Guyana Times Daily 21st September 2013

Housing Minister Irfaan Ali with some of the house lot recipients during the One Stop Shop exercise in Region Two on Friday

BRIDGE OPENINGS

360 receive house lots in One Stop Shop

SCountrywide:

and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly at 4.02 to 3.12 metres per second.

High Tide: 05:23h and 17:35h reaching maximum heights of 2.78 metres and 2.81 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 11:12h and 23:32h reaching minimum heights of 0.48 metre and 0.40 metre respectively.

WEATHER TODAY LOTTERY NUMBERS

SEpTEMBER 20, 2013

ome 360 house lots were distributed to Region Two residents when the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) of the Housing and Water Ministry held yet another One Stop Shop exercise on Friday.

The beneficiaries received house lots at the Onderneeming Housing Scheme on the Essequibo Coast. Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali said the exercise was one of several held this year.

He reiterated government’s commitment of ensuring equal access for all to proper housing, pointing out that not only has the housing programme helped to increase home ownership, but it has also aided in the social and economic transformation of Guyana.

The ministry has already dealt with all applications from Region Two before 2013. Applications this year are now being looked at, and once a person meets the requirements, a house lot will be awarded.

Open governance

Minister Ali explained that the One Stop Shop is a demonstration of the ministry’s, and to a wider extent the government’s focus on open governance.

“Whatever we do, must be open to public scrutiny, dialogue and public criticisms,” he asserted. On that note, Ali

urged the residents to report any case of fraud in the region, notably persons receiving house lots when they already own one.

“It is part of your public duty and public responsibility in encouraging and supporting good governance and report it to us, so that we can take action immediately,” the minister urged.

Agreement

He said because of the successes of the One Stop Shop, the ministry has now placed a clause in the agreement of sale for land that states that anyone who misrepresents information in the application, especially when the person may be the owner of a land, advance payments will be forfeited.

“So if you know you are sitting here and you are the owner of a lot, please do not

proceed further with your transaction, because you will lose your money and it will not be refunded,” he cautioned.

Meanwhile, Ali noted that the One Stop Shop provides integrated services, whereby the new homeowners have access to banks, and hardware companies where they can get discounted prices. He encouraged the beneficiaries to make optimum use of these and other offers.

The minister also reminded the allottees about the first time homeowner policy that government recently introduced. This policy provides rebates on taxes on interest paid on loans offered by various banking institutions.

Government has spent more than $182 million on infrastructure at the Onderneeming Housing Scheme. This adds to the more

MP’s son shot, robbed $2M

Son of People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) member, Joe Hamilton was on Friday afternoon shot during a robbery in the vicinity of the High Court, Charlotte Street, Georgetown.

Abdalla Hamilton, 29, of Section K Campbellville, Georgetown received a bullet wound to his left thigh and is currently a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

According to a police press release, Hamilton was sitting in a motor vehicle that was parked on Charlotte Street, Georgetown, when he was held up by a man armed with a handgun.

“The perpetrator shot

Hamilton to his left thigh and took away a bag with $2 million. He escaped on a motorcycle driven by an accomplice,” the release added.

According to information received, Hamilton was shot around 13:00h outside the High Court. The man, according to reports had just arrived at the court to transact some business, but was confronted by two bandits who relieved him of the $2 million.

It is believed that the two suspects might have traced Hamilton after he exited Republic Bank on Camp Street, minutes prior to the robbery. The money was reportedly a part of a loan that the young man took to con-

struct his house.

Hamilton, who is an employee at the Office of the President with the One Laptop Project (OLPF), reportedly put up a resistance after the men demanded the money. He might have had a little scuffle when one of the men shot him in the left leg.

The young man was rushed to the St Joseph Mercy Hospital by his friend, but was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital for further treatment.

His condition is regarded as stable. Attempts to get a comment from the man’s father proved futile. The police have launched a manhunt for the perpetrators.

than $400 million spent between 2003 and 2011 in Region Two.

Together, these investments have created approximately 3500 house lots, benefiting more than 14,350 persons. Additionally, $60 million was spent to upgrade roads in the old Onderneeming Housing Scheme.

Government has also set aside $22 million for the provision of electricity, which will become effective once the occupancy rate reaches 60 per cent.

Investment per household

When the investment is broken down, it amounts to government investing $536, 000 for every household, with a total expenditure of $182 million, with only $49 million in revenue.

This indicates that the scheme is subsidised to the tune of $132.3 million or at a 72 per cent subsidy ratio. Government spends some $ 1.2 billion in the Region Two water sector.

Meanwhile, Region Two Chairman Parmanand Persaud commended the government’s vibrant housing programme, and urged persons to make optimum use of the lands allocated to them. The Housing and Water Ministry has held over 53 one stop shops between 2009 and 2013. Friday’s exercise was the third held in Region Two. Seven more one stop shops have been planned for the remainder of the year.

Region Two residents making their payments to staff of the Housing and Water Ministry for their new house lots

Editor: Nigel Williams

Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134

Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown

Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

A housing model

By any standard, Guyana’s housing drive could be regarded as the best model in the Caribbean Community (Caricom) region. Of course this is not the view of local stakeholders alone, it is the view of a well-respected Caribbean statesman, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves.

Dr Gonsalves, who was here on a recent visit, was quoted in the Guyana Times newspaper as saying that Guyana’s housing development is an “extraordinary” one and should be shared with the rest of the region. The Vincentian leader was taken on a tour by the Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali along the East Bank Demerara (EBD) corridor to witness firsthand what this country is doing in various sectors of development, especially in the area of housing.

In applauding the policies and initiatives undertaken by the government to make access to housing affordable for its citizens, Prime Minister Gonsalves said he does not know of any programme of this magnitude anywhere else in the Caribbean.

Testimony to his confidence and belief in the model, Dr Gonsalves even extended an invitation for local private developers to travel to St Vincent and to work towards further enhancing the housing development there.

Considering the fact that he is an outsider who has no political interest in Guyana, we are certain that these comments would serve to silence the critics, both local and overseas, especially those who are bent on seeing everything from a negative perspective. To these persons, nothing good can come out of Guyana, so we are pleased that someone of such caliber would give such positive reviews about an important area of development here.

As echoed by Dr Gonsalves, there is a lot that the rest of the Caricom region could take from Guyana’s experiences, especially as it relates to housing development. The current administration has boasted, and indeed it has a right to be proud of the transformations that are taking place in the housing drive here. A number of new housing schemes are being developed across the country, while those that are already in place are being expanded or upgraded.

The Housing Ministry has hosted a number of one-stopshops where persons’ applications for house lots are fasttracked. This is quite commendable, as Guyanese have become wary of waiting extremely long periods to access important services offered by the state.

Also, the criteria for land ownership were greatly relaxed. Now there is provision for every citizen, irrespective of social class or political or religious affiliation, once they satisfy the basic criteria to be given a house lot. Additionally, the commercial banks have made it easier for persons to access loans for construction. Prior to this one had to satisfy a number of criteria before he/she could have accessed a loan to build a house. Today this has since changed.

Of note too is that when the government decided to develop large tracts of land for housing purposes, the demand for construction materials and other goods and services increased. As expected, this demand for construction material led to an increase in prices. Here again the government was cognizant of the impact this would have on low-income earners and as a result it took a number of steps to ensure that the impact was minimised as much as possible.

In all of this, we believe that the high level of development the country is currently experiencing, especially in the housing sector, is as a result of the excellent partnership between government and private sector. Kudos should therefore be given to both parties for the strenuous efforts they have made in ensuring that Guyana’s success story is now considered a model for others to follow.

While there are still many challenges to overcome, Guyana has indeed travelled a long road since 1992 when there was a return to democracy. Citizens must not take these achievements lightly.

Arguing over music – Part One

The internationally renowned Muslim singer and composer, Sami Yusuf, is about to make his debut performance in Guyana and people of all ages are excited. That’s because many Guyanese Muslims are already deeply familiar with Yusuf’s songs which are easily accessible online. Threatening to dampen their spirits, however, is a handful of individuals/organisations armed with a set of flawed arguments.

They are quoting verses from the Quran and sayings attributed to Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, out of context in order to declare Yusuf’s music as “forbidden” (haram) or disliked (makruh) according to the Islamic legal tradition.

These individuals/organisations wish to convince Muslims that the music of Sami Yusuf, Yusuf Islam (the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens), Zain Bhikha, Maher Zain, Native Deen, Aashiq Al-Rasul and a lengthy list of popular Muslim singers and composers are deviants hell-bent on corrupting Muslim youth.

Listening to their arguments one assumes that Sami Yusuf might be performing an Arab version of Miley Cyrus’ twerking to a rowdy crowd of badly behaved men and women who egg him on as they chug back a few bottles Banks beer.

The lyrics of Sami Yusuf’s songs praise God for his countless bounties, the foremost of which is His sending the noble Prophet, peace be

upon him, as a mercy to all of mankind.

A similar genre of music in the form of Urdu naats and qasidas has sustained Muslim religious life in Guyana for nearly 200 years and no one has ever suggested, except an ignoramus, that this practice prevents believers from listening to or memorising the verses of the Quran.

To argue that modern music, even religious songs like those of Sami Yusuf, is prohibited, is to go where no other scholar of law has ever ventured. Citing verses of the Quran as proof that music is prohibited (haram) according to sacred law is contrary to the opinion of a vast majority of classical and contemporary scholars such as Imam Al-Ghazali, Ibn Hazm, Qadi Abu Bakr Ibn Al-Arabi, Ibn Taymiyyah, the famous Hanafi jurist, Shaykh Abdul Ghani al-Nabulusi and Shaykh Mahmud Shaltut, the late rector of al-Azhar university who passed a formal ruling (fatwa) declaring music which does not involve reprehensible acts censored by the Quran and the Prophetic tradition, as permissible, not prohibited.

The Quranic verse (chapter 31 v 6) refers to those who purchase “lahw al-hadith”, i.e. things that are designed to amuse and entertain in order to distract people from the serious business of God’s revelation. It is true that some scholars put some kinds of music (ghina) into the category of “lahw al-hadith” but the

majority stipulate that it is music which diverts a person away from God and His Messenger.

In his commentary of the Quran, Imam al-Suyuti interprets “lahw al-hadith” as “tales of distraction” such as never ending sagas of soap operas that are meant to keep viewers preoccupied with the lives of others instead of their own.

Those who argue for the impermissibility of all types of music often cite chapter 25 verse 72 of the Quran: “Those who witness falsehood (zur) whenever they encounter people who are engaged in frivolous behaviour, pass them by with nobility.” The majority of Muslim jurists interpret the Arabic word zur to mean vulgarity and indecent behaviour that may or may not include certain types of music that many of us would, in all honesty, find painful to the ears. Imam AlSuyuti, the great jurist and polymath, interpreted this verse to mean “worthless conversation – obscenities, backbiting, and idle gossip.” Clearly, it would be a far stretch to dump the spiritually uplifting music of Sami Yusuf into this category.

Yet another verse of the Quran that is cited to indicate the prohibition of music is chapter 17 verse 64. This verse describes what God Almighty said to the Devil (Satan) when he refused to obey God’s command. The particular section of the verse that is getting some Imams in Guyana charged up is the following Divine

dispensation to the Devil: “stir up (provoke) those whom you can with your voice...” Some classical jurists interpret the Arabic word “sawt,” i.e. the devil’s voice, as meaning music (ghina) while others say it refers to string and wind instruments such as the flute, guitar, piano and even some types of drums.

In his authoritative exegesis of the Quran Imam Al-Tabari said the verse refers to “every voice which is not inviting to the obedience (worship) of God.” This is the mission of the Devil as described in all sacred scriptures.

The consensus in the Muslim legal tradition is that these verses of the Quran – and they are the strongest ones – are not explicit, unambiguous and unequivocal, qualities a text must have before something can be declared as “unlawful.” Rather, the doctors of Muslim sacred law say that “lahw al-hadith”, “zur” and “sawt-al-Shaytan” applies to the actions of people whose intent is to lead people away from the path of righteousness. In other words, these verses do not apply to people whose desire is to bring human hearts closer to the Divine presence and to goodness, such as singing a national anthem which cultivates love of one’s country.

With peace, Nazim Baksh (Nazim Baksh is a Guyanese born journalist in Toronto, Canada)

From left to right: European Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, EU Ambassador to Guyana

Robert Kopecky and President Donald Ramotar having a light conversation during a cocktail reception held at State House on Thursday evening

send your

or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Rice farmers are showing the way Mon Repos Market needs urgent sprucing up

Dear Editor, Kudos are indeed in order for the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and especially the farmers for dealing effectively with the paddy bug infestation of rice crops in Region Two.

Offhand I can tell that the symptoms of paddy bug infestation can be confused with the damage caused by nutrient deficiency. So diagnosing and treating the pest must not be dismissed in a simplistic manner.

There is a warm relationship that seems to exist between the two groups – the GRDB and the rice farmers. It is known that many challenges, most of them natural, confront rice farmers throughout Guyana, but with good understanding and plenty of hard work, the two sides are always able to come up with good yields.

The GRDB repeatedly will send specialised teams of officers to Region Two and other areas and these visits to various rice mills are most profitable. Our farmers must be made aware of situations, that is, they must be enlightened

and not via lecturing or pamphlets.

It is these visits that really make them aware. Yes, we have the media intervening to make all kinds of information very much available, but we must back that up by going to the people and telling them face to face what is obtaining and what they should know.

The average yield per hectare is 5.2 tonnes, and Region Two farmers are presently harvesting and are receiving prices ranging from $4500 to $3500 per bag of paddy. I can testify of the change. There was a time when a lot of rice fields were left abandoned. I know of one that was sold and converted to other usages. Now, the more rice lands, the better it is.

I call on our local food people – cooks and vendors – to really push more rice meals and snacks. I hardly see rice cakes and this is so cool – they are so crunchy and tasty. If we are thinking more support for our rice farmers, we have to add this element.

Regards, Raymond Barron

Dear Editor, Recently there was a complaint from a Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara businessman about something that must be looked at. He is threatening legal action against the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) because, according to him, the council is responsible for the sanitation of the community. His complaint was about the wanton dumping of carcasses by vendors in the village market tarmac.

I myself am a vendor

in this very market and I see the truthfulness of this complaint. The situation is indeed most gross. Very quickly the dumped entrails create problems. The stench is very potent and also the accumulation of flies and worms sometimes take place.

This happens after the scavengers finish up their work. It is happening all the time, and a little personal complaint and request to stop it does not bring about results. So it is time to bring some much needed intervention

and I do not mean a court situation.

The next thing at this market is the road situation. I am very pleased that I always see a lot of traffic officers.

However, I suggest that the officers be much stricter with driver-buyers. They sometimes hurriedly try to grab a few items and they are accommodated by vendors, who sometimes rush quickly with little items. It is annoying and quite preventable.

If we have a good thing,

we can and should make it better.

This market will get my good grade for not encroaching on the road and for being quite accommodating in terms of space and goods. However, this illegal and obnoxious dumping must stop and driving and buying must be avoided. Let us not wait for Christmas to shape up.

Sincerely, Stall holder 1 Mon Repos market (Name withheld by request)

The Visual Arts Exhibition should be extended

Dear Editor, The Visual Arts Exhibition must also go to other places. Even if it on a smaller scale and the various items have to be placed under a tent, and then be taken up and stored away, so be it. It is worth it.

If fundraisers can position themselves near banks and other companies in order to sell their stuff, why can’t educators use the idea – they need to go where the peo -

ple are teeming and let them see, if only inadvertently.

I have gone to mobile and tent exhibitions and they are always well supported.

I know of groups who will even go so far as to have miniatures and replicas of selected items for sale. So the thing can be a fundraiser as well.

Also, the people outside of the Greater Georgetown and Georgetown areas have

an interest in visual arts. Just visit their homes and also go and see who the ones are buying from the Main Street sculptors. The visual arts must be taken to the country areas.

