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INSIDE Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 2030 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

February 2, 2014

PRICE

Non-passage of anti-money laundering bill

$100 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Stakeholders bemoan implications of full blacklisting See story on page 3

P7 New technology being acquired to aid aviation modernisation thrust

Noise nuisance legislation outdated P9 — Indra Chandarpal

Passenger arrivals at CJIA declined in 2013 P10

Children perform at a function to mark the 10th anniversary of the Episcopal Ordination of Bishop Francis Alleyne, at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, Brickdam, Georgetown on Saturday (Carl Croker photo)

Agricola woman Finance minister found dead, friend engages trade seriously injured unions on – dead woman’s son’s Budget 2014 girlfriend in custody See story on page 14

See story on page 7

Litter P19 prevention regulations to be aggressively enforced Harding’s P19 baton-rape allegation challengeable

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NEWS

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Sunday, February 2 from 05:30h-07:00h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Sunday, February 2 from

05:55h-07:25h.

WEATHER TODAY

WEATHER: Thundery showers can be expected during the day and into the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees and 27 degrees Celsius.

Wind: East north – easterly between zero and 2.77 metres per second.

High Tide: 06:15h and 18:34h reaching maximum heights of 2.82 metres and 2.84 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 12:07h reaching a minimum height of 0.40 metre.

Non-passage of anti-money laundering bill

Stakeholders bemoan implications of full blacklisting

G

uyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) Chief Executive Officer John Tracey has described the non-passage of the anti-money laundering (AML) bill as unfortunate, noting that if Guyana gets blacklisted by the international community, it would have serious implications on the country.

Speaking at a recent function to unveil the bank’s risk management plan to help small and medium size enterprises (SMEs), Tracey pointed out that all banks are sensitive to money laundering issues and have systems in place to combat any possible occurrence.

“All banks have strict money laundering systems in place, including us. We right now have someone implementing special software from Vyserve and these gentlemen will be looking at that software to see and deliver all our AML’s procedures and processes,” he said.

Regulatory risk

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Tracey said a regulatory risk will be implemented through the new software system, which will help staff to ascertain the way in which AML processes are carried out, including the efficiency in detecting suspicious transactions and other incidences of money laundering.

He noted that if Guyana

Opposition Leader David Granger

becomes fully blacklisted, it would have a far-reaching impact, including the loss of corresponding banking relationships, and a longer time to facilitate international money transfer.

Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Credit Risk Manager Peter Harper said though the nonpassage of the critical bill is probably a political issue, it does more harm than good for the country.

And on that note, he said many are ignorant of the implications of the non-passage of the bill.

“I take this as a broad issue that surrounds the legislation which is not fully recognised. I think one should understand the intentions of all political entities involved.

It is important that people realise that the financial mar-

kets and general perceptions outside Guyana… the perception on the country’s risk, and it’s very risky.”

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall said based on the opposition’s behaviour in the special select committee working on the anti-money laundering bill, it appears as though Guyana will be unable to meet its February deadline.

Nandlall made the comment in an interview with Guyana Times following the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Bill committee meeting on Thursday.

U-turn

Last week, Opposition Leader David Granger said he is confident that the deliberations of the committee will be completed before the February 13 deadline set by Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF).

However, during a recent meeting with the Private Sector Commission (PSC), the opposition leader had reportedly indicated to the commission that he will not be supporting the legislation.

The CFATF has recently placed Guyana as one of the countries most likely to be selected by the French-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for the International

GBTI CEO John Tracey

Cooperation Review Group’s (ICRG) review next month.

On the CFATF website, Guyana is ranked as one of the most delinquent country.

Guyana has already been blacklisted by CFATF and blacklisting by FATF would mean that the country will be viewed internationally as a terrorist state, supporting money laundering. Every transaction from Guyana at overseas banks will be rigorously scrutinised.

According to a source, the opposition’s alleged move to not support the bill is strange, as it will be hurtful to the image of the country, the private sector and the people of Guyana.

The only explanation that can be given is that the opposition is working at all cost to protect its private and obviously shady interest, the source contended.

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guyanatimesgy.com

Views Sunday Times Editor: Tajeram Mohabir Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231.

Fax: 225-5134 Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

Constitutional crisis?

F

ollowing acting Chief Justice (CJ) Ian Chang’s definitive ruling denying the National Assembly the power to make selective cuts in the government’s budget estimates, Opposition Leader David Granger asserted that there is the possibility of a “constitutional crisis” being precipitated. This is a most serious declaration, since it is based on a claim that the Constitution of Guyana in incapable of settling a dispute between two or more arms of our governance structure.

The facts of the matter are too well known to need but the barest recapitulation: the opposition used their one-seat majority in Parliament to cut portions of the 2012 budget estimates; the government balked and took recourse to the courts for a determination on the issue.

The CJ has now elaborated on his preliminary ruling that the opposition cannot cherry pick line items to cut.

Referring to the constitutionally mandated power of the Parliament to “approve” the budget estimates, the CJ announced pithily in a statement that is certain to become ubiquitous: “The power to amend involves the power to approve, but a power to approve does not imply a power to amend.”

If it so desired, the opposition could vote down the entire budget estimates which would amount to a vote of no-confidence against the government. As the opposition leader noted at his press conference where he warned of the “constitutional crisis”, such a vote of no-confidence would compel the president to hold general elections in three months.

In light of that statement, the opposition leader is either confused or is sending a signal of what the opposition would ensure plays out in Guyana in the coming months.

On his possible confusion, the opposition is confirming that the Constitution does in fact provide for the opposition to act if it disagrees with the Executive budget estimates.

It could appeal to a higher court or take recourse to the ballot, which would allow, in a sense, a referendum on the issue. This exercise of the will of the people could not, by the greatest stretch of even a fevered imagination, be a “constitutional crisis”. The entire issue would be resolved through the working of the Constitution.

Taking another tack, the opposition has also argued that the action of Parliament was sanctioned by its Standing Orders, which it has the prerogative to make.

But the CJ pointed out that if the opposition accepts the supremacy of the Constitution, surely this would not permit a constitutionally constituted body (Parliament) to act at variance to the stipulations of the Constitution itself? Up to now, we have not heard the opposition deny the supremacy of the Constitution.

So from whence comes the threat of a “constitutional crisis” by the leader of the opposition? One source could be a continuation of the strategy by the PNC since December 1997: to apply pressure on the government so as to create crises that would lead to the latter’s removal. While the previous “pressures” were driven by street protests segueing into armed attacks on the state, the present tactic could be following the route taken in Honduras in 2009.

There President Manuel Zelaya attempted to hold a non-binding referendum which the Congress and the Supreme Court declared “unconstitutional”. Even though their constitution was not specific as to how to remove a president, their Supreme Court ordered the army to arrest Zeyala.

The latter body then staged a coup d’état after they exiled the president. The International Republican Institute (IRI) was heavily involved in a “democratisation” project in Honduras at the time and provided much non-monetary aid, such as training, advising and providing resources to the opposition forces benefitting from the coup.

While the UN, the OAS and the EU – not to mention Caricom – all condemned the ouster as a “coup”, the U.S. steadfastly refused to do so or even refer to it as such.

Dancers perform a fire dance to celebrate the traditional Chinese Spring Festival on the first day of the Lunar New Year, which welcomes the Year of the Horse, at the Happy Valley amusement park in Beijing (BBC News)

Right your own institution’s wrongs - an open letter to the Caricom secretary general Dear Ambassador Irwin La Rocque, We note your statements on January 10 when you, as secretary general of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), reiterated the community’s call on The Dominican Republic to take steps to “right the wrong”, resulting from a ruling on nationality made by the Constitutional Court of The Dominican Republic, which retroactively stripped tens of thousands of nationals from The Dominican Republic, mostly Haitians, of citizenship.

We also note your statement that the Bureau of the Conference of the Heads of Government on behalf of the entire community condemned the ruling which violated regional and international human rights obligations.

We find Caricom’s reaction hypocritical and without substance, to say the least, since such responses only comes when some people are adversely affected in any way. One of the founders of your organisation, the late People’s National Congress (PNC)

dictator Forbes Burnham, who signed the the Treaty of Chaguaramas on July 4,1973, rigged the national elections for the second time on July 16, 1973, securing 77 per cent of the votes, which rendered many Guyanese in Guyana to the status of third class citizens until October 5, 1992.

Your leaders during that period did not call on Burnham to take steps to “right the wrong”.

Furthermore, your organisation hurriedly established its office in Guyana, where the majority of its citizens could not even elect a government of their choice, were subjected to slow starvation and outright racial discrimination in every aspect of their lives, yet no calls were made on Burnham and his successors to take steps to “right the wrong”.

While all elections in Guyana were condemned as being fraudulent by international bodies during the period from the 1960s to the 1980s, your organisation endorsed them. As a stark reminder, on May 24, 1964, Burnham, one of the so called founding fathers

of Caricom, masterminded the assault of countless girls and women, murdered their husbands, brothers and fathers, destroyed all of their homes and businesses at Wismar, Linden and the mass displacement of 3000 people – the largest ever, for any ethnic group in the Western hemisphere. And guess what – it drew zero reaction from the Caribbean leaders at that time!

Burnham’s rule was characterised by human rights abuse, political repression, ethnic cleansing, racially motivated killings, and gross economic mismanagement, leading to a collapsed economy. The number of people killed as a result of his regime is estimated by international observers and human rights groups to range from 3000 to 5000, while another 100,000 fled to safe havens overseas.

In addition, this Caricom founding father expropriated hundreds of businesses and properties belonging to private businessmen and women and handed them over to his supporters.

The subvention to your organisation by the Guyana

government has been paid for from the blood, sweat and tears of all tax payers, yet when we examined your 2013 staff list, out of 83 Guyanese employed at your secretariat, we only found one gardener and three female clerks of a particular ethnicity.

It appears that your organisation, as an exclusionary policy, does not engage certain consulting firms or procure goods from some businesses in Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad.

