Giordano, Principal Economist of the Integration and Trade Sector and coordinator of the report.

Countries with a high share of oil and mineral products in their export supply posted the largest increases, due to the recovery in commodity markets.

Meanwhile, export volumes in the entire region registered only a slight acceleration of 2.2 per cent on average, and real export growth was observed in just a few countries.

South American countries exhibited the strongest recovery, with an average export growth of 23 per cent. Noteworthy in this group were the performances of Venezuela, with a 75 per cent increase, followed by Peru with 39 per cent, Ecuador with 34 per cent, Colombia with 31 per cent, and Brazil with 24 per

cent. Mesoamerica (Mexico and Central America) and the Caribbean registered an expansion of 11 and 12 per cent, respectively.

The return to an export growth path marked the end of the longest trade recession in the region’s recent history, which lasted 24 months. Despite the expansion, the value of exports remains 10 per cent below its peak registered in 2014. For this incipient and unstable recovery to become sustainable, factors that have been generating uncertainty in the global economy need to be significantly reversed.

The IDB said real growth in China, the United States and the European Union could sustain the export recovery in the next trimester. However, efforts to promote competitiveness and regional integration should be intensified, while the risks of implementation of protectionist policies should be overcome.

(Caribbean360)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MAY 27, 2017

ARCHIE

Take a day trip or get together with friends, family (March 21- or people who share your inApril 19) terests. The information you learn and the positive feedback you get will encourage you to try something new.

ARIES

Helping others is generTAURUS ous, but don’t get suckered (April 20- into something by someone May 20) who is trying to take advantage of you. Keep your personal information a secret. Don’t lend cash or possessions.

DILBERT

Personal gains are headGEMINI (May 21- ing your way. Update your June 20) appearance or do something that will boost your confidence. Romance will improve your personal life. Aim to please as well as to have fun.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

Sensitivity will be an issue. Use your emotional energy wisely. Make a point to make a difference instead of getting angry about what’s going on around you.

You’ll be tempted to take on too much when someone offers you a challenge or compliments you. Consider the motives behind the sweet talk before you make a promise you may regret.

You’ll get a better picture VIRGO (Aug. 23- of the possibilities that are Sept. 22) within reach if you take a moment to discover how to use your skills in an unconventional way.

Keep your emotions staLIBRA ble when you deal with per(Sept. 23Oct. 23) sonal relationships or people who can influence your private life. It’s best to say little and avoid the hassle of being criticized or questioned.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

You’ll get an insightful SCORPIO look into an investment or (Oct. 24creative idea that can inspire Nov. 22) you to make more money using your skills in a unique manner. Forge ahead earnestly.

Take action and finish SAGITTARIUS what you start. Your enthusi(Nov. 23- asm and willingness to pitch Dec. 21) in and help will add to your popularity and persuade others to do things your way.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

An emotional incident CAPRICORN should open your eyes to (Dec. 22- what’s actually going on.

Jan. 19) Back away from anyone using unethical tactics to get you to make a commitment.

Activities with children AQUARIUS or elders in your family will (Jan. 20bring about changes that will Feb. 19) be gratifying and will boost your morale and confidence.

Innocent remarks will motivate you.

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

Problems at home will surPISCES face if you let your emotions (Feb. 20March 20) take charge and get the better of you. Arguing will lead to an impossible situation that leaves you feeling helpless.

saturDAY, May 27, 2017

19

Mexico FIFA World Cup 2014 Qualifier…

Nurse hoping GFF Congress can resolve Jaguars’ payment ‘fiasco’

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he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will have its Congress today at the Park Vue Hotel, East Bank of Demerara, and former National Captain Christopher Nurse will be paying keen attention, as he hopes that a resolution can be found regarding the payment of players after the infamous switch in venue for the Mexico FIFA World Cup 2014 Qualifier.

The match which was initially set to play in Guyana, was moved to BBVA Compass Stadium, in Houston, Texas, where the Golden Jaguars went down 0-5 to Mexico on October 12, 2012.

According to Nurse, then acting GFF President Franklin Wilson had signed an agreement with the players prior to match concerning their remuneration packages due to the switch in venue only after ignoring them.

