Guyana Times Daily 29th Oct 2013

East Street Nursery School reopens P2

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 1936 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Anti-money laundering bill

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

See story on page 3

Move the bill forward – Western diplomats urge

P2 New Argentine ambassador to Caricom presents credentials

Jamaica, P10 The Bahamas and TT lead Caribbean in improving business climate Regional P10 parliaments need strengthening – CPA congress told President Donald Ramotar with graduates, lecturers, and tutors of the National School of Theatre Arts and Drama at the National Cultural Centre (NCC) on Monday

$1B hardware store opens doors See story on page 13

Former clerk slams current Parliament See story on page 12

Elderly man shot during robbery P11 WWF mounts major scientific expedition P17 in Guyana

2 news

tuesday, october 29, 2013 | guyanatimeSGY.com

Randy Jagdeo, wanted for biker’s East Street Nursery murder, surrenders School reopens

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fter almost two months, Water Street businessman Randy Jagdeo, 28, of Lot 159 Third Street, Alexander Village finally surrendered to the police. He was wanted for the murder of well-known biker Kirk Davis at his Eccles, East Bank Demerara home on September 3.

Jagdeo turned himself in to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) just after lunch on Monday in the company of his lawyers, and was expected to be charged with the capital offence of murder

by Wednesday. He has since given a written statement to the police in connection with the shooting which is being reviewed by the top ranks of the Guyana Police Force Guyana Times was reliably informed that Jagdeo returned from Holland on Wednesday last and was encouraged by his father to turn himself in.

This publication understands that Jagdeo had contacted the relatives of the dead man, expressing his remorse. A wanted bulle-

Murder suspect, Randy Jagdeo and the now deceased, Kirk Davis in happier times

tin was issued for Jagdeo on September 9, days after Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell revealed his identity as the prime suspect during a vigil at the Brickdam Police Station by the dead man’s relatives.

Good friends

Interpol was also contacted by the local authorities to assist in locating the businessman. He was later spotted in Suriname purchasing clothes by his friends who were not aware that he was wanted for

murder. He subsequently made his way to Holland via Suriname.

Davis and Jagdeo were good friends, and the murder caused many to speculate as to the motive.

Rumour was rife that Davis was having a relationship with the suspect’s wife.

It was reported that prior to the execution of Davis who was shot 15 times, the businessman reportedly found out that more than $32 million was missing from a safe in the house to which his wife and his fa-

ther had the secret code.

He believed that his wife had given the money to Davis to open a business. In light of the missing money, Jagdeo went to the home of Davis.

On the fateful night, Jagdeo appeared in front of Davis’ property on Seventh Street, Eccles in silver Toyota Premio, accompanied by his wife, but not before calling the biker and asking him to meet him at the car when he arrived.

Davis reportedly walked towards the car and went straight into the back passenger’s seat where an argument started.

During the argument, the businessman reportedly took out a 9mm pistol with extended clips and shot his wife twice, forcing her to divulge information about the money and the relationship.

He then allegedly turned the gun on Davis and shot him. It is further alleged that the murder suspect got out of the driver’s seat, pulled out the biker from the car, and continued to shoot him.

New Argentine ambassador to Caricom presents credentials

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ewly-appointed Argentine Ambassador to Caricom, Luis Alberto Martino, on Monday, expressed his country’s willingness to coordinate, consult, and cooperate with the 15-member regional bloc.

He was speaking during an official ceremony at the Caricom Secretariat headquarters, Turkeyen, Guyana where he presented his letters of credence to Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque.

Ambassador Martino is the first Argentine ambassador to Caricom.

Secretary General

LaRocque, in his remarks at the ceremony, said the reopening of embassies as well as the establishment of new missions in Caricom member states were testament to the commitment of Argentina to the deepening of relations.

“The unwavering support that Argentina has given to Haiti in the aftermath of that country’s 2010 earthquake, in addition to the areas for cooperation being developed between Argentina and Caricom member states at the bilateral level, all send a very powerful message of Argentina’s determination to enhance its relations with

Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque shakes hands with newly-appointed Argentine Ambassador to Caricom, Luis Alberto Martino, following an official ceremony where the Argentine ambassador presented his letters of credence to the secretary general

the region,” LaRocque said.

The secretary general also expressed hope that a meeting of the Caricom Argentina Joint-Commission would be held as soon as possible to explore areas for further cooperation at the regional level in the political, commercial, economic, scientific, technical, and cultural fields.

LaRocque said he looked forward to Argentina’s support as Caricom sought to advance the interests of small vulnerable economies in international fora. He said he felt confident that “with increased technical cooperation, cultural links will evolve creating opportunities for greater interaction between the people of Argentina and the Caribbean Community”.

Ambassador Martino said his government was ready to start working toward an “agreement between the Argentine Republic and the Caribbean Community

to establish a Standing Joint Commission on Consultation, Cooperation, and Coordination”. He stated that Argentina hoped to “strengthen ties and develop new areas of integration with the Caribbean under the paradigm of south-south cooperation”.

The Argentinian ambassador also used the opportunity to reiterate the interest of his Foreign Affairs Minister Héctor Timerman in participating in the meeting of the Council of Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) in 2014 to speak to the political situation in the region and convey the vision of the Argentine government on that matter.

According to the ambassador, Minister Timerman would also wish to reaffirm a proposal to Caricom for the establishment of a regional office in Buenos Aires.

(Caricom Secretariat)

Education Minister Priya Manickchand does a bit of teaching shortly after commissioning the school

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he Education Ministry on Monday commissioned the brand new East Street Nursery School, which comfortably accommodates 152 pupils.

At a simple ceremony, Education Minister Priya Manickchand expressed delight in being able to commission the school just after Guyana was announced winner of five of the eight awards offered by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) level.

She emphasised that in order to do well at CSEC, the proper foundation must be laid during the formative learning years during which nursery education plays a pivotal role.

According to a report by the ministry, Manickchand spoke of how Guyana continues to make progressive strides with an education sector that is rapidly improving. “This education sector is at the highest point it has ever been. Just recently, we graduated the highest number of teachers this country has ever seen – about 849 trained teachers graduated from the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE). We are paying our teachers the best salaries they have ever enjoyed in this country; and this will only improve under this government. And we do not feel as a government that we are doing the people a favour.

We believe that when we provide the infrastructure and all the necessary mechanisms to enable learning in the education system, that we are fulfilling the mandate the people of Guyana have given us when they selected us to be their servants,” the minister told the gathering.

Working partnership

The minister emphasised that a school was more than a building. She said while schools required good and proper buildings, and while the government stood committed to providing durable modern infrastructure – a good school meant a work-

ing partnership of teachers, parents, pupils and the community at large. “A good school requires a good physical infrastructure, a good headmistress who is professional and an astute manager, as well as teachers who are committed to using their training to ensure they get the very best from the students for whom they are responsible,” the minister added.

Teachers must continue to develop themselves, she underscored. “A good teacher is one who continues to voluntarily develop him or herself in the latest teaching techniques and strategies, and who is willing to try new things in the classroom in an effort to affect better learning among the children they teach.”

Parents were asked to play a more visible and active role in the lives of their children while they were in school. “Parents, you have to be more involved in the life of your children… we have to get your full support and partnership… we are looking for your deep interest in your children.”

The minister pointed out that the East Street Nursery pupils are benefiting from a programme called Roraima Readers. “The aim of this programme is to have every child read by grade four; not only to read but to be literate – to be able to read and comprehend,” she said.

The minister thanked the parents gathered for their patience and understanding regarding the late opening of the school this term. She commended them on their refrain from protest action and thanked them for being decent civilised Guyanese who, through their responsible actions, set an example for others to follow.

The contractor who built the school was present and symbolically handed over the keys to the building to the headmistress in the presence of the minister. A plaque was unveiled and a short tour of the school was conducted as the commissioning ceremony concluded.

News

tuesday, october 29, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Tuesday, October 29 from 13:30h to 15:00h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Tuesday, October 29 from 13:00h to 14:30h.

WEATHER TODAY Weather: Thundery showers are expected to prevail in coastal and near inland locations over the next 24-hour period. Temperatures may range between 24 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly between zero to 2.5 metres per second.

High Tide: 12:39h reaching a maximum height of 2.22 metres.

Low Tide: 06:03h and 18:36h reaching minimum heights of 1.01 metres and 1.00 metre respectively.

saturday, october 26, 2013

LOTTERY NUMBERS N 02 13 22 27 14 26 21 FREE TICKET

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

Daily Millions

02 09 13 16 18 LUCKY 3

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Anti-money laundering bill

Move the bill forward – Western diplomats urge

By Svetlana Marshall

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ess than 72 hours before the sitting of the National Assembly, the envoys of two Western powers are advocating for the political parties to support the passage of a strong Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, warning that the effects of being blacklisted can be damaging.

During an exclusive interview with Guyana Times, U.S. Ambassador D Brent Hardt and his UK counterpart, Andrew Ayre said the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) should put forward its proposal when the House convenes. It is anticipated that the bill will soon be read in the House for a third time before it is debated.

Accusing the APNU of employing delaying tactics ahead of the November 18 deadline set by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) concluded the work of the parliamentary special select committee in the absence of the opposition last week.

However, Ambassador Hardt believes that the opposition can still make its case.

“If the main opposition has amendments or ideas it thinks can make the legislation stronger, to make sure that it meets all of CFATF’s standards, they should put those on the table and debate them and move the legislation forward.”

Delays

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In noting another delay the bill may face if passed in the National Assembly, the ambassador said, “I don’t know what that process is from approval to assent; I mean the local government bills, that process has taken three months, so I am not sure if this could move more quickly or not.”

He added that the United States is a strong supporter of regimes across the world that

British High Commissioner Andrew Ayre

U.S. Ambassador to Guyana, D Brent Hardt

are instituting systems to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorist acts. On the local scene, the U.S. embassy has been engaging the government, the opposition, the private sector and other stakeholders on the issue of compromise. Based on extensive discussions, the U.S. ambassador opined, all are in favour of ensuring that Guyana has strong and effective antimoney laundering legislation.

"I think we would have seen that there is broad consensus on the importance of the antimoney laundering legislation and the need to have more effective investigative capacity.”

Ambassador Hardt outlines the basis of such compromise, explaining that the governing party rightly underscores the importance of the legislation to the survival of Guyana’s economy, while APNU, for its part, has emphasised the need for the legislation to be as “strong as possible”. APNU continues to express concerns about the weakness of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), which was established approximately four years ago under the current Anti-Money Laundering Act. Turning his attention to the Alliance For Change (AFC), Hardt said this party has linked the passage of the bill to the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission. "The Public Procurement Commission is something that all the parties have said they want and sup-

ported and the private sector has said they want and support , so when you put it all together you have something that the government and the opposition and other stakeholders, all support and all want," he said while alluding to the win-win scenario.

Hardt said the parties should look at a possible trade-off or simply work out a way to propel the work of the National Assembly. “I hope that the parties will come together and see this is the case where we could advance national interest,” said the optimistic ambassador.

If Guyana is blacklisted owing to its failure to comply with the requirements imposed by CFATF, the effects can be farreaching. “If Guyana is blacklisted, it will have an impact not just on U.S. institutions, but more broadly, countries will move to implement what they call countermeasures to protect their banking systems from their interactions with what is deemed a high-risk financial sector,” the envoy said.

Local banks will encounter difficulties when conducting transactions with corresponding institutions internationally. The domino effect will see the cost of business skyrocketing, and the average citizen that depends heavily on remittances will also be affected.

Financial stability

The British high commissioner also underscored the importance of the legislation,

noting that it will guarantee Guyana’s financial stability.

He said approximately two years after the general election, it was clear that “compromise” was the way forward. “… in fact, there is no other country that I have worked in that has a minority government that has been able to put forward its policies without, on occasion, compromising with the opposition.”

High Commissioner Ayre said the interest of the people should be placed on top of the agenda.

"We have indeed approached all political parties for discussion on this topic, a topic which is very important for the future of Guyana's financial stability. It remains the topic of the highest importance to us all. ” He also expressed hope that Parliament would ensure swift passage of strong amendments to the legislation.

The British envoy is also a strong believer that the FIU requires strengthening, which will enable it to pursue investigations into complex and serious financial crime. Turning his attention to the Public Procurement Commission, he said it should be established, noting that maintaining a high level of transparency is paramount: "I think it is worth pointing out that in developed countries, there is no such [Cabinet] oversight, and the Public Procurement Commission should be independent from Cabinet and from government."

Meanwhile, APNU executive member Basil Williams told Guyana Times that it was likely that the opposition would not support the amended bill when it was brought before the National Assembly.

“That document was solely compiled by the PPP, so I don’t see in any way how we can support a document that we were not involved. in” However, he added that the coalition may put forward its amendments. (svetlanam@guyanatimesgy. com)

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, october 29, 2013

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

Editorial

Encouraging news on TB

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ccording to the 2013 Global Tuberculosis Report of the World Health Organisation (WHO) published last week, tuberculosis (TB) treatment has saved the lives of more than 22 million people. The report is based primarily on data provided by WHO’s member states. In 2013, data were reported by 178 member states and a total of 197 countries and territories that collectively have more than 99 per cent of the world’s TB cases.

The report reveals that the number of people ill with TB fell in 2012 to 8.6 million, with global TB deaths also decreasing to 1.3 million. It confirms that the world is on track to meet the 2015 United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) target of reversing TB incidence, along with the target of a 50 per cent reduction in the mortality rate by 2015 (compared to 1990).

A special “Countdown to 2015” supplement to this year’s report provides full information on the progress to the international TB targets. It details if the world and countries with a high burden of TB are “on-track” or “off-track” and what can be done rapidly to accelerate impact as the 2015 deadline approaches.

Insufficient resources for TB are at the heart of both challenges. TB programmes do not have the capacity to find and care for people who are “hard to reach”, often outside the formal or state health system. Weak links in the TB chain (a chain that includes detection, treatment and care) lead to such people being missed.

On the second challenge, the problem is not only that the links in the MDR-TB chain are weak, but that the links are simply not there yet, the report suggests.

While the number of people detected worldwide with rapid diagnostic tests increased by more than 40 per cent to 94,000 in 2012, three out of four MDR-TB cases still remain without a diagnosis. Even more worrying, around 16,000 MDR-TB cases reported to WHO in 2012 were not put on treatment, with long waiting lists increasingly becoming a problem.

Furthermore, many countries are not achieving high cure rates due to a lack of service capacity and human resource shortages.

A further challenge identified relates to the TB and HIV co-epidemic. While there has been significant progress in the last decade in scaling-up antiretroviral treatment for TB patients living with HIV, less than 60 per cent were receiving antiretroviral drugs in 2012. This, the report urges, must improve. Hence, the report recommends five priority actions that could make a rapid difference between now and 2015: 1. Reach the three million TB cases missed in national notification systems by expanding access to quality testing and care services across all relevant public, private or community based providers, including hospitals and NGOs which serve large proportions of populations at risk.

2. Address with urgency the MDR-TB crisis. Failure to test and treat all those ill with MDR-TB carries public health risks and grave consequences for those affected. High-level political commitment, ownership by all stakeholders, adequate financing and increased cooperation are needed to solve bottlenecks in drug supply and build capacity to deliver quality care.

3. Intensify and build on TB-HIV successes to get as close as possible to full antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage for people co-infected with TB and HIV. 4. Increase domestic and international financing to close the resource gaps – now estimated at about US$2 billion per year – for an effective response to TB in low- and middleincome countries. Full replenishment of the Global Fund is essential, given that most low-income countries rely heavily on international donor funding, with the Global Fund providing around 75 per cent of financial resources in these countries.

5. Accelerate rapid uptake of new tools – through technology transfer and operational research to ensure that countries and communities most at risk benefit from these innovations.

We believe that these targets are possible, but governments and health officials would need to take urgent steps, including making the necessary investments in certain priority areas to further reduce TB cases.

President Donald Ramotar (left) and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds (right) were part of the contingent participating in the University of Guyana’s 50th anniversary walk from Queen’s College, the site of the first campus, to the current campus at Turkeyen early Saturday morning

Apartheid in education in Guyana

Dear Editor, The dust in the controversy generated by the 2013 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) results has long settled. And, as has been the case over the years, we will await the results in 2014 for a new round of arguments.

But when the leader of a major political party in this case, David Granger, makes a charge, one that has been re-echoed and re-interpreted by others in and out of politics, that we have the return of apartheid in education in Guyana, then it is time for us to take note.

In an ethnically contentious society, such a charge is not without profound implications and consequences.

Given the fact that Granger is the head of an ethnically based political party that makes no secret of its primary concern for the welfare of its constituency and the fact that he spoke to an audience of the same ethnic make-up, the statement acquires even greater significance.

While some have sought to explain what Granger may have meant, there is nothing that can be done to add another hue to the term apartheid. It clearly and unequivocally refers to a system or policy of racial dominance, discrimination and segregation. No amount of interpretation or engineering could alter the connotation of the word to mean ability to pay for education, as one writer has put it.

And, no matter how obnoxious a system is based on ability to pay, on this ground alone it cannot be deemed to

be apartheid.

If there was any ambiguity in Granger’s statement as to the meaning of the word “apartheid”, then enough light was shed on it in a subsequent letter from Dr David Hinds, who referring to the Granger statement, concluded that the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) results of 2013 revealed a class polarisation that “has an ethnic look about it”. How justified was this conclusion, and on what solid empirical foundation does it stand? Let us see.

This year, over 13,500 students wrote CSEC. The Education Ministry declared two sets of results: the first is the results of 69 students (0.5 per cent of the total) with a minimum of eleven grade ones, and the second 231 (1.8 per cent of the total) students with a minimum of eight grade ones.

The actual ethnic composition of these groups is not known, though one can make guesses from the names. But guessing would be as foolish as it would be dangerous. In which ethnic group, for example, are we going to put a Kissoon, a Sharma or a Peters?

The only way an informed conclusion could be arrived at is if we have the full result of the 13,500 students and their ethnic “look”. Failing such a disclosure, could one not reasonably conclude statements attributed to Granger and Dr Hinds, are designed to foment and deepen racial insecurities and consolidate the ethnic block?

Can the structure of the department of education

give rise to Granger-Hinds contention of an apartheid education in Guyana?

