Guyana Times Daily

Bosai, NAACIE agree to seven per cent pay raise for staff

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Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 1947 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Ramotar to review ties with opposition Saturday, November 9, 2013

See story on page 3

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Guyana participates in UN P10 seminar on gold, sustainability

– says “it can’t be business as usual” Telecoms, PUC bills sent to P12 select committee Muslims to observe Islamic New Year with cultural P13 programmes

Media operatives cash in as Courts unveils millionaire promotion

See story on page 17

Media operatives bask in the joy of winning prizes following the launch of Courts Guyana Inc “Become a Millionaire at Courts” promotion (Carl Croker photo)

Two die in separate accidents See story on page 2

Cocaine from Guyana intercepted in Jamaica See story on page 12

Study team finds high level of P14 biodiversity in Rupununi Enterprise sugar workers P19 on strike

2 news

saturday, november 9, 2013 | guyanatimeSGY.com

GT&T donates Two die in separate accidents $1M to GPHC

By Vahnu Manikchand

T

T

he Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) on Friday contributed $1 million to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to kick start a drive to enhance its immediate surroundings.

GT&T’s Marketing, Sales and Public Relations Director Roma Singh handed over the cheque to GPHC’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Michael Khan in the hospital’s compound.

In expressing gratitude to the telephone giant for the timely donation, Khan said the money will be used to enhance the immediate surroundings of the hospital, in particular the New Market Street entrance.

“It will cover the cost of landscaping the area on either side of the street, painting and putting up signage to indicate no parking, no stopping, drop-off, and keep clear zones.”

Eleven taxi drivers who have a long-standing relationship in providing transport from the hospital, have been given permission to operate in keeping with the regulations of the institution and the laws of Guyana.

Khan urged other corporate entities to build on the foundation GT&T has laid. “As we strive to provide quality care, the ambience of the environment is very im-

GPHC CEO Michael Khan

portant for the well-being of both our staff and patients.”

Meanwhile, Singh told reporters that GT&T is also pleased to assist the hospital.

“Every day, we commute in the area and we realise that so much can be done to enhance the environment, not only for staff but for patients,” he said.

New Market Street from Thomas and East streets is now closed to minibuses and deemed a total no-parking street. “The public will be advised and educated to use the hospital’s East Street Car Park area between New Market and Middle Street,” the GPHC said in a release.

It is also calling on the Guyana Police Force and the Georgetown Mayor and City Council to look into the issue of illegal parking and vending in the vicinity.

wo men succumbed to their injuries on Friday after being involved in separate accidents.

A 64-year-old security guard died in the wee hours of Friday at the Georgetown Public Hospital after he was involved in an accident the previous night. The dead man has been identified as Roy Harriall, of Lot 81 Section C, Block X, Golden Grove Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara.

The accident occurred sometime around 23:30h at Little Diamond, EBD. Harriall was employed as a security guard with Bruce Vieira and was on his way home when the accident occurred, according to reports, which indicated that he was on his motorcycle when he collided with a car.

This newspaper understands that Harrilall’s left leg was broken and his right hand was also badly damaged. Persons who assisted in taking him to hospital said it also appeared that Harrilall’s scrotum was crushed. He was first taken to the East Bank Demerara Regional Hospital (Diamond hospital) and then transferred to the city hospital; however, he died minutes after arriving there.

When this publication arrived on the scene minutes after the collision on Thursday evening, the injured man was

Bholan Boodhoo was one of the persons killed

lying in the grass moaning in pain. The driver of the car claimed that he was heading to town and the motorcyclist was headed in the opposition direction when the latter collided with this car. “De man come into me lane and hit me, so I swerved from hitting him, but came face to face with a container and swerved out back, this time hitting the man”.

The driver was taken into custody to assist with the investigation. Harriall was described as a loving person who liked to make others smile. He leaves to mourn his wife and five children.

Jogger killed

The second accident occurred sometime around 05:20h on Friday morning while 64-year-old Bholan Boodhoo, the owner of

Horizon Bookstore, was jogging along JB Singh Road, Georgetown.

Boodhoo was struck down by a Guyana Power and Light maintenance minibus. It is believed that the driver, who is said to be in his 30s, fell asleep behind the wheel and hit Boodhoo and another jogger who were in the corner of the road, as evident by the skid marks.

This newspaper was told that the other jogger, a female, has been hospitalised because of injuries sustained during the accident.

When Guyana Times visited Boodhoo’s widow at the couple’s Lot 81 Third Street, Alberttown home, she disclosed that it was a norm for her husband to leave early in the morning to jog.

She said he was the country representative for Longman Pearson and had only re-

turned on Thursday after a three-day trip.

She explained that she was preparing his breakfast, so that he could eat when he got home usually around 05:45h, but, around that exact time, she received a call saying that she should go to the hospital because her husband was in an accident. She noted that she immediately rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where her worst fear was confirmed.

The widow said the driver told the police her husband and the other jogger were ‘prematurely’ crossing the road when he struck them. She expressed dissatisfaction with the way the case is being handled. “They didn’t tell me anything, someone tell me what the driver said and that is impossible, my husband is the most careful person I know, but I didn’t like how the police handling the matter...

He took my husband away from he, I wanted to strangle him when I saw him in the station this morning, because I really didn’t get to talk to him since he returned yesterday,” she stated.

Boodhoo, who was a former economist for the State Planning Secretariat and an AFC member, sustained severe injuries to his face and lacerations about his body.

He leaves to mourn his wife and only daughter. (vahnum@guyanatimesgy.com)

News

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Saturday, November 9 from 09:30h to 11:00h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Saturday, November 9 from 08:30h to 10:00h.

WEATHER TODAY

Winds: East north-easterly at 3.57 to 4.02 metres per second.

High Tide: 08:50h and 21:13h reaching maximum heights of 2.33 metres and 2.36 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 02:15h and 14:42h reaching minimum heights of 0.73 metre and 0.95 metre respectively.

wednesday, november 6, 2013

LOTTERY NUMBERS A 04 11 12 11 26 27 25 FREE TICKET

Friday, November 8, 2013

Daily Millions

01 03 04 11 14 LUCKY 3

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Draw De Line 01

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saturday, november 9, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Ramotar to review ties with opposition – says “it can’t be business as usual”

By Michael Younge

Countrywide: Thundery showers are expected during the day, with clear skies in the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations.

Temperatures are expected to range between 25 and 28 degrees Celsius.

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

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resident Donald Ramotar said he would be re-examining his government’s relationship with the opposition political parties which he accused of carrying out a campaign aimed at crippling Guyana’s overall development by voting against critical projects and legislation.

“It is clear to me now that the opposition is not willing to help and I don’t have a partner in the opposition for the development of our country,” Ramotar told a news conference at his office.

Speaking at the packed media conference on Friday afternoon, the Guyanese leader vehemently protested the move by the Alliance For Change (AFC) and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) to vote down the amendments proposed as part of the new Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill, noting the far-reaching repercussions.

“The action last night, November 7, will forever go down as the worst form of economic sabotage by the opposition. With last night’s development, all hope is lost that the opposition has any intention in being a partner to develop our country. It is in this context that I am forced to reexamine my government’s future relationship with the opposition political parties,” he said sternly.

The president’s comments are considered another blow to the already fragile relationship, which existed both inside and outside the 65-seat legislature following the 2011 general and regional elections.

Ramotar said it was important to note that his government has exercised its ability to compromise when it was most pertinent while advanc-

President Donald Ramotar addressing the media on Friday

ing the interest of Guyanese above any other partisan considerations.

Unyielding

“We are the only one who have been making compromises in all of these matters... opposition has not made any compromise but we continue to be committed to do all that we can,” the president said as he made reference to the nonpassage of the anti-money laundering legislation.

Asked by Guyana Times what the process of re-examination entailed, President Ramotar said several things would be considered. He expressed reservations about mentioning specific actions that he may take.

“We still have to go into details. What is obvious is that I have some constitutional responsibilities that I have to deal with the opposition on,” he reminded, referring to his obligations under the law to have meaningful consultations with the opposition leader on several constitutional appointments. He did not deny that the process of reexamination could be government taking a different approach to the tripartite talks which have broken down sev-

eral times and yielded little.

President Ramotar said his lack of confidence in the opposition to make sound and patriotic decisions to propel Guyana further stems from its continuous breach of agreements.

He noted the “anti-developmental posture”, which has seen the APNU and the AFC offering no support to the Marriott Hotel venture, the Speciality Hospital project, the Amaila Falls hydro project and several other ventures.

Damage the economy

“The opposition parties are determined to damage the economy and the body politic,” he insisted, pointing to what he deemed their “dictatorial” and “authoritarian” behaviour in Parliament.

By no small degree did the APNU’s and AFC’s decision to retain both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions rest well with the president, much less their strategic usage of their one-seat majority to reorganise Parliament.

Ramotar said the “opposition confirmed Guyanese' worst fears” and proved that it is neither responsible to anyone or any organisation. “It

would be safe to say that the opposition will be imposing hardships on our people.”

He also took the opposition to task over the disrespect it exhibited for the organised private sector in its members making denigrating remarks about the Private Sector Commission after blocking its attempt to petition Parliament to pass the anti-money laundering legislation.

He said the PNC, now APNU, through former Finance Minister Carl Greenidge, was the main architect of the destruction of the private sector, the economy and the entire nation years ago. Ramotar advanced the position that the party under David Granger appeared to be attempting to do the same.

“The opposition, which was elected to represent Guyana, has consistently shown scant disregard for the private sector, labour movement, our teachers, farmers and many others,” he reasoned. By virtue of the opposition’s nonsupport for the bill, Guyanese would face hardships accessing millions in remittances, the insurance companies would suffer, government workers and scholarship students would be affected, while businesses transactions will undergo more scrutiny.

“This is not an action that is caused by the government. The opposition is bent on getting power at any cost.

It doesn’t matter how many lives are destroyed in the process,” he concluded.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall is expected to lead a team of representatives to the next round of review by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) on November 18 where he will update the regional officials on Guyana’s non-compliance with the basic provisions in the bill.

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guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, november 9, 2013

Views Editor: Nigel Williams Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134 Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

Traffic embolism G

uyana is slowly but surely being strangulated with the traffic build-up on its roads. Roads are routinely referred to as “arteries” for the good reason that traffic is the lifeblood of any nation, transporting not only people from “point A” to “point B”, but the intermediate and finished goods that sustains the economy.

But from what we are witnessing in the country today, particularly within Georgetown and its environs and approaches, the country is about to have a massive embolism – which happens to arteries when they get blocked up. It can end in death.

Today, the traffic jams into Georgetown in the morning and afternoons extend for miles from the East Coast and from the East Bank Demerara highways. Commuters routinely add two hours to their schedules in each direction if they are to realistically hope of making appointments or working hours.

The toll on the nation’s productivity has not been measured as yet, but from the experience of those countries that perform such quantifications, it has to be considerable.

While it is easy to criticise the planners and the authorities for allowing the housing development that feeds the traffic to “grow like Topsy”, once our economy took off in the sustained way it has it would have been very difficult, if not impossible to control.

It had been proposed that we should not concentrate more development in Georgetown, but to spread it across the country. The reality is that even though we may boast about our vaunted “83,000 square miles”, which is larger than the rest of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) combined, our actual inhabited space is even more cramped than the tiniest of those islands.

It is but a mere 200 miles from Charity to Crabwood Creek and with few villages extending inland for more than a mile, it means our 780,000 populace are squeezed in a space of just 200 square miles.

Our settlement pattern has been compared to a string of honey that was laid on our Atlantic Coast and which attracted intermittent clumps of ants along its path. The string is our one and only major roadway and the clumps are our villages and settlements, the largest of which is Georgetown.

And that roadway would not be called a “highway” by the kindest interpretation of the term, even though we insist on its usage. The logic of that geographical and topological reality means that no matter where we build, the roads are going to be congested and we will be threatened with vehicular embolism, unless we have some major interventions, which should include some bypass operations.

Several proposals to deal with the clogged arteries have been mooted, some have been launched and a few have actually been completed. We have the ongoing widening of the East Coast and the East Bank roadways.

There is also the proposal for a new Demerara Harbour Bridge. Of recent there have even been some eminently sensible ones proposed in the letters pages of the press.

These are all to be encouraged, but we believe that unless we approach the situation in a holistic and more comprehensive manner, we will be fixing some particular manifestations only to have some more serious ones erupting somewhere else.

Take for instance the East Bank roadway. No matter how wide we make it, because it bisects one of the most densely populated areas in Guyana, as presently designed, there will be the constant need for traffic to stop as pedestrians try to scurry over to the other side.

Studies have shown that such seemingly innocuous pauses cause cascading slowdowns of traffic through the length of the roadway, eventually precipitating much longer delays.

Other changes would be to have permanent – police on motorcycles patrolling the approaches to the Demerara Harbour Bridge, and issuing tickets to those vehicles that insist on “boring in”.

But let us eschew this piecemeal approach. It simply hardens the arteries.

Amid much fanfare, Courts Guyana Incorporated launched its new promotion “Become a Millionaire at Courts” on Friday at its head office, Main Street, Georgetown. Here, dancers entertain the crowd gathered for the launch (Carl Croker photo) See story on page 17

Reading Dear Editor, One of the most critical life skills a human being must possess in order to survive in the modern world is the ability to read. Being able to read opens the mind to limitless possibilities.

Reading allows individuals to significantly enlighten themselves with the exploration of new words and the exchanging of ideas.

It is very important that persons learn to read from an early age, in order to properly furnish themselves with the critical knowledge necessary for their personal development as literate people. The Education Ministry (MOE) is very cognisant of the need for Guyanese to read more as it seeks to considerably raise the literacy level from its current unacceptable state.

Moreover, MOE is presently putting measures in place to reverse the blight of illiteracy in Guyana through an innovative reading programme.

As has been stated earlier, reading is important to a person’s ability to communicate more effectively and to become literate. Pretorius (2000) asserts in a study conducted at the University of South Afr_ica that: “research findings in applied linguistics and reading research consistently show a strong correlation between reading proficiency and academic success at all ages, from the primary school right through to universi-

ty level: students who read a lot and who understand what they read usually attain good grades.”

It can also be argued further that the intrinsic relationship between reading and learning commences even earlier in the lives of children in their pre-primary school years. Studies have also suggested that children who are exposed to storybook reading before they enter primary school tend to have larger vocabularies, greater general knowledge and better conceptual development than their peers, who might have not been exposed to such formative learning attributes, and in addition; they learn to read and write more easily and quickly.

Being able to read makes one literate. Reading is a skill that is always utilised and is a necessary tool for personal development and progress. There is no sphere of life that does not require reading. Such is the importance of reading that even those who are physically challenged and are unable to see, still read through a specially constructed system called Braille.

