Guyana Times Daily

Digicel spreads Christmas cheer at Ptolemy Reid centre P17

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 1985 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

PRICE

Berbice Bridge has commuters at heart – CEO

$60 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Bandits break into Handin-Hand P3 manager’s home

See story on page 3

Rohee, Granger express regret at Josiah’s passing P7 Gunmen terrorise Corentyne P7 family Giftland P9 OfficeMax gives Region One children Christmas treat

Incoming passengers at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) were on Monday morning given a taste of Christmas, Guyanese style, as the airport continued its tradition of celebrating the major holidays in Guyana. In photo, incoming passenger Francis Darchiville gets a treat (See story on page 17)

PUC approves Small businesses say reduced call rates GPL not reliable to Canada, U.S. See story on page 12

See story on page 8

Rainy Christmas P14 season expected, Dr Ramsammy says P14 Medical services were not compromised during industrial action – GPHC

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TuesDay, december 17, 2013 | guyanatimeSGY.com

News

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Tuesday, December 17 from 14:30h to 16:00h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Tuesday, December 17 from 15:30h to 17:00h.

WEATHER TODAY Countrywide: Heavy rain showers are expected during the day with clear skies in the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 26 degrees and 27 degrees Celsius.

Wind: East north-easterly between 3.61 and 3.88 metres per second.

High Tide: 04:12h and 16:23h reaching maximum heights of 2.47 metres and 2.62 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 09:57h and 22:23h reaching a minimum heights of 0.74 metre and 0.60 metre respectively.

saturday, December 14, 2013

LOTTERY NUMBERS I

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Monday, December 16, 2013

Daily Millions

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LUCKY 3

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DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

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tuesDay, december 17, 2013| guyanatimesGY.com

Berbice Bridge has commuters at heart – CEO B erbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Omadat Samaroo said that from the standpoint of national development and from a business standpoint, the entire directorate has always been committed to providing the most affordable fares that the company could provide.

The BBCI, he said, is committed to a very challenging financial model under which the most affordable rates are currently in use, but recognises that any lowering of the rates would be welcome to all involved.

Samaroo added that the company will continue to use every opportunity to reduce rates where feasible.

He pointed out that for 2013, the BBCI has dropped its fares for the August tourism season and now offers a similar benefit from December 15 to January 12, 2014, to accommodate the increased number of Christmas season travellers. That way, he said, the benefit of increased traffic revenues during

Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI) Chief Executive Officer Omadat Samaroo says the company has always had the travelling public at heart

these seasons can be given back to the customers and the Berbice economy.

The chief executive officer added that the BBCI is currently assessing its strategic position with the needs of the customers foremost in mind. He said that everyone would agree that with lower tolls, the bridge would be more attractive to users and; hence, more vehicles would use the bridge.

He said that this is a good example of demonstrating

that when more vehicles use the bridge, the tolls can be reduced.

The BBCI, he said, would continually be working towards a more economical package for its customers, but warns that this has to result from careful technical, engineering, traffic analysis and financial planning and cannot arbitrarily be determined.

He said the BBCI must be careful not to price itself into insolvency, since, this

could harm all stakeholders. So far, Samaroo said, these high-volume periods can be used as a test for future traffic models.

He said that the BBCI is urging all to consider the tremendous benefit the bridge has brought to Berbice and the country as a whole and to remain assured that the BBCI is doing its utmost to continually improve its operations and to give back to its customers.

Bandits break into Hand-in-Hand manager’s home

B

andits broke into the home of Handin-Hand Insurance Company, New Amsterdam Branch Manager Tageram Ajodhea and stole several items.

According to reports, no

one was at home at the time of the incident.

Ajodhea told police that he discovered the house broken into when he went to his Reliance, East Canje home for lunch shortly before 14:00h on Monday.

He reported saw the front door prised open and a section of the house was ransacked.

A crow bar was used to force open three locks on the front door of the building. According to reports, a

camera, an electronic game device, jewellery and cash were missing. Police later dusted the area for fingerprints, but did not find any.

No one has been arrested as police continue their investigations.

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tuesday, december 17, 2013

Views So many to choose from 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

Law enforcement

R

ecent reports coming to light alleging police involvement in criminal activities should be a source of alarm and serious concern for the government and the Guyanese public, though many Guyanese are assured that the majority of members within the force are dedicated to helping, rather than hurting, the communities they are sworn to protect.

Rogue elements in national security services are a serious concern worldwide, and it is apparent that Guyana is no exception. Global reports of corruption, behaviour unbecoming of an officer, abuse of authority and criminal involvement among police officers have created scandals and shaken public confidence towards police, and have caused resentment and disrespect for law officials as well.

In Kenya earlier this year, members of the public turned out en masse to protest abuse of authority after an allegedly drunk policeman shot a driver and was being protected by other police, rather than be put to face the courts for his actions.

In the U.S., police officers involved in preventing drug related crimes have been found to be involved in drug distribution activities, often working along with drug cartels.

Here in Guyana, several police officers have been charged or implicated in serious robberies committed on members of the public.

The question of who polices the police has always been a consideration for any country whose government is faced with criminal elements within law enforcement. Whether working for a criminal group or groups, or on their own, police entrusted with sensitive information who use it to the detriment of the public create a severe danger to national security.

It cannot be overstated that there are those within the police force who offer nothing but integrity and a willingness to serve for the good of the public. But the rogue elements, they work to tarnish the good image these sterling individuals may portray, leading to significant public distrust and even fear.

This in turn hinders any worthwhile public communication, information gathering and investigation, leading to more crime, less solved cases and further public alienation. The consequence to national security is chilling.

Working with such a sensitive nature of information makes it vital that integrity must be maintained, while the economics of wages and job fulfilment must also be balanced. The usual process of screening applicants has proved to be somewhat unhelpful over the years as it has yet to anticipate future psychological or emotional changes among recruits.

As one Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) police chief noted, there is always a potential for corruption among police officers, and the potential for criminal activities among human beings. And while this cannot ever justify the actions of criminal and/or rogue elements within any law enforcement agency, it provides an idea as to where those who are concerned with preventing such activities must focus to provide solutions to the scourge.

Screening must now be more intense than before. It must also include ensuring select individuals with the necessary intelligence to reason logically, possess good common sense and fair judgement.

Screening should not end at the interview, however, but should be a continuous evaluation throughout a career in law enforcement to identify signs of possible corruption or emotional, psychological or economic issues that could lead to unacceptable conduct.

While remuneration is always a cry for one cause of criminal activities within the police force, it must be noted that some of the best paid workers and executives have also been caught in illegal activities for more wealth, eschewing criminality remains an issue of morality and integrity more than anything else. Criminal or rogue behaviours are often of human failings that require constant review.

Selection and screening combined with regular coaching, training and counselling remain important to maintaining integrity within our local police enforcement and avoiding the development of criminals in the service.

When police officers turn to criminality it not only demonstrates a failure within the police administration in taking steps to ensure it doesn’t occur but also a failure of integrity within the individual, and becomes a threat to national security and a public danger and tragedy of unimaginable proportions.

Now we know what this lad with a twinkle in his eye wants for Christmas. He was spotted by our photographer Carl Croker downtown during the hectic bustle of shoppers as the countdown to Christmas nears culmination

Our Christmas wish – population wants the country to move forward Dear Editor, Recently in Parliament, some opposition parliamentarians, by abstaining from voting on critical items such as the specialty hospital, allowed a project initiated by the majority party, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), to be funded.

This is the first sign that their supporter who has been angry at their tactics to block the nation’s economic and social progress is causing some of them to break ranks with their party. I have always argued that capital projects that have been proposed by the government such as the hospital, energy and airport expansion must be funded.

Each of these projects when put together, demonstrate the commitment by the government to enhance these critical sectors. The Specialty Hospital is surely needed, especially to effectively manage complex diseases such as heart, diabetes and other internal conditions.

2013 report card

The fact that 2013 has come to an end, without the approval of the energy and airport projects will have a significant toll on us in 2014 and beyond. Every country knows that without cheaper energy, it is difficult to be competitive regionally and globally.

Sectors such as manufacturing depend heavily on cheaper energy. The failure of the opposition to support this

project in 2013 in order to be ready for the new generation needs by 2020 has now put them at great risks to compete.

What the opposition needs to realise is this is not a zerosum game where there must be a winner and loser. They must evaluate the needs of the projects as it relates to the larger vision of Guyana to be a nation that builds on its infrastructure for the new generation.

These projects as proposed by the PPP/C and listed in their 2011 manifesto are not projects created just on paper but after years of comprehensive planning by many contributors and for the most part supported by the 2011 opposition parties' manifestos.

Then that begs the question why would then these same opposition parliamentarians disapprove some of the same plans they proposed prior to elections. Their supporters need to ask them why.

Again, when it comes to our country’s today and future, the only winner should be Guyana.

The opposition can approve a project with certain conditions to be measured.

The failed opposition is somehow bent on just saying no.

They are on the wrong campaign – they should join the campaign saying no to drugs, or no to littering, not no to economic success.

In 2013 also, other projects were supposed to be debated such as the long await-

ed road to Brazil which many of us predict will be the singular most important investment our nation can facilitate with our neighbour, whose economy is within the top 10 in the world.

The atmosphere in Parliament is just not conducive to presenting many of these important and major projects. As I stated in the past, our economy does not have excess economic capacity and requires every project to be started at specific junctions, in order for Guyana to stay or become more competitive with our neighbours.

One senior private sector business leader told me that we need to forge stronger ties with Suriname and look to combine some of the projects such as the deep water harbour which is the other major initiative proposed by the PPP/C to be implemented in their five-year plan.

Budget cuts of 2013 have affected many of our local regions. When a budget is presented, it is not for stove pipe development, meaning singular type projects, but a comprehensive and integrated approach in nation building.

For example, the expansion of the airport is tied to increased tourism focus including the Marriott Hotel and other projects within the sector.

Therefore when one comes without the other, added pressure is put on the success factor. This particular example is also tied to our aggressive approach by the Tourism and

Commerce Ministry to solve the travel sector woes and attracting new and recognised airlines.

Recently, I travelled out of the airport and got fully soaked.

I watched the TravelSpan passengers get off their first flight and had to pull out umbrellas. Why can’t we just get an airport approved with covered jetways. Is the opposition so vindictive?

Conclusion

The crack in the opposition is a good thing. It shows we still have some of them who believe in our nation and will not allow the 1980s outdated leaders to constantly block our nation’s ability to succeed.

It is not just about our today, but it is about our tomorrow and our plan for our new generation. If we do not build on our infrastructure today and give them the best opportunity to succeed when their turn comes, we would have failed our children.

Our culture must change to rational thinking and be weighed against the needs of our future generation. I hope the Christmas season brings some sense of semblance and goodwill to the 10th Parliament and opposition parties can reflect on their failure in 2013 to help contribute to our nation’s success in 2014.

Respectfully submitted, Dr Peter Ramsaroop

Why Cheddi and not Mandela?

Dear Editor, In Guyana, some blame the late Dr Cheddi Jagan for the excesses of the governments that have been in power (of course after Cheddi’s death in 1997). Yet no one blames Mandela for the governments that took over from him and became far worse

than the Guyana government, even while Mandela was alive.

In fact, Madiba was silent while he was alive and the excesses were on stream.

I am not justifying excesses of one kind or another, but if Mandela cannot be faulted for the excesses of the government that followed him, how

can Cheddi be faulted for the governments that have followed him?

Why are the yardsticks different? I am certain that both of these men thought that those who were associated with them would not have changed so radically, once they took the reins of power. I

am also sure that both would not have foreseen that those who fought in the trenches with them would have allowed such travesty to take place.

Respectfully, Annan Boodram The Caribbean Voice

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Tuesday, december 17, 2013

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Jagdeo showed no interest WMA to provide training for inspecting officers on IATA in third term regulations

Dear Editor, This is in reference to recent commentaries about references to the constitution on term limits and former President Bharrat Jagdeo returning as the presidential candidate in impending elections.

Any constitution is subject to interpretation by the courts. It was explained to me by senior lawyers that the language in the constitution can be interpreted to mean that the president could not seek more than two consecutive terms and that he could seek others terms if he skips one term – a la the Vladimir Putin precedent.

In 2010 and 2011, there were calls from various quarters for amending the constitution to allow Jagdeo to seek another consecutive

term. There were even suggestions for a referendum on the issue.

Polls I conducted in 2009 through 2011 showed significant support for another Jagdeo term and for the holding of a referendum on the issue. But Jagdeo did not show any interest in the idea and the proposal did not take off. In fact, in interviews I had with him for pieces I penned, Jagdeo said he would not seek a third term and instead expressed support for Donald Ramotar as the presidential candidate.

Recently, Jagdeo was asked in New York if he is interested in returning to lead the party in the next election given that the current president did not get a majority in the 2011 elections. The former president

still enjoys significant support in the diaspora.

Jagdeo reiterated his support for President Ramotar and also told people he backs him for reelection. So the question of whether the constitution can be interpreted to give Jagdeo more terms becomes a non-issue, if indeed Jagdeo is not interested.

I do not think Jagdeo will seek another term or be the candidate if mid-term elections are held – which is most likely. But the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) may find itself in a precarious position if it does not attract credible people on its parliamentary list.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

Guyana should redefine its immigration laws Dear Editor, The Caribbean Community (Caricom) quickly condemned The Dominican Republic’s high court decision, which denied Haitians citizenship based on blood as a non qualifier.

