Guyana Times - Sunday, October 28, 2018

LOOK INSIDE !

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Guyana records fiscal deficit of over $20B …as AG red flags Govt spending Issue No. 3730

Sunday, October 28, 2018

PRICE

WHAT'S INSIDE:

NDC pays $1.6M P9 to clear Soesdyke trenches

…but residents say no work done

Page 3

Bandits beat, rob Corentyne …escape with couple cash, gun Page 2

$120 vat included

Police kill armed bandit following robbery Page 7

Irate parent P3 beats teacher with metal pipe

Atlantic Gardens P14 residents slam poor design of ECD road expansion

Guard shot P15 after foiling robbery at Regency Hotel

A creative display of fruits and vegetables at the opening ceremony of Essequibo Night Expo in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam)

Push cart vendors, Jordan rejects DVD sellers decry draft PSC's request for evidence copyright law ‘Underground’ economy

Page 11

Page 7

…say Govt should keep promises, provide jobs

Region 2 P2 Chairman grounded as vehicle “runs out of fuel”

– accuses REO of untimely payments

2

news

SUnDAY, october 28, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

Bandits beat, rob Region 2 Chairman grounded Corentyne couple as vehicle “runs out of fuel” – accuses REO of untimely payments

…escape with cash, gun

A

C

The house which bandits invaded at Corentyne, Berbice

rmed bandits pounced on a Corentyne, Berbice couple, beating and terrorising them, before carting off millions in cash and jewellery, along with the rice farmer’s licensed firearm.

The incident occurred at Number 65 Village, Corentyne, Berbice. Reports are at about 18:45h on Friday evening, two armed masked men scaled a side fence of the Lot 15 Section B Number 65 Village house, where 66-year-old Thirbenny Ramnauth, called “Reds”; and his 62-year-old wife, Chandrawatti Ramnauth, were seated on the veranda.

The bandits then dragged the couple inside the house where they began to beat

the businessman as they demanded valuables.

Thirbenny Ramnauth said he was beaten by both men with their guns as they demanded cash and jewellery.

The men then proceeded to bind the couple’s hand with duct tape. Thirbenny Ramnauth was ordered to lie face down on the floor while the men proceeded to take his wife in the upper flat of the house in search of cash and jewellery.

The scared woman said she complied and handed over $300,000; US$2575; a large quantity of gold jewellery; one Apple iPhone; two Samsung cellphones; three bottles of whiskey; and the farmer’s 12-guage shotgun,

along with 25 live 12-gauge cartridges. The men then returned to the lower flat of the house where one of them placed his gun in Chandrawatti Ramnauth’s mouth, threatening to shoot her.

While the ordeal was ongoing, neighbours reportedly heard the woman screaming but no one called the Police.

Guyana Times was told that a lorry driver, who was passing at the exact time the men were jumping into the yard, proceeded to the Police outpost one village away and reported what he saw.

However, the Police arrived on the scene after the bandits had already escaped.

An investigation has been launched.

hairman of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), Devanand Ramdatt, has indicated that he is being stymied from effectively carrying out his duties owing to several untimely payments by Regional Executive Officer (REO) Rupert Hopkinson.

Ramdatt told Guyana Times that the situation has been prevailing for several months, with the most impacting being his inability to travel around the region and perform functions as the vehicle assigned to him has run out of fuel.

The Regional Chairman indicated that he sent the REO a letter on Friday last, which expressed his concerns over the problems with the fuel shortage.

Ramdatt said he was unable to attend a meeting with the Business Ministry, the Guyana Foundation, and other appointments in the region as a result of the fuel issue.

The Chairman added that the fuel requisition book is presently sitting at the REO's desk awaiting approval and presently the vehicle assigned to him is out of fuel.

Non-payment

He also complained of having his Internet service disconnected since early October due to nonpayment. Other issues the Chairman encountered includes his printer being out of ink; the photocopying machine being down over the last eight months, his landline, cellphone, GPL bills and travelling allowances not being paid on a timely basis. Ramdatt told Guyana Times that the same treatment is being meted out to the Regional Vice Chairman, Nandranie Coonjah.

Ramdatt claimed that although there is adequate budgetary allocation to carry out the functions of the RDC, particularly under budget line item 6211; there is a “deliberate attempt” to prevent the office of the Regional Chairman and the RDC from functioning. He also reminded the REO, who is also the Clerk of the RDC that he is yet to follow up on many of the matters raised at the RDC level.

This latest revelation comes less than three weeks after Councillors attached to both the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition pick-

eted the REO’s office and called for his removal. Prior to that exercise, the local representatives were repeatedly complaining about Hopkinson’s conduct and alleged misuse of public funds.

Ramdatt said earlier this month that the REO has been absenting himself from RDC meetings without informing the RDC. He was supported by APNU/AFC Councillors Naithram and Hardat Narine who were also calling for the REO’s removal. In fact, Naithram went as far as to say that the REO was “sabotaging the progress of the region” and was making decisions without consulting the RDC. He said too that he and Councillor Narine were both assaulted (slapped) in the line of duty and the REO had never taken any action even after he won his matter in court.

Vice Chairman Coonjah had outlined that the doctor’s quarters in the hinterland was constructed and left unoccupied due to the lack of furnishing. She had also observed that sanitary blocks at schools need to be fixed, noting that the Rest House built at Onderneeming for expectant mothers from the interior needs to be furnished.

news

3

SUnDAY, October 28, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

Guyana records fiscal deficit of over $20B

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, October 28 – 05:30h-07:00h and Monday, October 29 – 09:00h-10:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, October 28 – 06:40h-08:10h and Monday, October 29 – 07:45h-09:15h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny intervals can be expected in the early morning hours, with thundery showers in the early afternoon. Sunny intervals are expected to return in the afternoon, with clear to partly cloudy skies in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 21 and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-easterly to East North-easterly and North North-easterly to between 1.78 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 06:40h and 18:52h reaching maximum heights of 2.64 metres and 2.71 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 00:11h and 12:26h reaching minimum heights of 0.40 metre and 0.64 metre respectively.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2018

LOTTERY NUMBERS L

08 12 18

24 27 28

FREE TICKET

11 Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

01 03 20 21 22

…as AG red flags Govt spending

A

uditor General Deodat Sharma has found that Government’s overall deficit has increased, and indeed has swallowed the current surplus - resources saved from taxes, royalties and other revenue-earing activities embarked on by the state.

This is contained in the Auditor General’s 2017 Report, which notes that for that fiscal year, there was a net overall deficit of $24.268 billion as of December 31, 2017. The net deficit is made up of a current surplus of $5.939 billion and a capital deficit of $30.207 billion.

The AG found that Government attracted total capital revenue of $28.4 billion, but capital expenditure, which is usually long-term, project-oriented and non-recurrent spending, was recorded by the AG at $58.6 billion.

Total revenue for the year 2017, which includes current and capital, was $323 billion.

Government, however, spent more than it earned, as total expenditure was pegged at $347.3 billion, a deficit of $24.2 billion. The deficit has in fact increased from last year, when it was $20.3 billion.

All this is despite the fact that Government’s earnings from taxes are up. The Auditor General’s Report had showed that while the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has collected more taxes than was anticipated, revenue, inclusive of rent and

9

9

7

Afternoon Draw

8

04

Evening Draw

06

07

PAY DAY

04 07 08 10 15

15 17 20 SUPER PAY DAY

02 05 11 12 19

DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

royalties, had declined due to lower gold declarations.

In the end-of-year budget and reconciliation report, it noted that the projected revenue for 2017 was $186 billion. Instead, Government actually collected $195 billion in current revenue. This includes duties, levy, personal income and withholding taxes.

The highest earnings came from the internal revenue category. Personal income tax collection grew by $2.5 billion. This, according to the Government, is because substantial arrears payments were recovered from self-employed persons through various initiatives. One of the initiatives GRA has been trying is a tax amnesty.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Report that had highlighted the need for Government to cut back on its wasteful spending, former People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Minister, Irfaan Ali, had stressed that the recommendations should be taken seriously.

He was referring to the recently concluded 2018 staff report by the IMF on Guyana’s economy, where the international financial institution made two main policy recommendations, and where it underscored the importance of macroeconomic and financial stability.

On the notion of preserving macroeconomic stability, a policy that prepares an economy for growth by safeguarding it against external shocks, the IMF had cautioned the Government of continued expansionary fiscal policy. This involves in-

Government spending

The parliamentary opposition has been increasingly critical of Government spending. In citing a recent

A

2

DRAW DE LINE

02

Auditor General Deodat Sharma

Irate parent beats teacher with metal pipe

LUCKY 3

2

President David Granger

creased Government spending.

According to the report, the IMF is extremely concerned how short-term fiscal deficit is being financed: primarily by usurping domestic credit. Allocation of scarce resources to best meet the needs of the people through wealth generation and improved wellbeing is crucial.

Ali told Guyana Times that from 2014 to 2018, the trajectory has been one that represents reckless spending.

Moreover, Government increased its dependence and reliance on domestic credit to fund short-term fiscal deficit. Statistics indicate that from 2014 to 2017, domestic borrowing increased by more than twofold, from $11.3 billion to $23 billion.

In 2018, it is further estimated to increase by another $11 billion, to $34 billion. Hence this huge increase, indeed, would crowd out private investment. The crowding out effect is the increase in interest rates because of higher levels of Government borrowing.

This, however, means the increase in Government borrowing leads to greater demand for loanable funds, increasing interest rates.

When this happens, it’s more expensive for private companies to borrow and invest.

Teacher Jamain Hatton

teacher attached to the Institute of Business Education on the East Coast of Demerara has immediately quit the teaching profession after he was attacked by an irate parent on Saturday morning.

Science teacher Jamain Hatton said he was heading to school at about 08:42h when he was attacked. He said the male parent stopped him at the side of the road and began shouting at him, asking what the issue with

his child was. The teacher said he informed the parent that the time and place to address the issue was not appropriate and walked away.

However, the visibly angry parent went to his car and pulled out two pieces of metal pipe, which he used to attack Hatton. The parent hit the teacher on the left side of his neck with one of the pipes, and a scuffle ensued, resulting in Hatton’s spectacles breaking.

“The irate parent was

shouting at the top of his voice at the side of the road, demanding to know what is the problem that I have with his child. This is the first time I have ever seen the parent. I said to him I do not think this is where he wants to do this, and continued on my way to work. The parent at this time stopped walking behind me, and ran to the driver’s seat of his white car and pulled out two metal pipes,” he said. turn to page 12

4

guyanatimesgy.com

SUnDAY, october 28, 2018

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

GECOM: Institution versus structure

T

he contretemps over the operations of the electoral institution, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) during the past year illustrate very vividly one of the major challenges posed in political science – the gap between institutions and practices. One of the constants of political life is that well-meaning individuals are always proposing new institutions to “solve” challenges in their polities. For instance, one recurring proposed institution in Guyana that has been proposed under several guised to address the ethnic polarisation is “shared governance”.

Before that, there was the call for “inclusive governance”, which in 2000, resulted in widespread constitutional changes altering the institution of Parliament, to give the Opposition greater input in monitoring the functioning of Government via four Sectoral Committees. The institution of the Judiciary was also changed to give the Opposition Leader a veto over the appointments of the substantive Chancellor and Chief Justice. Several electoral institutions were also altered, including the rules for selecting the Chairman of GECOM and the choosing of a representative to Parliament from a pure Proportional Representation to introducing some geographical representation.

But nearly two decades after those institutional changes, we have not moved any closer to achieving a modus vivendi – much less a rapprochement – between the political blocs. But is the solution simply introducing new institutions? Contrary to what most of us think, “institutions” are neither buildings nor organisations, but rather the totality of norms and rules that govern social structures. And failure in institutional innovations most often occur at these lower levels. The institution of GECOM, for instance, are the rules that were established to govern its composition and functioning, but the fault we now see manifesting themselves lie not in its rules.

The “structures”, after all, consists of specific roles that individuals play in practice to ensure the value(s) around which the institution is organised are fulfilled. In the case of GECOM, the value is the running of free and fair elections to give life to the democratic value of equality symbolised in “one man, one vote”. But each role in a structure are guided by norms and it is vital they are observed since if they are transgressed the institution will be degutted; its legitimacy to actualise the value be eviscerated, and the institution falls.

“Structure”, then is a more inclusive term than “institution”, since overt rules rarely describe the full range of incumbents’ activities.

The informal norms in that guide political institutions like GECOM are most heavily influenced by the extant political culture. In Guyana, this is the variable that will ultimately torpedo all the well-meaning attempts to introduce changes in political outcomes here. Political culture consists of the attitudes, beliefs, values and orientations about politics in a given population at any given time. Along with political structures and institutions, they are typically shaped by a nation’s history and evolve out of the interaction, disagreements and conflicts among social forces, as they attempt to resolve their common problems.

Our political culture is dominated by the schism between the two major ethnic blocs that approach each other in size and the norms of each group structurally impel individuals to give support to either the People’s National Congress (African Guyanese) or the People’s Progressive Party (Indian Guyanese). Because democratic elections are not merely a technical undertaking, but a fundamental human right linked to a broad array of institutions centred on civil, economic and political rights via control of the state, the staffing of GECOM then becomes of paramount importance.

The rule for choosing the Chairman of GECOM, who has a casting vote on the Commission’s decisions, were explicitly changed to demand that there be consensus between the two blocks – represented by their parties – on the choice of this individual to defuse suspicions of partisan behaviour. For the Appellate Court to use sophistic casuistry to bypass this consensus has dealt a body blow to the legitimacy GECOM. The case involving GECOM’s hiring practices will soon be heard: we hope it will not be the death knell of the institution.

Vatanyu Yansri competes in Chonburi’s annual buffalo race festival in Chonburi province, Thailand October 23, 2018 Perawongmetha)

(Reuters/Athit

The West must punish Khashoggi's killers.

Here's how we can do it: Global Magnitsky Act

By Bill Browder

T

he apparent murder of Jamal Khashoggi presents a fundamental challenge to the civilized world. He was a Washington Post journalist and a respected member of the international community, in a NATO member country, trying to start a new life. If the Saudis admit to killing him and are not held to account, then it will give a green light to any thin-skinned ruler to go ahead and assassinate critics without fear of consequences.

Although our policy tools are limited, there is a way to create consequences for this kind of atrocity: the Global Magnitsky Act. This piece of legislation gives us the power to freeze assets and ban visas of gross human-rights abusers from anywhere in the world. It was named after my Russian lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, who uncovered a massive Russian government corruption scheme in 2008. He bravely exposed

Dead journalist: Jamal Khashoggi

the officials involved and was subsequently arrested before being tortured and left to die in Russian custody. Versions of the Global Magnitsky Act now exist in the US, Canada, the United Kingdom and more.

It is currently on the agenda in the E.U. The Global Magnitsky Act acts like a modern-day cancer drug for impunity.

Instead of targeting the whole body, it specifically targets the malignant cells. In this case, instead of sanctioning an entire country and punishing in-

nocent citizens for crimes of the regime, the Global Magnitsky Act goes directly after the individuals who made the criminal decisions and carried them out. It has been successfully used against Burmese military officials, Nicaraguan security operatives and Russians responsible for Sergei Magnitsky’s death.

Applying the Global Magnitsky Act to Saudi officials would be particularly powerful. They typically have huge assets stashed all over the world and luxury proper-

ties in places like London, Paris and New York City.

When you are added to a Magnitsky List in the West, it destroys your way of life.

Every financial institution will close your account, and you will be denied entry to every desirable area in the world. While asset freezes and travel bans don’t constitute real justice for murder, they’re a lot better than total impunity.

This is a defining moment in our history. We can either allow savagery to rule the world, or use the tools we’ve created to maintain civilization and stability. Western powers must impose Global Magnitsky sanctions on the Saudi officials who carried out and authorized this atrocity–even if the buck stops at the very top.

(TIME.com) *Browder is the founder and CEO of Hermitage Capital Management and leads a campaign to expose corruption and abuses of human rights in Russia

Khashoggi: Saudi Arabia to try suspects - foreign minister

S

audi Arabia’s foreign minister has said the suspects in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi would be prosecuted in Saudi Arabia.

At a conference in Bahrain, Adel al-Jubeir accused the Western media of “hysteria” in its coverage of the case.

His comments come a day after Turkey said it wished to extradite 18 Saudi nationals who authorities say were involved in the murder.

The writer was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul three weeks ago.

Riyadh denies the ruling royal family was involved and blames “rogue agents”.

Saudi Arabia initially denied all knowledge of the journalist’s fate but the Saudi public prosecutor now describes it as premeditated murder.

Khashoggi had been an outspoken critic of the crown prince, the de facto Saudi ruler. “On the issue of extradition, the individuals are Saudi nationals. They’re detained in Saudi Arabia, and the investigation is in Saudi Arabia, and they will be prosecuted in Saudi Arabia,” Mr Jubeir told a security confer-

ence in Bahrain.

Turkey and Saudi Arabia are not known to have an extradition treaty. Saudis are describing the Khashoggi murder as their biggest crisis with Washington since the 9/11 terror attacks of 2001.

On Saturday, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, the plain-speaking ex-US Marine Corps general, left the audience here in no doubt about US intolerance of what happened. Both he and the Saudi foreign minister vowed to get to the bottom of who was behind this murder.

But here lies the problem for both countries. If the trail leads, as some suspect, to the all-powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, then Western governments may feel obliged to insist on his removal or else downgrade ties with Riyadh.

But Saudis worry that, for all his autocratic behaviour, “MBS” represents their hope for a more modern, civil society.

If his power is curtailed, they fear, then hardline clerics will look to roll back many of their newfound freedoms.(BBC News)

guyanatimesgy.com

SunDAY, october 28, 2018

5

You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Justice and fairness are key elements of compassion Dear Editor, Human nature is invariably flawed with envy, greed, jealousy, and sometimes cruel instincts, yet even in the worst of us, there is the attribute of compassion. The attribute of compassion may vary. However, its underlying nature remains the same- to do good. Large attributes and mercurial fragments encompasses empathy, kindness and action. In whatever form or matter, compassion is within each of us. Compassion is often aligned with the indefinable soul. The villains of compassion are hate, which is a permanent imbalance of the brain -or a disease-, and anger considered by many to be a form of temporary insanity.

International and/or Local Corporations, through their executives and individuals need to show compassion, especially when in high office. The reality, is that those losing high office, often seek compassion from the new overlords, who are now entrusted and contracted with executive and administrate

power.

Reason does not always govern compassion; the compassionate act may arise out of human nature- like a cat protecting a mouse; most unusual and unexpected, yet time and time again, generation after generation, within all epochs, compassion has rendered its virtues and limitless nature in small and large ways. Its strands of beneficence have never not been present over the millenniums. Forgiveness is a subset of compassion and we all, at some point in our lives seek compassionate acts from family, a stranger, friend or foe.

It is this compassionate will, within the human nature that distinguishes us from the lower class of animals. The ability to reason and be reasonable, is the essence of human beings that distinguishes us from all other life forms on this earth and speaks to the higher spirits that resides within us all. What you may ask is the purpose of this letter? This letter seeks to let compas-

sion bloom in Guyana, and undoubtably both the giver and receiver of compassion, will resonate positive connections across race, religion, culture and class, and the ties of compassion will strengthen our nation.

