Guyana Times Daily - February 3, 2015

President, political parties call for peaceful polls

Motion filed to challenge presidential term limits

Canada offers to help GECOM with upcoming polls

Henrietta friends died from multiple injuries

Mackenzie High teachers protest poor working conditions

Boodoo, Shaddick not in race for GECOM Commissioner – Rohee

UG Vice Chancellor hospitalised

tuesday, february 3, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

Canada offers to help GECOM with upcoming polls

The Canadian Government has offered to assist the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in any way needed as it approaches the May 11 General and Regional Elections.

The offer was made when Director of the Central America and Caribbean Relations Division of the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Department, Johanne Forest, accompanied by the Canadian High Commissioner, Dr Nicole Giles, recently made a courtesy call on GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally, to discuss a number of issues pertaining to the Commission’s current situation as it relates to the approaching General and Regional Elections.

During the discussion, Forest was comprehensively briefed by Dr Surujbally on the Commission’s current state of preparedness

for the successful management of the upcoming elections, as well as those par-

ticular areas of importance currently being addressed by the Commission, as it

enters full elections mode.

The Chairman disclosed that GECOM has since begun to put in place a variety of logistical and administrative arrangements for the effective management of the forthcoming elections. The training of Polling Day staff, printing of manuals, as well as the roll-out of GECOM’s Civic and Voter Education programme, are activities currently in progress.

Also emerging from the discussion were the ways in which the Canadian Government can be of as-

sistance to GECOM as the Commission assiduously endeavours to effectively and efficiently manage the upcoming General and Regional Elections in a transparent, free and fair manner.

GECOM’s Chairman carefully noted that, as an elections management body, the Commission would continue to work within its power in collaboration with its various partners, to ensure continuous credibility in all electoral activities in Guyana.

Henrietta friends died from multiple injuries

The two men who were killed after being struck down by a speeding car on Sunday died from multiple injuries, autopsies conducted by Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh revealed.

Collin John and Adrian Osborne died early Sunday morning when a car slammed into them on the Richmond Public Road, Essequibo Coast. The autopsies were performed on Monday at Suddie Funeral home before detectives attached to the Anna Regina Police Station.

The driver in question, Satyanand Rampersaud, is expected to be arraigned in court this week. According to a Police report, around 03:00h on Sunday Osborne, 23, and John, 20, both of Henrietta, Essequibo Coast, were walking along the roadway at Richmond, when they were struck down by a motor vehicle.

The driver of the vehicle sped away initially from the scene, but was later arrested. Both men were pronounced Dead on Arrival (DOA) at the Suddie Hospital. Both John and Osborne sustained multiple injuries about their bodies with broken bones and neck.

Meanwhile, in a statement, A Partnership for

National Unity (APNU) iterated its call for stricter methods of enforcement and safer roads. The coalition said far too many Guyanese have lost their lives as a result of speeding and drunk driving on the poorly lit and inadequately patrolled coastal highways.

“Speeding and drunk driving continues to be the

major cause of all fatal accidents in Guyana,” APNU said. “A Partnership for National Unity expresses its condolences to the relatives and friends of 23-year-old

their loved ones.”

Adrian Osborne and 20-year-old Collin John on the loss of

Adrian Osborne

Collin John

The driver in question, Satyanand Rampersaud

GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally meets Canada’s Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Department Central America and Caribbean Relations Division Director, Johanne Forest, along with Canadian High Commissioner, Dr Nicole Giles

and 28 degrees.

Winds: East North-easterly between 5.36 metres and 6.70 metres per second.

High Tide: 04:11h and 16:25h reaching maximum heights of 2.47 metres and 2.59 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 09:59h and 22:22h reaching minimum heights of 0.73 metre and 0.62 metre respectively.

Motion filed to challenge presidential term limits

AWest Ruimveldt, Georgetown resident on Monday filed a motion in the High Court challenging the constitutionality of the two-term limit imposed on Presidents here – a move which is bound to create a whirlwind as this country heads into elections.

Sparman are appearing for Richardson.

In his writ, Richardson claims that Act No 17 of 2001 passed by a twothirds majority of members of the National Assembly that purportedly altered Article 90 of the Constitution “curtails and restricts the sovereign and democrat -

dom of the electorate by purporting to eliminate from the Executive Presidential Candidate a person who has been re-elected as Executive President, for example former President Jagdeo. Richardson again, contended that Act No 17 of 2001 has the effect of restricting or cur -

the level of democracy enjoyed by the electorate prior to the purported alteration and therefore required the holding of a referendum for such alteration.

Guyana's Constitution states that a person elected as President after the year 2000 is eligible for re-election only

At the moment former President Bharrat Jadeo is the only one to whom the constitutional provisions apply, since all other former Presidents have passed away.

Filed by Cedric Richardson, of Lot 4 West Ruimveldt, Georgetown the motion names, Attorney General Anil Nandlall and Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman as respondents. Nandlall confirmed to Guyana Times being served with the writ, but declined to comment on the issue.

Attorneys Shawn Allicock, Oneidge Walrond-Allicock, Emily Dodson and Coleen

ic rights and freedom as a qualified elector to elect the person of former President Bharrat Jagdeo as the Executive President of Guyana.

He argues that Act No 17 of 2001 has the consequence (advertent or inadvertent) of restricting and curtailing the democratic rights and free -

tailing the democratic rights and freedom of the electorate providing for the non-eligibility of a person who has been re-elected as Executive President for presidential elections candidate, required for its legal validity the holding of a referendum of the people diminishes and reduces

once. The Constitution further states that a person who acceded to the presidency after 2000 and served therein for a single occasion for not less that such a period as may be determined by the National Assembly is eligible for election as President only once.

MONdaY, FEBRUaRY 2, 2015

Guyana's Constitution states that a person elected as President after the year 2000 is eligible for re-election only once

Editor: Nigel Williams

Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134

Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown

Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

The Guyana Government

The departing British High Commissioner appears determined to have the last word in his long running polemic about democracy in Guyana. Mr Ayre appears convinced that the upcoming elections will lead to another “minority Government”. And he proposes what might be considered by the unwary, as very sensible advice: such a “minority Government must be prepared to work with a majority Opposition”.

In framing the situation as he does, Mr Ayre either wittingly or unwittingly commits the logical fallacy of “false equivalence” several times. In this faux pas, he posits a logical equivalence between two inherently different institutions in which there is absolutely none through the artifice of creating an oxymoronic expression, “minority Government”.

Mr Ayre arrogantly universalises his own country’s particular allocation of governmental offices based on their (unwritten) constitutional stipulations. This is not surprising since this has long been part and parcel of the imperialist project to keep “natives” under subjugation.

But come February 23, Guyana will have been a Republic for 45 years, after gaining independence six years before. In that time, Guyana promulgated a new Constitution in 1980, which replaced the one that was hauled out from a drawer at Whitehall and given to the then Government which they had installed in conjunction with the Americans.

While that new Constitution might have had its bona fides questioned at the time, it was accepted as the basis of the universally conceded legitimate transfer of power in 1992.

The rules on forming “the Government” - not a “minority Government” or “majority Government” - but “the Government” in this country since 1980 was that any party or coalition of parties securing the most votes at a General Elections was conferred with that mandate.

Governments in Guyana are therefore formed by a plurality of votes, and not a majority as in England. And it is here that Ayre introduces his first false equivalency.

But while Constitutions are supposed to be stable, they are not immutable. With the return of democratic governance in 1992, the Government established a Constitution Reform Commission. Any Guyanese person or group having a problem or objection to the rule on forming THE Government could have proposed its alteration during the Constitutional Consultations of 1999.

No one did. And the 181 constitutional changes passed in 2000 UNANIMOUSLY by the Parliament did not alter the rules on the formation of a legitimate Government.

By our Constitution, the Government or Executive is conferred with specific and enumerated powers as is the Legislative Branch. The two branches are not coterminous with each other in their powers; the President as head of the Cabinet does not sit in the National Assembly, nor is the latter “supreme”, as all are in England. And this is where High Commissioner Ayre conjures up his second false equivalence.

In his formulation that the “minority Government must work with the majority Opposition”, he creates a third false equivalence by segueing into the assumption that the “majority” in the Legislature is somehow of the same nature as the Executive and that the former somehow outweighs the latter.

This sleight of hand is contrary to the law and spirit of the allocation of powers by the amended Constitution and has been repeatedly rejected by the Courts since 2011.

The British High Commissioner has studiously refused to invoke this third arm of the Government which is mandated to be the arbiter of Constitutional meaning. In typical imperial style, redolent of the Governor who suspended our Constitution in 1953 and removed the PPP Government, this British representative would presume to be more qualified to interpret our Constitution than our Judicial Branch.

The foregoing is the law on the matter of Government “working with” the Opposition. As far as a “majority Opposition”, the President early on signalled his desire to work with them. The problem was that the Opposition presumed it could seize the democratic Executive powers and prerogatives.

Deception on AFC television programme

Dear Editor,

The lies and deception on the AFC’s Alliance on the Move Programme continue unabatedly. It appears that these people have forsaken their civic duties to the citizens. Any relationship with people which is built on lies and deception will fail – “the truth shall set you free”.

On January 29, Dr Veersammy Ramayya told his viewers that the Chairman for the GGMC is Lisaveta Ramotar and that she approved the loan to the CPHA.

A simple research would have told him a simple fact that Ms Ramotar is the General Manager. Furthermore, he would have realized that the GGMC was lending monies to various sectors since 2006 and that this is within the GGMC’s Act No 9 of 1979.

Furthermore, Ms Ramotar assumed duties as General Manager just about a month ago, a job that she is fully and ably qualified for, and is in no position to unilaterally approve such a loan.

He then went further to deceitfully claim that the $1.5 billion owed by GuySuCo to NIS went to

fund the PPP/C campaign for the upcoming elections. He then showed a headline from the Kaieteur News.

But what he failed to do was to read an article in the same Kaieteur News which stated that Guysuco made an undertaking to honour all NIS claims made by workers and that the failure to make remittance was due to a cash flow problem.

How could this man, who is a Member of Parliament, make such statements in order to gain political mileage? This statement is not only deceptive, but fraudulent as well. This is how they intend to win votes in Berbice!

Then he claimed that the reason why the Berbice Bridge is not making a profit is because the monies are going to fund the PPP/C election campaign. He claimed that this is the reason the Berbice Bridge is making a loss.

Well, I could understand his ignorance about the application of IFRIC 12 with relation to the loss, but what is beyond me is the fact that this man is making such a fraudulent statement that the monies went to PPP/C’s campaign

fund!

At this point in time, I would like to clarify the position of IFRIC 12 so please allow me to offer a brief explanation as to the declared loss by the Berbice Bridge.

IFRIC 12 deals with “Service Concessions Arrangements” and a Service Concession Arrangement can be defined as where a Government grants a contract for the supply of public service to a private operator.

The Berbice Bridge is a BOOT arrangement. There are two types of arrangements and Berbice Bridge falls under the “Intangible Assets” arrangement. An Intangible Asset arrangement is a right for the private operator to charge users of the public sector assets that it constructs.

Under IFRIC 12, the accounting treatment for Intangible Assets is as this – the operator measures the intangible assets initially at fair value and subsequently under IAS 38 Intangible Assets at cost less accumulated amortization and impairment losses.

Amortization is done using the straight line

method. This IFRIC came into effect on or after January 2008, but earlier application is permitted. Let me give a simple example: if the Bridge costs $20 billion, then every year $1 billion will be charged against the profits as amortization, so if the profit is lower than $1 billion then a loss will result. This will make dividend payments impossible even to preference shareholders like NIS. If it is cumulative preference shares, then NIS will be entitled to all arrears dividends. Remember, amortization will not affect the cash flow of the entity since it is sunk costs, it will be added back to profits in the cash flow statement.

I do hope that Dr Ramayya can do some simple research the next time in order to educate and not mislead his viewers.

Insisting that Berbicians do not read the Guyana Times and the Guyana Chronicle will not metamorphose lies into truth!

Haseef Yusuf AFC Councillor Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne)

A boy sleeps in a hammock while his mother works at a brick kiln on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, February 1 (Reuters/Soe Zeya Tun)

Economy remains strong; on track for record 9th consecutive year of growth

Dear Editor, I refer to an article published on January 30 in another section of the press headlined, “We need assurance that the regime won’t further deplete int’l reserves – AFC”, quoting extensively from Moses Nagamootoo, the AFC Vice Chairman.

Further, the AFC Chairman went on to postulate that the decline in reserves was due to mismanagement of the economy. These assertions of Mr Nagamootoo are false and

his intentions are to once again mislead the public.

Firstly, the Minister of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh clearly explained that international reserves fluctuate based on a number of factors, including commodity export prices and in this particular instance, drew reference to the decline in world market prices of gold, Guyana’s single largest foreign exchange earner.

This issue of declining gold prices and its impact have been well ventilated in

the local news and for this to be ignored demonstrates the depths to which Mr Nagamootoo, and by extension the AFC, would stoop to in order to mislead the public for their own selfish political gain.

Secondly, the economy remains strong and is on track to achieve a record ninth consecutive year of growth and, while international reserves have declined, at the end November 2014, they were still twice the level in 2008.

Further, the management of the economy has been reviewed an endorsed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), an authority to speak on financial matters as opposed to Mr Nagamootoo.

In conclusion, wild speculations meant to only create panic and unrest must be stamped out and the AFC and Mr Nagamootoo must be held accountable.

Denis Ramjattan

Staff collecting money for Sanitary Passes at Anna Regina Public Health Dept

Dear Editor,

Business owners in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), who over the years had paid for Sanitary Passes from the Public Health Department at Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast, will now get to know that the payments made by them were fraudulently collected and in this coming to light, the intervention of the Police becomes necessary. Further, the staff must be guided by the fact that such a pass, which falls under the Ministry of Health, has always been absolutely free of any charges whatsoever and to desist from doing so anymore.

From all appearances, it is very much evident that the monies collected were self-imposed for personal gains in the presumptuous malfeasance from an abuse of privilege ever so much detrimental to the Government and the society as well.

The illegal system of operation there was made known to me personally during a visit to the Department’s Office on January 20, after relating to a female employee that a businessman friend of mine wanted to know the position concerning Sanitary Passes.

Without any hesitation, she promptly responded

Wake up!

Dear Editor,

I, the undersigned, kindly ask to please print the article below. Please withhold my name”

What’s wrong with you Ram? Those are the same people who killed our brothers – Bolanauth, Parmanand, etc. Yes, Ram, you are a Berbician. Wake up Ram, open your eyes. Remember those with their army outfits. With big guns and ballot boxes in hands. They stole our future before, but not again. Wake up your brother, Moses – head home.

Enough of your brothers and sisters have been killed. Don’t stand with those you found guilty and rage war with the innocent! For a place at the head table.

Remember, those are the

same ones who used teargas on your brothers, Moses. And others dragged and kicked them in full view of hundreds of defenseless supporters.