This exhibition is offering plenty of craft and paintings, done by last year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination students.

The various pieces are in the areas of printmak -

ing, textile design and manipulation, painting and mixed media, leather craft, fibre and decorating arts, graphics and communication design and ceramics and sculpturing. Come next year, I hope to see the expansion into other areas – visual arts is not unique to any one and any place. Also, it can be self-supportive.

Yours truly, Carl Phillips

You can

letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown, Guyana

Page Foundation

Dressing for a job interview

BY MICHAEL A LUBARSKY

Dressing for a job in-

terview was once a simple proposition. Wear a suit and tie, polish your shoes, shave, and comb your hair. Today, howev er, the casual workplace and the desire to immediately fit in has confused all that we once knew about dressing for a job interview. Knowing what to wear and when to wear it is now as im portant as your hand shake and maintaining eye contact. Even more important is knowing how to dress for the dif ferent working environ ments you might aspire to join. To help you make the decision before you go out and spend a lot of money on a suit you don’t need, we’ve investigated three job markets to get a better understanding of what’s expected in the business attire department.

Conservative jobs

interview in sales or finance.

Dressing for a job interview in the conservative market requires you to wear a black, charcoal or dark blue suit with a crisp white but

ing in a conservative environment. When in doubt, stick with dark and solid colours, a proper fit and accessorise with cuff links and a modern

options.

Okay, if you want to save the world from financial ruin, you better dress like you know what you’re doing. This means dressing like the big dogs in the tall weeds, which means power suits and plenty of them.

Don’t even think about pulling on that old blue blazer with chinos for your

with laces. Avoid funky patterns and bold colour combinations – they will speak louder than you think. Dress code: Although your look will approximate the more traditional image of what dressing for a job interview entails, that doesn’t mean you should fade into the background. Learn how to be memorable by adding a bit of spice to your suit with a tie that strains against the conservative. You are projecting responsibility and confidence when you wear a suit as much as you’re giving the interviewer a sense of your perspective on work-

While liberating, working in the cultural arts jobs of publishing, photography and media does not mean that all rules of men’s fashion are thrown out the window. If anything, the rules become more difficult as you balance the creative – and often casual – nature of the office with the need to be professional. A suit might not be necessary, but arriving in your weekend casual clothes won’t do either.

You will want to wear jeans, but don’t. Plain-front trousers with modern cuts, subtly striped shirts and cardigans are all acceptable

Service jobs

Whether you’re working retail or in an administrative office, you’re still working for the people and you need to be comfortable and able to move with what the day throws at you.

With comfortable, professional clothes in mind, it is okay to wear a blazer or sweater over a tie and chinos when dressing for a job interview in the service industry. You want to look responsible and well-pressed as well as approachable to the public.

Dress code: For the interview at least, wear trousers or corduroy pants, but experiment with darkwashed jeans once you have the job.

Look the part

The dress code in the work world has changed, which means there are a number of fashion pitfalls to be made by the uninitiated. If you want to dress for success, you have to know how to make the most of those first 30 seconds in the room.

Your most important step is to match your own personal style to that of the job you want and project not only professionalism but a sense of self and self-worth by being confident in what you wear.

Practice tips for families and teens preparing for real life job scenarios

BY YUTTIGAR JIRACHACHAVALWONA

Let me check my schedule

Being able to follow a schedule is one of the many valuable (and sometimes difficult) life skills that teens need to learn, in order to help in their transition to independence. At home and during school, many teens might take for granted the tools that are naturally in place to help them remember what to do throughout the day (eg school bells). In the workforce those tools won’t be as readily available. Many employers expect employees to be able to take lunch breaks and 10-15 minutes breaks on their own without having to remind them on a daily basis. Being able to fol-

low those schedules can be a strong factor in keeping their job.

Communicate

Learning how to call in to your company for an absence is a skill that would be beneficial to anyone, in case of an emergency or illness. With supervision, parents can have their teens practise calling in their own absences to school. If an administrator wants to talk to an adult, parents can be right there next to them and they can hand over the phone. “No call, no show” is a term used in the workforce which categorises an employee for not showing up to work for a schedule shift and not calling in their absence.

Where are your papers?

Teens that are close to or getting ready to join the workforce should familiarise themselves with the typical paperwork employers want to be filled out. Parents can go online and print out documents to go over and practice filling out with a young adult preparing for a job. They should get familiar with the basic information that will be required by many forms, such as: their NIS cards, medical forms, and identification card. Parents can also share their pay stubs and go over different portions of the stubs with their teens so that they are able to read it on their own.

Self-evaluate

Being able to assess your own skills and work production can be useful for teens to be able to negotiate with employers when they enter the workforce. Knowing the expectation for work and assessing if they’re producing more or less will enable them to be able to advocate for themselves in the future for raises or promotions. Parents can have teens self evaluate schoolwork such as essays in terms of length and quality. If your teen is involved with after school programmes or sports, have them evaluate themselves in terms of leadership roles and their contribution to the team or programme. (Advance LA)

Three sites being looked at for new harbour bridge

– pre-feasibility study completed

By Whitney Persaud

Apre-feasibility study has been completed for the construction of a new Harbour Bridge which would assist greatly in the reduction of traffic congestion in that area of the East Bank corridor.

According to Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) General Manager Rolston Adams, a general study was conducted which looked at all the different types of bridges that could be constructed, but government is looking to build a fixed structure.

“We have looked at locations, one being the existing location where the bridge is, or at New Hope on the East Bank of Demerara and that is behind Patentia, and the third site is at Versailles in Houston,” Adams disclosed.

He explained that suggestionns in retaliation to the study were given to a consultant and feedback should be available by month-end. This report will then be handed over to Public Works Minister Robeson Benn after which it will be sent to Cabinet for approval.

“We have studied all types of bridges because this is what you do when conducting a feasibility study, but we want to build a fixed highlevel bridge,” he added.

This aside, works are moving apace to change eroded pivots that hold the floating bridge in place, and is expected to be completed soon.

Dredging completed Adams said too that dredging works have been completed, facilitating adequate flotation for temporary pontoons. He explained that the pontoons were already latched onto the bridge to provide a form of support during the entire construction period.

The replacement project will see the changing of six pivots on span one and two of the 61 span links of the bridge. This has not been done since the bridge was opened some 35 years ago.

“The pivots are critical for the upkeep of the bridge, pivots were never changed, components have eroded and we don’t want to face a similar faith,” he said.

The technical engineering team of the bridge will be working based on a twoday deadline and this will result in the closure of the bridge to heavy-duty vehicles. Vehicles weighing more than 22 tonnes will not be permitted to cross the bridge on Saturdays and Sundays from 06:00h.

“This closure will not affect the regular minibuses or cars and vehicles transporting goods across the bridge… they would not even know that works are being carried out,” he said.

The general manager said the construction works are part of wider efforts to ensure that the bridge is in full operating conditions.

He told reporters that the pivots are corroded and must be replaced before an incident similar to the collapse of span 59 and 60 in

2012 occurs. He stated that the cost for these repairs are far in excess of what was initially spent on the pivots, while adding the work will be done by staff members of the bridge, and not contractors.

Revenue collection

Meanwhile, when asked about the revenue being collected from users of the bridge and if it was enough to carry out the various rehabilitations works on the structure, Adams said without government’s subvention, the revenue collected would not do much. The DHB’s revenue has seen an eight per cent increase in the past four years, and according to Adams, this is still not enough.

Approximately $1 billion is spent every year to maintain the bridge while the revenue collected is around $400 million.

On a different note, Adams said there is not much that could be done to reduce the constant build up of traffic on the East Bank of Demerara and leading up to the bridge.

“The only thing that could be done is to construct a new bridge to assist in this regard,” he said.

Global bauxite outlook is on a positive trend

Guyana stand to benefit from the increased demand of bauxite and bauxite products on the global market as the prospects of the industry are good.

The positive global prospects of bauxite were reported at the 28th International Aluminum Conference organised by Metal Bulletin in Switzerland from September 17-19, which allowed both the upstream and downstream of the aluminum fraternity to

benefit from analyses of the industry by some of the most prominent companies in the field.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud accompanied by Geological Services of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission manager Jimmy Reece represented Guyana and participated in discussions on a holistic vision of the aluminum industry now, and for the immi-

nent future, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

Areas focused on by Guyana included the future of the sector as it relates to the opportunities, challenges and the current future outlook of bauxite, and the possibilities of tapping into new areas of investment from Europe and East Asia. It is anticipated that there will be a positive forecast of the sector in the near future. As such, panel discussions included assuring aluminum growth as an integrated approach to sustainability. The conference also allowed Guyana to have a better understanding of the entire sector, both upstream and downstream.

Further, Minister Persaud held bilateral discussions with Rusal First Deputy Chief Executive Officer Vladislav Soloviev on the outlook and level of investment in the local bauxite sector. The top RUSAL official also restated the company’s commitment to increase investments and expansion of its Kurubuka operation in the Berbice River area.

Brumell’s appointment as commissioner rests with Granger – govt

Government on Friday said that the failure of Opposition Leader David Granger to meet with President Ramotar is what is stalling the appointment of Leroy Brumell as the substantive police commissioner.

In a release, the Government Information Agency (GINA) said the administration is not unmindful of the comments attributed to A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament Winston Felix carried in some sections of the media regarding the appointment of Brumell as police commissioner.

“Mr Felix seemingly demanded that Mr Brumell be appointed forthwith,” the

government said, adding that it “wishes to state that President Donald Ramotar,

had on September 02, 2013, written to the leader of the opposition, David Granger inviting him to a constitutionally mandated consultation to discuss the appointment of the commissioner of police.

The letter alluded to President Ramotar’s intention to substantially appoint Mr Brummell as the commissioner of police.”

The government said it therefore finds it difficult to understand the context and the possible motive of Felix’s comments regarding the said matter, and hopes that this release is useful and would serve to enlighten Felix and the general public on the matter raised by the latter.

The eroded pivots at the Demerara Harbour Bridge

Demerara Habour Bridge General Manager Rolston Adams and his technical team that will be handling rehabilitation works on the bridge

Rusal First Deputy Chief Executive Officer Vladislav Soloviev (centre) engages in discussion with Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud (right) in the presence of another participant at the conference

Acting Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell

Eight charged for Meten-Meer -Zorg, Wakenaam crimes

Pandemonium broke out at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday when eight persons arrived in handcuffs in the presence of heavily armed ranks of the Guyana Police Force. They were charged for the murder of Meten-Meer-Zorg businessman Zulfikar Namdar and an armed robbery at Wakenaam recently.

The eight men were jointly charged for murder; five of them were charged for the Wakenaam robbery and two were also slapped with conspiracy charges.

Alan Doset of Lot 610 Zeelugt; Derwyn Croft of Lot 589 Tuchen Housing Scheme; Essan Lawrence of Vreed-en-Hoop; Jermaine Williams of Anna Catherina and Khyran Khan of Parika were not required to plead to the charge which stated that on September 7 at Good Success, Wakenaam they

entered the house of Rohan Dananayshore. They discharged several rounds and robbed the family of $3.5 million in jewellery and $2.2 million in cash.

On September 10, armed gunmen invade the home of Zulfikar Namdar at Meten-Meer-Zorg, where they shot and killed him. They also robbed Fazeela Namdar of $320,000 in items along with one mil-

lion dollars in cash.

Again the suspects Doset, Croft, Lawrence, Williams and Khan, along with Andrew Chandler of West Meten-Meer-Zorg, Samuel Bacchus of East Ruimveldt Squatting Area and Cassandra Singh of Lot 610 Zeelugt were not required to plead to the indictable charge.

Police were acting on information relating to a

robbery at Meten-MeerZorg committed on Sharriff Ahmad on September 16, when it is alleged that the accused confronted the now deceased Kirk Bacchus and Keefa Small also known as “Frog eye”.

Peter Christian and Samuel Bacchus, who is the brother of the late Kirk Bacchus, were in control of two cars when they were arrested in the area. The men were questioned and admitted to transporting Small and Kirk and were waiting on them.

Attorney Melville Duke represented Williams. Cassandra Singh was unrepresented and told the court that her rights were denied by the police officers.

The chief magistrate denied all of the defendants bail and they were remanded to prison. The matter is set to return to court on October 28.

Miners dispute land in court

On Friday, two men appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to charges against them.

Subass Singh, 32, of Lot 47 “A” Station Street, Kitty pleaded not guilty to both charges which read that on August 15 at Elizabeth Back Dam, Mahdia, he discharged a loaded firearm at Bertram Benjamin with the intent to

maim, disfigure or kill him and on the same day, he assaulted Benjamin causing him actual bodily harm.

Benjamin, of Lot 36 La Grange, was also charged with assaulting Singh causing him actual bodily harm and pleaded not guilty also. According to the facts, the two are known to each other and on the day in question; they had an argument over tail water. This resulted in Singh drawing a firearm from

his waist and discharged six rounds in Benjamin’s direction, one of which hit him in the buttock.

Singh was represented by Attorney Michael Sommersaul, who stated that his client was acting in self-defence and that it was Benjamin who had first attacked him with a knife. He also added that Singh has been cooperating with the police since the incident occurred. Even though

Prosecutor Bharat Mangru objected to bail on the grounds of the seriousness and prevalence of gun crimes along with the penalty attached to such an offence, Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry granted bail to both men. Singh received bail in the sum of $150,000, $125,000 for discharging a loaded weapon and $25,000 for the assault causing actual bodily harm. Benjamin received $25,000 bail for his charge.

Mason on bail for stealing Samsung Galaxy

Amason was placed on $100,000 bail after he appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to a simple larceny charge.

Garfield Isaacs pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated on August 13 at East Ruimveldt, he stole one Samsung Galaxy SIII cellphone property of Darlan Jones.

According to the facts, Jones parked his car in East Ruimveldt with Isaacs seated infront and went to conduct business leaving his phone in the car. When he returned, Isaacs was gone and so was the cellphone. The matter was reported and Isaacs was subsequently arrested. He later admitted to taking the phone and selling it for $40,000.

There were no objections put forward by the prosecution and the chief magistrate granted bail in the sum of $100,000. The matter stands adjourned to October 18.

Eyew tness

Strangling...

...the friendly skies

With Christmas on the horizon (albeit a bit dimly, right now) Guyanese must be breathing a sigh of relief at news that a couple of airlines are flying in to give Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) some competition. You’d think an airline that’s been haemorrhaging red ink for ages would’ve pulled its socks up after it inherited the lucrative Guyana-New York run all to itself.

But not CAL! It’s ineptitude and arrogance only increased by leaps and bounds – obviously less concerned about making a profit than throwing its weight around with its monopoly over our flights. We’d given it “flag carrier” status in the expectation that we’d be flying directly to New York without that horror stopover in Piarco.

We’d also thought it might’ve kept its fares in line with those from Trinidad, now that it was the official carrier for both countries. And we were all Caribbean Community (Caricom) and all that.

Perish the thought. Fares went through the roof and service into the gutter. Could you believe they don’t even throw you a pack of peanuts on the one-hour flight to Piarco? Even as they otherwise treat you like monkeys in a cage? But they say “all smart flies does get ketch in cow backside”.

Hoping to double-dip by bilking us with astronomical fares, it applied for permission to the U.S. to fly direct and cut its costs to make bigger profits. But Delta, through the umbrella body “Airlines for America” objected because CAL was getting a fuel subsidy from the Trinidad government.

You’d think with that subsidy we would’ve gotten a squeeze...but not in this life. Anyhow, the Trinidadian finance minister just announced they’ve removed the fuel subsidy – hoping to satisfy the Americans. But the Trinidad opposition spilled the beans that what the left hand had taketh away, the right hand had giveth back.

While “removing” the fuel subsidy, the TT government had extended the equivalent direct monetary subsidy! As if that will fool the Americans. But enough of revelling in bad news for CAL and back to the good news for us – which, to think of it, is by definition still bad news for CAL.

