Guyana Times Daily

Guyana not in P9 a terrible place as it relates to literacy P13 – Manickchand Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 1887 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

No shortfall of stones – opposes move to import

Ramotar talks up Guyana’s forestry P3 conservation efforts

See story on page 9

Wanted P7 bulletin issued for biker’s alleged murderer

Gonsalves, Ramotar hold talks during one-day visit

See story on page 10

Welcome! A beaming President Donald Ramotar welcomes his Vincentian counterpart Dr Ralph Gonsalves during an Office of the President engagement on Monday. Dr Gonsalves was here on a one-day visit during which he held talks with the Guyanese leader (Carl Croker photo)

Guyana to import chicken to cushion shortage See story on page 13

Roraima says it was duped into hiring Lynch See story on page 17

Home Affairs Ministry seeking P11 traffic wardens Stalled EBD four-lane highway P13 costing BK Int’l millions

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tuesday, september 10, 2013 | guyanatimeSGY.com

News

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Tuesday, September 10 from 05:30h to 07:00h The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Tuesday, September 10 from 07:05h to 08:35h.

WEATHER TODAY

tuesday, september 10, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Ramotar talks up Guyana’s forestry conservation efforts – as regional forestry management conference opens

Countrywide: Thundery rain showers are expected during the day with heavy rain showers in the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East south-easterly between 2.22 and 2.5 metres per second.

High Tides: 07:25h and 19:41h reaching maximum heights of 2.61 metres and 2.5 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 13:15h reaching a minimum height of 0.67 metres.

saturday, september 7, 2013

LOTTERY NUMBERS B

BY SVETLANA MARSHALL

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he 28th Session of the Latin American and Caribbean Forestry Commission (LACFC) opened on Monday in Guyana at the Guyana International Conference Centre, with more than 40 regional forestry experts in attendance.

Delivering the feature address, President Donald Ramotar said Guyana continues to play a leading role in the forestry sector as he alluded to the country’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), an initiative implemented by his predecessor Bharrat Jagdeo. The LCDS is a national framework that utilises one of the first national-scale REDD-plus systems in the world that creates an avenue for Guyana to receive financial support for its contribution to reducing emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) as defined in the Bali Action Plan.

President Donald Ramotar greeting FAO Assistant Director General Edurado Rojas in the presence of Natural Resources and the Environment Minister Robert Persaud

countries to follow suit by establishing similar initiatives to receive payments for eco-system services, in particular forest carbon. Such initiatives can aid in the transformation of economies with financial resources channelled toward sustainable development.

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Youths viewing some of the exhibits on display at the Guyana International Conference Centre

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“In Guyana, we have taken our work on forest beyond the traditional sectors and have been engaged in a globally recognised programme for payments for forest-based services, namely forest carbon. Part of this programme includes Guyana’s partnership with the Kingdom of Norway and the establishment of a world class partnership to demonstrate a workable solution to the global problem of climate change which brings with it severe challenges to sustainable development,” President Ramotar explained.

He said the LDCS has laid a platform for other

Turning his attention to the more than 40 forest experts from the Caribbean and Latin America, President Ramotar said the forum is an opened space for technical discussions to unfold as issues affecting the regional forest sector are addressed.

He said too that the staging of the 28th Session of the LACFC comes as an opportune time at both the global and regional levels. “At the

global level, we have seen increasing emphasis on the role of forest in economic development, with tremendous importance placed on furthering such development in the context of strong environmental management and stewardship.”

On the regional level, the head of state said advocacy within the trade and multilateral arena is very evident, noting that Guyana has a strong role in the work of key region-

al bodies, such as Caricom, the Amazon Corporation Treaty Organisation (ACTO), the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Meanwhile, on the local arena, President Ramotar said the forestry sector has made significant contribution to the economy, pointing out that Guyana has recorded consistent growth over the last five years, despite a challenging global economic climate. At mid-year, the domestic economy continued the trend of uninterrupted positive growth, with real Gross Domestic Product expanding by 3.9 per cent.

According to the president, this trend of success is linked to the implementation of macroeconomic policies and a diverse economic base. “We have made significant advances across various sectors of our economy in the areas of agriculture, fishing, forestry, mining, infrastructure, tourism, information communication technology and manufacturing.”

Turn to page 10

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tuesday, september 10, 2013

Views 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

Preventing suicide

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eptember 10 is designated “World Suicide Prevention Day”, with the theme “Stigma: A Major Barrier for Suicide Prevention”. The World Health Organisation (WHO estimates that, globally, approximately one million persons take their own lives annually.

Guyana has one of the highest rates of suicide, but it is not the highest in the world. This is not a statistic we should be proud about and in fact we should be doing all that we can to get our country off this particular radar.

Even though Guyana has historically always had a high suicide rate, it was not until the start of this millennium that it began to be given direct attention by the authorities. Suicide is closely linked with depression and in fact can be considered the extreme consequences of that mental health problem.

A National Suicide Prevention Strategy was drafted in 2001. Studies at that time showed that with great consistency, approximately 200 persons were taking their own lives annually. A preponderant number of those persons were males from the rural, Indian-Guyanese communities.

This statistic had shown up early on in the importation of this ethnic group as indentured labourers from the villages of India.

Emile Durkheim, the founder of the discipline of sociology, had conducted the first study on the phenomenon in 1897, when he observed that the rates of suicide in the Protestant and Catholic communities were significantly different. While the decision to commit suicide was obviously an individual one (the Jim Jones tragedy in Guyana being a notable exception), the statistical consistency implied structural group processes at work.

Durkheim proposed his famous theory off “anomie”, which suggested that suicide could result when the societal bonds tying an individual to a close knit community are sundered and the individual struggles unsuccessfully to live according to values that the new circumstances do not facilitate.

All subsequent studies of the phenomenon have shown that while individual organic problems might also play a role in precipitating suicidal behaviour, they have supported Durkheim’s theory that specific cultural responses to societal challenges are predominant. This finding suggests that success in preventing suicide will have to be, in the main, community specific.

What has also been found is that “suicide attempts” are different from actual suicides, not only in the fact of differential mortality, but also in the motivation of the individuals that attempt the acts. Suicide attempts are considered to be more of a cry for help.

In 2007, the National Committee for Suicide Prevention was formed and two years later, the Health Ministry in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) hosted a two-day workshop on the “Prevention and Control of Suicide Behaviour” in Georgetown. It included individuals from Trinidad, Guyana and Suriname that were working on the problem in their countries, which had similar demographics.

For the first time, a programme that involved the community – the “Gatekeepers Programme” – was launched.

This programme was intended to educate members of target communities to be aware of tell-tale signs exhibited by individuals contemplating suicide. Interventionary measures were taught, one being to suggest to the individual on the need to seek help from mental health workers who would be trained to make more directed interventions – including medication for depression.

However, after the training of a few gap hundred “gatekeepers” in Regions Six and Three, the programme has evidently lapsed. Funding appears to be the major constraint in keeping the programme going.

The major opposition party has recently suggested that suicide prevention should be higher on the agenda of health priorities in Guyana. We suggest that the bi-partisan Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Social Services convene an urgent meeting to craft proposals on how to fund and extend the Gatekeepers Programme.

Suicide is the major cause of death in our 15-24 age cohort: to not stamp it out, is to blight the future of our country.

Nick Vujicic, an Australian motivational speaker who was born without limbs, swims with sharks at the Marine Life Park in Singapore, on September 5. Vujicic dived with sharks in a customised acrylic enclosure that takes in a 360-degree view of the shark habitat at the aquarium (MSNBC)

Support for Caricom on punishing Syria without military strikes

Dear Editor, The United States President Barack Obama is dead set on using military strike action against Syrian military installations for the use of chemical weapons two weeks ago and has sought congressional approval for attacking Syria, which has been devastated by two years of civil war.

No doubt, those who used chemical weapons must be punished, but military strikes should not be the only way to punish the perpetrators. Toward this end, I support the recommendation made by our government and the Caribbean Community (Caricom) to allow the United Nations (UN) to find a way to address the issue.

Diplomatic measures should be employed to punish the actors without inflicting further punishment and suffering on a population via military strikes. We need a peaceful solution to the civil war in Syria. Americanled military strikes will kill more people and destroy more infrastructure and will not necessarily de-

stroy chemical weapons and weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).

In addition, there is a possibility of hitting WMD supplies killing many more in the process. And worse, what if in the process of military strikes on Syrian military infrastructure the Bashar al-Assad regime collapses, who will step in to restore order and prevent the rise of Al Qaeda terrorists from taking over?

There is no doubt that WMDs were used in Syria as the UN inspectors and intelligence experts have confirmed. But it has not been definitively determined who used it and why. The Assad regime had nothing to benefit from using WMDs because it knew it would incur the wrath of the international community.

Thus, it is conceivably possible that WMD was used by forces who want the U.S. to intervene and destroy the Assad military forces. Assad is a dictator who should have been removed from office a long time ago and the Syrian people given a voice on how they are governed.

But democratic governance has not been a way of life in Syria or neighbouring countries. And if the international community is seeking to impose democratic rule in Syria, then the same should be done in all of the other countries in the region.

Some 1450 lives were lost from the use of chemical weapons on August 21 as compared with some 150,000 who have died during the two years of the civil war and another two million who were displaced living as refugees. Military strikes will not solve the problem of Syria. It will not lead to democratic rule. Syrians need peace and the establishment of a representative government, not more war.

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for fresh talks on Syria, and both Russia and China say they are amenable to a workable solution that does not involve military attacks on Syria. The majority of the G20 countries that met Friday in St Petersberg is also opposed to striking Syria and has called for further discussions.

President Obama does not need congressional approval to attack Syria, but wants the blessing of the U.S. Congress for such attacks, just in case something goes wrong, similar to approval for attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq where the U.S. has been in war for 10 years and counting.

Popular opinion in the U.S. is opposed to military strikes on Syria, similar to opinions in the European nations. Right now, a majority of the U.S. Congress is against voting to attack Syria. But in the end, when the vote is taken, a majority is likely to vote to authorise military strikes.

The prestige of Obama is on the line and the U.S. Congress will not wish to embarrass the president by voting against his request.

But as Caricom has advised, military strikes are not the way to go against Assad.

Some other means of punishing those responsible is the right way to handle the situation.

Sincerely, Vishnu Bisram

Bourda Market must be made safer Dear Editor, After a spate of market robberies some months back, I thought that we were done with this nonsense – but apparently not, and quite sadly so. I was so shocked to learn that the family from whom I buy some of my groceries suffered a terrible break-and-enter.

It was actually only when I went to get some items that the news was re-

layed to me. The head grocer told me that burglars broke in and carted off a quantity of goods and cash.

The businessman complained that when he got to the scene, the officers from the City Constabulary did not give the necessary cooperation. According to him, they even refused to cooperate with the police.

Business people pay for a service and this service

should be rendered. This is something I cannot fathom.

Many officers from the City Constabulary and even the Guyana Police Force think that they must be cajoled into performing their duties.

If it is true that there are three to four robberies per week in this market, then something must be done. This particular man said that many mornings he would be at the market as

early as 03:00h to start his business day and he would not see any constables patrolling the area.

No wonder then that many vendors are calling on the relevant authorities to look into their plight. The market must be made safes.

Yours respectfully Sherlock Tyrell

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

More resignation woes for the AFC Gentlemen, With regrets, I no longer wish to be involved with the Alliance For Change (AFC) party.

When AFC employed Peter Ramsaroop, as its chief executive officer (CEO), I sent a note to Hon Raphael Trotman, since a CEO at a political party was very unique, and possessed the potential to provide the training, discipline and execution capacities for future AFC Leaders in a government.

Hon Raphael then introduced me to Dr Rohan Somar. I attended a New York/New Jersey AFC chapter meeting at Dr Somar’s New Jersey residence. I listened to the discussion, ideas and plans, and decided to associate myself with the New York/New Jersey AFC chapter.

November 28, 2011 General Elections, et al: • Listened, read and heard all the glowing reports on AFC’s prospects at the November 28, 2011 General Elections.

• Contributed my scarce time, financial resources, energies, skills and contacts to the AFC Party.

• Spent one month during November-December 2011 in Guyana, and saw on site the political real-

ities in Guyana, including conversations with many VVIP’s in businesses, government and society.

• On my return to Guyana in December 2011, I mentioned to Dr Somar, VP Ewart and Ron Alert my disappointment with AFC internally and externally.

• Many emails were sent to AFC leadership on my Guyana on site experiences on a number of issues, including finances, controls, discipline, management, leadership, et al.

At the New York/New Jersey AFC chapter, a few individuals have hurdled insults, character assignations and caustic remarks to me and Dr Somar, and no person in the AFC leadership, took concrete action to ensure that there will be no repetition of such behaviours.

The New York/New Jersey AFC chapter suspended the offending persons and peace prevailed for around one year.

Recently, emailed insults, character assignations and caustic remarks have been hurled at the New York/ New Jersey AFC chapter chairman Dr Somar without abatement. Perhaps, some members may condone, sup-

port or encourage such behaviours, since no discipline is being enforced.

On August 13, I celebrated my 71st birthday and reassessed all of my activities and involvements and decided to cease my AFC membership.

I have already served Guyana through 1979, in the following governmental capacities, whilst I worked with Bookers Lithographic and Boxmakers Limited: • 1976, when the Guyana government was acquiring the Booker McConnel Sugar Estates and other Booker Holdings in Guyana, I served on Guyana’s financial advisory team.

• Deputy chairman of the board of governors of the Kuru Kuru Co-operative College.

• Member of the board of directors, Guyana Cooperative Insurance Services (GCIS).

• Member of the board of directors, Guyana National Lottery Company Limited.

• Led and was a member of several delegations on overseas missions.

I am not a Johnny come lately to government in Guyana.

I continue to hold many

associations with major businesses, key individuals and organizations in Guyana since my arrival in 1979 to the U.S. to pursue my education.

Liberal democracy has its pluses and minuses, like everything else, but democracy must have accountability for actions as a key, and discipline must be applied when needed without fear or favour.

I plan to continue my personal relationships and hopefully these will grow.

My commitment to a better Guyana remains via other avenues.

Currently, I am heavily involved with the following projects with global time sensitive timelines: • Gulf countries (Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman) Economic Integration Consulting Project, similar to European Union (EU), Caribbean Community (Caricom), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) groupings.

• Master’s in business ad-

ministration and doctorate classes, teaching at George Washington University, Qatar University and Central Penn College.

• November 2013 Scholarly Paper Presentation at Qatar University: “International Conference on Transition to Knowledge-Based Economy: MultiDisciplinary Thinking and Best Practices.”

• Consulting projects at the U.S. Department of State.

• My global consulting business, including work on the establishment of a new graduate accounting degree programme at a university.

Regrettably, I have made the irrevocable decision to walk away from the AFC with immediate effect.

Onward, upward, may we all grow, work and help to achieve, in our own inimitable way, the vision of a Guyana with “one people, one nation, one destiny.”

Wishing all persons, the best of good health, safety, prosperity, success and peace, with God, Lord Rama and Allah’s blessings, Dr Shamir Andrew Ally

Parents need to take greater responsibility Dear Editor, Parents need to take responsibility for their children a bit more seriously.

Admittedly, parents or guardians cannot watch over those in their care all the time. Even at home, this is not possible.

Entire villages will have to cooperate and look out for the boys and girls in their communities. The police must be a part of this. When gambling was rampant in my village, I got the police to make some raids and things turned around.

Parents must not allow their children in some places.

The adults must show responsibility, and when they do not, they must answer for anything that goes wrong.

At the higher level, where creeks are concerned, I suggest that all of the resorts employ a life guard. I know that we are moving in this direction where tourism is concerned, but we have to make it a national policy. Safety must come first.

Respectfully yours, Roderick Bacchus

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Foundation

10 scientific tips for raising happy children T

here are many ways to raise happy, welladjusted children, but science has a few tips for making sure they turn out okay. From keeping it fun to letting them leave the nest, here are 10 research-based tips for good parenting.

LOL! Joking helps

Lighten up! Joking with your toddler helps set them up for social success, according to research presented at the Economic and Social Research Councils’ Festival of Social Science 2011.

