saturday, june 21, 2014| guyanatimesgy.com
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Former Executive Member of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Dr Faith Harding has disclosed that she would decline any invitation to rejoin the party under the auspices of its current leader, David Granger.
Dr Harding said the PNCR has lost its way because of the pursuits and ideologies of its current crop of leaders.
She was at the time responding to questions posed by Guyana Times about her current relationship with the PNCR, if any, following her resignation in 2012 from its Executive.
Dr Harding said she would decline any attempt at reconciliation, given “the current group that is managing the part”. I’m sorry, no.”
The former Public Service Minister made it clear that the objectives being pursued by the party, at the moment, were not in the interests of Guyana’s overall development.
She recalled the outright rejection by some in the current leadership of her ideas for national development.
“I’ve realised that I had lost interest in the objectives and I was no longer on the same wavelength with many of the persons in the leadership; I had different objectives. As I said in my campaigns about the PNC... we had abandoned our membership and I was very seri-
ous about that. I told the leadership, in fact, I told the members “you’ve been abandoned by your leadership”,” she told Guyana Times.
The Child Psychologist said she was appalled that some of her former colleagues could not comprehend the vision she had for national development.
“Those that were in power did not like that … we need to change that. I had a programme for national development. I have visions of what national development should be and I don’t think they saw in the same way I saw that, that objective for national development.”
However, Dr Harding has maintained contact with the PNCR’s membership, working with them on various developmental projects.
“It’s strange because since I left the party, I’ve never set foot back at Congress
Place. But in terms of membership, yes, I’ve been working in communities, with the older people and with their children, because I’ve been in this party like forever.”
Persons have posited that Granger, a retired Brigadier, who succeeded former leader Robert Corbin, has militarised the party, as many of the current members serving in leadership positions have also served in the security forces. They cited retired Colonel Joseph Harmon and former Police Commissioner Winston Felix as examples.
Reports are that over the past 10 years or so, the executive membership of the PNCR has been seeing significant changes for various reasons. The run-up to the 2011 General Elections had seen a number of individuals vying for the leadership post of the PNCR.
When the results came out and Granger was declared the winner, fellow candidates such as Carl Greenidge and Dr Harding declared that they were cheated, as the final results were concocted by former leader Robert Corbin.
A number of other members parted ways with the PNC during and prior to the 2011 General Elections for various reasons, including Vincent Alexander, Aubrey Norton, Dr Van West Charles, and Dr Dagleish Joseph.
With several cases of abuse filed against the Guyana Police Force for torture and misconduct during interrogations, several ranks underwent training in interview and interrogation techniques.
The five-day training session was conducted by instructors of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The session saw 35 ranks from the Force undergoing training in “Interview and interrogation” and “Basic Criminal Investigation”.
A simple graduation
Amotorcyclist became the latest road fatality on Thursday after he slammed into the door of a parked car along the Goedverwagting Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara (ECD), around 22:30h.
for the participants who were given certificates. During the training, ranks were taught the basic interviewing techniques used not only in the United States but around the world.
Police Superintendent Wendell Blanhum giving an overview of the course on interview and interrogation techniques, presented by FBI facilitator Rhonda Heilig, pointed out that they were taught some of the latest techniques.
investigation,” the FBI official stated.
Dustin noted that there are two main methods investigators should use: to have structure and know what they want to do and not to make excuses for any factor. He added that the strength of the FBI has always been to find a way no matter what the problem is and urged the local Police to do the same.
This training programme falls under the umbrella of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), which was established in 2010 to help participating countries combat transnational criminal activities.
Wallace Nurse, 59, of Lot 17 West Road, Sparendaam, ECD, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital after 23:00h. He was employed at the Ogle International Airport (OIA) as a security officer.
According to information received, Nurse and his reputed wife, Jophel Howell, were heading home on his motorcycle, bearing registration number CC 9486, when, in the vicinity of the
Goedverwagting Railway Embankment, he collided with the opened door of the parked car.
After the collision, the couple were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where Howell was treated for minor bruises and scratches, but Nurse was pronounced dead on arrival. The driver of the motor car was taken into Police custody to assist with the investigation.
When Guyana Times contacted the grieving woman on Friday morning, she was at the scene with investigators, but confirmed that her spouse collected her from her place of employment,
the Caricom Secretariat, and they were heading home when the accident occurred.
She explained that as they headed east along the Railway Embankment in the vicinity of Ogle’s traffic lights, the dark coloured car was parked on the roadway, with its door opened and the driver was putting a bag into the trunk.
Howell noted that the area was dark and more so, the vehicle, thus they did not see it until it was too late. As a result of the impact, both she and her reputed husband fellon to the roadway.
“When we fall, he remained motionless… from the time the driver of the car picked us up, he was motionless… the driver took us to Georgetown Hospital where he was pronounced dead,” she related.
Police are investigating the matter. Nurse leaves to mourn three children, four siblings and his spouse. A post-mortem examination is expected to be performed on the man’s body on Monday. The motor car is impounded at the Sparendaam Police Station.
“The training we received will be utilised in carrying out our duties in serving the Guyanese public, both in the prevention of crime and also in bringing perpetrators of crime to justice. We are now equipped with the expert knowledge necessary to ensure that in the investigation of crime within Guyana, these ranks who participated will be responsible for conducting thorough investigations efficiently and effectively as possible, while operating as newly-trained “human lie detectors”,” Blanhum stated.
One of the FBI instructors, Jason Dustin, who led the Basic Criminal Investigation course, noted that the training session covered many key areas and allowed everyone to build on their knowledge.
“We figured a way to take that base of knowledge that we had, that know-how that all of our investigators posses from both the FBI and the Guyana Police Force, and added a new structure to it… we developed the method to look at criminal investigations of any type, whether it’s a murder or a drug investigation and figured out a way from start to finish on how to do that
According to the US Ambassador to Guyana, D Brent Hardt, these two courses are integral elements of a broad, comprehensive regional partnership that is growing. He noted this training shows the commitment to training local officers under the programme.
Ambassador Hardt went on to talk about the benefits Guyana has got from being a participant of the initiative, recalling the recent donation of three Metal Shark riverine patrol boats. The US Ambassador noted that his Government is committed to continuing to provide assistance to participating countries through the CBSI programme.
“We remain committed to working with you to deepen and expand this partnership for the benefit of all our citizens. To ensure a safer and more prosperous environment for citizens, we must continue to work with all stakeholders within Guyana and with countries throughout the Region to build our capacity to deal with transnational threats,” the US Ambassador stated.
Countrywide:
Wind:
High
Low Tide: 05:10h and 17:37h reaching minimum heights of 0.88 metre and 0.91 metre respectively.
The US State Department in its 2014 Trafficking in Person (TIP) Report said offenders should be held accountable as it identified Guyana as a country which operates below the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking.
The 2014 TIP report was released by US Secretary of State John F Kerry. “We each have a responsibility to make this horrific and all-too-common crime a lot less common,” Kerry said in his report, while pointing out that 44,000 survivors have been identified in the past year. However, it is estimated that 20 million victims are suffering at the hands of traffickers.
“I have seen with my own two eyes countless individual acts of courage and commitment. I have seen how victims of this crime can become survivors and how survivors can become voices of conscience and conviction in the cause,” the US Secretary of State was quoted as saying.
Zooming in on Guyana, the report indicates that the country remains a source and destination for men, women and children who are subjected to sex
trafficking and forced labour.
“Guyanese and foreign women and girls, including from Venezuela, Suriname and Brazil, are subjected to prostitution in Guyana,” the report stated.
While the US lacks statistics on the magnitude of forced labour in Guyana, it has received a string of reports on forced labour occurring in the mining, agriculture and forestry sectors, in addition to domestic services and shops.
“Traffickers are attracted to Guyana’s interior mining communities where there is limited Government control, but Guyanese and foreign nationals are also vulnerable to trafficking in urban centres elsewhere in the country.”
According to the US, children here remain vulnerable to forced labour, positing that Guyanese are not only trafficked within the country, but to other countries in the Caribbean region.
Efforts acknowledged
While the US is of the opinion that the country does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, it has acknowledged steps being taken to combat human trafficking. It was stated that the Human Services and Social Security Ministry has “demonstrated concrete efforts to assist trafficking victims”, although the “Government did not demonstrate evidence of overall increasing efforts to address human trafficking over the previous reporting period”. Due to the deficiencies within the local arena, Guyana remains on the Tier 2 Watch List.
With sufficient human trafficking laws in place, three trafficking convictions were made during the reporting period; however, all three
convicted traffickers were released on bail pending the appeal of their convictions.
“The Government of Guyana did not provide information regarding the basis on which the defendants sought to appeal their convictions or on which the court determined to grant them bail,” the US State Department complained.
These alleged traffickers were placed on bail although the Combating Trafficking of Persons Act of 2005 prohibits all forms of trafficking and prescribes sufficiently stringent penalties, ranging from three years to life imprisonment.
“These penalties are commensurate with penalties prescribed under Guyanese law for other serious crimes, such as rape.” The US said Guyana’s inability to hold traffickers accountable, creates an atmosphere where human traffickers would want to dwell.
Law enforcement officials have also reportedly failed to provide data on the number of trafficking investigations that have been undertaken during the reporting period. However, in 2012, there were two know cases of labour trafficking investigations and 16 traffick-
ing investigations. Human Services and Social Security Minister Jenifer Webster had reported that there were six trafficking cases gaining the attention of the courts in 2013, one of which was dismissed.
Three convictions
“The Government reported that three traffickers were convicted in 2013; two of the convicted traffickers were sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and one was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment. However, none of the three convicted traffickers were serving their sentences at the end of the reporting period; and officials reportedly did not inform victims of court dates nor taking them to testify.”
In the quest to eliminate human trafficking in Guyana, the US is calling on the Guyana Government to “hold traffickers accountable by vigorously investigating and prosecuting forced prostitution and forced labour cases”.
The US is also of the opining the Guyana Government has made minimal efforts to prevent human trafficking. It was pointed that the Government’s Ministerial Task Force was designed to monitor and assess the Government’s antitrafficking efforts, however, to date; a report on the results is forthcoming.
It is also being recommended that the Government provide funding for NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs) that are concerned with the elimination of TIP. Calls were also made for the development of child-sensitive investigation procedures to reduce additional harm to victims and the development of court procedures that safeguard the privacy of children and minimise emotional trauma of providing testimony.
Editor: Nigel Williams
Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134
Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown
Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com, letters@guyanatimesgy.com
Even in this day and age, in this part of the hemisphere, it appears as though the use of religion to provide solutions to conflict rather than to further an unjust cause is not a well-grounded ideal.
The recent declaration by Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) Vice Chairman Pastor Ronald McGarrell that homosexuals and persons with alternative sexual orientation should reside on an island by themselves to avoid endangering the rest of society when God visits his wrath upon them stands out as a glaring example, even though he subsequently dismissed the comments as a “light-hearted” joke.
Undoubtedly, the Man of the Cloth would have probably used the Bible as his source of inspiration, drawing from the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, a city of sodomites, destroyed by God.
The pronouncement that members of the LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Trans-gender, Inter-sex) community and persons of the ilk should reside on an island by themselves, is nothing but a call from a man, misguided in the interpretation of the sacred text, looking to take matters into his own hands. Clearly, it is a call to promote separation, discrimination and, apparently unknowingly to him, destruction of a minority group.
Though the vast majority of Guyanese see gays as belonging to an improvised gender, irrespective of which side of the fence they sit, it is common sense that peace is a central theme of the Bible, and at least Pastor McGarrell should know “that he who is not without sin, should cast no stones”. Equally ludicrous is the assertion that the LGBTI community would endanger the rest of society when God visits his wrath upon them.
What this statement implies is that only homosexuals can invoke the divine wrath, and they should be placed on an island separately, so that when the fury of the Lord is provoked, his anger would bypass murderers, liars, thieves, the sexually unfaithful and unrepentant fornicators, among others in the masses, and visit only “the sexually abnormal folks” on the “gay island”. And many of these are from within the religious community.
The comments from Pastor McGarrell cannot be more insensitive as he is a board member of the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA), an organisation that promotes sexual and reproductive health of citizens, regardless of their race, religion, political affiliation or sexual orientation – a mandate he would have sworn to uphold.
It is no surprise that he did the honourable thing, resigning his post as a board member, and rightfully so, as a man of his stature should not be speaking from both sides of his mouth.
But notwithstanding the foregoing, homosexuality is not a widely accepted behaviour in Guyana, and even though those who view this lifestyle as “perverse” have not been raising their voices against it, their silence does not mean consent.
Therefore, it is equally important in pointing out the flaws in Pastor McGarrell’s comments, that the discourse should not promote through insinuation that homosexuality is a behaviour that all Guyanese should accept.
While it is a fact that the LGBTI community is a component of the Guyanese society and should be heard, respected, and should not be discriminated against, on the same note, the LGBTI community must respect the views of the overwhelming majority of the populace who are respectfully against their behaviour.
Thus, opposition to the gay culture should not be equated to rejection of people who are gays. In most cases, the reservation is against the action and behaviour of the person and not the person as a human being.
No one should tolerate the beating up, bullying or marginalisation of gay people, and quite contrary to what the LGBTI community seems to be contending, these are not human rights abuses affecting only gays, but others as well.
The differences between the LGBT and largely the religious community can be solved if both respect the views of each other.
Dear Editor,
In response to an article in another section of the press, “Bai Shan Lin ‘disrespects’ National Assembly”, dated June 19, the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry wishes to clarify the notion that it is hindering the Natural Resources Sectoral Committee from visiting the company’s operation.
The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry would like to explicitly state that Bai Shan Lin is a private
company and the Ministry has no authority to determine who visits their locations. The Committee is free to pursue its request to visit the worksites of the said company.
The Ministry was requested to provide vehicular and other logistical support in the letter dated May 30 from the Chairman Odinga Lumumba. In the Ministry’s response dated June 3, it was pointed out that this request could not be accom-
modated at this point in time, due to ongoing compliance and enforcement activities by various agencies.
It is important to note that at no point did the Ministry hinder the proposed visit of the Committee.
The Ministry has always fully cooperated with the Committee and in fact appeared before it with its agencies on November 20, 2013. Prior to our appearance, a comprehensive package detailing the agencies’
work programme and projects was submitted to the Committee on November 5, 2013.
Additionally, it should be noted that all information requested for the said company emanating from the Committee meeting was provided.
Sincerely, Joslyn McKenzie Permanent Secretary Natural Resources and Environment Ministry
Dear Editor, I have been avidly following the debate on homosexuality and I am very much puzzled with the mechanics of this issue. To begin with, I do not see how the opinions of religious bodies are of any importance in this matter. Are they ridiculed, hated, marginalised, and constitutionally discriminated against?
