Environmental Health Practitioners urged to work efficiently at training workshop
The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development (MLGRD) collaborated with the Ministry of Health to host a workshop on capacity building for Environmental Health practitioners in the local government system.
The workshop which was held at the Regency hotel, Hadfield Street,
al relationship between local authorities and public/ environmental health practitioners, functional responsibilities among regional departments of health and regional environment health divisions, and the mandate of the Environmental Protection Agency among others.
Speaking at the opening
Georgetown, today was aimed at building capacity for Environment Health Officers (EHOs), Regional Health Officers (RHOs), and Regional Executive Officers (REOs), along with other staff.
The 105 individuals from the 10 Administrative Regions received training in the areas of roles and functions of local authorities in the public and environmental health system of Guyana, line and function-
ceremony, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Norman Whittaker noted that over the past 11 months, the Ministry has been conducting such exercises and meetings across the country.
He added that these are aimed at identifying shortcomings and challenges and coming up with solutions.
Further, the Minister pointed out that there are often difficulties in the system due to the fact that health
workers often say “they don’t work with the Local Government Ministry or the Regional Health Officers”. He advised that the staff become familiar with the administration’s rules because the regional administration is in charge of health care in the regions despite the staff is being paid through the Health Ministry.
He urged the participants of the workshop to do their jobs effectively as he noted that numerous complaints have been filed with the Ministry. “We listen to the voice of the people and we try to deliver.”
In addition, Minister Whittaker shared the sentiments of the individuals in the gathering and pointed out that there will be occasions when they will be unable to deliver, however, the effort to assist is what is important.
Minister of Health Dr. Bheri Ramsaran noted that there is room for the enforcement of discipline and added that individuals who are not adhering to environmental health rules and regulations should be penalised.
This statement was also complemented by Minister Whittaker, who strongly urged the EHOs to familiarise themselves with the laws and ensure that persons are taken to court for breaching them. He also warned the officers to desist from favouritism and overlooking acts of their friends, and do their jobs efficiently. (GINA Extract)
C-Post Couriers wins Scotiabank’s Business Plan Competition
Lester Woolward and Samantha Austin of a new start-up called C-Post Couriers are the lucky winners of $300,000 for the most comprehensive and bankable business plan.
“We’re very thankful for the opportunity … I wanna say also, as entrepreneurs, it is very difficult to get funding. Guyana is not the credit-based country, so it is very difficult … But it was a great opportunity and on behalf of C-Post, we look forward to doing business in Guyana,” Woolward remarked.
The judges congratulated all the applicants for their hard work and interest in the competition while highlighting the areas where they fell short in their business plans.
The judges were Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) President Lance Hinds; Owner and Director of Social Rank Media, Rosh Khan; Scotiabank Robb Street Branch Manager Brian Hackett and Scotiabank Marketing Manager Jennifer Cipriani.
Hinds indicated the apparent lack of understanding of the preparation of the information for the business plan. He said most applicants failed to articulate the vision they were trying to project and were weak with their financial and marketing plans.
Khan also touched on the weaknesses in the marketing plans, noting that
the candidates needed to be more specific.
“I feel that there needs to be a little bit more specificity as to how you’re going to market your product/service. It’s not enough to say I’m going to put some posters around the community; it’s not enough to say I’m going to do some social media…”
He said entrepreneurs should decide what they want to do in terms of marketing, and then ask themselves how they will do it, who they intend to target, and how they plan to do so. He also advised them to develop a system for success in order to measure the results of their attempts and efforts.
Workshops
The unsuccessful candidates were encouraged to review their business plans and make the necessary improvements for potential loans at the various financial institutions.
“Money is not free. It comes with conditions and in every instance, it is the bankability of your proposal or business plan that will determine the level of financial support you will receive,” Hinds stated.
Based on the judges’ findings, Scotiabank will be partnering with the GCCI in 2015 to execute workshops to equip small business owners with the skills to prepare the financial aspect of a business plan.
The business plan competition is a collaborative
effort between the GCCI and Scotiabank, as part of the Bank’s Small Business Week initiative for 2014.
“The competition is a wonderful idea: it allows for potential and existing businesses to understand what it takes to get financial support,” Hinds said.
Small Business Week is observed by Scotiabank in Guyana every September whereby small businesses are acknowledged, celebrated and given promotional tips, advice, and guidance on management. The competition was open to Guyanese residents, 18 years and older, who were interested in starting a business and small business owners who wanted to expand their business.
Eligible persons were required to submit their business plan using Scotiabank’s free business plan writer tool which can be accessed on the Bank’s website.
Only seven entries were received for this year’s competition. However, it was a great improvement, since zero entries were received for the 2012 competition.
The runners-up of the competition are Estwick Northe – The Garage Seasoned Meats; Kevin Fogenay – 592 Apparel; Waveny Charles – wickershopping.com; Antoniette Davis – Mundanza
Distribution; Randy, Blake and Denise Bumbury –Juice Fitness; and Parsram Jowan and Thamesha Watson – Platinum Shopping.
GRA on track to meet $135B revenue target
Though it has been beset by intermittent challenges, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is on track to achieve its $135.3 billion target in revenues.
GRA Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur made this disclosure on Wednesday.
The $135.3 billion target was set based on a projected eight per cent increase in internal revenue collections to $55.8 billion, due to the anticipated strong Private Sector performance at the company and the self-employed levels.
Additionally, the returns of value added and excise taxes are targeted to increase by 6.7 per cent to $65.8 billion, owing to higher import levels.
However, the Commissioner General explained that since August, the GRA has been experiencing a dip in revenue collection due to the negative publicity it had been receiving.
Scotiabank Robb Street Branch Manager Brian Hackett presenting the cheque to C-Post Couriers principals Lester Woolward and Samantha Austin. Also in the photo are Scotiabank Marketing
Manager Jennifer Cipriani, GCCI President Lance Hinds, and Owner and Director of Social Rank Media, Rosh Khan
Participants at the workshop
BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Thursday, November 27 from 08:30h-10:00h
The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Thursday, November 27 from 07:25h-08:55h
WEATHER TODAY
Weather: Tomorrow, mainly cloudy to overcast skies can be expected throughout Coastal and inland areas with occasional to frequent showers and isolated thundershowers. Other areas partly cloudy to cloudy skies with scattered showers can be expected. Rainfall is expected to range between 0.0mm and 40.0mm. The highest rainfall is expected over Regions One to Four. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius.
Winds: East North-easterly between 3.12 metres and 3.57 metres per second.
High Tide: 07:49h and 20:08h reaching maximum heights of 2.48 metres and 2.52 metres respectively.
Low Tide: 01:18h and 13:39h reaching minimum heights of 0.58 metre and 0.79 metre respectively.
The above-normal high tide warning is in effect until Thursday, November 27. Residents of low-lying, riverine, and flood-prone areas are advised to take necessary precautions against possible flooding.
AFC losing ground in Berbice – supporters
BY MICHAEL YOUNGE AND ANDREW CARMICHAEL
Scores of Alliance for Change (AFC) supporters in Regions Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) have expressed great uneasiness and concern over the ‘cozy’ relationship between their party and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) with many saying they feel betrayed and duped.
A large portion of the current AFC members interviewed by Guyana Times in the two administrative regions were former supporters of the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) party.
They said that it is unfortunate that the AFC is moving closer to forming a preelection coalition with the APNU which is essentially the same People’s National Congress (PNC).
Others could not believe
that the AFC was misusing the votes they had cast at the last elections to join an alliance with the main Opposition party which continues to support the dictatorial and hardliner economic and social policies of the Burnham and Hoyte regime.
Mark David told this publication that the party has not lived up to his expectations. He said, “they have joined with the Opposition and have not supported our votes.”
Fifty-two-year-old Parbattie Rampersaud appeared very frustrated when she was interviewed by this newspaper.
“I made a bad choice. I should have never voted for Moses or Ramayya. They let me down with all of the stupidness taking place in the
concerned over “coziness” with APNU
AFC and at Parliament. I want development not confusion. They can’t come back to our village, so they sending different people to calm us down”, she remarked.
Another resident of Region Five, Mark Samaroo, a labourer, explained that he is disappointed with the decisions taken by his party leaders, Khemraj Ramjattan and Moses Nagamootoo.
“We never voted for them to support the PNC or APNU. They promised they were different and would force the PPP/C to give us better wages. They promised to support things that would see us not having to struggle every day, but they fool we up real good”, he stated.
A large portion of other residents interviewed explained that they are still waiting to see the game plan being followed by the AFC. For the most part, they are disappointed with the posture of their leaders.
“The AFC did a number on us and now we feel foolish. I made all my family members vote for them. Not again. They not a vote from us and lots of neigbours at Whim, Tain and Port Mourant feel so”, the man said.
AFC’s denial
When contacted, AFC’s Central Executive Member Rohan Jaggiswar denied that his party was losing ground in the Berbice area. He insisted that people were still very much few up with the two larger parties that have parliamentary seats.
He denied that there was any collaboration between the AFC and APNU. “The AFC will not join the APNU at the poll. If we win, we will
form a broad based government”, he remarked.
Jaggiswar made this comment even though his fellow Executives in Georgetown have announced their decision to join the APNU’s broad coalition and fight what they referred to as the “dictatorial rule in Guyana”.
The Geogetown-based executives have also joined the APNU’s platform to vent their frustration against the President’s decision to prorogue Parliament as opposed to doing so independently.
There have also been several high-level meetings between the two parties aimed at forming a strong front to unseat the PPP/C while the APNU continues to appeal to the AFC to consider a permanent coalition.
Despite this, Jaggiswar says the AFC is using a strategy but is not in partnership with APNU. “Sometimes you have to use political tactics for strategic objectives”, he explained.
PPP/C confident
But PPP/C Parliamentarian and Executive Member in Berbice, Fizal Jaffarally confirmed that several persons who either did not vote for his party out of frustration or crossed the floor to the AFC are returning in their numbers.
He admitted that the PPP/C had lost a small amount of votes to the AFC because of the populace’s dissatisfaction with certain developments.
“Because of the propaganda peddled by the AFC they were able to mislead a number of PPP/C supporters who fell for the trap, particularly in the sugar belt area”, he said.
Jaffarally opined that the PPP/C has learnt its lesson, and is leaving no stone unturned in its effort to regain lost ground.
According to him, there are about four party political meetings held daily in Region Six.
“Prime Minister Samuel Hinds in Region Six more that once every week to hold meetings and the President is in the region almost every week to meet with people”, he related.
He noted that many of
the meetings are being held with persons who may have voted for the AFC at the last elections.
“The indication that we are getting is that persons now have a change of heart. People have expressed regret. People have said they are disappointed with the AFC. They thought that it was an independent political party. This is mainly because they are now seeing the connection and the collaboration between the AFC and the APNU particularly when it comes to issues of the national assembly”, he opined.
Meanwhile, Region Six Chairman David Armogan, in an invited comment on the issue, said the PPP/C party had commenced a process to repair its grassroots support since 2011.
He said there are regular meetings throughout the region. “Especially in the sugar belt areas like Tain, Port Mourant and Canje. What our supporters are now saying is that the AFC had made empty promises to them like the promise of a 20 per cent wage increase.” Armogan added that, “They are sorry now because they were all empty promises made by the AFC before the last election. Some of them are saying that they did not expect that the AFC would have teamed up with the APNU”.
He said more work was also being done in Opposition support areas and strongholds.
The PPP/C has constantly said the missteps and confusion in the AFC as well as its betrayal of Guyanese at the last elections will result in it regaining its majority in the National Assembly.
AFC Central Executive Member Rohan Jaggiswar
Region Six Chairman David Armogan
PPP/C Executive Member in Berbice, Fizal Jaffarally
Editor: Nigel Williams
Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134
Late last year, before the convening of Parliament, Opposition Leader David Granger declared that a “new political culture” was needed in Guyana. From his comments, he was evidently reacting to the gridlock that had developed in the National Assembly by then since the 2011 elections.
More specifically he suggested that this “new political culture” should engender a “relationship among the three parties in the National Assembly to ensure that the dialogue that takes place is for the benefit of the whole people”.
In an editorial at the time, “A new political culture”, we wrote: “On the surface, there is much that is commendable about Mr Granger’s proposal and we are hoping that when the National Assembly reconvenes in a month’s time we will see whether he is serious. Up to now his actions have belied his asseveration.”
From what has happened since, it was clear that we were justified in our skepticism about Mr Granger’s bona fides on “dialogue”.
It is ironic that Mr Granger mentioned the early initiative of President Ramotar in establishing the “Tripartite Talks Mechanism” in which the leaders of the same three parties he cited met to “dialogue” on contentious issues. The record of that mechanism was tragic on account of the intransigent posture adopted by first the Alliance For Change (AFC) and then Mr Granger’s own A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).
It is clear that nothing has changed in the dynamics between the two Opposition parties and then between them and the PPP/C Government.
In the first round of substantive Tripartite Talks surrounding Budget 2012, the AFC went on a fishing expedition by demanding higher wages for Public Servants. For this blatant act of playing to the political gallery, he had to be reprimanded by the General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
The AFC soon withdrew and when APNU and the President struck a bargain on the equalisation of electricity tariffs for Linden in a quid pro quo for raising the Old Age Pensions, they undercut APNU’s position. The latter was suckered into supporting riots in Linden and later, further massive cuts on the budget.
For the 2013 budget, even though in the interregnum the Chief Justice had ruled that their prior budget cuts were unconstitutional, the Opposition once again eschewed dialogue in the talks and repeated their cuts. Beyond the budget process, there was another opportunity for the Opposition to demonstrate they were willing to place the best interest of the country before the lure of partisan politics.
This was the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AMLCT) Bill. The Opposition had no substantive objections to any of the clauses in the Bill, which had been demanded by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) but yet never approved it.
And we arrive at the present calls of President Ramotar to the Opposition for “dialogue” - even at this 11th hour, in the wake of the brinkmanship they embarked on, led by the AFC with their “No-Confidence” Motion. To give the country one last chance for a more collaborative political culture, the same one called for by Mr Granger, the President was forced to prorogue Parliament.
More than two millennia ago, in what has been eponymously called “the Thucydides Trap”, the famous historian expatiated on his influential theory of why powerful states can be pushed into war. “What made war inevitable was the growth of Athenian power and the fear which this caused in Sparta,” he concluded.
With the benefit of hindsight, historians since have suggested that political party competition might follow the same logic and also a corollary. It was not only “fear” that drove Sparta and Athens into conflict, but also the extreme behaviour of their allies.
As a party representing a substantial bloc of Guyanese, the PNC must stop being wagged by its extremist AFC tail. Give dialogue a chance.
Indo Guyanese have never enslaved anyone Part Two
Dear Editor, Indo Guyanese who never enslaved anyone at any time in history have become the habitual black leadership’s next best automatic option of vilification, animosity and destruction. The ‘pagans’ have no defense or automatic fallback support in the Caribbean.
Guyana’s armed forces still remain racially unbalanced. In fact, like the Portuguese and Chinese, Indo Guyanese were all politically conquered imports for the benefit of the Dutch, British and even American power brokers.
Indians were damaged goods constantly under foreign occupying invaders even before they were Guyanese imports. Truth be told, no European power occupied Africa before slavery.
What enhanced the Indo Guyanese to be targeted, was the urgency assumed by their adversaries that they should be ‘corrected by creolizatio’ or frightened into leaving Guyana; their racial elimination was not due to ideology alone.
Considered uncivilized pagans, aggressive proselytizing Christianity pounced on them for religion makeover. In a race conflict, which side would God favour when Christians from all troublesome races rush for help? Only God knows.
What has been most tragic for race relations in Guyana is the unfiltered importation and imposition of an alien religion and its culture which transplanted the black American experience and viewpoints as the ideal political resolution for a completely non-white Guyana.
Paul Nehru Tennessee points out in the Guyana Journal that: “The Black Power Movement in the USA was in response to the racism against African Americans and their denial of civil rights. It was also born out of dissatisfaction with a moderate but progressive leadership inspired fundamentally by Christianity with deep roots in the African culture.
“Closer at home, the Black Power Movement reached the Caribbean. In 1970, the UG Ratoon Group, a radical leftist organization adopted ‘Black Power’ as its slogan. The group invited black American Stokely Carmichael to visit Guyana.
“At Carmichael’s first public meeting, he defined ‘Black Power’ as excluding Indo Guyanese and other oppressed racial groups and classes. He casually dismissed the Indo Guyanese experience and challenged them to fight for their ‘own’ power.
“The meeting ended with a walkout of Indo Guyanese students and the Ratoon Group publicly disassociated itself from Carmichael. The Ratoon Group (in 1970) upheld the definition of Black power to include all oppressed racial groups as was defined by Walter Rodney in ‘Groundings with My Brothers’.”
But after Mr Carmichael’s viewpoint was totally embraced and celebrated by Eusi Kwayana, ASCRIA and the PNC, the visiting black activist recommended Guyanese to work with Mr Kwayana to achieve their common objectives.
When Dr David Hinds actively pursues Mr Kwayana and Mr Carmichael’s mission with unchecked gusto, he is still stuck in the last century. Race and political power by race alone is what consumes his existence. Understandably he does not speak for all Afro Guyanese, but let’s examine his continued bombast in the KN of Novermer 21, titled “There can be no representative Government without the representatives of all parties”.
He is again adamant: “So Mr PPP/C come off your domination horse. Mr AFC come off your NoConfidence/Election Horse. And Mr APNU come off your Indecisive/ Election Horse. Let Guyana Live”.
Dr Hinds’ crusade has no limits and he has no cultural filter in his say so. His entitlement turpidity remains unshaken most evi-
dent when he wrote: “There can be no truly representative Guyana Government without the PPP/C.
“But the PPP must recognize that there can be no truly representative Government without the representatives of the other parties that make up the parliamentary majority. The time for dreaming crossover and (sic) non-ethnic voting partners is over; we cannot wait any longer on the ideal”.
Dr Hinds is no expert on governance or democracy. Blinded by race, his failure is inability to comprehend that the Opposition is part of Government in a democracy operating by the highest written laws of Guyana’s Constitution.