“He [Franklin Wilson] ignored the earlier request for an agreement that led to the strike the night before Mexico [match],” Nurse revealed.

He further disclosed that “It's common courtesy for the team to be notified how much the game was sold for and how much the GFF received. Out of that the play-

Christopher Nurse (left) dedicated years of service to football in Guyana and is hopeful that this prolonged issue can finally come to an end

ers are due 12 per cent. One crucial instance took place and it [was] announced to the national team $75,000 was received however, only $45,000 was deposited into the GFF accounts and the players were never compensated as per the agreement”.

Back in 2012, Wilson had Former GF F Pre deemed moving the match as (Ag) Franklin sident Wilson “the best interest for football” since “the revenue will be cult used to pay off outstanding debts for them to chaland other expenses the Golden lenge the lack of affirmative action Jaguars have incurred”. openly as I have done. I’m hoping It is understood that the Congress can see that this issue is Federation would have reaped bigger than any individual agenapproximately US$2 million das or battles. It's about justice (US$400 million) in profits. and cleansing the sport from anyThe quandary is that the mat- one who has deemed to do wrong ter would have happened some in representing the best interests five years ago, yet no decision of the players and the game. Some has been taken by the GFF to re- of the people responsible might be solve the matter which Nurse be- friends of the current administralieves is due to the close ties play- tion. We will see if Congress pushers and other members have with es to have the investigation thorthe GFF. oughly made in a honest fashion”, “It's a hard battle to fight be- the England-based player contendcause players and staff have been ed. Another section of the media reluctant to join the fight. But this had recently reported that Fruta is understandable because the Conquerors Football Club has taGFF pay and employ the staff and bled a motion to be presented at now ex-players too and they pro- the Congress, mandating that an vide the structure and framework investigation be launched in to the for current players, so it's very diffi- match.

New home for TTFA, Pro League, WoLF at Ato Boldon Stadium T he Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), the T&T Pro League, and the Women's Football League (WoLF) will all now be housed at the Ato Boldon Stadium.

The TTFA begins housing its operations at the venue from June 1, with the organisation claiming the move is the first phase in developing a National Training Centre, while there has been no word on when the other organisations will begin at the new location.

The move is most significant for WoLF, which has had to work out of

The Ato Boldon Stadium

people's homes and from the back of car trunks to gets its operations done.

“The fact that WoLF can now have an office from which we can conduct our business is a definite boost for the league and for local women’s football.

This will help us tremendously in carrying out our day to day operations and will be a positive step towards growing and developing the league, particularly from an administrative standpoint,” said WoLF president Sharon O'Brien.

Ato Boldon Stadium as a home base for these associations has become a re-

ality thanks to the financial arm of the Ministry of Sports in Trinidad and Tobago, the Sport Company of T&T. "We are thankful to the Ministry of Sport and Sportt Company for fulfilling their promise to support football by providing us with the facility. I think it is a tremendous accomplishment to have the key stakeholders in local football under one roof. It augers well for the development of the game here in Trinidad and Tobago and it is an indication of the administration’s drive and ambitions to take the game to greater heights and with the inclusion of the stakeholders,” said President of the TTFA, David John-Williams.

The TTFA was recently housed at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, while the T&T Pro League rented office space in St Augustine.

According to Pro League CEO Dexter Skeene, the idea to put all the football associations under one roof, was novel.

“I would like to thank the T&TFA and its president for opening their arms to the league and for his vision in bringing the major stakeholders in local football together under one roof. I think this will go a long way in improving the local game,” he said.(Sportsmax)

S

Sangakkara records fifth successive County Championship century

urrey's Kumar Sangakkara is one century away from 100 domestic tons after hitting his fifth successive hundred in the County Championship.

Kumar Sangakkara's first-class career is poised to come to a close at the end of this season, but the Sri Lanka legend appears determined to go out in style after hitting his fifth consecutive County Championship century.

Surrey batsman Sangakkara had previously recorded hundreds against Lancashire and Warwickshire and struck two in their most recent Championship clash with Middlesex going into the first day of the four-day contest with Essex.

