SunDAY, october 25, 2015 | guYAnAtimeSgY.com
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, October 25 – 14:30h-16:00h and Monday, October 26 – 14:30h-16:00h.
The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, October 25 – 14:30h-16:00h and Monday, October 26 – 15:10h-16:40h.
– removal of electricity, water subsidies wipes out pension “increase”
BY DEVINA SAMAROO
The suffering and desperation of over 47,000 mostly impoverished senior citizens have grown exponentially over the past few months, following the removal of the telephone, water and electricity subsidies by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government.
The new coalition Administration had ostentatiously boasted of providing a massive 30 per cent pension increase to the elderly but instead, while the increase amounted to $4000, the resulting $17,000 was hardly sufficient to remove the pensioners from below the poverty line. But in what has been adjudged as a ‘cruel twist”, the Government completely removed the utility subsidies for pensioners which was put in place by the previous Government and served as a great relief to the elderly citizens of the country, most of whom are retired and have no means of earning an income. The funds needed to pay for electricity, water and telephones far exceeded the $4000 “increase”.
Guyana Times spoke to several pensioners drawn from all social groups who reside in different areas of the country and they all reported that life has indeed gotten tougher for them under the new Government.
While some persons have their families to assist them with their expenses, the majority do not. Some persons were forced to find jobs just to earn a little extra income to sustain their livelihoods. A handful were forced to adjust their lifestyles to a lesser comfortable one while others are at a complete loss as to how they will continue living.
“I am now scraping for money to meet my bills; I have to burden my daughter, who already don’t earn enough for herself and her children. I trying to cut back on some stuff but how much you could cut back on? I gah hurt me head over all this. Is too much stress. Nah best I dead
and gone,” expressed Tessa McKenzie, a 70-year-old woman who was at the time on her way to the Bourda Post Office, Georgetown.
McKenzie said she was grateful for the additional money added to the pension however; she simply could not comprehend the rationale behind removing the subsidies. “I don’t get it. What sense it make really, eh?” she noted. While she could not give precise figures, the woman who lives by herself in Kitty, Georgetown, noted that the subsidies which were previously offered definitely lessened her financial burdens.
“I never had to worry about the light bills and the water bills. When the month come, it was just a $2000 for the light bill and like a $4000 for the water bill. Cause it’s me alone and how much one old lady gonna use up? So the pension I used to get was good cause at least I had left over to buy my lil groceries. Now, it’s like all my pension going behind the bills,” McKenzie stated.
This is the prevailing situation for hundreds of pensioners across the country.
Another Georgetown resident, Robert Gibson, 68 years old, said he was forced to take a job as a security officer at a private residence just so he can earn a “little extra” income. “I am retired, now is supposed to be a time for me to sit back and not stress about anything. But the money we are getting is not working out. The other day, my friend told me that this man looking for a guard for his house so I decide to take the work because I
need the money,” Gibson stated. The man said he lives with his wife, who is also a pensioner, but the money they receive altogether is not sufficient enough for them to live comfortably.
Along the East Bank Demerara corridor, pensioners are also crying out over what they deemed as a stressful situation. “The stress I taking on now might just kill me,” one lady lightheartedly stated.
Carl Lopez, who resides in Diamond New Housing Scheme, said the pension he is receiving is not enough to cover his utility bills, purchase his groceries and meet his hospital fees or to buy his monthly supplies of medication.
“The bills coming at $10,000 now, that’s for light bill. I can’t remember the other bills but, I know for sure that when we had the subsidies, it wasn’t so much. Probably just a $3000 I used to pay. Now, that aside, I have to buy the groceries, well my son does help me with groceries but you
know it get a lot of people who don’t have anybody to help them. A lot, I’m telling you. We suffering now… my hospital fees come up to about $10,000. I am only getting $17,000 as pension. Plus I have to buy the medication,” he noted.
Asked how he has managed to meet his expenses thus far, Lopez said he had to limit his purchase on his medication. “I’m still working out how I’ll manage the rest,” he related.
On the East Coast of Demerera, pensioner Irma (only name given), was highly annoyed and extremely frustrated over the situation. “They add on $4000 and then they say ‘Yay! We giving them the good life’. But all they do is give us $4000 and they took away $34,000,” the woman vented.
She noted that she used to save approximately $38,000 altogether on her monthly bills. “Now where they expect me to find the money to pay my bills. If I use my pension money and the $4000 extra they give we, how I gonna eat?” Irma expressed.
“I have to now depend on my children and I don’t want to do that. They have their own expenses too. Now what about those people who don’t have children to fall back on? There are a lot of people like that. You go and look around, you will hear people crying out. The situation needs to be fixed. Put back the subsidies or raise the pension higher,” she stated.
Sunday Editor: Michael Younge
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
The mid-year report on the state of our economy by Finance Minister Winston Jordan has unfortunately not received enough attention. This is “unfortunate” because when the bleak numbers peppering the report are concatenated with the of the campaign populism of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) being put into action, it suggests that Guyana is ineluctably headed for a crash of catastrophic proportions.
The “populism” of the new Government was, and is, based on incendiary claim that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government had built a elite that was draining off the wealth of the country to the detriment of the rest of the population that remained mired in poverty. Because Guyanese politics mirrors the major ethnic cleavages in the society, this populism took a dangerous slant by implying that one ethnic section received more than it’s just desserts. A clamour for retribution and “payback” was not unexpected.
As such, the APNU+AFC coalition has become transfixed in ferreting out what it described as the “siphoning off the wealth of the country”. Even if their claim was true, the Government ignored the need to ensure that whatever wealth was found, be augmented. Without a clear picture on proceeding, the Finance Minister boasts that he is “sanguine” about growth prospects even as like the captain of the Titanic, he yells “full steam ahead” into an iceberg of intractable economic obstacles.
The coalition had promised that since they would stop the “siphoning off of funds” immediately on account of their financial rectitude and acumen, monies would be available to “significantly” raise the salaries of public workers even as the VAT would be slashed. However it appeared that their populist expansiveness “began at home” as they awarded five per cent salary increase to public workers but an astounding 50 per cent to themselves.
If the state of the treasury was not as rosy as they had thought and (implicitly) that the “siphoning off” might not have been as expansive as assumed to award the significant salary increases to public workers, should not the Government therefore have signalled the threat of the economic downturn by cutting their own salary, as Obama did in the US a few years ago?
For the Finance Minister’s sanguinity to be justified, there has to be much more effort exerted than presently discerned into putting the nation’s shoulders to the economic wheel and backing off from their populist profligacy. Take an example of what should have been a shining success story in the mid-year report: the steady increase in manufacturing pushed by the milling of the record 700,000 tonnes of rice.
Sadly the Government has been spending, for instance, a great deal of time and money in preparations to celebrate our 50th Independence anniversary next year. Should not comparable resources be expended to market the 200,000 tonne rice market lost from Venezuela plus the additional 100,000 tonnes being produced? The point is not that the Government should ignore creating positive vibes in the populace, but those vibes will become bitter when the bottom falls out of the economy. Populism can only go so far.
But the Government has been not a little disingenuous even in its populism – beyond the “salarygate” that is presently roiling the masses. The mid-year report revealed that the Government has been sucking up almost all of the profits from record world oil prices through a continuation of the policy to more than doubling duties on petroleum. It would not be just a good populist move to pass on the savings to consumers, but a sound economic stimulus to give the economy a boost.
Studies have shown that such monies passed on to consumers, are used by them in a virtuous circle to make other purchases in the economy. The Government, on the other hand, will merely use those funds to pay for boondoggles such as the inflated salaries for itself and its REO’s and SUV’s
The Government must do a volte face on business and introduce stimuli that will raise all ships.
The silence is tellingly loud – the voices for LGE have gone totally silent
Dear Editor,
I wrote last week about the total silence of the Government about their broken promise of Local Government Elections (LGE) before the end of 2015. Now the Minister responsible, Ronald Bulkan, has quietly and in an uncharacteristically low-profile manner, announced that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is not ready for LGE in 2015. They are definitely dodging LGE.
The Minister has clumsily attempted to shift blame to Dr Steve Surujbally and GECOM. The truth is that the introduction of legislation designating Lethem, Mabaruma and Bartica as townships is a strategy to delay the LGE. The legislation to increase townships is Guyana has nothing to do with their commitment to developing new townships and meeting a manifesto promise. The move in Parliament on Thursday was an awkward attempt to establish further barriers for holding LGE.
I support the new townships. As part of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Cabinet, we had agreed to establish a number of new townships, including Lethem, Bartica, Mabaruma, Parika, Supernaam, Vreed-en-Hoop, Grove (EBD), and Rosignol. Both political parties, therefore, were on the same page with this policy decision. The PPP Government’s position was that Government must work to develop these
areas and to prepare them for genuine townships. We started the work. But more has to be done. The haste in the introduction of the township legislation is not to meet any requirement to proceed with establishing the new township; there is no need for haste.
But for the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) the introduction of the township legislation is necessary at this time because it is clutching at straws. It needs desperately to defer the LGE and it is trying to see if this would provide them with a legitimate reason to further push back LGE. We can reasonably be certain that this is only one of several barriers that APNU/AFC will introduce as they are now in full-battle mode to postpone the LGE.
The silence of several stakeholders on the further delay of LGE is deafening. In particular, I am looking expectedly and disappointingly at the reaction of the representatives of ABC countries. They were not quiet pre-May elections to express their eagerness for LGE and they were loud in their condemnation and disappointment on the failure to hold LGE in Guyana. The representatives of the ABC countries insisted that LGE demonstrate the commitment of any Government to strong democratic norms. It was their argument that they were simply echoing their Government’s position of the importance of LGE and not taking politi-
cal sides.
,I and as far as I know, the PPP also believes that LGE is a necessary part of the strong democratic governance. We believed then that the representatives from the ABC countries were not fair in assigning blame for the delay of LGE in Guyana. But we have crossed that bridge already. There is no need for further delay.
I have to believe that those interested parties, including the ABC countries, that were aggressively promoting the holding of LGE were genuinely interested in strengthening Guyana’s democracy. I am willing to accept that the ABC countries involvement and support for political players who were pushing for LGE had nothing to do with a sense that the PPP was at the time vulnerable.
For the record, I know that as a member of the PPP Cabinet, we wanted LGE for several years now. The deferment of LGE, however, was to meet all the demands of the then Opposition. For most of the period of the delay, it was because the political parties were negotiating over various issues that became pre-requisites for holding LGE.
None of those issues, whether it is the fault of the PPP or APNU/AFC, now matters. Blame whomever you want, but we have long passed over that road. It is entirely up to APNU/ AFC now. But I know that APNU/AFC believe that the political circumstances in the country are not fa-
vourable for them to participate in any LGE at this time. They promised LGE by end of 2015 and they madly rushed through several pieces of legislation. The postelection euphoria gave them confidence that they had the upper hand with LGE. Now they are afraid to face the people, supporters of both sides, because in just five months, they have proven they are not capable of taking Guyana forward. Now all those interested parties, like the ABC countries, certain other international bodies, such as Transparency International, and local political seers like Christopher Ram, Ramon Gaskin, Freddie Kissoon, and media houses like Kaieteur News and Stabroek News, must demonstrate the same commitment for immediate Local Government Elections. Their silence is loudly being heard throughout Guyana and in the world. LGE must be held now and not left dangling on political expediency. Those who were very interested in LGE before need to now come clean – was it a genuine interest in the holding of LGE as necessary for strengthening democratic governance or merely an anti-PPP position? Now that the tables have turned and it is APNU/AFC in control, the commitment for LGE should not diminish and none of us ought to accept silly excuses and passing the buck.
Respectfully, Dr Leslie Ramsammy
Dear Editor, I have observed a wide section of Guyanese, mostly Hindus, friends of Hinduism and religions, such as myself, objecting furiously to the November 10 date, as being observed for the Diwali Holiday.
Diwali in Guyana and indeed around the world, especially in India, is observed not only by Hindus, or members of the Sanatan Dharm (Religion of Universal laws), or Arya Samaj, but peoples of various faiths, due to the universality of the amazing messages of peace and love; of the symbolic Divine Light overcoming darkness.
