Guyana Times Daily

UG unions threaten shutdown of campuses

Passengers disembark LIAT’s ATR72 aircraft after it touched down at the Ogle International Airport (OIA) on Friday afternoon with 42 onboard its inaugural flight

BK Int’l reports $50M from four-lane project delays

BK International has reported that it has lost over $50 million on the East Bank FourLane Expansion Project as a result of delays caused by utilities that have not been removed in a timely manner since the signing of the contract and the commencement of work in 2012.

The company in a release said it has noted the responses of both the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) and the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) Company to its concerns that their water pipes and telephone cables respectively continue to hold up the completion of road work at the Diamond section of the East Bank FourLane Expansion Project.

“Both companies have resorted to giving project histories, with varying degrees of inaccuracy, while charging BK Group with damaging their facilities. However, BK will not be drawn into a public argument over the history of the project.

“The bottom line for BK is that water pipes and telephone cables remain in place today delaying the completion of the road works even further,” the company said. Clarifying statements made by Project Engineer Julian Archer, BK International reiterat -

ed the facts presented to the media during the site visit on Monday. Archer had said that there were two problems affecting the completion of the project, (1) the removal of GT&T cables, and (2) the removal of GWI pipelines. He noted that numerous complaints were made in an effort to have the pipes and cables removed.

“Our emphasis was not on blaming either company; rather our focus was to highlight these delays given the cost to us as contractor and the continued inconvenience to commuters. Immediate removal of the pipes and cables will ensure that there is no

damage to critical infrastructure, that citizens are not inconvenienced, and that the road work will be quickly completed to the benefit of our citizens and visitors. The Ministry of Public Works needs to ensure that this is done,” BK International said.

GT&T on Thursday said it will from Sunday relocate aerial as well as buried cables to facilitate construction works on the East Bank Demerara FourLane Highway Project, but denied contributing to any delays in road works as claimed by contractor BK International.

The telephone company has alleged that it has suffered extensive damage to its network facilities owing

to work practices by the construction firm, which is still to pay the costs for associated relocation works and damage.

In a statement detailing all the transactions and discussions surrounding the road project, GT&T said it has an obligation to protect the integrity of the national communication infrastructure in the interest of all of its users.

The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) on Wednesday said it has taken offense to statements made by the contracting company BK International, which is responsible for Lot Three of the East Bank Four-lane Highway Project.

According to GWI, it

was provided with the original plan for the four-lane highway and had executed all works required by the utility to allow for the progression of the project. The company said, however, that it was subsequently informed that there would be changes to the original plan for the highway. This involved the construction of concrete drains at specific sections.

The company, through its Public Relations Department, said that it had indicated to all parties involved that the construction of the drains would significantly reduce the space available for the utility’s PVC mains.

GWI continued that during discussions with its Project Team attached to the Four-Lane Highway Project, it was agreed that the company would relocate the pipelines behind the concrete drains which are to be constructed. It was also agreed that the water company would execute the plan upon completion of the concrete drains.

The water company explained that it was unable to relocate the pipelines since the construction of the concrete drains at specific sections of the highway had not yet been completed.

Businessman in custody for alleged fraud

Abusinessman from Laluni Street, Queenstown, Georgetown, is in custody at the Anna Regina Police Station for committing an alleged fraud.

Harry Baptiste is on $75,000 station bail for allegedly defrauding several businessmen on the Essequibo Coast.

He solicited more than $1 million from the business community to produce hundreds of copies of

the Anna Regina Town Day Magazine last year.

Baptiste was tasked with producing/supplying the magazine for the threeday Town Week celebration.

According to report, the businessman did not produce the magazine.

The Town Day Committee wants the businessman to repay the money he collected from the business community.

Several months have

passed and Baptiste did not make any effort to resolve the issue with the Council, thus, a decision was taken by the new Planning Committee for the Town Week activities to have him arrested.

A visit was made to the G Division Commander on Monday by committee members, where the matter was raised and a promise was made to deal with the matter expeditiously.

Both the GWI and GT&T deny being the sources of the delays in the removal of the utilities

Project Engineer Julian Archer

Weather: Thundery showers can be expected during the day with heavy rain showers in the afternoon. Partly cloudy conditions are expected to dominate during the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations.

Wind: North easterly between 4.02 metres and 4.91 metres per second.

High Tide: 00:49h and 13:19h reaching maximum heights of 2.41 metres and 2.38 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 06:51h and 19:13h reaching minimum heights of 0.81 metre and 0.80 metre respectively.

UG unions threaten shutdown of campuses

– as Vice Chancellor confirms programme cuts

By Svetlana MarShall

Lowly subscribed programmes at the University of Guyana (UG) will be cut off and the services of lecturers terminated, if the institution experiences a major shortfall in enrolment due to students’ inability to access loans for the Academic Year 2014/2015.

But this is not a plan that the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA) and Workers Union (UGWU) are willing to accept, stating that they will shut down both the Turkeyen and Tain campuses if this course of action is taken.

Speaking with Guyana Times, the UG’s Vice Chancellor, Dr Jacob Opadeyi said that if the Government of Guyana fails to return to the National Assembly for the restoration of the $450 million for the Student Loan Programme, the UG Administration will have no other choice than to shelf programmes.

“If we are not able to attract the more than 3000 loan students, it therefore means enrolment would be affected and if enrolment is affected, income will be affected and if income is affected, expenditure will be affected,” he posited.

In no uncertain terms, Dr Opadeyi said if the Government fails to return to the Assembly for supplementary funding for the Student Loan Programme before the House goes to recess in August, the stated line of action will be taken.

But UGSSA President, Dr Patsy Francis, Vice President, Dr Melissa Ifill and UGWU President Bruce Haynes in a united voice condemned the planned action by the university ad-

ministration during a press conference held on Friday at the Senior Common Room (SCR), Turkeyen Campus.

Addressing a large turnout of media operatives, Dr Francis said the Vice Chancellor has been informed that the unions will “shut down” both campuses if some lecturers are asked to leave.

“The unions will not countenance any reduction in staff… and if any department finds itself in jeopardy due to this current impasse, the union will call for a closure of the university,” she posited.

According to Dr Francis, the Tain Campus and the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE) will be severely affected due to their programmes being lowly subscribed.

Where are the alternatives?

“We cannot have it cut away, the people in Berbice deserve the Berbice Campus, we cannot have other programmes on campus which may not have large numbers such as History and Art being cut away, we will not allow it and I say categorically, we will not allow it!”

The administration’s intention, if taken into effect could land the US$10.1 million Science and Technology

Project funded by the World Bank in jeopardy, Dr Francis further argued, noting that Dr Opadeyi, along with his supporting arms, ought to find alternatives to remedy the situation.

“Who is going to execute the curriculum, run the labs when we get them? Will we go back to the days when we had the IDB monies, trained a whole lot of people… got equipment and all of that came to naught?”

In supporting the arguments put forward by her colleague, Ifill told media operatives that the Vice Chancellor has also indicated that lecturers’ contracts will not be renewed. Based on this position, she said all programmes could be affected, not only those that are poorly subscribed by students, but also those such as International Relation and Sociology. The majority of the lecturers

are on three-year contracts, while senior lecturers who remain in the single digit bracket have signed onto a 10-year contract. Failure to renew contracts of lecturers could also spark a shut down.

Turning their attention to the hike in tuition, the representatives of the unions said they acknowledge the need to increase the tuition in an effort to revive the ailing institution, but stressed that any increase must be done in a systematic manner and clearly thought out.

Increase in fees should also result in the provision of a higher quality of education. Currently, the tuition fee is set at G$127,000. The Council has recently agreed on a decision taken approximately two years ago, that the fees should be increased to US$1000 per annum. (svetlanam@guyanatimesgy.com)

UGSSA President, Dr Patsy Francis in the company of Vice President, Dr Melissa Ifill and UGWU

President Bruce Haynes at the press briefing

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

Post-election South Africa

With the tumultuous elections in India taking centre stage over the last week, the victory of the African National Congress under President Zuma in South Africa just two weeks before has not created a comparable stir in the popular imagination. He is being sworn in for his second term today.

But these elections are very crucial in an area of the world that has been wracked in turmoil but where – to the surprise of many – South Africa has been an oasis of stability after the horrors of apartheid.

Because of that system, which made the reality of the vast majority of South Africans live in far worse situations than during colonial rule elsewhere, South Africa should be more fairly judged by the situation from whence it started in 1994. For all intentions and purposes, South Africa should be compared to, say, India of 1967, two decades after their independence.

South Africa’s economy, the continent’s second largest – now that Nigeria has rebased the measurement of its economy – has suffered from dwindling investor confidence amid credit-rating downgrades, a weakening currency and a series of strikes.

Zuma and Government ministers have conceded that black ownership in the economy needs to be increased. Two decades after the end of apartheid, black citizens on average earn a sixth of what their white counterparts do and 1.9 million households have no income, census data shows.

There are also, the questions over leadership of the ANC. The ANC’s win cements Jacob Zuma’s leadership in the party and will likely shield him from close parliamentary scrutiny over ‘Nkandlagate’. The ANC’s substantial majority may dampen speculation that the scandal prone Zuma will be replaced before the end of his second term, but he certainly will not be as dominant as he once was.

Zuma’s native Kwa-Zulu Natal province will continue to provide a loyal cohort of pro-Zuma ANC leaders. But while the ANC won a large majority of 62.2 per cent, it was followed by the even expanding Democratic Alliance (DA) with 22.2 per cent. The ANC’s majority was a reduction of 7.5 per cent on its total in the 2004 general election under Thabo Mbeki in 2004. The provincial results are even more revealing.

Most significant was the 9.8 per cent fall in the ANC’s share of the vote Gauteng – the largest South African Province – from 64.7 per cent (2009) to 54.9 per cent. The ANC gained 300,000 fewer votes compared to 2009, when 200,000 fewer votes were cast. This loss in absolute numbers for the ANC is unprecedented in post-apartheid elections.

The ANC in Gauteng is already at odds with the Zuma leadership and a drop of nearly 10 per cent in its share of the vote there could sharpen differences and affect power balances between provinces. The DA’s performance was better than expected: it increased its national share of votes from 16.7 per cent in 2009 and in Western Cape won a substantial 57.26 per cent majority (in 2009 it was 48.78 per cent) compared to the ANC’s 34 per cent.

South African politics has gone against the Indian political trend of an increase in the performance of “third” or proliferating regional parties. The third place has been occupied by different challengers at each election. This year, it was the extreme leftist and radical Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), which gained 6.35 per cent: some 26 other smaller parties were effectively wiped out.

The ANC has thus emerged largely intact from a set of unfavourable pre-election circumstances, including disarray in the alliance and doubts over whether Zuma was fit to be leader. The people remain committed to the ANC.

However, Zuma and his Government now face policy challenges against a backdrop of unfavourable economic indicators, while also uniting important and powerful unions around the flagship National Development Plan (NDP) and galvanising an unproductive public sector.

The test of South Africa will be to the extent to which the ANC will be able to satisfy the legitimate expectations of its majority black majority without repeating the miscues of next door Zimbabwe.

Unclaimed remittances of indentured Indians

Dear Editor,

A letter written by Associate Professor Lomarsh Roopnarine and published in the Stabroek News on May 22 caught my eye and upon perusal of same, I ask your cooperation in publishing my letter which provides some information that may help the Professor’s quest.

According to Dwark Nath (A History of Indians in Guyana), a committee was formed by the then Government in 1966 (year of Independence) to decide on how these funds would be utilised. It is understood that the committee recommended that three cultural centres for the benefit of Indians be established in the three counties.

In December 1969, rep-

resentatives of the five main Indian organisations were invited to hear of the then Forbes Burnham Government’s proposals. They were told by the Health Minister, whose Ministry was responsible for the funds, of the intention to establish a National Cultural Centre (NCC) for all races and not East Indians alone. This did not find the favour of the organisations represented.

Among those organisations “consulted” were the Mahatma Gandhi Organisation/Gandhi Youth Organisation (MGO/ GYO), whose President was Shri Raghunandan Misir, but the General Secretary, the late Dr Balwant Singh, Sr was given the task of representing the MGO/GYO.

The organisation instructed Dr Singh to convey its vehement objection to the Government’s proposal and Dr Singh Sr began an energetic lobby and campaign against this injudicious use of the funds and called for East Indians to voice their opposition to the construction of the NCC.

The Burnham Government proceeded with their plan, notwithstanding the strident opposition of a majority of East Indians. Even after the construction and opening of the NCC, Dr Singh and the GYO continued to advise East Indians to boycott the centre with a fair degree of success.

I am not aware of how much of the funds was ac-

tually used in this construction, but I would like to ask the Professor to request the precise information he seeks from the Government through the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry from the National Archives, as I am not hopeful that the Indian High Commission in Guyana can assist with any useful information.

On the eve of our 48th Independence Anniversary, this letter may serve as a reminder to our younger citizens as to a sordid chapter in our history.

Yours sincerely, Christopher Persaud Former Senior Vice President, GYO

President’s functions as Head of State distinct from those as Head of Government

Dear Editor,

When I called for enlightenment, I pleaded my layman and knowledge-seeking status. However, the Attorney General (AG) accused me of omitting to mention, and respond to, arguments that he proffered in the National Assembly.

May I repeat, I was referring to an article on May 15, which did not carry the arguments that the AG seeks to describe as points to which I omitted to respond. However, I will accept the challenge, albeit a prevarication.

His first point about deletions and resulting deficiencies in the law, whether true or false, has no impact on the constitutionality of the bill and is therefore unrelated to my contention and the debate.

Second, his contentions about the provisions of the bill exceeding the authority of the Constitution intended to bequeath to the Commission is a matter for the Court to decide, since the provision about the Local Government Commission seems quite all

embracing and may well nullify the application of the Rule of Ultra Vires, which the AG seeks to invoke.

The luminaries may well seek a declaration and or interpretation of the court on this matter; still a law to be pronounced on by the court. Having put the AG’s distractions aside, I now turn to the substantive issues with which my letter dealt.

One was that the Local Government Service Commission, in the context of the Separation of Powers, one of the planks on which our political system is built and which our Constitution upholds, cannot be located outside of the Executive, though it might be hybrid. The other is that the Constitution provides for the Parliament to confer Executive authority on persons or authorities other than the President.

The AG refers to Article 55, when in fact the Parliament is provided for in Article 51. For that he may be forgiven or probably the blame could be attributed to the printer’s dev-

il. The AG completely ignores Chapter VIII, Article 89 of the Constitution which identifies the President as ‘three in one’ rather than the ‘one’ that the AG wishes him to be. This ‘three in one’ is reinforced by Article 101(2).

Reference to his Executive functions clearly indicates that the President has other functions. I dare say that his functions as Head State are distinct from his functions as Head of Government and that his standing as a component of Parliament is as Head of State rather than the Executive authority.

It is therefore the AG who commits a colossal blunder by his “faux pas”. He fails to come to terms with the letter of the Constitution given the provisions of Articles 51, 89 and 99.

His argument of the President conceding or not conceding Executive authorities clearly exemplifies the attitude of the Government to the State. An attitude which projects the Executive as the Sovereign and every other el-

ement of the State as subservient, very much like the supremacy of the party in a communist state and the paramountcy of the party, which was so much criticised during the era of the Burnham regime. May I reiterate Article 99(2) which also provides for the vesting of executive authority in other persons and authorities other than the President – a provision which the AG seeks to dismiss. The AG’s resort to the Gun Court Act of Jamaica and the Privy Council Ruling of unconstitutionality is irrelevant to the matter at hand, for there is no possible violation of the doctrine of the Separation of Powers by the enacting of the Local Government (Amendment) Act, since the authority which is the subject of dispute lies squarely in the realm of the Executive, a realm in which the Commission, in the main, and those powers in particular, reside.

