Guyana Times Daily

City Council votes to send Sooba on leave

Amerindians protest voting down of development fund

Tuesday, april 15, 2014| guyanaTimesgy.com

Guyana looks to Cuba to help establish special needs centre

BY MICHAEL YOUNGE

Guyana has its eyes set on establishing a Caribbean centre to stimulate the development of children and young people with special educational needs associated with disabilities, but would require significant technical expertise from Cuba for the project to be successfully implemented.

Cuban Ambassador to Guyana Julio Cesar Gonzalez Marchante made this disclosure during an exclusive interview with Guyana Times last Wednesday.

He said the country expressed interest in the project when it was presented at the last CubaCaricom Summit held in Havana, Cuba, to Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community.

This specific project formed part of a total of nine projects proposed by Cuba that could potentially benefit Caricom countries once

they saw them as necessary.

“We have many... many areas that we can cooperate.... And Guyana even was more interested than any other Caribbean country to promote this kind of project. We also have a group of projects with regards to construction to build bridges, dams...” he explained.

The Ambassador also related that Guyana could also choose to tap into another proposed project in the area of fishing, but its focus appeared set on the special needs centre for children and youth, first.

He also opined that such a project could benefit Guyana tremendously were the country to take the lead in this respect, noting that many other Caribbean countries have expressed the challenges they face in dealing with youth living with disabilities and their ability to access specialised education.

Ambassador Marchante explained that the proposals were presented at the

last Cuba-Caricom Summit to solicit common interest before concrete proposals are made as to the way forward.

Noting that the summit is held every three years, he stated that it is set for December 2014, and will see more substantive proposals being made and decisions taken by Cuba-Caricom leaders.

Need

“In the last intersessional meeting, they (Caricom) declared that they were not in the condition to face the problem of disability in their countries.... So this project comes at a very good moment in which we are offering some technical advice and structure that would allow for us to go ahead with this project,” the Ambassador told Guyana Times

The Cuban Ambassador said the centre here would be designed and piloted after the Latin American Reference Centre for Special

Education in Cuba. The centre there is one of the regional and international entities that provide quality education to children and youth with special needs.

The Guyanese centre would, like its Cuban counterpart, aim to stimulate the development of children and young people with special education needs associated with disabilities.

It would integrate theoretical and methodological issues to guide good practices based on educational attention strategies and methodologies that involved different educational agents such as special education teachers, schools, institutions of the community and family members, so they can contribute to student development.

The centre would take approximately two years, four months to be completed and made functional, once it followed the five stage implementation and conceptualisation plan proposed by Cuba.

22-year-old man on bail for obscene photos

A22-year-old man charged with publicising obscene pictures knowingly and unlawfully in an attempt to corrupt public morals was on Monday released on $70,000 bail when he appeared before Magistrate Ann Mc Lennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

It is alleged that on March 1, Angus Durant, of 1645 Section B, Block X, Greater Diamond, showed obscene pictures of Tanifa Nichols, with whom he shared a relationship to the general public.

No other facts of the matter were read. Durant, who was unrepresented, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

State Prosecutor Deniro Jones did not object to bail, but requested that it be set at a substantial sum with

the condition that the defendant reports to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters every Friday and an order be given for him to stay away from Nichols, the virtual

complainant (VC).

Magistrate Mc Lennan then ordered that bail be posted in the sum of $70,000 with the attached condition that he reports to the CID Headquarters every Friday

morning and keep a distance of 50 feet away from the VC.

Durant will make another court appearance on May 13 at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Editor: Nigel Williams

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

Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown

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

Editorial

Global value chains and the Caribbean

One of the buzz-words thrown up by the new levels of “globalisation” achieved over the last four decades has been the notion of “Global Value Chains” (GVCs).

From the beginning of trade between countries, value would have been added to goods at various points on the trade route and wealth generated distributed between the source and the consumer. But just as certain was the impetus to ensure that this “intermediate” wealth spun off was kept at a minimum.

But in the present dispensation, it is proposed that with rational allocation of the steps necessary to produce a particular good, it might be of benefit for even the source and ultimate vendor to utilise intermediate points to add value to the product. The argument is usually stated thusly:

“There would be an increase in productivity due to efficiency improvement as a result of international competition, better access to technology and new knowledge, and greater room for specialisation and economies of scale. Participation in value chains could further increase productivity since it would facilitate access to cheaper or higher quality intermediate inputs. GVCs would also work as a path for developing countries to access international markets of goods and services by focusing on certain activities and processes rather than by establishing a complete value chain.”

This process, it is argued, is already well underway as pointed out by the former head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Pascal Lamy:

“Almost 60 per cent of trade in goods is now in intermediates, that is, goods used as inputs in the production process. An important consequence of the integration of production networks is that imports matter as much as exports when it comes to contributing to job creation and to economic growth. In 1990, the import content of exports was 20 per cent; in 2010, it was 40 per cent, and it is expected to be around 60 per cent in 2030.”

With those premises, the pitch for free trade becomes inevitable:

“This is why enacting ‘protectionist’ measures in the modern world to protect jobs – such as raising import barriers – can have an inverse reaction in economies that are increasingly reliant on imports to complete their exports.”

As just as inevitably, there have been several high-level conferences and summits to persuade governments in Latin America and the Caribbean that it is their interest to get into GVCs. In fact, some initiatives have proceeded beyond the talking stage and, for example, the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) signed between the European Union and the Caribbean can be seen as a mechanism to facilitate a GVC nexus between the two signatories.

But it was pointed out in a recent paper, “Global Value Chains and Development Policies: Setting the Limits of Liberal Views on Integration into the Global Economy”, that the GVC argument is based on some possibly flawed premises.

First off, there is the assumption that if the tariffs are reduced on imported inputs, there will be a reduction of exports – and as such, domestic incomes. This is not necessarily so, since the productive structures in developing areas like the Caribbean are not on par with those of the developed countries that are also in the GVCs.

There is also the assumption that there is a high elasticity of exports that will respond to price changes. But this is not necessarily so especially when one is dealing with primary products, such as rice and forestry products.

More to the point, as President Jagdeo pointed out after Carl Greenidge and his team on the Regional Negotiating Machinery signed the EPA with Europe, the substitution of local suppliers with foreign providers from more developed countries almost always leads to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employment contraction.

Finally, the authors suggest, even if a country wants to exploit GVCs, and must import intermediate inputs, ultimately it must seek to manufacture those goods. And this implies Government intervention through an industrial policy and even protectionism, as per the infant industry argument.

Dr Jagan’s principles are ingrained in the DNA of the PPP/C’s collective psyche

Dear Editor,

APNU’s political activist and Member of Parliament Vanessa Kissoon, in her recent letter to another section of the press, wrote that her reason for invoking the name of the late Dr Cheddi Jagan in her speech in Parliament was to jolt the memory of Members on the Government side as to how far they have strayed from their revered Leader.

One is tempted to ignore what is written by the APNU Linden activist on the grounds of her ignorance of our political history and the role played by Dr Jagan and the PPP for a free, democratic and prosperous Guyana.

As she herself admitted, she was not around during those sordid days and, therefore, did not experience the trials and tribulations of those who were forced to endure the pain of undemocratic and authoritarian rule.

The difficulty I have, however, is where she states “the allegations and counter-allegations of rigged elections in a time we were not born or were children serve only as history and have no direct impact on our day-to-day lives and what we aspire to be which a National Budget should factor in”.

Let me say for the benefit of Ms Kissoon and her like that the past does influence and impact on the future. History is not only for purposes of posterity. It is there to provide us with lessons so that we do not repeat past mistakes. As someone once said, those who do not remember past mistakes are condemned to repeat them.

It would do well for Ms Kissoon to recall her role in what the Linden Commission of Inquiry Report, published on February 28, 2013, stated:

“Also on the scene was Ms Vanessa Kissoon, Member of Parliament representing the Political Party, A Partnership for National Unity. Ms Kissoon spent quite a long time at the scene, but did nothing to dissuade the protestors from breaking the law by blocking of the bridge. We are of the view that at the centre of the circumstances surrounding the events at the bridge was the breach of the conditions imposed in relation to the marchers.”

Further, the report stated inter-alia, “ASP Stanton further stated that he overheard the activists Aubrey Norton, Vanessa Kissoon and Hinds encouraging the protestors to remain on the bridge as it was a just

cause”.

For Ms Kissoon’s information and advice, such lawlessness has never been a part of Dr Jagan’s legacy.

Ms Kissoon claims that her generation wants opportunities to unleash their potential and pursue their dreams, but this is precisely what the 2014 Budget is all about – creating opportunities, realising dreams, and fostering an environment in which each and every Guyanese regardless of race, ethnicity, colour of skin or political affiliation would be able to realise their dreams to the full limit of their potential.

The unfortunate thing about Kissoon’s Party, the APNU, is that it is attempting by their actions in Parliament to deny the people of Guyana those very things that she yearns for.

How else can one explain the Opposition parties’ decisions to cut budgetary spending aimed at transforming Guyana into a modern state where our people, in particular our young people, would benefit from job creation and cutting-edge technologies and where the peace, security and happiness of our people is assured?

This is something Ms Kissoon should ponder.

The way forward for this nation is not though confrontation and contrived hostility, but through dialogue and reconciliation. It is through respect for authority and the rule of law. It is through consensus and putting the national interest before narrow partisan interest. It is through inclusive and participatory governance and a lean and clean government. This in short is the Jagan way, which is also the PPP/C way being embraced by the Donald Ramotar Administration and for that matter, all other previous PPP/C administrations.

The PPP/C Members of Parliament do not need to be reminded by an APNU activist of the Jagan vision and principles. It is very well ingrained in the DNA of the PPP/C as a political party and its collective psyche.

Instead of preaching to the converted, Ms Kissoon would be doing a greater service to this nation if she could get her Opposition colleagues to change their mindsets and embrace a new paradigm of governance where the good of Guyana is primary.

Sincerely, Vickram Bharrat PPP/C, Freedom House

The editors of Smithsonian magazine have just announced the 60 finalists in their 11th annual photo contest. Finalist, Travel category: Hiking break at Devil’s Wall, Harz Mountains, Germany. “Devil’s Wall and the Harz region had always been an inspirational source for German poets and artists like Brothers Grimm or Caspar David Friedrich. My aim was to elaborate this natural topic with the medium of contemporary photography combined with that kind of certain romantic imagery of times past” (The Atlantic In Focus)

A plea to the President

Dear President Ramotar,

I am writing on behalf of some former employees of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). We were charged in the Polar Beer fiasco involving some employees of the GRA and Fidelity Investments Inc/ Kong Inc.

Your Excellency, our innocence was vindicated by the court when all the charges against us were dismissed and all of us were discharged for want of prosecution on May 31, 2011. There has been no appeal in this case.

President Ramotar, al-

though these charges were dismissed since 2011, we were not reinstated in our jobs and we have been unable to secure alternative employment because of the negative stigma attached to us.

Our dreams, aspirations and families have been shattered and we are now a contemptible liability to our country. We are young professionals, academics and parents who have resisted the temptations of migrating to another country. We prefer to stay in our beloved country and utilize our talent and resources towards its development.

Honourable President,

we respectfully request your urgent intervention to reinstate us in our jobs so that we may have the opportunity to serve our country and be productive citizens.

Your Excellency, at your inauguration, you promised to be a fair and just President for all. We are convinced that you are a leader not only who cares but who would deliver on his promises. We put our trust and confidence in your good judgment.

Respectfully yours,

Roopnarine Ramkishun

Surprised at editorial singling out Government members for their remarks

Dear Editor, I spent four days in Parliament watching and listening to the debates, and absorbing the responses to questions that were asked pertaining to estimates made, and so I was surprised when I saw an editorial in another section of the press on Sunday, in which two Government MPs were singled out for making remarks on or off the floor.

The few days that I was there, I heard MP Volda Lawrence singing very loudly when Bishop Edghill was speaking. She was singing about the Devil and Satan which, I think, was a personal attack on the Bishop.

I heard Cathy Hughes shouting personal comments to Mr Seeraj when he was on the floor. In fact, Cathy Hughes was heckling throughout Seeraj’s entire presentation.

I heard Moses Nagamootoo sounding

somewhat obsessed as he unremittingly made all sorts of nasty remarks. He did not hesitate too to constantly say to Government members who were speaking things of a personal nature. This was the same MP who, I recall, declared last year that he tells his grandchildren “shut yuh so-and-so”.

I heard Khemraj Ramjattan telling a speaking MP that the MP is “deh undressing a girl”. I heard Mr Winston Felix constantly shouting across the aisle at various members while they spoke, and I heard Desmond Trotman call people from the Government side a few bad names.

MP Bulkan was often heard hurling insults at Government speakers or members and Amna Ally, Chief Whip for the Opposition, was also very active in her heckles.

Anyone sitting in

Parliament could surely vouch that they themselves have heard such comments as those mentioned in this letter and it is also true too that the Government MPs threw similar remarks and heckled.

However, I was surprised when the editorial singled out the Government members for their remarks and proceeded to call them vulgar, but did not say anything about the Opposition’s remarks and heckling.

If heckling and commenting is vulgar then all of the Parliamentarians are vulgar; and if one can be banned for heckling, then we will have no Parliament, as a fair Speaker would have to ban them all.

Sincerely,

Govind Singh Deputy Regional Executive Officer Region Five

PPP/C leaders have brought to bear their own leadership styles and personas

Dear Editor,

Mark Da Costa, in his letter in another section of the press, claimed that the PPP/C is a perversion of Dr Cheddi Jagan’s party, making the ludicrous claim that the PPP/C has abandoned the vision, and that discrimination is the norm.

He went on to attack the PPP General Secretary, Mr Clement Rohee for lashing out at what he himself is guilty of, that is, using the good name of Dr Jagan to attack the very organisation which he founded and nurtured, the People’s Progressive Party.

It is indeed ironic, if not absurd, for anyone to suggest that the current leadership of the PPP/C would have any interest or reason in wanting to depart from the Jagan legacy when the administration has been doing everything possible to ensure that the pro-working class character of the party and the PPP/C Administration is preserved, consolidated and perpetuated.

Da Costa quotes selectively from Dr Jagan’s writings, which he then distorts and puts his own meaning and interpretation to. This is intellectual dishonesty at its best. His reference to Dr Jagan’s integrity and him not forgetting his working-class roots is purposefully done to create a distance between Dr Jagan and the present crop of PPP/C leaders, whom he accused of being elitist and oligarchic.

Comparisons, it is said, are odious. Every leader has his leadership style, personality traits, and values.

Janet Jagan, Samuel Hinds, and Bharrat Jagdeo were all former Presidents of Guyana, not to mention our current President, Donald

Education Ministry allows for equal opportunities throughout the sector

Dear Editor,

Please permit me to respond to a letter published in another section of the press in relation to the Ministry of Education putting more emphasis on girls’ education.

The letter writer questioned the Ministry’s ability to competently address – through policies and programmes – the empowerment of females within the education system. Let me commence by making it pellucid, that the Ministry of Education allows for equal opportunities throughout the sector, with no exceptions.

According to the Ministry’s statistical data, there is gender parity at nursery, primary, and secondary levels, with the proportion of males and females in these schools being very closely related to their numbers in the population.

They access exactly the same programme, and for some persons, girls have an advantage because of the high proportion of female teachers at all three levels. Girls, on average, attend school more regularly, at all levels, than boys and the dropout rate for girls is

less than that of boys at all levels.

Indeed, the data shows that girls are outperforming boys in all the national attainment tests and at the CXC examinations.