I think not. All the prominent high schools in Georgetown, for example, have including the iconic Queen’s and Bishops’, been headed for many years by persons of a particular “ethnic look”, to use Dr Hinds’ egregious statement. When last was there an Indian head master at Queen's or Bishops', for example?

Headships at these schools seemed reserved for that particular ethnic look.

When we look at the ethnic composition of the teacher population, we see a large number, if not a predominance, of persons belonging to the same supposedly aggrieved ethnic group. At the same time, teacher unions in Guyana have been historically dominated by persons of the same group. I would think that if anyone or group could make a justifiable case it would be teachers and their unions. And, our teacher unions have not been exactly paper tigers.

Further, in the Education Ministry itself, the cream of the crop, year after year, has been made up by persons of this particular ethnic look. So, if in the last 21 years, the period under contention, there has never been an Indian as the chief education officer, for example, and if all the major positions have been traditionally filled by persons of a particular ethnic look, in the face of such an overwhelming contradiction, how can anyone reasonably level the charge of apartheid in the country’s education system?

Can such a contention

be made on the basis of discriminatory practices in the allocation of resources to the nation’s schools? It can’t be otherwise because clearly our schools are not segregated. If such practices do exist and if schools dominated by students of a particular ethnic look are denied resources given to others, then one may accuse the system of discriminatory practices, and in the case of imagination running wild, even apply the apartheid indictment.

But, I doubt whether we will find this to be true even if we compare Mackenzie High and Line Path Secondary.

The bottom line of me is the answer to this question: does the government of Guyana expend more resources, in a systemic way, on the education of an Indian child than it does on an African child?

Politicians are given to playing the gallery and do indulge in extravagant and intemperate outbursts. Racebaiting is a way of life among them. But even for them, the apartheid characterisation takes this game to a totally different and dangerous level.

In any case, neither Granger nor Dr Hinds is a typical run-of-the-mill politician.

Each brings a cold, studied, scholastic, discipline to their various pronouncements, and on this account they have to be taken with earnestness. Each is a person with strong academic credentials. But this is certainly not the way to enlist support for their cause.

Yours faithfully, Swami Aksharananda

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, october 29, 2013

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

Apart from teachers’ A child’s primary focus should be education salaries, I stand by the World Bank report Dear Editor, A BBC interview recently caught my attention – a 58-year-old religious leader gave his explanations as to why he was in the process of marrying a 13-year-old girl, prior to having four other wives. This accepted culture, though hated by many, denies any form of justice as a result of existing religious laws governing the country.

Currently in Guyana, a ruling by the chief justice permits a 15-year-old girl to marry her 38-year old-lover, who has been

Dear Editor, As editor-in-chief, the crucial decision to publish or not to publish an article, story or letter in Kaieteur News, is the ultimate responsibility of my friend, Adam Harris. He chose not to publish a letter I had written in response to an article he wrote: “Chat language will get us no jobs” (Kaieteur News, October 20).

Instead, he took offence to a World Bank report I quoted in my letter, and has since written another article condemning the report, “A most questionable World Bank report got my goose” (Kaieteur News, October 26).

In his article, Harris wrote, “When I described the education system as calamitous, I never realised that I was touching a nerve.

One day Harry Gill came to me and informed me that I had paved the way for him to release information that he had suppressed.” The suggestion that I was in possession of suppressed evidence is incorrect.

In fact, I thanked him for opening the door for me to expose some evidence that the opposition was successful at suppressing from our youth. I think you can see the difference.

The fact that he referred to me by name in his article, gives me the right to respond and once again, quote the source of my information. To deny publication of this letter would be unjust, and would deny his readers the opportunity to objectively judge the credibility of my information, as opposed to forcing his opinion on the readers of Kaieteur News.

Like everyone else, Harris is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts. He is either living in denial, or is too ashamed to admit his failure to denounce the decrepit education system that existed under the rule of the People’s National Congress (PNC), while he was editor of the PNC organ, the New Nation.

In his article, he wrote, “Minister (of Education) Priya Manickchand, for ex-

ample, says that her government has spent extensively on education and today the nation is reaping the rewards. She informed me and the other reporters that prior to the advent of her government, only eight per cent of the people who wrote the external examinations passed English. The pass rate for mathematics was also equally ridiculous.”

For the record, the table below shows the percentage of students at the Secondary School Entrance Examination (SSEE), scoring more than 50 per cent of the marks in each subject area.

This confirms that the education minister was absolutely correct when she said only eight per cent passed English then. These figures were not obtained from the World Bank report that Harris discredits. The source is the World Education Forum – Education For All (EFA), another recognised body (www.unesco.org).

Note that when these results were published in 1992 before the PPP/C took office, only eight per cent of students passed the SSEE in English, and four percent in mathematics. Today, that figure has steadily grown to 45 per cent passes in both English and mathematics.

As the education minister said at the press conference Harris alludes to in his article, “The PPP/C government of Guyana has allocated large sums of money to the (education) sector every year. Twenty years into office, we’ve seen what that means… sometimes from year to year you don’t realise what this investment means.

“But it means we have moved from 30 per cent trained teachers to 70 per cent trained teachers; we’ve moved from a place where 10 per cent of our schools were habitable, to a place where 80 per cent of our schools are habitable; we’ve moved from a place where some primary school children had no place to go to, to a place where every sin-

gle primary school aged child can access a primary education.

“We’ve moved to a place where Guyana enjoys pride of place in our nursery programme… 85 per cent of our nursery cohorts are in school, it’s much higher on the coast. We’ve moved from a place where 35 per cent of our secondary-aged students could not go to school because there was no place to put them, to a place where we’re talking about what quality of education we’re offering those schools.

“So the investments have, over the years, produced things that we can count, tabulate and celebrate. Does that mean that we don’t have work to do?

The answer is, we do. A 45 per cent of our children passing English and mathematics now is too low, and it’s not acceptable. But we must note when we make these statements, if we’re going to be fair and balanced, that there have been remarkable improvements.”

Harris certainly had every opportunity after this press conference to question the minister on the decrepit conditions of the pre-1992 education sector I raised in my letter, but he was obsessed with the salaries I quoted from the World Bank report. And it appears he had every reason to be.

I now accept that these figures as quoted by the World Bank report are definitely inaccurate because I was able to research that the minimum monthly wage received by a public servant in 1992 was G$3137, and the highest was G$16,358.

Therefore, it is quite possible that whoever inputted the figures in that report left out a digit or two. However, apart from teachers’ salaries, I stand by the World Bank report because I’ve seen other similar reports of the decline in Guyana’s pre-1992 education from credible agencies such as the Library of Congress.

Sincerely, Harry Gill

accused of raping and impregnating her. This is a case of serious allegations and strongly deserves reexamination.

Many people are of the assumption that if an individual gives consent and demonstrates no resistance to the act then it is not considered as rape. However, in these sadistic times, there is need to redefine rape as it relates to a minor being the victim.

These young girls are rarely ever in a position to have much control over such situations. Even with

little or no resistance, an act of this form is simply immoral and revolting. I can only hope that rapists won’t use this twisted approach to mitigate their diabolic acts.

As a child advocate, I find it preposterous for a 15-year-old girl to take on the responsibilities of becoming a mother. At this tender age, a child’s primary focus should be education and enjoying the wonders of childhood.

Sincerely, Compton Ifill

Tenth Essequibo Nite gave glimpse into Guyana’s huge potential Dear Editor, Essequibo is a place to behold and be proud of.

Essequibo’s roadways, particularly the frequently plied highway, may be as a result of lighter traffic, is indeed excellent. In some sections, it is a bit dark, but the roads are primarily free from pot holes and rough spots.

However, there are a few meandering sections of the road where drivers need to proceed with caution. It would be very interesting to examine accident types and frequency on the coast. This is where I see development in a very important context.

Guyana can have all of the relevant amenities in

place, but without proper maintenance and monitoring, we will not continue to move forward. A few bridges are in need of sprucing up, or maybe even replacement with new ones.

Essequibo must now lead the way where coconut oil production is concerned.

The potential is huge and I urge the relevant authorities to ensure that adequate investments are made. This industry can be expected to offer employment opportunities, both locally and internationally.

The 10th Essequibo Nite was indicative of unity, hard work and great hope. In fact, the participants displayed a wide array of skills, talents and

scope. The scene at the Anna Regina Community Centre was nothing short of a second GuyExpo.

The government should unquestionably come to light with what is taking place in Essequibo. Guyana has a lot to offer and it is events like these that can distinguish us from other countries in this part of the world.

I applaud the Essequibians for their recent and ongoing success.

The government must also continue to provide the people with the necessities that they need to continue in their ever-forwarding vein.

Sincerely, Kishore Mathura

Court cases need to be less time-consuming

Dear Editor, Legal matters in Guyana need to be attended to more competently and proficiently. Ideally, court trials should be orderly and succinct and all participants should display respect for each other’s time. I personally attended a few court hearings myself and it was an unlikable experience. The entire trial was completely disorganised and as if it was not already unnecessarily time consuming, the particular judge displayed a disgraceful level of tardiness.

The lack of planning and preparation, poor punctuality and the paucity of judges are some of the main reasons why court cases are backlogged. Supremely, a judge is the pillar of any legal matter and should therefore strive for the highest standards of integrity in both their professional and personal lives.

They should be knowledgeable about the law, willing to undertake in-depth

legal research, and able to write decisions that are clear and cogent. Their judgment should be sound and they should be able to make informed decisions that will stand up to close scrutiny.

Judges should be fair and open-minded. They should be good listeners who are courteous in the courtroom but firm when necessary.

At the international level, a judge only comes to the bench after making a significant contribution to the legal profession and the community.

Many have been active in law societies and have done volunteer and charitable work. Others have been active in politics or won elected office. I think that Guyana has some of the very best and we must continue in this tradition.

Similar statements have been made by the acting chancellor of the judiciary, the attorney general and legal affairs minister pertaining to the need for the ap-

pointment of more judges to assist in improving the delivery of justice and prompt handling of court cases.

Yours truly, Rosemary Keating

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guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation

skills children pick up in real life

By Michelle Barrington

Addition facts and learning games Children learn the concept of addition from the preschool years and as most parents know children have grasped the concept of wanting “more” from an early age. Addition, like all mathematical concepts, is sequential which means that content is taught and builds on the foundations of previously learnt concepts. It is therefore very important that children have strong mathematical foundations.

Throughout the school years the addition strategies your child uses will become more efficient. Younger children will count on their fingers or use concrete materials (counters, blocks etc) to reduce the load on their working memory. As your child’s working memory and visualisation skills develop they will rely less on the use of concrete materials. A reliance on concrete materials past seven to eight years is an indicator that your child may require assistance with mathematical concepts and could have a learning difficulty.

Parents need to be wary of the use of drilling, flash cards or worksheets. Children need activities which are fun and motivating. When children

feel that the classroom environment has followed them home, particularly if they are struggling, then they begin to feel pressured and fun games become chores they don’t want to complete.

Addition for five to six-year-olds If your child is aged five to six years then they are learning how to combine two groups together to model addition. Formal number sentences with the addition sign is not introduced until the second year of schooling.

At this age children are encouraged to draw pictures to represent maths problems.

At home sing with your child and use counting rhymes. The melody makes it easier for children to retain. This also reinforces the

characteristics of numbers before students are asked to add them.

Look for numbers in your local area or while travelling in the car, for example count how many blue cars, how many motorbikes and then ask them to find the total.

Encourage children to use their knowledge of addi-

tion when serving food onto plates or collecting items in the grocery store, for example can you get us five red apples? Can you add three more bananas to the bag?

How many bananas do we have now?

Addition for seven to eight-year-olds

Children aged seven to eight years are using the terms ‘add’, ‘plus’, as well as recognising and using the + sign. They are using concrete materials and are developing their mental strat-

egies. At this age children are ‘counting on’ which is adding from the larger of the two numbers, for example, 12+ 5 counting “12, 13, 14,15,16,17,18” rather than counting from one. This is a tricky strategy which requires encouragement.

Familiarisation with a number line will help students. At this age children are moving on from counting objects to replacing objects with numerals. They are adding one and two digit numbers together.

Bunny ears is a fun game to help move children on from concrete materials to numbers which some children find an abstract concept. Ask your child to place both hands on top of their heads and show you two numbers which add to Seven. They might show you two fingers on their left hand, five on their right, or three on the left hand, four on the right. They can bring their hands down to check at the end.

Guess the coin – place some coins in your pocket.

Tell your child I have three coins in my pocket which add to 20cents – what might the coins be? I have three coins in my pocket which add to $5 – what will the coins be? This is a fun, educational way to hand out their pocket money.

When reading to your child at night, look at the content page and together count on how many pages till the next story.

Addition for nine to 10-year-olds

Children who are aged nine to 10 are using formal addition algorithms with two and three digit numbers. There is also a focus on using mathematical language to explain the mental strategies used. The new trends in mathematics when using trading is to not use the language of “borrow 1” and “payback” but rather “add tens” and “add ones”.

Greedy Pig – children are using formal algorithms and cumulative counting – adding on as they go. This is a game for the whole family.

The winner is the “greedy pig” that can be in with the highest total before a two is rolled. A person rolls the dice and they write down their total. They are asked if they want to remain a ‘greedy pig’ or sit down. The dice continues to be rolled until the last person remains standing. If a two is rolled then all the ‘greedy pigs’ are out and the person who sat down last is the winner.

Using a calendar at home choose a ‘magic number’ say 46 and ask children to find diagonal numbers on the calendar that can add to that total. Encourage them to use formal algorithms to check their answer.

Addition for 11 to 12-year-olds

Children aged 11-12 are learning to select and use the most appropriate strategy for their mathematical problem. Formal algorithms are being used correctly.

Children are able to interpret working mathematically language and can match an algorithm to a maths word problem. Children can add numbers with differing numbers of digits.

Play card games, like a pretend casino, with games such as 21 or Bust. In this game, two cards are dealt to each player who adds the numbers together. Each player may ask for more cards from the “kitty” with the aim of being the person with the highest score that does not go over 21.

Playing darts or a game of pool/billiards is also an easy way to incorporate addition.

Familiarise older children with household budgets and allow them to use calculators to find out total figures for savings, money earned, money spent so that they can see the application of addition skills. (Kidspot)

news

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tuesday, october 29, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Anti-Money Laundering bill

UK investors, Bank of England concerned 169 complaints still with police chief – complaints authority B

By Svetlana Marshall

ritish investors are worried about some substantial investments in the pipeline for Guyana as passage of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill remains on tenterhooks, British high commissioner here Andrew Ayre said.

He noted that with regards to the Bank of England, that institution is putting systems in place to cushion the impact that will likely follow if Guyana is blacklisted due to its non-compliance with the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) requirement. Ayre made the comment during an exclusive interview with Guyana Times on Monday. The bill was dragged out of a Special Select Committee, owing to expediency to have it presented to the House for a third reading and debate.

The Bank of England is concerned about Guyana’s move towards potential blacklisting. It is in touch with my high commission in order to carry out continuous planning if blacklisting formally happens,” the British diplomat said.

Difficulties

Ayre said the process of sending remittances from the United Kingdom (UK) to Guyana will become difficult owing to increased scrutiny if the country is blacklisted.

“In terms of UK business investors of course, they are worried about some substantial investments which are in the pipeline, so they don’t want Guyana to be in anyway blacklisted because it will increase the cost of doing business here.”

Clearly, the Bank of England is not the only in-

Opposition Leader David Granger

stitution concerned about the passage of the amended bill. Bank of Guyana Deputy Governor, Dr Gobind Ganga had told Guyana Times that the impact can be far reaching.

Dr Ganga explained that non-passage of the bill puts Guyana’s integrity on the line, explaining that regional and international financial institutions would be “very suspicious ” when conducting transactions with financial institutions in Guyana.

He pointed out that commercial banks in Trinidad and Tobago have already heightened their security systems to facilitate transactions with Guyanese companies, due to a warning letter issued by the Trinidad and Tobago Central Bank.

Avert a crisis

Late last week, the Guyana Association of Bankers said the legislature should pass the amended bill to avert any financial crisis.

It was pointed out that the enactment of the bill is fundamental to the continued functioning of all commercial banks in the country in accordance with acceptable international standards.

“Bank to bank relationships and business between Guyana’s commercial banks and foreign banks may be

Guyanese banks will face sanctions if the anti-money laundering and financing of terrorism (amendment) bill is not passed

halted for an unpredictable amount of time. This includes relationships with commercial banks in sister Caricom territories,” the association pointed out as it alluded to possible consequences.

The Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) has also been vocal about the situation. “Guyana has already missed two key deadlines this year and with the November cut-off looming, our manufacturers/exporters of food products, construction and decorative hardware, and local distributors of consumables are now very fearful about the value of their investments in Guyana and their ability to continue to operate profitable enterprises. The prospect of capital flight and the shrinking of the local business sector looms large,” the association pointed out.

Uphill task

First Global Money Regional Vice President and General Manager Bobita Ram said money transfer agencies will face an uphill task if Guyana is blacklisted.

She explained that licensed money transmitters in the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom or anywhere outside of Guyana may rescind their decisions to con-

duct business with agents or players in Guyana following a risk assessment.

In 2012, Guyana received approximately US$400 million in remittances, accounting for 17 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but this too will be affected if Guyana is blacklisted.

With heightened costs or limited access to money transfer agencies, Ram said the “regular man in the street” would feel the consequences; they will be unable to transfer monies to their families and friends in Guyana. This could also lead to the development of a black market, she posited.

The Private Sector Commission (PSC), the Insurance Association of Guyana and the government of Guyana have also been concerned about the stalled bill.

In May, CFATF placed Guyana on the watch list due to its failure to comply with its 16 requirements; however, if the country is blacklisted due to its failure to pass the Anti-Money Laundering/ Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill in the National Assembly by the November 18 deadline, the consequences can be severe.

Deal on Wheels winners collect prize money

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inners of the Republic Bank Deal on Wheels promotion on Monday received their prizes, the bank said in a release.

Ryan Fletchman won the first prize of $1,000,000, while Christina Nicholson is the second prize winner of $600,000, and Gavin Campion secured the third prize of $400,000 in the campaign.