Sincerely, Vincent

Alexander

This little lady was quite fascinated by the dolls on display at the Culture Day celebrations, hosted by students and staff of Bishops' High School. The day's activities were held under the theme "Celebrating Our Cultural Heritage Thru Creativity" (Carl Croker photo)

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

Safety and health – time to get serious

Dear Editor,

We have read so many articles in the media about workplace accidents around the various regions, including the tragedies of workers falling from buildings under construction in Georgetown. These accidents have resulted in injuries and in too many cases, the death of workers.

We can only imagine the adverse impacts these accidents have caused on the lives of the workers and their families. Some are left traumatised and others are grieving, not to mention loss of income while the expenses remain. We can reflect for a moment on some of the accidents that occurred during the first four months of 2014.

These are: Construction workers injured by falling zinc sheets (January 18), Labourer falls three floors through elevator shoot (April 21); Labourer killed by falling mirrors (April 24); and Man survives four storey fall (May 15).

We honestly believe, and it is the expected position of professional safety and health practitioners, that not just the aforementioned accidents, but all accidents can and must be prevented. However, achieving a zero injury rate requires continuous training and accident/ incident awareness programmes, combined with monitoring and where necessary enforcement.

The realisation of the

business value of occupational safety and health in the work place is the first step towards this. Sound safety programmes, among other measures, improve productivity, decrease delays, increase worker morale, and reduce both financial and personal costs. Proper safety planning must be a main tool in any company or project management system.

On the surface one would be forgiven for believing that many employers, and in particular construction project managers do not have an interest in occupational safety and health. However, we are of the view that it is not a lack of interest, but rather a lack of awareness and understanding of the benefits of sound safety and health practices to their business, and in the case of our workforce, of the seriousness of the potential impact upon them and their families if they are injured or killed. We must not wait for an accident to happen or for International Occupational Safety and Health day alone to host symposium, and promote best safety and health practices. This has to be an on-going process.

As our country continues with its development, the various sectors of industry will develop and grow with it. This is particularly the case with the construction industry, which may well have the fast-

est emerging employment rate and alongside that the fastest increasing hazard exposure rate to workplace risks for the workers. Therefore, it should go without saying that we need to synchronise the growth in occupational safety and health awareness with these emerging and growing industries.

I am therefore strongly recommending, that if we are serious, that we all work to find and develop sustainable ways to work with such organisations as the Advisory Council in Occupational Safety and Health, the Labour Ministry, Occupational Safety and Health, the Consultative Association of Guyanese Industry Limited, the Private Sector Commission, the unions, and the media to disseminate information on occupational safety and health and guidance for best practices in Guyana.

In conclusion, for the safety and well being of our workers, it is time to put our concerted efforts in to the prevention of any further occurrence like those mentioned in the foregoing. Working together, we can enhance the working conditions and social development to the benefit of employers, employees, and the citizens of Guyana.

Yours sincerely and jointly, Kameel Bacchus

Christopher Cathro

Petrol dealers must unite

Dear Editor,

As former President of the Guyana Petrol Dealers Association and a Texaco/ Rubis dealer for almost four decades, I am calling on petrol dealers across the country to once again unite and be a formidable association to represent the dealers against excesses from the main suppliers. Over the past 10 years, the landscape for the dealers has changed for the worse. Elaborating, the longest serving President of the Dealers Association said that the oil companies have whittled away at the little profits that dealers were making, reducing the dealers to commission agents without security or contract.

Many dealers have been reduced from setting their prices and allowing market forces to operate while the oil companies fix prices and dealers’ margins. The ‘hog’ of the prof-

its are retained by the oil companies and the dealers are reduced to using family labour and excessively long hours just to keep the business viable and to survive personally.

There are many dealers who have held franchises and worked hard to build their brand and station image, yet they have been unceremoniously kicked out of businesses which they dedicated their lives to. Among these are the Shell stations at Mc Doom, Regent Street and Providence, while the Ogle Shell Station died fighting an unfair contract imposed by Shell.

Unless the dealers unite, they will become mere voiceless robots of the oil companies. I urge the dealers to be aware of the divide and rule tactics of the oil companies. I call on the Government, Private Sector Commission, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Trade Union Congress and

Kissoon’s article was conjectural

Dear Editor,

I refer to a Freddie Kissoon column, “Ask Chancellor Carl Singh; ask Attorney Gino Persaud too”, published on May 22. When Kissoon’s essay asserted with a generality that as early as 2012, law students were apathetic towards activism, it does not reflect my student activism. The essay, therefore, is at best, conjectural.

Since I reengaged university life in 2009 as a Communications major and began law in 2011, there is scarcely a protest, if any, at UG I have not supported physically. As a matter of fact, with Kissoon’s ouster from the employ of the university in 2012, I was calling around student groups asking and indicating what the response should be, and I did in fact participate in the protests to have him and the others reinstated.

I do not recount this publicly to compare who has more UG protests stripes under his belt but more so, because newspapers serve a function to also chronicle our times and become a repository of history. I would have generations to come know of an accurate as possible account of that history. On the pages of that history text, let me write this and recount a sad episode of UG’s history as I bore witness to. In 2010, the University of Guyana Students’ Society (UGSS),

led by yours truly, called for civil disobedience across Turkeyen Campus for what we saw as the UG Administration’s unwillingness to remedy several long standing student concerns.

I engaged the University of Guyana Workers Union (UGWU) in the persons of Kissoon and Bruce Hanes for the union’s support. It was promised but never delivered. My colleagues locked the administration out of admissions and locked UG’s main gate at Turkeyen. We were not proud to do those things but we had to do what we had to do. The union’s non-involvement never stopped me from supporting the unions in their causes, especially when it intersected with students’ interests.

I fully appreciate the value when Kissoon says that “UWI-based countries contribute to the Council, Guyana does not and Guyana does not make a financial stipend to the upkeep of UWI. Guyana was guaranteed those 25 places when it was a financial contributor to the Council, it withdrew that assistance”.

But, especially as it concerns the 2014 prospective law graduates; that would not be a good legal argument. In my humble submission, Guyana’s historical contribution to UWI/CLE has impetus coupled with the fact that the end that was brought to the special arrangement regarding the top 25 and entrance exami-

nation was most egregious, arbitrary and unreasonable. I have spelt out in previous letters to the Editor that I believe when UWI/HWLS opened and closed applications in January 2014 in the local jurisdiction, it signalled by conduct, an intention to continue the arrangement. When UG law students applied to the HWLS we had a legitimate expectation cemented by the application process holistically that those applications would be considered on the merit of GPA in the first instance and grades via the entrance examination.

I would like to proffer here that when UWI/LEC voted in February 2014 to nullify the arrangement, soon after, they had received our applications to HWLS and application fee, application for entrance examination and that examination fee the LEC must have known throughout that process of its intentions to disallow the facilities. It would mean the Council took our monies under false pretence, and a malicious misrepresentation. That is the immediate situation that requires remedy and more so requires justice.

Respectfully, Sherod Avery Duncan Law Student, Class of 2014 President, UGSS, 2009-2010

Opposition parties to look into the contracts being imposed on the dealers and to ensure that dealers are compensated for the years of service which they give, in the event that oil companies terminate the dealers’ contracts.

In the meanwhile, with gasoline prices passing the $1000 per gallon mark, I appeal to the Government to lower the taxes on fuel so that the burden of the increases will be cushioned. It was promised at a meeting a few years ago that whenever fuel prices go to $1000 or over, Government will relax on the taxes.

We need to fight, to stop this unfairness being placed on service station dealers by oil companies. Together we stand; divided we fall.

Sincerely,

Steven Chung Former President Guyana Petrol State Dealers Association

Page Foundation

BY DR LAURA MARKHAM

In one fairly typical encounter, a father asked his eight-year-old son five times to please go take a bath or a shower. After the fifth plea went unheed ed, the father picked the boy up and carried him into the bathroom. A few min utes later, the child, still unwashed, wandered into another room to play a vid eo game.

This situation may be extreme, but most parents I know have some version of this complaint. It’s a good question: Why don’t chil dren just do what we say the first time we say it?! And there’s a good answer. Several, in fact.

They don’t share our priorities

No child understands why a bath seems so es sential to you. And every child has something else he’s in the middle of doing that seems more important to him. It may not look important to you, but a child’s play is his work – that’s how young humans learn. That’s a good thing – you want a child who’s self-motivated, rather than expecting you to entertain or engage him.

orities: “Wow, look at this elaborate train track you’re building! Can you show me how it works?” Then, give him a warning that you’re about to overrule his agenda

human. So if your child is like the eight-year-old who ignored five requests, it means you’ve trained her that you aren’t serious until you yell.

your bath now, or in five minutes? Ok, five minutes with no fuss? Ok, that’s a deal – let’s shake on it!”

Solution: First, connect with your child by noticing what he’s working on and acknowledging his pri-

We’ve trained them not to pay attention until we yell and threaten Your child is no dummy. She knows she can milk extra time before bath if she just ignores you. That doesn’t make her bad, just

Don’t give di rectives from across the room. Move in close to your child and touch her. Connect by commenting on what she’s doing. Then say “Excuse me, Sweetie... I need to tell you something,” and wait until she looks you in the eye. If she’s staring at a screen, warn her that you’re going to pause the game or the TV. Don’t give your directive until you make eye con-

tact, so she knows you’re serious. Don’t give more than one warning, and stick to the time limit you’ve agreed on. Follow through on every limit. If you don’t, you’re training her not to take your requests seriously.

in five minutes, connect again by commenting on his play: “Wow, look at those trains go!” Remind him of your deal: “Ok, Sweetie, it’s been five minutes. Remember our deal? Five minutes and no fuss. It’s

They need our help to make the transition When you’re engrossed in your computer screen, don’t you find it hard to pull yourself away to tend to a whining child? Children experience our repeated nagging the same way we experience their whining, meaning they try to tune it out.

Solution: Give one warning. When you go back

bath time now.” Then, create a bridge from his play to what you’re asking: “Do you want the two engines to leap off the track and race all the way to the bathroom? Here, I’ll take this one and you take that one; Let’s zoom!”

Their frontal cortex is still developing the ability to switch gears from what they want to what you want Every time you set a limit that requires your child to

give up what she wants, to do what you want – and she complies – she’s strengthening her brain’s ability to rein herself in. That’s how children develop self-discipline. But this only works if your child switches gears somewhat willingly. If our limits are harsh, children resist our guidance, and don’t learn to switch gears smoothly. Solution: Set limits with empathy so she wants to comply, and gets plenty of practice.

They don’t feel heard We can’t make children obey, unless we’re willing to hurt their bodies and break their spirits. They have to want to cooperate. Luckily, our children usually give us the benefit of the doubt and follow our rules, as long as they feel heard.

Solution: Acknowledge her position: “I hear you. You’re saying it loud and clear – NO BATH! You really don’t want to take a bath. I bet when you’re older you’ll NEVER take a bath, right?... tonight you do need a bath, though...do you want a bath or a shower?” Sometimes, your child might convince you to compromise or change your position. That’s fine. Just explain your reasoning, so your child knows it was her win/win solution that changed your mind, not her obstinacy.

They feel disconnected from us When children don’t follow our lead, it’s because they feel disconnected from us. Why on earth would he feel disconnected? Because he was away from you all day. Or you lost your temper at him this morning. Or he’s angry at you because you always have the baby on your lap.

Solution: Empathise with your child’s experience, both when you’re giving a directive and as often as you can. That rebuilds the connection. Be prepared for any upset feelings to surface once your child feels that warm connection more strongly, and stay compassionate through the resulting meltdown. After he’s had a chance to “show” you the upset that’s been weighing on him, your child will feel re-connected and cooperative.

(Aha Parenting!)

Soesdyke man bludgeoned to death during argument

The quiet farming community of Moblissa, located along the LindenSoesdyke Highway received a shock when a resident was on Thursday bludgeoned to death, leaving residents in shock.

Davnanand Daniels, 37, a farmer, who recently took up residence in the area, was reportedly struck dead by his friend identified only as “Victor”, whom he had shared drinks with only moments before the incident. According to reports, the two had been drinking at a popular spot in the area owned and controlled by the proprietor known as “Mike”, when an argument started between them.

Daniels’s reputed wife “Lynette”, with whom he had lived with for the past seven years, said the now deceased man left his home located only a short distance away from the shop to have a few drinks on Thursday morning.

The dead man’s foster sister Davina Williams said she recalled passing in the vicinity of the shop about 14:00h on the said day when she heard the two engaged in a heated argument and exchange of words inside the shop.

“Me ain’t know is what really they were arguing about. All I hear is they cussing up one another...,”she said.

The woman noted; however, that when she returned about 16:00h the said afternoon, Daniels was lying at the shop, bleeding profusely from his head.

She said while there were a number of persons drinking at the shop at the said time, no one attempted to assist him or make a call for help.

“He was just lying there, nobody ain’t do nothing. I had to go and pick he up and then hold he up like, he head was bleeding bad... the shopowner went lying down. He didn’t do nothing and everybody else was outside because like they did frighten,” she related.

Surprised

Lynette said she was shocked over the incident, since Daniels was not known as a troublemaker and he and the alleged assailant were close friends.

“He and this man that lash he was good friends. He live right by Mike them, and me ain’t know what argument they get, but you know, they was drinking and the two of them start argue with one another and start pelt (one another). Suh come Victor run with a wood and come lash me husband. When he lash he now, suh come he fall down with a long burst on he head. He lash he with a two by three green-

heart wood. When he lash he now, he fall down and leave right there,” the distraught woman related.

In tears, the visibly shaken woman recounted that it was not until she decided to go look for Daniels around 16:30h in the afternoon that she learnt about what had transpired.

Lynette said she was in formed that after the man hit Daniels in the head, he lashed him about his body with the wood.

The woman said if she was informed of the incident earli er, she could have taken him to the hospital immediately to receive treatment, which could have probably saved his life.

“After me ain’t see he I de-

at the shop occasionally while playing domino. He leaves to from a previous relationship, and four foster children.

President to meet with Legal Council on admission issue

Attorney General Anil

Nandlall said the President has requested a meeting with the Council of Legal Education delegation and Caricom Chair, Dr Ralph Gonsalves in a bid to settle the impasse regarding admission of local law students to the Huge Wooding Law School, Trinidad and Tobago.

According to the Attorney General in a release, arrangements are currently being made for the meeting to take place at the earliest possible day in June 2014.

Nandlall will be part of the meeting that will include executive member of the Council of Legal Education of the West Indies and personnel from the University of Guyana.

Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves on March 31 had dispatched a letter to Samuels-Browne to address the issue, who responded on May 2, stating:

as soon as possible how many University of Guyana graduates would be interested in attending that law school.

“The Hugh Wooding Law School has reiterated that until we know how many graduates of the University of the West Indies will exercise their right to seek admission to that law school, it cannot be determined how many additional students can be accommodated. As you have noted they have priority over other applicants. This is one of the matters which may have to be revisited, particularly as the quota system on which it was premised, has been effectively abandoned.

The Attorney General said on May 2, Council of Legal Education Chair Jacqueline Samuels-Brown, QC, responded to Caricom Chairman, Dr Ralph Gonsalves.