How can you condemn ethnic discrimination when your organisation seems to be a practitioner of the same in the Western hemisphere?

There was no call from the Caricom Secretariat to the PNC and its supporters to take steps to “right the wrong”. Surely, Caricom needs to take the wooden timber out of its own eyes before telling others to remove dust from theirs. It would be fitting that The Dominican Republic should tell the Caricom Secretariat to cleanse itself first.

Concerned Guyanese, Makanlall Dagga

I have never commented on the practice of ideological racism with regard to any political party in Guyana

Dear Editor, Please publish the following text in your newspaper. It is a response to a letter published by Guyana Times.

I consider the original publication a challenge to my character and integrity and wish to have the matter cleared up as

quickly as possible.

I refer to Vishnu Bisram’s letter, “Mike Persaud’s misrepresentation on ethnicity” (Guyana Times, February 1, 2014).

In his letter, Bisram states, “The People’s National Congress (PNC) practised ideological racism as commented on

by outstanding writers like Percy Hintzen, John Gafar, Mark DaCosta, Brackette Williams, Ravi Dev, Dr Cheddi Jagan, and Ralph Premdass, etc).”

I state categorically that I have never commented, in any forum, on the subject of the prac-

tice of ideological racism, with regard to any political party in Guyana.

If Bisram were in fact referring to me, I request that he produce the evidence of the comment to which he made reference.

Yours faithfully, Mark DaCosta

guyanatimesgy.com

sunday, february 2, 2014

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

Fighting for the right to destroy Guyana Dear Editor, Who gives the opposition parliamentarians the right to destroy Guyana? Certainly, not those who voted for them as they would normally claim.

I am convinced that the overwhelming majority of those who vote for the opposition, voted for because they believed or at least thought that the Alliance For Change (AFC) or A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) would outdo the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and make Guyana an even better place.

The opposition never campaigned on a platform of the right to destroy Guyana. They promised to make it better.

But, alas, the deception of opposition leaders turned out to be unmatched in Guyana’s history.

The acting Chief Justice Ian Chang has ruled that the National Assembly does not have the right to reduce estimates of the budget. Why can’t they accept that they were wrong in reducing the budgets of 2012 and 2013? Is it that their egos, pride and narrow political objectives take precedence over the welfare of the entire nation?

Over the past two years, the opposition has, through its illegal, unwarranted and malicious acts of cutting the national budget, deprived Guyana’s economy of over $50 billion.

Guyana has been denied over $50 billion of investments in infrastructure and development projects of huge

national significance; investment projects that have the potential to catapult Guyana to levels of development never seen in its entire history.

It is, therefore, a disgrace and total lack of self-respect for people parading as economists, developmentalists and national leaders not only to deny, but also seek to justify their denial of their country’s critical development projects in excess of $50 billion, using deliberately flawed and deceitful arguments.

The sad thing is that many seem to believe these fundamentally flawed and deceitful arguments. I am sure that the institutions where these individuals got their education must be wondering, ‘what a dishonour!’

Every student of economics, and more so economists, knows that to earn, you must invest. They know that the infrastructure of a country is the artery of development. If they are not here, no development can take place They know that before you can even talk about distribution/redistribution of wealth, you have to first create it.

They know that with globalisation, it is a desperate fight for survival and to survive, you must be and remain competitive.

They know that when you miss one year in today’s world, it may take you in excess of five years to catch up, if you are lucky. As Guyanese would say, “cat eat you dinner”.

How then can any ratio-

nal human being make sense of APNU’s point man on economic and finance, Carl Greenidge, a ‘qualified economist’, leading the opposition butchering Guyana’s national budget for two consecutive years?

Government is not in the business of hoarding. It is in the business of spending money to provide goods and services to the people to make their life better. Has cutting the budget and saving $50 billion of taxpayers’ money made taxpayers’ lives better?

To Khemraj Ramjattan, David Granger, Carl Greenidge and the 30 other AFC and APNU parliamentarians – I say there is no dignity in fighting to destroy your nation, but there is dignity in cooperation, even with your sworn enemy, in the interest of others.

There is no dignity in exploiting people’s lack of knowledge, but there is dignity and respect in educating and serving them. It is time you serve your nation with dignity and respect. Stop fighting for the non-existent right to destroy the future of Guyana and its entire population.

Accept the acting chief justice’s ruling. That will be a dignified act. There is dignity and respect in putting your nation’s and not your narrow and selfish political interests first. The nation is waiting and watching.

Yours sincerely, Faruk Mohamed

Suicide in Guyana Dear Editor, I was very upset to read an article (page 7) in your newspaper about a recent suicide in Guyana. This gentleman was a relative of mine.

I believe that articles on suicides have too much information about what occurred, especially when I see how many suicide hangings have occurred on the Essequibo coast. I see a copycat trend happening.

I would like to know why so much information has to be given in such a sad tragedy and would like to inform you that in Australia where I live, an article on suicide, if published, does not tell the public what method of suicide was used, and no questions are asked of the family.

I would also like to know what can be done to curb such a sad tragedy from occurring, for example, helplines where people can ring up for assistance and guidance.

I would like to ask if this was a relation of yours, would you have publicised in your newspaper all those details? Can your newspaper please consider

privacy and respect for the grieving family in the most vulnerable time of their lives?

Another upsetting issue was what was written under his photograph.

If you wish to publish this in your newspaper, I am happy for you to do so, as I would not like other grieving families to go through what we are going through and also the fact that all this detail might set a trend for suicide in the future.

Yours faithfully, Indy Mitchell Editor’s note Guyana Times has been very responsible in the coverage of suicides in Guyana

and has always been sensitive to the impact this has on relatives and close friends of the deceased.

This publication deeply sympathises with all bereaved families who have lost loved ones as a result of suicide.

The newspaper also has a social responsibility to highlight issues that affect the wider community – suicide being just one – which have not been adequately addressed by the relevant authorities. Such social responsibility mandates this publication to continue reporting on suicide, observing all principles that guide the profession.

On behalf of the management and staff of Guyana Times, sincere condolences to the family.

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Page

Foundation

Nostalgia & movies Anu Dev

W

e all have heroes and heroines from movies we saw as children.

Some of these movies we can re-watch and they take us back, even just for two hours, to that time when things were so much simpler. Much of the appeal of those movies comes from the nostalgia accompanying our memories of when we first saw them, and what things were liked back then. Movies and songs can be really powerful in the way they evoke certain emotions within us.

For me, “The Little Mermaid” and “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai“ are two movies from my childhood that managed to make me remember quite strongly the first couple of times I saw those movies. And I still cheer when I see Shahrukh running towards Camp Sunshine with Raghupati Ragav playing in the background. Shahrukh has clearly mastered those dramatic running sequences. These movies still make me laugh, cry, sigh and sing-a-long.

And I can’t help but reflect on how Indian movies have changed since the days of ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’. And truthfully, I really don’t enjoy most of the newer movies. Maybe some

“Hakuna Matata, ain’t no passing craze. It means no worries for the rest of your days” - Timon and Pumba, The Lion King might call the older movies cheesy; even I quickly lose patience with the seemingly never-ending ‘running-aroundtrees-while-singing sequences’, but at least they didn’t have the actors ‘getting down’ to Raghupati Ragav in a club like Hritik and Priyanka did in Krissh 3. It’s clear that Bollywood has always drawn some influences from Hollywood – the name ‘Bollywood’ itself speaks volumes – but now, it seems to be reaching all new heights. But that’s a discussion for another time – luckily we can choose whether we want to avoid the newer movies and look at movies from whatever era we prefer.

I finally got to see “Frozen” a few weeks ago and I was thrilled that it managed to make me as happy as the original Disney movies. Disney has clearly updated their style to make their movies more current, but they still managed to keep the ‘Disney-ness’ of the movie. It had all of the ingredients that we’ve come to expect and love from Disney movies.

So it’s nice that there are

still movies that you can enjoy that can take you back to your childhood days. I know we should be moving forward, forging onwards, setting goals and trying to achieve those goals. But for me, and perhaps many people my age, we’re at a strange stage in life.

Just a few months ago, our parents were driving us to school, making sure we’re well fed and well dressed, but now, some of us are living on our own, doing our own grocery shopping, driving ourselves around and doing you know, ‘adult-things’. And a few years from now, we’ll be responsible for keeping our patients alive, defending our clients in court or keeping our businesses afloat.

So with our futures quickly hurtling towards us, it’s nice to escape for a few hours into a nice movie that makes us feel like our younger selves.

So what movies take you back to your childhood? When last did you look at those movies? I can guarantee that those movies will be the ones that can cheer you up when you’re having a bad day.

guyanatimesgy.com

EDUCATIONAL

CARTOONS

for preschoolers A

s a parent, sometimes it is hard to monitor what your older children are watching.

But it when it comes to the little ones, it’s easier. Maybe because we’re around them more or they can’t go close the door to their room and turn on whatever it is they want to watch. But even with small children, you have to “watch” what they take in. I am a teacher, so I spend summers with my children. I could tell you every cartoon that comes on for preschool children ages one to six. I have compiled a list of what I think are the top five educational cartoons for preschool children to watch. Not only are they educational, but they are fun as well. So for those of you who may not have time to sit and watch shows ahead of time, here they are: Little Einsteins – This cartoon is based on the products by Disney, using classical music to enhance the mind. The characters in this story travel by spaceship. The ship lights up and classical music plays in tune with colourful lights. They travel around the world solving dilemmas, saving animals, and exploring different places. The neat thing about this cartoon is that they show animals and places throughout the world with real video clips, not cartoons. So your children see these places and things as they actually are.

Higglytown Heroes – This exciting cartoon teaches children about people in the community.

There are four children that are the main characters, along with a squirrel. In each episode, the children face a problem. When deciding that they can’t fix it own their own, they sing a little song that states, “It looks like a job, for a Higglytown hero.” Then a community member comes on the scene and talks about what his job is and how he can solve the problem. They work together for the solution. Children not only learn about the community, but how each person in the community is a vital part of it.