TravelSpan has now joined Fly Jamaica in announcing new flights to New York. The latter is still to obtain permission, but Travel Span looks like it’s “all systems go”! Or any new airline in the monopoly-price-gouging CAL racket.

...citizens’ initiative

We notice that bids have been submitted to rebuild the Primary School at One Mile, Wismar, which was torched during the opposition’s rampage in Linden last year. The engineers estimated it would cost $60 million and the bids hover over that figure. But all this did was to raise our ire once again over the move by the education minister to crush the citizens’ initiative.

We’ve gone over this ground before, but its well worth revisiting because if we continue with this kind of behaviour from government, we’ll end up just like the welfare queens in America who just depend on the system for everything.

Here it was, after the torching of the school, the goodly citizens of Region 10 decided to rebuild the school through self help. The opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Alliance For Change (AFC) rushed in to promise help – as did citizens from abroad.

Money poured in – concrete was poured....then in stepped the minister to announce – “Step aside, folks, we’ll take over”. And the rest, as they say, is history. A history of building a dependency syndrome.

...free speech

A lot of Guyanese have stopped speaking freely over the phones. They figure if the Americans could have their National Security Agency (NSA) pick up the president of Brazil’s conversations with her aides, what about picayune Guyana?

One of the suspects resisting police officers

AFC defectors were not being listened to – Granger

BY: SABATINI DANIELS

APartnership for National Unity (APNU) Chairman David Granger said there is nothing vindictive about the recent move by three Alliance For Change (AFC) members to defect to his party.

“These are serious academics who want to make a contribution to national unity and national development, and they felt that their opinions and advice were not being adhered to where they were before,” said Granger.

Granger said he does not envisage the three AFC members who recently defected to APNU causing any challenges or rifts between the two parties. The three who crossed over to APNU are economist Dr Tarron Khemraj, Political Science Professor, Dr Asquith Rose and businessman Rab Mukraj.

Responding to questions posed at APNU’s weekly press conference at his office at Hadfield Street, Georgetown on Friday, Granger stated that he does not see the trio shifting towards APNU as opposing the AFC, but rather as “advancing the agenda for national unity and human development”.

“We are not on a hunting party, we are simply building a momentum and a movement so that likeminded people from civil society or any other organisations are free to come onboard and advance these two aims,” said

Granger.

The AFC defectors, he disclosed, will now join APNU’s American group, noting that they were not offered any executive positions within the coalition.

Exclusion

Khemraj told Guyana Times on Thursday that it was the AFC that left him and not he who left the party, pointing out that since the 2011 general election to now, the party did not seek his advice on any issue or decision it made.

He said during the preelection period, the party regularly obtained his input, but even with regard to the Amaila Falls hydropower project, it did not seek his advice.

The crossover of these three members followed the resignation of Dr Shamir Andrew Ally, who was a member of the New York Chapter. Guyana Times had obtained

Caricom condemns use of chemical weapons in Syria

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on Friday expressed profound concern and reiterated its condemnation of the use of chemical weapons following confirmation by the United Nations that such weapons were used against civilians in the Ghouta area of Damascus, Syria.

Caricom in a statement said it commends the work of the United Nations mission to investigate allegations of the use of chemical weapons in Syria, and expresses its profound concern that the mission’s report has confirmed the use of chemical weapons in the Ghouta area of Damascus, against civilians, including children.

The report also confirms the release of such weapons on a relatively large scale, and indicates that there is “clear and convincing evidence that surface-to-surface rockets containing sarin were used”.

The community said it reiterates its condemnation of the use of chemical weapons, a grave violation of international law, including the 1925 Geneva Protocol, the United Nations Chemical Weapons Convention, the UN Security Council 1540 Resolution as well as other relevant international laws and established norms.

“The community wel-

comes the announcement of the agreement between the Russian Federation and the United States of America regarding a framework to secure and eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons by mid2014. It views this framework as a practical example of the benefits of international dialogue in resolving disputes and maintaining international security without the recourse to the use of force. The community is also encouraged that the government of Syria has now acceded to the 1992 convention on the prohibition of the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons and their destruction,” the statement said.

Caricom said full compliance by the Syrian government with its international obligations, as well as the securing and elimination of these weapons are critically important and the necessary international instruments and mechanisms to guarantee this must be put in place.

“The Caribbean Community hopes that the conclusion of the Russia-U.S. framework agreement becomes the first major step along the difficult path of reaching a durable negotiated settlement to the bloody and disastrous civil war in Syria,” the statement concluded.

a copy of Dr Ally’s letter of resignation. “With regrets, I no longer wish to be involved

with the AFC party,” Dr Ally had stated in his letter.

Dr Ally expressed deep

dissatisfaction with the AFC leaxdership, saying he contributed his “scarce time, financial resources, energies, skills and contacts to the AFC Party”, and spent one month during November-December 2011 in Guyana, and saw on site the political realities in Guyana.

He stated that, on his return to Guyana in December 2011, he expressed his disappointment with the AFC internally and externally. “Many emails were sent to AFC leadership on my Guyana on site experiences on a number of issues, including finances, controls, discipline, manage-

ment, leadership, et al,” he said. “At the New York/New Jersey AFC chapter, a few individuals hurled insults, character assignations and caustic remarks to me, and no person in the AFC leadership, took concrete action to ensure that there will be no repetition of such behaviours,” Dr Ally lamented.

Meanwhile, in a statement on Thursday evening, AFC Chairman Nigel Hughes, who himself had resigned from the party before making an about turn on the decision, said the AFC is disappointed with how the issue was handled.

APNU Chairman David Granger (fourth left) and executive Joseph Harmon (right) with the three AFC defectors: Rab Mukraj (left), Dr Asquith Rose and Tarron Khemraj

New methods identified to enhance mangrove growth

The Agriculture Ministry has invested in several new innovations to enhance the growth of mangroves along the country’s coastland.

During a tour along the East Coast of Demerara on Thursday, Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy visited some of the mangrove planting sites at Mon Repos, Buxton, Victoria and from Le Ressouvenir to La Bonne Intention (LBI). From Le Ressouvenir, luscious mangroves were seen along the coast all the way to LBI, where a new species of mangroves is growing.

The new species of mangrove is called “white mangroves” and its leaves are different from “black mangroves”, which is the dominant vegetation found on the coast. Minister Ramsammy explained that the white mangroves grow naturally and are a recessive mutation of the black mangroves.

At Mon Repos, the ‘rubble mound’ had been set up. The mound is a layer of bricks used to reduce the force of the waves from the ocean. At this site, spartina grass is being used to

prevent the mud, facilitating the growth of mangroves. Several such structures have been built at sites across the country.

The minster told media operatives that spartina grass is found mostly in West Berbice and plays a major role in the growth of mangroves in areas where they have failed to take root in the past. According to the engineers working on the mangrove programme, the grass has grown significantly over the past three months and is assisting with the natural regeneration of mangroves.

The ‛bushwood dam’ located at Buxton is a struc -

ture made of bamboos. It is used to break wave energy and allow sedimentation.

The minster explained that the waves bring in sediments, but take it back out to sea.

The ‛bushwood dam’ slows the pace of the outgoing waves, causing the sediments to settle, creating a suitable environment for the growth of mangroves.

Scientific methods

Minister Ramsammy noted that growing mangroves is not an easy task, as it requires a lot of science and that is where the engineers come in.

They experiment on dif -

ferent innovations to find what works.

The programme falls under the government of Guyana in an effort to promote and sustain mangroves along the country’s coastlands.

The tour culminated at Victoria where the geotextile project is. This project functions like the ‘bushwood dam’ whereby tubes have been inserted into the mud to break the force of the waves, encouraging sedimentation.

The agriculture minister detailed that the combination of the geotextile project and the usage of the spartina grass will encourage the growth of mangroves. Young mangroves were already sprouting from the ground at the site.

Minister Ramsammy said there were some 14 sites across Guyana where mangroves were being grown, but only 50 per cent of them are successful, hence the implementation of these innovations.

He noted that these innovations form part of the coastal engineering work in Guyana, along with the sea wall and other structures.

Rum Jhaat don’t like when people pull out from he

Pull out and kick out is two different ting. One is done by yuh self when yuh don’t want some ting no more.

De other is done by other people when dem don’t want yuh no more. Some people does pull out if dem know dem gon get kick out. And some people does get kick out before dem could pull out. But not every body like to pull out. Some people rather wait till dem get kick out.

Rum Jhaat and de KFC always involve in some kinda pull out or some kinda kick out. Rum Jhaat seh he pull out from one party and start another party. When de truth buss out, every body know he get kick out from de fuss party. Another one who get kick out not too long after also bluff and tell people he pull out. From then to now, is de same kick out and pull out problem Rum Jhaat havin. He nevah like when any body pull out from he. De other day No Gel Hugly seh he gon pull out from Rum Jhaat after de people who does pay he big money pull out from he. But Rum Jhaat don’t want No Gel to pull out. After all, de two of dem doin de same ting pun de inside and collectin de party money pun de outside. De party shoulda rename itself money party like how Mayweather call he team money team. Just that Mayweather fightin fuh he own money and de party people tekkin other people money.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! Now one set of people from overseas find out and dem pull out every ting from Rum Jhaat. Well Rum Jhaat like dem so much that he plannin to go all de way overseas fuh beg dem to put it back in!

The geotextile project at Victoria, East Coast Demerara. Also visible is some of the spartina grass

271 Berbice youths equipped with employable skills Cabinet approves action plan of SA council on public safety

Belladrum Secondary School toped Regions Five and Six, taking eight of the 23 awards at the Education Ministry’s Secondary School Competency Certificate Programme (SCCP) graduation held on Thursday.

The exercise, which was held in the auditorium of the St Francis Community Developers Centre, saw 271 students from 12 schools receiving certificates after successfully completing the programme which featured seven subject areas.

The SCCP commenced in 2009 and caters for grades nine and 10 students. It utilises the CompetencyBased Modularisation approach to Education (CBME) for delivery in secondary schools and practical institution centres (PICs).

At the end of the twoyear programme, each successful student would be equipped with the requisite skills to pursue higher education or become entrepreneurs.

SCCP Coordinator Unit Aubrey Overton said upon completion of the Grade Nine programme, students are awarded a certificate. Those who completed the Grade 10 programme are in a better position to obtain employment or pursue higher learning.

Apprentice training

“It also allows for apprentice training and the opportunity to become selfemployed.” The programme allows students to peruse studies in joinery, fabric decoration, crops and soils, catering, garment construction, carpentry and electrical installation.

There are 11 technical subjects and four core subjects, namely mathematics, language and communication, general studies and integrated science.

Each student is required to complete the four core subjects and one technical subject of their choice. All five subjects must be passed in order for students to graduate.

“At the end of the first cycle of the programme in

March 2013, 271 of the registered students from three schools in Region Five and nine schools in Region Six were verified as having successfully completed the programme.”

Participating schools

Belladrum Secondary, Number 29 Primary and Fort Wellington Secondary of Region Five, along with Canje Secondary, Manchester Secondary, Port Mourant Secondary, Skeldon High, Tutorial Academy, Vryman’s Ervin Secondary, Winifred Gaskin Secondary and Black Bush Polder Secondary of Region Six participated in the programme.

“One of the problems of the schools that have grandaunts here, and also have students who have not completed the programme was the failure of some teachers to follow the stipulated procedure for assessment and reassessment of students, and completion of assessment plans and records which are essential parts of the programme,” Overton said.

He did not place all the blame on the teachers, noting that there were some shortcomings on the part of the ministry.

“This programme experienced some constraints which negatively affected its delivery… The transfer of teachers and the place-

ment of teachers who were not (specially) trained for the programme,” he said.

According to Overton, in some cases, contingency plans were not in place to deal with the issues that arose.

Overall, 106 students successfully completed the programme in crops and soils studies; 43 in joinery; 12 in fabric decoration; 87 in catering; nine in garment construction; eight in carpentry and seven in electrical installation.

Yuganie Prasad of Port Mourant Secondary was the best Grade 10 graduating student followed by Allia Khan of Tutorial Academy.

In the Grade Nine programme, Romel Sampson of Manchester Secondary was adjudged the Best Graduating Student with

Rohanie Ramcharritar as the runner-up.

Region Six Education Officer Bashir Khan urged the graduating students to be committed and embrace good work ethics.

“You are going into the world, it is not an easy world, and it is a world that demands from you. You were in school and you were trained in the habit of punctuality, so as you go further in life, maintain the habit of punctuality, you will gain respect,” he said.

Determination, passion

Meanwhile, Region Five Education Officer Volika Jaikishun highlighted the need to move forward and urged the students do so with “determination and passion”.

“The job is yours to make the skills you have acquired work for you and to realise the true meaning of accomplishment.

"You are not the same persons who walked through the doors of your schools three to four years ago, you have changed. You have acquired knowledge and skills that are necessary to gain you entry into a higher institution of learning. You are an inspiration to your families, your peers, your teachers and even your community,” Jaikishun stated.

A similar exercise was held in Region Three last week and another has been organised for students of Region Four next week.

Cabinet has approved the Action Plan of the South American Council on Citizen Security, Justice and Coordination of Actions against Transnational Organised Crime.

The plan intends to address the areas of strengthening institutional capacities, strategies and policies of public safety; strengthening citizen's participation, public safety with a human rights perspective; management of public safety of populations in border areas; strengthening of justice systems, strengthening of the access to justice, formulation and implementation of policies of justice with human rights perspective; strengthening of the prison policies of the member states; and strengthening policies of border and transnational cooperation to crackdown on transnational organised crime.

A release from the Home Affairs Ministry stated that the plan was approved by Cabinet on September 9.

In November 2012, by the Act of Lima (Decision Number 14/2012), the councils of the heads of state and government of Union of South American Countries (UNASUR) agreed to create the South American Council on Public Security, Justice and Coordinating Actions against Transnational Organised Crime. Based on this decision, the statue of the said council was ap-

proved and it was agreed that this would form the basis of an action plan to be prepared by UNASUR member states.

Several meetings were held in the first quarter of 2013 in Peru, where representatives of Guyana and other member states met and prepared the action plan for consideration by the public security, justice and coordination of action against transnational organised crime ministers. The action plan was approved by the highest authorities responsible for the formulation and implementation of policies in citizen security, justice and coordination of actions against transnational organised crime.

Grade 10 Best Graduating Student Yuganie Prashad receives her award from Region Five Education Officer Bashir Khan

Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon

Govt selects agencies to interface with OAS corruption body

Ateam of anti-corruption experts from the Organisation of American States (OAS) will be conducting an onsite visit in Guyana next month to fine tune and iron out corruption matters.

The team will arrive on October 6 and 7 but the actual review process will be carried out on October 8-10. This was announced by Presidential Adviser on Governance Gail Teixeira. At the end of the visit, a report will be completed and Guyana will have an opportunity to know of areas of shortcomings to be addressed.

“The OAS technician secretariat and translation team as well as the three experts from Haiti and one from Trinidad will be here… for the review and for each country lots are pulled at the beginning of the review cycle to determine which country will review which country,” she said.

The morning of October 8 will be exclusively reserved for civil society organisations; 12 of which from Guyana have been invited to participate.

“Four of these organisations have agreed and submitted the names of their representatives and we are following up with the other eight since we would want a broad support from them,” Teixeira explained.

Some of the topics that will be up for discussion include conflict of interest, systems for registering, reg-

istering income assets and liabilities, public information and mechanisms to encourage participation of civil society to prevent corruption.

“Oversight bodies will be included in the agenda with set times, the organisations have been named by the OAS already.”

Agencies

The Audit Office of Guyana, the Public Service Commission (PSC), the National Procurement and Tender Administration, the director of public prosecution (DPP), the Judicial Services Commission, the Integrity Commission and the commissioner of information will all be part of those meetings in October.

“Thus far, five have responded and submitted their representative’s names,” Teixeira said.

Guyana in 2001 singed onto and ratified the InterAmerican Convention against Corruption (MESICIC).