The Attorney General said Government continues to make every effort to resolve the impasse and remains optimistic that local law students will gain access into the Hugh Wooding Law School, Trinidad, for the academic year beginning September 2014.

“It is, however, likely that for this year, some University of Guyana graduates can be accommodated at the Eugene Dupuch Law School. We would of course have to know

“If the capacity constraints of the Hugh Wooding Law School and the Norman Manley Law School are to be addressed in a meaningful way, the law schools must receive capital injections to fund the expansion of the physical plants and the full-time staff complement, as a matter of urgency. We have no sources of significant funding other than from the contributing governments and I would certainly invite the governments to give immediate and positive consideration to this pressing need. As you have apprehended, other broader issues also need to be reviewed.”

The Attorney General said Government remains committed to pursue, most resolutely, every possible avenue and resort to every option available,

The shop where Davnanand Daniels was murdered

Davnanand Daniels

Davnanand Daniels’ reputed wife, “Lynette” at the murder scene

in order to protect the welfare of local law students and the future of the law programme at the University of Guyana.

President Donald Ramotar

Drugs at Ogle: Woman charged with trafficking in narcotics

The 20-year-old woman who was caught with about five kilograms of marijuana and three kilograms of cocaine at the Ogle International Airport was refused bail when she was arraigned on Friday.

Anastacia Latoya Crawford appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry to answer to the two counts of possession of narcotics

for the purpose of trafficking.

The charges stated that on Wednesday, May 21, at the Ogle International Airport, the accused had in her possession 5.574kg of marijuana and 2.256kg of cocaine. The illegal substances were discovered after officers from the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) searched the defendant’s luggage. Crawford, who was booked to fly to Barbados on a LIAT flight out of

Ogle, was arrested, and the narcotics were weighed in her presence. The accused pleaded not guilty to both charges. The Magistrate refused bail and adjourned the case to May 27, at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court. CANU on Thursday issued a wanted bulletin for Mark “Polo” Mohabir, 32, of Albouystown, Georgetown, in connection with the cocaine bust.

Accused Berbice serial robber remanded

The Berbician man accused of being a ruthless serial robber was refused bail when he appeared before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh on three robbery charges at the Reliance Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

For the first count of robbery, Rawl Victor, of Number Two Village, Canje, is accused of stealing $1.3 million in cash from Ishwarnauth Bisham on April 28. Police Prosecutor, Sergeant Godfrey Platter told the court that, while armed with a dangerous weapon (that is a gun), Victor carried out the act at Cumberland Village, East Canje. The 30-year-old was not required to plead to the indictable charge.

The father of four is also

accused of committing robbery with aggravation on John Ramberat on May 12 at Number Two Village, relieving the Virtual Complainant of $66,000 in cash.

For the third count of robbery, Victor is accused of robbing gas station owner Roopnarine Arnold, of St John Street, New Amsterdam, of one Toyota Ractis motor car valued at $2.75 million and $1 million cash on April 23, while in the company of others.

The court was told that 60-year-old Arnold had just stepped out of his car (his daughter was a passenger at the time) to open the gate to his home when the accused and others grabbed a bag containing the money and drove away with the car. According to reports,

Arnold’s daughter jumped out of the car to escape the bandits. The Police Prosecutor said the car was later found at Vryheid, West Canje.

Platter objected to the defendant being granted bail, citing the nature, prevalence and gravity of the offences. He said other charges are likely to be laid against Victor who was picked out during an identification parade on another matter.

The first two matters will come up again at the Reliance Magistrate’s Court on June 4. Victor, who claims to be a farmer, will have to return to court one day earlier for the second hearing of the final matter at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court.

Two men charged for robbing cellphone store

Two self-proclaimed traders were on Friday remanded to prison on a charge of simple larceny when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Forty-two-year-old Deon Gordon, of Lot 3 South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, and Jason Mambodh allegedly, on Tuesday, May 20, broke into the cellphone store from which they stole the sum of $38,500 and escaped.

The men pleaded not guilty to the charge. Mambodh was unrepresented while his co-accused Gordon was represented by Attorney George Thomas who asked for reasonable bail for his client.

Bail was set at $100,000. The defendants are scheduled to make another appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on June 28 for statements.

Eyew tness

Shutdown...

...or shut up?

So Mayor Green wants to “shutdown” the city. You can gauge how irrelevant and out of touch Green is by his accusation that the Local Government Ministry and the Government in general, are “sand dancing”?? Your Eyewitness can hear a collective, “What the arse is that???!!!”

Well from the 1920s to the 1950s, or thereabouts, there was an American vaudeville act by the trio of Wilson Keppel and Betty’s doing their “Sand Dance” routine. The video to “Walk like an Egyptian” – the hit song from the 80s – is reminiscent of the “sand dance”.

So we’re not sure what Green is alluding to except that he’s long past his expiration date as far as the Mayoralty of Georgetown is concerned. We were going to say that Green should do the citizens of Georgetown a favour and “sand dance” his sorry a55 out of the tarmac of City Hall (he’s still locked out of the Mayor’s office, isn’t he?).

But with him, the only dance he can do – considering the degradation he’s brought to our once and never-more “Garden City” – is “dirty dancing”. And we don’t mean any of Patrick Swayze’s slick moves, either. We mean “dirty” like in filth, garbage and slime.

Green says the PPP/C wants an Interim Management Committee (IMC) to control City Hall because they “didn’t win the city elections”. Well, the question is: “DID HE, HAMILTON GREEN, WIN THE ELECTIONS BACK IN 1994?” And the answer is most certainly, NO!!

The elections were split three ways among himself, the PNC – which had kicked him out – and the PPP/C. They all agreed to split the term three ways. Randall Jordan of the PNC had first shot...then Hamilton Green. But when it came the time for him to hand the mace over to the PPP/C – he welshed.

For some people, their word is their bond – for Hamilton Green, it’s just like the sound of air rushing out of the other end of his alimentary canal. Nasty and of absolutely no value.

As far as shutting down the city, Green, who’s sidled back into the PNC, will most likely exploit the poorer and disadvantaged sections of the latter’s traditional constituency. Just like he did since the 60s, he’ll have them “behave bad” – and reinforce the stereotypes they earned in the streets since that time.

Georgetown doesn’t need a “shutdown”. It just needs Hamilton Green to shut up!! And move on. Georgetown deserves better.

...with AML/CFT strangled

The May 29 deadline for Guyana to pass the amendments to the AML/CFT Bill is nigh upon us – three days after our “Independence” anniversary. But the Opposition’s recalcitrance will ensure the entire financial system in our country being virtually shutdown. As we’ve emphasised before, the CFATF and FATF’s blacklisting might’ve been ridden out by some countries – like Trinidad. But our financial system is neither as resilient nor as strong as those countries.

And as a result, even if the simplest necessity is complied with – a higher and more rigorous level of scrutiny – the resulting slowdown of transactions will put our economy into a tailspin. Our businesses just aren’t as well capitalised and financed to absorb the longer and higher transaction costs. And the Opposition wankers in the APNU and the AFC damn well know this.

After dilly-dallying for over a year, claiming that they were holding “consultations” with their constituents, the Opposition finally concocted some last minute amendments – one of which even the CFATF rejected as going against the spirit of the whole mechanism.

This Opposition’s just ensuring it’ll be shut out at the next elections.

...at call centre

There’s this call centre on the East Coast where some 20 employees couldn’t breathe for a while. They think it’s the air conditioning. But there were some Dutch graves at the spot. What to do? Throw some white rum liberally every New Year.

LIAT’s ATR72 aircraft makes inaugural flight

The inaugural flight of the LIAT ATR72 Aircraft touched down at the Ogle International Airport (OIA) on Friday afternoon with 42 passengers onboard.

The aircraft will soon replace the Dash 8-300 aircraft as the airline expands its operation at Ogle.

The plane has a capacity to hold 68 passengers while the Dash 8-300 can only carry 50 persons.

OIA Public Relations Consultant Kit Nascimento told media operatives that the aircraft is the first of its kind to land at the facility. He added that the ATR72 aircraft is more spacious and will operate the GeorgetownBridgetown route.

Nascimento further stat -

ed that the aircraft is one of the larger LIAT flights that has landed as the airport ex -

pands its fleet of aircraft to operate from the OIA.

He added that the air -

Solid waste no burden if properly managed – Persaud

Natural Resources and Environment Minister

Robert Persaud has said solid waste can be used to transform the economy.

The Minister, who has responsibility for the environment, was at the time speaking at the launch of the new Tetra Pak recycling Plant at Farm, East Bank Demerara on Friday.

Persaud said that “the green growth sector” is among the many in developed countries around the world that is rapidly expanding as a result of solid waste management.

The Minister said waste has been known traditionally as a “burden”; but noted that “it is a burden if it is not properly managed, properly disposed of and if there is no vision of how we can convert waste as it were a commodity”.

In Guyana, Persaud said, citizens have had to deal with the growing plague of improper solid waste management.

The Minister said that it was because of such reasons that Government has taking several initiatives at the policy level to address the problem.

He said that Government will soon be tabling the Solid Waste Bill in the National Assembly.

“This Bill is intended to have a holistic approach of

how do we manage waste, not only in disposal but looking in terms of activities and incentives that can so be created so that waste can be moved from a place of burden, to one of a commodity, to one of an economic value.”

As is seen in other Caribbean countries, if an economic value could be put into solid waste, “people themselves will change their habits and attitude about how they approach waste management”, the Minister added.

He said the question now rests on how the private sector and Government approach the issue.

“Be it the Town Council, be

port has recently been certified by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Caribbean body that is responsible for the LIAT Flights.

He explained that recently there has been some expansion work done to the runway that can accommodate aircraft with up to 70 seats.

The optimistic Public Relations Consultant was excited to have welcomed the flight to Guyana and assure the media that more such aircraft will soon land at the airport.

The plane was safely landed at the OIA by two Guyanese pilots namely, Chris Cameron and Ayesha Greene.

In a brief comment, Cameron said that there were no difficulties landing the aircraft, describing it as smooth. He said that he was excited to be the first to land such an aircraft at the facility and looks forwards to the other flights.

He also said that security at the airport is at its best, while noting that it might be better compared to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

Back in June 2013, regional airline LIAT landed its inaugural international flight at the Ogle aerodrome.

The regional carrier LI 521 made its first landing at Ogle and was witnessed by several high-level officials. That flight landed on schedule, bringing in 33 passengers from Barbados.

LIAT responds to complaints by passenger

Caribbean air carrier, LIAT has responded to allegations that one of its counter staff at Ogle International Airport (OIA) was rude to a customer earlier this week.

In a release, LIAT said approximately 14:30h on May 18, customer Shirling Corrie arrived at the counter to check-in for her 14:55h flight (LI512).

The agent advised Corrie that she was late for her flight and that check-in closed off at 14:10h. Corrie, according to LIAT asked if there was anything that could be done so she could still be checked-in and the agent responded in the negative, explaining that the documentation for the flight had already been processed and the passengers had already boarded the aircraft.

Corrie stated that she came from a far distance and pleaded for help again, the release added, but the agent apologised and told her the only other option was to rebook her for the next available LIAT flight (May 20, 2014) to which Corrie agreed.

According to LIAT, the agent calculated the amount Corrie had to pay and explained to her that she had one of the lowest fares in the system and would have to pay the difference to change the ticket to the new date.

The agent then advised Corrie of her options (having her husband pay the difference in Barbados or paying at the counter). Corrie said she would make contact with her husband and departed the

airport. LIAT said all of its employees are bound to comply with the company’s nondiscrimination policy.

Corrie’s husband Damon Corrie had lodged a protest at the alleged treatment of his wife. According to him on May 14, he had purchased a one-way ticket for his wife to travel to Barbados on a special “Just Go” fare online, however, much to his dismay, when she reached the counter at 14:00h on May 18 to check-in for her 14:55h flight, a female counter staff looked at her e-ticket and questioned her. “Who got this ticket for you at that price? Who bought this ticket for you?” he said the woman reportedly asked his wife, who pointed out to her that her husband did, using his credit card.

According to him, the counter staff then turned to his wife and allegedly said: “Well, you will have to pay US$78.55 more because that sounds too low to me – so he can either pay that online or you can pay it in cash here, and you will have to wait until Tuesday, May 20 before you can get the next available seat.”

Damon said this is grossly unfair, as his wife has been denied a seat he legitimately paid for and had to travel back to the interior.

“I sincerely hope and expect the management of LIAT will resolve this amicably by seeing that my wife is put on the next available LIAT flight from Ogle to Barbados at no cost to me,” Damon said.

it the NDCs (Neighbourhood Democratic Councils) and other bodies, how do they deal with the issue of waste.”

He pointed out that Government, more particularly the Natural Resources Ministry stands ready to lend its support and is examining ways in which it can improve waste collection with the respective bodies.

“With the advent of the Ministry of Natural Resources, we’ve looked in terms of restricting items such as Styrofoam; we’re working with the Ministry of Finance in dealing with the appropriate regulations in this regard. Also we’ve looked at sensitisation and putting programmes in p/ace through the ‘Pick it Up Guyana’ initiative.”

The Minister said too that there must be some level of behavioural change among citizens who are prone to violate the laws of the environment. He noted that while companies such as the Caribbean Container Inc are often times pleased to have access to the waste items for production, that does not give citizens the right to dispose as they feel fit.

“That is not any reason for us to be negligent,” he said. The Minister took the opportunity to call on the Private Sector Commission for its support in the tedious process.

The LIAT ATR72 aircraft moments after landing at the Ogle International Airport

Pilot Chris Cameron disembarks the aircraft on Friday

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud

GT&T plugs $10M into publicising National Art Collection

Guyanese will soon be able to view the famed artwork contained with the National Art Collection without stepping foot into the National Art Gallery at Castellani House, when a catalogue of the pieces is published, thanks to a collaboration between the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) and the Culture Ministry.

The two entities on Friday signed a $10 million Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to publicise the collection in a serialised catalogue titled “Panorama – A Portrait of Guyana” and each instalment will feature 52 pieces of art. The first publication is expected to be out later this year, and a committee has been set up to oversee the publications.

GT&T Chief Executive Officer Radha Krishna Sharma, and Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony initialled the MoU, which covers a three-year period, at the Cara Lodge.

Speaking at the signing, Sharma explained that his company was looking at various sectors it could help to promote. He noted that culture is a critical aspect of society and persons should embrace it, particularly in the form of art.

According to the CEO, this initiative is a means of getting the work of artists out to the public rather than having them sitting in the gallery all the time. He added that this will also enable the wider society to have an appreciation of the work done by artists.

The CEO acknowledged that while it would have been better to use the money to support the work of artists directly, it was decided to use it to publish the catalogue.

In touting the company’s continued involvement in preserving Guyana’s heritage, Sharma pointed out that GT&T financed the transport of several pieces of local art which were left in England after an exhibition in the 1980s back home.

In his remarks, Minister Anthony echoed Sharma’s sentiments, noting that art is a big part of Guyana’s culture and citizens have to recognise and document it now, or there would be nothing left to show in the future.

De blame game goin on

De whole world gettin to be a place wheh no body ain’t wanna accept responsibility fuh dem actions or sometimes even dem thoughts. And de thoughts does come before de actions, except fuh de Mayor-fuh-Life, who never yet tink in he life before he do some ting.