But many countries define citizenship by jus sanguine, that is, blood rather than by jus soli, that is birth.

Most European (for example, Germany) and Asian (for example, Japan) countries fear immigrants may alter their political and social equilibrium, especially those countries with supposedly vulnerable or small populations. Can a small 10 per cent or 20 per cent conceivably tip the scale and change the political destiny of a given nation?

Barbados has historically shut out Caribbean nationals fearing their small country will be overwhelmed. The trickle of Venezuelan and more so increasing Brazilian presence in Guyana has been cause for alarm.

The late People’s National Congress (PNC) Education Minister Derek Bernard, at the 2004 PNCaffiliated Clark Atlanta University conference in Washington, DC publicly lamented “the Braziliation of Guyana” to much concern.

An increase of new immigrants can find them part of the political voting process which can influence the traditional Indian/Black voting scale. Does it have any lessons to parallel our historical indentured/slave histo-

ry?

Any Jew immigrating to Israel gets automatic Israeli citizenship but nonJews do not qualify. NonMexican residents are legally prohibited to own Mexican land. Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana, as Barbados has done already, should redefine their immigration laws from jus soli to jus sanguine for their own survival.

Assuredly any reluctance to save and protect their unique ancestral history would, regardless, find it shaped, inevitably and very soon, by new immigrants with equal rights to the patrimony and deed.

Sincerely, Vassan Ramracha

Dear Editor, On November 29, a shipment of caimans departed Guyana destined for the Netherlands. Upon arrival in the Netherlands, several caimans were found dead. The shipment was routed through Canada and Turkey.

The Dutch authorities determined that the animals had not been transported in accordance with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Live Animal Regulations. They noted that ventilation was not adequate for the caimans, the caimans were transported “too cold” and that the packing density outlined by the IATA regulations was not adhered to.

On December 12, another shipment of caimans departed Guyana, destined for Ukraine. The shipment was routed through the Netherlands where the Dutch authorities once again determined that the caimans were transported in violation of the IATA regulations and seized the shipment.

The Wildlife Management Authority has requested that the Dutch authorities provide further information on the specific violations pertaining to this shipment and is awaiting a response.

The general container requirements (Live

Animal Regulations, 2011, pp 278-280) indicate that the dimensions of inner enclosures and/or outer enclosures must be related to the actual size of the specimens being transported.

In general, the container must allow the animal to lie in a natural manner with enough space so that stacking does not take place.

Further, the height of the container should allow air flow over the animals but must also prevent stacking.

With regard to ventilation and temperature, it is noted that reptiles are cold blooded and have lower oxygen requirements than birds and mammals. Therefore, the ventilation and the size of the ventilation openings would be dependent on the ambient temperature.

Shipments that are exposed to cold climates will require fewer ventilation openings than shipments that are exposed to hot climates. The ventilation openings must be small enough to prevent the escape of the animals and meshed openings must be added to the outer container to prevent the possible blockage of inner ventilation holes by the outer container. To protect the animals from extreme temperatures, insulated or lined containers are recommended.

Container requirement 42 contains specific requirements for crocodiles (including all kinds of alligators, caimans and any other crocodilian species). For caimans with a snout vent length (SVL) less than 20cm, a packing density of two-three caimans is indicated with an inner enclosure of minimum size four litre cloth bag or rigid plastic container permitted.

Based on the foregoing, it is clear that while some parameters are established for the shipment of live animals, there is ambiguity in the guidelines which can lead to subjectivity on the part of inspecting officers.

The Wildlife Management Authority (WMA) therefore will be seeking to undertake the following: 1. Training of the inspecting officers on the IATA regulations.

2. Development of clearer guidelines by the WMA within the parameters laid out by the IATA regulations to avoid accusations of subjectivity on the part of inspecting officers.

Regards, Parmanand Persaud Stakeholders’ Support Officer Natural Resources and Environment Ministry

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Foundation

The homework dilemma: how much should parents get involved?

BY SHARON CROMWELL

W

hat can teachers do to help parents help their children with homework?

Just what kind of parental involvement – and how much involvement – truly helps children with their homework? The most useful stance parents can take, many experts agree, is to be somewhat but not overly involved in homework. The emphasis needs to be on parents’ helping children do their homework themselves – not on doing it for them.

In an Instructor magazine article “How to make parents your homework partners,” study-skills consultant Judy Dodge maintains that involving students in homework is largely the teacher’s job, yet parents can help by “creating a home environment that’s conducive to children getting their homework done.”

Children who spend more time on homework, on average, do better academically than children who don’t, and the academic benefits of homework increase in the upper grades, according to Helping Your Child With Homework, a handbook by the Office of Education Research and Improvement in the U.S. Department of Education.

The handbook offers ideas for helping children finish homework assignments successfully and answers questions that parents and people who care for elementary and primary school students often ask about homework.

For example, the hand-

guyanatimesgy.com

book states, homework can help children to: * review and practise what they have learned * prepare for the next day’s class * use resources, such as libraries and reference materials * investigate topics more fully than time allows in the classroom

age. Elementary school students who are doing homework for the first time may need more direct involvement than older students.

Homework “tips”

Specific methods have been developed for encouraging the optimal parental involvement in homework.

Interactive homework as-

Steps to avoiding back to school anxiety

BY HILARY PEREIRA

W

hether your child is starting school for the first time, moving to a new school or going back after a long holiday, the back to school process can prompt feelings of anxiety. From getting the school run right and making new friends to helping out with homework and being prepared for the big day, here are 10 steps to avoiding back-to-school anxiety.

Be prepared

Get everything prepared well in advance of your child starting school: get her involved in sticking name labels on her pencil case, lunchbox and drinking bottle, and make sure all her uniform is properly labelled, right down to her shoes and socks.

You’ll be amazed how quickly things can get mislaid, and – unless they’re

Familiarise them with the surroundings

Parents can help children excel at homework by: * setting a regular time * choosing a place * removing distractions * having supplies and resources on hand * monitoring assignments * providing guidance.

The handbook cautions against actually doing the homework for a child, but talking about the assignment so the child can figure out what needs to be done is okay.

And reviewing a completed assignment with a child can also be helpful. The kind of help that works best depends, of course, partly on the child’s

signments involve students in demonstrating or discussing homework with a family member. Parents are asked to monitor, interact, and support their children. They are not required to read or direct the students’ assignments because that is the students’ responsibility.

The goals of the process are for parents to gain knowledge about their children’s school work, students to gain mastery in academic subjects by enhancing school lessons at home, and teachers to have an understanding of the parental contribution to student learning. (Education World)

Starting ‘big’ school can be a daunting prospect, but it’ll help if your child is familiar with his new surroundings in advance.

Take him with you on any school visits you make, and try to attend any open events, such as a school fête, in the run-up to his big day.

Talk to the teachers and other parents – you may find that some have an older child in the school already, but have a younger child starting at the same time as yours.

Your child might be a bit shy, but even if he recognises the odd face or two – teachers or pupils – on his first day, he’ll feel a bit less daunted.

Similarly, don’t prolong the goodbyes. Give him a kiss, tell him to have a lovely time (in your cheeriest voice and with a big smile on your face), then say goodbye and leave.

Don’t get too upset if he tries to cling on to you or sobs all the way inside: the teaching staff are well used to this happening and will have some clever strategies for settling upset children.

Chances are he’ll come running out at the end of the day, full of excitement and waving his first painting in his hand!

Help out with friend-making

marked – how hard it can be to get them back!

Being ready ahead of schedule will make you and your child feel less anxious than if you’re scrabbling around the night before her big day, trying to find all the relevant bits and pieces.

Get the timings right

Get the timings right on the first day: if you arrive too early your child will have plenty of time to become clingy and try to persuade you why he can’t go to school that day; leave it too late and your panic will transfer to your child.

If your child isn’t too adept at making friends, give her a helping hand.

It’ll help if you can make friends with some of the other mums at the school gates, and perhaps ask one or two back with their children for tea after school to discover who she gets on best with.

Avoid one-to-ones at first, which she might feel awkward – unless, of course, she suggests it first.

Let your child’s teacher know if she’s very shy: there are lots of things the staff can do to foster new friendships and socialise reluctant children.

Take a step back

Expect a bit of regression when your ‘baby’ starts school for the first time.

He’ll be expected to behave in a more grown-up way than he’s used to all day, and may not be able to keep it up once he’s home where he feels safe and unconditionally loved.

Be prepared to baby him a bit with lots of cuddles and reassurances. He might enjoy curling up with one of his favourite toddler books or watching a much-loved DVD together.

On the downside, he may start wetting the bed at night again, sucking his thumb or wanting his old comforter back. Bear with him, don’t make a fuss, treat him with sympathy and allow him to find his way forward again in his own time.

Grant them independence

Making the move to high school is a really big step for most children, but also heralds the beginning of newfound independence.

If your child wants to make her own way to school, practise the journey with her several times over the summer holidays, and if she is going to be using public transport, give her some contingency arrangements for if services are cancelled or delayed. (ivillage.co.uk) TO BE CONTINUED

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tuesday, december 17, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Rohee, Granger express Consumers with outstanding bills will be disconnected – GPL regret at Josiah’s passing

GPL is calling on consumers to settle their outstanding bills or face disconnection Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee

Opposition Leader David Granger

Assistant Police Commissioner Derrick Josiah

ome Affairs Minister Clement Rohee and Opposition Leader David Granger have expressed deep regret at the passing of Assistant Police Commissioner Derrick Josiah on Friday.

Rohee in a release said Josiah was a member of the Guyana Police Force Change Team, which oversees the modernisation of the force. At Change Team meetings, which are chaired by the minister, he was very vocal on issues and made valuable contributions, which aided the modernisation process, Rohee said.

He was one of the earliest beneficiaries of training in domestic violence and this training was manifest-

ed in his professional approach in treating reports on domestic violence that are made at police stations.

“He was supportive of the concept of community/ police relations and as divisional commander, spearheaded the formation of station management committees and youth clubs in the divisions in which he worked.

“He was a talented officer with great potential and we shall miss him greatly. The Ministry of Home Affairs wishes to express its deep condolences to the members of Mr Josiah’s bereaved family at this difficult time,” Rohee said.

Meanwhile, Granger in a message said A Partnership

for National Unity (APNU) extends condolences to the wife, children, relatives and friends of Josiah.

“APNU also sends it condolences to the commissioner of police, and the men and women of the Guyana Police Force, especially to the A Division family where Mr Josiah last served. The police force not only lose a divisional commander, but from all accounts, a good and upstanding officer,” Granger said.

Josiah enlisted into the Guyana Police Force on August 22, 1985 as a constable and served in various capacities with distinction, the last being as commander of A Division.

H

T

he Power and Light Company Inc (GPL) said it has done the necessary works to provide a stable supply of electricity during the holiday season, and calls on consumer to settle their outstanding bills or face disconnection.

The company in a release said over this last weekend, however, as a result of the inclement weather conditions, some customers experienced power outages across the country.

GPL said its technicians worked as quickly as possible to restore power to the affected areas.

“GPL Inc is asking customers to report any localised faults in their area, as the company may not always be aware of the problem. To report faults, customers are urged to call GPL’s call cen-

Gunmen terrorise Corentyne family

A

Corentyne rice farmer is thankful for his life following an armed robbery at his home in the wee hours of Monday morning by four gunmen who managed to escape with cash, jewellery and mobile phones.

The robbery was committed about 01:30h after the men gained entry into the house by removing several louvres panes from a window in the lower flat of the house and cutting off an iron grille.

The robbers invaded Ramnarine Lall’s property and carted off $500,000 in cash, a quantity of gold

jewellery valued $1 million and three cellphones valued $86,000. The men were all masked and dressed in dark coloured clothing.

Two of them were reportedly armed with small black hand guns and one with a black shot gun. According to information received, Lall secured his two-storey wooden and concrete house and went to bed about 20:30h on Sunday evening.

About 01:30h, he was awakened by a loud sound coming from the lower flat of his house and suddenly heard a loud impact on his bedroom door. Almost immediately, the door flew

open and he saw two men entering his room. One of the bandits placed a gun to his head and instructed him to lie on the floor, while the other man placed a gun to his wife’s head and demanded cash and jewellery.

Fearful for her life, she went into the bedroom drawer where she handed over the above mentioned cash, jewellery and cellphones.

Further reports revealed that the bandits then took Lall and his wife to the lower flat of the house where the other two men were and told them to lie on the floor. The bandits then made good their escape through a northern door.

The matter was reported to the police and an investigation was launched.

Several persons in the area were questioned, but no one was arrested.

tre 592-226-4015/16 or visit GPL at www.gplinc.com.

“The company urges everyone to make full use of this online service for fast action in dealing with problems.

This would do away with having to travel during this raining and hectic season to join long queues at GPL offices.

“Please be patient and tolerant as we do everything in our power to make it a bright and merry Christmas for everyone,” the release concluded.

Meanwhile, as the festive season approaches, the power company is encouraging consumers to clear all outstanding past due balances.

“This will certainly facilitate a brighter Christmas.

Our disconnection crews will be active in your communities during this period.

Should you be disconnected the following will be applied: you must clear your outstanding bill; pay a reconnection fee of $3200; and pay an increased security deposit equivalent to six times

the average of your monthly bill,” GPL said.