I think not, the evidence has pointed to the contrary; it is they who have withheld equality this long, spread hate and misinformation, marginalised and demonised LGBTs (Lesbians, Gays, Bi-sexuals, Transgenders).
I understand that there is a separation of church and state, thus it is expected that clergy represent churches and not the entirety of Guyana. I did not elect and pay for Parliament to sit and be dictated by the opinions and morals of the prelacy, but to upkeep the dignity and rights of all the citizens of this country irrespective of sexual orientation.
The double standards and suppression of LGBTs are
quite evident and blatant –one minute God loves us unconditionally, and another we are all in hell’s pits.
The cherry-picking is also transparent for rational minded individuals, the Bible, especially Leviticus is filled with “the codes of conducts” banning divorce, prohibiting tattoos, postmortem, wearing clothes made of two different materials, to name a few, yet the religious right selectively and solely choose to vehemently oppose this issue, disregarding the numerous “offences” in the scriptures and social parasites plaguing this country.
I know for a fact that the majority of religious people are tolerant and are LGBT allies. They support their brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, friends, even religious leaders, who are shunned into hiding by society, shunned by their church, shunned by their families, and I commend them for this.
I speak to the religious right who feel it is justifiable to selectively use the Holy scriptures to spew hate and
warrant violence. Religion is contemporary and changes, I am sure you understand this, as we no longer stone people based on accusations of adultery and today divorce is morally acceptable.
Gays do not want to corrupt your child, they merely want to live a life with equal opportunities, free from discrimination. Because of your relentless lobbying, LGBTs fear being ousted in their work place where they can lose their jobs, they are denied housing, or even the right to inheritance. I urge all pious and devout individuals to love your brethren, be your brother’s keepers, love them unreservedly, nurture and mould them; judge not their sexuality but their merits and behaviour. Speak up against homophobia and hate.
I shift my attention to the LGBT community: you are not alone, now more than ever, people are accepting and affirming, they see your plight and suppression and feel your pain. To the confused youths, it gets better.
Your tears and bruises will
fade; your life will one day be filled with people who love you for who you are. Endure the bullying; persist through the insults, kicks, shoves and be the best you can be. Love yourself and know that people care, I feel your agony; I pine at your sorrows. Do not let the negativity prevent you from expanding to your prime potential, reach for the stars and most importantly, know that God loves you completely.
With that said, I beseech the members of Parliament and the President to ban all forms of discrimination including homophobia as it is unhealthy for this developing country, both socially and economically.
It is left in your hands to build a country free from all prejudices and bias or leave it to disintegrate further. I hope you make the right decision so my children can grow up one day unafraid of being themselves.
Yours faithfully, Tatesh Sookdeo
Dear Editor,
I am writing this letter to relate an unfortunate sequence of events that I experienced subsequent to purchasing a cellphone from an electronics store on Sheriff Street, Georgetown.
I purchased the phone, termed an “E1” in January and between then to early June, I had to return with the phone to the store about three to four times because of various problems I was experiencing with it – from the charging port not working to the touch screen feature malfunctioning.
During this period, the problems being experienced by me using the phone resulted in the store exchanging the phone I purchased for another “E1” phone. On June 7, another touchscreen malfunction caused me to return with the phone to the store, but I was told that the store no longer does exchanges for the E1 phone, because of numerous complaints they have received about the E1 phone.
They said that the new policy is now to exchange it for different model of phone, which costs less than the E1 phone and has less fea-
tures. However, I was told that they didn’t have any of those phones in stock at the moment, but were expecting some to arrive on June 10.
I went into the store on June 10 to enquire if the phones had arrived, only to be told that they had not, and to check back on June 14, which I did, but was told that the Sol III Icemobile still had not arrived as yet.
On Monday, June 16, nine days after I reported the touchscreen malfunctioning, the Sol III Icemobile phones finally arrived. And lo and behold, these seem to be prob-
lematic too. It’s a dual SIM phone, but the Sim2, is not being read by the phone, so I will have to return that one too to get it exchanged.
And this is not an isolated incident. A few people have related similar experiences to me, especially in reference to returning constantly to the store to rectify some problem with the device they would have purchased.
The store owes members of the public who spend their hard earned money.
Yours faithfully, Ian
James
Dear Editor,
Just say “Police brutality” and the whole course of events immediately changes. Your case is more likely than not to result in an automatic dismissal, freed of all pending matters; it is as simple as that.
Criminals often brazenly outsmart the law and are free to carry on their nefarious trade. Even more distressing is the fact that felons and their lawyers are now into the business of seeking hefty sums for their criminal clients. They are simply not satisfied with “freed of all charges” or the “clean bill of health”; and so they are de-
manding compensation for their horrific crimes.
Take for example the guy who killed the taxi driver lady at Sandpit. Now the two implicated in the Lusignan murder case were the last to be in the company of the taxi driver who later turned up dead. The two later confessed and took the lawmen to the shallow grave. Another case with his claims of Police brutality is the hands-burning incident at Sparendaam.
This brings us back to the story of a woman whose deliberate actions to distort the facts have led her to make those outrageous claims of brutality. She, among other
things, claimed to have been beaten, stripped naked and fondled by the Police. She also said that she suffered a miscarriage as a result of the beatings. Thankfully, the Police have learnt its lesson by securing a medical report on the woman which shows none of the above ever taking place.
For these malicious and dangerous allegations made against the Police, she should face a battery of charges, she must atone for her acts. I am of the view that she should feel the full brunt of the law.
If she thinks she can commit these vicious acts and rest comfortably at home, she
Dear Editor, It is very surprising to know that in an era where electronic gadgets dominate the time of many youths, we can still find children who are very ecstatic to be part of a community youth group.
needs to think again. I call on the Police to institute charges against this woman immediately. This matter should not be glossed over as an overzealous wife trying to shield her deadbeat husband. This is a deliberate act of a woman, who among other things, is implicating the Police in a deadly act, accusing them of causing her miscarriage.
There is a lot going on in criminal circles that does not speak well of the Police, hence, the call to make a public example of this woman.
Sincerely, Neil Adams
The members of the Courbane Park Community Youth Group, with the assistance of community members of Courbane Park, Annandale in their effort to improve their community, have accomplished what may seem impossible to many in other nearby villages/communities, in this ever evolving electronically advanced world of laptops, BlackBerries, Iphones and video games.
They have encouraged 28 youths comprising children ranging from ages nine to 18 years to start a youth group which would not only enhance their interactive, social and communication skills, but it will also help them educationally as well as culturally –some of the main aspects of life that many teenagers deprive themselves of these days, due to Facebook, BBM and all other social networks that are available electronically.
It’s overwhelming to see that these children are actually anxious to be part of this group wherein they can partake in sport, in the now maintained Courbane Park playfield, assist each other educationally and further share their diverse cultural morals with each other!
Many of today’s youth don’t know anything about games such as “bun house”, “hide and seek”, “dog and the bone,” etc, because they are occupied by TV, cellphones and computers. So I think the Chairman, Mr Rohan Persaud and the members of Courbane Park CPG, should be complimented and applauded for this admirable venture of ensuring that the youths of their community become well rounded individuals of the future!
Present at the launching of the Courbane Park youth group were Assistant Commander of Cove and John Police Station, L Kissoon, Cadet Officer of Vigilance Mahendra Singh, along with Sergeant Troy Scott.
Keep up the good work!
Yours faithfully, RASK
Just as Mrs Waldman hands out the spelling test, you see Jeff pull out a small piece of paper with a lot of little scribbling on it. Jeff tucks the note into his closed fist but soon takes it out again. While he’s taking the test, you see him looking back and forth between the teacher and his paper. There’s no mistaking it – he’s cheating.
What exactly is cheating?
Cheating is when a person misleads, deceives, or acts dishonestly on purpose. For children, cheating may happen at school, at home, or while playing a sport. If a baseball team is for children who are eight or younger, it’s cheating for a nineyear-old to play on the team and hit home run after home run.
At school, in addition to cheating on a test, a child might cheat by stealing someone else’s idea for a science project or by copying a book report off the Internet, and turning it in as if it’s his or her original work. Copying someone else’s words or work and saying they’re yours is a type of cheating called plagiarism.
How do people cheat?
Cheating can happen in a lot of different ways. Jeff is doing it by sneaking answers to a test, but it’s also cheating to break the rules of a game or contest or to pretend something is yours when it isn’t. When people cheat, it’s not fair to other people, like the children who studied for the test or who were the true winners of a game or
contest.
It’s tempting to cheat because it makes difficult things seem easy, like getting all the right answers on the test. But it doesn’t solve the problem of not knowing the material and it won’t help on the next test – unless the person cheats again.
Sometimes it may seem like cheaters have it all figured out. They can watch TV instead of studying for the spelling test. But other people lose respect for cheaters and think less of them. The cheaters themselves may feel bad because they know they are not really earning that good grade. And, if they get caught cheating, they will be in trouble at school, and maybe at home, too.
Why children cheat
Some children cheat
because they’re busy or lazy and they want to get good grades without spending the time studying. Other children might feel like they can’t pass the test without cheating. Even when there seems to be a “good reason” for cheating, cheating isn’t a good idea. If you were sick or upset about something the night before and couldn’t study, it would be better to talk with the teacher about this. And if you don’t have enough time to study for a test because of swim practice, you need to talk with your parents about how to balance swimming and school.
A child who thinks cheating is the only way to pass a test needs to talk with the teacher and his or her parents so they can find some solutions together. Talking about
these problems and working them out will feel better than cheating.
Truth and consequences
Many children feel tempted to cheat once in a while. Most resist and do the work instead. Some children cheat once and feel so bad that they never do it again. Others get caught and decide it isn’t worth it. Unfortunately, some children start cheating and feel like they can’t stop.
Children who cheat may feel worried about getting caught. Whether they are caught or not, these children may feel guilty, or embarrassed, or ashamed – or all three.
Even if the cheater feels fine or doesn’t get caught, that doesn’t mean it’s OK. If you see someone cheating, or if someone asks to copy your work, you can
tell a teacher or another grown-up. Children who get caught cheating might be given a “zero” score on the assignment, be sent to the principal’s office, and have their parents contacted. Worse than the bad grade may be the feeling of having disappointed other people, like parents and teachers. A parent may worry that you are not an honest person and a teacher might watch you more closely the next time you’re taking a test. Cheaters cheat themselves in a way because they don’t make an honest attempt to learn as much as they can. For instance, if you cheat your way through spelling tests, you won’t learn how to spell. That can katch – I mean catch –up with you when you get older! And adults who cheat – at work, sports, or in their relationships – get into serious trouble, far more serious than a bad grade on a spelling test.
Making a comeback
There are plenty of reasons why a child shouldn’t cheat, but some children have already cheated. If that’s you, it’s never too late to stop cheating. Cheating can become a habit, but like other bad habits, a child can always decide to act better and make better choices. It might help to talk the problem over with a parent, teacher, or counsellor. Choosing to play fair and be honest again can help a child feel relieved and proud. There’s an old saying that cheaters never win and winners never cheat. This may sound confusing because sometimes it seems like cheaters do win – at least for the moment. But children who don’t cheat are true winners because, when they win, they do it fair and square. (ChildrenHealth.org)
Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett on Friday told the members of the 39th Joint Council of the African, Caribbean Pacific Group of States - European Union (ACP-EU) that the situation is extremely serious and untenable regarding the drop in the price for raw sugar.
The meeting which took place in Nairobi, Kenya, saw approximately 100 representatives from member states attending to discuss several issues of importance.
She pointed out that an ISO study on “EU sugar market post-2017” released a fortnight ago, reaches similar conclusions and observes that the EU may lose its current status as one of the world’s largest sugar importers and that the Least Developed. Countries (LDCS)/ACP sugar producers may have to look at regional, as well as world markets to export their sugar.
Minister RodriguesBirkett stated that while the EU study made a forecast that sugar prices would fall to around 400 euros by 2023, it must be noted that prices have already dropped sharply and are now in
the region of 500 euros per tonne, some 30 per cent less than the price the same time last year.
“This situation is extremely serious and untenable. Small and medium sized growers in ACP countries already have to cease activities with considerable political, social and environmental negative impact. In one major ACP producing country, Government has taken the decision last week to provide direct support to growers for two years. You will appreciate that such budgetary support cannot be sustained over a long period,” she explained.
Overlooked
The Minister observed that in spite of warnings, the EU has completely overlooked the impact of its domestic Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) proposals on trade and developmental interests and the specific commitment in the Lisbon Treaty to ensure EU Policy Coherence.
“These principles are enshrined in Cotonou, the Economic Partnership Agreements and Everything but Arms Initiative which were intended to protect our small and vulnerable econo-
mies,” she observed.
The Minister pleaded that “it would be intolerable and most unfair, under those circumstances, to maintain the specific sugar safeguard clause, which features in the respective EPAs and are applicable only to non-LDC ACP sugar supplying states.” She urged that the EU review the situation in 2017 and adopt appropriate corrective measures to mitigate the impact of quota abolition on countries.
The Foreign Minister also focused on the decision to do away with beet and isoglucose quotas in 2017 despite the consistent submissions made by a majority of stakeholders, including the EU beet growers, the EU processors and the ACP that such a decision should be stalled until 2020.
She pointed to the growing demand for ethanol and the fact that isoglucose production is expected to increase and will replace sugar in selected food consumption uses, following the expiry of isoglucose production quotas in 2017.
Plea
“In view of the new challenges which the ACP sugar supplying states are likely
to face with the end of the EU quotas in 2017, the EU should seriously consider putting in place new accompanying support measures to enable the ACP sugar producing countries to complete the necessary reform to render their sugar sector competitive,” Minister Rodrigues-Birkett declared.
Acknowledging that research and development, at both field and factory levels, will contribute significantly to supporting the ACP sugar sector, she called for the new Research and Innovation Programme to be endowed with adequate resources to ensure that benefits are fully realised from the results obtained so far.
She also pointed to plans for a Memorandum of Understanding with CIRAD, the French research centre working with developing countries to tackle international agricultural and development issues.
Accompanying Minister Rodrigues-Birkett to the ACP-EU Council Meetings was Guyana’s Ambassador to Brussels, Dr Patrick Gomes, who also chairs the Ambassadorial Working Group on the Future Perspectives of the ACP.
A25-year-old man from Cooklit Landing, Barama River, North West District is grateful to the Almighty to be alive after the boat he was in caught fire while in the Moruca Creek.