Every body wanna pass de buck to some body and it does end up wid nobody tekkin blame. Right now de You-G law students can’t get to study at U-Wee, and TT and Guyana blamin one another.

De US guvament creatin problems all over de world and dem always sayin it wasn’t dem. Is not dem who create problems in Iraq and is not dem who run down Egypt. Is also not dem who got Afghanistan in de gutter and is not dem who stiflin Cuba.

That is just how people in Guyana turn now. Dem fellas in de Pee-N-C don’t wanna tek blame fuh runnin down de country, but dem blamin this guvament. Dem don’t wanna tek blame fuh killin Rodney, although de whole world know is dem who do it.

De Opposition don’t wanna tek blame fuh causin de blacklistin wid de A-M-Hell Bill. Rum Jhaat blamin one ting and Green Jah mekkin excuses bout some ting else. Even when de See-FAT people come and tell dem that is dem is de problem, dem start bobbin and weavin like how Mayweather runnin from de Pacman. When it come to de East Bank Road, that is another blame game wid all who got some ting to do wid de project. Bee-Kay wuk men can’t put down he stones because Gee-W-High got pipes in de way. Then, GeeTnT ain’t movin dem wires.

And G-Pee-Hell poles fallin down, but dem still ain’t movin dem. De G-Pee-Hell wuk men seh dem have to pick up Din Dhaal pole fuss because he pole fall down long before dem ones pun de East Bank.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! De problem is dem can’t get Din Dhaal pole fuh stand up again so dem have to hold it up, while de whole road project gettin screwed!

He noted that the initiative of publishing a catalogue of the artwork on display in Castellani House was thought of before; however, it was never acted upon until GT&T approached the relevant authorities.

The Culture Minister explained that art is most often seen as an elite thing and so when exhibitions are held, many persons do not attend. Dr Anthony said with the publication of the catalogue, everyone will now have the opportunity to see the artwork and maybe they will be encouraged to visit Castellani House and see the collection in person.

The Minister disclosed that there are some 700 pieces within the National Collection, and noted that while all may not be featured, this collaboration might open doors for more partnerships of this nature.

Only recently, GT&T committed some $60 million in an MoU signed with the University of Guyana and $9 million in another signed with the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG). Sharma said the company has recognised the importance of these sectors and, therefore, made the commitment to help further their development.

From left: GT&T CEO Radha Krishna Sharma and Culture Minister, Dr Frank Anthony signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Friday

Rodney CoI recommences Tuesday

The Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry (CoI) comprising Chairman, Sir Richard Cheltenham, Queen’s Council Jacqueline SamuelsBrown, and Senior Council Seenath Jairam will recommence on May 27.

According to a release, the hearings will continue on May 28, 29 and 30 and June 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, commencing at 09:30h at the Supreme Court Library Building, Victoria Law Courts, Avenue of the Republic and Charlotte Street, Georgetown.

The purpose of the hearings will be for the Commission to receive testimony and evidence from interested parties to enable it to examine the facts and circumstances immediately prior, at the time of, and subsequent to, the death of Dr Rodney in order to determine, as far as possible, who or what was responsible for the explosion resulting in the death of Dr Walter Rodney; inquire into the cause of the explosion in which Dr Walter Rodney died, whether it was an act of terrorism, and if so, who were the perpetrators; examine the role, if any, which the late Gregory Smith, Sergeant of the Guyana Defence Force, played in the death of Dr

Rodney and if so, to inquire into who may have counselled, procured, aided and or abetted him to do so, including facilitating his departure from Guyana after Dr Rodney’s death; examine and report on the actions and activities of the State, such as, the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana National Service, the Guyana People’s Militia and those who were in command and superintendence of these agencies, to determine whether they were tasked with the surveillance of, and the carrying out of, actions, and whether they did execute those tasks and carried out those actions against the political Opposition, for the period January 1, 1978 to December 31, 1980; and examine, review and report on earlier investigations and inquiries done on and into the death of Dr Rodney.

The Commission will be accepting original and follow up statements from interested parties during the life of the Commission and will be setting subsequent hearing dates to facilitate the Commission and attendance of witnesses.

“All persons wishing to testify on these and subsequent hearing dates are asked to submit statements of their intended testimony in writing to the Commission,” a release said.

Persons who wish to testify but may need assistance in composing their witness statements will be assisted by the Commission Secretariat and are invited to contact the Secretariat in person, or on telephone number 227-7729 or email walterrodneysecretariat@gmail. com.

Food For The Poor continues to assist less fortunate

In their customary display of benevolence, Food For The Poor (Guyana) Incorporated (FFP) recently donated 226 five gallon pails of paint to a number of less fortunate Region Three residents.

The areas that benefited were Onderneeming, Phase 2, Parfaite Harmonie and Belle West. FFP employees had previously visited, identified and interviewed those in dire need of paint for their homes.

Some 100 pleasantly surprised householders received paint and all the recipients

expressed gratitude to the FFP for the kind gesture.

The following day, May 17, FFP revisited Parfaite Harmonie, where a massive outreach programme was conducted.

Over 500 persons benefited from the assortment of items provided by the nongovernmental organisation. Some of the items, included rice, beans, clothing and household items to name a few.

There was obvious satisfaction on the faces of everyone in receipt of the items.

saturday, may 24, 2014 |

UWI students impressed with local agricultural developments

Agriculture students from the University of the West Indies (UWI) said they were impressed with the rapid development of Guyana’s rice industry.

Zakita Bethel from The Bahamas said her one week visit to Guyana was very impacting, noting that it exposed her to many agricultural practices and experiences.

Bethel said she was captivated particularly by the large-scale rice cultivation and the shade house methods of cultivation at Hope Village, noting that the visit was an educational and informative experience.

Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) Extension Manager Kuldip Ragnauth said the 20 students are completing their under graduate studies in Agriculture.

The visit was made possible through collaboration with the Agriculture Ministry, the GRDB and

UWI.

Ragnauth said the students were exposed to all aspects of Agriculture, ranging from rice cultivation, aqua culture and pineapple cultivation to the operations of rice factories.

The team arrived in Guyana on Sunday and paid a courtesy call on Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, Permanent Secretary George Jervis and GRDB General Manager Jagnarine Singh.

They visited the Food and

Agriculture Office (FAO) in Georgetown, the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA), the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), the Enmore Packaging Plant, various farmers’ cultivations, the Mahaica/ ahaicony/Abary Scheme, Caricom, Kayman Sankar and Ramlakhan rice mills, aqua culture farms and the Pineapple Factory at Mainstay.

The students are from

the different Caribbean territories.

Team Coordinator Wayne Ganpat thanked the Agriculture Ministry for making the visit possible. Ganpat, a UWI lecturer in the Faculty of Food and Agriculture, said himself and another lecturer Linda Wickam organised the visit to Guyana.

The purpose of the visit was to provide the final year Agriculture students with much exposure in largescale farming.

The team from the University of the West Indies

Residents collecting their paint from Food For The Poor

Dr Walter Rodney

IICA renews technical cooperation model

The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) has revamped its method of work, adopting a model capable of addressing the major challenges of the Agricultural Sector in the 21st century.

The model is designed to increase the impact of IICA’s actions and meet the agricultural and technical assistance needs of its member countries with measurable and verifiable contributions.

The framework for the implementation of this new form of technical assistance is set forth in the institute’s 2014-2018 Mediumterm Plan (MTP), approved by IICA’s Executive Committee at its annual meeting held in Costa Rica on May 21-22.

IICA will provide technical cooperation to the Agricultural Sector of its 34 member countries via four flagship projects, externally funded projects, rapid response actions and the

pre-investment projects of the Technical Cooperation Fund (FonTC).

The aim of these instruments is to make 11 types of contributions to the efforts to bring about major transformations in agriculture in the hemisphere. The overarching changes in question range from increased governability of agricultural and agri-food systems to the adoption of a culture of risk prevention, enhanced intersectoral coordination of the ministries working in rural territories and a reduction in the economic vulnerability of rural dwellers.

“We aim to increase the impact of the institute’s activities in areas that better reflect the hemisphere’s aspiration for productive, competitive and sustainable agriculture, while bearing in mind that the objectives of the 2010-2020 Strategic Plan remain unchanged,”

IICA Director General Víctor M Villalobos, observed.

The challenges are to

improve the productivity and competitiveness of the Agricultural Sector, strengthen agriculture’s contribution to rural area-based development and rural well-being, boost agriculture’s capacity for climate change mitigation and adaptation, make better use of natural resources and enhance agriculture’s contribution to food security.

Furthermore, at both their two last meetings (2011 and 2013), the Agriculture Ministers of the Americas instructed IICA to strengthen innovation in the sector and promote integrated water resources management.

The institute will also work to achieve greater integration of family farming into value chains.

According to the 20142018 MTP, the flagship projects integrate all of IICA’s vertical levels of activity (from the hemispheric down to the national level) and all of its units and offices horizontally.

They will be given priority with respect to the allocation of resources from the institute’s Regular Fund and will be geared toward the attainment of the results expected of IICA’s strategies in its member countries.

There will be four flagship projects: competitiveness and sustainability of agricultural chains for food security; inclusion in agriculture and rural territories; resilience and comprehensive risk management in agriculture; and the productivity and sustainability of family agriculture for food security and the rural economy.

Argentine guitarists to rock independence celebrations

The Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry has numerous activities planned in observance of Guyana’s 48th Independence Anniversary and to add to the exciting platform of entertainers will be Argentine guitar duo, “Escordando Duo”.

The announcement was made on Thursday at a press conference hosted by Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony and Argentina’s Ambassador to Guyana Luis Alberto Martino.

The duo comprising Jorge Palacios and Jorge Martí will be in Guyana from Sunday, May 25. During their 10-day stay, they will be conducting workshops targeting students and teachers of the National Music School and perform live at various venues, including the Ministry’s Independence celebrations.

They will also be hosting concerts at the Theatre Guild, Umana Yana and the University of Guyana. Apart from performing in Georgetown, they will also take to the stage at the New Amsterdam High

School and the Mackenzie High School in Linden.

The Embassy of Argentina in collaboration with the Ministry will also be hosting an open concert called “An evening of Guitar from Argentina” at the Theatre Guild on Thursday, May 29. This activity will commence at 19:00h.

Martino noted that this is the first cultural event that the Embassy is hosting in Guyana since its reopening. He added that he was pleased with the partnership between the Ministry and the Embassy.

Minister Anthony also expressed his gratitude to the Ambassador and hopes for continued collaboration in the area of culture between the two countries.

The group, which is currently on a world tour, plays Argentine folk music, a traditional and popular type of music in Argentina, usually representing the native customs of the country. They will also be giving the Guyanese citizens a taste of tango music, which is also a historical and cultural expression in their country.

Allegations against Police handled differently – Kennard

Police Complaints Authority (PCA)

Chairman Cecil Kennard said it is natural for the public to look at the cases involving Colwyn Harding and Alex Griffith and think that the Police are dragging their feet on the issues because their col-

leagues are involved.

However, he said, this is not so, explaining that the cases are dealt with differently when compared to civilian matters.

Kennard told Guyana Times that in such serious cases, defined procedures have to be followed, which include a thorough investigation by Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).

Upon completion of such, the file is set to him for pe-

rusal and recommendations and he will in turn send it back to the Police, who will then forward it to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for a decision to be taken.

During the investigations, he noted that there must be no loopholes that would lead to the case being thrown out of the court.

It is the investigators’ responsibility to cover all aspects of the case, which involves taking statements and gathering evidence.

With respect to the Colwyn Harding case, he explained that the delay in a ruling resulted from the back and forth of the file between him, the DPP and the Police.

Kennard said in the first instance, he would have gone through the case and sent it to the DPP, but she subsequently ordered further investigations which were facilitated.

Now the file is with Crime Chief Leslie James, who will ultimately send it to the DPP for advice.

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The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) has revamped its method of work, adopting a model capable of addressing the major challenges of the Agricultural Sector in the 21st century

Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony and Argentina’s Ambassador to Guyana Luis Alberto Martino during a press briefing on the team’s visit

PCA Chairman Cecil Kennard

Annual Independence Exhibition opens

As Guyana celebrates 48 years as an Independent nation on May 26, the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry is working towards ensuring that the citizens are aware of the country’s rich history.

In this regard, the Ministry on Thursday officially opened its annual Independence exhibition at the Guyana National Museum that will run up to June 6.

The exhibition, which has now become an official part of the country’s Independence celebrations, seeks to inform the public, primarily the youth, about the struggles faced by their ancestors and to enlighten them on their country’s history.

There is a wide display of posters depicting Guyana’s historians and their political backgrounds, clippings from old newspapers, sections on former Presidents, models of the Canje Pleasant – the national bird and medals, national symbols, and books, along with many other treasured gems of the country.

Students from various schools in Georgetown also participated in the viewing of the exhibits. They were given

tive years and aims to act as an awareness campaign to educate the public on their country’s legacy.

He also encouraged individuals, especially students, to visit the event and have a firsthand learning experience of their history.

Also present at the ceremony were Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry Permanent Secretary Alfred King and members of the Diplomatic Corps. Guyana, then British Guiana, gained its Independence on Thursday, May 26, 1966. It was a moment of pride for the country as the British flag, the Union Jack, was lowered and the Golden

a tour of the exhibition after sitting in for the formal opening ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony was Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, who highlighted the importance of a nation’s knowledge of its history. He said it is important for persons to understand their history because it is a part of who they are.

The Minister also noted that this exhibition has been held for five consecu-

Arrowhead was hoisted

This precious moment saw the head of the two political parties, Dr Cheddi Jagan and Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham embracing in joy, creating another historic moment for the country.

This year’s Independence celebrations are held under the theme “Supporting the role of development through 48 years of Independence”.

Pringles “Pringooools” Promotion launched

Pringles will be giving its customers a chance to watch great football games, and four lucky customers to each win a 42” television set as it launched its “Pringooools” Promotion on Wednesday, May 21, at the ANSA McAL Trading Limited Office. Consumers Goods Manager Marco Kreuter said the promotion is a first for Pringles; hence, they created a special edition label called “Pringooools”.

He said the company wanted the promotion to be

fun, while giving customers a chance to win great prizes, inclusive of four 42” television sets and fabulous hampers. He noted that the label is required to enter into the promotion and consumers are asked to cut it out and deposit it with their names, addresses and telephone numbers in an envelope into entry boxes countrywide. Drawings for the promotion will be held on May 30, June 13 and 27 and July 11 when the competition will come to an end.

Consumer Goods Manager Marco Kreuter (left) and Marketing Assistant Zandy McRae at the launch

A poster displaying the country’s national symbols

A section of the gathering at the opening ceremony of the Independence Exhibition

Regional

Venezuelan protests not over, vows hardline Maduro foe

Awave of protests against President Nicolas Maduro’s socialist Government in Venezuela will not let up and foreign sanctions could be useful, a hardline Opposition leader said on Friday.

The OPEC nation’s worst unrest in a decade has seen 42 people killed during months of daily protests calling for Maduro’s departure and solutions to economic hardships.

Though demonstrations have dwindled in recent weeks, one of their main promoters, Maria Corina Machado, said the President had been weakened and opponents would keep the heat on.

“A Venezuela that felt dominated, resigned and terrified has woken up,” the right-wing politician, prominent in organising nationwide rallies since February, told Reuters.

“This is the beginning of the beginning. We will have a transition to democracy in the near future ... not in 2019,” she said, pointing to a recall referendum allowed in

2016 as a constitutional way to abridge Maduro’s six-year term.

