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ISSUE NO. 152

week ending july 28, 2013

Gov’t not Ogle Airport opens giving up to regional flights on Amaila project - President See story on page 14

Page 12

Page 51 Amazon Warriors ready for battle

The inaugural LIAT flight from Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados touched down at the Ogle International Airport in Guyana on Monday carving history in the Caribbean’s aviation sector. Guyana’s transport officials were on hand to witness the flight’s arrival.

Some members of the Guyana Amazon Warriors team going through their beep test at the start of their training camp on Tuesday at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence

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NEWS

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USAID launches project to strengthen Parliament T

he United States Agency for International Development (USAID)funded International Republican Institute (IRI) officially launched the Guyana Leadership and Democracy Programme (LEAD) project on Wednesday evening, which is expected to bolster the functioning of the National Assembly.

The project, which was launched at Cara Lodge, Quamina Street, Georgetown, will focus on fortifying the National Assembly by encouraging consensus building; and working with civil society and the public to boost citizens’ engagement with the National Assembly and all parties to support the legislature’s role as an effective deliberative body.

Speaking at the event, United States Ambassador to Guyana D Brent Hardt expressed excitement about the programme, deeming it as timely. “Guyana’s National Assembly is grappling with serious

From left to right: U.S. Ambassador to Guyana D Brent Hardt; Alliance For Change leader Khemraj Ramjattan; A Partnership for National Unity Member of Parliament Joseph Harmon; People’s Progressive Party/Civic Member of Parliament Indra Chandarpal; APNU MP Africo Selman; Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony; and LEAD Chief of Party Glenn D Bradbury at the launching of LEAD

issues that will shape the future of the country, how successfully the parties navigate these will help shape the future for the people of Guyana,” he noted.

Consensus-building

The ambassador made reference to whether the parties can have effective local governance or reliable, environmentally friendly power or be able to deter crime and violence and prevent financial crimes

that distort economic development.

He underscored that his country recognised that the new dispensation in Parliament could pose many challenges which, if not handled with a spirit of compromise and a focus on national interest, can lead to a stalemate and frustration.

“That’s why we asked the State Department and USAID in Washington to support a

specially-tailored democracy and governance programme here to enhance the National Assembly’s functioning and encourage consensus.”

Hardt disclosed that over the past few months, there have been meetings with stakeholders from across the political spectrum to help shape the outline of the programme, identify priorities, and chart a path toward successful implementation. He lauded the

stakeholders who gave their time, while positing that their perspectives and feedback have been invaluable in identifying priorities for advancing democracy and strengthening political processes to achieve consensus and constructive political engagement.

Citizen education

The ambassador disclosed that one of the core messages heard from all stakeholders and all parties was the critical im-

portance of holding local government elections. In light of this, he voiced his hope that all parties can come together today “to approve the legislation before the assembly and pave the way for elections this year”.

Hardt asserted that the U. S. through USAID will immediately support citizen education effort in preparation for the local government elections and renewed local governance.

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INTERNATIONAL To contact: Guyana Times International

New York Office 106-15 Sutphin Blvd, Jamaica NY 11435 Email: guyanatimesnyint@gmail.com Tel no: 718-658-6804 Preferred method of contact via EMAIL Guyana Office Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana.

Tel no: (592) 227-0704, 227-0709.

Fax (592) 225-8696, 227-0685 Email: guyanatimesint@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Malala’s inspiring story

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he words of Malala Yousafzai at a recent United Nations (UN) meeting in New York continue to ring throughout the world: “I speak – not for myself, but for all girls and boys. I raise up my voice – not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights – their right to live in peace, their right to be treated with dignity, their right to equality of opportunity, and their right to be educated.”

Malala Yousafzai may not be a name that is famous among Guyanese, but surely her story is worth being told a thousand times as it could serve to inspire the younger generation here that they too can make a difference and help to create the kind of society they wish to live in.

Malala is a young Pakistani girl who was shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012 because of her public efforts in demanding education for young girls in her country. Her survival and courageous spirit to not be silenced and to speak out for what she believes in has inspired millions around the world. Now she has become a global advocate for education and has been using major platforms such as the UN to lobby stakeholders for more educational opportunities for the world’s children. This certainly ties in well with the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on education agreed on by UN member states to have every child in school by 2015.

Recently, Malala gave a very powerful speech at the UN where she spoke about the importance of education. Even former UK Prime Minister and UN Special Envoy on Education Gordon Brown was quoted as saying that the teenager’s inspiring speech on every child’s right to go to school is just the beginning of a major push on education.

Malala will return to the UN in September where she will address an education summit of world leaders during the week of the full General Assembly to demand action on behalf of 57 million children around the world who have no access to any schooling.

During her maiden speech at the UN she related: “On the October 9, 2012, the Taliban shot me on the left side of my forehead. They shot my friends too. They thought that the bullets would silence us. But they failed. And then, out of that silence came, thousands of voices. The terrorists thought that they would change our aims and stop our ambitions but nothing changed in my life except this: Weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born. I am the same Malala. My ambitions are the same. My hopes are the same. My dreams are the same.

She added: “We realise the importance of light when we see darkness. We realise the importance of our voice when we are silenced. In the same way, when we were in Swat, the north of Pakistan, we realised the importance of pens and books when we saw the guns. The wise saying, ‘The pen is mightier than sword’ was true. The extremists are afraid of books and pens. The power of education frightens them.”

She also reflected on the real dangers faced by teachers and students in Pakistan. In January, five teachers were killed near the town of Swabi in the volatile northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the United Nations says. And, in June, a suicide bomber blew up a bus carrying 40 schoolgirls as it made its way to a girls’ campus in Quetta. Fourteen students were killed in that incident.

Malala said peace is necessary for education. “In many parts of the world, especially Pakistan and Afghanistan; terrorism, wars and conflicts stop children to go to their schools. We are really tired of these wars. Women and children are suffering in many parts of the world in many ways. In India, innocent and poor children are victims of child labour. Many schools have been destroyed in Nigeria.

“People in Afghanistan have been affected by the hurdles of extremism for decades. Young girls have to do domestic child labour and are forced to get married at an early age. Poverty, ignorance, injustice, racism and the deprivation of basic rights are the main problems faced by both men and women,” she added.

In a passionate plea, she called for leaders to wage a global struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism. “One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world. Education is the only solution,” she said.

Hopefully, Malala’s efforts will result in millions more gaining access to educational opportunities that seemed impossible before.

Miss Guyana World 2012 Arti Cameron with a group of Who's Who in the Guyana and Caribbean Diaspora at Brooklyn Borough Hall during celebrations to mark Guyana's 47th Independence Anniversary.

Disaster Risk Management – Early Detection

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n t e r - A m e r i c a n Development Bank (IDB) natural disaster risk management specialist, Dr Cassandra Rogers said Caribbean governments have traditionally placed tremendous emphasis on disaster response, rather than early identification and risk detection.

She explained that the IDB has developed a Risk Management Index (RMI), which measures the performance of countries in terms of their progress in disaster risk management. According to Dr Rogers, this was highlighted in data from a 2010 study on the RMI, which revealed the placement of 23 of 26 countries, which have a borrowing relationship with the bank, on a scale of 1-100.

It also shows Guyana’s risk management compared to that of seven countries of the Caribbean, which all recorded less than 50 per cent in risk management. Dr Rogers presented the findings at a national workshop on the draft Disaster Risk Management Bill organised by the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) on Thomas Lands.

Risk identification

She revealed that the 23 countries all fall below 50 on the RMI scale regardless of their size. Dr Rogers disclosed that based on these results, the IDB committed to supporting countries such as Guyana to take action in disaster risk management, with specific emphasis on risk identification, prevention, and mitigation that would improve performance on the index.

“It shows that the countries have made good progress only in terms of preparedness and response. This is, however, not surprising, considering the fact that governments have historically focused on response rather than risk identification and prevention,” the disaster specialist noted.

She said the bank has developed a system of indicators

of disaster risk management which measures progress in four public policy areas, including governance and financial protection, risk identification, prevention and mitigation, and disaster management.

Prevention and mitigation speaks to the measures implemented to reduce vulnerability to risks through the use of structural intervention such as flood control, coastal infrastructure, as well as nonstructural measures such as legislation and building codes.

Guyana’s performance was not up to par and the country did not do well in managing financial disaster risk.

Dr Roger’s pointed out that this finding was consistent with the impact of the 2005 flood when loss of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) set Guyana 10 years back.

Financial disaster risk

It is important that every country vulnerable to these types of hazardous events have a financial strategy to manage disasters, the IDB specialist noted. In this regard, the IDB has pledged US$ 1 million towards a technical cooperation grant, with the objectives of evaluating climate-related disaster risk and strengthening local and national capacity in integrated disaster risk management.

The objectives include flood risk evaluation, vulnerability assessment, provision of equipment to host risk databases, designing a public education campaign, guidelines for incorporating disaster risk management in environmental management and agricultural planning, the provision of the services of a disaster risk management specialist for a oneyear period, as well as training for staff of critical agencies, including the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Sea Defence Unit.

Dr Rogers applauded gov-

ernment for embracing the concept of comprehensive disaster risk management – the Caricom-endorsed regional strategy for managing disaster risks. The advantage of this strategy is that it articulates that traditionally countries have focused on preparing for and responding to a disaster, but it does not significantly reduce vulnerability which should be the much sought-after goal.

“So, comprehensive disaster risk management is a concept that all phases of disaster management must be looked at, if we are to reduce risks.

Moving from preparedness and response to comprehensive disaster management is critical, since legislation would provide the teeth for a comprehensive disaster risk management framework, which seeks to reduce risks and improve livelihood to result in a safer, more resilient country,” Dr Rogers stressed.

National hazards

She further emphasised that there must be a shift in focus to risk management associated with national hazards rather than the management of disaster itself, although it is a significant part of the process.

She believes that in order to reduce the vulnerability of countries, the risk must be identified and measures implemented to reduce it by employing the four public policies.

“The legislation document should clearly demonstrate the shift from preparedness to identifying risks. All sectors must be involved, since it is a comprehensive approach, multi-sectoral and multi-institutional at the national, regional, and community levels,” the disaster expert said.

She cautioned the participants to carefully consider and include the roles of citizens and all sectors and the level of ownership each person should take in comprehensive disaster risk management in reducing Guyana’s vulnerability.

news More tourist arrivals expected in Guyana during July-August season

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uyana is anticipated to surpass tourists’ influx into the country for the July-August season compared to last year, despite the exit of Delta Airlines.

During an exclusive interview with Guyana Times International, Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) Director Indranauth Haralsingh said the highest number of tourists was recorded in July last year as the country received 24,000 visitors while in August that year, the number was 22,000 visitors.

“This year, because of the Limacol CPL and other planned activities such as Jamzone and celebrity artistes coming to Guyana, we are looking to see by the end of July over 29,000 visitors and in August over 32,000 visitors.”

Compared to last year, the influx of tourists will be up by 115 per cent despite Delta’s exit earlier in the year.

Haralsingh said all flights are currently booked and Caribbean Airlines (CAL) is also looking at putting on extra flights.

GTA Director Indranauth Haralsingh

He expressed hope that Fly Jamaica will start operations towards the end of July so that it can transport tourists to the country. “So that would increase airlift and the capacity of seats and available flights to Guyana as well.”

According to the director, the exiting of Delta from Guyana has affected the influx of tourists into the country to some extent, but asserted that the slack has been picked up by CAL and Suriname airways.

“Both airlines are flying now with higher numbers in terms of load factor.”

According to Haralsingh, while Delta was in the country, CAL was flying at 50/ 55 per cent load factor while currently it is flying at full capacity. He stated that the country now has healthy cross border traffic from Brazil and Suriname, which is also impacting tourists’ arrival in the country.

Subsequently, he disclosed that this is making a significant impact on hotels in the country since bookings have risen at the hotels and occupancy is very high as is usual for this period.

The spike in tourist arrivals will have a severe impact on Guyana’s economy since more jobs are being created and more foreign currency is coming into the country, Haralsingh noted.

Meanwhile, government has also approached COPA Airlines, which is based in Panama to examine the possibility of having that airline operate in and out of Guyana as well. It was also disclosed that from October, Fly Guyana Airlines will launch scheduled operations out of Guyana.

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Feature

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Political opposition – a perspective by or obstruction?

Harry Gill (Part 1) T

he former British prime minister, the great Sir Winston Churchill once said, “The duty of the opposition is to oppose.”

There is no doubt that to oppose is part of keeping the administration accountable for its actions.

Ensuring checks and balances is fundamental to democracy.

The opposition’s main role is to expose weaknesses in government policies and remain a vigilant watchdog over the action and inaction of the government by playing the oversight role: ensuring that the actions of government are in the best interest of the people.

The two bills relating to the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project (AFHEP), presented by the government last Thursday in Parliament, required such scrutiny.

Were these legislative amendments in the best interest of the Guyanese people? And if so, why were they shot down?

Benefits

Despite the blunder of awarding Makeshwar “Fip” Motilall the ini-

Parliament in session

tial contract to build the AFHEP service road, there is no doubt that Guyana stands to benefit tremendously from a cheaper, more reliable source of electricity: the nation will save an estimated Gy$ 40 billion annually by reducing the importation of fossil fuel now being used; residential electricity rates will be reduced by 25-40 per cent; blackouts will be significantly reduced or become extinct; overall production within the

manufacturing and commercial sectors will be increased; burglaries of homes during blackouts will be reduced; schoolchildren will have more productive hours to study; the loss of refrigerators and other electrical appliances caused by unstable electricity will become a thing of the past; and Guyana will be able to attract more foreign investors that would create jobs for more of our nationals.

Already, we have

seen a significant increase in the production cost of this project from US$ 675 million, to US$ 840 million. This is tied to a rise in commodities, the appreciation of the Chinese currency against the U. S. dollar, and the Debt Political Risk Insurance costing US$ 55.7 million as is demanded by the Chinese.

Obviously, they know just how uncooperative and obstructive the opposition in Guyana can be.

Financial closure for the project hinges on the approval of a US$ 175 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). A major concern of the IDB is the assurance that the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) has the ability to manage the project and to make the necessary repayments. Hence the motion to raise the debt ceiling to secure the IDB loan.

Funding for the project comes from a variety of sources.

The Guyana government is committed to US$ 100 million in equity.

This comes from the US$ 250 million Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) initiatives such as the Memorandum of Understanding signed with Norway. It is being used in part for the construction of the access road.

Loan approval

With the IDB’s approval of the loan for the hydroelectric project, it is also expected that the World Bank would be more open to the release of Norway funds.

The China Development Bank will be providing some US$ 413.2 million, and the IDB US$ 175 million.

Sithe Global Group will be providing US$ 152.1 million, bringing the total project cost to US$

840.3 million.

However, the longer this project takes to be built, the anticipated increase in the cost of construction materials may very well make it unprofitable to pursue. As a Build Own Operate and Transfer (BOOT) project, the hydroelectric plant will be fully owned by the Guyanese people after 20 years, and is expected to last for at least 75 years, and quite possibly much longer.

As it relates to the critical nature of the financial closure, Sithe Global Chief Executive Officer Bruce Wrobel said should this not become a reality soon, Guyana could see the project being put on the back burner for the next five to 10 years.

Time is of the essence Time is of the essence, but one would never know that, judging from the joint opposition’s reckless, unpatriotic, and vindictive vote against a bill to amend the hydroelectric act and a motion to raise the debt ceiling to secure the US$ 175 million loan from the IDB for this project.

This was done with full knowledge that a July 30 deadline looms for submission to the IDB as a prerequisite for the funding for the Amaila project.

In an effort to justify his party’s vindictive and irresponsible act, and contrary to admitting his support for the AFHEP, leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan blamed PPP/ C parliamentarians for not supporting the four local government bills that were presented before, and said in a press conference, “The bullyism and attempt to dominate the National Assembly by the minority PPP/ C government

forced the AFC to withhold its support for the hydroelectric bill.”

Is that so, Ramjattan?

Since when does a retaliatory vote that holds the country to ransom, a justifiable act?

I have no doubt that most Guyanese, and indeed those in the diaspora who funded the AFC campaign for “change” during the last election, would strongly reject this explanation from a man who aspires to be the leader of this nation.