But then again democracy is not what he demands. When race preempts democratic elections, everything has been permanently decided by birth. Dialogue is specious and easily rejected.
Dr Hinds who lives in the US, will have to accept that Mr Baldwin’s US analysis cannot be convenient, relevant, acceptable and valid only by whim or scanty cookup seasoning. “White people in this country will have quite enough to do in learning how to accept and love themselves and each other,” Mr Baldwin advised.
He cannot be simultaneously wrong for instructing white people to love themselves and each other when he also desires black people to do the same. The Afrocentic Buxtonian is similarly instructed to pursue and achieve black self love independently.
Demanding others to validate your uniqueness presupposes and advertises they hold the keys to other’s happiness Black is beautiful. Does it become more beautiful by destroying despised adversaries whose validation, proximity and ‘pagan’ sanctification is constantly attacked but still required?
Neither Amerindians, Indo Guyanese nor Sino Guyanese anytime ever demanded any validation from others for their cultural ex-
istence and survival. Why are their existence and culture under a constant attacking criminal conspiracy?
All have been fed from the trough of ‘massa’ and the public wallet to no one’s forever detriment. The PPP/C’s predicament is its track record of allocating more taxpayers funding in Opposition strongholds and neglecting their base.
A Ghanian told me President Kwame Nkrumah was too preoccupied with partying with his neighbours and he neglected his own home. Things fell apart. Those grand regal objectives which motivate Dr Hinds and company are best achievable within federalism at his own pace - and as Mr Baldwin advises - “then the Negro problem will no longer exist, for it will no longer be needed” by anyone, to everyone’s relief.
The growing suspicion that black magnificence may not be as successful on its own, can only be nixed “–which will not be tomorrow and may very well be never –” by those demanding piggyback entitlement on their tormented adversaries.
What Dr Hinds actually seeks is for all parties with disparate political manifestos (we know he means by race) should be equally stacked in the cabinet to perpetuate greater gridlock behind closed doors.
With so many cooks and captains, which course and direction should the ship of state be headed? Why he is always silent in recognizing that taxpayers funded institutions should automatically be racially representative of the Guyanese population is no big mystery. He should therefore have no problems with Guyana becoming a federal republic, that is, unless he is most comfortable with the partition solution of his guru Eusi Kwayana. That “this confounded nonsense must stop” is the ball in his court, at any time, to go play with himself.
Sincerely, Sultan Mohamed
A spectacular late afternoon skyscape on Wednesday gave rise to a dramatic shot of downtown Georgetown (Marceano Narine photo)
Is the IACHR promulgating natural justice or ‘bush laws’?
Dear Editor,
The Inter American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has said that the Government of Guyana should protect KN and staff and investigate Attorney General Anil Nandall.
In fact, the newspaper published verbatim the statement made by the IACHR in addition to their article. The statement was issued based on a complaint and request for “precautionary measures” that was lodged by one of KN’s Lawyers Christopher Ram over the impugned and manipulated recording of the Attorney General, which was incidentally, tapped and published.
According to the IACHR, it granted its precautionary measures “after analyzing the factual and legal arguments put forth by (Ram), the commission considers that the information presented demonstrates prima facie that the members of KN are in a serious and urgent situation since their lives and personal integrity face an imminent risk of irreparable harm”.
Amazingly, the IACHR has issued a statement outlining a prima facie finding based only on the complaint that was made by Mr Ram. I find it quite perplexing that such a body which should for all intents and purposes be neutral would make such a pronouncement before giving the other side a hearing, or even a chance to respond.
Does this body which places human rights at its apex not subscribe to the fundamental principles/ rules of natural justice, or
do they subscribe to ‘bush laws’?
The body realizing its bias and, in what appears as an attempt to seem neutral, outlined towards the end of its statement that it is requesting a report within 15 days from the Government since “the present precautionary measures have been granted without having previously requested information from the State, the Commission will review this decision once it receives reports from both parties”.
Well, if the “Commission will review the decision once it receives reports from both parties”, why did it not wait until a report was given from the Government’s side before issuing its precautionary measures?
The answer is simple and has nothing to do with urgency. The IACHR has taken a biased position and released its precautionary measures at the behest of KN through its lawyer.
The proof to substantiate this is also within the statement made by the IACHR where the body said that “the request for precautionary measures is presented in favour of the members of KN, who are identified in the communications presented to the IACHR”.
This was not captured in the article done by KN for obvious reasons. More disconcerting, is that IACHR armed only with information that was provided by the lawyers of KN formed a definitive pronouncement that indeed threats were made to the lives of journalists attached to KN.
I have listened to the impugned recording between
Efforts continuing to recover stolen vehicle
Dear Editor
The Guyana Police Force is responding to an article published in the Kaieteur News on November 24 under the headline, “Carjacked driver had to wait until Police bought Chinese food”.
The Guyana Police Force is vigorously disputing the allegation that the ranks of the Police mobile patrol were at a Chinese restaurant at the time when they were contacted by the victim, and that he had to wait until they were finished purchasing food and drinks before any action was taken on his report, as is claimed in the article.
the Attorney General and the reporter and I would like to know on what basis did the IACHR come to the conclusion that “alleged threats” were made by Mr Nandlall that would place the lives of KN staff in danger or “irreparable harm”.
All the Attorney General did was highlight that such an eventuality could occur, if the KN continues its unabated practices of unethical journalism aimed at tarnishing the character of persons. I am not a lawyer, but my colleagues who are, have expressed that there is no basis for such a definitive conclusion to be made, even if it is alleged.
It would seem that the IACHR has taken a onesided position and with the premature issuance of its precautionary measures without garnering the input from the state, the body has solidified its bias despite now requesting a report from the other party involved.
One would’ve thought that the IACHR would’ve have investigated the journalistic malpractice of Kaieteur News which for the most part is aimed at the character assassination of persons who the publisher of the news outfit is not in congruence with.
After all, that is a human rights violation.
Yours truly, Richard Mendoza
Koker
Dear Editor,
Future of Test cricket
looks dim, T20 taking over
Dear Editor,
It seems as if interest in Test cricket is on the decline since spectators and television viewers are more interested in the shorter version of the game - 50 over ODI or T20 - exciting three hour matches.
Seven years ago when I toured Australia with a South Florida Masters Team I met 85-year-old Sam Laxton, a former member of Sir Donald Bradman›s invincible team and he told me that cricket is Test cricket and nothing else.
In fact, he was against the 50-over ODI. The T20 at the time was just beginning to come into stream, which he described as «hog wash».
At the same time in the Caribbean, Allen Stanford was promoting T20 cricket, doling out millions to former West Indies star cricketers and present day cricketers. He also contributed significantly to pavilions and playing fields in the region.
I must say that despite Stanford’s dishonesty, he did a fantastic job for T20 cricket in the region. Unfortunately, he is now serving a110-year sentence for a massive Ponzi scheme.
There is a saying «money talks», hence the reason why the players are now motivated to play the Indian Premiere League (IPL) which is being administered by a board headed by the BCCI Vice President Ranjib
Biswai, in which wealthy Indians are involved.
Pepsi won the sponsorship award, paying more than US$3 billion for the franchise. It is worth it because the T20 cricket is the most watched game, and it is the first sporting event to be broadcast live on YouTube.
The IPL is the most wealthy cricketing body in the world with cash turnover in the billions.
This year 11 teams are participating in the tournament. The winning team will receive 150 million rupees (US$1 = R61.8437). A total of 400 million rupees will be paid out in prizes.
Fifty per cent of the prize money to the outstanding teams will be distributed to the players.
More than 160 outstanding world cricketers, including several West Indians, are attracted to the IPL and without a doubt they prefer to play the IPL T20 threehour games rather than the five-day Test matches, but the main reason is the big bucks they are earning.
Moreover the spectators, as well as viewers are attracted to the exciting matches,and the business houses pay large sums for their commercials because of the hundreds of millions of viewers.
Looking at the present day situation, I am not too optimistic about the future of Test cricket. As I said earlier, «money talks» and
that was the reason why the West Indian players walked out of the tournament in Dharasalam India several weeks ago.
It was a silly act by the players, but they were not concerned about the repercussions their stupid act. They were only looking at their point of view - the mighty dollar.
Test cricket started in 1877 in England and the Imperial Cricket Conference was established in 1909 with England, Australia and South Africa as members. It was renamed the International Cricket Conference (ICC) when Jndia, West Indies and New Zealand became Test nations before the Second Word War. West Indies gained Test status in 1928. Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh later gained Test status. Cricket in the early days was known as a gentleman›s game, but it is no longer so since the emphasis is now on money.
India has the resources in terms of interest in the game, spectators, viewers, sponsorship, players and what have you, and I feel that the time will come, sooner or later when the sports will be controlled by India or maybe the Asian teams, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Sincerely Oscar Ramjeet
breaches are becoming a norm
Blue CAPS notes with grave concern the alarming frequency in which flooding is occurring in coastal areas.
Koker breaches are becoming a norm and heavy rainfall now invariably leads to high levels of flooding in many coastline areas, including the densely populated capital city, Georgetown.
manned and operated in a systematic and reliable manner.
The Ministry of Public Works is being called upon to conduct an urgent examination into our koker systems nationally with the aim of offering viable long term solutions to arrest the regular breaches.
local government elections so that citizens can elect new leaders to address the competency deficit and marshal resources and apply new approaches to the current structural defects that exist.
The Guyana Police Force wishes to clarify that upon receipt of the report, and taking into consideration the time that had elapsed since the commission of the alleged carjacking, the decision was taken by the patrol ranks at that stage to immediately inform other Police patrols and stations of the incident via the radio communications network, rather than to pursue the perpetrator.
Efforts are continuing to be made in order to recover the stolen motor vehicle, which has not been located so far.
Sincerely,
Ivelaw Whittaker Public Relations and Press Officer
This issue of the patrol ranks being at a Chinese restaurant is apparently a new dimension added to the matter, as it was raised and dealt with at a Community Outreach Meeting held by the Divisional Commander on November 22 at the Diamond Secondary School, and nothing of the sort was mentioned.
The frequent koker failures represent an inadequacy and technical deficiency on the part of public works authorities to holistically ensure the kokers are structurally sound and are
The immense and frequent floods are a result of both natural causes and failure of governance systems to function effectively.
In terms of the latter, it represents the failure of, and underscores the need for, central government to call
Anything short of local elections will just represent another cosmetic application to a serious national treat to citizen’s health, well-being and security.
Respectfully submitted
Blue CAPS
Page Foundation
The United Nations World Health Organisation (WHO) said Tuesday that while Ebola response targets for December 1 in West Africa may be reached in many places, they may not be met in some areas, and confirmed two new cases in Mali amid ramped up efforts to reduce the likelihood that additional cases will be imported from neighbouring Guinea.
“The identification of patient contacts for daily monitoring has reportedly reached 99 per cent,” WHO said. “Based on experiences in Senegal and Nigeria, this achievement could augur well for rapid containment of Mali’s outbreak.” Senegal and Nigeria, which had been affected, are now Ebola-free.
“Most of these patients had symptom onset in early to mid-November, indicating ongoing chains of transmission,” WHO said in a press release that confirmed the two additional cases that brings to eight the total number of reported cases in Mali.
“With WHO support, staff from Mali’s Ministry of Health will be meeting with health officials from Guinea to discuss cross-border measures for coordinating control efforts and reducing the likelihood that additional cases will be imported from Guinea into Mali,” the UN health agency said.
The United Nations, as part of its intensified support
to both the preparedness and response efforts of the Malian Government, opened on Wednesday an office of the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) in Bamako, the capital.
UNMEERs’ Guinea office, meanwhile, reported that community reticence in many areas remains the main obstacle to contact tracing. Ebola is
not in others.
UNMEER head Anthony Banbury had said in media interviews that the mission is already exceeding its December 1 targets in some areas, but that it is almost certain the targets will not be reached in all areas.
The targets are the socalled “70-70-60 plan” which aims to try to get 70 per cent
spreading in the north up to the border with Mali, an area with no functioning treatment centres or transit centres.
In response to a question at the UN press briefing in Geneva, WHO Spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said the December 1 targets for treatment and burials set by his organisation in its response to Ebola would likely be reached in many places, but
of the cases isolated and treated, and 70 per cent of the deceased safely buried within 60 days from the beginning of October to December 1.
UNMEER also reported that 150 health workers from the West African countries of from Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger and Nigeria will be trained in Accra, Ghana this week to help tackle Ebola
in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
In Liberia, UNMEER said it plans have two or three of its helicopters positioned in Monrovia by next week to ensure immediate dispatch of teams and supplies to any outbreak.
And as of Tuesday, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), US$807.5 million of the US$1.5 billion Ebola response plan for West Africa was funded, which represented 54 percent of the appeal met.
Meanwhile, the UN Global Compact will convene an event in New York on December 11 in cooperation with the Ebola Private Sector Mobilisation Group, a coalition of over 35 companies with major assets and operations in West Africa mobilising business resources, to support front-line Ebola humanitarian relief efforts while also advocating for a more concerted global response to the outbreak and recovery.
Along with counterparts from the UN, Governments and civil society, Chief Executive Officers will gather at this event to share examples of interventions by business to support the Ebola response, identify lessons learned, explore how successes can be replicated and discuss the role of business in long-term recovery, according to the UN Global Compact. (UN)
By Anne Miller
Your children’s surroundings might be causing them harm — and you might not even be able to see it.
We want to protect our children from harm. But we can’t always. Cars crash down the street. A house catches fire around the corner. Maybe a friend gets hurt at the playground. Families stress over money, even going hungry.
Older children have a better grasp of what’s going on around them and how to cope with stress. But young
that the American Academy of Paediatrics launched the Centre on Healthy, Resilient Children this summer, and is pushing doctors to screen for damaging toxic stress symptoms, even in babies.
“The more adverse experiences in childhood, the greater the likelihood of developmental delays and later health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, substance abuse, and depression,” Harvard’s Centre on the Developing Child notes. “Research also indicates that supportive, responsive relationships with caring adults
children and toddlers who aren’t very verbal can’t express their thoughts and struggle to process what they see around them — especially a dramatic incident.
Continued exposure to stressful events without enough adult support to counteract the problems can lead to a diagnosis of toxic stress — an extreme diagnosis, usually given to children in abusive or tough economic situations. Such stress has risen to enough concern
as early in life as possible can prevent or reverse the damaging effects of toxic stress response.”
Toxic stress in children may seem like an extreme for many families, but even in the best circumstances, stressful situations arise. Especially in summer when children are outside more, with their parents more, outside the safe confines of day care or their homes.
How can parents help their young children navigate problems in a world they’re just beginning to know?
The experts from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles have four suggestions for talking to toddlers and young children about stressful situations.
Even if your two-year-old can barely form sentences, he can still soak in everything around him — including big events, and parents’ reactions to them.
Their tips:
Stay close. A reassuring presence helps children feel safe.
Explain what happened. Not graphically — use simple language and soothing tones, and explain what you are doing to keep them safe. Even if they don’t understand what’s going on, your voice and tone can calm them.
Play act. Children process through playing. If your daughter witnessed a car accident and starts re-enacting the scene with her Matchbox vehicles, jump in with a rescue ambulance that comes to make the accident victims feel better. Don’t duck out. Tell your children when you’re leaving and reassure them that you’ll return. Leaving without saying anything, even if they cry over your absence, can make them more anxious. (parenting.com)
Ramotar dismisses “malicious” media report about private jet travel
…in wake of Guyanese pilot being detained in Puerto Rico
President Donald Ramotar has never travelled on a private jet to Puerto Rico or Brazil with former President Bharrat Jagdeo, as has been insinuated by an Opposition-aligned online media entity, Demerara Waves.
On Wednesday, the online news site published what well-placed sources said were malicious reports about Ramotar and Jagdeo previously travelling on the
jet belonging to Khamraj Lall, who was apprehended in Puerto Rico following a whopping US$620,000 cash discovery on the aircraft when he landed over the weekend.
The sources said the reports were all erroneous and seemed to be targeting Jagdeo for reasons only those writing the articles would know.
When contacted, Ramotar himself stated that, contrary to the re-
ports, he and the former President have never been on a private jet together to the US island of Puerto Rico or neighbouring Brazil.
Observers said there appeared to be perennial efforts aimed at dragging Jagdeo’s name into matters that he had absolutely no knowledge of, or any interest in. Ramotar also confirmed that he and the former President never travelled together on a private jet overseas.
Cane juice vendor's murder… Sophia man jailed for 83 years for killing reputed wife
Tears came to the eyes of 24-year-old Michael Anthony Persaud on Wednesday after he was found guilty of strangling his reputed wife to death and was sentenced to 83 years imprisonment.
Persaud called “Mikey” was indicted with the murder of his wife of five years, Maduri Padumdeo called “Sharda”, between December 21 and 23, 2011, at their Lot 8 North Sophia, Greater Georgetown home. The 20-year-old woman was found naked on the bed with a very much conscious Persaud lying next to her. At the time, the man was just 21-year-old and the couple shared a two-year-old son.
The trial began on Monday during which Senior State Counsel Judith Mursalin-Gildarie presented nine witnesses including the couple’s employer, Chandrapaul called “Kaylee” and “Cane juice Man”, who made the discovery. However, the cane juice businessman testified that he and the deceased shared an illegitimate relationship.
Chandrapaul recalled that he and the couple prior to the incident went to a wake on the East Coast of Demerara and on their way back, the car broke down and so they spent the night at a nearby hotel. The following morning, he added, he dropped the couple home and spent a short time there before leaving.
The businessman recalled that after sometime, the couple, who worked at different locations selling cane juice, did not show up to work and after efforts to contact them proved futile, he visited the home where he found the man lying beside Padumdeo’s nude body. He recounted that there was a piece of electrical wire wrapped around the woman’s neck.
During the cross examination, Defence Attorney Raymond Ali, suggested to the prosecution’s witness that the deceased wanted to end the affair with him hence he killed her and framed
Persaud. However, the businessman denied this. He said that there was no reason for him to kill “Sharda” given the fact that they had an intimate relationship and she was a good employee. Chandrapaul further denied allegations put to him that he had sodomised Persaud at the hotel.