The auto dealer’s prize of $75,000 was won by Kenricks Auto Sales. The winners were randomly selected in a draw on October 17, from customers who

The jubilant prize winners along with officers of Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited

were eligible to participate in the campaign. Customers became eligible upon the disbursal of their Deal on Wheels Auto Financing

Loans.

This year’s Deal on Wheels campaign, which is in its 11th year, was launched on June 10,

and ran until August 31.

Republic Bank takes this opportunity to thank all those customers who participated.

Police Complaints Authority Chairman Cecil Kennard

P

olice Complaints Authority Chairman, Retired Justice Cecil Kennard on Monday disclosed that out of the 251 written complaints received for the year thus far, 169 are still being reviewed by Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell.

Topping the list of complaints is police officers who are accused of neglect of duty, which may arise from them not writing a proper report, investigating a matter thoroughly or not turning up in court to give evidence. Kennard is hoping that there is a reduction in such cases in the new year.

The next most common complaint is that of officers arresting persons unlawfully followed by illegal searches and lack of severity. Using excessive force was also listed as a major problem within the force.

During the interview at his Brickdam office, Kennard said 32 of the complaints acted upon saw more than 20 police ranks being disciplined by their department superiors and more so, placed before the courts.

In one instance with respect to Kampta Persaud who was killed by police after he attacked them with a cutlass, Kennard recommended that an inquest be conducted.

In several cases, the officers involved were given stern warnings and are back on the job. Out of the total amount, 60 complaints were discarded since they had no basis.

The former chancellor of the judiciary highlighted that there were 450 complaints made via telephone that were paraphrased and sent to the police commissioner to be investigated.

He explained that one of the major challenges

Wakenaam Cottage Hospital mortuary fully functional

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fter an intervention by the Health Ministry, the Wakenaam Cottage Hospital mortuary is now fully functioning as all four of its chambers are working.

According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) report, Health Minister Dr Bheri Ramsaran, on a visit to the island on Saturday, vis-

ited the mortuary and highlighted that the ministry had on several occasions intervened with the local administration from Wakenaam about the mortuary, but there was no quick response. However, he pointed out that an electrician from Georgetown came to the island, and solved the electrical problem that the mortu-

ary was facing.

“One of the major concerns of the residents of Wakenaam was that the mortuary was not working, and when a person dies and they have to wait a little bit for funeral arrangements, they have to take the body to Suddie which is very costly,” Minister Ramsaran pointed out.

In addition, when someone dies and there is a need for the police to investigate, the body has to be taken to Georgetown for the postmortem, and then the family would be burdened with arranging to bring the body back to the island for the funeral, which is also costly.

Minister Ramsaran fur-

ther highlighted that there are two resident doctors at the hospital. “I’ve come back again within the space of four to five months to check to see that indeed the three chambers are working, and I brought with me that said electrician to fix the fourth chamber. All four chambers are up and running.”

that the PCA faces is the non submission of reports all owing to the amount of time they remain with the police commissioner. On this note, he stated that prior to this interview, he met with Brumell to discuss the issue and he has since asked Assistant Police Commissioner (Administration) Balram Persaud to speed up the process so that the reports can be dealt with expeditiously.

He noted that it was unacceptable that the files are with the commissioner for a long period and suggested that it should not be a monotonous process. He believes file reviews should not take two months.

He is of the opinion that reports involving complaints in Regions Two to Six should not take much time to be investigated, reviewed and sent back to him so that he can make the necessary recommendations.

He said persons who have lodged complaints with the authority may believe it was dragging its feet on their cases, but his hands were tied.

In light of the delays, Justice Kennard disclosed that he would normally send reminders to facilitate a speedy process, but was recently advised to forward a copy of the reminder to the Home Affairs Ministry.

Need to investigators

The retired justice revealed that for the past few years, it has been suggested the complaints authority be equipped with its own investigators, but that has not materialised. He said as he prepares to hand over his annual report, this shortcoming is listed as one of the major challenges for the unit.

There is dire need to these skilled people who will be independent and investigate without fear or favour, as “once we get our own investigators, we can prioritise reports and act upon them”, he added.

Nevertheless, he noted that the unit was fully staffed.

The PCA chairman has visited a number of communities including New Amsterdam, Anna Regina, and Corriverton, meeting with ranks of B and G divisions, officials of the Regional Democratic Council and other stakeholders.

Before the year comes to an end, he intends to visit Moruca and Lethem. He hopes to visit several outlying areas in the new year.

The chairman urged members of the public to continue lodging their reports with his office, so that they can be investigated, noting that Guyana did not have the police force that it should.

8 news Carpenter in court for abusing wife L

tuesday, october 29, 2013| guyanatimesGY.com

ast Thursday, a carpenter made his first court appearance before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry to answer several charges against him.

Thirsty-four-year-old Jevon Glasglow of Lot 7 Broad Street, Georgetown, appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where he pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him.

It was alleged that on October 3 at Broad Street, Georgetown, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Donette Cummings.

It was further alleged on the same day, he made use of threatening language as well as abusive language where a breach of the peace was occasioned.

According to the prosecution’s facts, Glasglow and Cummings are reputed hus-

band and wife. On the day in question, she came home and he started to accuse her of having an affair.

He then proceeded to abuse her and dealt her several punches about her body causing her to sustain injuries.

Glasglow also threatened to kill her.

The matter was reported and the defendant was subsequently arrested and charged.

Attorney Paul FungA-Fat who represented Glasglow told the court that this is his client’s second offence.

Chief Magistrate Sewnarine-Beharry ordered that the couple receive counselling at the Help and Shelter organisation and was placed on a bond to keep the peace. The matter is set to return to court on December 6 for report.

Eight persons charged for murder of Met-en-Meerzorg businessman

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n Friday, eight persons who were jointly charged with the murder of Met-en-Meerzorg businessman Zulfikar Namdar made their second court appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The seven men and one woman were all slapped

with murder charges while five were slapped with robbery under arms and two with conspiracy charges.

On Monday, the matters were transferred to other courts where the presiding magistrate will preside over the proceedings.

The matters of Andrew Chandler, Samuel

Man charged for threatening and assaulting wife

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man was brought before Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to charges instituted against him.

Royston Booker pleaded guilty with explanation to the charge which read that on October 26 at Penny Lane, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, he made use of threatening language to Shaneese Sampson where a breach of the peace was occasioned but pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that on the same day, he assaulted Sampson causing her actual bodily harm.

According to the facts, the two share a relationship

and on the day in question, the police received a call concerning a domestic matter. Ranks visited the house and the defendant was arrested. When Sampson went to the station, marks of violence were visible about her body.

Further investigations were conducted and it was revealed that Booker stamped her on her head with his foot and dealt her several cuffs about her body. He also threatened to kill her. Booker was subsequently charged with the offences.

The matter was transferred to Court Three where it will be heard by Magistrate Judy Latchman.

Bacchus, Cassandra Singh, Alan Doset, Derwyn Croft, Essan Lawrence, Jermaine Williams and Khyran Khan who were all charged with murder and the two who were charged with conspiracy were transferred to the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court for November 5.

Meanwhile, Dorset, Croft, Lawrence, Williams and Khan’s matters were transferred to the Wakenaam Magistrate’s Court for November 27.

The group of eight made their first court appearance on September 20 were they were not required to plead to the charges.

“Rubbah” died from fractured ribs – autopsy

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post-mortem performed on the body of Fitzpatrick “Rubbah” Blair, 61, of Lot 9 Bel Field Housing Scheme, Victoria, East Coast Demerara, died as a result of multiple injuries to his back and fractured ribs.

The autopsy was performed by Dr Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital on Monday.

According to police, Blair was reportedly on a tractor in his rice field at Nootenzuil, East Coast Demerara on Thursday last when he allegedly fell off and was ran over

Dead rice farmer, Fitzpatrick Blair

by the vehicle. The police are continuing their investigations.

Following his death, Blair’s relatives suspected foul play, claiming he and the men who were with him at the time had issues. Blair succumbed while on his way to the Georgetown Public Hospital on Thursday evening.

Relatives are still puzzled about his death and claimed that they have not gotten any authentic report on what really occurred while Blair was in his rice field. They have been receiving conflicting reports as to what really happened, thus they are left to believe that someone is hiding something.

It was reported that Blair was in the company of two other men and was reportedly under the influence of alcohol when it is alleged that he fell off the tractor. The family received a telephone call about 17:00h on Thursday evening, informing them of the incident. He was transported out of the field, but he was unable to move his arms and legs.

Blair died on his way to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

He leaves to mourn his wife, one child and seven siblings.

Eyew tness

Bare-faced...

...claims on PNC Looks like this Pro-Guyana group’s going to continue their long running paper-war against the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government for the People’s National Congress (PNC)/A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)...just as they did before under the Alliance For Change (AFC) banner.

But they’ve got to observe some ground rules: if they’re going to insist on using “titles” they’ve got to be consistent. How come in their last missive (missile?) in the Stabber News, Asquith Rose referred to himself a “Doctor” and didn’t append the “Esquire” that usually accompanies his sidekick, Chandra Deolall’s name?

Problem is, in the States – which is where Rose subsists – outside of academia, unless you’re very pretentious, no one refers to themselves as “Doctor”. Have you ever heard Paul Krugman, Ph D (MIT) – and Nobel Prize winner to boot – ever call himself doctor? Anyhow back to Rose and Deolall who want to convince us they’re authoritative because of the letters before or after their names.

We think they’d serve their cause a little better if they’d get their facts straight on the PNC’s “accomplishments” which, they boast, is their mission to trumpet. Take this assertion, for instance: “The trump card of the PNC achievements was its role in the establishment of the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) in 1973, the forerunner of the Caribbean Community (Caricom)....”

Now if the “Doctor” and “Esquire” can’t get the “trump card of the PNC’s achievements” straight, why should anyone trust what they say on anything else?

Point of fact is that CARIFTA was formed in 1968 and in fact, it was Caricom that was formed in 1973!

But to the other PNC “achievements” – consisting of a list of infrastructural projects. How can you call these “achievements” when the PNC borrowed to the hilt to complete these projects –then left a US$2.1 billion debt for the country to repay? And when we couldn’t, Guyana was declared bankrupt by the international financial institutions? It’s like a man boasting of building a mansion for his children when all he did was to take out a huge mortgage – which his children have to repay.

Why should such a deadbeat be praised. And so, why should the PNC? Rather, heartfelt thanks and praises should be offered by all PNCites to former President Bharrat Jagdeo for getting those debts written off. Or else we’d still be the pariah state the PNC created between 1964 and 1992.

And yes. Rose boasts that the PNC built the National Cultural Centre. We wonder if his new colleague in ProGuyana Tarron Khemraj (Doctor?) informed him it was from money stolen from the Indian Immigration Fund? ...claims by Suspenders The Eyewitness is a traditionalist. He knows that pot-salt bookkeeper who likes to be in the news, as “Suspenders” – because of the appurtenance he favours to rescue him from his banal, anonymous existence. He aspires to be our (dark) imitation of Larry King.

It’s now been revealed that his real moniker (on his birth certificate) is Lallbachan or “Lalloo”. But for reasons best known to people like Sigmund Freud, he chose to ask people to call him “Chris”. We’ll stick to “Suspenders”.

Anyhow Suspenders, once again trying to gain recognition by provoking his betters, took issue with the Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall who cited English cases to buttress his argument that a learned judge erred in a recent ruling.

According to Suspenders, who finally went to law school in his dotage after an undistinguished career as a bookkeeper, the AG shouldn’t have made those citations because...(get this)...THE ENGLISH DOESN’T HAVE A WRITTEN CONSTITUTION!!!!

So we should now throw out all our cases decided on Stare Decisis based on English precedents? Can you believe this idiocy? Well, we can...since it comes from Suspenders. ...spying What we have difficulty believing is the latest revelations that U.S. President Barack Obama knew that his people were eavesdropping on German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s phone calls since 2010. Can’t a girl have any privacy?

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tuesday, October 29, 2013

News

Regional parliaments need strengthening – CPA congress told

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he 16th biennial regional conference of presiding officers and clerks of the Caribbean, the Americas and the Atlantic region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) got underway on Monday with calls for strengthening the role of parliaments, aimed at promoting greater democracy.

Speaker of the National Assembly of Guyana Raphael Trotman disclosed that this year’s conference will seek to discuss and address pertinent issues affecting parliaments within the region. Trotman said topics ranging from the role of the speaker in changing parliaments, to protecting members’ privileges as well as the procedures, rules, conventions and practices, will all be discussed.

He urged the delegates to be actively engaged in the discussions, which will ensure that there is some freshness to these meetings, to achieve continuity, certainty and definition for the future.

Trotman also urged the delegates to start creating examples by which others can follow, rather than looking to import those that have been created in developed and larger member nations, especially from the Westminster.

The Speaker also suggested that the conference be used as an opportunity to consider ways of “defining its contributions to the wider Commonwealth, rather than always seeking to be importers”. This, he stated will take a more collaborative effort, and on that note, signalled a warning that more needs to be done to collaborate and build greater friendships among member states in order to achieve more.

Making a difference

Trotman also stated that the conference is aimed at making a difference to the ones held in the past, where many issues were discussed and little was done. He said “Meeting to merely talk through interesting topics and issues would amount to only playing parliament and conferences. Are we growing too complacent and compliant and squandering an opportunity to craft something different.”

President Donald Ramotar also called on the delegates to take the opportunity to work towards strengthening democracy through more effective decision-making at the level of the National Assembly.

The president used the opportunity to state that projects that have been met with opposition, even though it would benefit all Guyanese, could in the end “lose the will to protect and defend democracy”.

“We should not take actions that would harm a country on the ground that

Desperation steppin in fuh de Mook

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Delegates of the 16th biennial CPA regional conference

it may help us politically,” he said. Romotar was making reference particularly to the state of Parliament affairs where the opposition has voted down many of government’s infrastructural projects. However, he urged the visiting parliamentarians to make use of the opportunity to discuss and plan future steps that will enable each parliament within their respective countries to respond effectively to democracy.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader David Granger in his remarks touched on the evolving challenges that face many parliaments within the hemisphere. Granger pointed to threats that the Caribbean has faced in the past, especially as it relates to territorial claims. He advised the delegates to work towards tackling legislative issues pertaining to money laundering, narcotics trafficking and illegal migration.

“We wish that your deliberations will contribute to devising practical responses to these challenges,” he said.

Granger added that the distinctive characteristic of the entire Commonwealth and of the Caribbean region is the preponderance of small states, most of which gained their independence only within the last half century.

“We regard the current conference theme ‘The role of parliaments as they meet the challenges in evolving democracies as most appropriate at this stage of our region’s development. What are some of those challenges?”

Challenges

He said the small states of the Caribbean, generally, are poor and dependent on narrow economic bases.

Their geographical environment, set between the North and South American continents, and their historical experiences, have made them the victims of various old threats.

“These included invasion, insurrection, intervention, international and domestic terrorism, mutiny, maritime disputes, secession and territorial claims. New transna-

tional threats have emerged in the forms of gun-running, money laundering, narcotics trafficking and illegal migration, among others,” the opposition leader said.

He said similar situations exist elsewhere in the world, but the size and economies of small states have made them more vulnerable than others.

“These are some of the challenges of evolving democracies which members of national assemblies and parliaments face. We must strive constantly, therefore, to protect our people’s liberties and strengthen the institutions of democratic governance.

“We wish that your deliberations will contribute to devising practical responses to these challenges. We can do much to give the citizens the ‘good life’ to which they are entitled.”

The conference has attracted delegates from Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and St Lucia. A special luncheon will also be hosted jointly by the Speaker and clerk of the National Assembly. A dinner is also planned and will be hosted by the prime minister and opposition leader, and a cocktail reception to be hosted by the president.

The objectives of the association are to promote knowledge of the respective constitutions, as well as the legislative, economic, social and cultural aspects of parliamentary democracy, with particular reference to the Commonwealth countries in the region. The last conference was held in 2011 in the Cayman Islands.

ld people seh a man who sinkin in water and can’t swim gon clutch on to straw to save he life. In a case like that is both he and de straw gon go down, no matter how many straw he hold on to. That is whah de old people call desperation, and desperation does mek people do just about any ting. Is like when a man losin he woman, he does want to beat she and bun down she house. Some a dem does even want to commit suicide.

That is how people does behave in real life when dem goin down. Not de kinda goin down whah dem boys, who seh dem is boys but dem is not boys, although dem does dress like boys, does do wid one another. That is a different kinda goin down. If yuh tink is lie ask de headitor how he get dem big space in he front teeth and why Mook Lall keep he as a soup drinker and a puppet so long. Is de goin down whah does keep all a dem boys goin so long.

One a dem boys who does send out de Mook photos seh de Mook gettin desperate. Desperate people does do desperate tings. Desperation mek de Mook put a free centre page advertisement fuh people who he don’t like but who he tryin to be like. More people now buyin pipe at Ruimveldt. Mook Lall and he headitor want pipe too. But dem lookin fuh pipe wid water and that kind don’t come from factory.

De Mook gettin so desperate that he walkin wid he head turn back lookin fuh see if de police comin. De Mook went and buy suitcase, but not to go any where. He can’t land foot pun a certain country. De suitcase is fuh hide money whah suppose to pay he rates and taxes and pay shareholders who he robbin fuh donkey years.

Plus backtrack people who de Mook rob and cause to get send back callin like mad to get back dem money. Is more desperation steppin in fuh de Mook.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie!

When a man desperate is one ting. But when he desperate and stupiddy like de Mook, yuh know yuh got plenty problem.

Jamaica, The Bahamas and TT lead Caribbean in improving business climate

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new World Bank Group report finds that in the Caribbean, region three economies – The Bahamas, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago – took steps to improve their business regulatory environment over the past year.

The report, Doing Business 2014: Understanding Regulations for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises, finds that Jamaica led the way in the Caribbean by adopting new legislation for private credit bureaus, reducing the corporate income tax rate, and streamlining procedures for starting a new business.

The Bahamas reduced the cost of transferring property and improved its insolvency process. Trinidad and Tobago is featured by the report in a case study highlighting its efforts to lower the cost of connecting to the power supply.

The country is also recognised for simplifying procedures for registering a new business.

“It is encouraging to see countries in the Caribbean engaged in reforms aimed at reducing burdensome regulations and building stronger legal institutions,” said World Bank Group, Global Indicators

and Analysis Director Augusto Lopez-Claros.