I even know of Muslims in Guyana, myself included, who light a diya for solidarity and the symbol of goodness it represents. So for me, and for many of us in Guyana and around the world, Diwali has enormous significance.
The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha has been on the forefront in respect to the celebrations for decades, and has served the Guyanese nation with distinction, regardless of religion, culture or ethnicity. In my opinion, it is wrong to try to demolish this great religious entity which serves all peoples, and even to recognise the interpretation of an unknown Sabha over it, because of politics, which it appears.
Therefore, I join with my friend, mentor and brother in religion, Dr Yesu Persaud, and tens of thousands of Guyanese, in call-
ing for Minister Khemraj Ramjattan of the Ministry of Social Protection, to reconsider the date, as the peoples are calling for, and to recognise November 11 as the official day, the national day for Diwali.
Unless, this is a political attempt to divide, which I doubt it is, but from the persons I speak, this is their perception. I ask Minister Khemraj Ramjattan; Social Cohesion Minister Amna Ally; Prime Minister Moses Magamootoo; and His Excellency, President David Granger, to please switch the dates. This is not good for Guyana.
For decades the Muslims have had problems with Moon sighting for the Eidul Fitr celebrations, which have caused suspicions, animosities, hate, disrespect and many pains in the Islamic community, even terror when the fasting month commences.
This is not a matter of pride for the Minister, as some may tend to think. For me and all of civic society that I have spoken to, it is one that displays good sense and goodwill, which, if not switched, will cause divisions in our society, already fragmented for various political reasons. It is simply good sense, and better sense to understand that we must respect the will of the people.
Regards,
(Submitted by Haji Roshan Khan, National Chairman, Universal Peace federation Guyana)
Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan has cleared up the issue of the Diwali date for me completely
Dear Editor, His remarks that President of the Guyana Hindu DharmicSabha, Dr Vindhya Persaud, is neither a “Panditnor Swami” and a mere politician makes it clear that the Diwali date is a personal issue for him and that he and the government are using it to score political points against the PPP opposition.
Dr Persaud might not be a pandit or swami but she is the president of the largest Hindu organization in Guyana, has grown up in that organization and has worked tirelessly in its Kendra to educate Hindu youths and to inculcate in them all the values and traditions that help them to be
strong, respectful citizens. I believe she knows more than most pandits here and can probably hold her own with any swami or swamini on Hindu teachings and practice.
Anyway, isn’t Ramjattan a mere politician himself? What gives him then the authority to pronounce on the Diwali date especially since he is not known to practise any part of Hindu dharma himself?
He speaks of his “religious principles”. There are no principles in Hinduism, Islam or Christianity that allow him to demean and belittle DrPersaud, her accomplishments, and her invaluable and selfless work as a member of our society.
Ramjattan’s disrespect ofDrPersaud who is a Member of Parliament, a medical doctor, and thePresident of a religious organization should be condemned forthwith by every fair-minded, civil member of our society. His statements and behavior portray this government as macho and totally disrespectful of women and I expect the few women ministers of government to denounce hiscrass behavior and to stand with their fellow parliamentarian, DrPersaud. The violence and abuse against women in our society, whether verbal or physical, must be checked at every turn.
Arguments for the
November 10th Diwali date do not require a personal attack onDrPersaud. Ramjattan has made it clear that he and his government are using this issue to attack DrPersaud and the DharmicSabha, and by extension the PPP, and by further extension the PPP’s Hindu supporters. At this auspicious time, we must stand together and allow the light of Maha Lakshmi to enter into our hearts so that we will follow the right and just path. Let our thousands of diyas shine on Diwali night, November 11th, to overcome the darkness that threatens to engulf us all.
Shanie Jagessar
Dear Editor, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines Dr Ralph Gonsalves has said that the “ballgame”... the nature of Caricom’s relations with Venezuela would change should that country ever exercise the military option in pursuit of its claim to Guyana’s territory.
He said that Caricom maintains that the territorial integrity of Guyana must remain intact in keeping with the 1899 Arbitral Award and has publicly expressed its position on numerous occasions. He said Caricom had expressed its grave concern to the initial decree issued by President Maduro and that it was withdrawn and replaced with one that was not threatening.
Prime Minister Gonsalves was responding to a question I posed to him during the question period following his Eric
Williams Memorial Lecture at Florida International University on Friday night.
Gonsalves said that Caricom supports the efforts of the United Nations Secretary General to find a peaceful and lasting solution to the controversy, noting that UNSG Ban Ki-Moon met recently with Presidents Granger and Maduro in this regard.
He said Caricom supports a legal approach to resolving the controversy. Noting that
there had been movement of Venezuelan troops along the border with Guyana not so long ago, Gonsalves said that in his view Maduro would not exercise the military option although there were forces in Venezuela that would want to use that option. It is not an easy situation for Guyana, he said, but he is of the strong belief that the controversy will be settled peacefully.
I have written this letter to share with your readers a view
expressed about Caricom’s support for Guyana on the Venezuelan issue by one of its leaders.
There was much said about Guyana in Dr Gonsalves’ lecture about the role the country played under Forbes Burnham especially, as part of Caricom to pave the way for the process towards normalisation of US/ Cuba relations.
Regards
Wesley Kirton
Iusually try to steal a short visit home during the semester. Whenever the slightest opportunity arises (such as a long weekend or cancelled lectures), I grab hold of it and quickly make plans to whisk myself away to Guyana. Happily, the gods decided that one such happy opportunity present itself this week. So here I am back home – snug as a bug in a rug.
My time away from home has really shown me how much home and family mean to me. It’s also proven to me that my heart is right here in Guyana and it’ll really take some doing for that to change. I’m enjoying Trinidad and the med school experience but Guyana will always be my home. Similarly, I like visiting other countries, but I soon start itching to re-
“There is a kind of magicness about going far away and then coming back all changed” – Kate Douglas Wiggin, New Chronicles of Rebecca
turn home.
This visit, I decided to make some time to drop by my alma mater, Queen’s College, to check in on how things were going. I was so thrilled when I read that we’ve now gotten two of the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) awards. I’ve long thought that we need to place more emphasis on CAPE than we’ve previously been giving it. It really is long overdue. CAPE is a whole new ballgame from CSEC. So believe me when I say that the achievements of our awardees this year are truly something to be saluted. I hope that going forward, Queens and the rest of our senior secondary schools place more emphasis at CAPE. And it does not hurt that the top awardee is from good, old Queens!
Returning to QC was simultaneously wonderful and strange – a journey into the past and the future. It was amazing to see my old teachers and the familiar faces of students I knew but it was a bit disconcerting to see so many new faces both in the staff room and in the classrooms. QC was both exactly the same and so very, very different from how I remembered it. It was a stark reminder that time marches on inexorably. Was it Zeno who said that you can’t put your toe into the same river twice? There are now a whole bunch of new children who just entered the school and have no idea about things that happened at QC during the time my friends and I were there. And there are now so many new memories
being made at QC that I’ll have no clue about. But I do believe that each batch must push the envelope that has been handed over to them by those who came before.
Some days it feels like just the other day I was strolling down QC’s corridors and other days it feels like all of that was a whole lifetime ago.
There’s something quite special about returning to one’s high school. In many ways it’s like returning home. Entering at 11 and leaving at 17, the high school years are definitely the years during which we really grow up. And for my part, I can’t think of any place I’d have rather have those experiences than at QC.
Fideles Ubique Utiles
Rape cases… No more excuses, find culprits, prosecute them – First Lady …issues call for protection of young girls
Amid the prevailing situation in Guyana, First Lady Sandra Granger declared that there should be no more excuses when it comes to cases of carnal knowledge.
Addressing the gathering at the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA) Fundraising Dinner on Thursday last at the Pegasus Hotel, First Lady Granger highlighted that far too many times, excuses are made for those responsible for statutory rape. She declared that this must come to an end.
“The Might and Majesty of the law must come into play. Sexual intercourse with a child under sixteen is statutory rape and all loopholes must be closed. I do not want to hear any excuses… like he didn’t know the girl was under aged. Yes we do have adolescent school boys fathering children but in many cases girl children are forced to have sex with older men or forced by family members to become a sex worker,” she stated.
Against that backdrop, the First Lady issued a call for all those responsible for this reprehensible act to be pursued and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
She recognised that in many cases, victims of these situations often lack the critical information on sexual reproductive health, including contraception and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and as a result, become vulnerable.
“This must be rectified,” she noted, as she called for improved and equitable access to sexual reproductive health services for both young boys and girls.
Further, the First Lady underscored the prevalence of teenage pregnancy in the
country, which she stated, is a result of the lack of information on sexual reproductive health.
“Guyana with Belize and Jamaica records the highest number of adolescent pregnancies in the Caribbean Community. There is a lack of information of sexual reproductive health and responsible parenthood especially for our young teenage girls. There is a lack of antenatal classes which, if provided, significantly improves the health outcomes for baby and mother. We must have education on SRH and family planning before any child becomes sexually active,” she said.
She noted that with education on sexual reproductive health and family planning, young girls and women, are more informed and able to make choices which will not only assist them in their personal growth but will also save the country valuable resources:
“Responsible parenthood and family planning has many benefits. These are in the areas of employment opportunities, financial security, stability, more decision-making power, and opportunities to join social and civic organisations, earning power and independence among others.”
Moreover, First Lady Granger lauded the work of the GRPA in reaching out to teenagers with sexual reproductive health and family planning education:
“The GRPA has done and continues to perform a valuable service to Guyana by providing a service such as this… The importance of these services cannot be over emphasised. By informing our young people, we are protecting and keeping them safe.”
Freed murder accused, Stanley Lovell also called “Steve”, age 30, of Lot 64 Premniranjan Place, Prashad Nagar, Greater Georgetown, was in the wee hours of Saturday morning gunned down in the vicinity of Bourda Market and Regent Street, Georgetown.
While information remains sketchy, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told Guyana Times that an eyewitness told investigators that Lovell was in the company of a group of men when a bitter argument ensued.
During the argument, one of the men reportedly whipped out a .9mm pistol and pumped 13 bullets into the man’s body. Blanhum also confirmed that 14 spent shells were retrieved from the crime scene.
Another man, Anthony Lall, 21; a cleaner of Bent Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown, also received a gunshot injury to one of his legs. He reportedly told investigators that he was in the vicinity when he saw a “known” gunman walk up to Lovell and discharge a loaded firearm in his direction. Lovell reportedly fell to the ground and died almost instantly.
Lall was treated at a private medical institution.
Guyana Times further un-
spirals
of control…
derstands that Lovell had just left the Rio Sports Bar and headed to the market to get something to eat. He reportedly parked his car and was sitting on the truck when he was riddled with bullets.
resulting in him receiving several stitches.
Lovell, who was no stranger to the law, was charged for the murder of secondyear University of Guyana
student, Dennis Edghill in February of this year. He was freed in June following lack of Police evidence.
Hot tempered Lovell is reportedly known for getting into arguments with others, due to his short temper. This publication was informed that only recently, he was involved in an argument which resulted in him being gun butted to the head,
Edghill, 23, at the time of his death, was among several students at the university campus when an argument erupted between two students. Edghill intervened since one of the persons involved in the argument was a close friend.
He was allegedly stabbed in the neck and stomach with a broken bottle by Lovell. Lovell was a friend of the other person involved in the argument.
Edghill, later succumbed to his injuries at the Georgetown Public hospital, forcing Lovell into hiding. However, sometime later, he turned himself in to Police accompanied by his Attorney Nigel Hughes. He was subsequently charged with murder.
It was reported that the Preliminary Inquiry into the case commenced on March 13, and close to 10 witnesses were called. Hughes made a no-case submission due to the lack of evidence.
Soon after he was released in June, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali Hack had ordered the Police to rearrest him but after Hughes threatened to approach the High Court on the issue, he was subsequently freed.
In 2012, he reappeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts after he was charged for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend. The matter was heard and dismissed after the victim refused to give evidence.
Crime scene ranks revisited the area later in the morning as they continue their investigations.
Five persons were on Friday evening arrested and are being questioned in relation to the robbery committed on the Sookram’s family at Samaroo Dam, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara (WBD). The robbery occurred on Thursday evening, as the family was preparing to retire to bed.