Wake up Ram! Your brothers and sisters were slaughtered at Lusignan and elsewhere. Killers were sent by whom? To send a message to whom?

The plague that was once upon this land left with that wicked one – third richest man. With no shortages of food stuff and fuel, etc, with so many people owning homes and cars and with descent jobs, it must hurt those who failed to deliver.

Don’t tarnish your good image with useless failure. For a place at the head table. Wake up.

Name withheld by request

in her own words, “He will now have to pay $1,000.”

It was then made known to her that the businessman also wanted to know whether a receipt would be given on making the payment and she made me to understand it was not usually done.

Right away it caused me to feel that something wrong was going on, as it is compulsory for a receipt to be issued in relation to any financial transaction at a Government location.

From my own investigative work, it was revealed that in the well-orchestrated barefaced scheme linked to the commission of a criminal act, the Department had been collecting $500

over the previous years for a pass, but the double increase to $1,000 was from the beginning of this year.

Without a pass, which is needed to show that all the sanitation requirements for their premises are in order, GRA will not renew their licences.

With hundreds of business places having paid over the years to get a pass, it is quite manifest that a lot of money was derived from this dishonest practice.

Victims need to come forward and give statements in order to the Police for the appropriate action to be taken.

Baliram Persaud

Police seeking DPP’s advice in relation to Enmore accident

Dear Editor,

The Guyana Police Force is clarifying the position as it relates to investigations into a fatal accident that occurred on October 17, 2014 at Enmore, East Coast Demerara, in which Dexter Peters, 14 years old, lost his life.

The Guyana Police Force wishes to state that it is in the process of seeking legal advice in the matter from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The file in this matter has been submitted to the office of the DPP, albeit after checks there were made by the victim’s mother. Upon dispatch from the Police Division at the conclusion of

the investigations, the file had to go through a process, involving other Departments of the Force, before submission to the DPP.

There has been no attempt by the Police to frustrate or “push around” relatives in this matter.

This is cognisant of an article dealing with the issue that was published in another section of the media on February 1, under the headline, “Mother of 14-year-old accident victim accuses Police of pushing her around”.

Ivelaw Whittaker Police Public Relations and Press Officer

NIS benefits to sugar workers are a legitimate expectation

Dear Editor, It is surprising to hear that the AFC through Cathy Hughes came out in support of the President for shifting the date of CXC examination.

Or, is this an attempt to ameliorate the outpouring of Nigel Hughes as discriminatory, the payment to sugar workers of their NIS benefits against that of bauxite workers made redundant over a decade ago.

Nigel Hughes should know that the payment of NIS benefits to sugar workers is a legitimate expectation premised on the facts that GuySuCo is still alive, while Guymine is dead.

Current claims by sugar workers may be associated with illness and accidents on the job, but his concerns are not surprising since sugar workers do not fall within his category of kit and kin.

And, this is supposed to be the Prime Ministerial candidate of the AFC, a party desperately trying to woo sugar workers into its fold.

On the aspect of discrimination, can Hughes say what is more discriminatory than subsidizing electricity to all of Linden at the expense of the entire country?

But, while the AFC is complimenting the President, out comes Lurlene Nestor, an APNU diehard castigating the Government, citing a waste of tax payer money in shifting the date to June.

Can Nestor say how much it costs the Government and private sector to rehabilitate public institutions, including schools and businesses, following their rampage after every election?

Or is she more concerned that shifting the date will act as a constraint in unleashing their violence that will obviously affect the psyche of those poor children writing the CXC examination?

And to crown it all, up comes Tony Vieira butting in with his three cents worth of opinion.

D Singh

Alleged corruption transaction involving Policewomen being investigated

Dear Editor, Cognisant of an article published in another section of the media on February 2, in relation to an alleged corrupt transaction involving a Policewoman in a matter of alleged rape that is under investigation, the Police Force wishes to state that the allegation of corrupt transaction is being investigated by the Police Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). The article was published under the headline, “Cop caught on tape negotiating settlement”.

Ivelaw Whittaker Police Public Relations and Press Officer

President, political parties call for peaceful polls ...as UN launches Interfaith Harmony Week

As Guyanese gear up for Regional and General Elections on May 11, President Donald Ramotar and members of the Opposition have collectively called for peaceful elections.

Their calls were heard during the launch of the United Nations World Interfaith Week at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC), Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown on Monday.

During his feature address, the Head of State urged religious leaders to pray for peace in Guyana. “Religious leaders and faith organisations have a critical role to play in the promotion of interfaith dialogue in Guyana and I urge religious

leaders to pray for peace and tolerance in Guyana as we move toward the elections,” President Ramotar said.

The President reiterated that the focal point of the Government was to promote equality in Guyana. He explained that Guyanese should reach a stage where they were able to accept diversity in its entirety since Guyana was a diverse nation. “We are a nation of different races, religions and cultures and we must embrace that,” Ramotar said.

He then pointed out that no religion or faith is superior and as such, the promotion of interfaith dialogue in Guyana should be predicated on the acceptance of diversity.

The President was also elated that Guyana, despite being a multi-cultural and religious society, has been spared the atrocities of religious and cultural extremists. “Guyana has gone a far way when it comes to accepting each other for what they are.”

President Ramotar was adamant that as a result, Guyanese have a lot to be proud of that they can teach other countries.

Referring directly to the upcoming elections, the Head of State said it was anticipated that the environment would become competitive. “All of us want to see our country move forward, but with different ideas, but I am convinced that we have the best view, but

that is not for me to decide,” the President said. He urged Guyanese to find ways to unite as one during this time.

President Ramotar stated that elections were very important and necessary to ensure a democratic society. “You cannot have sustained social and economic development without political democracy. Free and fair elections are what we stand for,” President Ramotar stated.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, who spoke on the behalf of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) along with A Partnership for National Unity’s Annette Ferguson and Pastor Sewnauth Punalall of the

Alliance For Change, reiterated the President’s statements.

Rohee said it was only through harmony that Guyanese can obtain the goal of Guyana’s motto, “One People, One Nation, One Destiny”. He added that Guyana has progressed from the 1960s when the country was torn apart by disharmony.

The Minister further urged peaceful election campaigning and called on members of the media to promote the cohesion of harmony in their writing as Guyana moves closer to elections.

On a similar note,

Punalall said the mission of his party is to work towards achieving a just society where all Guyanese can work in harmony. He then took the same stance as President Ramotar in saying that Guyana has made some progress, which needed to be preserved.

Punalall was adamant

Ferguson called for peace to live in the hearts of Guyanese as the country approaches elections. She said for far too long Guyanese have seen confusion and chaos during elections and called for an ultimate end. As a young member of her party, she also called on the mature politicians to promote peace and harmony to move Guyana forward.

that like its neighbours, Guyana too can have a peaceful society. He urged that competitiveness among politicians during the upcoming elections not to be consumed with hate and destruction. Guyana has, over the years, struggled with the hosting of peaceful elections. Hence, of more recent years, particularly the 2011 elections, the promotion of peaceful elections with the elimination of riots and violent protest has been a stance all political parties have taken.

The UN’s event is scheduled to last from February 1 through 7 and includes a series of exercises such as the School Essay Competition, which was also launched on Monday. Ten schools are expected to compete in the competition including: Lodge Secondary School and St Winifred’s Primary.

UN Resident Coordinator Khadija Musa urged the spreading of the message of interfaith harmony in accordance with the various religions to promote peace and harmony. Religious leaders from the Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Bahai religions and the Rastafarian faith turned out to share their views at the event and joined the calls for the promotion of a peaceful and united country.

President Donald Ramotar with stakeholders at the launch of the Interfaith Harmony Week

United Nations Resident Coordinator Khadija Musa addressing stakeholders at the launch of the Interfaith Harmony Week

Welfare Official being probed for alleged sexual misconduct

An 18-year-old female attached to a population institution in Bartica, Region Seven (Potaro-Siparuni), is now traumatised after she was allegedly sexually assaulted by a senior official at her office.

The young woman reported to the Guyana Times that her attacker, a Welfare Officer, would usually try to “hustle” her, but took it further about two weeks ago when he confronted her in a room while she was alone. Police in Bartica have confirmed that an investigation has been launched into the allegations. The man was initially arrested and detained, but was placed on $50,000 station bail.

The teenager told the Guyana Times on Sunday that she was alone in the office on January 15, and had gone into the Welfare Room to put away some documents in the filing cabinet. She said that the man was in the washroom at the time

“I was thinking ‘I hope (name given) don’t come in here’ because he does always hustle me and then the door don’t lock. So I was busy putting away the papers and I could feel someone coming behind me and then he pulled me from behind,” she recalled.

Turned him down

She said the man had her close to his body and asked her to kiss him but she rebuked him, asking him to let her go and not to touch her. The young woman added that she then pushed him away but he grabbed her again and touched her butt. “I push him away again and

told him like he crazy and finish off what I was doing and left the room … When I was back at my desk, I was so shocked because I never expected that to happen to me and he came to me and told me that his wife is not around, we can go to his house. I told him to stop, but he still continued and telling me that we can go to a hotel.”

The young woman said that she again turned him down, but he sat down and kept on asking her and said that they could go to the storeroom instead. The young woman said that the man then left to go out and returned shortly after and headed for the washroom. He then came out and told her that he was ready and they should go to the storeroom before the others returned.

“He was sitting on the chair in front of me telling me we should go, but I was there nervous and praying for everyone to come back … I then called a Welfare Officer and asked him where he was and that I need to talk to him. When he came back, I told him what happened and he said ask (name) to stop and I told him I already did a lot of times, but he doesn’t stop.”

Denial

She said that a senior regional official was also informed and when they called the man, he denied the allegations. The young woman said that she then called her husband to pick her up from the office and they went to her parents’ house, where she related what transpired. The fol-

lowing day, she turned up to work along with her parents and husband. “We went into the official's office and he called (name) and when he come, the official asked me what happen and I told them everything. Then he started apologising for his actions, which was like he was admitting that it true but then he had denied when they call him the first time.”

According to the teenager, the official said he cannot discipline the man because he was hired by the Ministry. She noted that she went home and returned on Monday but everyone was already talking about the incident and throwing “talk” at her. She said that after two days at work, she could not take it and asked for some time off.

“No one believed me and they were talking like I’m the perpetrator here and they even ask me if I want to transfer to Bartica School. I told them no because I didn’t do anything so why I have to move. I haven’t gotten any satisfaction from them.”

Taken in custody

The teen said that on Wednesday, she made contact with Education Minister Priya Manickchand to inform her about the incident and the Minister said that she would look into it. She also contacted the Regional Chairman, Gordon Bradford, who advised her to make a report at the Police Station.

On Thursday, she went and filed a report at the Police Station; however, her perpetrator was not

61-year-old man on threatening behaviour charge

around. He was summoned by the Ministry for a meeting in Georgetown, but on his return he had to go to the Station to collect his car which was detained for another matter. While there the allegation was put to him, but he denied it. He reportedly said that no one can do him anything because he has a senior position.

The man, who is said to be in his late 30s, was subsequently taken into custody but was released the following say on $50,000 station bail. A senior officer at the Police station told this newspaper that they were currently investigating the matter, but noted that the official has maintained that he did not assault the young woman, noting that Bartica was a small community and such actions would tarnish his reputation.

Nevertheless, the young woman said that she would take the matter as far as she can to justice. “There is another girl he did the same to, but she never told anyone ‘cause she didn’t want any problem but I won’t let it go down like this … he is a senior officer and a teacher, he cannot do things like this.

I haven’t gotten any sort of satisfaction from the Department to show that they are trying to help me. He is there at work like nothing happen and I have to be at home because people talking about me and throwing remarks at me. They think I’m lying, but why would I do something like that. The other seniors that the Department hear when he apologised, I’m not making this up,” the teenager cried.

– Berbician tells court Georgetown is a sea

An East Canje man on Monday referred to the capital city as a sea, when he was asked by Magistrate IssacsMarcus where he worked. In response to the question posed by the Magistrate, the man said he worked at sea. Asked where exactly, the accused said “in Georgetown”. The utterance was made in a New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court.

Pitamber Drupaul, 61, of Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, is accused of using threatening behaviour towards his niece on January 30. In court, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge and was asked by Magistrate Sherdel IssacsMarcus whether it was he who had appeared before her the week before and had promised to behave himself? To this the defendant replied “yes.”

After explaining the circumstances surrounding the charge of threatening language, Durpaul promised to leave the East Canje home and return to his East Coast Demerara home. He told the court that he was hoping to move on Saturday since he only has a few personal belongings to remove.

According to the facts of the case, Drupaul on January 30, at Reliance Settlement, made use of threatening behaviour to the Virtual Complainant (VC) Shoba Persaud where-

by a breach of the peace was occasioned.

On the day in question the accused verbally abused Persaud after he could not find his cigarettes. He then threw a plastic chair at her, hitting her on the elbow, before arming himself with a cutlass and threatened to chop her neck off. The matter was reported to the Police and the accused was subsequently charged. Police Prosecutor, Sergeant Phillip Sherriff objected to bail being granted to Drapuul on the grounds that he had failed to keep a promise he made to the court last Tuesday. He will have to return to court on February 18. The matter has been transferred to the Reliance Magistrate’s Court.

Pitamber Drupaul

tuesday, february 3, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

Jagdeo v Kissoon libel case: Judge adjourns case until February 13

High Court Judge Brassington Reynolds on Monday adjourned the libel case brought by former President Bharrat Jagdeo against Freddie Kissoon until February 13.

Senior Counsel Sase Gunraj representing the interests of the former President told Justice Reynolds that a motion had been filed with the Full Court to appeal his previous decision to allow new evidence in the libel suit filed by Jagdeo against the Kaieteur News columnist.

When the matter was called for deliberations at 13:15h, Gunraj said that the motion to appeal

the decision was filed on December 19; however, no date had been set for arguments on the matter before the acting Chief Justice, Ian Chang.

He noted that the hearing for the application made was assigned to two judges by the Chief Justice, but it was unclear who they were. Gunraj then told the court that he would like the adjournment so that the judges can be identified.

As such, he told the court that the defence needed time to determine the status of the application of that matter and whether a Full Court will be convened to try the matter before it could be proceeded with.

Kissoon’s Attorney, Nigel Hughes objected to the request for additional time, noting that Gunraj was only prolonging the matter and that they had taken nine months before they filed for additional time for their application.

Reynolds, in March, granted the application for the defence in the libel case to amend its case to include additional evidence. Subsequently, the plaintiff had indicated that he would be filing an appeal to have the decision nullified. However, this was not

done by the defence until December 19, 2014.

Appeal

After considering both parties’ arguments made on Monday morning, Justice Reynolds set February 13, as the date when they will return to present a report on whether there will be a hearing of the motion to appeal his decision in the Full Court.

Last year, Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos had objected to evidence given by defence witness, trade unionist Lincoln Lewis.