Meanwhile, targeted foreign sanctions against individuals could be beneficial, she added.

“In some regimes, as there’s no internal justice, they think ‘we have impunity, nothing is going to happen to me, whether they

steal all the money in a hospital or shoot students.’”

Some US lawmakers are urging sanctions on Venezuelan officials, though the Obama administration thinks that may hurt prospects for political reconciliation. Sanctions could also irk many in a region scarred by a history of U.S.-backed coups.

Wealthy, Englishspeaking Machado, 46, is depicted by the Maduro Government as the representative of an out-of-touch Venezuelan elite upset they no longer run the oil-rich nation.

She was a member of a US-financed group that helped collect signatures for a failed recall referendum against late President Hugo Chávez in 2004. A picture of her smiling with former US President George W Bush did not help endear her.

Machado laughed at accusations of being a foreign puppet, saying Venezuela’s second most powerful official, parliamentary head Diosdado Cabello – who recently kicked Machado out of the legislature – had openly acknowledged surveillance of her.

“Once Mr Cabello told me: ‘I know what you eat’. He records conversations with my mother ... Do you think they wouldn’t have publicly revealed it if anyone in Venezuela had that sort of relationship (with the United States)?” (Excerpt from Reuters)

More protests loom over UWI’s firing of Professor

Amassive protest has been planned for Monday, May 26, as the Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI), E Nigel Harris, remains silent in the face of mounting opposition to his dismissal of Professor Brendan Bain, the group ‘Citizen Stakeholders’ said Friday afternoon.

Bain was fired from his post as Director of the Regional Coordinating Unit of the Caribbean HIV/AIDS Regional Training Network (CHART) by the UWI for statements regarding men who have sex with men that he made as an expert witness in a Belize court case.

A release from Citizen Stakeholders said more than

A group at the UWI gate earlier this week protesting Professor Bain’s firing

1900 “citizen stakeholders” have signed an online petition delivered directly to the inbox of the Vice Chancellor.

The petition asks the Vice Chancellor to apologise for

unjustly dismissing Professor Bain and to address 14 points of clarification, including clarifying “whether students and academic staff are free to conduct research and pub-

lish their findings without the threat of being dismissed due to conflict with a political ideology or certain interest groups”, the release said.

Citizen Stakeholders said that the UWI Vice Chancellor is yet to respond.

Meanwhile, UWI Professor of Philosophy Tunde Bewaji, who Citizen Stakeholders said was lauded in recent years by the UWI for outstanding research, stated: “Diversity of views, orientations and research interests has been the forte of UWI, which has made it possible for persons from all over the world to advance the cause of knowledge. Trampling this is not a record we would wish to set …?” (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Dominican Republic lawmakers pass citizenship bill

The Dominican senate has unanimously approved a bill which will set up a system to grant citizenship to Dominican-born children of immigrants.

The bill had already been approved by the Lower House on Friday.

It was proposed by the president after the country’s highest court ruled last year that the children of undocumented migrants were not automatically eligible for Dominican nationality.

The ruling drew international criticism and soured relations with Haiti.

The two countries share the island of Hispaniola and the overwhelming majority of undocumented migrants

to the Dominican Republic come from Haiti.

The court’s ruling was decried as “racist” by international rights groups which accused the Dominican Republic of discriminating against Haitian immigrants, who often work in low-paid and low-skilled jobs.

The office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said at the time that it was “extremely concerned” as the ruling “may deprive tens of thousands of people of nationality, virtually all of them of Haitian descent, and have a very negative impact on their other rights”.

Simmering tensions between Haiti

and the Dominican Republic were stoked by the court’s decision.

The two neighbours withdrew their ambassadors, although there have been high-level meetings between the two governments since.

President Danilo Medina had urged lawmakers to pass the bill swiftly to create “a country without exclusion and without discrimination”.

The new law will create different categories for people depending on whether they have documents proving they were born in the Dominican Republic.

The law will come into force as soon as it is officially published.

Spanish oil company Repsol ends operations in Argentina

Spanish oil company Repsol has ended its operations in Argentina, two years after the Government seized its assets.

Last month, the Argentine Congress gave final approval to pay US$5 billion in compensation for Repsol’s stake in Argentine oil firm YPF.

The Spanish company has now announced that it has sold the last batch of bonds it received to cover its losses. Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner had accused Repsol of under-investing in oil production.

Before the Government seized Repsol’s assets in April 2012, the Spanish company had just over 50 per cent of YPF shares.

The company initially estimated the value of its as-

sets at US$10.5 billion, but it later settled for about half of that amount.

As part of the settlement, Repsol agreed to drop its lawsuits against Argentina. The deal was seen as crucial in helping Argentina attract foreign investment in its shale oil and gas reserves, which are among the world’s largest.

YPF is responsible for about a third of Argentina’s oil and a quarter of its gas output. In 2010, Argentina started importing fuel for the first time since YPF was privatised in 1993.

President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner blamed Repsol for draining YPF of its resources since acquiring a controlling stake in the 1990s, and not investing enough to cope with growing internal demand. (BBC News)

14-year-old held for murder of nine-yearold St James boy

A14-year-old boy was Friday morning arrested in connection with the brutal killing of nine-year-old Romaine Robinson, whose body was found bound and gagged in bushes in Plantation Heights, St James, Jamaica on Thursday.

Reports are that both boys had an altercation shortly before the murder.

The Police have denied earlier reports that the 14-year-old has confessed to murdering nine-yearold Romaine. (Jamaica Observer)

Information reaching OBSERVER ONLINE is that the boy is likely to be charged for Romaine’s murder.

Near normal or below normal

hurricane season predicted

In its 2014 Atlantic hurricane season outlook, the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is forecasting a near-normal or below-normal season.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Centre said the main driver of this year’s outlook is the anticipated development of El Niño this summer.

El Niño causes stronger wind shear, which reduces the number and intensity of tropical storms and hurricanes.

NOAA said El Niño can also strengthen the trade winds and increase the atmospheric stability across the tropical Atlantic, making it more difficult for cloud systems coming off of Africa to intensify into tropical storms.

The outlook calls for a 50 per cent chance of a belownormal season, a 40 per cent chance of a near-normal season, and only a 10 per cent chance of an above-normal season.

For the six-month hurricane season, which begins June 1, NOAA predicts a 70 per cent likelihood of 8-13 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which three to six could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including one to two major hurricanes (Category Three, Four or Five; winds of 111 mph or higher).

NOAA said these numbers are near or below the seasonal averages of 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes, based on the average from 1981 to 2010.

The Atlantic hurricane region includes the North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.

“Thanks to the environmental intelligence from NOAA’s network of earth observations, our scientists and meteorologists can provide life-saving products like our new storm surge threat map and our hurricane forecasts,” said Dr Kathryn Sullivan, NOAA administrator. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Venezuelan Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado speaks during an interview with Reuters in Caracas on May 23

Thai military detains former Prime Minister

Thailand’s former Prime Minister

Yingluck Shinawatra and dozens of prominent politicians were detained by the military a day after it took control of the Government.

Yingluck and Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan, her temporary replacement, were among the 39 prominent figures who on Friday reported to a military facility in Bangkok.

A Thai military spokesman, who gave his name as Colonel Veerachon, told Al Jazeera that all those who had reported to the base had been taken into detention.

“We are looking after them very well. They are all under detention. We want them to talk, and give them some time to relax. They are not together at the moment,” he said.

However, he could not confirm their locations.

The Reuters news agency quoted another senior military official as saying

Yingluck’s sister and brother-in-law were among those being held. The two relatives have held top political posts.

“We will do so for not more than a week, that would be too long. We just need to organise matters in the country first,” said the officer.

Thailand’s army chief, General Prayuth Chanocha, seized control of the Government on Thursday, two days after he declared martial law. He said the

military had to restore order and push through reforms after six months of political turmoil.

The military declared a curfew from 22:00h until 17:00h, and suspended the Constitution. Rival protest camps were ordered to disperse.

Yingluck was removed from office on May 7 after the country’s constitutional court ruled she abused her power by removing a civil servant to benefit a relative.

Putin says Russia will respect Ukraine

vote

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that Moscow will recognise the outcome of Ukraine’s presidential vote this weekend.

Speaking at an investment forum in St Petersburg on Friday, Putin said Russia would “respect the choice of the Ukrainian people” and would work with the new leadership.

He said he was upbeat on the prospects for resolving the crisis in Ukraine and that doing so would help improve relations with the United States.

“I’m an optimist. I am not

losing faith that the situation in Ukraine will at some point become normal and we will find the inner strength to normalise relations (with the United States),” the Reuters news agency reported.

He also said that Russia did not want to isolate itself from the rest of the world and that it wanted to work with the United States on many projects.

“We are not planning any self-isolation,” Putin said. “We hope that common sense ... will prompt our European and US partners to work with Russia.”

Yet earlier, Putin had blamed the West for both encouraging a “coup” in Ukraine when the nation’s pro-Russian President was chased from power and for plunging the country into what he described as “chaos and a full-scale civil war”.

In a live televised address from Kiev, acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov, who is not running in Sunday’s presidential vote amid a surge of attacks by pro-Russian separatists in the country’s east, emphasised the importance of choosing a new leader. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Mali Tuareg separatists accept ceasefire agreement

Tuareg separatist groups in Mali on Friday accepted a ceasefire agreement with the Government following clashes this week that threatened to plunge the country back into war.The agreement was reached following a meeting between the Chairman of the African Union and separatist groups in northern Mali to discuss a permanent truce and the resumption of talks between the rebels and the Government in Bamako.

Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz and United Nations Special Representative in Mali, Albert Koenders held talks for more than four hours with the three main rebel groups and local Tuareg traditional leaders in an effort to also revive peace negotiations between the two sides.

“I can confirm that we have agreed to a ceasefire,” senior Tuareg official Ambeiry Ag Rhissa told

Reuters by telephone from Kidal, the separatist stronghold.

“We have also agreed an exchange of prisoners and that an independent Commission of Inquiry should investigate what happened in Kidal.”

The Malian army launched an assault on Kidal on Wednesday after clashes broke out last weekend during a visit to the northern town by new Prime Minister Moussa Mara. The action threatened to sink the struggling peace negotiations between the Government and the rebels.

Mahamadou Camara, Mali’s Communication Minister, said on Friday that President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita did not give the order for the army’s failed attempt to retake Kidal. The Government has launched an inquiry into the matter. “We had accepted a ceasefire,” Camara told Reuters. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Death sentence for Chinese mining tycoon

Aformer Chinese mining tycoon has been sentenced to death for leading a crime gang that killed its rivals, a state news agency has reported.

The death sentences for Liu Han and his brother Liu Wei were the first in trials of their 36-member gang by a court in the central province of Hubei, the Xinhua agency said.

The penalties on Friday come amid an anti-corruption crackdown launched by the President, Xi Jinping, that has ensnared senior politicians and influential businessmen.

Liu Han had been the chairman of the energy conglomerate Sichuan Hanlong Group in the south-western province of Sichuan, which owns stakes in Australian and US mines. He disappeared in March 2013, temporarily disrupting deals to finance mine development in Nevada and Australia, before police announced he had been arrested.

The Liu brothers and their associates have been

charged with 15 crimes, including murder, assault, illegal imprisonment, blackmail, and operating casinos.

Prosecutors say their criminal activities, dating to 1993, helped them amass US$6.4 billion in assets with businesses in finance, energy, property and mining, Xinhua has said.

The gang is accused of nine murders, according to earlier reports. Police seized hand grenades, a half-dozen

submachine guns, 20 pistols and other firearms.

Liu Han ranked 148 in 2012 on Forbes magazine’s list of the richest Chinese businesspeople, with an estimated fortune of US$855 million.

The group is accused of fostering ties with politicians in Sichuan that helped Liu Han win appointment as a delegate of the provincial advisory body for three terms. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Arvind Kejriwal: India campaigner’s jail term extended

Acourt in India has extended the jail term of anti-corruption campaigner Arvind Kejriwal by a fortnight over his continued refusal to pay a bail bond.

Kejriwal, the chief of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), is being sued by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nitin Gadkari for calling him “corrupt”.

Kejriwal says he will not pay the bond as the case is “political”.

He contested – and lost – in Varanasi in the recent general election against the BJP’s PM-elect Narendra

Modi.

His lawyers said they would appeal in the Delhi High Court against Friday’s order. He was arrested on Wednesday after he refused to pay 10,000 rupees (US$170) for his bail.

Kejriwal instead offered an undertaking that he would appear in court at every hearing and said he would not flee from justice.

Gadkari is among a number of high-profile politicians and industrialists who have been accused of corruption by Kejriwal in the past two years.

Kejriwal led his party

to a stunning performance in the Delhi state assembly elections in December, winning 28 of its 70 seats, and formed a Government with support from the Congress party. But he quit after 49 days in power, after his Government failed to push through an important piece of anti-corruption legislation. Correspondents say quitting the Government has alienated his mainly middleclass supporters and that is the main reason for his party’s poor showing in the general election in which the AAP won only four seats. (BBC News)

ICC gives Congolese warlord

Germain Katanga 12-year jail term

The International Criminal Court has sentenced exCongolese militia leader Germain Katanga to 12 years in prison for aiding and abetting war crimes.

Katanga was found guilty in March, only the second person to be convicted by the Netherlands-based court.

He was behind the 2003 massacre of hundreds of villagers in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The fighting escalated into an inter-ethnic conflict that is estimated to have killed 50,000 people.

the 36-year-old former militia leader had spent in ICC custody would be taken into account.

The chamber said that he would not be asked to pay a fine.

Known to his supporters as Simba, or “the lion”, Katanga was found guilty of planning the ambush on the village of Bogoro in gold-rich Ituri province.

“The scars of the fighting that occurred that day are still be seen today,” Judge Cotte said.

In a statement read out to the court in The Hague, presiding Judge Bruno Cotte said that the more than six years

Katanga was also found to have procured the weapons – including guns and machetes – used to kill more than 200 of the villagers, but

he was acquitted of direct involvement.

As a militia commander, he had the support of the Lendu ethnic group in the region and his fighters targeted villagers from the Hema ethnic group, some of whom were killed as they slept.

The use of machetes in the attack was “particularly cruel and caused extreme suffering”, the AFP news agency quotes the judge as saying The rebel leader, who was 24 at the time the crimes took place, was also cleared of using child soldiers and of committing sexual crimes.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Thailand’s former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra

Forbes magazine estimated Liu Han’s fortune at US$855 million, making him the 148th richest person in China (EPA)

ICC presiding Judge Bruno Cotte delivered the sentencing to Germain Katanga (pictured)

Argentina, Guyana strengthen ties

As the Governments of Guyana and Argentina look to fortify bilateral relations, representatives of the local Protected Areas Commission (PAC) and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) will travel to that country for training in their respective fields.

Acting Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali made the announcement at a press briefing with the Argentine Ambassador to Guyana, Luis Martino. Ali noted that the training is part of a larger initiative aimed at kick starting Guyana’s tourism industry and enhancing the work being undertaken by PAC.

Ali said the training, which is funded by the Argentine Fund of Horizontal Cooperation, covers marketing, promotion, education and training, private sector cooperation, national parks management and development, and product development, among other areas.

It was noted that the larg-

er project under which the current initiative falls was initiated last December when members of the public and private sectors met with the Argentine Ambassador and held discussions on transforming the tourism sector.

According to Minister Ali, one essential component of the project was getting COPA airlines to set up shop in Guyana – which was successfully accomplished.

