Guyana Times Daily

Leadership race ...

AFC avoids election of Presidential and PM candidates

to facilitate Ramjattan’s selection of Nagamootoo

As preparations accelerate and the days wind down for the Alliance For Change (AFC) biennial National Convention, General Secretary of the minority parliamentary Opposition party David Patterson said that floor nominations should be expected.

Patterson had already confirmed that all posts within the party will be

up for election. However, the Presidential and Prime Ministerial candidates will not be elected since the party would have to hold a special conference for them to be elected.

The party’s conference

will see the election or reelection of office bearers for several posts within the party, including the posts for

General Secretary, Leader, Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Party Treasurer, among others.

Leadership

Currently, the AFC is led by Khemraj Ramjattan, its Chairman is Nigel Hughes, Vice Chairman is Moses Nagamootoo, and Treasurer is Dominic Gaskin.

Although nominations for posts within the par-

ty are to be received by December 1, Patterson explained that floor nominations have always been a part of the conference in the years past.

He said that AFC observers and delegates are free to respectively see and take part of this process at this upcoming conference.

He noted that “it has happened before”, adding that “of course”, it should be expected to happen at this conference.

AFC had claimed that its conference which was previously scheduled for October 26 was dependent on the passage of the NoConfidence Motion that the party brought against the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Donald Ramotar-led Administration.

But due to the non-passage of the No-Confidence Motion, the party was forced to abandon the late October date and reschedule its biennial congress.

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan

AFC Vice Chairman Moses Nagamootoo

AFC General Secretary David Patterson

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

AFC’s politics of race

The Alliance For Change (AFC) was birthed in 2005, in anticipation of the general elections Constitutionally due the following year. It was characterised by an open acknowledgement by its three leaders that it was aligned to “American interests”; a stated commitment to the tenets of Liberalism and a leadership structure supposedly addressing the challenge of “multiracial politics”.

Its remarkable recapitulation of the trajectory followed by Forbes Burnham in the formation of his Peoples National Congress (PNC) was evidently lost on the triumvirate. Like Burnham they all decamped from existing parties - Raphael Trotman (PNC), Khemraj Ramjattan (PPP/C) and Shiela Holder (WPA). Burnham also made it clear that he supported American (and British) interests and finally with his choice of his Executive, claimed to be a true practitioner of “multiracial politics”.

Burnham chose as the Chairman of the PNC an Indian leader - JP Latchmansingh and another, Jai Naraine Singh as General Secretary. This was a mirror image of what Dr Jagan had done to form the PPP - but Jagan espoused a non-racial ideology. The AFC’s gimmick to demonstrate “difference” was to announce that their Presidential Candidate at elections was going to be rotated between their African and Indian leaders.

At the time of their launching, there had been an ongoing attempt by all the smaller parties, in and out of Parliament, to form a “Third Force” to be representative of a new “multi racial” politics. The leaders of the AFC firmly turned their backs on this option.

In 2006, under the leadership of Raphael Trotman and with an ostentatious “US poll” predicting their “victory”, the AFC secured five seats - mainly on the support from the traditional PNC constituency.

Even under their vaunted “rotational leadership”, the AFC’s Presidential candidate’s racial origin, was predictive of their support - much as it had been for the PPP/C and PNC in the preceding 50 years. Their voters were registering their dissatisfaction with “their” party - the PNC - for losing three preceding elections. It was the politics of race playing out.

In 2011, Trotman balked at Ramjattan’s turn to “rotate” the Presidential candidacy and quit the party under the excuse that he was “sick”. With no African leader of comparable stature, Ramjattan exacerbated the “uni-racial” nature of the AFC by recruiting his old ally from the PPP/C, Moses Nagamootoo and a former ROAR Executive Member V Ramaya .

They abandoned all pretence of “multiracialism” as they courted the predominantly Indian Berbice voters that used to vote reflexively PPP/C. Not coincidentally, all three were “Berbicans”.

In 2012, Nigel Hughes was chosen as Party Chairman, supposedly to substitute for the departed Raphael Trotman, who was now strategically placed as Speaker of the National Assembly. But by 2014, the AFC abandoned even the fig-leaf of “racial rotational leadership” that was their claim to fame in the national aspiration for a new, real “multiracial politics”.

Amazingly for a party that claimed to be following the tenets of Liberalism, the leader of the AFC unilaterally announced that his choice of the next Presidential Candidate for the AFC was his old friend, Moses Nagamootoo.

Now an overwhelmingly Indian party - from their support base and their top leadership’s composition - the AFC’s Nagamootoo and Ramjattan have now signalled that their Prime Ministerial Candidate will be Nigel Hughes. This is even more flagrantly tokenistic than the practice which they had trenchantly criticised in the PPP/C and PNC.

But more insidiously, with their decision to go after only the PPP/C in their attacks - the AFC has become a “flank” party to the former. In this scenario, the AFC is stressing the PPP/C’s “betrayal” of its constituency through blatant misrepresentations and falsehood.

In a society where the societal fissures are racially based, the danger is that the PPP/C may respond to the pressures. Our advice it that it should maintain its historic commitment to multiracial politics and not be goaded by the opportunistic AFC.

It's most certainly a plea bargain

Dear Editor,

Though not conducted in a court of law, the Sattaur versus Glenn Lall case bears all the trappings of a plea bargain.

GRA Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur decided to drop the "threatening language charge" against Glenn Lall and some sections of the population are perplexed as to what transpired here.

Well, there is not much perplexity in the matter because if you have even half a brain you would recognize that somebody called somebody and begged that the matter be dropped. Like we would say in Guyanese creole, "leh we mek up dis ting boy."

I wasn't there, but it might have very well run like this: “I am already down on my knees and business is not doing well, so before I suffer the ignominy of paying out millions more let us end this thing calmly."

And this is precisely my point, it all has to do with the GRA boss and Lall "amicably" deciding to "bury the hatchet" with him, Lall, walking away with some, if any, dignity left.

Some might want to call it corruption at its highest, while others tend to castigate Sattaur for allowing Lall to "get away with murder". It is none of the above, rather it is what I would say calling to say that you are sorry for what you have done and with it, offering a truce.

It is what we call in the conflict resolution sphere

"arriving at a (BATNA) Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement. The GRA boss who is an honourable and forgiving gentleman would have made that hard decision to drop the threatening charges against Lall.

Two very serious indictable charges, which if dealt with in its truest sense could see the incarceration of the accused, but allowing some measure of reprieve for Lall. Simply put, you do not kill a dead man rather you allow him to self destruct.

This is not corruption. It makes perfectly legal sense when dealing with matters involving high profile individuals such as Lall. The fact is Lall wheels some degree of power and influence in Guyana, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) in particular, and to incarcerate Lall would be playing into his hands.

People will feel sorry for him while it would in some way validate his claims that the Government is out to get him and shut his paper down. People would view this as shutting down the "voice of truth", as some good friends of mine call his newspaper.

So, Sattaur would say let the guy print his nonsense and immolate himself, at the end of the day everyone would see through Lall's lies and deal with him.

But the crimes against the state - millions of dollars owed to the people of Guyana – remain. He must pay every penny of it. He cannot, he will not get away with that. All that moun-

tain of evidence involving the Brijnanans and the tax evasion charges would be dealt with swiftly and condignly in court.

Now, for some who may still be in doubt as to what took place in Mr Sattaur's withdrawal of the charges against Lall, let me relate to you a story that took place a few years ago. I went to the General Post Office in Georgetown to post a parcel overseas, when after the paperwork was done, came the intense scrutiny of the contents of my parcel.

I was irritated with the intensity of the search by the CANU officials, which caused me to remark that in St Lucia where I reside there is hardly such scrutiny of ones stuff and drugs trafficking is not so prevalent.

In Guyana, there is so much scrutiny as with a fine tooth comb, yet for all of this drugs still pass through. I further remarked that with the Guyanese system for any drugs to pass through it must have been some collusion between the sender and party, or parties in the parcels section of the post office.

To this comment the female CANU representative there, in strong language, told me that she will not be sending my parcel. At that stage my friend who was waiting outside advised me to go speak to Mr Sattaur.

At first I was reluctant to go, knowing fully well the red tape that surrounds these top officials and the difficulty of either seeing them far less to have

an audience with them. To my astonishment I was able to go right through to Mr Sattaur’s office.

At first he gave me a reprimand for speaking out of terms at the post office. He told me that there was no need for me to utter those words. He then told me to go on to get my stuff posted he is going to call over to the officer there and straighten things out.

I was able to get my things posted barring the grumbles from the lady there and the sarcasm "who you think you are you pulling your ropes, you run to Sattaur". I was not in the least going to heighten the tensions with her, I got my parcel posted she can grumble as much as she wants. In it all I see a dignified, morally upright, honourable and fair man in Mr Sattaur. This is the personality Glenn Lall knows, and appealed to the softer and gracious side of the man. It has nothing to do with race as some might surmise (Lall and Sattaur being Indian) far from it. I am not Indian and I could have gotten in contact with the honourable gentleman within minutes. So race is not a factor to be considered ever.

Finally, I must commend Mr Sattaur on the great work he is doing in safeguarding the nation's revenue collection. And one last thing sir: Let the crook pay up, our country needs it badly.

Sincerely, Neil Adams

Stuntmen perform on the eve of the sacrificial ceremony for the “Gadhimai Mela” festival in Bariyapur, November 27. The festival, renowned for its large number of animal sacrifices, is held every five years at the Gadhimai Temple where devotees from Nepal and bordering India sacrifice buffaloes, goats and birds while offering prayers to Gadhimai, the goddess of power (Reuters)

More than $277M distributed in Education Cash Grant

The Education Ministry has reported that the distribution of the “Because We Care” $10,000 Cash Grant has concluded in most of the Administrative regions. Service to eight locations in the hinterland and riverine communities has been delayed due to inclement weather conditions, among other minor unforeseen circumstances. Service to these areas is expected to be completed by December 4.

As of November 25, the Ministry has recorded that a total of 135,347 “Because we Care” $10,000 Cash Grant vouchers have been

distributed, a release said.

According to Western Union, on Sunday, November 23, their records indicate that a total of 131,075 vouchers have been en-cashed at their locations. Meanwhile, in the areas where only cash was distributed, the Ministry reports that it has distributed more than $277 million.

As the Ministry continues its reconciliation processes to ensure that monies and vouchers are accurately accounted for, it advises parents to make every effort to en-cash their “Because we Care” $10,000 vouchers by Sunday, November 30.

The “Because we Care”

AFC avoids...

It was only until after the prorogation of Parliament that the December 6 date was set for the coference.

Meanwhile, AFC Member of Parliament (MP) Cathy Hughes in a brief interview with Guyana Times noted that she is not aware of any nominations on her behalf being forwarded to the General Secretary.

However, she explained that she “may be” nominated for posts within the party.

“That doesn’t mean I am

going to accept, but I may,” said Hughes.

AFC Youth Leader Trevor Williams and Executive Member Valerie Garrido-Lowe were not previously nominated for any of the top spots within the party.

When contacted last Tuesday, Williams said that as far as he is aware he was not nominated for any leadership position within the party, but insisted that if nominated he would not shy away from any position.

$10,000 Cash Grant programme is meant to provide more support for parents with school-age children and increase the disposable income of parents with school-age children with a view to raising enrollment and attendance rates.

This is in fact the first programme of its kind in the Caribbean and indeed anywhere else in this part of the world where every public school child is entitled to this benefit.

The “Because we Care” $10,000 Cash Grant programme was launched on October 11, 2014 in Bartica, Region Seven.

from page 3

“I have not been nominated… but if nominated I don’t think I would decline,” said the AFC Youth Leader, adding that “I am open to nominations… I am open to their confidence.”

When asked about his future with the party and this probability of him being elected to office, Williams was adamant that he has political ambitions, but given the current state of affairs with respect to Parliament, any pursuit of that at this point would be “distracting”.

Police comfort family of victim who reportedly died after Police beating

DDivision Commander, Senior Superintendent Ian Amsterdam accompanied by Pastor Winston Assannah and Pastor Deryck Anderson of the Cops and Faith Community Network on Friday met and comforted the wife, children and other relatives of the late Asif Rahim Khatoon.

Amsterdam told Sursattie Chandrapaul, the reputed wife of the deceased that the Force is concerned over the allegations surrounding Khatoon’s death, and assured the family that every effort will be made to ensure the matter is thoroughly investigated.

The pastors also offered words of comfort to bereaved family members. Khatoon died on Thursday amid allegations that he was assaulted by Police while in custody over the last weekend at the Leonora Police Station.

The matter is being investigated by the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). The Guyana Police Force said an investigation has been launched by the Office of Professional Responsibility into the death of Khatoon.

Khatoon died days after an alleged beating from the Police while en route to Leonora Police Station, West Coast Demerara.

Khatoon, 38, of Ocean

Garden, Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara, succumbed to his injuries at his home.

In a release, Police stated that the now dead man was arrested on Saturday, November 22 following investigations into a report that he had allegedly assaulted his reputed wife. During efforts to arrest him, the Police claimed that he resisted but was eventually subdued and taken to the Leonora Police Station. At

man in custody whom he later reported had allegedly assaulted him. He was subsequently taken to the Parika Police Station where he was kept in the lockup. He was charged with assault and brought to the Leonora Police Station on Monday, November 24, to attend the Magistrate’s Court.