Meanwhile, the landlady of the couple’s Sophia home, Datadai Doodnauth, also testified that she was inside her house when she heard a scream and came outside to investigate. The woman recalled seeing Padumdeo screaming and asking for someone to call the Police.
Doodnauth said that Persaud then dragged the woman into the apartment and locked the door. The woman said that she summoned the Police, however the screams had stopped. In a Caution Statement, which Persaud reportedly gave to the Police, he said that his wife informed him that she did not love him anymore and wanted to be with Chandrapaul.
“I got frustrated and ran berserk with she. Me didn’t expect she gon tell me something like that. Me tell she don’t worry. Me tell she that me gon kill myself and I cut my finger,” Persaud said in the statement.
After the prosecution closed its case, Persaud was called to lead his defence and opted to do so by giving an unsworn statement pro-
claiming his innocence.
“Your Honour, I am innocent of this crime. I have no knowledge of it. I love my wife and I would never kill her. Your Honour, Kaylee bugger (sodomise) me. I have a five-year-old son and I would like to be back in his life,” he pleaded.
However, after the jury returned with a unanimous guilty verdict following two hours deliberation on Wednesday, Persaud requested the court to be merciful in its sentencing. However before handing down the sentence, Justice Navindra Singh pointed out that to the man that while he requested the court to show mercy, he showed no remorse for his actions and did not utter a word of apology to the family of the deceased nor to his son, who is now left without both parents.
Taking both the mitigating and aggravating factors presented by the defence and prosecution respectively, Justice Singh begun the sentencing with the standard 60 years and added 10 year for premedication, given the fact that he locked the door after dragging the woman inside and another 10 years for the cruelty of the crime.
Additionally six years were added to the already 80 years, given the fact that it was a domestic violence case. Three years were deducted from the sentence for the time Persaud has already spent incarcerated.
The President, however, noted that he had previously chartered Lall’s aircraft to travel to Caribbean destinations on two occasions and once to Brazil, but reiterated that it was never with Jagdeo. On this note, he explained that these trips were official state visits to participate in conferences.
Lall, a Guyanese businessman was arrested by United States law enforcement authorities after the cash was found on his private plane last weekend in Puerto Rico. He was detained on November 22 on his way to Guyana after stopping to refuel the US island.
During the stop, US
Customs officers reportedly became suspicious and the aircraft was promptly grounded by airport authorities. While on the ground, the officers reportedly asked Lall to report how much cash he was carrying.
Lall, who was travelling with his father and the pilot of the aircraft, is believed to have initially said only US$5000 between himself and his father, but later allegedly said they had US$12,000. On closer inspection of the plane, officers found US$150,000 wrapped in plastic bags and a blanket under an exit seat.
As the search continued, several black garbage bags with another US$470,000 in cash was found in a compartment near the engine. Lall reportedly admitted that all the money was his and that his father knew nothing about it.
Lall is the owner of KLX Logistics Inc, located in Jersey City, New Jersey in the US, which offers trucking and warehouse services, and was operational from 1995 to 2010. In Guyana, he owns the Kaylee’s Service Station at Coverden, East Bank Demerara, as well as a limousine service. He also operates a courier service out of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri.
Lall migrated to the
United States of America some 30 years ago in pursuit of his dreams in aviation. He graduated from the College of Aeronautics with a Bachelor’s Degree in Technology and Engineering, and later obtained his pilot’s licence. He has been flying since 1994 and holds a PIC (PilotIn-Command) type rating approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He worked for Pan American Airlines as an Engineer for five years until the airline closed its operations in 1991. For the past 15 years, he has been freelancing with Ringwood Airport in New Jersey as a flight instructor.
Michael Anthony Persaud being escorted out of court after receiving a sentence of 83 years
Former President Bharrat Jagdeo
President Donald Ramotar
PNC methods of instilling fear has not changed – PPP/C warns
The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) says it feels personally attacked by the comments made by Opposition Leader David Granger, published in the Stabroek Newspapers on November 21.
The PPP/C feels that Granger was referring to persons in the PPP/C’s past administration as well as present who he and his Opposition colleagues allege have committed wrongdoings.
Granger however said that he made the statement that he would punish persons, “.... who have been alleged to have committed illegal or criminal acts,” in the event that he becomes President.
The party highlighted Guyana’s immediate past President Bharrat Jagdeo and Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh as Granger’s main suspected targets and
accused him of being fixated on them.
In light of the prorogation of Parliament following the No-Confidence Motion tailored by the Alliance for Change (AFC), there have been many political stirrups in the atmosphere. Leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan had put forth the Motion and it was set to be debated in Parliament on November 10.
However, President Donald Ramotar decided to prorogue Parliament and has said that he prorogued Parliament to preserve its 10th life and to facilitate dialogue with the Opposition parties. Both of the Opposition parties have declined to have any talks with President Ramotar until Parliament is convened.
The President has since dispatched an invitation to Granger for talks.
In a press statement, the PPP/C went on to ex -
press dissatisfaction with Granger’s statement and saw it as a warning and threat. “What is glaring from the recent interview (as reported in Stabroek News of November 21), is that Granger indicated that he will go on a witch hunt and through his lynch mob, would throw due process out the window.”
The party highlighted other instances in which it feels were also threats and warnings coming from APNU and the PNC and said “clearly, the PNC’s methods of instilling fear have not changed.”
APNU was accused of issuing threats to Guyanese who have given yeoman service to Guyana and most recently, potential investors. “Only on November 10, APNU’s shadow Finance Minister Carl Greenidge, issued serious threats to Indian and Chinese businesses in an effort to fright-
en investors.”
According to reports in some sections of the media, after the prorogation of Parliament, combined Opposition members proceeded to convene a meeting inside of Parliament’s Chambers.
During this meeting, Greenidge is quoted as saying that investors should not look forward to his party’s support for any agreement made during the period of prorogation.
The PPP/C said such threats not only put investments for job creation at risk, but clearly expose the hypocritical nature of the PNC.
The ruling party then recollected the 2011 elections campaign when APNU accused the PPP/C Administration of not doing enough to encourage foreign investment.
Eyew tness
Elections....
...or anointment in AFC?
There are some words in our pidgin English that interestingly aren’t really so “pidgin”. “Noint” - as in “Me guh ‘noint’ he skin wid oil” - is one of them. It’s an abbreviation of “anoint” - which is to rub oil on someone when he’s ceremonially chosen for high office. Like in “Samuel anointed him King”.
Well, we all know Ramjattan’s already ‘nointed’ Nagamootoo’s skin - and the AFC’s about to anoint him Presidential Candidate.
The two of them are old drinking buddies and after their all-night binges, a whole lotta skin-’nointing’ goes on. Hangovers are a bitch, aren’t they?? It was at one of those sessions they’d each put away a half-gallon of Bush Rum - don’t talk about the Banga Mary cutters!! - that the deal was cut. Now these two fellas KNOW they’re not going to BECOME President - they’re not THAT delusional!!
It’s not they love each other so much...but that they hate Ramotar and the rest of their erstwhile comrades in the PPP/C’s Ex-Co, more. They just can’t stand it that one of those fellas - this time Ramotar once again’s gonna get the nod - and be PRESIDENT!! It was bad enough that Jagdeo got the nod ahead of them - they felt SENIOR to him. But Ramotar’s a different kettle of fish - they feel soooo SUPERIOR to him.
Ramjattan and Nagamootoo are neurotically hung up on the misguided notion that being “lawyers” confers some mystical, shamanistic power to become “leader”!! And this in a Marxist-Leninist party that taught its cadres the working class experience gives the direct EXPERIENCE of the oppressive conditions created by the relations of production!! The latter can best provide leadership - if combined with ideological training, such as imbibed by Donald Ramotar at the feet of Dr Jagan.
The “doctor-lawyer” leadership syndrome is a legacy of the British colonial mentality!! Jagan rejected it by rebuffing that strata when he launched the PPP in 1950 and proved it by having working class “unlettered men” (meaning “non-degreed”) like Boysie Ramkarran become top leaders. Nagamootoo was already in his 60s when he decided to go to law school (his youngest daughter was ahead of him at the time) and in addition to his drinking problem, this showed the top tier that he wasn’t ready for leadership.
But Moses will be ‘nointed’ as the Presidential candidate of the AFC and has accepted this, knowing he’s also flogging a dead donkey because during the few months of campaigning, he will have the word “Presidential” associated with him.
This is as close this wanker will ever get to becoming the real deal - President of Guyana!! Pathetic.
...and greater love
Well we know why Nagamootoo and Ramjattan want the former to be AFC’s Presidential candidate - sick as that may be!! But what about the others who’ve committed political hara-kiri (figuratively falling on their own fish knives) and stepped aside?? At the top of the list is Nigel Hughes - the fella who’s stepped aside so many times from being the Chairman of the AFC, you’d think he was doing the Cha-Cha-Cha!!
After all the FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLE of the AFC is that unlike those nasty, old, Neanderthal parties – PPP/C and PNC - they’d have a ROTATION of their Presidential Candidate at every election.
That would “ensure” an Indian won’t always be chosen (...PPP/C) nor an African (...PNC). So why did Hughes accept the Nagamootoo racial imposition?? Not for himself...we know he’s not ambitious!! (snicker) - but for the principle!!
Well, it’s not that Hughes hates the PPP/C more (and that’s a whole lotta hate!!), but that he loves the cause of the PNC more! O mores!! O tempora!!
...and democracy
So where does that leave “internal democracy” in the AFC that’s supposedly fighting for “democracy” in the country?? We’ve already seen the DEPARTURE of the second tier leadership - Khemraj et al.
Look for the EXODUS at the next elections!!
Sussex Street koker breach...
Normalcy restored to flood-hit Albouystown
By Alexis Rodney
Although still angry over their living conditions and the consistent flooding of their community, residents of Albouystown were somewhat relieved that the water which seeped into sections of the area Tuesday afternoon has finally receded.
The flooding was caused by a breach of the Sussex Street koker.
City Engineer Colvern Venture was called to the site of the sluice, which according to reports, might have been tampered with, to contain the gushing water.
He, along with officials of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) from the Ministry of Public Works, had worked valiantly to stop the water from causing further discomfort to Albouystown residents.
The water had risen to a knee height with some residents expressing concern for the distress and damage that could be incurred.
Speaking to Guyana Times on Wednesday, Venture relayed that based on reports, someone might have tampered with the sluice’s door, leaving it open.
He said based on information received from the pump attendant, who was not on site when the incident occurred, the door had been properly secured.
Guyana Times understands that the attendant is responsible for the operation of several pumps around the city.
Venture pointed out that while there is no proof, members of the City Constabulary will be carrying out a probe into the matter.
Meanwhile, a visit to the Albouystown community by Guyana Times on Wednesday saw residents back in normal operation.
Though some who spoke with this publication were visibly upset by the flood, which came just days after the community, along with most of the coast, was flooded last Thursday, there was some amount of gratitude for the swift move by the Mayor and City Council to control the flooding. According to them, much more damage could have been had.
“It’s a lucky thing this water ain’t reach up to my appliances,” said Sandra Dean of James Street. “It reach far, yes, but it ain’t reach as far as to catch my things and destroy them.”
She, however, said that more still needs to be done for herself and other residents of the community.
Other residents told this publication that the waters, which began rising sometime after 15:00h on Tuesday, in a matter of hours receded.
Another resident, a shop owner of James Street, was seen cleaning out his business place. “I’m cleaning out all this mud and so on. The water didn’t reach as high as it did when the rain fell last week Thursday. It didn’t come so high. But say like an hour after the flood, the water went down,” the resident told Guyana Times
Another man who operates a small business in the community said that he got some relief after 19:00h. He said he was very concerned over the water and the damage it could cause his stock. He was thankful that it had speedily receded. “I’m glad, really glad. Cause I think another flood like the one that happened when we had that big shower on Thursday, it would have been serious problems for us.”
Residents had told this publication on Tuesday that they were completely torn by the manner in which they were treated by those in authority.
Many blamed the Mayor and City Council and the Public Works Ministry for the mishap.
Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase Green, who was on site, had told Guyana Times that she observed that the revetment which was built to preserve the existing shoreline as a defence against erosion was broken in. This, she explained, had resulted in little space being available for the holding of water.
“Maybe what the Ministry of Works could do is build a proper revetment with concrete and bring it to the height of the entrance of the koker which will give you a better capacity to hold the water in these eventualities,” she posited.
Guyana, Suriname probing TIP case
– after five Amerindians reportedly exploited
The Foreign Affairs Ministry has said the relevant law enforcement authorities in Suriname as well as in Guyana are in contact under the mechanisms that exist in both countries.
In a press release, the Ministry said it was informed on November 21 by the Embassy of Guyana in Paramaribo, Suriname that five persons, who indicated that they were Guyanese nationals, were at the Surinamese Police Station.
The Embassy was informed by Surinamese authorities.
It was further stated that the Embassy, upon being told that the persons were victims of Trafficking in Persons, dispatched two persons, including the Ambassador, to the Surinamese Police Station
where the men were kept.
Details regarding the allegations of trafficking were obtained from the men during an interview and a report was submitted to the Foreign Affairs Ministry the same afternoon. It was stated that the report included details on the men’s journey to Suriname, the known name of the perpetrator and where they were kept while in Suriname.
Reports in other sections of the media said that the men were taken to Suriname to work and were promised good earnings.
The Ministry has warned persons against taking up job offers in foreign countries which seem too good to be true. The men were allegedly told that they would be provided with work permit papers and be paid $200,000 per month with a $1 million
bonus each for a stay of up to two years.
“Given a previous experience of a similar nature which was reported to the... Ministry, even greater vigilance is advised for the interior communities,” the release said.
The men, however, complained of very poor treatment and limited food supplied by the alleged perpetrator and employer.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry was able to confirm that four of the men are from Region One (Barima-Waini) and the other from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica). A young Brazilian boy is believed to have been with them according to reports.
“While all five men were asked to provide telephone numbers for their relatives in Guyana, only four were able to do so. The Embassy
was, therefore, able to make contact with the relatives of three of four of the individuals who provided contact numbers. There was no response on one of the numbers provided by one of the individuals,” the Ministry said.
It was alleged by the men that the perpetrator told them that he was part of the Agriculture Ministry in Guyana and that the Guyanese authorities knew they were in Suriname.
This was said, according to the men, after they were given a contract to sign which was written in Dutch and they were reluctant to sign, because they had no idea what was written.
They subsequently signed the contract after they were told they would be taken back to Guyana and charged if they refused.
Clean-up campaign not aimed at stopping flooding – Whittaker
Local Government and Regional Development
Minister Norman Whittaker says that the country’s $1 billion “Clean Up My Country” Campaign was never aimed primarily at stopping or preventing flooding.
He maintained that while the campaign was likely to lead to improved drainage and irrigation in some communities, it was predominately focused on improving the sanitation and cleanliness of the environment.
He made those clarifications in response to statements made by Deputy Mayor of the City of Georgetown, Patricia Chase Green who dubbed the “Clean Up My Country” Campaign a failure, and waste of taxpayers’ monies.
She opined that the Ministry was making a mockery of the campaign since high levels of water were still visible around the city after continuous downpours. Chase felt if work done as part of the campaign was effective, flooding could have been averted.
Recleaning
The Minister, who spoke with the Guyana Times on Wednesday afternoon also noted that areas that were already cleaned will be revisited by the City Council and staff attached to the Ministry.
Whittaker reported that the ministerial team has been engaged in an exercise where household waste was removed in bulk from premises. In addition to the removal of garbage, alleyways, and parapets have been de-
bushed, while drains and canals have been desilted.
He said the groups would focus heavily on clogged drains and bridges that are being blocked, as well as garbage that were scattered during the flood.
The Minister explained that the “Clean Up My Country Campaign” is moving apace.
According to him, it is 70 per cent complete in Georgetown, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) while consultations are continuing with local authorities in the other regions.
Thus far, the cleanup of 15 communities have been completed; these include Albouystown; West Ruimveldt; Lamaha Park; Middle Road, La Penitence; Durban Backlands; East Ruimveldt; Shirley FieldRidley Square; Stevedore Housing Scheme; Riverview; Wortmanville; Roxanne Burnham Gardens; Kitty (north and south); Century Palm Gardens; and Meadow Brook (north and south). Some sections of Subryanville, Campbellville, Atlantic Ville, Lamaha Springs, Sophia, Tiger Bay, Kingston, Festival City, and Alexander Village have already been completed and are expected to be finished by the end of the next week.
Minister Whittaker also disclosed that several other communities including Central Kitty, Bel Air, Castello, Agricola, and Queenstown are expected to come on board to be finalised this week.
When asked about the future of the campaign, Whittaker said that it was likely to be extended, explaining that Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) will benefit from a tractor and trailer, brush cutters and other equipment to maintain a clean environment.
Under the “Clean Up My Country” programme, several items were advertised to be procured to enhance the capacity of the Local Government Authorities to aid in the Regional Solid Waste management programme.
The campaign is scheduled to come to an end on December 31.
Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker
The floodwater has receded in the Albouystown community
WPO: Everyone should commit to a violence-free life
The Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO) is calling on every man, woman and child to consciously make their lives violence-free as Guyana celebrates International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
The day will be celebrated through 16 days of activism which will conclude on December 10 on the UN designated day for human rights.
Violence against women has been recognised internationally as a major violation of a woman’s human rights. This was formalised in 1993 with the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, which was built on the themes developed at the World’s Conference on Women held in Nairobi, which stated that violence against women is both a result of and an obstacle to the achievement of women’s equality.
In 1995, The Beijing Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women further endorsed the call for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
With the signing and ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination on all forms of Discrimination Against Women, Guyana took one step closer towards the reduction of violence against
women.
“With the advent of the PPP/Civic [People’s Progressive Party/ Civic] into Government in 1992, its policies and programmes for the empowerment of women were put into practice by creating the environment to encourage equity and equality of women economically, socially and politically.”
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said “Everyone has a responsibility to prevent and end violence against women and girls, starting by challenging the culture of discrimination that allows it to continue”.