Meanwhile, on the subject of corruption, Teixeira had cause to respond to an article published in one of the local newspapers which spoke to issues of corruption in Guyana by the newly-appointed Canadian high commissioner here.

Unfortunate

Teixeira said Commissioner Nicole Giles had presented her and the Canadian government’s opinion in an unfortunate manner on the subject of corruption in Guyana. Giles has not yet completed her courtesy rounds to the various government ministers.

Teixeira, who has been chosen by the Organisation

of American States (OAS) as lead expert on corruption matters for Guyana, maintained that no one country sitting on the MESICIC has not been found guilty of corruption.

In the article, Giles expressed hope for a reduction in the levels of crime in Guyana and urged a more active public debate on the issue of corruption. According to the article, she said that there is need for a broad consensus in Guyana on the need to fight corruption.

Reciprocal evaluation

The MESICIC is an intergovernmental body established within the framework of the OAS. It supports state parties in the implementation of the provisions of the convention through a process of reciprocal evaluation, based on conditions of equality among states.

In this mechanism, recommendations are formulated with respect to those areas in which there are legal gaps, or in which further progress is necessary.

The MESICIC is developed in the framework of the purposes established by the OAS charter. It takes into account the principles of sovereignty, non-intervention, and juridical equality of the states.

The MESICIC is impartial and objective in its operations. It neither sanctions, grades, nor classifies states; rather it facilitates cooperation between them.

MoneyGram awards “Back to School” promotion winners

Roxan Rowe and Akule Aseyika won Netbook computers as 24 customers secured prizes at the MoneyGram “Back to School” promotion drawing and presentation on Thursday, at the Neal and Massy staff facility at Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

The other prizes included tablet computers, CCS gift vouchers valued

$10,000 each and backpacks with stationery items.

MoneyGram Country Manager Debbie Baldeo said the promotion was very well supported by customers from around the country.

“We had winners from as far as Berbice, Linden and West Demerara this year and we are extremely pleased with the response,” Baldeo said at the presenta-

tion. The country manager said the Christmas promotion will get underway in a few weeks time as customers prepare for the festive season.

The other winners were Deopatie Persaud, Melissa Shepherd, Kleon Lindley, Wayne Fraser, Donnellie Griffith, Staceyann St Aubin,

Ramdularie Rampragass, Colin McIntyre, Beverley Sutton, Devon Wray, Orin Tieshmaker, Jason Douglas, Vishani Lall, Wundah Butts, Elesa Singh, Nikita Wilson, Llewellyn Atwell, Glen Taylor, Dawnella Altenor, Andrew King, Colin Osboune and Oran Moore. Lavern Fraser, a surprise winner also received a tablet.

Guyanese doctor protests over TT immigration treatment

Cuban-trained Guyanese doctor Ruackel Easton has expressed concerns over the alleged inhumane treatment meted out to his fiancée and eight-month-old daughter, who are both Cuban nationals, at the hands of Trinidad and Tobago’s immigration officers.

Easton is demanding justice from the Trinidadian authorities for the alleged disgraceful treatment his family had to endure while in-transit in that country from Cuba to Guyana.

He noted that his fiancée Laritza Ortiz and daughter Zaralinda Easton Ortiz arrived in Trinidad and Tobago on September 17 around 16:30h and were made to wait for hours without being told why by immigration officials.

Easton said his wife told officers that she was going to Guyana to attend a wedding engagement and will return to Cuba on October 7.

After being told to wait for one hour, both Laritza, her eight-month-old baby, along with other Cubans were told they would be sent back to Cuba and were asked to fill out some immigration forms around 19:00h.

“Please note that all this time my eight-month-old child

didn’t receive a glass of water or food even though the mother was offering money for someone to go buy it, they said that this is immigration and that can’t happen, more hours passed reaching around 22:00h when they took them to customs and told them that their documents, including passports will be given back to them when they reached Cuba,” he added.

Easton added that they were told by the officials that Cubans are usually involved in illegal matters.

He said about midnight, the officials took them to a hotel where they were locked in a room until morning.

“My fiancée said it looked like a house with lots of rooms and some place to buy food even though she couldn’t have bought anything,” he said. He said too that their passports were not stamped by the immigration officials.

Easton said his family was relieved only when Foreign Ministry Director General “Elisabeth Harper and Mr Beepat of Giftland Office Max” intervened. Easton and his family are demanding compensation of some sort and justice for the inhumane treatment they suffered.

Woman killed in Corentyne accident

Awoman met her demise after she was struck by a speeding car while attempting to cross the Williamsburg Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice, on Thursday evening.

Meenawattie Pooranauth, 46, formerly of 123 John’s Village, Port Mourant and of Hampshire Village, Corentyne, Berbice, was reported stuck by motorcar HC 1727 owned and driven by Rasheed Mohamed at about 18:30h.

According to reports, Mohamed was proceeding along the roadway when it was alleged that while in the vicinity of the Williamsburg Health Centre, Pooranauth, who was being chased by a male, ran across the road and into the path of the moving vehicle. The driver reportedly applied the brakes and swerved to avoid a collision, but despite his effort, the woman came into contact with the right side of the vehicle.

According to reports, Pooranauth suffered a gaping wound to her head and blood was oozing from her nose, mouth and ears. She was picked up in an unconscious state by the driver and taken to the Port Mourant Hospital where she was seen and examined by a doctor. The woman succumbed while receiving medical attention.

Mohamed was taken into police custody and a breathalyser test performed on him proved that he had 46 per cent alcohol in his system. Pooranauth’s body is at the Ramos Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem examination on Monday.

Hemwatie Pooranauth, a sister of the now dead woman

told Guyana Times that she was at home and about 19:30h, her family received a telephone call instructing them to visit the Port Mourant Hospital as her sister was involved in an accident.

The woman stated that when they arrived at the hospital, the doctors did not allow them to see the accident victim, claiming that it was a police case and they are awaiting the lawmen to conduct their investigations.

After a while, she noted that the police arrived at the hospital and took statements, after which the family was told that the woman sustained severe head injuries and had to be transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Contact was made with an ambulance from the New Amsterdam Hospital, but by the time it arrived, the woman had succumbed. The victim moved out of her family’s house some time ago and was living with her companion in Hampshire village. “She was not too catholic… She was like a beggar who helped people to do odd work in the market and other places,” Hemwatie revealed. Pooranauth leaves to mourn her four siblings.

Presidential Adviser on Governance Gail Teixeira

Prize winners and MoneyGram staff at the presentation ceremony

Dead: Meenawattie Pooranauth

Road safety bodies urge strict enforcement of traffic laws

The West Coast Demerara Road Safety Council is calling for the strict enforcement of road safety laws to contain the recent increase in road accidents in Region Three.

Road Safety Council President Shahab Hack in a recent interview with Guyana Times said the council can only advocate, but does not have the power to enforce the laws.

“The traffic officers have to start looking at the source of the problem, which most of time is driving under the influence (DUI)… what they should be doing is going to the rum shops and hang out spots… be proactive and find the allege offenders before waiting for an accident to happen.”

He said road accidents will continue to occur if road users do not adhere to the rules and regulations of the road. “To make sure accidents are less frequent, society and drivers need to have a better mindset… it needs to come from within, the culture of mixing alcohol and driving is too prevalent in today’s society, especially in

youths.”

Explaining that road safety is everybody’s business, Hack said, “Recently, the group, in collaboration with the Police Traffic Department of D Division, Guyana National Road Safety Council and the Ministry of Public Works actually mounted 32 delineator traffic signs, along the Crane and Harlem road turns, West Coast

Demerara. We are trying our best to ensure that the roads are safe for drivers.”

Added danger

The Road Safety Council president added that holes in the roads add to the danger on the roadways. “Apart from damage to vehicles, they lead to fatal accidents. On dark roads, these holes are sometimes spotted too late

and only drivers familiar with the road are able to negotiate them safely.”

Meanwhile, the Guyana National Road Safety Council believes that continuous education on road use and traffic regulations would aid in the reduction of road fatalities. National Road Safety Council Coordinator Romona Doorgen said the body is calling on government and the private sector to get onboard on raising awareness on this matter.

“We will always have concerns as a council, we are urging road users to not just look out for yourself, but others,” said Doorgen. She urged all road users to always practise the five Cs of road safety –Care, Caution, Courtesy, Consideration and Common sense when using the roadways. Doorgen said the public must become council volunteers to ensure that all are involved in making the roadways safer.

According to reports, there have been 52 road accidents thus far in the year, resulting in 55 deaths. Last year, there were 54 road accidents, with 58 deaths.

Vagrant murdered by drug addict

Avagrant who went to a house to seek refuge for the night was on Thursday beaten to death by a suspected drug addict during an argument at Whim Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

The incident occurred between 19:00h and 20:45h. Ravindranauth Chan, also called “Parbattie bucket”, 54, formerly of 66 Sisters Village, East Bank Berbice, was allegedly beaten by Totaram Jageshwar called “Rasta”, with pieces of wood.

The murder weapon was taken by police as evidence. Jageshwar was arrested and is in custody pending charges.

According to information received, the deceased, prior to his death, visited his sister Radica Dyasindoo at her Lot 154 Lancaster Village, Corentyne home, where he ate and left.

About 19:00h, a resident of Whim Village told investigators that he was at home when he saw Chan go into an abandoned house

obliquely opposite his home and shortly after he heard sounds emanating from the house as though persons were fighting. The sounds of bottles breaking were also heard.

About seven minutes later, the man disclosed that he saw the suspect walking out of the house with a cloth in his hand and went towards Lancaster Dam.

Amiss

As a result, Seegobin suspected that something was amiss and he informed the relative of the deceased who went to the said house and found Chan in a pool of blood, lying motionless on the internal stairway.

His face was battered and several other wounds were seen on his head and other parts of the body.

At the time of the discovery, he was clad in a white shirt, blue under pants and a pair of blue long pants that was pulled beneath the knees.

Chan was escorted to the Port Mourant Public

Hospital where he was examined by a doctor who certified him dead.

He is at the Ramos Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Police have since taken two pieces of wood measuring about four feet and four-anda half feet in length, both with blood stain, along with several broken bottles that were uplifted at the scene as evidence. These items are at the Whim Police Station.

Dyasindoo told Guyana Times that she last saw her brother about 18:00h after he left her home. She explained that he was an alcoholic and would spend the night at her home whenever it gets dark.

Sad news

The woman said about 20:30h, while having dinner, her telephone rang and upon answering, the person on the other end of the line told her that her brother was injured during a confrontation with “Rasta”.

“I left with meh son and went to Whim… when I

reach, they tell me that he was in the house but we didn’t go in so I send meh son to the police station to bring a police,” she cried.

When the police arrived, they reportedly went into the house where they saw the man in a pool of blood.

The sister explained that from all indications, he was thrown from the top of the internal step and landed on his face.

Villagers said they had heard screaming and they called the police station, but no one answered.

“If the police de answer and come to the house, meh brother might ah live,” the woman cried.

Nevertheless, she said the police managed to apprehend the murder suspect at Lancaster Dam.

Guyana Times learnt that the dead man did not work for years, but stayed with his mother at Sisters Village after he started to drink “hard”. He had no fixed place of abode. He leaves to mourn his mother and five siblings.

No bail for driver who killed Hibernia woman

ire car driver

Hsaturday, september 21, 2013

CWA a great opportunity for promoting, modernising agriculture

Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) which will be held in Georgetown, Guyana, from October 4-12, is being marketed as a great opportunity, not only for pursuing food security, but also for promoting agriculture as a business, modernising the sector, and creating and expanding networks.

The premier agriculture event in the Caribbean Community’s (Caricom) calendar is being hosted by the government of Guyana and will be convened this year at the Guyana International Convention Centre (GICC) under the theme “Linking the Caribbean for Food and Nutrition Security and Rural Development”.

According to a Caricom Secretariat report, CWA is a collaborative event with the main partners being the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the Caribbean Community Secretariat (Caricom), the Caribbean Agricultural Research Development Institute (CARDI) and the African Caribbean and Pacific and European Union (ACPEU) Technical Centre for Cooperation on Agriculture and Rural Development (CTA).

Preparatory activities

As preparatory activities shift into high gear, organisers are confident of a successful event that will push agriculture to the forefront, raise the community’s awareness of the importance of the sector to national and regional development, and create opportunities for greater collaboration and interaction among Caricom member states and with their extra-regional partners.

As such, they are encouraging stakeholders in the sector to take full advantage of the event that is held once each year in a Caricom member state.

In addition to full-time farmers, persons who are not fully engaged in the sector will also get exposure at the CWA. Expectations also are that professionals in other fields and those who had once tilled the land will be able to tap into the opportunities that are available in agriculture.

ing agriculture, productivity, agricultural health and food safety, field visits, a special meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) and an exposition, beginning on October 9, that will showcase the agricultural pursuits and development of Caricom. `Cook off’ competitions featuring mouth-watering Caribbean cuisine will also be held.

Activities begin on October 4 with a two-day media science workshop hosted by CARDI and CTA. The event attracts media representatives from across the Caribbean and features key stakeholders in the agriculture sector. Other workshops will focus on information and communication technology, monitoring and managing pest populations under a changing climate; the development of the coconut industry in the Caribbean; livestock; the implementation and mainstreaming of regional fisheries policies; and agricultural health and food safety.

Education

Zameer Mohamed of Lot 1 Riverstown, Essequibo Coast, was refused bail for causing death by dangerous driving. The 25-year-old appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court on Friday. Mohamed was not required to plead to the indictable charge. He was represented by Attorney Heimraj Rajkumar, who asked for his client to be released on bail.

ever, at a substantial sum. Ramana also asked should bail be granted, that the driver report to the police station as per request.

Prosecutor Krishnadatt Ramana told the court that bail should be granted; how-

However, bail was refused by Magistrate Scarce and the hire car driver was remanded until October 18. According to a po-

lice report, around 13:50h on Wednesday, Lochanie Yaspaul, 51, of Hibernia Village, Essequibo Coast was riding a bicycle along the Hibernia Public Road when she was struck down by a motor car HC 2852 driven by Mohamed. The woman succumbed to her injuries.

The organisers are encouraging those who once farmed and those who have moved on from agriculture, to re-enter the food production enterprise.

This year’s edition of the CWA will feature about 42 activities, including workshop/seminars on modernis-

According to IICA representative in Guyana, Wilmot Garnett, for the first time at the CWA, attention will be placed on the cost of production exercise in the agriculture sector, since it was an area that was often overlooked. “Agriculture is a business, but we find that our farmers don’t write down and document things, so we will be using a template and actually using some commodities, and we will go through this step by step with the farmers on how to ensure they are making money, that they are making a profit. Agriculture is a business and we need to instill that in our farmers, especially the young folks,” Garnett said, and added that there will be a focus on precision farming. Visitors to the event will have an opportunity to tour several places of agricultural interest in Guyana, including the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GuySuCo) Enmore Estate and Packaging Facility, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority’s (NDIA) Hope Canal, the Guyana Rice Development Board’s (GRDB) Burma Research Centre, the Guyana School of Agriculture, the Satyadeow Sawh Aquaculture Centre, the Guyana Livestock Development Authority, the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute and Mangrove Tour, the Hydromet’s Doppler Radar Tower and the Sante Fe Farm.

The state of a vehicle that was recently involved in a road accident on West Coast Demerara

TT places ban on wildlife hunting, increases penalities

The Trinidad and Tobago government has placed a two-year ban on hunting as it moves to protect and conserve wildlife resources.

“A two-year moratorium will be placed on hunting in Trinidad and Tobago with effect from the 2013-2014 hunting season which is scheduled to commence on October 1, 2013,” Environment and Water Minister Ganga Singh he said.

The government said that during the ban a survey would be conducted to get a scientific appreciation of the country’s existing wildlife and natural resources.