While at Leonora, his reputed wife reported that Khatoon was allegedly beaten by the Police and as a con-

the station, he made no complaints against the arresting ranks.

At the Leonora Station, Khatoon was kept on the bench handcuffed to another

sequence, he was taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where he was referred to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where he was seen by a doctor.

D Division Commander Ian Amsterdam in conversation with the dead man’s reputed wife

Education Minister Priya Manickchand and President Donald Ramotar with hinterland students during one of the distribution exercises

Page Foundation

Anu Dev

I try to follow the goings on back home as best as I can. The internet makes that feat achievable just by a few taps on the old iPad's virtual keyboard! But with finals looming tomorrow, I must confess that I'm not so up to date on the intricacies of the "No-Confidence" maneuvre versus the "prorogation checkmate".

Now I want to make this very clear. Contrary to what many of my friends and acquaintances back home might believe, I'm not too enamoured of politics. My Dad's foray into that vocation gave me a whole new perspective: it's not one that I would want to make my own.

But on the other hand, everything that I've learnt up to now has made it clear to me that we, the ordinary

What's going on??

“Democracy is not something you believe in or a place to hang your hat, but it's something you do. You participate. If you stop doing it, democracy crumbles.” – Abbie Hoffman...radical.

folks, ignore politics at our own peril. And it's a grave peril.

You see, even though we may be taught differently - politics pervades every ounce of our being and every second of our lives. Its challenge is basically the same with all the social institutions we create to make our lives a little better or simpler or just. We create these rules on how we ought to behave but pretty soon - and evidently inevitably - they take on lives of our own.

Take this expression that's being thrown around so casually back in Guyana - democracy. It sounded so simple when I was in Primary School. We all sat around in a circle and decided what game we ought to play.

We voted...and even though our game mightn't have been chosen, we were always consoled by the thought - "next time"!! And when you came down to it, the other persons' games

were also fun to play!!

Now I know by now that running a country is much more complex than selecting a game to play. But really, are they so different in their goals??

With games, the object is to have fun and in the end...all games are fun in some way or another. Now in running the country, I always thought the goal was your make life "better".

And while we may differ on the specifics (for me "better" means being able to sleep longer during rainy day...under my coverlet!) I really do suspect that in general we all want the same things.

We want things like a decent job, good roads and radio disc jockeys who don't talk too much. So when I see the life or death intensity with which politics is played in Guyana, it frightens me.

It's not as if it's like in the old days when there were severe differences in ideologies and so on.

From what I see, all the parties in Guyana seem to have the same perspective on how to get going with developing our country.

So the intensity must have to do with deciding who will get into power. Over here in Trinidad, I don't get the feeling that the politics is so intense. At election time...things do heat up, but never allowed to get out of hand like in Guyana. I'll never forget being trapped in a bus on the Agricola Public Road while cars were being burnt in 2012.

It looks like whether through prorogation or NoConfidence, elections are in our near term future. I just hope that our political leaders don't raise the temperature too much. And as far as democracy is concernedit's our duty to participate and let the politicians know how we feel.

I'll be voting for the first time, this go around, you know.

Imagine that!!

How

parents can

have a healthy relationship with their children

BY THOMAS FIFFER

Perhaps the worst thing a parent can hear from a grown up child is, “I want you out of my life. You’re toxic.” It’s a death sentence for the relationship, spelling a long period of estrangement if not a permanent break. It may be the healthiest decision for the child, but it is a heartbreaking one that carves a deep wound in both psyches, making the road to reconciliation arduous and uncertain. No parent is perfect. We’re all human, and we all make mistakes, including some whoppers. But there’s a difference between screwing up while providing healthy love and presiding over a psychologically damaging childhood that will necessitate a lifetime of healing. The steps outlined below are for concerned parents who want to do things right and are willing to examine themselves critically. They presuppose a healthy degree of self-awareness and the desire and ability to make positive changes. They do not address behaviour caused by substance abuse or serious mental illness. And they are only one man’s opinion.

1. Be the bigger person. You’re not only literally the bigger person, you’re the grown-up. Act like one. After the fight, be the one who breaks the silence, extends the olive branch, and works to restore healthy communication. You may have been right, but if being right is what parenting is about for you, you’re going to alienate your child. Apply the advantages of maturity for good. Step back and process. Use your judgment. And step in with determination not to be right but to make things right between the two of you. Children are much less likely to remember whether you won or lost a particular fight or argument than to recall exactly how you made them feel.

2. Don’t pathologise your children to cover up your own poor parenting skills. Labelling a child or using (or worse, seeking) a diagnosis, such as ADD/ ADHD or a personality disorder, to explain and excuse behaviour that you should be addressing – or that mirrors your unhealthy modelling – places a lead weight on your child that he or she will be eager to lift at the onset of

adulthood. The same goes for blaming undesirable behaviour on bad genes – meaning your partner’s. It’s one thing to be realistic about and treat an actual condition. It’s entirely another to indoctrinate your child with the inevitability of a limited, unhappy life due to inescapable deficiencies while refusing to address your own failings.

3. Don’t make their drama your drama. Your child gets the lead in the play or scores the winning run, basket, or goal in the championship game, or on the flip side, struggles with depression or endures a nasty breakup. Who’s triumphing or suffering? Who deserves the credit or the sympathy? Put the focus where it belongs – on your child –and keep it there. Sure, you have feelings. You share joy in your childs’ accomplishments and sorrow for their troubles. But don’t hang your emotional state on their emotional state or co-opt their experiences and feelings by making it all about you.

4. Understand the difference between criticising and correcting Children need guidance to stay on the right path. For many, discipline, selfcontrol, and healthy habits don’t come naturally –they’re learned. Be a guide, not a critic. Don’t call your child lazy or stupid. Teach your child a work ethic and help build his or her academic skills. Challenge and goal setting motivates people and makes them try harder. Personal insults break their spirit and make them want to give up. Criticism weakens, while correction strengthens and opens the door for positive reinforcement.

5. Learn impulse control. We all get upset. We all yell. And at times, we all lose it when our children push our specific buttons or do incredibly annoying or obnoxious things. When this happens, we feel unheard, hurt, and disrespected, and tempted to strike back – with harsh words, severe punishment, or physical blows.

Learning how to contain your immediate reaction and formulate an appropriate response will not only model balance to your child but also create a calmer dynamic and stop you from saying and doing things you will later regret. (Yahoo! News)

to be continued

28 loans disbursed for WOW Project

− thus far this year

The Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) has disbursed 28 loans thus far in the year toward the Women of Worth (WoW) Project, amounting to more than $7 million.

GBTI Credit Chief Shaleeza Shaw said most of the loans are “repeat borrows”, meaning that single mothers who took loans before were successful in repaying them.

Overall, some 1400 loans have been distributed since the project began in 2010.

The flourishing project expanded throughout most of the regions in Guyana, enabling poor single mothers to empower themselves and support their family through the establishment of small businesses.

Nevertheless, like any other project, GBTI highlighted some of the challenges it encountered during the period.

One of them is poor financial literacy of the single mothers. Some of the women did not fully understand the terms and conditions of the project and the loan repayment plans.

Another major concern was competition between single mothers in a particular area who decided to venture into the same business.

Competition

In a situation like this, Shaw suggested that the Human Services Ministry move to get these single mothers to obtain a joint loan to create a single business to eliminate the competition.

In this way, their prospective business would prosper more effectively, considering it would be operated by more than one person.

Another problem which continues to exist is the slow repayment or no repayment of loans.

Shaw revealed that this is due to many reasons; some being that the funds were diverted from being invested in the business, lost of stock or the mere fact that persons give up too easily.

Nevertheless, she stated that the Human Services Ministry and GBTI are involved in ongoing field visits to help those who struggle to maintain their business operations.Some of the businesses the single mothers choose to invest in are sewing services, grocery vending, clothes vending, poultry rearing, and small beauty salons, among others.

Shaw also stated that some of the single mothers also have part-time jobs which enhance their income, enabling them to better manage their families.

In an interview with Guyana Times , she highlighted two innovative businesses: one being a sewing class for the public and the other being a daycare.

Shaw was particularly pleased with these two businesses because they were not only creative, but successful.

The WOW Project will end next year, but GBTI will continue to assist the mothers in developing and expanding their businesses.

The Ministry also maintained that it is interested in extending the deadline of the project.

GBTI told this newspa -

Corletta Ann Jones, 36, who operates a clothing and cosmetic stall at the Corriverton Market, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) is a beneficiary of the programme.

She purchases goods in wholesale quantities from Suriname and Georgetown.

She was successful in repaying her first loan of $200,000 and therefore qualified for another loan with a lower interest rate.

per that it is committed to continuing its work with single mothers by assisting them to get out of poverty and will welcome the extension of the project.

Shaw maintained that GBTI is dedicated to improving the socioeconomic status of women in Guyana, noting that the project is not profit-driven.

Requirements

Applicants had to be registered with the Human Services and Social Security Ministry Single Parent Registry and be issued with an Introductory Letter by the Ministry or its representative agency.

Women single parents, religious groups and non-governmental organisations could apply for loans from a minimum of $100,000 to a maximum of $250,000 with an interest rate of six per annum up to a maximum term of 24 months.

Therefore, if you apply for a loan of $100,000 at six per cent per annum, for a period of 24 months, you will be required to pay $5,100 monthly. No equity was is required to receive the loan.

The project is a collaborative effort between the Human Services Ministry and GBTI.

WOW was established after the recognition that single parents are a vulnerable group in society that needs support to lift them out of poverty.

Single mothers were targeted because studies show that they are more likely to utilise the money to care for their children and repay their debts.

the University of Guyana.

The proud mother reported that her son secured 11 passes at the recent Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, counting Grades twos and threes.

She noted that the interest on the loan was not too high, contrary to what observers say.

However, for Jenny Griffith, there were some challenges with her poultry business. Due to the lost of livestock, she was forced to terminate the operation. However, she did not give up easily.

In fact, only recently she reopened the business and is aiming to take another loan. She managed to create a better life for herself and her child and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be able to do so.

Interest rate

Romona Samuel wins diamond ring in Mattai Christmas promotion

N&S Mattai and Company Limited on Friday held its annual Christmas promotion draw at its Water and Hope Streets, Georgetown store before scores of customers, many of whom were eager to become winners.

Safraz Ghani said the company is proud to be a sponsor of the Mattai promotion. Meanwhile, Romona Samuel, the winner of the first of two diamond rings valued at over $600,000, said she is elated at her good fortune.

“It really helped me. If it wasn’t for that money, I wouldn’t be able to expand my business,” the elated mother told Guyana Times

She said the extension of the business was not much, but the impact it made was greatly significant.

Expansion

Due to the expansion of her business, she was able to finance her son’s through secondary school and now he is attending

“It helped me a lot. I used the money and I turned it over in my business and my business is going good,” Griffith said She had borrowed more than once, noting that the interest rate is affordable.

There are many other success stories of single mothers from Bush Lot, Good Hope, Hampton Court, Canje, Phillipi Farm, Georgetown, and many more villages.

However, not all of the success stories are rainbows and butterflies. Several mothers noted that they had to endure hardships and overcome challenges, but they are resolutely determined not to give up.

Managing Directors Harry and Bharti Mattai expressed gratitude to the customers who shopped and placed their entries in the boxes provided.

Harry Mattai noted that for the past 50 years, the company has been providing customers with quality goods and services and will continue to do so.

He also disclosed that the business is looking to extend operations in Linden and open shop in Berbice, pointing out that residents in the latter region have been asking for a Mattai’s operations there.

Bharti said the promotion is in keeping with the company’s mandate of giving back to customers.

Colgate Brand Manager

Samuel said she is a regular shopper at the business and will continue to shop there since she always gets the best value for her money.

On the other hand, 16 names were selected for the weekly draw and will be given household appliances ranging from gas stoves to kettle cookers.

10 lucky persons were given $10,000 cash vouchers.

From now until Christmas, random persons will be selected for the Mattai weekly Christmas draw, in which household appliances will be up for grabs. No date has been announced, but the grand draw is set for late December.

Romona Samuel, the winner of the first diamond ring in the N&S Mattai's annual Christmas promotion weekly draw is congratulated by Managing Director Harry Mattai

GBTI is dedicated to improving the socioeconomic status of women in Guyana

All set for King’s Duck Curry Competition today

– venue shifted to National Park Tarmac due to inclement weather

The participants are all here and ready to tantalise the taste buds of the judges and patrons as they vie to be the best duck curry chef in the Caribbean at the 14th annual King’s Duck Curry Competition.

With the consistent rainfall experienced on Saturday, the venue had to be changed from Everest Cricket Ground to the National Park Tarmac.

So whether there rain or sunshine on Sunday, the competition will be on and the participants are all hyped and ready for the cook-off.

The participants include teams from Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad, the US, and for the first time Jamaica and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The team members poured in on Saturday morning and Guyana Times caught up with some of the participants from Trinidad and Tobago, who promise to bring their A-game at the cook-off.

Last year’s competition was won by a Surinamese team who blew the judges’ minds with their tasty and well-cooked duck meat. It was the first time a foreign team had won the competition in Guyana.