At the post-secondary level, 14 per cent of the students enrolled at CPCE are male, while 86 per cent are female, and more than 60 per cent of students at the University of Guyana are female.

The one area in which males outnumber females is in the technical and vocational area. Within TVET, males amount to 58.7 per cent, while females comprise 41 per cent.

The major concern at this level, however, is not the greater number of males, but the fact that females tend to cluster into traditional female areas like secretarial studies and the more academic areas rather than expanding into the more lucrative technical areas such as engineering, construction skills, etc.

The Ministry has, at various times, implemented programmes to encourage girls into non-traditional areas even offering incentives in the form of free tools

for the best performing students in nontraditional subject areas, but this is still a work in progress.

The Ministry has also made efforts to deal with the vulnerability of girls who become pregnant while at school. Over the last five years, the Ministry has been conducting a programme that is designed to reintegrate teenage mothers into the school system.

Within the last two academic years, 11 teenage mothers benefited from this programme, while others were able to benefit from skills training programmes to allow them to earn a living.

The Ministry, with the unyielding support of the Government of Guyana, will continue to provide all Guyanese children with the best possible education available, so that they can all achieve their maximum potential, and become informed responsible Guyanese citizens.

Yours faithfully, Suelle Findlay-Williams Public Relations Officer Ministry of Education

Ramotar, who was literally nurtured by Dr Jagan and from whom he took over the post of General Secretary following Dr Jagan’s passing in 1997.

Each of them has brought to bear in the public eye their own leadership style and persona. There is no point in trying to put one against the other. If there is one thing they have in common, it is their commitment and dedication towards the realisation of a better Guyana.

This is why there has always been policy coherence among the PPP/C administrations, which are basically working-class oriented and people-driven.

To accuse the PPP/C leaders of being discriminatory in terms of the distribution of goods and services, as Da Costa is seeking to do, is completely misleading and cannot stand up to scrutiny.

The PPP/C administration has always been evenhanded in the way state resources are distributed. One only has to examine the budgetary allocation of money to the various administrative regions to get an idea of this even-handedness.

This even-handedness

could be seen from the distribution of public sector jobs, the allocation of house lots, and the award of Government scholarships, both overseas and local.

An increasing number of Guyanese from all walks of life are today the proud owners of their own homes, thanks to the robust housing programme pursued by the PPP/C administration.

There are some people who find it difficult to rise above petty thinking and see the big picture. Like the proverbial ostrich, they bury their heads in the sand and find fault with everyone who does not share their way of thinking, regardless of how warped and convoluted such thinking may be.

The PPP/C is very cognisant of the fact that much work remains to be done to realise the Jagan dream and the PPP/C administration cannot, and will not, allow itself to be distracted by the likes of Da Costa, who obviously has an Opposition agenda, which is to besmirch the good name of the PPP/C and its leaders

Sincerely, Jagnarine Somwar

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

Page Foundation

WCountdown to the NGSA

ith one day to go before the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) Examination, students preparing to write the examination may be caught between grinding out those hours of last-minute study or relaxing confident that they are wellprepared. In today’s driven society, I suspect that very few students will fall into the latter camp, with most parents prescribing to the theory every little bit helps. Here are a few tips from the University of Reading to make the final day before the exam less nerve-wracking. Like the university says, “It’s important to feel confident that you know what you’re meant to be doing and are preparing in the most effective way. Feeling confident about these aspects will make the exam itself a less daunting experience.”

Last-minute revision tips CRAMMING IS NOT A GOOD IDEA.

Download past exam papers, if you have not already (download past papers at www. education.gov.gy/web/index.php/component/docman/ catview/8-download/28_primary-school-resources/4-national-grade-6-assessmentpast-papers) – these give you experience of the kind of question that might be asked, and get you used to what the paper looks like before you enter the exam room. Use them to practise: reading and understanding the question; identifying topics; planning answers; writing timed answers.

Practise writing timed answers by hand. Then reflect

on any problems and think about what you could do to solve these.

Fill the gaps in your knowledge

Practise active reading –write down what you know about a topic already, then make a list of what you need to know more about (methods, order of events, etc).Look for these in your reading.

Think– Read a page or section, then stop and think about what you’ve just read. Write brief notes and read them through. Thinking and reflecting makes understanding, and can be done any time or place – bathing, brushing your teeth.

Work in blocks of two to three hours with mini-breaks – change to a new subject after a two to three-hour block. You will feel refreshed and get more done.

The night before Be prepared – Make sure you know exactly where your exam will be – the venues may be different for each exam. Gather what you will need to take into the exam room (pens, water, allowed texts, calculator, timetable etc).

- stop revising 90 minutes before preparing for bed NO CRAMMING

- Relax with friends, music, a book, TV etc

- Have a warm bath or shower

- Use a relaxation exercise

- If your head’s still buzzing with thoughts in the middle of the night, have a notebook by the side of the bed and write them down

In the exam

Breathe deeply and regularly to calm nerves.

Read the instructions carefully – Before looking at the actual questions, read the rubric (instructions). Are there compulsory questions? Marks are often lost by nervous or over-confident students who overlook instructions to “Answer 1 question from Section A, and 2 from Section B” or tackle too few questions. Work out the timing –Divide your time according to the number of questions to be answered. Split it proportion-

usual. Alternatively you have revised the topic, but the question is obtuse and you do not fully understand it.

Choose your best questions – Mark any questions you might answer, and then check that you fully understand it. Do not answer a question that you do not understand.

Decide on question order. Some people like to start with the topic they know best to give them a good start. Others prefer to do their best question second, because with one question completed, they

ately if you have some questions (or parts of questions) which attract more marks than others. Allow some time for planning. Allow checking time for calculations.

Read the questions carefully. Read through the paper once and then re-read each question. You might think a topic you’ve revised hasn’t come up, when it is there but the wording is un-

Demonstrate that you are answering the question – In your introduction show how you understand the question and outline how you will answer it.

Plan before you write –The stress of working under time constraints in the exam room can make all your good study intentions disappear. However, this is when it’s more important than ever to get your ideas across clearly and concisely. Take a few minutes to think and plan: Underline the key words in the question; Identify the main topic. Choose a few points/arguments about which you can write.

MULTIPLE CHOICE EXAMS tests should be approached differently to exams that ask for essay-type answers. The answers required are usually more concerned with terms and definitions. Read the directions very carefully before you start.

When looking at the questions, always try to work out what the answer is before you look at the possibilities. Use a ruler to make it easier to see where to enter each answer.

Answer the questions you know first, mark the ones you are fairly sure of and go back to them – leave the difficult ones till last.

can relax and expand on their best ideas and gain extra marks.

Maximising your marks

Think about what the question is actually asking. What are you expected to include in your answer? What material will be relevant? The most common complaint from markers is that the student didn’t answer the question.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR MIND GOES BLANK –most students fear this happening. If it does – put your pen down, take a deep breath, sit back and relax for a moment. If you’re in the middle of an answer, read through what you have written so far – what happens next? If you have to remember formulae, try associating them with pictures or music while revising. If you really can’t progress with this answer, leave a gap. It will probably come back to you once you are less anxious. If you are running out of time – don’t panic. Look at the questions you have left to answer and divide up your remaining time to cover them all. Be very economical – make one point support it with evidence and then move on to the next point. If you really can’t finish in time, briefly list the points you wanted to make – they could pick you up a few marks.

Remember that with multiple choice exams you could get 100 per cent - pretty much impossible in an essay-type exam! So don’t dwell on a question – move on and come back to it if you have time. If you finish before the time is up, go back over your questions and answers to check for reading errors.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS usually require a briefer and more descriptive answer than essay questions, which ask you to discuss and expand on a topic. If your questions all ask for short answers with an equal number of marks for each, divide your time up equally for the total number of questions. Otherwise, allocate your time according to the proportion of marks each question attracts.

Use parts of questions that ask for definitions or explanations to inform the longer, more discursive part of your answer. Don’t repeat the information you give in one part of the question in the other.

If you have trouble working out how to start answering a question that asks you to “explain”, imagine you are telling a friend about the topic.

Open book exams (ie those where you are allowed to take and consult texts into the exam room) may feel less stressful because you know you won’t need to remember facts. However, this means the marks you can get will depend on your ability to use this information to build an argument, so be careful to avoid just giving a list of quotes.

If you’re feeling anxious Some students get extremely anxious while doing exams. It will help to feel prepared – the strategies above aim to help you to do that. If you are still anxious, and are worried that this will affect your performance, discuss it with your parents, teacher or anyone you are comfortable with.

Remember on exam day, all cellular phones and other electronic devices will be disallowed. The Education Ministry is asking candidates to leave such devices at home. Any candidate found with such devices during the examination will be disqualified.

City Council votes to send Sooba on leave

– Town Clerk remains defiant

Pandemonium broke out in the City Council’s Chambers on Monday afternoon when Mayor Hamilton Green moved a motion to have acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba sent on leave.

Tensions flared as Sooba’s supporters raised their voices in condemnation of the decision by the Mayor to send her on leave, pending the outcome of another court action.

At the Council’s statutory meeting, several issues regarding the decision made by acting Chief Justice Ian Chang were discussed. And the Mayor related that because of its ambiguity, the Council would be seeking legal advice for clarification. But while that issue had its own little debate, what was more controversial was the fact that Sooba refused to take her duly pending leave. Mayor Green sought to explain. “This council, on several occasions, took a fundamental public service decision that officers must take their leave when it is due; beyond that, this particular officer has earned 42 days’ leave….” He continued: “It is a question

of sheer decency that when a matter which revolves around and which involves a very senior public officer, that officer excuses him or herself,” Green told the group of councillors, much to the annoyance of Sooba’s supporters.

Loud rumblings

Mayor Green was jolted out of his explanation as Councillors Kamla Devi Ross and Victor Sobers rose in defence of the acting Town Clerk, declaring that neither the Mayor nor the Council had the power to make any such decision. “You are all illegal in here; you do not have that authority to impose on people like that,” they argued, amid loud rumbling from other councillors.

Meanwhile, Sooba, who was notably calm throughout the episode, broke her silence, maintaining that she will continue to stand by the decision made by Justice Chang. She shouted over the microphone that no one could cause her to demit office or take leave. “The Town Clerk wishes to advise you, Mr Mayor, that I will abide by the decision of

Acting

Town

Clerk Carol Sooba

the court and may that be so recorded and you can’t shut me up, Mr Mayor. That decision is not with you and since you have no legal authority to do that, you cannot supersede the decision of the court. You had always purported to the public that you had the legal authority to supersede decisions of the court. But igno-

House approves estimates for Region Six

The National Assembly on Monday approved the estimates of expenditure for Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) totalling $4.48 billion. Of this amount, $134.5 million will go towards the regional administration, $611.7 million for agriculture, $296.9 million for public works, $2.3 billion for education, and $1.13 billion for health service delivery.

Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament (MP), Dr Veersammy Ramayya inquired about the sums budgeted for maintenance of buildings, to which Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Norman Whittaker informed that six buildings are slated for repairs. These are: State House, the regional administrative building, the regional accounting unit, the Regional Development Council (RDC) boardroom, the personnel building and the administrative building at Springlands.

With regards to agriculture, questions were asked about the increased sums for contracted employees when the number of employees has reduced from 22 in 2013 to 18 this year. The Minister explained that while the number of employees has decreased, the emoluments paid to the remaining 18 employees have increased.

The sum of $193 million was budgeted for fuel and lubricants and Dr Ramayya asked about the number of vehicles, and the equipment that will be catered for under this provision. The Minister said that a total of 48 vehicles will be catered for.

These include: trucks, backhoes, drainage pumps, excavators, pickups and tractors. Further, from the fleet of 48 vehicles, a few are currently not operational –one of them a low-bed truck GKK 6487,

in which Dr Ramayya had a particular interest. That vehicle is currently at a mechanic workshop, while its trailer is parked at the Whim Community Centre Ground.

Questions were also asked about the increase from $27.1 million last year to $43.8 million for security services. Dr Ramayya also asked for details as to the locations where security service is provided on a 24-hour basis.

Minister Whittaker informed the House that the company that has been contracted is Homesafe Security which is providing 24-hour services at 13 locations including: Black Bush Polder Pump Station, Borlan Pump Station, No 63 Benab, Sea Wall Pump Station, Eversham Pump Station, and Joppa Pump Station, among others.

Increase

Further, the increase in the allocation is as a result of service charges being increased from $145 per hour to $300 per hour.

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan inquired about the $146 million budgeted for maintenance of drainage and irrigation structures.

Minister Whittaker informed that more than 60 areas are targeted and committed to providing the House with a detailed list.

In terms of public works, questions were asked about the roads that will be rehabilitated with the allocation of $42.5 million. The Minister said these include stretches of road in areas such as Light Town; Fyrish Branch Road; Main Street, New Amsterdam; Strand, New Amsterdam; and Highbury road among others. The Minister also clarified statements made by Dr Ramayya who suggested that contracts

are given to private contractors in the Region. The Minister explained that contracts are awarded to bidders who meet the eligibility criteria.

Five bridges have also been identified for works in Region Six at a total cost of $25.5 million. These include one at Number Two Village ($4 million); Moleson Creek Number 1 Bridge ($5.5 million); Adelphi main access bridge ($7 million); Lesbeholden bridge ($2 million); and one at East Bank Berbice ($7 million). In terms of education delivery, Dr Ramayya questioned the increase in the sums allocated for security services.

The Local Government Minister committed to providing a complete breakdown with regard to the number of nursery, primary and secondary schools, the shift system and the number of guards to be placed at the various locations. As it relates to the delivery of healthcare services, APNU MP Karen Cummings inquired about an ambulance which will be purchased by the region. Minister Whittaker, said that this ambulance will be stationed at Mibicuri, Black Bush Polder.

Further, a number of other vital pieces of equipment will be purchased such as an ultra-sound machine, which will be given to the Skeldon Hospital ($6 million); two cardiac monitors, one each to the New Amsterdam and Skeldon Hospitals ($5 million); one 500KVA generator for the New Amsterdam Hospital ($18 million); and 15 pulse oximeters to be located at a number of health facilities across the region.

On Friday, the National Assembly approved the allocations for Regions One to Five, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

rance of the law is no excuse and if you want to interpret the decision of this Council to satisfy your selfish needs, so be it but you have no authority and cannot force me out of this office,” Sooba said.

But Green, unmoved by Sooba’s stern warning went ahead and took the count. Seventeen votes to two in favour of sending Sooba on leave, he announced, was the result.

Eyebrows rose when the Mayor hinted that the Council was seeking permission to pass monies for legal fees, to seek advice on the decision made by Justice Chang. Mayor Green, along with councillors, said they had not yet seen a copy of the decision and confessed that their knowledge of the issue was sparked from what was reported in the press.

Green said the decision by the High Court is of major concern to the municipality although it had emerged out of a legal challenge made

by the City Council’s Public Relations Officer Royston King. He noted that the main issue brewing from the decision suggests that the former Local Government Minister's action of appointing Carol Sooba as Town Clerk is ultra vires.

As a consequence, he said, other positions fell into the same condition. Green said it was clear that the Council is duty bound and has all right to seek further legal advice to interpret the decision, so that there would be less ambiguity and hopefully little or no contortion.

“In that regard, I am proposing…, here and now, that Council be responsible for the payment of legal fees and that even if we may consider it prudent to seek advice.”

Last week, the Georgetown City Council was thrown into a frenzy when word circulated that Justice Ian Chang had quashed the appointment of Sooba, saying that the then Local Government Minister

Ganga Persaud went out of his power to appoint her to that position.

