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Policemen exonerated in Port Kaituma gold heist case

Parties likely to renegotiate anti-money laundering bill

Businessman, wife died from gunshot wounds

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tuesDay, november 26, 2013 | guyanatimesgy.com

Policemen exonerated in Port Kaituma gold heist case

Two policemen who were tagged in the multimillion-dollar gold theft at a mining firm at Port Kaituma, Region One have been cleared following investigations, the Guyana Police Force said.

In a statement on Monday, the force said in light of recent media reports which accused ranks of being involved in the robbery committed on El Dorado Trading Company at Port Kaituma, North West District, no evidence has surfaced during its investigations to support the claim.

Immediately after the ranks were accused of being involved in the heist, which resulted in over $50 million in cash and 90 ounces of gold missing, they were placed under close arrest. They have now resumed duties.

Police Public Relations Officer Ivelaw Whittaker said certain media houses are out to tarnish the reputation of dedicated members of the force, and is urging these entities to verify their information before publication.

More than a week ago, El Dorado Trading Company which operates in Port Kaituma was robbed by bandits. The robbery was described as well orchestrated.

According to reports, two workers were in the building when they began feeling

drowsy and one of them fell asleep.

Within minutes, two men invaded the office and beat the two staff members.

It was reported that after the Georgetown office could not make contact with the men, a decision was made for persons in the area to visit the office and check on them.

Upon arriving, it was observed that two men were unconscious and bound.

They were visible marks of violence on their faces and heads and the money and gold were missing.

The two workers were rushed to the Port Kaituma Hospital where they were treated. Investigators believed that the robbers used a poisonous gas to put the staffers to sleep. Police investigations revealed that the grill at the back of the building was wrenched open and was used as the entry and exit points by the bandits.

Immediately after the robbery, several persons were detained, but no useful information was gathered, thus, they were subsequently released.

The two staff members were also interrogated by police. El Dorado Trading Company buys and sells gold in Region One.

Education Ministry to roll out plan on special education delivery

COlato Sam said the Education Ministry is in the process of rolling out a plan for improving the delivery of quality education to special needs children.

He made the announcement during a sensitisation session hosted by National Commission on Disability (NCD) on the Disability Act of 2010 held at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), Kingston, Georgetown on Monday.

According to a release, Sam however acknowledged that much work still needs to be done in the area of teacher education, as it relates to special needs education.

The main purpose of the session was to explain the content of the Disability Act of 2010, and to underline the roles and responsibilities of the Education Ministry, in compliance with the act. The session was led by a number of brief insightful remarks from leading personnel both from the NCD and the ministry.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand, who also addressed the workshop, said Guyana is in a far better place today than it was 10, 15, 20 years ago.

She said Guyana, as a nation is making considerable progress in all spheres, even amid notorious challenges.

Commitment

The minister contended that it has always been the commitment of the ruling party to fight for the poor and vulnerable in society. She expounded on this by highlighting that one of the first major acts of the government in addressing the poor and vulnerable, was the establishment of the universality of Old Age Pension.

“Immediately upon entering office, the PPP/C said we will give every single person over the age of 65 living in Guyana an Old Age Pension. At that time, it was a small amount. That Old Age Pension has now grown to the highest it has ever been in the country,” Manickchand boasted.

The minister went on to cite other measures that have been put in place by government to tangibly help the poor and vulnerable. She said pensioners, for example, are given considerable reductions on their water and electricity bills, and they also have access to free health care.

And these are not all,

the minister stressed, noting that relief is also provided through the Public Assistance programme.

“… Public Assistance is also spread across this country, with the largest number of people receiving, and the largest amount being given, in the history of this country.”

Recognition

The minister said the government’s resolve to working with the poor and vulnerable is known, and recognised by independent

Chief Planning Officer Evelyn Hamilton, who also serves as NCD chairperson, acknowledged that the ministry has a very important role to play in supporting the Disability Act of 2010.

“The Ministry of Education under the initiative of the minister had undertaken a widespread national consultation on the issue of disability and the responsibilities of the ministry in that sphere,” she said.

The government has broadened its focus on persons living with disabil-

sources.

“In 1991, the World Bank did a study in Guyana in which it states that 67 per cent of the Guyanese population was living in poverty. That meant that out of every 100 persons, 67 were living in poverty. In 2008, they did another study, which showed that 35 per cent were living in poverty. And even though that 35 per cent is still too much to accept, what it specifically says is that as a government we will serve our poor first and equalise their lives as much as we can. Today, we as a government have cut poverty in half in this country!”

Education Ministry

ities in establishing the Disabilities Act of 2010, accented to and signed into law by then President Bharrat Jagdeo.

Miner murdered and left in mining pit

Police have launched an investigation into the death of a miner whose partially decomposed body was found in a mining pit at Long Island, Middle Mazaruni, Region Seven on Sunday.

The man was identified as Andre Hercules, and was found with his feet and hands tied. The discovery was made about 08:30h on Sunday.

Only last week, another miner Michael Morris, 45, of 1544 Cummings Park, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, was beaten to death at West Park Backdam, Cuyuni by a group of men with whom he had an altercation.

It was reported that during the incident, one of the men alleged dealt him a blow to his head with a piece of wood resulting in his death. A relative had said that from reports received, Morris had chopped someone at his work site and was apprehended by his colleagues and was tied to a tree, but they were never told that he had been beaten to death. To date, the police have not arrested his assailants.

hief Education Officer

Education Minister Priya Manickchand

Chief Education Officer Olato Sam

BRIDGE OPENINGS

Rohee urges radical review of gun laws

– says licence renewal should not be automatic

BY VAHNU MANIKCHAND

Home Affairs

Minister Clement Rohee is calling for the country’s gun laws to be reviewed and the firearms licence renewal process to be reassessed in light of the recent upsurge in gun-related crimes.

Addressing a conference on the prevention of interpersonal violence held at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Geogetown, the minister said everyone wants a firearm but some have been using it illegally, making reference to the business who killed his wife before turning the gun on himself over the weekend.

“People are behaving in this country as though this is the United States where they have the right to bear arms, but you don’t! And I’m considering approaching the president to ask him, let us review these gun laws, irrespective of what the hell Granger might think, whether Granger supports us in Parliament or not.”

The minister pointed out that it should be debated whether persons have the right to carry firearms, and if not, what are the alternatives for them in terms of their security.

Crackdown

He noted that the police should step up their intelligence and aggressively go after those who sell, buy, lend and trade firearms. Rohee said those with firearm licences should be reviewed, pointing out that he had requested for his ministry to be included in this process.

“Right now, we don’t have a say, but we are looking at that. The Home Affairs Ministry in con-

junction with the Firearms Licence Approval Board should have a say on whether to renew or not to renew a firearm licence. It should not be something automatic like the visa in the United States… there should be no automaticity attached to this. We have to begin taking strong measures against this because people with guns in their hands are taking strong measures and embarrassing this country,” Rohee said.

The minister also urged the conference to focus intensely on the fight and prevention of violence, noting that fighting violence is much broader than crime fighting. He challenged the conference participants to channel their attention during the two-day forum on prevention and protection against violence. He stated that education is a vital key in tackling violence and should be encouraged at every forum.

Collective effort needed

He further highlighted that violence widely affects society and the burden of prevention does is only on the police, but everyone.

The minister said the police need the help of its social partners, pointing out that while they want to eradicate the scourge from society, they cannot be everywhere to stop it from happening.

“How is the police to be in every home, to be at every doorstep, at every yard, at every rum shop, to be at every place where people gather socially or otherwise… or even among themselves where a man picks up a gun and shoots his sleeping wife

and then after shoots himself, is the police expected to be in their bedroom? How is that to be prevented?” questioned the minister. Rohee disclosed that to assist the police in their quest to end violence, the force has employed some 500 neighbourhood police to act as watchdogs for violence in their communities.

“The police can’t be there 24/7 so the neighbourhood police are in the neighbourhoods on a daily basis and they ought to know what is happening in each neighbourhood, it is their business to know,” he stated.

(vanhum@guyanatimesgy. com)

Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee addressing the conference on Monday

Editor: Nigel Williams

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Editorial

Violence against women

Yesterday, November 25, was “International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women”. In 1999, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly took cognisance of this global scourge against half of humanity and passed a resolution that on this day, not only must awareness be raised about the range and extent of violence that is gratuitously perpetuated against women, but to exhort that action must be undertaken by states and private organisations to eliminate this violence.

The violence is pervasive and wide ranging – ranging from molestation and rape to domestic violence by spouses and other family members. But it is all too often hidden; that is, until it explodes like a sore into the open in the media where it is exploited to sell newspapers or increase viewership, rather than seeking solutions.

The world must do better. Even before the UN resolution, November 25 had marked the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence” which had been launched by the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute sponsored by the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership in 1991.

The 16 days will end on December 10 which is “International Human Rights Day” and brings home the point that violence against women is essentially a human rights issue, which must be combated on that basis. Violence against women will not cease until society ceases to see the issue on an individualised basis, as relations between particular women and particular men.

When a phenomenon is so widespread and prevalent across cultures and countries, it simply proves that it is based on very deep structural factors that cross even civilisational boundaries.

However, this assertion is not new and, in fact, feminists and other scholars and activists have pointed this out since the 1960s. Since it would appear that most present day cultures evolved out of a patriarchal and hierarchical past where women were seen as “helpers” at best and as “property” at worse, it is clear that the widespread practice of men having the proclivity to inflict violence on women is a remnant of that world view. A stubborn remnant.

When one analyses the reports of violence against women, invariably it is because the man in question did not accept that the woman on whom he was inflicting violence with such impunity was a fully autonomous being. It is this world view that must be altered if we are ever to even begin to stop violence against women and girls.

For 2013, the official theme proposed by the UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon for the campaign UNiTE to End Violence Against Women is “Orange the World in 16 Days”. In Guyana we must use the opportunity to challenge the dominant misogynic world view. Schools and other educational institutions can be a good place to start as any.

We might not be able to change the views of adults who would already have been socialised in the “old school”, but with our youths we stand a better chance.

The Education Ministry, for instance, could initiate a campaign in which every child in every school in the nation is given the opportunity to express what they know about violence against women and girls in their own homes. And to inform them in no uncertain terms that such violence is wrong and must not be accepted.

We will be surprised at what will come from the mouth of babes: for one, that it is not only in the poor and “dysfunctional” home that women are beaten. We must teach that if it is forbidden to beat animals, and there are organisations that work to prevent this, then it has to be wrong to beat women and girls and there ought to be organisations working to prevent this.

For too long there has been too much handwringing about the issue of violence against women. It is long past the time for talk and time for action.

‘Tis the season

What causes poor paddy germination?

Dear Editor,

Please allow me to echo and support the sentiments of Ganga Persaud in his letter headlined, “There was poor germination of rice seedlings from Burma station this crop”. Rice farmers throughout the country have suffered the same faith with the purchase of seed paddy from both the Guyana Rice Producers Association (GRPA) and the Burma Research Station.

Often, rice farmers suffer from inadequate access to quality seed at prices they can not afford. Obstacles to the small-scale farmer’s ability to obtain good seed from these two entities include weak production and poor quality control mechanisms.

Poor quality of seeds is a major problem in many parts in the rice growing re-

gions of Guyana, with an unscrupulous government and private dealers selling poor quality substitute to farmers, many of whom, like Persaud, only discover their costly mistake when their harvests fail to measure up.

Other major problems are the lack of information and inadequate national seed policies. Many of these so-called extension officers are not trained or even qualified in seed production and they do not monitor and certify the seed plots to ensure quality. The seed systems of Burma Research Station and GRPA need to be strengthened to make them more resilient so that farmers will have access to varieties that meet their needs.

Soaring seed prices and poor quality imply a complex set of challenges for the entire rice growing sec-

tor and, in particular, vulnerable small farmers. The Burma Research Station and the GRPA, which market improved seeds certified by local regulatory authorities, are not always suited to poor farmers and are facing growing criticism in some quarters.

In the rice industry, the production of good seed material is of paramount importance and the success of the rice industry of Guyana is pivoted on a sound seed programme.

The mechanism to achieve the difference in seed requirement should be outlined to the extension staff in the various regions and to make sure they visit the seed plots on a regular basis and present a report sheet on their findings and the days of visits in these regions.

The extension officers will have to identify suitable plots and register the seed growers. The seed growers these officers often select are friends and family with contaminated plots with red rice and Schoonard grass. Prior to harvest of these seed plots, the extension officers do not make field visits.

The first is to advise on crop husbandry practices and good general overlook of the entire field, but this is not being done. The field is supposed to be sampled for purity, insects and other pest damage. If the field has reached the quality of C-1 seeds, the farmer will be issued a certificate, but this is not happening.

Yours faithfully, Mohamed Khan Former rice extension officer

Addressing the squatting situation at Charity

Dear Editor,

The squatting situation in the Charity housing scheme is becoming overbearing. Many of the residents are squatting on the land and are evidently disregarding the process of legally applying for land. Some residents are instead renting and profiteering on the benefits of the one-stop-shop drive. Additionally, some individuals are involved in

the illegal sale of land and further become involved in construction on government reserves.

The Home Affairs Ministry recently conducted and documented several investigations pertaining to the situation in Charity. The substantial data gathered of those who illegally occupy land in Charity should now be used as a right to demonstrate eviction.

The ministry recent -

ly indicated that approximately 93 house lots will soon become available. They further encourage all Guyanese to legitimately acquire house lots.

Squatting facilities are often unhygienic and tacky abodes. The improper disposal of garbage often creates many environmental and health issues. Additionally, these areas have been stereotyped as havens for criminal dwelling.

I commend the government for giving many Guyanese the opportunity to acquire their own land, but as citizens we must play our role and show interest in this process. The government needs to continue their investigations and address all matters of squatting countrywide. The idea of squatting must be eradicated.

Yours truly, Quinton McPherson

Dressed in red, green and black hoodies, 852 Thai students gather in Bangkok to break the Guinness World Record for forming the largest human Christmas tree. The record was previously set by 672 participants in Germany in 2011 (BBC News)

Domestic violence oversight committee, sexual offences task force should be convened immediately

Dear Editor,

As we joined the world in observance of International Day for the Elimination of all forms of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW) on Monday, we also celebrated another year of dedicated and committed service to the populace of Guyana through our range of services from counselling/support for victims/survivors, to counselling of perpetrators, public education programmes and shelter for women and children affected by domestic violence and other human rights violations.

Help and Shelter has over the past 18 years played a significant role in raising awareness of violence against women (VAW) countrywide, through our public education programmes, which include workshops and awareness sessions, dissemination of public educational material, public service announcements and technical support to other public and private sector organisations.

Between November 1995 and October 2013, 15,300 victims/survivors of domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence received face-to-face, hotline and court support counselling, and over 40,000 people were reached through public education programmes. And

since November 2000, over 840 abused women and their children have been provided with a place of safety at our shelter.

In 2013, we are once again reminded of the urgent need for better response mechanisms and the development and promotion of improved violence prevention measures. The gruesome murders of 15 women by their male partners, compounded by the fact that children have also lost their lives in these tragedies, should be of significant concern to all Guyanese. Greater emphasis is needed on examining the contributing factors and taking steps to mitigate such threats.

The murder of a 15-yearold girl by her 17-year-old lover epitomises the failures of our society to pave a positive road for the next generation. A 15-year-old being granted permission to marry her 38-year-old rapist highlights the inconsistencies in our judicial system and the lack of or non-implementation of relevant laws to protect our nation’s women and girls.

Such acts should be strongly condemned, hence our call for the relevant authorities to step up and take their mandate seriously to ensure that our citizens are protected from the threats

of sexual and domestic violence.