Dora the Explorer/Go Diego Go – These two are favourites with my two-year-old.

Dora teaches children Spanish words and phrases as her and her monkey friend, “Boots,” use a map to find things. Dora teaches problem solving skills as well. Diego is now in the picture too. This is Dora’s cousin. He is an animal rescuer. Diego also uses Spanish words and phrases while teaching children about many different kinds of animals.

Wonder Pets – This is an excellent cartoon in which the theme is “teamwork.” A hamster, turtle, and a baby duck work together to save other animals. They sing a song about working together to save the day. It is very colourful and fun for children, all the while teaching them to work with others to solve a problem.

Blues Clues – This is an old favourite of mine. Blue, an adorable little “female” puppy and Joe teach many emerging skills like colours, numbers, and letters. Joe uses clues to figure out Blue’s puzzle for the day.

Joe sits in his “thinking chair” and draws the clues on a notebook. Side Drawer Table, Salt, Pepper, and baby Paprika are just some of Blue’s characters that help solve the puzzles. (Yahoo!)

news

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SUNday, February 2, 2014 | guyanatimesGY.com

New technology being Finance minister engages trade unions acquired to aid aviation modernisation thrust on Budget 2014

tered, including one Cessna 208, one Cessna 206, two BN Trilanders and one Robinson R4411.

Mohamed said several airlines have received permits to operate in Guyana, including Fly Jamaica Airways and Vision Airlines Inc. However, he was happy to announce that an “open skies” air services agreement was signed with the U.S. and discussions are being held for a bilateral air services agreement with the Republic of Turkey.

– remains open to consultation with opposition

Proposal

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh and his team meeting with FITUG representatives during their recent consultation on Budget 2014

G

overnment’s ongoing budget consultations with various stakeholders have been fruitful and promising, as it seeks to include all in the process.

Recently, Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) President Carvil Duncan, along with his team, met with Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh.

“The meeting with the minister was constructive and informative,” said Duncan, pointing out that “we did not go into the meeting expecting any concrete conclusions, but just for the minister to consider our needs as he prepares his budget for 2014.”

Duncan explained that this year’s meeting was no different from previous years when he and his team met with the minister as part of the consultations.

“We presented a fivepoint agenda for the minister to consider and we left very pleased that the minister was considerate to have invited us to be part of his budget consultations,” he said, noting that “we left satisfied with the outcome of the meeting.”

Late last week, Minister Singh held two meetings, one with FITUG and the other with the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) to seek their recommendations and suggestions as stakeholders on what the budget should include.

A number of additional meetings are scheduled for this week, as the consultations continue to include other stakeholders.

Good gesture

“The intention was to discuss FITUG’s thinking on what should be in the budget to the benefit of the workers we represent,” Duncan noted. “The minister also told us that we can write to him after the meeting, should we have any fresh ideas that should be considered,” he said.

He expressed his gratitude to government for the courtesy they extended to the unions to be part of the consultation meetings this year, as they had in previous years.

Duncan said he anticipates that government will demonstrate the same courtesy in the future in the

preparation of the following year’s budget.

Government also invited the parliamentary opposition to be part of the consultations, but A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has publicly rejected the invitation, claiming that it was not given sufficient time to meaningfully participate in the budget preparations.

Dr Singh has refuted this claim and has been meeting with other stakeholders, which have indicated a willingness to participate in the process.

In a statement, the minister pledged government’s ongoing commitment to inclusivity in the budget preparations and remains open to discussions with the opposition.

“Government remains open to meet with the opposition as has always been the case and we look forward to a response by the APNU to our invitation to advance discussion on Budget 2014,” the minister said.

Budget 2014 is expected to be presented to the National Assembly by the end of March.

The GCAA says acquisition of an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) will aid its modernisation process

T

he Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is moving to acquire an Automatic Dependent SurveillanceBroadcast (ADS-B) to aid its modernisation process.

The technology will increase the capacity of Guyana’s airspace to accommodate four times more air traffic than present.

GCAA Director Zulfikar Mohamed on Friday explained that with ADS-B system, every aircraft operating here will broadcast its own GPS position, along with other information like heading, ground track, ground speed and altitude.

He said the receivers on the ground then receive this information and send it to air traffic control displays at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) or the Ogle International Airport (OIA).

The information collected

can be used to augment existing primary and secondary (transponder-based) radars or used in lieu of those radar technologies.

He noted that this technology is more or less critical to separate air traffic. Currently, he added that domestic air traffic movement has declined by 2.68 per cent while international over flights on the other hand has increased by 12.93 per cent and with the new system, it is expected to increase.

Air traffic

Air traffic movement into Timehri, he added has decreased by 17.84 per cent, while movement into Ogle airport has increased by 66.57 per cent. Nevertheless, he noted that the overall air traffic movement has declined by 0.75 per cent.

Some 54 aircraft are registered with the GCAA. During 2013, five aircraft were regis-

A proposal was also submitted to the government of Venezuela for negotiations.

He said as part of the air safety regulation, several aerodromes were inspected and licences issued, noting that currently there are eight air operator certificate (AOC) holders.

These include Air Services Limited (ASL), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Trans Guyana Airways (TGA), Jags Aviation (JA), Roraima Airways Limited (RAL), Wings Aviation limited (WAL), Oxford Aviation and Fenix Airways Inc. Also in 2014, three other operators will be issued with AOC, namely the Hinterland Aviation Inc, Domestic Airways and Golden Arrow Airways.

Mohamed also disclosed that the final report of the Caribbean Airlines mishap is completed and will be released to the public before year-end.

He added that several other reports are being compiled by the GCAA, and are expected to be submitted to the subject minister as soon as they are completed.

8 news

SUNday, february 2, 2014 | guyanatimeSGY.com

Anna Regina residents breathe sigh of relief – as regional administration clears weed-infested drains

T

he Region Two administration recently cleared the thick vegetation from drains in Anna Region, allowing residents to breathe a sigh of relief.

Residents had complained to the regional administration, pointing out that the situation contributes to flooding.

Several drains were cleared in Anna Regina, including the drain next to the old market.

One of two mini-excava-

tors was sent to clear the area close to the market, to alleviate flooding there during heavy downpours.

Two excavators, one at Supenaam and the other at Charity, on the Essequibo Coast, are doing similar works.

The work being executed by the Region Two administration will enable the smooth flow of water in the drainage and irrigation network on the Essequibo Coast.

Eyew tness

Feral...

...youths ack in 2011, London was wracked by riots during which youths looted stores for the fancy clothes and the expensive “gear” they affect nowadays. The Mayor of London blamed it on “people in this city, sadly, who are intent on violence, who are looking for the opportunity to steal and set fire to buildings and create a sense of mayhem, whether they are anarchists or part of organised gangs, or...feral youths.”

Now if you’re going to call youths pillaging from stores as acting like animals in the wild...what do you call the youths here who confessed to killing two taxi drivers – by first trying to strangle one and when that failed, by bludgeoning him to death? In London there was a section of society that jumped up in outrage at the Mayor for his description of the youths. But what metaphor can better describe people that can so callously and gruesomely kill another human being than “wild animals”?

Now we can go into all sorts of explanations and analyses as to how they became wild animals – single parent, poverty, poor supervision...whatever – but we can’t escape the fact that the killer youths acted like wild animals. To be “human” is not just to be born into the species “Homo Sapiens” but to act in a manner that makes you a part of “humanity”.

It has all to do with how you act – and you’re not supposed to act like animals.

Now we can move on to talk about the “why?” – not as academic speculation, but so that maybe, we can see how we’re going to deal with this problem.

Because it IS a problem – a big problem. In addition to the taxi drivers youth killers, we had the three youths who robbed a business in Paradise (did you get the irony?) and before that, the depredations by the “Hot Skulls” gang operating out of Albouystown.

Right off the bat, we can discard the above mentioned “causes” being in some way deterministic.

We all know tons of children in those circumstances that don’t go around bludgeoning people to death.

But we can detect a connection with the looting feral youths of London and the killers of Guyana: they all wanted to enjoy the paraphernalia of what defines the good life nowadays.

But they want to get their hands on those accoutrements the easy way – not through working for it. So it all comes down to how young people are being socialised to see how they can get the good things of life.

Among other things, we have too many opposition politicians encouraging the culture of resentment and envy in our youths.

B

One of the excavators at work in Anna Regina

...electricity thieves But on the other hand, you do have the same kind of feral behaviour among some grown big men and women – those who steal electricity. You can’t be seen as common humanity if you force your neighbour to pay for your enjoyment of the good (electrical) life. Wild animals, that’s what your Eyewitness calls them.

We heard evidence that big businesses steal more than half of all electricity in Guyana! Now here you have people who can pass on their electricity costs as expenses – yet they prefer to steal. This is the kind of greed that removes them from the realm of humanity.

It was also revealed that the other big electricity thieves are in Sophia and South Georgetown. And we come to the same mindset as with the feral youths – these people want the good things of life but don’t want to pay for them.

Or is it that they all were inspired by the practically free electricity Linden receives? ...politicians There are some that see the term “feral politicians” as a tautology. But what else can you call the politicians in the AFC who cut appropriations for Amerindian development? And boast they will cut it again? Wankers?

NEWS

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SUNday, february 2, 2014 | guyanatimesGY.com

Noise nuisance Essequibo miners mull protest legislation over non-payment outdated – Indra O Chandarpal

Social Sector Committee Chairperson Indranie Chandarpal

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ocial Sector C o m m i t t e e C ha irp erso n Indranie Chandarpal on Friday said a review is needed for the noise nuisance legislation, pointing out that it is outdated.

She was at the time chairing a committee meeting held at Parliament to discuss the issue of the noise nuisance with key stakeholders, and their interpretation of the Music and Dancing Licensing Act, Chapter 23:03.

During the meeting, presentations were expected from the Legal Affairs Ministry permanent secretary, the city engineer, the chief fire officer and the Public Works and Communication Ministry's chief works officer.

However, only representatives from the Guyana Fire Service and the City Council attended the meeting.