He added: “Even after these achievements, however, more can be done to improve the quality of the rules underpinning the activities of the private sector, to ensure continued convergence toward the better practices seen elsewhere in the world.”

The report’s global annual ranking on the ease of doing business shows that Singapore has the most business-friendly regulations. Joining it on the list of the top 10 in the ranking are Hong Kong SAR, China; New Zealand; the United States; Denmark; Malaysia; the Republic of Korea; Georgia; Norway; and the United Kingdom.

In addition to the global rankings, every year Doing Business reports the economies that have improved the most on the indicators since the previous year.

Top 10 economies The 10 economies topping that list this year are (in order of improvement) Ukraine, Rwanda, the Russian Federation, the Philippines, Kosovo, Djibouti, Côte d’Ivoire,

Burundi, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Guatemala. Yet challenges persist: five of this year’s top improvers – Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, the Philippines, and Ukraine – are still in the bottom half of the global ranking on the ease of doing business.

The Caribbean region includes Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, The Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The joint World Bank and IFC flagship Doing Business report analyses regulations that apply to an economy’s businesses during their life cycle, including start-up and operations, trading across borders, paying taxes, and resolving insolvency. The aggregate ease of doing business rankings are based on 10 indicators and cover 189 economies. Doing Business does not measure all aspects of the business environment that matter to firms and investors.

For example, it does not measure the quality of fiscal man-

agement, other aspects of macroeconomic stability, the level of skills in the labour force, or the resilience of financial systems. Its findings have stimulated policy debates worldwide and enabled a growing body of research on how firm-level regulation relates to economic outcomes across economies.

This year’s report marks the 11th edition of the global Doing Business report series and covers 189 economies. For more information about the Doing Business reports, please visit doingbusiness.org or doingbusiness.org/Facebook.

The World Bank Group is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. It comprises five closely associated institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA), which together form the World Bank; the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

11 News

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, october 29, 2013

meets Region 10 farmers to PPP/C will not press govt Solomon brainstorm economic development to appoint ombudsman R T he People’s progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) said while it has influence on government’s decision-making, it will not press it to appoint an ombudsman.

Guyana Times was told that President Donald Ramotar and Opposition Leader David Granger are to meet shortly to iron out issues relating to the appointment.

On Monday, PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee said the administration is just as concerned as other political parties about the appointment of the ombudsman in Guyana. Rohee made this comment during his response to questions posed by media operatives at the party’s weekly press conference held at Freedom House.

“It’s an interest of the PPP, but almost clearly, that is the responsibility of the government to find an appropriate candidate(s),” Rohee said. According to Rohee, the PPP/C does have a great influence on government decision-making, but in the final analysis, the party would have to rightfully allow the government to do so on its own.

“We don’t seek to push

but rather to influence the government on this and other issues,” Rohee stated. Meanwhile, during a telephone interview with Guyana Times, Granger said the office of the ombudsman is still an important office as it was at the time of the country’s independence.

“We have expressed dismay that since the death of Justice SY Mohammed, the position has not been filled,” Granger said. According to the APNU leader, he is awaiting a request by President Ramotar for them to consult on the matter and have a candidate appointed in the shortest possible time.

The opposition leader said he would not disclose any names of persons he thinks might be suitable for the position until after consultations with the head of state.

“I think that they are certain specifications, according to the Constitution that a person must have and it has always been someone who is a retired judge, so it is most likely to be a serving or retired judge,” Granger added.

This situation has not only captured the attention

of the parliamentary opposition, as according to the PPP/C general secretary, the ruling party would like to see the appointment of an ombudsman, but the final decision rests with government.

An ombudsman is an official, usually appointed by the government or by Parliament, but with a significant degree of independence. The ombudsman is charged with representing the interests of the public by investigating and addressing complaints of maladministration, or violation of rights.

The typical duties of an ombudsman are to investigate complaints and attempt to resolve them, usually through recommendations.

Ombudsmen sometimes also aim to identify systemic issues leading to poor service or breaches of people’s rights. At the national level, most ombudsmen have a wide mandate to deal with the entire public sector, and sometimes also elements of the private sector. An ombudsman has the power to sanction if a citizen feels he or she has been treated unjustly by a high-profile member of society, even a minister.

egion 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon met with various agriculture stakeholders from across the region on Monday as a follow-up to a previous meeting held two weeks ago, aimed at advancing economic development in the region.

The series of engagements was born out of Solomon’s and Linden Interim-Management Committee (IMC) Chairman Orrin Gordon’s recent trip to China. Monday’s meeting sought to provide yet another platform for stakeholders involved in farming and other forms of agriculture, to make suggestions and recommendations on advancements in this regard.

Solomon indicated that there are currently expressions of interest which were put forward by the Chinese government for agriculture production and development within Region 10, and recommendations surrounding these expressions of interest were welcomed at Monday’s meeting. These recommendations, he noted, will next week be presented to a wider-cross section of stakeholders to decide whether the proposed investments by China should be welcomed.

The regional chairman further explained that the issue of land ownership by farmers in Linden and other areas across Region 10 was also discussed since most farmers are

Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon

not in possession of titles for the lands they utilise, while he noted that the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) will be seeking to address the issue and have it settled within three months.

“We needed to have recommendations coming out of such meetings as the one we held this morning (Monday) to say to the wider ‘stakeholdership’, should we welcome the Chinese investors in the area of agriculture?’ Also to further advance our own agriculture initiative, we recommend that we need to know how to deal with the matter of land ownership because we recognise that most of our farmers in the region are not in possession of titles for the land and we need to have that issue resolved,” Solomon said.

Frustration Farmers, he noted, vented their frustration over this issue, while he said the recommendation was made to encourage organised farming, along with marketing cooperatives, which will perform the duty of ensuring that all farmers operate under a more organised scenario.

“There was a strong recommendation that came from the farmers that they are very frustrated, and in order to be on a level playing field with whichever investor is going to come, they need to first have a suitable playing field, they need to have the land and they are going to talk to all stakeholders that certain decisive actions would have to be taken, in the interest of supporting those farmers to have access to the land,” he stated.

Another recommendation which was made, Solomon disclosed was for the Chinese government to simply be provided with the land to conduct farming. All these recommendations, among others are expected to be presented and assessed at another stakeholder consultation to be held at the Egbert Benjamin Centre and Conference Hall. They are expected to also influence how the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) will perform its duty in terms of advancing agriculture, Solomon said.

Elderly man shot during robbery Enmore resident wins first bike in John Lewis Styles promotion

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minibus driver was in the wee hours of Monday morning shot to his left thigh after he was attacked and robbed by two bandits while he was parking his car at his residence at Hadfield Street, Georgetown.

Police in a release stated that about 01:30h, Shawn Sancho, 71, of Hadfield Street, Georgetown, was

held at gunpoint by the men who demanded cash.

Investigations revealed that Sancho put up a fight with the men, and was shot.

One of the men relieved him of $5000. The robbers then made their escape on foot.

Guyana Times understands that neighbours and family members became aware of the incident after they heard the gunshot. As

they ran towards the man, who was limping, they recognised the men as they were running up the street.

Sancho was bleeding and was picked up and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was treated and admitted a patient in the Male Surgical Ward. No one was arrested as police are continuing their investigations.

Tucber Park business burglarised

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urglars over the weekend carted off a quantity of electrical equipment from Forde’s Liquor Restaurant and Bar located at Tucber Park, New Amsterdam, Berbice.

The act was committed on Saturday last between 01:30h and 06:30h.

The men reportedly broke into the business owned

by Sherwin Forde, 45, and took two monitors valued $60,000; one camera DVR System valued $80,000; one Internet modem; one wireless router; and two mobile phones with $51,970 in credit.

According to information received, the premises have surveillance cameras and on the night of the incident, about 01:30h, the businessman secured his business and went home.

He returned about

06:30h the said morning only to find the padlock wrenched off one of the doors.

This prompted him to make several checks and he discovered that the abovementioned items

were missing.

The police were summoned and an investigation was launched. Several persons in the area were questioned, but no one was arrested.

Investigations are continuing.

J

ohn Lewis Styles “Shop Now & Win 10 Bikes” promotion had its first drawing on October 26 as promised. The first lucky winner was I Ramsawack of 60 Enmore, East Coast Demerara, who is now the owner of a 110cc Jailing motorcycle.

According to a release, she had bought men’s clothing and said this is the first time she has ever won anything.

This was the first of 10 drawings to be held every Saturday, commencing October 26 and concluding on December 28. The prizes up for grabs include seven 110cc Jailing bikes, one 125cc scooter, one 125cc Honda XR dirt bike and one 250cc Honda CBR sports bike.

For every $5000 spent (VAT inclusive), customers will receive one entry form to

I Ramsawack (right) receives her prize from JLS Supervisor Mrs Baptiste

be correctly filled and dropped into the box provided. Staff of John Lewis Styles and their immediate families (parents, siblings and children) and other members of their household are not eligible to participate.

“All non-winning entries will be eligible for all future drawings. We congratulate Mrs Ramsawack and thank her for her patronage. We also urge her and all future winners to be very careful on the roadways,” the release said.

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tuesday, october 29, 2013 | guyanatimeSGY.com

Broken koker causes flood in Albouystown

CCJC

RNER

CCJ embraces DNA evidence

Clyde Anderson Grazette v the Queen [2009] CCJ 2 (AJ) by Monique Scott, Norman Manley Law School

Traversing a flooded street in Albouystown

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esidents of Albouystown, Georgetown are calling on the authorities to fix a broken koker in the area which has caused the flooding of hundreds of homes over the past month.

Paro Ali, a businesswoman in the area, explained that the flooding has been affecting livelihoods.

“It’s morning and evening, every single day and it’s bad for our business as well. They said some koker out there is giving the problem, so I don’t know why they can’t fix it up to now.

I can’t see the koker will take one month and over to fix and we just need an urgent attention to this,” the frustrated woman said.

She noted that Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green was in the area a few weeks ago, but no

progress was visible, since his visit. Another resident who identified himself only as Ishmael confirmed this, saying. “Nobody seems to care, the mayor was here three weeks ago and he just watch at it and go… something happen with the koker and it not closing. Every time the tide is high, this is what happening [flooding]. It been happening seven weeks every day,” he explained.

When asked if residents have made a formal complaint about the ongoing issue, Ishmael said: “The newspaper write it up and nobody ain’t making no effort ‘cause is Albouystown, is de slums.”

Residents noted that flooding is affecting business as well as their personal health and children’s attendance at school. Another resident said: “The water

affecting me yes, is everyday now and I got to go and pick up my daughter right now from school, and I can’t even get to go fuh she.”

Fellow resident Vanessa Williams said, “I close up for the past two weeks; I ain’t getting to sell ‘cause de place flood out: I does sell movie right there and I can’t sell ‘cause of de flood. Every day I got to deh picking up one setta rubbish and still Ah can’t sell. Yesterday, Ah come out lil’ bit and I had to run inside back when de water raise up and that’s why I ain’t sell today neither.”

Areas flooded include Hogg and James streets.

When Guyana Times visited the area, many residents’ parapets were inundated with floodwater, while parts of the streets were covered with water, preventing persons from passing freely.

PPP/C says Amerindians suffering after budget cuts

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he People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) continues to lament the cuts to the national budget over the past two years, saying on Monday that, at the recent National Toshaos Council (NTC) meeting, Amerindian leaders raised concerns pertaining to affected projects.

The party believes that while the Amerindian people have been suffering as a consequence of the cuts by the Alliance For Change (AFC) and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), the presence and participation of hundreds of leaders at the NTC have served to underline successes in empowering the indigenous people.

During the party’s press conference, General Secretary Clement Rohee said Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) was a perfect example of one area that has been affected by the cuts.

But, in the face of these challenges, a second wave of LCDS projects has been

identified. This could only have been possible through direct input and partnership of the Amerindian community.

Rohee said the PPP/C will continue to fight for the restoration of the funds cut in the High Court. He added that the party welcomed President Donald Ramotar’s announcement that the communities will continue to receive presidential grants which were slashed in the 2012 budget.

Progress continues

Rohee said the Amerindian population had been on a decline before 1992, but today they were making their own decisions and progress continued in the many communities throughout Guyana.

“PPP/C calls on the entire populace to understand the modus operandi of the opposition, as much has not changed when they were once in power,” Rohee lamented.

He said the opposition continued to seek ways to

undo gains made by the party and to disempower Amerindians, hitting them where it hurts the most – their economic development. “The party is also in agreement with the call to build climate resilience; we are confident that the LCDS will continue to make special efforts in this regard… this area – a lot has been hampered by the cutting of the national budget in 2012 and 2013.”

Rohee said tremendous progress has been made and the party would press forward to build on its successes despite the opposition ‘badmouthing’. Some $19 billion was slashed from the $20 billion provided for LCDS initiatives that encompassed the Guyana REDD + Investment Fund (GRIF) projects, including the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, the Amerindian Development Fund, Amerindian land demarcation, and the Small Business and Micro Enterprise, all very important projects.

T

he Caribbean Court of Justice dismissed the appeal of Clyde Anderson Grazette, who was convicted for murder in Barbados. The prosecution’s case was mainly based on DNA evidence linking Grazette to the death of a young woman.

Grazette argued that the judge was wrong to allow this evidence to be used at the trial, because there was inconsistent testimony from the prosecution’s witnesses on what occurred between the time of the taking of the DNA sample in Barbados and the testing by the FBI in the USA (that is, the chain of custody). In particular, Grazette complained about significant differences in the evidence dealing with the number of DNA samples taken, the labelling and packaging of the samples, and the handing over to the FBI for testing.

The CCJ rejected these arguments. It held that any inconsistencies in the chain of

custody could be easily reconciled. The court held that the DNA evidence was properly admitted into evidence at the trial. The court held that once the judge decided that it was likely that the DNA sample was not tampered with and that it matched the sample taken from the deceased, the evidence could be used by the prosecution.

The court also rejected the argument that the use of DNA evidence was prejudicial, noting that evidence is not prejudicial simply because it makes it more likely that the defendant will be convicted. The Grazette decision demonstrates that once there is clear evidence on the chain of custody, the CCJ will not easily overturn a murder conviction based on a positive DNA sample.

This summary is intended to assist the Caribbean public in learning more about the work of the CCJ. It is not a formal document of the court.

Former clerk slams current Parliament – says House needs new complex

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ormer Clerk of the National Assembly Frank Narain said he is unhappy with the sickening state of affairs in Parliament today, asserting that the continuous gridlock has only served to stall development at the national level.

He said too that from his travels since retirement, the Guyana Parliament needs a new complex that will enable it to be more effective in serving its constituencies.

There have been constant criticisms of the work of the current Parliament, with government and opposition colliding on almost every issue.

Noting that he is saddened by the way things are happening, Narain said it only leads to having less being done, which in general hampers development.

Narain, who served as clerk for 51 years, noted that he has never experienced a similar situation during his tenure, pointing out that what is happening now warrants special attention.

He said from discussions with the current Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, he was made to understand some of the challenges he (Isaacs) is facing.

Working together

Narain said things are likely to remain the same in

Isaacs said he approached President Donald Ramotar about resigning from the post, but his proposal was rejected. He had told the media that his decision stemmed from the “confusion” in the current set up of the 10th Parliament which sees the first minority government in the country’s history. Isaacs and Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman had also had issues in the past.

New complex

Former Clerk of the National Assembly, Frank Narain

Parliament if members do not get down to working together.

The former clerk believes that while the new dispensation is good to some extent and has created greater accountability, it is not necessarily helping to fasttrack government’s work the way it ought to. He believes that there are many important issues which are being stalled at Parliament.

Narain said if these issues could be addressed, it would bring greater development for the country.

Back in September, during the furor over the assent of the suite of local government bills, current Clerk Sherlock Isaacs had expressed great frustration, even suggesting that he wanted to quit the job.

Meanwhile, Narain said after serving Parliament for so many years and having had to opportunity to travel and understand how other Parliament operates, he said there is a need for a new complex. This, he explained is necessary in order for each parliamentarian to execute his/her mandate more effectively and to enable them to better serve their constituencies.

Narain joined the Colonial Secretary Office of British Guiana in 1951. He served as a clerk, and on May 25, 1966, one day before the country gained independence, his appointment as deputy clerk was announced. That appointment became effective in September of 1966. Shortly, thereafter, he was appointed clerk of the National Assembly until his retirement in 2002.

news

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tuesday, october 29, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

$1B hardware store opens doors

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s Guyana continues to see a boom in its construction industry, a hardware company out of Trinidad, R Maye Inc owned by Guyanese Rajendra Maye, has made a timely investment here to add to the supply of related materials.

R Maye Guyana Incorporated, at Lot 477 Plantation Site, Providence, East Bank Demerara, was officially opened on Saturday evening. In attendance were the employees of the new hardware store, President Donald Ramotar and Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali. Giving the feature address, President Ramotar acknowledged the timely establishment of the business, noting that it will contribute significantly to Guyana’s housing and construction sectors.

“Our housing programme is moving apace; our construction industry is now contributing significantly to the economy of Guyana... this investment is coming at a time when you have so many other investments coming through and at the same time, offering a product that will be very competitive”, he said.

Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali and the new store’s owner Rajendra Maye, surrounded by a number of employees at the opening of the new store

Almost 100 jobs created

He noted that the new hardware store presents competition not only in price but in terms of the stock of products needed on the local market. He also acknowledged the attendant benefit of job creation, as close to 100 persons are now employed there.

“Maye gives a service to many people who are in construction, because he is giving a service of quality and at the same time, competitive price, while making a contribution to the economy of our country and to the development of all the things that we have,” Ramotar said.

During the opening ceremony, the owner of the entity said the investment, which costs $1 billion, stemmed from a conversation involving himself, President Ramotar and Minister Ali a few years ago in Trinidad. “I’m going to give the people the best price I could. It is the cheap-

The newly-built hardware store at Plantation Site, Providence, EBD

est, the quality is the best.

The reason why they would get it through me is because I manufacture about 50 per cent of my products that I sell, like everything for roofing, from windows to PVC pipes,” Maye outlined.

Patrons tour the new store after its opening

While he assured the Guyanese public of the best prices on the local market, he explained that they will not be as fortunate as their Trinidadian counterparts, because there is a vast difference in the cost of energy,

which makes costs higher in Guyana.