In addition, we recognise the need for countrywide education programmes that focus on anger management and conflict resolution skills, trained personnel to address an increasing mental health problem and a targeted approach to reducing the alcohol consumption and illicit drug use, particularly prevalent among our nation’s youth.

Help and Shelter acknowledges and compliments the efforts of the many organisations, media entities, radio and television personalities and individuals who have been doing their part in raising awareness of the destructiveness of domestic violence.

But our talk must be translated into meaningful and noticeable actions; we must thoroughly examine our cultural practices and beliefs, socialisation methods, societal norms and expectations that endorse violent behaviours and be determined to make the necessary changes that will contribute to a transformation in our attitudes towards the use of violence and the elimination of this scourge from our society.

The reduction/elimination of VAW in particular and violence in general is

A cultural approach to keeping the environment clean

Dear Editor,

Several people have made mention before of the overgrowing scrap yard in Annandale West, East Coast Demerara. The spot has over time become a place where old cars are left and it seems to be continuously expanding.

Old vehicles and parts now occupy the parapet of the yard, and aside from becoming an awful sight to the public, it will soon be considered as a hazard to drivers.

Several cleanup activities have taken place, but it is evident that no minimum progress has been made. The Tourism Ministry and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) in light of Tourism Awareness Month were recently engaged in multiple activities that were intended to boost tourism.

Many of us fail to realise that promoting a clean environment is easier said than done. It is easy for us to become involved in clean up exercises, but the problem lies in staying clean and maintaining a clean environment after the exercise is over.

In order for such initiatives to work, it is people who need to adopt a new culture. We need to be persistent with those who continuously contribute to the degrading of our environment. I urge the po-

lice to address persons found guilty of littering the environment. I strongly believe that it will trigger some form of good change.

not easily achieved; it requires substantial financial support, greater collaborations and cooperation among governmental, non-governmental and international organisations.

We therefore call for the immediate convening of the National Domestic Violence Oversight Committee and Sexual Offences Task Force; two multi-sectoral bodies that are mandated to develop and monitor national plans of action for the prevention of domestic violence and sexual offences in Guyana.

In addition, specialised units within the Guyana Police Force are needed to address the complexity and severity of domestic and sexual violence offences, which show no indication of being reduced.

Finally, while we recognise the need for greater resources and interventions, we are reminded that we have ultimate responsibility for our own safety and protection and for protecting the vulnerable amongst us. Let us be each other’s keeper.

Yours faithfully, Kevin Massiah, Danuta Radzik, Denise Dias, Parbattie Ranglall and Josephine Whitehead Help and Shelter

Another gruesome tale involving the pitbull breed has confronted the Guyanese public

Dear Editor,

According to an article in a local newspaper, dated November 25, the female owner was bitten by two of her own dogs while washing clothes in her yard. The article provides no other information about what may have triggered the attack, but from subsequent accounts, these dogs were raised to be very vicious.

The Guyana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA) has repeatedly indicated that dogs of such a temperament are a danger to society on the whole and that those who raise them in this manner are irresponsible. Fortunately, neighbours intervened to rescue the female owner from the two dogs on the loose. If that were the end of this story, it would be a relatively happy one.

What happened next, the article continued, was that “neighbours, aided by police ranks, were forced to slaughter several pit bulls”. The footage of this carnage has been making the rounds on social media for the world to see. On this video, we see a group of men mercilessly beating and hacking these animals, which were still penned, to a painful death.

It was a barbaric display – if one can bear to watch it – and a stark reminder of the plague of violence that grips our society. The GSPCA has consistently warned of the link between violence towards animals and violence towards fellow human beings.

The website of People

for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), a major animal welfare organisation, notes that “violent acts toward animals have long been recognised as indicators of a dangerous psychopathy that does not confine itself to animal abuse”.

Surely there was a more civilised way to deal with the remaining dogs in the pens than to descend into the primal chopping frenzy that ensued. This incident was animal cruelty at its very worst. It will surely cast Guyana in a very bad light, given the intolerance developed societies have for such atrocities on animals, and without question, the perpetrators of this animal cruelty must be charged accordingly. With plenty of video evidence available, the GSPCA calls on the Guyana Police Force to enforce our country’s animal welfare laws and bring the offenders before our courts. Meanwhile, the GSPCA will reach out to those international animal welfare organisations, with which it is affiliated, so as to ensure this incident receives the attention it necessitates.

Sincerely, Executive Committee of the GSPCA: Oliver Insanally, Dr Steve Surujbally, Jennifer Falconer-Majeed, Dr Nicholas Waldron, Dominique Ahmad, Shiromanie Isaacs, Robin Sivanand and Laleta Sivanand

I recall the previous existence of this law, where quite a few persons were fined for littering, but it didn’t last long. I strongly recommend that this law be reinforced and fully supported in order to ensure an effective outcome.

Sincerely, Resident of Annandale Name withheld by request

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

How to make a child feel valued

Building self-confidence in children is one of the most important life skills you can give them. Self awareness begins at a very early age, and the earlier you can help cement the idea that they are important and special, the better. Although there are many different ways you can make a child feel important and valued, very few of them require a lot of effort on your part. You can encourage your child to feel special by implementing several simple, everyday techniques.

Praise your child when he or she does a job or task well. Rather than just saying “good job,” try identifying specific details, such as “you worked really hard creating the drawings for that report, and they look beautiful.” This helps your child realise that you are paying close attention to exactly what he or she did correctly.

Listen to your child

Remember the names of his or her dolls or toys, who your child’s friends are, and the things that are important to him or her, even if you think they’re silly. No matter what your child shares with you, take an interest in the information, and ask questions that re-

quire an explanation rather than a no or yes answer. This habit will reinforce the

child to do the same. Celebrate each child’s uniqueness. Let him or her

fact that you are actually listening. Look your child in the eyes when he or she speaks, and really listen to what your child is saying. This lets him or her know you are paying attention.

Share your own imperfections, especially in cases where your mistake affects your child

Let him or her know exactly how you’ve made a mistake and how you intend to correct it. Knowing that you aren’t perfect and that you are willing to take responsibility for yourself and your actions may encourage your

be an individual, as long as your child is not destructive. Don’t try and make a tomboy a ballerina or force your child to be someone he or she isn’t. Make sure to point out traits your child possesses that are admirable, such as honesty, creativity, and integrity. It’s likely your child will work harder in these areas to earn further praise from you.

Spend one-on-one time with each child

Household chores, shopping, and other tasks should take a backseat whenever possible in favour of giving each child alone time with

you. Ask other important adults in your child’s life to do the same. Take your child to dinner or a movie. You could also opt for a walk around the block. These are instances when you can learn how to make a child feel valued, and you should do these as frequently as you are able.

Demonstrate that you will be there for your child in both good and bad times, and that you love your child no matter what. Make sure your child knows that while you may be disappointed in his or her choices or actions, that you still love him or her. Use actions more than words, and make sure that even in the worst of failures or mistakes, that you are there to support your child. Knowing you’ll always be there will provide a sense of security for your child.

Talk to your child regularly. Ask your child about his or her day, and tell your child about yours. Give him or her a chance to talk and listen. Understanding communication skills at an early age will give your child confidence when talking to others.

Celebrate even the smallest of achievements your child makes Knowing that his or her ac-

complishments are recognised and rewarded will provide invaluable acknowledgment of the efforts made and prompt your child to keep up the good work.

Read to your child, and ask him or her to read to you. Share stories with each other, either from books or from your own life.

Play with your child regularly. Tell jokes, laugh, play games, dress up, and pretend with your child. This teaches your child that it’s okay to be imaginative. This skill will open a world of possibilities to him or her that your child might have shied away from.

Allow your child to make choices. Whether it’s which book to read, what to have for dinner, or what shirt to wear, empowering him or her to decide may let your child feel special and know that his or her opinions and desires matter. Narrow down the list of available options, such as “would you like chicken or hamburgers for dinner,” and be prepared to follow through with whatever he or she chooses.

Hug and kiss your child. Physical contact is an expression of love and is a great way to show him or her without words that you care. (WikiHow)

Stop spoiling your children

BY DR PHIL

Over-indulgence is one of the most insidious forms of child abuse. Here is a perspective that might help you stop:

* Your primary job as a parent is to prepare your child for how the world really works. In the real world, you don’t always get what you want. You will be better able to deal with that as an adult if you’ve experienced it as a child.

* If your parent/child relationship is based on material goods, your child won’t have the chance to experience unconditional love.

* Be a good role model. “We’re not the only influence in our kids’ lives, so we better be the best influence,” says Dr Phil.

* Redefine what taking care of your children means. Are you providing for them emotionally and spiritually? You need not buy them material goods in order to create a bond. Instead of tangible gifts, how about spending some time together? Be careful that you aren’t teaching them that emotions can be healed by a trip to the store.

* Don’t let your guilt get in the way of your parenting. “Your job as a parent is not to make yourself feel good by giving the child everything that makes you feel good when you give it,” Dr Phil tells one mom. Your job as a parent is to prepare your child to succeed in school and when they get out into the world. “Kids have to be socialised in a way that they understand you work hard for what you get.” You don’t want to teach your child that they will get everything through manipulation, pouting, crying, door slamming and guilt induction.

* Make sure your children aren’t defining their happiness and their status in the world as a function of what they wear or drive. Sit down with them and have a one-on-one conversation about what really defines their worth − their intelligence, their creativity, their caring, their giving, their work ethic, etc. If you spent equal time sitting down and talking to them about what really mattered as you do shopping, you might be able counterbalance the countless images they see telling them otherwise.

Parties likely to renegotiate anti-money laundering bill

By Svetlana MarShall

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C); the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU); and the Alliance For Change (AFC) will likely return to the negotiating table to plot the way forward on the passage of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill.

This round of discussion is critical to prevent Guyana from experiencing a financial crisis owing to the move by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) to blacklist the country for non-compliance with antimoney laundering and countering the financing of terrorism standards.

After voting down the bill in the National Assembly on November 7, the APNU and the AFC have since indicated that they will support the retabling of the bill, but it must be recommitted to the parliamentary special select committee. The onus is on the PPP/C to retable the defeated bill.

Addressing the press at Freedom House on Monday, Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall said the government of Guyana will be assessing the possible avenues to be taken, indicating discussions with the two opposition political groupings are possible.

With Guyana being blacklisted by CFATF during its November 20 Plenary in The Bahamas, Nandlall said it was essential for the country to take necessary steps to reduce the impact.

Greater sanctions

CFATF’s next plenary is set for May 2014; however, Guyana could be placed under the microscope in February 2014 when the global anti-

cial systems from the ongoing money laundering and terrorist financing risks emanating from Guyana.

It was pointed out that commercial banks in Trinidad and Tobago have already heightened their security systems for transactions with Guyanese companies, following a warning letter from the Trinidad and Tobago Central Bank. The legal affairs minister indicated that a commercial bank in the U.S. has severed ties with a local commercial bank as a result of Guyana’s failure to comply with the CFATF requirements.

Return to normalcy

money laundering body, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meets. Hence, the bill which incorporates CFATF recommendations should be passed by February to avoid further uncertainty. CFATF has already indicated that if the bill is not passed in May 2014, Guyana will be handed over to FATF’s International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG), resulting in greater financial sanctions.

“The amendments which have been rejected by the opposition in the National Assembly ought to be passed even before February, so that Guyana will no longer be a country with those identified deficiencies,” Nandlall posited.

Guyana, along with Belize, was blacklisted by CFATF due to its failure to rectify key strategic deficiencies in its Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financial of Terrorism Act. Initially, an action plan was developed to address the deficiencies, but Guyana failed to adhere to the plan.

CFATF has advised its members to consider the implementation of countermeasures to protect their finan-

Duo remanded on narcotics charge

Two persons were brought before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Monday after they were slapped with possession of narcotics charges.

Owen Yearwood, 19, of 57 Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara and Selyma Curis, 24, of 28 Dennis Street, Sophia, both pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that on November 22 at Dover’s Hotel, Aranka, Cuyuni they had in their possession, 112 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking. Yearwood was also charged with the possession of 1.1 grams of cannabis at Aranka, to which he pleaded not guilty.

The facts read that on the day in question, at approximately 04:45h, the Aranka police were conducting a search at Dover’s Hotel. In Room Four, they found Yearwood and a search was conduct-

ed on his person. In his right side pants pocket, 1.1 grams of cannabis were found. He was told of the offence and remained silent.

In the room, behind a wall, the ranks found a parcel containing leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis wrapped in a red towel which Curis admitted to being hers.

Both defendants were represented by Attorney James Bond who told the court that where the narcotics were allegedly found is a public place in which anyone has access.

Prosecutor Renneta Bentham objected to bail citing the serious nature, prevalence and punishment the charge attracts, along with the fact that counsel did not give any special reasons for bail to be granted.

The matters were transferred to Court One where they will be heard before Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry this morning.

“If we are able to pass this bill – if not before February – by May, then Guyana can extricate itself from this list that it finds itself on and we can be restored to some level of normalcy,” he reiterated.

Questioned on whether government should share the blame for Guyana being blacklisted, Nandlall responded in the negative,

claiming that the PPP/C took the necessary step to prevent blacklisting, but did not garner the needed support of the APNU and AFC.

“The government accepts no responsibility whatsoever for the rejection of the bill by the National Assembly of Guyana: the government tabled the bill, the government sought every opportunity available to secure the sup-

port of the opposition and all government’s efforts were rejected.”

He also used the opportunity to bash the AFC for its bargaining tactics, positing that the country should not be held at ransom for the establishment of a Public Procurement Commission (PPC). He lamented that the establishment of the PPC has no direct or indirect connection with the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill. “So the request by the AFC was not only irrelevant but it was absolutely out of place with reality.”

Unjustifiable

He said Guyana was unable to justify its inability to pass the bill. “What we have to understand is that there is a world out there that cares very little about the internal politics of Guyana… I was told quite frankly and candidly that it is a jurisdictional responsibility and organisations like CFATF and

FATF are unconcerned about the internal politics of a country,” he explained.

Finance Minister Ashni Singh told Guyana Times that the PPP/C administration cannot retable the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill unless it is guaranteed that the APNU and/or the AFC will support the suspension of the standing order in the National Assembly to retable the bill. “Government’s position remains the same: we want the legislation immediately.” Singh said the APNU was now pushing for the bill to be recommitted to the parliamentary special select committee although it had failed to capitalise on previous meetings. According to the finance minister, between April and November, 2013, APNU did not formally suggest any amendment to be incorporated in the bill at the level of the special select committee. (svetlanam@guyanatimesgy.com)

Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall

Finance Minister Ashni Singh

tuesday, november 26 , 2013| guyanatimesgy.com

Miner charged with Mahdia businessman murder

The alleged murderer of Mahdia businessman

Venderlier Kienen is set to make his second court appearance today before Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Robert Paul, 37, first appeared Monday afternoon before Magistrate Judy Latchman where he was not required to plead to the indictable charge which read that on November 20 at 111 Miles, Potaro, Mahdia, he murdered Kienen in

the course of the furtherance of a robbery of the property totalling $17 million.

Prosecutor Renneta Bentham told the court that on the day in question, around 18:45h, the accused and two others went into the home of the deceased who operates a money transfer business. Upon entering, the accused and his accomplices met with Kienen. The businessman was stabbed several times about the body and was rushed to a hospital where he died shortly after as a result

of the injuries he received. The other two accomplices made good their escape through the back door of the businessman’s home with the money, while Paul exited through the front.

The matter was reported and the accused was subsequently arrested and charged.

Paul was represented by Attorney James Bond who told the court that his client is a miner and owns his own mining operation. He went on to say that he was informed by his client that he gave a caution state-

ment (CS) under threat and recalls signing only once but saw his signature about four times on the CS. He went on to say that Paul was not hiding, stating that he was seen by the police on several occasions after the businessman’s death and was arrested a few minutes away from his camp.