The decision came about after the City Council's Public Relations Officer had moved to the High Court last December, challenging the appointment. He had contended that Sooba was deemed the least qualified of several candidates who had applied for the post. King was one of the four applicants for the post. He was represented by Attorney Nigel Hughes. In his application, he had asked that the then Local Government Minister Persaud show cause why his decision to appoint Sooba should not be quashed.

In his affidavit, King contended that the decision to appoint Sooba was an abuse of power, contrary to the legitimate expectation that the post would be filled by the “best suited and qualified” person, based on the criteria established in advertisements by the Minister.

Former murder accused refused bail for $10M robbery

A27-year-old man was on Monday refused bail on a charge of robbery under arms when he appeared at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Sherdel Marcus-Isaacs.

Devindra “Bara” Harrichand, 27, of Nigg Squatting Area, Berbice, was not allowed to plead to the charge. It is alleged that on Wednesday, March 9 at Rose Hall Town Public Road, the defendant, along with an accomplice, robbed Ravi Mangali, 42, of Permaul

ATrading & Distribution, situated at Lot 30 Albion Front, Corentyne of $10 million in cash as he was about to make his daily commercial deposit at the Republic Bank Branch in the area.

Based on information gathered, the police arrested the suspect on Friday, March 11 and he was positively identified by the victim as being one of the persons that robbed him.

Prosecutor Godfrey Playter objected to bail, stating that the defendant had been charged with the capital

offence of murder and he was also considered a flight risk. The case has been transferred to the Albion Magistrate’s Court where the defendant is expected to make his next court appearance on April 29.

The defendant, along with two others, was recently charged with killing Devindra Deodat, 34, called “Dave”, a businessman of Hampshire Squatting Area, Corentyne on October 7, 2013.

However, the case was dismissed owing to the lack of evidence and witnesses.

Deodat, the owner of Cool Runnings Trucking Service, was chopped and shot dead around last October, after a group of masked men stormed the grocery shop which he and his wife, Mala, 29, operated.

The bandits also chopped Deodat’s wife in the head and shot her father, Rafeek Abdul, 47, in the left arm. During the murder/robbery, two of the three attackers were allegedly unmasked, allowing the victims to identify them at a subsequent identification parade.

Man on bail for narcotics trafficking Charity woman fined for slapping reputed husband

20-year-old resident of East La Penitence, Georgetown, was Monday released on $15,000 bail when he appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan charged with possession of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

According to court documents, on Friday, April 11, around 10:30h, police ranks were conducting a foot pa-

trol in Freeman Street, East La Penitence when they observed Michael Quentin sitting at the corner of the said street, looking suspicious. The ranks subsequently searched the defendant during which two grams of cannabis was discovered. He was subsequently arrested and charged.

The defendant, who was unrepresented, pleaded guilty to the charge. State

Prosecutor Deniro Jones told the court that he had no objections to bail.

Quentin was also ordered to provide community service every Monday and Friday from 07:00 to 14:00h at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts for four weeks. Magistrate Mc Lennan warned that failure to post bail will see the defendant being sentenced to three weeks in prison.

Aloma Lawrie, of 142 Charity Housing Scheme on the Essequibo Coast, was on Monday fined $10,000 for slapping her reputed husband, Dhirendra Deonarine. Lawrie pleaded guilty to the charge of unlawful assault when she appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Charity Magistrate’s Court.

The court was told that on Friday, April 11 at Charity Housing Scheme, the virtual complainant (VC) and the defendant had an argument over Deonarine’s going out. Lawrie subsequently held on to her spouse’s bicycle to prevent him from leaving and slapped him in the face.

The defendant stated that she slapped the VC after he verbally abused her. “He said no man would want me, because I am sick,” she explained. She was fined $10,000, with an alternative sentence of one week in prison.

Pomeroon man granted bail for assaulting wife

A23-year-old mason, of Grant Paradise, Lower Pomeroon, was granted $30,000 bail for the offence of assault when he appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce on Monday at the Charity Magistrate’s Court.

Mark Samuels pleaded not guilty to the two counts of assault against his wife, Cindy.

According to the particulars of the case, on Friday, April 11 at Grant Paradise, the defendant unlawfully assaulted his spouse.

He was granted bail in the sum of $15,000 for each count. The matter was adjourned to April 20.

Eyew tness

Straining out a gnat...

...and swallowing a camel

The Stabber News gave its take on what’s playing out in Parliament. They called it “vulgarity”. “Damn right!!” you, dear readers, are probably snorting in indignation. Trouble is, it has missed the real vulgarity because of the blinkers firmly affixed over it's eyes, and like the mad Don Quixote of yore, ended up tilting at old Kokers.

It strained out a gnat and swallowed a camel. It was an amazing feat. Here it is, the Opposition’s defying the Courts of the land and committing an illegality every time it attempts to “cut” a Budget Estimate and the Stabber thinks it’s vulgar that some MPs from the Government benches aren’t raising their pinkies when they sip their tea! Talk about confusing form and substance!

Let’s get this straight, we aren’t advocating for MPs to behave like louts at a mud-wrestling contest. (Even though that’s their default setting when they line up for the $1.7 million of free food at every sitting.) But the point is, the niceties of parliamentary etiquette are geared towards achieving the ends MPs are supposed to be working towards – the betterment of the people of this country.

So what’s the point if fellas in Parliament keep bowing and scraping and “sirring” each other to death, when one side’s busy screwing the country?

Let’s get down to some brass tacks. What’s really vulgar? Manickchand’s heckle illustrating the subject of child molestation or the Opposition chopping the entire Amerindian Development Fund? Who’s really interested in stopping child molestation rather than merely mouthing platitudes?

When those thousands of Amerindian boys and girls in the interior are forced to continue grovelling at the bottom of the economic barrel because of no development projects, doesn’t that make them susceptible to all sorts of exploitation and molestation?

And what’s more vulgar? Lumumba speaking frankly about the ethnic consequences of race-baiting (and speeches about “bailing out” sugar workers are nothing less than this), or the sick minds that further that project in the media in search of power for “their” group? But the most vulgar comment was about former President Jagdeo. If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times: these fellas have Jagdeo on their brains.

What gets their drawers in a knot is that he not only saw Guyana through the most deadly assault the Opposition ever launched to remove the PPP/C from office, but actually broke the back of the armed gangsters and their handlers.

Hell hath no fury like a thwarted Guyanese Opposition caught with their pants down. Ouch!!!

...and producing filth

And talking about “vulgarity”. Can anyone beat the “vulgarity” the MuckrakerKN printed as Freddy Kissoon ridiculed Hindus for “worshipping rats”? Some will blame Freddy Kissoon. But they miss the point: there are some people who can’t be held responsible for their actions. Morons and such like. But not for the Muckraker that’ll allow the largest religion to be insulted in this fashion.

Mook Lall knows full well that Hindus don’t worship rats. His father was a Hindu, no? And his wife? And as for Adam Harris – who would’ve had the last word on what’s being published – he knows it was through this kind of standing libel on Africans that their indigenous religions were beaten out of them and today are mocked as “obeah”.

As in African and Indian and in all original religions, what is more profound than seeing God in all his creation and respecting all in the great chain of being created by Him?

But don’t tell that to Mook Lall – who’ll desecrate his mother’s grave to sell another newspaper.

...swallowing Larwah

Another vulgarity of immense proportions that’s been swallowed by the Opposition is, to use President Ramotar’s apt expression, the “Larwah” of killing all mega-infrastructure works, and expecting the country to develop.

It’ll develop, all right – right back into the old PNC’s basket case.

Redone file on Colwyn Harding matter back with DPP

Police have resent the file on the alleged torture of Colwyn Harding back to the Director of Public Prosecutions Shalimar Ali-Hack, the Force said in a release on Monday.

The information came in a release in response to a Stabroek News article.

Police Spokesman Ivelaw Whittaker, in the release, refuted the report that was published in the Monday’s edition of Stabroek News and disclosed that the file was sent to the DPP on Friday last. According to information received, a few other statements were taken from some other eyewitnesses and the victim, Colwyn Harding, who is recuperating nicely. The DPP is expected to make her recommendations shortly.

However, the police ranks who were implicated in the case are back on the job, but at various locations. Now, it is not clear

whether or not the men will be disciplined by the police or charged with assault, since it was already established that the police ranks used excessive force on the victim, who claimed that he was baton raped.

In the latter part of February, the DPP returned the file to the police and ordered that further investigations be conducted into the matter. It was reported that the DPP had to peruse at least 40 statements from witnesses and police ranks, which took some time, but she was not satisfied with the investigations.

The file would have also comprised the recommendations of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) Chairman, Retired Justice Cecil Kennard, but Crime Chief Seelall

One injured in Essequibo Coast accident

Four persons narrow-

ly escaped serious injuries following a vehicular accident on the Aberdeen Public Road on the Essequibo Coast on Monday.

The accident occurred around 15:45h.

Persaud has said that the DPP has the final say in the matter. Harding, 23, of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, is alleging that a police constable, in the presence of two other senior officers, forced a baton into his behind, while he was in custody between November 15 and 18, 2013.

It is also alleged that during his detention, Harding assaulted a peace officer and behaved disorderly and was charged for the offences. He appeared in court on November 18, 2013, and was placed on bail in the sum of $50,000, but was unable to raise this sum and was remanded to prison.

The matters are still pending. Based upon his careful analysis of the report of the investigation conducted by the police’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), Justice Kennard said there was no conclusive evidence that Harding was baton-raped, but Timehri Police Station ranks had used excessive force.

He thus recommended that at least two ranks be charged with assault and the others face disciplinary action. The former chancellor of the judiciary was, however, not privy to the medical certificates of Harding.

Harding spent 33 days at the Georgetown Public Hospital where doctors said he suffered a strangulated hernia and was discharged on January 20 after undergoing several surgeries. The administration of the Police Force was first informed of the alleged assault by way of a text message from Harding’s mother, Susan Harding, to the Police Commissioner in December 2013.

Driver and owner of motor car bearing registration number PRR 6764, Romeo Cummings, is thankful to

God that he and his friend in the vehicle escaped unhurt.

Cummings said he was driving out of a pharmacy when he was hit by a speeding pickup PNN1513 that was heading to Suddie.

The pickup was driven by a man with his son inside. The driver said he cannot say exactly what happened, but he is willing to compen-

sate the car driver for the damage done.

Cummings recalled that as he tried to pull in a corner, his car was hit by the pickup. He said that his friend, who was in the back seat, received injuries to the left foot.

The accident halted traffic for at least 10 minutes as both drivers were reluctant to move their vehicles from the road until the police arrived.

Several persons upon hearing the loud impact converged at the scene.

Colwyn Harding

Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali Hack

Traffic was briefly held up following the accident

The car and pickup involved in the accident

Amerindians protest voting down of development fund

While hundreds of indigenous people took to the streets outside of the Parliament Building on Monday shouting “we want development”, National Toshaos Council Chairman Derrick John registered his disgust at the Opposition for voting down the Amerindian Development Fund.

The A partnership For National Unity (APNU) and Alliance For Change (AFC) recently disapproved $1.1 billion for Amerindian development in the 2014 budget estimates.

Speaking at a protest mounted by members of the indigenous community on Brickdam, Georgetown, in the vicinity of Parliament Building on Monday, John said, “We have to get back what was allotted to us.... We need to get back what we rightly deserve... Amerindians felt as though they are being robbed.”

The NTC Chairman went on to explain that several projects that were ear-

marked for expansion were launched, but their continuation seems uncertain.

“They seem like a lost dream,” John said, explaining that the eagerly anticipated expansion of the apprenticeship programme has been stalled as a result of the development in the National Assembly.

He further maintained

that throughout the years, Amerindian communities have had steady development, but the action by the Opposition has put a “spanner in the process”.

Toshao Shane Cornelius expressed similar sentiments, contending that the Opposition should consider all the struggles endured by the indigenous people,

and reconsider their position on the Amerindian Development Fund.

Meanwhile, Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai, who was also at the scene, said the action by the Opposition is a serious blow to the development of the indigenous people.

She maintained that from the $1.1 billion that was “illegally” removed from the budget, $796 million was earmarked for the provision of training and stipends for Community Service Officers (CSO) under the Young Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP).

These officers, she further explained, functioned in varying capacities in their communities, with some playing integral roles in the education and health sectors.

Severe impact

“Denying Amerindian youth a chance to advance within their own community has a severe impact on them,” she said, as she condemned the action of APNU and AFC.

She also posited that several projects geared towards the economic development of Amerindian communities are “out of the window” because of the disapproval of the budgeted allocations.

Sukhai indicated that the move by the Opposition is the “most disrespectful and damning action against Amerindians” in the annals of Guyana’s history.

The entire $1.1 billion capital expenditure, incorporated in the Amerindian Development Fund for the Amerindian Affairs Ministry, on Thursday, received the thumbs down by the parliamentary Opposition.

APNU and the AFC had contended that the money is being used by the administration for political purposes. The fund was implemented in 2013 by the Amerindian Affairs Ministry, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme and was expected to benefit some 180 Amerindian communities across the 10 administrative regions.

During the consideration of the budget estimates, both APNU and AFC Members of Parliament (MPs) grilled Minister Sukhai on the use of the money directed for the project, to which she responded to all their queries.

APNU’s Shadow Minister of Local Government Ronald Bulkan had said the money was voted against because the coalition was reliably informed that it was being used to “buy” Amerindian communities in the hinterland region.

Rohee had to put Green Jah in he place

Every time some ting bad happen, is then some body does suddenly get a bright idea. Usually is dem politicians, and especially when dem deh in Parliament. None a dem does tink of any ting to prevent whah could happen. Every body does react after de fact.

One man get kidnap and Green Jah wanna get a special unit to handle kidnappin. This is a old soldier who ain’t even know a unit done deh in place. Rohee had to put Green Jah in he place. Only God in heaven know how a man like this could wanna be de Prezzi.

Harding seh de police rape he wid a baton. Only God in heaven know how that coulda happen. Musbe de baton was small or de other ting was big. And NoGel Hughly still ain’t produce de medical from Jamaica. When de story buss out, Green Jah call fuh commission of inquiry. Green Jah call fuh another inquiry over some kinda crime spree. But Green Jah limit de time to a certain period. Green Jah musbe smart fuh some people some of de time, but he ain’t smart fuh all people all de time. Only God in heaven know why Green Jah wanna limit de time. De problem is that Green Jah only want inquiry whah suit he. But every time he realise that de commission gon expose he party wotlessness, he does back off quick. De Linden Commission of Inquiry was one example. Green Jah and he people call fuh it and dem bawl fuh it till dem get it. Dem even choose de people who dem want fuh it. When Green Jah realise that de findins expose he and he party, dem start to back out. Only God in heaven know whah dem had expect to find out when dem know dem was wrong.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! De same ting happen wid de Rodney inquiry. Green Jah name might get call. So he ain’t want de inquiry no more. But who de cap fit gon have to wear it.

Judges

inconsistent in NA karaoke competition

Inconsistency in reviews from the judges has now become a major concern of competitors in the “Banks Premium Beer Karaoke Competition” in New Amsterdam as week three ended on Saturday night.

The one-month long competition which started with 25 contestants on March 26 is now down to 13.

On Saturday, there were periods where the MC had to wait for several minutes and repeatedly asked the audience to be quiet following comments by the judges after the performances.

One Judge, Alfred Pettie, told “Miss Kim” after her performance of “As Soon As I Hang Up The Phone”, that she will not be getting full points because the song was performed before in the competition.