The Senior Counsel had told the court that there were no particulars of the allegations that his client had practised “ideological racism” during his tenure as President.

De Santos had further stated that there were no particulars of general assertions which give the defence the right to lead specific evidence, adding that if they proceeded to do so, then the evidence should be inadmissible.

In response, Hughes had stated that the defence’s case is one of a plea of justification; as such, witnesses were being called to testify on areas of public and social

services where “ideological racism” was practised.

The Senior Counsel had then pointed out that the defence did not have the right to produce witnesses, but to prove that the justification relies on particulars and not assertions.

Following arguments on the matter, Justice Reynolds allowed the evidence to be included in the

defence’s case; as such, the plaintiff’s attorneys indicated that they would be appealing the judge’s decision. This was in March and Justice Reynolds had stayed the trial to allow the appeal to be heard and completed before he continued with the case.

Corentyne man accused of sexually assaulting court staff

ACorentyne man was on Monday remanded to prison after he appeared in a New Amsterdam court for allegedly putting his hand under the skirt of a female attached to the Albion Magistrate’s Court while court was in session.

Twenty-two-yearold Rovin Ramdehal of Hampshire Village, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) is accused of touching the court

Rovin Ramdehal

staff in a sexual way without her consent. The court was told that on Friday, January 30 the Albion Magistrate’s Court, Ramdehal committed the act on a 39-year-old female.

According to Police Prosecutor, Sergeant Phillip Sherriff, the accused was at the time attending court as the defendant in a simply larceny matter when he went and sat next the court staff. “He pushed his hand

under her skirt and told her that he wanted to have sex with her,” Sherriff related. He said that the accused has been frequenting the court on assault and simply larceny charges.

Magistrate Sherdell Issacs-Marcus refused bail and ordered the alleged offender to return to court on February 10. The matter has been transferred to the Albion Magistrate’s Court.

Eyew tness Tetched in the head...

...UK High Commissioner

Seems the British High Commissioner (BHC) insists on being “high” since he’s served his time in our neck of the woods. Because postings to places like Guyana are the equivalent of being sent to Siberia by folks from up North, we can understand his spliff-like induced ramblings.

But we can’t accept it. Hey...we might be stuck with a Mayor who’s created the dirtiest city in the Western Hemisphere...but jeez!! The BHC doesn’t have to kick us in the nuts for that?? We all have to suffer our fools, no?? London does have Boris Johnson!!

But back to the “high” Plenipotentiary’s out-of-line utterances: “Most Parliaments, most democracies have minority Governments”??? Really?? What the heck’s BHC talking about?? We know he couldn’t possibly have gone to either Eton or Harrow...but even inner city schools teach basic facts, we hope.

The British Parliamentary system avoids “minority” Governments by the simple device of having single-member constituencies...which they took away from us!

And what can you make of “for countries to develop rapidly from developing to developed (countries) they need vibrant, functional functioning democracies”. China - now the number one economy in the world got there in three decades. “Functioning democracy??” Hardly! South Korea? Singapore?

Give this Eyewitness a break!! And how about jolly old Britain that was industrialised on the back of African slavery?? A functioning democracy during the Industrial Revolution?? What a crock!!

And there’s the homily about “tackling corruption” in democracies. Presumably like in that paragon of incorruptibility and democracy - Britain. So how about all those shell companies hosted in London to launder black money from Russia and other “emerging economies”??

Or the British banks - some of the biggest in the world - caught with their pants down fixing the LIBOR interest rate - at which loans to schmucks like us in the Third World are set?? Or Murdoch from under having all those British politicians in his pocket??

Please BHC...you must be smoking some of that bargain basement Mahaica stuff!

But the BHC’s penultimate sally (it certainly wasn’t a “salvo”) took the cake. After being caught in a lie that Prezzie’s prorogation was discussed by the Commonwealth Secretariat, he now tries to wriggle out by muttering that it was actually discussed “at the ministerial level in the UK”!! So he’s finally admitting that Britain isn’t the Commonwealth?

And finally, the BHC admits that “prorogation” is a constitutional prerogative of Prezzie’s...but in using it, Pressie’s destroyed “parliamentary democracy”!! So how come the Queen’s Governor General in Canada allowed prorogation in Canada without censure??

Different strokes for coloured folks??

...Nagamootoo

At least the British High Commissioner has the excuse of being out too long in the sun (“mad dogs and Englishmen”, remember?) to become tetched in the head. But what’s Nagamootoo’s excuse?? Ahhh...drinking a large every day of the week WILL soften your brains!

Did you read how Ashni Singh bitch-slapped Nagamootoo for mucking up the facts on our foreign reserves and governmental spending?? They’re not connected, as Nagamootoo screamed hysterically.

But in lecturing Nagamootoo on the finer points of international financing, we really think Ashni’s ignoring that old maxim: fools rush in where angels fear to thread. How many years didn’t the late, great Dr Jagan try to explain high finance to Nagamootoo?? You don’t have enough fingers and toes to keep count...so don’t even try! Even Job would’ve given up!!

Truth of the matter is that Nagamootoo’s all talk and no action. Ask any of his old comrades from the PPP/C’s ExCo. Even Ramjattan, who tells him every time he opens his mouth: “Haul yuh ass, Naga!”

...AFC

AFC’s General Secretary says “incremental progress” is being made in the AFC/PNC/APNU coalition talks. He’s gotta be tetched in the head if he believes Guyanese will swallow that mountain.

“Stalled” is more like it!

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

Freddie Kissoon

Mackenzie High teachers protest poor working conditions

Several teachers of the Mackenzie High School (MHS) in Linden downed tools on Monday and picketed the Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Department of Education building, over what they describe as “insatiable” working conditions.

Approximately 20 teachers attached to the main building of the learning institution stood outside the Department of Education, holding placards, as they registered their dissatisfaction over a number of issues at the school, including the lack of adequate toilet facilities, potable water and insanitary washroom facilities.

According to the teachers, they have made several complaints to the “relevant authorities within the Region”; however, their complaints seem to have fallen on deaf ears. They noted that several complaints were lodged at the Region 10 Democratic Council, the Region’s Education Committee as well as the Department of Education.

Speaking on behalf of the teachers, Region 10 Member of Parliament Vanessa Kissoon, who has been teaching at the institution for a number of years, noted that “all is not well at the school”. She stated that teachers have been dealing with the issues for years and were fed up with the situation.

According to her, there is only one washroom over at the main building of the school which is serving at least 40 teachers. Kissoon alleged that an official in the Region’s Education Department did not respond well to a complaint which was made on Monday via telephone.

“We have been having issues with the washrooms, having no water and we have been working under these conditions

that very disrespectful … we have approximately 40 senior female teachers at the main building, and we are being told to use one students’ (female) washroom. We believe that is being very disrespectful to us and we cannot be working under these conditions all the time. Teachers are fed up and frustrated and so we are here,” she said.

She further stated that the matter was reported to the District Education Officer Secondary Selwyn Griffith who, she added, made repeated representation last year on the issue, but so far no improvements were seen.

The teachers noted that they planned to continue the picketing exer-

for years … we were told that the teachers should use one of the female students’ washroom; we find

cise today if the relevant authorities did not look into the situation.

Lethem reports increased economic activity with Takutu River Bridge

By Erica Williams

Rupununi Chamber of Commerce Vice Chairman Alfred Ramsaran says the border community of Lethem in Region Nine (Upper Essequibo-Upper Takutu) has seen tremendous economic growth since the opening of the Takutu River Bridge. He told the Guyana Times that they were unprepared for the influx of visitors from neighbouring Brazil and Venezuela and could not match the accompanying demand for goods and services.

“It was like we suddenly had an overwhelming influx of persons coming from both Brazil and Venezuela coming to purchase our items,” Ramsaran said. This void has since been filled by other locals as well as Chinese and Brazilian investors.

“At present, we have about 15 Chinese stores across

Lethem and they sell all sorts of items,” Ramsaran, himself a businessman, added.

According to him, businesses in the small border community are forced to open doors every day. “The Brazilians usually come over on the weekends and they purchase all sorts of stuff. Electronics, clothes, shoes etc, because all these things are cheaper in Guyana as opposed to in Brazil. We normally check to see how they buy and we are then able to determine what they want,” Ramsaran explained.

He stated that there are times when as many as 1200 vehicles cross the Takutu Bridge per day. This influx, he said, was not only beneficial to investors and tourism but has implications for the general income of residents in the community.

Consequently, rental costs in prime locations and the cost of land have in-

creased, with a plot of land on the Main Street being sold for as much as $15 to $20 million.

One businessman in the area said he welcomed the construction of the Takutu River Bridge, as he has watched his business grow tremendously over the years. “A lot of people say Lethem is where it’s at and they are right!” the businessman said.

Another businessman said he was able to open and successfully run two businesses since the official opening of the bridge.

The bridge was opened in 2009 by former President Bharrat Jagdeo and then Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva. It is intended to increase trade between the two nations and along with a road to Linden make Guyana the gateway to the Caribbean for the rest of South America.

The Takutu Bridge was completed in 2009 joining Brazil and Guyana

Some female teachers had a sit-in

Teachers protesting outside the Department of Education

PPP/C still to decide on Prime Ministerial Candidate

Even though Prime Minister Samuel Hinds has indicated that he was open to a sixth term in the position, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) General Secretary Clement Rohee said that the Party is still discuss-

ing its options and Hinds may not be one of those.

Rohee, who was speaking at the Party’s weekly press conference on Monday, said the PPP/C’s Executive Committee was still meeting to settle on the issue. He said that there were quite a number of persons lining up.

When questioned about the procedure used to select the Prime Ministerial Candidate, Rohee maintained that the Central and Executive Committees have always been involved in the process and the tradition is that the post must be filled by a member of the Civic component of the

Party. “We believe in a PPP/C alliance. If the PPP/C has the Presidential Candidate, traditionally the Civic component has had the Prime Ministerial Candidate and I don’t believe that would change,” he said.

When asked by media operatives why the Party was being so secretive with regard to its Prime Ministerial Candidate for the upcoming polls, Rohee responded by stating that the deadline which must be met has not yet expired and as such, the Party was in no hurry to make the statement.

Publicly announced

He went on to add that the Opposition parties were yet to publicly announce their candidates as well.

Meanwhile, there have been strong sentiments that Hinds should make one last run for the Party given his unblemished record in the office. Hinds is widely respected as a very decent, credible and incorruptible individual.

He is still the strongest candidate and since it is widely expected that the PPP/C is facing a very strong challenge in the upcoming elections, it has been suggested that he be the candidate. He has been the longest serving Prime Minister within the Caribbean.

It has been surmised that the PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate could come possibly from a wider cross-section of the Guyanese public, the Guyana Times understands, since the Civic is representative of any likeminded individual wanting to form an alliance with the PPP/C.

Hinds first became Prime Minister under Cheddi Jagan in 1992, following the October 5, 1992 election, which was won by an alliance of the PPP and Hinds’ group, the Civic. When Jagan died in March 1997, Hinds became President himself, and appointed Jagan’s widow Janet as Prime Minister.

For the December 1997 General Elections, the PPP/C nominated Hinds as its candidate for Prime Minister while Janet Jagan was the candidate for the Presidency. Following the election, Jagan was elected President and re-appointed Hinds as Prime Minister.

Freedie chair de meetin with Rum Jhaat and Green Jah

Ever since de Prezzi prorogue Parliament, two of de rogues in Parliament had plan to meet and talk. In secret. Accordin to people, Green Jah and Rum Jhaat got nuff tings to talk bout when no body else around.

In fact, both Green Jah and Rum Jhaat eventually admit in public that dem need to talk in private. But then Rum Jhaat and de Nagga Man tell de people in Berbice one ting, and de same day dem drive back to GT, while stoppin nuff times along de way (is a long drive, yuh know), and tell de people another ting.

As if not to be outdone, Green Jah tek a drive all de way to Linden, but he meet wid one man only. After all, that man done name Solo Man, so no need fuh any body else. In any case, Oscar de bite man ain’t gonna risk goin to Linden any time soon, especially wid de Kissmoon woman waitin fuh he. Yuh know how it is when yuh keep a women waitin fuh long!

But all de while Samad de Nomad decide he ain’t keepin any ting secret, and he tell people he ain’t got no time with Green Jah and Rum Jhaat, just like how he didn’t have time wid Jacob de V-Cee at U-Gee. ¬After all, he was a teacher and teachers got to use dem mouth every where ever dem go.

And Green Jah and Rum Jhaat still talkin bout meetin to talk bout some ting, but fuh one reason or another, dem not meetin to talk bout any ting. So that was when dem decide dem gon call Freedie de man kisser and book thief to chair de meetin.

But it ain’t had no chair because Freedie choose to keep de meetin pun de sea wall. De problem was none of dem could agree on how de meeting gon start.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! Green Jah wanted to salute. Rum Jhaat wanted a large. And Freedie wanted to kiss both of dem. Same time.

Banks Chairman happy tax issue being addressed

Chairman of the Board of Directors of Banks

DIH Clifford Reis has expressed satisfaction that Government has started to address the issue of the way in which consumption tax is being calculated.

At the company’s 59th Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Thirst Park, on January 24, Reis said that the current system under which consumption tax is calculated was not a fair one. He noted that because of the system, the beverage company has had to pay more taxes than they should pay in his opinion.

However, on Sunday speaking to Berbicians at the company’s AGM in New Amsterdam, the Chairman said that he was pleased that Government was beginning to look into the issue.

Berbice operations

Meanwhile, Reis told Berbicians that the company has embarked on a new series of ice cream and dairy products which will soon be introduced to the New Amsterdam market at the Demico outlet. Reis also told shareholders in Berbice that the

Berbice Branch made a total of $2.2 billion during the last financial year.

The newly opened Citizens Bank, at New Amsterdam, the Chairman said, has already $35 million in deposits. He went on to say that the beverage giant has recorded a $270 million decrease in profits for 2014, with profit before tax recorded at $3.473 billion and profit after tax at $2.265 billion, when compared to the $2.538 billion after tax recorded in 2013. The Chairman emphasised that the company’s 2014 economic performance was negatively affected by crime and a series of flash floods that affected the nation.

The company offered shareholders a payment of $0.64 per share with the overall cost being $640.0 million.

The company while in the Ancient County presented Vrymen’s Erven Secondary and Edinburg Primary schools with $100,000 each. The money is to be used meaningfully to enhance some aspect of the educational development at each school.

PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds

Public vetting of Polling Day staff impracticable – Dr Surujbally

Even as the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) reiterated its calls for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to have public vetting done of all Election Day staff, Commission Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally said it was not practical.

PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee on Monday again told a news conference that the Party’s leaders wanted the public vetting exercise to be done since the staff would be involved in a matter of national importance and one which had far-reaching effects.

He disclosed that the public vetting would involve the publishing of the pictures and names of the persons, and members of the public who may have contentious information about the GECOM personnel can come forward and make disclosures to the relevant authorities.