Prosecutor Rennetta Bentham objected to bail citing the seriousness and prevalence of the offence. Bail was refused and Paul was remanded to prison.

Clothes vendor in court for possession of cannabis

Aclothes vendor was on Monday remanded to prison after she made her first court appearance in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to a possession of narcotics charge.

Standing before Magistrate Judy Latchman, Sheran Adolphous, 45, of Barnwell, North Mocha, East Bank Demerara, ut -

tered the words “not guilty” to the charge which stated that on November 22 at Aranka Landing, Cuyuni, she had in her possession 100 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

Prosecutor Renneta Bentham told the court that on the day in question around 08:00h, police ranks went to a guest house owned by Vincent Gerick

at Aranka Landing. They went to room eight where a search was conducted and the narcotic was found wrapped in a mosquito net hanging above the bed. Adolphous was told of the offence and denied all allegations.

An unrepresented Adolphous stated that she is the mother of five children and is in a common-

law relationship.

Prosecutor Bentham objected to bail, citing the seriousness and prevalence of the offence, along with the fact that no special reasons were given for bail to be granted.

The matter was transferred to Court One and will be heard before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry today.

Eyew tness

I...power seekers

t sounds nice to call for “transparency”. One only wishes those who make the call would practise what they preach. I mean...just look at the fellas who’re in the executive of the body. Every man jack’s associated with the opposition. We thought the practice of forming “front groups” to execute one’s agendas – while remaining behind the scenes – had disappeared with the fall of the iron curtain. Sadly, no....

Then again, does anyone know how the incumbents became incumbents? Who elected them? Looks like a perfect example of “bootstrapping”. But that’s not as easy as you might think. Try it sometimes...bend down, pull on your shoelaces and see how high you can pull yourself upwards. See what we mean? You’re going to need some help.

From the folks that showed up...we can see where the help came from. The same people who brought you the Alliance For Change (AFC). And it ain’t George Lucas!

I mean, it’s kind of rich having the British Ambassador Andrew Ayre allowing, in a condescending tone, that they do have some corruption in “developed countries”. Can you believe it? As if he doesn’t know his country became developed on the backs of people like the folks in Guyana, whom they enslaved and exploited for centuries.

The biggest corruption was to pay the PLANTERS the equivalent of billions in today’s money for slavery and give absolutely zilch to the people who actually did the slaving.

And today they’re being lectured on corruption!!! Before he has the moral legitimacy to do, the ambassador’d better advise his government to cough up some billions in reparations. But we don’t even have to go back to slavery to see corruption.

What about the LIBOR scandal? Here are the biggest banks in England and Europe sitting down every morning and fixing among themselves the interbank lending rates. Earned billions and billions for them from the poor who had to pay higher interests for loans.

And we have a “transparent” group formed by the developed countries, taking pot shots at the government through their native informants. You’d think they’d have second thoughts meeting exactly 50 years after John F Kennedy was shot – for among other things having native informants of the 1960s bring down the then People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government.

But sensitivity wasn’t these fellows’ forte, was it? You can tell by their wondering as to why there weren’t government officials in the audience.

Would explorers actually attend a banquet thrown by cannibals?

...MBA

There’s this business school that’s been coming to Guyana and running some pretty expensive night classes for the Master’s in Business Administration (MBA). They have a pretty good reputation in Trinidad and Tobago and were having some success over here.

But they really did themselves no favours when it was revealed they’d given Trinidad House Speaker Wade Mark an Executive MBA (EMBA) without having him do some real coursework.

A couple of issues arise here – and not only about ethical standards – or a lack thereof. There’s the surprising compulsion of West Indian politicians doing whatever it takes to a degree –decades after Lloyd Best revealed the hollowness of “doctor politics”. And those fellows actually had their doctorates....not fake MBAs.

Do these fellas really think that West Indian people are still so doltish to vote for people just because they have some letters behind their names?

Then there’re the people who run the business school. Just because it’s a “business” school doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have moral scruples. The school’s business is delivering a product called “education” which, by their short sighted act, has now been devalued. They offer their classes in Guyana at a hotel in Kingston. We wonder if they’ve offered the owner an EMBA in lieu of rent?

...reprisal

Unlike the Guyanese who took it quietly for decades, the Jamaicans are hitting back at Trinidad for treating their travellers like dirt. Some big ones are calling for a boycott in T&T’s goods. Hit ‘em where it hurt.

Linden hospital staff protest five per cent pay raise

Staff of the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) on Monday afternoon staged a protest outside the medical institution over the recent five per cent increase in public servants’ wages and salaries which was recently announced by Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon.

The protesters are demanding a 25 per cent increase. Industrial Relations Officer and Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) Region 10 representative Maurice Butters, who was on the scene of the protest, said the increase was made without any prior consultations or negotiations with the GPSU.

He explained that letters were written to Public Service Minister Dr Jennifer Westford for meetings to be held to address the issue of the workers’ wages and salaries back in April; however there was no response.

President Donald Ramotar on the issue of the five per cent increase prior to its finalisation.

“...we (GPSU) even met with President, Mr Ramotar who agreed to stop this imposition and he asked that the GPSU provide to him a three-year plan...

“The collective agreement between the government and the union must be respected... what about our allowances and overtime which is now being denied without an increase since 1980?”

tuesday, november 26, 2013 |

Businessman, wife died from gunshot wounds

An autopsy performed on the bodies of Ramdat Lokhnauth, 48, and his slain wife, Saramani Lokhnauth, 42, who were found dead in their bed Saturday morning, has indicated that they both died from a single gunshot each to their heads.

The post-mortems were performed by Dr Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital on Monday. Guyana Times understands that a .9mm pistol might have been used to kill the woman, which the businessman turned on himself.

$50 million, but he did not have the money, and resorted to make an application for a loan at a city bank. The application was denied. It was reported that for him to obtain the loan, he would have had to sell his property, and this was something he did want to do. To date, family members have remained tightlipped about the issue.

Days prior to the murder/suicide, the woman was asked to return home from Trinidad and Tobago by her husband under the impression of a possible reconciliation.

He said a meeting was held Monday morning with staff of the LHC who agreed to increase their numbers on the protest line by Wednesday if the issue was not addressed.

Referring to the five per cent increase as an “imposition”, the GPSU representative said the time had come for this to stop. “We believe

Butters stated that letters were also written to Labour Minister Dr Ganga Persaud seeking his involvement, and to establish conciliation.

the time has come for this to stop, and for them to get back to the negotiating table,” Butters stated.

He said there was a legal collective agreement which was signed between the government and the GPSU, and as such he expects it to be honoured.

Butters also pointed out that the GPSU had previously consulted with

Speaking with this newspaper, one of the protesters also referred to the increase as an “imposition”, stating that the government has been giving five per cent increases to workers for the past 13 years without prior consultation in many cases. The protesters took to the streets for approximately one hour Monday, and vowed to continue their protest today, saying if that they do not obtain proper results by Wednesday, more LHC staff are expected to join the protest action.

Reports are that the businessman may have shot the woman while she was asleep since she was found lying on her bed with the murder weapon nearby.

Speculations surfaced after the shooting indicating that the couple was in the middle of a divorce settlement, but there were some major problems.

The man had reportedly agreed to pay the woman

The couple had frequently accused each other of being unfaithful. They were married for the past 12 years. The woman is survived by her four children from a previous marriage while the man leaves to mourn his three children, also from a previous union. The couple is expected to be cremated before the week ends.

GMSA in move to tackle non-trade barriers

Guyana Manufacturing Services Association (GSMA) is taking steps to address the issue of nontariff trade barriers even as it seeks to propose a common non-tariff regime in the Caribbean.

To this end, the GMSA, through its business development partner, the Canadian Executive Services Organisation (CESO), is currently hosting a highly specialised consultant, Professor Thomas McKaig, who is conducting a broad-based assessment that will determine whether the demands for additional certification of product standards and technical regulations constitute unfair practices. He will also examine product dumping within the regional marketplace as well as other practices

The A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has called on the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration to promulgate a serious action plan to counter the increasing frequency of violence against women.

In a statement, the coalition said that crimes such as trafficking in persons, murders, rapes and domestic violence are still rampant. “It is evident that current enforcement measures are not

that may constitute dumping and import restriction. His mandate also includes an assessment of the impact (if any) of non-tariff measures on the services trade which constitutes some 62 per cent of economic activity in Guyana.

Professor McKaig, the owner of the 15year old Thomas McKaig International Inc, is conducting the two-week consultancy in close collaboration with the Turkeyen-based Caricom headquarters. He is expected to confer with executives of some of Guyana’s large and medium scale companies and corporations in the private and public sectors, and with the major players in the maritime transportation industry. The National Competitiveness Strategy Unit (NCSU), the

Small Business Bureau and the National Bureau of Standards are also part of his agenda. He is expected to conduct an in-depth examination of the non-tariff regime (barriers, rules of origin and standards) and the institutional framework (standards, accreditation etcetera) for regulating and administrating trade in Guyana. Ultimately, he will advise on the most effective means of encouraging local companies/agencies to comply with existing legally enforceable product standards and trade requirements. He is also expected to make recommendations aimed at harmonising the non-tariff regime across the region. This study was designed principally to level the playing field for Guyana’s exports and imports of goods and services.

Counterproduction conditions

of Guelph, where he serves as an adjunct professor in the executive Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) and undergraduate business programmes. He is also the international business ambassador to the City of Brampton, Canada with 30 years of international business experience in over 40 countries where he is known to have delivered business solutions on quality management and international trade.

arrival of their shipments. Others have had their goods returned as the result of what can be described as “import restrictions”, the GMSA said.

adequate to protect women,” APNU said.

APNU asserted that violence against women is a human rights violation.

“Despite the passage of legislation such as the Domestic Violence Act and the Sexual Offences Act, however, violence against women continues to be a national epidemic.

This is so largely because of weak enforcement and the absence of a coherent national plan.”

APNU wants an end to all types of interpersonal violence as the nation observes International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

The partnership believes that violence against women and girls can be prevented and eliminated. The coalition is also calling for a national action plan on violence and the introduction of educational and enforcement initiatives to eliminate this scourge.

During an initial meeting with executives of the GMSA, McKaig pointed out that certain in-country conditions and situations also create barriers to lucrative trade. In Guyana’s case, he identified high electricity costs and the shallow draught of the Demerara navigational channel and Georgetown Port which restricts the size of vessels incoming and outgoing, and the reduced amount of cargo freight allowable.

These internal barriers “spin off into a number of other issues”, prime among which is higher shipping and transportation costs that are inevitably passed on to end-users.

Professor Thomas McKaig is an international business expert and published author of academic texts which are used at the Canadian University

Meanwhile, the GMSA said that non-tariff barrier is a mechanism employed by many countries the world over to restrict imports of certain commodities into their countries despite the existence of trade agreements. These barriers, illegal and unfair in most instances, take the form of demands for additional sanitation, quality standards and other types of certificates at the ports of entry into the destination countries. International experts agree that non-tariff barriers can be wide in scope.

Deleterious effect

According to the association, these restrictions that many of Guyana’s exporters face far too often are having a deleterious effect on trade and export, national and business revenue.

“Many exporters, particularly of locally manufactured commodities, have spent billions of dollars to comply with the ad hoc but stringent demands made by receiving countries upon

It added that as a direct consequence, the cost of production of some Guyanese products have risen exponentially which render the products uncompetitive in the external marketplace. On the import side, foreign products are allowed to enter the domestic market freely since non-tariff barriers are non-existent.

“The Guyanese customs administration neither makes nor enforces demands for safer, healthier or higher quality imports. In addition, foreign suppliers and domestic importers do not always respect the rules of origins when bringing goods into Guyana. The Guyanese economy is known for its openness to trade but the imposition of these barriers in external markets can be harmful to our open economy,” the GMSA said.

The GMSA said it has made the bold decision to tackle this inequity headon and ultimately propose a common Caribbean nontariff regime that should permit a level playing field across the import and export spectrum, and ensure that all exporters face the same non-tariff requirements. This is expected to provide an intra-regional competitive environment based principally on efficiency and innovation, the association asserted.

Linden Hospital Complex staff members on the picket line

Professor Thomas McKaig

First phase of energy efficiency project nears completion

The landmark Energy Efficiency Management Project being conducted by the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) is approaching the end of its initial stages.

A key seminar/workshop targeting chief executive officers, senior managers in decision-making positions, and high ranking operatives in the banking and financial sector, will be held this Thursday at the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre (Red House), Kingston, Georgetown.

The workshop will be facilitated by energy management specialist, Dr Carl Duncan. He is, among other things, a fellow of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Dr Duncan is highly trained in power station operation and maintenance

and non-conventional electricity generation. He has been conducting the crucial second phase of the project –the energy audit and study – in the five companies serving as the pilots. The project is jointly funded by the Multilateral Investment Fund of the IDB (70 per cent) and the GMSA (30 per cent).

Dr Duncan has been adamant about the importance of the involvement of senior management personnel in any company that has recognised the need to charter a new, modern course for their energy supply and usage if they are to save on their energy expenditures.

Prudent management

“Energy has to be managed in the same way as finance, production and other aspects of business,” he pointed out, and explained that it is for this reason that bankers and financing enti-

ties must also be given the requisite information to secure their commitment to bringing Guyana’s energy sector in line with the developments taking place, especially in the Caribbean region.

He said that there is need for the financial sector to buy-in and facilitate investment in energy measuring and auditing equipment, online systems and more efficient components even in their own institutions.

Energy monitoring is the first step towards careful management of consumption.

During the seminar on Thursday, the consultant and his team of technical specialists will present the findings from his interventions in several local companies representing the food processing, manufacturing and services sectors. He is also expected to offer advice on the way forward with respect to required national energy policies and regulations, required technical skills and necessary investments to enhance energy efficiency.

National business model

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, who holds the ministerial portfolio for the energy sector, is expected to deliver the opening remarks and GMSA’s President Clinton Williams, will present the project overview and its anticipated results.

According to the project designer and administrator, Clement Duncan, the data accumulated

throughout the project will be morphed into a national business model, applicable to the wide spectrum of enterprises on the Guyanese business landscape. In addition, the awareness and sensitisation programme is being extended to the business communities in Berbice and Essequibo, where similar seminars have been scheduled for Tuesday 3 and Thursday 5 December respectively.

Dr Duncan, a native of Guyana, is a highly regarded energy management specialist across the Caribbean and in the U.S., having been certified as a regulatory specialist by the Institute of Public – Private Partnerships in Washington, D.C. (with assistance from the World Bank and the University of Loughborough).

His areas of expertise also include 1811-WA auditing and review of regulated utilities, tariff setting and regulating electric and water utilities.

He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in industrial and electrical engineering and a PhD in business administration. His work experience in Guyana included stints in the bauxite, sugar and timber industries and the electricity company.

From 2003, he has been executing projects in the utilities and corrugated box industries in St Lucia, Guyana, Trinidad and Barbados, and plays a major role in the regulatory commissions in the eastern Caribbean island of Dominica, where he resides.

De Mook controllin a Packoo

When a cat get accustom to thiefin from he owner kitchen, he does never stop thiefin. Is de same way wid when a dog start to suck egg. He does never stop. No matter if is a ganda egg he get fuh suck, he does still suck. Is de same way wid people. De wrong tings that dem doin in life does become a habit.

Fuh example, when dem start tellin lies, dem does can’t stop. It does become a chronic problem. Dem does even gotta lie to cover up other lies.

Mook Lall and de headitor at de Kocheur mud paper so accustom to tellin lies that dem fuhget how to tell any kinda truth nowadays. Just like how a dog does end up eatin he own vomit, de two of dem does end up believin dem own lies and doubtin de real truth. De headitor even fuhget that Parika deh pun de East Bank Essequibo and not West Coast Demerara.