However, another competitor “Dennis”, who performed UB40’s “Kingston Town” was told by the same judge that his performance was good. The song was sung by another competitor last Wednesday.

Another Judge, Lisa Wrong, who made her first appearance at the judges' table, was the most disliked, as most of her com -

ments were harsh.

A third judge, Shane Lindie, who was not at the table for most of “O‘Desiree’s” performance as she sang the third song of the evening “Killing Me Softly”, said her outfit was awful.

This did not go down well with the audience as they thought that the red dress O‘Desiree’s wore was the most elegant, compared to the other contestants.

The evening saw one more performer being booted as each contestant was required to sing two songs of their choice. Shevon Castello was back in the top five as she gave one of the better performances singing “Take A Bow”.

Meanwhile, George Cush gave the audience and the judges a breathtaking performance “Stuck On You”, and then returned with Billy Ocean’s “Suddenly”, sending the audience in a frenzy. The competition is now down to 13 contestants and the level has improved over the past three weeks, with each contender being required to perform four songs. More excitement can be expected as one more person leaves the competition on Wednesday.

Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai on the picket line

Aviation body says budget blanks its proposals

– disappointed in cuts to CJIA expansion

The Aircraft Owners’ Association of Guyana (AOAG) is disappointed that none of its proposals for the development of the local industry was addressed in this year’s budget. It also views as perplexing the Opposition’s decision to cut funding for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project.

In a statement on Monday, the body noted that following the National Economic Forum last July, hosted by the Government and in which the Parliamentary Opposition participated, a comprehensive Policy Proposal and Action Plan for the Aviation Industry was submitted to the Competitive Strategy Steering Committee, and was subsequently approved by the National Competitive Strategy Council chaired by President Donald Ramotar.

The AOAG said it was, therefore, disappointed, that the recommendations urged by the aviation industry for the development of this vital economic sector received minimal recognition in this year’s budget. The body was also let down by the Opposition’s cutting of the entire aviation budget, including the CJIA expansion programme, which is fully supported by both the aviation and tourism industries.

The Policy Proposal includes a menu of measures –all of which are well within the financial reach of the na-

Aviation Administration)/ International Aviation Safety Assessments (IASA) status; and sustained hinterland airstrip development to accommodate larger aircraft.

The AOAG said it looks forward to the National Assembly seriously addressing the aviation industry’s development in a constructive and comprehensive manner if Guyana is to be expected to meet its developmental objectives and obligations, particularly with regard to the servicing of hinterland communities and the mining, forestry and tourism industries.

tion – essential for Guyana to conform to the requirements and practices of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Inexplicably, these proposals have been ignored in the budget.

Urgent recommendations

Urgent among the recommendations are: independent aircraft accident investigation and prompt public reporting of probe findings and actions taken by the Guyana Civil Aviation Association (GCAA); a national search and rescue system with appropriate protocols under the Civil Defence Commission; strengthening of GCAA’s institutional capacity in order to achieve and maintain a Category One U.S. FAA (Federal

The Opposition, using its one-seat majority, on April 10 voted against the budgetary allocation of $6.5 billion for the CJIA expansion project. The vote also affected funding for other aviation activities as $235 million was budgeted under the same heading, for hinterland airstrips’ rehabilitation, as well as for the GCAA.

Perplexing

Prominent aviator Captain Gerry Gouveia said he was very perplexed by the development, as tourism bodies have been calling for investments in the sector. “I really cannot fathom why they would interfere with the aviation budget that got to do with tourism and the creation of new jobs,” he reiterated.

The CJIA expansion is regarded as a major developmental project that will see Guyana’s main port boosting its runway to a total of 10,800 feet to accommodate large transatlantic aircraft; the construction of a new terminal building, eight boarding bridges, elevators, escalators, and three dimensional x-ray scanners, and the installation of new flight information and security monitoring systems.

The hinterland airstrips play a vital role in the development of the administrative regions, and their maintenance is critical to the movement of goods and people in and out of the regions. These projects suffered cuts in 2013, when the Opposition voted to slash the entire $5.6 billion allocation to the transport sector programme, of which $5.3 billion was budgeted for the upgrade, expansion and modernisation of the CJIA; $248 million for the rehabilitation of airstrips in Matthews Ridge, Imbaimadai and Kamarang, and the maintenance of 43 airstrips in Regions One, Two, Seven, Eight and Nine; and $80 million to procure an Automated Dependent Surveillance Broadcast to bring precision and reliability of satellite-based surveillance to Guyana’s national airspace. The servicing of the European Union loan for the Ogle aerodrome modernisation was also affected.

Anti-Kidnapping Unit in existence – Rohee

Calls for the establishment of an AntiKidnapping Unit was on Monday addressed by Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, who told a press briefing that such a unit already exists within the Guyana Police Force.

PPP/C prepared to face the electorate – Rohee

The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Central Committee has recently discussed its preparedness to face the electorate if Local Government or National Elections are called.

“The role and militancy of the women and youth arms… were discussed and broad guidelines and directions given on the way forward,” PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee told media operatives during a press conference at Freedom House on Monday.

He said too that much emphasis is being placed on strengthening the party, both organisationally and ideologically, in order to respond effectively to the challenges on the ground.

in particular the Kaieteur News, of their frequent attacks against the PPP/C Government, stating that the party underscored the importance of greater unity in wake of the move by Opposition elements to destabilise the party.

Although former President Bharat Jagdeo was present at the meeting and contributed to the discussion, Rohee said he did not participate in formalising the statement that he (Rohee) read. The Home Affairs Minister, however, declined to single out comments specifically made by the former President. Jagdeo has been a target of the Kaieteur News.

“It amazes me that the Opposition does not know there exists an AntiKidnapping Unit in the Guyana Police Force,” Rohee said. However, when questioned about the composition of the unit, he did not answer.

Home Affairs Minister said: “I can’t say, I can’t say… I think those questions you would want to ask the police. I am not the Commissioner of Police; I am the Minister of Home Affairs.”

When asked how many members are in the unit or who heads the unit, the

He added: “I was told that there is an Anti-Kidnapping Unit in the Police Force and I would find it strange that

after so many years and so many experiences, we don’t have such a unit.”

Over the weekend, the Opposition advocated for the establishment of the unit in wake of the recent kidnapping and subsequent killing of Enmore businessman Rajendra Singh.

Rohee said too that the Central Committee also condemned the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Alliance For Change (AFC) for using their oneseat majority in the National Assembly to amend the $220 billion budget. He explained that the committee took note of acts by the Opposition to derail the developmental agenda of the PPP/C administration by cutting budgetary allocations for the Ministries of Amerindians Affairs, Transport and Health.

He said too that the committee was highly critical of the Opposition media

But despite the negative forces, the Central Committee praised the Donald Ramotar administration for the substantial gains made in fostering economic growth. Rohee said too that the Government has been improving the standard of living of all Guyanese in the face of the “hostile parliamentary Opposition and a less than favourable external environment”.

Although the Opposition has accused the Government of presenting a budget that does not have a human face, the PPP/C remains firm that the budget presented by Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh seeks to foster a better life for all Guyanese.

Prominent aviator Captain Gerry Gouveia said he was very perplexed by the development, as tourism bodies have been calling for investments in the sector

PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee

tuesday, april 15, 2014

Opposition puts 2000 Amerindians on the breadline — PPP/C

The lives of 2000 young Amerindians have been placed on the breadline due to the Opposition is move to axe the $1.1 billion budgeted by the Donald Ramotar administration for Amerindian development.

Hinterland Community Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (CMRV) Project Manager Bryan Allicock, who hails from Region Nine, made this disclosure during a press conference at Freedom House on Monday.

He said in one of their most relentless attacks, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Alliance For Change (AFC) have launched a heartless attack on the indigenous population by using their one-seat majority in the National Assembly to disapprove the $1.1 billion for Amerindian development.

It was pointed out that part of the allocation was budgeted for the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP). Through this programme, more than 2000 young Amerindians are employed to manage and develop community projects; an initiative which has been overwhelmingly endorsed by Amerindian leaders across the country. “They are currently working without being paid,” he told media operatives, explaining

that they were expected to be paid upon the approval of the budget.

Allicock contended that APNU and AFC have been hypocritical in their actions, calling for job creation on one hand and cutting funds for developmental initiatives on the other.

“Instead of contributing to the human and social capital of their villages, these young people will now be forced to leave their families and seek opportunities elsewhere, thereby compromising their village development,” he said.

Key projects

The $1.1 billion was also budgeted to facilitate other key programmes such as the Secure Livelihood Initiative in Region One and grants to 10 villages to support ecotourism projects. Allicock said it was shocking to see Amerindian Members of Parliament (MPs) on the Opposition side of the House voting against funds for Amerindian development.

“This cutting your nose to spoil your face mentality by the Opposition is hard to comprehend, especially when the Opposition claims that the Government has been neglecting the hinterland.”

He said it is sad to know that Amerindians account for 10 per cent of the population and they cannot get one

per cent of the budget.

The Opposition had accused the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) of using the Amerindian Development Fund for political purposes, but according to Allicock, their arguments are baseless.

According to Allicock, the PPP/C will become the party with the largest composition of Amerindians because of its unwavering support to the Amerindian development.

PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee said, “We will continue fighting, we will continue pressing because nothing comes without a struggle,” when asked what mechanisms are in place to cushion the impacts of non-budgetary support for Amerindian development.

Rohee said while the PPP/C does not have a lot of funds, it will continue to work with the Amerindian people.

“We will continue fighting with our Amerindian brothers and sisters so that they can get what is due to them….We don’t have money, really but we would expect that the Government through some innovative measures find resources… to make sure they live a happy life like persons on the coastland,” he further added.

APNU in outreach to Rose Hall

APartnership for National Unity (APNU) continued with its countrywide outreach campaign over the weekend with public meetings at Rose Hall, East Berbice Corentyne.

The speakers were Leader of the Opposition, Retired Brigadier David Granger, and APNU’s Members of Parliament (MPs) Basil Williams, Volda Lawrence, Christopher Jones and Dr Rishi Thakur. According to an APNU release, the main focus of the meeting was the 2014 Budget. Granger told the gathering that the 2014 Budget has failed to present a comprehensive financial plan for the development of the material resources and for the improvement of the

Still many bottlenecks to eliminating HIV stigma – regional consultation hears

“Weneed results. It is time for accelerated action,” said St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister and Chair of the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), Dr Denzil Douglas.

The Prime Minister was speaking at the official opening of the Caribbean consultation on Justice for All and Human Rights Agenda, in Kingston, Jamaica, on Wednesday.

Dr Douglas noted that 10 years since the landmark DFID/PANCAP Conference on stigma and discrimination, the bottlenecks and barriers to eliminating stigma and discrimination have not been fully identified, notwithstanding the establishment of a Stigma and Discrimination Unit.

The message of concerted and urgent action to promote social inclusion to reduce stigma and eliminative discrimination resonated in the various presentations.

These presentations came from Global Fund Executive Director, Dr Mark Dybul; Jamaica Justice Minister, Dr Mark Golding; UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Dr Luiz Loures;

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Heath Director Mandeep Dhaliwal; University of the West Indies, Mona campus, Vice Principal, Professor Archibald McDonald; Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition Executive Director, Dr Carolyn Gomes; and former Australian Chief Justice Michael Kirby, who delivered the keynote address.

According to Dr Dybul: “We cannot beat the epidemic unless we welcome all people into the human family.”

Noting that Justice for All provides the pillars for eliminating stigma and discrimination thereby leaving no one behind, the Director

added that the Caribbean had the tools to completely control the epidemic, this is a “historic moment”, he added.

Dr Loures, in reiterating the call for social inclusion, referred to the major contradiction in the global response, noting that the Caribbean was part of this contradiction. While major progress has been made, the contradiction of discrimination, where some people are left behind, still existed.

Change in business

“We need a change in business now,” he stated and urged the consultation to set complete targets which dealt with discrimination.

In his keynote address, Justice Kirby charged the meeting to go beyond the drawing board to make change happen. He identified a number of steps including basing policies on good science; reaching out to those who are most affected and at risk and speaking in their language.

Justice Kirby urged the meeting to act with courage and urgency. In drawing attention to the need for second and third line treatment, the former Chief Justice said “we are reaching a crucial mo-

ment in treatment; science is beginning to show that first line treatment is not as effective”. At the same time, he called attention to the importance of improving patent law, adding that the universal right to access health must be reconciled with the universal right to recognition for intellectual property.

The three-day consultation will, among other things, consider updates and outcomes of the key Caribbean milestones on HIV-related human rights and the setting up of a policy and advocacy monitoring group for the Justice for All Programme.

The expected outcome is a PANCAP Justice for All Roadmap which identifies concrete programmes and policies to dismantle structural barriers that deny human rights and impact vulnerability.

The consultation is being coordinated by the PANCAP Coordinating Unit in collaboration with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), the Government of Jamaica and the University of the West Indies, with funding support from the Global Fund for Tuberculosis, AIDS and Malaria (GFATM).

quality of life for the ordinary people.

APNU speakers called on the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration to reduce the Berbice River Bridge toll; to increase the Old Age Pension and public assistance; to increase public servants’ salaries. Calls were also made for the restructuring of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), to ensure it becomes a viable company.

Jones, for his part, noted the absence of a National Youth Policy. “Young people in Guyana want good paying jobs, but sadly this budget says nothing and offers nothing in the way of job creation,” he told the gathering.

APNU also called for the introduction of programmes

to relieve the plight of depressed communities and for the immediate introduction of a National Procurement Commission.

It urged the PPP/C Administration to make changes to the 2014 Budget for the public good.

In his presentation, Basil Williams said the people of Guyana deserved a budget that would lower the cost of living, stimulate growth, and improve the quality of life for the working man and woman.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Opposition Leader along with Opposition Chief Whip Amna Ally joined Buxton residents Maurice Wilson and Joycelyn Wilson to distribute kites to the children of the village. More than 200 kites were distributed.

Taxi driver remanded for simple larceny

A31-year-old taxi driver was on Monday remanded to prison by Magistrate Ann McLennan when he appeared before her at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged with the offence of simple larceny.

Particulars of the case read that the Virtual Complainant Ashraf Alli on November 7, 2013, parked his car in front of the Guyana Revenue Authority on Camp Street after which he proceeded into the building to conduct personal matters.

On his return to his vehicle, Alli observed that his car window was broken and a sum of $196,000, which was left in his car, was missing.

He contacted the police who took casts of the fingerprints which were present on the broken window and sent them for analysis. The fingerprints were

ran against the passport database and it was found that they matched those of Jason Hunt, a taxi driver who resides at 44 Grove, East Bank Demerara. He was subsequently approached, told of the offence, and arrested.

Defence Counsel Paul Fung-A-Fat, who represented the accused, stated that his client, a husband and a father of one, had no previous brushes with the law. He also questioned the reliability of the fingerprint analysis, noting that alone cannot convict his client. The Attorney then requested reasonable bail for his client.

Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones objected to bail, citing the nature, gravity, and prevalence of the offence.

Hunt is expected to return to court on May 13 for fixtures and reports.

Opposition Leader, Retired Brigadier David Granger interacting with residents of Rose Hall

PANCAP Chair, Dr Denzil Douglas

Heavy rains predicted for next three days

Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy has revealed that the weather forecast for the next three days has indicated that there will be significant amounts of rainfall, especially in agricultural areas.

He cautioned residents not to be misinformed since he has received questions from all parts of the country querying whether the May/ June rainy season has commenced, as heavy rain fall is being experienced in many areas.