And his stunning form shows no sign of letting up after he closed on 177 unbeaten, honing in on a magnificent double-century.

Sangakkara's innings has so far featured 23 boundaries, helping Surrey to 334-7 at stumps.

The 39-year-old retired from Test cricket in 2015, having racked up 12,400 runs, placing him fifth on the all-time list. He totalled 14,234 in one-day internationals and 1,382 in T20Is. Domestically, Sangakkara now has 99 centuries, with 61 coming in first-class cricket and 38 registered in list A.(SPORTSMAX)

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GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturDAY, may 27, 2017

Carmichael enjoying all-round performances in England I

Malta Supreme Darts…

Trinidad ready for intense battle with Guyana

The members of the Trinidad and Tobago team and GDA President Sheik Yassen (grey top) at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport on Friday

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he Malta Supreme Darts Tournament organised by the Guyana Darts Association (GDA) got underway on Friday evening at the Millennium Manor Hotel on Hadfield Street, Georgetown, and the Trinidad and Tobago contingent, though outnumbered, are ready for the battle at hand.

The team arrived on Friday afternoon buoyed with confidence according to former Caribbean Men’s Singles Champion Lester Legall.

Legall explained that they have not come with their full squad but the 15 members present were very much willing to support the tournament when an invitation was extended.

With aspirations set on off-setting any local domination, Legall is hoping that the tournament can become an annual fixture.

Meanwhile, GDA President Sheik Yassen explained that his Association is fully prepared to host the event and is hoping the local players can pose a

serious challenge.

Entrance fee for each category of play is US$15 (G$3000). Top three finishers in the Mixed Nation category would respectively walk away with US$600, US$300 and US$150.

Meanwhile, the Luck of the Draw winner will take home 50 per cent of the pool, second place winner will earn 25 per cent, while the remaining 25 per cent will be shared between third and fourth place winners.

The Luck of the Draw is open to practically anyone who believes he/she has the ability to play the game; while the Mixed Nations Doubles will see a local player being paired with an overseas player.

In the individual categories, players with the most 100 points, highest check out, shortest games, and most 180 points will earn themselves cash.

The Male and Female Singles is the major attraction, with reigning Caribbean Singles champion Sudesh Fitzgerald being Guyana’s top ranked

player. Luis Ramirez-Merlano, who teamed up with Fitzgerald to win the Caribbean Doubles title last year in Barbados, will also be in action.

Other players who are expected to defend home turf in the Male division are Lalchand Rambharose, Anil Lachhman, Sherwin Greene, Anthony Bissoondyal and Bholanauth Ramdyal; while on the distaff side, Guyana will be represented by Rosetta Hiralall, Shondell Hyles, Hemwantie Amyan, Victorine Chandro and Melissa Smartt, among others.

The tournament is aimed at the Association laying the foundation to host the Caribbean Championships in 2020.

Roosters Bottled Coconut Water and R Ganesh Mining Enterprise are the corporate partners on board for the tournament.

Action will continue today at 18:00h, while on the final day, Sunday, it will commence at 13:00h and will feature the male and female singles.

n recent years, with the system not willing to nurture our local talents, they disappear off the domestic arena before details of them are uploaded in news media online and on their social media pages.

One such talent is industrious all-rounder Kellon Carmichael, who is in his third stint in England after being continuously overlooked by Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) officials.

The 28-year-old, who refused to ply his skills overseas for more than a year to stake claim for selection in the national academy had no other choice but to return to play professionally, after he was not even considered to be among the top 33 players who are being paid by the GCB contracted players.

Since he made himself a free agent, English Clubs Goring and Sabina snapped him up for his allround ability and he has not disappointed to this moment.

Most recently, he was at the centre of Goring’s success against Hastings and Leonard’s Cricket Club in the Sussex Premier League.

The right handed batsman hit a cameo of 30 from 23 in his team’s innings of

2905 in 4 5 overs before returning to destroy the opposition with figures of 5-30 from six overs of medium fast bowling as they folded for 81.

Prior to that performance in the Greater London League, the Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) player smashed 81 and took 4-35 in a sterling win for Sabina over Aztecs Cricket Club.

