Guyana Times - Sunday, March 31, 2019

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Nationwide coverage coverage from from the the best best news news team team in in Guyana Guyana Nationwide Issue No. 3880 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON BEACON OF OF TRUTH TRUTH THE

Sunday, March 31, 2019

Judiciary cannot rewrite Constitution, insert provisions – former T&T PM

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Pensioner injured, 5 homeless after P11 Corentyne fire

Page 3

…says Guyana’s Constitution has nothing about “absolute” majority

Elections schedule Berbice woman hacked to death must adhere to Constitution – US Govt by husband 1 dead, 8 suspected Swine Flu cases detected in Region 1 Page 10

Page 9

Some of the suspected Swine Flu patients being escorted by Georgetown Public Hospital medical personnel in protective gear to the ambulance at the Eugene F Correia International Airport on Saturday (Dexter Ceres photo)

Janet Jagan made great sacrifices for Guyana – Ali Page 15

"All things are possible to those who believe" – New Nigel’s Supermarket owner Page 13

Venezuelans rally to protest chronic power outages P18

P8 1 of 6 juveniles who escaped from NOC voluntarily returns

Tourist from visiting cruise ship robbed P2

P5 MOTP clarifies Harmon’s statement

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SUnDAY, march 31, 2019 | guyanatimesGY.com

Tourist on visiting cruise ship robbed

O

ne of the 77 tourists who arrived in Guyana on the MS Serenissima was robbed of his belongings in the wee hours of Saturday morning at Lombard Street, Georgetown.

Based on reports, 40-year-old Neil Horrocks reportedly arrived at Lombard Street, Georgetown, in a taxi at about 01:00h after leaving a popular Main Street, Georgetown, nightspot.

After he exited the taxi, he was pounced on by two men who demanded that he hand over his valuables. The perpetrators made their escape with a quantity of cash and the tourist’s credit card.

During the encounter, Horrocks received injuries about his body and was treated by a doctor on board the MS Serenissima. A report was filed to the police.

The vessel arrived in

Visiting vessel, MS Serenissima docked at the GNSC wharf (DPI photo)

Guyana on Friday morning and was docked at the Guyana National Shipping Corporation’s (GNSC) port.

There are 77 travellers and over 50 crew members on board.

Earlier last year, the Chief Constable, Andrew Foo had labelled the Stabroek Market and its immediate surroundings as one of two criminal hotspots for petty thieves who linger

and rob persons.

“There’s a trend emerging where I would say what in terms to be ‘soft targets’.

They tend to look at persons who may be possibly foreigners or tourists because in most cases, when they’re robbed, some don’t make official or formal police reports.

They tend to just leave the country,” he was quoted as saying.

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SUnDAY, march 31, 2019 | guyanatimesGY.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, March 31 – a night retraction from 02:00h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h and Monday, April 1 – a night retraction from 03:00h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, March 31 – 13:40h-15:10h and Monday, April 1 – 14:20h-15:50h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

Judiciary cannot rewrite Constitution, insert provisions – former T&T PM ...says Guyana’s Constitution has nothing about “absolute” majority

Parika and Supenaam departure times - 05:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h daily

WEATHER TODAY Early morning sunny weather is expected to give way to sunny intervals, with sunny weather returning in the late afternoon. Clear skies are expected in the evening, with overall temperatures ranging between 20 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly to North-easterly between 2.23 metres and 5.36 metres.

High Tide: 01:19h and 13:39h reaching maximum heights of 2.06 metres and 2.15 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 07:12h and 19:44h reaching minimum heights of 1.17 metres and 1.01 metres respectively.

Former T&T Prime Minister Basdeo Panday during his contribution, in the bottom left hand corner. He is joined by political activist, Dr David Hinds (bottom right) and Economist Sase Singh (top left)

T

he recent Court of Appeal ruling that an “absolute” majority of 34 was needed to validly pass a no-confidence motion in Guyana’s National Assembly continues to be analysed and commented on, with veteran politician and former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Basdeo Panday weighing in on the matter.

Panday on Saturday speaking during a broadcast of a Globespan Town Hall panel discussion which also featured political activist, Dr David Hinds and Economist Sase Singh, said if the craft-

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“Sixty-five divided by two is 32 and a half. I don’t think they (framers of Constitution) intended that you should have 32 and a half man. It’s simple. You can’t have a half man. So a majority of 65 is 33. That’s how I would interpret it,” Panday said.

No mention of absolute majority

Hinds, a Working People’s Alliance (WPA) executive, acknowledged that there is no mention in the Constitution of an “absolute” majority being needed. However, he did note that the Constitution

“It seems to me as though a distinction is trying to be made with a provision in Guyana’s Constitution, that all members of Guyana’s Parliament should be present.

And they are hanging on to this little thing.

But if the Parliament wanted an absolute as opposed to a simple, it would say so. All it (Constitution) said was, all must be present.

But it doesn’t change the balance” – former T&T Prime Minister ers of Guyana’s Constitution wanted to specify an “absolute” majority, then the Constitution would have said so. However, Panday noted that there is nothing about an “absolute” majority in Guyana’s Constitution.

“It seems to me as though a distinction is trying to be made with a provision in Guyana’s Constitution, that all members of Guyana’s Parliament should be present. And they are hanging on to this little thing…“But if the Parliament wanted an absolute as opposed to a simple, it would say so. All it (Constitution) said was, all must be present. But it doesn’t change the balance. It doesn’t say, well it shouldn’t be a simple majority. If they wanted that they would say that,” Panday, an attorney said.

According to Panday, the court had an obligation to interpret what the Constitution says, but noted that there seem to be attempts to avoid the consequences of the Constitution.

Moreover, Panday noted that in simple mathematical equations the majority of 65 is 33 as there can be no “half man.”

According to Panday, the courts cannot rewrite the Constitution

makes a distinction between votes to pass bills and votes for a no-confidence motion.

The political analyst said the Constitution was interpreted and thus, the Judges ruled in accordance with what they thought the Constitution implied.

However, both Panday and Singh noted that the Appeals Court Judges are limited in their latitude for interpreting the Constitution. Panday made it clear that it is not open to Judges to rewrite the Constitution. turn to page 7

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guyanatimesgy.com

SUnDAY, march 31, 2019

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544 223-7230,223-7231,231-0544, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

Dual citizen outrage

I

n an effort to reverse the successful People’s Progressive Party (PPP) No-confidence Motion (NCM), as determined and reiterated by the National Assembly, the People’s National Congress (PNC)-led Government resorted to the courts, invoking a number of claims based on different constitutional “limbs”. For instance, they claimed that Article 106 (6) demanded a majority of the elected members of the National Assembly was needed but that this an implicit “absolute” majority of 34, which was not met.

Simultaneously, they moved that AFC’s Charrandas Persaud, who voted for the motion, was a “dual citizen” and as such his vote was vitiated by Article 155 (1) (a). That Article states, “No person shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly who is, by virtue of his own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.” Persaud was a dual citizen of Canada and Guyana and would have sworn allegiance to that country.

The Chief Justice (CJ), sitting in the High Court, ruled that indeed dual citizens are not qualified to be members of the National Assembly but that because Persaud was unaware of his infirmity at the time he voted, his vote was valid through the operation of Article 165 (1). This states: “The Assembly may act…and the presence or participation of any person not entitled to be present or to participate in the proceedings of the Assembly, shall not invalidate those proceedings.”

She also ruled that 33 votes constituted the “majority” demanded by Article 106 (6) and thus, with Persaud’s vote, the NCM was validly passed and the President and Cabinet had to resign. The Government appealed the decision and the Court of Appeal (CA) agreed with the Chief Justice on the issue of dual citizenship as per Article 155 (1) (a) and the validity of Persaud’s vote by Article 165 (1). However, they overruled the CJ on the requirement for a majority being met and ruled that an “absolute” majority of 34 was needed but not met. The PPP then appealed this latter ruling. What was not overruled, however, was that a dual citizen, being aware of his status was disqualified from being a Member of Parliament.

We have taken the time to belabour the decisions of the Guyanese courts because of what we believe to be an outrageous position now taken by the PNC-led Government.

On one hand, they gleefully welcomed the decision of the CA on the “majority” question and “unresigned” the President and Cabinet, which promptly met and announced that the National Assembly shall reconvene on April 11. But on the question of the disqualification of dual citizens as per Article 155 (1)(a) on which both the High and Appellate Courts concurred, the Government spokesman had this to say: “The attorneys representing the State will advise the Government with respect to the situation with members of the Government that are dual citizens. So, in that regard I would say that this matter is still engaging the attention and Cabinet has not made a ruling on it. In that regard, it is contemplated that on April 11, 2019, when the National Assembly sits, that all of the members on the Government side will be there.”

What is there for “the attorneys representing the State” to advise on? That Ministers Carl Greenidge and Gaskin became British citizens as children? The High Court’s ruling that the act of applying or renewing the passport of a foreign Government constituted the necessary acknowledgement of “allegiance” to that country stands and as such they are barred, as well as Rupert Roopnaraine and Joseph Harmon, from sitting in the National Assembly. On the Opposition side there are three dual citizens – Gail Teixeira, Odinga Lumumba and Adrian Anamayah. The People’s Progressive Party has since indicted that these three will either not return to Parliament or will give up the foreign citizenship.

The Government cannot cherry pick which of the Appellate Courts’ rulings they will observe: if Cabinet was resuscitated by the latter’s “absolute” majority ruling then their dual citizen MP’s were disqualified by the ruling on this issue. The Govt invoked the dual citizen issue and they have been caught in a contradiction of their own artifice: they sawed off the limb they had jumped on.

In this National Geographic photo, a group of bonnet macaques enjoy a majestic view while grooming each other. The macaques, also called zati, are native to southern India (Samyak Kaninde photo)

Future of oil and the maritime industries discussion hijacked?

Dear Editor, A rather unusual event took place on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 – one that raised several questions in my mind.

I am referring to the “Guyana’s New Maritime Landscape, preparing for the future” conference, which was hosted by the Hughes, Fields and Stoby law firm and Cerulean Master Card under the rubric of the Guyana Maritime Administration at the Marriott Hotel.

The invitation which was dispatched to many people by Nigel Hughes on behalf of Hughes Fields and Stoby advised that: “Guyana’s national efforts to prepare for the advent of the commercial production of oil have necessitated a revisit of our existing legal and regulatory framework for several industries and particularly for the maritime industry.

“The current legal and regulatory maritime framework is inadequate for the development of the oil and gas industry which is upon us.

“In order to meet this challenge, the Maritime Authority of Guyana (MARAD) has determined that it will host a conference on the 27th March 2019 at the Marriot where it hopes to benefit from the contributions of the stakeholders in the maritime industry as it sets about the task of crafting draft laws and regulations for the new maritime regime….

“The conference will address four themes namely: Legal and institutional considerations to enhance governance of Guyana’s maritime industry, Industry best practices among the oil majors for self-regulation, Lessons learnt and new rules and regulations for enforcement.”

One should remember that in September 2018, the same firm at the launching of its office in Houston, Texas, said: “Long before a potential investor even arrives in Guyana, the law offices of Hughes, Fields and Stoby will now be on hand in Houston, Texas, to guide clients through what could be a complex process of establishing business relationships in Guyana…From legal representation right through to assistance with the appropriate business protocols and linkage to a network of officials in the public and Private Sector, a client’s every need is attended to in ensuring the doors to doing business in Guyana are easily and readily open.”

So the first set of questions relate to the organisation and funding of the conference.

Why was the Guyana Maritime Administration not taking the lead in inviting people, even on their website there is no information about the conference nor its agenda, just the announcement?

Why was Hughes, Fields and Stoby the “producer of the event” as stated on the

flyer?

Who was paying for the conference and the presenters – Regional Adviser, Caribbean, Colin Young; International Maritime Organisation, Vivian RambarathParasram; Programme Leader, Maritime Studies of University of Trinidad and Tobago, Professor Eric Smith; Professor of Practice at the AB Freeman School of Business at Tulane University, Eric Smith; Thomas Steigerwald, Maritime consultant and Retired Rear Admiral, United States Coast Guard, James Olson? Did the other companies named in the conference document – Guyana Shore Base Inc, Global Maritime Consultants Group, and GAICO contribute to the funding? Who paid Hughes Fields and Stoby to produce this Maritime conference?

Certainly, l do not think MARAD could have had the money to do so. The second set of questions relate to policy-making.

“The Vision” in the conference brochure is written by CA Nigel Hughes as Managing Partner of Hughes Fields and Stoby.

The fact that the vision had no vision is not surprising, but here is the vision being propagated by a gentleman who is representing the interests of the oil investors, and whose wife is a Minister. A conflict of interest situation which was exposed over six months ago but which the Government

has ignored.

One wonders whether the Government has relinquished or parcelled out policy-making of our national concerns and interests to Nigel Hughes, Managing Partner of a company that is facilitating and benefiting financially from the oil interests.

Who is representing Guyana’s interests? Or will we be seeing a repetition of the 2016 secret agreement?

Why was the Foreign Affairs Ministry not present as there are Maritime issues with regards to our international treaty obligations as well as specific concerns with regards to our maritime boundaries and the oil sector?

Furthermore, why was the selection of the local panellists restricted to their affiliation to only two law firms and one political party?

Why were local companies which are involved in the maritime industry and other stakeholders in this sector not included as panellists? One wonders after examining this line-up at the conference if the draft local content policy touted by the Government is just another window dressing.

Finally, has the discussion on the future of oil and the maritime industries now being hijacked to special interests and not national interests?

Sincerely, Darion Comacho

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SunDAY, march 31, 2019 | guyanatimesGY.com

MOTP clarifies Harmon’s statement R

esponding to an article published by Guyana Times and Inews on Friday, March 29, 2019, the Ministry of the Presidency has sought to clarify that Minister of State Joseph Harmon has said he “will not give up his foreign citizenship but will continue to serve as a Member of Parliament (MP)

until the ruling by Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).”

According to the Ministry, in responding to a question posed to him, Minister Harmon said: “The question of dual citizenship, this is matter which is hot in the media right now and therefore, I believe it is important that we clarify this matter. I must

say to you that this matter has engaged the attention of the High Court of Guyana, it has engaged the attention of the Court of Appeal and it is also a matter which has been appealed to the Caribbean Court of Justice as one of the grounds for appeal. In that regard, the attorneys representing the State will advise the

Government with respect to the situation with Members of the Government that are dual citizens so in that regard, I will say that this matter is still engaging the attention and Cabinet has not made a ruling on it. In that regard, it is contemplated that on April 11, 2019, when the National Assembly sits, that all the

members of the Government side will be there.”

Further, in response to another question posed by another journalist, who asked, “Sir, could you explain the Government’s reasoning for not wanting to uphold the court’s decision on dual citizenship even though that is under appeal as is the passage

of the No-confidence Motion?

The Opposition Leader has accused you of being duplicitous…”

Minister Harmon said that while the matter is under appeal at the Caribbean Court of Justice, the Government will respect and honour the final decision of the Court.

Guyana: love at first visit Map to technology Dear Editor, Like most Americans, the only thing I knew about Guyana was that a very tragic event transpired some 40 years ago in the jungle that featured a megalomaniac preacher. There is a saying that we in the US can’t locate a country on a map until our military bombs it.

Among all the things I learned over the past few years is that Guyana has a sizable Hindu population.

Thankfully, attending the annual Hindu Mandir Executive Conference in Trinidad some four years ago resulted in a serious offer to visit. The trip would be sponsored by a few Guyanese along with my advocacy organisation, The Hindu American Foundation (HAF), where I sit on its National Leadership Council (HAFSITE.ORG).

Though the A in HAF specifically indicates “America,” as in “the United States of…” the Board and staff agreed that we must not dismiss such sizable populations in close proximity.

The scenery in Guyana is awesome but it is the people that really make the lasting impressions. I was immediately overwhelmed with great kindness and hospitality.

The 1st few of my 9 days were spent at The Social Services Centre of Excellence in Woodley Park, WCB. This was founded by Pandit and educator, Ram Rattan, who currently spends most of his time in Florida but continues to maintain a presence in Guyana. This is truly a jewel of a place, offering classes for social and individual improvement. Sri Ramji was kind enough to provide me with a room and all meals when he learnt the purpose of my trip.

He even joined me for several of the lectures I gave in that general area.

Since so many Indians who became indentured in Guyana were from Utter Pradesh, my experience allowed me to sample new tastes—seven curry on lotus leaves.

One breath-taking trip was the ferry from Parika to Essequibo. Everything about it—the water, passing the beautiful islands, and the wonderful breeze, all contributed to a feeling of great content.

Guyana has absolutely stunning homes. What impresses most is the originality of the designs and architecture. All the houses are unique, unlike our dull subdivisions.

I know that Guyana is not a “rich” country, but everyone in the US with whom I shared my photos would like to visit.

I saw many inspiring temples outstanding among which was

the one at Gay Park, overseen by female Pandita, Srimati Maraj. Our guide for the day, generous and always willing to help, Rudy (back shop) Rampersaud, made sure that we visited the site where indentured servants first landed in 1838.

I would encourage Hindus from the US and India alike to take a lesson from the way pujas and yagnas are conducted in Guyana. We spend too much time in rituals that few can understand but in the land of endless summer, the rituals are briefer. There is always an accomplished harmoniumist and percussionist.

The power of bhajans create an atmosphere of true bhakti. The kathas delivered by the pundits are the centre of attention. Drawing from the stories of the Ramayana (mostly) they engage the devotees in a way that I don’t often see in standard American Hindu temples. There are exceptions here, but they are rare.

At US temples people overindulge in socialising. No matter if it is a church, synagogue or mosque, members have to be constantly told to stop talking. However, at a yagna with over 500 in attendance at Hampton Court on the Essequibo Coast, all eyes and ears were on presiding Pandit Lalaram from the Bath Settlement, Berbice.

They were also very kind to me when I was asked to speak.

Visiting and staying with Swami Aksharananda allowed me to speak for an entire day to the students at Saraswati Vidya Niketan, a private Hindu School at Cornelia Ida. The behaviour of the children, their rigorous schedule and the quality of the teachers, all contributed to its status as one of the best in the country. If we could import that level of academic professionalism to the US we would have a greater nation. Fixed in memory is a trip to the Stabroek Market, where I was able to purchase a beautiful gold necklace from the most venerable jewellery merchants in Guyana. I was warned that this was not the safest place for a white foreigner, but I was fortunate to have Swami with me.

The purpose of my trip was to investigate the challenge that the Hindu community is dealing with what we call predatory conversion. While acknowledging the sanctity of a person’s decision to move from one religion to another, we know that some religious groups use methods on individuals and communities to persuade them to adopt a religion they wouldn’t normally join if not for pressure. This coercion

can come in the form of bribery, medical aid, professional gains, etc. It was thought that a white American who did, in fact, leave his birth religion of his own accord to embrace Dharma might have a positive impact on the devotees who have to deal with ideas of superiority that the European explorers took with them to their colonies. In my conversations with retired lawyer and Guyanese-Canadian writer, Ram Sahadeo, we discussed a lecture tour I completed back in 2005 when I crisscrossed much of India’s northeast states, speaking at local temples, schools and public venues in an attempt to resist the

rampant predatory conversion practices there. There seemed to be much interest in our mission in Guyana. Several good connections were made and many ideas were discussed but much more coordination is needed to combat this problem using the Gandhian principle of Ahimsa.

Anyone interested in a more detailed report can contact me at Fred@hafsite.org Sincerely, Fred Stella Member, National Leadership Council Hindu American Foundation

Our downfall Dear Editor, A majority of owners of minibuses give operators their bus to work and have various conditions they have to work the bus including the time of collecting and dropping off the bus, maintenance, and the target (amount of money for the bus each day). Now, one of the first things most operators do is to ensure that they put aside their money for the day first so should any mishap occur to the bus, they have their day’s money intact whilst the owners would be without, depending on the time. In other words, they put themselves first. After being frustrated about the way Guyana was being governed by the previous Administration, many of us campaigned vigilantly with this present Administration and after their success, we were all shocked to see this Government reducing themselves, very similar to minibus operators, ensuring they are okay first and then down to business. According to the President, increasing their salaries would stamp out corruption. Ironically, we started to see credible proof of corruption in this present Administration and bullyism worse than the previous Administration.

They blatantly continue business as usual while the public forms their own opinion of them. Despite their assurances that things would be better, they choose to take things for granted and were caught with their pants down at the last concluded Local Government Election. Before they could fully bounce back, again, their world was rocked with the NoConfidence Motion. The two actions caught them unprepared and they conceded defeat but Nigel Hughes quickly came with their rescue with a strange explanation which had them running breathless-

ly to the High Court and the Appeal Court in which the latter passed a judgment in their favour and now the Opposition is running to a much higher court for satisfaction. With the action by the Government, it clearly shows that they will not be giving up power and we also see a rush by this Administration to award and finish pending projects.

Editor, with all that happening of recent, all sorts of things could be said in and out of favour of this Administration but social media seems to be buzzing with newsfeeds and videos that should be of great concern to us all. There are various incidents of bullyish attitudes being shown and the latest is a student of Christ Church Secondary School who seems to either be in Grade Seven or Grade Eight in a physical confrontation with a teacher. In the background, you can hear a female voice saying dump her in the bin.

There are incidents of students and teachers being involved in illicit drugs. Then we have the various hospitals having numerous infant deaths where most of those concerned believe that negligence is the main cause. I am not scared to pen it but at many public places you go to conduct any sort of business, there is a serious change in attitudes and when you voice your opinion, it falls on deaf ears.

These behaviours are strange and alarmingly, it seems to originate from schools. My only logical reasoning is that because they are seeing the actions of the Government and the Government’s abuse of power, they are telling themselves they can get away with whatever they are doing too.

Sincerely, Sahadeo Bates

Dear Editor, While the politicians squabble for power, Guyana and Guyanese are being left behind in development.

What is needed is someone (or a group of people) with a vision on how to get Guyana developed so that we close this massive gap.

When I talk about a massive gap, I mean Guyana does not manufacture calculators, computers, ships, cars, aircraft, space crafts, etc. Yet, we can be very pretentious in pretending that since we can buy these things (to a certain extent) we are doing okay.

What Guyanese need to do is to first map the technology.