Orin Edwards, who suffered serious burns to the feet, is currently a patient at the Charity Oscar Joseph Hospital.
According to reports, Edwards was caught in the blaze after gasoline fell on a lighted stove on the boat, which erupted into a huge blaze.
Relating the ordeal, the fisherman said he was cooking at the back of the boat when the Captain called on him to help throw some gasoline from a container into
the tank of the engine.
The injured man said as he was pouring the gasoline into the tank, the fishing boat suddenly hit a tree in the creek, resulting in the gasoline spilling on the boat and onto the lighted stove.
Edwards said the fire quickly spread and caught his feet and as it was about to engulf his body, he jumped overboard, but was saved from drowning by other fishermen on the boat, who were also forced to leap overboard.
He was taken to the Charity Hospital for medical attention. The fisherman said the owner of the boat, who lives in Cotton Field, is yet to offer him any financial assistance.
In a stunning turn of events, a 19-year-old remand prisoner jumped out of the dock and began beating the 50-yearold man who accused him of assault and robbery, on Friday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Wesley Griffith, who was previously remanded
to Camp Street Prison for a robbery in Amelia’s Ward, Linden, attacked Derek Hally of 14 North Sophia, Greater Georgetown while court was adjourned for a few minutes, knocking him unconscious.
Griffith, who was not cuffed at the time, was restrained by Police ranks and the Prosecutor, Joel Ricknauth, after he repeatedly punched and kicked Hally to his head. An ambulance was called and Hally was subsequently taken to the hospital.
The battered man told this newspaper that he is scared for his life, since Griffith has previously tried to kill him. He also said that the courts need to ramp up security as it relates to the prisoners.
Griffith was appearing before Magistrate Judy Latchman for the submission of statements relating to the charge which stated that on June 10, 2013, he went to Hally’s home to purchase a motorcycle, but instead robbed him.
Griffith is also accused of stealing $200,000 in cash; one BlackBerry phone valued $52,000; a Nokia cell phone worth $25,000 and house keys, and beating the Virtual Complainant (VC) causing him to sustain severe injuries to his head and body.
Fight over “bad talking” of Guyana leads to assault charges
Aman who allegedly took violent exception to another upbraiding him about his bad-talking of Guyana is now in court, along with his more patriotic countryman, charged with assault.
Max Chow on Friday appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry charged with malicious wounding, along with Ganesh Ramrattan who was charged for assault.
It is alleged that the two
men were at a popular bar having drinks when Chow started to bad- talk Guyana which annoyed Ramrattan, who then reminded Chow that he was born in Guyana.
Chow then held on to Ramrattan who in turn pushed him onto the ground before exiting the bar and proceeding to his vehicle. Chow then walked up to Ramrattan’s car and shot him in his leg.
Chow and Ramrattan pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail in the sum of $100,000 and $50,000 respectively.
They are both scheduled to reappear at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on July 18.
A19-year-old was sentenced to three years in prison and fined $37,500 for possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking
Fazal Ally, of Barr Street, Albouystown, made his second appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Judy Latchman on Friday and was sentenced. Ally had pleaded not guilty during his first appearance, on June 17, after which a trial commenced and he was convicted.
The court was told that on May 8, a search was carried out on the defendant’s home by Police ranks after they received a tip and a transparent plastic bag was found under Ally’s bed. The contents of the bag turned out to be 75 grams of cannabis.
...of PNC”
After a famous dinner in Richmond Hill involving David Granger (what was the menu? hassar curry?) some of the latter’s acolytes decided they couldn’t get rid of the ghost (stench?) of Burnham. To rehabilitate their hero, they figured maybe they could create an analytic break from the dictator. So they introduced the fable of “PNC Part I and PNC Part II”. So guess who’s the jettisoned “main man” via Part I PNC?? No prize for guessing – Burnham.
So through this sleight of hand, we’re supposed to not connect the horrors of Burnhamism to Granger because he’s the successor to Hoyte, the founder of PNC Part II!!! Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just use words to change reality?? But the messiness of “reality” never really goes away, does it? With their words, all the PNC revisionists can hope for is that our PERCEPTION of the PNC reality would be changed.
So let’s look at the reality of PNC Part II once again. Right off the bat, Hoyte didn’t drop full blown from heaven at the death of Burnham. He was an integral part of the PNC dictatorship from the very beginning. Remember the first rigging of elections in Guyana in 1968?? Yes – the one where horses grazing in an English field voted. Guess who facilitated this from within the Electoral Commission? Take a bow!! Hoyte himself!!
Hoyte was Minister of Education, Home Affairs, Finance, Communications, Production, Works and Transport, Economic Planning and Economic Development under Burnham. Was he in a coma during that time? That’s the excuse of many Nazis under Hitler. Or was he a simpleton? At best he was a cringing, sniveling Burnham “yes man”. His life – this “democrat” declared – was to “ensure Jagan never got into power”. By any means necessary including “kith and kin” politics that revived the bitter racial wars of the 1960s.
Remember his accusations of “ethnic cleansing” against Jagan and his calls for his supporters to use guns? The man rigged the one election he “won” by a margin greater than Burnham ever allowed himself. And he’s the break with Burnham’s nastiness? Gimme a break!!
And not only that,he extended his illegal term of office by two years as he flailed around trying to stop the tide of history occasioned by the fall of the Russian empire. As he launched his “mo fyaah, slow fyaah” strategy, didn’t he signal what that was going to be about when he draped the coffin of the notorious criminal Blackie London with the flag of Guyana?
Which part of Part II of the PNC is that?
...same ole same ole
And we can’t forget that Andrew Douglas, of Buxton’s”Freedom Five” fame was a member of Blackie’s gang. And he then begat Fineman Rawlings. And that the child soldiers begat by those sterling members of PNC Part II are being kept in reserves for the next assault. The beat goes on. But let’s look at Granger himself. What claims can he muster as representing a break from Burnham?
He was Burnham’s handpicked nominee sent to Mons to be trained to bypass the earlier Guyanese officers selected by the British to head the new Army. He also was there from the beginning. Wasn’t he the chief promulgator of Burnham’s ideology in the Army – along with his buddy, Elvin Mc David?
The more things change, the more they remain the same. Even in Part II PNC!
...chutzpah
The PNC is demanding that expenses of the former President Jagdeo be laid before the house. This has nothing to do with accounting and everything to do with spite. For instance, the promulgators of Part II PNC extol Hoyte’s”austere” lifestyle.
They forget (?) to mention that his annual clothing allowance was $900,000 – larger at that time than the entire budget of the Guyana Defence Force!!! Some difference!
BY JOMO PAUL
The National Assembly on Thursday approved a motion for the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the 2011 shooting of persons at the Square of the Revolution in a post-election protest by Police.
Two current A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Members of Parliament (MP) were among those injured in the shooting.
The motion presented by APNU Leader, Brigadier
(retired) David Granger was strongly rejected by the Government’s side of the House.
Granger, who has chosen not to participate in the Walter Rodney CoI, in presenting the motion, said such a Commission is necessary to bring closure to the matter.
He said that there have been other instances of shooting, but it seems that the incident, like a few others, was politically-motivated.
“Rice farmers have come down from Essequibo to protest, nobody shot them… indigenous villagers have come down from Mazaruni.... nobody shoot them.... who decides who gets shot? Is there a pattern?” he asked.
The Opposition Leader also said it appeared by the action of the Police subsequent to the shooting and other similar incidents, that they were not afraid of being investigated.
“Policemen who are not afraid of their position will shoot and shoot again… we must separate the sheep from the goats… the Police shooting is following a pattern… it seems that people who look like APNU supporters are be-
ing shot at,” Granger said, explaining that without an investigation, “the habit of Police brutality will become embedded”.
Supporting Granger’s motion was colleague MP James Bond, who was injured in the incident that caused public outrage and condemnation from several sections of society.
Bond, who was shot thrice with rubber bullets when Police opened fire on the stubborn crowd, said the Commission would get to the bottom of the injustice meted
out to him and the other persons at the 1763 Monument on the eventful day.
According to Bond, he is still affected by the incident.
“[We] were marching peacefully and lo and behold this greenheart and takatu came into play … I swear I was going to die that day, I made my peace with the Lord Jesus Christ and I was prepared to go home… we are not asking for retribution, If I wanted retribution, I would have gone to court and sue the Police,” Bond told the House.
His APNU colleague Joan Bhavegems, who was also injured in the shooting, said the Police acted unjustly and the matter needs closure for those affected.
“I assure you, I had no weapon, and I made no threat... it was the Police who insisted we disperse... it was the same Police who shot us in our backs when we walked away,” Bhavegems said.
Another APNU MP and former Police Commissioner Winston Felix said a CoI would put suspicions on the incident to rest.
“It appears that their only mission was to shoot
The Guyana and Trinidad Mutual Fire and Life Insurance (GTM) Group of Companies, in collaboration with the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), hosted its third annual Health Fair on Friday at its Office Building on Robb and Hincks Streets.
According to GTM Life Manager Olga Nobrega, this fair stemmed from the company’s desire to give back to the community. With help from former hospital personnel, who supported the hosting of the fair, the company was able to move on with the project.
An elderly patient has his blood pressure checked by one of the nurses at Friday’s Health Fair
The one-day affair has seen a favourable response this year, attracting more than 150 persons at the halfway point. The fair offered Diabetic Foot Care; Blood Pressure Testing, which was the most utilised service; HIV testing; breast examinations, Body Mass Index (BMI) checks, nutritional education and hand hygiene, and occupational health and safety tips.
The fair’s staff included nurses from the GPHC who volunteered their services for the event; some of them had participated in previous editions of the fair and were eager to lend a hand once more. Professional dieticians, nutritionists and breast examiners all stationed at the GPHC also volunteered their services.
Hospital Representative Owen John, Assistant Director of Nursing Services at the GPHC, stated that the environment provided by GTM created an excellent setting, and some clients have been visiting the fair since it was first launched in 2012.
The nurses of GPHC and staff of GTM, who maintained order at this event, said the fair was a great initiative for
and escalate violence… they failed miserably to observe the rules set by the hierarchy of the force,” Felix contended.
Meanwhile, Alliance For Change (AFC) Leader Khemraj Ramjattan, who also spoke in support of the motion, said the CoI must be set up because the Police were in direct violation of human rights.
However, the Government’s side of the House strongly opposed the motion for the inquiry. Attorney General Anil Nandlall and Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee presented other avenues that could be taken to resolve the issue and prevent a future occurrence.
Nandlall said that Granger’s choice of words in
members of the public, as the nurses and doctors explained in detail how every test helped to reveal problems within the body and provide all the basic tests at one convenient location. In some cases, persons were referred to specialists who could better help them.
One of the participants, who had been visiting the fair for testing since it was established, said the staff who very patient as he questioned them. He also stated that the facility is very comfortable and well-directed and he always enjoys his visits, even though it is only once per year.
his presentation of the motion indicated that he had already made a decision with respect to who was responsible.
“As Attorney General, I cannot lend credence to any violation of the law... I can’t condone the abuse of power... I cannot do so... one must not at the same time jump [to] the conclusion that it is always the Police that are at fault,” argued Nandlall.
The Legal Affairs Minister also noted that, putting all the bickering aside, what the House was essentially doing was forcing the hand of the
President, who had the constitutional right to use his discretion when setting up a CoI.
People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Parliamentarian Joseph Hamilton questioned whether the Government should employ the use of a CoI for every matter that was controversial to the Opposition.
“Are we going to manage the state via a Commission of Inquiry?” he queried, adding that if this course of action was taken, “we are going to have a Commission of Inquiry every month.” Rohee proposed that the issue be resolved with the implementation of two recommendations from the Disciplined Forces Commission report. One of the recommendations had called for the commissioning of a Public Safety Council, which would be under the responsibility of the Home Affairs Ministry.
He also lashed out at the assertion that through the Guyana Police Force, the administration is targeting specific members of society.
“This nation has to decide what they want with the Guyana Police Force... the force cannot to be a victim of tug-of-war between the political forces of the country,” said Rohee.
Latin American and Caribbean countries need to do more to improve budget management, tax collection and public sector pay equality if they are to catch up with advanced economies in terms of Government performance.
This is according to a joint report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
“Government at a Glance: Latin America and the Caribbean” finds that around half the 17 countries examined have introduced innovative new budget tools, including fiscal rules or stabilisation funds, which added a layer of protection during the global economic crisis.
Yet more could be done to improve the overall management of public finances, public sector hiring and pay, and public procurement practices, it said. This could help raise living standards, strengthen public services and protect against future economic shocks.
For example, the report reveals the level of inequality in public sector pay, with top managers paid much more relative to other staff than in OECD countries. The first such cross-country comparison on public sector compensation shows top
managers are paid 11 times average income, as measured by per capita GDP, versus six times in OECD countries.
“Good Government practices are critical for economic development, resilience and overall well-being,” said Edwin Lau, head of public sector reform at the OECD, presenting the report in Mexico City.
“This shows us exactly where Latin American and Caribbean governments have made progress and where there is still work to do.”
“While the Region has made important innovations in public financial management in the last decade, such as the adoption of performance based budgeting, governments
Aman from North Road, Georgetown and his son were on Friday afternoon intercepted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) with a quantity of cocaine in their suitcases.
Based on information received, the 41-year-old man and his 19-year-old son were outgoing passengers on Caribbean Airlines Flight, BW 528, when the cocaine was detected in the handles and false walls of their suitcases.
The two men were destined for John F Kennedy International Airport.
Guyana Times understands that it was while the suitcases were being scanned, the strange object was detected, resulting in a member of the Police Narcotics Branch pulling the said luggage. At this time, a decision was also taken to pull the other luggage belong to the two persons.
The Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) was contacted and assisted in the search, which led to the discovery of the cocaine. A source told Guyana Times that after the cocaine was discov -
ered, the teenager started to “shake heavily”.
The young man was immediately escorted to the search area where he was further interrogated. The discovery also prompted drug enforcement ranks to pull the other suitcases belong to the young man and his father.
Both men were then transported to Georgetown and are assisting with investigations.
Only last month, several staff members of the Timehri Handling Service were remanded to prison following the discovery of 1.46 kilograms of cocaine in the aft hold (the belly) of a BW 606 aircraft by airline security during a routine search.
The aircraft stopped at the CJIA about 12:11h from Port of Spain, while on its way to Toronto, Canada. After landing at the CJIA, the baggage was off-loaded from the aft hold and it was during a sweep of the hold as per Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the drug was discovered. The flight was bounded for Toronto, Canada.
must still focus on generating fiscal space to increase much-needed expenditures in poverty reduction programmes, basic infrastructure, and mitigation of economic shocks,” said Gustavo Garcia, Principal Fiscal Economist of the Fiscal and Municipal Management Division at the IDB.