Against Seven Kings Cricket Club, the former national Under-19 player claimed three wickets and blasted 58 in a losing effort.

So far this season Carmichael have played eight league games, batted six innings and has 200 runs with two 50s and a highest score of 81. He has so far taken 20 wickets with a best of 5-30.

His next outing is today against Findon CC in the Sussex premiere Cricket league and Sunday against Star CC in the Greater London Cricket League.

The professional’s main goal is focusing on finishing atop of the batting and bowling standings, so his team will fare well at the end of the season.

French Open 2017: King of Clay Nadal ready to reign again at Roland Garros

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afael Nadal missed out on a long-awaited 15th grand slam title in Melbourne, but the Spaniard is the favourite to win the French Open.

Just a month after a new French President was inaugurated it could be time for the 'King of C l a y ' R a f a e l Nadal to reign a t

Rafael Nadal

Roland Garros for a record 10th time.

There seems to have been more talk about who will not be playing in the second grand slam of the year than those who will grace the famous clay courts.

Maria Sharapova was not invited to play after recently returning from a 15-month ban for failing a drugs test at the Australian Open last year.

While the five-time grand slam champion was denied a wildcard, Roger Federer will not be in Paris of his own accord, opting to skip the clay-court season in order to prepare for challenges to come on the grass and hard surfaces.

Serena Williams will also be a notable absentee, having announced in April that she is expecting her first child.

Despite the absence of three of the most high-profile players in the sport, there will be no shortage of intriguing subplots at the prestigious tournament.

As Emmanuel Macron gets his feet under the table and leads France in a new era, there is every chance that going back to the future will be the narrative at Roland Garros.

Nadal has ruled supreme on the red stuff time and time again over the years, but the Spanish great has gone three years without adding to his tally of 14 major titles.

Injuries and a loss of form have prevented the 30-year-old Mallorca native from being at the peak of his powers since then, yet normal service has been resumed this year.

Nadal and Federer rolled back the years to reach the final of the Australian Open, where it was the legendary Swiss who prevailed in an absorbing showdown.

Since the clay-court swing got under way Nadal has been imperious, winning titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid be-

fore Dominic Thiem – one to watch in Paris – ended his perfect record this year on his favourite surface in Rome.

After being written off in certain quarters following a fall from grace, Nadal will start as favourite in his attempt to become the first player to win the same grand slam 10 times in the Open Era. It would be no surprise to see the resurgent left-hander lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires yet again on Court Philippe Chatrier.

It was Novak Djokovic who took centre stage in 2016, ending his long wait for an elusive first French Open title to complete a career Grand Slam.

The Serbian held all four major crowns when he completed the set last June, but will not have any in his grasp if he falls short in Paris.

Appointing Andre Agassi as coach may just provide the impetus Djokovic has been lacking, while Andy Murray heads into the tournament in poor form and it would take a huge turnaround for the world number one to take his first French Open title after losing in the final last year.

Garbine Muguruza experienced her finest hour when she took the

women's title last year, but it is anybody's guess who will have the honour of getting their hands on the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen this time around.

The affable Spaniard has failed to win a title since her triumph in Paris last year and has been troubled by a neck injury.

Williams' absence ensured there is no strong favourite and there are doubts over whether the in-form Simona Halep will play due to an ankle ligament injury.

Much like Murray, the topranked Angelique Kerber has failed to hit the heights of last year and is the first to admit she is not at home on clay.

Elina Svitolina beat Halep in Rome to take her second title on clay in 2017 and headed to the French capital with a spring in her step.

Petra Kvitova can expect plenty of support if she makes her comeback ahead of schedule, just five months after the two-time Wimbledon champion was stabbed by an intruder in her apartment.

Expect the unexpected, but there will not be too many eyebrows raised if we see another Nadal coronation.(SPORTSMAX)

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Sheltez/Homesafe Security Independence Cup International Segment

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Winner of the first event of the Independence Cup U-12, Akilah Sekai Jones (centre), with her opponent Liva Ven Essen (right) and Court Official Daniel Lopes

Warriors favoured over LeBron and Cavaliers in the finals L

eBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers open their title defense as underdogs against the Golden State Warriors as the NBA Finals get underway next week.