As an example, we start simple, by having a farm which produces fruits, vegetables and ground provisions in a large-scale as this tends to reduce prices. Then we look at - say from cherry - producing jams, juices and fruit salads (we can do the same with many other fruits...like pineapple). With rice farms already in existence, we should be looking to manufacture rice cereal (pop rice), rice cakes, etc.

With timber, we should be looking to produce logs, furniture, house frames, paper, etc.

In this way, we can turn

Guyana into a manufacturing centre. What is needed is the political will, the understanding of how to transmit this information of manufacturing to the farmers, etc.

It is all good and proper to say plant plantain and make plantain chips but people need to be taught how to do these things as well as have enough financial resources to live on while their businesses develop.

It is no good saying plant plantain and make plantain chips to a small farmer because to be commercially feasible you need mediumto large-scale farms.

We can do this with most technologies like bauxite, to an alumina plant to aluminium (I do not suggest that we start building an alumina plant as it is too costly). The good thing is that Guyanese do not need to research and develop the technologies as they are already in existence.

What is needed is the political will to understand that you need to teach people how to produce cherry jam, cherry juice, fruit salad, etc. Or, would Guyanese prefer to remain in stasis? I think not!

Yours faithfully, Sean Ori

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Foundation

ertain key practices will make life easier for everyone in the family when it comes to studying and organisation. However, some of the methods may require an adjustment for other members of the family.

Turn off the TV. Make a house rule, depending on the location of the screen, that when it is study time, it is “no TV” time. A running tv will draw kids like bees to honey.

What about the radio or other audio devices? Should it be on or off? Contrary to what many specialists say, some kids do seem to function well with the radio turned on to a favourite music station.

(Depending on the layout of your house or apartment, maybe an investment in earbuds would be worthy of consideration.)

Set specific rules about using cell phones during study hours.

For instance, use of a cell phone can only occur if it becomes necessary to call a schoolmate to confirm an assignment or discuss particularly challenging homework.

Designate specific areas for homework and studying. Designate specific areas for homework and studying. Possibilities include the kitchen, dining room, or your child’s bedroom. Eliminate as much distraction as possible. Since many kids will study in their rooms, the function becomes more important than beauty.

Most desks for kids don’t have enough space to spread out materials. A table that allows for all necessary supplies such as pencils, pens, paper, books, and other essentials works exceptionally well.

Consider placing a bulletin board in your child’s room above the desk. Your local hardware store may sell wallboard that is inexpensive and perfect to post essential school items. You may decide to paint or cover it with burlap to improve its appearance or let your child take on this project.

Keeping general supplies on hand is important. Check with your child about his or her needs. Make it his/her responsibility to be well supplied with paper, pencils, notepads, etc. Encourage the use of a notebook for writing down assignments so there is no confusion about when they must be turned in to the teacher.

Consistency is a critical factor in academic success. Try to organize the household so that dinner is at a regular hour, and once it’s over, it’s time to crack the books. If your child doesn’t have other commitments and gets home reasonably early from school, some homework completion can occur before dinner.

Consider your child’s developmental level when setting the amount of time for homework. While high school students can focus for over an hour, first-graders are unlikely to last more than 15 minutes on a single task. Allow your child to take breaks, perhaps as a reward for finishing a section of the work.

Organise study and homework projects. Get a large dry erase calendar – one that allows space for jotting things down in the daily boxes. Have your child use different bold coloured dry erase markers to write exam dates, reports that are coming due, etc. This will serve as a reminder so that assignments aren’t set aside until the last minute.

Teach your child that studying is more than just doing homework assignments. One of the most misunderstood aspects of schoolwork is the difference between studying and doing homework assignments. Encourage your child to do things such as: * take notes as he’s/she’s reading a chapter * learn to skim material * learn to study tables and charts * learn to summarize what he/she has read in his/her own words * learn to make his/her own flashcards for a quick review of dates, formulas, spelling words, etc.

Learn how to create a healthier, happier family that understands the importance of spending less time glued to their electronics and more time communicating and connecting.

Note-taking is a critical skill and needs development. Many students don’t know how to take notes in classes that require them. Some feel they have to write down every word the teacher says. Others have wisely realised the value of an outline form of note-taking. Well prepared teachers present their material in a format that lends itself to outline form note taking.

Should notes ever be rewritten? In some cases, they should be, particularly if there is a lot of covered material. Sometimes a child has to write quickly but lacks speed and organization. Rewriting notes takes time, but it can be an excellent review of the subject matter. However, rewriting notes isn’t worth the time unless they are useful for review and recall of valuable information.

Help your child to feel confident about taking tests. Test taking can be a traumatic experience for some students. Explain to your child that burning the midnight oil (cramming) the night before a test isn’t productive. It’s better to get a good night’s sleep.

Students also need reminding that when taking a test, they should thoroughly and carefully read the directions before they haphazardly start to mark their test papers. They should be advised to skip over questions for which they don’t know the answers – they can always return to those if there’s time. Good advice for any student before taking a test: take a deep breath, relax, and dive in.

Always bring an extra pencil just in case.

During a homework session, watch for signs of frustration. No learning can take place and little can be accomplished if your child is angry or upset over an assignment that is too long or too difficult.

At such times, you may have to step in and halt the homework for that night, offering to write a note to the teacher explaining the situation and perhaps requesting a conference to discuss the quality and length of homework assignments.

Should parents help with homework? Yes – if it’s productive to do so, such as calling out spelling words or checking a math problem that won’t prove. No – if it’s something your child can handle himself and learn from the process.

Help and support should always be calm and cheerful.

Grudging help is worse than no help at all! Read directions, or check over math problems after your child has completed the

work. Remember to make positive comments – you don’t want your child to associate homework with fights at home.

Model research skills by involving your child in planning a family trip. Help him/her to locate your destination on a map or in an atlas. Use a traditional encyclopaedia to find information about the place you will visit; try the Internet or books in the library.

How best to handle report cards? To save shocks and upsets, from time to time discuss how things are going at school with your child. You can say something casual, such as: * “How did the math test go?” * “How did you do on the history report?” * “How’s your science project coming along? Need any help?”

These questions aren’t giving the “third degree,” but indicate interest. Find out if it’s a policy at your child’s school to send out “warning notices” when work isn’t going well. Generally, such notices require the parent’s signature to verify that the parent has, indeed, been alerted. This is the time to contact the teacher of course, along with your child, to learn what the difficulty may be. If such notices aren’t sent, then grades may be posted online.

Be tuned in to statements such as “He’s an awful teacher,” “She goes too fast,” etc. This may be your child’s way of indicating frustration in understanding content or lack of study time with the subject. However, be cautious in contacting teachers without your child’s knowledge. It may disrupt good feelings between you and make you seem to be interfering. (childdevelopmentinfo.com)

I

(Part 1)

n Howard Gardner’s Frames of Mind, he proposes that there are seven main areas in which all people have special skills; he calls them intelligences. His research at Harvard University was in response to the work that Alfred Binet had done in France around 1900. Binet’s work led to the formation of an intelligence test; we are all familiar with the “intelligence quotient,” or “IQ,” the way that intelligence is measured on his test.

This type of IQ test was used as the basis of another one with which most of us are familiar: the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), which is taken my most college-bound high school students.

Both of these tests look predominantly at two types of intelligences: verbal and math. If a person does well on these, s/he is considered “intelligent,” and is a candidate for one of the better colleges or universities. But what about everyone else? How many of you who are reading these words have used the phrase “not good at taking tests,” when talking either about yourself or your child?

The Multiple Intelligences (MI) theory proposes that there are other measures of intelligence beside these two. I offer this information to you so that you can understand that while many teachers have some knowledge of MI theory, most of our schools are not fully set up to use it to the advantage of all students.

That being the case, perhaps you can either (1) be involved in helping your child’s teachers and school to provide a more balanced program that develops his intelligences that are not more included in the curriculum or (2) find activities outside of the school environment in which your child can develop his dominant areas of intelligence.

You should also know that MI theory posits that each of us has, to some degree or another, all of these intelligences. Some of them are simply more developed than others. Furthermore, we are all able to improve our ability in each of these areas.

Howard Gardner stresses that the intelligences are equal in their importance. In alphabetical order, they are: Bodily-kinaesthetic: using one’s body to solve problems and express ideas and feelings. Actors, athletes, and dancers use their whole bodies in this way, much the same way that craftspeople, sculptors, and mechanics use their hands.

These questions can determine if an adult has a strength in Bodily-Kinaesthetic Intelligence: * Do you regularly participate in a sport or some physical activity? * Is it difficult to sit still for long periods of time? * Do you enjoy working with your hands in creating things? * Do you find that ideas and solutions to problems come to you while you are exercising or doing some sort of physical activity? * Do you enjoy spending your free time outdoors? * Do you speak with your hands or other body gestures? * Do you learn more about things by touching them? * Do you enjoy thrilling amusement park rides such as the roller coaster and other activities like this? * Do you think of yourself as being well-coordinated? * In order to learn a new skill, do you have to practice it to learn it, rather than read about it or see it in a video? (childdevelopmentinfo.com) TO BE CONTINUED

7 1 dead, 8 suspected swine flu cases detected in Region 1 news

SUnDAY, march 31, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

One patient receiving medical attention in an ambulance

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ight persons were airdashed to the city from Region One (BarimaWaini) on Saturday afternoon to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for further treatment after they were displaying symptoms attributed to the H1N1 virus (swine flu).

All eight persons are Chinese who were working with Guyana Manganese Inc in Region One. Another employee of the company, who displayed the same symptoms, has since died. His body was, however, left in Region One. Guyana Times was told that among the symptoms which the men displayed were fever, cough,

headache, body ache, respiratory issues and unstable vital signs.

This publication was told that on receiving reports of the suspected H1N1 virus, officials at GPHC began taking precautionary measures by quarantining an area for the eight patients.

When this newspaper contacted the hospital for a comment on the matter, officials were tightlipped. However, when contacted, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud said that it is too early to presume that the men have “swine flu, dengue, or any other deadly disease”.

“It would be crazy to say they have this or that because tests have to be conducted before any

disclosure is made in this regard. What I can say is that we received reports that these men fell ill in that area (Region One) and they had to be brought to the GPHC. We are doing tests but have to wait on results before pronouncing and as soon as we know what they have we will let the public know,” he told Guyana Times on Saturday afternoon.

But even as the hospital is yet to diagnose the men, Regional Health Services (RHS) Director, Dr Kay Shako denied that the men are suffering from swine flu.

Reports are that a medical team from the Mabaruma Regional Hospital had been deployed to the Matthew’s Ridge area following reports that some persons were exhibiting signs and symptoms caused by contracting the deadly disease.

At about 14:30h on Saturday, four ambulances with medical staff, who were all suited up with protective gear, arrived at the Eugene F Correia International Airport to receive the patients, who were medevaced from Region One by Roraima Airways.

When Guyana Times arrived at the airport, the men were seen exiting the aircraft coughing and had to be helped by medical personnel to reach the ambulances.

This newspaper was told that the men were taken to Region One as labourers and were clearing a mining site when they fell ill. Attempts by this newspaper to contact the Ministers of the Public Health Ministry for an update on this situation proved futile.

Judiciary cannot rewrite...

Last week, the Court of Appeal ruled in a 2:1 split decision that a majority of 34 votes would have been needed to validly pass the Noconfidence Motion brought against the Government last year. While Justice Rishi Persaud had dismissed the appeal and conferred with the ruling of the High Court, his colleague Appellate Judges allowed the State’s appeal.

Both Justices Yonette Cummings-Edwards and

Dawn Gregory opined that while 33 is the majority of the 65-member National Assembly, the successful passage of a no-confidence motion requires an “absolute” majority of 34, and not the “simple” majority of 33 that has been used to pass ordinary business in the House.

The cases were referred to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and on Friday the court set May 10 as the date for hearing the no-con-

from page 3

fidence cases. The CCJ had the three cases: Christopher Ram v the Attorney General of Guyana, the Leader of the Opposition and Joseph Harmon; Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo v the Attorney General of Guyana, Dr Barton Scotland and Joseph Harmon; and Charrandas Persaud v Compton Herbert Reid, Dr Barton Scotland, Bharrat Jagdeo and Joseph Harmon; all abridged to save time.

Just a few months ago, in January, Minister within the Public Health Ministry, Dr Karen Cummings said that the re-emergence of the H1N1 virus (swine flu) in the Caribbean Region is cause for great concern among public health officials throughout the region, but Guyana has already been on heightened alert since the discovery of the H1N1 virus in neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago.

At that time, the Ministry had voiced its call for persons to practice good hygiene – washing your hands frequently with soap

nose and mouth and avoid close contact – you are expected to be about six feet away from a person suffering from the H1N1 virus.

Persons are being advised to drink plenty of fluids, stay at home, rest to treat the fever and see your primary care physician should they contract the virus.

Healthcare workers are asked to ensure that they practice infection control and use personal protective equipment.

Some of the symptoms of Swine Flu are: Fever (but not always, chills, cough, sore throat,

Some of the patients making their way from the plane to another ambulance

and water or using alcohol-based rubs and to cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when sneezing or coughing.

Avoid touching your eyes,

runny or stuffy nose, watery, red eyes, body aches, headache, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting

8 news

SUnDAY, march 31, 2019 | guyanatimesGY.com

1 of 6 juveniles who escaped from NOC voluntarily returns

O

ne of the six male teens who escaped from the New Opportunity Corps (NOC), Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) on Tuesday last, voluntarily returned to the correctional facility on Saturday.

This is according to Commander of G Division (Essequibo CoastIslands), Senior Superintendent Khali Pareshram, who in an interview with this publication said that law enforcement officers in the region are still searching for the five remaining juveniles.

Commander Pareshram told Guyana Times that although the six had escaped from the NOC between March 25 and 26, 2019, a report was only made to the police about the incident on March 29.

However, while the search was on for the teenagers, one of them voluntarily returned to the facility.

According to Commander Pareshram, the police can only act

Presumptuous New Opportunity Corps, Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast

when these juveniles escape if a report is made or if they are informed of the situation. He noted that ranks cannot conduct investigations into matters that have not been reported by the NOC. He noted that with regard to Government-run/operated institutions, when it involves children, the relevant authorities have to notify the police so that the law enforcement officials can become directly involved.

In relation to the previous incident that occurred two weeks ago when 24 juveniles escaped from the NOC, the Commander stated that all of them from that group are presently back at the facility – some returned voluntarily while others were captured by the police.

On Tuesday last, at about 08:00h, four males escaped the facility by scaling the fence surrounding the juvenile correctional facility. turn to page 10

O

…and polarising the society

ne of the debilitating features of Guyanese life that your Eyewitness has tried to highlight in this space has been the PNC’s proclivity for flouting the highest laws of the country, then whipping up their supporters’ emotions to defend them. This causes the ethnic tectonic plates in the society to drift ever further apart, and one wonders when they’ll become permanently disjunctured.

Take the fallout from the NCM moved by the PPP. The PNC and their propaganda tentacles have refused to acknowledge that this is a valid procedure with its basis in the very bowels of democratic parliamentary governance.

It’s meant to ensure the government of the day maintains its legitimacy by demonstrating it has retained majority support in the Assembly of the peoples’ representatives.

It’s been used on numerous occasions in Britain and India and other democracies. It was passed on by the British in the 1966 Independence Constitution; removed by the dictator Burnham in 1980, and replaced in the mass constitutional amendments on 2000, demanded by the PNC and approved by them!!

Ironically, the NCM was raised by the AFC with the support of the APNU in 2014, when they together held a majority of seats in the Assembly. It was only averted by the PPP when President Ramotar used another constitutional device: the power to prorogue parliament and call elections -- in which the latter were defeated by the AFC/APNU coalition!

But when the PPP were successful with their NCM, the PNC convinced their supporters that it was “a coup d’etat”, which is an illegal overthrow of a government!!

The PPP were “underhanded” and “cunning” and connived to “bribe” the AFC’s Charrandas, who voted with them.

The Police Chief said he was “investigating” claims, but 4 months later – blank!! Never mind there’s been no proof of any bribery, circulation of accusations by the PNC partisans of gold purchases and money passed in T&T was enough to convince their supporters that bribery was in fact used!!

One supporter with a column in the Chronic – the representative of African Guyanese on the ERC – repeated the slander of “bribery” without any qualification, and even implied that Persaud, not being a Christian, was more prone to offering bribes. This charge, of course, is part of the stereotype that “explains” why Indians are more successful in business!!

Today, it’s an article of faith that the NCM was precipitated by PPP bribing Persaud.

The rearguard action by the PNC to prevent the workings of the NCM by jumping from limb to legal limb with their selective observance of the courts’ rulings have only continued to widen Guyana’s polarisation. But the PNC don’t care; they’re only interested in power.

…on the voters’ list

One of the excuses invented by the PNC to delay elections – in addition to their opportunistic use of the courts – was that the voters’ list had to be “sanitised”.

Never mind that when the NCM was passed on Dec 21 2018, the list was valid until April 30 2019, and preparations for elections by then could’ve been consummated But the PNC were forced to reveal their “wrong and strong” face when their unilaterally appointed GECOM Chair first dilly-dallied for months in calling for elections’ preparation. He then used his casting vote to strengthen the PNC’s agenda of stretching out the elections date to “the end of never”.

Once again, the polarisation is exacerbated as half of the country seethes in frustration as nice sounding platitudes about “clean lists” are used as a fig leaf for what is obviously an attempt to game the elections. Guyanese, after all, know that the bullyism of the PNC will always be used to entrench their hold on power.

The prospect of oil money flowing from 2020 just gives them an extra incentive.

…and Broomes

If anyone epitomises the “wrong and strong” attitude of the PNC, literally it’s Simona Broomes. It was on show when she bullied those poor security guards over fried rice.

Where’s that promised “investigation by the party (PNC)”?

Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com

9 Berbice woman hacked to death by husband A news

SUnDAY, march 31, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

mother of one was on Saturday morning hacked to death by her husband.

Dead is 20-yearold Omawattie Wazi called “Agile” of Lot 33 D Williamsburg, Rose Hall Town, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

Reports are Wazi and the suspect, Gavin Gill, have been living at Port Mourant Village for the past year but she recently moved to her mother’s Williamsburg, Rose Hall Town, home after her husband of 14 months became abusive.

Guyana Times was told that the young mother moved out with her seven-month-old baby from the matrimonial home about two weeks ago. She started working on Monday last as a sales clerk at a hardware store. However, at about 07:55h while on her way to work on Saturday that her husband struck her down with his car. She was riding a bicycle at the time. This publication understands that the man then exited the car with a knife and stabbed her several times before chopping her with a cutlass.

According to one eyewitness, Subnauth Bickam, after hearing the impact, he rushed towards his gate and saw the woman moving from the bonnet of the vehicle and landing on his bridge.

He said he rushed outside to assist the woman but saw the driver coming towards her. He said that the man took a knife and started stabbing the woman and despite his pleas to get him to stop, he did not. He said that

“He don’t buy milk for the baby and drinking rum all the time. We hear he does beat she bad but she don’t tell mommy. It get overbearing and she come home back,” the grieving sister said. This newspaper was told that after Wazi moved from the home, her husband

made several threats that he was going to kill her. This led to the woman applying for and received a restraining order which forbade Gill from being within 100 feet of Wazi, her sister and her mother.

Guyana Times was told that Gill is currently before

the court for a robbery under arms charge.

In that case, the police are alleging that he was the driver of the car which transported several bandits to and from a robbery at Corentyne, Berbice.

(Andrew Carmichael)

Passenger caught with 4 parcels of ganja in minibus

A

Omawattie Wazi and her husband, Gavin Gill, in happier times

the man then rushed back to the car and came running at him with a cutlass.

The man reportedly held the woman by her hair and began chopping her at the neck. Meanwhile, a mobile police patrol was passing at the time and the ranks rushed to the woman’s aid and apprehended her husband. He was taken to the Albion Police Station.

According to the dead woman’s sister, Samantha Wazi, the couple had been married for 14 months, after the suspect returned to

Guyana from the United States 17 months ago.

She said that prior to the marriage, one of the suspect’s relatives reached out to her family and advised her sister not to marry the man.

According to the grieving woman, her sister did not pay heed and went ahead and married Gill.

Samantha Wazi explained that one Saturday, the family suspected that the man was abusing her sister but she hid the abuse from her mother.

young man has been taken into police custody after he was caught with a quantity of cannabis in his possession while travelling in public transportation.

The 24-year-old suspect of New Amsterdam, Berbice, was a passenger in a minibus on the East Coast Demerara (ECD) when the vehicle was stopped by police.

Reports are that at about 15:00h on Friday, police ranks stopped the minibus at Vigilance Public Road, ECD, but as they looked at the passengers, the young man appeared nervous. This resulted in his belongings being searched and the drugs were unearthed.

The Berbician was taken into custody. The cannabis weighed 1945.5 grams.

He is being processed for court.

In February, a duo was also intercepted by police ranks with a quantity of cannabis in a minibus.

The passengers were en route to Georgetown from Berbice when the minibus in which they were travelling was stopped at Weldaad Police Station, West Coast Berbice (WCB).

Based on a tipoff, the two passengers were searched during which 1986 grams of the illegal substance was unearthed.

On January 15, another passenger was nabbed by ranks with some 3283 grams of cannabis con-

cealed in seven taped parcels on the Weldaad Public Road, WCB. The suspect, a 28-yearold of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, Berbice, was intercepted at about 14:10h while en route to Georgetown.

This publication understands that acting on information, the ranks stopped the vehicle in which he was traversing and searched him when the discovery was made.

10 news

SUnDAY, march 31, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Elections schedule must adhere to Constitution – US Govt

Deputy Spokesperson for the US Department of State, Robert Palladino

W

ith concerns continuing to be raised about the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and its capacity to carry out credible elections, the US State Department has reminded the country of the need for free and fair elections.

This was communicated in a missive from Deputy Spokesperson for the US Department of State, Robert Palladino, in which an offer of assistance was also made. It comes at a time when GECOM failed to hold elections within 90 days of a no-confidence vote, as specified by the Constitution.

“The United States reiterates the importance of scheduling genuinely free and fair national elections in the Co-operative Republic of Guyana in adherence with the Guyanese Constitution and Guyanese law,” the missive stated.