Indeed, this view was eloquently expressed by an AFC supporter, Reza Holladar, who wrote in a letter: “Please allow me some space in your newspaper to explain the total disappointment myself and colleagues feel with the party of our choice at the 2011 election. We are young professionals, the socalled future of Guyana and we truly believed Moses Nagamootoo and Ramjattan when they declared that they are going to usher in a new type of politics, one that is based on principles, with the young generation at the centre of Guyana’s development.

“We believed them, switched from the PPP/ C and campaigned feverishly for the AFC, sparing no time and resource, because we truly believed that Guyana finally has a chance of creating a new political culture with young people at the centre of it all.

We were sure that with the AFC holding the balance of power in the Parliament, the era of constructive engagement would become an important part of Guyana’s politics, and that the national, and not individual or group interests, will determine the order of the day. continued on page 22

news

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Preliminary works on Rodney inquiry underway

Political activist and historian, Dr Walter Rodney

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s preliminary work begins for a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the assassination of political activist and historian Dr Walter Rodney, the Family Court has been identified as the headquarters.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, who made the announcement at a post-Cabinet media briefing Wednesday, said funds will be appropriated for the resources the commission needs to carry out its mandate.

“Such activities include the collection of data from the variety of sources that have historically been involved in review and judicial revises in some cases, parliamen-

tary review in others, of Dr Rodney’s assassination,” Dr Luncheon said.

Details of the terms of reference to guide the commission and the appointment of the commissioners will also be ironed out. Dr Luncheon said it was agreed that the commission and its work will be supported by initiatives that were not used before such as immunity from prosecution and amnesty.

President Donald Ramotar’s announcement of the CoI came on the occasion of Dr Rodney’s 33rd death anniversary, much to the satisfaction of the party he founded, the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), now a member of the opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).

Dr Rodney, a major political challenger to the administration of Forbes Burnham, was killed on June 13, 1980 when an explosive device that was concealed in a “walkie talkie” radio detonated.

The device was given to him by a former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) sergeant who later fled to French Guiana where he remained in exile until his death several years ago.

PPP/C wants local gov’t elections – Ramotar

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resident Donald Ramotar said it not the lack of political will on the part of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C) administration that local government elections were not held in Guyana since 1994, as he expressed hope for the passage of the four bills that are currently pending in the National Assembly.

On Monday, the president said in an interview that despite talks of transparency and compromise by the parliamentary opposition, they have been showing an extraordinary level of inflexibility and are now attempting to change many of the positions that were initially agreed to.

“We are the ones who brought back local government elections to Guyana, and the fact that we did not have these elections has nothing to do with the lack of will on our part…

I know that it is badly needed because many of the problems we face are due to the fact that we did not have local government elections,” President Ramotar said.

Prior to 1994, local government elections were last held in 1970.

Subsequent to 1994, the elections could not be held simply because it coincided with the general and regional elections of 1997. The life of the Guyana Elections Commission ended shortly after the December 1997 elections and this again prevented the holding of local government elections. Another commission was set up to run the 2001 elections, and this one too eventually dissolved and another had to be established which took a significant amount of time.

Meanwhile, Guyana’s Constitution was rewritten after extensive consultations from all parties. The new Constitution stated that local government elections must be held under a reform process, different from what obtained when it was last held in 1994.

Since this process was not clearly spelt out, it was left up to the parties to negotiate. This ended up being another protracted process.

Subsequently, the op-

President Donald Ramotar

position requested that the bills in Parliament be placed on hold, a request that was acquiesced to by former President Bharrat Jagdeo.

During the interview, President Ramotar said with the new composition of the National Assembly, particularly as it relates to opposition members, positions that were initially agreed to are being changed.

He said that notwithstanding this, the government is prepared to make compromises, especially with regards to the establishment of the Local Government Commission, which he said the opposition is

trying to use to minimise the role of the Local Government Ministry.

The four bills were discussed and analysed at the level of a parliamentary special select committee chaired

by APNU’s Member of Parliament Basil Williams. The bills are slated to be debated on July 25 in the National Assembly.

The bills are the Fiscal Transfers Bill 2012, the Municipal and District Councils (Amendment) Bill, the Local Government (Amendment) Bill and the Local Government Commission Bill.

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U. S. military cadets graduate from jungle survival training in Guyana

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U.S. military cadets and members of the Guyana Defence Force pose for a group photo at the end of the training at the Colonel Robert Mitchell Jungle and Amphibious Training School

hirty-five U. S. military cadets graduated from a training phase at the Colonel Robert Mitchell Jungle and Amphibious Training School (CRMJATS). According to a U. S. embassy release, under the guidance of the CRMJATS leadership, the cadets received training and familiarisation on a broad range of survival skills.

This training phase culminated with a 48hour exercise that test-

ed the cadets’ mental

fortitude, personal cour-

U.S. military personnel and their local counterparts during the closing session of the training

age, and newly acquired skill sets. These cadets had previously completed joint training with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) cadets at the Colonel John Clarke Military School (CJCMS) located in Tacama.

Florida National Guard Major General Emmett Titshaw, U. S. Army Cadet command, in conjunction with the Military Liaison Office of the U. S. embassy in Guyana, recommended Guyana as an ideal venue for the Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency (CULP) programme in July, and the Florida National Guard was grateful for the GDF’s willingness to host the CULP programme.

Activities under the CULP programme include humanitarian service with the host population, military-tomilitary training, and education on the social, cultural, and historical aspects of the community.

The CULP programme seeks to build a foundation to support understanding, cohesion, and meaningful partnership between the next generation of U. S. and Guyanese military officers.

Using our resources

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By Anu Dev

t’s the holidays: most of us are off having fun, trying to unwind after a tough year at school. None of us are really thinking about school work, textbooks, or assignments.

Most of us wait to do our holiday assignments the week before school reopens anyway.

Some of us may have already received our reports from last year while the rest of us are still waiting for ours. CSEC and CAPE students are expecting their results early next month.

Based on our results we’ll either be allowed to move forward on our chosen career paths or we’ll have to find some alternative plan. But we’ve done all we can, we just have to see in August whether it was enough.

But not all students are at this stage of finality in their school lives, many of them are heading back to school at the end of the holidays. So I would like to encourage them to use their resources effectively.

As I’ve mentioned before, the Internet is a powerful tool. I’m a fan of the Khan Academy website, but there are so many other sites and videos and resources up on Using our resources – Theodore Roosevelt the Internet to help students.

YouTube was a tremendous help for me, especially in Sixth Form. There were so many helpful tutorials, practice questions and detailed explanations to choose from. Students should use their initiative and use the Internet to help them understand even the most difficult topics they’re covering in school. Eventually students mightn’t need to go to extra lessons at all: I never did.

Why go to lessons at six in the morning when you could learn the same thing at your own pace in the comfort of your own home (bed?!)? The video tutorials can be fast-forwarded, paused, or repeated over and over so the student can learn at whatever pace is comfortable for them.

Of course learning things on the Internet shouldn’t replace going to school – after all, we’re social beings and we need to interact and negotiate amiable relations with our friends. But in time, it probably could – and should – replace the lessons syndrome.

Currently, most of the resources I’ve found useful are UK A-level sites, or first-year college resources like MIT Physics intro. But of course those aren’t tailored perfectly to the CAPE syllabus.

So some of my time was wasted trying to find sites and to compile videos that were applicable to the work I needed to cover.

But with time, as CAPE becomes more established on the Internet, and as more Caribbean people create sites specifically for CSEC and CAPE students, it will be much easier to use the Internet to better explain what we’re learning in schools, than to learn those things at lessons.

Already CXC has put up their Notesmaster website which offers syllabi for all of the subjects for free. In addition to the syllabi, they accompany each objective in the syllabus with links to notes, videos, or other helpful resources. Additionally, countries like Jamaica already have websites (especially for English Literature) that help to explain concepts and coach their students for their exams.

It’s a new type of learning environment. Students are no longer completely at the mercy of their school or lessons teachers, they can now learn extra, at their own pace. In some schools in Silicon Valley students do lessons at home on the Internet and “homework” at school with teachers.

The Internet and communication technology are giving us the chance to have more resources at our finger tips than our parents ever had the chance to have access to. So let’s take this opportunity we’ve been given and use our resources wisely.

9 Orlando community held vigil for Guyanese shooting victim You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times International, Industrial Site Ruimveldt Georgetown, Guyana or guyanatimesint@gmail.com

week ending july 28, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

Dear Editor, I visited Orlando to show solidarity with the family of the shooting victim Eric Roopnarine, who was brutally murdered two weeks ago.

Several dozen friends of Eric held a candle light vigil to remember him and to pay tribute to him on Wednesday, July 17.

Eric was violently robbed and murdered at his home in the quiet section of Poinciana. Several Guyanese turned up for the vigil to pay their regards to the young man who was brutally murdered.

Eric was fatally shot and stabbed in the wee hours of July 4 when his home was invaded by the robbers. He was discovered dead by his mom

who had left him alone two hours earlier when she went to the airport to pick up his aunt who was visiting from New York.

Four suspects were arrested for the killing and charged with first degree murder, robbery and other offences.

The suspects were also charged for another killing, 17-year-old David Guerrero, a week before Eric was murdered, as well as a dozen other shooting incidents that drove fear into residents of the area.

The killers emptied 100 bullets in their shooting spree and are alleged to have told police they considered killing people as “fun”. They confessed to the killing of

Eric, but have reportedly blamed each other for planning and executing the robbery and murder.

They reportedly told police and friends that they hatched the plot on Tuesday and executed it on Wednesday evening.

They will have their second hearing before a judge on July 29.

At the vigil, friends told of their experiences with Eric while going to high school as well as college and socialising after work. They described Eric as a kind, gentle, fun-loving young man who knew how to have a great time.

Several persons related how Eric helped turn around their lives, as well as others they knew from personal dif-

ficulties. He helped several people providing them with food and other handouts.

They said he had a soft heart to help others and it may have been his kindness that led to his violent murder.

One friend related how she was on the verge of killing herself when Eric talked her out of it and guided her on the right path of life.

Another said Eric assisted her with her college study and purchased books, a book bag and supplies so she could stay in college. “Eric assisted me in school,” she said, “and I was able to go to college.”

Another young lady who considered Eric as her adopted brother said,

“He was the kind of person who would spend his last penny to help others.”

And yet another friend said, “Eric was the kind of person a young lady would want as a husband and as a friend.

He was so loving and generous.”

The latest on the case is that the county chief prosecutor told reporters on Wednesday evening that he will personally prosecute the charges against the four accused, all of whom reportedly confessed to the killing.

All of the accused are now speaking out against each other. They were picked up as they attempted to purchase ammunition for the powerful gun. Police had put

a bulletin to ammunition dealers to be on the lookout for purchasers of bullets and also queried gun dealers on whether they recently sold a gun using the rare bullet.

Police also said they secured the footwear that matched footprints wore by the killers inside the home of Eric when they carried out their brutal acts of murder and robbery.

Police have further said they found Eric’s stolen electronics at the homes of the suspects.

Eric’s friends told me one of the items, a flat screen television, was reportedly posted for sale on the Internet by Rios.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

The upcoming teachers’ conference in Guyana will address sensitive issues Dear Editor, This upcoming 36th biennial Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT) conference is going to be most critical.

It will address some very burning issues, some of them not that comfortable at all – issues such as violence against teachers, increased wages, and marking of school based assessments will be foremost on the agenda.

The School Based Assessment (SBA) needs a lot of work. The idea is most wonderful, but its

implementation, as of yet, leaves a lot to be desired.

I know of many teachers who charge a fee, and they make extra money like this. Many of our students choose this route, and there is no way to monitor a thing like basic honesty at this level. The SBA must be re-examined and its original intent must come back.

There is no place for attacks against teachers – not verbally and for sure not physically. This total want of respect

must not characterise our students. I hear students referring to their teachers by all kinds of degrading names.

Violence must not only be tackled from the outside. The battle starts with basic mannerisms.

When it comes to equating corporal punishment with a violation of children’s rights, I am not for it. Corporal punishment can be misused and teachers can indeed couch their evil tendencies by resorting to it.

That is why we need to have consultations on

Sports and education should not be separated Dear Editor, The brutal honesty of the secretary of the Fruta Conquerors Football Club must be admired.

In a nutshell, some simple but very profound things – sportsmen cannot always make a living from their game, in this case football, at least not locally.

Even if scholarships are on offer, their lack of a basic education disqualifies them from winning one, and sponsorship for many sports, again, namely football, are not forthcoming.

As for the education factor, many young people see sports as an escape from school. This is so especially when it comes to cricket, football and boxing.

This attitude can be traced back to school sports, since compe-

titions among classes and schools are mostly run off during the school term and on actual school days. When it comes to the track and field season, it is like free-for-all sessions, and even non- participants hardly do any schoolwork.

I believe in both aspects of life, that is education and sports, and one can complement the other. So from the inception, one must not be at the expense of the other.

Should this be so, on leaving school, the athletically gifted can embark on a sporting career, and with their high school foundation already intact, they have something to fall back on.

It will not hurt to trace down how Guyana’s success-

ful sportsmen actually made it. Definitely, it was not any form of corporate sponsorship, nor from the government.

The more talented ones, in any discipline too, who made it, got a lot of help from family members and good friends.

Usually, sponsors come on board when a person is already established.

The hard ground work was done by the few unmentioned and unknown supporters.

This again says that education must not be left out of sports.

There is no sense in dreaming about landing some big deals. It all comes back to linking sports and education at all times.

Yours truly, Conrad Chabrol

how this form of punishment and discipline must be employed. We need to think about what acts of rebellion call for its use, who does the administering and how it should be done. It is a serious matter and we still have it hanging half-way.

About our teachers, the feeling is most mixed

for me. We have very fine ones, but many are leaving the profession altogether.

I am very puzzled by this move. It is also a serious blow to the investment made by the government. We cannot excuse this defection by saying that they paid off their contracts.

When even a private school contracts a government trained teacher, it is not about paying back government.

Nobody can really do that. To me, this is a very burning issue and it must be addressed.

Yours sincerely, Schoolteacher, Name withheld by request

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Guyana, EU advance Missing teen’s body found among mangrove trees negotiations on forestry agreement T

BY BHISHAM MOHAMED

T

Guyana’s negotiating team (left) and the EU’s in Brussels, Belgium

he National T e c h n i c a l Working Group (NTWG) has been involved in meetings and the second round of negotiations with representatives from the European Union (EU) relating to the Guyana-EU Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade Voluntary Partnership Agreement (EU FLEGT VPA).

The NTWG, represented by a 14-member delegation from Guyana comprising of govern-

ment officials, indigenous community, private sector and civil society representatives, arrived in Brussels, Belgium on July 15 for the engagements.

Thematic areas discussed during the fourday session included an overview of the EU customs procedures related to FLEGT licensed timber, the progress made to date by Guyana, the road map for the VPA, legality definition and Guyana’s legality assurance systems.

Additionally, the negotiating delegation had dialogue with representatives from various international civil society groups regarding the involvement of civil society organisations in Guyana and their contribution to the VPA process.

Following the successful discussions in Brussels, the NTWG will continue consultations and meetings to ensure the VPA process is developed in a participatory manner.

he parents of a teenager are trying to come to grips with reality as their son’s body was pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean in the vicinity of Victoria Village, East Coast Demerara on Wednesday morning. Kelly Hope, 15, of Wilson Street, Victoria Village, East Coast Demerara went missing since Monday after he reportedly went swimming with friends at a koker in the village. His body was swollen and covered in blood as undertakers removed it.

According to information received, the teen could not swim, but yet accompanied his friends to the koker, and took off his clothes but no one can say whether he jumped into the water or was pushed.

Following the discovery of the teen’s body, his friends were grilled at the Cove and John Police Station with the hope of one of them revealing the truth.

On Wednesday, his father Leonard Hope explained that when he arrived home Monday afternoon, he saw his son

Dead teenager: Kelly Hope

and wife leaving for the market to sell bread.

Soon after, his son returned home and collected his bicycle, but as he was about to leave, he enquired from him where he was going and was told to assist his mother.

His mother operates a bread shop in the village and he would normally go to assist her. The father further stated that as time elapsed, his wife Donna came home without his teenage son. His wife, he added enquired about the teen but the father was left amused since he thought that he had gone to assist her. He said this prompted them to enquire from other villagers if they had seen the lad, but received no

positive answers.

The next morning, after Hope did not return home, his mother reportedly went to the Cove and John Police Station to lodge a missing person’s report, but was told that 24- hours had not elapsed.