He launched a campaign called “UniTE” to End Violence against Women and invites everyone to take the UniTE campaign to local streets, shops and businesses, and organise events between November 25 and December 10.
This campaign stated that violence against women is a human rights viola-
tion; violence against women is a consequence of discrimination against women, in practice and because of persisting inequalities between men and women; violence against women impacts on, and impedes progress in many areas, including poverty eradication, combating HIV/AIDS, and peace and security; violence against women and girls is not inevitable. Prevention is possible and essential; violence against women continues to be a global pandemic.
Steps taken
To combat domestic violence, the following steps were taken by the PPP/Civic Government to protect victims and survivors: The establishment of the National Commission on Women 1996 to guide the Minister of Human Services on the status of women and make recommendations for their empowerment and protection; the creation of a National Policy
on Women; the creation of a National Plan of Action for Women to ensure the collaboration of NGOs, CBOs, political organisations, etc for the empowerment of women across Guyana; the passing of the Domestic Violence Act; the passing of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act; the establishment of the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute in 1997 to provide leadership training for women who are school dropouts and have no access to formal education; the passing of the Sexual Offences Act further set the tone that sexual violence against our women and children will not be condoned but rather “Stamp It Out”; bravely and without reservation, the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Act was passed.
It stipulated that children under 16 years cannot legally consent to sex and anyone over the age of 16 who engaged in sexual intercourse with a child under 16 will be charge with statutory rape.
“This was a bold step, especially when we came from a past that engaged in child marriages,” the release said.
In 2001, to ensure the inclusion and political participation of women in the electoral processes in Guyana, the PPP/Civic Government included in the Constitution, that all parties contesting elections in Guyana must ensure that one third of their candidates is women.
“It is during these times, when one seeks to evaluate the steps taken towards women’s empowerment, one
Man kisser vex wid Pullice officer
De man kisser vex up bad these days. Is hardly a time when de man kisser ain’t vex. He does look vex even when he ain’t’ vex. Some body seh de man kisser don’t really be vex, he does just suffer from terminal constipation. And it ain’t got no known medical cure fuh that.
De problem that causin de constipation problem is that de man kisser gotta eatin problem. He like to eat every where he go, but then again he gotta another problem and that is a payin problem.
Yet another problem is that Green Ham ain’t put up enuff public wash rooms fuh man kisser to use. Therefore, is not only garbage pilin up in de s*ity!
So every where man kisser go, he always strainin to hold back some ting, or he strainin to let out some ting. And that in it self is whah does get man kisser vex. So he does sit down and start to write s*it until he finda place to s*it.
But long before now, when de Stabber put out de man kisser, he was vex. When de Chronicle paper put out man kisser he was vex. When G-Tea-V whah now turn N-See-N, who don’t put out no body, put out de man kisser, he was vex. When de U-Gee Library put out man kisser, he was vex bad because he used to carry way de library books like if he own dem. But when U-Gee put out de man kisser entirely, that was when de man kisser world turn up side down, and he vex till he turn blue.
But de last few days got de man kisser de vexest he ever been, so he turn red. A reporter seh de man kisser vex wid Pullice officer Sicken. De man kisser seh he does dress wid long hair and short pants and he never get hold down yet.
Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! So de reporter seh man kisser might end up tryin to hold down some body. But ladies, don’t be friken!
recognises that Guyana is far ahead than many other countries of the world where our women are provided with opportunities for education and health-care, etc.
“However, there is much more to be done to create a society where women can live free from domestic and gender-based violence.
Therefore, it is necessary for everyone to make conscious decisions to stop the violence in their lives and this can only be done by seeking help from the system that was created and by speaking out.
“Break the silence, speak out and end domestic violence now!” the release concluded.
Providence koker mishap… Govt approves $11M in relief assistance
Weeks after suffering major financial losses from the destruction of their household items, residents of Providence and Peters Hall, East Bank Demerara are soon to benefit from $11 million in flood relief assistance from Government.
Local Government and Regional Development Minister Norman Whitaker disclosed that Cabinet has approved the funds to assist the residents.
A few days after the flood which was early last month, Minister Whitaker had agreed to grant some assistance to the affected residents.
The residents were required to submit a list of items destroyed to the Eccles/Ramsburg Neighbourhood Democratic Council. According to NDC officials, that was done and officials are awaiting the announcement by the Ministry.
Speaking to Guyana Times via telephone on
Wednesday, Whitaker said Government had kept the pact it made with the residents, hoping to bring some level of relief to them.
The Minister related to this publication that the relief has been divided into three categories, ranging from the least to most affected. He said that affect-
ed homeowners will be assisted by the Public Works Ministry, who will work with the NDC to facilitate a waiver of rates and taxes for residents.
Tenants on the other hand will have the option to say what household items they would prefer. Whitaker stressed that Government would not be replacing all the items damaged, noting that the move is an assistance rather than a compensation. According to him, officials of the Ministry are currently carrying out this exercise in the two communities. It was utter mayhem for Providence /Peters Hall residents when the door of the koker which services both communities collapsed under the pressure of the swollen wave.
Engineers from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) had to be summoned to contain the situation which was getting out control.
Local Government Minister Norman Whitaker
Fake products giving officials ‘headache’
By Svetlana marShall
The influx of substandard and counterfeit products in Guyana remains a major problem.
This is according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative, Dr William Adu-Krow.
Dr Adu-Krow was addressing a Substandard, Spurious, Falsely Labelled, Falsified and Counterfeit (SSFFC) Conference on Wednesday at the Cara Lodge Hotel, Georgetown in the presence of the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department Director, Marlan Cole.
In his address, Dr AduKrow said that there were serious health implications linked to the sale and use of substandard and counterfeit drugs, medical devices and cosmetics.
These implications, he warned, can result in death as has been the case in other parts of the world, including Africa.
“I think it is a major issue in Guyana, something that we have to be really mindful of.”
Additionally, he said the use of SSFFC drugs can result in “resistance” .
Citing the use of malaria medication in Guyana, Dr Adu-Krow explained that some pharmacists here are reducing the portion of medicine to increase the number
Some Substandard, Spurious, Falsely Labelled, Falsified and Counterfeit (SSFFC) products on display at the conference, alongside the original products
of sales, but this he warned can result in the malaria parasite developing a resistance to the drugs used to treat the illness.
In Guyana, the use of the counterfeit form of the malaria tablet Chloroquine remains a major cause for concern. This fake product is widely sold in the hinterland.
He added that SSFFC drugs can also result in inaccurate diagnosis and treatment, in addition to unwarranted expense.
Unscrupulous practices
The Government Analyst Food and Drug Department Director, in his brief presentation, also spoke about growing concern over the circulation and sale of SSFFC products. Reflecting on a one-year period, Cole said the Food and Drug Department has been flooded with reports
and complaints about these fake or expired products that have been inundating the local market.
Citing a few examples, the Director alluded to the sale of “Popsadent” as against “Pepsodent” branded toothbrush. In another matter, he reported that a proprietor was found selling expired ibuprofen. The accused had removed the expired tablets from the original packaging and fabricated one of his own to facilitate the sale.
During the one-day conference, participants benefited from the expertise of Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO)WHO Expert Maximiliano Derecho, who is specialised in the detection of falsified and counterfeit products. Participants were also edified on strategic systems that have been implemented in other parts of the world
such as Argentina to combat these illegalities.
Earlier in the year, ANSA McAL Trading Limited said it had experienced a drop in sales due to the increasing presence of counterfeit products in the Guyana market. At the time, the company said it was losing millions of dollars.
The Trinidadian conglomerate had experienced a 15 per cent drop in sales of Proctor and Gamble products primarily Head and Shoulders, Pantene, and Olay due to the increasing circulation of counterfeit goods.
It was posited that counterfeit products often remain with importers longer than recommended and after becoming aged and expired, these products with questionable ingredients are sold to unsuspecting customers at a heavily discounted price.
It was also disclosed that the company had experienced a 25 per cent shortfall in sales of Heineken due to the import and sale of expired Heineken. It was unclear how many of these illegal products are in circulation, but based on information, importers have been named.
A call to ANSA MCAL on Tuesday by Guyana Times confirmed that the company was making significant headway in reducing the impact of these counterfeit products on its market share.
Berbice Bridge back in full operation after retractor span repaired
The Berbice Bridge is back in full operation following a failure of the retractor span on the western side of the structure.
This is according to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI), Omadat Samaroo, who explained that the fault was fixed the day following the incident. Samaroo disclosed that the bridge was retracted at 15:35h on Friday to allow the passage of vessels. There were no complications then; however, during the process of closing the West Retractor Span around 16:35h, the Main Control Desk (MCD) displayed that operations were normal but half of the bridge was not closing.
“The system was checked
and we found that the Controller on the West Retractor Span was malfunctioning. The spare Controller which was in BBCI’s Main Store was checked and found to be defective. The only alternative was to remove the Controller from the East Retractor Scan and install it on the West Span, hence, this was done and the West Retractor Span was successfully closed at approximately 21:35h,” the CEO stated.
Samaroo noted that the bridge was re-opened to vehicular traffic at about 21:45h and as a result of the delays, vehicles were allowed to cross the bridge toll-free until midnight.
According to the CEO, on Saturday, the faulty controller was removed from the
Western Retractor and troubleshooting began during which it was discovered some components were defective. Checks were made, and similar components on the defective spare were found to be operational; as such, these were used to replace those faulty components on the original controller, which was then reinstalled around 14:30h.
The CEO further explained that the spare controller was acquired since 2008 and that might have contributed to its faultiness. He stated that this part cannot be readily obtained from the manufacturer since it has to be pre-ordered.
Samaroo further stated that several tests were done to ensure that the bridge’s retractors are fully operational. During this time, he noted, BBCI had implemented its emergency management plan and made arrangements for commuters to use the ferry service.
Contrary to reports in the media, assistance was offered to the BBCI technical team; however, they managed to make the repairs before the arrival of those deployed to assist. The CEO explained that the team from the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation arrived at the Berbice Bridge about 21:30h, but by this time, the BBCI team had already temporarily remedied the situation and were in the process of closing the West Retractor Span.
The BBCI lauded its en-
7000 tonnes of urea fertiliser available to all rice farmers
By IndrawattIe natram
Rice farmers throughout Guyana will soon be benefiting from competitive prices for urea fertiliser compliments of the Agriculture Ministry and several other rice stakeholders.
According to Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) General Manager Jagnarine Singh, farmers from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara); Four (Demerara- Mahaica); Five (Mahaica-Berbice); and Six (East Berbice - Corentyne) will have access to urea at a price of $5000 per 50 kilogram bag.
According to the General Manager, the MV Oslo is presently off loading at a Friendship wharf, and the various quantities are being dispatched to the rice growing regions.
Singh said that there was a maximum amount that one farmer can be allocated – 500 bags, explaining that farmers are entitled to two bags per acre up to 250 acres.
of the Rice Board to ensure that fertiliser is available to farmers at an affordable price no greater than $5000 per bag.
Singh said that the arrival of the fertiliser for farmers is another testament to the Government of Guyana’s commitment to helping farmers reduce their production costs as well as to increase their yields.
He further stated that the major objective of the Board and in keeping with the principles of the Petrocaribe agreement is to ensure that the farmers benefit from lowered priced inputs.
The sale of urea fertiliser to farmers at a reduced cost has undoubtedly created competition among private Investors who were also forced to lower their price for a bag of fertiliser.
gineers and technicians for their swift tactics in fixing the problem.
On Friday, hundreds of irate passengers were stranded at both ends of the bridge.
According to Singh, 7000 tonnes (140,000 bags) of urea fertiliser was sourced from Venezuela. The initiative was made possible by the Agriculture Ministry, GRDB, and the Guyana Rice Producers’ Association (RPA) through the Petrocaribe arrangement.
The General Manager said that it was the mandate
“The Government of Guyana wants to ensure that the price for fertiliser remains stable and farmers can afford same” Singh noted. It was noted that some of the fertiliser will be available to cash crop farmers, but most of it will be utilised by rice farmers around the country.
During the second crop of 2013, the Government of Guyana offered fertiliser at $5000 per bag at a time when the price had risen to between $7000 and $8000 in the Private Sector. Since then, the price had stabilised at about $5200, but had crept up in recent months.
Vehicles on Friday evening after the Berbice Bridge malfunctioned
National leg of Sagicor Visionary Challenge on this weekend
After yielding much success through a pilot competition last year, Guyana has once again signed up to participate in the region’s most exciting science competition – the Sagicor Visionaries Challenge.
The Caribbean Science Foundation (CSF), the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) and Sagicor Life Inc teamed up in 2012 to launch the Sagicor Visionaries Challenge Competition, which engages secondary school students in the Caribbean to develop problem-solving skills.
Guyana participated in 2013 when the regional competitions were held, along with 12 other countries across the region.
Of the 19 schools that participated in the local version, Zeeburg Secondary outshone its competitors with the project “A solution to a shrimp drying situation”.
They went on to represent Guyana at the regional leg of the competition.
Once again, participating students will be challenged
to identify a problem facing their school or community and use Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to determine a sustainable solution.
This experience allows them to put classroom theories into practise so as to stimulate their interest in the sciences and encourage them to pursue careers in that field.
Last year, Guyana recorded the highest number of national entries with a total of 33 projects, putting the country on top; however, this year, over 70 entries were submitted, resulting in Guyana leading in the highest number of entries in the region.
The national leg of the Sagicor Visionaries Challenge will be held on November 28 and 29 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown.
The national competition is being planned and coordinated by the Education and Culture, Youth and Sport Ministries, in collaboration with the Caribbean Science Foundation
and Sagicor Life Inc.
Some of the outstanding projects entered are the use of paddy husk to make particle board, biological control for Chickungunya, automated sprinker system, water purification systems, fast food fuel, harnessing of rain water, making paper from rice straw, use of piezoelectricity, and Green spaces for a sustainable future.
In April last, the Education Ministry hosted its National Science Fair at the Anna Regina Secondary School in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) under the theme “Science, Mathematics and Technology: Providing solutions for the 21st Century”.
The format of the national science fair was revised to meet the requirements of the Sagicor Visionaries Challenge Competition, in preparation for the regional competition.
Additionally, several school-based workshops and follow up visits were also conducted by the Science Unit of the National Centre for Education Research Development (NCERD) in preparation for the national competition.
The participating countries in the Sagicor Visionaries Challenge Competition, which was launched in September, are Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Guyana, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and Tampa, Florida (Hillsborough County, USA).
During the month of November, all the participating countries are required to host a national competition to select a team which will go on to represent it at the regional competition. Each of the winning national teams will meet in Florida in July 2015 for the regional competition and the STEM Ambassador Programme.
2 men commit suicide on Essequibo Coast
A48-year-old cash crop farmer from Supenaam Creek on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) ended his life tragically by consuming a quantity of gramoxone on Tuesday.
Dead is Feroz Ramdimoon, also known as “Calm” of Supenaam Creek.
According to information reaching Guyana Times, Ramdimoon was rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital on Tuesday evening after relatives discovered him lying helplessly at his home in Supenaam Creek. He was admitted, but succumbed on
Wednesday morning.
According to information gathered, Ramdimoon on numerous occasions reportedly complained of having domestic problems.
His body is at the Suddie Funeral Home and awaiting a post-mortem examination.
Only last week, Indarjeet Suroopjet, 45, from Hampton Court also ended his life by drinking gramoxone.
He died at the Suddie Public Hospital after four days battling for his life. Suroopjet too, according to reports, also had domestic problems.
Internationally-renowned Muslim scholar to visit Guyana
The Al Faisaliyyah Foundation (AFF) and the Muslim Youth League of Guyana will be the host of internationally-renowned Muslim scholar Shaykh Faisal Hamid Abdur-Razak.
Public lectures will be held on Saturday, November 29 at the Good Hope Masjid from 18:15h and Sunday, November 30 from 10:00h at the Blairmont Community Centre Ground.
He will also deliver the sermon at the Queenstown Jama Masjid on Friday, November 28 from 12:20h.
Shaykh Faisal, who resides in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, studied in Saudi Arabia, first at Umm al-Qurra University in Makkah, then at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah. He also studied at York University, Toronto, Canada.
While in Saudi Arabia, in addition to university studies, he studied under many scholars and Shaykhs from whom he received Ijaazas (Certificate in Traditional Islamic Learning), his most notable Ijaaza he received from Shaykh As-Sayyid
Ash-Shareef Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi Al-Hasani.
After completing studies in Saudi Arabia, he returned to Canada where he became actively involved in Islamic Da`wah and education. He served as Imam/ Khatib of several masjids and Islamic centres including the Islamic Society of Peel, the Islamic Centre of Brampton, and the Toronto and Region Islamic Centre
(TARIC).
Shaykh Faisal served on the Government of Canada Interfaith Committee, the Province of Ontario Multifaith Council, and the City of Brampton Multifaith Committee. He is the Shaykh-ul-Islam and Spiritual Guide of the Anjuman Sunnat-ulJamaat Association (ASJA) of Trinidad and Tobago. He is also the President of the Islamic Forum of Canada, Vice President of the Islamic Council of Imams of Canada, and a member of the al-Shura Muslim Consultative Council. He has lectured on a wide range of Islamic topics to gatherings in many countries including Canada , USA, England , Germany , Norway , Pakistan , India , Saudi Arabia , Jordan , Palestine , Turkey , Syria , Guyana , Barbados , Trinidad and Suriname. He is widely recognised throughout the world as a foremost Sunni scholar. He has to his credit more than 100 titles recorded on audio and DVDs and is the author of many books on practical Islam.
Vincent Alexander to headline Linden Media Forum
Another round of the Linden Media Forum is set to be featured on Friday under the theme “Local governance: promise, practice, opportunity”.
The event is scheduled to take place at the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN), Republic Avenue.
The 90-minute forum organised by the Linden Fund Thrust (LFT) will be addressed by Commissioner of the Guyana Elections commission (GECOM) Vincent Alexander.
It reflects the objective of the Linden community forum, which aims at providing an environment for dialogue on important issues affecting the lives of Lindeners.
Registrar at the University of Guyana.
The LFT said the format for the 90-minute event will include a 30- minute presentation, followed by a 40-minute question and answer period involving members of a local media panel and residents.