Palladino also went on to add that the United States Government “values Guyana as a friend and partner and stands ready to assist as needed.”

The missive comes at a time when neighbouring Venezuela is in economic and political turmoil, with the US backing the Opposition to oust President Nicholás

President David Granger

Maduro after elections widely criticised as fraudulent were held to give the Venezuelan leader a second term.

Since the December 21, 2018, passage of the motion of no-confidence against the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change coalition, calls have been made by various stakeholders including foreign diplomats here for the Guyana Government to abide by the Constitution and set a date for elections.

British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn in an exclusive interview with Guyana Times had reminded that the clock is ticking on the constitutional three-month deadline for holding elections.

Additionally, representatives from the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) had also echoed similar calls in February for the Guyana Government to adhere to the Constitution.

With less than six days remaining before the 90day deadline expires, the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) had written several international bodies asking that they do not recognised the coalition Government after March 21.

March 21, 2019, came and went with no elections being called and President David Granger laying blame

for his delay in calling an election date at the feet of the GECOM. In an address to the nation, Granger claimed he was “constrained” from naming a date for elections because GECOM had not provided adequate information about its readiness for holding elections.

Referring to recent meetings with GECOM Commissioners, President Granger had said that he has not received the guidance he needs to proclaim a date for elections. According to the President, it would be “reckless” for him to announce a date for elections without being satisfied that the Commission can guarantee credible elections.

The day after March 21, Government faced protests in the streets from People’s Progressive Party (PPP) supporters calling on the State to facilitate elections and stop using GECOM as an excuse for not naming an elections date.

However, the Government was handed a reprieve that same day when the Court of Appeal ruled in a 2:1 split decision that a majority of 34 votes would have been needed to validly pass the No-confidence motion brought against the Government last year. While Justice Rishi Persaud had dismissed the appeal and conferred with the ruling of the High Court, his colleague appellate judges allowed the state’s appeal.

Both Justices Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Dawn Gregory opined that while 33 is the majority of the 65-member National Assembly, the successful passage of a no-confidence motion requires an “absolute majority” of 34, and not the “simple” majority of 33 that has been used to pass ordinary business in the House.

The cases were referred to the Caribbean Court of

Thousands of People’s Progressive Party supporters across the country on Friday (March 22) led peaceful protests against the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change Government.

In composite photos are protesters from Regions Two and Three, and those gathered outside the Ministry of the Presidency in Georgetown

Justice (CCJ) and on Friday the court set May 10 as the date for hearing the no-confidence cases. The CCJ had the three cases, Christopher Ram v the Attorney General

of Guyana, the Leader of the Opposition and Joseph Harmon; Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo v the Attorney General of Guyana, Dr Barton Scotland

and Joseph Harmon; and Charrandas Persaud v Compton Herbert Reid, Dr Barton Scotland, Bharrat Jagdeo and Joseph Harmon; all abridged to save time.

1 of 6 juveniles who escaped...

Additionally, in the afternoon at about 17:30h, two more teens crawled through a dried up koker in the compound. They all made good their escape.

Less than two weeks ago, on March 16, twenty-four teenagers who were being housed at this holding centre in Region Two, escaped from the facility.

Reports are that at about 19:30h the discovery was made that 17 males and seven females made good their escape even with three secu-

rity officers and their dorm mothers and fathers in the building.

According to the police, investigations revealed that the females opened a southern door in their dormitory and tied five sheets together then threw the knotted sheets over the western fence of the compound in order to escape.

Guyana Times was told that the males who broke out of the NOC did so by opening a southern window in their dormitory and simply climbed over the fence.

from page 8

At that time, the police were able to recapture some of the male escapees while some other male juveniles voluntarily returned to the facility.

Meanwhile, residents in the area and neighbouring communities are calling for an immediate investigation as to why so many breakouts at the juvenile holding facility seem to be occurring and for certain security measures to be put in place immediately to correct this.

(Kristen Macklingam)

news

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SUnDAY, march 31, 2019 | guyanatimesGY.com

Pensioner injured, 5 homeless after Corentyne fire

The real conflict

W

itnessing the upsurge of ethnic tensions amidst the increased polarisation in our society following the successful No-confidence Motion (NCM) in the National Assembly, there are renewed calls for “constitutional change” to resolve the political crisis that is seen as behind it all. “If only the PPP and PNC could gather around a table and come to a settlement!” I wish it were that simple.

As I have been saying for three decades, our conflict is so intractable because it challenges the premises on which our political institutions are based. It is identity or more specifically ethnic based, rather than class or economic based and as such, most of our Liberal-based institutional innovations fail to address the roots of our political conflict. It is not surprising that we are back at square one with the two major groups “squared off” at each together.

Theories of socialpsychological motivations far better explain our ethnic conflict and locate its sources in the way in which we perceive our society; locate ourselves in it, and on that basis, form individual and group identities that Ravi Dev guide our behaviour and actions. In Guyana, each group has developed its own narrative of its place in Guyana and the hitch is these narratives clash at various nodes. Unless we identify and resolve these clashes, we are really shadow boxing at our conflict.

Groups placed in the same environment share a universal tendency to compare themselves against each other: each become “the other” to each other. When, as in Guyana, groups with reinforcing cleavages of culture, attitudes, race, religion, etc, are thrown into the same society, comparison is inevitable and inescapable. The intractability of ethnicity lies in this fact: social groups can only be evaluated comparatively.

Each category of individuals with similar traits evaluates itself positively and others with dissimilar traits, negatively.

Over the course of time, the process results in stereotypical attitudes being formed as the cultural or physical or other trait is given a social meaning, which is applied, to the whole group.

This group comparison is of great significance because of its stress on the “worth” of its members to whom this evaluation becomes an integral part of his/her identity and self-esteem.

Some individuals may be impoverished but as members of a powerful group, they still have some pride of self-worth vis a vis members of less “powerful” groups.

At the abolition of slavery, the Whites, Coloureds and Africans formed distinct social strata in descending order of status, power and economic worth. While, for instance, all accepted the values of Creole culture, the Coloureds had different speech patterns, foods habits, dress, etc from the African masses and considered the latter their social inferiors.

The introduction of Indians into Guyana – with their acceptance of “slave work”, “heathen” religion, unfamiliarity with Creole culture and values – gave the society and especially the Africans, the opportunity to further compare and afterwards designate a new low man on the totem pole. He was the ‘coolie’, whose typical immigrant’s focus on economic advancement was labelled as “mean and stingy”, and stoic acceptance of hardships in fulfilling his indentured contract, “docile”.

The Indian on the other hand, sequestered in the rural plantations came primarily into contact with rural Africans. They defensively valued their culture and heritage highly, rejected the “coolie” categorisation and when in social comparison, utilised their own criteria to stereotype the African. They were “lazy” (for rejecting their despised “slave’s” work!), hedonistic (for his emphasis on fancy clothes and weekend revelry), licentious (for their serial polygamy) and lacking their own culture (for imitating the British).

One armament used by some groups in the competition over relative group worth, is the notion of ‘legitimacy’ where one group is convinced that it has a greater right than other groups to the national patrimony. In Guyana, as in the West Indies as a whole, because of their prior arrival, greater acculturation to White values, earlier entry into governmental services and politics, Africans and Coloureds viewed themselves as having greater claims to legitimacy than Indians, Amerindians and other groups. The latter groups however rejected these claims and countered that their contribution to the development of the country and the international norms of equality conferred on them as much rights as other groups to all that the country offered.

The potential for ethnic conflict in Guyana, or elsewhere, is stimulated when there are changes that cause one or more ethnic groups in a given society to feel threatened by other groups. Changes that affect the groups’ self-worth, especially if they are structural and thus self-perpetuating and widespread, create the greatest potential for conflict.

This is where we are today.

Donald Morgan

Fire engulfs the two-storied home

ive persons are now homeless after a fire completely destroyed a Corentyne, Berbice home on Friday night leaving an elderly woman injured.

Injured is 65-year-old Ingrid Morgan of Lot 35 Manchester Village, Corentyne, who is currently nursing second-degree burns after she caught fire Friday evening. She is a patient at the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Reports are the fire started at about 19:30h.

According to the injured woman’s husband, Donald Morgan, 69, they were watching television when his

wife left to go to the kitchen to make a cup of tea. Shortly after, he said, he heard screams of fire and rushed downstairs to the kitchen where he saw her on fire.

“When I run out I see my wife on fire: fire at the back and she pulling off her clothes and it burning and dropping on the carpet. I tell her to run outside,” the elderly man said.

He added that the fire had also caught onto the window curtain and the gas bottle.

The cash crop farmer noted that he suspects that both the electric stove and gas were on when his wife turned

F

on the self-lighting stove.

He said everything was lost in the blaze.

He could not immediately estimate his losses while noting that the entire two-storied wood and concrete building was destroyed.

Residents have expressed concern at the time it took the fire brigade to arrive resulting it the complete destruction of the four-bedroom building and its contents.

They are calling for a unit of the Guyana Fire Service to be established along the lower Upper Corentyne.

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NEWS

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“All things are possible to those who believe” – New Nigel’s Supermarket owner

Otillo Pereira and his son cut the ribbon to welcome patrons into the supermarket

By Davina Ramdass

H

ad it not been for each challenge, Otillo Pereira, the proprietor of the New Nigel’s Supermarket faced, he would not have been as determined, strong and successful as he is today.

Pereira, who heads not only his home but a church in Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, has recently added the new supermarket to his list.

He is the father of four kids, and always had a dream of becoming a business owner but never really knew how until he met with the previous owner of the supermarket, Nigel Johnson.

The proud businessman explained to Guyana Times during an interview that he was in fact stunned when Johnson told him he believes that he has what it takes to manage the business.

According to him, he met the previous owner through a friend of his and the partnership took off from there.

He told of how he was informed of the financial troubles the business was challenged with, but nevertheless was motivated as he believes in overcoming trials that presents themselves, as an Apostle.

Pereira noted, however, that it was no easy walk in the park for him to convince investors to come on board.

Being the man of faith that he is, the Apostle was able to garner the relevant support he needed which eventually saw things going upstream for him.

He shared, “A lot of people didn’t believe that it could have happened. They believed that the name was dead and the previous owner actually owed a lot of people so persons didn’t want to give credit and so on but I had to meet certain suppliers in person and talk with them and let them understand that this is new people and we have a strategic plan to manage the investments”.

The preacher said he is fully aware that there are persons who speak badly of the past owner but he believes that irrespective of

Proprietor of the New Nigel’s Supermarket, Otillo Pereira

that, the supermarket will be able to thrive and exceed as long as customers decide to trust the brand once again.

He admitted that he was at one time worried about using the brand name as it may scare off investors or even customers, but as a Christian he had to give it a second chance. According to him, he is very pleased with the decision he made to keep the name Nigel’s alive.

The humble businessman when asked how he feels about being the owner of such an edifice said he was indeed elated but sees it as a mere beginning of what his God is able to do for him.

He said, “I am a visionary and people say the sky is the limit but I say why stop at the sky when there is more to go? I see this venture as an opportunity to speak to the country at large that if I can do it they can do it. I believe that regardless of what or where someone is at, if you put your mind into what you want you can make a difference regardless of any situations”.

Pereira added that he is passionate about letting Guyanese know that they can make a difference.

Advice for entrepreneurs

Becoming successful is no easy task and the businessman said he desires to see every person thrive in their own areas of business.

He was excited to share that, “You need to know what you want. Not hear what you

want from others. You must know what you want and then you position yourself to get what you want because many people have dreams but they’re not positioned strategically to fulfil their dream”.

In addition to this, overcoming the opposition is critical in achieving your vision, he said. Pereira also stressed the importance of surrounding yourself with persons who share your vision instead of persons who shower discouraging words.

“All things are possible to those who believe and regardless of what a businessman or a person that may be a family member, or what the country is going through out there don’t quit.

Don’t be distracted by the circumstances. Stay focused on what you want. Stay focused on your destination.

Your situation is an opposition to your destination,” he shared.

The New Nigel’s Supermarket

The large, convenient and comfortable shopping aisles at the New Nigel’s Supermarket

The opening of something “new”

The New Nigel’s Supermarket was on Friday launched, promising to offer affordable prices to all Guyanese, as well as the best customer service.

The air conditioned environment welcomed scores into the building with warm greetings from some 60 employees.

The spacious aisles cater for a comfortable shopping experience and a number of cashiers are available to ensure the lines are kept short.

He assured that the supermarket had done a survey to check on their competitors’ prices which guarantees that the New Nigel’s Supermarket is the best place to shop all year round.

Already, the businessman noted that patrons have begun pouring into the supermarket showing their support and love.

Customer benefits

Shopping at the New Nigel’s Supermarket is not a comfortable option, but also rewarding, as was pointed out by the proprietor.

A few of the many products neatly packed on the shelves of the supermarket

According to him, customers both old and new can tap into extraordinary options of having their goods delivered free of cost to them in Georgetown.

Pereira explained that the holders of a VIP card will be privileged to this service, as well as having a specific cashier designated to them, to avoid long waiting times in lines.

He said for now, customers can call and share their groceries’ list which can be delivered to them. In the near future, persons will be able to make their orders online.

Persons can obtain a VIP

card by simply shopping $150,000 in store.

On the other hand, customers who shop any amount in the store can sign up for a Loyalty card which will gain those points every time they shop in the store.

Ultimately those points can be used to purchase goods in the store.

Persons with old Loyalty cards can also trade them in for a new one with 100 points added.

The management of the New Nigel’s Supermarket is so big on its customer service that it even has a suggestion box, where shoppers can make proposals

for goods they would like to have in the store, among others.

They can also share their concerns and observations in the said box.

Pereira said the suggestion box will be used especially to respond to requests of its customers to ship in specific foods for them.

The store located at Robb and Light Streets, Georgetown, officially opened for business on Saturday and will be opened from 07:00h to 23:00h on weekdays and 08:00h to 11:00h on weekends and holidays.

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National Child Labour Policy for April launch T

he Social Protection Ministry is working to implement measures to curb child labour and is urging the public to report cases of children being employed.

Deputy Chief Labour Officer, Karen Vansluytman-Corbin is quoted by the Department of Public Information (DPI) as saying that the Labour Department will be launching a National Child Labour Policy in April and will enforce drastic measures for those persons who employ children.

“We are also developing a National Action Plan to help in our fight against child labour. We started last year to develop our policy and we hope for the draft action plan to be launched at the same time as the policy,” Vansluytman-Corbin said.

Deputy Chief Labour Officer, Karen Vansluytman-Corbin

According to the Chief Labour Officer, several organisations, including the Trade Union’s Movement, the Employers Organisation, the Education Ministry, sever-

al businesses, religious and youth organisations and NGOs collaborated with the Labour Department to implement the policy.

“There have been three reported cases for 2019, we

are following up with those cases but we are concerned and continue to work towards eradicating child labour in the mining areas within the hinterland communities.

However, because of our intense sensitisation exercises, we are receiving good support to put an end to child labour,” Vansluytman-Corbin said.

She further stated that the Department of Labour has reached out to several communities to ensure that word gets out that child labour is illegal and persons caught employing children will be prosecuted.

The policy was crafted after an extended period of consultations and workshops with the relevant stakeholders from Regions Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight and Ten.

EPA partners with IAEA for National Radiation Workshop

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s Guyana continues down a rapid developmental path, the demands on the Environmental Protection Agency are becoming greater. From the oil and gas sector to a massive boom in construction and infrastructure development, the Agency recognises the critical need to strengthen its human capital to better achieve its mandate of effective management of the environment.

Currently, the EPA is implementing the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA’s) Regional Project: Strengthening Cradle-to-Grave Control of Radioactive Sources. The project aims to protect people and the environment from potential adverse effects of ionizing radiation, while enabling and fostering the safe and secure use of radioactive sources to promote sustainable socio-economic development.

Guyana is a member of IAEA Guyana became a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 2015, and has been benefitting from several regional initiatives. As part of the project’s 2019 implementation, the EPA recently coordinated a four-day workshop on Search and Recovery of Radioactive Orphan Sources. Participants were drawn from the Environmental Protection Agency, Civil Defence Commission, Guyana Police Force, Guyana Revenue Authority, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, University of Guyana, the Ministry of Communities, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Puran Brothers Waste Disposal Service, Cevons Waste Management, and Sand dip Waste Disposal Services. The workshop was facilitated by four (4) international experts: Mr. J.C BenitezNavarro (IAEA), Mr. Bob Irwin (Canada), Mr Brad McRee (USA) and Mr. Ron McCrea Cushnie (Jamaica).

EPA’s Executive Director, Dr. Vincent Adams, in his opening address to the participants, alluded to Guyana’s rapidly expanding construction, oil and gas, as well as mining sectors that create the critical need to develop mechanisms to ensure that all radioactive sources are regulated.

Strengthening border security systems must be put in place to ensure all sources entering through various ports of entry are accounted for.

What is meant by the term orphan source?

Throughout the world, radioactive sources are used in medicine, industry, agriculture, research and teaching. They are also used in some military applications. Radioactive materials are firmly confined or aggregated inside an appropriate capsule, or protective boxes referred to as sealed sources.

Orphan source refers to a sealed radiation source out of regulatory control. Sealed sources can become orphan in a number of ways, such as measuring and controlling devices containing radioactive materials that were improperly disposed of as scrap metal and taken to metal recyclers.

Given our vibrant scrap metal export industry, it is key that persons be made aware of the possible risks to health and the environment from poorly managed sources.

Additionally, gauges used in industrial processes and in road construction can be disposed by the side of the road or in a river. Sealed radioactive sources used in oil and gas exploration that are no longer wanted but contain radioactive materials that exceed the limits for disposal at commercial low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities.

The role of the EPA The EPA, under the Environmental Protection Act and Regulations, currently regulates the import, transport, storage and use of sealed radiation sources. To date, the Agency has authorised the use of sealed sources in the gold mining, health, oil and gas exploration as well as beverage production. In 2017, the IAEA assisted Guyana in commencing work in developing a National Source Inventory. The Agency is moving towards adherence to Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources, to improve access and effective management of Radioactive Sources.

You can make contact with the Agency on 225-54712; www.epaguyana.org or epaguyana on Facebook, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN should you have questions regarding Environmental Authorisation

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Janet Jagan made great sacrifices for Guyana – Ali Dissecting the 4.1% growth of the economy last year

– Finance Minister’s remark of no major disruption in economy is delusional

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his analyst noted with concern that, in an online news outlet, it was reported that the Finance Minister posited that there is nothing to suggest that the economy has been stalled as a result of the political situation following the December 21, 2018 noconfidence motion. He then went on to state that the good news is that the economy grew by 4.1 per cent -- way above the 3.4 per cent that was projected -- and that inflation was projected at 2 per cent, but actual inflation was 1.6 per cent.

Now, on this note with inflation, one must understand that macroeconomic policies have two branches; those are, fiscal policy and monetary policy. Fiscal policies are administered by the central government, which means this comes under the direct portfolio of the Minister of Finance; while monetary policies and price stability, which have to do with the management of the inflation rate, come under the primary function of the Central Bank, which functions autonomously. It must therefore be understood that the outcome of inflation rate, which is quite stable and below 2 per cent, is a direct accomplishment of the Central Bank, and not the Finance Minister directly.

Turning now to the 4.1 per cent growth, of which the Minister of Finance constantly boasts, it is really nothing to boast about when one understands the GDP equation. Henceforth, though this analyst, in this column, dealt with this specific analysis last year when the mid-year report for 2018 was published, it is perhaps necessary to re-state the analysis presented in that article, in light of the honorable Minister’s recent remarks to the public.

As such, today’s article is not necessarily an entirely new article on a new subject, but rather a summary of previous articles aimed at directly challenging the subject Minister’s analysis – more or less, refuting his analysis. To this end, it is imperative to firstly establish an understanding of what GDP is, and how it is computed.

So GDP, or Gross Domestic Product, is the market value of all final goods and services produced in a country in a given time period. GDP measures the value of production, which also equals total expenditure or final goods and total income. The equality of income and output shows the link between productivity and living standards. The equation for GDP is C + I + G + (X-M); where C is Consumption (total expenditure by households), I is Investments, G is government spending/ expenditure, and (X-M) is exports minus imports, which is net exports.

From this equation, one would observe that the Government cannot directly influence and/or control the outcomes of three components from the equation to achieve a higher or improved level of GDP growth rate; those are, Consumption (household expenditure), Investments (I) in the economy, and net exports (X-M).

But governments can very well influence their own component from the equation, which is Government expenditure (G).

That said, from looking at total Government expenditure for the last three half-year periods, for the period January to June 2016, total Government expenditure was recorded at $89.6 billion; January to June 2017, $97.2 billion; and January to June 2018, $111.8 billion. This gave rise to increases in the levels of Government expenditure for the half year (HY) period 2016 – 2017 of $7.6 billion, and from 2017 (HY) to 2018 (HY), a difference or increase of $14.6 billion, thus doubling the level of increase of Government spending for the January – June 2017 and 2018 periods when compared to the January – June 2016 and 2017 half-year periods. What this means is that the 4.1 per cent growth for 2018 was attained largely because of the dramatic increase in Government expenditure in comparison to the corresponding period for 2017.

It is important to note that, while in theory, increases in Government expenditure are usually intended to stimulate growth in the economy, the key understanding that ought to be established in this regard is where these expenditures are allocated. If the expenditures are largely concentrated on unproductive activities such as national events, dietary, other operating expenses, local travel and subsistence, vehicle spare parts and service, and rental of buildings and things like that, then increases in Government spending like these will simply not translate to real developmental growth.

Rather, these will just be a burden on the national treasury, and therefore the allocation of Government spending is what is really important to achieve the desired outcomes of real developmental growth, and not just manipulating one component of the GDP equation, inter alia, mathematical simulation to make the numbers appear to look good.

As such, in the context of this argument, it is implied that this level of GDP growth rate does not necessarily reflect the true economic status of the economy with respect to real growth in terms of an expansion of the economy in developmental terms.

For example, this cannot be the case when the rate of unemployment remains relatively high. The last survey that was carried out showed that Guyana’s unemployment rate is 12 per cent. However, in a previous article featured under this column some time ago, it was argued that if we were to adjust that figure to account for the 9,000 plus unemployed sugar workers in 2018, then real unemployment rate would be anywhere in the region of 20-25 per cent.