A lotta people round de country find de Mook and de headitor lyin so much that even de one and two truth whah dem tell in between does be hard to believe. In between de Mook and de headitor, yuh never know who responsible fuh which lie.

One of dem boys who seh dem is boys seh de Mook and de headitor does put people name in a bag and pull names every week to decide who gon be de next target fuh de lyin campaign. Yet when Mook Lall not around, de headitor does tek he self out and blame de Mook.

But de Mook don’t mind that. De Mook know he got de headitor under control fuh de rest of he life. After all de headitor get house, land and cyar from de Mook and he sellin he soul to pay fuh every ting piece by piece... although is not de first time de headitor sell out he soul.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! But that is whah life does turn to when a Mook controllin a Packoo!

Pair in court on

break-and-enter charge

On Monday, two men appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where they were jointly charged for breaking and entering with larceny.

Thirty-four-year-old Albert Rajaram and 22-yearold Ryan Waddle were charged for the offence which read that between November 19 and 20 at Timehri, East Bank Demerara, they broke and entered Amerijet’s Bond, stealing a quantity of office equipment which included a document scanner, a cabinet and others articles valued $813,400, property of the U.S. embassy. Rajaram pleaded guilty to the charge and Waddle entered a not guilty plea.

The facts stated that on the day of the incident about 16:30h, the assistant manager secured the storage bond at Timehri, leaving the articles inside. Around 11:30h on November 20, she received a call informing her about the break in. When she arrived, checks were made and the above mentioned articles were discovered missing.

Acting on information, Rajaram was contacted by the police and told of the allegation and was cautioned. He admitted to the offence and took the police to a separate location where he handed over his portion of the stolen articles.

However, when the ranks contacted the second defendant, Waddle, he admitted to stealing the items and took them to a location where he said the articles were, but nothing was found. In a caution statement, he admitted to the offence.

They were both unrepresented in the court.

The first defendant (Rajaram) told the court that he was under the influence of alcohol when he jumped over the fence and gained access to the bond though an open door in the vicinity of the bathroom. He said that when he heard the stolen items were the property of the U.S. embassy, he promptly handed it over to the police because he did not want any trouble.

Chief Magistrate Sewnarine-Beharry considered the seriousness and prevalence of the offence as well as the mitigating factors, stating that the defendant cooperated with the police and did not waste the court’s time. Rajaram was sentenced to three years imprisonment.

However, bail was objected to by Prosecutor Bharat Mangru for Waddle on the grounds of the seriousness and prevalence of the offence and the likelihood the defendant might be a flight risk. Bail was refused and the matter was transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court for November 29.

GMSA’s President Clinton Williams

Guyanese play receives rave review in New York

BY VISHNU BISRAM

The play “Dancing Bells of Rekha” involving a caste of Guyanese-Americans, and written and directed by a Guyanese, was staged in New York to a packed audience over the weekend. It is a theatrical drama that showcases the cultural survival and journey of indentured immigrants to the Caribbean.

The audience was emo-

CEBO hosts first community-based workshop in Guyana

The regional Creativity for Employment and Business Opportunity (CEBO) is a direct result of the recommendations of the report of the Caricom Commission on Youth Development, which identified entrepreneurship development as a priority in countering youth unemployment.

This was made clear by Caricom Secretariat, Culture Community Development Programme Manager, Dr Hilary Brown at an opening ceremony on Monday for an entrepreneurial workshop under the CEBO at the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry, Georgetown.

Dr Brown said the programme was important to Caricom because it follows up on commitments in the Declaration of Paramaribo on the Future of Youth in Caricom, which was issued by the heads of government in January 2010.

Guyanese youths interested in starting their own businesses are benefiting from the workshop following two training of trainers seminars that were held recently by the Caricom Secretariat in collaboration with the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry.

Entrepreneurial interest

Dr Brown explained that the CEBO was an intensive six-day training programme that was developed to engage, motivate and inspire entrepreneurial interest and action among youth 15 to 29 years old.

She said during the workshop, participants would set up and staff simulated companies, develop a basic business plan, as well as create, market and sell products using seed money provided by the programme. She said at the end of the workshop, companies were expected to prepare profit and loss statements and analyse their successes and mistakes.

She also noted that it was anticipated that the government of Guyana and other local partners

would be inspired and committed to continue to mount the CEBO workshops across the country.

“We look forward to seeing the programme implemented in all regions in Guyana,” Dr Brown said.

She used the opportunity to thank the government of Guyana, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and all the partners associated with the CEBO such as the Japanese government, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the UNDP Youth Innovation Project for their support.

Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry, acting Youth Director Gillian Frank said there were many expectations of young people participating in the workshop. She encouraged them to ensure that they learn from the information to be equipped with the relevant tools to make them successful businessmen and women. She said it was expected that there would also be behavioural change within participants that would foster discipline, sacrifice and capacity building. She also reminded participants that goal setting, strategy, conflict resolution and communication capacity are important in building businesses.

She told the participants that they should not allow the opportunity to go to waste. “A few years from today, I hope that we will be invited to attend a workshop like this coordinated by you. Young people, you are given the opportunity to change your lives and improve your community. Let it happen,” she said.

The CEBO training workshops and pilot projects have been implemented in five Caribbean countries so far, including Jamaica, Belize, St Kitts and Nevis, Dominica and The Bahamas. The CEBO was developed by the Caricom Secretariat with input from regional stakeholders.

tionally-driven as “Dancing Bells of Rekha” tells the sad story of the indentured Indian who were brutalised in the Caribbean. It is about the indentureship system – the recruitment and experience of Indians on the ship and the plantations in Guyana – overcoming hardship, torture and persecution.

It depicts the hardships of the indentureship system, using superb characterisations of drama, love, caste and plantation brutalities. As so many historians have penned, the indentured servants survived the horrors of the passage across the Indian and Atlantic oceans in small ships in which they were packed like sardines for months and then made enormous contributions

to the societies they were consigned. They toiled long hours for little pay and were stricken with all kinds of diseases that they overcame to build a society.

The play received rave review from commentators and the packed audience. Everyone loved it and offered encouragement to the script writer, producer and actors to continue with a follow-up on the theme.

The play is written and directed by Ramesh Deochand of West Demerara. The play is a production of the Nirvana Humanitarian Foundation, founded by Ramesh Deochand, Pandit Ramdular Singh and others.

Under the astute leadership of Pandit Ramdular,

the Nirvana Humanitarian Foundation has become an exemplary group, comprising individuals of integrity, volunteering their skills in the fields of music, dance, and drama to raise funds for educational and humanitarian activities.

They are altruistic individuals. The Nirvana Humanitarian Foundation previously staged highly acclaimed plays such as “Laff Till Yuh Belly Bust”, “Visa Wedding” and “Parika Market Starboy”.

The proceeds of the latest play were meant for the Swami High School in West Demerara, but were redirected to the victims of typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, as a show of the generosity and kindness of Indo-Guyanese.

Dr Somdath Mohabir

described the show “as a masterpiece”.

Members in the audience agreed with Dr Mohabir, saying it was a magnificent play filled with emotion that drove them to tears, knowing how their foreparents were ill-treated and what they went through to leave a rich legacy behind for their descendants to enjoy.

As Dr Mohabir stated, “the acting was of a highcaliber and it touched the hearts of the audience to the extent that many were crying as they witnessed what was unfolding.”

Playwright critics, journalists and members of the audience were of the view that Pandit Ramesh Deochand should focus more on play writing, acting and staging more plays.

Caricom heads to meet today on DR court ruling

Aspecial meeting of the Bureau of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) will be held today at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago to discuss the effect of The Dominican Republic Constitutional Court’s ruling on nationality.

The September 23 ruling has the potential of effectively denationalising hundreds of thousands of citizens of The Dominican Republic who are reportedly of Haitian descent. Caricom heads of government, the Caricom secretary general and regional, hemispheric and global organisations have expressed deep concern about the effects of the ruling.

The one-day meeting will be presided over by Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister and Caricom Chair Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

The other members of the bureau, Haitian President

Michel Martelly and St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves will participate in the meeting, along with Caricom Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque.

Dr Gonsalves recently called for the suspension of The Dominican Republic from the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) as the fall

out continues from the constitutional court ruling that could render stateless, thousands of people of Haitian descent living in the Spanishspeaking country.

In a November 11 letter to President Danilo Medina, the St Vincent and the Grenadines prime minister said he had also written to Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro recommending that The Dominican Republic be suspended from the Caracasled PetroCaribe initiative.

“As you are aware, the IX Summit of Petrocaribe is scheduled for Caracas on December 16, 2013. If the situation for the citizensby-birth of The Dominican Republic of Haitian descent is not favourably altered, I intend to raise the matter forcefully at this summit,” Dr Gonsalves wrote.

Caricom, as well as the Washington-based InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), have criticised the ruling

made on September 23, with the IACHR saying that it “retroactively modifies legislation that was in effect from 1929 to 2010, and thus would strip Dominican citizenship from tens of thousands of people born in The Dominican Republic”.

Secretary General LaRocque said the ruling “raises a serious question about the status of the numerous… Dominican Republic nationals of Haitian extract” while Dr Gonsalves in a letter to President Medina said the court’s decision was “unacceptable in any civilised community”.

The international human rights group, Amnesty International and the Organisation of American States (OAS) have also expressed concern over the ruling and the U.S.-based Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA) said the ruling had turned The Dominican Republic into a “ticking time bomb”.

FAO urges policymakers to strengthen forest producer organisations

Strengthening forest producer organisations should contribute significantly to reducing poverty, improving livelihoods and enhancing economic development of smallholder forest owners and farmers, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said.

The United Nations body expressed the views at the International Conference on Forest Producer Organisations, taking place in Guilin, China.

Being part of a producer organisation can give individual forest producers better access to markets, a stronger bargaining position, essential market information, a voice in policy development and help them to improve their entrepreneurial skills.

Hundreds of millions of people depend on forests for their livelihoods. Despite these benefits, forest producer organisations, which are engaged in production of timber, non-wood products, handicrafts and medicinal plants, are not yet as common or wellrecognised as similar groups in agriculture.

“Forest producer organisations have been largely under-

such organisations”.

Farmers, especially indigenous peoples, smallholders, women and family farmers, also benefit from managing forests as it enables them to diversify their income sources and offset the potential risks of relying solely on crops.

“Due to increased risks posed by climate change, farmers will gain from support for diversifying their livelihood activities,” said Forest and Farm Facility Manager Jeffrey Campbell.

traditional efforts to preserve forests.

Women should have equal rights as producers, beneficiaries and decision makers, the FAO stressed. Where this is not the case, forest producer organisations can have an important role in lobbying for change.

resourced and under-appreciated,” said FAO Assistant Director General for Forestry Eduardo Rojas-Briales.

He added: “Well-organised groups enable their members to have more bargaining power and get access to loans. Larger groups can lobby their members’ interests and influence policies. In addition, through producer forest organisations, smallholders can also strengthen the sustainable management of forests. Policymakers should be more aware of these benefits and should support the creation of

“Whereas severe droughts may destroy crops, some types of forests are more resilient to droughts and can better withstand them, contributing to food security and producing a range of other important products,” he added.

Secure forest tenure

When local people are given clear, fair and transparent rights to manage forests and to obtain economic benefits from them, they are more likely to make the long-term investments that forestry requires.

In addition, where they are confident that rights are safeguarded, local people can maintain and increase their

In a new report launched at the conference, the FAO presents a range of successful examples of forest producer organisations. In China, a bamboo cooperative buys bamboo shoots, fruits and vegetables and mushrooms from members to process, store, transport and sell them and has created a brand. Through the cooperative, members have better access to loans.

In Guatemala, groups of tree planters have cut out the middlemen who until recently took most of their profit. They now deal directly with large companies and receive more income from their sales.

Links to manufacturers have also been established by Namibia’s marula tree producers groups. Marula fruits contain nutritious, oil-rich kernel used in cooking and production of skin-care products.

Open Doors Centre beset with challenges

Open Doors Centre

Manager Arthur Lewis said the institution is beset with a number of issues that need serious attention, if the school is to adequately serve its mandate.

Lewis, during a recent induction ceremony for a new executive management team of the centre, said the institution is faced with infrastructural, transportation, succession planning and certification issues.

He noted that despite these issues being catered for in the institution’s 2013-2016 strategic plan, they should be

addressed at the soonest possible time.

The Open Doors Centre manager added that as part of the plan, the organisation hopes to undertake a review of its management structure. Another key area that needs to be looked at includes capacity building, with specific focus on making part-time instructors full-time employees.

This aside, Lewis said there is need for the instructors to be regularly upgraded. Transportation, he said is another area that needs to be addressed, noting that the aim would be to expand the

service since the institution deals with persons with varying disabilities.

He said too that in positioning the Open Doors Centre in a technical and vocational stream, emphasis will be placed on revising the current curriculum requirements of the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training Council.

In the curriculum review, special attention will be given to life and entrepreneurial skills. Lewis also noted that it will be looking to establish strategic partnerships and alliances with satellite or-

ganisations and strengthening partnerships with special needs schools and public and private sector organisations.

Despite the many challenges faced by the institution, Lewis said he is hoping to engage the institution in more public awareness activities in collaboration with the National Disability Commission.

Lewis said the Open Doors Centre has made some progress in achieving its mandate, but has a far way to go before it can achieve all its goals and objectives.

This, he said, will require

Constructive Notice and the Belizean Companies Registry

By Kerri-Ann Mew, norMAn MAnley lAw School

Mortgages and loans are a regular, everyday part of commercial dealings. A lender lends money to a borrower and receives a form of security in the event repayment cannot be completed. Typically, security takes the form of some property which is owned by the borrower.

It can also be over future property; that is, property not yet owned by the borrower but which the borrower considers will be soon be owned by him/her.

An issue arises when the borrower uses this ‘future property’ as security, then uses the same property, once acquired, as security for another loan given by a different lender. Where the borrower defaults, which lender is to be paid first? Who has priority? These were two of the questions the Caribbean Court of Justice had to answer in the case of Atlantic Corporation Limited verses Development Finance Corporation and Novelo’s Bus Line Limited (In Receivership) [2012] CCJ 6 (AJ). Novelo’s Bus Line Limited had borrowed money from Atlantic Corporation Limited on the security of Novelo’s present and future assets. Novelo promised not to borrow any money using those assets as security, without the prior written consent of Atlantic.

In breach of this agreement, Novelo borrowed money from Development Finance Corporation (DFC) without Atlantic’s consent, using some newly-acquired registered land as security. Novelo defaulted on payments to each of its lenders. DFC then got a court order to sell the registered land to recover the monies lent. Atlantic, on becoming aware of the situation, applied to the court to determine who had the priority to be repaid out of the proceeds of the sale of the registered land. The court decided that Atlantic had priority over DFC.

The court considered the doctrine of notice. According to this doctrine, if DFC had notice of Atlantic’s interest in the registered land (which at the time of Atlantic’s loan would have been “future property”), then DFC could not have priority over Atlantic. DFC had to prove that it had no notice of the agreement with Atlantic in order for it to be paid before Atlantic. The CCJ found that DFC had constructive notice of the terms of Atlantic’s security because DFC was in a position where it could have or ought to have known of Novelo’s agreement with Atlantic.

This, the court found because the registry retained a copy Atlantic’s loan agreement and it was unthinkable for a commercial lender to proceed with a sizeable loan without having searched the company’s registry. Hence, it can rightly be said that where any form of loan agreement is required to be registered, lenders are advised to make the appropriate checks to secure their interests, lest they be deemed to have Constructive Notice of prior charges and risk losing their money where the borrower defaults. This summary is intended to assist the Caribbean public in learning more about the work of the CCJ. It is not a formal document of the court.

greater partnership with and support from other agencies.