The law is lesser than custom and convention; and the law, custom and convention are all secondary to compassion.

Confucius the preeminent philosopher, believed by many to have the greatest mind over the last 2,500 years, noted that: “Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of men”. The Greco-Roman philosophers Plato and Cicero referenced wisdom, courage, temperance and justice as the cardinal virtues, with justice considered the most important virtue. I will be in good company with Confucius to say that justice or fairness are key elements of compassion.

Sincerely, Nigel Hinds

Chaos at preparation for Disciplined Services voting (Pt 2)

Dear Editor, On the arrival of the PPP’s Chief Scrutineer Mr Mustapha at GECOM on Monday 23rd October, 2018, it was decided that the PPP will officially be provided with an official copy of the 7,917 disciplined services personnel names early on the morning of the 23rd. Further, it was agreed that Parties could have teams of scrutineers at intervals. This was a serious anomaly since GECOM wrote to the stake-holders saying only two observers would be permitted. Further, GECOM Officials had notably bungled and flopped again, given that they wrote to all the stakeholders inviting them to start the process on Tuesday at 10 AM, and then called some persons to start on Monday, October 22, 2018.

After, a long day’s work the very tired PPP scruti-

neers decided to stop working at 1.30 AM with process still to completed. Some of the Commissioners agreed that the process cannot continue without any scrutineers, even as tired GECOM staff were forced to work until after 3.30 AM. Some of the staff disappeared, while others made understandably negative comments of the process.

There were visible evidence of tiredness and tardiness in the process because the environment made it extremely challenging for people to focus on what they had to do.

The PPP Commissioner and Scrutineers stayed on to the very end and partly secured Containers with their lock, leaving GECOM to put on their Seals.

There were no work program or check-list and the entire process lacked professionalism. Again, Mr. Lowenfield

went missing as the PPP Chief Scrutineer was waiting for him.

He failed to turn up. There is much to be done to improve the ethics at GECOM and these issues must not be allowed to transfer into D-Day and E-Day of any elections.

It is time GECOM stops this flip-flopping and bungling.

And properly account for the Hundreds of millions of tax payers’ dollars that they are claiming to have spent on training.

More will be written about the torture and the lousy arrangements they had during the ‘Enveloping’ of the disciplined services ballots.

This process and all that is taking place at GECOM is a recipe for serious changes at GECOM. Yours sincerely, Neil Kumar

AFC will finally be placed to rest Dear Editor, It is quite an absurdity that the AFC is now concluding that, ‘votes can’t be forged on elections day’, when the Party has forged signatures on the ‘backers form’ which has allowed the AFC’s candidates acceptance to contest on elections day.

The learned Judge’s decision not to disallow the signatures on the backers forms due to ‘fraud, trickery or force’ can do nothing to eradicate the fact that 50 persons from the Whim/ Bloomfield LAA signed affidavits demanding that their names be removed from the AFC’s list. However, this will not deter them from voting for the Party of their choice which is the People’s Progressive Party.

Therefore, it is the PPP who have the right to pontificate that, ‘votes can’t be forged on Elections Day’, not the AFC. The affidavits did not lie-it is a sworn statement witnessed and certified by a Commissioner of Oaths to Affidavits and Justice of Peace. Has the AFC subsequently contacted these 50 persons to inquire why they have signed such affidavits?

These people wanted their names removed before the deadline on Wednesday, September 26th, 2018, but the trickery and deliberate obfuscation of the GECOM Officials ensured that these people are denied access to their legal rights. More than 150 persons in Region 6 claimed that their names should not have been on the AFC’s backer list since they are PPP supporters and have sworn to affidavits to attest to their claim.

Clearly I cannot see why these people should be denied the right to back the party of their choice which is clearly not the AFC. In the investigation conducted by the Guyana Police Force, this fact was reiterated and echoed with deep conviction.

Whether these people were subjected to ‘fraud, trickery or threats’ should not be the focal point of any argument.

The conclusion is simple: ‘I do not support the AFC and I want my name removed

Copyright legislation, a shot in the foot Dear Editor, I hope the intention behind these laws is to protect local content producers and not to prostrate to some external force, like the Motion Picture Association of America.

Intentions aside, in my humble opinion it is extremely short sighted. Foreign sourced movies and music represent 99% of the entertainment media circulating Guyana. I challenge anyone to show me how enforcing copyright will make local producers any significant gain. If anything, it will be damaging to them, piracy has proven to be a big driver in increasing audiences and mindshare

across the industry. In fact, movie companies leak movies to tantalize audiences, and increase their box office returns.

Economically, it is converting all the DVDs, CDs into massive profits for foreign companies and exporting even more of Guyana’s wealth outside the borders where it will not circulate to profit a Guyanese. On average a DVD or CD is twenty (20) USD, which translates to $4000.00 GYD. Is the Guyanese public now paying taxes to pass laws and pay enforcement officials to fill the coffers of first world companies? This is extremely harmful to the Guyanese people.

Another extremely trou-

bling scenario is the extent of the copyright legislation. Will it extend to software? Leaving out the private sector, I know government agencies that run pirated software. Will they be paying all the license fees for all of their users now? This is the government shooting itself in the foot.

To the ethics of this matter, we should remember, not too long ago when Guyana had a trademark case against a US sugar company about the use of the name “Demerara Gold”. Guyana lost that case when in fact “Demerara” is the actual description of the source of the sugar in Guyana and the foreign company had no such basis.

The world is governed like a business and we should reflect on the fact that while the US was in its developing phase, they paid no respect to intellectual property rights of others and they stole inventions to advance themselves.

Now that they find themselves in the driver’s seat, they changed the rules of the game to suit their pockets and are belligerent in getting every penny for any intellectual property they deem to be owed to them. I implore the runners of this country to be practical and not shoot Guyana in the foot.

Sincerely, Yogistra Anderson

from the backers’ lists’. They should not have been denied that right, the people gave evidence on their behalf and no one from the AFC was even in court to deny the fact. The Prime Ministers’ relatives could not be located!

The police investigation team revealed that at the persons from Whim/ Bloomfield stated that they did not know that they were signing an AFC’s backers list and one person claimed that he did not sign at allhis signature was forged.

Why was this forgery not properly investigated and taken into consideration in the Court? At #51/ Good Hope, eighteen persons claimed that they never signed the AFC’s backers list, nine persons lived abroad, one woman is dead and one could not read and write but yet purportedly signed the list. Affidavits were also signed to that effect.

An investigation is badly needed here. Even APNU and AFC members admitted to this fraudulent occurrence at No 51/Good Hope!

I have written a letter to the press months ago with regards to a group of AFC con-men going around deceiving people to sign on a list for certain favors such as repairs to streets and street lights.

This is fraudulent misrepresentation. This matter was raised at our RDC Statutory since April this year and the REO had promised to investigate the mat-

ter since it is the NDCs and the RDCs function to make budgetary proposals for these works and not some AFC members. The AFC boys have, indeed, done a lot of preparatory work to get their ‘backers’!

It leaves no doubt in my mind from the very inception that the case will be dismissed, given the recent trends in our courts and the fact that the GPF, which is under the directive of an AFC Minister was called upon to investigate.

The flag raising ceremony at Corriverton in February this year is still fresh in our minds.

However, this case should never have reached the Courts in the first place, but GECOM’s farcical comedy and deliberate procrastination sanctioned this electoral fraud perpetrated on the voters who have been denied the right to back the political party of their choice. Fortunately, they will be granted reprieve on November 12th to vote for the Party of their choice.

The AFC has tried to field candidates through fraudulent means to create an impression that they are ‘alive’ or should I say ‘fit and proppa’, but this is shortlived and all the ranting and raving about emerging with a majority at the LGE is an infinitesimal existence in fool’s paradise.

Undoubtedly, the AFC will finally be placed to rest.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

6 NEWS

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NCD calls for Disability St Joseph Mercy Hospital diagnostic services Act to be implemented enhances - announces alliance with NexGen Pathology

T

he National Commission on Disability (NCD) is calling for implementation of the Persons with Disabilities Act which was crafted since 2011, as persons with disabilities have not been benefiting from the piece of legislation.

Executive Member of the Guyana Society for the Blind, Ganesh Singh, during the NCD Media Summit on Saturday appealed for actions to be taken so that the lives of persons with disabilities can be improved.

“All of us in the disability community thought at that time that we have a nice piece of legislation to protect and promote our rights but we’re still almost at that stage where very little is done for us as persons with disabilities although there is a legal framework,” Singh said.

The Act, which was

NCD Chairperson, Evelyn Hamilton

launched since 2011, gave the relevant entities up to one decade to have implementations fully in place.

However, this along with most of the other sections, was never applied by the relevant Ministries.

“The Minister with responsibility for any legislation that is tabled must sign

the Act into operation… If the various Ministers chose not to develop and implement the regulations that are required; we’re still left where we were.”

The framework suggested several important points, including the fact that national broadcasters must be equipped with a sign language inset for selected programmes.

“All national broadcasters must have a sign language inset at least for one of their newscasts per day, any special programming as it relates to national events.”

Provisions that were made in documents speak to the rights of persons with disabilities to acquire an education, independent living, employment, non-discrimination, access to information and political representation.

Under the theme “Nothing without us, about us”, the participants were also sensitised on how to address persons with disabilities, in keeping with protecting their rights.

Legal Advisor at the Office of the Prime Minister, Tamara Khan, was among the list of speakers and stated that environmental and personal changes are required to ensure that PWDs are treated equally.

“It also requires a change in basic attitudes, negative attitudes that may foster stereotyping, discrimination and prejudice towards those persons with disabilities. These attitudes we know are based on a simple lack of knowledge,” said Khan.

She added, “The Government of Guyana must ensure the reality of the provisions of the Persons with Disabilities Act and convention and rights of persons with disabilities.”

From left: St Joseph Mercy Hospital (SJMH) Laboratory Manager, Cindy Lalaram; Deputy CEO of SJMH, Deborrah Ramsay; CEO and Founder of NexGen Pathology, Dr Wesley Greaves; and NexGen Pathology’s Chief Operating Officer and co-founder, Andrea Richardson

T

he St Joseph Mercy Hospital (SJMH) has entered into a partnership with a Caribbean laboratory facility that will vastly enhance the hospital’s capacity to provide timely diagnosis and value-based medical care to its patients.

This week, the Hospital’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Deborrah Ramsay announced the Hospital’s agreement with Trinidad-based NexGen Pathology, a fully CAP (College of American Pathologists) accredited laboratory that specialises in Anatomic Pathology, Clinical Pathology, Molecular Diagnostics and Genetic studies.

Ramsay disclosed that the new partnership with NexGen will expand and improve the hospital’s medical diagnostic services, since it gives SJMH direct access to the acclaimed laboratory’s cutting edge technology.

The Deputy CEO indicated that the collaboration with NexGen Pathology is a key element of the Hospital’s strategic focus on constantly upgrading the quality of its medical services to fulfil its core mission of promoting good health and well-be-

ing while maintaining meaningful bonds with the medical community, patients and the communities it serves.

Giving a brief overview of what the partnership entails, CEO and Founder of NexGen Pathology, Dr Wesley Greaves, explained that a main component of the laboratory’s services is surgical pathology, which involves diagnosing surgical specimens, including breast biopsies and skin biopsies.

“If someone did a surgical procedure for a tumour and the tumour needs diagnosis, then it would need to go to the pathology lab to be diagnosed. That is a basic service that will be provided,” he explained.

Dr Greaves noted that the Caribbean has a history of lacking skilled human resources in terms of internationally trained pathologists to provide specialist services.

However, the partnership will allow SJMH to benefit from the expertise of NexGen Pathology’s four American board-certified pathologists.

Dr Greaves said the facility also has sub-specialty pathologists trained in hematopathology, gastrointestinal, liver and breast pathology.

He added that while

SJMH has its own onsite laboratory, NexGen Pathology will provide a comprehensive range of laboratory services, some of which are not done at SJMH. According to Dr Greaves, who is a specialist in Molecular Genetics Pathology, NexGen Pathology is also a strong provider of DNA testing, which is not widely available in the Caribbean.

“We know that St Joseph Mercy has a particular tradition and is recognised here in Guyana for their level of services. We think that we can definitely find common ground in terms of our desire to provide the best possible health care to patients who most need it,” he said.

NexGen Pathology’s Chief Operating Officer and co-founder, Andrea Richardson, a Guyanese who is resident in Trinidad, anticipates tremendous benefits from the relationship.

“I think that Mercy Hospital is a pillar in the community and wants to add to what they currently do. I think only great things can come from this relationship,” she said.

Richardson said the NexGen liaison significantly boosts SJMH’s capabilities.

news

7

SUnDAY, october 28, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Police kill armed bandit ‘Underground’ economy following robbery Jordan rejects PSC’s request

for evidence

The weapon and ammunition Police recovered from the deceased suspect

Dead bandit: Noel “Kevin” Kissoon

A

19-year-old was shot and killed by Police on Saturday morning, hours after he robbed and assaulted a Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) couple at their home.

Dead is Noel Kissoon, called “Kevin”, of Lot 808 Zeelugt New Housing Scheme, EBE. He was killed during a confrontation with lawmen, who had gone to his home to arrest him for the robbery.

According to reports, a Zeelugt, EBE husband and wife were at home in their veranda relaxing at about 19:00h on Friday, when the

lone gunman pounced on them. During the ordeal, the bandit was able to relieve the couple of an undisclosed sum of cash, four cellphones, two gold bands and a finger ring. He then gun butted both victims on their head before escaping.

The matter was reported to the Police and the couple was taken to seek medical attention. They were treated and sent away.

Meanwhile, at about 05:45h on Saturday morning, acting on information received, a party of Policemen went to the suspect’s home.

However, upon their arrival, Kissoon came outside brandishing a handgun and he pointed the weapon in the direction of the ranks reportedly in a “menacing manner”.

The ranks on scene opened fire, discharging a round that hit the teenager in the lower region of his abdomen. He was rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital

and was pronounced dead on arrival (DOA).

It was reported that the ring, which the female victim was relieved of during the robbery on Friday night, was found on the dead man’s finger, while the other stolen items except the cash were found in his Zeelugt house.

According to the Police, Kissoon was a known character and had been previously convicted for breaking and entering and larceny.

Moreover, at the time of his death, the teenager had four pending matters before the court for robbery under arms, rape, and possession of narcotics. Additionally, he was wanted for several recent robberies and also for an alleged indecent assault of a female.

The body of 19-yearold Kissoon is presently at the Ezekiel Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem examination, which is expected to be conducted on Monday.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

From left: Newly appointed PSC Secretary, Komal Singh; Vice Chairman Deodat Indar; Chairman Desmond Sears; and Treasurer, Zulfikar Ali

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) took issue with a recent statement from Finance Minister Winston Jordan, implicating unnamed members in an “underground economy”.

But the Minister has no inclination to provide the requested evidence of this.

When asked if he would

be acceding to the request, Jordan on Friday indicated that he saw no reason for them to ask him for this evidence. He did qualify his earlier statement, noting that he never intended it to mean everyone in the Private Sector.

“I don’t see any reason why they’re asking me for

empirical evidence. I don’t know whether it’s a ploy. I’ve made my contention, they’ve made theirs. I didn’t say every Private Sector person, business or wealth was derived from… I said, if you go back and check my speech, you’ll see what I said.” turn to page 13

8 news

SUnDAY, october 28, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

Law enforcement working to crack down on drug trafficking network

T

he Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) and other local law enforcement agencies are working closely with overseas counterparts to crack down on the local drug trafficking network as investigations into the arrest of Guyanese businessman Shervington Lovell continues.

Lovell was arrested along with two others on Thursday morning on drug trafficking charges at the Normal Manley

International Airport in Jamaica after arriving on a Fly Jamaica flight from Guyana.

According to information reaching Guyana Times the men appeared in a Kingston court on Thursday and Lovell has filed proceedings to fight the extradition case, filed by the United States law enforcement.

This was confirmed by a source close to CANU. Lovell is the co-owner of Tower Hotel on Main

Street, Georgetown.

Meanwhile, the source added that efforts are continuing to crackdown on the drug trafficking network in Guyana.

Police Commissioner Leslie James recently told reporters that the Police Force is assiduously working with sister-law enforcement agencies to get those “big drug traffickers”.

“We are fully aware of our mandate and as long as we get leads to track down drug traffickers, that is it,

they will have to answer questions. We are not afraid of those large drug traffickers,” the Commissioner lamented.

Guyana Times understands that the hotelier is expected to face several charged of drug trafficking along with money laundering.

A vessel, property of Lovell, was also intercepted which is suspected to be used by the businessman to ship the illicit drugs from Jamaica to St Maarten.

“I was holding it for somebody”–says teen found with ganja

A

17-year-old vendor who on Friday appeared before Georgetown Magistrate Leron Daly charged with possession of cannabis told the court that he was hold-

ing the illegal substance for someone when he was caught by Police.

The teen admitted to the charge which stated that on October 13, 2018, at James Street Albouystown,

Georgetown, he was found with 0.5 grams of cannabis in his possession.

After the charge was read to him, the teen, in his defence, told the court that the narcotics did not belong

to him. “I was holding it for somebody,” he declared.

He was nevertheless fined $3,000, and was ordered to do six months of community service at the Brickdam Police Station.

Confusion…

P …in oil

resident Granger just announced – via the Official Gazette-to the surprise of all and sundry, he’ll be personally in charge of all matters relating to oil and gas. This portfolio, of course, will be added to Security, which he clearly never passed on to the hapless Khemraj Ramjattan.

His APNU/AFC government slid into government the same week Exxon announced their “world class” oil find off our coast. (Coincidence?) And from then on, it’s been nothing but confusion and chaos in the Government’s dealing with the inchoate oil sector.

His latest move does nothing to persuade anyone anything’s changed. It was not for nothing that the oil companies have dubbed us a “frontier” state when it comes to the “black gold”. Our government just didn’t know its ass from its elbow about oil – and refused to accept expert advice.

It took more than a year for the President to hire an a “Petroleum Advisor” – Jan Mangal – by which time Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman had already declared himself “fit and proper” to go up to Texas and negotiated a production contract with the lawyers of the biggest oil company on Earth!! He, of course, returned properly fleeced since those Texans know a sheep when they see one! They’re mostly used to longhorns and must’ve been tickled pink to take Trotman to the cleaners.

Trouble is, it wasn’t just Trotman who was fleeced, but all Guyana – including generations to come.

Trotman came back with a US$18million bonus – when Brazil had recently received one for US$700M for a smaller field!! He also asked for 2% royalty when the going rate is around 12% and agreed to pay US$640M in exploration expenses up front!

By the time the portfolio was taken away from him, and transferred to the Ministry of the Presidency (MotP), you’d have thought the President would’ve seen the need for oil experts, wouldn’t you? Well, by then President Granger had, however, decided not to renew the services of his Petroleum Advisor. The latter insisted on saying what he thought best for the country based on his training and experience! How dare he??!!

The fella had the temerity to say the government was rather hopeless not to spend on experts now, who could save the government billions in the future.

The President proceeded to create a “Department of Energy” in the MotP - to which he appointed a fella with absolutely no background in energy excepting peripherally to his expertise in Environmentalism!!

He also had the DOE fall organisationally under the Minister of State in the MotP – which he’s now rescinded.