The unemployment rate of a country is a key indicator of the economic health of an economy, and therefore, with a rate of unemployment hovering over 20 per cent, that is certainly not a good indicator and does not tell a good story in terms of the economic growth direction of a country. Moreover, for there to be real substantive growth of an economy, and not just artificial growth, there needs to be expansions in consumption spending, investments and net exports, and not just Government expenditure, which are largely unproductive.

(For comments, questions and responses on articles featured in this column, readers can reach the author at jbinsights@outlook.com).

People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali addressing the gathering at the 10th death anniversary of Guyana’s first female President, Jagan Jagan

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he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali has called on Guyanese to embrace the sacrifices made by the late President Janet Jagan in achieving democracy in Guyana. He made the call on the occasion of the 10th death anniversary of Guyana’s first female President.

Addressing party supporters at a wreath-laying ceremony at Babu Jaan, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) where a monument has been erected in memory of the late President, Ali said Mrs Jagan made great sacrifices for the people of Guyana. He said that throughout her life, Mrs Jagan not only fought for women’s rights but the rights of all citizens.

“Comrade Janet had some distinguished qualities that are needed today as we confront the struggle of a new form of dictatorship; as we confront the struggle that can be inhibitive to our own rights and freedom in this country.

And that quality was consciousness. Comrade Janet, at a very young age, was conscious of the environment and circumstances she was surrounded by and she took bold steps and bold decisions in confronting the inadequacies of that environment,” the PPP presidential candidate noted.

Ali explained that what the past President did for the development of Guyana was more difficult than can be explained simply because she was a woman. He said there is need to reflect and be inspired by what she did.

Today’s struggle, he said, is one in which parliamentary democracy is at risk.

“Our national democracy is at risk and our electoral freedom is at stake.

These are fundamental aspects of a society that is free and a society that represents the interest and rights of everyone. So her life was embedded with struggles.”

Moreover, Ali referred to President Janet Jagan as a woman who put her personal freedom at risk for Guyanese.

“Her entire life was marked with struggles at various points. Even when the PPP came to Government and democracy was restored, her struggles continued and then she lost her lifelong partner then becoming President in a political environment that became very poisoned as a result of the political immaturity; as a result of the way in which the opposition then managed the political aspects of Guyana,” Ali said, adding that it is very important for all to be committed if Guyanese are desirous of changing the current circumstances.

“Then we must all recommit in our efforts to help politically to remove this bunch of dictators from Guyana.”

The late Janet Jagan was the first female President of Guyana serving from December 19, 1997, to August 11, 1999.

She previously served as the first female Prime Minister of Guyana from March 17, 1997, to December 19, 1997.

She was born on October

20, 1920, and died on March 28, 2009.

In 1950, she was instrumental in forming Guyana’s first political party – the (PPP).

In 1955, both she and her husband were jailed for several months as political prisoners.

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Money spent on Lindo Creek CoI not wasted – Harmon …several recommendations not acted upon

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overnment is denying that monies spent on the Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry were a waste of time; even as certain recommendations including those of a financial nature have not been acted upon.

This acknowledgement was made by Minister of State Joseph Harmon, during a post-Cabinet press conference. According to Harmon, only some of the recommendations that had to do with restructuring the joint services have been implemented.

Harmon explained that changes have been made to ensure that more control is kept over the joint services.

But there was no word on when compensation for the families of the eight victims, a major recommendation arising out of the CoI, would be paid.

“The Commission of Inquiry made several recommendations. Some of those recommendations are administrative in nature. And they have been acted upon at the level of the Guyana Police Force and Guyana Defence Force. Some of them have pecuniary implications and those matters are still to be acted upon.”

“But I can say to you when Commissions of Inquiries sit, they make a huge amount of recommendations. For ex-

ample, the Guyana Public Service Commission of Inquiry made 87 recommendations. And so you have to look at every one of these recommendations and see which ones can be implemented now and which ones can be implemented in the medium and long term.”

While Harmon acknowledged the cost of the CoI as exceeding $100 million, he insisted that the money was not wasted as lives were lost and closure was needed.

“I don’t consider the expense that we spent on that Commission as a waste. It’s a lot of money indeed. But the value of the lives of every Guyanese, we cannot

Minister of State Joseph Harmon

put a price tag on it. Several Guyanese lives were lost,” Harmon said.

Sometime between June 12, 2008, and June 24, 2008, miners Cecil Arokium, Dax

Arokium, Compton Speirs, Horace Drakes, Clifton Wong, Lancelot Lee, Bonny Harry and Nigel Torres were shot and killed and their bodies burnt at the Upper Berbice River mining camp, which was being operated by Leonard Arokium.

The Lindo Creek CoI was the first of what the coalition Government has said would be a series of inquiries into killings which occurred during a crime wave that began in 2002.

The CoI was established to inquire into the circumstances surrounding the killings of the eight miners and to report its findings as well as recommendations to President

David Granger. The CoI was completed and handed over since August of last year.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has been critical of the CoI, noting previously that the conduct of the Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry (CoI) is reminiscent of a Commission hell-bent on achieving a particular outcome - one which points the finger to the armed forces.

In particular, Jagdeo had expressed concern over what he said was the slant the CoI was taking and had pointed to the manner in which witnesses were being cross-examined, as though the testimony must fit a particular narrative.

Wismar hospital targets TB sensitisation at health fair

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n honour of World TB (tuberculosis) Day 2019, which was observed on March 24, the Upper Demerara Hospital (UDH) at Wismar, Linden, on Friday hosted a sensitisation health fair aimed at raising awareness on the prevalence and treatment of the infection/disease.

This year, World TB Day was observed under the theme, “It’s time for action! It’s time to end TB”.

The sensitisation activity, which was hosted in the hospital’s compound, saw a number of satellite tables

being set up with members of the public having access to a variety of other health services and testing including paediatric care, cervical cancer awareness (VIA and Pap smear), family health desk, antenatal clinic and a Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) information and treatment desk.

The UDH is home to the Linden Chest Clinic, which is responsible for care and treatment within the region. It is on this basis that the doctor attached to the clinic, Dr Roscoe McDonald said the hospital

decided to host the sensitisation health fair.

He said the initiative also aimed at sensitising the community on the numerous other services offered by the hospital.

“Knowing that this hospital actually hosts or resides the Linden Chest Clinic for Region 10, we wanted to do our part in terms of observing that day...We’re very happy to be able to celebrate World TB Day here...Before, the hospital was carrying a stigma attached to it because of the HIV and the TB

patients that were treated, however, it has now been opened up to all the other services,” Dr McDonald said.

He also shared his hope that the initiative would not only be a onetime event, noting that the hospital would like to continue sensitising members of the public.

Registered Nursing Assistant attached to the Clinic, Thesia King explained that the TB information desk focused on general information, including treatment and misconceptions. She said persons visiting the booth also benefitted from TB skin testing to determine their level of exposure to tuberculosis. “We have general

Schoolchildren visiting one of the booths at the health fair

information about tuberculosis and it is inclusive of prevention, treatment and curability,” she said.

Residents in the community, including school children, benefited from the health fair.

17 Statutory rape offences worrying in Region 2 – Police Commander S news

SUnDAY, march 31, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

exual offences are on the rise in Region Two (Pomeroon/ Supenaam), but not the cases of rape and sexual assault among adults, but rather the climb in the rate in relation to statutory rape.

This is according to Commander of “G” Division (Essequibo Coast, Essequibo Islands), Senior Superintendent Khali Pareshram, who told Guyana Times on Saturday that while there has been a

G Division Commander Khali Pareshram

major decrease in criminal activities involving youths and young adults, the worrying trend is that statutory rape is climbing.

He explained that the trend seems to be occurring with teenagers between the ages of 14 and 16, or, in some specific cases, females from that age group being sexually involved with adult men.

According to Commander Pareshram, the Guyana Police Force has programmes that are in place

to educate persons on statutory rape, and the division has implemented these since the prevalence is among the youth population in the division.

Police ranks are continuously visiting secondary schools throughout Region Two to facilitate lectures and talks with students from all levels, so that they can become more aware and be properly sensitised about the topic of statutory rape.

For some, they may not

be aware that they are victims of such an offence, so initiatives like this would help them better understand the situation, as well as what steps they could take to prevent it from occurring while safeguarding themselves, he noted.

He said ranks attached to the Sexual Offence Unit within the division have been engaged in informative sessions with secondary school children, educating them on positive thinking as

well on as social ills.

The “G” Division Commander stated that in order to address this pressing matter, there must be a stakeholder approach, and that steps are being taken in this regard.

GuyanaTimes was further told that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) recently engaged Police ranks from “G” Division to discuss the way forward in regard to statutory rape cases.

President urges unemployed youths to become entrepreneurs

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one-day youth conference was on Friday hosted at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre with the aim of implementing policies to help young people from across the country.

The event saw attendance of youths between the ages of 14 and 35, who came out with the intent of voicing their concerns.

They were encouraged by youth leaders to use social media to attract the attention of policy makers.

Speaking to the youths, Director of Youth, Melissa Carmichael, explained to the gathering that young people are important to nation building. According to

her, young people account for some 74 per cent of Guyana’s population.

She explained, “At the beginning of 2012, the world population surpassed seven billion, with people under the age of 30 accounting for more than half of this number, 50.5 per cent. Then there were 1.2 billion youths aged 15 to 24 years, globally in 2015, accounting for one out of every six people worldwide. By 2030…the number of youths is projected to (grow) by seven per cent to nearly 1.3 billion”.

Carmichael said she hopes the data shared paints a vivid picture that youths are not only demo-

President David Granger delivering the feature address at the youth conference

graphically significant, but are essential to the world’s human resource.

Delivering the feature address, President David Granger said he recognis-

es that employment is one of the major issues faced by youths, hence efforts have been exhausted to ensure children are educated.

“So unemployment in

years to come should be a thing of the past. We should be able to eliminate (it) once we go to school and stay in school and don’t drop out. Once we drop out, unfortunately the chances of being employed become very remote,” the president said.

The Head of State urged the youths to become entrepreneurs, and not allow unemployment to keep them down.

Youths were also treated to a mini exhibition at the conference, which featured robotics and science.

The first such youth conference was hosted last year. Even as Government is encouraging youth de-

velopment and participation in society, its cabinet consists mainly of persons over the age of 35.

In Guyana, youth unemployment among the 15-to24-year-old cohort is at 21.6 per cent, representing almost twice the unemployment rate of other adults.

Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram last month blasted Government for being unable to effectively address Guyana’s unemployment rate.

In an interview with this publication, Ram had expressed the belief that not enough attention is being paid to the economic and social side of unemployment.

Illegal mining operation affecting Indigenous communities – NTC

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n illegal dredge being established at Parabaru in the Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) is one of the recent threats to the Indigenous community, prompting actions to cease this operation.

The National Toshaos Council (NTC) would have raised this matter with the Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, during a recent meeting at their Hadfield Street headquarters.

Trotman told media operatives that mining matters were primarily discussed and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has also informed that the dredging area is being established without any permission.

“The Council sought to mention some mining matters. One matter pertains to a dredge being constructed at Parabara, that’s deep south of the Rupununi. I’m aware of the matter and, in fact, GGMC has informed that there is no permission for such a dredge and so, we will have to take action,” he said.

Trotman said he had given assurance that mining activities should not affect Guyana’s waters. In most scenarios, mercury is being used to mine these natural resources and later

fer between the miners and the GGMC. Many times we respond by sending mines officers to check on reports of illegal mining and we find out that the Toshao or some relative gave permission for people to come into the vil-

NTC Chairman Nicholas Fredericks

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman

released into rivers, causing some biological effect to aquatic animals.

“I have given a commitment to ensure that the headwaters, some waters in that part of Guyana are not contaminated by mining and so that is of plotting the coordinates to protect the river from river mining.”

Presently, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the NTC and the Council and the NTC Chairman, Nicholas Fredericks, suggested that a taskforce be recruited to address some of the mining challenges which spread across numerous villages.

“We have a MoU with the Ministry and the NTC to appoint a personnel as their counterpart. The suggestion came from Mr Fredericks for a taskforce so that the NTC can look at mining.

It’s not just the Rupununi,

its Mahdia, Micobie Village, parts of Kaituma and elsewhere,” Trotman related.

Nevertheless, he sought to point out that while there are complaints surfacing from Indigenous villages regarding illegal mining or pollution, Toshaos and other members of the community would give permission to the miners when the matter is investigated. For this, the NTC is enabling itself to mitigate these issues by engaging the villagers and mining agencies.

The Minister shared, “Mining is a part of the culture and part of the foundation for the pillars of our economy and there are complaints of illegal mining or pollution of waters by the use of mercury. What we find is that title villages are themselves engaged in mining as coast landers. I think the NTC recognises that and they’d like to be a buf-

lage or they themselves are doing the mining”.

Parabaru is a small indigenous community located in Region Nine, along the Kuyuwini River. The village was founded in 1969 and at that time, only six

households occupied the village. This number has grown significantly via migration from other communities. The residents’ first language is Wai-Wai; second, Wapishana; and third, English.

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Venezuelans rally to protest chronic power outages

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housands of V e n e z u e l a n Opposition sympathisers protested on Saturday against recurring blackouts that crippled much of the country this month and have aggravated the OPEC nation’s economic and social crisis.

Electricity has slowly been restored following a blackout on Monday that left most of Venezuela’s 24 states without power. That followed a massive weeklong national outage on March 7.

President Nicolás Maduro has said the situation was caused by “terrorist attacks” on the Guri hydroelectric dam that powers much of the country.

Critics including opposition leader Juan Guaido, who is recognised by most Western nations as Venezuela’s legitimate Head of Sate, blame the electricity problems on corruption and mismanagement.

“We all know who is responsible for the blackout –

Maduro,” Guaido said at a rally in the Caracas suburb of Los Teques on Saturday.

“We must accelerate the process to remove this corrupt and thieving regime.”

Maduro has said Guaido is seeking to lead a coup against him, with the help of Washington.

The United States has levied crippling sanctions against Maduro’s Government in efforts to push him from power, but he has hung on in large part thanks to continued loyalty by top military commanders.

He has also won diplomatic backing from Russia and China, which accuse Washington of meddling in the country’s affairs.

Government supporters also marched in Caracas on Saturday to protest against “imperialism” by the US Government, which Maduro accuses of causing the blackouts by attacking generation and transmission systems.

“It’s easy to see that (Guaido) doesn’t under-

stand the country’s situation,” said Antonio Ponce, 56, a bus driver. “He’s been put there by the ultra-right, he doesn’t even know what he’s asking for.”

The outages have left hospitals without power, worsened the already precarious supply of drinking water and left many stores without functioning pointof-sale terminals – which are crucial in the hyperinflationary economy where cash is in short supply.

“Enough of all this humiliation, we do not deserve to live like this,” complained Yuderkis Varela, 46, in the western city of San Cristobal near the border with Colombia. “We don’t have power, we don’t have water, we don’t have gas.”

After Monday’s outage, the government shuttered businesses for three days and schools for four.

The blackout also halted operations at the main oil export terminal of Jose, which had restarted operations by Friday. (Reuters)

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who many nations have recognised as the country’s rightful interim ruler, attends a rally in San Antonio, Venezuela, March 30, 2019

Probe launched into electrocution of GPL contracted worker

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he Guyana Power and Light has announced that an investigation has begun into the circumstances surrounding the death of an electrical worker, who was electrocuted a few days ago while conducting work for a contracting company.

Reports indicate that Andre Fullerton of New Amsterdam, Berbice was employed with Ramoutar and Sons Contracting Services, a sub-contractor for the Power Utility Upgrade Programme (PUUP).

This publication understands that he was strapped to a GPL pole when a col-

league heard him screaming.

When the colleague glanced up at the pole, Fullerton was seen dangling from the distance but was secured by his belt.

Fullerton was taken to a nearby health centre, but succumbed due to the extensive burns he sustained.

Last year, a linesman attached to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) was hospi-

talised after suffering from an electric shock in an incident outside Demico House (opposite the Stabroek Square), when technicians were replacing some old power poles.

The man, who was identified as Nara Singh, was on the ground holding wires, which suddenly became live with electricity, thus throwing him a few feet backwards.

He reportedly landed on his back with the wires resting across his stomach.

Singh’s colleagues were able to get the wires off his body, and he was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GHPC).

sunDAY, march 31, 2019

Shaw sparkles with 99, but Delhi take Super Over route to win

Prithvi Shaw hit a “player of the match” 99

P

rithvi Shaw scored a 55-ball 99, but a Kuldeep Yadav-inspired Kolkata Knight Riders forced their opponents into first-blink Super Over contest, one that saw Kagiso Rabada stud his reputation as the world’s best bowler with a stellar bowling performance in defence of 10 runs.

After conceding a boundary off the first ball to the in-form Andre Russell, Rabada returned with two yorkers, the second of which was delivered at 147.3 kph and knocked Russell’s middle pole out. Robin Uthappa and Dinesh Karthik could manage only three singles thereafter, as Delhi capped off a memorable win at the Feroz Shah Kotla.

Cricketing logic would suggest no. Delhi Capitals had no business taking this game even to the last over, but they allowed KKR a sniff, and Kuldeep barged the door open with two barnstorming overs at the death.

He dismissed Rishabh Pant and conceded just 3 runs off the 18th over. But even then, the penultimate over of the regular game began with young Prithvi Shaw batting on 98 and DC needing 15 to win off 12. After two singles, Shaw top-edged a pull off Lockie Ferguson and was dismissed one-short of a deserved hundred.

Ferguson, though, conceded a boundary and left Kuldeep to defend 6 off the final over.

With an injured Chris Morris unavailable to bat, Colin Ingram and Hanuma Vihari found themselves out of depth against the spinning ball and the pressure of the chase. The equation was reduced to 2 off 2 when Vihari attempted a glory hit off a fast-ish delivery and holed out at deep mid-wicket. Colin Ingram could hit only one off the final over, and was caught well short of his crease while running the second by an accurate throw from deep square-leg.

After conceding 33 from his first 2 overs, Kuldeep gave away just 8, bowling two overs at the death. Delhi were shocked, and it showed in their batting, as the trio of Shreyas

Iyer, Rishabh Pant and Shaw could manage just 10 in the Super Over bowled by Prasidh Krishna. But thankfully, on this day, they had a Rabada trick up their sleeve.

Well, Delhi made wholesale changes to their playing XI, and made a u-turn on their reading of the pitch. This was now a chasing track in Iyer’s eyes. Chris Morris came back, as did Sandeep Lamichhane. There were also call-ups for Vihari and Harshal Patel, with Keemo Paul, Axar Patel, Rahul Tewatia and Ishant Sharma making way. Usually, changes as many as these hint at instability, but Delhi believed, and were slightly vindicated, that they had achieved better team balance.

In contrast, KKR had only one injuryenforced change, with Maharasthra batsman Nikhil Naik replacing an injured Sunil Narine with the bat, right at the top. That Naik for Narine swap didn’t work. Not only did it rob KKR of an important bowling option on a pitch aiding turn, Naik’s failure to come to grips with his opening role set the visitors off on a wrong note.

Iyer threw the spin of Lamichhane at him and the 24-year-old struggled to break the shackles. He made 7 off 16, and while departing in the fourth over (LBW to the Nepal spinner), took with him the only DRS review.

Uthappa (11 off 6), Nitish Rana (1 off 2), Shubman Gill (4 off 5), and Chris Lynn (20 off 18) fell in rapid succession, to leave the visitors tottering at 61 for 5.

Andre Russel and Dinesh Karthik slammed half-centuries each, and shared a blistering 95-run stand for the sixth wicket.

Their combined assault allowed KKR to add 121 runs in the second half of their innings.

A lot of Delhi’s preparation for the KKR challenge understandably centred around taming Russell. Getting him pumped up by hurling a beamer was surely not on the memo, but Harshal Patel’s indiscretion had just the undesired effect. Russell, who received pain killers and a quick massage from physio Andrew

19

Andre Russell continued his top form with a fine half-century

Leipus for the blow on the shoulder, brought the next 49 came off 25 balls. He received exthe apocalypse on DC’s bowlers. Off the next cellent company from captain Iyer, who used 16 balls he faced, he hit three sixes and four his proficiency against spin to score 43 off 32 fours, and finished his knock with 62 off 28, and added 89 with Shaw. taking his series average to 79.5 and strikeIf there was any indictment of the youngrate to 248.44. ster’s knock, it was that his dismissal alThe ultimate validation of Russell’s im- lowed the opposition a way back into the pact came via a shrug off the shoulders by game. Given his relative inexperience on Chris Morris, a concession of defeat in his such a big stage, the game would only serve battle of upmanship after his wide yorker to iron out the deficiencies from an already from round the wicket was squeezed past the polished game. off-side ring for four.

Russell may have won battling through pain, but could have Kolkata Knight Riders innings Delhi Capitals Innings also wors- NS Naik lbw b Lamichhane 7 PP Shaw c †Karthik b Ferguson 99 ened his inju- CA Lynn c †Pant b Rabada 20 S Dhawan c Russell b Chawla 16 ry, as evidenced RV Uthappa lbw b Patel 11 SS Iyer (c) c Shubman Gill b Russell 43 by his ginger N Rana c Rabada b Patel 1 RR Pant † c Chawla b Kuldeep Yadav 11 movements on KD Karthik (c) † c †Pant b Mishra 50 CA Ingram run out the field in the Shubman Gill run out 10 (Uthappa/†Karthik) second innings.

(Rabada/Patel/Lamichhane) 4 GH Vihari c Shubman Gill The Delhi AD Russell c sub (R Tewatia) b Morris 62 b Kuldeep Yadav 2 opener made PP Chawla run out 0 HV Patel not out a similar start (Dhawan/Rabada) 12 Extras 4 (lb 1, w 3) in the game 10 TOTAL 185/6 (20 Overs, RR: 9.25) Kuldeep Yadav not out against CSK, Extras 8 (lb 4, nb 1, w 3) Yet to bat: CH Morris, A Mishra, S when he hit five TOTAL 185/8 (20 Overs, RR: 9.25) Lamichhane, K Rabada fours but soon Did not bat: M Prasidh Krishna, LH Fall of wickets: 1-27 (S Dhawan, 2.4 threw away the Ferguson ov), 2-116 (SS Iyer, 11.6 ov), 3-170 (RR start.