Several recommendations were made by Trinidad and Tobago, National Centre for Persons with Disabilities Chief Executive Officer, Dr Beverly Beckles, who critically analysed the operations of the local centre.

Dr Beckles had recommended the establishment of satellite programmes in Regions Two, Six and 10. The centre has already secured space for the establishment of its regional branches. With a student population of 34, the Open Doors Centre is cur-

rently cramped for space.

Established in May 2001, the centre is a subprogramme of the Health Ministry’s Disability and Rehabilitation Services Department.

It is the only vocational training institution for persons with disabilities in Guyana. The centre offers four skill courses to disabled persons between the ages of 16 and 45. It received an allocation of 12 per cent of the Disability and Rehabilitation Services Department’s budget.

TT Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar

FAO Assistant Director General for Forestry, Eduardo Rojas-Briales

Govt pulls out of USAID governance project

– says it had no input in design

The Guyana government has pulled out of the 2012 United States Agency for International Development (USAID) project, as a consequence of the flaws in the agreement, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon has said.

During his post-Cabinet media briefing last week, Dr Luncheon said the project proposal presented to Guyana did not reflect the input of the government, as well as that of USAID, and on that basis considerable reservations were expressed by the administration. He explained that the design was considered by Cabinet and both project and design were rejected.

“The project that habitually and conventionally is an engagement between Guyana and its development partner USAID – this one in 2012 departed from that convention. Firstly, we were presented with an agreement to sign, over which we had zero contribution. Secondly, when we officially got the design, there was considerable objection, as far as the administration was concerned. This design would have never ever been provided for in any bilateral relationship, as a conse-

quence it was rejected.”

The HPS added that the design allowed for the involvement of USAID in the national life and politics of Guyana. The US$13.1 million bilateral agreement was to advance development in health, economic growth, and democracy and governance.

LEAD project

Meanwhile, it was unclear whether a US$1.5 million governance project, the Guyana Leadership and Democracy Programme (LEAD), launched back in July is separate from the 2012 agreement or part of the package. The project, which was launched at Cara Lodge, Quamina Street, Georgetown, is

aimed at bolstering the functioning of the National Assembly.

Its focus is fortifying the National Assembly by encouraging consensus building; and working with civil society and the public to boost citizens’ engagement with the National Assembly and all parties to support the legislature’s role as an effective deliberative body.

Speaking at the launching, U.S. Ambassador to Guyana D Brent Hardt had expressed excitement, deeming the project as timely.

“Guyana’s National Assembly is grappling with serious issues that will shape the future of the country; how successfully

the parties navigate these will help shape the future for the people of Guyana,” he had noted.

Political engagement

The ambassador made reference to whether the parties can have effective local governance or reliable, environmentally friendly power, or deter crime and violence, and prevent financial crimes that distort economic development.

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

“That’s why we asked the State Department and USAID in Washington to support a specially-tailored democracy and governance programme here to enhance the National Assembly’s functioning, and encourage consensus.”

Hardt disclosed that meetings were held with stakeholders from across the political spectrum to help shape the outline of the programme, identify priorities, and chart a path toward successful implementation. He lauded the

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

Core messages

The ambassador disclosed too that one of the core messages heard from all stakeholders and all parties was the critical importance of holding local government elections.

LEAD Chief of Party Glenn D Bradbury had said he believed that the elected representatives in the National Assembly had the commitment, energy, and

means to achieve beneficial national goals.

“Certainly, their rationale and motivation remains mutually consistent, irrespective of their political allegiances, that being, to do all in their constitutional power to benefit the lives of the people of Guyana and serve those who have placed their faith in them,” he declared. Bradbury, who has more than 20 years’ experience working in the parliament of Canada, stated that he looked forward to providing his resources, and those of IRI’s new Guyana office to members of the National Assembly and all interested groups, who seek the betterment of the people of Guyana.

U.S. Ambassador D Brent Hardt

Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon

Jamaican police to investigate St Lucian counterparts

The government of Saint Lucia has enlisted the help of the Jamaican police to investigate the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF). This comes on the heels of a U.S. withdrawal of security-related assistance to the RSLPF after claims of human rights violations.

Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony announced in the House of Assembly on Tuesday that the government has been in touch with the regional authority responsible for crime and it has secured the services of police officers from Jamaica to carry out the investigations.

“In fact, the initial group of officers visited Saint Lucia to get a sense of the terrain and the issues; and

they have now asked that the investigating team be strengthened and the team will arrive formally in Saint Lucia on or about November 29,” Anthony said.

Also on Tuesday, The Police Complaints (Amendment) Bill was passed in the House, which allows for a new unit to investigate complaints against police officers.

Anthony noted there have been teething problems with the existing Police Complaints Commission. This amendment hopes to restore the public confidence in the RSLPF’s ability to investigate its own. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

Venezuelan opposition urged to vote

Venezuela’s opposition leader, Henrique Capriles, has told a crowd of supporters not to feel intimidated and to vote in upcoming local elections.

Speaking in the capital, Caracas, Capriles said not voting on December 8 could be “very costly”.

He was speaking as thousands turned out for a day of protest.

On Wednesday, the National Assembly gave President Nicolas Maduro

controversial new powers to rule by decree.

He said the powers will enable him to fight corruption and fix the economy.

The National Assembly’s measure allows Maduro to govern without consulting parliament for 12 months.

Despite being a big oil producer, Venezuela is facing shortages of food and other essential goods, as well as power cuts and 54 per cent inflation.

Maduro has already

Trinis yet to change culture

Arecent survey done by the Police Service showed that since the breathalyser was introduced some three years ago, 37 per cent of drivers interviewed said if they had to drink alcohol, they would not drive.

Twenty-six per cent said they were drinking less alcohol. The legal limit for alcohol consumption while driving is 35 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath. The road fatality figure to date stood at 136 as compared to 171 for the same period last year.

The survey was done by the Police Service’s Road Safety Project. Special Reserve Police officer (SRP) Coordinator Brent Batson

said this was heartening, as he believed more drivers were taking personal responsibility, but at the same time it reflected that Trinadad and Tobago still had to change its culture of drinking and driving.

“From the information, it shows a cultural change is needed, because although the breathalyser was introduced three years ago, people are still drinking and driving,” Batson said.

“This problem, however, is not unique to Trinidad but it is something worldwide,” Batson said. This issue, he added, must be tackled via consistent law enforcement and education.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

forced retailers to slash prices by up to 60 per cent, as part of his fight against what he calls “economic sabotage”.

The government has also imposed strict controls over the sale of foreign currency, to combat a growing black market in dollars.

The opposition accuses Maduro of planning to use his new powers to suppress its activities. Local elections take place in two weeks.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Trinidadian jailed in U.S. for falsifying tests used to prosecute crimes

The Trinidad-born former state chemist for Massachusetts, Annie Dookhan, faces up to five years in jail after she was found guilty of falsifying thousands of tests used to prosecute drug-related crimes.

The court was told that Dookhan, a single mother in her 30s, covered up her shortcuts.

She had initially denied the charges, but later pleaded guilty to 27 charges of obstruction of justice, perjury, and tampering with evidence.

The Boston-area Department of Public Health Laboratory where she had worked for 10 years was closed in August 2012 after the scandal surfaced.

Judge Carol S Ball, who delivered Dookhan’s sentence in Suffolk County Superior Court in Boston, said in her ruling that “the consequences of her behav-

iour, which she ought to have foreseen, have been nothing short of catastrophic.

“Innocent persons were incarcerated, guilty persons have been released to further endanger the public, millions and millions of public dollars are being expended to deal with the chaos Ms Dookhan created, and the integrity of the criminal jus-

people

tice system has been shaken to the core.”

The state had spent a total of US$8.5 million responding to the drug lab crisis and another US$8.6 million was authorised to be spent in the current fiscal year, according to Alex Zaroulis, spokeswoman for the state Executive Office for Administration and Finance. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

No plans to live outside Grenada, says former minister

One of the potential new leaders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said that, while he has submitted “job applications to a multitude of institutions inside and outside of Grenada”, he has “no plans or intentions to take up residence outside Grenada for any period of time”.

But Nazim Burke, the NDC deputy leader and former finance minister, has not identified any of the institutions by name.

Burke’s remarks were made on his Facebook page in response to reports that he had applied for a job with a London-based international organisation that offers technical and financial assistance to numerous coun-

Nazim Burke

tries, including Grenada.

The job, which covers a period of three years starting in 2014, required a recommendation from the applicant’s country govern-

ment.

Burke, in his November 22 Facebook statement, said that, since losing his seat as member of parliament in the NDC’s 15-0 general election defeat in February, he has been involved in efforts to secure the economic livelihood of himself and his family.

“I have established a law practice in conjunction with a colleague of mine and I am making my best efforts to ensure its success. In addition, I have submitted applications and expressions of interest to a multitude of institutions, both inside and outside Grenada, seeking to engage them in a relationship that would be to our mutual benefit,” said Burke.

(Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

Honduras election: Hernandez and Castro claim win

Vote counting is taking place in Honduras, with both main presidential candidates claiming victory.

With more than half of votes declared, the conservative Juan Orlando Hernandez leads with about 34 per cent while Xiomara Castro has 28 per cent, say election officials.

But Castro, the wife of ousted ex-president Manuel Zelaya, told reporters that she has won.

Turnout was high, with millions of Hondurans voting for a new president, members of parliament and local mayors.

Around 5.4 million Hondurans were registered to vote and authorities say there was a “massive turnout”.

to the Honduran people for this triumph,” he posted on his Twitter page. But Castro also used her Twitter account to say she had won: “Based on the exit poll results that I have received from the whole country, I can tell you: I am the president of Honduras.”

She is hoping to become the first female president of Honduras. “Today, we can say that we have won,” Castro told reporters.

Honduras has the highest murder rate in the world.

Hernandez declared victory when 24 per cent of votes had been announced.

“Thank God and thank you

Voting took place amid tight security, but no serious incidents were reported.

David Matamoros, president of the electoral court, said final results were not expected until later on Monday. (Excerpt from BBC News)

St Lucia Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony

Media reports said Annic Dookhan’s actions may have distorted the results of the criminal trials of more than 40,000

The opposition crowd gathered near the central Plaza Venezuela, in Caracas

Xiomara Castro – seen here alongside her husband, Manuel Zelaya – is bidding to be the first female president of Honduras

Immunisation begins in the Philippines

Around 33,000 children are to be immunised against measles and polio in typhoon-hit Tacloban city.

The World Health Organisation, which is supporting the government campaign, fears possible outbreaks of disease. More than 5000 people were killed when typhoon Haiyan battered the central Philippines.

Huge numbers − including many children − were left homeless, and many are surviving in cramped, unhygienic conditions in damaged buildings.

These “displacement centres”, which include dilapidated schools or community buildings, were sturdier than people’s homes, and more able to withstand the battering from the typhoon.

But, over-run by homeless people, they have created the perfect environ-

Jobel, 13, looks after his sister while his mother queues for aid

ment for the spread of disease.

Tarik Jasarevic, spokesperson for the World Health Organisation’s emergency relief team said: “Measles is a viral infection that spreads very, very fast.

“When you have an overcrowded setting, there is a risk of infection.

“It is enough to have one case and then we would probably see very fast transmission.

“Therefore, it is very important we prevent this before it happens.”

The aim is to immunise all underfives in Tacloban City. The children will be given polio drops and measles injections.

More than a hundred medics are expected to be involved in the first day of vaccinations. Around 40 will be from the Philippines, the rest will be from mostly European countries, including Spain and Germany. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Egypt referendum on constitution set for January

Areferendum on Egypt’s amended constitution is likely to take place in January, the interim prime minister has said.

Hazem Beblawi said the referendum would take place in the “second half of January” – later than expected.

It is a key first step in the political transition after Islamist President Mohammed Morsi was ousted in July.

A committee of 50 members, few of whom are Islamists, began work in September on amending the constitution that was pushed through by Morsi.

Parliamentary and presidential elections are expected to follow after the constitution is passed.

The army had given the committee a 60day deadline to finish the draft.

Beblawi called the referendum the “most critical moment” for Egypt.

Supporters of Morsi have been protesting against the interim authorities and demanding his reinstatement.

They refuse to recognise the current government and are expected to campaign against the referendum. (Excerpt from BBC News)

UN sets January date for Syria peace talks

The United Nations has set a date for talks between the Syrian government and opposition, in an attempt to push through the first such meeting since the start of the country’s 32-month-old war. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday that the conference, to be held in Geneva on January 22, was “a mis-

sion of hope” to end the civil war and agree a transitional government “with full executive powers”.

However, Laui Safi, a spokesman for the opposition Syrian National Coalition, said shortly after the announcement that the group would only attend if the Syrian regime met its preconditions: the release of prisoners and relief for besieged towns, and that the

current president, Bashar al-Assad, has no part to play in the new transitional government.

The SNC has also said it would need the support of all rebel brigades on the ground, including al-Qaeda-affiliated groups, before it began peace talks.

Al Jazeera’s diplomatic editor, James Bays, said that setting a date was no guarantee that talks would

go ahead, and was announced more out of frustration than a clear plan.

“The UN has tried to coax the opposition to the table previously. When that didn’t work, they have had to set a date to try to force them to the table. Delegations will probably attend, but will they represent those on the ground? Probably not,” he said. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Libyan troops clash with Islamist militants

Libyan troops clashed with Islamist militants in the eastern city of Benghazi on Monday in gun battles in which at least nine people were killed and dozens were wounded, according to medical and security sources.

Still in training, Libya’s new military is struggling to curb Islamist militants and mi-

litias who fought in the uprising against Muammar Gaddafi but refuse to disarm and control parts of the country.

Gunfire and explosions could be heard in Benghazi and thick smoke rose from the Ras Obeida area. The army ordered residents to stay off the city streets and recalled troops on leave to their units in the city.

Fighting broke out when an army special forces unit pursued a suspect into an area where Islamist militant group Ansar al-Sharia operates its own checkpoints, Benghazi city security officials said.

Interim Interior Minister Sadiq Abdelkarim told reporters on Monday that the militias had overstepped the mark by attacking govern-

Man breaks woman’s 40-foot fall

Were it not for the quick thinking of a Marine vet, a woman who apparently jumped from the third level of the Oakland Coliseum Sunday may not have survived, police say.

“He put himself in a lot of risk. And, right now, he is in the hospital paying the price for it,” said Alameda County Sheriff’s Sergeant JD Nelson.

The incident took place at the end of the Oakland Raiders-Tennessee Titans game as fans were filing out.

The unidentified woman went to a seating area on the third level that was closed to the public. As onlookers urged her, “Don’t

do it, don’t do it,” she pushed herself forward, Nelson said.

The 61-year-old Marine vet, who also was not identified, happened to be leaving the coliseum with a friend. A lifelong Raiders fan, he had just recently purchased season tickets after following the team on TV for years.

As the woman plummeted 40 to 50 feet, he shielded her fall with his body, authorities said.

The woman was hospitalised with a wound to her head. Police do not know what prompted her to jump; she was in a hospital intensive care unit early Monday morning, Nelson said. (Excerpt from CNN)

Saudi Arabia welcomes Iran nuclear agreement

Saudi Arabia has said an interim deal on Iran’s nuclear programme could be a step towards a comprehensive solution − and hoped it could lead to the removal of weapons of mass destruction from the Middle East.

only country in the region to have a nuclear arsenal, although it has never admitted its existence.

ment security services.

“The police and the army must regain control of the city,” he said. “Attacking the army is crossing a red line.”

Ansar al-Sharia was blamed for the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi a year ago when the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans were killed. (Excerpt from France24)

“The government of the kingdom sees that if there was goodwill, this agreement could represent a preliminary step towards a comprehensive solution to the Iranian nuclear programme,” the cabinet said in a statement.