Attendees are asked to be punctual so as to allow for an efficient and productive consultation in the allotted timeframe, a release from the LFT said.
The Linden Community Forum (LCF) is an initiative of the LFT, which aims at facilitating community discourse in support of effective participation in the governance and development of Linden and Region 10.
Alexander had served as a Central Executive member of the People’s National Congress (PNC) and currently holds the post of
In this regard, the LFT said a dialogue on local governance is timely, “bearing in mind, the current call by various sectors in Linden, Region 10 and the wider cross-section of Guyana, for the hosting of Local Government Elections”.
The LCF comprises the Linden Forum, the Linden Media Forum and the Linden Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Forum.
Shaykh Faisal Hamid Abdur-Razak
Zeeburg Secondary School, the winner of the 2013 national leg of the Sagicor Visionaries Challenge
GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander
Mahaicony man chopped to death at Hyde Park
Ateenager is now in Police custody after he confessed to murdering one of his friends during an argument on Monday evening at Hyde Park, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD).
Dead is 19-year-old Neeraj Michael, also called “Buckie” of Champagne, Mahaicony, ECD.
He was reportedly chopped several times to the head and thrown into the Mahaicony River by the suspect who later fled the scene.
According to information received, the now dead man and a few of his friends were at a function at Hyde Park, Mahaicony on Monday even-
ing during which an argument ensued. As a result, they subsequently left the function.
As they were crossing the river in a boat, another argument started during which the suspect reportedly collected a cutlass and dealt Michael several chops to the head after which he threw him into the river.
He was later arrested and taken the Police to the spot where the incident took place. A search for the body at the time proved futile.
However, Michael’s body was subsequently pulled from the river on Wednesday morning and taken to the Lyken’s Funeral Home. It is
GWI announces countrywide disconnection campaign
The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), the nation’s supplier of water and sanitation services, will commence its annual countrywide disconnection exercise for unpaid water service charges on December 1.
According to Customer Services Manager, Jeannette Thomas, there was a significant response to the company’s Free Pass Promotion in which disconnected customers were offered free reconnection.
“In excess of 2000 customers countrywide responded to our Free Pass Promotion,” stated Thomas, “however, there are some customers who refuse to make contact with our customer services offices to settle their arrears. Hence, we are forced to execute our annual disconnection campaign to remove the services of those customers who simply refuse to pay for their service”.
To encourage customers to make payments before the annual countrywide disconnection exercise, GWI launched the Free Pass Promotion, intensified its community outreach programme Community Connect, sent payment reminder letters to customers and businesses, executed public announcements in rural communities, sent SMS/ text messages to in excess of 200, 000 customers and invested in a public awareness campaign via radio, television, newspapers and Internet-based media.
GWI has employed additional staff members to function in the utility’s new Enforcement Unit which will monitor communities countrywide for customers who have illegally reconnected their service or engaged in tampering.
The GWI Enforcement Teams will also remove the
awaiting a post-mortem examination.
Guyana Times was told that at the time of the incident, the suspect’s 10-yearold brother who was paddling the boat jumped into the river, swam to shore and alerted his father of what occurred. The father, a rice farmer then contacted the Police.
A source told this publication that after the suspect was arrested, he told investigators that he was not sure why he chopped the young man.
They were presumably under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.
The two young men know each other well, and as such, villagers are stunned by the incident. The murder weapon has not been retrieved. The 16-year-old suspect is expected to be slapped with a murder charge shortly.
entire service of customers who have received more than two warnings regarding their outstanding water service charges.
“Despite written correspondences and our Free Pass Promotion, some customers have made no effort to pay their outstanding debt” stated the Customer Services Manager.
She added: “We have no other choice but to remove the entire service of these customers. These customers will have to reapply for a new service and pay the full cost of installation. This is a last resort since the company must recover the cost of providing water service countrywide.”
The Customer Services Manager also warned that due to the amount of customers scheduled for disconnection, GWI cannot guarantee that disconnected customers will be reconnected in time for the holidays.
“If customers are disconnected in December, due to the large disconnection list, GWI cannot guarantee that every customer will be reconnected in time for Christmas Day,” stated Thomas.
She said “therefore we are pleading with our customers to avoid such an uncomfortable situation and visit a GWI office now.
For customers with large debt, GWI Wallet-friendly Payment Plans are available.”
For more information, customers can call the GWI Customer Services Call Centre on 227-8701/03/04 or e-mail customerservicescentre@gwi.gy
Information is also available at www.gwiguyana.com or on social media: www. facebook.com/everydropcountsgy. Customers are encouraged to send queries about their account balances via BlackBerry Pin number 296185F9.
Draft National Mental Health Strategy completed
The draft National Mental Health Strategy is completed and is expected to be finalised before year-end, Head of the Mental Health Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, Dr Bhiro Harry said.
Speaking with Guyana Times, Dr Harry said the National Suicide Prevention Plan has also been completed with the help of Dr Jorge Balseiro, a Psychiatrist from Cuba.
Both of them stated that education plays a key role in the strategy because most of the general public is unaware of mental health illness and related issues.
In fact, Dr Harry said many persons, even a few professionals, are unable to differentiate between mental health illness and madness.
education concerning mental health illnesses.
Nevertheless, he noted that the action plan will address the issue.
On Wednesday last, a large stakeholders meeting was held which placed the national strategy one step closer to becoming reality.
The national strategy is expected to be launched in February 2015 and be implemented until 2020.
In previous reports, Dr Bhiro had indicated that Guyana has been suffering because there is no strong backing for mental health, particularly where human and financial resources are concerned.
He further mentioned that mental illness covers eating disorders, sleeping disorders, depression and anxiety, among others.
Dr Harry also accepted partial blame for the poor
“What the layman calls madness, we call psychosis. Psychosis makes up less than 20 per cent of mental illness.”
He highlighted that work on the National Mental Health Strategy had actually begun sometime in 2008, and it was partially implemented but it was not fully materialise.
Dr Bhiro Harry
Sir Shridath’s Glimpses of a Global Life launched
– book receives high praise
By Alexis Rodney
It was an awe-inspiring event on Wednesday evening at the Georgetown Club for members of the public, politicians, lovers of art and the diplomatic corps when Guyanese diplomat, writer, former Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Foreign Affairs, Sir Shridath Surendranath Ramphal launched his memoir “Glimpses of a Global Life”. Chronicling his personal
place at the United Nations in 1968.
The 624-page book, according to those who have already perused it, provides all with glimpses of a life of dedicated service during Guyana’s infancy and Ramphal’s role as Secretary General of the Commonwealth.
Foreign Affairs Minister Rodrigues-Birkett expressed her gratitude to Ramphal, who, through his writing has provided her with many answers on issues which existed
and diplomatic life both here in Guyana and on the international stage, Sir Shridath’s book came in for much praise by both President Donald Ramotar and Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn RodriguesBirkett, whose Ministry hosted the event.
The 86-year-old Ramphal, who served as Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister between 1972 and 1975, gave a picturesque account of his service in that capacity; particularly about the role he played in Guyana’s territorial dispute with neighbouring Venezuela and what took
during Guyana’s early days and the knowledge to deal with the numerous challenges today.
“From a man who occupied those sometimes uncomfortable seats and who made his contributions in times past, in my view for a better world,” Rodrigues-Birkett noted.
Ramphal was born in New Amsterdam, British Guiana, to an Indo-Guyanese family. He was educated at King’s College London and at Harvard Law School.
He served as the Chancellor of the University of Warwick from 1989 to 2002,
at the University of the West Indies until 2003, and at the University of Guyana.
With Ingvar Carlson, he was in 1995 one of the cochairs of the Commission on Global Governance, which reported on issues of international development, international security and globalisation.
Novelist Ian McDonald said the title of Ramphal’s book falls way below its burly content. A book of such intellectual magnitude and information should have instead been captioned anything within the magnitude of “A major revelation” rather than simply “glimpses”.
Remarkable
He described Ramphal’s book as remarkable, capturing some of the greatest struggles for the freedom of democracy.
“This is an account to be reckoned with by scholars and professionals, by those who want to know the inside story of the momentous events which led to freedom, by those who respectfully look for the movers and shakers who strolled the corridors of world power and most certainly, by all those who enjoy fair, vivid and beautifully composed writings by a master in the craft,” McDonald said.
Sir Shridath was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1966. He was knighted in the 1970 New Year’s Honours list, and invested with his knighthood by the Queen at Buckingham Palace on February 3 of that year. He was also appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George in
1990.
On February 26, 1982, Sir Shridath was appointed an honorary Companion of the Order of Australia. He was also the 19th appointee to The Order of New Zealand, that country’s highest civil honour. He was decorated as a Member of the Order of the Caribbean Community in the first conferment in 1992.
Sir Shridath, during his address, said it was an honour to have his book launched for the second time in his homeland. The book was launched some two weeks ago in London, England.
He grabbed his audience’s attention as he read excerpts from chapters of his book. The thrill was obvious on every face.
The writer told the gathering that while Foreign Ministries were important to him, Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry had a special place in his heart.
President Ramotar, in his congratulatory message, said journalism lost a good man when Sir Shridath moved into diplomatic service.
The Head of State said he was always pleased to see books coming out with details of Guyana’s early stages, noting that the father of two in his usual artistic writing did just that.
“Too many people who have played important roles in national life have left us without recording their memories for us and future generations to have an appreciation of what took place in the many experiences they have encountered,” Ramotar said.
Present at the book launch were also leaders of the Opposition, secondary school students and other invitees.
FATF-approved plan should be implemented – CFATF tells Guyana
The Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), at its Plenary Meeting XL and Special Ministerial V Meeting in El Salvador, on Wednesday urged Guyana to implement the action plan that was approved by CFATF’s parent body, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
President Donald Ramotar had written FATF’s President, Roger Wilkins, pledging on behalf of Guyana, the Government’s high-level political commitment to implement the action plan developed by the Guyana Government and the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG). That letter was delivered to Wilkins by Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall in October in Paris at the FATF meeting.
The letter related the high-level political com-
mitment which President Ramotar has given to bring Guyana into compliance with the international Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regime.
In October 2014, Guyana made a commitment to work with the FATF and CFATF to address its strategic AML/ CFT deficiencies. FATF on its website stated that Guyana will work on implementing its action plan to address these deficiencies.
Among the items listed are: adequately criminalising money laundering and terrorist financing; establishing and implementing adequate procedures for the confiscation of assets related to money laundering; establishing and implementing an adequate legal framework for identifying, tracing and freezing terrorist assets; establishing a fully operational and effectively function-
ing financial intelligence unit; establishing effective measures for customer due diligence and enhancing financial transparency; strengthening suspicious transaction reporting requirements; and implementing an adequate supervisory framework.
In the meanwhile, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago all graduated out of the CFATF/ICRG review process, Attorney-General Nandlall said.
Sole country under review Guyana unfortunately remains the only country in the CFATF grouping that was referred to, and is under review at the FATF/ICRG level.
The Attorney General earlier this week informed the meeting in El Salvador that the AML non-legislative
measures were being implemented with dispatch and there was the possibility that these will be completed long before the May 2015 deadline.
With regard to the legislative measures, the Attorney General pointed out that this was the area which continued to pose tremendous challenges to the Government of Guyana since up until the Paris meeting, the majority comprising the joint Opposition in the National Assembly refused to lend their support to the enactment of the AML/ CFT (Amendment) Bill 2013 which captures all the requisite legislative measures.
Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago’s Attorney General Anand Ramlogan was elected the Deputy Chairman of CFATF, while the Chairperson is Allyson Maynard-Gibson, Attorney General of The Bahamas.
Prorogation of Parliament… Govt can only do so much to get Opposition to talk – Dr Luncheon
Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr Roger Luncheon has stated that there was only so much that the ruling administration could do to get the Opposition to talk, but he remained confident that whatever would be done, would be in the interest of Guyana and its people.
Speaking at this week’s post-Cabinet briefing on Wednesday, Dr Luncheon disclosed that Opposition Leader David Granger was yet to respond to President Donald Ramotar’s invitation to hold discussions on the prorogation of Parliament.
The Cabinet Secretary pointed out that the Opposition Leader has certain constitutional obligations and, as such, cannot “readily ignore” an executive summons by the Head of State for him to appear at the Office of the President for consultations.
Invitation
“I suspect it’s a kind of an invidious situation that the Leader of the Opposition finds himself begin invited, so to speak, to engage the Executive President in talks,” Dr Luncheon said. The Cabinet Secretary noted that Government was “actively on the road of persuading” the Opposition to accept the invitation for talks to be held on the way forward.
Asked what has been done other than an invitation letter being sent to the Opposition, Dr Luncheon explained that he could not divulge the practices of political parties.
Since President Ramotar prorogued Parliament on
November 10, suspending it for six months, the combined Opposition has publicly refused to entertain the ruling administration in talks, claiming that the Head of State’s decision was the “death of democracy” in Guyana. The Oppositions stated that unless Parliament was reconvened, there would be no consultations with Government.
Observation
According to Dr Luncheon, Guyanese politicians tend to say things publicly, but, at the same time, also say things privately that resonate with what they say in the public. “I’m not preaching heresy; I’m not trying to be derogatory, I’m making an observation about a fact that, as far as I know, is incontrovertible,” he stated.
On the topic of elections, the HPS pointed out that anyone who had the opportunity to talk seemed to be calling for elections, whether General and Regional Elections or Local Government Elections. He reminded that President Ramotar had stated that once he was convinced that the prorogation and its objective were going nowhere, he will call General and Regional Elections.
“It won’t be snap, I think it would be what you call responding to calls that have been made to everybody,” Dr Luncheon said.
The President’s decision to prorogue Parliament was done after the combined opposition was pushing to debate a no-confidence motion against the ruling administration.
Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon
Glimpses of a Global Life on display at the launching ceremony Wednesday evening at the Georgetown Club
EU Commission President unveils investment plan
European Commission
President JeanClaude Juncker has given details of a €315 billion (£250 billion; US$393 billion) investment plan to kick-start Europe’s economy.
At its heart is a new €21 billion fund that would provide loans for infrastructure projects. Juncker hopes most of the rest of the money will come from private backers.
Only €16 billion of the original money would come from the European Union budget. However, critics doubt it can attract so much private investment.
There was immediate scepticism from the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) whose General Secretary Bernadette Segol, suggest-
ed the Commission was “relying on a financial miracle like the loaves and fishes”.
She said she did not believe that €315 billion could be raised from €21 billion, a leverage factor of 15 which the ETUC argued was “almost certainly unrealistic”.
The Commission believes it could create up to 1.3 million jobs with investment in broadband, energy networks and transport infrastructure, as well as education and research.
He said Europe had to face “the challenge of a generation” head-on, without a money-printing machine, and described his plan as the greatest effort in recent EU history to trigger additional investment without changing the rules. (Excerpt BBC News)
Around the world
NATO commander warns Russia could control whole Black Sea
NATO’s top military commander, General Philip Breedlove, has warned that Russian “militarisation” of the annexed Crimea Peninsula could be used to exert control over the whole Black Sea.
Speaking in Kiev, General Breedlove said Russian military assets being installed in Crimea
would have an effect on “almost the entire Black Sea”.
Breedlove is in Ukraine for high-level talks with Ukrainian leaders. Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in March 2014.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Wednesday that it had deployed a batch of 14 military jets to Crimea, as part of a squadron of 30
that will be stationed on the peninsula.
An initial batch of fighter jets were flown to Crimea’s Belbek air base “from military air bases in Krasnodar Territory,” Russian agency Interfax reported.
General Breedlove had said earlier on Tuesday that a large number of Russian troops were also active inside Ukraine, training and advising separatist rebels.
Russia has continued to deny allegations from western countries that it played any direct role in the conflict in Ukraine, which has claimed more than 4,317 lives.
President Vladimir Putin said that Russia “poses no threat to anyone” and would “resist efforts to draw it into geopolitical intrigue,” Russia’s Tass news agency reported on Wednesday. (Excerpt BBC International)
Egypt sentences 78 minors to prison Tribesmen blow
Seventy-eight
Egyptian minors have been handed sentences of between two and five years in prison by a juvenile court in Alexandria on charges of “belonging to an outlawed group,” according to Egypt’s state news agency.
Heavy security was seen outside the court in Alexandria on Wednesday, where judicial sources said those sentenced were aged between 13 and 17.
The minors’ lawyers were barred from attending the court hearing while their family members were forced to wait outside.
The 78 minors were arrested for taking part in protests organised by the Muslim Brotherhood that called for the fall of the Government and the return of deposed former President Mohamed Morsi to power.
FATCA is baptism by fire for Region, says Bahamas Minister
Caribbean states facing challenges in preparing for the new transparent automatic exchange of information (AEOI) world order have been placed – in some instances – in an unfair situation, according to Bahamas Financial Services Minister Ryan Pinder, who described the process of preparation for the United States’ Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) as “baptism by fire”.
Pinder said that preparation has been costly and resource intensive and he pointed out that for Caribbean banks not a part of a global group, the challenge has been particularly intense, as such institutions must create their own processes with limited access to expertise.
“An equal challenge to the preparation for FATCA is the challenge imposed on governments for each (regional bank) to be able to adequately pre-
pare,” Pinder told a gathering of regional bankers last week.
Speaking at the Caribbean Association of Bankers 2014 conference and annual general meeting, Pinder pointed out that most regional governments are yet to sign an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the United States. He also questioned whether Caribbean jurisdictions have passed the appropriate legislation to allow for reporting under FATCA.
“Few if any countries have the appropriate systems in place to effect the collection of data. These national challenges have certainly created uncertainty and operational challenges for Caribbean banks, and in certain instances an unfair situation, as ultimately it is the banks and financial institutions that face the repercussions for ineffective or non-compliance with FATCA,” he said. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)
They were also charged for obstructing traffic and for spreading fear among local residents and store owners. The minors had denied the charg -
es and said that they were arbitrarily arrested. Nevertheless, the presiding judge handed down combined sentences totalling 340 years.
Protests against the Egyptian Government have been held since the Army overthrew Morsi last July following mass protests against his rule.