He said the manufacturing aspect of his company is also expected to be opened in Guyana, but the lack of affordable energy is currently a hindrance.

“Energy is cheaper in Trinidad, so that’s the reason why the manufacture aspect wouldn’t be such a benefit as in Trinidad. It is a cost factor, because everything relies on energy so once energy is expensive,

Some of the furniture on display for sale at R Maye Guyana Inc

the price will go up,” he explained.

He added that with the realisation of hydro power here, Guyana will be able to benefit from cheaper energy and all the economic benefits that stem from it.

14

tuesday, october 29, 2013

guyanatimesgy.com

Regional Region urged to tighten online security R egional governments have been told to heighten online security measures due to increasing attacks by cyber-criminals.

According to Caribbean Cyber Security Centre Chief Executive Officer James Bynoe, attacks by cybercriminals will be a major problem for the region due to the increasing skill of hackers and the growing resources available to use in committing cyber-crimes.

He said the region has made it on the radar of international criminal cyber networks, with two countries being attacked recently.

“We have seen attacks within the last two weeks in Barbados, in the Cayman Islands and this is something that we should expect to continue. This is not an issue that can be solved by

Customers use computers at an Internet cafe in Sao Paulo March 3, 2011.

Expert described cyber-attacks as “a clear and present danger” and encouraged Caribbean governments to pool resources to facilitate a stronger defence

one organisation or one government. We just have to get smart and pull together to ensure that Caribbean ICT resources are protected. There is no way to combat this and it’s a very, very pressing and clear and present danger to us.”

He said islands in the region are exposed because

of their size and suggested that governments pool resources to facilitate a stronger defence against cyberattacks. “We don’t have to reinvent the wheel, we can take a look at what’s happening internationally and modify it across the region,” Bynoe said. (Excerpt from Caribbean 360)

Jamaica: Students sexually active from primary school

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17-year-old boy last week held listeners at a United Nations Day function spellbound, saying carnal abuse was rampant in his community, in the face of little or no intervention from the state and its agents.

“Of those who graduated from high school with me, I can count on my two hands those who are not parents,” he told the gathering at The Courtleigh Hotel.

Brazil to insist on local Internet data storage after U.S. spying

The boy, whose identity is being withheld and who is a sixth-former at top Kingston high school, St George’s College, blamed the incidence of carnal abuse on what he described as a lack of information about sexual and reproductive health in his community as well as the negligent attitude of some parents.

“In my (inner-city) community, it’s accepted that men are sexually active, but

when you really stop and look at it, the fact is that these young girls whom they are sexually active with are 15, 14, and even 13 in a lot of cases,” he later told the Jamaica Observer.

“I know of cases where [some of those who are] parents now were sexually active in first form, and one of them that I am sure about was active since she was in primary school,” he added.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

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razil, seeking to shield its citizens from alleged U.S. spying, is pushing ahead with its plan to force global Internet companies to store data obtained from Brazilian users inside the country, according to a draft of the law seen

by Reuters.

Despite opposition from multinational software, hardware and telecom-

munications companies, President Dilma Rousseff is pressing lawmakers to vote as early as this week on the law, sparked by disclosures of widespread U.S. spying on Brazilian telecommunications data.

If passed, the new law could impact the way Google, Facebook, Twitter and other Internet giants operate in Latin America’s

biggest country and one of the largest telecommunications markets in the world.

A draft of the law says “the government can oblige Internet service companies... to install and use centres for the storage, management and dissemination of data within the national territory.”

The government would evaluate the requirement for each company, the draft says, “taking into consideration their size, their revenues in Brazil and the breadth of services they offer the Brazilian public.”

Rousseff’s insistence follows disclosures of surveillance by the United States in Brazil that went as far as tracking the personal phone calls and emails of Rousseff herself. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Barbados Labour Party gears up for early poll

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he main opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP) on Sunday put its supporters on standby for a general election less than seven months after it lost the poll to the ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP) by a slender two-seat margin.

Addressing the party’s 75th Annual Conference, Opposition Leader Mia Mottley asked supporters “can we afford to wait four years, or do we indicate from now that we are not satis-

fied.

Does this country have four years, or is this really the government that has four years and not the country?” she asked.

The DLP won 16 of the 30 seats in the February general election and since then the Freundel Stuart administration has acknowledged a stagnant economy.

Mottley, who took over the leadership of the party after former Prime Minister Owen Arthur suffered another electoral defeat in

February, said the BLP was not prepared to wait for the next general election, constitutionally due in 2018 to effect changes to governance of the country.

“I’m saying to you; however, prepare yourself for a rescue mission. We are not going to draw arms. We will not crack any heads.

But as sure as night follows day, rapid decline in this our fair land cannot continue… something will have to give,” she said. (Excerpt

from Caribbean360)

Jamaican student wins CAPE top award Tax free back pay for Vincentian public servants D

St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves

P

ublic servants will benefit from a salary increase of 1.5 per cent which will not be taxed when they are paid this week. The money is half of the three per cent salary increase owed to them since January 2011.

Half of the amount was paid last year, and

on Sunday, which was Independence Day. Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves confirmed that the money will be paid this week.

“As our government has demonstrated repeatedly, we keep our promises solemnly which we make to our people, even though

sometimes, now and again, infrequently, circumstances may conspire to cause delays in the delivery of a specific promise,” Gonsalves said as he delivered his Independence Day address.

“Accordingly, in their October pay checque next week, all categories of public servants, including daily-paid employees will receive backdated to January 1, 2011, a one-and-a-half per cent increase in salary, the balance to the heretofore agreed salary increase,” he said as he addressed the Military Parade at Victoria Park, in Kingstown.

“Our government has had to find an additional sum in excess of EC$9 million to effect this payment, a worthy accomplishment in these challenging times… and I want you to hear this. This retroactive salary increase is being granted, being made, being delivered tax-free,” he said to cheers from the large crowd. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

ea Thomas, a student of Ardenne High School in Jamaica is the 2013 winner of the Dennis Irvine Award, the symbol of academic excellence at the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).

Dea becomes the first Jamaica student to capture the coveted Dennis Irvine Award since it was introduced in 2006. She achieved grades one in 12 units: ap-

plied mathematics units one and two, biology units one and two, Caribbean studies, chemistry units one and two, communication studies, physics units one and two and pure mathematics units one and two.

Another Jamaican student, Tasanique Henry of Hampton High School is the winner of the humanities award. Tasanique achieved grades one in eight units: Caribbean studies, com-

munication studies, history units one and two, law units one and two and sociology units one and two.

The remaining eight awards went to students from schools in Trinidad and Tobago. Two students from St Joseph’s Convent (San Fernando) are among the awardees: Maryam Archie cops the mathematics award and Elise Francis the technical studies award. (Excerpt from

Caribbean News Now)

Sustainable development is key to facing regional challenges, says Cuban minister

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uban Mining and Energy Minister Alfredo Lopez, at a regional ministerial meeting in Jamaica, called for joint efforts to achieve sustainable development as the key to successfully overcome the challenges facing Latin America and the Caribbean region.

Addressing participants at the second meeting of energy ministers of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean

States (CELAC) and on behalf of Cuba as pro-tempore chair of the organisation, Lopez expressed gratitude for the organisation of the two-day meeting, which was aimed at consolidating regional integration in the field of energy.

“It undoubtedly is very significant the fact that we are meeting in a Caribbean country to address an issue that has always been at the centre of concern, particularly for small island na-

tions,” said the Cuban minister, as cited by PL news agency.

He said that, in most cases, small island nations do not count on the important resources that stem from traditional energy sources, which has historically hindered their development. However, he said the Caribbean area has important potential in this regard as he pointed to renewable energy sources like the sun.

(Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

15 Around the world

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, october 29, 2013

Deadly storm hits Egyptian student protest hit with tear gas UK, Europe E A

major Atlantic storm packing hurricane-force winds pummelled England, France, Belgium and the Netherlands early Monday, knocking out power to 220,000 homes in England and blocking roads and railways with fallen trees.

Wind gusts as strong as 99 miles per hour battered the south coast of England, and authorities warned of travel disruptions across the region.

At least two storm-related deaths were confirmed in England, and a third person was reported missing.

Police in Kent said a 17-year-old girl was killed Monday morning when a tree fell on the home where she was sleeping in Hever, south of London.

A man in his 50s was killed when a tree fell on a vehicle Monday in Watford, northwest of London, ac-

Emergency crews in London clear the wreckage of a house after a fallen tree was suspected to have caused a gas explosion there Monday, October 28

cording to Hertfordshire police.

As the storm approached, rescuers had to suspend their search for a missing teenager believed to have been swept out to sea. The unidentified teenager disappeared from Newhaven, East Sussex, on the southern coast, according to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

Authorities were check-

ing whether two other deaths were related to the storm. A man and a woman died – and a third person was hospitalised – as a result of a gas explosion at a house in Hounslow in West London, London’s Metropolitan Police said.

Investigators were checking whether a tree that had fallen in the area damaged gas pipes and caused the blast.

gyptian forces have fired tear gas to disperse students protesting in support of deposed President Mohamed Morsi, security officials have said.

The pro-Morsi demonstrators marched on Monday outside the campus of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, blocking a main road as they chanted against the military who ousted Morsi in July.

There were no immediate reports of casualties as police fired tear gas and birdshots to disperse the students.

Watched by police, Egypt’s pro-Morsi activists have turned universities into protest hubs to galvanise their movement four months after Morsi was toppled.

Demonstrations took place last week at the universities of Al-Azhar and

Pro-Morsi activists have turned universities into protest hubs to galvanise their waning movement

Cairo, where fights broke out between supporters and opponents of Morsi.

The Muslim Brotherhood and supporters have rejected the military-installed government and regularly stage protests against the army, which ousted Morsi on July 3 after millions took to the streets demanding his resignation.

More than 1000 people, mostly Morsi’s backers,

were killed in clashes in an ensuing crackdown on the former president’s Muslim Brotherhood movement.

Another 2000 people have been detained.

Morsi, held at an unknown location since his removal, is to stand trial next month over deadly clashes between his supporters and opponents outside the presidential palace in December 2012. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Conrad Murray completes jail Spain: U.S. must explain monitoring time for killing Michael Jackson

S

pain has urged the U.S. to give details of any eavesdropping, amid reports it monitored 60 million Spanish telephone calls in a month.

The U.S. ambassador to Spain, who had been summoned by its European Union (EU) minister, vowed to clear the “doubts” that had arisen about his country’s alleged espionage.

The European Union Minister, Inigo Mendez de Vigo, said such practices, if true, were “inappropriate and unacceptable”.

An EU delegate in Washington said there had been “a breakdown of trust”.

Representatives from the European Parliament’s Committee on civil liberties, justice and home affairs spoke to members of the U.S. Congress about the alleged U.S. spying on European leaders and citizens.

“We wanted to transmit to them first that this mass surveillance of EU citizens is a genuine concern,” British Labour rep-

(Excerpt from CNN)

resentative Claude Moraes, a member of the delegation, told the BBC after the meetings.

“I think they’re listening to that. They want to have some sort of dialogue.”

But Moraes said he and his fellow delegates were unsatisfied with the “stock” responses from U.S. officials on the issue.

“They’re giving us answers, but not the answers we want,” he said. “We’re getting a bit tired of this.

‘Well, spying has always existed.’” (Excerpt from BBC News)

Two Syrian chemical sites inaccessible due to unrest

T

he security situation in war-torn Syria has prevented international inspectors from visiting two remaining chemical weapons sites, the global watchdog said Monday.

Inspectors had by Sunday visited 21 of 23 chemical sites, but “the two remaining sites have not been visited due to security reasons”, The Haguebased Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said in a statement.

Efforts by the joint

OPCW-United Nations mission charged with destroying Syria’s chemical arsenal by mid-2014 “to ensure the conditions necessary for safe access to those sites will continue”, said the OPCW, which won this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.

Syria has submitted a formal declaration of its chemical weapons programme ahead of an October 27 deadline, together with a general plan of destruction.

Inspectors on the unprecedented mission in a war zone were supposed to have

visited all sites declared by Syria by the same deadline of Sunday.

Damascus was required to submit the destruction plan under a U.S.-Russian deal agreed last month that headed off military strikes on Syria.

President Bashar alAssad’s regime has handed over an inventory of its chemical weapons and facilities, and international inspectors are already busy inspecting and destroying them. (Excerpt from France24)

Top Islamists killed in Somalia

A

n air strike in southern Somalia has killed two senior commanders of the militant Islamist group, al-Shabab, residents have told the BBC. The strike destroyed the vehicle the militants were travelling in between the towns of Jilib and Barawe, is seen as a major base of al-

Shabab, they said.

The U.S. launched a failed raid in Barawe earlier this month to capture an al-Shabab commander.

Al-Shabab is the main al-Qaeda-linked group in East Africa.

A Kenyan military source told the BBC their troops had raided Jilib, and that there might have been

some casualties.

However, correspondents say it is unlikely that they carried out the air strike.

Residents of Jilib, some 120km (75 miles) north of the port of Kismayo, told the BBC that it was probably a drone attack that killed the al-Shabab commanders. (Excerpt from BBC News)

D

Dr Conrad Murray

r Conrad Murray left the Los Angeles County jail under sheriff’s escort, avoiding reporters and Michael Jackson fans waiting for his release early Monday.

Murray, who served two years of a four-year sentence for causing Michael

Jackson’s death, was driven away in a sheriff’s car for the “safety and security” of the jail, sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore said.

The handful of Jackson fans who gathered outside the jail accused the Los Angeles County sheriff of showing favouritism

to Murray by slipping him out of the jail through a back exit, instead of the door where freed prisoners normally leave.

Murray, who the sheriff’s spokesman described as an exemplary inmate, was kept away from the general inmate population during his two years in the jail. He was also allowed to have liberal use of a telephone inside his cell during his last year.

Murray’s lawyer told reporters outside the jail that he would try to get his medical licences reinstated in California, Texas and Nevada so he can resume the medical career interrupted by his conviction on the involuntary manslaughter in 2011. (Excerpt from CNN)

More than one million protest Kenyan leniency on rape

M

ore than one million people have signed a petition demanding justice after three of six men accused of brutally raping a Kenyan teenager before dumping her in a ditch were ordered only to cut grass as punishment before being set free.

The vicious attack on the 16-year-old, known only by the psudonym Liz, and the lack of action against those responsible has sparked outrage in the country.

Liz was reportedly attacked, beaten and then raped by six men as she returned from her grandfather’s funeral in western Kenya in June before the gang dumped her, bleeding and unconscious, in a deep sewage ditch.

She is now wheelchair-

More than one million people have signed a petition demanding justice after three of six men accused of brutally raping a Kenyan teenager before dumping her in a ditch were ordered only to cut grass as punishment before being set free

bound with a broken back, caused either by the beating or by being thrown into the ditch. She also suffered serious internal injuries from the rape.

On Monday, the number of those who signed an

online petition started by Nebila Abdulmelik, who works for a women’s rights group in Kenya, and publicised by the campaign group Avaaz, passed the one million mark and was continuing to grow. (Excerpt from France24)

16

tuesday, OCTober 29, 2013

guyanatimesgy.com

Caribbean

Africa

UWI focuses on new tech at global showcase

T

he new school year is well underway at the University of the West Indies (UWI) St Augustine Campus, and as part of its mission to prepare students for work and life, the university recently held its Global Technology Showcase (GTS).

Microsoft TT was on hand, to help the UWI community better understand and use their latest innovations in devices, services and academic programmes available.

“We are here to raise awareness of Microsoft and

the many products we have to support students in learning and work,” said Yudhistre Jonas, developer and platform evangelist with Microsoft TT. New and returning students, as well as lecturers and other personnel, were treated to informative presentations and device demonstrations: • Windows Phone 8 – Representatives from Nokia presented several models of the powerful Lumia Windows Phone. Nokia gave a live demo of the Windows Phone App Studio.

• Tablets and PCs – An array of Lenovo tablets, laptops, convertibles and even a miniature desktop, all powered by Microsoft Windows, were on display for students and faculty.

• Microsoft IT Academy – lecturers from the academy gave students valuable information about their co-curricular courses in Microsoft Office and technology literacy which give graduates full international certification as Microsoft Office specialists.

(Trinidad Guardian)

India’s mining company to invest in Ethiopian coal mine

I

ndian mining firm May Flower Mining Enterprise Ltd is to invest US$116 million in the Delbi Mining SC’s coal mine in south-western Ethiopia, 400 km from here, IANS reported.

The general manager of Delbi, Alemayehu Deressa, said the company was looking for a strategic partner to jointly develop the coal mine, and Mumbai-based May Flower agreed to invest over a three-

year period.

May Flower will import mining machinery, mining experts as well as the required finance for exploration and mining works. “May Flower will own 70 per cent of company shares, while Delbi will retain 30 per cent”, Deressa told IANS. “We will be responsible for all payable accounts and they will bring the necessary technology, know-how and financing required for the exploration

and mining activity,” he added.

A joint management team comprising officials drawn from both companies will be set up.

The Delbi coal mine is located in Oromia regional state, Jimma Zone, 400 km from the capital, Addis Ababa. About 53 per cent of Delbi Cola Mining SC is owned by the Endowment Fund for the Rehabilitation of Tigray (EEFORT) and the balance 47 per cent is held by the Oromia Investment Group. (allAfrica)

North America

Asia

Burger King profits up as costs fall

Alibaba retreat spurs calls for HK listing debate

F

ast food vendor Burger King has reported higher profits as sales increased outside the U.S. The U.S. restaurant chain said its better-than-expected profits for the July-toSeptember period of this year were due to cost reductions and more franchising.

Burger King’s net profit rose to US$68.2 million (£42.2 million), as against US$6.6 million in the same period a year earlier.

However, sales at its

North American branches fell 0.3 per cent. The company has recently introduced Satisfries, a lower-fat variety of chips, in the U.S. and Canada, in an effort to offer a healthier alternative after criticisms of the high fat content of its food, The firm, which is the third-largest burger chain in the U.S., behind rivals McDonalds and Wendy’s, said it has succeeded in reducing costs by 90 per cent, through greater use of franchising instead of owning its restau-

rants.

In the past year, it refranchised more than 500 restaurants. Burger King saw sales rise 2.4 per cent in Europe, Africa and the Middle East for the three months to September 30, with a successful online coupon-driven marketing push in Germany and Spain.