There ought to be no excuses as to why persons have not learned to read and are not reading. Reading must once again form part of the general socialisation process of children in Guyana, as they grow and learn the norms and values of the society in which they live.

The MOE will soon be launching a sustainable nationwide reading programme to be run on weekends to get Guyanese children to read and read more frequently and effectively. And because the ministry recognises the importance of reading, it intends to encourage parents to make reading – through its complementary reading programme – a priority in every household and community in Guyana.

Parents and guardians have a very important role to play in teaching the children for whom they are responsible to read. It is advisable to encourage children to become familiar with letters, words and ultimately books from an early age. Parents and guardians must read daily to children and tutor them in the recognition of letters and the spelling of words. These activities provide the indomitable foundation necessary for successful reading to take place. It also facilitates among young children the early development of an appreciation for the importance of reading.

There is, though, a very realistic challenge that faces the ministry even as it gets prepared to launch its reading programme. That challenge surrounds the inability of some parents to read. This clear and present danger is real in the Guyanese society and must be frontally approached and

dealt with strategically in order to stem the bloom of illiteracy that threatens the society.

Conversely, even if parents cannot read to their children, there are other simple ways in which those parents can ensure that their children get involved with reading. Parents can provide positive experiences for their children by telling stories of their lives, from their imaginations, or from pictures in wordless books. Parents can interact with children and books in a variety of creative ways that can foster the interest in children in wanting to learn to read.

Parents can make sure they have their children become members of local libraries in their communities. Learning to read will require the involvement at the community level.

Neighbours, relatives and friends need to partner with the ministry in reaching out to those persons desirous of learning to read, and actually assist them in so doing. The MOE is committed to ensuring that Guyanese read again.

All must become part of this revised movement of reading. Let us encourage each other to read: Everyday!

Richard Francois, Strategic Communications Consultant, Education Ministry

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, november 9, 2013

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

Modi favoured by Indians globally Dear Editor, This is in reference to your editorial “India Elections” (November 8).

I travel to India regularly (and Indian diaspora societies like Fiji, Mauritius, Trinidad, Durban, et cetera as part of my ongoing studies) and keenly follow its political development in my readings as well is in my conversations with academics and politicians.

Everywhere I went, people have been clamouring for political change in India.

In conversations, they told me they are fed up with the ruling poor Congress-led UP government over poor governance and massive corruption. The opposition BJP is the largest beneficiary of the disenchantment with the Congress. They want change. People are very supportive of Narendra Modi, the charismatic photogenic prime ministerial candidate of the BJP. In my recent travels to Toronto, Fiji, Mauritius, Trinidad, Aruba, England, Holland, Frankfurt, Paris and around the U.S., most of the Indian diaspora express support for Modi. The Indo-Guyanese diaspora in the U.S. and Canada also back Modi. And in Guyana, Indo-Guyanese and Indian nationals also favour Modi.

People overwhelmingly feel he will help to transform India, reducing corruption and servicing the needs of the people. Much hope is placed on him also to advocate for the interests of the Indian diaspora.

The Indo-Caribbean dias-

pora in America know Modi very well and he knows the diaspora very well having travelled to several countries to meet with the Indian communities. He was very supportive of Guyanese during the struggle against the ethnic dictatorship. He sympathised with us and is familiar with our persecution in Guyana during the ethnic dictatorship.

Also, we interacted with him several times when he visited America right after he became chief minister of Gujarat. He has been one of a few chief ministers of India who interacts with Indo-Caribbean people. I met him several times since January 2003 at the annual Pravasi Divas that was initiated by the BJP. Recent polls show Modi as the most popular political leader in India and that he will lead the opposition to victory in the general elections due by May. The India Today Group-ORG opinion poll in four states holding elections through December predicts victories for Modi (lead campaigner for BJP).

The survey conducted in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Delhi (Mizoram, which also goes to vote, has not been covered in this survey) shows that the BJP is reaping the dividends of better investment in Modi’s leadership. Not surprisingly, the Congress wants to ban the publication of opinion polls.

The assembly elections in the five states are being seen as the semi-final to the 2014 general elections.

In Delhi, the BJP has an edge over the Congress and all others. The poll gives BJP 36 seats, Congress 22 and Aam Aadmi Party eight.

In Madhya Pradesh, for example, nearly 60 per cent want the re-election of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who has been at the helm since 2005.

In Chhattisgarh, 56 per cent want to give incumbent Chief Minister Raman Singh a third stint despite conceding that insurgency continues to haunt the state.

Perhaps, Singh’s governance is more reflected in popular schemes, like the one-rupee rice scheme – the precursor of the food security bill.

In Rajasthan, Congress Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s is facing head winds. Fifty-one per cent people want a change of guard here. Riding on a strong anti-incumbency wave against Gehlot, former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is set to make a comeback. But the Congress is proving to be a sore loser in the opinion polls. The party didn’t have much to say about opinion polls when it was in the lead five years ago.

Now that it is facing the Modi machine, Congress wants to shut down polls.

For those of us who understand polling, polls do not influence voters. Performance and governance shape voters mood. The Indian diaspora can not wait for Modi to take the helm in India.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

GSA should make Guyanese proud Dear Editor, The Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) has for many years offered Guyanese the opportunity to study courses primarily in the field of agriculture and has of late opened its doors to offer similar opportunities to international students. Just recently, a bilateral agreement was signed between the governments of St Vincent and the Grenadines and Guyana, paving the way for five students to come on board.

With studies being pursued in several agriculture

related fields including animal science, agricultural science and agro processing, these newcomers with the help of the Guyana government can expect to maximise greatly on their opportunity to study at GSA. The idea of GSA was first conceptualised by Dr Cheddi Jagan who thought there was need for a National Agricultural Training Institution in Guyana. On September 9, 1963, GSA opened its doors to approximately 25 male students. The institution has since progressed over

the years and has been able to accommodate more students and further offer a wider variety of agricultural programmes to pursue.

Agriculture was once deemed as an alternative career, but has over the years become one of the most thriving professions to indulge in. The establishment and development of GSA is by far one of Guyana’s greatest accomplishments.

Sincerely, Sunil Ramjattan

Other uses of rice, including exportation, should be found for surplus supplies Dear Editor, Guyana’s rice production target for 2013 estimated at 500,000 tons has been surpassed and, although there are indeed a variety of rice meals to indulge in, there is no doubt going to be a substantial amount remaining.

We now have to consider other means of utilising surplus supplies. A potential opportunity may unveil itself in early 2014 with exports to Panama and Colombia. The Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and the

Agriculture Ministry are yet to finalise this possible business venture for 2014.

I must commend the Agriculture Ministry for his outstanding role in supporting farmers countrywide and boosting the rice industry to great heights. I am now confident that the sugar industry can effortlessly follow closely behind.

The rice industry is the second most important agriculture industry in Guyana, primarily because it serves as one of the country’s leading sources of foreign ex-

change.

Rice is one of the oldest cultivated crops and can be dated as far back as 2800 BC in China. Commonly known as a source of carbohydrates; rice is an energy boosting food, that is often low in fat and high in starchy carbohydrates. It is also filled with vitamins and minerals and provides an excellent source of vitamin E, B, thiamine and niacin and also potassium.

Yours faithfully, Basheer Ashook

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Foundation

Making the holidays less materialistic (CONTINUED FROM FRIDAY)

Teach children to give of themselves

Also, if volunteering begins at an early age, it can become part of your children’s lives – something they just want to do. It can teach them: * The benefit of sacrifice. By giving up a toy to a less fortunate child, a child learns that sometimes it’s good to sacrifice. Cutting back on recreation time to help others reinforces that there are important things other than ourselves and our immediate needs. * Tolerance. Working in community service can bring children and teens in touch with people of different backgrounds, abilities, ethnicities, ages, and education and income levels. They’ll likely find that even the most diverse individuals can be united by common values. * To be even more appreciative of what they have. By helping others who aren’t as fortunate, children can better see all the remarkable things to be grateful for in their own lives.

Choose to help an organisation or group that fits with your family’s values and the things you believe in. Just a few ways you can help out in your community and beyond: Sponsor another family in need or purchase some presents for less fortunate children through a toy donation programme. Let your children pick out and wrap the gifts themselves.

If your children love animals, talk to your local animal shelter.

Many distribute staples like pet food to low-income pet owners over the holidays and need volunteers to help.

Give back to the elderly in your area. Help out at a nursing home; visit with older people who could use a little extra joy and company around the holidays; bring gifts or meals to those who are homebound; or lend a hand to elderly neighbours with decorating, cooking, or wrapping presents.

Volunteer your family’s time by helping out at a children’s hospital or homeless shelter or building or refurbishing housing for people in need. Community service can teach children that giving comes in many forms, not just as presents. Emphasise that giving of

their time, effort, and caring can mean so much more –and last longer – than any gift that money can buy.

Give gifts with meaning

Of course, gift giving will always be a large part of the holiday season.

And with good reason – it can teach children to really consider what might make others happy and what’s important to people they care about.

Watching loved ones’ faces as they open presents that your children put a lot of heart and thought into can make the holidays more worthwhile for your children.

But presents don’t always have to be purchased in a store. Teach your children how to put some real

meaning and feelings into their gifts this year and beyond. Making their own presents can help show just how much children care and can make the experience of giving more rewarding for both children and their gift recipients.

Here are some ideas to get your

family started: Make homemade gifts together. * Create photo albums, especially small “brag books” that family members can carry around with them. Not only does this capture precious memories and show just how much they mean, making photo album gifts also shows loved ones that a lot of thought and time was put into their presents. * Print out and frame favourite digital photos of friends and loved ones. * Create customised stationery for people on your family’s list using your home computer and printer.

Have your children create their own customised artwork – collages, paintings, drawings, etc – and put them in fun frames. They can even decorate

the frames. * Create a customised family tree for family members (something grandparents would especially appreciate). * Make your own batches of presents, like potpourri or ornaments, or wrapping paper and customised home decorations like wreaths. * Create personalised family videos for long-distance friends and loved ones.

Give philanthropic gifts.

Many communities hold fairs where you can buy gifts by making a donation to causes your family and friends care about. Others offer actual gifts made by people with special needs. Check out charity organisations’ websites for information on donating money on behalf of others and about gifts whose proceeds go to the charity itself.

Instead of giving gifts of things, teach children to consider giving gifts of time. For example, their grandmother may welcome their help in learning how to use a computer. Or their little sister may want to learn how to knit. Have family members create special gift certificates (example, “two free car washes,” “five free specially prepared meals,” “10 free loads of laundry,” etc). These days, when everyone’s so stretched, a gift of time can be more meaningful than one that costs big bucks.

Be a good holiday role model

Show your children that the holidays can be joyous and fulfilling, not just a stress-ridden time that revolves around marathon shopping trips. Emphasise early on that it’s not about tons of presents but giving and receiving a few heartfelt gifts.

By starting early with traditions that emphasise the true meaning of the holidays and the caring thoughts behind gift giving, you can help to mould your children’s perspectives on the holiday season and what it means to both give and receive all year long. (Kids health)

How to teach morals to children

BY KAY IRELAND

T

eaching your children moral values is the process by which you help them develop their moral compasses. The morals your children learn as children will affect how they see the world and behave as adults. While it may seem impossible to explain the importance of honesty or compassion to a child, showing your children how good morals affect others can have a great influence on them. As a parent, it’s your duty to teach morals to children to help transform them into functional adults in society.

Step one

Define the morals that you feel are most important. While every parent wants their child to be honest, compassionate, kind, respectful, responsible and generous, it may be too confusing for your children to understand the importance of all values. Rank morals and teach them one at a time so your children aren’t overwhelmed and have a proper chance to learn the importance of each facet of morality.

Step two

Encourage self direction by explaining how to understand feelings, suggests Kaboose magazine.

Self direction entails teaching your children to use their own feelings and sense of responsibility to decide whether something is right or wrong, and to decide the course of action. Self direction takes the place of teaching many morals individually. Talk to your children and create several hypothetical instances where they would need to assess their feelings to make a choice, like a friend being bullied or accidentally taking a toy that doesn’t belong to them.

Step three

Explain natural consequences of bad or improper choices. This teaches your children to look past the moment to see what their actions will reap, notes William Sears, MD associate clinical professor of paediatrics at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine. For instance, if your children continually fight with friends, note that one day their friends may not want to play with them. If your children are caught lying, explain that it can make people doubt their stories. Also teach that good morals also have good consequences. Always being responsible means that someone may ask for their help, and always being kind could net them more friends to play with. (Livestrong)

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Bosai, NAACIE agree to seven per cent pay raise for staff T he management of Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Incorporated (BMGGI) and the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial, and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) on Friday morning reached an agreement for a seven per cent increase across the board on wages and salaries for employees.

At a simple signing ceremony, held at the Watooka Complex, Mackenzie, Linden, the parties agreed to the increase for employees within the bargaining unit. They also agreed that the wages and salaries agreement will be retroactive from April 1.

The meal allowance was

increased to $1000, while the shift premium was increased to $30 for the 15:00h-23:00h shift and $40 for the 23:00h-07:00h shift.

Signing on behalf of BMGGI were General Manager George Zhao and Senior Personnel Officer Truedell Marks.

General Secretary Kenneth Joseph, Branch President Linnell Warden, and members Wayne Halley, Neptrid Hercules, and Trevor Henry, and Aggrey Darlington signed on behalf of NAACIE. Last month, BMGGI employees had staged a massive protest outside the north gate of the company, after hearing of a pro-

were still ongoing and indicated that the 3.5 per cent increase was still negotiable.

Future developments

NAACIE General Secretary Kenneth Joseph

posed 3.5 per cent increase by the company. The company had, however, assured employees that negotiations

Speaking at the signing, Zhao said he was pleased with the negotiations and was looking forward to future developments within the Linden community and improving the working environment at BMGGI. Marks, speaking on behalf of the company, acknowledged that there was “a late start” with negotiations, and noted that the next round of negotiations will commence in April of next year to avoid future hiccups.

Speaking after the signing, Warden noted that the union was satisfied with the increase, but he expected employees to have “mixed feelings”. He said he hoped that negotiations would finish in a timely manner in the future to avoid hiccups.

Addressing the small gathering at the signing, Joseph said: “It is important that this is one of the agreements that have come out of the negotiations and again, we must compliment Bosai... we hope that workers would be put in a mood to continue production and we wish that the company continues to move from strength to strength.

“We also wish to com-

pliment the company in its efforts to also deal positively with the company and we encourage them to continue...,”he said.

Additionally, he noted that the union is in full support of the company’s expansion plans. Further, he stated that the union was pleased to have moved on from negotiations with BMGGI and was now focusing on other concerns such as the company’s productivity. Joseph also complimented BMGGI on its ongoing apprenticeship programme within the Linden community, pointing out that it has helped in developing youth skills.