On Tuesday morning, the father stated that a teenager went to buy bread from his wife and she asked him to check at the koker where he discovered the teen’s clothes and slippers that he was wearing at the time on the sea walls in the vicinity of the koker.

This, Leonard stated drew speculation based on the fact that his son could not swim.

The father said after enquiring, they found the guys that he was last seen with, but they refused to divulge any information.

As it got dark on Tuesday evening, the search was called off but continued on Wednesday.

About 08: 15h, they found his body among the mangrove trees, not far from the koker. Upon the discovery, the police were summoned and later retrieved the body with the help of relatives.

11 Limacol CPL tickets going fast – events operations manager W news

week ending july 28, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

ith the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL) just about a week away, ticket sales for the local leg of the tournament are going at a rapid rate, according to local Events Operations Manager Alex Graham.

Graham said the Limacol CPL, as expected for the Twenty20 (T20) format of the game, is attracting a multitude of fans. He said tickets are on pace to be sold out probably before July 31, when the first game is slated to be played at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara.

Opening game

Graham also urged cricket fans to secure their tickets early, as two of the stands are almost sold out.

With time drawing nearer, Graham expects the stadium to be sold out, as more persons

are likely to rush to purchase their tickets closer to the opening game in Guyana and over the coming weekend, which also happens to be the month-end.

In an exclusive interview with Guyana Times International on Monday, the event operations manager also provided an update on preparations for the Limacol CPL in Guyana. He said more than 90 volunteers from across the country gathered at the National Stadium on Sunday for a training session, aimed at ensuring their readiness for the greatest party in sports.

Graham said the volunteers, most with experience from previous similar events, were trained in nine functional areas for the matches, including cricket operations, event support, media and accreditation, customer service, hospitality, and entertainment.

U. S. professor compiling biography of Burnham

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rofessor Linden Lewis from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Bucknell University, USA is currently compiling a biography on late President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham. Currently, the Barbadian national, who has recently returned to Guyana, is in the process of collecting data.

A few days ago, he conducted three interviews with persons who worked closely with the late president, taking the total number of interviews conducted thus far to 31.

Additionally, he has already gathered a wide array of documents on Burnham.

In 2001, the book; Caribbean Charisma: Reflection on Leadership, Legitimacy and Politics was published.

Professor Lewis was instrumental in writing one of the chapters under the caption “Linden Forbes Burnham (192385): Unraveling the Paradox of Post-Colonial Charismatic Leadership in Guyana”.

The overwhelming interest shown following the publication had inspired the Bucknell University profes-

Bucknell University Professor Linden Lewis

sor to do a comprehensive study on the life of Burnham.

However, it was only until 2003 that he began to gather information.

According to Professor Lewis, while there are countless documentaries and newspaper articles on the former president, there is no biography.

“One of the things about us in the Caribbean, we don’t do enough of that biographical work... I think perhaps the most biographies are probably on Eric Williams,” he said.

Professor Lewis said he is working to complete the biography on the late Guyanese president by 2015.

Cricket fans line up at the Limacol CPL ticket office at the former Del Casa building (two buildings east of Mario's Pizza), Middle Street, Georgetown (Rajiv Bisnauth file photo)

Some 135 volunteers will be placed in the different job areas to ensure spectators have a comfortable and wonderful time.

The tournament will bowl off on July 30 and

conclude on August 24.

All matches in Guyana will be played at the National Stadium on July 31, August 2, and August 4.

Tickets for Guyana’s Amazon Warriors’ first

two games on July 31 and August 2 against Trinidad and Tobago’s Red Steel and Jamaica’s Tallawahs are: South West Stand (Green Stand) – $ 2500 (US$ 12.50); North West Stand

(Red Stand) – $ 2000 (US$ 10); South Stand (Orange Stand) – $ 2000 (US$ 10); and Grass Mound/ Party Stand – $ 1500 (US$ 7.50). Both games start at 20: 00h.

Ticket prices for the double header on August 4 are: South West Stand ( Green Stand) – $ 3500 ( US$ 17.50); North West Stand ( Red Stand) – $ 3000 ( US$ 15); South Stand ( Orange Stand) –$ 3000 ( US$ 15) and Grass Mound/ Party Stand – $ 2000 ( US$ 10).

Antigua Hawksbills will play Jamaica Tallawahs from 15: 00h while Guyana Amazon Warriors will clash with St Lucia Zouks in the feature game from 20: 00h.

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Gov’t not giving up on Amaila project

– Minister Benn says door open to opposition

BY SAMUEL SUKHNANDAN

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overnment said it will ensure that works for the Amaila Falls project continues, despite the recent move made by the joint parliamentary opposition to vote down the project. This announcement was made during a site visit on Tuesday, where representatives from all media entities were invited to view for themselves the progress made thus far on the project, specifically as it relates to the completion of the road at the seven

An aerial view of a camp set up to carry out work on one of the roads to the Amaila Falls project, Region Seven

sections.

Media operatives were given an aerial view of the project site, onboard the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Bell helicopters. The journey began over section two of the project site, which led to sections three, four and five. The plane landed at section six, where the media was given an opportunity to meet with the contractors. Soon after, media representatives were flown over the Amaila Falls and the area for the electricity sub-station.

Benn stated that proper consideration must be given to the project, so that it can continue. “This is a national project and it’s about Guyana advancing into the future,” he

any other means except through Parliament.

“If government could have done it without the national consensual support it required, it would have done so. But that is the cleanest and neatest way to get it done and that is why we came to the Parliament to seek approval and which we were astounded by.”

The works minister said many hours were dedicated by government members to discuss this issue with the opposition at the last sitting of Parliament, but at the end, the joint parliamentary opposition voted down the project.

The A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC) were also given the opportunity to visit the project site and made it public that

Cheap electricity

Works and Hydraulics Minister Robeson Benn who led the team of journalists on the site visit said “if the project collapses, it will immediately affect employment and the failure to bring in cheap electricity to our country”.

A section of the road leading to the Amaila Falls project

said.

The minister noted that the site visit was aimed at sensitising the public through the media of the importance of the project. “Everyone should have a clear understanding so that they can support the project because it’s a national project... no one... at the end of the day should be able to say that they didn’t understand this important national project.”

Meanwhile, Benn told media operatives that government remains open to have another discussion with the opposition on Amaila.

“We think that they would see the light and whatever concerns, misunderstanding or confusion they may have on their side is cleared up and that we would want to be able to ... clear it up.”

Legal action

Benn said that while government is mulling legal action against the opposition on the matter, there is no immediate plan to have the needed finance made available for the project, by

they were satisfied with the work of the project thus far.

They are scheduled to make a next trip to the area, but have not indicated when they will do so. The opposition, during their visit, also spoke positively about the involvement of many young Guyanese working on the project.

At the time of the visit, the opposition also said the invitation from government was a signal of its willingness to be more open with opposition members.

Amaila Falls Project Manager Walter Willis said at least 67 per cent of the road construction is completed.

Willis explained that when the contract was scrapped between government and Synergy Holdings Inc, at least 28 per cent of the road works were completed. He admitted that matching the money against the work carried out by that company is a contentious matter. However, he stated that government did everything possible to keep the project going.

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14 News Ogle Airport opens to regional flights week ending july 28, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

By Sabatini Daniels

L

IAT Airlines landed its inaugural official flight at the Ogle International Airport on Monday at 15: 30h which depart-

ed Grantley Adams International Airport at 12: 30h filled to capacity. Present to witness touchdown of the 50-seater Dash 8 aircraft was Transport Minister Robeson Benn,

who stated that one of the barriers for the Caribbean has been regional connections.

He noted that LIAT’s operation out of Ogle will help to address this issue. “So, not only are

Proud moment: European Union Delegation Head Ambassador Robert Kopecký (right); Transport Minister Robeson Benn (centre) and Guyana Civil Aviation Authority chief Zulfikar Mohammed (left) witness the landing of the LIAT Airlines’ inaugural flight at the Ogle International Airport. (Carl Croker photos)

we resolving the problem with respect to Ogle and the Caribbean region, but we are also laying basis and foundation for reaching further afield into South America with these types of aircraft”.

The minister cited northern Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname and French Guiana as possible destinations.

He posited too that with the upcoming football world cup and Olympic Games in Brazil, the transportation issue needs to be tackled aggressively.

He said the Ogle International Airport is a transformational initiative that the government and private sector came together to accomplish, with the aim of enhancing air transportation in and out of the

country.

Benn disclosed that there has been a great interest at the level of Caricom with respect to this particular project, since the regional bloc’s headquarters is not more than three miles away from the airport and business meetings are constantly held there.

The minister also thanked all the developmental partners especially the European Union for making the project possible.

“I remember the interest of former President Bharrat Jagdeo in this project, and Finance Minister Ashni Singh and I want to acknowledge their efforts, contributions and foresight with respect to having the realisation of this transformational

project,” he added.

Turning to security at the airport, the transport minister has ensured that all basic steps have been taken to make sure the airport is a secure facility.

“There are over 30-something cameras around the facility with respect to being able to access both air side and land side… I also noticed the dog which sniffs substances,” Benn noted.

He stated that persons who want to engage in illegal activities will always be encountered, but the ministry; the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority; airport employees; and relevant authorities such as the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) will work together to ensure persons do not get away with breaking the law.

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Essequibo girl defies all odds in becoming a medical doctor

By Indrawattie Natram

A

s a small girl growing up in the indigenous environment of Capoey on the Essequibo Coast, Smolana Swan always had the vision to change things in her community and to become someone who serves people.

Swan, as she acquired her early education, still was not sure what exactly she wanted to do; however, as she entered secondary school, she set her sights on becoming a medical doctor.

After much persuasion, the young woman said it was her single mother, Magdalene Henry, who eventually nurtured her strength and focus on becoming a medical doctor.

Focused

The 25-year-old said she was focused on making her mother proud as well as the people of Capoey Amerindian community as being the first doctor to hail from the village. Swan said she entered the science and technology stream at the Anna Regina Multilateral School to gain much knowledge in the field of science.

She said being in the science field set the foundation for her to become a doctor.

After graduating from secondary school in 2006, she applied for a Cuban scholarship

Dr Smolana Swan

through the government of Guyana. She said with a spark of luck, she got into the programme.

She praised the government for providing such an opportunity to her.

Swan said her acceptance by the Cuban government to study medicine drew her closer to her dream. The young lady left Guyana to pursue that dream at age 19. She said for her, it was a huge change in her life.

Swan said she had to change everything and adopt the new way of life in another country.

Despite the many challenges, she managed to prevail with determination and courage.

The young doctor explained that the seven years she spent away from her family groomed her into a responsible person. She explained she has grown to care, respect and to treat her fellow humans with much love and compassion.

She said her general medicine course taught her to respect as well as care for the old and young. "During my training, I enjoyed every

bit of it, I feel so privileged to be given the opportunity to serve, to care for my fellow human beings, I am so happy and thank God

for seeing me through this and for blessing me to complete my medicine course, in return, I will only serve my people."

Swan said having returned to Guyana and graduated as a certified general medical doctor, she will visit her community and provide much needed medical services. She said the community of Capoey had long waited for a doctor and she is proud to have an opportunity to make an impact.

When asked how she plans to serve persons from the Capoey community, Swan said she will do home visits, patient care and assist her people whenever they visit the hospital. She also said she shared her number with the toshao of the village so that medical advice as well as referrals can be given promptly.

Support

The doctor said she is very happy to be back in Essequibo and thanked her mother

and her aunts for the support they have given her during her studies. Swan, who is the eldest child of her mother, said she always wanted to set a good example for her other siblings to follow and she is happy she did.

She said the longer one takes to realise one’s potential, the longer the process of achieving that will take.

The young doctor’s mother, Magdalene Henry said she is happy to have her daughter home and she thanked the government of Guyana for providing her with the opportunity to realise her dream.

Henry, who is headmistress of a nursery school, said it was her desire for her daughter to be ambitious in life.

She said the best thing a parent could offer a child is a sound education. The mother said she made many sacrifices for her daughter to become a doctor and she is very proud of that.

16 Feature Miss and Mr Guyana Talented Teen contestants revealed E week ending july 28, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

ighteen young men and women were on last Sunday revealed to the public as contenders in the Miss and Mr Guyana Talented Teen pageants this year slated for September.

This is the 12th edition of the Simpli Royal Miss Guyana Talented Teen Pageant and the introduction of the Mr Talented Teen contest is expected to be steamyhot, based on the line up.

The Miss Guyana Talented Teen contestants are Miss Cummingsburg Crystal Fraser, Miss Peter’s Hall Tiffany Bonner, Miss Enmore Chelsea France, Miss Liliendaal Riona Howell, Miss Plaisance Tiffany Ferguson, Miss Lethem Onika Rose, Miss Campbellville Jamaise Klass, Miss Victoria Greneshawana Cummings, and Miss Linden Romichell Clement.

The Mr Guyana Teen contestants are Mr Parika Kevin Smith, Mr Lacytown Omkaror Brumell, Mr Beterverwagting Kefa Smith, Mr Grove Fazil Rahaman, Mr West Bank Demerara David Loncke, Mr Anna Regina Dennis Glasgow, Mr Diamond Linden Isles, Mr New

the first year they are being asked to compete.

“These young men are going to go through the rigors of pageantry… training… they will definitely be doing a charity… they are going to develop their talent… they are learning ballroom dancing and they are learning to behave in a social background,” Dillon added.

On pageant night, the contestants will be competing in a national wear, swimwear, evening gown, talent and intelligence segments.

The crowned Miss Talented Teen will represent Guyana in a similar pageant in a Caribbean territory.

The Miss Guyana Talented Teen delegates at the Red House, Kingston, Georgetown on Sunday

Amsterdam Royden James, and Mr Prashad Nagar Mark Junor.

The nine males were sashed by reigning Mr Guyana/ United Nations Teen Devon Hernandes, while the beauties were sashed by reigning Miss Guyana Universe and newly-crowned Miss Guyana World, Ruqayyah Boyer.

At the simple sashing ceremony, there were a few past beauty queens

including Miss Talented Teen 2007 Jenelle Cox, Ulex Atwell, and others. The reigning Miss Guyana Talented Teen Sharona Haniff was also present at the prestigious event. All of them claimed the teen pageant has shaped their careers.

Miss Guyana PlusSize Queen, recently certified Dr Pertab was also at the event and reminisced on her time in the pageant and the challenges she

The Mr Talented Teen contestants at the sashing ceremony

was confronted with during her pageantry career.

Speaking with Guyana Times International, Simpli Royal Chief Executive Officer Pamela Dillon explained that this is the 12th year for the Miss

Talented Teen Pageant, but the first for the Mr Talented Teen Pageant.

Proper training

She disclosed that for the past 11 years, young men were trained to escort the young ladies on stage, noting that this is

However, Dillon explained that sponsorship is a challenge for the organisation, but is keeping her fingers crossed that the business community will come on board.

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22 News ECLAC projects 4.8 per cent growth for Guyana this year week ending july 28, 2013 | guyanatimeSinternational.com

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bution owing to the larger increase in imports than exports. Exports were down in the first half of 2013, and are probably facing the end of the boom period in commodity prices.

According to ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Bárcena, who presented the document, “the current situation highlights problems of growth sustainability in most of the region’s economies, hence, the need to broaden and diversify sources of growth. We also need a social covenant to increase investment and productivity, as well as changing production patterns to grow with equality”.

The Caribbean is expected to maintain the slow upward trend in growth observed in previous years (to reach two per cent). In the first six months of 2013, prices for many of the region’s exports dropped, particularly minerals, metals, oil and some foodstuffs.

This trend is associated with the euro zone recession and the slowdown of growth in China.

In 2013, export values are expected to rise by around four per cent, which is higher than the 1.5 per cent growth recorded in 2012 but much lower than the rates above 20 per cent observed in 2011 and 2010.

Imports are expected to grow by six per cent in 2013 (compared with a rise of 4.3 per cent in 2012).

As a result of the region’s moderate economic growth, labour demand is not expected to rise significantly in 2013. Unemployment dipped from 6.9 per cent to 6.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2013, while 12-month cumulative regional inflation to May 2013 stood at six per cent (compared with 5.5 per cent in December 2012 and 5.8 per cent in the 12 months to May 2012).