The 2016 champion Cavaliers and the 2015 champion Warriors will battled for the crown for a third straight year in the best-of-seven starting at Golden State on Thursday.

James scored 35 points and passed Michael Jordan to become the NBA's all-time playoff scoring leader as the Cavaliers routed the Boston Celtics 135-102 on Thursday to claim their third straight Eastern Conference title.

Both teams dominated throughout the playoffs -- the Warriors made history by going an unprecedented 12-0 through three rounds in the Western Conference, while the Cavs lost just one game to the Celtics to cap their dominant run.

T h e Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook installed Golden State as a minus-260 favorite, with Cleveland at plus-220, meaning a $100 bet on the Warriors would win $38.46 and the same bet on the Cavaliers would win $220, according to ESPN. The Warriors are listed as seven-point favorites for Game One at home, according to CBS Sports.

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223-7230 Ext 35

he international segment of the Independence Cup, sponsored by Homesafe Security in collaboration with the Sheltez Tennis Club, served off earlier today at the Recreational Facility of the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) at Bel Air Park in Georgetown.

The Under-12 tournament features local and Surinamese players, who will be involved in intense battle over the next three days.

Apart from the GBTI Recreational Facility, the Harry Panday Tennis Court will also host several matches in the three-day event.

In the first two matches, Guyanese Akilah Sekai Jones and Surinamese Kaeny DeNees emerged as victors after dominant performances.

In match one, Jones defeated her Dutch counterpart Liva Ven Essen 6-1, while in the other match, Kaeny DeNees triumphed over Tamisha Bendter 6-1 in the battle of the visitors.

LeBron James

est," James told reporters in Boston on Thursday. "I'm not in the right mind to even talk about Golden State.

It's too stressful, and I'm not stressed right now."

The Cavaliers and Warriors split their two meetings this season, both winning at home. Cleveland won by one point on Christmas Day and Golden State prevailed by 35 points on Jan. 16.

It will be James' seventh straight trip to The Finals and eighth overall.

Stephen Curry "I've been very blessed the last few years to be a part of this league and play on the big stage," James said. "But we're going to enjoy this for a couple more days before we have to lock in on that juggernaut out west."

Golden State led the league with a 67-15 record this season and is 27-1 in their last 28 games, including the playoffs.

"Playing in this league, you can't take anything for granted," Warriors guard Stephen Curry said after the Warriors beat the San Antonio Spurs 129-115 in Game Four on Monday.

"Thirty teams suit up every year trying to get to this point, and only two teams do. So you have to appreciate it."

While James is going for his fourth ring, Warriors forward Kevin Durant will be trying to win his first. Durant signed a two-year, $54.3 million contract with the Warriors last offseason.

Durant's only other time in the Finals was 2012 when he was with Oklahoma City, but the Thunder lost to the Miami Heat in a series that made James a champion for the first time.

"It's a little different, definitely. I can't lie," Durant said when comparing the 2012 Finals trip to this one. "I went when I was 23 years old, and it felt like the Western Conference Finals was almost like the championship.

"So it's a little different now, obviously. We have a bigger goal in mind."

James called the Warriors, "the best team in our league the last three years. And they've added an unbelievable player in Kevin Durant this year.

"We have to be ready for the challenge." (REUTERS)

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saturdAY, may 27, 2017

Sheltez/ Homesafe Security Independence Cup International segment

Homesafe Security contributes to the development of tennis

I

n yet another selfless act, Homesafe Security has sponsored another tennis tournament to ensure that players gain maximum exposure on the court.

This is the second leg of the tournament, which got underway on May 6.

The competition is the first of its kind, and it is in keeping with the aim of Homesafe Security to commit to the development of Guyanese youths.

In doing so, the company, in less than two months, sponsored a third event for young tennis players.

However, never before has the security entity contributed to one

of this magnitude, involving overseas players.