The massive Trinidad posse, of over 100 hundred persons, is not only here hoping to take away the title, but to also put on a grand show with a mega line up set to perform on

Sunday.

In addition to the competition, several artistes have been confirmed to perform including renowned Chutney King Rikki Jai; Guyana’s Baboo Terry Gajraj; Trinidad and Tobago (TT) Chutney sensation Sally Sagram; and the Extreme Band from TT. Also, there will be performances by local artistes such as the E-Networks

Emerging Voices top three finishers; Guyana’s Chutney Queen Fiona Singh; and the Caribbean Hotshots Band.

And in even better news for duck curry lovers, this year there will be duck curry on sale. The proceeds of

the competition will go to the Radio Needy Children’s Fund. There will also be games for the children in aid of the United Women for Children with Special Needs.

King’s Jewellery World will also be giving away five cricket bands to lucky patrons. Upon entry into the ground, persons will be given a ticket with a number which entitles them to be part of the grand draw. Patrons must be present at the time of the drawing in order to win.

Admission is always free and the action is set to start from noon.

Champions in the King’s Duck Curry Competition set for today

54-foot Christmas Tree lights up East Bank corridor

Thousands of Guyanese flocked the Rahaman’s Park Triangle on Friday evening to usher in the Christmas Season with a festive concert and the well-anticipated

eight Annual Christmas Tree LightUp.

President Donald Ramotar, First Lady Deolatchmie Ramotar and acting Tourism, Industry and Commerce

Minister Irfaan Ali all helped to activate the switch that lit up the 54 feet tall, artificial Christmas Tree in Houston.

Ray Rahaman voiced the First Lady’s sadness of not having a real tree like that of Rockefeller’s Centre. He urged the respective authorities to work towards making that dream possible.

Nevertheless, he expressed his dreams and delight of making the traditional cone-structured tree, six feet taller in the coming years.

This year saw a little twist to the annual event. As Minister Ali said, the public will be teased as they wait for the wreaths along the corridor to be illuminated.

Eyew tness Stoking fires...

...of race rage

Eusi Kwayana’s at it again. You’d think after such a long career firing up folks with his sly but incendiary interventions, he’d be worrying about those fires he’s gonna be stoking in the sulphurous netherworld. But looks like he’s made his bed and he’s gonna lie on it.

In his favourite rag, the Stabber News, he been accorded iconic status - The Black Sage - and his views are solicited with regularity and alacrity. Once there’s the opportunity to bash the PPP/C Government on the “race question”, of course.

Between those bouts of solicitations for exhortations, Kwayana weighs in ever so often with letters for the same end. But his partisans explain that the Black Sage is “impartial” since he “took on the PNC and Forbes Burnham”. That claim is complete balderdash, of course, since the Buxtonian explained he only did so because Burnham was betraying their constituency. As determined by Kwayana alone, of course.

So Kwayana has a letter in the Stabber claiming that Plaisance villagers are being robbed of their “ancestral lands” aback their village, by Guysuco. All for the purpose of enriching that notorious and cancerous clique called “friends of the PPP/C”, of course. Now either Kwayana’s doing a Rip van Winkle or he’s bent on stirring up violence for another Black Friday - of which he was one of the chief cooks and bottle washers.

Now since from his constant interventions we know he ain’t been sleeping for the last 20 years, the old rabble rouser’s definitely up to his old tricks. But if he’s been following the Plaisance villagers’ land claims - as his letter clearly proves - there’s no where in hell he could’ve missed the fact that Guysuco and the villagers have SETTLED the misunderstanding. The folks of Plaisance can farm the land!!

But hey!! Another PPP/C Government’s being set up for an ouster and Kwayana must do his bit. And he knows that land is an evocative flash point for African villagers. Who can doubt their yeoman efforts to establish the village system in our country?? But it’s for the very reason these folks don’t need to be used as cannon fodder in their elites’ political gamesmanship.

Those who purport to care for African Guyanese should join the efforts of this newspaper to push for entrepreneurship skills to be imbibed. The descendants of immigrants benefited from that category’s reflexive risk taking imperative - but it can be taught.

If people like Kwayana had focused half as much on encouraging economic advancement as political agitation, Guyana would’ve been a much prosperous and just society.

...and Nagamootoo’s “hit list”

There’s so much bile and bitterness in Moses Nagamootoo, it’s no wonder his visage’s permanently contorted. And his language’s so filled with hate. How else could you explain a man telling his six-year old grandson, - inquiring “are we there yet”” to “shut-yuh so-and-so mouth”?? Then gleefully informing the entire Parliament of this depravity!

The bitterness also affects the brain. And we can see from Nagamootoo’s utterances, he’s clearly, seriously delusional. What else explains his assertion that the AFC’s gonna win the next elections?!! We’ve heard of whistling in the dark to muster up your courage...but such a statement is actually “pissing in the wind”... Which has serious blowback consequences for the pisser. In this case Nagamootoo!!

But building this castle in the air, Nagamootoo, reveals his hit list once he becomes President! Former President Jagdeo heads the list, of course...then there’s President Ramotar, Rohee...It’s a long list!

Building castles in the air’s so sweet, isn’t it?? But then Nagamootoo’ll have to wake up after the next elections.

...by the Muckraker

Even the “interested” Ombudsman slammed the MuckrakerKN for slandering ex-President Jagdeo on his alleged “role” in his controversial NBS report. So who’s going to sanction them for gratuitously dragging Jagdeo into the Lall cash-jet fiasco??

President Donald Ramotar conducting the musical band

The team that twice won the Trinidad and Tobago Duck Curry Competition is here, hoping to be crowned

NBS $69.9M fraud…

Ombudsman never blamed Jagdeo

Retired Judge Winston Moore has made it clear that in his capacity as Ombudsman, he never held former President Bharrat Jagdeo culpable for the firing of several New Building Society (NBS) staff members in 2007.

This is contrary to reports and allegations published in the Kaieteur News and other sections of the media that the former President was involved in the firing of several NBS employees.

According to what was reported, Jagdeo “ordered” that the employees be dismissed after a Government requested loan for the construction of the Berbice River Bridge was denied by the entity at that time.

These included then Chief Executive Officer Maurice Arjoon, who is also the man behind the accusations thrown at the former President.

Arjoon, Assistant Mortgage Manager Kissoon Baldeo and Operations Manager Kent Vincent, along with fellow employees Ashley Legall, Imran Khan, Amrita Prashad and Mohanram Shahebudin were charged in connection with the fraud at the financial institution.

These were the allegations of Arjoon who made the utterances in a statement issued to the Ombudsman, accusations which have not been verified by the Ombudsman in his report.

Justice Moore, addressing a group of journalists at a press conference at the Cara Lodge Hotel, Georgetown, on Friday morning, said that the findings from his report in no way insinuate that Jagdeo played any role in the outcome of the investigations of fraud against several NBS employees.

Moore further explained

Magistrate suspended over inappropriate comments

Controversial

Magistrate Alex Moore who is attached to the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court has been suspended by the Judicial Service Commission after he allegedly made some inappropriate statements to an East Coast Demerara businesswoman during court proceedings.

According to reports, the 47-year-old businesswoman, Seerojanie Singh appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on a cross charge of abusive language on November 12.

The woman claims that she was tormented by the Magistrate, who was “disrespectful” in the manner in which he spoke to her and handled the case in front of a packed courtroom.

Singh was quoted in another newspaper alleging that the Magistrate questioned her and the other party involved in the matter about using expletives towards each other and further threatened to “prosecute” her because she refused to dismiss the matter.

“After he (Magistrate Moore) dismiss me case, is sheer ‘eef’ and ‘ess’ out he mouth,” she claimed. The businesswoman further explained that the matter escalated and the Magistrate allegedly went on to ask her if she will have sex with a Police officer if the request was made.

However, the woman said she refused to answer such a question, causing Magistrate Moore to lash out at her.

“He (Magistrate) turn and ask me if the Police ask me for sex me if me go give in and me nah answer, right, because me shame and if you see how this man ah lash down on this desk for me to answer the question. Then

me tell he no…. How he could ask me that? He tell the Police to turn and ask me and the Police turn and ask me. Me nah answer the Police, right, and if you see how this man behave and then I turn and tell the Police ‘no’,” Singh claimed.

Following the incident, the woman brought the matter to the attention of Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General Anil Nandlall and also wrote the acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Carl Singh and the Ombudsman Winston Moore.

The matter was then handed over to the Judicial Service Commission, which met on Friday when the decision was taken to suspend Magistrate Moore indefinitely, with immediate effect.

An inquiry is expected to launch into the allegations during which the Magistrate will be given an opportunity to defend himself.

Over the past two weeks, Magistrate Moore has come under fire from both civil society and the legal fraternity after he handed down an unprecedented ruling of a suspended sentence to confessed drug trafficker Leonard Bacchus.

Bacchus had pleaded guilty to trafficking 76 kg of cocaine in kunds worth some $300 million back in 2011 after a raid was conducted at his Enmore, East Coast Demerara home.

Additionally, the 47-yearold businessman was also given a suspended sentence of two years for being in unlawful possession of 125, 12-guage cartridges and 115, .32 rounds of ammunition.

The man was further fined $2.5 million and was given up to June next year to pay.

that the articles were brought to his attention by some of his staff and he has since held the view that there was an imbalance on the reporting of the issue, especially as it relates to the former President.

“I saw one headline refer-

ring to the former President firing somebody over the Berbice River Bridge; I thought that that was unfair. Because that was what Mr Arjoon was alleging…. I made no such finding concerning the former President,” Justice Moore

said, adding that “I remember that particular headline that was in my opinion extremely unfair”.

In fact, Moore’s report said: “I refrain from stating any finding on anything allegedly said by Former President Bharrat Jagdeo. I can only observe that persons who hold high offices and are burdened with weighty affairs of state… need to be very careful what they say in expressing frustration…”

Labour Minister, Dr Nanda Gopaul took to the High Court on Wednesday, filing a $50 million lawsuit against the Ombudsman, claiming that he had no authority to investigate the termination of Arjoon.

Dr Gopaul is claiming in excess of $50 million for damages.

He is further asking for the defendant to make a declaration that he (Moore) was

“arbitrary, not objective, partial and/or biased” in the report.

The Labour Minister added that Justice Moore, in compiling the report, is in breach of Article 192 of the Constitution and the Ombudsman Act Chapter 19:04 and has, in fact, violated and infringed on the constitutional rights of the plaintiffs in parts of Chapter Two and Three of the Constitution.

Dr Gopaul is also seeking the court’s intervention for a Prerogative Order, or alternatively an injunction, “precluding and restraining the defendant from making any further statement, comment on the termination of the services of the plaintiffs’ employees or from exceeding the limits of his legitimate sphere of action and/or compelling him to act to ensure the full measure of justice to the plaintiffs”.

Ombudsman, retired Judge Winston Moore

Asif Khatoon’s wife, family protest Police brutality

Relatives of Asif Rahim Khatoon who died after he was allegedly beaten by Police on Saturday held a picketing exercise in front of the Leonora Police Station, crying for justice.

Asif Rahim Khatoon, 38, of Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara, died on Thursday last at his home. He had accused the Police of assaulting him while in custody at the Leonora Police Station.

His wife Sursattie Chandrapaul led a group of people in a peaceful protest on Friday, calling for the relevant authorities to address the issue. The woman media operatives that her husband was a hardworking man and the only breadwinner of his family.

She said her husband deserved a fair change at justice and should not have been brutalised by the Police, but rather should be sent before a Magistrate to answer to the charges of assault.

She criticised the Police for taking the law into their own hands and demands that those involved in her husband’s death be dealt with condignly.

She claimed that her husband was beaten by the Police and not by another inmate as was claimed by the Police.

Chanderpaul recalled that she was the one who telephone the Police and lodged a complaint against her husband who came home under the influence of alcohol and started to verbally assault her.

When asked if she felt guilty for her husband’s death, Chanderpaul said though she made the report, she did not expect him to be severely beaten by the Police.

Another relative said the Police now take matters in their own hands rather than send the case for a Judge or Magistrate to deal with the matter. He is convinced that the Police are responsible for Khatoon’s death.

Khatoon was arrested by the Police on Saturday, November 22 following investigations into a report that he had allegedly assaulted his reputed wife.

During efforts to arrest him, the Police claimed that he resisted but was eventually subdued and taken to the Leonora Police Station. At the station, he made no complaints against the arresting ranks.

While at the Leonora Station, Khatoon was kept on the bench handcuffed to another man in custody whom he later reported had allegedly assaulted him.

He was subsequently taken to the Parika Police Station where he was kept in the lockups.

He was charged with assault and brought to the Leonora Police Station on Monday, November 24, to attend the Magistrate’s Court.

While at Leonora, his reputed wife reported that Khatoon was allegedly beaten by the Police, and as a consequence, he was taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where he was referred to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where he was seen by a doctor.

He then took self-discharge and went home and died moments later.

The invisible man

Satiricus was saddened at what’d happened to GrainJa. The fella had disappeared!! He was now just like that fella Satiricus had read about in an old novel – “The Invisible Man”. Not the one by Wells about the fella who physically became transparent - and so invisible to everyone around him. No. With GrainJa, it was more like Ellison’s “Invisible Man”. People just refused to see him.