The report examines 17 countries in 31 areas, showing how Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) Governments are performing relative to each other and next to the OECD average.
Its findings include LAC countries have small public sectors, with public employment accounting for 10.7 per cent of the labour force compared with an OECD average of 15.3 per cent. While a lean public sector is a good thing, a certain size is needed to provide adequate services; 10 LAC countries have
introduced fiscal rules, and many have added stabilisation funds to cover cyclical price swings in commodities. Eight LAC countries have brought in medium-term spending frameworks for a longer-term budget outlook; and LAC Government revenues equal 25.6 per cent of GDP versus an OECD average of 41.9 per cent and spending averages 27.8 per cent of GDP versus 45.2 per cent in OECD countries. This is due in part to a low level of tax collection. Tax evasion and non-progressive tax structures are major challenges. Public employees earn less than they would in advanced economies, although they tend to do better than private sector workers. Wide pay gaps mean senior managers earn 6.7 times what secretaries earn compared with 4.6 times in OECD countries.
It got some people in life who gotta bad habit of tekkin people ting and don’t ever wanna give back. And it does all be in de name of borrowin or lendin. People does lend some ting to some body who wanna borrow that ting and de lender does end up havin to borrow back dem own ting. Now and then people does even wanna borrow people from other people. Usually dem people belong to other people. A man from Sandpit had wanna borrow a woman from another man. And when de man didn’t lend, he get violent fuh de man own woman. Now he gon end up in a different pit whah got nuff sand mix wid cement.
A long time now de Kiss Man borrow textbook from a library and till now de library can’t see back that book nor de Kiss Man. De Kiss Man done book that down as he own book. Then he book a flight and was outta sight outta mind fuh de library. Now yuh coulda understand when he do that in a big country, because dem can buy back whah ever people like de Kiss Man borrow and don’t return. But to come back like de Kiss Man and do it again in yuh home country is another ting, especially when yuh wukkin at de very place whah yuh borrowin from, only to never return.
One of dem people at U-Gee seh de Kiss Man ain’t vex because he lose he wuk. He vex because he can’t borrow any ting from de library any more. De Kiss Man does also wanna borrow suit from people store and borrow pizza from people restaurant.
Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! Well, if big people behave like that, then de young ones dem gon do de same. No wonder dem students don’t wanna return de Guvament textbook to school. Is de Kiss Man dutty behaviour mek dem behavin so. After all, textbook does get de Kiss Man excited!
As the official commissioning of the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory (GFSL) draws near, the Home Affairs Ministry on Friday handed over the prize to the winner of the logo design competition.
The brief presentation ceremony which was held at the Ministry’s boardroom, Brickdam, is a result of a competition for the design of the logo of the newly constructed laboratory. The competition which ran for three weeks received many entries; however, the wining one went to Keith Bernard.
After being reviewed by a panel
of judges which included individuals from the University of Guyana (UG), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Guyana National Bureau of Standards and members of the private sector, Bernard’s design was deemed as the winner as it was believed to have depth, in terms of what the laboratory is set up to do.
The wining logo comprises a magnifying glass which represents the beginning of forensic work in the golden days. The handle of the magnifying glass is designed to look like a DNA strand and under the glass there is a
finger print.
Speaking at the ceremony, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee noted that he could not see the laboratory being commissioned without the design of a logo and he was very pleased that the winning one reflects the depth of work that the facility is expected to do.
The Minister congratulated Bernard, and noted that the laboratory will soon be commissioned. He said that the facility is almost completed with only a few minor technical issues to be taken care of.
Bernard said that he tried to be creative, taking ideas from the past to create something different that would reflect the true meaning of forensic science.
GFSL Director Delon France during the closing remarks at the ceremony expressed his gratitude to the Minister for the undertaking which he said will take crime-fighting to a different level, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.
Buoyed by the successful launch of the National Song Festival in 2012, organisers renamed the festival the National Choral Festival, and a second edition was launched on Thursday.
The second festival is slated for October 19.
The festival has been expanded, and this year 50 new and existing groups are targeted, while new categories are to be introduced, all in aid of revitalising choral singing in Guyana. The groups will have the opportunity to participate in workshops and other activities to build their individual capacity.
Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, who launched the festival at the Umana Yana, said singing is a choice which helps to realise poten-
tial, and build the country’s music industry.
Minister Anthony explained that the Ministry is only the facilitator of this event, noting that the training aspect, which is the most important, is more of a developmental programme which allows persons to enhance their capabilities.
The feedback from the music festival last year was
Guyana’s very own singing sensation Lisa Punch was chosen among the top 30 singers to perform on ABC’s “Rising Star” which premieres on Sunday on the ABC Television Network.
“Rising Star” opened the gate to a new era in reality competition, when the executive producers, Ken Warwick (“American Idol”) and Nicolle Yaron (“The Voice”) kicked off a nationwide search for talent earlier this year in the US.
The show accepted submissions online, via Instagram and production members travelled to Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Los Angeles, New York and Boston for auditions.
Beginning on June 22, the contestants selected will have their moment onstage in “Rising Star” with viewers deciding who wins.
The series airs over 10 weeks. The first three weeks – “Qualifiers” – showcase approximately 30 acts, and these episodes each will be two hours.
Beginning on July 13, the series is aired in one-hour weekly segments. The next phases of competition are the duels – where acts compete one-on-one. Those who survive return for the quarterfinal and perhaps semifinal rounds, as the field continues to narrow un-
til the night of the final, when just one of the remaining acts will be named the “Rising Star” winner.
Internationally-acclaimed singer songwriter Josh Groban will host and country music superstar Brad Paisley, musical sensation Kesha and hip hop artist and actor Ludacris comprise the expert panel on ABC’s “Rising Star”, the next evolution of live television.
“Rising Star” completely reinvents the traditional singing competition as for the first time ever the audience has the final say in real time.
The show follows a group of aspiring singers as they perform live. During the performances, viewers vote in real time via an app to determine if the singer will advance in the competition.
If the voting reaches a certain threshold, the performer moves on. In addition, the performer can see how the voting is going throughout the performance, so the feedback is immediate and dramatic.
To vote for your favourite contestants, home judges (viewers) can download the Rising Star ABC app through the Apple App Store, Windows Market Place, or the Google Play Store.
The app is essential to participate in the voting process, but it is totally free and easy to use.
very positive, and based on some constructive criticism, the Ministry is working on enhancing the festival.
Apart from that, Minister Anthony said in 2016, Guyana will observe its 50th year as an independent country, and the Ministry will be looking at doing something special, and this festival will highlight the talent needed for that event.
The Culture Minister
further stated that a specific programme will also be established to develop new music especially composed for that occasion. He urged those gathered to be creative and get on board with this project.
Recently, the Ministry was able to republish the 100 folk songs of Guyana. Minister Anthony said that another project the Ministry will be working on is putting those 100 songs on CDs and distributing them widely so that persons, especially youths, can become familiar with those songs.
Speaking about the Amerindian languages, Minister Anthony said the Ministry will also be looking to introduce an Indigenous Song Competition during Amerindian Heritage Month celebration in September.
Quaseeda, bhajan, gospel, and folk are just a few of the categories which will
be showcased during the festival.
“As we grow the festival, there are a lot of new components that can be added.... But we need to support our local talents... If all of us start articulating these talents, we all can be a part of this change that is occurring in the area of music,”
Minister Anthony said.
Meanwhile, Music
Development Officer Andrew Tyndall said that the Ministry is hoping to form new groups and enhance existing ones. He noted that during the courses, it is hoped that new talents will be established. This festival is one of the avenues through which Guyana’s rich traditional music will reach its full potential.
saturday, june 21, 2014
– one year after investigation was launched
Region 10 Chairman
Sharma Solomon
said the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) may have to take a different approach in relation to an investigation which commenced last year, to probe a missing $4 million out of the administration’s social account.
The missing monies were reportedly derived from a percentage of the sale of scrap iron by residents of Ituni and fundraising activities conducted by the RDC, with the aim of securing funding to carry out other developmental projects within the region.
Last June, the administration had established a committee to probe the missing money, which disappeared in 2011 under the previous administration; however, Solomon recently disclosed that little progress is being made with the probe.
He said residents continue to express concerns over the missing money, since they are still awaiting the results of the findings.
“This (probe) is going nowhere....This matter of the Ituni Fund came up again at Finance Committee (meeting) and it will continue to come up because on the 25th and 26th (May 2014), visits were made to Ituni by myself and I interacted with
residents, who are still concerned to know what is the position with their money. Coming out of the Economic Fund, the last report we got was that monies came out, a $1.2million that came out at the end of 2011, in fact on the 31st of December 2011; we were told that those monies were used for the maintenance of the Guest House (Ituni) and also for the spending on matters in Ituni. However, in discussions with residents, they cannot recall any such spending on their behalf,” he said.
According to reports, the $1.2 million was the final withdrawal made out of the Republic Bank account for the year, but no account
could be given as to what was done with the money.
He added that he has been involved in discussions with the Regional Executive Officer (REO) Yolanda Hilliman on the issue, adding that the administration is tasked with the responsibility of making resources available for the maintenance of the Guest House. When Ituni residents requested the percentage of the money which was placed into the account for their benefit from the sale of the scrap iron last year, checks with Hilliman had revealed that the amount of money which was expected to be there was not.
“There was a dragline in their community, the dragline was taken apart, and this was a very large dragline, and all they’ve gotten from it is $4 million and they’ve never seen a cent of it,” Solomon said.
The issue came to light when residents established a project which they had wanted to get involved in to help in the development of the Ituni community.
Solomon had stated: “We need the money because the people of Ituni have been requesting it so that they can conduct activities in the community and we are trying to access it so that such can be done.”
The $10,000 grant to be given to the parent or guardian of each school-aged child in the public school system will be handed over at the beginning, or after the beginning, of the new school year or term.
Education Minister Priya Manickchand made the announcement while addressing the National Assembly on Thursday.
Giving an oral reply, in response to a question posed by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member Amna Ally about the mechanism to be used to disburse the $10,000 per child, as promised in Budget 2014, and when the sums will be distributed, Manickchand explained that Ministry officials would be able to capture all the registered students, including new incoming nursery students, and new students who did not attend nursery school, but went to Grade One.
She added that the Education Ministry will be informing stakeholders of the mechanism to facilitate the payments.
“Guyana is so diverse geographically, and different services are available at
different places, we want to make sure however we disburse this, it is the most effective and efficient way to the parents.”
According to Minister Manickchand, around 188,000 school-aged children will benefit from their parents or guardians obtaining the grant. Additionally, the Ministry is fully prepared to commence the distribution of school uniform vouchers, in the coming week, she said.
The Ministry is consulting with parents, with one
Ateam of officers from the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), and Region Five Chairman Bindrabhan Bisnauth on Wednesday sensitised boat operators in the Mahaicony Creek area to good operational practices.
They urged the operators to have their vessels inspected and certified, and for the operators themselves to be examined and certified.
This visit was initiated by Public Work Minister Robeson Benn, after he had received reports about the poor condition of boats and poor operational practices in the area.
The people in communities such as the Mahaicony Creek depend upon marine transportation. However, most of the boat operators are unlicensed.
Meanwhile, as part of the effort of promoting safety on the waterways, a total of 74 children life jackets were distributed to schools in the Mahaicony Creek area.
They are Gordon Table Nursery/Primary School, Karamat Primary School and Mora Point Nursery School.
At the Gordon Table Nursery/Primary School, Teacher Laurain McLennon expressed her gratitude to MARAD for the donation of 25 children life jackets and
assured the team that she would ensure the children of her school wear their jackets whenever travelling on a boat.
such exercise completed two weeks prior at Queen’s College (QC) with its Parent Teachers Association, to ascertain the best way for them to receive the education grant, the Minister explained. She stated that the parents of QC students have agreed to use the Mobile Money Service provided by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T), to have their funds disbursed, “So we will be consulting with other parents across the country, we just consulted with five of the nine sub-districts in Region Nine over last week to find how those parents would best like to receive the money”.
It is envisaged that the grant can be used to meet costs, such as transportation, and will provide added impetus to raising enrolment and attendance rates, in addition to having the effect of increasing the disposable incomes of the parents of school-aged children.
This initiative will benefit the families of the 188,406 families of the students of public nursery, primary, and secondary schools, and will cost a total of $2 billion.
Headteacher of the Karamat Primary School, Lalto Paul, was very grateful for the 33 life jackets for the children in light of concerns he expressed about unsafe practices by boat operators in the area.
He also spoke about the timeliness of the donation and thanked the department for the initiative.
Similar sentiments were also expressed by the Headteacher of the Mora Point Nursery School, Bindoo Inshan as she received 16 children's life jackets for the students of her school.
The Regional Chairman in brief remarks to the boat operators, encouraged them to equip their boats with lifejackets, and then to ensure that their passengers wear them at all times while traversing the waterways. He repeated one of MARAD’s themes that “life jackets save lives”. Then in closing, he thanked the team from MARAD for the donation of the children life jackets. The Maritime Administration Department will continue its safety campaign to other regions of Guyana in keeping with its mandate of promoting maritime safety in Guyana.
The 2013-2014 issue of The Guyana Annual magazine is going into production and its Editor Petamber Persaud is encouraging submissions from local writers.
According to a release, the main feature of this issue will be on AJ Seymour, whose birth centenary (January 12, 2014) was celebrated with a number of significant activities.
This issue will also fo-
cus on the increased interest in photography, the expanding arenas for cultural activities, and what is happening in the diaspora (GuyAspora).
The Annual will continue championing the cause of locally based emerging writers and of Guyanese writers in general, offering space and encouragement for their works.
“We are inviting the submissions of unpublished
works of poetry, short fiction, and writings for children. General articles of interest will be considered for publication,” the release said.
The magazine was launched in December 1915 under the title “Chronicle Christmas Annual”. For further information, the editor can be contacted on telephone number 2260065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com.
Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA)
Director Indranauth Haralsingh is confident that the hotel industry in Guyana is moving towards a major expansion, pointing out that it needs to, with all the other developments occurring in the sector.
Haralsingh said too that he is pleased with the influx of entrepreneurs in the sector, especially those who have signalled an interest in the hotel industry.
To him, it matters not if the new owners of the hotels have the relevant knowledge and expertise, since they can always think about consultancies and hire the relevant persons to carry on the business.
Tourism and Hospitality Association (THAG)
President Christopher “Kit” Nacimento, also speaking to this publication recently, had said that it is always a sad affair when long-standing and traditional entities are sold. It is also disappointing if those entities had in the past provided important services to individuals and the society at large.