However, speaking to the Guyana Times via phone on Monday evening, Dr Surujbally said that the idea was an unrealistic one, given the fact that thousands of people would be employed by the Commission to work on Election Day and as such, a public vetting exercise will pose difficulties.

“Do you know how many staff we have working on Elections Day? We have at least 12,000 Elections Day staff working on that day so how can we print all of those names and pictures for public vetting?” the GECOM Chairman queried.

Rohee had told media operatives that despite extensive discussions on the matter, the Commission was yet to make a formal announcement on its intention with regards to the call for public vetting of the Election Day staff.

Dr Surujbally, however, noted that this was already communicated to the Party as an impracticable suggestion. The Commission had already several weeks ago formally stated in a public release that “the Commission gave no indication that it would respond positively to this request”.

Well supported

However, the majority of the political parties likely to contest the elections have all thrown their support behind the initiative.

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU); The

United Force (TUF); and the United Republican Party (URP) all responded favourably. Reached for a comment on the matter, APNU Member of Parliament Basil Williams told the Guyana Times that as far as his party was concerned, this move would be welcomed as long as it did not interfere with the independence of GECOM.

TUF 2011 Presidential Candidate Marissa Nadir related that her party would also welcome the exercise if it was implemented since her party was interested in knowing whether there was any GECOM staff with public political affiliations.

“We support a public vetting of Elections Day staff. It is a good move. Persons involved in the elections process are supposed to be neu-

tral, so a public vetting on the staff will provide any information which may contradict this. We want any public political affiliation of any staff to be made known. We have no reservations about supporting this move,” Nadir expressed.

Adding his voice to the call was URP Leader Vishnu Bandhu, who told the Guyana Times that his party too has no qualms or issues with the call made by the ruling party. “I think it will be a very good move if they can do this.

Election is a very important matter; it is a matter of national importance and it would be fair to all concerned if this is done. The United Republican Party is in support of this call. We welcome it,” Bandhu said.

Colin Mack escapes rape conviction

Popular party promoter Colin Mack, was on Monday freed of a rape charge that was brought against him after he was found not guilty by the mixed jury panel following some four hours of deliberations.

Mack was indicted with the rape, assault and forcible abduction of a 19-yearold female in April 2009. The man had pleaded not guilty to the indictment on January 26, when the trial began almost six years after he was first charged.

The case was presented by State Counsels Mercedes Thompson in association with Stacy Gooding and Diana Kaulesar. Mack, who was on bail, was represented by Attorney Peter Hugh.

On Monday, presiding judge, Justice Navindra Singh, summed up all the evidence presented in court to the jury before the panel retired to deliberate on a verdict. Some three hours later, they emerged to seek further instructions from the judge after which they went back into the jury room and returned with the verdicts about an hour later.

The panel informed the court that they found Mack unanimously not guilty of the charges. The judge subsequently informed the man that he was free to go and he walked out of the court room with his relatives.

On Tuesday last, the Virtual Complaint (VC) took the stand and testified that Mack had taken her against her will to his home and raped her. The VC told the court that she knew the accused for several years and two days prior to the incident, he asked her out but she refused. However, they exchanged phone numbers and on April 12, 2009, they went to a show at the National Park.

The young woman disclosed that after the show,

they went clubbing. She noted that Mack had promised to drop her home afterwards but never did. Instead, he drove to his house and forced her out of the vehicle. She related that the promoter then pushed her into the house and subsequently into his room, where he raped her.

The alleged victim added that there was another woman in the house who then performed oral sex on her. She noted that she was trying to find a way out of the house but the doors were locked, noting that she was about to jump through a window when a taxi arrived.

The taxi driver, Charles Mars, also testified the following day that he picked the young woman up from Mack’s home and took her to the East La Penitence Police Station. The man said that he received a call from the young woman, who sounded as though she was crying. She reportedly told him that she wanted to make a report to the Police.

Mars recalled that when he arrived at the house, he noticed the woman at the window looking as though she was about to jump. He said that she had black marks under her eyes.

The prosecution also called several Police witnesses to testify against the accused including Policewoman Dawn Baker who testified that she took the young woman for a medical examination. The officer noted that the doctor handed her a paper bag which contained the pair of white pants the young woman was wearing when she was assaulted.

The medical report was read by presiding Judge, Justice Navindra Singh, in court and stated that the victim had sustained abrasions to her left elbow, lacerations to her genitals and mild swelling in the region of her eyes. In addition, Assistant Commissioner of Police Brian Joseph also took the stand and testified that he arrested Mack. Joseph said that he put the allegation to the man and cautioned him.

After the prosecution closed its case on Thursday, the accused was called upon to lead his defence and opted to do so by giving a lengthy unsworn statement. He denied having raped the young woman and told the court that they had consensual sexual intercourse that night.

GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally

Colin Mack

tuesday, february 3, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

1 dead, 2 injured in Mahaicony accident

Boodoo, Shaddick not in race for GECOM Commissioner – Rohee

One man is dead while two others are hospitalised after the car in which they were travelling veered off the road and hit a coconut tree at Quaker’s Hall, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara.

The dead man has been identified as Randy Cummings, 35, of Number Five Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB) while those injured are the driver of the car, Quincy “Quacy” Bailey, also of Number Five Village, and Kunna “Fiona” Thom of Hopetown Village, WCB.

Thom reportedly suffered a dislocated shoulder and Bailey sustained broken ribs and lacerations to the body.

Based on information received, the occupants of the motor car bearing registration number PRR 7426 were on their way home from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, East Bank Demerara when the driver

of the vehicle reportedly dozed off, thus losing control of the car.

The car reportedly slammed into the coconut tree and flipped several times before landing on its side.

Cummings, the front seat passenger, crashed through the windscreen and reportedly died almost immediately.

The three persons were rushed to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital by public-spirited citizens and Cummings was pronounced Dead On Arrival (DOA).

The injured persons were trans-

ning to the scene.

The man stated that when he reached the scene, public-spirited citizens were trying to get the woman from the back seat of the car. From all indications, he added, her shoulder was broken.

The driver of the car, along with Cummings, was placed into another car that was at the scene and sped away to the hospital. The injured woman was placed in another vehicle and also rushed to the Mahaicony Hospital.

Mohan stated that the area where

ferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital where they were receiving medical treatment. Hospital officials have since confirmed that Thom and Bailey were in stable condition. Attempts to make contact with their relatives proved futile.

At the scene, Mohan, a man who lives in the area, told the Guyana Times that he was not aware that there was an accident until he saw people run-

the accident occurred was mostly farmland. “Dah driver had to be doing it… Fuh you climb up half way up a coconut tree and then come down back, is serious”.

The body was transported to the Lyken Funeral Home. He leaves to mourn his wife, parents and siblings. The Police have launched an investigation into the accident.

Neesa Gopaul murder: High Court trial opens for two accused

Murder accused Bibi Shareema Gopaul and her former lover Jarvis Barry Small are facing a judge and jury as the trial into the murder of Gopaul’s teenage daughter Neesa Gopaul opened on Monday at the High Court in Georgetown.

On Monday, a 12-member mixed jury was empanelled before Justice Navindra Singh. State Counsel Diana Kaulesar is presenting the case on behalf of the state. Gopaul is being represented by Attorney George Thomas while Small is represented by Attorneys Glenn Hanoman, Lynden Amsterdam and Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos.

The trial is set to commence today when the pros-

ecution will be calling its first witness in the much anticipate trial. The duo were committed to stand trial by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on August 16, 2012, after she found that a prima facie case was made out against them for the murder of former Queens College student Neesa Lalita Gopaul. The two accused were jointly charged on October 8, 2010 for the 16-year-old teenag-

er’s murder which they allegedly committed between September 24 and October 2, 2010 at Madewini, Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

At the end of the lengthy Preliminary Inquiry (PI) that was held at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, Small gave an unsworn statement in which he said: “Your Worship in regards to the dumbbells, I don’t know anything about them. I used to live by the number two (Bibi Shareema Gopaul); I did exercise there with weights; however, when I moved back with my wife and family, I took nothing with me. Your Worship, statements made by Neesa Gopaul was made at the time when me and number two had a court case at the

Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Courts and was out of pure animosity. There was no truth in me having sexual relationship with Neesa Gopaul. Concerning what Police said, Your Worship, I told them that I didn’t murder Neesa Gopaul. I also told them in a confrontation that the dumbbells do not belong to me. Your Worship, I still maintain my position, I did not murder Neesa Gopaul.”

The dumbbells in question (suspected to be Small’s) were found weighing down the suitcase in which Nessa Gopaul’s body was discovered.

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Clement Rohee on Monday said that former Chief Elections Officer Gocool Boodoo and former Minister of Government, Bibi Shaddick are not being considered for the post of Commissioner of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

The post became vacant when Dr Keshav Mangal resigned recently. According to Rohee, the two aren’t being considered for the position

for the position. He however pointed out that they are yet to select anyone specific. Dr Mangal had resigned from his post at GECOM on Monday citing ill-health. The 77-year-old has been serving as a Commissioner since 1990.

He along with Mohamood Shaw and Athmaram Mangar were the PPP current members at the Commission. It was only recently that Opposition Leader, David Granger had noted that his party will be very disappointed if Boodhoo is to return, since he is noted to be involved in matters which are a conflict of interest. The Opposition Leader will also question the legality of such a move. According to Granger, Boodoo was involved in the last three General Elections and all were flawed. He noted that if he is to return, then the 2015 General Election might too be affected.

Meanwhile, Chairman of GECOM, Dr Steve Surujbally in an invited comment explained that the PPP/C has made no indications to the Commission about whether they have

at the Commission. He noted that contrary to reports, the party is still looking at several candidates and as such, no decision would have been taken as yet.

“Not as yet, not as yet.

I don’t know where word is coming from that those names have been considered; word may be coming but it is not from Freedom House. Neither of the two is being considered. We have not entertained any discussions on the two. At least not from the PPP”, Rohee told media operatives.

The party’s General Secretary went on to state that the party was looking to have the selection made before the week is out and subsequently, an announcement will be made. When contacted on the matter last week, President Donald Ramotar had told Guyana Times that the party was currently working on finding the best suitable person

selected anyone or when they intend to do so. The Chairman noted that while there is no time frame for the new Commissioner to be elected, he suspects the party may want to do so at the earliest possible time given the fact that the country will be heading to the polls on May 11.

Dr Surujbally disclosed that he received the resignation letter from Dr Mangal on Monday last and shared it with the other Commissioners the following day. He noted that the long serving Commissioner had showed no indications that he was going to resign. According to the GECOM Chairman, the resignation of Dr Mangal will not hinder the preparedness of the Commission for the upcoming elections if a quick replacement is made. Boohoo’s contract with GECOM, which ended in April 2013, was not renewed.

Gocool Boodoo

Bibi Shaddick

Dead 16-year-old Neesa Lalita Gopaul

Bibi Shareema Gopaul

Jarvis Small

Dead: Randy Cummings

The car which was involved in the accident

UG faces shutdown today

…Administration

blanks pay hike

By AnAstAciA clementson

The University of Guyana Student Society (UGSS) and the two UG unions have threatened to shut down the tertiary learning institution if demands for salary increases and better conditions are not met.

The University of Guyana Worker’s Union (UGWU) and the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA) have been communicating with the UG administration for a serious meeting with the negotiating team to negotiate the demands of the Unions. However, this has not been forthcoming although the Council had informed the Unions of the imminent resumption of “engagements” with the negotiating team.

The UGSS has also ral-

lied the student population who has now taken on the issues of inadequate furniture and substandard tools as part of the industrial unrest. Thus both bodies with their variety of concerns have decided to join together to shut down the University completely until the administration can meet their relevant demands.

On Monday the Deputy Vice Chancellor of UG, Dr Elizabeth Ramlall, addressed a number of agitated students on behalf of Vice Chancellor Jacob Opadeyi, who could not make it due to ill health. Dr Ramlall read out the full address from the VC, which revolved around the turmoil of industrial action and students’ dissatisfaction that have disrupted campus normalcy within the last week.

Dr Ramlall told the stu-

dents that the University currently was in a state of deficit and has been for several years. She said that the Government of Guyana (GOG) has facilitated the reduction of this deficit by injecting over $533 million and will be injecting another $300 million for 2015

Thus, the Deputy VC indicated that the financial state of the University was quite fragile and increases in salaries and an upgrade of the infrastructure were not likely. However, in regards to the University, Dr Ramlall stated that many improvements have been made within the last two years.

She detailed that they have regularised the cleaners, bought 1500 lockers, class furniture, eliminated a number of expenditures, invited new technological advancements for students such as Wi-Fi services and also remodelled the basket ball and tennis courts.

However, in relation to salary increases, Dr Ramlall stated that they would not be feasible. She explained that there were a number of uncertainties attached to the issue. She stated that the following questions were of particular concern for the VC: “How do we ensure that we do not return to deficit management? How do we reduce expenditure through wasteful spending and particularly, how do we fund the proposed increase?”

The VC had made it clear in his written speech that fees

will not be increased to ensure increases in the staff’s salaries. Dr Ramlall said the VC had stated in his address that the only way for the increases to be possible is if there were “prudent reduction in operating costs, the elimination of wasteful spending, stringent financial controls, and adequate accounts of cash advances.”

in the Region, but she stated that in comparing the work that the lecturers produce it seems befitting. She reiterated that the staff cannot expect an increase in pay without giving an increase in their performance.

However, UGWU President Bruce Haynes and UGSSA President, Di Mellissa Ifill told this publication that

mitted that there may be a few lecturers that take advantage of the lack of regulation of lecturer sessions, but he insisted that if it was efficiently regulated it will show that a majority of lecturers spend an abundance of time with their students to ensure their good performance.

Also, the UGSSA President, Dr Ifill stated that

She also mentioned that the productivity of lecturers will have to be considered as well. Dr Ramlall informed that the lecturers do not work their full mandated 360 hours a year, adding that students were rarely able to get in contact with the lecturers on campus when they may need guidance with their studies. The Deputy VC admits that the wages of the staff are not on par with the universities

they were not mandated to work 360 hours a year. They are advised to do so.

Haynes, in a telephone interview, told the Guyana Times that “lecturers work more than their full hours”. He explained that a lecturer’s hours are not the same as an employee that works an eight to four shift but they meet with students according to the needs of the students.

The UGWU President ad-

she did not understand why the VC had made mention of wastage of expenditures and deficits when only recently the administration had hired two Deputy VCs along with a number of other executives in the administration.

She said UG would have had to pay a handsome sum to be able to retain the services of the mentioned executives that recently joined the UG administration.

Deputy Vice Chancellor of UG, Dr Elizabeth Ramlall

A section of the students who showed up to air their grievances to the VC

TT PM fires AG, National Security Minister

Trinidad and Tobago

Prime Minister

Kamla PersadBissessar terminated the services of her Attorney General and the National Security Minister over allegations they participated in witness tampering.