“May/ June rain is scheduled but our forecasters at this time, together with those in the United States who would have been the most equipped and experienced, have through the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted that 2014 would be characterised by an El

Nino (extremely hot and dry weather) and this will begin to develop more seriously in July and August, peaking in October to December,” he informed.

An advisory has been issued by the Caribbean Climatology Organisation and the Caribbean Hydro Meteorology based in Barbados, warning that there is a strong possibility that the El Nino conditions can be expected.

“Whilst our weather condition as of right now is controlled by what is called an ENSO (neutral condition), meaning you could have normal amount of rain or a bit higher and lower at this time, what is emerging is an El Nino condition,” he related.

Customs officer arrested for cocaine in mail bag

Acustoms officer attached to the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) at Timehri was on Monday morning arrested in connection with the cocaine found in a mail bag on Friday at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

According to information, the young man was taken into police custody after a thorough investigation following the bust, which unearthed 644 grams of cocaine in several envelopes in a mail bag.

The bag was about to be loaded onto a Caribbean Airlines flight bound for the John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK).

Based on reports, Police Narcotics Branch ranks were conducting a routine

search when the illegal substance was discovered in several envelopes. Suspicions reportedly were roused after the officer did not turn up for work the day after the discovery. He was reportedly contacted and interrogated, but denied having any knowledge of the cocaine.

In a similar incident in May 2013, a 19-year-old employee of the GPOC at the CJIA was charged following the discovery of 15 kilograms of cocaine in a mail bag destined for the United States.

It was reported that on March 21 at the CJIA, Syaer Grantstuart worked the 06:00h to 14:00h shift and went home, but returned to the mail bond with a bag in his possession

about 22:30h.

He subsequently asked the security guard on duty at the time to allow him access to the bond, since he had forgotten his mobile phone.

The security guard was kind enough to allow him into the bond without searching his bag, and after spending almost 10 minutes, he left.

On March 22, the bag containing the mail was being prepared to be taken on board a Caribbean Airlines flight when Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) ranks realised that the weight affixed on the tag of the mail bag did not match the actual weight.

This prompted them to check the bag and the illegal substance was discovered.

Two hospitalised after North Road smash-up

Avisually-impaired woman and a taxi driver are now patients of the Georgetown Public Hospital nursing injuries about their bodies after the car in which they were travelling collided with another vehicle. The injured have been identified as Damonicia Walcott, 66, and Sherwyn Weekes, 34. Up to late Monday afternoon, they were being treated at the medical facility.

Information reaching this newspaper revealed that Walcott sustained injuries to her head, arm and feet while Weekes sustained a gash to the face.

The two cars that were involved in the accident

When Guyana Times arrived on the scene, the woman was being assisted out of her car by public-spirited citizens; she was immediately rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital for a medical checkup.

Walcott was also sent for a CT scan after complaining of intense pains to the head.

According to an eyewitness, Weekes was heading west on North Road when the driver of the other vehicle, who is yet to be identified, was heading south on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive.

He said while there is no prediction that the rainy season will not come, normal or below normal conditions can be expected.

The Minister stated that as every day passes, the possibility of an El Nino condition in the Caribbean, including Guyana, increases.

“Our local weather forecasters also are predicting that we could have fairly dry weather for most of the rest of the year… so we have been taking these things into consideration in our planning,” Dr Ramsammy revealed.

He noted that either way, the Government and the Agriculture Ministry will be affected financially, whether the weather is too dry or too wet.

The Minister said additional strategies will have to be implemented to address unforeseen issues.

Dr Ramsammy also warned that though Guyana may be experiencing overall dry weather from now until December, it is important that all practise water conservation.

The Minister expressed confidence in the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), noting that the agency is working assiduously to ensure proper drainage systems are in place.

Kidnap/murder suspects likely for court on Wednesday

At least four men are expected to be charged for the kidnap and murder of Foulis Businessman, Rajendra Sunil Singh, whose body was found a few days after his abduction.

According to reports received, the men have reportedly confessed to the killing, but investigators are optimistic that they will apprehend the others involved in the incident.

A source on Monday told Guyana Times that the police are further interrogating the suspects since it is believed that they are withholding information.

He added that the men could make a court appearance as early as Wednesday.

However, the Guyana Police Force has denied ever being told the whereabouts of the Foulis businessman before he was executed by his abductors, even as it announced that six men are in custody for the crime.

The police in a release also said that it applied for extension to hold the men beyond the legal 72 hours before laying any charges against them.

Subsequently, three men confessed to the kidnap and murder. They have since revealed the identities of their accomplices to the police who have launched a manhunt to apprehend them.

Guyana Times was told that one of the two masterminds behind the kidnapping and killing was apprehended,

while the other is on the run. It is believed that two men would have orchestrated the entire incident and in turn would have contracted three other men to execute the plan. The kidnapping reportedly stemmed from the sale of several of the businessman’s properties, which led to greed for money. It is believed that the men were business associates and would frequent Singh’s house, thus, they were well aware of his business deals.

In an attempt to extort money from the businessman, the kidnappers’ plan failed. On the night in question, their main target was reportedly Singh’s teenage son whom they thought was in the car with him.

The officer also stated that after they entered the car, the businessman would have seen their faces; hence, they were left with no alternative but to take him along. They also confessed to making contact with Singh’s wife, demanding $50 million for his safe return as they believed he had the money at home.

After they realised the police had gotten involved in the matter, they reportedly lowered the ransom to $25 million.

After three days and their demands were not met, the suspects reportedly shot the businessman twice to the head aback the La Repentir Cemetery, Georgetown.

According to the eyewitness, the other driver failed to stop at the junction and subsequently slammed into the vehicle that was being driven by Weekes. The man has been driving taxis for a while now. The driver of the other vehicle escaped unharmed from the accident. Police are investigating the matter.

Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

Regional

Papal mediator put to test as Venezuelan peace talks resume

When Pietro Parolin was appointed last year by Pope Francis as the Vatican’s Secretary of State, the Cardinal said he had been entrusted with a “difficult and challenging mission”.

The Italian mediator’s diplomatic skills will be tested fully as he seeks to act as a “good faith witness” in talks that resume today between Venezuela’s Government and members of its Opposition aimed at ending the violent unrest that has left at least 41 people dead in the country over the past two months.

Opponents of Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s President, have denounced what they see as his ransacking of the oil-rich country’s economy and the crushing of dissent.

Maduro, who succeeded Hugo Chávez as President almost a year ago, has in turn accused his radical opponents of seeking to instigate – with U.S.-backing – a “fascist” coup similar to the 2002 unrest that briefly ousted his predecessor from power.

In a televised meeting

brokered by three South American Foreign Ministers and a Vatican emissary, representatives from both sides sat down to talk last week in the first big test of political maturity since the anti-government protests began.

Ramón Guillermo Aveledo, an Opposition Leader, said during the meeting on Thursday evening: “Something has gone very wrong for a meeting between the Government and the Opposition to be rare.”

He and others agreed

to talks after promises that thorny issues such as the release of jailed protesters and the establishment of a truth commission, amid allegations of human rights abuses, would be on the table. They also demanded action on Venezuela’s frighteningly high murder rate – the second-highest in the world behind that of Honduras, according to a recent United Nations report.

In a rare display of moderate statesmanship, Maduro said in closing the session

that “we have the obligation to know each other and recognise each other”.

Last week’s meeting ended without an agenda being set, even if they did promise to meet again. Protesters took to the streets of Caracas again the same evening. Despite the breakthrough of bringing the two sides together, it is another matter to find common ground in a country split roughly down the middle between pro- and anti-government supporters.

(Excerpt from Financial Times)

Third Nicaraguan tremor raises fears of quake to come

A5.1-magnitude

earthquake shook Nicaragua on Sunday night, the third quake to hit the Central American nation within a week.

Seven homes collapsed, but there have so far been no reports of any casualties.

Officials said the quakes could be an indication that the geological fault line, which runs underneath the capital, Managua, has been re-activated.

Movement in the Estadia fault caused the 1972 quake which killed at least 5000 people and devastated Managua.

Nicaragua was struck by another two earthquakes on Thursday and Friday last week, raising fears a bigger quake may hit “within days”.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said Sunday’s quake struck at 23:07 local time (05:07

GMT) some six kilometres (four miles) northwest of Managua.

The USGS said it had a magnitude of 5.1, but local seismologists put its magnitude at 5.6.

President Daniel Ortega said the quick response of residents, who fled their homes when they felt the tremor, prevented any deaths. The President said there had been reports of injuries, but did not give fur-

ther details.

Angelica Munoz of Ineter, the Nicaraguan state body which monitors tremors, said there had been nine aftershocks following Sunday’s quake.

She said one of the aftershocks had originated in the fault line which caused the 1972 earthquake, in which large parts of Managua’s city centre were destroyed and two thirds of its one million residents displaced. (BBC News)

Deadly Chile fire forces more evacuations

More than 10,000 people have been evacuated from Chile’s port city of Valparaiso to escape a moving fire that has killed at least 12 residents.

Some 1200 fire-fighters are battling the large blaze, which has destroyed hundreds of homes since Saturday.

President Michelle Bachelet put the army in charge of the evacuation after declaring the city, 110 kilometres (70 miles) west of Santiago, a disaster zone. Security forces are on the streets to maintain order and prevent looting.

Earlier, the authorities said 16 residents had died, but it turned out that one family had been counted twice.

One official said it was the “worst catastrophe” he had ever seen.

“We fear that the fire will spread to the centre of the city, which would increase the severity of the emergency,” Regional Governor Ricardo Bravo, a life-long resident of Valparaiso, said.

The old centre is a Unesco World Heritage Site, packed

with old buildings that are vulnerable to fire.

Strong Pacific coast winds have pushed the fire deeper into the neighbourhoods of Valparaiso, hampering the battle to contain the blaze.

The city is built on a series of steep hills, separated

by narrow winding streets, making the job of firefighters all the more difficult, says the BBC’s Gideon Long in Santiago. Large parts of Valparaiso are without electricity, and residents were said to be suffering from smoke inhalation. (Excerpt from BBC News)

UWI Alumni Association concerned about fees

Members of the Barbados Chapter of the UWI Alumni Association (UWIAA) have added their voices to the ongoing debate over the payment of tuition fees by students at the University of the West Indies.

“First, we wish to state that it is our firm belief that this measure should only impact new students joining the University from the next academic year and not those who are already enrolled and committed to their various courses of study. The financial situation which the country now faces developed over a period of time and, therefore, necessitated the institution of some proactive measures to avert this rather drastic step at the tertiary education level. In this regard, the members of the Executive Committee of UWIAA Barbados Chapter wish to express our concern

about the dramatic fall in applications to enter UWI for the next academic year. We are also concerned about the fall-off in the number of students currently enrolled at the campus. There is no doubt in our minds that this is a direct result of the imposition of the tuition fee for students. We deem such a significant percentage decrease in student application as an undesirable development for the University, and a negative step in the development of our country.”

The group also expressed concern over those students who could not afford to pay the fees given the current challenges. “The Government, via its Minister of Finance, spoke some months ago about a safety net for this category of student, but, to date, there has been no further communication on this important issue.” (Excerpt from Barbados Advocate)

TT: Dad kills toddlers

The gruesome discovery of the dead bodies of a man and his two toddlers at the side of a trace in Matura at 06:00h on Sunday rocked the quiet East Coast village. According to police reports, a pumpkin farmer found the bodies near his garden in Mora Trace, off the village’s main road.

A bottle of herbicide believed to be gramoxone was on the ground near them and police suspect it may have been a case of murder/suicide, in which Barry Karimath, 34, poisoned his two-year-old daughter, Keyanna Mayers and 10-month-old son, Omari Mayers. Karimath, police said, lives in the South and the children lived with their mother, 24-year-old Okilia Mayers, in Barataria.

Karimath had custody of the children on Saturday. He owned a Black Mazda 323, but the vehicle was nowhere in sight. How he ended up in

Matura is yet to be known. The farmer said around 21:30h on Saturday, he went to his “joupa” (hut) in his garden to spend the night and saw Karimath standing near the trace with Keyanna and Omari. Curious, he asked what he was doing there and Karimath replied he had paid a woman TT$6000 for a bush bath and he was waiting for her.

The farmer said he retired for the night and when he rose at six the next morning, he saw the dead bodies of the man and two children and called the police.

The police found Karimath’s cellphone and called the children’s mother who said she had tried calling him after midnight, but he had not answered. She said she had texted him and he sent back a message saying he was going to kill himself and the children. (Excerpt from TT Guardian)

Vatican’s Secretary of State Pietro Parolin is expected to bring the two sides together

Okilia Mayers, right, is consoled by her sister Okeisha after her two-year-old daughter, Keyanna and 10-month-old son, Omari were found dead with their father Barry Karimath

Ukraine’s east braces for military operation

Towns in eastern Ukraine are bracing for military action from Government forces as a deadline passed for proRussian separatists to disarm and end their occupation of state buildings or face a major “anti-terrorist” operation.

As the 09:00h deadline issued by authorities in Kiev expired on Monday, Reuters news agency reported that there was no outward sign the rebels were complying with the ultimatum in the city of Slovyansk.

Angered by the death of a state security officer and the wounding of two comrades near Slovyansk, acting President Oleksander Turchinov warned rebels on Sunday that a full-scale security operation that

would include the army, would be unleashed unless they met the deadline.

Turchinov and other leaders blame Russia, which annexed Ukraine’s Crimea region when Moscow-

backed former President Viktor Yanukovich fled after months of pro-Western protests, for inspiring and organising a rash of rebellion in Slovyansk and other Russian-speaking towns in

eastern Ukraine.

“We will not allow Russia to repeat the Crimean scenario in the eastern regions of Ukraine,” Turchinov said on Sunday night.

The crisis has brought relations between Russia and Western countries to their lowest point since the end of the Cold War in 1991, and also carries a risk of unleashing a “gas war” which could disrupt energy supplies across Europe.

Use of force by Kiev’s pro-Europe authorities could trigger a fresh confrontation from Russia. Russia’s Foreign Ministry called the planned military operation a “criminal order” and said Western countries should bring their allies in Ukraine’s Government under control. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Search for missing MH370 moves underwater

An autonomous underwater vehicle is to be deployed in the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane after nearly six weeks of fruitless searching, the head of the Australian agency supervising the search says.

Searchers said on Monday they were confident they knew the approximate position of wreckage of the Boeing 777, some 1550 kilometres northwest of Perth, and said they were moving ahead on the basis of four acoustic signals they believe were from its black

box recorders.

“Despite the lack of further detections, the four signals previously acquired taken together constitute the most promising lead we have in the search for MH370,” Angus Houston, the Australian Search Chief, told reporters in Perth.

“The experts have, therefore, determined that the Australian Ocean Shield will cease searching with a towed pinger locator later today and deploy the autonomous underwater vehicle, “Bluefin-21”, as soon as

possible,” he said, referring to the U.S. Navy device designed to detect the tell-tale “pings”.

The batteries in the plane’s black box are now two weeks past their 30-day expected life and searchers will be relying on sonar and cameras on the “Bluefin-21” to detect the box.

Houston said although an oil slick was located in the search area on Sunday evening, he was pessimistic about the likelihood of finding any of the floating debris.

“The chances of any

India’s BJP Opposition party heading for majority – opinion poll

India’s Hindu nationalist BJP Opposition party and its allies are set to win a narrow majority in the world’s largest democratic election, the latest opinion poll showed on Monday.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, led by prime ministerial hopeful Narendra Modi, and its allies have until now been forecast to win the largest chunk of the 543 parliamentary seats, but fall short of the 272-seat mark needed for a majority.