Today, Fall of wickets: 1-16 (NS Naik, 3.4 ov), Pant, 17.5 ov), 4-174 (PP Shaw, 18.3 he cut out the 2-36 (RV Uthappa, 5.6 ov), 3-40 (CA ov), 5-184 (GH Vihari, 19.5 ov), 6-185 harakiri from Lynn, 6.5 ov), 4-44 (N Rana, 7.1 ov), (CA Ingram, 19.6 ov) his game. He O M R W was severe on 5-61 (Shubman Gill, 9.1 ov), 6-156 (AD BOWLING Russell, 17.5 ov), 7-170 (KD Karthik, M Prasidh Krishna 4 0 33 0 both pace and 18.4 ov), 8-185 (PP Chawla, 19.6 ov) LH Ferguson 4 0 38 1 spin, and did O M R W PP Chawla 4 0 36 1 not lose a beat BOWLING K Rabada 4 0 41 1 AD Russell 3 0 28 1 in his innings S Lamichhane 4 0 29 1 Kuldeep Yadav 4 0 41 2 as the chase Rana CH Morris 4 0 35 1 N 1 0 8 0 progressed. His 4 0 40 2 first 50 came HV Patel 4 0 36 1* off 30 balls, and A Mishra

SCOREBOARD

61st Seniors Caribbean Table Tennis Championship…

Guyana dominate on day 6

By Timothy Jaikarran

T

he action continued at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Homestretch Avenue as the 61st Seniors Caribbean Table Tennis Championship entered its final phase, with the athletes gearing up for today’s grand finale.

Starting off the action, the Guyanese team looked poised as they were more confident and hungry for the long lost gold medal that had eluded them from day one of the tournament. In the men’s singles event (first stage, 16 groups), advancing to the main draw of the competition were Nigel Bryan, Christopher Franklin, Elishaba Johnson, Edinho Lewis, Colin France, Brandon Belle and Shemar Britton, as they fell within the top two rankings of their respective groups.

In the main draw, of the seven players that participated, five qualified for the next round.

Notable wins came from Nigel Bryan, who battled Samuel Delepine of Martinique, and won despite losing the first round 3-1 (7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8). Also qualifying was Christopher Franklin, who defeated the in-

form Livan Martinez of Cuba 3-1. Colin France did likewise by defeating Derron Douglas of Trinidad and Tobago 3-1; while Shemar Britton dominated Martinique’s Fabrio Cosaque-DitElie 3-0 (11-4, 11-8, 117), and young Elishaba Johnson battled Mark Phillips of Jamaica and won 3-2 (11-10, 11-10, 5-11, 8-11, 11-4) in a thriller to highlight the Shemar Britton about to serve in his matchup against Martinique’s Fabrio Cosaque-Dit-Elie day. The quarterfinals will continue today at Cummings was able to top her group egories 3-1 and 11:45 hrs. as she made light work of Martinique’s 3-0 respectively.

For the women’s singles event (first stage- Estelle Gourpil, defeating here 3-0 in both The action 7 groups) Guyana currently have six players rounds. Priscilla Greaves defeated Dominica will continwho have qualified for the first stage of the Republic’s Esmerlyn Castro 3-1 to main- ue today at women’s singles main draw. These athletes tain second position in her group. Aneka 10:00 am. are Natalie Cummings, Priscilla Greaves, Philips also dominated her fellow Guyanese Guyana will be in search of their first gold Aneka Phillips, Trenace Lowe, Navaeh team mate Trenace Lowe 3-1. While Navaeh medal as the competition culminates today.

Clarkston and Jody Ann-Blake.

Clarkston and Jody Ann-Blake won their cat-

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guyanatimesGY.com

sunDAY, march 31, 2019

Top-order shines in KXIP’s convincing win

Kl Rahul hit an unbeaten 71

Chris Gayle smashed a quick 40

M

umbai Indians came into the game on the back of a morale-boosting win against Royal Challengers Bangalore, having successfully defended 187. Their opponents suffered a setback against Kolkata Knight Riders, with their bowling in particular coming under scrutiny after conceding 218.

Given how things had transpired, it came as a surprise that R Ashwin opted to bowl again, but he’s not one for reactive captaincy. It was a decision that kept his counterpart, Rohit Sharma, happy as well. And judging by the way Mumbai went about their innings, it seemed for a while that the move could backfire on Ashwin.

Rohit had reason to be miffed with his opening partner, who had discouraged him from taking a review for LBW, which later turned out to be the wrong call. The manner of Rohit’s departure -- for 32 in a 51run opening stand -- would have added more pressure on de Kock.

Murugan Ashwin, who came in for Varun Chakravarthy, compunded that pressure by getting Suryakumar Yadav for 11. But de Kock allayed all of Mumbai’s concerns with a sprightly knock of 60 that set Mumbai up for a big total. KXIP came back strongly, picking up three quick wickets after Mohammed Shami trapped de Kock LBW for 60.

But, just as he did in Mumbai’s previous game, Hardik Pandya ensured that they finished on a high.

With a newfound penchant for staying deep in the crease, the younger Pandya found a wider hitting arc, and finished with a 19-ball 31 as Mumbai finished with 176.

KXIP did not quite get the start they would have wanted in the powerplay. With KL Rahul not finding the boundaries and Chris Gayle biding his time, they ended with just 38 in the first six overs. Mumbai’s pacers had done one part of their job right, in keeping the start under check, but KXIP had the advantage of not losing a wicket. All they had to do now was to capitalise.

After the powerplay, KXIP’s innings got a distinct direction to it. Gayle typically took off, hitting Hardik for consecutive sixes and upping his own strike-rate, while Rahul was content in staying through. When Krunal Pandya had Gayle holing out to long on for 40, Mayank Agarwal took on the mantle of attacker.

His target was spin, and both Mayank Markande and Krunal fell prey to the boundary-burst that followed.

The fluency of the knock (43 off 21) in a 64-run stand with Rahul not only eased the pressure at one end, but ensured that KXIP kept abreast of the asking rate.

Rahul, who had anchored the innings well so far, finally took it upon himself to finish the innings with 60 still needed after Mayank’s departure. He got a six and a four off the 15th over bowled by Hardik, before bringing up his fifty in the next over. Mumbai Indians’ challenge was killed with this knock, as KXIP eased to an eight-wicket win with as many balls to spare.

Mumbai Indians travel home to face rivals Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday (April 3), while KXIP have just a day’s rest before they face Delhi Capitals on Monday (April 1) at home. (cricbuzz)

Mumbai Indians 32 RG Sharma (c) lbw b Viljoen Q de Kock † lbw b Mohammed Shami 60 SA Yadav lbw b M Ashwin 11 Yuvraj Singh c Mohammed Shami b M Ashwin 18 KA Pollard c Agarwal b Tye 7 HH Pandya c Mandeep Singh b Mohammed Shami 31 10 KH Pandya c M Ashwin b Viljoen MJ McClenaghan not out 0 0 M Markande not out Extras 7 (lb 3, w 4) TOTAL 176/7 (20 Overs, RR: 8.8) Did not bat: SL Malinga, JJ Bumrah Fall of wickets: 1-51 (RG Sharma, 5.2 ov), 2-62 (SA Yadav, 6.2 ov), 3-120 (Q de Kock, 12.6 ov), 4-126 (Yuvraj Singh, 14.4 ov), 5-146 (KA Pollard, 17.1 ov), 6-162 (KH Pandya, 18.3 ov), 7-175 (HH Pandya, 19.4 ov) BOWLING R Ashwin Mohammed Shami

O M R W 4 0 26 0 4 0 42 2

GC Viljoen AJ Tye M Ashwin

4 0 40 4 0 40 4 0 25

2 1 2

Kings XI Punjab KL Rahul † not out 71 CH Gayle c HH Pandya b KH Pandya 40 MA Agarwal c & b KH Pandya 43 DA Miller not out 15 Extras 8 (lb 1, w 7) TOTAL 177/2 (18.4 Overs, RR: 9.48) Yet to bat: SN Khan, Mandeep Singh, R Ashwin (c), GC Viljoen, M Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, AJ Tye Fall of wickets: 1-53 (CH Gayle, 7.2 ov), 2-117 (MA Agarwal, 13.3 ov) BOWLING MJ McClenaghan SL Malinga JJ Bumrah HH Pandya KH Pandya M Markande

O M R W 4 0 35 0 3 0 24 0 3.4 0 23 0 3 0 39 0 4 0 43 2 1 0 12 0

BCB/Shimron Hetmyer Intermediate 40 overs…

Albion stroll into final after 127-run win over Tucber Park

H

ome team Albion humbled Tucber Park in a 127run defeat in the Berbice Cricket Board’s (BCB’s) Shimron Hetmyer Intermediate 40-Over tournament played on Saturday last at the Albion Sports Complex.

Batting first, Albion scored 240 all out, with former Guyana youth wicket-keeper batsman Ritesh Umrao smashing a brilliant 94 to take the game away from the Tucber Park team.

Umrao, the brother of current Windies selectee Kelvin Umrao, was out caught on 94 off the bowling of the lively Leon Swamy after he had stroked seven fours and displayed good running between the wickets.

He received support from his Albion teammate Sharaz Ramcharan, who stroked a classy 56 in the complete batting effort.

– Ritesh Umrao hit 94

Albion had earlier lost their big guns when Adrian Sukwah (00) was trapped in front by Gevon Schultz, while David Latcha went for 34, being out caught from

the bowling of off-spinner Kwesi Mickle.

Bowling for the Tucber Park team, Guyana youth player Gevon Schultz with his right arm medium had 3-41, while

Leon Swamy had 2-58 and Kwesi Mickle had one wicket.

In reply, Tucber Park got off on the wrong foot, losing promoted opening batsman Gevon Schultz for 01. Tucber Park’s finest youth batsman, Garfield Benjamin, joined forces with Malcolm Mickle, and the pair added 70 runs to the score.

After that partnership was broken, the floodgates were open for the Albion bowlers to take wickets. Garfield Benjamin scored a composed 33 batting at number three, while Malcolm Mickle regained his form with a top-score of 35 as Tucber Park crumbled to 113 all out, losing eight wickets for 42 runs.

Bowling for Albion, off-spinner David Latcha destroyed the boys from Tucber Park with a haul of 4-32.

(Brandon Corlette)

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Trojans keen on defending title ...preparing for University Games in Colombia despite seesaw season Timothy Jaikarran

T

he University of Guyana Trojans have had a see-saw 2019 season. Once 2018 under-23 GABA champions and 2018 champions of the University Games held in Curacao, they are currently preparing to defend their title once again with the University Games being held in Colombia from May 22-27.

In 2019, the Trojans won three of their four games in February against the Rose Hall Jammers, the Eagles and Plaisance Guardians.

But to their dismay, that form was not taken in to the recently concluded GABA/ Let’s Bet Sports competition, as they settled for third place in the under-23 division and were knocked out of the first division in their first game.

Speaking with Guyana Times Sport, coach of the UG Trojans, Warren Wilson, said, “Well, selection of the squad will not be affected by our performance in the knockout

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Grace Kennedy gets on board G

race Kennedy is one of the early corporate entities to partner with the Town Council of Bartica for the 2019 edition of the Annual Bartica Easter Regatta.

The company, through its Marketing Assistant Mr. Dennis Heywood, recently handed over its sponsorship package to Town Clerk Stephie Allen in the office of Mayor Gifford Marshall.

“We are happy to be here and to make whatever contribution to the successful hosting of the Bartica Easter Regatta.”

The Town Clerk expressed appreciation to Grace Kennedy for their contribution, and said it would be well utilised.”

Alluding to the fact that this is the first time the Town Council would be coordinating the Bartica Easter Regatta, Allen promised that the event would be the best ever.

Organising Secretary of the Regatta Committee, Ciana Persaud, informed that this year’s event would be epic, as there are plans to have more compact events.

“We’re looking forward to the pageant, which is going to be on the 21st of April.

The 22nd is the Regatta racing, and we hope to have more than fifteen thousand patrons this year at the regatta. You will come for the party and stay for the fun,” she said.

Regatta Sports action is set to get underway tomorrow evening at the Bartica Community Centre ground with Volleyball from 18:00hrs.

Stephie Allen, Town Clerk (ag) receives the Grace Kennedy contribution from Grace Kennedy’s Marketing Manager Tina Seabra in the presence of Marketing Assistant, Dennis Heywood, Mayor Gifford Marshall, BEF Marketing Assistant and BER Organising Secretary, Ciana Persaud

Crawford Memorial shifted to May 5 ...Score’s Even returns after 2 years

By Timothy Jaikarran

T

he Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club and Sports Facility at Alness Village on the Corentyne Coast in East Berbice will be hosting one of its many horse racing meets on May 5, 2019.

Thus far, 28 horses have already been confirmed for the card, which consists of seven categories.

The day promises to be an exciting one, as horses from as far as Parika and Sophia will be participating in the event.

According to Club President JR Crawford, the event was set to be run off on April 7,

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tournament, as we have been having our separate squad training. We have been going through the paces in our practice session, and basically seeing who is adapting well to the systems put in place”.

Wilson also noted that despite not focusing on the results of the knockout tournament, the team have gained a vast amount of knowledge during their participation. He relayed that the team has learnt to focus more on their shot selection and their ability to shoot from the mid-range, as it was a key factor in the games they lost. He placed major emphasis on the teams that were able to take away the Trojans ability from getting to the rim.

The UG Trojans will be keen on defending their championship come this Wilson said that, from the com- May in Colombia petition, he as a coach has learned how to improve on his game man- Games, Wilson said, “Well, Dwight getting him up to speed”.

The Trojans coach said that as agement, and he feels he is now bet- McKinnon of the first division has fiter equipped to prepare the team for nally found his rhythm, and I think the team prepares for the games, pressure games such as knockout that once he is clicking the team will which are a few months away, all follow his lead. Also Kwesi Roberts, he requires of the players is to give tournaments.

When asked who would be who recently joined the team, has of their best in every game, and put a key factor in the University great potential, and I’m working on great effort into the preparation.

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21

Part of the action at the turf club

but it has been pushed to May 5 so as to facilitate Score’s Even, who is making a return after having an injury that sidelined him for two years; and Orion, who was injured in September 2018.

Crawford said both horses are in dire Score’s Even will need of practice be making a return after two years sessions, thus the final leg of the Triple Crown event, which will commence on April 21, will give them the much needed practice as they make their highly anticipated return to the competition.

Crawford also told this publication that there is a strong possibility that Storm Bird will be participating. He also noted that the meet will be graced by the participation of horses such as Not This Time, Lucky Star, TNT, Kentucky Woman, and more other horses.

Feature event of the meet is the

Alness Classic, to be run over 1400 metres. A winning purse of $500,000 and trophy is being competed for. Other events listed on the card would see the ‘I and Lower’ horses racing over a distance of 1000 metres for a first prize of $240,000 and trophy.

The race for 3-Year-Old maiden horses, to be run over 900 metres, would carry a winning prize of $200,000 and trophy. There is an event for horses classified J and Lower, to be run over 1000 metres for the package of $170,000 and trophy. The L3 Unclassified, which is to be run over 1000 metres, would reward the winner with $100,000; and the L1 and Lower animals would be competing for a top prize of $100,000, duking it out in their 1200-metre journey. The other race is for horses classified L2 and Lower, which is open to colts and geldings. The distance to be covered is also 1000 metres, and the first prize on offer is $80,000 and a trophy.

The final event will see the L and Lower animals racing over a distance of 1200 metres for a winner’s prize of $200,000 and trophy.

All entries close on May 3, 2019. For further information, persons can contact Marcel Crawford Jr on 678-5342 or 696-9009.

Individual trophies and other incentives will be given to riders who have performed exceptionally well.

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guyanatimesgy.com

SUnDAY, march 31, 2019

CWI Women’s T20 Blaze…

Barbados aiming to make it 3 in 3 against Windward Islands I

Afy Fletcher has shown promise with the bat for Windward Islands

– Trinidad and Tobago meet Leeward Islands

n the two fixtures of the CWI T20 Blaze competition scheduled for today, Sunday March 31, 2019, the undefeated Barbados will play Windward Islands from 14:00 hours, while Trinidad and Tobago will play Leeward Islands from 19:00 hours.

The reigning Super50 champions, Barbados, began their Blaze campaign on a winning note -- a 99-run victory over Leeward Islands -- followed by a nine-wicket win over arch-rivals Jamaica. With such performances, the Barbadians, who play a supreme and fearless brand of cricket, are confident of making it three wins in three matches when they meet Windward Islands.

Barbados has been led superbly by

Hayley Matthews, who has made telling statements with both the bat and ball in the T20 Blaze matches thus far. Matthews scored 45, and took 2-21 in the first match; she followed that up with an unbeaten 58 and 4 for 25 in the second match.

The “player of the match” performers for Barbados in the two T20 Blaze matches were Deandra Dottin and Shanika Bruce, who played perfect roles in the respective matches.

Speaking after her “player of the match” performance of 4-16 against Jamaica, the right-arm seamer Shanika Bruce said her Barbadian team mates were surprised when they restricted a batting line-up with

Stacy Ann King was Player-ofthe-Match in both matches for Trinidad and Tobago thus far

Stafanie Taylor and company for below 100 runs. Bruce added that although the Bajans have won every game thus far played, they are hungry to win the T20 Blaze title as well.

Meanwhile, the Bajans’ next opponent, Windward Islands, are led by Afy Fletcher, who has shown improvement in the batting department. Windward Islands are, however, one of the weaker teams in the competition, and the Bajans are confident they could roll them over.

Trinidad and Tobago continued to look a dominant unit, playing with great skill in all the departments of the game. Their next opponent, Leeward Islands, who have not won a match in Guyana this season, will require

ECC looking to improve with new equipment

Hayley Matthews was brilliant

a miracle to in both T20 Blaze matches, stop the likes scoring 45 and 58* of Britney Cooper; Stacy Ann King, who won two “player of the match” awards in as many matches, and the spinners in the team.

The ladies in red -- Trinidad and Tobago Red Force -- are well led by the experienced Merissa Aguilleira. The Trinis defeated Guyana by five wickets, and outplayed Windward Islands by seven wickets in the rain-affected contest. Trinidad have been defeated only once since the Super50, which came in the final against Barbados.

(Brandon Corlette)

Linden Town Week Inaugural Mayor’s Cup Football on tonight …Mayor Waneka Arrindell excited about its prospects

H

T

Executives of the Everest Cricket Club along with their donors George and Tony Subraj take a photo-op with the equipment

he Everest Cricket Club has, over the years, been striving to become one of the best sports clubs in Guyana.

Arguably home to the immensely successful Guyana Jaguars, the club has upped its line of equipment to enhance its pitch and playing field; and on Saturday honoured its generous donors.

The Everest Cricket Club was filled with much pomp and splendor as the recently elected club executives sought to honour those who have been generous to the club. The club received a 5 ton roller and an industrial grass cutter which have been instrumental in preserving the quality of the ground.

Assistant Secretary of the ECC, Riyad Sattaur, was the first to express his gratitude to George and Tony Subraj of Zara and J Austin Insurance.

“We’d like to show our appreciation and gratitude to the George Subraj Foundation, the Zara Foundation and the J. Austin Insurance for their generous donation in the form of the 5 ton roller and the grass cutter,” he declared.

In presenting the donors with lifetime membership cards for the Club, former ECC President Rajesh Singh spoke to the quality that the pitch and field has been able to attain owing to the availability of the equipment.

“The ICC pitch specialist recommended Everest so highly.

We were thinking that it was mainly because of the ground staff. Our staff was asked to assist in other pitch preparation for the ICC women’s tournament in Guyana. Now, a lot of that had to do with the equipment we received and less work

The recently acquired 5-ton roller and grass cutter

on the ground staff. So once again to the Zara Foundation, thank you guys very much,” Singh explained.

Meanwhile, newly elected President of the Everest Cricket Club, Manzoor Nadir, detailed the Club’s plans for the coming years, which will include expansion from cricket, venturing into other sports.

“The executive want to see Everest from fence to fence, from post to post, looking like the outfield for cricket. And the big project we have, which is going to run about 10 million, is putting lights to accommodate professional cricket, which we are hoping to do this year. So, all in all, it’s close to a 25 million programme over the next two years. We had one of the hardworking older leaders here, and he reminded us that, in Guyana, Everest never rests,” the ECC President disclosed.

er Worship the Mayor of Linden Mrs. Waneka Arrindell has expressed her appreciation as the first ever Linden Mayor’s Cup Football championship will get started tonight (Sunday) at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground in the mining town.

The opening games tonight will see, from 19.00hrs, Amelia’s Ward Panthers battling Capital FC, to be followed from 21.00hrs by Blueberry Hill United battling Hi Stars.

Looking forward to the tournament, which is being played to get the 2019 Linden Town Week sports programme off, Mayor Arrindell said, “I am honoured that you are willing to be a part of this tournament. I am not fully a football person, so I am hoping this is a learning experience for me, and that I get a chance to interact with the players.

“Deputy Mayor Mr Wainwright Bethune of course will be doing most of the ground work, as this is his area of expertise; but I am going to make sure that I am available for any concerns you may have, and that I am in the know of what’s happening, so

that I can give you my full support as we move forward.”

Mayor Arrindell also noted that she was excited about the championship, especially since football in Linden has a passionate following.

Doing most of the ground work for this tournament, which is sanctioned by the Upper Demerara Football Association, is the Deputy Mayor of Linden, Wainwright Bethune, who himself played the game.

The Mayor will meet the teams along with a representative from the main sponsor, Banks DIH, and the UDFA before the official kick off of the games at 19.00hrs.

The other clubs in the tournament are senior club champions Eagles United, Net Rockers, Winners Connection, Botafago.

Milerock’s B Side, Silver Shattas, Coomacka and Topp XX. While that will be the tournament games, there will be a supporting East versus West Veterans game from 16.00hrs, and a March Past of the contesting clubs from 18.00hrs before the opening ceremony officially gets underway.

guyanatimesgy.com

sunDAY, march 31, 2019

23

CWI Women’s T20 Blaze…

Yet to register a complete performance, Guyana, Jamaica set to battle

Explosive opener Natasha McLean

New-look opening pair Sheneta Grimmond and Tremayne Smartt

By Brandon Corlette

G

uyana are fresh from a 23-run win over the Leeward Islands in the ongoing T20 Blaze tournament; and led by Captain Shemaine Campbelle, will play Jamaica in the third round today, Sunday March 31, from 9:00h local time at Providence.