It said the deal could eventually lead “to the removal of weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapons, from the Middle East and the Arab Gulf region”.

The statement appeared to be a reference to Israel, which is the

Sunday’s agreement, reached after marathon talks in Geneva, was condemned by Israel as a “historic mistake” that left the production of atomic weapons within Tehran’s reach. Israel said it would not be bound by it.

The kingdom said it hoped that this agreement would be followed by further steps that would guarantee the rights of all states in the region to peaceful nuclear energy.

Several countries in the region have notified the UN that they intend to begin their own civilian nuclear energy programmes under the terms of the nuclear nonproliferation treaty. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Interim Prime Minister Hazem Beblawi called the referendum the “most critical moment” for Egypt

Relations have been tense between the U.S. and Saudi in recent months

Angostura continues to command market share

Angostura Ltd, a stateowned company since the collapse of CL Financial, continues to command a 90 per cent share of the rum market in TT, chief executive officer Robert Wong said on last Thursday evening.

He was speaking to the TT Guardian at the launch of the company’s third premium rum at the House of Angostura on the Eastern Main Road, Laventille. The new rum, Angostura num-

North America Caribbean

ber one, joins eight-yearold Angostura 1919, and 12-year-old Angostura 1824. Angostura number one “rums are aged eight to 10 years and left to marry for 12 months in first-fill bourbon casks,” literature handed out at the event said.

Responding to a question about the company’s biggest competitor, Wong said: “I wouldn’t say we have like ‘a biggest.’ We still have over 90 per cent market share.”

After Angostura, “You have

the U.S., Guyanese, Jamaican rums,” he said, “You have a little bit of everybody. Nobody’s really like a big competitor. It’s just like we are in the other islands.”

He said in the other rumproducing Caribbean islands, Angostura has a smaller market share. Asked about the impact of the Machel Montanoendorsed 30 rum, he agreed it has not made a dent in market share, and added that he has never tasted it. (Trinidad Guardian)

Wall Street flat, Nasdaq hits 4000 for first time since 2000

U.S. stocks were little changed on Monday after a modest rise that lifted the Nasdaq composite index above 4000 for the first time since September 2000. World powers and Iran reached a deal on Sunday in which Iran agreed to partially curb its nuclear programme. Oil prices fell, pressuring energy stocks.

Trading is expected to be light this week, with U.S. markets closed Thursday for Thanksgiving and finishing

Europe

early on Friday. The light action could increase market volatility. The CBOE Volatility index is down more than 30 per cent this year, and is at historically low levels, which could make it vulnerable to a spike.

The market has room to go higher, analysts said, even though the S&P 500 is up 26.5 per cent for the year and the Dow rose seven weeks in a row.

“Not surprisingly, many investors are asking whether this sets us up for some type of pull-

back. In our view, the answer is a resounding ‘No.’ While these results are excellent, especially in the context of weak economic and earnings growth, they are hardly out of the ordinary,” said Jonathan Golub, chief U.S. market strategist at RBC Capital Markets in New York.

“Since 1965, the S&P 500’s forward price-earnings ratio has averaged 14.1 times. The market multiple currently sits at 15 times, hardly out of the norm.” (Reuters)

Spanish government, Repsol shareholders in Argentina for YPF talks

Spain’s industry minister and executives and shareholders from Spanish oil major Repsol are in Argentina to negotiate with the government over compensation for YPF, three sources told Reuters on Monday.

Argentina seized Repsol’s majority stake in Buenos Aires-based energy firm YPF last year, arguing the Spanish company had not invested

enough in the business.

The chairman of La Caixa bank, Isidro Faine, and the general director of Mexican oil company Pemex have joined Spanish minister Jose Manuel Soria for the talks with the Argentine government of Cristina Fernandez and the chairman of YPF, the sources said.

Repsol and YPF declined to comment. Spain’s govern-

ment was proposing Repsol receive US$5 billion in compensation and that both Repsol and YPF each name investment banks to advise on the valuation of the stake seized, said one source.

La Caixa has a 12 per cent stake in Repsol. Pemex, which has a 9.5 per cent stake, has disagreed with Repsol’s strategy to resolve the conflict. (Reuters)

Africa

Senegal, Kenya lead Africa’s Internet surge

Senegal and Kenya are the African countries where the Internet is having the biggest economic impact, according to a new report. The report, by the management consulting firm McKinsey, says in a ranking of the contribution which the Internet makes to gross domestic product that in Senegal it is 3.3 per cent of GDP.

Internationally, Senegal ranks just behind the United States, where Internet activ-

Asia

ity makes up 3.8 per cent of GDP, and ahead of France, where the figure is 3.1 per cent. The world leader is Sweden, where it makes up 6.3 per cent of GDP.

Among other African countries, the Internet’s contribution to the economy in Kenya comprises 2.9 per cent of GDP, while in Morocco the figure is 2.3 per cent, in Mozambique 1.6 per cent and in South Africa 1.4 per cent.

The report estimates that the Internet’s contribution to

GDP – which it calls iGDP –totals US$18 billion a year across Africa. At 1.1 per cent of total GDP, this is low compared to the figure in other emerging economies, but the report says the potential for growth is huge.

Taking mobile phones as an example of what might be achieved, the report says revenue from this source is equivalent to 3.7 per cent of Africa’s GDP – more than triple the level found in developed economies. (allAfrica)

Apple buys motion sensor maker PrimeSense

Apple has purchased PrimeSense, an Israeli firm that specialises in making 3D motion detection technology. PrimeSense is best known for developing gesture control for Microsoft’s Kinect sensor, and has made strides towards bringing the technology to mobile.

Apple’s deal is likely to spark speculation about its plans to develop new products such as Apple TV. PrimeSense confirmed the deal with Apple

Middle East

in a statement to the BBC but said they could not comment further.

Apple did not disclose the financial details of the deal but said it had taken place. Some reports claimed it had paid US$360 million (£222 million). “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans,” said an Apple spokesman. The deal comes at a time

when firms are increasingly experimenting with gesture control. In October 2011, Apple filed for a patent for new ways to control devices that do not involve physical contact. Its filing, entitled Real Time Video Process Control Using Gestures, talked about allowing users to “throw” content – the ability to transfer it from one of the firm’s products to another – using contactfree hand movements. (BBC News)

Oil prices fall after Iran agrees to nuclear deal

Oil prices have fallen after Iran agreed a deal to curb some of its nuclear activities in return for an easing of international sanctions. Iran holds the world’s fourth-largest oil reserves, but its exports have been hurt by the tough sanctions against it. Though Iran will not be allowed to increase its oil sales for six months, the deal has eased tensions in the Middle East – a key

oil-producing area. Brent crude was recently down 64 cents at US$110.41 a barrel.

It had fallen to as low as US$108.05 earlier in the trading session. Meanwhile, U.S. light sweet crude was down US$1.01 to US$93.83, having fallen as low as US$93.08.

Fuel-intensive companies, such as airlines and travel firms, received a boost on the stock markets as a result.

International Airlines Group, the owner of British Airways and Iberia, was up 2.87 per cent in lunchtime trading, while Air France rose 3.11 per cent. Travel operator Thomas Cook lifted 3.68 per cent. “There are a lot of sanctions that have been eased, which will allow Iran to slowly re-enter the global economy,” Jonathan Barratt, chief economist at Barratt’s Bulletin told the BBC. (BBC News)

Concepts of effective management through leadership (Part one)

Most people are natural followers most of their lives. They wait for instructions and expect leaders to tell them what to do. However, once a follower suddenly becomes a leader, then the perspective changes so quickly that few are able to cope effectively. As a result, the stereotypical horrible bosses emerge out of magnified personality disorders – the bully, the wimp, the mouthpiece and the psycho. We’ve all seen these with our managers at one point or another. If you find yourself suddenly placed in a management position, what are the basic concepts of management that you should master, if you wish to avoid being labelled as one of

the above?

Lead by example

As a manager, you should never expect your subordinates to perform tasks that you are unwilling to do by yourself. If you are asking for your employees to take Saturday shifts, work several Saturdays as well to show that you’re not placing yourself above them or the company. If upper management hands down mandates that you don’t personally agree with, you should never show your personal dissatisfaction to your staff, which will encourage your subordinates to behave in the same negative manner. Rather, learn to spin negative news to make the glass appear half full rath-

er than half empty. You should realise that all your employees will mirror your attitude and behaviour to some degree, as you are the model of “acceptable behaviour” in the workplace.

Be flawlessly consistent Consistency is the key to successful management. It is said that Sun Tzu, to demonstrate the importance of consistency to an emperor, held a military practice session using the emperor’s concubines. When one of the concubines, the emperor’s favourite, refused to participate in the “manly exercises”, Sun Tzu had her beheaded. (Business Dictionary)

Guyanese youth to cash in on cultural enterprise business lab

The Culture, Youth, and Sport Ministry launched a Business Lab in Culture Enterprises, which will provide young entrepreneurs with guidance and support to generate feasible and creative ideas to assure new businesses in the culture industry. The forum is being held in collaboration with Israeli international development agency MASHAV; the Golda Meir Mount Carmel International Training Centre (MCTC); and Young Americas Business Trust (YABT), a Government Information Agency (GINA) release said.

This project will see about 30 young Guyanese who are involved in the creative arts sector being given the opportunity to participate in a one-week workshop, which will allow them to gain knowledge about cultural business entrepreneurship and undergo hands-on experience in marketing.

During brief remarks at the opening ceremony, which was held at the Umana Yana, Kingston, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds encouraged the participants to complete the workshop and make full use of the opportunity presented to them. He stated that with the his-

tory and social backgrounds that Guyanese possess, one has to conceive ideas for the marketplace – what is offered, what is accepted, and what the market is willing to pay. However, he said training programmes such as this one opens a person’s mind that economic work needs to be done and to learn from anyone who knows how.

Much to learn

PM Hinds added that there was no doubt that Israel, a relatively small country with a small population has been very good at making its people productive in a wide range of areas, from agricultural to historical activities and there was much that Guyana can learn from them.

Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony said workshops on setting up and managing small and medium-sized businesses were not new to Guyana, as government has been conducting similar programmes for young people. Minister Anthony said owning a business was quite a gratifying experience, and, once properly managed, it can be financially rewarding. However, he told the participants that success does not come overnight, and encour-

aged them to work hard in order to achieve their individual goals.

Growing sector

Anthony said for Guyana’s economy to grow, the traditional sectors must continue to expand, and new areas and sectors must be cultivated and developed. He said there has been a systematic investment to develop the culture industry, which falls into two categories – content creators and service providers.

“By investing in this sector we have seen rapid growth in our economy,” Minister Anthony added. Just recently, the United Nations released the creative economy report 2013 in which it revealed that world trade of creative goods and services total a record of US$624 billion in 2011.

Minister Anthony further stated that Guyana has a strong creative sector, but the challenge has always been harnessing its potential to make it a vital part of the economy.

“To do this, it is important that we develop cultural entrepreneurship, men and women whose creativity and talent can be used to create new and innovative businesses, but to do so we

need to change the environment and make it more fertile so that the creative industry and businesses can grow,” the minister said.

Minister Anthony urged persons in the private and non-governmental sector to rethink their approaches to cultural business. “Let us not ‘strait-jacket’ ourselves to just the traditional sectors, let us be bold and expand in these new and innovative areas,” he said.

Israeli Ambassador to Guyana, Amiram Magid said the programme will be interesting and refreshing and will benefit Guyana. He said Israel has dedicated much time to the Caribbean, and has been working and conducting similar programmes in countries such as Belize, St Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago and St Lucia.

In addition to lectures by the Israeli team, there will be an emphasis on practical exercises undertaken in group work and at the end of the programme; the participants will present their simulated enterprises to a panel of investors and other officials. Present at the event were representatives from cultural organisations and groups, and other members of the diplomatic corps.

Nandlall defends Ramotar’s veto of local govt bill

Attorney General Anil

Nandlall has defended President Donald Ramotar’s move to withhold his assent for the Local Government Amendment Bill, claiming that it was just. The Local Government Amendment Bill is among four bills which were passed in the National Assembly in August.

The rejected bill was sent to Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman on November 14, after the president withheld his assent on October 28.

He explained that the changes made to the Local Government (Amendment) Bill of 2012 by the joint par-

liamentary opposition at the level of the parliamentary special select committee rendered it constitutionally and institutionally defective and deficient as he alluded to Article 78A of the Constitution of Guyana.

“Parliament shall establish a Local Government Commission, the composition and rules of which empowers the commission to deal as it deems fit with all matters relating to the regulations, and staffing of local government organs and with dispute resolutions within and between local government organs,” he said as he cited a portion of the article. According to him, the A Partnership

for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) attempted to give excessive powers and responsibilities to the Local Government Commission, which contradicts the Constitution of the country.

He lamented that the changes were made by the APNU and the AFC despite the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) signalling its objection. According to Nandlall, the opposition also deleted key clauses within the amendment. “Many clauses which were contained in the bill originally tabled by the Minister of Local Government… were

Two perish in Demerara River boat collision

Two persons are now dead following a boat collision in Demerara River, in the vicinity of Parapee, located approximately 25 miles from Linden on Sunday.

The accident reportedly occurred about 21:30h. Dead are Dale Duggin, 27, of Parapee and Williamson Felix, 37, also known as “Smally” of Malali, Demerara River.

Telford Lim survived the accident without any major injuries and is assisting police with the investigations.

The body of Duggin was recovered in the vicinity of Major Boat Landing, Linden, about 11:30h on Monday, while Felix’s body was reportedly recovered from inside the speedboat he was travelling.

Duggin was clad in a

brown jersey and had visible marks of injuries on both hands and knuckles.

When the body arrived at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC), family members wept and comforted each other. Duggin’s grief-stricken mother, Melvina Duggin was unable to make it to the LHC, relatives say. His aunt, Ronda Fleming, appeared traumatised and had to be escorted inside the LHC in a wheelchair. She also wept uncontrollably, fainting several times.

According to Duggin’s relatives, the now dead men were on their way to Linden when the mishap occurred. The boats reportedly collided head-on but the two passengers in the vessel driven by Lim escaped unhurt.

According to reports, Felix, a St Lucian, was on his way to Amelia’s Ward, Mackenzie, Linden. He was working on a house being built in the area.

“He lives in Georgetown, but would travel up on weekends back and forth. They were going back to Dale’s uncle house which is currently building,” a relative of Duggin said.

Family members related that Duggin was in the process of building his own home.

Foot Steps opens new branch

Fdeleted by the joint opposition in the special committee, without any adequate insertions made to fill the void created by those deletions, in consequence, there are several structural and institutional deficiencies in the functional architecture of the local government’s structure created by the said bill.”

The opposition had used its one-seat majority to decentralise financial and administrative powers from the Local Government and Regional Development Minister and give it them the Local Government Commission under the Local Government Amendment Bill.

oot Steps has expanded its business operations, with the opening of a new branch today in the capital city, at Longden and Croal streets, Georgetown in the former Salt and Pepper Food Court building.

According to him, the company has been performing well, and the local business climate is a catalyst for its ongoing expansion.

Alleyne said the new location will offer the same products and services in a spacious and comfortable environment. Foot Steps is leasing the three-storey building, which it has refurbished and given a facelift, on a long-term basis.

He added that the new branch has created employment for some 40 persons; this is in addition to the 200 plus persons employed by the company on a full-time basis. As the festive season kicks in, part-time staff will be employed.