When parents joke and pretend, it gives young children the tools to think creatively, make friends and manage stress. So feel free to play court jester – your children will thank you later.

self-compassion is a very important life skill, helping people stay resilient in the face of challenges. Self-compassion is made up of mindfulness, the ability to manage thoughts and emotions without being carried away or repressing them, common humanity, or e m pathy with t h e suffering of others,

laxed moms and dads. That doesn’t mean you should kick your offspring to the curb at 18, but if you find yourself calling y o u r

ing to research published in May 2011 in the journal Child Development.

T h e

Be positive

No surprise here: Parents who express negative emotions toward their infants or handle them roughly are likely to find themselves with aggressive kindergartners.

That’s bad news, because behavioural aggression at age five is linked to aggression later in life, even toward future romantic partners. So if you find yourself in a cycle of angry parent, angry baby, angrier parent, try to break free. It will ease your problems in the long run.

Foster self-compassion Parental guilt is its own industry, but avoid the undertow! Research suggests that

a n d self-kindness, a recognition of your own suffering and a commitment to solving the problem.

Parents can use self-compassion when coping with difficulties in child-rearing. In doing so, they can set an example for their children.

Let go When the children fly the nest, research suggests it’s best to let them go. College freshmen with hovering, interfering “helicopter” parents are more likely to be anxious, self-conscious and less open to new experiences than their counterparts with more re-

child’s professors to argue about his grades, it may be time to step back.

Nurture your marriage If you’re a parent with a significant other, don’t let your relationship with your spouse or partner fall by the wayside when baby is born.

Parents who suffer from marital instability, such as contemplating divorce, may set their infants up for sleep troubles in toddlerhood, accord-

study found that a troubled marriage when a baby is nine months old contributes to trouble sleeping when the child is 18 months of age. It may be that troubled houses are stressful houses, and that stress is the cause of the sleep problems.

Tend to your mental health If you suspect you might be depressed, get help – for your own sake and your

child’s. Research suggests that depressed moms struggle with parenting and even show muted responses to their babies’ cries compared with healthy moms. Depressed moms with negative parenting styles may also contribute to their children’s stress, according to 2011 research finding that children raised by these mothers are more easily stressed out by the preschool years. The findings seem glum, but researchers say they’re hopeful, because positive parenting can be taught even when mom or dad are struggling with their own mental health.

Mamas, be good to your sons A close relationship with their mothers can help keep boys from acting out, according to a 2010 study. A warm, attached relationship with mom seems important in preventing behaviour problems in sons, even more so than in girls, the research found.

The findings, published in the journal Child Development, highlight the need for “secure attachment” between children and their parents, a style in which children can go to mom and dad as a comforting “secure base” before venturing into the wider world.

The mommy bond may also make for better romance later in life, as another study reported in 2010 showed that a close relationship with one’s mother in early adolescence (by age 14) was associated with better-quality romantic relationships as young adults.

“Parents’ relationships with their children are extremely important and that’s how we develop our ability to have successful relationships as adults, our parents are our models,” study researcher Constance Gager, of Montclair State University in New Jersey, said at the time.

“So if kids are not feeling close with their parents then they’re probably not going to model the positive aspects of that relationship when they reach adulthood.”

Don’t sweat a little sassing

Teens who talk back to their parents may be exasperating, but their argumentativeness is linked to a stronger rejection of peer pressure outside the home. In other words, autonomy at home fosters autonomy among friends.

Don’t worry, though: The study doesn’t suggest that children should have adversarial relationships with their parents. In fact, a secure bond between teens and mothers is also linked to less bowing to peer pressure. Teens need to practice standing up for themselves, the researchers reported, but they also need support from their parents.

Don’t aim for perfection

Nobody’s perfect, so don’t torture yourself with an impossibly high bar for parenting success. According to a study published in 2011 in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, new parents who believe society expects perfection from them are more stressed and less confident in their parenting skills. And no wonder! Make an effort to ignore the pressure, and you may find yourself a more relaxed parent.

Last but not least, know your children

Everyone thinks they know the best way to raise a child. But it turns out that parenting is not onesize-fits-all. In fact, children whose parents tailor their parenting style to the child’s personality have half the anxiety and depression of their peers with more rigid parents, according to a study published in August 2011 in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. It turns out that some children, especially those with trouble regulating their emotions, might need a little extra help from Mom or Dad. But parents can inadvertently hurt well-adjusted children with too much hovering. The key, said lead researcher Liliana Lengua of the University of Washington, is stepping in with support based on a child’s cues. (livescience.com)

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tuesday, september 10, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Wanted bulletin issued for biker’s alleged murderer Man chopped after he refused to allow customer H to purchase salt

ours after acting Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell released the identity of the alleged gunman who shot and killed super biker Kirk Davis in Eccles; the police on Monday issued a wanted bulletin for the 28-year-old businessman.

Randy Jagdeo of Lot 159 Third Street, Alexander Village, who allegedly committed the act on September 3, has since been on the run and is believed to have left the country. According to new information reaching Guyana Times, moments after the biker’s execution, the businessman was seen at a popular drinking spot on Sherriff Street acting in a normal manner.

A close friend of both of the men reportedly approached Jagdeo, informing him of Davis’ demise, thinking that the businessman was not aware. After receiving word that Jagdeo was the alleged killer, police searched his Alexander Village home with the hope of arresting him, but they were unsuccessful. At the time of the search, Jagdeo’s sister and father were at home.

Fatal night

His wife, who was also shot on the fatal night, remains a patient at a city hospital and is recuperating speedily, but is reportedly fearful for her life. In light of the incident, the immediate family of Jagdeo reportedly visited the woman at the

Randy Jagdeo

Kirk Davis

hospital and demanded that she does not make contact with them or even visit the house, claiming that all her rights were gone with the slain biker.

Davis and Jagdeo were good friends and the incident has drawn a lot speculation as to the motive behind the killing. Despite several attempts to apprehend the businessman; his family remains tightlipped, claiming that they have not heard from nor seen him since the shooting.

However, his friends thought that since the sudden passing of the businessman’s mother and brother last year, he has been distressed. Both died as a result of heart and kidney complications. They were 48 and 27 years old respectively.

Davis was reportedly there for him during the difficult time and they became close friends. Davis was one of the bikers who led a procession for Jagdeo’s moth-

er on the day of her funeral. Prior to his death, he imported motorcycles from abroad for a living and were seen at various events in the company of Jagdeo. They were described as “inseparable” by some On Tuesday evening last, the businessman appeared in front of Davis’ 7th Street, Eccles, East Bank Demerara home in a silver Toyota Premio. Davis reportedly walked towards the car and went straight into the back

Four in custody for raid on Fyrish chicken farm

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our men are now in police custody and are expected to be charged with simple larceny after they were caught red handed stealing chickens from a relative’s farm at Fyrish, Corentyne, Berbice.

Sunil Pertab, also called “Baba”, 19, and his teenage brother of Lot 1, Section B, Fyrish Village, Corentyne, Berbice, along with Harrilall and Ishwar Mooklal were detained at the Whim Police Station assisting with investigations.

According to information received, Ameer Ishmael owns and operates a chicken farm at John’s Village, Port Mourant, Corentyne and it was reported to law enforcement officers that persons have been stealing chickens and other livestock on numerous occasions.

However, on Sunday morning about 02:20h, the businessman was at his chicken farm when he was alerted by his son-in-law and his watchman that three men were in a section of the compound. Ishmael proceeded to the location and saw the three robbers.

As he, his watchman and son-in-law approached, one of the three men who was armed with a cutlass ad-

vanced towards them, and in retaliation, the businessman discharged six rounds from his .32 Taurus pistol into the air. Upon hearing the gunshots, one of the men escaped on foot while the Pertabs were apprehended.

The area was checked and the ranks observed that the chicken pen mesh was cut and chickens were outside the pen.

They were arrested and questioned and claimed that they were taken there by the third suspect in a donkey cart to collect the chicken.

Further searches were conducted and the donkey cart was found about 200 metres away from the fowl farm.

The Pertabs also implicated Harrilall and Mooklal whom they claimed organise the theft. They were all arrested.

The Pertabs were reportedly given a sound trashing from the businessman and his employees, resulting in them receiving minor injuries to their hands and head.

They were taken to the Port Mourant Hospital where they were treated and sent away.

Police are on the hunt for the fifth suspect, who is believed to be in hiding. The donkey cart is impounded at the Whim Police Station.

passenger’s seat, where an argument started. During the argument, the businessman reportedly took out a .9mm pistol with extended clips and reportedly shot his wife twice, forcing her to give information about the money and the relationship.

He then turned the gun on Davis and allegedly shot him. The murder suspect then left the driver’s seat and walked towards the backdoor of the car, pulled out the biker from the car and continued to shoot him.

The biker’s cousin, who was on the verandah at the time of the shooting, reportedly scaled the fence after the businessman went after him. Davis is expected to be laid to rest on Saturday.

Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Jagdeo is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 225-6411, 225-2227, 226-7065, 227-1149, 911 or the nearest police station.

All information will be treated with strict confidence.

A

labourer was on Sunday attacked and chopped after he refused to move from a shop’s counter to allow a customer to purchase salt at Number 59 Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

Premchand Moonsammy called “Azie”, 21, of Lot 199, Number 59 Village, Corentyne, Berbice was chopped to his neck and right hand by Ricknauth Megnauth better known as “Rickey” of Lot 25, Number 60 Village.

According to information received, Moonsammy was consuming alcohol at Michael’s Shop at Number 59 Village and the suspect went to the said shop to purchase salt.

As he entered the shop, the victim was standing at the counter and requested him to move, but he ignored the man who then pulled out a knife from his trousers and

dealt the victim two cuts on his right side neck and a slash to the palm of his right hand.

Moonsammy, after the attack, reportedly fell to the ground and was picked up by relatives and taken to the Skeldon Hospital where he was admitted a patient.

The suspect subsequently went to the Number 62 Police Outpost where he lodged a complaint against the victim, claiming that he was lashed to the head, causing it to swell. The police used the opportunity to inform him of the allegation made by Moonsammy and he was arrested and cautioned.

Megnauth was escorted to the Skeldon Hospital where he was treated and sent away. He was taken to the Number 51 Police Station and placed in custody.

Police are continuing their investigations.

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tuesday, september 10, 2013| guyanatimesGY.com

Interior worker remanded for assaulting girlfriend

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n interior worker was on Monday remanded to prison after he was charged with three offences at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

It was alleged that on September 7 at West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Troy Roberts threw stones to the annoyance and danger of Lotoya Jones. It was further alleged that on the same day, he made use of threatening language to Jones and it was also alleged that he on the same day assaulted her causing her actual bodily harm.

He pleaded not guilty to each charge as it was read to him.

He was unrepresented and told the court that he is 23 years old and resides at 37 Gordon Street, Kitty.

He also stated that he has no prior or pending matters before any other court. He went on to say that the allegations made against him were false, stating that while he was in the interior working, he had sent $300,000 for Jones and asked her to keep $100,000 for him. He said that he did talk to her harshly on the day in question after she told him she did not

have the money. He added that the virtual complainant (VC) and a man she refers to as her boyfriend started to assault him. He however did not have a medical report to support his claim.

According to Jones, on September 7, she went to the market to buy groceries for her grandmother’s birthday and when she returned home, she was told that a taxi driver had come to see her concerning transportation to school for her child.

She stated she went out to talk with him and when she came back, the defendant started to assault her.

According to Prosecutor Vishnu Hunt, the defendant and the VC share a relationship and the offence occurred when Roberts visited her home. He objected to bail on the ground that if granted his pretrial liberty, he will try to tamper with the witness and pervert the course of justice.

Magistrate Judy Latchman remanded him to prison and the matter is set to return to court on September 10.

Eyew tness

Illiteracy... ...in schools fter a decade of trying to bring down illiteracy (20032013), the United Nations, Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (UNESCO) is going to take stock as to why success has been so modest. Rather significantly, the local representative chose to cite the six per cent rise since 1990, while staying mum what it was since 2003. We suspect that, as in Guyana, there’s not much to show for all the resources expended in the last decade to fix the problem.

Ever since Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press back in 1450, he made books accessible to the masses. Rote memorisation wasn’t “education” any more: you had to read.

If knowledge was power, you’d think everyone would want to read to acquire that power. It didn’t seem to have worked out that way. And it doesn’t appear to be all due to lack of access to schools.

UNESCO claims that 84 per cent of the world’s population can now read and write. We have our doubts about that. And even with that metric – what exactly do they mean by “read and write”? We hope it doesn’t mean painfully picking out letters to form sounds. “Reading and writing” to us means that an individual should at least be able to read a newspaper and to be able to craft a simple letter to any official to complain about a problem affecting him/her.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) had shot for universal access to primary education as the linchpin for universal literacy. Guyana has reached that goal. The government has spent an awful lot of money to fix school buildings, train teachers and unleashed programmes to improve numeracy and literacy.

But the crucial question is whether those graduates are “literate” by our standards. They’re not – and even the subject minister and her officials would concede that – hence the lamentations about our children’s performance at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examinations.

The next question is “why”? We’re sure there are no silver bullets – even the promised National Literacy Plan. But what’s certain is the ministry has to stop being suckered in on quick

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fixes. There’s been a whole slew of initiatives in the past decade to improve literacy – but the common denominator with all of them is the lack of sustained follow up. Literacy isn’t a matter of pressing a button: we’ve got to get with the programme and stick with the programme – for at least a decade. ...in reading signs Ex-Speaker Ralph Ramkarran reviewed his predictions on what would’ve happened at the last People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Congress. It was, not surprisingly, quite selfserving. He patted himself on the back rather effusively on predicting the tone of calm and bonhomie that prevailed at the congress. Seeing that he himself had said this was the pattern for decades, he wasn’t exactly the Oracle of Delphi on the issue.

But on the major and most significant substantive matter, he had to concede he was completely off base: the choice of the general secretary of the PPP? He tried to downplay his misreading of the psychology of the comrades he broke with after half a century. But that misreading tells much about the psychology of the man who would be president. He’d predicted that President Donald Ramotar would hold on to the post because of its strategic power base.

Ramotar would’ve consolidated his chances for a second term run. This exposes Ramkarran fixation on personal power at the expense of the PPP’s vibrancy. President Ramotar obviously knows that the demands of the presidency would preclude him from doing the grassroots work necessary to reinvigorate the party’s mechanism. He chose the man even Ramkarran says is the best person for the job.

We wish Ramkarran would’ve conceded the same back in 2011 on the PPP’s presidential candidate. ...on mea culpa Nigel Hughes captioned his mea culpa on the Amaila debacle “The AFC Journey…A political road less travelled”. Damned right that road is less travelled. It’s the road to perdition and damnation due to lying and hypocrisy.

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tuesday, september 10, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

BK Int’l assures

No shortfall of stones – opposes move to import

BY SABATINI DANIELS

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mid talks of government considering importation of stone to facilitate the large volume of infrastructural works being dome here, the management of BK International Inc said there is no shortfall of the building material and is opposing any moves to have it imported.

On Saturday, President Donald Ramotar was reported as saying that his administration was seriously considering importing stone, noting that he had recently reviewed the pending and ongoing infrastructural works in the country and realised they were beset by challenges, one of which is the inability of the local quarry establishments to produce adequate amounts of stone to satisfy current demand.

Following the sentiments expressed by the president, on Monday, the company called a press conference disclosing that currently it has an average of about 10,000 tonnes of stones in storage at its Kingston site and another 10,000 tonnes in storage at its quarry. The company’s quarry produces between

30,000 to 40,000 stones per month which it maintains is more than enough to supply local demand. The company thinks that the president is being misinformed.

BK International Inc Director Briony Tiwari said there are no outstanding orders from contractors pertaining to their interest in uplifting materials or orders for materials. She highlighted that the company has also limited its credit customers, adding that this means “for the past two years, our credit line has exceeded $50 million, and as such, I have a hold on that and it is required that payment is made on delivery of materials”.

Sluggish

It was also revealed at the press conference that business has been sluggish as of lately. Thus, she said the newly adopted non-credit policy may be a reason for this; however, she said that the company has received queries from international markets which are ready to buy, explaining that right now BK International Inc is focusing on the local market.

Meanwhile, BK

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President Donald Ramotar

International owner Brian Tiwari noted that the company can increase its supply if it is needed, but at the moment, this would not be the best decision since its stockpile is full. He said up to this month-end, if business does not pick up, his company will venture to begin exporting its stone. At present, it is in talks with a Brazilian company based in Trinidad to ship 50,000 tonnes of stones per month.