According to information received, the five persons in Police custody are assisting with the investigation. The men are expected to be charged on Monday for the robbery.
It was reported that five armed men invaded a property at Samaroo Dam, Pouderoyen, on Thursday evening and terrorised the family.
According to information, at about 20:30h, five men –one of whom was armed with a handgun and the others with cutlasses – entered the property of Andy Sookram and tied him up, along with
During the ordeal, the men demanded cash and jewellery but the trio claimed they did not have cash at home, so the invaders reportedly demanded the finger rings the family members were wearing at the time.
After they ransacked the home and came up empty handed, the armed men then carted off two generators, a weeding machine, two gas cylinders and four mobile phones.
They made good their escape in a waiting vehicle. After some time had elapsed, the businessman managed to untie himself and raised an alarm.
Through diligent investigations, the Police arrested the five suspects and they will be brought before the court shortly. It was revealed that the men in custody are fully cooperating with investigators.
SunDAY, octoBER 25, 2015 | guYAnAtimESgY.com
Armed bandits have once again launched an attack, this time robbing and severely beating a 36-yearold businesswoman at her Better Hope, East Coast Demerara home. The incident occurred sometime around 00:45h on Saturday.
According to Police reports; three men, two of whom were armed with hand guns, attacked businesswoman Nirvona Boodhoo as she was about to enter her Lot 188 Pulwarie Street, Better Hope, home, which is the last house in the street.
Speaking with Guyana Times, Boodhoo who operates a restaurant and bar on Garnett Street, Kitty, Georgetown, said she drove home and decided to park on the street, instead of going into the yard as she usually does. The traumatized woman related that as she was exiting her vehicle when she was confronted by the perpetrators.
“They were right there, I couldn’t do anything. I tried to play cool as if I was turning back in the car because I wasn’t sure what was happening but after the guys pulled out the gun and they come towards me, I realised that it was serious,” she noted.
Boodhoo went on to say that the men pulled her out of the car and took away three cellphones and about $100,000 cash that were in her hands. She added that they started
vehicle looking for the car keys, which were in her hand, so she threw it into the yard. This, she explained, annoyed the men and they started verbally abusing her and threaten-
to rough her up, chucking her, because she had started to scream.
“One of them started saying shut her up, let her stop scream, shoot her or something, so I ran to the gate trying to call out for help,” she stated. The businesswoman noted that her daughter was upstairs at the time looking out the window and started screaming when she saw what was happening.
At this point, Boodhoo said the men went to the
ing her.
“One of them said ‘oh b***h, yuh throw the car key in the yard, that is what yuh do’ and he take the gun and started hitting me in my head. I was screaming and he said ‘I gon shoot yuh a**’ then he point the gun to me and I begged him not to shoot me,” the woman recounted.
By this time, she said her sister ran out of the house screaming and the men casually walked
away as if nothing happened. “They just walked away, they didn’t run… I could’ve run behind them cause they were right there walking,” she noted.
Boodhoo pointed out that while the men were unmasked, she could not have seen their faces clearly, as it was dark. She however noted that the men were very young, averaging their ages in their early 20s. She added too that they were very rough with her, slamming her into the car and even though she was bleeding profusely, they still kept hitting her.
Furthermore, the businesswoman related to Guyana Times that the incident was reported to the police and she was given a medical to seek treatment. However, when she arrived at the Georgetown Public Hospital with blood oozing from her head, she was made to sit and wait without anyone even checking the severity of her wounds.
This treatment prompted her to seek medical attention at a private institution, where an X-ray was done and her wounds were stitched.
Meanwhile, the Police said that they have since launched an investigation into the matter.
…in Parliament
Back in the day they used to burn witches at the stakes. This was a step up from throwing women accused of witchcraft into the water with their hands tied behind their backs. If they survived then this proved they were, in fact, witches. How the heck else could they get out? And if they drowned, then tough luck!
Around that time, Kings could say “off with his head” and before you could ask, “whose head?” yours was rolling on the floor. But things changed, didn't they? We have courts to dispense justice and Parliament to make just laws and the Executive to carry out those laws. At least they’re supposed to. But what we have in reality are folks so afraid of the Executive they still behaves like we have a King. The only difference is he now has folks thrown under the bus than into the water.
That’s what happened to seven of the Regional Executive Officers (REO’s) who’d been appointed by the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) Minister of Local Government. They were summarily given the boot and it was announced that their positions, being “bureaucratic” ones that needed “qualifications”, would be advertised. The populace is still waiting to see the advertisements but seven fellas are all appointed – with their emoluments doubled from $300,000 to $600,000 monthly. And let's not get into that duty-free car that works out at at least another $2M annually!!
Well, partisans of the Government may say, “Good for them – they’re OUR boys”. But what about those fella's who were summarily dismissed for being “political”. Is the “sink or swim” witches’ test the best we can do in the 21st century? Old folks say that “wha sweeten mouth does burn” the nether orifice and this Eyewitness is saying this loud and clear today: unless the supporters of the coalition speak their piece right now – they will soon have to forever hold their peace. Which would be the peace of the dead.
Didn't we see all of this before? Well, not exactly. They say history repeats itself first as tragedy and then as farce. The “farce,” we suspect, is knowing what went down before, folks somehow think things would be different this second go-around. It wouldn't. The A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change supporters are already getting a taste when they got “Larwah” on salaries while the fellas they made “King” lopped off their “significant raises”.
The prototype of the “President as King” model in our country is, of course, Mr LFS Burnham…and when he was finished “some a dem a hallah; some a dem de bawl”. In prose that more suits the present dispensation, unless they speak up.
“There will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
When the British were ruling, whenever there was problem – and that problem ALWAYS had to do with sugar, since that was the only reason they remained here – the default reflex was to appoint a Commission of Inquiry (CoI). They were called “Royal Commissions” since they represented the King or Queen looking into how the rights of his or her loyal subjects were abused by big bad sugar!! And if you believed that, you’ll also believe that children as young as six were given “healthy” exercise in the fields when they were made to throw fertiliser on the roots of cane!
Anyhow, we've just had a Commission of Inquiry looking into “how the heck do we keep the king’s promise to close the industry but not make it look like that!” Look out for the CoI to use a war of attrition approach – close factories friendly to the PPP, to “consolidate”.
Like Burnham started out by closing Leonora – the most militant PPP stronghold.
The more things change…
Did you, dear reader, ever wonder why this Government revived Burnham’s Vice Presidents innovation? Why…the king has to have a court, no? And a fool to amuse him, drawn from that court. Guess who?
Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com
ASales Agent at -
tached to Edward B Beharry and Company Limited was on Friday night robbed of cash, mechanical tools and gadgets. The Sales Agent, Besham Seepersaud, of Lot 9 Zorg Public Road, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) said that although he made a report of the break and enter and robbery at the Suddie Police Station, the Police are dragging their feet on the matter. The theft reportedly occurred on Friday night around 22:30h while Seepersaud and his family were attending the Essequibo Night Exhibition and Fair. According to Seepersaud, he secured his home and left around 18:00h to go to the Anna Regina Community Centre ground with his family. He further related that when he and his family returned home around 23:30h, he discovered the lock to his front door broken and his house ransacked. He immediately made a call to the Suddie Police Station informing the Police of the burglary, only to waits for hours before ranks arrived on the scene. Detectives took finger prints and in -
structed the family not to pack their belongings or clean the home, since they would revisit the scene to continue their investigations.
Another 13 hours passed and no Police
give people justice”.
Seepersaud said he is not satisfied with the way the robbery incident is being dealt with by the Police. This is the third robbery the businessman has experienced at his
Satiricus could see that most Guyanese weren’t prepared to change. He was thinking about crime and more to the point, about fighting crime. When he was a lad, the papers were filled with reports of “crack crime sleuths” rushing to crime scenes and before you could say “boo!” they’d “cracked” the case. As a callow youth, Satiricus figured that’s why they called the detectives “crack”. It was NOT because they were “cracked” in the head, or they “cracked” prisoners’ skulls.
Officer or Detective returned to the businessman’s home. “We look up to Police for justice. If a robbery happen for the third time and they’re so slow. Who must I look too? Police is to protect and
home.
Relating what transpired when the family returned home, Seepersaud said that when he opened the upper flat of his twostorey house, he discovered the bedrooms ran -
sacked. The bandit after gaining entry through the front door charted off $7000 in cash; a quantity of mechanical tools; one OLPF laptop; and a personal data billing system, the property of Edward Beharry Co. In total, the man estimates his losses in excess of $500,000.
Seepersaud said that the perpetrator went into his refrigerator and ate various food items before leaving. A bag containing bank books and national identification cards was also missing.
Speaking to Guyana Times , a neighbour related that he heard a noise around 22:30h on Friday and when he looked, he saw a male entering the house. The neighbour said he thought the man was the businessman’s son. A description of the individual was given to the Police.
Seepersaud is calling on the Commander of G Division (Essequibo CoastIslands) to step up the investigation as he is looking forward for justice, since this is the third time his home has been broken into.
This publication understands the Police have a suspect in custody.
But today was a new day! Wasn’t it? Why did people expect the new Caped Crusader Rum Jhaat to fight crime the old way? So what if the old way did solve crimes? If the Jhaat didn’t try new things, they’d be snickering at him during Cabinet meetings. (Which his Buddy Naga Man still wasn’t qualified to chair.) This was a modern 21st Century Cabinet that he was part of.
Back when the Police Force had been formed, folks didn’t live no much beyond 40 years or so. There had been so much progress and today more than three-quarters of the Cabinet were more than 70 years old. They made fun of him because he hadn’t touched 60 yet. Called him “kid” and “bai”. Like in “Bring me a drink, kid”, when they were hanging out.
Anyhow, Rum Jhaat swore he’d show them. Actually his swear was, “Dem guh gat fuh haul dey ass when I done wid dis crime business”. The first thing he did was to change the name of his crime fighting outfit. “Wha de rass is “Home Affairs? Sound like a Guyana “Desperate Housewives”. Satiricus thought that was very witty. He figured that “National Security” sounded much more macho, which suited Rum Jhaat’s unshaven mug.
Then in a master stroke, which no one gave him enough credit for, Rum Jhaat imposed the 2am curfew on bars. What that had to do with crime? That was where the Jhaat’s genius kicked in. Being a Hindu astrologer who could determine the planetary alignment for Divali, he knew that 2am was the inauspicious hour when Mars was on top of Venus. This was when most criminals hatched their nefarious plans. All good people would be sleeping so there were no mental barrier to evil plans. Until now!
Then there was the gun amnesty the Jhaat introduced. More than three quarters of the guns were from the interior where folks hunted for meat. But the Jhaat knew that a life of crime and criminality was a slippery slope.
“Today they huntin’ for labba. But what about tomorrow when dem na gat no more labba?” thought Rum Jhaat.
“Some a demna use fuh eat people long time?” Rum Jhaat wondered to himself. He patted himself on the back. Crime would soon be a thing of the past!
NEW GPC INC on Saturday maintained that information contained in the Auditor General Report for 2014 is inaccurate, since the company has “fully completed” all contracts from previous years as it chided sections of the media for their sensationalist reporting on matters related to the drugs and pharmaceutical procurement and supply processes.
The report, which was laid in the National Assembly on Thursday when sitting resumed after a month’s recess, states that NEW GPC allegedly owes millions of dollars for drugs and medical supplies that are yet to be delivered when the payments were already made.
However, the pharmaceutical company in a statement on Friday pointed out that as usual, the Auditor General (AG) Deodat Sharma was not accurate in his findings on NEW GPC. According to the company, it has constantly provided status reports to the Public Health Ministry (MoH) in this regard but the information proffered is continuously ignored by the AG in his annual reports.
This, NEW GPC added, has often resulted in the misinformation being used to tarnish the company’s reputation by certain section of the media, for example the Stabroek News which carried a highly erroneous article in its Friday October 23, 2015 edition. Other articles also appeared in the Kaietuer News.
“Consequently, NEW GPC had offered to render assistance since the Report is usually deliberately used to malign the company. In the main, the AG has ignored this offer. When it did allow a request for documentation several years ago, the company’s submission was completely ignored. As a result, the faulty conclusion reached was printed repeatedly for several years and repeatedly used by certain sections in the media to tarnish NEW GPC’s image.”