Demonstrations have been staged in support of Morsi but they have lost strength after a fierce security crackdown against his Muslim Brotherhood party. At least 1400 people are estimated to have been killed, more than 15,000 jailed and hundreds sentenced to death since Morsi’s outing. (Source Al
up Yemen’s main oil pipeline
Armed tribesmen have blown up Yemen’s main oil pipeline, halting the flow to the export terminal on the Red Sea coast, tribal sources and an industry official have said.
The 435km pipeline, which links the Safir oil fields in Marib province, East of the capital, to the Ras Isa terminal, near the port of Hodeida, has been a repeated target of sabotage.
Wednesday’s attack hit a section of pipeline in the Sarwah district of Marib, tribal sources told the AFP news agency. It brought the flow to a “complete halt,” an
industry official said. The motive for the latest sabotage was not immediately clear, but Yemen’s heavily armed tribes frequently target oil and other infrastructure in a bid to extract concessions from the central government.
Yemen is a minor producer but relies on oil and gas exports for 90 per cent of its foreign currency earnings. Attacks on infrastructure cost the impoverished country US$4.75 billion over the two years from March 2011 to March 2013, according to Government figures. (Source Al Jazeera)
4 Caricom countries cut back reliance on PetroCaribe
At least four Caribbean Community (Caricom) member countries are taking steps to reduce their reliance on Venezuela’s PetroCaribe oil subsidy as crude prices plunge, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The four countries are Guyana, Haiti, Belize and Jamaica and it’s a move other countries should follow, said David Voght, Managing Director of energy consultancy IPD Latin America.
The future of the US$8 billion PetroCaribe subsidy, which also allows countries to finance part of their oil purchases at one per cent for 25 years, is looking less secure as Venezuela faces in-
flation that had risen to 63 per cent and the world’s widest budget deficit.
Venezuela’s cheap financing has softened the blow of increased oil prices that have averaged US$100 a barrel since the programme was created in 2005. The Caribbean region spent 13 per cent of its gross domestic product on oil imports, the World Bank said in a 2012 report.
Under PetroCaribe, Venezuela finances as much as 60 per cent of the cost of oil shipments. The Bank of Nova Scotia said the programme is more “noose” than lifeline for the Region, the most indebted in the world.
Venezuela has the world’s largest oil
reserves and is Latin America’s biggest oil producer, with 97 per cent of its export income coming from sales of crude and its derivatives. It also has the world’s highest inflation and the worst recession in the Region, the IMF said.
However, Venezuela lost 30 per cent of its foreign currency earnings due to the drop in crude prices last month, President Nicolas Maduro said in a national address on November 13. The country’s average price for oil exports reached a four-year low of US$69 a barrel last week, below the level it needs to keep making debt payments. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)
Antigua scraps work permit requirement for OECS citizens
Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) nationals resident in Antigua and Barbuda have welcomed as “very good news” Tuesday’s announcement that they no longer require permits to work here.
The news came from the Labour Department informing residents that “under Statutory Instrument Number 31 of 2014, Citizens of Protocol Member States of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Economic Union are no longer required to apply for a Work Permit to be
employed in Antigua and Barbuda.”
The department said current work permit holders “would be expected to approach the Immigration Department to regularise their status” and not apply for new permits.
The waiver brings Antiguaand& Barbuda in line with its obligations under the OECS Economic Union which was established under the Revised Treaty of Basseterre.
He said the implementation of the measure shows willingness on the part of authorities to “comply with the free movement of people.”
Free movement is a concept that is meant to, quite literally, transform the Caribbean into a single economic and travel space. Governments, though, have struggled to move from concept to implementation. (Excerpt from Antigua Observer)
Dominican Robert Pascal who has been in Antigua for the last three months but whose job prospects looked bleak, he says, because of the work permit requirements, told OBSERVER media, that he welcomes the “very good news.”
Jazeera)
Jean-Claude Juncker said ‘’It is a question of getting some new winds blowing through Europe... some fresh air into the structures”
NATO’s General Breedlove is in Ukraine for high-level talks with the Ukrainian leadership
Protests against the Egyptian Government have been held since the Army overthrew Morsi last July
THURsDAY, novembeR 27, 2014 | gUYAnATimesgY.com
Guyana is on the move – Minister Ali
Ombudsman acted outside remit
Acting Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali boldly proclaimed Guyana was a country that was unquestionably moving forward, citing the number of investors that continue to show interest in Guyana’s steadily growing economy.
Minister Ali made the remarks on Wednesday when he attended the official opening of Machinery Corporation of Guyana (MACORP) Bartica branch.
The Minister was elated by MACORP’s opening of a new branch, stating that Guyana is “a country that is on the move” when it comes to development, opportunities, jobs, and growth.
He remarked on the fact that MACORP’s presence in Guyana has given many opportunities to Guyanese through the company’s training programmes and the jobs that are offered after those programmes.
He noted that MACORP also employed graduates from the Ministry of Labour’s National Board of Industrial Training programmes, and was a strategic partner with the Ministry in the goal of human development.
The Minister said such
programmes have already shown positive results through the enhancement of Guyana’s best asset, its human resources. He reiterated that Guyana can have the greatest of resources and the greatest of backers in relation to finance, but if nothing was done in regard to developing the capacities of the people, then Guyana cannot reach its full capacity.
Right trajectory
Minister Ali also posited that MACORP’s move implies that investors have confidence in Guyana’s economy, which they trust will move forward. Such confidence, the Minister said, meant that the Government was “on the right trajectory”.
Ali remarked that MACORP has capitalised rightly on the “vibrancy” of Bartica as the town has visibly changed for the better.
He spoke of the services being provided, homes being improved, cars being bought and the businesses being steadily opened within the little town.
The Minister then turned his attention to climate change, expressing concern
Acting Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali
on its effect on businesses, given the recent floods in Guyana. He noted the setbacks that contractors, technicians, miners, and businesses among others face due to the unpredictable weather that is seen all over the world.
With this, he mentioned the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), the brainchild of former President Bharrat Jagdeo, that has already been put in place to protect Guyana from climate change while ensuring its continued growth.
Minister Ali empha-
sised climate-related disruption in business, daily lives or progress will not be hindrances in the path of Guyana’s development as challenges were meant to be faced. “These are the challenges the future holds for us, but we cannot run from it but confront it.”
He stated that the advances that have been made in technology need to be embraced to ensure such challenges are faced successfully, as these advances ensure that Guyana stays “relevant” for its investors as well as on the international scene.
Meanwhile, the Minister also took the time to address the concerns of miners and mining businesses about the drop in gold prices.
He said that these stakeholders had it wrong and were focusing on the wrong agenda when they should be concerning themselves with how best to move forward and what they need to do to move forward.
Minister Ali advised mining operations to put emphasis on being more efficient and investing in technological advancements to fight against global changes that may affect Guyana.
Minister Ramsammy dismisses Stabroek News article
– says disruption of meeting in UK was orchestrated
Minister of Agriculture Dr Leslie Ramsammy has dismissed allegations in an article in the November 26 edition of the Stabroek Newspaper titled, “Ramsammy confronted at UK meeting over prorogation, alleged links to Roger Khan.”
The article stated that the Minister came under fire at a recent forum in the UK for misleading Guyanese citizens about the Government’s suspension of parliament and over his alleged ties to now convicted drug kingpin Roger Khan.
The Stabroek News said Ramsammy was confronted by self-described political activist Norman Browne, who questioned why he was at the forum and not the
Minister of Foreign Affairs. Minister Ramsammy told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that, “my own impression is that it was orchestrated
PNC methods of...
“These irresponsible sentiments expressed are further demonstrative of the PNC’s inability to change and its proclivity to fool Guyanese,” the PPP/C said.
Granger and Greenidge were accused by the PPP/C of using their potions to whip up racist hysteria. The party feels that APNU is signalling that if they were to become the ruling administration, they would unleash “vengeance against anyone
because one person came to tape that part of the meeting, only that part and once they said what they said, they left.”
He pointed out that he was in London for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) meeting and during his stay the High Commissioner in London invited him to a meeting to allow him to interact with the Diaspora.
He added that during the meeting the interest of the Diaspora was that of the Prorogation of the Parliament and that is what he centered his discussion on.
However, about 15 minutes into the discussion he was interrupted by a man who walked in and “seemed to take over the meeting”.
from page 8
they perceive to be associated with the PPP/C and the PPP/C Administration.”
“Given the history of that party, these threats can only be seen as a tantamount to the Demerara River flowing red with blood should the APNU and PNC come to power,” the PPP/C said.
APNU has since been pushing for earlier elections following the prorogation of Parliament but, this position seems to be somewhat
shattered, since the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has decided to hold the 7th Cycle of Continuous Registration.
GECOM has made it clear that its decision to hold the 7th Cycle of Continuous Registration was not influenced by any political party. After supposed discrepancies were found in the voters’ list, the PPP/C conducted its own investigations and found that 10,000 names of persons
The Minister described this individual’s behaviour as insulting, uncouth and loud. Minister Ramsammy pointed out at this point that the Chairman of the meeting appealed to the man that he waits until the Minister was finished speaking to ask questions, but the young man refused to do so.
This was followed by calls from the participants at the meeting for him to allow the minister to speak, but these also went unheard. He made allegations towards various Guyanese Ministers such as they are on the wanted list among others.
As for statements in the newspaper about the police’s intervention, the Minister said that he has no knowledge of such.
who were either dead or migrated were on the list.
APNU has since stood its grown for an early election with the current list and it is said in some quarters that the 10,000 names would have worked to the advantage of APNU.
The PPP/C said when it came to office in 1992; it demonstrated a profound sense of responsibility and called for unity, national healing and reconciliation.
– Dr Luncheon
Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr Roger Luncheon on Wednesday said that the Ombudsman, retired Justice Winston Moore, acted outside of his remit in the investigation of the $69.9 million New Building Society (NBS) fraud.
He was at the time speaking to members of the media during the post- Cabinet press briefing.
He stated that the Ombudsman seemed to have ignored the principle of sub judice given the fact that the matter was still engaging the courts.
“An investigation by the Ombudsman of a matter that is sub judice to me, as unlearned as I am, seems to be begging the question whether the Ombudsman ignored or disregarded the principle. How you got involved in this matter if it was sub juice? This is my concern,” Dr Luncheon pointed out.
Questioned about the recent claims by the Ombudsman of the report being leaked, the Cabinet Secretary explained that the claims of leakage takes away from the entire issue of the
Ombudsman intervening in a matter that was engaged in the legal system.
“The disclosure, whether leaked or not, spoke of intervention that the Ombudsman had undertaken that would seem to me to be either ignoring or disregarding the sub judice principle,” he said.
The HPS went on to say that if he had been in the Ombudsman’s position, he would have advised the complainants of the legal issues of investigating a matter still engaging the courts.
“I probably would have drawn to the attention of the complainant that this matter is being heard in the High Court and the same (sub judice) principle would
prevent me from being involved in a comprehensive investigation kind of which the Ombudsman did,” the Cabinet Secretary stated. When questioned further about his response to the letter sent by Senior Counsel Ashton Chase to himself and President Donald Ramotar on behalf of his client, the NBS, Dr Luncheon outlined that the correspondence did not warrant a response, instead it documented concerns of the complainants.
He remarked: “I may have to re-read that correspondence to see if Mr Chase was suggesting an intervention by Office of the President, but it is clear in my mind that he wanted the Office of the President to know that these are concerns of my clients.”
Provisions
Dr Luncheon highlighted that he was “unlearned” on whether there were indeed provisions in the Ombudsman Act that allowed him to disregard legal proceedings when investigating a matter.
Additionally, Dr Luncheon was questioned about whether it was within the Ombudsman’s duties to compile a report on the matter given the fact that the NBS is a private company. He answered that the matter was “on the verge of litigation”.
Moore said he conducted an investigation into the prosecution of three former NBS Managers, including then Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Maurice Arjoon, following a report by Arjoon who was dismissed from the entity.
During an interview on Wednesday, the Ombudsman said that he was standing by his report and challenged anyone to find fault with the process or the statements contained in the report.
Ombudsman Justice Winston Moore
Head of Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon
Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy
Govt providing significant concessions to mining sector
In light of low gold prices on the global market and the resulting impact on the mining sector, the Government of Guyana (GoG) through the Natural Resources and the Environment Ministry and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commissions (GGMC) implemented measures with the aim of ensuring Guyana’s mining sector remains viable.
“Specific interventions were made to support the sector, ensure its survival and continued growth and contribution to national development,” a release from the GGMC stated.
The gold mining sector has proven to develop Guyana’s economy and improve the economic well-being of citizens of Guyana.
Assistance and concessions
First of all, for small and medium-scale operations, All Terrain Vehicles (ATV), excavators, bulldozers and other machinery used in the mining sector will benefit from duty-free access. The waivers are available for new entrants and for current miners based on production levels.
Additionally, double-cab pickup trucks will be granted waivers based on the production levels of miners.
Three categories were established: Declarants with 5000 ounces and more annually, declarants between 2000 and 4999 ounces annually and declarants between 500 and 1999 annually.
Nineteen suppliers of mining equipment and spares will also receive tax waivers on the importation of equipment.
“This will reduce the cost of spares and critical sup-
pliers for miners and in addition to the items that are currently imported dutyfree, such as pumps, flexes and matting…” the GGMC said.
Considering that fuel is a major input in the mining process and is extremely costly, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Mining Association (GGDMA) requested fuel importation licences which would lead to the reduction of the cost of fuel for miners. The licence was granted to the Association under its name GGDMA Trading Inc.
Miners also have a concession on fuel where it only attracts 10 per cent CIF (cost, insurance and freight) excise tax. They also have access to 10 per cent of their gold sales available in US dollars to assist in retooling, capital acquisition and diversification of investments.
In addition, the GGDMA proposed to the GGMC and the Natural Resources Ministry the reduction of rental paid on mining properties and lowering royalty payments from the current five per cent. The Association agreed to sub-
mit a proposal recommending the rates for royalty and rental payments which will be review by the Ministry and the Commission.
Mercury-free
mining
Furthermore, a MercuryFree Mining Development Fund (MFMDF) of G$1 billion was established to provide small and medium-scale miners with the resources to adopt mercuryfree technologies and to increase the level of gold recovery in the sector.
The Government and the Ministry recognised the financial challenges faced by the small and mediumscale miners to adopt “mercury-free technologies” because the alternatives are expensive and not readily access to the miners. In this regard, the Ministry with the GGMC developed the MFMDF.
“The MFMDF is designed to address the needs for working capital and investment financing at the beneficiary level for adopting technology to be used in the mining sector that are more environmentally friendly,”
the release explained.
Mining lands
On August 11, a total of 939 mining properties were up for bid. Additionally, on August 18, a lottery was held in Georgetown and three interior regions with a total of 903 blocks being won during the exercise.
Furthermore, the Natural Resources Ministry and GGMC continue to undertake the rehabilitation of hinterland roads and infrastructure to ensure mining lands are easily accessible. According to the release, efforts are being made to implement road monitoring checkpoints to ensure that roads are not used indiscriminately in times of heavy rainfall, since this results in the deterioration of the roads.
Moreover, the duration for completion for work permits was reduced. Measures were instituted to ensure work permits are promptly processed and are as transparent as possible so as to ensure the mining operations are not constrained by workers not having the requisite documents.
The Ministry also arranged meeting with the Guyana Police Force to expedite the firearm applications for bona fide miners.
Lastly, the Mining School continues to train persons in entry level skills for the mining sector, which increases the pool of human resources available for miners.
GGMC stressed on the importance of the mining sector to Guyana’s economy and vowed to continue to work with partners and stakeholders in maintaining a thriving and vibrant mining sector.
Cabinet pledges support for eliminating gender-based violence
Cabinet at its statutory meeting on Tuesday, November 25 observed a minute of silence for women who have been, and continue to be the victims of gender- based violence in Guyana and the world at large.
According to Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon, the occasion was the International Day dedicated to eliminating all forms of violence against women.
“Cabinet chronicled the role played by the PPP/C administration in Guyana against gender-based violence, and Cabinet was of the firm opinion that as the statistics suggested, it all began with education and that indeed education mattered.”
Dr. Luncheon said, Cabinet reiterated that statistical fact, and observed the investments- capital, political and otherwise that are being made in the education sector particularly di-
rected at all citizens.
“While recognising the positive impact of those interventions in the constitutional realm statutes, the administrative realm, business, safety nets, Cabinet was equally convinced that more had yet to be done, (and) there is no basis for resting on our laurels.”
He added that Cabinet has vowed to sustain its commitment to eliminate the scourge in society and to maintain its wide-ranging interventions against gender-based violence.
Cabinet urged all citizens to play their role, and to support the many government programmes and policies in this fight. He observed that there has been a low conviction rate even with the domestic violence and sexual offences act enacted.
“This is a concern that Cabinet has reflected on, and one that has been fuelled by external observers who say
you now you have good laws, you have difficulties by enforcing these laws and when it comes to conviction rate 20 to 30 percent at best, it doesn’t speak well…”
The Cabinet Secretary said the results also do not reflect the intent of the remarkable series of interventions that pivot around the legislative environment that has been created by the PPP/C administration over the last decade.
“This thrust particularly from 2001 to 2011 under the Jagdeo regime; I believe that what needed to be done in terms of the creation of the appropriate environment to show where the government stood on this issue that was displayed.”
He added that given the administration’s view that education matters, there can be no doubt when it comes to reform in the education sector, to the provision of resources for the education
sector and that it has been ‘putting its money where its mouth was.”
While these is talk about tension among the executive government, the judiciary and the legislators, in a democratic society there is usually converge when it comes to the rule of law, he stated. “We can only continue to exhort our colleagues on the executive side to collect and compile the information that reflect on performances on the judiciary and magistracy, the other side of prosecution.”
“We must be aware that notwithstanding the best intentions, the best laws, and the most learned and appropriate responses, that all could still be lost by errant judgment, sentencing and such like. We feel education capacity building and strengthening the stakeholders in applying the laws and about gender -based violence will have an impact.”
The Iwokrama International Centre (IIC), in collaboration with the Culture, Youth and Sports Ministry has launched a “Travelling Exhibition” at the Guyana National Museum.