That would force them to seek a coalition with some of India’s increasingly powerful regional parties.

But a poll for the private news channel NDTV showed the BJP and its allies winning a narrow majority of 275 seats. That would be an increase of 16 seats since the last NDTV poll a little over a week ago.

Indian elections are notoriously hard to call; however, due to the country’s diverse electorate and a parliamentary system in which local candidates hold

great sway.

Opinion polls in 2004 wrongly predicted victory for a BJP-led alliance and in 2009, underestimated the winning margin of the ruling Congress party.

Modi, Chief Minister of the western state of Gujarat, has been wooing voters by promising to get India out of its slowest eco-

nomic growth in a decade and by pointing to his track record of cutting red tape and attracting investment in his state.

Yet his image remains tarnished by HinduMuslim riots in Gujarat on his watch 12 years ago, in which more than 1000 people – most of them Muslims – were killed. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Nigeria violence: More

than 70 killed in Abuja bus

More than 70 people have been killed in a bomb blast at a crowded bus station on the outskirts of Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, officials say.

The explosion happened as commuters were about to board buses and taxis to go to work in central Abuja, the BBC’s Haruna Tangaza reports.

Eyewitnesses said there were dead bodies scattered around the area.

Suspicion immediately fell on the Boko Haram Islamist militant group, which has staged previous attacks in Abuja.

However, most of its attacks have been in the north-east of the country.

floating material being recovered have greatly diminished and it will be appropriate to confer with Australia’s partners to decide the way ahead later this week,” Houston said. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Officials earlier said two separate blasts had ripped through the terminal, but later said the damage may have been caused by just one bomb.

Abbas Idris, head of the Abuja Emergency Relief Agency, told the BBC that so far they have confirmed

blast

71 people dead and 124 injured.

Police Spokesman Frank Mba gave the same figures, adding that 16 luxury coaches and 24 minibuses had been destroyed.

Eyewitness Badamasi Nyanya said he had seen 40 bodies being evacuated; other eyewitnesses say they saw rescue workers and police gathering body parts.

Investigators believe the explosives may have been inside a vehicle, according to Charles Otegbade of the Nigerian Emergency Management Agency (Nema).

The blast ripped a hole four feet deep (1.2 metres) in the ground of Nyanya Motor Park, some 16 kilometres (10 miles) from the city centre, and destroyed more than 30 vehicles, causing secondary explosions as their fuel tanks ignited and burned, the Associated Press news agency reports. (Excerpt from BBC News)

The separatists maintained their barricades into Monday’s deadline (Reuters)

A supporter of Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi, prime ministerial candidate for India’s main Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), holds a party flag during an election campaign rally addressed by Modi in the southern Indian city of Chennai on Sunday

TUESday, april 15, 2014| gUyanaTimESgy.com

FAO urges greater action against destructive banana disease

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is warning countries to step up monitoring, reporting and prevention of one of the world’s most destructive banana diseases, Fusarium wilt, which recently spread from Asia to Africa and the Middle East, and has the potential to affect countries in Latin America.

The TR4 race of the disease, which is also known as Panama disease, is posing a serious threat to production and export of the popular fruit, with serious repercussions for the banana value chain and livelihoods, FAO said in an information brief.

Data gathering Banana is the eighth most important food crop in the world and the fourth most important food crop among the world’s least-developed countries, according to FAOSTAT, the UN agency’s data-gathering and analysis service.

“Any disease or constraint that affects bananas is striking at an important source of food, livelihoods, employment and Government revenues in many tropical countries,” said Gianluca Gondolini, Secretary of the World Banana Forum. The forum, whose secretariat is based at FAO headquarters, promotes sustainable banana production and trade.

“The spread of Fusarium wilt banana disease could have a significant impact on growers, traders and families who depend on the banana industry,” Fazil Dusunceli, a plant pathologist at FAO, said. “Countries need to act now if we are to avoid the worst-case scenario, which is massive destruction of much of the world’s banana crop,” said Dusunceli.

At the country level, FAO specifically advises awareness raising at all lev-

els and adoption of appropriate risk assessment, surveillance and early warning systems; implementation of phytosanitary measures to prevent the spread of the disease through agricultural practices, irrigation and drainage systems, transportation, vehicles, containers, tools or visitors; preventive measures, including quarantines, the use of disease-free planting materials, prevention of movement of infected soil and planting materials into and out of farms, and disinfection of vehicles; capacitybuilding in National Plant Protection Organisations (NPPO) in planning, extension and research, including the use of rapid and accurate diagnostic tools; training of technical officers, producers and farm workers in disease identification, prevention and management under field conditions; and appropriate instructions to visitors.

and the fungus can remain viable for decades. Once the disease is present in a field, it cannot be fully controlled by currently available practices and fungicides.

The best way to fight the disease is to prevent its spread, which includes avoiding movement of diseased plant materials and infected soil particles.

“We need to raise awareness of this threat, coordinate efforts among countries and institutions for effective implementation of appropriate quarantine measures, and also work with banana producers, traders, plantation employees and smallholder farmers to help to minimise the spread of the disease,” Dusunceli said. He also highlighted the importance of research in better understanding the disease and developing alternative varieties that are disease resistant.

FAO’s information note stresses the importance of

While other races of the disease have existed for many years, TR4 has caused significant losses in banana plantations in Southeast Asia over the last two decades, and has recently been reported in Mozambique and Jordan.

TR4 infects the Cavendish banana varieties, which dominate global trade, as well as other susceptible varieties used for local consumption and markets. Despite damage to the banana plant and to production, the fruit itself remains edible.

Fusarium wilt is caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum fsp cubense (Foc). The disease is soil-borne

using disease-free seedlings and avoiding movement of infected soil and planting materials into, and out of farms, through transportation, visitors or other means. “A concerted effort is required from stakeholders including the industry, research institutions, governments and international organisations to prevent spread of the disease,” the note reads.

FAO and its partners, including the World Banana Forum (WBF), the scientific community and the banana industry are among those making efforts to increase awareness of the inherent threat of TR4.

Fire Service receives ambulances

TMinistry on Monday handed over two ambulances, each costing $7.8 million to the Guyana Fire Service (GFS). These vehicles will be complemented with a core of trained medical attendants and first aiders.

This intervention will aid in one of the service’s key areas of work, search and rescue, which the Ministry has been working towards establishing. Speaking at the brief ceremony in front of the Ministry’s building, Brickdam, Chief Fire Officer Marlon Gentle in highlighting the main functions carried out by the GFS, said, “The Guyana Fire Service has its role and functions, it operates under three umbrellas, the first and primary one being the extinction of fires, and the protection of lives and properties from fires, the second one, being the saving of lives and of course the third one, aiding

the sick and the injured.”

He said he was pleased to know that the service can now return to carrying out its third function effectively, aiding the sick and the injured and at the same time rendering humanitarian services to the Guyanese population. Gentle added that sometimes the fire service teams find themselves at a disadvantage due to the fact that they are faced with the need for emergency medical attention on the scene, but do not have the necessary equipment, however, this will no longer be a problem.

He noted that two years ago at the officers’ retreat, the issue of getting back into the ambulance service was raised and the proposals were put forward and accepted by the Government and procurement of these ambulances began last year.

The Fire Chief expressed gratitude to Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee

and the Ministry for this intervention and highlighted that the vehicles should be out on the roads as soon as next month.

Minister Rohee noted that the funding for these vehicles was provided in the 2013 budget, and in this year’s budget, money was also allocated for the procurement of two other such vehicles. The Minister termed the hand over a historic event in the record of the Fire Service. “The Guyana Fire Service is now, re-embracing and rediscovering that service that was once provided in the 1950s, when it was then known as the Guyana Fire and Ambulance Service.”

He added that the service will proceed in the direction of establishing a Guyana Fire and Rescue Service, noting that the ambulances are a manifestation of the fact that the service is indeed moving in that direction.

Bouterse holds on to slender majority

The ruling Mega Combination coalition Government has booted out one of its members after accusing it of playing “blackmail politics”.

Leader of Pertjajah Luhur (PL) party, Paul Somohardjo, confirmed that his organisation, which

had six seats, was no longer a member of the coalition, leaving President Desi Bouterse with just a slender one-seat majority in the 51-member National Assembly.

Ministers belonging to the PL party have been asked to vacate their ministerial portfolios. In a state-

ment Monday, President Bouterse said that the remaining party would continue to be part of the Government as agreed in the 2010 agreement.

Bouterse’s National Democratic Party (NDP) holds 23 seats and former rebellion leader Ronny Brunswijk’s A-Combination

(ABOP) has three seats, giving the coalition a slender majority in the Parliament. In 2012, the Niew Suriname party left the coalition.

Political observers say the split in the coalition was no surprise, indicating that there had been visible cracks since the 2010 general elections. (CMC)

The spread of Fusarium wilt banana disease could have a significant impact on growers, traders and families who depend on the banana industry

World Banana Forum Secretary Gianluca Gondolini

he Home Affairs

Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, along with senior Guyana Force Service officers inspecting the interior of one of the vehicles

Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, Chief Fire Officer Marlon Gentle, along with staff of the

Ministry, the Guyana Fire Service and the newly-trained medical attendants posing for a group photograph

President Desi Bouterse

Budgetary allocations approved for Regions Six to 10

As the consideration for the 2014 Budget Estimates continues in the National Assembly, the combined parliamentary Opposition on Monday approved allocations to Regions Six to 10, amounting to a total of $10,764,389,000.

During the session, acting Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker was grilled by the combined Opposition on a number line items, particularly increases in salaries and wages, security guards, construction works, vehicles and buildings maintenance.

Programmes

The five regions contained four programmes namely regional administration and finance, public works, education delivery and health services, for which both the current and capital expenditure were reviewed by members, who sought answers for increased sums and works to be done.

Regions Nine and Six had an additional programme of agriculture.

The Minister adequately answered the queries and promised to hand over details that were requested by the Opposition. The monies for this region were subsequently approved to the tune of $4.4 billion.

Under this region, the current and capital expenditure for the regional administration and finance amounted to some $134,551,000, while the total for agriculture was $611,752,000.

Some $296,993,000 was approved for public works.

A whopping $2,305,493,000 was approved for education delivery and $1,132,806,000 for health services in this region.

The estimates for Region Seven were considered and approved after brief questioning. Some $145,959,000 will go to regional administration and finance; $162,993,000 to public works; $933,154,000 to education delivery; and $378,702,000 for health services, bringing the total cleared for the region to $1.6 billion.

Meanwhile, the

The House then returned to the Committee of Supply as the consideration got underway with the funds for Region Six. This saw the Minister being grilled by Alliance For Change (AFC) parliamentarian, Dr Veersammy Ramayya, on security enhancement, monies for fuel and lubricants and employee increases.

Opposition approved some $944,777,000 for Region Eight, but not before bombarding the acting Local Government Minister being with a series of questions on education delivery by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament June Marcello.

Whittaker said rehabilitation works are to be done at Monkey Mountain and Mahdia secondary schools, while the Mahdia dormitory will be upgraded.

He was also questioned the increase in fuel expenses, which he explained is as a result of an additional 12 hours of electricity generation provided to Mahdia and

Paramakatoi.

This generation increase was primarily to sustain the information technology laboratory at the Paramakatoi School

Whittaker was also asked about the completion of the teachers’ quarter at Mahdia, which he noted is a rolled over project and needs some $4 million to be completed.

The regional administration and finance item saw a total of $81,673,000 being approved, and public works getting $150,631,000, education delivery receiving $518,943,000, and health services being given $193,530,000. The Region

Eight allocations totalled some $944 million, receiving the blessings of the Opposition.

As it relates to Region Nine, while Opposition members had queries, there was not much and the committee approved of the $1.4 billion budgeted for this region.

The regional administration and finance was given $117,830,000; agriculture $42,457,000; public works $271,547,000; education delivery $765,209,000, and health services $264,371,000.

On Region 10, APNU MP Vanessa Kissoon questioned the Minister about the Regional Chairman’s vehicle, which she noted has been out for order for over a year.

Whittaker acknowledged that the vehicle is down and noted that it is in the workshop; however, he could not say how soon it will be available for the Chairman to use.

Most of the questions under this region was under the public works line item and were raised by Kissoon and fellow APNU MP Renis Morian.

Kissoon questioned the acting Local Government Minister about road works to be done in Amelia’s Ward,

Mining firm plugs $1M into police Albouystown project

Dean Hassan and investors of Tesouro Resourses on Monday donated $1 million to the Guyana Police Force towards the “Impact Albouystown Project” that was launched last Friday.

In making the presentation which was done in the presence of senior officers of the force’s management team at the Commissioner’s Conference Room, Hassan said the company is pleased to be of support to the police in the initiative and other similar projects.

Acting Commissioner Seelall Persaud expressed appreciation for the gesture, on behalf of the Guyana Police Force and the community leaders of Albouystown.

He noted that it was encouraging to see such an early response of support from the corporate community, contending that it augurs well for the implementation of the project.

Project Impact Albouystown is a collaborative effort by the Heavenly Light Full Gospel Fellowship, Masjid-anNajm and the Social Centre of Albouystown.

Speaking at the launch

last week, Persaud said the force’s main focus is on engaging the residents to deter crime and disorder, and more importantly, rooting out criminal elements in the community.

He said domestic and gender-based violence will be a priority and the Force will adopt a multi-agency approach to address the issue. Persaud said the Force

has realised that youths are not gainfully occupied; hence, there are lots of school drop outs and a high number of teenage pregnancy cases.

“Another front that will be targeted is vocational training, speakers before me spoke about persons who drop out of school and are liming by the street corners. We will be primar-

ily supporting activities of the Christian and Islamic organisations that are resident in Albouystown.”

He further stated that there are already a number of programmes in vocational skills training geared to equip youths with marketable skills.

In addition, Persaud told the gathering that the Police Force is in discussion

with the Prison Director to have access to all prisoners who are residents of Albouystown, with the aim of reintegrating them into the community.

He also stated that the Police Force’s projects are designed to benefit all underprivileged communities. Albouystown is affected by high levels of criminal activities, drugs and violence.

to which he stated that works will be done.

On bridges, Whittaker promised to present details of those to be upgraded.

Meanwhile, Morian also took his turn in grilling Whittaker about works to be done on roads in the region.

Upgrade The Minister revealed that along with Amelia’s Ward, upgrade works are also expected to be done in Mackenzie, Blueberry Hill and Kwakwani, including on the internal access road. At the end of it all, the total sum of $2.2 billion was approved by the Committee of Supply for the region. This sum was made up of monies directed to the regional administration and finance to the tune of $148,144,000; to public works for $280,738,000; education delivery a whopping $1,481,548,000, and $345,365,000 for health services

Last Friday, the Committee of Supply considered monies for Regions One to Five. The consideration of the 2014 Budget Estimates will continue today with the Committee of Supply scrutinising funds allocated to the Office of the President (OP) and the Office of the Prime Minister.

Four ARIEL customers are now the proud owners of their very own GE washing machine, compliments of the ARIEL Easy Wash Promotion.

ANSA McAL Trading Ltd launched the promotion in March and it concluded on Friday, April 11, with the drawing at Ashmin’s Supermarket, High Street, Georgetown. The winners are Allester Hughes of 30 A Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice; Taramattie Daby of 115 Lusignan, East Coast Demerara; Gregory Charles of 11 Delph Street, Campbellville, Georgetown; and Aniela Khan of 1427 Section B, Diamond Scheme.