Relevant According to Chandarpal, it is the intention of the committee to revisit the old legislation and come up with proposals to make the law relevant.

“We want to look at noise nuisance in all its aspects because when we look at the laws that are here, these laws are outdated, clearly, and therefore when we in the Social Sector Committee look at the issue based on that fact, and our own experiences and the disgust of many people, we think the time has come for us to look at this matter in a holistic way,” Chandarpal said.

As such, Chandarpal noted that it is necessary to take action, since this is a problem that affects people in every region of the country, making them un-

able to have peace and quiet in their homes, which is a violation of their rights.

Fire Chief Marlon Gentle also pointed out to the committee that the legislation should be revised, taking into consideration all the new contributors to noise pollution.

“I think therefore we need to revisit all of the laws and also look at a more scientific ways of dealing with these things because I would guess that most of these legislations that we have governing these activities would have been done long before we had stereos and amplification and heavy industrial noise and these things,” he highlighted.

Gentle noted that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other key stakeholders should be involved in this process, since it is a part of their mandates.

Provisions Meanwhile, City Engineer Colbert Venture pointed out that while the legislation is largely outdated, there are some provisions therein to curb the nuisance.

This issue of noise nuisance in Guyana has been a cause for concern, yet no stringent measure has been taken to rein in offenders.

Last year, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee acknowledged the upsurge in noise nuisance by residents in various parts of the country, and assured that the law will be applied where necessary.

In a statement, he assured residents who take the initiative to report the loud, continuous and repetitive playing of music to the ministry, that all reports are forwarded to the police commissioner and copied to the respective divisional commanders with a directive that corrective action be taken in keeping with the laws of Guyana.

The minister referred to the “name and shame” campaign launched by the ministry a few years ago, which sought to publish the locations from where the loud, continuous and repetitive music and other noises emanate.

He further urged citizens to continue to lodge reports of noise nuisance at the nearest police station or divisional headquarters, so that the problem can be addressed.

ver 30 miners from the Essequibo Coast are contemplating protest action over monies reportedly owed to them by a mining and drilling company, operating at Million Mountain, Itabali, Region Seven.

Some of the miners who approached Guyana Times

said they are owed by the Georgetown-based company, Sacriko since August 2013.

The miners named their superiors at the company, who should have looked into their matter as “Beejay”, “Karren” and “Greeg Parks”.

One worker, Lindharid Rookmin from Golden

Fleece, who is employed as a boat and pantoon captain, said the company owes him for several months.

He transports workers and machinery to the mining pit at Itabali.

The workers say despite several calls that were made to their managers, their issue was not addressed and

they are disappointed with the company’s approach towards them.

When Guyana Times contacted the company, it was told that the general manager was unavailable. A secretary of the company, who gave her name as “Dawn”, said she is not aware of the issue.

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SUNday, february 2, 2014 | guyanatimeSGY.com

Passenger arrivals at CJIA declined in 2013

Poetic licence

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CJIA CEO Ramesh Ghir

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heddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ramesh Ghir on Friday disclosed that the corporation has recorded a 12 per cent decrease in passenger arrivals in 2013, compared to the previous year.

Ghir, speaking at a year-in-review press conference at the Public Works Ministry, stated that immigration process 235,967 passengers during 2013, compared to 267,652 in 2012, and would have seen the movement of a lesser number of passengers when compared to 2012.

He also revealed that there has been an 18 per cent decrease in the movement of international aircraft for the past year, noting that 3811 international aircraft movements were recorded in 2013 compared to 4640 for 2012.

On a positive note, he

CJIA CEO Ramesh Ghir says fewer passengers arrived in Guyana through the airport in 2013, compared to the previous year

added that there has been a five per cent increase in goods entering Guyana via the CJIA and a 36 per cent increase in goods that were exported.

Dent

In explaining the decline, Ghir said that since the suspension of Delta Airlines in May 2013, it has tremendously impacted the sector, causing a dent in arrivals.

He added that the airline, while in operation, would have brought in at least 75,000 persons on a yearly basis.

The official also stated that with the collapse of EZjet, it has also negatively impacted passengers’ arrival. However, he is optimistic that with the inclusion of a few airlines on the local market, arrivals will once again boom.

Currently, Caribbean Airlines has launched direct flights between the

John F Kennedy Airport, U.S.A. and Georgetown, which is supplemented by the existing direct flights between Guyana and Toronto, Canada.

He also noted that Surinam Airways continues to provide twice weekly roundtrip service on the Paramaribo-GeorgetownMiami route. He said while LIAT is operating at the Ogle International Airport during the day, the airline also provides service on the Barbados- Georgetown route during the day and at nights at the CJIA. A recent addition to the aviation industry, Fly Jamaica, which commenced operations in August 2013, plies the GeorgetownNew York route. It has a capacity for 198 passengers. In addition, he noted that TravelSpan commenced flights at the CJIA on December 14, 2013.

CONVIASA also started

operations here, working the Guyana-Venezuela route.

Ghir stated that while there are other airlines that have indicated their willingness to join the local market, there is need for expansion of the CJIA. On this noted, he disclosed that the 16,000 square metres expansion project is underway, which will see a new terminal building comprising eight passenger boarding bridges, two elevators, CCTV and departure control systems.

He added that the present runway will be extended by 3500 feet and after completion, will measure 10,500 feet, which will be capable of accommodating Boeing 747400 aircraft.

Works

Ghir said currently the excavation and backfilling works have commenced on the runway measuring 160 metres by 160 metres, and is 65 per cent complete. The final design of the airport expansion project will be ready by the end of March.

The project will be funded by the government of China through the EXIM Bank of China. The total airport expansion project is expected to cost US$150 million; however, China Harbour Engineering Company Limited will be executing works to the value of US$138 million.

The works commenced in January 2013 and it is expected to be completed by August 2015.

atiricus was tired. He was tired with all this nonsense about chopping budget and such things. Satiricus was old enough to remember the old P&C days when all the budget meant was higher taxes, higher prices and more food shortages.

The businessmen used to guess which food taxes would go up and would hold back those goods.

“Hoarding”, the papers used to call it. Satiricus was just happy nowadays budget just meant cutting taxes.

So Satiricus was quite pleased to see that “oppose and depose” leader GrainJa injecting some humour into the proceedings. Now that Satiricus was a newspaper hound, the editors would sometimes share the announcements these politicians made. In the last one from GrainJa, he’d threatened Pressie that he Pressie had better sign the bills in front of him – or else!!

But below GraiJa’s signature was an interesting quote: “... it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”

Now Satiricus had gone to his share of Sunday School classes and knew this came from the Bible. Was when Saul saw the light on the way to Damascus. “But surely it couldn’t be that GrainJa thought Pressie had seen the light,” thought Satiricus, with furrowed brows. “If so, he wouldn’t have threatened him with “or else!”.”

And then it dawned on Satiricus! GrainJa was slyly calling Pressie a “prick”. Now you’d think this was an insult and GrainJa was being out of line, no?

NO!! “It all had to do with how GrainJa called Pressie a “prick””, thought Satiricus. He knew Pressie was a man who liked his calypsos, so he’d know about its tradition of “double entendre”. This was where you said something that could mean one thing but it could also mean something “wicked”.

Satiricus’ favourite double entendre calypso was when Sparrow (welcome back!) met the young brother of Mildred, whom he’d come to visit: “Tell your sister to come down quick.

I have something here for she.

Tell she it’s Mr Benwood Dick, The man from Sangre Grande.

She know me well.

I gih she already.

She must remember me.

Go on, go on, tell she Mr Benwood come.”

So while GrainJa could be accused of calling Pressie a “prick”, he could get away with it by claiming he meant Pressie was “goading” (pricking) him!

What surprised Satiricus was that GrainJa knew such calypsos. So he guessed the moustachioed GrainJa wouldn’t get vex when Pressie revealed it was he who Sparrow was singing about when he’d belted out “Saltfish” – the one which Monarch said had tongue: “I like the taste Though the smell Sometimes hard to take”.

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Parliamentary proceedings to be streamed live on Internet

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he Parliament Office and the Canadian government on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), paving the way for the provision of live Internet streaming of all parliamentary business, sittings, committee meetings and other parliamentary related activities.

The multimillion-dollar initiative is expected to take effect before the 2014 national and regional budget is presented in the House. It is expected to keep the world abreast with the business of the local Parliament. The project has been made possible through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives. This fund supports and implements projects, the world over, in partnership with local, national and international organisations, educational institutions and local governments.

During a simple ceremony in Committee Room Two, Parliament Buildings, Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman said the Parliament Office is about to make a quantum

(UNDP) and the then high commissioner of Canada David Devine responded positively.

However, things appeared dampened for awhile until the arrival of current Canadian High Commissioner, Dr Nicole Giles. Recently, the Parliament Office was informed that funding has been approved for the project which will allow persons in Lethem, Madhia and even Crabwood Creek to watch the proceedings of the National Assembly from the comfort of their homes, live.

High demand

From left seated: Canadian High Commissioner to Canada, Dr Nicole Giles; Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs; and Speaker of the House Raphael Trotman with staff of the Parliament Office at the signing of the agreement on Friday

leap into the “present”, positing that the House has been lagging behind in the field of technology.

According to Trotman, with the commencement of the 10th

Parliament, there was a vision to bring the people of Guyana closer to the House, and the new initiative will enable this dream to become a reality.

In 2012, Trotman, along

with the clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs, approached the donor community for funds to initiate the project. The United Nations Development Programme

According to the Speaker, there has been a high demand for this type of technology from the public, positing that since the commencement of the 10th Parliament, there has been a renewed interest in the affairs of the National Assembly.

Live streaming of the parliamentary sessions is a stepping stone to greater things, he posited.

He disclosed too that the e-parliament pilot project, equips all parliamentarians and staff of the Parliament

Office with tablets to facilitat the exchange of information thereby reducing the bulk o papers. This will be comple mented by the launch of a me dia centre.