The pharmaceutical manufacturer strongly feels that the Auditor General’s office should take time to acquaint and educate itself with the supply chain management, the prequalification objectives and most importantly, the practical issues of pharmaceutical procurement and supply in the Guyana context. “The AG typically does not recognise the obvious fact that many contracts are meant to overlap from one year to the next. Selectively, the AG does not report where delivery occurs before payment is made and the fact that there are payments owing to NEW GPC by the MoH as far back as 2008.”
One the other hand, addressing the issue of the company reportedly supplying millions of dollars of drugs without the required shelf life, NEW GPC outlined that the AG office draws the shallow conclusion that it has breached the 18-month expiry requirements without considering that items are kept in NEW GPC storage for extended periods for the Health Ministry.
Furthermore, the company
explained that a more in-depth analysis would have revealed that there is a time gap from when the goods leave the manufacturing plant or comes off the wharf to the time the delivery note is signed and goods collected.
“Although the MoH has constructed its own warehouse at Diamond, NEW GPC is still storing container-loads of items at its Ruimveldt facility. How is NEW GPC responsible under such circumstances? It is very unlikely that the AG would have considered that shelf life varies.”
Moreover, NEW GPC noted that some items, reagents for example, are made with as little as three months shelf life while other products vary from six months to two years. In the supply chain, the company said, one still has to factor in logistics such as ordering time, mobilisation and manufacturing time, shipping time, customs processing, customs delays and so on.
“NEW GPC does not hide expiry dates. The expiry date and batch number is listed for each item on every delivery note. In exceptional cases where products are manufactured with short expiry dates, the MoH/GPHC prior to delivery is informed of such products”.
Back in 2013, NEW GPC had issued a detailed statement that sought to give clarity to a number of erroneous statements contained in the 2012 Report. The company had stated that in the course of providing information to a team from the Office of the Auditor General, the NEW GPC Chairman had indicated that if audit checks at the MoH and Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation found gaps in the latter’s documentation as it relates to transactions with the NEW GPC, the auditors could contact NEW GPC officials to fill the lacuna, as was done in the past.
“The NEW GPC would like to reiterate that, if the Office of the Auditor General has concerns now or in the future, the Corporation stands ready to provide whatever documentation or explanation is needed to bring clarity to the matter. And it would appreciate if such clarification could be sought before the annual reports are produced.” However, as the years went by, no such contacts were made by the AG office.
The company had highlighted the following points, which it said, appears to have escaped the auditors from the AG Office:
(1) Contracts, particularly the larger orders, sometimes overlap from a consumption point of view into the following financial year, hence, it is not unusual that some items are not collected by the MoH at the end of the fiscal year.
(2) National budgets are approved sometime between March and July and the quantities being ordered sometimes cater for this overlap.
(3) The MoH takes in, or receives goods, based on their own predetermined consumption pattern and that means deliveries are staggered
throughout the year.
guarantees for stocks that were already delivered or are on hand and cannot be taken in due to space and other limitations at the MoH. The NEW GPC has never defaulted on any of its contracts to the MoH and GPHC.
(7) As a large supplier, there is always some amount of inventory on hand that is pending receipt by MoH personnel. The media often misinterprets and sometimes deliberately misrepresents the Auditor General’s statements and the NEW GPC gets condemnation while the stocks are sitting in the warehouse.
(5) Contracts are signed at different times during the year, and so for those signed in the later months, deliveries are actually intended to roll over into the following year.
(6) Bank guarantees are not meant to be valid for the
(4) Staggering or phased delivery is also important and specifically sought when items carry short shelf life. So, for example, if an item has less than a year’s shelf life, such as diagnostic test kits, it is counterproductive to deliver all of it in one batch unless it can be utilised within that limited timeframe.
original sum throughout the life of the contract. As deliveries are made, the risk is obviously decreasing and a bank guarantee can be, and is, often renewed for a lesser amount.
And with the added emphasis on bank guarantees these days, the NEW GPC sometimes has to provide bank
(8) The Auditor General seems unaware that the MoH has written to the NEW GPC in the past to cease or delay deliveries on account of their Diamond warehouse transition. This has resulted in NEW GPC storing a very large volume of items for the MoH and GPHC which have been recorded as delivered.
SunDAY, october 25, 2015 | guYAnAtimeSgY.com
Renowned medical profession -
al Dr Vivekanand Bridgemohan has officially opened the doors of his state-of-theart Nursing Home and Medical Services Facility, Demerara Paradise Inc.
The facility, which is located at Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara, was commissioned on Saturday by Prime Minister Moses
Nagamootoo. It contains five two-storey properties in a gated compound just off the Public Road.
Director of the institution Dr Bridgemohan recognised that providing care for elder family members is the hardest decision anyone would have to make, especially if that person is suffering from a particular illness that requires special care and treatment.
He noted that his institution understands the importance of having such services available: “The Board of Directors of Demerara Paradise Inc recognises that the opportunity is now to invest in the future wellbeing of our elders, and therefore, this facility is made to be part of the care process of our elders.”
The former Chief
Executive Officer of St Joseph Mercy Hospital went on to say that Demerara Paradise Inc is truly a home away from home as it offers luxury, comfort and professional care in a home setting:
“You want to ensure that your elderly parents will be comfortable and well-cared for in the future but the demands as the primary caregiver will be overwhelming… Finding appropriate and affordable healthcare and assistance is challenge, especially to provide satisfaction to both elders and our family. Demerara Paradise Inc is proudly, therefore, to bring this level of quality care and services to Guyana.”
Guest speaker Prime Minister Nagamootoo commended the Director for undertaking such an initiative. He noted that for such a project to be successful it not only depends on the leadership provided but on resources that would be marshalled to offer the service.
Moreover, the Prime Minister underscored the need for more attention to be placed on elderly
citizens to enhance their lives. However, he noted that this cannot be done by Government and the State alone.
“It had been recognised that this country needs to pay more attention to our aging citizens, to our geriatrics, to our people who had served the country and also, not only to give them small stipends,” he noted.
Furthermore, Nagamootoo commended Dr Bridgemohan for investing heavily in this project, offering a vital service that Guyana is in need of.
Also at the opening ceremony was Junior Minister of Health, Dr Karen Cummings, who said that establishing such a modern health facility was a “bold” business initiative. She pointed out that Demerara Paradise Inc has an extensive menu of solutions to issues relating to and affecting elderly care.
“An institution of this nature is an essential addition to initiatives that contribute to improved healthcare for the aging population in Guyana. Moreover, this institu -
tion provides an enabling, dignified environment for those persons who have served society and are therefore entitled to such services,” she outlined.
Meanwhile, advisor to the Social Protection Minister and Member of Parliament, John Adams, also remarked briefly that the services offered at the facility are welcomed, especially since senior citizens, who would have worked to make Guyana a better place, are deserving of it.
In addition, the Demerara Paradise Inc is teaming up with Copa Airlines to have special packages for persons overseas who want to visit a family member at the facility. There are rooms available to meet the needs of all patients, including private rooms, which can accommodate visiting family members.
The Nursing Home and Medical Services Facility is staffed with some of the best nurses and patient-care advocates to provide 24-hour services. Additionally, there are on site activities such as gym, library and cinema as well.
Minister within the Ministry of Public Health Dr Karen Cummings on Friday made a donation to Amanda Gomes, Treasurer of the Mabaruma Heritage Committee Initiative in support of its programme.
The Mabaruma Initiative is a non-governmental organisation (NGO), involved in promoting cultural activities, sport,
health-related issues, and HIV/AIDS awareness in communities across Region One. These activities have been ongoing for nine years now.
The mission of the MHCI is to help young, underprivileged youths and communities of the Region by creating educational opportunities and training programmes. It also assists the communities to promote
their traditions via cultural and sporting engagements within the Region.
The overall objective is to develop a closer relationship with the public, business community, community leaders, and also to collaborate with Government Ministries and other stakeholders, to make a positive difference in the lives of the poor and the needy.
The community of Linden was plunged into a state of shock on Saturday when the lifeless body of Andrew Reid, 82, was discovered inside his home.
The man, who lived at Lot 543 Canvas City, Wismar, was found lying in a pool of blood in his
bedroom by his wife Ester Reid, around noon, after she had returned home from church.
Reports indicate that Reid sustained injuries to the head and jewellery worth over $100,000 were missing, in addition to a ring he was wearing.
An investigation has
since been launched and Police are said to be looking for Reid’s son who is believed to be the main suspect.
Ester Reid remains so shaken that she has since vacated the home and is staying with relatives. Investigations are ongoing.
With its crowd of cronies of Harmon, Jordan, Holder, Roopnaraine, Felix, Greenidge, Thomas, Scotland, and Mayor Hamilton Green, all led by President David Granger, the Administration does make it appear that this is a country for old men even though statistically our population is more young than old.
With the PNC out of power for over two decades, many of the old boys – and literally so – are past due their rewards and awards and have to be accommodated by way of lucrative positions tied to huge pay hikes, perks, and handsome retirement packages.
Ryhaan Shah
Green was bestowed with the country’s highest honour, the Order of Roraima, and to not much public outrage either. It would seem that under the current historical revisionism his role in the 1960s’ violence is being swept under the carpet as is the rumour that just won’t go away that his wife, the brilliant Shirley Field-Ridley, was hurriedly cremated to cover a crime most heinous.
Yet, none of the men, women and groups who claim to stand against all violence against women protested his award.
Many people are, however, scrambling to take the moral high ground. Even Messrs Anand Goolsarran and Christopher Ram are being allowed their hypocrisy of being part of Government’s corruption while speaking out against it at the same time.
Where everyone expected the flush of newness to bring hope and optimism, the country stands dejected by Government’s policies and actions. Already hope of any good has fled and the Administration has failed to gain any moral authority to censure anyone for anything.
Granger is clearly on the path to resurrecting the many failed policies once dictatorially imposed by his master and mentor President Forbes Burnham. Being an Army man, it is no surprise that he puts much store into strengthening the military. This is where he is comfortable.
The People’s Militia and Cadet Corps are being revived. Given that Guyana can hardly ever counter an attack from Venezuela, the only reason for increasing the number of Government boots on the ground might well be to keep us, the people, fearful and in check.
Burnham created the GDF to quash any internal revolt and Granger’s move might have a similar preparatory agenda. The increased militarisation would also employ many of the PNC’s young supporters, ie, African Guyanese, and if the National Service is resuscitated that would absorb even more.
The return to the failed Burnhamite playbook is hardly surprising, given that the average age of a large and important component of this PNC-led Government is 70 plus. This, while many capable young professionals and politicians, no doubt bristling with energy and new ideas, are overlooked.
With the economy tanking, the business and investment sectors are not likely to make any commitments to new or expanded business activity. Jobs will suffer and migration will increase again. Guyana stands to lose even more of its farmers, professionals, youths and businesspeople.
Suriname can now export rice to Venezuela under PetroCaribe deal because farmers from Black Bush Polder who fled Burnham’s Guyana in the 1970s and settled in Suriname helped to develop that country’s fledgling rice sector.
For Granger, however, rice along with sugar, bauxite, timber, are all old hat. In a recent address to students at President’s College, he said he grew up with those and that Guyana has not moved forward since. He and his ministers continue to talk about innovation and manufacturing without ever disclos-ing any plan or commitment to creating the enabling environment for such activities to flourish.
They are still to say what incentives will be offered the business sector to facilitate this vision. Perhaps, the oil find is to provide cheap energy?
Government should, however, err on the side of caution. Oil prices have dropped because many countries, considering cost and environmental factors, are looking at alternative energy sources. No one can predict what the future will look like.
Sugar was once king. Social media has revolutionised how the world communicates and a still unforeseen innovation in cheap and ready energy – research into this is always ongoing –could change the oil industry overnight.
Grasping at what might be while forsaking what has served well could prove foolhardy and Guyana suffered many foolhardy schemes – including manufacturing ones – during the PNC’s last go-round.
Government’s responsibility to the next and future generations demands vision, foresight, and right thinking and actions. But the “Palms old men” at the helm can hardly be expected to do more than wax nostalgic and relive their “glorious” past.