Satiricus blamed the Rum Jhaat and the Naga Man from the KFC party for GrainJa’s predicament. Imagine that GrainJa was the leader of leaders - leader of the Pee an See, leader of the APANU and leader of the Parliamentary Opposition.

But what did that do for him?? Nada, zilch, Zero! Even though he had so many seats, just because he didn’t have a majority he had to depend on those wankers in the KFC to challenge the PPCEE.

Granger’s mother had taught him “when yuh hand in tiger mouth...pat ‘e head”. And by Jove, GrainJa had been doing so much “patting” on the KFC’s head, he felt he was playing “pat-a-cake”.

First there was that “thing” in Linden. He patted their heads and pretended he agreed with the AFC’s blocking roads and all that. And of course, Agricola was next with even more road blocking. “What do these KFC people have against roads, anyway?!” grumbled

GrainJa, sourly.

GrainJa was an admirer of the old Army Hero - Teddy Roosevelt - and followed the latter’s motto - “Talk softly but carry a big stick”! The KFC “wild men”, as his sponsor CorBane pointed out, just wanted to show people they existed. GrainJa, on the other hand, fancied himself as a strategic thinker. But because of the KFC provocations he had to talk loudly and show his big stick. “No more!” he vowed!!

And so it was that GrainJa began his picketing of the President on his own. No KFC. People thought KFC didn’t want to come - but that wasn’t true. They wanted sooo badly to get a piece of the action. But GrainJa had learnt his lesson. No more nice guy!! He wasn’t going to be suckered no mo. He would march alone. And alone it was!! Nobody showed up...not even his faithful WhoreMon. So gradually GrainJa faded from the people’s consciousness. In the beginning, they would ask...”Where is GrainJa?” And GrainJa would smile. Then after a while, they’d asked, “Where is that fella in the Green shirt?” And GraniJa would smile even wider. And finally, on being prompted, they’d respond, “GrainJa Who??”

GrainJa was the Invisible Man. But he’d forgotten that politics was all about recognition. He would soon join CorBane as, “The Forgotten Man”.

Asif Rahim Khatoon’s reputed wife Sursattie Chandrapaul speaking with media operatives on Saturday

In wake of rainy season…

Efforts being made to minimise losses to cash crop farmers

With the current intermittent rainy season, Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy has warned that cash crop farmers will continue to experience severe losses, if proper mechanisms are not put in place.

He said, however, that his Ministry is working to alleviate any possible loss for farmers.

Speaking to Guyana Times on Friday, Dr Ramsammy said any amount of excessive water can damage cash crops.

Farmers across the country, especially those in lowlying areas have already begun complaining about the losses they are suffering due to the heavy rainfall.

Recurring problem

Many on the Corentyne Coast, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) say they are their wits end, as the situation keeps recurring each year. They complain that the

excessive water which has swamped their farms takes a considerable amount of time to run off. And by the time it does, the vegetables are of no good use.

But Dr Ramsammy maintained that farmers need to be a little more watchful during these periods, pointing out that his Ministry has already begun

Lottery Company hosts Christmas Tree light-up at GPHC

The Guyana Lottery Company on Friday evening held its second annual Christmas Tree light-up at the Georgetown Public Hospital Cooperation (GPHC), bringing joy to the children there.

As scores of persons, mostly children gathered to get a firsthand look at the Christmas tree light-up, the crowd was entertained by melodious steel pan music.

Joining in the excitement was Guyana Lottery Company General Manager Tracy Lewis, who extended Christmas Greetings to everyone, before switching on the lights of the Christmas tree.

She also mingled with expectant mothers and the children while joining the nurses in distributing Christmas goodies.

She said the company is pleased to once again be putting smiles on the faces of the children and less fortunate persons, and will continue to lend its support in the future.

The company expressed gratitude to its staff for remembering the children, pointing out that children are the future and was overjoyed to see them in happy mood.

The initiative was another way of the lottery company fulfilling its corporate social responsibility.

54-foot Christmas Tree...

So far, the lantern posts are already wrapped with twinkling lights; giving travellers the happy feeling of Christmas.

Additionally, a very enthusiastic Minister Ali cheered on the Guyanese public to remain jovial and continue to share the bond and togetherness all year long.

President Donald Ramotar also joined in wishing everyone a very happy Christmas. He even sang the popular “We wish you a Merry Christmas” with the children at the event.

to put support system in place for them.

“The cash crop farmers would have major impact because any kind of flooding would tend to damage cash crops and that is why we have been promoting climate smart agriculture where people are using grow boxes and elevating their cultivation into shaded farms.”

Difficult period

The Minister explained that it would be very difficult for his Ministry to protect farmers growing crops in the traditional way. The Ministry is also involved in a programme where its nursery is producing more plants so that in the event crops are destroyed, farmers could be assisted with seeds and plantlets.

The Minister added that this time of the year is always a difficult one for

farmers along the coast.

Agriculture, he noted remains the main economic activity for persons living within these areas.

“We are now approaching December and most of us know that this is a rainy season for most of the folks on the coast. Clearly, the rainy season has implication,” Dr Ramsammy told Guyana Times

It is because of this that his Ministry is moving ahead with the work it usually does during this time.

“The main thing that we have to do now is to ensure that all of our pumps are working and our sluices,” he said, noting that all sluices and pumps are in working condition.

Desilting

The sluices, he expressed are being regularly desilted.

According to Dr Ramsammy, given the cur-

rent rainy season, his Ministry has found itself between a rock and a hard place.

“We are dealing with areas with excess water and at the same time with an increasing demand of farmers for more water because the condition along the coast the country is not the same.”

During this season, he explained that citizens would expect that the Ministry would be dealing mostly with the drainage problems.

Needs vary

However, he explained that different parts of the coast have different needs.

“People are struggling with high levels of water that need to be drained. In other parts, the main problem is irrigation.

"But even nearer to where we are familiar with rain, there is an increasing

demand for water. Some of the rain is slight and heavy at times.”

Dr Ramsammy said the rain is also affecting the sugar industry.

“Sugar does not need rain at the moment,” the Minister said.

Rice, he explained has been minimally impacted by the heavy rainfall as there is a small amount of rice to be harvested. The young rice needs water.

He said the major sluices in the various regions are being closely monitored.

Dr Ramsammy noted that keeping tertiary, secondary and primary canals clean is very important to avert any major catastrophy.

The Minister said he has initiated a programme where staff members of the key agencies of the Ministry are out, working more with the farmers.

But all good things must come to an end, closing the curtains on the celebrations was a visit from Santa Claus and his wee little elves who were greeted with joy by the children. Santa and his helpers distributed toys and goodies to the beautiful children.

Ray Rahaman’s daughter promised her “papa” to always keep the season alive and carry on the wonderful Guyanese tradition of the Christmas Tree light up.

The event was a collaborative effort between the Tourism Ministry and the Rahaman family.

Live band performances, renditions of popular Christmas carols, masquerade performances and marvelous dances were all part of the festive celebrations Friday evening.

Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

Protests against prorogation...

Dismal attendance deliberate – Harmon

... denies split on tactics among members

Over the past weeks, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has organised “protests” in front of the Office of the President on Vlissengen Road against the President’s decision to prorogue Parliament.

These “prorogation” protests replaced the “Local Government Elections” (LGE) protests that had gone on for a couple of months.

porters hurling remarks and chants on Vlissengen Road under the wary eyes of the Guyana Police Force and the Presidential Guards.

But like the LGE protests, the prorogation protest actions have been poorly attended with some days seeing as little as 20 sup-

Given the noticeable lack of persons at these protests, concerns have been raised in the public

with respect to whether the protests are being support by the entire APNU coalition or whether in fact its main member the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) has lost its ability to mobilise its supporters in Georgetown.

One observer has ex-

plained that for the most part, Co-Chair of the coalition, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine was absent if not all the time on most of the occasions. Also, following suit was PNCR Chairman and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Basil Williams.

However, when contacted on Saturday, APNU General Secretary Joseph Harmon incredibly claimed that the dismal turnouts at the anti-prorogation protests were deliberate. He did confess that indeed attendance has slumped on some of the protests.

He said that “from time to time...the attendance goes up or go down”, claiming this was based on the message that was being sent to the President on the occasion.

Referring to the recent APNU rally at the Square of the Revolution which saw close to a thousand persons gathered, Harmon contended that if the APNU sees it fit, the party can activate more supporters to rally behind them.

Harmon boasted to Guyana Times that “if we want a large turnout, we can activate more of our members... this is a part of our strategy”.

Intended for Cabinet

When asked whether he believes that the protest was achieving its objective, Harmon responded in the positive, noting that it is intended for the Cabinet.

He pointed to the fact that the Government holds weekly Cabinet meetings on Tuesdays; hence, their selection of that day for protests.

“I believe the message is being sent and President Ramotar understands that Parliament has to resume,” the APNU General Secretary said.

Some skeptics contend, however, that the message

President Ramotar might be getting is that APNU is losing support.

Harmon also commented on the fact that the Alliance For Change (AFC) has been noticeably absent and has said it will not be taking part in the APNU organised protests in front of the Office of the President.

Harmon contended that the AFC is not required to be at the protests, noting that they can attend and lend support should they choose to do so.

This is in spite the AFC saying that it is committed to working with the APNU against the prorogation of the National Assembly.

When asked whether he thinks the AFC was being opportunistic or just “piggybacking” on the APNU, Harmon said “whether or not the AFC joins us they are free to do so... you can’t make the assumption that they are ‘piggy backing’, we don’t see it.”

"Don’t want to go there” AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan made it clear that his party will not be getting involved in the APNU protest actions.

“We don’t want to go there,” he told this newspaper.

According to the AFC Leader, the party will continue to protest using other methods that do not require them to be on the streets rallying alongside fellow Opposition party –APNU.

“We have indicated that we will maintain our hardhitting press releases and comments in the press,” he said.

However, the minority Opposition party may look to join with APNU in protests in the future, but at this point in time it will continue protest actions at a regional level.

“At this stage, no; we are not going out there with APNU,” Ramjattan posited, adding that “we are going to the regional fight. We will do it in our areas where we have strength. We will do it where we feel we will have people to protest.”

The party has been protesting in front of the Regional Administrative Complex at Fort Wellington, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice). This protest action was not attended by any APNU supporters even though they were reportedly invited by the AFC organisers.

APNU General Secretary Joseph Harmon

Simply the Truth Corruption

In terms of politics in this land of ours, one of the most frequently used words is the word “corruption”. We ‘ordinary’ citizens and some of our puffed up ‘academics’ and ‘social scientists’ and such are the most loud and aggressive. Invariably, they spit venom at Government Ministers and political officials.

However, so much of it is based on rum-shop-type rumour that the foundation of truth itself begins to crack and fissure. There is too much of who said what to whom and he-say-she say. And yet, it is all bawled and written with so great a certainty that nothing at all becomes believable.

Credibility is lost, and truth is cremated. And yet, if one percent is true, then it is one percent too much.

This is true in terms of what we call the media or what we hear frommedia operatives. This vituperative nonsense! But it is not just these pretentious chaps! We find it in living rooms where simple folks make medical decisions based on what they hear someone say about what happened to someone at some time at some place.

Our good doctors start second-guessing themselves. Or our living room ‘analysts’ would swat in living rooms, openlegged, leaned back and firm of conviction and proclaim their knowledge, which is just gossip about our best law enforcement officers. Our dedicated cops start second-guessing themselves. People die through this desperate ignorance.

The same chaps that are open-legged and loud of mouth in their ignorance are the ones who beat and brutalize their wives, rape and beat and pillage them. They fear the law and depend on law enforcement to serve and protect them when they get brutalized by bullies who are more brutal than themselves.

These same cowards rush to our good doctors to save their sisters, aunts and other family members from certain death. They come back to their ‘castles’ and bully and beat and rage against their female folk. These are our brave he-men, our intellectuals and those that ‘have God in them’. If it were not so dangerous and evil, it would be laughable.

These are the same people who talk about corruption in national politics, especially in politics. That corruption is there, and we all know it; and they should be seen off with dispatch!

But we condemn good folk at the same time. We talk unstoppably about crooked cops, but nary a

word about the good ones. We talk non-stop about our doctors, but fail to say a good word about the good and competent ones. Same with our nurses and our teachers and other professionals.

Same with our politicians! It is true that our leaders must be held to higher standards than us ordinary folks. They must be dignified, intelligent, visionary, articulate, and moral. Very high standards, indeed.

But people like me will not condemn anyone if and when I do not hold to the standards of conduct that I expect from others. This is simple hypocrisy, and we must avoid hypocrisy as if it were a plague. If ever I take the political stage, our citizens can expect high moral and intellectual standards. There shall be no lies, ever!

Yes, we know of the lasciviousness of some of our leaders, the arrogance and foolishness. We know of the lies and the stealing and the sheer vulgarity. However, we need to understand that corruption does not happen when one goes into politics.

All corruption begins with moral corruption, an inner decay that no number of visits to places of worship can cure. No Police can track it down, not even our crack cops. No medical doctor can cure it, irrespective of expertise and dedication. No teacher can ‘unlearn’ it, no matter if that teacher is the greatest of all teachers.