Caricom urges review of CSME implementation

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aricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque has called for a review of the implementation of the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) and whether the approach to it was adequate to address the immediate concerns of member states.

“Just as we have agreed that the revised treaty must now be reviewed in order to advance our integration arrangements, we have to examine the role of the CSME in addressing the economic challenges of member states. I remain convinced, however, that the CSME is our best option for addressing our economic challenges,” LaRocque said during the opening of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) at the Princess Hotel, Providence, East Bank Demerara on Friday morning.

He said deliberations at the special session on the strategic direction of COTED should be informed by the recent judgement by the Caribbean Court of Justice which has cemented the community’s rulesbased system. According to Secretary General LaRocque, the judgement has far-reaching implications for decision-making and implementation, the nature and effects of community law, obligations of member states and the rights of

community nationals. The judgement, he added, engendered confidence in community arrangements.

“Each and every member state party to the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas has agreed to certain rights and obligations, and if the community is to deepen its integration process, we all have a responsibility to ensure that we meet our obligations to each other. However, we must equally be aware of the constraints which may hinder our member states from fulfilling those obligations and responsibilities,” the secretary general said.

Collective action

In recognition of the challenges and limitations that faced member states, the secretary general said that the region had to collectively endeavour to put all member states on a sound footing to tackle the hard economic realities. For the community, he said, enhancing competitiveness and expanding trade were crucial elements to propel growth and improve the welfare of the region.

Meanwhile, chair of the meeting, Guyana’s Foreign Minister Carolyn RodriguesBirkett said the discussions at the session will be an integral element of the community’s agenda for change.

“As I address you today at this special session on the strategic direction

Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett

Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque

of the COTED, I do so at a time when our community is searching for answers. We are searching for answers on how best to advance the integration process. We are searching for answers to alleviate the low levels of growth and high levels of debt. We are searching for answers to raise employment levels, particularly among our youth. This special session is therefore set against the background of a

quest for innovative ideas to drive the progress of our integration movement.”

Cause for celebration

The minister said after 40 years, the integration movement continues to endure, “giving us cause for celebration in the midst of our reflection and introspection. And as any organisation which wishes to remain relevant to its members, we are engaged in seeking ways

to improve the way we do business”.

She said Caricom is in the process of reviewing every facet of its operations and institutions, noting that heads of government agreed that it was necessary to examine the future direction of the community and to craft the requisite arrangements to govern the agreed structure. Work has begun on the five-year strategic plan for the community. The Change Facilitation Team has been canvassing the widest possible range of views. A series of in-country consultations have taken place in 13 member states and one associate member thus far, providing an opportunity for nationals to influence the plan and therefore, the direction of the community. Sustainable economic growth is a recur-

rent theme in almost all of these consultations.

Rodrigues-Birkett said COTED’s agenda and deliberations must be more strategic as they seek to address the challenges faced by its member states and the work of the preparatory meeting of the COTED must be such as to allow the ministers space for strategic deliberations.

“The role of the institutions that relate to COTED is equally important, as they are an integral part of our integration architecture and have been established to facilitate our economic and trading arrangements.

COTED must ensure that any discussion on its future construct and operation must take a full account of that architecture,” Rodrigues-Birkett said.

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Saturday, november 9, 2013| guyanatimesGY.com

Man charged for causing death by dangerous driving

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Guyhoc resident was on Thursday brought before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on a charge of death by dangerous driving.

Dexter Swaving, of 182 Guyhoc Park, Georgetown, pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on August 7, at Haley and Norton streets, he drove motor car PKK 2000 in a manner dangerous to the public causing the death of John Kingsly.

According to Prosecutor Bharat Mangru, on the day in question, around 08:00h,

Swaving was proceeding east along Norton Street at a fast pace when he collided with the deceased who was on a pedal cycle attempting to cross the junction. Kingsly was tossed about 83 feet from the site of the accident by the impact. He was rushed to a city hospital where he succumbed to his injuries three days later.

Swaving was represented

by Attorney Satyesh Kissoon, who told the court that his client has four children and has been driving for more than 15 years. Attorney Kissoon added that on the day in question,

his client was proceeding east on the northern carriageway on Norton Street as two minibuses were proceeding west on the southern carriageway.

Kissoon stated that Kingsly unexpectedly attempted to cross the road when he was struck down.

There were no objections to bail raised by the prosecution and it was granted in the sum of $300,000, with the condition that the defendant reports to Constable Mendonza every fortnight at 09:00h.

Swaving is due to make a next court appearance on January 17, 2014.

$30,000 bail for possession of smoking utensil

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man has been placed on $30,000 bail for having in his possession a smoking utensil, which is contrary to the Narcotic Drug and Psychotic Substance Act. Saraz Ali of East Canefield,

Canje is alleged to have had in his possession an improvised pipe, used in connection with the smoking of cocaine on November 7 at Esplanade Park in New Amsterdam.

Ali, 40, who appeared in the New Amsterdam

Magistrate’s Court on Friday before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus to answer the charge, pleaded not guilty.

The defendant was allowed his pre-trial liberty. He will return to court on December 10 for a police report.

Housewife charged with simple larceny

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48-year-old housewife was Friday placed on bail after she appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to the charge of simple larceny.

It was alleged that between July 1, 2012 and November 1, 2012 at Bel Air Springs, Adaline Sukmangal of 32 Vryheid’s Lust, East

Coast Demerara, stole a quantity of detergent, kitchen utensils and movie DVDs totalling $756,767, property of Robert Copeck.

Sukmangal pleaded not guilty to the charge as it was read to her.

Sukmangal was represented by Attorney Paul Fung-AFat, who told the court that his client had been locked up for three day and had no pri-

or trouble with the law. He made an application for reasonable bail.

There were no objections raised by Prosecutor Bharat Mangru to bail, which was granted in the sum of 200,000 with the condition that the defendant reports to the Subordinate Officer at Kitty Police Station every fortnight.

The matter is set to return to court on January 17, 2014.

42-year-old appears in court for receiving stolen livestock

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orty-two-year-old Roy Singh appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday to answer to the charge of receiving stolen property.

Singh pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on November 3 at Georgetown, he received one male sheep valued $80,000, knowing it to be falsely ob-

tained or stolen.

Attorney Paul Fung-AFat, who represented the defendant, told the court that his client, a father of two, purchased the ram. He went on to say that it was returned when the allegation was made, and made a request for reasonable bail.

Just last Wednesday, 31-year-old Orlando Wilson

appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts after he was charged with stealing the ram, which is the property of Surendra Mahadeo.

There were no objections to bail raised by Prosecutor Bharat Mangru and it was granted in the sum of $150,000.

Eyew tness

“Boat gone a wata...” ...on financial sanctions fter six months of wrangling in public and dragging their feet in private at the committee level, the opposition parties finally and officially scuttled the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AMLCFT) Amendment Bill.

There’s not much use in rehearsing all the manoeuvres. But, for instance, the Alliance For Change (AFC) never pointed to, nor claimed to have, a single problem with any of the amendments.

They just wanted to exploit the desire of the government to prevent Guyana’s financial system from being strangled by the international community, by blackmailing them into dropping a Cabinet sign-off on the Public Procurement Commission (PPC).

As to whether the AFC’s substantive proposal has merit or not (we don’t think it’s practical in the present situation), it’s the cynical horse trading that should raise people’s hackles. How can any person, much less patriotic ones, bargain with their country’s survival?

Then there’s A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). For a while we thought they’d rise to the need of the hour for their country.

But sadly, they continued along their wellrutted path of “scorch-and-burn” politics.

Never mind it’s their country that’ll be scorched and burnt...and taken down in the “slow fyaah”. And slow fyaah it will be from now on. The actions that’ll now be authorised for foreign banks and financial institutions against our local ones will result a slow strangulation – not a sudden cessation – of our economic activity.

But the end result will be just as fatal.

There’s been talk about Trinidad and Tobago weathering a similar storm from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and coming out unscathed. Well, we’re not so sure about the “unscathed” part.

It’s just that Trinidad’s financial infrastructure and institutions are so much deeper and resilient than ours. Choking a 600-pound gorilla has different consequences than doing the same to a 97-pound weakling.

A

And as far as financial resilience is concerned, that’s how our financial structure and architecture stack up against Trinidad.

So what’s going to happen is that the wheels of commerce are going to start spinning slower and slower in Guyana, as foreign banks decide whether it’s worth their while to stand accused of dealing with a terrorist funding country. With our minuscule volume of transactions – in the global scheme of things – more often than not, the answer will be “no”.

So it’ll take longer for that car to be imported from Japan...and eventually, they’ll be reduced to a trickle. And so on for all our imports and exports. Guylines anyone? ...on dissing private sector The surprise of Thursday night’s sitting of the National Assembly was the opposition's dissing of the private sector. And here we thought those fellows really believed their oft-quoted rhetoric that “the private sector is the engine of growth” in our economy!

They can’t be much of an engine pulling us ahead if we’re not even willing to hear what they had to say about the AMLCFT Bill!

And it’s not as if they were spouting off about an area in which they knew nothing – like, say, nuclear physics. The bill had everything to do with what the private sector’s all about – business and commerce.

And you’re not just talking about small timers like the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker – we’re talking about captains of industry and all that. Bankers, industrialists, manufacturers, technology companies...the works.

Just goes to show that when it comes to this opposition – politics trumps everything.

They just want to derail the economic progress generated under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C). ...on telecoms liberalisation Looks like the powers-that-be listened to our pleas in the telecoms area. The bill for opening up the sector to competition has been sent to a parliamentary committee.

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News

Guyana participates in UN seminar on gold, sustainability A delegation from Guyana, led by Natural Resources and the Environment Minister Robert Persaud, consisting of both private and public sector representatives, participated in the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the World Gold Council (WGC) Seminar on Gold and Sustainability held from November 7 - 8, at the United Nations Secretariat, New York, U.S.A. During the two-day meeting, the government of Guyana, through the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and the Guyana Gold Board, held discussions with various representatives to formally establish a working relationship with UNITAR and the World Gold Council.

Moreover, the meeting was based on lectures and panel discussions led by experts from the World Gold Council, the United Nations, and other specialists from international organisations.

The meeting took a participatory approach, with presentations and discussions on the various topics on the sustainability of gold.

The representatives from Guyana included Guyana Gold Board (GGB) Chairman, Dr Gobind Ganga; GGB member Dabria Marcus; Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) President Patrick Harding; and GGDMA executive member Azeem Baksh took part in discussions on

Lall and Lalloo still ain’t want to pay dem taxes

W Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud (second left) and members of his delegation outside the UN office in New York

the unique qualities of gold from its supply and many sources of demand; the socio-economic impact that gold mining can contribute to developing economies and the challenges inherent in responsible natural resource management and the role for governments, development organisations, communities and civil society organisations and the private sector.

Minister Persaud, during his interaction with participants, made calls to reduce the cost for producing gold, and at the same time minimise environmental degradation, including respecting the rights of indigenous people. The natural resources and environment minister also highlighted that gold

mining and related activities can play an important role in achieving sustainable socio-economic development in all countries where gold is found.

He pointed out that gold produced in conformance with high safety, environmental and social standards has the benefit of being an important source of development and opportunities for many countries and communities in the form of jobs skills, improved infrastructure and tax revenues.

UNITAR is a training arm of the United Nations System, serving some 27,000 beneficiaries annually by conducting more than 400 capacity development and research activities around the world.

The mission of UNITAR is to deliver innovative training and conduct research on knowledge systems to develop capacities of beneficiaries in the fields of environment, peace, security and diplomacy and governance.

The World Gold Council is the global authority on gold and its uses and the first source of informed opinion and advice for stakeholders and decision-makers.

They use this knowledge to develop insights into the future role that gold can play across a number of sectors and then, in collaboration with partners, intervene to deliver solutions and create new markets, and to increase and sustain the demand for gold.

id all de noise de mayor-fuh-life Green Ham was mekkin, one woulda tink he was plannin to create a scene in GT de garbage town not to pay he wife taxes. But since de acting Town Clerk Carol Sober watchin tings at de s*ity council, de mayor-fuh-life can’t thief no more. All de time, he had want to huff de money whah de wifey was savin to pay de tax money. Green Ham had de guts at one time to tell de nation that de property valuation fuh he wife place was wrong and that de taxes fuh de property was also wrong.

But what de mayor-fuh-life fuhget to tell de nation in that same breath was that he himself was also wrong. And Green Ham wrongness go back a long long way! Is every ting whah de mayor-fuh-life put he hand and mouth pun does go wrong. Some tings in life does just look wrong and Green Ham is one of dem.

Lucky ting Green Ham didn’t tek too long to come to he senses this time. De mayor-fuh-life realise that tings now changin. He still is de mayor fuh-life, but he can’t continue cooking de books. Sober watchin he soberly although de mayor-fuh-life still drunk with power like how he used to be in de days of Burnt Ham. Well, it got two big crooks Mook Lall and Lalloo Ram who ain’t want to pay dem taxes and de mayor-fuh-life was tryin to defend dem tinkin that Sober woulda back off. De two crooks demselves try to bully Sober sayin how dem provide services and de tax was supposed to discount.

Green Ham even spread rumour in de mud paper that Sober was under investigation. Well, de mayor-fuh-life wifey decide she ain’t wanna smell dem rats in de cell pun Camp Street. She already smellin enough of another rat – Green Ham! Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie!

But de two big crooks ain’t mind goin in de cell. Just that dem wanna be in de same cell together! So look out fuh dem not to pay de taxes.

2014 Old Age Pension books to be ready on November 18

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enior citizens eligible to benefit from Old Age Pension in 2014 will be issued their books at locations across the country, starting Monday, November 8, the Human Services and Social Security Ministry

said on Friday.

All pensioners are reminded to take their 2013 Old Age Pension Booklet and the corresponding national identification card or passport. Pensioners cannot authorise anyone

to collect their Old Age Pension booklets. Officers will deliver booklets to those pensioners who are unable to visit the centres.

The Labour, Human Services and Social Security

Ministry has made every effort to place distribution centres closest to pensioners. A list of the distribution centres, dates and times will be published in the November 10 edition of Guyana Times

and the November 17 edition of the Stabroek News, Kaieteur News and Guyana Chronicle.

Persons are advised to kindly check the schedule carefully and present themselves at the distribu-

tion centre that caters to persons in their catchment area. For queries or additional information, persons are asked to contact the Pension Department on telephone number 223-6027 or their District Office.

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saturday, november 9, 2013 | guyanatimeSGY.com

Guyana World graces AFC urges govt to Miss Shabeau Magazine's cover tackle increasing M reports of TIP

BY SAMUEL SUKHNANDAN

I

n light of the recent rescue missions for trafficked victims, the Alliance For Change (AFC) is calling on the government to accelerate the fight against Trafficking in Persons (TIP), in particular the apparent sex slave trade.