To avoid disconnection, consumers can settle their accounts at GPL commercial offices countrywide, Republic Bank, Bill Express, The Guyana Post Office Corporation, SurePay, Republic Bank, the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry, Citizens Bank (Guyana) Limited, Demerara Bank Limited and Mobile Money Guyana limited.

“The company wishes to take this opportunity to encourage its customers to take full advantage of its electronic services: register to have your monthly electricity bills delivered via electronic mail by visiting our website on www.gplinc. com; access our automated telephone enquiry service on 2260783 to retrieve useful account information or retrieve account information online at www.gplinc.com; and for more information, call our Commercial Call Centre on telephone number 592-226-2606,” GPL said.

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tuesday, december 17, 2013| guyanatimesGY.com

PUC approves reduced call Eyew tness rates to Canada, U.S. – promotion begins December 15, ends March 31 Sussing out...

T T he Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has recently approved a promotion on outbound international calls to Canada and the U.S.A. (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) at the approved pre-tax rate of $20 per minute (peak) and $12 per minute (off peak).

According to a release, these rates were made effective from December 15 and will run to March 31, 2014.

“This promotion is applicable to all GT&T and

Locals can now make calls to the U.S. and Canada at reduced rates from December 15 to March 31

Digicel customers and is offered on both the wire-line (landline) and mobile services, free of any subscription or fixed charges. With the applicable taxes, the rates will be $23.2 (peak) and $13.92 (off-peak),” the PUC said.

The body said noted that that the peak period is from 06:00h-18:00h, during the weekdays, while the off peak period is from 18:00h m to 06:00h. Weekends and holidays are considered off peak, the PUC noted.

Burglars vanish with cash, music system from farmer

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he police are investigating an alleged burglary committed on Radesh Seechan, called “Rad”, of Lot 130, Number 11 Village, West Coast Berbice, which occurred on Sunday morning between 00:00h and 02:30h.

The burglars took away

an undisclosed sum of cash and one music set. The estimated cost of the music system was not immediately available to Guyana Times.

Based on reports received, the man resides in the lower flat of a two-storey concrete structure which has several louvre windows secured in-

ternally by iron grille-work.

Seechand reportedly secured his home by tower bolts both internally and externally.

Suraj Kally Sookram, the mother of the victim, told investigators that her son would normally transport greens and vegetables to Georgetown on a daily basis, and between the date and time mentioned.

He reportedly forgot to

lock one of the doors; thus, creating an avenue for the bandits to sneak in and remove the items mentioned.

Upon discovering that the items were missing, Seechand's mother contacted the police and an investigation was launched. No one was arrested despite several persons being questioned.

Police are continuing their investigations.

...the IRI he opposition parties have their buktas a in a knot over the government’s decision to forego the “democratisation project” that was going to be executed by the International Republican Institute (IRI). Kemraj Ramjattan of the Alliance For Change (AFC) and Joe Harmon of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) huffed and puffed in righteous indignation as to why the government wouldn’t want Americans promoting “democracy” in Guyana.

Well, there are Americans and there are Americans. Our government hasn’t said much, but we’re rather surprised they even allowed the IRI to get their toe into “democratisation” in Guyana. Especially after their record all over the world – and most recently Egypt.

So what’s this IRI all about? It’s a constituent of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) formed in 1983

by Ronald Reagan to push “democratisation” abroad. That’s the same year he invaded Grenada in his crusade against communists, communism and their fellow travellers.

The IRI is manned by the right-wing Republican Party and is matched in the NED of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) run by the Democratic party. There’s also a group to “democratise” foreign labour movements and one for “private enterprise”.

Even the innocuous Wikipedia entry admits: “The IRI operates as a political organisation abroad, providing training and assistance to favoured political parties”. Lest we be accused of exaggerating, back in 2012, the New Statesman wrote: “NED and its affiliates (particularly IRI) have been implicated in funding groups involved in organising coups against democratically elected leaders such as Hugo Chávez of Venezuela (2002), Jean-Betrand Aristide of Haiti (2004) and Manuel Zelaya of Honduras (2009). NED massively funded the political opposition to democratically elected Nobel Peace Prize winner President Oscar Arias of Costa Rica (1986-1988).”

In Egypt, staff members of the IRI quit after they accused the organisation of only supporting groups deemed “friendly” when they were supposed to be non-partisan. Members of the organisation, including some Americans, were put on trial after Hosni Mubarrak was deposed.

There was a huge hue and cry of “non-governmental organisations (NGOs)” being attacked – which was ironic, since the IRI is totally funded by the American government!

It’s for these reasons we’re not surprised the AFC and APNU are up in arms at the thought of the IRI being halted in its tracks. It’s long being rumoured that foreign funds launched these groups. Who’d you think paid for the Dick Morris’s poll back in 2006 in the effort at “democratisation” here?

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) probably just woke up to the fact that they’re still viewed as “leftists”.

Especially to the IRI right wingers. Better late than never. ...depraved minds Just when you thought the MuckrakerKN couldn’t sink any lower – how do you sink lower than a snake’s belly when it came to spewing out garbage and filth? – they’ve managed to do just that. The Eyewitness finally found out why he was tortured about “negative numbers” in high school – you can really sink below zero!

It’s truly said that “all skin teeth na laugh”. So when the MuckrakerKN might want to say their effusions are just “skin teeth” of the owner (the “Mook”) and his house editor, it’s no laughing matter when they mock a public official for “picking fare” at night.

Women have suffered centuries of humiliations and slights to inch up the professional ladder – and one of the most low down things men can do is to suggest that they’ve had to sleep their way around. We’ve never seen them accuse men of this act...and we hope that women in general will condemn this maligning of a woman’s reputation.

The final irony was them also mocking the woman for changing her name to an English one.

Now who was it that changed his name from “Mohan” to “Glenn”? ...lepto Was Minister Robeson Benn using President Donald Ramotar to find out if lepto is around when he asked the president to wade around in sewage laden water?

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tuesday, december 17, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

DPP to rule soon on Orange Giftland OfficeMax gives Region One children Christmas treat Walk shooting case

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irector of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Bibi Shalimar Hack is currently reviewing the file containing the facts surrounding the case of the Orange Walk shooting incident, which saw the shooter walking scotch free.

In November, Magistrate Fabayo Azore discharged the case at the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) stage, saying that a prima facie case was not made despite video evidence of the cricketer, Carlyle Barton, when he allegedly shot Shawn Nelson, with whom he had a longstanding friendship.

The DPP’s Communication Specialist Liz Rahaman said special attention is being given to the file, noting that the DPP’s decision is forth coming. She confirmed that the file has been with Hack for more than three weeks, explaining that it has to be reviewed thoroughly before a decision is taken.

Crime Chief Seelall Persaud recently disclosed that the DPP was looking at the deposition and noted his surprised in the way the case went. He confirmed that if the ranks failed to presently themselves in court, it simple means that no evidence was submitted.

Hours after the decision was handed down, relatives of the dead man vented their frustration, calling for justice to be served.

Rumours have spread like wild fire, accusing the cricketer of paying more than $6 million to the police ranks for not showing up to present their testimonies.

From reports received, he left the country a few days after being freed.

Disciplinary action

During a recent interview with the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) Chairman, retired Justice Cecil Kennard, he said that disciplinary actions should be taken against the errant police ranks, who failed to testify in the said case.

Justice Kennard said it is sad that despite the fact that sufficient evidence was gathered for the case, the police ranks did not show up in court.

“If it is a case where the

Freed cricketer, Carlyle Barton

Dead mason, Shawn Nelson

police ranks all teamed up and decide not to give evidence in the case, then I think that they should be charged with conspiring to defeat the course of justice.”

First, he said the police will have to determine if that was the case.

He added that this is one of the issues that have been hampering the judicial system over the years, but will take some time to correct unless something drastic happens.

The retired justice also highlighted that another sad affair was the missing footage of the shooting which was supposed to be presented in court.

journed.

The entire shooting incident was captured on surveillance cameras and based on the evidence, the cricketer was charged with the man’s death. The surveillance recording that was uplifted from a nearby business was reportedly not presented in court.

On the day of the shooting incident, Nelson had left his D’Urban Street home and was walking to his Robb Street job when he was shot.

He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries the following day.

After driving away from the scene, a panicked Barton crashed his car a number of times on his way home.

Barton later surrendered to the police in the company of his lawyer.

Walk free

Months after Barton was charged for the murder of Shawn “Red Man” Nelson on Orange Walk, Georgetown earlier this year, he was freed, owing to the absence of witnesses, among them police detectives.

Magistrate Azore announced that she was forced to set him free, owing to the lack of evidence since the witnesses failed to show up.

Barton made his first court appearance on May 28 before Magistrate Sueanna Lovell and was not required to plead to the indictable charge, which stated that on May 27 at Orange Walk, he murdered Nelson.

The matter was then transferred to another court where the PI had commenced. As the PI continued, several prosecution witnesses did not show up to testify, which brought a halt to the proceedings and forced the case to be ad-

The children of Baramita Primary School with members of Giftland’s team

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he U.S. embassy, Humanitarian Assistance Programme (HAP) has partnered with Giftland OfficeMax to spread Christmas cheer to hundreds of primary and secondary school children from Baramita and Matthew’s Ridge, Region One. The schools received over $200,000 in stationery supplies including notebooks, backpacks, pens, coloured pencils, sharpeners, scissors, tape and glue sticks.

A Christmas tree, decorations, sweets and treats were donated to the school in Baramita to ensure that the

children of the Amerindian settlement have a special Christmas.

HAP representative Stephenson thanked Giftland OfficeMax for its extended arms of gratitude in helping to touch the lives of Region One children.

Meanwhile, with the kind donation from Giftland OfficeMax, the Benschop Foundation will make a few hundred children happier, this Christmas.

Giftland OfficeMax donated toys, confectionary, activity books, puzzles and Christmas decorations to assist in bringing a brighter

Christmas to the children who are the beneficiaries.

Two Sundays ago, Giftland OfficeMax brought wide smiles to their neighbouring community, Tiger Bay, at School of the Nations.

Last year, the company on Water and Holmes streets provided 12 orphanages with hampers under the theme “Giftland Cares” and this year will be no different.

The Benschop thanked the management and staff of Giftland for their continued support to the foundation over the years.

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, December 17, 2013

News

Father pleads for missing daughter to return home

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he father of missing teenager Raveena Motie is pleading for her safe return. Raveena, 14, of Hampshire Village Corentyne, Berbice has been missing for the past 16 days.

An emotional Harrinarine Motie told this newspaper that since the dreadful day, he has been having sleepless nights and the situation has also taken a toll on his health.

“I just want to know that my daughter is ok, I don’t know if she run away but if she did, I just want her to know that we are not upset with her, we want her to reach us in any way she can,” he said. The saddened father said he does not have any problems with his daughter and cannot think of why she

Raveena Motie

might want to run away.

He related that he suspects someone in the village who may know something, but is urging the police to do a thorough investigation.

“The night before at around midnight, I see about three persons next to the house with a motorcycle and I think they know something,” he pointed out.

Only four months ago, Motie lost another of his daughters to suicide. He was at the time recovering from surgery after he was viciously attacked while returning home one night from work.

The situation has also left his family in a state of worry, he said, pointing out that since the incident, his wife hardly sleeps.

According to the father, his daughter, a student of Port Mourant Secondary was last seen on December 1, after attending the Pentecostal Church at Hampshire, Corentyne.

He related that after the service was finished, he did not see her in church and left and went home, but was subsequently told by a neighbour that his daughter was seen with a backpack heading to the road.

The father and other relatives made several checks, but came up empty-handed. A report was made to the Albion Police Station.

Motie related that he has been visiting the Albion Police Station daily to check with the officers, hoping they have some new information for him.

Anyone with information on Raveena Motie's whereabouts is urged to call the nearest police station or her father on telephone number 602-9559.

Bourda resident needs financial support for urgent kidney treatment

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eena Sultan of 199 Charlotte Street, Bourda, Georgetown, is seeking financial assistance to undergo urgent kidney follow-up treatment in India next month.

Reena, in 2008, underwent transplant surgery for both kidneys in India, and according to the young lady, her body has been rejecting them.

She told Guyana Times that recently, she had spoken to her doctors in India and was told that she needs to get follow-up treatment as early as possible.

The treatment, transportation and other expenses have been estimated at US$22,670 but her family does not have that amount of money to foot the bill.

them to meet the cost of the treatment to save his wife’s life.

Reena has expressed gratitude to her supportive husband whom she said has been her bedrock, and would not have been alive without him.

Persons desirous of assisting Reena can do so through Republic Bank on account number 298-9358 or call 227-4167 or 609-0616.

Dem boys ain’t like dem own names

D

em boys who seh dem is boys, but who is not really boys, but does dress like boys, and tell people dem is boys, got a lotta smartness in dem. Or at least dem like to tink so. Dem does tek dem s*it and put it pun other people behind. De tings whah dem boys guilty of doin is de same tings whah dem does accuse other people of doin.

Old people seh when yuh bad talk other people is a backhanded way of talkin good bout yuh self. That is true, true story wheh dem boys who seh dem is boys concern. Is just like how thief does always call dem mattie thief. And just like how pot does tell kettle he bottom black.