Nacimento was speaking about the decision by the proprietor of the Hotel Tower Salim Azeez to sell the edifice.
But Haralsingh said that the sale of a hotel may not be a very bad thing, since it gives other entrepreneurs
the opportunity to continue contributing to the growth of the economy, while the previous owners are allowed to move on to something new.
He said persons taking the route of owning hotels simply demonstrate their confidence in the country’s tourism sector and the economy as a whole.
Haralsingh told this publication that there have been a significant number of investments in the hotel industry. He noted that it is in fact a good thing since there is a growing need for rooms in Guyana, which is now a growing tourism destination. Citing the improvements since 2006, Haralsingh declared that there has been a staggering 1100 increase in rooms up until 2014.
Healthy occupancy
Occupancy of the hotels has also been healthy, Haralsingh told Guyana Times. He said with the increase in aircraft coming to Guyana, visitors have been taking advantage of the services offered by the many hotels across the country. He noted that the completion of the branded Marriott Hotel and the multimillion 60-room Arawai Hotel, will also see a further boost in Guyana’s economy.
Cathy Hughes, a serving member of the Hospitality Association of Guyana, expressed similar sentiments shared by the GTA director, except that she believes that there is a low rate in occupancy of hotels.
Hughes, who is also the proprietor of a 12-room hotel, said there is need for better marketing by Guyanese hoteliers since tourism is a bit challenged because of the country’s negative publicity.
Like the GTA Director, Hughes said that there has been an increase in rooms; however, she feels that while the rooms are available, there is a problem with their occupancy. According to her, not enough persons are coming to Guyana and that may
also be attributed to the high prices attached to flights here.
She said that compared to some other Caribbean countries, coming to Guyana might be a little more expensive, since the tourist destinations are far off from the capital city. It pays to get to those places, she said.
The decision to sell Hotel Tower in Georgetown has somewhat jerked the emotions of many citizens, since according to them, it has been serving the country for decades. Their hope is that it falls into hands that will see the continuation of the legacy the hotel has created in the country.
Laid off
With the decision to sell the edifice, 67 Hotel Tower employees have been laid off. Meanwhile, in matters relating to employees, Labour Minister Nanda Gopaul told Guyana Times that steps are being taken by the management to pay them off.
He said the new management will have to decide if it will retain them or hire new workers. Asked if there is some sort of regulation applied to prospective owners of hotels, Gopaul said there is none from his side as Labour Minister; however, what he could say was that once the business has been licensed, the relevant labour laws will be instituted.
Clerical and Commercial
The Karl Marx Commemoration Committee will on Saturday host a Symposium at the International Conference Centre, Liliendaal under the theme “The Relevance of Marxism in Contemporary Society”.
The symposium will begin at 10:00h.
Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist and revolutionary, whose views and ideas continue to influence and shape the nature and course of politics and economics globally.
He was born on May 8, 1818 and died on June
14, 1883. Among his several publications were The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital and The
German Ideology, which are widely used in universities and colleges around the world.
The symposium will be addressed by President Donald Ramotar, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) General Secretary Clement Rohee and several other party leaders and members of the academic community.
The PPP/C has from its inception embraced the working-class ideology of Marxism/Leninism and continues to use the ideology as a guide to action, having regard to national peculiarities and changing international dynamics.
Workers Union (CCWU)
General Secretary Sherwood Clarke told Guyana Times that the entity, which represents the affairs of the work-
ers, is still to receive the report from both the owner and the Labour Ministry, which is due by the next two weeks. Until then, he told this
publication that nothing could be done. As far as he knows, the employees have not yet received their monies.
saturday, june 21, 2014| guyanatimesgy.com
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Guianas on Friday launched the findings of two assessments conducted in the Upper Potaro Region. These reports are on the biological diversity in the Kaieteur National Park (KNP) and the preliminary findings of a Biodiversity Assessment Team (BATII) expedition undertaken in the same area in March earlier this year.
Speaking at the launch at Moray House, Quamina Street, Georgetown, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud said that the symbol of the majestic Kaieteur Falls has become synonymous with the type of image that the country wants to project in terms of promoting Guyana.
He noted that collaboration with the WWF has allowed Guyana to improve management of its biodiversity.
The Minister outlined a number of steps that have been taken by the Government through his Ministry, and with the support of international partners in managing and preserving Guyana’s rich biodiversity.
However, he emphasised the need for finding a balance between sound ecological management and sustainable development of the country’s natural resources.
The KNP is only part of a much larger Upper
Potaro ecosystem and cannot be managed in isolation. That area consists of titled Amerindian lands (which are considered private property according to the law). A number of income-generating activities are also done in that area such as mining.
“Whilst we recognise that there are challenges, we must not in any way seek to vilify legitimate upstream mining activities once they are done in accordance with our national laws and regulations,” the Minister said.
Moreover, the Ministry has been working to ensure that mining and other activities do not have negative downstream effects on the environment and the integrity of the park as a whole. In this regard, the Ministry has taken the approach of facilitating better communication with all stakeholders in the various communi-
ties.
Minister Persaud said that the type of work done by the WWF will be taken very seriously, will be used as a management tool, to undertake activities and will be integrated into the regional and national land use plans that are being developed.
Through the WWF and with extensive consultations from relevant stakeholders, the Ministry has been able to develop the first substantive management plan for the KNP.
Commitment
“The commitment of our Government in terms of managing and preserving the rich biodiversity and ensuring that the objectives that we set ourselves originally and what we are pursuing here today in ensuring that KNP is managed as a protected area with
Several persons escaped unhurt when a car driver failed to adhere to basic traffic rules and stop at the intersection of Camp and Quamina Streets, Georgetown before proceeding further.
The man, who has not been identified, escaped unhurt when his Toyota Carina 192, bearing licence plate PHH 7415, collided with a minibus that was heading north on Camp Street, and subsequently slammed into a parked vehicle.
Three persons, including one pregnant woman in the route 44 minibus, were subsequently taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital for treatment for injuries sustained in the accident.
Meanwhile, at the scene of the accident, the driver who escaped unscathed incurred the wrath of eyewitnesses, who were on the verge of beat-
ing him.
One eyewitness told Guyana Times that he was crossing the intersection and saw everything that transpired. The young man related that the driver of the car sped across the intersection on the eastern side and subsequently slammed into the minibus filled with passengers, which was proceeding north on the western half of Camp Street.
“After the car slam into the bus, it spin couple time well and then slam into the rails by the avenue,” said the eyewitness.
An ambulance had arrived on the scene approximately 10 minutes after the collision and took the injured to the Georgetown Public Hospital.
good international standing speaks to our Ministry's commitment in terms of ensuring that we achieve that balance in terms of sustainable management, both on the environmental side as well as utilisation of natural resources,” Minister Persaud explained.
The Natural Resources Ministry is also working with the WWF and Guyana Tourism Authority to develop and implement a tourism development strategy. Currently, work is being done on the guest house to accommodate visitors overnight and wardens’ quarters are also being constructed.
Last year, the KNP saw approximately 7000 visitors and there has been an increase in the number of overland visits.
WWF Guianas Regional Representative Dominiek Plouvier referred to Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) as a fantastic model for a green economy and said as the biggest environmental organisation in the world, the WWF is committed to promoting this strategy globally.
“This is a region which is still very unknown unfortunately, but this country has done major things and it’s our duty as an organisation
to promote it,” he said. WWF has been working in Guyana since 1998; it has a special Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the country. Its main objective is to support sustainable development. The BAT11 preliminary findings saw over 500 new species recorded including a number of species that are likely to be new to science. The Upper Potaro and Kaieteur area is particularly rich in endemics (species found only within a restricted area).
Additional analysis is being conducted and the final report should be ready by mid-2015.
Listed for its second reading on June 19, the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2013 tabled by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP) Joseph Harmon was withdrawn.
The Bill was tabled on February 28 and aimed at amending the Broadcasting Act.
Harmon, rising to withdraw the Bill from the House, indicated that there were mistakes in the Bill. He pointed out that there were numerous sections that were incorrectly numbered, adding also that the amendment proposed was incorrectly worded. Harmon thus opted to withdraw the Bill and bring it back at a later date.
When the Bill was tabled in February, Government’s Chief Whip Gail Teixeira voiced Government’s objections to it. She told the House that the Bill being presented to the House
would remove some of the very recommendations that were included in the law.
“Some of the most powerful things that were included are being knocked out, the sections to do with the behaviour of the media and to have transparency in all media,” Teixeira stated. She added that the Bill also contained incomprehensible amendments and Government will have tremendous problems
supporting the removal of the role of the Executive and replacing it with Parliament.
Teixeira pointed out that APNU was attempting to remove power from the Executive to place in the hands of the Legislature. She noted also that when the role of the Executive is removed, there will be no one to appear before the Public Accounts Committee should there be queries on expenditure. The amendments to the Bill were set to reduce the influence of the Minister responsible for broadcast in the appointment of the Guyana National Broadcast Authority, as well as to give effect to the report of the 2001 Hoyte/Jagdeo Committee on Broadcast and State Media. It also sought to transfer those powers – such as the appointment of its members − to the National Assembly.
kraine’s President Petro
UPoroshenko has declared a week-long unilateral ceasefire in fighting with pro-Russian militants in the east of the country.
Heavy fighting had been continuing between Ukrainian Government forces and pro-Russia rebels, with new reports of military hardware entering Ukraine.
The ceasefire had been expected ahead of the implementation of a peace plan. However, correspondents say pro-Russian insurgents show no sign of laying down their arms.
Poroshenko made his first trip as President to the troubled east on Friday, visiting Ukrainian troops and speaking to residents in the town of Sviatohirsk, north of rebel-held Sloviansk.
Speaking during his visit, he said the ceasefire “doesn’t mean we won’t fight back against any aggression towards our troops” but that it was intended to give rebels time to disarm.
“If this does not happen within one
week, whoever does not take advantage of the conditions of the ceasefire should be destroyed,” Poroshenko said. He said he would invite the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe to monitor the ceasefire.
The Kremlin dismissed the truce,
saying it was “not an invitation to peace and negotiations but an ultimatum”. Ukrainian news agencies quoted a senior rebel commander as saying the insurgents would not lay their arms until Government troops had left the region. (Excerpt from BBC News)
The Government has been urged to intervene in the case of a Greater Manchester couple stranded in India due to Passport Office delays. Kiran and Bina Salvi, from Bolton, travelled out three months ago to collect their surrogate twins.
Labour MP Julie Hilling called on the Home Secretary Theresa May to intervene during a House of Commons debate. The Home Office said it was a complex surrogacy application with a lot of checks required.
The children have been awarded UK citizenship, but processing delays mean the family cannot return home. Bolton West MP Ms Hilling raised the couple’s problem
Lesotho’s main political parties have agreed to stay in a ruling coalition, at least temporarily cooling a political crisis that some had feared could lead to a coup, AFP reports.
Parties in the fragile two-year-old coalition have agreed to continue working together, after emergency talks mediated by the Christian Council of Lesotho, the parties and mediators said on Friday.
“The coalition Government still stands and shall remain in power until 2017,” leader of the Basotho National Party Thesele Maseribane said. “Just like any marriage things will have to be worked out every now and then,” he said.
“We still have to iron out a few things that pertain to
the actual day-to-day working, but as things stand the coalition stands.” The power tussle between coalition partners and Prime Minister Thomas Thabane led South Africa to voice “grave concern” on Thursday, particularly over “unusual movements of the Lesotho Defence Force” in Maseru.
Coalition partners had been angered by Thabane’s perceived aloofness, accusing him of operating “unilaterally, without consulting other partners,” according to Anglican Bishop of Lesotho Adam Taaso, who is part of mediating team.
That prompted a junior coalition partner, The Lesotho Congress for Democracy, to vow to forge a new governing alliance to oust the Prime Minister. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
in the House of Commons saying: “They are desperate, running out of money and
stuck in a hot hotel room in India.”
They travelled to India to collect their twins Jai and Leela, who were both born prematurely to a surrogate mother, but have not been able to return home.
“When we ring the Passport Office helpline we get a request for a reference but for overseas applications there is no reference number,” said Salvi. “They are adamant there is a reference number and there isn’t. There’s a toing and froing with them.”
Salvi said the couple faced the same problem when they try to get help online. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Iran rejects ‘excessive demands’ in nuclear talks with six powers
Iran told six big powers on Friday it would not accept their “excessive demands” after the latest talks on lifting sanctions against Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear work yielded no breakthrough, with a deadline for a deal just a month away.
US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman said it was Iran that would need to shift its position: “What is still unclear is if Iran is really ready and willing to take all the necessary steps to assure the world that its nuclear programme is and will remain exclusively peaceful.”
The stakes are high in the Vienna talks, which will resume on July 2, as
China has sent four oil rigs into the South China Sea in a sign that Beijing is stepping up its exploration for oil and gas in the tense region, less than two months after it positioned a giant drilling platform in waters claimed by Vietnam.
Coordinates posted on the website of China’s Maritime Safety Administration showed the Nanhai Number Two and Five rigs had been deployed roughly between southern China and the Pratas islands, which are occupied by Taiwan. The Nanhai Four rig was towed close to the Chinese coast.
The agency did not say who owns the rigs. Earlier this week, it gave coordinates for a fourth rig, the Nanhai Nine, which it said would be positioned just out-
side Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone by Friday.
The announcement comes at a time when many countries in Asia, particularly Vietnam and the Philippines, are nervous at China’s increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea, where sovereignty over countless islands and reefs is in dispute.
The Global Times, a popular tabloid published by the Communist Party’s official People’s Daily, quoted Zhuang Guotu, director of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Xiamen University, as calling the rig deployment a “strategic move”.
“The increase in oil rigs will inevitably jab a sensitive nerve for Vietnam and the Philippines,” Zhuang said. (Excerpt from Reuters)
‘UN will not give up trying to restore peace to your country,’ Ban tells Syrian people
A girl carrying jerrycans
Sthe powers seek a negotiated solution to a morethan-decade-long standoff with Iran that has raised fears of a new Middle East war and a regional nuclear arms race.
Sherman noted at the end of five days of negotiations in the Austrian capital that Tehran had always maintained that it wants only civilian nuclear energy. “If that is indeed the case, then a good agreement is obtainable,” the US delegation chief said.
Iran and the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany are striving for a comprehensive settlement by July 20, a deadline set as part of an interim deal struck last year.