AFC parliamentarian Cathy Hughes made this call during an interview with Guyana Times on Thursday.

Hughes stated her disappointed in the way government has been addressing TIP, but said she is happy about the work being done by the Guyana Women Miners’ Organisation (GWMO).

“I’m disappointed, but not surprised,” she added.

Hughes said that from reports, the GWMO will soon be launching an aggressive public relations campaign to bring awareness to the issues.

The AFC parliamentarian believes that more NGOs and private sector companies should get on board.

“So even if we’re not able to get assistance in terms of establishing a safe house for the victims from the government, I think there are other avenues that we can explore to the end, so it will not be disastrous,” she explained. Hughes said serious attention must be paid to the issue, if it is to be rooted out permanently.

AFC MP Cathy Hughes

“Many are women who are lured into the areas where they have little to no contact with their families and there are horrific instances where their phones have been taken away. More or less, it’s modern day slavery in a kind of way, that is why it is very important and I don’t think we should be wasting time counting how many incidents we’ve had, we need to do something about it.”

The AFC parliamentarian had aired her concerns about the issue and said her party is ready and willing to work to help find a solution, given the increasing number of TIP cases. Hughes stressed that TIP is a matter of concern for all Guyanese, and requires serious attention. She also reiterated the need for proper accommodation to be made available to victims.

The AFC has also ad-

vised government to establish a relationship with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and churches, in the interim, to accommodate these victims who are most times from interior or gold mining areas. Hughes said urgent action is needed to address the scourge of TIP and child labour.

Guyana has been struggling to address TIP for a number of years, which is particularly prevalent in gold mining areas, and has made strides in this regard, given the support of the U.S. government and international and local agencies.

In its 2012 TIP report, the U.S. government said Guyana was taking steps to comply with TIP legislation, but slammed the government for its poor records of prosecution and limited progress in tackling the scourge.

Cases of human trafficking reported in the media generally involved women and girls in forced prostitution.

The U.S. report also suggested that a working-level taskforce should be established to complement the policy-level taskforce that would be able to coordinate the day-to-day efforts of law enforcement, NGOs, prosecutors, as well as labour, health, mining, and forestry officials, to address obstacles and work together on specific cases. (samuelsukhnandan@ guyanatimesgy.com)

Cocaine from Guyana intercepted in Jamaica F ifty-two packages of cocaine weighing 57.5 kilogrammes, with an estimated street value of US$57,000 or J$5.7 million, were seized Thursday in a joint operation by Jamaica Customs

and the Trans-national Crime and Narcotics Division (TCND) at Kingston Freezone.

According to the Jamaica Customs Department, the contraband was found wrapped in brown mask-

ing tape in a 40-foot import container with commodities declared as tea bags from Guyana. No arrests have been made in connection with the seizure, however, investigations are ongoing. (Jamaica Observer)

iss World Guyana, Ruqayyah Boyer, who recently returned to Guyana after competing for one month at the Miss World Pageant in Indonesia, is still making waves, not just in the continent of Asia, North or South America, but the Caribbean region.

Boyer, who recently came to the end of her reign as Miss Guyana Universe is currently featured as a cover girl alongside Barbadian songstress Allison Hinds on one of the most prestigious Caribbean Magazines “Shabeau”.

The young ambassador, who hailed from Linden, made it as a semi-finalist in the talent and beach fashion rounds of Miss World Pageant, where out of 130 delegates, she placed in the top 32.

Boyer, who was also named spokesperson for the Caribbean-American Domestic Violence Awareness Group after her Miss Universe stint and public relations officer of the Caribbean Youth Environment Network,

Guyana, is scheduled to be a main feature in another Caribbean magazine called “Nu Woman” (The Bahamian & Caribbean Woman Magazine) this November.

The Miss World Guyana’s featured story in Shabeau is available online at http://www.shabeaumagazine.com and the Facebook page of Shabeau Magazine.

Telecoms, PUC bills sent to select committee

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he Telecommunication Bill 2012 and the Public Utilities Commission (Amendment) Bill 2012 were both sent to a same special select committee when they came up for a second reading in the National Assembly on Thursday.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds moved the readings, signalling the end of consultations between the government and stakeholders which have been ongoing for some time. The consultations had significantly delayed the bills which target the liberalisation of the sectors, and ending the monopoly the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T).

Opposition members expressed concern that the Telecommunication Bill gave too much power to the

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds

subject minister regarding granting permission for companies to be opened.

Prime Minister Hinds explained that this was not so, and that the minister would be advised by the relevant bodies set up to oversee this procedure before doing so.

A Partnership for

National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP) Carl Greenidge expressed the hope that the bill would take into consideration the fact that digital and telecommunication changes would require government to put in place a flexible framework.

The prime minister expressed the hope that the work of the committee would be done to enable a new telecommunication regime by January 2014. The new laws seek to remove and resolve areas of conflict which exist in the current act and the Public Utilities Commission Act. They are also expected to distinguish the responsibility of the subject minister and will see new licencing provisions among others, the Government Information Agency (GINA) said.

NEWS

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Muslims to observe Islamic New State-of-the-art soil lab to open Year with cultural programmes testing in next six months

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The Anna Catherina Islamic Complex

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he 18th annual cultural programme to mark the commencement of the Islamic New Year 1435/2013 will be held on November 14 at 18:30h at the Anna Catherina Islamic Complex (ACIC), West Coast Demerara.

Pakistani Muslim scholar, Maulana/Qari Muhammad Mujahid Raza, the resident scholar at ACIC, will deliver the feature presentation at the programme.

The initiative, which is now a regular activity on the calendar of events for Muslims in Guyana, is hosted by The Guyana United Sadr Islamic Anjuman and the ACIC. The lunar Islamic calendar began its calculation after the migration of Prophet Muhammad to Medina. The first month of the calendar is Muharram, in which the 10th day (called Ashura) is significant not only to Muslims, but humanity.

“It is reported that the entire universe was created

on this day, the first drop of rain fell on this day, the first human, Prophet Adam was created on this day, Prophet Jesus ascended to the heavens on this day, Prophet Ayube (Jacob) regained his eyesight on this day, Prophet Moses saved the children of Israel from pharaoh’s army by the opening of the Red Sea on this day, and our Prophet Muhammad’s grandsons, Imam Hussain and Hassan were martyred. The 10th day of Muharram (Ashura) therefore is very auspicious to Muslims and is observed with fasting, prayers and special programmes at the various mosques. The Islamic New Year commences on November 5, 2013,” a release said.

The organisations will be having a series of smaller programmes to observe the advent of the Islamic New Year/Ashura at the Anna Catherina Islamic Complex.

Thereafter, each night until November 14, there will be nightly programmes at the Anna Catherina Islamic

BRHA looks to boost public relations

I

n an efforts to boost its public image and keep the public up to date with health issues as they arise on a daily basis, the Berbice Regional Health Authority (BRHA) has contracted the services of former Guyana Times reporter Michael Itwaru as its new public relations officer (PRO).

BRHA Chief Executive officer (CEO), Dr Vishwa Mahadeo made the announcement on Tuesday.

Itwaru, who is currently pursuing a diploma in social work at the University of Guyana, Berbice Campus (UGBC) at Tain, said he is happy to take up the appointment.

“I am pleased to join the dynamic staff at the BRHA and I look forward to strengthening the organisation’s relationship with the media and build interactions with members of the public, who are relying on our services,” Itwaru said.

He replaces Gloria Beharry, who is currently on preretirement leave.

According to Dr Mahadeo, Beharry had indicated that she has no interest in renewing her contract.

Itwaru, 33, began his ca-

BRHA’s new public relations officer, Michael Itwaru

reer as a sports reporter at the Little Rock Television Station, New Amsterdam in 1998; he also worked at the National Communications Network (NCN), Berbice operations, and more recently, with Guyana Times. The former New Amsterdam Multilateral School student also had brief stints with the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) and Digicel.

He is also the founder of a faith-based group called “Lighthouse Mission”, in East Canje, Berbice.

Pakistani Muslim scholar, Maulana/Qari Muhammad Mujahid Raza

Complex.

At these programmes, special topics dealing with the life of the prophet of Islam and his esteemed family members will be discussed as well as the importance of showing love and gratitude for this greatest

of all human beings. Special videos will be shown on “Big Screen” featuring prominent Sunni Muslim scholars. Maulana Mujahid will be making presentations on each night as well as other prominent Muslims, the release said.

armers are soon to benefit from a stateof-the-art soil testing laboratory which will significantly enhance their agronomic practices.

The Agriculture Ministry, working with its agencies, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), the Mahaica-MahaiconyAbary/Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA), the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), the Fisheries Department and the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), is looking to have this comprehensive soil laboratory operational within six months.

Agriculture contributes 23 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product, and with a high dependency on agriculture, such a laboratory is necessary.

Soil analysis is a valuable tool for farms as it de-

termines the inputs required for efficient and economic production. Soil tests help to ensure application of enough fertiliser to meet the requirements of the respective crop, while taking advantage of the nutrients already present in the soil.

To further expand the sector, such a move is necessary according to Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, as it will not only significantly reduce the cost on farmers, but also allow the sector to be more effective.

GuySuCo currently performs certain soil tests. The laboratory, when completed, will have the capacity to analyse various soil samples, which prior had to be sent to Miami, U.S.A. to be tested.

The laboratory will significantly reduce the cost farmers pay to have proper soil tests carried out. A Technical Management Committee will also be established to manage the laboratory.

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Four charged for firecrackers

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our men were recently charged and placed before the court for possession of firecrackers, police said on Friday.

According to a police statement, between November 2 and 3, four persons were charged and

placed before the courts for possession of explosives without permission.

Sherwin Alleyne was fined $10,000 or two weeks imprisonment; Rajesh Ross pleaded not guilty and was placed on $40,000 bail; Nicholas Brown pleaded not guilty and was

placed on $30,000 bail; while Naleena Mohamed will appear in court on Monday.

In addition, a number of young persons who were also found with firecrackers were warned by the police in the presence of adult relatives and sent away.

Wife abuser found hanging in lock-ups

A

man who was locked up for abusing his wife was later found dead in a cell at the Blairmont Police Station, police have confirmed.

In a release, police said about 19:30h on Thursday, the body of Balkissoon Dachan called “Boyo”, 42, of Rosignol, West Bank Berbice, was found hanging

in his cell at the Blairmont Police Station.

Dachan was found hanging from the grillwork of the lock-ups. His t-shirt was used to carry out the act. He was the only prisoner in the lock-ups.

Dachan was pronounced dead on arrival at the Fort Wellington Hospital. Police said he was arrested about

12:00h on Thursday following a report made by his wife Roshinie Narine, called “Geeta”, that he had gone to her home and verbally abused her.

This was in breach of a Protection Order issued by the court resulting from incidents of domestic violence between them. Investigations are in progress.

Study team finds high level of biodiversity in Rupununi

T

he World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Guianas Biodiversity Assessment Team (BAT) Expedition to the South Rupununi has ended on a resounding note, with a high diversity level recorded in the area.

After two weeks of collecting biodiversity data in Kusad and Parabara, South Rupununi, BAT returned to Georgetown on Thursday with overwhelming news.

The BAT Expedition team comprised local and international scientists who have expertise in the identification of plants, birds, reptiles, mammals, amphibians, insects and fish, along with water quality and community resource use. It included representatives from South Rupununi, University of Guyana, the Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) and the University of Mississippi and the Global Wildlife Conservation. A presentation of the findings was made on Friday at the Moray House Trust.

“So South Rupununi we found to be very diverse... we got 150 species of fish, over 300 species of birds and 145 species water beetles,” Global Wildlife Conservation representative Leanne Alonzo said as she gave Guyana Times a synopsis of the finds. She added that very different species were found in the two study areas, noting that there was not much overlapping.

It was pointed out that the high biodiversity of the areas is as a result of the mixing of Amazonian and Guiana Shield fauna, high habitat diversity and marked seasonal flooding. The South

Rupununi Savannah is also the home of more than 5000 indigenous people.

WWF Guianas Biodiversity Officer Aiesha Williams said the findings will help stakeholders make better decisions. “We have decided to conduct this study basically to gather baseline information, to guide decision makers, regulatory bodies, the government and conservation organisations, in the decision-making process,” Williams noted.

Despite its high diversity and unique species composition, biological data from the South Rupununi is lacking.

The principal aim of BAT was to gather new data on biological and natural resources.

The expedition was executed using approximately US$100, 000.

Jamaican govt urged to remove Allegations against Eastern Caribbean Court rejected by attorney smoke from ganja

A

llegations by former Nevis Premier Joseph Parry and his former deputy that they have been wronged by the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court have been rejected by Attorney Emile Ferdinand QC. An election petition case in Nevis saw the parliamentary seat of former Deputy Premier Hensley Daniel declared vacant.

The appeal process that followed saw an earlier deci-

sion for Parry and Daniel to pay costs reversed.

The two then told the media that their reputations had been hurt by the overall court judgment, and that the ruling had caused their Nevis Reformation Party to lose the last Nevis election.

Ferdinand has, like some of his other colleagues, labelled the Parry/Daniel criticisms of the regional courts unfair.

He also suggested that the two have been misrep-

resenting that the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court ruled against them, because one statement in a 93-paragraph judgment was amended by the court in the interest of justice on the question of costs.

“That of course was spun into the court had decided that it had given a wrong decision,” Ferdinand said in reference to the comments being made by Parry and Daniel about the ruling.

(Caribbean News Now)

S

tudies on cannabinoids (chemicals from ganja) show that they help to improve moods, relieve anxiety, and address several other issues related to mid-life crisis that affects men and women, said local research scientist and entrepreneur, Dr Henry Lowe.

“Tremendous potential exists for research and development, to determine how medical ganja products can be developed and used to relieve a variety of health problems related to mid-life crisis,”

Dr Lowe told a public lecture Tuesday at Eden Gardens in St Andrew. The lecture, titled “New Wines into Old Skins; the Current and Future Uses of Medical Marijuana”, was hosted by the Jamaica Mid-life Health Society (JHMS).

According to Lowe, the results of the studies have shown the need for the government to move decisively “to remove the smoke from ganja”.

“We have all been too focused on the smoking and legalisation issues. We need to be positive and establish a

clear policy decision going forward, including an unambiguous strategy on how the medical marijuana system will actually be established and will work,” he said.