The owner also underscored that his company has been having some issues with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), adding that it applied for an extension of its quarry operations since December last year and is

yet to receive a response from the agency. “Whether they will do it, consider it or it will take an allowance to expand our operations… we have the financial resource to expand our business… we have the resources.”

He posited that one of the major problems contractors in the country face is payments for work done, making reference to the Public Works Ministry, which he says gives a hard time to pay.

Quality

The company’s Quality Control Engineer Julian Archer also weighed in on the issue, noting that at present, the government is permitting the importation of slate stone by a particular company, which he said is of inferior quality compared to the stone produced by BK International. He said this poses a major threat on the long-term viability of the work produced. “Permission was granted to the company since September last year to import stone which is said to be more expensive than regular stone here.”

Archer insisted that slate stone should not be used on road construction. “One

of the first problems is absorption, the difference between the slate stone and our stone, there is a difference of 20 per cent in absorption which means that stone will take more asphalt, which means there’s additional cost in the road construction.”

Another property Archer said is wear index, which BK International Inc stone is 11 per cent stronger than.

“The slate stone is not conducive to our type of construction and would not be conducive to our weather.” He said the company’s stones meets the requirements of American, European and British standards.

The company is also willing for the ministry to inspect its stone whenever it sees fit, to verify it good quality. Subsequent to these comments, this publication tried to solicit a response from Public Works Minister Robeson Benn but our attempts proved futile.

Case dismissed against man charged for assaulting mother of his child

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n Monday, the matter was dismissed against a man at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts due to no evidence being offered.

Dexter Pierre pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that on September 5, at Tuckville, Georgetown, he unlawfully assaulted Shamika Henry.

Henry told the court that she will not be offering any evidence against the defendant who is the father of her child. She said that they were living together for nine months but he asked her to leave and she did so.

She stated that she does not want any problems and wishes to have the matter finished but is requesting that Pierre give her money to support their child.

Magistrate Judy Latchman dropped the charges against him and he was free to go.

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News

Gonsalves, Ramotar hold talks during one-day visit

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t Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves on Monday held talks with President Donald Ramotar at the Office of the President.

Details of the leaders’ discussions have not been released. Meanwhile, in a release, the Caricom Secretariat said Dr Gonsalves also visited the Caricom headquarters during which he thanked staff members for their work in promoting regional integration and rallied them to “keep the faith”.

“Sometimes it might look as if we are marking time, but we have been making some good progress in some areas and we have more to do and I want to thank you for soldiering on and working together and I hope in the new year we can redouble our efforts,” he said.

Prime Minster Gonsalves,

President Donald Ramotar and St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves pose for a photo during the latter’s visit to here on Monday

who holds the transport portfolio in the Caricom quasicabinet, assumes the chair-

manship of the community in January 2014.

He was in Georgetown

on a two-fold mission; to visit the Caricom Secretariat and to hold bilateral discussions with President Donald Ramotar.

During his visit, Prime Minister Gonsalves held discussions with Caricom Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque and members of the secretariat’s executive management committee.

Briefly addressing staff members, the prime minister said that his visit to the secretariat was in preparation for his assumption of the chair. He identified a “bundle of issues” that are germane to the integration movement that he will place focus on, including trade among Caricom member states and with external partners, job creation, transportation, economy, free movement and hassle-free travel, governance and climate change mitigation.

Drunken policeman gets bail for hitting down lad

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olice Sergeant Shivram Murugayya who hit down a lad early Sunday morning was on Monday charged for driving an unlicensed motor vehicle and under the influence.

He appeared before Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo at the Vreeden-Hoop Magistrate’s Court where he pleaded “not

guilty” to both charges, and was placed on bail. He will return to court on January 14, 2014.

Police had said in a release that the policeman was arrested by publicspirited citizens after he attempted to escape after hitting down the boy on the Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) Public Road. The lawman was

drunk, according to a police release.

The release stated that about 02:40h, an 11-yearold boy was attempting to cross the road at Tuschen, EBE when he was struck down by a motor car, the driver of which failed to stop at the scene.

Public-spirited persons pursued the vehicle which led to the driver be-

ing arrested by police at Stewartville, West Coast Demerara. He was found to be a member of the police force and was over the legal limit in terms of consumption of alcohol. The victim is a patient at the West Demerara Regional Hospital.

G-PEE-Hell got a big pole problem

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ld people seh when mouth open story does jump out. Every time some politicians mouth open, a different story does jump out every time. One time Dr Lunch Man seh de Amaila Falls project dead. De prezzi hear that and seh de project ain’t dead.

De finance minister chime in and seh de project gon never dead. Old people also seh too many cooks does spoil de food, so thank God Dr Lunch Man, de prezzi and de finance minister don’t cook fuh anybody. Dem does only eat.

Another man who mouth does open plenty and some thing different does come out every time is Din Dhaal. De more G-PEE-Hell give people blackout is de more Din Dhaal mouth openin he fuh mek excuse. Every time is a different excuse he mekkin up.

Any body who hear Dr Lunch Man and Din Dhaal talk gon start mekkin flambos and fireside and buyin kerosene lamp.

One time Din Dhaal seh de wukmen wukkin pun de system so dem had to cut off de power. Next time he seh was too much rain. When it not rainin de wukmen dem does seh de sun too hot and dem can’t wuk in de field.

Another time Din Dhaal seh de breeze blow hard and knock down G-PEE-Hell poles. De other day he seh lightnin strike de poles.

And de poles pun de Railway Embankment leanin fuh one side and can’t stand up straight. Now Din Dhaal seh G-PEE-Hell runnin outta poles and dem gon have to bring in foreign poles.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie!

So G-PEE-Hell gotta big pole problem. But G-PEE-Hell women happy, and some of de men more happy – all because foreign poles comin in soon!

Seven hurt in three-vehicle smash-up at Rahaman’s Park

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even persons were on Monday rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital following a three-vehicle smash-up at Rahaman’s Park, Georgetown.

Six of the seven persons were identified. They are Brain Hintzen, Tracy Mohan, Julius Dublin, Latoya Johnson, Tomila Allen and Pauline Gentle. They all sustained lacerations to their

bodies and were being treated at the hospital up to late Monday afternoon.

According to information received, a Rent-a-Tent vehicle, a route 32 minibus and a motor car were involved in the accident and many of the passengers in the bus sustained injuries.

Additional reports revealed that the vehicles were heading to Georgetown when

Ramotar talks up...

the motor car overtook another vehicle and ended up in the path of the minibus.

In attempting to avoid a collision, the driver of the minibus swerved and came into contact with a Rent-a-Tent vehicle which was reportedly leaving its Rahaman’s Park office. Information on the accident remains sketchy as none of the eyewitnesses was willing to speak.

from page 3

Speaking on behalf of FAO Director General Jose Graziano Da Silva, Assistant Director General Edurado Rojas said the hosting of the 28th Session of the LACFC in Guyana, signals its leading role in international forest-related development.

He too acknowledged the country’s implementation of the LCDS while urging President Ramotar to continue this crucial legacy.

Meanwhile, Natural Resources Minister Robert Persuad underscored the important role the forestry sector continues to play in Guyana’s development. He said Guyana’s forest continues to flourish in the areas of timber harvesting, mining and eco-tourism. “In the past nine months, Guyana has seen declared gold production surpass previous years and timber production in-

creasing when compared to the last two years. These sectors are based in forests and are sustained by continuing efforts in good environmental stewardship and management,” he reported.

Currently, more than 2000 persons are employed in the forestry sector which contributes between US$40 million to US$60 million annually to export earnings.

The sector also continues to record an average production level of approximately 420, 000 cubic meters of extracted timber.

Complementing production is the academic sector with bachelor’s and master’s levels training available at the University of Guyana.

Diploma and certificate level programmes are also facilitated at the Guyana School of Agriculture and the Forestry Training Centre, in

keeping with international standards.

“Whilst it is easy to focus only on the national status of our forest sector, we continue to engage in a very fruitful collaboration with international partners, including the FAO that presents opportunity to share our views of the sector in a regional and international context,” Persaud said.

The 28th Session of the LACFC will conclude on Friday, September 13, with the establishment of a work programme for the remainder of this year and 2014.

Participating countries will also use the forum as a platform to discuss their local forestry programmes, in addition to the role of the FAO in the context of sustainable forest management and climate change.

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, september 10, 2013

Hospital attendant unconscious after Camp Street accident

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icola London, 23, a hospital attendant of Lot 7 Paradise, East Coast Demerara remains in an unconscious state following an accident involving a bus and a motorcar at the corner of Camp and Lamaha streets, Georgetown on Sunday.

London, who is attached to the Georgetown Public Hospital for the past year, received head injuries and is said to be in a state of shock.

According to information received, the mother of four on Sunday morning left work about 09:00h and boarded a route 45 minibus BPP 1538, and on their journey to Stabroek, a black motorcar bearing registration number PPP 0825 slammed into them.

Guyana Times understands that the car involved in the accident was speeding and may have jumped the traffic light at Camp and Lamaha streets and ended up slamming into the bus driven by Nigel Gibson.

As a result of the impact, the minibus reportedly toppled on its side and travelled some distance before it came to a halt. The car driven by Roslind De Barros ended up in a nearby canal.

Several persons including London were rushed to the medical facility where they were treated. London, on the other hand, was kept for observation since the doc-

The car that was involved in the accident

tors thought that she was in a state of shock.

She is being kept in the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department as hospital officials claimed that there is no space to accommodate her in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Shevon, an aunt of the injured woman stated that she is very much disappointed with the way her niece is being treated. She explained that after the accident on Sunday, London was taken into the A&E Department and was not attended to until after lunch on Monday.

She is not responding to anyone, the aunt stated.

In addition, she noted that tears were tricking from London’s eyes and she could not move. “Her eyes are wide

Home Affairs Ministry seeking traffic wardens

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he Home Affairs Ministry is currently in the process of recruiting traffic wardens who will be responsible for assisting the Guyana Police Force (GPF) with the general control and regulation of traffic and enforcement of motoring and parking laws.

This is in keeping with the provisions of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, which was amended in 2011 to empower the police commissioner with the approval of the minister, to appoint persons as traffic wardens.

Persons who wish to become traffic wardens must satisfy the requisite criteria, and will be exposed to the necessary training (case file preparation, issuance of traffic tickets, courtroom and law enforcement ethics, anger management and basic first aid) that will equip them to effectively execute their mandate.

They must be at least 18 years old with a minimum of three subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, including mathematics and English; be in good physical health; and have no criminal record.

Traffic wardens, who will be paid a salary of $59,360 monthly, may also be called upon to give evidence in court if the need arises. They will be sworn-in as rural consta-

bles in accordance with the Police Act so as to ensure that they are better able to perform their functions.

Those recruited will be part of a six-week training programme, which will be conducted by suitably qualified ranks from the GPF and will also include field exercises. Importantly, persons who, in any way, obstruct a traffic warden from executing his/her duties could face a fine of $30,000 and six months imprisonment. This too, was provided for under the amended Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act. The Traffic Department of the GPF has been working continuously to initiative ways and means to encourage safer road. Some of the major interventions by government to curb recklessness on the roadways include the introduction of the Driving Under the Influence (DUI) regulation, which is complemented with the use of the breathalyser, seat belt regulation, radar guns and now traffic wardens. The latter, however, needs more support from the public to be successfully implemented.

The GPF has reported that the period January 1 to July 31 saw reductions in relation to the other categories of traffic accidents. Thus far, pedestrians have been the main road users affected with 21 such persons having lost their lives at the end of July.

The route 45 minibus toppled on its side

open and it looks as if she is already dead.”

The woman also expressed concerns with the way police are handling the matter. Shevon stated that both drivers were released on station bail and are reporting to the Brickdam Police Station on a daily basis.

While this is evident, police have not visited the patient at the hospital to see her condition before the two drivers were released. She is calling on the relevant authorities to look into the matter as soon as possible.

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tuesday, september 10, 2013 | guyanatimeSGY.com

hospitalised after RCAC holds training seminar for volunteers Biker collision with minibus

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he Ruimveldt Children’s Aid Centre (RCAC) on Saturday held a training seminar in the conference room of the National Library, geared at preparing volunteers to teach special needs students using different approaches.

The training was conducted by Daphne Franklin.

Franklin told Guyana Times that the programme sought to help prepare volunteers to cater for the varying abilities of special needs students.

She stated that all children can learn, but their tutors need to have patience and adjust to their ability.

She went on to say that children need to be gainfully engaged with things that are fun and educational.

Event coordinator Sandra Saygon said the centre enlisted the support of Franklin as they realised that when they get new volunteers, they find it very hard to interact with the

Ruimveldt Children’s Aid Centre volunteers at the workshop

students and many of them often leave because it is too much for them to handle.

She said the seminar is the second hosted by the centre and the most recent attracted 17 volunteers, who were trained on how to plan lessons and cope with difficult behaviour.

The Ruimveldt Children’s Aid Centre works to enable and empower disadvantaged children through positive

self-image, respect, rights and responsibility. The centre places emphasis on cultural activities to stimulate the minds and foster overall development of its students.

It feeds around 60 children per day and hosts a programme of activities seven days a week.

On Monday to Friday there is dance tuition, choir practice, after school lessons, career development

and counselling for children who need a quiet space with a trained counsellor to share and solve their problems.

This support of children is a key part of the RCAC’s work. Saturday is dedicated to the Youth Club and features fun-filled recreational activities.

On Sunday, there is Sunday School where children are taught religious education. The Ruimveldt Children’s Aid Centre is dependent on donations from corporate organisations, public-spirited citizens locally and abroad and two support groups in Canada and the United Kingdom.

The children who attend the centre are from Riverview, Ruimveldt and Company Path (Yarrow Dam).

The Ruimveldt Children’s Aid Centre is a voluntary, non-profit charitable organisation and was registered under the Friendly Societies Act on July 18, 1991.

Neal and Massy makes donation to 23 charitable organisations

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he Neal and Massy Guyana Group made donations to 23 organisations on Monday to coincide with its 45th anniversary celebrations being observed this month.

According to a release, the company’s Chief Executive Officer Deo Persaud said the group was extremely pleased to make the donations of cash and stationery to the organisations which have made valuable contributions to those in need.

The companies in the Neal and Massy Group are Associated Industries Limited (AINLIM), CCS Guyana, Demerara Oxygen Company (DOCOL), Geddes Grant, Marketing and Distribution (M&D), NM Services Limited and NM Security Solutions.

“The community is one of our key stakeholders, we see you as partners and we thank you for what you have been doing for the people in your organisations.

Continue the good work and

Neal and Massy Group Chief Executive Officer Deo Persaud (sitting at centre) and executives of the group of companies with representatives of the organisations that received donations

we will support you in your efforts”, Persaud said.

He noted that the group has made tremendous strides over the years and will continue to grow from strength to strength in the years ahead.

Organisations from as far as Berbice, Essequibo, Linden and West Demerara benefited from the donations. The beneficiaries were the Dharm Shala,

the Guyana Relief Council, the Bernice Mansell Foundation, the Radio’s Needy Children’s Fund, Step by Step Foundation, Community Based Rehabilitation, Lifetime Counselling Services, David Rose School for Handicapped Children, Georgetown Hospital Paediatric Ward, the Deaf Association of Guyana, Child Link Inc, Ruimveldt Children’s Aid

Centre, Cheshire Home, East Bank Demerara Special Needs School, Parbhu Sharan Orphanage, Canaan Children Home, Children of Promise Eden, Guyana Book Foundation, the New Opportunity Corp, Hauraruni Girls Home, Beacon of Hope, Guyana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Guyana Presbyterian Church.

U.S. jazz trio for Guyana concerts

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motorcyclist is now a patient at a private hospital after he collided with a minibus on the Number 74 Village, Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice on Sunday.

Basdeo Bhola, 22, of Number 38 Village, Corentyne, Berbice is nursing a fractured hand and abrasions to his body. He is said to be in a stable condition. The accident occurred about 14:45h and involved minibus BLL 6922 driven by Mohamed Alli of Line Path, Corriverton, Berbice and motorcycle CF 3809 propelled

by Bhola. The driver of the minibus was arrested and is assisting with the investigations.

According to information received, the minibus was proceeding along the Number 74 Village, Public Road when

Man fined for possession of unlawful weapons

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n Monday, a minibus driver was fined after he made an appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to the charge of possession of unlawful weapons.