The exhibition saw partnership from the Newcastle University, UK and the North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB).
The project has been ongoing since 2010, and is titled ‘En-compass – an international diamond of cultural dissemination, capacity building with countries from the North, East, South and West’.
This project is more or less linked to the efforts by the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry to promote and preserve the indigenous culture, particularly the languages.
This focus has seen the Ministry facilitating the compilation of the languages, and the planning of an Indigenous Song Festival. In this regard, the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry, Dr Frank Anthony, while addressing the gathering at the National Museum, emphasised that the Ministry is pleased to support such initiatives.
The Minister recognised the links between the cultures, and noted that because of the distances separating the countries, those experiences were not easily shared; however, “this project offered that unique opportunity for us to share our experiences and learn from each other,” he said.
Minister Anthony expressed the hope that the European Union (EU) would see this initiative as just the start and would continue to facilitate such a peculiar sharing process.
“We have to do more for
ourselves, and one of the things we can do more of is we need to promote our indigenous culture a little bit more,” he emphasised. The Minister stated that while talks are going on and activities occurring in the villages, there are many people who are still unaware of such.
“When you think of the richness of the languages that we have, it is unprecedented for a small country to have at least nine indigenous languages but what we have found over the years, because very little attention has been placed on these languages, that the language speaking groups are dwindling and if we do not do something about it, it will disappear altogether,” the Minister advanced. He was making reference to the UNESCO [United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation] website which indicates that Guyana’s indigenous languages are endangered.
The Ministry and the University of Guyana’s Amerindian Research Unit has started in a modest way by compiling seven dictionaries and several grammar books. Minister Anthony stated that the loss of the indigenous languages would not be a loss to Guyana alone, but the global community as well; hence, the need for a more proactive programme to preserve the languages which play an important role in the indigenous peoples’ identity.
While presenting the overview of the project, Dr Raquel Thomas-Caesar explained that the project is focused on heritage management and preservation in Guyana (North Rupununi), Kenya, China (Hainan Province) and Newcastle, UK.
The Surama cultural group performing at the launch of the exhibition
The gold mining sector has proven to develop Guyana’s economy and improve the economic well-being of citizens of Guyana
ARIES (March 21April 19)
TAURUS (April 20May 20)
GEMINI (May 21June 20)
CANCER
Lend a hand to someone in need. Your compassion and caring can be of help to those who have fallen on hard times. Check your community calendar for groups that interest you.
Plan an elegant evening with someone special. A quiet time away from the hustle and bustle will give you a chance to reconnect and make promising plans for the future.
LEO (July 23Aug. 22)
VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)
LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)
SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)
CAPRICORN (June 21July 22)
AQUARIUS
(Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19)
PISCES
(Feb. 20March 20)
You will be hard to resist today. Offer suggestions to someone you want to partner with personally or professionally. Minor health issues may cause a setback if they’re not dealt with quickly.
With a little help, you will be able to finish what you start. Avoid distractions and work independently to avoid slowdowns due to interference. Run the show instead of watching it.
Your success depends on you. Other people may disagree with your plans, but you must do what you have to in order to get ahead.
Don’t let your emotions cloud a personal issue. Take a step back and try to see the other person’s point of view before you react. Compromise will make you look good.
Discuss your ideas with new acquaintances or colleagues. You will get a fresh outlook that will help you develop what you want to pursue. WEDNESDAY'S WORD
A rebate, settlement or windfall will come your way. A close friend will be able to provide an answer to a matter that has been troubling you. If you set up a budget and plan carefully, you will be able to put money aside for a much-needed vacation or treat that will make your life or living quarters more comfortable.
Be sure to comparison shop before you make a hefty purchase. You can save money if you do your homework. Look for coupons that will offer an even bigger discount. Celebrate your savings.
It’s OK to ask for help. There are some matters that just can’t be dealt with alone. Seek the guidance of people who are familiar with your situation.
Don’t waste your time trying to change other people. Look inward and make personal alterations instead. You’ll be happy with the results you get and the compliments you receive.
Peanuts
Calvin and Hobbes
dilbert arCHie
GCB donates cricket gear to Rose Hall, Police Cricket Clubs
GClub.
Sanasie charged the young cricketers and representatives of Rose Hall and Police Clubs to make good use of the gear. He promised the clubs to provide them with red cricket balls as well. The GCB Secretary said that these two clubs have shown an interest in the development of young cricketers and the Guyana Cricket Board will continue to pay keen attention to those administrators and clubs that can produce young talent.
Safraz Ali, Industrial Welfare Officer and Committee Development Officer of Rose Hall Estate, thanked the GCB for remembering the club in this venture. He added that the club was in the process of rebuilding the stands through the Government of Guyana, and re-establishing the cricket club back to its glory days. He said the gear would assist them in getting back on the map. Ali assured Sanasie that they would care and cherish the donated equipment.
Michael Newland, Station Sergeant, First Division, Central Berbice, thanked the GCB for seeing it fit to assist the Police Cricket
Club. He said the cricketers would use the equipment fully. Newland stated that the kit would help a great deal as the Police Club continues to grow, with over 50 young cricketers at the moment.
Recently, the Police First Division Club has been performing creditably in all the Berbice Cricket
Board Competitions. This contribution is the continuation of the GCB countrywide cricket development outreach programme which the Board started this year. Other cricket clubs in Berbice will receive gear and funding for facilities development soon.
Hafeez's unbeaten 178 puts Pakistan in dominant position
Mohammad Hafeez missed the second Test of the series due to injury, went to England briefly to get his action tested, but he could have well been playing in Abu Dhabi where he had scored 96 and 101*. He started the day with a boundary through point and went on to complete his seventh Test century, making most of a pitch with no grass, no cracks and no signs of life. Hafeez’s unbeaten 178 was also the highest anyone had scored in a Sharjah Test. The innings came at a good rate too, taking Pakistan to a dominant position after they had opted to bat. Despite the unhelpful conditions, New Zealand had
managed to pick up three wickets, including that of Younis Khan, in the first two sessions. But then Misbah-ulHaq ensured the wobble was a minor one as he provided solid support to Hafeez in a century stand.
Hafeez grabbed centrestage but much of the attention at the start of the match had centred on the comeback of Daniel Vettori, who had been drafted into the XI at the last minute in New Zealand’s bid to find a series-equalising victory. Vettori’s previous Test outing was more than two years ago. This Test - his 112th for New Zealand - took him past Stephen Fleming as the most-capped New Zealand player.
Vettori led his team into the ground, knowing this could be his last Test and despite no first-class cricket in almost a year, started off with a maiden when called in within the first 10 overs. With no help from the pitch, Vettori was accurate in the three overs he bowled before lunch. The only time he lost his length, Hafeez carted him over midwicket for a six.
He had to wait for 35 overs before getting another spell. By that time, Pakistan had moved to 143 for 2. It took him only eight more deliveries to make his presence felt as he beat the in-form Younis with his drift and struck him right in front. It was Younis’ first single-digit score this home season. Younis asked for a review of the decision after some discussion with Hafeez, but the replays only showed over and over again how Vettori’s arm-ball had outdone Younis.
Hafeez had no such problems. He wasn’t flamboyant as most of his boundaries came off three shots - the pull, the cover drive and the cut - but he remained busy. In the first hour, he scored 30 runs off the 40 deliveries he faced and slowed down in the second hour. It was only towards the end of the first session that he struck a couple of boundaries - one a pull off Ish Sodhi, another a smooth cov-
er drive off Mark Craig - to move close to a half-century.
After a couple of overs of waiting post lunch, Hafeez moved into his stride again, cutting a Trent Boult delivery to reach his fifty with a boundary. He followed that up with a powerful pull off the same bowler two overs later, then stepped out to launch Sodhi over long-on for an effortless
tumultuous couple of weeks.
The calmness that he exuded at that stage also signalled he was focussed for a lot more.
A couple of length deliveries from Trent Boult were punched on the up through cover, then the cut shot again, followed by pulls the moment anyone pitched short.
The ease with which Hafeez handled the bowlers
SCOREBOARD
Pakistan 1st innings R Mohammad Hafeez not out 178 Shan Masood b Craig 12
Azhar Ali c Taylor b Craig 39
Younis Khan lbw b Vettori 5 Misbah-ul-Haq* not out 38
Extras (lb 4, w 4, nb 1) 9
Total (3 wickets; 90 overs) 281 (3.12 runs per over)
To bat Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed†, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Talha, Zulfiqar Babar, Rahat Ali Fall of wickets 1-44 (Shan Masood, 16.5 ov), 2-131 (Azhar Ali, 45.2 ov), 3-160
six. As the spinners settled in for a spell, Hafeez used the cut shot to good effect, finding regular boundaries with precision.
One such boundary off Craig took him to 99 and he completed his century off the very next delivery with an easy single. A prolonged sajda indicated the runs may have been the balm after a
(Younis Khan, 50.2 ov)
Bowling O M R W TA Boult 17 5 47 0 TG Southee 18 3 43 0 DL Vettori 12 4 28 1 CJ Anderson 12 4 28 0 MD Craig 16 3 67 2 IS Sodhi 15 2 64 0
New Zealand team
BB McCullum*, TWM Latham, KS Williamson, LRPL Taylor, CJ Anderson, DL Vettori, BJ Watling†, MD Craig, TG Southee, IS Sodhi, TA Boult
was in contrast to how slow the others batted around him. He was the dominant partner in almost all the partnerships - 31 out off 44 for the first wicket, quick 46 out of 87 for the second, 24 out of 29 for the third and 77 out of unbeaten 121 for the fourth.
That the others were stifled was partly due to the New Zealand bowlers mak-
ing it tough to score by sticking to their plans and partly because the batsmen did not disturb them from their plans. The seamers often changed the angle and frequently used the bouncers to keep the batsmen guessing and the spinners stuck to lines around off stump, but Azhar Ali, Shan Masood and, to an extent, Misbah were happy to block them out.
Shan Masood was reluctant to come forward to both pace and slow bowlers and scored at snail’s pace. He finally paid the price as he came forward to Craig’s first delivery to him and played down the wrong line. Azhar had moved to 39 off 101 deliveries before he played a loose drive to a wide delivery from Craig straight after lunch and was caught at slip.
In the overs that followed, New Zealand’s threemen spin attack could only produce one chance. Misbah, on 20, got a faint edge on a turning delivery from Sodhi but BJ Watling couldn’t get his gloves around the ball. Misbah responded with a fierce cut off the next ball and later smashed Sodhi for a straight six too. It was a clean hit, not as big as the two straight sixes Hafeez had smashed off the spinners. The effect, on the scoreboard and on New Zealand, was the same. (Cricinfo)
Mohammed Hafeez scores his century
uyana Cricket Board (GCB) Secretary Anand Sanasie visited Berbice last Sunday and donated cricket gear kits to Rose Hall/Canje Cricket Club and B (Berbice) Division Police Cricket
Safraz Ali, Industrial Welfare Officer and Committee Development Officer of Rose Hall Estate receiving the kit from GCB Secretary Anand Sanasie
Michael Newland, Station Sergeant, First Division, Central Berbice receiving the kit from GCB Secretary Anand Sanasie
Ali’s daughters promoting “I am Ali” documentary in the UK
Muhammad Ali’s daughters are in London to promote the U.K. release of the documentary “I Am Ali.” They say the former boxing champion is still waiting to see it for the first time.
Step-sisters Maryum and Hana Ali plan to visit their 72-year-old father in Arizona on their return from London and sit down to watch it with him -- in silence.
“If you even speak when you watch anything to do with him, he’ll say ‘Shh,’” Hana said Tuesday with a smile.
“I Am Ali” mixes interviews with Ali’s family and inner circle, with archive footage and personal audio recordings. Maryum and Hana both feature, looking back at their childhood years with Ali.
“For me it was bittersweet,” Maryum said. “He was famous in boxing when I was a kid. I had to share him with the world, at the same time the world loved him. So we were able to receive the love.” And despite the fact she used to “come home to Michael Jackson sitting in the living room”, Hana adds that Ali made sure his children stayed down to Earth.
“I grew up going to school and bragging a lot ‘my daddy is Muhammad Ali, I can do what I want to do,” she said. “And he used to sit me down and tell me how just because I’m famous the world’s going to treat you different. They’re going to treat you special, but you’re no better than anybody else and the only thing that makes you greater than anyone is your heart.”
Ali, who has been suffering with Parkinson’s disease since the 1980s, is enjoying life and doing well, his daughters said.
Ali “enjoys his life. He’s at peace. He gets good care,” el-
dest daughter Maryum said.
When the media speculates about Ali’s health, the former boxer asks his daughters “Did I make the front page?” according to Hana, Ali’s daughter with Veronica Porche.
“He’s so funny. He’s like, ‘I’m not dying.’ I think he thinks he’s going to live forever.” Maryum reassured fans that “unless it comes from the children or his wife, you can’t believe anything you hear about his health.”
“I Am Ali,” by U.K. filmmaker Clare Lewins, will be released in Britain on Friday. (ESPN)
Champions League… Liverpool draw keeps last 16 hopes alive
Liverpool conceded a late equaliser at Bulgarian champions Ludogorets - but are still just a win away from reaching the Champions League last 16.
The hosts led when Dani Abalo pounced on Reds keeper Simon Mignolet’s error, but Rickie Lambert headed in his first Champions League goal to equalise.
Jordan Henderson steered Liverpool ahead at the far post, before Georgi Terziev headed in the equaliser.
Liverpool will still qual-
ify if they beat Basel at Anfield next month.
Despite an unconvincing performance in Bulgaria, Brendan Rodgers’s side remain in control of their European destiny after Basel were beaten 1-0 at reigning champions Real Madrid.
Basel’s defeat means the Reds are two points behind the Swiss side and will join the Spanish giants in the knockout stage with a win in their final group match.
Moeen Ali produced an abundant oneday innings to raise horizons and rouse spirits, but it will take more than a one-man masterclass, however brilliant, to turn England into fancied World Cup contenders. Moeen clocked the third fastest ODI hundred in England’s history, but ultimately it was Sri Lanka whose 25-run victory gave them first strike in the seven-match series.
To surpass Sri Lanka’s 317 for 6, England would have needed to scale unsurpassed heights. They had never chased more than 306 to achieve victory; no side had won at the Premadasa Stadium with more than 286 to its name. Moeen’s 119 from 87 balls, with his hundred coming off 72 deliveries, the third fastest for England, the latest eye-catching performance in an outstanding start to his international career, kept the faith, but when he knocked back a soft return catch to Jeevan Mendis, sixth out at 203, England subsided.
If the initial thrust was Moeen’s, the sad-faced finale, as so often, belonged to Ravi Bopara. He was last out for 65 from 62 balls, a judicious innings which ended when a mishit leg-side skier was plucked by the diving Kusal Perera. This was lone, admirable and predictably unrewarded resistance. Too often his doughty efforts achieve nothing. But his presence in the squad should be a given.
After their troubled oneday tour of India - reluctant-
ly undertaken at India’s request after the failure of the Caribbean malcontents to fulfil their obligation to complete the tour - Sri Lanka deserved something restorative on their return to home shores. They found it in the shape of a disorientated England bowling attack, which was perhaps surprised to find itself called into service after the monsoon - particularly persistent this year apparently - conveniently relented in the nick of time.
Moeen was England’s main comfort. When he surged to 50 in 25 balls, fed width, particularly from Dhammika Prasad, only Paul Collingwood had struck a faster ODI half-century for England. Briefly, his focus wandered slightly, only for him to rally with some ringing leg-side blows, five sixes, all as crisp as a winter’s bell, all against the spinners. He offered one chance, on 72, a flat chance to Jeevan Mendis at deep square leg off the
fielder’s namesake Ajantha. Compare that excitement to the labours of his opening partner, Alastair Cook. Cook’s travails have been endlessly chronicled, and to be given out lbw twice in the first over, on nought, as Angelo Mathews outdid him with fullish deliveries, only for Cook to successfully review the decisions, was quite a start. When Tillakaratne Dilshan ran another ball into Cook’s pads, by now with 10 runs to his name, he knew in his heart that another review would not only be futile but mildly embarrassing.
Thisara Perera’s hefty aggression, and excellent line, accounted for Ian Bell and Joe Root. There were no mid-innings explosions from Eoin Morgan, who poked at Ajantha Mendis to drag on, or Jos Buttler; Ben Stokes’ limitations against spin were evidenced when he was stumped against the left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, who then outwitted Chris Woakes in similar fashion.
Grouchy skies delayed the start by an hour, but the pitch was excellent considering the months of rain and England’s pace bowlers initially fell well below expectations. Harry Gurney recovered slightly in later spells, and has probably deserved a chance to pronounce himself a World Cup death bowler, but Stokes’ lack of direction brought four overs for 36 in three spells and was best forgotten.
England had also lost Steven Finn to a failed fitness test and dropped Chris
Liverpool had lost their previous four matches in all competitions and before kick-off Rodgers urged his players to kick-start their faltering season with a vital win.
But their performance in near-freezing conditions in Sofia will have done little to encourage the Anfield side that an upturn in their fortunes is on the way. The visitors appeared to lack the confidence to cut through the ponderous Ludogorets backline and were once again uncertain in defence when the home side poured forward. (BBC Sport)
Ali’s maiden century not enough against Sri Lanka
Jordan after a poor performance in the sole warm-up match against Sri Lanka
A had extended a run of inaccurate displays. Shorn, too, of the old firm of James Anderson and Stuart Broad, they bowled 16 wides, Gurney the chief offender. Only the complexities of “World Cup planning” could justify Cook’s decision to limit Bopara to four overs.