Mid-life crisis is a very serious episode in the lives of hundreds of millions of people all over the world. It usually occurs between the age of 37 and into the 50s, and is an extremely stressful time for patients, spouses, family members, friends and others who interact with and care for the sufferer. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

15 Around the world

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, november 9, 2013

Monster storm roars U.S. discovers new hammerhead shark into Philippines A

O

ne of the strongest typhoons ever to hit land has slammed the Philippines, forcing millions to take shelter.

Packing sustained winds of up to 320 km/h (199mph), Typhoon Haiyan left at least three people dead, but it may be days before the full damage is known.

The storm ripped apart buildings and triggered landslides as it ploughed across the country’s central islands.

Officials said more than 12 million people were at risk, but the storm’s rapid passing could limit its impact.

“We expect the level of destruction caused by Typhoon Haiyan to be extensive and devastating, and sadly we fear that many lives will be lost,” said Save the Children’s Philippines

The storm forced millions to take shelter

Director Anna Lindenfors.

Eduardo del Rosario, head of the disaster response agency, told the Associated Press that early evacuations and the speed at which the typhoon swept across the Philippines, may have helped reduce its destructive potential.

Lieutenant General Roy Deveraturda, a military commander, echoed

this view, telling the AP: “It has helped that the typhoon blew very fast in terms of preventing lots of casualties.”

Meteorologists had earlier warned that the storm could be as devastating as Typhoon Bopha in 2012, which ravaged parts of the southern Philippines and left at least 1000 people dead. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Syrian troops launch major offensive in Aleppo

S

yrian troops have recaptured parts of a military base seized by rebels earlier this year in a fierce fighting near Aleppo international airport, activists say.

Heavy fighting erupted in the early hours of Friday around Base 80 outside Syria’s main northern city.

A fighter near the airport called the army offensive the heaviest barrage in more than a year on rebel-held areas near the airport.

“We did not see it coming. The attack came as a real shock to us,” he told Al Jazeera.

“There is an insane campaign going on. The regime is employing a scorchedearth policy.”

Initial reports suggested both sides had suffered casualties in the fighting. The UK-based Syrian

The army captured the strategic town of Safira, also in Aleppo province, from rebels earlier this month

Observatory for Human Rights added that towns near the base had come under heavy bombardment, along with neighbourhoods of Aleppo city.

“Regime troops have advanced inside the base and now control large parts of it, and rebel groups and the Islamic State [of Iraq and the Levant] are bring-

ing in reinforcements,” said the observatory.

Rebel forces seized control of Base 80 in heavy fighting in February. The base’s garrison was responsible for securing Aleppo international airport and the adjacent Nayrab military airfield, which both remain under regime control. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Israel “utterly rejects” proposed Iran nuclear deal

I

sraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that he “utterly rejects” a proposed agreement between western powers and Iran over its nuclear programme, calling it a “bad deal” and promising that Israel will do everything it needs to do to defend itself.

Israel believes Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapon, and said international pressure should be stepped up, not eased, to force Tehran to dismantle its nuclear programme.

Netanyahu has repeat-

edly threatened to attack Iran, unilaterally if necessary, if he concludes that diplomatic pressure on Iran has failed.

He spoke before a Tel Aviv meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who was en route to Geneva Friday to meet the Iranians.

Kerry’s decision to fly to Geneva comes amid signs that global powers and Iran were close to a deal that would cap some of Iran’s suspected nuclear programme in exchange for limited relief from economic sanctions.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius was also travelling to Switzerland on Friday to join the talks, and his unexpected attendance will further fuel speculation that a historic agreement may be in sight.

He will also be joined by German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle. British Foreign Secretary William Hague also tweeted Friday that he was “heading to Geneva for Iran talks”.

Despite hopes of a deal, Israel remains highly sceptical of Tehran’s intentions.

(Excerpt from France24)

team of University of South Carolina researchers has made a remarkable discovery: a rare new breed of hammerhead shark. It is dubbed the Carolina hammerhead.

The shark’s outward features are indistinguishable from those of the common scalloped hammerhead, a kind of low profile that allowed it to go for so long without detection, according to a USC news release.

South Carolina ichthyologist Joe Quattro, a USC biology professor, made the discovery.

“South Carolina is a well-known pupping ground for several species of sharks, including the ham-

The new species looks similar to the pictured scalloped hammerhead shark

merhead,” according to the USC release. “The female hammerhead will birth her young at the ocean-side fringes of the estuary; the

pups remain there for a year or so, growing, before moving out to the ocean to complete their life cycle.”

(Excerpt from CNN)

Girl, 15, arrested for cyberbullying

P

olice in St Petersburg, Florida, have arrested a 15-year-old girl who they say sent several hundred threatening texts to three other 15-year-old girls.

The suspect, who CNN is not naming because of her age, is charged with three counts of aggravated stalking and one count of

tampering with a witness, according to a Thursday statement from police.

Many of the texts were allegedly death threats.

According to police, the suspect admitted she sent some of the texts but not all of them.

They said she admitted to sending the following text: “If this isn’t bullying

then I don’t know what is.”

The suspect had been friends with the victims, but they had a falling out.

Police detectives interviewed her Monday and told her to steer clear of the victims. She continued to send threatening texts, prompting the tampering with a witness charge, police said.

(Excerpt from CNN)

16

saturday, november 9, 2013

guyanatimesgy.com

Africa

Caribbean

Digicel invests in Haiti’s leading micro lender Earth, wind and water: Ethiopia

D

igicel has invested US$2 million in Haiti’s largest microfinance institution, Sèvis Finansye Fonkoze, which states that it will use the funds to expand its microcredit and other financial service offerings through its network of 46 fullservice branches which cover all 10 departments of Haiti.

Sèvis Finansye Fonkoze announced that it had closed the US$2-million equity in-

vestment earlier in the week.

The microfinancier’s products and services provide an economic lifeline for hundreds of thousands of Haitians.

Digicel’s investment will allow for the expansion and creation of products and services that meet the growing and diverse financial services needs of Haitian individuals and small businesses, the company said.

“We deeply admire what

Fonkoze has accomplished over almost 20 years in Haiti,” said Damian Blackburn, Digicel Group business development director.

“With our knowledge of the Haitian market, strong business experience, and the most advanced mobile network in Haiti, we believe Digicel is in a unique position to support Fonkoze in achieving its poverty-reduction goals,” continued Blackburn. (Jamaica Observer)

North America

BlackBerry board rejects proposals to break up company

B

lackBerry Ltd’s board does not believe a break-up of the Canadian smartphone maker is currently in its best interests, even though Microsoft Corp, Apple Inc and Lenovo Group Ltd, among others, have expressed interest in acquiring parts of the company, according to people familiar with the discussions.

The board rejected proposals from several technology companies for various BlackBerry assets on grounds that a break-up

did not serve the interest of all stakeholders, which include employees, customers and suppliers in addition to shareholders, said the sources, who did not want to be identified as the discussions were confidential.

Microsoft and Apple had both expressed interest in BlackBerry’s intellectual property and patents, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters. In 2011, the three companies had teamed up with others to buy patents from bankrupt

Canadian telecoms company Nortel. BlackBerry had also held discussions with Cisco Systems Inc, Google Inc and Chinese computer maker Lenovo, among others, about selling all, or parts of itself, Reuters previously reported.

A BlackBerry spokeswoman declined to comment on the board’s deliberations, and it is not known what specific proposals were rejected by directors during the company’s three-monthlong review of strategic options. (Reuters)

Europe

bids to be Africa’s powerhouse

E

thiopia is turning to renewable energy technology as the East African country looks to become a powerhouse for its regional partners.

Last month, Ethiopia launched one of the continent’s largest wind farms in a bid to rapidly boost its generating capacity over the next three to five years.

The Ashegoda Wind Farm and the Grand Renaissance Dam, under construction on the Nile, are just two of

the major projects outlined in the Ethiopian government’s five-year Growth and Transformation Plan.

Both developments will see Ethiopia’s transition into one of the regions biggest energy exporters as electric output surges from 2000 megawatts (MW) to 10,000 MW. More than half of this is expected to come from the Renaissance Dam. And with further commitments to geothermal power and potential for oil explo-

ration, Ethiopia’s energy resources are set to be among the most diversified in Africa.

Jerome Douat, chief executive of Vergnet, the French wind turbine company contracted to build the Ashegoda farm, told CNN that Ethiopia is an energy “reservoir” in the region. Douat said: “The wind comes from the ocean to the Rift Valley. We have placed the turbines at 2200 meters above sea level in one of the windiest places in Ethiopia.”

(CNN)

Asia

China trade data adds to recovery hopes

C

hina’s exports and imports rose in October, the latest in a series of figures indicating a recovery.

Exports, a key driver of its growth, rose 5.6 per cent from a year earlier, while imports jumped 7.6 per cent.

This follows data released this month which showed that manufacturing activity in China grew at its fastest pace in 18 months in October. The numbers come ahead of key meetings of China’s Communist Party, with economic reforms

set to be discussed.

Known as the Third Plenary Session of the Central Committee, the meeting will run from November 9-12, and top leaders are expected to discuss reforming key areas such as the financial sector and state-owned enterprises.

China’s economy, the world’s second biggest, has shown signs of a pick-up after seeing its growth rate slow in the first half of the year. Its economy grew 7.8 per cent in the July to September quarter

from a year earlier, up from the 7.5 per cent expansion recorded in the previous three months.

Some analysts said the pickup had been helped by a recovery in demand from key export markets such as the U.S. “Combined with the better export data in Korea and Taiwan, China’s export numbers suggest some – although not yet decisive – improvement in global demand momentum,” said Louis Kuijs, an economist with Royal Bank of Scotland. (BBC News)

Middle East

France told to reform labour market Surging Gulf Arab car sales after second credit rating downgrade underline consumer boom

P

resident François Hollande’s beleaguered administration came under pressure on Friday to push through far-reaching labour market reforms after a surprise downgrade in France’s credit rating.

Standard and Poor’s (S&P) cut its rating by one notch to AA from AA+, in a move that puts France on a par with Belgium and two notches above Italy in the agency’s estimate of creditworthiness.

France’s reliance on tax rises to reduce its annual budget deficit had run out of steam while limited reforms of business subsidies, red tape and labour restrictions had failed to lift the country’s growth prospects, S&P said.

Hollande’s critics jumped on S&P’s analysis and called for more flexible labour markets and an end to the 35hour week. The ratings agency said: “We believe the French government’s reforms

to taxation, as well as to product, services, and labour markets, will not substantially raise France’s medium-term growth prospects.

“Furthermore, we believe lower economic growth is constraining the government’s ability to consolidate public finances.” In essence, S&P has accused Paris of locking itself into a slow decline after a brief period of public goodwill towards reform evaporated.

(The Guardian)

Market statistics Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board

Cambio Rates

Fixed as at July 24, 2013 Calculated at 94% purity

Bank of Guyana Cur

Buying

Selling

GBP

$330.28

$334.42

CAN

$196.40

$198.66

USD

$205.49

$207.93

U.S.

$1335.00

Cambio

$202.67

Gross

$254,331

Net

$236,527

Selling

$262,426

Indicators as on November 7, 2013 USD Per Once

Indicators

Bid/Ask

Live Spot Gold $1288.40

$1289.40

Crude Oil

Low/High

$1280.30

$1311.10

Change

-19.20

-1.47

USD GBP EUR

AM

PM

1309.00 814.16 975.12

1285.50 803.69 961.91

AM

PM

Nov 7

$103.46

USD per Ounce

Change %

-1.72 Change %

$21.50 $1444.00

Last: 15761.78

1307.25 815.66 978.48 Changes: +167.80

Open: 15591.54

High: 15764.29

% Change: +1.08 Low: 15579.35

% YTD: 20.28

52Wk Hi: 15721.00

52 Wk Lo: 12471.49

USD GBP EUR

1316.00 818.46 973.45

Silver

Platinum

London Gold Fix

Nov 8

Price

US$ per barrel

-0.17

-6.00

A

surge in passenger car sales across most Gulf Arab countries underlines the momentum behind the region’s consumer spending boom, and sales are likely to continue rising strongly for at least a few years, automobile sector executives said.

Car sales are an important indicator of business activity in a region where official macroeconomic data, such as gross domestic product, is

often unreliable and released with delays of many months.

Analysts estimate GDP in the richest Gulf Arab economies – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar – is now growing at annual rates of around three to five per cent, fuelled by high oil prices and heavy government spending.

Data from executives at this week’s Dubai International Motor Show

suggest important areas of consumer spending are rising at much faster rates, and that Gulf citizens are spending much of the welfare handouts which governments have provided since the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011 to ensure social peace. “Sales are 17 per cent up so far (this year). It will be a good strong end of the year as well,” said Trevor Hill, managing director at Audi Middle East. (Gulf Business)

and ask questions.

Contact the company and let them know you are interested. There may be agency opportunities posted in the newspaper or on the Internet.

Monster, Career Builder, or Craig’s list often have agency operator listings posted. To be considered for an agency operator position you must be accepted by the company. A thorough application is required and they will most often perform a credit check. When you are accepted, the work begins.

There are some minor costs you will incur in the beginning.

You will have to set up a corporation for your business. A lawyer is recommended for this step; however, it is possible to

do over the Internet. Another advantage of hiring an attorney is at the time of reviewing the contract. The company must protect their assets and there will be a lot of reading to do. The contract is drawn up by lawyers and is difficult for the average person to understand. Make sure you understand everything on your contract before signing it. An accountant will charge a small fee to set you up with the necessary tax identification numbers you will need to operate legally. The rental company may require you to have business liability insurance. Get all of the necessary requirements before contacting an insurance company. (Business Dictionary)

Investors' guide Be your own boss with no money down (part one)

L

arge corporations are downsizing and moving their businesses to cheaper labour areas. Many good hard working people have found themselves on the unemployment line. There may be an opportunity in your area to start a business with low or no money down. Agency operators for car rental locations are in demand in many areas in the United States. Avis, Budget and Hertz have car rental locations owned by them but run by independent business people.

The first step is to contact the company you would like to be affiliated with. Check the local car rental offices near you to see what brand might be available. Visit car rental locations

Business concept – Separation of powers The constitutional principle that limits the powers vested in any person or institution. It divides governmental authority into three branches: legislative (parliament or Senate), executive (president or prime minister and the (Cabinet), and judiciary (chief justice and other judges).

This principle is expressed fully in the U.S. Constitution, but is used only as a guide in the UK.

news

17

saturday, november 9, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Media operatives cash in as Courts Local govt bill not assented to unveils millionaire promotion unconstitutional

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mid much fanfare, Courts Guyana Incorporated launched its new big prize promotion “Become a Millionaire at Courts” on Friday at its head office, Main Street, Georgetown.

Media operatives were the first to capitalise on the promotion that will see seven persons walking away with one million dollars each by the end of 2013. Twelve reporters, cameramen and television and radio personalities won fabulous prizes, but Guyana Times’ photographer Carl Croker stole the show. He copped the prize that all the contestants were longing for, the $150,000 in cash.