Dem boys who seh dem is boys accuse a big woman of changin she name. And dis is a big woman who dem boys ain’t even qualify to wipe she shoes. De way dem boys does behave dem ain’t even got respect fuh dem mummah. Dem mummah woulda call dem good-fuh-nutten if she hear dem.

This woman so big she done expose de mayor-fuh-life Green Ham. And de mayor-fuh-life was horrible even before de exposure. Plenty people had to close dem eyes when de mayor-fuh-life get expose. That is how big and powerful this woman is. Dis big woman also expose de deputy mayor Green Case. No body in de history of this country and GT de garbage town ever expose de mayor-fuh-life and de deputy at one time in de same place.

Dem boys who seh dem is boys only got one ting against this big woman. Dem vex because de big woman change she name. And that is de woman right. But when yuh check dem boys, a lotta dem change dem name, but dem tink people ain’t know.

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

Mohan de Mook turn to Glenn. Lallbachand de Lalloo turn to Chris, and that is just two fuh now. Plus de headitor Adam turn to Madam, but nobody sure if that is just a name change or some other kinda change!

LIAT cancels flights due to high winds Reena and her husband Fazil Sultan

Fazil Sultan, Reena’s husband said he loves her dearly and without her, he and their six-year-old son would suffer

greatly.

He is appealing to members of the public to looking into their plight and help

L

IAT has cancelled several flights to to/from St Vincent and Dominica due to high seasonal winds in both territories.

Acting Chief Executive Officer Julie Reifer-Jones explained that the company’s aircraft have tailwind limitation set by the manufacturers during the certification process and therefore are not permitted to takeoff or land when the prevailing winds are beyond these limits.

She added that the departure out of E T Joshua Airport and the night landings into

Melville Hall are affected by tailwinds and therefore the decision to cancel flights was taken in the interest of safety.

“While we will continue to do our best to provide our customers with a smooth travel experience, we must operate within the limitations set by the aircraft manufacturer and occasionally, we will have no alternative but to cancel flights due to the high winds,” the acting CEO added.

“At this time of the year, the wind conditions in St Vincent restrict the take-off

weight of the aircraft and when this occurs, the company is obliged to restrict the number of bags that can be taken on the aircraft.”

LIAT reservations and airport personnel stand ready to assist customers who have been affected by the cancellations and baggage issues due to the airport limitations.

LIAT has apologised to its customers travelling to/from St Vincent and Dominica for the inconvenience they have been experiencing due to the increase in cancelled flights and delayed baggage.

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tuesday, December 17, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

12 news

tuesday, December 17, 2013 | guyanatimeSGY.com

Small businesses say CSF targets promotion of science in Caribbean GPL not reliable

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T

he frequent power outages is taking a toll on Region Two residents, particularly small business owners, many of whom have now resorted to purchasing generators to ensure the blackouts do not dampen their Christmas.

Even the Region Two administration has purchased a generator to supply its various departments with power. The region’s accounts department solely depends on power and the Internet to transact administrative dayto-day activities.

Several small business owners told Guyana Times that the constant “freak” blackouts over the past week have dented the business in the primarily rice growing region and some of their colleagues are reeling from their losses.

The business persons say they do not have any other option but to purchase an alternative source of energy to stay in operation and sustain their livelihoods.

One small shop owner Talesh Persaud said he is frustrated about the situation and is now convinced that he cannot rely on the power company.

He said during the massive power outage last Monday, he lost thousands of dollars in goods as there was no cold storage for items such as sausages, ice-cream, chicken, pork and beef.

Another businessman, who is a tailor, also related that he lost many of his clients due to the blackout. At Bounty Hall, three families

This resident is one of several who purchased generators to counter the intermittent blackouts on the Essequibo Coast

living in the same yard have also subbed resources and purchased a generator, stating that their children need to study for examinations in January.

On Monday and Tuesday, many small businesses, including salons, tailor shops and shopping outlets, were out of operation and the Essequibo Coast was resigned to an atmosphere of uneasy calm.

Sanjay Persaud, a fisherman from Cotton Field Village, told Guyana Times that he lost about $100,000 due to the blackout as he was unable to go to sea, since there was no ice available.

Persaud supplies fish to vendors on the Essequibo Coast, and due to the power outage, he was left without a cold storage and had to dump spoilt stock in the Atlantic Ocean.

He contended that the situation was the worst in his 20 years as a fisherman, and power fluctuations are only frustrating the situation.

GPL in a release had said the blackout was caused by electrical problems that developed within the high voltage switchgear at the company’s Anna Regina power plant.

With only two megawatts of the generating capacity available for distribution, consumers would have experienced prolonged periods without electricity as GPL resorted to load-shedding.

Though power was restored last Wednesday, the region has been suffering frequent power outages.

However, a GPL official on Monday said the situation has been fixed and Region Two will not be experiencing anymore intermittent blackouts during the festive season.

he recently held third annual Caribbean Science Foundation conference (CSF) saw the raising of awareness on mechanisms to promote science in the Caribbean using Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

The conference was held two weeks ago in Guyana at the Grand Coastal Hotel and saw a gathering of professionals from the world over to discuss and debate on how to advance science in the Caribbean to help diversify the economies of its countries.

The two-day conference held under the theme “Stimulating Education, Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Science and Engineering”, was a collaboration among CSF, the Education Ministry and the Caribbean Diaspora for Science, Technology and Innovation.

Networking

During the conference, collaborations and cooperation between institutions and sectors throughout the region, and networking with the diaspora were mentioned frequently as the key to facilitate science and technology advances.

At the opening ceremony, both Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Education Minister Priya Manickchand highlighted the importance of harnessing science and technology for the development of the region.

Presidential Advisor on Science and Technology Navin Chandarpal spoke about the approval of Guyana’s national science and technology policy as a national milestone in elevating awareness of the importance of the STEM education reform.

A section of the participants during the conference

Students and teachers from various high schools in Guyana were given the opportunity to participate in the workshop, during which students posed some of the most difficult questions to the speakers. They were also allowed to carry out experiments using microscience kits provided by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

The students had nothing but praise for this hands-on learning experience.

The conference saw the featuring of CSF programmes such as the Sagicor Visionaries Challenge and the Student Programme for Innovation in Science and Engineering (SPISE), with three local students reliving their experiences in these programmes.

Fun learning

STEM curriculum and modernisation updates, also received attention, with the primary objective of making science fun for the students. Focus was placed too on teaching with examples drawn from local resources and needs, inquiry-based science approaches, the scientific method, and the use of digital e-learning were em-

phasised. The need for more national science fairs, math Olympiads and science museums was also stressed.

One area which saw a lot of enthusiasm was the career panel, which explored a vast range of career options in the STEM disciplines for the students. The requirements for the launch of a high-tech electronics start-up company were demystified with examples showing how, in the Internet era, the materials and components needed could be sourced worldwide from a desktop. The critical need for execution to bring ideas to fruition was emphasised.

The conference further saw the 2013 CSF Distinguished Service Awards of the University of South Florida going to overseas-based Guyanese Professor Maya Trotz and Petal Jetoo of the Education Ministry, Sagicor Financial Corporation, and Sagicor Life Caribbean.

The CSF was established in 2010 as an independent non-profit, non-governmental organisation, whose mission is to assist with the diversification of the region’s economies by promoting education reform in STEM and stimulating more technology-based entrepreneurship.

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tuesDAY, december 17, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Surge in diseases of animal origin needs new health approach – report

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opulation growth, agricultural expansion, and the rise of globe-spanning food supply chains have dramatically altered how diseases emerge, jump species boundaries, and spread, according to a Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) report released on Monday. A new, more holistic approach to managing disease threats at the animal-human-environment interface is needed, it argued.

Seventy per cent of new diseases that have emerged in humans over recent decades are of animal origin and, in part, directly related to the human quest for more animal-sourced food, according to the report World Livestock 2013: Changing Disease Landscapes.

Worldwide boom

The ongoing expansion of agricultural lands into wild areas, coupled with a worldwide boom in livestock production, means that “livestock and wildlife are more in contact with each other, and we ourselves are more in contact with animals than ever before,” said FAO Agriculture and Consumer Protection Assistant Director General Ren Wang.

“What this means is that we cannot deal with human health, animal health, and ecosystem health in isolation from each other – we have to look at them together, and address the drivers of disease emergence, persistence and spread, rather than simply fighting back against diseases after they emerge,” he added.

FAO’s new report provides a number of compelling reasons for taking a new tack on disease emer-

Population growth, agricultural expansion, and the rise of globe-spanning food supply chains have dramatically altered how diseases emerge, the FAO says

gence.

Developing countries face a staggering burden of human, zoonotic and livestock diseases, it says, creating a major impediment to development and food safety. Recurrent epidemics in livestock affect food security, livelihoods, and national and local economies in poor and rich countries alike.

Meanwhile, food safety hazards and antibiotic resistance are on the increase worldwide.

Globalisation and climate change are redistributing pathogens, vectors, and hosts, and pandemic risks to humans caused by pathogens of animal origin present a major concern.

Complex disease

Changes wrought by human activity have created a vastly more complicated global disease landscape, states World Livestock 2013.

Ongoing population growth and poverty – coupled with inadequate health

systems and sanitation infrastructure – remain major drivers in disease dynamics.

But in the push to produce more food, humans have carved out vast swaths of agricultural land in previously wild areas – putting themselves and their animals into contact with wildlife-borne diseases.

Indeed, a majority of the infectious diseases that have emerged in humans since the 1940s can be traced back to wildlife, noted FAO’s report. For instance, it is likely that the SARS virus emerging in humans was first transmitted by bats to masked palm civets and eventually spilled over to humans via animal markets. In other cases, the opposite occurs – livestock introduce pathogens into natural areas, affecting wildlife health.

Meanwhile, greater numbers of human beings are on the move than ever before, and the volume of goods and products being traded internationally is at

unprecedented levels, giving disease-causing organisms the ability to travel the globe with ease.

And climate fluctuation is having direct impacts on the environmental survival rate of disease agents, especially in warm and humid areas, while climate change influences the habitats of hosts, migration patterns and disease transmission dynamics.

The role of livestock

FAO’s new study focuses in particular on how changes in the way humans raise and trade animals have affected how diseases emerge

and spread.

“In response to human population growth, income increases and urbanisation, world food and agriculture has shifted its main focus from the supply of cereals as staples to providing an increasingly protein-rich diet based on livestock and fishery products,” World Livestock 2013 noted.

While livestock production provides a number of economic and nutrition benefits, the sector’s rapid growth has spawned a number of health-related challenges, it said.

The risk of animal-to-human pathogen shifts varies greatly according to the type of livestock production and the presence of basic infrastructure and services.

While intensive production systems are largely free from high-impact animal and zoonotic diseases, they do present some pitfalls, particularly in developing countries and countries in transition, according to the report.

Intensive production at large scale involves the congregation of large numbers of genetically identical animals. Strong biosecurity and health protection regimes generally prevent infectious disease problems, but major outbreaks occur occasionally when a pathogen performs a virulence jump, escapes the vaccine

used, acquires resistance to antibiotics, or travels along the food chain.

The report also states; however, that disease emergence in livestock is not specific to large-scale, intensive systems.

Smallholder livestock systems – which tend to involve animals roaming freely over large areas, but still in relatively high densities – often facilitate the disease spread, both among local animal populations and over broad distances.

New approach

“The many diverse diseases challenges discussed in this publication require greater attention to prevention,” argued World Livestock 2013. “A business-as-usual approach to risk management no longer suffices.”

To achieve this, FAO advocated the “one health” approach, looking at the interplay between environmental factors, animal health, and human health and bringing human health professionals, veterinary specialists, sociologists, economists, and ecologists together to work on disease issues within a holistic framework.

At the same time, “livestock health is the weakest link in our global health chain. Disease must be addressed at its source, particularly in animals,” it added.

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tuesday, December 17, 2013

guyanatimesgy.com

News

Medical services were Rainy Christmas season expected, Dr Ramsammy says not compromised during industrial M action – GPHC

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eorgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Michael Khan said medical care was not compromised at the institution during the weekend when there was a reported staff shortage.

Khan made this comment to Guyana Times on Monday after it was reported in sections of the media that patients were left unattended while many staff members had called in “sick”.

According to the CEO, there was indeed a staff shortage during the weekend and the persons who have reported sick were asked to put in some extra work and they did so “admirably”.

He explained that the staff who reported sick were from various wards; however, none were from the maternity section. Khan praised those who pulled their weight, plus worked beyond the call of duty, noting that he is proud of them.

He said the hospital is monitoring the situation as it relates to the staff shortage, pointing out that there was an excellent turn out at the institution on Monday.

While it is evident that the stunt pulled by the staff is in retaliation against the five per cent wage increase imposed on them, the government remains firm on its position.

When contacted, Public Service Minister Jennifer Westford said she is not engaged in any discussions or negotiations with the union to have the situation ironed out. She then declined to comment further on the matter.

Meanwhile, Guyana

GPHC CEO Michael Khan

GPSU President Patrick Yarde

Public Service Union (GPSU) President Patrick Yarde also disclosed to this newspaper that he too has not been contacted by any government functionary to discuss or negotiate a possible way forward.

He said the government seems to have no regards for the representations made on behalf of the GPSU members.

Yarde stated that the members, very rightfully, are angered by the blatant disrespect shown to them.