Mark Hopkinson, 31, of 2878 North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, pleaded guilty to the charge which read that on September 5 at Water Street, he had in his possession a knife and cutlass.

According to the prosecution, on the day in question around 15:00h, the police were on mobile patrol when they saw Hopkinson stop his minibus BMM 4895 in the middle of Water Street obstructing traffic and was at the time abusing another male. The police ranks conducted a search on the minibus and the items mentioned in the charge were found. He was questioned as to why he had the articles in his possession but could not give a reasonable or lawful answer.

Attorney Paul FungA-Fat represented the de-

fendant and stated that Hopkinson was in an accident with another minibus in which the other driver hit his back bumper and the two were having an exchange of words.

He told the court that the police had shown up after both drivers had come to an agreement. He went on to say his client has no other matters in court and has no prior convictions except those that concern traffic offences. He also made an application for a fine to be imposed and not a custodial sentence.

Hopkinson then told the court that he had explained to the police that he bought the cutlass at Muneshwar’s to do some weeding at home and the knife was in a pouch when they found it. He said that he kept it in his bus for protection, since he was robbed one morning by two men who entered his bus under the pretence of being passengers.

Magistrate Judy Latchman fined him $30,000 or one month imprisonment.

Accountant remanded for threatening wife

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n Thursday a man was brought before Magistrate he U.S. embassy, in Benny Goodman all over and educational presenta- the Saint Louis Symphony collaboration with the world and will contin- tions and performances at Orchestra and is an ad- Judy Latchman at the Magistrates’ the Culture, Youth, ue to promote jazz abroad Bishops' High School and junct professor of music at Georgetown and Sport Ministry wel- through programmes such Berbice High School. The the University of Missouri. Courts to answer to the comes the Phil Dunlap Trio as Art Envoys, Rhythm trio will conclude the week Nicholas Jost has played charge of threatening beto Georgetown during the Road, American Voices and with a free concert open to with the likes of Reggie haviour.

It was alleged on week of September 9 to 14. others. the public at the Theatre Thomas, Eric Slaughter and September 6 at David Street Their visit is made posThe Phil Dunlap Trio will Guild on Friday, September Sean Jones. sible by a grant from the perform in a series of jazz 13 at 19:00h. This event is As an educator, he has Kitty; Andrew Ramroop U.S. Department of State’s concerts and educational open to the public with seats served as a faculty member threatened Amanda Kissoon Bureau of Cultural Affairs. workshops during the week. available on a first come, in camps throughout the with a cutlass where a The Jazz Ambassadors Highlights include a jam ses- first serve basis.

United States and also in breach of the peace was ocProgramme was estab- sion with some of Guyana’s The trio consists of Phil Kathmandu, Nepal. Marty casioned. He pleaded not lished in 1961 to encourage top jazz players, an educa- Dunlap (keyboard), Nicholas Morrison has performed guilty to the charge which cultural exchange between tional presentation and per- Jost (bass guitar) and with Wynton Marsalis, was read against him.

Ramroop was unrepreAmericans and citizens of formance at the St John’s Marty Morrison (drums). Marcus Roberts, and, other countries. The State Bosco Boys Orphanage, in- Phil Dunlap currently re- among many others, Phil sented and told the court Department has sent leg- depth workshops with stu- sides in Georgetown’s sister Woods. He is currently a that he is a 42-year-old acends like Dizzy Gillespie, dents and staff from the city, St Louis, Missouri. He professor of jazz studies at countant with one child and the complainant is Louis Armstrong, and National School of Music, frequently performs with Missouri State University.

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the driver stopped to put off a passenger. The motorcycle at the time was proceeding along the said roadway.

Immediately after putting off the passenger, the driver of the minibus allegedly drove off and attempted to make a U-turn in front of Bhola, resulting in the collision.

Bhola was picked up in a conscious condition and taken to the Skeldon Public Hospital, where he was treated for a fractured left hand and abrasions about his body. He was admitted a patient in the male ward.

Bhola subsequently took self-discharge and then proceeded to the Anamayah Private Hospital where he was further treated and admitted. Both vehicles are impound at the Springlands Police Station.

his reputed wife. He gave his address as 85 David Street, Kitty and stated he has no prior or pending matters before any other court.

Prosecutor Vishnu Hunt objected to bail stating that Ramroop was charged with break and enter with larceny and was convicted. He also said that both Ramroop and Kissoon reside at the same address and if granted bail, he may carry out his threats.

Magistrate Judy Latchman refused bail and he was remanded to prison.

The matter was transferred to Court 10 for September 20.

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tuesday, september 10, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Guyana to import Guyana not in a terrible place as it relates to literacy – Manickchand chicken to cushion shortage

BY VAHNU MANIKCHAND

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he Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry has granted 18 licences valid up to January 2014 for importation of chicken which has been in short supply on the local market.

“After careful consultations with the poultry association and the major stakeholders involved in the chicken industry, especially representatives of the farming community, we decided to issue permits for the importation of chicken to almost every person who applied,” acting Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali told the media on Monday.

The licences were issued in a measured way, only for the quantity that both the poultry association and the ministry assessed to be the gap in the market. Minister Ali expressed the hope that within weeks, the situation could correct itself with the demand meeting the supply.

“We are encouraging the large poultry producers, and small farmers, to step up production so we can control the market for the end of the year. Indeed, our consumption of chicken has increased tremendously; we need to ensure production continues to increase to meet that level,” the minister said.

Last month, the ministry, through its Consumer Affairs Division continued to monitor the escalating prices for poultry on the local market. Towards this end, ministry officials had met previously with representatives of the Guyana Poultry Producers Association and the Guyana Livestock Development Authority, to discuss the possibility of an

Acting Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali

impending shortage. “Both agencies confirmed that the problem was with a shipment of hatching eggs,” Derrick Cummings, who spoke on behalf of the ministry, explained.

The permits for the importation of chicken were granted at 100 per cent duty and were given to traditional importers whose applications were pending. Those granted permission will be restricted to one or two containers, to be imported from Suriname and the United States. Earlier this month, Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy said with the granting of licences for the importation of chicken, the issue of shortage would be greatly eliminated and once chicken prices are stabilised, those licences would not be renewed.

According to Dr Ramsammy, the government will be taking action now to ensure that consumers do not have issues with high prices during the Christmas season. “We are working to ensure that there isn’t a shortage or significant increase in prices during that time,” he stated.

ducation Minister Priya Manickchand said when it comes to literacy among children, Guyana is not in a “terrible place”.

The minister made the comment on Monday as Guyana joined the rest of the world in observance of International Literacy Day under the theme “Literacies for the 21st Century”. The ministry in an effort to increase literacy in Guyana, handed out free books to the public on Monday. This was done across the country through the ministry’s “Drop everything and read” and “Give a book” campaigns.

The ministry had asked Guyanese to stop whatever they were doing at 11:00h on Monday and read for 15 minutes. The ministry had also encouraged persons to give a book to another as part of the campaign.

For

Response

the most part of Monday morning, Manickchand visited several sites around Georgetown where tents were set up and she met with adults and children, encouraging them to read. Manickchand told Guyana Times that the response from the public to the campaign was overwhelming. She noted that this is not the end of the ministry’s literacy drive since it will be implementing a new 2014 strategic plan aimed at increasing the country’s literacy rate.

“We are going to be unveiling in 2014, a new strategic action plan where we are going to detail for the population how is it we intend to make literacy programmes accessible to both children

Guyanese browsing through the various books being distributing outside of the Education Ministry

in the classroom and people who cannot be there,” said the minister.

The education minister further stated that she is aware that there some areas that needs to be reviewed in terms of students’ literacy performance; however, she noted that Guyana is not in a terrible place as it relates to literacy among children. She said that she is pleased that persons are willing to participate in making Guyana more literate.

“I believe that there is much we can do and much we can be doing from the ministry. We are not just going to pelt a plan out there, we are going to have particular outcomes that we will look for and we will measure to see if we are getting where we want to from year to year,” Manickchand stated.

The minister encouraged all Guyanese to read as there are a lot of materials available, adding that the Internet can also be used to improve

Stalled EBD four-lane highway costing BK Int’l millions

O

ne of the contractors of the East Bank Demerara four-lane highway, BK International Inc on Monday said the slothful progress of the project is costing it significant amount of money.

Several components of the highway project have been stalled due to the need for the removal and relocation of public utilities such as power poles and gas and telephone lines from within the project area.

Speaking at a press conference at the company’s boardroom at Kingston, BK International Inc owner Brian Tiwari voiced his frustration over this issue, noting that the pause on the project has been costing him much money since he has to maintain his employees even though work has been halted. “We have brought in a man from England to help us with the Diamond Bridge, its three months on the job, I

BK International Inc owner Brian Tiwari said the slothful progress of the East Bank Demerara four-lane highway project is costing his company millions of dollars

have to pay him U.S. dollars and we can’t do anything.”

He said it is costing the company close $100 million every two months to maintain its staff, noting that it cannot move forward without government’s approval.

“We can only do things

when we get the clearance,” he added. He posited by the end of this month, if the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) does not remove from the army area at Timehri, which is also an area BK is contracted to build, works will stall once

again.

Tiwari said regarding the removal of the gas pipes at the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL); a meeting is scheduled with DDL Chairman Yesu Persaud to address this issue soon. If this is ironed out soon, the contractor will not go over the October deadline of this aspect of the project by far.

The East Bank Demerara Four-Lane Road Expansion Project spans about 5.2 kilometres, starting from the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, going up to the Diamond intersection. It is being executed in three lots. Lot One from Providence to the Covent Garden Water Treatment Plant is being done by Dipcon Engineering, Lot Two from the Water Treatment Plant to Little Diamond by Gaico Construction and Lot Three from Little Diamond to Diamond intersection by BK International.

literacy skills. Manikchand is urging parents to encourage their children to read.

“If you have the skills of being able to read then make sure you use it sensibly and wisely. As parents, read to your children and if you cannot read, then sit with them for at least 15 to 20 minutes and let then read to you,” the education minister urged.

Praises

Guyana Times caught up with several persons who praised the initiative by the ministry. Gailan Griffith said since books are expensive, this is a great initiative undertaken by the ministry.

“Being literate helps to make you a better person, build your self-esteem, helps to provide job opportunities for you. Once you are literate, it opens many doors for you,” Griffith said.

Meanwhile, Jean Arthurton said that many children do not have books because their parents can-

not afford it, and on that noted, she commended the initiative by the Education Ministry.

International Literacy Day was proclaimed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on November 17, 1965 and was first observed in 1966.

It aims to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies. On International Literacy Day each year, UNESCO reminds the international community of the status of literacy and adult learning globally. Some 776 million adults lack minimum literacy skills; one in five adults is still not literate and two-thirds of them are women; 75 million children are out-of-school and many more attend irregularly or drop out. Literacy Day also signifies the recognition of the country to strive towards total and complete literacy for the nation.

Two persons remanded for wounding

T

wo persons were on Monday remanded to prison after they appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to separate charges.

Daniel Mohamed pleaded not guilty to both charges which read that on August 8 at East Ruimvedlt, Georgetown, being armed with a gun he robbed Andre Barrington of $16,000 and on August 15, at East La Penitance, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Barrington.

Nikisha Abrams was also charged with the unlawful wounding of Andrew Barrington at East La Penitance on August 15 and pleaded not guilty to the charge. Mohamed was unrepresented and told the court he is a 25-year-old porkknocker and resides at Lot 1 Front Road East Ruimvedlt.

He also stated that he has no prior or pending matters before any other court.

Attorney Paul Fung-A-

Fat represented Abrams and told the court that she is a 26-year-old cosmetologist with a fixed address at 427 Colisack Street, North Ruimveldt. He also said that this was her first offence.

According to Prosecutor Vishnu Hunt, after the alleged robbery, Abrams took Mohamed to Barrington’s house where they both wounded him using a surgical blade resulting in the second charge. He objected to bail on grounds that they both know where the complainant lives and if granted their pretrial liberty, they will try to interfere with the witness and pervert the course of justice.

He also objected to bail on grounds of the seriousness of the offence and the penalty attached. Taking the evidence presented into consideration, the magistrate remanded the defendants.

The matter is set to return to court on September 20.

14

tuesday, september 10, 2013

guyanatimesgy.com

Regional

Suriname powerless against U.S. Chile's opposition leader Bachelet cyber espionage, says minister calls for Pinochet probe

Suriname’s President Desi Bouterse (left) and Foreign Minister Winston Lackin

W

hile the government strongly disapproves of spying activities by the U.S., Suriname cannot fight possible cyber and electronic espionage by U.S. agencies. The country lacks the technological capacity, manpower and capital to ward off any illegal prying of Washington, said minister of foreign affairs, Winston Lackin.

“We should not fool ourselves. We can’t do anything about that,” Lackin told reporters. If there should be proof of any spying activity in Suriname by the U.S., “the only thing we can do is take notice,” said President Desi Bouterse, responding to questions regarding the alleged hacking of email of the presidents of Brazil and Mexico and the UN vid-

eo conferencing system by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA).

“We are in the system and Big Brother is watching you,” the head of state added.

According to Lackin, not even “bigger countries” can stand against the U.S., let alone Suriname with less resources. In this respect, Lackin referred to the situation in Suriname where the seat of the government, the Frank Essed Building, where the Council of Ministers meets, is situated directly opposite the U.S. embassy, with all kinds of modern communication equipment on the roof. He also referred to the ministry of foreign affairs, with the embassy of the Netherlands right in its backyard. (Excerpt from

C

hilean opposition leader Michelle Bachelet has called for a full investigation on the human rights abuses committed during General Pinochet’s rule. She led a ceremony to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the coup that brought the general to power.

She demanded an end to impunity and said Chileans had the right to find out what happened to the victims. The opposition has

P

the unidentified man was found a few feet away from the shed where the severed head had been found on a street in the capital. Police said the hands and feet of the man were tied.

They said residents had

Caribbean News Now)

reported gunshots in the area, prior to the gruesome discovery. Police also denied reports that a second severed head had been found.

So far this year, 276 people have been murdered in Trinidad. (Caribbean360)

could have done a great deal more to safeguard the respect of human rights.”

The event, at the presidential palace in Santiago, was attended by Bachelet’s rival in November’s presidential election, Evelyn Matthei. During the opposition ceremony held earlier at the capital’s Museum of Memory and Human Rights, Bachelet dismissed the view that Chile was on the verge of a civil war in 1973. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

Portia Simpson Miller, champion of the poor

Trinidad's police find severed head of murdered man olice Monday said the severed head of a man had been found in the capital, and believes he may have been a victim of gang warfare in Trinidad and Tobago.

Police said the body of

boycotted an official ceremony to mark the coup.

At the ceremony, centreright President Sebastian Pinera criticised the “violent coup that started a 17-year period of military rule”. But he said it was “the predictable outcome” after “repeated violations of the rule of law” under the government of socialist President Salvador Allende.

He denounced the violations committed during the period and said: “Many of us

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller

P

resident of the ruling People’s National Party (PNP) Portia Simpson Miller on the weekend vowed to remain champion of the poor and op-

pressed, despite harsh economic times.

Addressing hundreds of party faithfuls, Simpson Miller, who is also prime minister, said defence of the poor and oppressed was the platform on which her party was established 75 years ago. That legacy, she stressed, must be protected despite the harsh economic conditions.

“During this difficult period I will do everything that is possible to ensure that we protect the interest of the poor and the oppressed, because it has always been a part of the People’s National Party’s administration, and under my leadership it will be no less,” Simpson Miller

told a Region Six banquet to mark the 75th anniversary at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James on Saturday night.

She urged the large gathering to uphold the founding principles of the party, which she said seeks to protect the poor, which constitutes the masses of the society.

She urged PNP gathering to trumpet the many achievements of the 75-yearold party, saying: “It is us, the members of the People’s National Party who must tell our story and carry the achievements of this noble party across the country. If we do not do it, no one else is going to do it.” (Excerpt from Jamaica

PetroCaribe helps fight poverty, build roads, social housing in Haiti Guatemalan bus plunges

T

he Haitian government said funds collected as a result of the Venezuelan-sponsored PetroCaribe agreement have helped Haiti fight extreme poverty, build roads, social housing, airports and power plants, in the Caribbean country that is hosting the 11th ministerial meeting of the organisation.