Excellent opportunity

Ambassador Martino said his country saw this venture as an excellent opportunity to renew links with Guyana.

The Argentine envoy said the tourism development project would also see his country facilitating an extensive Spanish language course for representatives of the GTA and the translation of materials from the public and private sectors to facilitate Guyana’s participation in the International Tourism Fair (FIT) in Buenos Aires.

“It is a good opportunity to highlight new episodes on further investigations,” noted the Ambassador, as he explained that Guyana will be on show during FIT, and likewise Argentina will be on exhibit during GuyExpo.

“These initiatives follow into the broad goal of increasing the depth and scope of the technical cooperation between Guyana and Argentina, in this particular case, in tourism and environmental protection and natural resources, and we are hoping that this represent the kick-off of a very fruitful and sustained cooperation relations,” the Ambassador said.

The tourism project would also include a one-week exchange visit by the GTA and Argentina’s Tourism Ministry.

Martino said with respect to the trip for PAC, the commissioners would be visiting the Argentina National Parks Administration (APN). Likewise APN officials will visit Guyana and provide aid in the management of PAC

PPP/C accuses AFC of double standards on media regulation

The ruling People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) said the Alliance For Change (AFC) showed its true colours when it demanded that the Government Information Agency (GINA) and the National Communications Network (NCN) be governed by regulations, but the rest of the media remain independent.

The PPP/C maintained that the recent position taken by AFC Member of Parliament (MP) Moses Nagamootoo and, by extension, the AFC, on the establishment of a media oversight body is akin to having an established double standard on media regulation.

"It is pellucidly clear that Nagamootoo’s pronouncements and his penchant to deliberately misrepresent and misinform continues unabated", said the PPP/C in a release.

Back-pedalling

In its statement, the Party said Nagamootoo and his party have long advocated for NCN and GINA to be governed by regulations, but since the Government took a similar stance on the entire media, the AFC has back-pedalled on its position.

The PPP/C questioned why the Opposition party would want to muzzle the state media, but have other media roam free and self-regulated.

“Given this foolishness, the PPP must ask, why then would Nagamootoo and the AFC want to impose regulations on NCN and GINA.... herein lies the brazen double standards of Nagamootoo and the AFC,” the release said.

The Party noted that accountability and responsibility should not be confined to one section of the media, but spread across the entire media fraternity.

More or less regulation

Just a few days after Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall had established the need for the introduction of a media oversight body to overlook the work of media operatives, Nagamootoo had lashed out at the Minister, stating that it was a direct attempt to manipulate the media.

Modi: Goodbye Gujarat, hello Delhi

Prime Ministerdesignate Narendra Modi moved home from Ahmedabad to Delhi on Thursday evening, after meeting his mother Hiraben at her Gandhinagar home and bidding “aavjo (goodbye) to the 62.5 million people of Gujarat” in a farewell speech at the airport.

His bags – packed with his trademark short kurtas and collection of watches –had arrived at the Gujarat Bhawan before him. Their final destination is, of course, the official Prime Minister’s residence at 7, Race Course Road after the swearingin on May 26.

Since the Prime Ministerelect left home when he was young and has lived a bachelor’s life for many years, there are not many personal things that needed to be moved out of the Chief Minister’s residence in Ahmedabad to the national capital.

Apart from his wardrobe, his luggage included his yoga accessories and other exercise gear, including a treadmill. Some of his books are also travelling with him but a close aide who has been in-charge of his household said the tech-savvy Modi wanted all his gadgets

– iPad (he checks the news on it every morning), laptop etc – packed carefully.

Modi’s cook Badri, who has whipped up light, vegetarian meals for him for over a decade now, also moved to Delhi. In his last address in the Gujarat Assembly, Modi had made a light-hearted comment on how “Gujarati will be spoken in the PMO, khaman, dhokla will be served, the khakra market will grow... a man takes along a lot of things with him.”

His personal aides Dinesh Thakur and OP Singh also travelled with him and will move into his new home.

What Modi is leaving behind is the salary he earned as Chief Minister in the last 13 years. According to a close

aide, he intends to give away the money for a fund that would be used to educate children of the staff working at the Chief Minister’s secretariat in Ahmedabad.

Modi’s suitcase will also not have any of the mementos that he has received from people over the last few months during his travels across the country. In fact, he has not kept any of the mementos given to him during his years as Chief Minister.

He would have them auctioned every year in different districts with the highest bidder bagging items like “the CM’s shawl”. The money raised from these annual auctions was used for education of girl children in the state. (Times of India)

Al Israa wal Mi’raaj to be observed Monday evening

Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) President Fazeel Ferouz said Al Israa wal Mi’raaj will be observed on the evening of May 26 (27th Night of Rajab 1435 AH)

He stressed that the Government has a legal duty to protect press freedom, not to undermine it, which he opined was what was being done by the Attorney General when he made the comments on Television Guyana’s programme – Current Issues and Analysis.

Nagamootoo said, “The AFC is opposed to the State or politicians legally regulating or controlling the press, though we admit that standards ought to be raised, but this should be done by self-regulation.”

He claimed that in layman's terms the utterances made by the Minister simply indicated that he was advocating for a body to tell journalists what they should publish and should not publish.

Nagamootoo opined that instead of imposing a regulatory body on the press, the Government should instead urge the media to take selfregulation to high levels. “We also expect that by self-regulation, journalists and their professional associations should adopt high standards of ethics, and have greater regard for truth, verifiable facts, balance and fairness in their work.”

He stressed that the call by Nandlall was null and void and “there is no need to regulate the press, to make laws that could further fetter it, that could muzzle it, and turn it into a toothless poodle.”

According to Ferouz, Al Israa wal Mi’raaj is perhaps one of the greatest events to have taken place in the annals of history.

The event concerns Prophet Muhammad’s intimate conversation with his Lord (Allah), his vision, his being the leader of all the prophets of God and his ascent into the heavens, where he saw the greatest signs of his Lord during this journey.

Prophet Muhammad was taken from Makkah to Jerusalem from where he ascended to the Heavens.

“This event represents the very essence of what faith is to Muslims, belief in the unseen. And that belief remains a distinguish-

ing mark between faith and doubt. This incident is considered the link between the finite and the infinite world,” the CIOG President said.

The main objective of this journey is to emphasise the importance of Masjid ul Aqsa and its precincts, he said.

“These places are considered sacred in Islam; the link among all the prophets of God and the unity of their message, confirmation about life in the hereafter,

the Holy Prophet was shown heaven and hell on this journey and therefore believers should be motivated by this information and seek to attain the ultimate goal of paradise by doing good in this life.

“Finally, the main lesson of this incident is the five daily prayers which God commanded and which must be observed by everyone. Prayers help us to promote virtues and prevent vices and fulfil the purpose of creation. It allows the creation to communicate with the Creator and this is necessary for their development and success in both worlds,” he said.

CIOG is reminding the Guyanese community to use this occasion to reflect on the need for moral reformation, respect for the rule of law and respect for fellow citizens regardless of race or religion, as only then can Guyana as a nation progress.

Allegations against Police...

As regards the Griffith case, Kennard said while the public and sections of the media think it is a clear cut case, he feels that the policeman involved has to be given a fair chance to defend himself.

The former Chancellor of the Judiciary revealed that there are 34 statements that have to be perused in the Griffith case and lots of exhibits.

These statements were taken from the policeman implicated in the saga, the

victim, doctor and several persons who were present at the time the incident was allegedly committed.

He was due to meet the head of the OPR on Friday to discuss certain elements of the case and once that is cleared, he is expected to make recommendations in writing by Tuesday.

Kennard said he would not like to see a repeat as in the Dameon Belgrave case, where the alleged perpetrators went scotch free.

In the above mentioned

from page 12

cases, he said that once the investigations are done in the proper way, there is no further delay in the DPP handing down her ruling. There was also some criticism by the public that “Police should not prosecute Police cases” due the biasness.

Guyana Times understands that sooner or later, there will be independent lawyers who will be mandated to handle all Police cases as they are tried in the courts.

India’s Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi

CIOG President Fazeel Ferouz

AFC MP Moses Nagamootoo

Acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali and Argentine Ambassador Luis Martino at the press briefing (Paul Vanveild photo)

Multimillion-dollar waste recycling plant commissioned

The Caribbean Container Inc (CCI) on Friday commissioned a $44 million recycling plant at its Farm, East Bank Demerara site, in tribute to the company’s former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman Ronald Webster.

CCI is a publicly traded company that operates an integrated paper recycling and corrugated box plant. Some 4000 metric tonnes of cardboard waste is recycled every year with supplies from Guyana and other Caribbean countries.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony on Friday, the company’s new Chief Executive Officer Patricia Bacchus stated that the entity has been facing some major challenges as it relates to production capacity.

She noted that the shortage of supplies of old corrugated cardboard locally, has been a great setback for the company. According to her, the issue has been costing the company huge sums of monies to import the cardboards to Guyana.

“In light of this, the company’s strategy is twofold. The first involves extending our private initiatives for local waste cardboard collection.” The second, she noted

the company has also embarked on a new strategy to optimise its recycling capacity, by examining ways by which it could recover fibre from non-traditional sources, separate from the old corrugated cardboard.

“In this regard,” she stated, “the Tetra Pak Recycling Project was the perfect fit.

solid waste management shortcomings.

She cited the notable achievements of recent, including the anti-litter legislation. “But we should strive to go further, and the Private Sector ought to be prepared to play an equal part,” Bacchus said.

She noted that the problem of solid waste is not only an issue for the City Council or the Local Government Ministry, but required a collective effort.

“I would like to suggest that we consider regulations for solid waste separation and management by private companies, manufacturers, importers, retailers, supermarkets, etc,” she noted, contending that such regulations have been introduced elsewhere in the Caribbean and have significantly alleviated the environmental woes that come with improper solid waste management.

CCI, an integrated paper

Under this project, Tetra Pak, the world’s leading manufacturer of food processing and packaging solutions, provided the main recycling equipment.”

The CEO said that other franchise holders includ-

is embodied in the setting up of collection points in and around the capital.

Speaking to the first initiative, Bacchus said the company had previously depended on over 15 suppliers to collect the cardboard waste. However, it has now resorted to supplement such strategy, through collaboration with private waste disposal companies.

The new CEO said that

ing the makers of Pine Hill, Nestle and Topco have already begun supplying their Tetra Pak waste to CCI for recycling.

She said the company anticipates that all partners in the project will continue to grow in the “environmentally sustainable venture”, and has called on both the Government and the Private Sector to make an accelerated approach to address the

Four in custody after CJIA drug bust

Four men attached to the Timehri Handling Service (THS) are being questioned by the Custom Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) on Friday evening following the discovery of a quantity of cocaine on a Caribbean Airlines Flight destined for Toronto, Canada.

According to information received, 2.2 kilograms of cocaine were found in the aft hold (the belly) of a BW 606 aircraft by airline security during a routine search about 13:00h on the day in question.

The aircraft, based on information received, stopped at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) about 12:11h from Port of Spain, while on its way to Toronto, Canada.

After landing at the CJIA,

the baggage was off-loaded from the aft hold and it was during a sweep of the hold as per Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the drug was discovered.

The airline security immediately summoned members of the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) and the Police Narcotics Branch, and an investigation was launched.

At this point, CANU requested to search the entire plane, causing some delay.

Head of CANU James Singh on Friday evening confirmed that they are facilitating an investigation, while noting that four person are being interrogated.

On Wednesday, Anastacia Latoya Crawford, 20, was intercepted at the

Ogle International Airport as she attempted to smuggle five kilograms of marijuana and three kilograms of cocaine

She appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine Beharry on Friday and was remanded to prison after she was charged with two counts of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. The illegal substances were discovered after CANU officers searched the defendant’s luggage. She was booked to fly to Barbados on a LIAT flight at the Ogle airport.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, CANU issued a wanted bulletin for Mark “Polo” Mohabir, 32, of Albouystown, Georgetown, in connection with that bust.

Prisoner chops four inmates

Four inmates at the New Amsterdam Prison are wounded, with two in critical condition at the New Amsterdam Hospital after a convicted murder accused went on a chopping rampage

on Friday afternoon.

According to reports, the suspect choked a prison warden unconscious before taking away the keys.

Armed with a cutlass, he allegedly opened the select-

ed prison cell and attacked his victims, who, according to information received, are known for bullying other prisoners.

The suspect is in police custody

Minister Westford urges patriotism –

at Region Four flag-raising ceremony

The 48th Independence Anniversary observance kicked off with the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Four hoisting their flag-raising ceremony in the RDC Compound at Triumph, East Coast Demerara, on Friday.

recycling entity, is a “green” business, operating in line with the concepts of sustainable development. In 2006, CCI managed to avoid impending foreclosure and commenced a major restructuring programme. During the years that followed, the company recorded positive growth, achieving a net profit in 2012 and again in 2013, for the first time in 20 years.

In 2013, CCI entered into a joint venture with Tetra Pak, the world’s leading food processing and packaging solution company, which, like CCI, is keen on sustainable development and best environmental practices.

The Tetra Pak will provide CCI with the capacity to recycle Tetra Pak aseptic packaging waste, comprising layers of paper and poly-aluminum.

The plant will yield high strength fibre that will be added to CCI’s paper recycling process to enhance the quality of paper produced. Phase two of the venture involves the supply and installation of equipment to convert the poly-aluminum component into a value-added product.

Tetra Pak is a company which provides smart food processing and carton packaging solution.

Joining the Regional Chairman Clement Corlette and his staff were Public Service Minister, Dr Jennifer Westford and in their numbers, students of the schools on the East Coast, who brought to the fore the rich Guyanese culture through songs, dance, drumming, steel pan and

the folklore.

As the Golden Arrowhead was hoisted, the Region Four residents were urged to be proud of the symbols that proclaim Guyana’s Independent status.

“We ought to be proud of that thing we call the Golden Arrowhead. This is not about politics now, it is not about religion, and it is not about race. It is about all of us being Guyanese and we all have to be proud of our country and of our flag,” Minister Westford said as she called on the region to ensure its citizens show that they are proud

of being Guyanese by flying the Golden Arrowhead in their homes and yards.

The Minister noted that in the US after the 911 event, in every single household an American flag could have been found. There was also one on every vehicle. “They were doing it in defiance of the persons who wanted to commit that terrorist act against them. They were saying to them, you can do what you like but we are Americans and we will stand up for our country,” she said.

Minister Westford said that, if Guyanese do that, and in the face of adversi-

ty, then they are sending the message that, “we are Guyanese irrespective of what problems we may have among ourselves politically and socially... we are saying that we are Guyanese first... and we will always be Guyanese irrespective of where we go,” she said.

Minister Westford said while there is still a lot more to be done, she said the country is leading in several ways. She pointed to the field of education, where Guyanese students are excelling and leading the students of the Caribbean.

In the field of Agriculture, Guyana is foremost in food production in several areas.

“These are things we must be proud of, we must not beat ourselves up and say everything is bad. Yes, we have problems, yes, all things are not what they ought to be, but there are many things that we should be proud of and pat ourselves on the back,” the Minister said as she called for togetherness in carrying the country forward.

CCI CEO Patricia Bacchus addressing the gathering

Widow of the late Ronald Webster, Bibi Webster cuts the ribbon to commission the new recycling plant

The finished product: CCI’s new CEO Patricia Bacchus displays the finished product of waste cardboard to Natural Resources Minister Robert Persaud

The Buxton Steel Orchestra members demonstrate their talent at the region’s 48th Independence Anniversary celebration

LBI Secondary School students perform an Indian dance

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Real estate deals look quite lucrative at present. First impressions will be very important. By spending a little cash, you can make some beneficial changes that could net a high return.