This is the ninth promotion by ARIEL, which has seen many lucky persons winning great prizes, inclusive of a car, $1 million, U.S. currency, washing machines, and a year's supply of ARIEL Soap Powder. Customers are encouraged to check the press for details as the 10th ARIEL promotion will soon be launched.

Acting Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker

Tesouro Resourses investor Dean Hassan presenting the cheque to the acting Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud while other company investors look on. The child is the son of one of the investors

SUDOKU

Seek professional help if you are having a problem that appears too difficult to handle on your own. Focus on how you can make your relationship with others better.

By Bernice Bede Osol

(June 21July 22) (Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Your monetary situation is due for a shakeup. Lady Luck is looking out for you. Financial gains are apparent if you follow your instincts.

A home improvement project will go smoothly if you get everyone to pitch in. The younger members of the family will enjoy being included. Find some small tasks for them and enjoy the teamwork.

Get out of your comfort zone with a new sport or exercise. The increased activity will help your body and mind stay in top shape. An unscheduled trip could result in a romantic relationship.

(Aug. 23Sept. 22)

(July 23Aug. 22) (Feb. 20-March 20)

Added stress is causing mistakes that could end up costing you financially, emotionally, or physically. Make sure to get lots of rest before taking on more responsibility.

(March 21-April 19)

Use common sense if you are going to mix business with pleasure. Your work prospects may be damaged if you are indiscreet. Rumours and speculation could ruin your reputation.

(April 20-May 20)

You are well on your way to achieving your goals. Stay on track. Be proud of your hard work and don’t listen to negative remarks from friends or family members.

(May 21June 20)

Treat yourself to something nice. A moneymaking opportunity could be hidden in an old idea. Revive past goals and get working on a project or pastime that you’ve ignored for too long.

Make sure your explanations are crystal clear. A misinterpreted remark could cause a rift with a friend or colleague. Be especially careful when operating machinery or equipment.

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

You have been lax about following your fitness goals. Get back on track or you will be battling weakness and pounds that you’d thought conquered. A romantic involvement is likely.

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

A friend or family member is likely to complain. Get your chores out of the way, even if you are feeling under the weather, and avoid an argument.

(Nov. 23Dec. 21)

Attending an intellectual event will bring you into contact with influential people. Be truthful about your qualifications in order to gain inside information. A career change could be in the offing.

Peanuts

Calvin and Hobbes

arCHie

dilbert

Limacol renews Caribbean Premier League sponsorship deal

The New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation Incorporated (NEW GPC INC), under its popular Limacol brand, has renewed its sponsorship of the hugely successful Caribbean Premier League T20 tournament.

Limacol was title sponsor as the CPL launched in 2013 to sell-out crowds, with over 250,000 spectators attending matches across Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and St Lucia. Global stars including Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Ricky Ponting and Muttiah Muralitharan took part in the tournament, dubbed the Biggest Party in Sport, where franchise team shareholders include Hollywood stars, Mark Wahlberg and Gerard Butler. The competition is set to get even bigger in 2014 with the Caribbean’s finest players set to be joined by cricketing superstars such as Kevin Pietersen and Mohammad Hafeez.

In addition to providing exciting cricket and high-quality entertainment, the Limacol CPL 2013 was a big success off the field. Research carried out by Mona School of Business and Management (MSBM), University of the West Indies, found that the tournament generated a com-

bined impact of US$105.6m across the region. Damien O’Donohoe,

Edghill takes bronze in Canada

National table tennis champion Chelsea Edghill is a bronze medalist after teaming up with Belgium’s Lisa Lung at the 2014 Butterfly Canadian Junior and Cadet Championships that recently concluded.

Edghill and Lung started well by defeating the USA’s ‘B’ team 3-0 before falling to Canada’s ‘A’ team at the group stage. This left the Guyanese-Belgian pair in second place in their group stage to move on to the semifinal round.

Edghill and Lung would then face the USA ‘A’ team, losing to the American 3-1 who then went on to defeat the Canadian ‘A’ team in the final for the gold medal. Meanwhile, in the singles competition, Edghill played her way out of the

group stage and into the final 16, but lost to Canada’s Michelle Liaw in a close encounter that went to the fifth and final set that ended 12-10. The match ended 3-2 in the Liaw’s favour.

Edghill will now set her sights on the Caribbean Examinations Council examination before continuing her training for the Youth Olympics in July.

CEO, Caribbean Premier League, said: “It’s great to have Limacol on board

again. It recognised the potential of the CPL in our early days, and after the success of our inaugural competition, we’re looking forward to working with Limacol again to further develop our brand.”

Dr Ranjitsingh “Bobby” Ramroop Chairman, NEW GPC (Limacol) said: “We are delighted to be on board as CPL title sponsor for a second year. The Limacol CPL was the most exciting thing the region has ever seen in terms of sports and entertainment and we wanted it to be here to stay so we took the decision to invest. The event is Caribbean at heart, but with global aspirations. In that sense, it mirrors Limacol’s own vision – to be a world-class Caribbean brand that also captivates the world.”

The Limacol Caribbean Premier League returns in July and August 2014 when Jamaica Tallawahs will defend their title against the St Lucia Zouks, Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel, Antigua Hawksbills, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Barbados Tridents.

About the Caribbean Premier League:

Caribbean Premier League is a franchise-

based T20 format cricket tournament that combines two of the most compelling aspects of Caribbean life – dramatic cricket and a vibrant Carnival atmosphere. The inaugural CPL, billed as “the Biggest Party in Sport”, featured six teams competing throughout the region in August 2013 – Jamaica Tallawahs, Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel, Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, St. Lucia Zouks, and Antigua Hawksbills. The Jamaica Tallawahs, captained by Chris Gayle, emerged as champions.

The CPL launched last year to sell-out crowds, with over 250,000 spectators attending matches across Antigua, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and St Lucia, whilst a global TV audience of 36 million were entertained by the skills of international stars including Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Ricky Ponting and Muttiah Muralitharan.

The tournament returns in July and August 2014 when Jamaica Tallawahs will defend their title against the St. Lucia Zouks, Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel, Antigua Hawksbills, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Barbados Tridents.

Pacquiao targets Mayweather fight after title win

Manny Pacquiao is hoping to secure a long-awaited fight with unbeaten American Floyd Mayweather after winning the WBO welterweight title.

The Filipino, 35, beat Timothy Bradley on points in Las Vegas at the weekend.

Pacquiao, who has won world titles in eight weight divisions, said of a possible bout against WBC welterweight champion Mayweather: “The line is open 24 hours, seven days a week.

“If he wants to fight, the fight will be on.”

Pacquiao and Mayweather are generally considered the best fighters of their generation.

But their camps have never been able to agree a deal over a bout, with one stumbling block being Mayweather’s insistence on a strict blood-testing programme during training.

Pacquiao is expected later this year to take on the winner of the fight between Juan Manuel Marquez and Mike Alvarado who meet on 17 May.

He has fought Marquez four times and was knocked out by the Mexican in their last

Chelsea Edghill

The Limacol CPL girls were very much a part of the carnival-like scenes that prevailed at the inaugural CPL 2013 games

Maidana

Manny Pacquiao

Kohli hopes to end RCB trophy drought

Virat Kohli, the Royal Challengers Bangalore captain, hopes that his franchise will finally be able to win the IPL this season in their seventh attempt. Royal Challengers have made the final of the T20 league twice before but a title win still remains elusive despite having players of the caliber of Kohli, Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers at their disposal. The franchise also put in the highest bid of this year’s auction to gain the services of Yuvraj Singh, and Kohli said that with their latest acquisitions, Royal Challengers hoped to go all the way.

“This time around we will hope to go few more steps ahead and actually get that trophy,” Kohli said at a promotional event in Mumbai.

“We have added a few more quality players in the side and I am sure we will come out with flying colours.

“We try every year to win and we have a strong team. We will try to win the trophy because we have got a good combination this time and we will try to utilise it. We have a great team, great bunch of guys ready to perform well. We do well every year, we excite a lot of peo-

ple in the IPL.”

Just a week ago, Kohli was declared the Player of the Tournament in the World T20 in Bangladesh and has had to swiftly adjust to franchise responsibilities with Royal Challengers. He said the IPL was more about enjoying oneself as players took a break from their international duties.

“The more we enjoy cricket, it will be that much better in IPL. In IPL there is a lot of enjoyment of players. Everybody is relaxed coming from international schedule. There is a good atmosphere and we will try to utilise it.”

Royal Challengers will play their first match against Delhi Daredevils on April 17 in Sharjah. (Cricinfo)

Wilson Kipsang says Farah should quit track, focus on marathon

– as Farah struggles in London Marathon

Wilson Kipsang says Mo Farah will have to give up either the marathon or his track career.

The Kenyan won the London Marathon on Sunday with Farah - running in his first marathonfinishing a distant eighth.

Farah is the Olympic and world 5,000m and 10,000m champion but wants to try and add the marathon to his repertoire.

But Kipsang believes it is not possible to run parallel careers on the track and the road.

“The rhythm, how you have to run, is totally different between track and road racing. You’ll be disturbing the body so much.”

Wilson Kipsang

“You automatically lose, because the training for a marathon and the training for a 10k on the track is totally different,” he said.

“The rhythm, how you have to run, is totally different between track and road racing. You’ll be disturbing the body so much.”

There was no chance, he insisted, of being able to win on the track and on the road at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

“No, no, no, no, it’s not possible,” he said. “The marathon and 10k and 5k, you cannot do it. You will not even reach halfway.”

Farah insisted on Sunday that he would try again at the marathon. And Kipsang believes the British superstar should forget about his track ambitions and concentrate on the longest distance.

“If he prepares and focuses so much on the marathon he can really improve his

Commonwealth Games medals are unveiled on 100-day countdown

The medals that athletes will compete for at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow have been unveiled.

The Gold, Silver and Bronze medals were displayed at an event at Kelvingrove Art Gallery to mark 100 days to the Games’ opening ceremony on 23 July.

Organisers revealed that more than 1,380 medals would be awarded at 261 medal ceremonies during the Games.

Each of the medals weighs 100g and is being hand-made by expert jewellers at the Glasgow School of Art.

The medals were designed by Glasgowbased artist and lecturer, Jonathan Boyd.

The artist uses digital technologies in his work as well as hand-crafted skills and traditional metalworking techniques.

Mr Boyd, who lectures at the Glasgow School of Art, said he had tried to combine Glasgow’s industrial herit-

age as well as a sense of the athlete’s skill into the final design.

He said: “It was trying to do something that reflected Glasgow but also had this feeling of movement, it’s what the athletes all do.”

With almost 1,400 medals needed by the start of the Games, Mr Boyd said that the process of getting them ready presented a real challenge to himself and his team of 11 specialist jeweller-makers.

He said: “There’s blood, sweat and tears in those medals, just like the way athletes train and go through hell and back to get there, we’ve gone through the same.”

male and female medal bearers.

Medal designer Jonathan Boyd said he tried to incorporate some of Glasgow’s industrial heritage into his design

Each of the medals was hand-crafted by an expert jeweller at the Glasgow School of Art

About 6,000 athletes and officials will attend the Games, which will kick off with the opening ceremony at Celtic Park on 23 July and run until 3 August. (BBC Sport)

Michael Phelps, most successful Olympian, to end retirement

Swimmer Michael Phelps, the most successful Olympian in history, is set to end his retirement.

“I cannot believe he has made the decision to get back in the water... he has got nothing left to prove in the sport”

Olympic bronze medallist Steve Parry

The 28-year-old American, who has won 22 Olympic medals in his career, is expected to compete for the first time since the 2012 Games in London at a meet in Arizona on 24-26 April.

Phelps won 18 gold medals at the last three Summer Games.

The Baltimore Bullet also broke Mark Spitz’s re-

cord for a single Olympics by winning eight golds in Beijing in 2008.

Britain’s Steve Parry, who finished third to Phelps in the 200m butterfly at the Athens Games in 2004, was surprised by the news of a comeback.

“I cannot believe he has made the decision to get back in the water,” said Parry. “He has got nothing left to prove in the sport.” He added Phelps not only had to get himself back in shape physically, he also needed to recapture the hunger to win medals again.

Liverpool captain Gerrard faces ‘biggest month of career’

Ltime,” he said.

Farah is due to run at the Sainsbury’s Glasgow Grand Prix at Hampden Park in July, while he has titles to defend at the World Championships in Beijing next summer and the Rio Olympics the following year.

“If he wants to come back to the track, maybe during that season he doesn’t have to do a marathon and thereafter he can try to prepare for the marathon,” added Kipsang.(BBC Sport)

iverpool captain Steven Gerrard says the next month could be the biggest of his career as the Reds prepare to play “four cup finals” in their bid to win a first English title in 24 years.

They beat Manchester City 3-2 on Sunday and will take the Premier League title if they win their last four games.

“It’s probably going to be the biggest month of my career coming up now. I’ll give it everything I’ve got,” he said.

“The message is to stay calm - there are still four cup finals left.”

The 33-year-old England captain added: “I feel 21

again, playing with all these top players.”

A one-club man, Gerrard has won the Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup during his Reds career but a league winner’s medal has eluded the midfielder, who made his top-flight debut in November 1998.

However, the victory over Manuel Pellegrini’s side means leaders Liverpool remain two points clear of second-placed Chelsea, who are still to visit Anfield. Manchester City are a further five points adrift with two games in hand. (BBC Sport)

As well as the medals being unveiled to the public, the event also recreated the medal procession ceremony to be used in the Games, showing the ceremonial outfits to be worn by the

Hard to catch: The IPL trophy has eluded Royal Challengers so far (BCCI)

Mo Farah finished a distant eighth in the London Marathon

Each of the medals was hand-crafted by an expert jeweler at the Glasgow School of Art

Michael Phelps

Steven Gerrard

YELLOW PAGES

tuesday, april 15, 2014

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Rain ruins Price Is Right Supermarket second division final

Consistent rain on Sunday along the upper Corentyne coast caused an abandonment of the Price is Right Supermarket second-division cricket final, which was scheduled for the Number 69 Vikings Ground.

Overnight rain had left the outfield damp, but when the covers were removed Sunday morning there was some seepage onto the pitch which caused a delay.

However, just before the scheduled start, continuous rain forced the umpires to call off play at 12:30h.

Scores of persons who turned up dressed in the colours of the team they had intended supporting were hoping for the scheduled start, but had to wait three hours before receiving confirma-

The entire pitch was covered to ensure commencement of play had the rain stopped

tion that the match would not be played.

Corriverton Cricket Club were expected to take on Number 70 MYO in the final.

Meanwhile, organizers from the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association (UCCA) are expected to meet with the sponsor today to arrange a new date for the match to be played.

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The teams are

Corriverton C.C: Tarik Ibrahim (captain), Jermaine Reid (vice captain), Jeremy Moore, Anthony Seeraj, Rabindra Singh, Imran Jabar (wicket keeper), Clavern Beresford, Amzaan Appalsamy, Eric Phillips, Faoud Bacchus, Tulsiram Munesar, Rajeev Persaud and Imron Mohamed.

Number 70 M.Y.O: Niazi Khan (captain), Jameel Assad (vice captain), Mahmood Khan, Zameer Khan, Ahmad Khan, Salim Khan (wicket keeper), Arif Khan, Alim Khan, Saif Hamid Khan, Mohamed Asarudin, Umar Ghani & Fazir Ally.

Corriverton Cricket Club booked their place in the final when they defeated No.71 Cricket Club by 124; while Number 70 M.Y.O. had earlier earned the right to contest the final when they whipped Number 48 Challengers by 40 runs. Both teams have already been named.