Moral corruption is there. It waits like a viper in the reeds to ambush others. It has one duty, and that duty is to confound good. It uses the innocent to get its way. It needs to dominate, but is very clever to disguise itself.

As individuals and as a nation, we must constantly be on guard. We let our guards down when we let our self-importance and self-enchantment get in the way, our hubris.

Some wonderful person talked about ‘power’. I am old enough to know that all power is fleeting, and I have been around in many places learning that it is only the

work that counts.

Moral authority is different from power. It withstands time and the decay of the body. Petty people are in love with positions. Wise people are about principles rather than their own personality. But it takes so much work, so much discipline to establish the difference. It is a perpetual struggle.

This is why the greats will live on: people like Leonardo da Vinci, Shakespeare, Van Gogh, Michelangelo, Monet, Mozart, Beethoven, Einstein, Ghandi, Lincoln, Mandela. They had and will always have moral authority.

We were blessed to have them on our planet; and, in our private moments, we need to know that we are putting our baby feet into the imprints left by giants. It is then that God Himself puts His forefinger upon our eternal souls.

Over 20,000 Government employees receive salary increases for 2014

In light of rumours surrounding teachers’ bonuses for 2014, the Office of President (OP) has cleared the air by stating that some teachers will receive an eight per cent increase for 2014.

It said that teachers earning less than $50,000 monthly as at the end of December 2013 are being granted an additional three per cent increase, retroactive to January 1, 2014 across the board. This increase will benefit nurses, Police officers, etc.

On top of that increase, OP said a five per cent increase has already been paid to teachers in keeping with the multi-year agreement with the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU).

This brings their total

increase to eight per cent and circulars have already been issued to effect the payment of these increases on wages and salaries for 2014.

Recently, teachers from various parts of the country have been expressing concerns over their non-receipt of wage increases or bonuses for Christmas.

When Mark Lyte, the new President of the GTU took office earlier this year, he said he would be advocating for better working conditions for teachers, among other things.

He said that as a part of his mandate, he will not only engage the Government, but also the Private Sector to see how teachers can enjoy some non-salaried benefits. He

said while he will still be advocating for higher salaries, he felt that with the rampant increase in cost of living, an increase will not be of much help.

In addition, the Office of the President said over 20,000 public servants and members of the Disciplined Forces have been granted wages and salaries increases for 2014.

As of December 31, 2013, retroactive to January 1, 2014, these Government employees received five to eight per cent increase of their wages and salaries.

It was further explained that Government employees earning above $50,000 monthly, are being granted a five per cent increase across the board.

Professor Daizal Samad

Younge’s Take Sattaur’s sudden surrender

On Monday, Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA)

Khurshid Sattaur suddenly declined to give further evidence in a court matter brought against the embattled Owner and Publisher of the KN Glenn Lall.

Sattaur had accused Lall of threatening him via a telephone conversation on August 29 after the GRA announced its intentions to actively prosecute the KN Owner and two re-migrants for tax fraud.

He is reported in sections of the media as saying that he was “fearful for his life” and was strongly against any attempt to intimidate or stop him from carrying out his lawful and constitutional responsibilities as the Head of Guyana’s tax collection body.

During this time, Sattaur stood out as a knight in shining amour. He earned the respect of all those who lacked the confidence to stand up to Lall and to challenge his questionable control and influence within society.

Sattaur was also going to join a long list of Guyanese who would still stand up to Lall even in the face of the unfair, vile, harsh and personal persecution in the murky pages of the KN. But it would appear that with time, Sattaur’s resolve weakened and he buckled under the burly headlines of the Kaieteur News and the spin doctors there.

He wanted a way to bring an end to the continuous attacks on the operations of the GRA. He also desperately wanted a way to arrive at a truce with Lall, while still maintaining his integrity, and saving face. Sattaur needed to end his anxiety and remove the burden that weighed heavily on his shoulders as he prepared for a battle with the media’s infamous King Kong who has achieved different levels of notoriety over the years.

Soon, Sattaur reported to media that his decision to decline an opportunity to give evidence against Lall, who was already charged and before the Court, was purely based on the greater public good. He also said the decision not to pursue the matter was a result of sheer procrastination and delay tactics on the part of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Guyana Police Force.

Strangely, Sattaur also reported in his attempt to save face, that the staff and operations of GRA were being negatively impacted by the media coverage afforded to the cases against Lall. But all this is sheer rubbish. Edward R Murrow has a message for Sattaur: “Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts.”

Sattaur knows fully-well that the Police and the Office of the DPP will not rush to charge anyone until they have completed a comprehensive probe and are confident of a conviction. Surely, the Commissioner General would be singing a different song had these entities acted with haste without covering all of their bases and the case was lost.

Additionally, the Head of GRA must have brainstormed the possible implications that making his threatening language report to the Police against Lall would have on his staff and his own personal priorities.

By refusing to give evidence against Lall, Sattaur has not only wasted the time of the Police and DPP but also the public’s time and attention. He has perhaps steadied the already waning creditability of the man he accused, while putting a significant dent in his own.

Sattaur has also single-handled demonstrated that he has no confidence in the justice system and its ability to work in a fair and just manner, even though he claimed to be speaking the truth about the threats.

What was there to fear if Sattaur spoke the truth? The Commissioner General’s action leaves more questions than answers now in the public domain.

He must say urgently whether he struck a deal or barter arrangement with Lall, which saw him declining to give evidence in return for an end to continued attacks by the Kaieteur News on his integrity.

Sattaur must also say whether he plans on also declining to give evidence against the Kaieteur News in the tax fraud case. After all, the Police and DPP did take a relatively long time to act in that matter too; the staff morale at GRA is also affected by that case too and it is receiving negative publicity in the media pages as well.

The Commissioner General must analyze the famous quote by Irving R Kaufman: “The judicial system is the most expensive machine ever invented for finding out what happened and what to do about it.” He has derived all of Guyana that right!

Abram Zuil wins local Sagicor competition

The auditorium of the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall erupted in screams of excitement and joy as Abram Zuil Secondary School was declared the winner of the National Sagicor Competition 2014 on Saturday.

The school will represent Guyana as they compete with Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and Tampa, Florida (Hillsborough County, USA) in the regional competitions next July in Tampa, Florida.

During the month of November, all participating countries were required to host a national competition to select a team which would go on to represent their respective country at the regional competition.

Each of the winning national teams will meet in Florida in July 2015 for the regional competition and the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Ambassador Programme.

The winning project – Husk Particle Board Factory – was designed to address the issue of the burning of paddy husk in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam). The school explained that the issue of paddy burning is a grave annoyance to residents and contributes greatly to mass air pollution. The solution put forward by the school not only finds a better alternative for the good riddance of the waste material, but also provides a low-cost and durable building material for the market.

How the project works

First, the paddy husk is ground into smaller particles then placed on a conveyor belt which transfers the material into a mixing drum filled with aliphatic resin.

There, the materials are mixed together for approximately 10 minutes before it is moulded and placed on an-

other conveyor belt where it is transferred into a hot and cold press. The compressed material then goes into a refinery. After that process, the boards are trimmed and polished and ready to enter the market.

The school also grabbed the special award prize for Best Creative and Innovative Project.

Other schools snatching special awards were Queens College –Best Presentation; Johanna Cecilia – Best use of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); Diamond Secondary School – Best Plan and Project Design; St Roses High School – Most Relevant to a Sustainable Caribbean; and St Ignatius Secondary School – Best Innovation.

Moreover, all schools received certificates of participation. The presiding officials declared all schools winners, saying that most schools developed practicable, feasible and implementable projects.

The students were also urged to not let the end of the regional competition be the end of their journey in

Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony said he was extremely impressed by the ideas presented by the participating schools and was elated to see Guyanese students taking their “book knowledge” and developing them into practical solutions.

Minister Anthony encouraged all the students to work on their projects with the vision of one day implementing them in their communities.

Additionally, Chief Education Officer (CEO) of the Education Ministry Olato Sam said he was extremely pleased to see the large participation of schools in the competition. He said he wants to see more entries in the coming years.

The CEO stated that the “true value” of the competition is what the students take home at the end of it all. On that note, he urged them to reassess what they learnt during their journey and to never forget the experience gained.

Also charging well wishes to the students were officials from the Caribbean Science Foundation and Sagicor Life Inc.

Surinamese farmer held for trafficking Guyanese men

The Surinamese Police have arrested local farmer Dipak J in connection with the trafficking in persons incident that involved five Guyanese men. The victims were reportedly duped and taken to the neighbouring country where they were held captive and forced to work on farm lands for more than two years, before finally escaping last week.

According to a Surinamese daily newspaper, De Ware Tijd, Police Spokesman Humphrey Naarden confirmed that Dipak J has been detained for trafficking the five Guyanese men. He was apprehended after the Guyanese men escaped and filed a report at the Nickerie Police Station. Four of the Guyanese are said to be from Region One and the other from Region Four.

The Police official further stated that investigations have revealed that the farmer is also suspected of being engaged in smuggling, trafficking and possessing of illegal firearms. The farmer is in the Nieuwe Haven lock-up, in the nation’s capital, Parimarbo, and is expected to be charged soon. He is likely to face charges for trafficking in persons and being in possession of illegal firearms.

The second and third place finishers in the competition were Queen’s College and St Stanislaus College respectively.

Naarden is also calling on none-Surinamese nationals who are victims of human trafficking to come forward, noting that even if they are in the country illegally, special arrangements for such persons will be made.

Meanwhile in Guyana, the Foreign Affairs Ministry

on Thursday issued a statement detailing the events of which was reported. The Ministry said that it was informed of the incident on November 21, and facilitated the return of the men to Guyana the following day.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry is now working along with the Home Affairs Ministry to alert Guyanese about lucrative job opportunities overseas that seem too good to be true. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to advise the public to be wary of too lucrative to be true job offers outside of Guyana and where promises of securing the necessary travel documents and work permits are made. Given a previous experience of similar nature which was reported to the MOFA, even greater vigilance is advised for the interior communities.”

The reports received from the five men, detailing their passage to Suriname, the known name of the alleged perpetrator and where they were staying since they arrived in Suriname, has been handed over to the Home Affairs Ministry. The Ministry is now working along with its neighbouring law enforcement coumterparts.

“The report received from the five men has been provided to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the relevant law enforcement authorities of both countries are in contact under the mechanism which exists between our two countries.”

Additionally, the Guyana Police Force has been called in and has launched an investigation into the matter.

Science.

Students of the Abram Zuil Secondary School at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Saturday

Caricom SG recognises continued growth of Guyana’s economy

– lauds Private Sector’s input

Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), Irwin La Rocque commended the local private sector’s contributions to Guyana’s growing economy, amid challenges faced by global and regional economies.

In recognising Guyana’s achievements amid the trying times, La Rocque pointed out that the country’s economy continues to grow at a pace that leads the region.

The sentiments were expressed on Friday evening as the Secretary General delivered the feature address at the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association’s (GMSA) annual dinner and awards ceremony at the Princess Hotel.

“According to the Caribbean Development Bank, Guyana is one of only three Caricom member states to exceed the global average of three per cent growth in 2013.”

Guyana is also one of five Caricom countries with debt to GDP ratio below the international benchmark of 60 per cent, while export from Guyana to the rest of the community has been growing by approximately 10 per cent per years.

“These are all positive indicators, but to sustain them here and elsewhere we must continue to enhance regional cooperation cross a broad range of fronts, economically, socially, and in every other way.”

The Secretary General reminded the members of the private sector of their role in sustaining this growth.

“As members of the private sector you are key players in the drive towards increase prosperity for the people of

this country and region.”

This event, which is a highlight on the GMSA’s calendar, saw several local businesses awarded for their exceptional and longstanding achievements.

In noting his delight at being invited to such an auspicious event, La Rocque congratulated the recipients who were awarded in the areas of export achievement, new and innovative technology and those for life time and long service.

Should be proud

“You all have reason to be proud of your achievements, your enterprises, and your efforts as promoting Guyanese goods and services.”

Having conceded that much has changed in Guyana, Caricom, and the rest of the world, La Rocque said the Community has devised a five-year strategic plan to aid its member states amid these changes. He reminded that Caricom has begun a process of reform, a critical part of which is the five- year strategic plan which was approved in July of this year.

He noted the persistence of the private sector in its request for a seat in the councils of the Caribbean community.

“I have heard you, our leaders have heard you, last July the head of government and the captains of industry had a frank exchange on the challenges facing our region.”

Further, La Rocque said that COTED has recognised the private sector as a partner and agreed that it must take part in the deliberations in some way.

“You would recall there was an earlier joint agreement with the private sector to create a Caribbean Business Council to represent the diverse interest of the private sector to the organs of the community.”

As this process in ongoing, La Rocque said Caricom continues to look forward to the creation of the Business Council.

“In the mean time, I proposed and the Ministers agreed that COTED will engage the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce pending the creation of the CBC.”

Further, he added that

even with new threats emerging, including, health, geopolitical and climate change, the private sector needs to critically examine enterprise on a regular basis to ensure that it is efficient, effective, and relevant, and meeting the needs of the market.