In a televised address late Monday, PersadBissessar said she could not determine the truth of the allegations against the two officials, but the accusations brought their offices “into disrepute”, the Associated Press reported.

“Those office holders preside over the administration of justice, law and order and so cannot remain in those positions while these investigations into allegations are made,” she was quoted as saying.

The AP said: Persad-

Bissessar also called for the immediate resignation of the Director of the Police Complaints Authority, David West. She does not have the authority to fire him.

Detectives are investigating an alleged attempt by Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, to pressure investigators into withdraw-

ing a witness statement made in a defamation case brought against him by Opposition Leader Keith Rowley. Ramlogan denies the accusations.

Persad-Bissessar said National Security Minister Gary Griffiths was sacked because he never informed her about a phone call that he made to the Director of the Police Complaints Authority to find out whether the witness statement had been withdrawn.

The latest government shake-up in PersadBissessar’s administration occurs during an election year. General elections are due by September. But the Prime Minister on Monday denied any suggestion that politics played a part in her personnel decisions.

Martinique acceptance as OECS associate member described as “historic”

The French overseas department of Martinique will become an associate member of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), according to an official statement issued here.

The St Lucia-based OECS Commission said Martinique will sign the necessary agreement on Wednesday, increasing the nine-member sub-regional grouping to 10.

“Martinique’s pending membership of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States follows a period of negotiations after the Regional Council

of Martinique submitted a formal application for associate membership in the OECS with the full support/ endorsement of the French Government,” the OECS Commission said.

In November 2013, the Regional Assembly voted unanimously in favour of the island’s membership of the OECS.

“Since then the OECS Commission has been treating Martinique effectively as an Associate Member and the French Region has already been attending regional meetings on matters such as health,” the Commission said.

OECS Director General, Dr Didacus Jules describes as “historic” the island’s pending membership of the sub-regional grouping. “The involvement of Martinique in the OECS; while there are limitations because of their status in relation to France, opens up great potential and certainly widens the demographics from an economic perspective.

“We have seen the relationship grow between Martinique and Saint Lucia and between Guadeloupe and Dominica for example. What that does now is widen this to the whole OECS. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Venezuelan shop owners arrested over long queues

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says the owners of an unnamed chain of shops have been arrested for artificially creating long queues.

Maduro said the owners had reduced the number of employees working on cash tills in order to create queues and “annoy the Venezuelan people”. He has accused Venezuela’s busi-

ness elite of boycotting his Government.

The Opposition blames the socialist policies of the past 16 years for the worsening economic crisis.

“Yesterday we detected that a famous chain of stores was conspiring, irritating the people,” said Maduro.

“We came, we normalised sales, we summoned the owners, we arrested

them and they’re prisoners for having provoked the people,” he said. A week ago, thousands of Venezuelans attended an Opposition march in Caracas, banging empty pots to highlight what they say is the shortage of many staple foods.

Demonstrators also voiced discontent at high inflation, crime and long queues. (Excerpt from BBC News)

St Kitts Police investigate terrorist threats against Nigerian students

Police have launched an investigation into alleged terrorist threats made against Nigerian students studying here last month.

“The Royal St Christopher and Nevis Police Force is investigating comments made on a local talk show where a caller allegedly living in the United States of America, openly made terrorist threats against Nigerians living in St Kitts who may choose to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming democratic

elections.

“The investigation also includes seeking the help of external allies, as the caller intimated that he was from the United States,” the police said in a statement regarding the January 8 incident.

Last month, the privately owned West Indies News Network (Winn FM) said it had taken disciplinary action against a staff member after the radio station aired a call calling for people to murder Nigerian students studying here so as to pre-

vent them from voting in the February 16 general election.

Winn FM said that it “intends being a lot more vigilant in relation to what is said by callers to its talk show programmes”. The station said the incident occurred “despite a delay mechanism that allows the station to prevent the airing of such material” and that the caller, “said to be based overseas, in essence made a death threat against Nigerians”. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Define Rastafarian under ganja Bill − Opposition

Shortly after the debate began Friday in the Senate on the newly tabled Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill, it faced its first test on the question of whether the Justice Minister should have the authority to decide who is a Rastafarian and therefore eligible for the religious benefits included.

The issue was raised by Leader of Opposition Business in the Senate, Tom Tavares- Finson, after Justice Minister Senator Mark Golding opened the debate.

Senator Tavares-Finson took note of the fact that section seven of the Bill empowers the Minister to authorise persons, groups or organisations, he recognises as Rastafarian, to cultivate marijuana on designated land to be used for religious purposes; and declare an event an “exempt event”, where he is satisfied that it

is being promoted or sponsored by Rastafarians.

Section 7(6) (a) of the Bill states: “The Minister responsible for justice may, by order published in the Gazette, authorise any person who has attained the age of 18 years and who the Minister is satisfied is an adherent of the Rastafarian faith or any group of such persons; or, (b) organisation that the Minister is satisfied is comprised of such persons, to cultivate, on lands designated by the Minister in the order and in accordance with such regulations as the Minister may prescribe for that purpose, ganja for use for religious purposes as a sacrament in adherence to the Rastafarian faith.”

Leader of Opposition Business in the Senate, Tom TavaresFinson

“I don’t know which Rastafarian would wish his religion to be determined and categorised by the Minister of Justice, and what is the criteria that the Minister of Justice is going to use to determine that...?” Tavares-Finson questioned.

“Let me be very clear, we are very happy for the progress that is being made (but), at the same time, it is important to recognise that we cannot just go blindly forward,” the Opposition senator said. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Parents of murdered Mexican students seek justice at UN watchdog

The parents of Mexican students believed murdered by a drugs gang appealed to the United Nations on Monday for help in seeking justice, saying they had no faith in the Government’s ability to investigate the crime.

President Enrique Pena Nieto’s Government said last week that the 43 trainee teachers who disappeared four months ago were killed on the orders of a drug cartel who mistook them for members of a rival gang.

The killings, which

shocked a nation already suffering from endemic crime-related bloodshed, have led to mass protests against the Government and fuelled the widely held belief that organised crime and certain politicians have close links.

“We’ve decided to come here, to this committee, to get some support and to really obtain justice, given the fact that our Government is not able to do anything,” Bernabe Abrajan, whose son Adan was one of the victims, told reporters on the sidelines

of a UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances session.

He was wearing a T-shirt bearing a photo of his son. The session began with a minute of silence for the victims. Mexico’s Attorney General has said that the students’ bodies were incinerated and thrown into a river. The remains of only one has been identified so far.

The Mayor of the town of Iguala and his wife have been arrested as two chief suspects. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Anand Ramlogan

People queue to buy subsidised goods at a state-run supermarket in Caracas

Rebels pound Ukrainian troops after peace talks fail

Separatist rockets streaked across hills in eastern Ukraine on Monday as rebels pounded the positions of Ukrainian Government troops holding a strategic rail town, while both sides prepared to mobilise more forces for combat.

US officials said Washington was taking a “fresh look” at providing Ukraine with lethal aid after a surge of violence following the collapse of a new peace effort on Saturday, although they emphasised that no decision had yet been made.

Kiev’s military said five more Ukrainian soldiers had been killed in clashes, while municipal authorities in the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk said 15 civilians had been killed by shelling at the weekend.

Talks between Ukraine, Russia and rebel officials in Minsk, Belarus, had raised hopes of a new ceasefire to stem the violence in a con-

flict that has claimed more than 5000 lives. But they broke up without progress with Ukraine and the separatists accusing each other of sabotaging the meeting.

Donetsk reverberated to the thud of artillery and mortar fire through the night and several homes were destroyed with at least one civilian death on Monday. Separatists kept up attacks on Debaltseve, a strate-

gic rail hub to the northeast of Donetsk, in an attempt to dislodge Government forces there.

The outskirts of Yenakieve and Vuhlegirsk, both on the main highway to Debaltseve, were under heavy artillery fire as rebel multiple rocket launchers and artillery pummelled the positions of Ukrainian troops in the area. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Obama raises taxes for rich in new US$4T budget

The US President has unveiled a US$4 trillion budget for 2016 that will increase taxes on higher-income Americans and provide tax relief for the middle-class.

President Barack Obama said his plans were “practical” and “not partisan,” as Monday’s tax hikes totalling US$2 trillion were unveiled.

Obama said his proposal would “help working families feel more secure with paycheques that go further,” in a move likely to anger his Republican rivals.

The budget includes US$478 billion to upgrade infrastructure and sizable measures to cut costs for

people paying for child care and education – touchstone issues for Democrats.

Overturning mandatory caps on defence and other spending, the budget will add US$474 billion to US debt.

In the run-up to the budget’s release, the Obama Administration said the US economy had improved enough to raise some taxes and increase spending to help Americans who have not benefited from the recovery.

Obama’s 2016 budget assumes the world’s largest economy will grow at approximately 3.1 per cent this calendar year, with un-

employment at 5.4 per cent and inflation of 1.4 per cent.

The deficit for 2016 would stand at 2.5 per cent, comfortably below the three per cent level economists deem sustainable.

The budget also includes spending to counter “Russian pressure and aggressive action” in eastern Europe.

Ukraine would receive US$117 million in funding, as well as a possible US$1 billion sovereign loan guarantee for 2016.

Moldova and Georgia would get US$51 million “for countering Russian pressure and destabilising activities”. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Al Jazeera’s journalist

urges Egypt to free colleagues

Al Jazeera journalist Peter Greste has in his first interview since being freed from an Egypt jail after 400 days in captivity, called on the Egyptian authorities to release two of his colleagues still being held.

“I feel incredible angst about my colleagues, leaving them behind,” Greste said on Monday.

“Amidst all this relief, I still feel a sense of concern and worry. If it’s appropriate for me to be free, it’s right for all of them to be freed,” he insisted.

Greste was put on a plane out of the country by the Egyptian authorities a day earlier.

ward” for Egypt and that he hopes the country will “keep going down this path” with his colleagues.

Recounting his days in prison, Greste said he made a conscious attempt to stay fit physically, mentally and spiritually.

Around the World

Former Nazi death camp guard on trial

Aformer Nazi death camp guard will go on trial in Germany in April charged with at least 300,000 counts of accessory to murder.

Oskar Groening, known as the “bookkeeper of Auschwitz”, was allegedly responsible for counting banknotes confiscated from prisoners.

The 93-year-old faces charges over 425,000 people sent to Auschwitz in Poland between May and July 1944.

About 1.1 million people were murdered at the camp, most of them Jews.

The trial will take place in the north German city of Lueneburg. Fifty-five survi-

Dominique

vors and victims’ relatives are plaintiffs in the case, and many are likely to attend the trial.

Prosecutors in Lueneburg allege that as well as counting money, Groening also hid victims’ luggage away from new arrivals, to disguise the victims’ fate.

A statement from the prosecutors’ office said that the former guard was aware that those deemed unfit to work at the camp “were murdered directly after their arrival”.

Groening, who began work at Auschwitz aged 21, does not deny witnessing the mass killing at Auschwitz. In 2005 he told the BBC: “I

saw the gas chambers. I saw the crematoria. I saw the open fires. I was on the ramp when the selections [for the gas chambers] took place.

“I would like you to believe these atrocities happened – because I was there.”

Last week, the world commemorated the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by the Soviet Red Army.

Prosecutors in Hamburg are also investigating a 93-year-old woman suspected of having served as a Nazi SS guard at the Bergen-Belsen camp. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Strauss-Kahn

pimping trial begins in France

The trial of former International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Dominique StraussKahn on pimping charges has begun in France.

Strauss-Kahn, 65, is accused of helping to procure sex workers for an alleged prostitution ring based at a hotel in Lille.

The former presidential hopeful has admitted attending sex parties there, but says he did not know that some of the women were prostitutes.

The case is the latest sex-

related allegation to trouble Strauss-Kahn.

He stepped down as IMF leader after being accused of attempted rape by a hotel maid in New York in 2011.

The charges were eventually dropped and StraussKahn reached a settlement with the maid, Nafissatou Diallo.

Two other cases against him, concerning allegations of sexual assault and gang rape, have already been dropped.

The case has been described as a litmus test for

changing attitudes in France with the private lives of public figures now facing more scrutiny than in the past, the BBC’s Lucy Williamson reports from Paris.

Strauss-Kahn, who arrived at the courthouse in Lille dressed in a dark suit, had to push his way through a throng of journalists and photographers.

He is standing trial along with 13 others, including the owner of a brothel known as “Dodo the Pimp”. (Excerpt from BBC News)

India Young inmates escape using bedsheets

More than 90 young offenders have escaped from a detention centre in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Police say.

The offenders, all below the age of 18, removed an iron grille from a window and tied bedsheets together to lower themselves to the ground.

They climbed out of the

back of the building in the city of Meerut while Police guarded the front.

Thirty-five of the prisoners have since been recaptured, Police said.

Senior Police official Om Prakash told the AFP news agency that the escape was “done so professionally that no one got a whiff”.

The escape was only discovered when some of the

prisoners were seen on the road, trying to flag down vehicles early on Monday. Prakash said that those still on the run included inmates convicted of crimes such as murder, rape, theft and banditry.

More than 31,000 young offenders are being held at detention centres in India, according to one official estimate. (BBC News)

China cleaner sacked for warming himself reinstated

AGreste added that his release is a “massive step for-

Two other Al Jazeera journalists – Baher Mohamed and Mohamed Fahmy – are still imprisoned in Egypt. The three were sentenced to between seven and 10 years in jail on charges including spreading lies to help a terrorist organisation – a reference to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.

“I made a very conscious effort to deal with all three of those things: to try and keep fit, running in a very limited space, to keep up an exercise programme, to keep mentally fit with study and spiritually fit too with meditation.

“Through all of that it was a way of enforcing a kind of discipline on myself and dealing with each day as it came. And hopefully, touch-wood, I haven’t come out of it too damaged.” (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

street cleaner who was sacked in China for warming himself over a fire in freezing conditions has been reinstated after a public outcry.

Ding Quan, 59, was reemployed by his cleaning company after it admitted its response last week was unfair, Chinese media report.

Ding said he was trying to dry his gloves and coat

when his supervisor drove past and took a photo of him.

He was later told he had been fired for breaching anti-smog and safety rules.

Ding told China’s Metro News he had started cleaning on a street in the northern province of Shaanxi at 06:00 and after three hours’ work he had spotted a group of men around a fire.

He had joined them for 20 minutes when he was or-

dered by his supervisor to put the fire out, he said.

The Xian company that employed Ding, Golden Medal, said in a statement its decision had been “made with a lack of humanity and was inappropriate”.

The case sparked discussion on China’s social media about the poor work conditions of the country’s street cleaners. (BBC News) :

A woman stands in her house, which was damaged by recent shelling, in central Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, February 2

Al Jazeera journalist Peter Greste

february 3, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

How do you feel about having to pay for parking at the new GRA Customer Parking Lot?