So as far as oil is concerned, we still have the blind leading the sheep to be fleeced!!

…on the Indian Arrival Monument?

Indian PM Narendra Modi, was supposed to visit in early December and he was going to unveil the “Indian Arrival Monument” which was supposed to have been erected at Parmyra, opposite the Berbice Bridge. He called off the visit and your Eyewitness wonders if it has to do with the confusion over installing a simple bronze tableaux of 6 figures on a concrete base.

The Indian government agreed back in 2013 to fund the cost of the casting of the bronze figures from a model by Guyanese sculptors. The government changed in 2015 and the statues arrived in January 2016 during the PNC-led regime that has been firmly typified -even by then- with mass confusion. For months no one knew the statues had arrived and when this secret was finally revealed, the $42M contract to build the base was awarded by September to a Linden Contractor. But by May 2017 it came tumbling down like the walls of Jericho.

The Indian government decided to design and pay for a replacement base – which is still in limbo.

As is Modi’s trip!!

…on gas

In the wake of gas escaping while drilling for water in Diamond, houses nearby have suffered from cracked walls, creaky houses and foul gas.

Your Eyewitness thinks it’s poltergeists from another dimension!

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

news

9

SUnDAY, october 28, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

NDC pays $1.6M to clean Soesdyke trenches …but residents say no work done … drainage works reek of corruption – Councillors

The galvanised barricade which cost over $270,000

C

ouncillors at the S o e s d y k e / T u Huiste/Coverden Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) are accusing the Chairman and Overseer of collusion when it comes to drainage works in the community, since many of the drains have not been cleared but monies paid.

According to the Financial Report circulated at the last statutory meeting on Thursday, the NDC would have expended over $6 million, with some $1.6 million for drainage works. The report explained that the Baksh, Nig-a-Kein, Meertins, Policeman, and Leacock and Jandoo Outfall trenches were cleared for the month of September but upon inspection, it was discovered that very little or no work has been done.

Councillors Dave Singh, Udairam Baijnauth and Vice Chairman Aaron GrantStuart all raised objections to the expenditure, but the Chairman refused to entertain their objections. They related that the Chairman informed that all payments were made and that the works were satisfactorily completed.

Vice Chairman Grant-

Councillor Dave Singh

Stuart, who also heads the NDC’s Works Committee said he was forced to resign after repeatedly expressing dissatisfaction with the drainage works but being forced to approve them after the Chairman would demand that he sign off.

When Guyana Times visited the Soesdyke area on Saturday, residents expressed dissatisfaction with the overall performance of the NDC since they feel very little work is being done despite them paying their rates and taxes.

One woman living along the Policeman Outfall trench said she moved to that area some 15 years ago and is constantly being forced to endure flooding, due to over-

Vice Chairman Aaron Grant-Stuart

growth in the trench. She said she would have to clear the section behind her house because the water would become stagnant, resulting in the breeding of a whole host of bugs, as well as carrying a foul smell.

“The last time them clean this trench was early part last year (2017) and even before then they does barely clean it.

The can never say that them clean this trench here last month because they would be lying. The next thing is that the road is another story. If you know how long [Leslie] Glasgow (NDC chair) said that he will send the man them to weed the road [parapets] and we still waiting here. I tell them already that

elections coming up and them won’t come here and expect to get a vote. Them really not doing anything,” the resident lamented.

The woman explained that she used to collect $500 from every resident in her neighbourhood so that they could have paid to have the sides of the road weeded but the NDC even refused to aid them in disposing the cut grass, so the residents stopped paying to have it cleaned.

“The records are showing that all of the outfalls including the Policeman trench which is the conservancy has already being cleared and paid for and that is not the case. Literally no cleaning was done and we asked and the Chairman insisted that the work has been completed and paid for,” Councillor Singh said.

Singh explained that the Policeman Trench serves as the conservancy for the residents of Soesdyke Back area since the water from the highland would roll off into the trench to be drained. He further related when the trenches are clogged, it means the water has nowhere to go which results in flooding.

“Now is dry season but wait until December and you will see how high this trench

The Policeman Outfall trench that was supposedly cleaned in September

does raise. The water does run on the people land and then it does cause flooding.

We are really in a bad position because the Chairman and Overseer just doing what them want to do and even though I have no evidence of them getting a kickback, I want to believe that they are,” he said.

The Councillor said the contractors who are being hired to do the work are not from the area, despite them calling for otherwise.

“We does pay $347,000 to clean outfall and none is being cleaned. We are paying out money without getting any service. The Chairman and overseer are dictatorial and we are paying money to clean a trench where not even a blade of grass is being touched. I had a talk with the contractor who was supposed

to clean the Policeman trench and he does not know where the trench is. He signed for the money and he don’t know,” Singh related.

The Councillors said they are at their wits’ end when it comes with dealing with the Chairman and Overseer (Fazila Manna) since they are both unprofessional. They reported that if they raise too many objections, they are banned from speaking at meetings unless they apologise.

Vice Chairman GrantStuart told Guyana Times that the NDC’s spending is very exorbitant, identifying that they would have spent over $1 million to just lay some stones on the Grant Sand Road and over $270,000 for a galvanised pipe barricade.

10 news

SUnDAY, october 28, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Small amounts of marijuana

PPP reiterates call for non-custodial sentences

F

ollowing renewed calls by advocates for the unhindered use of small amounts of marijuana, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, has reiterated his Party’s support for non-custodial sentencing for possession of small amounts of the substance.

During his October 18 address to the National Assembly, President David Granger attracted a group of protesting Rastafarian advocates who were demanding that Government overhaul its stance on marijuana laws, and many were calling for the full legalisation of the narcotic.

However, when members of the press raised this with Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday last at his weekly press conference, he stressed that the PPP’s position on the matter remains the same.

“We are in favour of alternative forms of sentencing, or rehabilitation; we’re not in favour of legalising marijuana. If you use marijuana, if you sell it, you go to jail as per our existing laws.

We’re saying that our laws have to give Magistrates or the Judges the discretion for people who use small quantities for alternative sentencing”, Jagdeo noted.

The party’s position is in keeping with the call for alternatives to imprisonment, which include community service and small fines.

The Alliance For Change (AFC), which is the minority party in the coalition Government, has been pushing for legislative reform regarding the existing narcotics laws, with its Parliamentarian Michael Carrington having filed a motion to amend the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

(Control) Act in 2015. This sought to soften penalties for marijuana possession. However, that motion was subsequently withdrawn, and now supporters of changing the drug laws highlighted that President David Granger did not include references to marijuana reforms in his recent Parliamentary speech.

Guyana Times was told that the bill is unlikely to receive the immediate attention of the National Assembly, though the body has come out of recess. It was explained that Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence was reviewing certain sections of the document.

The draft bill had stipulated that persons who are found in possession of the drug for personal use would be required to pay a fine of $10,000, or perform community service for a period of time. Contacted for brief comment on Saturday, Carrington told Guyana Times that sections 4, 5 and 12, which deal with completely removing the jail sentences for small quantities of cannabis, were under review.

In late August 2018,

President Granger, speaking on the sidelines of an event, gave assurances that non-custodial sentences for small quantities of marijuana were a certainty, and that Government would table legislation to this end.

He had even noted that Cabinet had collectively agreed to pursue this position, and that there would have been no difficulty in implementing it.

The issue of non-custodial sentences for small amounts of marijuana was magnified following a March 2016 incident wherein inmates at the Georgetown Prisons started a fire which eventually killed 17 prisoners, while several others, along with prison staff, were injured.

A subsequent probe had found, among other issues, significant overcrowding at that penal facility had contributed to the events.

In the past, the Opposition Leader had disclosed that the PPP had made a commitment to support a ‘conscience vote’ should the matter come up for a vote in the National Assembly. The decriminalisation/legalisation of marijuana movement is a

hot button topic across the globe, with several countries taking steps to decriminalise and legalise the drug.

Though searching the web for links to local studies conducted on the drug’s effects on the brain were unsuccessful, there have been several international studies conducted on marijuana use which have yielded both positive and negative results. In a study conducted by researchers at the Center for Brain Health at The University of Texas at Dallas, United States, it was found that while regular cannabis use causes the brain to shrink, it also increases the complexity of its wiring. In fact, in the study which was published in 2014, researchers found that the “effects of chronic marijuana use on the brain may depend on age of first use and duration of use.”

Researchers had also attributed “existing abnormalities in brain function” and structure of long-term marijuana users, noting that chronic marijuana users have smaller brain volume in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) section of the brain. It was noted that this part of the brain is commonly associated with addiction. In this study, forty-eight adult marijuana users and 62 “gender- and age-matched non-users” were assessed.

A 2018 study conducted

by King’s College of London found that a cannabis extract could help persons who suffer from psychosis.

Researchers found that a single dose of cannabidiol, found in cannabis, could reduce symptoms linked to delusions and hallucinations for young persons who newly develop psychosis.

(Shemuel Fanfair)

Tiger, Tiger burning bright

S

atiricus was pleased. He was tired of the politics which dominated the newspapers, including the one where he worked. Here was a piece of news that gladdened his heart – that his favourite cricketer had received an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of the West Indies. He hurried over to the Back Street Bar to share his joy.

“Let’s drink to DOCTOR Chandrapaul, fellas!”

Satiricus said, as he grabbed his beer.

“Hear! Hear!” said Hari, as they all clinked their bottles. “At long last he’s being recognised by the Caribbean.”

“Me glad fuh hear dah,” observed Cappo. “De West Indies cricket Boa’d really gi’e da bai hard cyard!”

“An’ ‘e get ‘e dacta degree fram wan university wha’ can really gi’e waan!!” chuckled Bungi.

“But really, fellas,” asked Satiricus, “why you think they didn’t let the Tiger play one more test series?”

“What else?” asked Hari. “The selectors didn’t want him to pass Lara record!”

“Selectas me ass!” exploded Cappo. “Ah de Boa’d mek de decision!”

“But why ayuh a cuss outsida?” asked Bungi.

“Sato leadah dem tek ovah de guvment de same year dem drap de Tigah. Why dem na ‘aana de maan?”

“The PPPC government had already given him a medal,” said Satiricus. “The Cacique Crown of Honour!”

“Budday, da de t’ird hi’’es’ ‘aana,” protested Cappo. “De nex’ year dem gi’e Barbadas PM Stuart de Arda a Roraima! Da de secand hi’’es’.”

“Yes! Wha’ he do fuh abee?” demanded Bungi.

“Put abee fuh siddong pan wan bench a dem airport?”

“That’s right,” confessed Hari. “I’d forgotten about that!”

“An’ yuh leadah Rum Jhaat an’ Nagga Man na do nutten!” said Cappo bitterly. “An’ dem use to spo’t up wid Tigah good an’ prappa!”

“W’en man done suck cane ‘e does dash peeling pan de gr’ung!’ added Bungi.

“C’mon fellas,” pleaded Satiricus. “I thought we would just drink to Tiger!”

“But the boys have a point,”said Hari. “Why we didn’t honour our own prophet?”

“An’, beca’se yuh guvment na ‘aana de man,” said Cappo, “Da immigrashan gyaal tell Tigah ‘e cyaan jine de VIP line.”

Satiricus was quiet. He could never win with leaders like Nagga Man and Rum Jhaat.

11 Push cart vendors, DVD sellers decry draft copyright law news

SUnDAY, october 28, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

…say Govt should keep promises, provide jobs

The current legislation, the 1956 Copyright Act, which Guyana inherited from Great Britain following Independence in 1966, has never been revised since, even though its former colonial master had long repealed the legislation that deemed copyright infringement a civil wrong.

Though the current Act does provide protection of literary, musical, dramatic and artistic works, the fines are extremely low, ranging mostly from £5 to £50 (GY$1750GY$17,500). Given the time and cost to pursue an infringement in court, some artistes view the exercise as a loss rather than a gain.

Following the announcement by Government of its intention to table copy-

A customer purchasing DVDs from a street side vendor downtown Georgetown on Saturday

T

he ripple effect that the copyright legislation could have when passed in Guyana has already drawn the attention of the average man in the street who sells CDs and DVDs to sustain their livelihood.

Several CD and DVD vendors, who spoke with Guyana Times on Saturday sought to highlight the negative effects the legislation will have, noting that such a move by the Government will cause a hike in the instances of robberies and other crimes.

A number of push cart vendors, who have been plying their trade in the streets of Georgetown for several years, told this publication that the Government should seek to employ more persons rather than take away their “bread and butter.”

One vendor, Shakiel Wiltshire said, “This will really affect we cause remember they got to study that people got children and people got family to take care of and these times that going it so hard so if they stop this hay, from we pushing CDs and DVDs from selling, is like pushing we out of a wuk.

I don’t see what pushing a cart and selling a CD could cause because if they stop we from pushin cart, what we gun get fuh wuk? We nah gun get anything fuh wuk.”

Wiltshire added that he has been in the business for a few months now and explained that should Government pass the copyright legislation, measures should be put in place to protect CD and DVD vendors.

“Even self he wan ban this hay, is either he find something for we do cause it got a lot of place that when you send in application, you got to wait years before you could get a call.”

A push cart vendor who requested his name be withheld noted, “I have been doing this business for about 12 years and wah he (President David Granger) wan bring out deh is nonsense because this is we hustle and if he take us off de road, what he wan we do? We can’t do noth-

ing, what he wan we do rob and thief and them thing and then he gun put we in jail? That ain’t make sense.

It don’t make sense because he promising people one set a thing and it ain’t make sense.

If he ain’t want CD or DVD pun de road, well leh he provide jobs or whatever but this hay is we living.”

Don Sham, who operates at a CD shop on Commerce Street, Georgetown, expressed fear of being without a job, as he is the sole breadwinner for his home.

Oswald McBeen, another such businessman as Sham, told Guyana Times he has seven children to take care of and he is the sole breadwinner for his home. McBeen, who has been doing that business for 20 years, asserted, “If they bring out this (my push cart), this gun got to park completely because how else I gun hustle?”

When asked to give a suggestion as to what he would like to see done with the draft legislation, the father noted, “At the end of the day, wah them wan do them ah do. I can’t stop them from doing anything. Two or three people can’t make a difference.

But I think they need to create more jobs. Instead of taking away jobs, you create and then take away. If you create so that people get something to do, it gun stop a lot of robbery cause what am I supposed to do? Push my hand in somebody pocket?”

The copyright legislation or Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) legislation allows creators to safeguard their work through patents, trademarks and copyrights, resulting in prevention of plagiarism.

Since the new Administration took over, plans were revealed to have the work of local artistes protected through the implementation of such laws.

Over the years, local musicians have lamented that being a performer in Guyana is somewhat of a risky business, since persons have the constant fear of having their work copyrighted.

right legislation, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has expressed worry over the impact this could have on the local economy as many small businesses could possibly close as a result of the incoming change.

It was in a parliamentary address about two weeks ago that President David Granger stated that legislation would be tabled to bring copyright laws on the books.

However, some opposed to the change say it could put undue burdens on local producers of DVDs and CDs and that it would drastically impact on the free foreign movies and programmes currently broadcast on television.

Just Thursday, Jagdeo weighed in on the issue saying, “I hope that people will

understand… it will be a revolution in Guyana. I’m not going to say much more, because when Government passes that next year, every video store in this country will have to close that sells these bootlegs. And every store that sells music now… the way they currently do, it will have to shut those down too, as well as the guys who are doing the push cart, they can be charged too”.

While acknowledging that some may be in disagreement with the position, he clarified that Government should place more emphasis on protecting local intellectual property rights rather than focusing on safeguarding international content.

(Davina Ramdass)

12 news

SUnDAY, october 28, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Amended Nurses and Midwives Bill for National Assembly

A

s the business of the National Assembly gets underway following an extended recess, provision could be made to afford nurses the opportunity to study and specialise in various areas with Government’s introduction of the amended Nurses’ and Midwives Bill to the National Assembly.

Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, gave official notice of the legal supplement during last week, which signals that Members of Parliament will soon debate on the amendment. Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence is expected to present the amended bill.

The existing Nurses’ Bill, which governs the training and employment of nurses and midwives, has been made law since 1942.

However, under the proposed changes, nurses would have the opportunity to study and upgrade their careers through tertiary educa-

tion and other studies.

The law provides for a Nurses and Midwives Council to be established.

The bill seeks to make provision for the registration and regulation of nurses, midwives and nursing assistants. It outlines that anyone in the nursing profession found guilty of professional misconduct can face a fine of up to $100,000.

Another penalty relates to practising without a valid

licence, wherein the bill says that any nurse or midwife guilty of this offence shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine of $500,000 and 12 months’ imprisonment.

The Public Health Minister had explained to the Department of Public Information (DPI) in September that special attention will be given to training and academic elevation of all staff.

Irate parent beats...

He said that in a split second the man hit him with the iron pipe across the left side of his neck, and ran to his car and drove off.

“I’ve spent the entire morning between the hospital (for a medical) and at the Vigilance Police Station for the assault,” Hatton wrote on his social media page.

A report was made to the Vigilance Police Station, and the matter is being investigated.

In his social media post, Hatton said the child in ques-

tion was upbraided for his behaviour in school, and he went home and concocted another story, which resulted in his father attacking him (teacher).

“Yesterday (Friday) there was an incident in the school surrounding another student and indirectly the one in question. As a result, the student’s name was being called up in yet another incident. I called the boy to the school’s office. When he got there, I told him, “If you do not address your attitude,

from page 3

you won’t reach far in life.”

I guess the young man brilliantly concocted his version of the truth and went home to his parents. The matter is in the hands of the competent Police at the Vigilance Police Station.

“I think today marks the sad day that I leave the teaching profession. It was a wonderful experience impacting the lives of hundreds of children,” his post stated.

It is unclear whether the parent was taken into custody.

news

13

SUnDAY, october 28, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

11 dead in US 'hate crime' shooting

A Equality in Diversity

K

ey to moving out of our political morass is to deal with the imperatives of our plural society. Back in the 1970’s when I was first studying the ethnic question in the Caribbean, the anthropologist MG Smith was criticised on the grounds that the ‘cultural plural society’ model he applied to several Caribbean societies, was too ‘static’. It merely described what existed and did not suggest a mechanism of change. He retorted tartly, he’d always pointed out, that invariably, the different cultural segments were ‘differentially incorporated’ into the power relations of their societies and this fact, in and of itself, initiated change.

I’ve always felt that the political scientists and economists who pontificated on our national policies, ignored MG’s insight at our general peril. As citizens of polities that promised equality (via the state) their lived experiences inevitably would determine how they felt about the attainment Ravi Dev (or not) of that egalitarian promise. Their experiences were filtered through their cultural lenses and it should not have surprised any, if the several groups (defined culturally) were differentially into the power structure, political consciousness would cleave along cultural (read ethnic) lines.

After decades of focusing on an economistic notion of equality, there is still not an appreciation of the need for cultural equality also. So much for the politics of ‘identity’ and ‘recognition’, in Guyana. There are some that posited if we had (or have) economic equality among the various ethnic groups, our troubles would be over. I’d like to vehemently disagree. We are not homo economicus...but more like homo culturalicus.

Each group in Guyana has an economic elite but we have not seen this elite making common cause over the past half century.