In the first round, Guyana suffered a five-wicket defeat at the hands of Trinidad and Tobago; and although they expectedly defeated the Leeward Islands, it was not a comprehensive victory for the hosts.

Speaking after Guyana’s victory over the Leeward Islands, Captain Shemaine Campbelle said the team needed to continue working positively and tightening the batting area. “The work has been done in the nets, but the execution in the match has been the area of concern for the batters”, Campbelle explained.

Heading into the clash against a better opposition in Jamaica, Campbelle stated from the inception that sticking to the basics will see the Guyanese win matches.

The most complete batter in the team, Campbelle continued from where she left off in the Super50 tournament, scoring 211 runs. In the first two T20 matches, she has scored 108 runs with the bat.

In both of the T20 Blaze matches, Guyana batted first, and it was obvious that they lacked the intensity needed in the shorter format of cricket. Playing against Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana amassed 157-4 in 20 overs, thanks to a sparkling unbeaten 77 from Campbelle.

The opening batters Sheneta Grimmond and Tremayne Smartt has chipped in with contributions, but the middle order, with the exception of Campbelle, remains unstable.

The bowling has been disciplined on most occasions, with Erva Giddings leading the charge and the spinners playing their role.

In the first match, the fielding had been atrocious, but signs of improvement were shown in the second match against the Leeward Islands: Melanie Henry taking the gloves and effecting a stump out, the team’s electric ground fielding, and Sheneta Grimmond’s top catch in round 2.

If the Guyanese put up a complete performance, they will fancy their chances to beat Jamaica in today’s encounter.

Meanwhile, Jamaica are the defending champions of the T20 Blaze tournament, and after a humiliating defeat in their second round to Barbados, they will be eager to get back to their winning ways. Playing against Barbados, the Jamaicans had a poor outing with the bat when they were

bowled out for 95. In overcast conditions, the Jamaicans were unable to deal with the swing of Shanika Bruce and the spin of Hayley Matthews.

The likes of Windies Women’s players Stafanie Taylor, Natasha McLean and Chedean Nation would want to press the reboot button and score runs with the bat in different conditions.

Jamaica, who defeated Windward Islands in their opening round, had a slow start with the bat, but the openers in Jodian Morgan and Natasha McLean pressed on to score quickly.

Jamaica will fancy their chances to win against Guyana playing in their first day fixture in the T20 Blaze tournament. The first of the three matches between these two opponents will commence from 9:00h local time. Admission to the ground is free of cost.

Milo Schools Football Tournament

Annandale, President’s College advance to semi-final T

he Milo Schools Football tournament intensified on Saturday afternoon as four schools battled for their chance to enter the semifinal stage.

While Beepats’, under their Nestle Milo brand, is the chief sponsor of the tournament, the competition sees a collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health under their ‘Stop Gender Based Violence’ campaign, and as such, statements advocating for the end of abuse preluded the first two quarterfinal games.

The first two teams to take the field under blistering sunshine were Annandale Secondary and Charlestown Secondary, who were both looking to be the first to enter

Edron Stephen takes a leap in hopes of connecting a header

Annandale Secondary controlled their encounter with Charlestown

next week’s semifinal. However, this dream was not to be for Charlestown, as their fight was not tough enough to withstand the dominance of Annandale Secondary.

Charlestown exhibited good form and great defense tactics, which held the Annandale strikers off for much of the first half. Both sides had their share of missed opportunities, until Collin Hendricks broke the spell in the 32nd to give Annandale the lead. The remainder of the half expired quietly.

Annandale returned stronger in the second half, with Omari Glasgow commanding the left wing. The East Coast team had many scoring opportunities, until Glasgow him-

self connected in the 50th and 59th to take the score to 3-0.

Jemar Harrigon, amidst a set of dribbles, glided through Charlestown’s defense in the 90th to connect his team’s fourth goal.

Later on, President’s College inserted themselves into the semifinal script after they edged past The Bishops’ High School 2-1. The high-paced encounter saw both teams avidly hunting an early goal, but neither side could capitalise on their opportunities, missing the mark throughout the first half.

However, fireworks went off in the 41st minute when Malachi Richards of Bishops’ and Jesse Thomas of President’s College both scored.

Backed by a boisterous crowd of fellow students and supporters, President’s College capitalized on a corner in the second half to drive the nail in Bishops’ coffin. The tall and lanky Edron Stephens could be seen heading balls at every chance he got in the encounter, and did so successfully when the corner kick came in the 56th to seal PC’s second and winning goal.

The Milo action will continue today as Christianburg-Wismar Secondary do battle with Vergenoegen Secondary, and later Lodge Secondary go head to head with St. John’s College.

SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 2019

Sports is no longer our game, it’s our business

guyanatimesgy.com

CWI Women’s T20 Blaze…

Playing Regional since age 10, Jamaica and Windies captain Stafanie Taylor

Pg 23

Yet to register a complete performance, Guyana, Jamaica set to battle Sheneta Grimmond took a brilliant catch in the second round of the T20 Blaze

Milo Schools Football Tournament

Annandale, President’s College advance to semi-final Pg 23

VIVO IPL 2019…

Match #11& 12 Time: 06:30h

Time: 10:30h

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March 31, 2019

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2 Sunday Times Magazine

MARCH 31 , 2019

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World Autism Awareness Day

A

s a first-time mom, I eagerly looked forward to holding my baby girl in my arms for the first time.

I already envisioned the type of child I wanted to raise and the many adventures we would experience together as mother and daughter.

Prior to her second birthday, I noticed she had very poor eye contact, she was unwilling to engage in play with me and toddlers her age, she seemed a bit stubborn, she had less than five words in her vocabulary and was not very responsive to anyone. She didn’t respond to her name; she didn’t acknowledge my presence when I returned home after a long day. I was worried about her. Why wasn’t she developing as other toddlers her age?

When she was two years old, I took her to see a psychologist who confirmed that she has mild to moderate autism.

This was very painful to hear since I had done my research and knew, to some extent, the challenges that lie ahead.

After crying for a while, I decided it was time to take action and I learnt all I could about autism and what interventions I could implement to help my beautiful baby girl. After play school, she was enrolled in a mainstream nursery school and there were several challenges in the classroom at this point. The teacher complained of her walking out of the class during sessions, having meltdowns and a lack of social interaction, among other things.

My saving grace was that her teachers were open to understanding her condition and trying different methods to reach and teach her and get her to participate. After nursery classes, she attended the Step-by-Step School in the afternoons for interventions, and I also worked with her consistently when we were home. She slowly began to make

progress and this was very encouraging to me.

Today, she is well adjusted to primary school and gets good grades. She has overcome several challenges, but yet there are others we are currently working on. She longs to feel accepted by her peers and to build friendships, but she does not understand how this is done.

She often feels ostracised, since she is not accepted in peer groups. Nevertheless, she has managed to maintain her grades over the years and she is working on developing other skills.

I cannot stress how important it is for parents, teachers, guardians, and professionals in the field to work together at the earliest possible time to realise optimum results.

I am forever grateful to the principal and teachers from her school who have gone the extra mile to ensure she is treated fairly and give her additional guidance and instructions as are needed.

Now, I look forward to a bright future once again with this beautiful, intelligent, talented, and energetic young lady.

It’s “au-some”.

That was Rosanne Farley chronicling her experience as a mother of a child living with autism.

Rosanne’s daughter was diagnosed with mild to moderate autism in 2010 and ever since she has been working to make life easier for her. In order to better understand what her daughter is experiencing, Rosanne began working with the Step-by-Step School, where she was trained in working with children using the Applied Behavioural Approach, which is the therapy used for children with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder ( ASD).

Her daughter has been consistently improving and seeing that improvement has led Rosanne to become more invest-

ed in helping other parents who are going through the same experience. It has been about five years now since she has been an Autism Consultant and she has helped numerous parents accept their child has an ASD. “I started screening children myself and once they scored high on the test, they would be referred to a visiting psychologist from the US. My daughter began to improve and because I was aware that there was a need and I wanted parents to understand that all is not lost when you get a diagnosis of autism, I decided to spread the word and provide guidance for parents who need that sort of help,” she said.

Rosanne reached out to paediatricians within Georgetown and informed them of what she was doing with the hopes of them spreading the word. To date, some of those doctors would refer patients to her so that they can be screened and get the help afforded to them.

“Many parents are suffering in silence, because they do not know what is going on with the child. Autism, unlike some other disorders you cannot tell from looking at them. They look perfectly normal. It is because it is where they are on the spectrum and what behaviours they exhibit. There are some things they may get and some you expect them to get and some basic concepts the child may not understand, and that is quite frustrating to the parents and they can’t understand why my child is acting this way, why my child is speaking at a level lower. So we help them to understand that,” she said.

For Rosanne, her biggest concern is

children who are non-verbal owing to their ASD, because they are at a higher risk of being abused or molested.

“I am hoping to bring greater awareness of autism in Guyana so that parents will not be afraid to have their children tested, because there is great denial out there and I want to be able to reach out to children and provide the therapy they need and ensure that they get it.

We have schools in Georgetown for children who are moderate to severely autistic, but we have no schools for children who are mild to moderately autistic, so my focus is to reach to those who are on the mild to moderate end of the spectrum and provide the therapy they need.

"Early screening, early diagnosis, early intervention are what we need. When this is done early, it increases the possibility of that child overcoming some of their challenges or getting better, and when parents wait until the child is eight or nine, it is more difficult and that is what is key right now. Parents need to understand that there is no reason to be afraid to get an autism diagnosis and it is not synonymous with retardation,” Rosanne declared.

To reinforce that, she uses the example of her daughter being exceptional in what is considered to be the regular school system. (Lakhram Bhagirat)

guyanatimesgy.com

MARCH 31 , 2019

Sunday Times Magazine

3

World Autism Awareness Day

By Lakhram Bhagirat

I

t is my belief that parents of children with special needs live in their own worlds. They create this space where imperfections are embraced as the new normal and they believe in things we ‘normal’ people cannot see as yet. Their eyes are opened to a world where we dare not venture but one where they happily dwell.

That model world has been all Yonette Collins has known for the past 19 years.

Like every first-time mother, she had envisioned a certain path which her child would tread, but when she was told his path would be more unique than the one she envisioned, she did not know how to accept it. She felt that her world had shifted into the unknown and she started to panic at the level of uncertainty.

However, Yonette knew that the faster she accepted the reality, the faster her firstborn could start adjusting to the challenges in his life as she could be there to catch him every time he fell.

Just about 19 years ago, Yonette gave birth to Shaquille.

From the inception, she knew that he was a special boy not because he was her first born, but because he came before his time.

He was eager to see what the world had to offer him and for the first year of his life, everything seemed pretty basic to him. He was developing as every infant should and even spoke three very clear words among the constant babble. He could boast about calling for dada and identifying the doggies as well as expressing his love for everything cars.

However, as Shaquille grew, instead of developing more, he became distant. He stopped talking completely.

He no longer looked at his momma when she spoke to him. He stopped responding

to her calls and this broke her heart. She knew something was amiss, but could never put her finger on it.

On a visit overseas, a family friend who had worked with autistic children told Yonette that Shaquille was exhibiting signs of someone who was on the Autism Spectrum and that she should get him checked out. Having never heard of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Yonette was puzzled so she collected all the reading materials about ASD from the friend and upon her return home to Guyana, she started reading and researching.

“I used to look at him and he used to portray those signs in the book. He doesn’t make eye contact, he won't respond, he had repetitive behaviour and he was fascinated with cars and he w o u l d line them

up and play and so on.”

However, at that time she could not find anyone in Guyana to diagnose Shaquille so she kept ob-

serving him and trying to address the needs he had.

He was doing everything in reverse and developing far later than those his age.

He went to nursery school still not being able to use the washroom by himself.

His communication issues had intensified with him just speaking two words at a time. His phrases were to the point, identifying what he needed and that was all.

Children with an ASD that affects their communication ability are often taught sign language to be able to better communicate what they are feeling, but Yonette said she knew that it would be a last resort for Shaquille to learn sign language. She wanted him to be verbal and she pushed him to talk and express what he wanted. Now she can report that his phrases have turned into sentences with room for improvement.

After a few years, Shaquille and his family

would move to the island of Jamaica where they lived for about three years. It was in Jamaica where Shaquille was officially diagnosed with mild to moderate autism, a diagnosis that brought no shock but relief to Yonette because she knew that her

special boy had very special needs.

He was about seven when he was diagnosed and she immediately accepted what was offered and began carving a path for her son to live the best version of himself.

It

i s a p a t h with num e r o u s bumps, but a path where every little accomplishment is hailed as the greatest success. In Jamaica, Shaquille attended a school that catered for

his needs and learning abilities and was rapidly progressing. His communication issues were beginning to be addressed, he was learning by using pictures and his handwriting was

IMPECCABLE. When the family returned home and got settled in Berbice, Shaquille had a big adjustment to make.

Yonette got him enrolled in the New Amsterdam Special School in order to cater to his needs.

“He is very choosy about who he gets close to him.

When he was in school, I would know who is his friend. Because I was a regular visitor at the school, he would be all smiles and bring his friend to introduce them to me. Despite his communication issues I would know that this is his friend because he would be very happy.

I would be happy because I would know that he is communicating with that person,” she said.

Because of his ASD, Shaquille dislikes being touched by people who he does not know and he has severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

His OCD is the reason he was forced to drop out of school. By the time he was about 16, the New Amsterdam Special School had grown from what it was when he first started and it meant more traffic as well as more people using the washrooms. Shaquille, because of his OCD, would not use the washroom because it would be wet or messy so after a while, he developed an infection that resulted in him being in immense pain. He was on medcontinued on page 5

4

Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

MARCH 31 , 2019

World Autism Awareness Day

By Lakhram Bhagirat

A

utism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed or undiagnosed disorders in Guyana.

It is also a topic not many Guyanese are knowledgeable about, since awareness surrounding this disorder is somewhat lacking.

In Guyana, when the common person hears the term autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder, they are almost immediately puzzled as to what the disease really is or whom it affects, because the fact remains that the Public Health Ministry, and by extension the Government, is doing a poor job at educating the populace about ASD and the only time the conversation begins about the disorder is in April, World Autism Month, and it dies on April 30.

We cannot deny the fact that we, the Guyanese people, are quite judgmental when it comes to the way children behave. We often shun mental health issues so when someone suggests that our children may be suffering from a mental health-related issue, we are quick to accuse them of referring to our children as ‘mad’. Then we would dismiss the issue and leave the child there without proper intervention for whatever they may be suffering from, resulting in us seeking treatment when it is quite often too late.

ASDs are intricate neurological disorders often categorised by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviours and general communication abilities. However, persons suffering from ASD are more than likely to be on the higher academic scales, but suffer tremendously as

it relates to their social skills and those on the opposite end of the academic field cannot access education, since they cannot speak or even concentrate.

While the causes of the disease have not been isolated, it is widely believed that it stems from a series of genetic and environmental influences. Contrary to the popular myth, there is conclusive data that proves ASD is not remotely related to measles, mumps and rubella vaccines received during early childhood, rather the data went as far as determining that vaccinations, as a whole, do not increase the risk of ASD.

If we are to use the WHO figure of 1:160 given the approximate 775,000 persons resident in Guyana, then we would arrive at a figure of just over 4800 persons who have an ASD. But, that figure is yet to be confirmed or any data whatsoever in relation to ASD in Guyana.

In 2018, the Center for Disease Control (CDC), USA, determined that approximately 1 in 59 children is diagnosed with an ASD, with boys amounting for most of that number. It was determined that 1 in 37 boys has an ASD compared to 1 in 151 girls. It was conclusively expressed that boys are four

Autism, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), affects 1 in every 160 children worldwide, but sadly for Guyana there are no comparative statistics since autism is only highlighted during the month of April or whenever a NonGovernmental Organisation (NGO) hosts a programme that seeks to bring about awareness.

times more likely to be diagnosed with autism and most are diagnosed after the age of four.

The WHO says individuals with ASD often present other co-occurring conditions, including epilepsy, depression, anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The level of intellectual functioning in individuals with ASDs is extremely

variable, e x tending from profound impairment to superior levels.

Nevertheless, there are some telltale signs that

can lead to early detection of ASD in children since they start appearing as early as six months of age.

Parents with children with ASD as well as activists urge parents to observe their child’s behavioural patterns and look for signs such as lack of eye contact; social isolation; delayed language development; struggles identifying social cues; constant repetition of words or phrases; unusual reactions to taste, sound or smells and intense vexation in response to minor changes in their routine or surroundings. Experts have related that the aforementioned signs should be taken seriously and immediate intervention should be pursued.

Once signs have been identified, it is advised that families seek the relevant information and services offered to help them address the indi-

dure abuse home from siblings who are tired of them getting all the attention and that is coupled with the at

vid-

ual needs of their child. But in Guyana services primarily for autistic children are not readily available since Government institutions offer very limited services and the NGOs are limited in what they can do since most of them depend on funding from donors and in most cases, the funding and grants are often minimal.

Nevertheless, to access information and services to care for an autistic person one can visit the Step-ByStep Foundation, the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre, or the Sorsha Williams Foundation since those entities are equipped to offer advice and specialised care.

Additionally, one thing the organisations promote is acceptance of autistic persons since there is the stigma attached to persons who are not considered “normal” in the traditional sense. Persons with ASD often have to en-

deprivation of health, education and social opportunities.

Persons suffering from ASD are heavily dependent on their primary care provider. There are a range of care options and skills training programmes for parents and other caregivers. The most effective is Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA), which teaches young people, with autism, the life skills they need and how to tap into their true potential.

Additionally, depending on their needs, children who have autism receive a range of therapies which included behaviour therapy, speechlanguage therapy, occupational therapy, social skills training and sometimes feeding therapy. However, the training and therapy are not limited to the children but incorporate the parents or caregivers since they are the ones who have to understand the person with ASD. Remember that autistic people can do anything a “normal” person could and in most cases, they can do it better. Take an example from singer Susan Boyle; movie director Tim Burton; mathematician and scientist Albert Einstein; mathematician, astronomer, and physicist Sir Isaac Newton; comedian Jerry Seinfeld and Pokémon creator Satoshi Tajiri among a host of others.

guyanatimesgy.com

MARCH 31 , 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 5

World Autism Awareness Day

“I like having autism and I would never change anything about myself.

I would not be the person I am today if I did not have autism. I am very creative and smart because of this.

However, autism is just a little part of me; it is not who I am.”

W

hen their son, Milan, was officially diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at seven years of age, his parents felt a wide range of emotions. Years of uncertainty and concern suddenly collided with feelings of optimism and hope.

The family had increasingly noticed developmental differences between Milan and his twin sister, Livi. Why did Milan have sensitivity to loud noises and a heightened sense of smell? Why didn’t he like to be shown physical affection? Why was it so difficult for him to sit still for longer than a few minutes?

And why didn’t Livi seem to

be affected by any of these things?

With the official autism diagnosis, the family was ready to exhaust every resource to ensure their son would have everything he needed to live a happy, fulfilling life.

"My husband and I researched autism spectrum disorder and ADHD, and spoke to Milan’s therapist and developmental pediatrician to develop a plan to deal with his diagnosis as a family. We reached out to other parents and the school social worker as well. Of course, Autism Speaks and SEPTO (Special Education Parent Teacher Organization) were also very helpful," said Milan’s mom.

"We agreed that it would

be best to share the diagnosis with Milan and his twin sister, who doesn’t have autism, to help them understand what the diagnosis meant.

We read and discussed children's books with them on ASD and researched autism heroes. We also shared the diagnosis with our friends and family and explained Milan’s sensitivities and needs."

Today, with the help of an Individualized Education Program (IEP), a dedicated team of teachers and paraprofessionals, and trusted medical professionals, Milan continues to make tremendous strides both socially and academically. In fact, he has come so far since his initial diagnosis that today, he’s the proud co-author and illustrator of a chil-

dren’s book titled, "Autism & Me." The paperback, co-authored by Milan’s former paraprofessional, tells the story of a fictional character,

Mike, and creatively demonstrates how his mind works differently than those of most of his friends and family. Milan not only did all the illustrations in the book, but he provided valu-

able insight into his daily triumphs and struggles in hopes of providing a better understanding about what it means to be on the autism spectrum.

In the final page of the

book, Milan proudly describes the positive outlook he has adopted about his autism since being diagnosed two years ago.

"When I think of autism I think of a big lightbulb on the top of my head. I do not want people to feel bad for me. I like having autism and I would never change anything about myself," he said through the voice of Mike.

"I would not be the p e r son I am today if I did not h a v e autism. I am very creative and smart because of this.

However, autism is just a little part of me; it is not who I am." (Autism Speaks)

from page 3

ication for some two months and refused to go back to school.

Shaquille is a whiz when it comes to technology. He can navigate his way on a computer and enjoys gaming. Yonette allows him to hone his skills by exposing him to as many activities that interest him. He is still OCD and noise still affects him, but he is slowly overcoming those challenges.

She feels that there is more to be done in the field of autism awareness and screening.

It is not the end of the road when your child is diagnosed with an ASD, according to Yonette.

She said the faster we accept that this is who our child is, the faster we will be able to get them the help they need to fully develop.

“There will a lot of challenges because it will be all different. Acceptance is key.

Children with autism teach you patience and you have to treat them with love. This is a special child with special needs. The child comes first and then the needs come after. You have to treat the child as a normal child and then treat the special need, because most times, we look at the needs and forget that the child is normal in every other way.”

You always have to be there for your child no matter what. An autistic child requires special levels of attention and you have to dedicate your time to them for all your life, because when they choose you, they really choose you for life. Every child on the spectrum is different and as they progress, their

needs change and behaviours evolve.

You have to be there to love them unconditionally and support everything they do. It is a lifelong commitment and one you must be prepared to execute once you decide to have a child. For Yonette, Shaquille and their family, the victories, no matter how small in the eyes of the world, are magnificent to them. There are constant high fives in their family to build Shaquille’s selfesteem and boost him up so that he can feel accomplished.