Carletta Johnson

“Well, I don’t mind, because I know that my vehicle will be secured and I don’t mind paying $200. That’s me personally, but I’m sure it got some people that can’t afford it so it’s kind of unreasonable for them.”

Eshwar Kanhai

“I think it’s reasonable because GRA still needs to make money to maintain it. I know people will be complaining about the money, but I beg to differ because it’s just $200 and at least you know your vehicle secure in there.”

Daniel Thomas

“Why would you have to pay for the parking when it’s supposed to be free? It’s a parking lot, and it’s just land. You shouldn’t be paying to use a parking lot. Every other parking lot around town is free so I don’t understand why they want people to pay.”

Lashonna Alves

“Well, first of all, I think it’s a good idea because you have to pay for maintenance and you have to pay the guards and plus I’m sure they want make lil’ money too. But once I know my car safe then I’m good, but I hope if something happen to my car when it in there, and with all that money they collecting, they got to pay me back.”

Andrew Sashar

“It’s not a bad idea. It means you don’t have to park on the street, I don’t see the problem with paying the money. $200 is not a lot of money, it’s better than parking on the road and getting a jam.”

Akeisha Miller “I don’t think it’s fair because you coming to do business or whatever with them, and then you can’t park on the road because it will obstruct traffic and there is a parking lot they offering to the public, not everyone can afford that. Not because you can afford a vehicle means everyone can afford to pay $200.”

Brian Cameroon

“Two hundred dollars doesn’t make no sense, if you have to pay $200 and then you don’t know how long you gonna spend in there. It’s still unreasonable. It’s supposed to be free parking, you ain’t supposed to pay. Once you have vehicle, you can’t park it anywhere, so it should be free parking.”

Anthony Ajodha

“Paying for parking? Why? I don’t understand why you have to do that. You don’t have to pay for parking when you using other services at other places, and $200 every hour? Suppose now people can’t afford that. Even if they wanted to make money off of it, then the price should not be so high.”

Reshma Samaroo “Well, I don’t see the problem because everywhere else in the world, people pay for the parking lot facilities. It’s $200, everyone who drives I’m sure can afford that amount an hour.”

Guyana Shines team gets US training

“Guyana Shines: Keep Guyana Beautiful” Project Programme Managers Orin Phillips and Dexter Gonsalves participated in the 2015 Keep America Beautiful (KAB) National Conference in Washington, DC from January 27 to 29, 2015.

In a US Embassy release, it was stated that during the conference, presenters, equipped with new ideas and proven solutions to challenging community problems, sought to provoke new ways of thinking mixed with grassroots activism to empower and engage community leaders toward positive solutions.

The Guyanese representatives, along with over 300 other candidates from affiliate organisations across the United States, examined ways of bringing communities together for disaster preparedness across all denominations, ethnic groups, cultures, and community organisations; engaging youth within their volunteer base through hands-on and community-based service

learning; increasing recycling in the workplace; and the role of KAB affiliates in behavioural changes within their communi-

ties. Unified by their environmental passion, the participants also discussed the negative en-

vironmental, social and economic consequences of roadside litter and explored partnerships to strengthen and build relation-

ships as well as shared creative campaigns and educational initiatives for safe and accident-free roads.

Inspired by new ideas introduced at the conference, the programme managers plan to apply the lessons learnt to Guyana Shines. The Project will continue until June 2015 with focused messaging on the environment through “education” and “action” elements. These will include a series of environmental workshops for civil society and Private Sector partners, training and collaboration with schools and environmental clubs, impactful and memorable radio and TV public service announcements; the creation of protected green spaces, and weekly clean-ups.

Phillips and Gonsalves also met with US Department of State officials in Washington, DC to share the successes and challenges of Guyana Shines. Their participation at the conference was made possible by the US Department of State and Keep America Beautiful Inc.

The Guyana Shines Team Programme Managers Orin Phillips and Dexter Gonsalves with KAB affiliates

Guyana leads in public procurement in Caribbean – Minister Edghill

Guyana’s mechanism for public procurement and financial accountability is ranked highly in the Caribbean, according to Minister within the Finance Ministry, Juan Edghill.

According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) release, Edghill was speaking on the National Communications Network’s “Political Scope” Programme on Saturday.

The Minister recalled that it was under former President Bharrat Jagdeo’s tenure that the Public Procurement Act, the only such legislation in the Region, was passed, and a National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) set up.

The process of public procurement is open to all, he explained. “Everything that needs to be done where the Government’s money, taxpayers’ money, or investment money needs to be spent is advertised openly … there is no backroom wheeling and dealing like what obtained under the PNC [People’s National Congress] Administration in the past where the Permanent Secretary or the head of an agency could call a friend and say, ‘I have a job to give to you’.”

The fact that all bids are opened in a public manner before the media and other stakeholders was also noted by the Minister. The intent of Government, Minister Edghill said, is “to give comfort to all Guyanese that when your monies are being expended, everyone who’s a contractor or supplier, you have a fair chance. There is openness, there is equal access to all and when the jobs are offered, we are getting value for money.”

These contracts are supervised either by a consultant or company to ensure that the specifications are met, and the contract executed to stated requirements. All prospective bidders must be compliant with the Guyana Revenue Authority and the National Insurance Scheme, as lapses in these areas would be detrimental to the chances of anyone bidding, the Minister said. He noted that “this has happened over and over again”.

The role of Cabinet was examined by Edghill, who reiterated that if Government was to be accountable to the people for spending tax dollars, it must have an oversight role, since if something went wrong, it was the Government that would be blamed. “Every contract that is out there must be under the scrutiny of Cabinet first, to ensure that the public officials that are sending something can withstand the scrutiny of opposition, the Parliament, and the people to ensure that we have

a proposal that is tight,” the Minister said.

He praised the evaluators and other stakeholders such as Regional Executive Officers, engineers, and technical staffers, for having done a tremendous job. Cabinet has, as a result, had very few objections to contracts tendered.

Claims of discrimination were dismissed by the Minister who said that “politics must be taken out of procurement”. He referred to the bidding by Fedders Lloyd which submitted two prices for the Specialty Hospital. He noted that the company’s legal counsel Alliance For Change (AFC) Executive Khemraj Ramjattan took the Government to task when his client did not get the winning bid, which was won by Surendra Engineering. “The AFC must be judged by the people of Guyana for that act. You are the lawyer for a company that lost a bid, and you’re destroying an entire project and prospect of building a specialty hospital in Guyana because your client didn’t get the job. No politician should be engaged in such a lobby.” Government later moved to suspend the contract, which was, as a result of due diligence and the efforts to put the country first, the Minister said. He opined that Government should be commended for the steps taken and the fact that upon taking the company to court, won its multi-million US dollar case for compensation.

In terms of contractors who wish to be reconsidered for a contract, there is course for redress. It was noted by the Minister that an appeal can be made to the bid protest com-

mittee, “but before that, he/ she can write to the procuring entity and ask for a review. It is during that review if something would have gone wrong, it can be corrected. If after doing so, the bidder is not satisfied, he/she can approach the Tender Board with a protest. The Tender Board would have to put together a three-person Tender Board bid protesting committee – one will be named by the Attorney General, one by the Finance Minister and the Tender Board names the other”.

There is a stipulated period of time in which this review must be completed. A report has to be given, and while the committee is conducting its work, the procuring entity cannot award the contract. Everything is on pause until the committee, which has a stipulated time to complete its work, assesses the complaint. Minister Edghill explained that the contract will either stand or be awarded to another party.

Edghill noted that as Government continued its efforts to make the process even more transparent, events such as the Procurement Symposium will be held to bring more information to potential contractors.

“The fact that people are engaging is a clear fact that the rhetoric out there in the Opposition camp, using this as a political talking point is not gaining traction, because the small man, small company, small business, medium business, large business, everybody is having an equal opportunity of getting a chance of benefiting and engaging as a result of public procurement,” the Minister within the Finance Ministry said.

Indian Culture fascinates me – Young Bill Rogers

Two-time Chutney King Roger Hinds, popularly known as Young Bill Rogers, has proudly proclaimed his fascination with the rich Indian culture.

During an exclusive interview with the Guyana Times on Monday, Hinds expressed delight at copping the crown once again.

Many find it unique that Hinds of Afro-Guyanese ancestry would enter an Indian-based music competition. But for him, it was merely an expression of his undeniable passion for the Indian arts.

“I grew up around the Liberty Cinema, that’s where they used to have a lot of old Indian movies and I used to be out there a lot. I learned a lot from the subtitle of those Indian movies and I learned a lot from the way they spoke and their dialect ... I used to want to imitate those actors like Amitabh Bachchan with their dancing and singing,” the Chutney enthusiast stated.

Hinds, who has a history in Calypso, became involved in Chutney music back in 1999 and has since developed a great love for the genre. “When you love something, you have to study it to keep getting better,” he said.

The new Chutney monarch explained that much has changed in Chutney music since he entered the industry.

“In those times, it was traditional Chutney music, pure Hindi, so I had to make sure I learned Hindi…but then as the years go by, we see all these mix, we have Chutney/Soca songs, I believe Drupatee led that movement to incorporate Chutney with Soca…” Hinds’ winning song at the Chutney Monarch 2015 Competition, “Ah

Searching For A Good Larki” is part of a series that tells an interesting story of Caribbean music.

The first song “A Chutney For My Larki” tells the tale of a young man travelling from the Caribbean to India to sing Chutney songs, and the people of India fall in love with the music. The singer then met an Indian girl who yearned to travel to Guyana to explore more of this fascinating music.

The other song, “Gimme More Chutney” continues with the young maiden arriving in the Caribbean and becoming captivated with everything she saw. She then decided to stay in the Caribbean with the young man who introduced her to Chutney. And in the third song, “Ah

UG Vice Chancellor hospitalised

University of Guyana (UG)

Vice Chancellor, Professor Jacob Opadeyi has been hospitalised with a heart-related condition.

This was disclosed on Monday when Opadeyi did not show at a planned meeting with students of the Turkeyen Campus. A number of students showed up at the George Walcott Lecture Theatre (GWLT) to attend the meeting that had been scheduled by the Vice Chancellor for a firsthand update on the ongoing industrial action at the University. However, reports indicated that the Vice Chancellor was unable to attend the meeting as he was being hospitalised at the Caribbean Heart Institute.

This was the report by his Deputy, Dr Elizabeth Ramlall, who addressed the students. Dr Ramlall stated that the Vice Chancellor has been suffering from ill health for a number of days and he was quite sorry to have to miss the meeting.

It was indicated to the Guyana Times also that Professor Opadeyi had made attempts to discharge himself from the hospital as he felt obliged to attend the meeting with his UG students; however, this was not advised by his doctors.

The doctors had deemed him unfit to leave the hospital or attend the meeting. Professor Opadeyi came to Guyana in 2012 to fill the post of Vice Chancellor after being recommended by members of the then Select Committee for the post. The Professor was living in Trinidad and Tobago where he was a Professor of Geomatics Engineering and Land Engineering. A born Nigerian, Opadeyi obtained his MBA at the University of the West Indies (UWI) in 1999, his PhD in Geomatics in 1994 and MEng in Surveying Engineering in 1988 both at the University of New Brunswick in Canada.

Pregnant woman, husband arraigned for narco possession

Searching For A Good Larki”, the girl eventually wants to explore more of the beautiful land. She abandons the young man and run off with another, leaving the heartbroken singer to search for another “larki” to marry.

“Chutney music always tells a story,” Hinds explained.

Moreover, Hinds believes that many should shy away from the perception that Chutney music belongs to Indian folk.

“I would love to see more AfroGuyanese getting involved; if they’re interesting in it, then go for it,” he encouraged.

But the Chutney King expressed deep disappointment over the lack of support in the local music industry.

“Guyanese need to love and embrace their own music and culture. You see those other Caribbean countries like Trinidad where they have KI and Ravi B, those people support them and play their songs a lot on the radio and really promote them,” he outlined. “Even to the biggest Chutney singer in Guyana, people don’t know their songs. Guyanese don’t know who they are. When they have chutney shows, they bring in international artistes, which is good, but what about the Guyanese artistes?”

On that note, the Chutney King called on more Guyanese to not only show fanbased support, but to extend support through sponsorship among other incentives to encourage growth in the industry.

Nonetheless, Hinds commended the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCY&S) for raising the standard at which local artistes perform and urged that it continued in this regard.

The couple who were caught attempting to smuggle over 20 kilograms of cocaine through the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) were remanded to prison on Monday.

Mahendra Ramsuchit and Guyana-born Canadian citizen Robhina Basdeoram appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

On the day in question, Kenneth Jones, a former personal assistant to a Minister of Government, presented a forged document from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Airport Duty Office indicating that he was carrying out protocol duties for Ramsuchit and Basdeoram, who claimed to be relatives

of a Government official. Jones claimed that he was authorised to use the VIP lounge. Reports are that Ramsuchit and Basdeoram were scheduled to depart from the CJIA for Toronto, Canada via a Fly Jamaica flight. The discovery was made at the scanning point. It was there that a rank from the Police Narcotics Branch spotted the “bricks” that were concealed in the bag. Reports are that the cocaine was found in all four pieces of luggage that were being carried by the Guyanese national and the pregnant Canadian citizen. The couple will make their next court appearance on February 13.

Mahendra Ramsuchit Robhina Basdeoram

Young Bill Rogers performing “Ah Searching For A Good Larki” at the Chutney Monarch Competition in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam)

UG Vice Chancellor, Professor Jacob Opadeyi

Minister within the Finance Ministry, Juan Edghill

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER

Slow and steady will win the race. Mistakes are likely if you have too many irons in the fire. There is someone who wants to collaborate with you. Make sure the partnership is an equal one.

Spend time on your own. Research something or someone you find intriguing. Studying and honing your skills will keep you from getting into a damaging, emotional debate.

You will have a chance to try something out of the ordinary. If you participate in everything that is going on, you will have an eye-opening experience.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

You can get what you want if you are patient. Let things unfold naturally. Don’t rush into new ventures. If you want to take advantage of new possibilities, you must pay close attention.

Compromise will be a necessity. Don’t fall for an offer that sounds too good to be true. Keep your valuables under close surveillance.

Keep an eye out for a job opportunity. A chance to pick up additional skills should not be missed. Give whatever you do your best shot in order to succeed.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

You will end up paying the price if you have been overspending or overindulging. Make an effort to get back on track and stick to your budget. Love is apparent.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Career advancement should be your first concern. You can increase your cash flow by marketing a unique idea to the right people. A personal relationship needs to be nurtured.

CAPRICORN (June 21July 22)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

If you are feeling down and out, take time to rejuvenate. Find a relaxing way to soothe your nerves. Get plenty of rest and prepare to take on the world.

(Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Love and romance are highlighted. If you plan a fun activity with someone special, you will discover how much you have in common. An impromptu trip will result in improved living arrangements.

AQUARIUS

PISCES

(Feb. 20March 20)

Streamline your efforts and concentrate on one project at a time. The more you take on, the harder it will be to remain in control and reach your destination.