Foot Steps Marketing Manager Michael Alleyne said the company decided to open a new branch to better cater for the needs of its customers, given the success of the recently-opened mega store at Regent and Camp streets. Foot Steps launched its multibillion-dollar mega store in October 2012. The 58,300 square-foot, six-storey building houses a topnotch restaurant, a shopping mall and a fast food service. The company also has a branch at Regent and Charlotte Streets, Georgetown.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds; Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony and Israeli Ambassador to Guyana, Amiram Magid, along with the facilitators and participants at the opening ceremony of the Business Lab in Culture Enterprises at the Umana Yana, Kingston

Dale Duggin

The new Foot Steps branch

SUDOKU

An interesting means to make more cash will be made available. Take on responsibilities and show off your talent. Your services will be in demand, and a unique opening will be offered.

By Bernice Bede Osol

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

Emotional encounters will escalate. Gather your thoughts and take a back seat until you feel you have a better idea how to handle what’s happening. Don’t make a promise you cannot keep.

Only agree to what’s reasonable. Not everyone will have your best interest at heart. Say what’s on your mind and make fair suggestions. Negotiate, and you will win.

You’ll face opposition if you stick around home. Get together with someone who doesn’t judge you or put demands on your time. A suggestion made will help you regain your confidence.

(Aug. 23Sept. 22)

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

Reach deep within and revisit past encounters, and it will bring back a mishap that still stands between you and success. Turn a wrong into a right and keep moving forward.

(March 21-April 19)

Self-improvement will be the name of the game. Pick up skills or research something that will help you advance. Keep life simple and stay within a set budget.

(April 20-May 20)

Do for others, and you will be given the green light to move forward. Romance and communication will bring you to an agreement that has a positive influence on your life.

(May 21June 20)

Tend to unfinished personal paperwork. It’s important to be up to date if you don’t want to run into a conflict with someone in an authoritative position.

Use an emotional situation to your advantage. Your ability to manipulate a situation using your expertise, knowledge and keen perception will help you get your way.

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Keep up to date on personal issues. Healthy financial habits and sticking to set plans will ensure that you are able to make do and come through with what you have signed up for.

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Express your concerns and show interest in people you feel are onto something lucrative. Turn your residence into a workplace and develop what you feel can bring in extra cash.

(Nov. 23Dec. 21)

Take part in competitive activities or get into a fitness regime or healthier lifestyle. Using up excess energy can help defuse an unnecessarily disruptive no-win situation.

Peanuts

Calvin and Hobbes

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dilbert

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Global food prices down by six per cent

Global food prices declined by six per cent over the last quarter, but are still not far from their historical peaks, according to the World Bank Group’s (WBG) latest Food Price Watch report.

Wheat markets remain tight; and weather-related concerns in Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation may further drive up wheat prices over the next few months.

Domestic prices showed typically large variations across countries, mainly attributable to seasonal trends but also due to a combination of factors including bad weather, public procurement policies, local supply shortfalls and currency devaluations.

“Sustained declines in prices are welcome − we have a lot to be pleased about,” said World Bank Group, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Network acting Vice President Ana Revenga.

“But these gains are fragile. Persistent concerns around erratic weather or currency fluctuations keep us far from claiming victory over food prices. We need to continue to pay close attention, since this progress can quickly be reversed if concerns become reality.”

All-time high

According to the latest edition of Food Price Watch, the bank’s Food Price Index in October 2013 was 12 per cent lower than a year ago and 16 per cent below the all-time peak in August 2012. Despite this decline, however, prices remain close to their all-time high.

Stronger demand for wheat, especially from China, a weaker U.S. dollar, and increasing concerns following the recent adverse weather have affected prices in a negative way. Initially, price increases were almost imperceptible in August and September, but then increased sharply in October. Global wheat stocks are expected to partially recover from last year’s declines, but major exporters’ closing stocks continue to remain low, still reflecting tight export availabilities. Rice and maize stocks, on the contrary, continue to be robust and are expected to remain that way

through the end of the year. This issue of the Food Price Watch also explores the role that extra-large scale farming, popularly known as “super farms” may play in boosting agricultural productivity and poverty reduction. The jury is still out on whether this trend has a positive or negative effect on boosting shared prosperity, especially in those countries with fragile institutions and poor oversight: social, environmental and animal welfare concerns must be weighed with potentially promising benefits such as jobs and efficiency gains.

The World Bank Group said it is committed to boosting agriculture and agriculture-related investment. In 2013, new bank group commitments to agriculture and related sectors were US$8 billion.

For the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IBRD/IDA), assistance to agriculture and related sectors has risen from an average of nine per cent of total lending in FY10-12, to 12 per cent in FY13.

Food supply chain

IFC made US$4.5 billion in private sector investments across the food supply chain in FY13. These investments supported projects that promote access to finance, access to inputs like seeds, equipment and advice, and access to markets through infrastructure and food-processing facilities.

The WBG also supports the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP). Eight countries and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have pledged about US$1.3 billion over three years, with US$1.1 billion received. Besides, the bank said the GFRP has reached 66 million people in 49 countries – through US$1.6 billion in emergency support.

As of July 2012, the bank’s emergency response is channelled through IDA’s Crisis Response Window and the Immediate Response Mechanism.

Boosting IBRD/IDA allocations to safety nets (rose sixfold from US$1.2 billion in the FY06-08 pre-crises period to over US$10 billion in FY0912).

Dutch healing and upliftment, for clearing of land, dredging

Trott returns home due to stress-related illness

Jonathan Trott, the England batsman, has left the Ashes tour with a stress-related illness that he has been coping with for several years and will not return for the remainder of the series.

Trott departed Brisbane on Sunday night after England’s 381-run defeat in the first Test at the Gabba. He fell twice for low scores against the short-pitched bowling of Mitchell Johnson and his ability to combat fast bowling came under heavy scrutiny.

“I don’t feel it is right that I’m playing knowing I’m not 100% and I cannot currently operate at the level I have reached in the past,” Trott said in a statement. “My priority now is to take a break from cricket to focus on my recovery.”

England have no immediate plans to call up a replacement.

The England team management have been aware for the bulk of Trott’s international career that he has been struggling with a stress-related condition and suggested there were no indications that he was under any additional strain as he entered the first Test in Brisbane.

Flower and ECB managing director Hugh Morris spoke to him on the third evening of the Brisbane Test, within hours of his second-innings dismissal, and a mutual decision was quickly

made that he needed to return home.

England are not ruling Trott returning to international cricket at a later date, as he has successfully managed the condition over several years, but at 32 his England career might logically be at an end.

Recovery time

Morris said Trott would be given as much time as he needed to recover. “Jonathan Trott is an incredibly talented cricketer who has proven himself time and again for England,” he said. “Cricket is unimportant now, all that matters is that Jonathan is given time, support and space to recover.”

Flower said: “Trotty has been struggling with a stress-related conditions for some time and has managed it very successfully. He’s been a brilliant international batsman for England and hopefully he will continue to be a brilliant international batsman for England in the future.

“But he needs time away from this environment for a while, time with his family, time to reassess and spend some quiet time with his family. This isn’t the type of environment for that type of rest and recuperation that he requires.

“I have been aware that Jonathan struggled with these things from our first contact as player and coach. It is something that has al-

“I don’t feel it is right that I’m playing knowing I’m not 100 per cent” – Jonathan Trott

ways fluctuated. I have the utmost respect for Jonathan as a bloke and a cricketera really successful international cricketer. I am lucky that I have been coach while he has been our no 3. He has been an absolute rock for us.”

Under the management of Duncan Fletcher and more recently Flower,

England have cultivated a highly professional, motivated and taut team environment that has reaped some outstanding on-field results, including the retention of the Ashes through three consecutive series, temporary ownership of the world No. 1 Test ranking and victory in the 2010 World T20 in the Caribbean.

Zaheer returns to India Test squad

Zaheer Khan has been recalled to the India Test squad for the forthcoming tour of South Africa. Zaheer is one of five fast bowlers for the two-Test series, and the only newcomer to the 17-member squad is the batsman Ambati Rayudu. However, there was no place for the opener Gautam Gambhir, who scored a century for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy days before the selection meeting. It is learnt that the team management didn’t want Gambhir in the squad.

Zaheer, who last played for India during the home Tests against England last December, was recently omitted from the list of centrally contracted players for the current season. The injury-prone left-arm seamer made a return to the longer format this season with 13 wickets in three Ranji games for Mumbai, including a fivewicket haul. However, he was not considered for the one-day squad. Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh - two other players who were not handed central contracts - have been left out of both squads.

The Test squad also has Wriddhiman Saha as the backup wicketkeeper for MS Dhoni, the captain. Saha last played for India during the Adelaide Test of 2012.

Ravindra Jadeja, the allrounder, returns after sitting out the West Indies Tests to rest his injured shoulder. He is the third spinner in the squad after R Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha.

Rayudu, 28, made his international debut during the one-day tour of Zimbabwe in August, where he scored one fifty. Amit Mishra, the legspinner, remains in the oneday team but was not included for the Tests.

The surprise inclusion in the one-day squad is the fast bowler Ishant Sharma, who was expensive during the seven-match ODI series against Australia recently. Ishant leaked 189 runs in three matches and

was dropped after he conceded a whopping 30 runs in one over, which cost India the Mohali ODI. Ishant was part of the Test squad against West Indies but lost his place to the impressive Mohammed Shami, playing his first Test series.

Ishant and fast bowler Umesh Yadav were included in the one-day squad in place of seamers Jaydev Unadkat and Vinay Kumar. Batsman Ajinkya Rahane has been included in both squads.

Yadav said he was pleased with Zaheer’s return to the Test squad, as the latter’s experience was invaluable to the young pacers in the team.

“Zaheer has had a great

However, some might suggest it has taken a toll on cricketers at times across the era, despite a large backroom staff covering many areas of a cricketer’s physical and mental well-being.

Trott is the third England cricketer to depart a tour with a stress-related illness in recent years. The opener Marcus Trescothick left the 2005-06 India tour and the 2006-07 Ashes tour of Australia before the first Test in Brisbane, while the left-arm spinner Michael Yardy flew home from the 2011 World Cup. Neither cricketer has played for England again.

Criticism

England’s management have insisted that Trott’s departure has nothing to do with the comments delivered by Australia’s opening batsman David Warner during the Test when Warner pointedly questioned his appetite for fast bowling. To draw such a distinction would be entirely simplistic.

Morris was at pains to state: “I want to be really clear on this: Jonathan has managed a stress-related illness for a period of time. It is not down to any particular incident over the last few days.”

Flower echoed that made in his press conference although the England team director was highly critical of Warner’s remarks. “We’ve been on tour for about a

influence on youngsters with his ability to guide us through the bump and grind of international cricket,” Yadav told PTI. “I have got a lot of valuable tips on fast bowling and there is no better exponent of reverse swing than Zak. He is like a mentor to us and it is an honour to play international cricket alongside him. Zaheer’s advice in match situations is invaluable as he is a brilliant reader of opposition batsmen.”

The tour gets underway with the first of three ODIs starting December 5, followed by the two Tests.

Test squad: MS Dhoni (capt & wk), M Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravindra Jadeja, Zaheer Khan, Ambati Rayudu, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ishant Sharma and Pragyan Ojha

ODI squad: MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Yuvraj Singh, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ambati Rayudu, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja and Amit Mishra (Cricinfo)

month and he’s had it ups and downs through that month and it’s not directly related,” he said.

Nevertheless, Flower did not flinch from general criticism of Warner - responding on one occasion to the suggestion that Warner was “ignorant” of the situation by suggesting it was a very good choice of word.

“I would also say that I also think players commenting about fellow professionals in the media is disrespectful. On this occasion he has got that terribly wrong. I think we set different standards to that, and one of the reasons we don’t like commenting on opposition players is that we don’t know what’s going on in their dressing room and private lives.

“Competition on the field is fine and perfectly acceptable but having players comment on fellow professionals on the international circuit, I think he overstepped the line.

“It is a competitive environment - two proud nations trying to win an Ashes series - and that rivalry is exciting, but we also have a responsibility to behave in a certain way. Whether we like it or not, our leaders must be role models.

“The game must be played in a certain spirit, it must be competitive but like most things in life there is a balance to be had. All of us have that responsibility.” (Cricinfo)

Rio 2016 Olympics...

From page 21

Nuzman admits Rio’s new £4.5m laboratory, which is being built and will be required to handle approximately 6,000 samples during the Olympic and Paralympics, will not be ready for another two years despite a “fast track” procedure being put in place.

“The Brazilian government is working together with Wada and has a fast track to approve this construction,” he said. “We are confident it will be on time for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

With fewer than 1,000 days until the start of the Rio Olympics, questions have also been raised over safety and potential disruption following a summer of unrest, some of it violent, on Brazil’s streets.

Protestors are calling for social and political change in Brazil, with some questioning the money that has been spent on securing the two biggest global sports events within two years of each other - the World Cup and the Olympics.

Now 71, Nuzman represented Brazil at volleyball at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics before going on to lead the

sport’s national governing body for 20 years.

Elected to the IOC in 1995, he is now intent on delivering a memorable Olympics for Rio, having been in charge of the city’s successful bid campaign.

He is convinced Brazilians are happy to stage the Games and believes there will be no further disruption to the tight schedule Rio is now operating under because of future unrest.

“This will not impact the preparations for the Games,” Nuzman explained. “We are absolutely confident in this.

“The reaction of the public and the research that we have is everyone is in favour of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

He is reluctant to put a figure on what the budget for the Games is now, but believes the Brazilian people will get value for money.

“We are finalising the budget,” he said. “One thing that Rio will leave as a legacy is that we’ll organise a very well done Games in very good financial conditions, less than all the former organisers.” (BBC Sport)

Zaheer Khan last played a Test during the home series against England last December

Kobe drops £3.71m to stay at LA Lakers for 20th year

Kobe Bryant has signed a new twoyear deal to remain at the Los Angeles Lakers for a record 20th season.

The 35-year-old will become the longest serving player for any NBA franchise if he sees out the contract.

Bryant has reportedly taken a £3.71m pay cut but he is still the highest paid NBA player earning £15m a year.

“Our priority was to have

Kobe finish his career as a Laker and this should ensure that happens,” said general manager Mitch Kupchak.

Bryant is a five-times NBA winner but has not played this season due to a ruptured left Achilles tendon, although he is now back in training.

The shooting guard is the Lakers’ all-time leading scorer and fourth on the NBA’s career scoring list. (BBC Sport)

Rio 2016 Olympics

chief says “every

day a final”

The head of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics believes “every day is a final” for Brazil’s government and Games organisers following extensive delays to key building and infrastructure projects.

But Carlos Nuzman, president of the Rio 2016 organising committee, is confident the city will deliver on the promises it made when winning the right to stage the Olympic and Paralympic Games four years ago.

“We need to have the adrenalin of the athletes to work as in a final,” he told BBC Sport.

“To organise, in seven years, you cannot have everything ready, as a lot of people want in advance.

“I’m comfortable and confident that we will deliver all the constructions and venues and everything on time.”

Nuzman, in Athens to deliver a progress report to the International Paralympic Committee, also responded to comments from International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice-president John Coates that Rio needed a “concerted ef-

Cricket for Change making an impact

KINGSTON, Jamaica - Cricket can change the lives of disadvantaged youth.

This is the message of Cricket for Change (C4C), a British Airways community partner, which aims “to take young people on a journey of self-development using cricket and rugby.”

C4C CEO, Andy Sellins, accompanied by West Indies and international cricketer Chris Gayle, took time out last week to update

fort” to deliver a successful Olympics.

Coates is reported as saying Rio’s efforts to be ready to host the Games are “more of a crisis than Athens” - a reference to the 2004 Olympics, when Greek organisers struggled to deliver venues and infrastructure on time.

“I think it’s different from one city to another city,” said Nuzman. “We are confident, together with the governments that are responsible for the construction and infrastructure, that they will deliver on time.”

Delivering those projects is just one part of Rio’s problem. The World Anti-Doping Authority (Wada) revoked the accreditation of Rio’s anti-doping testing laboratory in September following what it called “repeated failures” at the facility.