“The data analysis from the Mandatory Hunting Return Data Forms conducted by the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the University of Wisconsin for the 1990 to 1993 hunting seasons revealed that the

Cuban diabetic foot drug launches in new markets

Cuba’s Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Centre will launch its diabetic foot ulcer pharmaceutical known as Heberprot-P into new markets, such as Brazil, Peru and some European countries.

Mailyin Palmero, a promotion official with the Havana centre, said that over 125,000 people have been treated with the Cuban drug in other countries, including nearly 100,000 Venezuelans.

The scientific institution is taking part at the 24th International Congress on Orthopedics and Traumatology, underway until today at Havana’s Frank Pais orthopedic hospital.

Heberprot-P was approved five years ago and over this period it has been commercialised in 18 countries, including Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador

catch-hunting effort relationships of the agouti, lappe, red brocket deer, quenk and tatoo had a consistent negative relationship, suggesting that the populations of these animals were being over-exploited.”

Singh added that in addition to the ban, the Office of Attorney General was now reviewing the penalties and fines in the Conservation of Wildlife Act. He said current fines and penalty regime has done little to deter the illegal activities.

As a result, the government is proposing fines be increased from the present low of TT$400 (One TT dollar = US$0.16 cents) to as high as TT$100,000 plus jail sentences from six to 12 months.

Mexico's storms: Death toll up to 97 as Manuel loses force

Mexican authorities say 97 people have been killed by storms that hit the country earlier in the week. In the village of La Pintada, near the Pacific coast, a landslide partially engulfed the town.

At least 15 bodies have been recovered and almost 70 residents are missing, the authorities said. A helicopter involved in the rescue effort in the area has disappeared with three crew members on board, according to Mexican media.

Officials are hoping that the helicopter had to land amid bad weather conditions and that the crew have been unable to update their base on their location. Police

and navy teams were to begin looking for the helicopter early on Friday when visibility improved, the Excelsior newspaper reports. Meanwhile, President Enrique Pena Nieto has announced in a statement that he is cancelling a planned trip to the UN in New York next week to focus on relief efforts.

Tropical Storm Manuel, which on Thursday briefly became a hurricane, has now moved north, forcing hundreds from their homes in Sinaloa state. As it hit land, Manuel brought torrential rain and winds of up to 120km/h (75mph) and caused flash floods in Sinaloa. (Excerpt from BBC News)

U.S. awards millions to support citizenship preparation programmes for Caribbean immigrants

he United States

TCitizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has awarded nearly US$9.9 million in grants designed to prepare Caribbean and other immigrants, who are U.S. permanent residents, for citizenship.

USCIS said 40 immigrant-serving organisations from 21 states will receive federal funding to support citizenship preparation ser-

vices for Caribbean and other permanent residents through September 2015.

Since the programme began in October 2009, USCIS said its Citizenship and Integration Grant Programme has helped more than 66,000 permanent residents in 31 states and the District of Columbia prepare for citizenship. Through September 30, 2015, it is anticipated that

an additional 31,000 permanent residents will receive citizenship preparation services.

“There is a continued need for high-quality citizenship preparation services in communities across the country,” said USCIS director Alejandro Mayorkas.

“This funding will help thousands of permanent residents gain the support they need to learn English and

civics, and embrace the important rights and responsibilities of United States citizenship,” he added. The Citizenship and Integration Grant Programme is part of a “multifaceted effort to support effective citizenship preparation services and provide information to immigrants and immigrantserving organisations.” (Antigua Observer)

Rancher convicted over murder of U.S. nun Dorothy Stang

AThe commercialisation of Heberprot-P is under negotiation in Brazil and Peru, while the medication is being submitted to clinical tests in Europe before its registration, said the official. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

The forum, which is being attended by local and foreign institutions in the field, offers an opportunity to promote the advantages of the Cuban pharmaceutical, which prevents the amputation of lower limbs in patients suffering from diabetic foot ulcers.

Venezuela arrests ex-policemen who shamed new force

Venezuelan authorities on Friday arrested six former policemen who appeared in uniform in a homemade video cursing and firing their pistols in the air, embarrassing a new national force set up to improve the police’s dire image.

The video, widely watched online, prompted fresh criticism of a government that is already under pressure as it tries to reform a patchwork of ill-paid, sometimes corrupt forces that have struggled to handle shocking violent crime rates.

The six young men were all members of the new “Bolivarian” national police force, named for 19th century independence hero Simón BolÍvar and set up by late socialist leader Hugo Chávez.

They were arrested on Friday, a statement from the attorney general’s office said, and will be charged with improper use of their service weapons. They were fired from the police after the video surfaced online this month. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Brazilian court has convicted a rancher for ordering the murder of an American nun over a land dispute – a case that caused international outrage. It is the third time Vitalmiro

Bastos Moura has been tried for Dorothy Stang’s 2005 death after previous convictions were overturned.

Stang, 73, campaigned for 30 years to save rainforest from the interests of wealthy landlords. She had tried to block Moura’s attempts to seize land and was shot six times.

Moura, who was con -

victed in 2007 and 2010 in verdicts that were subsequently overturned, was sentenced to 30 years in

prison. In the latest trial, the judge said Moura had acted in a cold-blooded and cowardly manner.

Prosecutors earlier said Moura and another rancher had hired gunmen to kill Stang. Moura’s lawyers argued there wasn’t enough evidence linking him to the crime.

The death of Stang in the northern state of Para became a symbol of the violent conflict for natural resources in Brazil’s Amazon region.

In the past 30 years, more than 1000 people have been killed in land disputes in Brazil, with some two-thirds of the murders happening in Para.

Former Cayman Islands premier faces new probe

Police in the Cayman Islands have confirmed that they are pursuing another investigation involving former premier McKeeva Bush, this time regarding the alleged misuse of public funds to pay for limousine services in the United States.

The Cayman police issued a statement on Wednesday confirming that Bush, now

leader of the opposition, was questioned on Tuesday by the Financial Crimes Unit in connection with the latest investigation but he had not been arrested.

“Mr Bush was not arrested,” the police emphasised. “He was interviewed in connection with the alleged misuse of public funds to finance limousine services provided by a compa-

ny owned by an employee of the Cayman Islands office in Miami. Enquiries are at an early stage and as such it would be inappropriate to comment further,” an RCIPS spokesperson stated.

According to Bush, when asked about the latest probe, he has done nothing wrong and he told the police the limousine services used in his role as premier when

visiting the U.S. were organised by staff and followed a protocol that had been in place for many years.

“Car services have always been provided by staff in the U.S. since the 1990s, and both security and car services were made available for the premier both here and overseas by the protocol office,” he said. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

The Trinidad and Tobago government said that during the ban a survey would be conducted to get a scientific appreciation of the country’s existing wildlife and natural resources

American nun Dorothy Stang was shot six times over a land dispute

Thousands of Syrian children fleeing country alone, UN agency warns

More than 4000 Syrian children have crossed borders into neighbouring countries without parents or adult relatives, the United Nations children’s agency said today, warning that without the protection of guardians, they remain extraordinarily vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.

UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spokesperson Marixie Mercado told journalists in Geneva that many of the children “were working to provide income back to families, and were desperate to get back to school.”

Of the 4150 Syrian children identified and registered, at least 1698 are in Lebanon where in the Beka’a Valley area, many are swept up and used for agricultural child labour.

In Iraq, the UN agency

estimated that there were 300 newly-arrived unaccompanied and separated children in the north. Jordan is home to about 1170 children, including some as young as nine years old.

Most of these children, Mercado said, are in Za’atari camp, which despite being a makeshift camp housing more than 120,000 people is

Syria details its chemical weapons arsenal

Syria gave details of some of its chemical weapons to the OPCW arms watchdog at The Hague on Friday but needs to fill in gaps by next week to launch a rapid disarmament operation that may avert U.S. air strikes.

At the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the UN-backed agency which is to oversee the removal of President Bashar al-Assad’s arsenal, a spokeswoman said: “We have received part of the verification and we expect more.”

She did not say what was missing from a document one UN diplomat described as “quite long”. The OPCW’S 41-member Executive Council is due to meet early next week to review Syria’s inventory and to agree on implementing last week’s

U.S.-Russian deal to eliminate the entire arsenal in nine months.

The timetable was set down by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov a week ago in Geneva when they set aside sharp differences over Syria to agree on a plan to deprive Assad of chemical weapons and so remove the immediate threat from Washington of launching military action.

That plan set a rough deadline of Saturday for Syria to give a full account of the weapons it possesses.

Security experts say it has about 1000 tonnes of mustard gas, VX and sarin – the nerve agent UN inspectors found after hundreds were killed by poison following missile strikes on rebel-held areas on August 21. (Excerpt from France24)

Jordan’s fourth largest city.

“Each of those children had witnessed, or been a victim of horrific levels of violence,” Mercado said, adding that some children ran for their lives from the fighting, while others went to find relatives who had earlier left. Still others were being sent away to avoid conscription. (Excerpt from UN News Centre)

Countries on alert as Typhoon Usagi closes in

Taiwan, the Philippines and China have issued warnings of torrential rains and destructive gusts as the year’s most powerful typhoon inched closer. With ferocious winds of 205 kilometres per hour, Super Typhoon Usagi is projected to smash into the southern Chinese coast later in the weekend.

At 03:00h GMT on Friday it was centred 1160 kilometres southeast of Hong Kong, officials in the Chinese territory said. “It is the strongest typhoon in the west Pacific region this year,” a weather forecaster at the Taiwan Central Weather Bureau told the AFP news agency.

Philippines authorities issued a signal four alert for the Batanes island group in the extreme north of the country, warning large trees could be uprooted, plantations flattened and power and communications infra-

Iraq's violence: Deadly blasts strike Sunni mosque

At least 15 people have been killed and several wounded after two bombs exploded at a Sunni mosque north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, officials say.

The blasts took place during Friday prayers near the city of Samarra.

Sectarian violence has surged across Iraq in recent months, reaching its highest level since 2008. More than 5000 people have died so far this year in Iraq, 800 of them in August alone, according to the United Nations.

Samarra, a mostly Sunni Arab city, is 100km (62 miles) north of Baghdad.

The attack happened as worshippers entered the mosque around midday for

Friday prayers. “Suddenly a huge explosion took place,” a man wounded in the attack told Reuters news agency.

“Black smoke filled the mosque, we could not see each other. I tried to stand, but I couldn’t as I had some injuries in my legs.”

It is no yet clear who was behind the bombings. Militants have carried out numerous attacks on both Sunni and Shia mosques.

The spike in deadly violence in recent months comes amid rising sectarian and ethnic tensions, triggered in April by an army raid on a Sunni Arab antigovernment protest camp near Hawija. (Excerpt from BBC News)

structure down.

“Damage to affected communities can be very heavy,” the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said. “The situation is potentially very destructive to communities. All travel and outdoor activities should be cancelled.”

The country’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Usagi would cause intense rainfall of 10-20 millimetres per hour within a 700-kilometre range. Hong Kong officials warned of worsening weather in the southern Chinese territory. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Child labour rising among Lebanon’s Syria refugees: UNICEF

Syrian refugees in Lebanon are becoming increasingly reliant on child labour to earn money for families now desperate to maintain basic necessities, the director of the United Nations children’s agency said.

Unlike other host countries, Lebanon has no formal camps to offer a safety net for Syrian refugees. Many are working to provide their own food, clean water and shelter, and children risk being pulled out of school and into the workforce.

“Families are poor and destitute after two and a half years of war... Often, in order to continue living here they have a lot of expenses they need to pay and the

result is children have to work,” said Maria Calivis, the UNICEF regional director for the Middle East and North Africa.

“Many of these children need to get a wage to help their parents have enough to feed them.” In an interview on Thursday, Calivis said that of about 400,000 registered refugee children, only a quarter are enrolled in public schools, leaving aid groups to fill the gap. Many of those who can study are living in informal tented communities with no permanent classrooms. Lebanon has not allowed aid groups to set up formal refugee camps, partially out of a reluctance to make the refugee crisis more visible.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Norway abandons Mongstad carbon capture plans Deadly attacks target Yemen military

The outgoing government in Norway has buried much-vaunted plans to capture carbon dioxide and store it underground amid mounting costs and delays.

The Oil and Energy Ministry said the development of full-scale carbon dioxide capture at Mongstad oil refinery had been discontinued. It said it remained committed to research into carbon capture.

When the Labour Party presented the plan in 2007, it was hailed as Norway’s equiva-

lent of a “Moon landing”. Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and his allies lost a general election to conservatives and centrists this month, and are due to

step down shortly. Mongstad had already run into difficulties. “At both the national and international level, the development of technologies to cap-

ture and store CO2 has taken longer, been more difficult and more costly than expected,” Oil and Energy Minister Ola Borten Moe told reporters. The process was patented back in the 1930s, and it is reckoned to be one of the most important technologies available for tackling greenhouse gas emissions. In another development on Friday, French President Francois Hollande said he wanted to see France reduce fossil fuel use by 30 per cent by 2030.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

At least 38 people have been killed in attacks on military targets in Yemen, officials say, with two car bombs exploding at a base and a separate shooting targeting soldiers.

The car bombs detonated on Friday at a military camp in Shabwah in southern Yemen, officials said. Shabwah, a lawless and rugged province of Yemen, has been the scene of much fighting in recent years between armed groups and the security forces.

A military statement said 20 people – soldiers and police officers – were killed at two posts. Separately, assailants killed about 10 soldiers in an attack on a mil-

itary headquarters in the town of Mayfaah, a security official told the Reuters news agency.

A military statement said that the attacks were carried out by AlQaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the regional branch of the al-Qaeda network. Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra said that though there was no claim of responsibility yet, the attacks bore all the hallmarks of AQAP.

“These type of attacks are always a signature weapon of alQaeda: daring, very sophisticated attacks using bombs planted in vehicles or suicide bombers,” he said.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Over half of Syrian refugees in Lebanon are children

Super Typhoon Usagi is projected to smash into the southern Chinese coast later in the weekend

Roger Harrabin visited the experimental Mongstat carbon capture technology centre last month

Caribbean Flavours and Fragrances (CFF) aims to raise

US$50.6 million through an initial public offer (IPO) of up to 22.5 million ordinary stocks, a 25 per cent stake in the company, on the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) Junior Market on September 25.

A local manufacturer of a wide variety of flavourings and colourings for the food

and pharmaceutical industries, and scents for cleaning and body care items among others, CFF has set a price of J$2.25 per share for the IPO. The proceeds of the IPO will go towards increasing manufacturing capacity and improving existing plant and processes, according to the company prospectus.

More specifically, CFF boss Anand James told

Caribbean Business Report that cash will go towards building a chill room that will stock juices and installing redundancies for equipment to reduce downtime and maintain product quality.

“This new revenue stream – combination of juices and flavours – will be sold to our customers, it’s not to compete with them,” James said. (Jamaica Observer)

Ghana’s growing economy fails to create jobs

Ghana’s economy registered 7.1 per cent growth last year but 23-year-old Jennifer Esi Avemee has had difficulty securing a permanent job since graduating in 2011. “It’s very stressful,” she laments. “It’s very hard to sustain yourself.”

Avemee studied public relations at the Ghanaian

Institute of Journalism and had hoped to secure a job in the field after completing her national service at the Ghanaian Tourism Board in 2012. In previous years it was not uncommon for graduates to be kept on at the institution where they did their service.

However, in 2008 the International Monetary

Fund advised the Ghanaian government to put a freeze on public sector recruitment – except in the areas of health and education – to curb the public sector wage bill, putting a strain on school-leavers and graduates looking for work. The freeze lasted two years and ended in 2011. (allAfrica)

U.S. lawmakers have narrowly voted to cut food stamp benefits from next year despite a veto threat from the White House and opposition by lobby groups.

The Republican-led House of Representatives passed the bill by 217-200. But it has little chance in the Democraticheld Senate. The bill would save US$39 billion (£24 billion) over a decade, but affect

four million people on the programme.

It comes a day after census data showed 15 per cent of Americans live in poverty.