Meanwhile, Canadia High Commissioner Gile said the project will benefi all Guyanese, giving them virtual front row seat to th proceedings of the Nationa Assembly. “The project is bot timely and ingenious, giv en that the democratic pro cess has to function in an er where citizens increasing ac cess their information an connect with their govern ments through technology an the Internet.”

She added that the liv streaming of the proceeding will enable Guyanese to joi the tidal wave, giving them equal access to the House, de spite their location. Throug the project, Canada is work ing with Guyana to provid the structure required to faci itate the transmission of infor mation from the legislature t the people, thereby encourag ing greater democratic partic pation.

news

ry 2, 2014 | guyanatimesGY.com

ernet

ablets to facilitate e of information, ucing the bulk of will be complehe launch of a me-

e, Canadian missioner Giles oject will benefit e, giving them a row seat to the of the National he project is both ingenious, givdemocratic prounction in an era ns increasing acinformation and h their governgh technology and ” d that the live the proceedings Guyanese to join ave, giving them to the House, deocation. Through Canada is workuyana to provide required to facilnsmission of inforthe legislature to hereby encouragemocratic partici-

Simply the

Truth

13

Teaching, training, coaching

O

ne of the things we get wrong in Guyana is that we compartmentalise things into untidy packages. We separate formal education into kindergarten, primary, secondary, technical, Cyril Potter College of Education, and university. As if one thing has little to do with the other thing.

Then we separate education from training which is separated from coaching.

Education is what takes place in schools and square classrooms.

Training is what we do with the police; it takes place at the Felix Austin Police College. Or we “train” by running or jumping or riding or weight-lifting, and so on.

Coaching is kept for sports: cricket, boxing, basketball, tennis, etc. Each thing is kept separate from the other. When we connect it, we borrow clichés and platitudes by saying something like: “A healthy mind in a healthy body.”

Several coaches (cricket, boxing, karate) have talked about what they do and why they do it. Coach Cort, Coach Roberts, Coach Rogers, Coach Latcha, Senseis Ali, Dunbar and Senwasane.

Boxing and cricket are my favourite sports. I know more about boxing than I do about cricket.

Because of my own interest, the coaches in cricket and boxing and karate were engaging. So we talked about the importance of the jab, the way to work around southpaws, the importance of footwork. We talked about looking at the way a batsman positions against pace or spin. Intense stuff.

But under it all, was this deep love for what they were doing. The one word that came up over and over was not ball or bat, not gloves or boxing boots, not mawashigiri kicks. The one word in all of it was “YOUTHS”.

The other words were “discipline”, “excellence” and “education”.

The best police trainers use the same words. The best teachers use the identical words! But for the really good ones, these are not just words to be prattled and forgotten.

A boxer who is not disciplined and excellent will get hurt. The best policemen and women who are not disciplined and excellent will get hurt! A cricketer who is not disciplined and excellent will go nowhere and be hurt in the process! So these coaches and trainers have to be very careful; a child gets hurt, and it falls on them.

And they care! And they understand that formal education is even more important than what happens on the pitch or in the ring or on the court.

Only few classroom teachers in “formal” education understand that if they do not do what they are supposed to be doing and in the ways they should be doing it, children get hurt. Children do not get hurt for life by

being placed on a canvas or by breaking a bone. When teachers do not do what they are supposed to do, children get hurt for life. The damage is irreparable.

I have witnessed too many people who stand in front of classrooms in the role of teachers. In Guyana, at every level, the focus is on the person who stands in front of the classroom. The “teacher” is there to “impart knowledge”. And the higher the educational level, the worse it is.

In this nation, the most egotistical “teachers” are almost always university lecturers. Teachers have no idea of why they are doing what they should be doing.

To say that you are “imparting knowledge” is sheer arrogance.

Arrogance yields, step by step, to gross bullying. And bullying is the opposite of teaching. I have seen lots of that in other places. I have never seen it as bad as it is here in Guyana.

The coach and the trainer and (above all) the teacher have one thing to do: Make himself/herself irrelevant.

This is difficult. And if the teacher/trainer/coach is not conscious of what needs to be done and why they are doing what they ought to be doing, then damage happens.

If they are not aware of the fact that the important people are not themselves, but the people who sit in front of them, damage happens. Damage is not done to these “teachers” but to those who they are supposed to be teaching! And when damage is done to the children of a nation, that nation is lost.

In the four continents upon which I have taught, I have known well a few “super professors”. These are true teachers. Professor Ian Fraser, Professor Roger Moore, Professor Tom Fish, and Professor John Rickford.

Not only did they excel in the classroom, but they published heavily internation-

Professor Daizal Samad ally.

Their research and publication enriched their teaching. Students were the beneficiaries. I am honoured to know them as colleagues.

Incidentally, Professor Rickford is GUYANESE! In the end, it is about discipline, excellence, and service! If we have no way to define what these words mean nor measure what they are, we have problems. We have problems.

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News

Agricola woman found dead, Younge’s take friend seriously injured Waning confidence – dead woman’s son’s girlfriend in custody

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he police have another murder to solve after an Agricola, Greater Georgetown woman was on Friday evening found dead in her backyard while her overseas-based friend is nursing injuries to the body at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The lifeless body of 55-yearold Donna Taylor was found in a pool of blood a short distance away from her Lot 1617 Public Road, Agricola, home in a clump of bushes with her hands bound and throat slit.

Her British visitor, Samantha Sabat was found in the yard with several marks of violence about her body. She is presently nursing injuries to her head and a broken right arm at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

According to information received, police are working on the theory that the two women might have been robbed then brutally attacked, since there was evidence of forced entry through one of the windows in the upper flat of the house.

On the other hand, it is suspected that the perpetrators broke the louver panes to give the police an impression that it was a robbery.

Information reaching this newspaper revealed that a female rank of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) was seen entering the yard on the night of the incident. The soldier is the girlfriend of the dead woman’s son. They reportedly shared a relationship for the past year.

Further information revealed that the woman’s son attempted many times to sever the relationship with the soldier, but she reportedly insisted that they stay together.

After the incident, the main

Murdered: Donna Taylor

suspect called “Abby”, along with her boyfriend were invited to the station for questioning, and it was observed that she had changed the pair of pants she wore earlier in the day.

Suspicious This, police ranks stated, seemed suspicious, thus, they questioned her about the change in clothing, but she denied that she did. However, the police visited her home and found the blood stained pants, but in defending herself, she said it was paint.

When Guyana Times arrived on the scene, scores of the dead woman’s relatives had gathered at her home, appalled at the way she was killed. Several louver panes were missing from a window and the pieces were scattered on the concrete.

There were no blood stains

in the house where the women were reportedly attacked, but rather spots of blood were evident in a section of the backyard where the body was found. Crime scene investigators have taken statements and dusted the area for fingerprints.

Police in a release stated that about 23:50h on Friday evening, the body of Taylor was found on her premises with a wound to her throat and her hands tied behind her back.

Her body is at the Lyken’s Funeral Parlour awaiting a post-mortem examination.

The police added that a woman has been arrested and is in police custody assisting with investigations.

Bertram Taylor, the dead woman’s husband told Guyana Times that he was at work when he received the dreadful news from his daughter.

He explained that an elder-

ly tenant, who resides in one of the apartments in the lower flat, telephoned his daughter and told her about the commotion she heard in the upper flat. Taylor’s daughter in turn contacted him.

The father, who was still in a state of shock, said he rushed home and on arrival, he saw Sabat lying on the ground with blood oozing from her head and mouth. Her face, he added was swollen and she was in and out of consciousness.

He said he inquired about his wife, but the woman could not verify her whereabouts.

He said he searched the rooms which were ransacked, but she was not there. He again attempted to get information from Sabat, but his efforts proved futile. Taylor went on to say that he called his son, who is a security guard and told him what hadhappened.

“I went to the station and when I come back with the police, I see meh wife on the ground…. They tell me that they find she in the backyard… she was not moving but I see she had head injuries and I think that she get black out so we pick them up and carrying them to the hospital,” the man stated.

He said that after a few minutes at the Georgetown Public Hospital, he was told that his wife was dead and Sabat was admitted for treatment. The man explained that Sabat arrived in the country about three weeks ago to bury her father and since she does not have any other relative here, she stayed with them in Agricola. The aggrieved man said the police have since questioned the injured woman and would have gotten a clear understanding of what transpired.

Money missing The aggreived husband confirmed that several pieces of equipment were missing from the house, along with an undisclosed sum of money in his wardrobe.

Taylor told this publication that recently, persons in the neighbourhood stole a CG motorcycle from his yard. He claimed that he is accustomed to being robbed, but this was the first time the perpetrators gained access into his house.

Meanwhile, an occupant of the bottom flat of the house told this newspaper that she heard a scream once but did not hear any other unusual sounds.

The tenant related that she learnt about the incident when she was approached by police ranks to inquire what she heard. The woman said she has been living at the house for the past four months, but was never a victim of robbery.

Taylor and his now dead wife have been married for the past 32 years and their union produced three children. The woman also has four other children from a previous marriage.

and trust in the police

I

f there ever was a time in our postindependence history when public confidence and trust in the Guyana Police Force is waning and at its lowest levels, that time would be now.

Simply put, the force has not managed to professionalise itself or ranks to the point where the process has borne fruit. Despite the current administration’s injection of billions of dollars in the security sector over the last decade, the status quo remains stubbornly entrenched as far as Michael Younge transforming and reforming the force is concerned.

Citizens resent police officers and see them as corrupt, brutish, aggressive and lacking any moral or social conscience. While it can be argued that there are excellent lawmen and women within the force who uphold their oaths and are exemplars of how to serve one’s country, the sad situation is that their numbers may be diminishing.

Adding insult to injury, the damning allegations of torture, police involvement in inhumane and unsavoury acts of sodomy and rape, robberies and other serious crimes are increasing every year. These accusations from the public, though many times swept under the carpet, are tainting the image of the force and sending a strong signal that the force’s hierarchy is not managing its human resources well.