“It is having a demoralising effect on them because despite being paid low wages, they have performed their duties efficiently and so now they are stressing at the behaviour of the government… its making them emotional,” he noted.

The GPSU president disclosed that to address this situation, he has sent a letter to the police commissioner, indicating that they intend to move away from scattered picketing activities to protest marches to

gain the attention of the government.

He added that the union has even given one agency a-72 hour ultimatum for strike action.

“The situation will be confronted and we will be pushing for that… we tried to do everything to avoid this but government will not let up,” he said.

Yarde called the government’s action “dirty politics”, saying that despite having the money, they refused to sufficiently pay public servants what they are entitled to.

He said even the Democrats and Republicans were able to put aside their differences and worked together on deciding the budget during the shutdown.

“They cooperated to pass the budget so why that good sense can’t prevail in this country… why not inclusiveness, what’s the need for the government to act arbitrarily,” the GPSU president asked.

ore rainy days are expected over the next few days, as the local hydro metrological service has predicted more cloudiness in several parts of the country, particularly the coastal region.

Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy told Guyana Times on Monday that more rainy days are expected during the months of December and January, as he asked residents to take all necessary precautions against possible flooding.

He explained that the amount of rain that has fallen so far in December is not unusual; however, the intensity of rainfall is higher than normally experienced.

“Over the next week, the weather we have experienced from Friday to today (Monday) is expected to continue throughout Guyana,” Dr Ramsammy disclosed.

According to him, the weather being experienced in Region Four is expected to continue for most of the coastal areas. The weather right now is periods of sunshine and periods of cloudi-

Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

ness.

In addition to the heavy downpour, the last three to four days has caused some amount of flooding in various areas, particularly in Regions Two, Three, Four, and Six. However, the flooding has now dissipated, but in Region Six, between Wednesday and Thursday, intense rainfall was also experienced.

“Our main concern; however, is parts of the East Coast, East Bank and the

Pomeroon and Georgetown,” the minister added.

Despite this, the ministry has been working on the ground to ensure that all sluices are in operation.

He highlighted that a sluice door was broken at Capoey in Region Two, but it has since been fixed.

He said special attention is being placed on addressing the issues at Patentia, West Bank Demerara. Mobile pumps have also been placed at strategic locations across the country to drain excess water of the land.

While works are apace to have the situation rectified, all sluices and pumps are functional as the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) continues its monthly maintenance of drainage structures, especially in areas prone to flash flooding.

Since the above normal rainy period commenced, the Agriculture Ministry has commenced a number of emergency interventions including the clearing of outfall channels to ensure smooth flow of water.

PPP/C confident of sugar industry’s turnaround

T

he People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) is confident that the sugar industry will make a turnaround for the benefit of all Guyanese, with the possibility of expanding in the future. This is according to PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee.

He told media operatives on Monday that the new board of directors is expected to be the main contributing factor to the turnaround of the industry, with support coming from the two sugar unions; the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the National Association of Agricultural, and Commercial Industrial, Employees (NAACIE).

Rohee, who is also the

home affairs minister, said when comparing the performances of sugar industries in the Caribbean and those outside of the region, Guyana’s sugar sector is making significant strides to improve and upgrade its overall performance.

“The industries in other Caribbean countries are struggling; we are also struggling too but the point, in our context, is that the industry has greater prospects for not only having it turn around but surviving in the long term,” he stated.

The party’s general secretary stated that development brings with it challenges, while noting that there will be challenges here, but these would not be peculiar to Guyana’s sugar industry.

“This doesn’t mean to say we should sit on our laurels and allow this industry to decline. The PPP/C was not elected to govern over the demise of the sugar industry; therefore, it behoves us to make every effort even to bringing the industry back on par with the rest of the world,” Rohee said The PPP/C pointman noted, however, that changing weather patterns continue to be of major concern, and called for relevant awareness programmes in this regard.

Guyana, he said, continues to be the largest exporter of sugar to the region despite contrary reports and criticisms. He recommitted the party to the resuscitation of the industry.

No arrest yet for Stewartville murder

T

he police are yet to make an arrest for the murder of Jamaluddin “Jaggo” Sattaur of Lot 28 Middle Street, Stewartville, West Coast Demerara, who was found dead in his home on Sunday morning.

This was confirmed by police public relations officer Ivelaw Whittaker, when contacted on Monday. He said several persons have been questioned, but there were no leads that they could work with at this time.

A post-mortem exami-

nation performed on the body of Sattaur confirmed that he died from haemorrhaging due to multiple head injuries. The autopsy was performed by Dr Nehaul Singh at the Ezekiel Funeral Home.

Sattaur’s reputed wife, Jenny Hartman, stated that the family is making all arrangements for Sattaur’s last rites.

She added that the police have revisited the scene and questioned several persons, including herself and Sattaur’s brother, whose name was

given as JJ. The police, she added, have told them that there were no leads and more so, no suspects that can lead to an arrest at this time.

She is hopeful that the perpetrator(s) will be brought to justice. Sattaur was a kind person and did not deserve to meet his demise in such a gruesome fashion, the grieving woman said.

Sattaur, who was employed at the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), was found on Sunday morning about

Dead: Jamaluddin “Jaggo” Sattaur

07:30h wrapped in pieces of cloth in a pool of blood

by Hartman.

His house was ransacked and his money, which he kept in a purse in the house, was also missing.

According to information received, this was not the first time that the man’s house was burglarised. About three months ago, unknown persons broke into his house and carted off a quantity of jewellery and other items.

Hartman stated that she had left for work about

18:30h, and Sattaur was in his hammock. She returned about 07:30h and called out for him, but there was no answer.

She recognised that the house had been ransacked and when she entered the kitchen area, she found Sattaur’s motionless body covered by a few pieces of his clothes. Upon checking, she saw a deep wound to his head.

Sattaur leaves to mourn his six siblings; reputed wife, and foster children.

15 Around the world

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, dECember 17, 2013

Women and children mutilated Britain to assist Jamaica in DRC attack, UN says in monitoring deportees

T

he mutilated bodies of at least 21 people, including women, children and one baby, have been found after an attack in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the United Nations’ peacekeeping mission in the region said on Monday.

The UN said most of the victims appeared to have been hacked to death in the December 13-14 wave of attacks in villages in the country’s North Kivu province.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the killings, but they underscore the challenge that DRC’s army and the UN forces face in pacifying the restive east,

UN peacekeepers

despite last month’s defeat of the M23 rebels.

“These atrocities will not go unpunished,” Martin Kobler, head of the

MONUSCO peacekeeping mission, said in a statement.

Three girls appear to have been raped and then beheaded, the statement said, with

one of the victims estimated to be just a few months old.

UN-backed government forces won a rare victory last month against the Tutsidominated M23 rebels, during the region’s most serious uprising in years. But dozens of armed groups still hold ground in the rugged mountains along Congo’s eastern border with Rwanda and Uganda.

Jaribu Muliwavyo, a member of North Kivu’s provincial assembly from Beni, told Reuters he believed the Allied Democratic Forces, a rebel group that emerged in the 1990s in opposition to the Ugandan government, was behind the attack. (Excerpt

from France24)

11-year-old girl sent to women’s prison

S

enior Counsel Dana Seetahal is calling on the newly formed Child Protection Task Force to investigate and consider the process by which children are transferred between the country’s official orphanages and industrial schools, through acts of indiscipline.

On Thursday, Seetahal represented an 11-yearold girl, who lived at the St Dominic’s Children Home, in Belmont and was transferred to the Women’s Prison at Golden Grove, Arouca, for breaching the rules of the Belmont-based orphanage.

In a telephone interview on Sunday, Seetahal said that the transfer was ordered by a magistrate during a court appearance on December 5.

She explained that un-

der the Children’s Act, which governs the process, children at the country’s two official orphanages – St Dominic’s and Tacariguabased St Mary’s Children’s Home, who are accused of indiscipline are sent to the country’s only two industrial schools – St Jude’s School for Girls, also in Belmont or to St Michael’s Home for Boys in Deigo Martin.

The TT Guardian understands that some magistrates have begun sending children to the adult prison because of space constraints at both industrial schools, with prison authorities being forced to establish make-shift facilities, so that the children would be isolated from the rest of the prison population. “I have been told that right now there

Nelson Mandela statue unveiled in Pretoria by Zuma

A

statue of Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, has been unveiled in the capital, Pretoria, a day after he was buried. The nine-metre (30-foot) bronze statue has been erected at the Union Buildings, the government headquarters.

The statue, with Mandela’s hands reaching outward, was intended to show that he had embraced the whole nation, President Jacob Zuma said.

Mandela was given a state funeral at his ancestral home on Sunday.

African National Congress (ANC) members, veterans of the fight against apartheid and foreign dignitaries – including several African presidents and the Prince of Wales – attended the funeral ceremony in the village of Qunu in South Africa’s

Eastern Cape province.

It followed a 10-day period of mourning and celebrating Mandela’s life after his death at the age of 95. The national flag was raised on Monday from its half-mast position, and was flying as normal.

The statue was unveiled on South Africa’s Day of Reconciliation, a public holiday which marks the end of racial conflict in South Africa.

“Former President Mandela is associated with the promotion of reconciliation which is why the day was chosen for the unveiling,” said the government.

During white minority rule, December 16 was called the Day of Covenant to honour the victory of Afrikaners over a Zulu army in an 1838 clash known as the Battle of Blood River. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

are at least seven such children that are under 16, who

are in the prison,” Seetahal said. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

T

he government of Jamaica’s efforts to improve the monitoring and management of criminal deportees have been strengthened with an agreement with the United Kingdom government.

Permanent Secretary in the National Security Ministry, Major General (Retired) Stewart Saunders and British High Commissioner David Fitton, on December 13, signed a memorandum of understanding for an 18-month project, aimed at boosting the capacity of the Deportee Monitoring Unit (DMU).

The initiative, which got underway in November, will provide for the training of key personnel, and provision of equipment such as computers, cameras, printers, servers, telephone handsets, cell

phones and office furniture.

The objectives are to improve the systems of reception, processing and monitoring of deported migrants; and reduce the risk of recidivism through improved management and reintegration.

“With this project, we sincerely hope that we will be better able to execute processes relating to the rehabilitation of these individuals and most importantly, to protect the citizenry against deportees, who are likely to continue to cause harm within the society,” said Saunders. He said that there is a component of the programme to provide the deportees with life skills and other learning opportunities to ensure that they are properly reintegrated into the society. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

16

tuesday, DECember 17, 2013

guyanatimesgy.com

Africa

Caribbean

TT moves toward business Ghanaian mining firm requests cancelation of workers’ permit in Liberia outsourcing

T

he TT International Financial Centre (TTIFC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Quatrro Global Services (QGS) and Caribbean Electronic Payments Systems (CEPS) – a major step toward development of a financial business process outsourcing (BPO) industry in TT. QGS and CEPS will be working with the TTIFC in a pilot project to launch the card processing aspect of BPO. BPO is categorised into

back office outsourcing, which includes human resources or finance and accounting, and front office outsourcing, which includes customer-related services, such as contact centre services. Speaking at the signing ceremony, TTIFC chairman Franco Siu Chong, said the signing marked a cornerstone in the work of the agency.

“These MoUs embody the essence of the need for TT to partner with global finance and accounting BPO providers to drive this thrust. These

MoUs are also proof that our value proposition has merit for the international financial services BPO community and that TTIFC is on the right track,” he said.

In August, Scotiabank opened its back office operations in Chaguanas to consolidate its financial services operations across the Eastern Caribbean. The back office operations centre was named Operations and Shared Services Company Limited.

(Trinidad Guardian)

North America

Canada’s competition watchdog challenges Google’s search dominance

C

anada’s Competition Bureau has filed a legal motion against Google Inc alleging that the company is abusing its dominant position in online search, joining U.S. and European anti-trust authorities in challenging the practices of the web giant.

The bureau commissioner, in a federal court filing dated December 11, is seeking an order requiring Google hand over information about its business practices, including contracts.

A spokeswoman for the Competition Bureau said the decision to seek the order was based on the fact that Google has, or is likely to have, information relevant to the bureau’s probe of the company’s practices. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The scope of the Canadian investigation is similar to those being conducted in the United States, European Union and elsewhere. The bu-

reau said it has reason to believe Google has, since at least 2005, engaged in anti-competitive behaviour. That includes signing exclusive deals with mobile operating system developers, web publishers and web browser developers, and giving preference to its own services, such as Google News, over its competitors’ content. It also said Google has in the past restricted the use of data from its AdWords programme to licensees. (Reuters)

Europe

Eurovegas giant casino plan in Spain cancelled

A

plan to create a giant casino complex – called Eurovegas – near Madrid has collapsed after disagreements between the developer and Spanish authorities. U.S. casino operator Las Vegas Sands has pulled out of the US$30 billion (£18 billion) project which included six casinos, 12 hotels and many shops.

Directly and indirectly the project was supposed to create up to 250,000 posts. That was an important selling point in Spain where the jobless rate currently stands at 27 per cent.

However, Spanish authorities would not agree to several demands from the US company. Las Vegas Sands wanted

the government to insure it against future changes in policy which could damage the resort’s profitability, as well as a lower tax on gambling.

There was also a disagreement over smoking at the resort, with Las Vegas Sands asking for the resort to be exempted from Spanish rules on smoking. (BBC News)

Market statistics Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board

Cambio Rates

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

Bank of Guyana Cur

Buying

Selling

GBP

$334.43

$338.62

CAN

$192.86

$195.09

USD

$205.49

$207.93

U.S.