The Haitian Prime Minister, Laurent Lamothe, said PetroCaribe funds have helped Haiti build or repair more than 300 km of road, three power plants

and 1500 homes for the needy, while three airports and several government buildings are now under construction with resources generated by the oil deal.

“We are very grateful to the Venezuelan people and government for their solidarity in helping Haiti fight extreme poverty and social exclusion,” Lamothe told HCNN on Friday.

The PetroCaribe agreement allows member states to pay upfront for approximately 60 per cent of the oil bill while the remaining

40 per cent is financed at a two percent interest rate over 25 years.

Lamothe said PetroCaribe funds have enabled the government to set up an unprecedented National Social Assistance Programme, known in Creole as ‘EDE PEP’ (Help the People), which has benefited more than one million Haitians who have received cash transfers, food kits, hot meals, economic support and other social advantages. (Excerpt from Caribbean

C

ly ties, academic exchanges and deep people to people engagement”.

He said Canada continues to support projects in St Lucia through the Canada Fund for local Initiatives such as the St Lucia Development Bank’s Youth Enterprise Equity Fund. This project works towards training young entrepreneurs to understand the components of an accounting system.

While in St Lucia, Commissioner Hanley also attended the grad-

off cliff, killing at least 38

News Now)

St Lucia and Canada to strengthen cooperation

anada will continue to work closely with St Lucia to increase its economic prosperity, and generally improve security and strengthen cooperation.

That assurance came during the week end from High Commissioner designate Richard Hanley when he presented his Letter of Introduction to Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony.

“Canada and St Lucia have a long-standing relationship. We have been good friends over the years. We have economic ties, fami-

Observer)

uation ceremony of the Regional Security System Supervisory Management Course, an initiative funded by the government of Canada to provide law enforcement officers with the skills and knowledge to function as efficient supervisors.

He said Canada will continue to work with St Lucia, toward securing a more prosperous hemisphere and improve upon the already harmonious relationship between the two countries.

(Antigua Observer)

Forensic technicians work at a bus crash site in San Martin Jilotepeque, Chimaltenango region September 9

A

t least 38 people were killed and dozens injured on Monday when a bus went off a cliff on a hairpin bend in rural Guatemala, tumbling some 200 metres (660 feet) into a river at the bottom of a ravine, officials said.

Rescue workers said that the bus, which plunged off of a paved highway roughly 60 km (37 miles) north-west of Guatemala City, was completely destroyed and that

46 people had been taken to nearby hospitals to be treated for injuries.

Investigators do not yet know what caused the crash or what was the final destination of the bus, which was traveling south toward Guatemala City. Rescue workers said that conditions were dry and mostly sunny and that the bus was likely over capacity.

“There are 38 dead, among them six children

and 12 women,” said Sergio Vasquez, a volunteer firefighter at the site of the accident. Local television said many of those on the bus were vendors taking farm produce to market.

The last major bus accident in Guatemala occurred in 2008 when an overcrowded bus slid off a highway and down a 15-metre (50foot) slope some 65 km (40 miles) south-east of the capital, killing 53. (Reuters)

15 Around the World

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, september 10, 2013

Syria “welcomes” proposal to hand over control of chemical weapons

Van Gogh Museum: New Van Gogh identified

A

new possibility for a diplomatic solution in Syria surfaced unexpectedly Monday as the wartorn country said it supported a proposal to hand over control of its chemical weapons. But a key question loomed: Is that a viable option or simply a stall tactic as President Bashar al-Assad’s government tries to stave off U.S. military action?

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem told reporters in Moscow that his nation “welcomes” a proposal

by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during talks on Monday to put Syria’s chemical weapons under international control to avert a U.S. military response over an alleged poison gas attack last month.

“I declare that the Syrian Arab Republic welcomes Russia’s initiative, on the basis that the Syrian leadership cares about the lives of our citizens and the security in our country,” Moallem said. “We are also confident in the wisdom of the Russian government, which is trying to prevent an American aggression against our people.” The comments came after Secretary of State John Kerry

A Free Syrian Army fighter stands on a damaged military tank in Zabadani near Damascus on Sunday, September 8

discussed a similar scenario, though the State Department stressed later Monday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad could not be trusted to relinquish his country’s chemical stockpiles.

White House spokesman Jay

Carney said the “credible threat” of a U.S. military attack on Syria led to the Russian proposal, but he said any such plan would require close evaluation and that Washington remained “highly sceptical” of the Syrian regime. (Excerpt from CNN)

Religious riots kill 31 in India, political parties trade blame

I

ndia’s political parties blamed each other for religious riots that killed at least 31 people and forced hundreds to flee their homes this weekend, in a sign of rising tension between Hindus and Muslims ahead of a general election due by May. Police evacuated Hindu and Muslim vil-

lagers on Monday in the district of Muzaffarnagar, 130 km (80 miles) north-east of New Delhi in the state of Uttar Pradesh, at the centre of some of the worst communal violence in years.

Some locals, fearful after attackers beat children and burned property, hid in fields and police stations, or

fled in ox carts and tractors on Sunday. State security official Kamal Saxena said 31 people were killed, with some fighting also breaking out in a neighbouring district.

“We are on a high alert and curfew will remain in parts of Muzaffarnagar city, while security forces are do-

Reports: Scores killed in CAR gun battles

R

eports say at least 55 people have been killed in fighting between the forces of the new Central African Republic (CAR) president and those loyal to deposed leader Francois Bozize, according to the presidential office.

Bozize’s forces infiltrated villages around Bossangoa, 250km northwest of the capital Bangui, destroying bridges and other infrastructure and “taking revenge against the Muslim population”, Guy-Simplice

Kodegue, spokesman for the office of President Michel Djotodia, said on Monday.

“At least 60 people were killed in these attacks”, Kodegue said. Bossangoa is the main town of the Ouham district where General Bozize was born.

Former rebels of the Seleka coalition ended Bozize’s 10-year rule on March 24 and their leader, Djotodia, then became head of state. On Monday morning, “heavy and light arms fire” were heard in the district of

Bouca, on the road leading to Bossangoa, a military source in Bangui told the AFP news agency on condition of anonymity. “That weapons fire caused people to flee in all directions,” the source said.

These clashes caused some 10 deaths on Sunday in Bossangoa, including two employees of the humanitarian organisation ACTED, another military source said.

At least four fighters from Seleka were also killed, the presidential office’s spokesman said. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

ing regular rounds in the affected villages,” said deputy police chief Arun Kumar.

Violence between Muslims and Hindus has been a defining feature of Indian politics since the separation of Pakistan in 1947, when hundreds of thousands of people were killed and millions displaced. (Excerpt from Yahoo! News)

“Sunset at Montmajour” by Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh is seen during a press conference at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Monday, September 9

A

painting that sat for six decades in a Norwegian industrialist’s attic after he was told it was a fake Van Gogh was pronounced the real thing Monday, making it the first full-size canvas by the tortured Dutch artist to be discovered since 1928.

Experts at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam authenticated the 1888 landscape “Sunset at Montmajour” with the help of Vincent Van Gogh’s letters, chemical analysis of the pigments and X-rays of the canvas. Museum director Axel Rueger, at an unveiling ceremony, described the discovery as a “once-ina-lifetime experience.”

“This is a great painting from what many see as the high point of his artistic achievement, his pe-

riod in Arles, in southern France,” Rueger said. “In the same period, he painted works such as ‘Sunflowers,’ ‘The Yellow House’ and ‘The Bedroom.’”

Museum officials would not identify the owner who brought the painting to them in 2011 to be authenticated. Van Gogh paintings are among the most valuable in the world, fetching tens of millions of dollars on the rare occasions one is sold at auction.

The roughly 37-by-29inch “Sunset at Montmajour” depicts a dry landscape of twisting oak trees, bushes and sky, and was done during the period when Van Gogh was increasingly adopting the thick “impasto” brush strokes that became typical of his work in the final years of his short life.

(Excerpt from Yahoo! News)

Iran denies reported plan to retaliate if U.S. strikes Syria

I

ran’s foreign minister denied reports Sunday that his country could be planning a retaliatory strike against the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad if the United States launches a military strike against Syria.

“Iran will take no action against its ally and brother – Iraq – and I believe all these allegations are there to justify any military strikes, which are a danger for those planning them,” said Mohammad-Javad Zarif, ac-

cording to the Iranian staterun news agency INSA. “Iran has no plans to act against its friend and brother, Iraq,” the minister added. Last week, a senior U.S. official told CNN the United States has obtained intelligence indicating that Iran “may be planning” such a retaliatory strike.

He said that Iran has “a lot of Shi’a friends” in Iraq that would be willing to carry out an attack. The official was responding to

a Wall Street Journal report that the United States intercepted an order from Iran to militants in Iraq to attack the embassy “and other American interests in Baghdad,” if the United States strikes Syria militarily for alleged chemical weapons use.

The State Department had no comment on the report but added it had not taken any action in terms of security at U.S. diplomatic posts in Iraq. (Excerpt from CNN)

Thieves in US$2.6M smash-and- BBC did not lose plot over £1M grab raid on Paris jewellery store pay-off, says Mark Thompson

A

smash-and-grab on a high end Paris store saw four robbers make off with jewellery and watches valued at over US$2.6 million early Monday. At around 04:30h local time (23:30h ET) the thieves rammed an SUV into the front of the Casty store, near the prestigious Place Vendome, a wellknown square in the centre of the French capital that is

home to a number of jewellers and high-end stores.

After scooping up jewellery and watches estimated to be worth 2 million euros (US$2.6 million) the thieves reversed their car out of the store and set fire to it before making off in another vehicle, Le Monde reported.

The raid comes little over a month after a masked bandit made off with US$136

million worth of diamonds and jewels from the Carlton Intercontinental Hotel in Cannes on the glamorous French Riviera, in possibly the world’s biggest heist. A lone robber entered through a French door at the side of the building on the famed La Croisette seafront, scooped up the loot and then jumped out of another window. (Excerpt

from MSNBC)

E

x-BBC director general Mark Thompson has told MPs the corporation had not “lost the plot” when it agreed a payoff of almost £1 million to his former deputy. He accused Lord Patten, chairman of the trust which oversees the BBC, of making “unfair and untrue” claims not to have known about Mark Byford’s payment.

Lord Patten said he “couldn’t have been expected to know” about the sum. Thompson told MPs the trust had put him under “ferocious pressure” to make senior redundancies like Byford’s. The BBC has been criticised for paying £25 million (US$39 million) to 150 outgoing executives – £2 million (US$3.1 million) more than their contracts

stipulated.

Thompson – who is now chief executive of the New York Times newspaper – was one of seven senior BBC figures giving evidence to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

He was asked about a £949,000 pay-off package given to former deputy director general Byford. (Excerpt from BBC News)

16

tuesday, September 10, 2013

guyanatimesgy.com

Africa

Caribbean

New GraceKennedy entity to help cut Africa: The Global Competitiveness Index 2013-2014 Country profile highlights – Sub-Saharan Africa losses from converting currencies

T

wo GraceKennedy Money Services (GKMS) brands – FX Trader and Western Union Business Solutions – have teamed up to offer customers improved international business payment solutions through a new service in Jamaica called FX Trader Business Solutions.

Richard Blake, sales and trading manager of FX Trader, said his company’s decision to establish this additional arm of its foreign ex-

change business would save customers from losses.

“Traditionally, the U.S. dollar has been king in Jamaica. A lot of trade is done between Jamaica and countries like Japan, China, Brazil, and Germany, with a significant amount of funds being lost in converting money from the Jamaican to the U.S. currency and then to these other currencies. With FX Trader Business Solutions, the money lost in having to convert to

these currencies, can be saved by the customer,” Blake said.

He said that FX Trader Business Solutions would enable increased efficiency with international payments than that experienced in the past.

“In addition to the breadth of currencies on offer, the new service will give customers the freedom and security to wire payments around the world, often by next business day,” Blake said. (Jamaica Observer)

North America

Neiman Marcus sold for US$6B to Canada Pension Plan, Ares

T

he owners of Neiman Marcus Inc have agreed to sell the U.S. luxury department store chain to Ares Management LLC and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board for US$6 billion, ending a years-long effort to sell the company.

The Dallas-based retailer, which operates 41 namesake department stores, the famed Bergdorf Goodman store on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue and the Last Call outlet chain,

was taken private by a group of investors led by private equity firms TPG Capital LP and Warburg Pincus LLC in 2005 for US$5.1 billion.

The buyers said they expected the deal to close in the fourth quarter. David Kaplan, co-head of Ares’ private equity group, said in a statement that the firm shared Neiman’s vision and praised the retailer’s chief executive officer, Karen Katz.

Neiman has largely

stopped opening new department stores, but has focused its attention on e-commerce and the expansion of the Last Call chain. CPPIB’s Andre Bourbonnais said the fund was drawn in part by the expectation of an increase in U.S. luxury spending.

A portion of the US$6 billion price will be used to pay down amounts outstanding on Neiman’s credit facilities.

Neiman had long term debt of US$2.7 billion as of April 27.

(Reuters)

Europe

Investors embrace European stocks

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ew data from Goldman Sachs shows American investors pushed more than US$65 billion into the European stock markets in the first six months of 2013, the most for a first half of the year since 1977.

The capital flowed in just as the eurozone clawed out of a recession and the outlook for the region improved. But it comes after many years when investors wouldn’t touch Europe with a proverbial 10-

foot pole, as the eurozone stumbled through debt crises, insanely high unemployment levels and various bailouts.

But even as investors showed their renewed enthusiasm for European stocks, the Goldman Sachs portfolio strategy team said U.S. investors still didn’t have enough exposure to Europe. The team forecast that more American money would flow into Europe in the months ahead, and recommended that long-term in-

vestors consider London’s FTSE 100 index, since that market looked relatively undervalued.

So far this year, the FTSE 100 and France’s CAC 40 index have rallied by roughly 11 per cent. Germany’s Dax 30 index has climbed by 6.5 per cent. This performance is impressive, but not nearly as strong as the main U.S. indexes. The S&P 500, for example, is up nearly 17 per cent in 2013. (CNN Money)

Market statistics Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board

Cambio Rates Bank of Guyana

Cur GBP CAN USD

Fixed as at July 24, 2013 Calculated at 94% purity

Buying

Selling

U.S.

$1335.00

$ 320.41 $196.88 $204.49

$324.43

Cambio

$199.14 $206.92

Gross

$254,331

Net

$236,527

Selling

$262,426

$202.67

Indicators as on September 9, 2013 Live Spot Gold Bid/Ask

$1388.50

$1387.50

Low/High

$1383.20

$1392.10

-2.30

Change

-0.17

USD GBP EUR

AM

1386.00 884.27 1050.56

Sept 6 USD GBP EUR

AM

1368.25 877.87 1042.24

Crude Oil Price Silver Platinum

London Gold Fix

Sept 9

Indicators

USD Per Once

US$ per barrel

Change %

$116.12 USD per Ounce

+0.74

23.72 $1481.00

Change %

-0.13 -10.00

PM

1390.00 885.75 1051.99 PM

1387.00 886.89 1052.91

S

ub-Saharan Africa continues its impressive growth rate of close to five per cent in 2012 (with similar projections for the next two years), providing something of a silver lining in an otherwise uncertain global economy. Indeed, only emerging Asia registers higher growth. Growth has largely taken place on the backs of strong investment, favourable commodity prices, and a prudent macroeconomic stance.

There are, however, some regional variations, and in fact, in terms of underlying competitiveness, sub- Saharan Africa continues to reflect one of signif-

icant regional variations in the GCI, ranging from Mauritius (overtaking South Africa and coming in at 45th this year) to the lowest ranked Chad at 148th. Economies with closer ties to advanced economies, such as South Africa, have not yet returned to pre-crisis growth rates. More generally, sub-Saharan Africa as a whole trails the rest of the world in competitiveness, requiring efforts across many areas to place the region on a firmly sustainable growth and development path going forward: the region continues to register a profound infrastructure deficit.

In addition, sub-Saharan

Asia

Japan’s economic growth data revised higher

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apan has revised up its growth data for the April to June quarter, adding to hopes of an economic recovery. The economy expanded 0.9 per cent during the period, compared to the previous three months. That translates into an annualised growth of 3.8 per cent. The initial estimate of quarter-on-quarter growth was 0.6 per cent.