In the interim, Caricom’s strategic plan will continue to focus on economic, social, environmental and technological resilience. Meanwhile, Chairman of the GMSA, Clinton Williams in his remarks noted that the event is the Association’s means of tangibly recognising the strides that were made and are being made by manufacturers and service providers.

“This has been a very eventful year for us, both through our own interventions, and via advocacy in response to emerging socio-political and socioeconomic environment at the national level, which demands our timely intervention.”

Williams also spoke of the private sector’s contribution to the country’s overall growth despite the many challenges.

“The Guyanese economy has been consistent in re-

cording the five per cent average growth over the past five years. The main sectors contributing are gold and diamond, wholesale and retailing trade, rice and seafood, build-

ing and construction and communication technology.”

All this, he noted, has been achieved in spite of the effects of the global economic crisis still lingering.

Second bandit in LBI robbery succumbs

Dead: Kevin David

Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard Kevin David, 26, who sustained injured after he was struck down during the course of an attempted robbery, has succumbed to his injuries while receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

David of Agricola, Greater Georgetown, was Absent Without Leave (AWOL) for more than three months from the GDF.

He and his accomplice Trillion Munroe were chased and hit off their CG motorcycle after they attacked and attempted to rob Jasdai Persaud and her husband of Cheery Field, La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara, after trailing them from a city bank.

Moments after the incident, Munroe died while re-

ceiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

It was reported that soon after Persaud and her husband returned home from conducting business in the city, the husband went to attend to an urgent matter. It was during this time, that a black CG motorcycle ridden by David and Munroe pulled up in front of their house.

The pillion rider reportedly got off the motorcycle and entered Persaud’s yard where he held her at gunpoint, demanding money. The woman complied and while returning to his accomplice on the waiting motorcycle, he was confronted by the victim’s husband.

A confrontation ensued and Persaud’s husband and the bandit got into a scuffle. In a bid to escape, the bandit with the bag of money discharged a round at the man before jumping onto the waiting motorcycle and speeding away from the scene.

In response, a relative of Persaud who was close by gave chase, colliding with the motorcycle the robbers were riding. As a result, the bandits fell off the motorcycle.

According to Police, a quantity of the stolen cash along with a .32 revolver and four live rounds with a spent shell were recovered.

The gathering at the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association’s Dinner and Award Ceremony

Berbice to host first title fight on December 13

In less than two weeks,

Berbicians will have a chance to witness a title fight live in their own county when local boy, the young and upcoming pugilist, Richard Williamson, takes on Dillon Allicock for the vacant Super Bantamweight title of Guyana.

The event, slated for December 13 at the Area ‘H’ Community Centre in Rose Hall Town, will see the two fighters matching gloves for 12 rounds. Williamson will be counting on home support to get the better of Allicock.

Williamson’s profes-

sional record is nine fights, four by way of knockouts, and five losses, as against Allicock with six fights, three knockouts and one defeat.

Berbicians will also get a chance to see Guyana’s Middleweight champion Dereck Richmond performing on home soil for the first time as a professional when he takes on Romeo Norville in a not-title six-round Super Middleweight bout.

The two fighters met once before with Richmond coming out victorious. Norville, with a professional record of four fights, one knockout, two draws

and one loss, will enter the ring as the underdog against Richmond, with a professional record of six fights, three knockouts, one draw and two losses.

The card will also see Mark Murray taking on the Rose Hall Town’s wonder boy Kishan Simon in a not-title Welterweight sixrounder.

Meanwhile, several amateur fighters will also make up the card, which is being organised by Mark Thom Promotions. Admission to the venue is $2000 for the VIP section, while general seating is $1000. (Andrew Carmichael)

Champion of Champions horse race meet…

Over $7 million at stake today

Despite the current inclement weather, horse racing fans can expect an action packed day of racing when the Champion of Champions one day horse race meet is staged today at the Rising Sun Turf Club at Arima Park, West Coast Berbice. More than 60 animals have registered for the seven race event, with rivalry being foremost in the minds

of horse owners. Score’s Even, the favorite in the feature A Class event, could expect a stiff challenge from Princess She Not. The animal came out as winner when the two last faced the starting gates. California Strike, which also defeated Score’s Even, will not be in the race, which has a top prize of $1 million, compliments of Banks DIH Limited.

Other animals booked for the main event are the newly imported Plum Plum of the Shariff Stable, Appealing Harvest and Jack Is My Style from the Jumbo Jet Stables, Guyana Cup Champion C.P. Got Even, the newly imported Curfew Tower from the Elcock Stables, the in-form Treacle, which is classified as a D3 class horse of Mahendra Dookie stable, along with

the improving Red and Lovely from the Night Eyes Stables.

The seven-race card will also feature the Three-yearold race for West Indies and Guyana Bred animals, which has a top prize of $400,000 and trophy.

Among the horses slated to participate in that race are Unsettled, Release the Beast, Royal Empire, Shooting Star, Sweet Return, Just call me Boss and Settling Jet.

The Two-year-old event for Guyana born animals will feature Storm Bird, It’s My Choice, Gold D Kova and Chelsea. The race has a top prize of $200,000.

The E3 and Lower event, over a distance of 1400m, which has a winning tag of $400,000 and trophy, will feature Swing Easy, Captain Crook, Goodwill Boy, Mission King, Princess Alicia, It’s My Turn and Battle Hymn.

The I Class event is expected to be very competitive with Easy To Win, Mary Ann, Affinity, De Gump, Slim Shady, Devil Woman and Party Time all facing the starting gate and $200,000 and trophy for the first the complete the 1400m course.

The J and Lower Classed animals will race for a top prize of $180,000. Slated to participate are Smarty Light, Swift Away, Royal Stallion, Speed Vision,

Gray Boy, Regina, Royal Intention, Dance for Gold, Sunday Silence, Red Union, Good Going and Royal Cash.

The other event planned for the day is the G3 and Lower race with $300,000 set as the first prize.

Meanwhile, several businesses have sponsored the lucrative $7 million event. Among them are Tage Rice Milling Complex, Altaf Auto Sales, Banks DIH Limited,

Trophy Stall, Republic Bank, Genequip, Jumbo Jet, Shano Seenarine, Younas Construction, KP Jagdeo Construction, Colin Elcock’s Delmur Shipping Company, Shariff Business Enterprise and Taje Enterprise. There will also be prizes for the champion jockey, champion trainer and champion stable. Race time is 13:00 hours. (Andrew Carmichael)

Richard Williamson (left) and Dillon Allicock will go at each other for the vacant Super Bantamweight title of Guyana

Banks DIH Outdoor Events Manager, Mortimer Stewart (left), presents a trophy that would be up for grabs today to a representative of the organising body

All eyes would be on Guyana’s lone A Class horse, Score’s Even

Every innings is an act of courage

– Phil Hughes’ death reminds us that sport is dangerous, and that the pursuit of sporting excellence calls on large reserves of courage, such as he possessed

By Simon BarneS

Deaths in sport carry more power to shock than deaths elsewhere. We turn to sport to get away from the cares of everyday life. In most newspapers you have death, war, destruction and horror at the front, and then, at the back, as far away as possible, you have all the joys and frivolities of sport.

Death has no place here. That’s why, when it happens, it’s so peculiarly devastating. The death of the Australian batsman Phillip Hughes makes that desperately clear. What mattered about Hughes were his cover drive and his back-foot defence and his chances of

stood up to the quickest bowlers on the planet. Long before India became the major power in world cricket, India (and the world) relished Sunil Gavaskar: the best and most courageous batsman against extreme pace.

Everyone who has ever played cricket knows that the ball is hard for a reason: because a hard ball hurts. That makes every innings ever played a small act of courage. Even with all the protective gear that cricketers wear now, they collect lumps and bruises. They’re expected to laugh them off and get in line for the next ball.

No fast bowler has ever bowled fast merely to test

were killed in the course of the year.

Every rider knows that the sport is dangerous. I have taken part in it myself - I must stress, at the lowest and least demanding leveland found it as wonderful an experience as the world can offer. It’s not supposed to be a mad, irresponsible adrenaline hit, like going over Niagara in a barrel: it’s a serious test of skill and courage and trust.

The lesson for the people who run sport is to not take that courage for granted. You can’t run a sport as if the participants were expendable: you must allow them to face the dangers while doing everything you can to make them as safe as

a completely secure place in the Australian Test team. Not his mortality.

Horror

Sport is supposed to be fun: fun for those who watch it and follow it, fun for those who take part in it. Deaths in war, deaths in endeavours to rescue people from drowning: such things are comparatively easy to come to terms with. But death in pursuit of fun has a particular kind of horror.

And yet, sport is often dangerous. Sport may not matter for itself, but when you can get hurt, you have to take it seriously. All sports worthy of the name require intense physical commitment, and many of the best have more than a whiff of danger.

That’s because, more than anything else, sport is about courage. Sport is perhaps best understood as a courage-opp: an opportunity for an athlete to find and demonstrate courage, and an opportunity for spectators to recognise and understand courage. Often enough, that courage is of the physical kind.

We make heroes of batsmen who play fast bowling well. When England had losing series against West Indies and Australia in the 1970s, we made a hero of David Steele, who at least

the hand-eye coordination of the batsman. He bowls fast in an attempt to expose lack of technique - and also lack of courage. In 1981 when the helmetless Ian Botham hooked Dennis Lillee off his own eyebrows to win one of the great Test series in history, everyone relished the duel, the defiance, the courage.

There’s a poignant part in the film Moonstruck when the character played by Cher goes to see the opera La Boheme. At the end, she’s devastated. “I knew she was sick. But I didn’t know she was gonna die.”

Deaths in sport are a little like that. We’re prepared to salute courage whenever we see it, but the cost of such a spectacle is that people will occasionally get hurt, sometimes badly. And every now and then, people will die. Perhaps rightly, spectators feel more than a touch of guilt when this happens: as if the death came, in an obscure way, in the attempt to please us.

Eventing

Eventing is perhaps the most glorious test of courage in sport: doubly glorious because it operates on the axis of trust: trust between horse and rider. Earlier this year, two event riders were killed on the same day at different events. In 1999, five riders

they can be.

So in football they introduced the card system, making players accountable for dangerous actions. In rugby union they are constantly tinkering with the scrum to reduce its maiming potential. In eventing they are always trying to make the fences as safe in use as they are alarming to behold.

were tributes to Phil

And in cricket, there are regulations on the number of bouncers permissible and, of course, protective clothing has made the game unrecognisable from the one played more than 30 years ago.

But accidents still occur, and participants still get hurt. Hughes died because he had the courage to take part in a dangerous game. And that is a word that hurts a little: death in pursuit of a game? It sounds like a desperately pointless way to go.

I learned more about this after reading Rick Broadbent on the TT motorbike races that take place on the Isle of Man every year. The course is long, narrow, twisting and lined with stone walls. Since racing began early in the 20th century there have been 242 deaths in racing and official practice. Annually, there are doubts as to whether the racing can go on. And yet it does.

Broadbent wrote of the death of a rider, and the courage of his widow who attended the racing the following year, doing so with nothing but approval for the racing and the impulse that makes people do it. And he

all over Australia during club

on Saturday made the whole business clear in a single phrase.

So I will use that phrase as my epitaph for Hughes.

Like all good batsmen, he was a person of courage and

skill. His death was desperately unlucky, and it came in the course of the courageous pursuit of sporting excellence.

A loss. Not a waste. (Cricinfo)

Israeli umpire killed after being struck by ball

An Israeli umpire was killed when he was struck by a ball during a league game in the port city of Ashdod, just south of Tel Aviv. The incident comes even as the cricket world mourns the passing of Australia batsman Phillip Hughes this week from head injuries after being struck by a ball.

During the league game in Ashdod, after the ball was hit by the batsman, it ricocheted off the stumps and struck the umpire, Hillel Awaskar. Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted medics who tried to resuscitate Awaskar as saying that he suffered a heart attack after being hit by the ball. Awaskar was taken to hospital in a critical condition, but medics were unable to revive him.

Awaskar, 55, was a former captain of the Israel team, and had represented Israel in five ICC trophies since 1982. His last matches for Israel were in division two of the European Championships in 2006. (Cricinfo)

What mattered was Phil Hughes’ strokeplay, not his mortality, which makes his death in the course of a game shocking

There

Hughes

cricket

Hillel Awaskar

Pakistan v New Zealand, 3rd Test, Sharjah, 3rd day…

Williamson, McCullum build massive lead

New Zealand batted Pakistan out of the third and final Test in Sharjah, looting 388 runs on the third day for a lead of 286. Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson carried on in their unstoppable manner from last evening before the New Zealand captain fell just after his fourth double-century. Williamson pushed on unruffled before he fell eight short of his maiden double. Ross Taylor, Corey Anderson and Tim Southee contributed fifties, the fast bowler

and Mark Craig ransacking a deflated attack for a 91-run eighth-wicket stand. New Zealand ended on 637-8, their highest away total and thirdhighest overall. New Zealand scored 139 in 28 overs in the first session, 100 in 26 in the second, and added another 149 in 31 in the third.

Before the start of the day’s play, McCullum read out a statement on behalf of his team, saying that their focus for now was not on their performances, but on Australia batsman Phillip Hughes, who died two days

ago.