Part and parcel of the ‘power relations’ is who gets to define what is the national culture – to which all groups have to genuflect. And it is the differential incorporation of the various cultural groups in this equation that our policies on “multiculturalism” have to address. Multiculturalism demands that society present a full range of prospects, membership, and respect to all its members – regardless of cultural and religious differences –while also creatively accommodating them in a fashion that is both morally persuasive and practically effective for the majority of society.

I would suggest that we start from the very top: the Ministry of Culture. The name itself - Culture - suggests a singular, monolithic, overarching “culture” that is being promoted. We can do worse than begin by changing the name of this ministry forthwith to “Ministry of Multiculturalism”. Its mission would be much clearer. While we have not bothered to come up a program on multiculturalism, there is the ritualistic incantation of Guyana being “multi ethnic” by the authorities. And, maintaining the “One People; One Nation One Destiny” goal of the national motto, they just as ritualistically chant, “Unity in Diversity”.

The question is, how do we make this aspiration more concrete? “Unity” is so ambiguous and amorphous – not to mention qualitative. How do we measure this ‘unity’ and how do we ensure that it is not a stalking horse for assimilation through the back door? We suggest that our motto be “Unity in Diversity through Equality in Diversity”.

Now we want to emphasise, we are not emphasising any ‘separatist ideal’ in which each group live in hermetically sealed enclaves. We are suggesting that the ‘equal treatment in culture’ imperative is implemented and becomes real; it will eliminate the barriers of hauteur and exclusion that set off their inevitable reactions of resistance. We believe when we deal with each other as equals there would be the inevitable cross-cultural fertilization (in all directions) and not one-way that is seen as top down.

With the state out of the ‘culture’ business, it could engender and promote a feeling of “Guyaneseness” among our people through the conscious construction of a democratic state - the creation of conditions where we are all treated as one, equally, by the state. For Guyana then, our ethnicities would be defined outside our “Guyaneseness” and to be African-Guyanese or Indian-Guyanese would not be contradictory in any sense.

The first part of our identity would be specific while the latter universalistic. The “national” will now be a space where ethnically imagined communities can live and share. To be Guyanese would be to share moral precepts – norms, values and attitudes – rather than shared cultural experience and practice.

A “good Guyanese” would be one who is loyal to this country, and strives to practice the secular universalistic ideological values it extols.

gunman yelling, “All Jews must die,” stormed a Pittsburgh synagogue during Saturday services, killing 11 worshippers and wounding six other people including four police officers, before he was arrested.

US attorney for western Pennsylvania Scott Brady told a news conference that charges could be filed later on Saturday against the suspected shooter, 46-yearold Robert Bowers from Pittsburgh.

“The actions of Robert Bowers represent the worst of humanity. We are dedicating the entire resources of my office to this federal hate crime investigation and prosecution,” Brady said.

“Please know that justice in this case will be swift and it will be severe.”

FBI special agent Bob Jones said the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is leading the probe into the attack, believed Bowers was acting alone, adding: “We have no knowledge that he was known to

An ambulance departs the Tree of Life synagogue following the shooting at the synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US

law enforcement before today.”

KDKA television cited Police sources as saying Bowers walked into the building and yelled “All Jews must die.”

Bowers was in a hospital in fair condition with multiple gunshot wounds.

Patients at area hospitals included a 61-year-old woman, a 70-year-old man, and a 55-year-old officer. No children were killed, authorities said.

Three police officers were shot and one was injured by shrapnel, authorities said.

Two of the six people injured were in critical condition.

Raging against “invaders” A social media post by Bowers on Saturday morning said a Jewish refugee organisation, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, “likes to bring invaders in that kill our people. I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I’m going in.”

The comment was posted on Gab, a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based social networking service created as an alternative to Twitter.

In a statement, Gab.com confirmed the profile belonged to Bowers and also said it had suspended the account and

contacted the FBI about it.

The shooting, for which Bowers had an assault rifle and three handguns according to the FBI’s Jones, prompted security alerts at houses of worship around the country. It follows a spate of pipe bombs found mailed in recent days to prominent political figures, mostly Democrats including former President Barack Obama.

The Tree of Life synagogue in the city’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood, a heavily Jewish area, was holding a Shabbat religious service at the time of the shooting.

Police are normally only present at the synagogue for security on high holidays, Michael Eisenberg, former president of the synagogue, told KDKA. “On a day like today, the door is open, it’s a religious service, you can walk in and out,” he said.

Around the time, three congregations amounting to about 100 people would have been using the building, Eisenberg said.

Turn to page 17

Jordan rejects PSC’s request...

Recently, in a response to an editorial done by one of the leading dailies that waded into Minister Jordan’s handling of the financial sector, Jordan had retorted, inter alia, “you must have forgotten, conveniently, the deformed and broken economy that our Government inherited in 2015. Lest we forget, too, that economy thrived on rampant drug trafficking, money laundering, and a banking sector in which a few institutions recklessly lent funds for private white elephant projects.”

The PSC subsequently said it had taken note of the recent statement by Jordan on the impact of the proceeds

of drugs on the economy and in an effort to understand the “empirical evidence” relied upon by the Minister, the Commission said it has sought to obtain a briefing by him and, to this end, has dispatched a letter to the Minister.

In the letter that was made public to the media, the PSC said it would be “grateful to be briefed by you on the assertions made that the economy pre May 2015 was heavily based on proceeds of the drug trade and that the current economy post May 2015 is no longer affected by such proceeds.”

Moreover, the Commission said “as busi-

nesses it is important for us to understand the underlying structure of the economy and the various elements that contribute or inhibit its growth.”

Outlining that it was awaiting a response, the PSC in its letter to the subject Minister posited that “we look forward to such a brief so that we could better understand the empirical evidence supporting your assertions.”

Jordan, since his Government came to power in 2015, has made several accusations that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Administration before him was able to reflect

from page 7

growth in the economy because it proliferated the trade of drugs.

This contention has never been supported by evidence from the Minister and the few cases put together by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) were not only aimed at former Government officials rather than money launderers, they fell through for lack of evidence.

In an interview in 2016, the Finance Minister also attributed the reduction in consumer spending to a decrease in illegal activities, including narco-trafficking, which he said had created a parallel economy.

14 news

SUnDAY, october 28, 2018| guyanatimesgy.com

Atlantic Gardens’ residents slam State of the Environment design of ECD road expansion and Trends – Part 1

A

s construction works continue on the East Coast Demerara road, residents of Atlantic Gardens have complained of experiencing grave inconvenience, being unable to access either side of the roadway due to the placement of a median there.

A very disgruntled resident recently inked a letter to this publication highlighting his concerns.

"The road design seems to ignore local communities, as it does not allow for vehicles to (enter) into villages on the southern side of the road when travelling in an easterly direction. This means if someone wants to (enter) into Atlantic Gardens, he cannot do so because a concrete median is placed in the middle of the road,” the resident said.

As a result of the placement of the median, residents are now forced to drive some distance before they are able to cross the road to access the entrance to the community.

"At this time, we do not know how far east we will have to travel before we are allowed to make a U-turn, which is illegal under current traffic laws. There is sufficient space to allow for "cut outs" for turning traffic, and "cut outs" of this kind do not interrupt the flow of traffic, once drivers follow the rules. A “cut out” exists at Ogle, and there is another at UG road," the

The concrete median that lines most of the East Coast of Demerara

One of the few spaces left for vehicles to make U-turns

resident argued.

When Guyana Times visited the area on Saturday, several residents related their woes as they slammed the design of the road expansion.

One resident who has living in the area for 20 years said, "It is affecting us very badly, because it got a business across the road where we go to every day, and we cannot use our

vehicles or anything, we just have to walk across as well as in the night, which is very dangerous; and we have to walk back home every night.”

She explained that because of the median being placed in the middle of the road, residents are forced to take other alternatives.

"We have to go till up, next to Better Hope, so that we can come around with the vehicles; and then (as we use the other side of the road) we have to go till by Massy to come back,” another resident complained.

Another resident, whose only name was given as Gangaram, complained, "It’s inconvenient, because we have to go all the way around to get in here.”

According to this resident, the median was placed there just about two weeks ago.

A 59-year-old woman said, "I travelling to go to work every day, and it’s very hard for me. Yesterday (Friday) I stand up on the road one hour and a half to get transportation...I do more than one job, and it’s hard for me.”

A pregnant woman who said she has been living in the area for three years also argued that the Government and the contractors have a wrong approach to the situation, as they had never informed residents that they would be inconvenienced.

According to her, “It is very, very inconvenient getting from work, because we have to drive all the way to where the Massy Supermarket is constructing, and turn back to come home… In the morning it’s very confusing. I don’t understand how come they are making roads and there are no notices… The other day I almost missed my work because of the road closure.”

Another resident suggested that the contractors do additional work at nights, since the expansion project is affecting most residents on the East Coast, not only those in Atlantic Gardens.

The residents there are calling for adequate access to their community, to ease their daily hassles.

Since commencement of works to the East Coast road, several businesses have complained of losing sales, as their entrances have been barred due to the ongoing works.

The US$50.2million road expansion project has two components; one features a four-lane expansion of the road from Better Hope to Annandale, and the other caters for an upgrade to the existing twolane road from Annandale to Belfield.

The project is expected to be completed by 2019.

(Davina Ramdass)

Fresh Water Resources

G

EPA team conducting water quality sampling

uyana is well known for its expansive network of rivers, streams, reservoirs and drainage canals, providing an abundance of surface and ground water throughout the country for agriculture, industries and domestic uses. Many while travelling, have marveled at the Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo Rivers and their tributaries carving through the terrain in this ‘land of many waters’.

This prized resource, freshwater, is held in numerous surface and ground water systems in varying quantities and in some cases based on seasonal variations. Surface water resources occur within the Coastal Lowlands, Interior Plains, Western Highlands, Southern Uplands and Southwest Savannahs.

Ground water is also abundant in coastal and inland aquifers, with most of the population relying on coastal aquifers for ground water supply.

Pressures on Freshwater Resources

The EPA remains firm on its mandate to ensure that developmental activities are authorised, thus being given the necessary conditions to safeguard the health of freshwater ecosystems. Some pressures on our freshwater resources: 1.

Changing population dynamics; 2.

Views on the value of freshwater; 3.

Consumption of food; 4.

Economic policies; 5.

Technology; and 6.

General lifestyle are all drivers of changes in water use.

Some areas of concern

With the majority of the population (90%) residing on the coast, biological and chemical contamination of surface water are highest in these areas. Salt water invasion from the Atlantic Ocean also affects coastal water quality.

Private water users are largely unmonitored, leading to over exploitation of aquifers. GWI data from 2010 to 2014, indicate turbidity and total fecal coliform levels above WHO standards for coastal aquifers. Targeting such uncontrolled use is very important as Guyana is expected to experience higher temperatures and reduced precipitation levels, limiting water available for domestic, industrial and agricultural uses. The quantity and quality of freshwater resources are influenced: Land-use change; 1.

2.

Construction and management of reservoirs; 3.

Pollutant emissions; 4.

Water and wastewater treatment; and 5.

Climate change.

Reported estimates of water withdrawal indicate that the greatest demand for water is from domestic, agricultural, mining and industrial purposes. Consequently, significant pressures are created from untreated waste, chemicals, and sediments being released into waterways, as a result of absent or inadequate systems for the treatment of sewage, industrial and agricultural waste and proper tailings management.

Impacts on Freshwater Resources

The known pressures, present numerous economic, health, social and environmental impacts. Limited and reduced access to groundwater resources result in the use of surface water sources which usually require treatment. Treatment of surface water can be expensive and, and the quality of the raw water determines the required type of treatment. Many coastal dwellers purchase drinking water from private suppliers. However, this option would represent a cost intensive alternative for the hinterland population who depend heavily on inland groundwater sources.

Health issues from contaminated potable water supply remains a concern in both coastal and inland communities. Residents resorting to untreated water from creeks and rivers in the absence of adequate groundwater sources and lack of regulation of private water suppliers present an increased risk of acute diarrheal diseases. Surface water throughout Guyana serves as important ecosystems by providing a medium for habitat, food, and reproduction for aquatic life forms especially fishes, macro-invertebrates, plants, mammals, birds, herpetofauna, microbes, and drinking water for humans. Therefore, contamination from effluent discharge, runoffs and other waste inputs can cause these ecosystems to become unstable. You may remember the fish kills and mortality of other organisms during the OMAI cyanide spill of 1995.

Responses

Local policies and plans as well as, international obligations support the protection of freshwater ecosystems. In 2015, the Government decided that the National Water Council (NWC) as stipulated under the Water and Sewage Act 2002, should be resuscitated which would see the development of a National Water Policy. Legislation such as the Water and Sewerage Act, Environmental Protection Act, Mining Act, and the East Demerara Water Conservancy Act, work together to regulate development in an effort to safeguard the environment and its resources. Guyana is also signatory to a number of international laws, protocols, agreements and declarations that place obligations on the government to manage water and land based resources. These include the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Basel Convention for the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their disposal, to name a few.

If you wish to know more about the state and trends of Fresh Water Resources in Guyana, you can download the State of the Environment Report 2016 from the EPA’s website, www.epaguyana.org

You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O ECEA Programme, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit.epaguyana@ gmail.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

news

15

SUnDAY, october 28, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Guard shot after foiling robbery at Regency Hotel Islamic financing and economic development: Third World developing economies like Guyana

I

n last week’s column, it was contended that the Islamic Financing Model would be more prudent to adopt for the financing of the new Demerara Harbour bridge project. As was indicated therein, today’s article seeks to provide an in-depth discussion on how Islamic financing works and the distinguishing features of this type of loan financing–compared to the conventional development financing.

In the second half of the 20th century, when the Muslim world was liberated from colonial power, widespread resurgence of Islamic ideology took its path in Muslim societies. This led to the masses examining the existing social systems through Islamic lenses and proposed modifications and developments. In doing so, the Muslim thinkers and philosophers challenged the world’s ruling economic and social systems and uncovered their weaknesses (Hanif, 2011).

Three principles that govern Islamic finance (Hussain et.al, 2015).

1.

Principle of equity: Scholars generally invoke this principle as the rationale for the prohibition of predetermined payments, with a view of protecting the weaker contracting party in a financial transaction. The principle of equity is also the basis for prohibiting excessive uncertainty as manifested by contract ambiguity or elusiveness of payoff. Transacting parties thus have a moral responsibility of disclosing information before engaging in a contract, thereby reducing information asymmetry.

Principle of participation: although commonly known as 2. interest-free financing, this does not imply that capital is not to be rewarded. According to Islamic principles, reward–that is, profit – comes with risk taking. Investment returns have to be earned in tandem with risk-taking and not the mere passage of time. Hence, return on capital is legitimised by risk-taking and determined ex post based on asset performance or project productivity, thereby ensuring link between financing activities and real activities. The principle of participation lies at the heart of Islamic finance, ensuring that increases in wealth accrue from productive activities.

3.

Principle of ownership: The rulings of “do not sell what you do not own” and “you cannot be dispossessed of a property except on the basis of right” mandate asset ownership before transacting.

Islamic finance, has thus come to be known as asset-based financing, forging a robust link between finance and the real economy. It also requires preservation of respect for property rights, as well as upholding contractual obligations by underscoring the sanctity of contracts.

Differences between Islamic and conventional financing

The key principles that govern Islamic finance as outlined above, imply that in an Islamic financial system, financing can only be extended to productive activities, trade and real estates–thus it is often considered an asset-based financial system. If fully complied with, these principles ensure appropriate leverage and help limit speculation and moral hazard.

Consistent with these key principles, there are two sets of Islamic models of financing, excluding fee-based services: (a) profit-and-loss-sharing (PLS) models of financing and (b) non-PLS contracts. A strong preference is attached to the risk sharing modes of financing, as they are closest to the spirit of Islamic financing. Additionally, even in the debt-like modalities, financing is linked to real assets, thereby limiting the extent of leverage associated with financing (Hussain et.al, 2015).

Conclusion

Having outlined the distinguishing features of Islamic financing compared to conventional financing– thereby establishing a basic understanding of how Islamic financing works; one may agree now that the US$900 million line of credit facility approved by the Islamic Development Bank is actually not a bad thing–but rather good for Guyana’s development. In other words, Islamic financing, technically, shall not push up the debt-to-GDP ratio, thus contributing to fiscal constraints to service such a type of financing as compared to the conventional development financing whereby such loans are usually serviced from the fiscal revenues of the Government.

Therefore, the Government has a responsibility to carefully select the appropriate productive projects– that will allow for the profit and loss sharing model for which the Islamic facility can be used for. In this regard, the new Demerara Bridge is a perfect example of a project for such.

Other such suggestion can be the revisiting of the hydropower project, and setting up a modular oil refinery among others of this nature, and perhaps explore this option for the GuySuCo restructuring programme rather than the massive $30 billion bond, which, as was established in previous writings is devoid of financial prudence.

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

A

male guard from a private security firm has been hospitalised after being shot while intercepting two armed men who attempted to rob a city hotel.

Reports are the incident occurred at about 22:45h on Friday at the Regency Hotel on Hadfield Street, Georgetown.

According to reports, the guard, who is stationed at the hotel, was on duty when the two armed men approached the business.

The men were intercepted by the guard, and during the confrontation the ban-

dits discharged several rounds, one of which hit the guard in the abdomen.

Despite being injured, the guard managed to open fire on the bandits to ward them off the business premises, and they made good their escape.

The injured man was rushed to seek medication attention, and is currently hospitalised at a private medical institution in a critical condition.

Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing and the two suspects are being sought.

Regency Hotel on Hadfield Street, Georgetown

16 news

SUnDAY, october 28, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

Demerara Bank records $2B profit …deposit base, loans show increase

D

ays after he celebrated his 90th birthday, Demerara Bank Limited Chairman Dr Yesu Persaud can also celebrate his bank’s strong performance for last year, when it recorded a net profit of $2 billion.

According to a statement from the bank, for the year ended September 30, 2018, it recorded a gross profit before taxes of $3.1 billion and a net profit of $2 billion.

The bank noted that the gross profit is an increase of 31 per cent over the previous year’s profit, while net profit showed an increase of 28 per cent over the said period.

The bank’s deposit base rose to $58.2 billion, as compared to $57 billion in 2017; while loans and advances grew from $25.46 billion to $26.8 billion. Managing net non-performing advances remain a challenge throughout the banking sector in Guyana, the bank stated.

However, despite these

that it has been able to double its assets every six years while maintaining its profit.

The Bank noted that it has been able to maintain a sizable lending portfolio, with only a small percentage of non-performing loans.

According to Demerara Bank, it has not only designed business strategies aimed at strong financial performance, but it is also one of the Ambassadors for Guyana’s Green Initiative, contributing by operating most of its branches on solar energy to reduce its carbon footprint.

Demerara Bank’s Corporate Office on Camp Street, Georgetown

challenges, Demerara Bank, in the year 2018, recorded a reduction in net non-performing advances from $783 million to $672 million. The fiscal year was such an excellent year for the Bank that its Board of Directors declared a favourable payment

of dividends to the shareholders -- with a final dividend payment of 100 per cent, while the interim dividend paid of 35 per cent is overall the highest ever paid.

The Bank gave credit to its founder and Chairman, Dr Yesu Persaud, in noting

Dr Persaud recently celebrated his 90th birthday, and the Bank made mention that its remarkable performance is a great gift to him, since he has been the visionary behind establishment of this truly indigenous commercial bank.