Success is in the cards. Be secretive about your ideas to avoid someone intervening and throwing you off your game. If you follow your intuition, you will come out ahead.

Peanuts

Calvin and Hobbes

dilbert

arCHie

BCB saddened by Permaul’s snub

The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) has joined the Albion Cricket Club in expressing its “profound disappointment” with the non-selection of left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul to the West Indies team for the 2015 World Cup.

The BCB strongly believes the 25-year-old should have been the automatic replacement for Sunil Narine, instead of Jamaican leftarmer Nikita Miller.

Following Narine’s withdrawal to do further remedial work on his bowling action, the Regional selectors opted for Miller instead of the more reliable Permaul.

However, in a release, the BCB stated that the board was initially disap-

pointed with Permaul’s exclusion from the team in the first instance.

Further, the release pointed out that when Narine announced his with-

drawal, the BCB was confident that Permaul would have been the obvious choice.

“The new panel of selectors stated that it is time for rebuilding with the younger players who perform consistently and Permaul’s returns in the West Indies Cricket Board’s Professional Cricket League Regional Four-day competition to date and the NAGICO Super50 should have been an automatic replacement for Narine,” the release pointed out.

The Albion cricketer has

topped the bowling charts so far, picking up 32 wickets from four games in the Fourday competition. He was the second leading wicket-taker in the Super50 tournament, snaring 11 scalps, one behind Narine.

Miller, on the other hand, has picked up 17 wickets in the Four-day and six in the Super50.

According to the release, “Permaul is eight years younger than Miller, a leftarm spinner as well. The board is puzzled and calls on the legendary Clive Lloyd

and his team to be consistent in their selection policy. West Indies cricket is at the lowest ever and actions like this will help it to remain so.”

The New England Patriots overcame the ‘deflate-gate’ row to beat the Seattle Seahawks 2824 in the Super Bowl.

The Patriots are being investigated over allegations they under-inflated balls in beating the Indianapolis Colts to reach the showpiece event.

But, despite trailing 2414, they rallied to become the first team in Super Bowl history to trail by double digits in the second half and win.

The Patriots took the lead with two minutes left and held on for victory.

The New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was named the most valuable player of Sunday’s Super Bowl, with the 37-year-old throwing four touchdown passes, including two in the fourth quarter.

Hetmyer looks to cement opening spot

− says consistency is the key

By Rajiv Bisnauth

Opener Shemron Hetmyer is considered one of country’s brightest prospects, and having regained his spot in the national First-Class squad, the left-hander is keen to cash in and cement his place in the Guyana side.

Hetmyer, who had a productive NAGICO Super50 tournament playing for the West Indies Under-19 team, has replaced fellow opener Trevon Griffith for the Guyana Jaguars next three games in the West Indies Cricket Board’s Professional Cricket League Regional Four-day competition in Jamaica, St Kitts and Barbados.

The Jaguars will play the Jamaica franchise from February 6, before taking on the Leeward Islands Hurricanes and Barbados Pride.

Great opportunity

The Young Warriors Cricket Club (YWCC) batsman, who played the last of his three First-Class matches against hosts Trinidad and Tobago, in December last year, said his main aim is to secure a long-term role in the national side.

An average of just 16.40

Patriots beat Seahawks in dramatic finale

The climax saw Perry lifted 50 feet off the ground by a mechanical contraption and she sang ‘Firework’ as she floated above the pitch.

Social media

Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll was criticised for his decision to throw, rather than run the ball with powerhouse Marshawn Lynch, with his team a yard out and just seconds remaining.

“That play call will haunt Pete for the rest of his career,” said former Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens.

with a topscore of 47, the 18-year-old Hetmyer’s career did not get off to the best of starts, with just 82 runs from five innings. He told Guyana Times Sport on Monday that “this time he is more focussed and in a better shape to strengthen his First-Class career.”

“I am determined to make it count,” He said.

The attacking Hetmyer and Rajendra Chandrika are the two opening batsmen in the Jaguars 13-man squad and if he finds himself in the starting XI, consistency will be the watchword for the West Indies Under-19

batsman.

“If I make the final XI, I want to grab this opportunity with both hands; I just want to score runs and be as consistent as possible,” he said.

Meanwhile, after four rounds in phase one of the competition, Guyana Jaguars have accumulated 57 points. Jamaica, who face off with the Jaguars at Sabina Park when the format resumes, occupy the second spot on 50 points, followed by Barbados Pride on 44. The Windward Islands Volcanoes (26), Trinidad and Tobago Red Force (24), and Leeward Islands Hurricanes (10) follow in that order.

The Guyana Jaguars squad is: Leon Johnson (Captain), Vishaul Singh (Vice-Captain), Rajendra Chandrika, Shemron Hetmyer, Narsingh Deonarine, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Raymon Reifer, Christopher Barnwell, Anthony Bramble(Wicketkeeper), Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo, Keon Joseph and Ronsford Beaton.

The management team comprises Rayon Griffith (Manager/Assistant Coach), Esaun Crandon (Coach) and Paul Gomes (Physio).

Djokovic dominates world tennis rankings

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic kisses the Norman Brookes Trophy after beating Britain’s Andy Murray to win the Australian Open

Star attraction

Pop star Katy Perry was the star attraction at the in-

He set a new record for career Super Bowl touchdown passes with 13 to break the old mark held by his childhood idol Joe Montana. Brady’s 37 completions also set a new Super Bowl record.

terval and she was joined by special guests Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott. Perry entered the pitch on a giant golden robotic lion as she sang her hit ‘Roar’ before Kravitz provided some rock and Missy Elliott some hiphop.

“Why get cute at that point?” ex-Green Bay Packers player Bucky Brooks commented.

However, Katy Perry received some praise. Pop star Britney Spears said: “That half-time show! Katy Perry you rocked it.” (BBC Sport)

Novak Djokovic is now 3,800 points clear at the top of the ATP world rankings following his Australian Open triumph on Sunday.

The Serb is in clear water well ahead of secondplaced Roger Federer, who lost ground with a third-round exit in Melbourne.

Big movers in the top 10 were Andy Murray whose run to the Australian Open final saw him move up two places to fourth with Milos Raonic also climbing two spots to sixth. They both moved past Stan Wawrinka, who failed to defend his title in Australia and dropped five places to ninth. (Yahoo)

Shemron Hetmyer

Veerasammy Permaul

Sunil Narine

Nikita Miller

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady holds up Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 in NFL Super Bowl XLIX football game

Vettel fastest on second day of test in Jerez

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel set the pace for the second day in succession at the first pre-season test as McLaren-Honda continued to struggle.

The German was 0.833 seconds clear of Sauber’s Felipe Nasr. Lewis Hamilton was fourth despite a reliability issue.

The Mercedes driver missed the final three hours of running because of a water leak caused by a failed part.

Meanwhile, Jenson Button managed only six laps in the McLaren as problems continued to plague the team.

That was only 10% of the target set by racing director Eric Boullier on Sunday after Fernando Alonso had also only completed six laps on the car’s first day in action.

Like Alonso, Button failed to set a representative time as the McLaren was stranded in the pits with what the team said were “ancillary problems”.

McLaren said during the afternoon they were “quite positive” they had fixed the problem and hoped to run the car again before the end of the day.

Button did head back out with fewer than 20 minutes of the session remaining but completed only one slow lap on a track soaked by a heavy shower of rain before returning to the pits.

Including two unsuccessful days with a modified 2014 car in Abu Dhabi in November, that means McLaren have achieved just

Serena Williams has cemented her position at the top of the WTA world rankings after winning the Australian Open on Saturday.

The 33-year-old American defeated Maria Sharapova in straight sets for her sixth Grand Slam title in Melbourne and 19th in all. Williams is more 1,500 points clear of the Russian who in turn is well ahead of third-placed Simona Halep of Romania.

One of the biggest movers of the week was Serena’s older sister Venus. The former world number one reached the last eight in Melbourne for her first Grand Slam quarter-final since 2010.

That hoisted her seven places in the rankings up to just outside the top 10 at 11th.

17 laps over four days of testing with the new Honda engine, none of them anywhere close to racing speed.

It is an inauspicious start to the renewed relationship between McLaren and Honda, which is returning to the sport for the first time in six years.

The two hope eventually to repeat the domination they enjoyed in their previous partnership from 198892.

Button said: “It has not been the easiest start to the season but it is a very complicated power unit. We understand the issue and we have our heads around itthat’s what the last run in the wet was about - so we are hoping for a much more productive day three and day four.”

Vettel’s pace-setting time, set in a flurry of quick laps early in the day, will be an encouraging start to his Ferrari career, but headline laps in testing are a noto-

Surprise Melbourne semi-finalist Madison Keys gained 15 places to break into the top 20 for the first time in her career.

riously unreliable gauge of true pace, as it is impossible to know the specification the cars are running in.

The four-time world champion is scheduled to hand over the car to teammate Kimi Raikkonen for the final two days of the test.

Pre-season favourites

Despite Hamilton’s problem, Mercedes’s status as pre-season favourites remains unaltered - the world champion still managed nearly 100 laps, comfortably the most mileage of any team, to add to the 157 achieved by team-mate Nico Rosberg on Sunday.

Hamilton said: “It was a good day. Testing is not the exciting part for any racing driver, but it is where you lay the foundations. It is work. We are working to understand the car, every change, whether it’s drivability or tyres, to put you in good stead for the season. We can’t get too excited just

Chave signed

for an initial fee of £23.3m, which could rise to £26.8m.

The 26-year-old, who impressed for Colombia at the World Cup, joined Chelsea after fellow winger Andre Schurrle moved to Wolfsburg for £22m.

Cuadrado has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with the English league leaders.

Chelsea fringe winger Mohamed Salah, 22, is likely to go on loan to Fiorentina as part of the deal.

Cuadrado said: “I am very happy and thankful for this opportunity I’ve been given. This is a great club and honestly it is like a dream to join the Chelsea family and to know that the manager believes in me. I’m happy.”

It is thought Cuadrado, who has scored five goals in 37 international appearances, had a release clause in his contract of £26.8m.

Cuadrado played in

yet because we don’t know where everyone stands.

“The car feels very much the same, with more downforce. We’ve made a step but how big is difficult to say. We were not out there trying to do fast lap times”

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said: “It’s just showing off really - to turn up and do 157 laps is taking the mickey.

“They had a good car last year and have evolved it. They are the benchmark, no doubt about it. We have made good progress and hopefully we can get closer to them.”

Red Bull’s day was ruined when new driver Daniil Kvyat, who replaced Vettel, ran off track early on and damaged the car’s frontwing mounting pillars.

The team did not have a spare so the Russian was restricted to doing systemcheck laps without a front wing for the rest of the day.

Williams’s Valtteri Bottas was third-fastest and chief technical officer Pat Symonds said he was optimistic the team had made progress from 2014, when they leapt from ninth to third in the constructors’ championship.

“Valtteri’s comments were very positive,” said Symonds. “Initial comments do count for quite a lot and I was very encouraged by what Valtteri said.”

The Lotus car ran for the first time after missing the first day of the test, with Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado setting the sixthfastest time overall. (BBC Sport)

Bravo, Narine withdraw from T&T firstclass squad

Five senior Trinidad and Tobago players, Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Ravi Rampaul and Kevin Cooper, have withdrawn from the team’s squad for the regional first-class tournament that resumes on Friday.

Four rounds of the revamped first-class tournament, the Professional Cricket League (PCL), were played in November and December, before a twomonth break. Now, Bravo, who quit Test cricket on January 31, has told the T&T management that he is not available for the firstclass format. Sunil Narine, who withdrew from West Indies’ World Cup squad to work on his bowling action, will continue working on it. Seamer Cooper also has asked for time off to work on his action. Rampaul and Pollard, meanwhile, are recovering from injury.

Islet from Friday. (Cricinfo)

Italy for five and a half years, initially joining Udinese from Medellin in his homeland in 2009. After a loan spell at Lecce, he moved to Fiorentina in 2012 and scored 20 goals in 85 Serie A appearances for the Florence side.

Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella revealed the deal was imminent on Friday, saying: “It was a sale that had to be done.

“Cuadrado is a player that has always arrived with a smile and given everything to Fiorentina - I’m happy for him because he is going to a big club.”

Salah has made 19 appearances for Chelsea since joining the club from Basel for a fee in the region of £11m in January 2014.

“James Rodriguez was Colombia’s undoubted World Cup star - but Juan Guillermo Cuadrado was

not far behind.

“Chelsea’s new acquisition solved Colombia’s tactical problem. The defensive line had to sit deep to protect veteran centre back Mario Yepes. It was Cuadrado who kept dragging the team forward and opening up the pitch with his sustained pace and effervescent dribbling down the right flank.

“He is at his best as a wide right-midfielder - especially as over the last couple of seasons he has started scoring more goals. But he can also feature as an attacking right-back, or cut in from the other flank.

“Some three years ago a Premier League giant had a look at Cuadrado but concluded that he was too old - a strange decision given that he is still only 26, and should be looking forward to playing his prime years under Jose Mourinho, who will certainly enjoy the pace on the transitions that his new Colombian acquisition will bring to the side.”

(BBC Sport)

Sebastian Vettel

T&T are currently placed fifth in the PCL points table, just one off bottom, with one win and two losses in four games. They play Windward Islands in Gros

Dwayne Bravo recently retired from Test cricket

Sunil Narine wants to concentrate on reworking his bowling action

helsea

Fiorentina winger Juan Cuadrado

Juan Cuadrado

Serena Williams celebrates victory in the final of the Australian Open

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Initial tests reported a Grade-1 injury, which Junaid was expected to recover from in a couple of

weeks, with the PCB’s doctors recommending that he take thorough rest and avoid travelling. However, Junaid went on a long journey by car last month to his home-town Swabi, which is believed to have aggravated his injury.

The PCB’s medical panel concurred that he had not

recovered sufficiently from “the traction injury of the nerve in the posterior right thigh” and recommended recuperation at the NCA. Junaid was subsequently withdrawn from the New Zealand tour and Bilawal Bhatti was picked as his replacement for the two-match series. (Cricinfo)

Clarke would play under captain Smith

Michael Clarke has said he would be prepared to play on under Steven Smith’s captaincy if the selectors decided to hand the job to Smith on a full-time basis. Clarke remains Australia’s Test and ODI captain, but Smith led the side in the final three Tests against India this summer and scored a century in every match, securing Australia the BorderGavaskar Trophy.

Smith also led Australia to victory in a one-day game against England in Hobart when the stand-in ODI skipper George Bailey was suspended, and again scored a century.

Clarke is expected to take back the captaincy whenever he makes his comeback after hamstring surgery, but he told Triple M radio on Monday that he would play under Smith if the selectors went that way.

“Most definitely I would,” Clarke said. “I feel for Smitty, because I sat in his shoes when a lot of the media were trying to call for Ricky Ponting to retire. It’s certainly not personal between Smitty and I, we’ve been friends for a long time and will continue to be. The people that sit above both him and I will make their decisions.