Japan has taken aggressive measures in recent months to spur growth in the world’s

third-biggest economy, after years of stagnation.

“The moves by Japanese policymakers have fuelled optimism of a recovery, which has seen companies start to invest more,” Martin Schulz of Fujitsu Research Institute told the BBC. “That is trickling down into the labour market and the real economy.

The affect of that is now starting to show in the numbers,” he explained. The upward revision also comes at a time

Changes: +140.62

% Change: +0.94

Open: 14931.26

High: 15088.41

Low: 14931.26

% YTD: +14.95

52Wk Hi: 15658.43

52 Wk Lo: 12035.09

when the Japanese government is considering raising the rate of sales tax – called consumption tax in Japan.

The rate currently stands at five per cent and under government plans that could double to 10 per cent by 2015.

Policymakers have argued that the move is key to cutting Japan’s high public debt, which stands at around 230 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) – the highest among industrialised nations. (BBC News)

Middle East Dubai’s Al Futtaim bids US$86m for Kenyan car retailer

D

ubai-based conglomerate Al Futtaim Group is eyeing its first investment in sub-Saharan Africa with an offer worth US$86 million to take full control of Nairobi-listed car retailer CMC Holdings.

Al Futtaim will offer 13 shillings (US$0.15) per share for CMC, with 50.6 per cent of existing shareholders having pledged to accept the takeover offer, it said in a statement on Monday. Gulf Arab companies are boosting their investments in Africa lured by

the continent’s untapped resources and marking a shift away from their traditionally preferred markets such as the United States and Europe.

The offer represents one of the biggest inflows of foreign investment into the Kenyan economy this year and showed the increasing attractiveness of African companies to firms looking to expand in the continent, Al Futtaim, which operates through 100 companies across 20 markets, said.

CMC Holdings, which owns dealerships in Kenya,

Tanzania and Uganda and has exclusive distribution rights for Ford, has not traded publicly since September 2011 when Kenya’s Capital Markets Authority suspended the stock due to a boardroom row.

Al Futtaim said its takeover offer would help CMC grow its current stable of brands, with Marwan Shehadeh, group director corporate development at Al Futtaim, describing the offer as the first step for the company in an expansion drive across Africa.

(Arabianbusiness)

Investors' guide

Alternative career paths that will help you enjoy your job again

I

f you begin to realise that your chosen career is simply not all that you hoped it’d be, don’t despair. There are several lesser known career paths that dovetail nicely with your current work experience and education if you know where to look.

Here are five variations of jobs which you may have never considered. If you are looking to start a new career or simply switch to a different position in the same field, then here are a few exciting

alternative career paths that you can look into.

environment.

If your passion is teaching but would rather do without the unruly children and the temperamental teenagers, then working as a corporate trainer may just be the job you are looking for.

You will be tasked as a corporate trainer to coach professionals and educate them about specific skills, technologies and protocols needed in order to adapt to a corporate

If you are good with numbers but tired of working in the cutthroat world of traders and stock brokers then have we got a job for you!

You have a head for math and an inclination to numbers and monitoring trade movements and investment opportunities, so you can undoubtedly fare well as a personal finance adviser or consultant.

Corporate trainers

Business concept – Boom

Last: 15063.12

Africa overall continues to underperform significantly in providing health and basic education (only Mauritius and Seychelles rank in the upper half of the rankings). Higher education and training also need to be further developed.

The region’s poor performance across all basic requirements for competitiveness stands in stark contrast to its comparatively stronger performance in market efficiency, where particularly the region’s middle-income economies fare relatively well (South Africa, Mauritius, and Kenya rank in the top 20 per cent in financial market development). (allAfrica)

Personal finance advisers

(Business Dictionary)

TO BE CONTINUED

Period that follows recovery phase in a standard economic cycle. A boom is characterised by an economy working at full or near-full capacity, strong consumer demand, low rate of unemployment, and a rising stock market, usually accompanied by rapidly increasing consumer prices (inflation).

news

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tuesday, september 10, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

ready to host Caribbean Roraima says it was duped Guyana Week of Agriculture into hiring Lynch G F ormer Guyanese Beauty Queen Carolan Lynch, who is wanted by the police for further questioning into the murder of her husband, Swiss House Cambio proprietor Farouk Razac, worked with Roraima Airways, Eping Avenue, Bel Air, Georgetown office as a temporary staff, the company said on Monday.

Days after the police issued a second wanted bulletin, Roraima Airways issued a statement saying that the former beauty queen was a temporary staff in a supervisory capacity. Lynch was hired under the context that the case against her was dismissed and that the company was not aware that there was a current arrest warrant issued for her. Upon her employment, she also confirmed with the company’s Human Resources Department that all legal matters against her were dismissed by the High Court.

During the interview as well, her address stated on her application form was confirmed by officials as her current place of abode.

The release stated that in keeping with the role of the Sentence Management Board, whose function and role is related to the rehabilitation of prisoners and

Carolan Lynch

their reintegration into society; Roraima Airways embraces the role of the private sector in creating those second chances.

“We therefore, support the work of the Sentence Management Board in this regard as part of our corporate social responsibility,” the release added. The board is headed by Captain Gerry Gouveia, who is also the chairman of the Roraima Group of Companies.

When contacted, Gouveia reiterated that the he was not aware that the murder case against the former beauty queen is still pending until he saw a wanted bulletin over the week-end.

He confirmed that Lynch worked for a few months as

a temporary staff, noting that she is not longer employed with the company.

The chairman also explained that presently, he is unaware of the woman’s whereabouts, but he would like to urge Lynch to report to the police with immediate effect. Lynch was charged in May 2007 with the murder of Cambio boss Farouk Razac, who was found dead on the floor of their Eping Avenue, Bel Air home.

Evidence provided to the investigators stated that upon his discovery, he was bleeding through his nose and mouth and his hands were at his neck. The autopsy confirmed that the businessman was strangled to death. In 2008, the former beauty queen was discharged after Magistrate Gordon Gilhuys found that a prima facia case was not established. She was later arrested after the initially wanted bulletin was issued.

At the time of the businessman’s murder, his life was insured for US$1 million, leaving relatives to believe the former beauty queen killed him for the money. She has since denied all allegations, claiming that she found him lying on the ground and contacted law enforcement officers.

uyana from October 5 to 12 will host the 12th edition of the region’s premier agriculture event, Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA), with the stage set for pulling off an exceptional 2013 event, Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy said.

“We are now at the stage of implementation; we went through a lot of time planning this thing because we wanted to make this a special Caribbean Week of Agriculture,” the Government Information Agency (GINA) quoted the minister as saying. There will be 40 science sessions to mark the week-long celebrations, and several workshops including one on monitoring and management of pest population under a changing climate, and another on the development of the coconut industry in the Caribbean.

Several meetings are scheduled including with the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) on Agriculture, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI).

There will, as well, be forums on the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Food Prices and FAO Food Security Policy,

Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy

and agro-tourism, among others that will benefit Guyanese farmers, students at the University of Guyana and the Guyana School of Agriculture, among others.

Minister Ramsammy said that “these sessions would sometimes be going concurrently. So you will have different rooms with different meetings and farmers and technical people can choose which meeting they are going to.”

Exhibition

From October 9-12, an Exhibition and Trade Show will be staged. Minister Ramsammy said that thus far the ministry has received commitment of participation from 11 exhibitors outside of Guyana. The exhibition will have some competition for local exhibitors because of the hosting of GuyExpo.

That event, however, will wrap up just two days before CWA’s exhibition is scheduled to open and Minister Ramsammy expressed hope that this would allow enough time for the local exhibitors to get involved. He said that the ministry is hoping for participation from at least 20 local exhibitors.

“So we are expecting a high quality, a big reception for Caribbean Week of Agriculture. Already, several ministers from the Caribbean have committed to come. We also are expecting for the first time at a Caribbean Week of Agriculture visitors from the Pacific; at least three ministers have requested that they might want to come, the regional director from FAO will be coming to Guyana,” Minister Ramsammy said.

He added: “It is great time for us, not only to show what we are doing, but for the Caribbean to show how it is securing its food and how we are engaging in using agriculture to address other needs.”

The Caribbean Week of Agriculture brings together stakeholders for activities to promote agriculture and agri-industry via policy dialoguing, learning sessions and an exhibition showcasing the sector. The 2013 CWA will be held under the theme “Linking the Caribbean for Regional Food and Nutrition Security and Rural development”.

North West man gets 19 years Seven arrested for guns, ammo for killing wife

S

even men were on Monday arrested at Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke-Linden Highway with a quantity of guns and ammunition during a routine search conducted by members of the Guyana

Police Force.

Police in a statement said about 12:30h on Monday, ranks stopped and searched a Toyota F150 motor vehicle at Yarrowkabra and discovered a .44 Harrington and

Richardson telescopic rifle with 38 matching rounds and a .32 Taurus pistol with seven matching rounds.

The seven occupants of the vehicle are in police custody assisting with investigations.

Former DJ executed in Tucville

F

ormer Slingerz Family Disc Jockey Sheldon Cheddie, also known as “DJ Cheddie” was executed a short distance away from his J9-946 Jackson Street, Tucville residence on Monday night.

According to reports, Cheddie, along with four other friends, was drinking under a shed in the vicinity of Jackson Street, when two gunmen confronted them approximately 20:49h. The former DJ was reportedly singled out and shot about seven times.

The armed men fled on foot, but the sight of the gun(s) did not deter Cheddie’s friends from pursuing them. One of the suspects was caught and severely beaten. He was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital. Up to press time, he was in the hospital un-

Dead: Sheldon Cheddie

der police guard. According to reports, the police responded promptly to the scene. Family members, who swarmed the Georgetown

Public Hospital, said Cheddie would have been 37 years old on September 27, as they wept over his body.

Speaking to Guyana Times, Cheddie’s father Keith Cheddie, said his son was a peaceful man. The elderly man was at home when he got the shocking news.

“It was after eight when my daughter got a phone call saying that Cheddie got shoot, so I rush to the hospital.” Upon his arrival, his son was already pronounced dead.

Questioned about what might have triggered the shooting, Keith said his son was a peaceful individual who engaged in trade work.

“I don’t think he had enemy with anyone.” Cheddie leaves to mourn five children, the youngest being nine and the eldest 18 years old.

L

awrence Rambarran, 38, was on Monday sentenced to 19 years in jail by Justice James Bovell-Drakes for killing his wife back in 2009.

Rambarran was indicted with the murder of his reputed wife Deborah Allen on February 15, 2009, at their Oronoque, Port Kaituma, North West District home.

When the charge was read to the man on August 12, he pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter, admitting to chopping his wife to death during an argument.

A probation report was then ordered by the trial judge and was subsequently presented to the court last Wednesday by Probation Officer Wesley Albert. Albert said in his report that the man had a tough childhood since he had to leave school to assist his mother in maintaining their household with the absence of his father.

However, he was able to overcome that and build a stable life for his wife and child.

The officer also noted that while Rambarran was incarcerated, he took advantage of the literacy programme offered from which he received certification. He also attended anger management sessions and was a regular church goer, said Albert.

He further stated that the accused admitted to him that he committed the act, noting that he was under the influence of alcohol; however, he was remorseful for his actions.

Attorney Peter Hugh, who represented Rambarran, said his client was cognisant that he took a life; hence, he took responsibility for his actions and pleaded guilty, which saved the court’s time.

Plea

The attorney asked the court to consider the circumstances under which the man grew up and the life he was able to make for himself and his family when imposing sentence.

Hugh stated that his client spent five years incarcerated, which can amount to a sentence for some offences. He further requested the court to be lenient in its sentence, noting that his client is not a “bad person” and that the circumstances drove him to commit the crime. The attorney also said that his client can still make a valuable contribution to society; hence, he asked the court to afford him the opportunity to do so by imposing a minimum sentence.

After listening to the presentations by the probation officer and the defence

attorney, Justice Drakes had informed the court that he needed to review the probation report and consider the plea of mitigation carefully before imposing sentence; hence, he deferred his decision to Monday’s date.

On Monday, Justice Drakes went over the facts of the case before handing down a sentence. He took off three years for Rambarran’s guilty plea and a further five years for the time he spent incarcerated. The 38-yearold man was then sentenced to a term of 19 years imprisonment. The prosecution was led by State Counsel Natasha Backer, and according to its case against Rambarran, he and his wife were at a party consuming alcohol. After sometime, the man could not find his wife and after enquiring, he was told she was at the washroom. The man then went to washroom where he saw a man coming out and his wife was zipping her pants up. They left to go home, where he teased the woman about what he saw, causing an argument during which he chopped the woman. Reports from the incident revealed that the man also inflicted injuries on Allen’s teenage daughter and they were both rushed to the Port Kaituma Hospital, where Allen succumbed.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, september 10, 2013

thursDAY, march 11, 2010 | guyanatimesGY.com

archie

By Bernice Bede Osol

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19) Take initiative and show courage when dealing with responsibilities.

Your reputation will be directly linked to what you produce and how you carry out your duties.

dilbert

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19) You may face a conflict between your personal desires and your workload.

Tend to your obligations before you move on to more enjoyable pastimes. Get as much done as you can as early in the day as possible.

Calvin and Hobbes

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Your unusual approach to financial, health or legal matters will leave a lasting impression. The right people are watching, so behave accordingly.

CANCER (June 21July 22) Avoid disagreements.

Consider the consequences that will result from the choice you make. By looking out for others, you will gain the support you need to follow your dreams.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22) Experience will be key when it comes to overcoming a challenge or besting an adversary. Problems due to personal responsibilities can be expected.

Prepare to deal with such matters with compassion and diplomacy.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) Discussions will lead to all sorts of interesting offers. Share your thoughts and look for someone who shares your sentiments.

Peanuts ARIES (March 21-April 19)

SUDOKU

Consistency will be an issue today. Unpredictable situations will put added pressure on you to make a decision. Your best option is to find a physical way to blow off steam.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) If you’re facing a challenge, seek out people who’ve been in similar situations. An unusual offer could result if you take the initiative.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23) Don’t let laziness or lack of insight cost you your reputation or your position. Now’s the time for you to stick to the rules and the game plan.

Don’t make waves.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22) You’re in a good cycle for socialising and networking. Engage in unusual pastimes that inspire you to explore your talents and develop relationships with imaginative and motivational comrades.

Monday's solution GEMINI (May 21June 20)

SAGITTARIUS

Live aggressively and make needed changes in your life. It’s time for you to step into the spotlight, and you’ll want to look your best.

Keep your story straight. Undue embellishment will come back to haunt you. You need to put more emphasis on fixing up your personal space or finding concrete ways to lower your costs.

(Nov. 23Dec. 21)

news 19

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Tremendous response to literacy initiative – hundreds of books given out

T

he “drop everything and read” initiative to promote literacy, has received overwhelming response from children, government officials, the public and other stakeholders as they joined in reading at 11:00h Monday.

President Donald Ramotar was also involved in the literacy drive as he read from a book titled "Doing Business in Guyana" at the Office of the President this morning, joining other staffers of the presidential complex in promoting the initiative, in observance of World Literacy Day, September 8. The Education Ministry erected tents at its 21 and 68 Brickdam locations where members of the public and school children were able to receive books, on a variety of topics. There were also tents at the National Library and at Camp and Regent streets; however, the latter had to be closed because of the overwhelming response.

During the morning session, Education Minister Priya Manickchand visited the locations where she

President Donald Ramotar joins in reading to promote the literacy drive

come and teach it and then we have parents who must do their part and then there is you,” she said. The minister likened the process to that of a relay race where all the participants have a role to play.

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services Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony presents a set of the Guyana Classics to Education Minister Priya Manickchand

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also assisted in handing out books, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

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The minister first visited Stella Maris Primary, her alma mater, and while there, she listened to the students reading. Minister Manickchand also left a package of grade specific books for the school’s reading room. Others including maths and science books will also be forthcoming. While addressing the students, teachers and representatives of the Parent Teachers’ Association (PTA), the minister recognised that the school is doing well, and for it to remain that way, it would depend on the stakeholders.

“This education business is a partnership… it is the government who must be interested in making sure that you are educated, it’s the Ministry of Education who has to put out the policy and programmes and then it’s your teachers that have to

this is reflected in education being high on the list of priorities. “In fact it’s the sector that gets the most money and money translates in us being able to give you services,” she posited.