An estimated one in seven Americans – most of them children, elderly or disabled –receive food stamps.

The bill aims to cut US$4 billion a year, representing about five per cent of the current programme. The budget savings would be achieved by

Former Nokia chief executive Stephen Elop, will receive a US$25.4 million (£16 million) pay-off when Microsoft’s deal to buy Nokia’s handset business goes through.

Under the deal, Elop will receive 18 months of his salary and money from incentive and share schemes.

Elop moved from Microsoft to run Nokia in September 2010 and will return to his former employer when the deal is completed.

Microsoft will fund 70 per cent of his pay-off, which has sparked anger in Finland.

The nation’s economy minister, Jan Vapaavuori, reportedly said: “I find it difficult to understand the merits of this bonus.”

Earlier this month Microsoft agreed a deal to buy Nokia’s mobile phone business for US$7.2 billion.

The purchase is set to be completed in early 2014, when about 32,000 Nokia

allowing states to use work requirements for recipients and test applicants for drugs. It would also end waivers to allow able-bodied adults without dependents to receive food stamps indefinitely.

According to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme (Snap), the food programme bill has tripled since 2004 and cost about US$78 billion last year. (BBC News)

India’s central bank caught investors by surprise Friday, hiking interest rates in an attempt to control rising inflation even as growth slows. The bold move, which increased the key rate to 7.5 per cent, was made at the first policy meeting presided over by new Reserve Bank of India governor, Raghuram Rajan.

He also announced the scaling back of some emergency monetary measures introduced a few months ago with the aim of supporting

the falling rupee as investors fled from emerging markets.

The capital flight was triggered by expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve would start to wind down its massive stimulus programme, spelling trouble for the global recovery.

Investors responded poorly Friday, sending Mumbai’s Sensex index down more than two per cent after the announcement. The rupee weakened against the dollar.

The policy moves reflect the dilemma Rajan faces

in trying to prevent inflation spiraling out of control without damaging efforts to revive India’s sluggish growth.

Rajan said the Fed’s decision this week to keep pumping money into markets at current rates had bought India some time to put its economy in order.

“We must use this time to create a bulletproof national balance sheet and growth agenda, which creates confidence in citizens and investors alike,” he said.

employees will transfer to Microsoft. Nokia shareholders are due to vote on the deal on November 19.

In information provided for shareholders ahead of that meeting, Nokia explained in detail Elop’s compensation.

When the deal with Microsoft was signed on September 3, Elop agreed to step down as Nokia chief executive and take a new job at Microsoft when the deal is completed. (BBC News)

The editor of The National, the Abu Dhabi-based daily newspaper, is to leave his role to join GEMS Education as communications chief.

Hassan M Fattah, the former New York Times correspondent, is understood to be joining the Dubai-based education provider as its new communications direc-

tor.

Fattah was originally deputy to Martin Newland, the launch editor who used to be in charge of the UK’s Telegraph. He became editor in 2009 when Newland moved “upstairs” in the role of editorial director.

Speculation that Fattah was leaving The National, which is owned by the gov-

ernment of Abu Dhabi, has been circulating for weeks. A leaked email published by capitalnewyork.com seemed to confirm the move.

“Congratulations on your appointment and welcome to the GEMS group,” wrote a manager at GEMS Education in the email to Fattah, it reported. (Arabianbusiness)

Tips to becoming an outrageously cool entrepreneur (Conclusion)

BY JEFF ROSE

Support please

Last things I’d like to say is all about the support system. One, is having an awesome spouse that is going to support you throughout the whole process. Somebody holding a video cam while you are a driving a car is awesome. So having that to support and motivate you, and sometimes, even second guess and ask, hey is that really a good idea? This may

be that your driving force to push it hard and to really show that person that yes, this is my vision and this is my dream and I’m going to pull it off no matter what it takes.

The other thing is to surround yourself with people who have similar drives and who have similar visions. If you have friends who are always just complaining about having hard times to make ends meet but then they are not doing anything about it, cut and reduce the time you

spend with them. If you go out and you start showing them that hey this is me, and you are fired up and super motivated eventually I hope that you will be contagious.

Try to meet some people who have similar visions, similar drives and similar passions. If you have a hard time finding people locally, then head online. Start a blog, go on twitter, find people that have similar interests as you do and you will be amazed. (Business Dictionary)

21 Cuban-trained Guyanese doctors graduate

Anew batch of Cubantrained Guyanese doctors graduated on Friday, boosting the pool of doctors that are providing health care services to citizens here.

The 21 young doctors received their certificates from Health Minister Dr Bheri Ramsaran during a simple ceremony held at the Grand Coastal Inn, Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara.

The new doctors underwent eight years of training before they were formally certified as doctors. Seven of those years were spent in Cuba.

The occasion was graced by Chief Medical Officer Dr Shamdeo Persaud; head of the Cuban Medical Brigade in Guyana, Dr Maria Del Carmen; Cuban embassy representative Praxedes Lovit Nardet; the professors who trained the new doctors, along with the proud par-

ents of the graduates.

Dr Persaud congratulated the young doctors for realising their dreams of becoming medical practitioners and urged them to move onto higher heights in field of medicine.

“Medicine is always a learning environment, you never stop learning,” Dr Persaud said as he encouraged the new doctors to give of their best in healthcare delivery.

Proud Dr Carmen said she is very proud and satisfied with the “humane scientific” qualities of the graduates. “We are providing the government and Ministry of Health of Guyana with 21 new interior doctors who exceeded a high humane sensitivity, a solid science preparation, capable of solving more than 800 health problems.”

She said the doctors, who

received trainings at the prestigious Cuban School of Medicine, are assuming a high level of responsibility and social commitment to the people of Guyana, and must live up to their expectations.

She also urged the doctors to not only serve Guyana, but also other underdeveloped countries around the world which is in need.

Dreams

Meanwhile, Minister Ramsaran applauded the parents for supporting their children in fulfilling their dreams of becoming doctors, noting that arrangements have already been made with regard to the locations where the new doctors would be stationed.

“You are very special… the population, the government, the nation want to recognise that, but then it brings the demand that you

work well, that you stick to your commitments and that you deliver the services that you promised.

In this regard, we hope that you be good doctors and by being good doctors, we not only mean that you continue educating yourself, not only continue to deliver the services you were taught to deliver, but being good role models and citizens in your community,” the minister said.

He also urged the young doctors to remain in Guyana and serve their country, noting that they should take advantage of some of the benefits available to them, such as the “Young Professional Housing Scheme” initiative of the Housing and Water Ministry.

Of the 21 graduates, two received gold certificates, including Best Performing Student and valedictorian Keridesh Persaud.

Govt fumes over completion of Haags Bosch landfill

Junior Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker has complained bitterly about the slow completion rate of the US$20 million Haags Bosch Sanitation Landfill, funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

The Haags Bosch landfill is approximately 65 per cent completed, but according to Minister Whittaker, it should have completed by now. “We at the Ministry of Local Government are disturbed by this because there is a lot of work to be completed by the 31, December 2013,” the minister told reporters during a press conference at the Local Government Ministry.

He explained that some 35,000 cubic tonnes of earth from cell number one is yet to be excavated. Additionally, construction of the walls and installation of pumps at the Leachate Pumping Station, Number One, are ongoing. “So there is more work to be done, so with the prevailing good weather conditions, our municipal services department and we too are working with the contractor to improve these.” Whittaker remained optimistic that BK International will be able to meet the IDB extended contract deadline on December 31.

But this is not the only problem at the Haags Bosch Sanitation Landfill; the operation of the facility has been experiencing a series of problems.

“There have been reports of smell odour emanating from the site,” Whittaker said, while noting that officers have been complaining about inadequate compaction.

ANSA McAL launches Lucozade promotion

As ANSA McAL re-introduces Lucozade 300ml; in a sporty and classy new plastic bottle that is available at all leading supermarkets, the company is promoting the energy drink by giving away over $1 million in cash.

The promotion commenced on Friday and will end on November 30 with a grand draw that will see lucky customers walking away with US$3000, US$1500 and US$1000.

Apart from the big cash prizes, customers can win up to US$500 every week until the promotion ends in November.

According to Lucozade representative Sean Adel, the packaging design has been heavily influenced by research and development. With the adequate use of new technologies, the company has allowed the manufacturers of Lucozade to come up with the exciting new design.

“The research found ways to preserve the product’s quality in a new advanced hard plastic bottle, thus providing the same quality as glass. With the launch of this new packaging de-

sign, consumers can be assured that the product is the same size (300ml) they are used to, same great taste and same great value,” he added.

He said the product’s new packaging is now safer, portable, has easier storage for customers such as retailers and wholesalers, less damage and importantly, Lucozade is now in

an environment-friendly recyclable bottle.

Adel noted that customers can collect four 300ml Lucozade caps and drop them off at participating locations along with their names, address and telephone numbers. He added that the locations can be found on the Internet at www.lucozadegy.

com.

The Lucozade representative warned against the imitation of Lucozade 380 ml bottles. These, he said are not distributed by the company. He said those people who enter with these caps will be disqualified, explaining that only caps from the 300ml are acceptable.

The representative also disclosed that the promotion is all about giving back to customers who consume the energy drink.

Adel believes that the Lucozade brand has built a strong reputation over the years, and as such, the company will continue to offer a quality product to consumers.

Meanwhile, ANSA McAL Public Relations Officer Darshanie Yusuf said the promotion is about giving back to customers while encouraging them to drink more of the energy drink. The product is not only an energiser, but has been tested and proven to provide an excellent source of glucose energy for persons who required increased physical performance during times of feeling weak.

Compounding the situation is the non-compliance by some operators. “There is an issue of leachate monitoring, there is an issue of waste compaction, there is an issue of environmental monitoring,” he complained.

Nevertheless, he said “We are working with BK Inc to ensure that the construction aspect of this project is concluded within the extended timeline of the agreement, and two, there is substantial improvement consequent on the revised list and personnel.”

In an effort to remedy the situation, there has been a revised list of equipment which has been approved by the IDB, which will improve compaction. Additionally, there is a revised list of personnel who are key and critical not only to construction, but operation of the landfill site.

The Haags Bosch Sanitation Landfill located aback Eccles, East Coast Demerara, commenced operation in the latter part of 2011. It facilitates garbage disposal from Georgetown and 15 neigbourhood democratic councils (NDCs).

Avendor was on Friday placed on self-bail after she appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry to answer to an assault charge. Michelle Nurse of Lot 60 La Grange Old Road West Bank Demerara pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated on September 13 at Bourda, she unlawfully assaulted Samantha Jones.

There were no objections raised by Prosecutor Bharat Mangru and she was placed on her own recognisance. She was also bonded to keep the peace and the matter was transferred to Court Ten for September 25 Vendor remanded for assault

ANSA McAL Public Relations Officer Darshanie Yusuf and Lucozade representative Sean Adel at the launch of the promotion on Friday

Junior Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker

From left seated: Chief Medical Officer Dr Shamdeo Persaud; Cuban Medical Brigade in Guyana Dr Maria Del Carmen; Cuban embassy representative Praxedes Lovit Nardet; and Health Minister, Dr Bheri Ramsaran with the new doctors

SUDOKU

You may need a break today. Steer clear of anyone putting pressure on you or trying to disrupt your personal life with innuendoes. Focus on the people and pastimes that please you the most.

By Bernice Bede Osol

(June 21July 22) (Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Size up your situation and consider the changes required to support your goals and desires. Follow your intuition, and you will tap into a good source of revenue or inspiration.

Put more into your daily care. Refresh your look or treat yourself to something that will help you relax or add to your personal assets. Don’t feel guilty; you deserve the best.

Take note of what others do and say. You don’t want to get in the middle of an incident that could disrupt your personal life. Protect your reputation while being mindful of the needs of others.

(Aug. 23Sept. 22)

(July 23Aug. 22) (Feb. 20-March 20)

You’re in a good cycle to work on improving your life and work. Branch out when it comes to your social life. Romance could be in the cards if you’re open to it.

(March 21-April 19)

Changing your direction or saying one thing and doing another will be frowned upon. Make sure you can follow through before you promise or commit to something or someone.

(April 20-May 20)

Project love, kindness and generosity, and you will overcome any obstacle you face. Adapting to a situation as it unfolds will show versatility and leadership ability.

(May 21June 20)

Speak up and voice your opinion. If you want credit or recognition, you need to increase your participation and step up your leadership. Action will be required on your part.

You may feel eager for change, but make sure you can afford to step outside your budget comfortably. Ask for sound advice if you have doubts.

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

A passive approach to dealing with others will give you the upper hand. Personal information is best kept a secret until you are positive of the outcome. Accept the inevitable.

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Question your motives before you make a move – you don’t want to insult someone or damage your reputation. Solutions can be found in the most unusual ways. Work as a team player.

(Nov. 23Dec. 21)

Head toward adventure by taking part in activities and making new acquaintances. Put a little energy behind what you do and plan to socialise with the people who offer the most excitement.

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Critical works to be undertaken on DHB – only light vehicles over the weekend

Staff of the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) will over the weekend be working on the structure to replace the 35-year old pivots on spans one and two, a very necessary operation as they have become corroded and can collapse if not fixed.

“These works are very critical for the upkeep of the bridge… the pivots based on recollection were never changed…we do not have an option, it has to be changed,” the bridge’s General Manager Rawlston Adams told the media at a press con-

ference yesterday.

To facilitate the timely execution of the work, the public is being advised that the bridge will be closed to heavy traffic (vehicles that weigh 22 tonnes and over) today and tomorrow.

Adams explained that while the pivots are a small component in the whole scheme of the bridge, the preparatory works commenced four months ago. At that time the dredging operations started to allow for adequate floatation for the temporary pontoons that were

installed to aid the changing of the pivots.

The entire project costs over $5 million however, much of the funds went into the preparatory works, which includes the dredging.

The pivots were fabricated by Courtney Benn Construction. One of the original pivots was used as a template to design the ones that will be installed.

Apart from changing the pivots, rehabilitative work will also be done on the distribution beam, frames and saddles.

Govt committed to local govt elections

Junior Local Government Minister

Norman Whittaker said the holding of local government elections remain top on the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) agenda.

“Election is still very high on the agenda of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic. You would know that there is the fifth cycle of continuous registration in progress, you would know also that the necessary legislation to facilitate local government elections is already in place and has been in place for some time,” he told the press at his Kingston Office on Friday.

He pointed out that the Municipal and District Council’s Bill, the Fiscal Transfers Bill, the Local Government Commission Bill and the Local Government (Amendment) Bill which were passed in the National Assembly have been sent to the Attorney General’s Chambers by the Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs. It is currently unclear how long the Attorney General's Chambers will

take to scrutinise the bills before they are sent to the president for his assent.

Asked whether the Local Government Ministry has contacted the attorney general on the progress of scrutiny, Whittaker said “I don’t need to (be in contact), the minister of legal affairs knows what he has to do.”

But the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) had written the National Assembly on the passed bills being sent to the Attorney General’s Chambers. But this did not go down lightly with Isaacs who claimed that the coalition was harassing him.

No harassment

Opposition Leader David Granger cleared the air on Friday during a press conference.”I am not attacking the clerk, I am trying to open a door for him to function and I wrote to the clerk, copied it to the Speaker and the Speaker has now written to the president, so no one is putting pressure on the clerk, it’s pressure on the president.”

Granger said that once bills are passed in

the National Assembly, they should be sent directly to the president and not the Attorney General’s Chambers.

Meanwhile, GECOM Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally said the commission is fully equipped and ready to stage the longanticipated local government elections. According to Dr Surujbally, elections can be held within the next six months, once the president assents to the bills. Currently, the continuous registration exercise is ongoing and will aid in bringing the voters list to perfection. GECOM has already demarcated the various boundaries and constituencies – 71 districts. Each of these areas has been targeted for voters’ education. Further, Dr Surujbally added that with support from foreign donors and funds from the commission’s own budget, finance will not be a problem. This is the first time that GECOM, under the stewardship of Dr Surujbally, will be hosting local government elections. Local government elections were last held in 1994.