By Bernice Bede Osol

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

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20-March 20)

Try to devise new means to increase your cash flow. You have several ideas worth marketing. Stick to a budget that is realistic, and forge ahead.

21-April 19)

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(April 20-May 20)

Don’t make excuses for someone who is being dishonest. You can best protect your reputation by showing honesty and integrity. Don’t waffle under pressure from someone with selfish motives.

(May 21June 20)

Your insight and intelligence will leave a favourable impression. Do your best to build a solid base, and it will allow you to head in a direction that suits you.

Don’t get conned into taking on someone else’s responsibilities. Whether the pressure is coming from friends or family, let everyone know that you can’t be bullied or coerced.

(July 23Aug. 22)

Lady Luck is in your corner. Self-improvement efforts will give you more confidence and the ability to sell your innovative ideas. Be proud of your achievements and prepare to show off a little.

(Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Don’t be too quick to offer unsolicited advice. If you come off as a know-itall, you may end up being saddled with projects that you don’t want. Offer positive suggestions.

23Oct. 23)

There are many confusing changes going on around you. Trust your instincts. You will find the right path if you believe in your capabilities, talents and integrity.

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Don’t feel that you have to conform to the same schedule day after day. Put in extra time. Your boss will thank you, and you can accomplish a lot without the distraction of others.

(Nov. 23Dec. 21)

If you are feeling sluggish, it’s because you aren’t devoting enough time to physical activity. Get out in the fresh air and play. A fitness challenge will promote energy and enthusiasm.

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Atwell, Gonzalez square off tonight

Clive “The Punisher” Atwell is on the cusp of history as he looks to become Guyana’s newest world champion tonight against hometown boy Jhonny Gonzalez for the World Boxing Council’s Featherweight world title.

The fight will take place at Convention Center, Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico.

The belt is currently in Gonzalez’s possession and Atwell will face an uphill task to wrest it from the experienced campaigner.

Based on their records and experience, one would definitely be tempted to give Gonzalez the favourite’s tag, along with the fact that he will have home crowd support.

The 32-year-old Mexican is vastly experienced with a total of 63 fights, 55 of which he has won with 47 knockouts and eight defeats.

At 25, Atwell is now

building what has been a fantastic career to date, with 12 wins and a draw from 13 trips to the square jungle.

The fight was sealed by Atwell’s camp, Dog Pound, in April, affording the Guyanese a shot at the world title.

Weeks after the deal was finalised, Team Atwell travelled to Gleason’s Gym in New York to intensify preparations under the guidance of Lennox Blackmore, Lennox Daniels and Leon “Hurry Up” Moore.

Speaking at a press conference after the fight was announced, the eloquent Atwell seemed unfazed by the challenge ahead and the status of the opponent, portraying a calm and collective persona.

“If I can condition the mind and the body, I don’t see myself getting into any problems. I just need to do the basics. Boxing is basics,

and using the mind to do the basics effectively,” Atwell opined.

The classy fighter, who has been a revelation since turning pro in January 2010 after losing just four of his 76 fights as an amateur, said he is not at all intimidated by Gonzalez’s outstanding record.

“I’m not intimidated because it’s boxing; I come to win, you come to win! We both have two hands; we both have to fight according to the rules and regulations, so there is nothing intimidating about my opponent,” Atwell boasted.

Interestingly, this will be Atwell’s first fight as a professional outside of Guyana, as all 13 bouts have been under the Guyana Boxing Board of Control’s (GBBC) Friday Night Fights boxing card.

GCB continues to function despite injunction

- BCB mulls contempt of court proceedings against injuncted executives

B y R ajiv B isnauth

Although the High Court has granted an interim injunction against the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) executive, a visit by this newspaper to the GCB’s office revealed that the GCB continues to function,regardless.

The main door of the office was open and a canter truck bearing registration number GPP 1350, was removing a tarpaulin from the GCB’s storeroom.

Efforts to contact both the President Drubahadur and Secretary Anand Sanasie proved futile.

Keith Foster, Anil Beharry, Hubern Evans, Julian Cambridge, Angela Haniff, Romash Munna and Shabeer Baksh of the Berbice Cricket Board, brought the action against the new executive body, which includes Drubahadur, Fizul Bacchus, Alfred Mentors, Anand Sanasie, Virendra Chintamanie, Anand Kalladeen, Rajesh Singh,

Rajendra Singh, Colin Europe, Andy Ramnarine, Lalta Digamber, Ramdeo Kumar, Rayon Griffith, Nazimul Drepaul and Savitri Persaud.

On April 14, Justice Sandra Kurtzious granted an order restraining the GCB executive from performing functions on behalf of the entity.

The Judge also restrained the executive from representing the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). However, the source told this publication that based on legal advice received, the board could continue to operate despite the interim injunc -

tion granted against the entity.

“Based on the legal position we can operate, pending any further action may come our way,” the source said.

However, a legal professional in an invited comment on Friday indicated that once an injunction is infringed, the defendants named in that injunction will be in “contempt of court”; but the GCB source is contending that “from the legal advice they received, they will not be in contempt of court if they continue to function.

This publication un -

derstands that applicants for the injunction will be mulling contempt of court proceedings against the injuncted GCB members, once the injunction is breached.

“If they continue to act, clearly they are forcing contempt of court proceedings to be filed against them. The disregard for law and order by itself disqualified them from being entrusted with the important responsibility of administering the affairs of cricket in this country,” one of the applicants revealed.

The court order re -

strains the defendants by themselves, their servants and/or agents and each and every one of them from holding out themselves as officers or representatives of the GCB or in any manner whatsoever acting on behalf of, or for, or as the GCB or performing any functions in relation thereto.”

The order also states: “A declaration that the purported meeting held by the defendants on January 27, 2013 at the Georgetown Cricket Club pavilion purporting to be the Annual General Meeting of the GCB is null, void and of no legal [effect], inasmuch as the said meeting and elections were held in breach of the constitution of the GCB.

More so, the order issued indicated that, “A declaration that the purported meeting and election of the office holders held by the defendants on January 27, 2013, at the Georgetown Cricket Club pavilion purporting to be the Annual

General Meeting of the GCB is null, void and of no legal[effect]”.

The GCB annual general meeting and election of office bearers were witnessed by two WICB officials; Conde Riley and Imran Khan attended the AGM as observers with Riley later pronouncing on the AGM and was quoted as saying he was satisfied with the process.

The elections were held with only Essequibo’s nine delegates participating. The Berbice Cricket Board did not participate, while the Demerara Cricket Board was restrained from operating.

According to the GCB constitution, officials had mulled no less than two boards can conduct the elections and 14 of the 27 delegates were needed to convene a meeting and elections.

The matter was put before the court after many cricket officials had deemed the January 27 elections of the GCB unconstitutional and fraught with controversy.

Clive “The Punisher” Atwell (left) and Mexican Jhonny Gonzalez square off at a press conference earlier this week

GCB Secretary Anand Sanasie GCB Administrator Savitri Persaud

GCB President Drubahadur

Matthias to step down if guilty of wrongdoing

– challenges “aggrieved members” to public discourse

Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Christopher Matthias has issued a challenge to the “aggrieved members” of the federation, a move that could ultimately see him resigning from the post if found guilty of “wrongdoings.”

At a press conference on Friday, Matthias challenged those members to select a leader who can represent their views and have a public discourse with him on national television.

“Let’s go public as they seem to want to go that way,” Matthias told media operatives, as he repeatedly referred to a press conference hosted by the members last Saturday at the Water Chris Hotel.

The GFF head said he is allowing the nation to be the judge, and once he is found guilty of any wrongdoings at that public forum he will resign with immediate effect.

If the members are found culpable, Matthias said they must also resign with immediate effect and apologise to the nation for what he termed deceitfulness.

The members have 48 hours, which will end at midnight on Sunday, to re-

spond to the invitation.

Since being voted in as president in April 2013, Matthias’ reign has been tested by persons whom he said have derailed the process of development rather than aiding it.

No consensus

At the last Ordinary Congress on April 26 at the Regency Suites, there was a no-confidence motion against the incumbent, which led to the reconvening of the Congress within 45 days.

The Congress, observed by CONCACAF’s Director of Legal Affairs Marco Leal,

FIFA’s Developmental Officer Howard McIntosh and CONCACAF’s Legal Advisor Bruce Blake, was a heated one from the onset as the leading local football executives sat down to discuss the state of affairs with regards the game’s administration.

The reconvening of the Congress was arrived at by Matthias, who sought to settle the differences among the discontented associations, following a walk- out and subsequent return of six associations during the Congress. These associations were the Georgetown

Football Association (GFA), Guyana Football Coaches Association (GFCA), East Coast Football Association (ECFA), National Women’s Football Association (NWFA), Guyana Football Referees Council (GFRC) and East Demerara Football Association (EDFA).

The associations withdrew after the no-confidence motion against Matthias, which was filed by the EBFA and seconded by the ECFA, was discarded following a 9-9 tie at the voting.

It is understood that the no-confidence motion did not follow the protocols required for the filing of such, as it did not state a reason for the motion, nor did it contain a letterhead or returning address.

Among the unfinished business at the Congress were the election of two Vice-presidents and the presentation of the GFF’s forensic audit for the period January 1998 to December 2012.

Another walkout

Matthias explained on Friday that the aggrieved members were invited to a meeting on May 15 via

email to discuss the issues they needed to be addressed.

According to a trail of emails, which were provided to the media, only two associations respondedthe Georgetown Football Association and the East Bank Football Associationhighlighting voting rights for associations which are presently governed by Interim Management Committees and the reconvening of the GFF Congress as the two issues.

Matthias said those requests made by the members were forwarded to FIFA and CONCACAF, but on the day of the meeting, there was another walkout as disagreement arose over the validity of members and non-members.

The GFF boss said he found it strange that those members would then go public a few days later with a number of other issues when they outlined only two in their email correspondence.

At that press briefing, representatives of the Georgetown Football Association, the Guyana Football Coaches Association (GFCA), East

Coast Football Association (ECFA), National Women’s Football Association (NWFA), Guyana Football Referees Council (GFRC) and East Demerara Football Association (EDFA) once again aired their concerns.

General Secretary of the GFA, Odinga Lumumba, revealed that all the organisations are pro-football, hence the no-confidence vote against Matthias.

“Let me make this clear: we’re not on an anti-Matthias mission or crusade, we’re pro-football. The president of any association must be above board and must be a leader. Matthias running and finding weaklings to run under him, this is not his private and personal organisation…we have still left the door open for sensible discussion and meaningful resolutions,” Lumumba stressed.

During Friday’s press briefing, Matthias pointed out that any attack on his personality and leadership must be based on honesty, objectivity and facts, hence the move to have a public discourse for the nation to judge.

RHTy&Sc cricketers honour Langhorne, Fraser

The eight cricket teams of the RHTY&SC on Sunday last hosted their 10th annual tribute to heroes programme as the young cricketers indentified and honoured outstanding Guyanese, whom they view as role models and heroes.

The teams that undertook the project were Farfan and Mendes U-15; Pepsi U-19 and Intermediate; Bakewell U-17 and Second Division; Gizmos and Gadgets U-21; and First Division and the Metro Females.

This year, the combined group of over 140 cricketers decided to honour one of their own, Major James Fraser of the Guyana Defence Force, while Secretary/CEO of the RHTY&SC, Hilbert Foster, recommended broadcasting legend Franklin Langhorne and the cricketers accepted the nomination.

Foster, in brief remarks, noted that the RHTY&SC cricketer’s tribute to heroes programme was founded in 2005 with the main aim of honouring heroes who are standard bearers of hardwork, excellence and most important, are role models to youths.

Major Fraser left school at an early age due to personal problems, but with encouragement from his family and members of the RHTY&SC, he returned to

school where he obtained over 10 passes at the CSEC levels and has now worked his way up to the rank of Major in the Guyana Defence Force. Fraser also represented

the RHTY&SC at first division, scoring over 6000 runs with eight centuries, including a highest score of 190. He also represented Berbice at the Under-19 and senior levels.

Langhorne, the host of popular programmes such as the Triple ‘M’ show, Straight from the Heart and Sunday kind of Sunday, was honoured for his outstanding contributions to

broadcasting in Guyana, for his promotion of the importance of education for youths and for being a positive role model.

Foster, speaking on behalf of the cricket teams,

praised Major Fraser and Langhorne for maintaining a remarkable standard of excellence and most importantly for setting a positive example for youths to emulate. The eight cricket teams under the tribute to heroes programmes has so far honoured over 40 persons for their contributions to sports, education, health, business, manufacturing, music, administration and religion.

Vice-captain of the Metro female team Erva Giddings and RHTY&SC Cricketer-of-the-Year Akshay Homraj, both expressed pleasure at being able to honour their personal heroes and urged them to continue being positive role models to every youth they meet. Each of the awardees received a plaque, a medal, a trophy and a special Ansa McAl hamper.

Langhorne, in a thankyou speech, stated that it was a privilege to be honoured by the leading youth and sports organisation in Guyana and urged the club members to make sure that they always strive to be the best. The veteran broadcaster stated that he was privileged to attend numerous award ceremonies, but this one would always hold a special place in his heart.

Odinga Lumumba Christopher Matthias

BCB president Keith Foster (left) presents the accolades to Major James Fraser

Broadcaster Franklyn Langhorne address the gathering while BCB Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster pays attention

YELLOW PAGES

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Mumbai Indians v Daredevils, IPL 2014

Hussey, bowlers keep Mumbai alive

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umbai Indians lost their last eight wickets for 33 runs, and were bowled out with three balls left to play. As Rohit Sharma watched his team collapse, the expression on his face went from incredulous to annoyed to angry. This, after all, was a mustwin game for Mumbai if they wanted to retain any chance of qualifying for the playoffs.

Eight wickets for 33 runs. And yet, Mumbai won, and comfortably at that. They did just about enough either side of the collapse to keep their hopes alive.

Michael Hussey got them off to a flier with a 33-ball 56, and Mumbai had been looking at 200 before their innings came crashing down. Chasing 174, Delhi Daredevils never got any real momentum going. JP Duminy and Manoj Tiwary kept them alive with an 85-run fourth-wicket partnership, but 32 from the last two overs proved beyond their reach. Marchant de Lange

Donald Sterling, banned for life from the NBA for taped racist comments, has handed over control of the Los Angeles Clippers to his wife, according to media reports on Friday.

Celebrity website TMZ, citing unnamed sources, reported that Sterling transferred control of the team to his estranged wife, Shelly, and she is negotiating with the NBA to sell the Clippers on her terms. ABC News also reported the change of control, citing a source close to the team.