Initially, the security firm wanted to participate in Guyana’s Golden Jubilee celebration, which started in 2016; but, according to Manager Maurisia Johnson, due to the success in the inaugural event, her entity was prompted to continue with the sponsorship. ”This is our second year sponsoring this event. Last year, when we started, Guyana was celebrating its 50th year as an independent nation, and because the entire nation was celebrating this significant moment in our history, we at Homesafe decided to get involved. However, the success at

Kalekyezi wraps up tournament with U-18 title

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fter two days of intense battle at Harry Panday Tennis Court --on Tuesday and Wednesday -Joshua Kalekyezi came from behind to win the Sheltez/Homesafe Security Independence Cup U-18 title.

Kalekyezi lost 2-6 to Viraj Sharma in the first set, but recovered to win the second set 6-1 and take the tie breaker at 10-5 to capture a superb victory in an extended match.

He also defeated Sharma earlier in the tournament to take glory in the U-14 segment.

Both players will now turn their attention to Guyana’s premier tournament, Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) Open, which commences on Saturday, June 2.

Blake vows to let feet do the talking A

seemingly resurgent Yohan Blake, once thought to be the heir apparent to Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt, has vowed to let his feet do the talking in response to critics who have come to doubt his credentials.

Several seasons ago, it seemed the sky was the limit for the runner, who was not only tipped as a replacement for his more illustrious teammate, Bolt, but even thought of as a direct rival to the world’s fastest man.

After claiming the World Championship 100m title in 2011 Blake went on to set the second fastest times ever over the 100m and 200m distances at 9.69 and 19.26.

In 2013 things took a dark turn for the sprinter, after he suffered a serious hamstring injury. The following year, Blake's problems were compounded after he suffered what could have been a creeer-ending tear in the other hamstring, from which he has struggled to get back to his best.

For some, the 26-year-old will never get back to the heights that saw him so close to Bolt, but he has vowed to prove them wrong.

“I will let my feet speak,” Blake told the Jamaica Observer in a recent interview.

His confidence will not have been hurt by an impressive 9.93 seconds clocking at last weekend’s Jamaica Invitational and the, 2011 World Champion believes much faster times are in store.

“I am feeling good [as] this is my first 100m this season and running 9.93 seconds, I am really happy,” he added.

“I felt really good and just went with the flow... coach said to come out here and take it easy.”(SPORTSMAX)

GCA/ GDA/ PAHO U-17 T20

TSC intensifies preparation amidst adverse weather

Transport Sports Club players in preparation mode

E

nduring the weather with a focus of capturing the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/Guyana Diabetics Association (GDA)/PAHO Under-17 T20 title, Transport Sports Club (TSC) U-17 players were, during the week, in preparation mode for their upcoming final clash with reigning champions Demerara Cricket Club (DCC).

The Thomas Land side, which has been without a complete training facility for close to a decade, utilized a hard court situated to the western boundary for practice.

The youngsters used tape ball and were supervised by player/coach Shaun Massiah.

Massiah said it is a usual task for the players, who encourage the coaches and their seniors to work with them all year round.

He said he is optimistic of their chances in the final, but stated there is always room for improvement, hence he was out there assisting them.

TSC have played unbeaten in the tournament, and defeated their arch rivals in the group stage. However, DCC is still being touted as favourites to win and retain the title.

The final has been postponed on three occasions due to rain, but the organisers are hopeful it will conclude at an early date.

Shelly Daly Ramdyhan, National Tennis Coach (left); Maurisia Johnson, Manager of Homesafe Security; and Trevor Bendter, Coach of the Suriname team

the inaugural event prompted our sponsorship for a second time.”

Now that Homesafe has entered new territory, Johnson said her company will be aiming to make bigger steps -- towards sponsorship of individual players who are at disadvantage to equip themselves with the tools to progress in the sport.

Johnson noted it is simply giving back to the society.

To date, national tennis ace Nicola Ramdyhan would have benefited from Homesafe Security’s contribution to the sport, and is presently on a tennis scholarship in North America.

GCA mourns the loss of Daniel Richmond

T

he Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) is the latest cricket entity to extend condolences to the family and friends of the late Daniel Richmond.

In a release sent to the media on Thursday afternoon, the executives and members of GCA were also grieving the loss of Richmond to a tragic accident recently.

Here is a full release from the Cricket Association: The Executives and Members of the Georgetown Cricket Association extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the late Daniel Richmond.