(Excerpt from Reuters)
potlighting the worsening of the already horrifying war in Syria, “which continues to bleed beyond its borders,”
Secretary General Ban Kimoon on Friday delivered a strong rebuke to the world’s indifference to the bloodshed and rejected the notion that a military solution is the only way to end it, offering instead a “principled and integrated” approach that would end the violence, jumpstart political talks and sow the seeds for a better future for the Syrian people.
“We must act. All the values for which we stand, and all the reasons for which the United Nation exist are at stake, here and now, across the devastated landscape that is Syria today,” declared Ban in an impassioned address to the Asia
Society, urging the international community not to abandon the people of Syria and the region to “neverending waves of cruelty and crisis.”
Expressing disappointment at the “cold calculation that seems to be taking hold” – that little can be done except to arm the parties and watch the conflict rage, the UN chief painted a grim picture of what such indifference and cynicism has wrought since the conflict broke out in 2011, noting that the death toll may now be well over 150,000 –the UN had stopped releasing figures because it became “impossible to count all the bodies” – half the country’s population has been displaced and the makeshift prisons continue to swell with detainees. (Excerpt from UN
As the enhancement of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) project approaches its completion in December, the Education Ministry in collaboration with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) on Friday held an exit workshop to evaluate the success of the project and its impact on Guyana.
In 2008, the CDB Board of Directors approved a loan of US$7.5 million for the implementation of the enhancement of TVET project which was intended to assist the Government of Guyana in expanding access to and enhancing the delivery of TVET in the country.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) report, the workshop was intended to evaluate how much the project has assisted in achieving the objectives that were set, evaluate the objectives and whether they would have contributed to the expected outcomes and identify the strategies and methodologies which were successful in order for them to be applied to other interventions in the future.
Speaking at the workshop which was held at the Regency Suites, Hadfield Steet, Georgetown, Assistant Chief Education Officer (Technical), Patrick Chinedu said that this project must be regarded as a great change for the education system in Guyana.
One decade ago, the status of technical education in Guyana was deemed quite discouraging, and in this regard, Government would have invested billions of dollars to provide the necessary infrastructure and modern equipment in order to allow more access to this critical area.
Chinedu explained that a high percentage of instructors did not have the technical skills, and tools and equipment were either outdated or unavailable and there were no programmes that offered teachers in TVET institutions the opportunity of attending appropriate training.
Today, he said, Guyana can witness what he de-
scribed as a 360-degree turn in that area, noting that this is as a result of the vision of Education Ministry and by extension the Government of Guyana, having recognised and embraced the potential TVET offers to the
quisition of appropriate knowledge, skills, attitudes and values necessary for the development of self and the nation.
Meanwhile, CDBEducation Specialist, Dr Idamay Denny give a
development of the country. With the construction of the New Amsterdam, Mahaica, Essequibo, Leonora, Linden and Government Technical Institutes, Guyana is moving away from a place where TVET was largely regarded as a low wage pursuit and the mindset that TVET pursuits are for the less able.
“The best mind in Guyana, if we are to accrue the benefit that TVET has, those best minds must be pursuing TVET careers,”
Chinedu further stated. He added that Guyana is now poised to move TVET from the nursery system right into post-graduate level qualification.
Chinedu underscored that this project has definitely placed Guyana at a point where it can safely say it has achieved the call by the UN conventions to establish comprehensive policies for TVET.
The TVET institutions are committed to offering education and training to youths and adults in technical, commercial and scientific fields relevant to the needs of the national economy.
In addition, the TVET institutions have a responsibility to collaborate with industry and commerce in the planning of programmes which will facilitate the ac-
The World Water Council (WWC) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) have agreed to intensify their collaboration in a bid to strengthen global water and food security.
Long-time partners, the two organisations will expand their joint work on a number of fronts, including: knowledge and technology development to enhance water productivity; the education of water management professionals and building human capital development in the water sector; and promoting sound water policymaking and better cooperation within the water and irrigated agriculture sectors.
FAO and WWC share the view that water security is essential to food security and human well-being, and acknowledge the possibility that water shortages could lead to increased local and regional tensions. The two organisations are cooperating to develop a range of activities to put water security higher on the political agenda, to mobilise political will on integrated water resources management, in order to achieve significant advances in economic development and the fight against hunger and poverty.
general overview of the project and a brief description of the project’s rationale, benefits, objectives, components and cost.
“Water is key to food security. Agriculture requires large quantities of water for irrigation. Agriculture is the largest user of water among all sectors. Enough water is available for our global future needs provided that efficient water management
is implemented. This issue will continue to grow as the world’s population keeps on increasing”,” said World Water Council President Benedito Braga.
“Major changes in policy and management are needed to ensure best use of available water resources in meeting growing demands for food and other agricultural products,” he continued. “With FAO, the World Water Council will support and encourage governments to act in favour of water and food security to fight against hunger and poverty.”
“Agriculture today faces complex challenges, in particular that of producing more food while using less water and less land and adapting to changes in climate,” noted FAO DirectorGeneral José Graziano da Silva.
“The recently-released working group reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) present compelling evidence on the threat that climate change poses to food security. It is our duty to act now. Water – and its sound
management – must be central in our response to these challenges,” he added.
The first major joint activity underway is a Highlevel Panel on Water for Food Security, led by FAO within the framework of the Seventh World Water Forum, to be held in DaeguGyeongbuk, Republic of Korea, in April 2015.
This partnership with FAO on water and food security contributes to sustain the WWC’s strategic mission by addressing pressing issues, including crop water productivity, irrigation techniques, water efficiency, water conservation and equitable access to water resources.
For FAO, the partnership is well aligned with the organisation’s new strategic framework and strategic objectives, which recognise the central role of water for food security and rural development and seek to pursue holistic approaches, inter-sectoral integration and partnerships at all levels to address key issues related to the sound management of this critical resource.
Raising the issue of reparations is a win – says Caricom Culture, Community Development Programme Manager
Raising the consciousness of Caricom nationals regarding issues related to reparations for native genocide slavery is, by itself, a win.
Those sentiments were expressed by Culture and Community Development Programme Manager, Dr Hilary Brown during her presentation on the matter at the 22nd meeting of the Regional Cultural Committee (RCC) held at the Caricom Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana on June 18-20.
Dr Brown said the result expected from the submission for reparations was a development programme for the countries affected. She said the issue was about redress and healing and addressing the “legacy that has left our people behind”.
She said the hope was for engagement of Caricom people, which should result in psychological healing and
further emancipation from mental slavery. She also outlined that the approach to be taken would be a diplomatic one involving engagement of the Europeans before taking the matter to the level of an international court of justice.
The Regional Cultural Committee, during their
three-day meeting, also delved into other issues such as the drafting of a development strategy for cultural industries in Caricom. A status report was given on the design for a professional development plan for emerging young talent being done by Dr Paloma Mohamed. A full report is expected to be submitted to the committee on the matter within the next 10 days.
Planning for the 12th staging of the Caribbean Festival of Arts (Carifesta) also commenced. The meeting reviewed a presentation from Haiti, the Caricom member state that is expected to host the next staging of the event in August 2015.
Delegates were apprised by Haiti’s Ambassador to Caricom Peterson Noel, of the various locations in his country that would be appropriate to host the festival. Accommodation, travel and other arrangements for
staging the event were also addressed. Various audio visual and other tools were used and delegates saw some of the finer aspects of the Haitian culture, particularly their music and carnival.
The delegates also conducted a review of Carifesta 2013 which was held in Suriname and provided advice based on the lessons learnt for the benefit of the new host country and for the general information of the committee, which will be heavily involved in next year’s event.
The 22nd meeting of the Regional Cultural Committee (RCC) began with an opening ceremony on Wednesday, where Caribbean Community Deputy Secretary General, Ambassador Manorma Soeknandan noted that despite economic challenges, Carifesta needed to be sustained.
The Government should be more proactive and intensify the fight against the spread of Chikungunya and other vector-borne diseases, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP), Dr Karen Cummings said.
The APNU MP and parliamentary colleague, Dr George Norton, accused the Government of adopting a position that displays complacency during the coalition’s weekly press briefing on Friday.
It was claimed that the Government was aware of the pending outbreak of Chikungunya and had maintained that it was prepared to deal with the mosquito-borne disease. However, APNU charged, the public later found out that this was not the case, as the Health Ministry lacked the human resources capacity to operate some of the requisite machinery that were pivotal to the fight.
Nineteen persons have been confirmed as having the Chikungunya virus, while scores more were tested after the virus was first detected in Berbice.
Obvious de-emphasis
“The emergence and re-emergence [of the disease] can be attributed to complacency and an obvious de-emphasis on a public health problem, the failure of the health structure to adequately manage this menace, diversion of financial support to other areas
and the apparent use of a few drugs and insecticides as a quick-fix method contributed to the exacerbation on display,” Dr Cummings said.
The doctor also cited a slew of other contributory factors that have led to the current problem, including climate change, but she noted that attention must also be placed on proper waste disposal/management infrastructure in Guyana.
For the Government to go about effectively tack-
ling the issue, immense focus must be placed on training health personnel in the detection of vector-borne diseases, the development of “robust health facilities” and adequate public education to inform the public of the perils of being infected with the disease and ways to prevent such, Dr Cummings lamented on Friday.
Also urging Government to boost preventative efforts in this regard was Dr Norton, who contended that the proposed idea of a quarantine would not be effective given, Guyana’s situation.
Further, he called on Government to focus on all vector-borne diseases as they continue to be significant threats to human life.
“APNU reasserts that it is the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Administration’s responsibility to protect the population from these diseases. The PPP/C must explain why, even in places where mosquitoes were eliminated
decades ago, vector-borne diseases are re-emerging,” the Shadow Health Minister said.
Intensified fogging
However, Director of the Vector Control Services Department of the Health Ministry, Dr Reyaud Rahaman on Tuesday told Guyana Times that the Ministry will intensify its fogging exercises in identified communities across Georgetown. He said that the fogging exercises are aimed at killing the adult mosquitoes which are the carriers of the virus.
The Director is advising residents to keep their windows open when the fogging is in progress so that the mist can infiltrate their homes, thus killing the mosquitoes within and curbing the spread of the virus.
He is also advising that in an effort to avoid the risks of health complications as a result of the fogging exercises, residents exercise caution by cover-
ing water and securing all food items (uncooked and cooked) to prevent contamination; securing all domestic animals and poultry and keeping asthmatic persons, young children and the elderly away from the direct flow of the fog.
The continued fogging initiative commenced on Tuesday and is expected to continue during the hours of 05:00h and 22:30h daily.
West Ruimveldt, East Ruimveldt, Alexander Village, East La Penitence, Tucville, South Ruimveldt, North Ruimveldt, Roxanne Burnham Gardens, Laing Avenue, North East La Penitence, Meadow Brook Gardens, Durban Backlands, Lodge, Albouystown, Charlestown, Werk-en-Rust and Wortmanville are among the areas that have already been fogged.
The fogging initiative is expected to continue today in South and North Sophia, Prashad Nagar and surrounding communities.
Thousands converged at the home of the three girls who were killed in a horrific accident on the Phillipi Public Road on July 11 to pay their last respects.
The atmosphere in the closely-knit community of Phillipi was one of sorrow and anger as the funeral service of the late Tabitha Latoya Bagot 19,Malkia Wanita Bagot 16 and Shamain Cort 3 began Friday afternoon.
The bodies of the trio layin three separate white caskets under the house they once called home, while the grieving Mother of Tabithia and Malkia sat at the head of the casket while the father of little Shamain sat next to her. The home was crowded with persons as others flocked the roadways in sweltering heat to get a glimpse of the young girls.
The funeral was described by many as one of the largest in recent times and saw a lot of public figures in attendance to pay their last respects and sympathise with the family.
President Donald Ramotar also sent his condolences to the family. Those in attendance included: Regional Chairman of Region # 6 David Armogan; Opposition Leader David Granger; Social Activist Mark Benschop; and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Human Services, Patrick Findlay.
Armogan in his address stated that the incident is one that plunged the entire community into deep sadness and mourning. He related that while death is understandable and a part of life, the circumstances in which the girls were killed were devastating. He extended his sympathy on behalf of the Government and the Regional Administration. He posited that the mourning process will take a long time, but the memories of the young girls will live on forever.
Tributes were made by the students and Teachers of the Lower Corentyne Secondary, the school 16 year old Malkia was attend-
ing. Leader of the Opposition David Granger extended his condolences to the bereaved family members .During his speech, Granger related that the young girls never had the opportunity to live and enjoy the good in life.
Granger in his address asked “what sort of nation are we living in that cannot prevent these traffic tragedies? What sort of nation is this that cannot protect its children? What sort of nation is this that cannot provide a safe future for its citizens?
“These girls did not have the opportunity to live the good life to which all of Guyana’s children are entitled. They never had the
chance to walk through our vast Rupununi savannahs; to climb our majestic Pakaraima mountains; to shower beneath our refreshing Orinduik falls or to swim in the cool waters of the Cuyuni.” “These girls had hardly started to live. They should have been looking forward to completing their education; to getting married; to owning a house and a car; to having children of their own; to travelling all over this great country on holiday; to enjoying a good life that we promised all Guyanese. These children hardly left the little village of Phillipi where they lived all of their short lives. Small world! Life could be very
short in Guyana today; no matter how good you are..”
Granger said the deaths of the girls must not be just another statistic in the Police traffic bulletin “let them alert the Government, the Regional Administration and the Guyana Police Force of the need to work to make our roads safer. There must be more lights; more pavements; more traffic signs, more traffic police patrols and more effective law-enforcement.” He said the Angela Bagot, the mother of two of the girls was a stalwart of the PNCR. “Angela worked for our party. Angela, although she never sought high office or rich rewards, was a faithful and loyal comrade. We have congregated here today to commiserate with her… to comfort her…to console her. We know that nothing we can say or do could compensate her for the loss of her daughters. We can let her know, though, that we share her sorrow on what must be the saddest day of her life.” The funeral service and viewing started at 12:30h and concluded at approximately 17:00h
You will get ahead if you rely on your abilities, knowledge and overall determination. Don’t let anyone slow you down. Be a leader, not a follower.
By Bernice Bede Osol
(June 21July 22) (Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19)
Step out of your comfort zone and try an unfamiliar activity. Close friends and a sense of adventure will put a smile on your face and brighten your day.
A misunderstanding will occur if you fail to choose your words carefully. Be mindful of the feelings of others, and treat each situation with common sense and tact.
You will make a favourable impression. Accept invitations that will introduce you to interesting individuals, and you will share information, ideas and plans for the future.