$1335.00

Cambio

$202.67

Gross

$254,331

Net

$236,527

Selling

$262,426

Indicators as on December 16, 2013 Live Spot Gold

USD Per Once

Bid/Ask

$1240.70

$1241.70

Low/High

$1233.00

$1252.90

Change

+2.00

+0.16

USD GBP EUR

AM

PM

1229.50 754.57 892.62

1234.75 757.38 897.28

AM

PM

Dec 14

USD GBP EUR

1222.75 750.89 891.22

Price Silver

Platinum

London Gold Fix

Dec 16

Indicators Crude Oil

Last: 15884.57

1232.00 756.94 987.50 Changes: +129.21

Open: 15760.24

High:15930.31

% YTD: 21.22

52Wk Hi: 16174.51

US$ per barrel

$108.83 USD per Ounce

$19.97 $1358.00

Change %

+0.15 Change %

+0.28 -3.00

% Change: +0.82 Low: 15760.24 52 Wk Lo: 12471.49

D

ocuments in the possession of FrontPage Africa suggest that Engineer and Planners (E&P), a Ghanaian based mining contracting firm has requested the Justice Ministry through the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalisation to cancel the work and resident permits of seven Ghanaian expatriates who recently resigned from the company for various pressing family issues among others.

It is not clear whether the Bureau of Immigration has formally granted the request of the E&P management to shutdown all employment records of the seven Ghanaians associated with the company but a source at immigration told FPA that the seven nationals have been ordered to leave the country, suggesting that the cancelation request was granted.

A communication from Harrison K Aggama, senior

human resource administrator to the Commissioner of Immigration reads: “We write to inform your good offices that, the below passport and resident permit holders have resigned, hence, are no more in the employs of the company.

We therefore request that you cancel their names from our records with you and also cancel the good behaviour bond furnished by us in their favour.” (allAfrica)

Asia

Japanese business mood rises to six-year high

J

apanese business confidence has soared to its highest level in six years, according to the Bank of Japan’s latest Tankan survey. The big manufacturers’ index rose to plus-16 from plus-12 in September’s survey, exceeding market forecasts.

Large companies also plan to increase their capital spending by 4.6 per cent next year, the survey showed.

The results indicate the government’s stimulus pol-

icies, aimed at spurring growth, may be starting to take effect. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has taken aggressive steps in recent months to end nearly two decades of deflation – or falling consumer prices – in the economy.

Analysts said the survey’s results indicate his policies, also known as Abenomics, were starting to have an impact. “The general Abenomics-related boost and the weak yen have helped, along with the monetary eas-

ing by the Bank of Japan” said Marcel Theliant, Japan economist at Capital Economics in Singapore.

“We had a lot of fiscal and monetary stimulus.

These measures have certainly helped in the short term.”

However, the key question was whether the measures can create a longer term improvement in the economy.

“The structural reform measures have been rather disappointing so far,” he said. (BBC

News)

Middle East

BP signs deal to develop US$16B Oman Shale gas project

B

P has signed 30-year gas production sharing and sales deals to develop Oman’s Khazzan tight gas project at an estimated investment of US$16 billion, the UK energy giant and Omani government announced on Monday.

The Khazzan gas project, which aims to extract around one billion cubic feet (bcf) per day of gas from deep under central Oman, is a showcase for BP’s tight gas extraction technology and its success is

vital for Oman’s economy.

“Today’s signing is an important step in the Sultanate of Oman’s plans to meet growing demand for energy over the coming decades and to contribute to economic development in Oman,” Oman oil and gas minister, Mohammed Al Rumhy, said in a statement after the signing in Muscat.

“The Khazzan project is the largest new upstream project in Oman and a pioneering development in the re-

gion in unlocking technically challenging tight gas through technology.”

BP has already spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the project since winning the concession in 2007. It expects total investment of around US$16 billion, equivalent to about a fifth of Oman’s annual economic output, and hopes to extract enough fuel to meet around a third of Oman’s current domestic gas needs. (Gulf Business)

Investors' guide

Traditional vs online universities – what’s the difference?

(Continued from Saturday)

Curriculum – where the buck stops

Similar to buying a car or a new computer, different universities vary wildly in the value they offer with respect to their online courses.

So when trying to determine which one is right for you, it’s important to know that the main difference between the two is in the curriculum… and how it’s presented.

In fact, this is often cited as the primary difference between online universities and courses offered in traditional classrooms. And depending on the university, the difference can be vast.

Coursework that’s offered online attempts to use a formal education process through which the students and instructor interact via the web even though they are not in the same place (and many times not even in the same country). This means all exams, quizzes, lectures and reading are completed online, with course materials delivered via websites, electronic textbooks and streaming lectures, typically provided in an on-demand format. More so than any other consideration, this structure represents the biggest difference between the two styles of learning,

specifically because it may have less of a lasting impact on some students due to the limitations of the electronic medium.

It’s been reported that many people require interpersonal interaction to learn effectively and when that connection is removed, as it is through online universities, it alters both the learning experience and potential for retention of the material.

This system of curriculum distribution is very different from that provided through the traditional college classroom. (Business Dictionary) TO BE CONTINUED

Business concept – Service 1. A valuable action, deed, or effort performed to satisfy a need or to fulfil a demand.

2. Law: Formal delivery of a notice, summons, or writ.

3. Banking: Payment of interest or loan instalment, or dividends, as scheduled.

news

17

tuesday, December 17, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

CJIA, sponsors Digicel spreads Christmas give passengers cheer at Ptolemy Reid centre Guyanese

I

t was Christmas cheer all around at the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre (PRRC) as Digicel joined in the Christmas celebrations. The children at PRRC were given a Christmas treat complete with Santa Claus and his elves.

The more than 70 children from the centre were given toys and other goodies for the holiday season through the Digicel sponsored Christmas party held annually. This event is a highly anticipated event by the children of the centre.

The centre’s Director Cynthia Massay remarked that “Digicel is part of our family here at the PRRC, so having family over at Christmas time is a very joyous thing… we really enjoy Digicel’s company at this special time of year.”

Digicel Events and Sponsorship Manager Gavin Hope noted that “Over the past five years Digicel has

Christmas treat

Digicel Events and Sponsorship Manager Gavin Hope sharing sweets to the children of the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre

been a part of Christmas cheer with PRRC; it has been nothing but joy and pleasure to bring laughter and happiness to the children at the PRRC. The children make it Christmas for

us; the joy of the season is to see those beautiful smiles on their faces.”

Digicel as part of its “Brighten Someone’s Christmas” will be sharing Christmas cheer with chil-

dren across Guyana.

“We have since visited Regions One, Two, Seven and 10 to spread Christmas cheers” the cellphone giant said.

Ambassador Ishmael launches book on Guyana-Venezuela border issue

Seasoned Guyanese diplomat, Dr Odeen Ishmael

V

eteran Guyanese diplomat and author Dr Odeen Ishmael’s contribution to international diplomacy and South American history comes in the form of a book on the Guyana-Venezuela border issue that started in 1840. Guyana today is much less powerful than its neighbour Venezuela, but not at the time of the boundary dispute. Guyana was then British Guiana, a colonial territory of Great Britain.

In The Trail of Diplomacy Ishmael shows the behind-the-scenes diplomatic negotiations, the historical thrill of official documents and how they trans-

late into history, and even intrigue on the international level, one that involved not only Venezuela, Guyana and Great Britain, but also the United States during the then penultimate arbitration in 1899.

The Trail of Diplomacy: The Guyana-Venezuela Border Issue, the first volume of a three-part documentary of the Guyana-Venezuela border issue, gives a general overview of the early history of the colonisation of the Essequibo region forming the large western part of Guyana. It presents the background to the origin of the territorial dispute, which developed from 1840, and examines the opposing views

of proposed boundary lines and the long trail of diplomatic exchanges between Venezuela and Great Britain. It concludes with the involvement of the United States in support of Venezuela, eventually leading to the international arbitration for a “full, perfect, and final settlement” and the arbitral award which delineated the territorial boundary in 1899.

Ishmael’s book shows that history is an exciting and thrilling process as supported by diplomatic minutes. The trail of diplomacy is interwoven with the trail of espionage and international intrigue, and the trail of war and violence. In the boundary dispute between Guyana and Venezuela, it is “The Trail of Diplomacy” that prevails over sensitive events that continue to define a significant part of South America.

Dr Ishmael, a widely published author, is currently Guyana’s ambassador to Kuwait and Qatar. He previously served as ambassador to Venezuela (2003-2011) and to the United States of America and the Organisation of American States (1993-2003). He has written extensively on Guyanese history, education, and culture and is internationally recognised as a premier analyst and commentator on the political integration movement in South America. In 1997, Guyana decorated him with the Cacique Crown of Honour for his diplomatic work, and in 2002, in the United States, he was honoured with the Martin Luther King Legacy Award for international service. (Caribbean News Now)

A passenger samples one of Edward Beharry’s products under the merry gaze of the Chico man

I

ncoming passengers at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) were Monday morning given a taste of Christmas, Guyanese style, as the airport continued its tradition of celebrating the major holidays in Guyana.

Black cake, which is synonymous with Guyanese celebrations, especially during the Christmas holidays, were among the various treats.

A little after 09:00h, passengers deplaned from two Caribbean Airlines flights and were greeted by CJIA customer service representatives; Demerara Distillers Limited’s ‘El Dorado ladies’, Edward Beharry’s Chico man and his beautiful helpers, as well as Windsor Estates and the Guyana Tourism Authority ‘black cake’ ladies.

CJIA’s Santa and his personal one-man band kept the festive momentum going with their unique brand of Christmas spirit. As usual, the duo was a massive hit with the children. The students of Success Elementary choir gave youthful, yet masterful renditions of Christmas carols, while the Republican Steel Orchestra added that ‘pan’ touch of class. Santa hats were also distributed.

According to GTA Director Indranauth Haralsingh, there is no Christmas like Christmas in Guyana.

“It is very proud moment to greet passengers in this style and fashion, and it is not only Christmas time [we do this] but other major Guyana celebrations, including Mashramani, Easter,

Phagwah, Emancipation, and Diwali… this makes CJIA unique and one of the friendliest airports in this part of the world,” he added.

The annual meet and greet concludes on December 24.

The Oasis Café, Demerara Distillers Limited, Windsor Estates, Friendly’s Restaurant and Bar, Bakewell, Digicel, Candy Corner, Edward Beharry, and Caribbean International Distributors Inc (CIDI) are on board to make the activity a remarkable and memorable one.

Annual parade

In keeping with the holiday spirit, the airport’s chief executive officer, Ramesh Ghir said CJIA’s annual parade, now in its sixth year, will take place on December 20.

“We have a number of sponsors with us, and we will take the opportunity to go into the Timehri North area and share out some gifts,” he told reporters.

He also introduced the airport’s three customer service representatives. The customer service unit was established two and half months ago, with a view to improving the quality of services offered.

“These persons are on the ground to assist passengers with any concerns, whether it be challenges with immigration forms, baggage, [or] if they need a telephone,” Ghir disclosed.

On the security front, he expressed confidence that “all will be well” during the season, since security has heightened.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, december 17, 2013

thursDAY, march 11, 2010 | guyanatimesGY.com

archie

By Bernice Bede Osol

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19) Keep business and pleasure separate, or damaging gossip could affect your reputation.

Right now, honesty and discernment are your best bet. Use your skills wisely.

dilbert

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19) Now is the time to marshal your energy and finally meet some of the goals you’ve set for yourself. You now have everything you need to succeed. It’s time to get started.

Calvin and Hobbes

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Emotional upheaval regarding a family issue may ruin your plans.

A move or change to your home will be beneficial.

Let your intuition guide you. Your decisions will be right on the money.

Peanuts

SUDOKU

CANCER (June 21July 22) You’ll find your responsibilities difficult to bear.

Do your best to make improvements that will benefit the whole family. Make a point of asking for help if it’s needed.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22) If you’re clear about your intentions, you can take romance to the next level. Plan to share some private time with your partner so that you may discuss future plans.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) Emotions will be difficult to control at home.

Take one step at a time and remain impartial during conflicts. Your pragmatic approach will win out. Seek wisdom from someone you respect.

ARIES

LIBRA

(March 21-April 19)

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

It’s a good day to take a trip. If you maintain an open mind and engage in discussions with the right people, you will learn a lot.

Now’s the time to expand your mind.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Be willing to lend a hand to colleagues. You will gather meaningful intelligence and new skills through courses or apprenticeships at this time.

Education and enlightenment will go hand in hand.

Travel will result in new friendships and the gain of valuable information. Changes in personal matters should be accepted, not challenged. Things will turn out to be better for you in the long run.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22) Your possessive attitude may feel oppressive to your partner. Avoid placing demands on those you love. Now is the time to give others space while you work on yourself.

Monday's solution GEMINI (May 21June 20) If you allow yourself to be impulsive, your flippant nature may compromise a partnership. Get out and have fun. Look into activities that will stimulate you mentally and physically.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21) Sudden career changes may shock you. A dyspeptic feeling may be the result of anxiety. You need to find healthy ways to blow off steam. It’s important to take care of yourself.