Samsung cameras and cellular phones, music

– president

President Donald Ramotar said the APNU has reneged on an agreement, while the coalition’s chairman, Opposition Leader David Granger said the non-assent is the promotion of “archaic colonial powers”

The winners posing with Courts representatives on Friday

Courts Finance Director Steve Naught presenting the briefcase with cash (symbolic gesture) to Guyana Times’ photographer Carl Croker

sound systems, printers and tablets were among prizes awarded to media operatives after the selection of 12 lucky numbers. Shouts and screams filled the air as the prizes were announced and awarded.

The launching of “Become a Millionaire at Courts” promotion on Friday marks great things to come. Starting from next Thursday, seven lucky customers will win a total of $8 million until December 28. However, to qualify, customers must shop $5000 and more to get a chance to enter the competition, Courts Finance Director Steve Naught disclosed during the launch. Additionally, 12 consolation prizes ranging from the latest gadgets, household appliances and electronics will be given away

weekly. As the year winds down, the atmosphere will only get better at Courts, Naught noted, positing that three persons will get a chance to fly to the island of the flying fish, Barbados; St Vincent and the Grenadines; and St Lucia for a journey of a lifetime, along with a person of their choice. Two spanking new cars are also up for grabs, compliments of TCL, but customers must purchase a TCL television to qualify.

Naught said every year, Courts' Marketing Department comes up with fascinating initiatives to give back to their valued customers. He said Courts will continue to reward customers for their loyal patronage throughout the year. Last year, eight families drove off with new cars.

Latin America and Caribbean to strengthen statistics on poverty, security

H

eads of Latin American and Caribbean national statistical institutes gathered at the Statistical Conference of the Americas (SCA) in Santiago, Chile on Monday. They agreed to strengthen the measurement of poverty, public security and justice, SouthSouth cooperation, and disability, and to improve gender equality indicators.

These agreements feature in the final resolution approved at the closing of the seventh meeting of the SCA, which is a subsidiary body of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), which from November 5 brought together representatives from member countries, as well as experts from the United Nations and other international agencies.

In the final document, the SCA approves the creation of a working group on statistics for public security and justice, which will con-

proved the creation of another task force to prepare a regional report on measuring disability in Latin American and Caribbean countries.

The SCA called on countries to include in their upcoming censuses the recommendations proposed during the discussions at this body.

Labour market

sist of Mexico as coordinator, as well as Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and The Dominican Republic, as well as a specialised centre of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The conference also agreed to set up a task force composed of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela, with ECLAC support, responsible for formulating and proposing a methodological design and roadmap that would measure SouthSouth cooperation.

In addition, delegates ap-

In terms of the labour market, it noted the activities proposed for 2014-2015 to progress towards the standardisation of measuring labour informality. The conference also supports the targets for continuing to improve gender statistics, and calls on the region’s countries to collaborate on implementing the global strategy for improving agricultural and rural statistics in Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly in terms of South-South cooperation strategies.

At this SCA meeting, the working group on institution building presented a series

of activities for the period 2014-2015 oriented to implement the code of good practice for statistics in Latin America and the Caribbean, and particularly to carry out global evaluations in five of the region’s countries, and the development of SouthSouth cooperation for the application of the code.

The SCA calls on countries that are interested in participating in or benefiting from these activities to make themselves known.

The conference appreciated the strengthening of national statistical capacities and the dissemination of good practices in monitoring the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the region’s countries, while calling on them to increase their efforts to produce the information needed to formulate MDG indicators – with a view to accelerating the achievement of the goals by 2015, and to actively participate in the process of the post-2015 agenda.

P

cal government reform bills unanimously passed in the National Assembly exactly three months ago.

The president assented to three local government bills, namely the Fiscal Transfers Bill 2012, Municipal and District Councils (Amendment) Bill, and the Local Government Commission Bill, and this was announced on November 5.

President Ramotar had said that it was not the lack of political will on the part of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration that local government elections were not held in Guyana since 1994. Prior to 1994, local government elections were last held in 1970. Subsequent to 1994, the elections could not be conducted because they coincided with the general and regional elections of 1997.

President Ramotar came in for criticism on Thursday owing to his decision to enact only three of the four lo-

The PPP/C; APNU; and the Alliance For Change (AFC) had engaged in a heated debate over the power and authority that would be vested in the Local Government Commission under the Local Government (Amendment) Bill.

Opposition Leader David Granger claimed, “The Ramotar PPP administration is determined to frustrate the holding of local government elections under the reformed local government system.”

The opposition had used its one-seat majority to decentralise financial and administrative powers, transferring them from the local government and regional development minister to the Local Government Commission under the bill.

The PPP/C parliamentarians had signalled their dissatisfaction at that move.

“The Local Government (Amendment) Bill asserts the autonomy of local democratic organs and, as such, addresses the very essence of local democracy.

The PPP’s intention to impose regional executive officers into the principal act (28: 02) was rejected in committee. The party’s further attempts to alter this act were also defeated by a majority vote in the National Assembly,” Granger stated.

He put forward the theory that the president’s refusal to assent to the Local Government (Amendment) Bill is the promotion of “archaic colonial powers”. “This is an unacceptable travesty and does violence to the constitutional stipulation for ensuring the autonomy of the local democratic organs.

Once again, the administration is displaying its contempt for the decisions of the National Assembly.”

resident Donald Ramotar on Friday said his non-assent to the Local Government Amendment Bill was as a result of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), now A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), reneging on a promise made during a series of meetings with the ruling administration.

“Before this Parliament came into existence, we had an agreement with the PNC; we had a full agreement with the opposition, the PNC then. This Parliament, they have decided to change it. Not only have they changed it, which in my view is unprincipled, but they have also made it unconstitutional. They have tried to take the authority of the minister and invest it into a commission. That goes against the Constitution, that’s why I didn’t assent to it,” he told members of media during a post-press conference chat on Friday.

Assent

Contentious

18

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURday, November 9, 2013

thursDAY, march 11, 2010 | guyanatimesGY.com

archie

By Bernice Bede Osol

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19) Getting together with people who share your concerns will bring good results. A crucial relationship will develop that will alter your personal life and overall direction.

dilbert

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19) Emotional issues will surface, forcing you to deal with a problem that you’ve been putting off. Face your dilemmas with honesty and integrity, and you will come out on top.

Calvin and Hobbes

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Keep your money matters a secret. You’ll need to listen carefully to make a decision that can influence a financial or legal concern. Base your ultimate choice on your gut feeling and the facts at hand.

Peanuts

SUDOKU

CANCER (June 21July 22) You’ll be a good influence on others if you share your ideas, thoughts and intentions. Keep a close watch on an unpredictable situation, as guidance will be required.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22) Proceed with caution.

Involving yourself in an emotional discussion will not likely end in your favour. Listen carefully and retreat until you have a rock-solid perspective and plan.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) Make your move and do it with finesse. You will attract positive attention and meet people who are heading in a similar direction as you. Romance is in the stars.

ARIES

LIBRA

(March 21-April 19)

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Restlessness should not be allowed to dictate your words or actions. You are likely to make a costly mistake. Stay calm and don’t go overboard in any aspect of your life.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Don’t forget to play today. Downtime will help you rejuvenate your spirits and will give you a better view of what you may need to do to improve an important relationship.

Look over your longterm plans and consider your options regarding work and money. Putting a budget in place by cutting your overhead will help ease stress.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22) You’ll have an idea for a cultural or philosophical change while travelling or dealing with people from different backgrounds.

Share your thoughts with others, and the insight you get will alter your future.

Friday's solution GEMINI (May 21June 20) Speak from the heart and ask questions that will give you a better idea of what’s expected of you.

Caution must be taken if you want to avoid exhaustion or minor injury.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21) Helping others is fine, as long as your motives are genuine and you don’t let anyone take advantage of you. Don’t expect anything in return, and you won’t be disappointed.

news 19

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– demand removal of acting foreman

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Enterprise sugar workers on strike

One female babysitter, between 40 & 45 years, must be from Georgetown, be able to work flexible hours and some weekends, applicant with a sound secondary education may apply. Phone: 614-5711, 9am- 3pm

Classified Ads $5+VAT per word Call: 226-9921

A sugar worker being interviewed, in the presence of several other workers who were on strike on Friday

By Samuel Sukhnandan

M

ore than 130 sugar workers in the Enterprise, East Coast Demerara area are currently on strike, demanding the removal of an acting foreman, who they say has been treating them unfairly.

The workers allege that the acting foreman is robbing them of compensation for extra work completed.

The group of men on Friday congregated outside the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) payment office in Enterprise to raise their concerns with this newspaper, which visited the area on Friday.

One of the workers, Mahendra Chand told this publication that all sugar cane harvesters were awaiting their extra payment, but were greeted with nothing when they turned up to the office earlier this week. This triggered unease among the men, who decided to take action against the foreman and management’s decision not to pay. According to Chand, this decision was made after the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) was contacted and no effort to address the issue was made.

The strike started on Monday and workers plan to continue it until the foreman is removed. Another cane harvester said, “We don’t want he here… is four days now we striking and we gon continue ‘cos we want he remove, he treating workers anyhow and cussing we and saying plain leh we go to Ramotar and Luncheon.”

Hazardous conditions

It was further explained that the conditions under which workers are made to work are hazardous, and there are many other issues which continue to confront them daily. The workers believe that they should not be faced to deal with issues like non-payment.

GAWU President Komal Chand told Guyana Times on Friday that he was aware of the issues, which were brought to his attention by the union representative.

Chand said he has already made representation for the workers with senior management of the corporation.

As a result, GuySuCo has agreed to restore payments

for the extras.

However, on the issue of the acting foreman, Chand said the union was still in discussion with GuySuCo. He could not say definitively whether there are plans being made to have the supervisor penalised or warned.

However, workers believe unless the acting foreman is removed, the issue will recur and hamper production not only at their factory, but in the entire country.

The sugar workers also requested that Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy meet with them at the earliest possible time to get a firsthand look at the situation they are faced with and allow them to air their concerns. They said once the minister was made aware of these issues, they are confident that they could be addressed with his help. The workers also stated that they want to remain loyal to the sugar industry, as they see it as their only means of income, but they must also stand up for their rights.

In the face of increasing challenges, Guyana’s sugar industry is now anticipating production of 218,000 tonnes of sugar, 20,000 tonnes less than its initial target for 2013. Changing weather patterns, limited sugar cane, and the problematic Skeldon Sugar Factory are among the contributing factors behind the shortfall. With a current production rate of 8000 tonnes per week, the seven factories operating have produced approximately 140,000 tonnes of sugar thus far for 2013.

However, this new target puts Guyana in a difficult position, given its commitment to the European Union (EU) to supply approximately 195,000 tonnes of sugar. Additionally, Guyana is expected to supply the Caricom markets of approximately 5000 tonnes of sugar, taking the total amount of exported sugar to 200,000 tonnes.

Guyana is likely to miss this year’s revised sugar target. GAWU had predicted that this was likely to happen, given the constraints the industry is faced with.

The union said Guyana’s sugar performance this year is the worst in 20 years. (samuelsukhnandan@guyanatimesgy.com)

20

guyanatimesGY.com

Saturday, november 9, 2013

South Africa take series after see-saw game D

ale Steyn had just two overs left.

Between him and AB de Villiers they decided to station a third man for Umar Akmal.

On cue, the Pakistan gloveman tried to heave a full delivery over midwicket but got a leading edge to where South Africa had placed their tallest man.

Morne Morkel judged the catch perfectly, avoiding the boundary and grabbing the ball. For Pakistan, that should have been a minor setback.

Three balls later, Misbah-ul-Haq tried to take Steyn on. He aimed where Akmal had been trying to go but he did not strike the ball cleanly. AB de Villiers came in from the boundary to take the catch. And two balls after that, Saeed Ajmal attempted a pull to a good length ball, missed and saw his stumps shattered.

In the space of an over, Dale Steyn had racked up his best bowling figures in ODI cricket. Pakistan had gone from 228 for 5 to 231

Quinton de Kock made his maiden international hundred to take South Africa to a competitive total (AFP)

for 8 and the series was settled.

Six balls was all it took to undo the hard graft by Pakistan’s opening pair, who put on their second successive stand of fifty-plus, and the effort of the debutant Sohaib Maqsood, who put his seniors to shame with an innings underlined by confidence and crafted with good technique. Six balls was all it took to ensure Pakistan run of two years and nine months without a successful chase of over 250 extended another day. And six balls was all it took to ensure South Africa’s record of never having been defeated

by Pakistan in a bilateral series intact.

The series scoreline as it stands now - 3-1 in favour of South Africa - is an accurate reflection of where the teams stand. Both have improved from the first match, when they made scoring 200 seem a task akin to climbing Everest, but South Africa’s progress has accelerated past Pakistan, particularly in the batting department.

It has taken Quinton de Kock nine ODIs to produce the impact performance that suggests he belongs at this level but he delivered in a way that reflects his own growth. Having come on to the scene with a worrying looseness outside of the offstump and weakness against spin, he had done a lot of work and it showed.

De Kock had the advantage of Hashim Amla’s experience in the opening passage of play and Amla was seen offering advice when run-scoring was difficult for de Kock early on. Amla asserted his authority over Mohammad Irfan and took the pressure off de Kock, who almost succumbed to it when he flashed to Mohammad Hafeez at slip

on two but was dropped, to allow the younger batsman to play himself in.

De Kock’s footwork helped him handle Pakistan’s spinners with much more ease than he has done in the past and he rotated strike with AB de Villiers well. He gave South Africa a platform from which they could aim for a total of over 270.