Aged wisdom can be a good guide but to give it this much preference over youthful energy could prove detrimental to our progress.
Readers are invited to send their comments by email to shah@guyanatimesgy.com
transparency continues:
BY EDWARD LAYNE
The integrity of the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government is again coming in for scrutiny, and now the opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has said it is in receipt of information which shows that a Minister of President David Granger’s Cabinet formed some 20 new companies which are being handed lucrative Government contracts.
“We have heard about some 20 companies that have been created… one particular minister is busy creating these companies and they are now given contracts... we have one case [where] the person told me... he will get the contract if he promises to appoint as sub-contractors, these people, these newly created companies. This is a major shift and it’s all being done quietly with very little scrutiny,” Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo told a news conference Friday,
but was hesitant to name the Minister, noting that his Party was still examining the matter; and will make further disclosures in due course.
The Opposition Leader however put on notice “all the offending parties” that the PPP/C is paying attention to this development and urged public officers who are involved in evaluation of bids not to allow themselves to be pressured.
“We want to urge them [public officers] not to be pressured into making particular recommendations or to expose when they come under pressure to change recommendations, because a lot of this is happening now. It is something that is big on our horizon now. We have just started exploring it and it’s quite shocking that in such a short period of time so much is being done in this regard,” Jagdeo posited.
Meanwhile, Jagdeo revealed that Cabinet’s No Objection Clause in the public procurement process is now being in-
terpreted “differently” by the APNU+AFC Government.
“The No Objection Clause, prior to it being put in place, Cabinet uses to approve contracts and then we changed the Law and said the Cabinet can only offer a No Objection. So the recommendation that goes from the Tender Board, if the Cabinet disagrees with that recommendation, it has to inform the Tender Board that it disagrees and the reason why. They cannot change the award. We have heard that this Cabinet is interpreting the No Objection as the ability to change the awards, so they have gone back, contrary to the Law, to now approve contacts,” he explained.
It is important to note that both APNU and AFC, while in opposition, had lobbied for the removal of Cabinet’s “No Objection” role in the procurement process.
Jagdeo also chastised the coalition for “stacking” the various regional, ministerial and other tender boards with party activ-
ists, many of whom he said do not fit the bill, calling on the media to do its own investigations into who are now the members of these boards and compare them with previous members
“This Government that says it believes in transparency has surreptitiously, insidiously appointed a lot of these tender boards and put a lot of party members on these boards, many of them not qualified, across the country, who will now be adjudicating contracts,” Jagdeo highlighted.
While in opposition, both APNU and AFC had continuously accused the PPP/C Government of appointing “political hacks” in various key positions in state agencies and vowed to “depoliticize” these agencies, should it gain political power.
But after assuming office following the May 11 General and Regional Elections, the APNU+AFC Administration has been blatantly appointing party candidates and supporters to a number of key positions, particularly state boards.
Ateenager was on Saturday morning killed in an apparent hit-and-run accident along the Washer Pond Road, Linden, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice). The dead teenager has been identified as 16-year-old Denelson Rose of Noitgedacht, Linden.
According to information received, the teen was on Washer Pond Road at about 03:30h when he was reportedly struck by a motorcar bearing registration number PRR 6503, driven by Special Constable Marlon Washington. The young man reportedly died almost instantly but was
picked up by public spirited citizens who took him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
After the accident, the lawman did not stop to render assistance to the victim, but instead drove across the Wismar/Mackenzie Bridge and went to his home.
Nevertheless, the Police would have received information from officials at the bridge that a vehicle drove over the bridge without paying the toll and also they suspected that the vehicle was involved in an accident.
The Police later secured the CCTV surveillance foot-
age from the bridge and it was while reviewing it, that they recognised the car as the one belonging to Washington and that he was driving at the time. Police swooped down on the
man’s house where they arrested him and placed him in custody.
He was administered a breathalyser test which proved Washington’s alcohol consumption level was above the legal limit. In fact, the test read 70 per cent micrograms, which is double the legal limit.
He is expected to be charged with several offences, including causing death by dangerous driving, failed to render assistance and failing to stop after an accident. He will also be slapped with a driving under the influence charge.
Rose’s body is at the Mackenzie Hospital Mortuary awaiting a postmortem examination.
Over the last few weeks, there have been attempts by a section of the populace to defend some of the new Government’s most reprehensible and shameful acts in office to date.
Those who seek to defend these acts are either arguing that the previous People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration did worse or the same, or somehow the new Government needed to be trusted because the politicians at its helm are virtuous, upright and of good moral and social standing so they will make good decisions on behalf of all Guyanese.
Others have even come to the Government’s defence by arguing that it needed more time to effect policy and economic changes that would see the country catapulted into a period of higher levels of growth, industrialisation and development than was experienced under the PPP/C’s 23-year rule.
They, therefore, believe that Guyanese should not judge the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government’s five-month record or become inpatient or hapless because of the non-delivery of core campaign promises and plans.
The truth is, those who proffer the above mentioned arguments are contributing to a passive, nonchalant and disingenuous political culture where the citizenry is expected to remain calm, shut-up and watch as the Government continues to trample upon their rights and freedoms.
That culture has caused this country much pain and anguish and contributed significantly to a ground swell back in 1992 and 2015 that saw Guyanese finally deciding to change the Government with hopes that new political party entering would respect the wishes of the citizenry and do well by them.
The defenders of President David Granger and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo’s betrayal of the working class people of this country cannot in the future call themselves independents, rights activists or any phrase that seeks to set them in good standing with the public.
Both of these officials have demonstrated no shame, remorse or even regard for the public’s rejection of the significant salary increases they have approved for themselves just four months after accessing the Executive. No wonder their Ministers continue to demonstrate high levels of arrogance and insensitivity whenever this matter is raised.
They have also betrayed the trust of the public by wasting valuable time that could have been spent on turning the fortunes of the economy around by creating policies and plans that would immediately boost employment, industries and Private Sector investment.
Instead, they are busy conducting a secretive political campaign aimed at readjusting every system but at the level of Government and administrative region to hold on to Executive Power past 2020 regardless of the wishes of the people.
This is perhaps, the worst act by the APNU+AFC coalition Government, coupled with the firing of thousands of workers, the restructuring of the salaries of politically appointed REO’s and the appointment of the President’s men to head critical state boards and Commissions of Inquiry aimed at undermining the tenure of the PPP to muster up electoral support.
It has not escaped the masses that to date, the Government has not honoured critical components of Cummingsburg Accord its coalition partners signed. Similarly, its non-delivery of the meat that comprised the 100-day plan is still worrying.
Yet, some find it acceptable to defend a Government which is becoming out of sync with the masses and appears unmoved by the protestations of the poor and downtrodden for equitable justice, similarly salary increases, better pensions and perks enjoyed by Minister Nagamootoo and his Cabinet colleagues.
Those who spoke out against the excesses of the PPP have been muzzled now because the Government have rewarded them with contracts, audits, work within Ministries and other benefits. Some of those who publicly supported the PPP have now become shy and are sucking up to the new Government then have digested the food given to them by the PPP and are now ready to dine with the new Government even if it means betraying the Guyanese people.
Guyanese must rebel against those who are defending the indefensible by continuing to speak out against the wrongs of this supposedly-right Government. They must vent their angry feelings of marginalisation and oppression in letters to the Editor and to the media.
They must never be silenced and must always work with the words of Greek Poet Sophocles at the back of their heads. “It is said that power corrupts, but actually it's more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power”.
They must not be shy or reserved in their criticism or else the Government is bound to take them for granted and another 23year rollercoaster ride.
BY: INDRAWATTIE NATRAM
Local Agricultural Produce, Handicraft items and manufactured products were highlights of this year’s Essequibo Night Exhibition and Fair 2015 in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam).
The event opened on Friday, October 23 at the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground and attracted thousands of patrons from various Regions across Guyana.
Over 100 booths were occupied with exhibitors from within the Region and also from Georgetown showcasing local manufactured items. Farmers also maximised the opportunity by showcasing produce harvested from their farmlands.
This year Essequibo Nite was celebrated with the theme “Exploiting our strength, advancing agriculture and social protection” which set the platform for interaction and socialization between patrons and businesses. Many persons flocked the various booths accessing information and purchasing items of interest.
According to one handicraft exhibitor Anita Sankar, Essequibo Nite over the years has given her the opportunity to showcase her items which boosts her sales. She said due to Essequibo Nite, started years ago, she was able to garner markets around the country for her handicraft items.
On display she had special crafted and knitted hammocks, chairs, hats and bags. Sankar said her aim is to sell local items as well as create job opportunities for Amerindians. She would usually purchase craft from within the Amerindian communities of Region Two and sell internationally.
Like Sankar, proud Ratafarian Bertram Scott said he always looks forward to Region Two Administration hosting Essequibo Nite. Scott who is from Georgetown said he enjoys offering his art pieces and jewellery to the Essequibo population and others. He said that although sales are not as great as last year, he is happy he took a booth supporting the event.
Another highlight was the Ministry of Agriculture booth compromising other branches of Agriculture. Many persons flocked that booth to view locally-grown produce within the Region. On display was a gigantic cassava that was reaped by a Pomeroon River farmer. Many persons were astonished at the size.
Meanwhile, the first night of the event featured a rich cultural programme: Performing were dancers from the Mainstay cultural group Kandhya Dance Troupe, local Karaoke singers along with top Guyanese artistes. They were backed by Dax New Generation Band complimented by Chinese Assassin Sound System.
Call on Government to assist farmers
Opening the first night of the two-night’s event, was Region Two Chairman Devanand Ramdatt who called on fellow Essequibians to live in unity. Ramdatt said the event is the 16th hosting and is the brainchild of Former Minister of Agriculture Satyadeo Shaw.
During his address he said the event certainly advances agriculture and entrepreneurship within the Region.
“We are observing the event at a time agriculture requires some attention. Farmers not doing well. This
The Guyana Sugar Corporation has produced 10,254 tonnes of Sugar for week ending October 16, 2015, surpassing the 10,000-tonne mark for the third time this crop.
Skeldon, Albion, Blairmont, East Demerara and Uitvlugt Estates have all surpassed their weekly targets while Rose Hall Estate achieved 97%.
On Wednesday, October 14, 2015 Skeldon Factory recorded its highest daily production of 515 tonnes surpassing its previous highest of 501 achieved in September, 2012.
Also, the industry has recorded its highest daily production of 1785 tonnes, surpassing its previous highest of 1699 achieved earlier in this crop. Uitvlugt Estate completed its 2nd crop 2015 on Saturday, October 17, 2015 and produced 7847 tonnes.
Further, the estate produced 16,428 tonnes of sug-
ar for the year, surpassing its year’s target by 1065 tonnes.
The Corporation had awarded its Junior staff and rank and file employees of the seven estates a total of $285,716,487 for their achievement of 26 weekly production incentives for the 1st crop 2015 and for the 2nd crop it has so far paid approximately $531,499,810 for their achievement of 47 weekly production incentives.
Skeldon Estate has supplied the Guyana Power and Light with 1,213,000 KWh of electricity using bagasse fuel. This brings the total power supplied for the year so far to 30,252,000 KWh. As at October 19, 2015, sugar production for the crop is 95,983 tonnes, 65.6% of the estimate for the crop. 177,127 tonnes has been produced for the year to which represents 77.8% of the total sugar production estimated for the year. (GuySuCo - October 24, 2015)
is an ideal opportunity for Government to make a timely intervention assisting rice farmers and coconut farmers” Ramdatt said.
The Chairman during his call for unity said that as a people there must be strength. “Where there is unity there is strength,” adding that as Region Two continues to implement projects and programmes geared to positively transform the lives of every Essequibian, there still needs to be transparency and accountability.
Ramdatt reaffirmed his commitment in working with key stakeholders, reaching out to persons at the grassroot level thus touching the lives of many.
more recreation
Meanwhile Regional Executive Officer Rupert Hopkinson gave his commitment to the people in
working to make Essequibo a better and more attractive place. He said a sign board will soon be erected saying “Welcome to Region Two - The Beautiful”. He added that the APNU+AFC Government’s aim is to develop Region Two into a more beautiful and attractive place, one that will attract local and international investors.