Public outrage reached its highest recently with a 23-yearold man alleging that he was beaten and sodomised with a police baton. And if that was not shameful enough, a 17-year-old boy is now claiming that he too was sodomised. Recently, the residents of Numbers 47 and 48 villages, on the Corentyne, blocked the roads and protested alleged police involvement in crime and their unprofessional conduct. Some believe that these allegations are just mere symptoms of the state of disrepute of the police force.

One has to ask whether the police force is implementing the recommendations from the Disciplined Forces Commission which recommended sweeping reforms back in the early 2000s. If the force will proffer the argument that it has implemented many already, it must now be bold enough to specifically identify those and reveal the criteria used to determine which were more urgent and pressing.

As the hierarchy of the force continues to “bob and weave” and sluggishly implement these recommendations, violent crime is again rearing its ugly head. Citizens do not feel safe in their homes and communities. Businesses are expressing concern about the protection of their investments, and being targets of armed robberies.

Maintenance of law and order is on the decline and a lawless society is emerging where there is no respect for private or public property. Vigilante groups are now being formed as citizens are of the belief that if the police cannot protect them, they must protect themselves.

It is laudable that Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee is now seeking to reform the force with the aim of “further” (used sparingly) professionalising it. Rohee too appears bent on having the disciplined forces recommendations implemented.

In addition, the minister has recognised the need for better management of the force from a policy perspective, even as he faces the wrath of the opposition. Rohee, though not directly responsible for the administration of the force, has had a no-confidence motion brought against him and continues to be the target of many in the House.

One must examine whether Rohee is responsible for the lack of confidence in the force or whether the police themselves have done a great disservice to their own image. We must examine whether the minister has recommended the right policies and oversight and whether the force has moved on them. It is unfair to blame Rohee for the current state of the force. The argument that the police lack resources and the capacity to fight crime must be rubbished.

The police commissioner is in operational control of the Guyana Police Force and under the Constitution is empowered to manage its affairs. He does not take operational directives and instructions from the government or minister but rather is expected to accept recommendations/policy positions for the improvement of the force, and the maintenance of law and order. Does the commissioner understand this?

In the name of transparency and accountability, let the commissioner say what assistance he has asked for from the government and has been denied? Let the commissioner publish the names and number of ranks that he has had to discipline, dismiss or charge for various breaches in the SOPs and laws.

Failure on the part of the force’s hierarchy to arrest the objectionable culture of misconduct and lawlessness within its ranks will diminish public trust and criminals will be emboldened to continue their assault on innocent civilians.

The pussy-footing on the discipline forces recommendations, though not void of political considerations must end, and a holistic approach to professionalising the police force must be birthed.

There can be no Police Service in Guyana unless the ranks are re-cultured to understand that they are servants of the public. The civilians are not villains. The war that the force is waging must not be against them.

The police force’s focus appears misdirected. This must be corrected if confidence levels are expected to return to a satisfactory level. The commissioner is fast earning a vacillating reputation. He must seize the moment; the citizens are demanding change.

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SUNday, february 2, 2014 | guyanatimesGY.com

CJIA earned over $1B in 2013 T

he country’s main port of entry, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) generated over $1 billion in revenue in 2013, but saw a reduction of 12 per cent in visitor arrivals, as a result of Delta Airlines pulling out of Guyana in May. The airport’s total expenditure for 2013 amounted to $588 million as compared to the $493 million spent for the same period in 2012. This increase in expenditures was mainly due to additional staffing.

The total passenger movements for 2013 amounted to 479,177 compared to 543,374 in 2012, while the airport recorded 3811 international aircraft movements up to December 2013 as compared to 4640 for the same

period in 2012.

Imported cargo amounted to 2287 tonnes; a five per cent increase over the previous year, while exports amounted to 2462 tonnes or a 36 per cent increase over that of 2012.

In November, CJIA hosted its simulated aircraft crash, which was conducted to test the preparedness of the airport to respond to an actual emergency. While there were challenges, a team of critics drawn from the GCAA, the Guyana Defence Force, the Guyana Police Force, the Civil Defence Commission, the Health Ministry and airline operators, deemed the activity a success. About 300 persons participated, including five medical institutions and over 70 police officers.

Funds for Black Bush Polder suicide programme dry up – coordinator appeals to govt, donor agencies for support

T

he issue of suicide and its prevalence in Black Bush Polder (BBP) appears to be getting less priority even as the problem gains more attention, with more people taking their own lives.

This is because funds for a programme to help raise awareness and give support to at-risk persons in the four polders of Yakusari, Joanna, Mibikuri and Lesbeholden have dried up.

The programme, piloted by the Mibikuri Developers (MCD) seeks to address the almost daily suicide attempts

by BBP residents.

The MCD’s five full-time workers are now forced to volunteer their services daily for at least eight hours.

Project Coordinator Jacqueline Johnson said in order to ensure the community gets some support, which

government does not provide, MCD staffers have decided to volunteer their services.

They have been working voluntarily for the past six months. “Right now there are no promises by anyone, including government, to support the project,” Johnson said.

The last phase of the project was funded by the Peace Corp. “We are hoping to have discussions with the community shortly as it relates to funding. All our proposals have already been sent to them and we are waiting,” the project coordinator said.

According to Johnson, there appears to be some difficulty in sourcing funds for projects.

“The donor community is turning its attention to environmental issues and overlooking social issues,” the

project coordination opined.

Reflecting on the impact of the programme project on the community, Johnson related that two years ago, many troubled persons in the polder areas walked around with gramaxone in their bags, but today, these incidents have been significantly reduced.

Methods

“We have had to use different methods to get home to persons that are suicidal. A family reported that a daughter was not heeding their instructions not to communicate with a particular young man.

"Our advice was that if the two of them really love each other, they should settle into a lifetime relationship.

She thanked us for supporting her choice and took out a bottle from her bag and gave

it to us and said that she was going to drink it if nobody was on her side,” said Johnson.

She said that the couple is currently enjoying their lives together, more than one year after the incident.

Through MCD awareness programmes in the community, families have come out in numbers to seek support.

“This is something that makes us feel good,” Johnson said.

A recent survey conducted by the MCD in the area has indicated that 80 per cent of those who attempted suicide are East Indians, 11 per cent are Africans, eight per cent mixed and the other one per cent being Amerindians.

Many who attempted suicide drank poisonous substances, while hanging appeared to be the other preferred method.

Chancellor calls for Justice Chang’s budget case ruling to be respected

T

he response by politicians of the two major political parties to acting Chief Justice Ian Chang’s ruling recently handed down in the 2012 budget cut case, continues to evoke concerns by functionaries within the legal sector.

In an invited comment on the issue, acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh stated that the principle of “obedience to the law” requires every citizen to respect and obey judgments/deci-

sions and orders of the courts.

Further, he noted that, “the general principle is that no matter how erroneous or flawed an order of a court may be perceived to be, that order must be respected, obeyed and/or complied with, until it is set aside by a superior court. The doctrine of the separation of powers does not insulate any branch of government or the representatives of such branch from the obligation to show respect for and obedience to orders

of the courts. Where there is defiance and disobedience to orders of the courts, the result is a state of anarchy, chaos, and confusion.”

Both the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) leader David Granger and the leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Khemraj Ramjattan have indicated publicly that the ruling is wrong and they will not abide by it, and will cut the 2014 budget although the ruling clearly says

that they have no lawful right to do so.

Recently, the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall issued a statement on this matter in which he stated that, “the position is, unless and until, a pronouncement made by a court is set aside by another court of competent jurisdiction, that pronouncement must be obeyed and respected by all, irrespective how wrong one may feel that pronouncement is.”

18

guyanatimesgy.com

sunday, february 2, 2014

thursDAY, march 11, 2010 | guyanatimesGY.com

By Bernice Bede Osol

archie

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19) Friends or relatives may want to meddle in your personal affairs, but if you care about your partner, you must keep them at bay.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19) You stand to make some extra money if you can focus on work today. Business trips will be successful and will allow you to network with someone who may be able to help you with something at a later date.

PISCES (Feb.20March 20)

dilbert

Try not to employ emotional blackmail to get your way with your partner. Chances are good that it will backfire, leaving you exasperated and with only yourself to blame. Instead, be passionate and considerate.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) You may fall for the hyperbole of unreliable individuals. Don’t make any promises, and don’t expect others to keep theirs.

A group or organisation may be costly for you.

CANCER (June 21July 22) Notoriety may not turn out to benefit you today.

Be cautious about sharing your grievances. A colleague’s agenda may set you back.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22) Make sure you have all the facts before weighing in, or you may say things you will later regret. Minor accidents will irritate. Be careful to avoid any such problem.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) It’s a good day to use your hands and get crafty.

You will enjoy seeing some tangible results. Children may seek out your counsel today. Make a plan to get active.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23) Complete domestic tasks first thing. Plan to include your family in today’s activities.

Unexpected guests may turn up.

Calvin and Hobbes TAURUS (April 20May 20)

You must make good use of your energy today.

If you expect help, you will end up feeling angry.

Plan your day carefully so that you can pursue your goals independently.

Peanuts

GEMINI (May 21June 20) Headaches or problems with skin, bones or teeth may occur. Do not overdo it today. Allow yourself to rest. Don’t impulsively overspend.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22) If you’ve been avoiding solving domestic problems, you will meet with difficulties. Your partner is unlikely to want to help you now.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21) If you’ve been negligent with your domestic responsibilities, tension will mount. You may want to consider making a residential move.

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Investigations

However, during the investigations and despite the doubt, the possibility of being raped with a baton in the anus was was not excluded.

One expert has stated that taking into consideration the size of the baton, and if indeed, Harding was raped with it, he would have been in such severe pain that he would have been unable to walk.

The investigators also looked at the background of the young man and realised that he was previously incarcerated for a year on a robbery charge.

Guyana Times understands that on the night

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Police Complaints Authority (PAC) Chairman Cecil Kennard

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Bibi Shalimar Ali-Hack

Harding was arrested, he refused to adhere to the orders of the ranks, which would have seen them using some form of force, in order to get him into his cell.