Pakistan almost dragged South Africa back when they took three wickets in four overs but their seamers lacked control at the beginning and end of the innings while Ajmal went wicketless for the first time in 10 matches. They conceded 45 runs in the last five overs, leaving their batsmen with a tough task. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD South Africa innings Q de Kock† c Misbah-ul-Haq b Junaid Khan 112 H Amla b Mohammad Hafeez 46 F du Plessis c Saeed Ajmal b Mohammad Irfan 10 AB de Villiers* c Mohammad Hafeez b Junaid Khan 30 D Miller lbw b Mohammad Hafeez 5 JP Duminy not out 25 R McLaren not out 28 Extras: (b 1, lb 9) 10 Total: (5 wkts, 50 overs) 266 Fall of wickets: 1-87, 2-129, 3-198, 4-210, 5-214 Bowling: Mohammad Irfan 8-0-51-1, Sohail Tanvir 6-038-0, Junaid Khan 9-0-422, Saeed Ajmal 10-0-530, Shahid Afridi 8-0-38-0, Mohammad Hafeez 9-0-34-2 Pakistan innings Ahmed Shehzad run out (de Villiers/†de Kock) 43

Mohammad Hafeez b Imran Tahir 33 Sohaib Maqsood c de Villiers b Steyn 56 Asad Shafiq c Morkel b Tsotsobe 1 Misbah-ul-Haq* c de Villiers b Steyn 65 Sohail Tanvir c Amla b Steyn 1 Umar Akmal† c Morkel b Steyn 22 Shahid Afridi run out (du Plessis) 3 Saeed Ajmal b Steyn 0 Mohammad Irfan not out 2 Junaid Khan b McLaren 4 Extras: (lb 1, w 7) 8 Total: (all out, 49.2 overs) 238 Fall of wickets: 1-74, 2-85, 3-86, 4-174, 5-180, 6-228, 7-230, 8-231, 9-232, 10-238 Bowling: D Steyn 10-1-255, L Tsotsobe 10-0-49-1, M Morkel 10-0-44-0, R McLaren 9.2-0-59-1, Imran Tahir 8-051-1, JP Duminy 2-0-9-0

Michael Carberry ‘could open in first Test’

M

Michael Carberry

ichael Carberry could open for England in the first Ashes Test in Australia, says batting coach Graham Gooch.

The left-hander scored 78 in the absence of injured Alastair Cook in the first tour match and 153 not out in the rain-affected second game.

“Michael took his chance in the first game and we wanted to see a little more of him,” Gooch told BBC Radio 5 live.

“He’s done his chances no harm and Joe Root batted in the middle order when he started, so those options are open.”

Root, 22, was promoted to open alongside captain

Cook during the 3-0 home Ashes series win this summer, although he made only one half-century in addition to his 180 in the Lord’s Test.

Hampshire’s Carberry has played a solitary Test, making 30 and 34 against Bangladesh at Chittagong in 2010.

Gooch added: “Michael Carberry is 33 years of age, he was in the England setup a few years ago and he had that illness which put a block on his career.

“He’s got a second opportunity here and he’s done very well. I don’t think the team selection is finalised yet.”

Carberry and Cook, who is 154 not out, are set to resume their unbroken stand of 318 on day four of England’s rain-affected second warm-up game against Australia A in Hobart.

England complete their preparations for the first Test with a four-day game against a New South Wales XI - augmented by guest players from other states in Sydney, starting on 13 November.

The first Test at the Gabba starts on November 21.

saturday, november 9, 2013

guyanatimesGY.com

21

WI fall to innings loss within three days after Shami five-for

K

OLKATA, India – A dramatic batting collapse after tea under the pressure of high quality swing bowling from Mohammad Shami sent West Indies crashing to an innings and 51-run defeat in the first Test against India on Friday.

None of the Windies batsman looked safe at the crease once Shami returned after the break for a third spell from the High Court End (south) and got the ball to reverse swing prodigiously, and the visitors were all out for 168 in their second innings about 20 minutes before the scheduled close on the third day at Eden Gardens.

A handful of the West Indies’ batsmen got starts, but no one carried on – Darren Bravo’s 37 was the top score, Kieran Powell made 36, Chris Gayle hit 33 and Shivnarine Chanderpaul was not out on 31 – as Shami collected 5-47 from 13.1 overs to finish with the second-best match figures by an Indian on Test debut of 9-118 and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin captured 3-46 off 19 overs.

The result was formalised when tail-ender Sheldon Cottrell, playing his first Test, was bowled with another sharp in-ducker from Shami for five to a deafening roar from a crowd that built to close to capacity by the time the match was completed.

The victory gave India a 1-0 lead in the twoTest series with the final match starting this coming Thursday at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the home city of the hosts’ batting megastar Sachin Tendulkar, who will be playing his 200th and final Test for his homeland.

This all unfolded after spinners Shane Shillingford

Mohammad Shami

and Veerasammy Permaul shared the last four wickets following a record seventh-wicket partnership between century-makers Rohit Sharma, the Man-of-theMatch, and Ashwin, as India were bowled out for 453 in their first innings about 10 minutes before lunch.

Off-spinner Shillingford ended with 6-167 from 55 overs and left-arm spinner Permaul grabbed 2-67 from 23.4 overs.

It brought an end to the long, hard toil for the Windies, after Sharma with a debut Test hundred and top score of 177 and Ashwin with his second Test hundred of 124 shared a monumental 280 to transform the fortunes of their side. It was the highest seventh-wicket stand for the Indians ever in a Test.

Gayle gave West Indies a blistering start with a number of powerful off-side strokes, but the Caribbean side’s plans to remain competitive in the match were left in strife, as they stum-

bled to 112 for three at tea.

Gayle fell to fast-medium bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the second time in the match. He miscued a hook at a short, wide delivery from his nemesis in recent contests against this opponent and was caught at square leg.

For the duration of Gayle’s innings, Powell had been scoreless and he was fortunate, when off-spinner Ashwin dropped a return catch in his first over from a leading edge.

Powell needed 31 balls in 21 minutes to get his first run and fortune again favoured him on seven, when Kumar running a few yards to his right and diving dropped him at deep backward square leg from the bowling of left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha.

Bravo, on nine, had two close shaves off successive deliveries in Ashwin’s eighth over, when he drove the offspinner uppishly past silly mid-off and then edged just short of second slip fielder

Virat Kohli playing defensively forward.

The two however, spent close to 1 ½ hours defying the Indian attack, putting on 68 for the second wicket, and were just shutting shop ahead of tea, when Powell was lbw playing back to a shooter from Ashwin.

Next over, Marlon Samuels was dubiously adjudged lbw to Shami for four, when he played back to a delivery that swung in sharply. Television replays suggested the delivery might have missed leg-stump.

After tea, there was little substance or stability from the West Indies batting and they lost their last seven wickets for 48 in less than 20 overs.

Bravo had looked untroubled during his innings, but he mistimed a cut and was caught at backward point off Ashwin in the second over after the break, leaving the Windies 120 for four.

Three overs later, Shami started his demolition of the lower half of the batting, when he had Denesh Ramdin caught at forward short leg for one from an inside edge that ricocheted off his thigh pad.

West Indies captain Darren Sammy had his technique examined by a few searching deliveries from Shami and managed to stem the fall of wickets for about 40 minutes.

But the final nail was hammered into the visitors’ coffin, when three wickets fell on the same in Shami’s 11th over, leaving West Indies 152 for eight.

Sammy and Shillingford were bowled by deep inswingers from Shami for eight and a duck respectively in the space of three deliveries, extracting their middle-stumps in spectacular fashion, before Permaul was run out for a duck from the

penultimate delivery, when he absent-mindedly walked out of the crease after being struck on the boot and survived an lbw appeal.

Tino Best was caught at deep mid-wicket off Ashwin for three before Shami brought the curtain down on a memorable debut by dispatching his fellow Test newcomer Cottrell.

Before lunch, West Indies had gone wicketless through the first hour of the morning, after India resumed from their overnight total of 354 for six, and Sharma and Ashwin continued the grind.

The Windies had to wait until about 35 minutes before the interval to claim their first scalp of the day, when Permaul gained a dubious lbw decision to remove Sharma, whose innings included 23 fours and one six

from 301 balls.

Television replays suggested the batsman may have been struck outside the line of off-stump and Sharma stood in amazement for a period after English umpire Richard Kettleborough delivered the verdict before trudging away.

Three overs later, Shillingford claimed five wickets in an Test innings for the fifth time in his 11 matches, when he bowled the lanky Ashwin behind his back from an attempted sweep, ending an innings that contained just 11 four from 210 deliveries.

Shillingford then had Kumar caught at slip for 12, and Permaul brought the innings to a close, when he had Shami stumped for one charging down the pitch to slog, leaving Ojha not out on two. (WICB)

SCOREBOARD West Indies 1st innings 234 India 1st innings (overnight 354 for 6) S. Dhawan b Shillingford 23 M. Vijay st Ramdin b Shillingford 26 C. Pujara c wkpr Ramdin b Cottrell 17 S. Tendulkar lbw b Shillingford 10 V. Kohli c Powell b Shillingford 3 R. Sharma lbw b Permaul 177 *+M.S. Dhoni c wkpr Ramdin b Best 42 R. Ashwin b Shillingford 124 B. Kumar c Gayle b Shillingford 12 Mohammad Shami st Ramdin b Permaul 1 P. Ojha not out 2 Extras: (b4, lb8, w1, nb3) 16 TOTAL: (all out) 453 Fall of wickets: 1-42, 2-57, 3-79, 4-82, 5-83, 6-156, 7-436, 8-444, 9-451 Bowling: Best 17-0-71-1; Cottrell 18-3-72-1 (w1); Shillingford 55-9-167-6 (nb3); Permaul

23.4-2-67-2; Sammy 12-152-0; Samuels 4-0-12-0 West Indies 2nd innings C. Gayle c Kohli b Kumar 33 K. Powell lbw b Ashwin 36 D.M. Bravo c Sharma b Ashwin 37 M. Samuels lbw b Shami 4 S. Chanderpaul not out 31 +D. Ramdin c Vijay b Mohammad Shami 1 *D. Sammy b Mohammad Shami 8 S. Shillingford b Mohammad Shami 0 V. Permaul run out (+Dhoni) 0 T. Best c Ojha b Ashwin 3 S. Cottrell b Mohammad Shami 5 Extras: (lb10) 10 TOTAL: (all out) 168 Fall of wickets: 1-33, 2-101, 3-110, 4-120, 5-125, 6-152, 7-152, 8-152, 9-159, 10-168 Bowling: Kumar 6-1-20-1; Mohammad Shami 13.1-0-475; Ashwin 19-2-46-3; Ojha 133-27-0; Tendulkar 3-0-18-0

Blake’s shot with 1.3s left lifts Lakers – Wade lifts Heat over Clippers, 102-97

H

OUSTON Los Angeles coach Mike D’Antoni paid a lot of attention to former Lakers center Dwight Howard down the stretch.

He needed to get the ball out of the hands of Houston Rockets guard James Harden and figured the best way to do that was with the ‘’Hack-a-Howard’’ defense.

The strategy worked perfectly with Howard missing seven late free throws to allow the Lakers to keep it close before Steve Blake hit a wide-open 3-pointer with 1.3 seconds remaining to lift them to a 99-98 victory Thursday night. ‘’I think it went real well because we took Harden out of the game,’’ D’Antoni said.

Howard spurned the Lakers to sign an $88 million deal with Houston, joining Harden and a team that

made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2009.

A somber Howard called his free throw shooting ‘’terrible,’’ but wouldn’t concede that this loss was more difficult because it was against his former team. ‘’Every loss hurts,’’ said Howard, who had 15 points and 14 rebounds. ‘’Nobody likes to lose. It’s very upsetting that we lost the way we did.’’ ‘’I was in a rhythm and then they started fouling Dwight,’’ said Harden, who scored 35 points. ‘’It kind of slows us down. It slows our pace down and what we like to do. Good coaching.’’

The Rockets took their first lead since the first quarter on a dunk by Chandler Parsons following a steal by Harden that made it 93-91 with about 4 minutes left.

Parsons left his arms out-

stretched as he came down from the dunk to wild applause from the home crowd.

Harden had tied it up about a minute earlier on a 3-pointer.

The Lakers started fouling Howard every time he touched the ball after that, sending him to the line 12 times, but he made just five.

Meeks, who led the Lakers with 18 points, made a 3-pointer with less than two minutes remaining to cut the lead to two.

In Miami, Dwyane Wade had everything going. Jump shots, drives to the rim, passes out of the post.

He was vintage, on a night when the Miami Heat needed him to be that way.

Wade scored 11 of his game-high 29 points in the fourth quarter, an ailing LeBron James added 18, and the Heat got enough stops

down the stretch to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 102-97 on Thursday night for their third straight win.

Wade made 13 of 22 shots, added a team-best seven assists, and fueled the fourthquarter burst that allowed the Heat to build enough of a cushion to hold off the Clippers in the final minutes.

Including playoffs, the Heat (4-2) have won 51 of their last 57 games when Wade scores at least 20 points, going back to June 2012. It’s also the first time since last March that Wade has scored at least 20 points in four consecutive games, this streak immediately following him sitting out the second game of the season for rest.

Blake Griffin had 27 points and 14 rebounds for the Clippers (3-3). His dunk with 31 seconds left got the

Dwight Howard (right) goes up for a shot against Lakers Pau Gasol

Clippers within four, but Griffin allowed about 15 seconds to run off the clock without fouling James on the ensuing possession.

James made one free throw to push Miami’s lead to five, and that closed the scoring.

Redick scored 15 points, Jamal Crawford added 14, Chris Paul finished with 11 points and 12 assists, and DeAndre Jordan had 11 points and 14 rebounds for the Clippers, who led for most of the first half. (AP)

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saturday, november 9, 2013

CCI senior chess Cricket Administration Bill qualifiers begin Sunday deferred to next sitting

T

CCI Human Resources Manager, Jimmy Lorrimer (right), presents his company’s sponsorship to president of the GCF, Shiv Nandalall

C

aribbean Container Incorporated (CCI) has partnered with the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) to sponsor this year’s senior chess championship qualifiers tournament, which comes on the heels of the just-concluded national junior chess championship.

The tournament will commence on Sunday at the Carifesta Sports Complex, affording players an opportunity to qualify for the 2013 national senior championship and challenge reigning champion Taffin Khan for the title.

Registration will com-

mence at 09:00h and competitive action will start an hour later.

The tournament consists of seven rounds, with rounds one and two scheduled for Sunday. Round three will be played on Wednesday at 17:30 hours; rounds four and five are slated for Saturday and the final two rounds are scheduled for Sunday.

Each player will be allotted 90 minutes per game and the recording of moves is compulsory. The top seven players at the conclusion of the tournament will move forward to participate in the national senior championship later this month.

The registration fee is $800 for senior non-members of the GCF, while members would pay a reduced fee. Cash prizes and medals would be awarded to the top seven challengers.

The sponsorship cheque of close to $60,000 was presented on Friday by CCI Human Resources Manager, Jimmy Lorrimer, to president of the Guyana Chess Federation, Shiv Nandalall, at the company’s office, Farm, East Bank Demerara.

According to Nandalall, the GCF extends its gratitude to the company for its prompt approval of sponsoring the tournament.

Stage set for trilling action at Albion today

By Rajiv Bisnauth

A

ll systems are in place for this year’s Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association’s (BCCDA) Inter-Agency Corporate Business in Sports (CBIS) 10/10 cricket competition, according to coordinator of the event, Imran Saccoor.

The day/night event is scheduled for today at the Albion Community Centre ground, beginning at 09:00h.

Thousands are expected to throng to the venue for what is expected to be an action packed day of sizzling cricket competition.