He was challenged by many financial experts that an indigenous bank would never be successful without cooperation from foreign entities.

The Bank also gave a commitment to maintaining its efforts to transform for long-term success. It noted

that its officials are optimistic that the investments they are making would result in growth over the long term.

“They mentioned the Bank is steadfast (in wishing) to living up to its mission; that is, to excel in providing innovative and superior banking services through well trained, dedicated and courteous staff, in the interest of their customers and shareholders; and to fulfill their social responsibilities through meaningful involvement in community development,” the bank said.

No approval given to Mae’s Schools to barricade public ground – CoI hears

Arial view of the ground defining where the fence was erected

A

midst an outcry by residents of Subryanville, Georgetown because a portion of the Farnum Community Ground, which is for public use, has been barricaded and used by the Mae’s Schools for private activities, it has been revealed at the Commission of Inquiry that no approval in this regard has been given to the school by the City Engineer’s Department of the City Council.

This was the position

shared by the City Engineer Colvern Venture, who explained that the community ground is for public use, and actions were taken to have the fence erected by Mae’s Schools removed.

“There (was) no approval given to [construct] any fence. That’s an open space, and no approval was given by my department to have a fence erected. As such, we would have moved to have that fence demolished,” said the City Engineer.

He added that he cannot recall seeing any application for a fence. “It’s considered a public open space which is basically used as a recreational facility for the community,” he explained.

From the information provided by Venture, it was indicated that he was aware that the institution was using a section of the ground for “recreational activities.” “It would have divided the ground east and west. turn to page 18

news

17

SUnDAY, october 28, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

GuySuCo divestment for early 2019 – Jordan

…though PwC valuation report still to be made public

T

hough a report on the valuation of the assets of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has not yet been released, Government is optimistic that the divestment process can begin in a matter of months.

In a sit down with the media after signing a loan agreement on Friday, Finance Minister Winston Jordan was asked for an update on the divestment process. In his response, he noted that Government is optimistic of starting in the first half of 2019, a fact expressed by President David Granger.

“We expect by the first half of next year to divest some of the estates,” Jordan said, adding “I will speak with (Special Purpose Unit head Colvin Heath-London)

to see if we have any further updates. Otherwise, the next update perhaps will be in the budget speech, in terms of where we are and what we expect.”

The parliamentary Opposition has been calling on the Government to publicise the PriceWaterhouse Coopers (PwC) valuation report into GuySuCo’s assets.

The valuation was supposed to have preceded the sale of the various estates and accompanying assets.

That process has already started; however, neither the Government nor the accounting firm has released the document. At a recent press conference, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo zeroed in on this state of affairs.

“We were told that before any decision was made, that

All eyes are on the Special Purpose Unit to know just how much GuySuCo is really worth

PriceWaterhouse Coopers will do a valuation of assets.

Where is the valuation of the assets and why don’t they release it to the Guyanese public, so we will see what they have valued the assets of GuySuCo at and whether we come close to realising that value,” Jagdeo had said.

“Or if they have underval-

11 dead in US 'hate...

Shortly after reports of the shooting emerged, US President Donald Trump said in a tweet he was watching what he described as a “devastating” situation.

Trump told reporters later that the killings might have been prevented if there had been an armed guard in the building.

“If they had some kind of a protection inside the temple maybe it could have been a much more different situ-

ation, they didn’t,” he said when asked about a possible link to US gun laws.

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, said, “This is likely the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the history of the United States.”

On April 13, 2014, a pair of shootings occurred at a Jewish Community Center and a Jewish retirement community, both located in Overland Park, Kansas. A to-

from page 13

tal of three people were killed in the shootings.

In 2015, a white supremacist murdered nine African Americans during a prayer service in Charleston, South Carolina.

In 2012, a neo-Nazi gunman with white supremacist ties walked into a Sikh gurdwara - or house of worship - in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and murdered six Sikh Americans. (Reuters)

ued the assets of GuySuCo and then would claim that they got more than the valuation. We’d like to see a copy of the report. But it seems as though its done secretly and we don’t know what assurances are given by PwC and SPU, whether those are assurances Cabinet has agreed to,” the Opposition Leader added.

Severance

Jordan was also asked about the payment of severances. He noted that the supplementary paper must be

approved for the severance to be paid. He also noted that when Government paid its first tranche, many workers received their full severance.

“We said once the Parliament passes the supplementary and the President signs the supplementary appropriations Act, they will be paid. We will transfer the money. My understanding is that they already have the sheets ready.”

“In January, we had said we were going to make the payments in two parts, because we didn’t have the monies to make severance.

We said at the time that those owed $500,000 or less, we would pay fully. So nobody got less than $500,000, if you were at $500,000 or above. So a significant number of sugar workers were paid their full severance.”

Jordan reminded that Government had promised to make the remainder of the severance available by the second half of 2018. He noted that the year is not

finished, but assured that Government would remain on this timeline.

Earlier this month, Government tabled a financial paper seeking parliamentary approval for $2.4 billion to pay-off hundreds of sugar workers. This was even as several sugar workers protested in front of Parliament. Of the $7.5 billion financial paper totalled, $2.4 billion was set aside for severance pay.

In May 2017, Government announced plans to close the Enmore and Rose Hall Sugar Estates, sell the Skeldon Sugar Factory, reduce the annual production of sugar, and take on the responsibility of managing the drainage and irrigation services offered by GuySuCo. In November of that year, GuySuCo announced plans to retrench 2500 workers by the end of that year. That number increased substantially and ended up being over 7000.

18 news High Street to reopen today SUnDAY, october 28, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

Ongoing rehabilitative works at High Street, Georgetown on Saturday

F

ollowing the closure of a section of High Street, Georgetown on Saturday to facilitate rehabilitation works, construction workers have assured that the road will be reopened to the public today.

High Street, from Hadfield to Princes Street, has been upgraded to meet the needs of drivers.

However, the move without notice created quite some havoc on a busy Saturday afternoon which resulted in a major traffic back-up.

The route 42 or Timehri bus park was also again removed to facilitate these works. Drivers were forced to use alternative streets to head to their destinations.

No approval given...

I think the intention was to utilise the portion that is on the east…to be used by the school. They were using a section of the ground over the years for recreational activities there,” Venture explained.

Subryanville resident Damian Fernandes told the Commission earlier this month that one-third of the public football field was cordoned off with a 12-foot fence erected by the school’s administration, and that portion is being used for students only.

Adding to that, waste materials generated from construction work done on the school building, including pieces of board and large chunks of cement, were dumped on this playground.

“If you check, you will see that the metal rods are still sticking out of the ground. The form boards that were used to cast the base were thrown with nails, and you can see the nails sticking up; and that’s how it is left for many months.

from page 16

The construction crew from the school (has been) dumping builder’s waste on the ground,” Fernandes told the commission.

Residents of the community also accused the schools’ administration of padlocking the gates of the ground.

The concerned Fernandes, along with other members of the community, would have shared his concerns, since all the aggrieved residents feel it is a “full time-job” to handle these issues.

Presently, it is very difficult to weed the vegetation, since machinery is being damaged by materials that were dumped on the ground, and the ground was recently resurfaced to the tune of $2.7 million, the commission heard.

The commission also heard that the schools’ administration had submitted an application to City Hall in regard to constructing a school on the ground. However, this application was denied.

sunDAY, october 28, 2018

19

Pee Wee Under 11 Football...

Tucville upset St Agnes to book semifinal spot

A glimpse of the fierce encounter between Tucville and St Agnes Primary

O

ne would think one were sitting in the stands at a FIFA World Cup match with the heightened tension generated at the Ministry of Education Ground as the Pee Wee Under 11 Football tournament entered the uncertain quarterfinal stage.

Saturday was a day of upsets and shattered dreams as the young players fought to the death to make it through to the semis; but while some were rejoicing, others were left in a flood of tears.

The first quarterfinal match featured the dominant St Agnes Primary opposing the determined Tucville Primary. While Tucville was always regarded as a strong team, they weren’t as successful as St Agnes, who were on a winning streak until they met Tucville.

Although the players on both sides came out blazing, it was clear from inception that St Agnes had finally met their match in Tucville. Despite all of St Agnes’ dribbles, the Tucville defence worked hard to prevent the ball from entering the box.

Meanwhile, Tucville’s striking was also doing well, as Carlos Negus put his team one up in the 20th.

St Agnes were visibly dejected by time the first half of play had expired, but they recuperated by start of the second half, and were finally hitting the target; but kudos could be given to Tucville’s goalkeeper, Serani Augustin, who managed to intercept every

advance.

St Agnes’ highest goal scorer, Justin Alcindor, managed the breakthrough for his team nearing the end of regulation time, paving the way for extra time.

But extra time bore no fruit for St Agnes, as Tucville Primary continued to demonstrate their superiority. John Harry carried the tally to 2-1 in the 43rd minute, and Wayne Solomon extended the lead to 3-1 for Tucville’s win in the 47th.

During this battle, St Pius were breezing through their encounter with Golden Grove.

Kaden Wellington, who has been outstanding throughout the tournament, put St Pius one up in the eighth minute. The goal did not deter Golden Grove, as they continued in their attacking style. West Ruimveldt and St Ambrose in battle However, it proved futile, as er. However, the semifinal was not to be for St Pius continued to expertly Golden Grove, as the time expired in haste. hold them off.

The third quarterfinal match saw defendChance Niles took the score to 2-0 early in the second half, causing Golden Grove ing champions West Ruimveldt stamping to scramble to find one, or even an equalis- their authority in the tournament against St

Federer to face Copil in Swiss Indoors final in Basel D efending champion Roger Federer reached his 14th Swiss Indoors final in Basel with a commanding 6-1 6-4 victory over Russian Daniil Medvedev.

The 37-year-old world number three, an eight-time champion here, survived a late break to win in 64 minutes.

In Sunday’s final he will play world number 93 Marius Copil of Romania, who beat second seed Alexander Zverev of Germany 6-3 6-7 (6-8) 6-4.

In Vienna, Kevin Anderson will play Kei Nishikori in the Erste Bank Open final.

Local hero Federer, who first reached the Basel final in 2000 and took the title for the first time in 2006, has won three

tournaments this year, including the Australian Open that marked his 20th Grand Slam singles title.

It was his second win of the year against 20-year-old Medvedev, ranked 20th in the world.

Victory in the final would put Federer on 99 career titles.

Romanian 28-year-old Copil served 26 aces in his victory over world number five Zverev as he reached the second ATP final of his career.

In Austria, fifth seed Nishikori beat Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan 6-4 6-3, while South African world number eight Anderson saw off Spain’s Fernando Verdasco 6-3 3-6 6-4. (BBC Sport)

Ambrose. The scoring was started by Mark Phillips in the 4th minute, and two minutes later Clean La Rose joined the party with West Ruimvedt’s second. St. Ambrose fought hard to hold off West Ruimveldt, but their concentration on defence prevented them from even coming close to the goal.

Clean La Rose returned early in the second half for his second goal. With the tally on 3-0, the win seemed to be well within the defending champions’ reach, and with goals from Syon Sampson and Jonathan Andries just one minute apart, the 5-0 win was sure.

The final matchup of the day saw North Georgetown and Mocha Arcadia clashing. It was a hard fought battle on both sides, as neither seemed to have the correct formula to produce a goal. Back and forth the ball went, edging close to both goals but not making the complete trip inside.

Eventually, after regulation and extra time had expired, it was clear that a penalty shootout would be the decider. On that stage, North Georgetown emerged the better team, as they netted one more penalty than Mocha for a 3-2 win.

The semifinals, featuring Tucville, West Ruimvedt, St Pius and North Georgetown Primary, will go down on Saturday, November 3, at the Ministry of Education Ground on Carifesta Avenue.

20

guyanatimesGY.com

SUnDAY, october 28, 2018

Norton denies endorsement of new golf course

J

ust weeks ago, at launching of the 2018 edition of the Guyana Cup Open Golf Tournament, a grand announcement was made by Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Sport, Dr George Norton, that Guyana will soon be home to a new 18-hole golf course.

That course will join scores of other courses that are being constructed around the world by the renowned Jack Nicklaus Group.

As a golfer, Jack Nicklaus has a reputation that is legendary. Known as “The Golden Bear”, Nicklaus is regarded by many as the greatest golfer of all time, and most especially his era.

With a career that spanned more than 25 years after teeing off in the 1960s, the American has recorded 18 major championships while producing 19 second-place

Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Sport, Dr George Norton

and 9 third-place finishes.

After Minister Norton had relayed this exciting news to media operatives, President of the Lusignan Golf Club, Aleem Hussain, had added, “And this (the golf course) is the only one of its kind, and it will be built here in Guyana with

the help of Minister Norton and members of the Government.”

However, weeks after the fact, Minister Dr George Norton has come out saying the venture has not been endorsed by the Government. Talk of the course has been in many conversations after contracts were officially signed last Thursday by Hussain and representative of the Jack Nicklaus Group, Rodney Carl.

The 18-hole course will not only attract tourists to Guyana, but will also boast a thriving community, inclusive of schools, housing, hospitals; and even sporting facilities for swimming, cycling and tennis.

The Ogle and LBI environs have been identified for the course. The deal sounds

like a great one; but, according to Minister Norton, it is yet to receive Government’s blessing.

“I must correct you. I did not endorse, I made an announcement. And no Minister did endorse that,” Dr Norton stated when probed about the course.

At the announcement of the 18-hole course, the Lusignan Golf Club President had said, “And this is the only one of its kind; and it will be built here in Guyana with the help of Minister Norton and the members of the Government.”

Now the Minister is firm in his assertion that no member of the Government has sanctioned the project.

“After then, I don’t think there was any other commitment by the Government with regard to that project,” the Minister has followed up.

Dr Norton explained that it is all in good faith.

However, such a large project has attracted the attention of the Government.

“We certainly are concerned, because we are talking about 500 acres of prime real estate with $100 million US dollars to be raised to do a project that involves schools, houses, health facilities that the Government know nothing about,” the Social Cohesion Minister stated.

Despite Government’s demurring, the 18-hole golf course project has received the blessing of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana, as the facilities are expected to attract scores of tourists to Guyana.

Biles overcomes illness to shine

Biles won gold in the team, all-around, vault and floor events at the Rio 2016 Olympics

S

imone Biles overcame kidney stone pain to help the USA women all-but guarantee a team final place at the Gymnastics World Championships in Doha.

The 10-time world champion gave a sparkling performance, scoring 60.965 over the four apparatus, less than 24 hours after having hospital treatment.

“It’s been crazy. I got back from the emergency about 1am and they found I had a kidney stone,” Biles told BBC Sport.

“But the pain is pretty OK right now.”

She added: “I’m excited how today went and we’ll keep good spirits for the team final and all-around.”

The 21-year-old was making her return to international competition for the first time since she won four gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and also since she opened up about being sexually abused. .

“Before I walked out tonight I thought I can’t believe it’s Worlds already,” Biles said.

“I feel like I wouldn’t have even imagined a year ago starting to train, and coming back, so it’s kind of crazy that I’m standing here.”

Based on her showing in Doha, Biles also looks odds on to win a record fifth women’s all-around title.

Of her four apparatus scores, her vault was the highest, with 15.966 for her first and 15.366 for her second - which was also a unique new skill performed for the first time in major competition.

Biles’ floor routine was marginally lower at 15.333, while uneven bars (14.866) and beam (14.8) were also among the top scores so far in the competition.

“I never think about [records] until I see people mentioning them on social media,” she said.

“I just try to focus on my routines and what I can do to benefit the team.”

Her team have a comfortable lead in the qualification standings with further qualifying taking place on Sunday. (BBC Sport)

Ronaldo’s double seals Juventus comeback win

Ronaldo has been directly involved in 10 of Juve’s last 14 league goals (seven goals, three assists)

C

ristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Serie A leaders Juventus came from behind to beat struggling Empoli and maintain their unbeaten start to the season.

Empoli, who have not won since the opening day, went ahead when Francesco Caputo fired home from 16 yards.

Juve had a penalty when Ismael Bennacer shoved over Juve captain Paulo Dybala, with Ronaldo converting.

The £99m summer signing then scored a sensational 25-yard effort into the top corner to win the game.

Empoli - last season’s Serie B champi-

ons - played well, but Juve’s quality and grit showed as they pulled off a third comeback win of the Serie A season.

They are now seven points clear at the top after nine wins and one draw in 10 games, although most other teams still have to play their league games this weekend.

Juventus have been champions for the past seven years - now, with 28 points from 10 games, this their joint best start to a Serie A season, along with 2012-13.

Ronaldo has now scored seven goals in 12 games for the club, including four in his last three Serie A matches. (BBC Sport)

CLASSIFIED ADS

sundAY, october 28, 2018 | www.guyanatimesgy.com

ACCOMMODATIONS Conferences and retreats – full service: Hotel, Catering & Facilities.

Aracari Resort WBD – 264-2946 Alex Wayne.

Weddings and anniversaries: Rental or full service: Banquet Hall & Catering.

Aracari Resort 264-2946 Alex Wayne.