The region’s moderate economic performance is linked to estimated world economic growth of 2.3 per cent (which is a similar rate to 2012). Owing to the ongoing recession in the euro zone during 2013, developing countries are expected to remain the drivers of world economic growth (although policies adopted by the United States and Japan are expected to boost these economies and promote greater worldwide economic growth in the coming year).

According to ECLAC estimates, Paraguay leads growth in 2013, with a 12.5 per cent rise in GDP, followed by Panama (7.5 per cent), Peru (5.9 per cent), Bolivia (5.5 per cent), Nicaragua (five per cent) and Chile (4.6 per cent).

Argentina is expected to grow by 3.5 per cent, Brazil by 2.5 per cent and Mexico by 2.8 per cent.

Central America should grow by four per cent, while South America is expected to grow by 3.1 per cent.

In the Economic Survey 2013, ECLAC analyses economic growth in recent decades and presents proposals to boost investment and productivity, with a view to achieving more stable and sustainable growth in the future. While this period has seen profound economic transformations in Latin America and the Caribbean, levels of inequality and poverty remain high in many countries. Despite the positive terms of trade, capital accumulation has been in sufficient and there have been limited gains in labour productivity.

The report highlights the need for robust institutions and social covenants to encourage investment, including short-term macroeconomic policies with a stabilising and countercyclical effect, as well as long-term macroeconomic policies linked with industrial, social, labour and environmental policies, all with a view to promoting sustainable structural change and greater productivity.

ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Bárcena

uyana’s growth rate is projected at 4.8 per cent according to a new report launched by the Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean in Chile on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, as a whole, Latin American and Caribbean countries will grow by three per cent in 2013, which is similar to last year’s growth rate, according to the report.

In the survey, ECLAC states that the lower growth rate than the most recent estimate (3.5 per cent in April) was partly due to slow growth in Brazil and Mexico. In addition, several countries that were growing quickly – such as Chile, Panama and Peru – experienced a slowdown in economic activity in recent months.

High dependency

The report adds that the region has some weaknesses that could affect it in the short and long term, given the current negative external environment. Such weaknesses include the high dependency on exports to Europe and China, a growing current account deficit (reaching two per cent of GDP in 2013, which is the highest level since 2001), major fiscal constraints in the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico, and South American vulnerability due to its dependence on natural resources.

Furthermore, economic growth remains largely dependent on consumption, which in 2013 has expanded less than in the previous year.

Meanwhile, the contribution of investment to GDP will be modest, and net exports will make a negative contri-

Moderate growth

Boost investment

Granger calls on PNCR to recruit, reorganise and rebuild

A section of the gathering at the PNCR General Council meeting last Saturday

T

he People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) held its second General Council meeting for 2013 on Saturday at the party’s headquarters, Congress Place, Sophia, with its leader David Granger telling members that now is the time to rebuild, reorganise, and recruit. The opening session was chaired by party chairman Basil Williams during which General Secretary Oscar Clarke presented a report on the work of the party and the party’s secretariat for the period under consideration.

The oldest member of the party, Cecil Cunha (99 years old) who was present, was recognised by the council, a release from the PNCR said.

The general secretary also reported to the council that three new members had been ap-

pointed to the Central Executive Committee of the PNCR. They are Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon, Region Seven Chairman Gordon Bradford and Region One councillor Richard Allen.

The main address of the opening session was presented by Granger, who affirmed that the PNCR remains committed to the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) coalition.

He said that the PNCR was a mass-based party and not an elitist party, and, therefore, had a responsibility to the people of Guyana to provide leadership inside and outside of the National Assembly.

According to the release, in a stirring appeal to the General Council, Granger said the PNCR had a service responsibility to all of its constituents.

He outlined a plan of action for consideration by the council’s plenary.

Granger called on the party to rebuild, recruit, and reorganise. He said that party offices in every region must be developed into multi-purpose centres and used as a base for Members of Parliament and regional councillors to meet with their constituents and provide services for the communities.

He charged party leaders, especially Members of Parliament to give leadership and to be seen working with and for their constituents and constituencies.

The plenary session of the General Council was expected to discuss the leader’s plan of action, the general secretary’s report, and the PNCRs plans and preparations for local government elections.

Political opposition or ...

from page 6

Disappointments

“But alas, we were in for great disappointments. Our first disappointment was when our leaders Nagamootoo and Ramjattan abused our votes and supported the residents of Linden demand for free electricity without giving a thought to the fact that it is we who are saddled with the burden of Linden’s electricity bill.

“The second disappointment was when the AFC instigated and encouraged the Agricola mayhem. The third was the chopping of all of the government’s major development projects from which the young generation stands to benefit the most.

“And now, the biggest disappoint of them all, the denial of all Guyanese, especially the young generation, of the lifeline of development – cheap, reliable and abundant energy, by voting down the hydro project.

We could have expected

anything, but not this, especially since there is not one single valid reason for this action.”

Holladar added, “We used to be proud to be associated with the AFC, but now with the voting down of the hydro project, we are ashamed to be so identified. How can Nagamootoo, Ramjattan, and other leaders of the AFC, who promised the young people of Guyana a better future, by their irrational and vindictive actions seek to destroy the very foundations upon which that promised future must be built?”

Obstructive force

And I may add, how can these people sleep at nights knowing that they are guilty of not fulfilling the role the electorate gave them – that of a constructive opposition, rather than the obstructive force they have now become.

The AFC was not alone in this defiant and unpatriotic act.

David Granger’s People’s National Congress (PNC)/ A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) demonstrated once again that because they failed while in power, they are not prepared to give the PPP/ C an opportunity to succeed.

This is evident by the lack of support given to major national development projects such as AFHEP, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion, and the Marriott Hotel.

Hell, they even blocked security measures that would prevent money laundering and make Guyana safe from criminals. How much more irresponsible can they be? The PNC/ APNU is determined not to support any project that would further enhance the popularity of the ruling PPP/ C, regardless of how much the entire nation stands to benefit.

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Ramadan marks the beginning of the holiest time of the year (Part 11)

By Shan Razack Why Muslims fast For Muslims, fasting has a number of benefits: * It helps one to feel compassion for those who are less fortunate and under-privileged for what they have as a result of feeling hunger and thirst. * It allows one to build a sense of self-control and willpower, which can be beneficial throughout life in dealing with temptations and peer pressure. * It offers a time for Muslims to purify their bodies, as well as their souls, by developing a greater sense of humanity, spirituality and community. Ramadan is a very spiritual time for Muslims, and often they invite each other to one another’s home to break the fast and pray together.

As with other duties in Islam, fasting becomes obligatory after puberty.

Ramadan Ramadan is important for Muslims because it is believed to be the month in which the first verses of the Holy Quran, (the divine scripture) were revealed by Allah (God) to the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS). From time to time, Muhammad (SAWS) used to go out from Mecca, where he was born and where he worked as caravan trader, to reflect and meditate in solitude. Like Abraham before him, he had never accepted his people’s worship of many gods, and felt a need to withdraw to a quiet place to reflect on the One God. One night, while meditating in a cave near Mecca, he heard a voice calling out, telling him to “read”. Muhammad (SAWS) found himself reciting the first verses of the Holy Quran.

The voice was that of Angel Gabriel, and he confirmed that Muhammad (SAWS) was chosen for an important and challenging mission – he was to call the people to monotheism, the belief in one God, and righteousness.

Muslims believe that over a period of 23 years, various verses and chapters of the Holy Quran were revealed to Muhammad (SAWS) through Gabriel. The Quran is comprised of 114 chapters of varying length.

During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset every day. This means not consuming food and drink, including water, during the daylight hours. In the Arabic language, fast is known as sawm. Muslims rise early in the morning during Ramadan to have a pre-dawn breakfast meal known as suhoor.

At the end of the day the fast is completed by taking the after meal, which usually includes dates, fresh fruits, beverages and dinner. Later in the evening, Muslims attend special nightly tarawih prayers at their local mosque, during which approximately one-thirtieth of the Holy Quran is recited, so that the entire scripture is recited in the course of the 29 or 30 days of the month.

Unfortunately, the non-Muslim world views Ramadan as a month of fasting and merely the abstinence from food and drink. Ramadan is a strict and exact training period, for every God-fearing man and woman. It exposes the Muslim to a way of life that prepares them to face the challenges of their socio-economic and spiritual existence.

Ramadan encourages Muslims to renew their pledges and strive continuously to gain the pleasure of Allah. In every corner of the globe, where Muslims exist as a community, their exercises and observances are the same despite ethnic, cultural differences and climatic conditions.

The constant Salaah, recitation of the Holy Quran, observing the fast, paying the Zakat, result from strong Imaan. This places the Muslims in an enviable position to understand the conditions faced by the poor and needy.

This creates the feeling of God consciousness (taqwa). This is the time through the khutbah, discussions and practices, Muslims are reminded of the lofty ideals of Islam and the solutions for the world’s problems.

Ramadan is the month for inculcation of virtues, Islamic values, and morals. Allah promises the rewards of good deeds to be multiplied from 10 to 700 times. This is the period when we come to grips with our physical desires and weaknesses. This is the time we are able to measure our strengths and shortcomings.

Ramadan helps us to see who we really are. It is indeed a testing period to examine the extent to which we are prepared to make sacrifices for the pleasure of Allah. Refusal to observe the commands is a sign of kufr (disbeliever). The sacrifices we are expected to make, increases, our Imaan and cause us to develop taqwa, which is precisely the object of fasting.

Eid ul-Fitr After Ramadan, Muslims celebrate a very festive and joyous holiday known as Eid ul-Fitr, the festival of the breaking of the fast. On the day of Eid, Muslims attend special congregational prayers in the morning, wearing their best clothes, after the completion of the prayers and special sermon, Muslims rise to greet and hug one another, saying “Eid Mubarak”, which means “Holy Blessings”.

Later, Muslims families visit each other’s homes, and have special meals together. Children are often rewarded with gifts, money and sweets. Light and other decorations mark the happy occasion.

Ramadan Mubarak. Ramadan Mubarak. Ramadan Mubarak.

11 more doctors to serve Region Two T

he health sector in Region Two will be significantly boosted as 11 more Cuban-trained Guyanese doctors graduated last Saturday at the Suddie Public Hospital in Essequibo after successfully completing their one year internship there.

The doctors, Suzette Alana Regnold, Deoram Kajram, Smolana Swan, Andy Da Silva, Marlon Sooknarine, Chavita Bisnauth, Patricia Lew wai-see, Cardel Mc Watt, Suresh Seurattan, Kiloutie Das and Vijay Persaud successfully completed their seven-year training programme (six years in Cuban and one year at the Suddie Hospital).

The doctors were trained in general medicine, internal medicine, paediatrics, gynaecology and obstetrics and surgery.

Speaking to the graduands, officials of the Cuban government, doctors, nurses and medical technicians in the boardroom of the Suddie Hospital, Region Two Chairman Parmanand Persaud charged the newly-trained doctors to give of their best and to serve their fellow Essequibians with love.

He welcomed the team home and encouraged them to do their job in a professional manner.

The newly-graduated doctors with Cuban and regional officials at the Suddie Hospital

Persaud thanked the Cuban government for the solid partnership with Guyana, which enabled the training of young people to become doctors.

The regional chairman said Guyana has prospered from the arrangement, and lauded former president Bharrat Jagdeo, who was instrumental in negotiating the agreement.

“We are indeed grateful for this help, it has indeed boosted the health sector in Guyana, many persons are benefiting and the partnership signed was a fruitful venture.”

Persaud also posited that the Cuban Medical Brigade has invested tremendous support into Guyana’s health sector,

noting that their work has been priceless.

M e a n w h i l e , University of Holgrin, Medical Science Director Dr Katia Maria Ochoa Agnilera said Cuba was happy to host the students, and challenge them to further their studies in their various field.

According to Agnilera, the best repayment the doctors can give to Cuba is to give of their best, serve the people honestly and with love.

Dr Duniesky Cintra Cala of the Cuban Health Ministry and Dr George Delgado, the head of International Collaborators Worldwide also spoke at the graduation.

Suzette Alana

Regnold and Deoram Kajram, who obtained gold medals in the general medicine course, said they are happy to be back home to serve their people.

Both students thanked the governments of Guyana and Cuba for making their dream of becoming a doctor a reality.

The newly-graduated doctors vowed to give of their best and described their stay in Cuba as challenging, but funfilled.

The parents of the graduating students also lauded the medical agreement between Guyana and Cuba, noting that it has enabled their children an opportunity to make them proud.

24-hour pharmacy opens in Georgetown

From left to right: Rebecca Baksh, Sandeep Ramsarran, proprietor Sandeep Singh, Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy and Atiq Samad (stooping) at the launching of Smart Aid Pharmacy

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ince the opening of the Smart Aid Pharmacy at 207 Barr Street, Kitty, Assistant Pharmacist Sandeep Ramsarran said the facility has been receiving a fair response from nearby residents.

The pharmacy was opened on Wednesday and Ramsarran said the influx of customers

is seen mostly in the afternoons after working hours.

“We’re only like four days old so people are now finding out about the business. We had flyers going around the area so we had a lot of people come in and check what we have, saying they would come back to support us,” Ramsarran

said.

He noted that when customers ask for items that are not in stock, they would seek to make provisions for them.

The new pharmacy was commissioned by former Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy, who used the opportunity to emphasise the importance of checking for expiry dates when purchasing goods, especially pharmaceutical drugs.

During the small opening ceremony, he also urged citizens to purchase medical drugs from licensed facilities.

“Only licensed facilities, licensed pharmaceutical facilities could sell prescription medicine and you could have over-the-counter that doesn’t need a pharmacy licence. But anything to do with prescription will have to have a licence,” he pointed out.

Dr Ramsammy, who is the current agriculture minister, urged

Guyanese to support the Health Ministry in ensuring expired goods are not sold for consumption, urging them to inspect items properly before making purchase.

He noted that the establishment of the medical facility signals a step in the right direction with citizens recognising the importance to cater to the health needs and well-being of others. The opening of the pharmacy saw patrons benefiting from free blood pressure, HIV and glucose testing.

The Health Ministry’s Blood Bank was also on hand to conduct a blood drive, in which the first 50 donors received a free bottle of Ferrovite, compliments of the NEW GPC and Smart Aid. Meanwhile, the first 50 customers benefited from free bottles of Listerine and Protox Insect Spray, while there was free sampling of Geddes Grant Limited products.

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President receives volumes of Janet Jagan’s speeches P resident Donald Ramotar last Thursday received a copy of Volumes One and Two of late President Janet Jagan’s speeches in the National Assembly, the preface for which was authored

by President Ramotar.

Professor David Dabydeen, head of the Caribbean Press and Guyana’s ambassador to China, during a courtesy call presented the head of state with the books as well as a copy of his latest novel Johnson’s Dictionary.

Professor Dabydeen was quoted by the Government Information Agency as saying a batch of the two volumes of speeches is on its way to Guyana via sea.

Mrs Jagan was president from December 19, 1997 to August 11, 1999. She previously served as prime minister from March 17, 1997, to December 19, 1997.

A few days ago Professor Dabydeen also presented the ini-

Professor David Dabydeen presents a copy of Janet Jagan: National Assembly Speeches volumes one and two, which were recently published by the Caribbean Press to President Donald Ramotar

tial volume of speeches of the late President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham to Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman at Parliament.

He also gave an insight into his latest novel. “It’s about the journey taken from the days of slavery and indentureship, when they were

barely literate in the English Language to the point at which they won the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature twice, so that’s the role of Johnson’s Dictionary in the way we achieved literary and linguistic excellence,” he explained.

The back cover of the book reads: Told by Manu, this novel jour-

neys through 18th century London and Demerara in British Guiana, recounting experiences that might be dreamed or remembered.

With a diverse set of characters – including slaves, lowly women on the make, lustful overseers, sodomites, and pious Jews – these characters come alive from artist William Hogarth’s engravings; Hogarth himself also appears as a drunkard official artist in Demerara, from whom the slave Cato steals his skills and discovers a way of remaking his world.

From the dens of sexual specialties, where the ex-slave Francis conducts a highly popular flagellant mission to cure his clients of their man-love and preach abolition, to the sugar estates of Demerara, this novel revels in the connections of empire, art, literature, and human desire in ways that are comic, salutary, and redemptive.

Guyana can be new agricultural investment hotspot for Middle East investors

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jeenkya D Y Patil Group Chairman and honorary consul general to Guyana in Mumbai, India, Dr Ajeenkya D Y Patil is of the view that agriculture in Guyana “is a winning proposition with positive advantages for all stakeholders involved”.