In the Asia Pacific region, Burger King sales rose 3.7 per cent. Burger King was taken over by Brazilian investment firm 3G in 2010. (BBC News)

Europe

H

ong Kong’s financial secretary has backed calls for market consultations on the need to change local listing rules, after Alibaba, China’s largest ecommerce company, abandoned plans for a US$60 billion-plus initial public offering in the Chinese territory.

John Tsang said he had an “open mind” over whether Hong Kong should change the rules – which prevented Alibaba from listing with the ownership structure it want-

ed – but said it was important to solicit views from market participants.

High quality global journalism requires investment.

“It would be a good thing to hear from everyone, what their views are, because this has been a subject of discussion,” Tsang told the Financial Times.

His comments follow a similar call from Charles Li, head of the Hong Kong stock exchange. Last week, Li said that while Hong Kong could

afford to miss out on a couple of listings, “losing a generation of companies from China’s new economy... without a proper debate is even more unacceptable”.

Alibaba last month jettisoned plans for an initial public offering in Hong Kong after the stock exchange refused to allow an ownership structure that would have allowed Jack Ma, the company’s founder, and top executives to nominate a majority of board directors. (Yahoo! Finance)

Middle East

VW’s “new era” vehicle platform seen Kuwait Bourse to launch derivatives trading next year putting a drag on profits uwait’s stock exchange The main aims of the the next step is to take advan-

V

olkswagen may face a new challenge to its bid for the top slot among global carmakers, as the very platform the German giant has spent the last six years creating to take it to a higher level in the rankings may not be working to plan.

For the launch costs of the highly adaptable “MQB” vehicle platform, which was heralded last year by VW as the dawn of a new era for car making, keep weighing on profits

and its eventual savings may fall short of ambitious targets, analysts said.

They are now looking to third-quarter results on Wednesday to see how the programme is progressing as the number of cars produced based on MQB grows.

A German acronym for “modular transverse matrix”, MQB enables VW to design virtually all the small and medium front-wheel-drive models of its four biggest car

brands on a single platform, affecting as many as four million vehicles a year, including the Golf and Audi A3.

Featuring a greater degree of plug-and-play modularity and parts commonality than at Toyota and General Motors Co, the new platform was hailed by analysts as the philosopher’s stone for a company that wants to become the biggest and most profitable carmaker in the world.

(Reuters)

Market statistics Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board

Cambio Rates

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

Bank of Guyana Cur

Buying

Selling

GBP

$332.06

$336.22

CAN

$196.29

$198.55

USD

$204.99

$207.43

U.S.

$1335.00

Cambio

$202.67

Gross

$254,331

Net

$236,527

Selling

$262,426

Indicators as on October 28, 2013 USD Per Once

Indicators

Bid/Ask

Live Spot Gold $1353.20

$1354.20

Crude Oil

Low/High

$1348.90

$1362.90

Change

+0.30

+0.02

USD GBP EUR

AM

PM

1351.00 833.69 978.28

1361.00 842.05 987.16

AM

PM

Oct 25

Change %

$106.93

USD per Ounce

-0.06

Change %

22.51

-0.09

$1470.00

+19.00

Last: 15568.93

1347.75 823.56 976.70 Changes: -1.35

Open: 15569.19

High: 15599.09

% Change: -0.01 Low: 15533.48

% YTD: +18.81

52Wk Hi: 15709.58

52 Wk Lo: 12471.49

USD GBP EUR

1341.75 827.58 971.79

Silver

Platinum

London Gold Fix

Oct 28

Price

US$ per barrel

K

plans to launch derivatives trading in the first half of 2014 using its new Nasdaq-backed trading system, a senior stock exchange official told Reuters.

Kuwait’s bourse, one of the oldest in the Gulf region, launched the “X-stream” trading system in May last year at a cost of around 18.3 million Kuwaiti dinars (US$65 million), part of its biggest technical overhaul in nearly two decades.

Nasdaq OMX Group Inc system were to launch the trading of financial instruments and to clamp down on dubious market activity.

The exchange hopes to launch derivatives trading in the first six months of next year “if things proceed as expected,” Stock Exchange Projects Manager Issam Alusaimi told Reuters in an interview.

“By the end of this year we will have finished everything related to IT infrastructure…

tage of the technology.”

A Kuwaiti investment firm has already expressed interest in trading options, Alusaimi said, saying that the company’s request had now been sent to the financial market watchdog. He declined to give the name of the firm.

The system will also be ready for trading futures, exchange-traded funds and Islamic bonds if similar requests are made, he said.

(Gulfbusiness)

Investors' guide Internet marketing methods for small businesses

B

uilding a website is just the beginning of marketing your business on the Internet. Retail stores advertise in many ways to get live customers to walk through the door. Your site is a cyber door and you still have to advertise to get customers to enter.

Be social

Social network sites like Facebook and Twitter are helpful in getting others to know what you have to offer and developing a community. Some call them gossip sites, but the truth is word of mouth advertising works. Facebook pages can be created with ease. The

personal interaction with your clients and friends is invaluable. Keep your tweets informative and fun for your followers and you will see your customer base grow.

Get on top

When prospective customers are searching the Internet for your product or service, it is important that your company appears at the top of the list.

Improve your search engine ranking by using keywords that will match what the customer is looking for. There are several sites that can help you choose keywords that may help you get a higher rating with

search engines, like Google Insights or Google AdWords Keyword Tool.

Start a blog

Everyone is doing it; there are millions of sites on the web where you can do it too. You can set up a blog on your website or take advantage of other sites that allow open discussions. When you make comments and share ideas on other related business sites you are getting free publicity and increasing your search engine rank at the same time. Be sure to use your company name and keywords in your blog to increase your ratings. (Business Dictionary)

Business concept – Hedging

TO BE CONTINUED

A risk management strategy used in limiting or offsetting probability of loss from fluctuations in the prices of commodities, currencies, or securities. In effect, hedging is a transfer of risk without buying insurance policies.

Hedging employs various techniques but, basically, involves taking equal and opposite positions in two different markets (such as cash and futures markets).

news

17

tuesday, october 29, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

New Amsterdam QikServ Justice System Modernisation Kiddies Corner reopens project completed – IDB

C

hildren in the New Amsterdam area now have a modern play park as Banks DIH, New Amsterdam QikServ, opened its new Kiddies Corner.

The facility was officially opened on Sunday. Situated behind New Amsterdam QikServ at Kent Street, the area was formally used to house the Patio Bar. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Banks DIH Limited Building and Transport Director Shabir Hussain explained that the Patio Bar was not serving any useful purpose to the company.

“Therefore, Banks DIH Limited decided to express further interest and further confidence in the people and the economy of this Berbice area by developing this play facility. The main idea is to provide comfort for the children and the parents who will spend their afternoons here coming out of New Amsterdam and Canje.”

The Kiddies Corner was initially situated on the other side of the street, where Hussain said was not conducive for such a facility.

“Previously, you know what was taking place there; kids were asked to tumble in the sand, and of course, that’s not our standards, so we decided to convert the whole play area into this facility,” the director noted. Referring to the facility as a massive investment, Hussain add-

official lauds its success

A child testing the new slide on Sunday

ed that Banks DIH will be constructing a new Citizens Bank at the former site of the play park.

According to Hussain, the new play park was designed by Masters Enterprise while RCD Services provided the equipment. Construction was done by Home Designs and Constructing Limited through Dwayne Ferdinand.

Hussain added that the new facility belongs to the people of the town, and therefore, it is their duty to care it.

“Many of the parents who come with their kids remember in those days use to leave the kids there and come across, it is going to be easier for you now; the kids are going to be there, you could be sitting here and you could order your meals right at the back here, ice-cream, cakes, meals, whatever it is the restaurant has, you can come and order it right here.

“So the reason for having

the restaurant right here is that you can pay attention to the kids that will be using this facility. We do not want anyone to be injured, if not the investment would seem to be a very negative one. Therefore, we ask you to ensure that this facility is cared for.”

New Amsterdam’s Mayor Claude Henry congratulated the company saying that they have done it again, and noted that playing is a fundamental need. “I say play and not recreation because in the past, we called it play and it was healthy play which developed one’s mind and body.” This is important, the mayor added, saying that healthy bodies make a healthy community.

Meanwhile, in an invited comment, Banks DIH Chief Executive Officer Clifford Reece said construction work on the new Citizens Bank to be located at Main and Kent streets will commence before year-end.

WWF mounts major scientific expedition in Guyana

A

multinational team of scientists is now in Guyana under the auspices of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF Guianas), to collect vital and potentially significant data on the biodiversity of the South Rupununi, a unique and diverse ecosystem within Southern Guyana.

In a release, WWF said Rupununi is one of the last great wilderness areas on Earth and home to over 1400 species of vertebrates, including many highly endangered globally.

The Southern Rupununi Biodiversity Assessment Team (BAT) comprises Guyanese and international scientists who have expertise in the detection and identification of plants, birds, reptiles, mammals, amphibians, insects and fish, along with water quality and community resource uses. The high bio-diversity of the Rupununi results from the mixing of Amazonian and Guiana Shield fauna, high habitat diversity, and marked seasonal flooding.

The South Rupununi Savannah is home to over 5000 indigenous people, primarily Wapishanas as distinct from the Machusis, their neighbours to the north, and location of cattle ranches

for the last 150 years. Until recently, the region has been protected by its relative isolation. However, that is changing rapidly, mainly due to improved overland access from Georgetown, a bridge across the Takutu River, which links Guyana to Brazil, and increasing interest in the region for gold mining, petroleum extraction, and large-scale agriculture.

These developments are perceived to be already threatening the spectacular wildlife and natural habitats of the Rupununi, as well as traditional ways of life of the communities.

Despite its reported high diversity and unique species composition, biological data from the southern part of the Rupununi are lacking.

As the pressure to rapidly develop the region increases, WWF Country Manager, Dr Patrick Williams said it is essential to have a good baseline of species and habitat data of the Southern Rupununi in order to make sound management and conservation decisions.

The expedition will collect data on different aspects (flora, fauna, water quality and resources use) groups in order to establish a baseline of data that can be used by all stakeholders, govern-

ment agencies (the Guyana Forestry Commission, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, the Environment Protection Agency, the Protected Areas Commission, among others), the University of Guyana, nongovernmental organisations, local communities and businesses to make informed decisions about sustainable management of the Rupununi area.

The principal aim of the BAT is to gather new biological and natural resource use data to help inform the country’s biodiversity conservation and management decision-making.

Major outputs from the project will include biodiversity data, a published scientific report covering all taxonomic groups listed, scientific publications in peerreviewed scientific journals, as well as presentations to the local communities in the South Rupununi and to stakeholders in Georgetown.

This project will provide important training for Guyanese biologists and parataxonomists as it will provide the opportunity to work with international experts to learn new field techniques and offer an opportunity for future collaboration on publications.

From left to right: Legal Affairs Ministry Permanent Secretary Indira Ananjit, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Carl Singh, junior Finance Minister Juan Edghill and IDB Country Economist Mark Wenner

O

fficials attending the exit workshop for the Modernisation of the Justice Administration System (MJAS) project on Monday reported that the project was successful and urged that the modernisation thrust be continued.

The MJAS was approved in 2006 and implementation began in 2007 through a US$25 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General Anil Nandlall, who addressed the participants at the workshop at Duke Lodge, pointed to the achievements made under the project.

He noted the amended and new laws and legislation, training for personnel within the sector, preparation for voice recognition recordings in the courts, updating and digitalising of the law reports and the laws of Guyana, legal awareness campaign and increased access to justice for Guyanese.

He specifically observed that the voice recognition system recordings will be first implemented in the Commercial Court, the Court of Appeal and the Constitutional and Administrative Law Court.

Minister Nandlall pointed out that the systems are being procured and would replace the manual recording system which would enhance the integrity of these court records.

Minister Nandlall also registered his disappointment that members of the legal profession have not taken advantage of the printing of the law reports.

“It is a strong foundation.

It is incumbent upon us to build upon that foundation,” he urged.

IDB Country Economist Mark Wenner said the organisation is proud of the achievements of the project which he described as successful. Wenner observed that the goal of the programme was to enhance the investment climate and rights enforcement in Guyana through improved

public sector governance.

To achieve this goal, the IDB sought, through the project, to help the government of Guyana strengthen the accountability and administrative efficiency of service delivery in the justice sector, enhance linkages and coordination among justice sector institutions and improve access to justice.

The operation had a policy-based component supported by a US$15 million loan and an investment and technical component backed by a US$10 million investment loan. The policy-based component supported the adoption of a series of policy reforms, including legislative and administrative actions that are necessary to improve the accountability, efficiency and accessibility of Guyana’s justice system.

addressed.

Those include the severe case backlog, the refurbishing of courts, increase number of judicial officers and their training, publication of law reports and their indices which are also online, the establishment of a director of public prosecution office in Berbice and the computerisation of several connected systems, among other aspects.

Junior Finance Minister Juan Edghill observed that improving criminal justice was one of the aims of the project, along with the strengthening of the Legal Affairs Ministry.

Additionally, the improvement of the laws of Guyana and the strengthening of linkages among justice institutions was another target, all of which were achieved.

Reform programme

Executive’s commitment

The investment component helped implement the policy reform programme and support initial capacity-building activities in justice sector institutions. Guided by the Justice Sector Reform Strategy, the programme was prepared on the basis of an extensive consultation exercise involving all the institutions in the justice sector, as well as other stakeholders, including civil society and the private sector.

Wenner endorsed the reforms made which he commended.

“Implementing judicial reform is extremely complex, it is tough and daunting because it involves many different governmental institutions, and touches upon a very arcane and complex subject matter, as well as one of the greatest sensitivity to the general populace,” Wenner said.

He observed while there is much remaining to be done, he is positive that the government of Guyana would do what is necessary for the citizens of Guyana.

Project Coordinator Justice Claudette Singh pointed out that important issues in the project were

Minister Edghill also pledged the ministry’s and the executive’s commitment towards supporting the modernisation of the justice sector to ensure that Guyanese have justice.

Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Carl Singh said the programme touched several sectors of the judiciary, pointing out that the lynch-pin was the expectation of revised rules of the High Court.

He observed that the failure to have this done was principally because the rules committee did not have the expertise and time to consider such a voluminous overhaul in the time allotted for the project. Chancellor Singh noted, however, that the attorney general has a completely revised body of rules.

“Revised rules or no revised rules, the performance of the judges in the Supreme Court is inadequate and criticism in that regard is wholly justified… but there has been improvement and that must be recognised,” the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported the acting chancellor as saying.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, october 29, 2013

thursDAY, march 11, 2010 | guyanatimesGY.com

archie

By Bernice Bede Osol

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19) Keep your emotions in check and your mind on what needs to be done.

You will have opportunities to meet potential partners if you mingle with people who share your concerns.

dilbert

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19) A lack of communication isn’t always a bad thing. Take time to think about the way you feel and what you want to convey before you make a move that may limit future discussions.

Calvin and Hobbes

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Lend a helping hand, and you will end up receiving as much in return. A personal partnership will undergo emotional stress if you cannot agree on a financial matter.

CANCER (June 21July 22) Look at the way others live and the interests and differences between yourself and those in your community. Sharing your philosophy or way of doing things will encourage new friendships.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22) Listen to any complaints being made at home and show compassion for anyone going through a tough time.

Your attentiveness will help change the way someone thinks about and treats you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) Personal investing and moneymaking ideas will lead to victory.

Suggestions you make will put you in the driver’s seat at meetings. Offer an unusual solution.

Peanuts ARIES (March 21-April 19)

SUDOKU

Set up investments that will give you a tax break. An emotional issue due to an unpredictable incident is likely to influence your living arrangements and your love life.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Take care of personal business and discuss your plans with anyone who will be affected by the decisions you make. Expand your interests and your future prospects.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23) Sensitive issues at home or at work will leave you questioning your next move. Don’t procrastinate when you should be dealing with issues swiftly.

Don’t let emotions intervene.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22) A secret is likely to be divulged. Protect your reputation, assets and future prospects. Personal changes must be given great thought before you proceed. Love is in the stars.

Monday's solution GEMINI (May 21June 20) Do your best to help others, but don’t meddle or you will end up in an awkward position. A physical activity will help you feel rejuvenated and ready to take on new interests.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21) Mingle with your peers and find out where you stand. Share your thoughts, but keep your personal preferences a secret. Don’t get angry when action is needed.

news 19

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Rockstone Fish Festival attracts large crowd – organisers

TUESDay, october 29, 2013

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D

espite the inclement weather, the eighth Rockstone Fish Festival was deemed a success as thousands of participants from all across the country flocked the event which was held on Sunday at Rockstone, the small fishing community 18 miles from Linden, Region 10.

This year’s event saw new and improved activities such as camping, bird-watching, a fish clay modelling competition and tours of the Essequibo. Other activities included fish catching and deboning, cooking and watermelon eating competitions.

Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) Senior Administrative Officer Kemie Williams stated that the event has been successful over the years, and since its initiation in 2006, the Tourism Ministry and the tourism authority have been associated with it. “The event

has been picking up over the years and we are looking forward for greater things,” Williams said.

Riverfront development

Rockstone Tourism Association President Lynette Benn expressed satisfaction with the support the event has received from the members of the association and community, the Tourism Ministry and other stakeholders. Benn said despite some challenges, there were improvements in this year’s event in terms of participation in the different competitions and other activities.

She added that the association will be looking to develop the riverfront into an ecotour destination, by installing proper seating and benabs, having more boats on site, and including more activities in order to make next year’s event bigger and better.

Stray catchers impound goats, sheep in Essequibo

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A participant in the fish festival holds up part of his catch

Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon said the event has always been one to look forward to, along with the annual Linden Town Week, and pointed out that the regional administration was satisfied with the support in terms of participation the event has been receiving over the years.

He encouraged continuous support from the business community and other stakeholders, such as government in order to ensure that communities like Rockstone demonstrate their uniqueness.

Rockstone is quite exceptional in that it has excellent fishing grounds, a rich population of birds, and is home to giant otters, howler monkeys, labbas, iguanas, bush hogs and black caimans.

Solomon added that the level of support seen from the different stakeholders provides a good opportunity for Rockstone to highlight its unique natural assets, and encourage economic activities.