“Sport is not sport, sport
is economic development; it has economic effects. You come to party but you will buy goods and services hence money is generated” Hopkinson related.
He further explained that he will be using his office to create parks that will provide recreational facilities for families and young people. Hopkinson said the first park will be the Anna Regina Park, which will provide
games for children and an environment for relaxation.
Regional Vice Chairman Nandranie Coonjah who was head of planning for the event, thanked the committee members for their efforts. She urged farmers to continue to plant and to grow more. The event was supported and secured by the Guyana Police Force.
Supporting Essequibo Nite were businesses Jagdesh Biissessar, Big Bird and Sons Fish Port Complex, Shanta, Aabbiee, Audrey’s, Suddie Public Hospital, Ministry of Agriculture including Guyana Rice Development Board, Guyana Livestock, National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute, National Drainage and Irrigation Authority, Singh’s Beauty and Home Items, Exclusive Dresses From Good Hope, Banks DIH, Comfort Sleep, Anita Craft Shop, Bertram Scott Jewellery, Imam Bacchus, among others.
At the recently concluded Aviation Conference, the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) shared various best practices to enhance safety in the sector.
The conference was held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre during which NTSB representative, Beverley Drake, spoke on the role of aircraft accident and incident investiga-
tions in enhancing aviation safety.
Drake is an accomplished pilot and native of Guyana who emigrated to the US. She has served the NTSB for 24 years and has investigated over 300 small-, largescale and high-profile aircraft accidents.
She is currently Program Manager in the Office of Industry and Government Affairs at the NTSB in Washington, DC.
During the recent conference in Guyana, Drake presented lessons learned from some of the accidents the NTSB has investigated, including those in the US with mechanical issues and incidents that have taken place in hostile environments.
The presentation brought awareness to some of the safety concerns addressed by NTSB. This includes the Mountain Safety Alert that NTSB issued to help pilots,
engineers, mechanics, and ground crews become more aware of mechanical accidents that sometimes occur after aircraft come out of maintenance.
Drake shared information from investigations in Alaska, and in other locations, with the goal of helping Guyanese officials improve flying safety and to help Guyanese aviation officials lower aviation accident rates.
says
new Minister unfamiliar with portfolio
Setting the record straight, former Public Works Minister Robeson Benn assured that all monies spent under the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) were accounted for, noting that the reasons for the reported inconsistencies can be traced to the various documents used by the Auditor General Office in drafting the financial statements.
In responding to current spiralling media reports about the billions of dollars which were allegedly siphoned off under the T&HD during the years 2003-2007, the former Minister explained that the problem arose from the ledgers which the Auditor General Office used in preparing the statements.
Benn explained that, based on the information he received during his tenure, the Auditor General Office used as its source document - the Cash Ledger - which did not entail all the cash flow data. According to Benn, the General Ledger was the document which should have been utilised.
The former Minister explained that the two Ledgers have varying balances for several reasons and therefore, the General Ledger should have superseded the other.
On this basis, Benn said the inconsistencies found is a matter of what “number” was used in the final audit.
He noted too that the Auditor General Office took years before they actually began the audits into the accounts, and for this reason, many of the documents were misplaced due to the growing number of paperwork which kept piling up.
He added too, that the 2011 fire at the T&HD Stores and Marine Supplies building saw many documents being destroyed.
“This department dealt with receipts and they had other ledgers, too,” he pointed out, reminding that the 2003-2007 accounts were audited some “seven or eight” years late.
T&HD Manager Marclene
Merchant had explained also that due to the length of time the Audit Office took before its personnel audited the accounts, the relevant supporting documents were misplaced or were unable to be located, which eventually resulted in the inconsistencies that currently exist.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo when questioned by the media on the situation declared that if the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) indeed has evidence of fraud at the T&HD, then they should take the matter to the Guyana Police Force rather than use the information for political mileage.
Find the people and deal with them… find them and lock them up. “If you think that somebody at T&HD was doing wrong and the audit proved that, call in the Police tomorrow. What is the problem?” Jagdeo stated.
Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson on Thursday announced that the Auditor General’s Report for the T&HD suggests that billions were siphoned off, due to inconsistencies with the figures.
Reading excerpts of the report, Minister Patterson stated that for the year 2003, some $597 million was reported as the operational expenses however, the report stated that in actuality a cheque of $639 million was written for that purpose. This shows a difference of $43 million, the Minister stated. He noted that the trend continued in the following years: with $332 million listed as the operational expenses for 2004 but $639 million was disbursed - a difference of $307 million.
For 2005, the stated figure was $362 million but the actual income was $658 million - a difference of $295 million.
For 2006, the stated amount was $488 million but the actual income was $805 - a difference of $317 million whilst in 2007, the amount was $718 million but the actual was $830 million - a difference of $112 million.
In his “Eye on Guyana” column, Lincoln Lewis passionately states the case debunking the false dilemma that is usually posed when the issue of one’s ethnicity and “national unity” are discussed. Lewis uses the term “race”, while I prefer “ethnicity”, which is related to “culture” while the former term refers to biological markers that should have nothing to do with social evaluation. That they still do is indisputable, and in Guyana the terms are used interchangeably, leading to some confusion.
Lewis says in Guyana the fundamental issue has to do with “discrimination” - and I happen to agree. The talk of “national unity” is empty he claims, when discrimination abounds and there is no “equal opportunity in employment/income opportunity, or based on sex, race, ethnicity, class or age.” He demands that “decision makers must… start by putting policies and programmes in place that protect every citizen from being discriminated against because of their identity.”
In Guyana, I would posit that of the markers of identity identified by Lewis, age, class and sex have not achieved the saliency of race/ethnicity in either being derided in themselves or as barriers to “national unity”.
One of the reasons that ethnic “identity” has earned this opprobrium in Guyana, is its nexus with voting patterns at National Elections. Guyanese elections have been categorized – not unfairly – as ethnic censuses since 1961 and the one in May of this year has not been an exception. Many, if not most, Guyanese ruefully shake their heads when alluding to this reality and wistfully wishing, “If only…” Elections are seen as reinforcing our “divisions”.
One of the reasons we vote the way we do is because of what one African-American scholar has called the logic of “linked fate” to explain African-American voting behaviour. If circumstances, whether systemic or planned, affect a set of people specifically and consistently, it is only “reasonable” that it will dawn on them to react similarly to the “stimuli’. And a “group” is formed, whether the “circumstances” are evaluated positively or negatively.
Historically, our fates were very early on linked to our ethnicity by how the British rulers treated us – Amerindians were allowed to sink back into the “interior”; Africans were slaves and then “ex-slaves”; Indians were indentured sugar workers while the smaller Portuguese and Chinese indentureds could carve a niche in the retail sector to serve the rural folks in a cash economy. It soon didn’t matter whether there were nine tribes of Amerindians or dozens of tribes from West Africa or North and South Indians: each of those groups coalesced separately because their fates were separately linked by the British.
In the modern era, with the coming of “democracy” to allow control of the state through the agglomeration of numbers, the politicians merely followed the ethnic logic and organised along group identities that had already been outlined. Jagan’s carefully constructed PPP of 1950 was a self-conscious “ethnic coalition”.
The ethnically channelled political struggle however led to its own problematic which we called our “ethnic security dilemmas”. For the longest while the majority Indian Guyanese felt that even if they won “democratic elections” at the ballot boxes, they faced an existential threat to their physical security. African Guyanese, on the other hand felt, that because of their minority status, their wellbeing was always going to be at the mercy of the not necessarily benevolent majority.
Following independence, “discrimination” became a fact of life regardless of which ethnic group was in power: whether that discrimination was “political” as Burnham asserted, or “racial” as Dr Jagan accused, was irrelevant. And vice versa when the shoe was on the other foot. While the demographics have now been reversed to remove the African security dilemma, Indian Guyanese now feeling doubly threatened by both dilemmas. Discrimination, however, is still alive and kicking.
The choices of the new APNU/AFC Administration in staffing their administration have exacerbated the fears in that community that “it is payback time”. And re-enforced ethnic identity, not necessarily in a benign fashion.
The apparent conflict between ethnic and national identity will therefore become exacerbated rather than fade away unless we construct the dispensation called for by Lincoln Lewis — one in which discrimination in whatever form is fought by all.
We have called this, the construction of “Guyaneseness” in which the ethnic identities are simply non-contradictory subsets of that wider identity.
Editor’s Note:
Former Leader of political party ROAR Guyana, Ravendra Dev has accepted Guyana Times invitation to do a weekly column on various topical issues. His column will appear in the Friday edition of the newspaper
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has ridiculed the media reports which are suggesting that he and People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) General Secretary Clement Rohee have had a fallout, one so major that Rohee was asked to step down from his post as General Secretary.
These reports surfaced in several of the daily locals following what appeared as a difference of opinion between the two PPP/C Executive Members concerning the Party’s position on the Members of Parliament salary increases.
However, Jagdeo at a re-
tween Rohee and himself.
“I have not asked Rohee to leave the General Secretary position. There is no problem between me and Rohee,” he stated. Jagdeo further noted that while they may have their individual views on many matters, he and Rohee share the same perspective regarding the direction they want to take the PPP/C. Meanwhile, Rohee had already stated that he is unaware of any “friction” between Jagdeo and himself. He noted too that this is not the first time rumours have been circulated about differences between the two individuals.
Training exercises continues in Region Seven
As the intense training exercises continue in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) wishes to assure residents that there is no cause for alarm.
The Field Tactical Exercise, codenamed
Exercise Greenheart, commenced on October 20 in the Bartica/Potaro area and will last for a period of seven days. Exercise Greenheart is a controlled exercise involving an infantry brigade in the conduct of close country warfare operation. Providing an update on
the training, the GDF stated that the troops have thus far advanced some 21 miles from the starting location through the dense jungle. In the training, the soldiers are conducting tactical manoeuvres upon encountering the “enemy” and are currently in a defensive position as
they continue to carry out drills for that theatre of operation.
According to the GDF, future operations will see troops preparing for and conducting an assault on the “enemy’s” base camp.
This exercise is scheduled to take place on Monday 26.
... yet Govt refuses to inject stimulus – Opposition Leader
Guyana’s economy continue to plummet and the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government seem unconcerned about stimulating economic activities to save the ailing economy.
Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo, told a news conference Friday that he has major concerns about the economy and the fact that it is grinding to a halt.
He warned that if this trend continues, the country will face serious economic hardships in the not too distant future.
“It’s not just reflected in growth rate, its reflected in lost income and lost jobs and my fear is that we may have several financial crises long before we have an economic crisis, particularly with the currency and with our banking system,” said Jagdeo, a Russiatrained Economist.
Jagdeo said the coalition Government seems to have an obsession with spending, pointing to ongoing activities to clean the city, which he said is “wonderful and I support it”, but explained that cleaning is an expenditure.
“We need to see as a country, the same sort of effort and support to productive sectors as well as the job creating sectors, you only can spend money if you earn it. My fear is they (the Government) are so big on the spending side that they are forgetting that after sometime if you don’t fix the side that generates the revenue, you are going to run into greater difficulties,” he said.
The Finance Ministry in its recently released MidYear Report said Guyana recorded a 2.5 per cent decrease in its economic output for the first half of 2015, when compared to 2014.
Missteps
Jagdeo pointed to a number of missteps by the Government, which he thinks is causing the economy to flat line, including a recent decision by the Administration to increase the taxes on trucks, an important element in the bases on which to calculate the taxes.
“I have heard they have made conditions for access the duty-free concession
that they give to the mining sector, so onerous, it would not help particularly the small- and mediumscale miners. I urge that they consider reducing the royalty payment on a private scale, which we had done in the past when the sector was in crisis, but do it only for the local companies,” Jagdeo said. He also pointed to the Government’s “total withdrawal” from the rice industry and the fact that there is no concerted effort to look for markets for rice nor is there any effort to help farmers to get over the crisis by possibly giving duty-free fuel to the rice farmers.
Financial Institutions Amendment Act
Jagdeo said during his recent outreach to Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), businessmen have expressed “grave misgivings” about the Financial Institutions (Amendment) Act which is currently before Parliament.