Fifa, football’s world governing body, has already said it will have to analyse blood and urine samples taken from players at next summer’s Brazil World Cup at a lab in Lausanne, Switzerland.

British High Commissioner to Jamaica David Fitton about C4C activities in the Caribbean and the planned collaboration between C4C and the Chris Gayle Foundation.

In Jamaica, to carry out capacity-building initiatives at the Foundation, Sellins explained that the plan is to, next year, engage at-risk youth, 16-20 years old, in an intense learning programme using cricket as a tool which makes them work-ready.

A similar programme exists in the United Kingdom supported by former English cricketer-turnedtelevision personality Phil Tufnell.

C4C uses the “Sportwork Impact Assessment App” –the first sustainable shared measurement tool for the Sport for Development Sector, which provides evidence of the impact and cost savings attributed to their interventions, many of which are highly rated for

effectively reducing youth crime and antisocial behaviour.

Sellins and Gayle were accompanied on their visit to the High Commission by Diane Corrie, commercial manager, Caribbean, British Airways; Radcliffe Haynes, head, Chris Gayle Foundation; and Donovan Miller, Cricket for Change programme manager and head coach of the Chris Gayle Academy in London. (www.windiescricket.com)

Vettori unavailable for West Indies series

Daniel Vettori has ruled himself out of the forthcoming series against West Indies, stating that it was too early to guarantee his fitness given the months he had missed due to injury.

“International cricket, and in particular, Test cricket, places enormous demands on the body and I simply haven’t played enough recently to be confident of meeting those demands,” Vettori said, in a press release. “The short-term plan is to concentrate on my existing duties with Northern Districts and Brisbane, and re-evaluate my fitness in the New Year.

“What I can’t afford to do is throw myself back into the international arena prematurely and re-injure myself,” he said. “It wouldn’t be any good for me; it wouldn’t be any good for the team.”

The left-arm spinner has been dogged by a chronic Achilles tendon condition and underwent surgery in London in June to prolong

his career. He also declined a contract with New Zealand Cricket due to concerns over

his fitness. Vettori made a return to competitive cricket with first-class match-

es in the Plunket Shield in November, bowling 49 overs for Northern Districts and finishing with a match haul of six wickets, including a five-for in the first innings. Since then, he has been playing for Northern Districts in the HRV Cup, New Zealand’s domestic Twenty20 tournament.

Vettori last played a Test for New Zealand against West Indies in July 2012. He was ruled out of New Zealand’s tour to South Africa, due to injuries, and also missed the home series against England. He was declared unfit on the eve of the second Test against England in Headingley in May, but went on to play three Champions Trophy matches in June, the only international games he played in 2013.

West Indies are scheduled to play three Tests, five ODIs and two T20s on their tour to New Zealand. The first Test begins on December 3 in Dunedin. (Cricinfo)

Kobe Bryant

Daniel Vettori: “What I can’t afford to do is throw myself back into the international arena prematurely and re-injure myself”

(From left) British High Commissioner to Jamaica David Fitton (third left) makes a point at a function of Cricket for Change and the Chris Gayle Foundation at the British High Commission on Knutsford Boulevard recently. Also pictured are (from left) Donovan Miller, programme manager, Cricket For Change and head coach, Chris Gayle Academy; Andy Sellins, CEO, Cricket for Change; West Indies batsman Chris Gayle; Diane Corrie, commercial manager Caribbean, British Airways; and Radcliffe Haynes, head of the Chris Gayle Foundation

Guyana, Gore take CMRC titles

Guyana came from behind to secure the 2013 Seaboard Marine-sponsored Caribbean Motor Racing Championships (CMRC) country title, while Jamaican Doug Gore took the driver’s championship top honours after the event concluded on Sunday at the South Dakota race track. With home turf advantage, the Guyanese scored a whopping 464 points on Sunday to win the overall championships with 508 points, ahead of closest rival Jamaica, who finished on 392 points, while Barbados ended the championships on 343 points.

In the individual segment, Gore finished on 118 points ahead of Kevin Jeffery, who amassed 70 points, to take the championship from David Summerbell Jr who won it last year.

Barbadian Doug Maloney (60 points), Guyanese Mark Vieira (58 points) and Jamaican Peter Rae (57 points) rounded off the top five drivers for this year’s championships.

Meanwhile, Barbados won the CMRC Group Two Class with Kurt and Mark

Thompson leading the points standing with 104 and 92 points respectively.

The overall local group winners for 2013 are: Group 1- Mohamed Ali (118 points); Group 2A- Mohamed Roshandin (150 points); Group 2B- Afraz Allie (168 points); Group 3- Paul Vieira (90 points); Group 4-Paul Vieira (128 points); Superbike A- Joel Neblette (153 points); Superbike B- Nikel Seebeeran (200 points); Go-kart- Stanley Ming Jr (125 points) and 125 cc motorcycles- Heemand Boodhram (75 points).

RHTY&SC lauds support of Ramotar, Dr Anthony – in restoration of Area “H” ground pavillion

The Area “H” community centre in Rose Hall Town would soon be in a better position to host major cricket matches with massive restoration being done to the old pavillion on the ground.

The pavillion, which was built in 1991 via self help by members of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC), with funding from the government of Guyana, was in a state of disrepair for the last

five years after the Mayor and Town Council failed to undertake any repairs.

The management team of Guyana’s leading youth and sports organisation, the RHTY&S would like to express profound gratitude to president Donald Ramotar and Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony for the restoration work being done after a government subvention of over $2.3 million was granted.

Executives of the club

had visited president Ramotar last year and he committed his government to assisting in the restoring of the pavillion. Secretary/ Chief Executive Officer of the RHTY&SC, Hilbert Foster, who headed the delegation to the Office of the President hailed the pavillion’s restoration as one of the best news for the club in 2013 as it would now be able to host major matches, including finals.

Other organisations, including schools, churches and NGOs, would also be able to host events without worrying about proper accommodation for spectators.

The Area “H” ground with three pavillions would now be able to seat at least 1000 spectators.

Foster also expressed gratitude to Dr Anthony, Regional Chairman Permaul Armogan and People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Executive Secretary Zulfikar Mustapha for their roles in assisting the club to obtain the funding.

The Area “H” ground, which was once a swampland, has produced a Test cricketer

The Area “H” ground undergoing rehabilitative work

(Assad Fudadin), one West Indies ODI player (Royston Crandon), six national senior players, 23 national junior cricketers, two West Indies female cricketers and over 80 for Berbice at all levels.

Meanwhile, one of the club’s official sponsor, Bakewell has donated

$100,000 for the office signboard for the RHTY&SC.

The signboard would welcome visitors to the club’s Area “H” ground and Foster hailed the management of Bakewell, especially General Manager Rajin Ganga for the role they played in the development of youths via their investment in the RHTY&SC.

Foster also disclosed that he is currently in discussion with the company to provide signboards for the Berbice Cricket Board, St Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church and some other cricket clubs.

GMR&SC Supervisor Desiree Lee presents the 2013 Seaboard Marine CMRC Champion Driver trophy to Doug Gore

Doug Gore and his team celebrate after being crowned 2013 Seaboard Marine CMRC champion

Sport Minister

Dr Frank Anthony

President Donald Ramotar

Guyana 1-2 in Suriname marathon

– Gardner, Morgan also impressive

Overseas-based Guyanese Lionel D’Andrade ran away with the 10th edition of the Suriname Marathon on Saturday.

D’Andrade clocked a time of two hours, 45 minutes, 19 seconds (02h: 45m: 19s) to win the event ahead of overseas-based Guyanese Kelvin Johnson, who finished second in a time of two hours, 49 minutes, 35 seconds (02: 49m: 35s). Udenhout Guillermo of Suriname was third in a time of two hours, 50 minutes, 20 seconds (02h: 50m: 20s).

D’Andrade, who took over the lead with approximately four kilometers left, noted that despite cramps during the final stage of the race he was able to pull off the win.

“I was prepared for it; Kelvin lead all the way and with about four km I made my move…I got some cramps but I ran six minutes faster than last year so it was a good race for me,” D’Andrade told Guyana Times Sport.

Johnson also noted that cramps got the better of him which made him give up the race in the latter stages.

“It was good; it was just the cramps in the last four kilometers to go, I was running with a gel but the cramps were there,” Johnson stated.

Meanwhile, top local distance athlete Alika Morgan recorded a time of three hours, 50 minutes, 30 seconds (03h: 50m: 30s) to finish second overall in the female category while winning the 18-21 category.

“Actually I did not really prepare for the race; it was a last minute something so I took it easy because I have the South American 10k second leg next Sunday,” Morgan told this publication about her performance.

Llewellyn Gardner was also at the event and finished 10th overall while running away with the top prize for the Masters’ category in a time of three hours, 29 minutes, 57 seconds (03h: 29m: 57s).

Morgan also took the opportunity to thank Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, GT&T and Trans Guyana for their support, while D’Andrade noted that Builders Lumber Yard and Plaisance Guinness Bar gave him the support needed to win the event.

Victory is a boost, says Powell

VISAKHAPATNAM, India – Opener

Kieran Powell said West Indies earned a timely boost of confidence from their victory over India in the second One-day International on Sunday.

Powell was one of the architects of the victory, hitting 59 from 70 balls and shared a 100-run, thirdwicket stand with Darren Bravo, as the Windies successfully chased 289 to level the three-match series at the Reddy Stadium.

“Obviously, being 0-1 down in the series, this win was very crucial for us, to level the series and to go to Kanpur, looking to win the series,” he said.

“We believe we can beat anybody anywhere in any

conditions, but it’s just for us to put the pieces of the puzzle together now.”

He added: “Obviously, we have not been playing good cricket on this tour, we have not been building partnerships, nobody has been carrying on [from good starts].”

He added: “Unfortunately nobody carried on [in this match] and got a hundred, but we had enough performances to get the job done, so we’re looking forward to building on that from here.”

Powell said West Indies would be looking to use the momentum from this victory to push for a series-clinching triumph in the final match of the series on Wednesday at Green Park in Kanpur.

Norman Singh memorial 20/20 cricket…

D’Edward, Bath through to final

D’Edward and Bath won their latest matches in the 2013 Norman Singh memorial second division 20/20 cricket competition to qualify for the final. D’Edward defeated Hopetown United in the semi-final, while Bath upset Cotton Tree Die Hard in a third round match which resulted in them earning a bye through to the final.

In the semi-final played at D’Edward, D’Edward defeated Hopetown United by six wickets.

Hopetown United, electing to bat first, had a good start with their opening batsman Derick Cadogan putting on 25 for the first wicket with Ruel Edwards (10). Cadogan also added 60 for the second wicket with former Berbice wicketkeeper/batsman Kwesi Mentore

as Hopetown coasted to 85-1 in 12 overs.

However, the D’Edward bowlers led by off-spinners, Brian Roopnarine and Devendra Lalsa, slowed up the proceeding and even though Cadogan went on to make 52 (3x4s, 1x6), Hopetown eventually made 116 in 19 overs. Roopnarine took 4-25 from four overs, Lalsa 2-23 from four overs and medium-pacer Christian France 2-26 from four overs.

D’Edward had little trouble in reaching 120-4 in 18 overs, thanks mainly to former Berbice all-rounder Eon Abel, who made 37 and Lalsa 30.

In the third round match played at Bath, Bath beat Cotton Tree Die Hard by three runs.

In the match which was

reduced to 12 overs-a-side because of the late arrival of the Cotton Tree team, Bath won the toss and rattled up 125-4 in their 12 overs with Shawn Kadim leading the way with 63 not out (3x4s, 6x6s), Chaitram Dhanpersaud 31 and Jailall Chandylall 25. There was one wicket apiece for Roshan Gafoor, Pooran Persaud and Nashad Gafoor.

Cotton Tree Die Hard, in turn at the crease, gave a good chase but fell short by a slim margin and managed to make 122-4. Gafoor topscored with 35 and Persaud 24. Bowling for Bath, Daniel Adjodia took 2-13 from one over and Vinod Ramjattan 2-19 from three overs.

D’Edward and Bath will meet in the final on Sunday at Bath.

Warner: I went too far with Trott comments

Australia batsman

David Warner has admitted he “went a little bit too far” when he described Jonathan Trott as “poor and weak” during the first Test.

Warner was speaking before it was announced Trott had left England’s Ashes tour with a long-standing stress-related condition.

“I made those comments for a reason,” Warner said. “[On Sunday] the bounce and pace got to them again.

“It is Ashes cricket - probably went a little bit too far with the comments.”

England captain Alastair Cook accused Warner, 27, of being “disrespectful” when he made the comments during a news conference at the end of the third day.

Trott scored only 19 runs in the match as England crumbled to a 381-run defeat inside four days at the Gabba in Brisbane.

“We will be very confident going into the next match,” he said. “It is a day match, so totally different conditions in terms of the dew. It’s up north so it might be a bit cooler, but we just have to assess the conditions and play accordingly.”

Powell came into the line-up to replace talismanic, fellow opener Chris Gayle, who has returned to the Caribbean following a hamstring injury.

On whether he was under pressure to fill Gayle’s shoes, Powell said: “[There was] no pressure. I cannot play the way Chris Gayle plays. There was definitely no pressure on me. I just wanted to play my game and enjoy it and it worked in our favour and we won.” (www.windiescricket.com)

Following Trott’s secondinnings dismissal, when he struggled against the pace of Mitchell Johnson, former England captain Michael Vaughan was also critical of the England number three’s performances.

However, Vaughan admits he now regrets making those comments in light of what the player has been dealing with off the pitch.

“The hardest thing about it is that it’s [stress] not visual,” Vaughan told BBC Radio 5 live. “I was involved in the England team a few years ago when Marcus Trescothick went through some terrible times and it all came out all of a sudden.

“I don’t know how long it’s been going on for Jonathan but clearly this week he wasn’t right. I crit-

icised him in the second innings and I wished I hadn’t. I wish I had known he was going through so many troubles.”

Trott’s England teammates Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann have both tweeted their support for the player, as has Australia coach Darren Lehmann who wrote on social media: “I wish Jonathan Trott a speedy recovery from a tough situation, a safe flight home to be with family!”

Former England fast bowler Steve Harmison, who also endured problems while on tour with his country, believes Warner’s comments about Trott were “bang out of order”.

“Just remember this guy has a short memory,” Harmison told BBC Radio 5 live. “Six months ago this guy attacked an England cricketer and every time any England player was asked they said Cricket Australia were dealing with it.

“That showed respect. David Warner’s mouth was three seconds quicker than his brain. It sums him up. He might be a fantastic, explosive cricketer but every time that bloke opens his

mouth something stupid comes out of it.

“I’ve defended him a lot as I used to play with him but that was the final straw, it was horrendous. To try and humiliate a fellow cricketer was bang out of order.” Warner, who has scored 1,574 runs in 23 Tests, was suspended by Australia on their Ashes tour to England in the summer after punching England’s Joe Root in a bar. He returned to the team for the third Test at Old Trafford.

Former Derbyshire and Lancashire wicketkeeper Luke Sutton, 37, also offered his support to Trott, who he called “a quality person and player”.

Sutton was treated for depression and anxiety during the 2011 county season, and he used his Twitter account to criticise Warner’s comments during the first Test.

“David Warner should feel ashamed of his comments on a fellow pro. Warner wasn’t to know - but that’s the point. Don’t make comments about a fellow pro because you don’t know what’s going on. Very poor by him.” (BBC Sport)

David Warner

Kieran Powell hit 59 in the series-levelling victory at the Reddy Stadium

Some members of team Guyana pose with the championship trophy after copping the country title at the 2013 Seaboard Marine CMRC (Photos: Rohindra Mahase)

Top performers! From left: coach Leslie Black, Lionel D’Andrade, Alika Morgan and Kelvin Johnson pose with their trophies