National Toshaos Council meeting set for October 21

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abinet has approved funding for the National Toshaos Council (NTC) meeting which will be held during the period October 21 -25 at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC), Presidential Adviser on Governance Gail Teixeira said on Thursday.

The meeting held annually to provide the platform for dialogue and forward planning for Amerindian communities’ development will include an agenda focusing on the report of the NTC executive.

Community development projects (CDPs), presidential grants, Amerindian land titling projects and the opt-in mechanism for Amerindian villages and communities will be the highlight of the five-day deliberations.

The opt-in mechanism provides an opportunity for titled Amerindian villages with forests to vol -

untarily include theirs into a performance-based model that has been ascribed to state forests.

The governments of Guyana and Norway sealed a historic agreement in 2009 for US$250 million in performance-based forest carbon payments by 2015.

Of the total sum, US$115 million has been released from the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF) and disbursed to fund priority projects under the revolutionary Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

Among them are CDPs, designed and approved at the Amerindian community level and land titling. Last year saw a breakthrough for the Amerindians when $1.2 billion from the GRIF was deposited in the Amerindian Development Fund (ADF) after the Guyana government and its implementing partner, the United Nations

Development Programme (UNDP), signed off on the release.

One hundred and sixtysix (166) awaiting CDPs, eight per cent of which were agriculture-based, moved into implementation immediately.

That year, Kato, Kariabo, Batavia, Kambaru, Tasarene, Kangaruma, Rupanau and Rivers View received their land titles.

The year was also one of major disappointment when the political opposition cut funding to the LCDS and halted a number of the priority projects that were to fast-track development in Amerindian communities.

This year like every other, the toshaos will be interacting with the president and his entire team of Cabinet ministers. Senior and community councillors and leaders from all 10 administrative regions will be present.

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Otago cruise to third successive win

Otago Volts completed their victorious run in the Champions League T20 qualifiers with their third comprehensive win, against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday.

Both teams had already made the main draw of the tournament. Otago’s bowlers first stifled the Sunrisers top order before JP Duminy took them to 143, and then their deep batting line-up was barely stretched as they won with 22 balls to spare.

The victory was set up by the McCullum brothers: Nathan dismissed both Sunrisers openers during an economical spell with the new-ball and Brendon’s 33ball fifty spurred Otago to their 13th consecutive T20 win, which brought them joint second with Surrey, behind Sialkot Stallions’ 25 successive victories.

Otago were given a brisk start by openers Hamish Rutherford and Neil Broom, who attacked Ishant Sharma in his first over. Dale Steyn, however, kept it tight from the other end and had Broom caught behind for 16 in his second over. Sunrisers’ introduction of spin in the fourth over did not work, with Rutherford taking Karn Sharma for consecutive fours. Darren Sammy was introduced next and Brendon McCullum pulled him for six first ball.

Rutherford’s brisk innings was also ended by

Steyn, as he tried to pull down the leg side and gloved to the keeper. Amit Mishra gave Sunrisers hope when he bowled the in-form Ryan ten Doeschate with a googly, but No. 5 Jimmy Neesham eased the nerves by attacking the two legspinners over midwicket, bringing the required run rate under six.

Sunrisers were running out of bowling options as Ishant, Karn Sharma and

Sammy were being carted around the ground.

After surviving a stumping, Brendon McCullum virtually ended the chase in the 15th over, when he clobbered Ishant for 22, reducing the equation to 8 from 30 balls. Both Brendon McCullum and Neesham were later dismissed but an Otago victory was a formality.

Though they were without frontline quicks Ian

Seven tested positive at World Athletics Championships

Seven athletes failed drugs tests at August’s World Championships, the International Association of Athletics Federations has announced.

Roman Avramenko of Ukraine, who finished fifth in the men’s javelin, was the only one of the group to reach a final at the event in Moscow.

The IAAF said that all seven have been sanctioned or provisionally suspended.

It had promised a stringent testing programme in Moscow after a recent series of high-profile doping cases.

Former world champion Tyson Gay and ex-100m world record holder Asafa Powell both tested positive for banned substances ahead of the championships.

Their doping positives were made public in July, a month after it was announced that Veronica Campbell-Brown, 200m champion at London 2012, had tested positive for a banned diuretic - something which is viewed as a masking agent by the World AntiDoping Agency.

The 25-year-old Avramenko recorded a personal best throw of 84.48 in June before competing in

Moscow, Vítezslav Vesely of the Czech Republic won the gold medal.

Avramenko tested positive for the steroid dehydrochloromethyltestosterone.

The other athletes found to have tested positive at the World Championships were Massoud Azizi (Afghanistan, men’s 100m), Elyzaveta Bryzgina (Ukraine, women’s 200m), Ayman Kozhakhmetova (Kazakhstan, women’s 20km walk), Ebrahim Rahimian (Iran, men’s 20km walk), Yelena Ryabova (Turkmenistan, women’s 200m) and Jeremías Saloj (Guatemala, men’s marathon).

Butler and James McMillan, Otago had ended Sunrisers’ prolific batting form in the tournament. Nathan McCullum opened the bowling and stifled the openers Parthiv and Shikhar Dhawan, aiming for the stumps from round the wicket. He trapped Dhawan twice in front of the stumps in his first two overs but the umpire turned both the appeals down. He was rewarded later, bowling Parthiv for 12 and getting Dhawan caught at mid-on as the batsman tried to clear the in-field.

Biplab Samantray also survived two appeals, off successive deliveries, when

The IAAF said that in addition to taking urine tests from 538 athletes in Moscow, 1,919 blood samples were collected as part of its Athlete Biological Passport programme, designed to detect abnormalities in an athlete over time.

The president of the IAAF, Lamine Diack, said: “The specialised analyses and the blood samples taken in connection with the Athlete Biological Passport emphasise the IAAF’s firm commitment and resolve to use the most sophisticated methods at our disposal in the fight against cheating in sport.” (BBC Sport)

Neil Wagner struck him in front of the stumps. He soon holed out against Michael Bracewell at long-on, where Bracewell caught the ball, threw it up, stepped over the boundary and back into play to catch it again.

Sunrisers were 45 for 3 and JP Duminy and Cameron White, who came in for Thisara Perera, revived the innings with a 40run stand. Duminy found gaps regularly and rotated the strike with White, who departed for 25 before Sammy gave them another push with two sixes in the 17th over.

Duminy made a 35-ball fifty, and helped score 52 from the last five overs, but Sunrisers needed a lot more to challenge Otago. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD

Sunrisers Hyderabad innings P Patel† b NL McCullum 12 S Dhawan* c ten Doeschate b N McCullum 12 B Samantray c Bracewell b Beard 8 JP Duminy not out 57 C White c B McCullum b Wagner 25 D Sammy c Broom b Beard 26

Extras: (lb 1, w 1, nb 1) 3

Total: (5 wkts, 20 overs) 143

Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-25, 3-45, 4-85, 5-143

Bowling: N McCullum 4-0-23-2, N Wagner 4-0-25-1, J Neesham 4-0-26-0, N Beard 4-0-31-2, R ten Doeschate 4-0-37-0

Otago innings N Broom c †Patel b Steyn 16 H Rutherford c †Patel b Steyn 27 B McCullum* not out 67 R ten Doeschate b Mishra 3 J Neesham c Dhawan b Sammy 21 N McCullum run out (Duminy/†Patel) 1 D de Boorder† not out 1 Extras: (lb6, w2) 8 Total: (5 wkts, 16.2 overs)

Henrik Stenson builds four-stroke lead

Sweden’s Henrik Stenson is on course for the $10 million FedEx Cup bonus as a 66 gave him a four-shot halfway lead at the Tour Championship in Atlanta.

The 37-year-old resumed a stroke clear and sank five birdies to end 10 under.

Masters champion Adam Scott remains second after a 69 - and he and Stenson are two of five players who can claim the bonus with a victory.

World number one and FedEx leader Tiger Woods had five birdies, but six dropped shots in four holes left him four over.

That 73 put him in a tie for 26th place but Woodswho has won five times this season and is seeking to land the FedEx Cup for a third time - could still claim the big prize by finishing as low as 29th in the 30-man field.

In the opening round, the 37-year-old failed to make a birdie for the first time since the 2010 US Open but began well on day two and was two under through 13 holes.

However, his tee shot settled amid the Georgia pines left of the 14th fairway leading to double bogey, another shot went at the 16th and he found the water on the 17th

for a triple bogey.

It added up to Woods returning consecutive over par rounds in a PGA Tour event for the first time time since the 2011 PGA Championship.

“I put everything I had into that start and didn’t have much at the end,” he said. “Just ran out of gas. My legs were just tired. It’s been just a long, long grind.

“I’m still in contention,” he added. “There’s 36 holes. This is not a sprint, it’s tournament golf. It’s a marathon. You’ve got to keep plugging around.”

Stenson, who won the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston, the second of the four FedEx Cup

play-off events, made a superb start to round two at the East Lake Golf Club. His opening approach finished within six feet and he put his tee shot at the par three second to a similar distance for another birdie.

A third birdie arrived at the fourth when he holed from the edge of the greenand even when his tee shot came within inches of the water at the island green parthree sixth, the world number six was still able to salvage par. He chipped up to four feet to birdie the par-five ninth, added another from 20 feet at the 16th, and dropped only one shot at 10. (BBC Sport)

JP Duminy

Brendon McCullum stormed to a fifty off 33 balls (BCCI)

Roman Avramenko

Henrik Stenson

Lara says WI have a formidable group

Port of Spain, TrinidadCricketing great Brian Lara is cautious about the state of West Indies cricket, even though the regional team has risen to fifth on the current ICC Test cricket rankings.

In an interview after a function, on September 10, at the Queen’s Park Oval Ballroom in St Clair, Lara said, “that is a hard judgement call to make. It’s the longer version of the game. Yes we’ve had success, maybe against some of the lesser nations in the world, but success is success and I believe this could be the impetus for us to do something better in the future.”

The multiple world batting record-holder made a call for the regional cricket bodies to pay more attention to the longer version of the game.

“We won the Twenty20 World Cup which is great. We saw the beginning of the CPL which is a great success. I’m someone who believes that the marriage could take place. All forms of the game could benefit from what they have to offer to the world.

I don’t believe that we should feel less attention to any version of the game. Spectators love the Twenty20 version and that’s great.”

He continued, “traditionally, and our heritage over the last 80 or so years, have been our success on the field of Test cricket. From the period of the ’50s and the ’60s when we were fighting for our independence to the ’70s and ’80s when we were really stamping our authority on the world, and unfortunately the period of decline.

“So we have to arrest all situations that we’re in-

If not a cricketer, an Architect – Miller

Kingston, JAMAICA

- The Jamaican sensation Nikita Miller took out some time from his training sessions to answer a few questions asked by Sport Pulse correspondent.

Before posting the entire conversation, Nikita Miller’s career highlights are a must to see. He has played 39 ODIs for West Indies and succeeded in bagging a Test cap to his name as well, but his record in international cricket does not reflect the talent he has got.

The First Class record, however, reflects the true shadow of his talent. A bowling average of just 16 in First-Class cricket in 56 matches can be considered as one of the most sensational stats for a bowling all-rounder. Below is a short chat with the Jamaican star.

Q. How do you think you have changed in terms of your playing after you debuted for W.I.?

for the Jamaica Tallawahs. How was your experience playing with international players?

Nikita: It was brilliant and I loved every minute of it, I learned a lot from that experience, to be advised by the legend in Murali, listening to Sangakkara speak about cricket was priceless. Sharing the field with stars from Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka was a moment that I can’t forget. I just can’t wait for next year and would be aiming to win the league for my team.

volved in and represent our nation in the way that we see it best.”

About the proposed two-Test series in India in November, the 44-year-old stated, “it’s always tough in India. It’s not an easy proposition going down there and winning a series, cricket matches or Test matches.

Sachin (Tendulkar) is such a great player and I’m sure they’ll (BCCI) would want to give him the perfect send-off, if he’s really retiring.

“Looking at West Indies cricket and what we have, with the likes of Chris Gayle, Darren Sammy, the Bravo brothers (Dwayne and Darren) and (Sunil) Narine. I think we’ve got a formidable group of players that we can squeeze something out of a series like that.

“The commitment and the way the guys go out there to play is very important. Switching from one form of the game to the next is something that takes a lot of commitment, a lot of discipline. And we see they’re capable of it.”

Sammy is the captain of the Test and T20 teams while Dwayne Bravo is at the helm of the One-Day International squad.

“I don’t think it’s the perfect situation,” Lara said. “It’s never the perfect situation. We’ve got different forms of the game with different leaders. If that’s the option of the present time, then so be it. But it should not affect how a team performs. Ideally, you’ll like to have somebody who could handle all three forms of the game. You’re a professional, if you look at it in that way, and you’re a member of a team, you have to perform.

(First published in the Trinidad & Tobago

Nikita: I thought is was extremely difficult to play at that stage watching on television but after I actually played I realized that once you are capable skill wise and you believe you can do well and so I did, and I got more confident.

Q. The West Indies selectors keep overlooking you and select other spinners. What are your efforts currently to be a part of the national team?

Nikita: In sports people have a dip in form from time to time and I did and there were a lot of spinners performing regionally so they got their chance and did well so I have to be patient and continue to work hard to get back which I am trying to do at the moment with the West Indies A team in India presently. You have to adopt a never give up mentality or you will fall by the way.

Q. How frustrating is it to not be a part of the national team despite showing a string of good performances?

Nikita: It’s normal to feel disappointed, but I’m working hard and I’m believing it will pay off in good time so I just supporting who is there until my time comes.

Q. You have batted and scored quite a few runs in

FC cricket. Have you ever considered being an allrounder?

Nikita: I am very happy with my performance as a batsman too, and I have always thought over becoming an all-rounder. I am also currently working on that aspect of the game too.

Q. What, according to you, is your most memorable bowling spell and why?

Nikita: Australia versus West Indies at The Wanderers against South Africa. I bowled 10 overs for about 24 runs got 2 wickets, in that I got Ricky Ponting stumped and just the way in which I had one of the best batsman to ever play the game playing was pleasing to me, unsure why he couldn’t score against me freely as the ball was coming out lovely that day.

Q. You recently played

Q. Which format do you prefer most, T20, ODI or Test and why?

Nikita: Test Cricket all the way. It is where the true meaning of cricket is displayed and expressed. ODIs and T20s have their own role in Cricket and should always be a part of our lovely game and so too Test Cricket.

Q. Who is your role model?

Nikita: I don’t have a role model, I believe I can learn from just about anyone. The message is important not the messenger. When asked about what he loves to do besides Cricket, he immediately said about spending time with friends and family. He also told us that he would have really like to be an Architect, if he were not a cricketer. (First published by

I’m standing for elections - Srinivasan

NSrinivasan has said he will stand for re-election as BCCI president at the Indian board’s annual general meeting, to be held in Chennai on September 29.

The announcement is not a surprise but his success, a foregone conclusion a few months ago, is now hostage to several legal and judicial issues that are beyond his control and may crystallise formal opposition to him.

Under BCCI rules, any presidential candidate has to be nominated by two associations from the incumbent’s home zone - south zone in Srinivasan’s case, and that is where the focus is shifting.

As Srinivasan left the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on Thursday after attending a meeting of the board’s marketing committee, he was asked if the other members from south zone were standing besides him.

His response was succinct: “I am going to stand,” he said, before taking a dig at the media for speculating on the numbers game in the event of an election.

While Srinivasan has made his candidature public, it cannot be ascertained at this point if the murmurs within the board opposing Srinivasan’s stubbornness to hold on to the chair

will turn into a credible organised lobby sufficient to match Srinivasan both in terms of stature and power. The early runner seems to be Shashank Manohar, Srinivasan’s predecessor, a lawyer with a no-nonsense yet low-profile attitude.