Jagdeo said the businessmen are worried the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) will be used politically to go after their information in the banks, which he said could trigger businessmen to pull their monies out of the banking system.
“If that happens, you will have a large scale movement of resources, switching to US dollars or to be externalised as capital flight. This could cause a run on the banks as well as major problems with our currency and I urge the Government to be careful about the signals that they are sending because if that was to ever happen, we will trigger a crisis of unimaginable proportion in this country,” the former Head of State noted.
By Akeem Greene
The Parsun InterCounty Softball T20 tournament bowled off on Saturday with some impressive cricket by the teams.
Despite a somewhat small turn out, the cricketers did not fail to display their talents. In the two morning games at
Everest Cricket Club, sixes and fours were the order of the day. In the first game, Demerara A got the better of Berbice B by 77 runs.
Batting first on the grass pitch, Demerara A stormed to 228-7 from 20 overs, thanks to some impressive batting display by Sarafraz Esau, who made a shot filled 63 not out (2x4s, 7x6s). The experienced
Richard Latiff chipped with 43 (4x4s, 3x6s), while Fazal Rafik contributed 32 (1x4, 4x6s).
Bowling for Berbice B, Yoganand Permaul took 3-53 from four overs and Vishal Phillips chipped in 2-17 (4).
When the Berbicians took strike, they folded to 151 all out from 18.5 overs. Keith Fraser made 30 (1x4,
West Indies will welcome Australia and South Africa next June for a 10-match ODI tri-series, according to a press release issued Friday by the WICB. Three games each will be held in Guyana and St Kitts while the final four ODIs, including the final, will be held at Kensington Oval in Barbados.
"This tournament promises to be very exciting with two of the World's top teams coming to the Caribbean," said Roland Holder, WICB manager cricket operations. "It will provide a golden opportunity for our team to test themselves against two of the best sides in the world in the ODI format."
Australia most recently toured West Indies in June, sweeping a two-match Test series to retain the Frank Worrell Trophy. Their last limited overs matches in the
Caribbean came in March 2012 when they played five ODIs and two T20Is, along with three Tests. The two sides split the ODI series - with two wins each and a tie in the third ODI at St Vincent when Darren Sammy was runout with two balls to spare - and the T20 series as well. West Indies are set to tour Australia for three Tests in December and January, beginning December 10 with the first Test in Hobart but will not play any limited overs matches on the tour.
South Africa demolished the hosts on their last tour of the West Indies in 2010, sweeping two T20Is and five ODIs before claiming the three-Test series with a 2-0 scoreline. Only a drawn runfest in St Kitts kept them from going a perfect 10 for 10 on tour. Their last encounter with South Africa came in Australia at
the World Cup in February when AB de Villiers struck the fastest 150 in ODI history to pave the way for a 257-run South Africa win, tied for the biggest margin of defeat by runs in World Cup history.
"Australia won the ICC Cricket World Cup on home soil earlier this year and South Africa are highly ranked in this format, but are also the No. 1 side in Tests," said Holder. "These two sides have shared some fascinating rivalries not only in the ODI, but other formats of the international game in recent years.
"The regional audience, therefore, will have a rare chance to attend and see this strong rivalry played out before their eyes, so we expect them to pack the three venues and bring the noise and colour associated with the game in the region." (Cricinfo)
• June 6: Australia vs South Africa, Guyana
• June 8: West Indies vs South Africa, Guyana
• June 10: West Indies vs Australia, Guyana
• June 13: South Africa vs Australia, St Kitts
• June 15: West Indies vs South Africa, St Kitts
• June 17: West Indies vs Australia, St Kitts
• June 20: Australia vs South Africa, Barbados
• June 22: West Indies vs South Africa, Barbados
• June 24: West Indies vs Australia, Barbados
• June 26: Final, Barbados
3x6s) and Orlan DeFreitas 30 (5x4s, 1x6).
Sewchand Budhu and Delroy Perreia took 4-18 and 2-23 from three overs respectively.
In the other game, Demerara B defeated Essequibo A by 11 runs. Set 179 to win, Essequibo could only muster 167-9 from their allottment of overs.
Ramesh Narine top scored with 37 as Ravindran Ramnauth took 4-32 from four overs. Azad Azeez cracked five sixes in his 36 for Demerara B. Matches were also played at the GNIC ground and DCC.
A lucky fan receives giveaways at the games
Action will continue today at the Everest ground where the final will be played. The organisers are urging persons to come out and support the games. (akeemg@guyanatimesgy.com)
England require their best-ever fourth-innings run chase to beat Pakistan in the second Test after a dire third day.
Resuming in a strong position at 182-3, the tourists were bundled out for 242 in a dreadful morning session in Dubai.
Joe Root, Ben Stokes and the out-of-form Jos Buttler fell victim to Wahab Riaz’s pace, before Yasir Shah’s leg-spin bamboozled the lower order.
By the close, Pakistan reached 222-3, a lead of
358 runs, with Misbah ulHaq 87 not out and Younus Khan 71 not out.
After coming so close to winning the first Test, and contesting the first two days of this match fiercely, this was a hugely disappointing day for the tourists - and one that seriously imperils their chances of getting a result in this series.
Alastair Cook’s men will have to hope they can dismiss the hosts quickly on day four, then set about a huge run chase - but their chances of avoiding
Pakistan 1st innings 378 England 1st innings
AN Cook* c sub (Ahmed
Shehzad) b Yasir Shah 65
MM Ali c Shan Masood b Wahab Riaz 1
IR Bell c †Sarfraz Ahmed
b Imran Khan 4
JE Root c †Sarfraz Ahmed
b Wahab Riaz 88
JM Bairstow lbw b Yasir Shah 46
BA Stokes c †Sarfraz Ahmed
b Wahab Riaz 4
JC Buttler† c †Sarfraz Ahmed
b Wahab Riaz 0
AU Rashidc Mohammad Hafeez
b Yasir Shah 0
SCJ Broad not out 15
MA Wood c Younis Khan
b Yasir Shah 1
JM Anderson c †Sarfraz Ahmed
b Imran Khan 4
Extras: (b-4, lb-1, w-5, nb-4) 14
Total: (all out; 75.2 overs) 242
Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Ali, 1.4 ov), 2-14 (Bell, 4.1 ov), 3-127 (Cook, 35.4 ov), 4-206 (Root, 57.3 ov),
5-212 (Stokes, 61.3 ov), 6-216 (Buttler, 63.6 ov), 7-218 (Rashid, 66.2 ov), 8-223 (Bairstow, 66.6 ov), 9-233 (Wood, 70.2 ov), 10-242 (Anderson, 75.2 ov)
Bowling: Imran Khan 13.2-433-2, Wahab Riaz 19-5-66-4 (4-nb, 1-w), Zulfiqar Babar 102-35-0, Yasir Shah 29-4-93-4, Shoaib Malik 4-1-10-0 Pakistan 2nd innings Mohammad Hafeez c Root b Wood 51 Shan Masood c †Buttler b Anderson 1 Shoaib Malik b Wood 7 Younis Khan not out 71 Misbah-ul-Haq* not out 87
Extras: (b-4, lb-1) 5 Total: (3 wickets; 61 overs) 222 Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Shan Masood, 2.4 ov), 2-16 (Shoaib Malik, 7.5 ov), 3-83 (Mohammad Hafeez, 21.4 ov) Bowling: JM Anderson 8-5-9-1, SCJ Broad 6-1-16-0, MA Wood 8-1-22-2, MM Ali 7-0-39-0, BA Stokes 12-2-35-0, AU Rashid 17-1-70-0, JE Root 3-0-26-0
BaBy
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Opener Kraigg Brathwaite grabbed a stunning six-wicket haul to rout Sri Lanka cheaply but he then perished cheaply leaving West Indies with a difficult run chase on today’s fourth day, in order to win the second Test at the P Sara Oval.
Trundling his unheralded off-spin that had previously brought him a single wicket from 48 overs in his 23 Tests, the 23-yearold ripped through the Sri Lanka second innings with a spell of six for 29 to send them crashing for 206, an hour after lunch on the third day on Saturday.
He was supported by debutant specialist left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican who picked up two for 62.
Set 244 to win their first ever Test on Sri Lankan soil, West Indies lost Brathwaite for three to what turned out to be the last delivery before tea, as rain arrived to force end play ten minutes early, before forcing the abandonment of the final session with the score on 20 for one.
The right-handed Brathwaite, as he has done previously in the series, faced 26 deliveries before playing down the wrong line and falling lbw to seamer Dhammika Prasad.
Shai Hope was unbeaten on 17, with West Indies requiring a further 224 runs to win the contest.
Earlier, resuming the day on 76 for two, recovered from two early blows within the first 35 minutes to cruise to 154 for four before dramatically losing their last six wickets for 52 runs.
Sri Lanka 1st innings 200 West Indies 1st innings 163
Sri Lanka 2nd innings
FDM Karunaratne c Bishoo
b Taylor 0 JK Silva c Blackwood b Warrican 32
K Mendis c †Ramdin
b Warrican 39
LD Chandimal c †Ramdin
b Taylor 12
AD Mathews* c Blackwood
b Brathwaite 46
TAM Siriwardana c Blackwood
b Brathwaite 42
MDKJ Perera† c †Ramdin
b Brathwaite 5
HMRKB Herath c Blackwood
b Brathwaite 18
MDK Perera c Roach
b Brathwaite 7
KTGD Prasad not out 1
N Pradeep c Blackwood
b Brathwaite 0
Extras: (b-2, lb-2) 4
Total: (all out; 75.3 overs)
206 Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Karunaratne, 0.1 ov), 2-55 (Mendis, 21.5 ov), 3-84 (Silva, 35.5 ov), 4-84 (Chandimal, 36.1 ov), 5-151 (Siriwardana, 55.1 ov), 6-165 (MDKJ Perera, 59.1 ov), 7-195 (Herath, 69.2 ov), 8-203 (MDK Perera, 71.4 ov), 9-206 (Mathews, 75.2 ov), 10-206 (Pradeep, 75.3 ov)
Bowling: JE Taylor 8-3-262, KAJ Roach 6-1-15-0, JO Holder 5-1-9-0, J Warrican 252-62-2, D Bishoo 20-3-61-0, KC Brathwaite 11.3-4-29-6 West Indies 2nd innings (target: 244 runs)
KC Brathwaite lbw b Prasad 3 SD Hope not out 17
Extras: 0
Total: (1 wicket; 9 overs) 20 Fall of wickets: 1-20 (Brathwaite, 8.6 ov) Bowling: KTGD Prasad 5-24-1, N Pradeep 1-0-8-0, HMRKB Herath 3-1-8-0
Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman, has said that Pakistan would consider pulling out of the World Twenty20 in India next year, should the proposed India-Pakistan series in December not go ahead.
Shaharyar was scheduled to meet the BCCI president Shashank Manohar in Mumbai earlier this week to discuss the series, but those talks were put on hold after anti-Pakistan protests from the Shiv Sena, a regional political party.
Shaharyar has already written a detailed letter to Pakistan’s prime minister Nawaz Shariff, informing him of the present situation with India. Shaharyar said he understood the consequences of pulling out of an ICC tournament, but felt the security situation in India would leave Pakistan little choice in the matter.
“My own feeling is that we will have to go to our government and talk to them about the situation,”
Shaharyar said. “What I feel is that the government will say ‘do not go to an ICC tournament in India’. That is what I sense because of the uncertain situation for a Pakistani in India. You have seen the situation there. In this environment, how can we say? We will not have security enough there.
“Maybe the ICC would say ‘you have forfeited the
matches’ and that’s fine, we will forfeit the matches.
But the decisions will only be taken when the doors [on the bilateral series] are finally closed. To me, the possibility of an Indo-Pak series is close to over.
“There are two points in that. First, all doors [to the resumption of bilateral ties] have to be closed. We will then decide on the matter in one week or so. India hasn’t confirmed or said anything, but are delaying it. We will have to decide that this series cannot happen, and after that we will decide what our policy is.”