In a recent press release from the group, it was announced that this opportunity will be presented to potential investors in Dubai this coming November.

Dr Patil has stated that investing in Guyana “is a financially viable and potentially profitable proposal for investors in the region due to the global growth in demand for agriculture produce”.

“The region [Guyana] is unexploited and is economically robust and politically stable. It will improve the quality of life of the average Guyanese citizen and increase the economic vitality of the country.

And all of this backed by the experienced management of the Ajeenkya DY Patil Group.”

Additionally, given the lack of annual rainfall in the Gulf region, highscale commercial food production is not viable; hence, Middle East

Dr Ajeenkya D Y Patil

countries continue to safeguard food security and supply issues by investing overseas.

Another key indicator is the population boom in the region, meaning local agriculture is unable to meet the consumption demand.

For many years, Africa and the Philippines have been popular destinations for Middle East investment in agriculture.

However, a new market has emerged to rival these traditionally strong investment partners. Hence, the look at Guyana.

McKinsey study

A McKinsey study in

2008 revealed the country’s agricultural potential; with aquaculture (the farming of aquatic organisms including fish and crustaceans) valued at US$ 350-$ 450 million; fruits and vegetables US$ 250-$ 350 million; forestry US$ 200-$ 300 million and bio-ethanol US$ 500-$ 600 million.

It was observed that Guyana already has a well-established export industry. It currently exports to Canada, the U. S., nearby Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica, while also trading as far afield as the UK and the Netherlands. In fact, 75 per cent of Guyana’s exports enter destination markets duty-free, making it an attractive trading partner.

Guyana’s other advantages were also observed by the group, including its highly fertile soils, particularly in coastal areas which offer large development initiatives, while an abundance of grassland can be used for producing beef, milk, mutton, fruits and other non-traditional crops. The country has also been certified as foot and mouth disease free, an added advantage in exporting meat products.

In addition, its large expanses of land have never been used for modern agriculture and are therefore totally free of agricultural chemicals, meaning it can be certified for organic production in one year, rather than the standard requirement of three years. This has definite economic benefits for the country given that organic produce has a premium price in most developed countries.

It also emphasises that Guyana offers a serious alternative to consider in addressing potential future food security issues.

This alternative has been identified by the Ajeenkya D Y Patil Group, which has exemplary experience in agriculture, as well as education, healthcare and sports.

They have signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Guyana for 65,000 hectares of land in the Canje Basin to be used for agriculturerelated projects, which could include dairy processing; rice milling and processing; fisheries and poultry; fruits and vegetables; and sugar cane production with ethanol and power.

Expert

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atiricus was nothing if not aware he wasn’t the brightest bulb around. And if he ever forgot his limitations his buddies (not to mention his dear wife) were only too happy to remind him. So when NoGel Huge, the big time lawyer (who’s about to get “silk” any moment now) promised to bring on an “expert” to clear up all the confusion about the “racism” case, Satiricus breathed a deep sigh of relief.

His poor head had been spinning from all the charges and counter charges. Even the first lawyer for the prosecution, AG NandaBall had appeared confused. So Satiricus hadn’t felt too much like a dope. And when Satiricus heard who the expert was – he jumped for joy. David Hands was a “political scientist” declared NoGel. Satiricus had read somewhere that “political scientists” just called themselves “scientists” to give themselves some authority.

After all they couldn’t very well conduct experiments like real scientists, could they? But Satiricus didn’t give such arguments too much mind. The proof in the pudding, his dear father had always told him, was in the baking. Like the very best of scientists, David Hands could predict how the political pudding would turn out every time.

He’d predicted his party, the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), would win the elections in 1992.

Well, they didn’t win... but they did scrounge up one “top up” seat. As Satiricus always said, it wasn’t whether you won or lost, it was how you wrote your manifesto. And WPA did have a wonderful, long-winded manifesto. Some people called it a “left over” seat, but Satiricus figured they were just jealous of the “bright” men like David Hands.

And just last year, look how Hands had called for Buxtonians to dig up the road in support of Linden – and eight persons had turned up.

Everyone had predicted that, since WPA was now only four persons, they wouldn’t get more than that number.

Hands has doubled the predictions and showed one and all what a good “political scientist” he was.

Then look at the man’s experience, thought Satiricus with a flash of annoyance. How could they doubt the man’s credentials? Hands had been lecturing for over two decades at Arizona State University – 2000 miles from where the West Indian community is. Satiricus was sure Hands could get any job at any of the so-called “prestigious” universities near New York.

But he knew Hands didn’t want things easy: as a scientist, he loved challenges.

Hands also didn’t go in for fancy titles or the big bucks. He’d voluntarily remained as an assistant professor – the lowest man on the totem pole – with the lowest salary. Just so he’d experience what the masses did and with the same self-effacing modestly, Hands had refused to go with the big publishers when he produced his two booklets. Like the true man of the soil, he published them himself and hawked them on the Internet.

Satiricus was sure this was the expert that would shed light not only on racism in Guyana, but even on why he rejected Kissoon as a “brother”, and that wasn’t racism.

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ASL commences compensation process for injured passengers

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One of the injured passengers at the Ogle International Airport after the accident

ust over a week after 12 persons were injured following the crash landing of an Air Services Limited (ASL) aircraft at Matthews Ridge, North West District, the company has begun the compensation process, according to Personnel Manager Omadat Singh.

Speaking to this newspaper on Wednesday, Singh explained that the affected passengers were in the process of collecting claims for compensation. To date, they have collected more than 50 per cent of the claim forms and are addressing the issue head on.

The passengers are required to claim for lost and damage baggage, lost and damage cargo, lost and damage personal items and any other claim they wished to make. They will also be compensated for the injuries they incurred as a result of the accident.

Compensation

Singh added that the company has started to pay compensation with respect to injuries, noting that it has been taking care of all medical and travelling expenses of the injured. To date, he added that company has spent close to Gy$ 4 million in this regard. In any accident of this magnitude, the manager disclosed that the insurance company will have to kick into gear, but not until a thorough investigation is completed and presented.

Once the clearance is given, the insurance company will release the money.

“The monies that we are spending now, it’s out of our pockets but that is not an issue because our customers come first,” he added.

Guyana Times International under-

stands that the insurance company is an overseas one, with local agents here. “We have compensated Aloma Massay for her spectacles which was damaged during the crash… we will continue to do our part,” Singh disclosed.

Following the accident, Esther Williams from Baramita and Urmella Rajesh from Berbice, both underwent surgery for fractured facial bones at the St Joseph Mercy Hospital.

Aloma Massay received injury to her right leg while Lloyd Thomas sustained injuries to his right shoulder, wrist and forehead and Ulan Benjamin received hip injuries.

Dexter Benjamin suffered lacerations to his lower right eyelid while Naline Dellon, Wesley Johnson, Troy Henry, Clifton Campbell and Sheldon Williams were treated for minor injuries. All the passengers were treated and discharged from various private medical institutions.

ASL disclosed that they have spent Gy$ 3 million in bills and also disbursed approximately Gy$ 600,000 to cover incidental expenses and transportation costs.

The Cessna Caravan with registration number 8R ASL crashed on July 16 in the vicinity of the Manganese company in Matthews Ridge, North West District. The injured persons along with the pilot of the aircraft, Feriel Ally was airdashed to the city by a Trans Guyana Aircraft and were dispatched to several private medical institutions in the city.

The aircraft was carrying 12 passengers at the time of the unfortunate accident which occurred about a quarter mile from the airstrip.

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Travel & Tourism

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A water world adventure

Serene dusk at Simoni

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he Simoni and Buffalo Ponds are two extraordinary water sanctuaries in the Rupununi area, teeming with rich biodiversity.

The Simoni Pond is a large fresh water oasis that flows to the Rupununi River via a smaller creek. Once the river winds down the forest-clad mountains, it slows down as it enters the vast savannah lands and opens up into five shallow river bays known as the Simoni Lakes.

The best inland fishing in Guyana, including a favourite catch: peacock bass, is at Simoni Pond. There too, is a great opportunity to explore the flooded forest

or savannah. A spectacular view of the beautiful spread of victoria amazonica, the world’s largest water lily and Guyana’s national flower, is also a highlight of this trip.

Boating through the flooded forest also offers unmatched opportunities to observe the unique ecosystem. Excellent bird watching is available on the savannah, in the gallery forest and at the ponds.

Buffalo Pond, near Karanambo Ranch on the Rupununi River, also offers similar adventures.

Both ponds offer idyllic opportunities for birding and fishing enthusiasts to experience nature one-on-one.

Beautiful morning at Simoni Pond

Herons at Buffalo Pond near Karanambo ranch

Victoria amazonica lilies at Buffalo Pond

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Aiming to revive the art of drumming

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rumming in Guyana has been considered a dying art, but recently, many organisations have been collaborating to resuscitate an art form considered a vital part of Guyana’s cultural heritage.

The African Cultural

sidered “the unifying language” of the continent, and drums play a significant role in most ethnic groups.

African drums have three very distinct and different roles: they are musical instruments, ceremonial objects and a means of physical and spiritual communica-

ceremonies, and in the celebration of major life impacting events such as the arrival of rain after a long period of drought.

ACDA realised drumming was a dying art in Guyana during the United Nations International Year for People of African Descent in 2011. Contributing

Group and the National Dance School, which have some African drummers, have all joined in the revival fight.

Only Majek Fingers has Djembe drums for its members. The Djembe date back to at least 500 A.D. and is the

Drummers of the Sea View Cultural Organisation

and Development Association (ACDA) with a grant of G$1M from the Cultural Centre of the IDB in Washington D.C., is collaborating with the donor organisation to revive drumming in Guyana.

The drum is one of the central components of African culture, with Africans called the “Children of the Drum”.

Africa is considered a “drum continent” because nowhere else in the world and on no other continent can there be found a larger diversity of drums.

There are at least 3,000 distinct ethnic groups or tribes in Africa who speak more than 2,000 languages and dialects. The drum is con-

tion. The drum beat in Africa is heard every day for communication, celebration or fun.

On a spiritual level, drums are central to everyday life in Africa. The drums range from everyday objects with monumental, simple forms to ornate pieces, bringing status to the owner, connoting power and the honouring of ancestors.

Music and drums are almost always an accompaniment for any manner of ceremony in Africa. Drums are used in healing, rites of passage, and naming ceremonies. They are also used in warrior rituals, on social occasions such as engagement parties and weddings, in harvest parties, during libation

factors included the death of older artists, the lack of drums, and the lack of drumming teachers.

In Berbice, drummers resided only in Weldaad and New Amsterdam.

On the Essequibo Coast, there was a single family: a father, two sons and a daughter, who practiced the art. In Demerara, where more than 40 percent of African-Guyanese reside, there has been a revival in Buxton where a group called Buxton Fusion has been active for the last 4 years. In Linden, there is also a group called Flame of the Heart, which is determined to keep the art alive. In Georgetown, four groups, led by Majek Fingers Drumming

most influential and basic of all African drums.

Today, they can be found extensively in Senegal, Mali, Sierra Leone, the Ivory Coast, Guinea, Gambia and Burkina Faso, as a sacred drum used in healing ceremonies, rites of passage, ancestral worship, warrior rituals, as well as social dances.

In the past, after Emancipation in 1838 and today in modern times, drums are handmade with goat skin and local materials. Even the drum makers are diminishing.

In 2012, ACDA wanted to create a drum renaissance in Guyana, and especially to have this revival during its 20th anniversary this

year; the organisation views drumming as a central feature of its annual Aug. 1 Emancipation festival.

A few years back, ACDA was hard-pressed to find drumming groups to participate in events when asked by schools, groups, businesses, ministries, and local communities.

The “Drum R e n a i s s a n c e Programme” came to fruition after being funded by the IDB’s Cultural Centre in Washington, administered through its local office by Ava Yarde.

This project has several goals: to resuscitate drumming in Guyana and in villages; ensure key cultural activities are spearheaded by drumming corporations; to establish three drum centres in Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo to teach drumming as well as the history of the drum; introducing the art and love for drumming in selected schools in the three counties; hold a drum competition at the upcoming Emancipation Day festivities; to establish an annual drummer’s conference to bring “elder” drummers throughout Guyana together; establish an annual national drum making competition to generate interest and to create the first set of local drums for the African Museum, and to establish a drum museum at ACDA’s Thomas Lands head office.

In Berbice, the “drum revival” project has been led by the Sea View Cultural Organisation of Hope Town. It was founded by Muhammed

Tufail who used his home as the hub for the revival. This organisation, led by many community elders, has revitalised the community through its youths. Group members are exposed to drumming, dancing, literature and cultural lessons.

There is also the Sankofa Drumming Group in Essequibo led

by Mr McKenzie who teaches classes at Anna Regina and Queenstown several times a week, and hopes to expand his programme to Dartmouth.

ACDA would hire three drumming teachers, who will be engaged in a full one-year drive to reintroduce drumming as an integral part of Guyana’s African culture. It plans to engage the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports in this endeavour. It also seeks to obtain a corporate sponsor to get this project going.

The strategy is to have the “drum masters” teach others in their designated communities, so that both a cadre of young drummers would be nurtured as well as bring about a collaboration of “elder” drummers, who can share their knowledge and expertise.

By having a drum master in each county and by getting them involved with schools, villages and cultural organisations countrywide, ACDA hopes that the overall benefit would be a revival of drumming in each county that eventually leads to regional drumming clubs throughout Guyana.

(Information by Eric Phillips)

Parents' anguish

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ot knowing where your child is can be one of the hardest things parents will face. Life becomes an inconsolable existence that never ends until the parents can hold that child in their arms again. This is the feeling of a family currently devastated by such loss.

Shireen Edun and her husband Sultan, visibly distressed, shared their anguish with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine about their son, Imran Mohamed, who disappeared and cannot yet be found, more than a year later.

Imran, Shireen related, left for school on June 5, 2012. He left at noon because he was writing his examinations; he was 17 years old at that time.

As time passed, Shireen became anxious as her son did not return home. Her husband, Sultan, was also worried and went to the school. There they found out that Imran had not shown up at school, and this was not the first time.

“Normally I would drop him to school and pick him up back. But due to the time he had to go to school because of his tests, I couldn’t take

him so he had to take the bus.

When we see time pass for him to come home we got worried. When I went to the school they told me that Imran never showed up and that it wasn’t the first time this happened.

Apparently, when I used to drop him he went somewhere else. We searched all over: by relatives, places he would usually go, the seawall, the hospitals, and decided to report him missing to the police. But we never find him back,” Sultan stated sadly.

Shireen noted that Imran never gave any indication he

was unhappy. She stated he was a typical boy who watched cartoons and played with his friends. Shireen added that he even said he would never leave her.

“We are still searching for him. We even sent out flyers to interior locations. When he first went missing we put it on the TV and in the papers. I felt so hurt and helpless when my son went missing, but I had to keep going because I had a family to take care of. But it was very difficult. Imran and his siblings, his four sisters continued on page 35

Missing- Imran Mohamed

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Striving to serve T

he Golden Om Dharmic Youth Organisation aims to make a difference in society while serving as a voice for every youth, regardless of their religious affiliation. The organisation seeks to inspire youths to live a positive lifestyle and rise above the ills of society.

In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, the group’s president Pandit Deodat Persaud said the first attempt to form the Golden Om Dharmic was made on Sept 19, 2004. The group was then called the Golden Om Dharmic Youth Group, founded

by Pandit Chandradat Persaud who executed a number of community related projects and ventures.

Persaud pointed out that the group’s acronym “GOD” was specially selected for inspirational purposes for the youths.

Its prime focus was to

The annual Ride-A-Ton aims to promote good family values and relations

Dharmic Naujawaan, the organisation underwent a dramatic change. It became the youth arm of the East Berbice Praant Guyana Hindu Dharmic

The centre's members volunteer their time sprucing up residents of the Dharm Shala

promote Hinduism and youth participation.

Then on April 28, 2007, after a seminar was held at the Vocational Educational and Dharmic Academy (VEDA) with Dr Vindhya Persaud of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha and members of the

Sabha and renamed the Golden Om Dharmic Youth Organisation.

Additionally, the motto was changed from “Truth will always triumph” to “Unity is Strength”. The scope of the organisation, said Persaud, was also broadened, and focused on

HIV/ AIDS, drugs abuse and other social issues.