The PCA chairman however, thought that there was some evidence to charge at least two ranks for using excessive force, while the others will be disciplined, since it is believed that they failed to carry out their duties in a professional manner.

While he would have recommended criminal charges be instituted against the ranks, he reiterated that those charges might not be in favour of all the parties involved.

He did tell the ranks at Timehri that he was beaten, but the ranks failed to file the complaint and more so, did not take him to seek medical attention.

These, according to information received, were some of the facts that were submitted by the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) in the file to be perused by the PCA chairman.

Now that the former chancellor of the judiciary has completed his task, he will forward his recommendations to DPP Bibi Shalimar Ali-Hack on Monday, for advice.

This case has taken a new dimension with several human rights bodies calling for an independent investigation, which was supported by President Donald Ramotar.

Harding was sent to Jamaica to receive medical attention and based on initial reports, his intestines were damaged.

There is no word out of Jamaica as yet to confirm that he was sodomised with a police baton.

Medical evidence

The PCA chairman noted that, thus far, there has been no medical evidence to support the claim made by Harding.

Also, when Harding was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, he did not inform prison officials or doctors that he was sodomised.

Litter prevention regulations to be aggressively enforced

M

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Harding’s baton-rape allegation challengeable I

n a few days, the fate of the police ranks who have been accused byColwyn Harding of batonrape will be known as the Police Complaints Authority (PAC) Chairman Cecil Kennard sends his recommendations in writing to the director of public prosecutions (DPP).

But the question remains whether or not Harding is telling the truth.

According to information received, a statement given by the victim said that he was severely beaten, thus he passed out, but upon regaining consciousness, he claimed that a rank was standing behind him with a baton in his hand. Harding apparently concluded that he was sodomised.

This accusation was difficult to prove since the persons who were arrested along with him on the night could not substantiate his claim.

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19

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ore stringent action will now be taken against defaulters who lend to the unbecoming garbage situation in Guyana, with the advent of the Litter Enforcement Regulations 2013, which were made under the Environmental Protection Act. The new regulations deal with issues including litter prevention wardens, offences and special powers of court on convicting offenders.

Under ‘offences’, “A person who, without reasonable excuse, deposits litter in or on any public place… is guilty of an offence”.

Also, persons who deposit litter from a moving vehicle unto a public place will be considered an offender. However, if the person who committed the offence cannot be determined, then the driver of the vehicle will be held responsible.

Consequently, any individual found guilty of any offence will be liable to a fine of $50,000, while a corporate body will be issued a fine of $100,000.

Additionally, it is an offence not to provide a receptacle for litter in public transportation. It is expected that the owner of every vehicle for hire provides within his/her vehicle, a receptacle for the collection of litter.

Failure to satisfy this regulation would result in a penalty fee of $15,000.

Meanwhile, the 2013 regulations also allow for the appointment of litter prevention wardens by public authorities.

Persons with such authority “may summarily act to prevent the deposit or attempted deposit of litter in any public place in which they are authorised to act”.

The regulations also outline the institution of

increased penalties for persons found guilty of repeat offences.

If a person is found guilty of committing a litter offence, the litter prevention warden may instruct that person to place the litter in the nearest receptacle or “remove the litter to the nearest approved site”.

According to the Litter Enforcement Regulations 2013, “where any person is convicted of an offence under regulation three (Special Powers of Court on Convicting Offenders), the court may, in addition to imposing a penalty, order the offender… to clean up and remove such litter deposited in such public place within such period specified in the order”.

These advanced regulations are expected to be strictly enforced and monitored by the relevant authorities, so as to ensure a cleaner Guyana.

20

February 2, 2014

guyanatimesGY.com

Barcelona suffer rare home defeat B

arcelona lost at home in the league for the first time since April 2012 as Valencia ended the league leaders’ run of 25 successive wins at the Nou Camp.

Alexis Sanchez gave Barca the lead before Dani Parejo swept home and Pablo Piatti headed in for the visitors.

Lionel Messi made it 2-2 from the penalty spot after Ricardo Costa had handled, but Valencia grabbed a famous win when Paco Alcacer slotted in.

The La Liga champions were also reduced to 10 men when Jordi Alba was sent off.

The former Valencia player was dismissed for a bodycheck on Sofiane Feghouli 13 minutes from time.

Defeat was Barcelona’s first at home in the league since a 2-1 loss to Real Madrid in April 2012.

“I would say to them [the Barcelona players that everything continues, that we may lose the leadership of the league, but that we will still continue to fight,” said Barcelona manager Gerardo

Martino.

“We will try to recover the lost ground on our title rivals. We conceded chances to Valencia and they took advantage of them. We need to keep going and keep in mind how much this hurt us today.”

Barcelona remain top of the table on goal difference with 54 points, from Atletico Madrid, who play Real Sociedad today.

Real Madrid, who have won their last five league matches, are a point behind.

(BBC Sport)

Lambert looking to sign off...

“I have set myself some goals, at age 32 I think I have another two years playing for Jamaica. So I really want to leave with a bang and unfortunately I did not really get a hundred and I really want to get it so hopefully, I still have two preliminary round games to play so I can get it,” said Lambert.

“The coach always says I must bowl a lot more.

This time around the chairman of the selectors said I am the second spinner so am willing to help out my team whichever way I can.”

Jamaica, with 28 each from Andre Russell and

Carlton Baugh, scored 282 for five from their 50 overs, while the Windwards with an unbeaten 100 from Keddy Lesporis, 52 from Devon Smith and 40 from Johnson Charles got to 268 for 8 in their 50 overs.

McCarthy, 26, finished with the top score of 93 but was guided by his senior partner in a period that swung the match in favour of the challengers.

Lambert was named man-of-the-match for an all-round performance in which he also grabbed two wickets for 32 runs.

“You batting and you find the team thirty something for three and as a se-

from back page

nior player, you have to bat through the innings and I thought me and McCarthy really batted well through the middle part of the innings,” said Lambert “ I just advised him (McCarthy) to just keeping rotating the strike and push the ball into the outfield and sooner or later our time will come and I thought in the middle part our time really came and we really push them we were about to step on it accelerate and really get up to a very good total”.

Jamaica go in search of their second win when they play Ireland on Monday. (www.windiescricket.com)

Giles “strong candidate” as new sole coach

E

ngland will return to having one coach in charge of all international cricket formats with limited-overs coach Ashley Giles a “strong candidate” for the job.

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Giles Clarke confirmed the move at a media briefing following Andy Flower’s resignation as team director.

Flower split coaching duties with Giles in 2012 and focused on the Test side.

“We’ve learned with the

dividing roles and think it’s better to bring them together,” Clarke said.

“I believe that is where (ECB managing director) Paul Downton is at the moment. Unless he changes his mind, I think that’s where we see it going.”

While acknowledging that former Warwickshire director of cricket and England spinner Giles, 40, would be a leading contender to take on the additional responsibilities of preparing the Test side, Clarke said

others would also be considered.

Nottinghamshire director of cricket Mick Newell has expressed his desire to replace Flower, while former England captain Michael Vaughan believes South African Gary Kirsten should be considered.

“We would agree he (Giles) is a strong candidate,” Clarke said. “He’s a valued employee of the ECB, a man of great integrity and ability.

“But Paul will conduct

a proper process and other candidates may emerge.”

Clarke confirmed that Flower left his position as coach because of a desire to have a single coach for England’s Test, one-day international and Twenty20 sides, rather than as a direct result of England’s 5-0 Ashes defeat in Australia.

He also dismissed suggestions that Flower’s departure was due to any rift with England batsman Kevin Pietersen.

The former coach was

reported to have told the England authorities in January that he would resign if Pietersen remained in the England set-up, though later denied ever making such an ultimatum.

Clarke said: “This is Andy’s decision. He was concerned that because there are players who go across formats it’s important to have the same culture.

“He was not going to carry on doing it if he thinks there are issues. Andy had

concerns about not having a full integrated team and manager.”

Clarke also said Downton would speak to Flower, 45, about remaining involved with the ECB in a senior position.

“Andy has a great deal to give English cricket,” Clarke added. There are some major roles and I’m confident he’ll remain with us.

“That will emerge once Paul and Andy have completed their discussions.”

(BBC Sport)

February 2, 2014

guyanatimesGY.com

21

International Six wins SPR three-way domino I

nternational Six was able to hold off a surging Zeelugt on Wednesday to win the SPR sponsored three-way aggregate domino tournament held at the Everest Cricket Club.

International Six entered the final leg comfortably ahead on 150 games to Zeelugt’s 143, while Canal Six was in second with 145 games.

However, Zeelugt caught fire to take the final leg with 79 games, while International Six had 77.

Canal Six was unable to keep a pace with a meagre total of 68 games.

Ron Callender was the topscorer for International Six with 15 games, while Intikab Ali had 14 games.

Martin Permaul and Colin Hicken had 13 games apiece to help carry International Six to an overall total of 227.

Zeelugt took a close second after their final leg rally to end on 222 games with Boodnarine Persaud scoring the maximum

18 games on the final leg. Robin Persaud had 16 games, while Baleam Sammy had 15 to support the failed comeback effort.

Ramroop Sukhai, Mahase Sangiwan and Parmanand Ramdial marked 13 games each for Canal Six, while Chibal Seopaul was the lone lovebird.

At the presentation ceremony held after the tournament the top two teams received their trophies, while the three top players in the winning team- Intikab Ali with 43 games, Ron Callender 41 and Edmund Sammy 38 were also rewarded.

Prizes were also awarded to the two best players in the second team- Boodnarine Persaud with 43 games and Robin Persaud 40, as well as Parmanand Dindial of Canal who made 28 games in two legs for an average of 14.

Rotary Club of NA to host T20 tournament on February 16

T

he Rotary Club of New Amsterdam will host an exciting day of Twenty20 cricket on February 16 at the Cumberland ground in Canje.