The end of life (death) has always been a point of consternation.

Coming to terms with our own mortality is perhaps one of the biggest reality checks that in most cases invoked fear, anxiety, tending towards absurdity. Sometimes death

can seem distant, especially when the victims are not known to us. The haze that covers death finally clears up when those closely known to us finally succumb.

The untimely death of Daniel Richmond has shocked the cricket fraternity in Georgetown and beyond. News of his death started to circulate on Tuesday afternoon after he was involved in a tragic accident at the corner of D’Urban and Smyth Streets, Sunday last.

Daniel spent most of his cricketing, playing for T&HD, Police Sports Club and Third Class Association in Georgetown. After retirement, he later became a Cricket-Coach, Cricket Umpire and Book-Scorer. He was always close to the ears of the young cricketers to lend some advice, something he thoroughly enjoyed.

There is no doubt that his death

is a big blow to his family, friends and colleagues but his life and death reminds us of our mortality; that our time to make a mark on our families and communities is limited. How well we use this time determines the legacy that we will leave behind for posterity. May his soul rest in peace.

guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, may 27, 2017

B

atsman Bhaskar Yadram and wicket keeper Joshua Persaud have been included in a West Indies Under-19 squad recently named by the Selection Panel of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) for tours of South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The Guyanese duo will join 13 other Regional youth players on the tour, which is being used as pre-World Cup preparation by the reigning World Youth Champions.

The tours are being undertaken as part of the Windies Under-19s’ buildup to the ICC Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand, from January 12 to February 4 next year.

Windies Under-19s are the defending champions, having won their first title in February 2016 in Bangladesh under the leadership of Shimron

Hetmyer.

The current captain is Emmanuel Stewart, with Kirstan Kallicharran as vice captain. They were members of the World Cup-winning squad from last year.

The West Indies Under-19 Squad is: Emmanuel Stewart (captain), Kirstan Kalilcharan (vice captain), Te-Shawn Alleyne, Alick Athanaze, Joshua Bishop, Cephas Cooper, Mykille Louis, Darron Nedd, Matthew Patrick, Joshua Persaud, Javor Royal, Kegan Simmons, Javier Spencer, Bhaskar Yadram and Nyeem Young Team Management Unit: Graeme West (Head Coach), Dwain Gill (Team Manager), Corey Collymore (Assistant Coach), Khevyn Williams (Physiotherapist), Zephyrinus Nicholas (Fitness Coach), Dinesh Mahabir

(Video Data Analyst).

The following is the schedule for the tours: West Indies Under-19s to South Africa in July: Tuesday 4: Tour Match vs South Africa Under-19 XI – Varsity Oval, Durban. Thursday 6: Tour Match vs Kwa-Zulu Natal Academy – Varsity Oval. Sunday 9: 1st Youth ODI – Chatsworth Oval, Durban. Wednesday 12: 2nd Youth ODI – Pietermaritzburg Oval, Pietermaritzburg. Friday 14: 3rd Youth ODI – Pietermaritzburg Oval. Sunday 16: 4th Youth ODI – Pietermaritzburg Oval. Wednesday 19: 5th Youth ODI – Chatsworth Oval West Indies Under-19s to Zimbabwe - July: Sunday 23: 1st Youth ODI – Venue to be decided. Wednesday 26: 2nd Youth ODI – Venue to be decided.

Saturday 29: 3rd Youth ODI – Venue to be decided.

23

Bhaskar Yadram (left) and Joshua Persaud

2017 Centrobasket U-17

Guyana drawn in group with Mexico, Bahamas and Puerto Rico G

uyana’s Under-17 National Basketball Team has been drawn in a group with Mexico, the Bahamas and Puerto Rico.

The draw for the Centrobasket U-17 Championship took place in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Tuesday.

The results of the draw are as follows: Group A: Mexico,

Guyana, Bahamas, and Puerto Rico; Group B: Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Panama, Virgin Islands The Centrobasket U-17 Championship will be played in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic from July 26-30 and will feature the participation of the national teams from Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Guyana,

Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

The competition system of the tournament consists of two phases. In the Group Phase, the eight (8) participating teams will be divided into two (2) groups of four (4) teams. Teams will play in round-robin format for three days. The best two teams from each group will advance to

the next phase, where the first place winner in Group A will play against the second place winner in Group B, and vice versa.