McCullum’s 202 off 188 deliveries was the fourthfastest double-century in Tests in terms of balls faced. He also became the only New Zealander to make four Test double-hundreds, and the fourth man overall to make three in a year after Don Bradman, Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke.

The partnership of 297 in 52.5 overs between McCullum and Williamson was New Zealand’s highest for the second wicket. It was young Williamson who re-

sumed New Zealand’s charge in the morning. He punched and pulled Mohammad Talha and Rahat Ali for two fours each in their opening overs.

Talha had paid dearly for overdoing the short ball on day two, but he used the length again despite no help from the pitch. When he pitched it up for McCullum’s first ball of the day, he immediately found some reverse into the batsman, only for an inside edge to run fine for four. McCullum’s response was typical of the way he had batted. He jumped out next ball and swung a huge straight six.

McCullum’s defence was that of a batsman in limitedovers acceleration mode. His first instinct was to set himself up to attack, and he adjusted late to stab out deliveries he felt he could not put away.

Williamson was rock solid and calm in everything he did. He defended and attacked with absolute control. Talha reversed some into him, but Williamson clipped one of those to the deep midwicket rope to reach his century off 124 balls. It was an-

other emotional moment for Williamson in the aftermath of Hughes’ demise, and his captain was at hand to offer a warm embrace as the young batsman marked the hundred with a quiet raise of the bat.

The first eight overs from the fast bowlers before spin was introduced cost 53 runs. McCullum was quiet for a short while against the spinners, but burst into action again after drinks. First ball of the second hour, he cracked Zulfiqar Babar to the deep extra cover boundary. The next ball was lofted for six in the same region. The double-hundred came first ball of the next over as McCullum charged at Yasir Shah and hit him for a straight six. He was gone two deliveries later, bowled round his legs as he missed a sweep off the legspinner.

Taylor made a laboured half-century but he helped Williamson add 116 for the third wicket. The legspinner Yasir troubled Taylor the most. A slog-sweep flew for six but another was topedged, only to fall at vacant

midwicket. The slowness of the pitch, however, allowed Taylor to stand on the crease and push away even full deliveries.

Taylor nicked a Talha lifter to the wicketkeeper down the leg side on 49 but the fast bowler suffered for bowling his fifth no-ball. Not afforded much room to play his favoured cut, Taylor tried the shot against Yasir in the next over, and it ended in slip’s

hands. The Pakistan spinners had been able to string together a ten-over boundaryless period after lunch, but Williamson ended that with a couple of fours off Yasir, stepping out and driving straight to move past 150. The second new ball was taken in the 85th over, and Williamson welcomed it with more drives and pulls. He went first ball after tea, though, prodding at a Rahat delivery leaving him on the angle, and edging to slip.

Anderson ensured there was no let-up for Pakistan as he powered nine boundaries to make 50 off 57. Southee joined in the fun, a couple of blows making it 19 sixes for the innings, another record. Mohammad Hafeez, the only one to keep McCullum in check on day two, was brought on only after tea. He had to go through the frustration of seeing Babar put down Southee at long-on on 36. The fast bowler finally holed out off Yasir, and with six overs to go, Misbah’s ploy to bring on Rahat halted Pakistan’s misery in fading light. (Cricinfo)

Machine lathes and a quantity of hand dryers for sale. CONTACT 333-2544 OR 648-6135

Used imported from USA office furniture in excellent condition, secretary executive and office chairs, 2, 3&4 draws metal filing cabinets, Panasonic copier-fax, scanner and printer in one. Call 623-3183, 6255353, 227-1135.

One Toyota Allion, Series PSS 800. 2.1 Million Negotiable or best offer, low Mileage Call 669-7975.

Caskets for sale, can also be done through orders. Call: 609-8964

Healthworld Holistic Centre offers clinical psychotherapy for suicidal thoughts, attempted suicides, depression, stress, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, homicidal thoughts, hallucinations, loneliness, conflicts, anger management, relationship & sexual problems, paranoia and much more. Call +592-6210552 and make that appointment now before it’s too late. 12:006:00PM. Mondays-Fridays. Email: healthworldhc@gmail.com

Immigration & Visa Services We handle all Canadian, USA and UK immigration and visa matters. Self sponsorships, holiday/visitor’s visas, work permits, students visas, family, class, immigration forms, embassy enquiries, appeals for refused cases, US green card lottery, business class waivers, pardons, etc. Get your visa approved. High success rate. Balwant Persaud & Associates. Certified Immigration Consultants, 68 Sixth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown (Between Cummings & Lights Sts) Tel: 225-1540, 622-8308, 655-3105. Email: balwantpersaud@yahoo.ca

mobile: 6213249. We cut any type of key, service and repair all types of locks. Get your extra key today.

32 Acres of transported land located at Lot 5 Plantation Content, Mahaicony, ECD; from the public road to sea shore. This property is ideal for residence, business, aquaculture, agriculture, etc. Price: $175,000 (USD) or best offer. For more information or to make an offer please call Pooran at 813-319-4219 (Florida, USA) or email rpooran@tampabay.rr.com

Parfaite Harmonie( 100ft x 50ft) $2.6M, Eccles(100ft x 50ft) $4.5M, Providence $4M & Herstelling $4M. Call 675-7292, 218-5591.

sunday, november 30, 2014

Silva’s Optical. For Your Eyes Only, Look Better See Better. Phillip A Da Silva OD, Shannon L Da Silva OD, Natalie Da Silva OD. 248 South Road, Bourda. Phone: 227-3529, Linden: 444-6376, Corriverton: 339-3536, Meten-Meer-Zorg: 275-0322, Grand Cayman Islands: (345) 943-1515 for the perfect trendy touch.

Dutch spiritual healing in removing evil spirit; bad luck; evil sickness; spells; re- uniting lovers and prosperity to busi- ness etc, Call 612-6417, 220-0708, 687-5633.

Cleansing of spiritual problems of all kinds. Powerful Ifá protection against evil. Get help to overcome problems with love, relationships, legal, sexual, pregnancy, business, sickness, jobs, enemies, work, money. Call 592-6901824 from 10:00-16:00h Email:anewlife@live.com

HEPHZIBAH MINISTRIES. 24hrs miracle line 322-5081/337-4510/3374259/337-4021/337-3070/337-5103

For healing, deliverance, financial difficulties, marriage issues. Call now. Jesus cares.

Suriname’s Astrology, Palmist and Hindustani Spiritual Healer, solve all purpose problems, 100% confidential guaranteed. Phone: 679-4672

One house with 5 bedrooms, (2 large, 1 small, 1 master and 1 guest), Laundry room with half bath, kitchen with island, living room, dining area, gym, storage/freezer room, generator room with exhaust, two storage rooms, one small front office, 3 car-parking area. House is sold with a running document center with all equipment and supplies. Property (2900+sq) is located on a corner lot close to the public road. Contact Hans/Andrew: 6455596/638-8599

Eccles: two flat executive concrete house; three bedrooms upper, two bedrooms lower (separate flats). Price negotiable. Tel: 602-2135

Windsor Forest 2 storey, concrete building $27M. Phoenix Park (90ft x 47ft) land $3.5M. Call: 675-7292, 2185591

Eccles: Build your own home in a modernized, gated community. Lot size 60’x100’ $7.5M. Call: 227-2913, Cell: 689-3033.

Eccles: Commercial lots $14M. Call: 227-2913, Cell: 689-3033

One flat, 3-bedroom house with toilet and bathroom, kitchen, sitting and dining room. Located at lot 408 Kayman Dam, Hampton Court, Essequibo Coast. Contact: 670-8911.

one two-storeyed concrete building with four apartments at Fort Ordinance Canje. Size: 50 x 30 feet. Contact Indera Gupta at Telephone: 627-3095 for further details.

One business/ residential transported property located at Friendship Public Road, East Bank Demerara. Property presently houses a variety store and beer garden. Price negotiable. Call 661-8802 for more information.

JUST ARRIVED: TOP QUALITY RECONDITIONED VEHICLES; TOYOTA NOAH; TOYOTA VOXY; TOYOTA IST (NEW SHAPE); SUZUKI SWIFT; DAIHATSU MOVE (660CC); MERCEDES BENZ C200 KOMPRESSOR; COROLLA AE100 WAGON; TOYOTA HIACE MINIBUS RZ; PITBULL-STYLE FREEZER VAN; LAND CRUISER (FULLY LOADED); MAZDA PROCEED 4WD EXTRACAB PICK-UP; TOYOTA HILUX 4WD EXTRA CAB PICKUPS - 3RZ, 5L, 3L SOLID DEFFERNTIAL; MITSUBISHI CANTER TRUCKS 4 TONS FREEZER; 3 TONS OPEN TRAY; 2 TONS 4WD; NISSAN ATLAS 2 TONS OPEN TRAY TRUCK. PRE-ORDER YOUR UNITS EARLY AND GET THE BEST PRICES. FULL AFTER SALES SERVICES AND FINANCING AVAILABLE. DEO MARAJ AUTO SALES, 2 CHIMNEY ROAD, CHATEAU MARGOT, ECD. 624-0762, 220-5177. A NAME AND SERVICE YOU CAN TRUST

4x4 Nissan Titan fully powered Immaculate condition $3.5M. No reasonable offer refused. 622-7740

One PPP series Mazda Axela in excellent condition and one white 2007 unregistered BMW, Price negotiable. Call 679-5842.

One welder to do body work and spray paint call: 616-5697, 690-6608

Sri Lanka v England, 2nd ODI, Colombo…

Sri Lanka canter to 2-0 series lead

England presented Sri Lanka with the sort of run chase that Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene could have supervised in their sleep. It was all so predictable that they might have batted with servants holding sun shades. A single there, sir; would you like to take more runs there perhaps? All politely accepted with eight wickets and more than ten overs to spare.

England's 185 had felt inadequate at midway, despite a slow, tacky pitch, and a match reduced by morning drizzle to 45 overs. Kusal Perera and Tillakaratne Dilshan succumbed with only 37 on the board, but Sangakkara and Jayawardene absorbed the pressure, such as it was, proceeding with a quietude which took little note of the blaring horns around them.

It was the 15th time that Sri Lanka's old masters had assembled a century stand in a one-day international. It feels like more. Sangakkara was not really in touch, and Chris Woakes dropped a return chance when he was 36, but Jayawardene played felicitously to set his side at ease. Only with victory feeling inevitable did they allow themselves liberties, the last 10 overs bringing 75.

Meanwhile, Ravi Bopara's bin run brought him his second successive half-century, but each time his innings had ended with him dropping to his knees in dejection.

In the first match on Wednesday, he was last out, the game lost. Back for a Saturday shift, he made 51 from 69 balls before hauling Ajantha Mendis low to midwicket, a demanding task which ended 22 deliveries before its allotted time.

If Cook's mood must be low, Angelo Mathews has now mentally put the torments of the India tour behind him. Pretty much everything he tried came off, including his own catch on the ring to dismiss Bopara. He taunted England with spin and finished them off with the seam. Job done.

There were deeper matters to attend to before the game began. Flags flew at half mast in memory of the Australian batsman Phillip Hughes. Sri Lanka Cricket opened a condolences book, signed by both sides. A silence was impeccably observed. A game united in its grief, knowing the risks but also aware of the rarity of such a tragedy, and barely able to comprehend.

From the outset, England's innings stalled as Mathews bowled himself and a trio of spinners for the first 19 overs. Dilshan, who took the new ball, supported by close-set fields, made

Cook look static and controlled affairs so successfully that he delivered without interruption a return of 2-32 in nine overs. Dilshan's fielding has also been exemplary in both games: a 38-year-old still full of vim in a changing Sri Lanka landscape.

This time Moeen Ali's zest could not provide cover. He departed against the last ball of Dilshan's first over, advancing down the pitch, but dragging on an unruly leg-side shot.

Other England dismissals had an air of repetition: Ian Bell, playing his 150th match and who must provide impetus in the top four as currently constituted, tried to hit down the ground and failed; Eoin Morgan, stretching for a wide one, played too early on the slow surface and plonked one to extra cover, how own form as absent as that of his captain; Jos Buttler, for the second successive match, was beaten by a breakback from Dhammika Prasad,

the seventh bowler used; Woakes was stumped by a mile, again just as he had been in the previous match. England's tail - which in the warm-up match began at 11, but which now begins at nine - did not overstay its welcome.

Joe Root persevered, reaching 42, his laborious resistance alleviated by a single boundary, and even he required a Sri Lankan review to fall in his favour on 16, umpire Steve Davis' rejection of Dilshan's lbw appeal upheld by the narrowest of margins as Root came across his stumps to work down the leg side. That approach proved his downfall, Mathews winning the lbw decision.