6 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

MARCH 31 , 2019

World Autism Awareness Day

White House

China Central Radio and TV Tower in Beijing

T

o place the spotlight on autism, the United Nations sanctioned the month of April as World Autism Awareness with April 2 being World Autism Awareness Day and also coincides with the Light It Up Blue Campaign (LIUBC) which was pioneered by Autism Speaks co-founders Bob and Suzanne Wright.

The aim of the LIUBC is

to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism and on this day thousands of landmarks, homes and businesses in more than 150 countries are lit blue, marking the start of World Autism Month as well as the Autism Speaks month long LIUBC. There are no particular significance of the colour blue as it relates to autism but

the colour is associated with the Autism Speaks Organization.

Autism Spectrum Disorders refers to a range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication, as well as by unique strengths and differences.

Research have proven that there is not

one autism but many types, caused by different combinations of genetic and environmental influences.

World Health Organisation statistics reveal that 1 in every 60 children have some form of ASD and living with the disease can be very challenging for families as well as for the victim since they have a tough time adjusting to socially acceptable norms. It

ten ask persons to wear blue and pledge their support for awareness during April. In addition to wearing blue, as a sign of solidarity persons would light up their homes, businesses, schools landmarks, social media accounts as well as websites.

On April 2 every year, one can expect famous landmarks such as the Niagara

is believed that the LIUBC came about as an expression of support to the families caring for autistic children or adults.

Autism Speaks is one of the largest advocacy organizations in the world that focuses on bringing awareness and researching the cause and treatment for ASD and for LIUP they of-

Falls in Canada, Christ the Redeemer Statue in Brazil, the United States White House, the Empire State Building and the Burj Khalifa to be illuminated in blue.

However, while many may support the LIUBC there are many parents and family members of persons living with ASD who are to-

Eiffel Tower, Paris

tally against the campaign and everything that Autism Speaks is about when it comes to raising awareness.

According to critics placing emphasis on lighting up a site blue or wearing clothing of that nature is not going to bring them any comfort rather they are for “Autism Acceptance” since generally society does not accept persons suffering from ASD. It is widely reported that person with ASD are more than likely to suffer abuse in the home as well as bullying from the public since they are quite often referred to as “weird” since they are less likely to make eye contact when interacting and more than likely to miss social cues.

They are more prone to erratic outbursts irrespective of their location and quite often those outbursts include loud screaming, banging of heads or fists on walls or any surface and in some cases getting physical.

It is understood that symptoms of autism are unique to the persons suffering from it, as some are more academically inclined while others may be artsy.

So based on all of those reactions, critics of the Light It Up Blue campaign stresses the need for inclusion and acceptance of autistic persons into the realm of everyday society. They contend that even the autistic adults are discriminated against when it comes for them to get jobs and access other services.

guyanatimesgy.com

MARCH 31 , 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 7

Feature

by

Preserving our literary Heritage

Petamber Persaud

(E

xcerpt of an interview with Dr. Manu Chander, Georgetown, Guyana, March 2019. Chander is a Visiting Fulbright Fellow. Chander’s publications include ‘Brown Romantics: Poetry and Nationalism in the Global Nineteenth Century’.

This interview coincides with and sort of celebrates World Poetry Day and World Storytelling Day given that Leo was a major Guyanese poet and a master storyteller.)

PP…..

You know, you academics like to put writers and their works in categories but there are many things going for Leo; apart from the fact that he was the first major black poet of Guyana, he was a writer. Let’s look at his prose writing. Let me quote him: ‘Scriptology is writing about writing, history about history, storytelling about storytelling. It is a study of its own procedure’.

Let’s talk ‘Scriptology’.

MC It is a remarkable collection; it’s only four stories. But we do know that he likely wrote more stories or planned to write more stories, although we haven’t traced any more yet.

There are a couple things that are very interesting to note about Scriptology. The first is it was deliberately

meant to appeal to a wider reading audience and specifically to a Creole audience.

So he talks in his preface for the need of anyone who can identify as a Creole and who could spare a little money to support local Guyanese Literature…

PP That’s another outstanding characteristic of Leo… MC So he is very deliberate about creating a Creole culture and by Creole he means Afro- Creole or Afro-Guyanese. And he is working very hard to establish the relevance of locally produced literature to at least local readers, if not the world.

Now you asked about the term, the title – scriptology.

First of all, the term doesn’t exist in the Oxford English Dictionary and certainly not before that moment; this is first usage of it that I’ve found. What’s interesting about the term is the logos, the logic, of script, the writing; it’s about the ways in which through manipulating language we can reveal aspects, specifically in his case, Guyanese culture that otherwise goes unnoticed. So there’s a lot of meditation on the writing process throughout the work, a self-conscious engagement with what is it to write, I suppose a lot of that comes

I'm very despicable and non- compliant, So don't try to convince me that, I'm capable of being complaisant, Because at the end of the day, I hate myself in every single way.

And I won't lie by saying, The heart is what really matters, So most assuredly, I will remind myself daily, That I'm an insolent, malevolent person, And nothing you say will make me believe, I still deserve love.

Because regardless of whatever, I'm prohibited to be loved, And I have no reason to believe that, Kindness really does exist within me, Because every time I scrutinize myself I always think, Am I really that terrible as people deem me to be?

(Read now, from bottom to top.)

By Faheem Esau

from the fact that he primarily wrote poetry. So before he is a storyteller, he is one works with language, who moulds language. For that reason, I think readers who are looking for a gripping page-turner may not find it in Scriptology just as they wouldn’t find it in Wilson Harris I think, in both cases though different writing styles, there’s a desire to slow us down, to really ponder on the words and to play with them ourselves.

The first story is ‘The hole in the Pan’, it starts with a bit of a mystery – a colonial settler has a bedpan with a hole in it and his friend comes by to visit and wants to know why there is a hole in the centre of this pan and he asks for the whole story …. [laughter] …Martin certainly enjoyed playing with language, enjoyed punning.

But one of the things that emerges as you read the story that it is story with a hole in both senses. It is a story that doesn’t have a complete narrative of who these characters are, there is no sort of strong character development, there is something missing and yet there is a w-h-o-l-e that gets reveal through these very thin characters, what he gives us is a picture of secular society in the 19th century – the desire for courtship and love, the loneliness of the man far from England who has come to settle, the need for fraternal bonds and romantic bonds. He is a thematic writer, he is working around a particular set of ideas he wants to put into a form that will activate the reader’s imagination, get the reader to be active, to do some work, peeling apart the layers of what’s going on.

PP He was aware of his audience.

MC Deeply aware of his audience PP He begged for response MC He really did. First of all, he wanted to be acknowledged…there was a moment in the preface to his first book where he says if I cared so much for fame then I would have put my

real name to this, I would have signed Egbert Martin instead of signing ‘Leo’ But it was not so much the fame that goes with the name, it was more about fame of the position in a way to be someone who is known for bringing readers together, creating a community, a literate community, organized around a shared text, his text – that idea is clearly

represented throughout his work.

So in the preface to his second collection, Leo’s Local Lyrics, he is saying some people didn’t like the first book too much, they found it too goody- goody, too religious in spirit, in humourous fashion, he also says, frankly I’ve looked through a couple dictionaries and I haven’t been able to find the phrase ‘goody-goody’ – that term the London press had charged him with, nevertheless I’d write something more in line with public taste. So he turns from his religious theme in his first book to issues more of the local landscape, to try to paint a clear picture of Guyanese life for audience here and abroad. And that strategy actually worked – his second book is much better received by the London press – poems from it appeared in London, New York, Boston.

He was very market conscious and that’s something that has been left out of the very few critical treatments of Martin that exists….( to be continued) Responses to this author please telephone 226-0065 of email: oraltradition2002@ yahoo.com

8 Sunday Times Magazine

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MARCH 31 , 2019

Travel and Tourism

A

re you thinking about escaping to a faraway village or even more interesting, a faraway ranch? Well, think no further, the Dadanawa Ranch is said to be one of the oldest, largest and most isolated ranch in the world.

Extending over 1750 square miles of natural savanna in the South Rupununi, the ranch is lush and unspoilt.

It is also a unique place for involvement and insight of a working ranch. It serves as a great base for wildlife spotting such as jaguars and giant anteaters. As you continue to read, you will find out some interesting facts about the Dadanawa Ranch that would make your visit worthwhile but first examine its origin.

Origin Of Dadanawa

About 1865, Dadanawa started out as a trading post by a man of the name DeRooie and was sold with 300 head of cattle in the late 1880s to H.P.C. Melville, a gold prospector from Barbados who found himself lost and near-dead of malaria in the area several years before. The ranch was sold to investors and was established as the Rupununi Development Company in 1919. English ex-cavalry Harry E Turner was the manager of Dadanawa up to 1965, and retired to England that year. It was also at one time managed by Stan Brock

footprints.

5. Wildlife and Exploration: You can enjoy birdwatching, caiman spotting, canoeing, fishing, hiking, seeing petroglyphs, and visiting Amerindian communities. You will also find harpy eagles, jaguars, giant anteaters, anacondas and the red siskin finch.

Tip: The name “Dadanawa” is a distortion of the local Wapishana Amerindian name of Dadinauwau, or “macaw spirit creek hill”. who was one of the host of the wildlife show, ‘Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom.’

Did You Know?

Dadanawa Ranch is one of the most remote ranches in the world containing about 5,000 to 6000 head of cattle.

Five Interesting Facts About Dadanawa

1. Cowboys: Ranch cowboys are called “vaqueros”, most of whom are Wapishana Amerindians.

The ranch supports over 40 people in the main compound including the direct and extended families of the manager and staff, some of which extend for 3 generations.

2. Working Ranch: The cattle are wild and the vaqueros are barefooted as they head out on cattle drives to round up steers and wild horses, using the same techniques they used a hundred years ago. The ranch buildings are comprised of a small group of stilted wooden houses typical of the region, deep in the savannah with views of the beautiful Kanuku Mountain range.

3. Entrepreneurs: The ranch is now run by Duane de Freitas, his wife Sandie and son Justin along with his Irish partner, Erin Earl.

They run an Ecotourism business from the ranch and visitors from all over the world come to birdwatch or go on river trips in the sa-

vannahs and Amazon rainforest.

4. Eco-tourism: Duane and Justin have set up the Rupununi Conservation Society to protect the highly endangered siskins and other bird and river turtle species. The people at Dadanawa are ethical, responsible and aim for sustainable eco-tourism. All livestock is free range and the ranch’s electricity is powered by solar panels. On day trips and expeditions they aim to have minimal impact on the environment, using ancient techniques to track or hunt for food, and leaving nothing behind but

How To Arrive At Dadanawa

Visitors can take scheduled flights to Lethem on the Brazilian border and utilize pre-arranged ground transport to the Ranch. The preferred means of travel to Dadanawa is by jeep.

It takes about 3.5 hours to drive from Lethem to Dadanawa in the dry season, and as much as 3 days in the wet season. Tourists often stay at Dadanawa and use the ranch as a base for further journeys throughout the South Rupununi.

Dadanawa’s Environment

You can use Dadanawa as a base to launch on a River Adventure down the

Rupununi River, passing through Sand Creek Village (Suburun Tao) which sits between two rivers and close to the mighty Kanukus.

Going further south from Dadanawa Ranch, there are villages such as Rupunau that is set in a hilly, quartz area, also set against the backdrop of the blue Kanuku and to the east of the village there are outcrops of black crop set strikingly against the blue sky.

Things To Try At The Ranch:

• Damooriid (pepperpot) – Local dish made from fresh cassava water and fish, but can be served with other meats and cassava bread.

• Parikari (Cassava Beer) – Delicious, strained thin, sweet and strong, the local beverages in south Rupununi have no competition in Guyana.

• Farine: Local staple food made with cassava.

• Tasso: Dried, salted meat – often fried or roasted on open fire – a traditional cowboy food.

• Passock: Influenced from Brazil, pounded tasso, mixed with farine.

• Boily: A recipe with

fresh beef, seasoning and water, slow cooked to perfect deliciousness.

• Local Fruits: There are various local fruits found in Rupununi that are simply delicious.

Dadanawa Ranch In Guyana

At the ranch, they have beds for up to 15 people but have in the past accommodated more with the use of hammocks. Mosquito nets are provided. As you stay, you can travel with cowboys over the Savannahs looking for cattle on the open plains and seek wildlife between the Kaiambe trees.

You can take part in the action of bringing the cattle into the corral, parting the herds and watching the cowboys compete with each other in a mini rodeo, showcasing their skills and bravery.

Feel free to take a peaceful, scenic canoe ride or relax in the creeks and rivers around the ranch. This ranch that has been about for years is indeed a beautiful place for you to take both literal and mental pictures – pictures that will stay with you for a long time. (www. thingsguyana.com)

guyanatimesgy.com

MARCH 31 , 2019

Arapaima Conservation with Karanambu Lodge

T

he Arapaima is considered the largest scaled freshwater fish in the world and can grow up to three metres in length. They are considered as one of the endangered giants of Guyana. There is a unique subspecies of the arapaima found in the ponds around the Karanambu area in the Rupununi.

At the height of the dry season, younger fish can sometimes find themselves isolated in ponds that have become cut off from the river. As the ponds contract the fish become trapped which would be detrimental to the young fishes. As part of their continued commitment to the conservation of the Karanambu area, the Karanambu Lodge usually dispatch teams to monitor the ponds and over the years have pioneers a successful relocation for the trapped arapaimas.

This year, their effort commenced earlier than usual and thus far they have man-

as well as Black and Spectacled Caiman that live on the 30 mile stretch of the Rupununi River that runs through Karanambu’s land.

Giant Anteaters, Crab-Eating Foxes and Red Brocket Deer roam our savannahs and our many fresh water ponds are home to what has been called, one of the world’s best wild collection of Victoria Amazonica water lilies. These lilies - the largest in the world - can reach up to three meters in diameter and their flowers bloom every evening at dusk.

Ever so often, an Ocelot, Jaguarondi or White-Faced Tayra will wander through.

The Karanambu area was settled in 1927 by Edward ‘Tiny’ McTurk and his wife Connie, as a cattle ranch and Balata collection station. Their Old English heritage still persists today and helps to make Karanambu Lodge the perfect pairing of oldworld charm and the raw beauty of the nat-

aged to relocate 17 trapped arapaimas to deeper waters so that they can survive the Rupununi dry season. The Karanambu Lodge says it never discloses the relocation site because the arapaimas are still being hunted despite being protected.

The images, of the rescue operation which involved even the youngest resident, was captured by the Karanambu Lodge’s Operations Manager, Manuel Cook.

ural environment.

‘Tiny’ himself, was extremely knowledgeable of the natural environment around him and in the 1950’s was instrumental in helping the young David Attenborough and Gerald Durrell, among other, make some of the earliest wildlife programs and collections of animals and specimens for different zoos across the world.

Edward and Connie’s daughter, Diane McTurk, took over the ranch after her parents and went on to establish the Karanambu Lodge. Karanambu is probably best known for having been her home. She was a conservationist and world-renowned expert on giant river otters. Her hospitality was legendary, as was her quick wit and infectious laugh.

She passed away in late 2016 after dedicating her life to the rehabilitation of the Giant River Otter Her work lives on through the Karanambu Trust, an organization set up by the McTurk family in 1997 to help fulfill Diane’s vision of establishing Karanambu’s lands as a protected area.

Diane’s fabled hospitality endures at Karanambu.

In keeping with ‘Aunty Di’s’ legacy, the Lodge welcomes travelers, adventurers, naturalists, film makers, conservationists and really anyone who loves nature and wants to experience the beauty that is found in our part of the untamed Rupununi.

Karanambu Lodge’s story

Hidden in the dancing savannah grasses of the North Rupununi is Karanambu Lodge.

Featured on the BBC, National Geographic and the Discovery Channel, Karnambu was in 2013 the recipient of the Caribbean Excellence in Sustainable Tourism Award and is considered the Hallmark of Bush Tourism in Guyana.

There are as many as 700 species of fish at Karanambu - more than anywhere on Earth. During the biannual rainy seasons, the tributaries of the Amazon and Essequibo rivers flood their banks and meet. The union of these vast river systems result in the exchange of genetic and biological material, allowing Karanambu to be home to an extraordinary amount of aquatic life.

Over 600 species of birds also make their home here, making Karanambu a birdwatcher's paradise. The Lodge provides excellent viewing opportunities of Giant River Otters, River Turtles, a variety of monkeys,

Sunday Times Magazine

9

Feature

10 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

MARCH 31 , 2019

Health

A

n ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants and grows outside the main cavity of the uterus. Pregnancy begins with a fertilized egg. Normally, the fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus.

An ectopic pregnancy most often occurs in a fallopian tube, which carries eggs from the ovaries to the uterus. This type of ectopic pregnancy is called a tubal pregnancy. Sometimes, an ectopic pregnancy occurs in other areas of the body, such as the ovary, abdominal cavity or the lower part of the uterus (cervix), which connects to the vagina.

An ectopic pregnancy can't proceed normally.

The fertilized egg can't survive, and the growing tissue may cause life-threatening bleeding, if left untreated.

Symptoms

You may not notice anything at first. However, some women with an ectopic pregnancy have the usual early signs or symptoms of pregnancy — a missed period, breast tenderness and nausea.

If you take a pregnancy test, the result will be positive. Still, an ectopic pregnancy can't continue as normal.

Signs and symptoms increase as the fertilized egg grows in the improper place.

Early warning of ectopic pregnancy Often, the first warning sign of an ectopic pregnancy is pelvic pain. Light vaginal bleeding may also occur.

If blood leaks from the fallopian tube, you may feel increasing abdominal pain, an urge to have a bowel movement or pelvic discomfort. If heavy bleeding (hemorrhaging) occurs, you may feel shoulder pain as blood fills your pelvis and abdomen. Your specific symptoms depend on where the blood collects and which nerves are irritated.

Emergency symptoms If the fertilized egg continues to grow in the fallopian tube, it can cause the tube to rupture. Heavy bleeding inside the abdomen is likely. Symptoms of this life-threatening event include extreme lightheadedness, fainting, severe abdominal pain and shock.

Causes

A tubal pregnancy — the most common type of ectopic pregnancy — happens when a fertilized egg gets stuck on its way to the uterus, often because the fallopian tube is damaged by inflammation or is misshapen. Hormonal imbalances or abnormal development of the fertilized egg also might play a role.

Risk factors

Some things that make you more likely to have an ectopic pregnancy are: • Previous ectopic pregnancy. If you've had this type of pregnancy before, you're more likely to have another.

• Inflammation or infection. Sexually transmitted infections, such as gonorrhea or chlamydia, can cause inflammation in the

tubes and other nearby organs, and increase your risk of an ectopic pregnancy.

• Fertility treatments. Some research suggests that women who have in vitro fertilization (IVF) or similar treatments are more likely to have an ectopic pregnancy. Infertility itself may also raise your risk.

• Tubal surgery.

Surgery to correct a closed or damaged fallopian tube can increase the risk of an ectopic pregnancy.

• Choice of birth control. The chance of getting pregnant while using an intrauterine device (IUD) is rare. However, if you do get pregnant with an IUD in place, it's more likely to be ectopic. Tubal ligation, a permanent method of birth control commonly known as "having your tubes tied," also raises your risk, if you become pregnant after this procedure.

• Smoking. Cigarette smoking just before you get pregnant can increase the risk of an ectopic pregnancy. The more you smoke, the greater the risk.

Complications

An ectopic pregnancy can cause your fallopian tube to burst open. Without treatment, the ruptured tube can lead to life-threatening bleeding.

Prevention

There's no way to prevent an ectopic pregnancy, but here are some ways to decrease your risk: • Limit your number of sexual partners.

sound allows your doctor to see the exact location of your pregnancy. For this test, a wandlike device is placed into your vagina. It uses sound waves to create images of your uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes, and sends the pictures to a nearby monitor.

Abdominal ultrasound, in which an ultrasound wand is moved over your belly, also may be used to confirm your pregnancy or evaluate for internal bleeding.

Other blood tests

• Always use a condom during sex to help prevent sexually transmitted infections and reduce your risk of pelvic inflammatory disease.

• Don't smoke. If you do, quit before you try to get pregnant.

Diagnosis

A pelvic exam can help your doctor identify areas of pain, tenderness, or a mass in the fallopian tube or ovary. However, your doctor can't diagnose an ectopic pregnancy by examining you. You'll need blood tests

and an ultrasound.

Pregnancy test

Your doctor will order the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) blood test to confirm that you're pregnant. Levels of this hormone increase during pregnancy. This blood test may be repeated every few days until ultrasound testing can confirm or rule out an ectopic pregnancy — usually about five to six weeks after conception.

Transvaginal ultrasound A

transvaginal

ultra-

A complete blood count will be done to check for anemia or other signs of blood loss. If you're diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy, your doctor may also order tests to check your blood type in case you need a transfusion.

Treatment

A fertilized egg can't develop normally outside the uterus. To prevent lifethreatening complications, the ectopic tissue needs to be removed. Depending on your symptoms and when the ectopic pregnancy is discovered, this may be done using medication, laparoscopic surgery or abdominal surgery. (Mayo Clinic)

guyanatimesgy.com

MARCH 31 , 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 11

Home & Cooking

Home Décor

I

f you’re trying to decorate a small home, it can sometimes feel like your options are limited. And while there’s not much you can do to add square footage, there are plenty of ways to make your tiny apartment feel perfectly put together.

The key is taking advantage of the largest open spaces you have—your walls.

Those empty walls are filled with pos-

Cod Fish Stew • •

• • • • • • • • •

• •

1 lb fresh cod fish 1 tsp finely chopped thyme + 6 sprigs thyme 1 tbsp crushed garlic 1 tbsp chopped cilantro 3 tsp canola oil 1 tsp curry powder ½ tsp black pepper 1 ½ tsp salt 1 medium onion, sliced ¼ cup water 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes cut in half 2 scallion, chopped ½ lemon

Place cod in a bowl and mix with chopped thyme, garlic, cilantro, 1 tsp canola oil, curry powder, black pepper and salt and set aside.

In a pot over medium high heat, add remaining oil. When oil is hot add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until it has soften then add tomatoes. Cook for 2-3 minutes then add water and bring to a boil; cook for an additional minute or two, until the tomatoes start to break down a little. Add cod, scallion and thyme and

• • • • • • •

• • •

sibilities and a few additions can make a small apartment feel cozy and stylish, instead of stark and cramped.