“The event has evolved from just an opportunity to catch fish and has now emerged to an opportunity to relax, sightsee and … socialise, allowing for a more family-oriented event,” he said.

Prizes were given out for the largest Lukanani, Arapaima and Arawana fish caught, and the largest fish overall, among others. There were also cultural performances in the form of dances and songs from the Linden cultural group and local artistes including Brandon Harding, Dianna Chapman, and Genesis.

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Flashback: The Home Affairs Ministry Stray Catching Unit has intensified its operations

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T

he Home Affairs Ministry Stray Catching Unit carried out an operation to nab livestock wandering the streets of G Division (Essequibo Coast/Essequibo Islands) on Thursday, as it continues to

execute its mandate to keep domesticated animals off the roadways.

In a release, the ministry said the exercise resulted in 17 goats and 27 sheep caught straying on the Essequibo Public Road being impound-

ed at the Anna Regina Police Station Pound.

The ministry reiterated its appeal to cattle farmers and other livestock rearers to exercise proper supervision and control of their animals during their grazing period.

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tuesday, OCTOber 29, 2013

Bangladesh v New Zealand, 1st ODI, Mirpur…

Black players demoralised in England, says FIFA vice president

Drawn Tests give T ODIs more context

N

Brendon McCullum and Mushfiqur Rahim receive the tournament trophy (Associated Press)

ew Zealand will be out to take revenge for their 0-4 embarrassment in 2010.

Bangladesh, like they have been since the 4-0 win, will once again be out to prove that they are indeed making steady progress, continuing today.

Their improvement is marked in the ODI format, more than in Tests or Twenty20s, but the visitors too have been in good form over the last 12 months.

New Zealand have won two of their last four bilateral series, against South Africa and England.

They are, however, without Martin Guptill due to an ankle injury, and have to put together a new opening partnership. Hamish Rutherford could open with newcomer Anton Devcich, as captain Brendon McCullum has preferred batting at No. 5 or 6 in the recent past.

Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor are batsmen in form while there are plenty of allrounders in the line-up to be used at different occasions.

Grant Elliott, Corey Anderson, James Neesham and Colin Munro are all options that are available to McCullum, alongside his brother Nathan who is the sole specialist spinner in the squad. Devcich’s leftarm spin could prove useful, while the pace attack has a fit Tim Southee, Kyle Mills and the new sensation Mitchell McClenaghan.

Adam Milne provides the extra yard of pace.

While Bangladesh’s pace attack is a little rickety with Mashrafe Mortaza making a comeback, their batting line-up is beginning to look solid. Captain Mushfiqur Rahim leads a middle order that has Shakib Al Hasan and Nasir Hossain, while Mominul Haque’s two Test centuries will hold him in good stead.

Tamim Iqbal is in good nick having scored two fifties in the Mirpur Test. Anamul Haque hasn’t scored much in the Tests, so he will be hungry for some runs. The spin attack also looks dangerous with Shakib, Abdur

Razzak and Sohag Gazi in the fray.

The Test series felt incomplete with rain ruining the final day in Mirpur.

The ODI series, therefore, should be the decider of the tour. The question as to whether it is Bangladesh or New Zealand who are in the ascendancy in ODI rankings, will be answered over the next seven days.

Mitchell McClenaghan has not played competitive cricket since August this year but his ODI record reads very well with 29 wickets in 10 matches.

The left-arm fast bowler will complement Mills and Southee in the New Zealand attack.

Nasir Hossain has been Bangladesh’s supreme finisher for the past two years. He comes in at No. 7 and makes sure a promising chase doesn’t go awry.

When Bangladesh bat first, he finishes it well with the tail-enders. He is a very good fielder too, and his offspin can also come in handy.

(Cricinfo)

from back page

Haifeng Su crowned national junior... runner again this year with victories in his first three games, but lost to Roberto Neto and drew with Saeed Ali. Those results put his back marginally as the 18-year-old Haifeng ensured his other six games ended in nothing less than a victory.

The national junior chess championship attracted eight players, namely Haifeng Su, Anthony Drayton, Roberto Neto, Davion Mars, Sheriffa Ali, Saeed Ali, Omar Grant and Rashad Hussain.

In an invited comment on the final day of the competition, Guyana Chess Federation Arbiter, Irshad Mohamed, said the junior players continue to improve with every passing year, noting that this year’s competition was very competitive.

“This year we had three players who were all in with

Dethroned: Anthony Drayton

Irshad Mohamed

a chance of copping the title heading into the final day, so that in itself speaks to the high level of rivalry among the players. The Guyana Chess Federation is pleased to see the direction in which the juniors are heading and this could only help to develop the sport,” Mohamed related.

With the national junior tournament now completed, Mohamed said the Guyana

Chess Federation’s focus for the remainder of the year is competition for the senior chess players.

The qualifiers for the senior national championship will be staged soon, after which the leading players will battle for the senior national title. The federation is also hoping to host a few rapid competitions on Main Street to generate interest among Guyanese.

he head of FIFA’s antiracism task force says he was left “disheartened” after meeting “demoralised” black and ethnic minority players in England.

Jeffrey Webb said many non-white players felt they did not get chances to move into coaching or management.

He met players including Reading’s Jason Roberts, who has lobbied for more diverse boardrooms in football.

Webb said: “The [English] game must reflect society and the community.

It doesn’t do so.”

Reading striker Roberts, 35, has been in consultation with the Professional Footballers’ Association in drawing up plans to ensure qualified ethnic minority coaches are on interview lists for job vacancies.

After Chris Kiwomya left Notts County by mutual consent on Sunday, there are only three black managers in the 92 clubs in the Premier League and Football League despite more than 30% of players being non-white.

FIFA vice president Webb, who also met Yaya Toure to discuss racial abuse the Manchester City player received against CSKA Moscow, has previously called on English football to “look in the mirror and engage”, given what he believes is a lack of opportunity for black and ethnic minority players in terms of senior coaching, managerial

Jeffrey Webb

and boardroom positions.

Football Association chairman Greg Dyke faced criticism from his own board earlier this month after a commission set up to improve the England team initially consisted entirely of white men.

Jamaica-born Heather Rabbatts, the FA’s only female board member, said at the time that the opportunity to lead an informed debate on the future of English football had been “singularly damaged”.

Since then, Dyke has added Manchester defender Rio Ferdinand to the commission.

But Webb feels the fact that Ferdinand is the only non-white panel member is a sign that diversity on the pitch is not being reflected off it.

He told BBC Sport: “There’s a lot of young players coming through, I understand that more than 30% of

the league is made up of people of African descent and over 71 different nationalities playing in the Premier League. But it’s not reflected, they’re not getting an opportunity.

“And many of them are becoming very demoralised and these are issues of course that we hope the FA will take on and that of the Premier League.”

The lack of black and ethnic minority coaches in the game has prompted the PFA to issue a “ready-list” of qualified former players who they believe can step into vacant coaching positions.

But after what was described as a “breakthrough” meeting between the PFA and Football League chairman Greg Clarke last season, the players’ union has been left disappointed by the failure of the league to discuss its “Coaching Fair Play” initiative with clubs.

(BBC Sport)

Cilic wins first match back after drugs ban

M

arin Cilic admitted he enjoyed every moment of being back on the court as he played his first match back since serving a four-month drugs ban.

The 25-year-old beat qualifier Igor Sijsling, from the Netherlands, 5-7 6-1 6-4 at the Paris Masters.

“I felt like a kid playing tennis for the first time,” said the Croat, who will now play fourth seed Juan Martin Del Potro in the second round.

Cilic tested positive for banned supplement nikethamide in April.

He added: “The feeling was amazing, just to be back on the court, to be competing; I enjoyed every moment.

“I’m extremely satisfied as I haven’t played any match since Wimbledon, so

Marin Cilic

it’s great to win again.”

Cilic, who has dropped to 41st in the world rankings, admitted it had been a difficult period since he tested positive for the prohibited glucose supplement at the Munich Open.

“I would definitely say it was the worst time of my life to experience this as a player,” he said.

“To be in that kind of sit-

uation, where I found out about the positive test and the media started to write, it was an extremely difficult situation. People were calling me a doping player and a cheater.

“I knew I didn’t cheat and the most important thing was I hadn’t taken anybody’s prize money and I hadn’t beaten anybody in that tournament.” (BBC Sport)

Teams no-show cause rough start to Super Sevens basketball tourney

T

eams failed to turn up for the start of the inaugural Super Sevens Basketball Challenge on Sunday at the Burnham Court.

According to YOLO Entertainment director Kirk “Chow Pow” Jardine, the “indiscipline” displayed by the teams caused the tournament to start off on a bad note.

“Two members might turn up for a team without their full seven and then when they leave the other members might show up so we need the teams to be more disciplined,” Jardine told Guyana Times Sport via telephone.

However, despite a number of teams not turning up, one game was played between Melanie and the

Eagles with the former being victorious.

“I think the fans that were on the sideline got into the game once it got going and the coloured ball was really a big plus; it’s just the teams [not turning up],” Jardine stressed.

Meanwhile, the tournament will continue on Sunday and teams will be allowed to register once they show up.

Tuesday, OCTOber 29, 2013

guyanatimesGY.com

21

GCC claim treble; Hikers Recruits take second division title

Veterans champions GCC with Allyson Parker of GT&T. MVP Philip Fernandes is second from right

T

he GCC male first division team retained their crown as GT&T National Indoor Hockey champions in a scintillating final against the Hikers with a penalty shootout at the end of regulation time to separate the two teams.

GCC Spartans upstaged their senior counterparts and defending champions GCC Tigers by 1-0 to secure the ladies’ trophy; GCC Vets cruised to a 7-1 victory over the Hickers. In the other category, Hikers Recruits managed to easily retain their second division title with a dominating 10-3 performance against Old Fort.

Hikers captain and menacing striker Robert France carved his way through a packed GCC defence to blast home the match’s first goal six minutes into the men’s first division final. The ensuing celebration was shortlived however, as GCC’s dynamic duo of Kevin Spencer and Orland Semple answered in quick succession with a goal each before Stephen Xavier added one

of his own to give GCC a 3-1 half-time lead.

Spectators were in for a dazzling display of high pace and skill however as the two sides created chances but outstanding goalkeeping from Eric Hing and Azad DeAbreu in their respective quarters helped to keep the scoreline in check.

Hikers overlapping right back Shane Samuels was the first to make his presence felt in the second half as he let go a terrific strike high into the GCC net two minutes after the resumption, Spencer restored confidence in the GCC side by notching his second of the night two minutes later.

Former national captain Devin Munroe and France with his second of the night brought the crowd to its feet as they managed a goal apiece on the 28th and 29th minute to draw the scores even at 4-4.

Just as the momentum seemed to swing in the Hikers favour however, Spencer completed his hattrick off a superb deceptive

pass from Semple to nudge GCC ahead in the closing minutes. The Hikers then made a risky tactical move that paid off as they pulled their goalkeeper from the game and replaced him with an extra field player.

The ramped up pressure produced a shot on goal for the Hikers which was parried by Hing in the GCC nets, but Captain France was onto the rebound with lightning speed to drive his shot home for the final goal of the match which evened the score at 5-5.

The nervous supporters had to endure the suspense of a penalty shootout to determine the 2013 GT&T champs. Raphael DeGroot with a diving finish and then Orland Semple both managed to find the back of the net in the shootout, while eventual competition MVP Eric Hing managed to do just enough to force Munroe and France of the Hikers to send their shots wide, giving GCC the victory.

The Women’s final saw an evenly contested battle

Ladies champions Spartans with Nadia DeAbreu of GT&T. MVP Aliyah Gordon is second from right

which saw an experienced Tigers piling on the pressure on the Spartans who had endured a tougher semi-final earlier in the day. While strikers Kerensa Fernandes and Sonia Jardine produced some exciting hockey in the Spartans goal area, Briawna Gordon making her debut in goal, produced an outstanding performance to keep them scoreless.

Right backs Tricia Woodroffe for the Tigers and Gabriella Xavier for the Spartans both were key influences on the match and launched many dangerous attacks for their teams, but it was young Aliyah Gordon who would steal the show four minutes from full-time.

Receiving a Samantha Fernandes pass from the right, Gordon exhibited sublime trickery to deceive the Tigers defense and goalkeeper Natalie Hing to slide home thematch’s only goal and secure the victory for Spartans.

In the Vets final, GCC

produced their best performance in the competition as they seemed determined from the opening whistle to crush the Hickers. Philip Fernandes was in his usual no-nonsense mood and chalked up a hat-trick of goals within the first six minutes of play to give GCC a comfortable margin.

Fernandes added one more to his tally for a total of four goals, while Alan Fernandes added a double and Stephen Fernandes a single. Devin Munroe managed a consolation goal in the second half for the Hickers to leave a final score of 7-1.

The Hikers Recruits exhibited why they are the defending champions in the men’s second division competition as they executed one of their typical game plans comprising of wellrehearsed movements and surgical passes to completely overwhelm Old Fort 103. Eventual MVP Jamarj Assanah amassed a five-

goal haul for the Hikers and Rayon Brandford added a double, while teammates Aroydy Brandford, Travon Younge and Michael Harding netted one each. A Shaquille Thomas double and Mark Fraser single completed the Old Fort tally of three.

GT&T Public Relations Officers, Allyson Parker and Nadia DeAbreu, were on hand to present the trophies and medals to the winning teams and individual awardees.

Following his clean sheet in the finals penalty shootout, GCC goalkeeper Eric Hing received the MVP for the men’s first division competition.

Finals goal scorer Aliyah Gordon received the accolade for the Women’s competition while veteran top scorer Philip Fernandes and dynamic midfielder Jamarj Assanah were selected for the Veterans and Men’s second division competitions respectively.

Putin declares gay athletes welcome at Sochi 2014 WI Women’s team

R

ussian President Vladimir Putin has insisted gay and lesbian athletes have nothing to fear at next year’s Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Putin told Thomas Bach, the head of the International Olympic Committee, that gay athletes - and supporters - would feel at ease.

Russia has been criticised over a new law banning “homosexual propaganda” towards people under 18.But a proposed boycott of the Games has gained little momentum.

There was some suggestion that gay visitors might face prosecution in Russia, but Moscow says this will not happen.

“We will do everything to make sure that athletes, fans and guests feel comfortable at the Olympic Games regardless of their ethnicity, race or sexual orientation. I would like to underline that,” Putin told Bach.

But gay rights groups have accused the IOC of not putting enough pressure on Russia, which has invested

more in its Games than any previous Olympic host.

During his visit, Bach made no public mention of the new law, focusing instead on Russia’s preparations for the Olympics.

“We are fully confident that the Games will be on a magnificent level,” he was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency.

Asked about concerns that there might not be enough snow to host events in the Krasnaya Polyana mountains, near Sochi, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, said organisers have stored 700,000 cu. m (24.7m cu. ft) of snow as a contingency.

Vodka boycott

Under the homosexual propaganda law, passed earlier this year, private individuals promoting “non-traditional sexual relations” to minors face fines of up to 5,000 roubles (£100; $155) while officials risk paying 10 times that amount.

Businesses and schools could be fined up to 500,000

named to face England

P

Vladimir Putin

roubles.

Activists in the West have been outraged at the measures, calling on athletes and countries to boycott the Games.

Gay bars in New York, London and elsewhere have boycotted Russian vodka.

But for many in Russia, where homosexuality was decriminalised in Russia in 1993, the law is much less controversial.

A recent poll found that nearly half of Russians believe that the gay and lesbian community should not enjoy the same rights as other citizens. In August, Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, spoke out in favour of the law at the World Championships in Moscow, but later said her comments concerning homosexuality had been “misunderstood”.

(BBC Sport)

ORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad - A 13-member squad was named on Monday to represent the West Indies women against England women in a threematch One Day International (ODI) series which begin today.

The squad includes wicket-keeper/batter Kycia Knight, openers Natasha McLean and June Ogle and fast bowler Subrina Munroe for the matches at Queen’s Park Oval.

The West Indies women defeated England on Saturday to win a tri-nation series also involving New Zealand at Kensington oval after defeating New Zealand in an ODI series in Jamaica.

“We’re heading over to Trinidad and we want to continue the winning momentum. We played well to beat New Zealand in Jamaica in the ODIs at Sabina Park,” said Captain Merissa Aguilleira.

“We were on top of our game to beat New Zealand and England in the T20s in Barbados and we will look to

Subrina Munroe

do the same at Queen’s Park Oval. The selectors have recalled a few players to the squad and they will fit in well.

We will look to maintain our excellent record on home turf.”

The second and third ODIs between West Indies and England will be played on Friday and Sunday.

Squad: Merissa Aguilleira (captain), Shemaine Campbelle, Shanel Daley, Deandra Dottin, Kycia Knight, Kyshona Knight, Natasha McLean, Anisa Mohammed, Subrina Munroe, June Ogle, Shaquana Quintyne, Tremayne Smartt and Stafanie Taylor.

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Tuesday, OCTOber 29, 2013

Cameron applauds Over 70 golfers confirmed for by Digicel Guyana Open this weekend performance Windies Women

B

By Avenash Ramzan

E

xcitement is buzzing in the golf fraternity, as the highly anticipated Digicel Guyana Open tournament draws closer to tee off this weekend.

The premier tournament on the local golf calendar will be held on Saturday and Sunday at the nine-hole Lusignan Golf Course, East Coast Demerara, and already over 70 local and foreign golfers have confirmed their participation for the activity.

President of the LGC, attorney Jerome Khan, told this publication on Monday afternoon that a competitive tournament is anticipated, especially since a number of overseas golfers have formalised their registration and are eager to challenge their local counterparts.

“As we speak, we have at least 72 golfers confirmed for this weekend. Out of that figures, 30 are from overseas, and those golfers have been arriving in Guyana over the past week. What I can tell is that this tournament is going to be very, very competitive and exciting,” Khan expressed.

The golfers will compete in the Championship Flight (0-9 handicap), B Flight (1018), C Flight (19-28) and Ladies Flight, and with the deadline for registration extended to Friday, the number of participants could rise to 100.