Interest

Manohar hasn’t yet made any concrete or public move towards returning to job he left in 2011 but it is believed that efforts are on to persuade him to contest against Srinivasan.

One official privy to the developments told ESPNcricinfo that Manohar has shown interest but he is still gauging his support, especially from the south zone.

Manohar, who hails from the central zone, will need a proposer and a seconder from the south zonemost of whose members are staunch Srinivasan loyalists. It is believed that the anti-Srinivasan lobby - comprising senior politicians in New Delhi who are also part of the BCCI top brass - has been exerting political pressure on the Goa Cricket Association to shift its allegiance from Srinivasan.

The same lobby is also working on the Andhra Cricket Association to be the other member needed to set up a candidate. “Our stand is still undecided. We will discuss with our member units and then decide, since there is no hurry as such,” an ACA official said on Thursday.

Chargesheet

Both sides also have an eye on two important legal developments that could impact the election. One involves the IPL fixing case, in relation to which Srinivasan’s son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was arrested in May. Mumbai Police is expected to file its chargesheet any day and the gravity of the charges against Meiyappan could play a part.

Srinivasan himself has already been chargesheeted

- in his capacity as managing director of India Cementsin a corruption case involving a top political leader from Andhra Pradesh. If he is arrested in this case - and it is not impossible, given the high-level political machinations at work - then the board might agree to replace him as the BCCI president, even though the issue has nothing to do with cricket. “If that happens, we will have to find a new face,” a Srinivasan confidant conceded.

It is these uncertainties that the Cricket Association of Bihar has sought to tap into through a public appeal to the BCCI members. The CAB - which is not a part of the BCCI - had filed the petition in Bombay High Court against the constitution of the IPL probe commission and on Tuesday made a “sincere appeal” to BCCI members to reject Srinivasan’s candidature.

“He continues to be in a ‘step aside’ situation as president,” the appeal said.

“The BCCI cannot afford to have a president who will be in a permanent state of ‘step aside’ and not be involved in its day-to-day affairs.”

Despite all this, Srinivasan remains the most powerful person in the board and the man to beat in the elections.

(Cricinfo)

Nikita Miller

Brian Lara makes a point during interview

N Srinivasan

Keen battle expected between Universal DVD Young Warriors and Albion on Sunday

The final of the Berbice Bridge Company first division 50-over cricket competition in Berbice bowls off on Sunday at the Cumberland ground between Universal DVD Young Warriors and Albion Community Centre.

Even though Albion will be without West Indies middle order batsman, Narsingh Deonarine, and West Indies A left-arm spinner, Veerasammy Permaul, presently in India with the West Indies A team, they will start as favourites. Former West Indies and right arm leg-spinner, Devendra Bishoo, and West Indies Under-19 selectee, Gudakesh Motie, scheduled to return on Saturday from the WICB spin bowling camp, will feature in the game.

Their bowling will be backed up by off-spinners, Andre Percival, the team coach, former Guyana Under-17 all-rounder Verapen Permaul, Sharaz Ramcharran and the parttime leg-spinner and former test batsman Sewnarine Chattergoon. The team’s batting will be led by Chattergoon, former Guyana T20 batting star Jonathan Foo, Guyana wicketkeeper/ batsman Anthony Bramble, Ramcharran, Permaul, Percival and Kandasammy Surujnarine.

Young warriors will miss the services of Guyana batsmen, Gajanand Singh and Richard Ramdeen, who are both in the U.S.A. However, they have three other batsmen, who have represented Guyana at the youth level - Seon Hetmyer, Linden Austin and Kevin Ramdeen.

They will be backed up by Vishal Mohabir, Mortimer Fraser, Khemraj Sumair, Suresh Dhanai and wicketkeeper/batsman, Ishwar Singh. They will come strong with their spin attack, led by in-form leg-spinner Ramdeen, left-arm spinner, Karamchand Ramnarine, off-spinner Hubern Evans and left-arm spinner, Anil Beharry.

They also have the medium pacers Suresh Dhanai, Kassim Khan and Vishal Mohabir.

The umpires officiating are Imran Moakan and Zaheer Moakan with Clement Brusch, the standby.

The match is scheduled

to start at 09:30h. Officials of the Berbice Cricket Board and the Berbice Bridge Company Inc. are expected to meet the teams before the commencement of play.

Albion Community Centre: Devendra Bishoo (captain), Sewnarine Chattergoon, Jonathan Foo, Kandasammy Surujnarine, Sharaz Ramcharran, Anthony Bramble (wicketkeeper), Andre Percival, David Latchaya, Gudakesh Motie, Balchand Baldeo, Verapen Permaul, Avinash Wajib, Satesh Dwarka, Muthuswami Permaul (Manager)

Universal DVD Young Warriors: Anil Beharry (Captain), Shimron Hetmyer, Mortimer Fraser, Vishal Mohabir, Khemraj Sumair, Seon Hetmyer, Kevin Ramdeen, Karamchand Ramnarine, Ishwar Singh, (wicketkeeper), Kassim Khan, Suresh Dhanai, Hubern Evans, Royden Phil, Ricardo Bahadur, Sahadeo Singh (Manager)

K&S Kings rebound to beat Pistons 53-43

The return of captain Steve Neils Jr sparked Kashif and Shanghai Kings to their first win of the Trophy Stall Regulation Open basketball championship on Wednesday at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court.

After being upset by Block 22 Flames in their opening game, the number one ranked Kings rebounded to top Wismar Pistons 5343. Neils Jr was absent for the first game against Block 22 Flames but showed his

worth against the Pistons with his leaderships skill rubbing off on his team, allowing their offense to flow.

Neils scored 12 points in the encounter while creating space for centre Omally Sampson to go to work in the post.

Sampson, who only scored six points in the first game, came back for a game high 14 points to aid in the win.

Dwight Cooper also had 14 points while Kurt Bascom registered 13 for Pistons.

Xavier clinches pools, billiards titles at Banks DIH sports programme

Anthony Xavier secured the billiards and pools titles at last weekend’s Banks DIH Limited sports programme held at the sports club, Thirst Park.

Xavier, of the Sales Department, defeated Outdoor Sales Manager Mortimer Stewart (Sales Department) in the billiards final 120 points to 64. Xavier also got the better of Dave Singh of Soft Drink Plant in the pools final to cap an outstanding day in the cue games.

Essequibo Branch Manager Muniram Singh (16 games) was crowned domino “king” with victory over Geoffrey La Rose of Linden (13 games) and Terry Liverpool of Vehicle Workshop, third, with 12 games in the final.

Ann Josiah of Security Department marked 17 games to claim the “queens” domino crown from Goleen Ferguson of Sanitation and Sheron Douglas of Electrical Department, who both ended on 12 games.

However, Ferguson copped the second position by virtue of having more sixes than Douglas.

Mubianbo King of Brewery retained his table tennis title after playing unbeaten in the five-man playoffs.

King secured 16 points to beat into second position Communications Manager

Troy Peters, who ended with 12 points, losing only to King, while third place was taken by Rayan Faria of Berbice, who secured eight points.

Essequibo Branch scored an exciting four-wicket win over Berbice in the 12-over tapeball cricket semi-finals and will now meet Soft Drink Plant in the final.

Berbice made 73 runs in their allotted 12 overs and

Essequibo hit off the required runs for the loss of six wickets. Sales Department will battle with Distribution Warehouse in the five-a-side football finals. Stores ‘B’ will square off with Workshop ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams in the team domino finals. The dates for the cricket, team dominoes and football finals will be decided shortly.

Courts junior tennis tournament knockout stage serves off today

The country’s top junior tennis players will be on show this weekend in the knockout stage of the Courts Junior tennis tournament from 09:00h.

Afruica Gentle, Keshon Beaton, Gavin Lewis, Daniel Lopes, Nicola Ramdyhan are among several of the top players who will be hitting the courts at the Racquet Centre, Woolford Avenue, and the National Park today and Sunday.

With their regional experience, Keshon Reece and Jordan Beaton, seeded one

and two respectively, will seek to advance beyond the Boys’ 14’s division. Reece opens against Nkosi Beaton while Beaton will be flexing going up against newcomer Dwight Ferguson.

The dark horse of the category is Keenan Persaud, who also competed recently in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Meanwhile, at the Racquet Centre on Sunday, all eyes will be on the boys and girls 18’s division where the seasoned crop of junior players who recently

returned from international duties will be in action.

The first semi-finals in the boys 18’s pit’s Gavin Lewis against Keshon Beaton. In the second semi-finals hard-hitting Daniel Lopes will find the going tough when he comes up against Roraima’s Craig Campbell. The girls’ semi-finals look relatively easy for top players Afruica Gentle and Nicola Ramdyhan.

Gentle takes on Diana Bharat in the first encounter at the National Park while Ramdyhan battles Johanna Ramsammy.

Devendra Bishoo

Shimron Hetmyer

Anthony Xavier

Afruica Gentle Daniel Lopes Nicola Ramdyhan

Steve Neils Jr

Berbice players meet in final practice match today

- underwent BEEP/fitness tests on Friday

New Amsterdambased Universal DVD will be sponsoring today’s practice game involving members of the Berbice squad for this year’s Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Pepsi Senior Intercounty 50 overs tournament that bowls off today.

Owner of the store Vicram Seubarran, said today’s game that bowls off at 09:30h, can be used to assess the players who were

in the training sessions at Albion.

Former Guyana and West Indies opener Sewnarine Chattergoon and hard-hitting middle order batsman Jonathan Foo, were named captains of the two teams. Chattergoon’s team reads: Sewnarine Chattergoon, Anthony D’Andrade, Seon Hetmyer, Rajiv Ivan, Anthony Bramble, Eon Hooper, K Hassan, Clinton Pestano, Keon Fraser and

Kevin Ramdeen. Foo’s XI include: Jonathan Foo, Shimron Hetmyer, Surujnarine Kandasammy, Devon Clements, Krisendat Ramoo, Shawn Pereira, Keon Joseph, Romario Shepherd DeJonge, Joemal LaFleur, Yogindra Harrinarine and Jason Sinclair.

Meanwhile, GCB Chairman of Selectors Rayon Griffith travelled to

Berbice on Friday morning to supervise and assist with the fitness test for the players named in the Berbice squad.

In an invited comment after the more than twohour session, Griffith said he was pleased with the level of fitness displayed by the Berbicians, although some of them are weak in certain areas. He challenged them to play as a team and give of their best in the upcom-

ing tournament.

“Some of you are strong in the agility area, speed and fitness while some of you are lacking. It is best advisable that the weak work with the strong, to not only develop that person in that specific area, but also help develop cricket from the club level, to the Inter-Association, County and later at the national level.

Having said that, we will

continue to look at you guys closely, since the results from these tests tells us as selectors, who have been doing work in the off season and who was not and once things go according to plan, we may have two more of these sessions, before the Super50 is played next year” said Griffith.

Apart from Griffith, Hubern Evans and Julian Moore assisted with the fitness test of the players.

GBA, ANSA McAl launch street boxing …first stop Linden today

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), in conjunction with ANSA McAl, revealed on Friday that amateur boxing will be hitting the streets from today in Linden, with action expected to start from 20:00h.

The tournament will see the winner walking way with a handsome prize voucher from ANSA McAl, under the Mackeson brand.

The round robbing tournament will see box -

ers competing in four categories namely -lightweight (60k), junior welterweight (64k) welterweight (69k) and middleweight (75k).

President of the GBA Steve Ninvalle, at the press conference held at ANSA McAl’s headquarters, Beterverwagting, thanked the company for supporting the initiative.

“We at the level of the Guyana Boxing Association will want to say a heartfelt

thanks to Mackeson and ANSA McAl for coming onboard with us.

“These competitions will be used to showcase what we have at the amateur level and also it will be used to showcase and to bring untapped talent towards the sport,” Ninvalle told media representatives.

Further, Ninvalle also noted what such a tournament of this nature can mean for the future of box-

ing in Guyana: “This is a shot in the arm for amateur boxing; I don’t think anything of this nature has happened before because of the fact that we will be having four divisions that persons will be competing in.”

Mackeson Brand Manager Jamal Douglas was also enthused by the nature of event and revealed that Mackeson will be onboard for the sustenance of the tournament.

“Mackeson is proud to be a part of this competition with the Guyana Boxing Association… Mackeson is going to do this event yearly and we are very excited to have street boxing.

“We’re going to take the ring put it in the middle of the tarmac have the communities come out and I want to also say this event is free,” Douglas mentioned at the press conference.

Further, Ninvalle stressed that the tourna-

ment should re-energise the Linden community to support the sport more.

“This is also part of us trying to whet the appetite of amateur boxing in Linden and try to re-ignite their enthusiasm for the sport there, so it’s like killing seven birds with one stone,” Ninvalle stated.

The competition will find its way to Georgetown on September 29 before heading to Berbice for the grand finale.

Berbice players going through their paces on Friday

In preparation for the Inter-County tournament, Berbice players went through one last BEEP test

GBA, ANSA McAl launch street boxing

Defending champs Demerara face Essequibo today

The Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground will come alive today for the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Pepsi senior Inter-County 50 overs tournament from 09:00h.

Defending champions Demerara, led by West Indies T20 all rounder Christopher Barnwell, will take on perennial whipping boys Essequibo.

Demerara has five openers in the side: Trevon Griffith, Rajendra Chandrika, Shemroy Barrington, newcomer Andrew Lyght Jr and Robin Bacchus.

Their middle order include Barnwell, Guyana Amazon Warriors teammate, Steven Jacobs, Derwin Christian and bowling all-rounder Zaheer Mohamed.

Amir Khan, Shaquille Williams and the three fast

bowlers - Andre Stoll, Kellon Carmichael and Paul Wintz - are no pushovers with the bat either. Wintz, Stoll and Carmichael will take care of the new ball with support coming from Barnwell and Bacchus; spinners Khan, Williams, Jacobs and Mohammed, will add support.

On the other hand, national T20 selectee Dillon Heyliger and former Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) fast bowler Gilford Moore are some of the players in the Royan Fredericks-led Essequibo lineup.

Heyliger was selected to represent Guyana in the 2012 West Indies Cricket

Board Caribbean T20 tournament, but found it difficult to make the final 11, while Moore played a few games for CCC in the tournament.

Their experience and that of Fredericks, Heyliger’s older brother, Jason, and the unrelated Anthony and Ricardo Adams should enable the team from the

Cinderella County to compete admirably.

National Under-19 spinner Herry Greene may prove to be a handful against the opposition batsmen.

The ever-improving Kemo Paul and Mark Tyrell should add valuable support to Moore in the fast bowling department, especially in the absence of national fast

bowler Ronsford Beaton. Anthony Adams, Greene, Jason Heyliger and to a lesser extent, Ricardo Adams, will form the spinners of team.

Essequibo: Royan Fredericks (captain), Anthony Adams (Vicecaptain), Ricardo Adams, Ricardo Peters, Jason Heyliger, Sheldon Alexander, Dillon Heyliger, Mark Tyrell, Vishwanauth Lall, Kevon Boodie, Vijay Surujpaul, Herry Greene, Kemo Paul and Gilford Moore.

Demerara: Christopher Barnwell (captain), Steven Jacobs, Trevon Griffith, Robin Bacchus, Andrew Lyght, Rajendra Chandrika, Shemroy Barrington, Derwin Christian, Zaheer Mohammed, Amir Khan, Andre Stoll, Paul Wintz, Kellon Carmichael and Shaquille Williams.

Otago Volts 144-5 (B McCullum 67*, Steyn 2-13) beat Sunrisers Hyderabad 143-5 (Duminy 57*, N McCullum 2-23) by five wickets

From left Public Relations Officer for Ansa McAl Darsganie Yusuf, Jamal Douglas, Steve Ninvalle and Technical Director of the GBA Terrence Poole

Christopher Barnwell

Trevon Griffith

Gilford Moore Dillon Heyliger