To date, the organisation has recorded tremendous achievements, and facilitated a number of programmes. The 23 members ensure that the group’s activities are properly coordinated to achieve the goals of helping to empower youths and society in general. These activities include hosting the annual VEDA Youth Camp and the annual Father’s Day treat at Dharm Shala; publishing its official magazine, Golden Expressions; winning in the large category in the 2012 Deepavali motorcade; actively participating in blood donation drives; holding seminars on timely social issues such as drugs, alcohol abuse and domestic violence and hosting drama clubs, just to name a few.

Persaud noted that the Reliance VEDA Centre, founded by

Parents'... and one brother, lived very loving. I don’t know if he leave us or he was taken away. We never get no call or hear somebody say they see him. I don’t like to talk about it because I cry,” a tearful Shireen disclosed.

Sultan believes Imran was “lured into the interior to work” and that he is so “confined” that he cannot call home. He added that a friend, who works in the interior, told him that there were a lot of young boys working in those locations. Sultan believes that there might be a possibility that Imran was taken up there.

Imran’s sister Sultana, 14, said that he was a “good and willing” brother. She never noticed he was unhappy because he was always jovial.

“What I could remember is that one afternoon he came home from school with his shirt mashed and I asked him what happened. He told me he took it off to do physical education at school and when he put it on back it was mashed.

When I looked into his bag I saw he had clothes in it, but never questioned him or think something like this would happen,” Sultana recalled.

Friends of Imran also recall that he was very friendly and helpful, but would sometimes leave school to go play at a “game shop” – something that some other students usually did as well.

Sultan maintained that Guyana needs organisations to help with missing children.

He stated that here are such

Pandit Chandradat Persaud in 2000, has served the communi-

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Religious organisation illustrates the importance of humanitarian work to society the building.

“Over the years, no major enhancement works have been done, and some deterioration has taken place. In addition, the Golden Om Dharmic will be extending its services, hence the need for modifications. The modification exercise will cost in the vicinity of GY$12 million. This will be undoubtedly the largest community project undertaken by the organisation in terms of cost and scope of work. This project will be branded as the ‘Reliance VEDA Centre Resuscitation Project’, since many of the incoming activities depend on the complete resuscitation of the centre,” Persaud related.

He disclosed that the new building (phase 1) will see an upper flat being constructed to fa-

transformed into a modern cultural centre.

This year the centre’s ‘Hindu Youth Week’ activities include the annual VEDA camp from July 29 to August 2 at the Reliance VEDA Centre. There will also be one-day camps at various mandirs in Canje from August 6 to 8.

Additionally, there will be a food sale in New Amsterdam on August 10 and a youth talent mela on August 25. The Saraswatie Pooja for school children will take place on August 31 at the Reliance Settlement mandir.

“The public support is crucial as this project will transcend all boundaries and will be beneficial to all youths. A number of fundraisers have been planned. We want to create a social space for youths in a positive

Golden Om Dharmic Centre

ty well. He said that it has always lent support to other organisations’ programmes, meetings and other activities. The VEDA serves as a venue where a number of shows and fundraisers are hosted. Most of the activities of the Golden Om Dharmic Youth Organisation are held in

cilitate the Golden Om Dharmic office; indoor games room, classrooms for dancing, instrument, yoga, singing and cooking classes; counselling room; library; kitchen; computer and document centre; vegetarian café; sargam shop; and washroom facilities. The lower flat (phase 2) will be

environment. This, we hope, will ensure that they become and continue to be morally correct,” he declared.

For more information on this organisation call 327-2212, 327-7967, 3260178, 326-0976 or email goldenondharmic@yahoo.com (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

from page 34

entities abroad that also offer hope and counselling for parents.

Both Shireen and Sultan are still hopeful that Imran is alive and one day would return home.

“We’re always praying and never giving up. We’re thinking positive that he will come back home. Some have said to me that one day he’s going to come back in a big van with children and his wife. I really want him to know I miss and love him and that everybody home misses him too and we’re waiting for him to return.

We’ll work out everything together as a family and all we want is for him to come back home,” Shireen said, sobbing.

Hoping he is healthy and happy where he is, Sultan also

Shireen (right) and her daughter Sultana

beseeched Imran to call home just to say he is alive and well.

“Wherever he is, we want to know that he is happy. We want to hear from him because we are all very hurt that he hasn’t returned. I want to tell him to come back home or at least call. We’re here to welcome him and he should not be

afraid to return home,” Sultan implored.

Encouraging other mothers of missing children, Shireen pointed out that prayer, being positive and having faith are important to cope with such loss. She and her husband are thankful. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

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fun time

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This week's Crossword

J k es Telephone directory enquiries

Caller: I'd like the RSPCA please.

Operator: Where are you calling from?

Caller: The living room Caller: The Water Board please.

Operator: Which department?

Caller: Tap water.

Operator: How are you spelling that?

Caller: With letters.

Headlines that missed the point

1. Include Your Children when Baking Cookies 2. Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says 3. Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers 4. Drunk Gets Nine Months in Violin Case 5. Survivor of Siamese Twins Joins Parents

Life’s burning questions

- Why isn't there mouse-flavoured cat food?

- Why does your nose run, and your feet smell?

- If nothing ever sticks to TEFLON, how do they make TEFLON stick to the pan?

- What is a "free" gift? Aren't all gifts free?

- Why isn't phonetic spelled the way it sounds?

Quizzes for kids

Q: How do you fix a broken pizza?

A: With tomato paste.

Q: What has four wheels and flies?

A: A garbage truck.

Q: What do you call a fish with no eyes?

A: Fsh. Q: Why did the reporter walk into the ice cream shop?

A: Because he wanted a scoop.

Deep thinking

This week's Puzzle

A woman awakes during the night to find that her husband was not in their bed. She puts on her robe and goes downstairs to look for him.

She finds him sitting at the kitchen table with a hot cup of coffee in front of him. He appears to be in deep thought, just staring at the wall.

She watches as he wipes a tear from his eye and takes a sip of his coffee. “What’s the matter, dear?” she whispers as she steps into the room, “Why are you down here at this time of night?”

The husband looks up from his coffee, “I am just remembering when we first met 20 years ago and started dating. You were only 16. Do you remember back then?” he asks solemnly.

The wife is almost reduced to tears herself, just thinking how caring and sensitive her husband is. “Yes, I do,” she replies.

The husband pauses. The words were not coming easily. “Do you remember when your father caught us in the back seat of my car?”

“Yes, I remember,” said the wife, lowering herself into a chair beside him.

The husband continues. “Do you remember when he shoved that shotgun in my face and said, “Either you marry my daughter, or I will send you to jail for 20 years?””

“I remember that, too” she replies softly.

He wipes another tear from his cheek and sobs loudly… “I would have got out today.”

Who sank the titanic?

see solution on page 46

A Chinese walks into a bar in America late one night and he sees Steven Spielberg. As he is a great fan of his movies, he rushes over to him and asks for his autograph.

Instead, Spielberg gives him a slap and says, “You Chinese people bombed our Pearl Harbour, get outta here.”

The astonished Chinese man replies, “It was not the Chinese who bombed your Pearl Harbour, it was the Japanese”.

“Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese, you’re all the same,” replies Spielberg.

In return, the Chinese gives Spielberg a slap and says, “You sank the Titanic, my forefathers were on that ship.”

Shocked, Spielberg replies, “It was the iceberg that sank the ship, not me.”

The Chinese replies, “Iceberg, Spielberg, Carlsberg, you’re all the same.”

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health feature

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Say cheese! or not: Cavities in teeth

By Tisha Boston

W

hen we smile, laugh or take happy photos of ourselves, we want it to be the perfect moment, the perfect memory. Sometimes having cavities in our teeth make us uncomfortable and unwilling to smile and laugh. It is difficult to determine when there is a cavity in your teeth at the initial stage of its growth. The toothache we usually associate with cavities is felt when the cavity has advanced and is now causing nerve damages and tooth decay. Most cavities in its early stages are discovered during routine dental checkups.

Dental cavities are small holds in our teeth that are formed when the bacteria in our mouths convert foods, especial-

ly those containing sugar and starch, into acids.

Bacteria, acid and food pieces combine to form a sticky substance called plaque. When plaque is not removed, the enamel covering of your teeth begins to deteriorate, which later creates holes in the teeth.

Children are at a higher risk of having cavities. They often eat a lot of sticky foods and many of them are not attentive to or have not develop the sensation of something being caught in their teeth until they are going out on a date, when grooming and dressing up for their friends becomes very important.

According to the Center for Disease control, over 19% of children ages 2-19 have untreated cavities.

There are three main treatments that can help

prevent tooth damage which can lead to cavities. These include fillings, crowns, and root canals. The earlier these cavities are detected, the less expensive and painful the treatment becomes. However, oral hygiene is always the best method. Here are a few tips: • Get routine dental checkups, which consist of professional cleaning, at least every six months.

• Floss daily and brush at least twice a day using fluoride toothpaste or mouthwash.

• If possible, brush teeth or rinse mouth with water immediately after eating chewy, sticky foods.

• Minimize snacking because it creates a constant supply of acids in the mouth.

• Get dental sealants. These are plasticlike coatings applied to the chewing surfaces of molars.

• Eat a balanced diet that limits starchy or sugary foods • Allow your children fluoridated drinking water in recommended concentrations i.e., 0.71.2mg/L of water according to New York State Department of Health.

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Scenes from the 3rd Annual Guyana Day held at The Village in Brooklyn

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45 Arti Cameron ends reign as Miss Guyana World feature

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- says she is still committed to her charitable work

A

rti Cameron has recently completed her reign after two active years as Miss Guyana World 2011-2012, and now joins a growing elite list of former queens who have represented Guyana at the prestigious Miss World pageant.

Miss Cameron expresses profuse gratitude to all who have contributed to her successes during her extended reign, including her team, Guyanese and international fans, sponsors, designers, and the media.

She also expresses special thanks to the 2011 Miss Guyana World Committee that had worked tirelessly to hold a well-organized pageant consisting of high caliber contestants. Miss Cameron feels that the high quality of each contestant and their talent and tenacity in healthy competition were the best test she could have had prior to representing Guyana on the world stage.

The current plans of the former queen involve continuing her pursuit of a career in medicine, and she is currently preparing to write a standardized admission test required by medical schools in the United States.

She also plans to continue supporting Guyana, in every

way she can, in her capacity as 'self-appointed ambassador' for her homeland (a title she had attributed to herself long before she had captured the Miss Guyana World crown). “I wanted to win this crown partly because it would have given me more leverage to do the things I was already doing to help others,� she said.

The 2012 Title Holder will continue her quest to empower others as opportunities present themselves and will add this to the charities she already supports such as the Ruimveldt Children’s Aid Centre in Georgetown, Guyana.

Miss Cameron, who has seen three franchise holders/organisers during her two-year tenure as a reigning queen, has extended congratulations and best wishes to the new franchise holder, Natasha Martindale. Miss Cameron has also extended congratulations and her very best wishes to her Miss Guyana World 2011 pageant mate, Ruqayyah Boyer, who has been selected and has begun her reign as Miss Guyana World 2013.

"I have extended the same goodwill to Miss Boyer that has been extended to me by

my predecessor in keeping with the tradition of succession," said the former queen.

The official end of Miss Cameron's reign came as of July 1, 2013. "I was eager to end my reign appropriately after two years; and I'm happy that my successor is one of my 2011 pageant mates."

In the highly rated, wellorganized Miss Guyana World 2011 pageant, Miss Cameron had won three of the four sectional prizes, namely, Best Gown, Miss Body Beautiful, and Miss Photogenic. Then while at Miss World 2012, she was a Sports Finalist and had won The People's Choice Award powered by Missosology. In addition, the then reigning queen had amassed a massive 7,500 Likes on the official "Miss World Guyana" Facebook page which is now inherited by Miss Boyer--a major plus for Guyana!

"I'm thankful to God for the blessing of fulfilling my childhood dream of being "Miss Guyana" and I will always be interested in my Motherland doing well on every international stage. Once again, my deepest gratitude to everyone who has made my reign the success it has been. And best wishes to the new queen," Cameron added.

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history

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Hermanus H Post and Plantation Le Resouvenir Part IV: Le Resouvenir and Bethel Chapel after the death of Post

14)

(Continued from July

A

fter Van der Haas was put to manage Pln Le Resouvenir, the slaves complained to Wray about their cruel treatment at the orders of Van der Haas. Unfortunately, when Van der Haas died on Oct 6, 1812, the pen-

alties became worse since the new director gave the drivers more power. Sometimes slaves fled into the jungle after being abused.

With advice from John Wray, the slaves informed the governor about their complaints, prompting a tax investigation and a ban on the bamboo whip.

The plantation’s management was even angrier with Wray, and considered him agitating the slaves against their masters. Wray would leave the plantation in 1813 to work in Berbice, where he died in New Amsterdam in 1837.

After Wray had left, Reverend John Smith arrived at Le Resouvenir in The most recent restoration on the tomb of Hermanus Post included casting, repainting and erecting a headstone

Post’s tomb in the 1970s before renovations began

1817 where he was later accused of helping to organize the 1823 rebellion through the Bethel Chapel, and thrown in prison where he died.

In 1833 the chapel was said to be used by an unnamed “Anglican missionary”, but when Wray returned to visit it in 1835, he discovered the

Preserving our heritage through pictures A mixed group of races in British Guiana: Chinese, African and East Indian (“Starks Guide and History of British Guiana” Circa 1902)

The tomb at Le Resouvenir before its most recent refurbishment

pulpit and pews were destroyed.

That same year Bethel Chapel was removed to Montrose Front until 1851 when the chapel was moved to Beterverwagting, where it stood until the 20th century.

In 1858, in this now-called "Bethel Congregational Church" a memorial plaque was laid which stated John Smith, John Wray and Hermanus H. Post be remembered as the 'Fathers and Founders of the Mission Churches in British Guiana.’

According to AN Paasman, much earlier, after the death of HH Post, there was a memorial plaque in Bethel Chapel, which is said to now be in the Zoar Congregational Church in Plaisance.

It is claimed that on both plaques, Post’s dates of death and birth are incorrect: On the Beterverwagting church, Post’s date of death is incorrectly listed as Dec 25, 1808, while the Zoar Congregational Church

has the incorrect date of birth as recorded in Wray’s memoirs (26, December 1755).

It partly reads: Sacred TO THE MEMORY OF HERMANUS Hilbertus POST ESQ. 're 28 years or propietor [Sic] this Estate Born at Utrecht 26 December 1755 He created a chapel for the Use of the negroes in 1808 and died universally Lamented April 29, 1809 His tomb also bears the incorrect date of birth and death. Inscriptions on the restored tomb in the 70s state: Hermanous [Sic] Post Esquire of Le Resouvnir [Sic] through whose effort the gospel was first introduced into this colony in February 1808. He died 25th Dec. 1808 Hermanus Post’s tomb was again restored in 2008 by the National Trust, in collaboration with the Guyana Congregational Union, as part of efforts to remind Guyanese of their country’s dynamic history.

CROSSWORD SOLUTION

Georgetown Club and Assembly Rooms (nd)

feature

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The Guyana Foundation believes people have the ability to improve themselves

T

he Guyana Foundation was created by a group of highly committed men and women who see an urgent need to contribute meaningfully to the development of the people of this beautiful country.

The foundation’s work reaches across political and ethnic boundaries to bring relief wherever it is needed.

The Guyana Foundation, recently founded Jan 23, 2013, is a non-profit organization, free from partisan political allegiance, whose membership is open to people everywhere who share the view that in an increasingly interdependent world we have the opportunity and the duty to reach across physical geographic boundaries to bring relief wherever

several months of chemo therapy, she thought deeply about life.

She stated that facing an illness that makes one face their mortality, changes a lot in life. Being in that scary place, Supriya revealed, made her think about what she always wanted to do. That was when she thought about her beloved homeland, Guyana. She wanted to make a difference here.

Supriya met with some of her colleagues, now the foundation’s trustees, who enthusiastically jumped onboard to start an NGO, and the Guyana Foundation was born.

“We immediately started fundraising events. What we have found is that globally there are families, trust funds, individuals, companies, who have chunk

fited from a donation of light kits; there are 49 homes in that community with no readily accessible water and no lights. Additionally, a 135ft bridge was constructed, and a successful negotiation with GWI to supply water to the community was also accomplished. This utility cost would be funded by the foundation.