No matter your style, there are tricks that can amp up your walls and bring out your personality and taste.

Whether you’re an art collector, a nature enthusiast, or a book lover, your walls can be customized so that you can be surrounded by the things you adore.

A

n oversize painting o r photograph will command attention and set the tone in a small space.

Try a black-andwhite photo in a minimalist space or add color with a vibrant abstract piece.

cover pot, lower the heat, then cook for 1012 minutes. Remove from heat and add a squeeze of fresh lemon. Serve over rice.

Garlic Plantains

•

should

• • •

• •

2 whole plantains cut into small cubes, slightly ripe( the skin be yellow) 2 cloves garlic 2 tsp oil 1 mild pepper thinly sliced, like jalapenos ¼ tsp salt Chopped cilantro

Add oil to a pot over medium heat.

When oil is hot, add plantains and cook until all sides are golden brown.

Add garlic, pepper and salt and cook for an additional minute while stirring.

Remove from heat and garnish with chopped cilantro.

N

othing adds personality and color quite like a gallery wall. Display a collection of art, photographs, or add wall hangings and other ephemera. Opt for simple, cohesive frames or bring in an array of ornate variations to mix things up!

(Jehan Can Cook)

1/2 cup red wine 1 cup sugar 1 1/2 cup water sticks cinnamon 1 tbsp vanilla 1 tbsp cloves ripe pears, peeled, halved and cored Honeyed Cream Cheese 4 oz cream cheese 1/3 cup half and half 1 tbsp honey

Mix wine, water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, vanilla and cloves in a pot on a medium fire. Bring to a simmer. Add pear and cook for 20 to 25 mins until pears are tender. Remove pears from liquid and cook liquid for an additional 15 mins. The liquid will reduce to form a syrup.

While the wine reduces, mix room temperature cream cheese, half and half and honey. Beat with a mixer for 3 mins until light and fluffy. To plate place pears on plate and drizzle with syrup. Add a generous dollop of honeyed cream cheese on top.

Devour!! (Jehan Can Cook)

S

conces add an e x t r a source of light without taking up space on the floor or a side table.

Choose an eyecatching design that doubles as a wall sculpture to bring in light and style.

A

tapestry or wall hanging can add color and pattern, as well as a sense of softness to a space.

Consider framing vintage scarves or other pretty textiles.

Bonus: It’s a lot easier to move than framed paintings when it comes time to head to your next home.

12 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

MARCH 31 , 2019

Puzzles

ACROSS

95 What -- can I do?

1 It may be green

96 Wonka's creator 6 Ecru and taupe

97 Concussion result 10 With joy

100 Caesar's legions 15 Grounds

102 Heavy reading?

20 Harder to find

103 Glasses, slangily 21 Just great

104 Vegas game 22 Ms. Zellweger

108 Slander's kin 23 Tally

109 Studied intently 24 Maureen of film

110 Cathedral part 25 "The -- Limits"

111 Andes vulture 26 Emitting light

112 Pipe bend 27 Organ feature

113 Fridge coolant 28 Flirt

115 Claptrap 29 Deli crepes

116 Desperado's piece 30 Health food (2 wds.)

117 Batman and Robin 32 Juan Peron's widow

118 Trickle 34 Ease

120 Search eng. find 36 Call in sick

121 "Honest" fellow 37 Rack and - 123 Scout leader, often 40 Whodunit herring

124 One-time JFK landers 41 London's Big - 125 Cry of amazement 42 Jayhawker st.

127 Strait-laced person 44 DeLuise and Perignon

129 Dwarf maple, maybe 48 Choose

131 Mir experience 49 Royal pronoun (2 wds.)

50 Snags

136 Prow opposite 53 Balked

138 Cuddly toy 55 Playing marble

142 "And thereby hangs -- --" 56 "The Magic Flute" composer

143 Deep South 58 Falana or Montez

144 "The Velvet Fog" 59 Perfume base

145 Noted soap vixen 61 Hartford competitor

146 Check endorser 63 Croce's "I Got -- --"

147 More remote 64 Transparent wrap

148 Everglades wader 65 Lowly laborer

149 On -- -- (winning) 66 Mighty

150 Downhill racers 67 Freight train unit

151 Wedding-cake levels 69 Silica mineral

152 Crowd noise 70 Actor -- Neeson

153 Eva -- Saint 71 Party-tray cheese

74 Dock denizen

DOWN 75 Mosque feature

1 Walked heavily 78 Undamaged

2 Sunk fence (hyph.)

81 Base runner's need

3 Europe-Asia range 82 Fashion length

4 Arthur's sorcerer 83 Util. bill

5 Makes like a mule 84 Boxing locale

6 Drove a semi 86 Persona -- grata

7 No later than 87 Atomizers

8 Shangri-la 89 Bravo opposite

9 Turkey neighbor 93 Dow Jones fig.

10 Famous pin-up girl 94 Cellar, briefly

KATHLEEN SAXE

WORD GAME

TODAY'S WORD -- MALIGNANT (MALIGNANT: muh-LIG-nent: Tending to spread to another part of the body.)

Average mark 30 words Time limit 45 minutes Can you find 43 or more words in MALIGNANT? TODAY'S WORD -- MALIGNANT

magi mail main malign malt mania manila manna manta mating mint again alga align alit

angina anima animal anti lagan lain lama laming lanai limn ling lint gain gait gala

gamin giant gilt glint gnat nail naming natal taiga tail taming tang ting

RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of "s," such as "bats" or "dies," are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a "d" or an "s" may not be used. For example, if "bake" is used, "baked" or "bakes" are not allowed, but "bake" and "baking" are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

11 Cyclades locale 12 Do a mosaic 13 Trotsky or Spinks 14 Somber evergreens 15 Romantic isle 16 Ancient (hyph.)

17 Pakistan's language 18 Box or bucket -19 Snaky fish 21 Fishing float 31 Glazier's unit 33 In -- -- (stuck) 35 UPS units 37 Canning tomato 38 On top of 39 Chichen -42 Mongol title 43 Oxygen source 45 Hassocks 46 Educator Horace -47 Pirate's booty 49 Pitcher -- Hershiser 50 Asta's mistress 51 Bedside noise 52 Make taboo 53 Elegant wrap 54 Carbon 14 job 57 Kind of radio

106 Mope 58 Acid in milk

107 B'way signs of yore 59 Horrify

109 Part of mpg 60 Natural eyewash

111 Cows' mouthfuls 62 Latin I verb 114 Industrial region 64 Getz or Kenton

115 Daffodil digs 66 Hurls

116 Deep-diving seabird 68 Comes up Shared a ride 69 Shaquille of the NBA 119 121 More Bohemian 71 Codgers' queries 122 Customers 72 Veggie-tray item

123 Attic window 73 Shaking

124 Notched range 76 Needed scratching

126 Curved moldings 77 Spell

127 Elf 79 Web suffix 128 Organic compound 80 Explosive letters

129 Yankee catcher 82 Yours truly

130 First-stringers (hyph.)

85 Currier's partner

131 Phaser blasts 88 "That's -- --!"

132 Term paper abbr.

90 Festoon 91 Unlikely to bite (2 wds.)

133 Zany Martha -92 Reindeer herders

134 Mine entrance 94 Loft locale

135 "Veni, vidi, --" 98 Go together 137 For takeout (2 wds.)

99 PC screen image 139 Designer label 100 Porter and stout

140 Cicero's 651 101 Exasperate 141 Padlock brand 102 Shovel or rake 103 -- Paulo, Brazil See Solution 105 Does sums on page 14

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MARCH 31 , 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 13

Tech

L

G’s latest flagship, the G8 ThinQ, will be released in the US beginning on April 11th.

The Verge originally previewed the G8 back at Mobile World Congress, but release info and pricing was unavailable at the time.

The phone will be available at all major US carriers, as well as authorized retailers and a few regional carriers. The list includes: Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Best Buy, B&H, US Cellular, and Xfinity Mobile.

Preorders start on March 29th at some of those retailers, but the specifics vary depending on where you want to buy the phone. The LG G8 ThinQ’s unlocked retail price is $819.99, with select retailers offering a promotional $150 discount “for a limited time at launch.” As for carrier pricing,

Verizon and Sprint will both be selling the LG G8 for $840, AT&T’s is set at $829.99, and T-Mobile’s undercuts everyone else’s at $619.99.

As a quick refresher, the LG G8 ThinQ is very similar to last year’s G7 in terms of looks. It has a Snapdragon 855 processor, a large 6.1inch QHD+ (3120 x 1440) OLED screen, a 3,500 mAh battery, 128GB storage (with microSD support), 6GB RAM. The G8 will run Android 9 Pie out of the box.

One feature that makes the LG G8 ThinQ stand out, it’s the Z Camera. The G8 uses its front-facing camera for Air Motion gestures that let you perform various actions by simply waving your hand or pinching the air near the screen. Some of these Air Motion actions include answering and ending calls, switching between apps, adjusting the volume, or taking screenshots — all without touching the phone itself. The Z Camera also doubles as a form of authentication, by scanning the veins in your hand (in cases where using the included fingerprint sensor might be inconvenient). (The Verge)

T

he Google-sponsored Lunar X Prize competition may be dead, but the foundation behind the contest still plans to give a cash prize to one of its former competitors — if the team actually lands on the Moon. On Thursday, the X Prize Foundation, which organized the competition, announced it will give a $1 million “Moonshot” award to the

cessfully landed on the Moon and explored the surface before the competition’s deadline was set to receive $20 million from Google, while the second place team would receive $5 million. The rest of the cash was reserved for teams that performed special tasks, such as visiting an old Apollo landing site.

The X Prize Foundation originally set the deadline

teams are still striving to reach the Moon, with SpaceIL poised to be the first of the finalists to make it to the lunar surface. The nonprofit completed its lander with a budget of $90 million and launched the spacecraft into Earth orbit on top of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on February 21st. The lander, named Beresheet has spent the last month and a half in

Israeli nonprofit SpaceIL, if the organization’s lander successfully touches down on the lunar surface.

SpaceIL was originally one of five finalists in the $30 million Google Lunar X Prize competition, which ran from 2007 to 2018. The competition aimed to lower the cost of getting to deep space, by challenging teams all over the world to build and launch lunar landers using mostly private funding. The first team that suc-

for 2012, but extended the competition a few times until a final deadline was set at March 31st, 2018. Dozens of teams initially entered the competition, with five finalists making it to the last round. But ultimately, none of the teams ever launched before the last deadline. The X Prize Foundation tried to relaunch the competition with a new sponsor in 2018, but was unable to find anyone to back the prize.

However, many of the

space, slowly stretching its orbit around Earth in order to reach the distance of the Moon. The plan is to put the lander into the Moon’s orbit the first week of April and then attempt a landing on the lunar surface on April 11th. he fact that SpaceIL kept working toward this mission after the competition ended inspired the X Prize Foundation to offer up a new award, contingent on the team’s success. (The Verge)

Samsung shows off the Galaxy Fold’s folding skills

S

amsung has been pretty closed off about letting anyone actually try out the Galaxy Fold in real life, but apparently, those rules don’t apply to robots — specifically, Samsung’s specialized stress testing machines, which the company showcased in a new video highlighting the Galaxy Fold’s bending abilities.

The video is pretty mesmerizing on its own — there’s something almost soothing about watching all the phones fold open and shut in perfect synchronization, but more importantly, the stress tests are giving us what might be the best look yet at what the Galaxy Fold actually looks like when its folding.

And so far, it looks pretty slick. The screens are fast to turn on, there doesn’t seem to be that big of a gap when the device is closed, and there also doesn’t seem to be

A

mazon’s Rohit Prasad, head scientist and an instrumental member of the Alexa division, says the company’s personal software assistant would be far smarter if it had a robot body and cameras to move around in the real world. Prasad, speaking at MIT Technology Review’s EmTech Digital AI conference in San Francisco on Wednesday, said, “The only way to make smart assistants really smart is to give it eyes and let it explore the world.”

Some Alexa-enabled smart devices already have cameras. But a robot body would be new. Prasad’s comments suggest that work could be in service of one day giving Alexa a body — although he wouldn’t confirm this directly. Prasad works on natural language processing and other machine learning capabilities for Alexa, so it’s likely

the creasing issue that early reports claimed might be a problem (but given that its an extremely polished, Samsung-produced video, we’ll have to wait and see for ourselves if that’s really the case).

Samsung promises that the Fold will be able to “outlast 200,000 folds and unfolds” (which it estimates to roughly five years of use, assuming 100 folds a day), although unless you build a folding robot of your own, it’s likely you won’t run into that barrier anytime soon.

The Galaxy Fold is set to release on April 26th, starting at $1,980. (The Verge)

if he wanted to test these features out, he’d be one of the few Amazon employees who could easily go ahead and try it.

Giving smart assistants cameras and physical bodies would grant them more data on the world around them and help build what we might consider “common sense,” potentially making them more intelligent and more capable of performing complex tasks that require visual context and other important data human brains take for granted. (The combined theory around this blend of neurobiology, robotics, and AI is often referred to as embodied cognition.) And the comments from Amazon’s Prasad line up with rumors of a mobile Alexa robot from a Bloomberg report last year that could follow users around in the home. (The Verge)

14 Sunday Times Magazine

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MARCH 31 , 2019

Bollywood/Hollywood

Pahlaj Nihalani responds to Kangana Ranaut’s allegations: ‘She should not play with me’

A

ctor Kangana Ranaut recently revealed on a show that she was once asked to dress in just a robe for a photoshoot for a Pahlaj Nihalani film. The producer has responded to her claims, warning her not to “play with me”.

On being asked for a reaction to Kangana’s story, Nihalani told Cineblitz, “I had spent one-and-a-half crore on that picture advertisement and shot for three songs.

She did the reading post the photoshoot, but with my advertisement and the poster she got Mahesh Bhatt’s film (Gangster) and backed out of my film as she requested me to let her do Gangster as we were under a three-movie deal. She should not play with me, otherwise I have a lot of things to play with her.”

Nihalani also spoke about the film in question and claimed that he had also approached Amitabh Bachchan with a role. “It was a youth film; she was married in that movie. I had approached Amitabh Bachchan for that role. It

A

ctor Salman Khan is known for launching several faces in Bollywood with Notebook actors Pranutan Bahl and Zaheer Iqbal being the latest ones. The actor has now revealed that he is currently looking into scripts to launch his bodyguard

Shera’s son, Tiger.

Talking about launching several star kids, Salman told Bombay Times in an interview, “Shera’s son Tiger is being groomed right now and he’s already being considered by so many producers and directors. Shera feels I will be the best judge of a script for his son, so I am now sifting through scripts.

I am yet to find something worthy.” Tiger has earli-

was on the lines of Cheeni Kum. I gave the narration to Amitji too; he pulled out due to him already doing something similar. It was never a porn film and neither am I interested in those kinds of movies,” he said.

Kangana had told MidDay, “The fact that people met, and promised to guide and help me, but then I was put under house-arrest. And then Pahlaj Nihalani had offered me a film called I Love You Boss. They had a photoshoot where they gave me a robe to wear, and no undergarments. So I just had a satin robe for a show-girl pose, from which I had to stick my leg out, coming out of darkness.”

Calling the role a soft-

er worked as an assistant director on Salman’s 2016 blockbuster Sultan.

Salman had launched brother-in-law Aayush Sharma (Arpita Khan’s husband) with LoveYatri last year which failed to impress the moviegoers and the critics. He had introduced

Aditya Pancholi’s son Sooraj Pancholi in his 2015 production, Hero.

The actor is proud to have launched the newcomers and will continue to do so until he can. “I will continue to back more kids for as long as I can. Why? Because I was also launched at some point and I think the industry can do with some more fresh talent,” he said.

Salman said that all of

porn character, she added, “They should at least have given some tapes. I was supposed to play a young girl lusting after her middleaged boss. So it was a softporn sort of character. And I had this epiphany that I can’t do this. I felt like this is exactly what my parents were talking about. I actually went through the photo shoot, but then I disappeared. I changed my number.”

The actor had also revealed that soon after this incident, she finally landed roles in two-three projects, including her debut film, Gangster. Kangana won several awards for the film.

(Hindustan Times)

them work very hard to get a nod, adding, “Sooraj, Aayush and Zaheer chill together at Galaxy. They are always together and stand by each other at all times. They’re happy for one another — no khunnas, no jealousy. I wish it stays that way.” He goes on to share his wish, “I actually want all these boys to work together in a super dhamaal film, the kind that I have done in my past.”

The actor is currently working on his next film Bharat and have a few more projects in his kitty, including Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Inshallah with Alia Bhatt and Dabangg 3. Salman stars opposite Katrina Kaif in the film which also has Disha Patani, Jackie Shroff, Sunil Grover and Tabu in prominent roles. The film is being directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and co-produced by him along with Atul Agnihotri and T-Series. (Hindustan Times)

B

ollywood choreographer Saroj Khan, who is choreographing Madhuri Dixit after four years in Kalank, has criticised the quality standards in Bollywood saying “music directors can’t even come up with original tracks” and dance is mostly copied from the west.

Saroj has choreographed a song for Madhuri Dixit in Kalank. Saroj spoke about it to a tabloid, “Four years after Gulaab Gang, I’ve choreographed another song for Madhuri (Dixit). All through the film (Kalank) she makes others dance and never dances herself, then, in the climax, when Varun’s (Dhawan) Zafar enters the kotha, she breaks into a mujra. Tabahi is a sad, situational song with fast-paced beats. Madhuri and I danced our hearts out and I’m hopeful that after seeing it, people will remember Saroj Khan again. After just reading about it, Kangana Ranaut with whom I had worked in Tanu Weds Manu earlier, called me to do a song, Rajaji, in Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi.”

She also slammed the current crop of Bollywood songs and claimed the heroines ‘look and dress the same’. She said,

“Bollywood songs have hit an all time low.

None of the songs today are memorable and you can’t differentiate between heroines, who look and dress the same. I have to ask my kids who the actress is. In the ’80s and ’90s, maybe even before that, every heroine was distinctive and no one was afraid of close-ups. People are trying to copy western dance, but gymnastics is meant for circus people.”

“Why go into living rooms in the West and show them their own moves when people abroad love and want to learn our todas and taals? It’s stupid, but then music directors today can’t even come up with original tracks, they have to remix yesteryear hits. Remo D’souza, Ahmed Khan, Ganesh Acharya, my own son Raju Khan have all been my students. In my time, we always encouraged new talent, we were not insecure of them taking our work away from us.

Taqdeer roti deti hai,” she added.

Saroj has been a renowned name in the industry and has given several hit numbers including Dola Re Dola (Devdas), Dhak Dhak Karne Laga (Beta) and Ek Do Teen (Tezaab). (Hindustan Times)

Angelina Jolie in negotiations for Marvel’s ‘The Eternals’

A

ngelina Jolie is in talks to star in Marvel Studios’ “The Eternals,” in what would be Jolie’s first venture into the superhero realm.

Details about the movie and what character Jolie would play are being kept under wraps. Created by Jack Kirby in 1976, the story of “The Eternals” is set millions of years ago when the cosmic beings known as the Celestials genetically experimented on humans to create super-powered individuals known as the Eternals along with the villainous Deviants.

The two groups went on to battle each other throughout history. The Eternals also warred with Greek, Roman and Norse dieties before leaving the Earth to explore the stars.

Chloe Zhao, whose helming credits include “The Rider” and “Songs My Brothers Taught Me,” became attached in September to direct “The Eternals” from a script by Matthew and Ryan Firpo. Marvel Studios Chief Kevin Feige is producing.

Jolie is starring “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,” a sequel to the 2014 fantasy “Maleficent,” which grossed

$758 million worldwide. The sequel, which will open Oct. 18, will be Jolie’s first big-screen appearance since 2015’s relationship drama “By the Sea,” which she also directed.

Jolie’s other upcoming projects include animation/live-action hybrid “The One and Only Ivan,” and the fantasy drama “Come Away” with David Oyelowo with Brenda Chapman directing. She is repped by UTA and Sloane Offer. (Page Six)

Crossword Solution

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MARCH 31 , 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 15

16 Sunday Times Magazine

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MARCH 31 , 2019

Fun Times

Archie

ARIES

Don’t let go of your (March 21- dreams. Sketch out a plan April 19) and reach out to people who share your beliefs and concerns and can help you reach your objective.

Do what has to be done TAURUS and then relax. Now is not (April 20- the time to stir up trouble, May 20) be stubborn or let emotional matters escalate into something you cannot control.

GEMINI (MAY 28June 20)

The more direct you are about what you do, the less interference you’ll encounter.

Gullibility will invite meddlers and people trying to entice you into something that’s better for them, not for you.

Branch out and try something different. Engage in (June 21- talks and events that will July 22) teach you about other cultures or introduce you to someone or something you didn’t know.

CANCER

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Dilbert

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Rethink your next move.

Do what’s not only good for you, but good for those you love. Self-centered motivations should be discarded.

Take time to expand your ideas and figure out the best way to maintain integrity and keep the peace, while still being able to do your own thing.

Experience will lead to wisLIBRA dom and the ability to make (Sept. 23the right decision when faced Oct. 23) with adversity. Take care of your responsibilities and move on to what you truly want to do.

Peanuts

Emotions may flare up, SCORPIO but if you put love, romance (Oct. 24- and peace first and foremost, Nov. 22) you can turn any frown you encounter into a smile. Build memories instead of destroying them.

Don’t go overboard. You SAGITTARIUS may feel like being excessive (Nov. 23Dec. 21) or giving into a temptation that someone dangles in front of your face, but consider the consequences before you indulge.

Calvin and Hobbes

Keep an open mind when CAPRICORN someone suggests a change.

(Dec. 22- Offer positive suggestions that Jan. 19) will help keep things moving along smoothly when dealing with others. Romance should be a priority.

An expression of gratiAQUARIUS tude will help you deflect (Jan. 20- any negativity that comes Feb. 19) your way. Make positive changes at home that will encourage loved ones to get involved. Today is about sharing.

Choose to be the best PISCES (Feb. 20- that you can be mentally, Mar. 20) physically and emotionally.

Always take the high road and give it your all, regardless of what others do.