Aracari Hotel, WBD (Near Harbour Bridge) – All modern amenities, rates from $25. Phone 264-2946-8 Salon/Spa. Cosmetology – full course $100,000, technician $40,000. Aracari Salon and Spa, WBD 264-3312

FOR SALE SKUTT AUTOMATIC KILN, MODEL 1227, AND MOVABLE STAGE PIECES FOR SALE. 650-1713 Dyna Canter GSS9669, 2 tons, 2005 model 1.2 M Whats app:680-3863

HERBAL TREATMENT MIRACLE HERB PRODUCTS - HAVE ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE HERBAL CANCER TREATMENT. RESULTS IN 3 DAYS. CALL 612-8944, 688-3663 MIRACLE HERB PRODUCTS - HAVE THE CURE FOR DIABETIC FOOT AND OTHER WOUNDS. NO AMPUTATION NO MATTER HOW HARD. CALL 6128944, 688-3663

LAND for sale One transported land for sale 100x50ft at Hope Town village West Coast Berbice Price 1.2M Contact # 680-1009

MASSAGE Visit Cloud 9 spa located at Lenora W.C.D for massage, manicure, pedicure, facial and nails. Book appointment with Renisa on 625-1323.

property for sale Transported Land. 11.6 Acres. Lot 15 Public Road. #2 Village. West Coast Berbice. Price $18M. Contract # 6864818, 648-7109 Property for Sale: Friendship, EBD Interested persons contact Manjarie on 668-1092

INDIAN FAMOUS ASTROLOGER MASTER VENKATESH ALL RELIGIONS WELCOME SPECIALISED IN BRINGING LOVED ONES BACK, EXPERT IN READING PALM & FACE READING. GET ADVISE AND SOLUTIONS FOR LOVE, MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, FAMILY PROBLEMS, SEXUAL PROBLEMS, FINANCE PROBLEMS, STOP ALCOHOL ADDICTION, SICKNESS, BUSINESS/ JOB CAREERS, VISA ETC. PANDIT CAN REMOVE ANY KIND OF BLACK MAGIC, VOODOO, AND GIVE PROTECTION. CONTACT- 600-8222 WWW.ASTROVENKATESH.COM

taxi services GR Taxi, 24 hours. Phone: 2257878, 219-5000 or 227-2100

TO LET ONE, 1-BEDROOM, SEMIFURNISHED CONCRETE STUDIO APARTMENT WITH LIGHT AND WATER, FULLY GRILLED ALL AROUND WITH GARAGE. WORKING COUPLE PREFERRED. NO CHILDREN, NO PETS. TEL: 615-7129 ONE BRAND NEW APARTMENTPARKING AVAILABLE. ONE 2-BEDROOM BOTTOM FLAT $50,000 PER MONTH. TEL: 226-3430 One-bedroom apartment at Parfaite Harmonie (Dairy) Call: 670-2653, 638-8499

VACANCIES Pump Attendant- Rubis BelAirWhats app: 680-3863/6240033 House Keeper/ Cook Whats app: 624-0033 Accounts Assistant Whats app: 680-3863 Bill Payment Clerk Whats app: 680-3863 Supervisor for Water Company Whats app: 680-3863

VEHICLES FOR SALE ONE TOYOTA MARK 2 (GX 100) $1,500,000. CONTACT # 615-5646

WANTED WANTED. Drivers and Security Personnel. Apply to North West Mining Investment Inc. 344 Middle and East Streets, N/Cummingsburg

TRANSPORTED LAND WITH COMMERCIAL BUILDING 33X40 LAND(108X200) LOCATED AT LOWER MAHAICONY, ECD. PRICE: 38 MILLION NON NEGOTIABLE. CONTACT: 642-0336, 258-0280, 6556643 LOT 15 PUBLIC ROAD #2 VILLAGE WEST COAST BERBICE. 3 HOUSE LOTS. COCONUT AND MANGO TREES. RICE CULTIVATION. RED SAND. 49FT BY 10,314 FT LENGTH. PRICE $18M. CONTACT: 648-7109, 686-4818 Lot 15 Public Road, #2 Village, West Coast Berbice. 49ft x 10,314ft Length. $18M. Contact: 648-7109 or 686-4818

spirituality & ASTROLOGY INDIAN ASTROLOGER AND SPIRITUAL CENTER. INTERNATIONAL FAMOUS ASTROLOGER. MASTER RAJARAM. ALL RELIGIONS ARE WELCOME. RISE, AWAKE AND STOP NOT TILL THE GOAL IS REACHED. SPECIALISED IN READING PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE, FACE READING, PALM READING, BOOK OPENING, SHELLS READING. GIVE SOLUTIONS FOR: HUSBAND AND WIFE, LOVE, PROMOTION, REUNITE LOVERS, BUSINESS, PROPERTY, STOP DIVORCE, SEXUAL PROBLEM, JEALOUSY PROBLEM, FINANCIAL PROBLEM ETC. PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL. CONTACT: 6928449, 693-8655 Spiritual healing: remove blockages, voodoo, excurse, black magic, spell, business, upliftment, pregnancy, love & marriage problems, clearance, etc. Contact: 694-9569 or 683-5228 Sri Guru Raghavendra Astrology.

Master: VEERA BHADRA. Specialized in: PALM, FACE, PATRA READING & HOROSCOPE BOOK OPENING. An expert in clearing negativity in life by using ancient prayer methods.

Gives complete solution to your problems like: love, children, finance, job, marriage, finance and education. Meet him once to get guidance. All religions are welcome.

Private and confidential. Tel: 6959805 & 652-6427.

sports

Taylor banks on home atmosphere for a repeat show

21

W

indies captain Stafanie Taylor is banking on home advantage during the upcoming ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2018 and for her the benefit goes beyond playing on familiar venues.

“We are here in the Caribbean and we like the music and we like the vibes,” Taylor shares in a first-person article for the ICC. “Whether it’s a training session or a match, we like to hear some music and we know this will help the way we play.”

Taylor, who is the top-ranked all-rounder and second-ranked batter in the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s T20I Rankings, says the lively atmosphere will bring the crowds into the stadium but cautions that the side will have to be at its best.

“Expectations are high from us playing at home and it is important that we keep our composure and not get too much ahead of ourselves. We have to concentrate on how we want to play as a team,” she writes.

Taylor has also discussed the strengths of different sides and the top players who will be on view during the 16-day tournament.

Windies Women’s captain Stafanie Taylor

Samuels’ bowling efforts come despite limited practice T he Windies were spectators as Virat Kohli threatened to make their third One Day International against India a miserable one. Then enter Marlon Samuels in the 40th over and things changed.

The Windies won by 43 runs and Samuels ended with figures of 3-12, bowling Kohli in his first over.

That wicket was the most important of the game, as Kohli, on 107, was the last recognized batsman still at the crease and looked completely at ease, yet, the elegant batsman has bowled very little in recent times.

“I haven’t been bowling in the nets much because I’m coming back from a knee injury,” said Samuels. “… but I have been put-

ting in a lot of work,” said Samuels.

Samuels also had a word of warning for India, against who, he is yet to come good with the bat.

In the three games, Samuels has scored just 22 runs at an average of just over seven, but says he is up for the next two games because of how important they each are to the outcome of the series, which is interestingly poised at 1-1.

“We are not looking to compete anymore, we are looking to win,” said Samuels.

“I haven’t scored any runs yet but when the game is on the line you know I put my

hand up so India better watch out.”

Samuels is also pleased with the way the team is coming together with each player contributing to the win in some way.

“It’s good to see us playing as a unit and we’re getting stronger and stronger,” he said.

The batsman was speaking about Ashley Nurse’s 40 from 22 balls, Shai Hope’s belligerent 95, as well as bowling figures of 2-46 from skipper Jason Holder, 2-38

from Obed McCoy, 2-43 from Nurse, and 1-48 from Kemar Roach.

The Windies innings yielded 283-9 and the combined bowling of the team reduced the Indians, despite Kohli’s third century in as many matches, to 240 allout. (Sportsmax)

NOT RECEIVING Hamilton Green 9-a-side Inter-Ward resumes today YOUR

DAILY & SUNDAY COPIES OF THE

GUYANA TIMES

in your area?

Contact our

Circulation Department

on 223-7230-1 Phone: 223-7230 (Ext 55) EXT: 55

– Sparta impresses

P

lay in the Hamilton Green 9-a-side Inter-Ward/Village KO Cup, which is being held to commemorate the 84th birth anniversary of the former Mayor of Georgetown, is set to resume today with ten matches being played at the Den Amstel Community Centre ground.

In the opening encounter, Newtown Kitty oppose Zeelugt from 16:00hrs, followed by the clash between Alexander Village and Kuru Kururu from 16:30hrs. Then at 17:00hrs, Soesdyke tackle Sophia while Bagotville square off against Plaisance at 17:30hrs.

Sara Lodge then go up against Jetty at 18:00hrs, before Wales and Vergenoegen collide at 18:30hrs.

Agricola then play against Wolves at 19:00hrs, before Goed Fortuin and De Kinderen clash from 19:00hrs.

Sparta Family and Den Amstel Back Street meet at 19:30hrs, before Crane and Kitty close out the night with their encounter at 20:00hrs.

Thirty-two teams are battling for prize monies in excess of $700,000 and lots of prizes, including the coveted first prize of $400,000 and the championship trophy, compliments of the Ministry of Citizenship.

Quincy Lashley

The runner-up will be awarded $200,000 and trophy through the goodwill of John Fernandes Ltd, while third and fourth place finishers will receive $60,000 and $40,000 respectively along with the Techno Mills and Courtney Benn Construction Services trophies in that order.

All four top finishers will receive hampers compliments of Ricks & Sari Industries, while the highest goal-scorer will walk away with a Lazy Boy Chair courtesy of A.H&L Kissoon, and a dinette set compliments of China Trading.

The Most Valuable Player will be awarded a special prize from Techno Mills.

Meanwhile, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, has promised to assist with the provision of floodlights following an approach from Coordinator Lennox Arthur.

Among the other sponsors on board are: IPA, Alfro Alphonso, Sattaur Gafoor, Ansa Mc Al, Top Brandz Distributors, MACORP, Cummings Electrical, Ready Mix, BK International, and New Thriving Restaurant.

22

guyanatimesgy.com

SUnDAY, october 28, 2018

Jaguars, Marooners clash in Super50 final today T he Guyana Jaguars and the CCC Marooners, like two invincible gladiators, will lock horns in today’s grand final of the Regional Super 50 Tournament at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados to determine who emerge as the 2018-2019 champions. The match is scheduled for 11:30 hrs.

The power-packed Guyana Jaguars are seeking to lift the title for the eleventh time, while the dark horse CCC Marooners are hoping for a maiden title.

Each team gained entrance to the final with a contrasting win; the Jaguars won by one wicket in a nail-biting clash with the Scorpions, while CCC Marooners dominated their encounter against a star studded Red Force team, winning by seven wickets.

Speaking on the eve of the grand Super 50 finals, each captain expressed happiness at being able to play in the finals, and both teams are confident in their players giving 110% while applying the basics of cricket in every situation.

The Guyana Jaguars captain, Leon Johnson, declared that the final is expected to be a fantastic game, and his team is

expecting a mighty challenge from the CCC Marooners bowlers, who have bowled with discipline throughout the tournament. The Jaguars secured a victory in the semi-finals, and Captain Johnson added that his team played well, but could have done better in certain game scenarios.

The Jaguars are particularly looking to improve in their execution of death bowling, since they haven’t been on point in the recent match. Additionally, Jaguars are hoping that their openers produce a good start for the middle order batsmen to continue batting with momentum in order to score a healthy total.

Meanwhile, Carlos Brathwaite has led the inexperienced CCC Marooners team well, and his men are focused on obtaining victory. Brathwaite declared Akeem Jordan’s devastating spell as very inspirational, and he said the victory against the Red Force has given his players the confidence that they could likewise upset the Jaguars.

Having lost two out of their first three matches, Marooners captain added, his team has decided to play aggressive, fear-

less and exciting cricket, and this has proven to be beneficial.

Brathwaite is expecting the Guyana Jaguars to bring that ferocious fight they always bring, since they are a different team from the others and they play brilliant cricket on big occasions.

This expectedly epic encounter appears to be a contest between two sides of similar styles, with both sides having major stars in their line-up. Jaguars seem to hold the edge in the batting, while the Marooners appear to have depth in their bowling. Guyana Jaguars will depend heavily on their captain to lead the charge, since he finally showcased his brilliance in the semi-finals with his maiden List A century.

The responsible Raymond Reifer, who showed his maturity with the bat, along with the pugnacious Christopher Barnwell, will be called upon to score the bulk of the runs, since they are among the top 10 batsmen in this Super 50 tournament.

In the bowling department, Jaguars will depend on the outstanding Clinton Pestano, who has been their leading wicket-taker, and the Jamaica-born off-spinner Ramall Lewis, who has had a great resurgence in Regional cricket.

The Carlos Brathwaite-led CCC Marooners will depend on their leading batsmen, left-handed opener Kjorn Ottley;

Raymon Reifer has been magnificent for Guyana this season

his younger brother, left-arm spinner Yannick Ottley, whose 17 wickets tie for the top spot in the bowling; and semi-final hero A k e e m Jordan, with

h i s each-way swing.

Brathwaite himself provides that all-round ability with bat, ball and leadership skills.

Historically, the Jaguars have an exceptional record against CCC Marooners, having won eight out of nine of their previous contests, inclusive of two victories at the Kensington Oval. The Guyana Jaguars also won two low-scoring affairs by margins of eight and six wickets respectively in the 2017 season against the CCC Marooners.

However, cricket is described as a game of glorious uncertainties, and the team that plays good cricket on the day when it matters will emerge champions. (Brandon Corlette)

guyanatimesgy.com

SUnDAY, october 28, 2018

Windies outface Kohli hundred in series-levelling win

I

t’s not always sunny in Philadelphia.

That India never lose a home run-chase when Virat Kohli scores a hundred is an expired gospel now. Set 284, thanks to an inspired Windies batting showdown against the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, even Kohli’s 38th ODI century couldn’t offset a middle-order meltdown India’s camouflaged so efficiently in recent times.

Windies’s win over India by 43 runs at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Saturday means that the series, where India were expected to ride roughshod over Windies, now stands level at 1-1.

India’s loss is outrageous not because it transpired at home and/or came against Windies, the ninth-ranked ODI side in the world; what bites is India falling short despite a hundred from Kohli, and after their two first-choice pace bowlers in Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar, and their two first-choice spinners in Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal had restricted Windies to 284 - a total that certainly looked below par, given India opted to chase, ruling out an up-anddown pitch in favour of dew. And terminally so, in hindsight.

Spoilt by how their top-three bail them out ten out of ten times, India found themselves on foreign shores after Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan were dismissed before India had hundred on the board. While Jason Holder got rid of Rohit with a peach of a delivery in the second over of the chase, Dhawan’s plight was largely self-inflicted.

Ashley Nurse accounted for the left-hander

for the third time in ODIs - the most a spinner has gotten him in this format - pinning him in front after he failed to execute a sweep shot in the 18th over of the chase, leaving India two down for 88 runs.

Ambati Rayudu, India’s now designated No. 4 batsman, put on a 47-run stand for the third wicket with Kohli, but his dismissal to left-armer Obed McCoy’s queer angle pointed to a welcome middle-order workout for India. With Bhuvneshwar Kumar slotted at No. 7 in the absence of Hardik Pandya and Kedar Jadhav, it had to be Rishabh Pant and MS Dhoni taking India through. Both failed, one to the young rush of dopamine and the other to the readmission that this is no Dhoni of the good ol’ days.

India went on to lose their last seven wickets for 68 runs - a collapse which sandwiched Kohli’s dismissal in Marlon Samuels’s first over. What was a ploy to sneak in a few overs turned out to be the game’s inflection point.

Ashley Nurse, with the wickets of Dhawan and Pant, was the one who actually hauled Windies up to 283, after they looked set to shut shop for much less. A 22-ball 40 batting at No. 9 didn’t just ensure a fighting total for Windies but also a poor comeback for Bhuvneshwar, who returned figures of 1 for 70 in stark contrast to Bumrah’s swashbuckling 4 for 35.

In a necessary validation of Bumrah’s indispensability, India had tackled Windies to 283 for 9, after conceding a 300-plus score in each of the first two ODIs of the series.

Shai Hope top-scored with 95, impinged just short of successive hundreds in the series by a searing yorker from Bumrah, but the rest of the batsmen couldn’t collectively bring themselves to score against a revamped Indian bowling attack, that also featured a fit-again Bhuvneshwar and an auditioning Khaleel Ahmed.

Kohli, at the toss, stressed on how bringing back Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah for the last three ODIs was always part of the plan, but a hint of rationality suggests how Windies have clamoured for a better bowling attack more than India opting for it. And didn’t the Windies show why!

23

Bumrah had Windies on tenterhooks on his comeback, striking twice in his fourover opening burst to account for both the openers, Kieran Powell and Chandrapaul Hemraj. Khaleel, who’s India’s latest attempt at diversity in a right-arm-only pace attack, conceded 17 runs in his first two overs, largely undoing Bhuvneshwar’s stingy opening spell of 4-0-16-0, but came back well to account for Samuels’s wicket.

India had a hot and cold day on the field, with Rohit pulling off a couple posed to be no match for India - and more of superb catches at first slip in addition to so for this Indian side - but they not just Dhoni’s stumping and catching behind the beat India but also laid bare the mortality of stumps, but they let go of far too many over- Virat Kohli. India cannot win the World Cup throws, which sustained Windies even when without a middle-order, even with Kohli in the middle of an unreal streak of form, and the runs where hard to come by.

Windies’s batting revolved around two if this wasn’t a red flag, nothing ever will be. stunning phases of play. First was when (ESPN cricinfo) Shimron Hetmyer and SCOREBOARD Shai Hope got together in a 56-run fourth-wickWest Indies Innings India Innings et stand to run the Indian (50 overs maximum) (target: 284 runs from 50 overs) KOA Powell c Sharma b Bumrah 21 RG Sharma b Holder 8 spinners ragged, spanking C Hemraj c †Dhoni b Bumrah 15 S Dhawan lbw b Nurse 35 Yuzvendra and Kuldeep SD Hope † b Bumrah 95 V Kohli (c) b Samuels 107 for four sixes and two MN Samuels c †Dhoni b Ahmed 9 AT Rayudu b McCoy 22 boundaries in the 6.1 overs SO Hetmyer st †Dhoni b Kuldeep RR Pant c †Hope b Nurse 24 that followed Samuels’s Yadav 37 MS Dhoni † c †Hope b Holder 7 R Powell c Sharma b Kuldeep Yadav B Kumar c R Powell b McCoy 10 dismissal. The other bat 4 Kuldeep Yadav not out 15 ting spike arrived when JO Holder (c) c sub (RA Jadeja) YS Chahal c sub (KMA Paul) Jason Holder got together b Kumar 32 b Roach 3 with Hope in the middle, FA Allen c Pant b Chahal 5 KK Ahmed st †Hope b Samuels 3 AR Nurse lbw b Bumrah 40 JJ Bumrah c Holder b Samuels 0 and the two put up 76 runs KAJ Roach not out 15 Extras (lb 1, w 5) 6 for the sixth wicket. India OC McCoy not out

0 TOTAL (47.4 Overs, RR: 5.03)

almost had the game when Extras (b 1, lb 4, w 5) 10 240 all out Holder fell to Bumrah, but TOTAL (50 Overs, RR: 5.66) 283-9 Fall of wickets: 1-9 (RG Sharma, Nurse’s assault of four Fall of wickets: 1-25 (C Hemraj, 5.5 1.6 ov), 2-88 (S Dhawan, 17.2 ov), ov), 2-38 (KOA Powell, 8.1 ov), 3-55 3-135 (AT Rayudu, 25.4 ov), 4-172 boundaries and a couple (MN Samuels, 13.1 ov), 4-111 (SO (RR Pant, 31.1 ov), 5-194 (MS Dhoni, of sixes caught them offHetmyer, 19.3 ov), 5-121 (R Powell, 35.5 ov), 6-215 (B Kumar, 40.2 ov), guard, and lugged Windies 23.4 ov), 6-197 (JO Holder, 38.3 ov), 7-220 (V Kohli, 41.3 ov), 8-225 (YS to a match-winning total.

7-217 (FA Allen, 41.3 ov), 8-227 (SD Chahal, 42.6 ov), 9-237 (KK Ahmed, Hope, 43.5 ov), 9-283 (AR Nurse, 45.6 ov), 10-240 (JJ Bumrah, 47.4 There was nothing pre49.5 ov) ov) dictable about this runBOWLING: B Kumar (10-0-70-1), JJ BOWLING: KAJ Roach (10-0-48-1), chase, if that’s where you Bumrah (10-1-35-4), KK Ahmed (10- JO Holder (9-0-46-2), OC McCoy (5stood after the first in0-65-1), YS Chahal (10-1-56-1), K 0-38-2), AR Nurse (10-0-43-2), FA nings. Windies were supYadav (10-0-52-2) Allen (10-0-52-0), MN Samuels (3.4-

CONCACAF U20 Men’s Championships…

1-12-3)

20-man squad shortlisted to rep Guyana A

20-man squad has been shortlisted to represent Guyana at the CONCACAF U20 Men’s Championships in Florida, USA from November 1 – 22. Among the squad are eight international-based players.