While the ministry and teachers have their specific roles, Minister Manickchand encouraged the students to attend school regularly and

punctually, to be respectful to their teachers and disciplined.

She acknowledged that parents are the most influential persons in their children’s lives; hence they are full partners with the ministry.

Book distribution

Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony presented a complete set of the Guyana Classics to Minister Manickchand while she was at the book distribution tent erected in front of the 21 Brickdam office.

Minister Anthony noted that while there was a previous presentation of books, which was just a symbolic occasion, his ministry will be sending to the Education Ministry 100 sets of the books for distribution to schools around the country. This is in addition to other books the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry has handed out to schools over the last two to three years. “We want to join the Ministry of Education in supporting this message to get more people to read and enjoy the joys of reading because through reading you can gain a lot of information and knowledge… it makes no sense that if you know to read and you don’t read it’s the same thing like somebody who is illiterate, so let’s use that skill that we all have, and let’s spend some time reading,” Minister Anthony urged.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand reading to a group of students at the Education Ministry’s Office, 68 Brickdam

20

guyanatimesGY.com

tuesday, September 10, 2013

Amla, de Villiers dominate CSA awards H

ashim Amla has become the third South African to be named as Cricket South Africa (CSA) Cricketer-ofthe-Year on two separate occasions, after previously winning the award in 2010.

Amla joins Makhaya Ntini (2005 and 2006) and Jacques Kallis (2004 and 2011) as the only dual winners of the award.

That was not all for Amla, as he picked up four awards on the night, including Sunfoil Test Cricketer of the Year, SA Fan’s Player of the Year and the KFC ‘So Good’ Award for his unbeaten 311 against England last year.

The awards night, organised by CSA in Sandton on Monday, sought to hail international and domestic players who put in remarkable performances over the 2012-13 season. The period under consideration ended in June, so South Africa’s poor Champions Trophy campaign and series in Sri Lanka were excluded.

Haroon Lorgat, the CSA chief executive, gave full praise to the team and Amla for their performanc-

Hashim Amla

AB de Villiers

es over the year. “This has been another amazing year for our top players,” Lorgat said. “It is not easy to keep finding special words to speak about Hashim. He has set South Africa record Test scores against both England and Australia, and he is the first player to score a Test treble century for our country. As if that is not remarkable enough, he is also the No. 1 rated player on the ICC rankings for Test and ODI batsmen.

“The greatest quality he brings to the game is his attitude and humility, which aptly displays the true

spirit of cricket. This transcends all his international statistics and we are indeed very lucky to have such a wonderful role model for our children to emulate.”

AB de Villiers, the South Africa ODI captain, was also among the accolades as he was named Momentum ODI Cricketer of the Year and the SA Players’ Player of the Year.

Dale Steyn was the KFC T20 International Cricketer of the Year, while Kyle Abbott, who picked up 7 for 29 on Test debut against Pakistan in February, was the SA Newcomer of the

Year. Marizanne Kapp, who played for South Africa during the 2013 Women’s World Cup in India, rounded off the evening with the award for Momentum women’s Cricketer of the Year.

On the domestic front, Cape Cobras’ Johann Louw was selected as Sunfoil Series Cricketer of the Season. Geoffrey Toyana, the Lions coach, who this season became the first black African coach in the domestic structure, was handed the distinction of Coach of the Year. Richard Levi, who also plays for Cobras, was awarded Momentum One-Day Cup Cricketer of the Year, while Lions’ Quinton de Kock picked up Ram Slammer of the Season.

Kyle Abbott was hailed as the Domestic Player’s Player of the Year, while Lions were handed the CSA Fair Play Award. Roelof van der Merwe, playing for Titans, was awarded as SACA Most Valuable Player, while Warriors’ Ayabulela Gqamane was given the distinction of being Domestic Newcomer of the Year. (Cricinfo)

Lampard to win Zimbabwe’s last chance 100th England to convert promise cap – Hodgson

I

Younis Khan

Frank Lampard

E

ngland boss Roy Hodgson has confirmed Frank Lampard will earn his 100th cap against Ukraine today.

The Chelsea midfielder, 35, will become only the eighth Three Lions player to reach the milestone, joining team-mates Steven Gerrard and Ashley Cole.

Hodgson said he would make one change to the side that beat Moldova 4-0, with midfielder James Milner likely to replace banned striker Danny Welbeck.

England lead Group H but will be overtaken by Ukraine if they lose.

Hodgson said: “Frank will play tomorrow night (tonight) so that’s a quite

a first. I’ve been very lucky to have three players who have reached [100 caps in the same side] and all things being equal Frank will start and get his 100th cap.

“Basically, there will only be one change in the team, that will be the person who replaces Welbeck. I will leave it to you to make your assumptions.”

Manchester City midfielder Milner gained a glowing report from Hodgson in the aftermath of the victory over Moldova on Friday.

Hodgson’s declaration means right-back Kyle Walker will continue in the side despite pictures being published of the 23-year-old Tottenham player inhaling nitrous oxide. (BBC Sport)

n March this year, Zimbabwe arrived in the West Indies absolutely undercooked. Their only internationals in the previous 12 months: two Twenty20s in Hambantota.

The two Tests in Barbados and Dominica lasted five days in all. They barely avoided losing by an innings in the first, but succumbed to the ignominy in the second.

Six months later, in what has been a hectic year compared to the famine of 2012, they took a sizeable first-innings lead against Pakistan, and had them effectively 91 for 5 in the second. Then Younis Khan decided to restore order, and Zimbabwe went through one of their capitulations in the fourth innings.

The first Test in Harare will become another addition to the long list of heavy

Zimbabwe defeats, completely obfuscating their dominance over the initial three days. The scorecard of the Barbados Test says West Indies won by nine wickets but a closer look reveals Zimbabwe had a chance of taking the lead then too, having reduced the hosts to 151 for 6 in response to 211.

With utmost justification, Zimbabwe keep clamouring for more cricket. Amid a crippling monetary crisis, they have managed to squeeze in six Tests, 14 ODIs and six T20s this year. The numbers would have been higher had the shortage of funds not caused the postponement of Sri Lanka’s visit. While there was the embarrassment of a 0-5 defeat against a second-string India side, there was also the ODI win over Pakistan, followed by the unexpectedly competitive performance in the first Test.

(Cricinfo)

WI women set for tough home season B r i d g e t o w n , Barbados - Clyde Butts, the chairman of the West Indies selection committee, believes England and New Zealand women’s tour to the region this season will help develop the women’s game locally.

New Zealand arrive first for a bilateral ODI series with West Indies beginning October 6, which will be followed by a T20 tri-series also featuring Asheswinners England, who will stay back for a three-match one-day tournament which culminates on November 3.

“We need these tests and rivalries. To have two of the three top women’s teams playing in the Caribbean will do a lot for women’s cricket and I expect our team to be ready and able to be competitive against them,” he said.

“We always want to play top-level opponents like Australia and now, we have two. We’ve clashed with India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in the past and with England and New Zealand, I can only see us improving by playing them.”

West Indies have announced a 17-member training squad, which will be preparing from September 22 to 30 in Jamaica; with the final squad of 13 for the series against New Zealand chosen at the camp’s end and Butt was optimistic about the home team’s prospects.

“Looking at the past year or so, our ladies have done well,” he said.

“At the last ODI World Cup, we made the finals and our 50-over squad reflects how good we are. Most of the players from that tournament have been retained.

They are capable and we saw this in the regional performances (last month in Grenada).”

He picked out 18-year old uncapped batsman, Chinelle Henry, as one to watch.

“Chinelle is a capa-

Clyde Butts

ble player and strikes the ball very nicely. We expect some good things from her in the future. She has been around the Jamaica team for a long time, but she is still very young,” said Butts, while voicing concern over the high reliance on senior players like Stafanie Taylor, Deandra Dottin and Anisa Mohammed.

“I haven’t seen much new talent coming through and I hope it changes. We need new players to emerge to blood in.”

However, Butts was excited at the return of StacyAnn King, who last played for West Indies during the World T20 last year. “Stacy can play at the highest level.

She’s been batting well recently and her bowling’s improved. She’s one of our better fielders and is a capable allrounder. She still has a lot to offer West Indies cricket so we shouldn’t write her off just yet.”

Squad: Merissa Aguilleira, Shemaine Campbell, Shanel Daley, Deandra Dottin, Chinelle Henry, Stacy-Ann King, Kycia Knight, Kyshona Knight, Natasha McLean, Anisa Mohammed, Subrina Munroe, Juliana Nero, June Ogle, Shaquana Quintyne, Shakera Selman, Tremayne Smartt and Stafanie Taylor. (Cricinfo)

Qatar 2022 World Cup award may be a mistake – Blatter

F

IFA may have made a “mistake” in awarding the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, according to president Sepp Blatter.

Summer temperatures can reach 50C in the Middle Eastern country.

Football Association chairman Greg Dyke said it would be “impossible” to play in such conditions, and Blatter wants the tournament moved to the winter.

Asked by insideworldfootball.com about awarding Qatar the tournament, the 77-year-old said: “It may well be that we made a mistake at the time.”

Blatter, who in May said

it was “not rational” to play the World Cup in Qatar in June and July, added: “On the other hand, you must also consider political and geo-political realities.

“The World Cup is FIFA’s biggest, if not only, global event. Who are we, the Europeans, to demand that this event has to cater to the needs of 800million Europeans above all?

“I think it is high time that Europe starts to understand that we do not rule the world anymore, and that some former European imperial powers can no longer impress their will onto others in far away places. (BBC Sport)

tuesday, September 10, 2013

guyanatimesGY.com

Who will win Floyd Mayweather vs Canelo F Alvarez contest?

21

Former Essequibo cricketer Madholall to be cremated later this week

…Five important questions to ask

A

fter months of anticipation and hype, Saturday night finally brings fight fans The One: Floyd Mayweather vs. Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.

While Mayweather (44-0, 26 KOs) is the betting favorite, Canelo (42-0-1, 30 KOs) has the more rampant fan support. Online voting at the fight’s official website shows Canelo being chosen by 56% of fans who have participated.

So whose hand will be raised come fight night?

These five questions will help determine the winner of the year’s biggest boxing event.

Will Canelo be drained from making weight?

The Mayweather vs.

Canelo clash is being contested at 152 pounds, two pounds beneath the full limit of the Junior Middleweight Division. It was a hot-button issue during negotiations, and it has spilled over into the promotion of the fight, with Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions, infamously calling Canelo’s management “inept” during a recent episode of the preview documentary show

Floyd “Money” Mayweather

young, strong bull. While height and reach measurements may be a wash between these two, Canelo is 13 years younger, and come fight night, he will outweigh Mayweather by a solid 20 pounds in the ring.

If he’s able to get inside Mayweather’s counter shots, he’ll be able to use all of that strength and mass to do what few, if any, fighters

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez

“All Access”.

Putting aside the he said-she said aspect of this, will Canelo actually be handicapped from sweating and starving down an extra two pounds? He routinely enters the ring as a full Light Heavyweight on fight night, and it’s no secret that he’s an outsized Junior Middleweight. Losing an extra two pounds could certainly sap some of his energy and strength.

Still, at just barely 23 years old and without the wear and tear of many hardfought battles in the ring, his body should be up to the task without hindering his abilities. Remember, he was fighting at 147 pounds as recently as March 2010.

Is Mayweather physically strong enough to fend off Canelo?

The reverse of that coin is whether Mayweather will be able to fend off the

have ever done against the undefeated pound for pound champion -- physically wear him down throughout the course of a fight.

Are Mayweather’s hands healed?

Mayweather has had hand issues throughout much of his professional career. Leading up to this fight, he at least has publicly said that his hands are at full strength, which means he’ll be able to really sit down on his shots and throw them with power.

Whether or not that’s true is of course open to interpretation.

Make no mistake though, the health of his hands will have a major bearing on this fight. If he aggravates his right hand and has to take the zip off his signature punch, the lead straight right, the bigger, stronger Canelo may be

able to simply wade in past that punch to unleash his own arsenal.

Has Canelo improved his defense?

Canelo’s defense isn’t exactly world-class material, but throughout the bulk of his career as he has bulldozed his opponents it hasn’t been an issue.

However, it’s something that his team has certainly worked hard to improve on.

He has even experimented with a rough version of Mayweather’s signature shoulder roll defense from time to time.

Still, Canelo is there to be hit if you can either take his shots in return, or stay in the pocket and fire away without getting smashed back. The latter option happens to be Mayweather’s specialty, of course.

If Canelo hasn’t significantly added new defensive wrinkles into his game, namely improved head movement and the usage of angles to move safely in and out of striking distance as opposed to straight forward and back, he’s going to be in trouble here, and Mayweather will find him to be an all too easy target.

What will Canelo’s plan be, and what will be his ‘Plan B’?

Against Floyd Mayweather, any fighter who hopes to have a chance has to have an excellent plan. And then an even better Plan B. Mayweather’s priority is to take away whatever it is his opponent does best, and he excels at the task. He’ll walk you down if you need to come forward, he’ll smother you if you need distance, he will beat you to the punch or he’ll sit back and pick you apart depending on how the other guy wants to play his hand. (Yahoo! Sport)

ormer national youth batsman Shivnanand Madholall passed away on Friday last after a brief period of illness. He was 30. Shivnanand contracted dengue fever and was a patient at the Suddie Hospital.

Shivnanand will be cremated later this week.

The left-hander represented Guyana and Essequibo with distinction during the late 90s and early 2000s.

Shivnanand comes from a family with a rich cricketing history. His brothers Rovendra, Ravendra and Narendra all represented Essequibo at the InterCounty level. Rovendra went on to play for Guyana.

Former Essequibo Inter-county skipper Elroy Stephney said he was shocked to hear

Shivnanand Madholall

of Madholall’s passing.

Further, he related that Shivanandan was a talented player and had mentioned his desire to make a comeback.

“It is indeed sad to learn about his sudden passing.

Recently we had a chat and he spoke enthusiastically about his comeback in the game after a break due to family and work commit-

ments,” Stephney related.

Shivanandan’s elder brother Rovendra, who lives in Canada, also expressed sadness and felt he could have been a fine cricketer once he was willing to come back on the scene.

“I am devastated with the news that my younger brother passed away; it was very shocking for our family and by extension the cricketing fraternity. Playing cricket with him and teaching him some basics and then he went on to play for Guyana.

I still think he could have done more for his county and his country,” Rovendra said.

Over the past two years, Shivanandan had been a dominant softball player representing Cotton Field.

He leaves to mourn his father, mother, siblings, wife and two children, ages three years and four months.

Nadal beats Djokovic to win U.S. Open, 13th Slam

Rafael Nadal won his 13th Grand Slam title after defeating Novak Djokavic

S

pain’s Rafael Nadal beat world number one Novak Djokovic in a pulsating four-set final to claim his second US Open title in New York on Monday.

The Spaniard, 27, held on magnificently in the third set to go on and win a gripping contest 6-2 3-6 6-4 6-1 in three hours and 21 minutes.

One incredible 54-shot rally - the longest in the tournament by 20 shots summed up a battle that thrilled the 23,000 spectators in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Nadal has now won 13 Grand Slam singles titles and moves within one of Pete Sampras in the all-time list, with Roger Federer leading on 17.

And after missing last year’s US Open during a seven-month absence with a knee injury, Nadal is now set to regain the number one ranking.

Monday’s final was a predictably electrifying, punishing contest as the pair met for the 37th time - taking them past the rivalry of John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl to set a new record since the

Open era began in 1968.

It was their sixth Grand Slam final and third at Flushing Meadows, after the Spaniard won in 2010 and Djokovic took revenge in 2011.

Nadal, seeded second, had a 21-0 record on hard courts this year heading into the final, and had dropped serve just once while powering through the draw in New York.

The Spaniard began as many people’s favourite and set about proving them right as he dominated for the first hour, accelerating through his forehand to find a gear that Djokovic simply could not contain.

Two breaks earned Nadal the first set in a relatively brisk 42 minutes, but for the next 80 minutes it was all Djokovic as his forehand now began to dictate, while his returning ability increased the pressure.

The Spaniard’s seemingly impregnable serve was broken three times in succession, the first thanks to that lung-busting 54-shot rally that explored every inch of the court, and Djokovic

raced through six of seven games to take a 2-0 lead in the third.

Nadal was reeling, fending off another break point to avoid falling a double break behind, and it proved significant when the Djokovic storm abated and the errors crept back in game six.