Some of the leading overseas golfers expected to compete are Roger Rajkumar, Andrew Claxton, M.F. Shaffie, Mo Shaffie,

Avinash Persaud

Anwar Shafi and Ramesh Hardowar. This year’s tournament has attracted participants from the U.S.A, Canada, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

Khan said that from all indications, the Championship Flight will be a hotly contested affair with defending champion Avinash Persaud throwing down the gauntlet to local rivals Mohanlall Dinanauth, Alfred Mentore, William Walker, Patrick Prashad, Imran Khan, Munaff Arjune, Roger Rajkumar, Jaipaul Suknanan and Seupaul Suknanan, and Anwar Shafi of New York.

The LGC president also used the opportunity to salute Digicel as the new sponsor of the Guyana Open, a partnership that gained roots a few years ago when the company first sponsored the Digicel Golf Classic. “The Lusignan Golf Club would want to welcome Digicel on board. We’ve had a very good relationship with the company since they came to Guyana and I’ve seen this

Christine Sukhram

Jerome Khan

relationship grown to the mutual benefit of the club and the company,” he noted.

Khan added that the LGC is using the tournament to once again aid in the sports tourism drive, as the event will draw a wide cross section of golfers and their supporters from various countries.

“We’re very encouraged by the commitment made

by Sport Minister Dr. Frank Anthony [at the opening of the President’s Cup], who has pledged to ensure that the access road is properly maintained because golf is a major tourist attraction, and we want to use it to our advantage to help the tourism drive, as is being done by the other Caribbean countries.”

Roger Rajkumar on the final hole to lift the title, while on the distaff side, Sukhram duly retained her title from 2011, returning from a first day deficit to beat Suriname’s Nom Sook Choi, who had assumed pole position at the end of the opening day.

Following the Digicel Guyana Open, local golfers will engage in battle in the MACORP, Wartsila, ECI and King’s Jewellery World Open tournaments.

Defending champions

When the competition gets underway, four-time winner Avinash Persaud and multiple champion Christine Sukhram will look to keep a hold on the titles they won in 2012.

In a thrilling finish last year, Persaud defeated Canada-based Guyanese

Roger Rajkumar

Fiji beat Ireland 32-14 in World Cup

RIDGETOWN, Barbados – President of the WICB Whycliffe ‘Dave’ Cameron showered praise on the West Indies Women’s Team following their capture of the Women’s T20 International Tri Series in Barbados, and has also applauded the large number of spectators who came out to see the recent Women’s T20 International Tri Series.

West Indies beat England by eight wickets at Kensington Oval on Saturday night, in the Grand Final watched by a crowd of approximately 4,000. Stafanie Taylor won the Player-of-the-Match award while Deandra Dottin took the Virgin Atlantic Player-of-the-Series award.

Speaking on behalf of the WICB and the cricket-loving public of the Caribbean, Cameron said: “It was an amazing performance in front of a packed 3Ws Stand.

I spoke to the players the night before and I told them to make us proud and that is exactly what they did. It was a champion performance from our women.”

He added: “It was the way they went about the game that was particularly pleasing. The effort and the passion reminded you of what West Indies cricket is all about. We will continue to support the women’s game and I want to encourage them to do the same as they move in to Trinidad for the three ODIs against

WICB President Whycliffe “Dave” Cameron

England at the Queen’s Park Oval.”

As part of its commitment to women’s cricket the WICB produced and broadcast all seven matches in the Tri Series. It was the first time a women’s series in the region was aired live on television.

“The well-put-together coverage attracted large viewership and we will continue to look at other ways of bringing the women’s game to the supporters who continue to be impressed with the style of play and dedication of our girls.”

Cameron said, as a result, there had been growth in the team’s fan base.

“It was heartening to see how the crowds came out and cheered on the teams.

We saw fans from England, we saw New Zealand fans joining the West Indies fans as they enjoyed some very entertaining matches and a fantastic tournament,” he added. (WICB)

Pooranmall wins P&P draughts competition

A

kuila Uate scored a hat-trick as Fiji thrashed Ireland in their opening World Cup Group A fixture at a soldout Spotland in Rochdale on Monday.

Uate and Kevin Naiqama tries helped Fiji build a 10-0 lead before a Tyrone McCarthy score reduced the deficit.

Two more Uate scores after the break plus tries from Tariq Sims and brother Korbin sealed victory before Damien Blanch and James Hasson struck late on.

Ireland play England on Saturday, while Fiji take on Australia.

The top three teams from the group go through to the last eight, and the Bati will enter the second round of matches top of their pool.

Fiji were celebrating their 52-year association with Rochdale, forged by the influx of Fijian signings at Rochdale Hornets during the 1960’s, and did not disappoint a partisan stadiumrecord crowd with a powerful display.

Winger Uate, who scored two tries when the two nations met in a World Cup

Akuila Uate is ambushed by players from Ireland during Monday’s match

quarter-final five years ago, got Rick Stone’s side off to the perfect start when he collected Naiqama’s pass to slide over in the corner.

Full-back Naiqama barged through a weak tackle from Ireland centre Apirana Pewhairangi to extend the lead, albeit with the help of video referee Henry Perenara, who judged that hooker James Storer had not knocked on in the buildup.

McCarthy dived over

from close range to reduce the deficit and Fiji’s continuous indiscipline was punished when forward Eloni Vunakece was shown a yellow card for a high shot before half time.

Having extended their lead by a further two points thanks to a Wes Naiqama penalty, Tariq Sims capitalised on a handling error from Scott Grix to make it 18-4.

Newcastle Knights man Uate went over in similar

fashion to his first try of the evening, and when Korbin Sims collected a high ball to touch down, the game was over as a contest.

Uate completed his hattrick by barging past four tiring Irish defenders, and while Blanch and Hasson scored opportunist tries for the Wolfhounds in the dying minutes, there is much to ponder for coach Mark Aston ahead of their meeting with England in Huddersfield on Saturday. (BBC Sport)

Accounts Executive of P&P Insurance Brokers and Consultants Limited, Tashika Singh (left) presents the championship trophy to Khemraj Pooranmall in the presence of Chief Executive Officer of P&P, Bishwa Panday

K

hemraj Pooranmall emerged victorious in the annual 100 Squares Draughts competition, organised by the Guyana Draughts Association and sponsored

by P&P Insurance Brokers and Consultants Limited.

Pooranmall emerged with 12 points to beat his nearest rival, Steve Bacchus, who finished with 11 points.

The competition was played at the National Gymnasium,

Mandela Avenue.

Chief Executive Officer of P&P Insurance Brokers and Consultants Limited, Bishwa Panday, after presenting the championship trophy, congratulated Pooranmall on his victory.

He spoke of his company’s interest in the development of sport, noting that they have supported several disciplines in the past such as cycling, lawn tennis and cricket.

tuesday, OCTOber 29, 2013

guyanatimesGY.com

23

Mohamed to lead Upper East Coast Tigers in DCB O-40

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ormer national wicketkeeper/batsman Sheik Mohamed was appointed captain of the Upper East Coast Tigers squad for the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB)/Raj Singh Insurance Brokers/Trophy Stall Over40 T20 competition set to bowl off on Wednesday with four games.

The left-handed batsman is in charge of a strong Upper East Coast Tigers unit that includes several players ideally suited for the shortest format of the game.

Mohamed will have the hard-hitting Eon Abel as his deputy, with the likes of Desmond Butts, Khemraj Chanderpaul, John Hardatt, Deonarine Chatura, Mark Malone and Jacob Persaud, among others lending support.

Like the Upper East Coast Tigers, the other seven teams are equally strong, making the battle for top honours a keenly contested one. The other seven teams are West Coast Demerara Seals, West Bank Demerara Mavericks, Lower East Coast Bulls, Upper East Bank Colts, Lower East Bank Lions, Georgetown Buffaloes and Georgetown Bears.

Among the notable names set to appear in the competition are Rabindranauth Seeram, Lloyd Harper, Nazarali Asgaralli, Anand Sanasie, Rockey Ramgopaul, Chandrika Jeenarine, Latchman Yadram, Seemangal Yadram, Daniel Singh, Rohan Sarjoo, Sanjeet Datadin, Johnny Azeez, Sherlock Atwell, Alfred Mentore, Garvin Nedd, Surenda Heralall,

Sheik Mohamed

Rohan Sarjoo

Rabindranauth Seeram

Orin Bailey

Orin Bailey, David Harper and Nazimul Drepaul.

In Wednesday’s first round, East Bank Lions will take on Lower East Coast Bulls at Lusignan, Georgetown Bears will face West Coast Demerara Seals at the DCC ground, Upper East Coast Tigers will tackle Georgetown Buffaloes at Enmore, and West Bank Demerara Mavericks will collide with East Bank Colts at the GCC ground, Bourda.

All matches will bowl off at 13:00h.

During the preliminary round, teams will be given four points for a win, two points for a tie and one each for a no-result. Additionally, during the preliminary rounds, bonus points will be awarded for various achievements. Two bonus points will be awarded to a team which defeats its opponent by more than 75 runs or with just five or less wickets down.

A bonus point will be awarded to a team which defeats the other by more than 50 and less than 75 runs or less than seven wickets down.

Also, two bonus points will be awarded to a team that scores more than 175 runs in an innings, one bonus point for a team that scores more than 150 runs in an innings, two bonus points if a team wins in less than 10 overs and one bonus point if a team wins in less than 12 overs.

Another exciting innovation for this tournament would be for bowlers only being limited to three overs, thereby ensuring that at least seven bowlers are used

in an innings.

Further, it is anticipated at the end of the tournament, a strong Demerara team would be selected to oppose their counterparts from the other counties at a later date.

Imran. The Manager is Omar Hussain.

Upper East Coast Tigers: Shiek Mohamed (Captain), Eon Abel, Eshwar Persaud, Khemraj Chanderpaul, Naim Chan, Jacob Persaud, Mark Malone, Anil Persaud, Sunil Dyal, Desmond Butts, Bashir Khan, John Hardatt, Balram Bactowar, Deonarine Chatura, Walter Bourne, Anthony Carto, Jagdesh Persaud, Bridgelall Heeralall, Iqbal Dawud, Gangaram Ramraj, Nandram Budhram, Nandalall Khan, and Kenneth De Freitas.

Manager is Mahmood Ali. Lower East Coast Bulls: Samaroo Jailall (Player/ Manager), Clifton Anderson, Jeffrey Ramgopaul, Rockey Ramgopaul (Captain), Chandrakar Jeenarine, Charlie Outar, Nazir Baksh, Chathram Gagadin, David Singh, Azad Mohamed, Raymond Karim, Rohan Lance Persaud, Baldeo Persaud, Vicky Bipta, Kassim Khan, Steve Hookum, Zamaladeen Khan, Ronald Jagmohan, Seeraj Bhimsain, V. Gobin,

Special rules

According to the organisers, the tournament is intended to be a 20-over competition with some special rules geared towards stimulating intense competition among teams.

“This DCB Over-40 competition is being reintroduced after a hiatus of several years and is specifically geared towards bringing a closer relationship between sponsors, former players, administrators and lovers of the game,” a release from the DCB stated.

Competing squads

West Coast Demerara Seals: Krishnchand Mangal (Captain), Rabindranauth Seeram, Nazarali Asgaralli, Nigel Viera, Dhanpaul, Muninram Persaud, Lloyd Harper, Mukesh Persaud, Mohamed Willie, Abdul Zaman Willie, Marlon Blacks, Asthon Headley, Manniram, Mook Persaud, Ashraf Ali, and Sean McKay. West Bank Demerara Mavericks: Terry Daniels (Captain), Abdul S. Samad, Anand Sanasie, Steve Harripaul, Shaun Persaud, Emran Sullivan, Haimandan Panday, Eon Williams, Harmanand Singh, Danraj Bipath, Randolph Shivrattan, Inwajeet Etwaroo, Arnold Shamshudeen, Abid Hanniff, Shaheed Khan, Deoram Persaud, and Shameer

Seemangal Yadram, Latchman Yadram, Chatapaul Singh.

Upper East Bank Colts: Raymond Jaisingh, Daniel Singh, Calvin Singh, Sudesh Latchman, Lancelot Easton, George Niles, Mark Grenville, Roy Mahadeo, Rohan Sarjoo (Captain), Vijay Ramgobin, Otis George, Owen Grannum, Steve Waldron, Kenneth Debidial, Sanjeev Datadin(Player/Manager) Latchman Singh.

Lower East Bank Lions: Johnny Azeez (Captain), Basil Persaud, Ronald Jaisingh, Clement Archer, Sewnarine Kalicharan, Rudy Jairam ( Player/Manager), Nigel Bissu, Ramautar Bissoon, Roy Persaud, Dennis Mangru, Rafiq Alli, Sahadeo Hardaiow, Latchman Persaud, Rakesh Gangaram, and Deonarine Debidial.

Georgetown Buffaloes: Sherlock Atwell (player/ manager), Lynden Lyght, Gladwin Brandis, Edward Burnette, Andre Legall, Fitzroy Colley, Balat Mangru, Linden Wilson, Anthony Rigby, Curt Caesar, Reginald Rodrigues, Linden Gilbert, Troy Halley, Alfred Mentore (Captain), and Garvin Nedd.

Georgetown Bears: Vijay Gangaram, Surendra Heralall, Carlos Reid (captain), Manoj Lall, Y. A Persaud, Mohamed Najar, Orin Bailey, Caramchand Rambarran, Rajesh Singh, Rudolph Chapman, Riaz Hussain, Feroze Khan, Denis Mangru, Omar Persaud, David Harper, and Nazimul Drepaul (Player/ Manager).

Lower Corentyne retain Inter-Branch track and field championships

Mackey Kato

L

ower Corentyne retained the District Six Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) Schools Track & Field Championships when the Inter-Branch two-day event was held on Thursday and Friday at the Albion Community Centre.

Central Corentyne and Upper Corentyne were tied for second. Black Bush Polder finished at the bottom of the points table.

The two- day event saw several athletes putting in outstanding performances, chief among them was Mackey Kato of Upper Corentyne who won the boys’ U-8 150m, 80m 400m, long jump and the cricket ball throw. Kato will be

representing District Six at the GTU/MoE Cycling, Swimming and Track & Field Championships next month.

Last year’s wonder girl Jennifer D’Aguiar, who won all seven of the events that she took part in last year, tried to repeat the feat but failed. D’Aguiar won the girls U-12 100m, 1,000m, 1,200m and high jump. She placed second in the 200m, long jump and shot put; she placed third in the discus.

Danielle Grey, of Central Corentyne, won the girls’ U-16 100m and 200m while Shane Beresford of Upper Corentyne took the boys 200m U-16 and placed sec-

ond in the 100m, behind Mark Wrong, of Lower Corentyne.

The boys’ U-18 100m and 200m was won by Jerome Beaton of Upper Corentyne with Erica Lashley of Lower Corentyne taking the female sprint double. Darrel Henry, of Central Corentyne, continued his dominance, winning the boys’ 100m and 200m U-20.

His teammate Funetta Crandon won the girls’ 200m U-20 event. The 100m girls U-20 was won by Sheriana Higgins, of Central Corentyne, with Sheata Sinclair coming in second while, Rolwune Haywood placed second in the boys’ Danielle Grey wins the girls U-16 100m ahead of Lyneese McKenzie and Abiana Batson

Mark Trotman takes the boys’ U-10 100m ahead of Shane Bradford and James Allen

race.

The boys’ U-10 100m was won by Eran Leitch with Simon Shepint, Yohance Bourne and Crystoff Shepint finishing in that order, while in the girls’ category Shenelle Harvey won the event while Alicia Shepherd, Actleema Munroe and Alice Fraser finished in descending order.

The U-12 100m boys’ race was won by Shamar Trim with Tyrone Farley, RollarAngen and Melon Lowenfield finishing in that order.

The U-14 100m event

went to Esan Leitch. In second place was Royendre Deonarine, ahead of Joel Harper and Treyston Joseph.

Latario Leitch of Black Bush won the girls U-14 100m with Hanna Hicks, Latisha Boyce and Komesha Cort, finishing in that order.

The girl’s 3,000m was taken by Marissa Lawson, of Central Corentyne, who lapped several of her competitors. In second was Wendy Barnwell of Central Corentyne with Naomi Miguel, Shania Harris and Somwattie Parsram of Black

Bush, finishing in that order.

The boys’ 5000m was won

by Denzel Leitch of Central Corentyne with Upper Corentyne’s Drecino Moses placing second and Joshua Hicks of Lower Corentyne, coming in third; the fourth spot went to Junín Leitch of Central Corentyne.

Meanwhile, Lower Corentyne dominated the cycling, winning most of the events with Cristal Lambert being the most outstanding rider. She won the girls’ open 800m and 1000m races.

(Andrew Carmichael)

tuesday, october 29, 2013

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GABF lifts LABA suspension

T

- Roberts’ six-year ban revoked

he Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) has lifted the suspension of affiliate member Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA), following the body’s revocation of Dwayne “Brown Sugar” Roberts’ six-year suspension.

President of the LABA Haslyn Graham confirmed this with Guyana Times Sport on Monday evening.

“Well we [LABA] did come to a conclusion and we have the sport at heart; so what we did was reinstate the player but we still have to work out and should have a meeting with the GABF on discipline for players towards officials. Our suspension has also been lifted by the GABF,” Graham revealed.

Roberts was initially banned for six months and fined $15,000 for injuring a Linden referee by throwing a ball at him during a game. Subsequently, Roberts was banned for six years for allegedly threatening a LABA official.

Roberts later solicited the intervention of the GABF that later suspended the mining town association after issuing the association with a letter to reinstate the player.

Now, with all parties back on common ground, Graham looks forward to a successful staging of the Brusche Classic that

Haifeng Su crowned national junior chess champion

S

Dwayne “Brown Sugar” Roberts

tipped off on Sunday. (Treiston Joseph)

chool of the Nations’ student, Haifeng Su, was crowned national junior chess champion by the narrowest of margins after pipping last year’s champion Anthony Drayton by half of a point on Sunday.

Competing on the final day of the Sasha Cells junior chess championship at the Guyana Legion building on Carifesta Avenue, Haifeng Su accu-

Haifeng Su

mulated six points to dethrone Drayton, who finished with five and a half points.

Haifeng Su’s only loss in the competition came at the hands of Drayton early in the competition. The final margin of victory half a point - was the exact outcome in 2012 when Drayton prevailed over Haifeng to claim the title.

Drayton was the frontcontinued on page 20