Reuters could not confirm the reports. An attorney for Shelly Sterling and representatives from the Clippers and the NBA could

SCOREBOARD

Mumbai T20 innings (20 overs maximum) LMP Simmons c Parnell b Imran Tahir 35

MEK Hussey run out (†Karthik/ Jadhav) 56

RG Sharma* b Unadkat 30 KA Pollard c †Karthik b Unadkat 11

AT Rayudu c Vijay b Nadeem 2 AP Tare† c Jadhav b Imran Tahir 14 Harbhajan Singh c Vijay b Parnell 2

S Gopal run out (†Karthik) 11 M de Lange c †Karthik b Imran Tahir 1 PP Ojha run out (Tiwary/† Karthik) 2

JJ Bumrah not out 0

Extras (lb 6, w 3) 9

Total (all out; 19.3 overs) 173 (8.87 runs per over)

Fall of wickets 1-87 (Simmons, 7.6 ov), 2-120 (Hussey, 11.6 ov), 3-140 (Sharma, 14.2 ov), 4-141 (Pollard, 14.4 ov), 5-151 (Rayudu, 15.4 ov), 6-157 (Tare, 16.3 ov), 7-161 (Harbhajan Singh, 17.2 ov), 8-168 (de Lange, 18.2 ov), 9-171 (Ojha, 18.6 ov), 10-173 (Gopal, 19.3 ov)

Bowling O M R W WD Parnell 3.3 0 26 1

Pietersen* b

not immediately be reached for comment.

Sterling was banned for life by league commissioner

Adam Silver and threatened with the forced sale of the Clippers after an audio recording surfaced last month of a conversation in which he berated a female friend, V. Stiviano, for publicly associating with black people.

The recording made Sterling the focus of widespread outrage, angering fans and NBA players and causing commercial sponsors to back away from the Clippers.

Silver has signaled a willingness to strike a deal to avoid a showdown in his efforts to oust Sterling.

The commissioner said

on Tuesday he would prefer to let Sterling sell his team “on a reasonable timetable” rather than proceed with trying to forcibly terminate his ownership. The statement came a day after the league formally charged that racist comments made by Sterling have so seriously damaged the NBA that he should be removed. The league has given Sterling until May 27 to respond to its charge and invited him to appear at a special hearing before the NBA Board of Governors set for June 3, after which the league’s 29 other owners who make up the board could vote to strip him of his team. (Reuters)

WaNteD

and Jasprit Bumhah bowled two excellent overs to close out a 15-run win for Mumbai. (ESPNcricinfo)

Michael Hussey guides one behind point (BCCI)

‘Shiv’ gives Ramdin vote of confidence

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

The Caribbean’s premier batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, has given a vote of confidence to recently appointed captain of the West Indies team, wicketkeeper/batsman Denesh Ramdin, ahead of the start of the three-Test series against New Zealand next month.

Ramdin was given the responsibility of leading the Caribbean side for the upcoming series, following the sacking of all-rounder Darren Sammy, who subsequently retired from Test cricket.

Speaking from his home in Unity on Wednesday, moments before heading off for a training camp with the West Indies team, the lefthanded Chanderpaul spoke confidently about the capabilities of Ramdin.

“Denesh is the new captain and I think he’s pretty good, he can handle himself…I’ve seen him handle himself in the past because

you know he has a good head on his shoulders,” the middle-order stalwart pointed out.

He added, “He would need some help and support from inside, the coaching staff and everyone else. He would also need a lot of support from the players also on the field.”

Himself a former West Indies captain, Chanderpaul said he is prepared to offer any form of support to the leader of the day, as he has done in the past.

“When you’re there you try to help as much as you can, but I think he has pretty much what it takes. It’s just about keeping his calm and making the right decisions at the right time… try and analyse and think as quickly as possible to get you right bowlers on the attack and the right batsmen in the correct positions to get the job done. But like I said, I think he’s good enough and capable enough of getting the job done,” Chanderpaul remarked.

Ramdin has previous experience leading the West Indies, presiding over three T20s and an ODI. His experience with Trinidad and Tobago is more extensive with 37 matches at the helm across formats.

He has 21 wins under his belt and took the twin-island republic to the semi-final of the Regional Four-Day Competition this season.

Sorry Sammy

This is the second time in as many years that Sammy has had to relinquish captaincy.

Last May, he had to

Letter to the

Dear Editor,

The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) is heartened at the passage of the Guyana Cricket Administration Bill which now paves the way for a more organized management of this sport. Cricket is not just a sport n Guyana, but more of a way of life for all of us regardless of our age, gender or religious belief and as such we must continue to speak with a unified voice, when our way

of life is threatened. We recall that this piece of legislation was crafted after extensive consultations with all stakeholders, and more so, following recommendations in a ruling made by the acting Chief Justice Ian Chang in 2011. This Bill addresses a number of critical issues affecting the sport. These include making into a legal entity, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) which is to be established as a corporate

make way for Dwayne Bravo to become ODI captain after criticism regarding his batting too low and his ability as a strike bowler.

Sammy’s tenure as Test captain began in November 2010, when the West Indies drew a three-match series against the hosts Sri Lanka.

His best accomplishment as captain was when the West Indies won six consecutive matches in 2012-13 which lifted the side to No. 5 in the rankings.

But an overall record of eight wins to 12 losses - in-

cluding a spell of five defeats in their last six matcheshad hurt his cause.

Sammy’s three-year stint was marred by debate over his reliability as a player. He usually occupies No.8 in the batting order and has hit his only Test century and all five 50s in that position.

But an average of 22.43 cites his lack of consistency and his straightforward medium-pace, that fetched him 29 wickets in 10 matches, prompted several critics to question his impact as an all-rounder.

DCB Under-17

bowls off on Tuesday

The Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) Under-17 Inter-Association 50Over Competition will bowl off on Tuesday 27th May, 2014.

The first round will see West Demerara and East Bank battling at the Wales Community Centre ground and Georgetown and East Coast competing at the Enmore Community Centre ground.

In the second round on Saturday, 31st May 2014, East Bank will clash with Georgetown at the Demerara Cricket Club ground, while East Coast will go up against West Demerara at the Everest Cricket Club ground.

And in the third and final round on Sunday, 1st June 2014, Georgetown will take on West Demerara at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground, while East Bank will meet East Coast at the Demerara Cricket Club ground.

The teams are as follows:

East Bank: Devon Singh, Akeem Hopkinson, Stephan December, Dextroy Williams, Sagar Hathiramani, Daniel Scott, Abdel Bacchus, Ronaldo

Singh, Joel Ganesh, Mark Ramsammy, Bhojnarine Singh, Christopher Mclennon, Ershad Alli, Anthony Antonio, and Navindra Persaud. The Coach is Mr. Edwards and the Manager is Mohamed Khan. West Demerara: Travis Persaud, Richie Looknauth, Kelvin Sewpersaud, Nicoli Reddy, Malcome Hubbard, Ewart Samuels, Looknauth Chinkoo, Neal Mclean, Keshram Seyhodan, Ronaldo Renee, Mark Jeffers, Vickram Talmakund, Ganesh Jitlall, and Mahesh Persaud. Mohamed Khan is the Manager and Coach.

East Coast: Vishwanath Ramlakhan, Ramnarine Chatura, Gavin Boodwah, Kedar Amsterdam, Bhaskar Yadram, Stephen Mangal, Shanerick DaSilva, Motilall Chatura, Akeem Hiles, Shaquille King, Madan Mohan, Kevinash Kumar, Suresh Jainarine, Afzal Rohoman, Rajpaul Gopaul. The Coach is Gavin Latchman Yadram and the Manager is Gavin Moriah. Georgetown will name their team tomorrow.

No talks with BCB over Independence T20 Cup – WICB

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) in a statement released on Friday, has denied that WICB President, Whycliffe “Dave” Cameron, is involved in discussions with the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) over the Independence T20 Cup tournament organized by the BCB.

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and the WICB have deemed the tournament “unapproved “cricket, meaning that it is not included on the WICB’s list of approved cricket tournaments.

The WICB said its statement is in response to an article which appeared in the May 23 edition of the

Stabroek News,to the effect that the WICB President is in “dialogue” with the BCB, with regard to a cricket event in Berbice. According to the WICB, Cameron received communication from BCB Vice President Anil Beharry who raised the matter and Cameron advised Beharry that the matter is a procedural one and the WICB had already made a declaration on the issue.

The WICB maintains its position, that the Independence T20 Cup does not form part of approved cricket of the WICB,the statement concluded.

The Guyana Cricket Administration Bill

Body comprising the Demerara, Essequibo and the Berbice Cricket Boards, all of which will also be made corporate entities and eliminating the issue of phantom voting for the election of persons for administrative positions and at the same time will give limited power to the Minister of Sport. The Bill creates the position of a Cricket Ombudsman, who will be tasked with the responsibility of verifying and register -

ing clubs; he or she will have ample time to verify legitimacy of clubs. The Bill provides for better financial accountability and requires the GCB to present timely audited financial reports to the National Assembly, as well as the National Sports Commission. As a party which has always been committed to transparency and accountability, we feel that with greater scrutiny and oversight of financial records of the GCB, allegations of

financial impropriety that were made in the past, will be reduced. The PPP/C also takes note of the non-support of the Alliance For Change (AFC) for this important piece of legislation and wish to remind Khemraj Ramjattan and his acolytes that history will record them as neglecting efforts to rescue a sport that is so dear to all of us. We are not confused as to the reason why the AFC did not lend support to a law that is

geared towards financial accountability. It is the same AFC which is on a public charade about the Procurement Commission to ensure transparency and accountability that decided not to support the Cricket Administration Bill, which seeks to address the very issues at the GCB

Submitted by the PPP/C, Freedom House

Darren Sammy

Thumbs up! Shivnarine Chanderpaul believes Denesh Ramdin has a good head on his shoulders

Western Union supports Media X1

Renowned money transfer service provider, Western Union, on Friday provided the Media X1 with a number of caps which will be used by the team for Monday’s showdown against the Georgetown Cricket Scorers and Umpires Association (GCS&UA), at the world-famous Georgetown Cricket Club ground, Bourda.

Marketing representative of Western Union, Natheeah Mendonca, confirmed the sponsorship deal at a simple handing- over ceremony at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground.

The caps were handed over to the Media X1 captain, Calvin Roberts, who thanked Western Union for their generous support.

A confident Media unit will confront the scorers and umpires in a feature 20/20 game, set to get under way at 10:00h.

Admission to the venue is free and members of the pub-

lic are invited to witness the game.

The Media fraternity wishes to thank Lifetime Realty, Trophy Stall, P&P Insurance Brokers, Christopher Matthias and the management of Georgetown Cricket Club for their tangible support in making the match a reality.

The Media squad reads: Calvin Roberts, John Ramsingh, Sean Devers, Daniel Singh, Ravi Persaud, Avenash Ramzan, Rajiv Bisnauth, Esan Griffith, Duncan Saul, Clifton Ross, Ishaka Jackman, Kizan Brummell, Reuben Stoby and Keon Blade.

The GCS&UA reads: Delvin Austin, Ryan Banwarie, Shannon Crawford, Nigel Duguid, Zaheer Mohamed, Javed Persaud, Daniel Richmond, Trevor Ritney, Arleigh Rutherford, Colin Stuart, Mikoowanyah Yosef-Yisrael, Hortence Isaacs and Edward Bowen.

Passage of Cricket Administration Bill….

The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) has openly expressed its pleasure over the recent passing of the long awaited Cricket Administration Bill 2012 and also lauded the Government of Guyana and the main Opposition Party, APNU.

In a press release sent earlier this week, the BCB pointed out that passage of the bill was important, contending that it will bring back sanity and decency to our lovely game of cricket.

The release said that the BCB is disappointed with the minor opposition party,the AFC, for not supporting the bill.

However, the BCB has remained steadfast over the years and were still able to fulfil their mandate despite the many challenges.

It is the board’s hope now that the process after the bill will be expedited as quickly as possible, so that all involved can quickly turn around the fortunes of Guyana’s cricket at the regional level.

The BCB reiterates its position that they are willing to work with any cricket board that is legally elected and believes in accountability, transparency and has genuine love for cricket,” the release concluded.

Kings XI confirm pole position with tenth win

Kings XI Punjab ensured they would finish top of the table with their tenth win of the season, handing a comprehensive defeat to Rajasthan Royals. The result kept the final playoff spot open, with Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad’s hopes alive, along with Royals’, going into the final round of matches.

All of the Kings XI top six, without the rested Glenn Maxwell, contributed to push them to 179 for 4 after they were asked to bat. Virender Sehwag and Manan Vohra provided the initial boost, Shaun Marsh and Wriddhiman Saha kept them going in the middle stages, and David Miller and George Bailey powered away to a big finish.

Barring a shortlived starting surge from Karun Nair, Royals were never allowed to get ahead in the chase. Ajinkya Rahane and Sanju Samson were tied down, before Rishi Dhawan broke through with the wickets of Rahane and Shane Watson off successive deliv-

eries. Legspinner Karanveer Singh, on IPL debut, struck twice in successive overs as Royals slid to 83 for 5 at the

start of the 14th over, a position from which there was no coming back. (ESPNcricinfo)

SCOREBOARD

Punjab T20 innings (20 overs maximum)

V Sehwag c Malik b Faulkner 18

M Vohra run out (Binny) 25

SE Marsh c Rahane b Malik 40

WP Saha† c Rahane b Tewatia 27

DA Miller not out 29

GJ Bailey* not out 26

Extras (b 3, lb 7,

ov), 2-54 (Vohra, 6.3 ov), 3-113 (Marsh, 13.1 ov), 4-119 (Saha, 14.4 ov) Bowling O M R W VS Malik 3 0 29 1 SR Watson 2 0 16 0

Faulkner 3 0

Marketing Representative of Western Union, Natheeah Mendonca hands over one of the caps to the Media X1 captain, Calvin Roberts

Synthetic track nears completion

By TreisTon Joseph

It has taken a while, but things are looking up at the Leonora Synthetic track during an open visit to the site on Friday by the Ministry of Sport.

German company BSW Regupol has concluded the laying of the synthetic surface with only the lane markings left to be installed on the red surface.

Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, revealed the time in which the lane markings of the track will begin.

“We are happy to notify that we have completed most of the work on the synthetic turf… we have been told that the second week in June another engineer from BSW will be in Guyana to draw the lanes and to put the other apparatus on the hammer section, shot put

and so forth.

“The reason why we are happy to have this turf laid is because of the fact that works could not have been going on when there’s inclement weather,” Ninvalle stated.

Meanwhile, the northern stands being constructed by BK International, are also in its final stages as Ninvalle explained the process left to make the stands operational.

“Additionally, work is going on, on the north- eastern stand and the other stand and this is scheduled to come to completion by the end of May.

“However, it will be hard for the contractor to commit to that date, but if not the end of May we should have this stand by mid- June we should have this stand up and running. This stand also includes the washrooms at the bottom of it and the

contractor for the washroom facilities is waiting until BK finishes these stands,” Ninvalle noted.

Ninvalle during the track visit also highlighted the progress of the inner field of the track along with its expected completion date: “The contractor who is doing the field has given us until June 1 for this field to be completed, after that we will go into six months of maintenance. I think there is a lot of improvement as it relates to the field,” Ninvalle noted.

Further, Ninvalle admitted that the process of completing the track has taken longer than anticipated, the completed facility would be one that the Guyanese people could be proud of.

“We are happy that we have gone this far; there have been some hiccups we cannot hide from that as it relates to the contractors,

but we are happy that at least we have reached this stage.

“We want to make sure

that whatever product we give the people of Guyana, who this facility will belong to, is something that is up-

right and something that is firm; that is something we are working towards,” Ninvalle stressed.

continues to function despite injunction

PePsi iPL: KoLKaTa KnighT RideRs 195/4,RoyaL ChaLLengeRs BangaLoRe 165/5; sunRiseRs 189/4,Chennai suPeR Kings 185/3

A section of the track with the north- eastern stands almost completed (Treiston Joseph photo)