Shaharyar said that after the protests, the BCCI “did not care” to reschedule the meeting for a different time, leaving him stranded for nearly 36 hours. However, Najam Sethi, the head of the PCB’s executive committee, contradicted Shaharyar’s statement, saying that the BCCI was in touch with the PCB “at every stage”. (Cricinfo)
Determined to better its contribution with each passing year, the Trophy Stall of South Road, Bourda, on Friday morning presented some massive trophies and accompanying medals that would be at stake at the upcoming Guyana Softball Cup 5. It is undoubtedly the biggest softball tournament in the Caribbean, and the trophies up for grabs are indicative of the status of the competition, which is set to bowl off on Friday. Representatives of the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA) were present at the Trophy Stall location to view the massive trophies for the first time. The tow-
ering trophies were presented to the organising body, which prides itself on delivering a high-quality softball tournament annually.
Vice-president of the GFSCA, Jailall Deodass, praised the business establishment, which also has locations in the Bourda Market and City Mall, for once again providing the substantial prizes for the top teams in the Open and Masters categories.
“Ramesh Sunich [proprietor of the Trophy Stall] always saves his best trophies for the Guyana Softball Cup, and for that we are very grateful,” Deodass said.
Organising Secretary of the GFSCA, Wayne Jones, in giving an update on prep-
aration, revealed that all systems are in place for another highly successful three-day competition.
He said the foreign teams are expected to arrive in Guyana during the coming days, while the local teams are hard at training to ensure the trophies stay in their homeland.
A total of 26 teams, 10 in the Open and 16 in the Masters, will compete for top honours when the tournament bowls off on October 30. It will conclude with the grand finals on November 1 under floodlights at the DCC ground in Queenstown.
Wolf’s Warriors are the defending champions of the Open category, while Floodlights won the Masters division in 2014.
The inaugural V-Net T20 knockout cricket tournament is set to commence on November 1 in the Essequibo river island of Wakenaam.
The tournament, which is being sponsored by V-Net Communications, was launched on Friday at the entity’s location at 25 Delph Street, Campbellville. V-Net Communications provides internet service including satellite, VoIP and satellite phones.
Good Success, Sans Souci, Sans Souci Jaguars, Noitgedacht SC, Maria’s Pleasure/Zeelandia and G Square Cavaliers of Belle Plaine are the teams that will battle for supremacy.
Speaking at the launching ceremony, Chief Executive Officer of V-Net
SC
The first round of matches in the Mobile Wizards 10/10 softball cricket will continue today at the Leonora Primary School ground. The organisers have released the fixtures for this round of matches and are requesting all teams be at the ground for 09:00h.
Power XI will go up against Next Level XI.
Power XI consists of players like Rajnauth Sooknanan and Steve Singh, who are expected to carry the team, while the experienced duo, Javed Ali and Imatiaz Mohamed, of Next Level XI will be expected to play a
big role if a victory is to be achieved.
In the other match-up, Leonora Youths will come against Enemy Line XI. Leonora Youths are an experienced bunch with home advantage.
They will need the likes of Imtiaz Hack and Prem Persaud to provide the fireworks up front. Enemy Line XI consists of Under-17 players who played in the Demerara Under-17 tournament and will offer stiff opposition.
Players like skipper Avishkar Ramgobin will be looking to lead from the front with support from Kelvin Sheoprashad.
ling Settle XI. Avinash Shradanandan will be leading Ocean view XI and will have to call on his vast experience in order for his team to end up on the winning side.
Avinash Dhaniram and Nazeem Azeem, who are some exciting players, will lead the way for Settle XI.
In the next match, Super Street Reload XI will take on United Muslim Youths SC. Superstreet XI will be heavily dependent on Ameer Ali and Zahir Sookhun, who are gifted softball players and spectators are eagerly waiting to see them in action.
Communications, Safraz Sheriffudeen, said he is happy to contribute towards the development of the sport on the island.
very
young bunch of players.
Meanwhile, teams from the East Bank Demerara are asked to contact Shafeek Mohamed on 657-2300 to register for that zone in the tournament.
Additionally, all the male players from all the teams in Linden are asked to make contact with Mortimer Denny (6390057/442-1562) to be able to make the trials to select the Linden combined XI to face a team from West Coast in a exhibition match next week at Ruby ground, West Coast Demerara. (akeemg@guyanatimesgy.com)
Sheriffudeen, himself a former member of the Sans Souci SC, has over the years contributed towards sports and education in the area, having sponsored a number of cricket and dominoes competitions in recent years.
He also used the occasion to present a number of prizes to the Essequibo Islands Secondary School, which will be given to the outstanding CSEC students.
The CEO added that he is pleased to give back to the society from which he hailed and hopes that his input will influence others to support sports there and also motivate the players.
Chairman of the Wakenaam Cricket Committee (WCC), Moses Ramnarine,
expressed gratitude to Sheriffudeen for his continued support noting that Ricardo Adams and Keemo Paul are some of the players that have emerged from the island in recent times.
In the opening fixtures, G Square Cavaliers will host Maria’s Pleasure/Zeelandia at their spanking new venue in Belle Plaine at 09:30h, while Sans Souci Jaguars will play Noitgedacht SC at 09:30h at the Wakenaam Community Centre ground in Good Success and Sans Souci will take on Good Success at the said venue at 13:30h.
Trophies, medals and cash prizes will be given to the winning and runner-up teams, while other prizes will be handed out to the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, best batsman, bowler and Man-of-the-Match in the final. There will also be a fair play award.
Taking their message to the community of Albouystown, the Nigel Hughes-led Team Unity, which is looking to take over the reigns of the Guyana Football Federation, on Saturday launched its campaign.
In an open-air function on the Albouystown Basketball Tarmac, the team, which also includes Alpha United president Odinga Lumumba and attorney Mark Waldron, spoke of their plans should they ascend to office.
Presidential candidate Hughes spoke of starting the development process at the bottom, and properly remunerating and upgrading coaches to serve the system.
“The solution doesn’t lie in just getting an individual to come and head a team, and say that he or she is going to do great things for football. It is really the plan that one has for the development of football, and like the development of any sport or any business, you have to go to the foundation, you have to go to the start…,” Hughes outlined.
He added, “You can’t sustain successful football purely on volunteerism- we have to pay coaches. You cannot possibly talk about expecting the national team to qualify into World Cup finals whether you’re depending on whether or not people volunteer. So one of the first things we have to do is look at the structure.”
Sharing the reason for taking up the post, Hughes explained, “When I invited
a couple days ago to head this team I had some hesitation…then I though you know more than anything else if you’re given an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people, it is not a political opportunity, it’s where you create real hope and real opportunity in the daily lives of young people. And I thought of the thousands of young men this country, through the last 20, 30 years, who have been great players, but who have not had the opportunity to develop their skill to the level at which they should be, not only nationally but internationally, and we have failed each and every one of them,” Hughes explained.
Preaching the theme of unity to take the process forward, Hughes also extended an invitation to Team Integrity, whose presidential candidate is Fruta Conquerors president Wayne Forde, to form an inclusionary body to take football forward.
According to Hughes, Team Integrity is yet to respond to the offer.
“I want you to understand that this competition is not about running down the other side, because they are good men and women on the other side. And I said to them in recognition of their contribution to the sport, I’m proposing a joint slate because the way forward for football is if we all together with our collective talents are prepared to take this sport forward,” Hughes re-
vealed.
He continued, “I’m awaiting their response, but that will always be my position. Whatever happens on the day of the election, my position is that we must always reach out and involve everybody who has a contribution to make the sport.”
Starting Monday, Team Unity will fan out across the country to layout their plans to the various sub-associations of the GFF.
Team Unity candidates are Hughes, Lumumba, Waldron, Troy Cadogan, Aubrey “Shanghai” Major and Javed Ali, while Team Integrity comprises Forde, Rawlston Adams, Dion Inniss, Thandi McAllister and Bruce Lovell.
The GFF Congress will take place on November 14.
Amagnificent all-round performance from Eshan Sewkarran saw Blairmont Primary thrashing Cotton Tree Primary by 86 in the second round of the WICB/GCB/Scotiabank Kiddy Progression One Cricket.
Taking first strike, Blairmont Primary amassed 161-1 in their 14 overs. Sewkarran smashed 82, which included four fours and six sixes, while Jaheim Elgin contributed 36. Cotton Tree was never in the game. They were bowled out for a paltry 75 as Sewkarran continued to shine, bagging 4-3.
At the All Saints ground in the New Amsterdam/Canje District, St Theresa’s Primary won the toss and inserted All Saints, who made good use of the opportunity, scoring 126-6 in 14 overs.
Deron DeJonge topscored with a wellplayed 38, while Nicquan Samuels supported with 34.
In reply, St Theresa’s were kept to 117 when their overs finished. St Theresa’s, requiring 10 runs off the final over for victory, were denied by Donald McLennon, who bowled a maiden and took three wickets in the process to finish with terrific figures of 3-0 to spark wild celebrations by the home team.
The next match-up of the competition will be between North Georgetown and St Agnes on Wednesday at the Racquet Centre.
Kumar Persaud
bowled five miserly overs, capturing 4-4, and set up a small target, which was comfortably chased down in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) inaugural National Secondary School Cricket League (NSSCL) sponsored by Banks DIH’s Coco Cola and Rainforest Water, along with Digicel.
Playing at the Enterprise ground, LBI Secondary won the toss and invited Enterprise to take first strike. They were bowled out for 86 in 23 overs. Navendra Chan scored 28. Also among the wickets for LBI Secondary was Nankumar Krishna, who took 2-16. LBI Secondary lost six wickets in their successful chase. Nandkumar Krishna completed a fine
all-round performance with 50. Bowling for Enterprise Secondary, Bishaun Khemraj took a hat-trick and finished with figures of 3-14.
At the D’Edward ground in Berbice, Belladrum won the toss and elected to take first strike and were shot out for 74 in 18 overs. The chief destroyer was Dishan Phillips who took 3-10, while Dinauth Persaud and Nigel Deodat had two wickets apiece.
Number Eight then raced to 75 in just 6.3 overs without losing a wicket. Dishan Phillips completed an outstanding all-round performance with an unbeaten 45.
The League will continue on Monday when the boys from Camille Institute’s take on Soesdyke Secondary.
By Rajiv Bisnauth
In a bizarre turn of events, the Albion Cricket Club (ACC) failed to turn up for their scheduled final of the Berbice Bridge Company Inc’s first division competition, prompting the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) to summon the club for a hearing sometime this week.
The ACC was not present at the start of the game against arch-rivals, Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets, on Saturday at the Port Mourant ground. As per the competition rules, if a team is not present at the start of a final match then that game is awarded to the other team.
formally confirming the date for the final.
“The fact of the matter is the Berbice Cricket Board has not confirmed the date for the final. As manager, I have received two emails from the Secretary of the board, one two Thursdays ago and the other last Thursday stating that there are back-to-back finals this weekend, but those dates for the finals are tentative dates, so nothing was confirm,” Permaul said in an invited comment.
Expressing shock at the incident, the BCB pointed out that the competition committee of the board will summon the management of the ACC in order to get to the root of the matter, since the club was informed via telephone and emails on October 19 and 22, that the Berbice Bridge Company Inc’s first division final, was confirmed for October 24.
sponsor, as well as Berbice, Guyana and West Indies cricket.
The BCB is of the view that the action by the ACC is total disrespect, not only for the board, but also the
The BCB, which was legally elected, and includes members of Albion, views this act as being disgusting, and of a national plan to destabilise Berbice cricket.
As a consequence, the club is likely to face hefty sanctions including bans, according to the BCB. Meanwhile, Albion Manager, Muthuswammi Permaul, rubbished the views of the BCB, and has blamed the board for not
However, this publication is in receipt of Permaul’s response to the last email, which stated, “What is the purpose of this email? I am confused, since the previous email that you (Secretary of BCB) are referring to, you promise that you will confirm the date for the final with adequate notice- which is yet to be done. Therefore, I am confused so please advice what is the purpose of your email.”
Permaul further indi-
cated that the action by the BCB sets a dangerous precedence for the game in the Ancient County. Further, the BCB expressed gratitude to the Berbice Bridge Company Inc. for its continued support towards the development of the game in Berbice.
Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets collected the champions’ trophy and cash incentives. (rajivb@guyanatimesgy.com)