Saccoor told this publication on Friday, via telephone, that over the past few days the organisers had upped their preparation and pulled out all the stops to make the event a spectacle to remember.

“We have everything in place for tomorrow’s (today’s) events,” said Saccoor.

Meanwhile, 16 softball teams have been confirmed to be part of today’s event.

The confirmed teams for the event are: Regional Chairman XI, Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, Karibee Rice Boyz, Hand-inHand Insurance, Demerara Bank, Banks DIH Limited, Oldendorff Carriers, Guyana Power and Light, Metro Office and Computer Supplies, Neal and Massy, Berbice Bridge Company

Imran Saccoor

Incorporated, New Building Society, Republic Bank, Ansa McAl Stag Boyz, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and GT&T. Further, Saccoor indicated that each preliminary game will be eight overs per side, while the full ten overs will be played during the semi-finals and final. Wides and no-balls will be counted as runs. Front foot no ball will be counted as runs and will earn the batsman a free-hit.

Runs earned as a result of overthrows will be counted as legal runs. Each bowler will be allowed two overs during the preliminary stage and three overs during the semi-finals and final.

During the preliminary stage of the competition, bowling will be permitted from one side only so as to conserve on time. For the semi-final and final, batting

and bowling will be done from both sides.

In the event of a tie a Super Over will be bowled.

An over should not exceed three minutes. Therefore, a game should not exceed 60 minutes. Teams are asked to assemble at 08:45 hours with the list of players of their respective squads.

Attractive prizes will be at stake for the top teams and outstanding individual players, which will include cash and trophies. The winning team will walk away with the BCCDA trophy, $50,000 and medals. The runner-up will take home a trophy, $30,000 and medals, while third place will collect a trophy and $20,000.

The Man-of-the-Match in the final will get $10,000 and a medal. The bowler with the most wickets will also receive $10,000 and a medal, as well as the batsman with the highest score in the tournament.

Meanwhile, the day’s activity will also feature a 20/20 hardball exhibition match featuring Albion Cricket Club and Rose Hall Town.

The event, which started in 2010 as a friendly game among business entities, has now grown to become an agenda item on the calendars of the corporate community, aimed at building unity, and exchanging opinions among corporate officials.

he second reading of the Cricket Administration Bill that would seek to establish the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and county boards as corporate bodies was on Thursday evening deferred to the next session of Parliament.

The next sitting of the National Assemble is scheduled for next Thursday.

The bill was listed on the Order Paper for its second reading by Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony when the 63rd sitting of the National Assembly of the 10th parliament reconvened on Thursday.

The bill was tabled by government last December in a bid to end the impasse over the national game. It provides constitutions for

Dr Frank Anthony

the GCB, the Demerara, Berbice and the Essequibo Cricket Boards and is divided into five parts with one schedule giving respective boards the powers to effectively manage the affairs of local cricket.

The bill was the subject of much discussion by

critical stakeholders within the cricketing fraternity, and was reviewed by a Special Select Committee of the National Assembly of Guyana.

The special select committee comprises four members of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), one member from the Alliance for Change (AFC) and four members of the ruling People’s Progressive Party.

The members of the Select Committee are Christopher Jones, Joseph Harmon, Basil Williams, and Dr Rupert Roopnarine of APNU, Kemraj Ramjattan of the AFC, while Odinga Lumumba, Attorney General Anil Nandlall, Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony and Neil Kumar represent the government.

Guyana Softball Cup III…

Harper’s all-round performance leads Regal Masters to victory

R

aymond Harper guided Regal Masters to a five-run victory over New York President’s XI on the opening day of the Guyana Softball Cup III on Friday at the Police Sports Club ground Eve Leary.

Playing in the Over-45 division, Regal posted an imposing 205-4 off their allotted 20 overs, batting first.

Harper topscored with 70 and Longsford Klass supported with 49 while S. Rampersaud took 2-34 bowling for New York President’s XI. In reply the overseas team reached 200-6 in 20 overs although Mohamed Rafeek stroked 105. Ryan Singh and Harper claimed two wickets apiece.

Industry defeated SCI Miami by seven wickets. SCI Miami took first strike and managed 107-9 in 20 overs.

Muniram Pooran made 23 and Joshua Prashad took 3-32. Industry won the game in 18 overs, finishing on 1103 in 18 overs; Mahendra Persaud scored 22 not out while Anthony Dhanraj had 2-25.

Industry also defeated New York President’s XI by eight wickets. New York President’s XI chalked 166-7 in 20 overs with Rudy Rodrigues scoring 40.

Industry knocked off the target in 17.1 overs, reaching 167-2. Joshua Persaud led the batting with 58 and Mohamed Rafeek took 2-24.

SCI Miami suffered another defeat, this time at the hands of Regal Masters, by 7 wickets. They were bowled out for 101 in 16.4 overs, batting first with Mahendra Pooran making 42 as Mahase Chuniall bagged 6-17. Regal, in reply, scored 105-3 in 11.5 overs. Longsford Klass topscored with an unbeaten 42.

At Bourda, Ontario Masters hammered New York Sea View by eight wickets. NY Sea View scored 1219 in 20 overs, batting first.

Raymond Harper

Parmanand Lutchman made 29 not out; Tony Singh captured 3-18. Ontario Masters responded with 122-2 in 17.4 overs with Steve Massiah, former Guyana player and USA skipper, led with an unbeaten 34.

At DCC, Wellman overcame Parika Defenders by 19 runs. Wellman posted 2156 in 20 overs. Lloyd Ruplall slammed 92 while Ramesh Rambharose grabbed 3-46 for Parika Defenders who responded with 196 all out in 19.1 overs. Aftar Khan scored 54; M. Denny picked up 4-16.

New York Sea View overcame Success Superior Woods by 14 runs. NY Sea View batted first and scored 167-7 in 20 overs. L. Longhorn made 40; Reaz Karim had 2-24. Success Superior Woods were bowled out for 153 in 16 overs.

R. Kowlessar scored 40; Longhorn claimed 2-31.

Savage Masters beat Brooklyn by 9 wickets.

Brooklyn scored 143-9 in 20 overs, batting first. R. Seenarine made 38. Yunnis Mohamed grabbed 3-12.

Savage replied with 145-1 in 12.2 overs. Mohamed scored 73 not out.

In the open category at Ministry of Education ground, Trophy Stall defeated Ontario Softball League (OSL) by 70 runs. Trophy

Stall batted first and scored 238-3 in 20 overs with Martin Dutchin top scoring with 85 and Fazal Rafiek supported with 66. D. Ramsawak took 2-32. OSL replied with 1688 in 20 overs. Gavin Singh made 36; Rafiek claimed 3-43 and Wasim Haslim 2-32.

Corriverton got the better of Cotton Field Wild Oats by 1 wicket. Cotton Field scored 132 all out in 17.4 overs, batting first. Ramesh Narine made 29; Alfred Garnett claimed 4-19. Corriverton reached their target in 18 overs ending on 133-9 in reply. Sherwin Murray led with 26; Rovindra Singh bagged 5-19.

At Police Sports Club ground, Karibee Rice went down to Berbice Titans by 7 wickets. Karibee Rice batted first and were skittled for 80 in 16.2 overs. M. Baldeo snared 3-10. Berbice Titans responded with 82-3 in 16 overs. David Lukenauth made 33 not out.

Trophy Stall got the better of Berbice Titans by 47 runs. Rafiek and Haslim scored 33 and 22 respectively as Trophy Stall posted 172-8 in 20 overs after taking first strike. C. Arjune took 2-24 for Berbice Titans who were bowled out for 125 in 18 overs in reply. Troy Gonsalves was their leading batsman with 41 as K.Bissoondyal captured 3-5, Dutchin 3-19 and Rafeek 2-21.

At St. Stanislaus ground, Regal XI scraped past Wolf Warriors by 1 run. Regal XI batted first and rattled up 165 before they were bowled out 18.5 overs. Ricardo Adams led with 41; Narine Bailey snared 3-24.

Wolf Warriors were restricted to 164-9 in 20 overs in reply. Mohamed Karim stroked 61 while Balram Roopnarine picked up 4-38 including a hat trick and Khalid Haslim 3-39.

The competition continues today.

23 Stage set for Courts Pee Wee finale A saturday, november 9, 2013

fter seven weekends of heated rivalry that featured some of the most exciting young talents in Georgetown, the annual Courts Pee Wee Under-11 football competition will culminate today with the final at the Banks DIH ground, Thirst Park.

Twenty-four schools began the quest for top honours in late September, but only two teams remain in the reckoning for the top podium spot and bragging rights for the next 12 months.

St Pius, the only school with an unblemished record, won all of their games and

are heavy favourites against West Ruimveldt to take the title.

Both schools have played outstanding football since the competition started, and while it is hard to decide which way the championship game will go, it is clear St Pius will start with the psychological advantage, given the way they have trampled their opponents.

While Beveney Mark has been the star player for St Pius, chalking up the most goals in the competition (14), Michael Oie Jr has played a pivotal role for West Ruimveldt and the two are

32 teams to contest GFA Banks Beer Cup – added monetary incentives for teams

By Avenash Ramzan

A

n increase in the number of teams and added monetary incentives are among the changes to the third annual Georgetown Football Association’s (GFA) Banks Beer Knockout Cup, which kicks off on November 23 and ends on New Year’s Day 2014 with the grand final.

The tournament was launched on Friday afternoon in the boardroom of Princess Hotel at Providence, East Bank Demerara, where executives of the GFA, officials of main sponsor Banks DIH Limited and representatives of the 32 participating teams were on hand to usher in the 2013/14 event.

Last year’s competition, which was won by Camptown, attracted 24 teams.

President of the GFA, Vernon Burnett, disclosed that the aim of his association is to better the efforts of the first two installments of the tournament in 2011 and 2012.

He welcomed Banks DIH Limited on board for the third year in succession, noting that the GFA is “happy” to partner with the corporate giant, as well as the various associations that submitted teams to the tournament.

Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) Vicepresident, Ivan Persaud, said the local governing body embraces the tournament, which has attracted 15 Georgetown teams and 17 from the other sub-associations of the GFF. He said more teams mean more players which gives the GFF a wider pool of players to choose from when selecting the national unit.

Persaud wished the GFA well during the 16 playing days, noting that the knockout competition has grown “from strength to strength” over its short existence.

Banks Beer Brand Manager, Brian Choo-Hen, said his company was elated to unveil another tournament under the auspices of the GFA, adding that Banks DIH Limited has been experiencing a “football fever”

over the past few weeks.

The company is a cosponsor of the Courts Pee Wee Under-11 competition, which concludes today, and also played a pivotal role, through it Coca Cola brand, in bringing the FIFA World Cup trophy to these shores for the first time last week.

Choo-Hen also called on the teams to exercise discipline and fair play, even as they give of their best with the aim of copping the coveted prize on New Year’s Day. Prizes As was the case in 2012, the champion team will receive $4 million, while the runner-up, third and fourth placed finishers will collect $2.5 million, $1.5 million and 1$ million respectively.

A new addition to this year’s tournament is the monetary incentives for all the teams, including $250,000 each for the losing quarterfinalists, $150,000 each for those knocked out at the second round and $100,000 each for teams booted at the first round.

There will also be individual prizes for the Most Valuable Player, highest goal scorer, best goalkeeper and most discipline team.

The most outstanding coach will pocket $100,000 cash.

Each association will also receive 20 percent or a maximum of $250,000 as gate receipts after expenses from all games played in their jurisdiction.

The participating teams are Alpha United, GDF, Camptown, Beacon, Police, Fruta Conquerors, Black Pearl, Flamingo, Pele, GFC, Northern Rangers, BK International Western Tigers, Houston Stars, Riddim Squad, Santos and University of Guyana of Georgetown; Den Amstel, Seawall and Slingerz of West Demerara; Monnederlust and Cougars of Berbice; BV/Triumph, Mahaica Determinators and Buxton United of East Coast Demerara; Grove Hi-Tec of East Bank Demerara; and Winners Connection, Silver Shattas, Netrockers, Topp XX, Milerock, Botofago and Kwakwani Strikers of Upper Demerara.

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St Pius’ marksman and the tournament’s leading goalscorer, Beveney Mark, controls the ball during one of his team’s training sessions leading up to the today’s final

expected to be key in their team’s chances.

Both schools advanced to the final via hard-fought penalty victories at the semifinals last weekend at the same venue.

In the first semi-final, St Pius and East La Penitence rallied to a nil-all draw after the 20 minutes of regulation and four minute of extra time. Penalties were required to separate the teams and it was St Pius who prevailed 2-0.

In the other ‘final four’ match-up, Tucville, last year’s losing finalists, took an early lead through a DeAndre Linton 13th minute strike, much to the delight of their large fan base.

However, their jubilation was short-lived as six minutes later Oie Jr converted a penalty to level the scores.

After the remainder of regulation and extra time failed to separate the teams, penalty kicks were required and West Ruimveldt won the con-

test 3-2.

The final will kick off at 16:00 hours, prior to which East La Penitence and Tucville will clash in the third place playoff.

The action will start at noon however, with Redeemer playing St Ambrose for positions 15 and 16, while Ketley and J.E. Burnham will contest 13 and 14.

At 13:00 hours, Marian Academy and St Stephen’s will battle for positions 11 and 12, while South Ruimveldt

and North Georgetown will compete for positions nine and 10.

The game for positions seven and eight between St Margaret’s and Enterprise will kick off at 14:00 hours, the same time F.E. Pollard and St Gabriel’s will go at each other for fifth and sixth.

The competition is a collaborative effort of Courts (Guyana) Inc., Banks DIH Limited and the Petra Organisation.

(Avenash Ramzan)

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

saturday, november 9, 2013

TOP SCORES

India 453 (Rohit 177, Ashwin 124, Shillingford 6-167) beat West Indies 234 (Samuels 65, Shami 4-71) and 168 (Shami 5-47) by an innings and 51 runs; South Africa 266-5 (de Kock 112, Junaid 2-42) beat Pakistan 238 by 28 runs

32 teams to contest GFA Banks Beer Cup See story on page

23

– added monetary incentives for teams

GFA president Vernon Burnett (third right) and Banks Beer Brand Manager, Brian Choo-Hen, lift the championship trophy to officially launch the tournament. Sharing the moment are (from left): Banks DIH Outdoor Events Manager Mortimer Stewart, Banks DIH Communications Manager Troy Peters, GFF Vice-president Ivan Persaud and referees representative Roy McArthur (Photo: Avenash Ramzan)

WI fall to innings loss within three days after Shami five-for

INSIDE TODAY’S SPORT

Stage set for Courts Pee Wee finale P23

See story on page

21

West Indies captain Darren Sammy is bowled on the third day of the first Test between India and West Indies on Friday at Eden Gardens (BCCI)

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