The squad consists of two Goalkeepers, seven Defenders, eight Midfielders and three Forwards from Portugal, United States of America, England, Canada, Spain and Guyana respectively.

Head Coach Wayne Dover has said the squad is a competitive one, and the internationally-based players would certainly add value to Guyana’s chances: “The international-based players, from reports, have been consistent in their performances in their respective clubs, and that should auger well for Guyana’s participation in this tournament. The Goalkeeper has been doing great. We know Jeremy Garrett for his sterling performance throughout the years; Bevan is a young and upcoming talent who has shown consistent performances in this year’s college season.

Marsh Brown is coming from Arsenal’s Youth Academy, and is currently playing for Bolton Wanderers in the English setup; so more than likely he should bring a level of professionalism to the team.

Luke is a towering, attacking-minded player, and Hazelwood will definitely add strength and dynamism to the team; while Britton, who has been part of the national programme before, will add firepower to the frontline.”

Dover added that for the Guyana team, which will be captained by Jeremy Garrett, discipline on match day is key to success. “During the past six weeks of preparation, we gave it our best to enable the team a chance to compete, win games, and possibly progress to the next level. In the modern game of football, every team stands a chance to qualify, based on who is more disciplined on match day and makes fewer mistakes. We are going to be optimistic and try our best to focus throughout the tournament,” he said.

The National U20 squad will on Sunday play its final training match

against a select Elite League team before departure in the new week. The match is scheduled for 10:30hrs to allow the team’s preparation for its first match scheduled for the same time.

The National U20 team’s match schedule in the first round will see them play Guatemala on November 2, Cayman Islands on November 6, Curacao on the 8th and El Salvador two days later.

The Squad reads: Johnathan Vaughn, Jermaine Cumberbatch, Cecil Jackman, Ryan Hackett, Michael Luke, Nixon Robertson, Jeremy Garrett, Lionel Holder, Kwai MarshBrown, Kelsey Benjamin, Nicholas McArthur, Hudson Hazlewood, Ryan Dowding, Raushain Ritch, Becan Baker, Job Caesar, Leon Richardson, Thair Britton and Chris Macey.

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

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Jaguars, Marooners clash in Super50 final today

Pg 22

Windies outface Kohli hundred in series-levelling win Pg 23

Shai Hope

Windies celebrate Virat Kholi’s dismissal. This was the first time India lost a home run-chase when Kohli hit a hundred

GUYANA TIMES - www.guyanatimesgy.com, email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, NEWS HOTLINE: 231-8063 EDITORIAL: 223-7230, 223-7231, 231-0544, 225-7761 SPORT: sport@guyanatimesgy.com SALES AND MARKETING: 231-8064 - lezas@guyanatimesgy.com - PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INC.

October 28, 2018

TIMES BOLLYWOOD: Star Times Hollywood:

Priyanka Chopra-Nick Jonas’ wedding could clash with Deepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh’s reception on Dec 1 Page 14

FREE DISTRIBUTION

2 Sunday Times Magazine

OCTOBER 28, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Feature

Snake Boat race of Kerala

“I

ndia is working on its level of Indianness. It is definitely a work in progress, but I am quite surprised at the level of Indian-ness in Guyana. We are very much interested in all our communities across the world and we have introduced programmes to recognise those people of Indian origin,” Indian national KV Eapen said.

held in Guyana under the theme “Climate Change and Governance”.

During the Conference, Times Sunday Magazine caught up with Eapen and he expressed his surprise at the togetherness of IndoGuyanese.

“The level of Indian-ness here is one that was forced because of the system in which people of Indian or-

The Kerala Backlands

Eapen recently ventured to Guyana for the Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM) Conference as part of the Indian delegation. He is the Secretary in the Departments of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances along with the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare in the Ministry of Personnel, PG and Pensions.

The CAPAM Conference is a biennial conference held in a different Commonwealth country with the previous one being in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

This year, the event was

igin was brought here. In India, people were defined from the states they came from. For instance, I am from Kerala and I am considered as a Malayali, but I am also Indian. It is our generation that have integrated the states and one of the major drivers is the IT sector and now you can find young people all over the country from different parts working all over. So, that is the level of Indian-ness we are building,” he said.

Speaking about his origin state of Kerala, Eapen said that it was referred to as the spice capital of India, adding that its topography was quite similar to

Guyana’s.

“Kerala got this ancient history going back centuries where it was unlike many parts of India.

Because of the location on coast, it was a port for trading. Many of the people who came looking for spices like the Europeans, they landed in Kerala and also there have been links between the state of Kerala and the Roman Empire. There is an area near a town called Kochi, an ancient port called Muziris where they have actually found evidence of links between Kerala and the Roman Empire and Palestine and the Middle East,” he explained.

Eapen said although he was from Kerala, he grew up in Chennai and gained his education in Delhi. He holds a master’s in Economics and is married to a journalist.

He said that he would definitely be back in Guyana to explore the rainforests among other attractions.

05-12-16 Guwahati- Global Sustainable Development Summit

guyanatimesgy.com

OCTOBER 28, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine

3

Feature

hen life thought it had knocked Verna Hercules down, it was in for a surprise when like a phoenix she rose from the proverbial ashes and began soaring – not because she wanted to, but because she had no other choice since she is both mother and father to her four children.

when and where I first encountered Verna.

Last Saturday, I had to go to Kwakwani on assignment and upon arriving and settling in, I noticed that almost everyone was armed with a bright red icicle. As I have not had an icicle in so long, I set out to find the source, but before I could, I heard loud laughter from a crowd of both young and

Verna tells me that she was born and raised in the riverine community of Ibini, Berbice River, but after she got married and had her four children, she moved upriver to the village of Kwakwani so that her children could have access to a better education. When she moved to Kwakwani, her husband stopped supporting her and the children and she had to act fast and she did.

“After we came here to Kwakwani, I had to start making things to sell and so on, because I had to send my children to school and I wanted the best education for them. It was real rough and now seeing what they accomplished makes me so happy,” Verna tells me.

Let us go back a bit to

old people which obviously sparked my curiosity. Upon investigating, I noticed this petite woman armed with a pink laundry basket and a red cooler and the jokes streamed out of her mouth with ease after which she cashed in.

“You can’t laugh on a dry throat and you need a plantain chip to go with this lovely icicle. I make the best one you will get,” she tells me.

But by now I was the least interested in getting an icicle, rather I was more interested in getting to know this woman with a personality larger than life.

After her crowd dispersed to the venue of my assignment, I approached her and we began chatting.

“I like making people

By Lakhram Bhagirat

W

happy. I like telling jokes and having people laugh, because just like what you did just now people do that a lot. When they hear the laughing, them come to see and that is when I would offer them the icicle and plantain chip to buy. Most of the times them does buy and yeah, that is my marketing strategy and it works,” she said and all I could have done was laugh at how effective it is as well as how unique her thinking is.

Just after she finished telling me that, one of the women nearby said, “Yes, Plantain Chip Girl always making people laugh and she thing does taste nice, tuh.”

At 50 years, Verna explains that life has been more cruel than good to her, but because of her belief in God she has been able to persevere and win every battle that came her way. She said that her children were all grown now and the sacrifices that she made while younger were all worthwhile, since her

children were all now excelling in life.

“I don’t regret moving to Kwakwani, because I made sure that my children them get the education that they needed and now they are all doing well for themselves.

My eldest is a twin and they are 31 years old, then I have one that is 30 and another is 29. One of them is a doctor, one is an environmental officer and one is in the Guyana Defence Force and another one is working with an insurance company,” she beamingly said.

Taking a walk down memory lane, Verna said that sometimes their economic situation was so tough that her children would use the same uniforms and sneakers to attend school

for two consecutive years.

They were tattered and torn but her children understood that education was the only way to get them out of their tough economic situation so they persevered and excelled.

“It was very rough because I had to be going and making a lot of seasoning to sell, making plantain chips, make mittai and just to raise money, because their father wasn’t supporting them. I am thankful that they are

doing great, because as single parent it was very, very tough. They are doing so good now that they are taking care of me,” Verna said.

I asked her why she sells now given that her children are taking care of her, and the response was one I somewhat expected. She informed me that she wanted to be a role model for her grandchildren and show them that if they put in the hard work, then the result would be one they would rel-

ish.

“Everybody knows me and they like the icicle, because it is always fresh and made with fruits and they enjoy it, so I can’t stop now.

Business is good and I get an income as well,” she said.

With such a unique marketing strategy I am pretty sure that Verna will have no issues attracting more customers. For now, she is satisfied with what she earns and is happy that her children are all doing well.

4

Sunday Times Magazine

OCTOBER 28, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Feature

By Lakhram Bhagirat

K

wakwani is a picturesque logging community sitting along the Berbice River in Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) with a population of just over 6000 residents who are the nicest people you will meet. The journey to Kwakwani is most breathtaking if one takes the bus, but you can also take a boat up the Berbice River to get there.

The trip is somewhat of a long one, but with the right company, it can be a very fun one. A colleague and I left Georgetown sometime around 07:00h on Saturday morning and set out for destination Kwakwani. The journey was beyond my expectations as I was awestruck by what was waiting for me.

I have traversed the LindenSoesdyke Highway umpteen times on various trips to the mining town of Linden, but going beyond Linden is something I have never really explored. So, as our bus wound its way through the bumpy streets of Linden onto the trail, I was immediately captivated by the level of skill it requires to navigate some sections of the road.

I was initially told that the journey would last around three hours and I should brace myself for a bumpy ride, and that I did.

Along the trail, all one can see is huge trees but the air was crisp and fresh. When we arrived at the Kwakwani Waterfront, I was awestruck by the sight that greeted me: the calm Berbice River dotted with several small boats manned by residents as they moved from Point A to Point B. Wide smiles and friendly faces greeted us as we boarded the ferry to cross the river into the community.

The community itself is one out of some book as it is full of age- old infrastructure among other things.

Several shops, small bars and buildings line the long curving stretch of main road cutting throughout the village. The main economic activities are farming, logging and some small-scale mining. Because of the remoteness of the community there are several challenges that residents face but they persevere.

The level of togetherness is quite visible in Kwakwani as almost every resident knows and we were told that they also look out for each other.

“The level of camaraderie here is high, because we are a small community and we must look out for each other. Kwakwani is a very good place and the people here is

very nice. Life in Kwakwani here is very calm, but there is so much more that we can do to get things better,” resident Charles Thom said.

Thom said that living and raising a family in Kwakwani has had its ups and downs. He would have seen the village transform from nothing into a developed community with almost all of the amenities.

“One of the major issues we have here in Kwakwani is the lack of proper roads because we don’t have any paved road. Having paved roads would make the dust pollution more controlled, and we want to make sure that we get the best of the best as well,” he said.

Another resident, Jewel Smith, said she has been living in the community for over 20 years and she moved there after she got married.

“I love living in Kwakwani because we all live like one. We look out for each other. I raised my two children here and now they are grown up and they are doing good for themselves. I would not live anywhere else, because this place is peaceful and I can’t imagine being anywhere else,” Smith said.

The possibilities of making a life in Kwakwani are endless as there are many options to choose from, according to the resident. However, access to services is one of the major issues, since they would have to travel to Linden or even Georgetown to access medical care among other things.

As much as I would like to have stayed in Kwakwani for a much longer period, our assignment came to an end and we had to make our way back to the city. But as we were preparing to leave, I noticed something I have not seen in ages.

It was a group of about six young boys engaged in an intense game of “war break”, and I was amazed since I have not seen or engaged in a game of “war break” for over 15 years. I watched as the boys ran, hid and plunged into the bushes as they tried not to get shot.

They soon noticed I was looking on and engaged me in a conversation. The boys were all chattering as we exchanged information about what it was like in the city versus Kwakwani. I was informed that “war break" is a game almost every little boy enjoys.

Our ride back to the city was a blur as I slept for the most part of it, but I do miss Kwakwani and will soon be planning a trip back to experience what life really is like in Kwakwani.

One of Kwakwani’s youngest resident

A group of boys engaged in a game of war break

The Kwakwani Community Park

A dog taking a dip in the cold Berbice River

guyanatimesgy.com

OCTOBER 28, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 5

Feature

“P

overty is hell and the angels are in paradise driving in their limousine where everything is nice and clean. A poor man living in a teeny weenie hut, children hungry with nothing in the pot. Gone by the neighbour to beg for some rice, the neighbour under pressure, boy, things ain’t nice…poverty is hell.”

Those were the famous lyrics of legendary calypsonian Winston “Mighty Shadow” Bailey as he sought to address the hardships of poverty faced throughout the world.

Like many musicians, he used his talents to address and raise awareness of the social ills in society employing a ready wit and humour.

On Tuesday, a cloud of sadness covered Trinidad and Tobago when it was announced that the Mighty Shadow has moved beyond the light at the age of 77. According to his relatives, Bailey died at the hospital following a stroke over the weekend.

He was due to receive an honorary doctorate from the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) on Thursday. He was among five people, including former West Indian international cricketer Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who were to receive honorary degrees from the University. Both Bailey and Chanderpaul were to be conferred with an Honorary Doctor of Letters and an Honorary Doctor of Laws respectively at UWI's 2018 graduation ceremony, but only one was able to show up.

Bailey, a former Calypso Monarch and Road March winner, celebrated his 77th birthday on October 4. He was born in Belmont, a suburb of Port of Spain, and grew up in Les Coteaux, Tobago with his grandparents. He won the Road March in 1974 with “Bassman” and 2001 with the tune “Stranger”, making him the competition's oldest winner. He won the Calypso Monarch in 2000 with “What's Wrong With

Me” and “Scratch Meh Back”.

He chose the stage name "Shadow" (he didn't use "Mighty" himself) after coming across some workmen digging a road while he was walking. One of the workmen was in a hole below the road surface and the others were calling him "Shadow". Bailey said: "I felt like they was calling me.” In his early years, he performed wearing all black, with a large hat covering part of his face.

Bailey is also known for his unique dance of jumping to the tempo of his music "skiprope style" with both feet in the air at the same time. His extremely unique style and dance were exemplified particularly during one of his songs, "Dingolay".

He was the second calypsonian to win both the International Soca Monarch and the Trinidad Road March competitions simultaneously, a feat he accomplished in 2001 with "Stranger". He rivalled fellow calypsonians “The Mighty Sparrow” and “Lord Kitchener” after winning the Road March in 1974.

Bailey is the subject of Christopher

Laird's 2017 film “King from Hell”, featuring concert performances and an interview.

In 2003, Bailey received the Hummingbird Medal (Silver) for his contributions to music in Trinidad and Tobago. His list of albums includes: 1974 – “De Bassman”; 1979 – “Love Lite”; 1979 – “If I Coulda I Woulda I Shoulda”; 1980 – “Shadow”; 1984 – “Sweet Sweet Dreams”, with his latest being “Fully Loaded” in 2003.

Since his death, the Trinidadian music fraternity has been pouring in tributes.

6 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

OCTOBER 28, 2018

Feature

B y L akhram B hagirat

I

f we travel the length and breadth of this world, we will find women doing extraordinary things and quite often venturing into fields that are not traditionally considered appealing to a woman and one can say the same for Anasha Simmons, but according to her she loves what she does.

Anasha is a 29-yearold mother of two, and she is very assertive in what she does. If you ever have the chance to visit the Kwakwani community in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), you will definitely come into contact with her since she is one of the few persons

who would be available to take you across the Berbice River on a pontoon ferry pulled by a cable.

Anasha operates the cable ferry (commonly called a barge by the locals) to take people and vehicles across the river into Kwakwani, and she has been doing that for about two years. She said that the reason she started was to protect the interests of her cousin who owns the ferry, explaining that people would often “wrong deal” her and she was asked to come work the ferry.

“I do everything. I drive, I collect money, I pull the chain. We make a couple trips— like 10 to 15 trips for a day. I

like the job a lot and if you don’t like something, then you shouldn’t do it.

It is very fun for me and I just like working,” the Kwakwani native said.

The single mother said the earnings from operating the ferry is what supports her and her children aged six and nine.

Additionally, she is also involved in logging up the Berbice River, making both of her jobs a step away from traditional female jobs.

At the Kwakwani Landing, you can always see Anasha sitting on the ferry awaiting the next customer over the river.

She would direct your vehicle onto the ferry, Anasha Simmons

ter pull t h e makes h i f t stairway, and direct the boat operator on how to park so it makes for easier disembarking.

If you also have any issues with your vehicle af-

drivi n g for over three hours from Linden to the Kwakwani Landing then she is the right person to ask for assistance, as she knows where exactly to send you to have repairs done.

On our trip to the riverine community, we were fortunate to see her in action as well as get her advice since our minibus required a tyre change after the rough three hours plus ride. During our visit to the community, we were met by a plethora of nice people, and it made the experience even more memorable.

We saw women breaking away from the traditional stereotypes we are accustomed to seeing because that is how they were taught. They were taught that they can be whatever they want to be, whether it is a logger, since the community is heavily dependent on logging; a miner; a ferry operator or even a doctor.

Our team was fortunate to see an entire hospital that is practically run by women, who are pushing the boundaries and effecting change.

Kwakwani is a small community of just over 6000 residents and can be accessed by land and water. The community, as earlier indicated, is heavily dependent on logging and mining as its main sources of economic activity.

Anasha’s cousin who owns the ferry

Anasha pulling up the makeshift ramp

guyanatimesgy.com

OCTOBER 28 , 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 7

Feature

specific objectives, which include providing opportunities for sharing and promoting interest in the chemical sciences as well as providing students with opportunities to develop communication skills.

This year, for Mole Day, the Chemistry Club organised a series of activities which included a lecture on the importance of chemists.

Additionally, they had a tshirt competition, which the second-year students won.

(Photos by David McLean)

M

ole Day traces its origins to an article that appeared in The Science Teacher magazine in the early 1980s about a high school chemistry teacher's reasons for celebrating the day. The idea for Mole Day took root and led to the formation of the National Mole Day Foundation, which was formed on May 15, 1991.

A mole is the quantity of anything with the same number of atoms found in 12.000 grams of carbon-12, expressed as 6.02 x 1023, popularly known as Avogadro’s constant.

The American Chemical Society plans National Chemistry Week so that Mole Day falls within the week. Today Mole Day is celebrated around the world on October 23 from 6:02 am to 6:02 pm. This year, it was observed under the theme “Moley Potter.”

Mole Day commemorates Avogadro's number (6.02 x 1023), which is a basic measuring unit in chemistry. Mole Day was created as a way to foster interest in chemistry. Schools throughout the United States and around the world celebrate Mole Day with various activities related to chemistry and/or moles. For a given molecule, one mole is the mass (in grams) whose number is equal to the molar mass of the molecule.

For example, the water molecule has a molar mass of 18; therefore, one mole of water weighs 18

grams. Similarly, a mole of neon has a molar mass of 20 grams. In general, one mole of any substance contains Avogadro's Number of molecules or atoms of that substance. This relationship was firvst discovered

by Amedeo Avogadro (17761856) and he received credit for this after his death.

Avogadro, whose full name was Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Bernadette Avogadro di Quaregna e Cerreto, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto, was an Italian mathematical physicist.

Avogadro did a lot of work on molecular theory. One theory eventually was dubbed Avogadro’s principle. It states that if exposed to the same temperature and pressure, equal volumes of all gases contain the same number of molecules.