The rest was left to Bopara. He should bat in blue overalls. Unlike Sangakkara and Jayawardene, he has rarely had the luxury of being able to knock off a simple target, servants with parasols at the ready, as if in his sleep. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD

England innings (45 overs maximum)

AN Cook* c MDKJ Perera

b Dilshan 22

MM Ali b Dilshan 2

IR Bell c NLTC Perera

b Herath 11

JE Root lbw b Mathews 42

EJG Morgan c Thirimanne

b NLTC Perera 17

RS Bopara c Mathews

b BAW Mendis 51

JC Buttler† b Prasad 7

CR Woakes st †Sangakkara

b BAW Mendis 15

JC Tredwell not out 9

ST Finn b BAW Mendis 0

HF Gurney b Prasad 1

Extras: (lb-3, w-3, nb-2) 8

Total: (all out; 43 overs) 185

Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Ali, 1.6 ov), 2-36 (Bell, 8.1 ov), 3-37 (Cook, 9.2 ov), 4-75 (Morgan, 19.3 ov), 5-117 (Root, 27.1 ov), 6-132 (Buttler, 31.4 ov), 7-173 (Woakes, 39.5 ov), 8-180 (Bopara, 41.2 ov),

9-180 (Finn, 41.4 ov), 10185 (Gurney, 42.6 ov)

Bowling: AD Mathews 6-0-231 (2-w), TM Dilshan 9-0-322, HMRKB Herath 9-0-40-1, BAW Mendis 7-1-33-3 (1-w), NLTC Perera 3-0-16-1, BMAJ Mendis 5-0-22-0 (1-nb), KTGD Prasad 4-0-16-2 (1-nb) Sri Lanka innings (target: 186 runs from 45 overs) TM Dilshan c Woakes b Ali 26 MDKJ Perera c Bopara b Finn 9 KC Sangakkara† not out 67 DPMD Jayawardene not out 77

Extras: (lb-3, w-4) 7

Total: (2 wickets; 34.2 overs) 186 Fall of wickets: 1-27 (MDKJ Perera, 4.1 ov), 2-37 (Dilshan, 7.4 ov) Bowling: ST Finn 6-1-35-1 (1w), CR Woakes 5-0-23-0,

SerVIceS

l aND FOr Sale

Da

Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene shared their 15th century stand in ODIs

WICB PCL 4-Day round-up

Action in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Professional Cricket League 4-Day cricket competition continued on Saturday with day two of the third round. Below are the summarised scores of the two games played outside of Guyana.

Leeward Islands Hurricanes, trailing by 199 runs on first innings, were 102-1 in their second innings at the close against the Windward

Islands Volcanoes. Leeward Islands Hurricanes 109 (Austin Richards 44; Liam Sebastien 5-39, Alston Bobb 4-31) and 102-1 (Lyndell Richardson 48, Austin Richards 42*) Windward Islands Volcanoes 3085 declared (Devon Smith 145, Romel Currency 50*, Johnson Charles 40, Sunil Ambris 33; Jeremiah Louis 2-27).

Jamaica Franchise, leading by 42 on first innings, were 92-4 in their

second innings at the close against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force. Jamaica 173 (Tamar Lambert 87, David Bernard Jr 65; Imran Khan 6-52, Marlon Richards 3-31) and 92-4 (Shacaya Thomas 46, Andre McCarthy 21, Tamar Lambert 20*; Daniel St Clair 2-25) Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 131 (Imran Khan 26, Evin Lewis 25; Sheldon Cottrell 5-42, Damian Jacobs 2-3, Marquino Mindley 2-28).

Guyana in Group C of NACRA 7’s championship

The North American and Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) Seven’s championship will scrum off on Wednesday as teams will go at each other for the coveted title in Mexico.

The tournament is a 12-nation event where the teams have been divided into three groups of four.

The Guyanese ruggers

have been drawn in Group C and will play their first set of matches on day one of the tournament against the host nation.

They will also have to face St Vincent and the Grenadines and the Cayman Islands on day one in order to be ranked before the knockout stage begins.

The top eight teams will make the cut for the second round and earn the right to play for the championship on day two, while the bottom four teams will go through to a round-robin Bowl competition.

Group A includes Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Curacao and Mexico B, while Group B is made up of Barbados, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands and St Lucia.

Husbands three clear at Woodbine after double

Patrick Husbands skipped clear in the race for the Woodbine jockeys’ title after landing a double on the nine-race card at the Toronto Oval on Friday.

The Barbadian, chasing his seventh riding title, captured race five over six furlongs with ‘Bear’s Music’, before returning to take race eight with ‘Maythefourthbwithu’ in a five furlong sprint, to complete a handsome double.

Husbands is now on 162 wins, three clear of main title rival Luis Contreras who missed the last two race days with commitments overseas. The three-time defending champion is riding at a meet in Japan and will also miss this weekend’s race days.

His absence has presented Husbands with the ideal opportunity to make headway with the Woodbine season wrapping up next week Sunday, and the 41-year-old seized the chance.

He had to wait until mid-

way through the programme before seizing his first winner when he guided 4-1 favourite ‘Bear’s Music’ to victory over the three-yearolds and upward fillies and mares, by 1-1/4 lengths.

Husbands always kept the three-year-old chestnut filly in touch throughout as 22-1 outsider ‘Sky Kisses’ produced the early splits. He then roused her with a furlong to run and reached the

wire under a hands-ride.

The veteran reinsman then produced a sharp ride aboard another favourite, ‘Maythefourthbwithu’, to also beat the three-yearolds and upward fillies and mares, by a comfortable two lengths.

He tracked rank outsider ‘Bear’s Grace’ through the opening quarter but got clear on the turn and controlled the race in the stretch.

"Our dressing room will never be the same"

Australia’s distraught captain Michael Clarke has spoken about Phillip Hughes on behalf of the national team, revealing that his No. 64 ODI shirt will be retired out of respect for their departed friend and teammate.

Clarke spoke for around two and a half minutes, promising “I’ll do my best” and fighting back tears with almost every sentence. During these moments it was difficult to imagine the Australian team turning out for a Test match in Brisbane as soon as Thursday next week - Clarke’s predecessor Ricky Ponting has stated he does not think they can.

“Words cannot express how we feel as a team right now. To Greg, Virginia, Jason and Megan, we share in the deep pain that you’re feeling,” Clarke said. “Apart from when he was at home on the farm with his beloved cattle, Hughesy was at his happiest playing cricket for his country with his mates. Things were all put into per-

Michael Clarke cut an emotional figure on Saturday

spective when Hughesy said ‘where else would you rather be boys, but playing cricket for your country’.

“We’re going to miss that cheeky grin and that twinkle in his eye. He epitomised what the baggy green is about and what it means to us all. The world lost one of its great blokes this week, and we are all poorer for it.

Our promise to Hughesy’s family is that we will do everything we can to honour his memory. Last night I asked Cricket Australia if Hughesy’s Australian one

– Clarke

day international shirt No. 64, could be retired, to which they agreed. That means so much.

“His legacy of trying to improve each and every day will drive us for the rest of our lives. We’d like to thank everyone both here and overseas for the touching tributes to Hughesy in recent days. Our dressing room will never be the same. We loved him and always will. Rest in peace, Bruzzy.” Clarke paused longest before uttering the words “our dressing room will never be the same”. Knowing this, Ponting has expressed his belief that the first Test against India should not go ahead as scheduled. The match is due to begin at the Gabba on Thursday. However, on Friday CA’s chief executive James Sutherland said that cricket would go on “when we’re ready”, and added that the players had not yet been consulted about their feelings on whether the Test should go ahead. (Cricinfo)

Devon Smith stroked his 24th First-Class ton

Patrick Husbands

Fantastic Russell fires Knights to victory

Abrilliant Man-of-theMatch all-round performance from West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell fired Knights to a convincing 39-run victory over Dolphins in the Ram Slam Twenty20 League on Friday night.

Russell slammed a scintillating even 50 from a mere 19 balls as Knights, sent in, got up to 167-5 off their 20 allotted overs at Diamond Oval.

The right-arm seamer then returned to grabbed 3-17 as Dolphins, with West Indies one-captain Dwayne Bravo on board, were restricted to 128 all out with nine balls remaining.

With the win, Knights are now third in the Ram Slam standings on 22 points, Cape Cobras top with 29 points.

Knights started poorly and were 26-2 when opener Reeza Hendricks, who topscored with 69, and Tumelo Bodibe, who got 23, put on 63 for the third wicket.

Russell then arrived to play a blinder, smashing six sixes in a 76-run partnership with Hendricks to ensure Knights finished strongly.

The Jamaican ripped into his Windies teammate Bravo, sensationally smashing him for four sixes in one over, the 18th of the innings, which leaked

and two sixes, in a 46-un sixth wicket stand with Khaya Zondo (18).

But once Bravo was bowled by seamer Shadley van Schalkwyk (3-28) in the 16th over, the innings collapsed.

At Senwes Park in Potchefstroom, both Chris Gayle and Darren Sammy failed in a high-scoring encounter as Gayle’s Lions edged Titans by a single run.

Opener Rassie van der Dussen struck an unbeaten 101 to get Lions up to 1793, with Gayle scoring just eight and seamer Sammy finishing wicket-less from four overs which cost 33 runs.

Titans then just missed out, finishing 178-6 with opener Heino Kuhn unbeaten on 69 and Heinrich Klaasen getting 44. Captain Sammy made only six.

In Port Elizabeth, West

Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard struck 32 not out as leaders Cape Cobras easily beat Warriors by 72 runs. Pollard faced just 15 balls and counted two fours and three sixes as leaders Cape Cobras rattled up 1873, batting first. Openers Richard Levi (76) and Andrew Puttick (65) put on 140 for the first wicket. In reply, Warriors managed only 115 all out from 18.1 overs.

Mackeson 3-on-3 set to start tonight

30 runs.

Russell was eventually run out off the last ball of the final over also bowled by Bravo.

In reply, Dolphins never really threatened especially after slipping to 63-5 in the 12th over.

Bravo tried to revive the innings with an 18-ball 35 that included three fours

The biggest street basketball tournament is set to tip off tonight in Albouystown with a host of games expected to commence at 19:00 hours.

With most teams expected to register on the night of the opening games, some tough matches are expected during the course of the evening as no team will be able to scout the style for

their opponents. At least 12 games are expected tonight as organisers have indicated that the total number can possibly stretch to at least 19.

Each game will last 10 minutes. However, the aim is to reach 21 points first.

Hence, if a team reaches 21 points before 10 minutes, the game will automatically end. However, if

no team reaches 21 points at the end of 10 minutes, then the team with the most points will win.

Games are expected to run the full 10 minutes with no breaks unless there is a foul or the ball goes out of bounds. A lot of high octane, fast pace action is definitely expected, come tip off time in Albouystown.

Andre Russell was at his destructive best for the Knights (File)

TOP SCORES

Rain curtails second day’s play at Providence

Persistent rainfall on Saturday forced an early end to day two of the third round match between Guyana Jaguars and Barbados Pride in the West Indies Cricket Board’s (WICB) Professional Cricket League (PCL) 4-Day tournament.

The pitch at the Guyana National Stadium remained covered for the majority of the day, save for a brief period in the morning session. Barbados Pride, resuming on four without loss, reached 33-2 by the time the rain came down and forced

the players off the field. Kyle Corbin was the first to go, caught by Trevon Griffith off the bowling of fast bowler Rensford Beaton. Fellow opener Kraigg Brathwaite was caught by Raymond Reifer off the left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul for 18. Shai Hope and Jonathon Carter are not out on eight and zero respectively. Guyana Jaguars made 261, batting first. Play was called off for the day at the scheduled tea time at 14:40 hours.

Weather permitting, day three

Harper, Husbands joint leaders of Open

– Guyana’s Thomas leads Challenger Section

Tchampion Ryan Harper of Trinidad and Tobago and Orlando Husbands of Barbados are tied on 3.5 points, setting up an interesting situation heading into last evening’s fifth round and today’s sixth and seventh.

Following the pair are three players on 2.5 points each. They are Christopher Guzman of The Dominican Republic, Vishnu Singh of Trinidad and Tobago and Malaku Lorne of Jamaica.

Darvi Ferreras of The Dominican Republic is next on 1.5 points, followed by four players tied on a point each, including the lone Guyanese in the Open Section, Taffin Khan.

The others are Martyn Del Castilo of The Dominican Republic, Roger Matoewi of Suriname and Kevin Cupid of Trinidad and Tobago.

In the Challenger

Section, two Guyanese are in the top three, with Maria Varona Thomas in the lead on four points, followed by Andrew Mellace of Jamaica on 3.5 and Guyana’s Kriskal Persaud on three points.

Five others players are bunched on three points, namely Deborah Richards of Jamaica, Esan Wiltshire and

Frank Sears of Trinidad and Tobago, Anthony Drayton of Guyana, and Geryen Dos Ramos of Suriname.

They are followed by Avikaar Malgie (Sur), Wendell Meusa (Guy), Frank Kim Lin Lo (Sur) and Rashad Hussain (Guyana), all on 2.5 points apiece, and Ronuel Greenidge (Guy),

David Khan

on two points each.

The remaining 12 players have 1.5 points or less.

The tournament is being organised under the auspices of current president of FIDE, the world governing body for chess, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. A grand payout package of US$16,000 is at stake.

In the Open Section, the winner will cart off US$2,500, while the second place finisher will get US$1,500 and third US$1,000.

The winner of the Challenger Section is entitled to US$1,500, with the runner-up copping US$1,000 and third US$750. In the case of a tie, the sum of the prizes involved will be shared equally.

Haifeng Su (Guy), Glenford Corlette (Guy), Mikel Martin (T&T), Aditi Soondarsingh (T&T) and

(Guy)

Maria Thomas

Ryan Harper