After two hours and 17 minutes, the world’s top two players were level at 3-3 in the third set, and it looked as though Djokovic had made the decisive move when he earned three break points at 4-4.

Nadal was knocked off his feet by the force of one strike that clipped his baseline, but the irrepressible Majorcan refused to yield, coming back to hold and then launching into a return game at 5-4 to earn set point.

A trademark hammer of a forehand was too much for even the elastic Djokovic to get back, and a jubilant Nadal crouched at the baseline, punching his fist, as he took a lead that had seemed hugely unlikely only minutes earlier. (BBC

Sport)

22

tuesday, september 9, 2013

guyanatimesGY.com

JFIS Second Division Hockey League...

GCC crush Airbenders 7-1

BCB First Division 50-Over Cricket Competition…

Foo, Motie-Kanhai guide Albion to final

F

Stephen Xavier about to unleash an attack on goal as the Airbenders look to defend the uprights at all cost

G

eorgetown Cricket Club (GCC) gave the Airbenders their second crushing defeat of the last week when they closed Sunday’s match with a 7-1 victory in the ongoing John Fernandes Insurance Services Second Division League.

The Airbenders, comprising members of the women’s national hockey team, are heading into their final preparation for international competition and are using the local league to compete against tough male opposition.

At the starting whistle the Airbenders had difficulty penetrating the wall of blue before them as the GCC strikers pressured them, creating several early turnovers.

The Airbenders defence

however held firm in denying the counterattacks and the ladies soon found their rhythm and strung together some creative attacking moves of their own.

It took 25 minutes to break the deadlock when skilful GCC striker Stuart Gonsalves pounced on a lose penalty corner rebound to hammer home his shot for the 1-0 GCC lead.

The pace of the match lifted as the previously guarded Airbenders pressed for the equaliser which would come two minutes later when striker Cora Towler neatly deflected a pass from the top of the circle to tie the game.

With the Airbenders depleted bench playing a major factor in the second half, as four of their players are overseas, the faster and

stronger men wrested control in the second half under the unforgiving morning sun.

Stephen Xavier struck first for the Bourda boys in the second half with a powerful penalty corner blast three minutes from resumption to recapture the lead by 2-1 for GCC. Young Mortimer Stewart then led an unanswered onslaught of goals in the final twenty minutes with his 50th minute goal, followed by a double from Kareem McKenzie, a second of the match from Gonsalves and a single from captain Shad “Jack Sparrow” Fernandes.

Matches will continue this weekend at Saints ground with the Hikers versus Saints and Old Fort versus All Greys.

BCB names provisional squad for the Inter-County competition

T

he Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) named a provisional 24-man squad for further training and practice sessions ahead of this year’s senior InterCounty 50-over competition.

A release from the board indicated the training and practice sessions will commence today from 12:30h under the guidance of coach Hubern Evans. It also noted that the squad will be trimmed to 14 players prior to the start of the competition, which gets underway on September 21.

Squad: Sewnarine Chattergoon, Anthony DeAndrade, Shimron Hetmyer, Shawn Perreira, Assad Fudadin, Jason Sinclair, Narsingh Deonarine, Krishnadat Ramoo, Jonathan Foo, Waqar Hassan, Rajiv Ivan, Kevin Ramdeen, Anthony Bramble, Clinton Pestano, Veerasammy Permaul, Keyron Fraser, Devendra Bishoo, Seon Hetmyer, Keon Joseph, Joemal LaFleur, Romario Shepherd, Gudakesh MotieKanhai, Devon Clements and Eon Hooper.

Hubern Evans

Jonathan Foo

Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai

Renwick Batson

ormer Guyana T20 batting star Jonathan Foo and left-arm spinner Gudakesh MotieKanhai spearheaded Albion Community Centre to an easy victory over arch-rivals Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets to reach the final of the inaugural Berbice River Bridge Company first division 50-over cricket competition over the weekend.

Foo slammed 73, inclusive of five fours, and MotieKanhai took five scalps to emerge as the star performers to guide Albion to a 76run victory. Motie-Kanhai led a fine show by the bowlers to dismiss their opponents for a paltry 148 in

38.2 overs, chasing the victory target of 224.

Earlier, Former West Indies opening batsman Sewnarine Chattergoon (39) and former Guyana under-19 opening batsman Kandasammy Surujnarine (35) shared in an opening stand of 83, before Foo came to the rescue.

Foo first added 52 for the fifth wicket with Devendra Bishoo (26) and then 39 for the sixth wicket with David Latchaya (24) before he was dismissed. Albion eventually reached 224 for 9 in their 45 overs.

Bowling for Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets, Assad Fudadin and Eon

Hooper claimed three wickets apiece.

In their run chase, Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets were given a flying start from Renwick Batson and Askay Homraj, putting on 39 in just 5.5 overs, before the latter departed for 18.

Fudadin joined Batson and they added 67 in the next 16.5 overs. However, with the fall of Fudadin for 29 (106 for 2), Rose Hall suffered a batting collapse, losing their last eight wickets for just 42 runs.

Batson topscored with 52 (5x4, 1x6). All-rounder Sharaz Ramcharran picked up 3 for 19 from nine overs.

Sukhram wins golf season opener

N

ational ladies champion Christine Sukhram clinched victory when the local golf season resumed last weekend with a Medal Play club tournament at the Lusignan Golf Course.

The reigning Guyana Open ladies’ title holder shot net 71 from gross 81 playing off 10 handicap to secure the win from a field of 28 golfers in perfect conditions after recent inclement weather had forced the suspension of the season.

Mohanlall “Santo” Dinnanath finished second on a countback after he also shot net 71 from gross 75 playing off four handicap.

The ladies had their way as Joaan Deo captured the third position with 72 net from gross 93 playing off 21 handicap.

It was the perfect start for Sukhram as she prepares to defend her Guyana Open title in two months time.

Several major tournaments are lined up for the next two months including the prestigious Guyana Open, which normally attracts players from the United States, Canada,

Christine Sukhram

Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

The Digicel Classic will also be held a week prior to the Guyana Open and there will also be the Players Championship, sponsored

by Citizens Bank, as well as other sponsored tournaments.

Meanwhile, members

of the Lusignan Golf Club are expected to participate in the annual RBTTsponsored Suriname Open in the neighbouring republic later this month.

Players interested in competing are asked to register with the club in anticipation of the tournament in the Dutch territory.

tuesday, september 10, 2013

guyanatimesGY.com

23

South American youth teams named, K&S writes Webb on hosting yeardepart for Peru September 17 end tourney QUANDARY!

By Treiston Joseph

G

uyana’s 31-member contingent for the inaugural South American Youth Championships set to take place in Lima, Peru, from September 20, will be departing on September 17.

The Guyanese will feature in seven sporting disciplines: athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, swimming, table tennis and weightlifting.

At a press conference on Monday at the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) headquarters the names were revealed, along with their coaches. Also, GOA president K.A. Juman Yassin noted that the event, which was funded by the GOA in excess of $5 million, can be the start of the “Road to Rio” for the athletes on the trip.

“Funding for the team is totally from the GOA; we have not asked any of the association for help with

the funding. The team has about 30 persons and it is hopefully the start of the careers for these young athletes; for some it is the start of the road to Rio and for most it should be start for the road to Tokyo in 2020,” Yassin told media representatives.

Coach for the athletics team Julian Edmonds commended the GOA for giving the athletes an opportunity to acclimatise.

“We have an experienced team, they all are healthy and preparing for the National Youth Championship so they are fit and I must congratulate the GOA on getting us there early so that we can acclimatise because it is going to be a bit cold over there. And we should be able to put in about five to six training session before the games athletics begin,” Edmonds stated.

On the other hand, Yassin pointed out that more needs to be done for

boxing, which has brought Guyana’s only medal at the Olympics, national coach Wincel Thomas believes that his team is prepared for the challenge.

“We have two experience boxers on the team and we are now winding down training at the [Andrew] “Sixhead” Lewis gym. We are well prepared and our team should do well,” Thomas related.

Meanwhile, with all the coaches believing that their teams are well prepared, they noted that the type of performance they make return will depend on how well the athletes adapt to the conditions in Peru.

Teams Athletics

Coach: Julian Edmonds, Athletes: Jason Yaw, Tirana Mitchell, Andrea Foster and Dequan Vancooten.

Badminton

Coach: Ramdhani,

Gokarn Athletes:

Ambika Ramraj Narayan Ramdhani.

and

Boxing

Coach: Wincel Thomas, Athletes: Tefon Greene, Travis Fraser, Joel Williamson and Michael April.

Cycling

Coach: William Howard, Athletes: Akeem Arthur, Alonzo Ambrose, Shaquel Agard, Stepano Husbands and Crystal Lambert.

Swimming

Coach: Sean Baksh, Athletes: Hannibal Gaskin, Onika George and Omar Adams.

Table Tennis

Coach: Linden Johnson, Athletes: Shemar Britton and Chelsea Edghill.

Weightlifting

Coach: Sean Cozier, Athletes: Sheriah Melville, Darren Williams and Denoila Bristol.

Contract for Albion Young Chanderpaul lighting project to blazes Enmore be signed shortly to victory …equipment for erection of towers and lights arrive

Alfred King

T

he evaluation process for the civil and electrical components for the installation of floodlights around the Albion Sports Complex, Corentyne has been completed, paving the way for the signing of the contract shortly.

This was disclosed by Permanent Secretary in the Sport Ministry, Alfred King on Saturday.

“The ministry has completed the evaluation process for the civil and electrical component of the project and very shortly we will be signing a contract for those works to begin,” King said.

King also informed that that the equipment needed for the erection of the towers and lights have arrived in Guyana, saying “I saw the bill of landing on Friday,

so the equipment necessary for the erection of the towers and lights are here.”

United States of America-based Musco Lighting Company signed a US $235,000 contract with the Guyana government on March 5 to install the floodlights. The company will erect six 33-metre high towers at the arena.

However, it is yet to be decided whether the lights will be powered by independent generators or will be linked to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) grid.

The Albion Sports Complex was the venue for the first ever One-Day International cricket match in the West Indies on the March 16, 1977, between West Indies and Pakistan.

The match was won by the West Indies by four wickets.

The venue was one of the premiere cricketing venues in Guyana, along with Bourda. It has hosted a number of One-Day International games so far but it has been more than two decades since an international game was played there.

The venue also has a 300m athletics track and hosts a number of other sporting activities. The facility can accommodate 5000 spectators. (Rajiv Bisnauth)

Tagenarine Chanderpaul

Ramdeo Basdeo

irst-Class batsman Tagenarine Chanderpaul gave the sprinkling of spectators at Enmore on Sunday a glimpse of his class, slamming a belligerent hundred to spur the home team to a commanding 78-run win over Mahaica in a friendly encounter.

Playing at the Enmore Community Centre, Enmore batted first and racked up an imposing 186-5 from the allotted 30 overs. The lefthanded opener ended with an aggressive unbeaten 123.

Chanderpaul, the son of West Indies batting stalwart Shivnarine Chanderpaul, belted 16 fours and one six in his 100-ball knock.

The national Under-19 batsman added 72 for the first wicket with former national Under-15 opener Javed Mohamed, who made

15. He then found an ally in Vishwanauth Ramlakhan and they added 66 for the second wicket. The righthanded Ramlakhan made 20.

When Mahaica batted, they lost wickets at regular intervals and were dismissed for 108 in 22 overs on a batsman-friendly wicket and fast outfield.

The visitors lost opener and danger man Hemraj Garbarran via the run out route for a topscore of 28 and from there, the innings went downhill with the Enmore bowlers maintaining a stranglehold on proceedings.

Off-spinner Ramdeo Basdeo was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets for two runs, while Satesh Jainarine (2-3), Ranjeet Hiralall (2-7) and Nandram Ganesh (2-20) were also in the wickets’ column.

F

– GFF maintains K&S must apply through an affiliate

T

he Kashif and Shanghai (K&S) Organisation has written the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) president Jeffrey Webb seeking a way forward on the hosting of the year-end football extravaganza, held for the past 23 years.

A letter leaked to the media, signed by co-director of the K&S Organisation, Aubrey “Shanghai” Major, and addressed to Webb stated, “I [Major] was forced to write you [Webb] these few important lines to bring you and CONCACAF’s attention to another brewing court matter in Guyana and is seeking your intervention in a proactive way to bring about an immediate settlement before any legal action is taken.”

The K&S Organisation is “seeking answers” on the hosting of the tournament since the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) is contending the private body has to apply through an affiliate of the GFF in order to be granted permission.

GFF president Christopher Matthias, in an invited comment on Monday, said he will not offer a response to the letter at this point since it was not specifically addressed to him. He mentioned however, that a meeting was held between the GFF and the K&S Organisation where the provisions for the hosting of such a tournament were outlined.

Matthias added that as far as he is aware, the K&S Organisation has not officially made an application for the hosting of their year-end tournament.

According to Matthias, former General Secretary of the Georgetown Football Association (GFA), the GFA also knows the provisions for the hosting of their Banks Beer Cup tournament, but he revealed that it too has not yet met all of the guidelines.

Meanwhile, Major, in his letter to Webb, stated that prior to the GFF election earlier this year, the K&S Organisation had applied to the governing body, which saw a new administration entering office, to stage the tournament, but has not received any form of communication from the executives.

Major said they are “now hearing through split press that we will have to move our tournament to Easter if we wish to host it.”

Further, “Please be further advised that the tournament is part of the calendar of events of the federation over 20 years, as well as the calendar for the Ministry of Tourism that you will read about the tournament while traveling internationally to Guyana. Most Guyanese fix

Aubrey Major

their vacation for that period of the tournament, so to tell us that we have to move to make way for Banks DIH and the GFA, we think it is very unfair to us in our 24th year, hence my reason to write you this mail.”

Intervention Webb was part of a CONCACAF/FIFA delegation that visited Guyana in January, bringing about a resolution to a protracted standoff involving the GFF and the GFA. The intervention by CONCACAF/FIFA saw both bodies being mandated to stage their elections and chart a way forward for the sport here.

“Now that things are back to normal by your visit, and both parties signed a MOU, after the elections of the federation which changed leaderships of the sports, the vindictive acts by the current executives and support from the GFA, the Kashif and Shanghai Organization tournament is now in limbo after 23 consecutive years. We approached the federation on our proposal for a new format to be compatible to that of the FIFA World Cup; we were now told that we have to apply to host the tournament, while Georgetown also applied to host their tournament during the same period as they did in 2010-1012,” Major stated in the letter.

He concluded, “We are available to meet with you and members of the executives to discuss this situation to give you firsthand information in order for you and your team to make a pronouncement on this developing situation in a speedy way, since it is already September and we would like to engage our sponsors to host the 24th edition of the tournament.”

During a telephone interview on Monday, Major also told this publication that the K&S Organisation will “not be taking this situation lightly” and they will engage all possible means to ensure the tournament is hosted during the customary DecemberJanuary period.

tuesday, september 10, 2013

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

Quandary!

K&S writes Webb on hosting year-end tourney TOP SCORES

Australia 315-7 (Clarke 105, Bailey 82) beat England 227 (Buttler 75, Pietersen 60, Morgan 54, McKay 3-47) by 88 runs; Ireland 166-3 (Niall O”Brien 65*, Joyce 39) beat Scotland 165 (MacLeod 39) by seven wickets

– GFF maintains K&S must apply through an affiliate

T

he Kashif and Shanghai (K&S) Organisation has written the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) president Jeffrey Webb seeking a way forward on the hosting of the year-end football extravaganza, held for the past 23 years.

A letter leaked to the media, signed by co-director of the K&S Organisation, Aubrey “Shanghai” Major, and addressed to Webb stated, “I [Major] was forced to write you [Webb] these few important lines to bring you and CONCACAF’s attention to another brewing court matter in Guyana and is seeking your intervention in a proactive way to bring about an immediate settlement before any legal action is taken.”

(See full story on page 23)

Christopher Matthias

Jeffrey Webb

Aubrey Major

South American youth teams named, depart for Peru September 17

Nadal beats Djokovic to win U.S. Open, 13th Slam

See story on page

23

See story on page

21

From left Wincel Thomas, Sean Cozier, Julian Edmonds, KA Juman Yassin, Dr Karen Pilgrim, Linden Johnson and William Howard

Rafael Nadal

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