In May, at Pigeon Island, on the East Coast of Demerara, a bridge was built, shoes were distributed, another GWI agreement was successful, a children’s party and an eye clinic were held, and eyeglasses were distributed.

The foundation seeks to work in phases as it travels countrywide to help needy communities.

In phase one, projects such as the ‘Gift of Light’ would provide commu-

The new commercial oven donated to the Silver Queen Women's Group in Region One

it is needed.

The foundation is driven by the conviction that great change can be made by people themselves if they are encouraged, supported and have their human dignity acknowledged and respected.

Its doors are open to individuals everywhere, groups, foundations, and international organizations that wish to assist in its endeavour to contribute to the achievement of an economically vibrant, socially just, peaceful multicultural Guyana.

Speaking with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, founder Supriya Singh-Bodden disclosed that in 2011 she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and after undergoing surgery and

of money put aside for charitable purposes. I was able to connect with such ones because of the work I do outside of Guyana. The very first donation I was able to get was a US$10,000 which we funnelled immediately into the village of Santa Rosa to develop their community,” she recalled.

In Santa Rosa, the money donated went to developing its water and sanitation systems, building the secondary school student dormitory and library, and funding its medical emergency unit.

In Region One, a commercial oven was donated to the Silver Queen Women’s Group, which has now doubled their production. Also, Breezy Point in Buxton bene-

nities with mini solar light kits that will create the opportunity for increased productivity, learning and security in areas that are still without electricity or plagued by power outages.

In addition, phase one will promote youth development through training programs across Guyana to equip youths with skills that could provide supplemental income for themselves and their families as well as provide opportunities for their general advancement. The Women's Empowerment Program offers capacity building training courses to assist in the establishment of viable cottage industries and programs across Guyana.

The Community Renewal project encour-

Children's party at Pigeon Island

ages communities to organize themselves into groups to manage common problems in their respective neighbourhoods. Projects such as controlling litter and garbage disposal, providing clean drinking water for school children, improving sanitary facilities for school children, strengthening footbridges over canals, are all addressed in this aspect of phase one.

The Guyana Foundation also teaches communities the basic principles of money and project management.

Donations are given directly to the community groups and monitored by the foundation’s headquarters in Georgetown.

Regular site visits and reports are prepared on each project.

In phase two, there is the literacy program to improve literacy across the country by establishing reading rooms/libraries. Stationery supplies and computers are donated for the entire

community.

The elderly have so much to offer to enrich the lives of all. Their oral testimony of experiences they lived through is invaluable in shaping the minds of modern Guyanese. The foundation believes that they must be nurtured and supported in every way possible. Some targets are to improve the facilities in elderly homes, to train groups of people around the country to set up teams to reach out to incapacitated elderly folks who live in their communities, to offer beauty services, reading and writing services and most of all companionship, hope and joy.

The foundation is currently planning to partner with medical professionals locally, regionally and internationally, to vigorously address mental health issues such as suicide, alcohol, drug abuse, depression and trauma counselling.

For local artists, the

foundation is also currently meeting with overseas companies seeking to open an international market for crafts and arts.

“We want persons to see the work we’re doing and feel passionate about it and join us. We don’t want to go around selecting people; they must feel inspired to join us in our work we’re doing. We want people who have humanity at heart to come on board,” encouraged Supriya.

The foundation’s mission is to release the power of people globally to assist Guyanese to transform their communities, bring fulfilment and wellbeing to their families, enabling them to build relations of trust and friendship among themselves irrespective of race and beliefs.

For more information on this vibrant organization, visit the Guyana Foundation on Facebook.

(Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

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Bollywood’s 'Shudh Desi Romance' enters Toronto film festival

M

ore good news for ‘The Lunchbox’. The film, which is being presented by Karan Johar in India, has been selected for the Toronto International Film Festival.

Apart from this, Sushant Singh Rajput and Parineeti Chopra film 'Shuddh Desi Romance' has also been selected for the festival.

The film's name was announced in the first list of films selected for the

38th edition of the festival, which will take place from September 5 to 15.

"It is great news for the film. We have been selected for the Gala screening, which will take place in the first weekend of the festival. This will also be the North American premiere of ‘The Lunchbox’, so everyone associated with the film is thrilled. Most likely, the cast members will be traveling with me," said the director Ritesh Batra. (TOI)

Sanjay Dutt's hope of leaving jail dashed

B

ollywood actor Sanjay Dutt's last hope of leaving the jail were dashed Tuesday as the Supreme

Court refused to revisit its March 21 verdict upholding his conviction under the Arms Act and the five-year jail sentence.

The actor who surrendered May 16 to serve a three and a half years' jail term, remaining out of his five-year sentence, will now step out of prison around November 2016.

Sanjay Dutt had pleaded to the court to revisit its March 21 order which upheld his conviction.

The court then offered him partial relief by reducing his sentence from six years, as awarded by the trial court, to five years.

The court on March 21 gave the actor additional time to surrender and to serve the remaining period of his fiveyear sentence. (TOI)

Salman Khan to face serious charges in hit-and-run case

A

Mumbai sessions court ruled Wednesday that Bollywood actor Salman Khan would be tried under the stringent charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the 2002 hit-and-run accident.

The court said the actor will now be tried under Section 304 (III) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). If found guilty, Salman could face 10 years in prison.

The matter has been posted for further hearing Aug 16.

Earlier, Salman had been tried by a metropolitan magistrate under the less severe Section 304A of the IPC relating to rash and negligent driving, which stipulates a maximum of two years in prison.

However, the metropolitan magistrate, after examining 17 witnesses in the case, had invoked the more serious charge under Section 304 (III) of the IPC against the actor. Salman had challenged this order in the sessions court.

Sleepless Shah Rukh worries doctors

T

wo newborn babies can be more than a handful. And Shah Rukh Khan, who is juggling fatherhood and 'Chennai Express' is pushing the envelope, defying his medical team's warnings. To start with, he had been advised at least 10 hours of sleep to help his weak shoulder recuperate faster.

But a source told Indian media, "Last week, SRK shot a tough song with Deepika for 18 hours a day over two days. Later, he shot an ad for the entire day. Also, he is dubbing for ‘Chennai Express’ till at least 3 in the morning. He reaches Mannat by 4 am and is up by 8am. Post which he moves on to his important meetings for the day. He hardly sleeps."

Besides, he had also been advised

to avoid crowded public places but he seems unmindful. The source added that, "He is planning to cover two cities every day on his promotional tour.

Also, a video game based on the film is being launched and he plans to perform live stunts to launch the same.

His team is worried with his plans and concerned about his health." (TOI)

‘I don't believe in comebacks’ - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

T

here were reports of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan being approached for films with Karan Johar and Sanjay Leela Bhansali, but the actress isn't keen to divulge anything. "It is too early to talk about projects now. Nothing has been finalised yet," she said.

Otherwise, she has been too busy with baby Aaradhya and doesn't like to term her hiatus as a 'break.' "I don't believe in comebacks. When was I away from the indus-

try that I have to make a comeback now? I was always involved in it, so there is no point, in terming it as a 'come-

back'. Yes, I was enjoying a slight break with my daughter and I thoroughly loved it." (TOI)

Jackie Shroff launches hepatitis awareness drive

K

icking of a hepatitis awareness drive, veteran Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff Tuesday called for greater awareness of the killer disease and urged people to take it seri-

ously.

"It is a serious issue and I request everyone to participate in the cause as there is very limited, limited awareness about Hepatitis. People should know, only then they will be careful about it," he said, launching an email and SMS campaign as part of the build-up to the World Hepatitis Day to be observed on Sunday.

He kicked off the campaign by sending an email to state Health Minister Suresh Shetty with a message that calls for "Knowing, Confronting & Eradicating Hepatitis". (TOI)

‘I'm not a porn star’ - Poonam Pandey

C

One person was killed and four others were injured when a Land Cruiser allegedly driven by Salman in an inebriated state ran over a group of footpath dwellers in Mumbai's Bandra suburb in the early hours of Sep 28, 2002. (TOI)

ontroversy queen Poonam Pandey, ready for her Bollywood innings with bold project, ‘Nasha,’ is fed up of being compared to Indo-Canadian porn star Sunny Leone.

"I am tired of this comparison. I don't know why people compare me with Sunny Leone. I'm here to act and you will see me acting in the film.

There are intimate scenes in the film, but there is also a love story. I'm not a porn star. Please don't compare me with Sunny Leone," Poonam said.

Poonam, who grabbed headlines during the 2011 Cricket World Cup when she offered to go nude before Team India if they won the trophy, is confident that audiences will be satisfied with her performance in ‘Nasha.’

“So far people have only seen my bold pictures, now they will see me acting in ‘Nasha’, and I assure they will

be completely satisfied with my performance in the film," added the young actress, who keeps her fans abreast with her daily activities through online networking platforms. (TOI)

Hollywood

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Kim and Kayne splash 500, Amanda Seyfried watched 000 pounds on 'gold toilets' porn for 1st time at age 6

A

K

im Kardashian and her boyfriend Kanye West have splurged over 500,000 pounds on four gold-plated toilets for their new Bel Air mansion.

The Hollywood couple has been staying at Kardashian's mum, Kris Jenner's house, while their pad undergoes extensive renovations, the Sun reported.

The duo has now started buying lavish furniture and fittings for their state-of-the-art bathrooms, since they have got the completion date.

The rapper has also ordered six special-edi-

tion beds from the company that supplies London's Savoy Hotel, costing 114,000 pounds each.

The duo has also filled their kitchen with Electrolux gear, worth 500,000 pounds, and a Swarovskiencrusted fridge freezer.

A source told the

publication that the new parents expect the interior to cost twice as much as the property.

The insider added that the couple is spending more than a million on a security system alone.

The pair welcomed their first child North, in June. (TOI)

Ryan Reynolds a nervous flier

A

ctor Ryan Reynolds admits his fear of flying makes him lose all his confidence on airplanes and

he becomes extremely nervous.

The 36-year-old actor hates flying across the world for his acting career.

"I'm a terrible, terrible flier. I lose all my confidence when I'm on a plane.

I hate it, hate it so much," femalefirst. co.uk has reported.

Reynolds, who is married to actress Blake Lively, claims a scary skydiving mishap when he was a teenager that left him with this phobia, and despite playing a jet pilot in "The Green Lantern", he was still not able to overcome his fears. (TOI)

‘Glee' star Cory Monteith's character to die in tribute episode

‘G

lee' creators have confirmed that they will be dedicating a tribute episode to the tragic star Cory Monteith and kill off his on-screen avatar Finn Hudson, in the show.

Creator and executive producer of the hit show, Ryan Murphy, told Deadline that they will begin shooting the two episodes in late August, so that people can physically go back to work, the Mirror reported.

Murphy said that his team would then do an episode that will deal with the death of Finn's character and follow that with a long hiatus.

He insisted that his team was not sure if they should shut down the show or come back in December and January.

Murphy added that all the options were considered, and decided to do what the cast and crew felt best. (TOI)

Nelson Mandela biopic to premiere at Toronto Film Festival

T

he film adaption of Nelson Mandela's memoir ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ will have its world pre-

miere at the Toronto Film Festival in September.

Idris Elba, the ‘Luther’ star, would play South Africa's anti-apartheid icon in the film, the BBC reported.

The other films to be screened at the festival include ‘The Fifth Estate’, a film based on Julian Assange starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the WikiLeaks founder.

Colin Firth starrer ‘The Railway Man’ and ‘August: Osage Country’ with Meryl Streep will also debut at the event. (TOI)

manda Seyfried has revealed that her first encounter with pornography was at the tender age of six.

The 27-year-old star, who is playing 'Linda Lovelace' in the upcoming biopic, told GQ that the flick had a guy dressed in a cop costume with a girl going down on him, Contactmusic reported.

She confessed that

it was the first time she saw a penis, which was

very graphic for her.

(TOI)

Steve Jobs' death left Ashton Kutcher emotional

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ctor Ashton Kutcher, who plays the lead role in a biopic based on Steve Jobs, says he had a "bizarre emotional reaction" when the Apple cofounder expired in 2011.

"When Steve Jobs passed away, I had this bizarre emotional reaction and I didn't know what it was. I was like, 'Wow, why am I so shook up about this?'

And I started thinking about all the ways my life was affected by this guy and began learning about him anywhere and everywhere I could," Kutcher said in a statement.

This special connect helped the actor portray the late tech wizard with more authenticity in his upcoming biopic "JOBS".

The movie chronicles Jobs' darkest days, biggest triumphs, his dreams, hopes and passions and his aspiration to change the world, as well as question the impossible.

PVR Pictures will release "JOBS" across Indian theatres Aug 16. (TOI)

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Global Bank Group sponsors Local Limacol CPL volunteers get ready to play Antigua Hawksbills

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lobal Bank of Commerce Ltd and its affiliate Global Processing Centre, have signed on as a founding sponsor of the Antigua Hawksbills team which will be competing in the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL) T20 competition.

“Our management team is very pleased to

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er Marlon Samuels, and there is anticipation that international franchise player Ricky Ponting will perform exceptionally to mark his retirement from professional cricket.”

Global Bank of Commerce has been a regular corporate sponsor for various local sporting events and individual athletes. It has also worked in col-

across the Caribbean and we are delighted the bank is part of what promises to be an exciting spectacle that captures the imagination around the world.”

Global Bank of Commerce is an Antiguan-owned, 30year old institution providing international financial services, wealth management and investment guid-

Volunteers assigned to ushering and hospitality going through their paces at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence

ith the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League just seven days away, more than 90 volunteers from across the country gathered at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, on Sunday for a training session aimed at ensuring their readiness for the greatest party in sports.

The men and women, most with experience from previous such events, were trained in nine functional areas of operation for the match-

es, including cricket operations, event support, media and accreditation, VIP and hospitality and entertainment.

Limacol CPL Volunteer Coordinator Sabrina Panday, pleased with the outcome of the training session, noted that the total number of those agreeing to donate their time and energies to the successful hosting of the Guyana leg matches would be more than 100 come match day.

“One hundred and thirty five volunteers

will be placed in the different job areas to ensure our spectators are given an awesome experience,” Panday said.

“I know our charm and hospitality as Guyanese will be on show. Training was successful and we are ready to play our part in this inaugural tournament,” she added.

The Limacol Caribbean Premier League tournament will commence July 30, with matches in Guyana scheduled on July 31, August 2 and 4.

Sir Vivian Richards with Mr Brian Stuart-Young, Chairman and CEO, Global Bank of Commerce Ltd and Ms Juliene Marcelle-James, Group Manager – Corporate Administration and Human Resources, Global Bank of Commerce Ltd

have the opportunity to support the Antigua Hawksbills as its second founding sponsor, especially as the team is being coached by our very own Sir Vivian Richards,” said Brian Stuart-Young, chairman and CEO of the Global Bank Group.

“Given Antigua’s strong heritage in producing great cricketers, there is every expectation that the Hawksbills will reach the finals. In addition, the Hawksbills have a well-rounded team led by franchise play-

laboration with the Antiguan government’s Sport Ministry, but this partnership with the Limacol CPL will be its most significant sports sponsorship.

“We are delighted to have the Global Bank Group on board for the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League,” said Pete Russell, commercial director to the Limacol CPLT20.

“The management team understands the impact that this tournament will have not only on Antigua but

ance.

Its affiliate, Global Processing Centre, is a certified data centre providing an electronic financial transaction platform with multiple payment channels for cards, electronic wallets and mobile payments.

The Antigua Hawksbills play their first game against the Barbados Tridents on August 1 at the Kensington Oval. Home games will take place on August 13, 15 and 17 at the Sir Vivian Richards National Stadium.

Sammy is brand ambassador for BMW

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Darren Sammy became a BMW ambassador last Friday

astries, ST LUCIA, - West Indies Test and Twenty20 captain, Darren Sammy, has etched his name into the history books by becoming the first West Indian sports personality to be

named a brand ambassador for German automobile giant, BMW. In accepting the role, the Windies skipper was presented with a BMW Sports Convertible from St Lucian BMW representatives, Ultimate

Automobiles.

“Darren Sammy is the first West Indian to ever be appointed on behalf of the BMW Group as a Brand Ambassador outside Germany,” said Mario Reyes, Managing Director of St Lucia’s Ultimate Automobiles.