After his death, the principle was used by others to develop what was named Avogadro’s number. It was the French physicist, Jean Perrin, in 1909, who determined the constant using several methods. He proposed that the constant be named in honour of Avogadro.

Every year, the University of Guyana’s Chemistry Club hosts a series of activities to commemorate the day. The club was founded in 2014. It consists of an executive body: the president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and two representatives from each year and the other members. It was formed with

8 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

OCTOBER 28 , 2018

Feature

B

ecause of Guyana’s diverse rainforest we are blessed with a variety of flora and fauna. Animals that may be a regular sight for us are quite often considered exotic by tourists.

So here are a few animals of our beautiful country. (Photos by Deopaul Somwaru and Subhash Haimraj) Baby Toucan

A beautiful Parrot

A nesting Humming bird Egretta Tricolour

A tortoise

A scarlet Ibis taking off

A black tarantula

One of the many species of frogs

Woodpecker

guyanatimesgy.com

OCTOBER 28, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine

9

10 Sunday Times Magazine

OCTOBER 28, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Fashion

You know how sometimes you just know things, but don’t realize that you do until someone mentions it out loud. That’s just the case with fashion too, and that’s why we always need tips from experts, fashionistas, and designers to validate what we know. But, often while reading about stuff, we realize how we miss tiny details and how other people have a different perspective to offer! Like they say, the devil is in the details. If you were wishing that it’d be nice to have a list that states it all out for you, we’ve got you covered.

Makeup – Know What Works For You Check out some YouTube tutorials to know what kind of makeup you like, and invest in good products – we all need makeup at some point, if not every day.

Know Your Body Type Knowing your body type is the basic thing to know about yourself. Everything works around this, so this is one of the biggest fashion tips or advise that anyone can give you.

Know The Difference Between A Day And A Night Dress A sequined dress is for a night party, a floral one is for the day, and anything in between is for the evening – tread cautiously.

When In Doubt, Layer Layer your outfit to camouflage any unflattering flab, add definition to amp up your look.

guyanatimesgy.com

OCTOBER 28, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 11

Home & Cooking

D

• • • • • • • • •

Ingredients 2 ½ lbs duck meat Juice of 1 lime 3 cloves garlic, crushed 5 sprigs thyme 1 Thai chili pepper 3 scallions finely chopped 1 medium onion finely chopped 1 tsp salt 1 chicken bouillon

Directions Place duck in a bowl with enough water to cover and juice of 1 lime; rinse. Add garlic, thyme, scallion, chili pepper and salt to duck.

Let marinate for at least an hour.

To make curry paste, add curry powder, cumin, garam masala, garlic, thyme and water; mix. In a deep frying pan over medium heat, add canola oil. When oil is hot, add curry paste and onion. Cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add seasoned duck to pot and stir to coat. Cook for 15 minutes, without adding any liquid. After 15 minutes, add enough water to cover duck; add the bouillon also. Bring to a boil, then lower heat. Cook

•

3 tbsp canola oil

• • • • • •

Curry Paste ¼ cup curry powder ¼ tsp geera ¼ tsp garam masala 3 cloves garlic crushed 5 sprigs thyme About 3 tbsp water

emerara shutters, plantation shutters, hurricane shutters or Bahamas shutters are some of the traditional exterior window designs originally intended to provide shade and bring in the tropical breezes while retaining privacy, at a time when electric fans and air conditioning were non-existent.

Today, shutters, also called louvers or

jalousies, are still being used but more as decorative elements to enhance the exterior and interior of homes. While prices for wood shutters today become premium, wooden shutters were once common.

However, today’s technologies have allowed for cheaper materials that bring the same traditional look to your home.

for an additional 30 minutes or until duck is tender. When duck is tender, remove from heat and garnish with chopped scallion. Serve over rice or with a hot roti.

Notes: • It is preferable if the duck is marinated overnight. If you are pressed for time, let it sit at least 1 hour.

• When frying the curry paste, if it gets dry or begins to burn add a little water, a few tablespoons at a time.

• If you do not have chicken bouillon, replace the water with chicken stock and add salt to taste. (Jehan Can Cook)

Hurricane shutters flank a single-hung window for a traditional look to this modern home. Some shutters are attached to the exterior walls and are not always slatted; they could be raised or flat decorative panels.

• • •

• • • • • • •

Dough 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour 1/2 cup water pinch of salt

Filling • 2 medium potatoes, boiled until tender

1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp crushed garlic 2 tbsp chopped scallion black pepper to taste oil

Directions 1. To make the dough, combine flour and salt, add water. Knead dough until its smooth.

Dough will be soft. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.

2. To make the filling, crush cooled boiled potatoes with a fork until smooth. Add cumin, garlic, onion powder, salt, black pepper and scallion. Mix well.

3. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Do the same for the potato mixture and form into balls. Roll the dough into circles large enough to cover the potatoes, about 3 inch in diameter.

4. Place potato in the center of the flattened dough. Seal by pinching the edges of the dough together to form a ball. Repeat until 6 balls are formed.

5. On a well floured surface roll, place each ball seal side down and press slightly to flatten.

Roll gently into 6-inch circles. Set aside on a well floured surface and repeat.

6. Heat tawa. When tawa is hot, place roti on the tawa. Allow to cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute and flip.

7. Lightly brush oil over the top. Lightly press edges against tawa. Flip after 30 seconds and oil. Flip once more and after about 30 seconds remove from heat. Repeat. Serve warm.

• • • • • •

Bahamas shutters on curtainless windows bring in more light and breeze, though less private.

Ingredients 3 tbsp oats ½ cup Vanilla Yogurt ½ tsp grated turmeric ½ ripe banana ¾ cup ripe mango honey (optional)

Instructions 1. Place the oats into the blender and blend to a fine powder. Add yogurt, turmeric, banana and ripe mango and blend until smooth. Honey is optional as the ripe mangoes add enough sweetness. Adjust according to your personal preference.

Described as “Capri” Bahamas shutters, these function to provide shade while enhancing the home’s exterior

12 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

OCTOBER 28, 2018

Puzzles

1

6

11 16

21

22

23 24

25

26 27

28

29

30

32

34

36

37

39

41

43

45

47

49

51 54

55

56

60

61

62

64

65

66 67

68

70

71

73 74 75

77

78

79

80

82

83

84

87 88

89

93

94

95

97

98 99

100

101

103

104

ACROSS From the -- (hyph.)

Wielded an axe Unearth (2 wds.)

Bizarre Stair post Of the hipbone Rock tumbler stone Scent Fight locale Island off Naples Bylaws Yellow fruit Dressy accessory Prima -- evidence Very important Recipe meas.

Sea cliff dweller Firms up Provides capital Car-wash step Cummerbund sites Utter nonsense Doglike scavenger Dew's opposite Presidents, at times Tine On the horizon Wind resistance Petroleum component Name in tractors Texas river Actress -- Hartman White-hat wearer "Gigi" composer Undersized Prickly flora Lime-based drink Divers' finds Midler or Davis Lament Sediment Squirrel hangouts Builds an appetite Many shepherds Warns a jaywalker Fred Sanford's friend Cameos, maybe Buttonholes Sammy and Danny Proboscis Strong and healthy "Bird Dog" brothers Auto-racing family Durango dude ATM code 1960s quintet The Left -Ad Popeye's pal Like a good cake NFL events Facetious tributes

106 Hindu princes

107 Tell jokes

108 Ooze out

110 Little foxes

111 Rookie surfer

112 Cowpoke's crony

113 Room to - 115 Of flowing water

116 Change colors

117 Etna's island

120 Horned animal

122 Oahu neighbor

124 Table salt 128 Horde

129 Mind reader's gift

131 Febrero follows it

133 PC character code

135 Animal park

136 Russian lake 138 Aristocrats 140 Glee 142 Cold-shoulders

144 Pooped out

145 Kapitan's command (hyph.)

146 Pierre's school

147 Bathrobe size

148 Paves the way

149 Sassy girl

150 Dressed to the - 151 Lend -- - DOWN

1 Pesky insects 2 Spooky 3 Chirp

4 DDE was one

5 Canute's foe

6 Minor setbacks

7 Galahad's mother

8 Used a doormat

9 Hearing aid?

10 604, in old Rome

11 Flitting

52

12 Edible lizard

53 13 Exasperates

54

14 Sporty truck

55

15 Annoying one

57

16 Frat letters

58

17 S&L offering

59 18 Uh-uhs 61

19 Retail giant 62

20 Opens wide

63 31 Eager

66

33 Castle that danced

67

35 Said "!@#$%&!"

69

38 Porticos

72

40 Chronic nags

73 42 Decadent

74

44 "-- be an honor!"

76

46 Avoid cancellation

78

48 Nostalgic time

79

50 Suggestive 81

51 Corruptible

82

KATHLEEN SAXE

WORD GAME TODAY'S WORD -- LULLABIES LULLABIES: LUL-uh-bize: Soothing songs to lull a child to sleep.)

Average mark 27 words Time limit 40 minutes Can you find 39 or more words in LULLABIES? label labile lase liable libel lien lisle lues lull usable

able abuse aisle allies bail bale ball base basil beau

bell bias bile bill blase blues bull bullies isle sable

sail sale seal sell sill slab slub slue suable

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.

Piano piece "-- French hens ..."

Sneaks a look Cousins' moms Enemy survey Square columns Puts on weight Wharves Flaky Public tiff Oozes out Orchestra section "Witness" extras Cox of "RoboCop" Jo March's professor Farm machine "Jaws" menace More ironic Huxtable player Tanker Krypton and xenon

83 Frisks about

114 84 Mortgages

115

85 Weasel out of

116 86 Jumpy

117

87 Stretchy fabrics

118 88 Bedouin

119

90 Of bees

121

91 Cotton thread

123

92 "-- the Dragon"

125

94 Long overcoat

126

95 Seize by force

127

96 Grinding material 130

99 Not rainy

132 100 Arroyo

134

102 Nash of humorous poems

137

105 Gives a thumbs-up 139

106 Helicopter blade 141

107 Pie-chart lines

143

109 Air-pump meas.

111 Best policy?

112 Downy fruits

Answers a charge Hunt and Evans Steal cattle Whacked, of old Ancient Greek colony Truckers with handles Long sandwiches Burr or Spelling Sky blue Chain dance Dangerfield persona Cushy job Bad or good sign Cuba, to Castro Right, to Dobbin Kimono sash Here, in Le Havre Leia's rescuer See Solution on Pg 14

guyanatimesgy.com

OCTOBER 28 , 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 13

14 Sunday Times Magazine

OCTOBER 28, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Bollywood/Hollywood

R

F

asten your seat belts and gear up for some high octane action in showbiz for soon after Diwali, the next few weeks are going to be super packed with as many as three big fat celebrity weddings happening in the entertainment industry. Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh have just announced in the sweetest manner that are going to tie the knot on November 14 and 15 and buzz is that the wedding will take place at Lake Como, Italy.

Actor Priyanka Chopra and singer Nick Jonas who shared the good news of their roka ceremony on August 18 are rumoured to have a royal wedding in Jodhpur’s Umaid Bhavan Palace in the end of November. And actor-comedian Kapil Sharma, who was away from the scene for quite some time is set to take the plunge with his steady and stable girlfriend Ginny Chatrath, on December 12.

We have learned that for Priyanka-Nick wedding, the invitation cards have already been sent out to the invitees. “The wedding will take place on November 30 and the three-day long functions include a sangeet ceremony on November 29 and a reception on December 1. They have invited a select guest list of 110 people including relatives and close friends,” informs a source, adding that the sangeet ceremony and the bache-

T

he path less travelled is never an easy one, but has its own rewards. Manoj Bajpayee is one actor who has stood out for offbeat choices in a career which has brought him two National Film awards, much critical acclaim and commercial recognition.

However, the actor says it

lor’s night will take place at the Mehrangarh Fort.

So what’s couple going to wear for their big day? “Both Priyanka and Nick will be dressed in Indian designer outfits for their D-Day and they have already started meeting the designers. Nick might wear a Manish Malhotra design,” says the source.

Switch to Deepika and Ranveer’s special day, details are being kept under wraps from all corners. However, we have learned from sources that the couple will reportedly go for “designer Sabyasachi outfits’ for their wedding in Italy”.

Further, according to Mid-Day, Ranveer and Deepika’s wedding will happen over a span of four days at Lake Como, Italy.

They will follow both South Indian and North Indian customs on November 14 and November 15, respectively. The guest list is ready and only four close friends from the film industry will go to Lake Como. The newspaper quoted a sources as saying that since Deepika is close to Shah Rukh Khan and Farah Khan, they will be their by her side when she says ‘I do’. There is also an intimate party at November 15. The couple is planning a grand reception on December 1 and the occasion will be graced by their Bollywood friends. (Hindustan Times)

was a difficult journey as questions were raised about his choices and he was labelled ‘arrogant’.

“It wasn’t easy for sure…

You are called arrogant, bloated mind and all sorts of names for turning down the role and refusing to conform to the film industry’s norms.

But I kept on ignoring it,” he

Crossword Solution

says.

He doesn’t regret it one bit as he feels his stance on what he will do and what he won’t has benefitted him and others with the same approach. “It’s a great feeling. Some of us actors waited patiently and tried hard in our own small way to make things happen,” he says.

Bajpayee has two National Awards to his credit — Satya (1998) and Pinjar (2003). With a career spanning over two decades, the actor says, “I am only interested in improving my craft further. The process is on. I am still learning techniques to portray really difficult characters.”

Since 2012, he has multiple releases in a year and says actors like him are finally getting great roles.

“After Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), all kinds of roles are offered. Who likes to sit at home anyway?” he quips.

Also, at this stage in his career, Bajpayee is all for experimenting and is only looking for directors who are going to push him hard into trying to do roles which

obert De Niro is among the public figures targeted by suspicious packages this week. According to NBC News, an official said a building worker notified authorities around 4 a.m. on Thursday about a package addressed to the Oscar winner that arrived to a building where his office is located in downtown Manhattan. The building worker saw news reports about packages sent to other public figures and remembered seeing a similar package arrive a day or so earlier.

"A suspicious package was received. We called the police," Tribeca Enterprises confirmed in a statement released on Thursday.

"They took it out and went through all safety procedures. It was addressed to Robert De Niro and is a similar packaging to the others. It is an open investigation. Everyone is safe and the building is open."

The packaging featured a manila envelope lined with bubble wrap and affixed with six postage stamps and a computer-printed, misspelled return address label for Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, former chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee. An X-ray of the package addressed to De Niro showed a device resembling a pipe bomb, a law enforcement official told The New York Times.

Per NBC News, the package was found at 375 Greenwich Street, where restaurant Tribeca Grill—co-owned by De Niro—and offices for his production company, TriBeCa Productions, are located.

"We are responding to reports of a suspicious package in the vicinity of Greenwich

C

ardi B's interest in Nicki Minaj seems to be waning. In a FaceTime interview with Ebro Darden on his Beats 1 show on Apple Music, the rapper was asked whether she could be in the same room as Minaj—without fighting—following their Fashion Week showdown.

"I don't care," she said. "It's whatever the energy's like. I don't care."

Earlier this week, Cardi B's song "Money" leaked— and she blamed Minaj's fans for spreading it. "This happens all the time, you know?

When you give it to streaming services, it might go to a freakin' different country… and somebody from there leaked it. And, you know, people don't like you, so they're

and Franklin streets in Tribeca, Manhattan," the New York Police Department tweeted early Thursday. "Please avoid the area and expect a police presence and heavy traffic."

By 7:30 a.m., police confirmed the package had been removed and warned of a heavy police presence in the area as the investigation continues. It was also newly confirmed that former Vice President Joe Biden was sent a similar package that, officials told NBC News, was discovered at a postal facility in New Castle, Delaware.

Earlier in the week, packages containing pipe bombs were addressed and sent to former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former CIA Director John Brennan, former Attorney General Eric Holder and business magnate George Soros. The one addressed to Brennan was sent to CNN at the Time Warner Center, which was evacuated on Wednesday. (E-Online)

gonna keep spreading it. It was literally the people who hate me who posted it.

My fans were like, 'Please, don't post it.' Everything that I do, they be on it before my fans," she said. "Seems like you love me, so it's like, 'F--k it. I can't retract it; I might as well put it out.'"

In "Money," she addresses her critics ("I heard that Cardi went pop / Yeah, I did go pop / That's me bustin' they bubble") and her competition ("Cardi at the tip-top, bitch / Kiss the ring and kick rocks, sis") But she denied speculation that it's a Minaj-inspired diss track. "The way that I came up, it was never about dissing nobody, and I still feel like I don't need to diss anybody for nothing. My music was never about that. I have a short temper, so that's like doing things that I don't stand for," the "I Like It" rapper explained. "I don't like when people be subbing me. So, why would I subbing you on music? Any problem I have, I always address people face-to-face." (E-Online) he hasn’t done before. “I want to work with great directors with a great vision. I am looking for directors whose expectation from an actor like me is far bigger than me. They don’t want to compromise. They want me to be as good as any other actor,” Bajpayee concludes.

(Hindustan Times)

guyanatimesgy.com

OCTOBER 28, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 15

16 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

OCTOBER 28, 2018

Fun Times

Archie

ARIES (March 21April 19)

Look at any situation you face from all angles. Consider what others have to say, but when push comes to shove, you're the one who must make the decision.

Personal change will lead TAURUS to greater confidence, emo(April 20- tional growth and indepenMay 20) dence. If you learn from your mistakes and from experienced peers, you'll reap rewards. Romance is highlighted.

Take the initiative to get GEMINI things done. You'll enjoy so(MAY 28cializing more once your reJune 20) sponsibilities are taken care of. Fitness and proper diet should be priorities.

Your reputation will precede you. Walk into any sit(June 21- uation with confidence. The July 22) personal advice you offer will be appreciated. A romantic gesture will enhance an important relationship.

CANCER

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Dilbert

Peanuts

Don't be sucked into someone else's dilemma. You can be a witness, but don't climb into the eye of a storm.

You'll be more valuable from a reasonable distance.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Don't bring stress home with you. You have more going for you than you realize.

If you offer good conversation, laughter and love, that's what you'll get in return.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Changes at home may come as a surprise, but if you work with what you've got, you will come out on top.

Don't labor over what others are doing when you can do your own thing.

SCORPIO Make a positive change at (Oct. 24- home. Look for a way to cut Nov. 22) your costs. Keep indulgent people at a distance. Romance doesn't have to be pricey.

SAGITTARIUS Only share with people (Nov. 23- you know you can trust. If Dec. 21) someone is too pushy or uses emotional tactics to get you to reveal personal information, walk away.

Calvin and Hobbes

Leave work behind you CAPRICORN and spend time with peo(Dec. 22- ple who make you laugh.

Jan. 19) Enjoying some downtime will be the best way to regenerate and gain greater clarity.

Protect against injury AQUARIUS and arguments. Don't get (Jan. 20- into a physical altercation Feb. 19) with someone who tends to overreact. Indulgent behavior will not solve a problem.

Walk away from chaotic situations.

Visit a friend or relative.

PISCES (Feb. 20- Getting out of the house Mar. 20) will do you good and take your mind off emotional situations that are weighing you down. Personal improvement is encouraged.