The one-day event will feature Albion Cricket Club, Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, Young Warriors and D’Edward Cricket Club/ West Side with action set to

commence from 09:00 hours.

The event is being hosted as a “fund-raiser charity game” to raise funds for the club’s programmes for 2014, which include a number of community related projects.

Meanwhile, after the Twenty20 fiesta, patrons will have the opportunity to witness a live band together with a car and bike showdown where auto owners

can compete for the titles of best sound, cleanest vehicle, best graphics and antique rides.

Entrance fee is $200 and persons interested in becoming sponsors or having an interest in the events can contact the club’s president Rajendra Rajkumar on 333-2751 or club secretary Gyandat Marray on 3333115.

22

February 2, 2014

guyanatimesGY.com

Niles wins Mashramani feature cycling race

Feature race winner Junior Niles collects his trophy from Arnold Sookraj, in the presence of national cycling coach and organiser of the day’s activities Hassan Mohamed (Photos: Rajiv Bisnauth)

By Rajiv Bisnauth

T

he experienced Junior Niles braved a wet inner circuit of the National Park to win the feature 35-lap School Boys and Invitational race on Saturday.

The race was the first of two Mashramani cycling programmes this weekend and was organised by national cycling coach Hassan Mohamed with official sponsorship from the National Sports Commission (NSC).

Niles held his nerves

among a star-studded field, cruising to the finish line almost 100 meters ahead of his nearest rival. He clocked one hour, 17 minutes, 36:45 seconds (01h: 17m: 36:45s).

Orville Hinds, Alanzo Greaves, Raynauth Jeffrey, Michael Anthony and Paul De Nobrega rounded out the top six finishers in that order.

Jeffrey collected four of the eight prime prizes on offer, while Paul ChooWee-Nam won two. There was one each for Niles and Hinds.

The BMX riders started the day’s proceedings with Sherwin Sampson, Esan Talsingh and Alexander Leung finishing 1-2-3 in the 6-9 years event. Sampson was in winner’s row again, beating off the challenge of Taran Garbarran to win the 9-12 category.

The BMX 12-14 race was won Rawle Small with Bryton John and Taqiq Khan coming in second and third respectively. Small then got the better of Jaleel Jackson in the BMX Open.

Romelo Crawford copped

Junior Niles celebrates his first victory of 2014

the 12-14 Boys and Girls race ahead of Jamal John and Tariq Williams. Crawford also won the prime prize on offer.

Niles and Turhan Harris shared the two top positions in that order in the Veterans Under-50 race; Linden Blackman prevailed over and Wilfred Thom in the Veterans Over-50 and Maurice Fagundes won ahead of Anthony Fariah in the Veterans Over-60 event.

Michael Anthony won the Juveniles race with Alonzo Ambrose and Akeem

Arthur ending in second and third positions respectively, with Romelo Crawford and Anthony pocketing the prime prizes.

Clyde Jacobs carted of the Mountain Bike race, finishing ahead of Nigel Jacobs and Ray Nurse in that order.

Clyde Jacobs won the only prime prize.

Meanwhile, riders will be in action again this morning in a 40-mile road race.

The race will begin from the Demerara Harbour Bridge at 09:00 hours, proceed to Bushy Park, Parika,

and return to the Harbour Bridge for the finish.

The first six cyclists, as well as the first two juniors, veterans, females and the first upright rider to finish the race will be awarded prizes at the end of the day’s events.

Warren McKay is the defending champion, having won last year’s event in a time of one hour, 40 minutes, 36 seconds (01h: 40m: 36s).

The race is open only to registered cyclists and licensed riders.

RHTY&SC/GBTI inter-school cricket begins with impressive ceremony

T

he first edition of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) and Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) inter-secondary school tournament bowled off on Thursday with a highly impressive opening ceremony at the Area “H” ground.

All seven schools participating in the tournament turned up with their Under-15 and female team and were involved in a colourful anti-drug and suicide march.

The seven teams carried educational banners and posters promoting the “Say no to drugs and Yes to Life” message and also shouted out impressive slogans as they marched pass GBTI’s Port Mourant Branch Manager, Ghoeblall Mahadeo, who

Sayaad Pir Baksh

took the march pass salute.

Secretary/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the RHTY&SC, Hilbert Foster, in brief remarks to the assembled cricketers, ad-

vised them to stay in school, develop a culture of respect and discipline and most importantly to always say no to drugs.

He described life as a gift from the almighty and urged the youths to never consider suicide, as any problem they would face is temporary and would go away with time.

The veteran cricket administrator called on the 14 teams to play the tournament in good spirit and to be proper ambassadors for their respective schools.

Foster also expressed gratitude to the management and staff of GBTI for their sponsorship of the tournament.

In the female 10-over tapeball match, Corentyne Comprehensive Secondary, led by national cricketer Plaffina Millington thrashed

Members of the successful J C Chandisingh Secondary School team strike a pose

J C Chandisingh by 23 runs to advance to the semi-finals. Batting first, CCS amassed 80-4 off their allotted 10 overs with Millington topscoring with 33 not out

with five boundaries, while Whitney Poyer and Tatyana Blair both supported with 10 each.

Bowling for J C Chandisingh Secondary.

Zian Yarrick took 2 wickets for one run. In reply, J CChandisingh Secondary was restricted to 57-7 with Lisa Yorrick topscoring with 12. Tatyana Blair returned with the ball to claim 2-9 for CCS. Later in the day, J C Chandisingh Secondary got sweet revenge when their Under-15 team got past CCS by 39 runs in a match reduced to 20 overs due to rain. Batting first, J C Chandisingh Secondary rattled up 115 all out in 19.5 overs as S.purbaskh top scored with 37 and received

support from Kevin Hooper (15) and Vitendra Kumar (13). Bowling for CCS, Avinash Ramnarine took 3-19, Emanuel Seecharran 2-8 and Ronald Rowe 2-27.

In return, CCS was bundled out for 76 as only Surendra Budhoo with 24 and Seecharran with 12 offered any resistance to Sayaad Pir Baksh, who had the remarkable bowling figures of 6-16 from four overs.

Coordinator of the tournament, Moonish Singh, stated that the RHTY&SC was delighted at the launch of the tournament and also the high standard of play.

He expressed pleasure at the high turnout of spectators at the matches with all three pavillions in the Area “H” ground packed to capacity.

February 2, 2014

Trophy Stall sponsors RHTY&SC’s tapeball competition

Managing Director of Trophy Stall Ramesh Sunich (right), hands over the winner’s trophy to Moonish Singh, head of the RHTY&SC’s Cricket Development Committee

T

he Cricket D e v e l o p m e n t Committee of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC), as part of their mandate in the development of youth cricket at the school level, has officially launched a tapeball competition for primary schools in the New Amsterdam/Canje/East Bank areas.

The tournament, which is part sponsored by the Trophy Stall, was launched last Tuesday in the showroom of the company’s recently opened store, based on South Road, Bourda.

Managing Director of the business entity, Ramesh Sunich, in handing over a number of trophies and medals to office manager of the RHTY&SC Moonish Singh for the tournament,

stated that the main objectives of the tournament are to promote cricket as a safe avenue for children, identify new talents for the future and to promote the “say no to drugs and yes to education” message.

Singh, who is also head of the RHTY&SC Cricket Development Committee, expressed gratitude to the business entity for its continued support of the RHTY&SC and its activities.

The winning team will receive a trophy and medals for its entire 14-man squad, while the runners-up and the man-of-the-final will also receive trophies.

Members of the two finalists will each receive a collection of books as part of the RHTY&SC “Yes to Reading” programmes.

Goodwill Republic T20 festival fixed for Mash day in Berbice

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ricket fans in Berbice are in for a treat as Goodwill Promotions has confirmed that the Bath Settlement Community Centre ground on the West Coast of Berbice will be the venue for the hosting of the first-ever Goodwill Republic Twenty20 cricket festival slated for February 23, a national holiday.

According to the organisers, two of the top clubs in Georgetown have already confirmed their participation in the festival, while confirmation was also given from the West Berbice teams.

A launch will be done on a later date whereby the names of the teams will be made public.

The organisers are promising two exciting semi-finals and an invitational match, followed by the final under floodlights. “This is the first time that Twenty20 cricket under lights will be played in West Coast

Berbice,” a release from the organisers pointed out.

There will also be lots of side attractions so fans can celebrate Mash in Berbice in grand style. There will be a one-man band, African and Indian drummers, dancers, steel pan music and much more. Admission into the venue is minimal and patrons will have a chance of winning gate prizes.

The organisers say that this is one way of keeping the spirit of Mash alive since not many of the Berbicians go to the national Mashramani parade in Georgetown.

The event will see a plethora of national Twenty20 players in action while there will be a surprise appearance from a national cricket icon in Guyana.

While several entities have thrown their support behind the event, Goodwill Promotions is willing to welcome any other interested partners to make the event a success.

guyanatimesGY.com

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

February 2, 2014

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FOOTBALL: BARCELONA 3-2 V VALENCIA FC; RUGBY: FRANCE 26-24 V ENGLAND

Niles wins Mashramani feature cycling race See story on page

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The outstanding riders pose with their prizes at the conclusion of the day’s activities (Photo: Rajiv Bisnauth)

Lambert looking to sign off with a bang

International Six wins SPR three-way domino See story on page

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P

ORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad - Former Jamaica cricket captain Tamar Lambert says he wants to retire from first class cricket with a bang after missing a century by 12 runs in the opening match of the NAGICO Super50 tournament at the Queen’s Park Oval on Thursday.

Lambert, 32, says he may call it a day by 2016, after leading a recovery to score 88 in Jamaica’s 14-run victory over champions Windward Islands He resurrected his team from a slippery 32 for three by sharing in a decisive recording breaking stand of 179 for the fourth wicket with Andre McCarthy (93).

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Tamar Lambert

Sponsor Scotty Patel Ramroop (right) of SPR Enterprise hands over the winner’s trophy to International Six skipper Manniram Shew in the presence of other members of the victorious team

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