The winners of the semi-finals will advance to the Gold Medal Match, while the losers

will play for the bronze of the continental event.

The top-three teams from the tournament will qualify to the FIBA U-18 Americas Championship 2018, which will be played in St. Catharine’s, Canada from June 11-17, 2018.

GCB/Hand-In-Hand Insurance Inter-county U-19

Berbice names strong U-19 squad in quest for title

A

– Lovell, Ramsammy to add to Essequibo’s strength

s they seek to dethrone reigning champions, Demerara, the Berbice selectors recently announced a strong unit to participate in the upcoming GCB/HandIn-Hand Insurance Intercounty Cricket Tournament, with optimism of securing the title.

The squad comprises of talented all-rounder, Kevin Sinclair and stylish batsman, Steve Deonarine – both of whom were members of the victorious Guyana U-15 team that captured that regional title in Jamaica in 2014.

In addition, fast bowler, Sylus Tyndall who was part of Guyana U-19 team that won the 2016 Regional U-19 50-over title is named on the squad. Several other players with experience from being a part of international tournaments are also included in the squad.

Steve Deonarine

The 50-over segment of the tournament bowls off on Monday with Berbice facing Essequibo at Everest Cricket Club Ground, while Demerara will take on the National U-17 select squat at Eve Leary.

Meanwhile, talented national middle order batsman, Kurt Lovell will make his first appearance for Essequibo. His decision to play for Essequibo

is one that is expected the strengthen Essequibo’s middle order, making them a more competitive side.

Joining Lovell in the Essequibo line-up is another talented player, all-rounder Mark Ramsammy, who has proven to be very effective whenever he donned his playing garments for Demerara.

The Cinderella County is projected to have a positive tournament with the inclusion of some new faces in its squad.

The full Berbice squad reads – Adrian Sukwah, Kevin Sinclair, Sasenarine Sukhoo, Vermootoo Senwason, Javid Karim, Matthew Hardyal, Daniel Samaroo, Emmanuel Seecharran, Karan Arjpaul, Keith Simpson, Deon Sinclair, Sylus Tyndall, Raymond Vankenic, Steve Deonarine, Michael Newland (Manager) and

Adrian Amsterdam (Coach).

Essequibo – Mark Williams, Sachin Persaud, Kurt Lovell, Adrian Campbell, Mark Ramsammy, Joshua Jones, Quentin Sampson, Beesham Moses, Leslie Allen, Sheldon Charles, Mahindra Persaud, Chanderpaul Mohabir, Kellin Davis, Joel Fortune, Azeem Habib, Looknauth Persaud (Manager), Andy Ramnarine (Coach).

Kurt Lovell

The U-17 te

am in actio

n

Bernardo Silva: Manchester City complete £43M deal for Monaco midfielder

M

anchester City have completed a £43 million deal for Portugal attacking midfielder Bernardo Silva from French champions Monaco.

The 22-year-old, who will join City on 1 July, said: "I'm now at one of the best teams in the world".

Silva has made 58 appearances for Monaco this season including two against City in the Champions League - scoring 11 goals and 12 assists.

He said the chance to work with Pep Guardiola influenced his decision.

"Of course when you have the opportunity of being trained by Guardiola, you don't say no," added the playmaker, who has played 12 times for Portugal, scoring once.

"If not the best coach in the world, he is one of the best."

Guardiola's City finished third in the Premier League this season, securing Champions League football next year.

Silva was integral to the Monaco side that reached the semi-finals, suffering eventual defeat to Juventus, who play Real Madrid in the final on Saturday, 3 June.(BBCSPORTS)

SATURDAY, MAY 27, 2017

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Guyanese duo in Windies squad to tour Africa Pg 23

World Youth Champions heading to Africa

Sheltez/ Homesafe Security Independence Cup International Segment

Pg 21

Participants from Guyana (right) and Suriname at the opening of the Independence Cup U-12 Tournament

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