(Aug. 23Sept. 22)
(July 23Aug. 22) (Feb. 20-March 20)
Re-evaluate your financial situation. Increase your understanding of money matters. Be on the alert for a chance to capitalise on savings, incentives and lower interest rates.
(March 21-April 19)
A negative, defeatist attitude is counterproductive. Believe in your abilities. Keeping a positive outlook will allow you to focus your energy and conquer any competition or challenge you face.
(April 20-May 20)
It’s apparent that information is being withheld. Act quickly, do a little fact-finding and ask pertinent questions, and you will be able to obtain the data you are looking for.
(May 21June 20)
You will meet someone who will make a notable difference in your life. A meaningful issue will send you in a positive new direction.
Whether you loan or borrow money today, you will come out the loser. Offer suggestions, but don’t pay for someone else’s mistake. Protect your interests and your reputation.
(Sept. 23Oct. 23)
Don’t take a passive role in your relationships with others. There is no need to be timid. Stand up for your rights, and don’t be hesitant to air your beliefs.
(Oct. 24Nov. 22)
Don’t sell yourself short. Your talents will be wasted if you keep them a secret. Put your best foot forward, summon your self-confidence and share your ideas.
(Nov. 23Dec. 21)
Your enthusiasm and friendliness will bring joy to those around you. Getting out and about will allow you to share positive thoughts and join forces with other Good Samaritans.
Dozens of sports administrators across the country on Friday successfully completed the first-ever Sports Management Workshop at the National Sports Resource Centre, Woolford Avenue.
The three-day event was conducted by a number of facilitators, chief among them Olympians Grace Jackson of Jamaica and Ato Boldon of Trinidad and Tobago.
During the activity, the 60-odd participants were placed into four groups and given specific tasks, primary among them the presentation of a plan to aid the development of sports in Guyana.
Group One focused on “Participation in sports post-high school”, Group Two was tasked with “Building a Sports Culture in Guyana”, Group Three focused on “One-day single sports event” and Group Four had to present a plan for a “Multi-sport event.”
All the groups presented innovative ideas to help move sports forward, all of which were well received by the audience, which included
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds; Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony; Junior Finance Minister Juan Edghill; and Director of Sport, Neil Kumar.
PM Hinds, who delivered feature remarks, said he was impressed by the presentations of the groups, noting that all stakeholders must work genuinely in the interest of sports development.
He said while there has been much talk about “saying no to drugs”, there must be things for people to say “yes to”, and one of those things, he highlighted, is sports.
The Prime Minister also expressed gratitude to the facilitators for sharing their knowledge over the three days and urged the participants to use what they would have learnt to empower others in their communities, clubs and schools.
Participants of the course were drawn from all three counties, and apart from Jackson and Boldon, the other facilitators were GOA Vice President Dr Karen Pilgrim; Sports Management Professional June Rudder; former
President of the Guyana Rugby Football Union, Christopher “Kit” Nascimento; former Guyana Football Federation President Franklin Wilson; Digicel’s Head of Marketing, Jacqueline James, fourtime Jamaican Olympian Cathy Rattray Samuels, and Michelle Johnson.
Among the topics covered were (a) Reviewing, re-doing and revitalising the sports structure; (b) Sports Administrators and nation building; (c) Building and strengthening sports associations, (d) Marketing your sport to the region/ world, (e) Development of elite athletes − a framework for progress; and (f) Connecting with the people through event planning and management.
The Sports Management Workshop was specially designed for Sports Administrators to gain a greater understanding of the management of sports events, teams and their application to the national delivery. Participants were introduced to several methods/strategies used in preparing teams and events.
By Rajiv Bisnauth
At age 16, Kemo Mandela Angus Paul is regarded as one of the most impressive Under-19 local allrounders, and after being the standout all-rounder in the recently-concluded Guyana Cricket Board three-day Under-19 InterCounty tournament, during which he scored a century, his performances have not gone unnoticed.
The multi-talented athlete was snapped up by the
“Well, despite my good performances in the InterCounty tournament, I was surprised by the selection. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to the exposure, mixing with all the seniors players will be an experience I am looking forward to,” the Essequibo Islands secondary school student told Guyana Times Sport on Friday.
He added: “This is just another opportunity whereby my game can improve. I am really looking forward to working with Head Coach
Guyana Amazon Warriors as one of six Under-19 players for the Warriors preparatory camp, beginning July 1. The versatile teen joins talented Everest Cricket Club fast bowler Kevin Paul; West Indies Under-19 openers Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Shimron Hetmyer; Demerara Cricket Club left-arm fast bowler Daniel Basdeo; and 16-year-old West Coast Demerara batsman Akshaya Persaud.
Roger Harper and the team mentor Curtly Ambrose.”
The Under-19 players will be involved in all training sessions and other team activities during the Guyana Amazon Warriors camp and match practice scheduled for their home games only. However, the players will not be part of the selection process on match days.
This year, each franchise team consists of a squad of 19 players, comprising two pre-selected
players – one West Indies Franchise Player (WIFP) and one International Franchise Player (IFP), selected by the franchise, as well as four Under-19 players.
However, as an initiative geared toward the development of young cricketers, the management of the Guyana Amazon Warriors has widened the pool of Under-19 players to six.
The Limacol CPL, which was played in front of soldout crowds at all the venues in the Caribbean in 2013, will be played from July 11 to August 16 with Chris Gayle’s Jamaica Tallawahs set to defend their title against last year’s runner-up, the Guyana Amazon Warriors; Antigua Hawksbills; Barbados Tridents; St Lucia Zouks; and Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel.
The Guyana franchise, bought by the NEW GPC/ Limacol, will play three of their nine preliminary games at home, on July 17 against Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel (19:30h); July 19 against St Lucia Zouks (16:00h); and July 20 against Jamaica Tallawahs (16:00h).
Prior to the three home games, the Warriors will play Antigua Hawksbills on July 11; Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel on July 24; Barbados Tridents on July 27; Jamaica Tallawahs on August 2; Antigua Hawksbills on August 7; and St Lucia Zouks on August 10 in their final preliminary game.
Today’s Games: Australia vs Netherlands (12:00h); Spain vs Chile (15:00h) and Cameroon and Croatia (18:00h)
Costa Rica’s amazing run at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil continued in Recife, the Central American upstarts adding Italy’s scalp to their Group D belt after opening with a win over Uruguay. Los Ticos are now through to the knockout phase for only the second time in their history, thanks to a Bryan Ruiz header just before the interval at the Arena Pernambuco.
Costa Rica, playing with a five-man backline, were eager to break on the counter-attack early. And the CONCACAF minnows produced the first chance of the opening period. Celso Borges met a swirling corner with a flying leap, but the veteran midfielder was unable to keep his effort down and it flew over the crossbar of captain Gianluigi Buffon, back in the Azzurri lineup after sitting out the first match injured in Manaus. Italy coach Cesare Prandelli admitted before the match to being fearful of Costa Rica’s combination of “Europeanstyle organisation” and the “explosiveness of the Americas.”
He had reason to be nervous too. Mario Balotelii had trouble keeping the ball up front in a lone-striker’s role and Los Ticos blasted forward like lightning whenever they had the chance. Balotelii finally slipped his man on the half-hour mark, racing free on the end of a long ball from Andrea Pirlo, in his traditional deep playmaker’s role. But the enigmatic AC Milan forward was unable to put his delicate lob of Keylor Navas into the back of the net.
The Italians’ best chance of the half spurred a Costa Rican response. Buffon was called into action shortly after and had to be on his toes to keep out a curling effort from Copenhagen-based winger Cristian Bolanos. It was a hint of things to come and Costa Rica upped the tempo in the dying moments of the half, heaping heavy pressure on Italy.
Oscar Duarte’s header zipped just over the bar before Campbell saw a penalty shout waved away. But the Italian resistance gave way a minute before the interval. Junior Diaz whipped
in a devastating cross from the left that Bryan Ruiz headed off the underside of the bar and into the goal from a tight angle.
Goal-line technology confirmed what the Tico fans had desperately hoped: that the ball had crossed the line. The Italians were desperate to get back into the game as the second-half got underway. Prandelli brought on forward Antonio Cassano for holding midfielder Thiago Motta for the restart.
It didn’t have the desired effect and only managed to leave more room for Costa Rica’s rampaging striker Campbell, who was just barely denied by a sprawling Buffon, who raced well-outside his area on the hour-mark. In the end, the Ticos didn’t need another goal as 1-0 was enough to win on an historic day. Costa Rica, amazingly through the knockout stages after two games, take on England in their third game on 24 June in Belo Horizonte. Italy, with three points from their two matches, take on Uruguay in Natal at the same time. (FIFA)
France rocketed from outsiders to FIFA World Cup™ contenders with a scintillating 5-2 defeat of Switzerland in Salvador. Olivier Giroud, Blaise Matuidi, Mathieu Valbuena, Karim Benzema and Moussa Sissoko were on the score-sheet as Didier Deschamps’ side made all but sure of a place in the Round of 16, before beauties from Blerim Dzemaili and Granit Xhaka gave Swiss memorable consolation from an enrapturing encounter. France required 45 minutes, and a penalty, to break down Honduras in Porto Alegre first time out. By that time up Brazil’s vast east coast they had already spurned a spotkick but scored three.
The fully outstretched leg of a sliding Johan Djourou denied Benzema a tap-in on 16 minutes, but it would only preserve deadlock for seconds.
From Mathieu Valbuena’s resulting corner, Giroud sprung impressively and his header took a deflection and went towards the top corner. Ricardo Rodriguez was on the line, ideally placed to head the ball clear, but Diego Benaglio hurled himself through the air and tipped the ball away from his defender and into the back of the net.
The pair exchanged agitated glances. Moments later their opponents were exchanging animated hugs. Valon Behrami needlessly gave the ball away to Benzema, who raced through the Switzerland half and slid the ball into Blaise Matuidi. The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder took a touch and buried a low drive in at the near post.
Switzerland, to their credit, didn’t throw in the towel. Granit Xhaka had a goal ruled out for offside, before the same player stormed through the midfield and, from distance, unleashed a low drive which Hugo Lloris pushed away.
The rebound fell invitingly to Xherdan Shaqiri, but his shot was handsomely pushed round the post by the fingertips of the France No1.
That brief burst of momentum was arrested just after the half-hour. Djourou tripped Benzema when the France striker was going nowhere.
The 26-year-old took the penalty himself, only for Benaglio to dive south-east and make an excellent save. The rebound presented Yohan Cabaye with an almost-open goal, but he somehow slammed the ball against the bar.
It was 3-0 before the break, though. Giroud accelerated
clear of his marker down the left and, unselfishly, squared the ball perfectly for Valbuena to tap home.
Switzerland started the second half brightly and, after fine work from Stephan Lichtsteiner down the right, Admr Mehmedi would have had a gilt-edged chance had it not been for his poor control, which allowed Lloris to put him off.
France promptly punished them. Paul Pogba, on for the impressive Giroud, used the outside of his boot to arch a pass into the stride of Benzema, who slotted it past Benaglio for his third goal of the tournament.
Evra then fired over after a sumptuous passing move uncorked the Swiss once more, before Benzema slipped Moussa Sissoko in and he guided the ball into the bottom corner with unerring accuracy to make it 5-0.
Switzerland would have been forgiven for praying for the final whistle, but they weren’t done. First, Dzemaili fizzed a stunning free-kick through a French wall and into the bottom corner, before a thumping volley from Xhaka rounded off a game of the tournament contender. (FIFA)
Apair of predatory goals from Enner Valencia propelled Ecuador to a 2-1 comeback victory over Honduras that lifted them second in Group E, above Switzerland on goal difference. An excellent Carlo Costly strike had put the Central Americans ahead, but Valencia equalised from closerange before heading home the winner at the Arena da Baixada.
The game started off at a frenetic pace, flowing from end to end, and Ecuador should have been ahead on 19 minutes. Enner Valencia timed his run to perfection to unravel the Honduran offside trap and go one-on-one with goalkeeper Noel Valladares, but the braided-haired No13 skied his shot.
It was then Honduras’s turn to spurn a great opportunity, with the funky-haired Victor Bernardez heading wide from close-range when a corner found him unmarked at the back post.
Costly showed his teammate how it should be done on 31 minutes. A defender’s attempt to head clear a long ball bounced against Costly and fell into his path. Despite it bouncing awkwardly, the big 31-year-old exercised immaculate technique to thump the ball home from just inside the penalty area.
Ecuador were only behind for three minutes. Juan Paredes conned his marker and crossed to the back post, where Enner Valencia was on hand to scramble home.
A viciously struck
Bernardez free-kick forced Alexander Dominguez into a save, before Honduras forward Jerry Bengston had a goal ruled out for handball on the stroke of the interval. The second half continued in the same electrifying fashion as the first. Felipe Caicedo broke beyond the Honduras backline but Mayor Figueroa got back to slide it behind for a corner. But Ecuador did get the game’s third goal on 65 minutes. Walter Ayovi whipped in a free-kick and his Pachuca club-mate Enner Valencia soared above Juan Carlos Garcia and directed a powerful, downward header into the bottom corner.
Honduras controlled possession thereafter, but they struggled to break down Ecuador’s steely defence.
Figueroa did see one 35-yard thunderbolt fly just inches over, and close but not close
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The rough period may be over for Gayle, but one man wasn’t finding Test cricket that arduous. After beginning with a Man-ofthe-Match performance on debut at Sabina Park, Craig frustrated West Indies with the fifth longest Test innings by a No. 10.
He made light of a lack of footwork to stick around for more than three hours, surviving a bunch of chances, including two in the cordon off successive deliveries from Jerome Taylor in the 130th over.
He put on 99 in 43.1 overs with Watling before finally nicking a full ball to the keeper. Watling remained unruffled though, persevering past 200 deliveries as he enhanced his reputation as one of the finest wicketkeeper-batsmen in the world. There were just four fours from him in nearly six-and-a-half hours of defiance, and it came on the back of a splendid performance behind the stumps in Jamaica last week. As the partnership ate up more and more time, advice came even from the crowd, a woman wearing a West Indies jersey shouting for a short leg to be put in place and for the quicks to bang it short.
Even as Watling showed off tremendous powers of concentration, the No. 11 Trent Boult applied himself to hang around. The intermittent drizzle only gave West Indies more to worry about. When Shannon Gabriel finally got rid of Boult, there was almost no
celebration from the home side - Gabriel walking back to the umpire, thankful the toil was over, with Chris Gayle and the rest of slip cordon shuffling towards the dressing room, keeping an eye on the weather. When the rain relented after an hour and a half, Gayle got going. He flicked the first ball of the chase for four, and hit four more boundaries in the next four overs. Then he switched to smashing sixes, clubbing three in a Boult over including one to the roof of the stadium. He galloped to a 50 off 28 balls - the second quickest by a West Indian in Tests - as the chase was finished off in quick time. Gayle and
Kraigg Brathwaite are at the opposite ends of the batting spectrum, and it was never more clear than in this partnership: Gayle made 80, Brathwaite 14. Gayle getting among the runs ahead of the deciding Test was the icing on the cake for West Indies.