“Whatever they feel is the best 11 players, they’ll

pick that 11. Whoever they feel is the best captain for the team, then they’ll pick that.

If my time is over as a player – or as a captain –then, you know, the game moves on. I still think I have a lot to offer the team, I still feel like I can perform and help us have success, but that’s out of my hands. The most important thing for me is to get fit and healthy.”

A Clarke-Smith handover would not be dissimilar to the situation that took place when Clarke was appointed captain in 2011 and Ponting played on in the Test side under Clarke.

However, Ponting was 36 when that change took place; Clarke is only 33, but his ongoing back and hamstring injuries have left significant doubt as to how

much cricket he will play in the future.

Last week, Clarke had said that he hoped to remain as captain for the rest of his career, if the selectors considered him the right man for the job.

At the time, he said: “I think I’ve earned that respect, I think I’ve played some really good cricket and from the information I have the selectors are really happy with my performancespersonally and also with my captaincy. I’ve heard no different at this stage.”

Clarke made his return from injury in grade cricket in Sydney on Saturday, but it remains to be seen whether he will be ready for the step up to international cricket by the deadline of February 21 imposed by the selectors when they chose the World Cup squad.

wAnTed

Junaid Khan had already been withdrawn from the ODI series in New Zealand

Michael Clarke says he feels for Steven Smith in the wake of the captaincy debate

Nicolette back in world top 20

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

Guyana’s squash ace Nicolette Fernandes has regained a spot in the world top 20, following the release of the Women Squash Association (WSA) February ratings.

The 31-year-old Fernandes moved a solitary spot up the rankings and is now number 20, one position shy of the career-best 19 she last achieved in July last year.

Fernandes is the only player from the Caribbean and South American in the top 20, a clear indication of her status in this part of the globe. She has a total of 490

rating points.

The latest list by the WSA is dominated by England and Egypt, who have six and five players respectively in the top 20. The

times in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014, as well as the British Open title in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012 and 2014.

David currently has a whopping 3,446 rating points, way ahead of Egypt’s Raneem El Welily in second spot on 2,580.

number one spot though belongs to the indomitable Malaysian, Nicol David, who has been unmoved from that position since January 2006. She has won the World Open title a record eight

Rounding off the top five, which has remained unchanged from last month, are England’s Laura Massaro (2,145), Egypt’s Nour El Sherbini (1,548) and England’s Alison Waters (1,538).

The rest of the top 20 are: (6) Egypt’s Nour El

Jaguars remain upbeat...

“We’re going into the game on Friday with reasonably good confidence, but due to the weather we have had a lack of recent match practice,” Crandon said.

The players were limited to net sessions, but Crandon said the setback had not been a major one.

“It’s not a worry for us too much. While we would have liked to have a practice game before we left for Jamaica, most of the guys were involved in competitive cricket one way or the other for the past three weeks,” the former national player told Guyana Times Sport

Confident

Meanwhile, the Jaguars face Jamaica franchise in a top-of-the-table clash from Friday in Kingston, but will need to lift themselves, especially following their heavy defeat in the final of the NAGICO Super50 last week.

second spot on 50 points, Barbados Pride lie third in the standings on 44 points, Windward Islands Volcanoes fourth on 26 points, with Trinidad and Tobago Red Force fifth on 24 points and Leeward Islands Hurricanes bottom of the pile on ten points.

Tayeb- 1,182; (7) France’s Camille Serme- 1, 158; (8) Malaysia’s Low Wee Wern1, 063; (9) Egypt’s Omneya Abdel Kawy- 944; (10) USA’s Amanda Sobhy- 764; (11) Hong Kong’s Annie Au763; (12) Australia’s Rachel Grinham- 657; (13) India’s Dipika Pallikal- 632; (14) Ireland’s Madeline Perry683; (15) England’s Emma Beddoes- 555; (16) SarahJane Perry- 542; (17) Jenny Duncalf- 540; (18) Egypt’s Nouran Gohar- 528; (19) England’s Sarah Kippax520; and (20) Guyana’s Nicolette Fernandes- 490.

Chasing 201 for victory against Red Force at Queen’s Park Oval, they crashed to 65 all out- their lowest ever one-day score.

However, Crandon believes that the squad has the ability to regroup and rebound from that shocking defeat.

“At the end of the day, we have to accept where we went wrong and we can’t look for excuses,” he said. “It is about regrouping.”

The Jaguars depart for Jamaica on Wednesday.

Jamaica occupy the

Guyana Jaguars: Leon Johnson (Captain), Vishaul Singh(ViceCaptain),Rajendra Chandrika, Shemron Hetmyer, Narsingh Deonarine, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Raymon Reifer, Christopher Barnwell, Anthony Bramble(Wicketkeeper), Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo, Keon Joseph and Ronsford Beaton.

The management team comprises Rayon Griffith (Manager/Assistant Coach), Esaun Crandon (Coach) and Paul Gomes (Physio).

Nicolette Fernandes

Nicol David

Esaun Crandon

“Fair result for a hard game” – Shabazz

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

Head Coach of the Golden Jaguars

Jamaal Shabazz believes the 2-2 draw in the international friendly against Barbados on Sunday evening at the Barbados National Stadium was a “fair result.”

Shabazz made the disclosure during postmatch comments, after the Jaguars allowed a 2-0 advantage in the opening half to slip out of their hands, as Barbados stormed back with two goals in the space of a minute before the halftime break.

Sheldon Holder gave the Jaguars the perfect start with a goal in the 12th minute, before debutant Emery Welshman of

Canada etched his names in the record books with a goal in the 33rd minute to double the scoreline.

However, the Bajans wiped out that lead through a double strike,

when Jomo Harris’ 36th minute goal was followed by another by Mario Harte a minute later.

The two teams tried valiantly for the deciding goal for the remainder of the game, but to no avail.

“I thought it was a fair result for a hard game,” Shabazz reckoned. “We went to front on two occasions, but always I knew we just had about 32 minutes of high intensity with them in this game. Our fitness was just not able to hold and keep the intensity and after 32 minutes we were just dragging in the first half. All in all we saw some quality play by these boys and I think as we get fitter we’ll certainly see the resurgence of Guyana in Caribbean and CONCACAF football.”

As he had stated in prematch interviews, Shabazz reiterated that the game offered a clear indication of Guyana’s current status as a football nation, and what is required to better

West indies in need...

His will be the weighty task of galvanising a team still carrying the baggage of India with them to Australia and New Zealand, and having to deal with an assignment that was already going to be difficult.

Stuck in the lower half of the ODI rankings, the twotime former World Cup winners cannot, on statistics, be considered tournament favourites, especially since they have struggled to win with any regularity against the sides ranked above them.

However, with powerhitting batsmen like Chris Gayle, Andre Russell and Darren Sammy, the classy Marlon Samuels, West Indies have the batting personnel to have a decent tournament.

Their bowling, however, has suffered after off-spinner Sunil Narine withdrew from the squad to give himself more time to work on his action, which was reported as suspect during the 2014 Champions League T20 in India. Left-arm spinner Nikita Miller has been picked to fill Narine’s shoes.

World Cup pedigree

As winners of the first two World Cups and threetime finalists, West Indies had set the benchmark for excellence in the limitedovers format. They have long since fallen away from their own lofty standards. West Indies have not been to a final since they famously failed to complete the hattrick in 1983 against India at Lord’s. Only once sincein 1996 – have they reached the semi-final stage. Yet, they retain sufficient players who on their day can turn any game. The elusive trick for them is to string enough of those days togeth-

er as a team.

X-factor

All 11 players can fit the description because of the mercurial nature of the squad. However, should Andre Russell pick his moments to attack a little better, his awesome hitting ability can take a match away from any side; his seam bowling can deliver important wickets, while his often stupendous work in the outfield can do similarly. Known primarily as a Twenty20 specialist, Russell is nevertheless the type of player to pull an important game out of the fire, even in 50-over cricket. He recently showed a glimpse of that against South Africa where his 64 off 40 deliveries lifted West Indies to a one-wicket win.

Players in focus

Chris Gayle- A veteran of three World Cups, Gayle is still the side’s premier batsman at the age of 35. A superstar of the T20 game, Gayle is equally important to West Indies in the 50over format. No West Indies batsman has scored more ODI centuries than his 21. He has not, however, done his heaviest scoring at World Cups and has just one century – against Kenya – to show for his three campaigns.

Injuries have also become an area of concern for Gayle in recent years and in 2014, he underwent surgery on his back. Once he is fit enough to get to the crease however, Gayle’s runs will be crucial to any progress West Indies make in the tournament.

Marlon Samuels- Marlon Samuels was one of the key factors behind West Indies’ World T20 triumph in 2012.

At his best, he is the most accomplished batsman in the side but his best has not been on show come as consistently as either he or West Indies would like.

On his return to the team in the series against India, after having been dropped earlier in the year, Samuels reeled off two centuries in three matches, including one in the fourth ODI of the series when matters off the field were in turmoil. It is that kind of focus and single-mindedness that his team will require in the World Cup, along with his economical off spin which can also take an important wicket or two.

Being named vice-captain to Holder may also give the Jamaican a sense of purpose he hasn’t always seemed to have in his career.

Jason Holder- At six foot seven, and nearly as tall as legendary fast bowler Joel Garner, Jason Holder has some big shoes to fill. He was unexpectedly entrusted with the captaincy in difficult circumstances and at a stage when his career has not quite taken off as a bowling all-rounder.

The ODI series against South Africa was Holder’s only preparation for the World Cup and cricket’s biggest tournament will prove a fiery baptism. Credited with a shrewd cricket brain, Holder will have to rely on his thinking ability, developing skills as a seamer and useful lower-order hitting to convince his team-mates that he can lead.

Game style

Unpredictability is both West Indies¹ strength and their weakness. They possess a number of explosive batsmen who can either set

the pace of an innings or provide late momentum, and bowlers who on their day as a combination can keep strong lineups in check. West Indies are a momentum team and should they get their confidence up, they

the product.

“It’s always not the ideal to give up two goals and draw a match 2-2, but this is the truth. We see now where we are as a footballing country and we played against a younger, fitter Bajan team, and it shows the truth that without fitness, without playing week in, week out you will never have the legs to compete at a higher level. So I think now we can see where we are. We certainly have seen that tonight [Sunday night] and it’s only now to plot the course where we want to go,” Shabazz concluded.

While both teams were hunting a victory, the result would be of immense satisfaction as they embark on bigger engagements this year, key

among them the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

As part of a reciprocal arrangement, the teams will play a return encounter later this year in Guyana.

can give stiff competition to the more fancied teams.

Prediction

In 2011, West Indies got to the quarter-final stage and a last-eight finish remains a realistic goal. To get to the semi-finals, however, would require consistency of play currently missing. The troubles of 2014 can, however, act as a galvanising force if the players see it as a means to redeem their reputation as team. (Cricinfo)

Jamaal Shabazz

Emery Welshman

Sheldon Holder

Pietersen commits to CPL, narrows Blast window

Kevin Pietersen’s messy divorce from English cricket has conceivably moved a step nearer completion with his announcement that he intends to play the whole of the Caribbean Premier League season in June and July.

Pietersen’s guarantee of a total commitment to the tournament, where he will again play for St Lucia Zouks, brings into question whether he will repeat his attempts of a year ago to share his time between the CPL and the NatWest Blast.

All hope is not yet lost that he could be seen in England in early season. He could conceivably play the first five matches in the Blast from mid-May on-

wards in preparation for his stint in the Caribbean, where the tournament runs from June 21 to July 26, but

what remains to be seen is if any county will take him on those terms.

Surrey released

West Indies in need of redemption song

WPietersen at the end of last season primarily a strategic move so that he was not employed by the county when his controversial autobiography was published, so seeking to lessen the threat of official censure.

Since then a stricter salary cap in 2015 has led Surrey to suggest privately that it had made Pietersen unaffordable but it could be that his desire to warm up for the Caribbean, and Surrey’s recognition of his crowd-pulling appeal, might just enable a short-term relationship of convenience to be hastily patched up.

Such a deal would have to make light of his controversial criticism of many county professionals as “mup-

pets who are on £18,000 or £15,000”, accompanied by an invitation for them to find alternative employment if they did not raise their standards.

To commit to putting the CPL ahead of the NatWest Blast is an indication of where his priorities lie and is bound to irritate the ECB as it seeks to present the tournament as of equivalent standard to the market leaders, the IPL and BBL, and stave off criticism of the 18-county set-up.

Commenting on return to the Caribbean, Pietersen said: “Being involved in CPL 2014 was a fantastic experience and I thoroughly enjoyed playing for the St. Lucia Zouks, albeit brief-

ly. This year I will be available for the duration of the tournament so I hope to be able to make a bigger impact and give the Zouks fans something to shout about. The CPL is a very special event and I can’t wait to get back out there to experience more of ‘the biggest party in sport’.”

Pietersen will privately be hoping for better fortunes in the six-team franchise. He joined the Zouks for the latter stages in 2014 and although his presence, alongside team captain, Darren Sammy, helped the Zouks beat the reigning champions, the Jamaica Tallawahs, as well as make their highest score of the season, they finished second from bottom. (Cricinfo)

Jaguars remain upbeat despite preparation hitch

est Indies come to the World Cup looking to redeem a reputation tarnished by the events of 2014. The aborted tour of India due to a contracts dispute between the squad led by Dwayne Bravo, the West Indies Players Association and the West Indies Cricket Board fractured opinion in the West Indian community, and largely caused dismay among the cricket-loving public.

all-rounder Kieron Pollard found themselves surplus to requirements for the World Cup.

More critically, there were casualties. Amid claims of victimisation in many quarters and equally strong denials by chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd and president of the WICB Dave Cameron, Bravo and senior

Taking Bravo’s place at the helm is 23-year-old budding all-rounder Jason Holder, the youngest man ever to captain West Indies, and a player who had just 21 ODIs behind him before the appointment.

By Rajiv Bisnauth

The inclement weather disrupted their lone three-day practice game ahead of second phase of the West Indies Cricket Board’s Professional Cricket League Regional Four-day competition, but Head Coach of the Guyana Jaguars, Esaun Crandon,

remains upbeat and believes his side can carry their good form from phase one when the tournament resumes on Friday.

After four rounds in phase one of the competition, Guyana Jaguars have accumulated 57 points. The Jaguars beat the Leeward Islands Hurricanes by an innings and 10 runs and the

60 runs win against home team Trinidad and Tobago Red Force.

Windward Islands Volcanoes by 92 runs in their first two matches before being routed for 66, chasing 69 for victory against Barbados, in their three games on home soil. They then rebounded with an innings and

Kevin Pietersen is to return to St Lucia Zouks for a second stint

West Indies enter the World Cup with more questions than answers

The Guyana Jaguars will be hunting more success when the competition resumes on Friday