YELLOW PAGES tuesDay, december 17, 2013

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services Dutch healing and upliftment, for clearing of land, dredging and ground work (strictly interior operation). Phone: 662-1247.

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news 19

Mon Repos woman before the courts on 26 counts of simple larceny

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35-year-old woman was on Monday slapped with 26 counts of simple larceny when she appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Jasorda Bahadoor of Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, was not required to plead to the indictable charges which stated that between January 2011 and December 2012, she stole a quantity of cash in excess of $11 million, property of Mohamed R D Khan.

Prosecutor Deniro Jones told the court the accused is a sales representative at New Horizon, a manufacturing and distributing company and is assigned to the complainant. Khan usually pays his bills with a blank cheque on which the accused has to insert the name of the company and the amount on the receipt. However, when the blank cheques were given to Bahadoor, she inserted her name, with an amount exceeding that which was on

the receipt so that she could cash the cheque herself and her employer will be paid for the items sold, while she benefited from the remainder.

It was not until Khan received his bank statement that he noticed that the cheques were cashed in the accused's name and several million dollars were missing.

Bahadoor was represented by Attorney Latchmi Rahamat who told the court that her client has pending matters before the court in relation to the same complainant and is still an employee at New Horizon.

Rahamat went on to say that Bahadoor has been cooperating with the police since those charges were brought against her and has every intention of facing these charges to prove her innocence. In her application for bail, the attorney asked the court to be considerate, since her client is already on substantial bail for pending charges.

Prosecutor Jones ob-

jected to bail citing the seriousness of the offence and the fact that she has similar matters in Court One, as well as the fact that she may pose a flight risk.

Attorney Rahamat interjected stating that for the prosecution to use the fact that her client has pending matters in another court is implying that she committed the offences while she was on bail for other matters.

Rahamat said that the matters her client was previously charged for were dated after this set of new charges.

The objections to her bail application were overruled and bail was granted in the sum of $100,000 on each count of the charge. The defendant is also required to lodge her passport with the clerk of courts and is to report to CID every Friday at 15:00h until the completion of the trail. The matter was transferred to Court One where it will be heard before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on January 8, 2014.

Canadian deportee remanded for narcotics charge

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Canadian deportee was on Monday remanded to prison after he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to the charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

Gordon Allen, 48, entered a not guilty plea to the charge which read that on December 12 at Orange Walk and Regent Street, he had in his possession 17 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

An unrepresented Allen told the court that he lives on the streets and that he will soon be able to go to Canada again. Bail was refused and the matter was transferred to Court One for January 6, 2014.

Electrical contractor on bail for fraud

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n electrical contractor was on Monday placed on bail after he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to the charge of forgery.

Standing before Magistrate Ann McLennan in Court Two, Elswarth Ganeshdin of 89 Middle Walk Road, Buxton, East Coast Demerara uttered the words “not guilty” to the charge which state that between November 1, 2010 and October 31, 2011, with intent to defraud, he forged

a certain document, that is to say an agreement of sale to show same was signed by Kelford DeJonge.

Ganeshdin was represented by Attorney Euclin Gomes who told the court that his client has an unblemished record. He further stated that this matter was brought to the attention of the police since 2011 and 2014 is about to begin. He added that his client was cooperating with the police, since the allegations were made.

Prosecutor Deniro Jones

related that the defendant forged the agreement and had presented it to the Guyana Revenue Authority.

He stated that even though the alleged offence was commissioned in 2010, it was only brought to the attention of the police recently.

Jones objected to bail citing the nature and gravity of such an offence.

Magistrate McLennan granted bail in the sum of $150,000 and the matter stands adjourned to January 6, Court One.

Local Govt Ministry commissions several projects in Region Nine

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he 2013 budget made provisions to fund the rolling out of health, education, agriculture and public works projects in the 10 administrative regions; and as the year comes to a close, the projects, many of which have been completed, are being formally commissioned across the country.

During a visit to Karasabai, Region Nine over the weekend, Local Government Minister Ganga Persaud and his Permanent Secretary Collin Croal commissioned several of these projects that were funded under the Region Nine capi-

tal budget.

These include the plant nursery constructed for Karasabai, costing about $1 million, aimed at supplying different fruit plants to Karasabai; a water trestle and well constructed at Tiger Pond, an investment of $5.5 million; the $3.4 million sanitary block at the Kumu Primary School; the upgrade to the livestock foreman’s quarters at St Ignatius at a cost of $5.049 million; and a sanitary block at Arapaima Nursery that cost $3.4 million.

Also commissioned were the upgraded old hospital

facility, an investment of $4.885 million to provide housing for the region’s environmental health officer and the $290,000 plumbing repairs that were facilitated on the Tabatinga Sport Ground Complex.

The sanitary blocks are testament to government’s focus on ensuring the delivery of education in a safe and healthy environment, Minister Persaud said. In this case, it is the move from pit latrines to a healthier environment. The region’s 2013 education budget funded the construction of seven sanitary blocks.

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tuesday, december 17, 2013

Stokes gives England stay of execution

ICC suspends Shillingford for illegal bowling action

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t seems only a matter of time now. Australia slipped to within five wickets of regaining the Ashes on a day of free scoring and the occasional moment of terror caused by a WACA Ground pitch that is cracking up almost as comprehensively as England have done to find themselves in this position.

There was some faint consolation to be found for the tourists in the unaffected strokeplay of Ben Stokes but any day on which the spearhead of your bowling attack is taken for 28 runs from an over and your captain clean bowled first ball is not one for England to remember fondly. They plumbed considerable depths in the morning session, as Shane Watson then George Bailey battered the bowling senseless to allow Clarke to declare well before lunch.

Following Harris’ first ball, Australia’s bowling was not their best of the series, as the pacemen sought wickets with an impatience they have largely eschewed in favour of unrelenting pressure. Nonetheless, they did enough to bring the match

T

Shane Shillingford

Shane Watson sprinted to his fourth Test hundred, taking 37 runs off the 17 balls he faced against Graeme Swann (Getty Images)

positing Swann into the stands with relish, crashing 37 runs from 13 balls he faced from England’s No. 1 spinner. He enjoyed a moment of fortune when one straight hit was caught by Tim Bresnan, only for the fielder to tumble over the long off boundary. Watson’s departure was a comic masterpiece, skying a pull shot

Ben Stokes

to a juncture at which only something truly miraculous will prevent anything other than an Australian victory sometime on Tuesday. They may only require four more wickets - Stuart Broad’s brief foray to the nets with a badly bruised foot did not appear promising.

Watson benefited from a situation in which he was free to play on instinct, de-

that Ian Bell dropped, but then run out as the annoyed bowler Bresnan threw down the stumps with Watson wandering out of his ground oblivious to the danger.

Bailey equalled the record for the most runs scored in a Test over from Anderson, allowing Michael Clarke to declare the at the psychologically numbing moment a third straight six

SCOREBOARD Australia 2nd innings C Rogers c Carberry b Bresnan 54 D Warner c Stokes b Swann 112 S Watson run out (Bresnan) 103 M Clarke* b Stokes 23 S Smith c sub (JM Bairstow) b Stokes 15 G Bailey not out 39 B Haddin† c Swann b Bresnan 5 M Johnson not out 0 Extras: (b 8, lb 5, w 5) 18 Total: (6 wkts dec, 87 overs) 369 Fall of wickets: 1-157, 2-183, 3-223, 4-301, 5-331, 6-340 Bowling: J Anderson 19-5105-0, T Bresnan 14-3-53-2,

B Stokes 18-1-82-2, G Swann 27-8-92-1, J Root 9-1-24-0 England 2nd innings A Cook* b Harris 0 M Carberry lbw b Watson 31 J Root c †Haddin b Johnson 19 K Pietersen c Harris b Lyon 45 I Bell c †Haddin b Siddle 60 B Stokes not out 72 M Prior† not out 7 Extras: (b 1, lb 11, w 5) 17 Total: (5 wkts, 67 overs) 251 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-62, 3-76, 4-121, 5-220 Bowling: R Harris 10-1-511, M Johnson 15-3-52-1, N Lyon 15-2-49-1, P Siddle 186-56-1, S Watson 9-1-31-1

of the over had crashed into the sightscreen beyond the boundary.

Left with a handful of overs to face before lunch, the bedraggled tourists reeled from the loss of Alastair Cook to a wondrous first delivery of the innings from Ryan Harris that shaped in then held its line to pluck the off bail. Joe Root and Michael Carberry did well to survive to the interval.

Resuming with an enormous task ahead simply to get through to stumps, Carberry and Root aimed mainly to survive. Clarke shuffled his bowlers around, and Watson struck, confounding Carberry from around the wicket just as Harris did in the first innings. The ball was full, shaped in a touch to beat the inside edge and would have crashed into the stumps.

Pietersen pushed his first ball from Watson down the ground for four, and looked comfortable enough as he survived an initial burst from his nemesis Peter Siddle. Clarke called on Johnson from the River End, and one ball angling across Root drew a loose flirt and an edge wonderfully taken by Haddin. Root hit the ground at the same time as the ball and immediately reviewed. His sense of injustice was mitigated by replays showing a clear edge, leaving Bell and Pietersen to scrape their way to tea.

Needing seven wickets in the session to claim victory and the Ashes, Australia’s eagerness was manifested in some of their more impatient bowling of the series.

Pietersen played breezily, advancing to loft Lyon into the Lillee-Marsh Stand and looking for a moment like he was capable of anything.

But Clarke’s choice of ends for Lyon was intelligent, coaxing Pietersen to hit into the breeze, and his next attempt held up. Harris, with an eternity to settle under the chance, held it safely.

(Cricinfo)

he ICC has suspended Shane Shillingford, the West Indies offspinner, from bowling in international cricket after his action was found illegal. His team-mate Marlon Samuels, who is a part-time offspinner, has been prohibited from bowling quicker deliveries in international cricket.

The pair were reported for suspect action on November 16, during the second Test against India in Mumbai. They underwent biomechanical analysis in Perth on November 29, before the start of the series against New Zealand.

Shillingford has taken six wickets at 42.66 in the first two Tests against New Zealand but will now not be available for the final match in Hamilton which starts on Thursday. Samuels has not bowled in the current series.

An ICC statement said that an independent bio-

mechanical analysis had revealed that for both Shillingford’s standard offbreak delivery and his doosra, the amount of elbow extension in his bowling action exceeded the 15 degrees’ level of tolerance permitted under the ICC regulations. Shillingford will remain suspended until he submits a fresh analysis that proves his action has been corrected.

Ottis Gibson, the West Indies coach, said: “Though I felt confident about the way the two players performed at the testing, the report did not come back in our favour. Shane is obviously gutted, but Marlon’s role in the team, as I have said previously, is primarily as a batsman, so the impact on him is a little bit less.”

“We will formulate a suitable plan of action and work to rehabilitate their bowling actions in the New Year, so Shane can continue his international career in

the shortest possible time and Marlon can continue to contribute with the ball when he’s required.

“They are both tough characters and have had their share of ups and downs in the game over the years. We have no doubt that they will emerge from this latest setback with the utmost confidence.”

Earlier this week, when asked about the pending report, Gibson hoped that Shillingford would not be singled out. “There are a few people around the world bowling with similar, if not worse actions, so I expect him to be cleared for sure.”

Meanwhile, the analysis on Samuels’ action revealed that the spinner’s standard off-break delivery was legal but the quicker delivery exceeded the prescribed levels of tolerance.

If Samuels is reported for a suspect action in the next two years, the ICC will take note of it as a second report and the player will have to undergo a biomechanical analysis. If the analysis concludes that Samuels has an illegal action for any delivery, he will be banned from bowling in international cricket for a minimum period 12 months.

Shillingford had earlier been suspended from bowling in international cricket in December 2010, a month after being reported for a suspect bowling action on West Indies’ tour of Sri Lanka. He underwent remedial action on his bowling and was cleared by the ICC in June 2011. (Cricinfo)

Builders strike at Amazon stadium in Brazil

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onstruction workers at the World Cup football stadium in the Brazilian city of Manaus have gone on strike demanding better safety conditions.

The builders’ union took the action after a worker fell more than 35m (100ft) to his death on Saturday.

All high work had already been halted by a court order on the weekend. It is not clear when the contractors will resume work.

Half of the 12 stadiums being built for the tournament are behind schedule.

The workers at Arena Amazonia say pressure to finish the construction is affecting their safety.

Constant pressure

“The rating for safety in the building site is zero.

The distribution of new uniforms is very bureaucratic and we’re under constant pressure to work,” builder Jose Aristoteles de Souza Filho told the Brazilian news website G1.

Union leaders suggest-

Work had already been partially suspended at the stadium by a court order

ed the industrial action could be ended on Tuesday but work at high sectors of the stadium remains banned by a court order.

Prosecutors had demanded the suspension until contracting firm Andrade Gutierrez presented a detailed report on the site’s safety conditions.

Working conditions were “unacceptably dangerous” and the contractors could be fined, the prosecutors said in their petition.

“The Public Prosecutor’s Office cannot allow the ur-

gency of finishing construction for the 2014 World Cup to be at the cost of the life and wellbeing of those working on it.”

A team of experts inspected the building site on Monday and is expected to produce a detailed report about the safety precautions.

The specialists are also reportedly looking into the working procedures at the site.