Oscar Pistorius cross-examined for fourth straight day

Oscar Pistorius broke down twice on Monday as the gruelling cross-examination of the Olympic runner went into a second week.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel accused Pistorius of concocting evidence on the fourth day of his defence against the charge of murdering Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year.

Nel said the 27-year-old argued with his girlfriend shortly before shooting her dead.

“It’s the state’s case, Mr Pistorius, that she wanted to leave and that you weren’t sleeping, you were both awake,” said Nel.

“That’s not correct my lady, that’s untrue,” Pistorius replied softly.

“There was an argument,” Nel said, drawing another denial.

Nel repeatedly described the athlete’s explanation that he accidentally shot Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door as “so improbable that it cannot be reasonably possible”.

Questioning

The prosecutor’s relentless questioning has elicited tears and taut replies from the world-famous dou-

Golf,Masters

2014:

ble amputee, who insisted he and the 29-year-old model were in a loving relationship.

During the relentless back-and-forth Pistorius and Nel at times appeared to come close to bickering.

Nel complained that Pistorius was being evasive and challenged him: “Today I pick up you’re not sure

about things, is anything wrong?” Nel asked. “You’re fine?”

Pistorius grew increasingly restless, wiping his face, pinching the bridge of his nose and clenching his jaw. He will likely remain on the stand for another few days as a witness in his own defence.

Pistorius’s lawyers have said they will call up to 17 witnesses, including ballistics experts after their client admitted he had shot Steenkamp on February 14. Originally due to last for three weeks, the trial is in its sixth week and has been extended until May 16. Pistorius admitted to killing Steenkamp but said it was an accident, firing his gun after mistaking her for an intruder. (Skysports)

Bubba Watson wins second Green Jacket at Augusta

Bubba Watson clinched his second Green Jacket in three years by holding off Jordan Spieth and Jonas Blixt to win the 78th Masters.

The American left-hander, 35, shot a final-round 69 to win by three after overhauling a two-shot deficit on his co-overnight leader Spieth on a sultry day at Augusta.

“The Masters fits Bubba Watson’s attributes to a tee. His ability to smash 350yard drives allied to his lefthanded cut provided a potent Augusta combination. But the American deserves huge credit for his mental fortitude.

“His birdies on the fourth and sixth were key in keeping in touch with Jordan Spieth’s fast start. From there he retained commendable composure to steer his way into exalted company.

It takes a special player to win multiple Masters.” Debutant Spieth, 20, was bidding to beat Tiger Woods as the youngest ever winner and duelled with Watson for much of the day, but the

Texan’s chances were sunk in the

Northern

Watson

water of Amen Corner and he carded 72 to end five under.

Sweden’s Blixt edged alongside Spieth with a 71, with Spain’s Miguel Angel

Jimenez fourth on four under after a 71.

Americans Rickie Fowler (73) and Matt Kuchar 74) finished two under, with England’s Lee Westwood (73) one under in seventh place, his 17th top-10 finish in majors.

Ireland’s Rory McIlroy hit a three-under 69 to end level par and record his best Masters finish of tied eighth.

became the 17th player to win two Masters titles, eight of whom have gone on to win three or more Green Jackets.

The Masters, final leaderboard: -8: Watson; -5: Blixt, Spieth; -4: Jimenez; -2: Fowler, Kuchar; -1: Westwood. Selected others: E McIlroy; +1 Rose, Donaldson, Scott; +2 Poulter; +6 Gallacher; +9 Clarke, Lyle. (BBC Sport)

Gerrie Nel grilled Oscar Pistorius for the fourth straight day in Pretoria

Bubba Watson dons the Green Jacket after winning his second Masters title at Augusta on Sunday (Reuters/Mike Blake)

Defending champs Barbados nail No 22

Barbados captured their 22nd first class title on Monday when rain forced a draw between contenders Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana on the final day of that game in Georgetown.

The Barbadians, the defending champions in the competition, started the final round in second spot but defeated Leeward Islands by an innings and 49 runs at the Vivian Richards

Cricket Ground in Antigua on Sunday, to leapfrog T&T and move to 82 points.

T&T, who started the final round of matches in the Regional Four-Day Championship in pole position on 72 points, could muster only eight points from their stalemate at the Guyana National Stadium on Monday.

This meant Barbados secured the WICB President’s Trophy, recording four wins,

a loss and a draw during their campaign. T&T, meanwhile, finished second with an identical record.

Windward Islands claimed third spot with 65 points while Jamaica secured fourth spot with 59 points, following their 59-run over Combined Campuses and Colleges at the 3Ws Oval here Monday.

The top four teams will now battle for the Headley/ Weekes Trophy, start-

ing on Saturday, with Barbados taking on Jamaica at Kensington Oval and Trinidad & Tobago hosting the Windwards at Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain.

The final is carded to start on April 25.

CCC, meanwhile, finished fifth on 49 points, the Leewards were sixth on 42 while Guyana ended last on 29 points, and without a win in the competition.

Dorado Swim club easily wins inter-club championship

By Treiston Joseph

Swimming was made easy by the Dorado Speed Swim Club as they outclassed the other clubs to take the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) InterClub Championships on Sunday at the National Aquatic Centre.

620 points and 73 medals assured Dorado Swim Club a comprehensive victory of the championships on the final day .

Second place went to Dolphin Swimming Club with 299 points and 31 medals, while Silver Shark Aquatic Club was third with 155 points and 20 medals. Orca Speed Swim Club was fourth with 78 points and seven medals.

Dorado’s Britany van Lange accumulated the most individual points for female swimmers with 52 points, while Leon Seaton of Silver Shark had the most points for boys with 52 points as well.

Some of the action during the final day of the championships

Van Lange in the girls’ 15 years and over took the girls’ 100 amd 200 metres freestyle 50 metres Butterfly, 100 metres breaststroke and 50 metres free style.

Her only loss came in the girls’ 50 metres backstroke, losing to teammate Soroya Simmons.

Seaton in the boys’ 9-10 years category took the 50 metres butterfly, 100 metres

freestyle, 50 metres freestyle and 200 metres freestyle.

Meanwhile, Dorado’s dominance showed in the boys’ 13-14 years category with the 50 free-style event being the most one- sided event when the first six finishers were all from the club with Dylan Nurse taking the top spot in 28.50s.

Nurse also won the 50

metres breaststroke event in 38.56s with the next four finishers all coming from Dorado as well.

Meanwhile, Dorado capped off the event strongly with a win in the mixed medley 50 metres relay event that featured Hannibal Gaskin, Britany van Lange, Soroya Simmons and Omar Adams.

Rio workers vote to remain on strike indefinitely

Workers at the main venue of the 2016 Olympic Games voted on Monday to continue their strike indefinitely, just days before officials from the International Olympic Committee are due to visit Rio de Janeiro and encourage the city to speed up preparations.

Around 2,500 workers at the Olympic Park, a huge area that will host more than a dozen events, are seeking higher pay and more benefits.

“We don’t know how long we’ll be on strike,” Antonio Figueiredo Souza, president of the construction workers union Sintraconst-Rio, told Reuters.

“We are not going back until we get an offer. So far that hasn’t happened and so it looks like this will end

site in Rio de Janeiro,April 8,2014 (Reuters/Ricardo

up in the Labor Courts.”

The strike began on April 3 and is the latest in a series of problems affecting the preparations for the 2016 games, the first ever to be held in South America.

Brazil’s preparations are way behind schedule, and work at some venues has not even started. With just over two years to go

before the Games begin organizers are still to say how much the extravaganza will cost and which sphere of government will pay for the different jobs that need to be done.

The IOC last week announced Rio needs more oversight and said it will send officials to the city on a more frequent basis. The

Jamaica cruise into Regional Four-Day semis

Slow bowlers John Campbell and Nikita Miller shared seven wickets as they bowled Jamaica into the semi-finals of the Regional FourDay Championship, with a 59-run victory over the Combined Campuses & Colleges here Monday.

Part-time off-spinner Campbell ended with the flattering figures of four for 17 from eight overs and champion left-arm spinner Miller finished with three for 61 from 27.5 overs, as the CCC were dismissed for 177 in their second innings on

the final day of the seventh round match.

Miller formalised the result about 40 minutes after the start of play, when coincidentally he had opposing left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican caught behind for four, playing defensively forward.

The result earned the Jamaicans 15 points, moving them to 59 and into fourth place at the completion of the preliminary phase of the tournament, and the CCC bagged three points to end on 49 and finish fifth. (Windiescricket)

SCOREBOARD

Jamaica 1st Innings 182

Combined Campuses & Colleges 1st Innings 161

Jamaica 2nd Innings (Lead; 21)

N Bonner c Corbin b Raymon Reifer 12

John Campbell c Corbin

b Warrican 38

J Blackwood c Floyd Reifer

b Dewar 48

M Samuels c Walton

b Raymon Reifer 11

A McCarthy c Floyd Reifer

b Dewar 4

T Lambert* c Thomas b Dewar 0

C Baugh+ c Raymon Reifer

b Dewar 78

N Miller run out 0

D Jacobs b Austin 10

J Taylor c Corbin b Austin 6

S Cottrell not out 1

Extras (b6, nb1) 7

Total: (80.2 Overs) 215

later this week.

Brazil is also hosting soccer’s World Cup in June and July, and preparations for that event are similarly problematic. Three stadiums are yet to be finished with the opening match less than two months away.

(Reuters)

Fall of wickets: 1-22 (Bonner, 8.3 ov), 2-69 (Campbell, 26.2 ov), 3-89 (Samuels, 42.2 ov), 4-94 (McCarthy, 45.4 ov), 5-94 (Lambert, 45.6 ov), 6-174 (Blackwood, 65.2 ov), 7-176 (Miller, 69.1 ov), 8-202 (Baugh, 77.6 ov), 9-208 (Taylor, 78.3 ov), 10-215 (Jacobs, 80.2 ov)

Combined Campuses & Colleges 2nd Innings Bowling: K McClean 4-0-20-0, R Austin 19.2-3-502, Raymon Reifer 11-3-32-2, J Warrican 20-8-32-1, A Dewar 25-3-74-4, S Jacobs 1-0-2-0. Combined Campuses & Colleges 2nd Innings (Target; 237) S

Nikita Miller

Construction workers on strike protest outside the Rio 2016 Olympic Park construction

Moraes)

IOC’s executive director Gilbert Felli is to return to the city

WICB Regional Four-Day Tournament….

Guyana, T&T game ends in draw

– Barbados retain title

By Rajiv Bisnauth

Trinidad and Tobago had to settle for second place in this year’s West Indies Cricket Board’s Regional Four-day tournament, after the game against Guyana ended in a damp draw due to rain for most part of the final day on Monday at the Guyana National Stadium.

Trinidad and Tobago entered the game on 72 points and were in a must- win situation going into the final day, if they were to lift the regional four-day title.

This was subsequent to Barbados’s victory against the Leeward Islands inside three days on Sunday.

Trinidad and Tobago, however, ended on 80 points, while Barbados retained the Regional four-day title, ending on 82 points.

Windward Islands, 65 and Jamaica 59 points occupied the top four places. Guyana finished at the bottom of the table with 28 points.

The four teams will now clash for the George Headley/Everton Weeks trophy, with Barbados playing Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago going up against

the Windward Islands. Both games will play simultaneously from April 19.

Meanwhile Guyana, chasing 225 for victory, ended on 80-3 with Leon Johnson unbeaten on 30 and man-of-the-match Devendra Bishoo on 25.

Earlier, light rain delayed the start of the final day’s play by 65 minutes. However, when play was finally possible, overnight batsmen Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Bishoo negotiated some quality fast bowling within the first 40

minutes of play, before two quick strikes from medium pacer Marlon Richards put Guyana on the back foot.

He first trapped Chanderpaul (7) plumb in front of the wicket with a well crafted plan. Debutant Shimron Hetmyer, after pulling Richards to the square leg boundary, his only scoring shot, then offered a simple catch to Rayad Emrit at short longon.

Bishoo and Johnson had their nervous moments, but negotiated the testing period well, and at lunch Guyana were 64-3, with Bishoo on 21 and Johnson on18.

Upon resumption the pair added six more runs before rain intervened, sending the players off for a lengthy break.

When play was possible again, Guyana put on a further 10 runs before both captains decided to bring an end to the game.

Richards (2-21) and offspinner Amit Jaggernauth, who claimed the wicket of Trevon Griffith just before the close on Sunday (1-18), were the successful bowlers for the visitors.

SCOREBOARD

T&T 1st innings 294 Guyana 1st innings 282

T&T 2nd innings 212 Guyana 2nd innings

T. Griffith lbw

b Jaggernauth 13

T. Chanderpaul lbw

b Richards 7

D. Bishoo not out 25

S Hetmyer c Emrit

b Richards 4

L Johnson not out 30

Extras: (lb-1) 1

Total: (three wickets; 40 overs) 80

Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-33, 3-43 Bowling: S Gabriel 6-1-12-0,

Entries close today for seventh Guyana Cup Fever horse race meet

Registration for the seventh annual Guyana Cup Fever horse race meet closes today and, according to organisers, no late entries will be accepted. Interested horse owners must submit 50 per cent of their entry fees by the closing date.

The meet is slated for this Sunday at the Port Mourant Turf Club (PMTC), Corentyne, Berbice and will be held in collaboration with Jumbo Jet Auto Sales.

It is being conducted under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA) and, according to organisers, those rules would be rigidly enforced.

The feature race will be the ‘C’ and Lower race for horses over a mile and the winner will ride away with $2 million. The secondplaced winner will receive $1 million, third, $500,000, and fourth prize, $250,000.

The Three-year-old Guyana and West Indianbred event will have the winner taking away $1 million in the 1200 metre race.

The second-place prize is $500,000, third, $250,000, and fourth, $125,000.

The Four-year-old event for Guyana and West Indiesbred horses, over 1600 metres, carries a winner’s prize of $700,000.

The E ‘1’ and Lower 1300 metres event carries a winner’s prize of $600,000. The G’3’ and Lower race will gallop over a distance of 1300 metres and carry a winner’s prize of $500,000.

The I ‘2’ and Lower race will be run over 1000 metres and carries a first prize of $300,000, while the J ‘2’ and Lower winner will pocket $200,000 also over 100 metres.

The H and Lower will run over 1200 metres with the winner taking home $350,000.

For further information and registration contact Chandu Ramkissoon on 624-9063 or 232-0633, Kris Jagdeo on 624-6123 or 3220369, Rajendra (Jim-Jo) on 618-7278, Ramnauth on 3375311 or Romel Jagroop on 624-1798. (Rajiv Bisnauth)

Blairmont CCCC cricket clinic starts today

he Blairmont

TCommunity Centre Cricket Club Easter holiday cricket clinic will commence this afternoon from 13:00h at the Blairmont Estate ground.

Under the theme: “Cricket Lifestyle”, the clinic will run until April 25 and will of benefit for youngsters ages 10 to 17 years residing within Ithaca to Abary on the West Coast of Berbice.

According to club president Shameer Baksh, participants will be taken through the paces by a team of experienced and qualified coaches.

The participants will enable participants to further enhance their knowledge of the fundamentals of the game, while lectures will be held on topics such as peer pressure,

teenage pregnancy, road safety, sports and education, leadership, tobacco,and alcohol among others. The clinic runs until 17:00h daily.

Shameer Baksh

Devendra Bishoo bats during the short period of play

This was the scene for the most part on Monday

Filipino, 35, beat Timothy Bradley on points in Las Vegas at the weekend.