New Zealand’s run of eight Tests without defeattheir longest in over a decade - has been snapped, but they will be pleased they at least made West Indies toil for the win, especially after their limp batting on the first day. The Barbados match will be a test of how far Brendon McCullum’s men have progressed. (Cricinfo.com)
5-153 (Taylor, 78.4 ov), 6-176 (Rutherford, 88.3 ov), 7-193 (Sodhi, 95.5 ov), 8-212 (Southee, 99.3 ov), 9-311 (Craig, 142.4 ov), 10-331 (Boult, 152.2 ov)
Bowling: JE Taylor 30-8-73-2,
(target: 93 runs)
of wickets 1-9 (McCullum, 6.4 ov), 2-84 (Latham, 49.3 ov), 3-108 (Williamson, 60.5 ov), 4-121 (Neesham, 65.6 ov),
By: AvenAsh RAmzAn
Following favourable weather condition over the past week, the highly anticipated semifinal and final of the Busta 20/20 cricket competition for teams on the East Coast of Demerara will be played today at the Enterprise Busta Sports Club.
The two games were originally fixed for last Saturday but a heavy downpour the day before left the ground in a soggy state, forcing the organisers to announce a postponement.
However, the sunshine over the last few days has done wonders to the outfield at Enterprise and, according to chief coordinator of the competition, Jowharilall Jitlall; all systems are in place for two competitive games today.
“Right now the ground is in top condition, the outfield is hard and we can expect two very good games tomorrow [today],” he told this
publication on Friday.
Host club Enterprise A have drawn the bye to the final and will face the winner of the Ogle and Fairfield semi-final. The winning team will receive $50,000, while the runner-up will receive half that amount.
Faifield squad reads: Ramnarine Chatura, Richard Chatura, Mustak Shaw, Deonarine Mangal, Nigel Bissu, Wazim Mustapha, Walter Baiju, Leon Targoonchandrue,
Tyrone English, Leslie Tulsidas, Samlall Samaroo, Motilall Chatura, Deonarine Chatura and Davenand Samaroo.
Ogle squad reads: Chris Pattadin, Sahadeo Ramkellawan, Andre Gomes, Tulsiram Baulkarran, Michael Deonarine, Khemraj Dindial, Ajodha Joseph, Davendra Ramtahal, Seopaul Sanichar, Sundra Ramsingh, Vishal Moonchand, Vickash Horil, David Harper and Wazim Haslim.
Enterprise A squad reads: Zaheer Mohamed, Parmanand Dindyal, Kamesh Yadram, Roger Amit Pooran, Vivian Albert, Brijanand Singh, Bhaskar Yadram, Amit Ramcharran, Bishram Samaroo, Rajendra Chandrika, Videsh Lall, Latchman Yadram, Imran Kulwat and T. Sheoprashad The tournament is being sponsored by Guyana Beverage Company.
Kingston, Jamaica -
With the countdown on to the start of the 2014 Limacol Caribbean Premier League, the CPL team caught up with some of the global cricket stars set to feature in the Biggest Party in Sport.
CPL stars Chris Gayle, Denesh Ramdin, Dwayne Bravo, Suliemann Benn and Odean Brown were present at the launch of the Chris Gayle Academy at Lucas Cricket Club in Kingston, Jamaica, where they shared their thoughts on what fans can expect at the second staging of the Limacol CPL.
Excited to be taking over as captain of the Guyana Amazon Warriors, recently appointed West Indies test skipper, Denesh Ramdin, commented: “Captaining the Guyana Amazon Warriors is a new experience for me, but I am ready to take up that role and I will be working hard to ensure we come out as winners this season”.
With the Guyana Amazon Warriors not making many changes in the squad, Captain Ramdin believes that the team will mesh smoothly, saying: “We have a number of players on the team who can truly make a positive impact from the start like Martin Guptill, Sunil Narine and Lendl Simmons just to name a few, so I am confident in my team. We did not make a lot of changes, so we should not take a long time to gel.”
West Indies ODI and Red Steel Captain, Dwayne
Bravo, was succinct when he said: “A good start leads to good momentum and that is what we did not have last season – something we are looking to change this time out.”
Last season, the Red Steel lost their first three games and ended up clinching a spot to the semi-finals on the penultimate day of the group stages by winning their match against the St. Lucia Zouks.
His team-mate, Suliemann Benn, the 6’7 spinner who took four wickets in the CPL last year, had nothing but praise for the tournament, saying: “CPL is one of the best things to come out of the Caribbean and I am truly honoured to be a part of it and play for the Red Steel”.
“Big Benn”, as he is more affectionately called, was retained by the Red Steel who will open their account on July 12 against the Barbados Tridents in
Grenada.
One player who is new to the CPL is 32 year old leg-break spinner, Odean Brown, who was drafted by the Jamaica Tallawahs. Despite battling injuries in the last three years, the Westmoreland-born man is delighted to be involved, and said; “It’s great being part of the CPL experience. This is my first season and, with all the injuries I have had, I am happy to finally have a shot and it is even better as I am playing with the Jamaica Tallawahs.”
Brown’s message to the Jamaica Tallawahs fans is simple: “Please come out to Sabina Park and support the Tallawahs, we have a solid team and are looking to retain the title, it will be exciting.”
With the Limacol CPL only three weeks away, expectations and excitement are growing exponentially as tickets are set to go on sale soon.
By TreisTon Joseph
While most of the works at the National Park Athletics ground have been completed, the track is still unusable due to the ground’s inability to be rolled at the moment.
The current state of the track has caused a number of athletes to be left without a substantial venue to train, forcing coaches to become innovative with their methods of bettering their athletes.
Commissioner of the Protected Areas Commission, Damian Fernandes, noted that while he understands the situation with the athletes, it is a process of waiting in order for the ground to be rolled properly.
“Because we have raised the field by such a large amount all of the mud is fresh so you had a thick layer of mud without any grass on it and the grass couldn’t even come through because it was buried under two feet of mud, so basically the grass had to be re-grown from scratch.
“With the bit of dry season we had it was almost impossible, so now that we are getting the rain you can see the grass starting to spread across and only when the grass sort of bind the earth you can roll it without the earth sticking on the roller,” Fernandes explained.
Further, the unusable surface has been affecting the talented quarter-miler Jason Yaw, who is currently preparing for the World Junior Championships at
the Sea Wall Band Stand due to the unavailability of a ground.
Meanwhile, Fernandes noted that a definitive timetable for the entirety of the project which is under contract with RP Contracting Agency is hard to predict.
“Once you raise something that significantly you have to give it sometime to settle, but everything is on track with the rain we are hoping to get the grass to grow out faster; once we get it settled we will be able to roll it and fill in the low spots then it can function as it should.
“It’s difficult to predict; we will have to see how it goes, but we want to meet with the Athletics Association to go out there [and] see how it’s settling so we can talk about any-
After four nights of pulsating futsal action in this year’s fourth annual Mackeson Stout- sponsored “Keep Your Five Alive” tournament will culminate tonight from 20:00h at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall tarmac with the playing of the semi-finals and final.
Defending champions Sparta Boss, who were made to fight against Albouystown in one of their preliminary round matches before they came away with the win via penalty kicks, will take on Tiger Bay. Alexander Village and West Front Road will meet in the second semi-final.
Diminutive striker Devon
Millington, along with Dennis Edwards, Eusi Phillips, Jermaine Richardson and Sheldon Shepherd, will lead Sparta Boss’ charge for a place in the final. Sparta Boss can expect stern resistance from Dennis Caldeira, Rensford Coleridge and Solomon Austin who will be looking to do the same for the Tiger Bay line-up.
In the second semi-final, Hubert Pedro, Randolph Wagner and Jamal Pedro will lead West Front Road’s charge
for a final spot, even though they will see players of the calibre of Shem Porter, Leon Yaw, Phillip Rowley and Dellon Williams doing the same for Alexander Village on the other half of the playing area.
Teams are asked to note that only those players who appear on the registration form provided will be allowed to compete, with no alterations being allowed during the course of the tournament, except in the case of injury which must occur during the playing of the competition.
Spectators will also have the distinct opportunity of winning prizes, whilst competing in the Axe “Take and Shoot” competition for which fabulous prizes will be up for grabs, compliments of DeSinco Trading.
Ansa McAl, DeSinco Trading, Colors Boutique, Clairann’s Boutique, Clear Water, Star Party Rentals, White Castle Fish Shop, and HJTV and its 94.1 Boom FM, just to name a few, are some of the sponsors who made this year’s tournament, which has over $500,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs, a possibility.
Tthing they might want to address,” Fernandes stated.
However, Fernandes provided the reason for raising the ground in height, “We realise that we shift them off because of it, but we hope that in the long- run that we have a good track that holds up in the weather and doesn’t flood.
“It use to be three months or four months that you can’t access the site because it’s under water and the plan now is to hope that, that would stop and there wouldn’t be this constant flooding,” Fernandes mentioned.
Nevertheless for an athlete of Yaw’s calibre it is quite unfortunate, the circumstances he has to deal with leading up to the World Junior Championships.
In addition, while the Running Brave Athletics Club is able to access the Guyana Defence Force ground at Base Camp Ayanganna, the club uses the facility for early morning training sessions only. Yaw most times cannot attend these sessions due to transportation issues, according to his coach Sham Johnny.
Yaw resides in Beterverwagting (BV) and the transportation to make his way to the track especially on school mornings is very tough on the athlete.
Meanwhile, as Yaw is forced to make the best of his situation, it will be sometime before the National Park track is useable again.
he inaugural Scrabble tournament for secondary schools in Berbice will be held today at the Port Mourant Secondary School from 09:00h. The competition is being organised by the Sports Development Committee of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) with the main aims of promoting the game among students, to enhance their vocabulary skills and to boost literacy among them.
The event is being sponsored by Republic Bank Guyana Limited and will be played at three levels- junior students, senior students and teachers. The junior category will be contested by students in Forms One and Two and the senior category will be for Forms Three and Four.
A total of 17 secondary schools will be involved in the tournament, including New Amsterdam Secondary, Berbice High, JC Chandisingh Secondary, Port Mourant Secondary, Line Path Secondary,
Tagore Memorial Secondary, Corentyne Comprehensive and Canje Secondary. The winner of each category will receive a trophy and $15,000, while the runners-up will receive trophies and educational packages.
Secretary/CEO of the RHTY&SC, Hilbert Foster, and representatives of the Rose Hall Town branch of Republic Bank will declare the event open and later distribute prizes to the winners.
Close to 100 Pools players have been confirmed for the Buddy’s Pool Hall ‘On Cue’ Pool Competition, scheduled for Sunday at Buddy’s Pool Hall on Sheriff Street.
Managing Director of Buddy’s Ryan Shivraj, in an invited comment on Friday, stated that all the logistical arrangements have been completed and an intense competition is expected.
Registration is ongoing
and costs $2000 per player. Each player to register will be the recipient of a T-Shirt. The “king of the competition” will ride away with a Jialing motorcycle and trophy. Second place attracts a cash prize of $60,000, a Plum Tablet and trophy; third place is worth $40,000, a Plum X260 phone and trophy; while the fourth- place prize is $25,000 and trophy.
By AvenAsh RAmzAn
The Police Sports Club ground seems to be a fortress for goals as another team went on a rampage on Friday when action in the Georgetown leg of the fourth annual Digicel Schools Football Championships continued with another exciting encounter.
Morgan’s Learning Centre (MLC) went one step further than they did last year, when they were knocked out in the opening round, trouncing the Business School 7-0 to advance to round two.
The result meant a whopping 26 goals had been scored in three games at the venue this week, following St Mary’s 11-1 demolition of New Campbellville Secondary and St John’s 7-0 drubbing of Sophia Special School.
Wayne Murray was the star for MLC, slotting home a hat-trick to lead his school to a convincing victory. Murray, who opened the scoring in the 17th minute, added two more goals – in the 24th and 69th minutes –to ensure the Delph Street, Campbellville lads better their performance of 2013.
Sherwin Haynes (34th), Travis Brandis (59th) and Bobby Vaughn (76th) added a single strike each, while Vaughn Pilgrim did not help the Business School’s cause, tapping in an own-goal in the 28th minute.
Over at the Education Ministry ground on
Carifesta Avenue, Guyana Industrial Training Centre (GITC) came from behind to defeat St Winifred 6-1.
Stephon Reynolds gave St Winifred the lead in the 22nd minute, but after that it was all GITC who blasted in six goals on the trot.
Shemar Wilson netted a double in the 41st and 83rd minutes, while Joel Pollard (33rd), Stephon Hopkinson (52), Shane Morris (74th) and Egbert Nedd (78th) also got on the score sheet for GITC, who now move on to round two.
Meanwhile, action in the Region Two zone continued with two games at the Charity Community Centre ground. In the opening game, Charity outplayed Wakapoa 3-0 with Richard Corriera scoring a double in the 31st and 34th minutes and Wakapoa conceding an own-goal in the 29th.
Game two saw Cotton Field thumping 8th of May 6-2 with Hosea Peters blasting in five goals. Peters scored in the 33rd, 55th, 63rd, 70th and 75th minutes, while Raphael Cook scored the other in the 10th.
Scoring for 8th of May were D’Anjelo Pitman and Ronsville O’Neil who netted in the 2nd and 35th minutes respectively.
In the lone game of the Region Four zone, Beterverwagting needled Golden Grove 1-0 at the Victoria ground. Osafa Campbell produced the allimportant goal in the 22nd minute.
IBleus blast Swiss in thriller
t’s not easy to win a Test match. Just ask West Indies. Their victory drought in Tests seemed set to end yesterday evening itself, but Mark Craig and BJ Watling made them wait. And wait. The odd drizzle and some threatening rain clouds on the fifth morning only increased the anxiety for the home side. More than two hours into play on the fifth morning, they finally did get New Zealand all out, and though they faced a not-too-challenging
target of 93, a downpour soon after the final wicket meant there was little relief for West Indies. As the skies cleared, so too did the home side’s troubles. West Indies fans got to see the sight that perhaps cheers them up the most: Chris Gayle batting in Twenty20 mode to demolish the bowling. The target was hunted down in just 13.2 overs, the long wait for a Test win was finally over, and the series was level.
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