“Typically sportsmen like golfers Bernhard Langer and Martin Kaymar and Rugby’s Alex Cordisio, have been endorsed as brand ambassadors for BMW.” Sammy wrote on his official Twitter account; “All in smiles with prestigeautos manager after signing the deal....# BMWambassador”.

(CMC/ WICB)

SPort

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Amazon Warriors ready for battle

Veerasammy Permaul, Trevon Griffith, Krishmar Santokie and William Perkins doing their share of sit-ups during training on Tuesday

By Rajiv Bisnauth

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he Guyana Amazon Warriors began a sevenday training programme as part of preparations for the July 30 start of the much-anticipated Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL) T20 tournament. Ten of the 15 members started the training camp on Tuesday at the Guyana National Stadium under coach Roger Harper.

New Zealanders, James Franklin and Martin Guptill will join the squad upon their arrival here (Guyana) on Friday while international star Mohammed Hafeez, West Indies franchise player Sunil Narine and Lendl Simmons will unite with the squad at the end of the West

Indies/ Pakistan series.

“The purpose of this camp is to get the players together.

“We wanted to get the players together, so we could do remedial work on their game and continue to set plans going forward and what is expected of them,” said Harper.

The 50-year-old former West Indies vice captain said the camp is vital for the continued development of each player and that he wants to focus on the basics.

“We will be looking at all the basics, batting, bowling, and fielding.

We need to examine each player’s game and work on the areas in which they need to improve,” said Harper.

“Their improvement will not happen over-

night because it’s a process, but they have to constantly work at their game for us to remain competitive at this level, and we want to be able to emphasise this during the camp.”

Harper said as part of the preparation, the players will be sensitised on issues pertaining to corruption with an official of the AntiCorruption and Sports Unit (AC& SU).

Commenting on the squad, Harper said, “I thought for the specific type of competition we have a very good group of guys here and I think we have guys with experience winning regional tournaments, we got some good international players and I think once we come together, exhibit great teamwork and

believe that we can win we have a great chance of winning this tournament.”

Ex-West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, who was at the helm when Guyana won the first Stanford 20/ 20 in 2006 and the inaugural Caribbean T20 in 2010, will lead the Guyana Amazon Warriors.

The 33-year-old Sarwan, who has captained Guyana in most T20 matches, has a record of 19 victories, 12 defeats and two no-re-

sults spanning matches in the Stanford 20/ 20, the Caribbean T20 and the Champions League T20.

Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez and mystery off-spinner Sunil Narine are the International and West Indies franchise players respectively.

They will be supported by openers Lendl Simmons, William Perkins, Trevon Griffith and Martin Guptill; wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin, all-round-

ers James Franklin, Christopher Barnwell, Steven Jacobs and Narsingh Deonarine; left-arm seamer Krishmar Santokie, fast bowler Keon Joseph and left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul.

The Limacol CPL will be contested by the Antigua and Barbuda Hawksbills, Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Tallawahs, St Lucia Zouks and Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel.

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Corona Extra Beer given pouring Baird now focused on World rights in Guyana for Limacol CPL Championships in Moscow

By Treiston Joseph

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From left: Ramnaresh Sarwan, Guyana Amazon Warriors captain; Ravie Ramcharitar, director, Guyana Amazon Warriors franchise; Wayne James, managing director, Top Brandz Distributors (distributors of Corona beer); and Christopher Barnwell, team member, Guyana Amazon Warriors

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orona Extra Beer, distributed by Top Brandz Distributors, has joined the Guyana chapter of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL) T20 tournament, slated to bowl off in one week. The official announcement was made on Thursday by Ravie Ramcharitar, a director of the Guyana Amazon Warriors franchise.

The signing of this agreement gives Corona Extra Beer the pouring rights for beer at the Guyana National Stadium for all Limacol CPL matches.

“There are some moments when only a Corona will do and we at Top Brandz Distributors believe that the Limacol CPL in Guyana is one

of those moments, as it will bring together all Guyanese for the sport that runs deep in our veins, the one game that truly unites us,” said Wayne James, managing director of Top Brandz Distributors at the signing.

“We are happy to have Corona on board for the inaugural Limacol CPL and we look forward to their continued support in the future as I’m positive that our combined efforts will deliver great benefits to both companies,” said Ramcharitar.

Top Brandz Distributors has promised the presence of the “Corona Girls” and other surprises at matches to entertain the crowd at the action-packed games.

Corona will be sold

in the various sections of the Guyana National Stadium on the days of the matches and the distributor has indicated that they will be doing a number of advertising campaigns in collaboration with the Guyana Amazon Warriors franchise as they strive to make Corona Extra the preferred beer of patrons even after they exit the matches at Providence.

Also present at the signing were Dwayne Lovell, member of the Guyana Amazon Warriors team management, Amazon Warriors captain Ramnaresh Sarwan and Christopher Barnwell, team member.

Limacol CPL matches will be held in Guyana on July 31, August 2 and 4, 2013.

o determine the brightness of a star astronomers have to use different variables and like a star USA-based Guyanese athlete Kadecia Baird’s light is getting brighter with every 400m race she runs. Three weeks ago she won the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Championship gold medal.

The 18-year- old, who won the World Junior silver medal in the 400m last year with a time of 51.04s, recorded 51.32s to capture CAC gold medal which qualified her for the 2013 World Championships next month in Moscow, Russia.

Returning to her home in New York after the performance and gaining praise from top officials in Guyana and Nichola Martial, Baird said, “The race was good.

I went in hungry for the victory but it hasn’t hit me really yet that I won

Kadecia Baird

so I don’t know to explain the feelings.

“I did aim for a different time range but unfortunately I didn’t get it. I’m still happy and thankful though,” Baird told Guyana Times International Sport.

However, the 400m specialist revealed her thought pattern before the race to this publication, indicating that her confidence was at a high especially due to the training she received in preparation for the prestigious event.

“The training was great; once I have my coach Shaun Dietz my training is always going to be great I just have to learn to believe in myself and have faith.

“Going into the race, I was really confident because of my training all I need to do was run my own race and not focus on anyone else. That’s exactly what I did and gained the victory,” Baird informed.

With the two world class medals along with the regional Carifta bronze earlier in 2013, Baird is being looked at as a future Olympian by president of the Guyana Olympic Association K Juman Yassin who said that the athlete will receive proceeds from the Olympic Solidarity Fund.

With the World Championships in less than a month, Baird revealed that she is looking forward to competing with the world’s best as she aspires to achieve great things.

Rambalak wins Georgetown leg of “Premium Cues”

Young Amazon Warrior Trevon Griffith is “coming to play”

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revon Griffith may be the youngest player on the Guyana Amazon Warriors team, but what he lacks in years, he definitely makes up for in confidence and fighting spirit. The Under-23 cricketer is convinced that the Amazon Warriors can win the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League, and he plans to play a significant part in making that happen.

For 22-year-old Trevon Abashai Griffith, playing in the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League T20 tournament is a chance to put the doubts about his form to rest; in fact, he relishes the challenge.

“I always take delight in representing my country at any level of cricket and because this is the first ever LCPL tournament, it will serve as a major benefit to me as a player,” Griffith said.

With a left-handed batting style often described as pugnacious, Griffith shot to prominence in 2009 as the top

Trevon Griffith

scorer in the TCL Group West Indies Challenge tournament, amassing 406 runs at an average of 40, even scoring a century against the Leeward Islands on his home ground.

His excitement level is at an all-time high with the knowledge that he will face his idol, Chris Gayle of the Jamaica Tallawahs, on August 2 in Guyana.

“I am definitely coming to play,” said Griffith. “I plan to display my best abilities and make my contribution to the Guyana

Amazon Warriors and consequently to the entire league but I’m also hoping to advance my career and entertain fans throughout the Caribbean.”

Griffith has already been getting a lot of attention from both selectors and fans alike, and come 31 July there will be a posse of excited supporters in the stands, there specifically for him when the Amazon Warriors face the TT Red Steel. His family will be there too. “My family is always supportive of every step I take in life.

They are all incredibly proud that I have been chosen to play in the Limacol CPL and plan to give me a lot of encouragement throughout the tournament.”

No doubt if the Amazon Warriors live up to the high expectations that Griffith has, they will come out victorious in the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League.

Matches in Guyana will take place on July 31 and August 2 and 4. (CPL)

Ryan Rambalak (right) receives the first prize trophy from a Premium Beer model while Premium Beer managers Brian Choo-Hen and Jeoff Clement, and other models look on

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yan Rambalak was crowned champion of the Georgetown “Premium Cues Showdown” pool tournament last Sunday at Buddy’s Pool Hall on Sheriff Street. In a keenly contested Georgetown leg of the countrywide tournament, Rambalak battled to victory against 32 players, and for his win he took home a first prize of Gy$ 60,000 and a trophy.

Troy Soodoo captured the runner-up position, securing Gy$ 40,000 and a trophy, while the third place finisher Bernard Bagot claimed Gy$ 35,000 and

a trophy.

The three players will now represent Georgetown in the grand finals of the countrywide tournament billed for Sunday at Stabroek Sports Bar above Idiho Restaurant starting at 11: 00h.

Banks/ Premium Beer Manager Brian Choo-Hen disclosed that 21 players representing seven zones will contest the finals.

The countrywide tournament is sponsored

by Banks DIH Limited under the Premium Beer brand.

The winner will take home a top prize of Gy$

125,000 and a trophy with the runner-up securing Gy$ 70,000 while the third place finisher will collect Gy$ 35,000.

Choo-Hen said the tournament received overwhelming support and he thanked players and pools enthusiasts from Berbice, Georgetown, West Coast Demerara, East Bank Demerara, Essequibo and Linden for coming out and supporting the matches.

According to ChooHen, the players are anxiously awaiting Sunday’s showdown in the open straight pools competition.

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Guardian Group supports Limacol CPL

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Brand ambassadors and company executives unveil the new logo

s the countdown to the start of the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament continues, organisers have confirmed Guardian Group as an Official League Partner in the insurance product and services category.

The announcement came at Guardian Group’s launch of its new branding.

Formerly known and operating under parent company Guardian Holdings Limited (GHL), Guardian Group is an integrated financial services group with a focus on life, health, property and casualty insurance, pensions and asset management, which has been serving the Caribbean since 1847, under such brands as Guardian Life, Guardian General, Fatum and Guardian Asset Management.

“Guardian Group is the largest indigenous insurance and financial services company in the English and Dutch Caribbean and is proud to be an official sponsor of Limacol CPL T20,” said Larry Olton, Group Vice President,

Integrated Marketing Communications.

“Our new brand identity as Guardian Group unifies all our companies in the Caribbean and the Limacol CPL T20 touches the shores of many of the islands in which we operate. This sponsorship is therefore an excellent opportunity to celebrate our businesses under Guardian Group.”

“It is a fact that modern sports events of the scale and ambition of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League require the support of corporate sponsors in order for them to be financially via ble, and bring these grand spectacles to fans and com munities,” commented Jamie Stewart, Commercial Director and Consultant to the Limacol CPL. “It is a great pleasure to welcome Guardian Group, the leading insurance company in the Caribbean and one of the most venerable and respected corporate houses in the region, as an LCPL partner. Guardian has recently revitalised and reinvented its corporate identity, and with LCPL seeking to revital-

WI fall again to...

from back page

170 for six in the 45th over and hit five fours and three sixes in the top score of 48 from 27 balls.

Bravo beefed up the total in a stand of 53 from just 27 balls for the seventh wicket with his predecessor, Darren Sammy, before he was caught at long-off from the bowling of Ajmal.

West Indies failed to make the breakthrough in the mandatory power play overs at the top of the innings, as Pakistan coasted to 51 without loss before Chris Gayle’s direct hit ran out Nasir Jamshed for 23 in the 11th over.

Sammy had Mohammad Hafeez caught behind for 11 in the 17th over, but Misbah anchored partnerships of 59 with Shehzad for the third wicket and 66 for the fifth wicket with Umar Akmal that put the visi-

tors firmly on course for victory.

Best, who shared the new ball with Holder after Roach was sidelined with a stiff back, dismissed Akmal for 37 in the 48th over and Holder removed Misbah, threatening to a late fightback before the Pakistanis wrapped things up.

West Indies lost wickets at regular intervals after they had earlier been sent in to bat and a handful of batsman got starts without carrying on.

Marlon Samuels scored 45, Johnson Charles made 43, Sammy was not out on 29, Lendl Simmons added 25 and Gayle 21, but West Indies failed to gain momentum as Junaid Khan grabbed 3-48 from 10 overs, while Ajmal and Mohammad Irfan collected two wickets apiece. (WICB)

ise and reinvent the experience of cricket in the Caribbean, the partnership has a logic and synergy that is compelling.”

The Limacol Caribbean Premier League T20 tournament begins on July 30 in Barbados and concludes in Trinidad and Tobago on August 24.

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Windsor Estates is Guyana Amazon Warriors founding sponsor

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ith just days left to the bowl off of the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League, Windsor Estates developed by Navigant Builders has signed on as a founding sponsor of local Franchise Guyana Amazon Warriors.

This announcement was made by Amazon Warriors Director Ravie Ramcharitar, who noted that the team was “thrilled and proud to have such a successful Guyanese on board, showing that Guyanese emigrants can still contribute to the nation’s well-being, especially in the game that breaks all barriers, which is what the Limacol CPL is striving to do.”

Signing on behalf

of Navigant Builders Inc, President and CEO Danny Sawh promised to lay a robust foundation for the team in the tournament.

“It is always a pleasure to support events in Guyana.

The Limacol CPL brings home an old Guyanese tradition in its most exciting format and Windsor Estates sees this event as an opportunity to reunite Guyanese at home and abroad, as we showcase our muchtalked about excellent hospitality and love of cricket,” Sawh said.

Having signed on as a Founding Sponsor for the Guyana Amazon Warriors, Windsor Estates will be featured extensively in advertising campaigns for the team and also showcased on the players’ uniforms.

Windsor Estates developed by Navigant

Builders Inc, is headquartered in Georgetown, Guyana and is currently constructing a residential area at Providence on the East Bank of Demerara, just minutes away from the Guyana National Stadium.

Amazon Warriors Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, Steven Sawh of Windsor Estates and Dwayne Lovell of the Guyana Amazon Warriors were all on hand to witness the signing.

The Limacol CPL tournament commences July 30, 2013, in Barbados, with matches in Guyana on the July 31 and August 2 and 4, 2013.

guyanatimeSinternational.com

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

week ending july 28, 2013

WI fall again to Pakistan

to lose series 3-1 Friday here.

West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo led a late charge, as the Caribbean side posted 242 for seven

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from their 50 overs after being sent in to bat.

Bravo came to the crease with his side on continued on page 53

The Pakistan team with series trophy at the end of the fifth and final ODI (WICB photo)

ros-Islet, ST LUCIA – Lively fast bowling from Tino Best failed to ignite West Indies and Pakistan claimed a dramatic fourwicket victory in the fifth OneDay International on Wednesday here, following half-centuries from

Ahmed Shehzad and Misbah-ul-Haq. Best replaced ailing compatriot and fellow fast bowler Kemar Roach and ended with 3- 48 from 10 overs, but no other bowler made an impact, as Shehzad with the top score of 64 and Misbah with 63 saw

Windsor Estates is Guyana Amazon Warriors founding sponsor

Pakistan successfully chasing 243 for victory on a hard, true Beausejour Cricket Ground pitch.

A stoppage for rain with 14 balls remaining and Jason Holder’s dismissal of Misbah in the final over added to the drama in the closing stages before Saeed

Ajmal hit the winning run with one ball remaining.

The result meant Pakistan claimed the five-match series 3-1 series, after victories in the first and fourth ODIs. West Indies won the second ODI and the third match ended in a tie last From left Guyana Amazon Warriors Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, Guyana Amazon Warriors franchise Director Ravie Ramcharitar, Windsor Estates Steven Sawh and Guyana Amazon Warriors team member Christopher Barnwell at the at the signing of the sponsorship agreement

Guyana Times International - (Guyana Office) email: guyanatimesint@gmail.com, Tel: (592) 227-0704, 227-0709, Fax: (592) 225-8696, 227-0685 (NY Office) email: guyanatimesnyint@gmail.com, Tel: 718-658-6804 PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INTERNATIONAL INC.; AVAILABLE AT ALL MAJOR WEST INDIAN STORES.