Marcleudo de Melo Ferreira, 22, died in a hospital in Manaus after the fall. (BBC Sport)

tuesday, december 17, 2013

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Kwakwani Secondary emphatically take Titan Bowl title

Stanton Rose rises for a jumper during Kwakwani’s win against UG

By Treiston Joseph

K

wakwani Secondary are once again rulers of school basketball after routing the University of Guyana (UG) 79-54 to win the Youth Basketball Guyana-organised Titan Bowl on Sunday evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Kwakwani after losing earlier in the year by one point to Marian Academy in the National School Basketball Festival (NSBF) left no stone unturned in the Titan Bowl final as they outplayed UG in every facet of the game.

The Region Ten school once again played tough defence that resulted in a number of fast break opportunities. They got hot from the field after a cold first half from beyond the arc.

Kwakwani was also excellent on the glass, grabbing number of garbage

points, diving for every loose ball as the team outhustled and out-muscled UG. On the other hand, UG never got things rolling as their big men and perimeter players struggled to hold on to the rock after receiving some flashy passes from guard Jonathon Pooran.

He kept relentlessly penetrating the lane only to see his passes slip through his teammates’ fingers or they missed easy buckets.

Shafeeq Thomas finished with a game high 25 points while Domair Gladstone dropped 12 points of his own in the win.

Leonard Primo did not contribute much to the score card but was a rebounding “beast” with 16 boards.

Pooran was the only player in double figures for UG with a stat line of 16 points, six assists and five rebounds in the loss.

Meanwhile, in the

Shafeeq Thomas elevates for an easy two points to lead Kwakwani to the win against UG

third place playoff Linden Technical Institute (LTI) humiliated Bishops’ High School, scoring a tournament high 90 points to Bishops’ 62.

Terron Welch scored 31 points, had 12 rebounds, five assists and five steals and was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament; he was also the only player to drop 30 points in the three-day tournament.

Dennis Niles also regained his touch from the field after a horrible shooting night the prior evening in the semi-final to score 20 points while Vibert Benjamin finished with a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds to blow away the Georgetown side.

Daniel Haynes was the point man for Bishops with 26 points and 16 rebounds while Marvin Durant had 20 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.

Terron Welch rises for a jumper during his 31 point MVP performance on Sunday evening in the third pace play-off (Treiston Joseph photos)

Marian Academy outplayed St Rose’s High School for a 41-37 win to finish fifth in the tournament while the Government

Technical Institute (GTI) got their only win against President’s College to finish seventh 56-41.

In addition to Welch

gaining MVP honors, Pooran won the most assists award while Primo was the best defensive player of the tournament.

Banks DIH continues DVA elects new executive body partnership with HRC bodybuilding show

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anks DIH Limited maintained its status as the main sponsor of the fourth Hugh Ross Classic Body Building and Fitness competition, which will now be called the Malta Supreme Hugh Ross Classic.

Yesterday at the company’s Sports Club at Thirst Park, Clayton McKenzie, Brand Manager of NonAlcoholic malts handed over a cheque to chairman of the Hugh Ross Classic Committee Hugh Ross.

McKenzie noted that Banks DIH Limited is once again pleased to be in partnership with the HRC with the Body Building & Fitness competition which is scheduled to be held on Saturday March 29, 2014.

The best bodybuilders in the nation are expected to compete at this competition with the organisers seeking to attract more females.

Meanwhile, Ross extended gratitude to Banks DIH

Newly-elected President Jadeshwar Doolchand (fourth from right) with members of his executives after Saturday’s election

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Clayton McKenzie, Banks DIH Brand Manager for Non-Alcoholic Malts (right) hands over the cheque to Hugh Ross, Chairman of the HRC committee

for their continued support of showshowcasing the best athletes in the sport.

“The HRC committee is very elated with the fact that you at Banks and Malta Supreme is maintain your partnership with us and we

can assure you that we are working towards producing a show that will bring supreme results not only in exposing our athletes but working with them to excel beyond the shores of Guyana.”

midst a heavy downpour last Saturday afternoon, members of the volleyball community converged on the Guyana Defence Force’s Coast Guard Base, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, and elected new executives for the Demerara Volleyball Association (DVA).

The meeting got underway at approximately 14:30h and was chaired by Vice President of the Guyana Volleyball Federation, John Flores.

Seven new executives and four committee mem-

bers were elected to serve for the next two years.

The new President is Jadeshwar Doolchand, while the VC is Jarryd Douglas. Shontell Maloney was elected Secretary, while Ryan Briglall is the Treasurer and Krystal Yan, the Assistant Secretary/ Treasurer.

Tiana Bradley and Ronald Smith have been elected to serve as Public Relations Officer and Organising Secretary respectively.

The four committee members are Marlon

Pearson, Satrohan Ramnarinre, Odile Broomes and Clarence Williams.

Doolchand, the newly elected head of the body, expressed gratitude to those who have shown faith in him and urged all to work as a team by pooling their ideas for the promotion and development of the sport of volleyball.

The executives also promised to work diligently and as a cohesive unit.

The new body plans to meet very shortly to discuss and plan activities for the first quarter of 2014 and beyond.

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guyanatimesGY.com

tuesday, december 17, 2013

Guinness Street Football- Georgetown leg…

Finalists to be decided this evening at NCC tarmac

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Six exciting games are billed for this evening

he finalists of the sixth edition of the Georgetown leg of the Guinness street football championships will be known this evening after what is anticipated to be an electrifying quarter-final and semi-final action at the National Cultural Centre tarmac.

In the opening game at 19:00h, Queen Street - Tiger Bay will take on Berlin Massive, followed

by Hope Street - Tiger Bay against West Front Road, Stevedore Housing Scheme against California Square and Island Allstar against Albouystown B. Following a few exhibition games, the winners of the quarter-finals will clash in the semi-finals starting at 23:00h. The grand final is billed for Saturday at the National Park tarmac.

The competition is a collaborative effort of Banks DIH Limited and the Petra

Troy Mendonca

Organisation, and according to one of the directors of the latter organisation, Troy Mendonca, patrons are in for a treat this evening as six exciting games are billed.

Mendonca said the competition, which started with 32 teams, has attracted good crowd support, and

the organisers are expecting fans to throng the venue to witness eight of the best street football teams in Georgetown in action.

This year’s competition has been highly competitive with many of the games being decided by penalties.

The champion team will receive $500,000, while the runner-up will collect $300,000, third $200,000 and fourth $100,000. All the other teams will receive participation stipends of no less than $10,000.

Zone competitions will also be held in Berbice, East Coast, West Demerara, Linden and Bartica in the coming months with the top two teams advancing to the national playoff. The winner of the national playoff will earn the right to represent Guyana at the Caribbean Street Challenge in July 2014 in Trinidad and Tobago.

Hockey Board names strong training squad for Pan Am Cup

Devin Munroe

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he Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) has shortlisted a squad of 36 local male players to begin preparations for the Indoor Pan American Cup, scheduled for Montevideo, Uruguay, from April 7-13 next year.

The Guyanese men will be returning to international competition after a threeyear hiatus due to a lack of funding. While the national female hockey team has been competing with great success in recent years, it was the men who represented Guyana with good success in the 90’s and early 2000’s.

The last time Guyana competed in an Indoor Pan Am Cup was back in 2010, finishing fifth out of eight nations. Prior to that, Guyana had only competed in one Indoor Pan Am Cup, which was in 2005, where the locals narrowly lost out to the USA for a bronze medal.

Very few of the faces who have competed for Guyana in the past remain on the current list. The squad in fact may be seen as a changing of the guards as 19 of the 36 players named are below the age of 21.

This young crop is led by the exciting talents of Aroydy Branford, JamarjAssanah, Omar Hopkinson, Andrew Stewart and Steven Xavier.

They will be guided by the experience of former national captain Devin Munroe, as well as the likes of Kevin Spencer, Aderemi Simon and Shane Samuels, who all have multiple international caps to their names.

Overseas players, such as England-based Marvin Dannett, are also expected to make strong cases for their inclusion. The team will train under the guidance of newly appointed national men’s coach Robert Fernandes, who recently completed his FIH Level Two and Pan American

High Performance coaching courses.

Fernandes is a former national player and coach of the outstanding Hikers Cadets, who have dominated local indoor hockey at the junior level and more recently have been having similar success at the senior level.

The tournament in Uruguay is a senior continental World Cup qualifier with the winning team earning an opportunity to compete at the highest level in the 2015 FIH World Cup. Canada is likely to enter as tournament favourites having never lost any Pan American Hockey Federation Indoor Cups in which they have entered.

The USA boasts the second best record in the region while outdoor powerhouses Argentina have been recently been placing more focus on indoor as well. Guyana’s best ever finish has been a creditable fourth place and the current squad is hoping to eclipse that mark in 2014.

The training squad reads: Orland Semple, Kevin Spencer, Raphael DeGroot, Stephen Xavier, Eric Hing, Kareem McKenzie, Keon McKenzie, Mark Sargeant, Medroy Scotland, Robert France, Devin Munroe, Randy Hope, Colonel Heywood, Travon Younge, JamarjAssanah, Aroydy Branford, Rayon Branford, Andrew Stewart, Leon Bacchus, Michael Harding, Shane Samuels, Laured Stewart, Jason Hoyte, Osafo Timmerman, Joel Hunte, Chris Low-Koan, Dwight Sullivan, Aderemi Simon, Askofu Simon, Jason DeSantos, Anthony Cole, Omar Hopkinson, Richard Thomas, Micah Hartman, Timothy Baker and Stephon Sprostra.

Big wins for New Silver City, Klitschko gives up boxing for politics MHS in K&S football – rescheduled double-header billed for today

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ew Silver City and Mackenzie High School (MHS) emerged with commanding victories to book their places in the next round of the inaugural Kashif and Shanghai Secondary Schools knockout football competition on Sunday afternoon.

Playing at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground in Linden, New Silver City whipped Friendship 5-0, while MHS trounced Queenstown Secondary 6-1.

In the opening game of the day, New Silver City completely outplayed their opponents, scoring goals on either side of the half-time interval.

Tyrick McAllister began the demolition by scoring the first two goals, in the 16th and 33rd minutes, before Omally Webb netted in the 34th minute to give New Silver City a strong 3-0 lead at the break.

Upon resumption, it

was another one-sided affair with Kendolph Louis and David Sanchara adding a goal each in the 62nd and 71st minutes respectively to complete the rout.

The feature game produced seven goals as MHS romped to victory over Queenstown, fully exploiting home court advantage.

The home town boys’ victory was aided by three doubles from Andel Mendonca, Kelon Primo and Taffon Alexander.

Mendonca scored in the 20th and 30th minutes, Primo in the 72nd and 79th minutes and Alexander in the 75th and 90th minutes. Jason Williams was the lone player to score for Queenstown in the 57th minute.

Meanwhile, Sunday’s other two games, which were billed for Den Amstel, never got going due to a soggy outfield.

Those matches will

now be played today at the same venue with President’s College playing Stewartville at 14:00h and Uitvlugt Secondary tackling Annandale Secondary at 16:00h.

The tournament, which will conclude with the grand final on New Year’s Day 2014, has attracted schools from Georgetown, East Coast Demerara, West Demerara, East Bank Demerara, Linden, Berbice and Region Seven.

The champion school will pocket $1.2 million, 75 percent of which will be used to finance a project identified by the school. The second, third and fourth placed finishers will receive $750,000, $500,000 and $250,000, 25 percent of which will used for a project at those schools.

The Most Valuable Player will be the recipient of a laptop, as well as a onemonth stint with a top club in Trinidad and Tobago.

W

orld heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko has given up his WBC title and says he is unlikely to fight again because he is focusing on politics.

The World Boxing Council has made him a “champion emeritus”, which would allow him to directly challenge a new champion if he wants to resume boxing.

But the 42-year-old, who is a Ukrainian opposition leader, said: “That is something I currently cannot imagine.

“My focus is on politics in Ukraine and I feel the people there need me.”

Massive crowds have demonstrated for weeks in Kiev against President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision to shun closer ties with the European Union and Klitschko, who is very pro-EU and plans to run for president in 2015, has been prominent in the protests.

They were sparked by the Ukrainian government’s decision not to sign a partnership deal with the EU - a move which seemed to come as a result of pressure from Russia.

The 6ft 7in heavyweight has won 45 of his 47 professional fights, 41 by knockout, with one of his two defeats a controversial reverse against Britain’s Lennox Lewis in 2003.

The Ukrainian’s younger brother Wladimir holds the other significant world heavyweight belts.

Vitali Klitschko

“I thank the WBC and its president Jose Sulaiman for the support in our battle for democracy and freedom in Ukraine,” added the older Klitschko, who is leader of the Udar (Punch) political party.

Klitschko’s last fight was in September 2012 when he stopped Manuel Charr in the fourth round. (BBC Sport)

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tuesday, December, 17, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

tuesDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2013

TOP SCORES

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

England 251 and 251-5 (Stokes 72*, Bell 60) require another 253 runs to beat Australia 385 and 369-6 (Watson 103)

Kwakwani Secondary emphatically take Titan Bowl title See story on page

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Kwakwani pose with their medals and winning trophy after the presentation ceremony held immediately after the finals (Treiston Joseph photo) INSIDE TODAY’S SPORT

ICC suspends Shillingford for illegal P bowling action

Hockey Board names strong training squad for Pan Am Cup

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See story on page

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Aderemi Simon

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Aroydy Branford