For Sri Lanka, inured to poor opening stands, it was quite a turn-up for Kusal Perera and Dilshan to survive into the 23rd over, assembling 120. Perera gradually muscled his way into his innings whilst Dilshan, 38 now with 17 ODI hundreds behind him, took his chance less conspicuously, milking the leg side at will. (Cricinfo)
SCOREBOARD
Sri Lanka innings (50 overs maximum) R TM Dilshan c & b Woakes 88
MDKJ Perera run out (Root/ Bopara/†Buttler) 59
KC Sangakkara† lbw b Ali 2
DPMD Jayawardene c †Buttler b Tredwell 55
AD Mathews* c Stokes b Tredwell 33
NLTC Perera c Cook b Woakes 4
HDRL Thirimanne not out 27
BMAJ Mendis not out 30
Extras (lb 2, w 17) 19
Total (6 wickets; 50 overs) 317 (6.34 runs per over)
England innings (target: 318 runs from 50 overs) R AN Cook* lbw b Dilshan 10
MM Ali c & b BMAJ Mendis 119 IR Bell c Jayawardene b NLTC Perera 35 JE Root c †Sangakkara b NLTC Perera 2 EJG Morgan b BAW Mendis 1
The Reds denied first win in five matches
Moeen Ali century unable to stop Sri Lanka
Muhammad Ali
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Scores Even will have a chance to settle a score with Princess She’s Not on Sunday at the ‘Champion of Champion’ one day horse race meet billed for the Rising Sun Turf Club.
Arguable the fastest horse in Guyana, Scores Even had to breathe dust at the Kennard Memorial Turf Club on October 12 last when Princess She’s Not of the Shariff Racing Stable ridden by Trinidadian Jockey Razack proved every one wrong.
Sunday’s feature event has a first prize purse of one million dollars and already several of Guyana’s
top horses have already registered for the feature ‘A’ and lower event compliments of Banks DIH Limited.
Among the animals expected to hit the starting gate are Guyana Cup Champion CP Got Even, Settle in Seattle, Church House, Run Nana Run, Treacle, Appealing Harvest and Grande De Roja.
Eyes will also be on the newly imported Curfew Tower which has also registered for the race.
More than 60 horses have already registered for the day’s proceedings which will see eight races
being contested. A total of $7M will be up for grabs for the entire event.
Other events on the day’s card are the three year old race for West Indies and Guyana Bred horses, the E3 and lover event and the two year old West Indies bred animals.
The G3 and lower animals will race for a first prize of $300,000 while the two year old animals will race for a first prize of $200,000.
There will also be a race for ‘I’ class animals and another for the ‘J’ and lower class animals with a top prize of $180,000. (Andrew Carmichael)
Reggae Boyz to compete against South American giants
Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz have been drawn in a group of South American giants in their baptism to the CONMEBOL Copa America, the Holy Grail of South American football.
Jamaica, the first Caribbean team to be invited to the tournament, will go up against two of the continent’s most successful nations in the storied Copa America, which is the oldest continental tournament in football celebrating 98 years of rivalry.
The Jamaicans face Uruguay (15 titles), Argentina (14) and Paraguay (two) in Group B, it was determined at draw at Quinta Vergara in Vina del Mar, Chile, held Monday evening.
In Group A, hosts Chile, guest team Mexico, Ecuador and Bolivia will do battle, while six-time world champions Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela will cross swords in Group C.
JFF president Captain Horace Burrell, who attended the draw, said while the Reggae Boyz are against enormous odds in a group filled with teams of rich tradition and successes on the global stage, he remains upbeat at the prospects.
“I know it’s going to be an extremely great challenge, but as Jamaicans we usually perform at our best when the odds are stacked against us, or when our backs are against the wall,” he told the OBSERVER ONLINE shortly after the glitzy ceremony.
Burrell, who was the visionary behind Jamaica’s only qualification to a senior World Cup back in France 1998, said when he realised that Argentina were drawn with Jamaica, he saw a great opportunity for revenge.
“Argentina defeated us 5-0 in the World Cup, and though they were a great team then and perhaps a greater team now with the likes of (Lionel) Messi within their rank, we intend to as the first Caribbean team to play in the prestigious Copa America to give it the best shot at a payback,” said the veteran football boss.
The Copa America 2015,
which will be hosted by eight Chilean cities, runs from June 11 to July 4. The Boyz with their confirmed participation in Copa America 2015, the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the Copa America Centenario 2016 seem to have hit a golden patch with these high-profile championships.
Jamaica are just coming off winning the CFU Caribbean Cup in Montego Bay where they defeated arch-rivals Trinidad and Tobago’s Soca Warriors 4-3 on penalties --- an achievement which is expected to reverse their poor standing of 113th in FIFA. (Jamaica Observer)
Scores Even battles with Princess She’s Not
The Reggae Boyz
Guyana Jaguars must guard against complacency
By AvenAsh RAmzAn
It has been two weeks of rich rewards for Guyana Jaguars in the West Indies Cricket Board’s rebranded Professional Cricket League, blazing to the summit of the points table like a race horse on the loose.
Compelling victories against the Leeward Islands and the Windward Islands Volcanoes have done enough to earn the Jaguars the title of ‘form’ team of the tournament, being the only unit to win both first round games.
With their first three matches being at ‘home’, the perfect situation would be to maximise on familiar conditions by winning all games, as well as cash in on bonus points on offer. To date, the execution has been in sync with the plan, and the Jaguars would desperately want to continue in the same vein against Barbados Pride in round three this weekend at the National Stadium.
While the Caribbean’s most experienced batsman and one of world cricket’s legendary figures, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, has quietly gone about his business, scoring 45 against the Leeward Islands and 62 and 44 against the Windward Islands Volcanoes, it has been the individual brilliance of Narsingh Deonarine and fellow Albion clubmate Veerasammy Permaul that has stood out.
The extremely talented Deonarine, now a veteran of
the First-Class game, having made his regional debut as a teenager in 1999, started the competition in fine fashion. He scored an unbeaten 110, his 10th hundred, against the Leeward Islands, before pacing himself to an accomplished 139 and 34 against the Windward Islands Volcanoes.
His highly underrated off-spin also brought him splendid figures of 5-24 in the first innings against the Windward Islands Volcanoes, his fourth five-wicket haul in First-Class cricket. It’s the sort of performance players dream off at the start of a season, but in Deonarine’s case, it’s now a matter surviving the most difficult phase, which is maintaining such high standards.
With 283 runs at an average of 141.50, Deonarine is the competition’s leading runscorer, and with a lengthy season ahead, the former Test batsman would have his eyes set on crossing the 1,000run mark for the season for the second time in his career, having scored 1,068 in the 2008-09 Regional Four-day competition.
Like Deonarine, Permaul is a seasoned campaigner, and his majestic career-best returns of 8-36 against the Windward Islands Volcanoes took him past 250 First-Class wickets in just 66 games. In partnership with spin partner, leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, Permaul is expected to create more havoc for the tournament’s batsmen, many
of whom have demonstrated their ineptness against the turning ball.
However, it is unlikely Deonarine and Permaul will get it right every time, and it will be up to the other players to justify their selection by consistently putting up solid performances. It’s an area that Guyana Jaguars will need to improve upon, especially in the batting department, as only Deonarine and Chanderpaul have crossed fifties in the three innings to date.
The problem is compounded with the loss of Chanderpaul, skipper Leon Johnson and Assad Fudadin, who have all been released to join the West Indies squad for the upcoming series against hosts South Africa. With the inexperienced openers Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Shimron Hetmyer and fast bowler Keon Joseph drafted in as the replacements, more responsibility would be on the shoulders on Deonarine and Permaul and company as the Jaguars look to build on the solid platform created after the first two rounds.
With home advantage this weekend, the Guyana Jaguars must guard against complacency against regional powerhouse Barbados Pride. In fact, the players on the fringes must grab the opportunity being afforded to them in the absence of the West Indies trio, and make their mark on the tournament.
TGRFU holds appreciation...
“Do not be over-confident because it can lead to complacency which will run the risk of losing, it is good to be confident but not over-confident.
“With that said I do look forward to your return so I can say hail the champions,” Yassin added.
President of the GRFU who was obviously touched by all of the contributions from the various stakeholders involved stressed that his team has one mission.
“These guys will not be complacent; they are going with one mission to erase the mess that was last year and to show where Guyana’s rugby belongs,” Green stated.
Green also highlighted the stakes to his and shared his confidence of the team, “You go with the hopes of an entire nation behind you, you have been
given the mandate to bring the title home… for us this is our first… this is now, teams have improved but we will show them we have what it takes… each one of you are game changers on
your day,” Green quipped. However, with Guyana set to leave on November 28 for Mexico, Green’s charge to the team was simple, “To my team bring it home.”
guyana match previous...
Team Guyana receiving a final briefing before the match
It was one of those penalty corners in the 11th minute that deflected off the stick of Guyanese defender Tiffany Solomon, and fell into the path of onrushing striker Keisha Jordan for the finish. Goalkeeper Alysa Xavier had been pulled left by the original strike, but the unfortunate deflection made it an impossible goal to save.
Guyana made a few tactical changes and managed to balance the midfield play after the first goal, but the South American strikers failed to match those of Barbados for converting possessions to shots at goal. With the match flowing from end to end in the blistering Vera Cruz sun, Barbadian right winger,
Venessa Chewitt, would complete a brilliant run by cutting all the way to the left side to receive a pass before driving right with the ball, overcoming the challenges of a few defenders and smashing her shot just inside the left goal post. The Bajans were up 2-0 with the half-time break fast approaching.
The second half saw both teams sharing possession of the ball, but defences winning the battles to keep the half scoreless. Guyana, needing to make up the deficit, piled players forward and made some meaningful drives at the Bajan defensive area.
While this tactic seemed to give Guyana the upper hand, they remained vul-
nerable in the depleted defence and Chewitt would be the hero for Barbados by completing a swift counterattack off a midfield turnover to put the Bajans up by three. Although Guyana seemed the more threatening side in the final 10 minutes of play, the Bajan defence held firm and prevented any attempts at scoring.
Barbados’ 3-0 victory over Guyana gave them the fifth place spot, while Guyana would have to settle for sixth. Mexico defeated Trinidad in the Bronze medal match 2-1, while Cuba secured the gold over the Dominican Republic on a penalty shootout after the two sides were deadlocked 3-3 at full time.
Captain Ryan Gonsalves chats with some sponsors and the GOA’s President, KA Juman Yassin
Some of the players mingling at the ceremony (Treiston Joseph photos)
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Narsingh Deonarine Veerasammy Permaul
he Farfan and Mendes Group in Guyana has become the most recent company to lend its support to the Flex Night International 2014 event, which is set for December 7 at the National Cultural Centre. With its own commitment to products that are of high quality, Farfan and Mendes is happy to be onboard with Flex Night Inc., whose motto is ‘Raising the Bar.’
On Monday afternoon, Farfan and Mendes representative Tristan Dow presented the company’s contribution to David Gomes, Director of External Resources of Flex Night Inc. in the presence of Flex Night’s Managing Director, Donald Sinclair.
Farfan and Mendes onboard with Flex Night
Guinness Greatness in the Streets Futsal…
West Front Road rout Charlestown 4-1
By TreisTon Joseph
After upsetting defending champi-
ons Queens Street Tigerbay on Sunday, West Front Road dominated Charlestown on Tuesday evening when the Guinness “Greatness in the Streets’ Futsal competition continued at the National Cultural Centre Tarmac.
West Front Road wasted little time getting the onslaught going with a goal in the ninth minute from Randolph Wagner. One minute later Michael Pedro score to push West Front Road ahead 2-0 heading into the half.
On resumption
Charlestown’s Sherwin Cadogan scored in the 16th minute to pull the game back 2-1 before Wagner answered in the 22nd minute to give West Front Road the two goal advantage at 3-1.
Darren Benjamin sealed the deal with a goal in the 25th minute to complete the dominating performance by West Front Road.
Festival City Street Fighters made easy work of Castello Housing Scheme 3-0 with all their goals com-
ing in quick succession.
Odel Williams opened the scoring in the 15th minute while Jermin Fletcher and Jermin Tinch found the back of the net in the 17th and 20th minutes respectively to cap off the easy win.
In another dominating game of the evening, South Sophia hammered Stevedore Housing Scheme ‘A’ 4-0. It did not take long for the scoring barrage to start as Ryan O’Selmo opened the scoring in the fourth minute
Umada Cup starts today at Sleepin Hotel
Leading FIDE and Candidate Masters from five nations will suit up against each other from today, when the prestigious fifth annual Umada Cup chess tournament is staged in Guyana for the first time.
The Sleepin International Hotel on Brickdam is the venue for what is anticipated to be five days of intense rivalry among the elite chess players in this part of the globe.
The tournament, set to conclude on Monday, will be contested in two categories: one for players in the Open Section and another for those in the Challenger Section. Both sections will be played under the Swiss System for nine rounds and will be FIDE rated.
Up to press time on Wednesday, 10 Guyanese players had registered to compete in the tournament. They are Wendell Muesa, Anthony Drayton, Ronuel Greenidge, Haifeng Su, Jessica Clementson,
Suriname has also entered 10 players, namely Roder Matoewi, Romario Sanchez, Frank Lo Kim Lin, Joel Frijde, Reyna Frijde, Avikaar Malgie, Geryen Dos Ramos,
declared open at 10:00 hours today by Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony at the Sleepin International Hotel before the players swing into action on the chess boards.
The tournament, according to President of the Guyana Chess Federation, Irshad Mohamed, is be-
Kevin Finkie, Alicia Jaipersaud and Ishwar Ramlal.
Trinidad and Tobago will be represented by six players and they are Vishnu Singh, Ryan Harper, Kevin Cupid, Esan Wiltshire, Frank Sears and Mikel Martin. Jamaica’s three representatives are Andrew Mellace, Ras Malaku Lorne and Deborah Richards- Porter, while the Dominican Republic’s flag will be carried by Christopher Guzman and Darvi Crispin Ferreras and Barbados’ lone player is Martyn Del Castilo.
The tournament will be officially
ing organised under the auspices of current president of FIDE, the world governing body for chess, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. A grand payout package of US$16,000 would be at stake. In the Open Section, the winner will cart off US$2,500, while the second and third place finishers will pocket US$1,500 and US$1,000 respectively. The winner of the Challenger Section is entitled to US$1,500, with the runner-up copping US$1,000 and third US$750. In the case of a tie, the sum of the prizes involved will be shared equally.
while Dwayne Lowe notched a goal in the 12th minute and Akeem Jaikissoon in the 14th to make the score 3-0 before the halftime break. Lowe would score again in the 20th minute to end the game. The night of dominating action continued when Festival City Warriors topped Island All-Stars 3-0 in the night’s seventh game.
Daniel Favourite score in the seventh minute while Solomon Austin netted in the ninth minute to give the Warriors a comfortable 2-nil lead heading into halftime. Andrew Gad scored the game’s final goal in the 17th minute for the Warriors.
In other results; Broad Street needled South Ruimveldt in the night’s closest game for a 1-0 will with a goal from Devon Adams in the fourth minute. Albouystown ‘A’ topped D’urban Street 2-0 with goals from Shaka Jones in 14th and 24th minutes. Sparta Boss defeated Bent Street 1-nil with a goal from Sheldon Shepherd in the fifth minute and West Back Road defeated North Ruimveldt 4-3 on penalty kicks.
Phillip Arokium Memorial 60-mile cycle race set for Sunday
The sixth annual Phillip Arokium Memorial 60-mile cycle road race will be held on Sunday in Berbice and is expected to end the 2014 season in the Ancient County.
The event which is being organized by the Flying Ace Cycling Club (FACC) is opened to cyclists countrywide is being sponsored by the Arokium family and will roll off from the Arokium Funeral Home at Philadelphia Street, New Amsterdam at 09:00h.
The race will proceed to the Number 43 Village Corentyne then back to Main and Alexander Streets, New Amsterdam for the finish.
Eight sprint point prizes will be up for grabs while the first eight cyclists to cross the finish line will
be awarded.
The first three juniors and first four female along with the first four FACC riders will receive prizes.
On Monday the event was launched at the Philadelphia Street facility with Secretary of Arokium Funeral Home, Natasha Dey saying that the funeral home was pleased to be associated with cycling even after former club member Phillip Arokium had passed on.
Organizer of the event and Coach of the FACC Randolph Roberts while thanking the sponsor for their continued support to the sport said the race being opened to cyclists countywide should make the event more competitive. (Andrew Carmichael)
Broad Street score their winning goal against South Ruimveldt
The crowd turned out in their numbers
Some action during the evening of dominating games
Randolph Roberts receives the sponsorship cheque from the Arokium Funeral Home
Dr Frank Anthony
FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov witnessing two players in action during a previous Umada Cup in Trinidad and Tobago
GRFU holds appreciation ceremony for sponsors
By TreisTon Joseph
The Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) held an appreciation ceremony for their sponsors on Tuesday evening at the Le Meridian Pegasus Oasis Lounge where
the sponsors were able to meet and greet the players that will represent Guyana at the North American and Caribbean Rugby Association’s (NACRA) Seven’s tournament scheduled for December in Mexico.
The sponsors in at-
CAC Games Hockey...
tendance were Edward B Beharry Group of Companies, the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), Citizen Bank and Ming’s Automotives and Repairs while representatives from Ansa McAL, GBTI, Copa Airlines and the Government
were unable to attend. However, Marketing Director of the Beharry Group of Companies Anjuli Beharry-Strand described the ease at which she was able to contribute to the national side that has won six NACRA championships.
“For the first time I was able to see them practice, they were to do a beep test but unfortunately they couldn’t because it rained but what I saw was determination, aggression and such love for what they do makes signing a cheque for them worth it,” Beharry Strand noted.
While all of the other sponsors present wished the team well on their journey to their seventh title, President of the GOA, KA Juman Yassin warned against complacency.
Guyana match previous appearance, finish 6th
The Guyana national hockey women completed their final match of the 2014 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Vera Cruz, Mexico, against defending bronze medallists Barbados. With both teams just failing to make the semi-finals, the victor would have to settle for fifth place in this year’s edition of the games, while the loser would be relegated to sixth of the eight-team competition.
Earlier in the morning, Jamaica had defeated Bermuda 2-0 to secure seventh spot in the competition with Bermuda filling the eighth and final placement. Guyana began the match on shaky grounds, as they did in the previous clash with Jamaica, and gave up several early chances and penalty corners to Barbados.
Sweeper Ulrica Sutherland, who had an outstanding tournament, making her way through the midfield
The sponsors and the players pose at the appreciation ceremony (Treiston Joseph photo)
